𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐋 - winter soldier.

don't tell me to run, I'm not gonna run! I won't even run for my gym teachers

"They've found us."

My heartbeat creased to stop. My lungs became inflamed. I seemed to be on fire yet drowning at the same time. Thousands and thousands of thoughts raced through my brain yet they all were frozen at the same time. Hopelessness began to take me over like massive waves. I was just a driftwood plank with no home and no escape from the venous waters that lap at my heart.

I searched in the Soldier's eyes for a sense of bravery that we could share together; a dancing flame that promised a joyous ending.

Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around the Soldier in a yearning hug. He became rigid and itched to remove me from him. I melted into him like a watery snowman. He felt cold and his leathery inform brushed my face. He felt so distant and dream-like in my hands--and yet I found melancholic peace and home in this.

"This is not the time, we must leave now," he stiffly and softly cried as if I would hurt him.

I upturned my head to meet his ghostly gaze. His eyes pleaded and his brows creased heavily in worry and confusion.

"How long do we have?" I asked quietly.

The Winter Soldier's eyes traced my face, "Not long enough..."

I released him slowly. He seemed so breakable. I knew he wasn't. I knew it was just my emotions. He was the first person in what seemed like hundreds and hundreds of painfully sorrowful years that didn't raise a hand to my face or curse my being to hell or beat me so I thought I was just a miserable, no-good animal with no purpose.

I also knew why he quivered when I touched him gently with tender blessings. I was one of the only people he had come in contact with that he didn't have to kill or be fear of punishment or beatings close to death--no worst than death.

"I'm sorry," I whispered humanely, "And before they capture us--thank you, Soldier."

"Do not thank me for bringing you to your own dammed death," he began to walk away from me.

I looked back at the slash in the tree. How can I be brave now if my small chance is over? I remotely followed the Soldier.

My hopes dead like the forest's leaves dug at the clouds making the snowflakes fall like dying stars.

The Soldier moved through the bush nimbly and numb to fear. His goal arose through the wind's hollow call: to prevent HYDRA from getting their hands on me again. I watched him from the corner of my vision while I peered through the forest for my enemy.

My breathing normalized as I morphed into battle mode. My goal was parallel to the Soldier's: to prevent HYDRA from ever hurting him again.

I had tried not to be such a "hero" when I was younger. It only caused hurting and trouble. The world already its heroes. They didn't need anymore. I guess I somehow figured out how to turn back on the switch since pain and trouble was all I could see.

The world just seemed so different when in school they told you to be heroes. But in the end, your boss at work tells you something along the lines of: "The world doesn't need another hero, just someone who gets something done." Not only did your last childhood dreams end with that statement, but you lost who you wanted to be.

The Soldier halted and hid behind the bush. I copied his actions.

"I'll distract them if they spot us. Promise me you'll run and won't look back?" his voice sounded numb and forceful.

I met his gaze. "I can't promise you that, my feelings control me when things like this happen, not my head. But I can promise you that I'll try my best to."

He held out a pistol for me to take.

I swallowed nervously. I opened my mouth to say something, but only the wind was heard.

"Just take it," he grumbled.

I reached out and grabbed it hesitantly. I took in a deep breathe, "It's just, all my life the last time I see the people I care about tell me to run, and I'm tired of running."

He just stared at me, no emotion.

I hated it when I did that--trip over one of his triggers and he'd shut off and become a machine again.

I kinda liked it. It meant the moment didn't have to get any more emotional than it already was. It meant I could pretend it never happened or like I never said anything. Like I could start over. Like I could close off my emotions too. Sure it was unhealthy, but did we care? Dam no!

But this time, I wanted him to be there. Just to be there. No, not like hug me and tell me everything's fine, but to be a human and not a robot. Just so I felt less alone and more at home. Even if he was grunty or grumbly, even then he'd be more living than abiotic.

I stared down at the murderer in my hands.

A reassuring voice rang in my ears, "Just do what you normally do."

I looked up to his face, my brows creased. What did he mean by 'do what you normally do?' Did he mean to fail? Miserably? Terribly? Horridly?

"Do what you think is right and deserved," he whispered honorably and rounded the bush, around the camp of HYDRA soldiers waiting for a single to ring on the telephone to go into action.

"Now that's something I can promise you," I felt a smile tug at the corner of my lips.

The smile escape me when I realized that we went into spy mode as we laced the bush around the soldier who joked and poked at their weapons.

Dusk was begging to begin as the sun melted into the snow. Twilight glittered on the tip of the trees, dancing.

I held the little spark of happiness in my chest. I hadn't tasted happiness in so long it was almost alien.

Quietly, I switched off the safety on my weapon.

It was time to fight. And this time I wasn't running away from the danger.