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Самый сумасшедший мудак, которого ты когда-либо знал: The craziest asshole you'll ever know
Yelena's eyes shot open as a shuddering jolt passed through her. Gripping the edge of her cot, she quickly realized it wasn't just her but the plane as a whole was straining to push on its brakes and come to a slow stop. Her vision was still a little hazy as she pushed herself up into a sitting position and craned her neck to look out the window across from her. Through the small hole, she could see the blur of airport lights whizzing by as another jolt passed through her, her stomach clenching down on itself to keep her last meal down.
Loose strands of hair obscured her vision as she swung her legs over the side of the cot and stretched her arms out in front of her. Yelena was pleased to hear and feel a few satisfying pops run down her spine as she moved her neck from side to side. A few hours of much needed sleep on a rickety military cot in a flying, metal canister hadn't done her much good.
The plane finally came to a slow and steady pace as she felt it make the first turn towards what she assumed was one of the hangars.
A muffled snort came from one of the other cots, and Yelena finally took the time to glance around her. Fanny released a wide yawn as she made herself comfortable again on Bucky's cot, needing the spot below her with her paws as she slumped forward again. Seeing her staring, Fanny's tail started up as she cocked her head to the side and eyed Yelena with fascination.
Speaking of the fact that she wasn't on her own cot, Yelena frowned in confusion as she leaned forward to look around the crates. There was no sign of the super soldier or the man in stars-and-stripes.
A small voice in the back of her mind was thankful that she had an opportunity to situate herself again after ten hours worth of flying. Pulling her hair back out of the tangled mess that it was, she was relieved that neither of them were there to see her rolling out of bed with the worst case of bed-head she had experienced in a while.
Quickly throwing it back up into another ponytail, Yelena made a move to get to her feet after she felt the plane take another slow turn. It was only then that she felt the soft fabric beneath her fingertips. Glancing down, her brows furrowed in confusion as she picked up the light blanket she had failed to notice. The thought of someone throwing a blanket over her while she was asleep made her feel both suspicious and grateful at the same time. To be fair, she knew she didn't mind in the least; flying in a metal can was not the warmest of rides.
Gently setting it back down, Yelena steadied herself with the wall as she rose to her feet. She crossed the short distance to the other side of the plane and reached up on the tips of her toes to get a better view outside. She hadn't been wrong about the airport's lights and maze of runways, and the pitch black sky above it all let her know that dawn wasn't nearly as close as she would've liked.
Turning away from the window, Yelena walked back and slung her backpack over her shoulder. The clang of supplies in it brought her an odd sense of comfort that no one had gone through her things while she was out; it all started with trust. Hoisting her suitcase back onto the cot, she patted her side as Fanny grudgingly removed herself from the comfort of her cot and trudged over to her side.
Just as the pup arrived, the rest of their team emerged from behind the wall of crates.
"Morning," Sam exclaimed, sounding all-too cheerful for having just been stuck in a plane for almost eleven hours straight. "Sleep alright?"
"I might need to get my neck realigned if that's what you mean," Yelena snorted, glaring down at her cot.
"They do their job," he shrugged, moving over towards his own bunk and getting his things situated for their arrival. "Sorry about the rough landing, though. Torress said the wind had picked up a little while we were coming in."
"No shit," she muttered under her breath. Sam's short chuckle quirked a smile up at the corner of her lips.
With nowhere else to sit beside the stack of crates that seemed almost as tall as her, Yelena reluctantly sat back down on her bunk. Releasing a small sigh, she leaned her elbows forward on her knees and let her head rest in her hands. "Where exactly are we?"
"New York, finally," Sam exclaimed as he zipped his bags back up. Even with a plane ride that felt like an eternity pushing back down on her shoulders, Yelena couldn't help the small spark of excitement that passed through her at finally arriving in America, and in New York City no less.
The hum of the plane filled the silence between them, along with the whistling wind that beat itself against the windows as the plane made turn after stop after turn. A shiver ran its way up Yelena's spine as a quiet rumble of thunder echoed in the distance, and without a second thought, she subconsciously pulled the blanket behind her back up and over her shoulders. It was only when she felt the weight of a pair of eyes staring back at her that she finally realized her small misstep.
