#𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒 . . . ic.

[jjentertainment]

the  second  bucky  found  out  that  he  and  nat  were  getting  their  second  chance  at  being  able  to  raise  a  child , he  had  been  diligant  in  the  preparation.  it  was  sometimes  hard  to  see  who  was  more  excited . . . the  mother  or  the  father.  the  first  time  around , with  the  twins , had  been  failure  for  bucky  at  nearly  every  turn.  for  every  choice  that  he  made , HYDRA  was  right  there  to  flip  the  table  on  his  whole  family.  with  that  behind  them , with  jamie  and  anya  grown  and  starting  their  own  families , bucky  saw  this  as  more  than  just  a  chance  to  do  things  again.  he  saw  the  chance  to  grow  his  family.  all  he  had  ever  wanted  for  as  long  as  he  could  rememeber  was  a  big  happy  family.  he  was  over  the  moon , but  also  fiercly  protective  of  that  dream.

❛  i  promise , i  won't  overdo  it.  ❜  he  promised  natalia.  sitting  down  on  the  sofa , and  reaching  for  one  of  her  feet  to  massage  it.  much  like  last  time , he  was  just  as  diligant  with  nat  as  he  was  with  preparation  for  the  baby  to  arrive.  they  were  getting  down  to  the  end  of  it , and  as  always , nat  had  been  an  absolute  vision  through  the  whole  thing.  she  claimed  he  was  biased , and  while  that  may  be  so , it  didn't  make  it  any  less  true.  ❛  though , i'm  pretty  sure  it's  you  who's  supposed  to  be  takin  it  easy.  ❜  he  made  a  playful  pondering  face.  ❛  if  any  of  those  baby  books  you  got  are  right  that  is. ❜

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑  ┊ @agentxromanoffx.

[jjentertainment]

knowing  that  he  didn't  seem  to  take  offense  to  his  distrust  of  him.  perhaps  he  would  find  he  could  actually  get  along  with  someone  after  all.  aside  from  his  kids , he  couldn't  remember  anyone  that  he  got  along  with  who  wasn't  natalia.  he  hadn't  seen  or  heard  anything  about  her  since  they  had  been  sparated  all  those  years  ago.  his  hope  was  that  she  had  found  a  way  to  stay  hidden.  if  anyone  could  it  would  be  her.

he  watched  the  other  man  grab  for  his  mask , noting  both  the  similarity  to  his  own , and  even  that  of  the  one  his  daughter  wore  on  occasion  on  missions . . and  also  that  he  had  opted  to  not  put  it  back  on.  not  that  it  would  serve  in  hiding  his  identity , since  james  had  already  seen  his  face , but  at  this  point , with  the  stranger  in  his  midst , any  minor  detail  was  something  he  was  going  to  note.

they  walked  in  silence  for  the  most  part.  james  focusing  his  attention  on  tracking  the  agent  that  had  gotten  away  from  them.  it  didn't  take  long  at  all  to  pick  up  his  trail , and  like  a  scurring  rat , james  could  hear  him  trying  to  quickly  pack  up  his  work.  his  enhanced  hearing  came  in  handy , telling  them  exactly  where  they  needed  to  go , and  they  were  able  to  close  him  up  in  his  foxhole  he  had  crawled  into.  as  james'  new  companion  as  it  were  stopped  the  agent  in  his  tracks , james  stormed  in  after.

he  grabbed  for  the  bag , pulling  out  the  files  to  scan  through  them  first  to  see  if  they  held  any  relevence  to  his  children , while  the  HYDRA  agent  coughed  to  attempt  to  breath.  when  he  finally  looked  to  him , his  gaze  was  that  of  an  icy  cold  stare , challenging  the  agent  to  deny  the  answers  to  what  he  wanted  to  know.

❛  я  спрошу  тебя  только  один  раз.  ❜  he  warned , the  agent  showing  he  obviously  knew  who  he  was  dealing  with.  james  leaned  down , getting  a  little  closer  to  him.  ❛  где  они?  ❜

Ghost watched the man secure the items into their place as he spoke. He never trusted anyone either. But he didn't blame the other man for having the same survival instincts. In their line of work, it was dangerous to even take eyes off someone let alone turn their back. He didn't seem offended. No he seemed to respect the decision.

