Not That Lucky

#06: A Cinderella Story

"You're the one who charged your brother for a Bluth frozen banana. I mean, it's one banana, Micheal. What could it cost? Ten dollars?" - Lucille Bluth (Arrested Development)

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I was not the kind of person who needed to be social. Maybe once upon a time I had been, but these days being alone didn't bother me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed talking to people and socializing. Granted, usually that was just me pissing someone off with my smart mouth, but everyone needs a hobby. Because I didn't actively need to be social though meant that over the past five years I never really sought it out. Just let it come to me, and it didn't often come to me. That was probably why I was so out of practice.

Why I was so fucking awkward.

"The weather is...real nice." I said slowly. The moment the words came out of my mouth I wanted to open the passenger door of the car I was in and just throw myself out onto the road.

Steve glanced over at me from the driver's seat, "Yeah, it is. Starting to get much colder."

"Yupp." I agreed and ran my hands against my jeans. "Thanks for coming, you really didn't have to."

"No, it's fine. You should thank Tony it's, uh, his car."

"Do you...not have a...?"

"No, I don't." Steve shook his head. "I have a motorcycle, but we thought that wouldn't be very helpful with moving."

I nodded, but technically I wouldn't need much space. I didn't plan on taking much from my apartment with me. Last night was when I got to see the apartment Tony said I could use, and it really came with everything. Literally everything. To the point that it was kind of overwhelming. So much so, that when Tony suggested I go get my stuff this morning I basically ran out only slowing down for Steve to pick me up.

"It's been a while since I've been out this way." Steve said, clearing his throat.

He was sitting stiff in his seat and I assumed that meant he felt as awkward as I did. I offered him a smile, "You're from Brooklyn, right?"

"Yeah. Born and raised." Steve chuckled. "You?"

"I'm from small town Alabama, moved to NYC for college and haven't looked back." I shrugged.

Steve shook his head, glancing over at me, "You don't have much of an accent." I thought back to when Bucky called me out on my accent. At the memory I felt a cold chill run down my spine. The uncomfortable mattress beneath me. The pain, God, so much pain. "Aj? Aj?"

I snapped back to my senses and the coldness was gone. I was sitting in a warm, expensive car with Captain America driving to Jersey City. With a shaky breath I nodded, "Sorry. Um, I do have one it just only slips out when I'm drunk or..."

Dying, apparently.

"Everything alright, doll?" Steve asked and he meant well but the word put me back into that room. I clenched my fist, the nails of my left hand digging into my palm, and slowly I slipped back to reality. What the hell was happening with me?

"Can you not call me that?" I asked, a little more panicked then I meant.

Steve's cheeks tinted pink and he shifted in his seat, "Sorry, I didn't mean any offense. I know it's an old phrase and a lot of women—"

"No, no." I cut him off reassuringly. "It's not that. I promise, Mr. Captain America, sir." He chuckled and I sighed. "You can honestly call me anything you want. Lord, knows I'm probably never gonna get Tony to stop calling me sunshine or Clint from calling me kid. I just... He used that word and when I hear it..."