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Bliss is a difficult emotion to measure, but it's easy to pinpoint when I'm with Bucky.

"How have you never seen The Wolf Man?"

"I'm sorry I'm not ancient like you, old timer"

The atmosphere in the screening room T'Challa let Bucky and I take over for the night is light-hearted, every joke and taunt making the past weeks apart seem to disappear. Every time we get to spend time together, it's almost as if we never get separated during high-work months.

"Well it's a classic, you're gonna love it doll" Bucky responds, casually playing with my hair as I lean into him on the large, probably heinously expensive, couch in the screening room.

A smile pulls onto my lips as I lean further into his warm side, my eyes trained on the black and white movie playing on the massive screen before. It's moments like this that makes the stress that comes with my double-shift as a member of both Tony and Steve's teams melt away.

Even though this work is something that I couldn't love more, it's rough sometimes going from mission to mission with little time to breath in between. What's more, the fact that my name is heavy in the spotlight nowadays makes it increasingly difficult to go dark whenever I join back up with Steve and the others for training. When I'm with them, I have to be careful not to be seen.

If I am, that could mean the downfall of everyone there, not just me.

That very thought terrifies me to the bone and has pushed me to converse with Steve and Sam on multiple occasions about distancing myself. As much as I don't want to, I know that I jeopardize their freedom whenever I'm around and staying away would keep them safe. I can't let another family get hurt because of me. Every time I bring it up, though, Steve and Sam quickly shut me down, telling me that the risk is worth it.

And they're right. Through the past two years I've found a family not only with Tony and everyone at the Avenger's Complex, but with Steve and everyone still in hiding.

I can't wait for the day that we don't have to be separated.

"Any new fans mobbing you these days?" Bucky asks, knowing that it's been practically impossible for me to travel anywhere nowadays without getting swarmed by people.

I can't help but laugh softly at the the thought of the people, young and old, scrambling for a picture or an autograph. It's like I've become some sort of celebrity, except I don't need to be something I'm not. The people love me as me, which makes all of the flashing cameras and overeager mobs worth it. In my mind, though, I'll never be a celebrity. The fame, the attention, that's not why I do what I do. I do this because I love helping people, I always have.

"A kid last week posted a video online asking if I'd be his date to homecoming since his girlfriend dumped him" I inform, my smile growing at the memory of the high school senior on YouTube.

"Ohh," Bucky responds, his tone surprised and playful, "Seems like I've got some competition"

I laugh, turning to face Bucky on the couch. He smirks at me and I swear I melt. You'd think after almost two years I'd be used to this by now.

"You just might, he was a cutie," I play along, lifting my gaze to the wall over Bucky's shoulder, "He was on the football team and he had both of his arms"

I yelp when Bucky suddenly stands up and grabs me, throwing my body over his shoulder as if I weigh nothing. I laugh, the bright sound yet another reminder how far the two of us have come in happiness.

"You love my arm and you know it" he calls back to me smugly.

"If I say yes will you put me down?" I taunt back good-naturedly.

Always Fight | Bucky Barnes |Where stories live. Discover now