Lark

Hidey holes

Bucky's POV

For the first time since he got here Bucky could really see why his best friend and Stark praised her so much. To be able to push through her anger at their team leader, to do what she must to meet the terms of her suspension without verbal complaint. Simply put. Aria was amazing. The way she moved and the way she thought while she was fighting was just amazing. Then there was the grace and deadly accuracy in which she came at her opponents was better than anything he had ever done as the Winter Soldier. Winter was all about brute strength and letting nothing get in the way of completing his mission. Aria Lark was a tactician. Always five steps ahead of who she was up against within the first few minutes of fighting them.

Things had been going fairly well, but the way she had taken Steve down had him worried for a moment that she really would hurt him. Thankfully she had pulled back at the end. Instead, miming the moves of the kill in demonstration rather than acting upon what he was sure was the urge to complete the move. Buck could tell Steve's pride had taken a good hit with all of her taunting, but Aria was correct in her assessment of his fighting style and Steve knew it too. Leaving him with not much to do but to comply with her instructions or be asked to step back he let her direct him as she saw fit and did what she told him without question even if it grated. As someone who was still coming to terms himself with all that he could do Bucky knew that they all had something to learn from her. And he couldn't wait until after lunch to see what she really could do with those knives.

When Aria and Peter took off to get their lunch he walked over to Steve to help him up from his prone position on the ground. Ignoring his outstretched hand he stood up on his own. Frowning Buck shakes his head. "I thought I was the one who was supposed to be mad. What's got you all bent?" Very clearly annoyed, Steve started to walk away from him without saying a word.

'He doesn't get to do that after the stunt he pulled yesterday.' Without yelling, Bucky raised his voice enough that he knew Steve could hear him. "Rogers, we aren't done talking."

The other man stopped and took a deep breath. Not wanting to cause another scene in public, he motions for Bucky to follow him outside. Once they were away from anyone who could overhear them he spoke. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be a jerk. I just.. It's just.. I've known her for over a year and within the course of half a day you and Peter have her opening up and joking with both of you. Before you say anything, I know that this is my own fault. She won't even talk to me now. She barely even looks at me unless she's forced to. I don't know how to fix this, Buck."

It was right then that Bucky made the decision to not be mad at him anymore. To try and help fix things between him and Aria for both of their sakes. Because Steve Rogers was the most loyal person he knew and Aria could use someone like him in her life. Deep down he knew Steve never meant for it to get so out of hand, but his friend was just going to have to be patient when it came to her.

"I'm just gonna say this straight out, okay?" Steve nods his head and crosses his arms waiting for Bucky to go on. "You royally screwed up." Steve opens his mouth to speak, but Bucky holds up a hand to stop him. Steve closes his mouth and clenches his jaw but he stays silent.

"You screwed up, but it was the push Aria needed. She is just a scared woman surrounded by strangers who expected too much from her. You don't know everything that's happened to her. I don't think anyone really does. From what I've gathered, the way those people raised her.. She never got to learn how to be a normal person. She never learned how to make friends or was just able to be a kid. I was taken by Hydra when I was twenty-seven. Up until then I got to live a real life." Bucky tilted his head to the side with a frown. "Aria was given to those people when she was a baby. I know how hard it is for me to be free. I can only imagine how scary it's been for her since she ran away from everything and everyone she knew. She's going to need time to forgive you and you need to give that to her, Steve. You took away her choice yesterday. So give her back some of her power by being patient."