July 1943
Kagome bent over Dernier, Jim beside her as both hands worked to get the shrapnel from his side. The Frenchman growled something as he winced, Jim laughing as Kagome retorted back in his native tongue as she fought back her own laugh; Jim doubling over at the response tumbling from the woman's lips.
"I don't like this." Bucky grumbled, looking through the barrier surrounding them at the wilderness. His hands tightened on his rifle, ready to spring into action should Kagome's barrier break; it was her first time in the field with them and while she had told them about the barrier, she never elaborated how long she could hold it.
Steve tugged his helmet off, running his fingers through his tresses as he moved beside the brunette. "Dernier couldn't be moved Bucky, this is why we recruited her."
"We didn't," Bucky pointed out quickly. "I didn't say I wasn't happy he was going to be okay… I don't think it's safe." His chocolate eyes watched Kagome before glancing around again. Mumbling something, he handed his rifle over to Steve and inched behind Kagome, his fingers untying the loosened ribbon in her hair and holding it between his teeth as he brushed her hair from her eyes and began to twist her tresses together. It'd do no one any good if she couldn't see what she was doing and she hated getting blood in her hair.
"I didn't know you knew how to braid, look at you all domesticated and shit." Steve teased handing the gun back. Bucky blushed and shrugged, "you want one too, Rogers? Might be able to see that pretty dame that's been eyeing you in the office."
Steve gave him a confused look, who was he talking about?
"He's going to be fine," Jim wiped his hands on his pants as he moved back to the rest of the Commandos, slight sounds of awe coming from them as Kagome's hands glowed. They had never seen her healing up close, watching as Dernier's skin closed and he rubbed the formerly affected area with tenderness, as if it was an illusion that would break if he put too much pressure on it.
Kagome flexed her fingers and stood slowly, her barrier dropping as she collapsed.
Bucky rubbed his face as he stretched out beside Kagome on the bed, it was going on hour 26 since she had collapsed in the German woods and he was torn between concern and being mad about the situation. It was merely exhaustion the doctors agreed, all she needed was rest. Steve had negotiated a few days off for the team, but there was no idea how long her sleep would last.
He brushed a strand of hair from Kagome's face and ran his thumb across her cheekbone with a sigh, he hadn't slept much since they got back, scared to close his eyes in case one of his nightmares stirred and woke her up.
Kagome inhaled deeply, her eyes fluttering open as a sleepy smile graced her face, "Dernier okay?"
"Yeah, he's telling everyone that'll listen about his comeback from the brink of death." Bucky rolled his eyes in response, "what the hell happened to you sweetheart?"
Kagome rolled to her back and stretched, eyes closing as a yawn tore from her lips before rolling back to her side. "Did I forget to mention overuse makes me black out? Barriers take a lot, especially if they're big and healing on top of that… I can't tell you how many days I was out after the battle with Naraku."
"How could you forget to mention that so casually? 'Oh Bucky, I can pass out at the drop of a hat while I'm out in the field just so you know'." Bucky's face soured as he shoved himself up, the sheet falling from his chest as he draped an arm over his bent knee. "Since when did we start keeping things from each other?"
Kagome frowned and propped her head up, "it's been a while since I've had to do both, this won't happen every time."
"That's right it won't happen again, because you're not going back out there. You're lucky you're not on the first plane back to Brooklyn." He glared at a spot on the blanket and tossed it to the side, climbing from the mattress.
"James Buchanan Barnes, don't you dare think you can start telling me what to do. You better go find yourself another dame that's going to roll over and show her belly if you're going to start talking like that," Kagome snapped as she climbed from the bed and moved closer, jabbing him in the chest with her finger.
Knocking on the wall had them breaking their glares as Steve's soft voice floated through the room, "thin walls guys."
Chocolate eyes narrowed as he scoffed and he retreated from the bedroom into the living room. Bucky's voice lowering as he addressed her, "please doll, no one else will put up with me. It's like you don't trust me all of a sudden."
Kagome followed after him, "of course I trust you."
"It's starting to feel like you don't, like when you handed the ring back…" Bucky sighed heavily, turning in the middle of the floor and crossing his arms.
Kagome bit the inside of her cheek and glanced away with a soft sigh before looking back at him, "you've been so on edge since October and I understand why, what you went through… I didn't want to add to that on top of the nightmares I know you're having; don't look at me like that, those noises you make in your sleep aren't from anything good. You have enough to worry about without adding my issues to it."
Bucky matched her frown and grabbed her face between his hands, "I am always going to worry about you, darling, that's what I do. You not saying anything about potentially loosing consciousness though, that wasn't a good idea—you have to know that."
