Fragile - A Bucky Barnes Story

I did say eventually.

"Can I ask you a question?" Wanda stood in the common area kitchen with her hands on her hips. Her body language seemed aggressive but her face expressed confusion and a passive aggression lurking beneath her eyes. "How?"

"How what?" I furrowed my brows at my own speech as she scoffed at my answer and walked closer, leaning both of her palms against the cool granite countertops.

"How are you able to fix his mind when Wakanda, the most technologically advanced country in the world, couldn't?" She spoke with a soft pitch but her tone was accusatory and threatening.

I placed my cup of sweetened ice tea, that I had to make myself because no one in the area knew how to make tea that wasn't hot, and leisurely leaned against the countertop opposite her. "Did Steve not explain why I'm here?" I asked knowing good and well he had, numerous times. I crossed my arms over my chest and tilted my head just a bit.

"He did," she nodded once but her eyes never left mine, unblinking and studying. When she didn't continue, I cleared my throat and prepared my explanation.

"Leave her alone, Wanda," Sam, her friend and fellow Avenger came to her side and placed a gentle hand against her upper arm, his gentle coaxing only made her nostrils flair. "She's been cleared, her treatment is obviously working. Its been months since his last freak out."

"I know you don't trust me, Wanda," I said as she exchanged a heated look at Sam's innocently blank face that could have killed a lesser man. "You have made it crystal clear you have a distaste for me and what I do but I didn't choose to come here to be your bestie. I was minding my own business when Steve asked for my help. I agreed because I knew Bucky needed the kind of help only a few people in the world could give him, myself being one of the most experienced at it. I'm good, no I am great at what I do. With or without your trust, I will do what I have to do for Bucky's sake and I don't need your permission."

Wanda crossed her arms over her chest as she assessed me, while Sam cast me an approving smirk and nod. He clasped Wanda on the arm again and nodded his head. "I think she's made her intentions crystal clear, wouldn't you say?" his gaze floated to me with a smirk on his face still before turning back to Wanda. "Can we go train now?'

"Yeah," she stared at me for a minute more before she turned and followed Sam out of the room, casually glancing back once to give me one of her famous death glares before disappearing from view.

"She will eventually accept you," Steve called out from one of the chairs at the four top tables. He had been munching on granola and listening to something with airpods in his ears.

"It has been eight months and anytime she is not on a mission, she acts like I'm personally attacking her with my breathing," I frown as I take my cup of sweet tea and make my way over to his table, weaving through a few empty chairs before I reached him.

"I did say eventually," he teased as I sat down across from him. He gently plucked both airpods out of his ears and placed them back in the white holder sitting by his cup of coffee.

"You would think she would be happy she isn't having to dodge kicks and hits from Bucky anymore, but no-" I throw my hands up in defense and roll my eyes as footsteps begin to fall behind me. I instinctively flinched thinking Wanda was coming back to kick my ass when Bucky plopped down in the seat beside me and he had the biggest uncharacteristic smile on his face, it was breathtaking. "Hey Buck, what's got you smiling so big?"

"I just passed Wanda in the hall giving Sam absolute hell about you being some kind of spy for the United States government, sent to assassinate her and Sam wasn't backing her up," he gently prodded me with his elbow and winked at me. "Oh and I'm under your spell," I forced the flush of embarrassment down as well as my gaze, which he thought immediately he had done something wrong and hurt my feelings somehow. "I'm sorry Lucky, I'm stupid. I shouldn't have joked about what you do-"

"No, no it is not you," I assured him and tried to wave it off so I could change the subject. I didn't want to explain that whatever Wanda said didn't make a dent in my day, but he filled my head all day and then some.

Eight months in his presence, working continuously with him, whether in his head or out of it, had happen a heavy toll on my mental health. I looked forward to seeing his bright eyes watching my lips move as I speak, actually listening to what I say and having something to say about it whether its about his mind or about the weather or his homemade meals that he shares with me when he gets excited to try out a new recipe he's seen on the food network channel and most of all, those few moments where I can touch him, when I lay my fingers against his soft skin before I slip into his mind to alter it. Its not easy to admit I have developed a crush in my time working with him but as of lately I've began to wonder if its becoming more than a mere schoolgirl crush.

Sensing my need for a distraction, Steve cleared his throat and brushed his hands together to get rid of the granola crumbs. "So how's the sessions going, well the ones I haven't been able to make, I mean." Steve questioned, glancing between Bucky and I. Steve had started attending the sessions shortly after my week long coma, his reasoning being someone needed to be there to pull me out before I push myself to far. He had been successful and it was really helpful when I started testing Bucky's limits and I needed a bodyguard. I had to bite my tongue and ask Natasha to come and say the trigger words, and Steve would stand guard of me as Bucky sat in that famous metal chair and bless his heart, Bucky tried so hard and he resisted the programming with so much will, each time we do that treatment, he resists quicker and quicker.

"I don't think he will be needing me much longer," I answered. "I'll probably be home this time next week."

We're coming close to the end friends, but do not fret! I may or may not have a sequel planned.