"D-do we bow?"

"Yeah," Rhodey scoffed. "He's a king."

Hurrying forward in the quinjet to intervene, you grabbed Banner's arm and led him out, getting him as far away from the brewing mischief as you could. "Jimmy, stop. Be nice to Bruce, he's had a rough day. No, honey, you don't do that here. It's just T'Challa, and he doesn't actually bite, no matter what you've heard."

"Not what I've heard," Steve chimed in.

"Okay, well If you're not trying to run away then he's a lot nicer."

"Maybe he shouldn't be chasing people in that scary cat suit then."

"Touché."

As the group had all exited the jet they gathered in front of T'Challa, looking a little beat up and completely exhausted. It had been more hours than they cared to count since they had found Wanda and Vision and made their way here, and to be on solid ground again was all too welcome. All they wanted was a nap and possibly a shower, should the king be so gracious.

"Seems like I'm always thanking you for something," Steve said as he greeted T'Challa, his hand extended and quickly taken. "How do we look?"

You released Bruce and pushed your way out in front of the Captain, leaving T'Challa to release him just in time to catch your hug that knocked him back a step or two. After you greeted each other with a few quietly shared words, he kept his arm around you while you looked at your leader, eyeing him skeptically now with the king joining in the joviality. "I don't know, Cap," you smirked, "I still can't get on board with that beard. At least clean it up around the edges and we'll take another look."

"Smartass, that's not what I meant."

"What happened to you?" you sighed. "You used to be so clean-cut and respectable. But if we're going to talk about being respectable...this guy definitely isn't," you smiled briefly. "Hey, Buck."

"Hey, doll, Im really glad to see you."

"Oh yeah? Why? What did you do now?"

"What?!" he gasped, feigning shock with a hand to his chest. "Nothing! I swear!"

"Mmm hmm. T, is that true?"

"It is," T'Challa agreed, albeit hesitantly and with a trained eye on the man in question. "Believe me, I am as surprised as you are, (Y/N)."

"Well, that's just rude," Bucky huffed, moving to you to take you in for his own hug and away from the king despite the risk he may be creating for himself. "I'm glad to see you because you've got me worried. I've barely been able to connect all day. You avoiding me now?"

"Pretty much, yeah. This is more than you need to take on, Buck. I've got it."

"Any word at all? How about Nat?"

"Nothing."

Bucky chewed nervously on his lip as he looked for her in the group, stopping to see her with Vision as Shuri took him to prepare for her work. He looked apologetic to consider leaving your side, but in reality he had other motives. "Do you mind if I talk to Nat for a minute? I just want to see how she's doing since Tony went silent, you know, since you think you're good and all."

"Do what you gotta do," you smiled, though the emotion was lacking in it, "I'm gonna catch up to Steve and get our plan set."

You were giving it a valiant effort, he'd allow you that much at least. It wasn't like you had to protect him from anything because he had been through his share of life on his own and there wasn't anything you could bring that scared him. What he couldn't understand was why you were so resistant to him when years had gone by with so many occasions of relying on each other for even things that seemed miniscule compared to this. "Doll, I know what you're doing, and I'm not buying it. I don't actually need to go over there because I can see that Nat's just fine from way over here, but I can't read you and I'm barely a foot away. Why are you blocking me?"

"Buck, I can't do this right now, okay?" you tried, turning away to get to work and refusing to catch his gaze when he stepped closer to stop you. "Let's just figure out how we're gonna deal with the purple nut sack before he gets here and we can talk about this later. We need to focus up."

He reached out and grabbed your hand before you could turn away and his body shuddered at the contact, his hand shaking with such energy that it moved your arm as well. The electricity of the connection that he had been almost demanding of you now felt like maybe you were right all along and this was a bad idea. Bucky was immediately awash in grief like he hadn't felt since when he thought you were dead, years ago now, a blanket of gray and black now swirling in his mind and dulling his senses but somehow allowing the pain to be trapped within it. It was the strangest, most disturbing feeling that he couldn't get away from fast enough. When he released you he was thankful for the relief that was soon to come, but it never did; the sensation held on even after your hands had parted and the strength of it nearly dropped him at your side.

"Buck? What's going on?"

"(Y/N), you can't do this alone," he gasped, trying to catch his breath and desperate for his vision to clear so that he could fully see you; to get you to understand. "I won't let you. This is too much, and it won't stop. It'll take you with it. I...I had no idea it was like this for you."

"Listen, I'll be fine once we find him. I can handle this."

