Checkmate (BuckyBarnes x OC)

Sensation

I was washing the dishes in the kitchen while gently swaying my hips to the rhytm of 'Paper Doll' by the Mills brothers. I kind of put myself in charge of chores duty in the past month. After I was more acquainted with the devices and appliances it was easier for me to help around, since the team had other more important assignments other than house keeping. I noticed most of the men were really neglecting the state of dirty dishes that started to pile up when no one was around to clean them. Tony informed me that a cleaning lady was coming once every two weeks to take care of the dishes and wash the floors of their rooms, the gym and the floor everyone spent most of their time in, which was the floor with the kitchen and the labs. I wasn't the one to talk of cleanliness, I've lived most of my time in a shoddy and untidy facility where I doubt they ever had someone scrub the floors, but I did notice that they'd sometimes even let the dishes pile up for a count of two entire weeks, because none of them bothered to take that half an hour. So, naturally, I took the burden of doing that and also doing laundry. Sometimes I'd notice the men wearing same clothing for weeks because the cleaning lady's job didn't include starting the laundry machine.

I also took up the job of cooking most meals in between my spare time. I felt relaxed when there was only me and my music working about the kitchen and after time I got very experienced in my cuisine. And besides, it's not like I had any real job to do around here, so I might as well make myself useful and learn new things while I'm at it. Steve was always saying I'd make a good wife but I could never imagine myself being married.

Just as I was about to run the dishwasher Sam walked in and yelled; "Wait! Wait! I have another cup!" He ran towards me and managed to shove the cup somewhere between a frying pan and a set of plates. He then closed the device and I ran it.

"You guys drink way too much coffee," I joked. They've been going at it like crazy since they were getting closer and closer with finding Loki's scepter. Sam agreed with me and went to grab another pack of pop tarts from the cupboard over the stove.

"This is Thor's replacement for coffee," Sam said judgingly.

I chuckled a bit and sat on the bar stools that were set by the kitchen counter. I tiredly supported my head with one hand while the other grabbed by the book I've been reading. There was a lot of dishes to take care of, this was my second load and I still had about two to go. Unfortunately, the washing cycles weren't very short, but also not long enough for me to occupy myself with something else like going to the gym or cleaning, so the only distraction I could come up with was reading. I was currently flipping pages through this psychology book on PTSD I found in Natasha's room before I got my own. I borrowed it a long time ago to be acquainted with mine and Bucky's behaviour we might fall into. I wanted to be prepared to assisst with his state just in case we'd find him. However, I was not a big fan of science and self-help books so I tended to avoid them. It was also because I didn't want to come off as something that was broken and needed to be put back together. But I've read through almost every one that I was mildly interested in and this was my best option at the moment.

Sam groaned and sat down beside me to check which book I was reading. When he saw the title he smirked and asked; "Is there a particular reason you're interested in that?"

I didn't sense the suggestive tone he had up until I looked up to glance at his face and quirky eyes. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I knew exactly what he was doing. Ever since he and I had gotten closer he's been really keen on me finding a significant other. The victim of his sarcasm was always Bucky even if he knew how I felt when Bucky began to be the main topic of our conversation. He was my main source of inspiration for my drawings, no matter how messy they were. Of course I cared about him and I think everybody new that bit, but I was still deeply hurt by the action he caused, even if it happened a long time ago. I missed him, naturally, but I wanted to make myself clear when I said that I have no further feelings for the assassin, only Sam undestood it differently. He'd make a suggestive comment in every situation he could find, even if it was completely unrelated to Bucky.