Lux Brumalis - Bucky BarnesxOC

CHAPTER FOUR: Linger

Bucky is up early on his tablet, scrolling through the news. He misses the morning paper, but he has to admit, this is a lot easier than going down to the bodega every morning to buy one and flip through it while he eats his breakfast. Slowly but surely, he's getting used to modern life. Alpine lays beside him, falling in and out of tiny naps as she stretches out, her soft little paws just barely touching his leg. The right side of the bed is specifically reserved for her.

But if Charlotte, by some miracle, asked to share it with him, he'd kick Alpine out of bed.

Well, maybe he would ask her to politely if she could share instead.

He couldn't actually ever do that to his little malyshka.

Bucky reaches down and strokes her fur mindlessly while he scrolls.

There's a video ad for J. Jonah Jameson's podcast at the beginning of one of the articles he wanted to read. Jameson is a hack, and everyone knows it. So many platforms and papers have cut his funding. He's banned on all social media platforms, but the shitty newspapers continue to amplify his voice. Bucky loathes them, but he can't help but watch. It's usually some rant about Sam, Bucky, or the Spider kid.

For whatever reason, Bucky presses play. Jameson is at a desk with a green background and a microphone in front of his big, ugly face, thrusting an accusatory finger at the camera.

"What I'm here to do is expose people like James Buchanan Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier! He's not reformed it's all a ploy! Your government is lying to you, people! Hydra is still operational, still killing innocent Americans, and he's one of them! The government has fooled you completely. How can you keep falling for this?! Him and Sam Wilson aren't heroes. They've pardoned a man who's responsible for over two dozen murders and they're just letting him live among us?! Like he's one of us?!"

"Sometimes, I think murder should be legal," Bucky mutters as he clicks the 'x' and locks his tablet. "For certain people, at least."

He feels anger rising in his chest. He knows Jameson is just using his case as a way to drive home his insane conspiracy theories. The guy believes that a giant cult is controlling America. He's got more screws loose than Bucky, and Bucky thought he was the most insane person in New York. Turns out, he's got some competition.

He sighs heavily and throws the blankets off. It's 7:00am. He can hear Charlotte padding around in her bedroom, but doesn't want to disturb her. His stomach growls and he feels the intense need for coffee. Bucky decides to head out to get something for breakfast. For the both of them. Maybe talking to Charlotte - if she wants to talk - will help him get his mind off of all of this.

He's not a bad person. What he did all of those years wasn't his fault. He knows that now, and he's starting to feel it in his bones. It's taken a long time to get there, but Bucky usually needs to learn a lesson a few times before it sinks in.