Marvel One Shots

Don't You Dare Be Late (Short Story)

"It won't take me very long. I think Bruce said ten seconds." Steve says as he adjusts his suit. He grabs his shield taking a quick glance in mirror.

"You've done it before. I'm not worried." Bucky says, watching Steve in the mirror. He tussles his hair, his coined nervous twitch since he was young. "But I am worried about you."

Steve cocks his head, furrowing his eyebrows. "What?"

Bucky nods his head. "I'm worried about you, Steve."

"But you just said--"

"I'm not worried about you returning the stones." Bucky cuts off, shaking his head. He reaches out, grabbing Steve's shoulder. "I'm worried about you."

Steve scoffs, rolling his blue eyes. "Buck, I'm not the same scrappy kid who picked fights in alleys." He smiles, but Bucky doesn't return it.

"I know." He says. "And that's what I'm worried about."

Steve's smile falls. "I don't think I'm following. So, you want me picking fights now?"

Bucky studies him, trying to think of the right words. "I want you back."

Steve tightens his jaw. "Buck, you're not making sense. Are you sure that when you came back all of your brain came back as well?"

"You've been thinking about her." Bucky says, making Steve tense up. He looks down, running his hand through his hair again.

"Who?"

Bucky sighs, rolling his blue eyes. "You know who, Steve. Don't play dumb with me now."

Steve frowns, walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed. Bucky follows, sitting beside him. The room is peacefully silent, waiting for someone to speak first. It feels like hours before Bucky softly starts. "You can stay, you know."

Steve closes his eyes. "No, I can't."

"Why?" Bucky asks, leaning his elbows on his knees to try and get a good look at Steve. He tries to see his emotions as he pushes on. "What's stopping you?"

"After everything we've just gone through, I can't just leave for someone I can't get over." Steve says, furrowing his eyebrows. "There are people who are depending on me now that we've lost Tony and Natasha. They were the heart and soul of the team. Someone's got to step up and keep the team together for them."

"You've always been so dramatic." Bucky groans. "No offense, Steve, but I'm sure the team can find someone. They don't need you to keep going on for them. They don't need you to be the glue. They don't expect you to."

"But what about Tony's family? Or Natasha? Someone's gotta stay here and--"

"Tony's family is in safe hands." Bucky cuts off, gently patting Steve's shoulder. "They have Rhodey and Happy. And don't worry about Natasha. Clint and Bruce are already starting some memorial thing. She's getting her recognition, I promise."

Steve sighs, sagging his shoulders. He turns, his eyes meeting Bucky's. "But what about you, Buck? I can't see a life that doesn't have you in it."

"As touching as that is, Stevie, I'm sure you'll do just fine. You got on alright when I wasn't around before. It won't be much different." Bucky chuckles, smiling at him.

"I won't be able to live with myself knowing that you're being experimented on in that life. Or that I left you now that I just got you back." Steve presses, his eyebrows furrowing. Their moments together had been cut short almost every time they finally reunited. Now they could finally start back where they had ended. The two of them against the world. And Sam, of course.