Ok, so I'm sure you all don't care for the pre-story blurbs but I just wanted to say that I may go in a different direction with the story than originally planned. I wanted this to be just a fluff story, but the more I think about this the more I want to do. This chapter still is fluff, but be ready for some deeper and maybe darker things to happen.
Bucky walked down the hallway, having just left Serenity's lab. His mind could not shake her image. Her smile crept in like sun on a rainy day. Her eyes shining like beacons in the night. Her personality was so magnetic, it seemed like she was always in a good mood. He had only briefly spoken with her a couple times since the accident and today, but she was always upbeat. Something he found difficult to do. However, when he was around her, he could not help but smile.
"Hey Bucky!" Greeted a familiar voice.
He stopped, seeing Natasha walking his way and replied in kind, "Hey Natasha."
"I see my advice paid off. Told you Serenity was good." She stopped and crossed her arms, smiling at her genius.
"Yeah. Fixed me right up." He said, still a bit distracted.
Natasha quickly caught onto this, "Something wrong?"
He shook his head, "Nah, I'm just a bit worn out is all."
"Well then, go take a nap grandpa." She gave a mischievous smile as she continued down the hall, presumably on her way to see Bruce.
However, a nap was not on the agenda. He wanted to get his mind focused. Feelings like this could not happen, nor would he let them. Deep down, Bucky felt like he did not deserve them. He believed happiness was not for the damned. He continued down the hall, pushing out the image of Serenity.
Meanwhile, back at the lab, Serenity and Bruce worked separately on their own projects. Serenity was still working on her defense armor sketches. The drawing of Bucky's eyes were finished, staring at her from the bottom of the page. She tried to focus on the task in front of her, but it was for not. She barely wrote out one word since Bucky left. Her thoughts tangled up with his image. Wondering how he could have such an impact on her. She got her chance to meet him, but did not believe she would have butterflies while around him. Nor did she think that her mind would not stop picturing him. There were so many things she wanted to know, but she could not even get one question out. She froze when gazing into his eyes. Her train of thought was broken, when Natasha walked through the door.
"Are you ready, Serenity?" Natasha asked as she walked across the lab to Serenity's chair.
"Ready for what?" Serenity asked as she quickly closed the cover to her drawing pad.
Natasha leaned her hip against the table and crossed her arms, "Our training session. I was nice and let you have some time off, because of your nose. But now it's time to get to work. We are gonna make up for all that time lost."
Serenity let out a groan and sulked in her chair, "Ugh! Why do I even need to go through training?"
"This was your idea. You were the one who said…" Natasha made quotes with her fingers, "I need to learn how to defend myself."
Serenity looked up at her from her slumped position in the chair, "Fine."
"Be ready and in the gym in fifteen minutes." Natasha stated.
She stood up in her chair, grabbed her drawing pad, and slowly walked away. Natasha turned to look at Bruce, who was standing at his own table. He was looking at Natasha with a goofy smile.
"Happy to see me?" She asked as she leaned over the table.
"Yes, but that isn't what I'm smiling at." Bruce said while doing a giddy dance over to her, looking over the door to make sure Serenity was out of sight.
She gave him a confused look as he got closer, "Then what has you acting like a 12-year old girl."
He stopped and frowned, "Serenity said the same thing to me." He shrugged it off and proceeded, "I think Serenity and Bucky like each other."
She gave him an unimpressed look, "That's what you're excited about. You really are a 12-year old girl."
"I'm serious. I caught the two of them staring into each other's eyes." He stated in a matter of fact way
"Oh wow!" She exclaimed, the sarcasm seeping from her lips, "Well, that says it all."
Bruce waved his hands, "You DON'T get it. They were standing in complete silence, staring into each other's eyes. I know that stare…"
Bruce's eyes softened and he stepped closer to Natasha, gently placing his hands on her waist. She straightened up and instinctively placed her hands on his shoulders. The two shared a moment where they were the only ones in the world. Nothing else around them existed for those few seconds.
"Trust me, Nat…I know that look." Bruce stated as he brought her in closer.
"Well, you are the expert." She said while leaning in, only inches away from his lips.
Bruce smiled and broke the gap to place a tender kiss on her lips. Natasha replied in kind and pushed into his lips for a more impactful kiss. It followed with several small kisses, before they pulled away. Natasha leaned back, but did not pull away from his arms.
"So, they stared into each other's eyes like that?" She asked with a sly smile
He rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a goofy smile, "Well…minus the physical contact."
"Maybe they do like each other, but if a look is all that happened. Then only time will give us answers." She reluctantly pulled away from him and leaned up against the desk.
He let out a sigh, "I guess so.
"Maybe I will do some digging." She said while pushing herself away from the table.
She turned to face him and walked backwards, "I'll see you later on tonight." Blowing a kiss as she turned back around and left the lab.
Meanwhile, Serenity walked into the gym, Natasha was already standing at the entrance. Natasha crossed her arms and shook her head. "You're late."
"Yeah. Sorry. I guess I'm kind of out of it." Serenity stated as she walked up to Natasha.
"No excuses. You will pay for your tardiness with twenty squats, on top of your usual set." Natasha said with a disapproving look
Serenity's eyes widened, but she didn't fight the order. Learning from past experiences, fighting back would only make the sessions longer and more intensive. Serenity walked over to a large mat and began stretching, Natasha joining her. Serenity made them all count, as she knew Natasha was going to put her through the ringer. Her suspicions were accurate, as the next two hours were non stop. As far as Serenity was concerned, it was torture. Core was first, with dynamic planks and leg raises. Next came upper body, doing bench presses, pull-downs, dumbbell presses and curls. Last was lower body, pushing through deadlifts, extra squats, leg presses, and calf raises.