Ignoring his curious gaze, Yelena slung her backpack back in front of her and rummaged through its contents, if only to give her something to do. Everything was still there and accounted for, only thrown about a little by the landing and take-off.
Not ten minutes later, a sudden burst of light from the small window shone in from their final destination as the plane finally pulled itself to a sudden halt. Squinting against the suddenly harsh lighting, Yelena made out the features of another military hangar that looked nearly identical to the one they had left Budapest in.
With a nod from Sam, Yelena rose to her feet and pulled out Fanny's collar, quickly fastening each to Fanny's neck, all the while the small pup's tail was eagerly wagging back and forth begging to be released from her confinement.
Zipping her bag closed again and lugging her suitcase up, she returned Sam's small smile as the ramp gave a loud hiss. It began its slow descent as Sam led the way towards the exit, his circular leather bag now thrown over his back in perfect imitation of what lay beneath it.
Yelena finally took a moment of pause for her other partner as he came to join her at the opening of the ramp. She took note of the jacket and gloves that had returned sometime during their trip, and the tiniest voice in the back of her mind told her that she preferred him without, at the very least, the gloves. Yelena ignored any further comments her mind tried to make on the matter.
Stopping just before he got to her, Bucky gestured his hand out in front of him for her to go first, only earning him a raised eyebrow in return.
"Was it your mother or the 40's that taught you to be a gentleman?" Yelena asked, letting Fanny guild her down and into the hangar.
He only shrugged, his eyes scanning the few soldiers scattered around the hangar still on duty that late in the evening. "Both taught me how to treat a lady right."
She couldn't help but snort and nodded nonetheless. "In that case I'm surprised you haven't called me ma'am yet."
Before she could see his reaction, Fanny followed her nose and tugged her forward towards Sam who was waiting patiently by the hangar doors. Around her, she could see the last remaining hustle and bustle of the night as most of the guards got their things together and headed for doors leading farther into the hangar, while others seemed to be coming out to take their places.
Outside the hangar, a cooler breeze ran in through the wide open doors leading out to a pitch black runway other than the few blinking lights lining the sides. Fanny's tail picked up its pace as someone came to stand by her side and extended their hand forward to give her a nice scratch behind the ears. By this rate, Yelena was sure Fanny would have gladly stayed back with Bucky if it meant she would've been spoiled to this extent.
Turning at the sound of approaching footsteps, Torres lugged his bag over his shoulder and met them by the opening. "Looks like we made it back just in time. I think a small storm's going to be rolling in here shortly."
Yelena looked back out just as another rumble of thunder accompanied his statement. She heard him mention to Sam that their ride was just outside, and she quickly followed the two with Fanny just behind her, setting an even pace with her other partner. Even though she didn't have a doubt that she would have just run off on her own, Yelena still kept a tight hold on the leash and glanced back to see the collar still secure around her neck. It was a comfort to say the least.
Rounding another corner, Yelena finally saw the pick-up they were approaching that she was sure could have been older than her. All the same, it had an all-too familiar look to the one she had rented to take out to the back roads of Ohio; to an old cemetery, beneath an old tree, and holding onto old memories…
She blinked back to the present as Sam turned to take her things. Handing over her suitcase, she momentarily paused on her backpack. Yelena had a little reluctancy as she slipped it off her shoulder and watched Sam toss it into the bed of the truck, but she bit her tongue on asking for it back. Besides, there wasn't much trouble between here and…well, wherever it was they were going.
Waiting by the door as Sam shoved the rest of their things into the back and pulled the cover over it, she watched in silence as he and Bucky exchanged a quick handshake with Torres. She didn't expect him to turn towards her and give her a small nod next, but she returned it nonetheless with a smile.
A light whimper escaped Fanny as another wave of thunder took over the sky. Restless out in the open, Yelena opened the door to the backseat and patted the seat for her to hop in. The pup did so with no hesitation and nearly fell off the seats trying to get to the other side as Yelena climbed in after her.
