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Everything he owned had been signed over to Bucky, his money, Shield, house keys were all in Wakanda. He's in tattered clothes, but it'll do for now. "You need to pack anything? Alpine?"

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"I'm sorry Buck. I thought Wakanda would be the safest..." He leans forward, elbows on his knees, following a tiny crack in the tile. "We have to go. Who took T'challa's throne? Shuri?" Steve shakes his head. "Grab your Kimoyo beads... do you still have them?"

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had T'challa meet me at the compound and I gave him instructions and my shield." He sighs heavily, hoping Bucky would see it as trying to look out for him. "I- left keys to a house I'd saved for. I'd hoped we'd live in it when I got back or ... at least you'd have a home."

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Bucky isn't wrong. He should have. "Banner..." Steve sighs deeply. "A few days before he called me at 3 am. He was working on a glitch... he'd called Scott in and they'd been trying to find a solution." Hindsight is always... "I didn't want to worry you. No one else could have- I -->

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shield. It was your decision. I would have respected your decision either way." None of this is sitting right with him. Would their fight ever be over?

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Steve has less issue with Sam getting the shield than someone out there impersonating him. "I left T'challa instructions to give you my shield after ten years. You had the choice to take up my mantle or retire the -->

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Steve sits his stomach sounding angry as he takes a bite and sits back, looking at Bucky, then he pats the chair. "Tell me everything you can remember from the day I stepped on that platform and disappeared."

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This was like waking up from the ice 2.o. "Who the hell is Biden?" He rubs his face then pats Bucky's back. "I'm gonna grab another hot dog..." -->

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"You're kidding." He scoffs at first, but knows Bucky doesn't lie. He says what Bucky knew all along. "That wasn't my shield."

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Steve feels like someone punched him in the gut. T'Challa, along with his sister and the Dora Milaje had given Bucky his life back. While not perfect, he was free, he had autonomy, and was no longer under HYDRA's control. -->

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"What?" He looks at Bucky, brows furrowed. "I left my shield with T'challa. He should have given it to you ten years ago." What the fuck had happened? To quote Clint: I leave for five minutes and everything goes to shit. ...

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It gives him a teeny bit of relief Sam has been around, as he was a combat vet himself. Few people he trusted with Bucky besides Sam and King T'Challa. Which reminds him... "I hope you took my shield with you."

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"Sam! Is he around?" Sam had always been a good man and a good friend to him and Bucky. It pleased him immensely to watch them butt heads and then have a beer like best friends. "I hope he's been here for you."

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"You are my happiness, Buck." He rests his head on Bucky's, closing his eyes, almost thinking it's another timeline. Another Bucky that isn't his. But Steve knows this one is >his<. He feels it in his soul, heart, down to his bones.

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"More than happy to. I'll be here every morning to remind you how strong you are. And all the times in between." Life and relationships were an ever evolving journey and he was lucky enough to keep the eye of the first man he was ever in love with. The only man.

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"I've never thought you're crazy, Buck. Most would have never survived what you have and even know their own name." He bites back tears. Bucky is stronger than anyone knows. "I'm proud of you."

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Steve knows Bucky isn't pushing him, but he needs to learn what Bucky needs- his boundaries. Slow down and let Bucky come to him. He stands and holds Bucky, learning his own lesson. ->

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"But neither of us have had a constant. You much longer than me." He looks up at Bucky, a survivor. The strongest man he's ever known. "We do need to re learn each other again."

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"It's a lot for us both." He doesn't want Bucky to think he's alone in some of those feelings. He also knows his showing up is a lot for Bucky's brain to process. "You're my best friend and I want to navigate this with you. I need to gain your trust back."

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Steve feels hes pushed Bucky away and didn't intend to. "How can I support you?" He looks up at Bucky, feeling everything all at once. "Anything you ask."

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"I'll be here no matter what. There's no time limit." Steve would do anything for Bucky. "I want you to be okay. We both need to be okay ."

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"We are. I overstepped, and I apologize. I can be better. " He did know better.

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Steve slips to his knees in front of Bucky. "You don't need to apologize. Please don't feel you need to. I just want to be near you." Bucky was everything and he didn't need to apologize to anyone for his trauma.

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"I'm happy to just be on the same time line as you right now." It was the truth. He just wanted to exist with Bucky. Be present for him and make him feel safe.

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Steve understands a bit at least. The last time he'd been touched or kissed or made love to was the last time he was with Bucky. "Let's slow it down." He takes the food and looks at Bucky. -->

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Steve knows Bucky well enough to give him a bit of space. "I moved too fast. I'm- sorry."

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Bucky was for a completely different type of hungry. Steve isn't deterred. He needs to eat to have energy for much more. He takes a hot dog and nearly eats it in two bites. "This is so good."

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He offers Bucky his hand to help him down. "I am hungry." His stomach growling on que .

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Steve laughs against Bucky's neck, his lips drifting further south to the dip at the base of Bucky's neck. Steve still remembers every spot Bucky liked to be kissed on. "I'm pretty bad at everything." He teases back.

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"Thought you liked bad boys." Steve laughs, knowing he's hardly considered a bad boy. He kisses the spot again then trails his nose up to his Adam's apple, kissing ever so gently before kissing the sharp angle of Bucky's jaw.

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"Did everything horrible happen while I was gone?" He hates to think of Bucky being pulled into more wars and conflicts. Steve kisses Bucky's pulse point, sucking just enough to make him feel it but not bruise.

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"A skrull? What happened while I was gone?" He is definitely not a skrull. "I'm definitely willing to prove it. " Steve knew Skrulls could mimic but not have the ability to recall deeply personal or intimate information. "Alpine probably would have already sussed me out."

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"I know. It could cause a chain of events worse than what did happen." His fingers touch Bucky's arm gently, knowing he never did anything to deserve what happened. "I'm glad you want me back."

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"With what I saw the last several years, I thought about it constantly. I had hoped to somehow land earlier on this time line if I ever got home." He knew the implications of trying to change the past, but Bucky was worth it.

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"Not a day goes by that I don't replay everything in my head and try to figure out how to save you." Though he knows better, he feels guilt for not being there a second faster. He kisses back softly, murmuring against Bucky's lips. -->

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