"But what if...what if you can't? What about you-"

"No," you snapped, taking a long step back, hands up to keep him away, "don't do this to me right now, Bucky. I need to keep my head right and giving anything less than my all isn't going to help me get him back. If I don't do this, then you're right, it'll take me too but I don't care. If I don't get him back, it doesn't really matter anyway. Just don't touch me again, please."

~~~

Once you had convinced Sam to take Bucky anywhere else but near you, you decided that maybe a few minutes to yourself was in order, if for nothing else but to get your thoughts under control without inside influence from anyone else. On the flight into Wakanda, Bruce had told the story of Thor and Loki and their reconciliation; how Loki had changed almost right in front of him and how the two were finally acting like real brothers in a shock to even themselves. The sadness in his voice tore at your heart, but it also made you yearn for the opportunity to have said goodbye to your friend when now you would never see him again. You couldn't reconcile your mind to the idea of Thor being lost, and your heart would never allow it.

Rather than helping, this train of thought was only making your fear for your husband worse.

Maybe this wasn't the best idea, after all.

"(Y/N)? Might I join you?"

"Sure," you smiled, "why not? Did Shuri kick you out of the lab again?"

"Hmm, that would be a safe assumption," T'Challa agreed with a slight nod, taking your hand to rest it within his folded arm as you walked, "but in all honesty I would rather spend this time easing my mind before I do not have the chance again."

"Anything I can help with?"

"Do not dare offer of yourself to me, (Y/N). The purpose of easing my mind to ensure that you are well."

"I'm fine."

"You say the words with conviction as if they are truth, and yet, I am not convinced."

"Really, I'm fine."

"Yes, I heard that."

"T'Challa, please don't push me," you sighed, turning away and pulling from his secure hold despite his resistance, the disconnect causing you more grief than you had anticipated when you started to move. It wasn't like when Bucky had made contact, but there was no reason for it to be; it made it no less painful and you were now regretting the contact you had already made and maybe even coming here in the first place. "Please, I can't..."

"(Y/N), stop," he urged, reaching for you again but you saw his intention and you withdrew further. It didn't matter that each step away only pushed the pain deeper into your chest like a knife slowly drilled into your heart. "(Y/N)."

"I think it's best to keep to myself from now on," you gasped, failing to hold the tears back now that they started, "I don't want the pity that comes with your touch, or that damn look on your face that you keep giving me. It's too draining." You waited for him to respond and argue with you as he always did, giving you the speech about supporting each other in times of need and how isolation never helps, but his words never came. "I think...I'm just going to go check on Vision and see how Shuri is doing with getting the stone removed. I should be there for Wanda. She should have a friend with her in case...if he doesn't..." you mumbled quietly as you left his sight.

He watched you walk away, and he had resolved himself to say nothing, but even he knew that he wouldn't be able to help it, and his words burst from his lips almost against his conscious will. "But who is to be there for you, (Y/N)?"

~~~

"Steve, (Y/N) won't let me help her and this is gonna kill her if she doesn't let someone in. She doesn't even care if it does. You gotta help me get her under control."

"Hard pass."

"You...you pass?" Bucky paused, confusion owning his expression as he tried to comprehend what he never expected. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? You pass?"

"It means you're on your own, pal," Steve said. "What is she doing that makes you think she's out of control anyway?"

Bucky once again nervously chewed at the inside of his lower lip, his eyes moving quickly at the scene in front of him, but he was looking at nothing. It was as if he were searching his brain for an answer that didn't exist; an answer that you desperately needed that he was failing to provide. "She's not exactly out of control, but she's not exactly in it either. She's compromised, I'm telling ya. I got a split second of connection and she's a mess, Steve. Her emotions are all over the place and there's no way she can focus on what we're about to do. She's gonna get herself killed out there."

"Buck, I tried on the flight all the way here. The last person she wants a lecture from is me. I've worn out my options."

"Okay, so how about Nat? Do you think she'll help?"

"She's Tony's soulmate, remember?" Steve scoffed, looking at his friend like he lost all sense of what was happening, and suddenly a complete idiot. "She's not gonna stop either."

"Right...okay, then I'll grab Banner."

"He's one of Tony's closest friends. He's all in to find him."

"Shit. Rhodey?"

"Closer to Tony than Bruce."

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?" Bucky groaned, throwing up his hands in defeat. "Is there anyone around here who doesn't love the guy?"

"Yeah, you."

"I hate you. That's not helpful, Steve."

"You don't hate me...oh!" Steve stopped, eyes wide in sudden realization. "That's it! Ask Sam! He doesn't like anybody! Well...except for me, obviously."

"He likes me, we're getting along fine," Bucky argued. "We really bonded over our mutual hatred for that baby arachnid back in Germany. That kid's a little shit-"

"Who is also missing. Not just missing, but missing with Tony, and (Y/N) is practically another mom to that little-"

"Alright, fuck it, that leaves me only one option. I'm gonna go for restraints."

The Captain laughed under his breath, a little bit too sadistically for Bucky's liking, but it didn't stop him when he needed all the support he could get. "Sounds like that's all you've got left. Hold up, though, I want to grab the team."

"Why? I think I can handle her myself, Steve."

"Oh, I'm sure you can. We're just gonna want to see this."

"Steve, we've got a situation out here."

"Sam?"

"We've got more incoming outside the dome," Rhodey joined in, setting Steve into an immediate panic and leading the two men in a run to get their gear and to the field as quickly as their legs would carry them.

"Come on, seriously? We just got here!" Bucky hissed, shaking his head at the turn of events and knowing that you were likely already on the way and would probably beat him to the fight even with his super speed to get him there. "I guess I'm just gonna have to stay close and keep an eye on her. If she ain't sick of me now, she sure will be by the time this fight is over."