Red Winter - COMPLETED

Chapter Seventeen: Vulnerability

"Her name is Sophie."Professor Xavier turned his chair to face Captain America and The Winter Soldier who were both sitting on the couch. Bucky looked beat, his face was flush and his eyes lost. "She is an extraordinarily gifted child." Steve looked from his friend to the man in front of him, "I'm sure she is great, but what did she do?" The Professor looked upon Bucky, who was staring at his feet. "She is still learning. You have to excuse her when she touches you, she is just getting to know you." Bucky clenched his jaw, his mind racing. Remembering back while the child looked down on his convulsing body as he relived his worst moments the words that left her lips, "You're a bad guy."

After their talk with Professor Xavier Steve assured Bucky that it was just a child who was still getting use to her powers, but that didn't make him any less on edge. While Steve went to make a phone call, Bucky headed back to his room. On his way down the empty hallway he couldn't release the feeling that the young mutant plucked into his head. After he closed his door behind him part of his senses tightened as he forgot that Wanda was asleep in his bed. The red that beamed from the clock red a quarter to 7, it was still quite early in the day. Bucky glanced over to the body that lay in his bed and a sudden rush came over him. Unsure if it was from the events from this morning or if it was long overdue, Bucky pulled off his sweaty shirt and climbed onto the bed without care if he woke up the witch. 

Wanda's eye flickered opened slowly as her body began to wake, the soldier's movements on the bed brought her out of her slumber. Without even a moment to process her waking, Bucky was in her sight. Hovering slightly above her she looked up at him, rolling over onto her back. "Good morning." She felt his breath bounce off of her face, it was warm and light, sending shivers down her spine. "Are you alright?" The witch's accent strong in her voice first thing in the morning. Bucky slowly moved up more, until their faces were even. "Buck..." His lips caught hers before she could finish speaking, his body rested lightly on hers as he held himself up up his elbow and placed his hand lightly onto her face. Wanda wasn't sure what brought them to this moment or what was going through his mind, but there was no part of her that wanted to stop. Their lips against one another danced beautifully while her hands reached up to feel his side, running them up toward his shoulders. Bucky flinched lightly, still learning how to accept another person's touch. It seemed like forever that the two played with their kiss, Bucky lightly parted, resting his forehead against hers while they caught their breath. "I'm a bad guy." Wanda didn't know where his came from, her eyes studied his face as his eyes remained closed. "What happened to you?" Tears glistened from the corners of his eyes, the soldier's vulnerability pouring from him in front of her and he didn't understand why. Wanda's hands cupped his face, her thumbs wiping across his stubbled cheeks. "May I?" Bucky nodded lightly, taking in a deep breath as the witch entered his mind in the hopes to understand what had happened since the soldier was clearly still in shock.

After watching the events that the soldier endured while she slept, she released his mind and stared up at him. "You are not a bad guy." The witch could feel his soul crumbling, so she wrapped her arms around his torso and pulled him down onto the bed beside her, holding him close. It was her time to return the comforting that he showed her last night, it was her turn to hold him close.