Summary: For him, she was a saving grace. She was an unexpected source of calm that eased his mind. When HYDRA realized that, they used her to ensure total submission from him. As brave as she was against anyone and everyone, he was just as protective over her. Together, Kagome and the Winter Soldier made an odd little family, but it was their family. No matter where they were.
Pairing: Undecided.
Disclaimer: I don't own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.
Note:
Might be OOC a bit?
Flashbacks written in bulk Italics.
Chapter One
She lost track of how long she was kept there. Her days had begun to bleed into one another, but she did her best to keep herself grounded. The silence provided comfort. To her, it was a reprieve from the malevolent aura that seeped from every inch of where she was. It was a little piece of calm in an otherwise skin-crawling situation for her.
She sighed and glanced down at her crossed legs, letting her eyes slip closed as she tried to make herself more comfortable. She would try to meditate, to restore her still reawakening powers and abilities. She refused to sleep without a barrier up around her, so whenever she woke up again, she'd be drained all over again.
Once she'd settled into a relaxed stance, she exhaled and tried to clear her mind enough to calm herself. She never got to that point, however, before the door to her prison clanged open. She flinched at the sound, but slowly opened her eyes as she picked her head up.
It was a different figure this time- she never had too many visitors, and it was always easy to spot someone unfamiliar. Kagome was slow, her motions precise as she rose to her feet, eyes narrowed as she awaited what he'd say or what he might command her to do.
After what felt like an hour, he finally moved and motioned for her to come towards him. "You're to come with me."
She arched a brow, eyes straying down when he cocked a gun and aimed it at her chest. She was keen to see how he put on a brave front, cold and distant eyes staring her down, but at the same time- he looked fearful of her.
It all came rushing back the moment she met his eyes, and she offered him a cold smile. Oh, that's right…
She refused to comply, to do what anyone said no matter the threat they tried to provide in return. She remained motionless on the other side of her room, back to the wall as she kept meditating.
"I know you heard your orders." That same man from the first day was standing at the front of the group of three, his backup two paces behind him. She could hear the anger in his voice, she could feel the sharp pricks of it in his aura. In response, she hummed, completely disinterested in it.
He moved so suddenly, more so than what she expected, and she felt a sharp pain along the back of her head when she was abruptly snatched up. A hand went around her throat and she was slammed against the concrete wall behind her. She felt the blood wet her hair before the cut healed seconds later.
"You will listen, and listen well you insolent little…"
Kagome opened her eyes slowly, letting deep blue peer into furious dark pools. His grip tightened and his eyes narrowed when she didn't seem fazed in the slightest.
"That's no way to talk to a lady, let alone treat one," she chided softly in return. A second later she shot a hand out and wrapped it around his wrist. She squeezed it tight, and she offered him a saccharine smile when she heard a pop. He gave a cry of pain and let her go. He brought his other hand up, about to strike her, but she caught it mid-swing.
Kagome twisted his arm until he dropped to his knees, hearing faintly as the two behind him cocked their guns. They took aim at her and tried to shoot her, but the bullets never made it past the pink barrier she put up. She paid them no mind as she let go of the man now on his knees. She spared no mercy when she spun on her heel and slammed her knee into his nose.
He cursed and stumbled back, bringing one injured hand up to cup his now-broken nose, blood dripping to the concrete and onto his clothing. She offered him a smile as she stepped away from him. Her attention then went to the other two, standing unable to help him.
Without missing a beat, she snatched him by the back of his collar, a pink glow forming around him as she dragged him along behind her as if he was luggage. There was no warning when she so suddenly lugged him up over her shoulder and threw him through her barrier. He hit one of the two on the other side, knocking him into the wall hard enough to knock him out, as well.
Her gaze roamed to the last one standing, and she saw his shoulders stiffen. Her barrier fell at last, and she ran at him. Before he could react, she already had him by his wrist and had wrestled the gun from his reach. She stepped back once she had it, aiming it at the dead-center of his chest as he froze.
"I suggest you gather them and go," she said calmly. "Either that, or you better start begging to whatever God you believe in to save your soul."
