Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Zemo isn’t sure what woke him up. He lays in the dark listening for anything out of the ordinary, when a faint whimper floats through the apartment. He’s worried for a moment, Captain is out in the living area. He’d gotten Captain as a guard dog - big and muscular with a mean bark, it takes care of a lot of problems before they start. Still, with their kind of enemies, he needs to check. He palms the gun under his pillow and slips out of his room silently. 

The apartment is lit only by the light coming in the windows from the moon, but it’s enough for him to see. He hears another whimper or a gasp from the living room and moves quietly around the corner, gun ready. 

He’s not sure what he’s seeing at first, but then the scene comes into focus. It seems James has taken to sleeping on the floor again, some remnant of his soldier programming. That’s not terribly unexpected. What is unexpected is seeing Captain standing over him, nosing along James’ bare chest. 

James’ head rolls to the side, and Zemo sees James’ eyes are open just a little, glinting in the light. He’s a little surprised to see James is awake, and he stays back by the wall. James’ muscles are highlighted in the silver light, and the blanket is hanging loosely around his waist. He shifts a little, restless under Captain’s nose on his skin, arching his back a little. The blanket slides off his body, exposing the hard line of his cock in his boxer briefs. 

If James wanted Captain to stop, he would, so Zemo won’t interrupt. Far be it from Zemo to interrupt such an interesting display.

Captain noses along James’ cock, interested in where James is leaking from the tip. James moans at the contact and spreads his legs a little, and Captain steps closer. Zemo sees the shudder that runs through James when Captain licks his cock through the fabric. James moans again, tilting his head back and his pale throat lined in moonlight.

James writhes under Captain’s tongue rasping along the cloth and up to the exposed skin of his belly. Zemo’s surprised when James hooks his thumbs under the waistband and pulls his briefs off, fully naked and spreading his legs wider. The dog takes full advantage, licking around the head of James’ cock where he’s leaking onto his stomach, nosing under his balls and dragging his probably cold nose up the seam. James is getting louder, choked off moans filling the room and Zemo watches his muscles ripple in response to Captain’s attentions. 

He can’t help it, he pads closer and settles into an armchair nearby for a better view. Zemo had heard of some of the secondary uses for the soldier, all rumors he thought, but now he sees the attraction. And the possibilities. Oh, the possibilities . James is gorgeous, begging like this in wrecked noises and panting breaths. Zemo is rock hard and he strokes himself lightly, avidly watching the show. 

James pulls a leg up, opening himself up to Captain who works his tongue lower and across James’ ass. Zemo watches his legs shake as the dog works his tongue across his hole, and Zemo can only imagine what it’s doing to James, that long hot tongue combined with the cold wet nose dragging on the sensitive skin behind his balls. 

Captain huffs a little and whines in frustration and this apparently prompts James to roll over onto his knees, planting his face on the floor and pulling his ass open with both hands. Every time Zemo thinks he’s got a handle on this scene, James takes it to another level. 

James is facing Zemo, and he can see the pleasure running across his face. He can see all the exquisite shivers running through James, all the glistening trails of saliva from Captain running along James’ skin and ass. The beauty of the moonlight with the absolute filth of the scene is striking.

Captain whines a little, looking at Zemo. Zemo whispers “good boy,” to encourage him. Unexpectedly James trembles and moans loudly at the praise, arching his ass up higher. Zemo raises an eyebrow, stores that little reaction away for future use. 

His dog returns to dragging his rough tongue up James’ crack, and Zemo can see when it teases into James’ hole. Every time it rasps across the rim, James’ bucks up into the sensation and Zemo can see his fingers tightening on his ass to the point of bruising. His cock is rock hard and leaking between his legs, and Zemo wonders if he’s going to come untouched just on a dog’s tongue. 

The way James is thrusting back into Captain encourages the dog, and he mounts the supersoldier to thrust wildly at James’ hole, missing a few times before the tip catches and he rams it in, wrenching a whine from James. The uncoordinated humping drives James wild, writhing and moaning like a whore under the dog. It’s incredible to watch, and the sight of Captain forcing his swelling knot into James' wrecked hole is enough to make Zemo come all over himself. 

He sees the exact moment James fully wakes up. His silver blue eyes fly open and look of confusion bleeding into horror on his face as he realizes what's happening. His cock is hanging hard between his legs, dripping onto the floor under his chest. It takes one last movement from Captain grinding his knot across James’ prostate and Zemo can see the orgasm take James by surprise, his back arching and muscles locking as he comes all over the floor with his ass stretched open on Captain’s knot. 

He locks eyes with Zemo, panting, still firmly tied to Captain.

“What…Zemo?” he pleads helplessly.

Chapter Text

The next few weeks are absolute torture for Bucky. He watches Zemo like a hawk waiting for him to do something, anything , but he doesn’t. The morning after that night, Zemo is completely normal. There’s no acknowledgement of what he saw, of what Bucky did, of how Bucky got off to being fucked by a dog. No sly looks or comments, just his usual snarkiness. 

