Chapter Eight

Double Date

We get back to the compound quickly, all our minds distracted by the possibilities our futures might hold. The guards let us in instantly, with scared looks at all of us. I guess we're just a little intimidating. We stop in the hallway just after the door and I release Ria's hand. Then I release James's after.

"Alright. I'm going to find the rest of the team and tell them what's happened." Steve says and Bucky and I nod.

"I'm going to find King T'Challa to tell him our plans." Victoria adds. "I'll find Steve after."

"Okay. Meet back in our room for lunch?" I ask, needing food.

"Definitely." Victoria replies and she and Steve head the opposite direction of James and me. He stares down at the ground as we walk to the cafeteria near our room. I bump his hip with mine playfully to maybe lighten his mood. He looks up at me and I can see his eyes swirling with unspoken thoughts.

"Look, I know you have a lot to think about and I'm with you no matter what you choose, but can I suggest something?" I ask, but don't pause for him to answer. "What if you just forget about it for the rest of the day? We'll talk about it this evening for as long as you want, but today just focus on your friends, okay? You deserve some fun." I tell him gently and finally get him to smile.

"That sounds great, thank you." He says and keeps walking. I walk by his side, glad that I've managed to lift his spirits. We reach the cafeteria in comfortable silence and begin filling up some containers. I get two, one for me and another for Victoria. Bucky, however, makes four, insisting that Steve needs two helpings. Today's lunch is actually breakfast. Eggs and bacon are what we fill our containers with, and for some reason this makes Bucky really happy. He and I unload all the stuff in my room on the floor in a little square, his things beside mine and Steve's beside Victoria's. It's a strangely comforting display of domesticity. Victoria and Steve show up as soon as we sit down next to each other. Steve doesn't even bother going through Bucky's room, he knows we're usually in here.

"Please join us. Steve, Bucky insisted on getting you two helpings. You're welcome." I tell him and he grins at Bucky. They sit down and Steve affectionately pats Bucky's shoulder.

"You've always gotten me two helpings, haven't you Buck?" Steve teases and gets a grin out of James.

"I had to make sure you ate. Besides, you needed double the helpings to keep your thin as a rail legs from falling out from under you." James teases right back while Victoria and I smile at each other, and the boys.

"Tell me more about that. About the forties, I mean. What did you both do for fun?" I ask, more curious the more I think about it. They look at each other and I see a thousand memories pass between them. Steve grins and shakes his head at me.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you not to ask old men to tell you stories?" Steve says and Bucky laughs while I look at Steve with disdain.

"You're like twenty-seven, Steve." I point out and Victoria laughs, nodding. He shrugs, giving in immediately to Victoria. "Come on, tell me something!" I encourage them both.

"Well, there were the fairs." James starts.

"And dancing." Steve adds, glancing at Victoria who smiles softly. Bucky laughs.

"Right. You would barely ever dance when we went out. You'd either sulk at a table or slip away to lie on another enlistment form!" Bucky scolds Steve, obviously still holding a slight grudge against Steve. Steve just keeps on smiling like a fool. I bet he's happy to have James be on his ass again.

"You're still going on about that? It was literally a hundred years ago, Bucky!" He exclaims and Ria and I chuckle as we eat. This is like lunch and entertainment. Bucky rolls his eyes.

"You're still doing reckless shit, Steve! Natasha told me you jumped out of a plane with no parachute, right into the ocean! And that wasn't a hundred years ago." Bucky brings up something else and Ria slaps Steve's shoulder. James smiles smugly.

"Look, obviously I survived, so there's no reason to be upset." He looks between the two of them, then at me, his eyes pleading. I giggle and shrug. No way I'm getting into this.

"It's a good thing I'm back to be your impulse control." Bucky mumbles under his breath and Victoria clears her throat while glaring at Bucky.

"I've managed alright." She points out and Bucky grins again. "Liya, do you have an idiot to call your own?" She teases Steve further, but I turn red at her question. My eyes go to James's without my volition and I'm not capable of looking away. I swallow and answer Victoria.

"I've known plenty of idiots, but no. No husbands, no boyfriends." I say, then finally break myself away from James's eyes. Looking back to Victoria I see her glance between Bucky and I, then nod.

"Well, mine isn't so bad." She rubs Steve's thigh and he smiles affectionately at her. Victoria hesitates only a second before tilting her head towards Bucky. "He's not so bad either." She hints, then continues eating leisurely. My face is red as a tomato and I don't look towards James to see what his reaction is to the slight hint.

