It was a late Sunday afternoon where the city was lazy with expectation of the coming week, as if it slowed down enough, Monday would never come. Lena was lying on her bed staring at the ceiling and the constellations she had painted there. The mural was unfinished, despite having started it months ago in a moment of hyperfixation, but she liked it anyway.
She was waiting to hear the sound of Bucky's motorcycle on the street below and wishing she had a cigarette. She had long ago given up smoking regularly for it left a haunting scent that she could not stand on other people, let alone herself, but the idea of being a normal human being who could develop a nicotine addiction was far more tantalizing; her body metabolized everything far too fast to notice nicotine or caffeine, only submitting to alcohol when consumed in substantial quantities.
Eventually she heard the roar of the motorcycle below and she checked reflection once more before meeting Bucky, smiling fondly at the red leather jacket that had long been a part of her wardrobe.
"Where are we going today?" she asked as he handed her a helmet.
"It's a surprise," he replied, his voice slightly muffled by his own helmet.
"Why is it always a surprise?" Lena laughed, swinging her leg over the bike and wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Because it adds to the suspense," he said, his voice now raised to accommodate the sound of the bike as they sped down the road.
"I didn't know it needed to be suspenseful," she shouted back.
He did not reply but she could feel him chuckle, the laugh reverberating through his body. As they rode through the city Lena could not help but feel that she was living a dream that had for so long evaded her, one of haphazard adventures that left her full of breathless laughter.
It was not far to their destination, of course it never felt far with Bucky's reckless driving. They parked outside a large white building, cranes of the Brooklyn Naval Yard barely visible from this vantage point a couple streets over.
"The shipyard?" Lena asked as she shook out her hair, the blonde catching the light just right that it momentarily gleamed a strawberry red.
Bucky took the helmet from her, securing it to the bike alongside his own, slipping the keys into well black fitting jeans, "Not exactly. But we could go if you want...I know some people."
"Of course you do."
They entered the white building which announced itself as the "Brooklyn Grange." Again Lena noticed the discreet avoidance of regular security that everyone else was subject to, the entrance employees greeting Bucky as "Mr. Buchanan" and nodding as he passed.
"Mr. Buchanan," she said in a mocking tone as they neared an elevator, "why is it that everyone always knows you?"
"I'm a war hero remember, coffee shop girl?" he said as they stepped into the lift.
"I really don't think that everyone is aware of our novella we have going here."
"Then I don't have a better explanation for you," he said, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.
Lena did not respond but was not satisfied with this answer. It lingered on suspicious, but he had given her no other reason to be untrusting. Nothing in her gut screamed danger, in fact quite the opposite, everything about him exuded quiet calm. The elevator lurched to a stop at the top of the building, sunlight flooding their vision.
An expanse of green gardens stretched beyond them, covering the rooftop. Between immaculately cared for rows of plants and vegetables, couples lingered, a slow chatter of voices hidden behind the street noise below. However, the street noise was muted, enough removed by the height of the building that a benevolent calm covered the rooftop.
"This is amazing," Lena said, running forward like an excited child to obtain a better view.
Bucky followed, biting his lip and smiling at her reaction, "Again, I knew you'd like it."
"You always know of the most incredible places in this city. I've traveled the world and lived in some of the world's most beautiful cities, and yet I seem to be missing out on these gems in my own backyard."
"I've lived in this city for a very long time," Bucky chuckled as they made their way around the gardens. "And today specifically they are having a bagel vendor, and I thought you'd enjoy that."
"A bagel vendor!" Lena laughed, "you know me too well!"
They purchased their bagels and cups of black coffee and settled at a nearby table overlooking the city. The sun began to sink behind the skyline, its absence causing the temperature to noticeably drop.
"I feel like we're in that one scene of that early 2000s movie, um High School Musical. I feel like that one rooftop scene," Lena said.
"What are you talking about?"
"You've never seen Highschool Musical?"
"No?"
"No?! Well I guess you'll have to. It's only the most iconic early 2000's movie ever," Lena said, having no idea under what circumstance she herself had ever first watched it.
"You want me to watch a movie that has "high school" and "musical" in its title?"
"I feel like you're a musical person. Sappy romance too," Lena said grinning.
"I still feel like anything with "high school" in the title exempts me from that rule."
"Nope. Now come on, adventure in the rooftop jungle is over, time to watch the best movie series ever."
"There's more than one!" Bucky asked in mock surprise.
"Three of them."
He frowned at her, but followed as she led the way down. Without any more resistance he followed her directions home. All the while astride the motorcycle, hands linked firmly around Bucky's waist, Lena considered that she was inviting one of the only people she considered herself as having befriended since the Blip to her home to watch a cheesy early 2000's movie. Nothing particularly wrong with that I guess. Just a little odd.
Settled amongst a multitude of throw pillows that Lena kept in her living room, the opening credits rolled.
"What exactly is the premise of this movie?" Bucky questioned after the opening karaoke scene.
