We'll Meet Again...I Know When || Bucky Barnes x Reader

17 || Forgive and Forget

At first, you had stood a few feet behind Steve, having followed him into the room intending to be an active part of whatever conversation would transpire there, however you've since given up on that plan.

You counted three glances from Bucky. The first was almost immediate when you approached, long and trapped on your figure as he groggily groaned your name. You're not too sure how much he remembers about the last few hours, but it didn't seem to take him long to at least realize his current situation.

After that, his glances were mere blinks that happened to pass over you before darting away to literally anywhere else be it the floor or roof, even down his shirt if it avoided your gaze. His words would fall silent then, his words escaping him with a stumble. That's when you decided it best to leave the room.

Even in absences, you don't go too far, in fact you only move out of sight, leaned against the wall outside where you can still listen somewhat, although Bucky's voice is so scratchy and quiet, it makes his sentences difficult to hear properly. Thankfully, Steve speaks much louder; purposefully, it seems, given how he also tends to rephrase whatever Bucky had said first before giving his own reply. He must be trying to make it easier for you to hear what's going on and stay in the loop despite your distance. Bless him.

A lot's said between the trio, some of which you've already known. You didn't need any refresher on what Bucky remembers about Steve or even the existence of certain words that can set off the Winter Soldier; he's confided in you all of that. What Bucky hadn't ever told you about was the apparent existence of other super soldiers under HYDRA.

It felt like cold water dumped over your body to hear him admit it. Yes, you've never exactly asked whether HYDRA made more super soldier copies, however with something that big - that dangerous - you'd think Bucky would've mentioned it beforehand. Did he not trust you with this information? Did he not think it was important, merely something that would fade away with time? Well, it's important now. According to him, that man who set off the Winter Soldier was asking about the location where the others should be kept; enough to form an army or make an empire fall, as Steve put it.

Fiddling with your fingers, you wait not so patiently on your own, trying to distract yourself from all your burning thoughts by studying details of this broken down warehouse until you hear footsteps to your right. Glancing up, you meet Steve's eyes. He says nothing, but nods; wordlessly permission, as you take it.

From there, you're free to enter the room by yourself. You move slowly, keeping a watchful eye for any reaction on Bucky's part, although he remains hunched over, running his flesh hand through his hair. As for his metal arm, it's no longer entrapped in the press like it had been originally, meaning he must be in a good enough mental state to not run, at least per Steve's judgment anyways (not that you'd argue).

"Bucky...? Are you okay...?"

He doesn't look at you, "...What did I do?"

You're tempted to play dumb and act like you don't understand his question, but that won't help anyone here, will it? So, you move even closer instead, cautiously kneeling in front of him which allows you to be at eye level since he refuses to give you the attention you're searching for otherwise.

"Well, a lot of those government agents are going to be sore for the next few days, let's put it that way. I guess you tried to make a run for it afterwards - according to Steve anyways -"

"- You don't know? I thought you were there -..." He finally looks at you, but when he does, his surprised words die in his throat with a whimper. Initially, you assume it must be out of irritation - a growing annoyance with the situation that he doesn't want to risk taking out on you, thus he shuts his mouth, however there's a different look in his eyes that tells you a different answer; a horrified look.