a lion among wolves, bucky barnes (hiatus)

thirty-five.

hi guys!! please vote/comment!

also univrsus you have to make the handgun in your pocket joke i wasn't brave enough (chapter dedicated to april!!)

INTERNATIONAL WATERS
2015

"I'M NOT putting those on her," Bucky's voice broke through the thick silence that had encompassed June for what seemed like eons. Her ears, tuned to the sound of his voice, were the first to wake. She soon felt the Quinjet's chilled floor beneath her body, the hum of the ship's engine trembling against her stomach.

"It's a precaution," argued a second voice, equally as insistent. Steve. "We don't know if she's back to normal."

June stirred and felt their eyes leap to her as she shifted. She kept her eyes hidden in the crook of her arm. Best not to let them know she was awake. She wanted to hear what they said.

"She's not a threat," Bucky said firmly. "And if she . . . acts out . . . I'll take care of it."

"You wouldn't touch her."

"And you would?" There was challenge in Bucky's voice, now.

"Buck, listen to me," Steve implored. "I don't just mean for our sake. If she was considering hurting herself, at least with these she wouldn't be able to."

There was a long silence. June could hear their labored breathing, every shift in their weight. "All right," Bucky sighed at last. "Give 'em here." There was a small clink of metal. June sensed Bucky's movement, realized he was knelt beside her. Gently, he rolled her over, and she opened her eyes. "Hey, doll," he whispered, smiling softly, but June saw the wariness in his face. He pushed her hair behind her ear. "How're you feelin'?"

June blinked. "What are those?" She nodded to the handcuffs he held slightly behind his back.

Bucky pressed his lips together. "Safety measure," he said, not exactly looking at her.

"So I can't kill you?" June croaked.

Bucky winced. "No, just—"

"So I can't kill myself?"

"June, please," Bucky begged, shutting his eyes tightly. June didn't move, her face never changed. Just blinked again, gazing up at him. She held up her hands.

"Just do it," she murmured. It didn't really matter. She felt the pressure of her gun on her leg; as soon as they landed, she knew what she was going to do.

It's not like handcuffs had ever stopped her before.

Bucky slowly closed the cuffs around her wrists. Then, because he knew her, undressed her of her weapons. He took her gauntlets, her gun, the small blades that lined her boots. Passed them all to Steve who, laden with June's only means of peace, disappeared somewhere behind them. At this, June let her tears flow, turned her wide, glistening eyes on Bucky, her quivering lip and knitted brow. He gave her a pained look. "June, don't look at me like that. What did you expect me to do, let you—" he broke off, and a tear fell from his eye to splatter on June's cheek. He shook his head. "I'd rather have you pissed than dead."