Chapter Text
I stumble from Pietros room, I surely must be wrong, Pietro wouldn't say something about me to Bucky, would he? And Bucky, why would he punch Pietro for it? I'm wrong, my mind is all over the place, there's no way that could've happened.
My feet move before I even know where I'm going, but when I find myself outside of Nat's door I can't say I'm surprised. She opens it on the first knock and doesn't linger before going back over to sit on her laptop on the bed.
One of my favourite things about living here is seeing all of these superhero's do such casual things, Nat chilling on her bed, Bucky dancing, Steve eating cereal, Peter playing with Morgan and being the sweetest almost brother to her.
"So how's things?" I smile and sit on the end of the bed, Nat looks at me through hooded eyes, scanning me for a moment before letting out a slight laugh.
"Tiring, you?" Damn her for giving nothing away.
"Y'know, panicking about my family, all in my head, trying not to drink myself silly just for something to do." I hope she senses the sarcasm.
"And how has that been going for you?" She smirks and closes the screen on her laptop.
I wonder whether to tell her about my dream, I mean she was in Wakanda with Thanos, maybe she can help me get to the bottom of it better than Peter or Pepper possibly could.
Nat frowns, as though she senses the inner battle I'm having with myself.
"You saw Pietro.."
Wait? What?
I narrow my eyes on my friend and nod.
"And what did he say..?" She drags out the last word and widens her eyes.
"Not much actually, but he mentioned me to Bucky.. apparently."
Nat seems to think about this as she licks her lips nods slowly.
"So I don't know everything, Pietro left when Bucky did, but things turned ugly on that jet, it's like Pietro had a whole new side to him apparently, Wanda still wouldn't speak to him when we left."
Hold on, Wanda isn't even speaking to her brother? What the hell did he say about me that was so bad? Surely me and Pietro having history alone wouldn't warrant such a response from Bucky, and especially Wanda.
Do I go back to Pietro and have it out with him? No, I feel like he'd get some weird satisfaction from that.
"So what did he say that was so bad?"
"No one would repeat it. And he said it in Russian."
"But you know Russian?"
"I wasn't there. And like I said, no one would repeat it. Steve doesn't speak Russian, he had to ask Bucky what Pietro had said, and when Bucky repeated it in English, they'd finally pulled Bucky off Pietro and gone back to doing what they were supposed to, but when he said it in English, Pietro smiled, and that's when he punched him, vibranium first."
Nat actually looks quite proud. She raises her eyebrows, leans forward and closes my jaw where it seems to of dropped to the floor.
"So no one but the people in that jet knew what was said?" I'm trying to get this straight.
"Correct"
"And who was in that jet? Bucky, Steve, Wanda, Pietro.. anyone else?"
I try think about who was here that morning, who else could've been there. Clint I'm pretty sure went with Nat and my dad, Banner and Sam stayed, "Rhodey?"
Nat purses her lips, "it was just those four."
So I have to wait until they're back? I can wait, right?
Wrong.
By that evening I feel like I'm going out my mind, as I lay in bed, having said nothing at dinner to anyone, I feel like I'm ready to burst. It seems everyone knows about it, except those four are the only ones that know what was said.
I just know it's not going to be as bad as what's in my head, I think I'm most curious how it agitated Bucky, was he defending me because he's my little bodyguard or whatever? Or is it because he has feelings for me?
Did I just assume he has feelings for me? Eek I need to pull myself down a few pegs.
Pepper comes to my room before she goes to bed, she hesitates by the door before entering, I've never quite seen her this way.
I tell her to come in and she sits on my bed with one leg over another.
"I spoke to Natasha, and Clint, I'm not sure I will speak to Pietro."
Understandable. I don't think I'd want to speak to him either.
I bite my lip, I know that Pepper knows pretty much everything about what goes on here. "As far as I'm aware, your dad doesn't know. Would you like me to keep it that way?"
"Honestly, I don't know. No one here knows what Pietro even said, if Tony finds out will he get mad at Bucky or Pietro?"
Peppers face softens, "I know you have feelings for Sargent Barnes-" ah fuck "but he can't go around punching people because they say something about you." She scrunches up her face, "I'm sorry, that's not what I mean."
