Wanted

Anna gasped in a breath as her eyes snapped open. She sat bolt-upright, glancing around the pitch-black room in a panic, before reaching towards to nightstand to desperately find a lamp or a light-switch. There was a loud thump when it hit the floor, Anna's chest tightening as fear gripped her like hands around her throat...
She scooted back to the headboard of the bed, leaning against it with her hands over her face and knees drawn to her chest as she tried to compose herself.

It was just a dream... Just a stupid fucking dream... Calm down... Breathe...

"...Anna" came a voice from the bedroom door, having heard a commotion in the room.

She opened her eyes again, just barely being able to make out the silhouette of a bulky figure in the doorway... She swallowed hard in an effort to slow her breathing down, jamming her eyes shut again as she grit her teeth and tried to block the whole situation out...

The room lit up with a gentle glow, Anna feeling the bed move under her along with a soft familiar voice. She dared to let her eyes creak open to see Bucky crawling across the bed to her with a very worried look on his face. She let him pull her onto his lap, Anna snuggling into his bare chest as he wrapped his arms around her protectively.

"You okay?" He asked softly, tightening his grip around her trembling body.

She nodded against his chest, raising a hand to wipe the stray tears off her face that had leaked out amid the chaos.

"What happened?" He whispered, doing his best to look down at her, Anna's hand running up his chest, coming to a rest on his shoulder.
"Just a dream..." she mumbled, not wanting to move, "...I'm so sorry I woke you up...
"Don't be - I said I'd look after you, didn't I?" He smiled, "You wanna talk about it?"

Anna shook her head softly, a breath hitching before she let it out.

"That's fine..." he said gently, "...We should get back to sleep, there's still a few hours till morning"

Anna nodded somewhat hesitantly, letting Bucky set her down beside him. He lifted the duvet, pulling it over both of them, Anna shooting him a nervous look.

"Don't look so worried, it's Just to sleep" he clarified, amused at her expression, "-no funny business" he chuckled.

Anna laid down, watching him like a hawk as he hovered over her to reach for the lamp that he'd picked up on his way in. Her eyes wandered from the metal arm that was holding him up, over to his body - which was bare from the waist up, thanks to some low-slung pyjama pants... He leaned as far as he could, finally reaching the switch,  the sound of a click plunging the room into darkness.

She held her breath, listening as he moved over her, the mattress moving under his weight. He settled beside her, Anna doing as she was told when he asked her to lift her head so he could slip his arm under it, and rolling her onto her side so he could hold onto her.

"...Breathe, Anna..." He chuckled as he put his metal arm over her, his elbow resting perfectly on the curve of her waist, and his hand on her arm in front of her.
She let a breath out as she tried to will herself to relax, wanting him to be as close to her as possible, but being completely freaking out at the same time.... She took the plunge,  reaching to find his arms with her hands, and hung onto them, pulling them in tight to her. Bucky responded, tucking his knees up behind hers and pulling her against him, Anna feeling his breath on the back of her neck.

She smiled to herself, closing her eyes.

"Thanks Buck..." she whispered
"It's fine" He said, Anna feeling his lips smile against her skin, "now lets get some shut-eye, okay?"
"Okay..."



Anna was the first to open her eyes, the room materializing around her slowly. It took her a few seconds for her to get her bearings back, taking in the details of the moment she was in; her head resting on a broad, firm chest, a stubble covered chin resting against her forehead, a strong, muscular arm around her, and a metal hand resting on her forearm.
Her eyes took in its' details - the tiny plates and joints, the scratches and wear... Part of her longed to slip out of its grasp and lean over for a closer look, another part of her was completely untrusting of it, especially when it's owner was still asleep...

She glanced up at Bucky's still sleeping face, something so endearing about him being so peaceful...

Her little moment was cut short when she felt his body come to life, stretching beneath her, Bucky smiling to himself when his eyes opened.
"...Hey" he said, his voice low and gravelly.
"Hey" she said, laying her head on his chest again so she didn't have to look him in the eye.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, him arm tightening around her a little, Anna sucking in a breath, "...like you're gonna have a heart attack?" he added with a chuckle, Anna's cheeks reddening.
"No!?" she said, covering her face with her free hand, completely mortified now.

