Red (Helmut Zemo's Version)

Chapter Twelve: The Dora Milaje

After having walked only a few minutes, the young girl leads us into a seemingly abandoned building. Dust coats the stacks of wooden seats and metal cases and the paint on each wall has begun to peel. She takes us through a heavy black door, behind which a small number of people are shifting from room to room and up and down the small staircase in the back, before opening a second and pointing through it. "Karli's in there" Zemo says and Sam takes a few steps towards the entrance, having already agreed on being able to attempt talking her down. "You have 10 minutes" John says before grabbing me and pushing me face-first against the brick wall, gesturing for Lemar to do the same to Zemo. He grasps my wrists, aggressively tugging them behind my back and handcuffing them in place. Fucking piece of shit.

I squirm to find some semblance of comfort and turn my head to the side, blowing my hair out of my face. "While I appreciate the effort, John, next time you want to handcuff a girl try using some fluffy ones. Or even some leather ones. I'm sure she'll appreciate them much more" I grunt, trying to twist my wrists to reduce the pressure on them. John slams me harder against the wall, the side of my face scraping against the rough material, before leaning his entire body against the back of mine, placing his lips right by my ear. "Don't be such a slut. And shut your fucking face before you make me do something I'll regret" He whispers, his threat being met with a humoured snort from me. "Try it. Bucky would snap your neck before you even got close, shrimp dick" I respond and he pulls away, dragging me from the wall and shoving me roughly to the floor before going to turn his attention to Zemo. He doesn't get a chance to as the moment he's away from me there's a metal hand secured around his throat which he clearly hadn't been expecting if the slight squeak of alarm is anything to go by. Bucky holds his own face only a few inches from John's and speaks calmly. "Don't fucking touch her. Get over there and help her up or I'll crush your neck nice and slow" He gradually begins to tighten his grasp and John's fingers scramble up in an attempt to drag the metal arm away from him, his face turning a slight pink until he taps the man's bicep in surrender. Instantly, Bucky lets go. John takes a moment to catch his breath, coughing roughly and inhaling as much air as possible. I see Zemo and Bucky both trying to hide a smirk and even Lemar seems ever so slightly amused. Walker holds out a hand to me and I just sort of stare at him with a questioning look, raising an eyebrow until he realises. "Oh shit yeah" he says, crouching down to hold my forearms and pull me to my feet, giving me the perfect opportunity to land a harder-than-intended kick to his crotch. "Touch me like that again and I'll kill you myself" I whisper to his slightly doubled over form and he nods quickly, his face scrunches up as he holds onto his precious shrimp dick. Bucky takes a hold of the handcuffs and breaks them for me, giving me free range of motion to rub my wrists. Lamar holds his hands up with a stifled smile, showing he is of no threat to me and I glance at Zemo, his wrist handcuffed to a pipe.

The four of us engage in idle chatter about Karli and her motive while we wait for Sam. I stand by Zemo, his uncuffed arm around my shoulders and the side of my face against his while he rests his lips on the top of my head, kissing it frequently. Bucky is pacing up and down the room, every so often coming to my side to kiss my cheek before going back to pacing. Lemar is sitting with his back against the wall, carrying most of the conversation along with me. He gives me a grateful smile when I'm the only one who answers his questions. Walker stands with the shield clutched in his grip, staring at it and occasionally raising his eyes to look at me, visibly psyching himself up to say something. On probably the seventh time he does this, I clear my throat and sigh "Oh come on, John. Just spit it out" His eyes dart to mine. "Did you know Steve?" he asks and I nod. "Would he have been fond of this little thing you and Zemo have going on?" he sneers. I shrug "No, probably not. But I'll tell you exactly what I would have told him. It's none of his business. It's none of your business. In fact, it's nobody's business except mine, Helmut's and Bucky's. So I'd advise you to keep your nose out. You aren't Steve and you never will be so you have no right to ask me that" Zemo squeezes me softly before regaining his original grip "Couldn't have said it better myself, my dear" He says, running his thumb along my arm.