The Crush, The Idiot, and Steve
It was a few hours after the argument with Bucky. Avery was in the kitchen, reading over the plan for tomorrow's mission. Her part was mostly done, but they wanted her on standby in case things didn’t go to plan and they needed more information. She wanted to ask Steve if they would take her trackers with them, attaching them to vans or cars involved, just in case someone got away.
"Hey, is that the mission plan?" Steve asked, looking over her shoulder at the screen.
Avery jumped slightly at his voice, but she quickly composed herself. Steve noticed how tense she still was, a slight frown forming on her face, but he said nothing. He was just here to help.
"Yeah, it is. I want to ask if you could take my trackers with you. Attach them to the vans and cars, in case anyone gets away." Steve looked impressed that she was thinking beyond the plans, considering what might happen if things went wrong. He made a mental note to pass it along to Bucky.
"Yeah, sounds good. Just give them to Bucky to bring." Avery dropped her head onto the table and groaned at the mention of him. She didn’t know what to do—she was still mad, but she didn’t want to be. Steve’s expression softened. It was clear she was upset, and not just about the mission.
"Oh no, what did Bucky do? I know he's my friend, but if you’re being honest with me... he didn’t take advantage of you... last night... did he?" Steve looked horrified asking this, clearly panicking. His protective instincts kicked in the moment he heard her frustration. But as soon as the words left his mouth, he realized how ridiculous it sounded. Still, he needed to know, for both of their sakes.
"Steve, don’t panic. It’s fine. Last night isn’t the reason I’m mad at James." Avery’s words gave him some relief, though he could tell it wasn’t the whole story. She wasn’t just upset; there was something deeper going on. He felt a weight in his chest. There were so many layers to this, and he could tell Avery wasn’t ready to talk about it all. But he had to know one thing.
"He seems to think I’ve been running around this base in short shorts, flirting with everyone," Avery muttered, clearly irritated. Steve blinked, the realization dawning on him.
Steve's laughter was so bright and genuine that it made Avery smile, just a little. "Ah, he’s an idiot. You’ve been running around in short shorts flirting, but not with everyone. And I don’t think even the flirting with Bucky was intended at first."
Avery chuckled at that, her shoulders relaxing for the first time in a while. "Yeah, I suppose you’re right. I just got mad about being accused like that. The ball’s in his court though—I did say I have a crush on him."
Steve’s eyes widened, his grin growing wider. "And what did he say about that?" he asked, genuinely curious now.
"Nothing. He let me walk out of the room," Avery replied, sounding a little bitter.
Steve let out a dramatic groan, running a hand over his face. "It’s official. I have two best friends, and they’re both idiots." Avery couldn’t help but smile at his words. Steve had a way of lightening the mood, even in tense situations. But deep down, he knew Bucky was just as lost as Avery. The whole thing felt like an emotional grenade waiting to explode.
"Do you have the trackers with you right now?" Steve asked, trying to shift the conversation back to business.
"No, they’re in my room." Avery stood up to go get them, but Steve held out a hand to stop her.
"Don’t worry, I’ll get them before tomorrow. Carry on with whatever you’re doing." He watched her closely for a moment before turning to leave, still thinking about everything she had said. Avery was more than just a resource to the team. Steve could see how much she was starting to care about Bucky, and how much it was affecting her. It wasn’t just about the mission anymore. But Bucky needed to figure out what he wanted, or he might lose Avery—something Steve wasn’t sure he was ready to let happen.
As he walked out of the kitchen, Steve couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of hope and frustration. He had tried to play matchmaker between Bucky and Avery, but it seemed that both of them were too stubborn to realize what they wanted. They weren’t kids anymore, and Steve knew better than anyone that waiting for things to just fall into place wasn’t always going to work. Maybe it was time to take a more direct approach.