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manestjerne · 2 days

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The book of regrets part one

Summary: You're an avenger, Tony's younger sister. When things finally get quiet, Bucky reaches out for you to help him.

Word count: 6k

Warnings: guns, swearing, a little angst, mentions of mental disorders, angry behavior, injuries, lying

A/N: Okay, so Steve is gone, but the endgame never happened, no one's dead, I can't cope with that, okay?

It was supposed to be a one-shot, but I lost it after around 4k words, so there'll be more parts, that's why I finally created a

masterlist

I was sitting at my desk, going through some of the newest research Bruce sent me when my phone buzzed lightly. I moved my head slightly, my thoughts still on the research shimmering on my laptop’s screen.

You up?

I locked my eyes on the notification from an unknown number, knowing it usually means trouble. I slowly wrapped my fingers around the phone and picked it up, ready to look for some info about the number, but my hand clenched tighter when it started buzzing again. I stared at the screen for a few seconds before picking up and moving it slowly to my ear, not saying anything.

„Hey, hope I’m not bothering you too much.”

„Bucky?”

I felt my shoulders relax, not even realizing how tensed I was a moment before. The familiar voice echoed lightly in my head, he was the last person I was expecting.

„I’m sorry.” He paused for a second and I could almost hear how his jaw clenched before he started talking again. „Remember when you said I can count on you if I need anything? That’s a perfect moment for that.”

„What did you do?”

I whined quietly in response, knowing he’s in real bad trouble if he’s asking me for help. He never did that, it was always Nat or Wanda, sometimes the others, but he never asked me, to not put me in danger. I was wondering why did he change his mind suddenly.

„Look, you don’t have to come, but I’d appreciate that…” He paused again like he was struggling to just talk to me. „…asshole. I’ll send you the details if you’re interested.”

I smiled to myself at the insult, knowing he’s just trying to show me that he doesn’t care if I come. I looked at my phone again when he hang up, waiting for some sort information about what he wanted me to do, but only an address and time showed up on the screen when I felt the little buzz. I looked at the clock.

„Two hours, great.”

I mumbled to myself, realizing the drive will take me about an hour and a half. I stood up rapidly putting all the necessities I my bag. I was prepared for that, honestly I was waiting for something like that to happen. After Steve left, things among the Avengers got pretty quiet and I missed the rush of adrenaline I got during missions. After 15 minutes my duffel was packed and I glanced at the room one more time to make sure I didn’t forget anything. I walked out through the kitchen when I heard a voice behind my back.

„Where are you going?”

Tony asked not lifting his eyes, still focused on whatever calculations he was working on.

„Nat’s” I shrugged my shoulders like it was supposed to get the blame of lying to him out of my head. „I’m staying for the whole weekend.”

„Just don’t get into any trouble. Love you.”

He still wasn’t looking at me, and thank God he was so focused on his work. I felt guilt crawling up my spine and folding my mind with his last words, but I couldn’t tell him the truth. He wasn’t really fond of Bucky and we would argue, which I didn’t have time for. As a brother he was just trying to protect me and I was glad he did, but he was really overreactive sometimes and I needed a break from staying at home for so long.

„Love you too.”

I mumbled before rushing to the elevator.

„Hey Nat, what are you up to?”

I asked through the hand-free set as I was driving, checking the gps way too often.

„Not much, why?"

She laughed at my directness.

„If anyone asks, I’m staying at your place for the weekend, okay?”

I wasn’t planning on hiding anything from her, I knew she wouldn’t snitch about it, so I just chose to say exactly what’s on my mind.

„Oh, you fucking troublemaker. What are you up to now?”

I knew she rolled her eyes as she said this. I smirked at her reaction.

„Not sure, but some grumpy old man asked for my help and I’m too bored of sitting on my ass, since you stopped taking me on missions.”

„Bucky reached out to you?” She sounded surprised, which wasn’t a common emotion for her. „Is it about the whole New Captain America shit?”

„About what?”

I froze, realizing I’m not up to speed. I spent the last few days isolated in my room, trying to help Bruce with his research, it was really time-consuming. She laughed at my reaction and I promised to give her an update when I knew more. I spent most of my ride talking to her, which was one of my favorite things. Either listening to music or talking with Natasha while driving was a perfect way to clear my mind, one of my favorite ways to escape the reality.

„Okay, I guess I’m here.” I said when I parked my car at an empty parking lot. „I’ll update you when I know anything. Just don’t rat on me, love you.”

„Just don’t get yourself killed, love you too.”

She hang up as I reached for my bag and left the car, slowly looking around. It seemed like I was alone, when I spotted a warehouse in the distance. A large field was separating from what I guessed was our meeting spot, so I couldn’t get any closer with my car and decided to walk on foot, cursing under my breath when I realized how far away it was. My breathing was getting heavier with each step when I reached the warehouse, still not seeing anyone, when a firm voice behind my back snapped me back to reality.

„I didn’t think you’d come.”

I jumped, forgetting how smooth he can be. He snuck up on be from behind without any trouble, but I blamed the exhausting walk for my distraction.

„Why’d you call me then?”

I rolled my eyes, looking at his face as he furrowed his brows thinking about a satisfying answer.

„Because I knew you won’t freak out.”

What he said wasn’t even a bit of a satisfying answer, I still knew shit, but I turned my back to him when I heard the large door opening, realizing we’re not alone. Seeing a familiar face put me off guard and in a second I had my gun pointed at Zemo, without even thinking about it.

„The fuck is this?”

I scoffed not lowering my gaze, feeling the blood boil in my veins. Last time I saw Bucky, I helped him chase Zemo and now he brought me straight to him.

„Relax.” He said softly behind my back. „We need him just as much as we need you. Put the gun down, murderer.”

„We?”

I asked, but as an answer, a tall man walked out of the warehouse, going through some notes he was holding.

„Okay, we’re all set. Are we still waiting for her or is she-„ He stopped mid-sentence when he looked up and saw me, my fist still clenching on the gun I was pointing at Zemo seconds before he came here. „Shit, sorry. Didn’t know you’re already here. Nice to see you again.”

„Uh-huh, and you are…?”

I asked carelessly and heard Bucky sigh, as he was now standing next to me.

„Girl, we’ve literally spent like three days together when we were trying to get him his mind back.”

He said with a scowl, nodding his head in Bucky’s direction.

„Oh, yeah. Sam.” I said when I finally remembered where do I know him from. „Sorry, I wasn’t really focused on making new friends then, kinda busy with some family drama.”

The Civil War was an awful memory for me, as I betrayed Tony by getting on Steve’s side. We worked it out after a while, well, in the end I supported the Socovia Accords, distracting the whole team and letting them go after Zemo. I spent so much time helping Steve find Bucky and then continued to risk my life by helping him, only to find out, he's the person who killed my parents. Well, not exactly, I knew the difference between Bucky and the Winter Soldier, that’s why I got over it much quicker than Tony, but it still ached my heart. I would probably do it again, I knew he deserved my help, but I wish they told me before Zemo did.

„We should get going.”

Bucky said and took the bag off my shoulder in one, smooth motion. I let him do that, now fully focused on the private jet we were walking towards. It wasn’t anything new for me, as a Stark I was used to this kind of luxury but I had to ask.

„Where’d you get that?”

„It’s mine.”

Zemo replied calmly when we were walking up the stairs.

„Oh.”

I mumbled quietly, loosing any further interest in the jet.

I sat on the seat I found the most comfortable and Bucky threw my bag at my feet before sitting down opposite and piercing me with his gaze. I smiled softly in reply, knowing it’ll piss him off, and it worked perfectly as he rolled his eyes once I did that.

„Can you now tell me where we’re going?”

I looked closely at Bucky for the first time I saw him. He looked pretty miserable, but that wasn’t anything new, I was more worried about the bruises and scratches all over his face, now clearly visible in the bright light. And I knew there were more, hidden under his thick layers of clothing. I flinched when Sam threw a file on my knees. I opened it up and looked through the papers. It took me some time to read it all carefully, trying to remember any details that might be useful later. My eyes were flickering between the lines, comparing a few pages at once, trying to figure out more connections than they’ve already found, but their research was pretty solid.

„Karli Morgenthau? That kid kicked your asses?”

I looked at Sam before trying to figure out Bucky’s expression, but none of them replied.

„Why me? Why am I so perfect for this?”

I asked pretty annoyed, since they stopped replying any of my questions.

„Because we saw, that you know how to fight a super soldier. You proved it more than once.”

Bucky said after a minute of awkward silence. I replied him with a blank stare, knowing he’s referring to me fighting Steve, when he went too harsh on Tony, that night in Siberia.

„You don’t have to do that, we can get you a flight back as soon as we land.”

He rolled his eyes with that and I replied with a huff, bringing my knees to my chest to shift into a more comfortable position, knowing we’re going have a long flight. I closed my eyes and tried to sink in the silence, but I was feeling quite uncomfortable, so I decided to take a guess.

„Stop staring at me, freak.”

I knew I was right, when I opened my eyes and saw the grimace on his face. Bingo.

„I told you to stop doing that Buck, it’s freaking people out.”

Sam chuckled from the sit on my right, but my eyes were still on Bucky. He looked at Sam for a quick second, before catching my gaze again.

„She’s not freaked out because of my staring, just geniually afraid.”

He said with a teasing grin, but I knew he was waiting for an honest answer, hoping I won’t figure that out.

„Good point, I usually don’t trust people who shot me in the past.”

My response was calm, my hands resting in the pocket of my jumper to hide the trembling. He got abashed by that, now wondering if that’s the truth, or maybe I knew what answer he was hoping for. He was praying in his mind for me to deny, knowing we all went through a lot with him as the Winter Soldier. But in his eyes I was the most fragile one, never been on a real war, just a spoiled little girl. He gave me one more careful look, but I did everything in my power to not let him know that I’m lying. I wasn’t afraid of him, I knew he wouldn’t hurt me now. I was sure about that, but if he wanted to play that game, acting like he doesn’t care? I had no point proving him otherwise.

„So is her name in your book too?”

Zemo was first to break the silence. Bucky snapped his head in his direction, but I said nothing, acting like I don’t care what they’re talking about.

„It’s not.”

Bucky hissed in response. I decided to not ask any more questions, just closed my eyes and rested my head on my shoulder, hugging my knees close to my chest. I felt that I started drifting away, giving up and deciding to ask more questions about the Flag Smashers when we reach our destination. I flinched and opened my eyes, feeling a soft material suddenly landing over my head. I took it off and looked at Bucky questioningly.

„Take a nap, we have some real shit to work out.”

I responded him with a smile and covered myself with the blanket he just threw at me, but he rolled his eyes and looked away. We didn’t hate each other, it wasn’t the point, but neither of us was going to give up and we only pushed ourselves further with all the teasing. I knew he’d do a lot for me, to protect me. But still we played our characters well, acting like we hate each other, when there was no need to care. I wasn’t sure why tho, sometimes I felt like I’m just fooling myself that he actually cares about me. That I’m too worried about him, to realize that I’m not important to him at all, trying to protect my bruised ego. I let my head fall back and closed my eyes again, hoping no one will interrupt this time.

It felt like I just fell asleep, when a strong hand landed firmly on my shoulder.

„We’re almost there.”

Sam said in a soft voice when I opened my eyes. I looked around and realized everyone is looking at me.

„What? Was I snoring?”

I asked rolling my eyes before folding the blanket and putting it back under the table.

„We were just wondering…” Zemo started slowly, I forgot how annoying his accent was. „… how many guns did you take with you?”

„What kind of a stupid fucking question is that?” I snorted „Enough, but I believe they won’t be necessary.”

„What do you mean?”

Zemo asked confused, but I was focused on Sam, his impression turned sad quickly, lowering his gaze to the ground and shaking his head slowly.

„They’re just a bunch of kids, you’re not planning on killing them, are you?” I huffed. „I’m not an assassin, that’s not why you called me. There must be another way.”

„So you’re just going to talk them out of killing innocent people? Sounds like a good plan.”

Bucky snorted, but I knew he was on my side here.

„She’s right.” Sam said quietly when we started landing, but we all could see Zemo’s impression, he was not pleased about what we've just said. „We just have to take control of the situation and calm everything down, killing them won’t solve the problem, there’ll be more.”

„But that way we could teach them a lesson.” Zemo said carelessly. „The car is waiting.”

„Where the hell are we?”

I asked when we left the plane. The weather confused me as the warm breeze grazed my face.

„Riga.”

Zemo replied peacefully when we were walking towards the car.

„It’s Donya Madani’s funeral today, that’s our chance to find them.”

Sam added to dispel my doubts. The ride wasn’t long, but very quiet, too quiet for me. Living in the Avengers Tower and being so close with Tony made me used to loud surroundings. I was always complaining about that, only missing it when the silence was too long, too loud. I took my phone out of my pocket and opened the chat with Natasha.

Just tracking a bunch of rebellian kids, I’ll be fine:)

I shut down the screen and started fidgeting with my phone, when Sam finally broke the silence.

„How’s Wanda, she was pretty broken the last time I saw her.”

I turned my head his way before noticing Zemo’s stare in the rare mirror, but I ignored it.

„She’s better now, not fine, but better. Found her peace in Vision I guess, little traitor moved out.”

He chuckled at my answer and I let out a sigh of relieve as the car wasn’t so quiet finally.

„How’s your sister, you have one, right?”

He looked at me confused, but then probably remembered I’m a Stark, I can get information on anybody, whenever I want. He smiled softly and nodded his head.

„Having some trouble now, but we’re trying to figure it out, only getting better.”

„I didn’t know you have a sister.”

