Steve watched Bruce anxiously as he picked up the gauntlet, braced carefully behind his shield. As soon as he slipped it on, metal rearranging to fit Banner’s hand, bolts of energy traveled up his arm, sprouting from the newly reunited infinity stones and leaving burnt flesh in its wake.
“Take it off! Get it off him!” Someone yelled. Between his own tunneled vision and the sounds of Banner’s screams, Steve couldn’t distinguish who.
“No!” He yelled, remembering his own time in the vita-chamber. He remembered the agony, the blinding pain as his cells rearranged themselves, but he knew he was strong enough to do it- just as he knew Banner was. He was desperate for Bruce to complete the task at hand; they couldn’t risk it failing, not when they’d come this far. Who knew what would happen if it was removed this early, what effect it would have on the stones. “Are you alright? Can you keep going?” Steve shouted.
Bruce, through clenched teeth and screams of pain, responded in the affirmative. He lifted his arm, struggling against the currents of energy.
And then he snapped his fingers.
Steve reflexively crouched beneath the shield expecting some sort of shockwave, but there was nothing. Nothing other than blinding white light that left him dizzy and disoriented. When he regained his stability, he stood and glanced around the room, blinking to steady his vision.
They ripped the gauntlet from Bruce’s arm, Tony releasing some sort of soothing coolant from his suit over the burnt flesh. They checked him over, and though his skin was now mottled with burns, he was conscious and responsive. Steve took a step back, searching the room for any clues on whether they were successful or not.
Nothing felt different. Nothing looked different.
They were silent, each sparing nervous glances at the other. Scott paced slowly towards the window, staring at the outside world- which, now that his eyes were adjusting, he could see was considerably greener than it was before. A pair of birds chased each other, chirping happily.
Then Clint’s phone rang.
The air was charged as they awaited his reaction, and when he crumbled with relief the tension was broken. His reaction could only mean one thing, and when he answered it was confirmed.
“L-Laura?” He huffed through tears. Steve could hear her voice from the other end of the line.
“Guys, I think it worked.” Lang reported.
It worked.
Steve’s heart thrummed heavily in his chest, each beat repeating the words.
It worked. It worked. Itworkeditworkeditworked.
Where were the others? Where was Bucky? Were they back in Wakanda? Steve sprinted to find his phone, finding the number that was never deleted, whose voicemail greeting he listened to almost religiously through tears and endless heartache.
He dialed and waited for the tone. It rang. Rang again. And again. With each ring his heart thudded harder, growing anxious. If he was back why wasn’t he answering? He knew Bucky had the damn-near indestructible device on him before the battle, before-
He heard it ring again, but not just from his own phone. The sound filled the room, and it felt like the heavy beating of his heart quit altogether.
He swiveled on his heels to find a long-haired figure standing behind him, a halo of orange energy illuminating his silhouette.
“Bucky.” Steve breathed, his voice cracking. It was him. It was really him.
“Steve.” Bucky said, and god that broken voice was the most wonderful sound he’d ever heard in his life.
Steve swiftly closed the distance between them, Bucky meeting him halfway, before they were caught in a tight embrace- almost tight enough Steve could feel his ribs creaking. He held on to Bucky for dear life, his sturdy build the only thing keeping him from sinking to the floor. Thick tears fell from his eyes and onto Bucky’s shoulder, rolling off the vibranium-enhanced uniform.
“Bucky,” Steve whimpered again, bringing a hand up to cradle the back of his head. “You’re really back.”
“So are you.” Bucky replied through sniffles, laughing through tears. “I missed you so much, punk.”
“Don’t you ever do that again. Don’t you ever leave me like that again.” He cried, pulling Bucky’s head to rest in the crook of his neck as he thumbed through his hair. Even then, he still couldn’t seem to get him close enough.
“I’m not going anywhere. I can’t believe I’m finally home.” Bucky breathed, voice thick with tears. “I love you so much Stevie.”
“I love you too. I love you more than anything.”
