Longing •Bucky Barnes•

51. Candy Man

We walked towards the refugees camp and I was well rested enough, but this shoulder was really going to bring me down. This place was supposed to be like an orphanage for young refugees so I was hopeful we'd not face a fight given my condition. It upset me to not be able to carry my own weight, but there wasn't much I could do about it.

We walked in and I saw a sort of play ground for children. Where most kids would have jungle gyms, swings, and other playground equipment these kids had old rotting tables, chairs, and just the brick patio it laid on. They all wore smiles as they kicked around a roughed up soccer ball.

Sam announced he's going to ask around inside the building. I wasn't sure we'd find anyone willing to talk especially if they recognized us. I nudged for Bucky to go with him and he shook his head. I looked at him to tell him it was fine.

"Go on," I said because Zemo was clearly going to confront the kids. "They're kids. I can hold my own."

"Don't do anything stupid." He said looking at me cautiously.

"Wouldn't dream of it." I said rolling my eyes.

He and Sam went off inside and Zemo and I sat down on a wooden box. We watched for a moment as the kids played and it pulled on my heart strings. I had grown up in a place just like this. It didn't make sense back in the day, but it was hardly a normal orphanage. Sure we were all kids without homes, but we grew up never really having a chance of finding a home. HYDRA had a plan for each and everyone of us.

"Reminiscing?" Zemo asked me and I just shook my head.

"Zemo-"

"I meant being a child." He said. "Things always seem so much simpler."

"Yeah well baron, I didn't exactly get to have the same childhood you did. You lived a much more lavish lifestyle than most." I said shaking my head. "Let's not forget who swooped me up that day on my way to the bakery."

"Katia's." He said smiling remembering the bakery. He did take me to get that pastry that day, but what followed after never let sweets taste the same again. "I'm sorry it was you they chose to take that day, if I hadn't of picked you up on your way back to the orphanage you know they would have just taken you in your sleep later that night."

"We we're just kids." I said shaking my head.

"HYDRA didn't care about age, it cared about winning. They saw children as investments, an army they could train as soon as they had enough schooling. One of the many ways they were a sick and twisted terrorist organization." Zemo said rummaging through his pockets.

"Says the man who helped them for over a decade." I said looking away.

"That's one weakness that even HYDRA has in common with even the most innocent of children. Once trust is gained, they let their guard down. Watch." He said getting to his feet.

I stayed put and heard him start to sing a nursery rhyme. It gathered the attention of several of the children. I could tell their guard was up as he neared closer, but Zemo moved slow. He grabbed a nearby chair with a flat top and pulled out a handful of candies from his coat pocket. As he set them down and I realized they were Turkish delights.

"Turkish delights, it was always my sons favorite." He said to a girl who looked more than interested in them. She cautiously reached forward and grabbed one.

"My old friend Donya passed away." He said gently to the girl as she opened the candy. "Did you know her?"

"Yes." The girl nodded as I watched them intently wanting to understand what Zemo was doing.