The team first meets you during a mission debrief.

You stand quietly at the back, eyes lowered, fingers twitching slightly when Fury introduces you.

Tony tries to joke "What, no dramatic speech? No welcome party?" and gets a sharp elbow from Natasha when you only smile faintly and shake your head.

They quickly realize you don't speak. Not "won't", but can't.

An anxiety thing, shield said…A trauma response.

Bruce sets up a whiteboard in the common room for you to write on, but you rarely use it.

Steve learns to read your expressions faster than anyone.

Sam is the first to try to get you to open up anyway.

"C'mon, I know you wanna roast Tony with me. Just once?"

You grin, but shake your hea again.

Tony mutters "Probably a mercy for me." And your answering scoff does nothing to reassure him.

Natasha's quiet about it, and she doesn't push. She just leaves a mug of tea near you when she makes her own.

Clint leaves a pack of sticky notes on your desk, scribbling for emergencies, or insults' on the top one.

You and Bucky don't talk much at first.

He's quiet too. Stoic, almost brooding.

But one night, you find him in the kitchen ar 2 am., staring out the window, metal fingers drumming on the counter.

You pour him coffee and sit beside him.

No words. Just shared silence.

Over time, that silence turns companionable.

He starts teaching you a bit of sign language, slowly, patiently.

You pick it up fast.

One night, you sign ‘thank you for being patient with me’, and he smiles, small but real.

"You're welcome, doll"

The team starts noticing Bucky lingering wherever you are.

The way he starts fixing your tech, handing you your gear before missions, even sharing playlists with you.

Tony teases him about it once and gets a glare icy enough to shut him up.

Then one early morning, the rest of the team comes downstairs for coffee and freezes mid-step.

You're curled up on the couch, tucked-under Bucky's arm, his hand tracing lazy. circles on your shoulder.

You're murmuring actual words. Quiet and rough, like you haven't used your voice in a long time.

Natasha blinks. "She's talking."

Steve bushes her instantly, motioning everyone back.

You whisper something that makes Bucky laugh softly.

"Yeah, doll" he murmurs. "Nice to hear it out loud"

When you notice them, you go tense, but Bucky just squeezes you closer. "It’s okay" he says gently, Tony, ever the loudmouth, grins. "So that's the trick, huh? Guess we just needed a super soldier and a couch." You can't help it.

You laugh. A tiny, breathy sound, but it's enough to make everyone smile.

From then on, you still don't speak often, but they all know who to call to bring your voice back on the hard days.