"steve?"
at first, he doesn't trust his eyes. can't. but then the reality of it all seeps in and he's sure he can hear his heart shatter.
this is the second time he has to watch bucky die.
his best friend since childhood; now the only person who is from the same time as him, who shared his youth with him.
the only person who can fully understand him.
steve had only just gotten him back, first the winter soldier and then bucky, his bucky.
he thought, hoped that everything would change for the better. the avengers had quickly accepted bucky, the world eventually did as well. together, steve and bucky had worked through nightmares and panic attacks and, in the midst of the pain that slowly eased with the help of each other, had gotten even closer. they had been able to genuinely laugh again.
but suddenly, all this progress, this newfound happiness is gone; vanished into thin air just like bucky.
"till the end of the line," that's what they'd promised each other. well, this is the end of the line and there is no going back.
