Chapter Text
"It's a good job, Buck." Steve stands in the middle of the living space of Bucky's small cabin turned hideout from civilization. He has his hands on his hips and invokes his usual commanding presence reserved for when he talks about anything related to his business. After Steve left the service he started a Bodyguard for hire company for dignitaries and such, recruiting former special forces soldiers like himself and Bucky. Steve's very first contract was an old Military Intelligence contact who happened to own the largest weapons manufacturing company in the World. Steve caught a big break with being hired by Howard Stark because even after Stark's sudden passing, and the company going a different direction than really, really big guns, Steve and his men were kept on and have continued an exclusive contract for Stark Industries ever since.
"It's good pay and considerably low risk. It will be good for you to get back out in the world. You can't be a recluse forever." Steve's voice is ripe with concern at that last part.
"Not with that attitude, you can't." Bucky runs his hand over his full beard and smirks at his own cleverness because he knows it pisses Steve off.
As predicted, Steve hands Bucky a pleading look paired with an ever-so-slight slump to his shoulders. Bucky hates that it makes him regret his playful dig. He gets so few chances to joke with anyone, what with living completely isolated and all.
"And I just gotta babysit the kid?" Bucky scratches the back of his head with his prosthetic. To be honest, Bucky is a little unsure of why Steve trekked it all the way out to Bucky's nook just to offer a nanny position.
"Girl." Steve clears his throat. "Woman, actually. Tony Stark's love child. Stark has been able to help her keep a super low profile her whole life until some snoop found out a few months ago and she has since been thrust into the spotlight. She's not exactly happy about it and that paired with a recent cause for increased security detail are only making it worse. I could really use you on this one, Bucky. She actually not all that much younger than us and you've got a particular skill set maybe the older fellows I have been pairing with her don't."
"You need a sniper on this one?" What kind of shit was Steve running on this? Though, Bucky has got to hand it to him. Steve got closer to Bucky’s set perimeter around his abode before Bucky noticed than anyone else had before. Maybe Steve's turn in the private sector was keeping his special forces training more honed than Bucky would assume. Maybe it would be refreshing to get out and run some drills.
"Charm." Steve offers and draws Bucky from his thoughts. Steve continues on with an amused grin after he realizes that Bucky finally processed what he had said. "Might make the transition easier on her. If she feels more looked out for than looked after."
"I hate to tell you, Punk but I don't think you'll find much charm left lingering around here anymore." Bucky gives a shrug. "Plus she sounds difficult. Poor little Heiress doesn't like her security detail? How many of your guys has she been through?"
"Since she was outed three months ago?" Steve puffs a hair from his forehead while looking up to recall. "Four." Bucky winces. Yep. Difficult al'right. "You'll be the fifth as soon as we get you a little bit of protocol training and extract Duncan."
"You're talking like I've already accepted it." Bucky knows that is deliberate.
"Haven't you though?" Steve smiles around his nod and goes to grab his coat from the back of one of the two chairs set at the handmade wood table. "I'll give you 3 days to get everything in order and then we'll take a week to get you set up. Meet me at 0800 outside the garage at Stark Towers. I trust you can find it. You're going to need a suit." Steve is listing everything off as he makes his way to the door and leaves no space for Bucky to turn him down.
"Anything else? Boss?" Bucky salutes towards Steve's back that indicates anything but respect.
"Yeah. Get a haircut. You look like the Goddamn Unibomer out here." Steve lets himself out.