The Baron's Soldier

Chapter Twenty Four

Bucky woke rather early the next morning. He felt rested, and good. Just all around good. He sat up, and stretched before looking down at Zemo. He was sleeping. Breathing softly, and steadily.
Bucky gently brushed the Baron's hair back, and smiled. He's so beautiful. Like an angel, or a doll. Bucky frowned when he noted the bruises on Zemo's neck. Oops. Curiously he pulled the blankets down more. Zemo's upper arms held small round bruises from Bucky's fingers. He blushed, feeling rather embarrassed with himself.
Zemo mumbled softly, and slowly opened his eyes.
"Morning, beautiful." Bucky grinned.
"Good morning." Zemo groaned softly.
"You okay?"
"Yes."
"You're sure? How are you feeling?" Bucky asked with concern. Zemo smiled.
"You sound like Raynor."
"I know." Bucky giggled.
"I'm fine James. Just a bit sore."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Zemo sat up slowly.
"We should get ready." Zemo smiled. Bucky nodded.
"Right." He stood up, and stretched again. Any scratches Zemo had put on the super soldier's back had healed during the night. Zemo blushed watching him. He's like a sculpture. Bucky turned, and reached out to Zemo.
"Thank you." Zemo took his hand, and Bucky pulled him up. Zemo groaned, and winced.
"Where does it hurt?"
"My back. Lower back, and my legs."
"Your muscles aren't used to being in those positions." Bucky blushed. Zemo nodded.
"Sorry." He was embarrassed.
"It's okay." Bucky laughed softly.
"Can you walk?"
"Slowly." Zemo replied. He felt stiff. Bucky walked him to the bathroom. He looked up, and down Zemo's legs, and saw all the bruising. More fingerprints, and larger bruises from where his hands gripped Zemo's thighs, and calves. Oh my gosh. He felt like an idiot.
Zemo sat down on the toilet seat, and pulled off Bucky's t-shirt. Bucky's eyes widened when he saw the bruises on Zemo's back. Finger prints. He saw bruises on Zemo's chest as well. Bite marks, and fingerprints. I was way too rough.
"Oh my god." Bucky couldn't hold in his reaction when he saw Zemo's sides, and abdomen.
"What?" Zemo's brow furrowed.
"I-you-look what I've done to you." Bucky stuttered. Zemo stood up slowly with a wince, and looked in the mirror. More bruised flesh. His sides had deep purple marks from Bucky's hands, and fingers, and his entire lower abdomen was bruised badly as if by a seatbelt in a car accident.
"Oh... it's nothing." Zemo waved it off.
"I'm so sorry Zemo."
"I'm not." Zemo shook his head.
"I think we should see a doctor. What if there is internal damage?"
"James, it's okay, it's just from the pressure, and force of your thrust." Zemo shrugged. That was his best guess anyway.
"Zemo, I don't know, I'm really worried."
"And I'm worried that you're never going to fuck me again." Zemo frowned.
"Zemo." Bucky sighed.
"I... let's talk about sex later, right now I'm concerned for your health."
"Shower with me." Zemo changed the subject.
"If I feel anything is wrong I will let you take me to the hospital, but for now, I just want to shower."
"Alright." Bucky agreed. He wasn't going to pass up on this opportunity. Zemo started the water, and let it heat to a temperature good enough for him, but not so hot it would scare the soldier off. He switched on the shower, stepped in, and smirked.
"Aren't you coming, Soldat?"
"Yeah, yeah." Bucky blushed, and stepped into the shower. He expected to melt, but the water was nice. Perfect even. Zemo backed into the water, and rinsed his hair. After he put in some shampoo, then motioned Bucky to switch places with him.
"I want to play with your hair." Zemo hummed. Bucky nodded, and stepped back into the water. Zemo reached up, and ran his hands through Bucky's short hair. He really enjoyed it. Next shampoo. They became more comfortable, and were soon rinsing each other's hair out, and repeating the process with conditioner. As they washed each other's hair Zemo giggled a lot.
"What?" Bucky laughed softly.
"You are just so cute, and your hair is so soft."
"Thanks." Bucky laughed again.
"Your skin is soft." He gently caressed Zemo's upper arm. Zemo blushed.
"Here." Zemo grabbed a rag, and squeezed some body wash onto it. Gently he started covering Bucky's chest. His cheeks were flushed pink. Bucky's face was equally flushed. Gently he rubbed Zemo's arms with his hands, and kissed Zemo's forehead, and cheek.
