AN:

The couches at Soteria can get rather complicated to explain. If you get confused, I have a picture up on my tumblr (Link can be found on my profile. FF is censoring it).

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Chapter 25: Bucky Barnes - Arachnid

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This was a far cry from sleeping in trees, atop rooftops and beneath bridges.

I couldn't move my legs since the dogs' heads were on them. A compromise when Valeriy started shoving Zephyr in her sleep. Had to move them over and the only way to stop them from piling on top of her again was to offer my legs.

I couldn't lean back since Valeriy wormed her way behind me. Still hanging onto my hand. My arm still sported faint teeth marks from when I tried to go upstairs for my bowl of blueberries.

She reacted in her sleep. Yanking my hand closer to herself and then proceeded to bite, claw and kick her way until I stopped moving.

I dare not move.

Watching a family of bears walk by. A mother and three cubs.

I suppressed a flinch when the young woman behind me bolted upright.

"Eve! Why was I asleep?!" were the first words out of her mouth.

I quickly held onto her right hand before her desperate searching caused more damage. "Valeriy."

She turned to me. Moments from falling into panic. "Amber. Where – ?"

"She's on one of the jets. I don't know which one. But they're all on the way back. I watched the whole time… until the feed was cut…."

The young woman just deflated, letting gravity drag her into the space between me and the couch. "I'm a bloody awful friend…" she mumbled into my back.

I had to twist my torso to give her head a pat. "Nothing happened to her. You were…. I'm just going to grab you a glass of water…."

She didn't stop me from leaving. She merely went for her phone, fingers dancing across the screen.

Ixie joined me in the kitchen area. Her head insistently nudged against my side.

Zephyr took my spot, though he ended up using Valeriy as a cushion for his bottom. His tail happily wagging against her arms.

"Doesn't seem like there's anything unsavory on any of the jets' paths," she grumbled.

"There are a lot of them. The jets."

Twenty of them.

"Oh fucking stop tail whacking me, you little shitball!" she huffed, arms swinging about against the white fluffy tail. "Amber always travels with eight or more pairs of our latest jets modified to be combat ready. Always in pairs. Always different routes. Always randomly picked via rice roll right before leaving. The rest play decoy."

"So, if a shitty friend does all this… what did you have planned originally?" I asked, holding the glass of water out to her.

"To be there," she huffed before chugging the glass. "Taking Eve's best people, having you watch, hav – yes, Amber had the best people dealing with – I cannot let her down…. Not again."

I pulled her to me, my hand patting the back of her head, while tugging the glass from her fingers. "Nothing happened to her. The tar – your friend is safe. We can watch the plane routes."

"I have that handled," the A.I. ghost cut in.

"I… should be showing you the mountain," Valeriy mumbled into my shoulder. "The paths and areas to avoid. Important things."

"That can…. wait," I said.

From upstairs, I could see far.

She leaned back and smiled exhaustedly. "I used to go biking when…. It'd be nice to get some fresh air. Just give me some time to clean this mess," she said, gesturing to herself. From head to toe.

"Maybe some food? I'll make some toast."

"…I guess I should…. 'Kay, I'll eat something."

I found myself almost falling into the hand that tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear. The warm palm against my cheek eased the pressure of the tightly wound spring that always sat in my gut.

"I'm still taking a quick shower first," she said lightly before heading for her room.

Anxiously, I busied myself in the kitchen.

An average of eight minutes before Valeriy would be finished with her quick showers.

"You two are likely starving by now," I said to the pair of dogs. I sure was.

Their heads resting on the floor while their bodies hid on the couch. Ixie barked once before both of them joined me.

Plums were washed and sliced.

Leftover fried rice went into three bowls and into the microwave.

"Zephyr, I see you going for the fruits," I chided. "Remember how long it took me to get that stain out of your fur from the blueberries? Do we want to go through that again?"

He actually stuck his nose in the air with a huff before going back to crowding the side of me that Ixie wasn't occupying.

Defrosted meat went into the pan.

'…Try number two.'

Maybe this time the meat wouldn't be so tough.

PROs were peeled and separated into slices.

Cooked meat was diced into cubes.

Cubed meat was tossed with the fried rice.

Bread went into the toaster oven.

The dogs were already digging into their bowls. While the bowls were still on the counter.

With how tough and chewy the meat was, the dogs likely swallowed them whole again.

The little oven door opened for the toast to cool.

