The Earth's Child: A Bucky Barnes fanfiction

Break Her

"I don't like the cold," complained Bucky as Bella tucked him under a blanket.

Bella had gone to work the next day normally, making sure Bucky could get whatever he wanted without moving much. But he was fussing at night.

"That is why," said Bella, "I am giving you a blanket."

"But it still feels cold." He pursed his lips looking eerily like the grumpy cat.

"Buck," said Bella, perching lightly on the bed and gently turning Bucky over so she could have a look at the bullet wound on his back. The stitches seemed unharmed and he did not look like he was in pain. "Are you sure you are not in pain?"

"No," whispered Bucky. "It still hurts. And the cold makes it worse."

"Bucky, would you tell me the truth?"

Bucky shook his head and looked away, knowing Bella had detected something fishy. He had been good at lying before. So why couldn't he lie to her?

"Bucky," said Bella, smoothing the lines on his forehead. "I need the truth."

"The cold," began Bucky, his voice barely audible, as if speaking loudly might drag Bucky back to the cursed times. "It reminds me of the time I spent in the cryostat units." He shivered and closed his eyes and Bella interlaced her fingers with his and squeezed lightly.

"Were you not asleep?"

"Yes, I was. But that was after my body stopped functioning due to the low temperature. I felt the cold ice forming against my skin and I know that cold gives me nightmares. And it makes me nervous that I might wake up there."

"I am so sorry, but I can't change the weather," said Bella, genuinely apologetic.

"Sleep with me," stated Bucky simply.

"What?"

"Just, lie down beside me. You are warm enough to let me know I am not in cryo. And if I have nightmares, just, touch me, I will wake up."

"Are you sure? Me touching you while you sleep will not trigger nightmares?"

"Have some morphine ready in case I attack."

After careful consideration, while they both explained to themselves that this meant nothing more than helping a friend, Bella lay down beside Bucky, pulling the covers over her. Bucky was still lying on his stomach and Bella gently stroked his head.

"Bucky," said Bella softly, "can I ask a personal question?"

"Go on," said Bucky, opening his eyes and turning his head towards Bella.

"When they tried to wipe you yesterday, did you forget anything? Like, were you confused about the things that happened after?"

"No. I- I did tell you once how I was becoming slightly resistant to that, right? So technically, just three seconds weren't enough to wipe anything. I hurt, but nothing else."

"Are you sure? I was just worried."

"I saw something weird in those three seconds."

"What?"

"It was really strange. Like, what I saw was more than three seconds, but time had slowed down. And I just- I can't remember anything else about it."

"What did you see?" Bella looked at Bucky closely, placing one arm over his metal one, caressing the plates lightly. His eyes had that thousand-yard stare and Bella didn't want him to remember anything he didn't want to.