Settling back into seats that weren't actually much more comfortable than the cot she had just occupied for a good half of her day, Yelena sighed and let her head rest on the back. Sam and Bucky's muffled voices through the back window did her no good in listening in to their conversation, so she tried to search the sky for any sign of a few stars speckled here and there. But with the incoming winds, nothing but a seemingly endless number of clouds started filing in towards the airport.
The driver and passenger doors opened and slammed shut just as quick as Sam and Bucky made themselves comfortable. They weren't the only ones as Fanny circled around on the small seat as best she could before flopping down again with a wide yawn. The day's endeavors seemed to have finally caught up with her, and Yelena couldn't blame her as her eyes suddenly felt a lot heavier than they had moments before.
Angling herself towards the opposite window, she splayed her legs out in front of her and released another sigh. The quiet rumble of an engine beneath her kept her eyes open long enough for her to ask, "I know I already asked this, but where exactly are we going now?"
A ting of rain came down over the roof of the truck, followed by another and another in a steady and slow rhythm, just enough so for Yelena to release a yawn and settle back as best she could.
Before her fatigue could fully take over again, she heard Bucky mutter in reply - a small place in Brooklyn apparently. The only acknowledgment she gave was a small hum of approval as her eyes finally slid closed again. A fury weight suddenly came down on her ankle, and a small smile pulled up into a hidden grin across Yelena's face. There was a risk of falling asleep in a random truck with a super soldier and American operative that had taken on the name of the man with the plan. There was a risk of letting herself doze off with her weapons out of reach and only Fanny to protect her should anything go south. There was a risk.
But she found that the suspicion that had grown in the back of her mind since the blue-eyed super soldier came back into her life was slowly and steadily fading away. Neither of her partners had given her reason to fear them, see them as a threat, or give her any reason to blow an unbeknownst attack.
If this was how trust started and worked, she found she really didn't mind it.
The soft click of the radio turning on and the light swing of jazz in the background was enough to give her the shut-eye she so desperately needed.
She jerked awake. Sudden and tense, Yelena barely missed catching her head in time from slamming back against the window.
She was holding her breath, not wanting to alert them that she was awake.
Only a dream.
She blinked back the burning sensation in her eyes as tears threatened to spill over her cheeks.
Just another nightmare.
She dug her fingernails into the palm of her hand to give her something, or anything, else to focus on.
Slow and steady, Yelena. Slow and steady.
Daring herself to release a breath that wouldn't make her crumble, Yelena slowly let one go that sounded close enough to even. She repeated the motion again in, and then out. In, and then out. The ceiling seemed all too interesting at the moment as lights whizzed by and obscured the pattern of them on the ceiling. The rain had picked up its pacing now coming down in a steady flow of buckets.
Keep it together.
Yelena chanced a glance towards the radio where the time read no more than half-an-hour later from when they had left the airport runway. Perfect.
Quickly shifting so her face was facing away from Sam and Bucky, she bit the inside of her cheek as she felt a tear escape, sliding down her face and dripping off at her chin.
Breathe.
Her mind reeled for something else to focus on. She was in New York now - there were plenty of things to imagine going into the big city. She and Fanny could go into Central Park and enjoy a nice walk, or she could check out one of the biggest skyscrapers in the city and stand side by side with the Empire State Building. Bucky had mentioned something about the Yankees, and though she had experienced the sport only a few times when she was young, it wouldn't hurt to jump back into American culture.
Stay calm. Slow and steady, slow and steady…
There were rumors that music flooded every street that you walked down, and -
At the mention of music, she suddenly listened in on the song playing over the radio. The beat was smooth and catchy with an easy rhythm of lyrics she was able to catch onto in the blink of an eye. She had grown up on some of the older hits, and aside from the one that made her want to dance the night away in an Ohio household far from the Red Room and far from the things that still haunted her in her dreams, there was still a collection of songs that she was proud to know from the time period.
"A 70's taste?" she asked, refraining from clearing her throat even though it sounded like she had just swallowed glass.
