A Little Song Bird

Making Promises

September 16, 1986- Bucky

"Dammit. Where is that damn- '' Slight arms wrapped around my waist and a head rests between my shoulder blades. Completely distracting me from my search for the damn lighters.

"Hi, doll." Dropping my hands from the cupboard to rest them onto hers against my stomach, I squeeze them gently. "Do you happen to know where the lighters are?" She only gives a noncommittal hum and nuzzles her face against my back.

Sighing, I lean back into her, letting her head come up to rest on my shoulder with the new angle. Addie's warm vanilla and smokey scent fill my nose as she ducks into my neck. "Do we have any left?"

Once more she hums, preoccupied with being wrapped around me, I really need a damn lighter. Yesterday I used the last of the matches and it's too cold out not to have a fire going.

Addie's fingers play with the hem of my shirt as I mull over where the damn lighters could be. We can't be out. I've combed through each cabinet, even the one with the damn dishes.

"Are you sure you didn't touch the lighters?" She sighs and taps my stomach, looking down at her hands to watch her sign, 'blowtorch dummy'

"How could I forget?" I chuckle, I did get her it as a gift so she'd stop stealing all the lighters. My eyes drift back over the clean counters and all the cabinets I've riffled through but then I catch the ones above the fridge.

"Why not?" I murmur before peeling Addie off me, earning some protest, "Doll there's some cookies in the cabinets... Yes, your oreos." There's a small squeal behind me before the crinkling package makes its presence known but I'm busy clearing off the top of the fridge. A few boxes of cereal and a couple cans of Saint's emergency canned food later, I can reach the two small cupboards.

Fully prepared to either find an empty cabinet or some old toaster that didn't survive Addie's wrath, when I pull open both to reveal a lighter and a small black backpack, I'm dumbfounded. Grabbing both I turn to find Addie on top of the island with her oreos in hand, she's smiling until she notices the pack. It dissolves from her face at the same time the package slips from her fingers.

Oreos spill all over the floor scattering around the hardwood floors, some of the black discs roll, a few split apart but the color has drained from her face.

"Addie doll? What is it?" My voice spurs her into action, her booted feet crushing the cookies as she goes to grab the bag, a desperate look plastered on her face.

"No." She breathes as her fingers wrap around the strap and yanks it, but now I need to know.

"What's in here?" Tossing the lighter on the counter I grip the bag in both hands, her own hands tug it harshly but my grip remains firm.

"L-leave it," she begs but my eyes only narrow, "Doll, no secrets, remember?" Her eyes look up from the black fabric, and they beg me, beg me to drop this, but I can't. There's no secrets between us, after that first time I found her on the ice she's the one who asked.

So we sat and told each other everything. Every dark little secret we could remember. I told her everything from lying to protect Steve to what vague memories I had of killings I did as him.

She talked as much as she could, before she signed the rest. Everything from her first killing, to the serums, to what she did to Saint. That last part definitely filled in a few blanks about that white furball's abilities. It gave me a new respect for the-well- super mutt.