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"Yeah. I'll see you guys in a bit." Before he left, Arelle reached out to grab his hand, her eyes laced with both confusion and unease. He side-eyed Sam and Zemo, implying for them to go on ahead. Once they were completely inside Bucky placed his hand on the back of her head, pulling her close. Their eyes only centimeters apart, deeply staring into one another. His lips grazed hers lightly and her breath hitched. He kissed her temple, whispering into her ear, "I'll be alright. Just wait for me." Arelle nodded, pressing her forehead against his. "I trust you." With a lasting glance, they shared a short kiss. Letting him go, she stayed still until he left her view,
I trust you.
You dropped something. I was wondering when you were gonna show up.
▂▃▅▇█▓▒░episode 4░▒▓█▇▅▃▂
Zemo's hideout was spacious, natural sunlight lit the room through multicolored stained glass panels. Before any of them could sit down and digress they checked every room, lamp, and crevice for any hidden mics. Testing everything to make sure it wasn't tapped. With a heavy sigh Sam sat down on a stool by the kitchen counter, Arelle still watching out the window for any sign of Bucky. Zemo treated himself to a drink of whiskey. There were many things going on in Sam's mind, he was still thinking about Sharon, Karli, Donya Madani. He couldn't put his finger on it but there was something big they didn't know about the whole ordeal. Yes, they were still fighting the fog when it came to catching Karli but he couldn't help the unsettling feeling that there was something they still weren't understanding.
Choosing to relieve the stress even for a moment, Sam swiveled in his stool, his gaze falling onto Arelle's form. She was leaning against the windowpane, eyes searching frantically. "So, when did that happen?" He asked smugly. Arelle looked back at him with a confused look on her face, "when did what happen?" Even Zemo had the gall to chuckle at her response, she glanced at Zemo for a moment before taking a seat next to Sam. "Don't play dumb with me Elle, you finished basic high school education when you were 13. You know, you and the cyborg."
It was Arelle's turn now to reach over and pour herself a glass of whiskey. "I don't know." Arelle thought herself ungrateful, because of how much she asked for in life. Much of her work goes unnoticed, doing missions for a secret underground organization meant whatever she was risking her life for would protect the world's way of life. If she wiped out some terrorist base overnight, preventing a national declaration of war, people would wake up the next morning and not appreciate the normal day they'd have. Because of this, she was constantly in the mindset that whatever she did was not enough.
"What do you mean you don't know, you're swapping saliva with the man--"
"I think I'm selfish Sam." The sound of silence was so intense that they could probably hear a pin drop one house over. "I know what I want, but I don't know if I can give him what he wants." Arelle was sure that Bucky wanted someone he could settle down with and live the rest of their lives quietly. And that was exactly what Arelle wanted too, but she couldn't give it to him. Arelle watched Sam's sympathetic gaze, Sam had a family. He was a good person. But to her, whoever took away her parents thought she was undeserving of love. Her life was too disruptive, if they wanted to the enemies Arelle's made over her years would be able to find her anywhere, there was no place that was safe. After the final battle against Thanos Arelle went into hiding for a couple of weeks to recover after her friends' deaths, she herself was presumed dead. For that short period of time, she found peace, there was nobody coming after her and she wasn't taking orders.
