Soldiers [Falcon and the Winter Soldier fanfiction]

Chapter 1-Therapy

I put away the last of the groceries in the fridge when I heard a ringing of my doorbell.

    I opened the door and raised an eyebrow when I saw Bucky standing there with a duffel bag on his shoulder.

    "Long time, Barnes." I said, leaning against the frame.

    "Long time," he repeated.

    "If you're here to say another "I'm sorry" about Steve, save me the pain and just don't." I said.

    His face fell from a little smile he had on. "I wasn't going to, Alexandria. I came here because . . . well, because I don't have anywhere else to live."

    "And you want to crash here, is that it?" I asked.

    "Could I? It'll only be for one night, then I'll get out of your hair."

    "Speaking of, I like your haircut. Looks good on you." I looked at him with his short hair, his blue eyes now more pronounced.

    "Oh, thanks. So . . .?"

    I scoffed in amusement and jerked my head inside, pushing away from the frame. "One night, Barnes."

    Bucky walked into the house and let the door swing shut behind him, following me into the living room.

    "Set your bag anywhere. It's just me here, so you don't have to be all polite and stuff." I said, dropping myself onto the couch.

    He dropped his bag on a red cushioned chair and sat next to me, a reasonable distance so I want uncomfortable.

    "So . . ." Bucky breathed out, unsure of what to say next.

    "So . . . what have you been doing?" I asked, starting up the conversation.

    "Going to therapy. Sam insisted that I go, then he just took off to join the Air Force." Bucky replied, looking at me. "What about you?"

    "I bought the house, as you can see. Been living on my own ever since." I said.

    "What. No . . . boyfriend?"

    "Is that a sly way of asking if I'm still single?"

    "What? No."

    I chuckled and bumped into him. "I'm just kidding. And, no. I don't have a boyfriend. Just me and Oakley."

    "Oakley?" Bucky repeated, confused.

    A Golden Retriever puppy ran into the room with his tail wagging, springing up onto the couch and wriggling his way under my hands to lay across my lap.

    "Yup. This is Oakley. I found him on the streets and got him to the shelter, then adopted him a few days after I got situated here." I said, scratching the dog's head fondly.

    "Cute dog,"

    Oakley lifted his head up and looked at Bucky, getting out from under my hands and nudging his arm.

    Bucky smiled softly and let Oakley curl up under his arm, pressed up against his leg and shutting his eyes.

    "Looks like someone likes you." I said.

    "Looks like. It's weird,"

    "To have someone like you?"

    "No, well, yes. But being a civilian. It's hard to adjust." He said, settling his arm on the dog's side.

    "Yeah—" my phone rang loudly and I apologized to him, picked up the phone and seeing the Caller ID: Sammy boy.

    "What do you want, Sam?" I asked, putting it up to my ear.