i know places

In the morning when Wanda wakes up, Bucky is there. She stirs from her dreams slowly, waking to find the blanket still draped over her, the window half-opened and letting sunlight in—and Bucky in the bed beside her. He's awake but for the moment he's unaware of her gaze and the way it lingers, as last night comes back to her in pieces. Wanda remembers the bar, drinking shots of whiskey and beer with Bucky, and the hour they spent talking before they both drifted off to sleep.

It comes back to Wanda in a soft blur and afterwards she lets herself dwell on it, getting lost in the memories until Bucky brings her back. Her gaze quickly returns to where he's sitting on the bed next to her, awake and reclined back against a pillow, reading one of the books from her shelf. She's a little surprised to find him like this, not because she didn't want him to stay but because he looks so peaceful here with her and after last night she didn't expect to wake up to him looking like this. He looks well, looks good, all things considered. 

The clock by the bed lets her know that it's just a little after 8, so they really didn't get much sleep last night, and yet here Bucky is bright-eyed and reading a book, when she expected him to still be sleeping or maybe even tucked away under the covers, nursing a hangover. But he isn't. Bucky looks fine, more than just fine, and when he notices that she's awake he puts down the book he's reading and starts to smile.

"Morning, dear. Did you sleep well?" he asks, smiling slowly. "Don't worry about the bites, they'll fade in a couple of days."

Wanda starts to frown until she realizes what he's talking about. It's a joke, their little joke. She smiles warmly at the realization and starts to wiggle out from underneath the covers, slowly leaning back into the pillows next to Bucky. His gaze follows her there, tracking her movements, as his smile starts to widen. As it does, Wanda quietly finds herself surprised both by his mood and her own. She really didn't get much sleep, she doesn't feel great after last night (she blames that on all the drinks they had) but all things considered, she really doesn't feel all that bad.

"Dracula?" she smiles, after glancing at the book. "Really?"

Bucky smiles back at her, happy to see that she's awake now. Wanda feels the same.

"Yeah. Felt fitting, you know? After last night."

It amuses her, maybe more than it should. Wanda giggles, still half-asleep, as she gathers together all the messy pieces of hair hanging forward over her face and pushes them out of the way. Better, she thinks, as she rolls over to face Bucky. He's still watching her, still smiling, and it makes her smile more to see him and to know that he must have been sitting here waiting for her to wake up so she could hear his joke.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Yeah, now that you mention it there is something I've been meaning to say." Bucky sighs, only half-serious. "You're a kicker, Wanda. Like a professional. And me? I bruise like a peach, so I'm gonna look like dalmatian in a couple hours thanks to all that brutal kicking you did to my legs last night. It's not gonna be a pretty sight, I'm telling you now."

Torn between rolling her eyes and smiling, she ends up doing both. It makes Bucky laugh more, just to see her so amused by his little jokes. She wants to stay here in bed with Bucky all day, she realizes it now. If she could stay she would, but she's got work today and she can't be late for another shift, even if she really wants to call it all off. There are things she needs to do before work. Shower, grab a coffee, eat something. Wanda goes through it all in her head, before she pulls herself from her bed and stretches out her legs slowly. A moment later she remembers Bucky is here and she quickly turns back to look at him, finding his warm smile still there, still bright.

"Somehow you are less funny when it is this early in the morning." she says, grinning. "It's almost embarrassing how bad that joke was. I mean, was it even a joke? I did not find it so funny."

Bucky grins and then swiftly throws one of the pillows from the bed at Wanda. It's small and red, she narrowly avoids it before she catches it and throws it back at him. He's not so lucky at missing the pillow. She's seen him before, he's fast and has good reflexes. But the pillow still hits him in the face and she wonders if he means for it to, if he lets it hit him just to make her laugh. And it does. Wanda turns away, laughing to herself as she searches through the table by the bed for aspirin. She takes one, drinks a sip of water from the bottle nearby, then passes the aspirin over to Bucky. He takes it then looks up to her, smiling.

"You're real sweet this time in the morning, you know? I bet no one's ever told you that before. Have they?"

"Mm, maybe." she hums, smiling. "Maybe once, maybe not."

His laugh follows her to the bathroom, where Wanda quickly steps in to wash her face and brush the knots out of her hair. Then she returns to Bucky, finding him seated on the edge of the bed, the soft blanket still sort of draped over him. He pushes it away slowly, stretches a little, then he lifts his head when he realizes she's back in the room.

"So," he smiles slowly. "How'd you sleep?"

It's only now that Wanda sees it, that she lets herself look at Bucky's wound from last night. The small cut, the dark bruise underneath it. She tenses, maybe a little too obviously, then walks over to his side. If Bucky notices her tense at the bruise, at the memory of it all, he says nothing. He doesn't let it bother him, doesn't let it show at all. He just stays where he is, sitting on the edge of the bed, both gloves back on now. She quickly lifts her eyes back to his and smiles.

"Well. You?"

"Not so bad." he shrugs. "You know, apart from the kicking."

Wanda nods, smile still there, as Bucky gets up from her bed and stretches his legs. Then he takes a few slow steps over to where she's standing and she can't help it, can't stop her eyes from flickering to the painful looking cut on his temple and the small bruise around it. She wants to ask him if it hurts, if he needs anything, but she can see it on his face that he doesn't want to talk about it and he doesn't need anything. He's happy now, despite last night, despite it all. She wants it to stay that way, wants them both to be happy, so she says nothing and turns her attention back to him.

"You working today, red?" he asks, smiling still. "I have a couple ideas on how we could have some fun if you're free for the day."

