“Come on, Sam,” Bucky said to himself as his listened to the ringing…again. “Answer the damn phone.”
Bucky groaned in annoyance and hung up the phone. Sam had texted him yesterday saying he was stopping by today. Bucky was fine with that. He didn’t care. Bucky didn’t really care if Sam was stopping by. The guy dropped by unannounced multiple times over the past few months. Bucky still didn’t care.
What Bucky did care about was being ditched, forgotten, whatever you wanna call it. Sam didn’t stop by and Bucky cared about that. Sam said he would, so either something came up or something was wrong. He wouldn’t ditch Bucky like that. Never.
Sam made it pretty clear that he liked hanging out with Bucky. Whether that be annoying the guy and forcing him into buying furniture for his apartment, to shoving him repeatedly when he annoyed him. They enjoyed each other’s company. And…it was nice. It really was. Despite Bucky saying he hated Sam, he liked the guy. He liked the guy.
It was weird to like someone like that, especially after everything he’s been through. The last time he had a crush was in ‘45 when he met a girl at a bar. But that was just a…hookup thing. This was…different than that. Bucky liked Sam and didn’t want to hookup, he wanted to be with him. The thought of sex made him want to throw up now. After everything he’s been through, everything the Winter Soldier has dealt with…he couldn’t even imagine having sex with anyone, even Sam. He’d probably snap his neck if Sam even touched him like that. He can’t be touched like that, not again. Not after everything he’s gone through.
Bucky sighed and called Sam, again. This was the…fifth time he’d call Sam. Now he knew how Sam felt when he ignored the guy’s texts for months.
“It’s Bucky, again. Call me back. At least text me. Something, man. Because you said you’d stop by and you’re not here. Unless you’re invisible, but I doubt you learned how to turn invisible since the last time I saw you. With how crazy our lives are, it’s not completely out of the question. But still, it’s pretty low. So hurry up and call me back. I’m worried,” Bucky said into the voicemail, the last past of that message having zero sarcasm and 100% concern.
Bucky took a few breaths. Something Sam had actually taught him was to just breathe if you couldn’t do much. Sometimes breathing was the best thing you could do in any situation, especially stressful ones.
Bucky rubbed his eyes before getting startled by a knock at the window. He turned and saw Spider-Man sitting there. Bucky smiled before making his way over and opening the window.
“Hey, Mr. Bucky,” Peter said as he took off his mask.
“Hey, kid. What are you doing here?” Bucky asked.
“You got a beanbag chair?!” Peter yelled as he looked at the chair in the corner. “Can I sit in it?”
“Sure. Expect my cat to glare at you until you move though,” Bucky said before Peter sat down.
“This is so comfy,” Peter said with a smile.
“Are you here to sit in a chair you didn’t know existed or is there something else? Don’t tell me you got stabbed again and didn’t start with that,” Bucky said.
“I am not stabbed, or shot, or injured,” Peter said. “I got something for you.”
Peter pulled out a magnet and handed it to Bucky. He smiled and stared at the penguin fridge magnet. Bucky made his into the kitchen and put it on the fridge door where all the other magnets Peter got him were.
“Thanks, kid,” Bucky said with a smile.
“Anytime, Mr. Bucky,” Peter said. “Anyway, I should get back on patrol.”
“Just a sec. Uh…have you seen…the Falcon anywhere today?” Bucky asked.
“Uh…nope,” Peter said as he tried to think. “Why?”
“We were supposed to meet up today,” Bucky said quietly.
“Maybe I can help,” Peter suggested.
“How?” Bucky asked.
——
“Another 12 year old?” Bucky asked as he watched Peter’s friend walk into the house. “God, what has my life come to?”
“I’m 16, Mr. Bucky, sir,” Ned said awkwardly.
“It’s just Bucky,” Bucky said before looking at Peter. “Why is he here?”
“So I was thinking he could get traffic camera footage and maybe track Mr. Falcon,” Peter said.
“Fine,” Bucky said before Ned sat down and opened his laptop. “Want food since I know you forget to eat?”
“Oh, uh…sure I guess,” Peter said awkwardly.
Bucky walked into the kitchen before grabbing a pizza from the fridge. He walked back and handed it to Peter.
