Rising From the Ashes • COMPLETED ✓

37.) For Everyone: Steve Rogers

SHURI UDAKU - PRINCESS OF WAKANDA

July 19th, 2017

My hands shake as I hold Bucky's letter.

I truly don't know what to do.

I've fought so hard to get him back. I've waited so long for him to be by my side. I never lost hope in him, but he has. And now he's gone.

I think that somewhere, deep inside my mind, I knew this would happen. That one day, Bucky would leave of his own accord. I believe in him. I love him. But does he love and believe in himself? Barnes needs to find himself. What if I need to find myself too? What if I need him in order to do, and to do so many more things? I love you so much so much it almost scares me, He wrote.

I feel the same way.

A tear drops onto the paper, smearing a bit of the graphite. I bury my face in my hands and I feel like my heart shatters into pieces.

As I sit on my bed, wishing I never woke up and cursing myself for being such a deep sleeper, I hear a few clicks and whirs; signifying that the locks were being unfastened. The door slides open and I can't bear to look up.

"Shuri, please go, I'm not in the mood—"

Taking a deep breath, I let my fingers fall from my face. However, instead of the prodigy princess, I see him.

"Bucky?"

"Steve," He whispers. "I'm sorry."

I don't speak as I rush towards him and envelop him into a hug. I hug Bucky so tight I fear he might break. I make sure not to touch his sling as I rest my chin on his shoulder, feeling his right arm curl around my neck. I close my eyes, taking it all in.

"Please don't go," I whisper back, tears freely streaming down my cheeks.

"I never will," Bucky answers.

I hug him tighter, scared he'll slip from my grasp, but then loosen my grip. I know he won't disappear. Not again. Not ever. 

Not if I can help it.

~

July 22nd, 2017

"I promised I wouldn't go, and here you are betraying me!" Bucky says, a grimace on his face, but a joking tone in his voice.

"Whoops," I reply with a smirk and pull him into what seems like the hundredth time I've embraced him today. I put our foreheads together and stare deep into his kaleidoscopic, stormy Caribbean gaze. We both smile as we lean forward into a kiss. As his lips meld against mine, his eyelashes tickle my cheeks and I can't help but laugh. "I'll call you later when I arrive in New York. It's time to get back out there, Buck. For me to get back out there." 

Bucky nods, his lips curved in a sad, sweet, smile.

I'll miss this.

"Get a room, you two," Sam mutters from behind us. Bucky chuckles and our grins collide with each other again. I really don't want to leave, but I have to. I'll go stir-crazy in this palace if I don't.

"Shut up, Wilson," Natasha scoffs.

Opening my eyes, I finally break apart from Bucky and gently squeeze his arm. "I promise to call you every day and night, alright."

"Your promises are crap," He answers with a lopsided smile. "But I promise, too."

As the Wakandan plane's engines start to stir, the wind from them blows Bucky's hair into every direction. He looks so beautiful. He is beautiful.

"I love you, James Buchanan Barnes."

"I love you, Steven Grant Rogers."

I hold his hands tight against mine and my heart aches when I let his fingers go. The electricity I feel from Bucky's touch simmers away into nervousness and excitement. Adrenaline and a bittersweet sadness fill my veins.

"It's time to go, Steve," Natasha nudges my arm. She and Sam already said their goodbyes, but I can tell that if I stay any longer with Buck, they'll not want to leave, either. I nod and grin at Bucky, then at Shuri, then Peter, and finally, I bow my head at T'Challa.

As I turn away from these people, people who I love, I know that a new kind of thing is forming. That a new mission and adventure is beginning. And I'll complete it. For Bucky. For me.

For everyone.

If you were confused: This is the mission that I mentioned earlier in the story. Steve, Sam, and Natasha are going back to America to fight crime. Bucky's staying because he needs to recover from the surgery still, so he'll be at the goat farms like he was in the movie.

This is the last chapter before the end chapter and then the epilogue.

Just to prepare you, the epilogue will be split into two parts.

Hope you loved reading this!

Dedicated to Flame0515 because they have been a great supporter and voted on every single chapter of RFTA so far. Thank you! :)