"I Could Get Used to This"

November 1943

Bucky cracked one eye open when he heard the rustling of leaves outside of his tent.

He remained still as he took stock of his surroundings. He was sprawled across a flimsy cot, trying to catch some shut eye – "Captain's orders," Steve had told him, the punk – and he was otherwise alone in the tent.

The likelihood that the enemy had gotten this far into camp without someone sounding the alarm was doubtful, and Steve was still getting used to his new size, so he stomped around camp like he had anvils strapped to his boots. Ryder had disappeared rather quickly with the blonde dish – Violet…Vivian…Bucky couldn't remember her name for the life of him.

And he knew none of the others would be caught dead sneaking around outside of his tent at this time of night…which left only one person.

"Case, that had better be you or I'm gonna start swinging," Bucky called out.

The shuffling stopped for a moment, then Case appeared through the tent flaps, giving him a sheepish look when Bucky turned on his lantern.

"You know, for a dancer you sure are heavy on your feet."

"Shut up," Case rolled her eyes, avoiding his gaze as she rubbed at her arm.

Bucky gave a sigh and stretched as he sat up, "You can't sleep again?"

"No, I'm sleepin' great Buck, I just wanted to show off my pajamas."

His eyebrows rose, taking in the army-issued pants and jacket Case was wearing. Based on how the pants were cuffed at the ankles, he assumed they were borrowed from someone else. "Case, you're not wearing pajamas…I'm guessing Peggy's clothes?"

Case nodded as she smoothed out the jacket, "Uh…yeah…didn't have a lot with me that would be suitable for staying here…"

"So, you thought my sweater was appropriate," Bucky pointed out.

Case's cheeks darkened in the dim light, "No…I told Viola to grab something else. But we had to move fast and…I had to grab something…"

The lightbulb suddenly turned on for Bucky, Viola, that's her name…the one with Ryder. Case's new girlfriend…

Case was still rambling while Bucky had his moment of realization, "I mean…look, I'm sorry I took your sweater, I'll give it back—"

"Case, it's fine…looked better on you anyway," Bucky admitted waving a hand in dismissal. "But why did you have it? I was lookin' for that thing for months."

The blush seemed to be spreading, Bucky could see it covering her whole face and drifting down her neck, "I uh…"

Bucky frowned as she mumbled her answer, and he put a hand to his ear, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that? Not all of us have super hearing."

"You uh…you left it at our place," Case admitted. "It smelled like you…"

"Oh…"

"Yeah."

Odd, Bucky thought as he cleared his throat, "Anyway…can I ask why you were creeping around outside my tent?"

"I um…just needed some air I guess…"

Bucky gave her a few moments to finish the thought, and when she didn't say anything else, he added, "You wanna try the truth this time?"

"That is the truth," Case frowned.

"Case, I've known you for almost twenty years. The only time you need air at night is when you can't sleep, and you don't want to admit it."

"Look, I should be going," Case stammered, "If someone finds out—"

"Sit," Bucky cut her off, pointing at the empty cot in front of him.

Case gave a sigh and sat down on the creaky cot, "Where's Steve?"

"They've had him in meetings since we got back."

"Damn…and I thought he was busy when he was on tour," Case frowned. She tapped her foot for a moment, "You know…I could get used to the whole superhero thing!"

Great, we're gonna play this game, Bucky thought as he rubbed at his eyes, "Really?"

"Sure," Case said, getting to her feet. "I'm already kinda like one already. I'm indestructible and I have bone claws! And I have a really great sense of smell and hearing!"

"We don't know for sure if you're indestructible," Bucky pointed out.

"I'm pretty sure I'm indestructible."

Bucky scrubbed a hand over his face, not wanting to continue the argument, "And what do we call you, oh indestructible one?"

Case frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then her face lit up in a grin, "The Siren."

"The Siren?"

"Sure, why not?"

"For starters…they were supposed to be part bird and lure men to their deaths," Bucky frowned, "Why the hell would you want to be called that?"

"Think about it," Case said, "Lure the Nazis in with the voice…or my looks because I don't look like a bird—"

She gave a shimmy with her hips before striking a pose. Bucky tugged at his collar as he said, "No arguments here…"

"Yep, and then whamo!" She quickly curled her arms, releasing the bone claws at the same time, "Get 'em with the claws."

Bucky eyed the pearly-white bones sticking out of Case's knuckles, and said, "You've put some thought into this…haven't you?"

Case shrugged, "A few hours at least…not that Steve will ask me on any other missions but…it's a fun thought."

