-In which, despite Indigo and Bucky's shattered and bruised state, their love for each other is the anchor that prevents them from completely crumbling.
Mature Content 18+
[Book Two]
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Bucky's POV ~
Bucky felt the chill of the cryo-chamber receding, replaced by a lingering ache that dulled his senses. He took slow, deliberate breaths, willing warmth back into his limbs. Opening his eyes, he blinked several times, the room slowly coming into focus.
"Indigo," he murmured to himself, the thought of her providing a flicker of comfort amidst the disorientation.
T'Challa and Steve stood before him, their concern palpable. Bucky steadied himself, his hands gripping the sides of the cryo-chamber as he took a tentative step forward. Steve's reassuring arm extended, offering support as they moved towards the nearby medical table.
With each step, Bucky's muscles protested, but he pressed on, determined to regain his strength. He settled onto the table, grateful for its stability after the disorienting sensation of awakening from cryosleep.
Bucky glanced up, catching the worried expression on Steve's face. He coughed, the cold still lingering in his throat, and struggled to sit up against the medical table.
"What's wrong?" Bucky grunted, his voice hoarse with disuse. He scanned the room, noting the doctors bustling around the cryo-chamber, replacing equipment with swift efficiency.
"Nothing is wrong, Sergeant Barnes," T'Challa reassured him, his voice calm and steady.
Bucky furrowed his brow, concern etching lines into his features. "Where's Indigo?" he asked urgently, the thought of her absence suddenly gnawing at him. Why wasn't she here? Was something wrong with her? Was she okay?
Steve and T'Challa exchanged a somber glance, their shared concern palpable. Bucky's whole body tensed with worry as he awaited their response.
"Where is she?" Bucky demanded, his voice edged with urgency. A doctor approached, attempting to run tests, but Bucky brushed them off impatiently. All he could focus on was Indigo's well-being.
Steve hesitated, his gaze dropping to the ground before he answered reluctantly. "She isn't here right now. She went to see Tony, and she'll be back in a couple of days."
Bucky felt a wave of confusion and hurt wash over him. She left? Questions raced through his mind, each one more frantic than the last. Why did she leave him? Was something wrong between them? Was she in danger?
"Don't you want to know why we pulled you out?" Shuri's voice cut through the tension in the room as she walked in, her expression a mix of concern and determination.
Bucky barely registered her presence. His mind was consumed with thoughts of Indigo—where she was, why she had left, and if she was safe. The rest seemed insignificant in comparison.
"Well, we got you out because we have been running simulations to see how to help you. And now we know," Shuri explained, her voice calm and measured.
