Clutching || Bucky Barnes

12

From the abandoned factory, they all stole another car and drove to a small airport. Henry had some contacts that would get them out of the country and the ginger spent most of the drive on a burner phone with various people. The car they had stolen for the drive was a bit bigger than the Volvo Henry had stolen the first time, but it was still a bit of a squeeze. Three men, who were definitely no on the small side, Henry who was luckily more slender, and Basil. He was the smallest there, much to his chagrin. That mean that he was squeezed in-between Bucky and Steve in the back seat. Sam driving and Henry gesturing directions from the passenger. 

"Ah", Basil sighed when they had dealt out seating. "Between Steve and Bucky. Such a familiar position. Fond times". He flashed a grin and an eyebrow wriggle at Bucky and was rewarded by a twitch of the lips. In the old times, Bucky would had snorted at his innuendo. Now it was barely a smile but Basil would take all he could get. (If the reaction still gave him the familiar swooping feeling in his stomach then that was for him to deal with. All these years and he was still a sucker for Barnes). 

Still, the journey was long and cramped. Basil didn't speak much once they were all in. He had made a few comments but it got to the point where Henry actively threatened to throw him from the vehicle and Steve was looking like he wanted to the ground to swallow him up. ("Be gentle on me guys. Two might be a bit much for the first time" . "I swear to whatever godly presence is up there Basil, but I will leave you behind if you make one more sexual comment"). After that, Basil took pity on his friends and fell quiet. 

As the night wore on he found himself drifting off. Head lolling as he let the mental and physical exhaustion pull him under. At first his head rolled on to Steve's shoulder. The blonde used to Basil falling asleep on him, barely glanced at him. Bucky though, the blue eyed man blinked and watched with subtle fascination. His memories of Steve and Basil's relationship was that of friends but he hadn't expected this closeness. The two of them moved and reacted to each other as if subconsciously knowing exactly how the other would act. It was a bond he and Steve had once had. Now, according to the footage he saw of Captain America and The Mad Medic fighting, that told him that the role was now held by Basil. 

He wasn't fully sure what he felt about that. On the one hand, the fact that Basil had taken on the responsibility of being Steve's friend (minder) during his absence made him happy and warm. It was a feeling he had not felt in a long time and he cherished it. On the other, the two of them had a bond, though platonic, that Bucky now couldn't understand or begin to describe. It left him floundering. His memories not matching up to what he could see. 

Steve caught his eye over Basil's sleepy head. The blonde shifted and gently moved Basil off his shoulder as he became more comfortable. "Can you?" he asked, voice a whisper. Bucky nodded and Steve grinned. He gently moved Basil over so that the curly haired man was leaning his head on Bucky. Face lax as he breathed. Open and vulnerable in a way no one was around the winter soldier. Trusting. Bucky turned his gaze back out of the window, Basil a warm weight on his right shoulder. If he looked down, he could see their arms lying out. The tattoo dark on Basil's skin, matching the white outline barely visible on Bucky's. For a moment, he could pretend that everything was fine. 

Basil woke up as the car door slammed shut. He jerked, blinking wildly as he tried to catch up on what was going on. "What-" he mumbled. One hand rubbing at his eyes as he glanced at the two people next to him. "Oh. This is a nice sight to see. My two favourite war buddies". He grinned and relaxed back down in between them. "Hi. I have missed this". 

Steve chuckled as he wrapped an arm round Basil's shoulders. "It's nice to have you back Basil".

"You wouldn't survive ten minutes without me".