Pulling up to Jamie's building had Bucky's eyes widening. He knew that she lived near the Tower, but it hadn't occurred to him until now how fancy a place it would be. Steve pulled the SUV around to where the side where the underground parking was. Parking in the loading area he turned off the car and they got out to begin grabbing boxes. Him and Steve had Sam stack as many boxes as he could before the balance would be off and then they headed for the elevator.
Staring at the boxes in his face Bucky felt like he was out of place. Never had he'd ever lived somewhere so nice outside of the Tower of course. Growing up his family had lived in a fairly decent apartment building back in Brooklyn that was nothing compared to this glass and metal behemoth. The elevator stopped at nearly the highest floor, following behind Steve him and Sam walked down a long hallway to the left. Coming to one of the only doors on this floor Steve set down his load of boxes to unlock three heavy duty deadbolts.
A quick glance at the apartment across the hall showed that Jamie had more locks than them. It got him wondering if she'd ever had her apartment broken into before whether here or somewhere else. Catching his attention Steve tipped his chin towards the left. "Jamie's room is upstairs that way. Yours is down this hall under the stairs."
Sam let out a long whistle as he came in behind him as they stared around at the wide open floor plan of her apartment. Immediately to the right was the kitchen, straight ahead was the massive living and dining room. Going in the direction he'd been told Bucky saw a glass and white concrete staircase that looked out onto the street below. "What does this girl do for work because I think I'm in the wrong field?" Chuckling Steve picked up his stack of boxes.
"She's a freelance photographer for the most part, but she works part time with Time Magazine and a few others. While it makes her decent money she wouldn't be able to afford this place, Tony gave it to her right after the Blip. He wanted her closer to the team than Queen's." That made a lot of sense. He knew that after Thanos Jamie had lost all of her friends and family effectively leaving her all alone.
"This first door on the right is the half bathroom and the one next to it is Jamie's developing room. This one here is your room, Buck." Nodding his head to the left where an open door was he motioned for him to go ahead of him. Striding through into what looked like the fanciest looking hotel room his eyebrows raised up into his hairline.
"Uh, can I move in here and you stay at the Tower? This place is insanely nice." Placing his two boxes down Sam went through the room to explore. A moment later a shout from the bathroom had him going over to see what was going on. "What the hell, man. It's official. I'm going to stay over and I'm gonna sleep right here!"
Stepping into the bright room had him whistling until he saw Sam lounging in the bathtub staring out the nearly floor to ceiling windows. "Get out of there with your shoes on, Wilson. Come on, let's go get the rest of my stuff."
Reluctantly getting out Sam's overdramatic self lovingly patted the bathtub making him roll his eyes. "I'll be back for you another time."
Two more trips had everything up and into his bedroom. He was sorting through the boxes to take his clothes into a decent sized walk-in closet when Steve got a call that had him and Sam worried at first. "Whoa there, Sweetheart, slow down. Jamie, take a breath and start over. Okay? Now tell me what's going on." His blonde head nodded as he listened to Jamie before rushing from the room with Buck hot on his heels to see Steve grab a key from beside the door he told him was her developing room. Staying by the open doorway he looked around the crowded small room as Steve told her, "Okay I'm in here. Where are the cameras you need?"
He walked over and grabbed down a padded black box like bag from on top of a white and glass cabinet. Opening it up showed them dozens of cameras and lenses. Having her repeat herself a couple of times before he found what she told him she needed. Zipping up the bag he carefully held it like a baby. "Alright I've got it. I'll be there as soon as I can. No problem, Pip. Okay, me too, bye."
Hanging up he gave Bucky an apologetic look. Waving him towards the door he told him it was alright. "Go. I'm guessing it's an emergency. We'll be here when you get back."
Switching off the light and locking the room back up Steve nodded his thanks for understanding. "Yeah, about that." Turning around they saw Sam on the phone with a serious expression on his face. "Steve, we need to go. Hill needs me and you ASAP."
"I can go." He started to say when Sam shook his head.
"You've been given the next few days off and Cap's been personally requested. We should be back by either tonight or tomorrow, but we gotta go right now." He could see his best friend was torn on what to do so Bucky stepped up.
"Here, send me the address of where she is and I'll take it to her." Holding out his hands for the bag that Steve was very reluctant to hand over. "You're needed and I've apparently got plenty of time and nothing else to do but unpack."
Handing over the bag Steve sent him the address and Jamie's number as he texted her to explain the change in plan. "Thanks Buck. Sorry we have to take off."
Waving off his apology they all rushed out of the apartment locking it up as they went. "It's the job. Thanks for helping me move my stuff."
Pressing the call button for the parking garage and then the lobby Sam grinned over at him. "A raincheck on that pizza and beer, Cyborg. Don't think I'll forget."
