Saving Bucky (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter 25 - A Confused Cobbler

"Du wirst für das sterben, was du getan hast," the old man barks.

"Was denkst du, habe ich getan?" Barnes asks, head cocked.

The old man is clearly antagonized by whatever Barnes has said, and takes another step forward, raising his voice. "Du hast sie genommen!" 

The old man's voice is harsh. Angry. It wavers as if teetering on the precipice of an emotional ledge. You've heard this inflection before. You may not understand the words, but you understand their intent. This man is about to act if something doesn't change. So your eyes flit to Barnes as you sit frozen on the step, the glittering jewelry box in your hands. He glances down at you, confusion in the knit of his brow. 

"What's going on?" you whisper.

"He thinks I took someone," Barnes whispers back.

The floorboards of the porch shift behind you as the old man takes another step closer and forces Barnes back.

"I-I-I do not think," the old man stammers in a heavily accented voice. "You! You...you and your soldiers took her! Took her in the night! Through the field I saw them go! Where have they gone?!"

You furrow your brow at man's strange speech. It's scattered. Jumbled. A certain confusion underlies his ramblings, but at the same time a determination.

"The war was OVER! Years over," the old man sobs. "But you still...you still-" the old man's own weak voice fails as he choke on a sob.

"You're wrong, old man," Barnes says, slowly holding up both hands.

"I AM NOT WRONG!" the old man roars. You can hear the immeasurable wrath in his voice. "YOU HAVE MY CÄCILIE!"

Your heart lurches. That name. It's the one on the box. 

"No," Barnes says firmly.

"I searched. All night," the old man sobs. "Her mother...I must tell her mother. She will be home soon. But you...you will be dead soldat."

You furrow your brow. Something isn't right. Your intel files on Mikolaj...he had no family listed in his file. Nothing from his time in the Ukraine. He had erased it all - part of his skill set. Whoever he's speaking of, if they existed it was long ago. If they ever really existed at all. Maybe...maybe he's having trouble with his memories.

Wait...scattered thoughts, gaping timelines, missing memories...that's it.

Slowly, you rise from your place on the steps. 

"Y/n, stop," Barnes snaps.

"Trust me," you whisper.

Barnes inhales sharply, his gaze flitting between you and what is no doubt the barrel of a shotgun. But he says nothing. So you turn slowly to face the old man - the one you recognize from your intel report. It's definitely Mikolaj. He quickly moves his shotgun from aiming down Barnes, to aiming down you. 

Until his eyes find yours. 

And his legs buckle. 

"Silke?" he cries, tears coming to his eyes as he drops the gun and reaches for you. But when he takes a step towards you, you step back and hold up the box in your hands. 

"Silke," Mikolaj gasps, looking between you and the box. "Why have you done this? You know not to touch the glass boxes, mausebär."

Remaining silent, you hold out the box towards him, and he approaches cautiously and takes it from your hands. The moment you're free of it, you let out a breath and stagger backwards into warm arms.