Bucky cocked an eyebrow, "Killing Nazis is a fun thought to you?"

Case waved her hand in dismissal as she retracted her claws, "Not that…I mean, being a superhero. I'm not naive enough to say that it's all fun and games, especially after what we just went through…but hey, it'd be nice to be a hero for a change."

"I guess it would…" Bucky agreed. "You know what else would be nice?"

Case cocked her head, "No, what?"

Bucky gave her a mischievous smile, then leaned forward and grabbed hold of her, pulling her onto the cot with him.

Between Case's yelp and the creaking of the cot as they both adjusted, Bucky was almost certain they'd get caught. But when nobody seemed to notice, Bucky whispered, "Someone to cuddle with would be nice."

Case blushed, "Buck—"

"Who's gonna catch us? Steve?"

"Well…what about Ryder?"

"I'm sure he's good at cuddling, but Ryder's not really my type," Bucky chuckled, laughing a little harder as Case dug her fingers into his side.

"Jerk!" She hissed.

"Seriously though," Bucky added, turning out the light. "We're both supposed to be sleeping…so lights out."

"Yeah, yeah," Case said as she rolled onto her side, pressing her back to his chest.

Bucky adjusted into a more comfortable position and threw his arm over her, before asking, "Why the Siren?"

"Well, I could've gone for Aphrodite…but sleeping with anyone they meet is more your territory than mine," Case chuckled, then gave a yelp and started giggling, "No…Bucky stop!"

"Take it back!" Bucky demanded, scribbling his fingers up and down Case's side and over her stomach. He threw his leg over hers to keep her in place as he tickled her, "Come on, Howlett, take it back!"

"I c-can't! It's the truth!" Case wheezed through her laughter as she tried to catch Bucky's fingers, but any time she tried he'd move to a new spot, only to make her laugh harder, "C-come on Buck! Please!"

"Nope, not until—"

"For the love of God, Barnes! Nobody cares if you've got a girl in there but the rest of us are tryin' to sleep!" Dugan's voice called out. "Keep it down, would ya!"

"Sorry!" Bucky called out. As he settled back in behind her, "You should probably thank him for that."

"Oh yeah, I'll get right on that," Case mumbled as she caught her breath. "How would that go exactly? 'Thanks for saving me from being tickled to death'?"

"And then it was discovered the indestructible Siren had a weakness," Bucky chuckled quietly. "You tickle her, and she goes all to pieces."

"Good night…James…" Case tried to say in a forceful manner, but it was interrupted by a loud yawn.

Mission accomplished, Bucky thought with a grin and pressed a kiss into her hair, "Good night, Cassidy."

"Uh…Buck?"

Bucky cracked an eye open, looking to his left. "Hey Steve…" he said, his voice still rough from sleep.

"Is there something you wanna tell me?" Steve asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Bucky frowned, then looked down at the weight that was resting on his chest.

Somehow in the middle of the night, he'd rolled onto his back. Case was pressed up against his left side with her arm draped across his stomach, his left arm instead of his right now wrapped around her, and her head was resting on his chest.

He gave her a gentle squeeze, "Not much…she couldn't sleep so she snuck in here."

"And…that's it?"

"What do you want me to do, bring down a curtain?"

"No just…" Steve rubbed at the back of his neck. "I know how you feel about her and—"

"Keep your voice down!" Bucky hissed at him, going still as Case shifted. When he was sure she was still asleep, Bucky said, "Steve…just forget it. It's not happening."

Steve's eyebrows went up as he sat on his cot, "And the fact she's curled up around you like an octopus doesn't tell you otherwise?"

"Case gets cuddly when she gets cold, you know that," Bucky shrugged. "I've seen the two of you all bundled up together in the wintertime too."

"Yeah…so I wouldn't freeze to death," Steve frowned. "Like the last time I had pneumonia and the heater busted while you were at work?"

"There were other times," Bucky rolled his eyes.

Steve gave a sigh, "Forget it…I'm too tired to argue."

As he listened to Steve adjust on the other cot, Bucky gently rubbed his hand over Case's back, It's a shame though, really…

"What is?"

"Did I say that out loud?"

"Uh-huh."

Bucky hesitated, trying to figure out the right words. "It's just…" he motioned to Case, "Curled up with her…waking up beside her…"

Steve looked over at him from the cot, "What about it?"

With a shrug, Bucky added, "I could get used to this."

And so ends Chapter Six...and with a little insight of where the name "The Siren" came from. Hope you enjoyed, any constructive criticism is appreciated.