A Feeling Of Normality [Bucky Barnes x Reader]

Part 43. Time Travel.

Natasha stands with her arms crossed, watching [Y/N] listen to what Scott can tell her about quantum physics and what he has experienced the past five years. [Y/N] listens intently, even though it's hard to follow. But she tries to understand it all. She can tell that it helps him proceed what he has found out just days ago - that he was stuck at the quantum level for five years. It helps him realize that his little daughter is a teenager now and whilst he tells [Y/N] all of it, she listens patiently.

Steve is on Natasha's right and his eyes look in the same direction, watching their friends as well, whose backs are facing them. "She has changed" Natasha states.

"She has. But so have we."

"Steve" Natasha sighs and turns to look at her friend. She knows that [Y/N] is important to him and that he hopes for the best. And she knows why he holds onto her so much, [Y/N] not being just a friend but she was his girlfriend. She was Bucky's and that's why she'll always be part of Steve's family. "Do you really believe this is right?"

Steve keeps his gaze on them but the corner of his lips tilt upwards now, forming a small smile. [Y/N] would never admit it but he can see that the woman she claims not to be anymore is still within her, her facade slowly crumbling when she shows affection towards others, when she's there for people that really need someone. "Don't be too harsh on her. She's broken. But so are we."

Natasha sighs again and turns back to face the two friends as well. She can see it, too. The soft smile on [Y/N]'s lips to show Scott her sympathy, the proximity between them as they sit together and the softness in her eyes and how she speaks up just every here and there when necessary. "I'm not... harsh" Natasha mutters, her voice breaking. It hurts her to realize how much [Y/N] must have suffered to act that cold hearted and to keep her distance to the people she has always greeted with a smile and embraced in a hug. The past five years haven't been easy for anyone. But they had initially walked this path together until [Y/N] had decided to end it. And just now, where Natasha can see how much [Y/N] has changed, especially visually, she understands that it was an act of desperation. It hurts her to know that she was part of the problem, to realize that her appearance was too much for [Y/N] to handle. But it hurts even more to imagine how much she must have suffered to take this step. Natasha can see that [Y/N] still cares but it seems easier for her to act otherwise.

"Give her time. I believe in her."

"You've always seen the good in people, Steve."

"And haven't I always been right?" Steve chuckles and now moves his gaze to look at Natasha. His friend returns the gaze worriedly. Maybe, just maybe, [Y/N] will never be the same and be close with them again. Maybe she's going to walk out of their lives again once all of this is over and Steve will be left behind again.

"Just be careful. I don't want you to get hurt if you fall short on expectations."

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"Okay, here we go. Time travel test number one" Bruce Banner, aka the Smart Hulk announces. "Scott, fire up the, uh, van thing."

Scott walks over to the old van he came here with and opens the back of it. "Breakers are set. Emergency generators are on standby" Steve explains meanwhile.

"Good, because if we blow the grid, I don't want to lose, uh, Tiny here in the 1950s."

"Man, how I miss that time before Hydra caught me" [Y/N] sighs the same moment Scott looks at Bruce shocked. "Excuse me?" he asks.

"He's kidding" Natasha chuckles, her long red and blonde hair now braided.

[Y/N]'s standing next to Bruce, arms crossed in front of her chest, right eyebrow raised at the Hulk. "Really, Bruce. Your timing for jokes is the worst."