𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐄 | 𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

10

10

A day or two later they were on the road again. She still wasn't healed, so her backpack was carried in her hands. The bruises under her eyes were starting to yellow, and the dressings on her nose were starting to lessen.

They had to get rid of some of the tents and the amount of soldiers, so Diane and Bucky had to be in a tent together.

He was slightly more human when the soldiers were gone. Less uniform and silent. He felt less deadly.

They barely talked. He was less of an assassin, but she didn't start conversations. If she did, she would get closer. She would tell him who he was. What she knew about him.

"What happened?"

She turns in her seated position, "What do you mean?"

"Your nose."

"Oh. I was pulled down and bashed it against cement."

He makes a noise, shifting on his pallet. She takes the holster off her thigh, placing it next to her and sliding down to the cot onto her stomach.

"You never sleep on your back."

"You watch me sleep?"

He shakes his head, "You fall asleep on your stomach. And in the morning you wake up the same. Why?"

"A lot of cuts."

"From what?"

"A whip." She puts her arm under the pillow, turning her head to look at him.

"Why did you get whipped?"

"Something bad happened. It was my punishment."

"What happened?"

"Fight on the bridge," she sighs and mumbles, "No surprise you don't remember."

"Why don't I?" He turns onto his side to face her.

"They wipe your memory every time you remember something they don't want you to."

"Why don't they wipe your memory, too?" The way he's looking at her. He's confused, but also slightly... upset, it seems.

"They whip me instead."

"So... what happened?"

She sits up, looking at him.

"Like I said, fight on the bridge. Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and Sam Wilson. Your mask and goggles came off. Steve recognized you. Reminded you of who you were. They didn't like that."

He seems surprised.

"Who was I?"

"James Barnes. Bucky. You were the opposite of... this. You fought against us. They took you. Trained you."

He doesn't respond. His face is blank, and he turns onto his back again. He stares at the top of the tent. She expected him to say something. Anything.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm... a horrible person."

"No. They are. You wouldn't have done any of this if they hadn't made you."

"Thank you. For telling me."

She nods, laying back on her stomach, "Yeah."

She doesn't face him this time. She turns her head and goes to sleep.

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A/N - my poor pookies 😭