Bucky laughed again, moving her so she was laying beside him so he could prop himself up on his elbow.
"You sure about that?" He asked between chuckles, amused that she was still covering her face with her hands. He reached a metal hand down to lift one of her fingers, gently prying them away from her eyes.
"Hey there" he smiled, Anna smiling bashfully up at him from the flat of her back.
"Hey..."
"What's with the rosy cheeks - since when are you shy?" he teased, embarrassing her further.
"Since I fell asleep barely dressed with a guy who's also barely dressed for starters!" she said, pulling the quilt up to cover herself.

"Seriously? I have seen it all before, remember?" he joked with a sideways smirk, Anna propping herself up on her elbow.
"...Well... Things weren't so 'cosy' back then, were they?"
"What are you talking about? We've shared a bed before - a few times, actually" He said, arching a brow thoughtfully.
"Well..." she started, looking him in the eye, "like I said - things were a little different between us back then - weren't they?"
"I suppose they were" he agreed with a nod, Anna letting out a breath as she relaxed, "but that's no reason for you to be nervous around me"
"I'm not nervou-"
"I can pick it a mile away" He cut her off, Anna looking down for a moment.
"I'm sorry..." She offered shyly
"Don't be... It's a little weird for me, too" he confessed, "but not in a bad way" He clarified, Anna looking back up at him.
"Good weird?" she asked, Bucky giving her a nod and a grin as a laugh crept out.
"Very good weird" he said reassuringly, Anna smiling back at him.

"I guess after our conversation last night, the last thing I wanted was to end up waking you up, AND embarrassing myself by being a panicky, blithering wreck. I'm so sorry, I'm not nervous - I'm honestly mortified that I've made a complete dick of myself..." She confessed, "and as much as I appreciate you running in to save the day, I don't want to be that... Needy, 'damsel in distress' type" she added.
"Seriously, don't worry about it" He said genuinely, "I know what it's like, so no judgement... I swear"
"You do?"
"Yeah, I had a few bad nights early on... It doesn't really happen anymore" he said with a nonchalant shrug, "you've been through a lot, so it's understandable - and you're NOT needy. Trust me, I've seen needy!" he added with a chuckle, Anna laughing at him as he rolled his eyes.
"Okay, maybe not needy... But whatever it was, it wasn't a good look!" she laughed, "Definitely not playing it cool like I wanted to"
"You definitely don't need to worry about playing it cool with me" he started, "you know how I feel, and a fright or bad dream isn't going to change that"
She gave him a shy smile, her heart racing when she suddenly realised the gap had closed between them.

Anna sucked in a breath and quickly sat up, Bucky suddenly backing off and sitting up, too.

"-Sorry" he said, worried, Anna tucking her hair behind her ear and waving a hand to tell him it was no big deal.
"Oh don't stress, it's just we've probably gotta get up - Tony mentioned a breakfast booking and I haven't even checked what time it is..." she rambled nervously.
"I think my foot slipped off the brake for a second there, sorry about that..." he chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Nooo, don't be sorry - it's fine! I just, uh... Yeah... It's totally cool" she said without taking a breath, giving him a smile and a nod.
"You sure?"
"Absolutely!" she smiled again, "I'm gonna go get ready - don't wanna be late!" she added, scooting off the bed and heading towards the bathroom.




The walk down to the restaurant was a quiet one, Bucky shooting Anna the odd glance, Anna pretending she hadn't noticed. The click clack of her heeled boots on the polished floor was the only sound between them as they approached the dining room...
"Oh, hey you guys!" came a friendly voice, both of them turning to see Steve Rogers with a pretty blonde woman on his arm.

"Hey!" Bucky and Anna said simultaneously, Steve stepping over to give him a hug, Anna making eye contact with the woman he'd stepped away from.
"You must be Anna" she smiled, stepping over with an outstretched hand which Anna politely shook with a nod and a smile, "I'm Sharon Carter"
"Oh! It's so nice to finally meet you" Anna beamed, "I heard you'd be in the city with Steve!"
"Yeah, a few of us were down here working, sorry I couldn't make it down last night!"
"Oh not at all, are you staying for breakfast?"
"Definitely" she smiled.

