Steve hopped up and came out of the bedroom a few minutes later. Natasha was still heating up the SpaghettiO's, and Bucky was sitting up on the couch, bundled up in blankets. Steve gave him a nod, and Bucky gave a small smile.
"I didn't bring extra shoes for you," Natasha said, "So if you want to put any on, you'll have to get your boots out of the bathroom."
"Ok, sure," Steve said. In just his socks and thermals, he was quickly getting cold. The heater rattled away, but it did little more than make noise and keep them from breathing steam.
"The Stars and Stripes are still on the bathroom floor, by the way. I'll do the cooking, because I don't want food-poisoning, but I'm not picking up your clothes."
"Right, yeah, sorry Nat," Steve said, "I'll go grab them."
"Breakfast won't be long. This is starting to bubble. That means it's cooked, right?"
"Does it say on the tin?" Bucky asked.
Steve popped into the bathroom, picked up his clothes and pulled on his boots. He washed his face and checked his injuries. Nothing broken, but plenty sore. When he stepped back into the main room, Bucky was sit at the card table-come-dining table, and there were three bowls, spoons, and cups set out.
"Grab a hoodie out of the bag Cap, and take a seat."
Steve grabbed the top hoodie from the clothing bag and pulled it on while Natasha served up the SpagettiO's and tea. Once they had eaten, Natasha explained the plan.
Steve was unconvinced. "That's not really a plan."
"It's a work in progress, I'll give you that, Cap. But it's all we've got."
"When do we get more information?"
"I have to ring Hill just before we depart tomorrow morning."
"Ok, Nat, this is… this is like a fraction of a plan."
Natasha shrugged. "They weren't big on teaching math in the Red Room."
Steve stretched, but his shoulder cramped. He was cold and stiff and Natasha was frustrating and ten hours sleep hadn't been enough. "I'm going to have a nap," he said, "Wake me up for lunch."
"Grandpa nap?" Bucky said.
"Ha," said Steve, "And just so I don't die of shock when I wake up; Natasha, will you be joining me?"
There was silence for a moment before Bucky and Natasha both exploded with laughter. Steve blushed, realising what he had said.
"I hate you both."
"Go rest up, Cap," Natasha said, "And don't worry about finding me beside you. I mean, unless you want…"
"You are the worst, Natasha."
Natasha chuckled, and Steve couldn't help but smile at his own naivety. Besides, he had made Bucky laugh, and seeing him smile outweighed any embarrassment.
"Now what?" Bucky asked as the bedroom door clicked shut.
"You don't need a grandpa nap?"
"I'm ok."
"You sure? You did have your arm blasted off."
Bucky gave a small shrug with his right shoulder. "It's gone numb. I get a slight tingling sensation every so often, but it doesn't hurt."
"Ok," Natasha said.
"So," Bucky said and looked around the flat, "Unless you have board games or a pack of cards in one of those bags, I guess we're up for a pretty quiet day?"
"How about I do your hair and give you a manicure?"
"A - what?" Bucky asked, taken back.
"When was the last time you washed your hair?" Natasha asked.
"Umm, I…"
"Come on," Natasha said, "It'll be fun."
"You're strange. Has anyone told you that?"
Natasha stood up placed her chair in front of the sink. "Come on," she said. With some effort, Bucky forced himself up and shuffled to the chair while Natasha whipped into the bathroom for towels and product. Natasha placed a towel around Bucky's shoulders. "You have so much dirt and crap in your hair, it would need to be declared in customs."
"Gee, way to make a guy feel good."
"Lean back."
"Where do you find the tiny shampoos?"
"I take them from hotels," Natasha replied, "Lean back."
Bucky leant his head back over the sink and Natasha turned on the tap. The hot water was hardly hot by stretch of the imagination, but it was a long way from freezing. Natasha grabbed one of the cups to help rinse Bucky's hair.
"So you steal things from hotels?"
"Souvenirs. And just small things."
"Oh, ok, I guess…"
"Have you ever stayed in a hotel?" Natasha asked, pouring shampoo into her hand, then massaging it through Bucky's hair.
"Once. In London. The barracks were full, so they had to put us up at a hotel. There weren't any tiny shampoos, though. And the hot water only worked in the evening. But at least it worked. I wonder if it's still there…"
"Do you remember what it was called?" Natasha asked, turning on the tap again to rinse his hair.
"Carriage… Claridge's?"
"You were put up at Claridge's?"
"Yeah," Bucky said, "That sounds right. Steve might remember. It was pretty swell. I think we were only put there because we were with Captain America. It wasn't for long. Three or four nights, then back to base for a week, then back to Europe."
"Remind you to take you back there some day. If you thought it was swell then, you should see it now," Natasha said, pouring a second dose of shampoo straight onto Bucky's head.
"It's still there?"
"Standard rooms at £400 a night? Yeah, it's still there."
"Huh," Bucky said as Natasha massaged the shampoo into his scalp and rinsed it out again.
"It's a bit nicer than here," Natasha said, this time opening the conditioner, and pouring it onto Bucky's hair.
"I'd never seen a bed so big," Bucky said, "Couldn't believe it was just for me. I though we must have been sleeping three to a room. All white sheets and hot breakfasts. Geez, that was nice."
"I bet," Natasha said.
"They had a barber service. Dugan - one of the guys - he made us all go get our hair cut, and have a cut-throat razor shave."
Natasha turned on the tap for the final time to rinse Bucky's hair. She recalled Steve once telling her about a cut-throat shave in London. It had been late in their deployment. Sam had been trying to explain electric razors to him, and Steve couldn't see the merits. Natasha looked down at Bucky, who looked up at her a offered a small smile.
"Mind you don't hit your head on the tap," she said as he sat up. Natasha wrung out his hair, then dried it gently with a second towel before giving it a comb.
She helped Bucky stand up, and he shuffled back to the couch. Natasha returned the hair things to the bathroom, and grabbed her personal toiletry bag. She then went over to the armchair, and pulled it to Bucky's right-hand side. "Give me your hand," she said.
Bucky held out his hand and Natasha examined it, turning it over, and checking each of his fingers. Bucky watched her hands. They were smooth and soft, but he could feel the strength.
"Well, I'll have to clean your nails, for a start," Natasha said, standing up and going to get the pot of tea water from the stove. She dipped her finger in it. The water was still warm from breakfast. "This will do," she said, bringing the pot over. She rested it carefully in her lap, then took Bucky's hand and placed it in the water. Natasha picked up the facecloth she'd taken from the bathroom and used it to bath his hand.
"I - " Bucky began and swallowed.
"Yeah?" Natasha asked, looking up. He wasn't smiling anymore.
"I can't go back."
"What do you mean?"
"Not - not while it's still out there. Not while I could hurt someone. I don't know how to tell Steve. Sorry, Natasha. I can't go back."