Atlas | Avatar!OC x Bucky Barnes

19 - Goodnight

Tuesday, June 16th, 6:05 pm

"You're gonna be okay," Steve whispered to Atlas on the elevator ride down to the tenth floor where the party was happening.

"Yeah, there's only gonna be like the biggest news outlets there and 30 different reporters," Atlas whispered to Steve.

"Just be vague with your answers, then they'll stop asking," Natasha whispered from the other side of Atlas. "Let them try and dig it up themselves."

"Given how nosy some of these reporters are, they probably already did that as soon as Tony dropped her name," Sam chimed in from the front of the elevator. Atlas chuckled with a nervous tone.

She thought she was ready for this, but as the elevator got closer to the tenth floor, the more she wanted to jump out of the glass side of the elevator and into the night. She had found a clutch purse just big enough to hold her glider, so it was still an option. Relax, we're all here with you, Wanda thought to Atlas. We have your back.

A few moments later, the elevator came to a stop.

~

6:05 pm

"Tonight is not only the celebration of another mission completed by the Avengers. Just a few hours ago, Tony Stark made an announcement, stating that there was a new member of their team by the name of Atlas Yunshui. We don't know much now, but we hope to find out more about her in just a few minutes when the Avengers make their appearance," the blonde reporter announced on the television screen.

Bucky was left to his own devices this evening, not being able to make an appearance in public because of his crimes. Everyone was in such a rush, he didn't even get to wish Atlas good luck before the Avengers all shuffled into the elevator. So, he had decided to have a quiet night in his room, watching TV. Every channel Bucky flipped through, a headline having something to do with a "new Avenger" had appeared.

"And here they are," the same reporter said. Bucky's full attention was now on the TV as the elevator doors opened up. Bucky caught a glimpse of Atlas in the back of the elevator. She looked like she was about to throw up. The first person to emerge from the elevator was Tony, who embraced his usual swagger and charisma in front of the flashing cameras. Everyone else followed casually after him. Everyone tried to avoid the cameras as much as possible, but some of the Avengers got sucked into interviews. As Atlas and Steve tried to make their way through the crowd and into the ballroom, they were stopped in their tracks by the reporter from the channel Bucky was currently on.

"Tonight I'm here with Steve Rogers, Captain America. And you must be the Atlas, the newest Avenger." Steve and Atlas both nodded in silence. "How are you guys doing tonight?"

Steve looked down at Atlas, who smiled up at him. "We're doing good? How are you?" Steve said for the both of them.

"I'm great, thanks for asking. Now, Atlas. There's been a lot of rumours in the air, so maybe you could clear them up for us." Bucky got worried as Atlas visibly tensed up. "Is it true that you just graduated from Midtown Tech?" the reporter asked.

"Um, yeah, I just graduated today actually," Atlas said calmly into the microphone with a small smile on her face, clearly relieved that the reporter didn't know about her past - particularly her childhood. Bucky thought she looked amazing. Her dress fit her perfectly and her hair made her cheekbones look more defined.

"That would make you seventeen? Eighteen?"

"Nineteen... I was a little late in my education," Atlas said, letting out a chuckle. Bucky could tell her laugh was fake.