"Hey Anna" Steve said with a warm smile, pulling her in for a tight hug, "how'd you sleep?"

Anna's stomach tightened, suddenly wondering if Bucky had mentioned anything to him.

"Yeah I got there in the end" she chuckled, "strange bed" she added with a shrug.
"Yep, I know exactly what you mean" he chuckled, Anna smiling back.
"Shall we?" he offered, gesturing towards the door.
"After you guys!" she smiled back, Sharon and Steve leading the way.

Bucky and Anna exchanged a glance, Anna mouthing a quick 'did you say anything?' to him, Bucky giving her a smile and shaking his head.
'Thank you' she mouthed back, a grateful expression on her face, Bucky giving her a wink.
'You got it'

They were shown to a long table and seated, while wait staff filled the table beside the wall with the most beautiful breakfast spread Anna had ever seen.
"Get you a coffee?" Bucky asked, catching her attention.
"Oh, I can get it" she smiled back politely, turning to get up
"It's no problem, I'm going up anyway, and your Dad's just walked in... You should go and say hi"
"You sure you don't mind?"
"Go" he said with a smile, Anna smiling back despite the earlier awkwardness.

By the time Anna got over to Tony, he'd tucked his phone back into his pocket after typing a message out to someone at lightning speed... He gave her a big warm smile, putting his arms out and pulling her into a hug, making her giggle.
"How'd you sleep, kiddo? Barnes give you any trouble?" he asked, looking over at Bucky who was standing by the breakfast bar.
"I slept okay" she smiled, "-and Barnes was a gentleman"
"You know you're the only person I've ever heard describe him like that, right?" Tony asked, raising a brow, "-he didn't threaten you did he?" he joked, Anna letting out a laugh.
"No!"
"Good..." he said, narrowing his eyes.

Bucky looked up at them in time for Tony to give him the 'I'm watching you' gesture, Bucky rolling his eyes and shaking his head.
"Be nice" she scolded, Tony's face one of pure innocence, Anna trying not to laugh again.

Tony kept his eye on Bucky and Anna over the course of breakfast, feeling uneasy with how well the conversation seemed to be flowing between them now, and even worse every time he made her laugh.
He pulled his phone out again, sending another text, rolling his eyes at the response before sending another. He called the waitress over and whispered in her ear, the pretty brunette politely nodding and smiling before hurrying off.

Anna glanced up at the door when it opened, Peter Parker stepping into the room looking very excited as Tony got up to greet him. She stifled a giggle when Bucky rolled his eyes and groaned under his breath.
She got up, taking her plate over to the breakfast bar to get some more fruit, Parker making a beeline for her - much to Bucky's disgust and Tony's amusement.
"Oh hey Anna - it's so great to see you, you look amazing, and you were amazing on TV last night!" he blurted out without taking a breath, Anna chuckling as he put an arm out very nervously to give her the worlds' most awkward hug.

Bucky facepalmed.

"I was in the neighborhood, and Tony invited me down for breakfast so I thought It'd be rude not to, right?"
"Oh absolutely, I'm glad you came!" she smiled politely
"You are!?" he beamed, his face lighting up as though she'd offered him a million dollars and a Maserati...
"Sure!"
"Oh, well I'm glad I came as well - it was kinda last minute as a spot opened up, but I didn't want to pass up the chance to come and hang out with you guys"
"That's so sweet" she chuckled, Parker giving her a big smile again, completely lost for words, "I guess I'll see you at the table, then" she added, trying her best to end what had become the strangest encounter she could remember having in a while.

Bucky and Anna exchanged a look when she sat down, Anna expecting him to say something, Bucky giving her an innocent shrug instead.
"Best behavior" he said under his breath so only she could hear, Anna giving him a smile.
"I'm impressed... But will it last?"
"Doing my best"
"I noticed"

Parker made himself at home, pulling a chair out at the spot directly opposite Anna and Bucky at the table.
"Oh hey there Bucky, it's SO great to see you again, it's been ages!" he beamed, putting his hand out to shake which Bucky politely did.
"Good to see you, too" he said back begrudgingly, forcing a polite smile.

