When We Were Young

Circus

Once you were finally home, Bucky stayed but Steve took the liberty to move into the tower while you got settled back into your daily life. He had taken it hard when you saw and allowed Thor to show you affection at the hospital and it broke his heart.

Steve's absence took an affect on you as well but you tried not to dwell on it as you continued to heal both physically and mentally.

"Hey Buck?" You called from your bedroom.

"What's up?"

Bucky came around the corner from his own room and leaned against the door frame, his arms crossing over his chest.

"You're mad about the whole Thor thing, aren't you?"

"Not my circus, not my monkeys," Bucky replied with a sigh.

"Except it is your circus and we are your monkeys." You muttered.

"You're still in love with Thor. Steve knows it. That's why he isn't here."

"I'm not though," you insisted. "Thor will always be part of my story and he brings me comfort and I may always love him but I'm not in love with him. Not anymore."

"Then you'd better let him and Steve know that."

You sighed and flicked your wrist towards the window where the sun had been beating down through it and the blinds quickly closed.

"I'm glad you're figuring out how to work with whatever that is going on with you," Bucky said softly.

"If my emotions are under control then so are these powers or whatever," you muttered. "It's scary but it seems like they're part of me now so there's no use trying to pretend they aren't there."

Bang. Bang. Bang.

You looked up from your bed through the living room and to the front door where the door shook with each hard knock. With a groan, you swung your legs around and made your way to the door but Bucky had gotten there first.

"Stand back," Bucky said as he cautiously opened the door before sighing with relief.

The door swung open and Thor stood on the other side, quickly moving inside.

"You have to leave. Now!" Thor demanded.

"What are you talking about?" You replied. "I just got home."

Thor didn't say anything and your brows pulled together in suspicion. Thor had been acting strange and you, above anybody else, knew it.

"What's going on with you? What aren't you telling me?"

The god continued to try to skirt around the question but he ultimately knew that he wouldn't be able to lie to you.

"Because we found out who tried to have you killed. You aren't safe here." Thor replied with pain in his eyes.

"Who?" Bucky asked, narrowing his eyes.

Thor stayed silent and you sucked in a breath. You knew it couldn't have been good.

"Stark," Steve said as he turned the corner and came into your condo.

Your eyes moved to the door and Steve's words had made you feel like you had been shot again.

"What?" You and Bucky asked in unison.

"We have to get you out of here," Steve replied.

"Why would he have me killed? Tony is family. I don't believe you," you replied as you became hysterical.

You looked to your older brother and could see nothing but anger in his eyes and for a moment you had been transported back to the late thirties to when a man tried to lay a hand on you and you got home with a fat lip and black eye. Bucky was fuming and while your sisters tended to you, he sought out the man who did it and Bucky ended up putting him in the hospital.

Looking around the room, you could see that Thor and Steve wore the same angered expressions.

"Had he not opened his mouth, none of this would've happened."

"So it wasn't directly Tony. Don't you dare slander his name like that if he didn't do it on purpose," you replied, brows furrowed once more. "You already knew that he said something so why are you so angry about it now?!"

Thor and Steve exchanged a look and you knew they still hadn't been telling you everything.

"What is it?" Bucky finally asked.

"Strucker was the one who came through with trying to have you killed. He was captured and he said that he had heard directly from Stark about you and said that if HYDRA couldn't have you, nobody could."

"Why would Tony—"

"He wanted to find a solution for you and was desperate," Thor replied, cutting you off. "He went straight to the source."

You felt like the air had been sucked out of your lungs and began to feel off balance, only to be steadied by Steve.

"So where am I supposed to go?" You finally asked.

"First, the tower. After that, it's your choice," Steve muttered.

"You should pack a bag," Thor added.

You reluctantly nodded and turned on your heels to walk to your bedroom. You grabbed the duffle bag that Nick gave you before your first mission when Loki came to earth and set it on your bed.

As you packed, you couldn't help but wonder why you had survived the crashing of the Valkyrie and being frozen only to have woken up to fight to survive against an assassination attempt.

"Y/N, can we talk?"

You turned to see Thor leaning against the doorway and nodded.

"I'm sorry," you whispered.

"You don't need to apologize any longer," Thor replied. "I've already forgiven you."

You nodded but avoided eye contact.

"Steve told me everything," Thor said softly. "He told me how he's felt about you since you were children and how those feelings never went away."

You nodded and finally met Thor's eyes with your own.

"Despite how I feel for you, him having those feelings for almost a hundred years tops that," Thor replied. "I respect that I have no place in your life anymore."

"Thor, you have no idea how big of a part you play in my story," you sighed. "You were my first real love and first real relationship. You taught me so many things about life and I'm so grateful for that."

"But?"

"No but. I'm just sorry I couldn't be the person that you deserve, Thor," you replied as you walked towards him and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"It was always going to end up being you and Steve and I respect that," Thor replied with a sad smile. "I'll leave you to pack."

You nodded and walked back to the bed, sitting on the edge and sighing.

"Almost ready?"

You looked up and saw Steve looking at you before giving him a nod.

"Promise me you'll take care of this place for me?" You asked, your eyes filling with tears as you realized that you'd be leaving the home you worked hard to have after waking up.

"You'll have to make Bucky promise you instead," Steve muttered as he shoved his hands in his coat pockets.

"Why?"

"Because I'm coming with you."