Till the End of the Line

Going Soft.

Once the helicopter completely touches down, Bucky stands up, motioning for her to follow him out into the snow. As the two step outside, she feels the cold air immediately.

"It certainly does live up to the hype." 

He grumbles as he pulls his coat tighter around himself.

As the two of them begin to walk towards a nearby building, Bucky looks at her.

"I haven't seen you be so serious before..." 

His voice is quiet as he glances at her, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"Well..I haven't seen you so...emotion-y before."

Becca replies, almost defensively. 

"It's like you're going soft."

Bucky snorts softly as she speaks, glancing over at her again, studying her with her crystal blue eyes.

"You have an annoying way of picking out my emotions."

 He says, his eyebrows raising slightly in amusement as he glances back ahead.

She notices that his fingers curl slightly as he grips the collar of his coat, his voice growing more serious again.

"And don't think I'm going soft."

"I hope you aren't. They'll split us up if they think you're going soft." She says quietly.

Bucky glances at her briefly as she speaks, seemingly pausing at her words before he steps onwards, continuing in silence as the two of them arrive at a building.

He opens the doors for her before following her in, his expression once again growing stoic as he looks ahead.

He takes her hand and leads her up some stairs, walking beside her for a few minutes in silence before he speaks in a quiet tone.

"I don't want to lose you." He says, his words almost imperceptible as he glances at her once more.

They've both had to do a lot just to survive. There can be no room for weakness, no room for emotions. It isn't necessary.

It isn't necessary. Sometimes she hated that word.

And if Bucky had any say, They'd never show their emotions. But, for a moment, he sees her and he knows that he'd do anything to protect her. Anything.

A small smile spreads across his face as he walks down the hallway with her, reaching for yet another door.

Becca is silent for a moment. 

"I haven't been outside the compound for a year. I haven't been outside really for years."

Bucky glances at her as she speaks in that solemn voice of hers.

He seems surprised by her words, but says nothing, opening the door and leading her inside.

She notices that his hand is still gripped around hers, and his fingers are curled into a fist. She's unsure if he's noticed that himself, because he doesn't move to release his grasp.

And maybe that's just fine with her.

He leans against the wall beside her once more as they both enter the hallway.

After a few moments of silence, Bucky speaks up

"A year?" He asks quietly, his fingers still holding onto hers.

"Yes. More than that actually. And your metal arm is freezing, I bet if I stuck my tongue on it, it would stick."

There was that goofy flippant attitude again.