Chapter Text
Y/N leaned back in her chair, arching to stretch her spine. After spending hours combing through what had felt like endless files, she was finally finished with the latest data retrieved from an old HYDRA base. She picked up her mug hoping for a mouthful of tea only to look into an empty cup.
“Well, fuck.” She said aloud.
“Ooo, language!” Y/N spun in her chair and saluted Natasha with her middle finger. “Is that any way to greet your best friend?”
“It is when you've run out of Earl Grey after sixteen straight hours of staring at a computer screen,” she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Please don't tell me there's something else.”
“Can I tell you there's something else if I also brought you a fresh chai latte and a blueberry muffin?” Y/N was afraid she would actually start crying.
“Naaaat...” She whined.
“It isn't more files, I swear!”
“All I want is a grilled cheese and then a dark room with a bed.” Natasha held out the drink and pastry as a peace offering, grinning when Y/N took them. Biting into her muffin, she gestured for her friend to speak.
“I just need to you open this box.” Y/N narrowed her eyes and swallowed a mouthful of spicy tea.
“I find that hard to believe.”
“That's it, I promise. Anything inside can wait until you've gotten some rest.”
“And the reason Tony can't do it…?”
“It needs a delicate touch. We don't know if there's anything inside, but it there is we don't want to risk it being sliced in half or torched.” Y/N sighed and threw the wrapper from her muffin into the trash before holding her hands out for the box.
It was heavy for such a small container, about half the size of an average shoe box. A complex looking combination lock stared up at her, most of the markings caked in dust. She gently scraped at one of the dials with a finger nail.
“Even if I could get this clean enough to try and figure out the combination, there are twelve digits. I'll have to take it apart.” She stood up and started rummaging through a drawer, pulling out a pair of magnifying glasses and a set of tiny screwdrivers. Natasha sat in the abandoned chair and started flipping through the information Y/N had just finished collecting while she went to work on the box. The Russian tried to keep her face neutral while her friend muttered curses at the inanimate object. A pile of impossibly small screws formed on the table. Natasha looked up from the paper she was skimming and smiled as Y/N carefully removed the top of the box.
“That was fast.”
“I may be exhausted, but I'm good at what I do- Oh you have got to be fucking kidding me.” Natasha frowned.
“What's the matter?”
“It's a mostly disintegrated, and might I add empty, envelope and a few lines of nonsense on a scrap of paper that isn't in much better shape. I postponed my sandwich and sleep for fifty years of dust and some bits of paper?” She sneezed violently and scowled. “I better not be getting sick now, too.” Y/N sealed the old pieces of paper in a bag and placed it in a larger box with the box she had disassembled.
“I'm sorry it was nothing, sweetie. And I'm sorry I had to bother you.” Y/N sighed and rubbed at her nose.
“No, I'm sorry I snapped at you. It's my job, and it isn't your fault. I'm just overtired.” She put her tools away and yawned. “It might not be nothing, but whatever is on that paper is beyond my knowledge. It looked like chemical compounds or something. I'll get it to Bruce, he has a better chance of understanding what it is.”
“Go get some food and some sleep, Y/N. It can wait.” Natasha said gently.
“No arguments from me,” she replied and surprised her friend by wrapping her up in a hug. “Why do you always smell good? Ugh. I'm loopy. Later, Nat.” Natasha chuckled as her friend stepped back and wandered away. Apparently the lack of sleep was making Y/N extra affectionate.
…
Bucky smelled something delicious. It reminded him of home, a home he still couldn't quite remember, but it made an odd pleasant feeling stir inside of him. Sniffing at the air he followed the smell to the kitchen. Y/N was standing at the stove, and he could see one of her famous grilled cheese sandwiches in the pan. There was something about the woman that made him feel safe and happy. Everything in her appearance was soft. Where Wanda was tall and slender, and Natasha was compact and strong, Y/N was all rounded curves. He liked that she wasn't a fighter, but knew that she took her basic training seriously and could definitely defend herself if there was ever a need. It made him angry when people underestimated her, but she didn't let anyone get away with it.
He thought about the one time the women had talked him and Steve into going out for a few drinks. Y/N had gone up to the bar and a drunk man swaying on his bar stool had not taken her polite denial to his advances very kindly. Bucky's blood had boiled as he listened to the man insult her. She just looked at him with a calm expression while she waited for her drink.
“You sure have a lot to say, don't you?” She had said. “But sweetie, I'm the same fat ass you were just hitting on. You aren't offended by my body, you're having a tantrum because I said no. Have a good night.”
He watched her flip her sandwich onto a plate and turn the stove off.
“Why does food smell so much better when someone else is cooking it?” He wondered out loud. Y/N jumped a little and turned to him with a sleepy looking smile.
“Just one of life's little mysteries I guess.” He stepped closer to her.
“Are you all right?” She looked a little dazed.
