epiphany || bucky barnes

𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

"Well, the Wakandans are here." Bucky sighed, walking in through the stained glass windowed door and into Zemo's home, "And they want Zemo. I bought us some more time."

I set the glass of scotch down on the glass table. I took a shallow breath and stood from the couch, "Are we surprised? No. The Wakandans watch your every move."

"Were you followed?" Sam chimed from the counter.

"No."

Zemo walked out of the bathroom, in a dark purple robe and damp hair. "How can you be so sure?"

I rose a brow, "He's an ex-assassin, he knows when he's being followed."

Zemo turned from the window, "It was sweet of you to defend me at least."

"Hey, you shut it. No one's defending you." Sam hissed.

"Do we really have to litigate what may or may not have happened?"

I shifted my gaze to where Bucky was scrolling through his phone, before back up at Zemo. "There's nothing to litigate. You straight shot the man and then turned the gun on me!"

"I didn't try to shoot you," he retorted, "It was simply a reflex, shoot any witnesses. Nothing personal."

"Well you better not pull that shit again because I for one would put a bullet right through your head and I don't even want to know what the bionic staring machine would do to you." Sam said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

It was nice to know that people had my back, that I wasn't completely alone anymore. I still don't trust Zemo though.

"Lucy." Bucky called my name as he looked up from his phone, "Karli bombed a GRC supply depot."

My eyes widened, "What? What's the damage?"

"Eleven injured, three dead." He sighed, "They're listing demands and are promising more attacks if those demands aren't met."

Zemo rose a brow, "She's getting worse." he walked over, "I have the will to complete this mission. Do the three of you?"

Sam shook his head, "She's just a kid."

"You're seeing something in here that isn't there. You're clouded by it." Zemo turned to me, "She's a supremacist. The very concept of Super Soldiers will always trouble people. It's that warped aspiration that led to the Nazis, to Ultron, to the Avengers."

I slammed my open palm down on the table, making Sam jump slightly as I glared at Zemo. "Careful where you step, you fucking dick. That's still Bucky and me that you're talking about there."

"Isn't it true though? Maybe not you but.... your captors were aspiring for you both to become great. And you fell short."

My eyes widened, "Fell short?! I was fucking brainwashed, and him even more so! You don't have the right to dehumanize us again when all we've ever had in our life is pain!" I yelled, my fist curling as I lunged at the man.

An arm wrapped around my upper waist and pulled me back. I gasped, falling into Bucky's chest and growling under my breath.

"Control yourself." He whispered in my ear, unraveling my hand from my fist and intertwining our fingers.

Sam narrowed his eyes, "They're our friends."

"The Avengers, not the Nazis." Bucky clarified as my body slowly relaxed into his touch.

"So, Karli is radicalized, but there has to be a peaceful way to stop her," Sam spoke, placing a hand on his chin.

Zemo shook his head, "The desire to become superhuman cannot be separated from supremacist ideals. Anyone with that serum is inherently on that path."