Zemo continues like that and it’s driving Bucky mad. He’s stretched thin with stress waiting for the moment Zemo uses this against him, exposes him for the fucked up thing HYDRA made him. He tries to stop thinking about it, tries so hard to forget how good it felt to finally come. He hasn’t even been able to get hard, let alone get off since he escaped HYDRA. 

He hates being touched and shies away from human contact. It’s too painful. Yet under Captain he felt…safe. He hates knowing that, hates how nice it felt, hates himself for being so goddamn fucked up. 

Sam comes back from his Captain America business. Seeing him again, such a wholesome good person makes Bucky spiral even more inside. Bucky wishes he could be good enough for someone like Sam. He isn’t though and could never be. He doesn’t want to contaminate Sam with his existence. He can’t even be touched without flinching. He wishes he could be normal. 

Bucky sees Zemo watching their interactions, the way Bucky is tense and snappish. He’s always watching. But he still doesn’t say anything, never even hints at anything around Sam or Bucky. Even when they’re alone, he’s completely unaffected. It makes it worse somehow. Zemo knows his shame and pities him enough to not use it. How much lower can he get if Zemo of all people won’t use something against him? 

It comes to a head for Bucky when Sam leaves for yet another something demanding Captain America. It’s just Bucky and Zemo, and he waits to see what Zemo will do or say to him.

The answer is nothing. Zemo does nothing . 

It only takes a couple of days for Bucky to snap from the stress. Zemo is sitting in a chair in the living room - that armchair, Bucky can’t help but think, desperately wishing he could forget - reading a book and drinking some of his excessively fancy tea. He hates the way the memory of Zemo watching him on the floor from that fucking chair sends heat shooting down his spine, makes him get a little hard for the first time in weeks.

He sees Captain relaxing in sunlight near the chair and he swallows heavily. The exact spot. He needs to stop thinking about this but the reminders are everywhere. He can’t handle the suspense any longer and stalks over to Zemo, slamming his hands down on the arms of the chair and looming over him. 

“Can I help you, James?” Zemo asks calmly, completely unperturbed. 

“What do you want ?” Bucky demands.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” the baron replies, sipping his tea. “I don’t want anything from you.”

“Liar,” Bucky spits. “You saw…you saw. What do you want from me?”

“I’m not sure what you mean, James. Surely you want me to forget what I saw and not speak of it?” Zemo says placidly. “I thought that would be what you wanted.”

Bucky growls. He doesn’t understand what game Zemo is playing and his hands tighten on the arms of the chair. 

“Were you hoping to discuss it?” Zemo asks, closing his book finally. “Did you need to unburden yourself for your reactions? It’s understandable, to react so strongly to a friendly touch after so long of only abuse and pain at the hands of humans.” 

Zemo pats his hand, and Bucky can’t suppress his flinch at the gentle contact. Zemo tilts his head and Bucky knows he’s been caught out.

“Do you need someone to give you permission, James? To tell you I won’t judge you for your needs?” 

Bucky stands back from where he’s been leaning over Zemo and scrubs a hand across his face. He knows Zemo is up to something, but he just can’t keep up.

“Was that the first time you’ve been able to get hard? Tell me, James, what was it that made you feel so good?”

Bucky is shocked by the bald statement and he panics, wondering how Zemo knows that. Does he know how much Bucky has struggled to do anything to even react to touch? His tone is calm and persuasive, inviting Bucky to confide in him and Bucky knows it’s a terrible idea, an absolutely horrible idea to give Zemo any more power over him, but it’s too tempting. Zemo already knows and he needs to get it out. 

“Yes,” he grinds out eventually, not looking at Zemo. He doesn’t know why it was so good, only that he’s never come so hard in his life. “I don’t know.”

“You see yourself as an animal, the attack dog HYDRA made you. It’s not surprising you would relate better to Captain than someone like Sam,” Zemo says calmly, like he didn’t just wreck Bucky’s entire world. “Sam is…well, Sam is Captain America, he wouldn’t understand what you need.”

Bucky feels the familiar flush of shame at hearing that. He’d already known he wasn’t good enough for Sam, but it’s still painful to hear someone confirm it. He hates how right Zemo is even more. He can’t deny that he feels subhuman. Zemo doesn’t seem to judge him at all though, and that’s a little comforting. 

“Would it help you if I took control for a time? Perhaps I can help you with this. Sam need never know,” Zemo assures him, and somehow that makes it worse. 

“I…okay,” Bucky says, the lure of feeling good again too much for him to resist. The draw of not having to think and just follow orders. Sam won’t know. Zemo already knows, what’s one more thing? 

“Strip,” Zemo says. 

Bucky pulls off his clothes, folding them neatly when Zemo shoots him a look. He hesitates, standing naked in the middle of the living room in front of Zemo. Zemo looks only mildly interested as he looks over Bucky’s body, and his book is still in his hands. He can see that Zemo is hard in his slacks, but it doesn’t seem to phase the baron at all. Somehow the disinterest doesn’t make Bucky angry, it makes him want to perform more and show off for his handler. No, not a handler. He doesn’t have a handler anymore, even if Zemo is temporarily giving him orders. 

