Okay, fair warning this one is REALLY long and I didn't plan it out to be. It's basically a modern military one, and I'll admit I don't know shit about the military, so I kinda just went along with it. enjoy!
…
Bucky Barnes tried to shake off his nerves as he jogged with another recruit under a cerulean sky. First day at training, he wanted to make a good impression with the man who was supposed to be his captain. He almost couldn't believe who he was assigned under when he got the message. Captain Rogers was the most respected and talented of all the Captains. Everyone wanted to learn from him.
Bucky cast a sideway glance at the man jogging beside him. He was in his unit. What was his name again? Rumlow? Bucky was pretty sure, but they had only met that day.
"What do you think he's gonna be like?" Rumlow panted at they made their way down the sinuous path that wrapped around the base. "I heard he has a thing about cursing. We're in the fucking army!"
Bucky scoffed out a laugh and shook his head. "I'm trying to limit any expectations."
He was more worried about what his captain would think of him. He wanted to prove himself, to ensure he displayed the talents and abilities he knew he had. He didn't want to choke and make a fool out of himself in front of his whole unit.
They came back to the main part of the base where they were to meet with their captain for the first time. He saw their group milling about the area, stretching out their arms and legs, hopping on the balls of their feet to shake out any nervousness. They were all vaguely familiar, he had seen them around before. Bucky cast a sweeping glance around the area, checking the see if the captain was there. However, he wasn't. Bucky expected him to be quite punctual.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when Rumlow elbowed him sharply in the ribs.
"Check it out," he murmured, jerking his head to a figure before them.
It was a girl, obviously, kneeling down and lacing up her boots. Her back was to them, but Bucky could see her hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail, not a hair out of place. She donned dark green pants and a black tank top. She stood, Bucky seeing that she was small, but her arms were sculpted with lean muscle.
"Is she in our unit?" Bucky asked, willing her with his mind to turn around so he could get a proper look at her.
"I dunno," Rumlow shrugged before looked at Bucky, a smug smirk on his face. "Watch this,"
Bucky already knew what was about to go down before the man took a step.
Rumlow swaggered up to the girl, Bucky taking a few steps forward to get a better look. He tapped her on the shoulder, getting her attention as she turned to him.
Bucky got a good look at her face. She hardly looked like she should be in the army, cheeks rounded and roseate, nose delicate and pointed. Even with her youthful and pretty looks, she stared down Rumlow evenly as she waited for him to speak.
"Hey, sweetheart," he crooned. "What's a nice thing like you doing in a place like this?"
She didn't seem remotely amused by his subpar flirting.
"Listening to crappy flirting," the girl quipped back.
Bucky watched in amusement, the rest of the men also giving their attention to the situation, wondering where this would lead and if it would be entertaining at all.
"Aw, come on, I'm sure you love it," Rumlow said. "Why else would you be in a place surrounded by men if you didn't was a bit of attention?"
Bucky wanted to stick his own foot into Rumlow's mouth. He cringed for the man as the girl raised a sculpted brow, the annoyance on her face contorting to bitterness. Rumlow didn't give her time to respond before speaking again.
"What's your name, sweetheart?"
Rumlow watched as the girl looked down, as if preparing herself. Her shoulders bobbed as she sighed, planting her hands on her hips before looking up, her smugness now mirroring Rumlow's own.
"Captain," she said.
"Oh, you don't gotta call me captain," Rumlow chuckled at his own joke. "Unless you're into that."
"As tempting as that offer is," the girl spoke, voice now low and dangerous. "I wasn't calling you captain. I'm your captain."
There was a beat of silence.
"Fall in!" the girl barked.
Bucky, along with all the other men in the group scrambled into line, hearing the authority in her voice and reacting to it as they had been trained. Even Rumlow backpedaled into get into line, but it didn't quite stop him from speaking out.
"I thought we had Captain Rogers!" he cried, hearing murmurs among the men who thought the same thing.
"You do," the girl said, crossing her arms behind her back and pacing up and down the line of men. She stopped before Rumlow, corners of her lips pointed up. "Captain Ella Rogers. It's great to meet almost all of you," she said, looking pointedly at Rumlow.
Bucky, from beside the man, tried unsuccessfully to hide a snort. This got the girl's, Ella's, attention on him. He quickly masked his face to stoic as she stepped before him.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Barnes, ma'am," he answered evenly. Did he call her ma'am? Did she still expect sir, or would she be offended by that? Bucky lost his train of thought as he took the chance to properly study the girl. She had bright and clear blue eyes, her skin lightly sun kissed from the training outdoors. Still, there was a strange expression on her face. It wasn't the distaste he looked at Rumlow with, nor was it indifference. If Bucky had to guess, he would say it was interest. Why was she interested with him? It both frightened at excited him, because she was a very pretty girl, even if he shouldn't be thinking about his superiors like that.
"Well, Barnes," she spoke softly. "Please try not to follow the footstep of your friend here,"
Bucky wanted to say that Rumlow wasn't really his friend, more like an acquaintance. In fact, after hearing more than twenty words out of his mouth, he really didn't like him. He was arrogant. Instead Bucky gave a firm nod. "Yes ma'am."
Her gaze then snapped to the man beside Bucky.
"Wilson, I'm putting you on babysitting duty until these two can make up for the lateness."
"Yes ma'am," Wilson said.
Ella took a few steps back from the company of men. "Start out with ten laps, then we'll get into the hard stuff."
There was a resounding cry of yes ma'am, which seemed to be what the whole group unanimously agreed on, before they began to run.
Bucky felt eyes on him. He risked one last glance over his shoulder, seeing Ella with her perfect posture that had been drilled into her from training, watching him with slightly narrowed eyes. He quickly looked away, lest he meet her gaze, even though some part of him wanted to. Still, he knew he shouldn't even start to think like that. He shook his head and focused on running, ignoring Rumlow's pissed off grumbling.
Ella cocked her head to the side as she watched her group of recruits run off. She let out a breath of relief, glad the hard part was over. She expected question, but not insulting flirting. Her brother was the Captain they all expected, not her. Still, she had the same qualifications. She had worked just as hard, if not harder, to struggle up to this position. The respect for her authority was the thing Ella feared with most with the new group.
And then there was that one man, Barnes, who had caught her eye. Ella knew there was plenty of attractive men around the base, but this one made her look a bit longer. There was something in his eyes, bright and playful, that caught her attention. Ella pursed her lips and scolded herself. She couldn't let herself continue with any thoughts like those.
"How was the meeting?" someone called to her.
Ella looked over her shoulder, seeing another woman walking towards her, Peggy Carter. She outranked Ella, but treated her like an equal, mostly because she knew what the young woman was going through.
Ella rolled her eyes.
"That bad, huh?" Peggy laughed. "Any flirts?"
"Of course," Ella told her with exasperation.
"Surprised you weren't your brother?"
"Very."
Peggy had expected all of this to happen anyways, telling Ella about it in hopes of preparing her, which she supposed she did. She was sure Ella was able to handle herself.
