Shadow Butcher (LokixAvengersxOC)

Crossing the Line

I take a huge step back. "James, I-"

I get caught off by Loki who grabs him by the shoulder, going after a punch which Bucky easily catches in his metallic fist. Flinching, I get my focus back and pull Bucky away from Loki. Steve helps me by pulling Loki away, even if both try to restrain us but eventually, they let go.

Casually, he lets go of him, even though Loki looks hurt that I'm taking more care of the intruder than him at the moment but I think it is best if I do so now. Bucky seems to trust only me, not even his best friend and that means I need to focus on him to regain trust for all of them. And this also means, confessing my feelings towards Loki will be said another time.

"Come on, Loki. Let's give them some time," Steve sighs and tries to lead him into our quarters. Even though Loki tries to withstand it, in the end, his lips twitch, and steps inside, leaving me and Bucky alone.

At the same time, I lead Bucky to the stairs. I sit down and pat the spot next to me, mentioning him to sit down too. I rub my face in my hands before I continue to explain which leads to going through everything I tried to avoid the last few days. But I owe my ex-partner. After all, he thinks that I'm still in danger. And he came right after me when he got the chance to escape. Something not even the Goddess of Death could manage. I feel like a coward. And cowardice is not to be tolerated.

"Bucky, do you truly believe this is HYDRA too?", I ask him carefully.

Bucky blinks rapidly and his forehead starts to wrinkle. "Why does everybody here keep calling me Bucky?"

I inhale sharply and close my eyes. This is even harder than I'd imagined. He doesn't know who he is and who he truly is.

"You remember me but don't remember your name or your best friend?"

He breaks our eye contact and stares into the void, which is in our case, the stairs. "He was the guy on the bridge. I know him but all I remember right now is you."

A small smile tugs on both our faces. "You remember me calling you Jimmy, right?" He nods slowly, his mouth slightly agape, trying to remember everything in his mushy brain. "But your actual name is, James Buchanan Barnes, aka Bucky."

He turns his head back to meet my straight face. "James Bucky Barnes," he repeats slowly and I can see how his brain puts the puzzle pieces together. "That guy, he's Steve Rogers."

I nod enthusiastically. "Yeah, your best friend, James."

His smile falters and he squints his eyes. "Do I know the other guy too?" Now it is my smile that fades away as I shake my head. "Then why are you still with him? Don't make the same mistake twice, doll."

I exhale sharply at the pet name. "Don't call me your doll, James. What happened at HYDRA stays in HYDRA, understood?", I say rather harshly than I intended to. I let out an exasperated sigh. "Sorry, James. Look, what I'm trying to say is, this isn't HYDRA. You and I are safe now, okay?"

He slowly nods his head, trying to understand what I am saying. "Is it something serious between him and you?"

The questions took me by surprise. My brows raised, I tilt my head toward him. He smiles softly at me.

"Then why did he hurt you in the first place? I saw him with his god complex, how he used you and then knocked you out, Shade. That man isn't worth the trouble."

Abruptly, I jump onto my feet and glower down at him. "First of all, he is a god, just like I am. Gods are known for their god complex and it is okay if you don't hurt anybody."

With that being said, he gets up too and meets my gaze, face to face.

"But he used it to hurt you," he wheezes in anger, protection towards the man who had hurt me.