An unconventional trio

"Say it again"

Bucky's POV:

The drive back to the compound is thick with tension, the kind that hangs in the air and makes your chest tight. Steve hasn't said a word since we left. It's frustrating, especially since I can't figure out what his problem is with Nova. It's more than just concern—he's being outright dismissive of her, and of us. I grip the steering wheel a little tighter, jaw clenched, eyes glued to the road.

Frankly, he's being a dick.

I pull into the compound's garage, throw the car into park, and immediately swing the door open. I need space, some distance from this whole mess. The second my boots hit the pavement, I hear Steve behind me.

"Buck!"

I don't stop. I don't even turn around. The thud of his door slamming shut finally cuts through the silence between us, but I don't care. The tension in my shoulders is nearly unbearable, and if I stop now, I might say something I'll regret.

"Bucky, wait!" Steve's voice follows me, but I keep moving, my long strides making it clear that I'm not in the mood for whatever he's about to say.

He doesn't understand. He doesn't see Nova the way I do, and I'm starting to think he doesn't want to.

I stood in front of the elevator, eyes narrowed, the muscles in my jaw tightening as I clenched my teeth. My arms were crossed tightly over my chest, my fingers tapping impatiently against my bicep. Each second that passed without the elevator arriving made my frustration mount, like a slow burn spreading through my veins. Steve's words echoed in my mind, bouncing around with nowhere to land, fueling my irritation.

Finally, the elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. I stepped inside without hesitation, my hand immediately moving to the button panel. I jabbed the "close doors" button repeatedly, as if pressing it harder would make it happen faster. The doors finally closed, sealing me in solitude.

I leaned back against the wall, exhaling sharply, but the pressure in my chest didn't ease. My thoughts returned to Steve, to everything my friend had said since Nova and I had gotten together. All the warnings, the concerns, the subtle hints that Steve didn't fully trust my judgment.

"Look, Bucky.... you haven't been with anyone in a really long time. That honeymoon phase doesn't last forever."

"She is a little chaotic though...."

"Well....you're gonna have your hands full with her..."

The words stung every time. I know Steve means well, but it doesn't stop the anger from bubbling up every time he brings it up. Nova wasn't some evil, selfish thing that I needed protecting from. She isn't some mistake I've made.

I squeezed my eyes shut, my hand gripping the railing behind me as I thought of her—her smile, the way she looks at me like I'm not broken, like I am just Bucky, not the Winter Soldier. She makes me feel like I have a chance at something normal. Something good. But Steve's voice is always there, cutting through the moments of peace, reminding me of everything that could go wrong.

I barely noticed the soft ding of the elevator signaling its arrival on my floor. My thoughts were still tangled in the tension from my run, and my feet moved on autopilot as I stepped out. The hallway stretched before me, dimly lit, quiet, a perfect reflection of my mood. I made my way toward my suite, the familiar path doing little to ease the weight sitting heavily on my chest.

As I rounded the corner, my mind still preoccupied, I felt something—or rather, someone—bump into me. My gaze flicked up, and a deep, smooth voice cut through my thoughts.

"Barnes... why the long face?"

My eyes locked onto the figure standing in front of me.

Loki.