Altruism // Helmut Zemo x Reader x Bucky Barnes

4

A/n: I apologize how long this has taken, I'm not too confident in my writing (especially in this chapter) but thank you all for your support with this series!

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Avengers Tower - 2015

Y/n let out a sigh as she picked at her food alone in the kitchen of the tower, wishing for companionship. She realized it was selfish of her to want so much attention from her comrades, if she even had the right to call them that with how little she did in her eyes, but as she had their wounds scarred into her skin she wished they would at least spend some time with her. She was unbearably lonely, her interactions with the Avengers always brief and polite yet leaving her longing for more.

The sound of footsteps entering the kitchen had her raising her eyes from the cereal bowl to look at the newcomer, Steve Rogers. He was the only person she could even think of calling a friend and she was grateful to have him around her. Although the others did show concern for her pain when she took their wounds away, Steve was the only one who stuck around to help her out when he didn't have to.

"How's the search for your friend?" She asked, talking about the Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes.

He pulled up a chair to the table and let out a sigh. "Still nothing. How's the wound? I saw the knife wound on Nat, it didn't look pleasant." He commented, looking at the bandages wrapped around her torso that peaked out from the bottom of her bunched up tank top.

"I can handle it, It's healing slower than usual because of how deep it was though." Y/n told him, taking in a mouthful of her cereal.

"You know you don't need to do this, you could always just live your life peacefully. You're covered in scars that don't belong to you and you're always handling everyone else's pain. It's not the life you deserve."

"It may not be the life I deserve but it's the life I've chosen. It hurts a lot, but I don't regret my choices. Me healing you guys, it's for the greater good. It gets you all back onto the field faster so you can save more people. My pain doesn't matter when it's for such a good cause." She explained, believing every word.

Steve placed his hand on her free one. "Your pain matters Y/n. You're too selfless." He said, his brilliant blue eyes staring into hers, and she realized he had a bit of green in them. "My friend Bucky would have loved you, you know that? If things were different I would be insisting you two go on a date." He looked away from her and down at the table, his mind seeming to start being clouded with bitter nostalgia.

"Steve, hey," She said, getting his attention. "You'll find him, I know it. He saved you, you know he's in there. It's only a matter of time." Steve gave her a small smile but stayed silent. It wasn't uncomfortable like one would expect, but secure and filled with pondering as they both thought about each other's words.

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Madripoor - 2024

Y/n woke up on the ground with her ears ringing. What had happened before wasn't coming to mind instantly, but she didn't have time to dwell on it with Bucky's face in hers, a panicked expression painted onto it.

"Get up, get up!" He shouted with worry, grabbing her arm and pulling her to cover where Sam and Sharon were already. The sound of gunshots rang out around her as she patted herself down in search of her gun, finding it nowhere. Bucky noticed her panic and pulled her into his body protectively with his vibranium arm while he used his free hand to shoot at the enemies.

"Are any of you injured?" Y/n asked, her voice barely rising above the chaos.

"I am!" Sharon lifted up the side of her shirt to reveal a bullet wound. Y/n began to move over to her but Bucky held her back.