“I'm greaaat.” She replied. “Well. Maybe a little hot after standing over the stove.” Bucky nearly bit his tongue when she pulled off her tee shirt.
“Um, Doll?” Y/N giggled and swung the fabric over her head before tossing it at him.
“I love it when you call me 'Doll'. Say it again.” He was rooted to the spot in confusion. Y/N was a confident woman, never making any suggestion that didn't love and appreciate her body, but she was still modest. Tony had walked in on her changing one day and she had made it very clear that she was less than pleased.
“Should I get Natasha? Or Wanda?” He blushed and tried to keep his eyes over her head. Bras had changed a lot since the 40s, and it was taking a lot of will power to not stare at how the silky material held her breasts.
“Bringing up other women when it's just the two of us? Not very nice, Bucky.” She stuck her lip out in an exaggerated pout and started moving towards him.
“Maybe you should just eat your sandwich a-and head to bed. You look kind of tired.”
“You're breaking my heart...” She purred and ran her hands up his chest, resting them on his broad shoulders. “First you mention my girl friends and then you say I 'look tired'.”
“Look, D- um, Y/N,” he swallowed and tried to ignore how she was pressed up against him. “Have you been drinking? You aren't usually this… Friendly.” She fiddled with the zipper of his hoodie.
“I'm always friendly,” she murmured. “I'm a friendly kind of girl.” Bucky cleared his throat and took her hands, pulling away to look her in the eye.
“Maybe that wasn't the right word. You aren't usually this touchy.”
“It's about time I was. You should be touched. Lord knows I've wanted to. Fuck! You drive me crazy! I just want to get you out of all those layer you're always wearing.” She pulled her hands out of his and unzipped his sweater, pushing the material down his arms.
“Hey! Y/N this isn't like you! What the hell is going on?” Her behavior was starting to really worry him. He grabbed her chin and took a good look at her face. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were glassy. Her pupils were so dilated he could hardly see the color of them. “FRIDAY! I need Natasha and Wanda, now! Something is wrong with Y/N!” She continued to touch him, and by the time the women showed up Y/N was actually nuzzling into his chest.
“What the hell?” Natasha looked pissed. “What happened to her shirt, Barnes?”
“She took it off! I don't know what she's been drinking, but I can't get her to stop touching me.”
“Y/N, sweetie, you're tired. Come on, let's get you to bed.” Natasha tried to pull her away from Bucky, who was gritting his teeth at this point, trying not to react.
“Don't be a party pooper, Nat.” She slurred. Natasha frowned and took in her friend's appearance.
“She can't have been drinking, I saw her thirty minutes ago. There's no way she could get this drunk in that amount of time.” Wanda touched Y/N's forehead.
“It is not from alcohol. I see no memories of eating or drinking anything after the food you gave her.”
“I doubt it was the Starbucks.” She said dryly. Bucky yelped as Y/N wriggled out of Natasha's hold and wrapped herself around him again, grabbing onto his butt.
“Sorry Nat, I think Bucky's my favorite ex-ASSassin.” She giggled.
“Oh for the love of… FRIDAY! Please scan Y/N, can you see anything wrong? Maybe she hit her head or something.” Natasha pried her friend off of the man. Y/N groaned and pouted.
“I can see no evidence of trauma,” FRIDAY's cool tone announced. “However her body is displaying signs similar to someone that has recently used an illicit substance.”
“Drugs? Y/N?” Natasha grabbed her face. “What did you take?”
“I didn't take anything. I just want Bucky. He's so pretty.”
“Natasha, what is the last thing you saw her do?” Wanda asked, trying to calm everyone down.
“I got that box away from Tony before he could break it, and I brought it to her lab to see if she could open it. She took it apart, it was practically empty, she packed it up.”
“The box that was found at the HYDRA base? What was inside?”
“Nothing really! Dust and a piece of paper. And an old envelope, but it was practically falling apart and it was empty.” Natasha frowned and appeared to be thinking again. “She said the paper looked like it had information about some kind of chemical. She breathed in a lot of dust, it made her sneeze.”
“Maybe someone should take another look?” Bucky suggested.
“I'm going to call Bruce, but we should get her to medical. She feels really warm.”
“I'm hot,” Y/N whined. “And dizzy.”
“I'll get Bruce, you and Wanda take care of her.” Bucky said, feeling panic begin to set in.
Wanda and Natasha had a difficult time leading Y/N to the medical wing. With Bucky out of sight her affection spilled on to her friends, gushing about how much she loved them. Wanda ended up with her hair sloppily braided after the short ride in the elevator.
“Okay, let's get you into a bed.” Natasha attempted to lead her while the other woman was clinging to her side.
“Heeyyy where did Buckaroo go?” She giggled madly while her friends did their best to get her settled in one of the rooms. “I love him so much, you don't even know. Never makes me feel like the weird fat girl.” Natasha felt a little pang in her heart.
“No one thinks you're a weird fat girl, Y/N.” She tugged off Y/N's sneakers. Y/N laid back on the bed and laughed.
