Chapter Text
It's business as usual in the underground headquarters, agents and typists and all sorts of personnel milling around as the most recent field reports are being filed. The Howling Commandos are on leave, just returned from a successful dismantling of a Hydra base. A full week of recuperation, and relaxation. Or as much as can be had during a war. Peggy was walking between agents assembling all the means for the strategy meeting later in the afternoon, when a grinning man in uniform sidled up to her.
Bucky was watching this from across the hall where he was waiting for Steve and Howard to finish their patter about the Cap uniform, and the maintenance of his precious shield, and other babble he had since tuned out. He liked Stark, but Bucky was antsy in the underground compound, and a bit bored. Besides, he bet Steve was, for the umpteenth time, making sure Howard did not buff or repaint four particular bullet-made scuffs. Love-scuffs, he called them, teasing his friend about other marks women liked to bestow upon a man. Battle wounds from the game of love.
Bucky frowned suspiciously when Peggy smiled brightly back at the brown-haired man. He looked to be maybe a year or two older than himself. Bucky got the sense that Peggy is close to this guy, whoever he is, because he's never seen her be this openly friendly with anyone other than Steve. And that makes him instinctively on alert, as always when his best friend is involved. He continues to watch as Peggy throws her head back in laughter, gritting his teeth while turning to look back at his oblivious friend.
He doesn’t even bother excusing himself, as no one was paying him any attention anyway, and marches straight toward Peggy. If Carter has been fooling his friend into believing something about right partners while having some English soldier all the while, he would not her let get away with it.
"-really think you should reconsider," fancy pants says in a teasing voice when Bucky finally gets within earshot of their conversation.
Peggy scoffs with a laugh. "That's a load of rubbish and you know it!"
"Agent Carter," Bucky says a little too loudly.
Peggy turns her head toward him and he gets her patented raised brow, but he continues his pursuit anyway. "Sergeant Barnes," she returns in the same tone.
Bucky doesn't like how undisturbed she is to be caught in the act. She’s practically flirting with the guy in front of the whole SSR. He doesn't say anything further because he’s too busy thinking of how to get Agent Carter to confess to her sins. But instead, the three of them stand in an awkward silence for a moment. Perfectly coiffed guy lets out a laugh.
"Is this how you're doing introductions these days Peg?"
Peggy opens her mouth at the guy, and at her surprise or dismay or whatever the hell she's doing, Bucky takes his opening.
"Steve's around here too. I'm sure he'd like to be introduced as well."
"Oh, Steve's here? Jolly good. Yes, Peg, I'd loved to be introduced. Where are your manners?"
This guy’s continually cheery tone confuses Bucky. He thinks he might even be teasing. But for what reason? Because he knows that Peggy has bewitched his friend into thinking she was his girl? Or maybe he was just interested in meeting Captain America. Maybe Carter had bragged about her famous friends. He’d like to make some sly retort, but he counts on this Brit with all his crown epaulettes to report him for insubordination. And that could mean trouble for him. Which could mean trouble with Steve. And he’s trying to keep Steve out of this Carter mess.
Bucky can't say he's not taken aback by the forceful elbow Peggy gives the guy. Carter has never been one to let a man escape a deserved blow, but he's never seen her be this informal for what seems a minor transgression. Especially to someone who definitely outranked her, and was likely a superior. The men who get hurt by Carter typically deserve it. And she’s smart enough to know when she can get away with a punch or a swift kick in the balls.
"Buck? Wondered where you went," Steve's voice comes from behind.
Bucky grimaces. He was hoping to get some concrete evidence before Steve noticed, so he could be the one to break it him gently. Too late for that.
"Ah, Captain Rogers, I presume," Peggy's guy says, holding his hand out.
Steve seems unruffled and Carter doesn't seem worried when he reaches out to shake his hand.
"Carter!" Phillips bellows absently from across the room.
Peggy and her military man both turn in his direction in synchronicity. And then to Bucky's further confusion the two look at each other and shrug.
"Sorry sir, you'll have to be specific today. Which Carter did you mean?" the guy asks cheerfully.
Phillips, to Bucky and Steve's great surprise, smiles in a rare show of amusement.
"The one that's less of a pain in my ass," he barks.
“He means you darling,” he murmurs in glee while Peggy rolls her eyes.
"Lieutenant Colonel Carter at the moment," Phillips clarifies unnecessarily and waves him over.
"Well Peg, you'll have to finish telling me about your princess saving adventures later," he says with a smirk. "Nice to meet you lads," he says, but before he can walk away he snaps his fingers. "Oh, before I forget," he reaches inside his jacket and pulls out a small parcel, "from mum. She's still outrageously concerned you're still not behaving like a proper lady."
Peggy takes it from him with a slight groan, and allows him to give her a quick one-armed hug and a playful wriggling of his eyebrows.
Bucky stews in silence.
"So that's your brother Michael?" Steve breaks the silence.
"In all his King and Country glory."
"Brother," Bucky repeats.
Carter has a brother. He meets her eye and she's giving him that same look she gave him when he first walked over. He suspects he can't hide his intentions because Carter seems to know exactly what he had assumed.
"Yes, that's a sibling who is not a girl," Peggy explains dryly.
"So which Carter is more badass?" Bucky recovers smoothly.
"She is," Steve states firmly.
Bucky looks between a serious Steve, and a softening Peggy, but neither gives Bucky anything to relieve his astonishment at this resolute answer.
"Uh, and you know this for sure how?"
Steve shakes his head. "Not my story to tell."
Steve lets his gaze settle onto Peggy, whose face had softened, the way it tended to do whenever they stared at each other. Frankly, Bucky feels a bad now for suspecting Carter of two-timing his friend, particularly now that he’s reminded how nauseatingly moony-eyed they were around each other.
"To be fair, I didn't exactly intend to tell you that story either," Peggy replies, her attention now turning to her parcel.
She doesn't get a chance to get more than one finger under the wrappings.
"Agent Carter," an Agent calls from the doorway of the Colonel's meeting, "Colonel Phillips and Lieutenant Colonel Carter request your presence."
Peggy takes hold of her parcel and then a stack of files on top of it. She gives the two men a smile and follows the Agent inside before the door is shut.
"You knew she had a brother?"
Steve grins. "Yeah."
"I just can't picture Carter as anything other than a grown brawler with lipstick. To think there’s someone who probably has proof she was a kid once. Weird to think of her with a life outside the army."
Steve shoots his friend a disapproving look.
“Oh you know what I mean. It’s the same with teachers.”
It reminds him of old teachers from high school, and how strange it was to see his math teacher holding hands with a woman at a picture show. Or how his favorite English teacher had apparently enjoyed discussing the hero pulps just as much as the serious literature he assigned.
“I don’t mean anything by it. Honest,” Bucky tells him. “Although, I’m surprised you knew about her family.”
"You know, I know her better than you give me credit for. You don't always have to look out for me Buck."
Bucky shakes his head. "You're wrong about that. But I'll try not to jump to conclusions about your girl again."
"I'd really appreciate that Bucky. I really like her."
That was a huge understatement, in Bucky’s opinion.
Bucky smirks. "So tell me, what other secrets do you know about Carter?"
Steve pinks and ignores him.