Sweet Like Arsenic (B. Barnes) ✔

19 | psycho

   I was shaken awake by Leo. I opened my eyes groggily to see his face right in front of me, frowning.

   "What happened?" I asked reflexively, looking around the dark room.

   "It's your killing machine boyfriend," Leo reached over to turn on his lamp. "He's gone psycho."

   "He's not my boyfriend— what do you mean 'psycho'?" I turned to the couch, where the Winter Soldier should be curled up, asleep. Instead, he appeared to be scratching the flesh bonding the metal arm and his body, drawing blood.

   I swore under my breath.

   "What the hell is he doing?" I leapt off the bed, rushing over to Bucky. "Leon, get a fucking towel, now."

   I kneeled in front of the soldier, tugging his flesh arm. "Soldier, get up."

   He rolled over to face me, opening his eyes. He appeared to be in a trancelike state, letting go of his metal arm to wrap his metal hand around my neck, choking me.

   "Who are you? What do you want?" The Winter Soldier ordered roughly. He tightened his hand around my throat, sitting upright with me between his legs.

   I pulled at his hand but it didn't budge. I gasped for air, clawing at his hand. He released me for a second. "It's Donatella, you dingus. Let go of me."

   With my peripheral vision, I saw Leo coming out of the bathroom with a wet towel, eyes widening when he saw what was happening.

   "Soldier," he barked, running over to us, "let go of Tella."

   I was released from his hold. "Leo, I'm alright. Hand me the towel."

   I took the towel from Leo, handing it to Bucky. "Use it to clean off the blood."

   The soldier nodded, taking the towel gingerly. "Sorry for hurting you, it was an accident—it won't happen again."

   "I hope not," Leo stood behind me almost protectively and I stood up, putting a hand on his chest.

   "Calm down, I wasn't hurt that badly." I sighed, watching the soldier use the now blood-stained towel to clean up his mess.

   "Tella, he choked you. He is dangerous without a handler around. Imagine if he came to our bed and killed us in our sleep. Do you really want to risk our lives just to have him with us?"

   "He can hear us. But yes, that's a risk I'm willing to take. Hydra treats him terribly, and I don't want him there."

   "So you're risking our safety for him,"

   "I— we need Bucky Barnes back, and I don't care what it takes.

   The lamp light basked his face in warm yellow light, making him appear more tired. "I think you're being selfish right now."

   "You're right, I'm sorry. But I just don't want him in the hands of Hydra."

   "Hydra saves his life,"

   "I wouldn't call what Zola did as 'saving'." I argued, walking back to the Winter Soldier. Taking the towel from his shaking hands, I went into the bathroom, dumping it in the sink.

   "I don't care if you're loyal to Hydra or not right now, I just want him out of my presence when I'm asleep."

   "No, he stays with me."

   "I'm not paying double just to have you two doing god knows what in another hotel room." Leo sat down at the end of the bed.

   "You're right," the Winter Soldier admitted from behind, and I turned to look at him. "I am dangerous. I'm sorry for hurting you, Donatella. Are you... alright?"

   He has a sense of... is that empathy?

   "I'm alright, James. But how can I know that it won't happen again?" Leo had placed a hand on my shoulder.

   "I... I don't know,"

   "Right. Doesn't matter, we'll figure something out."

   Half an hour later, I was watching Leo and Bucky sleeping soundly in the queen bed. Leo, a self-proclaimed light sleeper, kicked me off the bed so he could stop the Winter Soldier's nighttime episodes before he could wake up the other hotel guests.

   I rolled over, the springs of the sofa digging into my back. After shifting positions a few times before setting on sleeping on my side, I fell asleep at last.

   When I woke up in the morning, the Winter Soldier was gone. Leo was putting on what appeared to be concealer under his eyes in front of the mirror when I walked up to him, slapping his arm.

   "What the fuck did you do to Bucky?" I demanded, pushing him to make him face me.

   "I reported what happened last night, and Hydra took him away. He was malfunctioning—he's way too much to handle." He replied with a hint of fear.

   I clenched my jaw. "I managed to get him away from the horror house and you ruined everything with a single fucking text, didn't you?"

   Leon sighed. "It was for all of our own good. When will you realise that James Barnes is gone and will never be back? I'm sorry, but one day you'll realise what I did was the right thing."

   "Never."

< A/N >

It's been two months and I'm still not used to online school, it's so annoying and I hate Zoom with all my heart. Eugenie out, see y'all in a few days with a new update... hopefully. Vote and comment if you enjoyed this chapter, stay safe and have a great day 🤍