Steve was out cold the moment he flopped onto their bed. He didn't seem to care that he was soaking wet. Bucky left, needing air and time to stop the swirling in his head. He ended up back on the roof, slumped against one of the outside walls that housed the elevator - one that was in the shade. He took a deep, shuddering breath, rubbing at his eyes with the balls of his hands. He hit the back of his head on the wall behind him, blinking rapidly. He tried to will it all away, will away all the feelings he wasn't used to having. All the feelings he didn't want to be having.

A soft swish of water and a couple of seconds later had Natasha bundled in a towel and gently coaxing him into her arms. He didn't care that he was being soaked through by the pool water that still clung to Natasha's skin and dripped from her hair. She had seen him rush past her while she swam and had gone to discover why. She murmured soothing words in Russian.

"Talk to me, Yasha, tell me what's wrong." she ran her fingers through Bucky's long hair, soothing him until he could gather his scattered thoughts.

"He's treating me like a dame, Natashenka. I'm not a dame; don't want him to treat me like one! Just because I have -" he choked slightly, unable to force the words out, "-doesn't mean I'm a dame!"

Natasha was quiet for a moment; trying to select words which wouldn't anger the emotionally fragile man slumped against her. "You know...if you wanted...you could have it removed?" Bucky started to shake his head, pulling away from Natasha to look her in the eye.

"No, Nat, no." He looked away, picking at his nails in nervousness. "I...I wouldn't mind...if I did...I mean if it happened-"

"You would keep it." Natasha finished for him. Bucky nodded shyly, looking away quickly at her frank gaze. "And Steve doesn't want that?" this time Bucky shook his head vehemently.

"He came at me with a rubber on Nat!" She pulled a face and Bucky instantly knew she thought the same as him; Bucky and Steve wanted different things. Bucky began to tear up again.

He could see this ripping them apart. All because he was a freak, an unnatural science experiment. He let himself be pulled back against Natasha, who held him and gently tangled her fingers through his hair as she began to sob harshly. He had kept his feelings bottled up for nearly a month now, and was only just starting to properly come to terms with everything.

-XOX-

It was a soft ping heard through the wall that first alerted them to the presence of another on the roof. By that point, Bucky didn't care. His tears had run their course, leaving his face red and puffy. It had left him feeling raw and short tempered. He was, however, still allowing Natasha to hold him. Footsteps drew closer.

Steve stopped as he rounded the corner, relief making itself known on his face. Bucky straightens, rubbing his bloodshot eyes and demanded in a wavering voice, "What do you want, Steve?" Bucky scrambles to his feet preparing for a confrontation. Natasha follows suit, adjusting the towel that was draped around her body as she did so. The relief drained from Steve's face at the sight of the clearly distressed man, only for it to be replaced by concern.

"Buck...are you okay?" Bucky snorted, smiling wryly.

"I'm perfect Steve, no thanks to you."

He pushed past Steve, re-entering the building and calling the elevator. He would go into Tony's lab and let him play with his arm. Steve wouldn't dare follow him in there. Too much technology for him to deal with.

Natasha shook her head at Steve, whose questioning gaze spoke volumes. "You shouldn't have left it so long to talk to him about it." She left Steve confused, jumping back into the pool.

Talk about what? Steve didn't think there was anything to talk about. He had just gotten home - he hadn't been around long enough for it to be 'too long', surely?

As if he even knew what Natasha was telling him to talk to Bucky about!

-XOX-

Bucky spent the entire dinner that night flirting cornily with Natasha in her native tongue. Steve just snorted at his attempts and ignored them as a threat. In the hallway afterwards, he pulled Bucky to one side.

"What was that all about Buck?"

"What? I can't let a beautiful dame know I like her?" Thankfully Steve had the sense not to bring up that their previous relationship probably ensured that.

"There's letting her know you like her, and then there is embarrassingly funny to watch. That was the latter."

Bucky flushed red, anger flaring through him. He had just been trying to show Steve that he didn't have to play nicely...and Steve had just laughed at him. It seemed that something more drastic would be needed to make him see; make him want Bucky with the same intensity he had almost a century ago. Hopefully that need would overcome Steve's need to treat him like something breakable.

He scowled, "At least Tasha listens." Steve looked as though he was about to retort, but Bucky didn't give him the chance, pushing Steve away and stalking off.