Bucky and Sev are so cute it hurts
SORRY I MISSED 2 DAYS OF UPDATES
ALSO I DIDNT KNOW WHAT TO NAME THIS CHAP 💀💀💀

God Nagel yaps SO MUCH.

Tw: mention of self harm

BUCKY STRUMMED HIS FINGERS OVER, tracing the fabric of her shirt. The touch was light, soothing, and unintentional at first. When he realized what he was doing, he didn't stop. The gesture was a silent expression of his heartbreak over her scars and the loneliness she had endured.

As they arrived at the party, Bucky kept a protective hand gripped to hers. The desire to bring her home, to safety, was overwhelming, but he knew that wasn't an option anymore.

They had to stay undercover, blending into the crowd. Occasionally, they nodded their heads to the music, pretending to dance. Sev stifled a laugh watching her dad's awkward attempts at moving to the rhythm. Bucky nudged her playfully.

"I didn't know you could dance," Sev teased.

Bucky gave her a wry smile. "I can't, really. Just trying to blend in."

Sev laughed softly, the sound a small comfort amidst the chaos around them. As they navigated through the throng of people, Bucky's hand suddenly slipped from Sev's, and he immediately panicked. He turned in every direction, searching frantically for his daughter.

Sev felt the panic rising in her chest, but she forced herself to stay as calm as possible. She weaved through the crowd, scanning for any sign of her father. Just as she started to feel overwhelmed, a pair of hands gripped her shoulders from behind.

She gasped, ready to defend herself, but a familiar voice spoke before she could react. "Stay calm and collected," Zemo said, his arms draping around her shoulders in what was meant to be a reassuring gesture.

Sev considered punching him, her muscles tensing with the urge, but she knew she had to maintain their cover. Instead, she took a deep breath and forced herself to stay composed.

"Where's my dad?" she asked, her voice steady despite her nerves.

"He's looking for you," Zemo replied. "Let's find him before he does something rash."

Sev nodded, allowing Zemo to guide her through the crowd. She scanned the room, her eyes darting past the faces of people she would never see again and and the pulsing lights. Finally, she spotted Bucky, his eyes wild with worry as he pushed through the mass of people.

"Dad..." she muttered, speed walking towards him.

Bucky's head snapped in her direction, and relief flooded his face. He quickly closed the distance between them, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Don't scare me like that," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.

"I'm sorry," Sev whispered, hugging him back just as tightly. "I didn't mean to."

Zemo cleared his throat, reminding them of his presence. "We need to stay focused."

Bucky nodded, reluctantly letting go of Sev. "Stay close to me from now on," he instructed, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Understood?"

"Understood..."

Then Sharon walked towards them. Sev sighed. "Hey, I found them."

Sam glanced over at Bucky and Sev. "Here we go."

THEY MADE IT OUT OF SOME PLACE WITH loads of giant shipping containers. Sharon pointed towards one in particular.

"Alright, he's in there, container 4261," Sharon informed them. "I'll keep an eye out while you guys talk to Nagel, but hurry. We're on borrowed time."

Sharon handed each of them earpieces, even Sev. She felt a rush of excitement and inclusion, glad to be included.

As Sharon walked off, the rest of them approached the designated container. Sam was the first to open it, and Bucky and Sam just stood there, staring into the container without moving.

Sev peeked over her dad's shoulder, catching a glimpse of the interior. It was completely empty. "Hey, Sharon, you sure this is the right one? It's completely empty," Sam questioned through his earpiece.

"Positive. It has to be," Sharon replied.

Bucky moved Sev in front of him, making sure nothing could sneak up from behind as they cautiously entered the container. It was indeed empty, or so it seemed.

Sev looked around, scanning the empty space, until she heard a noise. She turned to see Zemo had discovered a hidden door.

Sev's eyes widened with excitement, and she lightly hit her dad's arm. "Secret door! Cool," she whisper-yelled.

Bucky couldn't help but smile at her. Cute.

But now, it was back to business. They moved stealthily through the hidden entrance, like tigers on the prowl. Sev loved tigers.

The sound of unfamiliar music filled the air. Sev found herself behind her dad, which was fine since she wasn't allowed to carry a gun. Bucky, ever the protector, sped ahead of everyone.

When they turned the corner, they found a man working at a lab bench, engrossed in his scientific endeavors. Bucky strode forward and abruptly stopped the record player, plunging the room into silence. The man, Dr. Nagel, spun around, startled.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Nagel demanded.

"We know you created the super soldier serum," Sam stated firmly.

"Get out of my lab," Nagel retorted angrily, attempting to walk away. But he paused when he saw Bucky standing there.

"Hey," Sam said, tightening his grip on the man. "You know who he is, right?"

Nagel's eyes darted between them, recognizing the gravity of the situation. Sam forced him to look over at Zemo. "This is Baron Zemo. I know you've heard of him too."

Sev thought it was her turn to introduce herself. "And I'm Sev," she said, smiling and giving a small wave. Zemo snickered, and Bucky nudged her gently, reminding her to stay serious.

Nagel's eyes landed on Sev, confusion mingled with curiosity in his gaze. "And why would you bring a child to this?"

Sam shoved Nagel, forcing his focus off Sev. He was now pushing Nagel to walk. "You seem like a pretty smart guy." Sam said, pushing him into a wall. "So you better become a conversationalist real quick."

Nagel smirked slyly. "How about a counter proposal? Make me a better offer and I'll talk."

Suddenly, a voice crackled through Sev's earpiece. "Guys, we have company," Sharon said.

Bucky walked past Sev, his movements quick and precise. He grabbed Nagel by the shirt and roughly dragged him over to a chair, pointing a gun to his head. Sev's stomach churned. She hated seeing her dad like this—so aggressive, so far from the man she knew.

"Every bounty hunter in the city is here. We gotta go," Sharon's voice insisted through the earpiece.

Bucky's attention remained fixed on Nagel. "Talk," he demanded.

"But the counter offer—"

Bucky fired a shot close to Nagel's ear, making him jump. "Okay! Okay," Nagel relented, glancing around at everyone. "I was brought into HYDRA to work with the numbered kids program, but before I could, it was canceled for some reason I don't know."

Sev flinched, memories flashing through her mind. She knew why it was canceled, and the thought stung. "Then they stuck me with the Winter Soldier program to pick up their work after the five failed tests in Siberia. When HYDRA fell, I was recruited to the CIA. They had blood samples from an American test subject with semi-stable traces of the serum in his system."

Bucky and Sam exchanged glances. "After much labor, I was able to isolate the necessary compounds in his blood. I...was a god. I did what no other scientist since Erskine was able to do. But mine was going to be different, no clunky machines or jacked-up bodies. Mine was gonna be subtle, optimized, perfect."

"How have we never heard about this?" Sam asked.

"Because..." Nagel continued. "Before I was able to complete my work, I turned to dust. Then when I returned, it was five years later, the program had been abandoned, so I came here. The Power Broker was more than happy to fund my recreation of my work."

"How many vials did you make?" Sam asked.

"Twenty," Nagel responded. "Karli Morgenthau stole those, so...I can only imagine what the Power Broker has planned for that poor girl."

"Where's Karli now?" Sam asked.

"I don't know where she is, but a couple of days ago she called and asked if I could help someone named Donya Madani. Poor woman has tuberculosis, typical in overpopulation and displacement camps like that."

"Well, what happened to her?" Sam pressed.

Nagel shrugged. "Not my pig, not my farm."

Bucky finally spoke. "Is there any serum in this lab?"

When Nagel didn't respond, Bucky shoved the gun into his head. "No," Nagel said finally.

Bucky turned to Sam. "Now what?"

He jerked the gun away from Nagel just as Sharon came running in. "Guys! We're seriously out of time here."

Then bang!

Zemo shot Nagel. Sam screamed, "No!" and grabbed Zemo, holding him back.

Then a bigger bang sent them flying.

The whole room exploded.

Bucky groaned, lifting his head. He turned over, his vision blurry, and panic set in when he couldn't see Sev. He coughed, struggling to get up, weakly crawling. "Sev...?" he called out weakly, his voice raspy.

Then he heard it—a weak, small voice, but it was there. "I'm right here..."

He crawled over to the sound, relief flooding him when he saw Sev already sitting up. Bucky breathed out, relieved, and cupped her face. "Baby? You okay?"

"Yeah..." She had a cut on her brow but seemed otherwise fine.

Bucky stood up, pulling Sev with him. They ran out, taking Sharon and Sam with them, leaving the chaos behind.

SEV DOESN'T KNOW HOW SHE SURVIVED
another mass shootout, but here she was. Back on the plane, Bucky kneeled in front of her, his expression a mixture of worry and relief. He hand his hands gripped onto her chin so she didn't move while he tended to her eyebrow, which she moved a lot.

Then he carefully tended to the cuts and bruises on her arms, his touch gentle despite the tension in his muscles. The antiseptic stung, but she didn't flinch; she was used to the pain by now.

