Summary: After rescuing a girl from a terrible fire, she insists on rescuing her cat from among the flames. Bucky cannot resist her tear-filled eyes.
Pairing: Firefighter!Bucky x reader
Word Count: 1637
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It was merely two minutes into the distress call that everybody had boarded the truck, pulling on equipment while the driver stepped on the accelerator and sped down the road. The sirens emitted by the truck rang in Bucky's ears as he pulled on the thick rubber gloves. The scent of smoke still lingered over the gear from all the previous fires they had been used in. Bucky paid it no heed. He was too used to it.
Steve sat opposite to him, already dressed appropriately, pulling and tugging various bags and tanks, getting the equipment ready for use. There was commotion on the deck above where they sat, and he knew his colleagues were moving around to make sure they could jump into action as soon as the truck arrived to its destination.
The shouting, noises, and the unbearable smell of smoke entered the truck even before they took their last turn onto the street where the fire was. Bucky stood at the open door, staring at the huge apartment building. His eyes caught the area where the fire was, he counted it to be the fifth floor. There was a crowd of people surrounding the base of the building, looking upwards at the clouds of smoke erupting from the windows. Various police cars were already there, officers escorting people out of the building. Bucky quickly took in the intensity of the fire above and the relatively harmless people that were exiting the building. He knew, instantly, that the residents of the affected apartment were still in there.
He was running towards the building before the truck had even stopped, hearing Steve's heavy boots right behind him. Police immediately cleared way for them, while the rest of his colleagues moved the truck near the wall of the building, setting the ladder up higher to shoot water in through the one access point they had; a lone window on that floor.
Bucky knew what his assigned duty was; getting people out. He felt the adrenaline starting to pump through his veins as he and Steve rushed up, staircase after staircase. People moved in the opposite direction, flattening themselves against the wall as Bucky and Steve zipped past them. It was a quick trip there, and the door was still fast closed by the time they were there.
Bucky could feel how hot the steel door knob was even through the rubber of his gloves. As soon as he and Steve barreled into the room, his vision was lost completely. His face mask effectively kept the smoke out of his eyes and lungs, but did nothing to improve his sight. But, to Bucky's luck, he stumbled over a lump and fell to the ground barely two feet from the door.
The resulting yelp startled him, and he turned to the source of the noise. The lump against the wall turned out to be a girl, mid twenties, visibly panicked and sweating from the intense heat and breathing hard. The noise in the apartment was incredible, wood crackling loud in his ears. In the distance, there was creaking of doors and items falling to the floor. He immediately wrapped his rubber clad arms around the girl's petite frame, pushing to get her on her feet. She struggled a bit, and Bucky leaned forward to be heard through his mask.
"It's okay!" He shouted. "We're firemen!"
Her eyes met his through the clear plastic of his mask as her struggles stilled. Half holding her up while Steve held up her other arm, they pulled her the short distance to the door and out of it, to the relatively clear air. She was taking large gasps of air, but didn't move to the staircase. Instead, she turned back to the apartment.
"My-" She coughed, unable to speak.
Bucky held onto her upper arms, turning her to face him. "Who? Who else is in there?" He shouted, knowing he had to be loud to catch her attention. She was lightheaded as it was.
"My cat." She croaked out. "My cat." Her voice cracked this time, her eyes shone with unshed tears.
Steve was swerving the girl towards the staircase, despite her stubborn stance. She tried her best to resist, but Steve was too strong and insistent.
"She answers to Mitsy." She was saying, still looking at Bucky. "Please."
Bucky heart squeezed a little at the desperation in her voice, and he knew he couldn't refuse if he tried. He turned to Steve. Checking the air supply he had left, he spoke again.
"Come get me if I'm not out in fifteen minutes." He said. Steve stared at him.
"Buck, no." He said. "Look at that! It's too dangerous. You can't!"
