Untangling a Memory

Favorite things

"Hey there." Natasha's words were soft as she sat down at the kitchen counter.

Bucky had been in his own little world, not paying attention to anything else, when she arrived in the common room of their apartment. He was still recovering from his night of self-punishment and was slow to function. He poked his head out from the refrigerator at the sound of her voice.

"Oh, hi Natasha. I didn't hear you." His voice was heavy with drowsiness.

"What are you eating?"

"Ummm..." Bucky turned back to the cold of the refrigerator, where he was still standing in the open door. "Honestly, I have no idea. I feel like I've been starring in here for five minutes and still don't know what to make."

Bucky closed the door and returned to looking at Natasha. Even with dark circles under her eyes, she looked beautiful.

Natasha put her hands out in front of her, silently patting the countertop. Bucky immediately understood and poured her a cup of coffee, as well as one for himself. She had been slowly reforming him into a coffee person, as he'd learned the benefits of it after all his sleepless nights.

Natasha took a gulp and hummed in pleasure. She was still struggling to feel better, but coffee was always a step in the right direction. As Bucky looked over his mug, starring at the dark liquid between taking small sips, Natasha took the opportunity to do just what she had promised herself the night before.

"So, I was thinking..." Bucky looked up at her, as she started slowly, "...that we should have a home day."

"A home day?"

Natasha nodded. "Yes. We just stay in the apartment and don't do anything and are lazy. A home day."

Bucky's face warmed and a small smile spread across his lips. "A home day. I like it."

After days of Natasha struggling to deal with her silent demons and Bucky still uneasy from his nightmares the night before, he felt lightened by this suggestion. He missed spending time with her, soaking up her goodness. Natasha making the recommendation now felt like a good sign that she was trying to open up to him again.

"So, how do we start?"

"Well, for one thing, we stay in pajamas. And I think we make french toast for breakfast."

"These are all things I can do. Are you going to help me make it?" Bucky eyed Natasha, waiting to see how she handled his request.

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Fine, but you are cracking the eggs. I know you didn't say anything, but my scrambled eggs were... crunchy."

Bucky smirked and got an apron out of the pantry for her. "I didn't say a thing. I thought you did great that morning. I just assumed crunchy was a new preparation you were trying."

Natasha, who was on her feet and headed behind the counter, elbowed Bucky in the ribs at his joke.

Playing with him like this felt so natural, but during her stressful moments recently, she'd almost forgotten that. Her response to her anxiety was always to draw inwards and dismiss others. But even in this brief moment, where she forced herself to take a step back and allow Bucky in, she was reminded of why she allowed him to start making space in her heart in the first place.

Bucky and Natasha made breakfast together, moving in sync in the kitchen, joking around and enjoying themselves as they went. There was still tension, unspoken fragility on both their parts, but they allowed themselves to remember why they liked spending their days together.

"So, time for a workout?" Bucky was sitting on the veranda, hand on his stomach as he let his filling breakfast digest.