Inevitable

Part 3

Getting used to the routine hadn't been that hard, free food, a new room and he even got to be with Steve most of the time. It was something that once he only could've of dreamt of but now that it was his reality Bucky still felt unfulfilled, it was like something was missing or maybe he just wasn't used to this treatment. He could deal with rage and hate but this...whatever this was, it was too overwhelming. After putting on a clean shirt and a pair of jeans he decided to go for a walk since everyone must've ate by now. Bucky had eaten once or twice with the Avengers and that only because Steve had asked him to and all of them had been on their guard as if he was a ticking bomb that could explode at any moment so he had decided to avoid them. It wasn't easy since all of them had special schedules but the space was big enough for him to find a couple of places where he could have some privacy except his room. He didn't take the elevator but instead took the stairs that lead to the back gardens. He called them gardens but actually they looked like a big haze with tall trees where the sun could barely get through. Having a lot of different terrains to train was something that Stark had definitely thought would come in hand but nobody seemed to have the time to come to this forest which was exactly why he liked to wonder in them for hours, it gave him a little sense of freedom. While walking through the usual trail that he now followed everyday his ears caught a sense of movement and he immediately turned his head around following the noise. Maybe it was nothing but his senses alerted him for even the smallest things. Bucky heard footsteps again but this time instead of ignoring them he was curious to see who had invaded his little space or maybe it had been someone following him. She had her back turned and was kneeling on the ground wrapping a small deer's leg with a piece of clothing. She didn't turn her head even when he came closer which meant either she hadn't heard him at all or she didn't even consider him a threat to do and he didn't know which one was worse.
"Someone could've killed you, you know"
*He said without greeting and the redhead Natasha didn't bother to meet his eyes even after he spoke*
"I knew it was you"
*She said lazily as she released the hurt animal and it started limping away*
"How did you know?"
"I recognized your steps....and I know it's only you that come through these woods everyday, Tony has the whole place secured so I am safe"
*Natasha stood up and turned to look at him than as she wiped the blood on her pants but Bucky still couldn't believe it. How could she recognize his steps when she'd encountered him only twice at the facility and how did she know he went into the woods everyday, of course he knew he was supervised but was every avenger given details of his daily routine? Did everyone know what he was doing at any time of the day? Seeing that he was taking too long to respond Natasha added*
"I know because I used to go into these woods before you came along"
*He didn't know if there was a little accusation in her voice as if he had stolen her little spot*
"And why did you stop? These woods are big surely they can accommodate us both"
"I thought about giving you privacy"
*That was a valid reason but he didn't know why it came off as a lie. In all his stay here he had seen her the least. That time when he'd stumbled across her room and the first time he had decided to eat breakfast with the Avengers unannounced and the whole time she had seemed like she couldn't wait for it to be over*
"That's very thoughtful of you"
*Bucky said and that's when she turned to leave*
"Natasha-"
*Her head turned around immediately as if waiting for something to be said*
"You forgot this-"
*He said as he leaned down to catch a small knife on the ground and offered it to her...she seemed almost disappointed*
"Thank you James"
*There it was again. She had used his first name, the one that nobody used and it felt so weird like a warm fuzzy feeling coming over him like there were memories connected to that name that wanted to resurface but they just couldn't."
"Walk with me"
*He said as he continued down the trail without waiting for an answer and after a couple of seconds where she'd seemed to contemplate his request her footsteps were quietly following him*
"What were you doing to that animal?"
"The deer had hurt it's leg so I just wrapped it up a little"
"Will it live?"
"I don't know it's up to it. If it gives in to the injury and the weakness it will die if it decides to fight back it might live or at least die fighting"
"What's the point of fighting if it's going to die anyway?"
"The point is not to give up, he might make it but he'll never know if he gives into the despair"
*James went quiet after that. It's not like he didn't want to fight but je wasn't like that little deer, his despair was deeper and helpless even bigger. While thinking he didn't know how much he'd walked or where he was but he'd never heard Natasha complain except now it was his stomach growling in loud protests. She smiled slightly *
"Not a good idea to go for a walk with an empty stomach"
"I'll eat when I get back"
"Your stomach will be unbearable until than"
*She said as she started looking around for he didn't know what. It seemed Bucky had gotten too used to the luxury here more than necessary which wasn't good