Bucky looked at us over his shoulder, he sounded a little offended.

„Wondering why, you two are such besties, should know everything about each other.”

I answered sarcastically and Sam snorted again. The rest of our ride was quiet again, but the atmosphere wasn’t so tensed, letting me enjoy it more, before Zemo parked in a narrow street, in front of an old, but luxury looking tenement. I lazily got out of the car, letting Sam take my bag. Our walk to the building was short, but my attention was brought by a small, silverfish ball laying at the side of the street. I took a look around carefully when we were getting closer to the entrance door, when Bucky spoke up.

„I’m gonna take a walk.”

He said casually, but I knew what his destination was. Sam and Zemo nodded, opening the door. Sam gave me a questioning stare before entering, but I didn’t move, just replied with a meaningful smile and he nodded again, closing the door behind him. I turned around when Bucky was squatting, taking a closer look to the object that brought my attention earlier.

„It’s about Zemo, isn’t it?”

He flinched at my voice, not knowing I stayed outside.

„Go inside, I’ll do the talk.”

He rolled his eyes and turned his back my way again, starting to walk towards the nearest corner. I sighed and followed him, almost running for a moment, before catching up.

„You shouldn’t have done that Bucky, that’s too much.”

I said firmly and brought my head up to look at him, but he didn’t mind looking back.

„You think it’s not too much for me?” He sighed before honoring me with a quick glance. „We need him, he got us closer than we could’ve gone alone.”

„You could’ve just called me earlier, you know I could help.”

He stopped unexpectedly and looked me in the eyes.

„I hoped it won’t be necessary at all, I don’t want to put you at risk again.”

„Stop acting like anything that happened there was your fault. I’m not a damn kid, I know what and when I can handle, it was my choice to help Steve and I regret nothing.”

The words coming out of my mouth quickly, he was annoying me with trying to blame himself for everything, protecting me when it wasn’t needed.

„You should regret that, I killed your parents.”

He replied harshly before walking away. He confused me with his words, I needed to process what he said for a few seconds before following him again.

„You didn’t, that was the Winter Soldier and we both know the difference, so stop fucking whining, I thought you went to the therapy to work on your PTSD.”

My answer was unexpected for both of us, his flesh fingers wrapped around my jaw as I stopped talking, but I couldn’t blame him.

„You know shit about the difference, and you’re the one whining at the moment, so just go to the apartment and let me talk to them before I lose my temper.”

His hand left my face as soon as he stopped talking, but he didn’t move, still staring at me with his cold eyes, surprisingly filled with guilt, not anger.

„Should’ve used the metal arm, you’re not going to scare me that way.”

I shrugged my shoulders and continue walking in the direction he chose.

„I’m not trying to scare you, just stop being such a fucking tease, damn it.”

I shook my head in response when we took the corner.

„Ayo.”

I noded at her slowly.

„Miss Stark.”

She replied politely before turning to Bucky.

„I’m here for Zemo.”

„We need him.”

I replied without hesitation, ignoring Bucky’s annoyed look.

„You shouldn’t have done that, he still has his debt to pay.”

She wasn’t looking at me and I saw a muscle in Bucky’s jaw twitch before he answered.

„I apprecieate everything you did for me, he is just a means to an end.”

His voice was calm and respectful, his eyes fully focused on the tall figure in front of us. I never saw him talking with anybody like that, wondering what exactly happened during his stay in Wakanda.

„He killed king T’Chaka and now you set him free? After all you went through to free yourself? You chose a wrong way here.”

I saw how she brought him down with just once sentence, still acting confident, but we both saw as he just wanted to shrink and disappear to avoid continuing this conversation.

„T’Challa chose for him to live and I’ll put him back in prison myself when we’re finished.”

I responded firmly, trying to take over and not make Bucky do anything he wanted to escape at that moment.

„No.” Ayo cut me off harshly. „We’ll take care of him now. In Wakanda. Eight hours.”

She emphasized her last words and I felt shivers crawling up my spine. As much as I respected the whole Dora Milaje, how grateful I was for what Shuri ever did for us and how much I wanted to appreciate what the last king and his whole tribe did for me when I needed it, I was scared. Their help proved how devoted they were to just live in peace, they made me respect them and all their work. I turned my back to her and started walking away, Bucky following not long after me.

When we reached the building I rested my back on the wall near the door and went through my pockets to find a pack of cigarettes, before putting one in my mouth and lightning it. I inhaled the smoke searching for some kind of relief as it spreaded through my lungs.

„I’ll catch up.”

I noded at Bucky, but he didn’t leave, looking at me closely.

„I thought you quit.”

He furrowed his brows and crossed his arm on his chest.

„Nasty habit.” I shrugged, letting the silence last for a few more seconds before speaking up. „I started again when Steve left.”

His gaze felt to the ground immediately, I knew how much it hurt him. They only person who really cared all these years, his only chance of finding comfort, believing he was something more than just HYDRA’s weapon, leaving as suddenly as he appeared in his life again.

„He left me something.” I said slowly putting my hand I my pocket, grabbing the cold, thin metal with my fingers, hesitating if I should do it, but I knew he deserved this piece of him back. „Here.”

His eyes widened as he saw the dog tag I was holding. Taking a closer look he could see his name engraved on it.

„I wanted to give you this earlier, but well, never had a chance to do it.”

My fingers clenched tighter on the chain for a second, before I let him take it. He examined it closely before opening his mouth.

„Where did he got it? Why did he gave it to you, not me?”

I knew there were much more questions in his head, but I didn’t know the answer to any of them. I sighed softly before taking another drag.

„I don’t t know. We’ll never know.”

I looked at the cigarette between my fingers, realizing I finished it much faster than I expected. I put it out in a bin and gave Bucky one more reassuring look, while he was still turning the little sheet of metal between his fingers.

„Let’s go.” I squeezed his arm softly before entering the building.

We didn’t know how Zemo got any information about the address, but we were finally standing in front of the building, the memorial was supposed to happen in. I heard a soft, friendly voice behind my back, when we all turned to face it.

„Bucky! Sam!” The blonde man paused for a second taking a closer look at me „Miss Stark? Woah, what an honor.”

I raised my eyebrow and looked at Bucky who rolled his eyes, looking more annoyed than I’ve ever seen him.

„Who the fuck are you?”

My eyes wandered all over his body, feeling my fists clench, seeing another man wearing Captain’s America suit. He had no right to do that, he had no right to put his hands on the shield. I thought about what Nat told me earlier, the whole New Captain America shit. I never thought she’s so serious about it.

„My apologies, I never introduced myself, people mostly know me now.” He smiled showing his white teeth and I felt a grimace of disgust forming on my lips. „I’m John Walker, Captain America. This is Battlestar.”

I snorted at the little nickname his friend got for himself.

„You’re not Captain America, you’ll never be.” My voice filled with hate and disrespect wiped his smile away for a second. „And you still have the nerve to walk around with that shield on your back, you have no self respect, do you?”

I felt quiet chuckles coming from both Bucky and Sam as my anger was starting to grow every second I kept looking at the muppet standing in front of me.

„I knew I’ll enjoy their first meeting.”

Sam whispered, but I couldn’t focus on their reactions, my knuckles starting to turn white from how hard I was clenching my fists.

„Basically, this shield is a government property, and well” he chuckled proudly „since I’m the government, I have all rights to use it.”

„This shield was made by my father and the government took the rights illegally after his death, so basically you should shut the fuck up before I lose my temper.”

Bucky groaned proudly as I repeated his words from earlier, I turned his way completely ignoring the farce behind my back.

„You’re not cooperating with them, are you?”

„Well, basically…” John started „…you have to do that, government orders.”

„You’re such a dog for mister president, huh?” I grinned through my teeth „Little muppet just following him around and completing all the orders. Just don’t get in my way or I’ll have to get rid of you, and I really worked hard on my reputation for the last few years, don’t make me ruined it again.”

I started walking towards the building, Bucky and Sam following me closely until me met with Zemo, after entering through the back door.

„Now, you don’t get in my way, or I’ll take the necessary measures.”

He followed us inside, probably thinking of a come back the whole time.

„Yeah, arrest me, whatever. Just shut your mouth before I help you.”

I took my gun out checking again if it’s loaded, praying I won’t have to use it.

„Excuse me” I groaned turning his way, as he had he audacity to open his mouth again. „Did you break out a prisoner? How dumb are you, bringing him to me? What is he doing here?”

„He’s definitely being less annoying than you.” I got a quiet chuckle even from Zemo this time. „He escaped alone, we had nothing to with it and you shouldn’t be worried about that.”

„I demand your respect, you can’t treat me like that. I’m taking care of the order now, wether you like it or not, so you better-"

I cut him off with a loud laugh, but Bucky and Sam got defensive immediately, taking a step closer to him.

„She better what?”

„Okay, you know what?” His impression turned into a fake, friendly smile again. „We should just work this out together and then I’ll arrest him. I won’t take you if you cooperate with me. So what’s the plan?”

I rolled my eyes and looked at Sam, he was the one to speak up first.

„I’ll go talk to her, just don’t interrupt us, there has to be more than just a murderer in her, I’ll get it out.”

His words were calm and firm. He knew what he was talking about, before becoming an Avenger he used to run a therapy group for veterans, he just knew how to deal with people like her.

„I’ll go with you, but we do that alone, no interruptions, no help, unless we say we need it. Let’s not get these kids killed.”

„He’s an ex-soldier, used to this kind of situations, who are you, thinking you can handle it?”

John asked irritated, I knew it was only because I made demands, he was just trying to putt me off guard.

„I’m a woman, so believe me, I can talk to people better than any of you.”

I said carelessly and Bucky scoffed, I rolled my eyes at him.

„Ten minutes.” John said taking out his handcuffs and walking towards Zemo. „And he stays here, I’ll deal with it when we’re finished.”

I followed Sam to the main hall, where Karli was standing alone, probably aware that we’re coming.

„We’re sorry for your loss.”

Sam started when we came closer to her.

„No, you’re not.”

She scoffed angrily, taking a step back.

„Karli, we’re just here to talk, please listen what we want to say.”

„I know who you are. You’re not fond of talking, none of the Avengers are. You don’t understand what we’re doing, what we’re fighting for.”

She was frustrated and probably scared. I knew there were people watching us, making sure she’s safe. But they were hiding for now, giving us the space to continue.

„You can’t fight for your rights by hurting other people, we’re here to help, just let us.”

I continued slowly, taking a step towards her once more, and she didn’t back off this time, I saw it as a good sign.

„People who are getting hurt deserve it. You should know how it works.”

I sighed, I knew how many innocent people were hurt by the Avengers, by us trying to save the word, sometimes just causing more damage. I understood clearly what she was referring to.

„You’re not making the word a better place by doing all this. We can go through it together, not killing anyone.”

She was looking less tensed as Sam was speaking, gently resting her hips on the table behind her.

„How would you like to do that? There’s no place for us, there won’t be without a war I’m about to start.”

„I'm the one to help you here.” My words were careful, trying not to offend her, but firm at the same time. „I have all you need, I have money. I understand your point of view, you’ve been abandoned after the blip, and I honestly understand what you’re fighting for, your point of view isn’t so strange to me. But there don’t have to be so many victims. Innocent victims.”

I emphasized the last words as she was listening to me more carefully now, but still not convinced by anything I’ve said.

„That money is covered in blood, I’m not taking charity. I’m fighting for more people than you can imagine, they need me. They need my help.”

„Right now, your hands are covered in blood Karli, is that what you’re fighting for?”

She got quiet after Sam’s words. She needed a moment to process it, but she was trusting us slowly, I could see the change in her impression. I rested on the table next to her, still giving her the space to think about it, to leave it all and accept our help. Try to figure it out together, without violence and hate. Suddenly I heard loud footsteps approaching us, realizing it’s over, she won’t trust us, not now, not after what she sees. The door swung open as John entered the room.

„You traitors! I almost believed you.”

She shouted as more people started flooding the room. She pushed me from the table I was sitting on and I landed on the ground, completely giving up, covering my face so her punches wouldn’t reach it.

„You don’t understand Karli. We’re not working with him, he’s trying to bring us down to, just listen!”

I screamed at her, refusing to his her back, not wanting to fight her. I tangled my leg with hers, bringing her to the floor as I stood up.

„Just listen.”

She looked behind me, seeing John coming our way as she jumped up and started running.

„You fucking idiot!”

I yelled, trying to run after her, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I looked around, seeing Bucky and Sam handling it pretty well, I decided to go after John and Karli, but it was too late. I found John standing in a corridor alone, panting heavily next to a broken window.

„She’s gone.” He said between deep breaths. „She’s gone and it’s your fault.”

„We almost had it, she was talking to us, she was willing to trust us. You fucked it, not me.”

I said turning away and walking back to the main hall.

„I won’t hesitate next time I see her.”

I ignored him, walking into now almost empty room.

„You alright?”

Sam asked when I gave him a hand to help him get up.

„Perfect.”

The three of us were walking back to the apartment alone, knowing Zemo is probably waiting for us there. Sam was walking faster, a few steps ahead of me and Bucky.

„Why didn’t you fight her back?”

Bucky asked quietly, not looking at me, but his brows were furrowed as always. I knew he was blaming himself for fighting them, when he saw me just giving up on Karli.

„Steve did the same with you, when you were the Winter Soldier. I was there to help her, not to fight her.”

He hummed in response, probably thinking about the time when he had to fight Steve, when he had the urge to kill him, but something stopped him from doing that.

„I think that’s why he gave it to me.” He was now looking at me, as I pointed my finger at the silver dog tag on his neck, shimmering lightly in the bright rays of the sun. „He wanted me to remember who you really are, to help you if you need it when he’s not around.”

