𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓷𝓲𝓪𝓬 ❖ 𝓫. 𝓫𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼

C H A P T E R (23) - D O G / T A G

Because the transponder Peggy had given Steve was broken in the explosion, they had to walk all the way back. It was exhausting, even though they had only been walking for a few hours, many people were tired.

Cassie walked at the back of the group with Bucky at her side, his arm placed around her protectively. She fiddled with the fingers of his hand that dangled over her shoulder, keeping her distracted from anything going on around her.

She felt the coldness arise as Bucky pulled his arm away, latching onto her wrist instead and pulling her aside from the group. He stopped so they were out of hearing distance and then turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry I left that night I was just-"

"It was my fault, Bucky." She interrupted, placing a comforting hand on his arm.

"I left without even saying goodbye. If something would've happened to me and I didn't get to tell you-"

She cut him off by wrapping her arms around him, embracing him tightly. He hesitated first before placing a hand on her head and lower back, closing his eyes.

"I thought you didn't like being touched." He mumbled jokingly into her hair.

"I don't, I'm stealing your warmth."

Bucky let out a small laugh at her words which were slightly muffled by his chest before pulling away to look at her. He then brought his hands away and pulled the dog tag he was wearing from around his neck and held it in his hands.

"I know it's nothing amazing, but I'm hoping it can try and be a temporary replacement for your necklace..." Bucky smiled sheepishly as he placed the dog tag in Cassie's palm, closing her fingers over it.

"You say temporary, I say permanent." She said with a smile, placing the dog tag around her neck and adjusting it to position just at the edge of her v-neck shirt.

"It looked better on me." Bucky shrugged and smirked, earning a playful nudge in the side. "I'm joking, of course it looks better on you."

She smiled at his comment, knowing how minor he thought it was but how much it actually meant.

'Of course it looks better on you.'

As if it was expected to look better on her, as if he had all the confidence in the world in her. And that made her heart happy. He placed an arm around her as he led her back to the group and continued on their tiring journey.

**

"We are stopping here for a break, get some rest while you can." Steve's voice sounded from somewhere at the front of the group, causing most of the men to walk off into the forest they had stopped by.

Cassie opened her mouth to talk when she spotted a familiar face over Bucky's shoulder. Her words were caught in her throat, like they couldn't make it out. The familiar face that she so wished was unfamiliar; Ryan Terrence.

She knew Bucky hadn't seen him since that night in the alley, and something about him seemed off. Cassie had last seen him in the park, and he had been off since then. Like his demeanour had changed to be...nice?

"Rogers, Barnes." He addressed the pair, causing Bucky to place an arm around Cassie protectively.

"Why are you here?" Cassie questioned.

"I took your words personally, Cassie. As much as they hurt me, I listened."

*flashback*

"There's a war going on, perhaps you didn't notice." She answered sarcastically, "Y'know, being caught up being a dick and all?"

*end*