Helmut Zemo Oneshots

OVER HIM

Plot: You were sure you got over Zemo until he appeared on your doorstep

- - - 

You were over Helmut Zemo. At least that's what you kept telling yourself. It was like a mantra you repeated during your day, reminding yourself to not long for his touch and caring words. Even though you still lived in his house and lived off of his large wealth, you insisted you were over him. It wasn't your choice, you just had to be. He was locked away with no chance of getting out, it was the only way you would be able to cope with the pain of losing him and end the sleepless tear filled nights. You had to be over him.

Ever since he was locked up your days were mundane and endless, your schedule was practically nonexistent except for your bi-weekly shopping trips. If you weren't in such denial over your lingering love for Zemo you'd say you were dealing with a heartbreak that never seemed to lose its edge despite the years. Even now, as you laid down in the backyard on an old towel, soaking up the sun and enjoying the warm weather, you felt an emptiness you couldn't quite describe. Honestly it was hard to describe your feelings in general since Zemo had been arrested, every emotion had the added feeling of emptiness and heartbreak that you didn't want to admit you felt to it.

Your romance with Zemo had been unexpected. You were the only Avenger to stay behind and clean up Sokovia despite being powerless, which was where you met him trapped under some rubble. You were the one who had offered to help him find his family and the one to comfort him when they found their bodies. You had quit the Avengers soon after, not wanting to take part in any more destruction. You two had stayed in contact after the Sokovia incident, romance finding its way into both of your hearts through phone calls and letters. You had moved over to his house quite soon after he had nervously asked to make your relationship official and everything seemed to be going great, until you turned on the news to find out he had been behind the bombing and the issues with the Avengers.

You used to write to him after the shock of what had happened wore off, your love managing to still live on inside of you despite his misdeeds. Your letters to him started off long and hopeful but soon became short before dying out altogether. You longed to speak to him deep down, but your pride and insistence that you didn't have feelings for him anymore prevented you from seeking out contact with him. What was the point? He was never getting out, and his actions with the Avengers was a big betrayal you had never felt before.

The ringing of a doorbell faintly reached your ears through the nearby open door. You entered the house and tossed on an old long sweater over your bathing suit clad body before opening the front door, coming face to face with the man you had sworn you no longer loved. Held in his hands was a bouquet of your favourite flowers and the smile you used to adore was on his face. Stationed behind him were two people you had only heard of but never met in person, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes which only added to your confused state.

"Liebling-" He began, interrupted by you quickly moving to shut the door, only for it to be stopped by his foot. "May I please enter my house?"

You hesitated, a scowl on your face. Why was he out here with an Avenger and the guy he had framed for a bombing? Why was he out at all? As much as you wanted to slam the door in his face and pretend it never happened, your heart and knowledge that this was his house and that he had every right to be in there took over and you opened the door for him. "Let me get changed." You sighed.

-

You exited your room after getting dressed to Zemo seated on the couch, his two companions nowhere to be found. He stood up as soon as he saw you, walking over to you, but you ignored him and headed to the kitchen to pour yourself a glass of water, many thoughts swirling in your head. Deep down you knew your feelings for him never left, and you wished to run into his arms and tell him how hard life had been without him around, but your mind stopped you. How could you possibly run back to him after everything that had happened.

"I assume you want to know why I'm here." He began with an exhale, looking into your eyes nervously while you drank your water.

"Don't care." You replied curtly, your eyes not breaking contact with his. You turned away from him and took the flowers from the counter he had placed them on and found a vase, silently filling it up with water and placing the flowers in it, the silence awkwardly consumed the both of you.

"Look, Liebling, I know you're upset-"

You cut him off with a scoff, spinning around to face him. "Upset? Why would I be upset? It's not like my boyfriend decided to go try and make my friends kill each other while I played housewife for him, unaware of everything that was going on until the bastard got himself locked up!"

"I have made some mistakes, but I had assumed you would be happier to see me. You were all I thought about while locked away." There was a bit of hurt in his voice that pained you to hear, but you kept your stern appearance, staring him down mercilessly.

"I've moved on." You replied, your voice cracking as you said it. You didn't know why the tears began to prick your eyes as you said that. You had repeated it in your head many times, why was it bothering you know? Perhaps it was because you saw the way Zemo's eyes widened at the three words, or maybe it was because speaking it out loud added a bit of permanency to the statement, but god it hurt you.

"You don't mean that Schatz..." He stated in disbelief. "I can see it in your eyes, you love me... do not tell me that you have moved on when we both know it's a lie." His hand reached to touch your arm and you jerked it away.

"I-" Your heart shattered staring at the man before you. "I can't love you." You confessed, your feelings spilling out as you filled with guilt for what you had said. As much as Zemo tried not to let things get to him, you knew your words had, and it hurt you to see him be affected by them. He had trusted you with his softer side, with his heart, and with three words you had spat on it. "You'll just be taken away again." You looked away, tears threatening to spill.

"Y/n, look at me please." He requested and you obliged, searching his face for some kind of indication about what he was about to say. "I cannot promise you I won't have to leave you again, but mein Schatz I can promise you I'll always love you. You're the one thing I have left and I cannot bear to lose you too. The thought of you kept me going every day. I tried to write to you but I could not think of the words to describe how much I missed you and longed for your touch or the sound of your laughter."

You couldn't stop the tears that fell down your face, your resolve crumbling to pieces. You couldn't lie to yourself any longer, you loved him more than you needed to breathe. "Helmut, I couldn't handle being apart from you, every day was filled with me longing to see you day and night. But you manipulated my friends and betrayed my trust, then I was left alone with no warning. I know that I love you Helmut, I just don't know if I should feel that way."

"You love me, I love you, there's nothing more important than that. Why waste your time worrying about what you should feel instead of enjoying what you do feel?" He asked, his hands cupping your cheeks. "We cannot tell what the future will hold for us but we can enjoy the present."

His words struck a chord within you. You were done trying to cover up your feelings, instead you decided to relish in the company of your lover while you still had the chance. "Do you think the future will be kind to us? Will we get a happy ending?" Your eyes searched his for any indication of what was going to come next in your lives.

Zemo's eyes looked into yours with a tender gaze. "I cannot tell you what the future holds, but I can tell you I'll fight for a happy ending." And you believed him. You loved Helmut Zemo once more.