The Misadventures of Bucky Barnes: Everyone Blames Steve

Disclaimers: I do not own Marvel, Disney, or any characters associated with the before mentioned companies. This is a work of pure entertainment and no copyright infringement is intended. This is a work of entertainment and no monetary gain is being procured from this work. Please do not sue and again no copyright infringement is intended this is just for fun.

Summary: This is post "Civil War" but probably not compliant considering the movie isn't even in theaters yet. Steve is helping Bucky become re-acclimated to "normal" life. Steve helps Bucky come out of his shell by offering a double date. The only problem is that Bucky has no one. Steve once again -being the great friend he is- tries to set Bucky up with someone. Bucky is taken on a series of double dates that really makes him reconsider his choice to not kill Steve. This is a look at Bucky's life as he tries to adjust to the world of dating, crazy technology, dating, and delicious food.

Chapter Six: Finding Someone for Bucky: It Only Takes a Team

Steve gets the text from Natasha and shows it Sharon. She looks at Steve and bites her lip. "Do you really think this will work?"

Looking at Sharon he shrugs. "I don't know, but what other options do we have? No offense Sharon, but your friends are nuts."

Nodding, she looks up at Steve with guilty eyes. "I'm beginning to see that now, okay? I think that me, you, Natasha, and Sam should meet her first. That way we can prevent anymore public scenes."

Smiling, Steve nods and gets an idea. "We can do it tomorrow. Bucky doesn't have therapy and he will be busy getting his arm re-calibrated."

She immediately grabs her phone and texts the others. "If they are free, I don't see why we can't do it tomorrow. I hope this works Steve."

He pulls her close and kisses the top of her head. "Me too."

The next morning Steve makes Bucky go to Stark to get his arm re-calibrated and repaired. It is a fight and Bucky tries his best to make excuses but he does eventually go. Steve knows that Stark doesn't do anything or say anything out of the way but Bucky doesn't like people looking at his arm. The whole team knows that Bucky hates his arm because it reminds him of the bad things he's done as the Winter Soldier, but it is part of him and it cannot be changed.

Steve, Sam, Natasha, and Sharon meet outside of Frank's Diner and Natasha sees the waitress walk in and punch her time clock. Seeing the waitress up close surprises Natasha. "That's her, she's actually beautiful up close."

They look in the direction of Natasha's sight and Sam chuckles. "Damn, I can see why Bucky is crushing on her. I would be shocked if he weren't crushing on her."

Sharon looks at the waitress and notes that she immediately start working. "She's the one you saw yesterday?"

Nodding, Natasha points to the booth that Bucky occupied yesterday. "Yeah, he was tense, shy, confident, and trusting all at the same time. If we can hook her in then we can make Barnes happy."

Chuckling, Sam looks at Natasha with a playful smirk. "So, you're Barnes fairy god-spy."

Glaring, Natasha points and Sam. "Keep it up Pinocchio and you won't be a real boy anymore."

They settle down before occupying the booth Bucky took yesterday. It doesn't take long and their target approaches the table. Everyone smiles and takes a menu from the young woman. Pulling a note pad from her apron she smiles at the group. "Hello, my name is Elle and I will be your server today. How may I help you?"

Sharon looks at the menu and bites her lip. "We haven't eaten here; do you have any suggestions?"

Smiling, Elle looks at the group. "We have blueberry muffins fresh from the oven, but if you're looking for something more substantial we have the Mega Breakfast Platter. Three eggs, sausage or bacon, hash-browns, toast, and coffee for five dollars."

Looking over the menu and deciding that it would be now or never Steve makes the first move. "I will have what ever Bucky usually orders."

Raising her brows, Elle looks at Steve. "You know Bucky?"

Reading, Steve nods and smiles. "Yeah, he's my roommate. I know he loves the food here because he brings stuff back all the time."

Tilting her head, Elle looks at the small group and puts her pen in rings of her note pad. "He doesn't know you're here."

Natasha raises a brow and looks at her. "What makes you say that?"

Looking around Elle sees another group of people coming to her section. "I will give you all time to look at the menu and I will return with your answer."

She walks off and Natasha looks at Sam and Steve. "She's perceptive isn't she?"

Sharon nods and looks over the menu. "Yeah, I can see why Bucky would like her."

Sam nods and looks at the menu. "Yeah, this looks good. I wonder how she knew. It isn't like we are reeking of friends on a mission."

Steve looks at Natasha. "You don't think when I told her I'll have what Bucky gets could have tipped her off do you?"

Natasha shakes her head and sees Elle coming. "No, but she did promise us an answer."

Elle walks up and puts water on the table. "Give me your order and you get your answer."

Sam chuckles. "Do you bust his chops like this too?"

Elle smiles. "Only every time he walks in."

Steve chuckles and looks at the menu. "I will have the three egg platter. Bacon. Wheat toast. Eggs over easy and I want coffee and two apple fritters please. Oh and a short stack of pancakes."

