From the abandoned factory, they all stole another car and drove to a small airport. Henry had some contacts that would get them out of the country and the ginger spent most of the drive on a burner phone with various people. The car they had stolen for the drive was a bit bigger than the Volvo Henry had stolen the first time, but it was still a bit of a squeeze. Three men, who were definitely no on the small side, Henry who was luckily more slender, and Basil. He was the smallest there, much to his chagrin. That mean that he was squeezed in-between Bucky and Steve in the back seat. Sam driving and Henry gesturing directions from the passenger. 

"Ah", Basil sighed when they had dealt out seating. "Between Steve and Bucky. Such a familiar position. Fond times". He flashed a grin and an eyebrow wriggle at Bucky and was rewarded by a twitch of the lips. In the old times, Bucky would had snorted at his innuendo. Now it was barely a smile but Basil would take all he could get. (If the reaction still gave him the familiar swooping feeling in his stomach then that was for him to deal with. All these years and he was still a sucker for Barnes). 

Still, the journey was long and cramped. Basil didn't speak much once they were all in. He had made a few comments but it got to the point where Henry actively threatened to throw him from the vehicle and Steve was looking like he wanted to the ground to swallow him up. ("Be gentle on me guys. Two might be a bit much for the first time" . "I swear to whatever godly presence is up there Basil, but I will leave you behind if you make one more sexual comment"). After that, Basil took pity on his friends and fell quiet. 

As the night wore on he found himself drifting off. Head lolling as he let the mental and physical exhaustion pull him under. At first his head rolled on to Steve's shoulder. The blonde used to Basil falling asleep on him, barely glanced at him. Bucky though, the blue eyed man blinked and watched with subtle fascination. His memories of Steve and Basil's relationship was that of friends but he hadn't expected this closeness. The two of them moved and reacted to each other as if subconsciously knowing exactly how the other would act. It was a bond he and Steve had once had. Now, according to the footage he saw of Captain America and The Mad Medic fighting, that told him that the role was now held by Basil. 

He wasn't fully sure what he felt about that. On the one hand, the fact that Basil had taken on the responsibility of being Steve's friend (minder) during his absence made him happy and warm. It was a feeling he had not felt in a long time and he cherished it. On the other, the two of them had a bond, though platonic, that Bucky now couldn't understand or begin to describe. It left him floundering. His memories not matching up to what he could see. 

Steve caught his eye over Basil's sleepy head. The blonde shifted and gently moved Basil off his shoulder as he became more comfortable. "Can you?" he asked, voice a whisper. Bucky nodded and Steve grinned. He gently moved Basil over so that the curly haired man was leaning his head on Bucky. Face lax as he breathed. Open and vulnerable in a way no one was around the winter soldier. Trusting. Bucky turned his gaze back out of the window, Basil a warm weight on his right shoulder. If he looked down, he could see their arms lying out. The tattoo dark on Basil's skin, matching the white outline barely visible on Bucky's. For a moment, he could pretend that everything was fine. 

Basil woke up as the car door slammed shut. He jerked, blinking wildly as he tried to catch up on what was going on. "What-" he mumbled. One hand rubbing at his eyes as he glanced at the two people next to him. "Oh. This is a nice sight to see. My two favourite war buddies". He grinned and relaxed back down in between them. "Hi. I have missed this". 

Steve chuckled as he wrapped an arm round Basil's shoulders. "It's nice to have you back Basil".

"You wouldn't survive ten minutes without me". 

"So what were the last two years then?"

"You're rebellious phase".

Bucky let out a small chuckle. "Na. His rebellious phase was when he got the super soldier serum". His lips twitched up and Basil cackled. "You're just helping him".

"Awww. I'm a bad influence". Basil leaned over and rested his head back on Bucky's shoulder. He blinked his big green eyes at him.

For a second there Bucky relaxed and there was a spark in his eyes as he reached up with his metal arm. The fingers were cold when he ruffled Basil's hair. Fingers of steel with the power to probably crush his skull, gently brushed back his curls as a smile tugged on the man's lips. "You definitely are Parrish. Knew that when I first met you". Basil beamed, green meeting blue. He wanted this moment to last forever.

