wolfhearted1

[wolfhearted1]

Late Nights

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x HydraExpirement!Female OC

Summary: Valkyrie and Bucky had fallen into a comfortable rhythm with each other—stay up late, read, sleep. When Bucky’s past catches up with him in his sleep, Valkyrie rushes to his aid. But, will the soldier finally learn to trust?

Word Count: 1.1k

Warnings: friends to lovers tension; implied torture/abuse; anxiety; night terrors

Valkyrie’s fingers tapped against the page of her book, her eyes tracing over the letters methodically as she went line by line. The compound was practically empty by this time of night–most having turned in for the night. All but two–Bucky and herself. Their small ritual started after Valkyrie’s initial recovery from H.Y.D.R.A, with both of them having similar experiences when trying to sleep they found it nice to be in one another's company. It made the uncomfort of the familiar darkness easier for Valkyrie.

Bucky’s eyes lifted up at the sound of Valkyrie turning another page. A small smile fluttered across his lips. She always looked so content like this–when the chaos of the compound came to a halt and they were left in a comfortable silence. The way she unfurled her wings from around herself to allow herself to relax–fully accepting she was safe in the serene environment. He watched as her finger that was previously tapping against the book moved down to ghost over her legs. It was often a way of her soothing herself–the repeated movements had always seemed to calm her down when she was anxious.

“Need something, Buck?” She chuckled, turning another page as she lifted her gaze to the man. He looked down at his lap and gave a small chuckle.

Bucky shook his head and looked back up at her. “Nothing.” He smiled softly. “What’re you reading tonight?”

Valkyrie smiled to herself, his brooklyn accent always seemed to be thicker when saying certain phrases. “Vespertine” She answered, closing the book to show the man the cover. “It’s about an uneasy alliance between a nun and a revenant.” She opened the book back up against her knees.

Bucky hummed to himself, giving a low chuckle as he answered. “Sounds familiar.”

Valkyrie gave a small huff of a laugh, “does, doesn’t it?” Bucky and her shared a look before Valkyrie tapped her phone. “It’s getting late.” She hummed. The time read 1:02am. “You going to be okay?” She raised an eyebrow.

Bucky brushed her off. “Don’t worry about me, Doll.” He smiled. “I’ll be alright.”

Valkyrie felt her heart squeeze at the nickname. She gave a brief nod before closing her book back up. She lifted herself off the couch with a stretch, her eyes suddenly feeling like they weighed ten pounds.

“Goodnight, Buck.” She yawned, giving the man a small wave.

“Goodnight, Val.” He smiled back.

The compound was eerily quiet as Valkyrie carried herself down the hall. Her eyes shifted uneasily, searching for shadows lurking in the darkness. Her fingers tapped against her forearms, wings wrapped around her body. The feeling of her feathers tickled the nape of her neck, causing a shiver to run down her spine. She opened her door with caution, flicking on the light to check for intruders before sighing to herself. The tension dropped from her body as she closed the door softly behind her.

She raised up her feet to slide off her socks, throwing them across the room to her hamper. She threw back her comforter, sliding in before tucking the sides under her. Her wings folded around her, the top set sliding under her pillow while the other two wrapped around her like a cocoon. She let out a soft sigh, her thoughts quieting as she was left with only the faint humming of the air conditioning. Her eyes were glued to a point on the wall, a single point where the pristine paint of the compound was chipping. She managed to find it every night. It was a comfortable routine for her. She’d stay up with Bucky, read, then stare at this point on her wall until sleep took over.

She was awoken from her slumber as she heard muffled screams coming from the other side of her wall. She peeled her eyes open, blinking away the sleep. She grabbed her phone, “3am.” She muttered to herself. She swung her legs out from her comforter, cringing as the cold air hit her legs. She grabbed her phone, turning on her flashlight as she walked down the hall to the next room over–Bucky’s room. She frowned as she pushed open the door, seeing the man convulsing in his bed. Sobs wracked his body and he screamed out in terror. Her frown deepened. She quickly shut the door behind her and slid down to the floor next to Bucky’s bed. “Bucky” She whispered, grabbing onto his hand. She felt a familiar tingling sensation throughout her body as she focused her energy into Bucky–calm.

Bucky stirred awake, shooting up in his bed. His metal arm lurched towards Valkyrie’s neck, only being blocked by a small yelp from the woman and a quick movement from her wing to protect her neck. Bucky let out a quiet “shit” as he retracted his arm. “Val, I’m sorry.” He murmured.

Valkyrie shook her head, her hand still clasped around his other. “No, it’s okay.” She muttered. “Rough dream?”

Bucky let out a huff. “Yeah, something like that. Did I wake you up?”

Valkyrie shrugged, her gaze dropping down to his hand. Her fingers danced in small circles across his skin, sending a shiver down Bucky’s spine. “I’m a light sleeper.” She muttered. “I haven’t heard them that bad before. I can help you sleep, you know.”

Bucky gave her a small smile, squeezing her hand in his. “It’s okay, doll. Just go back to bed.”

Valkyrie frowned, looking up at him. “There’s no shame in asking for help, Buck.” She murmured, pulling her hand from his. Bucky felt a pang hit his heart at the loss of her touch.

His lips formed a line as he looked her over. Her wings were drooped, bags already formed under her eyes, her muscles shivering from the cold of his room. He sighed, “Go back to bed, Val.” He reassured, “I’m okay. Nothing I haven’t handled alone before.”

Valkyrie bit her cheek, holding herself back from arguing with the man. But, instead, she just nodded silently and stood up from the ground. “Come get me if you change your mind, okay?” She murmured. “It helps me just as much as it helps you.” She grabbed the handle and closed it behind her with a small ‘click,’ returning back to her room with a heavy feeling in her chest.

Bucky frowned at the door, his vibranium hand coming to ghost over his human one. He ghosted over the movements she had performed, a sense of calm still radiating from her touch. He let out a sigh before letting his head hit the pillow once more, his mind no longer on the terrors of H.Y.D.R.A, instead they were focused on the woman he just let walk away.