❝A GIRL? SINCE WHEN?❞
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IT'S A NICE FEELING TO BELIEVE YOU'RE STRONG, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE DOING IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. Which is the only explanation as to why Steven Grant Rogers is backed up into an alley corner, getting beat up. But still yet claiming, 'I can do this all day.' Steve still felt strong enough to say that, despite not even getting a single punch in.
But it didn't matter to him. This asshole was disrespecting soldiers, disrespecting Bucky. So he took each punch with pride because though he could barely fight back, Steve knows he's doing this for all the right reasons. So it didn't bug him much about being in a back alley - basically defenseless. Well, that was until Bucky and Carmen found their friend on the floor in the alley, and decided to be in his defense.
Bucky pulled the guy back, "hey pick on someone your own size." Bucky told him, pushing the guy away. But the jerk didn't give up and tried to throw a punch at Bucky, which he easily dodged. So with that Bucky threw a punch at him, and as the jerk ran away, kicked him in the bottom. This resulted in Bucky turning back around to Steve. "Sometimes I think you like getting punched."
Steve, still on the floor, scattered to gather his belongings, but Bucky had already grabbed them for his friend. "I had him on the ropes."
"Of course you did," Carmen told him sarcastically while giving Steve a hand up.
As she did this, Bucky opened up one of Steve's papers. Which just so happened to be, another, enlistment form. "How many times is this?" Bucky asked, and upon hearing that Carmen stood beside Bucky in curiosity to read the paper. "Oh, you're from Paramus now?" Bucky looked up at Steve, "you know it's illegal to lie on the enlistment form. And seriously, Jersey?"
Steve just ignored Bucky and decided to ask his two friends a simple question. "You get your orders?"
"The one-o-seventh. Sergeant James Barnes. Shipping out to England first thing tomorrow." Bucky told Steve with a slight grin. Carmen also noticed that Bucky stood a little straighter when telling Steve, then when he told her. The reason simply is because Bucky is finally opening up to this, and is starting to convince himself that he's proud of himself.
Steve then looked at Carmen, as if asking 'what about you?' Carmen cleared her throat slightly, "the same thing. Nurse Ripley, one-o-seventh. I ship out tomorrow as well." She told the boy sadly. Not because she's sad, of course, she'll miss all her family and Steve - who technically is family - but that's not why she spoke to him sadly. Steve has tried so hard, over and over again, and it upset Carmen. She knows how important this is to him. Carmen spoke with sadness, 'cause she's sad for Steve. Not herself.
"I should get going," Steve said softly, now retrieving his things from Bucky. Steve almost began to walk away, but Bucky stopped him.
"Come on man!" Bucky cheered, and Steve looked back at him. "It's Carmen and I's last night! Gotta get you cleaned up." Bucky walked forward and put an arm around Steve. Meanwhile, Carmen walked on the other side of Steve, thus making Steve in the middle of his best friends.
"Why? Where are we going?" Steve asked as Bucky pulled out a flyer. He unfolded it to show Carmen and Steve. When he did so, it revealed an ad to the World Exposition Of Tomorrow.
"The future." Bucky smiled. "Besides I've got some real dolls for us." This made Steve roll his eyes, but nevertheless, just let his friend continue to speak. Which had now just come to a realization to Steve of how chatty Bucky is today. Carmen had yet noticed since she has been with Bucky almost all day. But when Bucky questioned her, she wishes she'd noticed earlier. "What about you Carmen?" Bucky started, now looking at Carmen. "Any special guy you're going with?"
"Oh no," Carmen said with a chuckle while shaking her head. "I was asked but, I'll only be taking Louie." The thing is, Carmen did say yes to that date, but she had to cancel when all Louie could do all week on the phone is rave about this event. When Carmen asked Louie why he doesn't go with some friends, his reply broke her heart even more. The little boy had told her that he has no friends, and nobody likes him because of his stutter. She had than knew she had to cancel.
