Winter's Immortal (CWAC Book One)

Chapter 11: Aftermath

Selene sits across from Bucky who drinks a glass of warm milk, apparently it helps after his episodes. She leans back in her seat and crosses one leg over the other.

"What do you think triggered it?" she asks, Bucky shrugs wiping his hand across his lips.

"I don't know....normally it's....." he looks to Selene softly. "A memory....it must've been cause we talked about....."

"Then I am sorry" Selene apologises softly.

"No....No" he snatches her hand from the counter and stops her from leaving. "It's not...." he sighs. "I wasn't blaming you.....Selene.....that you tried to help me at all, now and then.....means more to me than you can know.......back then, you had no idea who I was....." she smiles at him. "But you still helped me....Selene...you got caught by Hydra and the Soviet helping a stranger...."

"Hey" she leans forward and brushes his hair back from his face. "I do not regret a single moment in my cursed life.....getting caught lead me to my little spider...." Bucky smirks. "Natal'ya is the closest thing I will ever have to a child of my own.......I cannot regret anything that lead me to her" Bucky smiles warmly at her.

"Is that why she calls you Babushka?" Selene shrugs.

"I guess so....that and I'm an old woman...." Bucky laughs. "So Grandmother is more fitting"

"Well you look good for it" he teases, Selene laughs and leans back.

"Do you feel better?" she asks, Bucky nods.

"Yeah....yeah I do..." they share a look, and both know he means more than just the episode. "God, Steve is going to be so smug" Bucky whispers. Selene smirks. Bucky looks to her and smirks. "You want to grab something to eat?" she smirks and lowers her fangs.

"Seriously....think before you ask me that....." Bucky laughs and jumps up.

"Well I'm hungry...so you can watch me eat" he grabs her hand and pulls her up out of her seat before they head out of the room.

.............................................

Bucky lays back on his bed and smiles at the ceiling. Dinner, well him eating whilst Selene watched (A little creepy actually), was nice, they laughed, and talked......he smiles a little more and turns on his side, Selene sleeps beside him, again. She groans a little before crying out, Bucky goes wide eyed before noting the small, tiny sliver of sunlight touching her arm.

"Crap...." he throws a blanket over her. "Selene...I'm so sorry, I thought I got it all...." he jumps up and moves to the window.

"It's fine" she tells him back. "It's just a......major burn..." Bucky huffs a nervous laugh as he covers the window some more.

"I'm so sorry...."

"Bucky, it's fine....." she peeks out of the blanket as he moves back towards her, he grabs her wrist and pulls it closer to touch where the burn is already healing. "See" she tells him.

"I should have checked better...." she touches his cheek and smiles.

"Bucky......" he looks to her and blushes a little. She smiles a little more and cups his cheek, Bucky leans into it.

"You know...it's stupid but I thought you'd be cold...."

"Cause I'm technically dead?" she asks, he chuckles and takes her hand from his face to stroke her palm.

"Yeah, I guess....I just......everyone has this....thought when they think of vampires....the old Dracula movies...." Selene smirks. "And the new stuff that you like to watch.....but you're nothing like any of that stuff....."

"Good...can't have the world knowing my weaknesses" she teases as he climbs over her to lay next to her. Bucky smirks at her.

"Okay, what are your weaknesses? Sunlight, clearly"

"Lycans obviously....decapitation, heart extraction" Bucky smiles as Selene smirks. "UV is the main one..." she touches her neck and closes her eyes.

"Hey, It's okay" he takes her hand. "I won't let anyone put that collar back on you" he whispers, she opens her eyes and stares at him. "I promise" she smiles a little and sets her forehead to his chest.

"Thank you....no one's ever...." she smiles as he wraps his arms around her.

"It's the least I can do...after almost setting you on fire" she smirks and chuckles, he strokes her hair a little. "Does it hurt?"

"You ever shoved your hand on a hot stove?" Bucky cringes a little.

"Ouch...."

"Yeah" he brushes her hair back over her shoulder and strokes her arm down to where she'd been burnt, almost completely healed now. She pulls back to watch his fingers stroke her arm.

"Selene....." he whispers, she pulls away and stands. He looks up at her and frowns. "Selene?"

"I...urm....I should...."

"It's the middle of the day" he tells her, she hangs her head. He sighs and stands himself. "I'll go...." he mumbles as she looks to him softly.

"Bucky...."

"No, it's fine...I get it" he snaps.

"No, you don't" she snaps back. "632 years I have lived on this planet....632 years....." he looks to her. "I have watched people I come to care for....grow...age.....die.....and I will not do it anymore...." she looks away.

"So what? You refuse to feel anything at all.....what about Natasha?"

"I know..." she whispers. "And I know how much it is going to hurt to watch......to....." Bucky moves to her and hugs her, Selene presses her head to his chest as she cries.

"I'm sorry for snapping" he tells her. "I never thought.....I'm so sorry" she clutches to his shirt. "Come back to bed....get some sleep.....we can forget.....let's just forget that this..." she nods against his chest as he rubs her back.