"No, he isn't." I affirm quietly and continue eating. "But please, tell me some of the shenanigans you two got up to. Please." I ask, desperately wanting to change the conversation. Steve and Bucky look at one another to decide on what story to tell.

"What about the-"

"No, no, we should go with the uh-"

"Don't you dare-"

"Boys, boys, you're both pretty. Just pick a story already!" Victoria shuts them both up and Steve smiles sweetly at his little fire.

"Alright, I'm going to tell it so Steve doesn't miss anything." Bucky says and Steve scoffs, but doesn't stop him. "Steve and I went to a joint just to hang out and blow off some steam. We were far enough away from any enlistment booths, so it was basically the only guaranteed time I had to spend with the kid." Steve chuckles and shoves Bucky's shoulder in playful protest. Bucky grins and keeps going. "I was watching Steve to make sure he didn't drink too much, a whole beer for example," He glances at Steve, who is shaking his head, before continuing. "Steve has drunk half his beer, so he's only a little tipsy. I've just started my second, so I'm completely fine. Then, we both hear some guy hitting on a dame. Clearly a wise guy, shooting her every line in the book to pick her up. Before I realize it, Steve is in front of the guy telling him to scram." We all giggle a little, knowing Steve used to be short and skinny. It's easy to picture though. There's no way Steve would stand for some jerk creeping on a girl, no matter his size or strength. "The guy is at least twice the size of Steve. I have no clue what he was thinking-"

"I was thinking that the dame needed help and if no one else was going to do it, then I was." Steve interrupts, making Bucky chuckle and look at him affectionately.

"I know, punk. I know. Anyway, the guy turns away from the girl and she manages to slip away. Steve is swaying on his feet, clearly tipsy and barely holding himself up. I'm on my feet and beside him in a second, looking this boozer in the eyes. I tell him to scram and two other guys stand up behind him, both bigger than Steve and I." He sighs and Steve chuckles, remembering this as well. "The guy takes a swing at Steve, but I intercept it and shove him backwards into his two buddies. Suddenly we're all in a bar fight and being ushered out by the bartender!" He laughs and we laugh with him.

"You did pretty well, if I remember right." Steve claps a hand on Bucky's shoulder as James looks over at him.

"Pretty well? I came away from that fight with a black eye and you had two." He exclaims and Ria shakes her head at Steve. "Exactly. You only had one black eye." Steve continues to tease and I understand why. James can't seem to stop smiling. I'm glad his mind is occupied by happy memories rather than his bad ones, and the choice he has to make tonight.

"Just shows that you were always the one who was getting us into trouble." James scolds and Steve shrugs, admitting it.

"You loved every second of it, Buck. And it isn't like you never got me back for it." He adds, frowning slightly. Bucky grins. I sigh happily at the two of them as Ria points down at Bucky's food.

"You need to eat before your food gets cold." She tells him and he obediently does so.

"Thanks, mom." He teases and she raises a piece of bacon to throw at him, then thinks better of it and eats it. I gesture to Steve to start eating as well and he smiles at me, then nods. We eat in silence for a little bit before Victoria breaks it.

"So, Liya." She starts and I look over at her as I shove a spoonful of eggs and bacon in my mouth. They're best when combined. "Tell me about yourself. I don't know anything, so everything is fair game." She points out as I swallow, nodding.

"Uh, well..." I glance at James, knowing he doesn't know any of what I'm about to share. And I care about that, probably a little too much. "It's not exactly a happy story." I start. James moves closer to me before I continue. "I was born in Russia. My mom and I moved around a lot, no father to speak of. We moved from town to town for years, until I was about ten. At that point, my mom was deathly sick. She used all her savings to buy me a plane ticket to America. She died before I'd even spent a year here." I sigh, remembering the feeling of leaving her. I can still see her frail frame lying in bed, too weak to see me off at the airport. "My mom loved everything about America, despite never coming here herself. That was, imbued in me, I guess. When I was old enough I enlisted to protect the country that she loved, that I came to love." I say simply, looking around the little circle of people who have vowed to protect America, to protect the world. They all smile and nod at me, happily. "I served two tours before coming back home and finally running into Clint and Wanda on the street." Ria laughs a little at that and looks at Steve.

"So, Clint is back to recruiting people to the team?" She asks Steve and he chuckles.

"May I just say that you pronounced her an Avenger, not Clint?" He reminds her with a teasing grin. She rolls her eyes, but nods.

"He started it." She combats and Steve grins, kissing her cheek affectionately.

"Of course, sweetheart." He concedes and she slaps his chest for patronizing her. They keep teasing each other, but I tune them out when James leans over and whispers in my ear.

