It was dark when you woke, and it took you a moment to gain your bearings, and realize you aren't in your room. Your mind races to remember, before you finally calm. You had been out with James and Rebecca, celebrating James getting his new job, and the three of you may have had a little more to drink then you should have. You, drinking more then anyone else.
Rebecca was the one who had decided you should stay with them, just incase you found yourself in need of help in the night. You of course had gleefully accepted, it had been way too long since you and your oldest friend had had a sleep over. The two of you had even giggled yourselves to sleep.
But none of that explains why you are awake now, or why you have this sudden feeling of dread washing over you. You sit-up and look around, nothing seems off. Rebecca's softly snoring in her bed, the covers rising and falling, with each of her breaths.
You pull yourself up, from your makeshift bed on the floor. Slowly you creep from the room, listening once you reach the hall. That's when you hear it, the whimper, HIS whimper. Your feet carry you, of their own volition, until you are standing infront of his bedroom door. Should you knock? Would he even hear you if you did?
The garbled screams of pain, makes the decision for you, as you find yourself bursting through the door. Your eyes adjust to the room, frantically darting about to find him. And when they do, your heart breaks at what it sees.
He is tangled in his sheets, flailing around, his right arm reaching out for something thats not really there. He is mumbling, no pleading, begging the invisible creatures of his dreams to stop.
You move to him swiftly, proprieties be damned, as you climb in his bed. You card your fingers through his hair, as you gently shush him. But when his whimpers only increase, you wrap your arms around him, pulling him close to you. "It's ok James, You are safe. It's just a horrible dream, wake up for me my love."
His eyes fly open, and upon sight of you he crumbles. Pulling in on himself, as his heavy sobs wreck his body. You wrap yourself around his trembling form, cocooning him in your love. "I'm here, I'm here. It's ok my love, you're home and you are safe." You press yourself to him firmly, attempting to ground him.
His arm soon wraps around you, his face nuzzling your neck, soaking you with his tears. His chest heaves, as the heavy wails continue to fill the room. "It's ok James, it's ok. Let it out my love, I've got you." Your fingers, once again, thread through his locks, your nails gently scratching his scalp.
His weeping begins to soften, soon only small hiccup sobs remain. His face still resting in the groove of your throat. "Do you wanna talk about it?" You're voice is soft and caring. He shakes his head into your shoulder, and your heart breaks for him, for what he has seen and experienced.
"That's ok, you don't have to talk. I've got you either way." You continue to hold him, humming softly as your fingers work through his hair. When he finally relaxes into you, his voice whispers out. "I was back there, ummm....the place Steve found me." You hum in confirmation, pushing him to continue. "We...my umm troop, we all was taken. But uh...they soon separated me from everyone else."
Bucky takes a deep breath, nuzzling into your hand, as it continues to tangle into his mane. "They started experimenting on me, they injected me with something weird, kept talking in Russian so I couldn't understand them. I was so frightened, I just kept thinking that I'd die there and no one would ever know what became of me. No one would ever know what they had done to us....I keep dreaming I'm back there, in the dark, all alone." A small sob creeps out, and you pull him to you tighter.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that James." You feel him try to pull away, but you refuse to let him go.
"You deserve so much better then a broken one armed man." He weeps out as he again tries to pull away. But your arms are unwavering, your grip like steel as you hold him to you.
"I will hear none of that James Barnes. You are not broken. You are allowed to have bad days, bad nights, get lost and need to be found. And when that happens, when the darkness takes over and you can't find your way; I will find you. I will be your light in the dark James. I will hold you tight, remind you you're safe, and that you're loved, and that you're home. I will Shield you in the night, when those evil creatures come calling. We will get through this together. And when I have bad days, bad nights, get lost and need to be found. You will do the same for me. Because that's what you do when you love someone James."
You can feel the tears staining your cheeks as you talk, but you don't care. You love this man, this man who is so amazing and kind and good, but somehow sees himself a monster. Thinks himself unworthy, which couldn't be further from the truth.
His eyes finally find yours, you can tell he is searching, hoping to see that your words ring true. And when he finds what he is looking for, his lips gently find yours. The both of you sighing into the kiss. Soft lips moving in the moonlit room, James finally realizes he will never face the darkness alone again. You will always be there with him. Shielding him in the night, from what the darkness may hold.