„Then why’d you give it to me?”

He looked at me confused, but a soft smile started forming on his lips.

„I don’t need a reminder of who you are, but I think you do.”

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boop-le-snoot · 2 years

Text

welcome to

⚡ Welcome to Bun's Cockstop! This is a place where I thirst over cute dirty old men! Most of my works can also be found on AO3 (here).

⚡ My name is Bun/Bunny. I go by any pronouns.

⚡ I do not write RPF (real person fiction). That said, any kind of drama mongering, moral policing and other purity culture bullshit is not welcome on my blog. At best, I will block you; if you annoy me enough, I just might be inclined to prove your opinion wrong (with citations).

�� I am pro-ship, pro-dark!fic, I think sex work is work, I don't support communism (and Russia! seriously, GTFO) and I support the death penalty for crimes against children. If you find yourself wanting to argue w/me about these topics, don't waste our time and block me.

⚡ I communicate in English and Russian and understand several more assorted languages. Don't be shy and say hello 😌 This is my Spotify <3 😌

⚡ My blog is meant for an adult audience. It will contain topics such as sex and various kinks, drugs, trauma, queer stuff and lots of rock-'n'-roll. All the things I post are tagged accordingly, therefore it is your responsibility to block the tags/blacklist the content you do not wish to see. You choose the content you consume & I am not here to babysit.

⚡ a post with fic author recs for stephen-tony-bruce

⚡ masterlist below spoiler ⚡

stories marked with an asterisk* contain adult content

⚡ multichapter fics ⚡

party favours [AO3 link] | tony stark x bruce banner x stephen strange x reader ot4) | explicit | ~120k words | completed

practical alchemy [AO3 link] | witch!reader x established!ironstrange | explicit | in progress (hiatus)

black dog [AO3 link] | badass!reader x negan (twd) | explicit | in progress, 1/3 done

⚡one-shots⚡

helmut zemo | marmalade taffy* |

sam wilson | bad touch* | violent delights* (content warning) |

loki | if life gives you melons* | bondage* (nb reader, they/them) | snow day* (male reader)

natasha romanoff | hot wheels* |

wanda maximoff | caught |

bucky barnes | bother figure (daughter!reader) |

thor | idunn's apples | hired man* (dubcon) | beloved, bejeweled |

otto octavius / doc ock | horny headcanons* | i want to kill you like they do in the movies - part 1 - part 2* - part 3* (fin) |

steve rogers | it drives me wild* |

daryl dixon | cherry - part 1 - part 2* (coming soon) | untitled* | dirt* |

⚡ blurb series ⚡

daddy!ironstrange - daddy lessons* | part one | part two |

rickyl - part one*

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punemy-spotted · 10 months

Text

A Family Sleepover, Down in the Valley

It’s been about two years since I first wrote Dead Trees Like Lavender Fields, and the town of Bell’s Holler was born. I know it’s not quite the actual anniversary — I’m pretty sure that passed — but I want to celebrate anyway! I’ve missed the Valley, and I’ve missed y’all being a part of the Family. I’m excited to add more stories to the universe, talk lore and what-ifs, and in general get spooky with it.

As such, from now until my birthday on August 19, 2023, I am opening up my inbox to all manner of Valley-related things, including the following:

Seven Sentence Somedays: Send em an ask with a fluffy, smutty, or hurt/comfort prompt of your choice + any CE, SebStan, or other character listed below. You might just get a lore drop or bring out hidden ideas for a Valley-related story!

Hainted Headcanons: Got questions about the true name of Bell’s Holler or what it really means to be Green? Wanna know about your favorite Babe and who they are in the Valley — Agent of the Inner Dark, Guardian of the Gren, or somethin’ more besides? Curious about each story’s individual Reader and who they might be? Send an ask! Hainted Headcanons are more in-depth explorations of the world this Alternate Appalachia and the people living and shaping it.

Moodboard Minin’: If you know me, you know I love a good Moodboard and you know I love an excuse to make ‘em. Send me a request and I’ll put together a moodboard for a possible Valley-verse story, or even an alternate story for an existing Valley character!

Asks will be responded to on a rolling basis, to the best of my ability! Thank all of you for being here with me!

Current Members of the Valley-Verse

Steve Rogers — Glory, Amen

Bucky Barnes — Dead Trees like Lavender Fields

Sam Wilson — Company Property (TBA)

Ari Levinson — A Worthy Grave

Curtis Everett — Sixteen Tons (coming soon!)

Possible (Future) Members of the Valley-Verse

Charles Blackwood

Jake Jensen

Andy Barber

Lloyd Hansen

Ransom Drysdale

Helmut Zemo

Lee Bodecker

I’m tagging some moots who showed interest in the Valley-verse and associated fics, including my stalwart beloved @brandycranby. As always, I love you and thank you for being here!!!

Tagging: @iwannabekilledtwice; @boxofbonesfic; @wordywarriorwrites; @patzammit; @valhalla-kristin; @sanfransolomitatm; @professorrw; @chipilerendi; @biiskuitx; @hope-to-hell; @toozmanykids; @imanuglywombat; @caffiend-queen; @federalchickensoup; @mansaaay; @ccmarvelxx; @hallecarey1; @justile; @kuranes-12; @hotnmad;

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iliumheightnights · 1 year

Note

hear me out,,,

Sam Wilson and Bucky barnes fighting over reader and that they both work with because they both think that he’s interested in them but in reality, he’s secretly dating zemo <3

Okay but hear me out...

Bucky: "Really? Him?"

Sam: "Yeah, him?"

Zemo: "That's right. Me."

M/n: "Don't worry. I like you both too!"

Zemo: "We don't mind sharing."

#sam wilson #bucky barnes #helmut zemo #the falcon and the winter soldier #x male reader #x male!reader #x reader #reader #malereader #male!reader #male reader

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applepiewinchesters · 1 year

Text

Don’t Blame Me (Helmut Zemo x Reader)

A/N: Hellooo friends. This is a fic I started a month or so ago and just now finished so I hope you like it!! This is based around the song “Don’t Blame Me” by Taylor Swift

Word Count: 4,200

Don’t blame me, love made me crazy. If it doesn’t you ain’t doin’ it right.

When you agreed to help Sam and Bucky investigate who was to blame for the recent string of super soldiers running around, you didn’t really think it would entail breaking a terrorist out of prison.

Helmut Zemo was crafty, dangerous, and overall, at least in your mind, a shit person. So, when he emerged from the dark in what apparently was his parking garage, you had to hold back from knocking his teeth in.

It wasn’t long after you were aboard a private jet flying to Madripoor to try and get to the bottom of everything. Bucky and Sam were bickering constantly, and the Baron wasn’t exactly welcome company, but he was quiet as he sat across from you, reading in his seat.

A question was nagging at you, one that was insensitive in some respects, but you were curious regardless.

“Did you really try to kill us all because a sentient robot decided to try and take over the world?” you’d asked suddenly.

Zemo’s eyes lifted from his book to you, raising an eyebrow as he did. He sighed slightly, marking his page before setting the book on the small tray beside him.

“To be truthful, you and your friends were easiest to blame,” Zemo told you casually.

You eyed him, waiting for some cruel comment, but none came.

“We saved everyone we could find in time, you do know that right?” you replied, crossing your arms.

“Yes, and I do applaud you and the others for that, but my family…” Zemo began but trailed off, a pained look in his eye.

You were both silent for a moment before he continued, “Love will make you crazy, perhaps you’ll find that out some day.”

A nasty remark caught in your throat, and you sat back, because he was right.

My name is whatever you decide, and I’m just gonna call you mine.

Of course, your job was being the arm candy. And not even the arm candy of whoever the hell Sam was pretending to be while you four slunk around Madripoor, Zemo’s arm candy.

The dress you had managed to find on such short notice glittered in every light you passed, the gold color of it apparently matching the gold in the Sokovian flag, according to Zemo. The high heels you wore were almost impossible to walk in, and you could hope you wouldn’t be doing any running.

Your hair was curled and pinned back, your makeup accentuating the best parts of your face.

When the car stopped on the bridge, Sam helped you out of the car, and Zemo appeared beside you, offering his arm, his gentleman ways stirring something up inside you.

The man was a murderer, but a classy murderer at that.

You took his arm, and he began leading you towards the city along with Bucky and Sam, who were ready to kill the man if he touched you the wrong way. Despite knowing the fact you wore a knife in the thigh holster barely hidden by your dress, they’d kill Zemo for you at your request.

By the time you finally got to the club, your feet were on fire, and you were ready to just get whatever information you needed and get the hell out of there.

Zemo led you all towards the bar, and once you all reached it his arm let go of yours, moving down to your waist and securing you to his side. Sam looked ready to punch him, and looks could kill, the glare he was getting from Bucky would have made him drop dead.

You tried your best to look happy, even leaning into Zemo to give everyone a show.

“Hello gentlemen, and lady, wasn’t expecting you Smiling Tiger,” the bartender greeted you all.

“His plans changed, we have business to do with Selby,” Zemo lied smoothly, easily and almost absentmindedly, pulling you closer to him when a drunk girl bumped into you.

So close you had to put a hand on his chest as to not look awkward and uncomfortable.

“The usual?” the bartender asked, making Sam only nod, trying to look intimidating.

You could feel Zemo’s heartbeat fast beneath your hand, it seemed his calm exterior may have been just an act.

The bartender set to work, making two normal shots of what you assumed was probably rum or tequila, before setting to work on Sam’s drink.

It was made with at least three different liquors, and you nearly jumped when the bartender pulled a cobra from a glass jar, tossing it on the counter and cutting it open from head to tail, easily pulling out its heart and plopping it in the drink.

You almost snorted, there was no way Sam was going to do it.

The bartender set the two normal shots in front of you and Zemo, and slid the more intricate drink in front of Sam.

“Ah, Smiling Tiger, your favorite!” Zemo exclaimed as Sam reluctantly picked up the glass, inspecting it.

Zemo handed you one of the other shots, taking the other in his hand not on your hip.

“Cheers Comrad,” Zemo told Sam, clinking his glass against the other man’s before turning to you, leaning down so his lips were by your ear, “and you, dorogoy.”

You had no idea what that meant as you weren’t exactly fluent in Russian, one of the main spoken languages of the Sokovians, but nonetheless gave your fake date a dazzling smile before tossing back the alcohol.

It burned your throat as it went down, almost making you feel dizzy, it seemed to be stronger than the average alcohol.

Sam was hyping himself up it seemed, the bartender was obviously getting suspicious. You managed to shoot a look that said “hurry the fuck up” to him and he finally tossed it back, obviously disgusted as he did so.

But at least the bartender seemed satisfied.

“I got word from on high, you ain’t welcome here,” the bartender said pointedly to Zemo, who had Bucky standing close behind him, rather good at keeping up the Winter Soldier persona.

“I have no business with the Power Broker,” Zemo began, “but if he insists, he can either came and talk to me, or bring Selby for a chat.”

“New haircut?” the bartender asked Bucky suddenly, who only gave him a deadpan look.

When the bartender looked away, Bucky leaned over to Zemo, “A power broker, really?”.

“Every kingdom needs its king,” Zemo replied, smiling a bit. “Let’s just pray we stay under his radar.”

“Do you know him?” Sam asked.

“Only by reputation. In Madripoor he is judge, jury, and executioner,” Zemo told him.

Suddenly a man saddled up beside Bucky, telling him something you didn’t understand in Russian.

That was all it took for Bucky to grab him, shoving you and Zemo out of the way as he slammed the man into the bar, bending his arm back and making the man groan in pain.

The sound of guns cocking around you filled the air, and Zemo moved in front of you as he leaned towards Bucky and whispered, “Stay in character or the whole bar turns on us.”

“Selby will see you now,” a man said as he appeared beside Bucky, who let the man go.

“Thank you,” Zemo said, wrapping an arm around your waist again as he led you away, Bucky and Sam trailing behind you both.

You were all led to a back room where the club’s music was quieter, making you wonder if the others inside would be able to hear if you all got shot.

The room looked to be an office of some sort, couches and a desk were the main staples of the room, along with the bodyguards stationed around the room.

Zemo sat down on one of the couches, easily pulling you down onto his lap so you sat sideways, legs hanging off one side and one arm going to rest behind him, the fur of his coat tickling you a bit.

You did your best to look like the bimbo arm candy you were playing, even going as far as leaning into Zemo’s chest, and placing a kiss on his cheek.

His arm wrapped tighter around you, hand gripping your waist.

“Don’t get any ideas,” you whispered to him as a woman with short white hair entered the room. This must be Selby.

“You should know Baron,” Selby began, taking her place on a couch across from you and Zemo, “people don’t just come into my bar and make demands.”

“Not a demand, an offer,” Zemo spoke as you fiddled with the fur on the back of his coat nervously.

"A lot has changed since you were last here,” Selby replied, “by the way, I thought you were rotting away in a German prison. How did you escape?”.

“People like us always find a way, don’t we?” Zemo answered, voice unwavering. “I’m sure you have already heard what I’m here for.”

“You’re taller than I’ve heard, Smiling Tiger,” Selby commented, half ignoring Zemo.

Sam gave Selby a convincing smile, so she turned back to Zemo, “What’s the offer?”.

Zemo smirked, “Tell us what you know about the super soldier serum and I give you him, along with the code words to control him of course,” Zemo spoke, nodding in Bucky’s direction, “he’ll do anything you want.”

Selby smiled, leaning back on the couch, “What about her?” she asked, motioning to you perched on the Baron’s lap, “She’s a pretty one Helmut.”

