The Grumpy Sunshine Series

Illiterate

Originally Posted: 01/16/2022

Bucky's just walking down the compound hallway when he hears a loud shout of your name followed by, "Seriously?"

He's immediately searching the corridor for which room you could possibly be in. He doesn't even care that his jog is catching other people's attention, he's more concerned for you.

He's about to turn the corner when he hears, "You know, I will never understand how everyone tolerates you, let alone likes you. God, how could you make a mistake like this?"

"I'm sorry," you say, though Bucky's sure that you're just repeating yourself again. "It won't happen again- I swear it won't. I'll do better."

Bucky's made his way past the threshold, but neither you nor Sharon seemed to have noticed him. He finds you sitting at the conference room table. There's paper splayed out all in front of you, and your eyes are frantically flickering between the papers and Sharon, who's hovering over you and berating your every mistake.

"You're right- it won't happen again because I'm never going to get stuck working with the stupid, illiterate Avenger," she practically spits, her voice dripping with malice.

"Hey," Bucky barks, finally catching Sharon's attention.

"I'm not-," you choke out simultaneously. "I'm not... I'll try harder."

"It's true though- isn't it?" She asks even though it's clear to Bucky that she knows the answer. "I've read your file- you are illiterate."

Bucky steps forward, wrapping his arm around your shoulder to console you. "That's enough, Sharon."

"I'm not," you cry again, trying to keep the tears at bay. "I know how to read."

"Do you or does everyone just tell you that to make you feel better?"

"I'm not going to tell you again, Sharon. Lay off," Bucky warns.

Sharon's eyes meet Bucky's and she immediately takes notice of the anger in them. She straightens herself and her jacket and finally steps away from you. "She fumbled the paperwork for our mission brief. Now I have to go to my boss and fix her mistakes."

"Then do it. Without being an asshole, preferably."

"She messed up and somehow I'm the asshole? It's not my fault she made a stupid mistake."

"Mistakes happen- to everyone. Believe it or not, we don't scream in each other's faces when they do happen. Now, take your papers and leave," Bucky orders, his tone leaving no room for Sharon to continue. Sharon's jaw clenches like she's trying her very hardest to hold back her next insult.

As Sharon scoops up all her papers from the table, she glares at you one last time, knowing that's all she can do with Bucky breathing down her neck.

"Hey," he crouches down next to you, your head resting on the table. "Doll, are you alright?"

You slowly look up, barely meeting Bucky's eyes. The sight of you red-rimmed, glassy eyes practically breaks his heart. He pulls you into him. The second his arms wrap around you, the emotional dam breaks and you're quietly sobbing into his shoulder. "I can read- I swear I can. I'm not stupid."

"It's alright. I know you can. Don't listen to her," he coos at you. "You're not stupid."

You wipe your eyes, letting Bucky pull you up into one last embrace. When you've finally pulled yourself together enough to walk down the halls, you tell Bucky that you're going to clean yourself up for dinner. Once you're in you room, your fingers trace your bookshelf- starting with children's book all the way to full novels. Normally, physically seeing your progress makes your heart swell with pride at how far you'd come, this time it doesn't make you feel any better. Instead, you hear Sharon's words in your head. Over and over again- the stupid, illiterate Avenger.

When you are able to pull yourself from your pity party, you head down to the dining room. Both Bucky and Bruce are already at the table with a pizza box in front of them, you grab a plate and take a seat next to Bucky, whose eyes keep flickering to you to make sure you're okay.

"Hey," Bruce calls. "Word of the day?"

You nod, not wanting to break your daily routine with Bruce. "Word of the day is illiterate. Unable to read or write."

"Yeah," Bruce nods suspiciously. "That's right. In a sentence?"

"An Avenger shouldn't be illiterate," you state plainly.

"You're not-"

But you cut off whatever Bucky's about to say. "Bruce, am I illiterate? I mean would I still be considered illiterate?"

"Who told you that? Of course, you're not illiterate. You read and write very well- especially for someone who didn't have any sort of education."

"But I was illiterate?" you ask, staring at him and hoping he'll give you an honest answer.

Bruce thinks about that for a second, between Bucky's harsh stare and your pleading, puppy eyes he's not sure what he's supposed to say. So he goes with the truth. "Yes. You were illiterate."

He sees your face drop, "So I am stupid?"

"What? Of course not," Bruce insists. "Who told you that?"

"It doesn't matter," you mumble.

"Trust me, I've seen stupid before. You're not stupid. You're actually incredibly intelligent- you just didn't have an education. That doesn't measure your intellect."

"Really?" you ask, looking up hopefully at Bruce.

"Really," he assures you. "And honestly, I'd hate to be the person that called you stupid," he remarks, his eyes flickering to the very protective super soldier sitting next to you.

"Ah," you dismissively wave your hand. "James wouldn't hurt anyone."

"Call me crazy, but I think that only applies to you," Bruce mumbles, watching how Bucky glares at him for his last remark