"How'd they look?" Peggy asked, peering out into the field where a group of recruits were training.
"Like they needed work," Ella sighed.
"Any of them any cute?"
"Peggy!" Ella cried in surprise and embarrassment, turning towards the woman with a questioning look on her face.
Peggy laughed at her dramatic reaction. "What? When I trained your brother, I thought he was cute."
"Even before he bulked up?" Ella rose a brow, remembering a time when she was bigger than her older brother. Somehow, the army really helped him improve his health. It seemed almost impossible, but it happened.
"Different kind of cute," Peggy shrugged. "But you didn't answer my question. Don't worry about anything, this is just some girl talk."
Ella shook her head firmly. "Nope. Not my type."
Peggy narrowed her eyes at Ella, who wouldn't meet her gaze. She noticed that her cheeks were a bit redder than normal. "Liar,"
Ella's head swiveled towards her. "No I'm not!"
She was. Ella felt herself flushing deeper. Peggy had a built in lie detector, and could always call Ella out on any bullshit, or anyone really. There was no point in even trying to fib around her.
"Yes you are," Peggy insisted, looking proud of herself. "But I won't pry. I'll just have to watch you for five minutes with them and I'll be able to tell which one you think is cute."
"How could you possibly know?" Ella asked.
"Well," Peggy began. "My first guess is that you would act tough, be extra hard on him, and try to ignore his existence."
Ella jutted out her jaw and stubbornly crossed her arms over her chest.
Peggy rolled her eyes, looking just passed Ella as a familiar, broad figure strolled towards them. She grinned widely.
"Hey there," she called.
Ella looked over her shoulder as her brother came upon them. She sent him a tight-lipped smile in greeting.
Steve came up to Peggy first, wrapping a hand around her shoulder and kissing her forehead fondly. They had been together for a couple months now, after a painfully long time of obvious longing that drove Ella up the wall. She practically shoved them together into a room once, just to stop the awful tension.
"How was the first day?" her brother asked her.
"Fine," Ella said shortly.
"She had a bit of trouble with one guy," Peggy mumbled, ratting her out.
Steve's expression grew darker. "Do you need me to deal with it?"
"No!" Ella said, thoroughly annoyed. "I handled it."
What kind of leader would she look like if she dragged in her brother, with his imposing size and loud voice, to fight her battles for her? She already had to struggle enough to claw her way out from under his shadow, to make her own name, her own authority, which wasn't easy. People would take one look at her and already believed she wouldn't be anything special, which at first made her seethe, but Ella later learned how to use it to her advantage. It was helpful during sparring sessions, knowing they were underestimating her, which allowed her to come out strong.
Steve shook his head softly at his sister's defensive attitude.
When she followed him to basic training, Steve was almost unsurprised. She had always wanted to do whatever he did since they were children. However, he expected her to go home after the first week, the training being too hard. To Steve's surprise and slight dismay, she enjoyed the challenge and excelled at her training. The only reason Steve wasn't filled with pride at his sister's achievements was that the better she did, the more dangerous missions would become for her. He didn't want her hurt.
"I guess I should go make sure they're not skipping any laps," Ella told the pair before making her way towards the track.
"You think she can handle it?" Steve asked Peggy.
She nodded firmly. "I have complete faith."
…
Bucky was absolutely positive that Ella Rogers hated him.
This revelation came to his as his arms burned from the pushups she was making him do.
Was it because of how he showed up late on the first day? Because Rumlow still continued to speak to him as a friend? Bucky couldn't think of any reason. He excelled in the skills they were learning, he was always respectful, he gave it his all… so why was it that she always looked so angry at him? What happened to that curiosity from the first day?
"All right, that's enough."
A few men collapsed onto the ground in a heap, arms giving out. Bucky chuckled at Sam Wilson beside him, who was face down in the dirt, face glazed with sweat. He had become quick friends with the man.
Bucky pushed himself off the ground, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand as he stared at Ella. She wore a white shirt that looked a little too large for her, which her tucked into her pants neatly. Her dog tags glimmered in the afternoon sun as she looked over the group of men.
Why does she have to be so god damn pretty? Bucky thought to himself. Maybe he could've brought himself to despise the girl if she didn't look so lovely all the time. She must blow men away when she smiled, not the Bucky ever really got to see that.
"That's it for today," she announced. "And I know tonight's your night off, but don't expect me to go easy if you show up with a hangover tomorrow. You're dismissed."
A night off. They didn't get those a lot and most of the men had already made big plans for the night, Bucky included. He and Sam were planning on heading to a club not too far from the base. He expected a lot of the recruits were going to show up there, it was a hotspot.
But, before Bucky left, he had something he had to do.
"You coming?" Sam asked.
"I'll catch up in a bit," Bucky assured him.
Sam nodded, not asking him yet what he was planning on doing, but would later.
Bucky swallowed hard and took a few steps until he stood a few feet behind his captain, waiting to speak, arms crossed behind his back respectfully.
Ella noted a presence behind her, and was surprised to find Barnes waiting patiently for her. Ella's brows furrowed, wondering what he could possibly want.
"What are you still doing here, James?"
He shifted his weight slightly, looking almost frightened to meet her eyes. "May I ask a question, ma'am?"
Ella's eyes furrowed but she nodded.
Bucky licked his lips before speaking. "Do you hate me, ma'am?"
Ella blanched, blinking in confusion. "Excuse me?"
Bucky was suddenly alarmed, thinking he had perhaps offended her without knowing. "It's- it's just that you're always harder on me and-"
"I don't hate you, James."
"Bucky,"
"Huh?"
Bucky could have laughed, catching the girl in a moment of slight confusion. Gone was the normal icy exterior that she put up, instead her face being emotive and almost adorably confused.
"Bucky," he repeated. "That's what they call me. Never really liked James."
Ella nodded slowly. "Well, I don't hate you… Bucky. You have potential. Sometimes… people just need to get an extra push to get it to show."
Ella could have beat herself up. Peggy's words had rung true, she had done exactly what the woman had predicted, acting tough, being hard on him. Ella hadn't even noticed that she was doing it.
"Oh… okay, ma'am." He said slowly.
"Your friends are over there," she said. "Don't keep them waiting."
Bucky was surprised when she sent him a small smile, not with any flashing teeth, but enough to show that she had a dimple on her right cheek. It was more than Bucky was expecting.
He gave a single nod before leaving, feeling a little bit better than he was before.
Ella watched his retreating figure for a heartbeat longer before turning and heading her own way. She didn't make it very far before she was intercepted by Peggy, who seemingly came out of nowhere.
"I saw that!" she all but sang.
"Saw what?" Ella asked, feigning ignorance.
"You know what," Peggy said. Ella didn't respond, simply tightening her ponytail and staring dead ahead. Peggy rolled her eyes. "You coming out tonight? Me and Romanoff are going out. You could use it,"
Ella thought for a moment before nodding. "I'll go, I could use a night off."
…
The day faded into night and the troops took full advantage of this rare freedom.