It would've been much simpler if mama Ripley could take her son. But Carmen's not dumb, she knows her mother is cooped up in their father's hospital room, heartbroken. And though Louie and Carmen are going to lose their father, the girl could never imagine what it's like to lose the love of your life, your soulmate. Her father and mother haven't spent a day without each other since they were about eighteen. It kills Carmen to know that, sadly, soon it won't be that way.
"That's alright!" Steve told her cheerily, "I'd rather be going with you two than Sergeant Barnes over here." When he spoke, Steve made sure to elbow Bucky in the side. But in all honesty? He doesn't mind that Bucky found him a date. What he does mind, is knowing how disappointed the girl will be when she actually sees what he looks like. And sometimes, Steve wishes he could've just fallen in love with Carmen. But only because it would be much easier to get her to fall in love back because she knows the true him, and won't judge him by the outside. But in the end, Steve knows, Carmen isn't his to love that way.
"C'mon it'll be fun!" Bucky protested, "besides, I'm sure Louie and Carmen will join us at one point." Carmen knew Bucky's right, Louie would never hang out with Carmen and not be able to see Steve and Bucky. Louie loves Bucky and Steve just as much as Carmen, and if not more. The little boy looks up to both of them so much, and Louie will always ask how the two older boys are doing. Not because he wants to bring them up, but because he genuinely cares and hopes they're happy.
But Carmen didn't bring that up in her response. She already knows Steve and Bucky know that they'll see the Ripley siblings tonight. Instead, she decided to part ways with the boys. "I have to go," Carmen began, "I have to pick Louie up from the hospital, then I have to change." With that, the three of them parted ways with happy goodbyes, all to get ready for the World Expo.
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Before walking into her dad's hospital room, Carmen tried to steady and calm her breathing. All for the purpose of not walking in there and bursting out in tears at the sight of her father. But also because she feels guilty. Carmen wishes she still has hope for her father living, but she knows, that it would just be false hope.
She also knows her father, and if he could speak right now he'd tell his family; 'a life you can't experience, isn't a life.' And him just laying on the hospital bed, not even being able to speak to those around him, or even open his eyes - it's just not living. George Ripley is basically breathing while being dead.
But in the end, that's her father, and she loves him. So with that, Carmen walked into the room with pride. A smile held to her face, and it wasn't fake. Simply because she's proud of her father, and Carmen knows how good the exhilarating feeling of one being proud of you. She wants her dad to feel that same feeling her parents have given her and Louie all these years.
"Hi ma, Hi Lou." Carmen greeted while walking in. Louie and Ruth both smiled and waved to the girl, watching her walk over to George. "Hi, dad." She greeted while sitting in a chair right next to his hospital bed. She took his cold frailty hand in her lively hand. Carmen gave his hand a squeeze and looked at his - closed - eyes, but as if they were open, Carmen said her next words with meaning. Whether or not he can hear her or not, she just wants to make it very clear. "I'm so proud of you." After the words came from her mouth, Carmen felt a lump in her throat, and she continued to talk, even if her words came out raspy and unclear, all while trying to hold back tears. "I hope you're proud of yourself too."
She didn't know if her next action was just her being selfish because it felt awfully selfish to her when she thought of it. But, Carmen got up to get Louie and leave. She just couldn't help it, or truly and fully explain, she just couldn't look at her father basically lifeless. It killed her to bits and pieces, and Carmen believes she's supposed to be the strong one, for everyone. Which is why she holds her emotions until she can scream, or no longer breathe.
"Alright Lou," Carmen told him while resting her arm on his head in a teasing way. "We don't want to be late, and just for you, I won't go home and change." She told him, while Louie giggled and shook her arm off his head.
"Yay!" Louie cheered and ran to the door. But before he ran out he smiled brightly at his mother and father and waved harshly. "B-b-bye ma! B-bye d-d-dad!" After doing so, the excited boy turned to Carmen and gave a motion for her to hurry up. "Come on C-Carmen! We don't w-w-wanna be late!" Carmen let out a chuckle but nevertheless followed her little brother out.
