Work Text:
“You struggle with intimacy.” Dr. Raynor’s unmistakable voice rang through his head.
He glared at her, his brows furrowed. “What?” His voice was slightly hoarse, so the word came out all croaky.
“You struggle with intimacy.” She repeated. “It’s common in victims of sexual abuse and assault. And you’ve got over fifty years of that.”
Bucky grimaced at her blunt choice of words. “So..what?”
“So, we’ve got a lot to work on. You’ve got any relationships? Friends, partners?” Dr. Raynor asked. “What about the girl you’ve mentioned?”
“I have friends.” He grumbled.
“Good. What about your relationship with your girlfriend? Are you two intimate?”
He clenched his fists. “That doesn’t sound like a professional question. Do you ask all your clients about their sex lives?”
“Just answer the question, Mr. Barnes. Are you intimate with your girlfriend?”
“No.” The word rotted in his mouth. He felt an overwhelming sense of shame as he was positive that Raynor was disappointed for some reason.
She scribbled something down in her notebook and Bucky felt like he was going to throw up.
“Try and build up trust and intimacy through non-sexual means.” She suggested.
When he raised a brow, she continued. “Cuddling together. Sleeping next to each other. Take baths or showers together. Be naked around each other. Work up to that one slowly.”
He didn’t think it would help his weird sex problems.
“Ask for what you need. The world won’t end.”
Bucky just shook his head bitterly, looking away as he clenched his metal fist tighter.
——————
“…Hey.” You whispered as you looked at him. He felt a smile creep onto his face.
“Hey.” He echoed.
“You’re watching me while I sleep, now?” You chuckled.
“Maybe.” He gently played with a strand of your hair.
“You alright?” Your voice was warm, sleepy. He felt a warmth bloom within his chest.
“Mhm.” He answered after a moment. “Y/n?” He asked gently after your eyes fluttered back shut.
“Hm?” You didn’t open your eyes.
“Can..can we cuddle?” He asked. To his surprise, the world didn’t end.
“What?” You blinked your eyes open. He felt a pit of shame form in his stomach.
“Never mind. It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.” He shook his head.
“No, no. What did you say?” You smiled encouragingly.
“…I asked if we could cuddle.” He muttered. He asked for what he needed. And the world didn’t end.
“Sure, hon. You want me to hold you? Or..” You offered.
He nodded. “I want you to hold me. Please.”
You lifted your arm, and he awkwardly shuffled over towards you, not quite sure what to do. “What..where do I—“
You chuckled a little, shifting slightly to lay on your back. “Just lay your head on my chest, if you’re comfortable.”
He nodded, doing so. He could hear your heartbeat. His right hand drifted to your stomach to gently play with the fabric of your shirt.
“This all right?” You asked gently as you rubbed circles into his back.
He nodded. “Yeah. Thank you.” He said earnestly.
“Anytime. Always.”
——————
“Hey, honey?” He asked suddenly as he dried the last plate.
“Hm?” You turned off the sink and turned to look at him.
C’mon. Don’t back at now, he told himself. “Do you..do you want to take a shower together?”
He watched as your eyebrows raised. But the world didn’t end.
“Yeah. We can do that. You sure you want to? There’s never any rush.” You assured him. He knew you meant well, but he felt like you were treating him like he was glass.
“I’m sure, honey.” He exhaled. “I’m..not glass. You don’t need to walk on eggshells around me.”
“I know, baby. I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to make you feel like I was.”
“It’s okay. I’m—I’m not mad. I just wanted you to know that you don’t need to treat me differently.”
“Alright. No differences. Scout’s Honor.” You did the Girl Scout sign with your hand.
He chuckled, shaking his head.
“Let’s go shower.” You suggested, and he nodded as he followed you to the bathroom.
He watched as you turned on the shower, waiting for it to warm up as he grabbed two towels.
He watched as you pulled off your shirt. You were absolutely gorgeous, and he couldn’t help but stare.
You chuckled a little as you caught him, and he smirked slightly. He pulled off his own shirt, and that’s when things felt a little off. Not inherently bad, but…wrong.
He tried to push away the feeling as you stripped down to your underwear.
He fiddled with the button and zipper of his jeans. He barely noticed as his breathing began to become more intense.
“Buck?” Your voice snapped him from his thoughts.
“What?” His voice sounded strange to his own ears.
“You’re breathing all weird. You okay?”
“I..I can’t.” He shook his head, before rubbing at his eyes.
“Hey, it’s okay. No worries. Today’s not the day; no rush.”
He frowned deeply. “I’m sorry.” And he felt sorry. He felt like shit.
You reached for his hand. He let you take it.
“Don’t be sorry.” You rubbed his knuckles with your thumb.
He gave you a small, weak smile. “Okay.” He failed. It didn’t work out. He had to be at least somewhat broken.
But the world didn’t end then, either.
——————
“I want to try again.” He told you a few weeks later.
“Try..what?” You raised a brow.
“Showering together.” He stated.
“Okay. Now?”
He nodded. “Now.”
“Okay. Let’s do it.” You agreed, and you both walked to the bathroom together.
This time, he pulled off his shirt and sweatpants with ease, standing there in his black boxers.
You pulled off all your clothes, checking the water to make sure it was warm.
Slowly, but surely, he slid his boxers down his legs and stepped out of them. He stood before you, completely naked, but he knew that you didn’t have a single thought of judgment in your mind.
“You wanna get in first?” You offered. He shook his head. Logically, he knew it didn’t really matter who got in first. But he figured that maybe a sense of being sure he was able to leave would help him if he needed it.
He watched as you stepped into the shower.
And then he did. And the world hadn’t ended.
He smiled at you as he stood so close to you. Close, but not touching. And it was perfect.
“We did it.” He grinned.
“We did.” You grinned up at him lovingly.
He’d done it. Even if it was only a step in a long process, he’d done it.
And the world didn’t end.