Mosaic (Bucky Barnes X OC / Winter Soldier x OC)

Chapter 30: Valeriy Ayers - Black Sand (Part I)

Previously:

"...Bucky?" I waved my good hand in front of his face.

No reaction.

Just a blank ass stare into who knows what.

A quick glance around, and none of the windows showed the snow. Only black sand and water. I doubt Eve would be messing around with him.

"The norepinephrine and cortisol levels on his skin aren't as high as they were earlier, if that helps."

If Bucky wasn't so attached to the monitoring bracelet, I'd have ripped it off his wrist. Nobody needed their own feelings violated. At least, he didn't.

"My guess would be that you broke him. Again. He hasn't done this around the dogs. Only around you."

.

.

. ** .

.

I lowered my legs, and his arm didn't fight my attempt this time. He didn't drop me on my ass, merely set me down.

"Come on, let's go sit down, 'kay?"

I took him by his hand and gently pulled him along behind me. He followed with no resistance or much reaction to anything around him.

Worse than he was when following orders....

Before I sat him down like usual, I yanked off the wet cushion cover and laid a fluffy blanket down. Wrapped him all up, made sure his arms were free to move and then had Eve started up a fire with a hand gesture.

"This is really starting to worry me, Bucky."

He didn't even move when I tucked a lock of hair behind his ear. Not a lean nor a flinch.

"Soteria's supposed to be a safe place. It's safe here. You're safe here. People know you're alive now. You're not going to lose years to them anymore. You're safe now."

I pressed my forehead against his, letting my eyes fall shut.

"What the hell am I doing wrong?"

Not that I was expecting an answer.

"Maybe if you knock your head against his, you'd magically gain his knowledge.... Or he'd punch you in the face. Fifty-fifty."

'Not the response I was looking for.... Cinnamon buns.'

Brought in a bunch from the drop off I picked up last night.

"Urgh... the counters are disgusting...."

"If only they listened to me as well as they do you...."

"Maybe they'd listen if you had fingers to snap."

"...Still doesn't work...."

I shrugged. I doubt the dogs would ever listen to Eve unless it's an emergency.

Picking up one of the mini mop Roombas, I flinched away at all the water spitting out of it from the spinning wet fabric. "Eve, mind pausing this thing for a sec?"

"I would rather not. This brings me joy," she laughed.

With a heavy sigh, I set it back on the countertop. From how well it soaked up water under it, Eve likely had it spit water all over me on purpose.

'...This... this is going to take bloody forever.... Can't even risk using the Game Floor to clean this shit. Bucky might freak out and Eve....'

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked, walking into the pantry to find a mop or something that soaks up water.