Avengers/marvel ~ one shots

A maniac locked up (part 4) <zemo fanfic>

I had been at the prison for a good few weeks. I had requested a flashlight from the guards to read at night and was granted it. I guess me and Zemo were even now, with a radio and a flashlight.

Although, I didn't use it to read, it's so I could see what I was doing when I was breaking through the glass. I had managed to find a blind spot where the security cameras didn't see. It was a small space below the camera in my cell and only barely out of sight of the one on the main platform. But it worked nonetheless.

I had managed to cut a large enough hole for me to fit through and had cut through a couple of the bars. It should only be tonight of more cutting through metal with a knife that was getting blunter by the day. But if it goes well I might also be able to escape tonight. Meaning the last day with Zemo could be today.

He had been asleep through all of it. When I cut through the glass and metal I only did it carefully and quietly so I didn't wake him. He looked so calm and he wasn't worried about anything. It was when his mind was truly at peace and I didn't want to disturb him of that tranquility. But when he saw me in the day and noticed how tired I looked and saw how I took at least two naps in the day he knew I must be up all night, proceeding with my plan. Whatever it was, he didn't know.

He also made sure not to wake me when I was napping. He'd just reread the book he read to me the first day I came. Remembering my face and how I smiled with each new page he read to me.

It was true he would miss me when I left. If I did go through with it. But he would never ask me to stay, he knew I didn't want to. But he didn't know about the conflict I also felt about leaving since I met him and talked to him. And him reading that book to me only made me question myself more. But I often shoved those thoughts to the back of my mind and focused with the plan, and focused on the sweet feeling of liberty of when I'd finally get out.

This morning I was even more tired than usual. I did a lot of work last night as I intended to be leaving tonight. That way I wouldn't constantly have to fight the conflict of wether I should leave or stay with Zemo. I didn't finish it last night though and I had a couple more days to stay with him before I left for good.

Him reading to me had become more of a regular thing now. In fact, he would often read to me during the day and leave me falling asleep to his voice by the time he was half way through the book. I didn't know if I wanted him to do it more now I was going to leave and would probably never hear it again; or less because I knew I would just want to stay more if I heard his sweet voice.

"Morning" he said, his morning voice was always slightly rougher and deeper than his usual one and I wasn't complaining.

"Morning" I managed to push out, i had no energy, between the sleepless nights and the shit food they gave us. I could barely keep my eyes open to look at him. But I did notice him forcing a smile when I saw him.

"Couldn't sleep last night?" He asked, cocking his head up slightly as he spoke.

"Yeah. Something like that" I smiled back. A forced smile obviously. I wasn't happy I was leaving him and I wasn't happy that I kept me beginning my escape from him. But I was sure to plan out a letter for him before I left. I'd probably just leave it outside his cell while he was sleeping so he'd know. There was clear windows so I know he'd be able to see it in the morning. And at least when the guards find it they'd know he wasn't involved with the escape plan.

"You think I haven't noticed" he mumbled out as if he was fighting against the words. I mean I wouldn't exactly be surprised if it turned out he knew I was up all night. I was always tired and sleeping, even though the guards didn't like it. But I hoped he wouldn't know about me trying to escape. I didn't want to have that conversation with him, he probably wouldn't care to see me go, but I didn't exactly want to leave knowing I wouldn't be able to see him everyday.

"Noticed...?" I asked innocently. I knew exactly what he was talking about. But on the off chance it wasn't that I played dumb.

"You up all night. Always sleeping in the day, always looking tired and like you haven't slept in days, weeks even." He said, no longer smiling like he did every morning when I woke up from around an hour long sleep.

"Yeah. The beds aren't comfy. I mean if u can call it that. It's more of a metal block with a blanket and-" I was really scrambling for words, trying to change the subject. But he was smart and he noticed, unsurprisingly, I wasn't as good with words when I was around him. It made me seem almost stupid. Almost.

"You're going to escape. And I'm guessing you've already started it. When are you leaving?" He asked, I could see him fighting back tears. Is it possible he would miss me? The more I saw him fighting back tears and the more I thought about leaving him the harder it was to speak and the more intense the lump in my throat got.

"Uh. Tonight. If things go well." I managed to force out, looking everywhere but at him. Not that he was looking at me anyway, his eyes were glued to the floor.

I would've probably stayed that night if he'd asked me to. If he'd told me he wanted me to stay. If he told me he would miss me and he would be happy for me to stay here with him if I had wanted to as well. Which was exactly what he wanted to say, but he didn't, he just wished me luck. Part of me was disappointed he didn't say anything more, but at the end of the day, he didn't and that's all that mattered.

When the end of the day came, we hadn't spoken much since the morning when he had confronted me about my plans. Part of me still hoped he had something planned, maybe not a big gesture, but just something to let me know he wanted me to stay with him. And I would've done it. But he stayed silent and just read his books in the corner of his bed, leaning against the wall, not daring to look up at me.

The day flew by and soon the lights went off. Leaving it pitch black so I couldn't see Zemo anymore. I didn't turn on the flashlight either until I knew he was definitely asleep. I just planned in my mind what I would write in the letter to him. It has to be short to fit on the paper. Id have to write it on the back of a page in the book as I didn't have any paper. But it would be the book he first read to me. The very first page I could almost quote because he read it to me so often. A small tear gathered in the corner of my eye, preparing to fall down my face, but I wiped it away and quietly breathed away the tears.

"Goodbye" Zemo chocked out through the eerie darkness before adding my name to the end after a few moments of silence.

"Goodbye Zemo" I whispered. It was silent in the room so he could still hear my whisper. But nothing was said after that and after a while I concluded he had fallen asleep. And it was time to make my escape.