Chapter 5
Bucky was pissed.
Bad enough Barton showing up on his doorstep tonight, now Sergei was screwing him over. He didn’t know how much he believed about the other man’s story, god knows he wasn’t exactly trustworthy at the best of times, but in the end it didn’t matter. Bucky was where he was now and would just have to figure out how to deal.
The dog started whining in the other room again, making Bucky think thoughts he didn’t want to think. He stared for a minute at the couch where he’d hidden his little black bag. He dragged his eyes away. Not now. He wouldn’t be getting any rest while the others were here. Anyway, he was supposed to be guarding them tonight. He pushed himself up from where he’d been slumped against the door since Sergei left, and moved over to the kitchen to pour himself a drink. He just needed a distraction for a bit. All he had to do was hold things together for a couple more hours, play it cool and then they'd be off his hands, and he'd be back to business as usual. Well. After he dealt with that other thing.
He’d been sitting there in silence with his glass of vodka for about 30 seconds before he heard movement from the bedroom. A low thump and a curse, easily missed by someone lacking his enhanced senses. He was considering investigating (dog or no dog) when the door opened.
Clint’s buddy (Kate?) - whom Clint seemed convinced was no more than a child in spite of her being only marginally younger than Bucky himself was when he got shipped out to war - emerged, wearing a set of ludicrously purple pyjamas. Apparently they had time to pack before going on the run.
“Can’t sleep,” she explained apologetically. “You wouldn’t uh, have any sleeping pills or anything I could borrow?”
“No.” Bucky said flatly. As if any of that shit would work on him. “Sorry.” he added as an afterthought. Not like she’d know.
“I probably shouldn’t take any anyway. Gotta stay alert, you know in case-”. She jumped into a judo ready stance. Maybe she expected him to laugh at that. He’s still not great at gauging these things. She coughed and straightened up.
“I told Clint I’d keep an eye on things, so I wouldn’t worry about…that.” He gestured towards her. “If that’s what’s keeping you up.”
She suddenly coughed again, very loudly.
“Sorry. Could I get something to drink actually?” She asked, moving towards the kitchen where he was sitting. She was acting odd, though Bucky could admit he wasn’t exactly one to be a judge of weird behaviour. “Sure. What’s your poison?”.
If she (Kate, he’s pretty sure it’s Kate) was weirded out by the sheer amount of alcohol he had in his cupboards she didn’t say it, though he cursed himself internally for not thinking of it. He’d covered the arm with his hoodie and gloves before she came in, but there were probably a hundred things about his apartment that would indicate to someone that he wasn’t quite normal. And that wasn’t even counting himself.
But hell, why should he care? Not like he exactly invited them here. “It’s Barnes, right?” She asked, tapping her hands loudly on the countertop in a very annoying way as she tried to make conversation while he mixed her drink. “Didn’t really get the full introductions earlier.”
“Yeah. You’re Kate?”
“Sure am. I don’t know if Clint told you, but I’m basically his partner.”
Bucky had been caught out with this one before. “Partner as in….?”
“Oh god, not like…I’m his crime-fighting partner? Superhero partner? Like co-workers, but, better. Not the other thing.”
Bucky did laugh this time, mostly at the horrified expression on her face. Though judging by the continuing look of horror on her face, he still needed practice. “Good to know. And don’t worry, I think you’re both on the same page. He seems to think you’re some kinda infant.”
“Excuse me?!”
Bucky handed her the drink and their fingers brushed for a second as the glass changed hands. He watched for a reaction, surely she wouldn’t notice anything amiss with his left hand at that slight contact? But she was clearly staring at the gloved hand anyway, and Bucky again realised too late that wearing leather gloves with a hoodie indoors in your own apartment must look strange. Her eyes flicked up to catch him staring. He broke the contact and moved to get ice from the fridge.
“Yeah, he kept saying he had a kid with him. I was expecting an eight year old.”
“You know, that is so frustrating. I have saved his butt several times already since we met. I have a job, I have my own apartment (which admittedly I sort of got burned down), as of this week I have a dog I take care of, and yeah my mom cut off my credit cards for destroying school property, but I think he could at least acknowledge that I can take care of myself at this point, you know? I’ve blown things up with him!”
She seemed on edge, babbling to overcompensate. Way to go acting like a human Bucky. Clearly making her feel real at ease. “Sounds like a busy couple of days for you two.”
“Well, you know. All part of the job right?”
“Is it?”
Kate seemed surprised by the question. “I mean, I’m a little new to it, but yeah? Leaping into danger to protect the innocent? And such.”
“If you say so.”
“Um, so what is it that you do, then? I guess I assumed you were in a similar line of business as Clint when he brought us here…”
“I’m retired.”
“Oh. Nice. You invent an app or something? I mean you’re pretty young…”
Bucky just snorted at that. “You want another one?” he asked instead, pointing at her empty glass.
Kate glanced back at the bedroom door. “You know what, I think I’m good. Think I might try get some sleep after all. Thanks though.”
“Sure.” And with that she went back to the bedroom. Fled for safety more like. So he poured himself another drink and went back to trying his best to think about nothing.
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“We good?” Kate whispered as soon as she shut the door.
Clint nodded and gestured towards the bed. Kate frowned, then realised what he was saying and levered herself down to the floor where she could see…yup the tracksuit guy lying gagged and tied up, out cold underneath the bed. She popped back up. “This is crazy!” she whisper shouted at him.
Clint just shrugged. “Think he heard anything?”
“Maybe?” she responded “But I think I covered it. Is under the bed really the best place?”
“We don’t exactly have many options in here Kate.” He nodded toward the door. “How’d he seem? Acting suspicious?”
Kate seemed exasperated “Maybe? I mean, yes, but I thought that before the whole Russian thing. He kinda seems like a pretty suspicious guy in general Clint.”
“Fair point. Look you just try get some sleep kid. I’ll stay up and keep watch, but I think we’ve neutralised the situation for now.”
Kate grumbled as she climbed back into bed. “If you think I’ll be able to sleep with this creep under my bed…” but her eyes were already drooping as she said “and I’m not a kid.”