ghost ★ [b. barnes/winter soldier]

★ FOUR - четыре ★

four - I'm back
четыре - я вернулся

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THE APARTMENT WAS WARM when I got back in the middle of the night, my talk with M going on till about twelve and deciding to hit the hay after wandering the streets till one.

I set my keys down gently before setting my coat, apron, and bag right beside it. I gently rubbed my hands together as I noticed Sam was sleeping on the couch, his body splayed out in a strange position but he seemed to be getting sleep. I gently walked down the small hallway before missing some of the creaks in the floor.

I gently opened my door before shutting it quietly behind me, I turned on the light before rubbing my fingers through my dismembered hair. I thought of everything M had just told me, he was holding a lot of secrets just like me.

I never knew about his other side in life, why had he never told me? I bit my lip, when have I ever told him about my other life? My days before I was taken in? I slapped myself at my selfish behavior, what had he been enduring? Why was I just so self-indulged?

My mind trailed off as I continued to scold and harass myself of all of the mistakes I've made in the past couple of years. I gently stood as I shut my book on my dresser, wondering how I had gotten over to it so fast...

I walked slowly towards the bathroom as I gently opened the door, my mind trailed to M again... why was I so -

I almost screeched when I saw a man sitting in my bathtub taking a bath with all of his clothes. But I noticed how he seemed to be... Sleeping?

His red shirt was completely soaked through, his pants stuck to his body, while the water went up till about his waist. It only covered his legs and a little bit of his chest, but otherwise there was no water above the other half of him.

My heart rate slowed as I noticed that it was mystery man, but why the hell was he in my room? In my bathroom of all places?

I gently took out my phone, checking my texts as I scrolled through Steve and Sam's ranting about who asked me out and so on. I then looked at the second to last one as it said "water shut off in the other bathroom, had to use your's. Hope you don't mind since you're going off with some man, who is it?"

I shut off my phone as I gently grabbed a towel before throwing it over the limp man. His right arm seemed to be healing up nicely since my work. I smiled at the thought as I brought the towel to cover him to warm him up a bit. The water was semi-warm.

"Hey, mystery man?" I called into his ear, his eyes shot open as I saw a glint of silver as a metal hand was wrapped around my throat.

My eyes turned to slits as I immeditly kicked his weakness - his wound on the side of his chest. In a flash, I began twisting his metal arm in an awkward direction, pushing off the wall to get leverage, then moved him back into a head lock all in a swift backflip. I landed softly as the man let out a grown then a quavering breath. He continued to fight against me, his metal arm intermingled between mine so he couldn't use his one weapon.

Sam groggily ran in as his eyes widened three time bigger than usual, he immeditly dropped my kitchen knife before looking at me. "Lane, just drop him."

"Tell him to stop squirming and trying to break free, then I'll decide," I growled as Sam held up his hands in a way to symbolize he meant me no harm. He gently took a step forward.

"Lane, that's Steve's - "

"I'm damn sure aware of that, тупица," I snarled as I noticed how mystery man had froze in my arms. I furrowed my brow as I looked at him then Sam, "что его проблема? What's his problem?"