Never be the same (Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier)

Chapter 27

"I want to know who you were before everything happened to you." -Maram Rimawi

"Oww," I heard Soldier grunt from the bathroom loudly and then I heard something fall against the sink.

I knocked on the door to announce myself before entering, "You okay?" I asked as I noticed Soldier leaning against the sink, his head slumped down.

"How are you supposed to shave with those things?" Soldier turned around and showed me the razor he was holding.

I was struggling to keep myself from laughing at his confused expression. It really wasn't that hard to use a razor, even when he did use shaving machines back at the base.

I shook my head at him and stepped closer, "Give me that," I grabbed the razor from his hands, "sit down." I ordered and he sat down on the edge of the bathtub.

I took the shaving cream and smeared it gently over his chin, around his mouth and everywhere else he had stubble. He kept his eyes focused on me during all this. As I got done with the cream, I turned the faucet on and grabbed the razor and started shaving his facial hair. I was trying to be as careful as possible so I wouldn't cut him, like he had done before.

I rinsed the excess cream off the razor once again and then started struggling to move around him to shave the part around his mouth. He seemed to notice my uncomfortable position, since he laid both of his hands gently on my hips before ushering me to move to stand between his legs. I wasn't sure whether the position made me more uncomfortable or whether I was enjoying it. Nevertheless I laid my hand on his shoulder to balance myself while I was still working on his facial hair.

"Have you done this before? Shaving someone's beard, I mean." Soldier finally broke the silence while I was rinsing the cream off again.

"I'm not sure." I answered honestly, but then added, " It's not that hard to use a razor though."

He gave me a weak smile in response to that, which I returned and continued shaving his face in silence until I was finished.

"Alright, all done." I said and put the razor away, before leaving to let him wash the rest of the cream from his face off.

* * *

"Soldier?" I called out for him.

No response. Where on earth could he have gone? I knew I heard him go outside while I was having a shower, but I thought he would be back by now. It had been an hour already. Where on earth was he? He didn't even tell me where he was off to.

"Soldier?" I decided to call once more, even though I knew I wouldn't be getting a response.

The apartment we were staying at wasn't that big. It had a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom and living room. And since he wasn't in any of these rooms, I had absolutely no idea where else he could have been.