A/N: Sorry it' so late, but I'm back after 2 some odd years. I was fighting for my freedom, jk, I just graduated high school in 2016 and started college. Oh, AND I had a baby! Without further ado (a story that does not pertain to the other ones I have written, albeit same characters, let's call this an updated rewrite) I present…
Blood Runs Cold
1 Year Before Thanos
It was dark when they landed, the lights from the Quinjet quickly illuminated the landing pad and cold air rushed into the jet as the door opened downward. It was a familiar cool to Bucky, not exactly cold like Siberia. The lack of moisture in the air is what threw him off the most though. After spending so much time in a warm, humid, African country, the sudden change in climate was uncomfortable.
"Remember what we talked about?" Cap grabbed his shield and bag of equipment off of the chair.
"Yeah…" Bucky sighed. "Keep to myself, obey every order, answer 'yes sir, no sir."
"Not exactly." Cap chuckled. Bucky loved the sound of his laughter so much he smiled himself. "I said avoid conflict as much as possible. This is his facility which means he can kick us out whenever he wants."
"Why are we even here, Steve?" Bucky grabbed his bag and put his hair up in a bun.
Steve sucked some cool air in, "He's been having these nightmares. He wants us-well me to help get everyone in order just in case something happens. Thor has been going on about some 'magic power stones' and due to recent events, it just seems like a good idea."
"Magic power stones?" Bucky slung his bag over his shoulder as the two made their exit from the jet.
Cap sighed, "I don't know Buck, this is all beyond my understanding."
"So what do I do if he tries to start something with me?" Bucky saw Tony approaching them with Thor, Natasha, and Sam.
Steve looked over at his friend and grinned, "You diffuse it."
Bucky snorted softly and smiled, sensing the slight sarcasm.* "Ok then."
"Hey there Barnes, who's the blonde?" Stark quipped.
"Ha ha." Steve blurted as stepped off the landing pad, he shook Tony's hand. The super soldier's hair was long, it was going to take a while before everyone got used to it.
Bucky followed and did the same. He must have seemed apprehensive because Tony turned to him and said, "Look, I know we've had our…differences. Yeah, maybe we tried to kill each other a couple of times. It happens." Sam shook his head slightly and looked at the ground, almost like he wanted to hit Tony.
Bucky pursed his lips inward for a moment "It's in the past. I'm ready to move on." He realized that his words sounded cold, but he meant them. He was tired of the tension in Steve's voice whenever he talked about Tony or about the incident or even about before the incident. Bucky knew it had been tearing Steve up.
Tony nodded slightly, almost like he was expecting something more. "Me too. Let's get you guys moved in, it's late." He set off for the facility. Natasha hugged them both and set off after Tony, Thor and Sam offered handshakes and pats on the back. It was the first time Bucky had even met Thor.
"Where's the rest of the team?" Steve asked.
"Asleep." Thor answered.
"Or drunk." Sam sighed. "Banner has been doing a lot of that lately since…what do you call it Thor?"
"Ragnarok, Asgard was destroyed, my people are on a planet that is providing temporary aide until we can find a home." Thor sounded defeated.
"I'm sorry." Steve grabbed his arm and squeezed it to comfort him.
As they entered the facility a rush of cold air (even colder than outside) hit them in the face. "Who the fuck turned the air conditioning on?" Sam shivered and rubbed his arms.
"Language." Steve chimed in.
"I did." Stark echoed from ahead, "Keeps the overnight remodeling team awake. I do it every night, you guys are just asleep by now."
"That's stupid." Natasha muttered. It was 2:18 in the morning.
"Barnes, Rogers." Stark waited for them to catch up to him. "Your sleeping quarters are down there labeled H, for Barnes, I for Rogers."
"How convenient, H." Bucky thought, he wondered if Tony did that on purpose. It would haunt him forever, he knew. He wished that letter would be erased from the English dictionary.
"Um, Mr. Stark I heard a noise that sounded like-." A teenage boy, eating a bag of pretzels stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Steve, but when he saw Bucky his face drained of color "Oh shit."
"Watch your mouth." Steve scolded.
"Y-yes sir. I'm sorry." He stuttered. "Mr. Stark, I thought I heard like a helicopter but it must have been them. I'm so sorry for interrupting. Hey weren't you just talking about how much you-."
"Parker, it's late. Get to bed." Tony commanded.
