Certainty (A Bucky Barnes Fanfic)

━◦○◦Shot: 'Man with Metal Arm kills Army Youth with a Pair of Tongs'◦○◦━

episode one-shot - Jealousy, Jealousy

It had been a good day. Alpine hadn't scratched the furniture. Shamara made rice and curry. Bucky finally found the broken part in a boat, which had evaded him for days. They went to Walmart and accomplished what they needed without getting triggered or overwhelmed.

He should've known it wouldn't last.

Bucky fought to keep his face blank, a frown rising around his throat. Sam and Torres laughed at his side as they put meat on the grill. Torres showed Sam videos on his phone, but Bucky couldn't keep track of anything said. They were worse than the memes Shuri sent him, the rapidly changing scenes and sounds making his head spasm.

"That's good, that's real good," Sam slapped a hand to his chest in a move very like Steve.

Bucky's lips twitched with the urge to point it out, but he kept quiet. It's not worth it. It will just make Torres more fawny.

Torres had come in to see Sam for advice on a new mission. The young soldier swayed between an awkward boy and a self-confident charmer, which could be amusing, but usually just annoyed Bucky. Besides, the "missions" Torres had taken two minutes of discussion to plan, yet Sam always invited him to stay longer. As it was AJ's birthday, it was even more necessary that they let Torres get a good meal. (According to Sarah. Bucky didn't think it was that necessary).

"Heard you fixed up the boat," Sam jabbed his hand over his shoulder toward the docks. "What was it?"

Bucky cleared his throat, "There was interference in the link between the steering and the motor. One of the bolts was shorn. Took me an embarrassingly long time to find it."

"Gotcha. That'll hide better than a bur on a sheepdog."

Torres burst into laughter, nearly doubling over. Sam bit his lip, his eyes twinkling. He tried to nod seriously. Bucky rolled his eyes, and they laughed harder.

"That's a good one," Torres flicked tears from his eyes.

Sam turned to Bucky, still chuckling, "We would make up 'common' American phrases overseas. See how long it took for international partners to realize that we've just been pulling their legs."

"And I am always a valid test subject?" Bucky snorted.

Sam opened his mouth, then narrowed his eyes.

"You are, like, ancient, so you might as well be a foreigner," Torres mimed a playful kick at him.

"Watch it, kid," Bucky couldn't quite resist his amusement when Torres just about slipped on the dock.

"Jalapeño poppers are ready!" Shamara called from the screened porch.

"Thanks, Shay! You have some unfortunately dark word choices sometimes," Sam muttered, passing Bucky to grab it.

"Don't complain about my dark humor," Bucky turned to smile at his wife.

Shamara lifted her eyebrows. She handed the pan to Sam, who thanked her again. Bucky smiled at the look she pinned on him, the typical fruitless attempt to communicate wordlessly. She rarely got frustrated that he couldn't read her expressions--especially as she still forgot that she had them--but he found it cute when she tried anyway. She always bugged her eyes too much to be subtle.

"Hello, Mrs. Barnes," Torres joined them with a thematic bow before Bucky could tease her. "You look lovely today."

Shamara laughed, turning from Bucky and patting Torres's cheek, "Joaquin, I haven't changed since you got here a half hour ago."