"James. We're only showing." Zemo reminded him.
"Sorry." Bucky backed off a little. Instead he started washing Zemo's arms with the same body wash. He was gentle, and didn't want to hurt Zemo further, or cause pain to the damaged skin.
"Better?"
"Yes." Zemo giggled. The pair continued to wash, and rinse until they were clean.
"Ready?" Bucky asked softly.
"Yes." Zemo stopped the water.
"Ready for the cold part?"
"No." Zemo sighed. Bucky laughed, and pulled the curtain back. Zemo hugged himself. Bucky grabbed a towel off of the toilet seat, and wrapped it around Zemo.
"Cute."
"Stop." Zemo laughed.
"Nope." Bucky grabbed his own towel, and started to dry himself. He stepped out of the tub, and wrapped the towel around his waist. Zemo winced, and stepped out. He kept the towel wrapped around his shoulders.
"You look pitiful." Bucky shook his head, and grabbed Zemo's robe that hung on the back of the door.
"Thank you." Zemo carefully dried himself with the towel, and pulled on the robe.
"Much better." He grinned. Bucky opened the door, and stepped over to his room to put his clothes on. Zemo brushed his teeth, and continued to freshen up. Bucky wore his usual jeans, boots, and a black t-shirt. Once Zemo was satisfied with his personal hygiene he went to his closet, and put on a purple sweater, and black pants.
While he was doing that Bucky stepped back over to the bathroom to finish getting himself ready, then he went back to his room to get the supplies for the trip. Zemo returned to the bathroom to brush his hair, and put on more cologne.
"All set?" Bucky asked, as he stepped out into the hall. He had a duffel bag over his shoulder.
"Yes. What's all that?" Zemo asked.
"The flowers. Don't worry they aren't getting smooshed." Bucky assured him.
"I also have a surprise in here." He winked. Zemo blushed.
"Right of course. How could I forget?" Zemo laughed. He turned off the light, and they made their way to the front door.
"Be good Alpine. We'll be home later." Bucky said as they stepped out of the door.
~
After the hassle of TSA Bucky, and Zemo sat down in the terminal waiting for their flight. Zemo was watching people around them while Bucky texted Sam.
"Any leads?" He asked.
"Not really." Was the reply.
"A few dead ends, and false leads, but nothing solid yet. They must be laying low, and regrouping right now."
"Probably." Bucky replied.
"I'm sorry I'm not helping much."
"You're helping plenty by just staying out of it for now. You, and Zemo are still to our knowledge their number one targets." Sam replied.
"I know, thank you Sam." Bucky pressed send. He sighed. I hate this. Just pretending hydra is gone when they're out there somewhere. I can do it for Zemo, but I know he feels the same as I do about it. We both know they are out there, and we know they will come for us again. Next time... if they find us, or I find them first, it doesn't matter. I'll destroy them. Bucky's thoughts were interrupted by Zemo tapping his shoulder.
"James, you have that look on your face."
"What look?"
"The angry look."
"I always look angry."
"No you don't, but you are staring into space with that angry thinking look. What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just... thinking." Bucky sighed.
"About what?" Zemo asked with concern.
"Nothing important." Bucky smiled awkwardly.
"That's a lie, but alright I won't push."
"Sorry." Bucky blushed.
"It's okay." Zemo laughed softly.
"It's time to go." He stood up, and held his hand out to Bucky. Bucky smiled, and took Zemo's hand, and stood up. They boarded the plane as their seats were called by the attendant. Zemo sat by the window, and Bucky sat with him. The plane took off shortly after. I wonder if I should have told Sam about this trip? Bucky thought to himself. He didn't tell anyone. Maybe this was a bad idea.
~
The plane landed at what was formerly the Sokovian international airport. Zemo was excited to get off of the plane. He was almost pulling Bucky along after him. He went into tour guide mode, however, once they stepped out into the terminal his smile fell. Things were different, so different.
Bucky remembered what Zemo had said to them in Riga about how Sokovia was devoured by its neighbors, The Czech Republic, and Slovakia. It was no more.
"The restaurants..." Zemo mumbled.
"Zem?"
"It's nothing."
"Zem." Bucky repeated firmly.
"There used to be a restaurant in the airport. A family restaurant passed down. My father always made time for us to eat there before a flight. Of course it is no longer here. The owner..." Zemo shrugged.
