We're more alike than you think

29. Royal

The boys were asleep, while Zemo was reading his book and lucky for you he had time to pick up a new book in Madripoor so you didn't have to live through that embarrassment again. You knew better than to ask what he was reading, so you kept yourself busy fixing the batons. It was only a few glitches, which was incredible when you think about what they had been through in that explosion.

"If you wanna change clothes I have a wardrobe down there" Zemo said, taking his eyes from the book and up at you while pointing at a door father down on the plane. You couldn't help but laugh at him. "Is this your kind way of saying that you don't like how I'm dressed? Let me remind you that you picked it." you said. He put away the book and checked you out.

"No that's my kind way of telling you that you have blood on it, which may not be that nice to walk around with in public" he pointed out. You immediately looked down at your clothes and cursed to yourself. You hadn't even noticed it and to be fair it wasn't that visible since you wore red. You stood up

"I hope you have more than silly purple dresses" you mumbled.

"Let me show you" he said, taking one hand on your back and leading the way to the wardrobe. You looked around, it was impressive. He had all types of clothing here. Of course everything was very high fashion or lucrative, but it was all kinds of things in a diverse range of colours, not only purple as you guessed.

"I know you are royal and all that, but it's still impressive how you were allowed to keep all of this while you were in prison" you said and took your eyes away from the clothes to look at him for a second. He was leaning into a desk "I have my alias" he said with a serious tone. "I bet" you chuckled as you turned around and started to look for clothes. To be fair, all of you should probably have showered before you put on new fresh clothes, especially this fancy expensive clothing that Zemo was offering, but none of you had time for it. You found a basic white shirt and a pair of high waisted trousers that you liked. You got undressed.

"And so do you y/n" he said as he tilted his head. You buttoned the jeans, took off the red jumper and just laughed at his comment.

"Bounty hunter, really?" he said walking over to you before he pushed you up on the desk and took a finger under your chin. You looked up at him surprised at how he suddenly acted. He almost seemed mad at you, but with lust in his eyes.

"Why would you waste your talent on such dirty work?"

He forced you to keep eye contact, but if you were being honest with yourself, you didn't really want to look away from him. It was something with Zemo that you liked, that made you throw away all logic, just for his validation. You knew that the second he would find out that you were powered that he would turn on you, pull a trigger and leave you for dead, but you didn't really care. Maybe because you made up excuses in your head? Like we didn't know for sure how Zemo felt about your kind.. he had never really said anything about us.. so maybe, just maybe he didn't hate us?

"Sometimes you don't have a choice" you whispered and felt how his fingers were gently brushing over your cheek. He looked you in the eyes. It was like he searched for the answers your lips didn't give in your eyes, but your story was too complicated and deep down, he understood that himself.

He leaned down to your lips, holding your face with both hands before he went in for a passionate kiss, and you let your lips follow his. You wrapped your legs around his hips, making sure it was no space between the two of you. His one hand softly making small movements on your bare back, sending chills through your whole body. Your pulse was racing against the clock as every kiss felt magical. You missed this, you missed being intimate with somebody, being touched. You craved it. Your desperation took over and that was the moment you realized what you really were doing. You hid your face in his neck and took one hand on his chest.

"We can't" you whispered and tried to catch your breath.

"What's wrong little bird"?

That damn pet name, even you could admit by now that it made you feel certain feelings, especially when he said it with his lips against your neck, making small kisses. Feeling his breath alone on your skin was more than enough to put you out of play, but you knew you couldn't fall for this. You thought about his question. What was wrong? You leaned back so you could see his face properly.

"Zemo you are who you are.. You are.. You are a mass mur.." you bursted out before he stopped you. He tightens his grip around your face.

"And what are you?" he asked strictly back. You looked at him shocked by his question. You clearly hit a nerve at him, but so did he on you. You pushed him away and looked down at your own hands. You had been a little bit on the edge since that whole 'unleash your power' - episode with Bucky, so you knew you had to stay calm to not do anything you couldn't control. You took on the shirt and started to button it up.

"Me and you are nothing alike. Trust me"

You said harsh, but careful so you didn't wake up the boys.

"Really?" he said, looking down at you as you stood up. "I think we are completely the same'' he whispered and walked towards you again. "We both have done wrong, but with the right intention"

"What you did Zemo, cannot be justified that simple" you said and tried to keep yourself cool.

"And yours can?"

You got quiet. The blood you had spilled could never be justified. It didn't help how many people you saved or how many bad guys you put back in prison. It wouldn't change the fact that somebody had lost their son, daughter or friend because of you. You couldn't bring them back, they were gone and you had to live with that for the rest of your life.

"The Avengers, the world's mightiest heroes took everything from me. Sokovia was doing fine, my family was doing fine, my family, my wife and my kid, Carl were safe in Sokovia... until your friends came and destroyed it" he said and put pressure on the last part. Zemo struggled to keep a brave face and you could easily see through his walls that he was a deeply hurt man.

"And nobody listened, nobody cared for us... I may have used the wrong methods, but sometimes you don't have a choice" he said and quoted you. It took all your strength to not alter the magnetic field. You weren't even angry at the man. You felt for him and to a certain level you could understand what he did, but it was a major difference between the two of you.

Zemo did what he did for justice for his family, for his country, but forgot about all the innocent lives he took on his path to splitting up the Avengers. He never acknowledged it, as he was only focusing on one single goal, that being the Avengers or the Super Soldier serum. It was blinding him. You had seen that blindness before, in your own father. You knew that everything you had done in your past was wrong and motivated by selfish reasons. It is because of your awareness of yourself and your actions that it's possible for you to move on.

"Don't try to understand, little bird" he whispered against your lips.

You were now calm and had no need to protest him. You smiled weakly at him.

"Your right, I will never understand."