Yelena heard Sam's chuckle and could sense the smile widening across his face even if she couldn't see it. "If we're talking about the era with some of the greatest hits and classics known to man-kind, then I have no objections."
"Marvin Gaye was always a pretty good one," she exclaimed quietly, hoping she only sounded tired. "Although I'd have to say that 'Troubleman' is one of my favorites."
Yelena could practically feel the pride radiating off of him, followed by a smug, "See, everyone loves Marvin Gaye."
Taking a slow breath again and squeezing her eyes shut for any other stray tears, Yelena quickly wiped a few away and turned her face back up towards the ceiling. A few moments passed by in easy silence, only broken again when he asked, "Other than an obvious and incredible classic, you got any others?"
Even though she figured neither of them were watching, she shrugged her shoulders if only to herself. "I guess a bit of everything, though I don't mind a good oldies rock every now and then."
"Example?"
It was such a simple yet difficult question all in one. There was no second guessing what came to mind anytime she thought of the song that brought her back to evening car rides singing her lungs at with Natasha, or the moments that she truly felt like they were a family and not just a cover story.
Baby steps forward.
"Have you ever heard of Don McLean?" she finally asked, her eyes still trained on the ceiling as she listened to the smooth tune and light patter of rain from above. "My favorite has to be 'American Pie'."
"See now that's good taste there!" Sam exclaimed. Sure that it was dark enough they wouldn't notice her puffy eyes or reddened cheeks, Yelena finally turned her gaze towards the rear-view mirror where she could see Sam's small smile and Bucky's still rather stoic expression. "Always gotta love the classics."
Even with Sam's high enthusiasm, her eyes traveled over to her silent partner who stayed in his ever present staring phase looking out on the road ahead. She couldn't bite her tongue in time as the words seemed to slip out before she processed what she had asked. "Have you ever heard of it, James?"
Those striking blue eyes immediately flew up to the rear-view mirror and stared her down, though she wasn't sure if she imagined the ghost of a smile flitting across his lips or if the lighting and rain was really playing tricks on her.
"I can't say I've had the pleasure," he replied.
Yelena couldn't help it as her mouth fell agape and her eyes widened in shock. There was a difference between having grown up a century ago and not knowing every big hit ever released, but missing out on such a classic like that?
She knew such a thing couldn't stand.
"Oh let me guess, do you still have the same old records going on repeat back at home?" she mused, cocking her head to the side to get a better look at him as he released a quick breath. This time she knew she hadn't imagined the hidden grin that passed as quickly as it had come. "I've always wanted to see what a real vintage record looks like."
Sam chuckled with obvious amusement as he glanced to the side and nodded in agreement with her.
"They're the same ones I learned to dance to," Bucky quipped in defense. "Nothing wrong with keeping those around."
"But, for just a quick recap, was that during the renaissance era or are we talking more like stone age?" Yelena asked, her voice wavering on unsure as Sam released another audible laugh, this time shaking his head as he tried and failed to regain his composure.
"1943, actually," she heard the super soldier mutter as he turned back to face the window again. Being sure he wasn't about to see, she matched Sam's smirk in the mirror and nodded her head in agreement. For once, she may have actually managed to catch the bionic staring machine off guard, and it was truly a day to remember.
Turning her eyes back to the ceiling, Yelena tucked a hand behind her head and leaned back against the door. Fanny stirred for a moment against her leg but kept her same position, content to curl up against Yelena's leg. As the quiet music of the radio filled the silence with the slowing drops of rain from above, the rest of the ride passed in a peaceful silence falling over the group. The minutes passed by with each new song, each just as popular and classic as the last, and each one Yelena was half-tempted to start singing to. It was only when she felt the truck give more lurching stops and starts that she turned her eyes away from the battered top to the windows outside.
Shops upon shops, bars upon restaurants, apartment complexes over businesses and anything else she could imagine in the suburban area of an American city lined both sides of the streets. Traffic stopped and went, and she was met with a fair amount of angry drivers yelling at the pedestrians to get the hell out of the street. She refrained from chuckling at their retorts.
