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Setting: Civil War (AU)
Your eyes met from across the street, but he pretended like he didn't recognize you. If you hadn't been following him for the last hour, you would've assumed he honestly had no memory of you. However, his facial expression and body language changed the second his eyes landed on you.
Unfortunately, you weren't the only one who had picked James—Bucky—out from the crowd. A man had been looking between a newspaper and Bucky frantically, and when Bucky noticed this, he began to head your way.
As eye contact was made again, he acknowledged you this time as he crossed the street. You nodded your head back, gesturing for him to follow you.
Weaving in and out of people moving up the busy sidewalk, you glanced over your shoulder to see that Bucky had vanished. He obviously didn't trust you, maybe because you'd failed to get him the help he needed back in 2014.
Pressing your ear to the ear piece STEVE had equipped you with earlier, you spoke quietly, "He saw me, but I lost him."
Steve's voice came through the ear piece, "What do you mean you lost him? Did he not recognize you?"
"Oh, he knew who I was. Unfortunately, I'm guessing the little understanding and trust he and I had developed two years ago is completely gone."
"Wow," you heard Steve suck in a breath.
"What is it?" You continued walking, unable to lose anymore time.
"I'm in his hide-out."
You froze. This meant you hadn't lost yet another chance to help Bucky Barnes.
"Where?" You began walking again, this time a little faster.
"Two blocks up from you."
"What's it like?"
"Sad."
You tried to imagine it. Bucky probably had the windows boarded up or at least blankets covering them. If he was actually paying rent then he probably wasn't staying in a fancy penthouse suite, either.
As you rounded a corner in pursuit to meet up with Steve, a hand latched onto your wrist, causing you to gasp.
"James—"
"Huh?" Steve's voice sounded in your ear, unaware that Bucky himself had just locked his death grip on your arm.
"Who are you talking to?" Bucky demanded to know, his eyes narrowing.
He soon dropped your wrist in order to prevent causing a scene.
"Steve. Do you know who that is?" You questioned him, his lips pursed.
"No."
"Are you sure about that?" You continued to scrutinize him.
He swallowed.
"I'm not your enemy, Barnes. I never was."
"I know that."
"Then why are you serving me a serious death glare right now?" You cocked your head to the side, trying to get a better look at his face.
His hat casted a shadow over his features, making him hard to read.
"It's not easy trying to decipher who's trustworthy and who isn't." He admitted, his jaw clenching.
"Hello? What's going on?" Steve spoke up again, completely clueless on his end of the line.
"Not now, Steve."
Bucky's expression softened as you spoke the name of his old friend.
"You saved his life, remember?" You asked Bucky, hoping he'd say he did.
"I've done a lot of bad things," he replied instead, almost as if he couldn't credit himself for doing anything good. "I've hurt a lot of people."
"That wasn't you. But we're ready to forgive and move forward to get you back to your old self, James."
"I don't see how anyone could forgive me for the things I've done," his head lowered, his eyes on the ground.
"Steve and I are your friends. If anything, I should be the one apologizing for letting Pierce but you back in cryo that day. I just couldn't help you on my own. They would've killed me."
Bucky shook his head and looked back up at you, "I barely remember that day now. I barely remember anything."
"Let us help you remember, then."
You stared at each other briefly, just like you did that day you needed Bucky's help. Now, he needed your help, and just because he couldn't resist the monster that Hydra had created within him then didn't mean you couldn't forgive him for that and help him now.
"Okay," Bucky agreed.
It was a short and simple response, but you knew it was hard for him to say. It was hard for him to accept help. He didn't feel that he deserved it, though he desperately wanted it.
"Okay," you offered a small smile. "Let's go find Steve. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you."
_____ Wow. I'm sorry that this is the trashiest one-shot in existence. I forgot I had planned to write a third part to this until today when I read part one and two. I know it's short and it sucks, but at least it's finally here, even if it is over two months late... 😅 Forgive me? 😂
