Superstore x Bucky Barnes.
Summary: Bucky Barnes needed a fresh start, somewhere new and decided a “normal” job would probably be beneficial too. He meets you there and starts to feel emotions he hasn’t for a really long time. Pre-congress Bucky Barnes!
Authors note: I’m aware how insanely niche this is. I just finished watched Superstore for the second time and cannot stop thinking about Bucky in that setting.
Thank you @sunday-bug for the header and divider.
Bucky didn’t plan on moving to Missouri; it wasn't like he had always dreamed of it or even considered it really, but he knew he needed a change, a sense of normalcy.
Cloud 9, was the first place that called him back, the manager seemed incredibly desperate and called Bucky to ask if he could interview the same day he applied. Now, Bucky was waiting in the cafe of the subpar, dimly lit grocery store, where he could access the workers. They seemed like a normal group from what he could see so far.
“James Barnes?” A boisterous busty woman walked toward him, she had her hair clipped back in a large claw clip and a tight blue polo on. She squinted at Bucky, realizing immediately how attractive he is.
“That’s me,” Bucky said, extending his hand to shake hers. “It’s very nice to meet you” he firmly grasped her hand, she was impressed by his firm handshake, smiling to herself as she made a mental note of it.
“Walk with me” she was stern, all business and he respected that, following her to the back with a smile on his face. “Name's Dina. I’m the assistant manager here. I will be handling your interview today along with…” she sighed, rolling her eyes before she continued to speak, “Glenn Sturgis, he’s the one who called you this morning.”
“Yeah, real distinct voice” Bucky teased earning a small but noticeable smile from Dina.
“It’s a medical condition, you make fun of medical conditions?” Dina’s brow furrowed as she opened the door to Glenn’s office not giving Bucky the time to answer.
“James Barnes!” Glenn stood up from his desk, brushing the crumbs off his shirt. He had definitely just been eating Chips Ahoy, as Bucky took a mental note of the container in the trash.
“Glenn Sturgis, nice to meet you” Bucky held out his hand to him, shaking firmly as he did with Dina.
“Ouchie! Firm!” Glenn flexed his hand before sitting back down.
“Alright James, I’m going to shoot straight with you. We really need you to work here. So I’m thinking we just rapid fire this interview and if you’re not a total weirdo you start today, sound good?”
“Dina! You said you’d have some tact!” Glenn’s voice was already making Buckys ears bleed.
Bucky's eyes glinted over from Glenn to Dina with a smile. “Sounds good to me. I like that you’re no-nonsense.”
Dina let out an uncharacteristic giggle before clearing her throat and composing herself. “I am sorry. I don’t know what that was.”
“Me either. She never does that!” Glenn chimed in, only furthering her embarrassment.
Bucky's interview went well, Dina asked him about his time in the military and apologized for the medical condition comment earlier. She asked tons of inappropriate questions about his metal arm but all in all, he got the job and he was happy about that.
“So you’re going to shadow Jonah today, he’s alright. Harmless, hairless too but very chatty, you don’t seem like a talker so best of luck with that” she huffed a laugh as she motioned for Garrett to hand Bucky a blue vest from under the customer service desk.
“Jonah! Garrett! This is Ja- damn it. I’m sorry I will need to get used to that! Bucky” she turned to him with a smile before turning back to Garrett and Jonah. “This is Bucky! He doesn’t have to work here but he wants to, make sure he stays.”
“Oh? That wasn’t necessary to say” Bucky scoffed as he put the bright blue vest over his plain dark blue long-sleeve henley. Dina walked away quickly, checking out Buckys butt one last time before running to tell Amy about the new hire.
“Hey, man. Garrett, nice to meet you” Garrett extended his hand, and then Jonah nervously followed suit.
“Sorry about Dina, she’s a lot” Garrett joked earning a smile from Bucky immediately.
“Isn’t she your old lady? I saw the way you were looking at her” Bucky joked earning a loud howl from Jonah.
“He spotted the chemistry immediately! I told you!” Jonah teased, quickly shutting up as Garrett gave him a dirty look.
“What did she mean you don’t have to work here?” Jonah’s curiosity got the better of him, as usual. His eyes flickered to Bucky's metal arm, it wasn’t long before Bucky realized people in Missouri were often caught off guard by it.
“I’m a veteran. I got injured so I just wanted a normal job and a fresh start” Bucky lifted his own arm up by the elbow to acknowledge it.
“- I- I totally get that” Jonah nervously stammered making both Garrett and Bucky share a humorous glance.
“Don’t be weird” Garrett mumbled as Jonah was completely distracted by the woman walking his way.
