Chapter Text
"Well, it's not home, but it'll do."
Steve snuck a look at Sam as he set down his duffle bag on the floor. To his right, Bucky stood, his face firm, but Steve could feel waves of anxiety radiating from him.
This wasn't what they'd envisioned the next six months of their life would look like. Though considering the past year and the life on the run, standing at the entryway of the Avengers Compound in New York seemed better than the sleazy motels they'd taken to.
When he sent the package to Tony Stark with the letter he'd written and the burner phone, he hoped that someday it would be put to use, a tool to have them make amends. He didn't think things would pick up so quickly. What Steve hadn't anticipated was just how much pull Stark had with the government and Secretary Ross. He supposed while they both had high profiles, Stark Industries had contributed, manufactured, and led the United States to high standards, while he, a war veteran and once hero didn't nearly have that much to offer to society besides the stealth missions he'd been assigned to and the action figures he still got royalties on.
If he were someone else, Steve would have been offended. Frankly, he was just ready for all the madness to stop. After he'd successfully broken out his comrades from the Raft over a year ago, he sent the package to Tony with his message. After much mulling, Tony's words, not his, he started work on having clauses be added to the Accords contract.
Tony Stark was a genius after all. In a way, Steve admired him. While he'd been born a weak, sickly boy with no real skills, Tony used his intelligence to create Iron Man. He had much more experience in politics, the way of the modern world, and had the sway to change the minds of the men behind the desk. It was a skill Steve would never have. He'd always been a front line man.
The Accords were rewritten with a clause added, and while it still prevented the Avengers from taking action without orders of the government, Tony managed to worm in some wording that enabled the team to make sound decisions when needed. It was suspicious, and Ross didn't seem pleased, but the forces that be agreed it was for the best.
Bucky's name had been cleared of the bombing after the capture of Zemo, and Tony had attested to seeing proof of it himself. It was still a sore subject, and Steve thought it through for a good long while.
The possibility of everything being a trap or an ambush was high, and it took a great deal of convincing before he agreed to meet.
All in all, Tony had been civil, more like himself, and a lot more clear headed considering how they ended things after their fight. He explained how righting wrongs and helping Bucky out of his brainwashing could finally give him peace over the death of his parents. Steve was more than relieved, and the apology for withholding the truth from him was received well. It had been a huge weight off both their shoulders and it was a step in the right direction.
The briefing followed, and the Avengers assembled along with Ross, the President, and a few other high profile individuals from the U.N. for their pardon and resigning.
Steve hadn't signed, and a few others followed him, mainly Sam, Wanda, and Bucky, but they were still free, and really, that's what he and his comrades wanted. The Accords wouldn't be off the table of course, and Steve told them he would put some serious thought to it after seeing the new clause in action.
Coming back home, and home was the key word, was awkward. Steve hadn't had a home in a long time. Sam had lost his, Wanda had always lived in the Avengers Compound after the rescue in Sokovia, and Bucky had been in Hydra's clutches for many years. Tony's insistence at them coming back to the compound was one of the many steps needed while a cover story was being worked on. To the public, they were still considered criminals, and laying low until an official announcement was made was the best choice.
"I wonder if my room has cobwebs," Wanda said, taking a few steps ahead of them, her bag swung over her shoulder.
Tony slid his sunglasses off. "Left everything as is, kiddo." He turned to the rest of them. "Wilson and Barnes, you'll have your own quarters, and Steve, yours is still the sad, terribly furnished room you had from before."
Steve scoffed, shaking his head. "I still don't know if this will all work out, Tony," he said.
"But it's a start," Tony finished.
Steve eyed him, but nodded. "It's a start," he repeated, agreeing wholeheartedly.
The couple of weeks saw them slowly start to rebuild their lives.
Sam's family was able to visit which was nice. Steve knew that life on the run had been exceptionally difficult for Sam. He had been the only one with emotional ties to family and friends, all of which Steve, Bucky and Wanda didn't have the luxury of having.
Lang and Barton had turned themselves in too soon after the Raft escape for a plea deal to be around their loved ones, and Natasha had disappeared. She made brief appearances here and there in the past year and was present during the briefing, but they hadn't seen her since.
Bucky was easing in at the compound, but spent the majority of his time either in his room, or in the lab with Tony. Those were of course, times where Steve also stood to supervise. Bucky had improved in Wakanda after spending a little over eight months in cryo sleep, but he was still plagued by his inner demons and the anxiety of being triggered again. In fairness, Tony didn't sleep most nights, working on a cure and running endless tests. He was a man on a mission. It took a while, but the conversations between the three of them improved gradually.
