TIME STAMP: PRESENT
After the conversation Kai and Bucky had, he felt the need to reach for someone, and that someone was the only person he knew he could trust – Sam. The only issue was that he hadn't spoken to Sam since he left their little cozy apartment where Sarah and the kids used to hang out. It took only 4 rings before Sam picked up the phone, and suddenly, Bucky felt nervous.
"Am I reading it right? Does this say that Bucky Barnes is calling me?" Sam asked in a playful tone, reliving Bucky. "Are you still keeping that old phone that was constantly messing up and it ended up calling me? Cause listen I-"
"Hey, Sam. It's not a new phone but it didn't call you by mistake either." Bucky smiled a bit, realizing he missed his friend.
"Look who decided to call." Sam teased. "Are you being held again, Buck?"
"You're an idiot," Bucky complained, sitting on a bench. "I wanted to talk with someone and ... I don't have anyone I trust. Except, well, you."
"I'm kinda flattered." Sam chuckled.
"Although, firstly I think you deserve an explanation on why I left."
"Listen, Buck." Sam sighed. "I know why you left; I just don't know why you stayed away."
"What do you mean why? I was trying to..."
"I know what you gonna say and I get it." Sam was quiet for a while. "But whatever you're doing, you don't have to stay away."
"Thanks, Sam. I'll ... consider it."
"So why are you calling now? Is it because of a girl?"
"Why would it be because of a girl? It's not because of a girl." Bucky grumbled. "Not the way you're thinking at least."
"Ah, I knew it." Sam laughed. "What's the issue?"
"It's a bit more complicated than that ... I think you should meet her to understand it more."
"Meet her already? Wow, that sounds intense." Sam teased.
"Sam..."
"Okay, okay. I'll meet her. When do you want to meet?"
"When are you available?"
A few hours later, Bucky drove him and Kai to a bar far away from Valentina's building, and although they didn't tell anyone where or if they were going together, they left a few minutes apart. Sam wasn't there yet and Kai was too nervous to say anything to Bucky so she just kept shaking her leg while Bucky asked for something for them to drink.
"Why are you nervous? I'm the one who should be nervous." Bucky said, sitting in front of her. "Can you stop bouncing your leg? You're driving me crazy."
"You always said that, under pretty other circumstances." Kai raised an eyebrow and watched as Bucky rolled his eyes but kept a smile.
"Look, it's Sam." Bucky stood up, waving at his friend.
"Buck." His friend cheered, hugging him. Kai stood up and when Sam looked at her, he started to laugh. "Kath! What are you doing here?"
"Hi, Sam." She said a bit shy at first.
"Kath?" Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow, slightly bothered.
"This is the journalist I told you about a few months ago. Who wanted to write something of us." Sam smiled, giving Kai a quick hug. "How have you been? You disappeared!"
"You're a journalist?" Bucky asked looking into her eyes, frowning a bit as if his memory was remembering something.
"I've always wanted to be," Kai said quietly as her lover nodded slowly.
"Wait a minute," Sam said. "How do you two know each other?" After a while, Sam opened his mouth and started to laugh. "Oh."
"What?" Kai asked curiously.
"You're his girl problem."
"I'm his what?"
"It's not like that." Bucky said quickly, hitting Sam's shoulder.
"It's definitely like that." Sam smirked and sat down.
YOU ARE READING
ineffable memories / / bucky barnes
Fanfictionkai has been around for many centuries, while james has only been around for one, yet their paths have constantly cross. when kai is recruited by valentina, she isn't aware that the whole universe will be at risk because of her secrets.