While your heart pounded in your chest, Zemo only gave you a small smile, his hand moving to cup your cheek, gloved thumb rubbing against the warm skin, “Isn’t she? But I’m afraid this little bird is mine.”

Your face got hot, but you managed a ditzy giggle, grabbing Zemo’s hand from your cheek and holding it in your lap, giving it a squeeze. Maybe a bit too hard.

“Too bad, I could think of plenty of people who would gladly take her to bed,” Selby commented, shrugging off the fact she essentially wanted to pimp you out.

Zemo must have felt you tense up because he gave your hand a light squeeze, leaning over to whisper to you as Selby moved to ‘inspect’ Bucky.

“I won’t let anything happen,” he reassured quietly, making you nod.

While you really tried to hate this man still, it was hard not too when he’d just promised to protect you from the psychopath you were doing business with.

“I’m glad I didn’t kill you immediately, you were right to come to me,” Selby suddenly spoke up, seemingly satisfied with the deal offered to her. “Arrogant, but right.”

Zemo nodded, motioning for her to go on.

“The serum is here in Madripoor, Dr. Wilfred Nagel is the man you want to thank…or condemn, depending on what side you’re on,” Selby explained. “The Power Broker had him working on the serum, but things didn’t go as planned.”

“Is Nagel still here in Madripoor?” Zemo asked.

“Oh,” Selby answered, almost mockingly, “the bread crumbs you can have for free, but the bakery is gonna cost you Baron. And before you get all cute, don’t think you can find Nagel without me.”

Zemo opened his mouth to reply but the vibration of a phone broke the silence, all eyes fell on Sam, who looked like he wanted the Earth to open up and swallow him whole.

Selby frowned, “Answer it, on speaker.”

Sam pulled his phone from his pocket, doing as told, “Hello?”.

“Hey, we need to talk about the situation, it’s been driving me nuts,” came the voice of Sam’s sister, Sarah.

“What situation are we talking about exactly?” Sam asked, trying to keep up the tough guy exterior.

“Are you high?” Sarah exclaimed on the other end, “You know exactly what situation, it’s the only situation you and I have!”.

“What situation Sarah? Say it!” Sam commanded, raising his voice.

You could feel yourself beginning to sweat, this was going downhill fast.

“The damn boat! And watch your tone okay? I let you slide at the bank.”

Sam scoffed, “The bank, yeah. Laundered so much…they’ll come around.”

“If that was the case, why did they dog you out, Big Time?” Sarah asked, obviously annoyed.

“Yeah, you damn right I’m big time, you’ll see when I have that banker killed,” Sam answered, trying to sound cocky.

“Cass! What’d I tell you about the Cheerios? I don’t have time for this! Sam, listen, I’ll have to call you back,” Sarah spoke, and with that, hung up.

Your heels were kicked off and you were ready to run.

“Sam? Who’s Sam?” Selby asked, your heart dropped, “Kill them!”.

You jumped, Zemo joining you shortly after, but before any of you could pull a gun, the sound of glass shattering filled the room, along with a sickening crack as a bullet pierced Selby’s skull from an unseen shooter, killing her instantly.

All of you ran, Zemo grabbing your hand and pulling you from the club, weaving you through sweaty bodies and out into the cool night air.

“They’re gonna pin this on us!” Sam spoke hurriedly as you all began power walking down the street, you stumble a bit as Zemo pulled you along.

“We have a real problem now, so leave your weapons and follow my lead,” Zemo reassured, continuing back the way you’d came.

Phones began pinging around you and it wasn’t long before the sound of gun shots filled the air, some whizzing right past you.

“Shit!” Sam yelled as you all scrambled, Bucky and Sam continued running forwards, while Zemo pulled you down an alleyway, both of you sprinting, breathing hard, his hand never leaving yours.

Your path was blocked suddenly by a rather larger man, and before he could react you ripped your hand away from Zemo’s, reaching for the knife in its holster on your thigh and tossing it, the blade sinking into the man’s chest.

“Come on!” you shouted, grabbing Zemo’s hand once again, as it was your turn to pull him away from danger.

You felt relieved when you spotted Bucky and Sam at the end of the alley you’d turned into, both staring in confusion at a dead man laying on the ground.

“Seems you have a guardian angel,” Sam was saying as you and Zemo stopped, catching your breath.

“You okay?” Bucky asked you, and you nodded, still trying to breathe normally.

“Well, isn’t this just perfect,” came a voice behind you.

You whipped around to find the last person you expected to be there. Sharon Carter.

For you, I would cross the line.

Music shook Sharon’s large home, you were almost afraid some of the priceless art would fall due to the loud bass.

People danced, sweaty bodies moving to the beat of the music, or they stood around talking about the art surrounding you.

You sat at a small table, sipping the drink you’d gotten from the bar. Bucky and Sam were “patrolling” at a party of all places, and you could see Zemo on the dancefloor. He danced like the whitest dad at the neighborhood block party, but either the alcohol, or the fact it was sort of cute, made you giggle.

Zemo happened to look over as you were laughing, and you quickly tried to hide it by taking a sip of your drink, but it was obvious he saw you.

In minutes he was sitting across from you at the table, drink in hand, a bemused look at his face.

“Did I catch you smiling at me?” he asked, taking a sip of the amber liquid in his glass.

“Laughing, actually,” you retorted, leaning back and crossing your arms.

Zemo smirked, “You expect me to believe that, dorogoy?”.

“You dance like an old man,” you replied, looking away from him and to the dancefloor.

Surprisingly, Zemo laughed, a genuine one, making you smile a bit.

“Ah,” Zemo pointed to you, “there it is again.”

“Oh, shut up,” you told him, taking a drink from your own glass.

Zemo obliged, but still smiled as he leaned back in his chair.

It was silent between you both, before you spoke again,

“Would you really have protected me from Selby?” you asked, eyeing the man across from you.

“Of course, you had no business with her,” Zemo replied without hesitation.

“Even with my…background?” you asked, referring to your alliance with the Avengers.

The man chuckled, “Like I said, of course, you’ve proven you are much more than what I believed you to be.”

“And that would be?” you questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“I thought you’d be much like your friends, loyal to a fault, but you…you are much more. You know what you want, you know what you’re worth, I admire that,” Zemo told you, and you couldn’t help the blush that crept across your cheeks.

“Um…thank you,” you told him awkwardly.

“You are welcome,” Zemo told you, throwing back the rest of his drink, “now, you owe me a dance.”

You must have looked unsure, because Zemo smiled, standing and offering his hand to you, “I promise to not dance like an old man, as you put it. We must blend in, correct?”.

Sighing, you took his hand, and he led you to the dancefloor, more towards the edge, away from others. He took your hands, moving them so that they rested on his shoulders, and his moved to your waist, pulling you a bit closer.

While the song was fast and loud, you two moved slow, still to the beat, but nothing like the others jumping around you.

“Is this so bad?” Zemo asked, looking down at you.

“I suppose not, but you better be careful, one wrong move and Bucky will make you swallow your teeth,” you joked, making the Baron wince slightly.

“It will be hard not to cross that line with you, I must admit,” Zemo told you casually.

“You can’t fall for the first girl you meet out of prison,” you laughed, but the man in front of you looked serious.

He leaned down so that his face was closer to yours, his lips beside your ear, “How can I not when she is so beautiful?”.

A shiver went down your spine as one of his arms snaked around your waist, pulling you against him, his other hand sliding into yours.

You managed to get out a small laugh, “You’re smooth, I’ll give you that.”

I would fall from grace, just to touch your face.

After some help from Sharon in Madripoor and the imminent death of Dr. Nagel, who was shot by none other than Zemo himself, you were all hiding out in one of Zemo’s houses, this one located in Latvia, where the super soldiers were thought to be.

The sheets beneath you were cool and soft despite the heat radiating from your bare skin. You were laying on your side, watching the rise and fall of the Baron’s chest. He looked peaceful when sleeping, the seemingly permanent frown lines gone from his face.

If someone had told you a few days ago you would have slept with none other than Helmut Zemo, you probably would have punched them in the throat. But laying here beside him, the morning sun streaming through the window, you couldn’t help but smile.

Sam and Bucky had left you to “babysit” Zemo last night and hadn’t come back. If they found you like this, they’d surely kill Zemo, and then you, for “sleeping with the enemy”.

This would be your fall from grace for sure.

The Baron’s eyelids fluttered suddenly, slowly opening, blinking in the morning light. He sighed, blinking a few times before his eyes met yours.

A small smile broke across his face and he reached for you, easily pulling you on top of him, despite your slight protests.

“Shhh, just lay with me printsessa,” Zemo spoke, voice gravely from sleep.

You huffed, resting your head in the crook of his neck, his fingers trailed up and down your spine. He turned his head to plant a kiss on your forehead, making you giggle.

Zemo smiled in turn, resting his head back against the pillows.

It was silent besides the sound of you both breathing, both content to lay there forever, although you both knew it wouldn’t last. None of this would, but that wouldn’t stop you from pretending it would.

“They’re going to come for you, aren’t they?” you asked softly, tracing a scar on Zemo’s chest, more than likely from his years as a Colonel in the Sokovian army.

The Dora Milaje warned Bucky just yesterday they would come for Zemo, and that you would all have no choice but to hand him over.

Zemo sighed, arms wrapping around you, “I suppose…but that does not mean I will be gone forever.”

“You’re going to escape The Raft?” you scoffed, making Zemo chuckle.

“Did Sam not do so?” he asked you, “Do you not believe in me?”.

You smiled and shook your head, “Of course I do…it’s just, they’ll find you, again and again.”

Zemo kissed the top of your head, “I’ll find you lyubov’, every time.”

If you walked away, I’d beg you on my knees to stay.

You gripped onto Zemo’s coat tightly, sobbing.

“Y-You can’t, you can’t go,” you whimpered, tears streaming down your face.

Everyone knew this would happen, you, Zemo, Bucky. You knew the Dora Milaje would come for him, but it was too soon.

You’d ran with him when Bucky and Sam were distracted by John Walker and the Dora Milaje when they’d all arrived at Zemo’s home in Latvia. You two spent an amazing night at another one of his safe houses.

When he brought you to the Sokovia memorial, you knew he was saying goodbye before Bucky even showed.

“I have to,” Zemo told you calmly, gently prying your hands off his coat. You only wrapped your arms around his waist, wishing that if you held him tight enough, he wouldn’t leave.

“Please,” you choked out, “you don’t have to take him.”

You moved to look at the members of the Dora Milaje standing behind Zemo, but you were only met with a cold glare, “He will pay for his crimes,” one of them told you.

Turning your attention back to Zemo, you were met with a man who accepted his fate. You wanted him to fight, to run, but he wouldn’t, you knew that.

Zemo took your face in his hands, pressing a kiss to your lips, when he pulled away he kissed your forehead as well.

“Let me go, Moya lyubov’, I’ll find you,” Zemo told you softly.

You shook your head as Bucky grabbed you from behind, forcing you away from Zemo, holding you tightly against him as you thrashed, hitting his arms, kicking him.

Given he was at least 50 times stronger than yourself, it really wasn’t much of a fight on his end.

You watched helplessly as Zemo nodded to Bucky in thanks, giving you one last look before following the female warriors to their ship and boarding without a fight.

He only let you go when the ship disappeared from sight and you collapsed, the hard ground beneath you hurting your knees as you fell but you didn’t care.

You cried into your hands, your whole body shaking. The one good thing in your life in years and it was gone in seconds, he was gone in seconds.

“Come back,” you rasped out, “please.”

Bucky let you cry until your sobs had died and you’d stopped shaking. He carefully helped you up and away from the memorial.

“It’s better this way,” Bucky tried to reassure you, but you weren’t listening, you could only think of the phone number Zemo had put into your phone the night before. The number that with one call, could maybe get him back.

Oh lord save me, my drug is my baby, I’ll be using for the rest of my life.

Red lights flashed and sirens blared throughout the Raft, signaling a security breach. The lights inside went out and the emergency lights flashed on, illuminating everything in red.

Helmut Zemo sat up on his bed, raising an eyebrow.

Guards ran past the Baron’s cell, armed and ready for whatever, or whoever, had just breached one of the most top security prisons in the world.

The door of Helmut’s cell slid up moments later. Helmut stood, walking hesitantly towards to escape.

A shadow moved in the blinking red lights, walking towards him. Helmut had no weapons, but he’d go down fighting whatever the hell was coming towards him.

But the lights flashed again, illuminating a familiar face. Your hair was tied back, a gun in your grip.

“Dorogoy?” the Baron spoke.

When the lights flashed again you were smiling, running towards him now and when you slammed into him, wrapping your arms around him, Helmut felt his heart skip a beat.

Helmut’s fingers tangled into your hair as he held you tightly, afraid you’d disappear if he let go, still unsure if this was even real.

You buried your face into his shoulder, hugging him even tighter.

“I know what you mean now,” you told him, your voice muffled.

Helmut’s brow furrowed, pulling away from you.

“What?” he asked, making you smile.

“Love, it really does make you crazy,” you replied.

Helmut smiled, shaking his head slightly and pressing a kiss to your lips.

Don’t blame me, love made me crazy. If it doesn’t you ain’t doin’ it right.

#fatws #fatws spoilers #helmut zemo #baron helmut zemo #helmut zemo x you #helmut zemo x reader #daniel brühl #helmut zemo angst #marvel #Bucky Barnes #sam wilson #don't blame me

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a-strange-echo · 30 days

Text

Marvel Masterlist:

You can request stuff here.

