Distressed // Steve Rogers

18 - Shimmering Crimson

Steve's mind was reeling. He watched Talia crumble as waves of shame and guilt rolled over her. She sobbed as Wanda wrapped her in a comforting embrace and the team all stood in silence. He wanted to hold her; to take her from Wanda's arms, wrap her in his own and take her away from all of this. But he couldn't move. He stared at her while she struggled to breathe through the pain and he couldn't move. His mind was reeling. Slowly the team backed out of the small room and Bucky nudged Steve while Sam moved to block his view of Talia.

"Come on Steve," Sam nodded towards the door. "Let's give the girl some space to breathe."

"I - I er -" As Sam placed a calming hand on Steve's shoulder and lead him out of the room Steve craned his neck to look back at her. "I can't just leave her like that."

Bucky stopped behind them and turned to face her. She was clinging to Wanda who whispered a Sokovian lullaby as she rocked gently back and forth. Her breathing was broken and disjointed and her eyes, already swollen from the bruising across her face, were puffy and red.

"I've got this Steve." His voice was gruff as he pulled his eyes from her. "Sort your head out and I'll bring her to you when she's ready, okay?"

Steve furrowed his brow as he looked at his best friend. Even after his hushed agreement with her in the dead of the night Bucky was not Talia's fan or friend. His eyes slipped across the room and over her again and Bucky sighed.

"Don't worry. I'll play nice. Just go get a grip before you talk to her."

*

Talia glanced around the dimly lit room as the smell of liquor seeped into her skin. How she had ended up in a dive bar, in the middle of the day, with Bucky Barnes, she would never know.

He watched her as she swirled the glass of deep golden amber, her eyes downcast and still glistening from this morning's tears. They had barely spoken since they left the compound.

*

She had finally stopped crying when he entered the room carrying his leather jacket and two helmets.

"Everything okay Bucky?" Wanda smiled softly at him as he stood there awkwardly, shifting his weight between his feet as Talia looked up at him, sniffling and broken.

"Put this on and follow me?" He tossed his jacket at her and watched as she pulled back in shock.

"What?" Her voice croaked.

"Just - just do it Widow. Please?" Bucky felt heat rising in his cheeks. He wasn't sure how to do all of this nice stuff and he wanted to turn around and walk away.

Talia nodded as she stood up, slipping into his jacket and taking a slow step towards him. Her head pulled back and twisted to the side as she looked him up and down. The knuckles on his right hand were white from gripping the helmets he held and he tapped his foot impatiently.

"If you're going to kill me, I'm keeping the jacket." She laughed sadly and he rolled his eyes and stalked away from her and towards the garage.

"You'll need this too." He threw a helmet over his shoulder and laughed as he heard her grunt.

"Jeez," Talia groaned, "give a girl some warning Bucky."

*

"You're quieter than usual Little Widow." Bucky offered a small smile as she nodded, looking over at him.

He sat leaning against the bar, one hand on his hip and the other holding the glass of whiskey. She traced his features for animosity or judgement but found nothing as he stared at her. Not a single trace of tension. Dropping her eyes back to the bar she sighed and took a sip of the drink Bucky had ordered her.