i know places

In the end, Bucky is right.

It only takes Wanda a bite of her burger to know this, that Sweet Burgerz is the best burger place she's ever been to since they arrived in the city. Her meal is warm, and delicious, and she never wants to stop eating it. She shares half of hers with Bucky, who shares his with her, and as they eat off each other's plates—sharing fries, and burgers, and ice-cold shakes—Wanda never wants it to end. Being here with him is nice. It's more than nice, and in the looks they share every now again they seem to silently communicate this to each other. This, and how they don't want it to be over yet.

But it does end, and when it does Wanda's belly is too full for her to even think about touching her plate again. She slowly pushes it away, halfway across the table and over to Bucky's side, so he can have whatever he wants of it. Then she leans back into the plush seat behind her and curls her fingers loosely around her chocolate shake, undecided if she feels like hers or if she wants some of Bucky's strawberry shake that is currently sitting on the other side of the table. It feels too far away, and she is too full to move right now, so she settles on the chocolate shake in her hand and takes a long, slow sip from it, while watching Bucky make a third attempt at finishing what remains of his meal.

When he looks up, after swallowing a bite of his burger, he picks up a fry, pops it into his mouth and smiles. And there's a look as he does it, a look to his face that doesn't need words to confirm what it means, what they both know: he's right and he knows it. She wonders if Bucky knew that he was right from the second they walked in here. For the moment he says nothing, he simply arches an eyebrow, still smiling, as he picks up another fry and chews on it. Wanda glances away, smiling, as she nearly rolls her eyes at how obvious he is. She gives him no confirmation that she agrees, that he is right about this, and instead she begins to twirl her pink straw around in her shake, enjoying the cold feeling of the glass against her palms. Bucky's gaze stays on her through this as he waits for her to confirm it, to know that he was right. For now, Wanda decides to leave him waiting just a little longer.

She looks away from him soon, away from the shake she'd been staring down at and out at Sweet Burgerz. For a minute she is lost in it all again. It's a wide space, very pretty, with light blue wallpaper, old photographs hanging on the walls, and a jukebox over in the corner of the room. The place somehow feels both warm and cold at the same time, as if it sits comfortably between the two. And there is something calm about it, too. She notices it now, how many people are crammed in here. Usually she might feel overwhelmed by all the noise, the people, and the chaos, because it is so similar to the rush of the Green Tides. But somehow, it is so different to that. It isn't too much, and she isn't overwhelmed at all. She feels peaceful here, and for the first time in what feels like forever the crowds and the noise don't bother her. She actually feels as if the two of them blend in perfectly with it all.

"So," Bucky sighs, bringing her back.

To this, to the dark-haired man grinning in the seat across from her. He's still trying to finish his meal, but she's not sure that he's going to succeed after all the fries he ate off her plate. He also ate at least half of her burger. To be fair, it was too big to eat on her own. Still, she's not sure that he's going to win this little war he seems to have started with his dinner.

She lifts an eyebrow, curious. "So?"

Bucky's smile stays, growing, before he pops a chip into his mouth and chews on it slowly. When he's done, he speaks again.

"Thoughts?"

Somehow she stops herself from rolling her eyes, even though she really wants to, even though it comes so naturally to her and usually she would. There's just something sweet about Bucky in this moment, despite the way he is so obvious, so confident, about how he was right. She thinks it is sweet, perhaps even cute, that he is trying to tease her. That's when she decides to have some fun of her own.

"Why are you asking me this?" she asks, between sips of her shake. "You already know the answer you're waiting for, don't you? That you are right? I think you always knew this."

He nods along casually, as if this isn't a big deal to him and he isn't going to keep talking about it. But she catches a spark of something warm, something playful, in his blue eyes and she knows that he isn't even close to done with bragging about this.

"Yeah, I do. Maybe I did. But the thing is, red..." he pauses, chewing down on another fry. "Sometimes there are just things you need to hear, you know? Like sometimes it isn't enough to know it. You have to hear it to believe it. You get me?"

