A Good Heart
When Steve Rogers opens his eyes after being dragged out of the Potomac, he looks up to see the Winter Soldier looking at him. No, he realizes. That is definitely Bucky right now. And Bucky is hurting. Maybe he's confused. It's hard for him to read everything that's playing out there, but then Bucky's leaning down and whispering in his ear before getting up and… he's gone.
"In three days, the lake cabin."
He knows what that means, of course. There was a small cabin by a lake upstate Bucky's grandparents owned that they'd all go to for the summer sometimes. But he can't possibly think the place is still going to be empty after all these years, can he?
Still, three days pass and Steve goes. He brings Sam with him, just in case, and they go to the cabin by the lake that holds so many memories for Steve and Bucky as boys. Surprisingly, when they pull up, it looks very empty.
"Looks like no one's lived here in decades," Sam muses as he gets out of the passenger seat, looking at the cabin with a nervous gaze. "You sure this is safe, Steve? I know you want this to be Bucky, but it might be a trap."
Steve sighs, watching the cabin. He knows it could be a trap, but his gut tells him the man who told him to come here was Bucky, not the Hydra assassin. Before he gets the chance to really explain why he feels that way, the door to the cabin opens and Bucky is standing there, clad in a red shirt and black jeans, and looking tired.
Steve's never been happier to see him. He looks at Sam, then motions to the cabin. "It's going to be okay, Sam."
Leading the way up the overgrown gravel drive, Steve makes his way to the cabin, and to his long lost best friend. He can feel tears stinging his eyes at the sight of him, and he knows there's so much more than just a hug and a happy reunion in front of them at this point, but all he sees right now is Bucky.
Bucky steps aside to let them in and closes the door behind them, nodding at Sam when he turns and stares at him. "You remembered how to get here," he says to Steve.
"You remembered it existed," Steve counters.
There's a moment of quiet. Bucky watches Steve, then a soft, faint smile tugs his lips. He nods. "You'll never guess who found this place and turned it into a safe house," he says. "And then promptly took it out of commission as a safe house when their biggest asset had a breakdown here and none of them could figure out why."
Steve's eyes go wide and he takes a step toward Bucky, his immediate desire to protect and comfort almost overriding everything else. This is the man that kept him alive and safe through their younger years. While Steve was sick and small, Bucky held him up and kept him safe. Now, Bucky needs him.
"Your memories of this place ran too deep, I imagine," Sam says, breaking Steve from his thoughts.
Bucky hums and nods, looking around almost nervously. Steve sees Bucky there, but he's lost. Buried under pain and confusion and years of torment. Bucky is hurting, still trying to claw his way to the surface. To reconcile himself with who he is and the world he's found himself in.
"Buck." He has no idea what to actually say. He just wants to help. He wants to see Bucky be himself again. He wants his friend to be alive again. He wants to see the sparkle back in those bright blue eyes.
Bucky looks at him and licks his lips tentatively, taking a shaky breath. "Maybe?" Maybe he's Bucky, he's saying. He doesn't know who he is right now. Steve can see and hear the fear in him and it's heartbreaking.
"Come back with us," Steve says suddenly. "To the Tower. I'm sure Tony can make some space and we can get you feeling more like you. You don't have to do it alone out in the middle of nowhere."
He wants to beg him. For me, he wants to say. Come back to me, Bucky. I miss you so much. I need my best friend back. I didn't know how badly that hole in my chest ached until I saw your stupid face again.
Except Steve can't just say that. He's always had trouble expressing himself outright. Bucky was better at emotions and reading people. He looks at him now and Bucky looks tired and strained and too old even with that same face from all those years ago.
Bucky takes a breath and smiles faintly. "You know I ain't gonna just show up on him like that," he says. "What if he doesn't have the space? Or what if he doesn't want to house a Hydra fugitive?"
Steve hums, then chuckles. He looks at Sam, who shrugs. Looking back at Bucky again, Steve grins. "It's Tony Stark. He may be an asshole, but he's got a good heart. Just like you."