I had gotten a prompt for Steve and Bucky reuniting after Civil War, and this is the result. I hope you enjoy this! *hug*
It had only been two months but it might as well have been ten years. There's a click and a hiss, and soon the glass slides up far too slowly, revealing the best image Steve had seen in these long, long two months. The loud sound of the chamber opening resonated across the concrete walls in T'challa's lab and Steve had to force himself to breathe in and not tear up because Bucky always got so worried when he saw Stevie look upset-
And then he's back in the present time, and he can barely believe it's real and happening right before his eyes. He watches with tense fascination as the chamber steams and deactivates; tries to subdue the painful, anxious burning feeling that is in the pit of his stomach. He's ready, so ready to see him yet at the same time so terrified and he doesn't understand why.
The icy fog slips away and for the first time in years now, Steve wishes paper and a pencil, craves to memorialize the first glimpse he gets of Bucky's face. It's a longing for his old artistic life but he doesn't feel ashamed of it. He ignores the stares of the doctors and T'challa behind him, watching Barnes to ensure safety; though safety is far from Steve's mind.
The chamber jolts and hisses and Steve can't tear his gaze away from the door and good God why is it somehow going too fast and too slow all at once? Steve wishes again that he was alone with Bucky right now, neither of them being looked with such neutral expressions. Steve wants to see Bucky, wants to grab him and yank him away from everything and everyone and keep running; want to never stop until Bucky's is finally safe and unharmed and smiling like it's not going to be the last time they see each other. He heard T'challa speaking to someone, maybe it's him, but it's so difficult to focus on anything that isn't Bucky that Steve tunes it out.
His mind goes back again into the here and now when the chamber beeps once, then twice. The light on the control panel flashes and Steve can feel his heart lodging somewhere in his throat. It's lasting far too long as he watches the safety locks unclasp, steam hissing. The final hatch dissipates.
And Bucky is here. His eyes are opened and he looks scared for a split second, eyes wondering around looking for an anchor. His right hand grips the edge of the glass, his left arm still missing and the knowledge of how that happened had Steve's anger flare up again.
Bucky's eyes dart upwards and widen in shock, resignation, confusion. His breath came in erratic bursts like it is the first time in his life of having air in his lungs. The confused look on Bucky's face is enough for Steve to close the sort distance between them and wraps his arms around him. He just pulls Bucky against his chest and promises silently to never to let him go again, never to let him slip away again. Never,
After a small gasp of surprise, Bucky's tense body loses all tension and Bucky lifts his hand to Steve's waist, wrapping his fingers in Steve's shirt like it's the last thing keeping him grounded, like the air from Steve's lungs is the only oxygen left in the world and it's what's bringing him back to life. Steve is here, he's actually here and he's holding him, keeping from falling apart and whispering words that causes his heart start beating at a normal rate again; he can't fully understand them but Bucky feel oh so safe.
And Bucky just sags and feels so warm for what feels the first time in decades; shivering a little as his body starts to wake up and realize there's the pain, bubbling under the surface, but he's used to it, he can ignore it, and yet the heat of Steve against him is making it hard to ignore everything that is going on around him. He was made-no-programed to always put his mission first, focus on his surroundings at all time, never make a mistake unless he wanted punishment.
But Steve is here. Murmuring words Bucky still can't hear properly, rubbing a hand up Bucky's back, down his shaking spine. Softly rubbing over and over until Bucky's shivering from the cold turns to shaking from relief. Steve feels the shift in emotions and just holds him tighter, both arms tightly wrapped around him that his fingers are nearly white from the pressure and only the scientists and T'challa notices this yet none of them will say a word.
A breathless shudder passes between them and Steve pulls away, realizing he hadn't quite given Bucky a chance to speak and…well, understand his bearings since he'd been awake. Sheepish, Steve still figures that he doesn't regret it: immediately embracing Bucky with unbridled a strong, firm protective hold that shows no sign of loosening. Reluctantly, Steve pushes himself away and Bucky staggers back slightly before regaining his balance. He twists his fingers into Steve's shirt to keep him close and Steve can't help but laugh, as of he'd ever leave Bucky's side after everything.
"Missed you Stevie." His voice was barely above a whisper, but Steve was certain that if it were the last thing he ever heard in his life, he'd die a happy man.