stamina (bucky barnes)

36

dedicated to @ThorsonofAspAnkY for all the comments throughout this book that make me laugh and cry at the same time <3

"Do you like it here?" Steve asked, unloading his own suitcases in front of his new room.

Bucky nodded and merely smiled as he watched out the huge glass window across the hall. T'Challa's family was too kind. T had explained the entire situation to his mother and sister, and that's when Bri took off towards the lab in a rush.

Bucky could see the little villages made up of huts where the children played just over the line of trees separating the large compound. Bucky couldn't wait to just isolate himself once this was all over. He really wanted to be in the fresh air and live in his own small hut.

His expression hardened once he remembered the events that occurred just hours ago. His girlfriend would not speak to anyone once they left, and Bucky knew she just needed space. She was stunned and angry. He really wanted to hug her and spend some time with her before he was put under for treatment, but he respected her boundaries and went off with Steve to find their rooms after she left.

"She'll come around, Buck. Just give her time."

Bucky shrugged. "Am I really worth all this?" He finally turned his attention to his friend. "Am I worth risking your lives and abandoning everything?"

Steve furrowed his brows and nodded. "You need this, Bucky. You deserve the treatment to get better. We wouldn't have traveled all this way if we didn't think it was beneficial."

"But does Bri deserve this? I-I can't keep ruining her life and her family by stringing her along. She needs someone better than me. We're both so damaged and fragile. You could give her so much more, Steve. She doesn't need me to hold her back-"

"Shut up, right now." Steve pointed a finger at him and scowled. "You're the only person I know that Bri would drop everything for. Yeah, she's given up a lot, but that was her choice. You make her happy, Bucky, not me, not Sam, not Wanda- it's you. It will always be you."

Tears flooded Bucky's eyes and he gulped, bringing a hand up to cover his mouth. He sniffled and shook his head. "Just please look after her. Tell her I love her."

"Stop acting like you're dying." Steve chuckled under his breath. He placed an arm around Bucky's shoulders and brought him into a hug. "She's going to be fine. She's stronger than any of us."

Bucky took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm gonna go unpack our stuff. I think Bri's in the lab. T'Challa said dinner would be around eight since we got in late." He turned on his heel and gathered the multiple bags outside of the door.

Steve was slightly taken back by his behavior. Bucky had never been so passive since they had brought him from Romania. "Get some rest, man."

Bucky swung the bags onto the bed and started unpacking his things. He didn't know if Bri would even want to share a room with him at this point, so he divided the drawers in half and made sure to push his clothes to the left side of the closet.

He figured she would just reorganize her things once she came to the room, but Bucky carefully folded and hung up her clothes like they were his own. He gave her the majority of the space on the bathroom counter top and even laid out her makeup like he remembered back in her old bedroom.

Bucky sighed and wiped his hands on his pants before going to untie his shoes. He desperately wanted to shower, eat, and sleep. Even if they weren't in that order.