Radioactive | Bucky Barnes

THE AVENGERS: CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The portal had closed. The alien army was gone. The air was heavy with the aftermath—the sounds of sirens, the heavy breaths of the heroes, the quiet buzz of exhaustion settling over the city. But amidst the rubble and relief, Rhiley was still burning.

Her body shimmered with the Phoenix's flames, an ethereal blaze of red and orange, like an eternal wildfire that refused to be quelled. The fire seemed to consume her from within, racing through her veins with no sign of stopping. Her breath came in jagged gasps, her face contorted in pain, as though she couldn't escape the blaze that kept her from herself.

She tried to breathe, tried to find some semblance of peace, but it was slipping through her fingers like smoke.

"Rhiley... Rhiley, look at me."

Her vision was blurred with fiery intensity, but she could hear the voice cutting through the noise. A steady, calming voice. Steve. She wasn't sure how long he'd been there, standing on the rooftop with her. She didn't even notice him at first—she couldn't focus on anything but the fire in her chest. But his presence was undeniable now.

She gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand a little straighter, trying to push the flames away, but they clung to her. "I can't stop it, Steve." Her voice was hoarse, like she was fighting not just the Phoenix, but everything inside her. "I can't..."

She had gained control of the flames, but something inside her didn't want to return. Didn't want to face the grief that was to come.

"You're not alone." His voice was low, comforting, as if he'd been through this kind of pain before. He stepped closer, his expression softening as he watched her struggle. He reached out, cautiously, as if not knowing whether touching her would burn him. But his eyes didn't leave hers. "You can fight this. I know you can."

Her hands trembled, the fire flickering dangerously as she looked at him. I can't fight it anymore. Her mind screamed, but she swallowed the words before they could leave her lips. Steve's words... they were different. They didn't push her away like the Phoenix did. He wasn't telling her to give in.

But the flames were rising higher, and she could feel herself slipping away again, like she was fading into the fire. She couldn't do this alone. Not again.

"Steve," she whispered, her eyes starting to water. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I—"

"Shh," Steve cut her off gently, stepping closer. "You don't need to apologize. We're going to fix this, okay?"

She shook her head, tears mingling with the fire. She wanted to believe him so badly. But she couldn't. "I don't know if I can anymore."

But then, Steve's voice dropped a little, and the words he spoke hit her like a wave of cold water.

"You know, James used to say the same thing to me," Steve said, his voice soft but edged with something darker, something painful. "That no matter what, I wasn't alone. Even when it felt like I was. I'm not gonna leave you, Rhiley."

Her heart dropped into her stomach, and a sharp, painful breath tore from her throat. The mention of James, of the man she had lost, the one who had been more than just a partner to her, more than a lover. He had been her other half, the one person who understood her in ways no one else ever could. She couldn't breathe for a moment, the fire inside her flickering violently at the mention of his name.

"Steve," Rhiley gasped, her voice shaking.

The fire swirled around them, but somehow, it was less intense now. The flames that had threatened to consume her seemed to falter in the face of his words. She could feel the heat inside her—still there, still burning—but now, something was grounding it. Something that kept it from swallowing her whole.