Powerless | b. barnes

04 - immunity

I V Y spent the next couple hours in her room contemplating the incident with Bucky while also watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine—yet another sitcom she had to catch up on.

Around 7:30pm Ivy had just gotten back to her room from eating dinner, when she heard a beep from the speaker hidden somewhere in the walls followed by FRIDAY's melodic voice. "Mr. Stark has requested your presence in conference room 'B,' Miss Maximoff," she informed.

Ivy sighed and quickly put a large white Stark Enterprises hoodie that she stole from Tony over her blue tank top. "Thanks, FRIDAY." She called to the AI.

She walked out of her room only to be met with Bucky, her new neighbour, walking out of his own a few feet away.

They stared at each other in confusion for a split second before continuing to wander down the hall. Ivy could hear Bucky's heavy footsteps walking behind her. She took two lefts and a right and Bucky was still behind her.

Finally, they arrived at the elevator. "Third floor please, FRIDAY." She spoke loud and clear so FRIDAY could hear. Although, the AI system was so advanced, Ivy probably could have mumbled the phrase and FRIDAY would still understand it.

Ivy couldn't stand the awkward silence any longer. She turned to Bucky, "Are you following me?"

"No," he answered gruffly. His shoulder length dark hair was covering part of his face but Ivy could still see his eyes. His stone cold blue eyes were filled with no emotion—except maybe emptiness.

Bucky wanted to keep his distance from Ivy. He didn't like the moment they shared earlier. She made him feel things he wasn't ready to feel. He didn't know anything about her, not really, but he didn't want to interact with her. After all, she was a stranger to him, therefore; he didn't trust her. He didn't want to trust her. The only person he could trust was Steve.

Ivy turned back to face the shiny, stainless-steel doors before the ding went off, signalling that they were going to open.

The awkward pair walked out and Bucky trailed behind her like a lost puppy. Eventually, they made it to conference room 'B.'

There was no one in the room yet so the two sat quietly for a while.

Shockingly, Bucky broke the silence, "So you're Ultraviolet then?" Surprising himself by the words that fell out of his mouth as much as Ivy. Why did he feel the need to start a conversation? He had heard of the name Ultraviolet before in newspapers and on TV when he was looking for updates on Steve, he made connection while on the flight to the compound.

"I'm Ultra-what now?" Ivy answered, never having heard the phrase.

"Ultraviolet? That's what everyone on the streets and in the media calls you." Bucky gave her the tiniest half smile, the first smile she had seen from him since she met him only twenty-four hours ago. Ivy found herself wondering what it might take to see a full-fledged grin from him.

"You didn't know that was your nickname?" He continued, oblivious to the fantasies she had in her head at that moment.

"Um, no I did not." Ivy thought about it for a couple seconds before deciding that she liked the moniker. "I guess it's kind of cool to have a superhero name. I was always jealous of my brother, the people called him Quicksilver," Ivy chuckled a little before the grief washed over her again and the smile faded.

"Trust me, having a nickname isn't all it's cracked up to be." Bucky replied, quietly.

Ivy knew that his title, the Winter Soldier, wasn't exactly a positive memory in his mind. She instantly felt another pang of sadness for Bucky.