All in all, Yelena found herself enjoying the few sights and sounds she got to experience in one of the big cities - even if it was in the middle of the night in the pouring rain.
She returned her gaze down to Fanny as Sam made a collection of other turns and the lights running along the streets began to dim down more and more often. She barely even realized they had actually stopped until the engine kicked out beneath her and Fanny sat up with what appeared to be an exhausted yawn.
Giving herself a moment's thought on how to extract her legs from beneath Fanny's weight, Yelena glanced up as both her partners got out of the truck, one rounding up to the hood of the car while the other went to deal with some of the luggage.
While Bucky was looking back towards what she assumed was some sort of apartment complex or housing unit, Yelena spared herself a moment's glance in his direction. Against the dim lighting and the few droplets of rain still falling from the sky, she couldn't stop her mind in time from thinking that he didn't look so bad in his jacket and leather gloves; another one may have called it attractive how he seemingly didn't try. She assured herself that she was not that "other one".
Bucky's gaze shifted away from the building and back towards the truck window where Yelena quickly went to work on the pup pushing all of her weight down onto her foot. Carefully extracting herself, Fanny gave what could have been an unsatisfied 'humf' as she sluggishly rose from her spot in the back and gave herself a well-deserving shake.
Yelena climbed down out of the truck and gave her leg a soft pat. Fanny quickly followed down and trotted around in a half circle as she kept a firm hold around her leash. Now in the middle of a big city she wasn't quite familiar with yet, the last thing Yelena was in need of was to go off in the middle of the night to try and find a runaway pup.
Meandering her way towards the back of the truck, she took her things from Sam and settled them both in her hand, though she took note that even with her weapons in her grasp again, they didn't seem so necessary around Sam or Bucky now to keep on hand at all times.
Speaking of which, she suddenly took note of only Bucky halling his things out of the back of the truck even as Sam remained empty handed. She felt a frown cross over her face as she looked between the two for a moment.
"What's…going on here?" she asked, her voice wavering on suspicion.
"We thought it would be the safest option," Sam started, gesturing slightly in Bucky's direction. "Until you can find a place of your own, we talked a little and thought it'd be best for you to stay in the apartments with Bucky at least for the time being."
"You really trust two ex-assassins in the same housing arrangement to not mall each other to bits?" she questioned, this time one of her eyebrows shooting up with an accusation waiting on her tongue. "You don't think I can handle myself - ?"
"I have full confidence that you don't need a personal body-guard 27/7," Sam chuckled. "And I trust you not to mall him to bits first until you can find a place of your own. But like I said, this'll only be temporary; I promise."
There was so much she wanted to bite back with, so much she wanted to say that would show him that this wasn't a good idea. A truce she can handle, an easy conversation and even some banter was starting to warm up with her, but living in the same space as each other for what could be months on end had her a bit suspicious and frankly a bit surprised at Sam's confidence in them both or in his own stupidity.
She hadn't realized how long she had taken to think up something that would separate them again, and Sam only took it as a sign that she would deal with it in her own way. Scowling to herself, Yelena rolled her eyes and tightened her grip around her bags and Fanny's leash.
"Fine," she muttered, glancing up towards the rather simple living apartment. For being a pardoned super soldier and friends with the old and new Captain America, she wasn't really sure what she was expecting to see. Now, as she glanced back towards Bucky again, she found herself conceding that she wasn't overly surprised at his choice of a simpler lifestyle; it was the closest thing he could probably get to normal anyways.
Sam had turned his back on her and gave Bucky a firm handshake and pat on the back. The two exchanged a quick word with one another, of which Yelena couldn't quite pick up on, but he nonetheless turned back towards her and strode back to the front of the truck with a smile. Passing by Fanny, he left her with a scratch behind the ears and a curt nod at Yelena. "Just for a little while," he muttered.
She returned his nod and watched as he got back into the driver's seat and started the engine. As he started to pull away, Yelena finally turned to look at her now-new roommate as he inclined his head for her to follow him. Swinging his bag over his shoulder, he waited for her to join him by his side before making his way towards the staircase leading up.