Bucky shook his head, sighing. "Look at her." He countered, gesturing at the girl still looking at the apartment door, panicked and fidgeting on her feet. "I don't doubt that she'll walk in there herself to get the cat."
Steve grumbled and protested, but Bucky didn't answer him, turning back to the apartment.
..............
The look on Steve's face when Bucky walked out of the building and onto the sidewalk filled Bucky with a newfound relief. He knew it was over, Steve's expression sealed it, as did the squirming animal in his grip. There was a squeal and the cat was taken from his arms by the same girl he had seen less than ten minutes ago. He immediately pulled his face mask off, breathing in great gulps of air. He shook his head at the offered oxygen mask.
"I'm fine." He pulled away a tendril of hair attached to his sweaty face, having come free from his bun. He pulled off the rubber gloves as well, letting a paramedic pull the bulky coat off him to reveal his black shirt under it and look him over. His gaze traveled up to the window, still seeing smoke and the orange glow of fire.
"Don't worry about that." Steve's voice cut through the various noises surrounding them. Bucky looked at him, his own mask off his face to properly reveal the blue of his eyes. "Sam says they've got it under control. Fifteen more minutes max."
Bucky nodded and moved away from the paramedic, who protested only slightly when Bucky waved his hand to indicate he was fine. He escaped towards where an ambulance stood, it's back doors open. The girl he had rescued sat on the edge, the cat on her lap. There was an oxygen tank and mask next to her, which she had clearly abandoned. Her bare feet swung, and Bucky noticed the bandage on her ankle. That's why she hadn't been able to leave, with the twisted ankle and the scalding hot door knob, she had helplessly slumped right next to the door. She looked up when he stopped before her, smiling at him.
"You good?" He asked, feeling awkward. Sure, he'd fought many fires at this point, but never had he tried conversing with the people he saved. Sometimes, they'd approach him but never the other way around. Bucky tried to tell himself it wasn't because he wanted to see the girl again. He was just making sure she was okay, no big deal.
She smiled in a way that was extremely contagious, and Bucky just couldn't help but return it. He marveled at the fact that her smile could be so bright despite the fact that nearly everything she owned had just been burned to the crisp except the clothes on her back.
She nodded. "Yeah, I'm better." She patted the metal floor of the ambulance next to her and Bucky sat down after slight hesitation. He eyed the band aid just over her cheekbone, her face still a little black here and there with soot. Her hair was disheveled and Bucky just then noticed her pajamas. Despite all that, she still managed to make him all warm on the inside.
Or maybe it was just the fire making him feel that way.
The silence was surprisingly not awkward, and Bucky looked up at the people still mulling about, helping more residents evacuate the apartment. The medics still stood on alert, making sure to check everyone who left the building. Bucky was hyper aware of the presence next to him.
"Thank you." She spoke up, turning to him. Her eyes were warm, slightly tired. "You went in there for her. I honestly wasn't expecting you to listen to me. But you did. So, yeah... thanks."
Bucky chuckled at the slightly awkward ending and shrugged.
"You asked like she meant a whole lot. I saw how distraught you were."
The girl laughed, looking down at the cat and smiling. She was pliant in her lap, obviously reeling from the trauma of what just happened, still timid with fear. "Yeah." Her voice was low. "She's all I have."
A heavy air seemed to settle over them as they both looked at the cat. A little far off, the fire seemed to making much less noise, and he knew it was finally controllable. He pondered the words she had just spoken, taking in the sudden change in her demeanor. She sat hunched, as if wanting to shrink. There was an odd sadness under the thin mask, seeping through the cracks in her shell. Bucky took a deep breath.
"She doesn't have to be." He said, voice just as low. The girl looked up and smiled at him, this time smaller and sadder, but with a hint of optimism, catching on to what he meant. He smiled back and held his hand out. This time, it wasn't rubber clad.
"Bucky Barnes." He said. The girl giggled, the soft skin of her palm meeting his, hands moving up and down as they shook.
"Y/N Y/L/N."