Runaway
Warnings: Unedited angst... idk what this is just stuck in my head
If y'all like this pls lmk and I'll write some more also "За здоровье" means 'to your health' and is a Russian cheers to my understanding
“Better watch it Barnes, might go thinking you mean it this time.” Her voice was sarcastic and yet there was an undertone of truth to her words. He knew that. Things had been rough. They had been rough.
“Always mean it with you, doll.” He had that playboy smirk on, he knew it well. For a time, he had thought he’d never be capable of it again. Never be capable of being anything like his old self, but then she had come along.
Word Count: 1720
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Bucky was settled in on a rooftop, his sight trained on his target. When he agreed to work with the government he thought it would be a lot less like working for Hydra. He supposed he couldn’t blame them for utilizing his skill set. Still, he never quite felt like they saw him as human. He sighed, clearing his thoughts as he watched his target mingle around the party, waiting for the perfect moment to take his shot. He almost had it too, an opening. His finger on the trigger started to press back but it halted when someone walked in front of the man. His breath caught in his throat when the women turned to the side. He knew her.
“Fuck.” He groaned, the urge to pack up and leave crossed his mind. If she was here, it only meant trouble. If not for his mission, then his mind. It had been nearly a year since he’d seen her.
“Better watch it Barnes, might go thinking you mean it this time.” Her voice was sarcastic and yet there was an undertone of truth to her words. He knew that. Things had been rough. They had been rough. “Always mean it with you, doll.” He had that playboy smirk on, he knew it well. For a time, he had thought he’d never be capable of it again. Never be capable of being anything like his old self, but then she had come along.
He shook the memory from his mind, it didn’t matter now. She wasn’t there the next morning; it was like she had vanished without a trace. He focused back in on the target, trying to ignore the woman next to the man. She had always been good at this part, at getting them to tell her things. He wasn’t surprised to see her working on taking down the same guys. It was how they had met after all.
Bucky stood stiffly; he hated wearing suits. There wasn’t enough movement in them, and with his arm things just didn’t feel right. He spotted his target at the bar, speaking with a woman. He thought it would be easy enough to get her away, get him to a back room for some “business” and then get out. Sauntering up to the bar he looked to his target, Russian mafia Pakhan, Feliks Zakharov. He seemed surprisingly open despite his position. Sure, this was Zakharov’s party, but he’d had a harder time reaching mob bosses as the Soldier. Maybe they were starting to get too secure in this modern age. “I hate to interrupt,” he started, focusing on the woman sat next to Mr. Zakharov. “Would you mind if I stole Feliks away from you for a moment?” He smirked as he looked to the woman. It felt fake and foreign on his lips but he remembered it well enough to replicate it. “I would actually.” The women spoke defiantly, taking a sip from the drink. There was a fire behind her eyes, a challenge. “Oh I’d give him back.” Bucky assured her, playing along with her. He’d seen women like her before, or he thought he had at least. Something was different about her instance to stay close to the Pakhan. “I’m sure you have better things to do than listen to two men discuss business.” “I assure you she doesn’t” Zakharov spoke up, seemingly amused by the conversation. “You have business with me, she comes with.” “Been awhile since you’ve taken orders from then Russians huh Soldat?” The woman smirked.
Bucky watched the woman through the glass. She wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon, he knew that. He should have known she hadn’t changed. His motions were sharp, mechanical as he packed up his equipment, focusing on that rather than the memories of her. If he was going to get this job done then he’d have to go in. With her by his targets side it would be impossible to get a clear shot.
It was private at least. Even if she was still there. A back room away from everyone else. The mystery woman sat on the desk next to Zakharov. Her legs were crossed, toes pointed. His eyes snapped up to hers then, a knowing smirk on his lips. Red Room. It was a decent enough explanation for her being there, for her demeanor, for that little thing that had been off about her since he saw her. Added to the fact that she knew who he was, who he used to be. Fuck. “So this business?” The woman hummed, her eyes narrowing as she took him in, assessing him. “Is it still that important?” Bucky sighed; this was not how he had planned his evening going. Still, he had a job to do.
