Destruction ━ Bucky Barnes [2]

13 ━ ON THE EDGE

DESTRUCTION.
( chapter thirteen. )

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Edited 12/29/2015 @4:35 AM
Edited 05/23/2019 @8:18 AM
Edited 08/07/2025 @1:30 AM

[ SATURDAY NIGHT. ]

  THE NEXT FEW DAYS SEEMED TO PASS in a blur. Somehow, moving on from one hour to the next was easier. No longer was there a weight bearing down on her shoulders, haunting her conscious, or gnawing at her chest— and if there was, she knew there was someone she could always turn to.

  And it wasn't that Andy believed one visit to the therapist had done all this either. It had taken months to even lead herself up to seeking help. It was just that, if she'd realized how better things would feel, she would have done it a lot sooner.

  However, anxiety still shadowed her in times like the present. From where she stood in front of the mirror, Andy couldn't help but pace at the reflection staring back at her. It was hardly that she felt self-conscious. She knew she looked fine. It was just that she felt far from it.

There was no telling who Tony had invited and, with her current status as the media's punching bag, Andy was worried about the reaction his guests might have towards her.

  After a couple more minutes of deliberation, the Jones woman finally managed to school her emotions into a collected calm. Andrea knew who she was. She had her friend's trust and that was enough for her to make it through tonight.

  Or, so she hoped.

  She stepped out of her room, glancing down the empty hall. Even from one floor above, Andy could hear the music, mingled in with the low chatter of people. She exhaled a slow breath, making her way towards the elevator with little reluctance. She was nervous in such a way that she simply wasn't used to.

  Since when had she allowed other people's opinion about her to become so intimidating?

  Andy furrowed her brow, struggling to gain her confidence. She wanted to be brave, but she was afraid that it would be misinterpreted, like so many of her actions before. She turned to face the closing doors, but found herself pausing at the sight of Steve jogging steadily towards her.

  "Hold the door!" He called out, hand outstretched as he came up just short of the entrance. Andrea shot out her hand in return, allowing the doors to open, letting Steve in. "Thanks," he said quickly, giving her a hesitant smile as he came to stand beside her.

Andy nodded, reciprocating the gesture as politely as she could. As the elevator fell into silence, she could feel the anxiety slowly creep up on her. She wanted to say something, but couldn't seem to find the right words. But, she'd promised herself to start being better; a better teammate, a better Avenger, and more importantly, a better friend.