No less than five minutes later, Yelena found herself standing in the doorway of a mostly empty apartment. Little to no pictures hung on any of the walls, a single sofa and TV were stationed in the area that was supposed to be the living room, right in front of a counter separating the area between there and the makeshift kitchen that she counted, in total, of only consisting a stove, sink, microwave, and fridge.
Though none of the lights were on, she could make out the hallway directly in front of her that held a single bathroom and bedroom on opposite sides of the hall. Even with the absence of any decorations whatsoever, Yelena knew in the back of her mind that if she lived alone in New York City with nothing but her thoughts and Fanny to keep her company, there wasn't much she would have changed about the living conditions.
"A bit vacant, isn't it?" she asked, finally stepping into what was supposed to be the living room. Bucky closed the door behind her and clicked the lock into place, only then giving her the comfort of taking off Fanny's leash and collar that had finally started to get on the pup's nerves.
"I haven't had much time for any interior decorating," he replied, setting his backpack down on the counter again as he took the few steps to get to the hall and switched on a few lights. Even with them on, she noticed that the place still had a bit of a dim glow to it.
As she moved to finally unclip Fanny's collar from around her neck, a collection of blankets and a pillow sprawled out by the sofa on the floor caught her attention. It seemed that the couch took up more vacancy than it did, if the ruffled sheets beneath it were anything to go by. Yelena knew better than to push a subject such as that; there was a time and place for everything, and having just been situated with her ex-operative-turned-partner-turned-roommate, it didn't seem like the perfect time or place.
Fanny gave a strained whine against Yelena's hold on the collar as she pulled to get it off. Snapping back to the task at hand, she quickly slid it off and Fanny took a step back with obvious relief.
Her nose did the rest of the work for her as she took the opportunity of scoping out the few feet it took to get from there to the makeshift bed beside the couch. Yelena was about to call Fanny back to her side as she began circling the pile of sheets, obviously happy to have been given a pre-prepared bed for no one but herself, and she eagerly plopped down with a yawn.
Bucky strode over from where he was watching with an amused gaze by the counter and bent down to stroke her head. Fanny's tail wagged in appreciation at the sudden attention she was getting from what seemed to be her two favorite people now.
"Don't worry, I can just take the couch," he chuckled softly to himself. His eyes slid back up to meet hers as his words finally registered with her.
She didn't know why it hadn't hit her before that she was going to be sharing an apartment with Bucky Barnes for however long she needed until she could find a place of her own to stay. Two ex-assassins under the same roof, sharing the same food, the same space, and now what appeared to be the same dog with how well Fanny had taken a liking to him, and the reality of it seemed to sink in all too quickly. And above all, no matter what, she would not let the faint blush creeping up her neck show. Yelena was now all too grateful for the dimmer lighting in his apartment.
"You, uh, you don't have to do that," Yelena reassured, snapping herself back to the present as she shifted her things from hand to hand. "This is, you know, your place."
"I get that, but I'm offering to sleep on the couch for you and you can have the bed for tonight."
"And I get that, but I'm insisting not to be a rude guest by taking up your space."
"Isn't it worse to turn down an offer from a host?"
"Isn't it worse to barge in and take what I want from your house?"
"Yelena, please, it's really no big deal - "
"If it's no big deal, then I'll sleep on the couch and you can keep your bed."
"Yelena - "
"James, I'll take the time to remind you that I was handcuffed to my bed every night when I was a teenager in fear that I would run away and reveal the Red Room's secrets or try to deliberately hurt myself," Yelena interrupted, finally feeling her frustration bleed back a little at her small confession which she ultimately realized could have been kept to herself. She closed her eyes for a moment to avoid seeing his reaction and continued.
"I've dealt with worse than a little back ache, so I'll say it again - I honestly don't mind taking the couch. Really."
She knew she was a coward for not having the courage to look him in the eye immediately and glanced to the side instead as she inspected the TV across the room as incredibly fascinating. Yelena didn't know what to expect: if he was about to criticize her for having nothing to worry about, or try to drop another pity bomb saying how very sorry he was for things he didn't have any part in aside form their three encounters.
