In this one we can see our heroes try to resolve conflicts around weird kinships. Enjoy!


Steve manages to move Bucky to the sink and tries to wash the wound out with cool water.

Sam still stands there staring at them. "Grandkid?" He repeats.

Steve hears the familiar ring before the AI speaks. "Captain, do you require professional help to your quarters?"

"You mean a doctor, FRIDAY?" Steve asks. "It's just a little cut."

"I meant security," the AI answers. "I detect an unusually rapid heart beat in both Mr Barnes and Mr Wilson. And you too, Captain."

Bucky trembles slightly and tries to pull away his hand from Steve. He holds onto his wrist firmly.

"We're good, FRIDAY." Then he realises something. "Tell me you didn't tell Tony," he sighs.

FRIDAY is silent. Steve could almost swear it is guilt the AI displays. Is that even possible? "FRY—" he starts when the door opens and Tony Stark walks in.

"—DAY, lock the door," Steve groans hearing the door lock just after Tony.

"Rude," Tony comments. He steps forward and looks around the room, grimacing as he sees all the shattered glass and beer on the floor. "That's mahogany, Rogers."

"I'm sorry, Stark. We done here?" Steve asks still holding Bucky's hand while Sam sits back on the couch.

"What happened?" Tony asks before he goes to the bathroom and returns with a first aid kit. He places it on the kitchen island while Steve drags Bucky to it.

Tony opens the box and tries to drip antiseptic on Bucky's palm but he jerks it away. "So mature, Barnes. A grandfather shouldn't act like this, I'm telling you," he scolds which only makes Bucky growl angrily. Tony steps back.

Steve sighs. "It seems Sam had sex with Brooke Marlow," he says making Sam groan and bury his face in his palms.

"Oh. Was it any good, Wilson?" Tony turns to Sam.

Steve positions himself between Bucky and Tony and pulls his boyfriend close to be able to hug his waist and hold him back as subtly as possible. Bucky snorts when he realises what Steve does. Well, he does know some things about tactics, Steve reminds himself.

"Yeah, was it any good, Wilson?" Bucky hisses.

"Well, if you want to know, it was amazing," Sam finally replies, although it was rather not that bad. But Bucky doesn't have to know that.

"Alright. That's obviously just another thing that she never mentioned during the admission exams," Tony concludes.

"It kind of happened after the exam," Sam murmurs.

"I'll kill him," Bucky growls.

Sam must have heard it but decides to ignore Bucky altogether as he stands up. "So, where is she?" He asks Tony who doesn't reply.

"FRIDAY?" Sam calls.

"53th floor," the AI responds helpfully. "That's where the members of Project B01 are settled."

"Thanks," Sam nods and leaves, ignoring both Steve and Tony who try to stop him.


Brooke doesn't have to go back to her flat, an assistant-looking man tells her, her belongings will be transferred to the tower shortly. He introduces himself as Charlie Burke, the handler of the B01 project.

"We got a handler?" Brooke finds herself blurting out. Charlie, thankfully, chuckles.

"You bet your ass, Marlow," he nods.

Charlie takes her to the floor that she is to share with the other four members of the squad. She has her own room and bathroom just like the others, but the huge living area and the American style kitchen are common. Fair enough, she muses.

Four agents already sit on the couches watching Netflix on the screen that expands on the total width of the wall.

"Guys, this is Brooke Marlow," Charlie says.

Brooke shakes hands with the woman. Her name is Hazel Oakley and she is one of the most beautiful creatures Brooke has ever seen. She has long wavy hair, her thighs are so long it exhausts Brooke to look over them and she has perfect hazel eyes.

The men are certainly happy to see her but she figures she won't be the pretty one on the team. Which is fine because she doesn't need the attention and the challenge the boys might see in her. No more sex with colleagues, that is the plan. She will keep it simple and professional, goddamnit.

One of the guys named Rufus Seymour looks at her as if she was there to be eaten in whole though. He used to be a marine, he says. Brooke nods. That explains his broad shoulders, the icy gaze and the scar on his chin.

She used to be military, she responds.

"Then we'll have some wild shit to talk about," Rufus grins.

Garnett Howse worked at Stark Industries in Testing before he decided he wanted to do more fighting and less paperwork.

"So you know Monna?" Brooke asks.

