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Life sucks with beginner’s luck. You go on a few missions, everything is a walk in the walk, you think you’ve mastered missions, wow everything is amazing, the boom. Broken leg.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the broke bitch herself. I never thought it would catch up to you.” Bucky Barnes was something else. He moved into the compound about the same time I did. At first, I thought it would mean that we would be close friends because we were finding our place in the compound at the same time. Wrong. We were like enemies in a friendly way. Like a rival but the same team. I still haven’t figured out what we’re fighting for, but it’s fun to pick at him sometimes.
“Oh. My. Goodness. The original broke bitch in the flesh. Will you sign my cast? Omg you’re my idol.”
The eye roll is strong with this one. “Ahaha. How funny. What’s next, doll? Want to touch the arm? Brush my hair?” He plops down on the couch beside me, being careful of my leg. We might fight like kids, but we’d never hurt each other.
“Well, you started it. Don’t start something you can’t finish.” All I get in response is a grunt.
I change the channel to Wheel of Fortune. These game shows have actually helped Bucky and Steve more than we thought they would. Now they watch them religiously. I go back to my book though.
We sit in silence like this often when it’s just us. If anyone else was in this area of the compound, in the compound at that, we would bicker and fight, but if it was just us, it was like that competition was gone. We were no longer rivals. There was no attention or favor to fight for. Of course, I wouldn't fight for attention. I understand he needs all he can get because of his time as the Winter Soldier, but I was just a regular freak that Steve picked up on the side of the road. It wasn’t that simple, but you get the jist.
“So....what ya reading?” I peel my eyes from the page. “Uh, it’s this book called Howl’s Moving Castle. I love to reread it every once in a while. There’s a movie, but it isn’t anything like the book. But in the best way possible.”
His eyebrow raises. He turns his head from the television to look at me. He’s doing that stupid smirk. I bet it stole many hearts in the forties…
“Are you saying the movie is better than the book?”
“What? No! This is a case where the book and the movie are both amazing. They focus on entirely different points of interest. The movie is a beautiful tale of love and accepting one’s self while the book is a magical adventure of societal structures and women’s place in society. They are both amazing pieces of art!”
“Here they go again. When are you two lovebirds gonna get on with it and get married? I can hear the wedding bells now.”
“TONY!” Bucky and I scream then our heads swivel back to each other and the fight begins.
“Well, I’m sorry that you have to get so butt hurt about some stupid book. Why can’t you just handle things like an adult?”
“That’s rich coming from you James. I don’t think you’ve handled anything like an adult. Should we bring up Steve’s apple pie? Or what about when you put pop-its under Sam’s toilet seat? Or the time you put KETCHUP PACKETS under Sam’s toilet seat?!”
The argument carried on for a few minutes more, but Tony must have gotten far enough away that the fire died out. We’re both children, so Bucky is cross armed at the television while my nose is back in my book. We probably sat like that for 30 minutes before the explosion happened.
Bucky sprung into action. I sat up as much as one could when their entire leg is in a cast. F.R.I.D.A.Y. comes over the intercom. “There has been a chemical leak in the east wing lab. Immediate evacuation is requested. We ask that you remain calm and follow the predetermined route outside. Further instructions will be given there.”
“Bucky, we’re in the east wing!”
“I know that! C’mon. We’ve got to go. Now.”
Bucky helps me off the couch. I grab my crutches, and we begin our journey outside. Everything is going fine and dandy. No one else seems to be in the east wing, so we carry on quickly. Well, until we get to the elevator.
“I’m sorry Miss. The elevator is not in working condition right now. I must ask that you take the stairs.”
My face falls. “The stairs? Friday, my leg is broken. There’s no way I can wobble down the stairs. Friday? Friday?!”
“I’ll carry you.”
“What? No. You are just gonna throw me down the stairs. I know what you did to Sam.”
“That was different!”
“How so? You were supposed to carry him down the stairs, just like me, but you threw him!”
“I did not throw Sam down the stairs! I rolled him down the stairs. I’m not gonna do that to you.”
“Why should I believe that?”
“Because you’re different. You’re different from everyone else. You’re not Steve or Sam or anyone else for that matter.”
“So, I’m throwable, but Sam isn’t?”
Something broke in him. His eyes darken and metal plates shift. He looks like he could growl. “You’re different than everyone. In the best way possible. Just like your book and movie. Everyone is them, but you’re you. So, let me help you!”
Something in me goes all warm and fuzzy. “Okay. I trust you.”
The air around us changes, There’s no more fear or anger. It’s like we’re a team. He sweeps me up into bridal position, but it’s a little more chaotic because one of my legs is straight out. We quickly descended the stairs. His arms around my body. My arms around his neck. Our faces have never been so close. I can feel his breath on my cheek. From the corner of my eyes, I can see his concentration. I can see the cogs spinning in his head, mapping out every step, so he doesn’t throw the both of us down the stairs. His blue eyes sparkle in the flashing red light. If I was in my right mind, I would even say he was beautiful.
We reach the bottom of the stairs, but he doesn’t put me down. He breaks out in a full sprint. I’m forced to hug his neck tighter. I pull myself into him, trying to make myself smaller for his advantage. It feels like I’m riding a horse. The huffing. The bouncing.
“What are you over there giggling about?”
“It’s like riding a horse. Your huffing, bouncing in your arms, the breeze on my face, the absolute terror of falling.”
“Oh, you think I’m a horse now? I’ll be a horse.” And like the absolute madman he is, Bucky starts doing some weird gallop run, Basically jostling me all around. It’s terrifying, but I can’t help but laugh. A big, full belly laugh. I grip his neck as he twirls and jumps around. Bucky begins to laugh, and not like the hardy hars he gives Sam and Steve. Full body laughs that fill me with happiness. We spin and jump and laugh. We’re like two birds but nowhere near as graceful. That part of me begins to beat and flutter ever fast.
We gallop our way outside, only to be met with no one. “Where is everyone?”
We start looking around from anyone when Tony calls to us from the roof. “There you two are! You missed the debrief. There was a spill. It was just some grape juice onto one of F.R.I.D.A.Y’s sensors. The alarms went off a while ago. Where were you guys?”
Bucky and I looked at each other. “We were trying to get out. I had trouble on the stairs, but we figured it out.”
“Uh huh. You two look like you were in a marathon or a tornado. Are you sure it was the stairs?”
We both scream “yep!” and hurry back inside. Well, Bucky hurried back inside. I can feel the heat coming off of Bucky’s face, so I'm sure he could feel the heat coming from mine.
We make it back to the commons area. Bucky carefully puts me back onto the couch and reclaims his place at my feet. I pick up my book and he continues watching Wheel of Fortune. It’s almost as if nothing happened, but something has changed.
“Hey Buck?”
“Yeah doll?”
“I wouldn’t oppose going horseback riding with you sometime.”
He throws his head back; his body full of laughter. “I wouldn’t mind either, doll.”