New Beginnings with Broken Endings- Bucky Barnes x OC Prologue
Heh. I did it- personally, Iâve never found Sebastian Stan or Bucky attractive when I first watched The Winter Soldier, then I rewatched it (Disney+ perks yâall. Get it. Thatâs an order not a request lol.) and I spat out my drink, âdaDDY???!â There are 2 Canadian historyïżŒ references because like why the hell not. (The name Viola- comes from Viola Desmond and the fact that she was alive in this time, and she did move to New York after her Halifax trial ended, so itâs literally real life canon. Also the Halifax Explosion- Iâm from Nova Scotia lol. Yâall didnât need to know that, sorry.)
Tagging people for attention: @stardust-revengers @spidey-lokis @incorrectmarvelcast @pengylove11 @i-eat-bread-and-cry-on-the-floor @justmebeingtheweirdmeiam @damm-darcy @avenging-natashaïżŒ @og-danny-dorito @lechaterrant-thestraycat if you want me to stop tagging you or start tagging you, tell me lol. I am annoying.
There was always a certain way to how things started.
Squabbles over bright red lipstick, a tube or two always ending up staining the bright orange walls of our quaint little home. I never really regretted moving in with Eleanor- yeah sure, maybe I was constantly third-wheeling her activities and moping over the fact that my application to university had been rejected, while my best friend was one of the most in-demand wedding planners in all of Brooklyn, despite the war. No idea why anyone would want to get married in such a dismal time, but here we were.
âDria? Whereâd you put the- oh, nevermind, found it,â Eleanor muttered, and I resisted a giggle. This particular night, we were going out dancing. For the first time in a while, too: Ellie had been so torn down by her work and I was still trying to keep the damn apartment up from all of these unfair rations when a certain guy, James, had found me outside of the bank. Our conversation had flowed so easily that the double date had simply slid into place, only after a half-hour of him following me to one of the few grocery stores open with my new loan. All was set for tonight after a week of preparation. Ellie was to meet his friend Steve alongside me and James, while I secretly tasked myself to not perish from the anxiety. We had a loan to pay back, we were half-starving from the rotting meat that was our rations, and in my desperation, I had started thinking about enlistment in the army. It was absolutely crazy, and I knew it. Ellie just said that memories of my father had brought this weird urge on, especially at this time. It was a dead end too- I couldnât seek out anything stronger than aspirin without being a disgrace.
âThe powder?â I asked urgently, twirling between the narrow hallways, makeup brush in hand. I came to a stop, peering into our bathroom, which was in disarray with our curling irons and trademark American lipstick (okay, it was a trend and practically an unspoken dress code for women, military or not). Eleanorâs spare fabric covered the dusty window like a tarp and cast a somber light over everything, including herself. It was protocol- if there was an explosion anywhere in New York, our glass was bulletproof and weâd be protected. âThank you,â I said shortly, noticing the product and wiping my brush against the dinner plate that held the face powder. Makeup was hard to come by these days, but fortunately for us, our âsupplierâ- an old woman named Viola- was still out on the street in her little booth, rain or shine, war or peace. It didnât matter if people belittle me for the colour of my skin, she had once said, her makeup was still going to be here.
âWhat time did Barnes ask us to meet him and the friend?â Ellie said to me, sparing a glance at my face. Eleanor could naturally do things effortlessly: she had that innocent look with her ghostly pale skin and blonde hair, the colour of the good coffee cream we used to get at the grocery store back in the â20s when everything was practically perfect. That hair was currently pinned off of her face in a constellation of bobby pins, and her thin lips were sagged into a pout directed at me, coloured a bright and rebellious red. I gave her the same look. âDunno, around six oâclock?â This time my face split into a smile as I pushed past her, looking in our cracked mirror as she began to adjust my dress yet again. âYou do realize that this is probably going to be a, âget in there, get outâ thing, right?â She asked me as she managed to squeeze the folds of skin protecting my spine even closer together, her hands a blur.
