Beyond

Icy waters

The Winter Soldier shoved the boy forwards only for the boy's weapon to return to his hand, but this time it became a sword cutting through the rope.

Then he ran.

Winter growled and shot a look to his employer.

"Get him."

Winter didn't need to be told twice.

Lance ran as fast as he could without looking back, he just had to find another car, find a phone, maybe...

Something caught his shoulder spinning him around so he hit a tree.

"No!" Lance complained swinging his arm back only for it to be pinned by the metal arm.

A loud roar made the Winter Soldier flinch.

Lance glanced back. "Great." He whispered. "Yeah you might want to let me go. Like right now."

Through the shadows of the trees by the road came a pair of yellow glowing eyes, glimmering blue fur and sharp jagged teeth.

"Blue don't!" Lance shouted getting another roar in reply. "It's not his fault, he's not the problem, it's-"

His words cut off as something hit the back of his head hard.

He slumped in the Winter Soldier's hold as his vision swam. Winter moved him to stand in front of him like a shield and Lance felt his pulse quicken.

"Blue don't." He whispered before she launched.

She phased through them both then vanished into the shadows again.

The grip on him released and Lance fell to the floor cradling his head.

His heartbeat was thumping through his skull and for a moment he had black dance at the edge of his vision.

"What? What happened? Where am I?"

Lance turned to glance at the man stood behind him. He was staring at his hands, then his surroundings, then Lance.

"You're..." He whispered. "Was I meant to... Did I-"

Lance shook his head and groaned. "Just a kidnapping, don't stress about it."

The man knelt next to him hesitant to help him up.

"Are you..." He paused. "Are you okay?"

Lance nodded weakly. "Yeah."

The stranger glanced around his shoulders tensing. "How did you break me free?"

"That's a long story." Lance admitted as he slowly sat up, the forest twisted slightly around him and he thought he was going to throw up.

How hard did this guy hit him?

"Let's just say that I had help." He whispered after a while.

They were silent for a while.

"What's your name?" Lance asked looking up at the man who was staring off with a deep frown.

"I... I'm not sure." He looked so puzzled that Lance knew he was telling the truth.

"Well, I'm Lance." Lance smiled holding his hand out as he stood up. "I think we should get moving."

The man took his hand and the two set off along the road side.

Blue was there in the back of his mind growling softly, but Lance shushed her mentally, the guy seemed to be okay, but no matter what he said to try and calm her he could feel her presence, like she was walking next to him ready to strike.

And that actually made him relax a little more.

Not every teenager in New York had a protective sentient robot that could also become a lion guarding them.

He was very lucky.

"Bucky."

Lance flinched looking up at the man.

"What?"

Said man had stopped moving and was staring with wide eyes.

"My name is Bucky, I remembered." He gave Lance a faint smile. "Sorry you probably think it's stupid."

Lance shrugged. "I've never been brainwashed so I have no say in the matter."

"You're one strange kid."

Lance hummed. "Yeah people say that a lot."

"Oh?"

"Look I... You asked me how I stopped you, I... It wasn't me." Lance explained feeling Blue's anxiety build. "I have a pet lion."

Bucky frowned at him. "A pet lion?"

"Yeah, but not a normal lion, it's... It's an alien sentient robot that can sometimes become a lion."

It sounded so stupid outloud.

"How hard did I hit you?" Bucky asked reaching for him.

Lance rolled his eyes as he looked down. "Come on Blue, be my evidence."

Bucky flinched when Blue appeared she growled lightly at him before nuzzling into Lance's hand.

"You have a glowing lion." Bucky breathed eyes wide.

"I did tell you." Lance reminded then his eyes widened. "I... I know who you are."

"You do?"

Lance nodded. "Does the name Steve Rogers mean anything to you?"