cryptid
/cryp·tid/
noun
an animal that has been claimed to exist but never proven to exist
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The investigation of cryptid creatures from the general public sparked interest within SHIELD's Enh...
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"This winter breath; this taste of death; where iron meets flesh."
Grand Forks, North Dakota November, 1995
JAMES knew this:
He was a brother to a sister named Becca, who loved to steal brownie batter and cookie dough whenever they had the chance to bake during the Great Depression. He had a Mama and a Papa who didn't have that much time to take care of them because they were always working.
James knew this:
His name was James Buchanan Barnes and he had a best friend named Steven Grant Rogers. He used to call him Stevie and they'd keep each other warm during the dead of night in the middle of Winter, when the furnace was broken.
James knew this:
He fought in a War, and in this War he was captured. He did not know what happened after that, but he knew that there was a War, that he was a soldier– that these people were not his friends.
James knew this:
He could not escape.
Because he loved Vay, and Vay could never, ever be collateral.
He exhaled, sitting down on the ground next to the closet in the Commander's room. Vay had hidden herself in the closet– hadn't come out. The Commander and Agent Rollins had entered first. James had been told to stay outside until the pair could finish talking to Vay, but no matter how much coaxing they did, Vay didn't step out.
So it was his turn now.
James continued to just sit, running a hand through his hair as he let out a long breath.
"Vay." He said gently.
He was slightly annoyed by the mask that muffled his voice but he didn't dare take it off without the Commander's permission. He'd already made him mad enough– he didn't want to make him angrier.
"Vay, it's Papa." He continued softly. "Are you okay?"
He could hear Vay shift around inside the closet, sniffling.
"It's dark in there, isn't it?" He continued. "You don't like the dark."
"I don't like the Commander." She whispered. "More than I don't like the dark."
James let out a soft breath.
He didn't like the Commander either, but he didn't have a choice in anything he did. He listened to the Commander to not get hurt. He listened to the Commander so Vay didn't get hurt. And he listened to the Commander because it made him feel good inside– like he was doing the right thing. Which was why he listened to Sasha, which was why he didn't know how to function without his handler there to tell him he did the right thing.
