The Mentors
"Bucky!"
"What?"
"Your hair!" you cried, running towards the super soldier that was leaning against your doorway. His once-shoulder-length hair was now cut up to the way he had it in the 40's.
"You like it doll?" he smirked, as you twisted around him to see the back.
"Very handsome," you commented, resisting the temptation to run your hands through it. Bucky smiled as you hopped up and down, trying to see it from all angles.
"It's not that different," he said, running a hand through it self-consciously.
"It's very....you," you grinned, stepping back from him to admire it from afar.
"Me?"
"Yeah, you," you repeated. Bucky shrugged, his muscles shifting under his white t-shirt. "Well let's get going, Barnes, we've got a lot of work to do." You grabbed his wrist and dragged him down the hall towards the gym.
"Why? What's going on?" he asked in a slightly distressed tone.
"Fresh meat," you smirked, rounding the corner and bounding through a heavy set of doors with ease. You had super human strength and agility which could easily match Steve and Bucky's, maybe even Thor if you had a big breakfast.
Inside, there was a loud commotion going on and you paused to take in the scene in front of you. A girl with long brown hair was standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by tables, chairs, and punching bags, which floated around her, immersed in a red glow, firing them occasionally at the wall. Her hands were outstretched as if she was doing Tai Chi. Suddenly, a white blur brushed passed, barely skimming your nose and began to jump and knock down the furniture in the blink of an eye.
"They are quite unique, aren't they," a familiar voice stated from behind you. You and Bucky turned to see a ridiculously tall, man with red skin and a flowing gold cape. "I am, The Vision," the man stated, his English accent sparking something in the back of your mind.
"Is that... J.A.R.V.I.S.?" you wondered aloud. Vision glided into the room and only then you realized why he was so tall. He was hovering about a foot off of the ground.
"I see you've met our new recruits," someone said from behind you, but this time, you knew who it was.
"I wasn't expecting this Steve," you stated as Captain America clapped Bucky on the back. He smiled at you before walking towards the girl. He put his thumb and index finger in his mouth and let out a loud, clear whistle. The white blur that had been racing around the room stumbled to a stop next to the brunette, and finally, you saw a silver haired boy in running gear, who had a very similar face shape to what seemed like his companion.
"Alright team, I know you've just arrived, but I think it's time you meet your new mentors," Steve called out to them, pacing as he did so. He really was a leader, and you could see it shine through in him at times like this.
"Mentors?" Bucky repeated in surprise, stiffening slightly beside you. "Is that a good idea?"
"I trust you, Buck," Steve replied quietly before raising his voice. "This is Wanda Maximoff, A.K.A. Scarlet Witch, and her twin brother Pietro, A.K.A. Quicksilver. To sum up, he's got super speed, and she has the power of manipulation, both physical and mental. And this... this is The Vision, formed from Vibranium and created half by Ultron, and the rest by Tony and Bruce, using J.A.R.V.I.S.'s technology - that's why he has his voice."
You stood next to Bucky, straightening your posture and putting your hands behind your back.
"This is Bucky Barnes, and (Y/N) (Y/L/N), they'll be helping out with training and anything else you might need assistance with here," Steve said, still in his Captain mode. You couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated by him when he was like this, despite him being a big softie most of the time. You nodded curtly at the twins and Vision, and donned a friendly smile. Bucky on the other hand, stayed perfectly still, only taking a moment to glance at you out of the corner of his eye.
"We won't be starting anything now, but Tony and Bruce would like to analyse your abilities later," Cap rapped up, loosening his shoulders and assuming his regular stance. You turned to Bucky and squeezed his hand. He held onto it for a moment before walking towards Steve. You made your way over to the recruits, relaxing slightly.
"Hi, I'm (Y/N)," you smiled cheerily, stretching a hand out towards Wanda. She shook it briefly, her expression unchanging and retracted her hand almost straight away. Pietro raced forward and took your hand, a lazy smirk on his face.
"Pleasure to meet you," he said smoothly, his voice thick with some kind of Eastern European accent, you'd ask Steve later. You nodded towards Vision, who simply hovered and floated next to Wanda. You glanced at your watch and cursed under your breath.
"I better get going, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask," you offered, throwing one more smile at them before walking back towards Bucky and Steve. "We've got a mission, are you ready?"
"Yeah, I'll meet you at your room in like 10 minutes?" Bucky replied, still seeming slightly on-edge. You nodded and jogged back to your room to get changed into your tactical gear. Half the time you didn't even bother wearing a suit, because you healed three times as fast as most humans, but you were tired of getting blood on your favourite clothes. You were ready in five so you stood outside your door waiting for Bucky. You caught sight of him walking towards you, dressed in black cargo shorts, a black t-shirt, and a jacket made out of the same material as your suit.
"You alright?" you asked, slightly concerned. Bucky nodded and you frowned. "You know you can't lie to me, especially when we've got a mission."
"It's nothing, just wasn't expecting the whole mentor thing," he admitted, throwing his metal around your shoulders as you walked to the launch pad a few floors up. You could feel the coolness of it through your suit, which had grown to be quite soothing. "I'm fine though, don't worry about it."
"Good, I'm here if you need me," you said, wrapping an arm around his waist. You had been paired with him and Steve for missions when Bucky had first arrived and he was probably one of your best friends. You got on so well now that he didn't always need Steve around. You mentally slapped yourself anytime you started developing stronger feelings for him, but sometimes, you couldn't help it.
"Thanks... what was with that guy?" he said suddenly.
"That guy?"
"Yeah, Pietro, or whatever."
"What about him?"
"He couldn't take his eyes off of you," Bucky laughed, but you could sense a hint of jealousy in his tone. You smiled and leaned against him.
"I doubt it, don't be so paranoid, kid," you said, digging your fingers into his side lightly.
"Hey, don't call me 'kid', I'm taller than you!" he exclaimed, barely flinching at your touch.
"Yeah well I'm stronger," you taunted, slipping out from under his arm and hunched in front of him. "Get on."
This wasn't the first time you had tried this, but Bucky was still hesitant. Eventually he climbed onto your back awkwardly and you grabbed him by the legs. You shifted him slightly so you were more comfortable and began to run as fast as you could up the stairs to the floor with the Quinjet. Carrying Bucky felt like what carrying a toddler on your back would feel like for a regular person. When you finally reached the launch pad, you let go of his legs and he slipped off of you.
"I'll never get used to that," he muttered under his breath. You took his hand in yours and ran onto the Quinjet. It would be just you and him on the mission. As you settled down into the metallic bench, with Bucky at your side, you rested your head on his shoulder.
"So do you like that guy?" Bucky asked, resting a hand on your knee.
"Why?" you smirked, closing your eyes and listening to his breathing. You didn't mind Bucky being jealous, but you were still too afraid to tell him how you really felt.
"Just checking, doll. Can't let be letting my best girl go now, can I?" he murmured, sounding as tired as you felt.
"I'm all yours, James," you whispered, drifting into a well-needed sleep for the mission ahead of you.