barebone witches » bucky barnes | ✓

XII

twelve

(—a temporary goodbye)

WHEN STEVE SAW Maev he thought she was dead. She was sitting on the ground, leaning against the jet they'd stolen, head resting back against the cool metal, eyes closed. Blood drenched her shirt and decorated her bare arms. Thick snowflakes intertwined with her dark hair and her eyelashes were crusted with the white material.

Bucky, who was leaning heavily against Steve, stumbled forward at the sight, his own wounds temporarily forgotten as he stared wide-eyed at the witch.

Then they both saw the rise and fall of her chest, James visibly relaxing at the sight, and even Steve nearly let out a sigh of relief. "Let's get you inside the jet and then I'll help her in." The blond man says, exhaustion dragging at every word he spoke.

As much as he wanted to protest, Bucky knew he was in no shape to even think about leaning down to shake Maev awake. So he let Steve help him up the ramp and into one of the seats. He let out a long breath, staring ahead at the metal walls that encased him. The absence of his metal arm was both comforting and frightening at the same time, and the wounds he'd sustained during the fight didn't help his mood.

Nor did the lingering numbness around his heart.

He'd nearly knocked himself out in the bunker when he'd dropped to the floor, his entire body going numb. It had only lasted a minute, but it was long and strange enough that he knew it didn't originate from him, but rather from Maev. And, he'd earned but the worry of Steve and Tony Stark... though the latter didn't care much about his well-being nearly five minutes later.

Not that Bucky blamed him. If he had been in that man's shoes he reckoned he would've reacted nearly the same way.

Bucky looked over as footsteps echoed on the ramp, Steve walking in with Maev in his arms. He set her down on the seat next to Bucky and it was then he realized that Maev's eyes were open. They were unfocused and she looked drained, but she was awake and that's what mattered most.

"Maev?"

The witch slowly turned her head in his direction, blinking slowly. Then the tiniest of smiles appeared on her lips, "James," His name was an exhale of relief, "you're okay." Her eyes flickered down to his missing limb and he briefly wondered if she'd felt the same pain that lanced through him when it had been shorn off by one of Stark's lasers, just as he felt as if he'd died briefly a few hours ago.

Steve reappeared, a blanket in hand, and T'Challa Udaku on his tail. Bucky straightened up, wariness lining his entire body.

"He's here to help, Buck." Steve said softly, "he knows you didn't do it."

Steve's words do nothing to ease Bucky's mind but he doesn't jump to his feet, partially because he's tired, partially because he trusts Steve. He doesn't take his eyes off T'Challa as the tall man moves further into the jet. He stiffens at a sudden weight on his right shoulder and glances over, only to find Maev's head resting there. Her eyes are closed and the snow in her hair is melting, dampening his sleeve.