A/N* Sorry for the delayed update! March is always a busy time.
Aubrey's legs roughly touched down on the roof of the apartment building, they wobbled and her wings flapped, waiting until her legs adjusted and were ready to hold her weight. Breathing deeply, she relished the Bucharest night air and attempted to calm the excited nerves writhing in her stomach. Bucky's apartment was down a few floors but she didn't want to risk being seen. So instead of flying she carefully scaled the building until a window on the third floor from the top caught her eye. It was closed with white curtains and looked like the one Bucky had described in the coded message from the morning before. Gripping the edge of the windowsill, Aubrey jiggled it and exhaled a breath of relief when the window slid open. She slipped inside, pushing the curtains closed behind her.
Her eyes adjusted to the dark quickly and located the light switches, flicking them on, she took in the room. Tan-colored wallpaper dotted with flowers covered most of the walls except for the kitchen that was to her left, it had white tile, tan cabinets, and a small island. Directly in front of her stood empty shelving that took up the entire wall and to her right was a mattress on the floor, a side table with a lamp beside it. A door with newspaper covering where the window belonged sat by the fridge in the kitchen.
Aubrey set her bag on the floor and plopped down onto one of the stool as the island, still quietly noticing the small things in the room. How several cans of chili were stacked neatly on one of the cabinet shelves, a very familiar blue leather journal on top of the fridge, and a board on the floor beside the empty shelves that looked like it had been tampered with. Most likely it held an escape bag beneath it in case of emergency. Heavy, familiar footsteps sounded outside the door, and for a brief moment, she wondered if it was better to keep the lights on or turn them off. Making a quick decision, Aubrey kept them on and crisscrossed her legs, hoping to look casual as keys jingled on the other side of the door and it unlocked. The door creaked open and she knew Bucky had tensed so she quietly called out
"Cricket.-" she hesitated a moment "-it's me"
The door clicked and Aubrey watched as Bucky rounded the corner, a small smile on her face. A similar look was mirrored on his face and she got to her feet as Bucky put a plastic bag on the counter.
"Brie" he grinned looking like he was unsure whether to hug her or pat her on the shoulder. After a moment he decided and pulled her into a hug. Taken aback slightly she tensed before returning the hug. It lasted for a brief moment before both pulled away and examined the other. Aubrey took his appearance in, trying to gauge his mental state. Bucky's eyes had a certain brightness in them that hadn't been there before, his smile was genuine, and he leaned against the island casually, a curious gleam in his eye.
"Bucky, it's really good to see you"
"It's good to see you too Brie, how was your flight?"
Aubrey settled back onto the stool, her hand absentmindedly twitching and summoning the Nano's, they twirled around her fingers and Bucky's brows raised as he patiently waited for her to answer. Holding up her hand, Aubrey watched as the Nanos formed a mini-version of her wings on her pointer finger.
"Amazing for the first couple of hours but it's always boring flying over the ocean"
"And you've done this how many times?" he chuckled and she joined him before Bucky pushed off of the counter and ambled into the kitchen.
"Hungry?" he pulled out two cans of soup and poured them into a pot before grabbing the plastic bag and pulling out brightly colored fruit
"I'm pretty sure that's not even a question anymore, I'm pretty much always hungry..-"
She paused and picked up one of the fruits "-you got Strawberries?"
"I did, they aren't quite ripe but have nice flavor" he turned and plucked the strawberry out of her hand, biting into it.
Aubrey waited until he went to pick up another one before reaching out and taking it, making a show of taking a bite "Ya know, revenge really is sweet" she grinned around her food and Bucky tried and failed not to laugh.
"I almost hate to ask this but…. Did you leave the dog with your parents?" He stirred the soup, trying to sound nonchalant but Aubrey knew he did secretly like Glacier just by the sound of his voice.
"Well….." she hadn't quite told him about her purpose for visiting yet and had hoped that nothing would happen and she wouldn't have to bring it up but Bucky was bound to ask eventually.
