And I think about all the times he would have remembered a little while with hydra and tried to escape

Because I bet that was terrifying.

I bet it was like being hunted.

I see a lot of stuff where people write/discuss hydra having to track Bucky down because something breaks the conditioning and he goes rogue, and they're always nervous because it's the winter solider and he's volatile and unstable.

Which fair.

But I think we need to think about it a little different. Especially when we remember that hydra at the time would have had the man power and funding from Shield too.

Hydra trained the soldier. Hydra made him.

He thinks he can run from them?

They know what he's going to do. They know what he's going to prioritize first. They know all the little signs to look for that he's not even aware he's leaving.

They know what type of city he's going to attempt to lose them in. A good guess at about how many people, how much traffic, geographical location, etc.

They're the ones that trained him on how to get lost in a crowd, how to lose someone tailing you, how to tell if you're being followed, how to avoid the cameras.

They know the places he's going to go hide first. The types of buildings, the places that don't ask questions or pay attention, the ones that allow him to come and go easy.

They know how he'll get money. They know he'll swipe random cards and they know what patterns to look for in money withdrawals from banks in the area.

They know the names he'll use. They're the same ones they've had him use in the past or are names of hydra agents because the soldier gets wiped and the only names he's gonna know are the ones he hears after each wipe.

They know it all.

And how could they not play with that a little? Especially once they know where he is.

It's a power trip. Oh my god, it'd be such a fucking power trip for people like the ones in hdyra.

Playing mind games because they can, because they know he's confused and scared and angry and powerless when it comes down to it.

*I also think they chipped him like a dog. Probably with several ones. Some that knows about and some that he didn't. So even if he cut into himself and took out the ones he knew about, the ones he didn't know would still be working and traceable.

Or maybe he knows where they all were but some were in very delicate areas and he just didn't have the ability to remove them without a huge risk of bleeding out.

That might be worse actually. Knowing it was there and that they were tracking him with ut but not being able to do anything about it. Or eventually deciding even death would be preferable and taking the risk of removing it.

I also 100% think they'd call it playing. Just a game.

C'mon Solider, aren't you having fun? Everyone else is having a good time.

Maybe if they track him to a city, they make a point to pass him on the streets.

They have people who haven't worked with him recently, ones that he hasn't seen since a wipe, and they just make a point to walk past him on the street and smile, act like a innocent bystander just being friendly. Somewhere in his fucked up head they register as familiar but not why.

They also have people he does know walk by him, close enough to brush him or for him to catch their scent and he whips around to look at them, but they're already lost in the crowd again. They're always careful to face away from him or give him just enough that he thinks maybe they look familiar.

Just enough to fuck with his head. Leave him desperately trying to figure out if he knows them or not. Head throbbing the whole time, not to mention all the other problems.

Arm maintenance, hunger, withdrawal, exhaustion, memory issues, brain fog, etc.

It always had his freezing up, terrified. They know what he looks like scared.

His eyes scan the crowds and eventually he makes himself move again, as quick through the crowds as he can without drawing attention to himself. Eventually he disappears down a side street.

It's cute. That he thinks he can hide from them.

Maybe while he's out they go to where he's been staying and just linger for a moment. They don't even have to move anything. They know his senses will pick up that someone was here.

Like the faintest brush against a whisker. A few hairs brushed the wrong way.

Just enough that it registers and triggers a reaction.

He comes back and stands there for awhile. He knows someone has been there. He can smell it faintly... sweat, laundry detergent, gun oil.

Nothing has been moved though. There's no physical trace that anyone has been there.

It always gets him tangled up because his head is so fucked up he can't trust it sometimes. Is this one of the times he can? Is there actually something wrong or is it just in his head?

Sometimes they do move things. They make a mess like someone looking for something. They take some of the money they find and leave.

It looks enough like someone random was digging around looking for money, that he was just robbed, that it can be considered a coincidence. It sets him on edge because once again, he knows something is wrong.

But the areas he stays are so sketchy that being robbed isn't out of the question...

Besides, if it was hydra, wouldn't they have set a trap or captured him?

It makes him nervous, restless.

Another strike against his own head.

Maybe if he's in the country, in the woods or on a farm or whatever, they stay in the dark at night just beyond what they know he can see.

Making just enough noise that he can't count it up to his imagination but he can't say it's not an animal.

They're just out of sight, watching him and grinning, circling like wolves and snapping the occasional stick and brushing leaves.

He looks right at them, wild eyed and scared, not seeing them even though they're right there.

The best part is when they finally get him though.

The chase.

When they get the chance to really play.

When they finally let him see them, and get to watch the color drain from his face.

He runs, he always runs.

They love it when he runs.

And everywhere he runs they have someone waiting.

Because they know what he's going to do.

Everywhere he turns, there's someone already there.

Hey Soldier with a grin. A predator baring teeth.

He gets more and more wild the closer they get. They're practically whispering in his ear a few times, watching him flinch away so violently it look painful before talking off again.

