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trymyluckHe knows Bucky meant well by telling him he should go for it with the cute girl behind the counter at the shop on the corner, but he feels foolish for letting him build him up, just to watch him fall. Bucky had been encouraging him for weeks, telling him he should talk her - Daisy - up, that it had to mean something the way she always gave Steve a big smile when they came in. This evening he'd all But pushed Steve towards her with a handful of cash for their weekly groceries and Steve had swallowed the fear in his throat and forced himself to speak to her. Her warm smile had faded, her eyes filling with pity when he'd asked her if she wanted to go to a movie sometime and he'd felt his face heat up to the point that he was sure it was on fire.
"I'm sorry, I've got a boyfriend," she'd said, her voice saccharine sweet. Steve had nodded and stumbled over saying something - he had no idea what - before he'd told her to keep the change and bolted for the door. He'd thought he'd heard Bucky calling after him, but he refused to slow down for him to catch up. Besides, it wouldn't take him long to do so anyway, it wasn't as if Steve was athletic, and Steve was half afraid he might punch him in the face. Still, the air is a little too cold, even in March, and it's only about two blocks before Steve has to slow down and try to force air through his lungs. He leans on a random stoop, air catching in his lungs before he drops to the bottom step to rest for a moment.
"I'm sorry, I've got a boyfriend," she'd said, her voice saccharine sweet. Steve had nodded and stumbled over saying something - he had no idea what - before he'd told her to keep the change and bolted for the door. He'd thought he'd heard Bucky calling after him, but he refused to slow down for him to catch up. Besides, it wouldn't take him long to do so anyway, it wasn't as if Steve was athletic, and Steve was half afraid he might punch him in the face. Still, the air is a little too cold, even in March, and it's only about two blocks before Steve has to slow down and try to force air through his lungs. He leans on a random stoop, air catching in his lungs before he drops to the bottom step to rest for a moment.
notworthallthisWork had been rough and when the day was over, Bucky tagged along to the bar for a drink or two and to let off a bit of steam. It worked like a charm, even though it made getting home a tad bit more difficult than it should have been. But he made it in one piece, and it was the weekend now anyway, so honestly... it was fine. He'd sleep off the hangover in bed with whatever might be on the radio for entertainment.
He tries to be quiet as he slips inside, assuming Steve would be asleep at the late hour, but the light is still on in the living room, and as he toes his shoes off at the door, he knows Steve is up.
Bucky peeks his head around the corner, a half-playful, half-guilty smirk on his face, "You didn't wait up for me, did'ja?"
He tries to be quiet as he slips inside, assuming Steve would be asleep at the late hour, but the light is still on in the living room, and as he toes his shoes off at the door, he knows Steve is up.
Bucky peeks his head around the corner, a half-playful, half-guilty smirk on his face, "You didn't wait up for me, did'ja?"
stillfriendsNatasha had learned long ago that worrying was a waste of time. You crossed bridges as they came. Was it necessary to have multiple plans in case that particular bridge was lined with dynamite or occupied by opposing forces? Absolutely. But having a plan or improvising in the moment was different than constantly fretting over all the what ifs and wasting time and energy on something that may never come. Therefore she didn't worry when Steve missed their weekly check-in. She knew that he had his hands full with his recently deprogrammed best friend and ex-Hydra agent and she knew better than to take it personally.
But she felt the foreign feeling of worry enter her mind when it had been 48 hours later and Steve had yet to check in. She had expected a (needless) apology and a report on how Bucky was dealing with things this week. She knew that the check ins were more than just about each other's safety, it was also because they were a team, even if the Avengers was just another piece of Natasha's past. When she tried his phone there was no answer and she refused to call too many times, a stubborn part of her still hating to admitting any kind of vulnerability, even now. Even with Steve.
Which is why she had decided that when her current solo mission was over she would simply drop in on the two men at the safehouse that Steve had mentioned they would be using last week. Worst case scenario was that they weren't there and she'd have to start tracking their whereabouts from the location they'd been at last contact. Best case scenario, they'd gotten so caught up with the mission or each other that Steve had merely forgotten to check in or check his phone - which was laughable for Captain America, but possibly not beyond the possibility depending on circumstances.
She had flown in on the redeye, taking a cab from the airport to a busy and touristy part of Luxembourg City before slipping into a cafe and then out the back alley. From there, she'd walked the rest of the way to the safe house, nestled in a quiet neighborhood with very little traffic and private estates. This was one of the nicer safe houses, though the rooms were small and densely decorated in standard European fashion. She'd bypassed the gate and climbed the wall instead, not being able to help herself from catching Steve off guard. She knew it would amuse him if she defeated his defenses, though she was less certain about how Bucky might react.
Which was why she was quiet as she opened the back door to the kitchen and tried to ascertain where the men were in the house before making her presence known. The last thing she wanted to do was catch the Winter Soldier off guard and cause Steve any more grief as they moved room to room, destroying the safe house in the process. She set her bag down on the kitchen table and followed the soft sound of music down a dark hallway to a brighter living room, trying to stay in the shadow of the hallway for as long as she could. She made out the shadow of Bucky against a bookcase, her eyes sweeping the room for any sign of Steve. There wasn't one, and as much as she had wanted to surprise him first, she thought it was best to let her presence be known.
"Hey," she said, stepping out of the hallway and knocking on the doorframe to telegraph her presence so as not to startle him.
But she felt the foreign feeling of worry enter her mind when it had been 48 hours later and Steve had yet to check in. She had expected a (needless) apology and a report on how Bucky was dealing with things this week. She knew that the check ins were more than just about each other's safety, it was also because they were a team, even if the Avengers was just another piece of Natasha's past. When she tried his phone there was no answer and she refused to call too many times, a stubborn part of her still hating to admitting any kind of vulnerability, even now. Even with Steve.
Which is why she had decided that when her current solo mission was over she would simply drop in on the two men at the safehouse that Steve had mentioned they would be using last week. Worst case scenario was that they weren't there and she'd have to start tracking their whereabouts from the location they'd been at last contact. Best case scenario, they'd gotten so caught up with the mission or each other that Steve had merely forgotten to check in or check his phone - which was laughable for Captain America, but possibly not beyond the possibility depending on circumstances.
She had flown in on the redeye, taking a cab from the airport to a busy and touristy part of Luxembourg City before slipping into a cafe and then out the back alley. From there, she'd walked the rest of the way to the safe house, nestled in a quiet neighborhood with very little traffic and private estates. This was one of the nicer safe houses, though the rooms were small and densely decorated in standard European fashion. She'd bypassed the gate and climbed the wall instead, not being able to help herself from catching Steve off guard. She knew it would amuse him if she defeated his defenses, though she was less certain about how Bucky might react.
Which was why she was quiet as she opened the back door to the kitchen and tried to ascertain where the men were in the house before making her presence known. The last thing she wanted to do was catch the Winter Soldier off guard and cause Steve any more grief as they moved room to room, destroying the safe house in the process. She set her bag down on the kitchen table and followed the soft sound of music down a dark hallway to a brighter living room, trying to stay in the shadow of the hallway for as long as she could. She made out the shadow of Bucky against a bookcase, her eyes sweeping the room for any sign of Steve. There wasn't one, and as much as she had wanted to surprise him first, she thought it was best to let her presence be known.
"Hey," she said, stepping out of the hallway and knocking on the doorframe to telegraph her presence so as not to startle him.