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𝑹 𝑼 𝑵 𝑵 𝑰 𝑵 𝑮   𝑰 𝑵  𝑭 𝑬 𝑨 𝑹
❝ 𝚒 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗'𝚝 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜 ❞

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ㅤ𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐋, Phobos was reprimanded. He was forbidden to go back to the mortal world by Zeus. His mother and twin tried to get him out of his room, but he wouldn't budge. He stayed there, for years. He remained somewhat stoic, and barely even acknowledged anyone other than Aphrodite and Deimos. They were all he needed at this point.

Aphrodite was heartbroken the moment she learned of Phobos' situation. She tried, in front of the whole council, to defend her son and that it was his love for the soldier that made him react like that.

But Zeus wouldn't budge, and neither did anyone else, even Ares, who learned long ago not to let emotions cloud his judgment. He voiced that it's better for Phobos to learn his mistake. In shorter terms, the God of Fear was grounded.

For five years, Bucky waited. He waited, constantly gripping tight onto the bullet that made him human. He'd keep it in his person at all times, placing it in his pocket. Every mission, he'd look over his shoulder, expecting the mystery man to appear and tell him how proud he was. But he never came.

And now he was getting ready for another mission: Captain America. It would be just like any other mission. Or at least, that's what he thought, until his mask fell from his face.

As he stood to look at Steve Rogers, the man seemed to falter.

"Bucky?"

"Who the hell is Bucky?"

He raised his arm to finish it when a man swooped in out of nowhere and kicked him to the side. He rolled, before quickly standing up again. His eyes showed his confusion, but his training from HYDRA didn't make him falter and instead raise his arm back up again. But before he could pull the trigger, the red-haired woman shot a rocket  at him so he had to get away. He was gone the second the smoke cleared.

And then he was back in the chair.

At Olympus, Phobos was staring into the distance. He'd gone catatonic and would lash out at anyone and only now did Zeus realize his mistake. The God of the Skies talked to Aphrodite about letting Phobos do what he wanted. Of course, Aphrodite was quick to lash out at him too, saying that it was about time.

As he entered Phobos' temple, he shuddered at the feeling of cold and emptiness. Fear wafted off of Phobos at this point, and anyone who approached him would immediately get visions of their darkest fears. Zeus tried to suppress his groans of pain as thick, black smoke engulfed. Even though Phobos and Deimos were considered minor gods, their powers were some of the most destructive, like their siblings.

Zeus could feel his mind collapsing at the images. Before he yelled out, "Phobos! Stop this! It's about your mortal, please." All at once, the heavy black smoke thinned, and floated still in the air. The king tried not to sigh in relief. "Please, he's in danger."

"Are you toying with me, Lord Zeus?" Phobos' voice echoed. "Are you only using him against me, to make sure I won't harm you?"

"I'm telling the truth," Zeus struggled to stand straight. "I'm no longer going to keep you from him. I can tell that...that if I didn't..."

"You're lying about that. Apollo told you something, didn't he?"

Zeus looked down in shame. "Yes, he told me that if I kept you from him, you'd be the one the kickstart the apocalypse."

"You're selfish!" Phobos suddenly appeared in front of the god, his eyes an eerie black. Zeus tried not to stare at them, but he couldn't, and the images started again. Olympus falling...his children dying...the world collapsing...dust...

"Phobos!" Aphrodite shouted, "please! Bucky is in trouble!"

At the mention of his soldier's name, his eyes shifted and instead met his mother's. "They're going to wipe him, again. I-I've found a solution, darling...please, let Zeus go."

Phobos clenched his jaw, looking down at Zeus who was now kneeling at his feet in pain. The powerful god was at his mercy. He looked up at his mother again, seeing the desperate look in her eyes.

"Please."

He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself, letting the black smoke come back to his body. The crumbling god at his face tried standing up, and Phobos refused to help him. Instead turning to look at his mother.

"How can I help him?" The second he asked that, Zeus stood up and tried to make himself look like he wasn't just in pain. He gave both Phobos and Aphrodite an apologetic look, and an extra thankful look to the latter before speaking.

"I've talked to Morpheus. Apollo told me that the soldier would be wiped again, and if you don't help him, he won't be able to remember anymore," Zeus looked down. "And if he doesn't remember, he would kill Captain America."

"This is where Morpheus comes in," Aphrodite continued. "He'll make the soldier fall asleep, and then he'll help you enter his dreams. You're going to have to help him remember. Will you do that?"

"I'd do whatever I can to help him."

And so as Bucky screamed into his mouthpiece, the strange feeling of exhaustion over took him, and his screaming ceased. Before Pierce even stepped out of the room, he passed out. Pierce turned back and gave the scientists questioning looks, and they all but shrugged.

What they didn't know that Bucky's consciousness drifted right up to Olympus. He was still shirtless, and he could still faintly feel the prickles of the electricity, but it seemed dull and rather painless.

"Sergeant." Bucky's head shot up at the sound of his voice. Bucky couldn't deny that he's missed whoever this well-dressed stranger was.

"You," Bucky softly spoke, looking at Phobos, who stood there wearing another suit. "I haven't seen you in years."

Phobos scoffed with a smile. "Well, I've been grounded, sorry."

It was silent between the two of them for a while, though it was comfortable. The two stared at each other as if they haven't seen in each other in years, which they haven't, so they drank in each other's appearance. Bucky let his mouth twitch upwards for a second, which Phobos didn't miss.

Then Bucky asked, "Are...are you real? Is...is this real? What are you?"

"I can't answer you directly, I'm sorry," Phobos sighed. "I want to tell you the truth, but I can't. Not yet, at least. But yes, I am real, and this is real. My...friend helped me with this. He made you unconscious so you wouldn't really feel the pain, and so that you'll remember."

This made Bucky frown. "Remember what?"

"Who you are." Was all he said.

"That explains nothing, stranger."

Phobos gave a smile in reply.

"I guess I'll have to wait for the truth, yeah?"

"I suppose," Phobos shrugged. "I really do want to tell you the truth though, so I'm going to try and convince them to let me."

"Them?"

Phobos' face hardened ever so slightly, which Bucky noticed. "I can't tell you anything about that either. But I will. I'll force them if I have to."

Bucky frowned when Phobos threw something at him, which he caught. Looking down, he saw that it was the bullet. Noting Bucky's confused face, Phobos explained.

"It fell off when you went tumbling, but I was able to retrieve it. Keep it safe, would you?"

Before Bucky could reply, his vision started becoming hazy. "What's going on?"

"You're waking up," Phobos smiled ruefully. "Don't forget, okay? Remember."

Remember.