Chapter Text
The mechanic wings began to rust in Sam’s garage. The perpetual moisture of his home in Louisiana was too much for them to handle.
Joaquín’s stuff still sat in his corner of the shared office space he and Sam had in the Thunderbolts tower. Photos, keepsakes, a corny mug that Sam had gifted him that said “#1 employee”.
Three days after Joaquín had died, Walker was cleaning the house, (which was highly unusual, but everyone except he and Ava were heavy in grief, so they’d made it a point to clean), and he had almost moved his stuff from its usual spot.
Sam, who was sitting nearby watch Walker clean, had almost exploded in anger.
“Don’t you dare touch any of that that Walker.”
On any other day John would’ve picked a fight, but he just silently retracted his hand and walked off to clean somewhere else.
Bucky had his suspicions from the moment Sam had come back to the tower with news of the tragedy.
He remembered how long Steve had thought he was dead.
After months of no sightings of the kid whatsoever, he gave up on theorizing and rationalizing, and began to grieve.
Sam refused to leave his house for weeks after. The first time Bucky showed up, he was drunk and passed out on the kitchen floor.
When the Thunderbolts found out, only about half of them cared. Alexei, Walker, and Ava had never met him before.
They tried their best to be sympathetic, but there was only about an ounce of emotionality between the three of them.
Yelena and Bob however, were distraught. Yelena and Joaquín were close, they enjoyed each-others company- in a work capacity.
Everyone was convinced that Joaquin and Bob had something secret going on, and the way Bob cried when Bucky told him the news bitterly confirmed their suspicions.
In time, everyone began to go back to how it was. Ava was now Sams go-to partner for missions, Bucky couldn’t figure out whether it was because she was smart and stealthy or because Sam had always been fascinated by people with British accents.
The only one who couldn’t move on was Bob. He didn’t really eat, or sleep, or go on missions. Yelena had attempted many times to get him out on the field, every time he would be indifferent and politely refuse.
Eventually, everyone learned to just tiptoe around him, treating him as if he was made of glass.
He didn’t want to think about how Joaquín treated him.
Bob laid on his back, mindlessly staring at the ceiling. This is how time flew by most of his days.
Then he heard a knock. Probably Yelena nagging him to eat.
“Come in Lena, its unlocked.” He shouted.
John opened the door with an unusual urgency.
Breathlessly, he began to ramble.
“You’vegottacomeoutsidebecauseJoaquínisherehesali-” Bucky emerged behind him, using his metal arm to elbow him in the side.
Bob had immediately sat up upon hearing Joaquín’s name.
”Bob, we are going to go for a drive. You are going to stay calm, and you are not going to yell, or scream.” Bucky approached him and put his arm around Bob’s shoulder, helping him up. He kicked Walker on his way out of the door, shushing him violently.
The drive had to be the longest of Bob’s life. He silently twiddled his thumbs as Bucky drove him somewhere unknown. Once they arrived at the hospital, of all places, Bucky stood in front of the doors.
“Stay calm, Bob, what you’re about to see is not going to be easy.” Bucky put his hands on Bobs shoulders, and he gave him a look of sympathy. Then he turned and walked onto the medical floor. Bob followed reluctantly.
Sitting outside the hospital room was Ava who sat with her head in her hands.
“Ava? What’s wrong?” Bob inquired, she almost never looked this defeated, even after she had been on a losing mission.
Ava sighed and gestured for Bob to sit down. He did, and Bucky sat next to him.
“Sam and I were on a mission in Japan, about 300 miles from where Joaquín fell into the ocean. We were sent to look into a rogue militant experiment, and we found him.” Bob felt tears stream quickly down his face. He felt Bucky’s cold metal arm on his shoulder.
“Bob. He’s alive.” Bob released a broken sob.
Fighting a complete breakdown, Bob said the only thing on his mind.
“Can- Can I see him?” Bucky winced.
“They did experiments on him Bob. He’s not talking yet, and-” Ava winced. “It’s not something you’re gonna want to see.”
Bob nodded slowly and then quickly got up. Bucky and Ava tried to sit him back down, but he slapped their hands away.
He wished he hadn’t. Sam and Yelena were already in there, both at his side. He laid peacefully, eyes closed. Bob saw it immediately, and he yelled in horror.
Emerging for his back were wings. Sharp, shining, wings.
“Thats what they used their share of the adamantium for.” Sam said quietly.