“I know you don't. It's different with guys, Nah-tash-ah,” she exaggerated each syllable of her name. “I'm either the sister one or the friend one. It's okay though! I like being the friend one.” She pulled on Natasha's arm. “I want to be the friend one with Bucky. Noooo…” she made a face and groaned in frustration. “Date friend.” She sat up and put her hand over her mouth.
“Y/N?” Natasha looked her friend over in alarm.
“I don't feel good Nattie.” Wanda moved quickly and pushed a trash can in front of her before she was violently sick.
“Oh god, do you think she was poisoned?” Natasha looked over at Wanda, her eyes wide with fear.
“I do not know. We need to try and get her temperature down, she is very warm.” Wanda rubbed soothing circles on Y/N's back while she gagged over the bin. “FRIDAY, please contact Dr. Cho, it is an emergency.”
…
The first thing she felt as she woke up was her miserably dry throat, but the throbbing headache was a close second. She opened her eyes and moaned, throwing her hand over her face to block the bright sunlight.
“Sorry, I'll close the blinds.”
“Nat?” Y/N croaked.
“Yeah, it's me. They're shut, you can open your eyes again.”
“I feel like I drank a liquor store, what the hell happened?” Natasha helped her sit up slowly, and then handed her a cup with some ice chips.
“Not too fast with the ice, don't want to upset your stomach.” She sat back down in the chair beside the bed. “How much do you remember?” Y/N sucked on a chunk of ice for a moment, trying to think back.
“I remember you came to my lab,” she said slowly. “I opened something for you?” She looked over at Natasha and the woman nodded. “It was just…Empty.”
“Well, not quite.”
“Oh right, the paper.”
“And the envelope.” Natasha reminded her.
“That was definitely empty.”
“And it was super dusty.”
“Well, yeah it was super old.” Y/N took another spoonful of ice.
“Some of the dust was a very powerful drug, and you inhaled a lot of it.” Y/N rubbed her forehead absently but didn't respond. “There was actually a little bit of information about it in those files you analyzed, HYDRA was using it to incapacitate people. The target would be drugged, and get nice and friendly. Inhibitions are lowered, tongues loosened, and after the information was spilled the person would be left dangerously sick. If they survived, they wouldn't remember a thing.”
“I roofied myself?”
“I wouldn't necessarily put it exactly like that, but yeah. Lucky for everyone Barnes found you cooking your post work, pre bed snack.”
“My hero. I should thank him.” Natasha snorted. “What's so funny?”
“You gave him quite a show, maybe he should thank you.” Heat bloomed on Y/N's face.
“What are you talking about?”
“I guess you took of your shirt and threw it at him like some kind of strip tease,” Natasha swallowed down her laughter as best she could. “By the time me and Wanda showed up to help, you were practically climbing him!”
“Oh my fucking god, I'm gonna throw up. Please tell me you're joking!”
“You grabbed his ass!”
“Noooo...”
“And you told me and Wanda that you love him.” Natasha's voice took on a more serious edge.
“It was just the drug, I didn't know what the hell I was saying.”
“The drug lowered your inhibitions and made you more willing to be completely honest,” Natasha reminded her. “It wouldn't have made you say something you didn't already think or feel.”
“Fine, I love him like a friend. Can you go now? My head is killing me, hopefully literally because this is humiliating.” She rolled over in the bed with her back to Natasha.
“I don't think you love him just as a friend, sweetie. And I know you know I'm right.”
“It doesn't matter how I feel about him, Nat. We're two very different people and friends are all we'll ever be.” Natasha rounded the bed and glared at Y/N, arms crossed in a no nonsense kind of way.
“For being one of the smartest people I know, you sure can be an idiot.”
“Should I get out of bed so you can actually kick me while I'm down? Leave me alone! I feel like death, and I can't remember a time when I've ever felt more embarrassed.” She pulled the blanket tighter around her body and felt the prickle of tears in her eyes. Natasha's face softened.
“I'm sorry.” She said quietly and sat down on the edge of the bed. “You scared the shit out of me, you know?” Y/N smiled weakly.
“I don't think I've ever heard you admit to that.”
“Treasure this moment, because you'll never hear it again, you bitch.” She shook her head and let out a soft laugh. “Seeing you so out of it, not knowing what was wrong or if you would be alright, it was awful. But what hurts even more is knowing that there's still a part of you that doesn't think you're worth everything. If you would just open those pretty little eyes of yours and actually see what's in front of you, you might realize that what you want is just waiting for you to admit to it and take a chance.”
“How can I even look at him after the way I acted, Nat? I pretty much assaulted the guy.”
“No one blames you for that, least of all him.” She stood up and smoothed Y/N's hair back off of her face. “I think you should get some rest, lick your wounds for a little while, and when you're feeling more like your normal, amazing self… You talk to him. I think you'll find that those differences you seem to be hung up on are only skin deep.”