“You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into”

The soldier grunts as he slides past you, the space in the safe house kitchen being limited.

You were ex red room, barely into adulthood when you’d first been put in a gym and told to train with the soldier. He’d always pulled his punches, despite you being able to take it. Shown a bit of humanity with you that no one ever would’ve expected. At night, you’d sneak to his cell - spend hours undoing all the work HYDRA had forced upon his brain, hours unravelling lost memories and warped ideas.

Then one night it all changed. He was sad, that evening. Somehow even more resigned than usual. You hadn’t understand why. Not until an emergency alarm started blaring, the soldier instantly standing and breaking out of his cell.

“It’s time for you to go”

He had told you, holding the door that lead to the usually guarded exit open. Empty, because all the HYDRA agents had gone to fight whatever ‘threat’ was hitting.

“What? No, soldat, no I can’t- I won’t leave you here”

His gaze hardens, eyes narrowed. It’s clear he isn’t giving you a choice in the matter. You don’t even have time to blink before he grabs your wrist, shoves you through the door, and slams it shut behind you - the sound of the lock clicking making your entire heart shatter. You watch through the window as he’s swarmed by agents, but the last thing he mouths to you is a simple ‘GO’.

So you do. You make what he’d sacrificed for you worth it, and you run. Run as far away as you can. Once in the real world, you find Natasha. She’d been your safe haven once, you were sure she could be it again. Of course, Natasha welcomes you with open arms - finds you a place within the team, helps you through your trauma and PTSD. And you’re ok, for a couple years. You still think about him, James, but you’re doing ok.

That is, until Steve calls you one day - begging you to please find them, to give him any knowledge you have on the Winter Soldier. Instead you ask where the soldier is, and when Steve tells you he’s gone on the run? Well… you go too.

That leads us to now. You’d found him quickly, because of course you had. There probably isn’t a soul on earth who knows the soldiers mind like you do. Issue was, the soldier didn’t want you there. Was worried you following him meant you throwing your life away, was reminding you of that every day.

“If I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, I wouldn’t have chased after you”