Peter & Bucky Are Pals

Chapter 28

Tony waved a hand. “Rhode Island Red is a type of chicken.”
Peter laughed for real.
“Hey, don’t judge me. I came up with it on zero hours of sleep and five cups of coffee during our freshman year of college.”
“You’ve known Rhodey for that long?”
“I’ve known Rhodey for a lot longer than you’ve been alive, Pete-O.”
Peter bit his lip in a smile, pulling up the file labeled Chicky Chick with a flick of his finger. He studied the design carefully, then began to build, using Bucky’s measurements and Tony’s schematics for reference. He got so absorbed in his work that the music faded away and he lost time; his mind was blissfully anxiety-free.

Carbon fiber with metal rods for support, complex hinge-type joints at the sides of the knees, lengthening capabilities for range of motion at the hips… the neural connections, he’d leave to Bruce. But the mechanics were satisfyingly mind-numbing. He started on them after he finished the general plan; he got through finalizing the flexors in the ankles before someone tapped his back and he spun around, jumping so high he could’ve made it onto the table. Dum-E made an apologetic series of clicks, scooting back, and Peter exhaled, adrenaline flooding from him like a wave.

“Barnes’s tests are done,” Tony said, voice muffled by several screws he was holding between his teeth. “Bruce just called in. You were pretty focused there, I don’t think you heard.”
“I didn’t,” said Peter, his nerves jumping. “Did he say…”
Tony took the screws out of his mouth and swiveled in his seat to face Peter, looking unnaturally somber. “It doesn’t look good. They think his healing factor is at its limit, here.”

Peter swallowed hard, his hand drifting up towards his mouth before he forced it back down to his side. Something metal closed around it, and he looked down to find Dum-E gripping his hand awkwardly. He let out a shaky breath and Tony stood up, striding over and squeezing his shoulders.
“I’m sorry, Peter.”
Peter wiped at his face with the hand that Dum-E wasn’t holding. “Can… can I go see him?”
“Yeah. Go ahead, kiddo.”

Peter pressed his lips together to keep them from trembling. Tony drew him into a strong hug, close enough that Peter could feel the Arc Reactor beneath his shirt. Tony rested his chin on the top of Peter’s head for a brief moment before releasing him so that he could go.

For all he wanted to move, Peter felt frozen; Tony placed a hand on his back and led him to the elevator, providing the momentum he lacked. Tony didn’t leave him, instead rubbing little circles on his back with his thumb as the elevator took them down to the medbay.

When the doors opened, the first thing Peter heard was Steve shouting. He flinched, and Tony’s arm snaked around him. A nurse scurried out of Bucky’s room, pale and close to tears. Tony gritted his teeth, looking pained.

“Stay here a second,” he told Peter before striding down the hall towards Steve’s voice. Peter followed, stopping two meters from the doorway.
“-wrong, he’s getting better! You said… He has to-”
“Steve,” Peter heard Tony say.
“He’s been through so much, and now-”
“Rogers,” said Tony, a little more forcefully.
“-you’re telling me it’s getting worse? It can’t… You have to fix him. You have to-”
“Cap,” Tony snapped. “Stand down.”
Steve’s voice cut off, and the silence rang so loudly in Peter’s ears that he almost missed Bucky speak.
“Stevie.” Bucky cleared his throat. “Look. I’m broke, and they can’t fix me.”
“Buck.” Steve’s voice cracked wretchedly.
Bucky’s voice was soft when he spoke again. “I’m broke. For good this time. You know what they do to broken horses, Stevie?”
“Buck, no.”
“I ain’t getting better. Put me down, Steve. It’s kinder that way.”
“No!” Steve’s voice was loud enough that Peter clapped his hands over his ears. “You don’t get to say that. You can’t… You… I can’t lose you again.”
“Steve-”
“Okay, no,” Tony interrupted. “I hate saying this, but I’m taking Cap’s side. You know Dum-E, Barnes?”
Bucky must’ve replied affirmative, because Tony continued.
“He’s broken so many times I can’t even count. Did I ever scrap him? No, I didn’t. Because I fucking love him, and if you tell anyone I said that, I’ll throw you down the garbage chute. You get me, Barnes? You understand?”
“I-”
“And you can’t just fucking ask Steve to euthanize you, Jesus Christ. Do you know how horrible that sounds? Do you know what it would do to Peter to hear you say that? Are you looking at Steve’s face right now? Look at him, Barnes, and tell me if that’s fair to him.”
“It-”
“It isn’t. End of fucking story. Would you do it? If Steve asked, would you do it?”
The pause felt like eternity before Bucky spoke, almost in a whisper. “No.”
“Exactly. Now both of you pull yourselves together, and I’m going to go get Peter. Who, by the way, would be devastated if he had the misfortune of being here for this conversation. Jesus H. Christ on a stick.”
Peter didn’t process the fact that he should probably move so Tony wouldn’t find out he was eavesdropping; Tony turned out into the hall and came to a stop at the sight of him. He lifted a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long sigh.
“You heard that, didn’t you.”
Peter nodded, his eyes welling. Tony let out a stream of choice words, a few of which weren’t in English.
“Peter?” Bucky called, and Peter scooted into the doorway, sniffling.
Bucky’s eyes were red; tears were streaming down Steve’s cheeks. Bucky lifted the hand that Steve wasn’t holding, his metal one, and Peter stumbled forward, gripping on to it like it was the only thing keeping him from falling from a building.
“Please don’t go. Please don’t go. I don’t want you to go,” he whispered. “Please.”

Bucky looked like he’d been slapped in the face. He took in Peter’s desolate expression, then looked up at Steve, whose entire body was shaking.
“Do you get it now, Barnes?” Tony asked from the doorway.
Slowly, Bucky nodded.
“Good. I’ll leave you to deal with the mess you made, then. Excuse me while I go apologize to that poor nurse that Steve reduced to tears.”
Steve looked utterly stricken. “I… I didn’t mean-”
“God, your face. She’ll be fine. Just apologize yourself later, she’ll understand.” With that, Tony disappeared down the hall, leaving Peter perched on the bed on Bucky’s left and Steve in a chair on the right. Steve hid his face behind a huge hand, his shoulders hunching and trembling, making him look far smaller than he was. He forced down a sob; it caught in his throat and he choked on it.

“Hey,” Bucky murmured.
Steve drew in an uneven breath, then let it out. “What are we gonna do, Buck?”
“I dunno, Stevie.” The smile that Bucky tried to form came out twisted. Peter’s heart dropped; Bucky couldn’t give up.
“I. Um. I’m working on the braces,” he choked out. “Like Rhodey’s. So you can walk. I know it’s… It’s not… But it’s something.”
Bucky closed his eyes for a moment; when he reopened them, they were sad, but warm. “Thank you, Peter. I’m real grateful.”
“I’m sorry,” Peter whispered, and Bucky pulled him under his arm, burying his face in Peter’s blue hair.
“It was worth it,” he replied.

The translated conversation in Spanish:
"The answer?"
"Can you repeat the question, please?"
"You must pay attention in class. You know this."
"Yes, Mr. Alcaldo. I'm sorry."
“It’s not Peter’s fault!” Ned protested.
"In Spanish, please."
"It isn’t Peter’s… fault?"
"Yes? Why not?"
"He is sad because his friend is... injured. It is very bad."
"Yes? I'm sorry, Peter, but you must still pay attention. Do you understand?"
"I understand."
"I will repeat the question. Where is the best place to go when there is an earthquake?"
"Under a table. Or in a... doorway."
"Good."
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