Please..., Stop please
Once the top half of the base has been cleared, Steve makes his way lower, to the holding cells; praying that this is the day they find Bucky.
There’s no guard on the door. Presumably called up during the fighting.
Bucky has been missing for a month now. Hydra had captured him on his way back home from therapy. It had taken a couple hours for Steve to realize that he was missing, and wasn’t that just the worst feeling?
Bucky had been missing, and Steve had just assumed that he had decided to stop somewhere before going home. He should have realized sooner. Bucky always sent a brief message, saying he would be back later than expected. Steve just assumed he had forgotten this time.
Steve opens the door to the cells, and is accosted by the smell of old blood and unwashed bodies.
Slowly, he walks down the hallway, methodically checking each cell.
It’s not until the fifth one, that he finds anything.
At first, Steve doesn’t realize that there’s someone in the cell. Almost looks away, keeps going. But something loud thumps from upstairs, and the prisoner flinches. Noticing the movement, Steve looks closer at the shadows. Sees a figure with a mess of brown hair, shoved up against the wall, only wearing thin pants. Bucky.
When Steve finally finds the door Bucky’s behind, he fumbles with the keys he had liberated from upstairs, trying to find the right one. At the sound, Bucky flinches again, trying to push himself further into the wall, whimpering when he can’t.
“Bucky! Hang on, I’m coming.” Steve says, trying another key. This one works, and he bursts into the cell. Bucky sluggishly curls in on himself, shivering as Steve gets closer.
Steve slows and kneels down in front of Bucky. He doesn’t look up.
“Hey, Buck,” he says softly. “I’m here to get you out. I’m going to take you home.” Bucky doesn’t respond, just shakes harder.
Steve reaches out a hand, touching Bucky gently on the shoulder. Bucky recoils, jerking away, breathing heavily.
“Please,” he whispers, “please.” Steve takes a moment to really take Bucky in.
He’s bruised and battered, covered in dried blood, dirt, and burns. They took his metal arm, Steve realizes, and his remaining arm and fingers are bent unnaturally. He’s so much thinner than he was. Too thin.
“I’m not going to hurt you, baby. Promise,” he whispers, reaching out to smooth back Bucky’s hair. Bucky shrinks away from his touch, and Steve pulls his hand back.
Bucky tilts his head down, away from Steve. He’s shaking so hard, Steve is worried he’ll hurt himself.
“Please, please. Don’t, don’t hurt me. I’ll be good, I promise. Please don’t hurt me anymore.” Bucky’s voice cracks as he begs.
Steve feels his heart break.
“Bucky, it’s me, it’s Steve. I swear, I’m not going to hurt you. Can you look at me, sweetheart?”
No response.
Steve wishes he had a blanket, or an extra shirt, or something to give to Bucky. He wonders how much of his shaking is from fear, and how much from the cold.
Bucky whimpers again, barely perceptible, on his next exhale. He freezes for a moment, not even breathing, as he waits for something. When nothing happens, he loses some of the tension he was holding.
Steve activates his comm.
“I need medical to the basement.”
“Cap, there you are. Listen, we’ve got a situation..”
“We had it covered before I came down here, what could have happened,” he snaps. Not waiting for a response, he adds, “I’ve found Bucky, and he’s hurt.”
“The building's self destruct was activated. Grab Barnes, and get the hell out of there. A little more damage won’t be as bad as being dead.”
Steve curses, looking back up at Bucky.
He’s curled in on himself, shaking harder than before. Steve feels bad for snapping. Tony is just trying to help, and he’s scared Bucky.
“We'll be there. Get the jet ready.”
“Aye aye, Captain.”
Steve sighs, gathering himself, before approaching Bucky.
Bucky senses him getting closer, curling in tighter, trying to protect himself.
“I’m sorry, Bucky,” he says softly, trying to keep his tone calm, “I know you don’t understand what’s going on, but we’ve got to get out of here.”
Steve scoops Bucky up, as carefully and gently as he can. It’s made harder by how Bucky screams, and struggles feebly as soon as he’s touched.
“No, no, please! Stop, please! Please don’t.. Please, I’ll be good, please,” He begs, writhing in Steve's arms. Steve holds him tighter, trying his best not to hurt him. Heart breaking even more at Bucky’s screams.
Seeing Bucky’s face for the first time, he’s scared. There’s burns on his temples, down his face. He knows what that means.
“I’ve got you, you’re going to be okay,” he says thickly. He turns from the room, and runs, Bucky held in his arms.