Humming quietly, she nods and slides her shake forward on the table. Then she leans back slowly, into the soft cushions behind her, and when she looks up she finds Bucky is still watching her, still waiting for an answer that he's always known.

"Yes, I think I get you. So here it is: you are right, James. It was the best I've ever had. Are you happy now? You are the king of burgers. How is this? This is what you wanted to hear, isn't it?"

A sweet laugh comes from Bucky, who quickly clears his throat out with a sip of his strawberry shake. He slides it over for Wanda after he's done but she shakes her head, not wanting any for the moment. So he takes it back and has a long sip from it that lasts for at least twenty seconds.

"Ah, shit. Shit." he winces, quickly lifting a hand to his forehead. "Too cold. Too much. Too fast."

The shake ends up on the table again, pushed over to her side, as Bucky drops his hand away, down to his stomach. He smiles once the few second of milkshake induced pain are over.

"Hey, I'd love to be the burger king. If that's the name you wanna give me, I don't mind being the burger king. Or any kind of king, really. But I'll settle on just being completely and totally right about this."

Wanda nods, watching him silently as he sits forward for another attempt to clean off the rest of his plate.

"Do you like to be right?" she asks, curious.

He smiles. "Doesn't everyone, red? Don't you?"

There's a shrug from Wanda, as she watches him reach for the shake again, taking a sip from it that is almost as long as the one he took just moments ago. This one doesn't seem to be too cold, or too much at once, and when he's done he slides it away, smiling.

"Who knows? Maybe you'll just have to take me out somewhere, show me a good time. Show me the best time I've ever had and prove to me that you can be right, too."

It takes Wanda a minute to understand what he's really asking her. When he says it like this, what he means is something else entirely. It's Bucky's way of asking her out on a date. Another date, she thinks, before reminding herself that this isn't a date, even though it's really starting to feel like one. She thinks it's felt like one since the moment he showed up tonight and she felt those butterflies in her stomach. For now they're gone, she forced the fluttering to go away, to disappear again. But deep inside, she knows that she still feels what she does for him, for this, whatever it is. And she knows from the look that Bucky gives her, when he glances up a moment later, that this is his way of asking her out without saying it.

"Maybe." Wanda says, glancing out, to the windows on her left. "Or maybe you are always right. Maybe there is no winning against you, so I shouldn't try."

He sits up at this, smiling slowly. "Hey, don't give up so easily. I'd say you should try. You should definitely try. And if you wanna take me out somewhere just to prove that you can be right, too? I'm totally down for that. It think it'd be fun."

She hums, thinking it over, as Bucky gives up on the rest of his meal and slides the plate away in defeat. It was a good effort, she thinks, and then she watches as he picks at one last fry and then sinks into the booth, closing his eyes with a satisfied sigh.

"That was...Good. It was good, wasn't it?"

Wanda smiles. "It was. Thank you."

He shrugs, eyes still shut, before he looks up a moment later. He looks comfortable where he is, as if he has no intention of moving anytime soon, and Wanda doesn't mind at all. He looks happy here, and it is nice to see. She feels the same way, even if she isn't as far reclined into the booth as Bucky currently is.

"Yeah, not a problem at all. Thanks for the company."

She picks up her shake again, sipping from it until she's almost done. Then she slides it to Bucky, who reaches for it and finishes the rest of it off.

"So it was not such bad company then?" Wanda asks, watching as he turns to her, curious. "You are not going to tell people lies? That I am messy like Clint, or a jerk like Sam, as you said earlier?"

Amused, he laughs to himself just thinking about it.

"Yeah, I don't know. You see, I like to switch things up. I don't like being too predictable." Bucky answers, smiling. "But anyway, I wouldn't—I don't think those things about you. Or really about them, I guess. Except they can all be jerks sometimes, but most people are. Not you, though."

There's a moment after this (a small, fleeting minute) where Bucky's gaze seems to linger in a way that feels close, almost too close, and she knows that it isn't because his gaze has always been this close. She decides that it's because of his words and the way they linger with her. Not you. She blinks then looks away, down to her hands curled around the cold glass, before she eventually looks back to the quiet man sitting across from her.