Three dirtied bowls went into the sink.

Milk was poured into a glass.

Butter went on toast.

A comb made sure that no rice was left stuck on their soft fur.

A brush was next.

All this was calming. Something to keep my mind off of everything.

Simple and easy.

No blood.

No pain.

Just wagging tails and a lot of fur. Everywhere. On the dogs. On the couch. On me.

While I combed one, the other slept against me.

A woosh of a shelf opening and Valeriy walked out. Looking better than ten minutes ago. Less haggard and dejected.

"Your breakfast is on the counter," I told her. "I should be done here by the time you finish eating."

"Uhh… yeah… sure… thanks…" she mumbled, picking up the plate and glass of milk. Another violently shoved cushion made a second makeshift table for her to eat at.

Zephyr got up from beside me to curl around the young woman instead.

"Oi, you sneaky little bastard, no. Bucky made this for me. Mine," she snipped, looking just about ready to bite him for trying to steal her toast.

I gave Ixie a pat on the side. "I'm done with you. Zephyr, switch," I told the dogs, hoping to avoid another round of bickering.

"…You really like them, huh?"

I nodded. "I think… I think I liked dogs…."

"…Maybe we'll run into a bobcat or two. See if you like cats?"

Another mechanical hum joined the noises of the building. This time from above. A television folded out from the ceiling. Lowered seven meters. A comfortable height without having to crane the neck.

The black screen turned on. A spotted feline with pointy ears showed up. Then a familiar hand slid into the shaky footage. With a hiss, the cat lunged. The footage turned around, racing towards a dirt caked bike.

"Okay. So maybe trying to pet one was – is not the brightest idea," Valeriy pouted when another reel of another bobcat played on the screen. "But hey, the vibranium alloy plates are uber scratch resistant…?"

'That coat does look really soft…' I thought, watching a third failed attempt to pet another bobcat.

"How many times must I remind you not to interact with the wild life? You cannot let them believe humans are friendly creatures. They'll be killed if they do."

Valeriy sighed shaking her head from side to side.

"Alright, your turn," I called out to her.

She laughed, shaking her head. "Yeah, no Bucky. First you use my brush on them and now you want to use it on me? I can see the white hairs on that thing from here."

"Your hair's tangled up in here too."

"Come on, let's just get to the mountain. I still have a bunch of work to do."

Dirty dishes went into the kitchen sink.

The four of us went into the basement and then the elevator.

"I was… thinking…" I started.

"About?"

"You don't have to show me around today."

"I'm fine."

"Your ankle isn't."

"So I take it that the dirt bikes are a no?"

"Val, that one is bent in half," I stated, pointing at the mangled mess.

"To be fair, I wasn't actually on it when it decided to hug a tree."

"…."

"I was… falling off a tree branch… when that… umm, happened…? 'Kay, fine. No motorbikes for the next little while. We'll just take something else for a spin."

"Is there something that's… safe?"

"Depends if the Arachnid is still…."

Her hand knocked along the wall before some other section 93 centimeters away rose. Behind it was an eight legged contraption. Looked less like transportation than a 4 by 4 meters claw ready to crush us. All of it painted in different shades of green and brown.

"It's still here," she said smiling fondly at monstrosity.

I grabbed onto her when she tried to get close to that… thing.

"…Bucky…?"

"…You're sure this is safe to be around?"

"Yup. Perfectly safe…. As long as you don't fall off…. Or get stomped on…. Or get caught in the gears…. But yeah, totally safe," she stated, sounding not even a bit convincing. Even with that bright grin slapped onto her face.

"How is this even safe…?"

"…There are handles on the platform you can grab onto if you're nervous?"

I had to make sure myself. Balanced precariously between two of the legs. Using the lattice structure as steps to get high enough to see.

Drop body on head. Target incapacitated.

A circular platform. 138 centimeters wide. Lined with a cushion. Two metal handles on opposite sides. A little spiral flower on the edge. A game console controller perched in the middle.

"Does it pass inspection? Can I be let down yet?"

Reluctantly, I placed her on the right side and hopped on, staying to her left. Made sure I knew the handle's location. If she fell off, I'd be close enough to prevent that.

And then she shuffled to face the other way. Controller in hand.

Her laughter bounced off the curving walls, as I switched our spots. All the while, she was trying to put on her glasses without jabbing out an eye.

Valeriy tapped on the little spiral flower. "This is the front. Now time to wake her up."

