The World Keeps Changing

Chapter 7

I felt Steve wake first, and I just lay there contently, letting him sort it out as he took in his surroundings. We hadn't migrated much, but both men ran hot, so the covers had been shoved down at some point. Steve was leaning on me more, shifting us to lean on Bucky a bit who had sprawled more onto his stomach and our hands had drifted up over Bucky's back. Then I heard what had woken him. My phone.

I groaned quietly. "It's Pepper..." Steve reached behind him for it and handed it to me and then cuddled back in.

"Yeah..." I answered groggily.

"I do not accept your resignation, chef."

"Tough tits, Potts," I growled quietly, "control your man, then."

"Tony doesn't pay you. I do, for that exact reason."

"Pepper," I said groggily and quietly grumpy, because I refused to let my brain fully emerge from the cocoon of comfort I found myself in, "I have slept an average of three hours a night since I came back from my alleged vacation three weeks ago. Waking me on what would have been my one day off is not how you change my mind."

"Fair. I will be at the tower for lunch at 12. Let's talk. I'll bring sushi."

I groaned. "Fine... There had better be a lot. With mackerel and yellowfin sashimi."

"Of course.'' She hung up and I looked at the time. 9am. 5-ish hours of sleep was better than the average of late. But I wasn't getting up out of this warm dream until someone dragged me screaming. I tucked the phone under the pillows and draped myself against Bucky's shoulder and Steve wrapped an arm around my waist, sleepily nuzzling my head.

I dozed amid the warmth that surrounded me and we drifted in and out of sleep. Someone would casually caress someone else, then fade. Steve would nuzzle my shoulder, or my hand would drift along Bucky's side, or Bucky would reach behind and pull my leg up over his hip. I would run my arm along Bucky's shoulders and down the cool smoothness of metal, draping myself more fully over his back, and Steve would do the same with me until we lay like neat shingles across the bed. It was one of the most content moments I'd ever felt in my life and I would have stayed forever.

But all things end, and eventually, we all emerged reluctantly from the cozy bubble. Steve left first, kissing my head and whispering a near silent thank you against my ear. I heard the door, which startled Bucky, nearly tossing me off the bed. I shushed at him and explained it was just Steve leaving, and he schooled his breathing back down. He sat down on the edge of the bed again, setting the gun down on the side table. He looked down at me, all warm and sleep rumpled and a little embarrassed and he was just adorable. "I don't sleep that heavy. Ever."

I smiled as I slid to the edge of the bed. "It sounds like you needed it. I know I did." I winced as my bad leg protested taking weight for the first time today.

"You okay?"

"Nothing unusual. I'll work around it like always. Just takes some time to work out the stiffness in the morning. I'll be a minute to get moving if you want to use the bathroom first." He did, and I limped to my bag, extracting my jeans, street shoes, and hoodie. I figured after this meeting I'd either be going to my apartment to pack, or jobless, so no point in going back to change before. I wasn't ruling out that something could convince me to stay. I had no idea what that might be, but Potts was an incredibly resourceful woman and I didn't discount her determination or knack for negotiating. Bucky took me along, back up to the penthouse commons to smiles from the team already gathered there, looking hopeful that if I was still in the building maybe I wouldn't be quitting after all.

Then, the heroes had gone to do team exercises, dragging Bucky along for his first group training. So, I sat alone on the couch in the Avenger's common area, drinking my second cup of coffee, checking my messages when I was greeted and Pepper came up next to me, depositing a tray of sushi and sashimi, and a bottle of sake on the coffee table. "Sorry for waking you up this morning."