Kagome tapped her foot against the Bucky's door softly, bouncing her knees as she adjusted her hold on the blankets and pillows in her arms. She hoped he hadn't already gone to sleep, the last thing she wanted was to disturb him if was a good night for him.

"What are you doing?" he peered around the stack in her hands, her sheepish grin greeting his eyes.

"Were you sleeping?"

Bucky glanced back at his still made bed, "no."

"I'm feeling a little overwhelmed and not right and I was going to find a nice spot outside to have a campout… do you want to join me?" she turned lightly on her feet to better see him, tossing her hair out of her eyes.

"How many blankets?"

Kagome shrugged, "I just took what was on my bed."

Bucky's feet carried him to the bed, hastily folding the blankets and tucking them under his arm. "Do you do this a lot when you come back?"

"The last time I came to Japan was 2011 for my grandfather's funeral but I stayed at the shrine. The last two days though I stayed in the woods behind the main house." They fell into step as they began walking for the door at the end of the hall, the crisp February air making Kagome inhale sharply; she should have worn more layers over her pajamas.

"Why didn't you go to the shrine this time?"

Kagome glanced at the man beside her, "my brother and I had a falling out and it just wasn't… I'm not trying to put mom in that awkward space."

They walked in silence into the woods, breaking through the brush into a small clearing. "I'll get a fire started," Bucky noticed the slight tremble in Kagome's body, the cold air easily slipping through the thin fabric.

"City boy knows how to build a fire?" Kagome blinked in surprise, smirking at her teasing.

"Part of my training." Bucky glanced at her as he dropped his bedding to the ground, already grabbing sticks and twigs together. He caught the way her face twisted, kneeling down to work easier, "and I was in the Army."

Kagome arranged their blankets in front of the fire silently, slipping the fuzzy slippers from her feet and diving beneath the covers with a sigh; the warmth chasing away the chill before she patted the space beside her. "This is nice, I haven't done this in years."

She fell back to her pillow with a content sigh, blinking up at the starry sky as a smile curved her lips. Bucky threw an arm over his knee as he watched her, "after you handed me the ring back, why didn't you leave Brooklyn?"

Kagome assessed him with sharp eyes, shifting under the blankets before lifting her shoulders, "I should have… then they wouldn't have gotten you."

"I still would have followed Steve, that wouldn't have changed."

"It would have if I gave myself over to them, I should have when they came for me in Brooklyn… or even when Steve brought you back from behind enemy lines. After seeing what they did to you… I could have prevented this."

"You and I both know I wouldn't have let you do that." Bucky sighed, "you had already been through so much; besides I didn't want you anywhere near that fight."

"Doesn't mean I shouldn't have tried." Kagome sighed. The familiar feelings of the woods calmed her, the cracking of the fire making her relax more than she had hoped. Bucky stroked the fire and tossed another log on top, lying beside the priestess with a sigh of his own.

"Bucky?"

He hummed slightly at his name, turning his head to eye the woman beside him.

"If you could go back, knowing what would happen, would change it?" Kagome turned her face to his.

"No," Bucky answered quickly, "everyday is a living nightmare because of what I've done but I couldn't imagine not having met and falling for you."

Kagome turned her face back to the darkened sky, "still a charmer when you want."

She lifted her arms, setting the alarm on her watch and snuggling deeper into the cocoon she had made, "good night."

"Night." Bucky glanced over at the bundle of blankets as Kagome emerged, tears slowly trailing down her cheeks, "wh—"

"I have to tell you something and I can't hide it anymore… I was seeing someone while you were gone and it was a recent relationship… and you know the guy." She dragged her knees up, elbow braced on top as she held her head up.

Bucky's eyes widened, his breath hitching slightly as he sat up. "Steve?"

A dry laugh tore from Kagome, "you and Clint said the same thing, I could never do that—that's so gross. It was…" she paused with a sharp exhale, "it was Brock Rumlow."

Bucky's mouth opened slightly, turning his head to stare into the flames in front of them.

"I didn't know he was Hydra until—and I didn't think he was too bad because Steve and Tony both green lighted him but… I should have listened to Clint." Kagome rambled, dashing the tears away with a sniff. "I'm so—"

"Did you sleep with him?" Bucky cut her off softly, his face devoid of emotion as he turned pained eyes to her. Kagome shook her head, finger curling around a lock of hair, "I wasn't—there was no sex, I fell asleep during a movie once."

"He said he was going to enjoy breaking me and then he threw me from 10 stories up to the flight deck… I can't imagine everything he put you through and if I had kno—"

"But you didn't know," Bucky cut her off, turning back to look at the fire. "He told me, after that night in New York when I—" his eyes swiveled to her shoulder where he could still see the large bloodstain, "he was spouting some bullshit about how he had thought of you crying… screaming."