"So, what are you doing tomorrow?" Wanda asks, after clearing her throat. "When we spoke you said you were busy. What are you doing?"

He hesitates, a new thought on his mind, as he swirls his straw around in what's left of the shake.

"It's work. Just work." Bucky answers, shrugging. "Monday's can be long, you know? And sometimes they can suck, but that's all. What about you? Any plans?"

"I'm working, too. So nothing interesting."

"You gotta be home early, then?" he asks, smiling. "We can get outta here whenever you want, red. Just say the word and we'll go."

It's only now that they talk of work, of early mornings and a shift that Wanda isn't really looking forward to, that she looks up in search of the time and finds it in the round clock sitting on the far wall. It tells her that it's 10:16. So they still have time. Maybe she should be tired, or maybe she should consider going home now, but she doesn't want this to end yet. For now she wants to stay where she is, and with how happy Bucky looks to be here she knows he wants to stay for a little longer, too.

"It's okay, not yet." Wanda says, turning her gaze back to him. "It's still early. What about you?"

"I'm fine, I never need that much sleep anyway. So I'm good." Bucky says, then gestures to the drink in his hand. "You like the shakes? Not as good as Peggy's place, I have to say. But still pretty damn good, right?"

Wanda nods, smiling as she briefly thinks back to that day, to the moment they had at Peggy's place.

"Right. Yes, that day was..."

"Unexpected?" he suggests, laughing a little.

She joins him, laughing as she takes the strawberry shake from his hand when he offers it. Wanda gives it back after a sip.

"Yes. Unexpected. But also interesting." 

Bucky laughs a little more, then takes a moment to silently think back on that day, or maybe he is thinking of something else as he stares down at this shake, swirling around the contents of it. As he does, she finds herself curious about something else.

"Do you live around here?" she asks. "When we talked on the phone, you were on the subway. But that day at the park, and the market..Both places are close to where I live, so I was just curious about how we have never met before."

After three long sips, the shake is finished. He slides the empty glass away, smiles, and briefly rests his arms up on the shiny table.

"I'm over in Brooklyn. What about you?"

"A few blocks away." she says, playing idly with two of her rings. "Remember? You were there, for a moment. After Stark's party."

That night comes back to both of them now. Bucky takes a minute to think about it, while Wanda finds herself briefly lost in the memories. She thinks of the taxi ride to her apartment, the lights in the city, his shoulder next to hers, and the way they stretched out underneath the window and stared at the city, half-drunk and happy to not be alone for a moment.

She remembers the way he'd smiled at her in the light, how lovely it was. She also remembers the moment he left and how all she'd wanted was for him to stay a little longer.

"Of course I remember. I mean, some of the night is a bit of a blur to me." he admits, smiling fondly at her. "I may have had a bit too much to drink and not enough sleep. But yeah, I remember."

She smiles, curious. "Have you always lived in Brooklyn?"

A flicker of recognition appears on his face, coming and going in only a few seconds, but that same warm smile returns.

"Yeah, I grew up there with Steve. We lived together for a while when we got older. But eventually I got my own place and so did he. That's how it's been ever since."

It makes her smile, to think of Bucky and Steve growing up together, and to then think of the years she has spent growing up with Pietro, always living together, always close. She sees that same warmth in Bucky's eyes now, that tells her that he is looking back on those years he lived with Steve as some of the best of his life.

"You two seem very close."

"Yeah, we are. He's family to me." Bucky says, leaning back into the booth more. "Hey, I don't know about you but I am really full right now. I feel like I'm never gonna be able to move again. We might have to live here."

She laughs again, following his movements to lean back into the booth, though she still doesn't end up as reclined as he is. After she's settled, Wanda looks back to Bucky again.

"I don't think staying here is such a good idea, even if I want to. I would never leave, and we would keep eating burgers. And then I would never see my brother or Clint again. This means that they may never eat good, real meals again."

