𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐄 | 𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

12

The next morning, she wakes up earlier than she wants to. She sits up, sees him still sleeping, and walks out of the tent, still groggy. There was a river right behind their camp, and that's where she goes. She sits on the bank, letting her feet hang into the water.

The sun was only just coming up, and there was enough clearing in the trees for her to watch the sun rise and think about the night before.

What is wrong with her? Getting close to things is how she got here. If she wasn't so close with her dog, she wouldn't have been so devastated when he died. And she would've never been in the condition for herself to be captured.

She can't get close to him. Not if she wants to survive. Not if she wants him to survive.

The sky was pretty, though. There was mainly orange, red, and yellow, but there was purple lining the horizon. Fading out into the bright colors from the sun. She's always loved sunrises. They were pretty and naturally occurring.

Beauty that has existed far before her. Far before any of them.

She hears footsteps behind her, and she jumps forward to turn and defend herself if needed. But she was on the riverbank. And fell in the water. Not her plan. Not her plan at all.

When she surfaces, she spits river water out, wiping down her face. She coughs a bit, taking a few breaths and looking up at Bucky.

"Sorry."

She lets out a breath, swimming to the edge and pulling herself up into the grass.

"It's fine. A little water never hurt anyone."

She rings out her hair, her shirt clinging to her torso.

She walks back to the tent, sopping wet, and changes clothes. She's still wet, but she walks back to the river where he's standing.

"Need something?"

He shrugs, "I just... wanted to talk. I guess."

"Any subject in particular?"

He sits in the grass, looking up at her, "Not really."

"We don't have long. They'll wake up soon, wonder why we're talking."

He nods, "Do you know what we're doing next?"

"Something with Rogers, probably."

He nods, "I don't... want to."

She nods. She knows how it feels. She didn't want to hurt Natasha a few days ago, but it came down to keeping up appearances, protecting him, and protecting herself.

"Just think about it as if you're protecting yourself. Or me, or something. That day at the bridge, I only went after Natasha to keep her away from you while you were fighting Steve. After I was done, she came after me, and I protected myself. It makes it a little easier to bear."

He sighs, and she tucks her hair behind her ear.

"Okay. Thank you."

"Yeah."

He stands up, and they wall back to the camp. She goes to the tent, but he stays outside. Waiting for something.

An hour later, she hears them say his activation words. She doesn't know if they work to wipe his memory, but she knows he'll be a killing machine either way.

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A/N - I'm trying to get them close and I want them to be close and I LOVE THEM