Former Training
“He’s had a rough morning,” Natasha said once Bucky closed the bathroom door.
“What happened?” Steve asked, pouring two cups of coffee for the two of them.
“I took him to The Warehouse so I could see where he was at with sparring and fighting. S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted me to scope him out, see where his head was. I thought that after so many weeks of being with you he’d be further than what I saw today,” the female assassin said and leaned against the counter while waiting for the coffee.
“How bad was it?” Steve asked while pulling out milk and sugar.
“He wouldn’t hit back. Only blocked me. Completely avoided any type of offense. I got him on his knees at one point. Otherwise I was basically shadow sparring and that wasn’t working. He wouldn’t talk at first either,” she took the sugar and declined the dairy.
Steve finished making his own coffee and listened, frowning. They heard the water start for a shower down the hall in the bathroom.
“He hasn’t really spoken here either. One or two word responses but nothing really substantial,” he sighed.
“That’s what I thought too. So, I pulled him to the punching bags and told him to hit and talk. Which was easier for him after he realized I wasn’t going to attack him while his back was turned.”
Steve nodded and listened about the sad state that his best friend was in.
“You’ll report what he said to headquarters?”
“The Warehouse has cameras and microphones so I don’t have to. But there was a bit of him talking on the car ride home that I’ll have to write down to hand in. He’s really not ready for a serious evaluation yet,” she said between sipping and blowing on her drink. Again Steve nodded.
“You’ll take him out again to try to get him to talk again?”
“I’ll wait and see how he is this week and maybe keep it for once a week ‘til he’s a bit better and stable. Then make it for more than once a week,” she said.
“I’ll keep an eye on him and keep you updated as the week goes on. You’re welcome to come visit anytime too, to hang out, Nat,” he said, putting his mug down. Natasha nodded and finished her coffee before putting it in the sink.
“I’ll see what I can do,” was all she said before patting him on the back and walking out of the apartment.
Steve sighed as he stood in the kitchen alone, his mind racing. His best friend wasn’t okay, which he already knew because he heard him talk in his sleep, or yell or cry, depending on the night. Steve also heard him leave when he thought that his nightmares were too much and could wake the other. Steve couldn’t always make out what Bucky was saying, whether the wall muffled the sound or it was in a different language, but he knew what he was dreaming of.
Unable to finish his coffee and the average time of a shower had passed; Steve checked his watch and walked out of the kitchen. Something wasn’t right. He walked down to the bathroom and knocked on the door.
“Buck, you alright in there?” No reply.
The window is too small for him to get out of so he didn’t leave. Steve didn’t hear any movement under the running water either so that further worried him.
“Bucky? I’m going to come in if you don’t answer,” he tried again, still, no response.
Closing his eyes, Steve hoped the door wasn’t locked as he went to turn the doorknob. Thankfully, it was unlocked.
Walking into the bathroom, steam escaped once the door opened. Still, Steve didn’t hear any movements from behind the curtain. Steve took his cellphone out from his pocket and put it on the sink in case he got wet for whatever reason, then without any hesitation, he moved some of the shower curtain to see if Bucky was actually in the shower.
“Buck?” Steve softly said as his eyes traveled from where an actual person’s face would be to where Bucky was, which was located on the tub floor. Hot water poured down on him, making his skin bright red and his left metallic arm to start to heat up. Steve hesitated before turning off the water and kneeling down to be eye level with the brunette.
“Hey pal, how long were you going to stay under that hot water?” he asked.
Bucky kept his head down, completely out of it. Moving slightly, Steve grabbed a few towels and wrapping one around his shoulders then to help him up. Steve did his best to not look anywhere but Bucky’s face, his own cheeks flushing pink, as he helped him get onto his feet and wrapping another towel around Bucky’s waist.
Bucky never responded to Steve as he was moved carefully and slowly to sit down on the toilet. Steve began to dry the brunette’s hair while waiting for Bucky to come back to reality. After about five minutes, Bucky began to move and then look up at Steve who was still blushing faintly.
“I’m sorry…” He whispered.
“Hey no worries. Just got worried about you being so long in here,” Steve said with a soft smile. Bucky kept his head down and pulled the towel around his shoulders a bit tighter around him.
“I didn’t realize how long I was in there…”
“No big deal, Buck. You okay to get dressed?” Steve asked taking a step away to give Bucky some room. He just nodded. Steve backed out of the small bathroom to leave his friend change with some privacy and wait until Bucky came out, ignoring why he got embarrassed while helping his friend. That was something to think about at another time…
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“What is your name?” a gruff voice demanded. No reply came. Seconds later a backhand to the face connected with a clammy cheek.
“Let’s try this again. What is your name?” The voice was male, getting louder in volume. Aggravated. Brokenly, the man strapped to the chair responded.
“The Winter Soldier,” he whispered distantly.
The gruff man waved over his shoulder and six figures moved, walking over to the man in the chair and began scanning and surveying the Winter Soldier. Empty blue eyes stared at the floor as he was pricked and prodded with needles while lights flashed in his eyes. As this happened, the man who slapped the Winter Soldier moved away and spoke with a few guards on the other side of the room. The guards were fully armed, fingers near their guns’ triggers incase the restrained soldier broke free.
“He’s ready sir,” came one of the doctor-like men in white. They all stepped away as the man in charge walked away from the guards and back to the man in the chair.
“Is he compliant enough to be unstrapped?” he questioned. The man nodded. A gesture later, the six men began to remove the restraints and moved the chair to a fully upright position. The Winter Solider kept still, in a haze. The man grabbed a stool and sat in front of the soldier, watching his face and movements carefully.
“Do you remember who I am?” he asked.
“No,” came the slow reply.
“Take a moment, think,” he prompted again. The Winter Soldier looked blankly at the man in charge before blinking.
“You’re my handler,” he said after a moment.
“Very good. Now, think a little harder, what is my name?”
The soldier blinked again, “I don’t remember.”
The man sighed and moved the bench, causing a minuscule flinch from the Winter Soldier.
“My name is Alexander Pierce. I am one of a select few who are your handlers. I am also the man in charge right now of your missions assigned to you by HYDRA,” Pierce said slowly, condescendingly, standing up and walking around the room. The man in the chair remained still, eyes faintly following Pierce move.
Pierce walked back to where the guards and pseudo-doctors stood and gestured to the other side of the room, “Let’s see if his physical reprogramming is still intact.” He walked out of the room and the guards moved in to put arm restraints and a muzzle on the still passive soldier before he was led out of the one sterile room and into another that would muffle any screaming heard.