With a smile, he glances her over curiously.

"You cook?"

"Sometimes." she answers, shrugging. "do you?"

Bucky grins, while lifting a hand to the table, to rest his hand against it and strum his gloved fingers against the metallic surface.

"Oh, yeah." he nods. "You know, the basics."

"I think most children know the basics, so that is really not something to brag about. If that is what you're doing.."

Still smiling, he leans back into the booth again and closes his eyes. After he's settled he lets out a peaceful and unbothered sigh.

"I'm so full right now, I can't even come up with anything witty to say back to you." he says, eyes squeezed shut. "I know I can come up with something, and I know I can cook more than just the basics. But I'm just so full right now. So. Full."

"What a shame that I'll never hear that witty reply."

"Yeah, even to that.." he pauses, then smiles. "I'm just coming up blank."

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Wanda suggests soon. "You might feel better if you get out and stretch your legs for a while. If you fall asleep here, I'm not sure I'll be able to wake you."

Slowly he cracks an eye open. "Sure, that sounds like a good idea. I'll pay and meet you outside?"

"I can pay for mine." she smiles. "Thank you for the company tonight. And the meal. It was not bad at all."

"Yeah, same to you."

With both eyes open, Bucky sits forward with a sigh and reaches out to rub at a spot at the back of his neck. While he does this, Wanda climbs out of the booth, stretches her legs, then pulls out a crumpled pile of notes and puts them on the table for dinner. After this she takes a step back to the door and then looks up to find Bucky reclined back in the booth again, looking like a man with no intention going anywhere anytime soon.

"So I'll see you in ten?" he asks, while hiding a smile. "Maybe fifteen, or even twenty. Could be longer. I love a good nap."

"I will wait five minutes then I'm leaving."

Two minutes later, Bucky joins her outside. He comes over to where she's standing, off to the side and far out of the way of anyone passing by. It feels less crammed out here, with the city air around them and the lights above their heads.

"Why don't I walk you home?" Bucky suggests, coming to stand by her side. "It's not that far, right? I know I could use the walk to wake myself up. Also, the company's not half bad."

With a smile, Wanda nods and accepts his offer. He comes closer to her side after she does and then they begin to walk forward, down the street towards the traffic lights up ahead. She likes the idea of walking home with Bucky, not because she needs it, but maybe a part of her does. She welcomes the company, and the comfort of having him there to walk home with. She also appreciates his way of offering her this. He doesn't make it into a big deal, he just asks simply, in a way that feels casual and not filled with pity, and that means more than she can say.

It takes them the entire walk down to the lights for Wanda to work out what she wants to say, how she wants to thank him for his offer, and also for tonight. It turns out that there's something pressing on Bucky's mind, too. Something that he's spent the last three or four minutes thinking about, and now that they're at the lights he seems to finally make the decision to say it.

"Wait a sec."

He comes to a halt suddenly, at the edge of the pavement, where the small group has gathered and are still waiting to cross over to the other side of the road. After he stops by her side, Bucky shrugs off his denim jacket and holds it out to Wanda. At first she simply smiles, because she finds it sweet that he is offering her his coat when it isn't really cold tonight. Wanda also smiles once she realizes he spent the entire walk here thinking about giving her his coat.

She thinks it's sweet.

"Here. You look cold."

Wanda's not sure why she feels it now, a heat in her cheeks, only there for a moment. She decides that it's because of how close he suddenly is, and the way his gaze is so intense, so sweet. She takes the jacket slowly, pulls it on, and then looks up at him again after it's on. Her first thought is that it's warmer with the jacket on, in a pleasant and welcomed way. Her next and last thought about it is that it smells like him.

"Yeah, that—uh, that looks good. You look good, red. Less cold. It looks much better on you than it ever has on me." 

It makes Wanda smile. "I wouldn't say that."

He shrugs, his smile a little more obvious this time.

"That's okay, because I would. And I am. It's the truth. You look great. Real nice."

