Captain America Bucky Barnes Winter Soldier Steve Rogers Fan Fic - The Constant

Chapter Forty-Three: The Constant & The Winter Soldier - Loyalty

The Constant & The Winter Soldier - Loyalty

You don't realise at first; you just slowly become aware of it.

The Winter Soldier is sitting there humming.

You try not to let your shock show. You have never heard him doing this before.

Glancing at him, you realise that he is not even aware of the fact he is doing it.

He is checking one of his guns, making sure it will do its job with no hitches. The tune is one you heard on the guard's radio and you do not know whether to be pleased or frightened. Perhaps a bit of both. The Winter Soldier has been in cryo-freeze, and all that has been taught to him since coming out this time is his assignment and anything he needs to know about this changing world that could affect it.

That tune is one that they have not played since the last time he was out of cryo. Which means he has brought it with him, it was not removed in the last mind wipe.

He becomes aware of you looking at him and returns your gaze.

"Is something wrong?"

He has stopped humming. Was he even aware that he was doing it?

You shake your head and return to what you are doing; he goes back to checking his weapon, silent now. Your mind is spinning.

He does know he is humming. He wants to see what effect it has on her. Will she tell them?

He wants to test a theory that has been coming together in his mind. She makes no move to leave, or to even make an excuse to leave. He raises his eyes looks at her without her knowledge, and he is sure he can see a smile around her lips.

Leaving for his mission has been delayed for five hours and you are sat in the room you share with the Winter Soldier trying to work, whilst at the same table he is double-checking and cleaning his weapons. You would like to be annoyed, but secretly you are pleased at the extra time you get to spend with him. He has gone quiet. It is just nice to sit and know he is so close.

Until he speaks.

"You don't believe in Hydra, do you?" he asks, although it is not really a question but an observation.

Your blood runs cold.

When he came out of programming he just about remembered who you were, but he has been quiet since and you are aware that you have been catching him looking at you when he doesn't think you will notice.

It has been hard to work him out this time.

You have just watched him clean and reload his gun. He is not looking at you when he asks the question.

Is this a test? Along with his humming the tune?

He finishes up and, still holding the gun, looks at you. The barrel is resting at the level of the table, not actually aimed at you...but close. You can't read what he is thinking, his eyes are blank.

You don't know what to say. You always promised you would not lie to him; he may or may not remember that but you do. So you choose not to say anything and look back at what you are doing.

"I didn't think so," he says and gets up, slots the gun into the back of his trousers. He sits back down again and starts on the next one.

You try to continue with what you are doing and not think about why he asked.

She passed the test, he thinks. I'm right, she is loyal to me...not them. He had thought so but why? They told him she was tarnished but he doesn't believe them. He saw the look in her eyes when he came back to their shared quarters.