Mosaic (Bucky Barnes X OC / Winter Soldier x OC)

Chapter 23: Bucky Barnes - CHEESE (Part I)

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Pulling out of another nightmare all I knew were the straps holding me down.

Panic sent me upright.

Grab Gerber Yari II under mattress. Stab heart between ribs. Target incapacitated.

Barely able to remember that Valeriy was behind me before I could break the foot that smacked me in the face.

A sleepy groan escaped the young woman. But she was upright. Eyes squinting in the dim lighting. Taser in hand. Just barely ready for the worst.

One of the rare moments where her thoughts were so clearly written across her face. In the way her brows furrow. In the way her eyes were still half asleep. The confusion of no intruder.

"Nightmare?"

I shook my head. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"Eh, it's fine," she waved off. A little tick of anger crossing her eyes before they squinted at the bright phone screen. "It's close to dawn anyways. We can go look for the totems."

The way her hand reached out for mine. So naturally.

It shouldn't.

Didn't she know how easy her bones could break?

Just a bit of strength and they would crack.

Her light laughter made me pause and her hand slipped from mine. Then proceed to flap both her hands about by her face until her fingers slipped through the cuffs.

'Did I...?'

That was one of the hoodies she bought in Thunder Bay hanging off her shoulders. That she's been trying to zip up with the sleeves swallowing up her hands every time she reached to knee level trying to get a hold of the zipper. The more she tried the more she laughed.

'Did I... put the hoodie...?'

"Thanks Bucky," Valeriy chirped.

Her hand wrapped around mine again the end of the sleeve swinging about. A little tug from her and the zipper tab by her neck slipped from my fingers.

Seemed rather natural, the way she picked up the camera and slipped it into the hoodie pocket with her hand completely encased by the sleeve. I had to dodge the blanket she flung over her shoulder. But the mask, she had trouble smacking that against her face to have it stick.

"You know what?" Valeriy huffed, stuffing the sheet into her pocket. "We'll slap these on if we spot anybody. I'd rather see your beautiful face anyways."

Before she could skip her way out of the motorhome, I tugged her to a stop and opened the laptop, going over the surrounding area.

She hovered at my side, joining in. Going by how her head bounced and the noncommittal hum, she came to the same conclusion as I did.

Nobody seemed to be awake.

Made sense for 0451.

Before she could shoot her uninjured leg, I plucked the Five seveN Valeriy was trying to tuck under the waistband of her shorts. With a sigh, I made sure the safety was on. It wasn't. The sleeve likely shifted the switch without her knowing.

I had to hop on a foot to keep up with her as I slipped the barrel under my sock.

"Val – "

The sky. Stars filled so much of the darkness. Tiny dots so far away and half a moon. Bright enough to bathe the trees in pale light. All of it so familiar.

"How about we climb atop this thing and stare skywards? We got the time," Valeriy suggested with a grin. "Pretty sure there's a skylight inside I could pop open."

The roof of the motorhome would let us relax out of sight. If we were on our backs, it would be too low for anyone to spot. It would be a clear view of the stars without the leaves and branches of the trees.

"I can jump that," I told her.

"I sure can't."

"I can carry you and...."

Tossing her over my shoulder like before wasn't an option anymore. Even if the cast could handle it, she'd be in pain.

"I can just hang onto your shoulders?" Valeriy offered with a shrug. "Like a baby monkey or something...? Piggybacking?"

'Baby monkey...?'

Her finger twirled a circle. I understood what that meant. She wanted me to turn around. Her hands lightly clasped onto both shoulders.

Sweep legs. Heel drop face. Target incapacitated.

When she put pressure down through her hands, I knew what that meant as well and dropped to my knees.

A squeal mostly muffled by clenched teeth sounded above me. She crashed into the back of my head and shoulders, toppling in front of me.

I scrambled to catch her. Yet again, holding the young woman upside down while her arms tried to support her weight. One hand clinging onto the blanket she had brought out.

The panic subsided at her laughter.

Carefully, I lowered her behind me. But instead of sitting on a bed, she draped herself against my back. Her arms softly wrapping around my neck.

"Maybe I should have used my words?" she commented lightly. Hand reaching up and running through my hair. "I'm not trying to choke you. I'm going to just tuck my leg around your tummy.... Kind of like a hug? With legs...? 'Kay?"

At my nod, her left leg wrapped across my stomach. The pressure with her hands returned and the other leg flung around, crossing at the ankles.

"Oh, I did not think this through. This can't be good for your knees."

Before she could drop her legs, I grasped her knees. With a shift of weight to one knee, I easily stood up.

Valeriy giggled. Still hanging off my back. Her head lightly knocked against mine. Her cheek against my ear. Her arms squeezing down lightly.

A hug.

"Bicky!!! Go fatter!!!"

"...Hang on," I told her, and with a couple of steps, I sprung off the ground and gently landed on the middle of the motorhome.

Valeriy's laughter rang the whole way up.

I set her down on her feet. Made sure that she was stable on her right foot before letting go of her left. Minimize the damage on her ankle.

Her barely fading chuckles caught my attention.

"Again!"

"Val!"

I barely managed to catch the crazy woman. From how her hands dug into my arm, she was hurting from being caught around the fractured ribs. Struggling to push her weight off them and shifting my arm to her waist.

"Your ankle," I reminded her. My heart pounding in my chest.

"...Oops?" She sent a wary grin my way, trying to hide the pain behind it. "Slipped my mind?"

With a heavy sigh, I hauled her back onto the roof. "Do not jump off. If you want to go down, tell me. I'll carry you."

She mostly pouted but gave a nod. "...Okay."

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Author's Note:

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