MCU (Avengers) Imagines Part Two

Steve Rogers X Reader - Wild Horses

A/N - This chapter was inspired by the song Wild Horses by Birdy. I hope you all enjoy it.

The relief of victory hadn't lasted very long. You had gone from celebrating, to mourning, to heartbreak so quickly that it hadn't truly registered with you until it had been too late. Steve had at least had the decency to share his plans with you, even if he was no longer actually including you in them. And as much as you wanted to hate him, you weren't sure you had it in you. You couldn't bring yourself to beg him to stay with you. Couldn't ever consider sharing a life with him now that he'd told you that he had always loved Peggy more than he would ever love you. 

You had reminded him when he had asked if you were alright, that you were strong. Resilient beyond what anyone should ever have to be. In fact, he'd been the one who had pointed out what a survivor you were whilst half of the planet was missing. You were the one that had held everyone else together, the one that could push past the pain and get on with what needed doing. So, you'd reminded him that you would cope just fine on your own, even if you were going to miss him more than you would ever admit. 

So, you'd stood beside a blissfully unaware Bucky and Sam whilst he left you all behind. You supposed you should be thankful that he had at least told you. They were clueless about the entire process. You were prepared. It was the only saving grace. 

"Good luck," you told him as he stepped onto the platform, biting down on your bottom lip. 

It hurt. Of course, it hurt. No matter how strong you were, it didn't make someone leaving you any easier to take. It just meant that you could cope a little easier. 

Part of you couldn't help but think of the years you'd spent together. Seven of the best years of your life. Years where you had been so in love that you couldn't have imagined it ever ending. It was short-sighted. Everything ended at some point or another. 

Your fists were clenched so tightly that you were amazed you weren't drawing blood when he finally teleported away. 

When he didn't return, you could see the boys becoming flustered, confusion flowing between them, but you simply stared at the spot where he had been standing. 

"Where is he?" Sam uttered, brow furrowed so tightly that it made you feel a little sick. It hadn't been fair for Steve not to tell them. It hadn't been fair for him to go back at all.

"He should be back by now," Bruce uttered back, frantically pushing at buttons in the hopes that maybe they would suddenly work. 

You swallowed down the lump in your throat. "He isn't coming back," you murmured, eyes fixed on the floor. "He's gone back to Peggy; he wants to be with her-"

"And you knew this?" Bucky bit out. "You knew and you didn't think to stop him? You didn't think to tell us?"

You finally looked up at him, teary-eyed. "What did you want me to do, Buck? He left me."

He hesitated for a moment, looking a little lost. Half of him wanted to comfort you, to bring out the smile he was so used to seeing on your face. The other half wanted nothing more than to scream at you for being so stupid. 

"You should have told us," he muttered, running a hand over his tight jaw as he calmed himself. 

"He asked me not to-"

"If he's being an idiot, it doesn't matter whether he swore you to secrecy. You tell us," he interrupted a little too loudly before swallowing down the frustration. "Sorry," he breathed out. "I'm sorry," he repeated, reaching out to pull you into a tight embrace. 

"Guys?" Sam murmured, reaching out to pat you on the shoulder as he stared off into the distance. You pulled out of Bucky's hold, following Sam's line of sight to find an old man sitting on a bench overlooking the water. "Is that who I think it is?"

Your heart could've stopped. He was here, after living his entire life and it was like you couldn't quite make head nor tail of it. This was the man you were supposed to live your life with, but he'd already had his life and yours had barely even begun.

"Steve?" you breathed out, watching as he turned to smile at you. 

"Y/N," he murmured, patting the spot on the bench beside him lightly. 

You did as he had suggested, moving to sit next to him, your eyes focused on the lake. "Did you get what you wanted?" you asked him, voice soft as silk as it left you. 

"I did."

You swallowed down the lump in your throat, nodding. "Did it make you happy?"

Steve paused for a moment, his eyes never once leaving you. "It did."

You nodded, rubbing your hands over your thighs to ground yourself, calming your racing heart. "Good. I'm glad."

"Take care of Bucky for me, alright?" he breathed out. "I know you'll be okay, but he's not as strong as you are-"

"You don't have to ask; you know I was always going to look out for him," you murmured, pushing yourself up to your feet. Your eyes darted over to where Bucky was standing, looking like he was ready to lose his mind as he watched you both. "He'll be okay; we both will."

Steve nodded slightly, reaching out to squeeze your hand lightly. "Take care of yourself, Sweetheart."

You squeezed back before releasing his hand, walking over to where Bucky was standing. 

"Did you want to see him?"

Bucky shook his head. "I don't think I can-"

"You don't have to," you reminded him, touching his arm lightly before pulling back. "He'll understand either way," you pressed on with a gentle smile. 

He nodded. "How are you being so calm about this?" he breathed out, looking so heartbroken that it was almost enough to wipe you out. 

"I'm too strong to let something like this change me," you murmured. A small bubble of surprised laughter slipped out of you. "You know, when I was a kid I got picked on a lot, and my Aunt told me that I was a survivor. Said that I had wild horses running inside me. I never really understood that then, but I think I get it now. I'm always moving on to something more, so the bad can't ever really hurt me because it helps me find better." 

Bucky opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, and then let out a soft sigh instead. "You're going to find something better than Steve?"

You shrugged slightly. "Some day, yeah."

He nodded. "Good; you deserve it."

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