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Word Count: 346
Prompt 13: Life-or-Limb Decision: having to choose between dying by staying where you are or cutting off your trapped limb to escape
Metal-Man
"Buck, I'll come back for you," Steve had said, swallowing hard as he looked at his best friend. "I promise."
That had been three hours ago, and Bucky hadn't heard anything since. It was slowly sinking in that nobody was coming after him. Nobody was going to come and save him.
He had to save himself.
He looked at the arm trapped beneath the boulders. Of course he'd already struggled against the weight with no luck. Even Steve, with the serum-given muscles hadn't been able to move them.
Reaching down to his utility belt, and thanking every deity that existed for Tony Stark's tech, Bucky managed to grab the small hacksaw Tony had added.
He was pretty sure the genius hadn't imagined this would be what the saw would be used for.
Trying to regulate his breathing, and bracing himself for the pain he knew would come, Bucky placed the saw against the boulders, braced above his arm, and he moved.
…
"What in the fuck did you—" Tony cut himself off, shaking his head. "No, it's pretty easy to see what you did. Why did you do it?"
"I…" Bucky swallowed. "May have panicked."
"Steve was gone for literally forty three minutes, Buck," Tony said, eyeing the place where Bucky's arm had been.
"It felt longer," Bucky forced out, looking away. He could have sworn hours had passed while he waited.
All the fight seemed to leave Tony and he slumped into the chair beside Bucky's bed. "I guess it's good for you that you know a great mechanic who specialises in metal arms, huh?"
Bucky looked at him, his eyes wide. "You can make me another prosthetic?"
Tony nodded. "Course I can. Best be careful though, Snowflake. Before long, you'll be taking my place as Iron Man—without the suit."
Bucky snorted, but reached out with his metal arm to cup Tony's cheek. "Thank you."
Leaning into him, Tony only nodded. Bucky could still see the tension and worry in his eyes, but there was fondness and affection there too.
Bucky could live with that.