Chapter Text
Monday 3:08pm
September 3rd, 2014
An empty warehouse,
Warlington, New York
She kept absolutely still as the footsteps got louder. She knew someone was heading towards her, but was unsure if that was a positive or negative sign. Thinking back on earlier that day, it is understandable why she is feeling a little apprehensive. She had been going about her day; walking her older neighbor’s dog and getting herself some groceries. Groceries that she had been forced to abandon somewhere in that damned alley she had found herself in.
It was her ex-boyfriend. Because, of course it was. They had been together for two years, from her nineteenth birthday until just after her twenty-first. She hadn't seen him in a couple months since then and didn’t mind at all. The guy -Matt- had been a pretty good boyfriend , she thought at the time. He treated her kindly and never put his hands on her. In her frame of reference, that made him quite the lucky find.
Of course, her opinion of Matt changed when she found out he had been cheating on her with his best friend. A girl the complete opposite of her, and someone Matt had assured her posed no threat to their relationship. A big, fat lie that was. Her name was Chloé -French and pretentious- and with her long brown hair, light blue eyes, and perfect 5’8” model body, she was the exact opposite of her.
Dorothy had thought she would never see Matt again, seeing that he was now happily in a relationship with Chloé. But no, for some unknown reason he had ambushed her on her way home from the grocery store in that stupid alley, and somehow transported her to wherever she is now.
She thinks it might be a warehouse of some kind. Her hands were tied behind her back, attached to a steel pole in the middle of a large open space. The roof wasn’t entirely intact anymore, large gaps had let in the hailstorm that had been going on outside. She was shivering on the cold, damp floor. Matt was nowhere to be seen. Had he left her here to die of hypothermia?
When she started hearing strange sounds outside she got nervous. She couldn’t entirely decipher what was making the ruckus, it was too far away for that, but she could clearly tell the sound of someone coming towards her.
She kept absolutely still, looking left, right, and straight ahead to try and spot the newcomer. Her eyes widened as she saw a large man coming around the corner. She tried to hide herself somehow, but all she could really do was raise her legs so she could hide behind her knees. The man was scary looking.
He had dark messy hair, reaching almost till his shoulders. He wore a mask that only covered half off his face, the other half was covered by strange looking goggles. His uniform -because that was no casual outfit- was made of leather and other sturdy materials. He was carrying a sniper gun, more guns were attached to his waist and around his torso, and he had a metal arm. A metal arm that moved in the same fluid way as his leather-covered arm, it had to be a prosthetic of some kind.
Dorothy saw the moment the man spotted her. He stopped walking for a split second, before heading straight towards her. Her vision blurred slightly and she tried blinking the incoming tears away. If this man was here to kill her, she was going to look the man right in the eyes. Make him remember her and hopefully haunt him. Her brows furrowed, trying to look more intimidating, but her wobbling lips and shivering body didn’t do much to help her cause.
The large man stopped in front of her. He looked around the open space, his gun raised. She could hear faint sounds coming from the man, so she assumed the man must have some kind of communication device on him. Should she yell for help? But what if the man got angry and killed her immediately?
Seemingly done with his inspection of their surroundings, the man turned his full attention back on her. She mumbled a soft ‘please’, not sure if she was asking him to help her or simply not to hurt her. The man crouched down, tilting his head slightly to the left.
“Do you need help?” His gruff voice startled her. She thought that to be a hilarious question. Of course she needed help! Here she was, tied up and stuck in this deserted place, cold and damp, afraid out of her mind. She let out a nervous giggle, not sure how to react in this strange situation.
“Yes please” She was finally able to get out. The man nodded sternly, as if satisfied with the knowledge and ready to perform the task. He got a knife from somewhere -it happened so fast, she didn’t see where he got it from- and leaned closer to slice through the rope tying her hands behind her back.
As soon as she got free range of motion again, she started stroking her wrists, turning her hands this way and that. She doesn’t know how long she had been there exactly, but it was long enough for her entire body to feel stiff and painful.
She could not see the man's face in any capacity, so she wasn’t sure what he was thinking at that moment. He slowly reached forward, as if waiting for her to react poorly, and got a hold of her hands. He seemed to study the bruises that started to form. He then stood up smoothly, tugging her along with the grasp on her hands.
