Epilogue
Bucky and Steve joined the others for breakfast, Winnie, George, Sarah, Tony, Nat, Clint, and Sam all sat around the table to a myriad of breakfast foods. Bucky came in grinning ear to ear.
“Look who finally woke up,” Bucky called while entering the dining room.
“Steve!” everyone shouted collectively, Sarah was on her feet and wrapped herself around her son.
“This is crazy,” she said eyeing Steve up and down admiring her son’s new physique.
Steve smiled while nodding, “I know I feel so different, I feel so much better.”
“Well, I’m glad, you really scared us there for a little while,” she said guiding Steve and Bucky to the table.
Nat, Clint, and Sam went crazy over Steve’s new body, they were so far out of there depth when it came to merpeople stuff, every little thing was exciting. They were going on a tour of Atlantis later that day.
Tony sat quietly, his face looked glum after the falling out he had with his dad, Bucky didn’t blame him. Winnie picked up on it, she had developed a major soft spot for the boy.
Other than that, everyone was cheerful at breakfast, happily munching on Atlantis’ best delicacies.
---
Later that day, Bucky sat in his bedroom alone, Steve had joined the rest of their friends on the tour. Winnie had knocked on his door and told him to follow her, he needed her help. Tony stood behind her with a puzzled look on his face.
They ended up in Doctor Strange’s apothecary, the man was mixing potions, he looked like he hadn’t slept all night.
“I have a surprise for Tony,” she said with a big smile. “You can say no, but I asked DR. Strange to mix you a potion that would give you your tail back.”
Tony look shocked for a moment and then nodded, “Yeah, I would that, yes!” he exclaimed.
Dr. Strange poured the potion he was mixing into a cup, “Drink this,” he said. Tony drank the whole thing. “It is done, next time you get into the water you will have a tail.”
---
Bucky took Tony to the beach, first thing after they left Dr. Strange’s shop.
“Ok, do you feel a strong craving to jump in the water?” Bucky asked.
Tony nodded, “I feel itchy and the only thing that will scratch it is getting in the water.”
“That’s normal,” Bucky smiled. “Take all your clothes off, the transformation will rip any clothes you have on.”
They both shed their clothing. Bucky stepped into the water, Tony followed.
“You won’t feel the shift take over until your at about mid-thigh,” Bucky said. The boys walked out, Tony glanced at Bucky nervously. He was feeling the shift take over.
Bucky watched as Tony shifted, his legs fusing together into a red and gold spotted fishtail, it was beautiful.
Bucky wasn’t far behind Tony, his icy blue and silver tail gleaming in the sunlight.
Tony laughed in joy, he’d never felt more at home.
---
Steve cuddled up next Bucky that night in bed, his boyfriend who was now smaller than him had his head pressed against Steve’s chest and his arms wrapped around his chest.
Steve couldn’t sleep, there was a lot running through his mind. He’d never felt happier, but it was still shocking waking up in his new body. He didn’t even remember getting shot, the last thing he remembered was getting back to the car and getting yelled at by his mother.
Bucky stirred next to him, Steve looked down at his boyfriend. Bucky’s eyes were squeezed tight, face twisted in anguish.
“No, no, no,” Bucky said in his sleep. “Stop!” he yelled. “It hurts.”
Steve tried his best to shake his boyfriend awake, Bucky sat up in the bed eyes wide open in fear gasping for breath.
“Baby, it was just a nightmare, it’s okay,” Steve comforted Bucky, guiding the brunet’s head to his chest and running his fingers through his lover’s hair.
Bucky sniffled, newly formed tears were threatening to spill, “It wasn’t a dream, Steve. It actually happened, the things they did to me Steve, it was so painful.”
“I know baby,” Steve shushed holding his boyfriend as he cried. “You need to talk to someone about what happened, we were all so caught up on what happened to me that they forgot you had just gone through five days of trauma.”
“I’m okay, Steve.”
“Clearly you’re not,” Steve said, looking at Bucky with a questioning eye.
“Shut up, punk,” Bucky said lightly hitting Steve and snuggling deeper into his chest.
---
Bucky got all the therapy he needed to cope with his trauma, Tony moved in with Barnes’ after his dad got arrested for kidnapping Bucky.
He even started going to tutoring with Wanda.
---
The crew all graduated high school, some going their separate ways.
Sam joined the Air Force.
Clint and Natasha were taking a gap year to travel the world.
Bucky and Steve began school at the University of Hawaii, Steve studied art and Bucky was double majoring in Marine Biology and Political Science to much of the dismay of his guidance counselor.
Tony moved to Atlantis, where he planned to live his life and reconnect with his mom’s family.
---
A few years later a civil war broke out in Atlantis, the Pierce’s had started an uprising.
Alexander Pierce Sr. and Alexander Pierce Jr. were killed.
King Atlas was also killed while Bucky was fighting alongside him.
Bucky became King of Atlantis at the age of 21.
---
Bucky and Steve snuggled and watched TV, it had been a long day. There had been a meeting of leaders from the islands of Atlantis, they were all so old and really gave Bucky a headache.
They were flipping through the TV channels when Steve settled on the news. Bucky watched with interest. The screen flashed with Breaking News:
“Breaking News, King T’Challa of Wakanda gave a speech to the UN about opening up Wakanda to the rest of the world. The notoriously reclusive third world country has revealed some of its exciting technological advancements said to have been designed by Princess Shuri herself. Based on what we’ve heard Wakanda has many life-changing technologies and our advice is to embrace them with open arms,” the reporter spoke from the TV.
Bucky smiled, “Steve, I have an idea.”
---
Bucky was dressed in a casual suit, gray tweed pants, and white button-down with the top two buttons undone. He figured his traditional garbs would be too risqué for the UN, so, with Vision’s help they came up with something laid back like Atlantis yet sophisticated for the UN. They were crashing the part after all. His crown was perched on his head, it was made of silver and blue diamonds.
Wanda opened the portal and Bucky stepped through right into the middle of a UN summit. His entrance had clearly caused a commotion, cameras flashed in his face, guns were pointed at him. The ambassadors whispered nervously to each other. It got tenser as more of Bucky’s royal advisors, including Steve, stepped through the portal.
Bucky stepped up to the podium and put on his best charismatic smile. “Hello everyone, I feel like I should start off by saying we are not here to hurt anyone we just want to introduce ourselves. My name is King James, I am the ruler of the lost city of Atlantis and all of its merpeople. We had to hide many millennia ago because people were hunting and killing us for our resources. We were inspired by the Wakandans because much like them we have a lot to offer to the world and we hope you all will embrace us,” Bucky said right before everything broke out in chaos.
---
The world embraced Atlantis and its people, Dr. Strange’s medicine was a huge hit and in high demand.
Atlantis became one of the most coveted places to visit in the world, Bucky had set up a lottery system for humans who wanted to visit, everyone had the equal opportunity.
King James and Steve Roger’s royal wedding was broadcast across the world.
Bucky couldn’t wait for the next 4,000 years of his life.