☯︎𝔹𝕣𝕠𝕜𝕖𝕟 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖☯︎

-It's complicated-

   Nico stared at him for about a full minute, before giving him the most honest answer he could think to give.

   "I don't know."

   Bucky forrowed his brow. "What do you mean 'you don't know'?"

   Nico held up his hands helplessly. "It's complicated. Something happened in my past... it caused me to lose most of the memories from my childhood. I don't remember anything that happened before I was 10."

   Bucky groaned, dragging his right hand down his face. "I'm missing some of my past, too." Nico raised an eyebrow, and he elaborated. "Long story short, I was abducted and brainwashed by the Soviets back during World War 2. I was living in the 40's, and was put through this thing called cryo-freezing that slowed down my aging."

   Nico ran a hand through his hair. "That's... quite a story." He took a deep breath. "I was born in the 40's, too."

   Bucky's eyes shot to Nico's face, disbelieving. "What?"

   "I was born in the 1940's, but I don't know what the exact year was. My birthday is January 28th, I'm pretty sure. I had a sister who passed away 10 years ago.

   I grew up in fascist Italy, when it was run by Mussolini. My mother never supported him, and my grandfather fought in the war against them. My mother was the daughter of a well-known ambassador, so she was always at a risk.

   My father wasn't around often, because he ran a very important major business that was especially busy during the war. We moved to America when I was 9 years old, and my sister was 12. We moved because my father's business was based there and he could protect us better there.

   We had only been staying in America for a month before the hotel we were in was struck by lightning, and there was an explosion. My mother died, and my father was able to save me and my sister. He was a very powerful and important figure in America, and had lots of connections, including people who worked for him.

   He used his connections to find a way to wipe my sister and I's memories in a way that made it almost impossible to retrieve them. After that, he had one of his most trusted and loyal employees take us to a place that slowed down time, while normal time passed on the outside.

   We were there for what felt like months. We were eventually taken out by the same employee who claimed to be a lawyer, and taken to a military academy. We were told our parents were dead, and we didn't question it. We eventually ran away, and my sister died in an accident soon after." Nico finished his story, leaving Bucky to sit in silence for a few minutes.

   "What was your mother's name?" He finally asked, taking Nico by mild surprise.

   "Maria."

   His eyes widened, and he seemed to recognize the name. "Wait, what's your last name?" He asked, seeming excited.

   "Uh, di Angelo?" He replied hesitantly.

   Bucky squeezed his eyes shut addressed his hands to his temples, focusing on the name, repeating it quietly to himself. He let out a groan of frustration.

   "That name is so familiar! I know it from somewhere." He swore quietly. Nico raised an eyebrow out of curiosity.

   "What's you're last name?" He asked.

   "Barnes," Bucky replied off-handedly. He was still trying to think of how he could possibly know Nico. Nico choked on his next intake of air.

   The assault on Nico's mind was one of a magnitude he had never felt. Memories of his childhood flooded his senses to the point where all he could do was stand there and stare glassily at the floor, his body not moving otherwise. Bucky noticed his sudden change in appearance.