A Little Butterfly- The Other Soldier (Bucky Barnes x reader) (they/them reader)

An Old Friend

I stand outside of Avengers Tower. This place is huge. I honestly don't know what I'm doing here. I should just go back home. No. I can't go home. I can't go home anymore. I take a shaky breath and I walk up the stairs to the doors. I grasp the cold, metal handle and step inside.

When I get inside, the first thing I notice is the cold air conditioning making my hair stand straight up. Next, I notice how superficial the place smells. It smells like a hospital, all sterile and stuff. I walk over to a section with a sign labeled "visitors". I don't know anybody here yet, so I figure heading over there is the right way to go.

I'm waiting in line when I hear a familiar voice. I whip my head around to see two people coming through the doors. I recognize the closer one from the news. I think his name is Sam Wilson. He's the falcon and he seems pretty cool. I can't quite see the guy behind him though. I mean his voice sounds incredibly like...

"Y/n?!" It is him! He stops walking and just looks at me in surprise.

"James!" I smile real big and run over to him.

"What are you doing here?" James laughs a little. I gotta say I almost didn't recognize him. His hair is shorter, cleaner, and he doesn't have eyeliner smeared across his face. Even his arm is different.

"Well... I finally escaped from that hell-hole and now I am on a mission to find somewhere to live. I was hoping somebody in the building would be able to help. I mean I know your boyfriend helped you and he lives here, right? So I don't know I was hoping I could find someone willing to help little old me." I stop talking and look at Sam. I realize the way he's looking at James. "Hey wait a second... This is him isn't it? Your amazing boyfriend that helped you escape Hydra and then promised to help you get me out of there too. Although you guys disappeared for a few years so I took escaping into my own hands."

James lets out a weak laugh. "No y/n this is Sam. He is not my boyfriend. Neither is Steve, but I'm pretty sure he's the one you're talking about."

"Oops. Sorry. I didn't mean to mention the ex in front of the rebound." James just rolls his eyes at me. I look at him. He doesn't look happy. I mean I don't blame him, all my smiles and laughs are fake. But still, he's been away from Hydra for two years now. If he's still this miserable then I guess I'll just kiss the rest of my teenage years goodbye.

"You wanna come inside?" Sam interrupts my thoughts. I turn around towards the "visitors" sign again. The line grew by at least five people in the time I've been talking to James. "You can come in with us."

Sam pulls a visitor badge out of his pocket and hands it to me. James is just staring at me.

"Thanks."