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Sam opened the door so fast it could be a record.
Sa: Where the fuck were you?! I've been calling for an hour! It's pouring outside and I had no news from you! I was worried!
It wasn't usual for Bucky, his boyfriend for half a year, to go home, their home, late, and it was even less usual from him to just disappear without trace.
Bucky was sopping from the heavy rain outside and he had something on his hands that Sam just noticed on that moment, when he realized Bucky didn't react to his babbling.
He looked closer and he saw it clearly.
Sa: Holly shi- Come inside right now!
He almost yelled, he wasn't mad tho, just a bit confused and concerned.
Bucky brought home a fucking owl.
It was a small one, white and gray, probably a baby, but it was still somehow big, his eyes were barely open and some red tainted his right wing feathers.
Bucky came inside, not even minding about the wet trace he would leave on the floor, Sam didn't mind either.
Only once he was inside he dared to look at Sam and talk.
Bu: I- I couldn't leave him- or her, I'm not sure, but he couldn't fly, his wing is damaged and its raining a lot, I don't know what to do and-
Sam reassured him.
Sa: It's ok, I'm not mad! I'm not mad!
He looked at him and Bucky calmed down a bit, he didn't mean to make his boyfriend mad, but the guilt he would feel for leaving the creature to die would be too much.
Sam took some seconds to think.
Sa: I'm going to call the vet clinic, I guess they'll know what to do, you just hold him, ok?
He said while going to grab the phone, Bucky nodded.
He looked at the animal, it was beautiful even when damaged.
Some minutes later Sam came back into the living room and breathed.
They'll come grab her in some hours, until then they gave me some information and instructions, it's a kid female owl, when I described her they said it was but whatever, we have to make sure she has water and some food, we have some lentils, I'll make a porridge with them, you wrap her around a towel and keep her warm, we don't want her to get sick.
Bucky nodded and went to the bathroom, to grab the towel, he wrapped her around it with care and took her to the kitchen, where Sam was almost done with his job.
Sam was usually more gentle than Bucky, so he was the one to feed her with a syringe without needle, the little owl took it without hesitation and they also gave her water.
Bu: And now?
His tone was distressed.
Sa: Keep her company, there's not much we can do.
They took her to the living, where Bucky kept her with a towel on his lap, he couldn't stop looking at her, and Sam stayed close to him.
They stayed in silence for quite a while until Sam opened his mouth.
Sa: It was a nice gesture from you to save her.
Bucky answered still not looking at him.
Bu: Is she going to survive?
Sam opened his eyes wide.
Was he even listening? It didn't matter, it was clear that this meant a lot to him, but he just couldn't lie.
Sa: She has lost a lot of blood for her size, I didn't know, maybe with some good luck.
Bucky's heart stopped.
He needed her to survive.
It wasn't fair, he had seen so many people die, so many life's taken by his own hands, and when he had the opportunity to save one, the probability of success was minimum.
And she was so small, so beautiful and young, she had so much of her bird-life to spend.
He had to hold himself from crying while looking at the little one.
Sam saw him, and he knew his boyfriend.
Sa: It's not your fault.
Bucky didn't answer.
Sa: Bucky, listen, this is not your fault.
Bucky closed his eyes.
He was crying.
Sam extended his hand to play with his hair, it was something that always comforted him, and he couldn't hug him at that exact moment for obvious reasons.
He stayed there, next to him while he tried to compose himself again.
Sa: It's ok, let it out.
Bucky nodded and touched extremely tenderly the head of the owl, who in exchange got closer to him.
Sam smiled when he saw it.
Sa: I think she likes you.
Bucky smiled, he was still crying a bit, but after some long minutes, he was feeling better.
Bu: I hope she does...
Sa: I am sure about it... And I am the bird-man as you call me, so you have to believe me!
He joked, Bucky laughed, it always helped them release stress.
Then there was a silence they used to make up their minds.
Sa: Why don't you name her?
Bucky felt a chill down his spine.
