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"James- I don't...Metal is hard for me," you whisper as begin to see the wreckage and ruin you're both walking into. It was only minutes ago that Bucky got the emergency call. The two of you were the only ones at the compound, so somehow you had to make this work. You see a bridge full of cars, packed bumper to bumper, some even abandoned, as people scramble to get off the bridge. That's when you hear another loud explosion and sure enough, another beam is down. From the damage you knew that you couldn't fix them fast enough and simultaneously keep the bridge up so Bucky's idea was for you to try to keep the bridge up while he got everyone out of there.
"I know- I know. Listen give me a second and I'll think of something-"
"But I'm going to try anyway!" you reluctantly exclaim, hoping the false bravado will somehow make any of this easier. "Just don't- you know, don't take too long."
"I won't."
You nod as the two of you are finally dropped into place, you take a second to feel each of the metal beams. With another deep breath, you start taking the weight of the bridge, praying that Bucky can get everyone out fast enough.
But you're already sweating under the increasing weight of the bridge. With every snap of the big metal chords and every breaking support beam, you're carrying more and more pressure. That's when the big guys with guns see you. With as big of a current of wind you can muster, you throw them off, but it's not enough to stop them. "James! I've got a problem."
In your peripheral, you see his head snap up to you then to the guys with guns that you're barely able to fend off. One by one, he's taking as many of them down as quickly as he can.
You hear a new voice on the comms. "Tony told me you guys might need another hand?"
"Great timing, Sam," you chirp, recognizing his voice.
"She's holding up the bridge and I'm making sure these," he stops, throwing another punch. "-guys don't get to her. These people aren't evacuating fast enough, Sam?"
"Get the people out while the bridge is still up. On it." Another, smaller explosion goes off. They can both hear your strained breathing. "Can't you just- I don't know...fix the beams? Weld them together?"
"She tried," Bucky answers for you. "They're coming down too quickly."
"Can't she just smush them together?" He says helping people get over and around fallen debris.
"That's not really how metal or science- I think- works, Sam, I can't just weld things like that- it would be nice right about now," you grit, trying to hold the shattered fragments of the metal beams together.
"You're going to lecture me about science when you're literally holding up a collapsing bridge?!"
"Point taken," you laugh.
You hear Bucky over the comms. "Just get off the bridge. There isn't enough time."
"Not until you get everyone off. I can hold it," you insist through gritted teeth.
"Let go, you can't hold it," he insists.
"Yes, I can," you say in a forced sing-song tone. "Get everyone off."
You turn your head to survey the damage. "Who would do this?" you ask rhetorically, knowing that the actual men are only a few yards away. Only seconds later, you're reminded of the answer when several shots ring and ricochet off the beam you're standing in front of.
"My guess is those guys," Sam remarks.
You don't have time to comment before you see the next several shots fired at Bucky. He's distracted by the other bad guys and doesn't have a chance to react before you intervene, stopping the bullets mid-air. Bucky turns to you, eyes comically wide. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," you groan.
"You think the cams caught that? That was like the freaking Matrix. How did you do that?" Sam marveled.
"Thank you. I think I'll explain later-if that's okay. Now is everyone out?" You groan again.
You've never exerted yourself this far, you're not sure how much longer you can continue. Just as you're thinking about how you can't possibly continue, another explosion goes off on the bridge and takes out the only other support beam. Now it's all on you.
"You need to get out of here, James! I can't hold it!" you shout over the comms.
"Just let go! I'll be okay!" Bucky shouts, still fighting off the gaggle of people surrounding him while Sam is getting the last few people out.
"I've got the last person," Sam announces over the comms.
"James!" you warn again.
"Drop the bridge. I'll be fine!"
"James, I don't think even you could survive a bridge collapsing on you!"
"There's water underneath, I know how to swim," he says, throwing another punch
"You know how to dodge a bridge falling on you underwater?" Sam retorts.
That's when you get an idea. A really stupid, incredibly dangerous idea. You're sweating and panting under the strain as you shuffle over to Bucky. "James, I'm going to need you to take a really deep breath."
"A really deep-" he starts asking, but you're already grabbing his arm and pulling him over the railing.
And you let go. You and Bucky hit the water as you try to keep the path to shore clear. A large beam hits the water right above you and James, a gasp leaves you as you keep the beam on top of the water while you two swim away. You take James' hand and propel yourself faster through the water, but it's difficult keeping the water clear and propelling the two of you out of the icy water.
By the time you two reach shore, your body aches. You feel woozy as black spots start to take over your vision. "We did it," you wheeze.
"You did it," Bucky corrects. He's not sure what comes over him, other than the fact that you just saved his and countless other civilians lives, but as you two trudge out of the water he pulls you into his arms. Other than the fact that you know you've pushed yourself too far, you're frozen in shock at Bucky's affection. Still, your arms wrap around him and as you lean into him, you can feel yourself start to give out.
Bucky says nothing as he pulls away, he just takes your hand and start pulling you away. When you don't move, he turns around. It takes him a split second to realize that something's wrong. Usually after a successful mission, you're the one shouting, cheering, and celebrating everyones' successes. Instead, you look pale, completely stiff, and there's a sickly distance in your expression.
"Doll?"
"Hey, Bucky," you slur. "I don't- I don't feel so good."
Then, you're down.
And Bucky spends the entire time you're unconscious agonizing over you- refusing to leave your side until you wake up. Sam doesn't even have it in him to make a snide comment about your's and Bucky's relationship.
