Get Lost, Hood

Options

Natasha and Bucky had ridden back to the school in silence. They both wanted to talk, but didn't know what to say. Natasha knew that Bucky would be going to the rumble. Bucky knew it would have to be against Natasha's preference. When they got back to the school, Bucky helped Natasha out of the car. "Thank you. For lunch I mean," she said softly. Bucky nodded with a sad smile. Natasha knew she had to say something. Anything.

"I know you are going to that rumble, and I'm pretty sure I can't stop you. But please...don't. You or someone else will get killed. And over what? Me? I don't think I could live with that, James. I mean it." Bucky shook his head. "It's not about you, Nat. Tony has hated me and my friends for a lot longer than you think." Natasha tilted her head in curiosity. Bucky sighed. "When I was pretty young, twelve, my family was in a car accident. It- it killed my dad and injured my mother and sister. It turned out that two passengers in the other car were killed too. They were Tony's parents."

Natasha put a hand to her mouth. Tony never talked about his parents. Natasha knew he had pretty much been living on his own since his parents had passed with the help of a couple family friends. All she had known was that he never liked his dad, but he had loved his mother very much. Tony's friends never brought his parents up because they knew what a touchy subject it was. Never had Natasha imagined that Bucky would've been at all involved in the death of them. Or that he had lost his own family member in the same incident.

"Oh, James. I'm so sorry. I had no idea," Natasha said, putting a hand on his arm. Bucky just shrugged. "I know you didn't. I don't resent Tony, but he resents me and anything that has to do with me. Ever since, he's been looking to get back at me in any way he can. I don't blame him. I'd be looking for someone to blame too if both of my parents were killed too. I try not to hold it against him too much and I get why he's hacked, but I also can't let him treat me like some kissee all the time. I'm getting pretty tired of it. I can't not go to that rumble either. I know it sounds stupid, but if I don't show up, it'll reck my reputation. I know it doesn't seem that important, but it's one of the only things I've got."

Natasha nodded solemnly. "It's not stupid. Take it from someone who knows what a reputation can do to someone. Just... please don't go. I know that's asking a lot, but please. Please, James." Bucky looked into Natasha's pleading eyes. He wanted so badly to take her into his arms and tell her that he wouldn't go and that he didn't have to worry about this stupid war both of them were tired of. However, he knew he couldn't. If he didn't go, it would look bad for him, but that wasn't even his biggest worry. If he told his crew about the rumble, he had no doubt that he couldn't stop at least some of them from going. Hela and Clint would be unstoppable from partaking in trouble. The others would likely follow.

Then there was the option of not telling his crew at all. The outcome of that might turn out even less desirable. They would inevitably find out that Bucky hadn't told them and be upset with him for keeping the information from him and ruining their own reputations. A couple of them would probably stop hanging out with Bucky all together and he didn't know if he could take that. He couldn't lose his friends. That was the last thing he was holding onto. He had a good crew. He wouldn't let them go.

"I'm sorry, Nat. Really. But my hands are tied. You know I hate these stupid gangs as much as you do, but I don't have choice. I lose friends if I go to the rumble, or I lose them if I don't. If I go, maybe I can talk to Tony and try to get him to mellow out. I'll try not to fight. I promise. But I can't promise that there won't be some fighting." Natasha sighed at Bucky's explanation. "I don't support you going, but I know you don't have a choice. I wish I could do something to make it so no one got hurt."

Bucky pondered this for a moment. "You can do something to make it so less people get hurt. Promise me you won't come." Natasha blinked at Bucky. "Like hell I will. I can't stand by while you and my friends get hurt. I have to be there to at least try to-"

"Just promise me. Please," he pleaded. Natasha sighed. She gave a small nod, but it was confirmation enough for Bucky. "Thank you, Natasha." She scoffed. "Well, for an annoying, Greaser, you're pretty hard to say no to." Bucky smiled, but his gut twisted as the thought of the rumble crept back into his head. It was going to be a long night.