He visibly paled at her words, and she only smiled back at him. Without a word, he moved and gripped both of his companions by their back of their coats and tugged them out with him. He returned a second later, but all he was greeted with was the gun- now smashed to smithereens- and her, once again, comfortably meditating against the back wall as if none of that had ever happened.
Word surely got back to the rest, and now they were all prepared to shoot first and ask questions later. Well, she doubted they had a different code before that instance, anyway.
Still, she let herself move and approach him, hiding her smirk when he straightened and tightened his grip on the pistol. She didn't have the strength to put up a fight as she did then, but she refused to let them know that.
"Very well," she said finally. She looked at him and nodded," after you."
"No, you're gonna go in front of me," he responded. She hid her sigh, yet complied all the same. He gripped the upper part of one of her arms and she felt the gun press obviously into the small of her back.
He tried to keep control of her, she could tell that much. If she moved out of line, he'd resort to the gun to control her.
She played obediently as they walked, and it wasn't long before a vaguely familiar aura brushed along her senses. She frowned and recognized it in a heartbeat, and she felt a phantom touch of cold metal around her neck.
The Winter Soldier.
That had been what they dubbed him as. That was the only name she had to place to him, but she knew he must have another name. That didn't mean if she asked they'd willingly share that information with her.
"Open the door," a voice way too close to her ear for her comfort spoke, and an added bit of pressure pressed the gun harder into her back. She complied, reaching out and urging the door open.
She felt the weight of many sets of eyes land on her, but she paid them no mind as she was urged forward again. There was only one that didn't watch her, and that was the one she let her gaze focus on. He had a far-off look in his eyes, and his expression was dazed.
She didn't understand why she had been brought here, but when she was shoved forward harshly, she finally pieced it together. She moved away from the person behind her when his grip finally left her person, but she could tell he still had the gun pointed at her. He let it lift, and this time he settled his aim steady at the back of her head.
She ignored him in favor of concentrating on the man sitting, eyes focused on the dirty ground. He had such a complicated aura surrounding him. Despite her prior encounter with him, her heart ached for him. He felt so confused and afraid.
Kagome made her way over to him slowly, not wanting to startle him by moving too fast. Once she came to a halt at his side, she realized she was no longer marked as a target. The figures present put more space between them as they moved to file out of the room.
The door closed as the last one left, but she knew they weren't far. She knew they had cameras everywhere. She'd already found and broken two in her room. If they were in her room, then it was a given they had probably twice as many hidden anywhere they could fit them in this room. She brushed the thought off, not letting it bother her as she let her focus return to the man before her. He'd yet to look at her, but she knew he was aware of her presence when his non-metal hand tightened into a firm fist.
Kagome was unable to take feeling that aura for another second, and she cautiously reached out for him. She hesitated for a moment, letting her hand gently rest on his right shoulder. The muscle underneath twitched under her palm. The touch did the trick at pulling his focus to her, and light blue met her deep sapphire.
It was silent as a brief flash of recognition flashed through his eyes.
"You-..." He furrowed his brows, and she spared him an inquisitive look, tilting her head to the side.
"Me?" she responded with a voice just as soft as her gaze.
She was taken aback when his right hand moved. It rose, the calloused digits tracing over the exposed parts of her neck. She stopped herself before she could catch his wrist. His aura bore no malice to her, but she remained stiff and still as his fingers traced along the soft, flawless skin.
She looked at his face, his eyes focused on the column of her neck as his fingers trailed a warm path wherever they could reach without moving her mass of dark hair. His gaze softened as his hand froze, fingers lingering over her pulse.
She wasn't afraid of him, even after what he'd done. She seemed at ease, entirely at peace before him.
Through the silence that'd built up in the room, his voice came like a ghostly whisper.
"I'm sorry."
Her eyes widened at the comment, not expecting that to be the first full sentence he said to her. She couldn't form words fast enough before he spoke again.
"You didn't deserve to get hurt by me."
Kagome exhaled softly, and his gaze finally floated back up to her own. She lifted her hands and gripped his wrist with both, and she slowly pulled his hand back from her neck. Once it was lowered, she gently pulled it so the back of his hand rested against the center of her chest.
"I've had worse treatment before," she said softly.
