Ascertainment || Bucky Barnes (2)

5

Basil was in the middle of cooking dinner for him and Steve when he heard Steve's flat door open and close loudly below. (They always opened and closed their doors loud enough for the other to hear. Part of their codependency, to know when they were in or out). Queenie meowed for food by his feet and he waved the spoon at her. The carbonara sauce bubbling lightly in its pot. "No", he grinned. "No pasta for cats. Nice try". Queenie gave him big eyes and meowed louder. Basil judge her back with his foot. "I'm going to get Steve", he told her. "No jumping up onto the stove. It's hot". He wagged his finger in warning then put the spoon back and let himself drop through the floor.

He landed in Steve's kitchen, knees bent for impact. The apartment was varying shades of brown and beige but other than that, practically the same as Basil's. As he rose he heard the sound of soft music from the record player. "Steve", he said as he walked out into the living room. "Dinner is almost ready"- he cut off at the sight of Steve holding a gun and Nick fury slumped, bloodied and bruised in the arm chair. Basil froze, looking between the two of them with a raised eyebrow. "You could have let me know we were going to have a guest", he remarked, hands on hips.

"Sorry for dropping by unexpectedly", Nick sat forwards slowly with a groan. "My wife kicked me out".

"I didn't know you were married", Steve muttered. The music was still playing. Band stuff Basil recalled from the forties.

"A lot of things you don't know about me", Nick replied. He gestured with his gun to Basil's apron. It was black and had the words "Once you put my Meat in your mouth, you're going to want to swallow" labelled across it in big letters, complete with the imprint of a spatula. (It had been a gag gift from Phillip last Christmas. Even though he was in his eighties now, he still had the humour of a teenage boy). "Nice apron Parrish".

"Thanks", Basil grinned. Underneath he still had his jeans and a black tshirt on with fluffy blue slippers on his feet. Steve sighed and flicked on his living room light.

"Don't encourage him".

Nick held up a hand and flicked the light back off again. Basil and Steve watching him as he pulled out his phone. On the screen were the words "ears everywhere". Basil and Steve exchanged looks then Basil sighed. He crossed his arms. "So are you staying for dinner? Steve is terrible in the kitchen so I mostly do the cooking, like some house wife". He teased lightly, keeping his tone light and natural. If fury was warning them about the bugs shield had placed in their apartments, then their theory was correct. Fury suspected something at shield.

"That would be lovely. Sorry to have to do this but I have no place to crash", fury replied, tone equally as light. He showed them the phone screen again. "Shield compromised". Yep, They had been right.

"I hope you're not vegetarian or any of those other weird diets", Basil grumbled. "We didn't have veganisim in the forties, well, actually we probably did but not in the same way we have today. What's so wrong with eating dairy and meat like the animals we are?" He huffed. "When we grew up you either ate what you were given or you starved. Vegans would never survive on the rations we endured. Especially if they were the ones fighting".

"For gods sake Basil", Steve huffed. "I've heard this argument before". He sighed as Basil pouted. Steve then turned to fury. "Who else knows about your wife?"

"Just my friends", Nick grunted as he stood up. Now that he had moved, Basil could see that there were several bloody areas in his clothes and the way he was shuffling meant that he had a few broken ribs and possibly a broken arm.

"Is that what we are?" He remarked with a slight smirk. "Normally you just sigh at me".

"That's up to you", Nick replied.

The gunshot made them all jump. Nick cried out in pain as Steve and Basil ducked instinctively. The one eyed man collapsed as two more shots echoed out. Basil was diving forwards and grabbing him by the arm. Steve grabbing the other as they pulled a groaning Nick behind cover. Nick looked up at them, coughing. He held out a hand and in it lay a memory stick. Steve took it with recollection in his eyes. "Don't trust anyone", fury gasped. Basil pulled off his apron and knelt at his side to press the material to the blood flowing out of the bullet wounds.

There was several bangs as someone broke down the front door. "Captain Rogers? Corporal Parrish?" A female voice called. Basil recognised it as the woman who lived across the hall from Steve. He didn't really talk to her. "Captain", she stated as she caught sight of them. "I'm agent 13. Shield special service".

"Kate?" Steve just stated in reply.

She put away her gun and marched over. "I'm assigned to protect you".

"On who's order?"

She turned to corner and froze as she saw Nick and Basil. "His", she stated.

"I have two exit wounds and four entry wounds", Basil stated as she knelt down at his side. "I need help keeping this pressure agent", he ordered.

She ignored him and pulled out a walkie talkie from her pocket. Basil growled in anger. (He hated when people don't listen to him during combat situations). "Foxtrot is down! I need EMTs".

"Put some fucking pressure on these exit wounds or he is going to bleed out", Basil snapped. "Listen to me or his death will be your fault. And you don't want the death of you boss on your record, do you?" Kate gave him a wide eyed look but grabbed a blanket from a counter and pressed hard. Nick gasped in pain.

"Do we have eyes on the shooter?" A voice replied from the radio.

"Tell him I'm in pursuit", Steve stated above them. Basil looked up as Steve took a few steps backwards.

"No Steve! Steve don't you dare throw yourself out that window! Steve? Steve! Bloody fucking hell!" He yelled as Steve began running. There was a crash and Basil watched as he disappeared out of the Living room window.

"We're five storeys up", Kate muttered.

Basil sighed. "This is why he gives me headaches. I should really be promoted for this", he muttered to Fury. The man had fallen unconscious and didn't reply. "Just because he's a super soldier, he has to throw himself off of buildings. Well I'm a super soldier too and I don't do that. I just fall through them, that's different". He sighed. "Why do I put up with this?"

Unedited