stamina (bucky barnes)

35

"Hey, I just got intel that Sam has even more back up already stationed at the airport." Bri bit her lip, relaying the information to Steve. "How serious is this to Tony?"

"Yeah, he just sent me something." Steve looked over his shoulder at her. She was peering down at her phone with a confused look. "Very serious, apparently. Did Buck hear?"

"He's asleep and I am leaving him that way." Bri slouched down in the co-pilots seat and sighed. "Who else does he have?"

Steve traced his front teeth with his tongue. "Nat and Vision, obviously. Um, maybe Rhodes?"

"We've got them out numbered, but I'm still sorry for dragging you all into this."

"You're acting like half of this isn't my fault." Steve smirked. "I was literally the catalyst that made the snowball start to roll."

Bri shrugged. "I don't even want to think about that right now."

"We probably should, though. You know Tony will make this a verbal fight before a physical one."

"This all makes me feel like complete shit, Steve. Like, I know I'm not the greatest person, but I want to help others, and I'm trying-"

"And you are a good person." He interrupted. "You've done more for us in the last few months than any of us could ever be capable of doing. You got Bucky help, trained Peter, got promoted in less than a year, and figured out your own family situation during all of it. I'm almost 100, and I still have no clue what I'm actually supposed to be doing here."

"I got lucky this time. We can't rely on luck, Steve." She responded, not wanting to look at him. "I have to keep myself moving and occupied or I'll literally have a mental breakdown. You of all people should know that. You've seen half of them."

Steve chuckled under his breath at Bri's sudden change in mood. "I'm right there with you. One of these days, I'm just gonna absolutely lose it. Maybe we can build a time machine and go back to a few months ago."

"We could go back to Christmas and just repeat the same day over and over again." Bri said with a small hint of a smile.

They sat in silence for the rest of their journey. It was like every time Bri had to get on a plane with Steve, something bad would happen. She hoped that this time would be different. She just wanted to get off the plane, hop on the other, and get to Wakanda and start Bucky's treatment.

Bri wondered what they would be doing in the few weeks it would take to get Buck acclimated to the new environment. She was excited to see all the new projects that Shuri was working on and Bri knew Bucky would flip over all the technology they had just lying around.

It was important that Bucky had time to make sure the treatment was what he truly wanted. Steve and Bri were grateful that he wouldn't be forced into it as soon as they arrived. They wanted to make sure everything was done at his pace, and all the decisions were made by him and for him.

"Five minutes til landing." Steve announced. He startled Bri a little with his stern 'Captain' tone. "No turning back now."

Bri nodded and bit her lip, starting to mentally prepare herself for the disaster ahead. "Let me wake him up. I hope he didn't roll off the seat."

"If he did, don't tell Sam. He will never let that go."

She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. Bri turned on her heel and began collecting her things off the walls and seats, tucking them in her belts and holsters.

Bri looked over to Bucky and pouted at how cute he looked. He was hugging one of her duffle bags while laying his head on his own. He had tied his hair up, but strands were covering his eyes and nose, one flying up slightly every time he breathed out.