The Fall - Book 1

39. Eat all the things, nap all the naps.

JULY 1, 2018 — CHINATOWN — RÉA

We get to the restaurant, and since all the four-tops are full, we're seated at a large, round table with a revolving tray in the centre. Bucky takes the chair right against the wall, and I take the seat to his left; Steve takes the seat to my left, and Sam takes the seat next to Steve.

"I'm starving...I'm gonna eat so much food!" Sam says, rubbing his hands together.

"Do you guys want to just get a bunch of appetisers and entrees to share?" I ask. "We each pick two? Or three? I know you super soldiers have really fast metabolisms...Sam's just a bottomless pit," I tease.

"I'm good with that," Bucky says.

"Me too," Steve says.

We order the appetisers and entrées at the same time, requesting that everything come out together. It doesn't take too long for the food to arrive, and everything is delicious; I can't help doing my little happy dance while I eat. Once we're all finished, we settle the bill and walk back to where Steve parked the truck. I settle into the front seat, and we head back toward the compound. Ten minutes into the drive, Sam's asleep and snoring lightly.

"Well, that's a record time for the food coma to get him," I say, earning a chuckle from Steve.

"Does he do that often?" Bucky asks.

I look over my shoulder at him. "Oh yeah. It's pretty much a daily occurrence. You saw him eat last night...and today. He's like a bear gearing up for hibernation: eat all the things, nap all the naps."

He grins, and I smile back before turning to Steve.

"So what kind of music does Captain America listen to?" I ask, gesturing to the radio. "I feel like there's the obvious answer of music from the twenties, thirties, and forties...maybe some classical...a little country? I also feel like there are a few surprises."

"Turn on the radio and see."

I do, and am surprised when the screen displays the Octane logo, and the sounds of Bring Me The Horizon's "Can You Feel My Heart" fill the car.

"Okay...I'm definitely surprised," I say, then begin to sing along.

"Wait...you know Bring Me The Horizon?" Steve asks.

"What, do you think I only listen to harp music?" I respond with a grin.

I hear Bucky chuckle.

"I mean...I do listen to harp music...along with pretty much every other genre.... Except polka and death metal. I never quite got into those," I deadpan.

Steve just shakes his head and grins. "Fair enough."

The song changes to Disturbed's cover of "The Sound of Silence", and this time Steve joins me in singing along. The deejay starts talking about upcoming tour dates, and other rock-and-roll news, then introduces the next song: "Roots" by In This Moment.

"Ooo, I don't know this one," I say.

"It's pretty good," Steve says. "Catchy...it gets stuck in my head easily."

I nod, and listen. When the f-bomb drops, I look at Steve with raised brows.

"Aren't you going to say 'language'?"

"I'm really never going to live that down, am I?"

Instead of answering, I look back at Bucky.

"So one time, on a mission, someone said a curse word over comms, and Steve scolded them for bad language. Did he do that before, or is it an old man thing?" I ask with a grin.

Bucky chuckles. "That's just a Steve thing...honestly, I'm surprised he hasn't changed the station."

"Funny...jerk," Steve says.

"Punk."

We listen to the radio; I sing along to the songs I know. Steve seems to have gotten over his surprise, until "The Devil's Bleeding Crown" by Volbeat comes on.

"You...why are you singing along?!"

"Oh please. Why wouldn't I?" I ask. "It's catchy. And it's not like that's not how it went."

"I..." he starts, but trails off. "You know," he says after a few beats, "I knew rock songs would mention Hell and demons, but I never realised how many talk about Heaven and angels."

I don't know what to say to that, so I simply shrug. Almost as if the deejay heard Steve, the next song to play is "Wrong Side of Heaven" by Five Finger Death Punch.

"Okay. That's weird," he says as the instrumental intro plays.

"Why?" Bucky asks.

"The timing of my comment, and this song playing," Steve says. "Just listen."

I hum along quietly, until I faintly feel guilt, self-loathing, and sombreness.

'That's not mine,' I think. The realisation slams into me, just as the compound comes into view. 'Bucky.'

I sit forward and turn off the radio, then turn and attempt to wake up Sam.

"Hey there, comatose, we're almost back. Home is right there," I say, placing my hand against his shin and shaking his leg.

That doesn't work, so Bucky whacks him in the ribs with his vibranium hand.

"Sonofabitch!"

"Language!" Steve says, smiling at me.

We pull into the garage, Sam grumbling in the backseat. We exit the truck, and head to the lift. Steve presses the button for his and Sam's floor, and the one for mine and Bucky's. When the doors open on Steve's floor, I see Nat and Wanda standing there. Steve and Sam exit, exchanging greetings with Nat and Wanda as they step into the lift.

"Hey, Réa! We were just coming up to see you!" Wanda chirps.

"Hey! That's funny, because I was going to text you two and ask you to come hang out!"

"Well you're awfully chipper," Nat says.

"I am...I learned something pretty awesome!"

"What did you learn?" Wanda asks.

"So, I found a hidden pocket in my mother's journal, in the back cover. Inside was a note my father wrote; it contained a prophecy. About me." I pause. "Turns out, I have a soulmate!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Bucky tense slightly.

"That's awesome!" Wanda exclaims. "I've been wondering since Wakanda, because you're half-Seraph...but also half-human. But I didn't think that was something I should ask."

The lift doors open, and Bucky gestures for the three of us to exit first.

"When I told Tony and Pepper earlier, Pepper said she assumed my human half had one. I just never thought about it before." I say as we walk down the corridor to my door. "Anyway. I'm excited about having a soulmate, don't get me wrong...but I'm also excited for what that means. The way the prophecy was written, I'm going to meet my soulmate at some point. Which means that I was always supposed to get out of the tower."

I open my door as tears prick my eyes. "It's nice to know I wasn't destined to spend eternity there after all." I clear my throat, blinking the tears away. "Sorry to get emotional. Come on in," I say to Nat and Wanda; they head into my suite, and I turn to Bucky. "You're welcome to hang out with us, if you want."

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm kind of tired. I think I'll pull a Sam and take a nap."

I can't help the disappointment that settles over me.

"Okay," I keep my tone light. "Sleep sweet."

"Thanks," he says, and heads into his room.

I stare at his closed door for a moment before heading into my suite to join Nat and Wanda.