“Kneel. Knees apart, hands behind your back,” Zemo orders, nodding to the space between his spread legs. 

Bucky complies with embarrassing speed. He’s only half hard, but he hates knowing it’s because Captain is in the room and maybe watching. He’s getting hard from the idea of the dog just fucking watching . Zemo pulls his dick out and Bucky doesn’t need to be told what to do. This is something he knows and he knows he’s good at. He leans forward against Zemo’s thighs and teases around the head with his tongue before sliding his mouth over it. 

He tries not to think about how much he missed this. The simplicity of pleasing a handler, and at least he knows Zemo isn’t going to hurt him like his previous handlers. He takes Zemo’s cock deep into his mouth, sliding his tongue along the shaft and teasing at the vein running along the underside. 

Bucky wants to take him apart and prove he’s good at this, and he takes Zemo down to the root, leaning forward to push his nose into Zemo’s skin and swallowing around him. The only thing he gets out of Zemo is a slight hitch in his breathing, and it makes Bucky want to double down on his efforts. 

Zemo lays a hand on Bucky’s head, still just watching him. Bucky makes it wet and messy, drool sliding out around Zemo’s length as he slides his mouth up and down. The touch of Zemo’s hand along Bucky’s cheek pressing in to feel his cock moving inside Bucky’s mouth spurs him on. He pulls off until only the head of Zemo’s cock is in his mouth, letting his lips stretch obscenely around it and wraps his tongue around the sensitive skin tip, dipping into the slit. He’s rewarded with another hitched breath from Zemo, but it frustrates him that he can’t get more of a reaction.

Zemo nudges between his legs with one of his feet, making a dissatisfied noise when he finds Bucky mostly soft. He clicks his tongue. “Captain,” he calls. The dog gets up and immediately walks over to hang his head over the arm of the chair. “Good boy,” Zemo purrs, stroking Captains head. Bucky feels a traitorous surge of jealousy at the way Zemo is petting the dog, but not him . He looks up and Zemo is watching him. He flushes and looks back down, knowing Zemo probably read his thoughts on his face. 

Zemo taps his foot between Bucky’s legs, directing the dog's attention down. The thought alone is enough to have him instantly rock hard and leaking and he feels the flush of shame rising on his face. The serum always made him leak more than he used to, but now he’s soaking himself in anticipation. He wants to die a little, but he wants to feel that rough tongue rasping across his dick even more. Zemo’s foot pushes against one of Bucky’s legs, and he scoots back a little, arching his back and moaning at the realization that he’s making more space for the dog between his spread legs. 

Captain immediately zeroes in on his dick, nudging it with his cold nose and making Bucky shiver. He tries to keep focusing on the cock in his mouth, but it’s so hard when all he wants is to revel in the feeling of actual pleasure. He scrunches his eyes shut to force down the awareness of what it takes to get him hard like this and tries to focus on the feeling instead. The drag of the long wet tongue along his sensitive skin, the way it wraps around and flicks the head of his cock drags a whine out of him. 

He can’t help the aborted little thrusts his hips make into Captain’s tongue or the way he arches to get more contact. He chokes on Zemo’s cock on accident when he’s distracted by the dog, and meets Zemo’s eyes. Zemo looks more than pleased, that little tilted smirk in the corner of his mouth. He can’t see what Captain is doing because Bucky’s body is in the way, but Bucky’s sure he can guess. He moans again imagining what he looks like, flushed and teary and mouth open for his handlers cock, desperate to get fucked by a dog . The absolute wrongness of it only turns him on more and his cock jumps in response. 

Bucky is already so close to coming and it’s been barely any time at all. He hates it. He loves it. His head is spinning and it only takes a graze of Captain’s teeth along his cock to have him convulsing and coming as hard as he had that night. He groans along Zemo’s length, his hypersensitivity after coming making him shake under Captain’s tongue as the dog cleans the come off his dick and the floor. He sinks down on Zemo’s dick without thought, and the next groan the dog wrenches out of him makes Zemo come suddenly deep in his throat and he swallows it automatically. 

He pulls off Zemo’s dick and sits back on his heels panting. He waits for Zemo to tell him what to do, maybe praise him and tell him he did well. Zemo tucks himself away, looking entirely unruffled. 

“Surely you want to repay Captain for making you feel good? He took care of you,” Zemo says, gesturing at the dog.

Bucky looks over and sees that Captain is definitely still excited. He hesitates, but Zemo has a point. He looks back at Zemo uncertainty, and Zemo just raises his eyebrows expectantly. 

“Don’t be rude, James,” he chides, and that faint tone of disapproval pushes Bucky into action. 

He sits up and reaches out under Captain’s belly to where the angry red erection is, wrapping his hand around it loosely. Captain whines and hunches forward into the touch. Zemo nudges Bucky with his foot, and Bucky tightens his hand around Captain’s dick, stroking it more firmly. He remembers how this felt inside him and seeing it makes him drool and start to get hard again. Zemo wants him to jerk Captain off though, not let him fuck Bucky again, so that’s what he’s going to do.