"There's still a few things I want to try, but I'll be going off to spend the next month on that vacation Pepper planned for us." Tony explained.
Steve followed him down the entryway and out the doors. "Don’t worry about it. He's getting more comfortable. It's slow, but the talking is helping. It's jogging more of his memories."
Tony shrugged. "It's normal. Testing requires asking questions. It's just a matter of digging deep. The scans aren't showing anything abnormal which is good, but I'm working on something new. We'll see if it works." He dug his hands in his pockets.
Steve turned his head at the sound of a vehicle approaching the driveway.
Tony was waving, and as soon as the black mercedes came to a halt, the backdoor opened, and wisps of blonde hair blew in the wind.
Steve stared dumbfounded.
It was Sharon Carter.
And she looked angry.
"You!" she grumbled, pointing a finger at them.
For a moment, Steve felt his adrenaline spike. Him?
He had been trying to contact her the past year and discovered that several of the phone numbers she had given him had been disconnected. It sparked his worries to no end, and Steve spent a good portion of their time on the run trying to gather information on her whereabouts. They had seen the news and the posters. She was labeled a fugitive because she aided him.
It was half a year into hiding when he heard from Natasha who had intel that Sharon was safe and also in hiding. Natasha wouldn't disclose her whereabouts, and Steve recalled his irritation with it all. He knew the two knew each other in some form and must have met a few times throughout the year. It explained Natasha's rare drop-in's and the information she always had. Sharon did once work in Intelligence and the C.I.A. prior to the Terror Task Force.
And if she didn't want to see him because he'd destroyed her life, she had every right to be angry. He should have never texted her for help.
Steve opened his mouth to lay out a few apologies, but he wasn't sure where to start, and Tony stepped forward beside him, opening his arms.
"Share-Bear! Lovely to see you."
Steve cocked an eyebrow, and Sharon stalked over to them. Now, he was a hundred percent sure that her anger wasn't directed at him.
"You took my things?" she bellowed.
She met Tony head on, but he simply waved her off. "Took your things?-- Why, that is pretty harsh. I simply moved everything here,” Tony told her.
Sharon crossed her arms over her chest. "How many times do I need to repeat myself? I am not living here," she grumbled. "I can take care of myself."
Live here? Steve was confused. He was still reeling from the surprise at seeing her after so long. Her hair was longer and was nearly down her waist, and her expression was wild. It was a look he hadn't seen on her before. Other than that, she still had all her limbs intact, and she looked healthy.
He let himself sigh in relief. But.. live here?
"I know that ," Tony said with a roll of his eyes. "But you'll be so much more comfortable here. Plus, it was part of the arrangement which by the way, you skipped out on. Do you know what I had to do to convince Ross to let you off? And the other Ross too, your old boss, who by the way seemed to have a change of heart on his solo mission to Wakanda--"
Sharon held up a hand. "I don't want to hear it," she started. "Bring me my things, and I'll be on my way."
"On your way to where exactly?" Tony looked amused. "Your beach house blew up a few weeks ago. Don't think I don't know. Those Blakes." He shook his head, sighing. "They're just awful. Awful, awful people."
"I'm not staying," she said, frowning, and she crossed her arms over her chest.
Steve stepped to the side from behind Tony. Until now, he hadn't even known the two knew each other, but apparently they did. Judging by the exchange, they knew each other fairly well.
His brows furrowed a bit. "Sharon?"
He found it hard to believe she hadn't noticed him, but her anger had clearly been directed at one individual, and now she was looking at him like he had just materialized before her.
"Steve?" She blinked.
Tony wrapped an arm around her. "Yes, yes. The whole motley crew is back together." He shrugged a shoulder at Steve's narrowing eyes. "Well, we are." He gave Sharon a wide smile. "And you, my dear, little--"
Her hand came up to push his face away. "Where's my stuff?"
Tony made a face. "It's in your room."
"I am not staying here," she repeated.
"It was part of the agreement," Tony insisted.
"I don't see Nat here."
"She's on her way. Trust me." Tony wrapped his arm around her again. "Besides, doesn't this remind you of the good old times?"
Sharon rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me." She gave Steve an apologetic smile. "Sorry about all this."
Steve shook his head. "I'm just glad you're safe. I was worried." He took a step towards her. "I know the intel from Nat came from you." He gave a short chuckle. "There's a lot that I owe you."
