Steve leans against the kitchen counter with a mug of coffee whilst he watches Roswell, she and Bucky are sat in front of him, she's pulling Bucky's hair up to wrap a band around it, a slice of toast hanging between her lips, there's even jam on her cheek. But he still thinks she's beautiful. And the way she is with Bucky. Steve's dated a few times since coming out of the ice, mostly since he got Bucky back, but they've all be terrified of him, Roswell isn't, at all, she's never shown any form of fear around Bucky. And Roswell is the first outsider Bucky's liked too. Bucky laughs at something Steve missed, but that laugh, Bucky's not laughed like that since the 40's. Steve smiles warmly as Roswell starts blushing, Steve's now sorry he missed whatever passed between the two. Roswell finished Bucky's hair and then pulls the toast from her lips, she kisses Bucky's cheek and stands. This last couple of weeks, since her birthday, Roswell seems to have opened up a bit more, she talks about herself more then before, lets herself get more involved with everyone else. She and Bruce do yoga every morning on the roof. She and Wilson watch western movies together every Wednesday night. She and Rhodey go out for ice cream every Sunday. She listens to Thor tell her stories of Asgard and his people. She helps Peter with his college work. She and Tony even spend time together, yet no one knows what they actually do. But she's more involved, she even helps patch them up if hurt after missions, which she's proven very capable of. Steve is brought out of his thoughts as Roswell grabs her coffee from the counter.
"I have to go to work" she tells them, Bucky pouts at her, she pouts back and then chuckles before turning to leave.
"Roswell" Steve stops her and motions with his finger for her to come to him, she raises an eyebrow and steps towards him. Steve rubs his thumb over her cheek to remove the jam. "Jam" he points out and then sucks on his thumb. She just kind of stares at him. Her eyes wide. Bucky raises an eyebrow looking between them. Steve smiles completely innocently at Roswell who blinks a little. "You have work" Steve reminds her. She nods.
"Right....work" she mumbles and then hurries off to hide her blush, Steve chuckles a little.
"You're so mean" Bucky grumbles with a smirk. Steve leans on the counter as Bucky steals Roswell's toast that she left behind.
"I'm going to ask her out" Steve tells Bucky, who's smile falters for a few seconds before it is back in place.
"Oh?" Bucky asks. Steve nods with his own smile.
"Yeah" Steve answers.
"Like to...date her?" Bucky asks, Steve nods and looks to his friend.
"You're not worried because of what happened with the others, are you?" he asks. "Cause....I waited, you like Roswell"
"I do like her" Bucky agrees. "And I'm not worried"
"Then what is it?" Steve asks, Bucky shrugs.
"Just...she's not been here that long" Bucky mumbles.
"More then a month" Steve points out. Bucky bites into the toast. "You don't approve?" Steve asks, Bucky shrugs a little.
"It's not that" he mumbles around the toast. "It's just...." Bucky shakes his head. "It's just my paranoia" he lies. It's not his paranoia. It's the green eyed monster, and he does not mean the Hulk. He does like Roswell. Probably more then Steve thinks Bucky likes her. But Steve is the better man here. Bucky takes a breath and looks up at Steve. "She's great, Steve, I'm just being ridiculous" Bucky offers. Steve eyes him a moment before nodding.
.................
Tony is following Roswell around her office as she tries to work. He's annoying her already. And asking for her blood. She's already typed a message to Phil about it, and he replied for her to keep telling Tony no. So here Tony is, pleading with her to let him take her blood.
"Because I'm not an Avenger" Roswell argues moving past Tony who turns and follows her as she grabs a few books from her bookshelf.
"But you live with us.....A blood test is protocol" she shakes her head and moves around him again moving back to her desk.
"For Avengers and those on active duty" she tells him and smirks back over her shoulder. "I read the hand book. I'm neither of those" she tells him as the door to her office opens and Phil walks in.
"What do you think you're doing, Mr Stark?" Phil asks, Tony narrows his eyes and looks to Roswell.
"You tattled on me?" Tony asks faux upset.
"Here" Phil holds out a letter to Tony who frowns and takes it to read it.
"You are not allowed to take Roswell Winchester's blood" Tony reads, paraphrasing, of course the letter is more complicated then that. "Really?" Tony asks looking between them.
"I hate needles" She comments trying not the smirk. The problem is that they don't know what databases will have her DNA on record, it's unbelievably easy for her brothers to have accidentally left one of her hairs behind at a crime scene, Dean often tugs on her hair when he hugs her and her hairs can get caught on his sleeve or his watch. Coulson told her to be careful here, not just about that but her powers too, Phil and John always assumed it was something to do with her DNA and she was to keep it hidden. Tony shoots Roswell a look, he doesn't believe her. But it's true, she does actually hate needles.
"This isn't over" Tony warns and leaves the office, Roswell sighs and looks to Phil.
"Thanks" she offers setting the books onto her desk.
"You did right calling for me" Phil offers. "I know you don't like revealing yourself to people"
"It's not that" she argues grabbing some more books. "It's just...John taught me to hide them....back when there was no one else like me out there" Roswell sighs. "Now..." she shakes her head. "With the twins...Thor, even Steve and Bucky..." she then smirks. "Skye" she offers, she'd met the spunky little earthquaker when she was having lunch with Phil the week before. "Lincoln....and the others....it's not like I'm that different any more" she sets those books down. "There are mutants, and inhumans, and super soldiers, and Gods...." she sighs holding a book to her chest. "But I'm so used to hiding them that...I just don't think about" she holds up a hand and curls her fingers, the dark green mist of her abilities wrapping around her fingers, the desk chair moves across the room to her desk and she smiles. Phil smiles too, he's always been proud of this side of her.