"He missed you." Peter loud whispered to Steve. "Like cries about it at night missed you."
"Parker, you're grounded from the suit!" Tony raised his voice, "you'll train without it tomorr-today."
"Aww but whyyy?" Peter groaned, "It's ok to have a man crush." Sam did his best to keep from laughing, the joke bounced right off of Thor, Natasha ran a hand through her hair in irritation, and Bucky was unsure how he felt about this supposed 'man crush' on his best friend.
"Peter, it's bed time. We have an intense day ahead of us. Get some rest." She stated, almost like she was talking to a child.
"Yes ma'am." He shoved the rest of the pretzels in his mouth and took off the opposite direction. He quickly spun back around walking backward. "Oh, Captain," He began with his mouth half full. "I'm in room L." Peter crinkled the bag and shoved it into his hoodie pocket as he spun back around and headed for his room.
"Who's the new kid?" Bucky asked.
"You don't remember him from the parking lot?" Natasha chimed in.
"Was it the guy who got really big?" He looked over at Steve.
"No." Natasha chimed in. "That was Scott Lang."
"Oh, the other guy in a red suit, the one that took Steve's shield." He stated
"Bingo." Sam gave him a pat on the back. "He's only 16."
"Christ, why are we recruiting kids that young?" Bucky thought back to how little Steve was at that age.
"You weren't that much older when you joined the war." Steve told him. "And you didn't have special abilities. This kid does. He was bit by a radioactive spider."
It was true. Bucky wasn't much older.
"I was but a boy when I beheaded my first beast." Thor laughed proudly. "I think I was the earth equivalent of 10 years old." Silence.
"Ok, we can catch up tomorrow. Let's all just get to bed." Tony told them, kind of flustered. "That kid will be the death of me." He said under his breath.
"Alright then, goodnight everyone." Sam headed off down the opposite hall.
"Sleep well, friends," Thor followed Sam down the hall. Bucky found it strange that he and Thor just met but he was already being called 'friend.' People here get way too comfortable with each other.
"Let's go guys, I'm in room J. Right next to you Steve." Natasha ushered them down their hall. "You know, Peter wasn't exactly lying." She turned to Steve as they walked. "That fight shattered him. He's been an emotional wreck ever since."
"Well I haven't exactly been chipper about it either," Steve confessed. "I've had some down days."
"He loves you, you know." She stated.
"I know." Steve replied. "I love him too."
Bucky was getting uncomfortable. He was unsure if Steve meant love as in like brothers, because he himself loved Steve like a brother, or in the romantic sense. Cap really hadn't been much into women after that short fling with Sharon, but then again, he hadn't exactly been around a lot of women.
"Night Steve, Goodnight Ms. Romanova." He nodded to them and disappeared into his room. The door closed and blocked out all noise. The sudden silence made his ears ring. "Are these rooms soundproof?" He asked himself.
"Welcome to your sleeping quarters! Now with new soundproofing software." A friendly voice echoed from above. Bucky nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Who is that?" He demanded, reaching for his gun in his bag.
"My name is FRIDAY I am your virtual assistant." The voice chimed. "I can disable the soundproofing software to make you more comfortable."
Bucky sighed in profound relief and then anger struck. "No need. Fucking Tony. Could've warned us."
"There is no need to use your personal weapon. I have an arsenal stocked and ready for your use anytime." The wall behind his bed slid up and revealed 6 different types of semi-automatic weapons as well as 3 different brands of pistols and one pump action shotgun. All ammo was at the bottom.
"Nice." A smile tugged at his lips. 'I'll sleep with that arsenal open if that's ok with you."
"Of course Mr. Barnes."
He slipped his loaded glock under his pillow and undressed to his underwear. He didn't feel tired but he felt himself drifting off as soon as his head hit the pillow.
*Try saying that 5 times fast 'softly smiled sensing slight sarcasm'...yeesh alliteration.
Hope you guys enjoyed! Feel free to leave reviews, just a friendly reminder if you have CONSTRUCTIVE criticism please be KIND about it. I've recently had someone be incredibly rude to me about something I wrote, it really ruins the whole experience for everyone when you leave nasty reviews. We are a community of writers who need to be uplifting and kind to one another. That being said, if you be a cunt to me I'll be nice the first couple of times but after that, no longer. Everyone have a fantastic day! Chapter 2 will be out soon!