The next thing he knew, they were kissing. It was hot and heavy, five years worth of I love you and I missed you and I just want you back and I need you crammed into a single shared moment. Their teeth clacked together and their tongues mingled as their mouths moved eagerly against one another’s. Bucky tasted of tears and home, and Steve couldn’t get enough. He was finally reunited with his missing half, something he’d longed for and mourned over for five goddamn years.
The kiss slowed on its own pace until they were left forehead-to-forehead, Steve’s hand coming up to cup Bucky’s cheek.
“This looks good on you.” Steve murmured, running his thumb on the considerably thicker scruff there.
“You shaved yours off.” Bucky observed. “What, no depression beard for me?”
Steve huffed.
“You’ve never left my mind, Buck. Not for one goddamn second.”
“Really? You had me on your mind for a whole month? I’m flattered, Rogers.” Bucky quipped. Steve’s face fell, and when Bucky saw it his own smile faltered.
“How...how long has it been for you?” He softly asked. The look on his face almost made Steve not want to answer.
“Five years.”
Bucky’s slight frown morphed into a look of horror.
“Five years? Oh Stevie,” he murmured, eyes closing as more tears fell. “Stevie, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Steve soothed through the tears of his own. He wiped Bucky’s away with his thumb and got him to look him in the eye. God, he’d missed those eyes. They’d plagued his dreams, and oh how he’d longed to stare into them again. They were such a beautiful gray, like the sky before a heavy storm, ringed with the dark, raging ocean. “You’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”
Steve wanted nothing more than to drag Bucky back to their room so he could pull him flush against his body, his warmth solid and steady against him as they fell asleep, savoring each other’s presence. Instead, however, he knew he needed to check on the rest of the team.
Bucky’s flesh hand was gripped tight in his as he found faces he never thought he’d see again.
T’Challa and Shuri appeared through what he now recognized as some sort of portal, and following was Sam, Wanda, Groot, and several others he didn’t recognize, but whom Rocket was very happy to see and Thor greeted happily. Steve noticed Bucky do a double take at the man’s larger, more filled out frame.
“Thor looks... comfortable .” He commented.
“The man can still rock a dad bod.” Steve said with a shrug.
Next came Peter who immediately latched onto Tony, followed by an older man with a young woman that Scott was ecstatic to see, and a woman with red hair and green skin- another that Rocket and Nebula both were greeting with hugs.
Next came the man Steve knew to be Doctor Strange, which explained the source of the portals, and following right behind him was a shock of familiar red hair.
“Nat!” Clint yelled, sprinting to meet her and picking her up in a hug. He could see the call on his phone had been converted to a video chat, and Laura was crying on the other end while Clint and Nat huddled around the camera.
It was beautiful. They were all reunited at last.
“Everyone’s back.” Steve muttered in disbelief, his eyes glued on Natasha. They thought it was impossible to bring her back after the sacrifice she’d made, and yet...
“She told us what happened.” Bucky informed solemnly. “When she explained the plan none of us could believe it. We didn’t want to raise hope, but…” He gave Steve’s hand a squeeze. “Here we are.”
Steve squeezed back.
“Damn right you are.”
Once everyone was finished with their private reunions, they all gathered and introduced one another to those who weren’t acquainted.
“There’s enough rooms in the compound for everyone to stay until you can make your own arrangements.” Tony offered. “Just ask FRIDAY, she’ll tell you where to go.”
After final conversations died out the congregation split back up into groups to go find their quarters, but not a single person was left alone. It was quiet, everybody simply enjoying the presence of their lost ones.
“Tony,” Steve approached, Bucky right by his side. Even though the man eyed the former assassin, Steve could find no trace of malice or disgust. His eyes drifted lower to their clasped hands. Of course Tony wouldn’t know of their relationship; between their clash in Siberia and the careful avoidance of one another that followed, they never talked about it. The first one who’d known about it was Sam, to whom he’d explained the true nature of their relationship while searching for Bucky.