She wants to say no, to lie and cancel work, but she can't. She needs the money. Well, they don't really need it. Not like they once did. But she can't cancel her shift at the last moment just to spend the day with Bucky, even if she really wants to. It's tempting and she almost does it, almost thinks about ditching work and spending the day with him. Another time, she promises herself, as turns to grab her clothes from the dresser.

"Yes, unfortunately. I'm working. I start in an hour." she calls back."Your plans will have to wait and you will have to go soon. But I am curious about these plans. We will have to do it another time."

"Yeah, sure. Another time." Bucky follows her. "And you know, I would have left already. But the thing is..."

"You just had to see me?"

Bucky laughs sweetly as he joins her by the dresser, leaning against it as his eyes roam across the little things on the top of it, from her dozens of rings, to her bracelets and half-finished sketches. After a moment he looks back at her, that same smile still there, a little bigger now. He nods along, pretending to be serious, pretending that this is why he stayed, but she knows that he is being playful and that this is all leading somewhere else.

"Yeah, sure. That's why. I just had to see you, you know? Couldn't go the whole day without seeing you." Bucky grins, combing his hair back off his face. "Or...Your brother and Barton have been in the kitchen, having a nice big, boring chat for like two hours. I figured you'd want to keep this for yourself. And by this, I mean me."

Wanda bites down on her lip, thinking it over. She feels torn between going on with this little joke of his or asking him if he's really okay, since it seems like he didn't get all that much sleep last night. It doesn't really feel like he wants her concern, not today anyway. So she decides to keep those questions for later and to carry on their conversation, to distract him and make him smile in these few minutes they have left together before he has to go.

"Obviously." she agrees, smiling slowly. "Don't worry, they will leave soon and then you can go."

"Oh, I'm not worried. Not at all, doll. I cherish every moment we're together."

Then Bucky's off again, walking over to the edge of the bed to sit there while Wanda gets ready for work. She pulls her clothes from the dresser, places them on an empty spot on the bed, and then returns to find Bucky lacing up his boots. She finds herself pulled briefly back to last night, to his eyes on hers, the way his gaze followed her as she untied his boots, and how close they were when she helped him out of his jacket. Wanda lingers on the memory for longer than she means, before she steps away and scoops Bucky's jacket up from the top of her dresser.

"Speaking of that..." Bucky begins, clears his throat, then goes on. "You got any plans for tonight? You wanna give things a second chance?"

Slowly she smiles, watching him quietly as she steps over to the bed and hands him the jacket. When Bucky's done lacing up his boots he smiles, takes the jacket, turns it over in his hands, then stands from the bed to meet her gaze. It brings them close again, closer than they've been all morning. Wanda is quiet for a second, lost briefly in the way he looks right now, before she reminds herself that he's waiting for her answer.

"Yes. I believe in second chances, so I'd like that."

"Yeah, I thought so." Bucky hums, shrugging his jacket on. "I thought you might believe in that stuff. You seem sweet like that."

It hangs around in the quiet afterwards. Wanda doesn't know why, she doesn't even really mean to think about it. She just feels it stay there between the two of them, as she turns away from Bucky, giving him a moment to himself, while she wanders aimlessly around her apartment, doing both everything and nothing. She tidies up things that don't need to be tidied, opens up her window to let a little more light in, and starts to gather together all her things for work, which really doesn't take long at all. She mostly just does anything to take her mind off where she feels their conversation going, but it ends up there anyway.

"Do you think we should talk about last night?"

Bucky's over by the bed when he speaks again, sitting down on the edge of it. Wanda turns back to look at him slowly, from where she's now standing by the window watering one of the smaller bunches of flowers there. She hesitates, finishes up what she's doing, then takes a few steps over to Bucky, because even though she wants to forget about this it feels like it's still there between them and she knows that he can feel it, too.

"I don't know." she hesitates. "I need to have a shower, so.."

"So that was, uh—that was.." Bucky stops, slowly letting himself smile. "That was...?"

"Not an invitation, no."

Bucky's grin widens at the sight of hers, turning all sweet and playful in the morning light.

"Right, that's what I was gonna say. That was not an invitation, no. That's what I was thinking. You see? We're on the same level. It's good, we're on the same page and everything."

Wanda smiles slowly, arms folded around herself as she watches Bucky's gaze flicker across her room. He turns back to her slowly, a crooked half-smile on his lips, and something softer back in his eyes. It makes her want to ask him to stay, it makes her want to spend the day with him. She wants it more than she should. Wanda knows they will have tonight and it will be here soon, but there's still a part of her that wishes they were already together again. She can't. She wants to, she does, but she can't. Another time, she reminds herself, as she comes closer and offers him a softer smile.

"So, was there something on your mind?"

He nods, standing from the bed again. He looks nervous, she sees that now. Not nervous because of her, it's because of last night. He's fidgeting with his jacket, and his gloves, and with anything that he can fidget or play with, and it's only as she becomes aware of his nerves that she slowly becomes aware of her own. Wanda doesn't realize that she's fidgeting like he is, not until she looks down and notices she's playing with the rings on her fingers. She stops soon, wraps her hands around herself, and stays quiet as he speaks.

"Yeah, I mean. There may be something else on my mind now. But before that, there was something I was gonna say." Bucky nods, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "I was just thinking about last night and everything that happened. If you want, we can talk about it. Or we can neuralyze it."

Afterwards there's only silence. Wanda blinks, once then twice, as Bucky walks closer. He must realize that she doesn't have any idea what he's talking about and it makes him smile, as if he's waiting for her to say that she's joking. She isn't

"You know, the movie. Men In Black." he goes on, as if this will explain it. "The Neuralyzer? Will Smith? The Flashy thing? Tommy Lee?"