Bucky followed some of his comrades into the closest city, where the club they spoke about was located. He was with Sam and a few others, and was able to hear and feel the pounding of the base before he could see it. They waited in line briefly, Sam joking that he shouldn't get too wasted because the Captain wasn't going to be easy. Bucky didn't give any hints about the short conversation they had earlier.
They eventually got let in, surrounded by pulsing bass and flashing lights that was pleasantly overwhelming. Bucky always enjoyed this scene, feeling a strange sense of being social while being completely isolated. If he wanted, he could have everyone's eyes on him in an instant, if he didn't, it was as if he didn't exist.
"I bet this was your scene," Sam laughed, slapping Bucky on the shoulder. "Before enlistment, always picking up the girls,"
Bucky couldn't deny that he was right. He was a major flirt, even if he'd turned it down a bit since joining the army and learning a bit of self-control.
"It was," he said.
"Mine too," pipped Pietro, a quick little bastard from another company who joined Sam and Bucky.
First thing they did was get a couple drinks, hanging around the bar and observing the scene around them as they drank. Pietro wasted no time before chasing down a girl or two, buying them drinks. Bucky thought that if he kept going on like that, he would be broke by the end of the night.
"No way," Sam mumbled, slapping Bucky on the shoulder and pointing out into the dancefloor. "Look who's here,"
Bucky's gaze followed his finger until it landed on a figure. His eyes bulged as he took in Ella, long hair down, carefree smile on her face, donning a short, black dress, and dancing with whoever came along, drink in her hand. Bucky couldn't believe how much younger she looked, even though he knew she was younger than him. His theory had been correct, she was a total knock out when she smiled.
She was in the same vicinity as two other captains from the base, both female. A curvy brunette and a striking red-head.
"Wow," Sam said. "She always looked so uptight. Didn't think she could smile… or dance."
And she could dance, in an open and attractive way that drew people towards her. She danced with some for a bit, he noticed, but usually ended up slipping away to go to her friends.
"Holy shit," Pietro said, appearing beside the two again. "There's no way that's Captain Rogers,"
"It is," Sam said. He looked to his left at Bucky, who hadn't torn his gaze away from the girl since he noticed her. Sam could recognize that look, seeing how infatuated the man was with her. It was almost comical. "Bet you won't go dance with her,"
"Bet I won't either," Bucky snorted, still watching. "I value my life,"
"I dare you," Pietro taunted him further. "Or, do you not have the balls?"
Bucky, pride slightly wounded, looked at him sourly. He really couldn't back down from a challenge or a dare, one of his flaws. So, he clenched his jaw, placed his drink down on the bar and stood, hearing his comrades whoop and laugh, wondering if they were about to see him get decked on the dance floor. They leaned forwards in their bar stools as their friend was swallowed by the crowd.
Bucky weaved through dancing bodies until he reached his destination. There was already a man dancing with her, hands on her hips. He was a little too much to drink, which made him easy to nudge to the side, watching him stumble around the find the next girl. Bucky took his place.
At first, Ella didn't even seem to notice anyone new was there, with her back to him, she had no idea who she was dancing with. Bucky enjoyed it while it lasted, taking in every detail. Gone was the rigid posture that she had once held herself with, replaced instead with sinewy arms and willow-like movements. Her hips moved to the beat of the music, and for a moment, he allowed himself to forget who they were. For a heartbeat, we wasn't dancing with someone he knew was wrong, instead, he was just a guy dancing with a pretty girl, and his friends weren't snickering over at the bar, placing bets on how much longer it would take until he was knocked off his feet.
Ella was enjoying herself greatly. After a tough week, going out and a letting lose was just what she needed. After a few drinks and a night of dancing, Ella had forgotten about all of her cares.
Although she had to deal with a handful of shitty flirters and even worse dancers, it was alright after a while. After all, she was with Peggy and Natasha, both of which shared her frustration of the male dominated place where they worked.
After a handful of disappointing dance partners, there was finally one who had some rhythm. Ella smiled in pleasant surprise, taking a sip from her drink. She fell into a steady rhythm with the man, moving in synchrony.
"Hey," Ella said over the pounding of the bass. "You're pretty good at this!"
"Thanks,"
Ella peeked over her shoulder to see who it was, maybe send a flirty grin, but all those plans went flying out the window. Her blood froze in her veins, then rushed up to her cheeks. She instantly stopped swaying, but was vividly aware of two hands still planted on her hips. The man dancing with her was Bucky Barnes.
Ella's lips parted, shaking her head slowly. "Oh, hell no."
She slipped away from him, trying to get through the crowd.
Bucky, not using his head, followed after her automatically. "Ella- er, ma'am- uh, Captain Rogers, wait!"
Either she didn't hear him, or she was ignoring him. She nearly slammed her drink on the counter, marching out the back door. Bucky was so close behind, the door didn't even have time to shut before he was pushing it out of the way.
He found the girl pacing, face in her palms, in the dark alley beside the club, hanging her head in her hands. Bucky measured his next words very carefully, finally deciding that at this moment, she didn't seem to be in the mood to be called captain.
"Ella, I'm sorry-" he began.
"What are you thinking?!" she groaned in frustration, whipping towards him so quickly that it startled Bucky.
"Well, you were a good dancer and it looked like fun…" he began, trailing off at his own lame reasoning.
"That was so inappropriate!" she said, eyes wide.
There was something in her tone that told Bucky she had been drinking, from the explosive emotion that wasn't just anger, to the way her words slurred together slightly. Bucky watched cautiously as she continued to rant.
"We are so lucky Peggy didn't see us, she would have given me shit for the rest of my life because she knows I think you're cute and-" the girl gasped loudly and slapped a hand over her mouth.
It took Bucky a heartbeat to comprehend what she said. When it finally sank in, a sense of pride filled up, a satisfied smirk on his lips. He took a step closer. "You think I'm cute?"
Ella cursed that extra drink and her treacherous tongue. Her eyes fluttered shut as her cheeks flamed, accepted defeat.
"If it makes you feel any better, I think you're pretty cute too."
Ella inhaled deeply, feeling her face heat even more. She tugged her fingers through her hair. "I… I appreciate that," she said, trying to work out the best way to say this even with her fuzzy mind. "But… you know that this is highly inappropriate."
Bucky shrugged. "I'm patient. I can wait awhile."
Ella couldn't stop a short laugh from escaping her lips. "Sure you can," she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear shyly. "As if you don't have girls lining up to go out with you."
"And you don't have guys following you around everywhere?" Bucky asked, making a face. "The other captains follow you around like puppies."
Ella scoffed and rolled her eyes. She noticed them. "I'll keep that offer in mind, Bucky… but I really should be getting inside before they notice I'm gone."
Bucky couldn't stop the slight disappointment that filled him as she turned her back towards him. Still, she managed to be surprising, pausing at the door and turning over her shoulder.
"For what it's worth, you're a pretty good dancer." She sent him a larger smile, flashing her dimples in a way that seemed to light up the whole alleyway. "But tomorrow… it's Captain. Don't forget."
