𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 | bucky barnes

37: All over

Cat, Steve, T'Challa, and Shuri waited for Bucky where he lived at the edge of Wakanda. They saw Ayo walking forward — Cat didn't see Bucky yet. She began to worry.

What if it didn't work?

Did he run away?

That can't be the last time I see him.

If he's gone, I'm leaving right now, and I'm going to look for him.

But it was all in her head — It had been dark, and had only allowed her to see so far. He came forward. He was crying.

Ayo smiled.

"Your White Wolf," she said. Tears of joy welled in Cat's eyes.

Bucky was safe. He was smiling as Cat ran up to him. He was safe. And he was free. No more Soldier. No more trigger words. No more hurting people.

"You're crying," she said, looking up at him  through puffy eyes after a hug.

"You're crying," he said.

"I'm so, so glad it worked." She sniffed.

Bucky wiped a tear from Cat's face. She held his head close, putting their foreheads together.

"Thank you," he whispered to her. He looked up. "Thank all of you."

"It was the least we could do," said T'Challa. Bucky walked over to him and shook his hand, then gave him a hug and a pat on the back. He went over to Steve. They smiled at each other, then were brought in for a long hug.

"Did I ever tell you I liked the beard?" Bucky told him. "Because I do."

Steve laughed a little. "Yours is coming along too," he pointed out.

"Who knew that little punk from Brooklyn could grow a beard like that?" laughed Bucky.

"Who knew the big jerk from Brooklyn could hold a girl this long?"  Steve peered around Bucky at Cat.  Bucky rolled his eyes and laughed.

"So what are you going to do now?" asked Shuri, as Bucky shook her hand in thanks.

Bucky looked up and thought about it for a second.

"Relax."

——— ✪ ⍟ ✪———

[May, 2018]

Time had passed by all too quickly. It was always spring weather in Wakanda — making it go even faster. It all could have been the same couple of months, and yet it had been two years since the battle at the airport. The only way Cat really could tell was because she had gotten a haircut in the time.

It left time for thinking. And getting to know the other Avengers. Was Cat an Avenger? She wasn't sure. But she liked spending time with the others. Natasha, Steve, and Sam had invited her on a couple of missions with them. Small things, retrieving hard drives, information, things like that. Sometimes she'd go with them, sometimes she'd stay with Bucky. And the goats.

As of now, though, it had been almost six months since Cat had gone on a mission. She barely wore her suit anymore. In fact, her wardrobe mainly consisted of loose, canvas button ups. Sometimes, traditional Wakandan clothes. They were so much more comfortable than they looked.

"I like cloud watching," said Catarina. She and Bucky were lying in the grass some yards away from where Bucky lived in Wakanda. The grass was tall, but soft. Everything was peaceful. In the distance, they could hear kids laughing. Adults talking in Wakandan. Everything was fine.  "Clouds are pretty," she completed.

Bucky turned to face her. The grass rustled as he shifted.  Cat turned as well.

"But you're prettier," he said. 

Cat shook her head and looked back up at the sky, smiling.  "I set you right up for that, didn't I?" she chuckled.  "Did you write that in the 40s and just finally get a chance to use it?"

"Thought it up just for you," he smiled.

"You're such a charmer, Bucky Barnes."

"Always have been," he smirked.  Cat heard that bit of Brooklyn in his voice. She liked it.

Both turned to face each other.  Cat threw her arms around him for a long awaited kiss.  She could feel Bucky smiling into it, rolling onto his back and allowing Cat to do as she pleased.  Finally, they had their chance.  Uninterrupted. In fact, they could have probably rolled around in this field together for hours. 

Cat wouldn't have minded at all if that was their life.  They both couldn't go anywhere else, right?  They'd always have Wakanda.  There was peace in Wakanda.  Freedom.  She could stay here forever.  With Bucky.  That's all she needed. 

"This is... something, right?" she asked him, finally settling down.  "It's not just... letting go of emotion?  Or something that we just want to feel again?"

"It's something," he said.  "It's us.  You were... you were my friend for so long, Cat.  Now it's more."

Cat put on a grateful smile.  "I'm so glad I found you."

There was peace.  Virtual silence.  Until gasps and kids bustling was heard nearby, and a loud whooshing sound overhead.  Cat and Bucky, now sitting, looked up to see the quinjet flying the way out of Wakanda.

"Was that Steve?" asked Bucky.

"Looked like his jet," she replied. "He didn't tell us he was leaving."

"Must have been some sort of emergency."

Not again, thought Cat. I guess I knew this would happen, didn't I? I overestimated. It never lasts this long.

They both had the same thoughts on their mind. All they wanted was peace. Maybe it was something different. Like, not an emergency emergency. Maybe just something that Steve had to deal with quickly or it would get away.

Then again, more likely it wasn't. Even then, he would have called, or something. Cat had an untraceable phone (courtesy of Natasha) that only Steve, Sam, and Nat had the number to.

"Why do I have the feeling it's all going to be over?" Cat said, looking up at the sky still.

"It was over, Cat," replied Bucky, looking up as well. There was tiredness in his voice. "But now it's beginning again."

a.n.

HELLOO HAPPY MONDAY!! i remembered!!

this is the last chapter before iw/endgame this is crazy!?!? went so fast

zamn me realizing I really should get to writing the tfatws chapters

anyways ily all, dftv!!

molly ♡