As the strange man picked up his trophies, Ghost bent down and picked up his mask. Staring at it for a moment, before deciding to secure it to his belt.

And then he too switched over to English. Seemingly unphased by the change. He was fluent in a few languages, even though he wasn't sure how. It was just something he had always known. And it made him all the more useful on missions.

"Fine."

And just like that he started to walk.

In the next building over there was a short stout looking man with a hydra crest on his jacket. Scrambling to stuff files and papers into a worn leather bad. He must have heard the two of them, and was trying to escape. But not without his precious work.

However as he tried to dart out the door, Ghost caught him by the throat. Ripping the bag out of his stubby little fingers, and shoving him into a chair. Patiently waiting to see what the stranger would do.

[yasoldat-archive]

when was the last time he got a full nights rest?

“   ⸺   Not   including   those   years   I   spent   on   ice   in   cryostasis   ?   1938.   ”

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓 : 𝐐 ﹠ 𝐀 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒 !

[jjentertainment]

come on. at least pretend that you like me.

his  shoulder's  tense , and  that  glare  is  plastered  on  his  features , as  icy  blue  hues  turn  to  glare  back  at  the  former  HYDRA  agent.  he  doesn't  trust  him.  he's  not  sure  he  ever  really  can , no  matter  how  many  times  the  guy  swears  he's  turned  over  a  new  leaf , or  whatever  excuse  he  could  come  up  with.  bucky's  not  there  yet.  not  sure  he's  convinced  yet.  then  again , who  could  blame  him  after  what  he  had  seen.  what  he  had  been  through , it  was  going  to  take  a  whole  lot  to  convince  bucky  of  any  turned  leaves.  he'd  reamain  sceptical  for  as  long  as  he  needed.

❛  and  why  the  fuck  would  i  do  that?  ❜  okay , that  was  probably  uncalled  for , but  bucky's  people  skills  were  shit.  HYDRA  made  sure  of  that.  his  jaw  set  tightly , and  he  stepped  closer  to  brock , squaring  off  with  the  other  man.  ❛  i'm  not  pretendin  t'like  you.  ❜

𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃  𝐀𝐒𝐊𝐒  ┊ @crossxxbones.

[jjentertainment]

james  needed  to  focus  right  now.  and  he  needed  to  focus  on  his  task  at  hand , not  the  random  memories  (at  least  that's  what  he  assumed  they  were)  that  kept  coming  to  mind , prompting  more  whenever  he  looked  at  this  man.  it  would  have  been  easier  if  he  knew  the  first  time  he  had  seen  him  had  been  when  he  was  with  HYDRA , but  something  deep  down  told  him  he  had  known  him  even  before  that.  he'd  made  the  mistake  of  chasing  a  memory  when  the  safety  of  his  children  were  of  concern.  never  again.

instead  he  focused  on  this  russian  soldier , that  much  he  could  surmise  with  what  little  interaction  he'd  had  with  him , and  what  he  said  made  james'  eyes  narrow  slightly.  if  this  man  actually  thought  he  was  going  to  turn  his  back  on  him , he  was  far  from  correct.  maybe  they  were  on  the  same  side , but his  trust  in  anyone  these  days  that  weren't  his  family  had  rooted  deep  within  the  assassin.  trust  had  gotten  him  nothing  but  trouble , and  for  the  ones  he  could  trust , it  never  really  ended  well  for  them.

through  his  attempts  to  shake  away  the  thoughts , he  could  remember  conversations  between  the  two  in  english , he  wasn't  sure  how  sound  the  idea  was . . . but  perhaps  if  he  answered  in  english , it  might  confirm  that  he  had  in  fact  known  the  man  at  one  point.

