seventy-nine.
Bucky more than certainly got an earful once Steve and Natalia arrived at the hospital. Rather than just one of them getting onto him, they both did, and they weren't exactly gentle about it. They got onto him for being so reckless, for not letting them come as back up, for getting injured, and more importantly (apparently) getting Peter injured.
It wasn't as if he didn't already feel fucking horrible for what happened, but they weren't making it any better. They just chewed into him for over an hour without break, and he just stood there and took it in silence. There was nothing he could say, so he wouldn't try to defend himself. There's no reason that he'd try. He was a glutton for pain, and he deserved to be yelled at. He knew that he did.
He could've gotten Peter killed. He promised to get Peter out of this life, and he took him right back into the line of fire. He deserved their anger. Peter could have died today, and for what? They were no closer to the end than they had been before.
Steve was ready to go out right now and find Bruce, but all Bucky could do was protest. If there was someone above Bruce, then they needed to find out who, and they knew that arresting Bruce wasn't the way to find out. They needed Bruce, which was so fucked.
After the pair had finally calmed down, Bucky took the time to tell them about the offer to live in Wakanda, wherever that was. He told them about how he was promised a normal life for Peter, a safe place where he wouldn't be in danger all the time like he was now. A place for him to grow and thrive. And the looks on their faces made it seem like they really were considering it.
Their consideration of the idea shot through the roof when T'Challa returned to the hospital waiting room, politely introduced himself, and then politely answered all of the questions Steve could think of. Wakanda wasn't quite like the rest of the world, but they still considered themselves very modern and farther ahead of the rest of the world as far as electronics and science went.
Natalia seemed pleased as T'Challa promised them that if Peter joined them, he would still be able to attend his classes and earn his points towards graduation, and maybe even graduate early if he did well enough. He could work and earn money, he would have a clean place to live and good food to eat. He would be treated just like everyone else, like family. He and Bucky both.
And of course, they would not be trapped there. They would be free to leave for travel and other things whenever they pleased. They would be equals.
And Bucky didn't want to refuse, it sounded amazing. Steve and Natalia took some time to deliberate the idea for a while before deciding that if Bucky wanted to do it, then it would be done, and he didn't hesitate to accept.
They were finally going to start over.
Peter would be safe, and Bucky would finally get away...