"I know, I know. Let's just go with Sunday since we've already got plans for dinner." At Steve's shocked expression he chuckled. "You're shit at secrets, punk. I figured it out weeks ago and after I told you I was moving I knew you'd want to do it at my place."
"Whatever, jerk. Just for that you can figure out dinner, Wilson can bring the beer." At Sam's shocked gasp Steve elbowed him as Bucky got off at the lobby level. "Go introduce yourself to John before you go, he's the doorman. Thanks again, Buck."
Telling them both to be safe he did as he was told as he secured Jamie's camera bag across his chest. A tall lanky brunette man in his late twenties came over with his hand out and a smile on his face. "Sergeant Barnes, hello. My name's John Zorn. I'm one of the doormen here for the building."
Shaking his hand Bucky adjusted the strap on the bag that got caught in his leather jacket. "Nice to meet you. I don't want to be rude, but I have to get this to Jamie. Ms Dorsey." He gestured to the small bag.
Smiling, he nodded and headed towards the lobby door "Of course. Here, let me flag you down a cab." Before he could tell him that wasn't necessary the younger man was already outside with his arm out. A moment later a cab pulled up and he had the back door open for him. "Have a nice day, Sergeant Barnes. If you ever need anything don't hesitate to ask."
"Uh, thanks." Sliding in he closed the door reading off the address Steve sent him asking the cabbie to get him there as quickly as he could. Nearly fifteen minutes later they pulled up to a massive glass and steel building. Paying the driver with a nice tip for actually getting him here in half the time it would have normally taken.
Rushing inside to the front desk Bucky told one of the two almost identically dressed blonde women who he was here to see. "Mr Barnes, you're expected. If you could clip this to your jacket I'll take you up to Mr Richelieu's office." Standing up the younger woman smoothed her hands down the mid length dress as she came around to him.
Handing him a small visitors badge she watched until he'd followed her instructions before leading him over to the elevators. Pressing the up button she stood silently beside him and then motioned for him to step in first. He watched as she pressed the button for the top floor and then quietly stood beside him with her hands clasped in front of her. A few minutes later the doors opened and she led him out and down a couple of hallways until they came to a set of crimson red double doors. Knocking on it before she opened it she gestured for Bucky to go inside and then left him to go back downstairs.
Stepping inside he glanced around the expensive room that was about as large as his new living room. His eyes almost immediately locked on Jamie who at that moment saw him. A look of utter relief crossed her beautiful face. Fast walking across the room where her setup was, she flung herself into his arms wrapping her arms around his neck. "Bucky! Oh my god, I could kiss you! Thank you so much for bringing my cameras."
Thinking to himself that he wouldn't mind a kiss or two at all he wrapped his metal arm around her small frame as he set her back on her feet. "I'm just glad I could help. What happened to your other camera?"
Taking her bag from him she shook her head sending her long hair over her shoulder as she sadly looked over at the table where her broken camera sat. "I don't know. One minute it was on the table the next it was in pieces on the floor."
Biting her trembling bottom lip he could see that she was more upset than he would have thought. Did something else happen, he wondered. "Jamie, what's wrong?"
"I'm sorry, it's just..." She swiped at her eyes as she chewed on her bottom lip. "Tony brought me that camera the day I graduated from NYU. It's not just that it's an expensive camera..it's the sentimental value that has me so upset."
Giving her a comforting hug he kept his arm around her as he walked them over to pick it up. Looking at the badly cracked lense he asked, "Is there any chance it can get fixed?"
Carefully unzipping the bag she picked up one of the two cameras inside. She grabbed it out and attached the lense she needed. "Maybe, I don't know. I'll have to take it to my friend Charlie who works on them. If anyone could fix it it would be him."
A silky French accented voice spoke up behind them making them turn around to see a decently handsome man in his late twenties or early thirties. "I see your friend has arrived, mademoiselle Dorsey."
The Frenchman was about his height, slight in build but Buck could tell by how he carried himself he was leanly muscled. He was probably someone who only exercised for his image though, not like him or Steve who did it for their job. Dressed in an impeccably tailored dark blue suit he walked over to them with a wide smile on his neatly trimmed bearded face. Running his hand through his brown, nearly black hair to get it out of his eyes the man held out his hand. "Henri Richelieu and you are not Captain Rogers."
"No, he was called away for a job. I'm Bucky Barnes." He said taking the Frenchman's offered hand. Immediately he didn't like him. There was something about this man that set Bucky's teeth on edge. Taking his hand back he placed it on Jamie's upper back, settling her firmly by his side and away from Richelieu.
"Sergeant Barnes. Yes, I've heard all about you. Nasty business Hydra. Good riddance to bad rubbish." The man's dark brown eyes sparkled with amusement at the possessive gesture as he spoke to him. "Please, Sergeant, stay. There's a refreshment table, help yourself while you wait for this enchanting woman." Giving Jamie his full attention he told her he was ready whenever she was. "Where would you like me?"