She let out a surprised sound when she suddenly stood up right, almost colliding with his broad chest. The man was built like a fridge. The feeling in her legs and feet slowly came back. The tingling sensation was uncomfortable but not exactly painful. She slowly looked away from her hands -one still clasped tight in his larger hand- and up towards his face. He must be over six feet tall, towering over her like he did.
They stared at each other for a moment. She almost opened her mouth to say something, but held back when she heard voices coming over the communication device the strange man was carrying. This close to him she could make out that there were multiple voices, but she couldn’t hear what exactly they were saying.
“I’m ready.” His deep voice startled her out of her thoughts. “I’m not alone.” He said. She could hear higher pitched voices responding, but the tall man did not react.
“Come.” He said to her. He turned around, now holding both of her wrists in one of his large hands, the other hand busy carrying the large gun. He looked around, slowly rounded corners, and walked with the confidence of someone used to sneaking around. She stumbled after him, confused and overwhelmed, unsure of what to say. She is very glad to be let out of there, but she’s not sure this is better. Getting taken by a stranger who’s motivations she couldn’t possibly grasp is very risky.
The man led her out of the building -a large warehouse she’s never seen before- and guided her towards the corner of the street. There, in all its glory, was a large military looking plane. And there, waiting at the entrance, were the Avengers. Dorothy gasped, unsure on how to process this development. Everyone knew the Avengers, of course. She could see Iron Man and Black Widow next to each other, Captain America was standing next to the Falcon on the side, and Hawkeye was sitting on the ground, looking around.
When they spotted her and the unknown man coming towards them, Captain America hurried forward. “Bucky! Who is this?” Bucky? So the strange man had a name. He didn’t really look like a Bucky. But then again, who the hell is named Bucky?
“She was trapped. I found her. She’s mine now.” The man -Bucky- relied plainly. Dorothy gasped, watching the man with a horror filled expression. “Absolutely not!” She firmly stated. Bucky stopped walking towards the plane and turned his attention towards her. She tugged her hands, trying to free herself from his grip, but he wouldn’t let go. She sighed in frustration and gave up.
“You can’t rescue me from my kidnapping and then kidnap me yourself! That’s not how it works.” She glared up at him. She wondered if it made an impact at all. She was only barely 5 '4". Everyone in her life always tells her she looks younger than her twenty-one years of age. She wanted to stamp her sneaker covered feet in frustration, but knew that would only further make her look like a child throwing a temper-tantrum.
“I’m not kidnapping you. I’m taking you to safety.” Bucky responded calmly. His voice almost sounded condescending, as if he thought this situation to be humorous. Captain America began to speak up, but Bucky simply ignored him and headed further towards the other Avengers and the awaiting plane.
None of the others said anything to stop him from boarding the plane with her hot on his heels. It almost seemed like they were afraid of him. That would be insane. They were America’s mightiest heroes and Bucky was just, well. She didn’t know who he was. She had never seen or heard of him before. Surely he can’t be scary enough to make the others nervous?
Bucky sat down after he hid the large gun somewhere. She sighed in annoyance. She was still scared of course, but she was also high on adrenaline, fear, and mild hypothermia. She wasn’t exactly able to process everything that was happening around her in a way she normally would. When Bucky tugged her and made her land on his lap, she did nothing to try and get away. She was tired and cold and she just wanted to go home.
Bucky smelled like leather and iron and musk. He didn’t exactly smell the best, a bit too sweaty for her taste, but it was still a lot better than the moldy, concrete smell from the warehouse. Bucky was also a warm presence against her back. Without her consciously thinking about it, she leaned back against him, getting comfortable. Her eyes fluttered closed. She felt his metal arm going around her waist, pressing her tightly against his chest. She fell asleep before she knew it.
Dorothy wasn’t sure how long she was asleep for, but she woke up slowly to the sound of multiple voices arguing. She could feel the rumbling of the plane. This Bucky guy had really managed to keep her on the plane. There were three voices arguing the loudest. One she recognized now as belonging to Bucky. The other one was none other than Captain America. The third was another man, and after thinking for a second, she placed it as belonging to Iron Man.
