Remember how Bucky ruined the moment? That's not really a hint at anything, I just wanted to remind everyone that it was his fault.

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Sutton jerked away from Steve as she heard the creak of the door and the scraping of claws on linoleum. She pushed herself further from him as she turned to see Bucky enter the apartment. Behind her, Steve let out an aggravated huff.

"Buck," he said, his voice tight. "You're back."

Sprinkles spotted them on the floor within two feet of each other and perked up, her one proper ear swiveling up straight. Sutton let out a little sigh and Sprinkles let her tongue loll out as she galloped over. Sutton opened her arms just as her dog barrelled into her chest to give her some long overdue affection.

"Really," continued Steve. "I had thought you would be a bit longer."

Bucky blinked at the both of them; he eyed the space between them, or the lack of it, and a crooked grin spread across his face.

"Apologies, majesty. I did a turn about the square and Sprinkles was ready to return. I sincerely hope I didn't…interrupt something."

"No," Sutton butt in sharply as Sprinkles switched to slobbering on Steve. "Nothing. We were- we were just talking."

Bucky looked down at her as she quickly pushed herself to her feet, and she saw the sharp look in his eye hadn't dissipated.

"She speaks."

Sutton groaned and rubbed at her face.

"Yeah, look. I'm sorry. To both of you. I-I made a mistake. But, well, Steve made a couple fair points, and- and-" Bucky looked actually surprised and Sutton tried to shake off the mood. "And you two make yourselves impossible to ignore, so I hope you're proud of yourselves."

Her face was hot as she spoke and some of the words stung a little, but she managed to get the apology out. Maybe she'd had fair motivation for her actions, and maybe she'd felt bad about all of it, but that didn't excuse treating both of them flippantly.

Leave it to a handsome prince to force her to deal with her trauma.

"No hard feelings, my lad- Sutton," Bucky managed.

Steve stood, though he still seemed a bit miffed. Sutton went hot again thinking about why. He hadn't- they hadn't been about to-

She shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair.

Sprinkles jumped up onto Steve, her front paws pressing into his back as she nudged her nose against his spine. Steve let out another disappointed sigh and gently pushed her off.

"Not now," he said. "Not appropriate now."

Sutton scolded Sprinkles for jumping up, ignoring Steve's muttered comment, and moved away from the men to the kitchen to dig through the pantry. She pulled out a Milkbone and made her dog sit nicely and calmly for it, then tossed it at Sprinkles, who caught it expertly in her mouth.

"Anyway," she said quickly, "how about Thai? Do you all have Thai in Andolasia? I feel like Thai is a good idea."

[]

Blue light flickered through the airy room. It reflected off glass bottles and old tomes looking like the smooth, flowing reflections of water from a tank.

"You actually did it," Tony said. He stared at the blue cube before him in wonder and then back up at the hired assassins.

"Did you doubt our ability," Natasha asked, amused.

"I was cautiously hopeful of your success," he said. Clint rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, well, Loki is bound to notice it's missing sooner rather than later. I suggest you hurry up with your magic stuff."

Tony looked mildly insulted by Clint's phrasing, but focused back on the cube. He waved his hands over it and the light flickered like the flame on a candle wick, growing icy white at the edges.

"It's a delicate process," Tony said. "If I don't do this correctly, it might not be all of them that gets transported back. Or they could end up in the Goblin Cities. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not have to explain to the future king why there was such a mishap."

Natasha rolled her eyes and Clint huffed, looking less than sorry.

"We have orders to stay until this mission is completed," Natasha explained. "Clint gets restless with nothing to occupy him."

"Truthfully, I don't care," said Tony. "I guess, you better get comfortable."

[]

She made them watch The Princess Bride that night because it was something other than a cartoon and it was one of the best movies ever made. (In her humble opinion.) It also seemed like a movie that they'd connect with, what with monarchies, sword fights, and unique storytelling. Plus there'd be no way they'd ask her if it were a real event with the grandfather blatantly reading from a fairytale book.

They seemed to enjoy it and Sutton was glad to be passed the painful affair of constantly ignoring them. Talking with them made her apartment feel less empty. She'd forgotten what it felt like to have friends to connect and joke with.

The thought of them leaving, of giving that up, made her chest tight and her jaw tense.

Still, her steps were lighter and smile more easy when she went into work Monday. She caught up on a bit of work and managed to snag a donut from the break room before they all disappeared. Alexandra was late to work, so Sutton didn't see her in the morning. It was a bit odd, because she couldn't ever remember Alexandra being late before, but she supposed that everyone had their off days.

