Title: Shield Over Us
Author:
milleniumrexRecipient:
cero_atePrompt: Welcome home!
Word Count: 3891
Characters: Kate Bishop, Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers, Kate/Bucky, past Bucky/Steve, eventual Kate/Bucky/Steve
Rating: PG-13
Warnings, if including any non-con/dub-con/etc: Kate's a minor, but over NY's age of consent, so all's good.
Summary: Steve's back. Bucky isn't sure how to feel about this. Kate understands a lot more than she lets on.
It was the first time she had ever seen them fight side-by-side. She had fought alongside them separately before - Steve when the Avengers joined the Young Avengers in their battles, and Bucky countless times since he had taken on the mantle. But never together, and it was something to behold. The way they worked in tandem, as if they knew what each other was thinking at every moment...it was plain to see that they had been doing this a very long time, and no matter how long they had been apart, it was like nothing had changed. Sure, they were only taking on a poorly-organized band of AIM goons attempting to pull a heist at a science lab, but watching the Captains America fight together was always amazing. Kate shot a gun out of the hands of a foot soldier, knocked him out with a spin-kick, and snuck another look at the boys. The best part, she thought, had to be the look on Bucky's face. That elusive smile, that she had to work to see on
his face, was wide and grinning as he slammed his shield into the face of one of the villains. Having Steve back had lifted a huge weight off his shoulders.
"Hawkeye! We've got company!" Steve's voice rang out as Kate whirled around to see an AIM agent on a motorcycle, holding a gun to the head of a terrified little girl as he drove out of the building. Kate ducked as the criminal sprayed the area with gunfire, and Steve and Bucky quickly deflected the bullets with their shields.
"The scientist's daughter." Bucky yelled. "Damn it! We should have seen this coming!"
Steve pulled out his Avengers communicator. "I'll get the team in on this. Tony should be able to track them down and get her back. Buck, you track him. Kate, you - "
"On it!"
Kate's voice came from above. Steve and Bucky turned their heads up to see her climbing up the building's fire escape. With the grace of a wildcat, she sped across the rooftop and launched herself off the edge towards the speeding motorcycle, without the slightest bit of regard for the fact that she was a non-powered human. They could only watch, holding their breath as Kate risked her life for this little girl. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Kate leapt onto the back of the motorcycle, punched the AIM soldier, knocked the gun out of his hand, and grabbed the little girl from him seconds before the motorcycle spun out of control. Shielding the girl with her body, she jumped free just before they crashed into a wall.
The landing was hard, and Kate rolled to a stop, clutching the little girl safely in her arms. Her whole body felt like it had gone nine rounds with the wrecking crew, but the hostage was safe. She could see Steve and Bucky running over, and she let the little girl run to them. She immediately ran to Steve and hugged his legs, as Bucky knelt by Kate, an expression equal parts concern and awe on his face.
"Damnit, Kate! That was insane!" Bucky shook his head. "You could have been killed."
"All in a day's work, right? Is the girl okay?"
"She's fine. A little bit scuffed up, but nothing serious. What about you? That was a nasty landing."
"I'm fine. Banged up, sure, but alive." Kate smiled. "Help me up?"
Kate draped her arm over Bucky's shoulder as she struggled to her feet. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot up her left leg, and she let out a yelp as she sank back down.
"Okay...maybe not fine."
Bucky took a quick look at Kate's leg, and saw a dark purple bruise starting to form a few inches under her knee. Merely brushing his fingers against it led to a sharp hiss of pain from Kate's lips.
"Okay, that looks bad. You'd better get it looked at."
"No, it's nothing. Just a bruise. I'll - Oh, geez, don't pick me up." Kate protested feebly as Bucky swept her up into his arms. She sighed as Bucky called over to Steve.
"Kate's hurt! I'm going to take her to the local ER. You'll wrap things up over here?"
Steve nodded. "I'll get the girl back to her parents and meet you there."
Kate took note of the look Steve and Bucky exchanged before they parted ways, and the meaning behind it. It was ironic, she thought, that despite the throbbing in her shin, this was the most exciting day in the field she'd had in a while.
-----
"So. You two are...together?"
At Steve's question, Bucky looked up from the Sports Illustrated he was reading in the hospital waiting room. "Wow, you picked up on that, huh? Yeah, a few months now. We try to keep it professional in the field."
"The way you were with her, after she got banged up...it was clear enough. We've spent enough time together for me to know how to read you, Buck."