Garnett grins in a way that makes Brooke think he might be one of Monna's mistakes as her friend sometimes calls her past flings.

"I do, actually. She works in Development, right? The one with the great… personality?"

Brooke has to admit Garnett wasn't a bad idea. He is tall and lean but she can see his muscles were made for running and, well, maybe other type of cardio activities. Monna surely had a fun night. Plus he is blond. Monna likes blonds.

Patrick Winter looks like CIA, but when Brooke remarks on it, his face shuts down completely and he replies that he doesn't think his past has any importance here. And maybe it does not. He seems the strongest one of the men, Brooke wouldn't want to fight him. She will probably have to though. For training.


Charlie leaves them alone and Brooke brews coffee for everyone before joining the others on the couches.

But she can't enjoy it for long as after thirty minutes she hears a ring and FRIDAY's monotone. "Miss Marlow, Mr Wilson wishes to enter the floor."

Brooke looks up to see her teammates fix their gaze on her. "I have honestly no idea—" she starts, but FRIDAY speaks again.

"He seems upset and insists to talk to you."

Brooke takes a deep breath. "I'll see what he wants."

"You can let him inside, you know," Hazel says. "We don't want to piss the Falcon off."

"Oakley has some ideas on what she wants to do with the Falcon though," Rufus chuckles earning a slap on his shoulder from the girl.

Brooke rolls her eyes as she downs her coffee and makes her way to the door. She is greeted by an angry looking Sam Wilson who leans against the wall with his arms crossed.

"What a pleasure that you're allowing me to bathe in your presence," he says.

Brooke raises her eyebrow at the clearly sarcastic tone. "I'm sorry?"

"Brooke Barnes, is it?" Sam basically spits.

Brooke frowns. The tone confuses her even more than the fact that Sam knows. Well, of course he does. He is tight with Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes.

"I didn't think it was important," she says and she hates how it comes out defensive. What's his problem, anyway?

He steps forward so quickly that Brooke steps back.

"Granddaughter of James fucking Barnes?"

Okay, maybe he isn't so tight with Bucky. Brooke shrugs. "So what?"

"So what? He almost crushed my windpipe when he heard."

"What? You told him?!" Brooke asks a little louder than she intended. "Why?"

Sam now seems rather uncomfortable. "He… found out."

"Found out how?"

"I kind of told him."

Brooke takes a deep breath.

"Tony knows too," Sam adds. "And Steve."

Brooke groans. "Great. Marvellous. Amazing. I am so happy my employers and teammates know about that mistake."

Sam frowns. "Mistake? You didn't seem to mind it this morning."

"Well, it was nice, but it was a mistake."

Sam steps closer, slower this time.

Brooke can see something else is bothering him now. "What is it?" She asks with slight irritation in her voice.

"Nice, was it?" He asks back.

Brooke shrugs. "Yeah. It was fun."

"Fun?" In the next moment Sam is right in front of her and before she could react, he presses her up against the wall. His chest is flushed against hers and he pins her right hand to the wall. But her left is free.

Brooke can't decide if she should laugh or kick him. "Get off me," she hisses.

"I'd rather get you off," Sam says. "Again and again until it's not just nice or fun anymore."

"I don't even know if this is meant to be sexy or threatening, but if you don't let me go right now, I'll be the Barnes that crushes your windpipe, Wilson," Brooke responds coldly. Men pressing up against her didn't work in the army and it doesn't work now.

Sam smirks for a moment before he does as he was told. "I can't wait to see you at my training session," he remarks.

"Isn't it embarrassing if a Plan B member kicks your ass publicly?" Brooke asks back.

"Only if she is related to Bucky Barnes," Sam responds.

"So you are not best friends forever?"

Sam chuckles. "No, not really. We just put up with each other. He is the best friend/boyfriend, I am the newer friend. We are supposed to get along. For Steve's sake."

"How is that working out for you?"

"Today he was making pasta enough to feed an army. He told me to order a pizza."

Brooke grins. "Ouch."

"Don't be too sympathetic though," Sam smirks.

"So why did you even tell him about our… something?"

Sam clears his throat.

Brooke frowns. "Oh my. Wilson, tell me you didn't use this one night stand to get back at my grandfather."

