Chapter Text
“I’m sorry, but this part seems to be important.” Zemo’s tone that is laced with seriousness, draws Sam and Bucky’s attention. Does he already have a lead on the serum?
“Who is Nakajima?”
Bucky is taken by surprise and then he sees that Zemo has his little book.
Out of pure reaction, Bucky shoots out of his seat and grabs Zemo by the neck with his metal hand.
“Touch that again and I’ll kill you.” Bucky threatens and he can see Sam on the edge of his seat ready to jump in and intervene.
Bucky sits back down and he tucks the book back into his pocket where Zemo picked it out of without him even noticing.
Bucky grinds his teeth as he looks out the window.
Great, now he has a headache too, not just Zemo, but a real one pounding in his head.
Sam quips up about the book and he manages to turn the atmosphere from cold to jovial as the three of them exchange some meaningless banter.
All the while Bucky’s mind is spinning in high gears. No one has seen his book, he told Dr. Raynor, but she never saw it, she never saw the names.
Zemo has seen his book, he has seen the names, he most definitely saw his own name there.
Zemo knows.
He knows.
Bucky feels like he has been caught doing something he is not supposed to be doing and he will be getting a talking to later on.
“James, you will have to become someone that you claim is gone.”
Zemo intently watches James as he breaks the news to him. He is curious to see how he is going to react, and James’ reaction is indeed an interesting one. Instead of lashing out and maybe threatening to take off Zemo’s head, again, James seems to silently accept it.
He can tell that James is not happy about the plan, but it does not seem like he is going to disagree or resist, it is like he has accepted it like he has no other choice.
For a moment hydra’s programming clearly shows itself. If James was truly free and he can choose what he wants to do and does not want to do, then he would then voice his disapproval and put Zemo in his place.
But then again, if James truly was free from it all, then why did James come to him?
Even more so, why did James break him out of jail without him even saying or hinting anything about it?
Zemo feels that same feeling he had in Berlin when the newly activated winter soldier stood before him. Rigid with a dead glare in his eyes.
Ready to comply.
All his to command.
And then just like the winter soldier programming in the red book said, the winter soldier only had one purpose and that was to fulfill Zemo’s orders, his wishes.
When Sam also turns his gaze away, Zemo allows a smile to pass over his face. He is liking this, he is liking this very much and the best is, he did not even plan any of this. James came to him, out of his very own free will. He is right, there is still something in James’ head.
Before they go through to Madripoor, they stop off and Zemo takes them to a place in a shady looking part of town and Zemo knew exactly where he was going, clearly, he is familiar with the place.
When they enter the store, it is immediately apparent that it is a tailor and Bucky immediately makes the connection. The winter soldier is not the winter soldier without the complete outfit and that is when it sinks in for the first time that this is not just some playground game of playing pretend to fool a few people, no, it is going to involve him to truly pretend to be the fully fledged winter soldier once again.
They follow Zemo to the back of the store where he starts talking with a tailor and then he pulls out a phone and shows him something before he turns and points to Sam. Sam squints his eyes in suspicion at this, but Zemo is unfazed.
The tailor then seems to assure Zemo of something before he makes his way around the counter towards Sam.
“Right this way sir.” The man then gestures to Sam to follow him.
Sam gives Zemo a look and then he looks to Bucky.
“It’s fine Sam, I’m watching him.” Bucky assures him that he has his eyes on Zemo.
With one last warning look to Zemo, Sam then turns and follows after the tailor.
“Come.” Zemo walks past Bucky down one of the aisles.
“Where is he taking Sam?” Bucky questions suspiciously, why exactly are they going into the opposite direction?
“He is going to take Sam’s measurements for his outfit.” Zemo explains as he starts peering down aisles apparently looking for something.
“And what, you’re going to take mine?” Bucky asks sarcastically.
“I don’t need to, I already know yours.” Zemo gives Bucky a sly grin and then he makes his way down an aisle to the left.
“We may have to take off a size or maybe two, you have lost quite a bit of weight, are you eating properly James?”
Bucky pulls Zemo an unimpressed face. “Why does it feel like I’m being stalked?” Bucky is himself not sure if that statement was supposed to be sarcastic or not.
In response, Zemo smiles but only to himself as Bucky which is following behind him cannot see it.
“Here we are.”
Bucky looks down the aisle they just entered. Bucky is not surprised, the aisle is all leather wear.
There’s a buzzing sound and then Bucky pulls out his phone and flips it open to look at a message from Dr. Raynor just checking up on him. And just like every other message, he ignores it.
“You know James, I can show you how to use a smart phone. Life will be so much easier.” Zemo speaks as he is going through items on the shelf.
“Hydra didn’t keep me in a 1940’s box.” Bucky shoots back. Hydra kept the winter soldier up to date with the current century and he knows how all the newest technology works.
“This is all I can afford.” Bucky mutters as he flips the phone closed and puts it back into his pocket. He is not even sure why he is bothering to tell Zemo this.