Captain humps Bucky’s fist in sharp jerky movements and it doesn’t take long for the dog to come all over Bucky’s fist and the floor. The swelling of his knot at the base of his dick has Bucky swallowing heavily at the sight and he fists it, drawing more cum out of the dog. Eventually Captain is satisfied and his dick softens and retracts. The dog licks Bucky’s face and wanders back to his sunspot, flopping down with a sigh. 

Zemo looks pleased and Bucky basks in his approval.

“You’ve made a mess, James. Clean it up,” Zemo scolds with an amused curl to his mouth. 

Bucky looks at his hand and the floor where the cum is pooling. He slowly raises his hand to his mouth and licks it off, enjoying the way Zemo sits forward and watches with darkened eyes. Once his hand is clean, he drops to his hands and knees to lick the floor clean. The taste of it and the memory of how it felt to reward Captain is all he can think about and he gets hard again. He can’t stop thinking about how he’s bent over licking the floor like he was for Captain that night, and how safe he felt under the heavy weight of the dog.

He sits up again once he’s polished the floor clean, licking the last of the cum off his lips and waiting for Zemo’s orders. Zemo smiles again and pats the side of his leg, beckoning Bucky over. Bucky crawls over and kneels by his leg, leaning against it. 

“You were so good, James,” Zemo purrs. “Perfect for me.” He pets Bucky’s hair gently, stroking him like he was petting Captain earlier. “Relax, I’ll take care of you. No one else need know.”

The praise and soft touches have Bucky melting into the contact and he rubs his nose against Zemo. A bubble of happiness rises in his chest. He’s finally been good again, it’s been so long since someone told him he was good . The way Zemo’s voice curls around his name and his accent caresses it settles something in him. It makes Bucky feel like he matters to Zemo in some way. Zemo already knows his past and accepts him just the way he is. Bucky doesn’t have to pretend for him. 

Zemo strokes his hair absentmindedly while he reads. Bucky stays naked and kneeling at his side, leaning his head against Zemo’s thighs with his eyes slipping closed. He knows this isn’t right, he knows he shouldn’t be doing this, but it feels so wonderful. It feels so good to stop thinking and making decisions and to just be happy for once. He buries the little voice that’s telling him to get up and run before he loses himself entirely. It won’t matter if he stays here at Zemo’s feet just a little longer.

Chapter Text

Bucky struggles to stay focused over the next few days. He knows he’s being more surly and withdrawn than usual, but he can’t help it. There’s too many thoughts spinning around his head about what he’s doing with Zemo and he’s confused about it all. It feels so right and so good, but a part of him still knows it has to be wrong and he shouldn’t want this as much as he does. 

He told Raynor that he wanted peace most of all. He doesn’t think anyone, especially her, expected him to find that peace sitting at Zemo’s feet. Bucky struggles to hold onto the thoughts of this being a bad thing. Zemo isn’t cruel to him at all. In fact, Zemo’s the only one who’s truly kind to him at this point, even knowing all of Bucky’s darkest secrets. In spite of knowing what Bucky craves and needs, Zemo is still supportive of him. Zemo helps him, Zemo doesn’t judge him. Bucky knows no one else would be accepting of him like this. 

He feels guilty questioning Zemo even in his own head. Sure, Zemo has always been manipulative and absolutely stores up information as blackmail, but Bucky feels like this secret isn’t going to be used as leverage. Zemo’s never made any allusions to it. He could threaten Bucky to do anything at this point to keep his secrets, but the only thing he does is snark at him and Sam like usual. 

All Bucky wants to do is drop at Zemo’s feet and beg him to take control and make Bucky feel whole again. He wants to give himself up entirely to Zemo, but he knows he shouldn’t. Sam wouldn’t like it and it’d be so bad if Sam found out. He hates the way he’s so tense around Sam now. It feels like his fucked up needs are branded on his forehead and it’s only a matter of time until Sam finds out and leaves Bucky too. 

Zemo still snarks at both of them with his little snide remarks and head tilt, though he seems to take extra pleasure in poking at Sam lately. 

“Ah, we are graced with the noble Captain’s presence,” Zemo says grandly one morning. “How is it you are so patriotic Samuel, after everything your country has done?”

Sam rolls his eyes at Zemo. “Whatever, man.”

“I did anything for my Sokovia, but you, still so pure. Don’t you think, James? Samuel is such a paragon of good qualities. Unlike myself, I suppose.” Zemo looks more smug than anything at that. 

“What’s got into him today?” Sam asks Bucky. “He’s more of an asshole than usual.”

Bucky shrugs, a little uneasy with Zemo’s comments about Sam’s military past. Zemo’s right, Sam has a clean background and he always tries to do the right thing. Sam’s so much like Steve. So much unlike Bucky. 

“Simply trying to figure you out, dear Samuel. One needs to know what one’s teammates are willing to do. It would be very inconvenient if you hesitated to strike when we are in danger after all. I of course have no such troubles, but I suspect you have always struggled with such actions.” Zemo pretends to think, tapping one long finger on his lips. “Do all the people you’ve killed still haunt you, Samuel? Does it hurt you to add another face to your nightmares every time you kill again?”

