#without breaking the bulb or injuring your jaw muscles

[fakezircon]

Snack Time

[wonderlandmind4]

Delicate Stages Chp 33

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x OFC Ana Rios

Warnings: Language, Anxiety/Panic attacks, mentions of anxiety/panic attacks, mild PTSD, an over use of coffee consumption. Slow burn. Eventual smut. Explicit. NSFW. Past violence. Mild violence. Past mention of suicide. Trigger words. Nightmares/terrors. Flashbacks.

Summary: Bucky Barnes agrees to participate in Deprogramming Sessions. What he gets is not anything like he expected.

Words: 2.4+ @justreadingfics​ @nerdyandproud9​ @buffy-morgendorffer-01​

Every electronic in the room is going haywire; some light bulbs pop, some flicker wildly. The air is thick and tainted with energy, heavy as if it hangs there like droplets of humidity. It's strange feeling the effects of the energy- the emotions-, that prickles at Bucky's skin as he watches Ana pace back and forth. She is livid. Her hands are shaking, she can't keep still, her jaw is clenched. She steps up to the throwing station, grabbing one of her knives before thrusting arm her forward quickly. The sharp weapon lands perfectly in the middle of the target.

She doesn't stop there though, doesn't even give herself time to reset. She just grabs a set of throwing stars, flicking her wrist. One after the other, landing on various planned targets. She grabs another set of knives after that, but the lightbulb hanging above them pops, casting the station they're standing in into shadows. Ana doesn't hesitate, or seem to notice.

Bucky huffs audibly, quickly stepping up and grabs the blade of the knife with his left hand as she brings her arm back. He grasps her wrist with his right hand then yanks the weapon out of her hold. Ana whirls around, a fiery glint in her eyes still visible despite the darkness. Bucky is suddenly glad she doesn't have the ability to melt people with her glares.

"What the f-"

"Come with me." Bucky interrupts her, replacing the knife before dragging her out of the target station.

"Bucky, what are you doing?" There’s an annoyed edge to Ana’s voice.

"Preventing yourself from injury." He tells her, pushing he doors open. He doesn't let go of her wrist. "You popped the lights."

Her hand goes limp in his, which he takes as her just giving up and allowing him to lead her away from the practice range.

"I didn't mean too," She mumbles behind him.

"I know," He replies gently.

He scans the hallway as they walk, a habit that Bucky just can't break. He's only making sure there aren't unnecessary people hovering around, especially with Ana in tow. Especially since she's been showing signs of her enhanced ability growing stronger. It happens now, the lights dimming for a few moments, before growing brighter. The air thickens.

Bucky spots a set of doors that lead outside onto a small lanai. He abruptly turns, tugging Ana along until he pushes the doors open. He drops her hand only to turn and place both of his on her shoulders. Ana is biting her lip, but it doesn’t stop the small tremor of her chin.

"Ana." He starts, attempting to keep his voice calm. "Take a breath."

She takes a step back, breaking physical contact. "I can't! I'm still so angry, Bucky! I feel guilty too, because what if something happened? What if that dickhead ended up-"

"He didn't, Ana. He didn't. I'm okay, see?" He smiles at her. She rolls her eyes. "I'm fine. They fired him right?"

"Bout damn time." Ana mutters darkly.

Bucky takes hold of her hands, squeezing her knuckles. "You need to take a breath. Just breathe. All this negative energy isn't good for you, darling."

Ana steps into him, pressing her forehead to his chest. He hopes she can't hear his heartbeat spike up from her sudden action. He wraps his arms around her, keeping her close, safe within his hold. And just in case, if it becomes too much for her and she passes out, Bucky will be right there to catch her.

She came back fuming from a previous meeting. Bucky had watched her storm in, yanking her arm away from Steve's hand, ignoring his word and marching straight to her room. The entire living compound's power shut off for two solid minutes before it came back on. Bucky was being briefed on what happened when Ana came back out and left, slamming the door so hard behind her, it shook the dishes in the cabinets. It took all of a split second for Bucky to follow her.

Right now, as Bucky holds Ana who is trying to calm herself, all he wants to do is kiss her anger away. Have her melt against him like she did on the roof, as if all their problems in the world had disappeared and nothing matter but them. He's not going to though, since it probably won't help any.

Instead, Bucky will continue to hold her close, and sacrifice want he wants. Because what he wants, is not what he deserves. Not when his brain remains to be fixed completely. Not when he could trigger at any moment and when he wakes from that darkened state, Ana will no longer be in his arms.

