"You pulled me out of the river. Why?" Steve demanded.
"I don't know." Bucky said quietly, after a short pause.
"Yeah, you do." Steve told him.
The situation about them was in no way the right setting for this conversation, but Steve didn't think he could wait any longer. Swat teams were surrounding this apartment, but no doubt slowly. By rough calculation, they would break down that door in about ten minutes. Bucky's no doubt stolen apartment was unorganized and filled to the brim with Brainwashed-Bucky's possessions. Steve had already noted all the anomalies in Brain-washed Bucky's rooms with what his own Bucky's home would be.
"Stop talking." Bucky's fists were clenched and eyes hard and dark. Soviet assassin Bucky was talking.
"No. I want to talk to my Bucky." Steve, almost despite himself, raised his shield slightly.
"Your Bucky is gone." The thing in Bucky's body growled through gritted teeth.
"No, he isn't. He saved me." Steve said gently. "I want him back now."
Suddenly, Bucky doubled over and yelled out. Steve almost bolted to him, but thought better of it. Something was trying to fight its way out, and Steve needed to let it. Or him.
"Buck, please, is that you?" Steve held out a hand, willing his Bucky to take it. "It's me."
"Steve..." Bucky whispered, now kneeling on the ground. "Oh god."
"Bucky." Steve smiled bittersweet. This might only last for moment. Bucky might only last for a moment.
"It's me, Steve." Bucky croaked. Steve made for Bucky, kneeling beside him, but not dropping his shield. "Listen... I..."
"Are you okay?" Steve asked worriedly.
"I don't know how long this will last, so listen..." Bucky grabbed on to Steve, pleading looks crossing his features. "I- uh-- oh, forget it." And with that, Bucky leaned in and kissed Steve hard. His titanium arm cupped Steve's face in a cool embrace. Steve went wide-eyed but made no move to pull away.
Bucky abruptly pushed away and clenched his teeth and made a snarling noise. Steve was beyond shocked, stunned into silence as he watched Bucky's brown eyes darken and his expression harden.
"No. Bucky--" But Steve was interrupted when Bucky slammed his fist into Steve jaw.
"Ow." Steve groaned, after being flung backward into a wall. "Bucky--"
"Get off me." Hydra Bucky snarled and shot up, Steve raising his shield higher. He decided, again, to just play defense.
Bucky came at him again, this time ramming Steve away and shoving past him. Bucky made a run for the balcony and jumped. Steve gasped, and stepped on to the balcony, terrified of what he might see if he looked. But when he did, he saw not a dead disfigured body crumpled on the floor, but a fully intact Bucky running across the roof of the neighboring building.
Steve let himself sigh with relief, and then jumped right on after Bucky. The wind brushed his face as he struck the roof and combat-rolled to landing. Steve was slightly winded, but rushed in pursuit of Bucky. Steve willed his legs to go faster, to push harder- and they did, him catching up to Bucky. The roof of this building was very wide, so they were both still scaling it. Steve still didn't stop when he flung his shield at Bucky, aiming for his artificial arm. It spun through the air, hitting the mark and threw Bucky forward. His head hit the concrete ground with a sickening slam. Steve immediately shocked himself with his action, flashing before his eyes was the kiss Bucky had very unexpectedly given him. He'd never kissed Bucky. Bucky was his best friend. But the weird thing was, he think he liked it.
But he shook the memory out of his mind, almost scared of thinking about it.
He rushed up to Bucky's limp, half-lifeless body. "Crap." Steve muttered as he brushed the hair out of dark brown Bucky's face. "Sorry, Buck. I'm going to get you out of here."
Bucky was silent, but Steve saw the dark circles under his eyes almost disappear.
Steve pressed to fingers to the intercom in his ear, and spoke. "Sam, come in. I'm on the roof of the building next to my prior destination. I need a ride."
Sam Wilson's voice answered over the intercom. "I'm on my way. You've got 'im?"
"I do. But Swat teams are on our tail. And also, I believe, is the Wakandan King." Steve said.
"Gotcha. I'll be there as soon as I can. But where are we taking Barnes?" The Falcon asked of him.
Steve smiled to himself. "I've got an idea, but I don't reckon Bucky'd like it."
------------------------------
Bucky's eyes felt heavy. He tried to move, but he was being restricted by something. He didn't remember much after... after kissing Steve Rogers. The feelings in that moment were impeccably clear. Bucky hadn't known how long he would last, so he did the only thing that was on his mind.
Finally, his eyes fluttered open. Bucky felt like himself now- or as much himself as was possible. He scanned the room he was in, which was gray and looked like an underground sewage warehouse. If that was even a thing. Bucky's head was pulsing in surges of pain, but he managed to look up. He saw his titanium arm was stuck in a thick metal press, which was attached to a ten-times-thicker concrete pol. He tried yanking his arm out of the iron grasp of the press, but it didn't budge. Bucky sighed. Was this Hydra's work?
"He's awake." Bucky heard a voice call from somewhere else in the room. It didn't sound familiar.
"Good." Now, this voice was exceedingly familiar. Steve. And, sure enough, Steve strutted in, wearing casual clothes. A simple grey shirt with jeans. The shield was nowhere in sight.
"Steve..." Bucky murmured, head still hammering.
"Which Bucky am I talking to?" Steve asked cautiously.
Bucky paused for a moment. "Your mom's name is Sarah." he said, smiling with memory. "You used to wear newspapers in your shoes."
Bucky saw a smile pull at Steve's lips. Another man appeared out of the blue. A dark-skinned man with casual clothes on as well.
"I'll give yous' a moment alone." the man said, leaving briskly.
"Sam--" Steve attempted to stop him- this 'Sam'- but he bolted away with a not-so-suttle, "Bye bye!" and ran from the room.
Steve looked after Sam with a look of pure annoyance.
Bucky felt a pang of jealousy, so changed the subject. "Where am I?"
"That's for me to know, and you to find out." Steve said sourly, and kneeled beside Bucky.
"Bucky, why'd you kiss me?" Steve demanded sternly, almost glaring at him.
Bucky looked away, and realized the was blood trickle down his cheek. Steve saw this, and his expression softened. Steve reached out his hand, and brushed away the blood with a thumb. Bucky smiled up at him, and Steve attempted to pull away. Bucky stopped him by grabbing Steve's hand with his one free one.
"Because I wanted to." Bucky said simply.
Steve, eyebrows furrowed, yanked his hand away. "Why? Reliving those me--" Steve started.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know how long I would last." Bucky returned Steve's glare.
Steve looked hurt, and raised his hand again anyway. Steve rested it on Bucky's shoulder.
"I'm going to help you, Buck. I promise." Steve told him gently.
Bucky narrowed his eyes and picked up Steve's hand, pulling it up and placing it on his own cheek.
"Steve, I'm so glad you're here." Bucky told him, truthfully.
Steve relaxed his body, caressing Bucky's cheek with his thumb. "I missed you. So much, Buck."
Bucky's head was pounding, his metal arm was hurting him, his forehead bleeding- but all he was focused on Steve, above all.
"So, uh, I'm thinking I want to kiss you again. Would that be something you'd punch my face in for?" Bucky said, sincerely wondering.
Steve stared for a moment, in a silent war with himself. He finally grinned hotly. "I guess I didn't stop you the first time."
Bucky smirked wildly, immediately lean forward and smashing his lips into Steve's. Bucky moved his hand from his cheek to Steve's hair. He ran his fingers through the blond spikes. He'd admit to the awkward feeling of kissing someone with one arm crunched between a metal press above him, but ignored it thoroughly.