Bucky beamed. "Wouldn't dream of it,"
…
When Ella returned, she managed to play off her disappearance as a quick trip to the bathroom, but she noticed the other recruits who must have been with Bucky sitting at the bar. Her eyes widened for a moment before narrowing dangerously at them, sending a non-verbal warning. They instantly paled and diverted their gazes.
She found herself unable to dance with anyone else that night, and unable to keep her eyes from wandering around the club in search of a head of dark hair. She found him a few times, still over with his friends. He met her gaze once and sent a smile, to which Ella found herself unconsciously returning.
It was past midnight when the group of women headed back.
"You're so flushed," Natasha pointed out, noting Ella's ruddy cheeks. "Are you sure you went to the bathroom and not out with someone?" she implied suggestively.
"No!" Ella shot back, perhaps a bit too fast. "It was hot in there."
Peggy and Natasha met each other's gazes, neither of them buying the story. Peggy's attention was drawn by the sound of loud laughing behind them as another group stumbled out of the club. Her eyes quickly scanned their familiar faces, realizing it was some recruits, one of them being James Barnes. Peggy's lips parted in realization, hardly noticing Bucky's eyes linger on Ella a moment before turning back to his friends.
Natasha raised a brow at Peggy, who mouthed I'll explain later to her, knowing she was unaware of the situation that she loved to tease Ella about.
Ella, though slightly embarrassed, couldn't keep a dopey smile off her lips.
…
There was a change in atmosphere after that night. Ella no longer seemed as strict with the men, growing more comfortable around them, learning that they respected her authority. She was more prone to smile, to tease, and she wasn't as hard on Bucky. Sure, she pushed him more than the others, but he no longer believed that she loathed him.
He had improved greatly, becoming, perhaps, one of the strongest, smartest, and most valuble recruits Ella had ever seen. Wilson was up there too, and so was Rumlow… but Ella felt that there was something off about that man. The hairs on the back of her neck to stand straight up whenever he wandered by.
Bucky mostly admired Ella from the distance, speaking to her privately only a few times a week, if he was lucky. She kept herself professional, but there would be small cracks in her façade every once in a while that told him she was still interested. He hadn't made any advances, save for once leaving a flower for her, which he was sure she knew was from him, given the way she looked at him the next day… a strange mix of thanks and warning. All he would have to do was work his way up until he was on the same level as her.
Strangely enough, he had never seen her skills. They had been there a couple months already and were nearing the end of training, and he had never once seen her fire a gun or spar with someone. Surely, she must be good at what she does for her to have her position of power… he wondered what she was capable of, what she was a part of.
It was their final week of training. Ella stood off to the side, arms crossed over her chest as watched over their conditioning. Secretly, she was watching Bucky's shoulders as he did pushups, but she was positive she was being discrete.
"Ella!"
She turned over her shoulder as her brother jogged up to her, a somber look on his face. Her face fell slightly, turning towards him.
"Fury wants to see us."
Ella's heart skipped a beat, fearing what the highest ranking general on the base wanted from her. She gave a stiff nod, turning towards the men and mustering some authority into her tone.
"Barnes, make sure you all finish the reps. If you don't, I'll know."
"Yes ma'am!" he called, trying to dilute his curiosity and focus and getting the exercise done.
…
Ella came back a little over an hour later, worry etched in the lines on her face. Bucky didn't say anything, no one did, but he could see their question.
She didn't wait around after the day had ended, disappearing the moment she dismissed them. Bucky wondered if she was upset about anything.
Bucky didn't have much time to wonder. Just after he cleaned up, sitting around with Sam and a couple other of his friends, there was an unexpected presence in their hall.
There was a knock on the door. A couple men wrapped only in towels cursed and hid. Bucky looked up, seeing Ella standing in the door way, unfazed.
"Barnes, Wilson," she spoke, jerking her head outside. "With me."
Bucky met Sam's eyes, seeing that he was just as clueless as he was. Still, they didn't hesitate, springing off the bed and briskly walking towards where Ella just stood.
"May I ask a question, Captain?" Sam asked.
"I'm not your captain anymore," she spoke softly.
Bucky blinked once, wondering what she meant. Was she fired? Were they kicked out? He felt nauseous.
"Save your questions. Fury will explain."
Fury?! What on earth did Fury need them for? He met Ella's eyes, seeing emotions he couldn't quite decifer in their blue depths. He swallowed hard and continued walking, Fury's office looming in the distance like a forboding monster.
It seemed deathly quiet as they entered the building, the only sound being their boots on the wooden floors. Ella led them through the halls, towards a beacon of yellow light. She took a deep breath before entering, the two men following behind.
There was a small group of people in the room. Steve Rogers stood tall, peering over maps with Fury, Carter and Romanoff spoke in soft voices, Pietro stood off to the side, looking as confused as the other men were. His twin sister, Wanda, was beside him.
There was Stark and Banner, from what Bucky knew, the brains on the base. Another tall Captain, named Thor, spoke with the sharp shooter Barton.
These were all legends around the base, the best of the best. Bucky didn't know what he was doing here.
Fury looked up, nodding at Ella. "Now that we are all here," he drawled out slowly. "Let's get down to business."
Sam shifted next to Bucky, nervous.
Fury looked towards the four new recruits; Bucky, Wanda, Pietro, Sam. "I'm sure you four have questions, so let me begin," he placed her hands on the table in front of him. "I'm sure you look at these people around you and see your captains and your leaders… which they are. They're also special ops, a very covert and talented group of individuals. They run missions quietly when I need them to."
Bucky looked at Ella, wondering was her capabilities were to get into such a group.
"Why are we here, sir?" Sam asked.
"I asked these Captains to bring in people who had potential, who could help us because we have a mission that needs more man power."
Bucky blinked. Ella had told him he had potential, but never expected it would go this far. Special ops? He never would have expected it.
"What's the mission, sir?" Pietro asked.
"Sabotage." Fury explained. "A huge weapons base has opened up overseas. It's pumping out guns and bombs that are taking innocent lives. We needed a few extra hands on deck, due to the size of it." he sent a smile at the group of new recruits. "You've all been promoted… that is, if you chose to join. I won't sugar coat it… it will be dangerous. Any objections?"
There was silence.
Fury bobbed his head. "That settles it. Tomorrow, you'll go with the rest of the team to a discrete location where you will complete your training. Pack your things."
He looked up to the four recruits, what could have been seen as a smile on his lips.
"Welcome to the Avengers."
…
They filed out of the small office, Steve hanging around to speak with Fury. Bucky found himself looking past Sam at Ella as she turned heel and headed out of the office. He was sure that Sam tried to call him back, but he barely heard him, going after the girl into the night.
"Ella!"
She turned, brows furrowed upon seeing him. "I thought you would be with your friends,"
"I wanted to talk to you," he said.
"About what?"
Bucky licked his lips, taking another step closer. "Why me?"
"Well… because you're good at what you do," she spoke, but there was something in her voice, questioning, regret almost.
