Captain America wraps the Winter Soldier up in a hug, and they are both grinning, both laughing.
Then Steve lets him go and takes a step back and the sounds of everyone else around them wash back in, and Bucky understands what it is to gear up for battle, but it's been a long time since he's done so as part of an army. As part of a team.
"So," Steve says, looking him over. "Wakanda."
Bucky shrugs. "Wakanda," he repeats.
The two of them stare out into the grasslands and Bucky glances at Steve and Steve glances at Bucky and they're not fighting against each other anymore, but are they fighting with each other?
"Nobody's looking for me here," Bucky answers, although Steve didn't ask.
"Are you looking for yourself?"
"Yeah. I guess you could say that."
He's getting better but there are still huge gaps in his memory and he's slowly come to terms with the idea that they might not ever be filled. A lot of what is missing has to do with Steve.
He stares out at the grasslands, at the flickering forcefield wall that may or may not protect them. There is a civilian evac going on in the city behind him. No one asked him if he wanted to be part of this fight. As if it were never a question.
He isn't at all sure he wants to fight other people's wars anymore, but he doesn't know how to stop either, and if Steve's right about this then nothing less than the entire universe is at stake.
The universe. Bucky is still trying to wrap his head around the knowledge that there is such a thing as aliens. From outer space. Aliens trying to kill them. But aliens on their side, too.
Only a few feet away there is a psychotic racoon with a rocket launcher, and a walking tree. On their side, supposedly. Bucky doesn't try to understand it.
"Did you come here to look for me?" he asks Steve.
"No."
"But you knew I was here."
"Yes."
Bucky nods, satisfied. It's chance or fate or destiny that the fight has come here, bringing them both together for the first time since they were on opposite sides of a different war. This isn't the kind of thing you can outrun.
"Buck, how long are you planning on hiding out in Wakanda?"
"I'm not hiding. I'm healing. And anyway, Wakanda might not even be standing tomorrow."
"You don't believe that."
Bucky shakes his head. He doesn't believe that. They can't lose this fight. They can do this all day. They are invincible.
"You take the left. I'll get the right." Steve says, and Bucky nods. There is an explosion nearby: the racoon with the rocket launcher, and then Steve is running forward with his shield raised and Bucky is aiming shot after shot with his gun.
Soon, even his gun isn't enough. They're too close. It's fists and feet. Steve yells his name, and for a quick flash, it's a hundred years ago. They were just kids then.
Now, Steve has a metal shield and Bucky has a metal arm and he doesn't remember it, but he knows that, once, a long time ago, they were closer than brothers.
Steve grabs his arm, pulls him up. Bucky doesn't remember falling. "Thanks," he grunts. Steve nods. Then they're back to fighting. Bucky can't see anything but enemies in front of him and he doesn't think, doesn't plan, he just moves.
"Oh no," Steve murmurs, and Bucky doesn't know how he can hear it over the sounds of the battle, but he does. He turns to his old friend, raising his eyebrow in question. "He's here," Steve announces.
Thanos walks the earth like one of the gods from ancient stories, and Bucky tries to pretend he isn't intimidated but he's lying to himself.
They're out of time, and if they don't do something, then Thanos will get what he came for.
Captain America takes one step forward, toward the giant. Then another.
"Steve!" Bucky yells. "Don't do anything stupid!"
He can't tell if his old friend doesn't hear him or if he's just ignoring him and it doesn't much matter. He pulls out his gun and shoots at Thanos. He doesn't miss - he never misses - but the god doesn't even notice.
This might be a fight they can't win. The universe is at stake.
"Where is my stone?" Thanos roars, with a voice that shakes the earth. Steve just smirks at him. Bucky shoots again.
"Do you insects truly think to stop me? This plan has been in motion since before your Earth was conceived."
Bucky shoots again. "You talk too much," he advises.
Thanos turns his head, not toward Bucky, but away from him, toward a dazzling display of light and magic. "My stone," he growls.
His long strides take him closer to that source in a matter of seconds and the next thing Bucky knows, Steve is running after Thanos and then he's running after Steve and he doesn't even bother saying anything out loud about not being stupid. They're beyond that now.
Bucky falls. He remembers falling this time.
When he opens his eyes again, it's to the sensation of something profoundly wrong. He looks down, to see black smoke blowing away everything that used to be there. His legs. His arms.
"Steve?" he asks. He looks up, desperate, but all he sees is the look of shock and grief on his brother's face.
"Buck? Bucky!"
He tries to tell Steve that he's alright, but he's all out of words.
He's still confused. There is still so much he doesn't know.
But he knows this much: with you 'til the end of the line
He isn't scared. He doesn't regret this.
One hundred years is a damned good run.