She held down a button and a couple seconds later, it hummed to life. She pushed forwards on the left joystick and the eight legs worked together to move forwards.

Far faster than I thought it could.

Right over the unidentifiable contraptions.

Crawling straight for a wall.

I could hear the handle squealing against metal fingers.

"Val?" I called out nervously.

"I'm not going to run us into walls," was her immediate response. Laughter just bubbling under the surface.

The machine stopped with a jerk. Slapping up at the wall as the platform swung towards it with the momentum, she plucked a small silver box from the hidden compartment before the door could drop back in place.

A click from the box and the wall to the right opened up. The legs of the machine scuttled to the side a couple of steps before it raced down a dimly lit tunnel.

"Before you close the wall," I said quickly, glancing behind us where two winged balls hovered. Cameras. Cameras likely matched the obscured lens of her glasses.

"Hmm?"

"Can they come with us?" I asked, motioning to Ixie and Zephyr. "They need exercise, and I think running laps around the boulder was boring for them."

"…Uhhh sure…. Zeph! Ix! You're going for a run! Keep up!"

Over the gears, hydraulics, and clunks of the metal feet, I could barely make out the nails of the dogs running after us.

We came out of the mountain from the cliff. Near the waterfall. North of the fake boulder.

"I'll show the perimeter route you can take!" she yelled over the water's rumble. "Never stray off it! We do what we can to deter people from getting this close with false information and difficult to deal with terrain. But this high up, we're using things that end up with dead bodies. If you do step off the path, just stay where you are and I'll come find you."

"Got it."

I couldn't help but duck when we dove into the treeline.

But Valeriy maneuvered the height of the platform, the legs, everything to make this large hunk of metal move through the trees like the wind. As if this was an extension of herself.

Four legs were always on a surface. Four legs were always on the move. Alternating between each other seamlessly with each combination of buttons she pushed. The harsh sloping ground, the rocks, the trees, none of them made a difference. Even if one leg slipped, the others held up.

The only thing that wasn't smooth with the controls was when the platform would jerk when it spun. Sometimes from the twitch in her right hand. Most of the time it was due to pushing the sliding button too far too fast. There were times I felt like I'd spin right off the side with the adjustments.

Ixie and Zephyr trailed behind us. Finding their way over the stream by jumping from rock to rock.

I couldn't help myself from scooting back when a drop came to sight. Grabbed onto the back of her shirt. We weren't slowing down. By the time the platform we sat on spun to face the new direction, the legs were already going that way.

4.9 kilometer to the cliffs. On a winding path. Not an easy route to run. Barely any flat stretches.

Push over the cliff. Target incapacitated.

"I'll show you some routes on the cliff when I'm more healed. It's a fun climb…? If the rock slides aren't set off…."

No matter how relaxed she was, I still tugged her closer. Away from the platform's edge. Away from the cliff and the valley below.

The river there had to flow around a dam made of branches and twigs. A couple of brown coated animals swam in the pond upstream of it.

"What are those? On the dam."

"…Dam…. What dam?"

When she showed no signs of slowing, I grabbed the back of her head to stop her glancing below. Only one misstep to tumble down the cliff.

"What is it made of?" she asked with a laugh.

"Wood. Branches and twigs."

"Do the builders have a big flat tail like a tennis racket?"

An image of a yellow ball came to mind and a net of some sort.

"…I think so."

"Beavers. They too, don't much like being approached and they like dropping trees. Keep an ear out for that if you're ever down by there…. Bucky…?"

I hummed in response, still watching at the beavers going about their day.

"About last night… Eve's…."

"She lost one of her asse-people last night." Wasn't hard to piece that together.

"…If only it was just the one…" Valeriy mumbled. The one visible gray eye sent me a glance. Calculating. "I… don't really know what you managed to figure out over the last few days…. Eve… the kid she wants… wanted – "

"She had you help kill a kid!?"

"Nonononono. Noooo."

The spider machine jerked to a stop.

The platform swayed with the momentum.

The controller dropped against the cushion.

Valeriy turned to face me. One eye obscured by a blacked out lens and the other hidden behind the glare of the sun's reflection off her glasses.

"The operation last night wasn't about killing any kids…. Though a lot of them did die…. It was a huge fucking bloody mess. By the time I signed on, one of Eve's Puppets was already dead, another one was halfway there, and a third about to be swarmed…. It was supposed to be a simple rescue mission. Grab the boy. That was the main goal. Most of us wanted to get the rest of them out too…. So we did…. But then… then…."

