Trying Your Luck - Bucky BarnesxOC

Part 34: Country Roads

Author's Note: Smut.

She doesn't ask him about the nightmare the next morning, knowing full well he doesn't want to talk about it.

Shannon drops the rental car off early in the morning while Bucky packs. She tells him that Janice will drive them to the airport in one of George's fancy cars once their three week stay is up. They check out around noon and drive toward the pharmacy that's just a few blocks down from the diner.

"I'm going to pick up his medication first so that I don't forget," Shannon says as they climb out of the truck. "It'll be a bit of a wait, the place is always packed."

"I can wander around," Bucky replies.

"Sure," she chirps, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. "Meet me back here in an hour?"

"You got it, doll."

She blushes and tucks a strand of perfectly shiny strawberry blonde hair behind her ear.

"I love when you call me that."

Bucky grins.

"I know."

Shannon skips into the pharmacy while Bucky strolls down the street. Out of the corner of his eye, he spots a jewelry store and lingers in front of it, biting his lip and alternating between looking over his shoulder to make sure that Shannon isn't behind him. Her birthday is coming up fast - next week. She scheduled the trip so that she could spend her birthday with her parents. Bucky has been wracking his brain for a present to show her how much he loves her. The problem is, he hasn't bought jewelry for a girl since the 30s. A promise ring for his very first serious girlfriend. She wore it every day until she moved to California for work - and another man. She broke his heart, leaving the ring abandoned on his dresser during their last day together. In a letter, she claimed that she forgot it and even asked for it back, but Bucky never mailed it to her. Instead, he tossed it off of the Brooklyn Bridge, along with a photo of the two of them, and tried to push every thought of her out of his mind.

Ever since then, Bucky swore off buying girls jewelry. He ducks into the shop and is greeted by a bright and bubbly brunette with a big smile. She's wearing a dark purple dress that shows off a few tattoos on her forearms. She looks like someone Shannon would be friends with.

"Hi! How are you?"

"Good, thanks."

"What brings you in today?"

Bucky laughs and rubs the back of his neck. The girl eyes him flirtatiously and he decides to flex some of that Bucky Barnes charm on her. His entire posture and demeanor changes in an instant as he struts toward the counter and leans on it, watching with glee as a dark flush creeps into her cheeks.

"I'm actually looking for a couple of presents for my girlfriend. It's her birthday next week."

"Well, aren't you a sweetheart?"

"I try," Bucky replies with a grin.

"What were you thinking of buying?"

"A necklace," Bucky says. "And maybe a ring."

The girl's eyes pop open.

"An engagement ring?"

He laughs.

"Well, let's not get carried away."

The girl leans over and scrunches up her nose. Bucky grins.

"I think you should," she whispers.

He was planning on buying Shannon one eventually and keeping it in his jacket pocket until the time felt right. It doesn't right now, but he wants to be prepared. Truthfully, the night after he told her about HYDRA and his arm, he considered running to a jewelry store and buying her an engagement ring before she woke up the next morning. The only thing that stopped him was Steve's voice: "Don't do anything stupid 'till I get back."