Stranger Who Knows All My Secrets [A Marvel FanFic]

Chapter 34: Did You Just Break Steve's Apartment?

Bucky loved summer in New York City, it was always comforting even when it was uncomfortable and the heat that year was uncomfortable, especially as July rolled in and the temperatures soared above ninety for several days at a time.

Even Natasha, who loved the beach didn't want to be anywhere out in the sun, so they practically lived in Steve's apartment because he had a better air conditioner than Elena and his living room was bigger so no one had to sit too close to each other. Meanwhile, Sam, who had grown up in Louisiana, thought it was too damn hot and he ultimately decided that he'd rather spend the summer at his sisters than stay in the sweltering heat of Harlem.

Bucky had no problem with the weather, to him, sweating to death was more desirable than freezing to death but no one else seemed to agree with him. Natasha refused to leave her apartment because she was sick of her makeup melting before she ever got to a bar. Elena's hair was the frizziest it had ever been and the heat rash from last year came back with a vengeance leaving her grumpy most of the summer.

Steve had also spent too much time out in the sun on a recent assignment that he actually burned and was in a perpetual state of shedding skin everywhere, which was kind of really gross. Bucky thought they all sucked for being so cranky but was grateful that their distaste for the unusually high temperatures meant they preferred sitting in each other's living rooms rather than in a bar with a bunch of smelly strangers though his attitude toward the summer changed not long after that.

However, one particular Wednesday toward the end of July, Bucky found himself laying on Steve's couch eating a tub of chocolate ice cream and regretting his love of summer in the city while Natasha stood in front of Steve's open freezer trying to stay cool. It was hot, and not like a normal summer in New York hot, but fucking miserable hot.

Like the summer of '36 hot when all the neighborhood kids sat in front of an open hydrant to beat the heat and the tires on his dad's truck melted. He and Steve both agreed that the current heat wave was worse than that one almost a century ago and the blond flipped through channels trying to find something to watch while fanning himself with a men's health magazine.

Elena was out taking Gurgen for a walk, something even the dog seemed unwilling to do but she was just grateful that Steve let her bring the beast over to stay cool with them because she felt bad leaving him home alone. And thank goodness Steve did because it was truly unbearable outside, well over a hundred degrees with oppressive humidity that would have killed the dog if he was sitting in Elena's apartment without the air on. In fact, the summer heat made just everyone absolutely miserable, even Steve was fed up.

"Nat, I would appreciate it if I didn't get stuck with a ridiculous electric bill at the end of the month." Steve snipped at her, he had told her about six times to get out of the freezer.

"But it's sooooo hot." She whined, slamming the door closed, and almost simultaneously the TV went blank and the air conditioner shut off.

"Did you just break Steve's apartment?" Bucky questioned with a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth just as a knock came at the door.

"She probably just blew the fuse." Steve said getting up and going to the door which conveniently had the circuit box next to it.

"I think your whole building just lost power," Elena said as Steve let her in, the hallway was dark and several neighbors were peeking out their doors asking if anyone else had power.

"Uhhh, I think the whole neighborhood just lost power," Bucky noted when the sound of several cars hitting each other floated in through the window.

Natasha sprinted toward them, face pressed against the glass to confirm that the streetlights were out which Bucky insisted was entirely her fault for leaving the freezer open for so long. She snapped back at him like a vexed teenager and when Elena asked what the hell they were talking about Steve replied that Natasha had broken the whole neighborhood which had her scoffing and throwing a pillow at him before stealing the last of Bucky's ice cream.