PTR Arachnid 24601

Ch 6 - He's back

WARNINGS: swearing

3rd POV

Bucky took the news surprisingly well.

Steve knocked on Bucky's door at 8:30 am, only hours after the news about Peter. Bucky had slept a long time––which isn't normal––and the Captain knew he'd be awake at this hour.

"Come in," a gruff voice called out. Steve opened the door to reveal Bucky sitting on his bed with his head resting in his hands.

"Morning, Buck. I have some news." Steve leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed but his expression warm. Bucky looked up and blue delphinium eyes met steel ones.

"Good or bad."

The blond took a deep breath and began explaining everything to the best of his abilities. He relayed what the two scientists had said and Bucky simply stared at him the entire time. When he was done, Steve sucked in a heavy amount of air and glanced at his friend with wary eyes. He wasn't afraid of the other man or what he'd do to him. No, he was afraid of his reaction. Bucky could unpredictable some days, at it didn't help that he never showed much emotion anymore––like now. The furrow in his brows only gave away that he was thinking.

Bucky quickly raised up and off the bed, still looking at the blond with an unreadable expression. He walked forward, slowly approaching Steve, who stood very still. When they were face-to-face, Bucky leaned forth and wrapped his arms around Steve's torso, burying his face in the equally broad shoulder. The taller soldier reciprocated quickly, despite the shock the action induced in his brain.

"Thank you," Barnes breathed, sinking into Steve's arms.

The blond let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Don't thank me, thank Bruce and Tony."

A moment passed and Bucky pulled away, speaking again. "I'm just glad there's some way to get him back. Even if he doesn't remember me."

"He will."

Soon, it was 11:00 AM and the Avengers were holding a meeting to discuss how to approach this situation.

"Alright, so, by now you all know about Peter's chip and the weird mind-controlling stuff. But now we have to decide what to do with this information," Bruce started from where he was standing in front of them all.

"Help him," Pietro deadpanned, but there was a twinkle of amusement in his eyes if you looked hard enough.

"Thank you for the observation, Pietro," Bruce monotonously joked back.

"Certain things are going to trigger him. If any one of us are going to approach him when he wakes up, it has to be someone he doesn't know and doesn't remind him of something." Before they could ask, Natasha continued form her seat beside Clint. "He knows about Steve and Bucky. That rules them out."

"Bucky, is there anyone else you told him about?" Bruce wondered.

"You. And Tony."

An 'Oh gee, I'm touched' was heard from Tony as he placed a hand over his heart.

"Okay. I'm out too then. That leaves Natasha, Clint, Wanda, Pietro, Sam, Vision, and Rhodey, I believe."

Everyone nodded.

"Wait, back the hell up. Didn't he fight most of us during the rescue? That gets rid of me, Rhodey, Natasha, and Clint. I don't know if long-term memories affect him, but I think we should at least consider it," Sam pointed out.