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Of loyalty and doublecrosses

Spies were always a wild card in the intelligence community. No one never knew where their loyalties lay; did they actually spy for their government, loyal to a fault, did they go rogue? Were they double agents waiting for the right moment to give secrets away? You just never knew. You never wanted to personally know a spy; they knew everything about you before you knew them about yourself, and they'd know the quickest way to get to you, whether it be financial or political gain, or if you indeed did love something more than yourself.

So when one defects from their original directive, it's bad.

There were rumors that she wasn't loyal any more, that she had fallen into rank with someone who wasn't even supposed to exist. It's not that she wasn't ever loyal. She was. She was loyal to those closest to her, but not necessarily the organization. Fury knew that when she was brought on board, that one day she'd end up leaving. No one knew her connection to the ghost, to the one they called Winter Soldier. When SHIELD had found out about him, she was the one who had told Steve what had happened after he had cornered her about it. Keeping secrets was her job. It wasn't relevant at the time. She didn't think he'd ever resurface again.

Then there were the clandestine meetings, figuring out exactly what he remembered versus what she remembered, and then comparing notes. In the end, it didn't really matter what they remembered, it was the fact that they just remembered in general. Remembrance brought loyalty, not to an organization that made them, but to each other. They knew each other too personally to fight, and despite all that, she tried to remain loyal to SHIELD.

Nothing remains loyal forever.

It was a wildshot, but she brought up Steve to him. They were once friends before all of this, before serums and wars and disappearing for years. They were brothers. He was her partner, her friend. She respected him, but most importantly, she trusted him, exactly like she trusted Winter Soldier.

When things were settled and agreed upon, she texted Steve. Downtown highrise, meet me at eight. Things to discuss. Important.

Now all they could do was wait for him to show, if he did.

COLLEGE AU OH SNAP

Steve and Bucky shared a lot of things. They shared a past. They were roomates. They shared books, their classes and sometimes even their food. It wasn't that unusual. They were, and always had been, exceptionally close. But most people drew a line at sharing certain things. Like, say, a girlfriend.

It was a concept that would take getting used to for anyone, even more liberal minds. It wasn't exactly a societal allowance. Taboo beyond the usual extent. Of course, it hadn't actually happened yet. But Bucky was working on that. He wanted Steve involved in his life, and more than that he actually did want Steve. He had been dating Natasha long enough now that he knew she liked him too. He had even approached her with the idea.

The problem now was approaching Steve with the idea.

He had invited Natasha over for Pizza and a night of games, and force-invited Steve to stick around. Maybe this time they could find the right way to approach him about this.