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"You're not them...." He said.

Them.

I could almost laugh at the thought.

Almost.

"That's exactly who I am!" I yelled, shoving him away.

But he didn't move. Instead, my back slammed into the wall, and the pins holding my bones in place shifted from the impact. The pain that shot up to my brain dropped me to my knees, leaving me gasping for air.

"Val..." he called out softly, kneeling down to my level.

"Don't," I snapped, backing against the wall to get away from his hand.

"You're not them. They wouldn't help – "

"None of that matters. It doesn't change the fact that at the end of the day, I'm no different from those who manipulated you for decades! It's what I do! That is who I am."

The look Bucky gave me reminded me so much of a kicked puppy, but yet his brow knitted in concern. His hand reached out for me, freezing in the space between us. Unable to close the gap.

"I'm willing to put money on the fact a few of her friends are the old bastards who gave you orders. Are you sure you want to be a friend of a friend to those – "

"Just shut up!" he yelled at the ceiling, his breathing coming out hard and his attention returning to me again. "You don't need to listen to this bullshit."

I didn't even have time to blink before he had me sitting on his cybernetic arm. He practically raced up the stupidly long staircase, which only got longer with Eve moving the steps downwards. He had my ear pressed against his chest with his warm hand covering the other one.

His heart pounded away. Not its usual soothing pace. A panicked tune singing at my ear.

"Honestly, Mr. Barnes, are you so blind to just what kind of person you have cradled in your arms?" Eve's voice was muffled, and the words only served to make his arms tighten around me.

"Stop trying to get me to leave." His voice far too loud against my ear.

"You realize that I've been ordered to be truthful with you, right? Val has yet to lie to you either."

"I'm not asking! I'm tired of people leaving out half the information."

"I'm not the only one here with half – "

The glass door slammed back into place with a kick from Bucky.

I barely heard the growling through the racing beat of his heart. I snapped my fingers, pointing away to stop the coming attack.

'No wonder the sneaky bastards didn't tackle me when I got back.'

For some reason or another, Bucky had the dogs running about outside this whole time.

He set me down on the sun warmed grass. His brows furrowed together with such worry. His hand still against the side of my face, lightly pressed into my cheek.

I couldn't keep eye contact with him. A guilt I couldn't quite place gnawed away inside me.

"Please, Valeriy.... Please," he pleaded so very softly that his voice dragged my eyes to his, and the twisted expression of disgust I expected wasn't on his face.

"Why...? Why the bloody hell are you still here, Bucky?! Why do you even fucking care!?"

"I'm not going anywhere." His fingers tangled into my hair, pulling my head down to his shoulder. The scruff on his jaw jabbed right into the top of my head when his chin bumped me.

"Why not...?" I questioned, unable to stop my fingers from clinging onto the front of his hoodie. The fabric so warm against my cold skin.

That large hand of his slid from the back of my head and down my back. When Bucky held me closer to him, a shiver raced up my spine. I wanted to relax into him, but I couldn't bring myself to force him comfort me.

"She's not going to pull me away," he assured. "The broken neck... that was an accident... wasn't it?"

I pushed back, searching his face for some answer. "...How in the hell...?"

"The look on your face... you regret that.... I don't remember seeing that expression on my handlers.... And she keeps twisting information," he said with a flick of his wrist towards the ether.

"Doesn't mean she's lying. Eve doesn't make bets unless she wins them. So I've got business acquaintances who are of Hydra...."

"...I never wanted you involved with Hydra...."

"That has nothing to do with you. Met them long before.... They probably watched me grow up...?"

"They're dangerous..." he insisted. His hand dropped from my shoulder to his lap. His eyes stared at our knees. "...If they got their hands on you... they could – they would.... With your skills. They would turn you into a weapon. I-I can't... I can't have you end up like me...."

Words couldn't be forced out of me even if I tried. I dare not open my mouth. I wanted to vomit, anxiety and stress sinking into my gut. Things I wanted to bury in the back of my mind dragged out to the forefront.

"I don't understand why she would be using you.... Why you? She has her assets...."

"Better question, why aren't you?"

Bucky froze. Stunned into silence.

"...Everybody else is," I added, my sight averting to the treeline where the dogs still obediently sat.

"...If..." he started oh so carefully, "...if you were me... and I was you... would you use me...?"

His teeth dug into this bottom lip. Red and swollen from all his nervous chewing.

"You... You wouldn't," he said. Not entirely confident in the words.

I couldn't help the laughter, even as his face twisted into confusion. I couldn't stop it. "Am I not doing just that? Using you for my fucked up mess."

"You never asked me to... and I want to help."

"Bucky... let me help with Hydra."

He insistently shook his head, staring at the space between us again. His hair fell in front of his face almost like a curtain, sheltering his habit of chewing on his bottom lip. "The things... they're horrible.... You shouldn't... you shouldn't.... Don't... don't do this."

Carefully I reached out with my left hand, feeling the scratch of the short hairs along his jawline. My fingers brushed back his long hair, tucking it behind his ear. My nails dragged down his scalp. Maybe that'd calm the tension in his shoulders.

"I'd rather have some idea of what's coming our way than be blind to it. Would help when we run out of dumb luck," I hedged.

"You'll have nightmares," he muttered, his head leaning against my palm.

"Please, just think about letting me look into Hydra, Bucky. Even if it's for information to sit on."

The young man just slumped down in front of me, head dropping lower than mine. "...Okay.... I'll think about it...."

"It's not your fault that Hydra's in my life," I added after a wayward thought. Eve was pretty harsh on him earlier.

My arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer. I squeezed down as tight as I needed to be held, but he would never return it. I could feel the fear he held every time he touched me, scared that I'd break by his hand.

Took a moment for his arm to rest lightly around my lower back. As he curled around me, his head tucked under my chin.

"You're safe here, Bucky," I whispered against his hair.

I hoped that I'd relax him, but it had the opposite effect. The man froze up.

Again.

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Author's Note:

If you enjoyed this part, please consider leaving a vote. They're very much appreciated. ^^

And a big thank you to TinselA/Bunny Carrot (https://www.fanfiction.net/u/7591081/) and the Anonymous Fifth Beta for Beta-ing this chapter.