"May not even be around anymore. Either moved, dead, or is simply a sokovian refugee here... I wonder how many of my people are still here..." he glanced around trying to figure out who was sokovian, and who was Sokovian, and who was from elsewhere. Bucky took Zemo's hand in his.
"Hey. It's okay. I'm here."
"I know." Zemo looked down.
"And I am here, but I can't do anything about any of this. I couldn't then, and I can't now."
"You called Sokovia a failure before." Bucky recalled.
"I did. Because it was." Zemo pulled his hands away, and began walking. Bucky followed.
"The people were poor, and the government corrupt." He replied simply.
"My mother thought we should distribute our wealth. She was very charitable. My father was not as much." He shrugged. Bucky recalled Zemo talking about his parents before. There was quite a difference between them. Kind, and giving mother, but a distant, and harsher father.
"Why was your dad so obsessed with EKO Scorpion?" Bucky asked as they walked through the airport.
"He was a Baron. He wanted our status to stay that way, and he wanted sokovia to become a superpower. Of course it was small, and I never truly believed it would be. It has had many wars. Mainly civil. It won its independence long ago, and has been fighting itself since, but you know all of this."
"Yeah. Hydra saw opportunity in the chaos that was sokovia." Bucky sighed.
"They did. That is why they continued to come in like parasites, and feed off of it. My family... Yes we had underground dealings, I knew plenty of skeevy individuals."
"Like selby?"
"Yes." Zemo nodded. He felt a bit embarrassed to be admitting to past criminal activity to the sergeant. Bucky wasn't surprised though.
"We used them for information on hydra because hydra also dealt with them, but information is never free. We gave them our own intel, money, weapons, and cars. The means to cause harm to others."
"You learned how to deal with them from your father?" Bucky asked.
"Yes. When I was old enough he would take me to all these meetings."
"I can't imagine taking a child to a place like Madripoor." Bucky shook his head. Zemo stopped in his tracks.
"What?" Bucky looked back at him. Zemo looked at Bucky.
"Do you remember.. when we were in Madripoor?"
"Yeah."
"You do!" Zemo's eyes lit up.
"Yeah, Sam had never been there before, and-"
"No, not that time." Zemo shook his head.
"I've been to madripoor many times, but I've only been with you that time."
"I see." Zemo looked down.
"Zem?"
"Nothing. Now is not the time, or place, I will tell you later." He smiled innocently. Bucky was now incredibly suspicious. He's hiding something... He's always hiding something. Bucky frowned.
"Let's go." He said monotonously, and continued on. Zemo followed. They left the airport, and got a rental car for the day. The ride was quiet. Zemo spent most of it looking out of the window. Bucky glanced at him periodically. He did feel sad for Zemo. This entire place that was once his home was completely different than it had been before.
If anyone understood that it was Bucky. The entire world had changed dramatically for him. He came from a completely different time. Everything he knew was different. The places, the people, the food, the technology, the architecture, the fashion, the languages even... Everything.
"Zem?" He spoke finally.
"Yes?" Zemo asked quietly.
"Anything you want to stop, and look at?"
"What?" Zemo looked at him.
"I don't know. Just if you want to stop, and get out, for a while, or for anything just let me know." He shrugged. Zemo smiled softly.
"Thank you James." He had sensed Bucky was upset with him, but he wasn't really sure why, so he'd stayed quiet. Soon he began talking again. Pointing out locations, and telling Bucky random things about Sokovia. Good things. Like what land belonged to what farmer, and about that building that used to be a deli.
He was smiling, and Bucky enjoyed listening, and watching him. Soon they arrived at the memorial park. The sky was blue, with fluffy white clouds. The air was crisp. It was mid November after all.
The trees were still slightly covered with red, and yellow leaves. Bucky stepped out of the car, and opened Zemo's door. Zemo stepped out. He breathed out a stressful sigh.
"You okay?" Bucky asked.
"Yes." Zemo said, taking Bucky's right hand in his. Bucky smiled, and they began to walk to trail together towards the memorial. The walk was nice. The breeze felt cool. Zemo was glad he wore his sweater. Bucky didn't seem to feel the cold. Zemo wrapped his arms around Bucky's, and hummed softly.
"What?" Bucky laughed.
"I just want you to feel how warm, and soft I am."
"Yeah?"
