Sun, Sand and Skin
Leaving Anwyn alone with Rocky, to have God knew what done to her set his nerves on edge more than he thought possible. Being unable to help or protect her made him want to snap necks and punch holes in things. Rocky had come to retrieve Anwyn shortly after Eira had barged in on the two of them. While Rocky prepped her for the procedure, her sister had taken Bucky out back to the guest house.
Vinnie had broken out a set of clippers, sat him in a chair in the small kitchenette and demanded he sit still. Bucky found it strange that such an ordinary man, who knew who he was and what he had done, seemed so wholly unafraid of him. The old man had mumbled about “shitheads who could’ve at least gave a man a shave and cut for forcing him to do their damned dirty work.” and proceeded to give Bucky a surprisingly clean, neat cut and shave. Looking in the mirror he was handed, he barely recognized the face staring back.
With his hair cut and brushed back with a bit of pomade, he looked almost like he did in his museum photo. There were a few more lines in his forehead and a few more scars, but he was surprised how normal his face looked. Clear blue eyes looked back at him, more visible without the hair. Without the stubble he’d grown used to, his jaw looked strong and the small cleft in his chin was visible.
Eira smiled at him, handing him a pair of nice jeans and a blue button down she’d snagged from the clothes Anwyn had purchased for him before they left DC. “Get dressed, we’re goin’ ta the Pier ta go people watchin’ an’ get some food.” Vinnie snorted, cleaning his clippers and Eira swatted him as Bucky headed to the small bathroom to change. Being out in public was not something he felt ready for, and he was absolutely going to inform Eira of that once he was dressed.
“Shut your gab Vin, Anwyn all but ordered us outta here. Wanna go? Usually an old lady sellin’ churros down there.” Vinnie shrugged and set his clippers down. “You buyin’?” Eira nodded and Vinnie smiled. “I’m in. Not turnin’ down free food.” Eira was rattling off things to do when Bucky walked out of the bathroom, dressed and looking like a new man. He shoved his metal hand into his pocket, reminding himself to go inside the main house for his glove.
“Listen, I don’t want-“ Eira had other plans, and cut him off. “Give me your left hand.” She ordered with a smile. Reluctantly, Bucky pulled it from his pocket and held it up for her to see. She slipped what looked like a watch over his wrist and buckled it into place. It was rectangular, with a shiny black surface that lit up with the time and date. Her eyes flicked up at him as she smiled again and tapped it three times.
To Bucky’s total amazement, a thin gray membrane spread from the watch over his hand and up his wrist, color shifting to match the tone of his skin. It spread down his fingertips, even forming what looked like fingernails. “What the hell…” he breathed, lifting his hand to his face. He twisted his hand around, watching the synthetic skin spread. Blue eyes were open wide in surprise, and his lips parted as he took a deep, shaky breath.
“Bio-nanites. Still experimental but functional.” Eira said softly. “Nanotechnology isn’t new but nobody else has applied it quite like this yet. Its somethin’ Rocky's been workin’ on for a while, for more effective disguises.” She leaned against the sofa behind her. “It gets harder all the time for us ta go unnoticed in this world filled with technological wonders.”
Bucky ran the fingers of his right hand over his left, marveling at how realistic it looked. Nobody would ever know. With his hair cut, face shaved and this THING camouflaging his hand, he could possibly go unnoticed. The membrane that had formed even felt almost like flesh, smooth, warm and crisscrossed with fine hairs. A thrill jolted him from head to toe. “How is this even possible, how far does it…” he thought.
He unbuttoned the shirt and jerked it off his left side. The membrane spread up to his shoulder; not a trace of metal was visible. The thick bands of scars on his shoulder were still there, the only proof that anything was amiss. Touching his bicep, he found the texture to the same as his hand. He looked normal, at least as normal as they could make him. Eira still watched him, faint smile on her face. “Amazing isn’t it? Wyn doesn’t know Rocky got it ta work yet, she’s gonna flip ta see this. Will make a new life easier if ya can hide that. Soooo happy birthday, Christmas, whatever?”
Bucky looked up at her, feeling a wave of gratitude…and the finality of a decision deep in his stomach. “I can’t just go back into society and pretend. HYDRA made me into a weapon…so point me at a target that deserves it.” Eira blinked a few times, surprise written all over her face. “You’ll have ta ask Wyn, Bucky. You’ll run jobs with her if she agrees…It’s not my call ta make. But I like the idea, some poetic justice in it.” Bucky pulled the shirt back over his shoulder and began buttoning it again, feeling a confidence, strength and sense of freedom he had not felt in decades.
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It had been late afternoon when they arrived at the Santa Monica Pier, and Bucky could hardly contain his amazement. Milling throngs of people, the small amusement park OVER the water, and the lines of vendors. Eira had given him a cell phone, some cash and then dragged him and Vinnie all over. They had wandered in companionable silence, just taking in the sun, eating tidbits bought from vendors and picking up knick-knacks.
Bucky watched the world from behind a pair of sunglasses; edgy about being so exposed in public. He watched every single person that they passed, but nobody gave him a single suspicious look. For all his anxiety, he had to admit to being surprised. Anwyn had been right…the right clothes, the right place…and people saw what they wanted to see.
More than a few women eyed him, but Eira had looped her arm through his and pulled him along. “Were they making eyes at me?” he asked softly, and bit his lip when Eira burst into fits of soft giggles. “Has the infamous James Barnes forgotten what flirting is or how it’s done? Ya sure knew how back in the day. Considerin’ that ya don’t look like a murderous emo Terminator now, yes…women are gonna look.”
He decided not to ask what “emo” or “Terminator” were. There were too many things to learn about in the modern world and that was not high on the priority list. “I’m not interested.” He muttered and adjusted his sunglasses. Vinnie glanced at him then, mouth full of churro and chuckled knowingly deep in his throat.
The odd trio wandered around for a few more hours, Eira insistent that they ride the Ferris wheel a few times before she allowed them to head back. Night was quickly approaching, and a chill had seeped into the air. Still, the view from the top of the wheel was incredible. Ocean as far as the eye could see, creating a quiet hiss where it kissed the beach. Beach gave way to city, which gave way to mountains.
The clean, fresh air was tinged with salt and a bit of humidity. Peals of laughter and the sound of waves echoed below them. The last bit of sun was slipping beyond the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant shades of pinks, oranges and blues. He could understand why Anwyn had chosen this area to settle in. It thrummed with life, excitement…and was filled with peaceful beauty underneath the surface.
Eira broke the comfortable silence, almost as if she had read his thoughts. “Ya know she tried Brooklyn for a while, ta see the place ya grew up. It was too much emotionally, an’ too cold. So she traveled for a few years. After the Sentinel Project, she settled here. We’re all spread out all over usually, makes reacting ta a regional crisis easier. An’ detection harder. I think this is better for her…she’s been happy here for the most part.”
Bucky nodded. “I can see why. It’s incredible, a lot to see and do here.” Vinnie glanced at him, a surprisingly friendly smile on his face. “I think you’ll be seein’ a lot more of it, kid. Get the feelin’ we’re stuck with ya, she don’t give up on people easy.”
And just like that, the worry he’d pushed aside came back to him in a rush. Was Anwyn alright? Was whatever Rocky doing to her finished, could they go back yet? “Are we going back soon?” Eira nodded. “Should be all done. She’s gonna be weak for several days, tired, sick. Normal side effects. Always seems ta be harder for her with worse side effects than the rest of us…so she always puts it off.” She shook her head. "It'll be good for both of ya to have some down-time."