Tony sat and watched from his end of the table with a satisfied grin on his face, absolutely loving every minute of it, even giving Bucky an smug nod when he looked over. He eventually got up from his chair when he'd seen enough, coming to sit beside Parker and speak to Bucky and Anna. He played it totally aloof as he reached over and plucked a grape from the bunch in front of him, popping it into his mouth before speaking.
"So..." he started, Bucky raising his brow, unamused, "We've had a situation come up"
"If there's anything I can do Mr Stark just say the word-"
"-Relax, kid" he said, raising a hand before continuing, "long story short a few of us have some business to take care of, part of which is me taking Pepper back to the other building and helping out with a few things there"
"Okay..." Anna nodded, listening carefully.
"I was going to drive you back myself, but I'm sure you don't want to hang around alone in an office all day today and half of tomorrow..." Tony said to her, glancing over at Bucky for a moment, "Rogers said you drove down alone, is that right?" he asked, Bucky's face suddenly lighting up.
"Yeah, I drove the Mustang down"
"It's a four seater isn't it?"
"Yeah"
"Don't suppose you'd like some company for the drive home?"
"That'd be great" Bucky smiled, suppressing a burst of excitement.
"Are you happy to ride with Barnes?" Tony asked, looking back over at Anna.
"Yeah, so long as he doesn't mind?" She asked, looking over to him.
"Not at all" Bucky smiled
"Great!" Tony grinned, standing up and pushing his chair in.

"-Oh crap, I almost forgot!" He said, gesturing away from his forehead with his fingertips, "Parker needs a ride too, and you've got two more empty seats... Would you mind?"

Anna swallowed hard, peering at Bucky who'd clenched his jaw, and pulled his hand into a fist under the table, infuriated.

"No problem..." he said very begrudgingly, giving Anna a sideways glance.
"Great" Tony smiled.

Five gold stars, Barnes...




They'd all said their goodbyes, Anna feeling a little guilty as the hotel staff packed up their rooms, and brought their luggage down to be taken by the courier service.
"They could have taken Parker with the bags..." Bucky muttered to himself.

The cars were brought around, a shiny new black Mustang pulled up, Anna's eyes widening, impressed. The valet got out carefully, handing Bucky the keys in return for a twenty and a friendly pat on the shoulder.
"Thank you sir, enjoy your drive back" he said, Bucky giving a nod and a very forced attempt at a thankful smile.

"Oh the back looks tiny..." Peter said, a very worried look crossing his face, "Guy like you, Buck - I thought you'd have a Range Rover or a Hummer..."
"I could arrange a hearse?" Bucky asked, cocking a brow
"What's that?" 
"-I'll ride in the back" Anna interjected, Peter looking a little shocked and unsure.
"Oh I can't ask you to do that, I-"
"Then don't-" Bucky said with a smile that was a little more threatening than friendly.
"-It's fine! I swear, I'll ride in back, seriously" She said, putting a hand on Bucky's chest as she stepped between them, "I'm the smallest, so it's no big deal" she added, giving Bucky a reassuring smile.

"Get in the car, Parker" Bucky relented, letting out an exasperated breath, "-and don't touch anything"
"Okay no problem, so long as you're sure?" He checked, Anna nodding.

He got in the passenger side, pulling the door shut behind him, Bucky glancing down at Anna as she removed her hand.
"I'm so sorry about Parker... I shoulda brought the Jag down" he said regretfully,
"Don't stress" she smiled, "I'm kinda looking forward to it - I've never been in a GT before"
"I'll have to take you for a proper drive one day then" he offered, relaxing a little.
"I'd really like that"

He led the way around to the drivers side, reaching his hand towards the door handle when the horn suddenly blasted, making both of them jump. Anna watched Bucky look away and clench his jaw, obviously fighting the urge to break the window with his fist, and pull Parker out through it...
"Sorry!" came a voice from inside the car, Bucky letting out a breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment.
"This is gonna be a long drive..." He said under his breath, Anna nodding, trying not to laugh at the situation...

Bucky pulled the car door open, glaring dangerously at Parker as he moved the driver's seat forward. He stood up, stepping back to make room for Anna. She gave him a smile as she stepped over, putting her hand on his shoulder as she leaned in to whisper into his ear.

"Brownie points, Barnes..."

