Bucky pushed the thoughts aside, chiding himself to keep those thoughts to himself. He didn't want to scare or overwhelm the girl. There'd be no way she'd like him if he started acting like a loon. "I'm your babysitter for the week," he told her with a boyish grin that made her laugh. "Most of the team is out on other missions or errands. I'm the only one without a life, apparently." He was making fun of himself to get another laugh out of her. Her laughter was an absolute delight and he wanted her happy.

She obliged him with giggles. "Poor thing," she teased him warmly. She was getting more comfortable around him and Bucky couldn't be happier that she was. "It's pointless to remind you that I'm a grown adult who doesn't need a babysitter, isn't it?" She teased, getting braver.

Bucky chuckled and she smiled at his mirth. "Yeah. Not my call. Captain America and Ironman make the rules. Even if I technically outrank Steve..." Bucky huffed, blowing his bangs.

She giggled again at his words and at the very human gesture of dealing with unruly hair. "Steve is the one with the shield, right?" She asked curiously.

Bucky was surprised she didn't know for an instant, but remembered that she'd been basically living under a rock since she was a child. Of course she didn't know the Avengers, not if she was kept in a Hydra base.

But she had known him.

The thought warmed his heart for a moment, until he remember why she knew him. He didn't want to be known as The Winter Soldier. Not by anyone, but especially not by her.

He nodded in answer to her question. "Yep, he is my childhood friend. He used to be tiny, asthmatic, and frail. I was used to protecting him from bullying and keeping him alive," he couldn't keep the fond smile from his face when he spoke of his oldest friend.

"He's not tiny now. Did Hydra do that to him too?" She asked. She was a tiny ball of curiosity. They could foster that, grow it. She could heal and grow from what Hydra did to her. He could see it in her eyes. It also helped that she liked the warm fond expression on Bucky's face as he talked about his friend.

"No, it was a different European scientist, one in the American government. For Shield. He was their mascot, at first. Then when he joined the real army reserves, we crossed paths. I wouldn't have believed it, if not for his face and voice." Bucky shook his head, remembering. He hadn't been able to believe that the tiny kid he knew had turned into... well Captain America. He was huge and admittedly attractive and there were times Bucky still couldn't believe it.

Gwen smiled warmly at his story, listening as he spoke of his friend and watching the fond look on his face. "I'm glad you were able to find him again," she said and truly meant it. She liked seeing him happy and wanted to keep him that way.

He chuckled. "I always seem to manage to find him again," he said. She tilted her head and flicked her wolf-ears in confusion. The action was adorable and puppy-like. He wanted to scratch behind her ears. Instead, he answered her unasked questions. "I fell during a mission in the military, my arm got sliced off. I landed in the river below, thought I was dead. Hydra found me. They saved my life, but took it and so many more by using me as a weapon. The Asset, The Winter Soldier. I knew everything my body was doing, but couldn't stop it," He rubbed his face with his flesh hand even as he shuddered at the memories. He couldn't escape them, and he was actually grateful to have them. He and Loki had spent a lot of long days of Loki repairing the damage Hydra had done to Bucky's mind and memories so he actually remembered everything properly now.

Gwen reached across the table and touched his arm gently, sending her soothing calm to him. "Hey, it's alright now. You're free of them," she reassured him gently. It was still something she was trying to reassure herself of too.

He smiled at her gentle contact, at her soothing aura and desire to help. He nodded his agreement. "But it can't undo the damage. Nothing I do, could ever bring them back." He reminded her gently.

She nodded and the haunted look in her eyes was too knowing. Bucky hated that the look in her eyes was too knowing. "I know..." she paused. The conversation fell to silence for a few minutes while they ate and tried to think of something, anything to talk about. Gwen laughed when she realized something. "All the time we've been talking and you haven't told me what to call you. I assume you don't go by The Winter Solider anymore..." She trailed off and waited for him to reply with what he wanted to be called.