She almost says that he does, too. That he looks great, that she always thought that, and even now without the jacket when he is dressed simply in his black v-neck and dark jeans that he looks nice. Real nice. This stays on her mind, as the lights change and they cross over to the other side of the road together.  After the crowds thin out and they manage to get ahead of them, Wanda turns to Bucky again with a new thought on her mind.

"This was a good night. It was fun. I'm glad that I came. And that you could, too."

He smiles, glancing at her. "You're right, it was good. And I'm glad, too. Like I've said before, you're really not half bad company at all."

She smiles and looks forward, to the street ahead, lit up in signs and glowing lights. It's all less busy now, less crowded, and it feels nice to walk along the street with Bucky so close by her side.

"And I guess you aren't the worst company I've had."

A passing moment of silence returns, only lasting for a minute, maybe two, as Wanda slips back into her thoughts. She finds herself thinking mostly about the day they met, that first time in the markets, and then all of those little, brief moments after that where it always seemed to be over too suddenly. And she doesn't want that tonight. There's something about tonight, something about this moment now, that leaves her feeling like she never wants it to end.

"Do you think it was strange, all the ways we met each other?" she asks quietly. "All of those times, all of those different places.."

As she turns to face him, it is as if she is only now aware of how tall he is, how much taller he is than her, and how close he leans in just to hear her speak.

"And how we kept meeting each other after that first day, when we had never met before? When you think of the chances of that, in a city this big...It is strange, isn't it?"

Bucky contemplates it briefly, his attention shifting between her and the busy city surrounding them.

"Yeah, I guess. I don't know, maybe it's strange." he agrees, half-smiling. "That we kept running into each other all those times, when we'd never met before. And we have friends who have known each other for years. I don't know what it is, but I do know that I'm glad it happened and that we kept running into each other."

There's another pause, as he turns to her with a bright and faintly playful glow to his eyes.

"I am glad that you only literally ran into me that one time. I felt bad enough about that, I'm not sure I could've handled another accident."

Wanda smiles slowly, thinking of that day, of the moment they met in the park. And then the realization comes to her, that when she thinks of that day (of bloody palms and the bandage on his hand) that she smiles thinking about it, about him. When she thinks back to that moment, she spends more time thinking about the kind man who helped her up, cleaned the blood from her hands, and took her for a milkshake. This is what she thinks about, it is all she thinks about, until she begins to dwell on this moment now with Bucky and how if it weren't for that accident in the park then they might not be here at all.

And she's so glad to be here. To be so happy, so free, for a moment with him, and she knows that she would go through all of those little moments again just to end up here with him.

"Sometimes I can't believe that it happened, that it was you I met at the market." she admits quietly. "I think about that sometimes, and how I never thought I would see you again."

With a soft, half-smile, he comes closer and gently nudges his elbow against hers, in a way that is playful and light.

"Let alone crash into my bike. Have shakes with me. Get high with me. Ditch Stark's party with me. And then have the best burgers in the city with me. Who would have thought?"

She smiles, laughing as she thinks it over, thinks about how he is right and how she never thought any of this would happen after the first moment they met. But she is so glad that it did. She realizes now that despite how difficult it has been for her lately, how she has had hard moments and long nights, that she is glad to be here.

"Yes. Who would have thought?"

Sighing, he lifts his gaze and looks ahead.

"I think maybe I was lucky I got to see you all of those times. I know I wanted to see you again, but I never thought I would. And then I did. So I think maybe it was just luck."

Wanda wants him to know that she feels the same way now, even though she didn't at first. She didn't feel lucky that day in the market, or even the afternoon in the park when she crashed into his bike. She didn't feel lucky at Stark's party, either. But looking back on it, she believes now there must have been some luck involved for the two of them to meet again, that day at the market, in the park, and then at Stark's party. When she looks back on it, she feels lucky to have met him, to be here with him right now,

"Will you tell me something I don't know about you, James?" she suggests, a little while later. "The first thing that comes into your mind. Tell me?"

He hesitates, chewing on his lip as he thinks about it and then looks back over at her.