-Baron Helmut Zemo:

Flufftober day 2: Friends, family, loved ones

Summary: It's not possible to never think about something as traumatic as the loss of a child, luckily he is not alone anymore.

Flufftober day 3: "Wait you love me?" "I always have."

Helmut Zemo x vigilente!enby!reader

Summary: During a night patrol, reader ran into their old friend Helmut Zemo who then decided to walk them back home. Arriving at their house, he thinks it's a good time to confess his feelings.

Flufftober day 8: Rainy day

Sumary: A comfy rainy day between a couple.

-James "Bucky" Barnes:

Flufftober Day1: "I've got you."

Bucky Barnes x Oc (Spider-sona)

Summary: Bucky and Rigel are on a mission together but he has to relive a traumatic moment of his life to get out of this dangerous situation.

-Steve Rogers:

Flufftober Day 4: Cinderella moment

Pre-Serum!Steve Roger x reader

Summary: When working on fixing a boat on a hot day, Steve can't help but compare himself to Bucky again. Luckily, Y/N is there to remind him what really matters.

Flufftober Day 7: Porch swing

Summary: Just a nice evening with your husband Steve Rogers and his best friend.

-Tony Stark

Coming soon...

-Stucky

Coming soon...

-Sam Wilson

Coming soon...

-Peter Parker

Coming soon...

-Natasha Romanoff

Coming soon...

-Scott Lang

Coming soon...

#fic #marvel #marvel cinematic universe #fanfiction #bucky barnes #steve rogers #natasha romanoff #helmut zemo #peter parker #sam wilson #scott lang #stucky #x reader #original work #reader insert #tony stark

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violetmuses · 10 months

Text

Four Course - Bucky Barnes

TITLE: Four Course - Bucky Barnes (Restaurant AU)

FANDOM: Marvel’s “Falcon and The Winter Soldier”

CHARACTER: James “Bucky” Barnes

MAIN STORYLINE: As Bucky helps a restaurant succeed, you suddenly turn heads.

Author’s Note: Hey! I couldn’t get away from one absolute brainrot. This project is also loosely inspired by “Burnt” and “The Bear.” Feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for reading my work as always. - V. 💜

Main Masterlist

___________

2024

“You’re late, Sam. What the hell?” Clashing dishes and sizzled burners echoed all around while James continued working, already slammed.

“Watch your mouth, I just clocked in. Had to drop AJ and Cass off at school this morning too.” Sam quickly rolls his eyes. “Is Z here yet?”

“Nope.” James immediately praises the ceiling, casted in fluorescent lights that sharpened too much now.

“Thank God.” Sam pings that response, snatching one of many tickets and handing it to one server in record time. “I’m not trying to deal with his attitude yet.”

“Neither am I.” James agrees. The last few years scorched like Hell. Zemo had finally traveled stateside and opened this restaurant.

“Stop complaining. He can smell annoyance blocks away.” Joaquin warns, returning to the kitchen and still giving meal orders.

“Obviously.” James shakes his head, cooking regardless with his bare right hand.

____________

Helmut Zemo would’ve arrived during the first shift, but showing up fashionably late still made a difference in his own mind.

His limousine pulls up towards that familiar curb and one young driver almost runs around New York traffic just to aid that exit.

“Thank you.” Helmut whispers gratitude with accented English, but uses a separate door to enter the restaurant.

*****

“Shit, Come on. Zemo’s coming!” After running outside, Joaquin finds James smoking a cigarette and finally snaps, sending himself into panic.

“Where’s he now?” James stubs out the cigarette and brushes off his uniform, standing up in an effort to calm Joaquin down.

“Kitchen. Get up.” Joaquin continues, no longer messing around.

“I thought he didn't spook you anymore.” James chuckles without humor and still faces Joaquin.

“Zemo doesn’t scare me, but we got a critic today. She’s hiding through our rush at this point.” Joaquin sends out even more alarm bells.

James almost wants to choke him with his leftward metal arm.

“Why didn’t you just say that?” James almost yells out loud, but is smart to walk back inside with Joaquin trailing behind him.

___________

This restaurant leveled out in terms of quality placement, but wasn’t exactly known to be high-end.

Ambitious owner Helmut Zemo founded the location eight years back, fusing Sokovian favorites right alongside other cuisine nowadays.

The official review would be…something. Not that you would bum out this entire place, but everything felt rushed for plating. Each meal balanced onto your table without showing much love.

You wouldn’t fault the cooks, at least not yet.

***

“Is she nice?” Now, Joaquin mentions you, the critic, fighting an urge to cringe. Yet, he still helps out his coworkers. There’s no other choice.

“So far.” Zemo clears his tone, clipping the response.

“Quit chatting, you two. We gotta work and she wants dessert in the next few minutes.” Sam chimes, uniting with James as tickets keep moving in or out of the kitchen.

“Sam?” Zemo arches one leftward brow and crosses his suited arms. James and Joaquin keep working, completely ignoring this quiet square up.

“What? I’m not wrong.” Sam defends himself and silence then falls between both men. Zemo walks off.

“James, come with me.” Zemo instructs. James can’t refuse, following both Zemo and Joaquin out towards the dining room.

_________

“Here you go, Miss.” Smiling, Joaquin greets you once more and ends up gifting scrumptious cheesecake as dessert. “Hope this one makes you feel better.”

“Thank you.” You grin back and chuckle at the moment, looking forward to enjoying this slice.

James and Zemo stand at a fair distance as you turn your fork, cutting down this cake a bit more now.

“Last bite.” After different meals, from appetizers to right here, Zemo whispers, hoping that you won’t actually step away and shut this restaurant down.

Meanwhile, James’s heart races and drops all at once. In truth, he crafted every morsel that you’ve ordered.

“How’s the cake?” Joaquin smiles back at you for the millionth time.

“I need another slice.” You wipe your lips and rave, genuinely surprised.

“Yes, Ma’am.” Joaquin nods, saying farewell as you finish eating the first cake slice alone.

“Zemo?” You acknowledge Helmut at last, gesturing for this man to come closer despite this dinner rush.

“Yes?” Helmut answers quietly, using his typical brand of charm to greet you.

“Who covered my orders?” You question Zemo.

At that moment, James’s blue eyes nearly widened. Still, you look right at him, knowing that he is the main “culprit.”

“Fair enough.” James accepts that comment. You’re standing feet away from him now, privately standing outside and not viewed under Zemo’s watch.

________

“Tonight wasn’t bad,” You tell James. “The main entree that you put out could’ve been a lot better, though.”

“Glad you’re so understanding.” You nod, taking in your sight of an alleyway landscape. Horns blare from nearby traffic.

“Good to see you again.” James clears his throat, slyly referring to the past.

“Call me, Buck.” You lift your cell phone, use his nickname, and wink, heading elsewhere to leave him behind.

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tfatwsiguess · 2 years

Text

Exposed

Berlin, Germany

The next morning, you and Sam followed Bucky through a corridor in the Joint Counterterrorism Center residing in the capital of Germany. It was silent as a guard led you down to the baron, Helmut Zemo's, wing. It felt like you had to bypass a dozen sub levels and guards before you got to the right floor. But your mind wandered elsewhere as you followed through the halfway submersed prison.

You were a little concerned with the stakes of this situation, considering how hard a time Bucky's already had on this mission. Of course, yesterday was rough on all of you. And in more ways than one. But you had thought about it overnight. The way he had been the one to suggest going to talk to this guy despite it being the hardest to deal with for him especially. Whether that was nobility or instability, you were yet to be sure of.

"He is just through this corridor."

"Alright. Give us a minute." Buck nodded to the man in uniform before he left you all with a sub level clearance pass to get into the cell, then turned back to you both. "I'm gonna go in alone."

"What? Why?" Sam immediately questioned, while your eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Because he didn't know you," he turned from you to Sam, "and you're an Avenger."

"And you're a super soldier."

"Yeah, but he might be more inclined to help if it's only me."

"Why? 'Cause he used you as his weapon the last time you two met? Ya aren't exactly known for frolicking in the sun together."

"He was obsessed with Hydra. We have a history together." His blue crystalline eyes flicker between you and Sam as he tries to reassure. "Trust me. I got it."

To your right, Sam's head shook doubtfully. "He's gonna try to get in your head."

"Yeah, well, he can't do that anymore."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant."

Sam sighed, but you observed the soldier as they talked. Noticing his taut shoulders and gnawed lips and baggy eyes. You kept waiting, expecting to see any sign that too much of his past was being drenched up all at once in talking to this man. That it would become too difficult for him to handle. But he only ever responded with his insistence. So when he turned to you, you nodded firmly. "We'll wait out here."

His stare held with yours for a moment, still never giving away a single transparent thought to you that he didn't want to. He nodded gruffly before carrying himself through the corridor's doorway.

"Sam, with or without us, are you sure Bucky talking to Zemo at all is a good idea?" You finally asked, leaning your back against the opposite wall once Barnes was out of sight. "He's been kind of on edge..."

"That's his natural state." He responded shortly, arms crossed and eyes staring off distractedly as his back rested against the wall across you. When your eyebrow raised and he caught your gaze, he gave in. "He's still upset over the shield."

"Is that what happened with your couple's therapy yesterday? He brought up the shield?"

"Joint therapy... And, along with other things, yeah." Your head bobbed in confirmation, lips sealing. "What, you're not gonna ask about it?"

"Not if you don't want to talk about it..." you reasoned, stare lingering on him as he reflected your silent gaze right back. A grin tugged at the side of your lips. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Only if you're on my side," he cracked a smile.

Yours grew, and before you knew it you were beaming back at him. "Well of course I'm on your side, Samuel."

"Really?"

"Against the government jerks who gave away the shield, yeah. But I'm not against Bucky." You clarified.

His face fell into pouty disappointment. "Oh."

With a light chuckle, you straightened up from the wall. "I'm sure you made the choice that felt best for you. I'm just saying that with Bucky... I get it too. Fork what I know it's important to him for different reasons, ya know? You're both at different mercies with that thing."

"You think I shouldn't have given it up either, right?" Both his eyebrows raised, expectantly waiting for what everyone else has said, or, avoided saying to him out loud.

"Don't you?"

"Of course I do. But I certainly didn't think they'd turn around the next day and hand it to someone else either." Disappointment etched into his features. "I guess I should've seen that coming."

You shook your head at seeing his self scrutiny, all because of those lying government asshats. "Honestly, if the shield had stayed retired in the exhibit like you wanted, things wouldn't be as bad. But since those assholes lied to you just to give it to the next Steve-Rogers-look-alike, it's different. I mean I don't really know about this Walker guy."

"You're not the only one." Sam sent you a look, in accordance with you. He straightened away from the glaringly white wall. "Look, you can bet I wouldn't have given it up if I had known the GRC was gonna try to remake a new old Captain America. But I didn't, and it's done now. There's no point in bellyaching over it anymore."

He was confident as he said it, but it was still there. The subtle ache of resignation on his face. And you knew it wasn't yourself he wanted these words directed at.

"... I'm sorry." You said genuinely. And judging by the look on his face you guessed he hadn't received a lot of sympathy on the topic. "It's wrong. They shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that."

"Thank you... I can't really expect the tin can to understand that."

You smile a little, but shake your head. "Well all the robot jokes don't really help."

"It's how we communicate." A devious grin finally tugs at the corner of his mouth. "I just don't understand why he's making such a big deal out of something that has nothing to do with him."

"Is that what you said to him? Well no wonder he hates you!"

"There it is. I knew you were on his side."

"No, I just mean," you couldn't help the laugh that escaped. "I know he's giving you a hard time about your decision, even if it's not fair. But... look, if Steve was his best friend I get why it's so important. He's lost a lot. Including the last person he considered family. The one person he knew in this world." You thought back to what you realized the day you heard the news of Bucky's lost connection, shortly before his being pardoned. "He's just getting back to the modern world, which he doesn't know anything about. And clearly he's still adjusting. Even more than the rest of us. The shield is like, the one thing he has left that's familiar... I can understand that."

Sammy shifted again, those eyebrows scrunching in consideration of your point. "... You sure know how you feel after just meeting the guy."

Your eyes flick up to him, realizing how deep in thought you were over the circumstance. "... I listen and assess more than I talk." You shrug with a loose smile. "It's important skill."

He nodded slowly, taking in your input. "... How long did it take for you?" Sam knew bits of your past. Like your life without parents, emancipation, and entry into agent work, and that's about it. That's how you knew exactly what he was asking. "To adjust, after everything that happened in your past?"

You immediately thought back to mere months after you were reinstated in school as a teenager, around the same time Uncle Nick got you your own apartment and worked out your official emancipation. It took that long to even start to get back into a rhythm.

"Hm... I think the middle of high school was the only time in my life when almost everything felt normal, and mundane. Other than that it's kind of all chaos but, since then it's not so bad."

"It must've been hard, being on your own that young."

"Well, taking care of myself wasn't the hard part." The hard part was actually the constant paranoia for years to come, but you weren't going to say that. "After everything I kinda liked being alone. Having my own space to process. But, after all the years of solitude now I don't find others' company so bad." A smile comes to your face as you look across at Sam, his expressions mirroring the same back at you. "But, I still had help getting readjusted, and it made every bit of difference." Two faces came to mind. The ones who were such a big reason for you having the freedom you have today. It'd been too long since you'd seen them. "The point is, as much as people try to isolate themselves, you really can't get through the hard times without someone there to help you. Some kind of support. But isn't that exactly what Bucky's trying to do?"

Sam blinked.

Out of all the soldiers feeling out of place he's worked with, he hadn't stopped to think about Bucky's new life now. Not between all the chaos going on in his own life.