If anything, Bucky just makes it harder for her to understand what he's talking about. She ends up smiling, amused by him. He's smiling too, but it's different. Bucky's grin of disbelief quickly turns into a much softer and sweeter smile that tells her without any words that he finds this all very cute.

"Don't worry, doll. I just worked out what we're gonna do on our second date." he smiles, coming closer. "All I meant was, if you want to forget last night then we can. We can start over if you want. I'll pick you up, we can go for a ride, have some real fun. And we can pretend for a while I'm not such a grumpy drunk. What do you say, red? Could be nice?"

Wanda hums, pretending to consider it when she already knows her answer. One day they will talk about this, about all of it, but for now she is happy to forget and to pretend they have put it behind them. She knows that it won't change things, that last night will still be there between them, it always will be, but for a while Wanda just wants to forget about all of this and be happy. She can see that he wants the same thing.

"You were not so grumpy." she smiles, walking back to the bed. "You were kind. A little grumpy? Yes. But mostly you were kind."

Bucky smiles, following her there to the bed, where she starts to pack away her things for work into her bag. He hovers for a minute, scoops up the book from the bed, then puts it back on the shelf. When he's done he lingers by the bookshelf, getting a clearer look at all the little ornaments and things scattered over it now that there's more light in the room.

"Aw, red. That's sweet of you to say." Bucky calls back, briefly distracted. "But I'm pretty sure you were the kind one and I was the grumpy one."

She seeks him out now, not really sure why she feels the need to come closer, to place her hand on his forearm and give it a squeeze. It's just something that she does, something that she feels brings the two of them closer. She doesn't know if it's because of last night that she wants to comfort him, or if it's what she feels around him, something she's noticed over time. She's comfortable around him, she seeks him out, finds ways to be closer to him.

It's been years since she let anyone get this close. But this is all different for so many reasons, and she decides that this is why. It isn't just last night, and it isn't just what she feels around him. It's what she feels for him, what she believes he might feel for her. She doesn't let herself dwell on any of that now, she just lets it slip out of her head as she focuses on other things, like the way he looks in the daylight and how bright his smile is today.

"Red, come on. You're being too nice, it's not good." Bucky sighs, trying and failing to hide his smile. "You gotta say the thing. You know, our thing. We're mean to each other but we're still kinda nice. Come on, doll. You gotta say it or you're gonna break my heart."

"Fine, I will say it." she smiles, dropping her hand from his arm. "You were the grumpy one."

Bucky grins like this is some kind of victory, and places his hand across his chest, over his heart. But she gets distracted, she can't really look, because as her hand falls from where it was on his arm he takes a hold of it. Bucky gently catches her hand, holding it, and at first she's a little surprised by it and then she realizes that he is, too. This is new for him, as new as it is for her, and he is trying to relearn it all again. She's still trying to do the same.

"Ah, there it is. Feels good, feels better. Doesn't it?" Bucky says eventually, letting his smile come through. "Okay, so, just to make sure..You really wanna go out on that date tonight? Because I'll be honest, I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to ditch the whole thing and go out with someone a little less grumpy. If that's what you want, I'll be okay with it. I promise."

"Oh, James. How many times do I have to say this?" she sighs, giving his hand a soft squeeze. "I want to go out on this date with you. I want to know your epic plans, I want to spend this time with you. And I think that I want to remember last night, too. We didn't do anything wrong. We were both dealing with things. Maybe we had too much to drink, maybe we said things. But I don't want to forget, and I hope you feel the same."

"Really?" he asks, frowning just a little. "You sure you don't wanna forget?"

"Yes. You were really not so bad, okay? The only thing was..You kept talking about how good I was, over and over again. You would not listen when I said the same thing about you. It was.."

She loses the word. Bucky easily finds it.

"Annoying?"

Wanda smiles, maybe more than she should. It doesn't seem to bother Bucky at all. He smiles, lets go of her hand, then stretches out his pinky, and at first she's a little confused and then she realizes what he's doing, or what he's trying to do. She laughs, glancing him over from afar.

"How about I shut up for the whole night? I can swear on it, we can swear." he smiles, coming closer. "Trust me, you're in for a great time. I won't say a thing. You'll have a blast. It'll probably turn out to be the best date you ever had."

"But if you are quiet all night, who will make all the bad jokes?"

He's quiet for about fifteen seconds before he comes up with a reply. It's sweet, really, and a little amusing, to see him this lost for words. Wanda catches at least three or four different thoughts come and go through Bucky's eyes before he works out what he wants to say. She finds it all very cute and knows that even after he is gone that she will smile thinking back on this morning and how sweet he was with her.

"There's always you—"

"Sestro? Jesi li budna?" Pietro interrupts loudly, from outside of her door. "Je li sve u redu?"

Bucky says nothing, and for that Wanda's glad. She quickly steps past him, over to the closed door, where she lets out a breath and answers her brother.

"Da, brate." Wanda answers, exhaling quietly. "Jesi li nešto trebao?"

On the other side of the door, Pietro isn't quiet for very long. He sounds close like he was that night, like he always is. It feels like he's going to come into her room at any second but she knows that he won't, not unless she lets him in or tells him to come inside and she doesn't intend on doing either of those things right now. It's not because she is ashamed of this, or of Bucky, but it's because for now this thing is just theirs and she wants to keep it that way for a little longer.

"Ne, dobro sam." he calls back soon. "Napravili smo dorucak kad si spremna."