He couldn't help flinching at the title. "No, thankfully. Tony sometimes calls me Frosty, but that's mostly to be a jerk..." He trailed off of making fun of Stark and stood. He offered Gwen a bow with a hint of a smirk. "James Buchanan Barnes, at your service, though most call me Bucky,"

She stood as well, the meal was over anyway. She gave him an impudent curtsy in reply, despite that she was wearing pants instead of a skirt. "Gweniveve of the Hudson River pack," she replied. She then considered his words. "Do you not prefer being called Bucky?" If only most called him that, maybe there was something else he preferred.

He tilted his head, much in the same way she had earlier. She smiled at the puppy-like gesture, completely at ease with this man. "Nobody's ever asked, actually. It's been my nickname since I was a child," he paused, considering. "I suppose, if I had a significant other, I'd prefer my first name. Otherwise, what's it matter?" He shrugged.

"It matters," said a dry accented honeyed voice from behind Bucky. "It matters a great deal when the idiot shellhead insists on calling me 'reindeer games'," Loki grumbled. He smirked when Gwen squeaked at the interruption and wrapped her arms around Bucky's flesh arm, half-hiding behind him. Loki, at least, was amused by the development.

But then Loki usually was easily amused.

Bucky chuckled and patted Gwen's hands reassuringly. "Shh Gwen. He's harmless," he promised. "This is Loki. He is why I'm becoming dramatic," he explained his silly bowing to her.

Loki chuckled and Gwen relaxed and let go of her security-Bucky. Which was similar to a security blanket, but more Bucky shaped. "About time you learned to have some class, my friend, however you are still doing it incorrectly" Loki told him with a smirk. And because Loki was a little shit and liked teasing his friend, (and he sensed a hint of a crush on the soldier's part and wanted to see if it was true) approached Gwen taking her hand in his and bowing elegantly over it to kiss her knuckles. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance, lady. I am Loki, prince of Asgard, god of mischief, chaos and lies," he told her warmly with all of the court polish that came with being a prince.

Bucky's hands fisted up and he quickly shoved them into his pockets before he followed through with his illogical urge to deck his second best friend in his stupid perfect face. "He is over a thousand years old. He's had too much practice at showing off. And with others," ok, maybe it wasn't nice to insinuate that Loki was a slut to scare her away from him.

But all was fair in love and war.

Loki chuckled and dropped Gwen's hand. Gwen gave the god a polite smile, but took a step closer to Bucky. She hadn't noticed his fists ball, but Loki did and he was thoroughly amused. "I have no intentions on making any moves on your girl, soldier," he reassured Bucky in Russian, assuming Gwen didn't speak Russian and Loki spoke every language thanks to the power of Allspeak. "Just a bit of fun,"

Bucky glared at the prince, wondering not for the first time why he was friends with the god. "She's not my girl. She's my responsibility for this week." Bucky replied also in Russian. Bucky blushed a bit. In English he asked Gwen "Want that tour?" He wanted to get her away from Loki.

Loki smirked knowingly. "Whatever you say, my friend," he replied with disbelief clear in his tone. In English he added: "I am here for a purpose. Lady Natasha requested that I deliver this to you," he handed a room key to Bucky. For the room across the hall from Bucky's. "She also said there are a couple changes of clothes for Lady Gweniveve from the emergency supplies and she will escort you shopping tomorrow to acquire a proper wardrobe and such. She should be back from her mission this evening," he addressed that last part to Gwen, who nodded her understanding at the need to get supplies

Bucky nodded, taking the key from Loki. "Just finished eating, obviously. Wanted to show her the compound. Knowing my way around, made me feel better. Less caged in. I thought it might help her too,"

Loki nodded. "Until later, then" he said and disappeared in a shimmer of green magic.

Gwen stared at the spot he'd been standing in for a long minute, impressed with the casual use of magic. It was real magic, not the limited werewolf magic that she was used to. She shook her head and looked up at Bucky. She was standing so close to him she was nearly touching him. The god had disconcerted her and she was sticking close to her security-Bucky.

Bucky didn't mind one single bit. He liked that she came to him for safety. He would do his best to make sure she continued to feel safe.

She spoke again, her voice small, but no less beautiful and melodic. "So... about that tour?"