"Ditto. And I can read you well enough to know you're not exactly happy with this."
Steve's brow furrowed slightly. "She's a kid."
"17. We're not breaking any laws here. Besides - " Bucky chuckled slightly. "I'm pretty sure I was the one who was taken advantage of here. She can be very aggressive."
"I just hope you two know what you're doing here."
"Like we did?"
Steve looked askance at Bucky. "That was different. Neither of us knew if we were coming home - "
"Like, say, superheroes?"
"You were really mature for your age."
"You have talked to Kate, right?"
"I'm not looking to fight with you, Buck." Steve shook his head. "I just want to make sure you know what you're getting into."
"And this has nothing to do with us?" Bucky retorted, deciding that the elephant in the room finally needed to be acknowledged. "I mean, we haven't exactly been able to talk in a while..."
"Like 65 years." Steve said wryly.
"Exactly. After you found me, I was so messed up that I didn't come back until after you were killed. And since then...well, you were dead, Steve. I saw them put you in the ground. Despite what happens with guys like Thor, we're still human. I had no reason to think I'd ever see you again."
"I had more than a few relationships while I thought you were dead too. We moved on." Steve nodded. "This is the first time in ages where we're both here, alive, and ourselves. So where does that leave us?"
Neither Steve or Bucky knew the answer to that, much as they wished they did. Bucky knew he had missed Steve terribly, and loved him just as much as he did back in the war, but he wasn't ready to throw away what he had with Kate now. And Steve knew he couldn't ask him to do that.
"Wow, you can cut the tension in here with a knife." Bucky and Steve turned away from their conversation to see Kate making her way out of the treatment area on a pair of crutches. Her left leg was covered in a purple cast going to midway up her thigh. "Did I miss something?"
"It's nothing." Bucky got up and hovered protectively over Kate. "It was broken?"
"Just a cracked tibia. They didn't have to set it or anything. You ask me, this thing kind of seems like overkill." Kate grumbled as she adjusted her crutches. "At least it'll be a cool story. Better than the time Tommy broke his wrist doing kegstands."
Bucky leaned in and gave Kate a quick kiss. "I've broken a few bones, and the first few days are usually the roughest. Let's get you back to the apartment so you can rest."
"The apartment? Nah, you can just drop me off at my place. I'll be fine."
"I thought you said your dad was out of town. You'd be alone there. What if you need something?"
"I don't know..." Kate shot a quick glance at Steve. He and Bucky had been sharing the old apartment since Steve's return, and the last thing she wanted was to make things even more awkward between them. "I don't want to cause any trouble."
"Nonsense." Steve stood up. If he was bothered by the situation, the earnest smile on his face was doing an excellent job of covering it. "What's important is you being able to rest safely."
Kate sighed as Bucky helped her towards the door. No, this wouldn't be awkward at all.
-----
The painkillers were working perfectly, Kate thought. She was feeling no pain, but her senses weren't dulled at all. And besides the complete lack of anything worthwhile on TV in the daytime, Bucky's bachelor pad was a decent place. Besides, the lack of TV didn't matter - the show she could hear through the apartment's paper-thin walls was much more entertaining. Bucky and Steve had been arguing, as only they did. They were quiet, respectful, and very cautious not to say anything that could upset the other too much, but the frustration they were both carrying was coming across loud and clear. It kind of felt like watching a really engrossing soap opera - until she remembered she wasn't the audience but the third part of the love triangle that everyone was watching.
The voices were tense, like old friends who had grown apart, but were still yearning for something. She could hear most parts of the conversations, and it broke her heart a little bit. She'd picked up on the vibes between them for a while. She knew there had probably been something between them back in the war. But it had never occurred to her just how raw the wounds still were. And hearing the way they talked to each other, a part of her felt like it was her fault that there was this gap between them. She knew this was a silly, emotional reaction that made no sense, but it didn't make it go away. She and Bucky had found each other during the time that Steve was thought dead, and no one thought Captain America could cheat this death. She loved Bucky, and she never wanted to let him go. But she also didn't feel right standing between him and Steve. No matter what he said, she knew a love like that couldn't just be pushed into the past, and the two of them
had waited sixty-five years to find each other again.
Kate buried her head in the pillow, wrapping it around her ears to block out the voices that were sending her mind into overdrive. She hadn't realized until now just how complex this situation was, and she wanted to help fix it. An idea drifted into her head, and she knew it would be insanely risky. It could ruin everything, and drive her and Bucky apart. Or, just maybe, it could make everything right.
