Bucky Barnes is an intimidating man. Towering over people with a strange metal arm, it's only natural that people are scared of him.
It doesn't help that he used to be a sergeant in the army and he'd killed more people than anyone could guess.
What would surprise people is that he is a total softy. After getting to know the man, none of his friends could ever imagine him causing harm to anyone or thing. They would argue he could be too soft at times, sometimes allowing people to walk all over him. It didn't matter how often they would tell him to stand up for himself, he would always brush them off and tell him it would be okay.
Like now, he stood in line at his favorite coffee shop. The line was wrapped around the room, but he didn't mind. He had already been waiting for 15 minutes, but he didn't have any other obligations for the day. It might sound ridiculous, but he would swear on his life that no one could make his favorite coffee like they do at this coffee shop.
He moved to step forward only to be cut off by a woman in an expensive looking pantsuit. She spoke quickly to someone on the phone, moving her hand in an exaggerated motion.
"Oh, umm, excuse me, the back of the line is.." She interrupted him before he could finish.
"I'm very busy sir, I have places to be. I'm sure you understand." She had pulled the phone away from her face. She turned around with a smug smile on her face.
Bucky wanted to argue. There were many people in line, a lot of which mist have been busy as well. He only sighed in defeat and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Excuse me miss!" The girl who stood behind him stepped up, grabbing the woman by the arm. "Maybe you just didn't here him correctly, but the back of the line is over there by the door!"
The woman stumbled back in her grasp, looking at her with wide eyes. She took the girl in, letting out a mocking laugh.
She was bundled in a soft knit sweater with dark leggings beneath it. Pastel make-up dusted her face and delicate rings adorned her fingers. One would probably assume her to he the sweetest person in the room, but oh how wrong they would be.
"Listen, honey," the woman said in a condescending tone.
"Call me honey one more time and I'll punch you in the mouth."
Buckys mouth fell open at the threat that she just threw in the air. She took a step forward only to be stopped by Buckys hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, there's no need for that," he said softly to her.
"I'm not going to let her tale advantage of your sweetness and cut everyone in line here! No one else had an issue getting in the back and waiting their turn, neither should she!" She yelled at the woman. A few people in the line yelled in agreement.
Before the woman could respond with a sneer already on her face, she was stopped by an employee. The employee politely told her if she wasn't going to wait in line she would have to leave. With an eye roll and muttered curses, she left the building.
Bucky turned to the girl behind him.
"You didn't have to do that." He muttered with a smile.
"Yes I did," She responded. "You live in my building ya know. I thought you let Mrs. Monroe steal your parking spot every day because she's old, but now I'm realizing you're just too nice!"
"You shouldn't let people walk all over you, especially people like that bitch earlier," she continued.
"Were you really gonna punch her?" He laughed, it was hard to imagine the soft looking woman in front him punching another person in the mouth.
"Yes." She answered simply.
"I'm Bucky," he introduced with a hand shake. "I haven't seen you around the apartment building before?"
She offered her name in return, "but my friends call me flower."
"Why's that?" He asked as they moved closer to the front counter.
"I work as a florist." She answered. "I think I live somewhere below you. I've seen you in the mail room, and obviously the parking lot. You shouldn't let Mrs. Monroe have you parking spot."
"She's got a bad knee," Bucky tried to defend.
"That's such bullshit. I've seen her running around with her grandkids. I hate people." She scowled. "Her spot isn't even that far from the front anyways."
They looked like quite the pair. Him in his leather jacket and dark denim. Her in her lavender sweater and silver rings. Him defending their elderly neighbor. Her cursing her to hell.
Finally they reached the counter, Bucky insisting on buying her drink. He smiled as she requested a strawberry green tea. How had he never seen her before? She so intriguing.
"Are you heading home? If so do you mind if I keep you company." Bucky asked as they both stepped out of the shop.
"Do what you want." She shrugged as they both turned to walk toward their building.
"You're different than I thought you'd be." He said, looking down at her.
"Yeah, I get that a lot." She muttered before taking a sip of her tea, then humming in content.
"It's a good thing! I get that a lot as well. People are generally intimidated by me. I hate it." He confessed, staring at his metal hand that grasped his to-go cup.
"Fuck them." She scowled. "Haven't they ever heard not to judge a book by their cover?"
"You're refreshing," he laughed.
"Really?" This was the first time since they spoke that he heard her voice soften. For a second he could see her letting her shield down.
"Yeah. I wish I could be as straight forward as you. I'm not sure if you've noticed but I can be a little bit of a pushover." He spoke the last sentence as if it were a secret, proud of the laugh it pulled from her. "Mrs. Monroe is just the beginning."
"Well, if I'm starting to get any say, there's about to be a stop to that. If you ever need me to yell at someone you just let me know." And as they reached their building a wide smile grew on her lips. "Speaking of yelling at someone."
Bucky looked ahead to see, you guessed it, Mrs. Monroe stepping out of her car. In Buckys spot.
"Mrs. Monroe!" She called as she picked up her step, walking towards the woman. Bucky felt his heart begin to race as he tried to reach his arm out and stop her. "That's not your spot!" She said as she reached the woman.
"Oh, well, Mr. Barnes and I have come to an agreement," she stuttered out.
"You mean you tried to guilt trip him over your 'bad' knee?" Flower rose an eyebrow, crossing her arms in front of her.
"I would never!" Mrs. Monroe gasped, placing a hand on your chest.
"Oh, so the next time your son stops by the flower shop he'll be able to tell me all about it?" Mrs. Monroe gaped, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. "Y'know Bucky's spot is in the section reserved for retired vets right?"
"Well, yes but.."
"No, buts. That's Buckys spot, unless he has offered it to you, you have no right parking there. If I see it again we're gonna have issues."
Bucky stood behind her shyly, a pink blush covering his cheeks. Flower turned to walk away, grasping Buckys elbow and pulling him with her into the building.
"Have a good evening, ma'am!" He called as the two walked inside.
"Too nice," Flower scoffed. He laughed and shook his head.
"Flower, I've seen enough bad to have me covered for the rest of my life. I've got nothing but nice left to give."
"Well, I can be your mean then, because some people don't deserve your nice."
As they stepped into the elevator Bucky couldn't help the smile growing on his face. They both hit their floor button, but her hand never left his elbow, and that caused a warm feeling to fill his body.