Before he had reached out to him, knowing that between Stark's funeral and saying goodbye to Steve, he was processing a lot. Otherwise, Sam had Sarah and the kids to worry about, to work out his own financials and personal post-blip reinstatement business to tend to. It was relentless work, but he realized how much easier it was for him, as someone who's already lived through today's world.

Maybe it was just harder to understand that with someone he had didn't have the best personal relationship with.

The silence that stretched as Sam was caught in his own head made you think about the weight of the topics and memories brought up.

"Yeah. That was a lot to bring up at 10 AM."

"Well don't try to take it back now," he teased with a tug at his lips, but you could see the thoughts spinning behind his eyes. You grinned before pointing a look at him, tilting your head. "Okay, maybe you have a point."

"Oh maybe I have a point?" You repeated, nodding.

"Alright, alright. Suddenly you're the counselor and I feel like the kid."

You chuckle and shake your head.

After that, it wasn't much longer before an alarm went off all around the compound. Red flashing lights blinked out of nowhere and sent the facility into high alert. You stepped away from wall, shooting a concerned look to Sam. Before either of you could bolt to the door Bucky had gone through, he reappeared out of it and headed down the corridor past you two, not stopping.

"We should get going!"

"Wha– how'd it go?" You asked. "What did he say?"

"Not here."

"You have any idea what's going on with these alarms?" Sam followed behind quickly, some accusation lacing his tone. "Maybe anything to do with our little visit?"

That question, Bucky never answered. Between the blaring sirens and his reluctance to say anything yet, neither of you asked anything else until you took an elevator up and finally exited the blaring compound.

"Bucky, stop." Sam finally stopped your group outside the door, an emergency exit that you probably weren't supposed to use rather than checking out with security at the main entrance; especially while the prison was going on lockdown. Turned out that visitor's card permitted a lot. "What happened?"

"Zemo said he knew where to start." He said vaguely, making you wait. "He wouldn't give me anything else."

Sam's head shook. "That's all you could get?"

"At the time," he answered, then continued down the valley towards the street.

You followed along again, squinting at the back of his head. "What do you mean 'at the time'?"

"We need to break Zemo out."

"Bucky, where the hell are we?" Sam demanded as you all made your way through an empty, darkened building.

It seemed like you had been walking for forever between small buildings and back alleys without getting answers. Until Bucky led you inside a small building that was too dark to see inside.

"And do you wanna explain what you mean by 'break Zemo out'?"

Sam had immediately done a double take and proceeded to harass Bucky with a string of questions like if he had lost his mind or if Zemo had, in fact, brainwashed him again during the brief time he was in there. You may have partially gotten through to him about Bucky, but clearly it wouldn't stop him from holding back now.

"We don't have any leads, any moves, anything."

"Well we got one of the most dangerous men in the world behind bars."

"And we also have eight super soldiers on the loose." Barnes rebutted, reaching some box you could barely make out on a pole in the middle of the floor.

"Look, Zemo's gonna mess with our minds, especially yours." Sam stressed, to which you nudged him for. "No offense."

Bucky turned a lever, finally illuminating the place. A car repair garage of all places. "Offense. Super soldiers go against everything he believes in. He may be crazy, but he still has a code."

"And I've been on the wrong side of that code. So have you! He blew up the UN meeting, killed King T'Chaka and framed you for it." Buck paced back over to you, clearly getting annoyed at all the chatter. "If word gets out that he's escaped who knows who's gonna come lookin' for him? Who knows what he'd do if he finds out Alex has her own powers?"

"What, you think he's gonna get trigger happy over a retractable glow stick?" Buck snapped irritably, to which your head tilts defensively at him. "Sorry– that frustration was at the wrong person..." He retracted, sending Sam a look before turning back again and switching up more lights.

"Look," Sam takes a breath, taking his time down a few noticed. "I get why this matters to you so much, but it's pushing you off the deep end."

"We don't know how they're getting the serum." Barnes counters easily. You watched him in the stretching silence as he so ambitiously argued for this case. "We don't even know how many of them there are right now."

Sam shook his head at the 100-year-old, turning away when he had no another attempts.

"You're really willing to risk it? After everything?" He looked to you, as it was the first you spoke in the matter while they argued. By now you were used to getting past the bickering to get to the rationalizations. That and, you were at a disadvantage when it came to comparable knowledge about this guy. "It is a big risk to let him out. Could we even keep him under control?"

"I know he's dangerous. But his speciality is mind games, and other than that, he's just another guy with basic training. He only becomes dangerous if we let him." You hear Sam scoff, and Bucky looks back to him. "Between the two of us and our secret weapon, it won't be a problem."

Sam laughs when Bucky gestures to you. "Oh, from glow stick to secret weapon, huh?"

"Okay– can we all stop saying glow stick?" You groan.

"Look, can I just walk you guys through a hypothetical? Let me walk you through it–"

"A hypothetical." Your eyebrow couldn't help but inch up doubtfully.

Sam turned back to him slowly. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything." He gave an unconvincing shrug.

None of you said anything, the awkwardest pause stretching after the blatant lie. You took a breath and went for it. "And, what is this hypothetical?"

"How to Break Someone Out of Jail 101."

"We're not breaking Zemo out! It's never gonna go the way you plan."

"Just let me break it down, okay? The weakest point in any system isn't the software, or the hardware. It's the meatware. The human element." He begins, voice gliding over the premise like butter. "In their lockup, it's nine to one, prisoners to guards. And if two prisoners start fighting, then the protocol says four guards have to respond."

"So why would two prisoners randomly start fighting at that moment?" Sam questioned before you could ask how he even knew these details from a single walk through the compound.

"Who knows? This place detains some of the most high level threat terrorists in the world. There could be many reasons. But the point is, things escalate. Lockdown procedures would have to be initiated, and with all those bodies flying around left and right, it wouldn't be hard to slip down a hallway or two." He continued, making a jailbreak from such a high security terrorism prison sound so effortless. "And if the fire alarm got tripped while the prisoners were being separated, they'd have to let the prisoners out to be accounted for. Someone could easily use the chaos to their advantage."

The beginning of the plan sounded well formulated enough, you couldn't deny; but it didn't seem like the first time he'd walked someone through it either. And getting Zemo out, in the "hypothetical" would only be one of the many problems that came with it. At this point, it was clear to both of you that he was up to something.

"I don't like how causal he's being about this..." You mumble.

"It's unnatural," Sam concurred. "What did you–" He cut himself off, finally looking around in frustration at the odd choice of location. "Where the hell are we, man?"

Just then, a door opened. You all looked towards the end of the room, where a silhouette moved behind an opaque tarp. A man in what looked to be a captain's hat walked closer, but from the other side what actually came was a familiar looking figure in a prison guard's uniform.

Your eyes narrowed as the man drew nearer in the dim lighting. "Did you actually..."

Your half-question was answered when you heard Sam utter, "Whoa."

You looked over the man standing before you in the flesh, a ways away from his cell. "Oh crap..."

"Whoa whoa whoa– What are you doing here?!" Wilson marched towards the newcomer, and Bucky was already holding him back.

"Well. That whole conversation was pointless." You stared at the man, and it was clear who he was. You never even had to dig him out of Bucky's past. The guy was all over the news right after Bucky was, when the police cleared his name and revealed Zemo as the murderer who framed the poor guy.

Wow, you thought to yourself, two highly acclaimed criminals in two days. Can't wait to slap this on my resume.

"Hold on, look! I didn't wanna tell you 'cause I knew you wouldn't let this happen..."

"What did you do?!"

"We need him, Sam–"

He didn't listen, throwing a finger to the Sokovian. "You're going back to jail!"

"Listen, Sam!"

The blond man raised his hand. "If I may–"

"NO!" Both barked at him, causing his mouth to clamp, and he nodded understandably. "Apologies..."

Bucky turned to Sam once he was finally calm enough to listen."When Steve refused to sign the Sokovia accords, you backed him. You broke the law and stuck your neck out for me. I'm asking you to do that again." His voice was low and gravelly as he really tried to level with Sam for the first time. You knew this was probably the closest he'd get to begging.

Although the speech wasn't even directed to you, and clearly there were no other choices anyway, it was hard enough to say no to that. You could see it on Sam's face too, but he still seemed well against the idea of working with Zemo. "... Okay. Ya know what? I think Alex should decide."

"Great idea." Bucky slid his hands off of his shoulders once he was certain Sam wouldn't lunge at the escapee, and both turned to you.

You sighed when their gazes set upon you, sensing a pattern. "Seriously?"

"You're the most reasonable between the three of us." Buck gestured between the two of them, then glanced back to Zemo, who was already sizing you up. "Your call."

Yep. There was definitely a pattern going.

You thought more over the new situation at hand. On the nay side, it's not like if you decided against this Zemo would ever let you take him back to prison so soon. Especially with the chance to take down a group of new age super soldiers. And even if you did, Bucky would be in serious trouble with some higher ups after bringing him right back. If he's not already, that is... Which reminded you how much he's risking with his pardon, too, by doing all of this. Those two points alone were enough for you to conclude that Bucky was either out of his mind, or just as desperate as Sam says to figure out this whole super soldier mess.

Above all else, it was clear you had no other choice now. Barnes knew exactly what he was doing letting this guy out before saying anything about it.

You took a breath and turned to Sam, knowing he wouldn't be happy. "He's already out..."

"What?" He groans in disbelief the same time Barnes throws his hands up, shouting, "Thank you!" Gesturing towards you with a glare to Sam, who clearly only suggested your decision under the impression that you would side with him.

"Are you serious?"

"I mean, he just got out we can't take him back now. And it's not like he's hurt anyone!" You immediately turned from Sam to the baron with deadly seriousness. "You haven't hurt anyone right?

"None other than the guard I took out to acquire this uniform."

"... You mean knocked out."

"Yes, of course." He amended through his thick accent, no hesitance.

"And then there was the walk over here where no one kept an eye on him–" Sam pointed out.

"I really think I'm invaluable."

"Shut up." Wilson silenced him again, rubbing his temple. "Okay... if we do this, you don't make a move without our permission."

"Fair." The stranger agreed, a little too reasonably than what felt right for you. You all shared a look, on your toes.

"Okay, Zemo... where do we start?"

Life sure was exciting in your line of work. One second this was only gonna be a duo mission with Sam, and the next second it turned to a trio with the infamous Winter Soldier himself. Someone who nearly killed you and sent you into hiding for years. And now, you're working with a real jail-breaking murderous criminal. Bucky surely caught you off guard with this decision.

You were at another garage now. Zemo's car garage with a ridiculous amount of vehicles for any one person or family to possess. The soldier and falcon didn't seem too worried about the baron digging around in his cars for minutes on end, but you kept a close eye on him as he was packing, even as he leaned out of eyesight into his car. You were the only agent here who hadn't interacted with Zemo firsthand before, and the disadvantage made you extra cautious. You made your choice, but knew Sam was so against it for a reason.

You saw his hand linger on some weird looking rubber mask, and you watched him take it, shoving it into his bag a little too quickly for something that should be harmless. Oh yeah. Dude's up to something.

As he packed and explained his search methods, you could see sneaky running through his veins; in his eyes and in his accent. You didn't have to watch the news coverage to know, it was an intuitive feeling you sensed in abundance. You were good at working with what you knew, even if it wasn't much. Your instincts weren't gonna let him out of sight, even to pack a post-jailbreak bag.

"I've ended The Winter Soldier program before. I have no intention of leaving that work unfinished. To do this we'll have to scale a ladder of low lives."

"How ironic," you mumble.

"First stop is a woman named Selby. Middle level on the ladder, we climb up from there."

"How long is this gonna take?" You asked as you three followed him out.

"The jet ride should be less than a day," he responded, only raising a second question instead of answering the first.

"Where are we going," Buck specified for you.

"Madripoor."

He seemed unimpressed. "Of course we are."

"Never heard of it."

It seemed Sam hadn't either, judging by his expression of thought when you looked over. "Unbelievable..." You hear him utter, then look over to see the sleek private jet awaiting outside. "You've been rich this whole time?"

"I am a baron, Sam. My family was royalty until your friends destroyed my country."

While that was a big piece of the puzzle for Zemo, it didn't explain how all this luxury was still here while he was being imprisoned. Like it was all just waiting for him to return.

Zemo took his seat across from you once on the jet, and Bucky to your right, Sam adjacent. The baron mutters something to the flight attendant in Sokovian, nodding to the boys, then glancing his eyes to you for a moment.

The white-haired geezer let out a laugh. That old man chuckle made it sound like he was close enough to Bucky's age. "Good to have you back, sir!" You rolled your eyes as he turned to hobble back to the front.

"He sounds like he's on the verge of death," you remarked in skepticism.

"Be kind. Oeznik is sensitive about his age and I insist on keeping my staff happy." He smiled diplomatically to you, as he pulled out his book titled 'Machiavelli' from his bag. The hint of smirk on his face made you feel like a cold hand was reaching up and tickling your spine.

"Why don't you tell us about where we're going?" Sam diverted, but Helmut waited before responding, eyes moving across a line of words.

"... I'm sorry. I was fascinated by this book." He was looking down at the pages, but pulling something else out from between the folds. Small and black from what you could see. "I'm not sure what to call it, but, this part seems important. Who is Nakajima?"

Bucky leapt out of his chair and had his metal hand around Zemo's throat in an instant. No one else even had a chance to move before the little journal was back in his other hand. "Touch this again and I'll kill you." He promised in a whisper, looking him in the eyes.

