The Fluffy Adventures of Yelena and Bucky

Part 1

   The opening notes of the song on the radio played as Yelena snatched the paper out of the Soviet spy's desperate hand and casually tossed it out the passenger side window.

   It fluttered out of view to the sounds of a neck being broken cleanly and a head gently hitting the steering wheel.

   Things haven't been quite the same, there's a haze on the horizon, babe

   She opened the passenger side door and stepped out onto the road. Yelena bent and picked the paper from the ground, waving it in the air. Seconds later, she heard the sound of cop cars.

   And nothin' really goes to plaan

   A cop car pulled to a stop behind the car Yelena had been in, and two guys with a body bag stepped out. They started to work, pulling the body out of the car and placing it in the bag.

   Yelena glanced up at the hill perpendicular to the road, where at the top, a man leaning on his motorcycle with crossed arms watched her. He wore a leather jacket and black clothes and had brown hair, that was all Yelena could tell about him so far.

   He'd been there the whole time.

   Who was he? 

   Yelena waited until they had the body in the police car before she asked them, "Where's the pay?"

   The one closer to her put his hands on his hips. "Up there." He jerked his chin in the direction of the hill.

   "And who the hell is he?" Yelena raised her eyebrows, looking at him again.

   The guy on the hill waved.

   "Sergeant Barnes, ma'am." He tipped his hat at her. "Have a good afternoon."

   "Uh..." Yelena didn't know what to say. "Y–You too?" So... Barnes was here? The man on the hill was him?

   Yelena sprinted up the hill as fast as she could. His arms uncrossed and he pulled an envelope out of his jacket and handed it to her. Yelena stared at him.

   His face had more lines, and his eyes still held a bit of the same angst and age in them. His hair was long and messy, and he had a new arm, it was black and gold now.

   Bucky Barnes smiled at her. Yelena couldn't believe her eyes. He seemed so free, so free and confident.

   The smile faded. "Take your money, Belova," he urged, still holding it out to her.

   Her hand came up and her fingers grasped it. He let go. 

   "How are you doing these days?" Barnes asked, hands on his bike. They both knew exactly what the elephant on the hill was, but neither wanted to talk about her.

   She gave him a one-shouldered shrug. "Eh. Fine. I..." Emotions surged below the surface, and she willed not to cry. "I just... miss her."

   Barnes looked at his feet. "Me too. I wish it could've been me, not her."

   Yelena sighed, not sure why he was being so open with her about his feelings. "Neither of the both of you deserved it, and neither of you should have died, Barnes."

   He nodded.

    The Soldier gave her a blank glare with a spark of determination behind his eyes.

   Yelena's small hands shook, and she clasped them tightly in front of her. She willed her knees not to wobble as she pushed herself to her feet.

   She was supposed to fight him. It was a test to see if she was worth living. Fear raced through her veins. What if she failed?