Chapter 4
Bucky was bored. Moving into Steve's apartment had meant he had a lot less to do every day, as he no longer had to worry about finding somewhere to stay and picking something up to eat along the way. He now spent most of his time on the internet, trying to catch up with the years he'd missed. But catching up on history and music couldn't keep him entertained every day, and he really didn't feel up to it. He turned off his phone and stuck the sheet of paper he had written on to the wall. He would write down everything he found that he found interesting, leaving it for Steve to find. That morning he'd been listening to U2, and had written down a few of their titles for him to try. He wanted to actually do something that day, not just spend the day on Google. He left the apartment, figuring he needed some fresh air. He walked aimlessly through the streets, not paying attention to where he was. He bumped into a few people, who would glare at him before noticing his arm when they would pick up their pace. He winced, wishing that he had picked a shirt with sleeves, hating the effect his arm had on people. A while later, he realised he was standing in front of the Avengers Tower, and considered entering. Why not? He decided to go inside, planning to surprise Steve.
'An intruder has entered the premises. Scanning now.’ The voice was female, although it didn't quite sound right, seemingly coming from nowhere. He stopped in the doorway, confused. 'Identified as James Barnes.’ Seemed he couldn't surprise anyone after all.
‘Buck?’ Steve's voice called from a distance, and Bucky could hear footsteps coming towards him. 'Good to see you here! What changed your mind?’
'I just walked past, figured I may as well come in.’
Another figure stood in the doorway Steve had come from. A shorter man who vaguely reminded him of someone. 'Cap, who's this? Or, no, I know who he is, but why’s he here?’
'He showed up at my place a couple of weeks ago. He's been staying with me since then.’ Steve's face lit up as he said that, had been lighting up more and more since he'd seen Bucky at the door.
Tony raised his eyebrows. 'Hmm, might be something other than friendship there.’ He said to himself, barely audible. But surely it didn't take a genius to figure that out? 'Might ask Nat what she thinks.’
‘What?’ His eyes widened, Bucky had heard him. He seemed to be turning pink, was that confirming his thoughts?
'Nothing. Nice to actually meet you by the way. I'm Tony Stark, in case you don't know.’ He laughed at Bucky's amazement.
'But you're a genius! I've heard a bit about you, and how you escaped the terrorists, and you're amazing!’
'Thanks,’ he replied, glad that his father wasn't mentioned. Although Howard had barely ever talked about Steve's best friend, so maybe they just hadn't spent much time together. 'You gonna join us inside, or are we all just gonna stand here?’ He asked after a few seconds of silence. 'I imagine you'd like to meet the others.’ He turned to Steve. 'And you've got some explaining to do. How come you never mentioned he was back?’
'I honestly don't know Tony. I just never got around to it. Sam and Nat forced it out of me, though.’
'Oh, so you told them?’
'I had to!’
'Also, he decided after trolling Sam with my sudden appearance it would be more fun to surprise you guys,’ Bucky added. 'Sadly, it seems I've spoiled the fun.’
'Trolling Sam? The great Captain America?’ He struggled to believe that it was true.
'Yes, of course. Why does that surprise you?’ Bucky had figured that the two knew each other well enough to know the person behind the mask, although apparently not. 'Anyway, we were going to go inside?’
They walked in, and Bucky stood for a second in the doorway of the training room, amazed. The room was filled with equipment, and yet barely any of it seemed to be in use. Natasha was near the edge of the room, sharpening a knife while talking to someone. There was a girl in the opposite corner surrounded by glowing red weights that seemed to be floating. Floating? Surely he was seeing things. His confusion must have shown on his face, because Steve started to explain that some of the others had powers more, well, to him, magical than strength and speed. 'I should probably introduce you. Unless you don't want?’ Even though he gave him the option not to, Steve clearly wanted him to meet the others, so Bucky agreed.
'Why not? I'm here and all.’ The introductions were rushed, and Bucky was confused half the time. A robot? A guy whose power was being a brilliant archer? A teen with what he could only describe as magic powers? Obviously the new century was far more unusual than he had thought. He ended up talking to the guy with a bow, who he realised was the one Natasha had been talking to earlier. Clint, his name was, he thought.
'You think our powers are wacky? Man, you didn't even meet the more insane ones. There used to be a god on the team and a scientist who turned into a green monster. We're all tame by comparison.’
'How is that even possible?’ It didn't seem like he'd be able to get used to this anytime soon, in fact, he almost felt like he was getting more confused as time went by.
'Don't ask me, how’d I know? Anyway, I've gotta go, there's some food across the road calling my name.’
Bucky was left alone for a minute before he decided to go over to talk to the magic girl and the robot, curious as to what they were like. Surely a robot wouldn't be able to act fully human, although to him it was still unbelievable that robots could exist, so maybe science had progressed far more than he could have thought. As he was walking over, however, Sam blocked his path. 'I wouldn't go over to them when it's just those two. Could be quite awkward for you.’
'Why?’
'They may or may not be a couple, I'm still not quite sure. They act like it though.’
'A robot? Machinery in a relationship? How much has the world changed?’
'It must be quite hard for someone as ancient as you to believe.’
‘I thought the age jokes were supposed to be for Steve. Get some creativity will you.’
‘You’re older than me Buck, if anything the age jokes should go to you rather than me.’ They hadn’t noticed that Steve had joined them.
Bucky turned towards him. ‘But at least I don’t act like I’m 100.’
‘Actually-’ Sam started, before being cut off by Steve.
‘I dunno about that, you're much more confused with modern life than I ever was.'
'Because I actually try to learn about it instead of just living like it's still the 40s!’
'I spend my time with these guys, how do you think that's anything like the 40s?’
‘You’re not helping yourself by using your friends as your first point of denial.’ They quickly turned to bickering, and Sam left the pair to argue with each other.
---
‘So, what’d you think of the rest of the Avengers?’ Steve asked while the two of them were walking back to the apartment. ‘I know they can be a bit much sometimes, but they’re nice when you get to know them.’
‘They’re cool. And Sam was the only one who was, as you say, a bit much, but somehow I expected that.’
‘So, you gonna go back sometime?’
‘Yeah, I reckon I will.’