The room is still, swallowed by darkness, and the silence presses gently around you. You stir, the faintest sensation of fingers gliding across your skin, tender and calming. You remain still, not yet ready to break the quiet. The weight of sleep still holds you in place, keeping your eyes droop, but you can sense the warmth of a body close, a comfort that pulls you deeper.
You don’t need to see Bucky to know what he’s doing. His fingers are tracing delicate patterns down the open palm of your hand, slow and methodical, like he’s memorizing every line, every inch of you. His touch is gentle, almost hesitant, as if he’s afraid to wake you. His hand is steady, but there’s something about the way his skin feels, damp and warm, that tells you this isn’t a simple gesture.
He’s been having nightmares again.
It’s the middle of the night, maybe three a.m., maybe later, and Bucky is wide awake. His breathing is shallow, and the soft sheen of sweat on his forehead glimmers faintly in the dim light. You shift slightly, careful not to disturb him too much. He doesn’t seem to notice, lost in the rhythm of his own thoughts, fingers grazing your palm as though grounding himself in your presence.
You wait a moment longer, the silence thick but offering comfort. You don’t rush to speak; you let him take his time. It’s obvious now, the way his hand trembles slightly as he holds yours. He’s still shaken, even if he won’t say it out loud.
Finally, you break the silence, your voice soft like clouds in the night sky. “Bucky?”
His hand falters for a fraction of a second, but then he laces your fingers together tightly, like he’s reassuring himself you’re still there, still real. When he finally meets your eyes, there’s a look in them you recognize, a quiet fear.
“I’m okay,” he murmurs, voice rough like he’s trying to convince himself as much as you. “I know it was just a dream. But I wanted to remind myself that you’re not.”
Your heart squeezes at his words, and without thinking, you tug him closer. You press your forehead to his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart under your ear. His arms wrap around you instinctively, holding you tighter, like he’s afraid to let go. You feel the tension in his shoulders start to melt away, replaced by the steady rhythm of his breath.
“I’m here,” you whisper into the fabric of his shirt, feeling the warmth of his skin seeping through. “I’m right here.”
He doesn’t respond, but you don’t need him to. His grip tightens around you, his face buried in your hair as he exhales slowly, like he’s finally letting go of something heavy. The nightmare, the demons that chase him even in sleep, all seem to fade for now, replaced by the quiet comfort of your presence.
You settle against him, letting your body relax into his, both of you now wrapped in the stillness of the night. Slowly, your breathing evens out, and you drift back into sleep, his fingers still tracing the shape of your hand, tucking you into his heart.
He looks and acts the same, but everyone can’t help but feel cautious around him.
The hairs on the necks of the fellow disciples stand on end indicating he’s nearby. His voice calm, yet, if you listen closely, a slight echo tapers near his sentences.
The sect leader would hold one-on-once conversations with him, his eyes drift off to a mirror standing on his bookshelf, and the image is something grotesque. A broken, rotten face stares back at him.
He looks away back to Yue Qingyuan and his visage is how it has always been—no trace of nightmare in the mirror.
Yue Qingyuan smiles as him. Confused. Is this not what he wanted?
Boxten hasn't changed much ability wise, but he is faster and more precise with his attacks.
Poppy's bubbles now explode when a toon gets too close to them.
Brightney's light will only turn on when she sees a toon, which alerts other twisteds to her location and makes her harder to spot in a blackout.
Cosmo now has a charge attack.
Sprout is now permanently rooted to the ground hid floors are now overgrown, making his ichor tendrils harder to spot and making it easier for twisteds to sneak up on toons.
