Winter Is Coming (A Bucky Barnes Fanfic)

Chapter 11: Black Ice

This chapter contains some violence and torture, so if you're not comfortable with that please skip the part that's in italics.

"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?" -John Steinbeck

***

"Oh! I finished your doll last night." Harley remembers as her and Bucky ascend the staircase. "I'll give it to you when we get to my apartment."

"You didn't stay up late just to get it done, right?" Bucky asks. He didn't like the idea of someone not getting one of life's essentials because of something stupid like a doll.

"Well, I had a nightmare and woke up around four," Harley answers. "I couldn't go back to sleep so I just kept myself busy." She stops to unlock her new door, courtesy of Steve.

Bucky leans against the wall and watches her fumble with the new stiff lock. "Nightmares?"

"Yeah, just everyday bad dreams," she says dismissively. "Don't worry, it's not like I'm reliving my past via dreams."

"If you are, please tell me. It happens to me too."

Harley swings the door open and walks inside slowly. "I'd rather not."

"Why not?" Bucky doesn't want to be pushy, but if something is keeping her awake at night, he wants to know about it.

"Because you were in it, so I'm not sure if it actually happened or not," Harley says quickly, fiddling with her fingers.

Bucky sinks slowly into one of the kitchen chairs, kicking another one out with his foot for Harley to sit in. "Tell me about it."

*"You will follow orders!" a Hydra agent barks at Inferno. "Say it!"

When Inferno fails to comply, the agent mercilessly pulls at her hair like a schoolboy pulling the rope of a heavy church bell. She grits her teeth to keep from screaming as he brings his whip down.

"Say it!"

"I will follow orders."

The agent stalks back in front of her and retrieves a box of matches from his pocket. Lighting the match, he hovers it near Inferno's shoulder, inching closer by the second until it is resting right on her skin and dragging it down the length of her arm. Inferno, not yet done with treatment so not yet sustainable against fire, screams in agony as her flesh burns and scorches.

"Now, what are you going to do from now on?"

Inferno straightens her stature. "Follow orders," she says coldly.

"Petrovich!" The agent turns at the sound of his name. "Where do you want this one?" The man jabs his thumb over his shoulder to the young soldier behind him. He looks groggy and sick, like he's caught a bad case of the flu. "He's the one that needs an arm."

"Next floor down, last room on the right," Petrovich says, sending them away. Inferno glares at the young soldier; he stares right back and stumbles along until he's out of sight.

Inferno thinks the agent is done with her and relaxes slightly only to tense up immediately as he picks up the whip again.

"I want this set in stone." Crack! *

"It was you they were talking about, obviously." Harley says as she finishes her dream. "But that might not have happened."

Bucky remains silent in deep thought as Harley retreats to find his doll.