Sweet Like Arsenic (B. Barnes) ✔

14 | leaving

   I have been preparing for this day for weeks. I threw the last shirt into a suitcase I found lying in the training hall and zipped it up. I was three hallways and twenty floors away from getting out of the Avengers compound.

   Taking one last look at my room, I walked out of it purposefully, ending up on the ground floor with ease. Since the building was so vacant, I could've strolled out of the building, but I knew that something was up.

   The only reason why a SWAT team wasn't onto me is probably because they wanted to know where I was going. Alright then, McDonald's it is.

   I fished out a stolen agent's car keys and clicked on the unlock button, noticing a compact Mercedes flash its headlights and open up the rearview mirrors.

   I walked to the car, admiring the seemingly brand new silver paint job it received, then jumped into the driver's seat, put on the seat belt and drove down the asphalt driveway. I cranked up the AC and turned on the radio, bobbing my head to the old Khalid song playing.

"All my boys are with me
Going up for the night
But who cares, who cares"

   Getting out of the compound was easy- I also managed to swipe an agent's ID to get out, and after that, all I needed to do was to get to the nearest McDonald's and get a nice fish burger for dinner.

   As you can see, everything was planned perfectly.

   I arrived at the McDonald's next to the highway and parked the car next to a glossy black Honda. Noticing that the car's driver was scrolling through his Facebook feed, I got out of my car and knocked on the driver's window.

   The man's tummy fat jiggled out of his shirt as he leapt out of his seat and whipped his head into my direction. Looking rather confused, he frowned and rolled down the window.

    "What do you want?"

   I grinned at his confusion. "Your car, that's all."

   His face morphed into one of confusion, his eyes almost lighting up in amusement.

   "And why would I give you my car?"

   "Sorry, sir, my girlfriend's a bit drunk. Please excuse her." A familiar voice came from behind me. I whirled around to see Bucky, looking anything but excited to see me.

   "What are you doing here?" I asked, but I already knew the answer to the question. They were tracking me to see where I was going.

   "Where are you going?" Bucky asked instead, the car behind me driving off.

   "My brother. Hydra. Hell, wherever I want." I took a step back from him.

   "You can't just leave us like that, we were going back in a week's time! Couldn't you have waited longer?"

   "Sorry, Bucky, but I have to go before it's too late. You know how Hydra acts. My brother's life is in my hands."

   Bucky pursed his lips in frustration but didn't argue. He agreed.

   "Stay safe," Bucky seemed to give up, smiling warily and stepping closer. I closed the gap and wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders, feeling his cool metal arm on my back. I took in his musky scent, knowing that this might be the last time I hugged him.

   "I can't promise you that," I said into his shoulder.

   "I know."

   After driving for what felt like hours (in reality, it was only half an hour or so), I reached JFK airport. Checking in to my pre-booked, hella expensive flight to Hong Kong, I noticed a lone figure leaning on the wall opposite me, watching the people on the seats waiting for our flight. Nothing seemed to escape him as he scanned the room before locking his eyes with mine.

   Oh shit, it's him.

   I tried to play dumb, sending him a suggestive wink before gesturing for him to come closer with a well-practised hand motion. He smiled and shook his head instead.

   Huffing, I walked over to him carefully, noticing how his blonde hair seemed too bright, too perfect, too real.

   "The infamous Padrona Della Morte. Darling Donatella. Oh, I've missed you so much." Leon Vallis said my name like it was poisoned honey, and frankly, I enjoyed it.

   Leon smirked without a hint of warmth in his face. "What are you doing here?" He propped his elbow up against the wall like we haven't dated for three years before I left Hydra.

   "Leon," I replied just as coldly, daring to bring my face closer to his. "I could ask the same thing."

   The half-Greek, half-English man only shot me a tired, lopsided grin.

   "Leon Vallis, what are you doing here?" I demanded, glaring at his smug, annoyingly golden ratio face.

   "I'm taking you home."

   "Home?" I raised a single eyebrow, "I have no home. I've been staying at motels ever since I left. And Hydra is not my home anymore, never was."

   "I know how you're coming back to us, Elvira. There will be no more Shield with you back on our side, might as well drop the act since we are to win anyways."

   I nodded with an uneasy smile, praying that he wouldn't notice. "It's been ages since we've seen each other," I changed the subject carefully. "I've missed you."

   "As have I." All traces of boyishness left Leon's face, and for a second, I could see the slight frown lines on Leon's forehead, the dark under eyes that he tried to hide with splotchy concealer.

   "Oh Leon, you must've waited for this day for ages." I wrapped my arms around his lean shoulders, noticing how they didn't feel as nice as Bucky. Yet I let Leon nuzzle his head into the crook of my neck as he sighed with what seemed to be contempt, his arms wrapped my body tightly as if he was a lion and I was his prey.

   He really missed me, I suppose.

   "I thought the Soldier had grown on you. I thought that you'd never leave that wretched place they call the Avengers Facility." Leon finally released me from the tight embrace, his hands not letting go of my forearms.

   "Let go of me, Leon. We broke up." I looked away guilty and to the now boarding sign at the gate. "Let's get on the plane and leave."

   "You and I are not going to Hong Kong, my beautiful Morte. We're going to London."