Love Lies

Chapter Twenty Three: The Start of Something New

Tasha stood on the balcony of their apartment just staring out at the starry midnight sky. Being with Loki again terrified her, but it also gave her life she had missed feeling within her soul for so long. But as the days drew on, she felt guilty any moment she thought of Bucky. She missed him dearly, and she felt terrible that she allowed herself to fall in love with Loki all over again. Though she hadn't forgiven him completely nor had she entirely let her walls down, she still felt like she would lose Bucky. He made her promise if she found happiness to take it, no matter what, but this... she felt guilty knowing he was on Earth and would one day wake up expecting her to be there.

When Tasha and James first worked together they were the furthest thing from friends. During the battle, he had found Tasha crawling across the mud due to a gunshot wound. He could've left her there to die, but he took pity on her. He was the one who shot her. He had hoped she wouldn't wake up until after he was gone, but to his dismay she woke up halfway through him stitching the wound. 

"Ahh!"

Tasha yelled when she came to, reaching her hand out to push the man away from her but her hand was instantly stopped by metal. She blinked once, then twice as the memory of the past three hours caught up with her. She looked at him with cautious eyes, but slowly lowered her hand to her side.

"You... —" Tasha was at a loss for words as she looked at her abdomen. "You saved me?"

The winter soldier just stared coolly at her a moment before going back to suture her wound. "I didn't expect you'd come to yet."

"I'm not — I'm not human." She replied bluntly.

His eyes scanned her face for deception but found none. "What are you talking about?"

Tasha sighed deeply before wincing. "I— I'm from Asgard."

"Ass-what?"

"Asgard. It's another realm." She tried to explain but continued to get nowhere with the man. "Hydra really didn't tell you anything about me, did they?"

The soldier's cold eyes continued to stare at her as if waiting for an answer. Tasha averted her gaze. "I am a goddess." She let a flame come above her hand, holding it in front of the man whose cold gaze slowly became more curious as he looked between the fire and her hand.

"Bullets shouldn't affect me like this one did — I guess Hydra packed you well."

Silence befell the two as he finished stitching her wound. Tasha wasn't sure what to say to him, so she opted for silence. Once he was done he immediately got up to leave. As the soldier turned to walk out of the cabin, Tasha pulled herself to her feet. "Wait!"

There was frustrated sigh before the man turned back to her.

"Thank you."

The soldier was taken aback by her appreciation. He couldn't remember the last time someone had thanked him for anything. He simply nodded to her, turning away again to leave the Cabin. There was something about her that peaked his curiosity. Perhaps it was how gentle she was, in contrast to how intimidating he was.

The soldier found himself standing outside of the cabin, trying to think of what he would do. He knew nothing of the real world, only the lies Hydra had fed him and forced him for years. He could barely even remember one moment of his life before Hydra; but she... she made him feel calm, in a way, like she could bring peace to his mind.

As if on queue, Tasha came out of the cabin, causing him to turn to her. She walked over to him,

"I have a place you can stay. No one will find you; I can conceal you."

The soldier blinked a few times. "Why would you help me?"

"You want to remember what you've lost, right? Who you were before they brainwashed you? I can give you a place where you can do that and you won't have to worry about Hydra or even Captain America coming after you."

He was silent for a moment. "You're partners with him."

"Yes. He's my best friend." Tasha admitted with a frown. "But it's for his own good."

"Where is this secret location?" He asked sceptically.

"Come on, Soldier Boy." Tasha smiled at him before trudging in the direction of the safe house. The soldier found himself walking beside her in no time, their steps in sync.

...

A/N: What do we think of Bucky x Tasha flashbacks? Do we stan? Please comment any ideas you'd like to see in this story! Past, present or future plot lines! Tasha x Loki, Tasha x Bucky or even Tasha x avengers, etc lol just any and all ideas loves.