A knock on the window. Sam leaning over to peer in at them, Henry visible over his shoulder talking to a small middle aged man. Instantly, Bucky's smile fell and he clammed right bak up. "Hey", Sam nodded as Steve cracked open the door. "Plane to Germany in ten".

"Urgh Germany", Basil pulled a face. He phased right through both Steve and the car and walked out into the open space. "The last time I was on a plane in Germany, we crashed into the artic". 

"I read about that", Bucky mumbled. "What the fuck were you two thinking? Crashing a plane in to the artic. Jesus". He pulled on a hoodie to cover the metal arm and tugged the hood over his long hair. Basil lingering at his side. 

He shrugged, tone becoming blandly honest and the smile falling from his face. "We weren't. There were bombs designed to wipe out every major capital city in the world. Steve and I were both grief stricken messes. I wanted to die. I was prepared for it. Steve just didn't mind dying if it was for a cause. I didn't stop him because he was offering to share that cause with me too. At lest  dying to save the world was a comfort to my parents". 

Bucky was watching him as he talked, listening intently as he spoke. Steve and Sam were with Henry a short distance away. Close enough but also far enough that their conversations weren't audible. "You wanted to die?" Bucky's voice was small and hesitant. 

Basil laughed slightly, an unhappy laugh of realisation. "Oh yeah. I never told you. I forgot that I never told you". 

"What do you mean?"

Basil took a breath and turned to face Bucky fully. "I joined the army because I wanted to die, or more accurately I didn't mind dying. I was being suffocated by society. I couldn't be what my parents wanted and be happy. It was killing me. Being gay in the forties was like a ever tightening noose around my neck so I joined the army. I wanted to do some good so that when I died, which I guessed I would, my parents would be proud. That was my plant but the army was just another nightmare. I was ignorant and naive. Then I got transferred into the 107th and I met you. Our relationship", he gestured between them. "Our feelings, my love for you helped me see a brightness and made me actively want to live again. Then you died and I wanted to join you. So yeah, I helped Steve crash a plane into the artic".

"So that was what you mean when you were muttering about greek myths", Bucky spoke slowly. "Achilles and Patroclus. You didn't believe we would make it out of there".

"I know it was the hope", Basil smiled slightly, almost sadly. "Even though I talked of what we would do when we made it. Looking back, I never thought we would". 

Bucky took a deep breath and turned to glance up at the sky which was trying with early dawn light. His shoulders relaxed slightly as the breeze tugged errant strands of hair from under his hood. They danced around his face as he looked back at Basil. "To be honest, I hoped but knew realistically that it was unlikely. I knew that one of use would go first. I am sorry it was me". 

Rays of golden sun were breaking out of the clouds. They seemed to illuminate Basil's wide smile, touching golden tanned skin and emerald green eyes. "That conversation was over due. You're not angry about it?"

"It was", Bucky spoke honestly. "And no. I understand. What we had, it was intense and my messed up brain is still trying to make sense of what was real and what was a dream".

"I'm not a hallucination". 

"The fact that you can walk through walls doesn't help that statement".

Basil laughed and Bucky was sure that he'd give up his other arm just to make sure that he never lost that sound. "I suppose it doesn't. But if I am a hallucination, then your brain is fucked Sarge". 

"Tell me about it", Bucky muttered. Basil laughed harder, even though the both of them knew that the humour was really only a coping mechanism to cover up the worry and fear of their situation. 

When Basil's laughter died out, the younger man (there was still three years between them despite the whole freezing thing) sighed and smiled. "Aww Sarge. I am so glad to have you back".

Bucky smirked and rolled his eyes. "You're still a brat Parrish". 

There was a mock gasp. Then a pause. "I would argue but I have nothing. But you're still swell Sarge".

"And you're trying your luck doll but I am still not a penny from heaven". Part of Bucky's Brooklyn accent slipped into the drawl and Basil relaxed. He leaned his head slowly forward, waiting to see of Bucky would move away. When he didn't, Basil rested his forehead against Bucky's shoulder. 

"I know. Sarge. That is why I am not leaving you again. Not until you tell me to".

Bucky sighed and reached up to run metal fingers through messy curls. "Still a mad one Parrish". Above them was the rumble of engines as a plane swooped in to land. 

unedited

they're getting there guys. mending their relationship. (or basically Basil flirting with Bucky like old times).