Marvel Imagines

[Pt. 1] We'll Meet Again ('40s Bucky Barnes X Reader)

Friday, November 1941

"Have a great evening, Ma'am!" You call out after the eldery woman who had just finished her collecting her bag of produce off of the counter in front of you. "And get home safe! It looks to be coming down pretty good out there!"

The woman turns to you with a small smile, clutching her paper bag of items closely to her chest.

"I'll be sure to take my time," She replies as she pushes open the front door to the small grocery store you've been working at for what seems like as long as you can remember. "Thank you again, dear."

"It's my pleasure! Have a great evening!"

The older woman nods, her graying hair blowing in the cold wintery breeze that brushes over your skin as she leaves, the door momentarily closing behind her.

With a content sigh and a small smile playing on your lips, you check the time on the clock mounted to the far side of the room, over by your Manager's office.

Four more minutes... Then, I can finally go home.

Butterflies of happiness swell within your stomach at the thought as per normal.

The thought of curling up on the couch in the living room with a warm cup of tea and a nice book while listening to your two best friends bicker over their usual late-night card game always made a grin fall across your features.

Home is where you feel safe.

Where you feel comfortable just to be yourself.

Unlike this unusually chilly grocery store.

Shivering slightly, you rub your hands up and down your arms in a vain attempt to warm yourself up.

"Chilly in here tonight, don't ya think?" A woman muses aloud, appearing in front of you and your cash register, suddenly breaking you from your thoughts.

Of course someone just has to show up right before my shift ends.

Ignoring your disappointment, you force a pleasant smile onto your lips as you ring the woman's items through, aware of every second you take doing so is one second you could be closer to home.

"That'll be twelve twenty-three, please."

Wordlessly, the lady begins to fumble in her purse before scrounging up some loose bills and coins, placing them on the counter with a rather sheepish look.

Mentally, you count the money.

A total of ten dollars and twenty-five cents.

You lift your gaze from the bills and coins to the woman who now looks as if she's about to cry.

"I know it isn't enough, but I-"

"It's fine," You murmur, leaning across the wooden surface separating the two of you. "I know some folks are short on money lately, so the rest is on me."

"Oh!" She exclaims, a relieved watery grin on her worn out features. "Thank you! Thank you so much."

"It's no issue at all, Ma'am," You nod respectfully towards the woman who you can only assume is maybe a few years older than you and by the looks of it, a soon to be Mother. "Just be sure to take your time on the way home. That snow seems to be coming down heavier as every second ticks on by."

Picking up her now packed groceries, the woman hurries towards the door, her mood evidently lighter than moments ago.

"Have a great night!" You call after her as she vanishes into the darkening streets, a muted "You too" following in her wake.