"I remember stepping towards him, I didn't remember why but I wanted to kill him." Bucky's jaw clenched, "he's dead though and he's lucky for that."

Kagome dried the wetness from her cheeks, glancing down at her hands resting on top of the blankets. "Not exactly… One of the guys from Italy said he was recovering."

Bucky's face darkened with the news, "then he better hope our paths don't cross." He glanced over at Kagome; "I'll kill him… for both of us."

Kagome stiffened slightly; he looked like the old Bucky in that moment—eyes hard at the idea of her being hurt, ready to jump in on her behalf. Tearing her eyes from his, Kagome lay back in her blankets. "Aren't you cold?" she asked as Bucky tossed his blanket over her for extra warmth.

"No, I sleep better in the cold. It reminds me of being in cryo, no pain there—no nightmares." Bucky lay back on the thin layer of blankets that separated them from the earth, "just sleep."

"Cryo?"

"Where I was held when I wasn't being used," he threaded his fingers behind his head, knee bent as he relaxed into the makeshift bed.

Kagome rolled her back to him, whispering another good night before falling silent.

"Who are Clint and Tony?"

Kagome rolled to her other side, arm braced under her pillow. "Well…" her eyes regarded him carefully, which one would be easier for him to handle? "Tony's my dad… mom slipped up a few years ago on the phone and told me, I always thought they were just really good friends but um—yeah and Clint is our grandson."

Bucky blinked at the sky, brain working over what she said before snapping his head to hers, "grandson?"

"Yeah," she could see excitement flicker in his eyes briefly before it disappeared. "He reminds me a little of you… he's one hell of a sniper."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Bucky's face, that was he legacy he supposed…

"He's not half bad with a gun when he decides to use it," Kagome poked him gently as she teased him. "It's not his first choice of weapon."

"What's his fir… he doesn't us—oh come on, that's not fair I wasn't around to show him the proper use of a gun." A look of despair crossed over his face, tossing his arm over his eyes, "you cheated."

An eruption of laughter tore from Kagome, covering her face with the blankets as the brunette huffed, "there's always next time—you were the one that wanted seven."

The giggles halted quickly, peeking at him from under the blankets as he stared at her with an unreadable expression. She still felt so easy with him… like they hadn't been separated for 70 years and everything was normal. "I'm sorry... I don't know wh—I really need to stop talking."

With the glow of the fire, Bucky could see her face redden before flinging herself to her other side, her back to him once more. He opened his mouth, he wanted to keep her talking about their family he had missed out on, before snapping it shut. As much as he wanted to know, to beg for every detail, he couldn't—how could he get to know a child he hadn't met? What if she had been one of those kids that thought he abandoned her?

Bucky blinked hard, he knew Kagome wouldn't raise her that way… but what if Jayme still felt that way… he shoved himself to a sitting position before climbing to his feet. "I'm going to find more logs," he explained softly at Kagome's imploring eyes.

When he was far enough away from where her gaze could reach he braced his back against a tree as he crossed his arms. Her heart was still as good as ever if her treatment of him was any indication; his head fell back against the trunk, the bark scratching through his hair to his scalp… he didn't deserve it and he damn well never deserved her.

Shoving off the tree, he gathered up some fallen branches and made his way back. Whether or not sleep claimed him tonight, he was getting up with Kagome—he wanted to see just what a demon could do.

"Get up!" Sesshoumaru folded his hands behind his back, glaring down his nose as Kagome shoved herself to her knees with a grunt, "we've still got twenty minutes. Goodness, you are out of practice."

Kagome winced as she climbed to her feet, it felt as though they had been doing this for days and not hours. "Why couldn't we start with the basics?"

"Basics? You should be beyond the basics." Sesshoumaru disappeared, using his speed to appear behind her; one hand flying out before her barrier repelled him. "Good… only took you five tries to get it. How long can you hold it?"

"I don't know…" Kagome's eyes followed him as he began to walk a small circle around her. "Long enough?"

"Wrong answer," Sesshoumaru's hand glowed green, striking the barrier in the same spot before it brightened and fell. "And that's exactly how Naraku broke through… you didn't hold it, weren't strong enough to hold him back and how many people died for it?"

Kagome grit her teeth and lunged, fingers glowing pink as she aimed angrily for his head. "You weren't there!"

Sesshoumaru knocked her hands away, a front kick sending her skidding across her back. "If I was there, at least half would have been saved."

His nostrils flared, the scent of salt heavy before scoffing; the hairs on the back of his neck bristled at the anger radiating in the room, sparing Bucky a warning glance to not interfere before turning back to Kagome. "You used to be the best, when I had you. Your fighting rivaled that of my best General… now look at you, you met a man and you became weak."

"Stop it."

"Pathetic."

"Stop."

"Useless."

