𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑃𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐶𝑜.

I.

𝐼. 𝑁𝑒𝑤 𝑃𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑠

2014

Bucky

I couldn't deny that I was cold as I walked through the woods, my clothes soaked through. I couldn't bring myself to regret the decision. Saving Steve felt like the only right choice I've made in a long time. It felt like my brain was pulsating with pain, new memories crashing down around me, like watching a movie from a bizarre perspective.
My heart squeezes as I envision my mother. Her memory nothing but a fog for seven decades, now a vision of beauty with her raven hair hanging around her oval face and blue eyes twinkling as she smiles at me. Her hand comes up to cradle my face. I squeeze my eyes, feeling them prick with tears, hoping if I hold my eyes closed tight enough the image of her won't slip away. I'm interrupted by the sound of a bird flapping its wings and gliding into the air from the tree beside me, bringing me back to the present.

~

Leaving a 19 year old boys' apartment with a new identity in hand, I made my way to the airport. I had abandoned my suit in the back of a dry cleaners and stolen a navy crew neck sweatshirt, dark jeans and a black denim jacket. Walking down the street I still feel exposed, even with my metal hand hidden in my pocket. I spot a group of teenage boys on skate boards and approach cautiously.

I pull out a crisp fifty from my pocket, "can I have your hat?" I ask the lanky red haired boy with the black beanie.
"Fuck yeah, man!" He grins and pulls it off his head, beaming at his friends. They were maybe 16.
I place the beanie over my head and make my way towards the gas station. I didn't feel good about stealing someone's car but sometimes you need to break the rules when you're fleeing the country.

I glanced at the pumps, noting a silver hybrid left empty, the nozzle promptly in the tank.
I pick up the pace and make my way to one of the most common cars in America, thankful it'll be easy to lose anyone in this car. Placing the nozzle on the cradle, I jump in the car almost laughing as the keys sit on the dash. It was almost too easy.

~

Landing in Italy, I feel my heart rate pick up. I felt almost claustrophobic being on a plane with so many civilians.
Grabbing my backpack of essentials, I stand behind a middle aged man getting clearly frustrated with the overhead compartment. I sigh and reach over him, yanking his gray bag free from its jam.
"Oh, thank you." He says with a smile, pulling the handle out and rolling it behind him.

It felt nice to help a stranger.
𝐼𝑡𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠. I tell myself.

I sigh in relief as I see nightfall setting in quickly. I begin my walk, hoping a gas station wasn't too far from the airport. It was too risky stealing a car at the airport with all of the security. I was already taking a huge risk being in Europe at all.

~

Antiffany

"Grazie, Benny. Guidare sicuri!" I call to my delivery driver. Forever grateful for the concept of delivery food, I make my trek back upstairs.

"𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑛, 𝑇𝑖𝑓𝑓." Tony's voice echoes in my head.

I strain to watch my feet go up the stairs over the stack of styrofoam boxes I carried, careful not to trip when I reached the landing.
I spot the orange tabby cat that lurks around the building waiting in front of my door.

"You gotta move, buddy." I urge the cat, nudging him with my sneaker, "if you scoot, I'll bring you a snack later."
Opening the door, I freeze in shock, dropping my stack of food. The cat runs away swiftly and I'm left in awe.
A man who's eyes I could never forget stood one front of me. The Winter Soldier. There was a flicker of recognition followed by confusion in his eyes. The strange thing about his eyes, they weren't cold and devoid of emotion like I remembered, they were full of fear.

Before I realize what I'm doing, I shut the door behind myself.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." I say, putting my hands up.
He looks at me and then begins to laugh. It wasn't a cruel or rude laugh, it was soft, like he was shocked.

"It's been a very long time since someone has said that to me." The smile fades quickly from his face.

Still showing him my hands, I make a motion, showing him I'm locking the door.

"I-I thought the building was vacant. I came in through the back and you came in only a second after I did, I-" he begins pouring out all of this information suddenly and I can't help but almost feel bad for the guy. He seemed a bit disoriented.

"Don't worry, I understand. I have ears everywhere, don't think I haven't been keeping up on the latest." I interrupt, leaning down to pick up the thankfully undamaged packages of food and take it to a small wooden table by the window. I shut the gossamer curtain and gesture for Bucky to have a seat. If he wasn't trying to kill me, it seemed right to not refer to him as someone he'd rather forget.

I walk to the kitchen, across from my mini dining room and living room, grabbing two plates and two forks. I look over at the new presence in my usually uneventful home and smile. I knew I couldn't tell Steve right away, maybe not for a while, but I knew this was fate. I couldn't have predicted being in this position but if I can help deliver Steve's best friend back from the brink, I have to show the initiative. He would do it for me. I just need to think of a way to make him stay.