Titanium ~A Bucky Barnes Love Story~

Chapter Twenty-Nine

 "Well, it could be worse," Bucky mused, flicking on the light switch. Then off. Then on again.

"None of the lights work, James," Caden droned. "How can this be worse?"

"Maybe they're just bad bulbs?" He went over to inspect a light in the ceiling. "Or there are just none at all."

"Great, so we have no electricity?" Caden groaned, walking around the cramped, one-room apartment. "How do they even call this an apartment? It's more like a cell. I feel like I'm in jail- Coulson literally sent us to jail, Buck," she complained. "There isn't even a bed, only a mattress, the fridge doesn't work, look the chord to it has been severed, and I bet you the coffee maker doesn't even work. What would only make this worse was if the water didn't work." She flicked the sink faucet on and off several times. "Oh, look," she looked at him with the most 'done' face ever. "It's worse."

She went over to the fridge, only to slam it shut and doing everything in her power not to throw up. "Are there any missing person reports?" She coughed. "Because I am pretty sure I just found their body. The fridge smells awful."

"Caden-"

"Let's hope this mattress isn't as bad as everything else," Caden continued on, laying down on the dirty mattress. "Damn it!" She yelped, jumping up and clutching her back as she glared down at the mattress. A spring had broke through what was left of the cushion and pierced her back. "Bad, definitely as bad."

"Caden," Bucky tried again. "Look at me."

"I can't it's so dark in here with the newspapers covering all of the windows," Caden said as she tore a piece off.

Bucky caught her hand, turning her around to face him. "Stop," he said softly. "It's okay, really."

"Bucky, this isn't a living condition," Caden argued. "It's disgusting."

"Then we'll make it one," he said gently, running a hand through Caden's long brown hair. "Now turn around and let me see your back."

Caden obliged, and Bucky lifted her shirt enough to examine the damage.

"It's just a little scratch," he said softly, wiping away some blood with his shirt sleeve. "You're lucky that spring wasn't rusted, it could have been a lot worse." He lowered her shirt again, placing his hands on her hip as he rested his cheek on her head, breathing in her shampoo scented hair. "A whole lot worse."

"How could this be any worse, Buck?" Caden asked, taking his hands in hers and rubbing her thumb over his knuckles.

"I could be here alone, or in Siberia," Bucky murmured, "At least we have each other here, I don't know if I could do this by myself."

Caden turned around, looking up at Bucky apologetically. "I'm sorry, I didn't even think about that, Bucky. I must have just sounded awful right now."

Bucky smiled, shaking his head. "No, you didn't," he said, placing his hands on either side of her face, pulling her close to him and kissing her passionately. 

Caden was taken aback by the motion, but kissed back, entangling her hands in his hair as he lifted her off the ground and held her bridal style in his arms.

"Hey," he murmured, pulling away. "If we are going to play the parts, we should do it right."

"What do you mean?" Caden asked softly.

Wordlessly, Bucky led her to the hallway by the hand, shutting the door behind them.

"We have to stick with tradition," he explained before picking up a laughing Caden once more, and opened the door, kicking it shut behind them.

~~~