Although, thinking about it, Sutton didn't remember when she'd noticed Alexandra's schedule in the first place. Which department did she work in?

It was lunch when Sutton's coworker actually showed up. She surprised Sutton by appearing in her cubicle as Sutton attempted to finish off her leftover Thai.

"Oof-hi!" Sutton mumbled around a mouthful of noodles. Alexandra seemed to study her a moment, wringing her hands, before her face lit up in a grin.

"You're in a better mood today."

She seemed especially pleased with that and Sutton cocked an eyebrow. Again, she didn't feel like she'd been that obvious about her sour mood. She swallowed the rest of her bite and set down her tupperware.

"Good afternoon to you too."

But Alexandra's gaze only trailed, oddly, around her a moment before she settled back in with eye contact.

"Is everything alright with your friends then?"

Sutton squinted.

"They haven't left yet, if that's what you mean. You're oddly curious. And where were you this morning?"

Alexandra waved her questions away as if they weren't important.

"Eh," she said, "just had some errands. Anyway, I should probably be getting to work, right? I'm glad you're feeling better!"

Sutton swore the woman was practically floating away as she left. She shook her head and let out an amused huff as she turned back to her lunch.

"Oh, and Sutton?"

Sutton tilted her head back and caught a glimpse of Alexandra's figure idling in the hall.

"Hm?"
"It's good to stick close to your friends," she said. "Remember that, yeah?"

Once more, Sutton's face crinkled in mild confusion. Why was she surprised though. Alexandra had always been a bit of a unique individual. Hadn't she?

"Right," she said. "Sure."

Sutton stuffed another forkful of noodles in her mouth. Was anything really making sense in her life lately? Really, an odd coworker should hardly register on her radar.

[]

It was miraculously not raining on her trek home and it only further elevated her mood. As much as she loved rainy days, sometimes you just needed a few rays of sunlight to change things up a bit. She hummed a light tune under her breath and hopped across crosswalks, ignoring the crowds around her as she moved.

Thinking over how much her life had already changed in such a short time, it still didn't feel real. She anticipated seeing Steve and Bucky when she got home. Having people to talk with over coffee and being accompanied on walks through the city. She liked it. And what Steve had said… about coming back for her.

She gnawed her bottom lip as her mind drifted. Over castles and fancy dresses and dragons and magic. What would a world like that really look like?

Did the politics run the same as in a fantasy film of her world? How did a sorcerer in another realm even get a name like Tony?

Sutton couldn't deny…. She really wanted to know. To see it for herself. Even just to have her curiosity sated. The only problem was it was impossible to do an analysis of risk and reward when she wasn't fully aware of what the risks would be.

She shook her head. As fantastical and adventurous as that sounded, that was a crazy leap. One she still had trouble wrapping her mind around. And anyway, this was her world. She had a life to keep up.

Didn't she?

[]

The elevator managed another trip without breaking down midfloor and Sutton popped out into the hall only to stop in her tracks. Gary was back out, pacing the floor.

She hesitated a moment before she sucked in a breath and squared her shoulders. Someday one of them would move out of this complex. If she ever got a raise and started collecting cardboard boxes now, maybe it could be her.

Her eyes turned flinty and her lips pressed together as she neared her neighbor. It seemed like he was out and about more recently. She curled her fingers around her key ring.

Gary was twitching, his fingers almost spasming at his sides, as he muttered to himself and wore a path in the carpet. Sutton shifted towards the wall, closer to the doors on her side, though it would be impossible to pass without him noticing. She wet her lips and shifted the keys between her fingers, once again, teeth up.

"Gary," she said, her voice stiff and overly formal. He snapped his head to look up and openly sneered at her. Sutton stopped moving forward. Gary's skin looked more sallow than she was used to seeing. His eyes were darker and hair more limp as it clung to his scalp. She wondered if he had more than just plants in his apartment.

"So cheery, so proud." He sounded like he was gargling oil. His tone slick, yet forceful at the back. Angry and sniveling all at once.

Sutton frowned and straightened further. She tried to make herself as tall as possible.

"I don't know what your deal is, but you need to get away from me. Now."

"Your friends still there," he prodded. "Your little boyfriends? You think they'll leave? You certainly won't."