Zemo goes down the next aisle looking at the various items with Bucky following silently behind him not looking at anything or showing any interest at all.
“Here.” Zemo stops, reaches out and pulls a piece of clothing out from the shelf.
“It’s not black.” Bucky flatly states and then a moment later he berates himself. Why did he say that? Why would he say that? Of course, Zemo knows that black was the trademark color of the winter soldier.
“True, but you are no longer Hydra’s, now are you?” Zemo’s tone is suggestive as he turns and takes out another item of clothing to match.
Bucky watches Zemo as he picks out the items. He clearly caught what Zemo was saying, he was insinuating that he now belongs to Zemo.
Bucky clenches his metal fist as a familiar chill runs up his spine. Flashes from Berlin when Zemo used the control words enters his mind.
“James.”
“James.”
Bucky is pulled from his thoughts when Zemo appears in front of him. “You seem to have zoned out there for a moment.” Zemo’s tone has a slight taunt to it but before James can respond, Zemo moves past him.
“Come.”
Bucky stays in the same spot for a moment before he follows after Zemo again back to the counter where the tailor has Sam standing on a box as he is measuring him.
“Please remove the left sleeve on this one.” When the tailor is finished with Sam, Zemo hands him the leather jacket he has picked out for Bucky.
Sam looks over to Bucky and Bucky just glances back not really wanting to get into it. Of course, his metal arm must be visible, it always has been. That is what made the winter soldier special.
Zemo then starts walking into the other direction and without Bucky noticing, he automatically follows after Zemo without Zemo telling him to. Zemo takes a quick glance behind him and sees Bucky short on his heels, he turns back with a smirk on his face.
They come to an aisle that has all different kinds of utility belts for weapons and Zemo starts going through them. Zemo is going all out and if the look of amusement on his face is anything to go by, Bucky would say that Zemo is enjoying himself.
Enjoying himself dressing up the winter soldier as his own.
When Zemo picks up the utility belt he is looking for, Bucky instantly recognizes it.
It is similar to the one he used to wear as the winter soldier. It fits tightly around his shoulders, upper back and upper chest. The one he had back then had a holster for an extra gun on the back, he still remembers it like he wore it just yesterday.
Bucky can feel the tightness of the thing around his chest, back and shoulders by just looking at it.
Bucky never put the harness on or took it off himself. It was always either the doctors, guards or handlers that fastened or removed it for him.
At this moment Bucky wonders if it was maybe made like that on purpose so that he did not forget who he belonged to. Almost like a leash, just not around his neck.
Bucky narrows his eyes at Zemo as he follows him back to the counter, is that what Zemo is trying to do here? Put him on a leash? His leash?
“Will that be all, sir?” The tailor asks as he hands Zemo the packages.
“That will be all.” Zemo smiles warmly at the tailor as he takes the bags and then he turns and heads for the door.
“Hey, aren’t you going to pay?” Sam asks as he watches Zemo leave.
“Not to worry Sam, I’ve got a tab.” Zemo smugly answers and carries on with the two following after him.
Zemo then leads them down the street where they enter another dodgy looking building, this time a hotel. Zemo got them a hotel room for only the day and they will be out by tonight, they only need it to get dressed and set up for tonight.
Bucky went into the restroom first to get changed. The quicker he does it, the quicker it will be over. Bucky pulls on the leather clothes that fits perfectly like a glove. That creepy feeling crawls up Bucky’s spine again at how precisely Zemo knew the sizes. Even about the dropping a size or two. Bucky knows very well that he has lost weight in the last few years, but really, for Zemo to notice it that much and that precise?
The memory from the last time he was in Siberia comes to mind and he can hear Zemo’s voice echo from the blast-safe room.
I studied you, I followed you.
Zemo was talking to Steve, but Bucky feels that every word of that was true about him too.
The bathroom door opens and Bucky steps out. Sam gives him a look and without a word goes in to change.
Sitting down on the couch, Bucky pulls on his boots that are also the perfect size. Bucky then gets up and takes out the utility belt from the bag. He maneuvers it over his shoulders and with some good stretching skills he fastens it. He notes it is not as tight as the one he used to wear back in his hydra days.
“It doesn’t look right.” Zemo tilts his head as he watches Bucky.
“What?” Bucky has not even gotten to asking the details when Zemo has stepped up to him and unfastened the clip on the left. Zemo then pulls it to adjust to a smaller size and then he reattaches it.
“What are you doing?” When Zemo moves over to the right side, Bucky protests. He then moves to push Zemo’s hands away as he steps backwards.
Zemo grips the utility harness by the strap that runs across Bucky’s chest and holds him still, preventing him from moving away. The moment Zemo does that, Bucky freezes where he is. Bucky realizes just how much of a leash this harness really is.
“Stand still James.” Zemo is unfazed as he pulls the right side tighter and reattaches it.
By the time Zemo has unclipped the buckle over Bucky’s chest and is pulling it tighter, Bucky finds himself seemingly frozen on the spot, his arms hanging by his sides just allowing Zemo to do whatever he wants.
