Classified || Bucky Barnes

Chapter 28

August 22nd, 2014

Valparaiso, Chile

The plan was to hitch a ride on one of the cargo ships leaving early in the morning. Given there were still hours until sunset, there was plenty of time to kill.

Marina flipped idly through an old book she found, though she didn't care enough to put in the effort of reading Spanish. She merely listened to the rustle of off-white paper and breathed in the nostalgic scent of the pages.

Bucky heard her sigh of boredom, and it wasn't long before he'd convinced her to "show him some of her moves" like he once half-joked about.

She reluctantly stood from her seat at the dining table and watched oddly as he pushed the couch against the wall. He continued clearing space, pushing any chairs and shelves away from the center of the room. It almost worried her that he planned on using so much space.

Finally, Bucky stopped a few feet in front of her and rolled his shoulders. There was a strange seriousness in his expression that remained even after she asked if he was alright. He nodded but didn't speak.

"Did you want me to start or...?" Marina cocked her head, brows furrowing while she studied him. He seemed more tense than normal, frame rigid in a way she hadn't seen in a while. He couldn't meet her eyes.

She gasped when after only a second's hesitation, he swung a fist toward her. Marina ducked aside, though she had a feeling he wouldn't have allowed himself to land the punch even if she stood still. She took a single step away, lips parted and face scrunched in concern.

Bucky obviously wasn't of his right mind, which meant he was in no condition for practice fighting. That didn't make him stop though.

Instead, he spun around and swung an arm out, this time crouching in an attempt to hit lower. Marina jumped backward and her eyes widened in surprise when his face hardened. She blocked another swing with her forearm. He barely hit her hard enough to leave a bruise.

"Okay, can we-" 

Bucky drove a fist toward her gut and she was quick to sweep his hand aside. She didn't try any moves of her own, just avoided whatever he dealt.

"Can we stop for a second?" She hurried, heart skipping when his expression didn't falter.

He kicked a leg out and she groaned in frustration as she instinctually stepped toward him to give him less room for the maneuver. Clearly it surprised him because his eyes widened in the slightest when his boot connected with her hip. 

That one would leave a bruise. 

Bucky didn't stop the onslaught, but he was more careful to pull back any kicks or punches before they landed too hard.

Marina's stomach lurched when he eventually met her worried gaze. She could tell just by the softness in his eyes that it was Bucky and not the soldier. That only added to her confusion.

"You need to hit me," he said, pausing for a brief moment.

"I'm not going to hit you, Bucky," Marina argued between breaths. She was beyond sure she could. He was leaving plenty of opportunities to do just that. Still, she couldn't force herself to do it. This wasn't either one of them giving the other fighting tips. This was something else entirely.

Bucky's face hardened over again and he abruptly swept her legs out from underneath her. Her breath hitched as she fell backwards. He followed her down, throwing both arms out in front of him. His left arm whirred in her ear, metal hand clunking against the wooden floor to catch him. She thought she was imagining it when his right hand curled around her to cradle the back of her head before it smacked the floor.