"Uh oh, there's a story with this isn't there?-" he leaned against the stove, crossing his arms. Causing Aubrey to note that he wore two sleeves on his metal arm under his jacket, she opened her mouth to try and change the subject but he shook his head "-truth please...and no changing the subject"
She sighed, resting her arm comfortably on the island countertop "I can't persuade you to ask something else?"
"Nope"
"Okay...so…...I may or may not have heard on the news that the Sokovia Accords were being signed in Vienna. When I found that out I may or may not have hacked into Starks mainframe using the A.I he gave me and borrowed some information about where they are being signed, the scheduling, seating, and such…..and then I may or may not have asked the A.I to monitor the signing and alert me if anything goes wrong...that way I can help" she sheepishly tried to smile at Bucky who was frowning.
"So you hacked into Starks servers using the computer brain he gave you and stole classified information? Then you decided to fly out here just to monitor it?"
"No Bucky, of course, I didn't fly all the way out here to monitor it. It was also an excuse to come visit you"
"Uh-huh" he didn't sound convinced...instead he sounded slightly impressed. "And I'm to assume that I'll be dragged into it with you if there's any trouble?"
"Well….-" Aubrey drew the word out, tracing the lines on the counter and not meeting his frosty eyes. "That would be up to you, I…..I don't mean to-"
"I'd help Brie, you don't have to ask. I go where you go" he interrupted her, his words causing Aubrey's gaze to snap up to his.
"I...Thanks, Buck. I'd do the same for you...you know that right?"
He nodded, hesitating before saying "and our mission?" a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth
"For now? To live" the words brought comfort and memories from what felt like so long ago. When she and Bucky had just escaped and were still figuring out life. Her parents had been devastated when she'd told them several days ago that she was leaving again but Aubrey had promised it wouldn't be for long and meant it. But this was the life she wanted, being with Bucky and Glacier, seeing her family, flying. The two had lapsed into a comfortable silence, Bucky ladling the soup into bowls and Aubrey shoveling several more strawberries into her mouth, both lost on waves of thought.
"I've been remembering him...Steve" he started as he sat beside Aubrey on a stool, handing her a bowl of chicken noodle soup.
"Good remembering or bad?" The bowl steamed and she blew on it before taking a bite.
"Both...I think-" he paused, glancing over at him told Aubrey that he was remembering and preparing to say something. Her thoughts were confirmed a minute later when Bucky continued "-As kids, we'd sleepover in his apartment on the couch cushions...he'd always forget where his key was, the spare was under a brick"
"Yeah? It was a whole different world back then"
"That it was...I'm still finding things that I never knew existed."
"Like what?" she slurped one of the noodles, her famished body thoroughly enjoying the soup.
"I bought an avocado the other day..just to try it...and the vendor gave me this cool little thing. Here I'll show you-" Bucky got up, retrieving something from a drawer and the other half of an avocado from the fridge. He leaned over the counter, showing the contraption to Aubrey. It was roughly shaped like a spoon with lines of plastic running through it. Bucky placed the spoon on the lime-green avocado flesh and pushed down. It perfectly cut the vegetable into neat slices.
"That's so cool!" Aubrey picked up one of the slices and took the spoon-like thing from Bucky, fingering its edges and the bulb on the end of the handle "-what's this for?"
"Taking the pit out, handy isn't it?"
"That's just the coolest thing"
"It was until I found out they have these for all kinds of fruits and vegetables"
"Really?" Aubrey put the slice down before handing the tool back to Bucky. He put it away before returning to his place at the counter.
"Yeah, I've been seeing em everywhere now, ones for pineapples, apples, oranges, and pears,"
"Oh my" she chuckled before drinking the rest of her soup, Bucky doing the same. She took the dishes and did clean up, the two bantering and talking quietly. Bucky had plopped himself down on the mattress and when Aubrey came out of the kitchen he stood.
