Chapter 12
Bucky made it back to Steve’s room. Steve had stitches in his head and looked like he was trying to get some sleep. Bucky snuck in quietly. Steve looked up at him.
“Where’s my mom?” He asked, looking slightly disoriented.
“I told her,” Bucky said quietly, Steve looked at him puzzled. “I told her about me, that I’m a merman.”
Steve sat up and looked at Bucky, “did she believe you?”
Bucky nodded, “I showed her.”
Steve sucked in a breath, “You didn’t have to tell her, I could’ve handled it.”
Bucky gave him a close-lipped smile, “I know, but you shouldn’t have to lie to your mom Steve. This isn’t your life it’s mine.”
“How did she take it?” Steve asked.
Bucky laughed, “she was a little freaked out, but I think she’ll be okay.”
Sarah Rogers opened the curtain, “I’ll be ok,” she reassured.
“Mom,” Steve said.
“Hi baby, how are you feeling?”
“Tired,” Steve confessed sinking back down into his pillows.
“Get some rest baby,” she said rubbing her hand through his hair. Steve shut his eyes, the three sat in silence for a couple minutes. Before the sound of Steve’s soft snores filled the room. Sarah looked at Bucky, “Are you okay?”
“Me, I’m fine,” Bucky replied with a shy smile.
Sarah nodded with an unreadable expression, “Tell me about Atlantis.”
So, Bucky did. He told her about how his family is royalty, the history of Atlantis, and why he has to keep it a secret. She listened nodding slowly as Bucky talked, absorbing the information. He told her about Steve’s trip, and their stop at the apothecary, she smiled at that part. “I’m happy you shared that with me,” she said honestly. “Just make sure Steve stays safe, I know I can’t keep him away from you and your life, he’d hate me. He’s all I have left of Joe, he’s my only baby. That’s why I’m so protective, I love you, boys. Please take care of him,” she said tearing up.
Bucky felt his eyes water, “Thank you. It means a lot.”
---
Steve was discharged three hours later. Bucky was exhausted and so was Sarah. Bucky stayed with Steve at the front entrance of the hospital while Sarah pulled the car up.
“I heard what my mom said,” Steve spoke looking up at Bucky from the bench he sat on. Bucky raised his eyebrows in question, “what she said about protecting me and how I was the only the person she had left.”
Bucky nodded solemnly, “we’re on the same page Steve, I’d do anything to protect you. I wanted you to know that.”
Steve looked up at him stubbornly, “I’d do the same for you too.”
“I can protect myself, Steve,” Bucky grumbled looking down at his boyfriend.
“So can I!” Steve exclaimed. “I can take care of myself Bucky, I don’t need you guys babying me all the time!” Steve lamented.
“Steve, what’s this about?” Bucky asked quietly sitting down on the bench next to his boyfriend, looking deeply into his eyes.
“Why does everyone think I’m so weak!” he yelled tears threatening to spill.
He sucked a long breath and composed himself. “It’s just, my mom thinks I’m weak, you think I’m weak, obviously Tony, Nat, Clint, and Sam think I’m weak. Why else would they push me into the water?” he said calmly.
“I don’t think your weak Steve,” Bucky said wiping a tear away from under Steve’s eye with his thumb. “You’re one of the strongest and most loving people I know, and people want to take advantage of that. You care so much, you’re so full of passion for life, and the world needs you Steve so it’s making sure you don’t have to face it alone.”
“I love you,” Steve said grabbing Bucky’s face and him in for a hard kiss. They pulled apart and rested their foreheads against each other.
Sarah honked the horn of her car, Bucky helped Steve off the bench and helped him into the passenger seat of the car. Steve buckled himself in. Bucky leaned in and gave Steve a quick peck on the lips. “I love you,” Bucky whispered.
“I love you too.” Bucky shut the door, and Sarah drove off. Steve waved at Bucky through the window, Bucky smiled and walked to his car.
---
Bucky made it home seven that morning, his mom was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee and scrolling through her phone.
She spotted him and smiled, “Your home early.”
“Where’s dad?” Bucky asked sitting down at the table.
“He went surfing with his friends, he’ll be gone all day,” Bucky gave her a close-lipped smile and put his head in his hands and breathed deeply. “Bucky what is it?” she asked concerned, resting her hand on Bucky’s arm.
“They found out mom, it wasn’t my fault I had to save Steve,” Bucky was hysterical and on the brink of a panic attack. He was in so much trouble, half of Atlantis was pissed that Steve knew, imagine how’d they react to five other people knowing.
“Bucky, breathe, what exactly happened?” she asked sternly.
“They wanted to see me in the water, so they pushed Steve in. Nobody would save him, you know he can’t swim. So, I jumped in, in front of all of them,” Bucky told her.
Winnie tensed, “who’s they?”
“Nat, Clint, Sam, and Tony,” Bucky replied.
“Natasha, are you serious?” Winnie questioned.
“Dead serious,” Bucky replied sadly.
“That doesn’t sound like her, it doesn’t sound like any of them,” she commented, “Who’s Tony?”
“The new kid,” Bucky responded. “I’m pretty sure he’s the one behind all of it, he was really suspicious of me since the day we met.”
“So, they know,” Bucky inferred her voice strained. Bucky nodded. “This isn’t good Bucky, I know I don’t need to tell you this but if the Pierce’s find out--,” she stopped. She looked torn.
