Germany was just a foreign to Basil as the rest of the world had been when he first woke from the ice, modern and shiny with barely any recognisable landmarks. Although it was not as bad as New York it was still strange compared to what he had known. The plane landed in a small airstrip outside of Berlin and they soon stole a car to take them into the city. Henry driving with Sam once again in the passenger seat and the three super soldiers squished in the back. The car was some small blue thing that Basil had no idea the make or model. He spent the drive into the city squished with his shoulders up to his chin to make space for Steve's and Bucky's significantly larger frames. (Mostly Steve but Bucky was still bigger than Basil, which he definitely liked when those big, strong shoulders were not pressing bruises into his back). 

"While we were on the plan I made some calls", Steve stated. "There are some people who are going to meet us here". 

"Who?" Basil asked. 

"Just some friends". 

"Why?" 

Steve sighed. "We didn't sign the accords and now we are wanted criminals. They're not going to just let us go, especially not with-" He broke off with a glance at Bucky but they all knew what he meant. 

"But I don't want to fight our friends", Basil murmured. "It is not their fault". 

"We might not have a choice. We need to stop that doctor before he finishes whatever he is planning and Tony and the others cannot be allowed to stand in our way". Steve's voice was confident and firm. He obviously did not like this decision but in true Captain America style, the need to save the world won over the need to save the avengers. The people would survive, their friendships might not. 

"But why can't we just go straight to the Hydra base? Avoid the rest of the avengers", Henry suggested. He steered the car down a busy motorway, the blue vehicle standing out in rows of black and silver boxes. 

"Because to get to the hydra base we need a shield plane", Steve explained. "It has the technology to locate where the base is hidden and we don't have the time to find an alternative. Also we need the tracker to bring Shield after us, they will need to take control of the base". 

"So the plan is to use Shield to clean up our messes", Basil remarked. "Sounds good. They've only been doing that since World War Two". 

"We cannot just leave a base full of hydra secrets to the public", Steve exclaimed. Basil huffed and rolled his eyes. 

"We could just blow the place up afterwards". 

"As someone who has been kept in that base, I agree with that plan", Bucky muttered sourly. Basil grinned in sudden eagerness and turned to bat big green eyes at Steve. 

"Oh pretty please! Can we? It can be just like old times!" 

"Old times? How many times have you blown up a hydra base?" Sam snorted. It was a joke but Basil answered with a wide grin. 

"Personally? Only Five. But Steve's got about ten under his belt". 

Sam sighed and gave them a look in the mirrors. "Why am I not surprised?" Basil would have shrugged if he wasn't half seated on Steve's and Bucky's lap. (He had at least a dozen comments about that in his mind but Henry had threatened to leave him behind and the ginger made good on his threats). 

"Turn here", Steve pointed and the car rolled off the highway and down a concrete road. It took them down round the edge of the city and to the empty underside of a bridge. To their right were empty fields and railway tracks. Quiet and hidden. The car switched off and Steve got out. Basil happily stretched out in the empt space and rolled his shoulders, the joints clicking. 

"So who do you think Steve called?" He asked as the blonde leant against the hood in wait. 

Sam shrugged. "I know a few names but we will see who came in a few hours". Outside, the grey sunlight of a cloudy morning shone down on them. It had been over twenty four hours since they had escaped the facility in Romania. Basil had no doubt that their friends were already in Germany. People like them tended to move fast when needed.

"Ooooo", he hummed as a silver car rolled quietly up under the bridge. "Nice". This word was spoken as Sharon Carter got out. The familiar blonde woman greeted Steve as he walked over. The four other men watching through the glass of the car as she popped the boot. "Aww she brought us presents", Basil cooed as he caught a glimpse of the familiar red, white and blue shield. 

At his side, Bucky shifted uncomfortably. "Can you move your seat up?" 

"No". Sam's expression didn't change. Basil rolled his eyes and gestured for him and Bucky to switch. The blue eyed man shuffled over as he phased through him to take the empty space.