❛  no ,  ❜  he  answered  plainly , his  voice  leaving  no  room  for  being  convinced.  he  stepped  forward , eyes  still  on  the  other  as  he  bent  down  and  reached  for  the  items.  ❛  offense  taken  or  not , doesn't  really  matter  to  me ,  ❜  he  shrugged  his  shoulders , tucking  the  patches  into  a  pouch , and  securing  the  weapon.  ❛  but  i'm  not  turnin  my  back  on  anyone.  we  walk  side  by  side. ❜

Ghost looked the patches over, and then back to the strange man. There was no hint of a lie in his eyes. If he was willing to end the agent after he got what he needed then, he didn't see an issue. But there was always the possibility he could be lying, and he was just good at it. It was one of the many reasons he hated having to interact with people.

The ghost lifted his hands, and let the man see he was putting his knives away. rolling the knives over his fingers absentmindedly as if he had done it a thousand times, and slid them back into the sheaths on his thighs.

"Тогда у меня нет с тобой никаких проблем. Я пойду с тобой, и ты сможешь взять у них информацию. После этого они умирают." He stated simply. More telling the man he would keep an eye on him than anything. He didn't trust him, despite the feeling he had about him. Or,... thought he had.

Either way he was willing to let the other man take the lead. And if he made a wrong move he had every intention of fighting him.

[jjentertainment]

james  held  no  sympathy  for  the  people  who  once  called  themselves  masters  over  him.  they  were  as  useful  to  him , as  the  information  they  had  to  give  him.  after  that . . . he  didn't  care  what  happened  to  them.  so  long  as  they  died.  and  that  it  was  painful.  this  man  could  see , thankfully , that  he  wasn't  with  HYDRA.  that  saved  him  having  to  explain  one  thing.  not  that  this  guy  was  getting  any  explanation  from  him  really.  the  less  who  knew  about  his  children  the  better  as  far  as  he  was  concerned.  still , he  did  let  out  an  even  breath , with  a  nod  in  response  to  his  question.  ❛  они  уже  несколько  лет  не  держат  м  ой  поводок.  ❜  he  confirmed  simply.

the  next  question  he  had  was  also  simple.  and  while  he  didn't  need  the  visual  aid , he  was  more  than  willing  to  over  it.  reaching  into  his  pocket , he  retrieved  single  patches  from  HYDRA  uniforms.  the  only  thing  he  kept  aside  from  the  weapons.  he  tossed  them  to  the  ground  between  them , followed  by  a  pistol , and  a  couple  spare  knives  he  had  lifted  from  agents  he  had  slaughtered.  ❛  после  этого  меня  будет  волновать  только  это.  ❜

Ghost held the stare for a long time. His pale face only showing confusion and,.... almost a strange familiarity. It was obvious this man wasn't going to just let him by to kill the target. The Ghost watched him for a long silent moment. Trying to gauge how to respond. But one thing was clear in his own mind. Something was keeping him from landing a kill shot. He may not have known why but it was there. A tiny pin prick in the back of his mind.

"Вы не с ними. Вы тоже сбегаете?"

The question hung in the air when he asked it. There was almost a tinge of hope to his voice. He wasn't certain if he was the only one who made it out of that hell alive.

"Вам нужен агент. Что вы будете с ним делать, когда он больше не будет полезен?"

[jjentertainment]

every  time  this  man  moved , james  felt  that  familiar  pull  to  memories  he  didn't  know  existed.  flashes  of  war  were  normal , but  he  hadn't  been  fortunate  enough  to  find  triggers  to  pull  memories  from  places  that  weren't  the  battlefield  and  that  damned  camp , but  this  man . . . the  more  he  fought  him , the  more  he  could  tell  that  he  had  known  this  man  at  one  point.  and  more  than  that , they  had  been  friends.

