Summary: The one where Captain America refuses to sign the accords and the ink of your signature was practically already drying on the page.
Pairing: Steve/Reader (female pronouns)
A/N: Alright, this is a bit all over the place but we’re about back into the action and I'm excited guys. But we gotta get there first, and i don't actually hate the build up lol
The room they stuck you and Bucky into was no better than a prison. It was windowless, quiet and far too large for just the both of you. The men who’d put you in here, sliding you by an angry Captain America, Falcon and random agents like some fucking parade, had left without a word and you wondered what they’d do to you next.
“They are going to have us psychologically evaluated.” You weren’t saying Bucky was a mind reader but if you were to say something, it would be that Bucky is a mind reader. “They’ll want to see how dangerous I am, and you.” He didn’t look at you despite the fact that his ‘cage’ was facing yours and you didn’t blame him, letting the silence settle over you both like an itchy blanket til you couldn’t take it anymore.
“No, I know that Steve calls you Bucky. What do you want to be called?” You stretched your legs out, leaning back against the glass wall once more as his eyes snapped to yours, beginning to calculate you. He was sizing you up, and once again, you didn’t blame him. You were an unknown factor; plus, you'd already done the same to him.
“Bucky is fine.” You nodded, glancing at the hinges of your cage to see if you could possibly get out. All you needed was a sliver of open glass, then it was game over.
“What is it you can do?” You didn’t spare him a glance, shrugging your shoulders instead. “I saw you move the rocks.”
“I can do a little bit of everything when elements are involved. Earth, fire, water, air, the whole shebang.” He didn’t respond and you finally locked eyes with his. “Do I scare you Bucky?” He seemed surprised you were not only continuing to talk to him, but asking his opinion and you wondered how long it’d been since he’d gotten to just choose something, not having it decided for him.
“Are you scared of me?”
“Answering a question with a question isn’t very polite.”
“Assuming that everyone you meet is scared of you isn’t very polite, either.” You quirked a smile, a laugh escaping as you nodded at him.
“You’ve got jokes Mr. Barnes, but you still haven’t answered me.” You didn’t know why you were so insistent that he answered. Perhaps you were searching for validation, or you just wanted someone to understand you. Either way, you weren’t letting it go.
“No.” Internally, you breathed a sigh of relief. Someone wasn’t scared of you.
“You’re not scared of yourself?”
“I meant I’m not scared of you.”
“You should be.” He mumbled, fingers on his left arm clenching around the armrests as he glanced up into the corners. “They are listening.” You could recognize an attempt at a subject change anywhere, and you let him get away with it this time because this was not the place to be making friends.
Neither of you said another word after realizing they were indeed listening and would be noting each word with careful consideration. Well, you didn’t speak out loud. You kept your gaze locked with his, communicating in the simple flick of eyes and silent agreements.
You had to escape because the only way Ross was going to let you leave was in body bags.
Stev was barely able to catch Bucky’s eye as they hauled the crates with you both in them, out into the open. He hadn’t even gotten a glimpse of you and he knew Ross was doing it on purpose, but Bucky still knew him so well. With a head nod, tap of two fingers, Stev knew their code for ‘its okay’ anywhere.
“What are you going to do them?” He demanded of Evrett Ross, the guy’s smug little rat face rubbing him the wrong way.
“Same thing that ought to happen to you. Psychological evaluation and extradition.”
“The girl did not do anything.” T’challa was suddenly on their side and it almost made Stev’s head swivel. He was certain the guy hated them after Sam’s cat comment.
“She tried to help an escaped convict escape.”
“We weren’t trying to help him escape, we were trying to bring him in without him being shot on site.” Evrett gave him a look that spelled ‘i don't believe you’ before turning on his heels and walking away. “Asshole.”
“Dang Cap, you kiss your mama with that mouth?” Sam tried to lighten the mood but Stev was too pissed now. The Ross’ were just a bunch of grade a jerks.
Luckily, they hadn’t tried to lock him or motor mouth Sam in a cell but a rather spacious office. Although it did feel like they were on display in a glass fish bowl. That is where Stark found him pacing about, overlooking the control room. He should have known something was up when Stark produced two old fountain pens, waxing poetic about putting Buck in a psych facility instead of a Wakandan prison.
“And what about her?” Steve nodded in the vicinity of the control room where they were watching you and Bucky be put into holding but he still couldn’t see you. It was really pissing him off.
“She is willing to sign, so we let her sign and I get you and Wanda reinstated.”
“What about Wanda?” Steve had picked up the pen, already leaning into ink the tip. He didn’t care if every member of the team, the governments of the world or anyone else thought signing was right. You did, and that’s what counted in his opinion. He had, had way too long to think on the ride here and realizing that you had followed him into every death-defying situation, all the fights and not once doubter or questioned him was like a punch to the gut. He had taken that for granted, not realizing that the only reason he was 100% positive about each situation is because you were too. Now he was questioning himself. Which moves had led to this, which ones did you follow just because he was leading you - how many almost got you killed and yet you still trusted him, loved him and the one time you disagree he basically calls you a traitor in the middle of everyone?
“She’s fine, currently confined to the compound with Vision for company.” And there it was. The reason he couldn’t sign. Wanda, the young girl who’d faced so much atrocity, was being held against her will because she was ‘too dangerous’. All they were doing was affirming her self hatred for herself.
“Gosh Tony. Every single time, every time I think you see things the right way-“
“What? It’s 100 acres with a lap pool. It’s got a screening room. There is worse ways to protect people.”
“But who are you protecting Tony? Civilians? Because it certainly isn’t Wanda!”
“I am protecting her because she’s not a US citizen, refusing to sign and they are chomping at the bit to get her away from the public.”
“So locking her up yourself is the way to do it?”
“They don’t grant visas to weapons.”
“Give me a break Steve!” There was a heavy moment, both breathing a little too harshly and Steve found himself looking around the room for your calming face. It broke his heart not to find it there. He had to get you out. “I’m doing what has to be done.”
“You keep telling yourself that.” He tossed the fountain pen beside the other. “I’d hate to break up the set.” He fled from the room, anger coursing through his veins as he found the room they'd stuffed Sam, Natasha and now Sharon in.
“You okay?” Sam questioned, accepting the curt nod as good enough. That’s all Steve was able to give at the moment.
Sharon took stock of the people around her, the broken team with a semi-broken leader and sighed to herself. These people were going to get her fired. She accidentally leaned onto the control switch and the TV above them flickered to life, the crates containing you and Bucky finally being locked into place as the sound cut on. Steve’s eyes flickered to hers, noticed her nonchalant attitude and gave her a nod of thanks. She chalked it up to a win for the good guys.
Brave Little One Tags: @curlycals, @supernaturalham, @ohdarlingsx, @lanadelmatte