She curled up into a ball. Hugging her knees.

"The rescue team…. The kid Eve wants-wanted… he-he tripped on… on a bloody fucking landmine. We couldn't stop the kids…. They just – they scattered. Set off more…. I-I I can still hear their screams. Right in my ear."

Carefully, I wrapped my arm behind her, tugging her hands down from her ears.

I knew those ghost screams. When the quiet gets too loud and all I could hear were the screams of those I've killed.

"Val… Valeriy, can you hear the beavers in the river? Their tails hitting the branches. The water drops on the lake surface."

"Bucky," she sighed, head leaning against mine, "my ears aren't good enough to hear water droplets from way up here…."

"We're going back to the boulder," I stated, picking up the controller.

Shouldn't be too difficult. I knew what most of the buttons did from watching her. So I carefully pushed the sliding button to spin us around.

The mechanisms in the thumb skipped when I tried to place it on the mushroom shaped stick button. Twitched in the direction of the cliff.

And the legs moved right for that direction.

I grabbed onto Valeriy and leapt for the treeline. Covering the back of her head with my hand and tucking her face against my chest.

Praying that the weapon of an arm would cooperate this time and not send us flying. That it could take the brunt of the landing and roll out most of the momentum while I fell on my back instead atop of her.

If it wasn't for the sigh that left her, I would have thought she'd been knocked out from how still she stayed.

A bark was all the warning we got, before a large shadow loomed over us.

"Ixie! Don't you dare – fuck! I hate the bloody both of you asshats! How'd this go sideways so fucking fast?" the young woman groaned.

It was dumb luck that the metal arm was resting on her back. I doubt the metal cast wrapped around her ribcage could handle the 173 kilograms of two dogs.

On the third thump of her face against my chest, I held up her head. Moving with her when she tried to get around my hand.

"I'm sorry," I started. "The thumb twitched. I-I didn't mean to – "

"The Arachnid is fine."

"What?"

It was. It was just standing there. Five legs over the cliff. Completely fine.

"How is it…?"

I pushed off of it to jump. It should have toppled over. More than half of it was over the edge. But it stood there with only a slight sway.

"As long as it has a foothold, it's fine," Valeriy explained as if that made sense. "It can even climb about the cliff. It's 'bout the same trickiness as weaving between the trees? You did ask for safe."

Curiosity got the better of me, and I plucked the glasses from her face. The obscured lens showed an image of the eight legged machine from behind. Far enough to see all around it. Far enough to see the pile we were in.

Those exhausted pale eyes finally opened, blinking a few times before staring down at me. A small smile pulled on her lips. "It helps me navigate."

I lifted the dogs a little higher, nudging her until she rolled out from under them. Her head stayed resting on my arm. Before the weapon of an arm could send the pair of dogs over the cliff, I dropped all the weight onto me. Part of me wondering what the A.I. ghost's warning about telling the dogs to move was about.

"Alright you two, get off of m – oof!"

Valeriy's hand couldn't cover my mouth fast enough.

Ixie and Zephyr launched off of me at my words. Nothing gentle in their movements. Powerful legs kicking out to send them sailing through the air.

"Fuck," the young woman swore. "Should have warned you they tend to use people as bloody springboards. Sorry. They're little bastards."

"They're not bad," I found myself arguing.

"Yeah, okay…. They're not bad…. Have they hurt you?"

The nails of her hand scratch along the side of my face. Light and gentle.

"Nothing I can't handle."

My head pressed against her fingers. Enjoying the peace they brought with them.

Not much of worry out here.

Not a human in sight.

Just the clouds passing above us.

I could hear a strong wind approach, before I could feel it across my skin. The roar of the rustling leaves sent birds to the skies.

By how Valeriy wasn't blowing at her hair to move it off her face, she was likely asleep again.

And again, Ixie and Zephyr had found a comfortable spot. Their heads resting on our stomachs.

Everything felt warm. Outside by the sunrays. Inside by those around me.

The moment my eyes grew heavy, a sharp grating beeping pattern cut through the peace.

Valeriy blindly answered the call. Making use of the earbud she usually wore. A grumble escaped out of her throat as she rolled into my side.

"Everything's fine," were the first words blurted from the other side. Female.

