WORLD'S WEIGHT ▹ tfatws

[ 018 ] chapter eighteen

Czarina scrunched her nose on the comment. They just got there, and her father can't be serious on finding a hotel when there's a perfectly good town to stay in.

"Just stay here," Sam gestured at the girl beside him. "Rei wants to stay."

"We're not driving back to the city at night, dad. It's nice here."

"The people in this town are the most welcoming people in the world. They don’t care if you wear small T-shirts or if you have six toes or if your mom’s your aunt."

It only made Bucky chuckled softly. "Okay, I get it. I mean, you know, the people are nice."

To which Sam couldn't help but smile and laugh. "But don’t flirt with my sister." He countered quickly.

"No," the other's expression turned serious quickly, he shook his head in agreement.

"‘Cause if you do, I’ll have Carlos cut you up, feed you to fish."

Czarina laughed at Sam's warning and waved a finger in her father's direction. "Dad, you heard him. I'm not gonna help you."

"Okay," Bucky pursed his mouth and nodded in an awkward manner. He started to turn back to leave and dragged along his kid. "Let's go Rina, we still have to clean up the wheelhouse."

"But we just-,"

"You said you want help, we're not done yet."

A groan sounded from the girl but she ended up following her father to finish their work. 

They end up staying that night at the Wilsons' place. At dinner the two of them helped the siblings on cooking and preparing the family's signature seafood dishes. Sleep didn't fall quickly to her despite the long day they had, after dinner Czarina spent some time with AJ and Cass playing video games. Turns out the three had a common game they all were fixating at. Though Sarah called the two boys exactly at their bedtime and they had to pause their playthrough of the shared game.

"You sure, you're okay on the floor?" The older Barnes asked for the nth time, turning himself sideways on the couch to face his daughter.

"Yes. Do you want me to fall over you? I roll in my sleep. I want my space, dad."

"Oh-kay. Fine, you do you. I'll stay here."

As the whole house rests and the place dims, the two of them in the living room quickly drift to sleep with an ease. Czarina has trouble sleeping in new places but not there, she was sound asleep the entire night. The blonde was only woken up late morning by the sounds coming from the kitchen. 

When the girl's been fully awakened, she tidies up the spot on the floor where she slept. Her father was still sound asleep so Czarina didn't bother waking him up. Instead she heads to the kitchen where Sam, Sarah and the kids are at.

"Hey good morning, Rei." Sam greeted her, he's by the sink arranging stuff on the cabinet.

They were halfway having breakfast. It must be quarter to nine already judging by the light outside.

"Good morning."

"How's your sleep? Is your dad up too?" Sarah asked her.

"Oh, it was good. Thanks for the mattress. Dad's still asleep on the couch," she smiled back.

"Come on, get some breakfast. Omelettes are still warm and you got toast there. We have jams here if you want," her uncle invited and signaled the girl to sit on the spare chair. 

Czarina sat next to the two boys who are eating as well. She picked a couple of toast and scooped some eggs. 

"Hey Rei, Uncle Sam says you have a good memory on science. You wanna look at my project for our science fair?" Cass offered her.