Don't Hide | Bucky Barnes |

20

I have to try to restrain myself from remarking that I'm hardly out of league for anyone, that the man's compliments are unfounded. I push the thought away, though, overwhelmed by the amusement of the best friends.

"I think I'm going to like you two" I announce, placing my hands on my hips. The two smile slyly, looking to each other and back to me.

"Same here, blondie." Sam reciprocates in a friendly manner. I smile, realizing that I've quickly made two friends in record time. I've really begun to improve in the people department of my life.

"Alright, so what do we do about Bucky?" I ask, steering the conversation towards the reason the two Avengers stand before me.

"Well, you said you know where his apartment is, so we go there first. He's probably being tracked down as we speak" Steve responds, his gaze becoming calculating as he glances around for any signs of local officers.

"Let's just hope he doesn't soldier-out on any authorities" Sam observes. I sigh as my mind flits back to Bucky, my brain still mulling over our last altercation.

"He won't" I inform, catching both of the men's attentions, "He may not remember everything, but he's slowly becoming the Bucky you once knew again"

Steve smiles at this, a flicker of hope flashing through his eyes.

"You're sure?" He asks, restrained joy in his tone. I nod, the wind gently dancing through my hair.

"I'm sure"

Steve looks to Sam and nods. He seems to take on a rather stoic facade, and I quickly place it as his Captain America stance.

"Then let's go get him, team. We get to him first and we take him somewhere he can hide. There's a man to save and we're going to do it, even if it takes everything from us." Rogers rallies, his gaze flicking between Sam and I.

"They weren't kidding when they said he's inspirational" I remark, admiring the Captain. Sam looks over at me, his head shaking.

"You have no idea"

Steve shoots us a disapproving glance and we laugh as though the three of us have known each other for years.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how do you know Fury?" Sam asks, directing his attention back to me. I feel that same restraint tug on me, the one to cover up my identity and keep it inside. I know that I can trust these two, though, and quite frankly, I'm tired of hiding.

"That's sort of a long story" I breathe, glancing between the two. Steve nods, looking around before his eyes land on a group of tables not far away.

"Then let's sit, we can talk about the plan while we're at it so we don't go in blind."

We all make our way over to one and sit so the three of us can view each other. I settle down into my seat, pulling my hands into my lap and holding them tightly so they don't tremble or fidget.

"Well, my life was pretty normal up until the age of sixteen," I begin, looking up from the table and two the two Avengers, "I came home one day to find my family murdered and I was sure that I would die that day"

A heavy silence settles over the two men, my words most definitely not what they expected.

"In a way," I continue, the ghost of a memory passing through my mind, "I did"

"How's you survive?" Sam asks, his brows furrowed. I release my hands and bring one up to tuck a stray piece of blonde hair behind my ear.

"The people who killed them were HYDRA. They decided that I had too much potential just to slaughter, so they imprisoned me," I detail, the memories flashing through my mind. I can hear my own teenage screams when I had caught sight of the carnage in my living room.

I was never the same after that.

"I spent four years in a remote compound being Dr. Ananias Clayton's play toy," I divulge, horror and sympathy splashing upon their faces, "In those years, he managed to enhance me"

"What is it that you can do now?" Steve asks curiously. I can't help but allow a small smile to grow on my face. Even with everything I went through, I'm still grateful for these powers.

"It would make more sense if I showed you" I announce, standing. My fingers reach to the hem of my shirt and I pause, apprehension blossoming within me.

Do I show them? Do I let them in?

I don't allow myself to think twice before I roll up the bottom of my shirt just to expose a small part of my stomach. I hear both of the men take in a sharp breath, their eyes burning onto my scarred abdomen littered with snake bites and knife slashes.

"Someone...did that to you?" Sam breathes, his eyes wide. I let the shirt fall back down and sit, swallowing to remove the block in my throat.

"Everyday they had a snake, a viper, bite me. They'd wait a few seconds and then electrocute next, hoping to bond the venom with my blood. Eventually, it worked"

"So are you, like, the mother of snakes?" Sam blurts out, his eyes going wide. I can't help but laugh, my hand slapping over my mouth.

"Oh! Like that show, Hall of Bones?" Steve interjects, pride filtering into his gaze at knowing the reference. I laugh again, my stomach hurting slightly from the action.

"It's Game of Thrones you old man" Sam corrects.

"Not exactly," I answer, the mood much more light, "I have some snake-like qualities. I can sense heat signatures, I'm more agile, stuff like that."

I pause, biting my lip before I inform them of the deadly part of me.

"I can also control venom" I inform, looking warily between the two.

"That's...amazing!" Sam announces, shocking me slightly. I nod, agreeing slightly.

"Dawn," Steve says, pulling my attention back to him, "I'm sorry you had to go through that. No one should"

I give him a small smile, nodding at him.

"It's alright, I'm just lucky to have made it out," I observe, continuing on with my story, "Nick found me six years ago and took me in, gave me a home and a family. So, here I am now"

"Never knew Fury was such a softie" Sam remarked. All three of us laugh, standing together and moving away from the table. A light feeling rests over me, one that I know comes from sharing my story.

Maybe I should do it more often.

"Now it makes sense" Captain Rogers remarks abruptly. I glance over at him, intrigue flooding my eyes.

"What does?"

"Why you and Bucky are so close. You two probably understand each other better than anyone else ever has" he explains. I feel my heart jump and a bit of pink flood to my cheeks. His words bring a bit of warmth to me, making me want to smile.

"How did you know Buck and I were close?" I ask, trying to hide my surprise. Steve gives me a sly smile.

"Well for starters, you just called him Buck"

I look down at my feet to hide my smile, shaking my head at the man out of time.

"But seriously, I don't know. Call it a feeling, but I can just sense it." He continues. I swallow hard looking back up to the city of Bucharest.

I'd never given thought to it before, never realized how close we'd really gotten. What scares me most, though, is that being close to him doesn't scare me at all.

It makes me smile the kind of smile I haven't had since I was sixteen.