"You don't think I can do it?" Bucky asked.
Ella shook her head vigorously. "No, I know you can… I'm just scared that I brought you into danger."
Bucky saw the earnest look on her face, that she actually feared for his well-being. So, he scoffed and shrugged, taking a bit of a risk and taking her hand into his own. "I can handle it,"
Her eyes flickered down to where he was intertwining their hands. "What are you doing?"
"Well, like you said, you're not my captain anymore. We're on the same level," he smiled proudly.
Ella felt her cheeks heat up, thankful that they were under the cover of night. She still couldn't prevent a smile from creeping on her lips. "It hasn't even been fifteen minutes," she chuckled, gnawing on her bottom lip. "But, let's just take this a bit slower, okay?"
Bucky nodded slowly, expecting an answer along these lines. "Alright," he squeezed her hand before letting it go, walking away slowly with a grin. "I'll see you tomorrow, captain."
"Call me Ella,"
A rush of glee filled him. "Ella," he tested saying the name, feeling it roll of his tongue pleasantly. "I look forward to working with you!"
She laughed, a sweet, bell-like sound. "Go get some rest, Bucky."
"Yes ma'am!"
…
Bright and early wouldn't exactly describe what time they awoke, more like dark and miserable. Just when the clock struck five in the morning, he and Sam were up and dragging their bags discretely through their cabin, as to not disturb any of their comrades and create uncomfortable and unanswerable questions.
Pietro and his sister were already there, waiting by a line of dark and inconspicuous cars. His sister, Wanda, wasn't a fighter. She was a strategist, a good one at that. She planned out attacks better than anyone, moving around battalions and tanks, mind practically seeing the battle before it even happens.
They all greeted each other and shrugged their bags into one of the cars.
"You ready for this?" Sam asked.
"You better be,"
All of their eyes snapped to the right, where Steve Rogers came towards them, followed by the rest of his team, all hauling various supplies over their shoulders. Bucky's eyes immediately skipped past the looming and broad figure of Thor to Ella. She was dressed quite plainly in dark clothes, hair tied up in a thick braid. She tossed something that looked a lot like a rifle into the back of a car. He briefly wondered how a girl like her ended up amongst the intimidating men, and women, in this team.
"One last chance to back out," chimed in Stark, who was typing into his phone rapidly, without bothering to look up.
Again, no objections.
Steve, obviously the leader of the team by the way he held himself and spoke, nodded. Peggy came up beside him, looking out at the small group at new recruits.
"Load up, then."
There were three cars, each with five seats. With twelve people, they would fill up two cars with a remainder of two people in the third. Bucky expected to be one of the unlucky people shoved in the middle in the back seat, but was surprised when Peggy called out his name.
"Barnes, Ella, you two take the last on and trail us."
Judging by Ella's look of surprise, she wasn't expecting this either. Her brows furrowed, expression matching her brother's, who looked at the woman in question.
"I'll explain later," she assured Steve quietly, patting his arm while feeling quite smug with herself.
Ella slowly turned towards Bucky, hardly surprised to see a cheeky smirk donning his face.
"Want me to drive?" he asked.
Ella tossed him the keys. "Be my guest."
Before Ella crawled into the car, she sent one last glance over her shoulder, spotting Peggy looking over in their direction with a mischievous smirk on her face. Peggy sent her a thumbs up, to which Ella simply narrowed her eyes, plopping into the car seat and closing the door a bit harder than needed.
Bucky got into the car next, starting the engine and shutting the door. It was a nice car, probably pretty fast. He looked to Ella.
"You sure you don't want to drive?" he asked one last time.
"I don't like driving," she admitted.
"Then how do you get around?"
"I have a motorcycle."
Bucky's brows crawled up his forehead, looking at the slight girl in surprise, no having pegged her as a motorcycle type of girl. "You have a motorcycle? I didn't know that,"
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me," she said in a playful tone.
Bucky smiled as the cars in front of them jerked to a start, pressing down on the gas and jolting forward. "Well, I know that I have an hour and change alone with a pretty girl. I hope to learn a few more things about you."
Ella crossed her arms over her chest and settled into her seat. "Maybe you will,"
…
After the first five minutes of awkward silence, Ella jabbed a button on the dash and turned on the radio, hoping something would relieve them of the stifling silence. The melodic tunes seemed to do the trick, Ella propping her feet up on the dash and staring out the window as lush greenery flew by.
Bucky didn't mind the familiar pop songs playing over the station, but he was surprised when something new sounded. Ella, beside him, was singing along to the music softly. It wasn't a sound he expected from the tough, commanding woman who helped train him.
"You have a nice voice," he commented.
Ella instantly flushed. She never really noticed when she began humming along, it was a habit she developed when she was younger, to get through mind-numbingly boring days when her mother made her help around the house, cleaning and cooking. Still, years later, Ella found herself still singing.
"Thanks," she replied quietly.
Bucky drummed his thumbs on the wheel, willing himself to think of something to say. "So, how did you end up in the army?"
Ella was used to this question, she had been asked it countless time by countless people.
"Well, it wasn't what I imagined myself doing as a kid," she said. "Steve, on the other hand, that's all he wanted to be. A soldier… but he was so small as a kid, you should have seen him," she chuckled fondly at the memory. "But, as the younger sister, I wanted to follow my brother everywhere. When our mother died, Steve was strong enough to enlist, and, out of fear of being alone, I did too. Turned out I was pretty good."
Bucky nodded thoughtfully, absorbing this information.
"What about you?" Ella asked. "Why did you join?"
Bucky exhaled deeply and shrugged. "I wish I could say it was for a noble reason, but really, it was because I didn't really know where to go with my life… I figured the army would be a good place until I figured everything out,"
"If it's any consolation, you're good at this stuff,"
"If someone had told me a month or so ago that Captain Rogers gave me a compliment, I would have told them they're crazy," Bucky said.
Ella laughed, digging the point of her elbow into his arm lightly.
"Although, I'm sure you were giving me many compliments mentally," Bucky continued to tease.
Ella rolled her eyes, preparing herself for the onslaught of teasing and quips she was going to both receive and give on the rest of this car ride.
…
The hour went by surprisingly fast. It was filled with pleasant small talk, getting to know one another better, the topics ranging from favorite movie to worst date they had been on, which left them both laughing at the misfortunes of the other.
The final road to get to their destination was deserted, the road looking as though only about six cars a year drove over it. They were surrounded by towering trees providing a private cover. Bucky knew this was a covert team, but didn't expect to be in the middle of nowhere.
They reached a small opening. In it sat a large, dull, gray building. It didn't seem like anything special from the outside, which, Bucky figured, they did on purpose.
The car rolled to a stop and Bucky put the car in park.
"Hope you're ready," Ella breathed, unclicking the seat. She looked at him with a brow playfully raised. "If you thought what we did before was hard, you have no idea what's coming."
"Well, I like a challenge,"
"So I figured,"
The pair got out of the car, meeting up with the rest of the group as they stretched after the lengthy car ride. Steve met Ella's eye, nodding.