We made breakfast when you're ready, Pietro tells her, and she's thankful for it even if she really isn't all that hungry. She'll join them later if there's time before work, she decides, as she lingers by the door and waits for her brother to leave. He lingers for a minute and she doubts that he will go, so she calls out her thanks and waits for him to walk away.

"Hvala ti brate."

Pietro only stays for another five or ten seconds before he leaves. She hears his footsteps as they disappear somewhere into the apartment, and about a minute later she recognizes the sound of his bedroom door closing. She realizes almost right away that now they've got time to get Bucky out of the apartment, that is if it stays empty long enough for Wanda to sneak him out.

She quickly turns back to Bucky, glancing him over to make sure he's got all of his things. It was only the shoes and jacket he took off and he's wearing those now so he's good to go, to give Wanda some time to get ready for work so she isn't late again. She still wants him to stay, she wishes that he could, but she can't. They will do that another time, she decides, as she places her hand on his shoulder to guide him quietly out of her apartment. If he doesn't leave now she's got the feeling that she will very late for work, or she won't end up going at all.

"You have to leave now. We don't have much time."

"What was that?" Bucky asks, eyes glowing with warmth. "Jesi le bud—"

"That wasn't it." she answers quickly, tugging him towards the door.

Or, more accurately, she's tries to tug him towards the door but it doesn't work. Bucky's much bigger than he looks sometimes, much bigger than she is. He's strong, too. He barely even budges as Wanda puts in a lot of effort to drag him over to her bedroom door. He stays where he is, feet pretty firmly planted on the ground, his eyes still bright, still filled with an endless curiosity, and it's only now that she realizes how curious he is about her. He is genuinely interested in her, the same way she is about him. But she sometimes forgets it, that he is here, that he wants to know her as much as she wants to know him.

"How am I gonna say it right if I don't even know what I'm saying?" he asks, then gives in and follows her to the door. "You could always teach me, you know. I've been told I'm a fantastic student. I'm sure we could teach each other a few things. Languages, art, other skills."

Smiling a little, she pulls him to the door and then stops before opening it. Other skills. It lingers, hangs around on her mind, even though it shouldn't, even though now is the worst time to let herself be distracted by his charm. Wanda forces it from her mind and peeks her head out of the door to make sure that the apartment is empty. Her eyes dart quickly over the space, where she soon finds breakfast waiting for her on the table. It looks good, she might even sit there and have something to eat if she's got the time. For now she makes herself focus on getting Bucky out of here. They don't have much time, not really, even if for now the apartment is empty and there's no sign of anyone else. He needs to get out of here, quietly and quickly, but something tells Wanda that today this will be hard for Bucky to do.

"Come on, I wanna know." Bucky pleads, still curious, still playful. "I gotta know what you're saying or it's gonna drive me crazy. Will you teach me?"

Wanda sighs and turns around to face him, to find him right behind her, so close that there's almost no space left between them. She sees now that he's serious, that even though he's coming off as playful, maybe even a little annoying, that he means this and he wants to learn it. So she decides that she will teach him, not just because he really wants to but because it feels like it will be the only want to quietly get him out of her apartment.

"Okay, fine." she sighs, taking his hand. "I will teach you, but you have to leave now."

Then she leads Bucky out into the quiet apartment, her gaze sweeping briefly over the coffees, berries, and bowls of fruit on the table. There's a part of her that, for a second, wants to sit down and have breakfast with Bucky, to not keep this to themselves and to have some fun, but she is late for work and it doesn't feel like it's going to be that kind of morning. So she leads Bucky over to the left towards the fire-escape, the closest way out of the apartment and the quickest.

"You have to leave now. And you have to use the window."

There's a second where Bucky looks at her, convinced that she's joking. Then he realizes that she isn't and he laughs, following her to the window anyway. It's safe and it's sturdy, and even she's climbed down it once or twice. Maybe just once. She didn't really like using it but he'll be fine, or she thinks that he will be until he starts to dig his feet in again.

"Wait, you're kidding?" he laughs, louder this time. "The door is—It's right there. It's literally right there. I could slip in and out, no one would know."

She hesitates, curious. "You are afraid of heights?"

This time when Bucky laughs it's too loud. So loud that she's convinced Clint or Pietro will hear. If they do hear it, if they hear anything at all, then they don't leave their room but it still makes Wanda feel nervous, still leaves her on the edge. Gently she nudges Bucky towards the window but it still doesn't really work. He barely moves, and so she stops trying to push him there and comes to stand in front of him, desperate to get him out of here. They don't have much time and it feels too risky for Bucky to go all the way to do the door, leave it, close it, and then make his way down two flights of stairs, without being seen by someone. It's just too risky and this thing between the two of them is too special right now, she doesn't want anyone else to know. She can't have Clint or Pietro finding about it yet, not until she's ready.

"Bucky." she begins, but doesn't finish.

"Isn't it gonna be worse if they see me out on this thing?" he asks, quieter this time. "Did you think about that? How would I ever explain to your brother why I'm climbing down a fire-escape, out of his sister's room? It's kinda weird, right?"

"They won't see. No one will see you." Wanda says, taking both his hands. "Please, go. I don't want to explain this to anyone right now. Unless you want to stay and explain it while I go to work..Then just go."

For a minute he considers it, then he starts to open up the window.

"Fire-escape it is." Bucky hums, swiftly climbing through it. "But you owe me for this, red. You owe me big time."

She thins a smile, amused. "I'm sorry, I don't think that's how it works. And I think we both know that you owe me one."

