I put away the last of the groceries in the fridge when I heard a ringing of my doorbell.
I opened the door and raised an eyebrow when I saw Bucky standing there with a duffel bag on his shoulder.
"Long time, Barnes." I said, leaning against the frame.
"Long time," he repeated.
"If you're here to say another "I'm sorry" about Steve, save me the pain and just don't." I said.
His face fell from a little smile he had on. "I wasn't going to, Alexandria. I came here because . . . well, because I don't have anywhere else to live."
"And you want to crash here, is that it?" I asked.
"Could I? It'll only be for one night, then I'll get out of your hair."
"Speaking of, I like your haircut. Looks good on you." I looked at him with his short hair, his blue eyes now more pronounced.
"Oh, thanks. So . . .?"
I scoffed in amusement and jerked my head inside, pushing away from the frame. "One night, Barnes."
Bucky walked into the house and let the door swing shut behind him, following me into the living room.
"Set your bag anywhere. It's just me here, so you don't have to be all polite and stuff." I said, dropping myself onto the couch.
He dropped his bag on a red cushioned chair and sat next to me, a reasonable distance so I want uncomfortable.
"So . . ." Bucky breathed out, unsure of what to say next.
"So . . . what have you been doing?" I asked, starting up the conversation.
"Going to therapy. Sam insisted that I go, then he just took off to join the Air Force." Bucky replied, looking at me. "What about you?"
"I bought the house, as you can see. Been living on my own ever since." I said.
"What. No . . . boyfriend?"
"Is that a sly way of asking if I'm still single?"
"What? No."
I chuckled and bumped into him. "I'm just kidding. And, no. I don't have a boyfriend. Just me and Oakley."
"Oakley?" Bucky repeated, confused.
A Golden Retriever puppy ran into the room with his tail wagging, springing up onto the couch and wriggling his way under my hands to lay across my lap.
"Yup. This is Oakley. I found him on the streets and got him to the shelter, then adopted him a few days after I got situated here." I said, scratching the dog's head fondly.
"Cute dog,"
Oakley lifted his head up and looked at Bucky, getting out from under my hands and nudging his arm.
Bucky smiled softly and let Oakley curl up under his arm, pressed up against his leg and shutting his eyes.
"Looks like someone likes you." I said.
"Looks like. It's weird,"
"To have someone like you?"
"No, well, yes. But being a civilian. It's hard to adjust." He said, settling his arm on the dog's side.
"Yeah—" my phone rang loudly and I apologized to him, picked up the phone and seeing the Caller ID: Sammy boy.
"What do you want, Sam?" I asked, putting it up to my ear.
"Tell Barnes to stop avoiding my texts." Sam replied.
I looked at Bucky. ". . . okay. That all?"
"Yup. Bye,"
"Bye," I hung up and set my phone on the coffee table. "Sam wants you to stop ignoring his texts."
"And I want him to stop texting me." Bucky replied.
"Well, we can't all get what we want. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices." I said.
". . . wow. You sounded like Steve at that moment." he said.
"It comes and goes,"
———
Oakley licked my face and nuzzled my cheek, laying down on top of me.
"Get off, Oakley. Go bother Bucky." I grumbled, very tired.
He whined and rolled off of me, flopping on the bed and burrowing under the covers.
I chuckled and got out of bed, walking out of my room and heading into the kitchen, glancing to the living room where Bucky laid sleeping on the floor, looking restless, but that was normal.
I put on a pot of coffee and watched in silence as the brown liquid bubbled and boiled from the heat.
"Alexandria,"
I turned around and looked at Bucky, seeing his slightly terrified eyes. "Hey, Bucky. Everything okay?"
"Yeah, just nightmares." He rubbed his eyes, chuckling softly and getting up.
"Woah, put on a shirt." I said, trying my best not to look at his bare chest. "I don't want you to get burnt from the coffee. I literally just made it."
"I'll be fine." He ignored my request and walked into the kitchen, grabbing the pot and pouring two mugs and handing one of them to me.
"Want to talk about it?" I asked.
"It was just a dream about HYDRA. Nothing to worry about now."
". . . you sure?"
