The Soldier and the Wolf

Chapter 29

"Here are you earpieces so we can communicate. Stay online the entire time. Bucky, Sam, you two stay in the terminals and look for their quinjet. Wanda, Clint, once we are given the signal, make a break to the quinjet. Scott, Clara, you two are with me." I connected the earpiece to my ear, and immediately loud static rang through my ears. I winced from the static, which turned into a high pitched ringing, and quickly turned the knob on the side to adjust the settings. The painful echoes from the feedback stopped, and I was once again present in the conversation. Hopefully, I didn't miss anything, and I noticed that Wanda and Clint were already walking away to their positions.

        "Can I talk to you for a sec?" Bucky tapped my shoulder, and I nodded and followed to the side, away from the others.

         "What is it? Are you gonna give me some last minute fighting tips and what not?" I made fists and playfully punched the air. Bucky didn't share the same optimism as me. Instead, he kept a straight face and stared at the ground.

"Are you sure you are okay with going with Steve? This is your first fight, and I just wanna make sure you are comfortable." He looked concerned, but I just shrugged and fiddled with the ear piece a bit more so it was more comfortable in my ear.

"I don't mind. I mean, not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous, but we both knew that we couldn't hide forever. It was only a matter of time. Plus, it's Captain America. I trust him." Bucky didn't look convinced. He just kept gazing at the cement. I gave him a side eye and smiled. "You're worried about me, aren't you?" Bucky shook his head, causing some of his hair to fall in front of his face.

"No, not exactly." I furrowed my eyebrows a bit and shifted my weight on one leg.

"Bucky? Do you not want to be alone with Sam? I can see the tension between you two, and you aren't the best at hiding it." Bucky disproved that theory as well with another small shake of his head.

"No, not it's not that."

"Well what is it then? Because you claim it isn't because of Sam, but I see the tension between you two. And you sound like you're worried, but you say you aren't..." Bucky kept his jaw clenched and his eyes were looking down at the ground. "Bucky, I know that look by now. When you don't look at me, you're hiding something." He still didn't do anything. I felt my smiled drop and I shifted my weight again.

         "Well what is it then? Why are you acting so weird." Bucky let out a sigh and finally looked right at me.

         "You can always sit this fight out if you aren't comfortable." I dropped my mouth a bit.

         "You don't think I'm ready, do you? You don't think I can handle a few super heroes. I believe that you trained me in case we ever had to fight, and I was pretty damn good. And now you want to put me on the bench?" Bucky clenched his jaw, but he didn't look away when I said that.

        "It's not that." He said for the fourth time.

         "Okay, you are no longer allowed to say that to me. Clearly it is that. I was able to hold you off for a short bit when you you went all mindless killer mode. I think I can handle these guys. I'm ready, Bucky. You have to trust me, when I say I can do this. Say you trust me." He just stared at me, but for the first time, when I stared back, I felt nothing there. No butterflies or nerves. Just someone who didn't think I was good enough. "I get it, I'm not as experienced as everyone else here, but I'm not useless either. But you don't trust me after all this time. Good luck." I turned my back towards him. I can't believe he didn't think I was ready to do this. Behind me, so could still feel his blue eyes gazing as me, but I refused to look at him.