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The night had grown deep, and outside the base, a quiet rain fell steadily.
Not too loud, not too silent—listening to its gentle rhythm, Yelena woke up.
“…Another dream.”
The Red Room.
Her first trials.
Assassinations.
Dreams that dragged her back to the things she had done in the past had become more frequent since the day New York was swallowed by traumatic darkness.
Even knowing it was only a dream, her chest tightened, her breathing grew shallow, and her fingers clenched the sheets until they turned white.
From the hallway beyond the door, heavy yet careful footsteps approached.
Yelena already knew who it was.
Whenever she had these dreams, it was as if he could see her suffering through the nightmare—he always came.
The footsteps stopped in front of the door.
Without a knock, it opened.
“…Bucky.”
“Another dream?”
She nodded slowly.
Bucky moved toward the bed and sat down beside her.
He gently held out his right hand, making sure it entered her lowered field of vision.
She didn’t have to take it. She didn’t have to touch him.
It was simply there to say, I’m here.
Yelena hesitated for a moment, then softly reached out and took his hand, as if confirming it was real.
“You okay?”
“Yeah… I mean, it happens a lot.”
Bucky brushed his thumb lightly over the back of her hand.
With each slow movement, the tightness in her chest began to ease.
“I get them too,” he said quietly.
“Dreams where I’m killing someone. Like the man I used to be is still chasing me.”
“Heh… not exactly a happy kind of understanding.”
“Yeah… I know. But it’s better than being alone.”
A dry laugh slipped from her lips.
He shifted a little closer. Their shoulders touched, and she felt his warmth.
It wasn’t pity.
It felt more like he was saying, the same pain exists here too.
“…Hey,” she murmured.
“If you have another dream like that… will you come to me?”
“Yeah,” he answered without hesitation.
“I’ll be there right away.”
Yelena leaned her head against his shoulder and gently closed her eyes.
The hand he was holding tightened just a little.
The only sounds left in the room were their breathing—
and the soft rain outside, quietly easing the pain.