-----
Bucky preferred to patrol at night, while Steve liked the daytime. It matched their personalities. Bucky was used to working in the shadows, still haunted by his past and experienced in fighting the good fight in a world where heroes were hunted. Steve was used to being an icon and fighting in the bright lights, where people viewed him as a symbol of all that was good with America. He may have been a humble guy, but he knew where he could serve best. These were things Kate had picked up, but they were also key points of information that she needed to put her plan into effect.
She could hear Steve milling around the kitchen, looking for something to eat after a long day's patrol. And she had heard Bucky leave for the night a little earlier. She convinced herself one more time that this was a good idea before she got out of bed, slowly making her way to the kitchen. Steve was sitting at the table, eating some leftover chinese food when Kate entered.
"Ooh, smells good. Sesame chicken?"
Steve nodded. "There's enough for two. You should have called me, so you wouldn't have had to get out of bed."
"I think I can make it to the kitchen on my own, Cap. The chivalry's nice, though." Kate laughed as she sat down next to Steve. She still wasn't used to seeing him without his mask. As Captain America, he was so imposing. He seemed a lot older than he was. But unmasked, he didn't look much older than Bucky. There was still something young and fresh about him. She hadn't thought about it until now, but she really liked it.
"You're staring." Steve said with a bemused expression on his face.
"Oh! Sorry. I was just wondering...never mind."
"No, go ahead." Steve said as he took a bite of the leftovers.
"How...how old were you when you became Captain America? Back in the war? I know James was 16 when he enlisted, but I realized I don't know about you."
"I was actually 18. I had just started college when the war began, and I felt like I had to do my part. I suppose that's why I came around on you and your team - I wasn't much older than you when I started out."
"I thought so. You look a lot younger with your mask off."
"Buck and I...we grew up really fast. A lot of us did back then." Steve said, a distant look in his eyes. "Things had been bad for so long, it's kind of hard to believe it's actually over. Between the civil war, Osborn's reign, both our 'deaths', I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop." Steve quickly turned to Kate. "But you know all this. I don't know why I'm going on."
Kate nodded. It was now or never, and she might as well rip the band-aid off.
"You still love him, don't you?"
Steve looked as if you could have knocked him over with a feather. It wasn't often you got to see America's hero completely gob-smacked.
"What? I mean, I don't -" Steve paused as he looked at the slightly amused look on Kate's face. "How do you even know about any of that?"
"First up, I'm a pretty good observer. I pieced it together watching the two of you ever since you came back. I kind of figured you had been involved in the war - which is awesome, I'd like to say - and it's not like you ever had time to resolve things, what with the deaths. So this just makes sense."
"Well, if it's all on the table." Steve nodded, clearly taken aback. "I'd just like to make it clear I have no intention of trying to sabotage what the two of you have. Regardless of my feelings, it's not something I'd do."
"I know. I mean, you're Captain America, right? Captain America doesn't play the other man." Kate played with her hair. "But it feels kind of wrong. You two were together first, and you've obviously got something really intense. I mean, you both beat death for each other."
"Well, that's not exactly how it went. Technically, Bucky was never dead, and I - "
Kate giggled as Steve tried to maintain his cool. "I'm just saying, I wish there was a way for us to all get what we want."
"So do I. Unfortunately, I think we both want the same thing. And I'm not sure it's something that can be shared."
"There's ways around that." Kate smiled. "You're a really sweet guy, Steve. And you deserve to be happy."
Slowly, Kate leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Steve's lips. Immediately, his eyes went wide and he pulled away.
"What the heck was that, Kate?"
"The beginning, I hope. I could see myself with you really easily. And if we're all together...no one gets left alone, right?"
"You're a kid!" Steve said as he stood up.
"I'm older than James was in the war!" Kate pouted. "And you're not an old man yourself."
"I...I appreciate the thought. But this is not going to happen." Steve said as he quickly excused himself.
Kate sighed. That had gone about as well as she had expected. Still, if she was right, it could be stage one in something that would eventually work out.
-----
Bucky definitely wasn't sure how to feel about this as Steve let him know exactly what had occurred while he was out.
"She kissed you? Really?" He scratched his head. "Didn't see that coming."
"Believe me, neither did I. It didn't seem like she was doing it to cheat on you, though. If anything, she had this crazy idea that by getting involved with me, she would make it okay for us to be involved again. Some kind of bizarre three-way arrangement. I don't know what the kids are getting up to these days, but - "
"Okay, stop that." Bucky grinned. "You sound like an old man when you talk about 'the kids'. You're not that old."
