Mosaic (Bucky Barnes X OC / Winter Soldier x OC)

Chapter 12: Valeriy Ayers - Demons Inside (Part II)

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"I thought you trusted him."

"I do."

"Then why are you raiding my gun safe?"

"Since you haven't been able to move me, pretty sure I might need a few things in here."

Like a little pouch of drugs. Amber's special blends. I do not want to use these, but if shit hits the fan, I didn't want to be without them.

"Bucky's alright, yeah?"

He'd been out for a few hours, and the sun had already set.

"Sergeant Barnes is on his way back. Fifteen minutes out."

That was enough time to pilfer his closet for some clothes for the bugout bag.

"Why is it that you call him Mr. Barnes when he's not around? You refer to Apple Pie by his name and rank."

"Call it a hunch. I wouldn't try calling him Sergeant Barnes. Unlike Captain Rogers."

'Why how secretive of you, Eve. Getting so fucking tired of dealing with this shit....'

The one secret of hers I needed to figure out fast was why she hasn't been able to move me out of this stupid house. She's made it clear that her hands were rather tied on this matter. That I probably shouldn't rely on family connections to dig myself out.

Between Bucky's arm and keeping an eye on family safety, I wasn't left with much time to search for a few places to hide out until Jekyll gives up. Or how to fucking get there.

But as annoying as she was at the moment, Eve wasn't wrong about the words Sergeant Barnes. The first and last time I tried, his eyes went wide as if he saw a ghost. Even went a little green. Probably remembered something highly unpleasant.

'He might like the dart gun better.'

Less fatal. Less damage in general. Though he'd probably have much better aim with real bullets, even if we did try to make the dart guns' handle as similar as we could get it. Or so I've been told. Highly doubt Hydra had him playing with dart guns. Then again, he'd probably figure out all the quirks in a couple of shots.

So two dart guns, a box full of empty bullet sized darts, and a bottle of sedatives all went into the bag. With a fleeting thought of childhood stories from Gramps, I snatched a rifle as well.

"If that's for Sergeant Barnes, I'd suggest the one with the electronic firing mechanism. It'll let me disable the gun if he goes sideways on you."

"...."

"I'll let you keep your oddly blind faith in him. He could use someone in his corner. But I didn't raise you to be this dumb, Val. He's not the man in Father's stories. Not anymore. He's dangerous and unstable."

"It's not blind faith."

Not completely.

"And he has people in his corner. Apple Pie. Gramps. Hopefully, he has a chance to find who he is now before people force him into a bloody peg hole. Like you are. He's not a tool, Eve."

"I do what I can to protect you. You'll understand eventually."

"What if I don't want to understand....?"

'Much rather leave the stones unturned.'

"How long do you think you can blind yourself before you wake up to nothing? Run and hide all you like –"