"The list just keeps getting longer," she said, giving him a coy smile.
He managed a smile back for a moment, a few memories running through his head of a similar conversation so long ago.
Tony watched the exchange with raised brows, and he tightened his grip around her shoulders. "Okay.." he started, and turned to Sharon. "Let's get you settled. I missed you."
Sharon rolled her eyes but followed him as he dragged her towards the door.
Steve walked closely behind them. He didn't know Sharon well, at least not enough to know who she knew and who she didn't. He didn't doubt she was resourceful, but there was something in the way she and Tony bantered that implied that they weren't just acquaintances. He had never seen her at the Avengers Compound before, and Tony hadn't mentioned he knew her. They interacted briefly back at the C.I.A. base in Berlin, but he hadn't thought anything of it. Then again, he had been preoccupied with Bucky's interrogation.
He studied them, leaning against the doorframe as Sharon shoved the genius away, laughing. She sure cursed a lot. He counted as they walked down the hall, and now they were in the guest bedroom where she sputtered out more curses after seeing her things packed up in boxes.
The short conversations he'd shared with her during the time she had been spying on him were brief. She was gentle, had a sweet smile, and was posing as a nurse. Steve admitted that he'd been attracted to her then, even recalling that he managed to get over his nerves to ask her out. She politely declined of course, and it was the right thing to do given she was on assignment. When he saw her again a few years later at Peggy's funeral, they awkwardly skirted around the topic lightly.
That conversation was slightly longer, but it was mostly about her and Peggy's relationship and connection. They shared stories of her, the appropriate thing to do to work through their grief, and even then Sharon had been sweet. Steve was reminded of just how attractive and attracted to her he was.
Then everything had gone downhill.
The bombing, Bucky's name thrown in and their urgent plane ride to Germany halted any time he could spend in getting to know more about her. Still, in whatever short moment he and Sharon shared, he felt a connection. She had gone on the limb for them. Showed him loyalty that he badly needed in a time of crisis, and there was nothing she asked for in return.
Maybe he had let his emotions get the better of him. He’d kissed her after all, and if memory served, she had kissed him back. Enthusiastically he might add. But that had been over a year ago, and while seeing her at the Avengers Compound was quite the surprise, Steve couldn't help but wonder if those feelings were still there.
The fact that he was thinking of it at all irked him. Perhaps he was still interested, he didn't know. He had been so preoccupied, and this was the first time they'd been grounded and had everything falling back into place. It wasn’t appropriate to think of a kiss they shared so long ago.
But it didn't mean he didn't think she was very pretty. He wondered if her dimples were still there when she smiled. She hadn't changed much appearance-wise, but she sure cursed a lot.
"What the hell is this?" Sharon held up a framed photo, and Tony shrugged innocently.
Steve supposed the two teenagers were them.
"Why, this is us at the grand launch of Stark Industries in Albuquerque." Tony took the frame from her and happily held it up for Steve to look. "Doesn't she look adorable? Terrible hair though." He turned back to her, scrunching his face. "Was this the time I blew your eyebrows off with that fire cracker?"
Sharon grumbled and snatched the photo from him. "I mean, what is it doing in here? This isn't mine."
"You're right. It's mine. Actually, I made a copy. You don't have any nice pictures or frames, and this room badly needs to be decorated," Tony said.
She glared. "You went through my things?"
"There are two boxes, Share. I hardly count that as things . Even Steve has more personable items than you," Tony pointed out.
Steve frowned. He really didn't want to get in the middle of this. What he wanted was to get her alone and away from Tony to ask how the past year had gone for her--to make sure she was really okay. Unfortunately, it didn't seem that Tony was budging.
"Look," Tony started again. "It's only six months, then you can be on your way. I promise I won't bother you…often."
Sharon rubbed her temples. "Fine. Just stay away from me."
Tony grinned. "Love you too." He stuck a thumb out behind him. "Steve can give you the tour." He patted Steve on the shoulder on his way out.
She finally turned to look at him, and they stared at each other for a minute in silence.
"Sorry--"
"Sorry--"
They both chuckled, and Steve shook his head, taking a few steps into the room finally. She had taken to sitting on the bed, giving him a small smile, and turned to open the box next to her.
"Is it weird we're both apologizing for his behavior?" she said.
Steve inclined his head. "I didn't know you knew Tony."
Sharon shrugged. "I do unfortunately," she said. "We sort of grew up together. You know, the Carter’s and the Starks. He always got into trouble and used me as an excuse when he wanted to hook up with a girl."