When neither of them came, she chanced a glance at him and found his gaze far away and in seemingly deep thought. His eyes flashed up to her finally as he asked, "How honest would you answer me if I asked you how much of a nutjob Dreykov really was?"
A chuckle escaped, filled with anything but humor and a bittersweet tone. "Самый сумасшедший мудак, которого ты когда-либо знал," she muttered. Glancing between him and Fanny, her eyes came to settle on him for a moment as he simply nodded and looked up at her.
There wasn't an awkward tension like she had expected, or an odd pause before he rambled into a deeper question about what it was she went through in the Red Room. He had asked a few questions on the plane, but none that went into how far the Red Room really took it when it came to their special and limited Widows. It hadn't felt like an interrogation then, and it didn't feel like one now. It was almost like opening up to someone that she knew she could trust that wasn't someone that knew her full story like Natasha, Melina, or Alexei had. It was an odd sensation, but a comforting one all the same.
Instead of awkwardness, she found a comfortable silence had settled between them. She knew then he wasn't going to push when she didn't want him to, and he wasn't going to pressure her into talking about the things that haunted her everyday and almost every night. In turn, she made a mental note to return the favor; quite like an unspoken truce and partnership.
"Uh, want a drink?" he asked, standing up to his full height once again.
Yelena knew the alcohol, at who knew how late it was at this point, wouldn't do her much good in going down and staying put. Still, she wasn't one to simply turn down an offered drink.
"Why not?" she sighed with a shrug, placing her things on the sofa. With one last glance down at Fanny, she bit back a chuckle as a low snore followed behind a short sneeze came from Fanny as she resituated herself to get comfortable.
Leaning up against the counter, she nodded her thanks as she took the glass of what looked like straight whiskey from him and brought it to her lips. An oaky burn was left on her tongue as she took another swig; while she wasn't one to have whiskey as her first choice, it would do for now in the place of vodka.
The two lapsed into another round of silence, and with a quick glance up to make sure he wasn't looking, she took a moment to look at him again like she had done by the truck. His posture was easy but stiff, and she wondered if he ever actually took the time to sit back and relax every once in a while. Bucky still adorned his gloves to cover the past beneath it. Those blue eyes of his were stationed to a spot on the wall, staring into nothing and something all at the same time. It vaguely reminded her of a memory she had thought back to on multiple occasions sipping a glass of vodka on cold and windy nights when it was just her thoughts and Fanny back in her apartment.
Natasha was just about to go off into some Avengers sort-of speech over their couple shared drinks, and Yelena had put a quick stop as the two sat in each other's company after so many years apart. It was a sense of deja-vu now, and she could sense the same lecture was about to come from him: save the world, do what's right, wipe some red from your ledger, so on and so forth.
A small grin broke across her face at the thought, and she took another quick drink before he could notice. The muscles in his jaw began to work again, and she knew she was in for an earful.
"You're going to give me some big hero speech, aren't you?" Yelena smirked, finally catching his attention as he looked back up at her.
Bucky gave his head a quick shake as he took another gulp of his own drink. She scoffed but held her smirk in place.
"I can practically see the gears in your head turning," she continued, gesturing with her glass in his direction as she brought her head to rest in the palm of her hand. "Nope, never mind, they might be shutting down."
He shook his head again, but she didn't miss the small smile that crept onto his face. "I was just going to ask if you wanted a refill."
"Uh-huh, sure," she drawled, taking another sip and swishing it around her mouth. The longer she sipped on it, the more she realized it wasn't so much worse than a nice glass of vodka. "It's quiet up here; what happened to that big comeback about having a record set or something?"
"It's probably buried back in my closet somewhere," Bucky conceded, leaning back against the counter opposite her. Setting his glass down, his gloves were the first to come off followed by his jacket as he set both on the counter. Still in the blue shirt she had seen on him earlier in the plane, Yelena let one thought slip through the barrier she had set: she really did like his look a bit better without the gloves. "I've never really had a need to dig it back out."
