The Unthinkable Truth

Lesson 1: Failure

    Bucky waited in the kitchen as the minutes ticked by, at the moment you were five minutes late. He grumbled slightly annoyed, looking up the clock, shoving his hands in his pockets. As ten minutes rolled by he could hear the plates in his arm hum and click as he clenched his fist. He was about ready to storm off to find you when you came casually walking in.
"You're late." He stated tersely, you raised an eyebrow at him.
"No, I was assessing you. Doesn't matter that I'm late, I could of been held up for multiple reasons." You said calmly walking over to the fridge.
"Assessing me? What the hell does that mean?" He remarked watching as you pulled a water bottle out.
"Okay, ice box, here's the thing, most women do and don't even realize it half the time. When entering a new place, new situation, or meeting a new person we survey, assess and figure out our options if we need to leave in hurry." You responded flatly turning to look at him, the puzzlement on his face was mixed with annoyance.
"Why?" He asked, crossing his arms, the muscle in his right arm flexed.
"Because of possible threats, which by the way had I been meeting you for the first time I would of texted you and called it off." You replied, walking over to the table and sitting, you cocked your head slightly.
"And why is that?" He rolled his eyes, obviously thoroughly annoyed by the this.
"Let's see, for one I could tell by your posture after a five minute delay that you were not only annoyed with me but angry and you kept checking your watch. By ten minutes you were pissed, and at your size that makes you a huge fucking threat to my well being." You told him, locking eyes with cold blues.
"Yeah, I was. You said 01:00 and I was here waiting." He snapped, slowly you stood and walked right up to him.
"And if diner girl was ten minutes late? What would you do then? Hmm? Get pissed, cause I promise she would ghost you if you acted like that." You hissed back at him, your stare never wavering from him. You see Bucky clench his jaw and his nostrils flare slightly, every muscle in his body was tense. "You have to remember this Barnes, in this world there are too many what if's when it comes to dating. The harsh truth is you don't know what she's been through, so if she's ten, fifteen minutes late you let it roll off."
"We aren't talking about her, we're talking about you being late." He growled back, his posture was rigid.
"No, this was a fucking test and you fucking failed." You told him, eyes narrowing. "I need to see exactly what kind of person I'm trying to help and if your going to get upset I was late in helping you then that means we will have a major problem. You need to understand something Barnes, she doesn't know you, you're a big guy and if you wanted to, you could hurt her."
"But I'm not." He replied, trying to calm himself back down.
"She doesn't know that, what I want you to realize is this. As a woman, I know not all men are bad but I don't know which ones are, and yes, just about all of us think that way." You told him, slowly turning away. You walked back over and sat down, waiting for the words to sink in, hoping they would. "I know you're a good guy, an asshole most of the time, but I know you'd never hurt a woman."
You took a deep breath and watched as he tried to relax, chewing on his bottom lip.
"Okay, I think I get where your coming from." He finally said, taking a seat opposite of you.
"If we're going to do this, it's going to my way. Even if it pisses you off, we'll get to you talking to her to ask her out but first we gotta work on how you approach this whole situation. Dating now isn't as easy as it was back then." You told him, twisting the cap on your water bottle, taking a drink of the cool water.
"Like you know what it was like dating in the forties." He scoffed, shaking his head.
"Let me guess, compliment them, give them a charming smile and ask them to a dance?" You quipped back, giving him a smirk. When he didn't respond you knew you had been right. "Things have changed, women are more aware of the violence out there and too many of us have had to deal it. Whether it's sexual harassment, being assaulted, or raped and as I said, until we get to know you, we don't know what your intentions are."
"Alright, so where do we start?" He asked, running his hand through his hair.
"For starters I need to know how much you've messed up your chance already." You grinned as he rolled his eyes at you.
"I haven't messed anything up. What makes you think that?" He questioned, leaning back on his seat, stretching his leg out.
"What have to two of you talked about?"
"We haven't exactly talked much. I mean beside pleasantries, told her I thought she pretty." He explained, clasping his hands behind his head.
"Oh god, in what context? Just out of the blue? Was there any conversation before you blurted that out?" You closed your eyes, placing your forehead in your palm.
"It was just before I left the other day, told her I thought she was pretty." He shrugged, suddenly feeling stupid again.
"Alright, how often to you go to the diner?" You asked, pulling your hand down your face.
"Depends, but at least every other day or so." He told you, you shook your head at his response.
"Nope, your done. Cut it back, once a week if not less then that." You stated, watching as his brows pinched together.
"Why?"
"Cause, that's borderline creepy, especially if you told her you thought she was pretty and you've barely had a conversation." You replied.
"Okay, then how do I get to know her?"
"We'll give it a couple days before you go again but you need to find out what interests her with out directly asking." You told him, looking up at the clock, and hour had past since you had walked into the room. "Lesson one is done Bucky, meet you here again tomorrow at the same time."
"Seriously?" He asked, brows raising as you walked to the doorway. You turned and smirked at him, getting under his skin was going to be a lot easier then originally planned.
"Told you, we are doings things my way, and I want you to think of what happened and what you've learned. Plus, you need to find ways of getting to know me with out asking directly. I want to see what you can come up with Buck and then I can correct you."
You turned and left hearing him groan as you did. A saunter in your step as you left.