eighty-two.
Back in Wakanda, Peter was curled up in his 'hospital' bed and simply staring at the wall across from him. He'd wrapped himself up in the blankets and that was the last time he'd moved in many hours. Bucky had been in several times, only trying at conversation once or twice before realizing that Peter wasn't going to respond.
Some doctor had come in a couple of times, but he didn't bother speaking to Peter, which was fine. He wasn't in the mood to speak, all he wanted to do was sleep, but it just wouldn't come to him and it was pissing him off.
He just wanted to sleep and ignore his problems. Specifically, the one that was supposed to be growing inside of him at this very moment. He was going to have a baby, him, a dude, was going to have a baby. And no matter what, the baby would be in danger for its whole life because Hydra wanted this baby. This isn't something Peter wanted, not for a very long time anyways.
Hydra wanted this baby, Hydra wanted him to have this baby. He didn't get to choose. He didn't even get to choose the father of this baby, and that would haunt him forever. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to keep this baby in the first place. That's really what he's been debating all of this time instead of sleeping.
Would anyone look down on him for not wanting to keep it? Could he really live with himself if he did? What would Aunt May think? He wished he had her perspective right now.
As if some sort of miracle, he saw her out of the corner of his eye, and she was smiling like always and she looked happy just like she used to. It made him literally sick to his stomach and he had to curl up and hurl into the bucket that'd been placed by his bed.
"Oh Peter, you're such a mess." She said softly.
She wasn't real, but he scoffed anyways. "Yeah, thanks. Last I saw, you didn't look so great either."
Her smile didn't falter, but she spoke again anyways. "I still only have limited responses. Sarcasm is not in my dialogue options yet."
"You seem to be doing just fine." He sighed as he laid back. He looked at the small ring on his right ring finger, the only thing that made this May even remotely real. She wasn't anything but a hologram produced by Peter's hippocampus. Out of all of the things he's invented, this one had to be one of the worst ones.
It was his worst invention, just because it tortured him so. And at the moment, it was configured so he was the only one to see her. He was the only one allowed to see her. He had to live with this guilt. He had to live with seeing her there, smiling and kind, despite what he did to her.
"I apologize for distressing you."
He shook his head. "No, you're alright... I think I'll just take you off for now, though."
She nods her head, though she didn't get much of a choice, and disappeared the moment Peter wrestled the ring off of his finger. He sighed. He needed to remember not to think about her while wearing the ring, as that was what brought her forward. He just dropped the ring onto the bed beside him and curled back up.
Meanwhile, back in Brooklyn, Tony was finally leaving Steve's apartment and heading home to Pepper. Steve knew now that Tony didn't know that Bruce was in with Hydra, and he kept it so that Tony didn't find out from him anyways. Steve waited until Tony was out of sight before calling Bucky again.
Bucky answered instantly, apparently the reception was really good in Wakanda. Steve loved listening to Bucky's voice, which is why he asked how his day went as soon as the call connected. Buck couldn't resist and dove right into talking about how advanced everything was, the science, the medicine. He said it was so nice, and the place he and Peter would stay was amazing too, and it was a shame that Peter couldn't see it yet.
Steve agreed, it was a shame. "Does he know what he wants to do yet?"
Bucky sighed. "No. No, and I ain't pushin' him, Stevie. This is fucked, n'you know it."
Steve shifted and sighed. "Yeah, it really is. I'm not gonna say it's not."
He could hear Bucky's breaths and he could almost feel his long exhales. He could almost see Bucky leaning against a wall with a cigarette between his fingers.
"What are they doing about your arm? Is there anything they can do?"
"They offered to make me a new one, but it's gonna take some time. Have'ta roll without one for now, but it can't be that bad... I'm finally all me again, Stevie."
Steve couldn't help but smile. He knew that this was probably a dream come true for Bucky, despite the horrible circumstances. He was finally free of that damned arm and he'd probably never been happier, but there was only one question he had.
"And... Your ring?" He asked nervously, twiddling the one that rested on his own finger.
Bucky laughed and exhaled heavily. "I've got it right here, Stevie... I told you I'd never lose it. How's Becca?"
Steve smiled softly and reached down to pet the dog beside him. "She's good... Keeps lookin' for ya."
"You know, Stevie... When this is finally over... I'm really lookin' forward to marryin' you."
Steve's cheeks heated up, and he felt like he was sixteen again and nearing a panic attack because Bucky said he loved him for the first time. He remembers clutching his chest while he fought to pull air into his lungs, but he also remembers the panic on Bucky's face realizing that the shock could literally have killed Steve then... Steve likes to pick on him for it, even now.
Steve has a habit of joking about things that he shouldn't, but only when it's personal to him. Too broke to go to school? Make jokes. Almost died in the line of fire? Laugh it off. Go through a traumatic transformation into 'Captain America' and have people look at you like the posters until you die? Ignore it, make some jokes, pretend it doesn't bother you.
He was good at it. Or, he thought he was anyways. It stopped working on Bucky after about three months of them knowing one another.
"Buck, I think you're gonna give me another panic attack," he teased, loving the way Bucky laughed.
"Don't start, punk... I'll let you go, it's probably getting pretty late there, huh?"
Steve agreed, then asked Bucky'd been to sleep yet. He said no, and Steve suggested he get some rest too. Bucky, being the genius he is, suggested they FaceTime to sleep. He was sure Peter would be okay for a couple of hours.
Steve didn't even try to protest this time and went inside and curled up in their bed with Becca at his feet. When the screen flashed and Bucky's face appeared on the small phone's screen, Steve couldn't help but smile. He knew that Bucky wouldn't be on the phone still when he woke, but at least he was here for Steve to fall asleep to.
If that's all he could get right now, he'd take it.
No questions asked.