Altruism // Helmut Zemo x Reader x Bucky Barnes

3

Madripoor - 2024

Y/n's mind ran at a thousand miles an hour as the group walked down the hall, her hand still intertwined with Zemo's. She longed to go to Bucky, to ask if he was okay and help him through whatever thoughts were bound to be swirling through his head right now, but she knew she couldn't, it would jeopardize the whole mission. She was grateful to at least have Zemo to cling onto, despite her feelings about the man. His cool, confident demeanor was comforting to her during this time and his warm hand wasn't that unpleasant to hold.

"You should know Baron, people don't just come into my bar and make demands." Stated a short white haired woman who lounged on a snakeskin patterned couch. Her presence was intimidating, Y/n felt uncomfortable being around her.

"Not a demand, an offer." Zemo stated, sitting down in a chair and pulling Y/n into his lap which startled her. "Keep with the act Liebling." He mumbled into Y/n's ear. She wasn't sure what he had called her, she had to remember to ask him what it meant later.

"A lot has changed since you were last here." Selby glanced over to Bucky who was doing his best stoic stare. "By the way, I thought you were rotting away in a German prison. How did you escape?"

"People like us always find a way, don't we?" He paused, looking smug. "I'm sure you already know what I'm here for."

Selby seemed to be stalling, pointing to Sam. "You're taller than I've heard, Smiling tiger." Sam replied with a nod as always. Y/n considered herself lucky, unlike Bucky and Sam, attention was never on her, she just had to sit there and look pretty. However, that thought jinxed her.

"And who's the girl? Never thought you were the meek and pretty type Baron." She commented on Y/n's frightened demeanor.

Zemo's arm wrapped tighter around Y/n's waist "I just call her my little bunny. But Selby, to what we were discussing." Zemo said, putting the conversation back on track.

"Right then, what's the offer?" She asked, looking around the room, her eyes lingering on Bucky.

"Tell us what you know about the super soldier serum, and I give you him." Zemo gestured to Bucky. "Along with the code words to control him of course."

A mischievous grin spread on her face, sending a chill down Y/n's spine. "I'm glad I decided not to kill you immediately. The serum is here in Madripoor, Dr. Wilfred Nagel is the man you'd want to thank, or condemn. He was working on it for the power broker but things didn't go as planned."

"Is Nagel still in Madripoor?" Asked Zemo. Somehow his confident and cool demeanor never faltered. Y/n had to admit, in a way the man was quite attractive with the way he managed to navigate the criminal underworld without batting an eye.

"Oh" she said with mock sadness "The breadcrumbs you can have for free, but the bakery is gonna cost ya' Baron. And before you get all cute, don't think you can find Nagel without me." She got up and began to approach Y/n and Zemo. The tense moment was interrupted by the ringing of Sam's phone. "Answer it."

Sam tapped on his phone, a woman's voice coming out of it, the words she spoke making Y/n's blood run cold. "Hey Sam-" Quickly Sam hung up, but not before the damage had been done.

"Sam? Who's Sam? Kill them!" Selby commanded, that same instant a bullet came flying through the window and into her chest, a choked noise coming from her as she collapsed to the floor.

Y/n sprung up as Sam and Bucky fought the guards, swiftly disarming them with precision. Bucky looked through the scope of the gun he had taken, looking around with the precise caution of a hawk. Y/n moved closer to him, not wanting to be near Zemo any longer. It wasn't that she didn't like being around him, it was the opposite. She found his touch comforting, and she knew she had to stay away for that reason.