James Bucky Barnes, the former soldier, doesn't think he's got any gentleness left in him. But Grace Juniper Cunningham, the former child prodigy, strongly disagrees.
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"𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯."
"𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴�...
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I was worried about Bucky. He'd been even more on edge than usual all week, snapping at people whenever he wasn't isolating himself entirely. I was pretty sure I was the only person around him whom he hadn't brushed off or ignored entirely at some point that week.
I texted him for the first time in a month: Where are you?
He replied almost instantly: Why? You okay?
I replied: No I'm dying come save me
I took and attached a picture of me smiling on the couch with Natasha and Steve sitting next to me in the background, talking to each other. We were in the common area. It was Sunday, but I'd started visiting Natasha on the residential floor sometimes, even after moving back to my apartment.
He replied: Send me one of just you
Will you come out if I do?
Yes
I turned my front facing camera back on and took a picture of myself quickly, before anyone could notice and make fun of me. I looked happy in the picture, smiling widely. I sent it to him.
I looked up to see Wanda raising her eyebrows at me, head tilted curiously.
Who are you texting? she mouthed.
What? I mouthed back, feigning confusion.
She curled her hands into circles and put them over her eyes to look like glasses. OR, she mouthed. Then she crossed her arms, slumped down in the chair and manspread exaggeratedly.
Colin or Bucky, she was asking.
I held up a number two. Then I tapped my head and thought hard about storming out of Colin's apartment. She widened her eyes. "That's funny," she said. "And sad."
"What is?" Natasha asked.
"She got angry at Colin because he doesn't like Bucky. She kicked over his banjo."
"That's an oversimplification," I said.
"Stop smiling," Nat told Steve. He shook his head, the smile growing wider.
"You can't get mad at everyone that doesn't like me, doll," Bucky said, walking in. "You'd be mad at most people I know."
He sank down into the other armchair. Then he leaned back and spread his knees out.
"Have you considered being more likeable?" I asked.
"Hadn't crossed my mind, no," he said.
"I'm glad you came out here," Steve said. "Feel like I haven't seen you all week."
"Grace texted me," Bucky said. "She made it seem like this was more of a deathbed situation. Think I was misled."
I faked a dainty cough and squinted at Nat. "I see an angel."