“-fine.” That was Bucky’s monotone voice.
“No, Buck. It’s bad enough you brought her here! You can’t seriously-” Captain America got cut off by Iron Man.
“What exactly is your plan, hm? You think you can just pick up teenagers from the street and keep them? Maybe you could back in your day, soldier, but not anymore!” Iron Man sounded hysterical.
She snorted before she could stop herself. The voices fell silent. Realizing there was no point to pretending to be asleep, she slowly opened her eyes. She straightened up slightly, realizing she was still on Bucky’s lap and held tight by his arm. She looked around slowly with blurry eyes. Afternoon naps always made her even more sleepy than she was before. She rubbed her eyes, wincing in pain when the bruises around her wrists made their presence known again.
“Pain?” Bucky murmured into her hair. She shrugged slightly. He held her a little tighter. She looked back up, making eye contact with the different Avengers. She blushed slightly when she made eye contact with the Black Widow. She had always been her girl-crush.
“Where are we?” She asked no one in particular. Iron Man was all too happy to jump in and answer. “Well, little lady, Terminator here had deemed it a wise choice to take you with us to Stark Tower. Right now you're in our plane, somewhere between your little hicktown and New York city.” He grinned, but the humor was not there. She stiffened noticeably.
“I-I..” She couldn’t think of what to say first. “I'm not little.” Is what she ended up settling on. She blushed when she saw Iron Man raise an impeccable eyebrow, giving her an obvious once-over and clearly disagreeing with her statement. She frowned, looking down. She put her hand on the silver arm wrapped around her.
Bucky stiffened but he let her trail her hand over the metal. She was kind of fascinated by it. It looked so futuristic and unreal. She grabbed hold of his hand and he let her pull his arm slightly away so she could play with his hand, bending the individual fingers. “Woah.” She mumbled, impressed by the fluidity of the movement. It truly behaved like a normal arm.
“You okay, Buck?” Captain America suddenly spoke up, sounding tense. She frowned and looked up, still holding on to the metal arm. The Captain looked over her shoulder at Bucky with a concerned look on his face. Oh. Does Bucky not like anyone playing with his arm? Well, then he shouldn’t have used it to trap her.
“Fine.” Bucky replied, not doing anything to stop her from touching the arm. Iron Man groaned in frustration. “Yes, it’s great that the Tin Can finally got over his trauma and let someone get close, but did we forget the fact that he kidnapped… eh, what is your name?” It seemed everyone only now realized they didn’t even know who she was.
“Dorothy Jones” She replied quietly, finally letting go of the arm. Bucky immediately put it back around her waist as some kind of improv seatbelt. “Right, well I'm Tony -obviously-, that is Steve, Natasha, Sam and Clint. And of course, you know the soldier.” Iron Man -Tony- replied, before moving on. “Right. Steve, he’s your friend, tell him to stop! Do you know what kind of PR hell it’s going to be when it comes out that your WW2 buddy kidnapped a teen?!”
“I-I’m actually twenty-one.” She replied, getting annoyed by being called little, or kid, or teen. She’s a grown woman! She could feel the plane shifting slightly, the nose of the plane lowering and the rest following. They were going to land soon. What had Tony said? New York City? That is insane. It has always been her dream to get out of her small hometown and see the big city. And now she’s here. Taken against her will, yes, but still in New York City!
“Why don’t we continue this conversation once we are in the tower? We’ve just had one hell of a mission and need to wind down. Dorothy can stay with me and then we can figure out what to do.” Black Widow -Natasha- spoke up. Everyone seemed to agree with her proposal, except for the man still holding her tight.
“No. She’s staying with me. I’ll protect her.” Bucky said sternly, as if daring anyone to disagree. “Well buddy, we’re afraid she’ll need protection from you.” Tony replied, a small smirk on his face. Now that he’d calmed down some, he almost seemed to find the situation amusing. Dorothy had heard plenty of stories of Iron Man getting into trouble, perhaps he thinks it enjoyable that he isn’t the one in hot waters for once.