Snapping back into work mode, Jamie had her assistant fix the lights she used while she took Richelieu's offered arm and led him over to his large dark walnut desk telling him to sit. "We'll start here and then work our way over to the windows."
He moved out of the way of the people working as the reporter picked up where they left off. Answering the man's questions Richelieu kept his dark eyes on Jamie, a small smirk on his smarmy face the whole time. Clenching his jaw Bucky leaned against the back wall as he stared at the man trying to impress her as she took his pictures. Every little laugh or flirty comeback had him seeing red. He knew she was humoring this asshole, but he didn't like seeing her flirt with him. Seeing that he wasn't going to get much more out of him the reporter thanked Richelieu for his time and packed up his things. Nodding his head as if he was a king he dismissed him with a wave of his manicured hand. After half an hour Jamie informed him she had all she needed. "Thank you for your patience and willingness to wait for my backup to get here."
Standing up from where he was seated by the wall of windows he gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's no trouble at all. I insist that you allow me to replace your camera or at least get it repaired."
Walking over to the table with her things on it she put her cameras away before helping her assistant break down the rest of their gear. "You don't need to do that, Mr Richelieu. Accidents happen." Even if he could tell she was a hundred percent upset about it she didn't let it show.
"Please, call me Henri and like I said, I insist. I refuse to let you be upset about something that clearly means so much to you. Take it to whomever you need to and send me the bill." Glancing in Bucky's direction he saw the black look on his face knowing that he knew what he was doing.
Giving in, Jamie zipped up the last of the bags before standing with her hands on her hips. "I'll have to check with our legal department to make sure that you can do that. If they give the green light, then sure. If not then I appreciate the gesture."
Handing her a small crisp white card he told her, "Here's my personal number. Call me when you find out, or any time really."
Taking the card Jamie slipped it into her back pocket and came over where Buck was holding up her jacket. Thanking him, her and her assistant grabbed as many of the bags of gear as he would allow them and led the way out of the office to the elevators. Once they were inside the young dirty blonde woman elbowed Jamie's side grinning widely. "He liked you! All of that flirting and teasing. Insisting you call him by his first name. He barely answered any of Chuck's questions half the time."
"Oh please, Mya, I'm sure he's like that with anyone with a pair of decent breasts." She said, brushing off the other woman's comments with an eye roll that had Bucky pleased that she didn't seem to feed into the Frenchman's charms. "Besides, I'm already sort of seeing someone and I so can not juggle more than one man at a time."
Instantly Bucky's attention zeroed in on their conversation. He didn't know she was seeing anyone. Neither Peter or Steve had said anything to him about that. Maybe they didn't know. Sending him a wink Mya said, "Who? Please tell me it's this guy or Steve."
Shaking her head in the negative, Jamie placed a small hand on his arm. "This would be my new roommate Bucky and no. It's not him or Steve. Besides, I told you I haven't talked to Steve in months until yesterday. If you must know, I'm tentatively seeing Thomas."
"Thomas? Your hot ex boyfriend, who's a cop, Thomas?" At Jamie's nod and grin the younger woman honest to god squealed with excitement. "You'll have to tell me all of the details later."
"Sorry about her. She's a ditz for gossip." Mya's gasp turned into a shrug and a 'what can I say' face. Bucky gave her a grimace of a smile and retreated into himself until they got down to the lobby where he helped them load up their bags into the trunk of Mya's car.
Handing Bucky her keys and some money she told him, "I'm really sorry about the whole key situation. There should be a place near our apartment where you can get a set made."
"It's no problem at all, really." He reassured her as he pocketed the keys so he wouldn't lose them.
Smiling up at him she asked, "Were you able to settle in alright? Find where everything is?"
Chuckling, he nodded. "Your place is massive, but I figured it out fairly easily and don't worry about the keys. Life happens and Steve has a set." Poking his stomach Jamie scrunched her nose adorably at him.
"You mean our place. You live there now too. I really hate to run, but I've got a meeting and I need to see if legal will allow for Mr Richelieu to pay to repair my camera. I'll be back later tonight though. Maybe we can order in some dinner and get to know each other better?" Liking this idea he eagerly agrees. She might be seeing someone, but she said it wasn't a sure thing.
"Sounds good to me, but no ordering out. I'm going grocery shopping so I'll grab stuff to make you dinner." Snaking her arms around his waist she gave him a hug lightly burying her head into his chest. Squeezing her back gently, but tightly he sent her on her way when Mya honked the horn to hurry her up. He watched until they had been swallowed up by the sea of traffic before hailing himself a cab to go to the closest grocery store by their apartment.
*Authors note*
It's officially March 10th. Happy birthday to our adorably surly super soldier Bucky Barnes 🖤