“Oh I love this place. It has some really good pizza,” Peter said with a smile as he started to eat. “Have you tried their fries?”
“Yeah. They’re good. So who is this kid?” Bucky asked before ushering to Ned.
“He’s my friend. He’s my guy in the chair,” Peter said.
“I’m his guy in the chair,” Ned said with a smile.
“Cool. You got a bedtime too?” Bucky asked.
“Curfew,” Peter corrected before getting quiet. “And yeah, he does.”
“Okay, so I got into the traffic cameras,” Ned said. “Who am I looking for?”
“Sam Wilson,” Bucky said hesitantly, not wanting to say Sam’s name.
Bucky really didn’t want to spill Sam’s identity. But then again, if Ned knew Peter was Spider-Man, that had to count for something. So he went with it. Sam possibly bring in danger was enough for two kids to know who Sam really was.
“Okay…” Ned said as he continued typing. “He arrived here in New York and caught a taxi in the morning.”
“Seriously?” Bucky asked before looking at the screen.
“And…it seems like the taxi ride went smoothly,” Ned said. “I’m following him now and…he got out of the taxi…six hours ago.”
“Got out where?” Bucky asked.
“Outside this building,” Ned said before jumping back in a flinch.
“What’s wrong?” Bucky asked frantically.
Bucky looked at the screen and froze. Sam had gotten out and checked his phone before a van pulled up. He quickly got dragged into the van before it took off. Sam barely had any time to react before getting injected with something and shoved into a van.
“Can you find out where that went?” Bucky asked anxiously.
“I’ll try,” Ned said as he started typing again.
“Please be okay, Sam,” Bucky said to himself as his hand started to shake.
——
Sam continued staring at the ceiling. It was swirling slightly. He felt…numb…hazy…floaty. Sam wasn’t even sure where he was or how he got here. He glanced at his arm and saw dots scattered.
Track marks. Multiple ones, all with different layers of bruises on them. Shit, he must have been injected a lot then. And…it must have been over the span of a while to have different layered bruises on his body.
Sam went to get up but realized he was restrained. He tugged numbly at the restraints. Sam leaned his head back on the bed he was on. Well, it was more like a table with a cushion on it. A gurney? One with restraints? Leather ones. Crap, then he couldn’t break free from wearing down the ropes. But he wouldn’t have rope burns, which was nice. But leather restraints were hard to get out of. And even harder in this drugged state he was in.
“Look who’s awake again,” a voice called out.
Sam went to say something but tasted…cotton? Maybe it was the effects of whatever the hell drug he was injected with. Or maybe it was the rag tied around his mouth. Yeah, it was probably the gag.
“Don’t scream like last time, or this is gonna go right back on. Okay,” the guy said.
Sam nodded slowly. His vision blurred and he felt dizzy. He felt hands untie the rag.
“Who are…” Sam trailed off.
“Shhh, don’t talk,” the guy said before injecting Sam with something else.
“No, what are you…” Sam said before he started to freak out.
“See, this is what we ran into last time. You started panicking and started to yell, which is when I drugged you more and gagged you. So let’s not have a repeat of the last few hours, please,” the guy said.
“Hours?” Sam slurred in a mumble before looking at the ceiling.
Sam couldn’t even hold his head up anymore. It was too much. He was too tired and too out of it to even hold his head up.
“Good boy, stay quiet,” the guy said with a smile, Sam trying his best to glare at him. “I’m here to ask you a few questions. It’s simple. You listen to what I ask, you answer.”
Sam tried to move his limbs but couldn’t. He couldn’t even kick the guy because his legs were strapped down too.
“You had a mission, Falcon, a few days ago. The building blew up unfortunately so I can’t get my answer. In that building was a file. Did you read any files while you were there?”
Sam stared at the ceiling. He felt so floaty he could barely do anything.
“Mr. Falcon. Sam. Whatever you want to be called, can you answer my question?” The guy asked.
“Wha…” Sam mumbled.
“A bit too much of that I see. How about we add some more of…” the guy trailed off as he grabbed another drug from off the table next to him.
“No, please,” Sam slurred before he started to lose the dizzy feeling.
“There was a mission you were on a few days ago. The building that exploded had a file in it,” he said again.
“Files on drugs,” Sam said tiredly.