“Oh? Is this your work wife?” Bucky joked, leaning against the counter beside Jonah.
“Heard we got another new one” the shorter dark-haired woman smiled as she walked over to the group. She was wearing a dark red blouse, brown khakis, and sneakers, and extended her hand to shake his.
“Bucky! Nice to meet you…. Betty?” Buckys head tilted to the side before looking back up at her face. He couldn’t help but think her name didn’t match her face at all.
“Oh! No!” she giggled, louder than she intended. “I’m Amy! I just wear different…. It’s an inside joke. I never wear my own name tag.”
Jonah smacked his lips, trying his hardest to refrain from commenting on the fact that Amy waited until the end of his first day to tell him her real name but told Bucky within seconds.
“Very mysterious.” Bucky smiled, feeling his cheeks growing warmer as Amy stood in front of him, she was someone he’d typically be interested in but considering Jonah had wanted to jump out of his skin since she arrived he knew better than to interfere, especially on his first day of work.
“Yeah! I thought so too!” Jonah nervously squeaked beside him, in true awkward fashion.
“Glenn just hired the girl that came in so she’s just finishing paperwork and will join you soon, make sure that both of them get to watch the new hire material before their shifts end? Thanks, Jonah!” She quickly ran off before Jonah could object.
“Oh! Okay!” Jonah turned to Bucky clearly flustered by the interaction. “She’s not my work wife by the way. We’re just friends.”
“Yeah, sure!” Bucky chuckled with wide eyes as Jonah continued to nervously ramble. Bucky spotted you walking with Dina immediately, he could tell you were new due to your lack of a vest and name tag.
“Got another live one. This is Y/N. Play nice boys” Dina was quicker to run off now than before leaving you standing there awkwardly.
“Hi! Nice to meet you” you waved from where you were standing, your cheeks growing warm with embarrassment. You hated being the “new girl” and that was obvious.
“Hi, I’m Bucky” the tall, dark-haired man who stood beside you extended his hand and you shook it. It was rare you meet someone so formal.
“Is today your first day too?” You noticed his lack of a name tag instantly.
“Yeah” he smiled, his eyes were bluer than the sky and that was all you could think about until Jonah and Garrett broke the silence.
“Umm okay” Garrett awkwardly chuckled realizing the sudden tension between you and Bucky as he handed you a blue vest.
“I think we should have you guys watch the videos in the break room first or honestly I’ll forget all about it” Jonah laughed and you and Bucky nodded as you followed him to the back walking side by side.
Bucky noticed the lack of a wedding ring immediately taking note of that as Jonah made small talk with both of you on the way to the break room.
Amy was sitting in the break room eating her lunch when the three of you walked in.
“Oh, Amy! I didn’t realize! I didn’t realize your lunch was now” Jonah leaned on a chair that made an awkward screech against the floor. You tried to hold back a laugh as you looked over at Bucky.
“He’s not very smooth” Bucky whispered out of the side of his mouth, grabbing both of you a pad of paper and a pen each from the table beside the staff lockers.
“I think it’s cute” you mumbled back. “It’s nice knowing there are still men who yearn” you giggled as you found an empty, crumb-less table to sit at, motioning for Bucky to join you.
Amy noticed the way you looked at one another immediately, noticing that’s how she and Jonah look at one another too. The two of them had just started dating, and were keeping it a secret for now even if it was comedically obvious to everyone anyway.
“Okay so this video is about forty-five minutes, and then we will go back onto the floor and I’ll set you both up with a display today” Jonah walked up to the old box TV and started the DVD player to start the video.
He took a seat next to Amy leaving a few tables between the two of you.
“So have you always lived here?” Bucky wrote down on his pad pretending to take notes as he slid it over into your view.
“You’re supposed to be taking notes” you scribbled back on your own adding a smiley face to it before putting it where Bucky could see.
“A rule follower huh? Noted” he wrote back, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“I'd just prefer to talk to you with my mouth… voice… You get it.” you wrote back, your cheeks growing warm as your new coworker couldn’t hide his own rosy blush.
The next forty-five minutes flew by with you and Bucky making little comments back and forth about the corny outdated Cloud 9 video.
“Questions?” Jonah yawned knowing how boring it really was.
“Yeah, when did you and Amy finally start officially dating?” You stood up with a giggle.
“Y/N!” Jonah’s eyes grew wide, and Bucky realized now that the two of you likely knew one another.
“I’m sorry but you’re literally so obvious!” You giggled, Bucky laughed too, his hands on his hips.
“Is it really? Is it obvious?” Jonah turned to Bucky with a concerned look on his face, clearly in his head now as his neck turned bright red with embarrassment.
