"looks like the Winter Soldier came up for some fresh air."
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"Well, I got nothing", Bucky said walking towards the couches where Thalia had just sat, "No ones talking about Donya."
"Yeah, it's because Karli is the only one fighting for them. And she's not wrong", Sam said as he also took a seat on the couch.
"What do you mean?", Thalia asked Sam.
Sam looked at the others, "For five years, people have been welcomed into countries that kept them out using barbwire. There were houses and jobs. Folks were happy to have people around to help them rebuild. It wasn't just one community coming together, it was the entire world coming together."
"And then boom, just like that, it goes all right back to the way it used to be. To them, at least Karli's doing something", he said as Zemo poured tea into a pot.
"You really think her ends justify her means?", Bucky questioned, "Then, she's no different than him, or anybody else we fought." Bucky gestured to Zemo who was starting to walk over.
"She's different", Sam assured, "She's not motivated by the same things."
As Zemo set the tray with tea down Bucky questioned him, "That little girl. What'd she tell you?"
Zemo hesitated, "The funeral is this afternoon."
"You know the Dora's coming for you any minute", Bucky reminded him, "In fact, they're probably lurking outside right now. Keep talking."
"Leaving you to turn on me once we get to Karli- Hmm. I prefer to keep my leverage", Zemo suggested making Thalia's eyebrows shoot up.
Bucky stood up, using his hands to push himself off the couch. Standing in front of Zemo, he rapidly took the cup of tea from his hand and threw it harshly at the wall behind him, making the pottery shatter as he got up in Zemo's face.
"You wanna see what someone can do with leverage?", Bucky threatened in almost a growl.
"Looks like the Winter Soldier came up for some fresh air", Thalia mumbled to herself as she watched the scene unfold.
"Take it easy. Don't engage him. He's just gonna extort you and do that stupid head tilt thing", Sam stood joining the two men to try and stop them brawling. As Sam said those words Zemo put his head back up straight.
"Let me make a call", Sam said, and left the room.
Seeing as Bucky still stood in front of Zemo, Thalia got up, took his hand, and dragged him to another room.
"Want some cherry blossom tea?", was all Zemo shouted after them. But they both didn't answer him as Thalia slowly closed the door behind her.
Bucky noticed how amazingly beautiful she looked at this moment with the sun hitting her. He wishes he could be able to see this all the time but knowing their line of work, well, let's just say it's never peaceful.
"Are you alright, Buck?", Thalia asked gently as she took his hands in hers.
"No", he sighed and looked away from her feeling his eyes get a bit glossy. He doesn't like crying, he was taught it was a sign of weakness. If James Bucky Barnes hated one thing, it was being weak.
"What's wrong?", she asked quietly, he didn't answer.
She put her hand on his cheek and turned his head towards her, when she saw his eyes a heartbroken look appeared on her face, "Oh, James."
He looked in her eyes as a tear slipped slowly down his cheek as he talked, "I lost myself. I lost the guy who smiled without even thinking. I lost the guy who laughed so loud, the entire room heard. I lost the guy who made others happy. I lost him. I can rarely crack a smile unless it's fake. If I laughed it's broken. I put others in pain. I am a monster and so, so lost."
His voice cracked at the end as Thalia just listened and gently rubbed his cheek with her thumb, "My days are now exhausting and numbing. My best friend left me and I still haven't come to terms with it. I'm friends with an elderly man because I still don't know how to tell him I murdered his son. I lash out at my therapist because she wants to help me. The shield that's currently with Walker feels like it's the only family I have left. I lost myself. And I don't know how to find him. But... I think you could help me", he said while looking into her baby blue-colored eyes.
"You're not a monster darling, you're anything but. You are not lost. You wanna know how I know that? Because you are home. You hear me, home.", as she finished he smiled with tears and hugged her tight.
"I don't know where I'd be without you", he murmured into her hair that still smelled like coconuts.
"Dead. You'd be dead", they both let out a laugh and just enjoyed each other's company, maybe a little too much.
꧁꧂
The four of them walked through the city of Latvia, passing houses and people. The houses were nice and the people seemed kind.
"Karli Morganthau is too dangerous for you guys to be pulling this shit", John fucking Walker. Absolutely amazing.
"I'm royally pissed off at this point", Thalia said to Bucky as they watched Walkie Talkie and his friend walk down the stone stairs.
"Ah! How'd you find us now?", Bucky asked lifting his arms in the air.
"Come on, you think two Avengers can walk around Latvia without drawing attention?", Lemar asked making Bucky huff in annoyance, especially since Lemar was checking Thalia out.
"No more keeping us in the dark", John instructed making Thalia roll her head in annoyance. "You could start by telling us why you broke him out of prison", he pointed at Zemo as they all came to a stop.
"He did that himself, technically", Bucky said making Thalia's lips quirk up at the amount of sass radiating off him.
"This better be an unbelievable explanation-!", John exclaimed as he came closer to Bucky.
"Back the fuck up", Thalia said in a deadly tone as she pushed John back.
"I know where Karli is", Zemo spoke up from his spot next to Sam.
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A/N: I loved it when Bucky threw the glass at the wall, like he was so hot.