The hair rose on the back of her neck. She couldn't remember a time he'd ever been so confrontational. Sutton eyed her front door and looked back to Gary. He was still pacing and wringing his hands.

"They left already," she said. "Not that it's any of your business. So you can just calm down."

Gary snarled, for a moment it almost looked like his eyes flashed black.

"Liar!" He snapped. "I'm sick of this grovel. You all disgust me. And for what? A pathetic, sniveling mess? You?"

Sutton took a step backwards and tried to whistle, but Gary leaped at her. The hallway was narrow and left little room to move. She backpedaled towards the elevator, but tripped in her hurry and dropped her keys as she fell to the floor. Gary dropped down over her, his fingers around her throat, and Sutton screamed as she kicked and clawed at his hands.

Gary shifted. He- he looked different. His eyes were completely black, terrifying and soulless,

and his skin nearly looked green. His ears had elongated slightly and his nose shrank to a small stub. She gasped as she gaped openly at his inhuman looking form.

He pressed his thumbs into her esophagus and cut her scream off, bearing his teeth at her as he leaned in closer.

"By magic won, but they forgot. It's hard to win when left to rot."

Sutton kicked and bucked again; Gary's hands were bleeding where she'd broken his skin, but he showed no signs of caring. There was a barking from down the hall and Sutton managed to loosen his strangle hold enough to scream one more time.

The barking grew frantic. Suddenly there was a crash, like a door slamming open.

Gary turned to look back and yelled himself. But he had no time to move.

Sprinkles slammed into his back, knocking him off of Sutton and sending him into the wall across from them. Sutton scrambled up and backed away with gasping breaths. Sprinkles snapped her jaw and snarled, then bit into Gary's arm and shook mercilessly.
He yelled louder. A light, pucey looking blood ran down his sleeve.

"Sutton!"

She looked up as Steve dropped to a knee next to her, one arm going over her as a barrier between her and the attack only feet away. Bucky placed himself in front of Steve, facing Sprinkles and Gary, with his sword at his side.

Gary was attempting to hit Sprinkles to loosen her hold and pry at her jaw, but Bucky lifted the sword to Gary's throat and put a stop to the attack.

"Not another move," he said. Sutton had never heard him sound so serious. So dangerous.

She continued to gasp and pant as she tried to catch her breath, and curled further under the protective covering that Steve provided.

"Come on," said Steve. "Come, let's get you inside."

Gary wailed.

"Call her off! Call off your mutt! M' arms about to come off!"

Sprinkles continued to growl, her eyes wide and foaming drool dripping from her mouth to mix with the blood. Sutton found her voice as she held onto Steve and they stood.

"E-easy, girl," she said. "G-good- good girl."

Bucky glanced back at them and nodded at Steve.

"You can tend to her," he said. "I'll take care of this."

Steve nodded in reply and then Sutton was suddenly swept off her feet and being carried back to her apartment.

"Woah." Her voice was hoarse and she swallowed, trying to ease the pain. "I dont' ne-"

"You were nearly just strangled," said Steve. "I think you do need help."

She decided not to argue since they were already back in her apartment. Steve sat her down gently on her sofa and tilted her chin back to examine her neck. It was tender, and a tingling, burning, sensation was still ebbing up her throat, but she didn't think any major damage was done.

"You'll bruise," Steve confirmed. "But you'll live." He shot a glare out her front door with a clenched fist and took a settling breath.

"Are you ok?" He turned back to her and knelt down to be at eye level. "I'll make you some tea; just rest alright?"
Sutton nodded as she kept her eyes on the front door. She rested her fingertips on her throat and swallowed.

"H-his blood," she managed. "His skin. Wh- what?"

Cupboard doors opened and closed, the faucet ran and water hit the bottom of a metal pot.

"Why didn't you tell us you had goblins," Steve asked. Sutton snapped her head in his direction.

"Goblins? Goblins? We don't have goblins."

They both turned their gazes as a short, sharp cry came from the hall along with reinvigorated growling. Sutton stiffened, her face going cold.

"He didn't- Bucky didn't-"

Steve tilted his head.

"I'm not sure."

There was a thud and then a rattle of dog tags and a murmuring, cajoling voice. The front door opened and Sprinkles darted through before it was more than cracked. Bucky followed, his sword lowered at his side. Sprinkles jumped up onto the couch and forced herself onto Sutton's lap, almost covering her completely as she laid over Sutton's legs. Sutton covered her mouth with a hand as she noticed a thick, sickly drop of blood fall from Bucky's sword. Steve frowned, but didn't appear as horrified as Sutton thought he should be.