Zemo was stiff, but nodded. It was the first, and will probably be the only time you had seen him taken off guard. You wouldn't know what the significance of that journal is, but you knew Zemo should've been expecting such a reaction when he brought it up in such a slimy way.

The little book Bucky held nearly folded in his his tight grasp, causing your eyebrows to crease in peaked curiosity. Your eyes flickered from Bucky to Zemo as he released his hold, and sat back down with the notebook protectively in hand. Less than a minute on the plane and it seemed this master of mind games was already making it a priority to mess with his former victim.

Sam sat back once hands were no longer around throats, but Zemo kept going.

"I'm sorry. I understand, it's a list of names of people you've hurt as The Winter Soldier?"

At that revelation, you couldn't help but glance over to Bucky; to the book. Both your eyes caught one another's for a moment before you averted your gaze, and he looked out the window. "Don't push it."

"I recognize that journal. Steve used it when he came outta the ice." A smile came to Sam's face as he glanced at you, then back to Buck. "I told him about Trouble Man. He wrote it in there. Did ya listen to it? What'd ya think?"

"I like 40's music so."

You felt a ghost of smile trace your lips at the response. In an entirely new time he still managed to be an old soul. You looked to Sam, expecting a reaction.

"You didn't like it?"

"I liked it," he shrugged defensively.

"Oh but you didn't love it though..." He questioned, tone accusatory.

"Sam." You warned on Bucky's behalf as your grin spread, because you could tell how he was about to get.

"It is a masterpiece, James." Zemo weighed in. "Complete, comprehensive. The soundtrack truly captures the African-American experience."

Not completely aware, you shot him a look, but Sam was the first to speak.

"Wha– Okay, he's outta line, but, he's right. It's great... Alex tell him, didn't you love watching it?"

"Huh?"

"The movie, the soundtrack, didn't you love it?"

"... It's– it’s a movie?" You blinked.

And as deep disappointment bled into The Falcon's face all over again, you knew you said wrong thing. "Oh, my God."

"Uh oh," Zemo singsonged in a baritone voice, and didn't miss the narrowing glance he got from you.

"So you haven't heard it either."

"Well, no– not that particular Marvin Gaye album. The way you talked about it I thought you were only talking about songs."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing!" He shakes his head, looking up to the heavens.

"You forget she is much younger than you, Samuel."

"Now hold on, I wouldn't say 'much'–"

"You're making this as weird as you possibly can, aren't you?" You smiled thinly at the commenter.

"This isn't the point. Everybody loves Marvin Gaye!" Sam redirected, looking between the two of his partners.

"I like Marvin Gaye." Bucky countered, hardly fazed.

"Steve adored Marvin Gaye!"

"Sam, come on–"

"Nah I'll deal with you later," he shut you down before going right back to the irritated soldier cross from him. "My question is, how could you not love the soulful stylings of The Prince of Soul himself?"

You laugh incredulously as he went off on his tangent. Bucky just looked over at you instead of dignifying him with an answer. "I think we're in trouble."

"Yup. Should not have said that." You and Buck turn back to him simultaneously, and you whisper to Sam, "Am I uninvited to the cookout?"

Bucky cracked a smile, but Sam wasn't amused. Though he digressed while you laughed.

"You must have really looked up to Steven... But I realized something when I met him." The air became heavier as Zemo began. "The danger with people like him, America's super soldiers, is that we put them on pedestals–"

"Watch your step, Zemo."

"They become symbols. Icons. And then we start to forget about their flaws. From there, cities fly. Innocent people die... Wars are fought."

You cocked your head to the side at his dramatic speech. "I'm sorry, didn't you blow up a peaceful UN meeting? In fact, the very one that was meant to prevent stuff like what you just said from happening?"

"That particular sacrifice was not my finest moment." He conceded a little too casually. "Though I have no failures or regrets on the subject, I was still very much in grief."

"Oh! I didn't realize you were in grief." You stared at him blankly, deadpan. "Silly me."

"My point being, when there are idols, there is always a butterfly effect." His gaze zeroed in on the WWII veteran, who was tense again in his seat. "You know that, don't you? As a young soldier being sent to Germany to stop a madman? The question is, do we want to live in a world filled with people like The Red Skull? Certainly not. That is why we are going to Madripoor."

"Great. So what's up with Madripoor?" You ask, wanting to segue out of his sermon.

"Yeah, you guys talk about it like it's Skull Island."

"It's a place where pirates settled in the Indonesian archipelago in the 1800's," Bucky spoke up, his voice low and thick again, gaze still averted out the window.

"It has maintained its lawless ways since then. Think of it as a criminal safe haven where we can find the answers we need about the serum. But, we still cannot walk in there as ourselves."

Sam eyes the blond, just as the jet starts to take off. "So what are you thinking?"

"We go undercover of course. I know a place where we can get what is needed for your fake identities."

Madripoor, Indonesia. It was definitely beautiful from a distance, but you could imagine the facade of perfection chipping away the closer you four walked down the bridge. And your suspicions were only supported by the acidic smell.

Zemo practically gave you and Sam extreme makeovers. At least, yours were more extreme than his and Bucky's. Colorful accessories were added into your hair and around your ears and neck. Zemo insisted it would complete the cultural look.

You switched out your pants, top and jacket for... well, he practically got you the same semi-tactical fit you were wearing before, but much... brighter. And with many more patterns. It seemed he was going for a more African mixed with western fashion look that Sam was also sporting. Cultured but still modern, some of your prints matching with his suit. But luckily you didn't stand out as much as he did. It wasn't exactly subtle like you were used to, but strangely enough, you kinda liked it. For your undercover character anyway.

You couldn't help smiling to yourself as Sam fiddled with his colorful suit. "We gotta do something about this, I'm the only one who looks like a pimp!"

"Only an American would assume a fashion forward black man is a pimp."

"Nah. That suit, all the patterns and designs? Straight up pimp." You scoffed in amusement, tinged with some annoyance. "That was outta pocket by the way. Points for saying 'black' this time though."

"He looks exactly like who he's supposed to," Helmut digressed. "An African rake. Very charming, sophisticated."

"Well that's great. Ya know I've been working on my Wakandan accent lately," the pimp griped sarcastically.

"Ya know there are other African countries besides Wakanda, right?" Bucky remarked.

"I know you didn't just ask me that."

"Do not worry, he was raised here most of his life but has been traveling the globe for years now." Zemo cut back in, and handed Sam a phone with the picture pulled up. "His name is Conrad Mack, a.k.a., The Smiling Tiger. No accent required."

You looked down at your tiger print protective jacket. "Is that what's up with all these loud animal prints?"

"You need to look associated with him. You will be his body guard. He never travels here without one."

Sam looks to Bucky, who simply traded his hoody and jacket for a black leather one with a protective vest over it. "Why's he get to look normal?"

There was the slightest of teasing in Zemo's voice as he answered. "James will have to become someone he claims is gone."

His amusement was clear in his face, same with Bucky's apprehension. You shook your head, wondering if he was ever going to let up on the guy, especially considering he's the reason Zemo was even seeing daylight. You quickly changed subject before the psycho could do a deep dive into Bucky's past opportunities to use as method acting.

"What about you?" Your criminal had changed into what you had to admit was a nice ass coat. He certainly looked at home in it.

"I have an old contact to reconnect with. James will be my protection." A car comes up the otherwise empty, lit up bridge. "No matter what happens, we have to stay in character. There is no margin for error; our lives depend on it."

No one said anything else, but there was no doubt everyone was on their guard. You figured it should be easy enough for you, as a faceless bodyguard. They're more seen and not heard, and it would give you the opportunity to be extra cautious of your surroundings without seeming suspicious.

The car drives into town, six motorcyclists surrounding the car closely as it entered the city. It followed the sound of music and chattering dwellers until you finally got to your drop point. And Zemo was right, you all truly fit right in. Your cover would've been blown the second you walked in, had everyone been wearing their American sneakers and hoodies.

You couldn't help noticing all the different things going on: exchanges of unfamiliar currency, exotic animals, traffic flow in and out of bars. Ominous spray paintings about some 'power broker' all over every other brick wall, people standing around with full on rifles flashed about like it either was their life insurance or merely a fashion accessory. But you didn't stare or make eye contact with anyone as you all walked through, maintaining a stone face. You were here on business after all.

"Wasn't expecting you, Smiling Tiger."

You stood adjacent to Sam at the bar, letting yourself look over the room now. Brass knuckles on fingers, and guns in raggedy holsters. It was a room full of paranoids. The bartender was no exception.

"His plans changed. We have business with Selby." Zemo answered for him.

With a nod, the bartender turned back to your boss. "The usual?"

With his best pimp face, presumably, Sam gave a silent nod. You tried with everything in you not to make a face of disgust or laughter as Sam stared at his snake-gut tainted drink.

"Ah, yes. Your favorite, Smiling Tiger."

"Mm... I love these..." He stalled, staring at the shot glass in hand. He hesitated a little too long, but eventually downed it in one swift motion, barely maintaining character as his face twisted. You didn't miss the satisfied nod from Bucky either, and had to restrain your lips from tugging up.

As the bartender tended to other patrons, you watch as a bearded man walks through the crowd, up to Zemo. "Got word from on high. The Power Broker don't welcome you here. None of you."

"We have no business with The Power Broker. But if he insists, he can either come and talk to me..." At this, Zemo gestures to his own guard.

"Get a new haircut?" The thug sneered, to which the soldier only remained stoic faced, like a blank slate. If you hadn't just spent the last day with him, observing him, the hint of uneasiness coming through his eyes might've been invisible to you.

"Or, you can take us to Selby for a chat."

He must've not known what to do with that response, between being challenged with The Winter Soldier, and following his boss' orders. Cleverly, he walked away. For now.

You eyed the group he retreated to, seemingly all interested in the infamous celebrity brought along with the baron. "What was that about?" You muttered, voice low.

"Seriously." Buck added, eyes shifting about. "A power broker? Really?"

"Every kingdom needs its king. Let's just pray we stay off of his radar."

"You know him?" Sam leaned on the bar, trying to look comfortable, but even as you continue sizing up room while tuning into the convo, you noticed the taste in his mouth still making him grimace.

"No. Only by reputation. Here he is judge, jury, and executioner.

Another man, bigger than first one sent, made his way over towards the group now. You turned from the bar to face him, but Zemo turned his back to him, and muttered something in German to the super soldier at his side. By the look on Barnes' face directed at Zemo, you could something unpleasant was about to go down. Zemo didn't make a move as Thug Number Two grabbed his well-clothed shoulder.

That poor hand was hardly even full grip before Bucky twisted it into his hold and walked the man away from the bar. He moved out to the open floor as the guy squirmed in pain. People began onlooking, but Barnes was looking back to Zemo with a glare of masked reluctance. Like he was about to do something he'd regret.

Your eyebrows raise slightly as the tension became palpable with that single gaze, before the beat down could even begin. And you watched, captivated as he took the man down in a single motion, like it was as effortless as snapping a toothpick. More of this Power Broker's followers foolishly came after him, and your first instinct was to step in, but Barnes didn't give any of them a second to breathe. The way he blocked every blow and returned it tenfold, sending men flying back, was somehow so undeniably smooth.

Maybe it shouldn't have been the spectacle it was to you, but when you saw him before he wasn't fighting. Just blew up the car you were in. And you could tell even during the truck top fight he was holding back. Now, he had plenty of motivation not to. And it was way too mesmerizing not to stare as he let loose. Even with the level of skill he brought to a bar fight with a bunch of low life thugs, it was like he was freaking indestructible.

Men kept coming from every angle. The former assassin swiftly kicked a table leg off its side, sending another to the floor, and kicked one other guy from behind him far back into the crowd without even looking in his direction.

"Damn," you whispered beneath your breath.

Onlookers emitted ooh's of secondhand pain as they watched the fight, if you could call it that. Some people were recording, and for a moment you worried of the risk of word getting out that The Winter Soldier is back.

"Didn't take long for him to fall into form," Zemo smiled from aside Sam, whose concerned face morphed into a glare. But you didn't even register as you watched Bucky take six men down so effortlessly in one spot, in a span of thirty seconds, no sweat. You had become captivated, even though violence wasn't something you were typically drawn to like this... He was certainly impressive when he did it.

Your focus only came back when Bucky singlehandedly picked up the first man from off the floor by the neck, marched back to bar and slammed his back on the tabletop. He was held down in a merciless chokehold, unmoving. That's when everyone decided to square up with their guns. Clearly this Power Broker had a lot of loyalists.

You stepped forward in front of Sam, fingers twitching and ready to catch some bullets if need be. Sam placed a hand on Buck's arm, but it was unclear whether it was for the gangster's sake, or Bucky's.

"Stay in character or the whole bar turns on us," Zemo whispers quickly, as if every gun in the place wasn't already trained on you. Sam slowly stepped back, but you ignored him as your eyes scraped over every gun in the crowd. Your palm tingled, already feeling out the mass of weaponized metal in the room. Maybe The Smiling Tiger's bodyguard didn't have metal-bending superpowers, but you weren't about to let a wall of bullets take this team down.

Zemo's hand slapped proudly onto Bucky's back. "Gut erledigt, soldat."

You heard a desperate gasping for air, but Barnes doesn't let the man go until the bartender looks at him with wide eyes. "Selby will see you now..."

Metal plates moved as Bucky released, and the henchman finally fell to your feet, coughing and gasping. When you looked up, the shifting features on Bucky's face coiled a knot in your stomach. Before it had been scrunched in deadly focus; intense and menacing. Now, there was shame and mortification. Like he had just woken up from a nightmare. It all happened so fast, and as the adrenaline wore off, you could see he wasn't ready to see what it felt like to step back into that role again.