"…Sparks… why are you calling me?" she said slowly, sitting up. All the seriousness she held the night before returning to her posture.

"Amber told me to call. She wanted you to know that she returned home fine."

"Oh-okay…. Thanks for letting me know."

"Nothing happened the whole trip. No dangers popped up but I got to say, she's far better behaved than your family ever was."

Valeriy's shoulders shrugged. "Sorry?"

"…Are the two of you fighting? She's always made this call."

"Huh? I've got no bloody idea as to what the hell you're going on about."

A lie.

Her voice was steady, but the rest of her wasn't.

"I just thought – forget it. Do you have any more injuries since I last saw you?" the other woman questioned.

Valeriy looked at me with an apology written across her brow. "Nothing because of him. He prevented a few of my… cooking mishaps? I've learned I don't know how to cook."

"…."

"Thanks for checking in." She hung up with a heavy sigh.

I could hear every strand of her hair snapping when they tangled into the joints of the metal cast around her right hand. Before she could run her hands through her hair again, I placed mine on her back. Her warmth bleeding through the thin fabric of her shirt.

"…I wish the rest of the world would just melt away…" she mumbled with a heavy sigh.

"We can stay here a little longer," I suggested.

"…I have to get back to work. I'll be broke in about an hour or so…. Stay and enjoy the sun awhile, Bucky. If you want. Just retrace your steps to get back to Soteria, or follow Ixie," she said, picking up the controller off the dirt.

"Take what she gave me."

"Huh? Eve gave you what?"

"The gold she talked about. For finding the flaws in your security plans."

Valeriy laughed, turning away from the monstrous machine in front of us. "I can't take that."

"Why not?"

"You earned that."

"I don't know what to do with so much."

"Squirrel it away for a rainy day? You don't even know what I need money for."

"If it was to finance an assassination, you would have told me to stay out of it. Whatever it is, it's important to you."

"…You trust me a little too much, Bucky. What if the important thing to me was a shit load of heroin?"

"You've said you're an addict and in the last five days, you haven't eyed your pain killers once. It's about those children from last night, isn't it? If there were landmines… they're hurt…. You want to help them. Even before last night. I saw you looking up psychiatrists in the motorhome. Everybody you greenlit is young. Very young. Or at least looks young. Younger than you do."

Her shoulders shrugged. "…Figured they're probably sick of adults. Snatched up every baby-faced head doc I could…. Now they need some miracles. But you've bought them a good chunk of time. Thanks for doing this, Bucky."

There was more. There was more she wanted to say in the way her fingers fidgeted. Yanking up blades of grass. Flicking little pebbles towards the cliff. A couple of them managed to fly over it.

The huge octopedal machine stayed perched with five legs over the cliff, it didn't move when a pebble hit it. Barely swayed in the wind. No signs of tipping over.

"What is it…?" I asked, tugging on a lock of her long hair. Watching the sunlight turn it so very red.

As her mouth parted to say something, another sharp beeping of a different pattern cut through the air. "Not a sound, Bucky." This time, she answered it while scrambling for the eight legged ride. "D'amour."

I raced after her. Not believing that she wouldn't topple over the cliff's edge right with the machine she was clambering up. Her hands clung onto the rungs when I tried to pull her off the thing.

"Sparks."

'Why is she calling again?'

When I managed to get her to let go, the platform swung down. Scooped us right up and the legs pushed off into a jump.

"Am I needed?" Valeriy demanded.

I tried to keep her from sliding off as the legs landed and sped along the cliff side. Going far faster than before. All the while, she struggled to keep the controller away from me.

"No. There's no horrible situation going downhill at the moment… that I know of…. Are you in the middle of something? I can call back."

At those words, Valeriy slowed down the beast. Just barely. But enough for the dogs to eventually catch up. Wherever they were, I could no longer see them.

"Whatever it is, spit it out, Sparks."

"So…" the librarian started, "…I've been looking over last night's operation in Congo…. There's nothing that you could have done to change what happened. Those deaths aren't on you."

Valeriy huffed a forced laugh. "Costa, Sarkisian, Tran, Pandev…. All of them would be alive if I hadn't put you on Mochi. You and the one Eve won't tell me about."

"The one who has me working up a sweat to keep my title as best Puppet? That person? We would have made little change. Maybe Costa might have survived. Tran would have still pulled that hot headed stunt. The children and the Puppets killed by the landmines would still be dead. Nothing anyone could have done."

