Winter Sound

Chapter 2: Crossing Paths

I'd like to thank my mom, my 'niece' @imkylotrash on Tumblr, and my 'sister' @thlix on Tumblr for collaborating with me on this chapter. Your help really means a lot.
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Anya...That was one thought that wouldn't leave The Winter Soldier's mind, even in cryostasis in-between missions. For some odd reason, even though 'Winter' could care less for Anya, he couldn't seem to get her out of his head. It was almost as if he were being coaxed into seeing her again by Fate or some other force in the universe, even though he knew his master and his fellow comrades wouldn't approve and even though Winter tried to fight all ideas of going to see the red-haired dame. But every time he did see her, it was always in a mirage of a dream and she was always more beautiful than when they first met. She always seemed to calm his mind and give him a sense of security and peace that he had never known before until after he met her. No wonder the man couldn't stop thinking about her!
Several weeks after their first encounter, Winter and his men began to head back to the main headquarters after three days of traveling by foot to carry out missions. However, The Winter Soldier decided to stay behind just so he could think alone without the influence of his Master or his comrades. He held back and was almost left behind until one of his subordinates seemed to notice. Out of the blue, the fellow assassin approached Winter as he replied gruffly, "Winter Soldier!"

Upon hearing such a rude tone, Winter finally lost it and decided to stop the verbal abuse for a few moments as he snapped at his comrade like a rattlesnake to a mouse with the same gruff tone under his mask, "What?!" Then, The Winter Soldier gave his comrade a mean look with bulging silver-blue eyes as the younger comrade began to actually stumble over his words, despite being a hardened agent and killer, "Umm...Well-"

"'Umm' is not an answer! What the heck do you want?!" The Winter Soldier hissed under his breath again at his comrade as the younger agent replied, "Well, umm...You're falling behind, Sir. Is there something wrong?"
"No, but...I can hear something, an intruder I think...I'll check it out."

"I'll go with you-"

"NO!" Winter snapped in a loud whisper as the subordinate shut his mouth quickly, holding his breath so he wouldn't anger The Winter Soldier anymore than he already was. The Winter Soldier was not someone you wanted to make angry or confused; this agent knew that better than anyone. But as soon as his anger came, it ceased as Winter calmed down momentarily only to give a solemn warning, "Head back to the base with the men and DON'T follow me or I'll put a bullet in your head. Got it?"

"Y-Y-Yes, Sir."

"Good, now scram!...What are you still doing here?! Shoo!" Winter snarled as he 'swatted' his subordinate away with his metal hand, which made the poor man run away to walk back to base with the other agents. Then, Winter turned his back to his men as he took a deep breath and returned to a much calmer state. When he was around his comrades, the Winter Soldier was not a very nice guy and he treated his subordinates like trash just as they treated him the same; that was evident in the way he just treated his younger comrade minutes ago. He thought that they were a waste of his time and if they didn't have anything meaningful to say or if they got in his way, he'd handle them and make it look like an accident.
Shortly after fighting for a chance to finally be alone without anyone influencing his decisions, Winter patrolled the snowy woods like a wolf on the hunt as he traveled by foot before he found a secluded snowy patch. Once he was situated in the peace and quiet that was the woods, Winter sat down to contemplate the inner demons of his subconscious while he stared into the ivory abyss. At once, Winter's thoughts began to mill around in his head as he spoke inwardly with himself, 'I've always been trained to kill all witnesses and anyone I cross paths with unless otherwise instructed...So, why did I spare that Anya girl?...She's just a stupid girl, and yet I still saved her. She cut her leg with my knife after saving my life, and I could've just left her there for dead...But I saved her by healing her wounds...' Then, Winter buried his head against his knees while he clutched his hair tightly in his fists before he thought to himself again, 'I'm so frigging confused...Why did I go against my orders? She's just a stupid girl I met in the woods...What am I gonna do if Master finds out?...He's gonna kill me if he finds out...Oh, man! What do I do?'