flashes  of  sparring  in  a  batallion  camp.  laughing  around  a  fire  in  the  woods  surrounded  by  military  gear.  exchnaging  knives  and  showing  tricks  for  the  future.  all  of  these  involving  the  man  fighting  him.  it  was  undeniable  that  this  man  had  once  been  a  friend , and  it  seemed  had  both  also  been  turned  into  something  so  far  from  themselves  they  didn't  know  what  was  real  and  what  wasn't.  but  he  had  come  too  far  to  give  up  his  mission.  his  children  had  come  first  since  the  moment  he  knew  they  existed.  since  before  they  were  born.  he  wasn't  giving  up  on  finding  them  until  he  didn't  have  a  breath  left  in  him.

watching  the  other  man  get  up , he  locked  eyes  with  the  other  man , squaring  himself  and  taking  in  a  deep  breath.  his  jaw  set  tight  before  speaking  with  his  own  gravely  voice.  he  hadn't  spoken  to  anyone  unless  he  needed  information.  the  last  informant  he  had  spoken  to  had  been  months  ago.  ❛  тот , кто  не  хочет  с  тобой  драться.  ❜  he  answered  plainly.  his  hand  still  gripping  his  blade.  ❛  но  сейчас  ты  стоишь  между  мной  и  теми , кто  важен  для  меня.  ❜  it  wasn't  a  threat.  but  the  fighting  to  this  point  was  likely  the  only  warning  this  man  needed.

Ghost was relentless in his assault. Twisting and turning. Using his metal arm and leg to parry as much as he could. The kick knocked the wind out of him, and sent him to the ground. Sending his mask flying in the process. But either the former assassin didn't notice, or he didn't care. He was up in an instant, and gathering a stance again in no time.

But every time he looked into those damn eyes, the throbbing pain in his head shocked through him. He could feel his pulse in his ears, and neck. The familiar ache in his left shoulder where the metal arm pulled against his flesh and bone. Something felt so familiar,... the way he moved, the way he countered his blades,.... where had he seen that fighting??

He paused shaking his head as if trying to get the feeling,... or fractured memory, out of his head, trying to focus and finding it harder and harder. Finally the Ghost spoke then. His voice gravely and worn from not using it in so long.

"Ты кто?"

[jjentertainment]

this man , whether  he  agreed  with  him  or  not , was  standing  between  him , and  the  answers  to  getting  him  closer  to  his  kids.  nothing  else  mattered  in  that  case.  he  saw  all  the  signs  to  support  he  was  HYDRA.  maybe  he  could  reason  with  him.  get  him  to  drop  the  fight  and  pick  up  his  hunt  after  twenty  fourt  hours.  but  something  told  him  this  man , like  james . . . was  not  one  who  was  likely  to  be  reasoned  with.  HYDRA  liked  to  make  their  weapons  that  way.  and  looking  the  man  over , he  could  see  with  each  passing  second , as  he  switched  from  firearm  to  blade , that  he  was  going  to  have  to  fight  him  off.

there  was  a  slight  huff.  though  it  came  out  more  even  than  most.  a  huff  of  annoyance , but  readying  himself  for  the  attack  that  came  shortly  after.  it  really  didn't  take  an  idiot  to  know  it  was  coming  either.  he'd  more  than  warned  him  as  he  changed  his  weapons.  he  had  hoped  he  could  have  at  least  attempted  to  talk  him  down.  but  you  get  what  you  get.  and  james  got  himself  a  fight.

his  body  moved  in  expertly  timed  movements.  dodging  the  knife  attacks , and  pulling  out  his   own  to  counter.  he  noted  the  way  he  moved.  he'd  seen  it  before.  and  something  told  him  it  wasn't  just  from  his  time  as  HYDRA's  dog.  this  seemed  more  familiar.  and  he  could  remember  a  feeling  of  friendship.  not  unlike  that  blonde  figure  he  had  started  to  remember  shortly  after  the  twins  had  been  taken.  he  shook  the  memories  from  his  head  for  now.  he  needed  to  focus  on  the  fight  he  was  in.  dodging  another  swipe.  he  came  back  with  a  kick  to  the  center  of  the  man's  chest.

Ghost's eyes flickered up to the man's face. Peering over the muzzle like mask, and glaring daggers through him. He assumed this one must have been a guard dog. And he didn't care if he had to go through the man to get to his target.

