Getting Lucky

4. "Tragic Backstories"

(Bucky)

Loki sits patiently, watching me with his penetrating emerald green eyes, as I figure out where to begin my story.

"Let's see, I was drafted into the war in 1945, while Steve was left behind because he couldn't physically qualify for being a soldier. On one of our missions, my squadron was attacked and most of us kidnapped, only a few escaped the attack. Since I was high up in the soldier ranks, HYDRA took me and began to interrogate me for information. 

"At that time, Steve had become "Captain America" and had found out what had happened to my squadron. Going against orders, he attacked the base we were taken to and rescued all of us.

"After that, Steve formed the Howling Commandoes, an elite squadron dedicated to taking down HYDRA. There was Steve, our Captain, then me, Timothy Dugan, Jim Morita,  Gabe Jones, and James Falthsworth."

I pull out a faded photograph of the Howlies from the box and hand it to Loki as I continue my story.

"The last mission that I ever went on, was in the mountains. The Howlies had to capture Arnim Zola, an elite scientist and second hand to the Red Skull, the leader of HYDRA. Only Steve and I boarded the train, the others waiting for our return.

"We fought through the train, trying to reach the front and capture Zola when we were attacked by heavily armed soldiers. Steve was knocked back, and I picked up his shield to block the weapon's rockets. I ended up falling out of the train car and was only hanging by a steel pipe."

I go quiet for a moment, lost in the memory.

"Steve tried to save me, and pull me back onto the car, but he couldn't grab me in time. The pipe broke, and I fell hundreds of feet and into a river. From what I can recall, I was bashed against rocks for a while, which is what ripped off my arm. I managed to drag myself to shore, where I waited to die. I should have died the moment I hit the water, but HYDRA had done experimenting when I was their prisoner, and I survived.

"One of their soldiers found me and dragged my half-dead body to their nearest base. There, they gave me this." I pull off my leather jacket, revealing my metal arm.

Loki's eyes widen, "It is vibranium." he murmurs to himself.

"HYDRA spent the next 20 years pulling me in and out of Cryo, brainwashing and torturing me in all different kinds of ways. They eventually found a way to remove my memories, by using electro-shock therapy. Each time they brought me out, they would use it to keep my mind under their control." 

Out of all the forms of torture that have left my body with thousands of scars, that had been the worst. The lightning pain that spreads through all parts of the body and a feeling like thousands of needles have been stabbed into my skull and spinning faster and faster, ripping away everything I know. In translation: not pleasant.

Looking down at the box in my hands, I pull out the HYDRA file, and set it on the coffee table between us, "If you want to know the details, that will help."

'I wouldn't do that if I were you.' Winter Soldier mutters to himself. 

Loki opens up the file, briefly glances at it, and puts it back down.

"I was sent to assassinate Steve and Natasha, but seeing  Steve helped me break free of their control. I went on the run, hiding out in Romania until I eventually contacted Steve. Then, I turned myself in, went through multiple trials, was deemed innocent, and sentenced to probation here in Avengers Tower until further notice."

Loki smiles grimly, "So, in translation, we have more in common than we thought?"

I nod, "Basically." 

"Well then, I guess I won't be needing to look at this." Loki picks up the file. "I won't look at the file, I'm not really that interested in your past. What happened, happened, what matters is the future. So your past can stay a secret unless you want to share it, and the same goes for me. We can have a clean slate with one another. Deal?" He smiles and reaches out to hand me the file.

I smile back, "Deal." Reaching out with my human hand I go to take the file from him. As our fingers lightly brush, I feel an electric tingle run through my bones and quickly pull my hand back with the file, feeling my face reddening slightly.

Luckily the awkward moment is interrupted when JARVIS speaks from above.

"Mr.Barnes, Mr.Reindeer Games, pizza has just arrived." 

"Reindeer Games?" I question as I quickly pop my head into my new bedroom and put the box on the small dresser.

I hear Loki chuckle to himself as I head back out, "Just a nickname game Stark and I have. He's Hobbit."

"Oh." I head for the elevator but stop when I realize that Loki is still on the couch. "Aren't you coming?" I ask.

Loki shakes his head, black hair falling in his face, "I'm not hungry. Maybe later."

"Okay." I try to keep the disappointment out of my voice. He seemed pretty nice, and the company of someone with shared experiences would be a mall comfort. "See you later?"

Loki nods, "See you later James."