The other shoe drops with a thud, and she can see the tips of his ears go pink. It's so unexpectedly endearing that she finds herself smiling a little as his head dips down. Thankfully, now that she knows she can get him to blush, she won't exploit it too often. That kind of thing is best reserved for when the right moment presents itself. She doesn't want to torment him, after all. She just - well, she's not entirely sure. In part, it's just nice to be around someone that understands why she is the way she is without having to explain it. And she genuinely enjoys his company. Which is why she responds, the warm humor evident in her voice, "I know. Couldn't help myself."
Alexei definitely still takes a 'quantity and quality' approach to his food intake. And he's slower than he was when he was younger, but she knows people have underestimated him to their detriment. If he was a little less...boisterous...she'd probably try to engineer him having a conversation with Steve and Bucky. Unfortunately, he doesn't really have any wisdom he'd willingly part with before Bucky would want to punch him. He'd behave too weirdly around Steve to make any headway.
Maybe she can start wearing him down. She makes a mental note to enlist Yelena.
When he finally relaxes, the smirk is still lingering on her lips. Even so, her tone is dry when she answers, "how dare you, I'm a delight." Like there's any way to talk along with a movie without it being obnoxious. Don't worry, Bucky, she at least has enough manners to mouth along silently to herself. Actually. "If you want to test me, you can cue me when you want me to start quoting along." This is absolutely not a skill she should be proud of, but what the hell. Why not? She has so little in her life that she can't trace back to the Red Room. Even things she loves, she's mostly had to reclaim for herself. She comes by this weird little quirk honestly enough that she can call it something that's entirely her.
"we don't even know each other" they both insist, despite standing in the same room, visibly texting
Alexei definitely still takes a 'quantity and quality' approach to his food intake. And he's slower than he was when he was younger, but she knows people have underestimated him to their detriment. If he was a little less...boisterous...she'd probably try to engineer him having a conversation with Steve and Bucky. Unfortunately, he doesn't really have any wisdom he'd willingly part with before Bucky would want to punch him. He'd behave too weirdly around Steve to make any headway.
Maybe she can start wearing him down. She makes a mental note to enlist Yelena.
When he finally relaxes, the smirk is still lingering on her lips. Even so, her tone is dry when she answers, "how dare you, I'm a delight." Like there's any way to talk along with a movie without it being obnoxious. Don't worry, Bucky, she at least has enough manners to mouth along silently to herself. Actually. "If you want to test me, you can cue me when you want me to start quoting along." This is absolutely not a skill she should be proud of, but what the hell. Why not? She has so little in her life that she can't trace back to the Red Room. Even things she loves, she's mostly had to reclaim for herself. She comes by this weird little quirk honestly enough that she can call it something that's entirely her.