“The serum means you need someone to keep a closer eye on you more than ever,” Bucky mumbled, hands shifting to slip into the pockets of the pajama pants. “You put too much pressure on yourself. Always did. You think it's your job to do things which should fall on others,” he spoke quietly, his eyes taking on a distant look for a moment before following Steve to his bedroom to change. He looked towards the closet, glancing at all the different articles of clothing in there.
Bucky just ended up plucking a pair of dark jeans, an undershirt then a long-sleeved shirt. He looked down at himself and then to Steve. “Whoever is buying you these clothes wants to sleep with you,” he said, glancing at Steve. “They're all two sizes too small,” a light smile slipped onto the corner of his mouth as his had a bit of mischievous sparkle just waiting to burst out. There was still so much of Bucky just below the surface, waiting to break free from what Hydra had done to him.
Bucky paused back a bit when Steve spoke with the elderly lady then fell into step beside his friend, his senses all on high alert for any possible threat. It wouldn't take Hydra long to come after him if they figured out where he was. He was beginning to doubt his decision to find Steve out but then Steve was speaking and he seemed at such ease. Bucky forced himself to relax as he wandered over to where the other man was and listened quietly, answering when asked a question. “I'm not really used to them. Haven't gotten much into the solid foods yet so I haven't really experimented,” he replied, picked up a box of egg rolls when Steve drew his attention to it and flipped it over to look at the picture of an open one. “It just veggies and pork inside a pastry,” he said and set the box down when Steve put his in the cart.
At Steve's question he frowned, shaking his head. “I didn't know I was and I don't know if I still am,” he said, not exactly sure what Steve was asking. Bucky paused, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he looked quickly at Steve before slipping down an aisle and walked out the front doors of the grocery store. His pace was casual and easy as he moved behind the grocery store, there were a few men around the loading docks with their trucks idling. Bucky slowed, he heard footsteps rushing behind him and then slowing as they approached.
“Leave. Don't tell anyone where I am,” he stated, his voice low, dangerous.
A scoff was the reply he got. “I already called them. You're valuable. A perfect killer when programmed properly. But just like any weapon, it needs to be calibrated,” Bucky turned to face the man and squared his shoulders, eyes narrowing at the commando standing a safe distance from him.
Bucky jerked forward and smirked when the man flinched. “Captain Rogers didn't bring his shield. Unless he's got a new collapsible one then he's pretty vulnerable right now, you going to risk him by putting up a fight?”
Bucky's jaw clenched and he stalked forward but turned to catch a bullet which happened to be a tranquilizer and back up, keeping the new guy and the other one in his vision. He didn't have anyway to warn Steve but they were only two though the new guy was completely covered in black with a white across his chest. The one he'd already spoken to stepped back and sat on the loading docks. “You guys are going to want to run away,” he warned the workers who stumbled inside to warn everyone inside. After seeing what had happened with the aliens a few years back and then in DC and pretty much everything, the civilians were taking no chances.
The workers skidded out of the back, yelling for everyone to get out and go through the front doors.
Bucky and Crossbones remained still, just staring at each other before Crossbones took the initiative and ran towards Bucky who dropped to a knee, twisted and threw his metal elbow into the man's gut. Pushing up his hand balled into a fist, catching the jaw of the mask and throwing him backwards. He didn't give the other time to recover as he moved to bring his fist down on his skull.
Crossbones latched onto the metal and grabbed a small knife sheathed in his boot and shoved it between the metal plating near the shoulder junction of Bucky's left arm. The arm spasmed and Bucky was quick to try and retreat but with the way the other had latched onto his arm he couldn't shake and was put off balance by the 200 ish pounds now on the damaged appendage.
Bucky threw himself forward, slamming Crossbones' back against the ground then brought his knee down on Crossbones' neck. He snarled down at him as he applied pressure then threw his head back and cried out at the sudden burn of another knife but this one was embedded in the meat of his upper just below his glute muscle and twisted. He punched to get the man to let go of him and stumbled back, his leg buckling and he hit the ground. He pulled himself away before pushing himself back up, as he did he yanked the blade out and grunted as he was tackled to the ground.
“Asset comply and disengage,” Crossbones spoke for the first time.
“Go fuck yourself,” Bucky ground out, his face being pressed against the asphalt. Crossbones grabbed a handful of dark hair and lifted his head before slamming him face first against the hard ground.
