illuminate. (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter Fifteen

WARNINGS: violence. descriptions of torture.

MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS: I highly encourage y'all to listen to "Writing's on the Wall" by Sam Smith. This is the perfect love theme for Bucky and our dear reader in my eyes.

"If I risk it all

Could you break my fall?

How do I live? How do I breathe?

When you're not here I'm suffocating

I want to feel love, run through my blood

Tell me is this where I give it all up?

For you I have to risk it all

Cause the writing's on the wall."

~*~*~*~

Ideal Federal Savings Bank. Washington DC. April 2013.

Brock Rumlow strode across the padded rich carpet to the former bank president's office. Secretary Pierce now used it as a place to conduct official HYDRA business away from the prying eyes of Director Fury and the World Security Council. He smoothed his shirt and straightened his leather jacket before knocking on one of the thick ornate doors.

"Come in," Pierce's voice called out.

Rumlow pushed open the doors and entered the richly decorated office, standing off to the side as Pierce concluded a meeting with other HYDRA higher-ups.  They cast him disdainful glances as they passed him on the way out. Rumlow tried his best to ignore them. He knew he fucked up; now it was time to face the music. When they were finally alone, he cleared his throat, "You wanted to see me, sir?"

Pierce glanced up; his watery blue eyes narrowed as they settled on the agent. "Yes, I did," he replied. He sat down in a tall-backed leather chair behind the large mahogany desk, not bothering to offer his guest a seat. He stared at Rumlow, studying his clean-cut appearance marred only by the bandage across the bridge of his nose and the dark circles under his eyes. Rumors of the girl having a mean right hook appeared to be true. He pursed his lips and sighed, "Tell me, how hard is it to seduce a 23-year-old girl?"

"I believe I did what I was asked to do, sir," Rumlow replied, moving to stand in front of the desk with his hands behind his back.

"I don't mean into your bed, agent," the Secretary spat with a roll of his eyes. "How difficult is it to convince a young vulnerable woman to join our organization?"

Rumlow's mouth sat in a hard line, willing himself not to lose his temper.

"Especially," Pierce continued, "when we know her weaknesses, exactly what she wants, and how desperate she is to find answers?"

"I was waiting for the right time," Rumlow said, unable to resist the urge to defend his actions. "Y/N is all that you described but she is also smart and extremely intuitive." Pierce's unwavering cold stare would have sent anyone else fleeing the office in terror, but Rumlow pushed on. "With the amount of time I was out on HYDRA missions, she was startin' to get suspicious. I asked for reduced assignments but was refused."

"Are you insinuating that your failure is my fault?" Pierce said coolly with a slight edge to his voice.

Rumlow gave a sharp exhale through his nose, "No, sir."