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You knew you were in a toxic relationship. An abusive one even. Your partner lashed out at you more and more over the last few weeks and the only safe space you had away from him was your weekly tour to the Avengers compound where you helped the team with mission strategies.
Normally your partner didn’t hit you in visible areas but two days ago he did. You wanted to leave but you knew this was not as easy as it sounded. He had guns and he was not afraid to use them. If he couldn’t have you, nobody could.
You and a few people from the team had a meeting about emergency plans today. The situation of some governments all over the world was close to collapsing and you needed to give them a plan what to do in a case of a national emergency to stabilize a country. Especially in a unstable region like the middle east. Concentrated on your explanation you didn’t see Bucky’s expression at you. He could see the bruises you covered up with makeup. He knew you weren’t training martial arts or lived in a dangerous neighbourhood.
At the end of the 3 hour meeting your makeup had vanished a little bit and before you could make your way to the exits you were stopped by a metal arm, making you flinch.
“Are you hurt?” a frown was on his face when he finally got a closer look at your face.
“No.” he could see the signs, all of them, you were flinching easily, not calm in his presence, your eyes didn’t hold his glance like they usually did.
“Then why are there bruises all over your face?” he was serious, he needed an answer. Whoever hurt you like that deserved a special visit from him.
“Uh, had a few books fall at me from my shelves.” your fingers tensed around the strap of your bag.
“Those books sure hit you in places they can’t hit you in.” he gently took your face into his hands and inspected the red and slightly violet parts of your skin.
“Who did this to you?” concerned blue eyes were looking down at you.
“My…my partner.” your body slumped and as much as he wanted to tense up and get ready to throw him from a skyscraper, he couldn’t. You came first.
“Hey, you can stay here and I’ll help you get out of that situation. We’re gonna figure this out together. Okay?” his strong arms were enveloping you in a big protective hug.
Sniffling was audible shortly after and his heart broke a little with every tear you shed.
He picked you up, brought you to the couch in the common area, drowned you in blankets and made you hot chocolate.
While he waited for the milk to get hot he spent some time searching into your partner, got out the right numbers to call and gave a heads up to police while getting a washcloth out of his bathroom.
He wanted to see the full extend before police would be there to ask you things.
“Here.” he put down the mug on the table and held the cloth towards you.
“You don’t wanna see this.”
“Yes, I do.”
“You’d kill him.”
“Can’t deny that I would like to…but that’s sadly not my style.” he shrugged.
You looked down at the fabric before dragging it across your face.
He tilted up your chin, inspecting every inch of your skin.
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier. You know I’d help. Anyone with a heart would.” he really hated seeing your face covered in a violent red tone in so many places.
“I was afraid it would come out and I’d be dragged back into it.” a sob made his hands leave you.
“The only one being dragged is your partner…into prison.” he picked up the mug and held it towards you.
“Bucky, why are there two police officers here, holy shit.” Nat stopped asking questions the second she saw you.
Two assassins and two police officers were gathered around you, listening to your answers to all the questions police asked.
“How frequent is this?”
“About twice a week.” a crack.
“Do you have other injuries?”
You held up your shirt, back bruised. You showed your thighs, healing scratches. Another crack.
“Do you want to press charges?”
“…yes.” your voice was small, you were so breakable. The last crack. Bucky’s heart was broken. Just falling apart at how miserable you felt and looked.
“Do you have a place to stay?”
“Yes.” he answered before you could.
“We don’t guarantee for a fully functional person in court if he decides to show up here.” Nat joked but deep inside she meant it.
After pictures were taken of bruises and healing parts of your body they were finally gone.
“Do you want to cover them up again? I can give you my makeup.” Nat offered, squeezing your hand.
“Tomorrow.” you mumbled before searching for Bucky’s eyes.
“Thank you.” you whispered, tears welling up again and it felt like he was a mirror in that moment.
Moments later you were completely encased by his body, his face in your hair. Nat gently stroking your back where she could.
“Nobody will ever treat you like that again. I promise.” he whispered.
You were staying with him until your partner was in custody. Dinner was brought to you by him.
“I hope you like pasta and pesto.” he smiled and your weak smile back gave him a little bit of hope that you weren’t entirely broken.
“Who doesn’t like pasta?” your groggy voice asked.
“Rhodes.” he grinned.
“Why am I not surprised?” you giggled and his heart slowly formed back together at the sound.
“Sam is obsessed with orange juice. Nat loves Starbucks pink drinks. Tony can’t eat strawberries without Pepper getting mad. Wanda loves her pizza with an ungodly amount of cheese. Steve hates olives. I hate cheesecake.” he went on and a big smile formed on your face.
“Why do you hate cheesecake?”
“The only thing that ever made me puke since having the serum. Don’t ask how I ate enough cheesecake for that to happen.” he held his hands up defeated.
A fit of giggles stormed at him again…and maybe you would be okay with him protecting you from the world’s toxicity. He suddenly couldn’t imagine not doing that.
“What do you like way too much tho?” you asked all of a sudden.
You. He liked you way too much. And today wasn’t his time to say that. Not now, nor in the coming weeks. But when you started healing he would tell you. In all the words of all the languages he spoke.
“Vanilla ice cream with an ungodly amount of caramel.”
“That sounds about as Bucky as it gets.”