It was, really, a beautiful dress: Ellie had dragged an unused wedding gown back here on what mustâve been the rainiest day in Brooklyn, and she managed to change it into something playful and twirly rather than stiff and formal. With one snip here and there and the traumatizing execution of one of my grandmotherâs silk scarves, we had an in-style and arguably sensible dress just in time, showing off my legs, which were far from dreamy, and arms, which made me feel like a ghost, presuming that Ellie wouldnât pull up the back so tight that the fabric would wrinkle and my spine would break, literally killing me. Going to the hospital these days was never fun, no one was admitted.
âGet in and out of what? And you tell me to not act like a harlot,â I laughed, twisting my fingers together. With one of her safe smiles like sheâs about to mention my father again, she exited gracefully, leaving me alone to notice everything. The whole bathroom reeked of nail polish and DIY bleach, minus the explosion of makeup products. The person appraising herself in the mirror in the middle of it all looked like an alien, but at least she was a tall and pretty thing: the thick brown hair that was a nightmare to everyone at the barberâs was straightened to damaging point, but you could never tell because of Ellieâs magic with a modern version of braids. I looked like a royal or maybe a movie star, especially when the dress paid off in the end.
âAlexandria! Weâre late!â
I paused, trying to fiddle with another bobby pin as quickly as I could, one foot wedged between the door and its frame. âAlexandria!â Ellie repeated herself after a second, âUnless you want a part two of the Halifax Explosion, you better come quick!â Her voice was harsh. Ever since the second World War started, she was making more and more references to her heritage with each year, even if she was only a baby during that particular event. She would probably be arrested if she spoke this way in public, which is the whole reason for the âinnocentâ image, but not when she was with me. As long as we donât talk about her Canadian citizenship, we donât talk about my failures. Only the present and the future. Itâs a safe part of our friendship- she was scary now though.
âComing, coming!â I called back, blowing a kiss at the mirror before kicking the door open fiercely. Womenâs rights, after all, Ellie was always quick to say, even if weâre still restricted. âIf itâs at the time you say,â Eleanor says breathlessly, âYouâre one hundred percent gonna owe me a sandwich after this.â There it was again, the same patronizing tone that she used when I blurted out that I wanted to join the army. She looked down at me as I grabbed my heels. âYouâre taking care of the second date,â I managed to say suggestively, the confidence fizzling briefly before dying completely. I stomped my feet into the footwear, disturbing a small pile of dust. I started to pull on my coat too, the shoulderpads already bulky and uncomfortable against my own shoulders. I never really got over the fact that they were uneven.
âI mean, have you seen the man? Heâs gorgeous, isnât he?â I started to ramble as we left the apartment, descending down the stairs. Ellie took the time to disturb and then fix her hat, over and over, again and again, choosing not to answer my question except for a small smile. I tried not to stare at her, even though we were the exact same height. It was hard not to- which almost immediately meant that I was confident. I couldnât remember feeling this way, really and truly, for a long time. The war snuffed everything out. That way, if I was feeling the way I thought I was feeling, it wouldnât last for long.
âDria,â Ellie began as we started walking down the street, our eyes glued to the road in search of a taxi, âWhat do you think Steve looks like?â she asked me seriously as we managed to flag one down. The place we were going was just off of Broadway, not the shady part though, James had been quick to clarify. I never knew there was a shady part of Broadway. When Ellie had first came here in second grade, all she talked about was theatre, drama, and the shows.
âHopefully sensible,â I sighed as the driver began to navigate our way through Brooklyn. âItâd be nice if he was Jamesâ height, likeâŠâ I trailed off, wary of the driver, and reach for her hand instead to make up for the lost word, us. It was fluid- I gave her a reassuring pump and released it. One time someone on the street had called us lesbians- it had shocked me so much that I didnât have anything to say. It was one of the only times Ellie had came out of the innocent image too, considering she held all of the authority because we had been standing outside of her office. Weâll present ourselves however way we please, she had said smartly, and promptly dragged me away.
