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2 Weeks Later...
Indigo sat quietly at the dining room table, her gaze fixed on the burner phone in her hand. It was well past midnight, which meant it was already 8 in the morning in Bucharest.
She knew Bucky was disappointed that she couldn't come home yet. Wanda was grappling with her own issues, and Nat was still preoccupied with finding Bruce. So, Indigo had messaged Bucky, explaining that she needed to stay until things settled down after what happened in Lagos.
Indigo sighed, her fingers tapping nervously on the table. It had been a week since she last heard from Bucky. Normally, they exchanged messages daily, no matter how brief, just to check in with each other. But since she had sent that text about staying longer at the compound, his responses had stopped.
She couldn't shake the feeling that it had something to do with the Winter Soldier, the part of Bucky's past that still haunted him. They had talked about it extensively, how he struggled with the memories and the fear of reverting to that persona. She understood his fears, respected his boundaries, but now the silence was unsettling.
Was he angry with her for staying behind? Did he feel betrayed that she wasn't coming home immediately? Indigo knew Bucky well enough to recognize his protective instincts, especially when it came to her safety. But she also knew her place in the team, her commitment to their missions.
Leaning back in her chair, Indigo closed her eyes briefly, trying to calm the knot of worry tightening in her chest. She missed him terribly—the warmth of his embrace, the reassurance in his voice.
As she stared at the phone, lost in thoughts about Bucky, the sound of footsteps approaching pulled her out of her reverie. Indigo looked up to see Steve entering the dining room, concern etched on his face.
"Hey, Indigo," Steve greeted softly, noting her troubled expression. "Mind if I join you?"
Indigo managed a small smile, grateful for Steve's presence. "Sure, Steve. What's on your mind?" She quickly pocketed the burner phone.
Steve pulled out a chair and sat down opposite her, his eyes meeting hers with empathy. "I've noticed you've been quiet lately. Everything okay?"
"Yeah, I just haven't been sleeping well," Indigo admitted slowly, her voice tinged with a touch of fatigue. It was true; she'd been having a rough time with it lately, though she wasn't quite ready to explain why to Steve.
"Me neither," Steve confessed, his expression filled with concern. "Every time I close my eyes, I see Bucky, and I can't seem to get him out of my mind."
Steve's words struck a chord with Indigo, though she masked her reaction carefully. She couldn't betray the fact that she had been aware of Bucky's whereabouts for nearly two years.
