Bucky transported back.
"So how did eve-" She had to stop short, Bucky looking like Hell. Well, that was the answer. "Bucky, you okay?"
He stated at the floor for a moment, before quietly nodding. "....Yeah."
He smelled of liquor, but had the look of someone who couldn't get drunk. And that honestly, was one of the world's cruelest jokes. Especially to someone who had experienced more "punchlines" than anyone should. Period. "You're soaking wet."
"I'm fine."
"Will you stop being stubborn? For God's sake, step in the dryer chamber, will you? Or do you want another fever?"
"In case you weren't aware Johnson, getting sick is beyond even getting drunk." He answered quietly.
"Then do it so Reznor doesn't slip & slide all over the damn place."
Bucky sighed heavily as he walked to the chamber.
Daisy began to put a few of the programs on stand-by, before putting in a few prompts on the others to run on digital auto-pilot, deciding how, if, to ask.
She began to reamend her viewpoint on Bucky. Hell was addressing it nicely. It was more like the first ring of Dante.
And she didn't blame him. Couldn't ever. But knew this was going to happen. Like another twist of a knife you keep remembering
"....Dammit."
A call came in, Daisy pressing the button to answer it.
"Rogers. Nice to hear from you."
Steve smiled gently. "You too Daisy." His face became solemn. "....Is Bucky there?"
Daisy double checked, the chamber door display still blinking "Occupied" softly. "No, why?"
Steve looked away, sighing softly. "Just...keep an eye on him."
This was turning out lovely.
"....Why?"
He stayed quiet again, Daisy monitoring the chamber door in her peripheral vision. "...He looks like Hell and back Steve."
Steve's voice darkened slightly again. "It's why I asked."
Steve knew Daisy wouldn't ask, knew it was none of her business.
As much as it was common knowledge that Bucky was occasionally frustrating as Steve, would chose bleeding out over bleeding on another.
"I found him at Arlington earlier, before he left."
Daisy sighed, cursing underneath her breath in the silence of the consoles.
"So I wanted to know if he was ok-"
"I'm fine Steve. Contrary to popular belief, I don't need a goddamn babysitter."
Daisy took her vision out of the display, Bucky's arriving into the room scaring her slightly.
"Just wanted to check up on you, Buck."
"I know. But it's you you need to worry about." Bucky replied, sitting down.
"I'm fine."
"Bullshit."
Steve paused, looking Bucky directly in the eye through the monitor. "Right back at you."
Bucky returned it, Daisy feeling more and more uncomfortable. Coupled with the fact she was with Steve on this. "Look, I'm not gonna jump into a black hole. or do something stupid."
"I know. But that isn't the point Buck."
Quiet.
".....My answer hasn't changed."
"Don't ask me to lie again Buck. Especially when you know it's doing more harm than good." Steve replied, his tone serious.
His face went from hell to the thing he'd been hiding so well from Daisy but could never hide from Steve.
The depth of the pang he felt. The loss of having someone alive, but not remembering.
The fact that the argument was pointless as arguing with a wall, or trying to find the end of numbers, because he knew how that felt. ......Knew what his answer would be.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. ".....I'm fine Steve, okay?Just....I can't." He paused. "......I can't." Said even quieter before he took one more look at the screen, leaving.
Steve looked even more solemn, and Daisy wished she wasn't here intruding on both unbreakable men, softening in an effort to make the other less stubborn.
"......I'll keep an eye in him Rogers.", Daisy answered to no one.
Steve sighed, looking down. "....Thanks Johnson."
"Go get some rest." She said quietly.
He nodded. "You too." He said, then turning off his end.
Daisy looked down, Bucky's room displayed "PRIVATE".
Stubborn fool.