Spam for littleguyfrombrooklyn

[endsinafight]

Bucky'd been fidgety throughout the debriefing with Fury, even if he hadn't moved a muscle as he listened to the mission -- another HYDRA target, smaller, on a remote island in the Pacific. Not the usual setup, which made him uneasy from the get-go. But there was something else, something nagging at him, something in Fury's tone that told him there was more to this mission than he was willing to divulge. It wasn't a surprise. Fury might not be HYDRA, but in some ways his methods were so similar that it felt like being back there anyway. He definitely believed in the need to know principle, and obviously he didn't feel like they needed to know whatever it was he was holding back. His gaze darted to Steve, wondering if he'd picked up on it, too.

But if Steve had, his expression didn't betray his thoughts.

He pressed his lips together as they were dismissed, Fury addressing him as the others agents involved in the mission filtered out of the room. "Barnes. Hang back a minute."

And there it was, he thought, meeting Steve's eyes only briefly before lingering as Fury requested. One the door was shut again, the other man turned to study him.

"You have a different mission while they're disabling all of HYDRA's operating systems and containing the operatives."

Bucky studied him just as intently, his voice flat when he responded. "Who'm I eliminating?"

If Fury was surprised by his response, he gave nothing away. "Your target is Katya Belyakov."

"Who is she?" His voice was wary.

"You sure you wanna know the details, Barnes?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"If you're asking me to murder someone, yes," Bucky said, jaw tightening.

Fury regarded him for a long moment. "Essentially, she's the of the most dangerous people in the galaxy. Mind control abilities that she's utilized to force others to commit her dirty work. She's likely being accompanied by a former SHIELD operative who turned out to be moonlighting for HYDRA, Grant Ward. I'd prefer him to remain alive. He's got a lot to answer for."

Every muscle in Bucky's body tensed at the information about Belyakov, but also the name Grant Ward, his stomach turning in recognition.

"Ah. See you're familiar with him then."

"Unfortunately," Bucky responded stiffly, struggling to maintain his composure. "I'm assuming this isn't an optional mission." There was a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"You knew when you signed the dotted line that there's no such thing here, Barnes. Is there a problem? Or do I need to go over the fine print of your contract to refresh your memory?"

Fuck you, he thought. "No, Sir. Am I free to go?"

"You're dismissed."

--

An hour later, he was suited up in his tac gear, breathing steady and even despite the wild pounding of his heart as he boarded the quinjet with a team he didn't know or trust, and the only person on the earth he truly did.

Comments

[endsinafight]

The gentle stroking of his hair from the only person he trusted to touch him like this was a startling contrast to the conversation at hand, but he leaned into it anyway. He needed to pull himself together. Steve was the one who was injured at the moment, not him. He should be the one comforting him, not the other way around.

"Is it weird that his robot assistant has a cell phone of her own?" He wanted desperately to change the tone of the conversation, and the conversation in general.

[littleguyfrombrooklyn]

“It’s extraordinarily weird,” Steve said, easily. “If it makes it less weird, I’m not sure she has a literal cell phone—it’s just an easy way to dial into her system for those of us who refused to allow him to wire up every object near us with voice controls and sensors.”

Steve considered pushing further on this, but he decided against it, at least for now. He just would say one more thing.

“It might be useful for you in this instance. You could find out what you wanted to know and never have any human see it.”

[endsinafight]

"Right, because she's not an actual robot. Just wired into all the electronics." It wasn't really any less weird to think about. He drew in a slow breath and let it out quietly, pressing his lips together momentarily and then dragging his teeth over his lower one.

"Yeah. Okay. That's probably the best option."

[littleguyfrombrooklyn]

“Whatever you say to her will be something that Tony can theoretically can access, but you can usually ask her what she will keep private,” Steve said. “In the morning, I’ll give you her info. Unless you want it now?”

He wasn’t sure if Bucky could sleep with this hanging over his head. He wanted to put it off, for both their sake, but if Bucky needed it now, Steve would provide.

[endsinafight]

"No. Tomorrow's fine," he answered. He probably wasn't going to sleep tonight, too on edge from everything that had happened. He'd napped earlier for a couple hours. It was more than he got some days anyway. He didn't want to think about this particular issue anymore at the moment, if possible. And he didn't want Steve thinking about it either.

[littleguyfrombrooklyn]

Steve was started to feel genuinely nauseated with exhaustion and pain. He knew it would be better, in the morning. He just had to get through the worst of it and nothing would do that better than sleep.

“I think I need to pass out pretty soon,” he said, finally. “If that’s alright. You can stay on the bed, if you want?”

He wanted Bucky to be as close as possible, but he wasn’t going to ask for it. The recliner would be close enough and that would be more comfortable for Buck.

[endsinafight]

"You sure you'll be able to sleep well enough like this?" He turned his head to look at him, worry in his eyes. He'd be more comfortable in the recliner, but if Steve wanted him close, it was the least he could do. Besides, he knew he was more than capable of staying in one position for hours at a time without moving, regardless of his comfort level. He'd done it back in the army as a sniper and he had vivid memories of HYDRA forcing him to stand or squat or kneel in uncomfortable positions during punishments. He could handle it easily.

He shifted a bit more onto his left side, draping his arm around Steve's torso.

[littleguyfrombrooklyn]

“Right now, I’d be able to sleep on a park bench. One of those ones with weird spikes, even,” he said. He was slurring a little. “But you should sleep where you can sleep. That’s important."

[endsinafight]

Bucky almost snorted at that, shaking his head a little. "Go to sleep, Stevie," he said, Monet rearranging herself so her head rested on Bucky's arm, eyes closing.