When Bucky straightens himself out on the fire-escape and turns to face her, she discovers that he's smiling again. It's sweet, and light, and happy. But mostly she finds it odd, not his smile but her feelings and how for a second she can only think about joining him out there. Wanda lets herself imagine how nice it would feel sitting with him out on the fire-escape, staring out at the city, his hand in hers. But she soon pulls herself out of those thoughts and takes a step over to the window, only realizing now that Bucky is still standing there, waiting for something.

For her.

"What are you doing?" Wanda frowns. "What are you waiting for? You have to go."

"Yeah, I know. But first..A kiss?"

Then he comes closer, ducking his head back inside the apartment through the half-opened window. He leans through it casually, like at any moment they aren't going to be caught out here by her brother and Clint. And even though she's still nervous about that, for a moment Wanda can't help herself, can't stop herself, from smiling at how sweet and silly he looks out there. Slowly she comes closer, leaning down to get on his level.

"Seriously? Bucky, go. Someone will see you."

"I know, and wouldn't that be awkward to explain?" he grins. "To your brother, and Clint. Oh. I can just imagine how awkward that's gonna be for you when they come out here and find us like this."

Wanda smiles slowly, wanting to shove his head out of the window and lock him out, or to leave him to deal with whatever happens if Clint and Pietro walk out and find him standing here. But something else keeps her here by the window, and she can't decide if it's her curiosity in what will happen next or if it's what she feels when she's around him. Or maybe it's because ever since their first kiss, all she's wanted to do is kiss him again.

"If I do this, you will go?"

His face lightens up. "Cross my heart."

It makes her laugh, probably more than it should when she is so close to her brother's room and they are so close to being found. But for a second, Wanda doesn't let herself care about any of that. She only lets herself care about this, about him, and what she wants, what they both want. She comes closer slowly, while quietly considering it. Wanda wants to kiss him, of course she does, and it seems like he wants the same thing. Maybe that's why he's doing this, why he's asking for a kiss at such a strange and inconvenient time. Maybe he's nervous after the first time and the way it ended, maybe he finds this the easiest way to let her know how he feels.

She didn't consider any of it until now, but when she thinks about kissing him again, when she thinks about their first kiss and everything that's happened since, she sometimes feels nervous, too. So she understands why this is his way of both trying to work out how she feels and letting her know how he feels without saying it.

"You are.." she stops, losing the words.

Bucky finds the word, or he thinks that he does. This time he's both wrong and right.

"Cute?"

"Annoying." Wanda corrects him, smiling. "Silly, and grumpy, and annoying."

"Ahh, you're too nice. Too nice, red. I could stand here and listen to you all day. I mean that, I really do."

Seconds later she kisses him. Wanda kisses Bucky, only for moment, but it still means something. It still sends that spark through her lips, through her body, just to touch him, to kiss him again. Then she quickly pulls away, her hands on his chest, as she pushes his head out of the window and then slides it shut and locks it. On the other side of the glass Bucky's face lights up when he realizes what's happened.

"Hey." he grins, leaning against the window. 

There's a pause. He lets himself smile more, at this, at her and the memory of their kiss still on his lips.

"That was cold, Maximoff. But also, totally hot."

"Go." she tells him, serious except for the hint of a smile.

"Alright, alright. I can take the hint. I'll see you tonight, doll."

Then Bucky leaves, glancing back at her one last time before he disappears down the fire-escape, climbing down it pretty swiftly for someone who didn't want to use it at all. The memory makes her smile, makes her stand by the window, lost in it all, for a long time after he's gone.  She finds her way back to her room eventually, where she showers, dresses for works, and then stops for five minutes to sit down and eat some breakfast—and through it all Bucky stays with her. He stays on her mind like he isn't going anywhere and it feels nice, feels like he might stay with her all day.

She hopes that he will.

* * * *

The text from Bucky comes through just after 7.

Wanda's in one of the empty stalls at work, butterflies in her stomach, trying to decide on an outfit for their date, when her phone buzzes from deep inside her bag and she kneels down to find it. She digs around for a minute, a little nervous, before she finds it and pulls it out from her bag, leaving all of her other things (her shoes, make-up, and t-shirts) where they are, messily scattered across the tiled floor, as she swipes open the screen and reads the text. It's small but it's still sweet, still makes her smile.

[7:07 PM]:

just got here, I'm at the bar. see you soon. :-)

She re-reads it three or four times before she puts her phone aside, but even then she can't stop thinking about it, can't stop thinking about Bucky out in The Green Tides, sitting on one of the bar-stools, waiting for her. Wanda smiles more thinking about him, as she gathers together some of her things from the floor and shoves them away in her bag. She knows that she's got a little time, that they aren't supposed to meet for another five or so minutes, but she's running late and she can't make up her mind on what to wear. She knows why, it's because of how long it's been since she's been out on a date. It's more than that, too. She knows that it's because of Bucky. It's what she feels when she's around him, it's what stays after he's gone.

It's this and it's so much more, and after a moment of over-thinking everything she reminds herself to breathe. Two breaths, slow. In and out. She repeats it until it feels better, until she feels less nervous and her chest feels a little less tight. Wanda doesn't know what it is that helps her to calm down, but she decides that it must be Bucky, that it must have something to do with thinking about him out in the bar waiting for her, feeling as nervous as she is. It's why she makes up her mind on what to wear for the night and she goes with her first choice: tight black jeans, dark boots, and a red jacket. Maybe it's too simple, maybe it isn't, she doesn't know. It's been a long time since she got dressed for a date and she doesn't want to overdo it, or let her nerves get the better of it. The outfit is fine, she reassures herself, as she starts to get dressed.

