Avengers: Imagines/Oneshots (REQUESTS CLOSED)

Bucky Barnes - Don't Be Afraid

Child Reader

Bucky Barnes walked down the block in the quiet of the night, watching his surroundings as he breathed in deeply. He hasn't been outside the Avengers facility in a while and to go out at night was refreshing. All he wanted to do was collect his thoughts and quiet his mind. He expected the neighbourhood to be filled with less than a dozen people as it was deep in the night already. What he didn't expect was to find a child cowering in an alley, trying to keep herself warm. Bucky approached the little girl carefully, slipping into the alley. The girl stared wide eyed at him, backing into the dirty wall. The girl watched as he bent down on one knee, reaching for her with his human hand. She flinched as he neared and Bucky stopped short.

"Don't be afraid," He said quietly in a soft tone and she stared at him for long, not blinking once.

Tentatively, the little girl placed her dirty hand into his and walked forward. She was shaking from the cold winds outside so Bucky removed his jacket and covered her in it. He smiled as she snuggles further into it.

"What your name?" He asked carefully and she snapped her gaze to his.

"Y-Y/N," She said softly, shivering still from the cold.

Bucky paused for a moment. Why was a little girl out in her own? Especially in the dead of night. "Where are your parents?" He asked her.

The little girl smiled sadly, a tear or two sloping from her e/c eyes. "M-My p-parents are g-gone. An e-evil man p-put them in a d-deep s-sleep," She stuttered. Bucky understood immediately.

"Do you know why?" He asked even though he knew it wasn't the best thing to ask a frightened girl.

She shrugged. "The m-man said that my m-mommy and d- daddy didn't p-pay for the g-goods," She replied and he nodded. Drugs.

"Well it's freezing out here," Bucky  breathed out, seeing his breath in the cold air. "I'll take you with me."

The little girl hesitated. "Are you a good guy?" She was staring at him with so much hope.

He nodded. "I love with the Avengers. Do you know who they are?" He smiled as Y/N nodded excitedly.

"My favourite is The Winter Soldier and Iron Man!" She exclaimed.

Bucky grinned, showing his metal arm to her and her eyes bulged. "You mean me?"

She touched his metal arm, letting out a gleeful squeal. "You're my hero, Bucky." She said softly.

Bucky was grateful and touched at her words. Everything that's he's done, people only saw him as a villain. But he wasn't.

"You ready to go meet the superheroes?" He asked her and she nodded excitedly. "Well let's get a move on."

He scooped Y/N into his arms, hugging her tight as he slipped out of the alley and back down the road. For some reason, he wanted to protect this little girl. There was only so little good left in the world and he wanted to save every piece of it.

~~~~~~~

Bucky watched as Y/N played with Clint, giggling as he picked her up and pretended to turn her into a plane. He smiled at that.

"Bucky?" He turns to see Steve looking at him with a smile on his face.

"Yeah?"

Steve looked at Y/N then back at his best friend. "You gonna keep her?"

Bully nodded immediately. "There's just something about this little girl that's...different," He bit his lip as he looked back at Y/N.

"Different how?" Steve inquired.

He shrugged. "I don't really know. All I do know is that I don't want to leave her alone. She needs someone," He tells Steve. The blond smiles fondly.

"You and her both," Steve adds.

Bucky looked back at the little girl again. I guess they both needed each other. Whatever the reason may be.