howlingplayground | The Memening... Soulmate/Arranged Marriage Bucky Only

They would be fine. She knows what she's doing, and he's no slouch. They'll be fine.

"You want to trust a hotel?" He asks. He's not sure he does, but that could be the paranoia kicking in. "Might be better to drive through." He knows that they're more likely to be stopped in the middle of the night by a policeman, but, really, it's a bit more dangerous to stop. Especially if they switch cars and plates.

He dips his fries into his milkshake, eating them without thought.

She raised an eyebrow, dropping her voice. "I didn't mean to sleep." Swapping plates wouldn't be a bad idea. But driving through isn't a bad plan, either. She nods. "We can drive in shifts. We'll make good time that way.

His choice of dipping his fries didn't bother her. She'd seen weirder. It seemed so natural, though. She couldn't help but smile. When their server was looking, she dipped one of her fries in his milkshake. For all the world they looked like a happy couple sharing a meal. Popping it into her mouth, she chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "hmm. Not bad."

He frowns. Then shakes his head. "No, not unless we can find another silver one." Meaning something close enough to what they're driving that plate swapping won't raise eyebrows.

She dips her fries. He knows their server is watching and pointedly moves his shake, so she can't dip her fries any more. "Get your own." He says, smirking. "Mine." He can play a part too.

He's even more paranoid than she is. Of course, he's got reason to be. She also has plenty of contacts that can get her a clean car. She's just not sure if any of them are nearby. She nods, "I can make a call and see if I can set something up in advance." Maybe Mason can hook her up.

She laughs and mock pouts at him when he pulls his shake away. "But I like yours."

He's got plenty of reason to be. He knows that, but he wonders if she realizes how open she shouldn't be right now. She has to know.

He nods, better she set something up than they go running about. He knows they can get a clean car in Louisville. If his mind is right, and he has no way of knowing until they're in Louisville. Her dismantling a lot of HYDRA might affect what he can get, but the cash will be there. That he has no doubt of.

He smirks, just a little. "I'm sure you'll get over it." He says, pointedly drinking some of the milkshake.

She knows the playbook. She's also got plenty of tricks up her sleeve to throw them off their scent. Someday those idiots would learn not to fall for her tricks. She was certain that today was not one of those days. The weight of her cell phone in her pocket made her smile. That was a card she was looking forward to playing. All she had to do was wait for it to ring.

In the meantime, she shoots him a amused look, "Party pooper." She sees the waitress smiling out of the corner of her eye. Good. They'll just be a memory of another cute couple on their way somewhere. Nothing more than that.

It's a good thing she knows it. He wouldn't be as open with her, if she didn't. Still, he worries that once they're in Louisville, they'll be in more danger. He wouldn't even stop, but they need funds, a new car, plates, and changes of clothes for him. Then, they can head further west and north.

Bucky smirks at Natalia. "Am I now?" He asks, gently, also noticing the waitress. He holds up his hand. "Can I get another milkshake?" He asks, holding Nat's fingers. The waitress nods and goes to fetch it.

She not only knows the playbook, but she still has all of her Red Room training, and everything she learned in the KGB. The two of them are two of the most well trained and dangerous people in the world. That's why they have to be careful. Thankfully, they're good at that.

Twining her fingers in his, she giggles, crinkling her nose a little. "Well, fine, if you don't want to share." Once the waitress is gone, her face slips back into a mild smirk. "It's nice to work with someone who knows what they're doing."

They're also two of the most wanted people in the world. It's something they both know all too well.

He smirks at her, waiting until the waitress has come and gone again. "I don't like sharing... some things." He says, when the waitress can hear. When she's gone, after bringing the second shake, his smirk grows sly. "Steve usually doesn't know what he's doing." Somehow he knows that. Though, he isn't sure how.

Been there, done that. That's half the fun.

The mention of Steve gets a snort. "He's a terrible liar. And far too good for this life." The fact that he'd mentioned him at all was a good sign. It sounded like he at least had some memory of him, that was an improvement over the Winter Soldier. "He's also not great at subtlety."

They have very different ideas of 'fun'.