"Yes." Zemo rested his head on Bucky's shoulder as they walked. They came around the bend, and the memorial sat in the center of the park near the lake. Bucky thought about when he found Zemo there before sending him to the raft. He frowned. Zemo's being pardoned. Obviously I have T'Challa to thank for that, but what about Shuri, and Ayo? What do they think about it? He wondered.
They stepped up to the memorial. Bucky looked at it a bit closer this time. The plaque on it had sokovias population on it, and the number of casualties in the disaster. There were already numerous flowers, and candles left around the sculpture. Zemo let go of Bucky's arm, and Bucky set the bag down, and pulled out the first bouquet of yellow, and pink flowers.
"I'm sorry." He said softly.
"It's okay." Zemo nodded, but then he realized that Bucky wasn't talking to him. He was talking to those who died.
"James. You did nothing wrong." Zemo shook his head.
"I've done plenty wrong."
"James?" Zemo's brow furrowed.
"I've made many mistakes." He said taking Bucky's hand again.
"Still you feel sorry because of what happened here, even if you weren't involved." Zemo smiled sadly.
"Thank you James. I love you." Zemo said leaning into him. Bucky nodded.
"I love you too." He bent down, and set the bouquet down with the others then wrapped his arm around Zemo, and kissed his head gently. They stayed for a bit just admiring the lake, and the park, and the sokovia that was before heading back to the car.
"Now. Let's go see them." Bucky smiled sympathetically.
"Yes. I'll show you the way." Zemo nodded.
~
The drive wasn't too long. It was late afternoon by the time they made it to the countryside Zemo's father had lived in. It was still country farm land.
"This was once my fathers land." Zemo said.
"Turn here." He instructed Bucky to turn onto what was once the driveway to his father's mansion. The road had been torn up, and was now just dirt. Bucky followed the path into a wooded area. Soon the road was once again road rather than dirt. It was littered with holes, and bumps.
"He liked privacy, but the forest has grown immensely." Zemo looked up at the trees. Eventually they came to a metal gate that was broken down, and mangled. Bucky slowly drove through the gate. Ahead the driveway leads up to a large dilapidated house. It looked like the ruins of a castle.
The driveway went up to the front steps, and looped back around. In the center of the loop had been a fountain. The plants were overgrown, taking over what was left of the structure. Bucky looked over at Zemo as he parked in front of the building. Zemo turned away, and quickly got out of the car. Bucky got out after him.
"Zem?" His voice held concern. Zemo was facing the house. His face was pale, and his eyes wide like he'd seen a ghost.
"Zem?" Bucky quickly regretted his decision to bring Zemo back here. Causing him to relieve such trauma. It was silent for a moment aside from the wind blowing through the trees, and the birds. Suddenly Zemo screamed loudly, and doubled over. He tried to stop himself, but couldn't, and vomited onto the asphalt.
Bucky was stunned by the scream, and watched rather horrified. Zemo slowly dropped onto his knees, and clutched at his stomach with one hand, while the other cupped over his mouth.
"Zemo?" Bucky knelt down beside him.
"Carl..." Zemo's voice was suddenly the saddest sound Bucky had ever heard.
"Hey, hey, look at me." Bucky pulled Zemo's hands into his own.
"Can you see me?" He asked. Zemo blinked his eyes toward Bucky.
"Hey." Bucky smiled softly.
"James?" Zemo slowly rubbed his nose, and the corners of his mouth. He was crying.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Are you okay?" Bucky asked.
"Y-yes." Zemo nodded.
"I-I'm okay."
"Should we just go back?"
"No. I can do it." Zemo pulled himself up. Bucky stood up.
"I'm with you." He smiled sympathetically.
"I know." Zemo nodded.
"It's just... This is where I found them." He covered his mouth again trying to hold back tears.
"Inside..." he pointed at the gaping hole in the front of the building with his other hand.
"It's okay to cry." Bucky said, looking back at the ruined mansion. He noted the caved-in roof.
"It looks kind of like the dream I had."
"Dream?" Zemo looked at him.
"Yeah. Heike, she asked me to save you, and protect you. I failed." Bucky looked down shamefully. Zemo shook his head.
"No James."
"Yeah." Bucky disagreed.
"She was trying to warn me, I think."
"You couldn't have known." Zemo shook his head.
"I'm okay James." He took Bucky's hand. Bucky nodded.
"Is that all she said?"
"Yeah." Bucky nodded.
"I saw Carl too."
"You did?" Zemo's eyes lit up.