Zemo notes that Bucky has that same look on his face from when they were on the plane when Zemo told him that he will have to be the winter soldier for this mission. The look clearly conveys that he is not happy with it, but he is not going to say anything about, he is just going to accept it like he has no other choice.
“That’s better.” Zemo steps away for a moment looking at it and then he takes Bucky by the shoulders and without any resistance, turns him around so that he faces the mirror and can see himself.
He looks different? Maybe? Bucky would not know, it’s not like he ever looked at himself in a mirror when he was the winter soldier.
For some reason, Bucky finds himself wondering if a sight of himself in the mirror would have sparked a memory of who he was, when he was still under Hydra’s control.
Bucky is pulled from his thoughts when Zemo places his hand on Bucky’s upper back and slips his fingers over the back of the utility belt and then grips it firmly. The moment Zemo does that, Bucky can feel how much the belt actually restricts him, like a harness on an animal.
It does not happen at will, perhaps subconsciously, but Bucky suddenly finds himself straightening to stand at attention.
“Now you look like you are properly on a leash.” Zemo smugly states.
Bucky stares back at himself in the mirror. His face is, he would like to believe is expressionless, but he figures that Zemo would argue that point.
Staring at himself in the mirror, dressed up, not like the winter soldier but rather according to Zemo’s liking, with Zemo’s hand on his back, gripping the harness in an open manner – this is all a deliberate show to clearly state that he is Zemo’s soldat and that he belongs to Zemo and that Zemo is in control.
At that moment Bucky clearly feels a connection between himself and Zemo, the connection of handler and asset. He cannot deny it, it is there.
He has to put a stop to it now.
“Zemo you do realize that I can snap your neck like a twig using just my right hand?” Bucky tries to make it sound like he is unfazed by what is happening and that he is not catching the hints that Zemo is throwing around.
“Yes, you can.” Zemo smugly answers as he looks at James in the reflection of the mirror. Zemo’s face appears just over Bucky’s shoulder where he still has a firm grip on the utility harness to emphasize that he will do as he pleases with him.
It is a show of dominance.
“But you won’t.” Zemo adds smugly with a smile to go with it.
Bucky’s eyes flick to Zemo’s in the reflection of the mirror and then quickly looks away.
He looks back at himself then closes his eyes. He prepares himself and then he opens his eyes, and he looks back at a cold, empty stare.
The stare of the winter soldier that is devoid of any emotion.
There is no need to pretend now, only later, but he must. He must hide the whirlwind of emotions that is storming around in him. He cannot let Zemo know.
“Hmm.” Zemo squints as he muses and looks at Bucky in the mirror.
Before Bucky can even think of what to do with the curious gesture, Zemo has lifted his other hand and is raking his fingers through Bucky’s hair rearranging it.
The action catches Bucky off guard and out of pure reaction he ducks his head, and he tries to move away but Zemo keeps him in place, again by the grip he has on the utility harness.
Even though Bucky can just pull Zemo right off his feet with his super soldier strength, Bucky finds himself unable to move further than what Zemo permits him.
Before Bucky can react to the whole situation, the bathroom door opens, and Sam appears.
“Seriously?” Sam’s tone expresses his utter disgust as he looks down at the outfit he has on, not witnessing the interaction between Zemo and Bucky.
Zemo lets go of the utility harness and steps away from Bucky.
“Perfect and just in time. Let’s go.” Zemo simply states without responding to Sam’s complaint.
Bucky looks at his reflection, specifically his hair that Zemo just messed up. In all honesty he now looks more like the winter soldier as his long hair was always in a ruffled state.
The three of them then leave the hotel and Zemo leads them to a long bridge leading to Madripoor.
“We’ve got to do something about this.” Sam exclaims in a very unhappy tone. That is all that Sam has been doing since he stepped out of the restroom, complain non-stop.
For some reason the complaining is starting to irritate Bucky.
At least Sam does not have a horrible past connected to the clothes he is wearing. Sam is much better off.
But with all this going through Bucky’s mind, he says nothing. He does not like it too much, but he will not voice it. And the more Bucky thinks about it, the more he feels like he is back in the winter soldier’s shoes.
Under Hydra’s command he was not given the luxury of choice or feeling and most certainly not the freedom to object, never mind complain about anything. He just had to do it, to the best of his ability. And that is the head space where Bucky finds himself now.
After Zemo shows Sam the picture of the person he is imitating, Sam’s complaining stops.
A car pulls up and before they get in Zemo gives them a last pep talk about playing their parts properly because their lives depend upon it.
Bucky thinks about how difficult it will be for Sam as he does not know anything about this person he is pretending to be. At least Bucky was the winter soldier and knows everything to play his part perfectly. All he must do is be who he was for the majority of his life.
Bucky is silent as he mulls over these things in his head. The most alarming thing however is that he is not feeling as anxious or upset as he thought he would, but for some reason he is calm, collected and ready for this and this is what is scaring him the most.
Please let me know if the gifs are good for the story or just an irritation.