He felt so different than the other people present. Her mind returned to the following seconds after his attempt on her life. He hadn't wanted to hurt her, and he was remorseful for it- even if it wasn't crystal clear. Now it was, however. His apology was laced with regret and shame. She'd heard it, just as she'd felt it.
"It's all okay," she assured, her voice gentle. "My name is Kagome. They called you the Winter Soldier, but what is your real name?" she asked.
She watched as his brows furrowed in confusion and pain.
"I… I wish I could tell you," he responded. "I don't know who I am, not anymore."
She frowned, her expression contorting a bit. She felt the conflicting emotions radiating off of him, and, before she could stop herself, she reached out and gently rested a hand against his head, fingers getting buried in dark brown locks. She heard him sigh, and he tilted his head a fraction so it was cradled in her palm.
His head hurt less the second her fingers grazed his temple, and it pulled him into a content warmth. When it felt like she was about to move, he reacted automatically. His left hand shot up to cover her smaller, more delicate hand. The cold metal was a sharp contrast as it settled over her slender fingers.
He held her hand there, not wanting the comfort to go away, not when it had finally washed over him.
"Just... a little bit longer," he pleaded softly. "Please."
Kagome closed her eyes and stepped closer to him, stepping in between his legs. She brought her other hand up and rested it on the other side of his head, and she heard his shaky exhale as she carefully pulled him into her. She let his face rest against her chest, and she let her aura seep out to wrap around him.
"I'll stay for as long as you need," she responded.
She was so soft, so warm against him. It was comforting, she felt safe.
Cool night air slowly coaxed her from her dosing state, and dark lashes fluttered open just in time to see the moon come out from behind a haze of clouds. A wave of confusion washed over her before memories came racing back
She didn't know where she was going, but she was able to keep her calm next to the metal-armed man. She sat on his right side, and his hand kept a firm, yet extremely gentle hold on her. She was tucked into him, and he kept a straight face as if he'd assumed the role of her protector.
Kagome looked up at him, sparing him a curious look. He must've felt her stare, because the next second, he looked down and met her gaze with his own. All the words she wanted to say died on her tongue, and she suddenly downcast her gaze.
She didn't know what she had gotten involved in, but she couldn't say she wasn't glad. She was, even more so now that she'd finally been taken out of that place. It wasn't all that great, considering more and more faces she didn't recognize kept coming along- all with that organization that had her captive, she knew.
Still… the man at her side comforted her, and he seemed to find the same calm in her. Kagome felt her eyelids slowly getting heavier as sleep finally claimed her. She breathed a soft sigh and leaned into his side, not noticing how he moved in order to hide her from the view of others.
She was cradled bridal style, and it was a huge difference from her memories of being toted piggy-back style by Inuyasha. Her eyes landed on the face of who carried her, and he glanced down at her as she did.
"You could've woken me up," she commented quietly.
"We'll be there soon," he responded, ignoring her prior statement. "Go back to sleep. I'll protect you."
Kagome sighed, blowing a lock of her hair from her face.
Where even was she? She didn't have the slightest clue.
She moved in his arms, huffing indignantly when she felt his hands tighten in an attempt to make her stop fidgeting. "I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own two feet, y'know."
How long had he been carrying her like this, anyway?
All she knew is that he had a mission, and she was made to go with him. It made her stomach flip when she thought about what his mission might be, knowing it'd be nothing good in the slightest.
"Go back to sleep."
She folded her arms over her chest, a pout on her face. After a moment, seeing how he still refused to budge, she finally resigned to being carried. Surprisingly enough, his metal arm that was scooped below her knees wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest.
C.R: New update done!
While I want to have a familial bond between them, I'm open to a Bucky/Kagome pairing for this story. Because, as I said, it'll be a little while before a pairing is introduced, and feelings can change.
Either way, they're gonna be close no matter the endgame pair.
So, might be a bit OOC or whatever but I wanted it like this. He's gonna be a lot softer and kinder to her, and anyone who hurts her is in a world of trouble. Kagome regards him differently than the others around her, and she's more at peace with him.
Anyway, this is officially during CA: TWS.
That's it for now!
I hope you all enjoyed, and thank you for reading. Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.
Please remember to Review&Favorite&Follow, thank you!
Bye for now~