"I do, I'm sorry Bucky I really didn't think that it would happen as fast as it did." Kagome placed her hands on top of his and turned her face to place a kiss to his palm before doing the same to the other.
"Maybe don't use as much of it? Do you really need the barrier?" Bucky threaded their fingers together and stepped closer to press a kiss to her forehead.
Kagome tilted her head slightly, "I don't like feeling like I'm not helping though. I don't need you guys to keep watching my back."
"Listen to me, you are helping way more than you think baby. I would take a bullet for you so you don't need to worry about that. " Bucky nuzzled the crown of her head and pressed another kiss to her.
"I don't like that…" Kagome sighed. The idea of Bucky getting hurt was something that had been a prominent thought since Steve brought him and the rest of the POW's back from behind enemy lines.
"Alright, I won't say it again. Want to go and make Steve a little crazy?" Bucky snaked his arm around Kagome's waist, watching a blush rise to her cheeks at the implications.
"I need a shower."
Bucky looked thoughtful for a moment before smirking, "mind if I join you then?"
Present Day
"You probably could have killed me if you tossed a truck instead of a prius, in case you were wondering for next time." Kagome rolled the jewel in her hand before shoving it in her pocket, lifting her chin higher. She supposed it wasn't a good idea to start goading Bucky right now, ignoring the fact that he just tossed a car into hers.
Placing a hand under her shirt, she felt her skin mending before sweeping her gaze along the road and settling back on him. He began moving, stalking towards her the way an animal hunted its prey; it was unnerving and Kagome slightly admitted that she was a little scared by the blank look on his face. This wasn't like in New York; he looked like he was really about to kill her.
'New York,' Kagome lifted her head slightly, he lost himself when he saw the locket. Biting the inside of her cheek she stiffened, so maybe Bucky was still in there? He rounded the corner of the wreckage, Kagome moving to duck under his punch and slashing at his waist with her knife. Metal blocked her, his fingers wrapping around the blade and yanking it from her hand before sending his foot driving into her stomach.
She threw a barrier up too late, her back slamming into the car behind her as a groan tore from her, 'you let yourself get rusty.' She chided herself over her sluggish technique, working with humans instead of demons she wasn't used to any other speed above average.
Kagome shuddered, tilting her head back slightly to look up at him, "Bucky."
His lips twisted, metal fingers reaching up to close around her throat. Kagome grit her teeth and reflexively grabbed the appendage, "I, Kagome Higurashi, take you, James Buchanan Barnes to be my husband…"
Metal fingers loosened his hold on her neck, chocolate eyes staring into her calm blue ones as she swallowed hard under the weight of his hand. Why had he stopped?
"…My partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever." Kagome whispered the last word, was it working?
Bucky moved back slightly, removing his hand from her throat and staring down at the appendage as his brow furrowed. Kagome leaned over, attempting to catch his eye before he jerked up and connected his fist to her cheek. "Shut up," he hissed.
Kagome scrambled to her feet, stumbling back as she moved around the car; he was actually going to kill her this time and there was no Steve running up behind her to save the day. Bucky flipped her knife in his hand and caught the handle, moving forward as he attempted to hit his mark; Kagome flailing to dodge the attacks he aimed at her.
"Come on Bucky… you can fight this."
Bucky growled, sweeping his leg out and tripping her as he stabbed the blade into her side. Kagome landed hard, his foot pressing into her chest and holding her immobile as he reached for his gun. 'You're not going out like this,' cerulean eyes widened, yanking the blade from her side with a whimper.
She slashed across the back of his knee, Bucky jerking off of her as a pained growl tore from his lips. The knife wrenched from her hand as he moved back, Kagome climbing to her feet slowly, hands balling into fists before aiming for his face, sending an elbow across his cheek and pushing him away with a roundhouse kick. Kagome pressed a shaking hand into the wound, a shudder coursing through her body before readying herself for an attack again.
Her miko faltered as she gauged the energy in her body waiting for Bucky to draw closer. "Sorry," she mumbled, allowing it to explode out. Bucky flew back, Kagome dashing away as she kicked her heels off. She needed distance, not that he couldn't catch up in the blink of an eye… Kagome shook her head, she couldn't think about that; she was a master of disappearing at the drop of a hat, and she could do it again if she could only put some distance between them.
Kagome ignored the feeling of blood on her side, she didn't have enough in her to heal herself again—she had to reserve what little miko she had left in case she needed it. She ignored the pain of her feet tearing against the pavement as she turned down a sidewalk almost crying out at the sight of a pair of cops. Making a dash across the road, she jumped as a car slammed its breaks, pulling to a full stop in front of the police. "I'm uh… I was just attacked a few streets over."