Now he looks guilty. Yes, that is guilt, no doubt about it.

"Tell me," she repeats stubbornly.

"I wasn't planning on it!" He says defensively. "It just… it slipped out, okay, I am not proud of it."

Brooke groans rubbing her forehead. "I don't mean to be dramatic, Sam, but I will never have sex with you again."

"And deny those nice times from yourself? Why would you do that?" Sam teases but his smirk disappears when it becomes clear to him that Brooke is not impressed. He sighs. "Look, I'm sorry."

Brooke shrugs. "It wasn't that bad of a night," she responds knowing perfectly well that Sam didn't apologise for the sex but for telling Bucky about it.

He takes the hit well; he smiles again and is about to shoot back when the door opens again and Hazel steps out.

She looks over Wilson and gives him a smile that is certainly not professional and that Sam returns with one of his own seductive ones.

"Marlow, we have a meeting with Fury in ten. Mr Wilson, glad to meet you. Big fan," she adds before returning to the quarters.

"Right," Sam smiles after her. Brooke is sure he just checked out Hazel's behind. Bastard. "Who's the pretty fan?" He asks Brooke.

She rolls her eyes. "Ask your friend Steve," she replies coolly before leaving him on the corridor.


Steve waits until the next afternoon to bring up the topic. He knows Bucky is sensitive to the arm concept as it was a tool to make him a killing machine, a tool he is stuck with.

But this is something he has to address. So that's what he does when they sit on the couch watching a baseball game that neither of them are interested in.

"How is the wound?" He asks indicating the cut on Bucky's palm.

"Sweetheart, I was a soldier and then a brainwashed murderer. I can handle a scratch," Bucky says amusedly. He won't ever admit that he likes how Steve turns into a mother hen when the smallest threat comes in Bucky's way.

Steve smiles. "Right. Listen, I wanted to ask…" he trails off.

"Yes, I'll make you dinner, your favourite. Consider it done," Bucky replies.

"No. I mean, yes, that will be great. But it is not about that."

Bucky raises his eyebrow. "You're stalling, Steve. You want to talk about Brooke?"

Steve stays silent.

"I really didn't think that date was a big deal for you. So technically I didn't steal her if that's what you're—"

"Wait, what?" Steve asks confused.

"What?" Bucky repeats, with an expression that clearly indicates he doesn't want to have this conversation.

"You stole my date?"

Bucky clears his throat. "Well, technically you went with Bonnie and I went with Connie."

"And?" Steve frowns.

Bucky sighs. "Rogers. Brooke is Bonnie's grandkid."

Steve's eyes widen before he starts laughing. "God, Buck, you really made sure to shag every girl in Brooklyn before trying it out with guys, didn't you?"

Bucky is obviously relieved that Steve is not angry. "There weren't so many guys," he comments.

Steve waves. "It doesn't matter, I'm glad you had fun. Really."

Bucky smiles and leans over to kiss his lips. "My past lovers are not what you wanted to talk about though, are they?"

Steve takes a deep breath. "No." He bites his lip. "Buck, if you remember, yesterday before you broke the bottle you fisted the arm."

He learned it early on that Bucky prefers the arm to be called like this. Like it wasn't his arm, just an arm that he uses. That is probably the case anyway.

Bucky's face hardens. His jaw is clenched, his eyebrows furrowed and his face paler than usual. "I didn't," he replies carefully guarding his tone.

Steve nods slowly. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I am sure, Rogers. I'm telling you right now."

"Right," Steve says. "Because I am certain that I saw it. So maybe we should go to Stark and—"

"Let him experiment on me? Like a little brainwashed lab rat?"

"No, darling. On the arm."

Bucky turns back to the game. "No."

"Buck—"

"No. I didn't do it. I'm alright. I'm fine. I go to the therapist, I take my meds, I work out, I walk in the nature, everything they want me to do. They will have to leave the arm alone. And you too."

Steve sighs.

Bucky looks into his eyes. "Alright?"

When Steve hesitates with the reply, Bucky gets so impatient that his knee bumps into Steve's. "Alright," he finally nods. "We'll leave the arm alone."

But he is sure he cannot do that. The arm moves without Bucky's consent or even knowledge. This is a problem. A problem to be addressed. But now it was enough to hug Bucky close and rub his back slowly.