Roswell (S. Rogers & B. Barnes)

48.

Roswell stands talking with Loki who smirks a little seeing Bucky hovering close, still trying so hard to hide the fact that he and Steve are both dating Roswell. Loki saw it straight away, he knows none of the others have noticed so far but Bucky is hardly subtle so they'll all know soon enough.

"Thank you for your help" Roswell tells Loki who smiles at her, he looks down at the jar that now hold the Fae.

"Well, thank you too" he corrects. "I shall make sure that this" he holds out the jar. "Can never be opened again"

"We were lucky" Steve offers. "That only that one shield agent got hurt" Roswell hums in agreement before turning to Bucky who holds up his hands.

"I will ask for candy for now on" Bucky assures them all. "No more poking in jars older than me" Roswell snorts a little. "Older than you" he corrects as he kisses her cheek.

"Better" She comments with a smile, Bucky nudges her cheek with his nose before pulling back as Thor walks into the room. Roswell looks down and takes Steve's hand, he squeezes back gently. Loki glances to Thor and then back at Roswell.

"I would decide to stay" Loki comments shooting Thor a look. "If it were an option" he turns back to Roswell. "But sadly, it's not, even if it was, I doubt the rest of your team would be agreeable"

"Clint would have a hard time" Steve offers. "It's just not practical" Loki shrugs a little, he didn't actually think him staying was a option, Odin would never allow for it anyway. Thor turns to Loki and raises an eyebrow. Surprised by his statement about staying. Loki hasn't exactly made it secret that he hates this place.

"It was fascinating to meet you, little hunter" Loki offers with a smile before he and Thor leave, Roswell lets out a breath and leans into Steve's side.

"Is it weird that I think I'm going to miss him?" she asks, Steve smiles down at her warmly as he wraps his arm around her waist.

"I know me and Bucky don't share your....knowledge base, it must have been nice to have someone that knows about all the mythology to talk to, so no....it's not weird" she looks up at him and then pushes herself to her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

..............

When Roswell walks into the living room slash kitchen it falls silent, eyes track her as she grabs a water bottle from the fridge before turning to face her friends. Natasha and Wanda appear the most upset. Roswell raises an eyebrow.

"What's going on?" Roswell asks reading the room, something is going on here.

"Are you sleeping with Bucky?" Clint asks her, Roswell glances at him, they can already see the answer in her eyes, she's not a spy, she hasn't been taught to control her emotions, so they know.

"Excuse me?" Roswell asks, Natasha stands from her seat.

"You and Bucky" she answers. "Is that how you thank Steve?" Roswell looks between them, sees the same level of....accusation across all of their faces. "How you treat your friends? The man you claim to love?" Roswell is actually at a loss of words, she wasn't ready for this conversation, she doesn't know what to say in response, because she doesn't want to make it worse. Bucky touches the small of Roswell's back as he joins her, his eyes looking over the others before settling on Natasha who is glaring at him.

"Okay" he comments, surprised and confused, he looks at Roswell. "What's wrong?" Bucky asks noting Roswell's expression, she's pale and...horrified.

"They know" She whispers, Bucky frowns at her and then realizes, his eyes moving to his so called friends.

"No, they don't" he counters, knowing that they are only seeing one thing and not what they actually are. "They've assumed" He corrects and turns his eyes to Natasha. "You didn't think to talk to one of us first?"

"Why so that you could lie about what you've been doing?" Natasha counters and looks at Roswell. "She just another selfish Avenger groupie whore" Natasha states. "Who's wormed her way into our lives and Steve's bed"

"Hey!" Bucky snaps stepping between them, keeping Roswell behind him, standing protective. "Don't talk to her like that, don't you dare" He turns to Roswell but finds her gone. He lifts his eyes, seeking her out, but he knows where she'll go. He turns back to the others, his eyes meeting Wanda's, he shakes his head, disappointed in her sister for not defending her, for not sticking up for her. Bucky scoffs and walks away.

.............

Bucky finds Roswell in his and Steve's apartment, she paces the length of the room, tears silently streaming down her cheeks. Natasha shouldn't have said that. Roswell is not another groupie looking for an in. Bucky knows that. Steve knows that. And deep down so do all the others. He shuts the door behind him and then approaches her, fingers grasping at her shoulder before he tugs her closer. Hugs her tightly, holding her to his chest, she clutches to the back of his shirt.

"It doesn't matter what they think" Bucky tells her softly, brushing his lips over her jaw. "It only matters what you think, what we think" he takes a breath. "Roswell" She backs away from him, he frowns at her. "Roswell?" he asks her.

"Maybe this was a bad idea" she whispers, Bucky shakes his head. "Maybe....I am just...being selfish" he steps closer to her.

"No, no you're not...." he assures her. "What they said....it's not true"

"I've never had anything" she tells him. "Nothing that was truly mine....and maybe I just....maybe I am over compensating for it now" she blinks and tears stream down her face. "You said they would understand because they were my friends....but that was a lie"

"I believed that as much as you, and trust me, I am so very sorry that they reacted like this" Bucky tells her. "I had hoped that they would be better about this, that they would react better"

"I can't do this" she whispers and shakes her head. "I can't...stay here. I don't belong here" he snatches her wrist and pulls her back to him.

"You do" he argues. "You belong with me and Steve...." he reaches up and touches her cheek. "Please don't...." she hangs her head. "Leave...." he begs her as he threads his fingers with hers. "I need you....Steve needs you....we love you"