Toni threw herself down on the couch next to James with a grunt. Pepper had made her go to two board meetings and sign a stack of paper work on top of that. Add to that the fact that she was out fighting with the Avengers yesterday, didn’t really sleep well last night and didn’t have time for breakfast this morning and she was exhausted.
”You look tired, doll. How many spoons do you have left?”
She turned her head to look at him with a raised eyebrow.
”James Buchanan Barnes, have you been googling?”
”Might’ve”, he shrugged. ”Spoon theory seems helpful.”
She closed her eyes.
”Yeah, I… I don’t really use it.”
”Why not?”
”Cause no one except you knows that it applies to me. And I’m always trying to borrow from the next day, anyway.”
He turned more fully towards her, letting a soft grey wing wrap around her.
”You could use spoon theory with me. Let me make things easier.”
”James, I don’t want you to always have to take care of me!”
He kissed her forehead softly.
”What if I want to?”
She sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head against his chest.
”Two spoons, maybe. A little less. That’s what I have left for today.”
”Okay. What does that mean for you?”
”Means I can either eat something or change into something more comfortable. Can’t do both.”
Bucky placed another kiss in her hair.
”I’m going to make you something to eat. Then I’m carrying you to our room and undressing you. After that I’m going to cuddle with you until you fall asleep.”
”Sounds good”, she murmured into his chest.
That was pretty much the last coherent thing she said that day.
Bucky was content watching Toni in her element, looking happy and relaxed in that way she only did in the workshop. She was currently working on the latest Stark phone, completely immersed in the project.
”How many spoons do you have each day?”
The question slipped out before he could stop himself.
”Depends on the day”, murmured Toni without looking up.
”How many do you have today?”
She closed down a hologram and turned to give him her full attention.
”I usually have more spoons than most people who use the spoon theory. I don't think I could be an Avenger if I started every day with, say, twelve spoons. I usually have enough for necessary daily tasks, physical therapy, workshop time and any SI stuff Pepper needs me for. It’s when unexpected things happen that I tend to run out of spoons. Like say, Doombots attacking at night, when I’ve already used up the spoons I’ve saved for workshop time.”
”You’re gonna jinx it”, Bucky murmured.
She rolled her eyes and smacked his arm.
”No such thing, sugar.”
She jinxed it. She totally jinxed it. Fucking Doombots.
It wasn’t a very long or tiring battle, but she could still feel the exhaustion creeping up on her as she let JARVIS fly her back to the tower in an effort to save some energy. Thankfully Fury didn’t feel the need for debrief, since the battle was so easily won. Steve on the other hand, felt that they should finish the night with a late team dinner. She sighed as she stepped out of the suit and felt a tremble start up in her legs. She could totally handle a team dinner - all she had to do was eat.
She totally couldn’t handle team dinner, she realized, as she stared down at her pizza. She simply couldn’t find the energy to eat. Or talk. Or move. The rest of the team was talking and laughing about something, only Bucky was watching her with knowing eyes. As she raised her head to meet his eyes, he questioningly raised the spoon he’d been using to stir his hot chocolate. She didn’t really have the extra energy to waste on a shrug, so she simply raised a finger to indicate one.
Bucky immediately got up and moved around the table to wrap his arm around her and pull her up from her seat. He wrapped his wings around her, making her feel cocooned and safe.
”I think me and Toni are done for the night”, he told the team, before leading her out of the room, not waiting for a response.
Cuddling on what had now become their bed, he spoon-fed her some mashed up banana, because not eating anything after a battle was not really an option, and she mustered up a tiny laugh, because, you know - spoon.