Bucky followed their line of sight down to the sword and realization dawned on his features.

"He's not dead," he told them. "But he will be recognizable if he dares show his face again."

Steve nodded and Sutton puffed as she arched her back in an attempt to stand, but Sprinkles refused to budge. She fell back against the couch with a sigh and peered over Sprinkles' back.

"What's going on," she rasped. "I don't- Gary isn't a goblin. Those aren't- they don't exist here. He's never- he's never acted like that."

Bucky and Steve shared a look.

"How long has he lived here," Bucky asked.

Sutton's face skewed, clearly not seeing the relevance of that question.

"I don't know. Awhile?"

"Did he move in before or after you?"
"After, I guess? What does this have to do with him- him turning green and-"

"Please," said Bucky. "I need you to tell me if you can remember when you first saw him. How did you learn his name?"

It seemed stupid and irrelevant, but Sutton couldn't quite get up to protest. She complied and thought back, trying to recall their first conversation.

She'd moved in, been lonely, adopted Sprinkles, and…. And…

Gary had just...been there one day. Why did she think he'd moved in after her?

"I don't know," she finally admitted. "I don't know. What's going on?"

A whistle ran shrilly for half a second and then Steve was approaching her with a mug full of steaming tea.

"Everything's fine," he said. "You're safe, ok?" He pressed the mug into her hands and covered her fingers with his as he looked into her eyes. "I won't let him touch you again."

"I trying," snapped Sutton, "to figure out how I was apparently attacked by a goblin in my apartment complex."

Bucky and Steve looked to each other and once again had some mental conversation.

"He must have been sent over with us," Bucky said. "To make sure we stayed exiled."

"Goblins have glamor magic," Steve said, turning back to her. "It's how he looked human and confused you into thinking you'd known him."

Sprinkles shifted in her lap and broke Sutton's baffled train of thought with a few wet kisses. Sutton pat Sprinkles' head and pushed her face away so she could take a drink of the still hot tea. Steve had added a bit of honey and it helped soothe her throat and, more importantly, her nerves. She gave him a grateful smile and let out another controlled breath.

"He's from your world," she said. "I guess- I guess that makes sense. He did say something weird about magic winning, I think? And being left to rot?"

Both men perked up and exchanged another look.

"By magic won," prompted Steve. She took another sip of tea and nodded.

"That's it."

"Then he was undoubtedly sent to ensure we didn't get back," said Bucky.

Sutton thought that if that was Gary's goal, he wasn't doing a very good job. He didn't seem like a viable threat to either of them in the first place. Attacking her for helping them was doubly pointless.

"Will he leave when you guys do?"

Neither of them looked sure and a shiver ran through her. Maybe- maybe her job would let her bring Sprinkles to work a few days a week. Just so she could have some defense walking home.

"He wouldn't dare show his face again," Steve hedged. But he still situated himself closer. Sutton ran her hand over Sprinkles' glossy fur and idly scratched behind her ears.

While it was still a shock that she'd been physically attacked, she was almost more disturbed by the fact that there was a random magical creature roaming about freely and she hadn't even known it.

Sutton gave Sprinkles one last ear rub and then tapped her on the head.

"Up, up."

Sprinkles huffed and grumbled, twisting onto her back, and forced Sutton to raise up her mug of tea or spill it.

"Uuup," Sutton croaked back at her. Sprinkles cut her eyes up at Sutton, let out a growling complaint, then rolled over and hopped off the couch. Sutton stood and made sure she was actually steady before she walked over to the kitchen and set her mug down on the counter.

Bucky awkwardly shifted his sword in his hand and Sutton eyed the lingering blood stains on the metal. She sighed and grabbed a dish towel and wet it before passing it to him. He accepted the rag tentatively and Sutton sighed again as she rubbed at her face.

"This is crazy," she said. She gestured at either of them flippantly. "I thought housing a prince and a knight was going to be as weird as it got."

Steve and Bucky looked sheepishly at her and Steve took a step back while rubbing his neck.

"I apologize-"

"Oh, no, no. It's not- you aren't bad-weird! You're good-weird. Uh, both of you. I just- don't know how to process goblins, to be frank."

