Can't Keep A Good Man Down
Disclaimer: If you recognize it then I don't own it.
A/N: For Whumptober 2023 #5 "You better pray I don't get up this time around." Debris | Pinned Down
The dust was thick in the air, raining down like ashes, covering every surface with a gray chalky layer. He opened his eyes to a world in chaos. He blinked his burning eyes, fanning the grim with his eyelashes trying to clear his fuzzy vision enough to make sense of his surroundings. An eerie silence had fallen around him, slowly resolving itself into a piercing ringing sound in his ears. Awakening the spike of pain inside his skull, causing him to groan out loud, not that he could hear it over the annoying ringing. Once his head made its displeasure known the rest of his body got on board to do so as well. He clenched his eyes and teeth as various throbbing and aches ran up his body. Tears leaked from his tightly closed lids, cutting paths down his grimy skin. Grinding the back of his head rhythmically into the debris-covered floor underneath him he tried to control his growing pain. His limited movement made him aware of another problem.
He was trapped.
Panting, he pushed himself upwards only to be stopped by a sharp pain that caused him to fall back down with a yelp. Moving more slowly he reclinded up slightly as he reached out with a shaky hand. He carefully felt around his lower body until his fingers found a tender spot. He retracted his hand quickly. His vision grew spotty at the touch until he blinked himself back. Bringing his hands up to his throbbing head, he stilled suddenly in shock. He spotted a splash of color in his otherwise drab and washed-out world. His fingers were stained scarlet.
It felt like he had jumped on a grenade.
Is that what happened to him? He couldn't remember. It almost sounded familiar, but still not quite right. His mind was fuzzy and confused. Recent memories were nothing more than vivid images of death and destruction. A messy kaleidoscope of soldiers, explosions, and beams of blue light. He didn't remember how he had come to be in this place but he knew he needed to leave. Something important urged him to get back up. Something he needed to remember. Someone? He closed his eyes for a moment letting himself float just above his pain as he tried to think of the answer.
It came to him in a moment of clarity.
"Bucky!" He yelled as he pulled himself free of the metal rebar that had pinned him down. More scarlet washed away the dull world. Sounds of gunfire and shouting came from above him. He didn't know where his shield was but it didn't matter, his friends needed him.
The Howling Commandos had been pushing back a small detachment of Hydra soldiers in a small abandoned town. The buildings already scarred by years of war had barely been standing when the two armies had convened to battle among their remains.
Bucky had taken the high ground to act as a snipper from above. As the battle drew on Steve's quick mind had seen the disaster before it happened. The growing cracks snaking their way up to his best friend's position. Using his new quick reflexes he had jumped atop one of Hydra's tanks and up to his best friend's position as the weak walls began to crumble under the prolonged abuse. The two boys from Brooklyn were down the stairs with the practiced ease of spending their lives growing up in the city. Steve knew they were fighting a losing battle, they would not make it out before the building collapsed around them. Before Bucky knew what he was doing and could waste time protesting, Steve had shoved his shield into his friend's hands. Picking him up and with every ounce of his strength, he hurled his friend out the nearest window and out of the path of danger. The roar of walls falling in and Bucky crying his name were the last things he heard as his world caved in around him.
Once upright and moving, his head felt like it was split in two. Stumbling, leaving a trail of blood in his wake, Captain America made his way back to battle. The walls had come down around him, even with his fast healing it was amazing he survived. Broken bones and bruises were healing but still painful as he pushed against his prison. Yelling as he heaved he could feel blood pooling down his side. Lightheadedness from its loss was just another thing on the list for him to ignore. He had to get out, he didn't have time to just lie down and wallow in his own misery. He had spent his whole life ignoring hurts and limitations, taking the serum would certainly not change that. He didn't plan to stay trapped and let the bullies win.
With one last agony-filled push, he created a space to escape. As he made his way out of the wreckage, the sunlight pierced into his abused head but he pushed on, refusing to give up when he was so close to his goal. Captain America had been knocked down but he was not defeated. He returned to fight on.
With the rallying war cry from their leader, the commandos quickly turned the tide of the battle. Bucky like an angel of death protected the American Icon with extreme prejudice, not letting any threat close to the unarmed idiot with more courage than sense. The snipper felt slightly better when the super soldier picked up a gun, but he wasn't sure how straight he would shoot with all the blood dripping down from his body.
When the battle ended with Hydra retreating once more Captain America stood still looking over the battlefield. He refused to stay down, even when he should be resting and healing. Bucky came on a self-appointed mission to see that he did.
"You could have died you dumb bastard," Bucky spoke angrily as he tightly gripped his shoulders, shaking the wounded man slightly. The kid would never learn, but still, Bucky tried to knock a little self-preservation into his blockhead. "Why would you be so stupid?"
Steve grinned, the blood in his smile standing out morbidly on his gray dusty face. "Can't be, you took it all with you."