Wanda wiggles into the dark jeans quickly, her mind still adrift with thoughts of Bucky, even now. She pulls on the black boots with ease after her jeans are on and then she pulls on her red jacket, zipping it up and taking a moment to look down at herself once she's dressed. It looks good, she tells herself, maybe three or four times, before she packs away all of her things into her bag, slides her phone into the pocket of her jacket, and steps out of the stall into the emptiness of the bathroom.

She's running late but she knows that Bucky won't mind, that he is happy to wait. It's why she lets herself spend a minute by the sink, staring at her reflection, wondering what she will do with her hair, and her make-up, and with the memories of last night that slowly come back to her now. It feels strange to realize that last night they stood here together and things were so different then. Wanda doesn't let it get to her. She fixes her hair a little, leaving it out and wavy, and then she applies a little lipstick, a dark shade of red, close to the color of her jacket. Just as she's done applying her lipstick she feels her phone vibrate in her pocket and she pulls it out, smiling as she thinks about Bucky and his last message. She quickly discovers this text isn't like his last one at all.

It's small, impossible to read, and makes no sense.

[7:14 PM]:

gr5 dnt xoie yt

Wanda re-reads it three times before she shoves her phone away and leaves to find Bucky. The bar is crowded, too busy, too loud. Her eyes sweep the room, searching for him, but she finds nothing. No signs, no one that resembles him. Wanda walks through the space of The Green Tides slowly, both relieved to be done with work and a little concerned that she can't find Bucky anywhere. It's more that she's nervous. She checks her phone again, finds no new messages, so she sends him a text, sends a row of questions marks and then waits.

Nothing comes back to her. No calls, no messages, still no explanation. Wanda tries again, sending the same message. It's only after she finds a place to stand by the bar and shoves her phone away into her pocket that she looks up and finds Bucky.

More accurately, she finds them.

Clint and Pietro are here, tonight of all nights, and they're with Bucky, over at one of the tables by the window. She can't see his face, only Clint's, but she recognizes Bucky by the back of his head and his reflection in the window on his left. Her attention goes back to Clint soon, to where he's sitting facing the bar, with Pietro in the seat across from his, and Bucky in the seat next to her brother. She tenses at the sight and takes a second look at Bucky. He's sitting with his back to Wanda, unaware that she's here, that she can see them. She hesitates for a moment then forces a smile as Clint starts to wave at her.

Half a minute later, Wanda joins them. She weaves in and out of the crowds to get to them. When she arrives at their table Pietro's face lights up like he's surprised to see her here even though he always knew that she was working tonight. And then there's Bucky, who seems both pleased to see her and uncomfortable to be sitting with her brother. She understands why, that it must have been awkward for Bucky to explain what he was doing here tonight, at her work, on his own, when he never really came here much before they started spending time together.

It's now that she realizes she doesn't know what explanation Bucky gave them, if he gave any at all. Wanda tenses and shares a brief look with Bucky, knowing that she must be wearing the same look that he is. She tries not to let it show and makes her way over to the empty seat next to Clint, the one across from her brother and Bucky. After she's seated she glances up at the three of them, nervous again. Her gaze slowly flickers to Bucky, lingering for a little longer than she means for it to.

He looks good tonight, she thinks, lets herself get distracted thinking about, even if it's really not the right time. Bucky looks great, in his dark blue t-shirt, jeans, and leather jacket. It suits him, it always does. She quickly looks away, to Clint and to her brother, already aware that they must be here for a reason and not by chance.

"I didn't expect to see you two here. Any of you, I mean." Wanda smiles, a little nervous. "But I mean, the two of you..I thought you would be tired from work. Your early shifts this morning, I mean. What are you doing here?"

"We were in the area and we felt..Bored." Clint pauses, shrugging, not so casually. "And hey, since when do we need an excuse to see our favorite gal?"

Her first thought is that they are here because they want or need something from her. It's the only thing that makes sense, why they came by, why they are being so nice. Wanda eyes the two of them off briefly, until Pietro slides over a glass of wine for her and it confirms to her that they are definitely here for a reason. She picks up the glass, drinks a small sip, then lets her gaze flicker towards Bucky, as if he can somehow tell her what this is about and what they've talked about so far. She knows that he can't, she lingers anyway, before quickly glancing between Pietro and Clint again.

"Okay, what do you want?" she sighs. "You aren't here just to say hi. What do you need?"

Clint laughs, quite awkwardly, before sharing a very obvious look with Pietro. It lets her know, without any doubts, that there is more to this and that they are here to talk to her about something, maybe even ask something of her, and she doesn't mind. She just wants to know what it is and why they are here, so all of her little worries and doubts about what this is about can go away for a while.

"What? Nothing. We were just—in the neighborhood."

She lifts an eyebrow. "The three of you?"

"No, no. We ran into Barnes at the bar, he looked sad on his own. You could say we picked up a stray." Clint's quick to say, still smiling. "It was juts the two of us, here in the neighborhood, to come and see our favorite gal. Why do we need a reason to do that?"

"Stop calling me that. And just tell me what you want, okay?"

From across the table Bucky laughs, just a little, and it's only as he does that Wanda lets herself look at him again. Her eyes flicker over him slowly, down to his phone sitting on the table. So that's why he didn't answer. She gets it now, that maybe he was having a conversation with the two of them and trying to warn her to stay away at the same time. Wanda still doesn't know what his message means but she understands what he was trying to do and it makes her smile just a little.

"Yeah, look, Wanda.."

