His blond hair was a couple of shades darker as it fell over his closed eyes. It was by no means a good cut, nor was it clean and shiny. It added a lot to the rugged look, the grime, the fading bruises and the dark raccoon eyes he sported.

William was chained down on a chair, his body unmoving as an IV kept constantly dripping certain chemicals into his system to keep him in a weakened state.

All weapons had been removed from his body, there were twelve in total. An impressive amount. Though it wasn't just the weapons that terrified Steve.

It was William.

He hadn't looked away from the unconscious man for once, afraid that he would disappear into thin air.

He was trying to convince himself that this wasn't William, that this was simply a person who looked like him. Perhaps a distant relative of theirs, or maybe he was just a look-a-like, it wasn't uncommon to find people who looked familiar to each other.

Besides, when he last saw William, he was just a kid. This there was man, a strong fighter who had years of training behind him. A mutant, lab cooked like many others at this time and age. Like Steve himself.

Though he had to admit, there was a tiny scar above his left cheekbone that looked exactly like the one William had received after he had fallen faceflat against the gate when he was only seven years old.

And the birth mark on his neck.

Panic washed over him as he stood in the supervision room, watching the doctors take some blood samples as fast as they could before he woke up. Five guards were in the small glass prison with the doctors, something that Steve disapproved of.

If this man truly was his Will, it could only mean that some things had gone terribly wrong. And Steve would not rest until he knew everything.

He had nearly lost his mind when he had found Bucky, he had nearly drowned in guilt when he realized what had happened. But how could it have happened with William as well?

He was just a kid.

Steve grabbed his chest as he suddenly felt a pain course through, making him grunt in distress as he leaned against the back of a chair.

Bucky's hands immediately helped him sit. He hadn't even heard the former assassin come in. He had washed and had a change of clothes. Though his hair was slicked back, cold droplets kept running down the side of his neck, disappearing into the dark grey hoodie, he hadn't managed to wash away the dark circles underneath his eyes. He, too, had stayed awake for many nights, wondering what had happened to his best friends little brother.

Bucky felt nearly sick as he started slowly realizing what might have happened. He looked down at Steve, frowning as he noted the thin layer of sweat, irregular breathing and slightly off skin colour. He had never seen Steve like this, except the first time that William had stabbed him.

Only Steve's luck to get poisoned twice in such a short amount of time.

"You need to get that looked at." he pointed towards his torn up side and the tried blood that still coated his suit.

"I'll not leave him. Never." he said with a glassy look in his eyes, his voice tight and breathless.

He wasn't going to budge, understandably so. Bucky stepped away and opened the door that connected the two rooms.

"We need a medic here." he said to one of the SHIELD agents that guarded the glass prison. The man mumbled the request into the com, giving Buck a weary glance as he did so. He pretended not to care as he closed the door again.

No matter how many blasted missions Bucky went to prove himself, big percent of SHIELD was still suspicious. 

He really didn't care though.

“It's him, Buck.” Steve said, refusing to tear his gaze from him. He looked so much like William but at the same time, he looked nothing like the brother he remembered.

Bucky didn't have to say anything, didnt have to confirm his fear becoming reality right in front of their very eyes.

Neither of them paid much attention to the medics that scurried around Steve, frowning at him for still being on duty when he should allow his body to heal.

But how could Steve rest now? How could he sleep, knowing that his littler brother must have gone through horrors unknown to him? How could he leave if he just got him back?

He was too afraid to voice out his thoughts on what might have happened to him. Too terrified of the truth.

He had been so involved with what was happening in the glass cage that he had barely noticed one of the SHIELD medics trying to talk to him.

“Mr. Rogers, you need to lay down. We have cleaned your wounds and given you the antidote but you need rest.” the woman said, trying to get through to the man who seemed to be in shock.

Of course Steve neither Bucky had told anyone of who this man was, how much he meant. To SHIELD, he was just another enemy, a mutant that needed to be hidden away until he was needed. That's what SHIELD did best, it collected monsters, making them seem like heroes and if they didn't abide, they would never be heard of again.

After not getting any sort of response out of Steve, the woman sighed in annoyance and turned to Bucky who refused to meet her gaze.

“I'll deal with him.” he said, hands crossed over his chest as he narrowed his eyes at the white coats still running around William.

All he knew was that they needed to be done before he woke up. If they stayed, they would most likely freak him out more than the stupid cage did.

Bucky would know.

“I told him to run.” he admitted after a moment of silence once the medics left the supervision room. Steve didn't raise his eyes, looking at the commotion still going on around William. Or the man that looked like him. He didn't answer, but he was listening intently so Buck continued.

“I was hoping he'd get away and we could track him from there. Locking him up will not make him open up to anyone.”