"Ella, do me a favor and show the new guys around. We'll be in the board room,"
Bucky swore he saw a flash of irritation on her face, but she banished it with a forced smile. "Sure,"
She turned to the four new recruits, nodding her head towards the cars. "Grab you things, I'll show you to your rooms."
They followed her request as if it were an order, nearly forgetting that she wasn't their superior anymore. They snatched up their bags, following Ella as she motioned for them.
"So, there's trials all around the base," Ella explained as she walked. "If you want to run, but please try not to get lost. Took us hours to find Stark,"
They sniggered behind her.
They walked into the building, being met by a blast of cold air.
"Kitchen to the left, media room to the right," Ella continued, pointing.
"Clint said there's an xbox," Pietro pipped up.
Ella scoffed and nodded. "There is, not that you'll have a lot of free time… and good luck getting Clint away from it."
"Bet I could beat him," Pietro taunted.
"You probably couldn't even beat Romanoff,"
Bucky hid his laugh behind his hand.
They continued along a straight path until they reached a long corridor, with dark gray door lining the walls. Most of them had the names of the team marked on them, there were a few unmarked.
"Any empty room is up for grabs," Ella told them.
"So, they're not separated?" Sam asked. "You know, guys and girls?"
Ella turned towards them, crossing her arms over her chest. "No. I trust all these guys because they are all mature adults," she stressed those last words. "And here's a piece of warning in case you have any ideas… Stark tried to peek in on Romanoff one time, spent the next week with two black eyes and a limp, but not from his leg if you get what I mean."
There were some laughs.
"If you try anything with Carter, you'll have to deal with her and my brother," she continued. "And if you try anything with me," her eyes lingered on Bucky a moment longer, both playful and warning. "You just don't want to try anything with me. Understood?"
The men nodded, and Wanda laughed, hiding it behind her hand.
They all spread to their rooms, Ella only getting a few steps towards hers before she was stopped by Bucky grabbing her wrist.
She raised a brow. "What, lost already?"
Bucky smirked. "Not yet… let me carry your bag?"
She only hesitated a moment before holding out her simple bag. "What a gentleman."
She paused outside her room, name printed neatly on a small plaque to the right of it. She opened the door, flickering on the lights and allowing Bucky a glimpse into her space.
It was hardly decorated with few touches of anything personal. It was all a dull shade of dark gray, a single lamp to illuminate the corners. Bucky glanced around, seeing a few frames with photos in them. He walked around slowly as Ella unloaded her stuff, gazing at the photos.
The first one was of her and her brother, both children, with grins almost too wide for their young faces. It was charming, really. There was another of Ella and a friend, both caught in laughter. She couldn't have been older than sixteen. It was sweet to see her in a context that wasn't the seriousness that the army instilled in her.
The last picture was of Ella and a man he didn't recognize. He had his lips pressed against her forehead, she looked content. Bucky felt his stomach dropped, suddenly realizing that perhaps she wasn't single.
"We're not together," Ella spoke behind him, giving him a start. "If that's what you're wondering,"
Bucky rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "That's a relief," he said. "Bad breakup?"
Ella's eyes flickered down as she shook her head. "No… it's just…" it took her a while to figure out how to phrase it. "Before I was on this team, he was. Really good at what he did, confident, borderline cocky… kinda drew me to him at first."
Bucky was aware he was like that at times.
"He helped me out when I first joined the army, help me keep pace with the bigger guys," she continued. "And one day, he went out on a mission and he just… didn't come back. I was a real mess after it happened, and I just worked hard, got better, and took his spot."
"I'm sorry," Bucky said.
"It's okay, it's not your fault," she said.
Bucky looked down, unsure about where to go from that conversation.
"You should get settled in," Ella said softly. "Your room's to the right. I'll help."
They wandered out of her room, Ella shutting the door behind them.
"So," Bucky said, shoving a hand in his pocket. "You seemed a bit ticked off when your brother said to take us to our rooms. Are we that bad?"
Ella let out a short laugh and shook her head. "No, of course not." They opened the door to Bucky's room, revealing the blank, gray space. "It's just that…" Ella paused, looking up and trying to find a way to word how she felt. "I have the same qualifications as the rest of them, I worked just as hard to get where I am, and Steve… he just won't see me like that."
"Is it because you're his younger sister?"
Ella nodded. "Probably, but it doesn't make it any less infuriating. He's afraid that the same thing that happened to the man I told you about will happen to me."
"It's a rational fear,"
"I know," Ella said. "But I can take care of myself."
"I bet you can,"
She looked to the man, her lips quirked up in a small smile. "Well, I'll let you get settled. Dinners at six and tomorrow, the hard part begins."
…
Dinner at the compound was a group effort. Everyone tries to pitch in, to help make something to sustain the large group of people. It was chaotic, the more senior members knowing their way one another, the newer members crashing into others.
It was strange for the new members to see the people who they had looked up to in such a normal setting, joking and drinking. Bucky and the others sat around and listened to the conversation.
Bucky sat next to Sam, just observing the group. Bucky had a hard time taking his eyes off Ella, seeing her leaned back, cracking open another bottle of beer.
"Are you sure you're not going to wake up with a hangover?" Sam asked. "That's your forth bottle and you're not that big,"
"Listen," said Stark from the couch. "Since you're new here, you probably don't know that those two," he pointed at Ella and Steve. "Have the highest alcohol tolerance I have ever seen. Something in that Rogers blood."
"Irish," Peggy told them.
"You should hear their accents," Romanoff said.
"But they don't have accents," Wanda said, brows furrowed.
"Don't we?" Ella piped up, voice suddenly dipped in an Irish brogue. "This is how we learned to speak,"
"Our mom came straight from Ireland." Steve said. "Spoke with an accent at home, both of us picked up on it."
Ella nodded, taking a long drought from her bottle. "One day, she decided it was bad for us, that if we spoke like that, we wouldn't fit in here in America. So, she started speaking in an American accent, and if we spoke in an Irish accent, we would get in trouble. So, the accents kinda went away… but you never forget the first way you learn to speak."
"That's why Stark is always whining," Barton quipped.
There were resounding laughs from all around. Bucky had a smile on his face, knowing that he would like it around here.
…
The next morning was an early start, the compound bustling even before the sun was entirely up. They all scarfed down a quick breakfast before they went their separate ways based on their specialties. Wanda went with Peggy to talk strategy, Stark and Banner went to go fiddle with the weaponry, and everyone else went on a run around the compound.
Bucky ran beside Ella, who pretended to ignore him. She kept good pace, sticking to the front of the group. When they finished, they separated into two groups. Ella was in a group with Thor, Barton, Sam and Bucky, and their first destination was the shooting range.
"Barton's the best shot we got," Ella explained. "I've never seen him miss. Gun, arrows, rubber bands-"
"Nerf guns," Clint added. "One time, we were playing a drinking game where if we got the sucker thing to stick to a beer can, whosever beer it as had to chug it,"
"You abused me that night," Ella murmured.
