An Untold Legacy (FATWS X Reader)

[3] More Than You Bargained For

YN stood in the forest, leaning against a tree as she heard a familiar scream, a thundering crack sounding through the trees as a groan of pain echoed straight afterwards. YN smacked her lips as she stared down at the grumbling man, his arms spread and eyes squeezed shut.

"There were more graceful ways of doing that, that's for sure." YN commented, kicking Bucky's arm softly. The brunette groaned, getting to his feet as a robotic whir caught their attention. "Don't let that thing touch me, or I'm sending it to robot heaven." YN sneered, pointing a finger at it as she heard Sam stifle a laugh through her ear piece.

"Now, what did Redwing do to you?" YN rolled her eyes, following Bucky as they trudged through the shrub of the forest.

It was quiet between the two friends, the air comfortable as it always was. That was, until Bucky opened his mouth, tilting the atmosphere downwards. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" YN asked, knowing exactly where Bucky was going with the conversation, but she acted confused anyway, hoping it would stop it before it even started.

"You barely looked at Steve back in New York and you ran out of the apartment like it was on fire," YN winced, slightly perturbed that Bucky was able to read her so easily. "It's killing your brother to see you like this, YN."

YN let out a nasty scoff, the act so out of character it nearly made the other super soldier stop in his tracks. "And you think it doesn't kill me to see him like that? He's old and... and he barely moves and he can barely even get to his room with collapsing into a coughing fit." YN licked her lips, avoiding a branch that hung low on a tree. "He's not... he's not..."

"Not what?"

"He's not Steve." YN shouted, coming to a halt with a glare directed a Bucky. "He's nothing like he was, Buck. We walked around the block last week and this woman was being hassled by a few teenagers, not allowing her to pass and Steve didn't even blink, kept walking as if he didn't see it. He even looked disgruntled that I stepped in." YN lifted her hands to wipe her eyes before tears could escape. "He's not who he used to be, and not only because he's back to being weak, but because he doesn't care, anymore."

Bucky sighed, looking to the ground and away from YN as the woman composed herself, knowing that she wouldn't want to be watched whilst being so vulnerable. "YN, he's still Steve," YN shook her head, turning away and moving forward through the trees. "He's still Steve because he still has you, and me and Sam. He's still who he was, he's just tired."

"Well, so am I!" YN exclaimed, spinning on her heel and pointing at the other man, her glare as sharp as a knife. "I'm tired of caring for him, I'm tired of being stuck in that house, alone with him. He doesn't do anything, he watches television all day and... and he hassles me and I just can't take it!" Bucky watched with a tense jaw as one of his closest friends broke down. "I hate the way he is and I hate him for leaving us."

"He isn't gone, YN." Bucky whispered, his chest tightening at the idea of his best friend being gone for good. "He's still with us."

YN blew out a laugh, shaking her head. "Sure, Buck." She murmured. "Say that again when you spend a week in my shoes."

The rest of the trek to the warehouse was made in silence, barely a sound came from either super soldier other than a small grunt of acknowledgement from YN when Bucky said they were only a few miles out.

YN and Bucky crept through the halls of the warehouse quietly, YN using her years of training to mask the sound of her footsteps, so much so that Bucky had to peer over his shoulder to even make sure she was still there.

"I see them," YN said quietly, slinking low and behind a wall. "Looks like weapons."

"Agreed." Sam's voice filtered from the earpiece in YN's ear as she peered around the concrete wall again.