“I would never.” Bucky hissed back. He leaned forward slightly, taking her with him. “She’s staying with me. I found her. She needs me.” He sounded so possessive and protective, she couldn’t hold back a blush. Sure, she had no clue what the man really looked like or what he is like in normal situations, but the feeling of being important to someone is not one she has known in a long time. She doesn’t think Bucky would do anything to hurt her. She has nothing to back her claim, it’s just how she feels.
“Fine! Fine, do whatever you want, not like I actually care. Steve, you can keep watch. I’ll also make Jarvis keep an eye on everything. I need a nap. That’s what I need right now.” Tony continued to mumble to himself, but Dorothy no longer paid attention to him. Bucky leaned back when the plane made the landing, wrapping both arms around her to keep her safe.
The plane landed smoothly and before she knew it they were on the top of a tall building in the heart of New York City. She wanted to take in the view more, but was led into an elevator before she knew it. The Avengers did not say anything when she, Bucky, and Captain America got off, except for Tony’s ‘good luck!’.
The apartment they ended up in was, in one word, luxurious. Whites and beige, lots of windows, no clutter, not a fraction of dust. It didn’t seem like anyone actually lived there. Dorothy’s own little apartment was cluttered to the max. When she moved out of her parents’ home at eighteen, she wanted to make the little space she had her own. Clearly Bucky had not done the same.
The two men did not say anything as she walked around and explored, but she felt eyes trailing behind her. The kitchen was incredible and she was actually kind of excited to stay in the apartment a bit longer solely for the opportunity to cook something in there. The living room was plain but well equipped with high tech screens and gaming consoles. She avoided the bedrooms, not wanting to step on anyone's toes by invading their personal space. The bathroom was probably more spacious than her entire apartment.
“This is incredible.” She whispered as she completed her walk around and ended back in the kitchen, inspecting the high quality appliances. She did not hear the two men walk into the kitchen, even with their large stature they were as silent as the wind. “Do you like it?” Bucky asked her quietly. Dorothy quickly turned away from the six-pit stove to look at her kidnapper.
“It’s amazing. The bathroom is probably larger than my apartment.” She nodded, not hiding her excitement. Dorothy has never been good at hiding her emotions. If she feels sad, happy, excited, people around her are going to know. Bucky was still in his complete gear, mask and goggles included, so she couldn’t read his expressions.
“Buck, why don’t you take a shower and get changed? I’ll keep watch over Dorothy.” Captain America -Steve- suggested. Bucky turned to the captain and stayed standing motionless for a little bit, before giving one sharp nod. He turned back towards her, looked at her, and then turned around to head towards the bathroom.
“Are you okay?” Was the first thing Steve asked her when they were alone. Dorothy shrugged. “I guess so. I’m mainly just confused.” She admitted. Steve nodded in understanding, coming a bit closer and leaning against the kitchen island.
“I get that. You know, I’ve known Bucky since I was a little kid. That was more than eighty years ago. Bucky is a good guy, he’s just been through a lot. I think-” Steve cut himself off, looking her over. Dorothy looked down self-consciously. She wondered what the super soldier saw as he looked at her. Dorothy was so plain and average; short height, medium length blonde hair, brown eyes, simple clothing, skinny built. Nothing special.
“I think he sees something in you he resonates with. Back in the day, I used to be not too dissimilar to you. Blond, skinny, and short. Bucky’s memories have not all resurfaced, but it is possible that somewhere along the way a couple wires crossed, and now he feels attached to you. He was always protecting me, getting me out of trouble, back in our time. I think he needs to feel needed again. I can easily take care of myself now, I could probably beat him in a fight on a good day, so he can’t satisfy his needs with me anymore. I believe, and I can definitely be wrong here, that he needs you to need him.”
What Steve was saying made sense. They felt heavily loaded, though. Like he was letting her in on an important secret that she could do nothing with. “I know it is a lot to ask,” Steve continued while she was still processing everything. “But I think it could be good for him to take care of you.” She opened and closed her mouth a couple times, unsure on how to respond. On the one hand she wanted to make her stance clear; she is an independent, grown woman who doesn’t need anyone taking care of her. On the other, the idea of being needed, of being taken care of, does sound so nice. She’s afraid that if she lets Bucky take care of her, she would never want to leave. Then again, would that be so horrible? It’s not like she has anyone or anything waiting on her back home.