"Uhm... a sappy early 2000s show for teenagers?"
"But like why-"
"Just watch the movie Bucky," Lena said, turning her attention back to the screen.
At various points throughout the movie Lena hummed under her breath along to the songs, sometimes failing to resist and fully breaking out into song.
Bucky kept side eyeing her and she could not decide if it was because he thought she was outrageously weird to be this invested in a children's movie or if he was uncomfortable being in her apartment. After the conclusion of the first movie Lena launched herself from the couch.
"Intermission! What kind of mid-movie snacks do you like?" she asked, dancing into her kitchen.
"You don't have to-"
"Oh stop, I'm starving so you can't pretend you aren't either."
"Uhm-"
"What are your opinions on cheese quesadillas?" Lena said, staring intently into her fridge.
"Anything with cheese is always a good option?"
"Excellent."
Lena extracted the ingredients from her fridge, Bucky interrupting, insisting that he help. She assigned him the task of grating cheese while she chopped sweet peppers. Their typical banter somewhat faltered as they cooked the small meal together, the task suddenly feeling intimate. Soon they were settled back on the couch shoulder to shoulder, both scalding themselves on melted cheese.
"Definitely a good choice," Bucky said.
Lena tried to reply but her mouth was full. Bucky chuckled softly.
"But I don't understand how that movie can possibly be drug out into two more movies," he said as the opening credits began for the second installment of Highschool Musical.
"You'll just have to wait and see," Lena said grinning.
Again Lena restrained herself from singing along, still failing to recall why it was she had originally come to love these movies, let alone memorized the words. Finally, upon the "I Don't Dance" baseball scene Lena left her seat, stripping her red leather jacket off, throwing it dramatically at Bucky.
He laughed as she danced around the room, "Why do you know these lyrics so well?"
"I don't know, but you're joining me whether you like it or not," she said dramatically offering out a hand to him as the scene continued.
"I don't dance-"
"You can't say that about a song that is literally about not dancing," Lena laughed, leaning her body weight against his resisting arm. She could have easily pulled him from his seat and launched him across the room, but now did not seem like the moment to expose herself as having superhuman strength.
Reluctantly he stood and Lena took the opportunity to strip him of his leather jacket as well, tossing it away onto the couch alongside her own in an attempt to get him to loosen up. He did not resist but tugged at his left glove, assuring it remained securely over his hand. A childish energy filled her limbs as she danced around the room, grabbing a spatula from the kitchen to use as a microphone.
"You know, I really don't know this song-"
"Yes, that is clear. But it's basically different iterations of the same chorus of "I don't dance," not much else to it," Lena said, dramatically offering Bucky the spatula for a verse.
At the conclusion of the scene they both collapsed back into the couch, Lena breathless with teenage glee, Bucky less so, but still grinning wildly.
"See? That was fun," Lena said.
"Yes, but also, that scene was the least hetrosexual thing about this entire movie so far."
Lena doubled over in laughter.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh nothing, just that was not the reaction I was expecting out of you from that scene."
"What were you expecting?"
Lena dropped her tone of voice to match Bucky's, badly imitating him, "That was the most ridiculous scene, what was even the point? Why was there so much dancing? They weren't even properly playing baseball."
This time it was Bucky that doubled over laughing.
They watched the rest of the movie commentating and making interpretations of the movie which Disney had not ever intended. The third movie started playing automatically, extracting a sigh from Bucky.
"We don't have to watch the third one," Lena started.
"No I want to, I feel like I have to know what happens now."
Lena smiled, catching his eyes momentarily before returning her attention to the screen. It was late now, the darkness outside seeping into the apartment, obscured by only a few standalone lamps. She was closer to Bucky, her left arm barely touching his right, and although she did not mean to, she soon found herself leaning into him, head on shoulder. He did not move at the contact, in fact remained unnaturally still.
Lena felt her eyes drooping, attention slipping away from the movie and toward sleep. The characters on the screen soon faded into grotesque outlines barely resembling human shapes as she fought to stay awake. Bucky had shifted to allow her to fall into him, his right arm encircling her frame.
The half dream-like state that one resides in only after falling asleep to a movie remained, Lena's thoughts echoing with the early 2000s soundtrack and flashes of Bucky's wide smile. At some point the movie ended, and Lena was vaguely aware of being lifted from the couch. Momentarily suspended in the air, Lena started to awake, some part of her brain becoming aware that Bucky was carrying her.
"Shhh," he whispered, tucking her into her bed, "I'll call you tomorrow."
Eyes still closed a small smile crossed Lena's features as she curled into the covers, descending back into sleep. Bucky stood for a moment, unable to wrench himself from the sight of the sleeping woman. Finally he turned away, closing her bedroom door silently behind him, and plucking his jacket from the couch as he passed through the apartment and into the hall.
In the street below he looked up at her window before gunning the engine to his motorcycle, smiling with a warmth he had not felt for decades.