Cruel Fate | Bucky Barnes

KEEPERS OF THE FRISBEE

"Why would he do that?"

Anna glanced over at Bucky in surprise. He hadn't spoken the whole time they'd been together since the debacle with Walker. He'd mostly been mulling and brooding to himself.

He met her eyes with a hidden meaning; like he felt lost or hopeless. He didn't know what to believe anymore and she understood that.

She stepped closer to him and reached for his hand. He watched her tentatively grasp it, unsure of whether or not it was a good move. But he relaxed under her touch, which reassured her.

"You know the world is broken when the only way we feel safe is by hurting someone else."

It was the first thing she'd ever said that made her real to Bucky. He'd always thought of her as a past mirage. But now she present and real; not something he could make up.

His eyes glistened over. He scanned her face slowly, noticing things he'd never paid attention to before. He seemed to get closer even though he didn't move.

And for the first time, Anna didn't feel the urge to back away.

Before they could actually move, Sam came back from his scouting. The two took steps back to seem like they were acting normal. They made space for Sam to move between them.

He gestured to the door next to them that led to the inside of a warehouse, "Walker's in there."

They nodded and opened the door to go in. Bucky and Anna followed Sam to the center of the building. They found Walker coming towards them with a deadly look in his eye.

Sam tried to show his concern for him, "You should see a medic. You don't look so good."

They could see sweat shine from underneath his helmet. Blood still stuck to his fingertips.

Walker scoffed and ignored him. He raised his voice with no concern for peace.

"You saw what happened. You saw what I had to do! I killed him because I had to! He killed Lemar!"

"He didn't kill him, John," Bucky argued, "Don't go down that road. Believe me, it doesn't end well."

"I'm not like you," Walker snarled.

Bucky's face fell in disappointment.

"Look, it was the heat of the battle. If you explain what happened, they may consider your record. We don't want anyone else to get hurt," Sam stated.

He glanced at Anna and Bucky. Both of them encouraged him to keep going, pushing him to say the thing he needed to.

"John...you need to give me the shield."

Walker lifted his hanging head. Any emotion or stress disappeared and was replaced with rage.

"So that's what this is about."

He swiftly pulled out a gun from his holster. Bucky reacted and pulled out his own as Walker pointed it at Sam. Both guns were raised in different directions, neither backing down.

Sam held his hands up in surrender and Anna tensed.

"Okay, wait. Let's just talk this through."

"Put the gun down, Barnes, before you make me do something I'll regret," Walker threatened.

That's when Anna reacted. She pulled out her own weapon and pointed it at the man.

"Put the gun down, Walker, before you make me do something I'll really enjoy."