"You should box." Bucky suggests, breaking the silence after a while. "That helps doesn't it?"

Ana nods against his chest, her fingers gently playing with the end of his hair.

"Come on then."

***

At least when Ana walks into the gym she can breathe easier. The smell of the vinyl mat and punching bags instantly calming her more. She no longer wants to hunt Simon Mills down and throttle him, mostly due to Bucky reeling in the majority of her anger. She changes in the women's locker room after stopping by their home to grab clothes. Ana spots Bucky as she stands in the entry way of the locker room.

"Spar with me." Ana demands, putting her hair up in a ponytail and adjusting her tank top.

"What?" Bucky deadpans. He's giving Ana the flattest look she has ever gotten.

"I figured it out," She says, walking up to him. "I have too much energy pent up. Plus, I've been rather pissed off the whole day and I need to let it out. Please, Bucky?"

Ana widens her eyes, and blinks twice, poking her bottom lip. She doesn't use this look a lot, but he looks like he might refuse. Bucky's eye twitches and his jaw clenches. Then he sighs in defeat, rolling his eyes up to the ceiling.

"I feel like I might regret this."

"Don't worry, Winter Wonderland," She smirks, patting his arm as she passes him. "I don't expect this to be...hard."

Ana is abruptly jerked backward, a hand gripped around her bicep and her back colliding with something solid. Bucky's lips graze her ear, his breath hot against her skin.

"We'll just have to see about that." He whispers hotly.

The low tone of his voice sends shivers down her spine. The same waves of fire Ana felt from that night come rolling back, licking up her insides and making her heart rate speed up. Bucky then grabs her free arm, keeping them both tight in his grip behind her back. Ana jerks, testing his hold. It's strong.

"You seem to have a thing for restraints there, Barnes." She teases.

"Only where it counts, sweetheart."

Ana inhales slowly, trying to will her heart to beat normally.

"Tell me, how would you get out of a hold like this? Dead weight is one thing," Bucky says, then nudges her right foot with his own, locking his shin around hers. "But one little move from me and I can take your bad knee out. What do you do?"

Ana tries to focus, instead of thinking how she can feel his every breath, feel his chest against her shoulder blades. "I-" She has to clear the rasp from her throat. "I would headbutt you, but seeing as how I'm not going to do that."

"That's one way." Bucky states, tightening his hold. "Anything else?"

"Yeah."

Ana lifts her left leg high enough until her foot reaches his knee, bent ever so slightly. It's enough of boost for her to use the muscles in her leg to step up, unlocking her right leg from his, and swing it around, twisting in the air. The surprise slackens Bucky's grip for a moment and that's all she needs to pull her arms free. She kicks off his shoulder with her free foot and separates them. Ana lands lightly on her feet. Bucky has to put his hand on the mat and twist to stand back up.

"Alright." He smirks at her, an impressed expression coloring his face. "That was good. You reply on the element of surprise. You did that on the mission too."

"I have too. Seems to help me a lot."

Bucky pushes his long hair back with his hand, making his way further onto the mat. "What happens if you injure your knee."

"Fight through it?" She shrugs.

He hums, turning to face her. "Lets hope that doesn't happen. How is your hand to hand?"

"I've only used the bags and Fred over there. So, a bit rusty." Ana informs him truthfully.

"Lets work on that then. Remember to use very advantage you have. Just keep your stance locked, Ana.

Ana huffs. "You know I do."

Bucky just smirks at her.

*

An orange knife flips through the air, Ana shoots her hand out to catch it by the handle. She turns, then jabs rapidly at Bucky's side. He blocks the attack, getting in his own metal jab at her ribs, his first one since they incorporated the dummy knife.

"Kept your side open." Bucky tells her.

He had taken his shirt off, leaving him just in a black tank top. Ana had done the same with hers, fighting in just her sports bra and workout pants. Sweat dampening her skin, and Bucky standing there without so much as a glisten.

"Stole your knife." Ana counters, panting. She glares at Bucky. They've been going at it for nearly an hour and he has only taken a deep breath once.

He nods, a proud smile on his face. "I think, and please rub this in Sam's face, your knife skills surpass mine."

Ana's mouth drops open. "What? Seriously?" She is shocked, and happy. "That's like the highest compliment coming from the Winter Bunny!"

His smile drops off his face. Bucky advances on her again and Ana cackles as he tackles her.

