Lost and Found - Bucky Barnes x OC

Near Miss

He could tell she was quite curvy but he couldn't really make out her figure under her baggy clothes. Worked somewhere messy maybe? Or just didn't give a shit? Hard to say. None of his business either way.

'Don't patronise me' she warned. 'The light was red still. You cut through a red light and nearly hit me. Just be more careful.'

Bucky shrugged. 'OK, if that's what you believe happened, then that's what happened.' He paused, watching her seethe. 'I wasn't even going that fast. But I promise to be more careful regardless'. He shot her a sickly sweet fake smile.

The fact that he wasn't vaguely phased by any of this and hadn't apologised just made Frankie even angrier. She tried to calm herself down, she was in a great mood just minutes ago - she didn't want this jerk-off to ruin it.

'Whatever. Also your bike was making a weird noise. You should get it checked out, sounds like an engine problem' she shot back.

He chuckled. 'Uh huh? Is that so?'

She nodded firmly. 'Yep. Trust me. Take it to the shop as soon as you can.'

He shot her his fake smile again. 'Great advice once again, thank-you. Pleasure meeting you. Have a great day.'

'Oh you too! Try not to nearly kill anyone else today!' she replied shrilly. Turning on her heel she shot off down the street muttering to herself about what an asshole he was.

Bucky rolled his eyes and started up his bike. It sounded fine to him, she just wanted something to yell about. Whatever. And little did she know not managing to not kill or maim people was actually an achievement for him. So the day was a win.

*

Just mere minutes later, Bucky stood staring at his bike. It has broken down just moments ago, practically a few feet from his apartment, and he couldn't get it to start now. He knew a fair few things about bikes, but this had stumped him. He knew he would need to open everything up and take it apart. The thought made him weary. Maybe having a project would be a good thing, to keep his mind distracted and do something worthwhile. In the past if something went wrong like this his handlers or the Avengers' extended crew or whoever would've sorted it for him. But now he felt a bit useless by himself, annoyed that he didn't know what to do.

He thought about the angry attractive woman telling him something was wrong with the bike. Has she somehow cursed him? Was she a witch? Nothing was impossible these days.

He considered texting Sam asking if he had any mechanic contacts in the city but as luck would have it a stranger stopped by and watched him try to start up the engine.

'Oh bummer dude' said the stranger, a youngish skater looking guy with floppy hair and baggy pants. 'That's a sweet ride. Is she all fucked up, man?

Bucky sighed and tried to rev it again. 'Yeah, I guess. I think it's the engine. I can't get it started. And I've tried bump starting.'

The skater guy nodded. 'Bummer. You should take it to Frankie's Garage. Not too far from here, and they're the best, man. My buddies take their bikes there and Frankie fixes 'em up no problem. Not too expensive either if you're a broke dude like me!' he laughed.

Bucky returned a small smile. 'Thanks for the tip. I think it might need a pro, yeah. Where is this place exactly?'

'About three blocks man, go left and then right then left again, can't miss it. I guess you'll need a tow or something to get it there though.'

'I can handle it, thanks' replied Bucky.

The skater's eyes widened in shock as Bucky grabbed the bike with one hand and began to lug it down the street like a briefcase. 'Uh yeah...you're welcome bro'.

*

Bucky and the bike made it to Frankie's Garage shortly after.

The shop was nice. It had retro feel. Well he thought it was, it's hard to define that when you yourself are retro too. It had a large sign with big red text in a handwriting style - Frankie's, since 1974, it looked a bit like the mechanic shops he'd seen in older movies (new movies to him). Welcoming. The shop's front shutters were open so you could see a bunch of mechanics working on cars. Tools everywhere, pop music blasting from tinny speakers. A little parking lot round the back. Really, he should be sorting this himself, but he thought about this being another step forward into the real world again - people's vehicles break down, they take them to be fixed. He is people.

Bucky walked in still gripping the bike and was greeted by an older tall, skinny man in navy mechanic overalls. He had a white patch embroidered with 'Frankie's' on the lapel.

'Hey there Sir, welcome to Frankie's Garage. Cool bike. How can I help you today?'.

'Thanks. I'm having a problem with the engine and can't get it started. Hoping you guys can fix it'.

The man nodded warmly. 'I'm sure we can get her back on the road for ya in no time.' He looked at the bike still nestled under Bucky's arm. 'Wait did you...drag it here?'.

Bucky nodded. 'Yeah I uh...rolled it in. I wasn't too far from here'.

'Oh right. Mister, that must've been hard work! You should've called us, we could've towed it for you'.

Bucky shrugged. 'That's alright, I managed. Do you think you could have a look to see what the problem is, and what fixing it might set me back?'.

The man attempted starting it up and Bucky took him through what had happened and what he'd tried. The man nodded along intently. 'Mmhm. Yep sounds like the engine alright. Battery seems fine. Let me get you our bike expert, hold on - Freddie?' he called out to a young man leaning under a car hood nearby.

'Yep?' replied Freddie, looking up from the hood. He was short statured wearing a cap. Bucky momentarily wondered if he was even old enough to hold a wrench. Freddie turned to look at them.

'Can you go get Frankie? We got a gentleman with a bike problem here' said the tall man.

Freddie nodded 'Sure, one sec-'.

Freddie trailed off when he turned to look at Bucky. It was very fleeting, but Bucky swore he could see a moment of panic in Freddie's wide eyes when he clocked him. Did he recognise him? Or was Bucky just paranoid these days?

Freddie seemed to snap back out of it it as quickly as it happened '-uh yeah one minute. Hold on'. He smiled weakly at Bucky and disappeared to the back of the shop.

Bucky turned to the tall man. 'I thought you were Frankie?'

The man laughed heartily and slapped his thigh at that. 'Ha! Me? I'm afraid not mister. Frankie is a lot prettier than me I'm sorry to say. I'm Dan.'

'Oh, Frankie is a woman?' He said, a hint of surprise in his voice.

'Yes sir. Well, Francesca. But nobody calls her that. The business was her daddy's - Frankie senior. Big Frankie we called him. Great fella, sadly passed on a few years back. But Little Frankie is just as passionate about the job as her daddy was. Not afraid to get her hands dirty yknow? Loves bikes too. Knows everything about them. She'll fix your gal up in no time.'

Bucky nodded, he hadn't realised Dan was so chatty. 'Great'.

He wasn't too surprised by a woman being in charge really, after all it was the twenty first century now - and in the war all the women had pitched in. And he'd lived in Wakanda. He didn't judge anyone by their gender. He was just surprised, he didn't know many women who run mechanic businesses and go by their father's name. But then he didn't really know many women.

Dan continued. 'Just a heads up though. She can be a bit fiery! Why today she was in an awful mood when she came in because some jerk nearly hit her at a crossing. On a bike no less!' he laughed, tapping the bike. 'Oh yep. She was furious. But she's a softie once you get to know her.'

'Ah', replied Bucky. He groaned internally.

Suddenly the work boots and the scruffy clothes made sense. And recognising the bike noise, of course.