The Devil Took Your Memory

"Я буду считать. Я не повредит вам, если нет другого выбора." Bucky was the only one who had shown him any form of kindness here. Unless she had no other choice, likely caused by Hydra's doing, she wasn't going to hurt him or worse. "До тех пор пока не наступит время, когда мне нужно, чтобы остановить вас, я не буду этого делать." She cared for him, and she liked to think that was a mutual thing, and she knew that it was dangerous, but she wouldn't stop.

Bucky could tell it was a difficult topic of conversation for them both. They were the only glimmer of hope for each other that was left in the facility. It was frightening to think that one day that humanity would be used against them, and they would be forced to confront each other. He didn't want that. He never wanted to think about hurting Natalia, whether it was because Hydra forced him to or because he had to defend himself. He would always try to protect her first, even if she was forced to attack him. He didn't want to retaliate. He gently brought his hands up to cup her face. It was a dangerous act of affection, knowing that Hydra could be watching them. "я доверяю тебе, Natalia."

Natalia hated that there was a good chance that things would likely turn sour and come to that. She hated knowing that Hydra could turn them against each other in an instant. She didn't want that. Bucky was one of the only people she'd ever trusted both here and outside of the facility. She hated being here, but he made it bearable. He made her stronger. "И я вам." She said quietly as she stared up at him, her eyes never once leaving his. She knew that Hydra could be watching them right then and there, but she didn't care. She didn't care that this moment of affection could help them find weaknesses within both of them. None of that mattered to her right now.

It meant a lot to hear that Natalia trusted him. They had been thrust together in one of the most unpleasant situations imaginable, and they had no one else but each other. A small, feeble smile came to Bucky's face as she spoke. He gentled pulled her head down, pressing an incredibly light kiss to her forehead. He lingered for a moment before pulling away by a minuscule amount. Bucky used her face to shield his lips from any cameras that may have been watching them. "If you get out," He whispered, swapping to gentle English. "Find Steve Rogers." It was a long shot that Steve may still even be alive. Bucky had no idea what that serum did to him, if it kept him alive for much longer... But if Natalia got the chance to leave, he knew she could trust Steve.

Of course Natalia trusted him. There was no one else she trusted as much as she trusted Bucky. Despite the awful situations Hydra had put them both in, he still managed to earn her trust, and that clearly said something. Trust was something that meant a great deal to her, and it wasn't something that she handed out very easily. No, it took time. And in the time she'd been here with him, Bucky had earned her trust. Her breath hitched a bit when he kissed her forehead as affectionate actions, even the smallest ones, still seemed to take her by surprise. Instead of responding to his words, she simply nodded. She understood what he said, and she knew that she could trust his judgement.

Bucky pulled back once more, taking a moment to examine her face. His heart often fluttered at the most inappropriate of times around Natalia. Kissing her, just on the forehead, sent his stomach into knots. This wasn't a time or place to develop feelings for someone, and he knew it was wrong in this sort of situation... But it felt like he couldn't help it. They were the only ones around. Something was bound to bubble up eventually. He briefly stroked her cheek with his thumb before dropping his hands away from her face. "Как ты себя чувствуешь?" He asked slowly. "Вы больно?" He hadn't been able to ask her when she first came back to the room, she was far too upset. Now she'd calmed down, he wanted to make sure.

Deep down, Natalia knew she was beginning to develop feelings for him. When the thought crossed her mind, she always pushed it to the back of her mind, knowing that this simply wasn't the place for anything like that to happen. If anything were to happen between them, it would surely be something that Hydra could use against them and that was something she just did not want at all. When he spoke to her again, this time returning to Russian, she shook her head. "Я в порядке." She said quietly. "Спасибо...За все."

"Вы не должны меня благодарить," He shook his head, hand moving to rub her arm gently. Bucky knew he should try keep his affection toward her to a minimum, but physical touch just seemed like a basic comfort for them both at the moment. It was a stark contrast to the rigorous fighting and training they were being forced through. He wanted to make this as easy as possible for the both of them. They needed a sense of humanity in the small room they shared. Bucky just wanted Natalia to know that someone cared about her.

Natalia nodded. "Я знаю, что не надо, я хочу." She said quietly, a small smile gracing her lips. She knew that these moments of affection could be used against them. If Hydra was watching them right now, they'd find a way to use it all against them, but she didn't care. This was what she needed right now. This was what they both needed right now. They were stronger than Hydra thought, and she refused to believe that they'd be able to break them.

Returning her smile, Bucky gently shifted her off of his lap. They had been sat talking for a while now, and he was relieved to hear that she was feeling better. "Тебе следует поспать," He suggested softly, stretching his legs out straight in front of him. The cool feeling of the tile wall against his back no longer bothered him, and neither did the cold floor. Sure, he wished they were in a more pleasant environment together, but at least they had one another. "Мы оба должны."

Natalia nodded. There had been a time when sleep seemed impossible in this place. The cold tile and floor kept her awake, and so did the fact that Hydra agents could come inside for her at any moment. The latter still bothered her, but she had Bucky. She trusted him, and she felt more comfortable here. Comfortable enough to fall asleep. "Сон ... да." She said quietly.

Bucky let Natalia lay down closest to the wall, and settled down next to her. He acted as a barrier, keeping her between the wall and himself so that no one could come in through the door opposite and take her without him knowing. Every time they settled down to sleep, Bucky had to silently hope they would just be left alone through the night. There was no telling what Hydra could potentially come in and do when they weren't paying attention. Sometimes he would just stay up and keep an eye on Natalia, making sure that she wasn't disturbed whilst she slept. She deserved some rest. "Спокойной ночи," He murmured softly. "Я не оставлю тебя сегодня"

Natalia felt safe. Nestle between the wall and Bucky always put her a bit more at ease. She trusted him. She knew that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. He'd put up a fight if he had to, and she'd do the same thing for them. In the time they'd spent together within Hydra, they'd come to understand each other. They had each others backs. "Доброй ночи." She said quietly before nodding in response to his later words. "Я знаю. Я доверяю тебе."

It wasn't an easy sleep for Bucky. He barely went an hour before waking up again, just to check that Natalia was okay and that no one had been in the room. Every small noise seemed to wake him up, and each time it took longer for him to fall asleep. He had no idea how this benefitted Hydra. If they wanted him and Natalia on top form, it made no sense to torture them like this. He was barely ever well rested, and tonight was no different. The only thing he had to be thankful for when waking up was seeing that Natalia was fine, and she was still there with him.

She slept much more soundly than she'd expected to. With the day she'd had, it would have been no surprise at all if she woke up again like she had earlier in the day, the actions from Hydra still haunting her even in her dreams, but that, surprisingly enough, wasn't the case. In fact, she only woke once when Bucky did, and she drifted back off not long after that.