"I can take the first watch"
"Are you sure?" Aubrey wanted to protest but she already felt sleepy and knew she was exhausted from the hardcore traveling.
"Yeah, if you need anything I'll be on the roof or here-" Bucky went to the window she had come in from and pulled it up, discreetly he had slipped his blue journal into his jacket.
"Alright, wake me in a couple of hours" she watched him nod and slip out the window, just catching his parting words
"It's good to have you here Brie"
Aubrey woke to the sun shining in the window and the smell of something burning on the stove. She sighed, knowing that as usual, Bucky hadn't woken her. Sitting up, Aubrey rubbed her sleep-filled eyes before pulling her hair out of her face and into a messy ponytail. Criss-crossing her legs she reached into her bag and slipped a black sweatshirt over her tank top before slowly getting to her feet. Giving her legs time to adjust and steady themselves. Bucky was standing at the stove, stirring what looked like it might have been eggs at one time but were no longer.
Aubrey stepped onto the cold flooring, using the feeling to root her prickly-feeling legs to the ground as she growled at Bucky
"You didn't wake me"
"I forgot" he shrugged, stirring the pan, his back still to her.
"You forgot" she came around into the kitchen, sidling next to him and peering at the blackened goop. "Just like how you forgot that eggs are meant to be edible?"
"Hey now, I happen to think these eggs look…..delicious"
Aubrey looked up at him, mock frowning "then you will have great fun eating them all by yourself"
"Oh no, these are for you" Bucky pulled them off the heat and poured them onto a plate as Aubrey marveled at the texture. Somehow he had achieved both runny and chunky eggs all in one dish.
"No thanks...suddenly I'm not hungry" she wrinkled her nose, turning and standing on tiptoes to peek over the top of the fridge, grabbing one of his granola bars.
Bucky stood at the counter, staring at the eggs for a moment before sliding them into the trash "yeah...suddenly I'm not hungry for eggs either." he grabbed a granola bar off of the fridge, hesitating before grabbing one more and shoving it into his pocket. Aubrey had hopped onto the corner of the counter and leaned over into the sink, chewing her breakfast and examining the blackened, crusty pan.
"I don't think that's coming off"
"I'll...I'll soak it for a bit." Bucky positioned the pan in the sink, filling it with water and soap before finishing off his granola bar. "I figured you were pretty tired and I wasn't so I just let you sleep."
"Well... I can't be too mad because I was and probably wouldn't have been a great watch-person anyway but you should have"
"Because you're too stubborn for your own good?" he raised his eyebrows before sliding his blue journal onto the fridge and shoving some money into his pocket.
Aubrey didn't answer his words, instead, she chose to ignore them. Bucky noticed, shaking his head with a grin before tidying up the counters. Pushing off the counter she weaved around him and to her bag, pulling out the A.I phone Tony had given her.
"Sylvie?"
"Good Morning Ms. Cristo, I'm assuming you would like a recap of the morning's events?"
"Yes please"
Placing the holo-phone on the counter, Aubrey watched as a hologram popped up and Sylvie began to speak
"The signing began this morning as new stations set up and currently the attendees are in the room preparing to start, however Ms. Cristo, Mr. Stark has instructed that as soon as it starts I am to power down and stop updating you because he would like to exclude you from the Accords and prevent interference from other parties"
"Why?" Aubrey couldn't keep the surprise from her voice, she had wondered if Tony monitored what she asked Sylvie but hadn't been sure until now.
"Because he would like to exclude you from the Accords and prevent interference from other parties" The A.I repeated
"Okay… Thanks" Sylvie powered down suddenly and Aubrey knew that the signing had started, nerves writhed in her stomach and Bucky sensed them. Instead of letting her rattle around the apartment all day he took Aubrey out into the city and showed her the culture and cuisine. They laughed easily, trading banter and jokes without fear for what was coming.