Longing •Bucky Barnes•

•Nine•

I was curled up on the couch reading a book I had snuck from the library earlier. I had begged Steve to let me get some new reading material. If I was going be stuck in my room until I was level headed enough to be let out I at least wanted to be able to entertain and educate myself. I grabbed a few normal books and I was able to wander into the Russian section.

I found a few books on HYDRA and their hoard of operations. I knew no one would want me to look into all of that stuff, but if I ever wanted my closure I knew what I needed to do. The news only offered so much information and I needed to know more than just what I knew from my time there.

I heard the lock on my door start to be messed with. I rushed and tried to hide what I had been doing before it opened. I quickly turned on the television and shoved the book between the couch cushions. I looked up and saw Bucky entering the room and Steve walking down the hall away from the door.

"Youre late." I said softly, resting my head on my hand. Normally he was here just before dinner but it was a good hour or two after.

"Fury had other plans." He said laughing taking off his gloves and jacket.

"Oh boy, what did he want?" I asked knowing surely he was pissed.

"Threatened me, said I wasn't doing my job right." He said hanging up his jacket.

"You should stop me next time, I can't let you get in trouble like that for me." I said shaking my head.

"He needs me Valerie." He said looking at me with careful eyes. "He needs you too, he won't admit it, but he does. You saved his life once before and knowing all the shit he gets us all into, you'll do it again."

"If he ever trusts me again." I said softly. "How did I even save his life the first time?"

"Someone attempted to assassinate him just after SHEILD created the Avengers." Bucky said going to the fridge to find something to drink.

"So what you're saying is he owes me one?" I asked and Bucky laughed.

"Don't think he sees it that way." He said shaking his head.

"Where's the pony?" I asked referring to his hair.

"I don't want to talk about it." He said shaking his head as he dug through my fridge.

"Fury said something didn't he?" I asked.

"It hurt my feelings." He said sarcastically walking forward with a beer I wasn't even aware I had in my fridge.

"You want to talk about it?" I asked scrunching my nose.

"I do." He said nodding and sitting down next to me holding out a second bottle. "It just really made me feel like myself, you know?"

"I was a fan too." I said nodding taking the beer from him.

"Didn't seem like it." He said with squinted eyes.

"I like it, it shaped your face well." I assuringly.

"Perhaps I'll reconsider." He said holding his bottle out and I clinked mine against his. He reached forward and pulled off the cap with his metal hand.

"You're really trying a party trick on me?" I said looking at him.

"Shut up and drink." He said shaking his head.

"It's my first you know." I said taking a sip.

"First drink?" He asked me for clarification.

"I was 18 or 19 when I was taken." I said shrugging.

"Well I apologize Pabst isn't really a good intro." He said laughing.