[littleguyfrombrooklyn]

Steve slept, quickly and hard. It was probably the most sustained time he’s spent asleep in a long while.

He only woke up in the early morning, when a doctor came in. At first, the doctor was talking to Bucky, but it didn’t take long for the strange voice to jerk Steve into full wakefulness, his heart pounding.

[endsinafight]

Bucky didn't sleep, but he kept silent and still so that Steve could, and that was what was important. Steve was injured and recovering. There was nothing physically wrong with Bucky, and sleep wasn't a necessary function for him at that point. So he kept guard, listening intently to all the quiet noises of the hospital, listening as someone down the hall called out for help repeatedly until a nurse responded. When the sun began to rise, he calculated the time difference between New York and Wakanda and deemed it late enough to not risk waking T'Challa. He slipped silently out of bed and spoke with the king just outside Steve's room, explaining the situation quietly. He wasn't at all surprised by the immediate offer for sanctuary for him, Steve, and the others if necessary.

He'd thanked him, knowing he owed T'Challa and Shuri as much as he owed Steve, and making a mental note to figure out how to repay them for all they'd done for him already.

He hung up the phone even as Steve's doctor approached and he gave him a slight nod before slipping back into the room, discussing options for treatment possibilities, including intensive physical therapy and pain killers to control that. Bucky listened intently, glancing over his shoulder at Steve as he heard him stir. He moved over to him, reaching out and resting his hand on his chest momentarily in an attempt to help him relax once more, even as Monet snuggled up closer to his side.

[littleguyfrombrooklyn]

Steve was settled by Bucky’s touch, enough to open his eyes more calmly. He pulled himself up, and the doctor greeted him warmly. The man started in on the various options and Steve remembered something.

“Are you familiar with Dr Cho’s cradle?” he said, cutting him off. He glanced at Bucky, realizing now that he hadn’t mentioned this last night.

[endsinafight]

"I'm afraid I'm not," Dr. Stevenson said, pausing and waiting to hear more.

Bucky looked at Steve curiously, but remained quiet even as he moved to sit down on the arm chair, out of the way enough that the doctor could check on Steve's vitals.

[littleguyfrombrooklyn]

Steve hummed a little and said, “That’s okay. It’s some tech I have access to. I’m no scientist, but I’ll have my normal doctors get in touch.”

His normal doctors were SHIELD, so he didn’t have normal doctors anymore. But Tony’s doctors will probably help. And anyway, he suddenly realized he didn’t know how classified it was.

“Sorry, go on.”

The doctor went about checking Steve’s vitals and Steve focused on that, even as he kept glancing at Bucky, not wanting to lose sight of him.

[endsinafight]

Bucky kept his eyes on Steve even as he kept his ears tuned toward the hallway, listening to footsteps approach and keep going, setting him on edge even if it wasn't anyone there to collect them for imprisonment. He offered Steve a small, reassuring smile as the doctor said all of his vitals were good, exhaling a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding.

"I think you're well enough that if you feel up to it, we can release you into the care of Sergeant Barnes," Dr. Stevenson said with a small smile.

[littleguyfrombrooklyn]

Steve sat up straight, eagerly. “Yes! Let’s do that!”

He started getting up off the hospital bed. He was reasonably stable, even.

[endsinafight]

Dr. Stevenson chuckled involuntarily at his enthusiasm. "I'll get started on your paperwork, Captain Rogers." He headed out the door, leaving Steve and Bucky and Monet alone together.

"You sure you're ready?" Bucky's voice was wry and he'd risen to his feet just in case Steve ended up having a dizzy spell or something.

[littleguyfrombrooklyn]

“Yep,” Steve said, firmly, looking around the room. He was currently in a hospital gown. His ass was basically visible and he very carefully kept it pointed away from Bucky.

“Are there pants?”

[endsinafight]

"Fortunately Natasha brought you clothes when she came back." He moved over to the closet, pulling the bag out and then carrying it across the room, setting it on the bed. He eyed him momentarily. "Do you need help?"

[littleguyfrombrooklyn]

“I hope she brought a button up shirt,” he muttered. “I’m not going to get a t-shirt on right now.”

He glanced at Bucky. “I feel mostly fine,” he said. “Maybe stand close enough I can fall on you if necessary.”

[endsinafight]

Bucky studied him for a few seconds, then nodded, taking that as a yes and unzipping the bag. Sure enough, Natasha had gotten him a shirt -- brand new, tags still on it -- that was a nice button up. "She's something." He moved over to the door, closing it for Steve's privacy, then moved to stand in front of him, reaching around to the back of his neck to untie the gown, fingers gently brushing against his skin.

[littleguyfrombrooklyn]

“I said I was fine,” Steve grumbled, half-heartedly. His breath caught when Bucky got more into his space and he shivered when he felt the brush of his fingers on the back of his neck. He went a little pink. He was in a hospital gown, this wasn’t sexy—but Bucky was undressing him and his stupid body definitely felt good enough to find that interesting.

[endsinafight]

"Doing things one-handed isn't as easy as it seems," he responded, giving him a knowing look and pausing at the expression on his face. He licked his lips involuntarily, searching Steve's eyes. He lifted his right hand to cup his cheek, brushing his thumb over it lightly.

[littleguyfrombrooklyn]

When Bucky reached out and touched him, Steve’s pink face went scarlet red. He couldn’t help but lean into the touch a little bit, biting his lip. The hospital gown, now untied, slipped down his chest and he scrambled with his good hand to hold it up, feeling a little mortified.

[endsinafight]

"You nervous?" he asked, voice hushed as he watched the way Steve flushed red. "Seen you naked before, Rogers." There was something in his tone, something huskier than usual, but still teasing.