"You're-" he paused and dared to glance up, forcing himself to look ahead at the kitchen cabinets but even seeing her blurred in his peripherals was almost too much.
"I'm what, Sarge?"
"You're somethin' else, Ace."
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"Why are you like this?" Bucky asked following behind Sam as they headed towards the hangar. The last thing he needed on this mission was to be partnered with her.
"It's one mission, Buck." Sam laughed, "Besides, if we're all going to be a team and play nice with each other, you have to learn how to communicate with Alicia."
Bucky huffed as he glanced to the side as they walked. The building is much quieter nowadays. Well, as quiet as it could be. Both Parker and Bishop moved in a month ago and within a week Bucky had moved to the quietest hall in the building. The only probably now? His quarters were two doors down from hers...and that red hair... and those blue eyes that rival his own.
"I'm not the one with the communication issue." He muttered quickly, earning himself a look from Sam. Bucky frowned. "I'm not! I'm her superior," he started but the word felt foreign on his tongue and distasteful, "Ace hardly listens to any orders that I give her and when she does it's her way."
Sam sighed and stopped as they reached the Quinjet. "You know she hates it when you call her that." His eyes darted around behind them checking for any of the other team members before speaking. "Listen, Alicia is a good addition to this team, a great one even. She's got the skills you just refuse to see through whatever machismo front your putting up to hide the fact that somewhere deep down in that robo-brain of yours you actually like her."
His heart started to race and it was one of the many times that Bucky was thankful Sam didn't have super hearing. "I don't like her."
"You do."
"No, I don't."
Sam rolled his eyes and shook his head, "okay argue with me all you want, but she's still your partner on this mission so learn to actually listen to what she has to say."
"I wouldn't need to if she would just listen–"
"Reporting for Duty sir." The sound of her voice carried through the hangar. Soft yet commanded the space around her. Chills ran down his spine the moment her footsteps stopped behind him.
"Agent," Sam nodded, "you'll be with Barnes today."
Bucky turned just in time to see the slight fall of her features before she caught herself and pinned her shoulders back with a nod. "Great."
Sam let out a chuckle and patted Bucky on the shoulder before climbing into the quinjet without them.
"Where do you need me, Barnes?" Alicia asked.
"Everywhere," Bucky thought, but managed to hold his composure in front of her. She looked at him with a raised brow, blue eyes boring into his with an intensity that he had to admire.
Alicia knew how to stand tall in front of him, shoulders rolled back so every vibe coming from her screamed confidence.
"You can go over the weapons once more, while I get the baby in the air. Make sure everything is as I taught you," he eventually answered. Alicia nodded, spun on her heels and stepped into the Quinjet.
