Never Ending | Marvel Black!OC | [in rewriting]

CHAPTER NINETEEN • Duty.

Days after last chapter.

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It's a rainy evening tonight, not the kind that makes you rush home with your jacket over your head, but the one still announcing a storm is coming, the one soaking your clothes to the bone only if you let it happen.

Yet, it's been now fifteen minutes that Janet has been standing in front of the Barnes' family door, eyes blank and fixed on it. Her arms are clutching grocery bags that are threatening to break under their weight and wetness, her bun is now ruined by the water accumulating in it, water droplets glistening against the coils of her shiny hair. She tried to wear makeup on this rainy day, though it didn't last, just like the days before, it faded away. It didn't last not because of the rain's wetness, but because of her tears wetness, tears that have been drowning her almost without pause ever since she got told.

"It's not forever, Janet. He'll be back, you know he will."

Steve told her, Steve. Not him.

A can of soup finally slips from the bag, directly hitting her foot. Back to reality, she is. Back to the sting.

Taking a deep breath, Janet tries to regain her composure back before stepping inside the house, hand hovering over the doorknob for a minute as she hears his voice carrying.

"Ma', it's okay. I'll be back, people are coming back, me too."

It's okay.

Finally, she opens the door, her eyes are everywhere, but on him. Everywhere but on Bucky.

"Hi Mrs Barnes", she greets softly, forcing a smile. "I've got a load for you today, sorry the rain got the best of it though", she says, trying for humor in this cold and sorrowful room she's stepping in. She drops the bag on the kitchen counter, her hands are shakily taking out the content of it, arranging them on the counter. She tries to look for any type of control right now, unsuccessfully. They all see it, they all know she's been crying and locked in the dark of her apartment for the last few days.

Bucky watches her silently for a minute, seeing the way her hands are shaky whereas her, out of anyone, must not have these types of hands. He also notices how drenched in rain she is, guesses she's been outside for the last 10 minutes at least, whereas she used to be the one always running through that door in excitement, laughter and light carrying through with her.

"I've been checking everything at work, with my boss. It's sketchy but if it goes through, I could arrange my hours to be more present here during the day.", she says, voice semblancy normal.

"Janet...", Bucky says, going to her. She ignores him, now rummaging through the cabinets to get started on dinner. She knows neither his parents cooked today, or properly in the last few days. She didn't either at her house, she couldn't. But she's wearing her mask right now, so she will cook and aim for normalcy, for their sake.

"Your mom works only in the morning so that's a good thing, but I'll still be here in the evening, I'll go on with what your started with Lucas. And for your father's med, it's okay I can pick them up, but-"

"Janet, please listen-"

She doesn't.

"I'll need you to write me an authorization-"

"Janet seriously."

She stops at the firm tone of his voice, pausing, slowly putting her hands flat on the counter.

Her hair is framing her face right now. He only sees her shoulders rise and fall so slowly, as if to calm herself from a storm happening within her. When she turns, her eyes are red, her face blotchy, marking the 20 minutes she spent crying on the way here.