"You know how I feel about it" Phil offers, he didn't see the need for her to hide her powers from the Avengers, but it's just been so ingrained in her that she has to it's what she does now. "You know they won't mind" he offers, she shrugs. "John's not around any more, Faye" she snaps her head to him. "The advice and guidance he gave you was fine, for a time when people like you weren't known.....that's not true any more....you don't have to hide who you are any more" she sighs a little.
"I'll think about it" she mumbles. Phil nods and then leaves, Roswell rubs her head and pulls her chair to her with her powers before sitting in it. Phil has a point, if anyone was going to accept her for having powers then it is going to be the Avengers.
.............
Roswell walks into the communal kitchen to find it a hive of activity, most of the Avengers are part suited up or fully suited, except Bucky who seems to be sulking sat at the counter. Roswell moves to him.
"What's going on?" Roswell asks sitting next to Bucky who grumbles a little.
"They have a mission" he answers looking to her.
"And you are grumpy....because" she cocks her head. "You're not allowed to go with them?" she asks, he nods.
"Not yet, you know why" Steve corrects reaching them, he looks to Roswell who is staring at his suit, it's...tight, everywhere. And that navy blue does wonders for his figure, why is it that shade of blue that makes him look that good? "You finished early today?" he asks, she shakes her head a little looking away from him.
"I urm...had something to tell you guys, but if you're busy it can wait, it's not important" Roswell answers, but Bucky notices the disappointment on her face.
"We shouldn't be long" Steve assures her. "It's just a quick infiltrate and grab mission" he tells them. "Coupla' hours tops" he offers softly, she nods and looks down a little. Steve touches her shoulder and she looks up at him. "I have something to talk to you about as well" he admits, she nods.
"Let's go" Tony tells them walking into the room. "Jet's ready" he looks to Roswell and Bucky. "Behave, Kiddos" he teases and then leaves, Bucky rolls his eyes, Bucky leans closer to Roswell.
"You know when I get in the field and someone is aiming at him" he tells her, Roswell looks to him. "I'm gonna let them shoot his stupid ass" she smirks a little and touches his arm.
"Buck" Steve warns but is smiling.
"What?" Bucky asks innocently. Steve pats his shoulder and shakes his head before following the others as they leave. Bucky sighs and looks to Roswell.
"So how come you're not allowed to go with them?" she asks. Bucky knocks on his metal arm.
"Between this and my....mental state" he answers. "So not until the Doc signs me off as mental fit, and I let Stark replace my arm"
"You don't want him to?" she asks softly.
"I don't like people messing with it" he answers. "The last time...." she takes his hand and he looks to her.
"You'll get there" she whispers. "What is it they say? Time heals all wounds?" she asks softly and jumps up. "I've got some more work to do, wanna eat lunch together?" she asks him, he nods.
"Yeah, sounds greats" she ruffles his hair and then walks away, he watches her go and then smiles a little.
................
Bucky holds a paper bag lunch he'd picked up from the cafe in town, he thought it better then trying to cook himself. He flexes his fingers and then knocks on her apartment door, this is more then about the lunch too, he thinks she might want to tell someone whatever it was she was going to tell all of them.
"You want to tell me?" Bucky asks Roswell as she opens her apartment door, she looks to him and then the lunch in his hand. "You seemed a bit upset that you couldn't talk to us before...." she pushes open the door and heads into the apartment, he takes that as a please come in. he shuts the door behind him and looks to Roswell as she drops onto her couch, it's more personal since the last time he was in here, she's decorated, it's very much her, boho even. Bucky sits beside her as she pulls her legs up to sit crossed legged. She takes a breath and then looks to him as he sets the bag on the coffee table.
"Give me your hand" she holds out her own for his, he goes to give her his flesh one, she shakes her head. "The other one" she argues reaching for his metal one, he grumbles a little pulling it back. "It's okay, Bucky" she assures him wrapping her fingers around his wrist and pulls his hand into her lap, she sets it so his palm is pointing up. "Don't freak out" she begs of him. "I....I...I'm not going to hurt you" she promises.
"I know that" he assures her softly. She takes a breath and holds her hand over his, his eyes watching her softly.
"My hand not mu face, Bucky" she teases weakly, he lowers his eyes to her hand as it is consumed in a green mist field, she wiggles her fingers and his wiggle too.
"What are you doing?" he asks her amazed. "How are you doing that?" she lifts her hand and his metal arm follows, he laughs a little and smiles at her.
"When I was 6 an animal got in the house and killed my family" she admits stopping her powers, he pulls his arm back and looks to her sadly. She touches her arm. "The stress, the emotional trauma. It....woke something in me" she lifts her eyes to him. "I developed the ability to manipulate metal....well that's the simple version it's actually more complicated but..." he takes her hand and she shuts up.
"You were afraid to tell us?" he asks, she nods.
"I've actually never told anyone before....Phil knows, my brothers know, my father knew....my uncle knows....but that's it, actually Fury might too but..." she shrugs and looks down. "But I've never actually told anyone myself"
"Show me more" Bucky asks of her. She looks up at him. "Show me" he repeats with a smile.
"Really?" she asks, he nods.