Bu: No.
Sam looked at his face.
Sa: Why not?
Bucky didn't want to answer, he felt stupid, even a bit cruel, but what if he gave her a name and right after, she died?
He didn't want to grow even closer to her than he was already, because he knew his luck in life was shit and the universe barely ever let him rest.
Bu: I just don't want to.
Realization hit Sam like a punch in the face.
He put a hand on Bucky's shoulder.
Sa: Relax, it will be fine, she will be fine, and if she doesn't, at least you'll know you were there for her.
Bucky nodded, his eyes stuck on his lap.
Another sight.
Bu: небо (Nebo).
Sam didn't understand.
Sa: What?
He asked softly.
Bu: Her name, she is going to be named небо, it- it means sky in russian.
Sam smiled, he could swear that man was perfect on his eyes.
After some more minutes the doorbell rang.
Sam went to open the door, there were two young vets who were invited to enter, Bucky stood up with the bird ok his hands and gave it to them, which was surprisingly more difficult than he thought it would be, but it was best for her.
They made some tests right there while explaining them both what it would happen.
"She is going to need an operation as soon as possible, I'm going to be brutally honest, the chances of survival are very low, and even if she does get through it, she won't be able to fly ever. We will call you tomorrow with the results"
Bucky's world fell apart the moment he saw the vets taking the bird, knowing they'd probably get a call the next day telling them they couldn't save her.
He kept looking at the recently closed door, and as soon as the sound of the entry closing was heard on the room, tears were falling down his cheeks again, this time much worse than the ones before.
Sam hugged him from behind, staying extremely close to him.
No one said anything, they just stayed there for all the time Bucky could need, it wasn't a task, it was something Sam did because he wanted to, because he wanted his pair to be, at least, accompanied.
After that, none of them had dinner and they didn't talk about what happened either, in fact, they went to bed early.
Sam felt cold, bad, but Bucky was devastated.
He couldn't take the image out of his head.
The only thing they mentioned about it before sleeping was already on bed, while Sam was holding Bucky, who pretty much needed it even if he didn't want to admit it.
Bu: Maybe if I saw her before she would have had more change of survival...
Sam centered his attention on his partner breathing.
Sa: You did everything on your hand, you can't blame yourself for this to, Bucks.
Bucky closed his eyes.
Bu: I love you.
Sa: I love you to.
And nobody said anything else until they fell asleep.
The next morning they both woke up early, hoping for a non-yet-existing call from the clinic.
They tried to do normal life, luckily neither of them had anything important to do, not even work.
It was a very simple Sunday, or it would be if it wasn't for the elephant in the room of Bucky not going out of the kitchen in the whole day just to pay attention to the phone and Sam trying to distract him in any way, unsuccessfully.
Finally, the call was made at mid-day, of course, Bucky took it.
There was some minutes of talking, Sam was in front, listening to Bucky say yes to everything.
At some point Bucky started crying.
"Oh no" was all he could think.
Then, Bucky hung off.
With tears on his eyes, he looked at Sam, who was already preparing himself to comfort Bucky.
Bu: She is alive, небо survived...
Sam run to hug Bucky, he would give him the details later, all that mattered was that she was alive.
Bucky smiled on his partners chest, he was so relieved it was difficult to even put it with words.
They were happy, the bird survived and she would be ok.
Unfortunately, she wouldn't be able to fly ever, but they'd take her to a shelter for damaged animals where she would live happily in a very big land with other owls.
In gratitude for their job, the shelter let them adopt her if they wanted, this consisted on them paying for her food and having the right to name her legally and visit her whenever they wanted, needless to say they accepted.
So they had an owl, maybe not living on their house, but once a week they'd visit her, play with her and pet her to, which she loved, specially Bucky's pets, they had an amazing connexion.
She showed an amazing improvement on her condition, in less than half s year she was completely healthy, and even if she would never be able to cross the sky in a literal way and only had one of her wings left, she was happy.
They all were.