(No...Stop!)
Bucky was slapped in the face and he instantly woke up. He was kicked in the side then and quickly grabbed the hand that was aiming for his face again. He almost fought back against his attacker when he realized the hand he caught was unusually small.
(Stop!)
Bucky was kicked again. It took a moment to look and realize his attacker was Maxim. He was thrashing around the bed and the blanket was tangled around him.
(I don't want to go!)
Maxim was in the middle of a nightmare, he realized. Bucky dodged the other hand he wasn't holding and sat up. (Maxim) He shook his shoulder but Maxim didn't wake up and he almost hit Bucky in the face again. (Maxim) Bucky shook him a little harder and Maxim sprang up.
(No! Stop!)
He was trying to yank his arm out of Bucky's grasp and move to the edge of the bed like he was trying to get away from him. (Stop! Let me go!) If Maxim's legs weren't so tangled up in the covers, Bucky probably would have been kicked in a very painful place.
(Maxim, Maxim. Calm down.) Bucky caught Maxim's other hand. (It's me. Bucky. Your safe.) Maxim stilled.
(Bucky?) Maxim's voice went from shouting and panicking to low and tearful.
(Yeah buddy. It's me, your safe.)
Maxim's crying was heartbreaking. He held on to Bucky's arms as best he could with the way Bucky had grabbed his hands. Maxim tried to get closer but he couldn't move in the tangled comforter. Bucky let go of Maxim long enough to untangle him before pulling him in his lap.
(But-but they hurt you and-and they...) Maxim wrapped his arms around Bucky's middle as tight as he could and buried his face in his chest. (I don't want to go. Don't let them take me Bucky, I don't..)
Bucky held Maxim in his lap, rubbing his back and speaking quietly to him-trying to get him to calm down. (I'm not going to let anyone get you, okay? Your safe. It was just a dream.)
Maxim was a little choked up before he could say anything. (A dream?)
(Yeah, it's not real.) They sat there for a moment while Maxim's crying slowly died down to sniffling, clinging tight as he could and Bucky holding him.
(Wanna talk about it? You might feel better.) Maxim's response was a head shake and burying his face more in Bucky's chest. (Okay. You don't have to. We can just sit here.)
They did for a while. He was starting to think Maxim fell asleep when he heard him mumble something. (I'm sorry, Bucky.)
He couldn't help but be a little confused at that. (For what?)
(I woke you up and hit you.) Maxim started to cry again. (But I didn't mean to. I didn't know it was you, Bucky, I'm sorry. I didn't know-)
(It's okay, I'm not mad.) He tried to calm Maxim down again. The kid was scared to death, but still feels bad for waking him up.
Maxim sniffed before looking up at him. (You're not?)
(No, I'm not.) He removed one of his arms around Maxim and wiped the tears that flooded his face. Bucky put his arm back around Maxim and just hugged him as they sat in silence. (Wanna try going back to sleep?)
Maxim shook his head the same way he did before. (Okay,) Bucky said. (Wanna go watch T.V. or read some books? Or we can just sit here... It's whatever you want to do.)
Maxim thought for a moment. (We can watch T.V.)
(Watch T.V.?) Bucky felt Maxim nod. (Okay.) He stood up from the bed and carried Maxim who still held on to him tightly to the living room. Bucky found Gerry on the floor- Maxim must have thrown him in his sleep- and bent down to pick him up. (Look, here's Gerry.) Maxim reaches out and takes him.
He made a quick detour to the thermostat in his apartment because Maxim was sweaty and felt pretty hot.
He sat down on the couch and they watched some kids show about a boy rescuing animals. Maxim shifted a little in Bucky's lap to watch. He had asked F.R.I.D.A.Y to switch the language on the T.V to Russian a couple days ago. Maxim was excited that he could now understand what they were saying.
(But you can talk in both languages. Why can't they?) Maxim had asked once after Clint taught him how to play a video game. Minecraft, he called it, said his kids play it all the time.
(They just haven't learned to talk in Russian.)
(I want to learn English. So I can talk to them.)
(You will.)
This lead to Bucky telling Maxim about getting someone to help him get ready to go to school- a tutor. Maxim seemed okay with it, excited to learn English.
He noticed Maxim started shivering then; he must have set the temperature a little to low. He took a blanket that was left on the couch the day before and covered Maxim with it. The blanket was actually Steve's, but Bucky had took it after using it once and never gave it back. It was just so soft and big enough to cover Bucky's whole body. He doesn't think Steve even noticed; he has like a thousand blankets. Maxim had used it when he was playing.
