Sweet Like Arsenic (B. Barnes) ✔

6 | lift

   "Bucky," I said in a low voice as we returned to Shield, waiting for the elevator to reach the atrium's floor. "take a deep breath. It's just us here."

   Bucky quivered as he leaned against the elevator wall, his long hair swept over his face so I couldn't see if he was alright or not.

   "I'm fine, just shaken from the crowd, the flashing lights- I'm fine." Bucky nodded un-reassuringly, but I smiled bleakly nonetheless.

   "Alright, then," I replied, untrusting. I won't intervene, I guess.

   "Donatella, what do you think about staying at the Avengers facility? Permanently?" Steve offered as he collected his shield from the side of his rucksack. Wait- does he bring his shield everywhere? Even to the toilet?

   "Uh, what?" Tony Stark materialised out of nowhere, munching on a slice of pepperoni pizza. "Oh, right, sure. I mean, I'd love to have Donarolla here with us. The male-to-female ratio of our team is surprisingly unbalanced."

   "Tony, I don't think you understand what I'm trying to say here," Steve explained quickly, walking over to hold a hand behind his friends back and dragged him over to a corner of the atrium.

   "Awkward," I shrugged nonchalantly, watching Bucky look at the two Avengers in confusion.

   "Uh, thanks for getting me out of the coffee shop. I didn't exactly get a chance to thank you before, so..." Bucky trailed off, running out of words.

   "Ah, it's fine. I knew somebody who had anxiety like yours, just tell me if you want to get out of something." I smiled reassuringly and Bucky nodded back thankfully.

   Tony Stank and Steve returned to where Bucky and I were near the entrance.

   "So, would you like to stay with us at the Avengers facility?" Steve offered.

   "No."

   "That's great- wait, what?" Steve was about to clap me on the back before his face fell.

   "Would you rather be in solitary confinement for the rest of your life or have a bit of freedom with your own life with the Avengers?" Bucky asked, knowing I'd choose the latter.

   "I'd rather go back home and retire early," I said quietly, lowering my gaze to the floor.

   "We'll consider after you assist us on the mission, Donatella." Captain America said. "We need you this time. It's Hydra, technically." He paused, scrunching his face up adorably. "Well, actually not 'technically'"

   I woke up to the sound of muffled shouts coming from a familiar voice.

   Bucky.

   I sat up in my bed inside one of the rooms of the Avengers facility, deciding whether I should go to the assassin's room or not.

   Being the honourable young woman I should be, I took my phone from the bedside table and switched on the flashlight function.

   I'm not a big fan of the dark.

   I walked out of the guest room, jolting slightly when the lights of the corridor turned on automatically.

   Wait- where's Bucky's room again? Oh, right. Just follow the screams.

   His room was opposite to mine. I cracked the door open, watching his figure convulse and shake as his screams got louder.

   "Please, don't," his voice rang out in the darkness, cracked and afraid, "what- please, no!"

   I followed my instincts and flew in through the door, rushing over to his bed. Turning on the lamp I spotted on the bedside table, I kneeled beside his figure and shook his body.

   "Bucky, wake up!"

   He stopped screaming but was still shaking. I tried again, shaking him even harder, noticing how much he was sweating. "Bucky, wake up!"

   His eyes snapped open, the pupils especially blue under the bright light. God, they're so fucking-

   "D- Donatella?" He croaked out.

   "I'm here, Bucky," I replied, keeping my voice soft as I ran my fingers through his greasy hair awkwardly.