Zemo managed to calm himself down only when the sun disappeared below the horizon and he pretended not to notice the fact that he wasted hours of precious time for nothing. What's worse, Baron also realised rather late that he didn't reconfirm his orders about the execution of recently captured 'freedom fighters', which meant that they, healthy and breathing, were awaiting their fate in the prison camp. Anyway, he couldn't kill them now, not when his Winter Soldier was against it.

Initially, Sokovian wanted to find the reason out by himself. Unfortunately, his search didn't bring any satisfying results - there indeed were three teenagers involved, but nothing exceptionally particular about any of terrorists or the place of uprising.

Zemo shut the laptop down with a frustrated growl and massaged his temple. The headache hadn't vanished since the incident with Bucky, just like that sweet taste in his mouth, which even dozens of cheery blossom teas couldn't diminish.

Yes, James was a handsome man (as for a non-Sokovian), a capable soldier (even on strings), his heart wasn't corrupted (even after decades of Hydra's training) and... sometimes Zemo just couldn't stop looking at him...

Five seconds later, a broken porcelain cup was lying on the floor and the Baron-King was storming in the direction of Barnes's quarters.

When he reached his destination, the man didn't bother to knock and opened the door without hesitation (James never locked it, as nobody was brave or mad enough to disturb the living killing machine). The room didn't contain much, only a few furniture, including the bed, but James wasn't resting on it. Sokovian found him in the far right corner, where he put a mattress on the floor and was sleeping fondly under a thick blanket.

At first, Baron wanted to switch on the light and demand to be told more about prisoners, however seeing his soldier in such peaceful state was a sight, which he had experienced only a few times and it would be a shame to waste the opportunity on shouting. Moreover, the moonlight coming from windows made the atmosphere almost magical.

He quietly closed the door, walked near the makeshift bed and crouched next to half-naked James. From his position, he also had a good view on Bucky's bare back, which wasn't covered by any sheet.

"Why are you sleeping on the floor?" Baron asked. He already knew the answer, but it seemed as an adequate topic to start the conversation.

"When you have nightmares every night, falling from the bed gets tiresome." Barnes replied snuggling deeper into his pillow. "Also, I've probably got used to mats from my time in Wakanda."

"I see."

Silence.

"If you don't have any other questions," Bucky said after a long moment. "I would be glad if you could let me rest."

"Then you shouldn't have allowed me to come so close. Asleep or not, your super hearing would warn you that someone entered the room." he pointed, then his voice became more serious. "You know why I've came."

"Took you long enough." he commented without turning back.

"I want details about today's incident." Zemo squished growing frustration and continued as if nothing had happened. "And yes, I already read report, but I want to hear it from you. And... you have a scar on your back."

"...you can get one, when fighting."

"You heal faster than normal human, you don't get scars!" Baron touched the mark and forced himself to ignore a brief flinch from James' side. If he didn't stare at Barnes so intently, he was sure that it would go unseen, especially as the room wasn't well lit. "This one is also very long... If I can see it now, it can only mean that the wound was very deep... I apologise, I didn't notice it when me met this morning."

"It's nothing."

Zemo wanted to argue, but he quickly realised that it wouldn't gain anything. James was hurt during many missions (and surely would be in future), Sokovian doctors had been helping Bucky as much as they could, but Baron-King had seen on multiple occasions that their skills could have been put to better use, as it was the super serum in Winter Soldier's veins, which actually was saving his life. Scars or not, for Barnes, it became only a temporal nuisance. His skin was still very soft and Zemo couldn't make himself to take his fingers off, but only to move them lightly further down along the mark.

"Why me?" James suddenly asked.

"Huh?"

"You hate super soldiers and I'm one of them."

"A warrior with a manual, how to control. I needed to regain my position and country, you were a great asset in my fight. I couldn't kill you." He put his hand flat between his shoulder blades.

