ＢＲＯＫＥＮ

ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ, ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ᴛɪᴍᴇ

TW// ATTEMPTED SEXUAL ASSULT. PLEASE DO NOT READ IF THIS TRIGGERS YOU.

The team were out on a mission. It was the next day, late at night; they'd likely be back tomorrow.

Bucky was having a nap and I was bored out of my skull. It was a Friday night. Normally on a Friday night I'd be out........at a bar.

I thought it through for a moment. A day ago I didn't want to leave the tower and now, well I'm itching to.

I headed to my room. Bucky's floor was way higher up than mine so if he was still asleep he wouldn't hear me leave.

I put on a short baby pink crop top, a black quarter length sleeved blazer and some blue baggy trousers, fastening the star necklace around my neck and tying my hair up high, slotting in some Pearl earrings. I didn't need a bag, so I just slot my phone and my debit card into my pocket.

I left the tower and the breeze in the dark city immediately enveloped me. I didn't have to walk far to the bar we always go to.

Once I entered I took a big breath, I kept my head high even as people stared at me the whole way I walked up to the bartender I knew all too well.

"Hi Jack. Been a long time." I spoke to him, and sat down in a chair in front of the counter.

He looked a little shocked before he smiled warmly. I returned.

"Your fancy?" He asked me and I put a hand on the counter.

"My usual. If you still remember." I laugh and he joins in.

"Of course." He smiles before fetching me the drink and setting it in-front of me.

"You know, I could've booked it out for you." He said softly and i smiled, nodding.

"It's fine. I really appreciate it but....I'm trying to- ease back in to the people thing." I said, realising he didn't know what happened- no one did. I contemplated telling him- he was one of my only friends outside of the tower as sad as that sounds. But I decided against it, remembering what S.H.I.E.L.D taught me, that no matter how much you think you could trust them, knowledge could be power after all.

People around me had moved onto looking and were now obviously conspiring with their friends about me.

Jack came with my drink and I smiled as he placed it in-front of me,

"You need anything. Just shout." He told me, before going to tend to other customers. I took the first sip of my drink- plain vodka- without flinching and time passed, drinks too, as I just thought about everything.

By my 3rd drink, vodka again, someone slid onto a bar stool next to me. I turned around to see him looking, smiling warmly.

"Hey." He said in a clearly British accent and I tensed up a little. I'd gotten completely out of use of talk with strangers. I just needed to relax, and not push things for myself.

"Hi." I returned.

It turns out his name was Ben, and he was visiting New York from London for work. He worked as a journalist, covering many things. He knew who i was of course, but he didn't seem to be talking to me just because of it- how high a status I held.

I wasn't drunk just yet but I was feeling just a little light headed as he bought my 4th drink for me, a whiskey this time.

We talked about everything, apart from where I'd been. He didn't ask me questions, I said things of my own accord. It felt nice to vent to a stranger about my life.

"It's just hard. Everywhere you go you're bombarded with people- always wanting your picture and your autograph. I don't think fans realise that we actually get hurt to save them, they've sort of turned us into......characters, if you will. We have feelings, you know? We aren't bulletproof." My speech was messy and pretty slurred, the words mashing together.