𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒 ▸ bucky barnes [1]

12.

DECEMBER 4, 1943
4:14 PM
PARIS, FRANCE

—

     "YOU SURE YOU'RE UP TO THIS, VAL?" Bucky looked at Valerie with concern as he placed a small radio device in her hand.

     Valerie rolled her eyes. "Yesterday, you seemed all for it."

     "Well, that was before I realized you actually might..." He trailed off, looking to the side.

     Valerie arched her eyebrow. "I might what?"

     "Get hurt, okay?" Bucky sighed. "Steve was right. This is real dangerous, doll."

     "And I'll be fine," Valerie said firmly. "Bucky, you know I will be."

     Bucky glanced around, eyeing the HYDRA facility on top of a hillside in the distance. "I don't," he said after a moment, looking at her. "That's why I'm scared, Valerie. I don't... I don't want anything to happen to you." He fingered his leather necklace draped around his neck, the way he always did when he was nervous.

Valerie blinked, shocked at the genuineness in his tone. Was he really that worried about her? "Hey," she said softly, looking up at him. "Do you trust me?"

Bucky gave her a smile smile. "More than I probably should."

"Then trust me on this," she said, taking a step closer to him. "Please."

Bucky hesitated. "But what if–"

"–What is the mission goes perfectly according to plan, we take down the base, and we all make it out alive?"

"I–" Bucky paused, then laughed. "That would be nice."

Without thinking, Valerie placed her hands on Bucky's broad chest. "I'll be fine. Both of us will be."

Bucky looked down at Valerie's hands on his chest. She felt her cheeks heat up, and started to move them away, but he gently wrapped his hands around her wrists. "Promise?" He asked quietly.

Valerie nodded, her ears ringing at their sudden contact. "Promise."

Bucky hesitated, like he was going to say something. Instead, he moved forward, and before she could react, he placed a warm kiss on Valerie's forehead. "Be safe," he mumbled into her skin. "Signal if you need anything." And with that, he walked off.

For a moment, Valerie stood rooted to the ground, temporarily stunned. She couldn't help but flash back to that one night in London...

She gave her head a little shake. "It's go time," she mumbled to herself.

***

Valerie nervously adjusted her white lab coat as she approached the gates of the massive HYDRA facility. Standing in front of the gate was a single guard, dressed in the same black uniform with a red skull emblem on his sleeve as all the other guards back at the weapons facility.