The Siren (Bucky Barnes x OC)

Part 16 - A Song of White Noise

A/N: Wow! 1k reads! I'm so thankful to everyone who has read, voted and commented on my story. It means the world to me and genuinely makes me smile each time I see it, and pushes me to keep writing, working on my skills as I go. Thankyou so much everyone xxx

Back at the apartment, they all crashed onto the couches. Exhaustion claiming them. The team quickly splayed themselves out on the couches in the living room, huffing and grumbling to themselves about a not so successful mission. Zemo, on the other hand, seemed to be celebrating with a glass of amber liquor, looking rather chuffed with himself.  Adding to both Bucky and Maya's annoyance was his refusal to move over on the couch, leaving the both of them to be huddled close together on the smaller couch.

Shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee, the both of them tried to sit back and relax without invading each other's space. They failed miserably. Grunting and huffing, Maya gave up, lying down so her legs were strewn over Bucky's lap, allowing him to comfortably spread out too. Sam had set himself up at the table in the corner, laptop promptly lifted open to his emails. Workaholic, Maya thought to herself. Or at least tried with Bucky's fingers now not so accidently resting on her upper thigh, arm stretched out along the top of the lounge.

Maya took her time to drink him in. Sitting on the couch next to, she couldn't help but feel at peace with him. Yes, she may not know his whole story, but, she knows its similar to her own. The use and abuse and torture of HYDRA for years leaves a certain mark on people, and Bucky had that mark written all over him. The glazed eyes, the lack of emotion, the limited talking, it all pointed towards it. Her lips twitched upwards at the idea of how far he had come since his Winter Solider days. And if he could make such a recovery, maybe all hope wasn't lost for her. God knows she hasn't committed half as many crimes as he has. If he can deal with it, so can she.

As if sensing her lingering gaze, Bucky's head titled up to her. The glaze lessened as he came into focus on her, his body relaxing just a fraction more then he'd normally allow. Maya felt that as his hand grew heavier on her leg, only slightly, only enough for her heightened senses to pick up on. He met her  gently smile that she wasn't aware she was giving him. 

Sitting up and leaning forward, Maya whispered quietly to him, "Maybe Sam was right." Bucky raised an eyebrow out of curiosity. "We do need to have a talk."

The conversation she'd overheard between Sam and Bucky had been playing on loop in her mind. It made sense. Bucky wasn't this obsessed with her due to her powers, otherwise Sam would be too. Maya dared to let the hope in heart that had seeded itself being to sprout. It's roots digging in a litter deeper, its shoots reaching up a little further. Maybe the broken could heal the broke. After all, two halves do make a whole. She'd been denied happiness for the last several years of her life, she should be allowed to claim a seedling of it now.

"Sam," Zemo spoke up, interrupting the thought driven silence. "You can't hold out hope for Karli. No matter what you saw in her, she's gone. And we cannot allow that she and her acolytes become yet another faction of gods amongst real people." Bucky and Maya listened in, both giving worried looks to Sam. "Super soldier cannot be allowed to exist."

At Zemo's last words, Maya instinctively held onto Bucky's hand to reassure him, and herself a tad. Sam noticed the small motion, taking control of the situation. "Isn't that how gods talk?" Zemo didn't answer, so Sam pushed on. "And if that's how you feel, what about Bucky? What about your niece?"

Before Zemo answered, the doors leading to the sitting room where kicked open. Three colours Maya was beginning to hate worn together walked through the doors. "All right. That's it. Let's go. I'm now ordering you to turn him over," Walker commanded.

"Hey, actually proved himself useful today, and we're gonna need all hands on deck for whatever's coming next." Sam stood up from the table coming to greet Walker and Lemar.