“Right. Okay.” She lets out a deep sigh. Steve straightened up, nervously awaiting her response to the revelation. There would have to be some ground rules of course, and she can’t stay locked up in this fancy apartment with Bucky watching her every move. However, taking a break from her hometown, from her apparently psycho ex and emotionally distant parents, well, that sounds like a good time.
“I guess I could stay here for a little bit, just until he gets it out of his system. I’m not sure how this is going to work though. I have literally nothing here, only the clothes on my back and my phone.” And what clothes they were. She had worn her most casual and comfortable outfit for her errands that day. That reminds her, she needs to let Hector know she can’t walk his dog for a little while.
“Excuse me.” She turned her back to the superhero and got her phone out to make the call. “Who-” Steve tried to ask, but she was already talking to her neighbor. “Hey Hector! I have some unfortunate news, I've… gone out of town for a little while, extremely last minute, so I can’t take Daisy out for walks.” Hector responded exactly how she expected him too. “Oh, darling, that’s alright. I’ll ask Jake from across the hall. Is everything alright with you?” She smiled, always happy to hear his whispery voice.
“Yes, everything is fine. I’m good.” She laughed softly. “I’ll talk to you later, alright? Give Daisy my love!” They said their goodbyes and then she hung up. She sighed, sad she won’t be seeing the sweet labrador for a little while, but glad Hector will be able to find a replacement to take her on walks. Dorothy is very replaceable, after all.
After putting her phone back into her pocket she turned around. Steve was no longer the only one in the kitchen with her. Next to him stood -presumably- Bucky. However, Bucky was no longer in full superhero gear. Instead, he wore a soft looking, dark blue long sleeve, and black jeans. The most noticeable difference in appearance was his unobstructed face.
Bucky was handsome. Piercing blue eyes that were trained solely on her, a strong jaw clenched in thought, pink lips pursed in a straight line. His hair was still soaking wet, dripping water down his wide shoulders and some on his broad chest. She made eye contact for the first time and was unable to decipher what he was thinking.
“Who was that?” His voice no longer muffled by the mask sounded more clear, but still deep and serious. Dorothy snapped out of her thoughts for a moment to answer. “Hector. He’s an older gentleman in my neighborhood. He can’t walk that well anymore, so I usually take his dog out on a long walk once a day.” She said, making sure her voice sounded strong and confident. She needed to get it through to Bucky that she’s not a little girl that needs protection. Sure, she got kidnapped before, but that was a freak accident and not something that happens frequently!
“That’s real nice of you.” Steve answered back, giving her a small smile. She looked over at the captain and smiled back, raising her shoulders and letting them drop in a small shrug. She turned back towards Bucky and looked at his hair, frowning.
“You should have dried your hair more. You can catch a cold like that.” She stated primly. Bucky did not react, except for a small twitch of the mouth. She sighed and looked around for a towel. There was one near the sink, but that seemed unhygienic to use on his clean hair. Without saying a word, she removed herself from her leaning position against the counter, and headed swiftly towards the bathroom.
She heard two pairs of footsteps following closely behind her. The warm, damp air of the bathroom smelled nicely of citrus. She found a still-unfolded towel under the sink and grabbed it. When she turned around to head back towards Bucky, she almost walked into his chest. He was right behind her.
“Here.” She held out the towel. He grabbed it slowly with his right, flesh arm. She waited expectantly for him to start drying his hair, but he did no such thing. He just looked at her while holding the towel. As she looked him in the eyes she could make out the small wrinkling around the edges, and the tiniest twitch of his mouth again. Amusement. He thinks what she is doing is amusing.
“Fine, I'll do it.” She sighed, grabbing the towel back. They were standing in the opening of the bathroom, she could see Steve standing a little further away, watching them interact. “Bend down a little. You’re too tall.” She mumbled, annoyed with their height difference.
Bucky did as he was told, bending slightly at the waist so his hair was easier to reach for her. Without further warning, she flung the towel over his head and started wiping the hairs down from root to ends. Steve gasped, taking a step closer. Bucky did not react, he kept his eyes fixated on her while she dried his hair.