"Yeah. He was sort of hiding behind her, and that's how I figured out who she was. Carl looks just like you-" Bucky stopped suddenly.
"What's wrong?" Zemo asked.
"He looks just like you... That's all." Bucky shook his head. Like you when you were little. That's what I wanted to say, but why? I didn't know him then... He stopped thinking as his head began to hurt.
"Ow." He reached up, and placed his right hand on his forehead.
"James?"
"I'm fine, I've just got a little headache." He shrugged.
"You get headaches? Is that normal? Are you sick?"
"No I'm alright, and yes that's normal for me." Bucky laughed softly.
"It will go away."
"Okay." Zemo nodded. He blushed softly.
"He looks like me, you think?"
"Yeah." Bucky nodded.
"People always say that. I think you're right, but he had Heike's eyes. Blue like the ocean."
"That's beautiful."
"Like yours." Zemo said, looking into Bucky's eyes. Bucky smiled.
"I think yours are gorgeous." He blushed.
"Thank you Soldat." Zemo blushed with him.
"This way. We will go on foot now." He said pointing off past the structure. Bucky nodded. He got the bag from the car, and locked it. Zemo led the way through the woods. There was a small clearing.
Bucky saw two markers beside each other. Simple wooden crosses. His heart sank. He was alone. The country was destroyed, and he found them dead, and buried them. He buried them. Bucky looked at the back of Zemo's head.
He couldn't imagine having to bury the body of someone he loved. He'd disposed of many bodies. Some innocent people, but never a loved one. He couldn't imagine that, let alone a child. He buried his own son.
Putting himself in that spot fell onto him like a ton of bricks. Part of you dies with them... He thought about what Zemo said to Mrs. Jones. No wonder he was able to carry out those acts. He died that day.
"James." Zemo felt his stare.
"Don't look at me like that."
"Sorry." Bucky looked down. Zemo turned to him.
"I'm not... I don't need to be fixed." Zemo shook his head.
"Well maybe I do. I don't know, just don't look at me all pitiful, and sad."
"I'm sorry. It's just. I'm sorry no one was here." Bucky sucked in his lips. Zemo wasn't expecting that.
"What?"
"I'm sorry they didn't stay, and help you. I... I just couldn't see them leaving behind such a mess. I couldn't see Steve doing that. I'm sorry they didn't help you, and I'm sorry about Hieke, and Carl, and your father." He began to cry as he spoke.
"James." Zemo threw his arms around Bucky's shoulders.
"Thank you." He whispered before burying his face in the soldier's shoulder.
"Thank you. I appreciate that." He needed to hear it at least once. Bucky hugged him back. He wasn't excusing anything Zemo did after Sokovia was destroyed, he was just realizing the extent of Zemo's pain. Zemo pulled away, and reached up to wipe away Bucky's tears.
"Don't cry for me James." He smiled sadly.
"I will cry for you." Bucky answered, taking Zemo's hands. He cried every time Zemo was hurt, or when he thought he would lose Zemo. Zemo laughed through his nose.
"Of course." Zemo knew he would cry for Bucky for now on too. Zemo turned to continue towards the graves. He groaned softly, and leaned over.
"Zem?"
"It just hurts a little." He groaned.
"The bruise?"
"Yes."
"Have you been trying to tough it out this whole time?"
"Tough it out?"
"Yeah. You've been in pain, but you're pretending you're not."
"No." Zemo shook his head.
"Yes." Bucky grinned.
"You had me fooled." He wrapped his right arm around Zemo's shoulder, and used the other to scoop Zemo up under his knees.
"James, you don't have to-"
"Don't worry, doll face." Bucky smirked. Zemo blushed, and Bucky carried him the rest of the way. He carefully set Zemo down. Then he pulled the bag from his shoulder, and set it down. Bucky crouched down, and opened the bag. He pulled out a red, and white checkered picnic blanket.
"What's this?" Zemo watched as Bucky laid the blanket out on the grass.
"This is a surprise." Bucky said, now pulling a lunch box from the bag.
"We're going to have lunch with them."
"James... You are so sweet." Zemo grinned. Bucky began to unpack the lunchbox. He had a couple sandwiches, water bottles, and two little bags of chips. He handed one of each to Zemo.
"Thank you." Zemo hummed as he sat down on the blanket, and started eating. Bucky sat down with him. They ate together, and talked about the weather, and the trees, and how beautiful it was. Zemo finished his food, and looked at the grave markers.