“Shut up Zemo,” Sam says with a glare. 

Zemo smirks and brushes some invisible lint off his robe. “Well, not all of us can have such…moral strength.” He says the last words with a hint of mockery. “How lucky not all of us suffer from such an overburdening of righteousness. Don’t you think, James?”

Bucky pretends to ignore him, but Zemo’s words sink into him and he can feel the barbs hook deep. Zemo was talking about Sam, but Bucky can’t help and compare himself to Sam. Zemo’s right on all counts, Sam is just such a good person. Bucky doesn’t truly hesitate to kill anymore. He pretends that he’s following Dr. Raynor’s rules or whatever, but he doesn’t actually buy into them. They’re just a shield to hold up to the world, part of his person suit so no one looks too closely at the way he’s still made of jagged edges and put together wrong. 

He never told anyone but he never did feel bad, not even back in the war. He feels a little broken knowing that he should care, but he still can’t make himself feel anything for all the people he’s killed. He can’t even blame HYDRA for this one. Maybe that’s what Zola saw in him in the factory. Bucky was already a killer, they just needed to point him in the direction they wanted. Bucky feels a little piece of himself wither inside. He’s been lying to himself to believe - even the smallest amount - that he’s anything but a killer. 

Zemo isn’t bothered by Bucky’s history though. He’s the only one who hasn’t batted an eye despite knowing Bucky’s very extensive record. Everyone else flinches just a little when they realize who he is. Even when Zemo used him to take down the Avengers it wasn’t about anything Bucky did, he was just a tool. From what Zemo’s implied, he’s done just as much killing as Bucky but in his full right mind. It’s inexplicably soothing to know Zemo is completely unapologetic about everything he’s done. 

Zemo pats his shoulder as he walks into the kitchen and Bucky can’t suppress his instinctive flinch. Zemo pauses and tilts his head. The mild look of disappointment on Zemo’s face sends daggers of guilt and shame through Bucky. Why is he like this? Why can’t he handle a friendly touch from Zemo who supports him and doesn’t want anything from him? Zemo is as safe as it gets for Bucky. 

“Sorry,” he mutters, hanging his head and not looking at Zemo. He scolds himself for reacting so negatively, and tries to fix in his head that Zemo is safe . Zemo nods and walks around him without touching him again. Bucky feels both grateful and guilty. 

Much like the last time Sam went on a solo trip, it only takes a few days for Bucky to break. This time it’s not from the stress and anger of not knowing what Zemo wants. This time, it’s because Bucky needs and Zemo is the only person who can help him. 

He doesn’t know how to approach Zemo. What would he say or ask for? The burn of humiliation heats his face at imagining it. He fidgets restlessly and paces the apartment, while Zemo ignores him as usual. 

Bucky’s internal tension finally breaks and he goes for the one way he can think of that would make it clear to Zemo what he wants from him. He strips and kneels at Zemo’s feet where he’s sitting at the table. 

“Can I help you, James?” Zemo asks, not looking up from his book. 

Bucky fidgets on his knees, the familiar flush of shame and desire rising on his face. He can’t make his mouth form the words. Zemo absently pats the top of Bucky’s head, and that’s enough to snap Bucky out of his paralysis. 

“Please,” he begs. “I need…” 

“Surely you don’t need me for that,” Zemo says. “Captain would be eager enough, hmm?”

Bucky can’t explain why that isn’t enough. He just knows he needs Zemo too.

“I need, I,” he stammers. “You. Please.” 

That gets Zemo’s attention at last. He looks down at Bucky with a raised eyebrow. 

“I can’t do this without you,” he manages at last, looking up to meet Zemo’s eyes. “Help me. Please.” He feels impossibly fragile and on the verge of shattering, tears collecting in the corners of his eyes. Zemo reaches down and gently strokes his thumb under one of Bucky’s eyes, and Bucky leans into the soft contact. His mind quiets under Zemo’s touch. 

“If that’s what you need, James,” Zemo says with a small smile. “I will always help you”

Bucky is suffused with gratitude for Zemo’s understanding. The tension bleeds out of him and he feels relaxed for the first time in days. For the first time since the last time he was at Zemo’s feet. It’s such a relief to hand over his entire self to Zemo. He doesn’t have to be a person right now, not when Zemo is here. 

Zemo closes his book and stands from his chair. “Come,” he orders with a snap of his fingers and walks towards his room. Bucky hesitates, and then crawls after him. The floor is cold and hard under his knees but he knows how to be good and heel. 

Zemo’s bedroom is as opulent as Bucky would have expected. He gestures Bucky over to the side, moving an armchair towards the foot of the bed. Bucky’s not sure where to go, so he sits on his heels next to the bed, looking up at Zemo for instruction. 

Zemo smiles, pleased with his obedience. He pulls a bottle of lube out of the nightstand and drops it next to Bucky. 

“Lean on the bed,” he instructs. 

Bucky complies immediately, knees staying on the soft rug and leaning his forearms against the side of the bed. 

