Stasis || Bucky Barnes (1)

Nine

Everything was a dizzying concoction of voices and pain. Blurry lights, fire in his veins. His head was swimming. Laughter, was that him laughing? He always laughed in response to pain, bad knee jerk reaction. Laughter came easily to him. Pain and fear making him giggle despite how horrible he felt inside. So it was him laughing then. It echoed off the walls, mixing with screams. Who was screaming? How long had he been there, strapped to the table? Was there another person?

Basil surfaced at some point during the night. It must be the night. The lights above him were off and all he could see was dim tiles on the ceiling. The scientists weren't there. Basil had no clue how long he had been experimented on. Memories of needles and burning pain. Someone was breathing heavily next to him, gasps and whimpers. Basil tried to turn his head but he couldn't move. There was a leather strap across his forehead. He could feel the material digging into his flesh.

"Sargent James Barnes. 3255"- a voice was slurring, mumbling drowsily.

"Sarge?" Basil's voice cracked, near silent. There was a pause.

"Parrish. You awake?" Bucky replied.

"Sarge", Basil gasped. "Why are you here?" He wheezed, tears leaking down his cheeks. He strained agains the restraints. He wanted to see if Bucky was alright. See if he was okay.

"What do you think I'm here Parrish?" Basil could hear Bucky's weak sarcasm. He chuckled wetly.

"What are they doing Sarge? How long have you been here?"

Bucky was silent for a second. "I've only been here a day or two maybe. You were taken nearly five days ago Parrish. We thought you were dead".

"Still hanging in here", Basil chuckled darkly. Five days. It hadn't felt like five days.

Bucky let out a hiss of pain and Basil jerked. "Sarge. You okay?"

"Fuck this burns to high hell", Bucky snarled through gritted teeth. There was a rattling as he tried to wriggle in his restraints. "Can you do me a favour Parrish? Distract me. I'm giving you permission to run your mouth".

"No holds barred?" Basil asked.

"No holds barred".

Basil opened his mouth and launched into a long winding story of his adventures at boarding school. His pranks on other students and teachers. Bucky fell silent as Basil talked. Listening as Basil went on and on. Both of them clinging to memories and each other's voice to survive the night.

——

"Sarge. Bucky".

Another night. Dark tiles barely discernible in the gloom. The coldness of the steel table beneath his back and the tight leather around his limbs. Basil shivered. The latest injection making it feel like he had been dipped in ice. He was shaking so hard that the table was rattling. Words barely coming out of his mouth.

"Parrish. Basil". Bucky's voice was soft in the dark.

"Could you tell me a story Bucky?" Basil requested. "Something happy and warm? Please. I'm cold". It was a weak request. Vulnerability bleeding into his words. Basil was scared. The injections were getting worse and everything hurt. He was scared of dying.

"Basil". His name was said slowly, sadly. They had removed the strap on his forehead at some point and Basil turned to look across the room. Bucky was strapped to a table at his left. The man's skin was pale and waxy, eyes bloodshot and darkened purple by exhaustion. Bucky was looking at him. Blue eyes surprisingly bright in the dark. "Basil", he repeated. He licked his lips, throat dry. "Hang in there alright".