One Night In Brooklyn | Bucky Barnes 1940's

10.15 PM

Eloise was hanging Bucky's jacket and pants onto the clothing line on her balcony. The night was growing colder and the breeze had remained steady.

She had given him the landlord's old pants (which she insisted multiple times had been washed properly) and gave him free reign to walk around her apartment.

Bucky was fascinated by the decor. It was modern, yet classical in the same sense. The wall that separated the living room and kitchen held a large cabinet that was decorated with photographs, the kitchen was small but tidy, a calendar placed neatly next to the fridge, a small table that had additions on the side in case of company, a couch with a wooden frame and cleverly placed drawers underneath. It was quite personable and had an oddly warm feeling to it. He couldn't have imagined her home looking this...livable.

"Should be done drying in an hour or so" She walked back inside, rubbing her hands against her skirt.

"Thank you, again." He smiled, holding his glass of water that she had offered almost immediately upon entering.

"Would you like...something...stronger?" She pointed to the glass in his hand.

"What you got?" He stuffed his other hand in his pocket. Eloise walked right past him and into the kitchen opening one of the cabinets and pulling out a variety of different alcohols.

"Some of these were here when I moved in. This one is mine. And this one" She pointed to the bottle of dry gin and the bottle of wine. The rest seemed to be a collection of different whiskeys.

"I'll try some of this" Bucky picked up a half-drunk whiskey bottle and Eloise reached for a glass.

"It's a really nice place you have here." He watched her intensely as she was pouring it up for him.

"Thanks. It's not much, but...it's home" She glanced at him quickly as she handed the glass over.

"Much better than the barracks we sleep in, I'll tell you that" He chuckled. Eloise poured a glass of gin for herself.

"Have you always wanted to be a soldier?" She blurted out, this time looking straight at him.

He was taken aback by her willingness to initiate the conversation, as well as asking a question for the first time.

"Well...It's a little more complicated than that" He sighed.

"Does that mean you're not sure if you want to be a soldier?" She sipped her drink.

"What makes you think that?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Well. If it is something you've wanted for your entire life then the answer would be yes. If it's not, then the answer would be no. Either way, if you knew why you were a soldier, you would've told me by now." Eloise shrugged. She realized immediately that she might've taken a much too blunt approach to the conversation. But she wasn't used to having a man in her kitchen, much less at this hour, much less on her own invite, and much less this handsome.

Bucky watched her, licking his lips before letting out a chuckle. "You don't miss much, do you Eloise?" He sipped his whiskey.

She didn't respond.

Bucky continued to slowly wander around the modest space that was her apartment. His eyes landed on three canvases resting at the base of the wall.

"What's this?" He pointed.

"Just some paintings. I've been meaning to hang them. It's gotten away from me with work and...I have a plan for them, I just-" She tried to explain herself.

"Did you make these?" Bucky looked back at her, almost as if he hadn't even been listening to her blabbering.

Eloise paused for a few seconds before answering "...yes" She decided to be honest.