(1) Wild Cat (B.Barnes)

Chapter Thirteen

Months later:

Tati comes out of her shell the longer she is with the Howling Commandos. They treat her as just another one of them. She is just another soldier to them. They've all come to care about her, they like her, they all consider her their friend, their little sister kind of thing. Despite that she has years on them she just has that affect on those around her. Bucky yawns into the back of his hand, his eyes on Steve across from him as he pulls the small kettle from the camp fire. Tati is sneaking around behind Bucky, he can feel her, though her steps are silent, she's stalking him. She does this. She enjoys doing this. She does it to all of them. It's her fun and they all enjoy indulging her. She pounces onto Bucky's back, he chuckles and grabs her arm around his neck. He likes moments like this. Moments that he can forget what's happened to him. To her. This is just something so...soft and fun in a time of war and pain.

"Rawr" she teases in Bucky's ear, he smiles softly as she nuzzles into him. They have all learnt just how affectionate she is. She'll hug them. Ruffle their hair. Sit in their laps. It's just who she is. She likes the physical side of affection. And to be honest, they're all glad of it, of something, of someone caring for them and showing them affection. Sometimes they just need a hug, or a hand on the shoulder. It helps ground them, keep them in the right head space. She swings around Bucky who pulls her into his lap. He gets the best affection from her because he knows that it's not just friendship for them. And though they haven't had sex since before her incarceration, he knows she is still recovering from her time away and that it's not exactly the best or most romantic situation in the world, they sleep in tents some night, run down hotels other nights. He leans closer to her and nudges her nose. She purrs and clutches to his jacket. Steve glances across at them, his eyes soft seeing Bucky smiling and happy, seeing both of them happy. Bucky touches her face with his hand, gently, soft like touching something precious and breakable. He then helps her sit up so she is perched on his knee, her arm around his neck. Her eyes shift behind Bucky and into the trees, seemingly disappearing into her thoughts.

"Tati?" Steve asks noticing her look, she seems to be elsewhere. Her attention stolen by something else. She cocks her head and turns to look over Bucky's shoulder into the trees. "What is it?" Steve tries to get her to talk to him as Bucky watches her face.

"Kitten?" he coos trying to get her attention.

"I'll be right back" she tells Bucky as she stands from his lap and then disappears into the trees, Bucky frowns watching her go before looking at Steve who is just as confused as he is. It's not long before gunshots sound from the direction she went in.

"Tati" Bucky states worried before he grabs his gun and runs off into the trees after her.

"Bucky!" Steve yells after him before he grabs his shield and follows. Tati hasn't fought with them yet. She has been reluctant to jump into battle, but she has proven to be good at handling equipment and standing look out and taking care of them. None of them know if she can fight at all. So of course Bucky is worried about her. Steve was at least warned that she was enhanced like him, he doesn't know the extent but if they had her locked away for being dangerous she has to be capable of using those enhancements. Steve catches up with Bucky easy enough, the two of them bursting through bushes together to find Tati stood surrounded by the bodies of German soldiers, she lets out a breath and turns to them both, Bucky's eyes widen at the scene. "Tati?" Steve starts stepping closer to her, cautious. "Are you alright?" she nods.

"Yeah" she assures him. "Yeah, I heard them in the trees, they were heading to our camp" she explains. "I...was just going to knock them unconscious" she looks down. "But they started shooting at me" she touches her chest, her shirt torn where their bullets hit her. "I...I panicked" Bucky moves to her, his free hand touches her shirt, his worry clear in his eyes.