Translate:
Фанни, оставь бедных птичек в покое: Fanny, leave the poor birds alone
Держи, девочка: Here you go, girl
As Yelena grudgingly hit the snooze to her alarm, she was half-tempted to fall back under her covers and sleep for the rest of the day. The only thing other than Fanny's usual and curious morning snooping that managed to keep her eyes open was the small suitcase by her drawers that caught her eye.
A few bathroom necessities were splayed out across in travel bags, and a small bottle of vodka was tucked beneath one of her shirts. Bolting upright in bed, Yelena jumped up from beneath the covers and grabbed an extra change of clothes.
Rushing to the bathroom, she quickly hopped into the shower and finished the rest of her morning routine. When it came to her outfit, Yelena checked herself twice in the mirror to make sure it was inconspicuous enough. Black boots, dark jeans, an old button up tank top beneath a gray blazer and her hair thrown back up in a ponytail. It certainly wasn't her best work, but it was enough to fit her in with the rest…that, and it wasn't bad for hiding a few extra weapons in its pockets.
Leaving the bathroom, Yelena packed in the rest of her clothes, forcing as much into the small suitcase as she could. With a small grunt, she forced the lid shut and made sure it stayed before hoisting it up and taking it out to the living room. Fanny followed at a trot and watched as Yelena disappeared around the corner of the hallway and back towards the supposed empty closet.
Opening the door of her armory, she switched on the lights and headed for one of the side shelves. Almost every weapon she could imagine was placed in particular locations along the wall, and while she was tempted with some, she knew she needed to travel light.
Picking out a small throwing knife, she attached it snugly around the thin belt lining her waist. Quick to follow was her pistol, stashed towards her back and out of sight with the long blazer. It did well to hide the few others she brought along, and she was satisfied with her choices as she finished attaching her Widow's bite bracelet around her wrist, tucking it back out of sight with her sleeve.
Moving towards the rest of her supplies, Yelena picked up a spare backpack hanging on the wall and stuffed anything her hand came across inside: a few extra euros, a wad of ones for when they arrived in America, an old granola bar she was sure was over ten years old, and an extra package of bullets. Zipping it up tight, Yelena took one last glance around the armory before shutting the door and locking it tight behind her.
"Come on Fanny!" she called out, smiling as the dog came running around the corner and pulling to a halt as Yelena stepped into the kitchen. Reaching into one of the drawers, she bent down and secured the end of her leash around Fanny's collar.
She wasn't worried Fanny would run away from a fight, more so it was to keep her from starting one.
Yelena took one last stroll around the apartment until she came to the living room. Heaving up her suitcase, she threw the backpack over her shoulder and held tight to fanny's leash. As the two stepped out into the hallway, Yelena glanced behind at the silence of the safehouse, simply out of instinct now.
When nothing but the light whistle of the heater kicked on, she gave a satisfied nod, stepped outside the apartment, pulled the front door firmly shut behind her making sure to hear the lock before turning back down the hall, and letting Fanny lead her to the elevator.
The squeaking gears followed them down until the chime of the elevator opened to the main lobby again. Stepping out as Fanny's nose began to explore, Yelena pushed open the door with her shoulder and led them both out into the courtyard. She glanced up to see a few neighbors lining their balconies with the washing and laundry, and her eyes drifted back up to her own window looking down at the courtyard. The cloudy morning reflected back off the darkened window, and Yelena turned back to the main gates.
The shriek of the gates clashed behind her as she let them fall back. The streets were quiet again, not too many crowds or too many people. The walk back to the center of town was smooth, and Yelena took to one of her short cuts. Sneaking back out from behind one of the alleyways, she emerged on the more bustling side of the city. Fanny's senses were going wild as she tried to sniff each person that passed by, but Yelena kept a firm hold on her leash.
Rather than going to the center, Yelena followed the round-about on the side, passing shop after shop and admiring them as she went. Fanny tugged to run ahead to trample a few pigeons, and Yelena chuckled as they scattered at the sudden disturbance.
Finally coming to a stop outside an all-too-familiar looking cafe, Yelena scanned her eyes around the couples and groups occupying the tables. Early morning dates, business partners, an old married couple, an exhausted looking college student typing furiously on his computer, two inconspicuous people watching for the center of the round-about -
Yelena cocked an eyebrow as she took in their appearances. They were in casual attire like she had seen them on their first day, though now they were accompanied by sunglasses and baseball caps. That was their disguise?
Shrugging her shoulders to see it had paid off, as no one was paying them any attention, Yelena let Fanny lead her to the far table beneath one of the few trees. Sam was the first to catch sight of her and quirked a small smile in her direction.
"Morning," he exclaimed. "I heard you may have changed your mind on a couple things?"
