look after you × winterwidow & oc

IV. i owe you a lot

The back of the small car Steve chose as a getaway one was extremely small, especially when the person sitting in front, refused to move their seat up, but even moving to the other side didn't help much. The vehicle was just ridiculously sized.

They'd already met with Sharon, who returned Rogers and Wilson's gear and to James' surprise, also had some tactical gear for him, so he didn't have to fight in civilian clothes. It didn't take a genius to notice that she did it because of Steve, not because of him. She wasn't his biggest fan, that much he managed to notice. But she was helping anyway.

Barnes had to hold back a sigh of relief when their blue beetle car entered the airport parking lot and pulled up next to a white van. Steve got out first, and he and Sam followed. The door on the passenger side opened and a young woman stepped out. He couldn't recall her name. From around the bigger car came out another man, greeted by Rogers with a handshake.

"Thanks for having my back."

"I'm mostly here because of Tasha, so it's her you should be thanking." the other man said. "But it was time to get off my ass anyway."

Now James finally recognized him, connecting him to the face he saw in some photographs and videos of Katya that Natasha was showing him quite often. So that was Clint Barton, the man who gave his daughter a life he never had a chance to give her.

"How about our other recruit?" Steve questioned.

"He's rarin' to go." Clint turned around and pulled the back door open. "Had to put a little coffee in him, but... he should be good.

A dark-haired man sat up, looking around confused before getting out and asking what time zone it was. Barton pushed him towards Rogers. He seemed a bit shocked, maybe even starstruck, then he greeted the woman and also Sam, who for some reason called him Tic-Tac. They started a small talk about the dangers and being outside of the law when James caught Clint looking at him. He must have recognized him, and that wasn't so hard since he was the only stranger. He nodded at him and Barnes answered the same way, hoping they'll get a chance to talk later as he had a lot to thank him for.

"We should get moving" James hurried.

"We got a chopper lined up." the archer informed just before an announcement in German came through speakers.

"They're evacuating the airport," Barnes translated. Sam muttered something about Stark.

"Suit up," Rogers commanded.

⧗

Clint approached him minutes before their group was supposed to split up. Barnes was supposed to go with Sam and wait in the airport building. Barton and the woman, whose name was Wanda as he learned not so long ago, planned to keep an eye on everything from the upper levels and Steve was designated, mostly by himself, to do the talking.

"Nice to finally meet you." he extended a hand to him. The other one gripped a collapsible bow. James never saw one like that before. He accepted the hand. "Even though I officially learned about you yesterday. So is it James, Bucky, or what?"

"James's fine," Barnes informed. His old nickname didn't sound quite right anymore, but he never said anything about it even though Steve kept calling him that. "I heard I owe you a lot."

"What, you mean Katya?"

"Her, and Natalia also."

"Natalia? That's a new one." Barton chuckled. "You don't owe me anything. Nat says this every time she has a chance and it's enough."

"She's right though."

"Having Katya around was never a problem." Clint shrugged. "She's a great kid, Natasha did an amazing job with her. Still kinda hard to believe she's the same girl I met in Budapest."