“Use the lube, open yourself up. We don’t want you to get wrecked like you did last time, hmm?” Zemo says, settling into the chair near Bucky.

Bucky reaches for the lube and goes to pour it on his fingers.

“No, use your metal one,” Zemo instructs. 

Bucky obediently switches and gets his metal fingers slick and wet with lube before dropping the bottle on the floor. He reaches behind himself, spreading his knees a little more for better access. The way Zemo’s dark eyes are watching him intently makes him want to put on a show for Zemo. He arches his back a little more, circling his fingers around his rim and teasing himself. He slides one cool finger inside himself and gasps at the sensation. 

“Let me hear you, James,” Zemo says. “I want to hear all those gorgeous noises you make.”

Bucky blushes and stops choking back the sounds he’s making, letting a moan out at the way the metal finger feels dragging across his rim. He’s needed this so much, and knowing that Zemo is taking care of him is enough to get him hard. Zemo knows what he needs, Bucky doesn’t have to think about it. He just has to be good for Zemo.

“Look at you,” Zemo says, admiration shining in his voice. “Look how good you are for me.”

He can’t help the way the praise and affection runs through his body. He slides a second finger inside himself, working his hole open and slick, letting his groans fill the room for Zemo. He fits a third finger inside himself, relishing in the burn and stretch. 

“It’s lucky I’m here for you, I can help you get what you need,” Zemo says thoughtfully. He’s still relaxed in his chair, but Bucky can see how hard he is in his slacks. “All I want is for you to feel good, James.” 

Bucky is grateful for Zemo’s support. He could find Bucky disgusting or use this as blackmail or any number of terrible things, but instead Zemo helps him. He doesn’t know where he’d be at this point without Zemo. Undoubtedly lost and miserable, not knowing how to find peace. 

“I’m sure this is so much better for you than what you’ve experienced in the past. I’ve read documents from your time in HYDRA,” Zemo muses. 

A cold feeling rushes through Bucky at the reminder of what HYDRA did to him and he freezes. The pain and horror of those times rise to the surface and he feels like he’s drowning in the memories. 

Zemo snaps his fingers, yanking Bucky out of his head. “That’s the past, James. I will take care of you now. This feels good, does it not?” 

Bucky relaxes again immediately at Zemo’s words. He’s right, HYDRA is the past. Nothing Zemo has done has hurt or damaged Bucky, he’s only helped Bucky feel good. 

“That’s better,” Zemo praises. “You’re mine to protect.” Bucky nods immediately, and Zemo smiles again at his agreement. The promises of care spoken in that soft accent curls around Bucky’s heart and wraps him in a warm feeling of safety. 

“Good boy. I think you deserve a reward.” Zemo gets up and opens the door of the bedroom, calling for Captain who trots into the room and Zemo swings the door shut behind the dog.

“Have you prepared yourself sufficiently, James?” Zemo asks, standing behind him with Captain sitting at his feet.  

Bucky shivers in anticipation and works a little more lube into himself with three fingers. He remembers the dry drag of last time. The edge of pain felt amazing but he doesn’t want to be distracted by it this time. He nods at Zemo over his shoulder once he’s ready. He arches his ass up a little more, trying to please Zemo with the sight of his black and gold metal fingers slick and buried inside his hole. Zemo’s mouth curls in an appreciative smirk at the show. Bucky can tell Captain is already excited too, the dog is quick on the uptake when presented with an ass he’s fucked before. 

“You’ll be a good boy and let your Captain mount you, right, James? A good sergeant wouldn’t let his captain down,” Zemo coaxes, and Bucky instinctively widens his knees even more, heat running down his chest at how much he wants this. His dick is rock hard and he’s pretty sure he’s going to come at the slightest touch with how keyed up he is. 

Zemo leaves Captain sitting behind Bucky and sits back in his armchair. Zemo clicks his tongue and Captain jumps up, mounting Bucky immediately. The feeling of Captains dick jabbing against his ass and finally driving into his slick and stretched hole is enough to make Bucky come with a choked scream, striping the floor and his own chest. 

“James,” Zemo breathes, awestruck. It’s clear he wasn’t expecting Bucky to go off like a rocket at the first thrust either. Bucky is still diamond hard thanks to the serum and he’s pretty sure he’s going to come again before this is over.

“Eyes on me James, show me your face,” Zemo orders. Bucky immediately complies, opening his eyes to watch Zemo. Zemo is leaning forward in his chair, clearly aroused with his mouth parted slightly as he watches Bucky. 

Captain finds the right leverage and fucks Bucky’s hole with sharp jerks of his hips, punching groans out of Bucky. It feels so good to be stuffed full and used like this. He didn’t get to enjoy it the first time when he was asleep, and he’s reveling in the feeling of it. There’s no pain, it’s all just pure pleasure at being taken. 

"What would your beloved Captain think of you doing such a thing? He'd leave you like everyone else. Like Steve,” Zemo muses, eyes bright and face flushed with arousal. 

Bucky starts to panic, his breath shortening and eyes widening before Zemo continues.

