Friends In Need
"Natasha!"
She lay a few metres away, unmoving, red hair made darker by the blood coating the strands. The explosion had been strong – Bucky knew they'd been hit hard, but she'd been in front of him. What if something else had hit her, or she'd been too close to the blast? The extraction team was already circling her, but he had to see for himself.
"Natasha!"
If he could just see a sign she was okay…
"Natasha, please!"
A twitch. A groan. One of the glares she used to give him when he was being particularly idiotic –
"Natalia!"
"Bucky!"
Someone was holding him back, trying to pull him away. He didn't want to leave; he had to stay where he could see her, so that he knew she was okay –
"Come on Bucky, let them –"
"Let go of me!" Bucky struck out at the body behind him, sending whoever it was flying into the wall. The person cried out, the noise followed by a sharp crack, and he only turned round when he recognised the pained moan that sounded a second later. "Oh…"
Clint was slumped against the wall, face twisted, one hand on the back of his head and the other on his stomach, where Bucky's metal arm had struck him. "I'm okay," he grunted
Bucky found himself torn between going to check Clint really was okay and keeping his eyes on Natasha, head darting frantically between the two, every muscle strained with indecision. "I'm sorry," he said to Clint, eyes wide. "I have to – Natasha's hurt."
"I know," Clint replied, standing slowly.
"She should be up by now."
"I know, Bucky."
"She was hurt because of me."
Clint coughed. "Bucky –"
"Shit, I even hurt you – but I can't just leave –"
"Hey!" Clint's hands were on his shoulders, squeezing both metal and flesh. "Bucky, I know. But there's nothing you can do."
The medics were still talking loudly behind him. Bucky wanted to know what they were doing, how Natasha was, and though he itched to turn his head in their direction Clint moved his hands to the side of Bucky's neck, keeping their gazes locked. Bucky swallowed, Clint's face blurring in front of him. "I can't lose her, Clint," he choked out. "She was there during the Red Room, she knows what I… she understands…" He blinked rapidly. "I can't lose her."
Moving slowly, Clint pulled Bucky into an embrace, cradling his head against his shoulder as he kissed the shell of his ear. "I know," he murmured, Bucky's arms wrapping tightly around his sore torso. "I don't want to either."
AN: Prompt: "well i think i'll go with " let go of me!" ? or " I cant stand you!" ? I'm not sure, choice is yours- ( 'course) winterhawk by the way"
