Time Bomb

Chapter 13

Dani and I mingled with everyone for awhile. Everyone complimenting her performance.

Around 11pm, everyone started going their own ways. Back to their own homes, rooms in the compound, etc. It's just Dani, Sam, and myself sitting in the living room with the music low to not disturb those who may be trying to sleep.
"I don't think we got a chance to properly meet. You're Dani, right?" Sam speaks up and extends his hand out to her.
"Ah, yes. And you are the infamous Sam Wilson. I've heard a lot about you." She said happily and shook his hand.
"All good thing, I hope." He chuckled, leaning back in his chair.
"Mostly." She smiled at him and leaned back into my chest.
"I've seen interviews of you even. Where you proudly admit that you don't skip leg day and you get so ass tickled when someone else wins in a contest of who has the best ass." She remarked, her hand resting on my leg, her thumb drawing circles right above my knee.
"Well yeah! I work hard on this chocolate bundt cake." He said defensively and stood up and bent over.
"I mean, come one now! Look at this beauty!" He said and slapped his ass. Dani and I both burst out laughing.
We talked for awhile longer before heading to our separate rooms. I changed out of my dressy clothes and into a black shirt and sweatpants, laying down on my bed. I couldn't get that song Dani sang for me out of my head. It's been on replay in my head since she sang it earlier. The way she was able to physically and emotionally put her all into that song just for me.
I laid there in my bed for what felt like forever just thinking about her and replaying her performance. Eventually it turned into dreams.

-night before Dani leaves-

Dani and I decided to spend her last night here with just ourselves. We took a blanket, her guitar, a couple bottles of water, and made sure to dress warm as we intend to be outside for awhile. Matter of fact, we're where she first revealed her powers to me.

—Dani's POV—
I had decided that for my last night here, for only 2 months but still.. I wanted to spend it with Bucky. While he's we do spend almost every waking moment with each other, this is different. This is away from everyone's eyes. It's just us.
Bucky sat down on the blanket first, leaned back in his elbows. I sat down across from him, my guitar laying on the ground beside the blanket.
"Are you excited?" Bucky asked, pulling me away from my own thoughts.
"Yeah, I am. Though, I'm kind of regretting asking Nat to come with me. I'm worried about exploding while I'm gone and I'm not sure I'm ready for her to know yet." I said and looked at him.
"Hey, if you need me for anything, I'll be there. You just call me and I'll drop everything. I'm sure Clint would cover for me if anyone asks where I went. He seems to be our biggest supporter, shockingly since he's basically your brother. You'd think he'd be completely against you dating anyone." He said, sitting up to see me better.
"It's not fair for me to solely rely on you for this, Buck. You have a life. You're an Avenger. If you were to be out on a mission and I called you, I would feel so fuckin shitty if you leaving to come to my rescue lead to someone getting hurt. I'd never be able to forgive myself." I said, playing with a loose string from the sweater I'm wearing under my jacket.
"Hey.. you listen to me alright. You are my life now. Since that night when I found you, my life has changed. I didn't used to think I was going anywhere. Didn't think I'd ever actually be considered an Avenger. A valuable one at that. But because of you, all of that has changed. Clint has brought my name up at meetings for missions instead of just Steve. Sam does too but we bicker a lot when we're left alone together so Steve and Tony try not to put us together much anymore. I don't feel like I'm just a shadow anymore. You helped me come out of my shell and try getting to know everyone better. Seeing you do it so effortlessly made me believe that I could too. Especially after I found out about the bomb that lives inside of you. We suffer from similar things and somehow, as fucked up as it is, that made us closer. Created a much bigger bond between us than there already was..." He had taken hold of my hands as he spoke. Everything he says being completely true. Though, I didn't know him right off the bat but he didn't seem like the super outgoing type. Now, he's making side conversations with everyone. Gaining more respect from them too.
"Dani, please... do not hesitate to call me if you need me. I promise, no matter the time or whatever I am doing, if I see your name pop up on my phone, I will always answer. I can even have Sam help me figure out how to give you a special ringtone so I know it's you." He said and I smiled, trying not to laugh at the last part.
"Bucky, you don't know how to give someone a specific ringtone?" I asked, holding back my laughter.
"I'm 107, been in and out of cargo freeze for 70-80 years so no. I don't know how and don't you dare laugh at that." He said, pointing a finger at me. I took a deep breath and let the laugh fade away before I said anything else.
"You don't have to ask Sam. Here, give me your phone and I'll show you." I said and out my hand out, waiting for him to put his phone in it.
He unlocked it and handed it to me. I smiled at his wallpaper.
"I didn't even know this picture existed, how did you get it?" I asked. It's a picture from the night I sang him his song. Whoever took the picture captured the moment when we had locked eyes, both of us smiling at each other. The mic still in my hand even.
"Nat sent it to me. She didn't send it to you?" He asked, confused.
"No, she didn't. But I love it. Really captures the emotions we share with each other just through a single look." I said, truly admiring the way we look at each other.
A few hours of us just talking about anything and everything, I played my guitar for a bit but I didn't sing. At least not yet. It's not midnight and we're both still sitting out here. Just the sound of us breathing, the crickets, the ocean waves... it's beautiful.
"Can I tell you a secret?" I asked, turning to face Bucky.
"Of course, anything." He said and smiled at me. The moonlight making his eyes even more beautiful than they already are.
"I don't want to leave. I don't want to do this album thing. I just... I want to be here.. in this moment with you... for as long as I possibly can." I said, really wishing I had asked Bucky to come with instead of Nat.
"Hey, Dani... you need to do this. At least just this once. Okay? If you end up not liking it, then don't do it ever again. But what if you do end up liking it? You could become a famous singer and collaborate with popular musicians. It could be a life changing decision." He said.
"Buck, I don't want to be famous. I really don't. That's the last thing I want considering I'm always a ticking time bomb." I said, pointing to my chest where it always starts up.
"Well then, you go do this thing for 2 months and you come right back to me. We can be the power couple of the Avengers. And while you're out there doing something you really don't want to do, I'll be here doing things I really don't want to do..." He said and kissed the top of my hands.
"What do you mean you'll be doing things you don't want to?" I asked, he's never had too much of an issue with doing missions with the guys. Not that he's been on a ton since I've been here but still.
"I heard from Sam that Tony has interviews lined up for the Avengers to appear on those dumb night shows and what not." He said, a grim look on his face.
"Hey.. it'll be alright. Just be honest with your answers and ALWAYS remember... You are NOT the villain anymore. Do not let them tell you otherwise." I said, putting one of my hands against his cheek.
After another hour or two, we decided it was time to head back and get some sleep. I have an early flight with Nat and he has a small mission he starts a mission in the afternoon with Sam and Steve.