Hydra's Hound

Living

"How did you get this? I dont even have money" Bucky asked as I led him into a small apartment I bought
"I'm a countess. I've been alive long enough to be richer than Tony Stark and all the governments combined. I did give money to the poor before, when you know, before Hydra. And I used to have this mansion in Scotland, I own half an island up the north too, the Isle of Lismore, that's where I take my hibernation, there's less than 200 people there" I explained
"Anyway, I bought this just for now. I know it's not fancy, but just so we can figure out how to get Hydra out your head it's a good place to stay hidden for a while" I said and put down my backpack and the keys on the table

"You're a countess? And you own an island?" He asked shocked
"Yes and half the island." I sat down and began to blow up the air mattress for him
"Why did you never tell me?" He asked
"Because Hydra had ears all over. I don't want my stuff taken" I replied

"Thanks. For helping me escape them." He whispered
"No bother. We could've done it years ago if you had agreed. But later is better than never" I smiled

••••••

"Oh come on" I groaned as the queue on Bucky Barnes stayed so long
"Relax Ash. We're in no hurry" Bucky took my hand in his gloved one
"Maybe, but I want to read about you" I smiled
"Me too." He chuckled

The next person moved and we stepped forward.
My eyes scanned the picture on the boards, pictures of young Bucky, and older Bucky.
"Best friends from childhood, Steven Rogers and James Barnes were inseparable on both playground and battle field" the audio told us
"Awwww you were so cute" I pointed to a teenage Bucky
"Shut up Ash" he shoved my shoulder
"No I'm serious. What went wrong?" I poked him back gaining another shove
"Okay okay. Let's move to the Steve one" he said after reading the very impersonal information given

Most of it was about his war life and being part of the Howling Comandos

"Steve sure had a lot of health problems huh? Anxiety, asthma, frail bones" I asked reading the list
"He lied in about 5 enlistment offices to get to the war. Then he got the doc who gave him his chance" Bucky told me
"Tell me something you remember?" I asked
"He....he used to put newspaper in his shoes to be taller. And his mum's name was Sarah. Oh, and he used to have this cat. Well it wasn't his, it was an alley cat. But he called it stripes and he'd feed the bloody thing canned tuna" Bucky chuckled
"You're remembering" I grinned and hugged his real arm
"I guess I am" he smiled and held my hand in his

•••••••

I trotted after Bucky as we went for our weekly groceries, my tongue was sticking out of my mouth as i panted happily.
Bucky stopped at a fruit stand so I stopped too and stood between his legs watching him inspect the plums
"How much are these?" Bucky asked picking the nice ripe and juicy ones
"Euro each" the merchant replied
"Uh okay I'll take these. Thank you" Bucky handed over five he wanted

I looked up at him with big eyes. He chuckled and picked up some apples and a single strawberry too
I licked his gloved hand to show my thanks and watched him pay and take our goods

The two of us continued down the different stalls seeing what we needed or didn't.
We picked up some chicken and a few vegetables cause I was going to make a roast pot I'd learned to make in the mid 1800's. It was nice, different to the nowadays roast pot

I was looking around a smile on my face when I saw a paper merchant looking at Bucky weirdly, so I casually hit my tail on his leg to notify him
He spotted it too and the two of us walked over
I jumped up to see the paper the weirdo man had been reading.

Winter Soldier and Hound kills in Vienna

I looked at the man confused. We've not left Bucharest in months. We've been free for half a year, and we've been here for just over two months now.
"I dont know, let's just get home" he said calmly nodding I jumped off the counter and began to walk by his side to get home