Trouble ✧ Bucky Barnes

PROLOGUE

"Mom and dad would be proud, you know?" said Eleanor Stark, looking at her big brother.

He was smiling widely, while scratching something on a piece of paper. At 23 years of age, he was already a well-known inventor and businessman.

Howard Stark smiled at his little sister, "I hope so, Ellie, I really do"

It had been a year since he had created Stark Industries, and to say that it had been a success was an understatement.

Of course, it was not only thanks to his mind, but also to that of his sister, that even though she was seventeen at the time, she was almost as clever as his big brother.

Despite being close to five years apart, the Stark siblings had always been close. They had grown up on the Lower East Side, and their parents had done everything to support the family.

When Eleanor was only fourteen years old, her parents had died of pneumonia, and that was how, at nineteen, Howard took responsibility for his sister.

The first few months were difficult, as Howard tried to balance what little free time he had, because of the many jobs he took.

Between the ideas of his inventions and the education of his little sister, Howard hardly had time for anything else.

Eventually, Eleanor turned 15, and she graduated with honors from High School, being the youngest of her class.

If she was not reading or drawing maps, she would go with her brother to company meetings, sitting in the shadows, not wanting to be the center of attention, but writing down all the things that were said in the meetings.

She spent her time designing strange objects that she was sure would be a reality in the future, and helping her brother with his big plans.

But what Eleanor liked best were airplanes. Or anything that flew, rather.

She was fascinated with objects that could travel long distances in the air, carrying heavy loads or hundreds of passengers.

It was no surprise, then, that at fifteen she knew how to handle airplanes.

It was ironic. She was capable of flying a biplane but didn't know how to start a Ford.

But since she left High School, Ellie had focused on one thing: Entering college to study Aerospace Engineering.

And thanks to the thousands of hours of study and the help of her brother for the preparation of the exam, not only had she passed it, but she ended up being in first place.

Out of one hundred and twenty students that entered that university, only twelve were female, and Ellie was the only fifteen year old.

"You'll be starting college in a couple of weeks," Howard said, looking up from the thousands of papers scattered on his desk. Ellie, who was in front of him reading how the engines of the new planes used by the army worked, smiled.

"I'm not going to another country, Howie, it's just college."

"Yes, of course," he answered nervously, "it's just that, well, you're still a child-"

"I'm not a child," she laughed, "and you worry too much," she added as she closed her book and leaned against the back of her chair, "besides, it's not that I'm going to stay in the university dorms, if that's what you're worrying about"

"Hm," nodded his brother, narrowing his eyes.

"Again, you worry too much," she chuckled.

"You know that it's impossible for me not to worry," he said as he got up from his chair, "now, how about some cheeseburgers?" he added as he extended his hand.

Ellie smiled and took it, "no pickles?"

"No pickles"