"Sess—"

Sesshoumaru smirked, one more dig and he'd have what he needed from her. "Dare I even say… you're a failure in everything you do?"

Kagome's power flared dangerously, "I said stop."

The demon lord's stance widened, there she was. Sending his poison to his claws, he watched her fingertips begin to glow before she charged him. He swiped for her head, Kagome flinging herself to her knees and sending her palm to the back of his knee as she slid.

Sesshoumaru hissed, claws swinging down as she pressed off against his leg and tumbled over herself to her feet. Golden eyes surveyed the damage to his leg, peering at her from under silver tresses before straightening, "surely that's not the best you'v—"

A biting sensation tore through his arm, the stench of burning flesh wafting through the air. Kagome flipped a second knife in her hand, the sheath clasped to both thighs empty as she regarded him coolly. "You just got that arm back… be a shame to loose it again, My Lord."

Sesshoumaru's eyes bled pink as a growl rumbled from deep in his belly. He shot forward, Kagome meeting him as she swiped with her miko infused blade. Sesshoumaru's claws gripped her wrist; blood droplets emerging from the small puncture marks. Kagome grimaced, bending her knees and jumping to dig her heels into Sesshoumaru's chest.

Claws tore through her skin as he stumbled back, regarding her carefully as she huffed. Her hand twitched and drew his gaze, lifting his chin to watch; she shook the appendage slightly, her face showing trace signs of pain.

Sesshoumaru nodded, he had collected what he needed from this session… he strode forward, easily breaking through Kagome's delayed defense as she focused on the pain shooting up her arm. He swept her feet out from under her, flipping her and slamming her to the ground, "we're done. If I have to rile you again to get a fight from you the consequences will be worse than you can imagine."

Kagome's eyes closed as she gave a shallow nod, the pain in her arm licking closer to her shoulder as she bit back a groan.

"If I were in your position Priestess, I would purify that poison in your blood… I'll see you tomorrow morning." Sesshoumaru turned on his heel, silently moving across the floor for the exit.

Kagome arched her back as she did as directed, the pain making it hard to concentrate as she focused her breathing. Cerulean eyes cracked open as the pain slowly ebbed away, allowing her to move with mild discomfort.

"Nothing like getting my ass handed to me," she glanced over at Bucky as he watched silently. "How bad did I suck?"

He blinked out of his thoughts, "I thought you handled yourself well." He hadn't watched as much as she thought he must have, replaying his own memories of training with Hydra.

Kagome held her hand up balling it into a fist before releasing it slowly, her body protested as she sat up blinking as a hand appeared in front of her. Bucky's fingers tightened around hers, backing up as she climbed to her feet; he dropped his hand quickly, holding her shirt out she had discarded as soon as she stepped foot in the building.

"Thanks," she tugged it over her head, rubbing her neck with a sigh. "when am I going to get a re-match with you?"

"You're not."

Kagome clicked her tongue against her teeth and pursed her lips, "what's the matter Barnes? Scared you can't win against me without tossing a vehicle? I'll go easy on you."

"I'm scared I would hurt you." he looked down at his hands, "I've done enough of that."

He jolted as Kagome's smaller hand slid into his, squeezing his lightly as she stepped closer. "I'm not a delicate flower… I trust you." she pulled back, dropping her hands as she moved past him, "we'll talk about it later. I need a shower and some food… you still like muffins?"

Bucky's mouth salivated at the mention of his favorite treat she used to make, "I don't know."

"Well they had to feed you right? What'd they give you astronaut food?" Kagome laced her fingers behind her back as she stretched her chest, crossing the dewy ground to the main house.

"An IV drip during the wiping process and the triggering process after a stint in cryo… they didn't like to humanize me too much—made it easier to…" he trailed off, she could tell where he was going with it.

"Triggering?" Kagome released her hands with a frown.

Bucky gave a slight nod, "how do you think they brought out the Winter Soldier?" His head ducked, tongue darting out to wet his lips. 'Not like he's not still in there...'

Kagome cleared her throat, she had never given it a thought how Hydra managed to change his headspace the way they had. She stole a glance at him from the corner of her eye, noting the tension around his mouth and deciding to drop the subject in favor of breakfast. "I'll make you some muffins with chocolate chips and you can tell me if you still like them." She paused briefly outside of her room in thought before blinking up at him, "if I'm making you uncomfortable with anything, will you let me know?"

"Yeah." He agreed softly. The priestess tossed a relieved smile at him, ducking into her room, "give me—"

"Five minutes?"

Kagome blinked, Bucky watching her from his door as he quirked a brow, "yeah. Give me five minutes."

He nodded, holding a hand up, "five."

"Promise, five." Kagome grinned.

"I'll see you in thirty then, you were never too good at just five."

Kagome shook her head with a small laugh, she could swear she saw a hint of a smile as she turned for the bathroom.