Shared suffering (Bucky x Zemo) -> (Winterbaron)

Chapter 1

Bucky was staring at the clock in the restaurant, waiting for Sam to show up. He sighed in a somewhat annoyed tone. He had texted Sam that this matter was urgent yet he was running late.

The waiter approached Bucky, asking him: "Hello sir, may I bring you anything to drink?"
Bucky looked at the waiter, trying to speak as polite as possible without giving away that he was getting annoyed: "I'm actually waiting for someone. But since that person seems to be running late, I'd already like to order a bottle of beer."

The waiter nodded: "Yes, sir. I hope your date is going to arrive soon."
Bucky almost started laughing: "It's not a date. Definitely not."

Awkwardly, the waiter quickly walked away while saying: "Oh, I beg your pardon."
Bucky remained waiting at his table. He wondered what kind of weird restaurant this was for the server to speak like some polite Brit. But Bucky could tell by the man's accent that he wasn't British even tho he seemed to attempt sounding like one.

Finally, the door to the restaurant opened and Bucky heard very familar-sounding footsteps.
Sam rushes in quickly, seating himself on the opposite of Bucky's seat.

The server approached Sam, asking him what he would like to drink. Sam replied: "I would like a glass of orange juice."
The server then walked back to the kitchen again.

While smiling mildly, Bucky groaned: "About time."
Sam smiled back politely: "I had a huge argument with Sarah. So I couldn't just leave in the middle of a fight with such short notice."

Bucky raised an eye brow: "What did you two argue about?"
Sam groaned as if he was tired: "It doesn't matter. Just tell me what's so urgent that it can't wait until tomorrow."

Unsatisfied with Sam's answer but also knowing he won't get it out of Sam, he decides to jump right to the chase: "Someone of great power has managed to produce a new and allegedly better version of the supersoldier serum. We need to stop them before things get out of hand."

Sam looked at Bucky bewildered: "Shit, man. Not againnn."

He paused and then continued: "What's the plan?"

Bucky moved his head closer towards Sam to whisper to make sure nobody can randomly eavesdrop on their conversation: "That's the thing. We don't have any leads yet. We don't know who or where. We need someone who knows about the black market and such-."

Sam interrupts him louder than intended: "NO."
Bucky groaned: "You didn't even let me finish."
Sam protested: "I know where this is going. And my answer is no."

Bucky sighs: "Sam, I'm not here to ask you for permission. It's too late anyway."
Sam jumped out of the chair: "No! Don't tell me you-"
Bucky gave him a forced smile: "I did."
Sam protested: "But-."
Bucky sighed: "I'm aware. But we don't seem to have any other choice."

Sam groaned: "Why did you tell me to come here if you have everything sorted out by yourself anyway?"
Bucky replied: "I thought on our last mission, we worked together well. So why change a working system, right?"

The waiter then barged in again, serving Bucky the bottle of beer and serving Sam the glass of orange juice. They thanked him and waited for the waiter to leave again.

Sam sighed: "Even if so, I would have appreciated if you had let me have any say in this beforehand."
Sam takes a sip of the fresh orange juice.

Bucky groans: "Sorry. But I knew you wouldn't allow it so I-."
Sam raised his voice unintentionally: "So you acted behind my back again?"
Timidly, Bucky whispers: "Sorry."
Bucky then drank a quarter of the beer bottle.

Sam sighed in a defeated tone: "So when are we getting him?"
Bucky: "I paid someone to pick him up with a helicopter and to then fly him back to where he took off. And there, we will pick him up."

He groaned: "Quite the hassle. Is he really worth all this? Not to mention the trouble we might face from breaking him out of the god damn Raft."
Bucky sighed: "Possibly, he is our only chance."

Sam: "What if he won't help us or he will use this to run away one second we aren't looking at him?"
Bucky: "As long as our mission is about preventing the spread of supersoldier serum, he will do what is necessary to stop them. Even if we can't trust him directly, we can trust the fact that he despises supersoldiers."

Sam: "Fair point. But won't we get into a lot of trouble for breaking him out of the Raft?"
Sam takes another sip of the orange juice.
Bucky: "The baron has assured me that he will cover the costs of getting a good lawyer in case."
Sam shook his head disapprovingly: "I don't have a good feeling about this."

Bucky took a look at the clock: "We should head to the place now to pick him up."
They then both got up. Sam quickly emptied his glass of orange juice. Bucky took another sip of his beer and took it with him. Sam put a few dollar on the table to pay for the drinks.
They walked to Sam's car quickly.
Sam sat down on the driver seat while Bucky sat down next to him. Sam started the engine of the car and asked: "What's the address?"

Timeskip 4 hours:
Sam groaned in an annoyed tone while driving the car. But finally, they arrived. Bucky: "Thanks for driving, Sam. I really appreciate that."

Sam: "Will I have to drive you all the way back again or-."
Bucky: "No worries. We will be staying at a hotel nearby."

Sam stopped the car so they could finally collect the baron.
Bucky stepped outside quickly. He found the baron handcuffed to the helicopter.

The baron politely grinned upon seeing Bucky again: "James!~ What a delight to escape another prison to be working together with you again."
Bucky glared at him: "Spare me the flattery. I've taken lots of costs and favors aswell as effort and time in your temperary liberation from the Raft so you better are the most cooperative and useful you can possibly be."

Zemo replied in his usual tone: "You should know better than anyone else that I can't allow supersoldiers to exist. Well... apart from you, James. But be assured that I will do anything within my power to help you take them down."

Bucky raised an eyebrow: "How come you allow me to exist, hm? Why make me an exception?"
Zemo blushed sightly: "You've shown me that you aren't the Winter Soldier anymore. Besides, unlike most of the supersoldiers you were forced into it. You didn't choose to become one. You don't seek power and you don't see yourself as a higher being."

Bucky slightly smiled at the baron and with his superhuman force, Bucky tore apart the handcuffs so Zemo could follow them into Sam's car.
Zemo whispered: "Thank you, James."

Suddenly, Sam approached the both of them as well. Sam just briefly greeted him and then said: "Let's get into the hotel quickly now. Zemo should change and freshen up a bit." Zemo was still wearing an officer's uniform as a way to not catch any attention while escaping the Raft. He didn't look the tidiest as the Raft didn't care about providing its prisoners with anything more than the very basic amount of hygiene. So understandably so, Zemo was looking forward to finally wear good-looking clothes again and to look and smell as a baron is supposed to.

Zemo: "Thank you for getting me out of the Raft. I promise to help you stop the ones spreading the serum."
They then eagerly walk to the car to drive to the hotel.