I'll Protect You, I Promise

Hangover

Steve and Bucky never made it to their bed. Both were tired, though not in the usual sense. The men just wanted to sleep and after Nat's heartwarming speech they had no energy left. All of it had been spent on fake smiles and listening to Natasha, who was, a per usual, right. 

Nat took their bed after Sam left. They were already asleep on the couch, so it wasn't like they were using it. She had cleaned up everything, the bottles, glasses, and she started some dishes. You couldn't overstay your welcome if you clean the house, she figured.

The apartment had been relatively quiet, for the first night since Bucky and Steve had moved there. Although their serums and training had lessened the effects of alcohol, it still made them sick and required energy to dispose of. With the each at least a half of bottle downed, their livers had to work to digest it anyway. Bucky and Steve passed out immediately once Sam left and Nat was fast asleep and couldn't be woken up by anything.

Soon the stars that sprinkled the sky gradually faded into the sky as the moon gently tucked itself behind the sleeping city's skyline. While it set the sun started to come out of hiding. When it did it bestowed many shades of lilac upon the morning sky. The clouds developed a soft rose-pink tint that played off of the sky. Around the rising sun was a majestic golden glow that faded into the purple tones. 

However, even the peaceful scene was tinted. With the rising sun came rising people. Slowly people began waking. Babies would cry and their mothers and fathers go to care for the child, businessmen and women would be waking up to prepare for the long day of work, and high schoolers would be fussing with their hair or last-minute homework. The sounds of people began to fill the morning air. Car horns and yells increase with the mindless sound.

Even with the increasing noise, the people inside the apartment didn't stir. It wasn't until the sun was overhead that life filled the apartment. 

Natasha was the first to wake. Quietly she slipped into a clean set of clothes that she had packed into her purse. It wasn't anything particularly special, just a black t-shirt and a pair of blue skinny jeans. She also stole one of Steve's sweatshirts from the closet. She left the bedroom and headed for the door, but something caught her eye. 

She turned to look at the couch. Her face moved to smile. She walked over to it and looked down. There she saw the men peacefully asleep. She took out her phone to take a picture. She knew it was rude, but if she could have had someone freeze every little moment of happiness forever she would want them to.

Before leaving she pulled a blanket over the two so they wouldn't be cold. She headed out the door to the coffee shop that she had seen two blocks away.

The sun glared in her eyes. Shit, she remembered the tequila she had drunk the night before. I forgot sunglasses.

After the door had shut Bucky sat up. He had been woken by Nat's heels clicking on the floor. He got up, replacing the blanket on Steve. He rubbed his eyes and then it hit him, the headache. He frowned and went to the kitchen. He grabbed the empty pot of coffee to fill it up with water. He then poured the water on and left it to brew. 

He walked back into the living room and turned on the tv. Luckily it turned on to the news. Just what he wanted to wake up to. Though, these headlines were different from the ones he remembered from the past week. These people were asking "What happened to the Avengers?" and "Where are Iron Man and Captain America?"

If only Steve could see this. he thought. He looked at Steve, sound asleep. I'll tell him later. He decided.

Bucky knew that Steve never was the bad guy. He couldn't be. He had spent his whole life fighting bullies and it just so happened that apparently, the government was the bully this time. Sadly this fight labelled him a criminal. He had broken laws, helped a fugitive, stolen a 'Quinn Jet', fought government agents, and almost killed Tony. That still didn't make him a criminal, did it? People were asking where he had gone, so that meant that people still had faith in them like they should.