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[buckingham barnes]

Ah, the Winter Soldier, the Asset. Bucky only spent a few weeks of his life as that ruthless, brainwashed assassin, and it's managed to affect him to this day. But those few weeks had a significant effect- it left Bucky with a mental manipulation phobia, insomnia, and the fears of relapsing back into that machine. For a long time, Bucky continued to go down a dark path after he got his identity back, but his chest got too heavy with guilt. Now in Sunhaven, he's trying his hardest to live a better life, a second chance. Of course, that had to come with bumps along the road- specifically two relapses. When the first relapse occurred, it left Bucky in shock afterwards- as he thought with months and months of being clean, the soldier wasn't a threat anymore. He was wrong, the Soldier waited until Bucky was comfortable for the perfect moment to strike- que the second relapse!

It's been a few weeks since Bucky had another incident. Buckingham wasn't planning on relapsing back to the Soldier anytime soon. Anytime the Asset takes control, the damage it can inflict is unpredictable. Who knows if it will listen to it's 'handler' or disobey and malfunction. Last relapse, the Soldier dared to question it's handler, and only backed down when it got threatened a severe punishment. Another thought Bucky doesn’t want to think about is that Marina is gone- there’d be no one to keep it under control. While relapsing is one bad thing, an even worse fear of his is getting used as a weapon to harm/kill his clanmates again. He knew that Marina never used the Soldier to hurt others, as if she did, she would’ve violated Bucky in the process. But there are people in this world who do not care about others rights, and would love to get their hands on a living weapon like the Winter Soldier. A loyal soldier that will bring down their enemies, and tear apart the people it once loved.

If Stryker managed to bring out the Soldier, and manipulate it to abandon Sunhaven, Stryker would be set. The Ardent would have an emotionless, cold weapon that wouldn't question why it's being ordered to go against Sunhaven. It would be the first time he got brainwashed into the Winter Soldier all over again- except instead of Ximen, it's Stryker.

Thanks to his enhanced senses, Bucky's nose twitched as Stryker's Pittian scent invaded his nostrils. Immediately the tom stood up with alert, ears pricking as he listened for any movement out of the village. The Warden picked up on quiet paw steps- that someone with regular senses wouldn't pick up at all. But then, the paw steps fell quiet, which was the most concerning. If Stryker was here leading an ambush, what would he be waiting for? Something didn't feel right, Bucky carefully following the scent to the edge of the village. Bucky froze when he noticed he wasn't even out of camp yet, and the scent smelt the most fresh here. Bucky couldn't pick up on more scents- Stryker is alone. Bucky would think that Styrker was stupid not to disguise his scent, but he didn't think of the possibility that Stryker was trying to lure him out, to use him.