When it's been 2 days and you haven't even woken up yet, both Bucky and Sam are in complete agony watching you like this. Bucky remembers you briefly explaining that the purer an element felt the easier time you had controlling it, and he feels like it's his fault that you overdid it. And the entire time, Bucky's breathing down Bruce's neck trying to figure out why you won't wake up. That's in spite of Bruce's multiple assurances that you're fine and will eventually wake up, your body's just healing.
When you do wake, Bucky's pissed at you. He knows that he's irrationally, unreasonably mad at the person that just saved his life, but he can't help that he is. He keeps picturing what would have happened if you hadn't taken his arm and pulled him into the water. If you'd kept the bridge up any longer or if you tried to save him from the water. He shudders at the image of this world without you in it.
When your eyes groggily open, he's the first thing you see. You immediately notice the bags under his eyes, his eyes slightly bloodshot from lack of sleeps, the grimace on his face that's way more severe than his normal frown. And then there's the way his hand is resting on yours.
"Hi," you rasp.
"You're awake," he states.
"How long was I out?"
"2 days." His voice is curt, he looks more than just upset. He's angry, livid even.
"Is everything okay? Did everyone not get out?" you ask, worried that something else went wrong after you passed out.
"No, no, everyone's fine. Except maybe the person lying in the hospital bed."
"I'm fine, just overdid it a little."
"Overdoing it a little is pulling a muscle. Not sending yourself into a coma for two days," he says, his voice trembling with the anger he's desperately trying to hold back.
"Pfft... tomato, 'tomahto'. I'm fine, see?" you say, trying to prove your point by sitting yourself up. The second you're upright, all your muscles burn, practically screaming at you to lie back down. Bucky sees the pained expression on his face and it only makes him even angrier.
"Lie back down," he commands.
"Yeah," you quietly agree, wincing as Bucky helps you lie back down. And for another two days, Bucky sits there with you. Refusing to let you do anything except go to the bathroom. He won't even let you revive the vase of wilting flowers next to you.
It only gets worse when you're allowed to go to your own room. Everyone's still gone and Bucky's taken it upon himself to nurse you back to health- while still giving you the cold shoulder. He's always there, he brings you food, helps you move around. He's constantly fussing over you, being incredibly sweet to you- all the while barely speaking to you. It's confusing. He's confusing.
You're sitting on the couch, watching James absentmindedly look out the window.
"James," you whine, hoping to cajole him back into talking to you. "I'm bored."
"Then turn on a movie," he grumbles, still looking outside.
"Watch with me?'
And despite his long sigh and roll of his eyes, he goes to sit on the couch with you as far as he possibly can. But still it's progress, so you're smiling ear to ear as you turn on one of your favorites, Tangled.
"We've watched this before."
You pout your lower lip a little, and he just rolls his eyes at you again. You take his resignation as a sign that he's not as mad at you as he's led you to believe. As the movie starts, you slowly lie yourself down placing your head on his lap. Other than his eyes flickering down at you in acknowledgement, he doesn't say anything. It's only a couple minutes in when you're finally fed up with James being mad at you.
You're tired of all of this. You miss your friend, so you sit up, much faster than you should, and abruptly pause the movie. "How long are you going to be mad at me?"
"I'm not mad at you," he states plainly.
"Yes," you say, turning yourself fully around to face him. "Yes, you are. You've been mad at me for days."
"I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at the things you do to yourself, you know your limits and you chose to ignore them."
"Because we had a mission! And everyone got out safely."
"Yeah, everyone except you! You were in a coma," he emphasizes. "A coma! For two days."
"I don't understand what's the problem, I-" then you stop so abruptly that it scares Bucky. He starts look over you, which only confirms your theory. You gasp, a giant smile growing on your face. "You were worried. You were worried about me."
"Yeah, and?" he says, before he can think to censor himself.
He knows he really messed up by admitting that when that cheeky grin gets even bigger, like you're getting a real kick out of this. "You don't just tolerate me anymore, James. You like me- you actually like me!"
"What? I don't like anyone!" Bucky scoffs, his voice a little too defensive.
"You don't just like me, James. I think we're friends," you cheekily laugh.
"Co-workers," he corrects.
"I think I'm more than just your friend," you say, and he freezes for a second worried about what you're going to say next. "I think I'm your best friend."
He shakes his head, trying his best to school his expression. "I'm too old too have a best friend."
"I think you actually like spending time with me- I bet you loooove spending time with me," you tease, practically in a fit of giggles. "I bet you missed me."
"Alright, alright enough already," he says, holding his hands up in surrender. "You're not as bad as I thought- doesn't mean I can't change my mind again."
"I don't think you can change your mind, James. I think you're becoming attached to me!"
"I don't entirely hate you- I guess. I'm going to regret this, but I guess you could say I'm...fond of you," he reluctantly admits.
"Fond of me? James, that's practically a declaration of love." For a moment, he glares at you, but the faint blush on his cheeks tells you that he's not entirely mad at your teasing.
"Are you done? Can we get back to the movie or I'm going to turn it off."
"Now you want to watch Disney movies with me? It's like you're a whole new James," you tease one last time.
"Alright, I'm leaving," he says, moving to stand up.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop," you say, grabbing his arm to keep him from leaving. He looks at the pleading puppy dog eyes you're making and with a large sigh of defeat, he sits back down. You take your original place, resting your head on his lap. Then, he presses play again. He puts the remote down and with his metal hand he starts absentmindedly stroking your head.
"Hey, James?" He looks away from the screen and down at you. "I'm pretty fond of you too."