"Hm. She said the same thing."
"Well, she's right. You don't have to be Captain America all the time. As I recall, we used to have a lot of fun out of costume during the war."
"Heh. That was a long time ago." Steve smiled wryly. "I just wanted to let you know what went on. I told her I had no intention of getting between the two of you."
"She has a point, you know." Bucky sighed. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss you. Things would be a lot easier..."
"You've been awake in this time less than a year, and it's already corrupted you." Steve frowned. "You're not thinking about - "
"Well, why not? Let's at least talk about it. It obviously works in my interests. I'm in love with two incredible people, who, through no fault of anyone's, came into my life at conflicting times. Kate...well, she's an incredibly open-minded, sweet, and loving person. She cares about us, and I think she's genuine about wanting to make this work. Plus, I think she has a bit of a kink for the costume."
"Moving on..." Steve said, his face blushing slightly. Bucky noticed and grinned. That had to be a first.
"So how do you feel about Kate? Honestly? I mean, we should talk this out, right?"
"I feel like she's a very young woman who's involved in a relationship." Steve said, crossing his arms.
"Okay, but beyond that. Just go with me here."
Steve sighed. "I think she's incredibly brave, more than a little reckless, and she would do anything for the people she loves. She reminds me of some of the best people I've ever met. Jim, Clint...you. And considering I've lost all three of the people I listed at least once, I want to protect her, make sure she becomes a great Avenger one day."
"So you definitely care about her."
"I care about all the Young Avengers. You know that. But...I'd be lying if I didn't say I took a special interest in her."
"Caps and Hawkeyes, huh?" Bucky said with a smile.
"Caps and Hawkeyes."
Bucky leaned in and passionately kissed Steve, the first kiss they had shared in over 65 years. Instantly, Steve was taken back to the barracks in 1944, right before a mission. Bucky had been the one to make the first move then too. He was always a little wild, and Steve, despite being a leader in the field, had always been a little cautious in every other way. What Bucky was proposing now still struck Steve as a little crazy, but he had to admit it made a strange bit of sense. And if it brought everyone together, he was willing to give it a try. Hopefully this old dog could be taught a few new tricks.
-----
Lying in bed, Kate smiled as she heard the conversation end and the sounds of the long-awaited reunion begin. Listening to her boyfriend make out with someone else should never feel this good, she thought, but it was right. Besides, she hadn't lost one boyfriend - she might have gained two. Getting out of bed, she made her way to the kitchen and caught them mid-kiss. Steve pulled away, embarassed, but Bucky looked at her with a bemused smile.
"You planned all this, didn't you?"
"It had to be done." Kate grinned. "You two would have been beating around the bush for months, and this is the only way to make everyone happy. Sometimes it takes a modern girl to help two old-fashioned boys along."
Carefully balancing her crutches under her arms, Kate extended a hand to Bucky and Steve. Bucky took her hand first, and Steve tentatively followed, his concerned expression turning to a smile.
"I'm still not sure about this - "
"That's okay." Kate grinned. "This is kind of brave new territory for all of us. We'll work it out together."
The three of them made their way over to the couch, and Kate collapsed between Steve and Bucky. She rested her head on Bucky's shoulder, looking at Steve. It was new, but she could tell they saw in each other the same thing they each saw in James. It would be a strange new adventure, but they would make it work. And she'd get Captain America to loosen up if it killed her. He may have taught the Young Avengers everything, but someone clearly needed to teach him how to be young again. She'd been working on Bucky for a while, and she was looking forward to a new project.
Steve smiled as he looked at Bucky and Kate. It felt great to be back together with the first person he'd ever truly loved. And as hesitant as he was about this new arrangement, Kate was the one behind it, and that was enough to make him love her a little already. She was wild, unpredictable, and beautiful, and he knew that she'd probably be responsible for giving him a few near-heart attacks. He hoped that her broken leg would be the worst misfortune to find her for a long time, and knew that as always seemed to happen with his partners, she'd be back staring down danger before too long. He wondered why he always fell for this type, but they definitely made life interesting.
Bucky kept one arm protectively over Kate as he reached the other one over to grip Steve's hand. Holding the hand of his first love, while holding the girl who had brought them back together...it didn't get any better than this. He loved them both, said a silent prayer for the fact that they were both great enough to let this happen, and vowed to never lose either of them again. For the first time in 65 years, all was right.