VIRAGO, 𝒃𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒔²

𝟎𝟕 ╸importance

"Hey, D," his voice rings. "I'm... well, I don't know how to describe it." His voice was far away, like his body was there but his mind wasn't, his soul wasn't there on Earth. "What is it, Steve?" She felt more alert at that; Steve barely was so distressed about something he sounded he was too far for anyone around him to catch him before he flew out of their reach.

"Um," he starts, "Bucky somehow awoke in the cryo. He doesn't know how or why, but he's awake. Do you mind coming here? He keeps asking for you."

Diana nods but realizes Steve can't see her. "Yeah, sure."

"Well," he says, "the quinjet's going to be there in a few, so... hand tight."

"But I'm still at work and I need to pack," she hurried to pack her purse, putting the pack of gum she had back in the bag.

"Don't worry, we had Natasha buy you more clothes for your arrival," he replies, a chuckle evident in his voice.

"Alright," she breathes, "where is the quinjet going to be?"

"You just need a ride there," Steve's voice comes from behind her. She furrows her dark eyebrows, turning to look at him. "When did you get here?" She ends the call. "I had a ride on the quinjet," he shrugs, crossing the large room to pick up a paintbrush. "Is this what you guys use to clean off the statues?" He asks, fiddling with it.

"Yes," Diana plucks it from his hands, "now come on, show me where he is!"

"You seem more excited than nervous," he chuckles, hooking his thumbs on the loops of his suit - which is something Diana wondered why he wore it.

"Why the suit?" She asks, pointing at the blue thing.

"In case of an emergency," he replies. Just like that. Just like it was the simplest thing in the world, just like one would say what they had for breakfast. Which reminded Diana that she hadn't had anything to eat for the past ten hours. Her stomach growled, signalling Steve of her hunger. "Have you eaten today?" He asked worriedly.

"No, I was too busy," she shook her head, an ashamed smile on her lips.

"We'll pick up some food on the way there," Steve wrapped a well-muscled arm around Diana, shrouding her in warmth.

He sounded like a grandmother that had just learned her grandchild had nothing to eat and was going on a full-on cooking rampage. "I can manage on some granola bars," Diana chuckles, "really, our first priority is Bucky."

BUCKY HAD BEEN waiting for Diana restlessly for the past 4 hours. He knew the quinjet took less time to travel, but he was growing impatient at the waiting time. He laid on Diana's old bed, her smell still mingling on the sheets and air, a smell of a mix of vanilla and coconuts. He looks at a photograph on her nightstand; a worn, tattered black and white photograph of Diana standing amongst four men, clad in her suit and staring at the camera defiantly. The four men were in military suits except one had a kilt on instead of pants. He read the date on the lower right corner: