Cruel Fate | Bucky Barnes

PILLARS

"Need some help?"

Anna glanced up and saw Bucky coming back from the cockpit of the plane.

"Nope."

She continued to try and see her wound on her shoulder. But her head wouldn't turn as far as it needed to see it clearly.

Bucky smirked at her struggle, "Oh yeah, you've got it all handled."

She rolled her eyes as he walked over and stood behind her. He stole the piece of gauze she had out of her hand, causing her to complain.

"Just let me do this," he argued.

She shut her mouth and sighed stubbornly, "Fine. But only because you shot the guy who did this."

He laughed as she pushed the first aid kit towards him. He put his hand on her shoulder to keep her from moving. She winced as he dabbed at the wound.

He pulled out a small pair of tweezers out of the kit and began to remove the bullet still lodged in her tissue. She inhaled sharply and bit down on the inside of her cheeks. She clenched her fists tightly to keep herself from tensing up too much.

Once it was removed, she sighed and her shoulders relaxed. Bucky tossed the bullet into the discarded medical supplies pile.

As he pressed a gauze pad to the freshly bleeding wound, he noticed her clenched fists.

"You're bleeding," he observed.

She glanced down and uncurled her fists. He was right. Her nails had dug so deeply into her hands that she'd caused miniature cuts to imprint in her palms.

"Here."

He offered up his metal arm, stretching it out towards her from behind. She took a quick look at it before scoffing.

"Are you serious?"

"It's a metal arm," he defended, "You can't crush it with your hands and it's better than hurting yourself."

"Look, I not a little kid and I don't need to hold your hand to-"

She cut herself off with a sharp inhale as Bucky inserted a needle into her skin. She tensed up and her hand automatically clutched Bucky's to control her reactions.

Bucky smirked victoriously, "I thought that'd shut you up."

She laughed sarcastically to mock him.

He continued to stitch her up as Zemo and Sam came from the cockpit. They sat down in front of the pair and watched Bucky take care of her. Zemo handed them plates of food before he sat.

"They found the woman Nagel spoke about, Madani," Sam informed, "She's dead. Torres said she died in Riga, a city near the Baltic Sea."

"I have a place we can go," Zemo stated. He leaned back and relaxed in his chair, "I, for one, am looking forward to to coming face to face with Karli."

"Me too," Anna agreed, "I'm still pissed she sent her minions to blow up my apartment."

The sewing needle reentered her skin and she bit her lip. She squeezed Bucky's metal hand harder, trying to take in the coolness to damp her high pressure heat.

"Can you take it easy back there?" she snapped.

Bucky rolled his eyes and tugged on the wire. He looked to Sam for assistance but the man simply shrugged and leaned back.

"You recruited her."

•••••

Once they landed in Riga, Zemo led them to another apartment he had. It amazed Anna at how well connected he was everywhere.