I swallowed hard, the weight of their crushing disappointment settling heavily on my shoulders. My voice quivered as I attempted to explain myself, my words a desperate plea. "I know I messed up, but you have no idea how much they were laughing at me. I couldn't... I just couldn't take it anymore."
Bucky's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as his retort cut through the tense air, his voice tinged with a mix of frustration and concern. "That still doesn't excuse your behavior, Y/n. You allowed your anger to dictate your actions, and that's not the way we raised you."
Tears welled up, glistening in my eyes as a torrent of emotions swirled within me – shame, regret, and a burning frustration. My voice trembled as I choked on my words. "I know, I know! But you don't understand! You weren't there! I had to do something!"
Steve's usually warm tone turned stern, his demeanor shifting as he leaned in, his hands firmly planted on his knees. "No, Y/n, you had a choice. And you chose wrongly. Actions carry consequences, and now you must face them."
I shot back, my voice a mix of defiance and vulnerability, "It's not entirely my fault I'm getting bullied!"
Steve's eyes hardened, his gaze unyielding as he countered, "Whose fault is it then? Tell me."
My breath hitched, the weight of the argument pressing down on me. In a softer, almost defeated tone, I responded, "Well, who raised me?"
The tension escalated, voices rising and words becoming bitter as the room turned into a battlefield of emotions. My heart raced, breath coming in ragged gasps as I struggled to hold back my tears. But eventually, the dam broke, and I buried my face in my hands, my sobs echoing off the walls.
The room fell silent, the sound of my cries hanging heavy in the air, yet my fathers remained resolute. Their disappointment and frustration seemed to overshadow any inkling of sympathy. It was a stark reminder of the magnitude of my error.
After an agonizing pause, Steve's voice pierced the silence, his tone softer but still laden with gravity. "Y/n, we can't comfort you right now. You need to truly grasp the weight of your actions. We love you, but that doesn't mean we endorse what you did."
Bucky's gaze remained unwavering, his words like an unyielding anchor. "You have to take responsibility for your choices. This isn't something that can be swept under the rug."
My sobs persisted, a mix of frustration, guilt, and heartache pouring out of me. The conversation had transformed into a painful reckoning, leaving me feeling isolated and adrift. It was a brutal lesson in the aftermath of my rash decisions, a lesson that left me broken and adrift.
As the night wore on, the echoes of our argument faded, leaving me alone with my thoughts and my tears. The night stretched on, sleep eluding me as I grappled with the weight of the day's events. The ache of what I had caused and the uphill battle ahead seemed insurmountable.
As I lay alone in bed, the door creaked open, and Nat walked in, her presence a soothing balm to my wounded soul.
Nat: "Hey... I heard what happened. Mind if I take a look at your knee?"
I nodded, and she gently wrapped a bandage around it.
Nat: "you won't die from this sweetie." She tried to say as a joke but I couldn't laugh about it so I couldn't help but mumble, my voice laced with desolation, "I wish I would..."
Nat's eyes widened, shock and concern etching her features. She crouched down, looking up at me with unwavering intensity, her hands resting on my thighs.
Nat: "What did you just say?"
I hesitated before whispering, "Nothing."
Nat's voice was filled with urgency, her concern palpable. "No, Y/n, don't even go there. Don't wish for that. It's a terrible thought. Why would you even say that?"
My response was barely audible, a broken admission of my inner turmoil. "Because it feels like my dads don't love me anyway."
The room felt heavy with the weight of my pain, the emotions swirling in the air. Nat's eyes softened as she leaned in, her voice tender. "Y/n, don't ever think that. You're loved more than you know. Sometimes it's just hard for them to show it in the way we expect."
