Bucky felt had an unusual amount of fluff on his face. To any person, any amount was probably unusual. Except for Bucky on the occasion when Alpine decided to spend the night on his face which was what was happening now.
It was morning. He was laying in his bed with Alpine curled around the right side of his face. Alpine's chin rested on his forehead, one leg was stretched over both of Bucky's eyes and his hind legs under his chin. His tail tickled Bucky's nose.
He brought his right hand up to pet Alpine.
"Good morning Alpine." Bucky's voice was a little rough from just waking up. "I hate to move you, but I got to get up. I gotta go to the bathroom."
Alpine just slept on. Bucky moved Alpine's paw away from his eyes to see. This seemed to wake Alpine up and the cat jumped off the bed and out of the room. Now that Bucky could see, he found Maxim wrapped around him- practically laying on him.
Bucky sighed. He didn't want to disturb him. After all he'd been through, Bucky wanted for Maxim to have a peaceful sleep, but if Bucky didn't go soon he'll probably pee on himself.
So he gently sat up and untangled from Maxim. Thankfully, Maxim only stirred a little and stayed asleep.
After Bucky had finished in the bathroom, he went to go feed Alpine. He left the bedroom door only slightly open to keep from waking Maxim up from any noise he made.
Alpine came leaping to him at the sound of his food when Bucky shook it and ate while Bucky cleaned the litter box.
He was going to ask Bruce if he could do a check up on Maxim today to make sure he was healthy. Bucky looked at the clock on the wall.
9:49
Tony said Pepper wanted to take Maxim to go get clothes and whatever he needs at one o'clock. So whenever Maxim wakes up he'll take him to Bruce and then do whatever until Pepper comes.
After he cleaned the litter box, he washed his hands and went over to the kitchen. He opened the cabinet and scowled when he reached into an empty s'mores pop tart box.
Steve.
The punk at them all. He was the only one who had been in his room beside Maxim, and Bucky doubted it was him.
The only other person Bucky could think of was Thor, but he was in somewhere in space or something- Bucky didn't exactly know- and he's pretty sure Thor doesn't even know Bucky has pop tarts. He made sure to keep a separate stash in the kitchen of his room rather than in the common room kitchen the team shared. Thor was a pop tart eating machine.
Or maybe Sam snuck in. He could be trying to get back at him after Bucky ate all his MMs.
"Баки?" (Bucky?)
Bucky was pulled out of his thoughts from a small voice in his bedroom.
"Баки?" (Bucky?)
Maxim's voice sounded a little panicked the second time. Bucky opened the door to his room and found Maxim sliding down off the bed.
Куда ты ушел!" (Where did you go!) Maxim questioned and ran to Bucky, holding on to him as tight as he could.
"Я был просто в другой комнате. Все нормально." (I was just in the other room. It's okay.) Bucky soothed, running a hand through Maxim's messy hair.
He had an adorably bad case of bed head. One side was sticking up and the other side was sticking everywhere.
"Я искал что-нибудь поесть. Вы голодны?" (I was looking for something to eat. You hungry?)
"Да." (Yes.) Maxim replied.
"Давай." (Come on.)
Maxim didn't leave Bucky's side as Bucky guided him to the kitchen. Bucky was going through the fridge when he felt Maxim tug on his shirt.
"Что это такое?" (What's that?) Maxim pointed to the empty pop tart box Bucky had left on the counter.
"Поп-пироги, все прошло, хотя." (Pop tarts, all gone though.)
"Ой." (Oh.) Maxim sounded a little disappointed.
"Хотите попробовать?" (Wanna try one?)
"Но они все ушли." (But they're all gone.)
"Где-то в этой башне должно быть что-то." (There should be some somewhere in this tower.)
Maxim got a little excited "Ладно!" (Okay!)
Bucky got dressed and realized the only clothes Maxim had were the pajamas he had on. He didn't know what Maxim was going to wear when Pepper comes to take him to the store. He didn't have time to think about it though, he was being hurried out the door by Maxim.
"Спешите, Баки! Я голоден!" (Hurry Bucky! I'm hungry!) Maxim pulled on his arm until Bucky started walking to the door.
Bucky lead Maxim to the kitchen everyone shared. Bruce was sitting at the kitchen island eating some cereal and reading something. When Maxim saw him, his earlier excitement went away and was replaced by shyness. He hid behind Bucky and was clutching his metal arm.
"Максим, помнишь Брюса, ученого?" (Maxim, remember Bruce, the scientist?)
Maxim shook his head 'yes' but his eyes stayed on Bruce. Bucky introduced him to Bruce last night when everyone met. Bruce gave him a friendly wave.
With Bruce here, Bucky saw this as a good time to ask him about checking Maxim's health and getting Maxim at least a little comfortable with Bruce.
He sat Maxim one stool away from Bruce at the counter and Maxim looked from Bruce to Bucky.
"Оставайся здесь, и я принесу тебе пирог, хорошо?" (Stay here and I'll get you a pop tart, okay?)
"Ладно." (Okay.) Maxim said quietly.
Bucky went to the shelf of pop tarts and pulled out different types.
