Saving Bucky (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter 16 - Regret

"Buck," he says much more quietly. "May I speak to you? Privately?"

"No," the dark-haired soldier grunts. "Look."

Barnes looks over at you pointedly. Steve's gaze flits between the two of you for a moment, clearly waiting to see if Barnes is going to approach you. But the soldier crosses his arms stubbornly across his chest. Steve huffs in mild annoyance and makes his way to you,  gently grabbing you beneath your bicep and pulling you up into a sitting position. Once steady, you glance down at your bound ankles and your tied wrists. You find the inability to move annoying, but the mild ache in your tied up limbs pales in comparison to your headache.

"My meds," you say weakly, glancing at Steve. "I need my meds."

Steve glances over his shoulder and Barnes steps up. He reaches into the pockets of his stained and tattered jeans and pulls from his pocket your blue pill bottle and silver pen.

"Looking for these?" he grunts, a smirk playing subtly on his lips.

You glare at him angrily as Steve grabs a water bottle from his black duffel bag nearby, twisting the cap and holding it out.

"Here," he says gently.

But you tense and lean away, rejecting his offer while keeping your eyes locked on Barnes. He returns your stare just as coldly. He tilts his head slightly, arching a single brow. But he makes no move to give them to you. 

He's going to make you ask.

Your cheek twitches in anger, but you keep your mouth shut. You might be in pain, but you'll be damned if you beg him for anything. You can survive without the pills for now.

"I'm...sorry about this," Steve says awkwardly, breaking the silence as he gestures to the ropes. "It's just until we can figure out what's going on."

 You laugh coldly, out of patience as you tear your gaze from Barnes to Steve. "Were you not listening, Captain?" you chastise. "Your old friend is in quite a set of crosshairs. Now...what are you gonna do about it?"

Steve frowns and pulls back from you slightly as Barnes lets out a restrained laugh.

"See?" Barnes huffs, crossing his arms across his chest. "You're wrong. She won't be helpful. She'll only slow me down."

"Slow you down?" Steve says, looking up at Barnes as he remains crouched at your side. "We talked about this. You're coming home, Buck. We can keep you safe. Me, Natasha, and Sam."

"No," Barnes shakes his head, a small vein popping in his forehead as he clearly fights to suppress his rage. "They're after me, Steve. They won't stop if I don't make them."

"Buck, just think about it for a -"

"Stop," Barnes says, interrupting Steve and looking back at the blonde soldier. "Steve, stop. I need to do this."

Steve shuts his mouth, torn between arguing and understanding. But the look in his eye soon shifts and his aura turns grim. He brings a hand to his forehead rubbing at his temples for a second before glancing back at Barnes, his expression almost guilty.

"I...I can't leave her behind, Buck," Steve says softly.

"I know," Barnes answers without hesitation.

"And I can't put her in that kind of danger," Steve sighs sadly. "Not again."

"I know, punk. Relax. I'll be fine."

Steve bites his bottom lip as if to stop himself from arguing further. 

"Then Y/n needs to go with you," Steve says.