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Carmen and Louie had been silent the whole ride to the World Expo. And quite honestly, Carmen didn't know why. She assumed it was Louie's excitement wandering, causing him to think of what wonders could possibly be at the event. After all, what much more could an eleven-year-old be thinking of?
"Hey, C-Carmen?" Louie said, messing with his seatbelt. Carmen glanced for a second at her brother, before looking back at the road. She just hummed a 'hmm' as a response. "H-how do you ask a g-g-girl out?"
The question made Carmen smile and let out a genuine chuckle. It makes her happy, because he came to her, and he trusts her. But not only that, he's growing up, and this makes Carmen happy. She's always known how hard it had always been for Louie to grow up. Just a few months ago he saying how 'girls are gross.' It was only because Louie doesn't like change or growing up. Because when Louie was younger, kids would only ask about the stutter, but they would still play with him and be nice.
Unfortunately, that's not the case anymore. The older he gets, the more reality came to life. Kids his age no longer wanted to hang out or talk to him. Simply because he's different, and people don't like different. They like what's considered 'normal' and Louie's stutter is not 'normal.' It didn't take long for Carmen to realize this was the problem, she was a kid his age once too. But that's not it, she can read Louie like a book. Carmen watches as Louie desperately clings onto childhood to run away from his non-fixable 'problem.' If Carmen's honest, she doesn't find his 'problem' a 'problem.'
But not in Louie's eyes. He's sensitive, and he just wants his biggest insecurity gone. But no matter how much he said tongue twisters or read out loud, or whatever he did in all his might, Louie's never gotten any closer to fixing is 'problem' that isn't a 'problem.' What he doesn't know though, is Carmen can only wish, and she does wish every day, that it was her with the stutter instead of Louie.
"A girl? Since when?" Carmen retorted back with a teasing voice.
Louie looked at his lap. "Sh-she's different. I g-guess." His heart began to race out of his chest, and a smile crept onto his face, just from even thinking about her. As he looked down at his lap, Louie fiddled with his fingers and tugged at them nervously. This girl makes him unbelievably happy. "Her name's R-R-Ruby." Much like her name, Louie's cheeks began to burn a bright ruby. "She's perfect," he muttered under his breath, but Carmen heard him. "She actually talks to m-m-me and laughs at m-my jokes. B-but all the boys l-l-like her, I don't have a ch-chance."
"Oh please Lou, you're handsome," Carmen told him with a smile. "Besides you have a chance, there's nothing those others have that you don't. Sometimes girls like the underdogs because they're genuine like you. They aren't gonna leave, and will be there in the long run." Carmen didn't really know what to say. She's only been in one serious relationship and she was sixteen - not eleven. The girl isn't even sure if it's a thing to date an eleven, at least she never did. But if it's what her brother wants, she'll always support him.
"Like B-Bucky or Steve?" Louie asked.
"Like Bucky or Steve?" Carmen asked back with a scoff. "What do Bucky and Steve have to do with anything?"
"I'm not allowed to tell y-y-you some stuff b-because they're B-Bucky and I's secret," Louie took a brief pause. "B-but here's what I c-can. B-Bucky can't get into a serious r-r-relationship, because something always h-holds him b-b-back. Well more like s-someone." By now Carmen parked the car and they were heading over to where Bucky and Steve said to meet up.
"Okay, that's his problem. What about Steve?" Carmen asked as Louie began to get distracted by everything around him. But nevertheless, the boy replied to his curious older sister, but he replied in a way that would stick with Carmen forever and ever.
"I look up to Steve more th-than B-Bucky. B-B-Because he's an underdog, no one has f-faith in him to b-be a h-h-h-hero. B-Bu-But yet he still stands tall, and stand up to b-bullies. It gives me hope that through my st-st-stutter may get in the way s-sometimes. I can still have a v-voice in th-things." Louie finished and Carmen was left silent. Her little brother is of course right, and she could say so much but staying silent right now seemed the best. It brought butterflies to her stomach, and smile burned on her face, she knows that if Steve heard what the youngest Ripley had just said, Steve would have the same feeling.