"Is that so?" he said so only she could hear.
"Definitely"

The two of them exchanged a knowing grin, Bucky taking her hand to help her into the back of his car, making sure she was comfortable before he put the seat back and got in. He started the engine, Peter openly very impressed with the low grumble of the V8.
"You warm enough back there?" Bucky asked, making eye contact with Anna in the wing mirror as he slipped his jacket off.
"Yeah I'll be okay" she smiled, crossing her arms.

He passed the Jacket back anyway, Anna draping it over herself and snuggling up under it, the two exchanging a smile.
"Thanks Buck"
"My pleasure" he said with a wink before buckling his seat belt and putting the car into gear, giving it a good rev as he did. He slipped his sunglasses on, turning the radio up when Parker started rambling again, Anna doing her best not to laugh either of them.

Despite Peters concerns, the back of Bucky's car was surprisingly comfortable - well, especially compared to the last car she'd been in with him... This one still had that new car smell, deep bucket seats, and a beautiful black finish throughout except for a few red accents on the trim up front.
He handled it like a professional driver, his gear changes smooth as silk as he maneuvered his way out of the city. His lips curled into a smile as the highway on-ramp loomed up, the back of the car dropping as it took off, Bucky having a bit too much fun accelerating to freeway speed...

Typical boy...

The drive was a long, reasonably quiet one - Anna enjoying the exchanges between Peter and Bucky... His million questions and excited chatter were met with deadpan, single word answers, Peter clearly not taking the hint that Bucky wasn't really up for a long conversation with him about car engines....




"Hey sleepy head..." came a gentle voice, waking her up...

Anna's eyes creaked open meeting Bucky's, and it took her a couple of moments to realize where she was.

"Oh god I fell asleep..." she mumbled as she stretched and sat herself up straight, "Sorry, I didn't realize I was so tired..."
"You didn't get much sleep last night" He pointed out.
"Either did you because of me" she said with a cringe on her face, "sorry about that"
"It's fine" he smiled, Anna straightening up in her seat as she reached to undo her seat belt.
"Must be pretty comfortable back here" she said, giving him a smile as she picked up her purse, "nice and cosy"
"It's much nicer up front - I still think we could'a fit Parker back there"
"I dunno..." Anna mused, looking around, "he's got that 'lanky long legs' thing going on"
"Well I would've happily offered to break 'em for him" Bucky said, taking her hand and helping her out of the car, "I was tempted to, a few times!"

"I noticed..." She chuckled, Bucky letting go of her hand as she paused standing in front of him, "thank goodness I wasn't given that same offer" she added, her eyes widening for dramatic effect.
"Your legs are perfectly safe around me" He chuckled, backtracking...

Anna raised her brows, going silent as she looked into his eyes, feigning shock. Bucky frowned, not sure what he'd said for a few seconds, his cheeks suddenly reddening as he covered his eyes with one hand.
"Around - as in 'in the vicinity of' - not ACTUALLY around me" He clarified, Anna biting her lip as she tried her handed not to explode into laughter, "-You set me up!" Bucky laughed, pointing accusingly at her as he narrowed his eyes.

Anna let out a giggle as she shrugged innocently, Bucky shaking his head at her as he closed the car door, holding eye contact with her.

"You walked straight into that one..." she said with a cheeky grin,
"Are you flirting with me, Pierce?" he asked, cocking his head, one side of his mouth curving up into a smile.
"Pfft, no!" she said, looking mock-disgusted, "You wish! -  You're the one making the innuendo's here - not me..."

Bucky glared at her, giving her his best 'scowly intimidating face'... Obviously not working as Anna started laughing.
"Okay missy... You win this round, but you'd better watch yourself" He said, trying unsuccessfully not to break character.

The two of them laughed, Bucky rolling his eyes as he gestured towards the entry to the compound, "Get going" he said as if he was scolding her, the two of them making their way over to the door.
"Okay, okay!" she laughed, "Hey where is Parker, anyway?" Anna asked as they walked, Bucky giving her a smirk, "you didn't do anything to him did you?"

