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ᴛɪᴄᴋ ᴛᴏᴄᴋ

You'd expected the team to be back.

It was 12:35 the next day when you were waiting downstairs anxiously. They had been gone for roughly 22 hours, without updates. 

You'd flicked through all the TV channels, the news channels, but there was no coverage of any avengers. That was unusual. Usually the media went mad when you were on missions.

You tapped your healthy foot again and again, that being the only sound in the room apart from the gentle tick of some clock on the wall.

What if they were hurt?

Nat had told you it was 'nothing they couldn't handle.'
'Just a rescue mission.'
But they wouldn't be gone this long unless something had gone wrong.

You hadn't bothered calling any of them, they wouldn't be anywhere near their phones. And you couldn't interfere with the comms they used to keep in touch during missions.

Bucky padded into the kitchen, now clean of sick or blood, wearing a tank top and sweatpants, smiling at you. You returned the smile, worry creeping in on your face.

"You know what's taking them so long?" You asked impatiently as he opened a cupboard and went to grab a bowl out.

He froze a second when he heard your question, before putting the bowl back on the counter and replying, shaking his head.

"No." He said, his voice trembling a little, before clearing his throat and passing it off as nothing.

You caught the sound.
Your eyes narrowed a little.

"You're lying to me Barnes." You fired back a little sarcastically, shaking your head.

You put on your best playful intimidating face and pressed on.

"Where are they?" He turned around at that, clearly ready to lie.

"Listen, if they were on a 'rescue mission." You made air quotes with your un-bandaged hand.
"They would be back quicker than this. It's been 22 hours." You said, getting a little riled up.

You just knew he was lying.

He just swallowed, and turned around back to his bowl, grabbing some cereal from one of the cupboards, ignoring you.

"You know where they are don't you?" You made a guess, and he sniffed a little, basically giving himself away.

You got up this time, moving to grab your crutches and hobbling over to stand next to him, leaning against the kitchen counter, him opposite you, watching him make his breakfast.

"You are a terrible liar, you know." You chuckling, and he smiled a little turning round to you.

"I knew it!" You exclaimed, pointing a finger at him

"Tell me! Where are they really?" But his smile quickly faded, and he looked down at the ground then up at the ceiling, as if contemplating what to say.

You were getting more worried now.

"Y/N." He started, turning to you, his face serious, you leaning your head forward a little in a go ahead....I'm listening gesture.

"Listen, they're-." He stammered, just making you more nervous, you still couldn't predict what he was going to say.

"They're- They went back to-."

Went back to

There were many places they could've gone back to, but of all the places you thought of, you couldn't think why they would, why they'd even need to.