Silhouette || Bucky Barnes

beginnings in manhattan

Manhattan wasn't James Barnes' cup of tea.

He honestly wasn't sure how it could be anyone's.

However, just for the sake of his mother, he had left the comforts of Brooklyn to get her favorite perfume for her birthday the following week.

James walked alone on the dimly lit street, an expensive bottle in the pocket of his navy bomber jacket. If he were anyone else, he would be worried about getting mugged for it.

His three time YMCA welterweight boxing championship medals worked well for him when it came to sketchy streets.

The cool night clutched at the sky, flecks of snow still littering the New York streets. Few buildings kept their lights on, nearly all homes and businesses gone to sleep until dawn.

James walked along the brick street, his footsteps and light humming the loudest thing around. Even all the automobiles had gone quiet for the night. The tall brunet, absently swinging an arm at his side, furrowed his eyebrows as jazz music grew louder. He strained his eyes, a fluorescent red light buzzing in the distance.

There was something oddly intriguing about the aura of it; lively music playing at such a dead hour.

Barnes moved closer, passing the street he should've taken to get back to Brooklyn. He ran a hand through his hair, crossing the bricked street and approached the buzzing theatre.

Decked out in 20s fashion from when it had first been built, the towering building with bright lights and golden detailing was stunning in every way imaginable.

The lit up sign reflected back in James' eyes, his chin tilted up towards the marquee.

B U R L E S Q U E

"Have you ever been inside?"

James quickly looked down, nearly startled by the feminine voice, his blue eyes tinging with light from the glowing marquee. He saw red traces of a figure, having to blink a few times to see the whole picture. "Pardon?"

A soft smile came across ruby red lips, a woman with the most stunning features standing in front of the theatre doors. She wore a dark trench coat tied at her waist tightly, a lit cigarette between two fingers as she remained utterly calm for a woman out alone at night.

"Have you ever been inside before?" she repeated, tapping off the end of her cigarette. Her dark curly hair framed her face perfectly, skin as smooth as porcelain and cheekbones to kill.

"Oh-" James had never stumbled over a girl, yet there he was having to force his words out, "no, miss. I was just walking home."

"By walking right up to the building?" The woman laughed at his soft hesitation. "I was in the alley on my break when you came," she said as she motioned towards the edge of the theatre.

"On break?" James nodded his head towards the building while watching her mysterious brown eyes. "Do you work here?"

The brunette took a short drag on her cigarette, dropping it to her feet and snubbing it out with a low heel. "I do. Highly recommend it, it put me through university."

James lightly smiled, pocketing his hands as he moved just barely closer to her. "College girl, huh? Consider me impressed, miss."

"Gabriella," she corrected as her eyelashes fluttered.

His lips twitched upwards, "Gabriella. Beautiful name for a beautiful dame."

Gabriella grinned softly, "How very clever of you..."

"James," he quickly said when she trailed off for him, "James Barnes. My friends call my Bucky."

Gabriella kept a watchful eye on him, studying his face. "Brooklyn?"

Lightly laughing, he agreed. "How'd you know?"

The young woman motioned to herself, "Queens."

"Well, Miss Gabriella, how'd we both end up in Manhattan?"

"Maybe fate," she said with a grin, "or maybe a wrong turn."

"Bella!"

"That's my cue," Gabriella said as she slowly started to back away. "Coming in or staying out in the cold, Barnes?"

James ran a hand along his jaw, knowing it was already too late to grab a cab back to Brooklyn. "I should head out....looks like a lovely place though."

"You ought to come in some time," Gabriella offered. "I'll make you a mean drink." She turned, pinned up curls brushing her shoulders. "It was nice meeting you, James."

"It's Bucky!" he called after her.

Gabriella stopped in the grandios gold doors of the theatre, lively jazz music spilling out. "I'd call you Bucky, but we're not friends yet, are we?"

A smirk stayed evident on her lips, winking before disappearing inside.

Bucky stood there dumbfoundedly, his mouth half open and his blue eyes still on the spot Gabriella had been only moments before.

He wasn't sure what the hell had just happened.

James checked the watch on the inside of his wrist, lightly swearing to himself. He took a last look at the Burlesque marquee, ducking out from the canopy of the club and heading for Brooklyn.

Steve would be waiting for him.

But as Bucky reached the corner, he glanced back one last time. He knew he'd end up there again, whether he wanted to or not.

And he wanted it.

Only several feet away within the chaos of Johnny's Burlesque, Gabriella hesitated as she untied her jacket backstage. She bit her bottom lip in thought, eyebrows furrowed as she hung up her coat.

For some odd reason, he seemed like the soldier type to her.

James Buchanan Barnes, destined to be a villain,

but fated to be her hero