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He’s noticed her around before. It’s hard not to. She’s all curves and quick wits. He knows who she is, but she doesn’t usually notice him, at least not how everyone else notices him. When he was first recruited, most of the SHIELD agents were wary. He gets that. He did try to kill more than a couple of them (all of them, actually). A few still look him over with calculating eyes. Those are the ones that think they could take him in a fight. They are arrogant and mostly annoying as shit. Now, after working with the Avengers, there are a handful that look at him and don't see the Winter Soldier or a challenge or just another Avenger. They look at him and see James Buchanan Barnes.
Darcy had taken one look at him and just saw Bucky. The first time they met there was no immediate fight or flight reaction from her. She had simply nodded her head in recognition, gave him a bright smile, and continued on her way to the labs. Busy as always. They haven't exchanged anything more than the occasional greeting as they pass in the hall or a quick sharing of intel about where one of the other Avengers have gotten to. He’s noticed her not because she’s goddamn beautiful (she is), but because she’s smart as a whip and can crank out the snark with the best of them. He noticed her because she noticed him.
He’s sitting in the main common area of Avengers Tower when Stark and Darcy come bustling through. Stark has something in his hand that he is rapidly typing on and frowning at increasingly. Darcy is trailing after him with the Stark Tablet she always has with her. She’s lazily flicking things away as Stark continues to rant about fluid dynamic something’s. Darcy knows when to scoff and agree so well that Stark doesn’t even realize that she isn’t paying him the slightest bit of attention. Bucky pushes his hair out of his eyes for what feels like the thousandth time. He ignores the room’s new occupants as he continues to read the book Sam had given him. Harry Potter is kind of a little shit (that reminds Bucky of Steve, or at least the fragments of Steve that he remembers as a kid.)
Stark keeps walking through the room, out into the hall and onwards, as she stops near the couch, near him. He can feel Darcy watching him. He looks up to her staring at him with a raised eyebrow. He huffs. His hair falls in his face, again.
“What?”
She smiles at him and slides something off of her wrist. It’s a thin elastic ring. Now, it’s his turn to raise an eyebrow. She shakes her head and walks around to the back of the couch. He feels her fingers in his hair and stiffens. If she notices, she doesn’t show it. She continues combing her fingers through his hair and oh, she’s putting it in a ponytail. It’s something he’s seen men do. He just hasn’t thought to try it out. Steve hasn’t said anything, but Sam has made subtle comments about new hairstyles these days when they saw a punk kid, an actual punk kid, with a rainbow colored Mohawk. Natasha straight up told him to get a damn haircut, or she’d give him one. He doesn’t want short hair. He’ll look too much like the man he was, the one he barely remembers. He likes his hair this way, most days. He’s pulled from his thoughts by gentle hands on his chin. Darcy’s walked back around the sofa to stand in front of him. He'd been so stuck in his head he hadn't noticed. She turns his face to the side gently. He lets her. She grins at him.
“Congratulations, you’ve upgraded from Sad Hobo to Chic Hobo."
Stark had made the Hobo comment too. Bucky doesn’t give a shit about how he looks. He’s just happy his hair isn’t falling in his face anymore. (He’s just happy to have his free will back and a place to call home with people that care about him and not the status of his missions.)
“Shouldn’t you be following Stark around? "
She rolls her eyes and steps back from him a bit. He hadn’t realized he was feeling crowded until she backed off. He flicks his eyes over her and the relaxed, submissive stance of her body. She really is more observant than most give her credit for.
“I’ve got at least 3 more minutes before he realizes I’m not in the same room as him anymore.”
He laughs. She tilts her head and sticks her hand out to him to shake. It's actually their first official meeting.
“I have to say it’s a good look on you, Barnes.”
He let’s a smile slip onto his face and takes her hand.
“For you? It's just Bucky, Doll.”
She laughs and picks up her tablet. She’s halfway to the door when he speaks. He thinks he already knows her answer.
“Not going to give me your name?”
She throws a smile over her shoulder on her way out. Her bright red lips remind him of another time, and, for once, it’s not a bad memory.
“You know who I am.”
He turns back to his book with a grin still on his face.
Yeah, he does.