By the end of it all, Serenity's body felt like it was ready to crack. She could barely stay standing, as her legs felt like Jell-o. She looked over at Natasha, who was sweating, but appeared as cool as usual. Natasha was doing everything that Serenity was, but with more weight and more reps. Serenity could not help but look on with admiration towards Natasha. She may not have actual superhuman powers, but she sure was a super woman.
"Is that…a wrap…for today?" Serenity asked, in between breaths.
Natasha smiled and nodded, "For today, but tomorrow, we're sparing."
Serenity collapsed on the floor of the gym with an agonizing groan of defeat, "You are going to be…the death of me."
"Heh, you'll be fine. It's only because you took a couple weeks off." Natasha stated as she walked over to Serenity, "I knew I shouldn't have been so soft. We will get back into our old routine soon enough."
Natasha extended her hand and Serenity grabbed it, with the pace of a sloth. Pulling her up off the ground, she patted Serenity on the back. Serenity slowly began walking towards the exit, but stopped for a drink at the water fountain. Natasha leaned up against the wall and looked down at Serenity with a smile.
"So, how's the nose?" Natasha asked as she crossed her arms.
Serenity looked up at her and stopped her drinking, "Fine." She stood up straight while wiping off the excess water on her mouth.
"Bucky really did a number on it, huh? What an ass." Natasha said as she traded places with Serenity at the fountain.
Serenity furrowed her brow, "No, it wasn't his fault. He extended his arm to stretch and I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. It was a simple accident, that he apologized for. No big deal."
Natasha stood up from the fountain, "Sorry, didn't know you were so defensive about Bucky."
Serenity blushed and stumbled over her words in reply, "I-I'm not…uh…d-defensive about him."
Natasha strolled pass her, "Seem pretty quick to defend him, in my opinion." Serenity watched her walk away, but quickly followed. "Not sure if I would defend the man who broke my nose." Natasha stated as she exited the gym.
Serenity was silent as she followed behind her. She did not have a reply for this. It was perfectly logical to be mad or upset at the person who breaks your nose. However, Serenity could not bring herself to be mad at him. She knew it was an accident and he apologized. What more could be done?
"Do you like him or something? Is that why your not mad?" Natasha asked, slightly turning her glance to Serenity.
Serenity let out an awkward laugh, "Ha, what? No no no, of course not."
Raising her eyebrows, Natasha shrugged, "Ok, then."
"Yeah, cause I'm not." Replying to a question that was no longer on the table, but she did think of a question she needed the answer to, "Natasha…do you know why Bucky and Steve are here at the compound? I mean, I know that things were smoothed over between the avengers after the war. However, why are they here now?"
Natasha raised her brow, "You sure do have a lot of interest in a man you claim to have no interest in. Everyone felt that this facility would be the best place for them to stay. They moved in the same day Bucky and you met." She placed a hand on Serenity's shoulder, "I'll see you tomorrow morning. Bright and early, 7 o'clock." Then turned left down a nearby hall.
Serenity let out a groan and continued walking down the hall. She pushed some of the hair that had fallen from her ponytail out of her face. It now stuck to the side of her face, the sweat keeping it in place. She started thinking about what Natasha said about her being defensive, about Bucky breaking her nose. To Serenity, it was not a big deal. Accidents happen and that is all it was. Serenity wondered why Natasha was wondering about such things anyway. Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice.
"Hey Serenity."
Serenity looked up to see Bucky walking up to her. He smiled and stopped just a few feet in front of her. She stopped, staring at him for a second. She could feel it, the butterflies. They fluttered around with excitement and this feeling confused her.
"Hey." That was the only word that could escape from her lips.
Little did they know, the feelings were mutual. Bucky felt as if he could not move. Those eyes pierced through his soul. She looked at him and it somehow stopped him in his tracks. Once again, they stared into each other's eyes with only silence between them. Serenity wanted to say something, but what?
Suddenly, she blurted out, "EMP!"
Both Bucky and herself appeared to be confused by this. She closed her eyes and scrunched her brow while rubbing her temple. This was not a proud moment for her. She took a deep breath and tried again.
"I have been thinking about you, I-I mean your arm…and if you are up for it, I was wondering if you would be ok with some upgrades. Like maybe an EMP feature."
Bucky raised his brow and shook his head as if he was agreeing, "Sounds interesting…but what's an EMP?"
Serenity was quite surprised he was not aware of what it was, "Well, EMP is short for electromagnetic pulse. Which, when harnessed correctly can render electronic devices useless. I believe I can add the feature to the technology already in your arm." She seemed excited as she spoke about the topic.
Bucky smiled slightly, "That sounds…cool." He seemed uncomfortable saying the word, "People say 'cool' nowadays, right?"
Serenity nodded and held back a slight laugh, "Yes, they do."
"Well, I'm all yours then." He said, opening his arms, but then his eyes widened after hearing the words out loud, "I mean…you can do whatever you think is best."
Serenity was mildly startled by his words, "Ok, well…I will get to work and get back with you when I'm done. For now, I think I need to go."
"Oh yeah, of course. I'm sure you have way more important things to do." He said while stepping back to let her through.
"Not really, but I do need to take a much needed shower. I'm sure I smell like a garbage can full of dirty socks. I'll find you when I have that ready." She made her way past him, keeping her eyes on him until the last second.
He watched her walk away and stood in the hallway, dazed. Even when she was out of view, he still stood there, her image remaining. He wanted to fight these feelings, but whenever he saw her he could not resist. Now she was offering to help him again. He wondered why he deserved such affections. Besides Steve, she was the first person to show him such kindness. He turned back in the direction he was originally headed and continued down the hall.