[1] 𝘿𝙀𝙑𝙄𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 | 𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨

❅ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘺-𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦: 𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳, 𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳, 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦

➸ 2017
A WEEK LATER
📍WAKANDA
╰─────────╯

GALINA CUT them off completely, the only ones who were still in her good gracious were her boyfriend, sister, Pietro, Sam, and somewhat Wanda.

Natasha and Steve made their presence scarce at the cabin in hopes of allowing the girl to cool off some more and be able to talk, but she never reached out.

If she spotted them in passing, it's as if she didn't even spot them in the first place — she simply walked passed them as if they were strangers, but she certainly knew they were there.

"After Bucky goes back under, i'm gonna leave with Steve and Natasha for their trip to Europe."

Galina inwardly sighed at Sam's words and twisted her blanket around herself tighter as she stared out into the dewy field from the porch.

"Why are you telling me this?" she questioned.

"Because we're friends." he said. "I'm not just gonna leave you high and dry."

"Shocker you didn't lie to my face for over a year just to run and abandon me." she bitterly replies, not necessarily directed toward him.

She took a deep breath and turned to look at him with the best smile that she could muster, though it looked like a grimace. "I'm gonna miss you."

Sam's lips broke out into his signature goofy grin and he wrapped his arms around her in a side hug. "I'll miss you too, kid. I'm not gonna miss catching you and Bucky sucking face at nine in the morning though."

"Shut up." she chuckled, swatting at his arm in retaliation. "Hey, you never know — you might meet some Italian babe up in the Europes and then i'm gonna be the one catching you guys sucking face in the morning."

"Ah, what a dream." he sighed out in joking wistfulness.

Galina sent another elbow into his side as she escaped from his embrace, still gently laughing.

He then clamped a hand on her shoulder and his features held a light seriousness. "You gonna be alright while i'm gone, kid?"

"I always end up being just fine."

One day, she won't end up being just fine.

—
📌 SHURI's LAB

Galina's fingers wrung together nervously as she watched Bucky talking to Steve from afar — him on top of an examination table.

"I can't do this." she muttered.

"Yes you can, don't be dramatic, he'll be out of cryo in no time." Petra said with a comforting hand running up and down her back. "Shuri is super close to a break through."

"I guess." she sighed out.

Not even a few minutes later, Steve and Bucky departed from conversation — the Captain walking towards the direction of the exit on the opposing side of the room.

Almost immediately, Bucky's gaze turned to Galina as a slow small smile crept up on his lips as he looked her way.

"Go on." Petra urged, lightly shoving her forwards.

Galina took a breath and sauntered in his direction.

She stopped only a couple of inches away from him and simply stared. "Is this a forever goodbye or a 'see you again' goodbye." she used his words with a smirk. "Because if this is a forever farewell I don't think i'd survive, Buck."

"Definitely a see you again goodbye." he says, smiling at her before wrapping his one arm around her waist and tugging her. "Come here."

She let him pull her in as they gently connected their lips together — her hands cupping around his jaw tightly as they kissed one another with such passion.

They parted with a small smack emitting from their mouths before Galina tightly wound her arms around his neck, pressing her face snugly into his shoulder as inhaled his scent.

"Don't do anything dumb while i'm gone, alright?" he lightly joked but the wobbliness in his voice gave away his true emotion.

"How could I possibly do such a thing when you're taking all the dumb with you?" she sassed before pulling back to look at him deep in his ocean eyes. "I..." she started. "I'm gonna miss you."

"I would say the same to you, but I know that for me it's not gonna be too long until I see you again."

"Lucky bastard." she mumbled underneath her breath as she sent an unserious scowl his way.

They didn't have much time to laugh when Shuri crept up beside them with a solemn smile.

"It is time."

In hesitance, the two unraveled from each other and Galina held his hand as he hopped from off of the table.

He gave her one last glance as he brought her connected hand up to his mouth to place a kiss on the backside of it.

"Be good." he playfully says with a risen threatening brow.

"No promises."

Hesitantly, he let her hand go as he backed away from her before turning fully around to walk straight towards the cryo capsule.

A couple of scientists helped him in and assisted in applying the various small pads that would read his vitals on his chest and head.

Petra came up beside her sister, looping an arm through hers as they watched the capsule shut closed. "You okay?"

"I always end up being okay."