Mosaic (Bucky Barnes X OC / Winter Soldier x OC)

Chapter 6: Bucky Barnes - Slip n' Slide (Part II)

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Something was happening at the house across the street. Something out of their daily routine.

Children. A whole group of them. Eleven. Far more than the usual one who lived there.

All running about. Screaming and laughing. Throwing colorful balloons filled with water at each other.

An adult, male, crouched by the wall. Fiddling with something with a pile of yellow plastic.

A couple of the children hovered close to him. Squealing when he rolled out the long yellow sheet of plastic.

They ran and bounced into a line.

The first one dashed at the yellow strip. Diving hands first. Sliding down the length of it. Laughing happily. The small blond boy ran back in line as the next child copied his action.

"What's that?" I asked.

"What's what?" the young woman's voice half echoed into the room I occupied.

I couldn't help the flinch.

I had expected the A.I. ghost to reply. Not the young woman. Didn't even hear her moving about.

When I looked back, the young woman's head was peeking in. Sideways. A curious glint to her eyes. A happy grin on her face.

Silently, my finger pointed out the window.

The rest of her body joined her through the doorway. The crutches must have come in during my sleep.

Click. Thump. Click. Thump.

'...How did I not hear her?'

A yelp sounded when I tugged her away from her window.

Out of sight.

Out of danger.

Though she landed in a crumpled mess of limbs and hair.

"Sorry," I mumbled. Shying away. Ready for pain.

She gave a dismissive wave. Laughing it off.

"So why are we hiding?" she whispered.

"They'll be watching. Stay in the shadows."

She sent me a confused expression. A brow quirked in question. She gave a carefree shrug and peered out the window. "What we looking at?"

"What's that?" I asked again. Pointing at the yellow.

"Ooo, what's that?" she repeated. Just as clueless. "It looks fun."

"How is it that you don't know what that is? It's a Slip n' Slide.... Val, you've never played with one before?"

"Yo, you've basically seen my entire life. What do you think? I've never even heard of it. How are the kids not skinning themselves – oh, the water. Duh. Eve, can we get one?"

"Not recommended for adults.... Unless you want to break your neck."

"Awww.... No fun." The young woman next to me pouted.

"Wait, she can see out there?" I asked. None of the cameras in the house should be able to see that area.

"Between the cameras she probably setup all over the neighborhood and the satellites, yeah, she sees a lot."