Bucky was livid, it had been a routine mission infiltrating a supposedly old Hydra base. Except the lead the team had gotten was faulty, the facility was still operational and they were wildly unprepared. You had gotten taken during it all and they had been powerless to help you.
It had been two weeks and they still had no idea where you were, "What do you mean?" Bucky yelled, "We're the Avengers. You're Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff for god's sake how can you not know where she is."
"Bucky, calm down," Steve tried.
"No, I won't calm down. Y/N's been taken by Hydra and they're doing fuck knows what to her and we're sitting around here safe and sound doing nothing about it."
"We're doing the best we can," Tony defended.
Bucky scoffed, "Do it harder."
—
Another week passed by before they got a lead, Bucky was the first in the quinjet with the others close behind him. It was the quickest they had ever set off on a mission. They went into stealth mode and got dropped off half a mile away from the base where you were being held.
When they got inside they began to fight off against the minimal personnel working there, Bucky stormed on ahead through the halls and opened every door in the hopes that you were in there. By the third floor of doing this he began to lose hope but then he flung open a door and was shocked still.
You were tied up, hanging from the ceiling with rope by your hands. Your body was bloodied and bruised, your head lolled down in unconsciousness. Bucky rushed forward and cut the rope with his pocket knife and caught your body when you dropped and he lowered you gently to the ground. Frantically he felt at your neck for a pulse, his heart stopped when he couldn't feel one but then a small movement under his fingers told him you were still alive.
Carefully he lifted you up, placing you securely in his arms and your head dropped to his shoulder, he could feel your faint breath on his neck. He carried you back through the halls stone faced but his eyes betrayed how worried he was about you.
The team fell still when they saw you in his arms. You had always been the strong one, the one who picked them all up and now you looked broken and fragile, it was truly a wake up call that they weren't invincible.
Bucky carried you to the jet and laid you out on the bench keeping your head in his lap and your hand in his for the whole journey. Everyone stayed silent as they flew back home, too worried about you to talk about anything.
—
When you woke up the first thing you realised was you were in a bed, which was strange considering you had last been tied up with rope but maybe even Hydra had realised you were in a bad condition and needed to keep you alive for leverage.
The second thing you noticed was that there was a warm hand in yours, so you weren't with Hydra any more. With all your energy you peeled open your eyes to see the familiar form of Bucky slouched in the chair next to your bed with his eyes closed and his hand tightly in yours.
You squeezed your hand to try and get his attention, he was a light sleeper so he woke up easily. He was clearly very tired so it took a moment for him to realise you were awake and staring at him but when he did he leaned forward with wide eyes.
"Oh my god, Y/N, you're awake. I was so worried."
"What happened?" you yawned.
"We found you tied up in a Hydra base and brought you back here. You have a broken leg, a few broken ribs, a sprained wrist and several nasty gashes that'll leave impressive scars but the doctor says you'll make it," Bucky said and huffed, he hadn't stopped thinking about what Hydra had done to you, what he had let them do to you by not protecting you.
"So just another day on the job?" you cracked a small smile.
Bucky tightened his jaw, "No. This should never have happened, you're an Avenger and you're there to protect people, sure, but not at this cost."
You squeezed his hand gently, "Buck, I'll be fine. I always am."
—
The doctor released you a few days later, it took time getting used to walking on crutches but you got the hang of it. Bucky insisted that you stay with him until you got better, you could see how guilty he looked about the whole thing so you didn't protest. If he needed to look after you to feel better about it then you were going to let him.
Except after a week it began to get annoying, Bucky limited you to lying in bed or on the sofa. He barely let you walk around the house with your crutches, if he could he would carry you where you needed to go. If you needed something that was out of the house then he would drop whatever he was doing and go get it himself.
Currently he was out getting some ice cream, you had wanted to get it yourself to get out of this godforsaken house and get some fresh air and a change of scenery but Bucky insisted it would be too much stress.
"I don't see why I can't go out," you said when he got back and dug into your ice cream.
"It's too strenuous. The doctor said you need to rest up, doll," he said, coming to sit next to you on the sofa.
"But I'm sick of this place. No offense but it get's so boring. I've binge watched five separate tv shows on netflix just this week," you complained.
"Just another week then you can do more," Bucky said.
You huffed, "Bucky, I'm grateful that you're doing all this for me I really am but-"
Bucky cut you off by kissing you softly, "You're cute when you get annoyed," he smirked when he pulled back and you were shocked into silence. "Just let me take care of you for another week, then I promise I'll take you anywhere you need to go."
One look into those blue eyes and you were helpless, "Okay," you relented. Bucky grinned brilliantly at you and you blushed slightly, he leaned forward and kissed you again softly, this time you reciprocated and melted into his touch.
He pulled away after a moment leaving you chasing his lips and panting lightly, you whined in protest and he chuckled, "No strenuous activity."
You huffed and snuggled into his side instead, "Jerk," you muttered.
Bucky smiled and pressed a kiss to your forehead as you found a movie to watch together.