"If you'd like to call it that," Yelena replied with much less enthusiasm. He had gestured for her to have a seat, but she remained standing, her grip tight against Fanny's leash even though she was making no move to go anywhere. Instead, she seemed rather caught up in sniffing Sam's offered hand. "This one really did, you could say."
"Well, have a seat," he said, gesturing to the seat again. Releasing a sigh, Yelena pulled out the chair and took a seat, making sure to wrap the grip of Fanny's leash around the arm of it. "Hungry?"
"I had a quick drink before I left," Yelena exclaimed, her eyes flickering down to her suitcase. She had a shot just for the sake of remembering what she was about to do and one for good luck. The rest she had had to reluctantly throw out, but she made sure to keep the small bottle in her suitcase full.
"That doesn't really answer the question," Sam chuckled. "It's on me, so have a look."
Not able to resist the light rumble her stomach gave, Yelena flicked open the menu and scanned her eyes over her options. As the waiter came by to take their orders, she almost reluctantly told him to put her in an order of kakaós csigas. She had always been curious to try the Hungarian chocolate rolls, but never got around to having the chance. The last to order was Bucky, and with how quiet he had been, she had almost forgotten he was there.
"So," Sam began again once the waiter was out of ear shot. "Buck told me you had a run in with Valentina."
It was more a statement than it was a question, and Yelena's eyes flickered over to Bucky's. He was staring again, into what felt like her very soul. She quickly averted her gaze back to Sam and nodded.
"Looks like there's a trend going around with breaking in and striking up deals with people," she exclaimed. "Lucky me, I got the first taste of it. But yes, we had a little meet and greet. She came alone and looked to be unarmed. Valentina basically offered me the job and left, and the only thing she left was a blank card. Other than that, she was gone in less than ten minutes."
"Still too long," Bucky finally cut in, his eyes meeting Sam's. He had ditched the sunglasses, but they were still hard and cold as they flicked between her and his partner. "She knew your location and where to find you, what time you'd be out, and even that you had Fanny with you. She can't be here alone, that's for sure."
He paused as his eyes briefly lowered down to the table before meeting her gaze again. "Did she say anything else other than the offer?"
The moment's hesitation Yelena had was all the proof she knew he needed when she said, "No. Nothing else."
It was a lie that he could see right through, one that he had been trained to pick up on. Even though his gaze pierced back through hers, she didn't waver and stared right back, letting it sink in that she wasn't in the mood to share and he shouldn't push it.
Getting the message, he slowly nodded his head, but didn't look away.
"Well, thankfully we have a flight heading out this afternoon," Sam interrupted, sensing the sudden tension rising at the table. "Even if they're still here, we'll be out before they know it."
"Where are we even headed to anyway?" Yelena asked, genuine curiosity in her question. She only ever stayed in Ohio during her time in America, and from what she had heard, there were hundreds of other sites to see around the country.
"We'll be flying into New York first," Bucky answered, fidgeting with one of his leather gloves. She noticed it was the one covering his metal arm as he continued. "From there, we'll be heading down to Brooklyn."
"How is it there?" she asked, unable to keep her questions down. "It'll be my first time in New York."
She watched as Bucky and Sam exchanged glances with one another. "It's nice," Sam shrugged. "I mean, there's a lot to see, but it ain't a bad place to visit."
"Alright, then what are your recommendations?"
For the next half-hour, and long after their food had arrived, Yelena indulged them with asking questions on New York and even Brooklyn. Both had a few suggestions for her, and she was happy to mentally add them to her list. If she wasn't caught up in Budapest anymore and heading for America, the least she could do was enjoy some of the sights.
"Oh, and what about the…uh…the Yanks - "
"Yankees?" Bucky intervened, raising a brow at her slip up of the name. The ghost of a smile painted his lips as she nodded.
"Yes they're the baseball team there, I believe," Yelena exclaimed, happy to know she had gotten it close enough. "I hear they're doing alright from the American sports shows if I'm not mistaken."
Sam chuckled and smiled, his sunglasses blocking out the surprising twinkle in his eye. Yelena had come reluctant to share anything, including a meal, with the two to begin with, and now she was sitting rambling off everything she wanted to see in New York when they got back to America. The realization hit her hard how quickly she had let her guard down around the two, and the smile slowly slipped from her face as she took another swig from her water glass.
Glancing down, Sam took note of their empty plates. As he cleared his throat, he rose from his seat and exclaimed, "I'll be right back."
Yelena glanced at his form as it disappeared into the cafe, and the city buzz around them filled the sudden silence between her and Bucky.
"You seem excited to get to go back to America," he began carefully, glancing between studying his gloves and Yelena. "I'm not sure Brooklyn will be as exciting."