He felt the air push out of his lungs, his hand on the doorknob. This wasn’t the plan. She had never been one for plans though. The door opened and it was only a moment before her eyes were on him. Her face was steeled but he could see the flicker of something before she looked away. Even from across the room he could tell this time was different than the times before. He kept his distance, getting a lay of everything first. She notably let him. Bucky was well aware than she could strike at any minute. That’s what she was there to do, protect her client.
“No hard feelings.” She spoke as she landed a punch to his jaw. She wasn’t holding back; he knew that much from the crack of pain that radiated from the spot. He wondered for a moment if he’d trained her. No, sure some of the girl’s faces were a blur but there was something about her. She fought different than they did, a part of a different program, something newer. She was more defensive than the girls he trained. “None taken,” He spoke as his metal hand wrapped around her neck, pushing her against the wall. She let out a strangled choke but there was a smirk on her lips. Her hands gripped at his wrist, and then he felt a crunch, a shocking pain shooting through his shoulder. “Fuck-” “Yeah...” She smiled at him “Fuck.” His hand released her and she was pushing him back, her hand had crushed his mechanical wrist. Before he knew it, she was pushing him out the window, the hard concrete hitting him before he even realized what was happening. He was getting too old for this.
“Barnes.” Her voice echoed through his mind. “M’not leaving.” Bucky found himself saying before she even had the chance to ask. He heard her sigh; she didn’t want to do this anymore than he did. “You’re here for Dimitri?” She asked and he nodded in response. “You know I can’t let you do that.” Her tone was less a warning and more a plea. “Don’t act like you don’t enjoy it.” Bucky found himself saying. “The hurt you cause.” She shook her head, a disbelieving laugh leaving her in a short breath. “You really think that?” There was an air of hurt in her voice but he ignored it. “Thought I was supposed to be different.”
Bucky looked down at the flowers. It was a simple bouquet, just a few flowers. ‘За здоровье’ the handwriting on the note was neat, simple. He knew they were from her. He flipped the card over in his hand a few times. Something about her made him need to know more. If she left him this maybe she wanted to be found, maybe she wanted an out. It didn’t take him long to find her, making him believe even more than she must have wanted this. He knocked on her apartment door, the look on her face was less than surprised. “Soldat.” She greeted “Bucky.” He corrected. “Why are you here?” She asked, not making a move to let him in. He’d spent the rest of the night convincing her to leave whatever organization she was under. Convincing her that she didn’t have to be what they made her.
“You only ever helped me because it made you feel better about you Bucky.” She spoke simply before she walked away from him. He watched as she whispered something into his targets ear. The two of them left not long after. He couldn’t bring himself to go after her. He’d be better off trying to find a time when his target was alone. He’d go in at night, it wouldn’t be easy with her knowing he was coming but it would be simpler than this. Simpler than chasing them down, safer too. Less casualties, he was sure. He got on his bike, trying to keep his mind focused on the mission at hand.
He was used to waking up to an empty bed, even when he’d gone to bed with her. Still, he couldn’t shake that something was different. His mind was a haze of sleep, the activities from the night before flitting through his mind, a satisfied smile finding its way to his lips. Still, he couldn’t shake the fact that something was off. He moved out to the living room, into the kitchen, there was no sign of her. He realized then that was it. That’s what was off. There was no sign of her anywhere. Her things were gone. There was no trace of her existence, like she had never even been there. Sure, the apartment they shared was minimalistic at best but, overnight? He swallowed hard, trying to find a note, but there was nothing.
The house was dark when he got there. A nice place upstate. It was odd, the stillness. He should have set up somewhere, found a shot, taken it. Instead, he’s going inside. Maybe he just wants to see her again. It’s easy to get in, too easy. He expects her to be waiting in Dimitri’s room. Instead, he opens the door to find a corpse. His target, dead in his bed, poisoned it seems. When he turns to leave, he sees it. The small shot of Vodka on the dresser next to the door. A small card laying next to it. ‘За здоровье’ he pockets the card, shaking his head lightly as he leaves the room, leaving the shot behind.
