Friend To Lover - Steve x Bucky

Chapter 4

Steve's POV
Bucky was hurt. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. The way he looked at me scared me. He wanted me to help. Help him with what? If I knew what was wrong I could help him. But while we were fighting Bucky seemed off, like he couldn't concentrate on the task at hand. A week or so after our initial encounter after seventy years. It hasn't been long since our fight and the reveal that he is in fact the Winter Soldier.
This time we were fighting again but Bucky looked horrible, like he hadn't eaten in a while and it took all his willpower not to crumble into a heap. I only noticed then how skinny he looked. Seventy years ago he had been elegantly thin but muscular, but now he looks half starved. He also has bruises covering the exposed flesh of his neck. I know for sure I didn't put them there so now the question remains, who did? Suddenly, I find myself flying through the air and landing hard on my back. Before I can move, Bucky is on top of me (A.N. No, not like that you pervs) and tried to choke me. With the last of my strength I push him off and brace myself because my shield was knocked out of reach a long time ago.
When I look up Bucky is staring at me, with a look on his face I can't decipher. I don't understand why he's not moving until I see someone standing a little ways behind him. Even in the dark light of the alleyway I can see Bucky is trembling with fear, not daring to move. The man walks up and stands next to Bucky and puts a hand on Bucky's shoulder. Instantly Bucky flinches and tries to shy away from his touch but the hand is firm, but looks gentle. Suddenly his eyes cloud over and it seems like he's blind to the world. I don't say anything and there's a silence until the man starts to say:
"I must say Captain, I'm impressed. Not very many people have managed to bring the Winter Soldier out of his stupor, and even less have survived. I'm afraid that you'll be disappointed to see that he isn't your friend anymore, instead he is a weapon for us, and an adversary to you. You see, when we first found him he was cold, neglected and upset that you weren't there to help him. After a while he realized that defying us wouldn't do him any good so he obeyed, like the good little pawn he is. As you can see," he said gesturing to Bucky: "He isn't currently aware of his surroundings. For a while back when he still disrespected us he still had a little shimmer in his eyes. But we beat it out of him so it wouldn't interfere with his missions."
He laughed manically as if it was the funnies thing he had ever heard. Then what happened next caught me off-guard. He threw me onto the ground with ease, and while I was still getting up he turned to Bucky leaned in and whispered something to him. As if he was one of them, the mysterious man disappeared into the shadows and out of sight. For a moment, me and Bucky just stood there. But I took note of how his eyes were not clouded anymore, but now shining bright. I wasn't sure if it was the light, or it was actually happening, but his dark brown eyes slowly turned into a deep shade of red, even darker than blood itself.

Finally, when we both decided to move things went by as a blur. I took one tiny step forward, stretching out my hand as a sign of trust, he spun around on his heel and ran. He took off at such an unnatural pace that it almost didn't seem human. I knew there was no point of chasing him so I headed back slowly to my apartment, picking up my shield that was left abandoned on the ground and letting the thoughts from my head consume me.
Who was that man. Is he the one hurting Bucky, or were there more? The man used the term "us" quite a lot, that must mean there's more than one person. I want to help him, but I can't do that unless I have his trust. No matter what it takes I will get him back, and I will not let him get hurt ever again.