Sprinkles whined and ran around Steve's legs, urging him forward, and he made his way closer to Sutton in the kitchen. Bucky sat on the couch and set to work cleaning his sword. It probably wasn't the most ideal method and he mumbled under his breath, but Sutton didn't have steel polish, or whatever they used, on hand.

The apartment quieted. Sprinkles trotted back to the living room and there was a thump and a grunt as she jumped back up onto the couch and probably smack up against Bucky. Steve pressed his lips together in an awkward smile and Sutton ran her finger over the rim of her mug. Behind the kitchen wall, it was just them. Sutton bit her bottom lip, then sagged against her elbows.

"Can he change how he looks again," she asked. "Do I have to be nervous about every person I know?"

Steve shook his head and took another step closer.

"Once you know about the glamor, you can't fall for it again."

His hand slowly encased hers, lacing their fingers together as he watched her expression. Sutton bit the inside of her cheek and tried not to smile in amusement at the action.

"I'm not gonna break," she said. "It was a little scuffle. Maybe it shook me up a bit, but he'd have to try harder than that to really get to me."

"It shouldn't have happened, regardless. I swear to you, I'll do everything I can to make sure-"

"Steve." She squeezed his hand and shook her head with a small smile. "You should be more worried about getting back to your kingdom. Honestly," her voice took on a teasing tone, "where are your priorities?"

"I can multitask."

Steve was standing very close to her, Sutton noted, and he seemed to be milking her attack more than she was. Her go-to method in dealing with stress was usually to downplay the effects and try to forget it existed. The hand holding and quieted words and lingering stares were a bit melodramatic, probably. But, once more, Sutton didn't feel inclined to put a stop to them.

Forgive a girl for indulging in the moment.

"Multitask, huh?" She fiddled with his hand in hers, turning it over palm up, and ran her thumb over the base of his fingers. "Something tells me it's more like you take on responsibility for too much at once."

"Maybe I do need someone to help me delegate."

Sutton laughed as her eyes snapped up to meet his; he was already grinning down at her.

"I'll be sure to tell Bucky that he's doing a subpar job."

A snort sounded from the living room and Sutton's grin only widened as Steve frowned and huffed.

"That's not exactly his place," Steve emphasized. She knew, of course, that knights probably didn't have as much to do with more political issues. They were usually hired out, weren't they? To lords? Her mind wandered off in a curious buzz as she considered the functioning of a fairytale kingdom once more.

Maybe he had a council that was supposed to support him in delegating tasks and laws.

Steve drew her attention back by tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and tilting her head up.

"Sutton," he said, sounding exasperated. "You-"

"Yeah?"

She glanced down at his lips again without thinking about it and warmth pooled in her face.

"Do you-"
Their hands were still interlinked. He was…trying to ask her a question? Sutton blinked. He- he was turning blue!

"What's going on!"
Light was shining in her eyes, crawling up around Steve's legs and curling around his waist. He looked down as well, his face paling. Blue, flickering light, almost looking like reflective water was shimmering around him.

"Steve," she prodded, her voice lilting high. "What's happening?"
"Tony," Steve murmured. There was a commotion in the living room. Sutton's gaze darted to the side to see Bucky in the kitchen entrance, Sprinkles in his arms. They were both shrouded in the same bright blue light.

"You're going back," Sutton cried. "Now?"

The light curled around their clasped hands and crawled up her own arm. Sutton gasped.

"What-"

Steve squeezed her hand again, focusing her attention.

"You can let go," he said. Sutton blinked. "If you're not sure, you have to let go now."

The light. It was pulling her too. She could feel it warming her skin and sinking into her pores. Her heart thrummed in her chest and her breathing quickened. She didn't have time. She hadn't made a list of pros and cons yet or considered anything! She didn't even have a bag packed or any of Sprinkles' favorite toys.

Blue light engulfed all of Steve and was continuing to cover her. His grasp on her hand was loosening as her breathing picked up and the pulse in her neck throbbed.

Of course not, the immediate voice in her head said. It was insane and crazy and terrifying.

Sutton met Steve's gaze and felt her stomach flip.

What did she really have to lose? No family, no promising career. Only her and her dog and a creepy goblin possibly still living down the hall.

Her grip on his hand tightened and Steve's face lit up.

"I don't know what I'm doing," she confessed. Steve smiled.

"Don't worry. I'll be right here."

It was too late to let go anyway. Bucky and Sprinkles disappeared in a blinding flash, and she and Steve followed shortly after.

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AH! I'm excited for next chapter! :D