Run

16 Meeting
Bucky wasn’t sure how long the meeting would take, but he figured it couldn’t be that long, so he left his clothes and duffel bag at the hotel. He did take his memory journal, however. It was small enough to fit in his jacket pocket, but even if it had been too big, he wouldn’t have minded. The weight of his memories in his pocket was not something he resented.
Bucky met Steve outside of his apartment at three in the morning exactly, two days after they had talked. Steve made eye contact with Bucky, as a sort of signal, and then began walking quickly. Bucky trailed behind, just far enough to be inconspicuous. They reached a mysterious black cab, which reached a mysterious black jet, which took a long time to reach it’s next mysterious destination, during which Steve tried to strike up conversation.
“Do you want to know where we’re going?” Steve asked.
“Does it matter,” Bucky said.
“What information did you want from Fury?” Steve tried again. Bucky didn’t answer. He was actually particularly determined to keep Steve out of his Hydra hunt. Steve didn’t need to know. There was another long pause.
“You shaved,” Steve said desperately. Bucky looked over at him and raised an eyebrow. Steve raised both of his eyebrows. A smile started to pull at Steve’s mouth and he couldn’t keep it back and he was laughing and Bucky looked away and cracked a small grin.
“You’re a punk,” he said teasingly before he quite realized what he was doing.
“Jerk,” Steve said jokingly, but by then, Bucky’s moment of laughter and teasing was gone. The smile melted off his face as he stared out the window. He didn’t know what had possessed him to say that, what part of himself knew how to tease as though he’d been doing it for years. He wanted desperately to take out his journal and write because it felt like a memory and it also felt like pain and writing helped him to sort out his thoughts, but he didn’t want Steve to see his memory journal, it was too personal.
Even still… He wanted to write. Bucky took out the small journal and his pen and turned his body away from Steve and began writing fiercely. It made him feel so much better to get his thoughts on paper.
“What’s that?” Steve asked. Bucky glared at him until he fell silent and looked away again. Maybe you’ll see one day, Steve. I’ll leave it to you in my will, how about that.
They arrived at the mysterious destination an hour later, after they had both fallen into silence. Steve led the way of the plane and Bucky discovered that they were in the middle of nowhere. There were green fields surrounding them on either side, tall grass and even taller corn. The sun was just coming up and made the entire field glow. Bucky stared in awe.
“It’s nice,” Steve said, noticing Bucky’s expression. “I like it here, too.”
The jet behind them lifted into the dark portion of the sky and Bucky turned to watch it. He noticed the shrinking dark blue in the sky, the gold of day hedging it away. It was equally as pretty, he decided, as the sunrise behind him. The way the glittering of the stars became one with the bright sky, the way colors began to reach into the darkness. It was like watching a reverse sunrise and he liked it.
“Fury’s in there,” Steve said and Bucky turned to notice that he was facing the sunrise and Bucky squinted to look at him. Steve was pointing across the field to a small, ramshackle barn-like structure.
“Who else is here,” Bucky asked, lifting a hand to shield his eyes.
“A few agents,” Steve said. “The Avengers, mostly. You.” Bucky nodded.
“Okay,” he said and he began walking, determination in his steps. Steve followed. Bucky made his way across the field until he reached the barn and he pushed the door open. Heads turned and there was a gasp from someone Bucky couldn’t pick out. The inside of the barn was just as ramshackle as the outside, excusing the table in the middle with SHIELD agents around it. Fury sat at the head of the table and smiled at him.
“Mr. Barnes, glad to see you made it,” he said. Steve reached the door then and stood behind Bucky, flanking his left. “And Steve.”
“I want to talk to you in private,” Bucky said. There was a pause as everyone in the room hesitated, waiting to see how Fury would respond to the Winter Soldier’s insistent request. Fury looked at the agents around his table.
“You heard the man,” Fury said. “Go wait outside. We’ll call you back in soon.” Grumbling, Fury’s entourage stood and Bucky stood still as they all shuffled around him to get through the door. He noticed they were particularly careful of his left side. Steve, however, was still there. Bucky looked over his shoulder at him.
“You need to leave,” he said.
“Buck-” Steve started but Bucky’s glare cut him off.
“This doesn’t concern you, Steve,” Bucky said sharply and Steve made a face, looking at the ground. He looked hurt in the way he pursed his lips and hardened his eyes.
Wordlessly, Steve turned and left. The doors shut behind him and Bucky stood, left with Director Fury.
“I’m not going to let you push me into becoming a part of SHIELD, sir,” Bucky said.
“Good thing that’s not my intention, then,” Fury said, standing slowly. Bucky was a bit taken aback. His stare was questioning. “If my guess is right, you’ve been getting some calls from Hydra.” Bucky was aware again of his slowly healing cheek. He didn’t respond and his silence in itself was an answer. “We share an enemy, Barnes,” Fury said.
“That was my thinking as well,” Bucky admitted.
“Then we’re on the same page,” Fury asked from where he stood behind his table.
“I don’t want to be a part of SHIELD,” Bucky continued. “But I know I can’t take Hydra apart by myself; I’m not blind. So I’d be willing to work with you for a time to stop them.” Fury smiled to himself.
“You’re modest,” he said. “I have no doubt in my mind that with your skills and a healthy desire for vengeance, you could cut your way through them without much trouble. But we could still both gain something from teaming up, am I right?” Bucky let his silence agree for him.
“Do you have any information on Hydra right now?” Bucky asked. “I could start today. We could end them within the month if I work fast enough.”
“I admire your fervence,” Fury said. “But so far, I don’t know much. I have a few names, but nothing more.”
“That’s all I need,” Bucky said.