“Samuel won’t ever know,” Zemo reassures him. “I wouldn’t want him to take this away from you. People like Captain America don’t understand people like you and me. You just have different needs James, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Zemo’s words relax Bucky again. He’s right. Zemo’s always right. Sam and Steve would never understand, Bucky’s too different. Zemo’s the same kind of different that Bucky is, he understands. 

Bucky’s distracted from his thoughts and fears by the feeling of Captain’s knot swelling. He moans, thrusting back against it, desperate to get it inside of him. Captain humps him harder to force it past Bucky’s fucked-out rim and feeling it swell inside him has Bucky writhing under the dog’s weight. He reaches back to wind his hand in Captain’s fur, pulling the dog even tighter against his ass and clenching around the swelling knot. 

Captain’s knot is huge and he can feel it grinding against his prostate, he clenches down even hard around the sensation of Captain filling his ass with cum like he’s a bitch in heat. The thought and sensations have him coming for a second time, so hard his vision greys out a little. 

Captain dismounts from him but his knot is still firmly lodged in Bucky’s hole. The swell of the knot tugs on his rim and he sobs at the way it pulls at him. He’s locked to the dog for as long as it takes Captain’s knot to go down, and he’s not sure he isn’t going to come again right now. He blinks tears away from his eyes to see Zemo enraptured by the scene Bucky is making right now. 

The repeated tugging against his rim and the way it drags the knot across his sensitive insides has him coming helplessly again. He hasn’t felt pleasure like this in …ever. Nothing’s ever felt this good, being admired by Zemo, being praised by Zemo, being used the way he was meant to be. The knowledge that Zemo is and will protect him. Bucky’s floating in a bubble of happiness. 

After some time, he feels Captain’s knot beginning to deflate and he’s a little disappointed even though he already got off three times. The dog pulls his dick out of Bucky’s hole before the knot is totally down, dragging a pained gasp from Bucky at the stretch. Captain wanders off, leaving Bucky leaning against the bed and gasping for breath. 

Zemo circles behind Bucky, looking him over like a precious work of art. Bucky watches him over his shoulder, reveling in the way Zemo seems mesmerized by the way he looks. He can feel cum dripping out of his wrecked hole, the way he’s still a little open from the sheer size of the knot. 

“Look at you,” Zemo murmurs. “Beautiful.” 

He finally pulls his cock out and Bucky reaches back to pull himself open wider for Zemo. Zemo strokes his free hand along Bucky’s skin reverently, his breathing getting heavier as he strokes himself to completion, coming all over Bucky’s ass. He uses a couple fingers to gather up his cum that’s mixed with Captains and feeds it back into Bucky who moans at the feeling. He feels claimed . Zemo is making Bucky his . 

“You’re mine, James.” Zemo purrs. 

“Yours,” Bucky agrees, feeling boneless with pleasure. 

Zemo disappears into the bathroom, returning with a damp washcloth. He gently cleans Bucky up, wiping the cum leaking down his legs. He strokes Bucky’s side with his other hand, petting him lightly and Bucky is riding high on all the feelings. 

“What else do you need, James?”

Bucky struggles to bring his brain back online. “I, um…” he tries to scramble his thoughts together. “Will you …pet me?” he asks hesitantly. 

“Of course,” Zemo says with a smile. “Put these on.” He tosses a pair of extremely soft pants at Bucky. “Come sit with me on the couch when you’re decent.” Zemo heads out of the room and Captain follows him, leaving Bucky to struggle to get his weak legs through the pants. 

He gets out into the living room where Zemo is sitting on one side of the couch. Bucky goes to kneel at Zemo’s feet again, but Zemo clicks his tongue at him.

“You’ve been so good for me today. Come up here,” he says, patting the cushion next to him.

Bucky stretches out on the couch, tentatively laying his head on Zemo’s lap. Zemo hums, opening a book and absentmindedly running his fingers through Bucky’s hair and down his bare shoulders. His mind is finally quiet of all his usual doubts and fears and he’s never felt so safe. Zemo occasionally murmurs things to Bucky in Sokovian. He has no idea what Zemo’s saying, but his tone is affectionate and the soft rolling words lull Bucky to sleep on Zemo’s lap. 

Bucky’s gotten used to it being just him and Zemo around the apartment and it’s jarring when Sam comes back. Bucky feels a surge of guilt when he realizes he’s almost resentful of Sam for interrupting the peace he’s reached with Zemo. He knows it’s terrible of him, Sam is a good person and his friend , but he can’t let Sam find out what he does with Zemo. He can’t let anyone see how Zemo takes care of him. It’s like Zemo said, normal well-adjusted people like Sam wouldn’t understand what Bucky needs. 

He tries his best to act like he used to around Sam and Zemo, but he’s always been a terrible actor. He can see the concerned looks Sam shoots him sometimes with the way Bucky gravitates to Zemo and seeks out his approval. Zemo acts completely normal. He has no reason to be weird about this unlike Bucky, and he’s always been far more put together. 