"It's okay. I know he can't just lash out at people, especially a fellow Avenger." I don't know why but I always cringe when I call or refer to any of them as Avengers, they aren't those heroes to me like they are to others, to the public.
"When we know what was said, you can make the decision to tell your father. Until then," she smiles softly, it reminds me of my mother's kind face.
"Are you okay?"
I take a deep breath, and I finally open up to Pepper in a way I never thought I would. I tell her about Bucky, the dream, how when I was remaking his bed earlier I felt so embarrassed about it all.
Although I tell her about things from the last few weeks, I don't open up about my feelings towards my dad, I know that Pepper isn't the right person for that, and that it would be incredibly unfair to put that on her.
***
People seem to avoid me the next day, Peter even seems to stand awkwardly when I enter the room for lunch. I feel it's best to not get into conversation, when I'd seen Clint this morning it had been a less than pleasant encounter where he tried to apologise to me, as if on Pietros behalf?
I eat in my room, door locked and away from everyone and anyone that could try and talk to me. There's only one person I want to hear from and he's miles away in another country.
***
The next day I'm awoken by banging on my door, no voice asking to come in, no telling me who it is, just banging.
I'm hesitant, half asleep, everything in me tells me not to open the door as I stand a few meters in front of it. But I'm in the avengers compound, I'm in probably the safest place in the country.
The door opens with a bang and Pietro is stood in front of me, his breathing heavy, his eyes hooded as he looks at me, this isn't the Pietro I knew.
He steps in the room and I can't help the way I move back wards, he closes the door behind him.
"Pietro, what're you doing?" My voice is shaky, gone is the kind man that I spent my time with when I first arrived here.
"I need to talk to you." He keeps moving towards me, purposely walking at a slow pace, I think he knows I'm frightened, if he went as quick as he could he'd definitely have me terrified.
"So talk." I feel my back hit the wall, I can't move back anymore. I swallow hard.
"Please, sit." He puts his hands up, gesturing he means no harm, he nods towards my bed and I scurry over, placing myself back against the headboard.
"Pi-" "no, I will talk first."
I gulp. He sits on my bed, closer to me than I would prefer. I want to run, I want to scream, but a small part of me also wants- no, needs to know what he has to say.
He puts his hand towards mine and grabs it, his fingers stroking over my own, my entire body feels cold, goosebumps raise on my skin. Something is off here. Extremely off.
There was a time Pietro would touch me and my body would be grateful for him. There was fire there, heat between us, and now it's like the room is ice. I don't want to be around him at all.
"What is the difference between me and him? Hm?"
Although he's asking me this question I don't think he actually wants me to reply, he tilts his head to the side as he looks at me.
"Was I not good enough for you? Too young? Is it because he is more-" he seems to think of the right words "fucked up?" His face is full of hatred and mocking.
"Do you like brown hair? Oh! Is it the arm?" He's playing with me, his voice is spiteful but full of sarcasm.
I say nothing.
"Oh come on." That head tilt again.
I'm scared, I'm rarely scared, where I live, the company I keep, I don't need to be scared. But now...?
"We had fun, didn't we?" He leans closer to me, his grip on my hand allowing him to pull me closer. I do my best to level my breathing, to not let him know I'm scared of him.
I'm failing epically.
The way his accent pulls through when he speaks, that Sokovian accent once had me weak at the knees, and now it's seemingly adding to how intimidating he is.
His face is close to mine, he eyes me up and down.
"Is it because he's a super soldier?" His voice is less than a whisper as he laughs at his words.
"I thought we could be something, together, when I came back, and I saw you with him, I don't believe that he is better than me."
I just let him talk, I don't know what I could say that wouldn't completely make him lose it.
Pietro moves his hand that isn't holding mine and wraps it around my neck, my breath feels short as he squeezes harder, an evil smile growing on his face as he sees how much I'm beginning to struggle.
I see movement by the door and I don't miss a second in grabbing my knife from under my pillow with my free hand and putting it to his own throat.
He laughs, "you know I let you do that?" He smirks at me and I smile back.
"I was counting on it."
