THIEF | BUCKY BARNES

ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN

TAINTED
❝I don't want you to hate me Buck.❞

"STOP!" Odessa screamed once she watched Karli punched Lemar, sending him flying back against the column, hitting his head.

The girl felt sick once she saw it. His head instantly fell limp and blood trickled down him. She jumped once she felt large hands wrap around her wrist and pull her closer, but quickly relaxed once she saw that it was just Bucky trying to protect her.

Everyone turned to look at Lemar, John pulled away and rushed towards his best friend, hoping to save him. He checked for a pulse but found no luck.

Odessa's hand slowly covered her mouth his shock, Bucky pulled the girl into his chest to cover her eyes from what they were witnessing.

The Flag Smashers ran away, in fear of what John would do to them for Karli killing Lemar. Bucky nodded towards Sam and Odessa as they began to run after Karli.

"Holy fuck were in trouble." Odessa shouted as she ran through the streets trying to find Karli. Instead of finding Karli, she found John hovering over a flag smashed, the shield now covered in blood.

Odessa looked up to Bucky, who looked completely broken by it. That shield was practically his family. It meant everything to him. Never before had it had a single drop of blood and now, it was stained forever.

The crowd has pulled out their phones to record the event happening, but John didn't seem to care. Odessa slowly stepped back and away from Bucky, walking over to Karli.

"I don't like you very much right now." Odessa spoke up. "But you should go before he see's you."

Karli nodded her head before running in the opposite direction. Odessa felt sick to her stomach as she joined Bucky again. She placed her hand within his, giving it a light squeeze as she did so.

"Come on." Odessa attempted to pull him away from the scene. She didn't want him to look at the blood on the shield any more. She didn't want him to be hurting anymore. "Sam."

Sam nodded understandingly as he helped her guide Bucky away from the crowd. The walked around the corner and then Odessa was pulled to a stop by Bucky.

"You need to tell me what's going on with you, Cherry." Bucky spoke up.

Odessa looked towards the ground guiltily. Her tongue ran over her bottom lip before she let go of a shaky breath. She didn't want Bucky or Sam to hate her for what happened.

"You can tell me anything." Bucky's eyes softened once he saw how frightened she truly was. "Please baby."

"I think you both already know." Odessa's bottom lip began to tremble as she desperately clung to Bucky's hand in fear that he would leave her.

Sam looked between the pair and took a small step back. He didn't need to be interrupting. At this moment in time, he could clearly see that Odessa needed nobody by Bucky.

"I don't want you to hate me Buck, I don't want you to look at me differently." A singular tear rolled down the girls cheek.

"I couldn't ever hate you." Bucky brought his hands up to cup the girls cheeks and wipe away stray tears that fell.

"He injected me with the serum." Odessa whispered. It was so quiet that Bucky nearly missed what she said. "John, he injected me with the serum. And I didn't want it."

Bucky felt so angry. He took that choice away from her. The choice to remain human. The choice to live her life the way she wanted too. He could kill John for what he did. But right now he had to push his anger aside and comfort the girl that he loved.

He didn't hesitate in pulling her into his chest as she sobbed. He rested his chin on top of her head, his hands rubbing circles on her back, trying to sooth her. Bucky's eyes flickered over to Sam, who looked just as angry.

Both boys swore to protect the girl no matter what. And they'd failed. They failed to protect her, to keep her safe.

Bucky felt her grip on his shirt tighten so much that her knuckles had turned white. He pulled away and cupped her cheeks once again. Odessa did everything's he could to avoid eye contact. She didn't want to see his disappointed or disapproving looks.

"Baby." Bucky whispered softly, the word practically rolling off his tongue. "I love you, and no matter what that is never going to change." His eyes softened as his spoke.

"Promise?" Odessa was terrified that he would leave her. She couldn't cope with him just disappearing on her. She needed him in her life.

"I promise." Bucky took in a deep breath. "Now, Im going to go and kill John for doing that to you and getting blood on Steve's shield."