âThank you so much,â Ellie said kindly, fishing a couple of dollars out of her purse and handing them to the driver, who just grunted gruffly. My dress twirled from above my knees under my coat as we walked, practically skipping. Weâll be waiting by the entrance, James had said with a smile. âHe said that Steve was nervous,â I warned her, a fact I had just remembered. I had to do a little bit of convincing, but heâs a good guy, Jamesâ voice sounded in my head. Fortunately, Ellieâs face slipped into a dazed smile, âGreat. As long as he has face,â She murmured, biting her lip. âWhere are they?â
My name sounded different on his lips, I immediately noticed.
âJames Barnes?â I asked, immediately wanting to drown in my coat as I looked at his face.
It was him, alright, nearly wedged into an alley, way too relaxed as his eyes surveyed the street for us like a floodlight. He was that type of Romeo and Juliet gorgeous that make you want to bet your own life that youâll do anything for him, die for him, forever and always. He just charmed people like that, I would soon learn, and like my own forever and always, I didnât want to think of the before. It was inevitable, this wasnât his first girl, but I just wanted to enjoy that night at the first chance before my time was up. Of course Iâd seen him around- everyone saw him, and youâd never catch him. It just never hit me at the time. Stupid anxiety, I cursed myself.
He smiled, and I was positive I heard the ground tremble from underneath my feet. âDo you go by Alex?â He inquired, shoving his hands into his pockets as he noticed me. He was wearing formal pants. Thank God I wasnât the only one who overstepped- though his friend was nowhere to be seen. My own name was indeed a mouthful- Alexandria Margaret Ann Jerold- so I just went with it. âDria,â I corrected, trying to smile and finding, with a little horror, that my mouth had gone slack, freezing in its current shape, a blood red line. I wasnât sure if I could open it without barfing out of anxiety on his freshly-shined shoes.
âGreat,â He said, steamrollering on as I tried to hurriedly relearn how to breathe, swallow and produce saliva all at the same time in about three seconds. âYou must be Eleanor, right?â He directed at Ellie, who nodded. Her eyes had gone wide, and I knew within a glance that she immediately agreed with me on this manâs physical status. âYou can call me Bucky. This is Steve,â James said, doing the introductions and waving a little man forward, and for a second my heart stopped. I forgot how to gain poise.
Steve was definitely not holding himself at the same glamour that âBuckyâ did, considering he was stretched thin even under the multiple coats making him look like a marshmallow. He was a few inches shorter than us, an impressive feat considering we were pretty average for women at five foot five. âHi,â He greeted drily, staring at the ground. âBuck blackmailed me to come,â He added glumly, and for Eleanorâs sake, I tried to evaluate his face. I bounced back and drew myself up to my full height, âWonderful,â I said while my brain was in turmoil, every word that I knew from the English language evaporating ever-so-suddenly. I knew I sounded stupid, and I looked like I just saw a zombie from the way I was staring: Steve couldâve been attractive if his face wasnât so squashed and sickly- not to mention being a great deal taller in both directions so his head could fit his face. It wasnât my place to discriminate against short guys though, so I didnât say anything.
âHey,â Eleanor said coolly, possibly let down but she didnât show it. Her bubbliness was back in an instant.
âShall we?â Bucky asked me, pivoting on his foot, and for the first time that I remembered, I felt brave. âOf course,â I said in what I hoped was a flirtatious and hard-to-get manner. I turned away while Eleanor made conversation with Steve. Even though I barely knew him, I still felt undoubtedly safe. Iâm sure his life had changed in September 1939, too, anyway. Everyoneâs did, but I couldnât shake the fact that I sincerely trusted him. I hadnât even considered the fact I didnât know how to dance yet. The fact that Eleanor had shot down my idea of joining the army faded away when we started walking, so close that his knuckles brushed mine constantly. My confidence never evaporated.
We were walking into a new world.
There was always a certain way to how things started, after all.
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