Pietros face drops as he's pulled backwards from the bed, and restrained under his sisters hands. The red glow around his entire body makes the sinister look on his face even more scary.
I breathe a sigh of relief as Wanda looks at me, "go find your father please." I nod and run out of the room while I can.
My dad is walking down the hall towards my room as I exit, my hands rubbing my neck, "hi!" He greets me with a smile.
"Wanda needs you!" I feel bad that I'm not greeting my father with a smile and happy greeting, but to be honest I'm still scared. Wanda is powerful, but Pietro is still her brother.
"Hi dad, I see you're home! How was the mission? Are you safe? Not hurt at all? Great! Glad you're back!" He mocks me and then raises his eyebrows at me.
"I'm sorry! I'm glad you're home, but Wanda-" "why does she need me? Everyone always needs me" he rolls his eyes. He's not taking this seriously.
"Pietro is in my room! She's got him..." I do a gesture to mimic Wanda with my hands and he looks at me confused but then his eyes widen on my neck as he gently pushes me to the side and heads to my bedroom.
I'm left alone in the hall, running down to a place I know is safe, somewhere I know he will be.
When I get to Buckys room his door is open wide, I almost think it's cause he knows I'm coming, it's normally closed.
When I peak around the door way I notice hes naked from the waist up, and I scan his body, arm first, the scratches on his left shoulder, I haven't seen Bucky without a shirt before, I think his arm may be the reason for that.
I watch the muscles contract on his back as he lifts something on his drawers, I assume he's been in the shower, cause his skin is ever so slightly glistening, his jeans hang just right on his hips, below the waistband of his black underwear.
I swallow hard, and it hurts, as I realise I'm just stood here admiring him without his knowledge. Quickly I step forward and knock on the door.
Bucky turns quickly and when he sees me he flashes me a relieved smile, he walks over and goes to hug me and then stops as my eyes go down his body, a small laugh escapes him.
"Sorry, I'll put something on," he goes back to his drawers and pulls out a black shirt and pulls it over his head, his stomach muscles tighten when he lifts his arms into the shirt.
Stop ogling him Eden, damn it!
I walk further into Bucky's room and I notice small details I hadn't before, there's a book on the shelf about Wakanda, I think maybe he's brought it home with him, another about Captain America. I smile knowing it probably helps him remember a lot of what he's forgot, that and the history books I'd caught him studying before.
I feel arms around my waist and Bucky's face buried into my shoulder, "you have my favourite book up there." I tell him, still so sure it's a coincidence.
I feel Bucky smile against the bare skin on my shoulder, "I know. I bought it a few days after we met."
Confusion fills me, a part of me feels a little happy that he bought it because of me. I turn myself around in Bucky's arms and put my hands on his hips, he steps back just slightly so we're not pressed against each other and takes a deep breath.
"I never told you it was my favourite?"
"It was the most worn book in your room, that normally means it's a favourite."
"What if you were wrong?"
"The only time I've been wrong about you is when I first properly met you."
Oh really? I don't know if I want to know.
I look up at him with hooded eyes, "what were you wrong about?" I bite my lip and he moves his hand up and pulls it away with his thumb, his skin against mine makes my body ignite.
"I thought you weren't the lost girl I had initially thought you were, that maybe you were just a bratty girl with daddy issues." He smirks at me and I can't help the smile that graces my lips as his blue eyes light up in amusement.
"I've missed you." The words come out quieter than I intended, I feel brave as I say them and when he leans forward and kisses me gently, I'm glad I allowed myself to say them.
"I missed you too." My heart feels like it's beating faster, I know he means that by the way his fingers skim gently up my back slowly. A simple act but the way he's looking dead into my eyes..
His face drops a little, "we do need to talk though, Eden."
It feels like my heart is in my throat, I know we need to talk, we need to talk about a lot, "so tomorrow I'm taking you out, to apologise for missing our date."
I frown at him and he smirks, "you don't think I forgot? I hated not being able to see you before we left."
He's a freaking sweetheart.
Bucky opens his mouth to speak and then stops, his eyes go past me to the door, panic.
That's when I hear it, not a gunshot, but a bang all the same.