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The package is the first thing she sees when she walks into her room. Intrigued, Ava steps forward to set her many shopping bags down on her bed - she could already hear Valentina complaining about how much she’d spent on this shopping spree, but who cared ? Certainly not Bob, Yelena, or even herself - before turning her attention to the package sitting on her desk. The package is rather small, light when she picks it up, and carefully wrapped in midnight blue gift wrap with gold stars.
I hope you like it
A wide smile spreads across the young woman’s lips as she recognizes Bucky’s fine, neat handwriting. If this mysterious package was from him, she couldn’t help but love it. As excited as a child on Christmas morning in front of her presents and eager to find out what’s inside the package, Ava hastens to tear open the gift wrap, unable to suppress a twinge of guilt at thus undoing all of Bucky’s efforts at gift-wrapping.
A Funko Pop ? The illusion is almost perfect - the cardboard and plastic are identical to those of a real figurine - but seeing her name is all she needs to realize it’s an excellent custom piece. Ava knows exactly what Funko Pops are, since one of the perks of being part of a superhero team where most members had had a shitty childhood was that they felt no shame whatsoever about walking into toy stores to buy anything that could heal their inner children, like Lego sets, remote-controlled cars, stuffed animals, all kinds of figurines, and other toys far more suited to children than to supposedly mature adults.
You have yours now, too
Another little note from Bucky, taped right onto the plastic. The Funko Pops were also part of the merchandising campaign Valentina had set up to promote the team to the public in many ways, but for reasons all too obvious, Ava was the only one who didn’t have hers. Until now, thanks to Bucky. She wasn’t stupid, she knew this Funko Pop wasn’t official, that it was simply a repainted figurine meant to look as much like her as possible. But the mere thought that Bucky had gone to the trouble of doing this for her. Ava hesitated only a few seconds before removing the figurine to examine it more closely. The paint job was meticulous, matching her hair and skin tone, and mimicking that purple top and those yoga pants she loved to wear on those lazy days when the team had absolutely nothing to do, whether it was a mission on the other side of the country or some damn official event Valentina forced them to attend, always for the team and its public image.
That Bucky had gone to the trouble of repainting this figurine to give to her… Holding her own figurine close to her heart, Ava leaves her room with a single thought in mind : to find Bucky and thank him as he deserved to be. And for that, she doesn’t have to go very far. The door to Bucky’s room is ajar, and the Super Soldier is comfortably settled in his favorite armchair, the leather worn in many places but incredibly comfortable. A book rests in his hands, but Ava knows her boyfriend well enough to realize that the book is just there to keep his hands occupied and nothing more.
- Was the shopping trip good ? Bucky asks her with a smile, setting his book aside to wrap his arms around her waist as she sits on his lap to kiss him, little Ava still snug in her hand.
- Great. Bob has some new Lego sets to build, and Yelena and I have a whole new wardrobe. That said, when I got back to my room, I found this little thing waiting patiently for me.
- Do you like it ?
The question is simple, but Bucky’s smile is a little too nervous to be natural, and Ava has no trouble sensing the slight hesitation in his voice. As if he feared the answer, as if he feared she might disparage his efforts to give her such a lovely gift. As if she could do such a thing…
- I love it, thank you so much, Bucky. Mini Ava is especially cute.
She was sincere when she said those words : she loved her Funko Pop. The relief that washes over Bucky’s face when he hears her thank him is just adorable, as is his smile, and Ava settles more comfortably into his arms to gaze at mini Ava. And when, a few hours later, the couple joins the rest of their team for the usual Friday night movie night, they leave behind a mini Bucky accompanied by his mini Ava for the very first time.