Work Text:
Natasha’s been dead for almost three months and Bucky accepted that as fact. Hell, everyone accepted that as fact.
Everyone that wasn’t Clint Barton, that is.
The deaf archer found himself surrounded by eleven men who had worked in or with the Red Room. Men who trained girls how to kill and torture. Sure Clint was talented with a bow, but how he thought a piece of medieval weaponry could possibly outrank a handgun baffled Bucky to no end.
What did Natasha even see in this guy? Bucky grumbled to himself as he watched the blond duck a blow from a man twice his size.
Bucky debated with himself if he should go in and assist the idiot, knowing that Natasha would want him to, but he decided to watch for a bit longer, to see how long Clint could handle himself. And Bucky was impressed, but he would never admit it outloud.
Then he heard it.
The high pitched whine of something turning on, a sound most people wouldn’t be able to hear, but since the Russians gave him enhanced senses, he could hear a bomb about to go off. He cursed and launched himself off the edge of the roof, his metal hand reaching out to grip the metal railing of the fire escape of the next, his eyes looking over for the easiest way in.
“Fuck,” he growled and pulled himself up and over the railing, sprinting upwards towards the panels of glass he saw Clint through moments before. He crashed through the glass, pulling the gun out of his thigh holster before shooting the oaf that was behind Clint.
“Barnes?” Clint asked, stunned for a moment before drawing back and releasing an arrow into the guy to Bucky’s right.
“Barton,” Bucky replied gruffly, his metal fist connecting with a brute's face. “Might want to get out of here. About to be a flaming inferno in a few seconds.”
****
“Nat’s not dead,” Clint growled, throwing the wrapper of the burger he just ate off the roof, landing in the dumpster below. Bucky rolled his eyes and looked down the other side of the building at the horde of first responders and cops that littered the street.
“Barton, she’s dead, and there’s nothing about that is a lie,” Bucky growled, “We both saw her get shot; we were both at her funeral, watched her get lowered into the ground.” He felt something hit the back of his head making him turn to glare at the blonde sitting on the edge.
“Why are you like this?” Clint asked, scowling.
“Like what? Charming?” Bucky gave him a smug look before turning back towards the commotion on the street below, his flesh hand moving over his head to make sure whatever Clint threw at him wasn’t still lodged in his hair. Sure enough, he felt the small ball of paper and pulled it out.
“Charming. You, Barnes, are far from charming. Not even sure what Nat saw in you.”
Bucky let the comment roll off, knowing Clint would never understand why and how Natasha and him worked. They just did.”
“No, I meant why are you always such a brooding tough guy,” Clint added.
“Oh I don’t know,” Bucky sighed, “Maybe it was because I fought in a war against evil most never found out about, experimented on, fell out of train, lost my arm, and found by the Soviets? Or it could be because I was brainwashed, forced to kill for the KGB while everyone in my life withered and died, or forgot about me? I’m just guessing that might have something to do with it.”
Clint looked at him, scratching his jaw with thought. “Pretty much thought you did it for attention.”
“Fuck off, Barton,” Bucky growled, bending to pick up his pack he had tossed to the side. “Listen, I care about Natasha, and I know her better than you, even if you don’t want to believe that. Why do you think she’s back? Besides the fact the building is on fire and a handful of Red Room leaders were inside.”
“People like Nat don’t just die, Barnes,” Clint sighed with resignation, “She has survived a lot worse, and people like her just don’t die.”
Bucky grunted, turning towards the blond with a tired look. “Alright, Barton. Fine. I’ll help you look for her, only because I want to prove that she is gone. You need to move on from this Barton. Hanging onto grief will get you killed.”