Bucky soothes
Zemo walked into the kitchen wearing just a striped long sleeved shirt, unbuttoned. The floor was cool under his feet. The morning sun was streaming in through the windows. It looked like it was going to be a lovely day. He put the kettle on and got out his tea paraphernalia. He felt like ‘Butterfly Pea Flower’ blue tea, and maybe some croissants.
Daniil came wandering in behind him.
“Morning, gorgeous,” he said, wrapping his arms around him from the back, and kissing him on the back of his neck.
Zemo turned and kissed him full on the mouth. James and Sebastián came strolling in, hand in hand, dressed identically in James’ Winter Soldier gear. Odd.
But then the scene glitched… and James and Sebastián were wearing his face. Zemo’s face.
Zemo faltered. Looked at Daniil. But it wasn’t Daniil. It was him. Zemo.
Jamie and Muzzy came in. But where were their ears? Where were their tails? Instead, they too looked exactly like him. What the fuck? He panicked. He couldn’t get his breath.
He ran past them all and out into the hallway, but it wasn’t the hallway, it was a crowded street from his home in Sokovia. Bustling with shoppers, and families, going about their lives. BUT THEY ALL LOOKED LIKE HIM. Every single one of them… male, female, young, old… all with his face, his mannerisms - all him.
Him, him, him. Everywhere he looked.
He knew why. This was all his fault. The clones. The cloning bank.
My God. What had he done??
*
Bucky woke up. Something was wrong. Zemo was struggling on the bed beside him, tossing and turning his head, breath ragged, fighting in his sleep.
He rolled onto his side to face him, his hand hovering over Zemo’s shoulder.
He heard Sebastián subvocalise from down the hall: ‘You ok? Is that Zemo hyperventilating?’
Muzzy was with him: ‘Is he having a nightmare?’
Jamie chipped in from his room: ‘Can we help?’ He was with Daniil, who was fast asleep, oblivious to the conversation going on around him.
‘Should I wake him?’ asked Bucky.
‘I think you can. Bring him out of it.’ Sebastián.
‘Or let him resolve it in his mind?’ Muzzy.
‘Do you need us there? I want to come.’ Jamie.
‘Yes, in a min, please. Just give me a sec. I think I’ll try to wake him.’ Bucky.
‘I’ll make tea, I know just how he likes it.’ Muzz.
‘I’ll bring us all toast.’ Seb.
‘I’ll wake Dani.’ Jamie.
Bucky heard them moving downstairs, gathering in the kitchen. He breathed, and placed his hand lightly on Zemo’s arm. Shook him gently.
“Hel, love, wake up.”
But Zemo wasn’t waking up yet. Still fighting something. Heart racing.
Bucky shook him harder. Zemo lashed out, striking Bucky on the chest, before snapping open his eyes, and taking in a deep breath. He was shaking. Sweating. He stared up at the ceiling for a moment before turning to look at Bucky. His eyes were wild.
Bucky scooched closer and gathered him up in his arms, but Zemo pushed him away. “Not yet, please,” he groaned, sitting up and putting his head in his hands. Zemo got his breath under control, pushed his hands through his hair and turned to Bucky with a small tired smile.
“Thank you, darling. I seem to have had a rough night. I hope I didn’t disturb you too much.”
Bucky rubbed his hand gently up and down Zemo’s back. “You wanna talk about it?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“You sure? It helps to get these things out in the open.”
Zemo leaned back, and turned on his side to face Bucky, lifting his hand to Bucky’s cheek. His voice was sad. “I know exactly what caused this. It is perfectly understandable.”
Bucky turned his head to plant a kiss on Zemo’s palm. “I’m here if you want to talk it through. It doesn’t matter how small, or stupid.”
“I know, dear one. You are so very wonderful.” Zemo leaned forward to kiss Bucky’s nose. “I feel better already.”
“That’s good,” said Bucky, hearing everyone congregating outside, “because the guys were worried.”
Zemo tilted his head and lifted one perfect eyebrow in query.
Bucky shrugged. “Super hearing,” he said, grinning sheepishly.
Zemo sat up, fussed with his covers. “We’d better let them in then.”
He had barely finished when the door opened and BuckyCat ran in to jump on the bed and cuddle up next to him. He looked up at Zemo with his big blue eyes, wrapping his arms around him. “Are you ok, Mo?” he whispered.
“Yes, my love,” said Zemo, kissing his head.
Muzzy followed, delicately carrying a big tray on which was a steaming glass pot of cherry blossom tea, a brown earthenware pot of a generic breakfast tea, a milk jug, a sugar bowl, spoons, cups and saucers.
Sebastián came behind, with a huge platter piled high with hot buttered toast in one hand, and a stack of plates in the other. Daniil brought up the rear, bringing the toaster, more bread, a knife and the tub of butter. “Just in case we didn’t do enough toast,” he mumbled.
They all piled onto the bed, passing round cups of tea and plates of toast, draping themselves all over each other, chatting and munching and distracting Zemo, who tutted good-naturedly at the crumbs all over his bed. Bucky nudged him playfully and rolled his eyes. Everyone laughed.
Zemo ate his toast and drank his tea. He looked around at the beautiful faces slouching all over his bed. He had never felt so loved and supported. He loved them all. He would kill for them. He would die for each and every one of them.
***