a lion among wolves, bucky barnes (hiatus)

twenty-six

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK
2015

JUNE woke the next day feeling like her entire body weighed three tons. When her eyes managed to open fully, she read that it was only three-oh-five in the morning, but knew there was no point in going back to sleep. Why would there be? Today was the day of their first mission to take down Hydra.

June guessed most of the tower's inhabitants would be awake, though even if it was not true, she was not about to become the superhero who overslept and delayed assignments. She stretched, climbed out of bed, and ambled over to her bathroom. Though she had showered only a few hours before, years of not having consistent access to a bath forced June into the habit of showering sometimes twice a day. Drowsily, she stripped, scrubbed herself clean, and dressed quickly (jeans, a white shirt, and her chestnut leather jacket). Her hair she let hang down her back like normal. One day, June thought, she might have time or reason to wear makeup. Not any day soon, of course, but she figured it was all right to hope. She took her meds and made to leave her room when a quick knock sounded on her door and Tony's head appeared from behind it a moment later.

He too was fully dressed, also looking quite tired. He held two cups of coffee in his hands and passed one to June without a word. He sat down on the foot of her bed, still wordless, and stared at the floor.

Growing suspicious of his silence, June cleared her throat. "Are you all right, Tony?"

"What?" he asked, sounding surprised, as if he had forgotten she was there. "Yeah . . . yeah, I'm fine. Came to check up on you, since this is your first time out in the field since Washington. How are you holding up?"

June sighed and sank down next to him. "I'm okay. I think Steve and I are friends again."

"Why's that?"

"He kissed me."

"Ah."

June covered her face with her hands, hunching forward with elbows on knees. "Tony, what if . . . what if I freeze up out there? If I panic and I jeopardize this mission—"

"It's not gonna happen," Tony interjected. "Don't even go there. You're going to get in, do your job, and get out. Just like the rest of us, okay? Don't doubt yourself."

June nodded. Her hands were slick with sweat, her knee bouncing restlessly. She eyed her fluffy white sheets and longed to curl back up and sleep. She knew that if she begged enough, Tony would let her. But that would be the weak choice. June had to think like Cutlass.

She cursed Anderson Cooper in her head, damning him for ever thinking of that name.

More silent, motionless minutes ticked by. It was now three-thirty. June heard movement outside her door and knew that the others were gathering upstairs. Her breath hitched in her throat when Tony stood to leave. "We gotta go, Junebug," he said. June nodded. Think strong, she commanded herself. You are capable. You are smart. Get up.

And she did. June followed Tony out into the hall and shut the door behind them, courage flickering to life in her chest.

• • •

THE Avengers and June met in the hangar that crowned Stark Tower. Never having had an excuse to visit it, June was in awe of the space she found herself in. The hangar's mouth opened out to the inky night sky, the world below set ablaze with millions of traffic lights, skyscrapers, billboards, and cars. Near the mouth rested a large, bird-like airship Tony called the Quinjet. June took it all in, trying to pretend they were not about to risk their lives for the sake of the world.

She, Natasha, Tony, and Bruce were the only ones in normal clothing. Steve was clad in his navy and red jumpsuit, shield secured firmly on his back. His gloved hands hung from his belt, and his face betrayed no shred of emotion. He would be unreachable until the mission was complete—this was June's least favorite version of him. Thor outdid them all in his Asgardian war garb, with his sleeveless chest-plate and crimson cape brushing above the floor. Clint wore a fitted black shirt with a violet hexagonal symbol on the chest, trousers, a heavy utility belt, and, of course, a quiver on his back. June peered at him more closely and noticed small flesh-colored devices in either of his ears.