"Thank you James. I'm so happy I got to spend this lunch with all of you." His eyes glistened. Bucky smiled.
"I am too."
"I love all of you so much." The tears began. Bucky was a pro at determining when exactly Zemo would cry. He smiled sympathetically. Zemo reached over to the bag, and pulled out the lavender bouquet.
"Hieke." He placed them down before the marker to the right.
"These are for you. All your favorites." He smiled.
"Thank you. For everything you've done for me. I love you so much. I remember clearly when we met." He looked at Bucky.
"Want to know?"
"Yes." Bucky nodded.
"Hieke wasn't rich, but she was an excellent artist. I frequently stopped into a coffee shop in Novi Grad. She would always be there, drawing. One day she approached me, and it was me she had been drawing that whole time. Every time she saw me She drew me, so the next time I talked to her again, and then again the next time."
"That's amazing." Bucky enjoyed the story. Zemo nodded.
"I met James differently." Zemo looked sadder now.
"Hieke... I-I did some very, very bad things."
"Zem..."
"I just want to tell her." Zemo sighed.
"I murdered innocent people... Then I framed James for it, so that Stark would hunt him down, and Rogers would defend him. I wanted them to kill each other... I wanted them to feel how I felt, and to die like you did. I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry for what I've done, I cannot erase it, or fix it. I am sorry, but that isn't enough. It never will be. I know James wants to tell me to stop feeling guilty. He always says not to, but I always will." He said looking at Bucky.
Bucky nodded. He knew. He's been pushing Zemo to forgive himself, but deep down he knew neither of them ever could.
"I'm sorry, Heike. I'm sorry for what I did. You must be so disappointed, I'm sorry." Zemo bowed his head. Bucky gently placed his hand on Zemo's upper back.
"I-I remember when Carl was born. How happy we were. I'm sorry I missed so many things. I was too concerned with work, and my father's opinion of me. I never wanted Carl to be like me. I never wanted him to join the army. I didn't want him to kill. I didn't want him to grow up, and now he never will." Zemo cringed, and tensed up as he cried softly.
Bucky found his eyes tearing up, as he gently rubbed Zemo's back. Zemo pulled the second bouquet from the bag. He placed them before the grave on the left.
"Father. I'm sorry if I did ever disappoint you, and for all the times I disrespected you. I was often a difficult child." He left it at that.
"Carl. I'm sorry I wasn't there. I'm sorry I missed out on so many things. I'm so sorry..." he cried harder.
"My son!" He leaned over. Bucky began to cry silently.
"I'm so, so sorry, I couldn't protect you, I should have been with you!" He cried.
"I should have died with you, or saved you!" He convulsed.
"I love you! I love you so much! You were innocent, you didn't deserve to die like that..." Zemo breathed.
"I can't say enough how sorry I am."
"Zem." Bucky's voice was gentle.
"I should have been with them, I should have done more."
"Zem... it's selfish, but I'm glad you didn't die." Bucky closed his eyes. Zemo looked up at him.
"I wouldn't have met you, and don't talk about what you did, none of that matters right now. I love you, and I am happy that you survived."
"James... I miss my son!" Zemo leaned into Bucky's arms.
"I know you do. You did everything you could."
"No. I could have just disregarded the orders, and stayed with my family. Regardless of my father's opinion."
"Zemo, you were putting your life on the line to protect your family, and other sokovians. You did enough. If you were with them you'd have died too, it wouldn't have made a difference."
"I would have died with them, that's the difference."
"And I don't want that!" Bucky raised his voice a little.
"Neither do they. They are happy you are alive. They forgive you for sokovia, they forgive you for the mistakes you made, they forgive you, I forgive you, and I love you, and I will do everything I can to be sure you are loved, and never hurt again!"
"James." Zemo wasn't expecting such an outburst.
"I want you to grieve for them, but also I want you to heal. That was the point of this, of coming here."
"I'm sorry." Zemo looked down.
"I just want you all to know how sorry I am, how much I miss you, and love you." He sniffled. Bucky wrapped his arms around Zemo, and held him close. There was a sudden pressure on his shoulder like someone's hand was resting on it. Hieke. Zemo's crying started to stop when he felt something similar. He felt warm. He felt Bucky to his left, but someone to his right. It felt small, like a child, and he felt like someone was hugging him from behind too.
"Thank you." He smiles.