Should she ask for a phone? They didn't seem at all concerned about the state she looked, sharing glances and looking behind her. A hand fell on her shoulder, Kagome looking at the man as his grip tightened and his companion tilted his head to the radio on his shoulder, "we've got her; corner of E Street SE and New Jersey Ave."
"You son of a—" Kagome rammed into the man holding her, sending them both sprawling to the ground; they fumbled together for the gun in his belt Kagome holding it out to the one still standing as she stared down the muzzle of his gun before squeezing the trigger and turning it on the one under her. She grunted as he flung her back, moving for his fallen comrades gun as Kagome shot him in the leg and smirked, "I hit your artery, you're going to bleed out."
A barrier shimmered around her as he fired off the clip and moved back for his radio. Kagome dropped the barrier and climbed from her kneeling position, familiar black spots dancing in front of her eyes as she started running again. The Capital Building loomed down the road, she could make that, she had to unless she wanted to get caught.
Headlights blinded her, the vehicle sliding to a stop and blocking her path; Kagome groaned, she was trapped on all sides. 'Perfect.' She glared at the man getting out of the truck in front of her as she willed herself to stay upright, "Agent Higurashi, you've caused quite a few problems today."
"Oh, is that what happened? I kind of remember just wanting to go to work and having a good first day back," she snorted, eyes taking in the members of S.T.R.I.K.E. climbing from the trucks and closing the gaps; no way to run now.
Kagome lifted her eyes, sweeping them around the familiar faces as anger burned her chest. Damn her for trusting them, "you brought out all of S.T.R.I.K.E. just for me? I'm flattered."
"You know why we're here." Senator Pierce advanced slowly, Kagome slowly stepping back with a sigh.
"It's in the condo—"
"Bullshit." Rumlow called quickly, eyebrow arching as his grip on his gun tightened.
Kagome smirked; the spots were getting bigger now. "You know the safe in my closet, I doubt you looked there. No way you could have without the combination."
Pierce snapped his fingers and pointed to one of the members of the team, "go check it."
"Combination?"
Kagome turned as she pressed her arm into her side to stifle the bleeding, "12-10-45."
With a groan she bent over slightly, she was definitely rusty; this should have been a piece of cake.
"You would have made an excellent Hydra operative you know that? No one would have suspected you of all people," Pierce crossed his arms as he eyed her, Kagome snorting in response and straightening.
"Otvali*" she grimaced; she needed to lie down.
A dark look crept over Pierce's face, slapping her hard as her neck snapped to the side. Kagome turned her face back, spitting blood at his feet and smirking, "is that the best you can do? My mother hits harder than you, you piece of sh—"
"Winter's down sir."
Kagome hid her smirk as she ducked her head, 'sorry Bucky.'
"Rollins, take a team and bring him back." Pierce commanded. He stepped closer, gripping Kagome's chin tightly and forcing her eyes to his. "If you're lying you're dead. Agent Rumlow was too soft with you, but I have others on this team that have no issue beating it out of you."
"Good luck, I've been through a lot… It's going to take something worse then sending Bucky Barnes to kill me." She jerked her chin from his fingers, "he was pulling his punches anyway."
"Sir, put her in the truck while we wait?" Rumlow asked cautiously, mild concern flickering to the priestess as he addressed Pierce.
The Senator nodded, commanding the rest of the team to set up a perimeter until he got word about what was in the safe. Rumlow moved forward, gripping her upper arm and steering her to the back of the truck, "maybe I can persuade him to spare you."
"Oh god, don't do me any favors… I really hate you." Kagome hissed as she climbed into the truck and lay down on the metal floor. Rumlow chuckled and beckoned one of the members over, "funny, I didn't hear you saying that this morning."
"Go to hell." Kagome shivered slightly feeling a sudden chill in the air, she was running out of time… The truck dipped as someone climbed in back and shut the door; clouded eyes took in the form as they tugged their helmet off and Maria Hill stared at her in exasperation.
"Lets get you out of here Higurashi," she pulled out a Mouse Hole and moved to the other side of the truck, cutting a circle big enough for them to move through before cutting a second one in the pavement to get to the sewers. Kagome screwed her lips tight, dragging her body through the holes and landing with an undignified grunt.
Maria bent down, looping the younger woman's arm around her neck and beginning to move slowly. "When you didn't meet me at the rendezvous point I figured something had happened. Don't worry, you're safe now."
Kagome nodded in acknowledgement, mumbling something as her words began to jumble together in a whisper.
Her words cut off as darkness fully enveloped her, body sagging against Maria's as the older woman caught her full weight. "It's okay, back up's coming." Maria shoved her hand in her pocket, pressing a small button on the beeper she possessed and shifting, they didn't have much further until they made it to the point she had established for her planned back up to meet her. "You did great, Agent."
*Fuck off