Darker Things »» Avengers Au

Chapter Five

Artemis's Pov
The events from the previous day were very still fresh in my mind. It took me so much energy to stop laughing and smiling around them. They were all so funny and sweet.

It was hard to believe that Clint and Tony had kids. They looked really good for their age. I was a little nervous cause if they were married their wives might not like the soulmate bond.

It's unbreakable, it's hard to tame and most of the time, it turns romantic over time.

Clint reassured me that his wife was okay with it cause it was bound to happen and Tony said him and Pepper weren't together but they lived and worked together for the sake of their adorable daughter Morgan who I had the joy of meeting.

I honestly didn't know how tired I was until Bucky was dragging a sleepy me to the guest room and forced me to go to sleep. Once my head hit the pillow. I was out like a light. But slowly I had woken up in the middle of the night to a terrible nightmare, and crying coming somewhere in the halls, and one of the logos on my arm glowing.

I slowly got out of the bed, my hair a wild mess, in nothing but an over large shirt and underwear.  "Friday?" I called gently wandering if the AI was awake. "Yes?" Her Scottish accent was replying back to me.

"Who's crying?" I asked concerned blindly rubbing at my arms.  "Mr. Barnes is." She responded right away.

I was worried because I had a clue out of everyone he was the one who had the frequent nightmares.

I slipped out of the guest room letting my cold, feet carry me off to where the cries bounced off. And somehow, they carried me all the way up to the rooftop of the compound.

God, it was freezing but I didn't mind that. I saw Bucky sitting with his head on his knees, and his cries getting a little louder.

I glanced down briefly at my arm to see his logo glowing in a distress signal. "Well here goes nothing," I whispered.

I slowly made my way towards him sitting down next to him watching as he quickly lifted his head up startled but I quickly held my hands up showing him I meant no harm.

"Hey, it's just me." I whispered watching as his eyes twisted to a small state if calm "Artemis what are you doing up?" He asked me worried his slightly long hair blew in the breeze.

I gave him a soft reassuring smile. "I heard you crying from the guest room, you're the one with the nightmares aren't you?" I asked him so worried. His mouth opened to the lightest but it seemed no words could form in his mouth.

He gave me a brief soft gentle head nod, his eyes holding terror and confusion. "Have you heard about me..." He cracked out a fresh set of tears leaving him.

I slowly shook my head no and leaned my head against his shoulder blades watching his metal arm.  "No I haven't but, I don't care what you did in the past, what matters is you're safe here," I reassured him.

"Yeah but-" He stammered. "I have nightmares too you know, I see your nightmares through my eyes," I told him watching as his blue eyes looked straight into mine yet again in surprise.

"You know how I handle them Bucky," I told him yet again. I slowly lifted up by right hand exposing my palm and he lifted up his flesh arm but I quickly shook my head gesturing with my head to his metal one.

He deeply hesitated but slowly placed it against my palm looking at our hands. "I go outside, like you are doing right now, I look at the stars, and try and count them, but when I can't I group them, ones are the good things, and some are bad," I explained softly feeling Bucky was still watching me deeply.

"Sometimes they are equal, the amount of good, and bad in a lifetime." I continued carefully still holding his palm with mine.

"What happens when they are the same?" He repeated back the question with interest. I cracked a faint smile.  "Well then you think, just as long as there's the same amount of bad, there's the same of good to balance them both beautifully." I finished with a soft smile.

I slowly started lacing my fingers with Bucky's metal one holding it tight to my chest watching his entire body fully relax, and slowly he rested his head on top of mine.

"That's actually really smart, and wise." He whispered, "all this time, you've been having my nightmares?" He questioned again his voice filled with so much worry.

"Mhm, but it's worth it to grow strong, and fight through them." My eyes watched the night sky watching each little star twinkle in its own way.

I felt my cheeks heat up just a bit when I felt Bucky press a kiss on top of my forehead feeling his lips curling into a soft smile.

"Thank you,  Kotehok for your age you're very wise, thank you for making me feel better." He whispered alight happiness laced in his voice.

I grew even more flustered curious to the sudden swish of Russian wondering what exactly he had said.

"Your welcome Bucky," I whispered chewing at my lip deeply.

"Hey, Bucky?" I questioned gently.

"Yeah?" He answers back.

"What does kotehok mean?"

"Means my kitten."