He let out a short chuckle. "That doesn't sound fun."
She raised her brows. "Trust me. I don't want to relive it."
Steve nodded, and she moved to unpack the rest of her things. "Is there anything I can do to help?" There really were just two boxes. Medium sized ones. And he really wanted to ask why. Was it because she had been on the run and had nothing else but two boxes or..?
"I think I can take it from here." She gave him a small smile. It was one where her dimples showed. Like the one he remembered she would give him in their shared hallway.
He nodded. "Well, I should leave you to unpack." She nodded back, and he cleared his
throat. "Should I come around in a little while to give you that tour?"
"Sure."
Steve left with a short, awkward wave and made his way back to his office. He sat himself on the chair, his foot lightly tapping against the floor back and forth. His lips twisted, and he played with the pen on the desk.
He wondered if she thought about that time under the bridge in Germany. They shared a moment, a brief declaration that there were feelings involved and that it wasn't just him who thought the knowing and longing looks meant something.
Now it was just awkward. He should explain himself, but what would he say? What do you say to a woman you kissed over a year ago?
Steve scratched the side of his head. He had never been good with women. The only experience he had was being in love with a woman who he'd lost the chance to be with because he had been too slow to act. He remembered that vividly, and was the reason why he gathered courage to kiss Sharon the way he did in Germany. Speaking of.. said woman he loved was Sharon's great aunt.
He'd known that though and still kissed her. Now it was just..well he didn't know exactly. But that just complicated things. Sharon was pretty, and he liked her smile. It didn't mean he still liked her . The proper thing to do would be to establish a friendship. It would make the air lighter.
Steve was rubbing the area between his brows when there was a knock on the door. Sam poked his head through the gap, and Steve waved him in.
"There you are." Sam stretched. "I don't mean this the wrong way, and I like not having to stay in sleazy hotels, but I'm pretty bored. You want to spar?"
Steve let out a short chuckle. "Maybe this evening. Sharon's here. Staying here actually. I'm giving her a tour of the compound in a bit."
Sam's brows hiked up. "Sharon Carter?" Steve nodded, and Sam huffed, a little baffled. "Well, it's good to know she's okay. She's here though? How did that happen?"
"Apparently, she's an old friend of Tony's. He's helping her out too. She's been pardoned," Steve said, twirling the same pen in between his fingers.
"Small world," Sam said, placing his hands on his hips. He thought for a moment. "Say.." he started, and Steve raised a brow at him. "Didn't you kiss her back at the airport? You two had a thing right?"
Steve's lips formed into a thin line. A thing. That was a good word to describe it. "Yeah." He set the pen down on the desk. "That was a long time ago though."
Sam chucked. "It was, and we were all on the run. Now we're not." He raised a brow. "Are you thinking of picking up where you left off?"
"We're friends, Sam."
Sam looked confused. "Since when? You've always had something for her."
"It's not the right time," Steve admitted.
Sam shrugged. "I'm just saying." He gave Steve a knowing look. "You deserve to be happy, and I saw how you were after that smooch. Maybe there's still something there."
Steve shook his head, smiling. "Just friends."
Sam inclined his head. "So where is she? It'd be good to say hi."
They found Sharon wandering around the lounge area when they walked by, and Sam waved. She gave them a warm smile, walking over to them and gave Sam a quick half hug. Sam patted her back, a little surprised, and he looked over her shoulder to Steve, giving him a questioning look.
"It's been a while," Sharon said, pulling away. "Did you keep this one out of trouble?" She gestured to Steve.
Sam laughed. "More like the other way around." He nudged Steve. "We were worried about you. We tried contacting you multiple times. Steve was beside himself and looking everywhere." Sharon raised her eyebrows at Steve, and he opened his mouth to let out a few words, but Sam kept going. "Gosh, it took a while until we finally ran into Nat and she said you were okay."
"Scoured everywhere, did you?" She gave them a smile, and Steve returned it. "I know how to stay hidden. It's one of my many talents. I assume everyone else is here?"
Steve nodded. "Wanda and Vision are here," he paused. "So is Bucky."
Her smile didn't waver. "I know," she said. "I'm glad his name was cleared."
"All of ours actually," Sam said, beaming. "I still can't believe it. After over a year on the run, it sort of feels weird, you know? I mean, we're still stuck here for a while, but damn. It feels good to have a nice, warm shower for a change."
Sharon chuckled. "You're telling me. Back end motels and cockroaches weren't my thing." She made a face. "Speaking of. You guys have a weapons room? I'm looking to stock up."
