I Don't Need New Friends

10. Do's & Don't's & Dinosaurs

"What do you want for dinner?" Zoe asked, staring into the fridge. "We've got frozen burritos, sandwiches, pasta...what does someone like you actually eat?"

"Honestly, whatever is around. I'm not picky." Bucky didn't care. "What about you?"

"How do you feel about homemade chili?" Zoe raised an eyebrow. "That gives us leftovers for Sam later."

"Fine by me. Do you need any help?" Bucky asked, while watching Zoe pull ingredients out.

"Sam says you double as a can opener, care to demonstrate?" Zoe smirked, handing him a couple of cans of beans.

"Oh he did?" Bucky shook his head, chuckling. "You do realize my arm isn't a Swiss Army knife?"

"Disappointing..." Zoe laughed. "So tell me, new friend, what does a dinosaur usually do at night when not avenging or hiding out?"

"Nothing fancy, sorry to keep disappointing you..." he laughed. "...I don't know, make something easy and zone out in front of the tv? What about you?"

"About the same. What are you watching? Any favorites?" Zoe asked, interested to hear what someone like him might find entertaining. "Are you a movie guy? TV show binge watcher?"

"Oh, um, I have a list of movies and tv shows that people told me were important that I've been trying to get through, but it seems like every time I feel like I'm making a dent in it, more things get added..." Bucky smiled, thinking about some of the recommendations. "...to be honest, not all of them have been winners."

"Really? Like what? What highly recommended cultural touchstone has not lived up to the hype for a guy who missed decades of the 20th century?" Zoe laughed. "Please don't break my heart and tell me you were kidding about 'Star Wars'!"

"No, the original ones were great...some of the newer ones kinda confuse me, though." Bucky chuckled. "Don't tell Peter! Let's see, didn't really care for 'Titanic'. Where's the suspense? You already know how it ends!"

"Oh, you know that's blasphemy in some circles! That's one of Wanda's favorites!" Zoe laughed heartily. "Luckily, I agree. Nothing to care about, it sank, whatever. What have been some of the standouts?"

"There's so many good things that came out when I wasn't around. Do I sound like an idiot if I say that I really loved 'E.T.'? I know it's a kids movie, but it was so good..." he smiled sheepishly. "...is it weird that I kinda relate to that little alien guy?"

"Not weird at all, it's actually very sweet." Zoe smiled. "So you like space?"

"Oh yeah, it's fascinating! When I was a kid, just seeing the progress with airplanes and rockets was incredible..." Bucky grinned. "Watching the moon landing, even though I only got to see it after it happened, was mind blowing. Have you read 'Cosmos'? That was so cool..."

"And now you have alien coworkers..." Zoe smirked. "...pretty amazing, considering when you were a kid, you were lucky not to get polio."

"Yeah, I still have trouble getting my head around it sometimes..." Bucky smiled. "...but it's been much easier having friends who help me out, you know, when they're not calling me a dinosaur or something..."

"Are you saying we're friends?" Zoe smiled shyly.

"I hope so..." he smirked. "...or else Sam will be so pissed."

As he was grabbing a second bowl of chili, Bucky got another text from Sam. "Shit." He muttered.

"What's wrong?" Zoe called out from the table. "Is Sam okay?"

"He's fine, he's just going to stay at the field office tonight." Bucky sighed. "They still have no viable leads and it's safer if he stays put for now...so far there's been no mention of him in the threats, and thankfully, the only mention of you was that kid in the store." He nervously rubbed his neck. "You aren't in any of the photos, either, so we are hoping that the thing with the kid was an isolated incident."

"But we don't know, right?" Zoe asked anxiously. "What does this mean for right now? What are the do's and don't's of hiding from Hydra?"

"Keep the blinds closed, no social media, calls or texting, and unfortunately, no leaving the house." Bucky instructed. "Is there anyone expecting to see you in the next couple of days? Any appointments? Work?"

"No, I'm a bit of a free agent right now, so I cleared my week to spend with you guys." Zoe reported. "Are we allowed to order takeout? Have groceries delivered? What about going out to get the mail? How do I contact Sam?"

"My phone is encrypted, so is my laptop, those can be used to call Sam whenever you want, all you have to do is let me know so I can unlock them. Keep your devices on airplane mode." Bucky rattled off. "Yes on the groceries and any other commercial deliveries that can be left at the door, but restaurants that need a signature or face-to-face delivery isn't a good idea."

"Be honest with me, how long do you think we are going to be locked down?" Zoe asked pointedly. "Is Sam even coming back?"

"Honestly, I don't know." Bucky tried to reassure her. "But I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. You have my word...plus I promised Sam, so..."

"Can I call him?" Zoe asked.

"Absolutely." Bucky pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Sam, handing it to Zoe.

"Everything okay, Tinman?" Sam asked on the other end.

"You tell me, Birdman." Zoe huffed into the phone. "You're missing chili night..."

"Z! Oh thank god! This really sucks, right? It's pissing me off that we don't have any new information on this shitshow." Sam answered. "You guys doing alright? The old man behaving?"

"Yeah, he's fine..." Zoe was trying not to freak out. "...are we really safer here than with you?"

"Put it this way, there's a reason why the president and the vice president are never on the same airplane." Sam explained. "Since no one knows where the cyborg is, and the intel we have doesn't mention you, it's safer for him there. Do you have any security cameras?"

"Does my doorbell cam count?" Zoe asked.

"No, but I can work with that. I'm gonna send over some discreet perimeter cams tomorrow, and we can run them through your doorbell app." Sam breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll send an agent over in the morning and Buck can instruct you from inside the house. Do not let him go outside, okay? If you need to answer the door, keep it brief and keep him out of sight. Otherwise, you two should be fine unless I hear otherwise."

"Any ballpark on how long?" Zoe asked, trying to get her head around the situation. "How huge a grocery order should I put in for?"

"Two weeks to be safe." Sam replied. "You gonna be okay trapped indoors with him for that long?"

"I'm not the one you need to worry about, Sam..." Zoe retorted. "I don't care who he used to be. He messes with me, he loses another limb!"

"You said it, I didn't!" Sam laughed. "You kill me, Z!"

"But you thought it, didn't you?" Zoe quipped.

"Have you met you?" Sam laughed harder. "Be safe, call me anytime, and please don't kill him, but tell me if it's about to go down! Sorry about all this."

"This is what I get for being friends with you fucking super people..." Zoe sighed.