"Are you sure I'm doing this right?" Zoe yelled through the back door of her house while Bucky watched her try and install the security cameras. "This seems awfully low tech if I'm able to do it..."
"That's the point, they're simple so they can be set up quickly." Bucky tried to encourage her. "After this one is set, we can see if they work."
Zoe walked back into the house, wiping her hands on her jeans. She had just installed 8 cameras, hopefully correctly, for full video surveillance of the outside of her home. She hated that it was necessary, but grateful that she had the guys to talk her through it.
"You ready on your end?" Bucky asked Sam through the phone, while he brought up the interface on his laptop.
"You properly grounded, Iron Maiden? Wouldn't want you to get zapped and make Zoe have to revive you..." Sam teased on his end.
Zoe grabbed the phone out of Bucky's hand. "If he gets zapped, I'll do compressions, but you're doing the mouth to mouth, flyboy!"
"Guys? Can we do this please?" Bucky pleaded.
"Okay, ready. Going live in...Holy shit, when was the last time you swept your patio, Zoe? It's like the dust bowl back there!" Sam laughed.
After a few adjustments, they had unobstructed views of the entire property and into the surrounding lots. Sam and Bucky continued to chat while Zoe went up to take a shower.
"Hey Sam, thanks for getting this set up. How's surveillance going? Anything else we need to do?" Bucky asked. "Who's on the monitors?"
"We're gonna keep the surveillance car on site for at least another day or two, and the cams are on 24 hour eyes. You're good for now." Sam reported. "You doing alright? I know Zoe can be a bit of a handful..."
"I'm honestly really good, all things considered." Bucky smiled, trying not to let on that he might be enjoying himself purely because of his peaked interest in his gracious hostess. "She's been amazing. Is it weird that I'm actually having fun?"
"Yes, it's very weird!" Sam laughed, already suspicious of his usually rigid friend. "You never have fun, what's gotten into you, Tinman?!"
"Not sure? Maybe your friend's finally getting me to relax..." Bucky chuckled nervously. "...she's really something, Sam."
"Oh hell no!?!?! Tinman's crushing on my Zoe?!?!?" Sam laughed harder, he fucking knew it! "This is too much!"
"Shut up, Sam! It's not like that!" Bucky yelled, internally panicking that he let it slip. "It's just nice to have another friend, that's all."
"Suuuuure...doesn't hurt that said friend is fucking awesome! Cool as hell, smart, and puts up with all this..." Sam couldn't stop laughing. "...your boy Steve had a little crush on her, too, back in the day. What is it with you guys? You old timers got a thing for nurses?"
"Nurse practitioner, actually." Bucky corrected.
"Oh shit! Terminator's in deep!" Sam crooned. "Do I need to have 'the talk' with you, old man?"
"Shut the fuck up, Sam!" Bucky was flustered. "I'm over a hundred years old, I do not have fucking schoolboy crushes on girls, damn it! It's not like that...fuck, who am I kidding, she's unbelievable...shit. It's totally like that, isn't it? What the hell do I do?!"
"Wait, you're serious?! I really gotta have the talk with you?" Sam was laughing so hard he was crying. "Mr. OG Lady's Man?! Mr. Got More Ass Than A Toilet Seat Back Before Indoor Plumbing?!"
"SAM!" Bucky yelled. "Fucking calm down and help me out here or I'm gonna tell her every single humiliating thing I know about you!"
"Wow, man, you're really into her, aren't you?" Sam tried to collect himself. "3 whole days and she's got you like this? Damn, dude! I expected you two to get along, but wow..."
"Saaaaaam?!?!?!" Bucky practically whined. "We can't leave the house, she's the first person who has made me feel like this in fucking forever, and I'm a complete idiot with women from this century! Plus, she's one of your best friends, so I have you to deal with when things inevitably go wrong..."
"You're damn right about that, Tinman!" Sam snickered. "Just be yourself...wait, that's a fucking terrible idea!"
"SAM!" Bucky snapped.
"Take it easy, don't be weird, maybe try not to scare the shit out of her?" Sam laughed. "Gotta admit, it's kinda nice to see you all fucked up over a girl. You might just be human after all, Robocop."
YOU ARE READING
I Don't Need New Friends
FanfictionSam Wilson has barely seen one of his best friends since returning from the Blip. He lets his new partner tag along out to the west coast, thinking it'll be good for the Bionic Staring Machine. Unfortunately, a relaxing vacation isn't in the cards...