"The point is that you achieved all of it months ago." Baron felt, rather than saw, how Bucky rolled his eyes. "There is no one living with the super serum, you made me kill them and others to get what you wanted. "

"A necessary action, which I..."

"I know, I've heard it before. But you already have enough power to protect yourself, even without me." his tone changed to sour one. "Presently, I'm an obstacle in your plan to have Sokovia prosper as in the past."

"You're overdramatizing."

"As long as I'm alive, I'm a reminder that super soldiers were walking on the Earth. Soon or later, there would appear some madman, who wouldn't stop to get me or a few drops of my blood... it didn't end well before..." when Bucky took a deep breath, Zemo felt as his lungs exhaled under his palm. "I'm endangering everybody and everything around me. So, why me?"

Barnes was really very impudent today, it seemed that Baron-King needed to finish it.

"Why did you insist that I should spare prisoners?"

Silence.

"Soldat." When the magic word was spoken, Bucky's composure changed immediately.

"Because those were Sam, Ayo and few of my friends from Wakanda, whom we caught today." he replied with a hollow face, while sitting up and showing his bare chest to Zemo's eyes.

Baron frowned at first, but then he understood. That blasted kingdom and their thirst for vengeance, they should have left him alone. Thankfully, he had an employee, who was familiar with that their technology.

"Let me guess," Zemo started. "they used some sort camouflage to change their image. However, you recognized it instantly."

"Correct."

"What did they want to achieve by coming here?"

"I don't know."

"Why didn't you mention them in the beginning?"

"You didn't ask."

This time it was the Baron, who rolled his eyes.

"Or you purposefully changed the subject, so I couldn't question you further." Sokovian would need to re-study all what he knew about Winter Soldier programming to avoid similar situations in future.

"What will you do to them?" something crumbled in his voice.

"The usual." he answered, while standing up, which meant: an interrogation, torture and eventually - death.

"Don't." Bucky pleaded and took a hold of Baron's pants to make him pause.

"Stop this, James. Kneeling in front of me won't save them. Moreover, it's below your dignity."

"I... I can give you what you really want." he tried again, and only then Zemo noticed that under the cover (which intentionally fell down), the man wasn't wearing anything.

"What are you doing?!"

Taking advantage of the distraction, Barnes grabbed both his legs and held him close. Baron's imagination began to run wild, when James' face was actually very near his private places. He hasty looked up to halt such thoughts.

"You want me."

Bucky rested his head on Zemo's hip, in response Sokovian put his palms on his shoulders, but refrained from pushing the soldier away. It would only end in a struggle, if he didn't say a particular code word and Baron-King was too proud to use it over and over again.

"You're walking on a thin ice." he threatened, while still gazing on the ceiling.

"Promise that you will spare them." Winter Soldier continued. "and I'll be yours."

"It's getting annoying. " Baron thought with a rising irritation.

"It will be just... a business contract, nothing personal."

Was he kidding!? It would hardly be a moral pact, however as he was volunteering... the situation was being seen in much different light. Zemo's palms traced strong muscles on Barnes' human arm and shapes on the metal one, then returned to stroke his hair. He had never inquired if Winter Soldier's training included proving such services. Truth to be told, if he really wanted James, he would have checked it and taken him against his will weeks ago, but ... certain circumstances held him back.

"Just don't kill them" Bucky begged.

Zemo couldn't promise that. However he could use the occasion to his advantage, primarily - to teach Barnes that his former friends were enemies of Sokovia, therefore no one, even the Winter Soldier, could become idle with them. Moreover Zemo sacrificed enough, he deserved a moment of pleasure.

"Depending on how you would behave, I may reconsider their fate."

It was a safe tactic, because if he ordered the execution, Bucky couldn't accuse him of being untruthful.

"Is it acceptable?" Baron-King asked, when he heard no response.

James nodded, what else could he do?

I'm not sure, if Wakanda have such camouflage technology, but they are quite advanced in that area, so let's pretend that they have ;)