Bucky put his flesh hand on the scanner, the door emitting a beep before it opened to let them in, Bucky yanking the heavy door open and stepping back to allow her in first.
"I'd love to say I did..." he chuckled, "but the truth is, I told him there'd be trouble if he woke you up"
"I'm not that vicious, am I?" she giggled as she paused, watching Bucky pull the door shut behind him.
"Weeeell, I have heard stories..." He said with a shrug, Anna swatting him before they made their way down the hallway to the elevator.

The walk to her room was a fairly quick one, Bucky predictably walking in with her, turning on the coffee machine and making himself comfortable. Anna made her way over to the thermostat on the wall, pressing the touch screen a few times before slipping Bucky's jacket off, which she'd still been wearing from the car-ride.
"Thanks for lending me this" she said with a smile as she folded it and handed it back, "it was very sweet of you"
"Oh shucks" he chuckled, waving his hand like it was no big deal, "It was bad enough you were stuck in the back seat, couldn't have you being cold, too" he added with a shrug as he set the jacket down on the console table against the wall.

Anna gave him a smile, Bucky smiling back at her with an air of shyness about him, which Anna found completely endearing.
"You're cute, you know that?" she said, holding eye contact with him, Bucky tipping his head and clearing his throat.
"Yeah" he said in his usual cocky fashion, "I know..."

The two of them smiled, the beep coming from the coffee machine interrupting their little moment. Bucky turned, making his way over, pulling two mugs from the cupboard and getting a pack of pods out while he was at it.
"Coffee?" he asked, Anna yawning as she nodded,
"Yes please"
"keeping you up?" he asked jokingly, Anna apologizing again.
"Sorry, I can't even remember when I was this tired... Or cold... Mind if I go get changed or grab a sweater or something?" she chuckled, pulling her boots off one by one as she leaned against the table for balance.

Bucky furrowed his brows with concern, putting down the mug in his hand to walk over to her, Anna stepping back self consciously as he put his hands out to her neck...
"Woah, what are y-"
"Stand still" he said in a serious tone, tilting her chin up and running his fingers under her jaw, Anna involuntarily baulking at his metal hand.
"Relax..." he instructed, Anna doing her best to obey, her eyes on his as he pressed against her glands, making her wince, "tender?" he asked, Anna nodding.

He let go, feeling her forehead with the palm of his flesh hand, his expression going from serious to a little sympathetic.
"You're getting a fever" he said, Anna raising a brow, "swollen glands mean you're fighting off an infection... Go run yourself a hot shower and get into some sweats, I'll call Cho down here to get you a shot"
"A shot?"
"She's got this magic concoction that kills infections and gives your immune system a rev up... A few of the recruits have had it, and it works quicker than anything on the civilian market"
"Oh..." She said, nodding and taking it in, "Well, thanks Dr. Barnes" she chuckled, Bucky laughing with her.
"I could just about be a doctor, actually" he joked
"Yeah?"
"Part of this whole 'superhero' thing is saving people, so we all had to do intensive first aid training" he said, "All the usual stuff, plus CPR and a few fancy paramedic manoeuvres"
"I'm impressed" she said genuinely, worry suddenly sweeping over her, "oh crap... I've probably gotten you sick - I've probably breathed all over you..."

Bucky shook his head, amused with the mental picture she'd just given him.

"You can breathe all over me as much as you like" he said with a wink, "-I can't get sick"
"Are you flirting with me, Barnes?"
"Pfft, no! You wish!" he said as though he was offended, Anna letting out a chuckle as she rolled her eyes, "now go have your shower!" he said, pulling his phone from his back pocket, "you have ten minutes"
"And you're sure you sure about the me not getting you sick thing?"
"One hundred percent" he said, honestly, "-clock's ticking" he added as he dialed the number, putting the phone to his ear.
"You're going to have to explain that one to me when I get out" she said, Bucky nodding and giving a thumbs up.

"Hey Helen, it's Bucky..."



Anna felt much better after her shower, even if it was fairly quick. She pulled on a pair of black leggings, a tight 'Stark Industries' tank top, and put her damp hair up in a high messy bun. She walked out of the bathroom, past her bedroom dresser where she picked up a sweater and a pair of socks, taking them into the lounge.
"Feeling better?" he asked, Anna nodding.
"Feeling warmer, still feel tired and a little head-achey... I thought it was just because I haven't had much sleep lately?" she added with a shrug as she pulled her socks on.