(He's a polar bear, Bucky,) Maxim held up polar bear figure for Bucky to see, (and polar bears are cold. They live in snow!) He wrapped the bear in the blanket where only the face was visible. (Now he's warm.)
They watched another two episodes until the show changed. This one was called Finding Nemo. By the time two fishes in the movie were jumping on jellyfishes, Bucky noticed Maxim had fell asleep. He was getting a little uncomfortable from his position from sitting the same way so long.
He tried to lay Maxim down beside him so he could get up and move around. Maybe see where Alpine was or eat another Wild Berry pop tart- those were his new favorite- but Maxim woke up when Bucky moved him. He let out a sound of protest and tighten his hold on Bucky that had loosened when he fell asleep.
(It's okay, I'll stay.) Bucky said in hushed tone. (Just let me get comfortable.) He moved to where he was leaning in between the back of the couch and the arm and stretched his legs across the cushions. It was a little difficult trying to get more comfortable with Maxim sitting on him. His metal arm was around Maxim to keep him from falling and his other was used to move around. He got comfortable eventually and Maxim fell back asleep against him.
0-0-0
Maxim is a clingy kid. He doesn't like being in a different room then Bucky. When he's with someone else, he always scans around the room a few times to make sure Bucky hasn't left. He doesn't go to sleep until he knows Bucky is going to stay beside him and Maxim panics when he wakes up and can't find him.
Maxim has been even more clingy today since last night. He wouldn't leave Bucky. Wherever Bucky went, Maxim went. If Bucky went from the couch to the fridge and back to the couch Maxim would go with him. When Bucky had to go to the bathroom, Maxim would stand out by the door and when Maxim had to go he made Bucky stand outside the door to.
It's not like Bucky is complaining about Maxim's clinginess; he's just worried. It's like he retreated back in the shell he was in when they first found him. He's quiet and shy and sad. A little scared to. Maxim is an energetic kid and will talk your head off if you can understand him. He's funny to. Bucky misses the little chatter box.
He doesn't understand why Maxim is so quiet. He's had nightmares some nights that made Bucky keep himself locked away in his room the next day. Not interacting with anyone- even Steve- but when Bucky woke up he felt this huge weight of guilt. What guilt did Maxim have? Bucky can't figure out an answer.
He's tried everything to get Maxim to cheer up. He gave him a pop tart cause that's what Bucky eats when he's sad. Maxim ate it silently, sitting beside him. He put the Minecraft game on his phone that Clint showed him earlier. He asked Maxim if he wanted to play, but he just shook his head and buried his face in Bucky's side. He ask if he wanted to go visit Steve or Nat or Sam or Tony or anyone. He tried getting Maxim to play with Alpine but all he would do was pet him. He read to him. He watched T.V. with him.
It was laundry day today and Bucky let Maxim pour the detergent in the little container in the washer. Usually Bucky does it, cause Maxim spilled it all over the floor last time, but he thought that any mess would be worth it if he could get at least one smile out of Maxim. Maxim said no.
He was looking down at the floor. (I don't want to make a mess.)
(I'll help you. But if we still make a mess it'll be okay.)
(Can I just do it next week?)
Bucky sighed softly to himself. He was running out of ideas. (Yeah.)
0-0-0
"I'm running out of ideas, Steve. I don't know what to do."
Steve studied Maxim for a minute while he walked. They just got off the elevator and on to the floor with their separate apartments. Bucky was holding Maxim while he was sleeping. "Maybe you just need to give him some time." He looked back up at Bucky. "He had a bad day- any kid that went through what he did is bound to have nightmares about it. Maybe he'll be better tomorrow."
Bucky shook his head. "What if he isn't? He's six. He shouldn't have to deal with this. Shouldn't have to be scared." He ran his flesh hand through his hair while he held Maxim with the metal one. "I just wish he talk to me." Bucky sighed and looked at Maxim. "Let me know what's going through that brain of his."
They stopped in front of Bucky's door. He opened the door and walked in with Steve following. Alpine greeted each of them. "Will you feed him?" Bucky asked.
"Yeah." Bucky laid Maxim on the couch and covered him with Steve's blanket. He tucked Gerry beside him and Maxim instinctively hugged the giraffe against him. He smiled at Maxim and sat down beside him. Steve sat in a chair diagonal from the couch and picked up a notebook on the table.
