Attachment Theory - Bucky BarnesxOC

Part 24: stuck on the puzzle

18+ WARNING MINORS DNI

They land at the Avengers compound and Alice can feel the tension and anxiety ricocheting off of Bucky as they unbuckle their harnesses. He's beginning to face the reality of the situation and what he may or may not have gotten himself into. She can see the fear in his eyes. He wants to run. Instead, he represses it and stands up, grabbing his and Alice's duffel bags as the doors open and fresh air rushes into the jet.

Steve officers Alice his hand to help her off the ramp while Bucky looks around nervously, jumping down. She smiles at Steve.

"Thanks, Cap."

"No trouble at all." He glances over his shoulder. "I'll show you to your apartment."

"Apartment?" Alice asks.

Steve nods as he walks ahead, leading them toward the entrance of the compound. She watches him place his palm on a keypad and a voice booms.

"Welcome. Voice activation required."

Sam begins to laugh and Steve sighs.

"Capsicle."

"Access denied."

"What?! That's what it was last time!" Alice can see his ears turning red. Bucky watches, amused, with a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She squeezes his hand and he bites his lip. Steve huffs. "Steve Rogers."

"Access denied."

Alice and Bucky exchange another look, both of them struggling to keep a straight face. Sam steps forward.

"Let me try, Steve." He puts his palm down. "Eagle Scout."

The door slides open.

"Welcome. Eagle Scout."

"How did you know that?!" Steve asks.

Sam holds up his phone.

"He texted it to me. I told him it wasn't accurate and he said...let's see..." Sam scrolls through his phone. "Ah, yeah. He said, and I quote, 'Shut up, Wilson. My compound, my nicknames.'"

"That sounds like Tony," Steve sighs. "Did he text you my new name?"

"Nope." Sam turns to Alice and Bucky and grins. "Come on."

Steve sighs and leads them to an elevator that takes them upstairs. The inside of the building is massive. You could get lost here. Alice finds herself disoriented from the sheer size of it and Bucky already looks overwhelmed. She holds his left hand and sticks close beside him as they follow Sam and Steve, who seem to be comfortable here. As they wait for the elevator, Steve turns to them.

"The gym, apartments, pool, and kitchen are all up on the 10th floor--"

"Sorry," Alice interrupts. "Did you say pool?"

Steve nods.

"Olympic sized. And the gym is super soldier friendly. Reinforced everything."

"Yeah," Sam replies, clapping Steve on the shoulder. "This one was busting up too many punching bags. It was starting to piss Tony off."

"Wow," she whispers. "Is that who runs this little organization?"

"Tony Stark?" Steve asks, as though it's the most obvious thing in the universe as to whose building this is. "Yeah."

Alice chooses to ignore his obliviousness... or is it arrogance? She's not quite sure she's figured him out yet. It'll probably take some time.

"Huh... and he doesn't know about this little thing we're doing, does he?"