Armed & Dangerous

“Yeah, it is.” Lips pursing briefly, the brunette tried to forget about the hints of sadness blooming in her mind. As he continued speaking, though, some of that melancholy began to fade, and she attempted to hold back a slow smile, eyes beginning to light up. “So.. a pet. This is actually going to happen? I…” She scrunched her nose, a shrug following right after. “It’s kind of exciting, I gotta admit.”

“If you want it to happen, then I’ll make sure that it does,” Bucky assured her with a smile. If he was honest, then he’d admit that he was actually excited as well. “If you want, we could go now.” Perhaps they could get two cats; there didn’t seem to be a downside, and it was going to help them get better.

“You aren’t so bad yourself, champ.” She chuckled biting her lip. Her time spent with him was worth while. He was a great person, and an even better fighter. He may not have liked that part of himself, but it was still there. It ould always be there. And it seemed no matter how hard you try to get rid of it, it will always remain.

“You aren’t too bad either, kid,” Bucky grinned and winked. It was refreshing having her around. For once, he was treated like he could put himself back together rather than waiting for someone else to come around and pick up the pieces. “I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier. I was in a bad state of mind, but I think I’m okay now. Thank you.”

Excited enough that Steve pushed up and sat back on his heels, “So, who do we know that does or has tattoos?”

“If we do this, I want it done right. I just hope they’ll stay in our skin.” Surprisingly, he think he’d find himself far more disappointed than expected and the thought of that was terrifying.

“Что?”

Concern washing over her as she somehow managed to pin him down, she scanned his face for any sense of recognition. “You’re okay,” she murmured, eyes focusing on his, almost trying to will him to keep his gaze on her. “You’re safe.” Lana knew that the words often didn’t mean too much– not after being told that by numerous people– but she needed them to help, even if it was just a little bit. “Bucky… Do you understand?”

“I’m okay... safe...” He repeated after Lana, understanding the connotation, what the words were supposed to bring him, but Bucky wasn’t sure he was getting it out of them. “Я... I think so... What did I do?”

Finally, she glances back at Bucky, teeth pressing hard on her bottom lip as she willed back any tears that would threaten to fall. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” His questions didn’t register in her mind, ears still ringing from being slammed to the ground. “I didn’t mean to do this.”

Bucky wiped away the blood from his nose, careful not to wince in front of her, and looked at the room. He had ignored the sight initially; Lana had been the priority, and he hadn’t cared about the fate of the rest at that moment. “Are you okay?” He asked softly as he settled beside her.

Madelyne cocked her head to the side, clocking the rising tension in the room. It wasn’t intentional on her part, but it was too easy to feel the rising unease. “I could help with that, the unease that you’re bleeding into the room. …. later on, after I’ve earned and been given more of your trust. Before you ask, no I’m not reading your mind, you’re projecting hard enough that i can’t help but feel it.”

His attention shifted at the mention of the unease, knowing that nervousness that had settled at the bottom of his stomach was doing nothing to calm him down. Bucky couldn’t help but be on edge. “You can feel that? But... how?” His jaw tightened as his stomach did as he looked to her.

“There’s nothing to explain. It’s hot in here, so I did the only thing that made sense.”

“Not to miss an opportunity, the Tyrant took the girl’s corpse, manipulated her genes, and placed inside the corpse the soul of Goblin Queen. Me. And now I live in her place, in her apartment, wearing some of her clothes… I’ve no right to it. I should still just be a spirit trapped in the astral plane.”

“Parasites are unwanted, Madelyne. I want you here. I need you.”

❝ What’s the point in being mad about something    that happened a long time ago? It’s not like you    plan on turning around and shooting me straight    through again. I don’t hold grudges like that. I’m    different with debts, but that’s a whole different    thing. ❞ She was going to leave it at that, but he seemed distressed and like there was memories coming to him, or at the very  least lingering on the edge of his mind. Natasha’s reaction, however, was not one that should have reflected the fact  that they ‘didn’t know one another’ because the second he  was showing signs of pain, she was at his side, closer than she had planned on being.  ❝ Should I call the medics? Don’t strain yourself. I    didn’t want to bring up things that you weren’t    ready for. I was going to stay away. But I guess    it’s a little late for that. ❞ Tentatively, she moved to put a hand on his forearm, still uncertain as to whether or not she should be doing so, with all the troubles he was having. And as it was, even the others weren’t really aware of their previous bonds. ❝ We knew each other, before. Before a lot of things.    I never expected those memories would come back. ❞

❝ They’ve been returning slowly. Never enough to know full stories, but faces, names, and images. ❞

How can Volke even claim himself as a son, as someone who deserves such connection to one so grand and forever dear?

His voice is low, soft against the thrum of the city around them, but nothing else matters except for the presence buried at his shoulder. “Теперь помните меня. Это все что имеет значение.”

“I don’t think a lot of people can, too. Seems too good to be true.” As she thought, the brunette scrunched her nose, an inquisitive look thrown his way. “I– that makes sense. A lot more sense than how I was looking at it.” Eyes dropping to the floor momentarily, Lana couldn’t help but shrug, unsure of what to do. “D’ya think cats can do the same thing?”

“It’s sad that it does feel too good to be true,” Bucky admitted as he pulled his shoulder up in a shrug before meeting her gaze, a light smile twitch on his lips, “I don’t see why they couldn’t. I’ve never heard of a therapy cat, but we can look into it. It’ll be good for us.”

At his comment she managed a small smile, and a slight chuckle. “Positive doll. And it may look that way from your perspective, but I’m just as screwed up as the next person…” She looked over at him, happy that she had gotten to know him. She was enjoying their talk.

“You don’t seem that way. If I’m completely honest, you’re pretty great.” There was no doubt behind his words as he offered a small smile in return, looking to her as if her answers had been profound in the understanding of himself. He couldn’t be more grateful to have someone else understand.

Yet she knew the grip– no tech or normal agent could keep her down without some use of a weapon. And she also knew she wasn’t being cuffed and dragged to be wiped; she wasn’t moving at all. Wide eyes finally focusing on the person on top of her, Lana tried to steady her breathing, realizing she wasn’t in danger. “What did I do?” 

When she came to, Bucky’s eyes were wide with concern, “You had a nightmare. Are you okay? Are you hurt?” 

Volke shivered, and brought a knee against his chest to rest his forehead against, tucked as deeply into this corner of the kitchen as he could be. No more could he watch his father, but he hardly needed to, just the knowledge of his presence enough to slightly buffer the fright that surged near constantly in his blood and bone.

Slowly, he approached Volke, careful not to spook him then lowered himself to a perch in front of him, “Я должен пойти получить еду. Хотите пойти со мной?”

“You should get your fill here, now. Get a nice lunch in you. I’ve gotta get some work done after, but… I’d like to see you more, Bucky. Not just… not just to return my Badge ID.” He bit his cheek as he ventured a look at Bucky, hesitantly hopeful.

Bucky glanced up at the proposal, initially confused to why Steve would want to spend more time with him, but the knot in his stomach loosened at the familiarity of his smile, giving Bucky the confidence he needed to say, “I’d like that, Stevie.”