"Anywhere I can go on my own is exciting enough," Yelena replied, watching the pedestrians walk by. "I'll just have to cross New York off my bucket list."
She took note of the confused expression across his face when she looked back at him. "Having control of where I go and what I can do is still a bit new for me. It's nice getting to go back knowing it's my decision and not some older bastards'."
The corner of Bucky's lip twitched upward, but it didn't take to a real smile. Instead, his eyes lowered down to the table as he nodded in agreement. She didn't have to look hard knowing he was still lost in his own thoughts, and she didn't interrupt them as she settled back with a full stomach now.
"Why'd you change your mind?"
"What?"
"About our offer?" Bucky clarified. "You didn't want anything to do with it, and then a week later, you're ready to up and leave again. I'm just curious what changed your mind."
Yelena leaned her elbows on the table and tucked her hands beneath her chin. As she thought on his question, her mind reeled for an answer. What had motivated her to take what she could from the safe house to leave with her former enemy operative and an Avenger?
"Would you believe me if I told you I honestly don't know?" she muttered, cocking her head to the side to look at him. He looked up at her from underneath his baseball cap, and his eyes trailed back down to the table.
"Then you know what you're getting yourself into, don't you?" he asked, his voice lowering from any prying ears around them. "The last time Sam and I went after a lead, there were plenty of rough spots along the way. Landed us in Madripoor, breaking a criminal out of prison, and…losing some lives along the way."
"There's a 'but' to that sentence, isn't there?" Yelena cut in when he paused. His lips twitched up again, and this time, they held for a moment in a grin.
"In the end, it was all worth it, though. Sam deserves that shield more than anyone I know, and he already knows what the risks are for following another super soldier case," he explained. "I just want to make sure that you do, too. After this, Fanny might not get a quiet life in Budapest. It all just depends how everything works out in the end."
Yelena couldn't help the low chuckle that rose to her throat. "I think you forgot, Barnes, that I was a Widow. For a solid portion of my life I dealt with people like this almost everyday since I was elected in," she said, a grim take to her words. "I can handle a few measly super soldiers. Especially if they're anything like the ones I've met."
She extended a hand out to gesture to him, and he responded with a glare. Yelena's grin rose again, as well as another chuckle. He rolled his eyes but didn't protest, only glanced out over the crowds of people coming and going.
"So, we're…partners?"
Cocking her head to the side again, she studied his expression. "Is that what we are?"
In return, he only shrugged, his eyes never straying from hers. "Call it what you'd like."
Yelena averted her eyes down to the table, her lips pressing into the palm of her hands. Partners. The word sounded a little odd in her head. Teams hadn't really been her thing, even if she did have a say whether or not she was to go out on missions alone. Thinking this over in her head, Yelena didn't see the hand extended to her until she glanced back up at him. She frowned up at him as she glanced from the leather-clad hand extended to her to his one raised brow.
"Well, if we are or not, it might help to restart on introductions," he shrugged. "Bucky Barnes."
She eyed his hand for a moment. It was everything she knew she didn't need. She didn't need a team or a partner to find Valentina on her own. She didn't need someone to watch her back in a fight. She didn't need to go out and find these super soldiers, or if there even were any to begin with. She didn't need to shake his hand and introduce herself as Yelena, and not as the rivaling operatives they had been years before.
Still, she found her hand slowly and cautiously extending forward. Her hand set in his, she gave it a firm shake as she replied, "Yelena Belova."
Just as she was pulling her hand back, she caught sight of Sam stepping out of the cafe and making his way back towards them. When he came to their table, he sat back at his seat and asked, "So, you sure you're up for this?"
"I've already explained to the super-soldier cyborg here that I'm ready," she stated, cocking her head in Bucky's direction. She didn't miss the hidden smirk making its way onto Sam's lips, and Bucky just glared at him in return. "It's nice to have some fun every once in a while."
"Not sure I'd call it that," Sam replied. "But it's better once you know what you're fighting for."
Yelena snorted under her breath. "Please, the last thing I need right now is to hear some big hero speech about doing the right thing," she drawled, eying her suitcase with the small bottle of vodka tucked away inside. "I've already teamed up with an Avenger this week, I don't need to hear the practiced initiation that comes with it."
"You know the whole team thing starts with trusting people, right?" Bucky asked, his eyes sliding over to Sam and back to her. "If you do this, you're going to have to trust us."
She fell back into her seat with a sigh. "Yeah, sure," Yelena exclaimed, a mocking tone dripping from her voice. Bucky looked away from her and back to Sam, and she followed his gaze to see the two having a conversation with no words.
A small grin pulled up Sam's lip. "You know you're starting to sound like Doc?"