Carmen would make sure Louie tells Steve one day.
"Look there th-th-they are!" Louie said excitingly and ran over to Steve and Bucky, embracing them in hugs. Behind her two best friends were two girls, Carmen didn't exactly know who they were, but it's no doubt they're beautiful. After looking at the girls, her eyes drifted to her three boys and smiled as she shook her head. She didn't understand why this moment is so beautiful to her. She's seen Bucky and Steve play with Louie so many times, why was it that this time it just seemed so different?
The answer to that is one none of them know yet. But soon, they will. For this is the last time, Carmen will ever see Louie with the boys he looks up to the most. This is the last time, Carmen will ever see the three boys all together again. But after all, she doesn't know this. Right now she just thinks it's a beautiful moment, with beautiful people. And right now, that's all that matters because she never wants to forget this moment. A moment like this where just feel genuinely happy, and like the happiness isn't forced, is one every human should have, and hold close. For it is when we are genuinely happy that we are the strongest.
So, Carmen walked over to them with pride. She was greeted with hugs from Steve and Bucky, along with being introduced to the two stranger girls she now knows as Bonnie and Connie. It only took a few seconds before Connie grabbed Bucky's hand with joy and ran over to the stage. Bonnie followed after quickly, along with Louie who grabbed Carmen's hand and dragged along. Steve just walked behind and followed, he didn't feel much excitement. But he put it behind him, and just went along with it. Even though he isn't having fun.
As they got there, Howard Stark had come onto the stage. Howard had walked over to the announcer and gave her a kiss. Before going turning to the audience, and stood to the right of the car. "Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all." As he spoke the female helper around him, took the wheels of the car on stage. "Yes. Thank, Mandy," he then turned to the crowd again. "With Stark robotic reversion technology, you'll be able to do just that."
He then turned on a switch which allowed the car to start hovering off of the ground. Carmen smiled in awe, as she now has Louie on her shoulders so he can see. She could hear Louie's slight gasps and giggles. But as Carmen smiled and watched in complete awe, Bucky's voice stood out clearly. "Holy cow." Carmen shook her head and laughed at his amazement, all while looking at him. As she stared, she couldn't look away, something about seeing him so happy and fascinated, really stuck out to Carmen. She'd never seen him look so handsome.
After a few seconds, Bucky felt someone staring, so he looked around to find out who. He figured it was either Connie or Bonnie, but it took him a surprise when instead of meeting eyes with one of them, he met eyes with Carmen. When he did meet eyes with her, Bucky's smile had grown even more. And it was odd, neither of them looked at each other in the way that they are now. Well, that's the case for Carmen. As for Bucky, he's always known, he just doesn't admit it even to himself. Because Carmen's the girl who can get any guy she wants, so Bucky never makes a move because he believes Carmen's out of his league. Even though the world knows he's absolutely wrong.
The two continued to look at each other with a smile. Until a crash sound diverted their attention to that. The hovering car had malfunctioned and now fell back onto the stage. "I did say a few years, didn't I?" Howard Stark with a laugh and Bucky could hear Carmen laugh as well. He laughed too, but it didn't take his mind off Carmen. Because at the end of the day, Bucky is hopelessly in love with Carmen.
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TOTAL WORDS: 3254
NOT INCLUDING AUTHORS NOTE
EDITED: BUT IF YOU SEE ANY MISTAKES PLEASE LET ME KNOW SO I CAN FIX THEM!
HI YES, THIS CHAPTER IS JUST MAKING CLEAR THAT BUCKY DOES HAVE A CRUSH ON CARMEN, AND THAT CARMEN IS STARTING TO FEEL SOMETHING BUT IT'S NOT A FULL CRUSH YET.
SO THIS MAY SEEM RUSHED BUT TRUST ME YOU ALL HAVE A LOOOOOOOONG TIME FOR THEM TO BE CANON OOPS?
I LOVE ME SOME SLOW BURN SHIPS!
PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK!
MELANIE.