The clock stared at her from across the room. 2:52…2:53… She sighed, rubbing a hand across her face as she forced her eyes closed. She'd crawled into bed 4 and a half hours ago, wishing for sleeping and finding any but.
Astrid pulled herself upright with a groan, knowing sleep wasn't in her future tonight. Her tired eyes scanned the room, desperate for a solution to her problem. She smiled as they settled on her sketch book; it had been a while since she'd had time to draw. Hydra had been coming out of the woodwork and she couldn't remember the last time any one of the Avengers had had a day off.
"It's a good a time as any." She mumbled to herself, pulling on a pair of yoga shorts and grabbing her well-worn book before cracking her door open.
The silence was thick and comforting as she crept down the hallway towards the living room of the Stark Tower, smiling to herself as she passed the snores of her sleeping friends. She entered the vast living room, her eyes taking in the sleeping city of New York as it stretched before her. Astrid stopped, pressing her forehead against the cool glass. "It's the city that never sleeps." Tony had told her when she had first arrived. That makes two of us. She thought, plopping herself down in a chair in front of the window. She opened her book, flipping through it to find a clean page. She had to force herself not to look at her work. Most of the time, Astrid drew the things that make her happy, made her feel human; old pictures of her parents, kids at the park down the street, the old man she talked to when she bought coffee from his shop, but sometimes, she drew the things that kept her awake, terrified to close her eyes, on the really bad nights when the nightmares had threatened to swallow her whole.
She decided, closing the book with a snap, that a cup of tea would help. She made her way into the kitchen, searching around for a mug and setting about making her tea. She left the bag to steep after the water boiled and began her drawing, trying her best to capture the beautiful calmness that had enveloped the city.
45 minutes, a cold cup of tea and a hand cramp later, Astrid sat back. The picture in front of her was complete but she could still feel the thoughts in her mind running circles. She huffed, putting her head in her hands.
"Seems I'm not the only one having a rough night." A voice rang out in the darkness and Astrid was on her feet in a flash, her back up knife wrapped securely in her hand. Bucky Barnes smiled as he leaned up against the door frame. He put his arms up in mock surrender
"Whoa, stand down! Didn't mean to scare you!" He said as Astrid dropped the knife onto the table, doing her best to calm her fluttering heartbeat.
"Sorry Buck, guess I'm just a little on edge." She apologized, following him into the kitchen.
"Yeah, no kidding. It's been a hell of a week." He smiled, opening the fridge. Astrid hummed in agreement, leaning herself against the counter.
The last few weeks had been hard on them all. It seemed like every time they destroyed an enemy base, another popped up in its place. She knew it had to have been particularly hard on Bucky, seeing as he'd been ordered to stay behind. HYDRA had been ruthless in its attempts to reclaim their prized Winter Soldier and the The Avengers were ruthless in their attempts to keep Bucky safe.
"You with me, doll?" Bucky's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She stole a glance at him as she sipped on her now cold cup of tea, finding his face one of worry and amusement.
"Yeah, I'm here." She said softly, forcing a smile to swallow back the thoughts that were swirling around in the back of her head. "Wh-what did you say?"
"I asked if you wanted some food? I make a mean grilled cheese, and I don't think you've eaten since breakfast." He asked and Astrid broke into a real smile at the worry in his voice.
"You're beginning to sound like Steve." She joked and Bucky let out a laugh that soothed her troubled heart, taking her answer as a yes.
They fell into a comfortable silence as Astrid watched Bucky float around the kitchen, humming as he cooked. He was so different from when he had first arrived 4 months ago. He had been a mess of anger and desperation, scrambling to find the jumbled memories HYDRA had ripped from him. Anger had turned to guilt and guilt had brought the nightmares that had almost destroyed him, along with half the furniture in his room. But Bucky was still Bucky, underneath it all. He was sweet, charming, and surprisingly shy, despite Steve's insistence otherwise.
"Almost done. You mind grabbing some plates?" Bucky asked as Astrid set plates down next to him, watching as he slid the perfect looking grilled cheese onto them.
"I hope you're hungry." He said as they sat together at the bar.
"Hell yeah I am! My mom used to make me grilled cheese when I was sick." Astrid confessed, a sadness tingeing her words at the thought of her mother. She stopped, shaking her head and flashing a smile at Bucky as she took a bite.
"And?" Bucky asked, waiting on bated breath for a response.
"Holy shit, Buck! This is amazing!" She exclaimed as Bucky's eyes beamed.
"I didn't know you could cook! I've been eating Star Spangled shit for 7 months now!" She joked and Bucky winked.
"There's a lot you don't know about me, Doll." He countered, a smirk spreading to the corners of his mouth.