Trouble ✧ Bucky Barnes

CHAPTER 12

ANY PROBLEM?

It was finally Saturday and Ellie was walking with Thomas on the crowded streets of New York.

He had been so tired recently, with that work of his. Alex had noticed and he had told Ellie and Lori.

They had decided to make a fun Sunday - as they called it - for him. It meant having lunch and hanging out, buying sweets and making a competition for who could eat them faster.

Somehow, Lori was always the champion.

That always seemed to cheer the friends up, so Ellie and Thomas had the duty to buy the sweets for the next day.

"I have to beat Lori tomorrow" smiled Tom, his glasses askew.

"She won't let you" chuckled Ellie, "you know how she is with winning"

"That's why I have to beat her!" said Tom, while both of them entered the candy shop, "I have a strategy and all"

"Oh?" smiled Ellie, "a strategy?" she said, taking bags of sweets.

"Yep" said Tom, helping her out. She smiled at him and took the sweets back, paying for them.

"I was supposed to pay for them," said Tom when they left the store.

"You can pay the next time" said Ellie and Tom smiled sadly, "besides, spending my money on sweets in order to see a competition between my friends is a good investment"

Tom laughed and so did Ellie, "I will win, you'll see"

"We'll see" she chuckled and bumped into a small guy, "oh, I'm sorry"

"It's no problem," he said kindly. He looked like he was waiting for someone and a second later, Ellie recognized who.

The first thought that ran in Ellie's head was, damn, he looks great in civilian clothes.

"Hey!" James Barnes exclaimed when he saw her, a huge smile on his face.

"Hello Sergeant" she said and James smiled even more.

He also almost dropped the bag of groceries he had in his hand.

The boy who Ellie had bumped into looked at her, then at his friend, and narrowed his eyes, "you're Ellie!" he exclaimed, "Bucky talks a lot about you" he nodded to himself.

James gave him a look that made the guy look at the floor.

"That's Ellie" Tom muttered, he looked annoyed, "and how do you know her?" he asked harshly.

"James um, he's training at the base where I work" said Ellie

"I see," said Tom, glaring at James, "so no mind, then"

"Tom!" Ellie exclaimed, giving him a that was rude look.

James handed the shopping bag to his friend.

"Any problem?" he asked as he clenched his fists. His knuckles turned white.

"Not in the slightest" shrugged Tom, "I don't argue with, well, soldiers and such" he waved dismissively.

"Because you know you will lose" James took a step forward.

"No," said Tom, "because I argue with my brain and well, soldiers are not known for their wits and cleverness, are they?"

"Tom, cut it off!" said Ellie as she glared at him.

"Fine" he lifted his hands and scoffed, walking down the streets. Ellie noticed he went the opposite way her house was. They were supposed to walk there together.

James stared after him, his hands still fisted.

"I am-" she took a breath and paused for a second. "I am so sorry, he usually doesn't act like this" said Ellie, embarrassment overwhelming her, "I am so sorry James"

He looked at her, anger still noticeable in his face. But she was being honest, and he knew how hard it was for her to form the words I am sorry. And he also knew it was not her fault.

He shook his head, "his actions are not your fault, you don't have to be sorry, Lane" he said and she lifted her head, her brown eyes meeting his blue ones.

Ellie just nodded. She was at a loss of words.

"I'm Steve" said the guy after a moment, he probably thought it was a good way to break the tension.

It worked.

Ellie smiled, "nice to meet you, Steve"

"Nice to meet you too" he said then added, "he does talk a lot about you" and then ran off.

"I'LL CATCH YOU ROGERS!" shouted James and then looked back at Ellie.

She was holding back her laughter, "go, you'll lose him"

James chuckled, "nah, I know where he's going to hide"

Ellie nodded and James pointed at her bag of sweets, "celebrating something?" he asked.

"I'm not sure anymore" she said and pursed her lips, checking her watch, "fuck, Howard's going to kill me" she muttered.

"Howard?" asked James, his voice sounded calm and nonchalant, but it had an undertone of intrigue and perhaps anger.

"My brother" she told him and James felt as if a weight had been lifted from his back, "he's going to be so mad, I told him I'll be back at 5, it's 5:30"

"Well, it's just 30 minutes..." said James.

"I was supposed to help him with something, and he hates to wait" said Ellie, "I have to go..."

"I'll walk you home," James offered.

"Oh, um, yeah okay. Sure" she nodded and he smiled, "what about your friend?"

James mused, "wait a minute?" he asked.

"Just a minute" she joked and James ran off.

Exactly a minute passed when James came back, "it's all settled"

Ellie looked at him.

"It's okay, I promise. Besides, Steve was glad that I'm walking you home."

"He is?" chuckled Ellie and James blushed a bit.

"Um you know, because New York is not as safe as it used to be..."

She stopped dead in her tracks, "for your information, Sergeant Barnes, I can take care of myself" she said, her eyes hard, hiding with all her might the urge to laugh.

James looked nervous, "I did not mean to say- I wasn't- Fuck"

She laughed, "do not despair, James, I'm not mad"

James took a breath, "you scared me there"

"I like scaring you" she shrugged and he shook his head, trying hard not to blush.

They walked towards her house, talking and laughing.

"Here we are '' said Ellie, taking a step towards the door.

"You live here?" asked James, surprised. He knew Ellie had money, but that house... it was big, enormous.

"It's my brother's," said Ellie.

"What does he do, work for Stark Industries or something like that?"

Ellie gulped, "yeah, something like that" she looked at him, "thank you, for you know, walking with me"

James smiled, "it was my pleasure"

"Always so polite" said Elie as she walked towards her house, "bye, James"

"See you, Laney" he said and she smiled at him, waving goodbye.