til forever falls apart (BWWM)

|01|

"Thirty minutes before landing!" Steve yelled over the roar of the helicopter, his hands pulling the controls with effort. His knuckles whitened as the gears fought back before clicking into place. The cockpit was alive with flashing lights and switches, and though I didn't understand half of them, I knew Steve did. "Everyone sit down!"

Sam stood up from his seat, catching my eye with a smirk. The gleam in his eyes told me he was ready for trouble.

"You know, Bucky," Sam shouted over the engine's thunder, "I could give you a ride if you need it!" His grin widened, daring me to take him up on it.

I shook my head, grinning back despite myself. "I'll pass. I don't trust you not to drop me on accident!"

Sam chuckled and slapped a hand on my shoulder before heading to the door of the helicopter. "Don't worry," he called out, extending his arms dramatically as he reached the opening, "I'll drop you on purpose!" And with that, he tipped backward, diving headfirst out of the chopper with a wild yell.

"Woah!" His voice echoed in the air as he disappeared.

I couldn't help but hope his wings wouldn't open. Just for a second.

I grabbed my bag and moved to the copilot seat, glancing at Steve, who was still laughing to himself. "I hate him," I muttered under my breath, only half-joking. "And not in that 'friends' kind of way." The corner of my mouth twitched, but Steve's chuckle only deepened.

"When's the wedding?" he teased, flipping more switches with practiced ease. I shot him a look and nudged his arm, but he just nudged me back, still grinning.

"We're landing," he said, settling into the controls as the chopper began its descent. I grabbed my bag, heading to the door as Steve set his headset down. I waited for the signal and leapt from the chopper the second it was safe.

The ground beneath me was solid, a welcome change after the turbulence of the flight. Sam came sauntering out of the building, his hand already raised for a high-five. I just stared at it for a beat before begrudgingly slapping it.

"Feeling the love, huh?" he quipped, shaking his head.

The helicopter finally touched down, and Steve climbed out, throwing his hands up in mock exasperation. "Why don't you two just wait for the chopper to land like normal people?" He swung his bag over his shoulder, glancing between us with a bemused grin.

I shrugged as we turned toward the compound. The doors slid open, and Natasha stepped out, her braid falling loose as she tugged at it. I gave her a quick wave as I stepped onto the platform.

"Fury called," she muttered, barely looking at me as she strode past. The tension in her voice made my stomach drop. I glanced back at Steve and Sam, who suddenly looked like they'd rather be anywhere else. Sam even took a few steps back toward the chopper, his usual swagger nowhere to be found.

This wasn't good.

Before we could even set our bags down, we heard Fury's voice echoing down the hallway, sharp and unrelenting. Steve sighed, his shoulders sagging just a bit. "Don't talk back unless he asks you something. And only call him Fury," he reminded me, like I didn't already know the drill.

I nodded, following him into the room where the others were gathered. Natasha had already taken her seat beside Tony and Bruce, while Clint stood nearby with Wanda and the guy who shrinks. I still didn't know his name.

Fury paced in front of the screen, hands clasped tightly behind his back, his voice rising with frustration. "Stark, I get that you think this is some kind of myth, but it's real. It's been proven."