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

Chapter 26: Valeriy Ayers - Not Them (Part II)

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"You're not them...." He said.

Them.

I could almost laugh at the thought.

Almost.

"That's exactly who I am!" I yelled, shoving him away.

But he didn't move. Instead, my back slammed into the wall, and the pins holding my bones in place shifted from the impact. The pain that shot up to my brain dropped me to my knees, leaving me gasping for air.

"Val..." he called out softly, kneeling down to my level.

"Don't," I snapped, backing against the wall to get away from his hand.

"You're not them. They wouldn't help – "

"None of that matters. It doesn't change the fact that at the end of the day, I'm no different from those who manipulated you for decades! It's what I do! That is who I am."

The look Bucky gave me reminded me so much of a kicked puppy, but yet his brow knitted in concern. His hand reached out for me, freezing in the space between us. Unable to close the gap.

"I'm willing to put money on the fact a few of her friends are the old bastards who gave you orders. Are you sure you want to be a friend of a friend to those – "

"Just shut up!" he yelled at the ceiling, his breathing coming out hard and his attention returning to me again. "You don't need to listen to this bullshit."

I didn't even have time to blink before he had me sitting on his cybernetic arm. He practically raced up the stupidly long staircase, which only got longer with Eve moving the steps downwards. He had my ear pressed against his chest with his warm hand covering the other one.

His heart pounded away. Not its usual soothing pace. A panicked tune singing at my ear.

"Honestly, Mr. Barnes, are you so blind to just what kind of person you have cradled in your arms?" Eve's voice was muffled, and the words only served to make his arms tighten around me.

"Stop trying to get me to leave." His voice far too loud against my ear.

"You realize that I've been ordered to be truthful with you, right? Val has yet to lie to you either."

"I'm not asking! I'm tired of people leaving out half the information."

"I'm not the only one here with half – "

The glass door slammed back into place with a kick from Bucky.

I barely heard the growling through the racing beat of his heart. I snapped my fingers, pointing away to stop the coming attack.

'No wonder the sneaky bastards didn't tackle me when I got back.'

For some reason or another, Bucky had the dogs running about outside this whole time.

He set me down on the sun warmed grass. His brows furrowed together with such worry. His hand still against the side of my face, lightly pressed into my cheek.

I couldn't keep eye contact with him. A guilt I couldn't quite place gnawed away inside me.

"Please, Valeriy.... Please," he pleaded so very softly that his voice dragged my eyes to his, and the twisted expression of disgust I expected wasn't on his face.