Steve looked torn, he had always been good at controlling his emotions and facial expressions, but this was one of those moments where he just couldn't. “You don't know that.” he whispered.

But Bucky did know, he knew better than anyone. So he didn't push Steve, the man needed a little more time. Because he wouldn't be given much of that anymore, things were going to get ugly soon.

The door opened and someone entered the supervision room, a few agents, among them the Director of SHIELD who had been informed of the sudden target who had been brought in.

Steve's time was up.

After Fury had been notified of their suspect being brought in, he called off a meeting to see it himself if it was the same assassin that he had put agent Romanoff's team on. That would be her first cancelled mission then.

“Care to tell me why you two are still on watch?” Nick Fury asked, going to stand next to Bucky who gave him a cold stare. Fury didn't intimidate him, though he did his best to keep everyone in line. Young agents often flinched or looked away whenever the director passed by and rightfully so. The man only meant business, he was sly as a fox and dangerous one at that.

But so was Bucky, although he respected Fury and what he stood for, he refused to acknowledge him as a leader or a commander. He gave them missions and often told them what to expect, but Bucky decided all the moves and steps himself.  He was way past the time of obeying orders.

“This is my brother.” Steve said tiredly, standing up from the chair as he finally turned towards Nick.

Surprise flashed across his one eye before it was hidden behind a frown as he glanced towards the other, stoic agents who had followed him in.

“This information will not leave this room. And now, everyone else get out.” he said, waiting for the door to close before turning towards the two super soldier's once again.

“What is it with people never wanting to stay dead. Especially when it comes to you, Rogers. You got any siblings who are planning to resurrect any time soon?” Fury asked with annoyance, looking at Bucky who gave him an icy stare, remaining quiet.

He wouldn't have told Fury, but he also saw some cons to it as well. Since Fury did not want to make Steve his enemy again, he might give the two free reigns when it came to cracking William out of his shell.

The last time Fury had attempted to keep someone close to Steve locked away, things hadn't ended well for anyone.

“I am going to be a part of his case, for whatever follows now.” Bucky could almost see Fury bristle at Steve's tone, which, he quite enjoyed.

“I will keep you in the loop if he really is your sibling, but I forbid you from talking to him until we know he is stable enough for you to approach.” Steve nodded curtly, obviously not completely happy with that but he understood.

Patience was the key.

“I'll have the lab compare both of your DNA's. If it is a match, you've got a night of paperwork to fill since his file is almost a blank slate.”

Steve looked a little apprehensive but gave a small nod nevertheless.

The medics buzzing around William had finished their tests and were leaving the cell, making Bucky relax a little more.

“I will be seeing you two soon again. And Rogers? Get some sleep, even I didn't look so terrible when I was dead.” with that, Fury left the supervision room with a dramatic flap of his trench coat.

The room was completely silent as the two turned their full attention back on the passed out man in the cell. Bucky felt his insides churn at the sight, it felt only yesterday when he was the one in that same chair.

The confusion, the pain, the pure anger that had made him act up in the most feral of ways until he was beaten back down and he was nothing but a shell of a man with deadly set of skills and a mind that wasn't even his.

“You really should listen to them and get some sleep. I'll stay here and keep watch until you return.” Steve tensed, his eyebrows knitted. He doubted he would get any sleep, but the dull headache and dizziness did send off warning alarms in his head.

“Nothing will happen until I am here and I will not move from my post no matter what.” He reassured Steve again, looking him straight in the eyes to get his point across. He looked as if he wanted to say something but when Bucky raised an eyebrow, he closed his mouth. Steve sighed and rubbed his eyes.

He was exhausted, but he believed Bucky and if he said he would stay, then Steve trusted that.

“Okay, one quick nap. And as soon as he moves a muscle or anyone-”

“I will notify you immediately.” he cut him off, standing aside to let Steve pass. The man turned around to say something else, but Bucky cut him off again.

“Steve.”

His shoulders sagged and with one last, longing look towards William, he was out. The sooner he fell asleep the sooner he'd wake up.

As Steve left, two guards entered the room, giving Bucky wary glances as they went to their positions.

Bucky made himself comfortable near the back wall, making sure he could keep eye both on the guards and William.

He remembered the time he was in there, he wasn't going to let another breach through their security again. When his eyes rested on William, he could feel his gaze soften at the sight of him.

You and your never ending curiosity. Look where it led you.

I just watched Spider-man: No Way Home and I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS.

Also, here's the ultimate question for everyone. Would you prefer to see long haired bucky or short haired one? Drop a comment down below to vote!

Short haired Buckaro

Long haired Buckaro

Also, thank you everyone who commented in the last chapter! You all motivated me to write this one, so shoutout to all of you amazing people! (Shoutout to all of those little ghosties as well, I larb you)

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