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Bucky lay on the couch, his face in a pillow. His arm hurt. He didn't know how to describe the pain, but maybe 'throbbed' or 'burned' would work. A tear leaked from his eye, immediately soaked up by the cushion. He was in agony.
Ever since he got back from Hydra, his arm had started to hurt more and more as the drugs they had him on wore off. Then the use of his arm started straining his shoulder muscles, then his back muscles. The more he used it, the more it hurt. He thought it had something to do with how it was connected to his nerves, but Bucky wasn't sure.
The elevator dinged. "Hey, Buck! I'm... back. Are you okay? What's wrong?" Steve's voice trailed into worry as he stepped over to kneel next to his partner. "Bucky?"
Bucky could only manage a pained groan in response, which he cut off halfway before it could turn into a sob.
Steve tested a hand on his back, and he shivered at the touch. It was just barely out of the pain-zone. "Talk to me, baby."
"M'arm," Bucky muttered out, shuddering again as Steve started running his hand in a circle.
"Does it hurt?" His voice was soft. Bucky nodded stiffly, trying not to wince as his neck and back muscles contracted. "Do you want a massage, or would that hurt more?"
"Please..." He whimpered.
"Okay, yeah." Steve rubbed one hand over Bucky's clothed shoulder; he didn't want to strain Buck's muscles more by asking him to take off his shirt, even though he knew the massage would be more effective if he was shirtless.
Bucky shuddered under his touch, barely holding back another groan. Why did his body hate him so much? "Stevie..."
"I know, I know. Does it normally hurt this bad, Buck?" He started gently kneading the muscles around his left shoulder.
"Mhm. I'm used to it." Bucky's words were slightly slurred, causing Steve to purse his lips in concern. He followed the ruts of the metal plating in Bucky's shoulder, putting enough pressure to rub away the knots.
Steve hummed. "You shouldn't be." He leaned down to place a kiss on the back of Bucky's neck. "Sorry you're hurting."
Bucky huffed out a sigh of contentment. "Me too, punk."
"Jerk," Steve barely got out before Bucky was flipping over, sitting up to press his lips against Steve's. Steve pulled away slightly. "Thought you were hurting."
"Don't remind me, just kiss me."