It was a routine they had every week, sometimes twice a week, that they would watch a movie to try to get up to date with the 21st century. Last week was Jaws. Both Steve and Bucky liked it but it wasn't so good when people and animals got eaten.
This week was Beetlejuice. Bucky started it and covered up with the other end of the blanket Maxim was using. "Umm, Buck."
"Yeah?" He tried to act innocent. Maybe Steve did notice the missing blanket.
"Wanna change the language back? I don't speak Russian."
Bucky grabbed the remote from the table. "Oh! Yeah! Sorry. Just got used to watching with Maxim. Didn't think of it." He grinned.
Steve laughed. They got halfway through it until they both got confused. They couldn't figure out why someone would redecorate a perfectly decorated house like the woman did in the movie. They decided just to go with it and kept watching. By the end of the movie, they were both struggling to stay awake. Bucky crossed BeetleJuice off the list and closed the notebook, leaving it back in its place on the table while Steve stood up and stretched. "Guess I should go. See ya tomorrow."
Bucky yawned and waved at Steve as he watched him leave. It was well after midnight; he sat there and switched the T.V. back to Russian before getting ready for bed. He went to change and brush his teeth. Everything was fine until he heard Maxim's panicked voice in the other room. He rushed back into the living room where he found Maxim sitting up and hugging Gerry. Bucky sat down beside him. (Where did you go?)
(Just to the bathroom. I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd wake up.) Maxim started playing with Gerry's tail. (It's okay.) His voice had that sad tone that made Bucky feel helpless. He didn't know what else to do. Maxim had been like this all day and Bucky doesn't know how to make him feel better. He hated it.
He smoothed down Maxim's hair. He didn't say anything for awhile; he was hoping Maxim would start talking. He didn't and Bucky hoped tomorrow will be better. (Ready to go to bed? It's been a long day.) Maxim nodded and continued twirling Gerry's tail around his finger.
(Hey) Bucky dropped his hand back to his side. (What's wrong? You always talk about which book we're going to read before we go to bed.) Maxim shrugged.
Bucky shifted a little to face Maxim more. (Come on.) He nudged him a little. (Talk to me. You can tell me anything.)
Maxim kept twirling the tail. Bucky waited until Maxim was on his seventh twirl. (Please, Maxim, you're not yourself.) Maxim twirled the tail three more times before saying something.
(If I- If I get taken, would you- would you go back for me?) His voice was small, barely above a whisper.
Bucky's eyes widened in surprise. What kind of question was that? Of course he will. He'd do anything to keep Maxim safe. A sudden wave of more sadness came over him at the fact a kid would even feel the need to ask this question. What's even more sad is the nervousness Bucky heard in Maxim's voice as if he was afraid he would say no. Bucky didn't realize he never answered until Maxim started pulling away from him. Bucky saw that Maxim was sitting on the other side of the couch.
(It's okay.) Maxim said. Bucky could tell he was on the verge of tears again by the sound of his voice. He had his arms crossed over his stomach and his head was turned away from Bucky. Gerry was left laying beside Bucky. (I can go if you don't want me.)
(Maxim I-)
(You don't have to lie.) He rubbed at his eyes with one arm and started sniffling. Bucky felt like crying to. (I'm sorry for bothering you.)
(Maxim-no-)
(You can send me away. I don't want to annoy you.)
(I'm not sending you away, Maxim. I do want you.) His head turned up to Bucky with a hopeful expression. (You really think I just let them take you and not care?)
Maxim shrugged. His head was down again and he fiddled with his hands. (I don't know. You said nothing and I thought you just didn't wanna say no cause you're nice like that and didn't wanna hurt my feelings...)
Bucky smiles sadly at Maxim. He holds his arms up as to say 'come here' and Maxim crawls over in Bucky's lap. (Maxim,) Bucky says, positioning Maxim to were they're facing each other. (listen, I'm always going to care about you, okay? I'm never going to not care about you and you've never been a bother to me. I took so long to say something cause I was just so surprised that you would ask that. I'm sorry if I ever made you think that.)
Maxim wiped his nose with his arm. (So I'm not annoying you?) He still sounded a little unsure.
(No, you're not.)
Bucky finally saw the smile he was looking for and it made him smile. Maxim reached over and grabbed the blanket. He had threw it off him in his panic. He put it over him and got Gerry to. (Thanks Bucky.) Maxim curled up and yawned before snuggling closer to. (Can we read the Hornet the elephant book?)