"And yet, you were barely buzzed," Thor said.
Sam laughed next to Bucky.
"Anyways," Ella said. "Barton can help you with your shots. He helped me,"
The next hour and a half was spent practicing their shots. Thor practiced with the new recruits, knowing that shooting wasn't his best subject. At first, Ella sat around and watched. Bucky was hyper aware of her presence behind him for a good while. He focused on his shot to make himself look good to impress the girl.
"Jesus Christ, Thor." Clint spoke after a while, looking at his target with bullet holes spread out randomly. "You can't shoot for shit. What happens when you run out of ammo from all your misses?"
"Throw the gun!"
Clint shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Come on, man. Ella's been here less than you and she's still a better shot. Come and demonstrate for this oaf."
Ella left her spot on the wall and took Thor's spot. She put on the headphones to block out the noise and loaded a small pistol. She held it up, eyes narrowed in concentration. Bucky and Sam stopped what they were doing and watched.
She shot about ten bullets in rapid succession, each one tearing a hole in the center of the target. When she was done, she placed the pistol down on the stand and slipped off her headphones.
"See," Clint said to Thor. "Why can't you be more like her?"
Bucky met Ella's gaze as Clint and Thor squabbled. He was impressed, finally seeing one of the reasons she was on this team.
"Quit gawking," Ella said after a few moments. "You won't be getting any better by staring,"
…
After the shooting, they moved outside for hand on hand combat. Thor would be taking the lead of this one, Ella would help, Clint would watch and practice. His fighting wasn't as good as his shot.
Thor knew that these two knew the basics and a bit beyond that. He wanted to assess their skill, see what they would be best suited for doing. Ella stood by and watched for a while, feeling as though she wasn't need at the time being. She watched Bucky, catching his eye every once in a while.
Thor relied heavily on strength and size, but not everyone was built like him. Ella moved faster than him, his swings were wide and arching, but stronger than anyone Ella knew. She didn't know if she would have a chance against him if she ever got in a fight with him.
"Barton, could you-?" Thor began, stopping when she found that Clint wasn't there.
Ella rolled her eyes. "Too scared to fight."
Thor shook his head. "Ella, I'll need you to do it then."
"Do what exactly?"
"Attack them. I need to see how they handle themselves,"
Bucky and Sam met each other's gaze, both slightly worried about what would come next.
"Fine," Ella said. "Sam, you wanna go first?"
"Not really," Sam said. "But I guess I am… but I don't wanna hurt you or anything."
Ella laughed. "Trust me, I'll be fine… and I guess you will be too."
Bucky saw Sam gulp as he took another step closer. Thor stood off to the side, arms folded over his broad chest, eyes skeptically observing Sam as Ella made the first move. She sent a quick jab towards Sam's face, which he was able to bat away. He was pretty pleases with himself for a heartbeat before there was a hand on his shoulder, shoving on his chest as his feet were knocked from underneath him and he fell on his back. Sam let out a small groan and looked up, seeing Ella standing over him, the light illuminating her golden hair in a halo around her head.
"Pitiful," Thor commented from the side. "Barnes, you're up,"
"Sorry about that," Ella said, giving Sam a hand up.
"No harm done… except to my pride." Sam said, turning to Bucky. "You're up, man. Good luck."
Bucky looked toward Ella, seeing a certain look in her eye that excited him. She stalked towards him, steps lithe and cat-like. His fingers clenched in nervousness as she took one more slow step towards him before springing into action. She attacked the same way she first attacked Sam, with a punch to the face. He was able to stop that, but she was so quick, almost describable as slippery. She slipped under his arm, and he knew that she was going to try and throw him. On instinct, he wrapped his arm around her throat, thinking he had gotten the upper hand, but wasn't prepared when she kicked her feet into the air, wrapped her hand around the back of his head, and used the momentum to throw them him over her shoulder. In the same movement, Ella rolled on him and pinned his arms over his head.
Bucky was aware of how close they were, she was leaning over him, face close to his own. She was breathing heavily, hair messy. Bucky could feel the heat of her body and all he could think about was how badly he wanted to kiss her.
"Better," Thor commented, breaking both of them out of their trance. "But still one of the worse I have ever seen,"
"He doesn't have much of a filter, does he?" Bucky asked, looking up at Ella.
"None," she said. Ella cringed slightly when she noticed she still had his wrists in a death grip. "Sorry,"
Ella got off him and helped the man off the grass.
"This is why I wanted Clint," Thor said. "You take them down too fast… and I still feel you were going easy on them,"
Ella flushed, but didn't admit anything, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I think they deserve a break. They've worked hard today, and we still have plenty of time before the mission."
Thor's head bobbed in agreement. "Fair enough."
Ella jerked her head to the compound. "Let's go,"
"You're gonna teach us some of those moves, right?" Sam asked.
"Either me or Nat. I learned almost everything from her."
"Why not Thor? I thought he was the fighting guy?"
Ella scoffed. "Do you see how big he is? I can't fight the way he does and survive. He relies on his size and muscle, both of which I don't have. The way Nat fights is much more useful for me."
They went inside and gathered around the kitchen. Stark, Banner, Peggy and Wanda were sitting around and snacking. Ella tossed water bottles to Bucky and Sam, who quenched the thirst they had worked up. They were done for the day.
Ella stood from the table and announced she was going to shower. Bucky hardly waited a beat before following after her. It didn't take long to catch up to her, falling in pace with her step.
"That was fast than I thought," Ella said. "I figured it would have taken a few more seconds before you caught up with me,"
"What can I say," Bucky shrugged. "I'm an overachiever."
Ella smiled at his joke as they came upon their rooms, pausing outside the door.
"Were you really going easy on us?" Bucky asked.
"Not too easy," Ella told him. "But… yes."
"And will you really show us some of those moves?"
"Sure, sometime."
"How about now?" Bucky said, before doing something bold, almost too bold. He wrapped his arms around her upper arms and backed her up against the wall, pressing himself against her. Bated breath, we read her expression, hoping he hadn't overstepped his boundaries… but there was no anger in the depths of her blue eyes, only a hazy look of want.
Ella leaned forward and presses her lips against his hard, eyes fluttering shut and finally releasing her inhibitions. Bucky closed his eyes, hands cradling the back of her head and pulling her closer. Ella's arms wrapped around the back of his neck, pressing up against him. It was an intoxicating moment, all of her senses boosted into overdrive, tasting his lips, smelling his skin, feeling his hands, hearing his breathing… she was entirely wrapped up in Bucky Barnes.
That was, until, footsteps echoed in the hall.
They pair instantly pulled apart, heads whipping into the direction of the sound only to find Peggy standing there, lips parted in surprise. All Ella could do was be thankful that it wasn't her brother.
"I'll just pretend that I didn't see that," Peggy announced, pointing in the direction she was planning on exiting. "Carry on,"
Ella's face burned as she leaned her head on Bucky's shoulder with a small laugh. She patted his chest and looked up. "I think I'm going to take that shower now… I'll see you later."
