Reveries of Spring│Bucky Barnes

━𝟏𝟕

WHILE BUCKY WAS CONSOLING MARTINA IN HER ROOM, Tony and Steve were sitting in the living room on the opposite end of the compound. Their large bodies sat on the sectional couch, both looking off into the distance with nervous taps of their feet and anxiously twitching fingers as silence surrounded them.

"Tony, this is bad," Steve finally spoke, tearing his eyes away from the expansive glass window in front of him to look at his friend. 

Tony sighed as he leaned forward and ran his hand down his mouth. "Yeah, AllStar, I know."

"What do you think S.H.I.E.L.D is going to do?"

Steve did not have to elaborate because Tony knew exactly what he was talking about, the subject that they had been so deftly avoiding since Tony arrived at the compound. 

The botched mission.

"We can talk them down," Tony responded, although his voice lacked any confidence. "If anything, we'll get a slap on the wrist and she'll go under house arrest."

But Tony did not believe this. The very day he had been trying so hard to prevent was finally upon them and he knew that whatever was going to follow would not be a slap on the wrist. 

The silence resumed after that because although Tony had been trying to convince not only Steve but also himself that everything would be okay, both men understood with complete certainty that- this time- it would not be.  

However, a startling and rather enraged voice broke through the deafening stillness and caused both of them to tense up. 

"She stuck me three times, Loki! I'm pretty sure the last time was on purpose!"

Both Steve and Tony snapped their heads up as Artemis and Loki walked into the living room. They were both dressed in typical Asgardian fashion with Loki wearing his trademark outfit and Artemis sporting a somewhat revealing golden silk dress that flowed around her like a halo. 

"Darling, you told her that the designers on Earth were better," Loki teased, brushing his thumb against the exposed skin of her back, not wanting to voice the fact that he indeed saw several pink pricks. "What did you expect her to do?"

Artemis rolled her eyes and swatted his hand away, her vicious snarl softening into a smile when she spotted the two men on the couch. 

"Hey, guys!" she greeted, leading Loki over to an armchair to sit. "What did we miss?"

Steve and Tony both gulped audibly as they looked at each other, trying to ignore Artemis' inquisitive stare. They both shook their heads at each other as if some mental war was brewing between them until Tony put his hand up. 

"Rock, paper, scissors?" Tony offered, lifting his fist above his flat hand.

Steve took a beat, rolling his bottom lip into his mouth before he nodded and mimicked Tony's hands. "Best two out of three?"

"Guys," Artemis laughed, tipping her head to the side and swatting their hands down. "Why are you being so weird? Did Wanda blow up the kitchen again or something?"

Tony and Steve stared at each other yet again until the honorable Captain America cursed under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"Fine," he groaned, shaking his head at Tony. "I'll do it but you owe me for this."

 "While this all rather amusing, my huntress and I would like to retire to bed soon," Loki mumbled, his fingers brushing against the back of Artemis' neck. "May we speed this up?"