Henry snorted in the front seat, obviously amused by the whole thing. "Testosterone", the word was half sung under his breath and Basil burst into laughter that was hurriedly smothered under his hand. Henry flicked him a grin in the mirror and Basil gave up the fight, laughing loudly. Then he looked out of the window and caught an eyeful of Steve and Sharon sharing a deep kiss.

He stopped laughing and pulled a face. "Oh. Oh ewwww". 

"What?" Sam asked. "Those two have been building up for that for ages. High time". 

"She's Peggy Carter's niece", Basil stated. He turned to Bucky just in time to watch as the slight smile faded into a weirded out look. He flicked Basil a confused glance only to have it confirmed by a nod. 

"Ew". 

"What?" Sam groaned. 

"Steve had a thing for her aunt. They dated", Bucky explained. 

"And now the niece", Basil grimaced. "We're all, what, twice her age?" 

"You can't talk", Henry voiced. "You must of shagged half the gay men in London by now. Nearly all of which were significantly younger than you". 

"Hey! It's hard to find people to fuck when you're in your nineties but still look like mid twenties", Basil scowled. Henry waved a hand to Steve and Sharon, who had now separated, in answer. "That's different", Basil huffed. "I didn't want to fuck any of my one night stand's parents or uncles. Or kiss for that matter". 

"How do you know?" Sam added. From the look on his face he was obviously enjoying this attack on Basil way too much. He jumped and a boot kicked his chair. 

"Because before Blue eyes here", Basil waved a hand at Bucky, who was listening to the whole thing with mild interest. "I had slept and snogged precisely fifteen others. Most of which are dead or it was an encounter that I didn't have much say in, so I am pretty safe. Also, they were all British men and the majority of my hookups since being revived from the ice were American men. What?! I have a type!" The last exclamation was a response to the narrowing of blue eyes on him sharply. 

"We are going to have a talk one day about those 'encounters' where you did not get much of a say in", Bucky spoke through gritted teeth. The polite word almost snarled as something passed by his eyes. Basil blinked in surprise then smiled softly. 

"Did you just remember something?" 

Bucky rubbed his thumbs into the bridge of his nose for a second and sighed. "I remembered the night you explained why a brit like you had been bumped into the 107th. I swear to god Parrish". 

"I was never raped", Basil offered. "If that makes you feel any better. I didn't let them get that far". He glanced round the car that was now filled with sharp silence. Then a pause. "Well, when I was sober I didn't. The other times I was too drunk to remember". 

"It does not". Sam was frowning. "I assume that this happened all back in World War Two?" Then he paused as Basil shrugged, another pause that spoke way too much. "Baz?" 

"Can't you just nag me later?" Basil whined. "Steve's coming back!" 

Sam exhaled loudly through his nose then he caught Henry's expression. "Did you know?" 

"Yeah", Henry rolled his neck and pushed back his ginger hair. "We get drunk together and he has no filter. Also he gets nightmares. Not about those but sometimes he goes out to drink them away and comes home with marks that he can't remember getting". 

"Traitor", Basil hissed. Behind him there was the sound of Steve shoving the gear Sharon had given them into the small car boot.

"You deserve every lecture you get", Henry shot back. "Feral creature". Basil bared his teeth at him and the other man grinned sharply back. 

"Basil", Sam's voice was a warning. "I thought we'd had the talk about self care. Or do we need to go over it again?" 

"Are they rules or just loose guidelines?" 

"Basil?"

"Hi Steve!" Basil chirped as the blonde opened the car door. "Did Sharon give you any knives for me?"

Steve glanced around the car with a frown. "She did. What happened in here? Basil, what did you say?" 

"Why the bloody hell do you automatically assume it's me?" Basil cried as he shuffled over and let the super soldier climb in. 

"Because it normally is", Bucky muttered half under his breath. 

"The betrayal", Basil huffed as he leaned half back against the man. He rested his head on Bucky's shoulder, feeling him stiffen for a second before relaxing. The words came out quiet, just for the two of them. "If you go all winter soldier again then I reserve the right to bite you". 

"Feral brat", Bucky whispered. Basil smiled as the car started up again and they turned around to head back onto the highway. 

unedited 

who has missed Basil? bad self-care is a habit he it still learning to break. but the boys will get there eventually.