"I'm counting on it,"
…
They spent the next week preparing for their mission, training, planning, (And, in Ella and Bucky's case, sneaking kisses and stealing private moments whenever they could. Peggy hadn't told anyone yet).
The night before they headed out, the team sat around a table while Steve explained the plan and each person's role.
There were blueprints of the facility laid out on the table, eleven pairs of eyes following his fingers as he traced out their movements.
"We'll have Stark, Banner, Wanda, and Peggy on standby, watching and making sure everything is going to plan." He pointed to where they would be stationed. "The rest of us will split into two ground. Me, Pietro, Thor, and Nat will take the north side of the building. Ella, Clint, Bucky and Sam will take the south side. We have to take out the guards and lay the explosives that Stark and Banner have modified. Once we're out, we'll blow it and the job will be done. Clear?"
The group all nodded.
"Great," Steve said. "Let's get suited up."
…
An hour later, they were filing into a sleek jet. They all wore similar, thick, black body armor, complete with bullet proof vests and multiple holsters. Bucky watched as Ella finished assembling a long rifle. She was focused, face a smooth mask. She looked at him once, a strange look in her eyes, almost sad. What was she thinking? Bucky raked his mind for an answer.
Did she look at him and see the man she had lost? Was she fearing that she had dragged someone into a world of danger? Bucky didn't know for sure, but he believed it was something like that.
They loaded up into the jet, sitting down and preparing for the long ride.
They spent the time going through a long checklist, ensuring that everything was working properly so there would be no mishaps during the mission. If they were successful, they would be saving countless lives.
As they neared their destination, Steve made one last announcement.
"I want you all to be safe, remember everything that we've been over. We've worked together and I trust all of you, even the new ones… and I hope we all get through this so we can continue to work together."
From under the table, Bucky's hand wrapped around Ella's, squeezing to help comfort her… or perhaps himself. His stomach dropped as they began their decent.
From around the cabin of the plane, there was a chorus of good luck's from one to another. Peggy kissed Steve on the cheek, Wanda told her brother to be careful, and Bucky looked to Ella, words lingering on his lips. He leaned in closer to her.
"Be safe,"
"I'll be okay," she said, looking up at him. "It's you I'm worried about,"
"I'll be okay," Bucky mimicked her wording. "I'll have you looking out for me,"
Ella smiled at him, discretely placing a hand on his knee in an attempt to provide whatever form of comfort she could.
"Clint," Steve called, drawing the man towards him, lowering his voice. "Watch out for Ella,"
"I always do,"
They landed a good mile away from the factory, they would get the rest of the way on foot. Ella loaded her rifle, clutching it tight in her hands, pausing by her brother's side.
"Please don't do anything stupid," she pleaded.
"I've heard that every mission I've gone on," he said.
"Well, you need to hear it every time,"
Steve laughed softly and nodded. "Alright… be safe."
"Always,"
They split into their teams, minds focused and ready, and they headed out into the night.
This wasn't what Bucky expected when he joined the army. He was expecting shared cramped and sweaty quarters with too many people, sweating in the pounding sun, dodging bombs and cowering behind whatever cover he could find… but he had exceeded his own expectations of what he could be. He never thought that he would find a girl like Ella, or that she would be at his side during a fight… but he was glad that this experience had taken such an unexpected turn.
He just hoped he would get through this mission to continue it.
They made a perimeter, looking out at the guards surrounding the factory. Ella and the rest of her team had the job of taking them out so the other team could have a clear ground the plant the bombs. They positioned themselves around the perimeter.
"Fire at will," Clint's voice spoke over their coms.
Small pops echoed through the night, followed by the thuds of bodies hitting the ground. A figure dashed out, probably Pietro judging on how fast he was going, followed by a few more shadows, getting their work done quickly and efficiently. There was minimal hand on hand, as was hoped. Once that side of the building was cleared, they all rushed to the next.
More shots, clearing the area. It was all going exactly how they planned it. Bucky risked a peek at Ella, who seemed to be able to feel his eyes on her and met his gaze. It only lasted a moment before her face whitened in fear and she whipped her rifle towards his body.
"Get down!" she shouted.
Bucky obeyed without even realizing it, ducking down. Ella fired a single shot past him, a grunt of pain sounding from behind. Bucky looked around, watching a man slump to the ground. She had just saved his life, but she had her own to worry about as another figure burst from the shadows and grabbed her. Bucky held up his gun, ready to shoot, but realized he couldn't hit the enemy, not without hitting her. He didn't know what to do, but lucky for the both of them, Ella had it handled. She slammed the butt of her rifle into his face, enough to get him to let her go, then wound up and hit him again, the man falling flat on his face.
"Rogers!" Clint called, jogging up to them. He looked frightened for a moment, but realized they were okay. "Never mind… you have it handled. Let's move."
They nodded as Clint turned his back. Bucky stood and closed the distance between himself and Ella.
"You okay?"
"Just fine," she breathed. She was surprised when Bucky leaned in, as if to kiss her. Ella put a hand out between them. "Whoa, what the hell are you doing?"
"I just-"
"We're in the middle of a mission," Ella paused, before adding quietly. "Later."
That gave Bucky extra motivation to get focused and get ready for the rest of what they had to do, which happened to go by smoothly and without another hitch. Bucky felt honored to be on this team, filled with such skilled individuals, it was amazing to watch them work, like a well oiled machine. Bucky felt adrenaline pumping through his veins, and was almost confused when they were ended, as if he expected it to go on all night. He was in a strange haze as they wandered back to the ship, and there was still a strange air of business as they took off, and it lasted until a resounding boom echoed through the night, the signal that their job was completed and the factory was no more.
"Another job well done," Stark commented from the cockpit. "Who wants to pop a bottle of champagne?"
"I call bullshit," Natasha commented. "There's no way you have champagne on here."
"Wanna put money on that?" he said. "Barton, check under your seat,"
Clint did what he was told and checked under the small plastic seat. "I'll be damned," he said, pulling out a bottle and a few glasses.
The flight back was dramatically more pleasant than the flight there. They laughed, joked, and drank as they came down from the buzz of the fight. Bucky sat beside Ella, who had shed her bullet proof vest and had unpinned her hair, looking lighter and more carefree. He couldn't take his eyes off her.
About halfway through the flight, everyone quieted down while Steve spoke up.
"We're thankful for the new recruits that joined us," he said, followed by murmurs of agreement from the more senior members of the team. "But we won't ask that you stay with us. You know the dangers, more than there should be, and if you want to leave, there's nothing holding you here. Just say the word,"
There was a pause, waiting for anyone to say something.
Ella looked to Bucky, fearing he would say something, though she would understand if he did. This was a dangerous job, she would understand if he wanted to leave the stress of it all behind. He met her eye, sending her a small smile and shaking his head. When he saw her face break out into a grin that lit up the entire plane, he knew he made the right choice.
He was here to stay.
a/n:
send in more ideas for oneshots!