Bucky begins, stops, and take a sip of beer. As he does, Wanda finds herself consumed by the way it feels to hear him say her name. He's said it before, he's called her a bunch of names before, including this one. Still it means something, feels weird, but not in a bad way. She lingers on it, watching Bucky as he puts the beer back down and lets a brighter smile spread across his face.

"I wouldn't trust Barton if I were you. Between you and me, the guy's a professional liar." Bucky tells her, grinning. "I mean, I've known him for a long time and I can't even say that I really know him. Who is Clint Francis Barton? I don't know. And I think that says something, don't you?"

"Hey, Barnes." Clint's quick to cut in. "Would you shut up?"

There's a small shrug from Bucky, as he leans back into his chair and takes his beer with him. He looks a little more relaxed, she thinks, now that she's here with him and whatever he has to tell them about tonight he doesn't have to do it alone. Wanda feels a little better now that she knows Bucky is here with them by chance and not for any other reason. She takes another sip of wine, slides it away, and looks between the three of them as the conversation goes on.

"Can't help it, man." Bucky says a moment later. "I'm just doing my duty to society."

"Yeah, well, no one asked you to. And you don't even know Wanda, so." Clint smiles, turning back to her. "Back to our favorite gal. You are our favorite. Right, Pietro?"

"Of course. Always our favorite."

"Can you stop saying this, okay? Or your favorite gal is going to leave, because this is very weird." Wanda sighs, fidgeting with one of her rings. "It has been a long day, and I'm tired now, so whatever this is, whatever you need, just ask me. You don't have to be this, so nice, so sweet. Just tell me whatever it is, okay?"

It's now that Pietro comes closer, placing both of his hands on the table. He reaches out, takes Wanda's hands, and offers her a sweet smile.

"You are still our favorite but I will stop saying it, okay." he says, silent for a moment. "There is something, you are right about that. But it is only a small favor."

"Ah, so there is something." Bucky chimes in, grinning. "Told you I knew Barton. Didn't I? The man's a real piece of work, always working an angle—"

"Barnes, really. Shut it. Hey, actually, would you mind giving us a minute? Go bother someone else for five minutes, would you?"

Bucky's up from his seat in a second, taking his beer and phone with him. He doesn't leave right away, he hovers for about five seconds, looking between the three of them, and she understands why his gaze doesn't really linger, why he is being so casual. He offers her the briefest smile then turns away, disappearing somewhere between the crowds and the bar. Wanda tries to follow his movements with her eyes, tries not to lose him, but she does and after he's gone she finds that she can really only think of him, that is until the two of them in front of her start talking again.

This time, Clint just jumps right into it.

"Okay, so you know my farm?"

Oh, so this is it. This is all it is, she realizes. Nothing serious, nothing big or bad. Wanda feels herself let out a breath of relief, knowing that they aren't here to talk to her (about the lies, and the bruises, and the man she keeps inviting to her bedroom). She feels better, feels herself relax, and she wonders if Pietro feels it as he continues to hold her hands across the tables. It feels like he does, in some way, even though he doesn't show it. There's a look, small and barely there. It flickers across his face then leaves and he gives her hand a squeeze, saying nothing for now.

"Yes, what about it?" Wanda nods, a little confused. "This is the farm I have seen the pictures of, yes?"

"I have been there a few times, in North Carolina. Remember?" Pietro asks, smiling softly. "I stayed for three days. I told you about the horses."

Wanda thins a smile, amused.

"Yes. How could I forget...Peaches and George."

"Hey, don't be mean. My nieces named those horses." Clint grins, nudging her in the side. "Okay, well, back to it. The thing is, we kinda need you to babysit the farm for a week."

She waits for more of an explanation but nothing comes.

"I don't understand."

That's when Clint comes closer, leaning against the table, barely able to hide his smile from Wanda. He seems happy, she thinks. They both do, and while it is lovely she still doesn't really know why they're asking her to do this.

"The thing is, I'm taking your brother to California for a week." Clint grins, bursting with exciting. "It's coming up in about three weeks and I can't find anyone else to watch the farm at such late notice. It was a surprise, for Pietro. I told him about it today. We talked about it and thought you'd be just perfect to look after the place while we're gone."

It surprises her a little but not in a bad way, it's just a lot to think about. Wanda leans away, thinking it over, as one of her hands slips away from her brothers and she picks up her glass of wine. Pietro still holds on to her other hand, watching her, trying to get a read on her, as she lets herself think about what they're asking. She knows nothing about farms, or animals, they've never really had any. So it's a little overwhelming but she tries to keep it casual, soon lifting her gaze away from the wine and back to the two of them, both silent, both watching her expectantly.

"So you are two are taking a holiday?"

Pietro's smile grows. "Yes. A surprise. He is so romantic sometimes, isn't he? And sweet. I'm so excited, I have always wanted to see California."

She half-smiles back, still uncertain about this, about the responsibility of it all. It isn't a big deal, not really, but she has never done anything like this before. She has never been responsible for anything like this, and a week seems like a long time. She doesn't know how she feels about it but she doesn't want to say no, not right away. She decides that she will at least hear them out before she makes her mind up about anything.

"Um, tell me. The animals. What animals do you have?"

"Just the dog, a couple of horses, maybe a few chickens and some pigs." Clint smiles warmly. "But it's easy. You could come over, I could show you around. Teach you what to do. It'd be fun, don't you think?"

There's something that lingers in his eyes after, in both of their eyes, that Wanda finds she can't say no to, can't refuse. They both want this, for themselves, maybe even for her. They think she will enjoy this and when she looks at them, when she thinks about their little trip, she knows that they will enjoy that. Wanda wants to give that to them. She won't get in the way of their happiness, she never could, but she still has some doubts about this.

