Chapter Text
The next morning, they packed everything for the children.
They chat when they are having breakfast.
They laugh when they are packing.
They hug when they are leaving.
Zemo can’t be more aware that this might be the last time he will ever see them.
There’s nothing that could ease the unspoken sorrow.
He wasn’t this soft before.
It’s just that, after he lost everything, he learnt to cherish every moment of happiness.
With James and the children at his side. It almost feels like he has a family again.
Good dreams always end too fast.
At least James is still at his side.
James is in great need of some heavy comforting at the moment. He looks pale, unrested, and sad. Memory loss, panic attacks and children’s leaving. It’s too much for anyone to handle. However, as much as he wants to comfort James, he hasn’t got the time yet.
The moment they exit the front door. Everyone put on their masks. A master, a soldier, and two slaves. There are eyes everywhere.
The day is busy as hell.
There are a lot of arrangements to do. Thousands of people need to get on board. Most people are not in good shape. And they are all very scared. Making Zemo remembers his people after the destruction of his country.
Lost, desperate.
He can’t blow their cover to tell them they are safe. To reassure them everything will be okay. No matter how much he wants to.
At least their suffering will end soon.
James helps a lot. He did a lot of heavy lifting. And whenever there’s chaos in the line. His presence itself is intimidating. The small episodes resolve uneventfully.
Bob and Jennie get on board like anyone else. They didn’t get to say goodbye. That would be too standing out.
At least they said goodbye before they left the safe house.
Watching the ship finally leave the port at the end of the day. Feeling his heart stretching and clenching in so many different ways. Exhausted both mentally and physically. He lets James drives them back to the safe house. The place that was almost home.
At least James is still there. And he will never leave.
Too tired to say anything. He leads James to bed. Cling to him like James is the last straw of his entire world and falls asleep.
Forgive him to be selfish. It’s just simply too hard to not take advantage of someone who couldn’t resist when he himself is miserable. Not to say James is also very attached to the children. Maybe he really needs a hug too.
Of course, James’ current status needs way more than just a hug. He’ll deal with that tomorrow.
James can wait.
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The next morning, he wakes up and still has James’ rigid body under his hands.
The fact that having skin contact with another human being still fascinates him. You don’t get that much often in isolation.
Zemo takes a deep breath, exhales, then let go.
‘Morning James’
‘Morning, what do you want for breakfast?’
James left the bed in one flip.
‘Croissants and coffee would be nice… Hmmm, let me make you some breakfast today. What do you want?’
James looks awful today. There’s a tinge of purple added to his usual pale figure. The comforting process better starts with some good food.
‘I want whatever you want, sir.’
He doesn’t look very excited.
‘I used to cook a lot for my family, James. A little bit more trust would be nice.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Sighed internally, he needs to discuss with James about the ‘sir’ thing. Maybe after breakfast. He missed a couple of meals already. He really does need some food.
He made some sandwiches.
James is already in the kitchen when he finished.
‘Have some sandwiches, coffee will be ready in a sec.’
James nodes and takes a sandwich, shoving the whole thing down in one go.
‘Take it slowly if you can. I do want you to taste it…’
James slows down at the second one as he instructed.
‘How was it?’
He asks as he hands James the coffee.
‘It’s really good, thank you s…’
The cup slips off James’ hand, shatters on the ground.
Everything happens too fast.
Before Zemo realize what’s happening, James is on the ground. Licking the coffee in a desperate attempt.
‘Hey… Hey, hey James stop!’
‘I’m sorry, sir.’
James froze in place. He follows with no resistance as Zemo forcefully drags him away from the mess.
His knees and elbows are bleeding. Blood drips from the corner of his mouth as he apologizes.
‘What…How did you…Spit it out! The shards!’
James starts retching as told, blood rivers down instead of shards.
‘Stop! Sit down don’t move! Don’t swallow! Just don’t do anything!’
He quickly arranges an emergency surgery on the phone while checking on James’ other wounds.
The doctor will be coming soon. He wants to grasp an idea first.
The shards bury deep inside his knees and elbows. Must be because James dropped on the floor like a stone.
‘Why would you do this?’
‘Clean up my mess, I’m sorry, sir.’
‘There’s broom and mop for this purpose.’
‘I’m sorry, sir.’
Now that he knows. He could see James’ pupils get larger and larger as the conversation goes.
‘Rest assured, James. I’m not going to punish you. There won’t be punishment ever again. How are you feeling now?’
Without moving a single muscle, James looks relaxed a little bit.
‘I’m functional, sir.’
Only now that he realizes James’ definition of being functional must be screwed.
‘Condition report, sodalt.’
‘Foreign objects are detected in the gastrointestinal tract and in the integument. The asset is experiencing acute haemorrage and septicaemia. The wound and fracture healing is delayed due to the above conditions and malnutrition. The asset will stop functioning in about 36 hours if left untreated.’
‘…What …do you mean by all these? What do you mean by stop functioning?!!’
‘ehh… means I’m functional now and I’ll be dead 36 hours later if you decide to not do anything?’
James looks confused.
Zemo is in complete shock.
‘Why didn’t you tell me you are dying? I didn’t give you permission to die!’
‘I’m sorry sir. According to the red book, the asset should report to its handler 24 hours before it stops functioning.’
‘……’
‘What about the sepsis, the malnutrition? Why didn’t you tell me about any of these?’
‘…You didn’t ask?’
‘What caused them?’
‘Jack ordered me to swallow my dog tag. I think it perforates the small intestine somewhere. I didn’t eat anything so it was just some bleeding for a while. After the kids made me dinner. the food went through the wound and caused sepsis.’
Too much information. It's been a long while since he last time felt overwhelmed.
‘Is that the only meal you ate? For the whole time we are in Madripoor?’
‘I had the second meal today, sir.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t understand the question, sir.’
‘Why didn’t you eat!’
James pupils visibly enlarged as he increases his volume.
‘I’m sorry, sir. I don’t have the permission.’
‘……’
So that’s the reason James asked for his permission when kids said they want to cook.
For these many days. James cook for everyone. Just not himself.
How many days had they arrived Madripoor?
10?
15?
How did James survive?
‘From now on you can eat whenever you want. Do you understand that?’
‘Yes, sir.’
He underestimates hydra.
He underestimates the whole handler thing.
James is not scared of his own condition getting worse and worse every day. He talks about them like it’s none of his business.
From his past behaviours. He doesn’t care how much he is hurt. He doesn't care about anything happen to him.
All that matters to James is the handler’s order.
Is the handler’s anger.
Is him, Zemo.