"Oh, so you don't take that 40's charm to all the ladies and woo them in for a dance?" Yelena asked, her smirk widening as he rolled eyes. "Or however you lads did it back in the day."
"Like I said, I haven't actually danced since 1943," he clarified, crossing his arms in front of him. A bit of light glinted off his metal arm and stole her attention away for less than a moment.
"So it was the renaissance era then?"
Yelena couldn't help but chuckle as he released an exasperated sigh, running a hand down the side of his face and letting it fall back down to his side. "I can say that, seeing as you're the one who hasn't heard one of the greatest classics of all time. Speaking of which, you'll be needing to change that if I'm going to be living with you for a while."
Bucky shook his head for what must have been the hundredth time that night. "What was it called again?"
"American Pie, Don McLean, 1971 album," Yelena replied, her chin jutting up with a hint of pride. Although the Red Room had taken many things from her, a large part of her was always thankful that she didn't have to forget that and the memories that went with it.
"I'll add it to the list," Bucky replied with a small grin.
"List?"
"It's just a short list of things I want to catch up on," he shrugged. "As of now, that's the only thing on it."
"Could you also squeeze in taking down a secret organization that we really don't know anything about that happens to be making another supposed super soldier serum that recently inducted the crazy Captain through a spy that we really don't have any way of contacting?"
"Sure, why not," Bucky chuckled. In almost perfect sync, Yelena didn't even realize she was at the bottom of her glass as she took the last gulp of whiskey down and set her glass aside with his. With both her hands free now, she placed the other one under her chin as she glanced back at Fanny tucked snuggly away into the folds of the sheets.
"You sure you're alright sleeping on the couch?"
She looked back at Bucky with a shrug. "If it's better than the cot on the plane, I'll take it."
He nodded in agreement and sighed. All at once she could see the slight droop in his shoulders and the light struggle he seemed to have in keeping his eyes open. To be fair, she knew she wasn't much better as she pushed herself up and took a step back towards the sofa.
Rifling through her suitcase, Yelena pulled out a pair of sleep clothes (which consisted of an old t-shirt she had found in Natasha's drawer and her favorite pair of sweatpants she spent too many nights to count in) as she heard Bucky ask from behind her, "Do you need any extra blankets or anything?"
"I always sleep a little better when it's cool," she replied, turning to face him again. Although it wasn't completely true, Yelena didn't need him giving her more than she deserved from him, even if it did come down to the prospect of just a blanket. "Do you mind if I use the bathroom first?"
Bucky gestured for her to go right ahead down the hall. Nodding at him, she was about to round the corner into the tight-fitting bathroom until something stopped her short. Swallowing back her pride for a brief moment, Yelena clenched her clothes to her stomach as she poked her head back around the corner of the kitchen and lightly cleared her throat.
As her partner glanced back up at her, she said, "Thank you, by the way. For that blanket on the plane. Flying isn't always my forte."
Bucky only stared at her, his face giving way to no emotion. A small part of her was honestly envious of him for being able to mask his emotions so well, but it was frustrating and annoying all the same. He gave her a small nod and crossed his arms back over his chest again.
His eyes didn't stray from hers until she retreated back around the corner and stepped into the bathroom. She honestly wasn't sure what she had expected his reaction to be when she went out to thank him. Relieved, nonchalant? Well whatever it was, she knew it hadn't been a big deal to begin with and she was grateful he wasn't going to be making a big deal out of it now.
Still, as she slipped on her night clothes and washed her face with cool water, she couldn't help but keep in mind the fact that even with no present emotion across his face, he had looked softer, almost more at ease.
Yelena wanted to blame it on her imagination, but a portion of her wondered if the partnership thing could really work out in the end, and who knew, maybe she would even become friends with the bionic staring machine?
Hello my fellow readers!
There was a kick of inspiration in me today as I was able to take a full day off, and thus this chapter transpired! Hope y'all enjoyed, and other than that just keep a lookout for future updates. Thank you so much for the support and be sure to leave a review! :)
And, as always, have a fantastic morning, afternoon, evening, or night!
-Summerwinds