“Just a little bit” Bucky pursed his lips, trying to hold back a laugh.
“It’s cute though! I haven’t seen you like this in forever lover boy!” You teased, playfully punching Jonah in the arm.
“I’ll tell Glenn to fire you right now” Jonah threatened with no real heat behind it, making you laugh again.
“You guys need holiday hires! I’m doing you a favor!” You rolled your eyes before smiling at Bucky, both of you following Jonah onto the floor.
Jonah explained to you and Bucky how to set up and display, putting the two of you together for the rest of the day which was nice.
“So how do you know that guy?” Bucky tried not to sound jealous, he had no real reason to be, having only met you today but he was still intrigued.
“Jonah? His mom and my mom are best friends, and we grew up together. He’s kind of like an annoying brother to me” you laughed, handing Bucky another set of display shelves.
“You’re not from here, are you?” You looked him up and down, realizing he didn’t look like any of the guys from here.
“No, definitely not. I moved here a month ago, just wanted a change.” Bucky was nervous you’d press him about what he meant, but much to his surprise you didn’t. You were also the only person in the store that didn’t stare at his arm for far too long, which he appreciated.
“I get that. That’s why I’m working here too, and not at all because I need the money” you sarcastically quipped as you handed him some shorter screws.
“So you’re hoping you’re not just a holiday hire then huh?” Bucky teased, pressing down on the first piece of shelving to make sure it was sturdy.
“I don’t like to stay in one place for too long but I figured I’d stay here for a bit see why Jonah likes it so much and then move somewhere else. I don’t like to stay in one place for too long.”
Bucky nodded, not sure how to respond to the information you just relayed.
“Well if you ever want dinner recommendations Jonah told me about some nice restaurants. I haven’t tried them all yet but I can give you the list!” You filled the awkward silence as best as you could before two of your coworkers you hadn’t met yet were slowly walking over to you.
“Oh my gosh, Amy was right. He is a totally hottie” Cheyenne giggled to Mateo as they both approached you. “And her style is incredible” Mateo looked you up and down in approval as they approached you.
“Hi guys!” Cheyenne waved to both of you, her hair was up in a bright teal scrunchie, she had on cheetah pants and a tight shirt, you’d probably describe it as Lisa Frank threw up but in a good way.
“Hi!” you smiled, handing Bucky another set of screws as you started to put product on the shelving he had already finished.
“Amy told us there were new hires here and we just wanted to know if you guys wanted to come with us to trivia night! You two look like you’re really smart.” Cheyenne clasped her hands together to beg.
You looked over at Bucky hopeful he’d agree, only wanting to go if he did.
“Yeah, sure, sounds fun.” Bucky nodded and you did too.
“We’re in!” You softly smiled, knowing this was a test. Jonah had given you the rundown of pretty much everyone he worked with.
“I’ll leave the details in your lockers” Mateo smiled, turning to walk away, grabbing Cheyenne by the arm so she would follow.
“Did you mean sounds fun in a “I don’t want my new coworkers to think I’m lame” way or sounds fun in a “I might actually know the answer to some of these trivia questions” way?”
Bucky laughed, a genuine laugh that shook his core. “Do I not seem like a trivia guy?”
“You seem more like a let’s go get some beer and go axe-throwing type of guy” you smiled, finishing your part of the display and waiting for an answer.
“If I pretend to be offended I’d only be doing us a disservice.”
“Was I spot on?” You tongued the inside of your cheek nervously.
“Yeah, pretty much. You’re good at reading people” he meant it as a compliment, and hoped you heard it as one.
“Good! I need to know where we should go for our first date” you teased, hoping your boldness would pay off.
Buckys entire frame went stiff, he hadn’t realized that the flirting was genuinely reciprocated until now. He wasn’t very good at picking up flirty cues, having been out of the game for, quite a while.
“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I was just teasing. I didn’t mean to make things awkward!”
Bucky turned to you slowly, a big smile on his face. “You didn’t make me uncomfortable. I was just thinking about our second date.”
“Our what? Our second date?” Your voice came out in a timid squeak.
“If you get to plan the first one I think it’s only fair I plan the second one” Bucky shrugged, finishing the shelving and putting the drill back down on the floor beside him.
“I mean… yeah. I’d like that.” You blinked, not having anything flirty in your head to reply with.
“But I guess we should start with trivia night right? Can’t have our coworkers thinking we’re lame” a flirty smirk spread across his face and you nodded in agreement.
You were starting to like Cloud 9, but what you really liked was working with Bucky Barnes.