"Thank you." Zemo smiled, following behind, taking no notice of what he had so much fun bringing about.

But Sam only watched the man who was breathing heavily with wide eyes. "You good?"

He looked to Sam, snapping out of his trance. His mouth shut, masking his true expression again. With a quick nod, and a sniff almost too subtle to miss, he marched after the baron. It did nothing to curve his overwhelming emotions, nor your desire to make sure he would be okay. But you only moved once Sam followed him too, and they all walked out unharmed.

"You should know, Baron. People don't just come into my bar and make demands." A blonde woman was draped along a couch when you walked in. "I thought you were rotting away in a German prison. How did you escape?"

"People like us always find a way, don't we?" Zemo makes himself comfortable across from her. Bucky stays by his side while you follow "Conrad" across the room. "I'm sure you've already figured out what I'm here for."

"You're taller than I'd heard, Smiling Tiger." She waves a finger towards where you and Samuel settle above them. Again, Sam only gives a curt nod, causing her to emit some sort of flirtatious growl. Satisfaction sets in her face upon seeing yours and Sam's disturbed expressions. "What's the offer?"

"Tell us what you know about the super-soldier serum..." Zemo arises from his chair, striding towards James. "And I give you him."

Your jaw tightened shut. He was already at it again, and that shit-eating smile on his lips forced you to resist the urge to roll your eyes. Who cares if it was strategy at this point, he was clearly enjoying the opportunity to torture Bucky while he had no choice but to be unresponsive.

"Along with the code words to control him, of course." He rasped, circling the offering. Personal space was of no concern as his gloved fingers cupped the soldier's taut face, as if he were a prized weapon to auction off. "He will do anything you want."

You couldn't explain the bubble of anger that ignited wildly in your stomach. Your fists clenched in your stance when you saw Bucky's embarrassment slipping through, and Zemo eating up every bit of it. You had no idea where it came from, but you had to resist your sudden urge to cross the room and choke out that shit-faced psychopath while he gripped Bucky's chin, for inflicting and relishing in this so much.

"Now that's the Zemo I remember. I'm glad I decided not to kill you immediately. Yeah, you were right to come to me." Satisfied when Selby's eyes rake over the soldier, Zemo leaves Bucky alone, sitting back down in comfort as if he hasn't just offered to trade a person for information.

The woman couldn't tell, but it was clear enough to you the distress all over Bucky's face of having to stomach that as if he weren't completely aware of it.

"The super-soldier serum is here in Madripoor. Dr. Wilfred Nagel is the man you wanna thank. Or... condemn, depending on what side of this you're on. The Power Broker had him working on the serum, but... things didn't go as planned."

"Is Nagel still in Madripoor?"

"Ah ah, Baron. The breadcrumbs you can have for free. The whole bakery's gonna cost ya. And before you get all cute, don't think for a second you can find Nagel without me."

The sound of a vibration stopped the conversation. Everyone's eyes shoot over to Sam's pocket. You didn't move. He grabbed the phone and glanced at Selby, looking like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Everything in your mind just screamed at him to play it off better than he was now. It felt like you were looking at a little Sam from thirty years ago being berated by his mother.

You heard boots click and felt Selby moving closer to where you and Sam stood. You turned to see her stop beside you, and Bucky who was quietly following over behind her, ready to act.

You actually decided to remain calm, unlike Sam, since a phone call in itself wasn't anything to be suspicious of. But the way this lady moved about with wolfish eyes still kept your defensive sights set on her. A phone call was normal, and as his bodyguard used to being at his side, you had to play it off better than he was doing now, while still staying ready at his side.

"Answer it. On speaker." She gestures toward the guard behind the two of you who stood ready with a gun in his hands. When he moved closer and readied his finger over the trigger, you turned to him before he got any closer to Sam, daring him to make a move. He looked over your smaller form and didn't seem the least bit threatened at all.

"Hello?"

"Hey, um, we need to talk about the situation. It's been driving me nuts."

"What situation are you talking about exactly?"

"... Are you high? You know what situation, it's the only situation you and I have."

Oh. Must be his sister.

"What situation, Sarah? Say it!"

"The damn boat! And watch your tone. I may have let you slide at the bank but–"

"Huh, yeah the bank. Laundered so much money," he laughed obnoxiously, and you wanted so badly to facepalm. Oh God, Sam. "They'll come around."

"If that was the case then why'd they dog you out, big time?"

"Damn right I'm big time." He boasted, haughty. You were praying he'd receive your telepathic messages to just hang up the damn phone. But he kept going, his gaze turning dark when he delivered a pretty dramatic line– and pretty well actually. "You'll see, when I have that banker killed."

Okay, Sam, there are those acting skillssss.

You turned your head to sneak a peek at Selby who was walking around the room as she listened. She was eyeing James up and down, and then wandered behind an alert Zemo, running her finger along the back of his chair.

"Cas! What did I say about the Cheerios?! I don't have time for this– Sam, I'm sorry, lemme call you back."

"Sam?"

You sighed heavily.

"Who's Sam? Kill them!"

The giant guard pulls up his gun, and you lunge forward, grabbing it from his hands and hitting the butt of it on the side of his head swiftly. When he crumpled you turned with the barrel pointed to her, but her body was already dropping after another shot already barreled through the window and into her chest.

Bucky didn't miss a beat and took out the second guard, grabbing his firearm, too. Everyone moved toward the entrance at once, away from windows.

"What the hell was that?"

Sam pressed his back to the door as he looked at Selby's bleeding body on the floor. "Too many people know we came to see her, they're gonna try to pin this on us."

"We have a real problem. We need to go, now. Leave your weapons and follow my lead." Zemo rubbed his gloved hands together, actually seeming nervous. But the three of you still followed him out through a back exit, into an alleyway back outside. The plan must've been to get out of the area before anyone discovered what had happened. After that spectacle Bucky– well, The Winter Soldier made in the bar, everyone knows who was last to see Selby.

The four of you walked quickly, but unanimously tried to seem anything but suspicious as people passed by. It was only a few seconds before phones were buzzing and chiming all over after that. People looked around, and you had some idea of what the message must have said. Next thing you knew, you heard gunshots all around you, and the rest of your team broke into a sprint. Even more rounds followed your footsteps, just missing the four moving targets.

You and Zemo split off down a different way, acting on the same impulse since the shots came from behind and the two of you were in the back.

"I can't run in these heels!"

Sam and Bucky had run off straight ahead, missing the bullets as far as you could tell.

Motorcycles are flanking on the left, and you both make a hard veer to run down a path on the right. Only more men appear riding from that direction, too. You scramble to change course at the speed you're fleeing, leading Zemo on your heels through the only course left. The two of you moved swiftly between the market tables, luckily losing the pursuers that were closing in on the left. There was another opening at the end of this road, but with the cyclists converging on you from every direction it could just as easily be a dead end.

It didn't stop you from evading the men by sprinting that way, but you only caught up with Sam and Bucky also running into the back alley with their own group of attackers riding after them as well. All four of you reunited at once, boxed in while shots began firing at your partners.

"Shit!" You slide to a stop and your hands fly up. Rounds of lead speed towards them, but the array of bullets stop and hover just a foot away from them before they can make any contact. Seconds later, when the gunman saw their pointless efforts and the firing stopped, you dropped your arms, the wall of lead clinking at their feet.

The sound of more motorcycles coming to a stop behind you and the baron, along with firearms being cocked, caused you to whip around. Quickly, you reached a hand up and yanked it back with a grunt, lurching every one of their scooters from underneath them, and watching the men hit the ground.

Bucky watched slack-jawed as you revealed even more powers, taking down multiple shooters so effortlessly. Zemo wasn't exactly keeping his cool from beside you either.

Your ears perked when once again, guns clicked from behind you. "Take her down!"

You spin around in irritation, ready to rip them from their hands, but you didn't have to bother. Some hidden sniper fires shots on your attackers before you can, and they drop lifelessly to the ground as well.

Your hands lowered slowly as the others looked all around the alley, the fiery green energy dissipating. It seemed like invisible snipers had been following you all since you stepped foot in this place.

"We seem to have a guardian angel," Zemo commented aloud, then stopped searching amongst the upper levels to narrow the disgusted shock in his eyes on you. "And you seem to have some explaining to do."

"Well this is just too perfect."

A voice and figure finally emerged from the shadows behind Barnes and Wilson. Once she stopped between the motionless bodies and unhooded herself, you saw it was...

Well, you were finally beat. You had no idea who she was.

"Sharon?" Bucky breathed out.

"Drop it, Zemo." That gun rested well in her hands, and she had it set on the rake.

He slowly set the weapon on the ground, and you realized you didn't even know when or where he got it from.

"Sharon, wait." Sam held his hand out as she kicked it away, well out of the baron's reach while still pointing hers at his forehead.

"I lost everything because of you."

Zemo straightened very slowly, his hands in the air. He backed away, putting himself between you and Sam, who spoke again. "Someone recreated the super soldier serum, and Zemo had a lead."

She laughed, looking up at the sky incredulously for a moment. "That explains why you guys are here. And why Selby's dead."

"We didn't kill anybody." He clarified.

"Then someone must have framed you for it to get a lot of money. Welcome to Madripoor."

"What are you doing here?" Bucky cut in from beside you.

"I stole the shield, remember? I also stole the wings for your ass so you could save his ass from his ass," she swung the gun about, pointing it aggressively from Sam, to Bucky then Zemo.

"Okay, easy." You warned when the others tensed with guilt.

This shifted her attention to you. "I didn't think I'd ever meet you though. Then again I never thought you'd end up anywhere near these guys. Now how did that happen?"

"What are you talking about?" You shook your head, confused as to why she looked over you with such familiarity.

With a huff, Sharon finally lowered her gun. "You're Alex. Nick Fury's precious little niece."

"Say what?" Sam looked from her to you, but you only stared at her in confusion.

"... How do you know that?" There were only two other people on this planet who should've known about you and your Uncle's relation, and one was dead now. Neither of them included this Sharon, but they both at least knew better than to just go around saying it.

"He enlisted me to watch over you after you got in that car crash–" Fuck, STOP TALKING. You screamed mentally before she would reveal one of the other secrets you were keeping. You couldn't help but glance at Bucky whose eyebrows were creased in confusion. "He wanted me to make sure you didn't get into any trouble or draw attention with those nifty powers of yours. Of course, that only lasted two years until I went off the grid after helping you guys get all your weapons back."

It took you a moment to realize she was talking about the in fighting between the Avengers that happened two years after you went into hiding, but suddenly pieces of the past were starting to make sense. She watched over you for the two years you were in hiding from The Winter Soldier. After you found out Nick was a secret agent but before you knew it was in SHIELD, or what SHIELD even was. Two of those three years of constant paranoia at least made sense. There was someone watching you... They were just sent by a friend, not an enemy.

"Wait. You're Nick Fury's niece?!" Sam backtracked, stepping out of line to face you now.

You looked to Sam and opened your mouth to say something, though you had no idea what it was. Honestly your head was still wrapping around this complete stranger not only knowing you and your uncle, but spying on you for two whole years.

It's not like you would deny the truth to Sam, but you weren't used to being forced into admitting it either.

"Don't take it personally, Fury's always been the need to know kinda guy. I guess it's still not something they're telling people." At that remark your head rolled to look at her, to which she shook her head and shrugged. "My bad."

"And the surprises keep coming." Zemo drawled. "This one's sneakier than I thought."

Bucky had become quiet, his cheeks sinking inward when his jaw clenched. Nick Fury was one of many names that always pulled him back into guilt-ridden thoughts when mentioned around him. Only now, that guilt suddenly extended to you. A detail you completely missed since your focus was on Sharon.

"You spied on me for two years?"

"Just doing my job."

And all that time you spent convincing yourself it was just paranoia. You rationalized there was no way they could be surveilling you after their demise. Sure, you knew there was always a possibility of a rat or two escaping, but your old connections bent over backwards to make sure they'd never go after anyone ever again. It took many years for you to finally convince yourself it was all in your head. And apparently it still was, all that time before the car wreck and going into hiding. Now after finding out there was someone watching you, you didn't know whether to be disappointed in yourself or not for forcing yourself to ignore instincts for the sake of blissful denial.

Sam looked back and forth between you and Sharon for clarity. "You're telling me that Nick Fury... is an uncle."

"They come in all shapes and sizes. There's a reason he enlisted me to keep tabs on you. That is, right up until big time terrorist here blew up the UN Sokovia Accords meeting." She answered rather casually. "But unlike these guys I didn't have The Avengers to back me up, so, I'm off the grid in Madripoor."

"Hey, don't blow that smoke at me, I was on the run, too."

"Yeah, was. Big difference. I haven't spoken to my family in years. I can't. My own father doesn't know where I am." Anguish dashed her eyes, causing Sam to back off.

"Look, Sharon..." Bucky spoke up again, more timid now. "We need your help." She laughed incredulously, and even though you didn't exactly like the idea, you became more distracted by the pleading expression breaking through the barrier of Bucky's features. "Please."

Sharon was looking up at the sky and shaking her head, as if she could see the cruel god so amused by her life. "This isn't over...” Her eyes cut at Zemo specifically. “I have a place in High Town where you can lay low for a while."

She didn't need any more discussion before turning away and walking down the alley. Bucky was the first to follow. There was a reflective silence as one by one, the group followed the third impromptu addition to the team. You don't miss her he glance Sam couldn't help giving you before pushing Zemo along ahead of him. It seemed that matter was dropped for now, but you knew you would have to acknowledge this later.

You just hoped she couldn't unbury anything else from your past.

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