The Mimic

40

"Buck, the last time you checked was five minutes ago. Just come and sit down for a while." Steve sighed, leant against the doorway to the missions room as he watched his best friend pace back and forth. "Steve's right, we're doing what we can to find her. We'll tell you as soon as we get any sort of lead, Bucky. We promise." Tony said seriously as he worked with Bruce to try and get any sort of trace of y/n. But she didn't have her suit on, so there was no sort of tracker. They just had to rely on public sightings, which was a tricky game. 

Bucky wasn't in a good headspace at all. Completely freaking out over the idea of y/n just disappearing without telling anyone, and without her suit. Ever since Wanda told the team that y/n had disappeared he begun to worry, checking the whole compound every hour for her. But, when the sun set was when he really got antsy. Now pacing back and forth in the missions room, anxiously running his hands through his hair. Y/n was out there, somewhere, in the pouring rain. In the dark. 

Bucky didn't reply to Steve and Tony, too busy in his own head. Steve shared a worried glance with Tony as he guided Bucky out of the room. The whole team was worried for y/n. But they tried their hardest to hide it so they didn't stress Bucky out even more. Tony and Bruce scanned through every social media site that they could find, but they found nothing on sightings of y/n. It was all still focused on the news broadcast this morning about the 'new avenger'. "Come on, y/n." Tony muttered as he continued to scan websites. He felt almost protective when it came to y/n now, he didn't like that she'd just disappeared. Bruce had noticed the protectiveness, but didn't point it out. It was just a nice contrast from how Tony tried to refuse even letting y/n and Bucky out of their cells.

"I need to go out and search for her." Bucky said with a determined look in his eyes as Steve led him down the hallways. Steve shook his head with a sigh, wrapping an arm over Bucky's shoulders as they walked. "Buck, it's pouring out there. Just let Tony and Bruce do their work, I'm sure we'll find her." Steve reassured in a calm tone. God, it was hard pretending to be calm when he was so worried. Bucky stopped in his tracks, shrugging Steve's arm off of his shoulders. "No, Steve. She's out there. She's out there in that pouring rain. What am I doing to help if I'm sat warm and dry? What if y/n's hurt? What if Hydra found her again?" Bucky snapped, frustration and stress evident in his voice as he pointed out toward one of the windows that overlooked the compound. "I can't lose her, Steve. Not after all of this." He huffed. Bucky pushed past Steve, on a beeline for the exit of the compound. He couldn't just stand around in the warmth whilst y/n was out there. He had to help in one way or another. "Buck, wait!" Steve called out, hurrying after his best friend. "Please try and hurry up, guys!" Steve said in desperation to Tony and Bruce when he passed the missions room. 

Y/n was in her own little world. She'd said goodbye to Peter and was currently taking the long way back to the compound. She was soaked through from the rain, but she liked it. It was freeing, in a way. It was too late for anyone to be out to recognise her, so y/n could do whatever she wanted, and go at whatever pace she wanted. She'd completely forgotten about what the rest of the team were thinking, y/n had had a great time with Peter. It was nice to hear life from someone else's perspective - especially with the childhood she'd missed out on. Y/n felt refreshed. She needed that break away from everything. It gave her time to think and let go of any worries. Peter's advice was surprisingly good, y/n didn't realise how much it actually resonated with her.

She sighed quietly as she walked up to the gates of the compound, closing her eyes as she teleported to the other side of the gate. Tony had told her the password to the gate, but she didn't remember it. Her feet ached from all the walking she'd done, but it was worth it in the end, even if her shoes and socks were utterly soaked. Y/n rubbed her eyes tiredly as she casually strolled up to the compound, but, before her vision could even go back to normal something hit her. Hard. 

It was Bucky. He'd enveloped her in a hug tight enough to knock all of the air out of her. He sighed in relief, his breath still shaky from all the adrenaline and stress. "Oh my god..." He whispered, not seeming to care that y/n was completely soaked. Y/n's eyes widened, trying to get her breath back from the sudden hug attack. She glanced down at Bucky with a confused look in her eyes. "Hi to you too." She said with a slight laugh, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. Bucky moved up to cup y/n's face in his hands, immediately checking over her to see if there were any injuries. "Are you okay?" He asked, concern in his voice. He still had no idea where she'd been, but he was just relieved she hadn't been taken again. 

Before y/n could respond, Steve spoke up. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, a few steps away from Bucky. "Where the hell have you been?" He asked sternly. Of course he was relieved, but he also hated seeing his best friend so upset and worried. He had a right to be mad, especially after everything Bucky had been through. Y/n hesitated slightly at the sternness in his voice, but she understood why. She pressed gentle kisses into Bucky's hands as she looked over at Steve. "I went to hang out with Peter for a while." She admitted. Not realising how bad that made her look, she needed to explain a bit more than hanging out with Peter. And that seemed obvious in the unamused look on Steve's face, and the confused look on Bucky's...