“So, you two are…” Stark gestured between them.
Steve’s lips twitched into a grin and he gave Bucky’s hand a squeeze before letting go to pull Tony in for a hug.
“Thank you.” Steve breathed. “Thank you so much.”
Tony was slower to return the gesture, almost like he was in disbelief.
“Yeah, well, thank Pepper.” Even Stark’s voice was strained. He gave a few pats to Steve’s back before they pulled away, and Steve was latched right back onto Bucky.
“How come you never mentioned this?” Tony asked, though there was a hint of sarcasm. “I thought you just said he was your friend.”
Steve huffed a short laugh, sharing a smile with Bucky.
“Well, I wasn’t lying. I just failed to add the ‘boy’ beforehand.”
“Wait, you two are together? Like together together?!” An excited voice chimed in. Peter appeared behind Tony, a wide smile on his face.
“Since 1939.” Bucky added.
Somehow, though Steve didn’t think it was possible, the kid’s smile grew even wider.
“Oh my god, oh my god I ship it!” He nearly yelled before taking off to talk excitedly to Shuri, probably about his newfound discovery.
The three adults shared confused looks, to which Tony just gave a resigned shrug.
“I still can’t thank you enough, Tony.”
Stark sighed, his eyes wandering around the room.
“Well, I had a little motivation.” He settled. Steve gave him a couple pats on the shoulder before turning to lead Bucky to his quarters. “By the way,” Tony began, making them pause in their tracks, “everything’s good between us. All of us. Clint and Natasha may have had a little... conversation with me about the mechanics of brainwashing.”
To hear those words leave his mouth nearly made him weep. Not only had their friendship finally been restored, Tony finally accepted Bucky as the man he was, not the assassin he was made to be.
“Thank you.” Bucky breathed.
“Please don’t get all weepy with me, I already have more than enough emotions to deal with right now. Now go, if you’re gonna get a piece of America’s Ass I’d rather it be in his room rather than the living room couch.” Tony dismissed, a slight gleam to his eyes.
“America’s Ass?” Bucky questioned as he followed Steve’s lead.
“It’s a long story.” Steve sighed. “I’ll tell you about it later. Right now you and I are gonna go lay in bed and cuddle for about the next five years. You owe me.”
“Just cuddle?” Bucky asked, faking a pout. Steve pretended to weigh his options. He paused when they got to the doorway.
“Welll-” he drug out, cut off when Bucky shoved him into the room, kicking the door shut behind him and planting his lips firmly on Steve’s.
“Cuddle now,” Bucky decided, pushing him back so he fell onto the bed, “but later I’m gonna show you exactly how much I’ve missed you.”
He crawled onto the mattress, fitting himself up against Steve so their legs were tangled and their chests were pressed firmly together. He fit his head into the crook of Steve’s shoulder, whose hand came up to play with Bucky’s hair while Bucky’s arm snaked around his waist.
God, he’d missed this. A piece of him had been missing for so long and now it was finally put back in place, quite literally fitted to him. He sniffled as a few more tears fell, staining his pillow.
“Stevie?” Bucky quitely checked. “Babydoll, what’s wrong?”
Steve shook his head.
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” He responded, holding him tighter. “I love you so much.”
Bucky squeezed back.
“”Till the end of the line.” He agreed.
“‘Till the end of the line.” Steve repeated. They held each other close until Steve’s tears stopped flowing. He felt a wet patch on his shoulder that showed Bucky shed his fair share as well, whether he wanted to admit it or not. They breathed each other in, reveling in the familiar comfort.
After a while, Bucky’s hand drifted from his waist to cup his butt cheek, giving it a firm squeeze.
“That is America’s Ass.” He teased.
“Right?” Steve mused, giving Bucky’s hair a slight tug- and damn did that do the trick.
Before he could even blink Bucky was on top of him, delivering a downright filthy kiss to his mouth as he worked hastily to remove Steve’s uniform.
That was the best night’s sleep Steve had gotten in over five long years.