"We are out of the sundae ones if that's what your looking for. Thor took them all when he left." Bruce said.
"Oh no, Maxim never had any so I'm letting him pick which one he wants."
"There's more in the cabinet on the right."
"Thanks." Bucky looked in the other cabinet.
After searching through the endless boxes, Bucky decided that eight flavors was enough for Maxim to choose from. He had blueberry, strawberry, chocolate chip, cookies and cream, brown sugar cinnamon, chocolate fudge, and wild berry.
Bucky never saw the wild berry one before and he set one aside beside Maxim for later. Bucky thought they looked a little exotic.
Maxim studied each box in silent wonder. After a few moments he poked at the chocolate fudge one and looked at Bucky.
"Вот этот." (This one.)
Bucky took one out of the box and gave it to Maxim who was amazed he could see himself in the foil.
"Это зеркало!" (It's a mirror!)
"Что-то такое." (Something like that.) Bucky laughed.
Maxim tried to open it but failed so he held it out to Bucky.
"Bы откроете это для меня?" (Will you open it for me?)
"Kонечно." (Of course.)
Bucky smiled and opened the wrapper.
"Спасибо" (Thanks) Maxim took one out.
He admired it for a little bit and then started eating.
"Я люблю это!" (I love it!) Maxim grinned.
Bucky chuckled at him. "Хорошо." (Good.)
While Maxim was happily distracted, Bucky turned to Bruce.
"Bruce, can I talk to you?"
Bruce looked up from whatever he was reading. "Yeah."
"Okay, I was wonder if you could check Maxim. Like make sure he's okay physically. He doesn't seem to be hurt or anything, but I wanted to make sure."
"Yeah, I will. Just let me go get my stuff."
"Thanks."
After Maxim finished eating Bruce looked over him. It took a little coaxing for Maxim to not freak out when Bruce came near him with any medical tools. Bucky expected that though, he wasn't to fond of doctors himself after his time with Hydra.
He felt terrible for doing that to Maxim. He was just enjoying his pop tart and being happy and then Bucky did that. He should have done it at a different time, but at least it's over.
He suddenly wondered if Wanda didn't like doctors either. Maxim and Wanda have almost the same experience with Hydra; maybe Bucky should get Maxim to spend some time with her.
Bruce finished quickly and said Maxim seemed healthy.
"He seems healthy from what I can see."
Bucky nodded. "Good."
Maxim was still sitting on the stool, but he had both his arms around one of Bucky's and was watching Bruce. Bucky hoped he hadn't made Maxim scared of him.
"I've been-well Tony and I-have been reading the notes about Maxim and his abilities and we think that Maxim could do more than turn invisible."
"He can do other things?" Bucky repeated. "What things? I've only seen him go invisible."
"I don't think he can control it yet. Here," Bruce handed Bucky the paper he was reading before. "It's a copy of the notes about Maxim. They call him Subject 6."
Bucky took the paper with the hand Maxim wasn't holding-his metal one-and scanned the paper.
Subject 6 seems responsive.
Hit with level 3 power from blast.
"Blast?!" Bucky looked horrified. "Did they shoot something at him?!"
Bucky felt his muscles tense up as he started to get angry.
What did they do to this poor kid?
Bucky forced himself to calm down before Maxim got scared from Bucky's raging emotions.
Bruce frowned. "I'm afraid so. The purpose was to make the ability to control matter in the human body or objects."
"What?"
"Basically Maxim could be able manipulate or control atoms. This opens up the possibility to not only invisibility, but teleportation or telekinesis. It's called Light Manipulation."
"Okay," Bucky nodded, taking all the information in.
"So Maxim can move, what are they called?Atoms?"
"Possibly. It's a theory, we don't have a way to know until he actually does it, if he can. Keep the paper, I have more copies. Come to the lab anytime you want the whole folder of notes or I could bring it to you."
"I'll come later, thanks."
"No problem." Bruce said and went to put his bowl in the dishwasher. "I should go, Tony's waiting at the lab."
Bruce left and after Bucky put the pop tart boxes back once Maxim let go of his arm. He was still trying to wrap his head around the whole 'Light Manipulation' thing. Bucky always was interested in science and he was a little curious about what Maxim could do and how it worked.
"Я думал, ты сказал, что Брюс был ученым?" (I thought you said Bruce was scientist?) Maxim spoke up, pulling Bucky out of his thoughts.
"Он есть, но он врач. Он действительно умный." (He is, but he's a doctor to. He's really smart.)
"Он не был злым для меня." (He wasn't mean to me.) Maxim stated
Bucky turned from the pop tart shelf to Maxim.
"Он не делал мне больно и не кричал на меня." (He didn't hurt me or scream at me.) Maxim smiled a little. "Он мне нравится." (I like him.)
Bucky's felt a stabbing pain in his chest and his eyes were getting watery. He cleared his throat and wiped his eyes swiftly.
"Да ... мне он нравится." (Yeah… I like him to.) He went up to Maxim and picked him up, holding him tight but not tight enough to hurt.
"Что мы собираемся делать сейчас?" (What are we going to do now?) Maxim asked.
"Я не знаю, что ты хочешь делать?" (I don't know what do you want to do?)