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Doubt either of us was listening much to Eve. Bucky too busy making his way to the cliff's edge. Me too busy watching him half walk half hop with such relaxed movements. Not a slip or a stumble. Every step light and confident.

When he got to the edge, he took two giant steps backwards, turned on a heel and bounced over to me. Plopped down right next to me and held onto my hand.

'Shit. The fall.'

Whatever Eve was testing, she was done with, if the rapidly rising sea level is anything to go by.

I gave her a signal with a small jerk of my head towards Bucky. A few seconds passed with no movement.

'Damn it Eve. I thought you said this was for another time. How the hell did I miss her trying to test Bucky's potential triggers!? Fuck, right....'

She used my climbing spree as a diversion. Had me fucking floundering about playing defence with Bucky before I could realize what she was up to.

'...I should have noticed.... I really need sleep....'

Damn her and her impatience. And maybe a dash of boredom.

Giving Bucky some warning or getting his permission to put him through this would have been better. Dropping him in the situation and letting him wander right into it was not nice. At all. Very not nice.

When she still hadn't moved me to his side, I used my finger to write on the ground next to me. Hopefully out of Bucky's periphery.

Bring me to Bucky

"No."

The hell not

"I will not risk you when he can't even tell the difference."

Took everything I had not to scream.

Dont care Bring me to him Dont care for more broken bones if it comes to that Hes not going to hurt me

"Shall we take my concerns out of the equation? If he does end up hurting you physically, you'd shrug it off, but would he? It eats away at him. We both know this much. Are you going to put the consequences of your stupid decisions on him?"

There wasn't much I could do against Eve in this room. Couldn't leave it if she didn't want it. Nothing happens on the Game Floor without her say so.

I could force her hand, but she might remove all the nanites and drop us into the pool. Probably leave us in complete darkness. No wins all around.

Doubt being dropped into a cold pool alone with a screeching girl somewhere in complete darkness was going to help Bucky in any way.

"He's terrified of hurting you. Accident or not. With your skill set, you can't tell me you haven't noticed it yet. How hard he tries to keep a hold of himself. It only takes one slip. One slip and you end up dead. You might be fine dying, but he wouldn't be fine with your blood on his hands."

'....'

"The cost of your blind faith in him isn't only paid by you. Some of us aren't so ready to pay that price."

Seeing no way to convince Eve with finger writing, I squeezed down on Bucky's rendered fingers. Hoped to hell and back that he really couldn't tell the difference between me and the nanites. That the nanites and Eve's ability to weave them together was better than Bucky's enhanced sense of touch.

"I should have known how high the cliff is," I admitted.

I raised my arm, tugging on his until he ducked under my elbow. Wrapped myself tightly around his rendered form. Maybe he wouldn't feel like he was falling. Or just feel safe... maybe.

If only he talked a bit more.

"I don't need to be coddled," he mumbled barely above a whisper.

"Okay, so maybe this was an excuse for cuddles and hugs...?"

As I pulled away, he slipped his arm around my rendered waist. Squished my cheek against his rendered shoulder.

"...What were those things attacking you?" the rendered voice asked to the top of my head.

"Uhhh... Zom...bies...? Reanimated dead body things? From movies, games and shows? Eve made a game where I had to dart the eyeballs as target practice.... I missed a lot...."

"Throwing a gun into an eye socket isn't the easiest of options."

"...Yeah... not the finest moment of mine...." I turned to him, pressing my forehead against the rendered warmth of his warm neck.

I couldn't tell the difference. He felt very much real but I knew the body next to me was made of nanites. That the body he was wrapped around wasn't real either. A rendered illusion.

'He could probably throw a gun in a way to shove the barrel into a bloody eye socket....'

Bucky's rendered chin rested on my head. His body moved with a sigh. "You'll get better. It takes practice, Val."

'One day, I'll be able to throw a gun into an eye socket too. Yes. One day.'

"What else can she do here?" His hand waved to the ether.

"The only limit is Eve's imagination."

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Author's Note:

Had plans for the Game Floor since the planning stages of Mosaic and it took forever to get here.

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.