Clocks//Stucky✔

One

Bucky never expected life to be perfect. Not when he was young and carefree. Not when he was living with Steve. Not when he was fighting in the war. And most certainly, not when he was the Winter Soldier

Life certainly wasn't perfect now.

The peeling walls, sodden carpet, leaky ceiling, and cold feeling were all far from perfect. But Bucky was content.

He didn't want to leave the run down shack in the middle of Rootsiküla Estonia. There he was safe. No one could find him there.

But even for a man that didn't want to be found, he still liked the company.

On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and select Saturdays, Aiandama would visit him.

She was a rather short 18-year-old girl who would bring him vegetables from the garden she had. Aiandam lived by herself near Bucky.

Lucky for Bucky, the girl spoke a little English and was fluent in Russian.

Aiandama also taught Bucky some basic Estonian so he could go to the local market and buy dried meat, and if he had a good day, an apple.

For money, Bucky would ask around his small neighborhood and sometimes into town, doing various chores in exchange for a bit of money.

But then it all changed one day.

Bucky yawned and got up, shivering like every other morning. He walked over to the crate that had a gallon milk carton full of homemade black tea that Aiandama had made for him.

Bucky drank little, going to tear a small piece of dried meat from the package. The small strip could last him about 4 hours before he needed a little more.

Bucky noticed he was getting low on said meat, and needed to go into town to get more. He counted up his euros before heading out, baseball cap and jacket on.

As he walked, Bucky felt as if he was being watched. There was always the usual paranoia and PTSD from the soldier, but this was different.

Bucky safely made it to town, letting out a quiet sigh as he made his way to the dried meats.

Double checking his money, he bought a small chunk of dried lamb. He had enough money to last him another two weeks if he conserved. But he knew a few people would have chores for him.

Bucky got a strange urge. He found himself walking towards the small fruit stand. Bucky felt on edge today, so he thought he would have something sweet to calm himself. He bought some strawberries.

"Hei Bucky! (Hey Bucky!)" Aiandama greeted him.

"Tere, Aiandama. K-kuidas s-sa täna h-hommus? (Hello, Aiandama. How are you this morning?)" Bucky tried.

"Good!" Aiandama clapped her hands together. "Ты хорошо разбираешься, Баки. (You're getting good at this, Bucky.)" The language switched once again.

"Я практиковал. (I've been practicing.)" Bucky smiled a little. "Нужна помощь в настройке? (Need any help setting up?)" He added.

"Если вы не возражаете. (If you wouldn't mind.)" Aiandama nodded.

"I should teach you English sometime," Bucky spoke, helping her lay out the various vegetables.

"Можно по русски. Я едва понимаю английский. (Russian, please. I barely understand English.)" She shrugged.

"Я говорил, как мне когда-нибудь научить вас английскому языку. И я мог бы также работать на моем эстонском языке. (I was saying how I should teach you English sometime. And I could also work on my Estonian.)" Bucky explained.

"E-English... hard." Aiandama laughed a bit, moving a couple of things around.

"I agree," Bucky smirked. "Я желаю вам много клиентов. Я сейчас уйду. (I wish you lots of customers. I'll be off now.)" Bucky added once Aiandama was finished setting up her stand.

"Bye Bucky. Thank." She made an attempt at thanking him correctly in English.

"Hüvasti, mu sõber. (Goodbye, my friend.)" He said his own goodbye, turning to walk back to his home.

The feeling of being watched was still present. Bucky knew something was off.