Of course, Zemo has to make it just a little bit worse by touching Bucky around Sam. Bucky’s complete trust in Zemo now has him seeking out Zemo’s touch instead. He has to try so hard not to melt into a friendly pat on his shoulder, and he’s pretty sure he failed miserably. It’s not enough he’s not flinching, no, he has to go and turn into a human puddle under Zemo’s hand. It’s no wonder Sam is suspicious.

Sam only lasts a few days at Bucky’s total failure to act normal before he pulls him aside with a concerned frown when Zemo is out of the room. 

“You’re being weird,” he says, folding his arms and giving Bucky a troubled look. 

“Am I?” Bucky says. He has no idea how to handle this and he already wants to jump out the window. He knows Sam just wants the best for him, but this line of questioning is absolute torture for Bucky. How is he supposed to reassure Sam while hiding all of his fucked up self?

“You know I’m here for you, Buck. I won’t judge you,” Sam says earnestly. “Zemo’s good at getting in your head. Did he do something while I was gone?” 

Bucky feels himself shrinking inside at the words and wishes desperately that Zemo would come rescue him, but he knows that won’t happen. Zemo appearing right now would only make things worse with Sam. 

“No, I’m fine,” Bucky insists. “Zemo’s just being….Zemo.” 

“Getting Zemo involved was a bad idea,” Sam says, shaking his head. “I know why you did it, but man…I don’t think it was a good plan.” He trails off. 

“Zemo’s always been like this,” Bucky tries again. “Is he being weirder than usual? He seems like his normal asshole self.” 

Bucky doesn’t think he’s making any progress convincing Sam he’s fine. He rolls his eyes at himself, he isn’t fine. But he’s better. Sometimes. For Zemo. He wants to hide so badly right now. 

Sam is still burning holes in him with his eyes. “I know Steve is gone, but I’m still here for you. He wouldn’t want Zemo to get in your head either.” 

The reminder of Steve leaving him behind rips those partially healed wounds open again and Bucky can barely suppress his flinch. Bucky thinks of how Sam would react if he did tell him what he needed. If he told Sam how he feels like less than a person. How he needs Zemo to give him the peace he so desperately craves. He doesn’t even want to contemplate how horrified Sam would be if Bucky even hinted at the way he responds to Captain. Sam cares about a Bucky that Bucky isn’t, and never has been. Maybe he sees Bucky the way Steve did, as the old pre-war Bucky. 

“It’s fine, Sam,” Bucky says again. “I’m fine.”

Sam looks unconvinced, but drops it in the face of Bucky’s obstinate denial. 

He knows Zemo knows that Sam cornered him. Sam isn’t good at hiding his concern and he probably doesn’t feel the need to. Sam’s always been suspicious of Zemo and of course he doesn’t see a reason to hide it. But Zemo doesn’t say anything about it. Bucky desperately wants to tell Zemo about the conversation. He needs to hear Zemo tell him he's been good and that he doesn’t want to change anything between them, but Sam has been so present after their conversation. He’s making a point to not leave Zemo alone with Bucky. Bucky understands why Sam thinks this is important, but it’s just making things worse for Bucky. 

Bucky's gotten fidgety and nervous and he knows it’s not helping things. Sam’s watching him closely, Zemo keeps being his sassy jerk self, needling everyone and the tension is reaching dangerous levels in the apartment. Or maybe it’s just Bucky who’s reaching dangerously high tension levels. 

Finally Bucky gets a chance to talk to Zemo while Sam is busy for once. He wrings his hands trying to decide how to bring it up. 

Zemo takes pity on him and says “I know Samuel talked to you, James. I don’t mind.” 

“I didn’t say anything,” Bucky pleads, he needs Zemo to know he’s keeping it a secret for Zemo too. That Bucky will protect him in turn. 

“I know you wouldn’t,” Zemo says calmly. “Samuel just wants to help. He’s Captain America, he’s used to being able to help.”

“He can’t help me with this,” Bucky says abruptly. “I can’t…he can’t know.” 

“I know, James,” Zemo soothes him. “I won’t say anything. He can’t help you with this. I can help you, you know that.” 

“Yes,” Bucky agrees with a sigh of relief. He feels guilty for needing so much reassurance. “I trust you,” he adds abruptly. 

Zemo smiles. “I know. It’s understandable you need more reassurance than most. I am happy to assist you in whatever ways you need.”

Bucky feels the tension leak out of him at Zemo's words. 

“It’s healthy for you to find your own way,” Zemo continues. “You are unique in the course of history, there is no one like you. It is only natural that you have unique needs as well.” 

He feels tears of gratitude collecting at the corners of his eyes at Zemo’s easy understanding. He never thought he’d find someone who understands him so well. Zemo knows him inside and out and he doesn’t have to fight his nature anymore. 

“I’ll always be there for you, James, even if others do not understand you,” Zemo says with a light stroke across Bucky’s arm.  

Bucky’s been so lost for so long. Since the blip. Since he broke out of HYDRA. Since he fell off that train. It was almost easier being a mindless cyborg than trying to be a person again. Everyone expects him to want to be a person, to want to have choices, to embrace his freedom, and he doesn’t want to. He doesn’t want any of this, he doesn’t want to keep struggling alone.

At least now he doesn’t have to. Zemo has him.