Bucky throws the blueberry at Steve's head and laughs when Steve glares at him. Bucky's laugh was tiny and sounded like the tinkle of a small bell. While Bucky was laughing Steve got a jar from his bag and caught the small faery in it. Just in time too because it began to rain. The little faery looks up at him fearfully and Steve sighs.
"I'll let you out once the rain stops." He promises, pulling his hood up over his head.
"Steve, there's a horde of men. They have nets I think they're trying to catch the faeries. They've got dark faeries with them." Natasha explains in a rush. Bucky throws himself at the sides of the jar, speaking rapidly in his tiny ringing voice. Steve scowls and twists the lid off the jar.
"Make sure they don't catch any." He tells Natasha before turning his horse to follow Bucky. Bucky flies through the trees avoiding massive raindrops. He stops in a tree looking at the men. He uses a spell to make the vines tangle up their feet. Steve and the elves come to his aid, firing arrows at the man. One of them lights a fire before telling the others to run. The fire catches tree after tree and the rain does nothing to it. It burned blue, a sorcerers fire. Steve sees Bucky on a branch frozen, staring horrified at the flames. He grabs him before taking off in the opposite direction. Faeries flew in a giant swarm with the elves. Steve sets Bucky by his horses ears and the small faery looks to his people. He watches, helping when needed. The faeries landed on the elves horses and on the elves as the rain got worse. Soaking their wings so they couldn't fly. Bucky clings to the horses ear, his wings soaked and tangled. Steve leads his people to the stables where they dismount their horses and helps the faeries into the palace. They provide food and dry clothes for the ones who change into their secondary size. Bucky shakes some water out of his wings and tries to fly around to see who needs help, Steve catches him before he falls to the ground.
"It's okay Bucky. They're being taken care of." Steve assures. "Change and I'll get you some clothes." He sets him on the floor. He's always been fascinated by a faeries change and Bucky's changed in front of him several times but Steve still found he couldn't look away. Bucky grows bigger and he looks up at Steve with his amazing blue eyes. His hair was short and spiky and he was barefoot like always, wearing small anklets made of vines and flowers. He wore a pair of shorts that were a beautiful jade green made of leaves and other such things. He was shirtless like he always was. He looks at Steve with a cocktail of emotions in his shimmering eyes.
"Our kingdoms been destroyed." He whispers, his wings down and reaching the floor, soaked and heavy.
"You can stay here until you get back on your feet. All of you." Steve promises, angry at the men for inflicting such pain and loss on such a wonderful person. Bucky shakes his head slowly and Steve carefully readjusts his flower crown.
Bucky looks up from the floor biting his lip slightly before turning away to the other faeries. He makes his way through the group making sure no one is injured.
"I'll have my people help you to settle in. I promise we'll help you until you are ready to continue on your own." Steve speaks to the room. He has some of his people set up rooms and beds and other such things. Bucky comes over to join Steve again as the elves begin to lead the faeries to rooms around the castle. Steve runs his thumb along the small jewels embedded in Bucky's skin along his sharp cheekbone. Bucky's wings were dripping water on the floor. Steve grabs his hands and leads him up the stairs to his chambers. He shuts the door and turns back to Bucky who flings himself into Steve's arms. He cries into Steve's chest while Steve strokes his hair. Bucky had grown up there. It's the only home he'd ever known. Steve holds him close until he goes still, fast asleep in Steve's arms. Steve carries him carefully to the bed and sets him down gently before heading back down to the main hall. He gets things set up for the faeries and makes sure his own people are doing okay. Bucky emerges after a while and helps organize his people. He's kept busy for several days and exhaustion begins to taint his youthful features. Steve gets him food and makes him sleep. It's a long time before they find a place that they could stay and by then the elves and faeries are too close. They expand the elven palace to accommodate the new residents. Bucky stands beside Steve proudly, two kingdoms joined together through marriage.
"I always knew you two would get together." Sarah Rogers, Steve's mother, smiles happily. Bucky blushes and looks down shyly. She kisses his forehead gently and hugs him tightly. "Welcome to the family." She speaks proudly. No man dared to venture anywhere near the elven kingdom anymore for fear of the power that the two forces possessed. They lived in peace forevermore.
