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“What do you mean?” Steve asks staring wide-eyed at Bucky.
“Until they figure out a way to fix me, I’m going back to sleep.” Bucky says as he hangs his head slightly and puts his hand on the metal stump where his mechanical arm was.
“We can keep you under control. Now that we know what’s going on.”
“Stevie, I can’t trust my own mind. I need to do this. You know it just as well as I do.” Steve knows. He knows this was all on him. He wants to have Bucky here and make him stay with him. But. He knows Bucky’s right.
“You’re staying here tonight though, right?” Bucky lifts his head and closes his eyes.
“Steve I ca-“
“I won’t let you hurt anyone.” Bucky sighs.
“You know it’ll only make things worse tomorrow.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, come here.” Steve opens his arms and Bucky stands from his seated position on the table and walks into his arms, wrapping his natural arm around Steve.
“You’ll be there with me, right?” Bucky asks.
“Yes.”
“Because you’re with me to the end of the line, right?” A wet drop falls on Steve’s shoulder-a tear, Bucky’s tear.
“Tomorrow isn’t the end of the line Buck.”
“It might be.” Steve strengthens his hold on Bucky to the point of slight discomfort.
“Don’t say that.” Bucky’s body starts to shake.
“Why am I scared?”
“I don’t know.”
“What if you aren’t here when I wake up?”
“I will be.”
“How do you know?”
“I just know.”
“Steve?”
“Yeah Buck?”
“Can I do something? For old times sake?”
“Sure.”
Bucky moves away from Steve just enough to put their foreheads together.
“Are you sure? It may change things.” Bucky asks.
“I’m sure.” Steve says.
And then Bucky does it. He kisses Steve. He has cut the last string tying him down, made the final X on the list, he’s completed his mission.