It did not take her long at all to dry his hair to a point that it was only slightly damp. She used her hand that was not holding the towel to touch the strands to make sure it was dry enough. She nodded in satisfaction. She put the towel around his shoulders before taking half a step back. Bucky’s cheeks were slightly red when he straightened up again. Was he blushing or was it the heat of the bathroom air?
Dorothy turned her attention back towards Steve and saw him staring at the two of them, mouth dropped open and eyebrows slightly raised. When he caught her looking, he snapped his mouth shut and cleared his throat.
“Right. Well, let’s talk in the living room.” He turned around and quickly headed down the hall. Bucky and her followed closely behind, Bucky half a step behind her the whole time. The bruises around her wrists started hurting again after using them to dry Bucky’s hair. As they sat down -Steve on one couch, Dorothy across from him on another, Bucky on the chair in between both- Dorothy started rubbing her bruises softly again. She hoped they would soon go away, she’s not good with pain at all.
“What happened to you?” Steve asked her after having noticed her bruising. She looked up with sad eyes, shrugging, and lowering her eyes again. Bucky made a deep sound that almost sounded like a growl. When she looked back up towards him, she could see anger in his eyes, fist clenched in tight fists.
“My ex-boyfriend kidnapped me?” She said it more like a question than a statement. It sounded silly to her own ears, but that was the truth. “I don’t know why. I hadn't seen him for months before he suddenly did this. He didn’t hurt me really, just incapacitated me and tied me in that abandoned warehouse.” Her voice got more quiet as she went on talking about how cold and afraid she felt. How scared she was that she was going to die there.
“His name?” Bucky asked in a deep, demanding voice. Before she could think of the implications, she responded. “Matt Clifford.” Bucky nodded once and then suddenly stood up. He turned to Steve and glared down at him. “Watch over her, I'm going to kill him.”
“Buck, wait.” Steve also stood up, grabbing hold of his friend’s left arm. Bucky ripped his arm away, breathing hard and glaring at Steve. Dorothy realized then that what she had done in the plane, touching the arm and playing with it, was indeed very dangerous. She’s not sure as to why Bucky had not reacted like he had just done with Steve, but she was damn thankful for it.
“Wait.” Steve repeated when they both calmed down from Bucky’s harsh reaction. “I understand how you feel, and I know you think you have to hurt him for what he did, but that is not the way, Bucky. We’ll inform the police, get them to deal with it. You,” He turned to look at Dorothy, sympathy in his eyes. “You need to keep her safe, alright? You can’t go out of town for a long time and leave her alone. She needs you.”
She now understood the look in his face. Captain America was emotionally blackmailing his friend, and he was using her to do it. She had thought she might need to stay in the tower for a couple days, just until Bucky got his head back on straight. But like this, with people promoting and supporting his crazy mindset, well, she might be stuck here. If Bucky is encouraged to think of Dorothy as someone that needs his protections, he’ll never leave her out of his sight.
Why was that toxic thought making her feel a bit hot?
Bucky stared at his friend for a moment, as if trying to figure something out. Then he nodded and sat back down, his hands still in tight fists, clenched on top of his thighs. Steve, after he was sure Bucky wasn’t going to make a break for it, slowly sat down himself. Dorothy had watched the entire interaction with wide eyes.
“Jarvis, you got that?” Steve asked no one in particular. “Yes, Captain Rogers. The local police have been informed. I’ll give you an update when an arrest has been made.” A voice responded. Dorothy looked around, trying to find the source of the voice, but could not see anyone.
Steve chuckled, catching her attention. “That is Jarvis, Tony’s AI. He runs the place. He can answer any question you have and help you.” Dorothy nodded slowly, not entirely sure what AI means, but glad there was not another stranger in the apartment.
“Let’s get back to the situation at hand.” Steve continued. Bucky straightened up a bit, puffing up his chest and turning his gaze away from her to his friend. “Bucky. What exactly was your plan when you took Dorothy with you?” He did not say kidnap, but it was heavily implied. Bucky did not argue the wording, simply looked away from Steve for a moment, making eye contact with her, and then turned back to Steve.
“I found her.” He started seriously. “She was hurt and cold and tiny. I remember…” He broke off his thoughts and looked to the ground, frowning. “I remember taking care of someone small. Protecting them. I want,” He stopped himself, shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts. “I need to try again. Do better.” He finished.