Natasha looks at her menu. "Coffee, a veggie omelette, wheat toast, and extra mushrooms please."

Sam looks at her. "Okay, my turn and you keep your end of the deal. I want a Super Stuffed Hash-brown with extra cheese and extra bacon and I want coffee too."

Sharon smiles and looks at Elle closely. "I will have oatmeal and wheat toast."

Elle smiles and and takes their menus. "He may or may not have mentioned that his friends are trying to set him up. Why are you here?"

Smirking, Sam looks at her and plays with his creamers. "Just curious about the diner, what else has told you?"

Elle smiles. "Nothing much, he just told me he has very well meaning friends who do crazy things sometimes, excuse me but I must get these orders out."

Walking away, she attends her other customers. An old man with sunglasses comes out from the back and starts talking to customers. He walks over to Elle and she nods and looks at the table of heroes. She and the old man walk back together. The old man smiles and looks at them. "Hi, I'm the owner, Frank, I see you've taken an interest in Elle."

Steve nods. "Yeah, well more like one our friends has an interest in her."

Frank nods and looks at Elle. "It must be that Bucky fellow. He's always eating whatever she suggests. Did you all know he's brought food to her?"

Elle closes her eyes to hide the automatic roll. She looks at the table and smiles at them as they look at her. "He had an extra sandwich. It was just a lunch break."

Frank laughs and looks at them like he is about to tell a story. "They look so cute together. All they need are 1940's outfits and a shared milkshake."

Elle bites her lip and sighs. "Can I please get back to work, sir?"

Frank looks at her and motions for her to take a seat next to Steve. "No, let me tell you a story; it's how they first met! She had been working here for two weeks and was waiting on that Bucky fellow when this skinny little white guy comes in. He's jumpy, twitchy, and looks like he's on drugs and she looks up at him from pouring Bucky's coffee. She whispers to him and he stands up just as the guy pulls a gun. Bucky takes the guy down and the store is saved. He gave her all the credit."

Elle is looking down at the table and fights the urge to put her head through it. "I used to live in the deep south. If I don't know what a concealed weapon looks like by now then something is very wrong with me."

Frank laughs. "Too bad you weren't around when I worked at the Smithsonian, maybe you could have found that punk who stole Captain America's uniform and I wouldn't have been fired."

Elle looks up at him and sighs. "If you wouldn't have been fired then you would have never been able to live your dream. We've been over this, sir."

Frank laughs and looks at them. "If you're going to ask her to go out with your friend I would do it now while I'm embarrassing her. She will say anything to get me to stop."

She looks confused at the team. "What?"

Natasha looks at the old man. "How did you know?"

Frank smiles and points to an old woman working the grill. "How do you think my wife and I met?"

Elle does allow her head to hit the table and Steve winces at the sound. He ducks his head to her level. "All we ask is that you and Bucky have lunch with me and Sharon. If it goes well then it goes well, if it doesn't then we won't bother you anymore."

Elle looks at the team and her boss. "If I say yes, may I please go back to work?"

Frank nods and looks at them. "Yeah, what's your answer?"

Elle turns red but keeps her expression cool. "Fine, I will have lunch with Bucky. Excuse me, my customers need me."

Franks smiles and motions for her to go. He looks at the team as she walks off. "She's a fire cracker. Selfless to a fault. I haven't found a more hard working person around. Make sure your friend doesn't break her heart though."

Sam looks at Frank. "Has this happened before?"

He nods. "Not this exact situation, but yeah. She isn't a crying type of person. She holds it back and keeps moving. Anyways, this guy broke her heart once. They had been dating for a year and she found out that he was sleeping with best friend at the time. She confronts them and tells them that she knows but they lied. Her eyes went blank and lost their fire. She looked at them and cut them out of her life for good. She walked around on autopilot for weeks."

Sharon looks at Natasha and then Frank. "Did she tell you why she didn't cry?"

Frank nods and looks at her. "She doesn't cry in public. She won't even when something terrible has happened. She didn't cry when Ultron started killing people but when she came into work her eyes were puffy. She just doesn't cry in public."

Natasha looks at Sharon. "See? This match will be perfect. Thank you for your help, sir."

Frank smiles and looks at them. "It is always nice to help heroes. Breakfast is on me. Have a good day."

Steve eats and hopes that Natasha is right about this match. Bucky needs someone strong and kind and smart to help him through the hard times. Steve chuckles a bit and smiles when his food arrives. He looks at Elle and then the plate. Bucky needs someone like his mother; he needs a hard working, strong, loyal, and independent woman who will bust his chops and take care of him when he needs it. He smiles and chuckles when Frank slips him a note telling Steve that Elle has tomorrow off.

Everyone hopes that she's the date for Bucky and that this date goes well. They finish their meals and leave her a sizable tip. Sharon smiles as she puts down the piece of paper with the contact information and the name of the deli. She hopes this works.