"Yeah," he smiled thinly, taking a sip of his coffee.
I took a sip of my own. "What do you miss about Steve?" I asked quietly.
"Everything. I miss his annoying eternal optimism and patriotism." He replied.
"Yeah. I'm not as annoying like that."
"But still kind of annoying."
"Can't argue with you there. I am pretty stubborn." I said, smiling at him and I took another sip of my coffee.
He smiled and finished his coffee, setting it down on the counter. "I have to go to therapy tomorrow at noon. Want to have lunch after?"
"I thought you usually had lunch with Yori on Wednesdays." I said.
"Yeah, usually. But I can reschedule with him." He said.
I smiled. "I appreciate the offer, Bucky, but I don't want to make Yori eat by himself. You go on and have lunch with him. Another time maybe."
"Another time then. Clear your calendar. Goodnight, Alexandria." He said, patting my shoulder and going back into the living room as I went back into my room.
———
I waited for him in the lobby of the office when he came out of his therapy session.
"Hey. How'd it go?" I asked.
"The usual. Boring and totally useless." Bucky replied.
"Ah, I get that." I nodded my head, aligning an arm around his shoulder. "Let's get you to lunch with Yori."
"I hate that you're such a control freak." Buck said, a small smile on his face as we walked from the building and onto the streets on Brooklyn.
"Aw. You know you love me." I said.
"I guess I do." He replied, squeezing my shoulders.
Yori and another person were in a fight over . . . trash, it seemed.
"Hey, guys, if you're trying to throw trash away, make sure there's room for me in that dumpster." I said jokingly.
"Wow, you are so self deprecating, Alex." Yori said, smiling at me.
"Thanks, Yori. I'll see you after lunch, Buck." I said to him.
"Fine by me. See you," he waved to me and went down the street with Yori for their lunch.
———
"Calm down, Bucky. It's not like this is your very first date since HYDRA. I know for a fact that you went on at least five dates before this." I said as I tried my best to tie his tie.
"Darn Yori," Buck muttered, fidgeting with his fingers.
"I thought it was rather sweet of him." I relied, smoothing his tie and looking at him, pulling at his collar and folding it down. "You'll be fine. Just think of it like your hanging out with me."
He sighed. "Right now, I'd rather be with you rather than do this."
"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment, or an insult." I chuckled.
"Compliment," he picked up the bouquet of flowers, heading for the door.
"Oh, wait." I grabbed his gloves from the counter and pulled them over his hands, looking at him. "Go out and have fun."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You know what I meant." I laughed, smacking his arm lightly.
"I'll see you later." He said and walked out of the door.
"You can't keep this in, Alex."
I turned around and saw the faint shape of a human being with Steve's voice. "Shut up. You're in my mind, so you're not real."
"I'm just as real as you are, sister." Steve replied, his faint form appearing and walking towards me.
"I'm not going to do what you say. I'm capable of taking care of myself." I said.
"I know that. But when it comes to love . . . let's face it. You're a wreck."
"Oh, wow. Low blow." I sat on the couch and put my head on my palms.
"I don't like seeing you like this. Tell Bucky how you feel."
I turned my green eyes on his and frowned, shaking my head. "No way. He's moving on with his life, and I should also."
"Hate to break it to you, Alexandria. But as long as he is around you, he will never move on with his life."
"Yes, he will." I replied, looking at him for a moment longer.
"No. Don't you dare cut me off." Steve warned.
I waved my hand across his blurry form and he disappeared, leaving me in total darkness with my thoughts.
My phone rang and I jumped from the sharp ringing, opening up my phone and seeing Sarah's face and number flash on the screen.
"What's up, girl?" I asked.
"Oh my gosh, girl, you need to turn on the tv." Sarah replied.
I turned on the tv and saw the mayor talking.
"It is time to introduce your new Captain America." The mayor said.
"I'm sorry, what now?" I asked, still on the phone with Sarah.
Even worse, the new "Captain America" was an ugly butt dude with a very square and punchable face.
"I'M SORRY, WHAT?!" I shouted.
No one shall ever replace Chris Evans. He is the one and only Captain America. EVERYONE ELSE IS AN IMPOSTER!!!