homecoming » bucky barnes AU

chapter nineteen

It had been a few days since Laecie and Bucky had broken up. She had stayed at home, drawing and writing poetry and spending time with her dad. It was now the beginning of July, the air was more clammy and humid and each day seemed to mesh into the next.

On Friday evening, Mark had left to go to go out with some friends. Laecie was alone in the house. She was sitting in bed by the window scribbling words into her journal when she heard the door knock. Wanda had called her every day, checking up on her, so she smiled to herself as she expected to see her friend at the door with Vision. However, as she opened the door her face dropped a little when she saw Steve stood there. He smiled at her, a sort of grin, and he had a brown cardboard pizza box in his hand. She smiled back at him.

"I wasn't expecting you."
She smiled, stepping back and allowing her friend to come in. He let his smile turn into an earnest smirk, raising his brows quickly in acknowledgment.
"Well, I was expecting you, at least at some point. We've been out like three times, you haven't showed up."
Steve said as he walked down the small hallway into the kitchen. He placed the pizza down on the island and turned on his heels to face Laecie.

"Yeah. Sorry. I just didn't want to see him."
Laecie said, looking down at the countertop. Steve smiled, putting his hand on her shoulder and rubbing it a little.

"It's okay. I wasn't trying to give out to you, sorry."
He said comfortingly.
"But, I figured you could use some cheering up, so I brought a pizza and some records. Figured we could just hang out like we used to."
He smiled, holding up a 70s hits record. Laecie smiled, nodding a little.

"Sounds so good. Thank you."

Steve nodded and walked over to the record player, placing the disc on the turntable and gently letting the needle down on the top.

Come And Get Your Love began to play and Steve grabbed Laecie's hands and they began to dance. Laecie was giggling like a little girl as they spun around, laughing more than she had over the last few days. Steve laughed along with her, happy to see her happy. He knew how sensitive she was and how hard the past few days would have been alone for her.

After a few songs, Laecie stopped for a breather. Steve was still stifling a laugh and Laecie took some breaths.

"Do you wanna eat?"
She asked him. He nodded, walking toward the table with his hands on his hips. His brow was sweaty.

"God, it's really hot isn't it? Jesus. I hadn't realised."
He used the neck of his T-shirt to wipe at his brow.

Laecie chuckled at she held the droopy pizza in her hands. She took a bite. It tasted amazing, better than anything she'd eaten in the last few days anyways. She picked the basil leaf off and put it back in the box.

"It's so good. Thank you, Steve."
She said, pushing the food to one side of her mouth. He beamed back.
"Good, I'm glad I could cheer you up."

-

Later that night, the two decided to take a walk into the town to get some alcohol. Laecie felt a bit better, deciding that she would have a drink or two tonight. In the small corner store, rows of drinks sat lit up in fluorescent light, gleaming down at the short girl and her taller friend. Steve scratched his shaven chin as he looked up and down. Laecie walked over to the wine, picking up a delicate looking rosé, in a fat, short bottle. The cool glass felt good on her hot, sweaty skin.

Steve picked up a 700ml bottle of vodka and some coke. With the cola bottle under his bicep, he placed his free hand gently on the small of Laecie's back and guided her toward the cashier. The man was pleasant and spoke in an Italian accent.