haven ; 𝐛. 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬 , 𝟏

024. groceries

TWENTY-FOUR—GROCERIES
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IT WAS NEARLY comical, the way Bucky practically jumped out of bed and followed me downstairs, staying well within a few feet behind me at all times. Bombarding me with questions and words of doubt, I had a hard time keeping a straight face.

"Do you have any idea how stupid that is? Going outside when I'm the most wanted man in the entire world? One step outside this house and we'll have every gun trained on us like fugitives!" He paused to take a deep breath and continued. "Oh, wait. We are."

I rolled my eyes with a smirk, waving him away. "Careful where you throw around that word, my friend. Let's not forget who asked whom for help in this situation." Turning around to wink smugly at him, I grinned. "You're so very welcome on that front."

Bucky just huffed, barely flinching at the fugitive talk. He hardly ever got embarrassed by it anymore; it was a harmless label to him now, like one might call a child a troublemaker. Of course, that didn't automatically mean that he was ready to have "the talk." His past, the metal arm(or lack thereof, as it was for the past few months now), it was all still a mystery to me. I knew that after telling him about Cade and revealing my demons wouldn't make him overly ready to spill the beans on his issues. But, as usual, I found myself hoping something would overturn. I was getting curious, and it was hard not to just call Sam and ask him myself. 

Where are your manners, El? A voice scolded inside my head. 

I smirked back at Bucky, who was still wide-eyed and paranoid. "Bucky," I said, exasperated. "It's going to be fine. We're just gonna go to Walmart and grab some food to last us for a few more weeks and then we'll get in the car and drive home. It'll probably take us no more than an hour or two." When he still looked nervous, I tentatively reached out and brushed my fingertips on his rough knuckles to calm him down. His fingers twitched at the contact, and if anything, it got him more riled up. 

Cocking an eyebrow, he stared at me. "This may be the most idiotic idea I've ever heard." He shook his head and closed his eyes in disbelief. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

"All that life experience and this is the dumbest idea you've ever heard?" I countered, grabbing my keys off the counter where I'd last placed them and winking at him. 

Bucky shrugged and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear as he replied, "Yeah, I guess not. Steve's had some pretty grand ideas in the past," he reminisced, a wistful smile growing on his face. 

"Like what?" I asked, ushering him toward the door. "I wanna hear some dirt on Captain America."

"Sorry, doll, that's not my story to tell," he answered smugly, and added quietly, "uh, it's just Steve now."

Turning off the living room lights and putting on some shoes, I inquired, "Oh yeah, why is that again?"

Bucky didn't say anything to that and I knew it wouldn't be that easy to get an answer out of him. "You'll have to ask him."

I rolled my eyes. "You three are all so dramatic." I was about to open the door when Bucky's breath hitched.

"Don't," he rasped, his voice low. "I can't do it."

I turned around and nearly melted at the fearful expression on his face. I'd expected this to happen the second I suggested going shopping in the first place. "Look, I know it seems impossibly dangerous right now, but I need you with me. If we don't get out here sometimes, we're never going to want to leave at all."