Dr Cho came in and kept her visit brief. She checked Anna's temperature and blood pressure, felt her glands, and listened to her chest, confirming what Bucky had suspected. She pulled a pre-made shot out of her bag, uncapping it and pressing the plunger enough to let any air out, tapping the vial twice with her fingernail.
"Which arm?"
"Any's fine" Anna said, offering her right one out.
"Bit of a pinch..." She warned, Anna looking away as the shot was given, Dr Cho covering the needle-prick site with a small band-aid.

"You'll feel groggy and a bit out of sorts for the rest of today and tonight, but that's just the shot just doing its work... Stay warm, plenty of fluids, and you should wake up tomorrow feeling great" Cho instructed, Anna nodding as she pulled her sweater on, looking a little confused.

"You're wondering why the feeling crummy part?" She asked, Anna nodding, "Don't worry - everyone asks that" She smiled, "Most virus's  run for a week or two, this magic stuff will have you feeling better in 24 hours... Unfortunately you don't get out of it completely scot-free, but it's still better than being sick for two weeks, isn't it?"
"Definitely" Anna agreed as she rolled her sleeve back down "thank you so much for that" she added with a smile.
"You're welcome!" Cho smiled as she gathered her things, putting them into her satchel, "you'll skip all the gross symptoms of the flu, but you'll probably be tired and flat, sore muscles, and you may get a headache, so I'll leave you with these..." she added, pulling a box of capsules from her bag. "Take as needed, no more than two every four hours"
"No problem"
"You've probably been fighting it off for weeks by the sounds of it... Get some rest, and if you need anything, just call" She smiled, Anna thanking her again before she left.

"You were right" Anna smiled at Bucky as Dr Cho left, Bucky shaking his head as he chuckled.
"I had a hunch you weren't quite right... Couldn't leave it be" He said quietly with a shrug, "now go sit on the sofa, I'll bring the coffee's over"
"You need a hand?"
"Anna - go sit down" he chuckled, Anna putting her hands up and obediently plonking herself down, and pulling the quilt down from the back-rest onto her lap.

"Here you go" he smiled as he put the drinks on the coffee table, sitting next to her and casually pulling half the quilt over himself, "what are we watching?" he asked, casually picking the remote up and flicking through channels.
"Whatever you like"
"Feel like an action flick?"
"Sure" she agreed, yawning again, "you know you don't have to hang around on my account..."
"You want me to go?"
"No, I'm just saying you shouldn't feel obligated to stay, I'll be fine"
"Since when did I ever do anything I didn't want to?" he said, arching a brow.
"Touché"

He settled on a movie that Anna hadn't seen before, putting his arm out in a wordless invite for her to scoot closer to him as he explained what the movie was about.
"What's wrong?" he stopped mid-sentence to ask.
"Foot slipping off the brakes again?" she asked somewhat reservedly,
"It's a 'friend' cuddle for starters" he started with an eye roll, "and you're only going to fall asleep anyway, you're supposed to keep warm, I plan on watching the whole movie, and you're a blanket hog"
"Right..." she said, not buying it, but cosying up to him anyway.
"Cho said you'd feel crap - plus I know you get asthma, so I'd feel better if I hung around for a few hours"

Anna let out an exasperated breath, resting her head on his shoulder as he put his flesh arm around her and pulled her in close.

"Smooth, Buck..." she muttered, feeling his chest move as he let out a soft chuckle.
"Thanks"
"As long as I won't get you sick... You're a smart-ass, but I'd still feel bad." she said, Bucky pausing the movie...
"I won't get sick" he started, "because when I first arrived they tested me for everything, and then while they were running blood tests on me, they tested everything against it to see what kind of serum I'd been given..."
"And what did they say?"
"I'm safe from literally anything a person can catch or develop. It filled in all the gaps in my DNA, sped up my metabolism, increased my ability to heal, build muscle, withstand things that most men can't, and made me faster and stronger, too." He said, "I'm even immune to cancer"
"Wow, really?" she asked, sitting up and looking into his eyes again, "that's incredible"
"Yeah"
"Could that technology be used to help others?" she asked, genuinely fascinated
"Unfortunately no, that's the other thing they tested - to see if anything could be extracted, or even if any trace elements were left so they could recreate it, which they can't... I can't pass it on to others in any way - blood, saliva or sex... And If I have kids, they won't be 'super'... It's just me" He explained with a smile, Anna taking in his every word, nodding as he spoke.
"Oh wow, so they checked everything"
"Ooooh yeah" he chuckled, "they didn't want all these super powered women suddenly popping up around the place - or super babies" he joked, Anna closing her eyes for a moment as she shook her head.
"So what you're saying, is that I made out with you for nothing!?" she asked, pretending to be annoyed, Bucky letting out an amused snort before laughing.
"Yeah - sorry you had to endure that..."
"Unbelievable..." she tutted, shaking her head before resuming her position, curled up beside him with her head on his shoulder.

