Stranger Who Knows All My Secrets [A Marvel FanFic]

Chapter 25: Freudian Bullshit

January was one of those months that seemed to last for fucking ever. It had gone from decently awful to probably the hardest month Bucky had in quite a while, all the cold and snow, being stuck at home with nothing to do but dwell on his nightmares and how dreadfully alone he felt all the time. There were several times he considered reaching out to Steve to vent all of his frustrations but he never did, always worried that he was doing nothing but putting an unnecessary burden on his friend. Worried he would interrupt or interfere with Steve's budding relationship with the girl from statistics, however, he had no problem with interrupting or interfering in Elena's life and had more than once now bailed her out of crumby dates. Bucky always went the extra mile too, getting dressed and actually heading to her location to physically crash it instead of sending a bullshit text or making a fake call like he probably should have but watching her try to keep her composure and not burst into laughter while he chased away another loser was absolutely worth facing the frigid winter conditions though he felt a little bad because she made an effort to dress up for her nights out.

On one date she wore a short button-up black corduroy dress with a white long-sleeved turtle neck, sheer black stockings, and her old beat-up leather boots. She had her hair up, several interesting rings on her fingers, and wine-colored lipstick that made the rest of the makeup she was wearing look all the more dramatic but in a good way. Kind of like an adorable grungy librarian. For another date, she donned a delicate cut-out cinched waist and cream-colored dress that was modest on the chest, fell to her claves just covering her brown boots that were pulled up over her knees. Elena had on pinkish-brown lipstick and rouge on her cheeks while her lashes were perfectly curled, and somehow she had managed to tame her long usually frizzy curls into perfectly crafted ringlets.

It was almost as if Elena had walked out of one of Bucky's daydreams from the forties and into the real world and not just any of his daydreams but the ones where he'd imagine himself driving down some quiet country road in a 1942 Buick Super Series 50 Convertible. It'd be a sunny day and he'd have a gorgeous dame sitting in the seat next to him while a fully stocked picnic basket, warm wool blanket, and his fishing rod rested in the backseat ready for a perfect day by the lake. Needless to say, the night she wore that ensemble was the quickest Bucky had ever managed to get rid of one of her dates and he didn't even do a good job at it either. Halfway through spewing out some obnoxious opener he simply gave up.

"You know what, forget it. Bud, she's not into you and called in the cavalry. I'm the calvary, now, just... Go on get out of here." Bucky said and the lanky man with the poorly slicked-back hair looked absolutely devastated.

"Barnes!" Elena shouted in disbelief.

"What? You are thirty, you shouldn't be going out with a guy who thinks a dive bar in the Financial District is appropriate for a first date! This place smells like piss." Bucky tried to reason and it really did.

The whole place was dark, dank, and a little musty with questionable characters filling it out, mirror and neon lights advertising shitty beers lining the wall, and tables and chairs that looked like they had seen better days. It was gross! It was unacceptable especially because she looked so darn pretty and her date looked like a damn bum. Bucky made sure to note that aloud for everyone to hear not that anyone there was sober enough to even care.

"I mean, come on! You dolled yourself up and this jerk is wearing a band t-shirt under a plaid button-up with ripped jeans. What are you sixteen?" He spewed turning his attention back to her date.

"Hey, I don't know who you think you are but you need to back off." The guy shot back.

"I am what is known as a man who understands how a lady should be treated and this human being right here is a lady! Perhaps not always a proper one, definitely always an annoying one but a lady nonetheless, and she deserves a pasta dish with an appetizer and dessert and a bottle of wine she can't pronounce! Not a Heineken and whatever the hell that is." Bucky said pointing to the pathetic-looking fries on the very sticky table.