Winter's Children /// Bucky B x Fem Reader

Chapter 19: Now You See Me

Y/N's POV

Current state: Waking up

Faint passive aggressive arguing.

That's all I could make out from a voice that seemed like Sam's. Although it was hard to tell since I'm only now regaining conscious.

He sounded pissed though, you don't need hearing aids to know that.

I'm lying down on a pretty firm pillow.

Wait.

Last time I checked; pillows don't wear jeans. And they definitely don't caress a metal hand through your hair.

I realized I was laying down on Bucky's lap. The rest of my body was draped across the couch/seat in the plane, a comfortable blanket covering me.

Wait.

I know I say that too much, bear with me.

My arm is bandaged. I can tell someone took care of it. Probably Sam, he has army medical training. But then again, so does Bucky.

Eh, I'll find out.

I still didn't open my eyes though. I wanted to hear what Sam had to say. Call me nosy, but he wouldn't say it in front of Zemo if it were a secret.

That's right, I know he's here without having to open my eyes. A woman has a sixth sense, one that SHIELD training enhanced, in my case.

That, and the fact that I can smell Zemo's strong cologne on the leather seats in his jet.

"...And Nagel referring to the American test subject like Isaiah wasn't even a real person."

Is that who Nagel talked about? A certain Isaiah? Could it be Isaiah Bradley?

I'll find out. I know I already said that but I'm good at finding things out. You can thank being a nosy Puerto-Rican for that.

"Just makes me wonder how many people have to get steamrolled to make way for this hunk of metal."

Is he talking about Steve's shield? How dare he. That hunk of metal save a lot of lives, including mine. I might not have had a past with Steve like Bucky, but he was still my friend. A good one at that.

Now Bucky started talking.

"Well, it depends on who you ask. That hunk of metal saved a lot of lives."

That's what I said.

"Yeah I get that. All right. Maybe I made a mistake."

Hell yeah you did.

"Yes. You did." Bucky replied.

Seriously, dude.

"Yeah. Maybe I shouldn't have put it in a museum, I should have destroyed it."

That's it.

"No." I said as I opened my eyes and sat up, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness.

"Woah, hey take it easy. You got blown up." Bucky quickly put a hand on my back and the other gently holding my injured hand.

"I'm fine. Sam, that shield represents a lot of things to a lot of people, including me and I'll be dammed if you dare to do that. The world is upside down, and they need a new Cap, and it sure as hell will never be Walker. So before you destroy it, you should take it from him yourself," I turned to Bucky and back to Sam "or I just might."

His phone buzzed and he got up to answer it. Bucky turned to me.

"You would do that? Take the shield yourself?"

"I personally think you should if Sam's just gonna get rid of it again, but yes. I would. Nobody can take his place, Steve was- well, Steve. But I think someone can represent what Steve fought for and succeed. I don't think that's me, but Steve was my friend. He wouldn't want Walker carrying that shield. Nobody really does."

Bucky stayed silent, his eyes never leaving mine. I took off the blanket that was covering me and sat up straighter.

"Who bandaged me up?" I asked him.

"Sam and I tried our best."

I nodded. "Thank you. Really."

"You would have done the same for me, right?"

"Yes, I would have." I nodded.

One of the many important lessons you learn in this world is that trust can't just be given to anyone. You want it? You earn it.

Something I learned at a very young age that has helped me throughout all my life—quite funny actually, I learned it while practicing card tricks—rule number one of misdirection: always be the smartest person in the room.

Everyone has an agenda and anyone who isn't of use gets pushed over. You are just a means to an end until you decide to grow a spine and do something about it. It's disgusting, and cruel but it's our day to day lives.

You can't go blind into a world that doesn't care about your feelings. Why? Some mistakes are best not to be made. Because it'll be too late to learn from them.

You know that saying that goes "keep your allies close but your enemies closer?" yeah that's not a good strategy. Do you know why?

Because the closer you look,

The less you'll see.

A/N: If u understood the Now You See Me references I LOVE YOU!