"Trust me Barnes, I'm pretty hard not to be attracted to."
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[Bucky Barnes x Female OC]
*TRIGGER WARNINGS: Mentions of Alcohol misuse, Pregnancy topics/issues, anxiety, depression and addiction.*
Set Pre-Captain America: Civil War - Post Avengers...
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The three of them sat in an awkward silence, Ellie shuffling through the kitchen to sit at the barstool next to Olly.
"Are you?" He repeated turning to face his sister who was now sat next to him.
"Am I what?" Ellie replied reluctantly.
"An alcoholic!" Jack snapped.
Ellie sighed deeply as she gave a small nod, fiddling with her husbands wedding ring that dangled around her neck.
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"The only person I've actually ever told was Natasha."
"How long have you been drinking?"
"After dad died-"
"Dad died 10 years ago, Ellie." Olly interrupted.
"I know." Ellie nodded sadly. "I joined S.H.I.E.L.D when I was 16."
"I thought you joined at 21?" Jack commented becoming extremely confused. "After dad died. That's when I thought they recruited you."
"I was undercover for 5 years. Fury kept me off the grid."
"When did you start drinking?" Olly queried.
"I was 20."
"Why? Why did you start?"
"I was an assassin for fucks sake, it's not exactly an easy job. I don't have an easy life."
"How did mum know if you only told Natasha?"
"When I was 23, I think, my liver..." she paused for moment wiping away the tear that threatened to spill from her eye. "My liver began to fail. If you're an alcoholic you have to be sober for a specific period of time before you can be put back on the transplant list. This is unless you have someone who's a match and is willing to donate some of theirs. Only mum was a match." She explained quietly.
"That's how she found out." Jack concluded, Ellie nodded signalising that he was correct. That was the worst period of her life, she remembered Natasha caring for her as she lay bedridden in the apartment they shared together at the time. She felt helpless, alone, like there wasn't any point in living.
"She um- she didn't take it very well. Told me that I was a um- a disappointment and that dad would be ashamed of me and that I was selfish and if I kept drinking I would join dad. She begged Natasha to leave me, told her that I wasn't worth it."
"Holy shit, that's harsh."
"Is it really though?" Ellie asked.
"Yes!" Olly exclaimed. "It wasn't your fault, it's not like you chose this."
"Does your husband know?" Jack wondered.
"Yeah, he found out after I had a fight with Nat. He kind of worked it out himself."
