bucky barnes imagines

lvii. MUTE (one)

"Y/N! Hi!"

"Good morning!"

"How are you, did you sleep well?"

You frowned and tried to block out the chorus of voices that greeted you as you entered the kitchen. You were new to the Avengers; they'd rescued you from HYDRA, the truly evil organisation that had kidnapped you and planned to manipulate you into using your powers as a weapon.

Now that you were safe, you didn't want to come across as rude or ungrateful – that definitely wasn't the case. You were selectively mute, meaning that you became almost physically unable to speak in social situations. You were slowly improving (in fact, you'd managed to talk to Natasha a little the other day), but for the most part, you lived your life in silence, thanks to the years of trauma that you'd been forced to endure.

From the opposite side of the room, somebody let out a harsh sigh, presumably as a response to your lack of acknowledgement. Their obvious frustration wasn't a big deal, but it scared you all the same and your hands shook slightly as you poured milk over your cereal.

Noticing your trembling, Steve quickly jumped to your defence – he'd always been more sympathetic of your situation than anyone else on the team.

"Alright, that's enough. Leave her alone." He steadily approached you, his hands outstretched to show you that he meant no harm. "You okay?"

Your entire body tensed, just as it did whenever anybody addressed you directly. A current of electricity rose within you, almost like a defence mechanism, but you managed to will it away as you finally nodded at Steve.

Already mentally exhausted from the small interaction, you headed back to the confines of your own room, which was where you spent most of your time. Barely five minutes after you'd flopped onto your bed, a shadow appeared in the doorway.

It was Steve, again. He didn't attempt to enter the room, which you were thankful for – being trapped in a confined space with others definitely wasn't something that you enjoyed. Instead, he raised his voice just a little, ensuring that you could hear what he had to say.

"If it's okay with you, we'd like you to meet someone later, probably at about five o'clock. He came from the same place as you – you've heard of the Winter Soldier?"

You had. The Winter Soldier (or the Soldat, as they'd called him) had been one of HYDRA's best assets; with hundreds of confirmed kills, he'd been an even deadlier weapon than you. You'd never had a chance to actually speak to him, but you'd trained with him a couple of times.

"Well, his name is Bucky," Steve continued, "and don't worry, everything that they put into his brain has been completely erased. You won't be in any danger. And nobody is going to force you to speak, either – we just thought you might be a little more comfortable around someone with shared experiences."

You nodded and attempted a smile, trying to show that you were up for it. Seeming to understand, Steve awkwardly gave you a thumbs up signal before leaving you alone again.

The concept of being introduced to another complete stranger was terrifying to you – but this time, along with your usual nervousness, came a new feeling of excitement.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

⋆

You checked the clock before anxiously smoothing down your hair, frowning disapprovingly at your reflection in the mirror. It was almost five o'clock, which meant that it was time for you to meet Bucky. Just as you were about to leave your room, the voice of F.R.I.D.A.Y startled you a little.

"Y/N, Mr. Rogers has asked me to inform you that Mr. Barnes has arrived. They are currently situated in the living room."

Your heart rate spiked suddenly and violet sparks of electricity flickered at your fingertips. You wandered through the corridors slowly, taking as long as you could to compose yourself.

Once you finally decided that you were ready, it didn't take long for you to spot Bucky. He'd changed since the last time you'd seen him – his hair looked a tad lighter, while his once cold and menacing eyes were now brighter and more inviting. Even in your uneasy state, you couldn't help but notice how his crimson shirt clung to his biceps, and the way the seams of his black jeans strained at his thighs.

Hesitantly, you stepped towards the couch, where Bucky was deep in conversation with Steve. You cleared your throat, prompting the two super soldiers to turn their heads in your direction. Seeing you standing awkwardly a few feet away from them, Steve stood up, smiling reassuringly.

"Y/N, this is Bucky. Buck, this is Y/N."

"Hey, I think I remember you," Bucky spoke, grinning as you slowly sat beside him. "You used to– uh, you have powers, right?"

As a response, you angled your pointer finger towards him and shot a bolt of electricity through his body – not enough to hurt him, of course. His veins glowed purple as it hit him, and he jolted forwards slightly, his eyes widening as he chuckled. The sound brought a smile to your own face, which was a rare sight.

"That's amazing," he murmured, "do it again."

You obliged, your smile broadening; it wasn't often that anybody viewed your abilities as a positive trait rather than a negative one.

Steve watched the interaction carefully, noting that you already seemed quite comfortable around Bucky – you weren't sure why, but there was something different about him, something soothing. In no time, your inhibitions melted away, allowing you to surprise everyone (even yourself).

"C-can I... can I see your arm?" you stuttered. It was currently hidden under Bucky's shirt and you'd been curious about it since the moment you'd set eyes on him.

He looked slightly uncertain, but he nodded all the same and, in one swift motion, his shirt was pulled over his head. You blushed; you'd expected him to just roll his sleeves up, but you weren't complaining. This was much better.

You stared at the shifting plates of the metal appendage in awe, reaching across to lightly trace a finger along the cool, smooth surface. Your lips parted slightly in a gasp as it whirred quietly under your touch – it was unlike anything you'd ever seen before.

"Wow," you muttered, more to yourself than anyone else.

Bucky wanted to hug you.

So he did. You glanced up at him, meeting his eyes for a fleeting second before his arms were suddenly draped around you, holding you tightly to his bare chest. It took a while for you to relax, but finally you sunk into his embrace, hugging him back with your eyes squeezed shut. It was the most human contact you'd had in years, and you savoured it, never wanting it to end.

Bucky felt a strange mixture of emotions; happiness, because Steve had told him that you would likely be closed off and frightened, but here you were, in his arms. Sadness, because you were so innocent and delicate, and you didn't deserve any of the torture that you'd been forced to contend with. Relief, because he'd finally found someone who could understand him without even having to say a single word.

Steve decided to stand up and leave the room, not wanting to ruin the moment – neither of you noticed, anyway, too wrapped up in each other to care about anything else.

When you finally pulled away, your eyes filled with tears. Noticing, Bucky took your hand.

"I want to help you," he blurted, before frowning at his slightly insensitive choice of words. He rushed to correct himself, but you shook your head, smiling, stopping him in his tracks.

"You already have."