I Missed You (Bucky x Reader)

~Chapter 51~

The first thing you noticed the moment you stepped foot off the ship was the difference in gravity on this planet, but you were glad that there was breathable oxygen here. Everywhere you looked there was destruction. There had been life here once, you could see that, but everything had been torn down and destroyed; leaving behind just the memory of a lost civilization. You didn't even want to imagine what happened on this planet, and the mere thought of the same thing happening on Earth was enough to send shivers down your spine.

"The hell happened to this planet?" Quill asks mostly to himself as he holds up a device measuring the planet's tilt. "It's eight degrees off its axis. Gravitational pull is all over the place." he states as the group walks and looks around, while Mantis jumps joyfully in a low gravity spot.

"Yeah, we got one advantage. He's coming to us. We'll use it." Tony says before turning around. "All right, I have a plan. Or at least the beginnings of one." he mumbles. "It's pretty simple. We draw him in, pin him down, get what we need. Definitely don't wanna dance with this guy. We just want the gauntlet."

Suddenly, Drax yawns, catching everyone's attention and earning an annoyed glare from Tony.

"Are you yawning?" the billionaire asks, clearly irritated. "In the middle of this, while I'm breaking it down, huh? Did you hear what I said?"

"I stopped listening after you said, 'We need a plan'." Drax says, and you snort.

"Okay, Mr. Clean is on his own page." Tony tells Quill.

"See, 'not winging it' isn't really what they do." Quill says.

"Uh, what exactly is it that they do?" Peter asks, pointing at Drax and Mantis.

"Kick names, take ass." Mantis says, as fiercely as she can, clearly not solving Peter's doubt.

Tony pauses for a second with an expression of deep hopelessness before speaking up. "Alright, just get over here, please. Mr. Lord, can you get your folks to circle up?"

"Star Lord is fine." Quill says, narrowing his eyes at the nickname before motioning to Drax and Mantis until you're all standing in a circle.

"We gotta coalesce. 'Cause if all we come at him with is a plucky attitude-" Tony starts but he's cut off by Quill.

"Dude, don't call us plucky. We don't know what it means." he says, and you sigh. "Alright, we're optimistic, yes. I like your plan, except it sucks. So, let me do the plan, and that way it might be really good."

"Tell them about the dance-off to save the universe." Drax says.

"What dance-off?" you ask.

"It's not a.... it's not- it's nothing." Quill says.

"Like in Footloose, the movie?" Peter asks.

"Exactly like Footloose." Quill says excitedly. "Is it still the greatest movie in history?"

"It never was." Peter says lowly, earning a confused frown from Quill.

"Don't encourage this." Tony tells Peter. "We're getting no help from Flash Gordon here."

"Flash Gordon? By the way, that's a compliment. Don't forget, I'm half human. So that 50% of me that's stupid? That's 100% you." Quill says as he points to the three of you.

"Your math is blowing my mind." Tony says sarcastically.

"Excuse me, but..." Mantis intervenes. "Does your friend often do that?" she asks, looking at Strange who is sitting cross-legged, floating slightly above the ground with the Time Stone glowing brightly in the Eye of Agamotto. Green vapor-like energy flows from the stone, and more intricate magical energy patterns circle Strange's forearms. The Cloak of Levitation flows behind him as if the Stone is creating a strong breeze. His eyes are closed, and his head is jerking rapidly from side to side, the motion blurring, but resembling as if he's looking for something.