Reaching Out | Bucky Barnes

5 | Saturday, May 29th

The next morning, I pull myself out of bed and have a quick shower before heading down to the kitchen. A pot of coffee is already brewed, so I pull a mug down from the cupboard and fill it almost to the brim.

"Morning, Y/N," Rhodes says as he walks in, heading to the coffee maker.

"Morning," I smile, pouring a drop of milk into my coffee before plopping myself onto a stool in front of the island.

"Ready to show off your stuff?"

'Never show anyone.'

Too late.

"I guess so," I laugh. "You know I've never had an audience before."

"Now don't say you have stage fright? We're dying to see what you can do."

"Nah, not like that, just that I've never shown my powers off before. Let alone to people who can match me."

"Well I promise we won't go too hard on you," he teases before picking up his mug and turning. "See you in a little bit," he calls before heading out of the kitchen.

"Oh, is that coffee?" Peter asks as he walks in wearing sweats and a tank top.

"Get it while it's hot," I nod, taking another sip of mine.

"So, you excited for your first mission?"

"Mission?" My eyes follow his movements as he reaches into the fridge. "What are you on about?"

"Yah, we're gonna go scope out the Hydra research facility," he says, pouring some caramel creamer into his mug.

"I don't think I'm included in that. Not here to be a super-hero remember?" I laugh.

"Don't worry about Fury, he'll get over it. Besides, you could be super helpful," he urges.

"I doubt Tony is interested in having someone who has zero fighting experience tagging along. Especially when the mission is supposed to be covert. I would just be in the way."

"Pshh, you don't need fighting experience. We bring Doctor Banner along all the time."

"I heard that," a voice rings from the entrance of the common area. "And I was here long before you kid," Bruce schools as he rounds the island.

"I—uhh, sorry."

"Nice save," I tease. He averts his wide eyes before taking a sip of coffee. "Do either of you know when that doctor is supposed to be here to start tests?"

"I think Tony said sometime in the late afternoon. She flying in from Switzerland."

I nod.

"That means loads of time to show off your powers," Peter says.

"Everyone is so excited to see what I can do, it's so weird," I laugh.

"Come on, if you were in our shoes, you wouldn't be interested?" Bruce asks over his own mug of coffee.

"I don't know. I guess considering the world I grew up in, it's not surprising to see people with abilities. Must be even more normal for your generation," I say looking at Peter.

"I guess so, yah. I basically grew up with Iron Man saving the day, then Thor, and then the Avengers forming... Make-believe was never really make-believe. But that doesn't mean your abilities aren't cool! You're the Avatar man!"

"Ha, I wouldn't go so far as to say that," I laugh.

"Morning," Tony says, reaching for the coffee pot. "Empty. Is it really so hard to make a new pot?" he asks, pulling the grounds from the cupboard.