"How many?" Bucky asked again.

"Three," Steve answered.

Bucky dealt three cards across the table.

They were playing poker, just the simple version they used to play when they were kids, betting with matchsticks like they used to do with Bucky's grandmother on rainy Saturday afternoons in the 1920's. Steve had no idea who was actually winning because they kept forgetting to claim their winnings, and he was pretty sure that Bucky was sneaking matchsticks from his pile when he thought Steve wasn't looking. It was silly, pointless and awesome.

Steve couldn't even say how much it meant to him that Bucky had come or how grateful he was to Sam for helping Bucky with his rehabilitation. It felt like they really had found each other again, being able hang out like this. Seeing him at ease in the Avengers facility was a dream come true.

And while they were making the most of Steve's recovery time by getting to know each other again, he still knew Bucky well enough to be able to tell that there was something on his mind.

"Spit it out."

Bucky looked over and fixed him with a serious look.

"What really happened, Steve? You nearly died and he hasn't got a mark on him."

Steve knew exactly where this line of thought was going, and he wanted to shut it down quick smart.

"This wasn't Thor's fault."

"No? Whose ass do I kick then?"

"Loki is the only one to blame."

"So where can I find him?"

"I wish I knew." Bucky looked like he was fixing to do something stupid. "Hey, it's a job for the team, not just you."

"I can't let someone get away with doing this to you."

"Bucky, I'm not a ninety-pound 4F anymore. When we deal with it, we do it together. Remember the Howling Commandos? It's like that. I can hold my own now, he caught us by surprise is all. We'll be ready next time."

Reminding Bucky of their time fighting side by side seemed to help a little, he didn't look quite so set on taking Loki on alone.

"And you do know Thor would be the one doing the ass-kicking, right?"

"Oh please," Bucky scoffed. "I could totally take him."

"No," Steve emphasised. "You couldn't."

"Whatever punk," Bucky dismissed, obviously not convinced.

"Don't start anything, Buck..." Steve warned, because it seriously was one fight he would lose.

"Without that hammer he's nothing but a long-haired lout."

"Looked in the mirror lately, pal?" Steve teased, reaching over and tugging on a loose strand of Bucky's shoulder length locks. In 1945 he'd have freaked out if it looked like getting anywhere near his collar, let alone long enough to tie back.

"My hair is nowhere near as girly as his."

"No," Steve laughed. "The fluffy, little ponytail is in no way adorable."

"Obviously not. It's easy and practical," Bucky dismissed. Suddenly, his face lit up and Steve turned to see that Sam had walked into the room.

"Okay, let's ask Sam," Steve suggested. "Hey Sam! What do you think of Bucky's hair?"

"I dunno," Sam said playfully, walking over and stepping behind Bucky. "The little ponytail is pretty cute but maybe you should try one of those trendy man-bun things." The suggestion was followed by an attempt to twirl Bucky's hair up into said do. The picture created by this unlikely scene made Steve laugh.

"Get off," Bucky said, batting Sam away. Sam took the opportunity to ruffle Bucky's hair some and then Bucky shoved Sam in return.

Watching them together like this was almost surreal. It was good though. Really good. He wanted his friends to get along, but Steve had to wonder if it was more than that and if Thor might be right.

xxx

If Bucky had any idea where to start looking for this Loki prick that's where he'd be, but he didn't, and he knew his best option for finding the villain was a hammer-wielding spaceman.

On his search, he came across the girls chilling out in the living room.

"Where's the alien?"

"Star gazing," Wanda answered.

"Huh?"

"The roof," Nat supplied.

"Thanks."

"Hey, you're not gonna start anything are you?"

"Why do people keep saying that?"

"Have you met you?"

"You said the roof, right?"

"Play nice," she called after him. Well that was all gonna depend.

As directed, Bucky found Thor on the roof, face tilted up towards the night sky and damn him if he didn't look all perfect and regal and godly. Maybe he should be flattered, Steve had replaced him with a god, no one on Earth had compared. Didn't mean he couldn't still be sore at the guy though. But this wasn't about him or Thor and whatever they might think of each other, it was about pay back for what had happened to Steve, so Bucky would play nice to get what he wanted.

"Which one is yours?"

Thor turned to him, surprised apparently at his presence, or maybe just his civility, but he accepted the possible olive branch, raising his hand and pointing upwards.

"Asgard. That bright white one there."

Bucky looked up at the sky. He used to like stars, every American felt some affinity with them. They had been a symbol of Captain America too, and that meant Steve. But since then he'd gotten his own star and now they didn't shine quite as brightly for him as they once had. Still, being the way he was now, at least it meant he was strong enough to get this job done.

"So, what are we gonna do about this crazy brother of yours?"

"It is not your concern," Thor stated, trying to shut him down but Bucky wasn't gonna be taking no for an answer.

"The hell it isn't. Look, Steve's made it pretty clear how he feels about you, and I've accepted that, but I still care about him. Seeing him banged up like this... I can't let it go. I never could. So whatever you're planning, I want in."

"Loki is very dangerous."

"So am I."

"He is not like any foe you've faced before. He has new abilities that not even I understand."

"I don't give a damn what he can do. He can shoot laser beams out his ass for all I care. Nothing is gonna stop me giving him what he deserves after what he's done to Steve."

Thor gazed at him thoughtfully.

"I never understood his feelings for you until now. All the searching, every HYDRA base we destroyed... He always claimed he was only doing what he knew you would do in return."

"We were always there for each other, this is no different."

Thor nodded.

"Steve wants us to wait," Bucky continued. "But there's no way I'm letting him near that psycho again."

"That much we agree on."

"Guess that puts us on the same side then. So, I'll ask again. What's the plan?"

"Heimdall is searching. As soon as he has a location, I aim to finish it. Once and for all." Thor didn't look happy about taking out his brother, but he did look fixed on his resolve. Bucky almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

"Then that's something else we can agree on. There's just one thing I gotta take care of first then I'm good to go."