[ normally, having someone up close and in his personal space would feel like a threat — a danger — something to get away from at all costs. but yelena is to be trusted, bucky reminds himself, and something lurches in his chest when she steps so close and he lets her. he rarely gets to be so close to people. so he doesn't tense up, precisely, but he does go even more still and quiet. a watchful predator. ]

It's not just a favour to you, for the record. I don't—

[ bucky exhales. forces himself to say the rest of this. he's not great at opening up, trusting people with these slivers of himself, but it's relevant here and so it's worth saying. why he cares about her mission. ]

A while ago, Baron Zemo cleaned up the last survivors of the Winter Soldier program. Tracked them to where they were in cold storage, and shot them all in their sleep. They were HYDRA volunteers and rotten from the start, so hell, I probably would've had to kill them too — but he took the choice away from us. From them. You, though, you've still got that chance to fix things. Properly.

Anyway. Put it in your back pocket. Keep it in mind. If you guys ever do want an extra pair of hands.

[ phrased carefully, and as if it's a normal everyday project like building a patio. but still. ]