When Dorothy looked away from Bucky, slightly confused but mostly sympathetic, she caught the look on Steve’s face. He looked so incredibly sad that her heart broke all over again. There was so much history between the two, she could tell. And she already knew Steve would do whatever he could to help his friend. She, well, she was just supposed to go along for the ride. And truly, it’s not like she had much power against two superheroes.
“Okay, Buck. You just want to protect her? Take care of her? You won’t hurt her?” Steve asked cautiously, his voice sounded heavy with emotions. Bucky looked up, staring at his friend with unreadable eyes. “I would never hurt her. She’s mine.” He said definitively. Steve nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
She’s mine. Dorothy will never admit this out loud, the feminist inside of her would never allow it, but those words made her feel so warm inside. This stranger is more protective and possessive over her than anyone else has her entire life. Even at the height of her relationship with Matt has he never said anything that came remotely close to making her feel as wanted as what Bucky had just casually put out there.
“How is this going to work?” She asked softly, catching the attention of the two men still staring at each other, Steve gazing at his friend with all kinds of emotions in his eyes, and Bucky glaring at him, daring him to disagree with his insane statements.
When neither of them answered right away, she clarified. “I mean, I'm supposed to stay in the tower with Bucky?” They both responded with a firm ‘yes’. “Right, so where do I sleep? What about my stuff from back home? I don’t have any clothes here. And my job? I can’t just not show up for days o-or weeks! And I also refuse to be locked up in this tower like some modern Rapunzel. No, if I am to stay in New York city, I will experience it. So, well, yeah. How is any of that going to work?” Her voice trembled here and there, and she stuttered some, but overall she was satisfied with what she managed to get out.
Bucky nodded slowly, a frown started to form and she could almost see the cogs in his brain starting to turn. “If I may?” The voice of Jarvis startled her, still not used to a third voice coming out of nowhere. “I have arranged a moving company to pick up Miss. Jones’ belongings. They will be delivered at the tower tomorrow morning. Her superior at the Pharmacy has been made aware of the situation and has agreed to put you on unpaid leave. You will still have a job once you return. As for the rest, that will be up to Sergeant Barnes.” Dorothy’s mouth dropped open in shock. So, that takes care of that. Sergeant Barnes must be Bucky. So he was in the military? It only slightly peeved her that even the AI -whatever that means- deferred to Bucky as the one making the decisions about her.
“Great, thanks Jarvis.” Steve replied politely. Dorothy nodded in agreement, not sure how to respond. She kept her eyes on Bucky, waiting for him to say whatever he was thinking about. It took him another minute before he straightened his shoulders again and began to talk.
“You’ll sleep in this apartment with me. As for going outside..” He looked pained, like he didn’t want to say it but knew he had to. “I will allow you to go outside as long as I am there to accompany you. This city is very dangerous and I don’t want you getting hurt again.” She wanted to make it clear that getting hurt like that was not a regular occurrence, but she kept quiet. He’s allowing her to go outside. While, with his strength and connections, he could just as easily keep her locked inside, never to see the sun again.
Dorothy sighed, looking down at her hands, before nodding. “Great!” She could hear the smile in Steve’s voice. “Happy we cleared that up. Why don’t I leave you two to get to know each other a bit better? I’ll go back to my apartment. I’ll check in tomorrow morning.” Her head snapped up to look at him. Steve was already standing. Bucky was still sitting down, watching her.
“W-wait! You don’t live here?” She asked him, slightly panicked, also standing up. Steve looked confused before shaking his head. “No, all the Avengers have their own place. Bucky lives alone -well, I guess he now lives here with you-, but I do visit often.” He smiled at her, as if oblivious to her panic. She could see though, from the look in his eyes, that he knew. He knew she was scared to be left alone with Bucky, with this clearly unstable stranger. And she knew just as well, when he started walking towards the exit of the apartment, that he did not care. She was not the one he cared for. He cares about his friend. And if giving his friend a human doll that he can take care of in any way he wants, then that is what he’s going to do.
The door closed behind Steve and for the first time since the warehouse, she was alone with Bucky.