Clutching || Bucky Barnes

7

Shuri's prognosis, which Basil and Bucky had missed, was not good. The two men listened in on the comms as she explained that in order to get the stone removed from Vision's head safely, without killing him, she would have to have time. As much time as they could give her. Unfortunately, time was not on their side. It was almost seconds after she stated that fact, that something entered the atmosphere. 

Basil looked up into the bright sky. He, Bucky, Sam and Rhody were waiting outside in the courtyard of the Shore's lab. Bucky was already carrying a large semi automatic and he gripped it as they all looked up to see an asteroid come hurtling down towards them. It shattered with a fiery explosion as it hit the domed shield protecting the city. Basil was very glad that he was already suited up for combat, as he probably wouldn't have time to change now and having a knife to grip was very comforting. "God I love this place", Bucky chuckled as they watched the debris go bouncing down the sides of the dome. The city untouched. 

"Don't go celebrating yet guys", Rhody warned on the coms, his body hidden in his suit. "We've got more incoming outside of the dome". As he spoke, five more asteroids hit the forests surrounding the barrier. The shock waves levelling trees and sending up dust clouds. Inside the lab, he could hear T'Challa issuing orders. 

"Oi, Henry", he muttered into his comm as he loaded up the pistol on his hip and rechecked all the medical supplies he had stuffed into various pockets of his suit. 

"Yeah Baz?" Henry's voice replied. 

"Could you keep and eye on Vision with Wanda for me?"

Henry scoffed. "I can fight you know, dear cousin". 

Basil rolled his eyes as he clipped a pocket containing tiny little pills that when broken open, produced a gel full of a weird mixture of science and technology that was far above his doctor's degree. According to Shuri, it would seal in a wound and keep the patient stable until they could be taken to a hospital. It was one of her inventions. "I know. But who between the two of us has fought aliens before?" 

"I'm sure it can't be that hard. Just shoot them until they stop moving". 

"Ha ha Henry. Just keep and eye on Wanda and Vision for me, okay?" 

He could practically heard the annoyed but brotherly fondness in the ginger's voice. "Fine. But only because we owe it to Phillip not to wipe out the remaining Parrish line in one fight". 

"Says Mr Charlton". 

"Shut up". 

Basil laughed as he switched his comm back to public setting. One hand brushed through his curls as his laughter died and he let out a tired sigh. Another fight and he was once again on the front lines. He glanced over and met Bucky's eye. He smiled at him, worn but still bright. "We should really stop meeting during wars Sarge. It's not good for our health". 

Bucky snorted as he stepped closer and slung his rifle over his shoulder. He grinned at Basil. "You were never good for my health. Don't kid yourself Parrish". 

"Nonsense. As your doctor, I am great for your health". 

"Actually Shuri is my doctor". Bucky smirked as Basil let out a mock gasp. 

"Betrayal. Ouch", then a wide and very familiar shit eating grin filled his face. For a second, nothing had changed at all. They were two men flirting and joking just before a battle. Same old times. The nostalgia was strong. "But I am, your doctor. I mean, I am yours, aren't I?" 

"My pain in the arse", Bucky muttered. 

"More like my pain in the arse". Basil wriggled his eyebrows. Bucky snorted and let out a bark of laughter. 

"Um, you two do know that we're still right here, right?" Sam's voice interrupted. He was staring at the two of them with an expression of slightly weirded out disgust, like a child who had just been told they had been given cooties. Rhody's helmeted head staring at them with a aura of 'really?' at his side. 

"So?" Bucky gave the two men a glance as Basil sniggered. 

"Is it always going to be like this now?" Sam huffed rhetorically. 

"Try and imagine them back in the forties", Steve voiced as he came marching out of the building towards them. T'Challa and the others following behind him. The king in full black panther armour. Nat checking her guns and Okoye shadowing her king, spear in one hand. Steve adjusted a new armoured brace on his arm and looked up to give Sam a very done expression. "All the flirting and sexual tension before  anyone confessed. I had to to live with them, for months". 

"Hey!" Basil called. "We weren't that bad. We actually worked at keeping it a secret then. We don't have to do that now". He beamed. 

"That still feels weird", Bucky muttered. He frowned at Basil. "So I could take you to Brooklyn and kiss you in the streets and nothing will happen?" 

"Some arseholes might shout at us, but other than the occasional twat we can ignore, nothing will happen. It's not illegal anymore Sarge".  Basil batted his eyelashes at him. "Also, is that a promise?" 

Bucky chuckled. "Ask again tomorrow Parrish". 

"Tomorrow", Basil groaned loudly as he draped himself on the blue eyed man's shoulder. "That again? Sarge". The word came out a whine. Bucky sighed and pressed his hand, the real one, over the smaller man's face and gently shoving him back and out of his personal space. Basil sniffed but went back to checking all his knifes. (It was remarkable really how many blades he had hidden around his body. Shuri had even given him two long hunting knives to replace his other ones. These were magnetised and made of vibranium. They should return to his hands but he hadn't actually tried it out yet. Hopefully he wouldn't impale himself). 

"Alright, stop flirting you two", Nat called over. T'Challa and Okoye just looked amused while the rest of the avengers wore various expressions of suffering, Steve's being the most dead eyed. "The transports are coming. Let's get this show on the road".  

Basil pushed his curls out of his face and shook out his hands, loosening his wrists and flexing his fingers in preparation for the fight ahead. "Ready Sarge? Should we see who can get more kills? Bet I'd win". 

"You're too murderous to be a doctor, Parrish. Just make it to tomorrow". A pause as he brushed his hair over his shoulder. "I'd win though". 

"No, I will". 

"Don't lie Parrish". 

"Stop deluding yourself Sarge". 

Steve sighed loudly as T'Challa hid his laughter behind his hand. The king seemingly highly amused by the relationship. "Buck, Baz. Please shut up". He pulled on his helmet as several hovering platforms carrying hundreds of soldiers came soaring round the corner towards them. "Besides", he smirked at them as he stepped onboard. "I'd win". 

"Oh no you don't", Sam laughed as his wings powered up. 

"Excuse me", Rhody's voice echoed out. "Who's called War Machine here? I'd have the most kills". 

"Boys, really?" Nat asked. 

"It's on Stevie!" Bucky grinned challengingly as he boarded. Basil on his heels. 

"Steve, as your doctor, let me say that I will definitely win". Under his feet, the transport hummed and took off towards the forest on the horizon where the alien army waited. 

unedited 

I love writing Bucky's and Basil's banter. It's just so fun and easy. I missed it so much, do you miss it too?

Also, Bucky's entire sense of humour in this series is based off his lil sarcastic and underrated commentary in FATWS, as well as the above What If episode. He's such a dork.