Saved - A Bucky Barnes love story

The way home

For the first few minutes you walk side by side in silence. Somehow it's a strange but at the same time pleasant silence. You can't explain it to yourself, but despite the fear of what will happen when Brock finds out about this and the fact that you don't really know Bucky, you feel comfortable around him. You were already a few meters away from the bar when Bucky breaks the silence. "I hope it's really okay that I take you home," he says, looking at you sideways. After your reaction, you can't blame him for the question. You really didn't seem like it was okay. As you walk, you turn to him and smile sincerely at him. "Don't worry. To be honest, it's nice to have company." As if your words had taken a load off you, you both visibly relax. "Tell me something about yourself. What do you do all day when you are not hanging around in markets or accompanying some women home" you keep the conversation going. There it is again, that warm, intense laugh that you have never heard from anyone before. "You could say that I work in a kind of security industry. It's more of a privately run organization. In fact, we all live together," he says and you can see him keep glancing at you. "But isn't that exhausting? When you live with the people you work with? I mean, I love the girls from the bar, but I think we wouldn't be that good as roommates" you laugh at the idea, to see Liv before her first coffee. "To be honest, I couldn't imagine better. We're like a small family. It never gets boring and you're never really alone," his voice sounds almost revered as he speaks. That's all you've ever wished for. A family and not being alone anymore. Your thoughts drift off to the life that you could have had if fate hadn't stolen your parents so early. "That sounds nice," you say and your voice sounds weak and somehow sad. He stops and asks you if he said something wrong. "No" you say and rub your eyes to remove the tears that have formed. "It's just ... I don't even know what it's like to have a family anymore. What it's like not to feel alone" even as you speak you wonder why you mention this to a stranger. But somehow you feel comfortable and safe in his presence. "May I ask why that is?" You look at him for a moment and instantly you know, no idea where from, but you know that you can trust him. And somehow you just want to tell him. "My parents died when I was five. Up until then there were only the three of us. No grandparents, siblings or other family members. From then on, I moved from one home for orphans to the next. Until I was too old at some point and there was no more room there for me" how things went then you'd better keep to yourself. You don't want to tell that you had to live on the street for a few years until you met Brock one day. You were so naive and grateful for Brock back then. For everything he did for you to help you get back on your feet. If you had known what was coming you would never have gone with him." I'm sorry Michelle," he sounds really sincere. "Doesn't have to. I can only vaguely remember my parents. But all my life I've had the feeling that something is missing." You switch the subject to something less painful. You talk about irrelevant things for a while. You don't even notice how fast the time goes by. But suddenly you are standing in front of your house. You turn to him to say goodbye. Before you can say anything, he takes a little piece of paper out of his pocket and gives it to you. You take a quick look at the paper and see that it has a phone number written on it. "In the case that you need someone to walk home with you again. Or even if you just want to talk," he says, suddenly looking shy again. It's kind of cute. "Thank you Bucky" you say and put the note in your pocket. You look at him uncertainly. You don't really want him to go. But the fear that Brock might be waiting for you in your apartment again and that you will come home too late is getting stronger and stronger. Before you know what you are doing you hug him. You don't even realize how tight you are hugging him. This feeling of security that you noticed from the first moment only becomes more intense. After a moment that was somehow too short but still feels like an eternity, you break away from each other. He gives you a shy but sweet smile. "Good night Bucky." "Good night Michelle" he says and watches you disappear into the front door.