"Stark has an arsenal," Sam said. "Come on. We'll show you."
Sharon lagged behind a bit, letting Steve and Sam walk a few paces ahead so that she could take in and memorize the area. Steve gave Sam a firm look when he received another silent eye gesture. It made him uncomfortable.
He was beginning to realize that he knew less about her the more she spoke. Sharon was polite enough, and she carried herself with a bit more confidence just like when he saw her last. He assumed it was her experience as an agent, but that part of her was what he didn't know well.
He caught the twinkle in her eye when they showed her the weapons room, and she took a fair few handhelds and holsters. Sam laughed that there wasn't anything to be worried about in the compound, but she shrugged and told them she was used to the extra weight around her legs.
It made Steve look . He meant for it to be a quick glance, but his eyes must have lingered longer, because Sam was nudging him again. He felt heat creep up his neck. Sharon was dressed casually, and she wore a simple three-fourths sleeve top and jeans. He wasn't sure why he was staring.
She hadn't noticed which was a good thing, and proceeded to tuck an extendable knife in the back of her pocket. "Sorry. I don't have the wings set like you do," she teased Sam.
Steve chuckled with her, and she gave him one of those dimpled smiles.
They continued their tour, and he was glad Sam stayed. His friend always did have a way to keep the conversation light. He was grateful. Normally, Steve could keep up. He had conversations with Sharon before, so he didn't know why it seemed so awkward this time.
He watched the bounce in her step when Sam offered to grill some burgers outside for lunch. Her eyes lit up, and she requested hers to have cheese. She told them cheeseburgers were her favorite, and it made Steve raise a brow. She had a very slim figure, so when she said it was all she ate while on the run because it was easy to grab and go, he didn't believe it. Unless she was burning calories at the speed of light. She was fit, and he chalked it up to being trained by S.H.I.E.L.D. in special ops, but he hadn't seen her fight in the field. Since Fury trusted her to keep him safe, he didn't doubt her skills in combat. Perhaps that’s how she was able to keep up with her unhealthy eating habits.
He had a lot of questions, and he tried to keep his eyes ahead instead of scanning her again. Sam was noticing too much, and it wasn't helping his, 'just friends,' cause.
Sharon yawned just a little past ten, and Sam subtly inclined his head to him. Steve cleared his throat. "I'll walk you back to your room," he offered.
"Yeah, Sharon. I'll have lunch prepared by twelve-thirty. We can meet out back for burgers," Sam said.
She nodded, and Sam waved to them both and disappeared down the other end of the hall.
Sharon turned to Steve, giving him a small, sleepy smile that made his stomach feel a little funny. "You don't need to walk me back, Steve. I'm sure I can find my way."
"No, it's alright. I'll walk you back," he insisted.
She followed beside him, fighting back another yawn, and he cast her a sideway glance. "Didn't get much sleep?" he asked.
She gave him another sheepish smile. "Yeah. It's been a few days actually. Don't tell Tony, but I'm a little grateful for the bed."
"It's been a while for us too," he said. "But these soft beds were never really my thing."
"I know what you mean. I was sleeping on the floor for the most part the first few weeks after Berlin. In past missions too, actually. Usually, I like my bed foam firm. I hope Tony remembered."
Were they honestly talking about beds? Steve wanted to cringe. She seemed to sense the uneasiness in his posture and didn't say anything else, but he felt strangely uncomfortable with leaving the conversation the way it was. Thankfully, they reached her door.
"This is the guest wing, but I'm just on the other side, B-Wing, if you need anything."
"I can manage," she said, placing her hand on the doorknob. There was a pause, and she turned to face him. "Thanks for walking me back."
Steve nodded, a familiar nostalgia coming over him. They'd been here before. A long time ago. Except this time, she gave him a short smile and turned around quickly to head inside.
He shoved his hands in his pockets, turning away to walk down the hall. There shouldn't be this awkwardness in the air between them. Maybe it was just him, he didn't know. Natasha was a woman, and she was always unbothered by miniscule things. Perhaps Sharon was the same. A modern woman. Maybe this didn't affect her like it was affecting him. Not that he was saying whatever he was feeling was miniscule in any way, it was just.. odd.
Shaking himself from his thoughts, Steve found himself at the training facility where Bucky was sitting cross legged on a mat and working on his steady breathing. T'Challa had taught him that in hopes that it would help to calm him when his memories were raging.
His friend cracked an eye open when he neared. "You're ruining this calm aura."