He couldn't get a clean shot with the stranger between them, but that wasn't the real issue. The longer he stared into those steel blue eyes,..... the more his head started to hurt. Like electrical shocks pinging from either side of his temples.

There was no getting around it. So he lowered his pistol. Cracking his neck out of muscle memory, and taking out a pair of blades. Without a word, he lunged for the stranger. His movements familiar and fluid as he held the blades in a downward position. Russian gorilla warfare stance, and with just as much ferocity in every strike.

[jjentertainment]

with  the  twins  gone , after  only  just  finally  feeling  like  he  had  gotten  them  away  to  freedom . . . to  say  james  was  beside  himself  was  the  understatement  of  the  century.  losing  natasha  had  felt  like a  wound  that  would  never  heal.  she  had  been  the  only  real  thing  he  knew  in  this  hell  that  HYDRA  forced  him  to  live  through  day  after  day.  when  the  twins  came  along , it  only  made  that  loss  all  the  more  painful.  the  only  solice  offered  to  him  being  that  he  got  to  see  their  children.  he  had  to  teach  them  how  to  be  killers.  which  he  hated , but  he  got  to  see  them.  he  got  to  watch  them  grow.  that  had  been  enough , until  it  was  those  two  children  that  actually  showed  him  freedom  could  be  possible.

losing  all  of  that  again?  in  one  swoop?  they  wanted  to  see  if  they  could  create  the  perfect  killing  machine.  they  were  about  to  se  just  how  good  at  that  they  had  made  him.

he  made  impressive , but  calculated  work.  he  wanted  to  burn  the  entire  organization  to  the  ground.  and  he  would.  but  not  without  finding  his  family  first.  once  that  was  done ,  there  would  be  no  hope  for  any  of  them.  for  now  though , he  moved  from  base  to  base , tracking  down  important  agents , while  using  the  few  contacts  he  had  connected  in  order  to  find  them.  he  had  been  following  a  lead  to  his  children , when  he  got  wind  of  this  ruthless  ghost.  and  while  he  wanted  to  applaud  this  man  for  his  actions , perhaps  even  join  his  cause . . . he  needed  that  information.  and  he  wasn't  going  to  let  a  killer  with  a  mission  ruin  his.

james  managed  to  find  his  target , and  the  mysterious  killer , following  behind  and  keeping  himself  hidden.  james  had  always  been  the  perfect  ghost.  never  once  being  caught  on  a  mission , and  he  intended  to  keep  that  record.  coming  up  behind  the  man , he  noted  one  of  the  man's  arms , and  his  eyes  widened.  something  in  him  screamed  this  was  all  HYDRA , and  while  he  hated  what  he  was  about  to  do , he  couldn't  just  shoot  the  target  in  the  leg.  this  vigilante  would  just  kill  him.  he  knew  he  would.

with  his  cover  now  blown , and  the  winter  soldier  himself  exposed.  he  stepped  out  of  his  hiding  spot  in  the  shadows.  squaring  off  against  the  other.

Ghost was in his element here.

Hidden in the dark, each step silent, and his breathing steady.

The pistol held at the ready, as the Russian assassin crept through the creaking and mold scented building. His target was on the run, and hiding like a rat from a predator. The simplicity of seek and destroy was all he could remember, and now that he was able to think for himself, he would turn that training against them. He would kill every last one of them. That was how he would end it. Kill them all till he was in turned finally put down.

For months reports piled up of vicious killings. Some people calling him the Shadow. The Ghost. And that was what he was. A Ghost of something human turned to to silent killer. It had even caught the new captain America's attention. A new body dropping almost every day, but no one seeing a damn thing. He couldn't track this man. He couldn't hunt a super soldier. Not alone anyway.

But now Vincent was taking his time. Using his Winter soldier training to stalk his prey. Only the gleaming of his eyes in the darkness as he aimed for the target's head. Their back turned to him, distracted.

This was his moment. Just aim, and squeeze the trigger.

@rebuiltheroes