Work Text:
It has been quite some time since Bucky came back to New York. He lastly helped Black Widow to get entirely rid of all Red Room programs. Before that happened, he worked with Hawkeye on finding the assassin that copied the attacks of the, at that time, supposedly dead Natasha Romanoff, aka. the Black Widow, only to then find out that she still was alive - it‘s a bit too complicated and fucked up to explain now.
After helping Natasha with her self-imposed mission, it was a success, though, Natasha had requested of Bucky, she always called him „James“, to please check up on Clint who she left with a note after she left again with the words to please stop caring about people that always hurt him.
Logically speaking, Natasha and Bucky knew that it wouldn’t be Clint if he‘d be smart enough to care about himself rather than others. Though then again, there are people he should care about and he just doesn‘t care enough (his ex-girlfriend). Clint is fucked up.
And because Bucky knew that and because he had promised Natasha, he was currently on his way to the address written down in Hawkeye‘s files. He knew it‘s a rough guess because if anything, Clint could have also possibly retreated to those other 15 safe-houses he has all around the world, or so. Bucky knew only 3 of those locations but they were never hard to find if you looked for them.
But he is also no idiot and would just walk into a situation he was clearly not wanted in, so he calls Clint after having found that idiot‘s number in his contacts - he should have remembered earlier that he saved Clint‘s contact as „the better bird“ to fuck with Sam, Falcon, once.
While the phone rang, Bucky walked with his hood down through the streets to Clint‘s place, always his eyes on his surroundings. Just in case.
“What d‘ya want?“ Clint‘s words were almost earlier in his words than the signal of his call having been picked up.
Bucky grumbles. Alone hearing that voice, down and sulking, Bucky wanted to turn around and just shit on the promise he gave Natasha. But that wouldn‘t be him. Because Clint was a decent friend by now and not that stupid. Sometimes.
“I‘m on my way to yours. Shall I bring something?“ Bucky asked, not even giving Clint a chance to withdraw. Though, the former agent could if he just wanted.
“Thai.“ Clint muttered. Normally he had just hung up but the line remained just with both of them silent.
Bucky knew already what Clint wants, there was no need to wait for the question of „What shall I get you?“, they have done this shit often enough, weirdly enough. They had never even worked that often together but in the end, they seemed to just know each other. Maybe that‘s a good thing about being a spy and an agent - former agent?.
But since Clint didn‘t cut the call, Bucky didn‘t either and they just had the phone call ongoing while being quite. Bucky meanwhile also went through the streets to the closest Thai shop he knows but he was sure that Clint just sat on a couch and stared on a wall.
But they didn‘t even need to say something.
Bucky even ordered the take-out while on phone, Clint could have objected if he wanted. But he didn‘t. Or he was too zoned out.
Okay, maybe Bucky worried a little bit about Clint. How annoying.
The call cut itself at some point. Bucky thinks it was Clint‘s fault, likely the battery ran out. But that was okay, he was there anyway. And could just open Clint‘s front door. That man really didn’t care much about safety.
“I‘m there.“ Bucky called into the apartment before walking in. He was decent enough to slip out of his shoes and jacket and put them to - ah, there are no hangers. Bucky shuffled the shoes to the side and then walked into the apartment, hanging the jacket over a chair this time. He indeed, as he walked further into the accommodation, found Clint on a run down couch, slumped down and just looking ahead.
“You look like shit.” Bucky said, slipping the ordered boxes out of the bag before taking the forks and walking over to Clint, rolling his eyes at the shady couch before sitting down next to Clint and giving him the box.
“You looked at yourself? Still didn’t figure out how showers work?” Clint’s retorted emptily, muttering while opening his box and stabbing into his noodles, slurping them.
Bucky shivered. Idiot.
“Ever heard of chewing?” Bucky hummed and began eating his own order.
They were mostly quiet. Bucky used that time to look through Clint’s living room. Not for blackmail (but he might) but to really get a picture of Clint’s mental state.
Stupid boy really didn’t know how to let go. He always cared for the wrong people even if it ate him alive. Even now, Bucky could swear, Clint was thinking about Natasha.
Betrayal sinks deep but Bucky was sure that Clint wasn’t even thinking about that but rather about what he had done wrong for Natasha to leave him behind like nothing. Stupid boy, as Bucky thought already.
“She’ll come back?” Clint asked into the silence. He had stopped eating and just stared into his noddle box now.
Bucky sighs. He didn’t came here for that. “Why making everything about her?” Bucky just answered with another question, trying to be annoyed while deep down understanding Clint. At least to some extent. Only because he knew that Clint just cared too much.
“You went with her. After she left again.” Clint said, accusatory.
“I didn’t. She wrote me she had to leave and I shall forget about it all.” Bucky partially told the truth.
Clint hummed. “I know her.” He whispered. Clint was sure about it. That Bucky went with Nat. That Nat even requested Bucky. He wasn’t dumb. He may be soft and sensitive when it came to Nat but he also knew Natasha.
“Don’t think about it too much. She left for good reasons.” Bucky said. Busted. Confirmed, Clint thought.
Clint stabbed back into his noodles and they continued eating in silence.