Steve shook his head, giving a low laugh. "How do you know I'm not calm?"
Bucky raised a brow. "You have that look on your face. The one where you're in deep thought, stressed, or just confused. It's the same look."
"I haven't decided which one it is," Steve admitted. He took a seat next to Bucky, but settled his back against the wall.
"Do I want to ask?"
Steve thought about it for a moment. Whatever he was feeling for Sharon was all over the place. He didn't even know what to think or feel. Telling Sam about the friendship route might have been too early. They really were more acquaintances than friends. Acquaintances who shared a kiss over a year ago.
"Now I need to ask, because whatever you're deciding, you'll just screw it up," Bucky practically sang.
Scoffing, Steve let his head rest against the wall. He closed his eyes briefly. "Sharon Carter is here."
Bucky's brows furrowed. "Who?"
Steve almost forgot about his friend's cryo sleep nap. Bucky had missed out on several conversations around Sharon's whereabouts, and he’d only briefly seen her when she handed them their gear. They hadn't been formally introduced prior to his time in Wakanda. "She helped us grab our gear from the C.I.A. in Germany."
His friend blinked. "Blonde girl?" Steve nodded, and Bucky stretched his legs. "What about her--Oh." A wide grin spread across his face. "Didn't you lay one on her?"
Running a hand down his face, Steve nodded. "Yeah. I did."
"What's the big deal?" Bucky started. "She seemed into it. You're the one who didn't want to talk about it in the car. Was she your girl?"
"No. No, she wasn't," Steve said all too quickly. He scratched the side of his head and snapped a quick glare when Bucky gave a low chuckle. "She wasn't," he said more firmly.
"So what's the problem?"
"She's--" Steve paused. "She's here."
There was a laziness in Bucky's eyes, like he almost seemed uninterested. "And now you don't know what to do because.. What? You're still into her?"
"I don't know. Should I be? That kiss was a long time ago."
"Steve, if you're so conflicted about liking a girl, then you do. It's much easier to decide when you actually don't." Bucky twisted his torso side to side to stretch. "Take it from me. Not that I've seen any action lately, but I've been with a lot of women. When you like them, you start to think about them often, even if it's not obvious why you're thinking about them."
"It was never that way with Peggy. I just knew," Steve said.
Bucky shrugged. "It's not always obvious. The ones who get you thinking are the fun ones."
Steve's lips twisted. "She only arrived this morning."
Bucky inclined his head. "And you're already a bumbling mess? Don't you have your answer?"
"It's much more complicated than that." Steve propped up his knee, and rested his elbow on it, staring deep into the blue of the mat. "Peggy was her aunt, or great aunt." There was laughter to his right, Steve cringed again, rubbing the area of his hairline on his forehead. "Very funny."
"It is." Bucky stifled another laugh. "I mean, what are the odds?" He gave Steve a questioning look. "So that's why you kissed her?"
"No. Absolutely not." It was another quick response, but one he was sure of. "It's not like that. I knew her before I knew she was related to Peggy. Sort of." He had a brief flashback of the friendly neighbour with the sweet smile. "She was an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and she was assigned to me. I didn't know who she was, but I guess I was interested then until I found out she was spying on me." Steve sighed. "Then I saw her again at Peggy's funeral, and it all made sense. I knew I could trust her, and she did help us."
Bucky was trying not to laugh again. "You are awful with women, you know that? Doesn't matter if it's pre-serum Steve or post-serum Steve. How do you get yourself in these situations?"
This time Steve did laugh with him, looking down at his hands. "Yeah." He let out a huge exhale. "It'd be better if there were missions, but with this new agreement, we're stuck here."
"So you plan on ignoring her for six months?"
"I don't think that's possible," Steve said.
Bucky thought for a moment. "Well, if it's too complicated, maybe I'll give it a shot. She's cute right?"
Steve shook his head, chuckling. "You're funny."
"I'm just saying," Bucky teased. "I do owe her an apology though. I vaguely recall throwing her on a table."
"You weren't yourself, Buck."
Bucky nodded, his lips thinning. "I know. But I need to start somewhere. I should apologize. Clear the air."
Steve nodded. "She seems forgiving. She still gave us our gear even though she knew you were in the car."
"Yeah, and you did a good job at distracting her."
Steve cleared his throat, feeling his neck grow warm. He got to his feet quickly. "I'm helping Sam prepare for lunch. Sharon will be there. It'll be good for her to meet Wanda and Vision."
"I'll put on my best smile. I hear I'm quite the charmer."