Wicked Game || CURRENTLY EDITING

Chapter 98: Live Your Life

"Y/n? Y/n... Y/n!"

Y/n snaps her head up, her wide eyes landing on Bucky. The super-soldier hasn't failed with his regular check-ins but today, he wanted to see the girl in person rather than through a screen as usual. The two are currently sitting across from one another on the porch of the Stark cottage. They were engaged in a conversation when y/n's mind drifted off, focusing on her time travel dilemma instead of the man in front of her.

"Yeah?"

Bucky sends her a concerned glance. "Are you okay?"

"Mhm, yeah. I-I'm listening," the girl lies, sending him a small grin. He's not convinced, however.

Bucky narrows his eyes at her, staying quiet for a short moment before eventually speaking up, "what's going on?" He gives her a knowing look, letting her know that she shouldn't even bother denying that something is wrong.

Y/n gawks at him, speechless. Where to begin? She wonders. Should she tell him everything or keep him in the dark like Jonathan and her therapist. Dr. Raynor is on vacation, but that didn't stop y/n from calling her until she picked up. She needed to vent but didn't give major details. She could explain it to Bucky the way she did to the therapist...

"So what's on your mind, y/n? What's got you so rattled?" Dr. Raynor's voice sounds through the phone.

Y/n licks her lips, nervously tapping her foot as she stares at the phone on the desk in front of her. "I, um... I was recently confronted with a choice. An opportunity... one that could change my life," she commences.

"Okay. And what is this opportunity?"

Y/n thinks of a way to explain without giving anything away. "To live the life I've always wanted– originally wanted... The life that was taken from me."

Dr. Raynor listens carefully, jotting down notes on her notepad in her hotel room. "You mean before the incident," she clarifies.

The girl nods, replying, "Yes. I had so many dreams back then, there were certain things I wanted for the future."

"And you can't have those things anymore...? Or do you not want them?"

The young witch takes a moment to ponder the question. "No," she simply states.

"No what?" her therapist asks, wanting a clearer answer.

"I can't have those things if I continue on the path I'm on right now."

Dr. Raynor takes note of how her patient only answered the first question. "So you do want those things?"

"Yes. I mean, no..." y/n struggles to reply, caught off guard. "I– maybe? I don't know," she sighs.

Bucky gazes at the girl sympathetically. The way she's having a battle with herself over what she wants reminds him of Steve. "What do you mean you don't know?" he queries.

The girl sighs heavily, shaking her head. "I don't know... It's just that... it's not just my life that would be affected. I know that if I choose to pursue that new life, I'll hurt everyone around me. I don't want to hurt the people I love," she depicts with a small frown on her face.

The man slightly frowns as well upon seeing how upset his friend is. He leans forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees as his eyes bore into the girl. "Well, sometimes... we just gotta do what's best for ourselves," he claims. Y/n raises her head to glance at him curiously. "Even if it hurts someone else," he concludes.

Y/n lets his words sink in. His advice is pretty wise... but would he be saying this if he knew what the supposed opportunity is? Y/n feels horrible as she sits across from Bucky with the thought of going back to her time on her mind. It's the exact same thing Steve did. Now she might do that too? Can Bucky handle going through this a second time? "I wish this was easier," she mumbles, staring down at her lap solemnly.