"Hold still," Bucky murmured, his focus entirely on cleaning a particularly nasty gash on her forearm. "This one's deep. Might need stitches when we get back."

Sev nodded, watching him work. His hands were steady, meticulous. She knew he was trying to keep his mind off the chaos they'd just escaped, trying to focus on something he could control. His care for her was the one constant in their tumultuous lives.

Bucky paused, his eyes meeting hers. "You okay, baby?"

She managed a small smile. "Yeah, Dad. Just a little shaken up, but I'll be fine."

He sighed, finishing with the bandage and wrapping it snugly around her arm. "You always say that, but it doesn't make me worry any less."

Sev bit her lip, hesitating before speaking again. "Dad, I've been thinking..."

Bucky looked up, sensing the change in her tone. "What's on your mind, Sev?"

"I...I feel so gross," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "For what I did, I mean. I don't know how to explain it, but it's like I'm ashamed of what I've done to myself. And I don't want you to think less of me, and think I'm just some unstable kid that you're a forced to have."

Bucky's expression softened. He reached out, gently taking her wrist and bringing it to his lips, pressing a tender kiss against the scars.

The kiss lingered.

Bucky closed his eyes.

Then he pulled back and looked up at her with his blue eyes that looked just like hers.

"Sev, listen to me. You are not gross. You're my daughter, and nothing you do will ever make me think less of you. We all have our battles, and sometimes we don't always handle them the way we should. But that doesn't make you any less worthy of love or care."

Sev's eyes filled with tears, and she sniffled. "I just want to be better, Dad. I don't want to feel this way anymore."

Bucky nodded, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I know, baby. And you will get better. We're going to work on it together, okay? One step at a time."

She nodded, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. Bucky pulled his jacket off and draped it over her. "You need to get some sleep," he said softly, tucking the edges of the jacket around her. "Rest, and we'll figure everything out when we land."

Sev leaned into him, her head resting against his shoulder. Bucky's hand gently combed through her hair, the rhythmic motion soothing her. She closed her eyes, exhaustion finally catching up with her.

10 YEARS AGO.

SEV SHIVERED, the cold of the HYDRA facility seeping into her bones. The damp concrete floor was unforgiving, and the thin clothes she wore did little to ward off the chill. She curled up in a corner, trying to make herself as small as possible, her tiny body racked with tremors. The shadows of the dimly lit cell seemed to stretch and grow, whispering fears into her young mind.

Suddenly, the heavy door creaked open, and Sev looked up with wide, fearful eyes. But when she saw her papa, her heart eased a little. He was back from his mission.

He moved quickly, scanning the room for any threats before his gaze landed on her. His expression softened as he approached, kneeling down to her level.

"Hey, my baby," he whispered, his voice a gentle rumble. "You're freezing."

Without a second thought, Bucky shrugged off his jacket, the familiar black leather that had seen him through countless missions and battles. He draped it over Sev's small frame, tucking the edges around her. The jacket, far too big for her, enveloped her like a protective cocoon, its warmth seeping into her skin.

"Better?" he asked, his eyes filled with concern.

Sev nodded, clutching the jacket tightly. It smelled like him, a mix of leather and something uniquely her dad. She felt a strange sense of safety and comfort, despite their dire situation.

Bucky sat down beside her, pulling her close. "You need to stay warm, okay? I can't have you getting sick."

She snuggled into his side, her little body fitting perfectly against his. "Why are they so mean, papa?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Bucky's jaw tightened, but he kept his tone gentle. "They're bad people, Sev. They don't understand. But you don't have to worry. I'm here, and I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

Tears welled up in Sev's eyes. "I'm scared."

"I know, baby. I know." He kissed the top of her head, his heart breaking at the sight of her fear. "But we're going to get out of here. I promise you that."

She nodded again, her small hand clutching the lapel of his jacket. The fabric was worn, with a few scratches and tears, but to her, it was the most precious thing in the world. It was a piece of him, a shield against the darkness that surrounded them.

As the minutes turned into hours, Bucky kept vigil, his arm around Sev, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger. Despite the cold, the hunger, and the fear, having her father close made Sev feel just a little bit braver. She knew as long as Bucky was with her, she had a chance.

"Try to get some sleep," Bucky murmured, stroking her hair. "I'll be right here."

Sev closed her eyes, the sound of his heartbeat steady and reassuring beneath her ear. The jacket, heavy and warm, felt like a promise—a promise that no matter what happened, her dad would always be there to protect her.