*

Bucky comes at her with a right hook. Ana dodges it the best she can, catching his left fist in the process. He pulls her forward for a moment, the metal plates shifting to accommodate her weight, then thrusts her back. Ana nearly trips over her feet as she regains her steps, dropping down as Bucky pushes at her again. She swipes her legs out, but he just flips out of the way.

They've been sparring with hand to hand for nearly an hour and a half, and neither of them have given up. The practicing has taken her mind off what Simon had done, and Bucky seems to be doing alright with it. Ana knows he's just relieved he wasn't triggered because she wasn't there. Bucky has his back turned to her after he dodged her last attack, and she forms an idea.

Ana takes a running start. She grabs onto his shoulders, uses her momentum to pull her body up, hooking her left leg over his shoulder, swinging her body upside down and moving her right leg onto his opposite shoulder, trapping him in a vice like grip between her thighs. His hands distractedly come up to grip her hips, but Ana throws her weight forward, knocking him off balance. He falls backwards, hands slipping over her thighs as Ana lands on her feet, twisting around.

Bucky blinks up at the ceiling. Ana has to stifle a laugh with how bewildered he looks. He shakes his head , continuing to just lay there. Ana walks over to him, peering down.

"That was new." Bucky states is a daze.

"Told you, Nat trained me, but I added my own moves here and there."

"And as I have told you, I trained her." He reminds her.

Suddenly, he swipes his arm out at her feet. Ana jumps, because that's the oldest trick in the book. That is, until Bucky catches her mid jump as he pops up, hooking his arm behind her knees. Ana grunts as her back hits the floor, wrists pinned, and thighs locked down by his, so she can't move them very far. It's the first time Bucky doesn't hold back.

"Got you. Looks like I won." He gloats, that little infuriating smirk back on his mouth. His eyes flicker down for a second.

"Really? Because it looks like you want to kiss me again, Winter Bunny. What's stopping you?" Ana whispers, leaning her head up just a fraction.

Bucky glares down at her, his eyes flickering between her own and her lips. His grip tightens on her wrists, his thighs clenching around her hips harder. She grinds her hips up just slightly, a swirl of arousal kicks up in her stomach and Ana has to bite her cheek. Then, Bucky releases her and rolls off to the side. They're both panting as Ana sits up.

"I win." She declares triumphantly. "You said use every advantage."

"You're a dirty fight, sweetheart." Bucky says, his voice rough and a touch deeper. He sits up as well.

"I've got an injured knee that's one good hit away from falling out. I have to fight dirty."

"Good. Good strategy."

"Hmm." Comes a loud thoughtful hum from the side. When they both look, Clint is causally lounging on one of the benches, munching on twizzlers. He points with one of the red candies. "You were pulling your punches, Barnes."

"Ugh!" Ana throws her hands up. "I knew it! How is that fair, Bucky!?

"I didn't want to hurt you!” He claims. “Besides, you pinning me to the mat three times was all you."

"Unless that was your plan." Clint inputs.

Both Ana and Bucky hold up their middle fingers. Ana kicks his boot. "Fine. I understand, you didn't want me to kick your Frosty the Snowman ass."

"Frosty the Snowman." Bucky mumbles, rolling his eyes up. "I swear, you and the endless nicknames."

"I've got plenty. Just haven't used them all."

He sighs. "I wasn't throwing punches hard because if I accidentally clip you, guess who will have my ass."

"Okay, good point."

"Question." Clint speaks up, leaning back against the bench and crossing his feet, twizzler sticking out of his mouth. "Have you both kissed again? Because this sexual tension is becoming too much, even for my taste."

Ana can feel her eyes widen and her cheeks heat up. "What the fuck." She mutters.

Bucky shifts uncomfortably next to her, suddenly interested in the laces of his boots.

"No!" Ana answers loudly. "I mean. How the hell do you know?"

"So, Nat was right." He smirks like he just caught them both.

"Go home, Legolas." She deadpans.

"Natasha knows?" Bucky asks, shocked.

"So does Cap." Clint provides.

"Oh my god, Steve knows!?" Ana turns to face Bucky. "You told him?"

"I panicked!"

"Jesus! I'm going to take a very long, hot shower. So if you boys don't mind."

Ana begins to gather her shirt and water bottle and walks away. As she's nearing the door, she can almost feel Clint open his mouth. So she shouts,

"Shut it, Link!"

*************************************************************************************

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