Bucky released a huff and downed the rest of his coffee, clearly and near insulted by his teasing comment. Yelena watched the interaction from the side, her mind mentally jotting down notes from one to the other. Despite their set differences, the two really did work well together. An ex-assassin and the new Captain America, the least likely of allies, were teasing each other from across the table as any two old friends would. Something in the very back of her mind wondered if the two would ever be able to trust her to that extent, but she pushed the thought aside as she knew she had no intention of making the whole "partners" thing last for long. It was a quick mission, maybe to get some of that red out of her ledger. Then, it would be straight back to Budapest where she and Fanny could live the rest of their days. Simple as that.
A sudden tug to her chair snapped her back to the present. Fanny strained against the leash tied snugly around the arm of her chair as she dispersed a group of nearby pigeons who flapped their feathers in retaliation.
"Фанни, оставь бедных птичек в покое," Yelena muttered, hitting the side of her thigh to get Fanny's attention. She gave a light huff and trotted back to Yelena's side.
Out of the corner of her eye, Yelena saw Bucky extend one hand down below the table with something between his gloved hand. Fanny's nose followed and stepped over to his side, eagerly eating up whatever he had offered.
"Держи, девочка," he said quietly, rubbing the top of her head. Yelena's eyes darted from Fanny and up to his eyes as the pup's tail began to furiously wag from side to side. "At least I know sausage can distract her from anything."
"You speak Russian?" Yelena asked, her brow furrowing. She wasn't surprised when he glanced back up at her and nodded, his eyes quickly darting down to the table as a distant and dark look came back in his eyes. It was gone as quickly as it had come, and he and Sam exchanged a quick look. It was all she needed to know to not push the subject.
A buzz came from her jacket pocket.
Digging her phone out, she looked down at the screen and extended it out in front of her to show them. Bucky and Sam both leaned in a bit to get a better look at the screen, but both of their expressions remained icily impassive as Yelena took it back.
An unknown number was scrawled across the top. Yelena never received spam calls much to her liking, and there was only one other person she knew who could be calling a week later from when she had three unwanted visitors in her safehouse on the same day.
Bucky watched her carefully with a mix of what she could assume was curiosity and suspicion as she clicked her phone off and declined the call.
"If she's that desperate, she'll leave a message," she said, stuffing her phone away and back into her jacket pocket. Valentina would have to try a lot harder than that to get her attention. Glancing over her shoulder as her eyes scanned the surroundings, she asked, "So what's our next move, Captain?"
The name rolled off her tongue as more of a sarcastic insult, but Sam brushed it away. "We should head out. Who knows who Valentina stationed here. Hell, they might be watching us right now."
"You two seem to like letting trouble follow you," Yelena exclaimed, rising from her chair and hoisting her backpack over her shoulder. "Especially when it's super soldier business."
Bucky followed her movements and rose from his seat. "Let's just say we don't go looking for it."
As Yelena bent down to pick up her suitcase and unravel Fanny's leash from around the chair, a short and audible laugh that quickly turned into a scoff escaped her. "Bullshit," she mumbled.
Bucky's glare fell back on her but she paid it no mind. Turning to face Sam, she gestured with her arm for him to lead the way. Throwing one last glance over his shoulder, Sam exchanged a nod with the super-staring-machine and he led the way back out across the street and to the center of the round-about.
The three fell into a line beside each other, Sam and Bucky on either side of her. Fanny trotted up by her side and kept their pace as they worked the casual appearance of simply leaving a cafe after a morning breakfast. After all, the first rule of going on the run was that you don't run at all; you walk.
As the three kept an even pace across the center, Yelena glanced back to where she had run the first time she had caught sight of her old operative. Now, and a week later, she and Fanny were walking beside him as she was off to do something to save the world. It had always been Natasha's thing, but now it was her turn.
Turning forward again, the three continued as any normal group would. Just a couple of guys and a girl. Plus an adorable dog.
Hey readers!
Thanks for checking in for the next chapter, of which I hope you guys enjoyed! I apologize for the shorter chapter, seeing as life has been life and my school work has felt like a ton of bricks got dropped on me at once...yay. Besides that, make sure to keep a look out for the next chapter (which will be a bit longer) and stay up to date on upcoming updates!
***I would like to point out and make it clear that I am not Russian, I have not studied the language, and if I misused a word, phrase, or anything like that when using it in my story, I sincerely apologize!***
Other than that, I hope y'all have a spectacular morning, afternoon, evening, or night!
-Summerwinds
(P.S. For those that have been keeping up to date on the announcement of the Thunderbolts movie to be released in 2024, review and tell me what you think on a movie with Bucky and Yelena in a team up! I CAN'T FREAKING WAIT!)