FIFTEEN | SCARS

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Depth: Sixty-three feet above sea level

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Depth: Sixty-three feet above sea level.Location: Avenger's Tower, Steve's Floor.

Since Steve only has one spare bedroom on his floor (and Bucky would not let himself be swayed otherwise), Tania sleeps in Bucky's temporary bedroom while Bucky sleeps on the living room couch. The spare bedroom has only a door and a few feet of hallway separating it from the living room, while Steve's room is much farther back on the floor.

Which is why Tania is the one who hears Bucky's screams.

As soon as she realizes what the sound is, she jumps up from her bed, suddenly wide awake. She opens the bedroom door and paces to the living room, hesitating before entering when she sees what is before her.

Bucky is twisting and writhing on the sofa, occasional screams (like the one that woke Tania) emitting from his raw throat, but mostly the sounds consist of soft, pain-filled whimpers. He is drenched in sweat, but still seems to be trembling, as if freezing cold.

Cautiously, Tania approaches, swallowing uneasily. She stops near Bucky's head, squatting to be level with his face. As he continues to whimper and writhe, Tania hesitantly brings a hand to his head and runs her fingers through his hair, trying to calmly wake him. With her suit, it's as if she can just about feel the texture of his hair, but is blocked from feeling it completely. It's an odd sensation, one she finds a bit unsatisfying.

Bucky continues to stir in his sleep, seeming unfazed by Tania's attempts to soothe him. He emits another short, guttural scream, startling Tania enough that she draws her hand away from him.

"Bucky," she calls, bending down next to him. "Bucky, wake up." She places a hand on his shoulder, shakes him gently. "Please wake up..."

As Tania continues to talk to Bucky and shake him, his whimpers quiet, his writhing slowly ceases. After a few moments, he gasps, popping up into a seated position as his eyes shoot open. He pants heavily, as if having a hard time catching his breath.

"Bucky, are you alright?" Tania asks softly.

Bucky jolts, not having noticed Tania's presence before. He turns to her slowly, his breath still coming in light pants. "Oh, God, I woke you up, didn't I?" he asks breathlessly. "Tania, I'm really sorry."

Tania sits still for a moment, confused and taken slightly aback by his words. "... Why are you concerned about waking me?" she questions. "Obviously something has happened with you, for you to have been screaming like that..."

Bucky holds eye contact with Tania before looking away, seeing the twisted blankets, his sweat-soaked shorts and skin. He lets out a quiet sigh. "You know how I told you that memories sneak up on me out of nowhere, too?"

BERMUDA | B.BARNES (DISCONTINUED)Where stories live. Discover now