Sam didn’t even realize he said that until he did. Whatever the hell this guy was giving him was making him talk. He hated this feeling.
“Yes. Did you read them?” He asked.
“Only…some,” Sam mumbled.
“What did they say?” He asked calmly.
“I don’t know…not smart,” Sam slurred. “Didn’t make…sense. All numbers and letters to me.”
“Damnit,” the guy said with an annoyed tone.
Sam tried to see through the haze but only got slapped in the face. He head fell to the side. Sam just wanted to be home, or at Bucky’s apartment. Anywhere but there would be nice.
Sam tried to lift up his head but couldn’t. He was too tired to even move any limbs. This sucked.
“Sam…” a voice called out.
“No,” Sam mumbled. “No more drugs.”
Sam whimpered slightly as he felt someone touch his arm. He tried to turn away but saw red…spandex? Someone was next to him wearing red spandex. What the fuck?
“Is he okay?” A voice called out.
“Don’t know what he gave him,” another voice said.
Sam turned slightly and saw someone standing there. Not the one wearing red spandex but…someone wearing regular clothes. And…a metal arm.
“Bucky?” Sam mumbled.
“Yeah, yeah, it’s me,” Bucky said. “Help is on its way.”
“So tired,” Sam mumbled.
“No, stupid, stay awake,” Bucky said anxiously before Sam fell asleep.
——
Sam woke up slowly. He felt…comfortable again. Sam turned and saw Bucky sitting in a chair and staring at him.
“What happened?” Sam mumbled.
“Woah, hey,” Bucky said after seeing Sam go to sit up. “Take it easy, dumbass. You got drugged, a lot, after getting kidnapped.”
“How’d you find me?” Sam asked tiredly.
“A guy in a chair,” Bucky said, Sam looking at him with a confused expression. “Spider-Man’s friend helped me. He tracked you from the airport to the taxi, from there to my apartment. Then when you got taken and driven to an abandoned hospital that’s apparently haunted or some shit, which is why people don’t go there. And apparently that guy who kidnapped you hired a group of mercenaries to take you. Don’t blame him. Torres was looking into why he took you. Apparently he worked for the company of the building that we went into on our last mission. There was a file on some drug that’ll make you compliant. He wanted that but the building blew up so kinda can’t get that file anymore. Anyway, he’s arrested, so that’s nice. Bastard deserves it for hurting you.”
“My head hurts,” Sam mumbled as he closed his eyes. “How long have I been out?”
“Two years,” Bucky said, Sam quickly opening his eyes in a panic. “Just kidding. Two days. Blame your body burning through the amount of drugs you were given.”
“God I hate you,” Sam mumbled.
“Love you too,” Bucky said with an eye roll.
“Come up here,” Sam said tiredly.
Bucky groaned but complied. He climbed onto the bed and next to Sam. Sam moved his hand before Bucky twitched.
“Hey, can you move your hand?” Bucky asked without his normal level of sarcasm.
Even in Sam’s extremely tired state, he could tell something was wrong. He moved his hand after Bucky asked. There wasn’t any sarcasm in that sentence, only…anxiety almost.
“Everything okay?” Sam asked after moving his hand.
“I…I have problems being…touched in certain areas,” Bucky said hesitantly. “The Winter Soldier was…he was used for more than killing. And…”
Bucky trailed off before going quiet.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Sam said calmly. “You’re okay now. I won’t touch you unless you want me to.”
“Thank you,” Bucky said, Sam nodding.
Sam leaned against Bucky before Peter came into the room. He smiled when he saw the kid.
“Mr. Falcon, you’re okay,” Peter said with a smile.
“Yeah, I’m okay, kid,” Sam said with a smile before closing his eyes. “Just tired.”
“The chairs there, kid. Relax a bit,” Bucky said before pointing to the chair he was previously in.
Peter sat in the chair and pulled out his phone. Bucky smiled before closing his eyes. He heard the door open and didn’t even care enough to open his eyes. If someone was here to kill them, the Spider-kid would take care of it. He was too tired from worrying about Sam to care at the moment.
“Aw, how long have your dads been together?” The nurse asked, causing Peter to awkwardly start stuttering.
Bucky smirked as he continued keeping his eyes closed. Sam smirked too.