Bucky put his arm back around her, pulling her close as he lifted the quilt up to keep her warm.
"So are we gonna watch this?" he asked, pointing at the TV with the remote, Anna nodding sleepily against him, "you warm enough?"
"Yeah" she said, drawing her knees up and cuddling into him, "-is it scary?"
"No?" he lied... "heart-warming story about a father who's trying to keep a connection with his teenage daughter after a divorce..."
"Oh, that sounds nice..."

Bucky let out an amused sigh, deciding to come clean...
"I'm kidding... Ex CIA agent's daughter gets kidnapped, and he goes to  Paris to rescue her from sex traffickers..." he admitted, "It's pretty brutal, we can pick something else if you want?"
"It's fine" Anna chuckled, "I know the movie - well I've seen the trailer, anyway... I've heard it's good?"
"Yeah it's not bad" He agreed

"Friday, could you close the blinds please?" she asked, mumbling a little
"Closing the blinds, Miss Pierce" came the polite voice over as the blinds dropped, plunging the room into darkness.

Anna shifted until she was comfortable, picking up Bucky's arm which was around her and hugging it to her chest. Bucky reached up with the remote, pressing play as he gave her a squeeze, both of them smiling to themselves as they watched the opening scene.
Anna's head felt heavy against him as she felt herself starting to drift off, Bucky peering down at her.

"You alright?" he asked quietly,
"Yeah, that shot's just kicking in I think..." She mumbled, trying to sit herself upright.
"Gonna be sick?"
"No, just kinda... Exhausted" she said, closing her eyes and putting her palm to her forehead while she tried to catch her bearings a bit.
"You need to go lay down" Bucky said, beginning to move, "I'll carry you"
"No -" she mumbled, worried, "I wanna stay here..."

Bucky glanced up at the open bedroom door for a moment before his eyes went back to hers...

"Well I'm not leaving you while you're like this, so you can either go in there to bed, or lay with me on the couch" he said firmly, Anna feeling like she was getting told off. She frowned a little, feeling dizzy and confused, Bucky figuring he was going to make the decision for her.

"Here" he said as he reclined flat back and laid her on top of him, Anna protesting, but not having the energy to fight him "just relax, and lay your head down, okay?"
"Bucky..." she grumbled, making him peer down at her.
"What?" he asked, trying to decipher her tired mumbles.
"Is this okay?" she asked, worried.
"I'm cool with it, if that's what you mean?" he asked, "are you?"
"Yeah?" she managed to get out, letting her head rest on his chest, despite herself, "I meant is THIS okay..."
"Ohhhhh..." he said, the penny dropping, "You mean is it still a friend cuddle?" He asked, Anna nodding again.

Bucky pulled the quilt up, covering them both and lazily wrapped his arms around her, Anna more comfortable than she'd care to admit.

"Like I said, I'm here to look after you, got it?" He asked, feeling her nod again, "there's no-one else in the world who you're safer with than me. Okay?"
"Okay" she breathed, feeling like she was going to doze off again...

"I'm looking out for you, so all you've gotta do is rest, and get better. Okay?"
"Okay..."
"You comfy enough?"
"Yeah..."
"Warm enough?"
"Uh huh"

"Good" he smiled, giving her back a rub as he felt her body relax as she started to drift off...

"And as for all this 'friend' stuff?" he pondered aloud, "Well... I guess we'll have to talk about all that tomorrow..."