“Mom, what?” Bucky pleaded.
“I don’t want to scare you, but they could use it as a way to take the throne. Feed of the fears of the people, make Atlas look incompetent and make the prince look like he cares more about his human life than his royal obligations.”
Bucky felt helpless. Logically he knew the Pierce’s probably wouldn’t know. But he didn’t know exactly how far their influence reached, and lot’s of merpeople lived on land.
“That won’t happen,” Bucky said trying to convince himself.
“I hope not, but we need to be vigilant,” his mom suggested. “I want to know more about this Tony kid, and why he needed to know so bad.”
---
Bucky’s mom let him stay home from school that Monday, and even let him skip lessons with Wanda. Steve wasn’t going back to school until Wednesday and Bucky didn’t want to face his ex-friends alone. He sat alone in his living room binge-watching Netflix and eating copious amounts of cereal when he heard a knock on his door.
He got up and looked at the time, it 3:30 school was out by then. He looked out the window and saw a familiar red head of hair with a sad yet hopeful look on her face. Bucky was mad, but he wanted to know why Natasha did what she did. So, he opened the door.
“Bucky,” she said voice catching in her throat. She didn’t expect him to answer.
“Natasha,” he said coldly.
“Can I please explain?” she begged, which was very out of character for her.
“This should be good,” Bucky laughed petulantly, arms crossing over his chest.
“Please,” she pleaded.
“Fine,” Bucky said pushing the door open letting her in. Natasha walked into the living room and sat on the couch.
“Ok,” Bucky prompted her to speak.
She took in a deep breathe and couldn’t quite look him in the eye. “First off, I want to say, I really truly apologize for what happened to Steve. That’s not what was supposed to happen,” she began. Then her resolved steeled, “however, I am not sorry for wanting to know about you being a merman. We were best friends, I told you everything and you hid half your life from me Bucky!” she exclaimed wearily.
Bucky could admit she had a point, “why not just ask me?” he said quietly.
“Because you would’ve lied!” she blurted, “You always lie.”
Bucky felt like shit, his conscious had always been guilt-ridden because of all the lying. Now she’s bringing all these emotions to the surface and Bucky’s brain can’t focus for two fucking seconds to get a coherent thought together.
“That’s why I felt like I had to force it out of you, Sam and Clint felt the same way. As for Tony, we’re not talking to him right now. It was supposed to be you Bucky, you have to understand. Tony was supposed to push you into the water, not Steve.”
That shouldn’t have made Bucky feel better, but it did. He felt less betrayed. He took a deep breath. “Natasha you have to understand why I couldn’t tell you, Steve didn’t even know until like two weeks ago,” Bucky told Nat everything, about Atlantis, him being royalty, and the laws against telling humans. A spiel he’s given way too many times the past two weeks. Yet, he somehow feels lighter now, he’s not lying to anybody he cares about anymore. He doesn’t have to hide who he is.
“I forgive you,” he tells Natasha. Her face lights up like a Christmas tree.
“What changed your mind?” she asked.
“I somehow feel better, knowing that you guys know. I’m not lying to anyone I love anymore, it’s cathartic.”
“Well I’m glad,” she said with a big smile.
“If you're up for it, Clint’s taking Sam and me on a diving trip, we’d love for you to tag along.”
“I think I’d like that,” he smiled, “but first I need to talk to them clear the air.”
“Of course, will we see you at lunch tomorrow?” she asked.
Bucky nodded, “I’ll be there.”
---
Bucky found himself on a boat the next weekend, surrounded by the best friends he could’ve asked for. Clint, Sam, and Natasha suited up in their diving gear. Steve sat on the edge of the boat, fully equipped with a bright orange life jacket, sketchbook in hand.
Bucky looked out at the water, finally recognizing where they were. It was the underwater cave system where Wanda held his magic lessons. “Hey, I swim out here all the time,” Bucky commented. “I want to show guys something,” he said before shedding his clothes and jumping into the water. Scales erupting down his legs.
“I’m never gonna get used to that,” Clint murmured securing his mask and diving into the water. Sam and Nat not far behind.
Bucky led the way, going at a slower pace than normal so hid friends could keep up. He held out his hands and stopped motioned for them to stop. They stopped swimming and looking at him expectantly. Bucky used his abilities to call on all the sea life around them.
In the distance, he saw a majestic great white shark. Natasha was the first to spot it, her eyes growing wide. Sam and Clint began freaking out as well. Bucky sent out a telepathic signal ‘calm down she’s friendly’. He communicated, he knew they couldn’t respond, but it had worked. They were calm.
The shark swam up to him and nuzzled him with her giant body. Bucky stroked her back and motioned for his friends to do the same. They did, reluctantly. Eyes wide in awe.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a beautiful sea turtle coming towards them. He urged the creature to come closer. Bucky touched the turtle’s hard shell, Sam swam up and did the same. Even through the breathing mask, Bucky could see the smiles.
After a few minutes, the animals lost interest, and Bucky began swimming. The others trailing not far behind him, he led them through the system of caves. Eventually, they reached his favorited spot. He broke through the surface of the water of the cove where his magic lessons took place. His friends looked around amazed.
Bucky has never been in this happy, he knew now it was because his two worlds had finally become one.