"Next time we deal with children, remind me to have them strapped onto our backs."

"I feel that would prove more of a hindrance…. A few of us will be spending our free time cleaning as much money as we can of any connection to Ayers. The name can't be tied to helping the children. But they need all the money they can get."

"Thanks for lending a hand."

"If you can't get enough, I suggest you use the Ayers system put in place to find your replacement. Call Cookie Dough…" the librarian hedged, "…She… She knows someone…."

"I guess you're not the only one with somebody after their job."

"You should get on with DeLafée and Éclair's last minute changes. They're getting upset with the little vacation you've taken, and you're the one who has two contenders for their job. I've just the one."

"Is that all?"

"Oh, I almost forgot, Mochi's been delivered safe and sound."

"Thanks for reporting in. I'll see what money I can funnel your way."

"We have some to work with. A bunch of us pitched in."

With that, the line went dead and another heavy sigh escaped the young woman beside me. "…Cass should be the last person the Puppets worry about…. Yeah, wasn't kidding about how very few people know we're the same person. None of the Puppets know, and they'll never find out. Would most definitely shatter their faith in the name if they did…."

"You're rather amazing as yourself."

"Bucky, you see a me that they'll never hear of." The smile she sent my way was tired, but there was warmth to it.

Maybe hiding behind masks and names wasn't something she always wanted.

Another spin of the platform later, we were going through the trees again.

3.6 Kilometers along the clifftop.

"…When we get back, I could use your help with finding any holes in your security systems."

"I… I want to help… but I don't want to replace you."

"Well, for that to even come close to happening, I have to first keep said fucking job. Got to deal with the parent's shenanigans before anything else. After things have calmed some, I'll get cracking on that arm of yours. See if I can find what's still skipping in there."

"Maybe after you're healed."

"…I'll take that into consideration," she said, flashing me a grin.

6.1 Kilometers to the waterfall. The path just as winding and difficult as when we started.

The way she backed the eight legged machine into its cave made it feel like a living beast returning home. Smoothly. Legs curling close to the platform. As if done every day of its life. A habit.

Valeriy moved with the clear intent to leap off.

Do nothing. Target incapacitated.

Reflexively, my hand shot out to grab onto her.

I found myself unable to expect her to do anything else other than jump.

So I carried her down with me.

Not bothering to set her on her feet. Not until we were in the elevator. Dogs and all.

"You're sure about your money?" Valeriy questioned, her hand trailing down my arm in what felt like thanks.

Nodding was easy. Those children need the money and I wasn't using any of it. We used some of the cash on the trip here, but that didn't even put a dent to what was in the bag.

"Eve, you paying attention?"

"What do you take me for?" the A.I. ghost snapped as we exited the elevator.

"Send Bucky's gold Sparks' way."

"…I'll be on it after the funerals."

"Some of those kids don't have that kind of time."

"I don't care! My children…. My children are dead because of them! Dead!"

"MY BABIES!"

"You monster!"

"Nonononopleasepleasepleasepleasebaby baby open your eyes please!"

Fingers, wrapped tightly around mine, pushed away the screams.

Still, the panic only grew. For what I had done. For what's happening.

But she held on tight. Even as she threw her body into opening the rather heavy shelf door to the stairs. She kept a hold on my hand.

"You had the night to weep. There's nothing more we can do for them, Eve. I did my job. I helped you kill every single one of those human trafficking pedo fat fucks. You've had your reven – "

I pulled on her hand. Silently begging for her to stop.

Valeriy took a deep breath in. Eyes closing for a moment. "I only need your information and rendering capabilities. The rest of you can continue grieving but those kids need all the help they can get."

"…I take it that Mr. Barnes shall be lending a hand in this mess?"

Valeriy glanced back at me, and I nodded in agreement.

"Yup," the young woman chirped.

"...Fine…. I'll have everything set up for when he wakes. He hasn't slept since you attacked him in your sleep."

"I did what? Oh shit."

She lifted our hands towards her face.

I expected teeth to sink into my skin again.

"I'm sorry, Bucky."

But it was a pair of lips pressed against my knuckle. Done so very softly.

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AN:

Does the kiss on the hand kind of count as a first kiss?

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This chapter was edited by the Anonymous Second Beta and the new beta TinselA.

(Second beta is getting super swamped by school work, but I'm reluctant to let her go since she's been able to catch when my character end up out of character )

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