Nightmare
Nightmare
Steve slowly woke up to the familiar screaming and whimpering as Bucky suffered his usual night terrors. He got up and slipped a shirt on as he walked through the darkened halls of his apartment. He pushed the door open and felt a sharp tug in the bottom of his stomach as he watched Bucky tossing and turning; clawing at invisible foes.
"NO MORE PLEASE I BEG!"
Steve wanted to sob as he dodged Bucky's arms, shaking him quite violently.
"Bucky! Buck wake up... You're safe..."
The younger's eyes snapped open and Bucky let out a wail of despair, reaching out and clinging to Steve's shirt, panting heavily. Steve wrapped his arms around him tightly and rocked them gently from side-to-side.
"Role reversal, ey?"
Bucky let out a small chuckle, still sounding scared. His breathing was heavy as he gently tugged away from Steve, running his hands through his hair.
"What was it about?"
Bucky was silent, licking his dry lips occasionally. It was nearly a full minute before he opened his mouth.
"Everyone... All of them, they were there and they were taunting me, begging me, asking me why. Screaming for help and I CAN'T HANDLE THIS SHIT!"
Steve flinched as Bucky started screaming, holding him tight as the younger tugged on his hair, sobbing hysterically.
"I want it t-to stop Steve... I c-can't live like this... B-Being a monster because o-of t-them."
His expression turned hard.
"I'm better off dead. I don't deserve this life. I SHOULD BE DEAD I SHOULD HAVE DIED WHEN I FELL OFF THE TRAIN!"
"You are not a monster... James Buchanan Barnes, look at me this instant."
It took him a few seconds before Bucky looked up at Steve.
"You are not a monster. That cold, hard, brainwashed person that you were... That was not you. It was not your fault and I am going to help you through this. I am not going to let you give in and die. You know why?"
Bucky shook his head.
"Because I'm with you 'til the end of the line, sweetness."
Steve pressed his lips to Bucky's and the two men held each other close, their lives coming together once again.
"NO MORE PLEASE I BEG!"
Steve wanted to sob as he dodged Bucky's arms, shaking him quite violently.
"Bucky! Buck wake up... You're safe..."
The younger's eyes snapped open and Bucky let out a wail of despair, reaching out and clinging to Steve's shirt, panting heavily. Steve wrapped his arms around him tightly and rocked them gently from side-to-side.
"Role reversal, ey?"
Bucky let out a small chuckle, still sounding scared. His breathing was heavy as he gently tugged away from Steve, running his hands through his hair.
"What was it about?"
Bucky was silent, licking his dry lips occasionally. It was nearly a full minute before he opened his mouth.
"Everyone... All of them, they were there and they were taunting me, begging me, asking me why. Screaming for help and I CAN'T HANDLE THIS SHIT!"
Steve flinched as Bucky started screaming, holding him tight as the younger tugged on his hair, sobbing hysterically.
"I want it t-to stop Steve... I c-can't live like this... B-Being a monster because o-of t-them."
His expression turned hard.
"I'm better off dead. I don't deserve this life. I SHOULD BE DEAD I SHOULD HAVE DIED WHEN I FELL OFF THE TRAIN!"
"You are not a monster... James Buchanan Barnes, look at me this instant."
It took him a few seconds before Bucky looked up at Steve.
"You are not a monster. That cold, hard, brainwashed person that you were... That was not you. It was not your fault and I am going to help you through this. I am not going to let you give in and die. You know why?"
Bucky shook his head.
"Because I'm with you 'til the end of the line, sweetness."
Steve pressed his lips to Bucky's and the two men held each other close, their lives coming together once again.