"How far away is the farm from the city?"

The two share a look before Clint answers.

"Half an hour in plane. Much, much longer by car. So a plane is better."

"What about work?" Wanda asks, frowning a little. "I will have to fly there and back for work?"

Then she gets it, from the look on Clint's face. He thinks she needs a break, too. A holiday of her own, away from this city, and the apartment, and all the memories that linger around her here. She understands why he might see it that way, and she doesn't know if he's right but maybe he is. Wanda isn't really sure what she needs right now, but she knows that she wants to get out of here and have a drink with Bucky. The thought reminds her of him and soon her gaze sweeps the bar, searching for him. This time she finds him sitting at a stool by the bar, finishing off his beer. He's not looking at her, he's looking down at his drink, waiting, and she finds that all she wants to do is go over to him. But first they need to finish this conversation.

"We were thinking you could take the week off." Clint says soon. "You could use it to get some much needed R&R. It's a win-win, really. When you think about it.."

"And we couldn't remember the last time you took a break from work." Pietro adds in, running his thumb across her hand. "You have always worked, Sestra. Ever since we came here, you have never stopped. You have never taken time for yourself. This would give you some time, and you deserve it. Just think about it, okay?"

Wanda hums, reaching for her wine. She finishes it in a few sips, pushes the glass away, and lets herself think about it.

"I still don't know about this. It sounds like a lot of work, and I don't want to kill any of your animals."

Clint chuckles warmly, amused. Then he reaches out a hand and gently pats her shoulder.

"Sweetheart, there's nothing to worry about. Trust me, if I can teach your brother a few things then you can learn, too. But don't feel pressured, okay? Just take your time and think about it. That's the only reason we wanted to talk to you about it tonight, so you could have some time to think. We don't have to talk about it again until you've made a decision, alright?"

She sighs, almost convinced. "Okay, just—tell me how long I would need to stay there? One week? And I would have to take care of the animals?"

"Yep, just the one week." Clint nods. "And it's not a lot of work, really. I could show you everything you need to know. I've got some neighbors that usually come and take care of things 'till I get back, but a week is a lot to ask and we thought of you. Besides, I wouldn't trust anyone else to stay there that long."

For some reason it makes Wanda feel guilty, makes her think about all that she's trusted Clint with, all that he's had to keep from her brother. She thinks about her lie that night, the lie that Clint has had to keep from Pietro. Maybe he hasn't had to lie about it but he's had to keep it to himself and this whole time she's felt so indebted to Clint, that she wants to do this for him. She knows that she will, she just needs a little more time.

"I will probably say yes, but just give me a few days. Okay?"

Pietro smiles, relieved. He kisses her hand gently then lets go. He looks happy, they both do, and in the end this is all Wanda wants for them. To be happy, to live their lives, to travel to new exciting places and to feel alive. This is why she knows what her answer will be in a few days. Yes, she will do this for them. She thinks that she would do anything for them, to see them happy, to see her brother so happy.

"Thank you, Sestra. You won't regret this, I promise."

"Before I make any decisions," Wanda pauses, looking between them. "I will have to see this farm, to know what it is like."

"Yeah, sure. Of course. No problem at all. We can work it out, go down for a night or two." Clint grins, excited. "We'll fly down, make a weekend of it. You can stay, we'll have dinner, you can meet the kids. And by kids, I meant the fur kids. It'll be fun."

Wanda smiles at the thoughts, at their new plans, and slowly sinks back into her chair. It sounds nice, a break away from the city, a little time away from all of the noise, and chaos, and memories. She lets herself think about it until she remembers her date over by the bar. When she looks back she realizes he's got a new drink now. It looks like whiskey but she can't be sure. He drinks a little, stops, then keeps drinking. Wanda almost smiles, but she quickly stops herself and looks back to her brother.

"So, what are your plans for the rest of the night?" Wanda asks, lifting an eyebrow. "After coming here and pretending to be nice to me, so I would do something for you..What will you do?"

Pietro grins sweetly. "We are going to a party, the people from work. The courier place." he explains, both excited and a little tentative. "It is like a good-bye party, I think. What can I say? I'm lovable. You should come, it is going to be lots of fun."

"Yeah, why don't you come? It'll be nice." Clint grins, bumping his elbow into Wanda's. "You're dressed up all nice. And I don't really know anyone there except your brother. Could be fun. We could get really drunk?"

"I don't think so." she smiles, after pretending to consider it. "It was a long day, I am too tired from work."

Another lie to her brother, another to Clint. She doesn't want it to be like this, doesn't want to lie, but she can't tell them about her plans with Bucky because it's something that she wants to keep to herself. She can't tell them that she's got a date either, because they will want to know, and they will push, and somehow they will find out and she can't let that happen yet. So she lies, only for now, only for a little longer. Or this is what she tells herself because she still hasn't worked out how to come clean to them yet.

"Okay, I understand. But you will have to come out with us soon, it has been so long." Pietro sighs, sinking back into his chair. "I feel like we only see you at the apartment and even then it is never for long. You are always working or you are tired from work, and we just miss you. Okay?"

Wanda reaches for Pietro's hand, giving it a soft squeeze. Then she climbs out of her chair, bringing her bag with her. On her way out she gives Clint's shoulder a squeeze, then she stops by Pietro and softly kisses the top of his head. He seems to brighten at the touch.

"We will go out soon, I promise." Wanda smiles, tussling his hair up. "I'll see you two later, okay? Be safe."

Pietro nods, waving her off with a smile. "You too, Sestra. See you at home. Have a good night."