affliction

eighty-three

look at me with another quick update whoop whoop

Bucky's POV

Beth is being worked on today by Shuri, so I had a free day to seek out where my sister went. Luckily, being the amazing friend he is, Steve found out she was alive and already tracked a location last night. He was so busy with it that he didn't even know about the animals we'd gotten until this morning when he came to get me.

I wish you could've seen his face. Shit was priceless.

We're on the way there now, but Steve insisted we at least bring one of the animals. So, Loki is watching Alpine (he 'insisted') and Meatball is riding shotgun with me.

"Can't believe you went and got pets. That's very out of character for you."

I laugh. "Beth and Loki's idea. We tracked them down and found them at the adoption center." I picked Meatball up out of my lap and held him to my chest, stroking his fur. "Well, if we're being honest, the cat was my idea. But I wouldn't have had the idea if it weren't for them."

He snickers. "Whatever you say, Buck."

We end up at a building that looks like a mix between apartments and a small hospital. Steve already made sure animals were allowed inside, so I hold Meatball in my right arm as we step out of the car. The drive was a pretty long, seeing as she was apparently in New Jersey, so I take him over to a patch of grass near the car. While he's sniffing around for a place to pee (hopefully), Steve stands beside me. "You nervous?"

I hum. "Kind of, I haven't seen her in, what, 80 years? Honestly, I'm a little worried I'll send her into cardiac arrest. I can't believe she's still alive."

He nods. "Yeah, me too. She's in her 90's, though, so I'm not sure how much help she'll be in finding the ring. If anything, we can ask if she had any kids and see where her belongings are."

Meatball trots back over to me and I pick him up, heading towards the door. "We'll find it. I'm hopeful."

He laughs. "You're hopeful?"

I open the door, holding it for Steve to walk through. "I know, right."

As we approach the desk, the lady sitting there let's out a squeal. "Oh my goodness! How adorable!"

Steve smiles at her cheekily. "Thank you, got my looks from my mother," he says sarcastically, which makes her laugh.

She smirks at him. "Well, I'm not gonna deny that, but I was actually talking about the tiny little furball in your friends hand."

I hold him out to her. "Wanna pet him?"

She gasps and takes him from my hands gently. His tail is wagging like crazy, his tongue darting out to lick her cheek as she coos. "Well, aren't you just the sweetest little thing!" She curls him into her chest and looks up at us. "What's her name? Or his?"

I refuse to speak that name to random people, I'm not taking credit for it. Luckily, Steve speaks him. "His name is Meatball. Not our idea."

She pouts her lip out. "That's the cutest name I've ever heard." She pets him for another second before removing one hand from him to click at her computer. "Alrighty, who're you here to see?"

"Rebecca Barnes."

She nods and clicks on her computer. "And who are you in relation to her?"

"Her brother."

She darts her eyes up to me, eyeing me suspiciously. She stares at me and then Steve and then a look of realization washes on her face. "Holy shit, wait! I know who you two are!" She shakes her head. "Okay, that makes a lot more sense, then. Do you by any chance have an ID on you?"