Riley's Girl

What's Going On?

"Taking it the reunion didn't go too well?" Bucky asks sceptically, with a hint of genuine concern.

You sigh as you let yourself fall back and flop against the sofa, groaning in the process. "The opposite." Is all you can bring yourself to say as you still tried to process the entire encounter. You slightly turn your head, giving Bucky the side eye, naturally he was already staring.

"The tears streaming down her face say otherwise." Zemo utters, like an unwanted voice from the gods.

You then turned your glaring gaze at him, your breathing becoming shallow, you could feel the sharp rises and falls of your chest, all because of the aggravation he caused - his existence already ticked you off, but his little digs, his unwanted opinions, just pissed you off more.

"He's annoying, but he's right. She was a mess when she left." Bucky says as carefully as he could, but her concern was still there - it was heartwarming.

But you were still annoyed with Zemo and Bucky was about to get the brunt of that. "Look man, I can't explain. I jus-I know her. That wasn't her, she's different, she's scared and she's pushing me away." You choke on your own words, you two never pushed each other out, never. It was your thing. No matter what.

And as if on queue - albeit, a non existent one - Zemo nonchalantly, approached with a tray, filled with a teacup, and three cups, oriental, antique, expensive, very Zemo. "Is that so bad? She seems troubled." He watches you closely for a second before continuing "trouble attracts trouble." He says plainly as he begins pouring tea.

You were growing tired of Zemo's carefree, relaxed attitude, like some mad hatter throwing a tea party in wonderland. Asif sensing your impeding explosion, Bucky speaks up.

"Zemo." His tone was a warning.

You shake your head, refocusing yourself, bringing yourself back to the reality of your situation. "Ignore him Buck. Look, we aren't going to be the only one looking for her. But, we need to be the first to find her. I've just got this feeling that-" you shake your head, looking at your hands as you picked at your nails, blinking away your tears.

"That her life depends on us finding her, before Walker or Karelia do." Bucky finishes your sentence with just as much horror in his voice, he was staring ahead blankly. You understood his thoughts, you were doing the same.

You sigh "yeah."

"I know it sounds crazy but the fact she tried so hard for me to feel angry or hurt by what she said. It proves she still truly cares about me... which means..." you extend your hand towards him as you bow your head slightly. Encouraging him to connect the dots.

You watch him closely, the light switching on right before your eyes. "She really was just a pawn in Karli's games." Bucky says - completely annoyed.

"And if it's an act? A trap?" Zemo plants that seed of doubt, or tries to at least in both of you. He was trying so hard to make her seem like the bad guy, like the enemy, it was making you tense - you already knew you couldn't trust him but he was making that fact all too real.

You slowly turn your head to stare him down, you inhale sharply through your nostrils, your composure was slipping on a daily basis just being in his presence and he knew it. So he pushed your taunted you and you but every, damn, time.

"It's not." Bucky speaks up, blunt.

The blind faith he had in Y/N was refreshing. Except you knew that he had faith in you, and because you had faith in her, he had it too.

"I'll guess we'll just have to wait and see." Zemo says in a whisper, he almost sounded scared and that caught your attention.

Was he onto something?