"I'm sorry about your mom." He whispers sweetly. I reach over and lay a hand on his arm, squeezing slightly before letting go.

"It was a long time ago." I tell him. His eyes are soft and understanding as they bore into mine.

"In my experience," He starts off slowly, "time doesn't take away the hurt as much as people say it does." He ends and his eyes flick back up to mine. Closing my eyes, I sigh and shake my head.

"I..." I take a moment to swallow. "I can't talk about this now, okay?" I tell him as my throat gets thick. James nods instantly and his eyes linger on my lips for just a moment before pulling away.

"Later then." I nod as we both look back at Steve and Victoria, but they seem to have completely missed James and I's exchange. James and Steve get up and clean up after everyone, like the gentlemen that they are, then help Victoria and I up.

"How about we go visit the rest of the team?" Steve asks, but his eyes linger on Bucky. In an instant, I see everything he has to deal with rush back to him. We nod and Steve opens the door for us all. We walk side by side with one another down the hallway. Victoria and Steve hang onto each other's waists and it makes me long a little for James's hand in mine. I smile a little when I realize we kind of just had a double date. Not that I'm romantically entangled with James. I sigh to myself as we walk down the hallway. Looking at James, I shake my head. Who am I kidding? Call me infatuated. I look down at the ground and my still shoeless feet. My mom is still on my mind. James was right. Just because time has passed doesn't mean I don't miss her, think about her, wish she was here. I look over at his handsome face for a few moments, marveling at him. My mom wasn't a fan of men in general after everything my father put her through, but she would've liked James. At first, she'd probably say he was too damaged. She'd disapprove of me sleeping on him and clinging to him like a child, that's for sure. She'd say that he would eventually lose himself and take me with him. Then she'd see him touch me and it would change her mind in a second. His hands are so careful with me, so ginger. She'd know he'd never hurt me after seeing him touch me like that. Suddenly he looks at me and my cheeks heat up slightly under his gaze, but I don't look away.

"Uh, I think my mom would have liked you." I say quietly, not even knowing why. Her outspoken soul must've taken over my body for a moment. Good thing too, because after a second of shock Bucky's face splits in half from a big smile. God, it's like seeing a full moon come out from behind the clouds.

"Thank you, that means...thank you." He replies quietly, touched. The next moment he holds his hand out, offering it to me. I stare into his eyes for a moment, then take it. Finally, we reach the training room where the rest of the team is. I wonder if they're always here. We walk in the room behind Steve and Victoria. Wanda and Clint are working at the punching bag, as if they never stopped from the other day. Wanda told me Clint is trying to teach her more physical combat, so she doesn't just depend on her powers. It's sweet of Clint, but right now, Wanda looks like she's about to collapse. Victoria calls my attention away when she squeals and runs towards Sam, colliding with him and embracing him. The sight brings a smile to my face. Scott looks a little dejected by his side, poor thing. I release James's hand sadly and walk over to Wanda as she and Clint finally stop. I grab a chair from the wall and unfold it for her. She sighs and smiles at me in thanks before sitting down. Everyone is watching Victoria and Sam, either smiling happily, or waiting their turn to hug her.

"Hey, little bird! Good to see you! Steve's been moping without you here." He can't help teasing Steve and Steve rolls his eyes. They let go of each other and Sam messes with a winged bracket on Victoria's arm. She grins at him.

"I missed all of you too." She says and kisses his cheek. "I've been talking to the receptionist at the V.A. She misses you." He grins sadly at her and nods.

"Thank you." He says and I can tell the words mean more than surface value. She nods and moves to Scott, who then grins after he gets his hug. Then she comes over to Clint, hugging him as well. They whisper to one another and I don't catch any of the words, but Clint looks more than happy at the end of their conversation. Finally, she reaches Wanda and they embrace. Although, it does seem like there's something running underneath the surface of their relationship. I wonder what happened? Nevertheless, they hug then Victoria returns to Steve. She takes his hand and drags him to the sparring floor. Based on everyone's grins, this isn't unusual. James shakes his head and comes over to me, leaving Steve's side.

"Does this happen often?" I ask him as he stands beside me. He chuckles, nodding.

"Too often, if you ask me." He replies. Wanda scoots forward beside me, looking a little less weary, and nods at Steve and Victoria.

"At least three times a week, they spar. It's rare that either of them win." She says and I hum in interest.

"So, why do they fight all the time?" I ask, turning back to see Victoria and Steve circling each other. Bucky sighs.

"For fun." He says, his tone amused. Then, Steve and Victoria start going at it.