Incubus

Epilogue

You're the first one awake in the morning, which is also a new experience. It gives you a little time to allow your mind to catch up to everything. So much has happened in such a short time span, and you'd honestly been too delirious from pain to really understand most of it. You almost couldn't believe that half of the things that happened last night legitimately happened. Or that they evenworked. With Bucky's blood now running through your system, you felt better than you'd felt your whole life. Like SHIELD never happened.

But then again... no amount of physical healing or recovery would ever change the fact that you had; in fact, been tortured by a SHIELD operative. By a castor. The things he did. The pain you felt. It would always be burned into your memories. Always be a part of you. The mark on your shoulder would remain a testament to the time you spent there. A horrible reminder that even though you escaped... it wasn't unscathed.

Before you can dwell on it much longer, you hear Bucky's breathing change as he begins to awaken. His arm tightens around your waist as he inhales sharply. You lift your head up slightly, resting your chin against his chest so you can look up at him. His eyes blink open, a sleepy grin spreading across his lips when he meets your gaze. "Damn, you're good, sweetheart. Knocked me out like a light." He reaches his free hand up to cover his yawn before tucking that arm back behind his head. "How are you feeling?"

You force out a small smile. "Physically, I'm fine."

You watch his gaze dip down slightly. "How's your shoulder?"

The fraction of a smile drops as you follow his gaze. "Well, it doesn't hurt anymore," you respond.

"That's good. Hell fire doesn't affect demons, so our blood bond was supposed to help with that. I'm glad it did." Your gaze lifts back up to meet his and he gives you a tilted smile. "And now we match," he jokes lightly.

His words seem to have the opposite effect of what he'd intended; though, when instead of smiling or laughing, your lips begin to tremble and tears well in your eyes. "I hate it," you mutter thickly.

Bucky frowns, his brow furrowing in concern. "Lumina..." He moves his hand from behind his head to reach for you.

His fingers have barely brushed against your arm when you jerk back. "Don't!" you scream when he gets too close to the mark for your comfort. You turn away from him, rolling on your side so the mark is tucked against the sheets out of sight, and you clutch your arm to your chest, curling into a ball.

Bucky sits up cautiously, watching you with sadness and worry. "Y/N, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," he speaks as calmly as he can. His heart wrenches when he sees your body shake with quiet sobs. He wants nothing more than to comfort you, but he fears he might make things worse if he does.

"I thought I was gonna die, Bucky," you whisper brokenly.

He hesitantly reaches his hand out, carefully pushing your hair out of your face and curling it behind your ear. "I wasn't going to let that happen."

He watches your eyes squeeze shut, a few tears slipping out. "They tried to make me hate you. I was so scared they were going to succeed."

Bucky can feel some of your pain and fear through the new bond you both share and it eats at him alive. "I'm so sorry I couldn't get you out of there sooner, Lumina. I felt so useless."

You manage to curl yourself into an even tighter ball. "Please don't let them take me again, Bucky," you sob quietly.

He moves slowly to curl himself around you, letting his body heat surround you like a cocoon. When he feels you lean slightly back against him, he takes that as an okay to wrap his arms around you. "They're never touching you again, Lumina. I'll rip them all apart before that ever happens."