Redemption ||Bucky Barnes||

19. A "Normal" Night Out

We're still low key, as Bucky drives us to a rather small pub. I guess we're not eating fancy tonight. I'm not in the mood for fancy food anyway.

We both climb out, and Buck locks the car before we head inside. We practically run due to the cold weather.

Loud laughter, chatter, and powerful aromas almost overwhelm me. Someone greets us at the door and shows us to a small booth towards the back. Football games go on the screens in here, so we must be near the end of the regular season.

We get a waitress to take our orders and our drinks. Our eyes roam as we wait. The tables are nice and smooth, recently polished. We've got a window view of the nightlife. Car lights zip on by, people walk nonchalantly on the sidewalk past the window.

What it must be like to live a normal life...

"This isn't bad," I muse, cringing as I hear rough laughter erupt at the bar. "Not exactly the healthiest..."

"Since when do you care about health?" He smiles crookedly. "We've got to live life while we can, Danielle. You wanted to blend in, remember?"

"I don't remember greasy food counting as blending in." My eyes can't help but go towards the bar each time. My fingers rap on the table.

For the most part, Bucky and I are silent observers. There's not much to talk about, as we're in each other's company every day. Sure, there are things we haven't covered, but I'm not sure if what I want to know crosses any boundaries. I'd rather not get into sensitive topics while outside the safety of our cottage.

Our cottage. It makes it sound as though Bucky and I are together, like, in love together, with a house and everything. I look out the window. Subconsciously, I'm wondering who's watching us, if anybody. Do they see two strangers on a blind date, or old friends? Do they see more?

After about twenty minutes, our food comes to us, as well as our drinks. We eat in silence all while the pub is anything but quiet around us. People file in and out, sober or drunk. I know which I'll be by the end of the night.

"This must've been your natural habitat when in college," Bucky says, breaking our silence.

"Possibly. If not, I was probably at someone's house." I shrug. "I sometimes wish I could remember that stuff, the little things."

"I know how you feel."

"Were you the partier?"

"Nah. Lady's man, sure," he admits, "but outside of that, not much else."

"Dated around a lot, then?"

"Hard not to when you're drafted. I guess that was a perk; ladies love a man in uniform." He winks, I almost choke on the food in my mouth. I cough, making sure I don't kill myself in the pub.

"I don't think the uniform is the only factor with you," I theorize. "You've got charm, Barnes."

"Since when do you call me that?"

"Since now." I pop another bite of food into my mouth.

"So you admit I'm a charmer." He smiles slyly at me.

My heart begins to race. "It's an easy observation."

He shrugs indifferently. "Whatever you say. How's your food? And don't say unhealthy."

"Tolerable," I mumble. "I could never eat this every night." My nose scrunches. "But this"—I gesture to my drink—"I could get used to getting back into the habit of."