𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒 ▸ bucky barnes [1]

8.

NOVEMBER 4, 1943
8:02 AM
VIENNA, AUSTRIA

—

"YOU ALRIGHT, VAL? LOOKIN' A LITTLE TIRED, THERE." Bucky smirked.

Valerie rolled her eyes as they walked through the forest, with the hundreds of soldiers following behind them. "It's not like we just liberated hundreds of men from a Nazi weapon facility and took out hundreds of them in the process, or anything. Don't know what's wrong with me."

Bucky laughed, reaching up and jumping to touch a high-hanging tree branch as they walked. "Fair enough, doll."

To Bucky's credit, Valerie was exhausted – after Steve had jumped across the gap, the three had fought teeth and bone against an army of the remaining guards to escape the facility. When they had made it out, Valerie had realized that Steve hadn't just saved her and Bucky – all of the prisoners from the cells had been freed, and had taken over several of the high-tech enemy tanks to fight a battle against the guards.

Valerie gripped the gun she had stolen from one of the Nazis. "That was quite a show you put on back there," she said, turning to Bucky. "Didn't know a simple soldier could fight like that."

"I'm from Brooklyn," he laughed, lightly bumping her shoulder. "Fighting's a way of life. Say, you weren't half bad, either. Guess you're happy your pops taught you how to shoot right about now."

At the mention of her father, a wave of sadness flitted through Valerie's mind, but she smiled. "Did you ever doubt me?"

Bucky grinned. "Not one bit."

Valerie looked behind her, where the wave of the hundreds of freed soldiers followed behind them. She and Bucky were at the very front, right behind Steve, who was leading the way back to the army camp. "How much longer until we get there?" She asked Bucky. "We've been walking for hours."

"Not much longer," he smiled, nodding up ahead. "Look."

Valerie looked in the direction Bucky nodded, and saw that he was right – right up ahead, she saw a cluster of buildings and army soldiers already gathering to see them.

She turned to Bucky. "Am I gonna have to say hi to all of them?"

Bucky laughed. "Hope not."

As they continued forward and entered the camp, hundreds of soldiers gathered around to stare. They stepped to the side to let them through, forming a line on each side of them as they gawked and whispered. After a moment, a short, older-looking man approached Steve, and Bucky wrapped his hand around Valerie's wrist.

"Val," he said, smiling. "These are my buddies John and Robert."

Valerie smiled hesitantly. "I'm Valerie."