It was less than twenty-four hours later that Bucky decided to stop sulking. He rummaged around in the makeshift kitchen, flipping pancakes on a hotplate.

"Your Director Johnson hasn't responded to any of my attempts at contact." Tesla came up behind him with a frown.

"Told ya," Bucky said over his shoulder before transferring the browned dough onto a dish.

"What are you doing?" She demanded with her hands on her hips.

Bucky shrugged. "What? You said I should make myself comfortable. So.. I'm making breakfast."

She paused for a moment, silently taking in his square shoulders and confident stance.

Bucky grinned, setting everything down at the table. "Help yourself."

"Are you doing this to infuriate me?" She wondered, although her voice was calm.

"No… I'm hungry. Aren't you?" He picked up a fork and chewed on a mouthful. "Besides, I like pancakes."

She narrowed her eyes carefully. "You will not win me over with your self-made breakfast treats. I'm not setting you free until I get what I want."

Bucky laughed. "It's just food, Tess. Not a bribe." He gestured to the table. "Here, have some. They're not poison or anything, I promise."

She slowly moved toward him. "And what's with the nickname? My name is Tesla."

He shrugged. "It's a term of endearment, Tess. Just like how people call me Bucky."

"That's stupid. Your name is James, is it not?"

"Yeah, but…"

"What, we're friends now?" She asked. "You still want to be friends after I kidnapped you and continue to hold you hostage?"

He smiled, raising another forkful to his mouth.

"You are just doing this to annoy me," she said softly, raising a hand to his face.

"Is it working?" He asked, taking note of how she moved her fingers across his temple. "Are you just touching me to annoy me?"

"Yesterday you were withdrawn and today you act like you own this place," She observed aloud.

"I guess I'm harder to read without your nano-paths, huh?"

She leaned her face closer to his and smiled when his eyes widened. "Not that much harder," she told him.

"Oh?"

"You're wondering if I'm going to kiss you again," she said, bringing her other hand to his face and boldly tilting his head back. "And probably trying to work out whether or not you want me to."

"That's a fair assumption," he said calmly. "But you're not the first woman to try to play me like this. I know you just want a reaction."

She grinned. "What kind of a reaction do you think I want? And what makes you think you haven't given it to me already?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"You're not moving away," Tesla pointed out, pulling his head down to hers.

"Tesla…. wait…" he said softly. "I'm not what you want. Although, clearly you find me attractive."

She shrugged. "I don't find you unattractive. And what makes you think you know what I want?"

"I… I don't…"

"Sssh…." She said softly, placing a steady finger over his lips. "They're here."

"Wha… What?" A second later, he heard the sound of helicopter blades in the distance.

She grinned. "It's showtime." With that, she took his elbow in her hand, leading him through the only exit.

Her smile faded when she saw the aircraft land. "It's Hawkeye and the Black Widow," she said irritatedly.

He nodded. "I guess that means you're in trouble now, Tess. They're the ones that get sent when you've really, really pissed someone off."