He doesn't have memories so much as impressions, thoughts that aren't connected to this, that, or the other thing. He wishes he had full memories. Someone needs to really sit down and work them out, but now isn't the time.

"I..." His brows pull down. "I don't remember." He says, softly. He doesn't remember. Sighing, he finishes his fries.

Not the first time she's been told that.

She nods, understanding. "I can help with some of that." Obviously, she doesn't know his entire history, but she's read the files and talked to Steve enough. That would be a conversation for their drive. Not in public, though.

No, he supposes not.

Definitely a conversation for their drive. That they should start getting ready to get back to. "Want me to drive for a while?" He asks. She's been driving for hours, and he does have directions for the HYDRA safehouse in his mind. It might be easier if he drives, and she rests.

She thinks about it for a moment before nodding. "Sure." It would make sense. Even after eating, it would be better for her to rest some before taking another driving shift. He also knows where they're going.

That decided, she tucks more fully into her meal. Better not to linger too long, after all.

When they're done, he walks with her to let her pay for the meal, having left a decent tip for the nice waitress.

Leaving his hand on the small of her back, he can't help but notice they're getting a little attention from people. Some of the old timers are surprised to see a man so solicitous, a few of the women are checking both of them out, and there's a couple men getting dirty looks from their wives for checking her out.

Once they're outside, he doesn't relax. He doesn't like the openness of the area. Sliding behind the wheel, he starts up the SUV. It's time to get back on the road. "Ready?" He asks, looking at her.

It's impossible not to notice the eyes on them. Natasha feigns ignorance, however. She smiles kindly at the waitress, looking lovingly up at Bucky as they leave. They play the sweet couple roles quite well, actually.

Once they're out the door, her face falls back to her neutral look. She wastes no time getting in the passenger seat. "Ready." Nodding, she angles her body so she can see him better. "So, Sergeant Barnes, what do you want to know?"

They play the couples role almost too well for his comfort. He can't get attached. He can't get close. She's dangerous, but even she can be taken down. Even she can be hurt.

He rubs the back of his neck. "Not really sure," he admits. "And I'm no longer a Sergeant." He points out as he pulls back onto the freeway, headed toward Louisville. They'll reach it in a couple of hours. They blend in with the rest of the traffic headed west.

It is dangerous. She likes dangerous. She also likes putting him off balance. What? It's fun.

She shrugs, "Fair enough." Leaning back, she puts her feet up on the dashboard and looks out the window. "A lot has changed in the past few decades." She muses. Turning her head, she watches his face, "How do you feel? Being out from under someone else's control."

"Feet off the dash." He says, automatically, not knowing he's echoing Steve from not that long ago.

He shakes his head. "I'm not." He doesn't explain though. The codewords are still in his mind, buried there, where some enterprising asshole can find them.

Her eyebrows shoot up. "Deja vu."

She obliges him and lowers her feet, smirking as she turns to look at him again. "No? Well, I'm not going to control you. So at the very least, you're safe here."

He doesn't look at her for the Deja vu comment. He doesn't want to know. He's holding it together and the food and sleep helped, but he's still strung out a bit from before.

"You can't stop them if they try." He points out, sighing. "And I don't want you to. If they do, just run." He knows she won't, but he needs to know she's protected at least a little.

She'll explain later. Maybe.

Raising an eyebrow, she tilts her head at him. "You know that's not going to happen, right? Seriously. He should know her better than that.

She's not good with the explanation part of things, sometimes. He won't hold his breath.

He sighs. "If it happens, you won't be able to stop me. No one will." He says. "They can control me, very, very easily." He doesn't look at her. "And I don't want you hurt."

Sometimes. Maybe she'll feel generous one of these days.

Growing serious, her smile fades. "I know. But I have a better chance than most. Besides... I have a feeling you'd rather be dead than under their control again." She pauses, turning to look out her window. "I would."

He doubts that'll be any time soon.

He would rather be dead than under their control. He'd rather have his head shot out from her, than put his hands on her and hurt her or anyone else. He's done enough damage. "Then promise me this." He says, softly. "You'll drop me and run." He knows she'll understand. He'd rather it be her, than anyone else, because somehow he knows she understands.

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Ignore my lack of icons <3

Always <3

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