We missed you.

What are you running from us for?

We're catching up.

You're ours.

Time to come home.

**and because I personally like to think the hydra agents, especially ones that worked with him a lot or handlers, call him certain names.

Especially sweetheart. Idk I just really like. I think it's because it just kind of rolls off the tongue the same way soldier does when I imagine the tone of voice they'd say it in. Part genuine because if he just behaved they wouldn't have to do this and part condescending in the way men call women that when they're being patronizing.

Affectionate names that have him hesitating because they call him that when they're being nice but it's also usually before some type of punishment or something else he won't like.

Being so starved for kindness makes it hard to ignore that, even if it just means things are going to hurt soon.

So they also say where you going sweetheart? All sickening sweet and menacing.

They're able to stick something to the arm that disables it and he's left with his teeth, nails and fists.

He's always animal like with fear. Bright eyes, showing teeth, gasping breaths, and almost doing more damage to himself than them with the wild way he throws himself around to escape.

It's fine though. They know exactly where to strike to slow him down without ending the game.

The know exactly how many bullets he can take before he loses too much blood. Exactly how much electricity he can take before he seizes or can't move. They know exactly how long they can cut off his breathing before he passes out.

And they play. Chase him around for hours. Sometimes days.

A few gun shot wounds here and there, no life threatening shots but they'll slow him down and hurt like a bitch.

A shock of electricity every once in awhile. Just strong enough to leave him shaking so hard it's hard to stand or run for a minute.

A well placed hit against an area they know is vulnerable, never healed right from a previous injury even with the serum. Snap a small bone that will heal wrong during the time they're chasing and will have to be rebroken to heal properly.

Something around his neck to get him on the ground and choke before he manages to get away again. They should seriously just get him some type of permanent collar for situations like this. Being able to just put him on a leash would be easier.

Hit him with their vehicle and he curls around his chest or ribs and blood drips from his mouth and his breath rattles when they get close enough to hear it.

Throw him out the windows a few stories up, just high enough that it leaves him breathless and writhing but able to stumble to his feet and run again

It's the look in his eye they like. The drawing realization that he already lost. He was never free from them.

The desperation fading into hopelessness and eventually acceptance.

Eventually he can't run anymore.

Too exhausted, injured, starved, dehydrated.

Head throbbing and splitting because it's too much. Too many split second choices: turn that way or this way? Have I been down this alley yet? Duck or jump? Hide or keep running?

He's almost relieved when they finally catch him.

Aw, you done already? They coo and laugh at him.

He's soaked through with sweat and heaving, his breathing like a race horse. Bleeding everywhere and shaking down to his bones. Eyes scrunched up because the light hurts, thinking hurts, everything hurts.

And the combination of fury and grief in knowing the only thing waiting for him is the chair and more of this.

●●●●

*gonna tag this with Rumlow and Rollins because personally I think it's similar to the kind of relationship I think think they may have had and it just seems like it'd be right up their alley.

Especially if Bucky escaped temporarily while Steve was unfrozen but before the events of CATWS.

BRO imagine Steve working with the strike team after that and asking what they've been up to recently and they just smirk and say something about playing a game that's been passed down between some of the strike teams.

Knowing full well who the soldier is.

And years later when someone says they want to play around Bucky and it sends him spiraling off into a panic attack so violent he ends up bloody and passing out, the ones who read his files know exactly why.

three of wands: growth, planning, partnership; refers to something that’s already been undertaken; it’s also a fire that would look good with your friends sitting around it

“I wasn’t sure we were going to get through that,” a hysterical giggle burst out of Maddie as she washed dishes and she clamped her mouth shut.

“Right?” Buck scraped the plates clean and loaded them into the dishwasher. “Did you see their faces?”

“It was like they completely forgot meeting him at the wedding!”

“And the Christmas cards.”

“And the vacation photos.”

“Why can’t they just like who we like?”

“I like who we like,” Maddie said confidently. “By the way, do I get to call Best Woman like Hen did?”

“Best Woman, Woman of Honor, you name it.”

OR

Alternatively, silly little snapshot moments of the Kongoza siblings AU bonding and just being family(sibling chaos >:3c)

(I cannot choose one, so I am leaving that choice to youu)

Starry you went straight for the throat huh? While I could write Jiro or Jo x gn reader... You gave me the choice to write some kongoza sibs and you know I said I'd cry if you included my OCs in the requests. So enjoy your happy tear soaked post of the goofy blondes.

This au is with my OCs Prof Koyuu and Miharu as siblings to Jo

I'm doing three because two is boring/silly

Scorpion: "I remember... All of it."

Wraith: "Overwhelming, isn't it?"

Scorpion: "No. Relieving."

Wraith: "I'm sorry about your arm."

Scorpion: "You apologize just for my arm?" (Lighthearted teasing)

Wraith: "... For everything I have done."

Wraith: "What if I lose control?"

Scorpion: "Then I will be here, to hold you until it passes."

Wraith: "And if it doesn't pass?"