Sad Smiles & Old Scars {Bucky Barnes}

Ch. 4

"Hi!" I'm greeted by a young girl. "Did you find everything okay?" She asks.

"Uh, I think so," I respond as I hand her the pile of clothes and the card Sam gave me. She hands it back to me and explains that I need to "insert the chip". She scans the clothes and I look to the small machine with a screen and a number pad. Once she's finished, she signals for me to use the card. After many failed attempts, I realize that I need to insert the side with the small square into the thin slit for the card. When it beeps she tells me to pull it out. I do so and stick it back in my pocket.

"Perfect, here's your receipt! Enjoy your weekend!" The young girl beams. I turn around with the huge plastic bag full of clothes in my hand and I walk out of the store to be greeted by Sam.

"Ready?" He asks and I nod before following him out of the mall and to his truck. I hand him his card back and he begins speaking. "I got you something."

"Yes, you did. You got me many things," I reply. I put the bag of clothes by my feet and latch the seat buckle.

"You're not wrong," he laughs aloud. He opens a plastic bag and grabs out a white box. "I got you a phone in order to keep in contact with me, Sarah, Bucky, or anyone else you want to talk to. Maybe you can find your family's number and call them?" He suggests, handing me the box.

"Thank you so much," I reply enthusiastically as he drives back towards the apartment. "And I don't- well, I don't have any family to possibly call but I appreciate the gesture."

He doesn't say anything and pulls back into the apartment parking lot. After our farewells, he drops me off beside the apartment complex's doors and drives off to where ever it is he's heading to. With my bags in hand, I make my way up the stairs trying to remember what level Bucky's apartment is on. Once I see a familiar door sign, I know I'm at the right spot. I go to open the door but it's locked. I knock multiple times before it's opened for me.

"I should probably get another key," Bucky says to himself as he lets me in the apartment. "Damn, he sure outdid himself," he says referring to the many items Sam bought for me. I don't say a word to him before heading to my room and locking the door. Knowing I can finally relax, I let out a sigh of relief. I begin hanging my clothes up and putting them away in the dresser along with a few other things Sam picked up for me. I sit down on the bed and start opening the phone box. Outfalls a thick wad of cash and a note.

Hopefully, this will help you get anything else you may need while you stay with Bucky. If Bucky offers you any money, try not to take it. If you really need any more, please message me.
-Sam W.

I smile to myself before sticking it under my pile of underwear in my top drawer. I unclip my stolen pocket knife from the back of my pants and place it under my pillow. I start setting up my phone when I hear a knock on my door. I stand up and unlock it before opening it up just a crack.

"Yes?"

"I was, uh, wondering if you wanted me to order some dinner. I don't feel like cooking anything..." Bucky suggests. I nod with a yes before he asks what I would like to eat. I'm not sure what my options are so I continue looking at him until he says something else. "Pizza and wings it is," he says to himself before walking away. I shut the door once more and lock it before laying on the surface of the bed. Suddenly I feel a bit self-conscious.

He probably thinks I'm crazy. I don't say much to him and he could very well think I'm dumb. I look like I've been beaten up which I have been but he's not going to ask me that. I show up out of nowhere and I'm not sure what Sam has said to him about my situation. My neck looks like a massacre and thank god he can't see my back or he'd probably gag at the sight. I remember how bad the infection was starting to get but I don't want to say anything. I don't want to ask for any more help, they have all already offered me so much, and now this random guy is basically fostering me in his shitty apartment. For all I know he could be a raging alcoholic from the sight of the beer bottles all over the living room.

But again, Sam trusts him to take care of me and give me a place to live until I'm ready to go off on my own, so I'll give him that. I guess I shouldn't be one to judge as he's letting a complete stranger into his home.

Eventually, I hear knocking on the front door.

"Erin, foods here!" Bucky calls out and I assume that means I should come out of the room. I slowly walk out to the living room to see pizza boxes galore, pop, and a bucket of barbecue chicken wings. He's already begun eating so I sit down on the chair across from where he's sitting. I don't want to sit any closer and have it be weird as I'm not quite sure what's customary. With his mouth full he gestures to the food. I reach my hand and grab a slice of pizza. I chow down on it and it is delicious.

"Shit," I mumble under my breath at how good it tastes. I quickly finish my first piece and grab a second.

"Good right?" He asks before taking a swig of his beer, not the pop he bought for me. I roll my eyes and grab an unopened one on the coffee table. "Woah there, kid. You allowed to have one of those?" He asks.

"I am a grown-ass adult... I can have as many as I want," I respond as I crack it open and take a swing.

"Well, I wasn't sure how old you were," he says defensively. The stinging liquid warms my throat. I down my piece of pizza and reach into the bucket of wings. "Slow down there, Speedy Gonzales," he laughs as I eat my food. "You're like a vulture. When was the last time you ate?"

"At Sam's sister's house. I ate all of her baked beans," I reply with a full mouth. He chuckles before shaking his head and eating some more of his food. He switches the television channel to the news. They begin talking about some new Captain America and Bucky sighs. He changes the channel once more to one with old western movies.

"Ah, I love these," he says and puts his food down. He stops eating but I continue munching as I'm not sure when the next time I'll eat is.

Then I stop mid-bite. I'm not with HYDRA right now. I can eat when I want to. I can eat tomorrow morning and tomorrow evening. Anytime I'm hungry, I can eat now. I don't need to worry about when I'll eat. They're not in control of me anymore. There's no need for me to worry about food scarcity. I set my food down and lean back in the chair, watching these random old westerns until I fall asleep, completely forgetting there is a stranger right beside me.