TALES FROM FALLEN WARRIORS ─ marvel

V. Helpless

Chapter Five
Zy'aire

Uncle Bucky took the 'we're from the future' talk pretty well considering all he's been through. Stevie and Livy did most of the explaining, with Lee, Jo, and I interjecting sporadically. I don't think Uncle Bucky really believed us though until we showed him photos from our time. When we were done, he didn't say anything. He just nodded and told Steve he was really tired and wanted to get some rest. Steve went to unlock his chains, but Uncle Bucky insisted they be kept on. He doesn't trust himself to be free around anyone. Steve clearly wanted to argue, but he kept silent and helped him to a couch so he could rest. He's been sleeping for about forty minutes now. So have Livy, Stevie, and Jo. Jo is draped over a chair, snoring rather loudly while Livy and Stevie are both sleeping in dog form on the floor next to the couch Uncle Bucky sleeps on. They're all in one of the offices down the hall.

"How are you holding up?" I ask Lee. He and I are sitting on top of one of the office desks, sharing a bag of Cheetos. I found it in one of the backpacks.

"Not great," He admits. "It's hard seeing Bucky like this. He looks so scared, so hurt and traumatized. It makes me want to do unforgivable things to the HYDRA agents in that base."

"I want to do the same, especially when I start to think about what HYDRA is doing to Aunt Soroya, Uncle Alex, and Jade right now as well."

"He doesn't deserve this. None of them do."

No. No they don't. Life can be cruel like that, as all of us have learned.

Lee stuffs his hand into the bag and brings out a handful of Cheetos, coating his fingers in orange dust. "How about you? Are you doing alright?"

"Not really. On top of the pain of seeing him struggle like this, I feel this odd...disconnect. I look at him and all I see is my uncle, but at the same time, I see a completely different person."

"I know what you mean," Lee says through a sigh. "Bucky...he's a father to me. Ever since we got stuck here I've missed him like crazy, and now that he's here with us, I miss him even more because it's not really him. It's very confusing."

I let out a humorless chuckle. "I think every part of this is confusing."

I suddenly hear a door open, two familiar voices flooding in from it. Steve and Natasha had gone out to get some water and blankets, it appears they're back now, and in the middle of a heated discussion.

"I know how much he means to you, but—"

"I'm not letting him out of my sight, Nat."

"So what's your plan? Bring him to that crappy apartment of yours and hide him in your closet?"

"If that's what it takes, then yes."

Lee and I share a look and push ourselves off the desk, leaving the bag of Cheetos behind. We find Steve and Natasha standing in the hallway just outside the office we were talking in, which is around the corner from where Uncle Bucky and the others are sleeping right now. Without looking our direction, Steve ropes us into the conversation.

"In your time, Bucky took refuge in Wakanda and they helped him get better. Would they take him in now?"

"I'm not sure. The circumstances in which he was brought to Wakanda were...complicated. More so than we let on."