"Okay, um. Let me think. Let me think for a second."

"You are stalling, I can tell." Wanda sighs, leaning in to nudge his elbow. "Don't stall. And don't think so hard. Just say the first thing that comes into your mind." 

"Uh, yeah—okay, football. I like football."

After hearing his answer, Wanda begins to imagine Bucky playing football with his friends and going to games. And it leaves her smiling. She doesn't even realize it, or that she's left Bucky waiting, until he leans in and playfully digs his elbow against her side.

"Hey, what? What's funny?"

"Nothing." Wanda sighs, swatting his hand away. "I was just thinking that it's a nice answer, that's all."

He lifts an eyebrow, not convinced. "Really?"

"Yes, really. Do you play? Or just watch?"

"Bit of both. Mostly, I just watch." he answers with a shrug."We used to have this thing, you know. Our group. We'd make teams, play against each other out at Barton's farm. Or sometime's at Stark's other place, out of the city."

"That sounds..."

"Intense?" he answers, with a smile. "That's one way to describe it. Let's just say that the others are intensely competitive."

Wanda grins, nudging his elbow back. "And, what? You're saying you aren't as competitive as they are?"

"I'm always on the winning team, doll. I've got nothing to be competitive about when I know I'm gonna win."

She spends a minute more thinking about this, about these group games at Barton's, or at Stark's place. She even dwells on Stark's place outside of the city and wonders what that is like. And then she comes back to Bucky, glancing at him with another question on her mind.

"You said you used to have this group game you all used to play. You don't anymore?"

"No, we do. We still do." Bucky shrugs. "I just don't always play. I guess it gets boring, you know? You keep winning year after year, it gets a bit dull."

"Mhm, okay. If you say so." she smiles, briefly chewing on her lip. "Your answer is a good one. I like it. But I think it is not really unexpected. I could tell that you liked to stay in shape, that you are a man who likes sports."

Wanda doesn't hear it until after she says it, and it's about ten seconds after she realizes how it sounds that she looks to Bucky and realizes that he is also very aware of how it sounds.

"You think I'm in good shape, red?"

Shit. She smiles, while silently accepting that this is a thing that he will likely never let go of or forget. He is too playful, and too happy about this, and at first she can only roll her eyes. But then he jogs ahead, coming to walk in front of her, with a wide smile plastered over his face that confirms that this isn't something he plans to forget about anytime soon.

"I was just saying it makes sense that someone like you would like sports and football. That's all I meant."

He laughs. "Someone like me? Someone in shape, you mean?"

A minute later he comes back to her side, smile still there, as he bumps his shoulder against hers.

"What about you?" he asks soon. "Why don't you tell me something I don't know about you?"

She smiles, tucking her arms into the pockets of her jacket. His jacket. It is warm, and it still smells of him, fresh and crisp, like the woods on an early morning.

"I have never played football, but I have seen it. Clint watches games all of the time." she says, smiling again. "But I have never really spent much time on my own watching games."

"You've never been to a game?"

She answers with a shake of her head, and this seems to surprise Bucky. He smiles, eyes blown wide for a moment, before a new thought comes to him and he swiftly moves on.

"You can't steal my thing, by the way. You gotta do something else." he says, bumping her shoulder in a way that is familiar now, as if they have been friends for years. "It's not that hard, remember? Just think about it and then say it."

She quickly discovers that this, the game that they're playing, is more difficult than she thought it would be. She finds herself struggling for a moment, torn between what she wants to say, what she has already said, and what she can't say. Something he doesn't know? Bucky already knows where she works and how she spends most of her time working. He also knows that in her free time she goes to markets, parks, and rides her bike in the city. He knows other things, too. She likes shakes, and burgers, and pretty flowers.

So for a long moment, she feels uncertain about what to say, what to tell him. Then she decides to just be open, to share the first real thing that he doesn't know about her.

"When I was a child, I had dreams of living somewhere with lots of land and trees. And animals. So many animals.."

It brings a sweet, genuine smile to his lips.

"What, like Barton's farm?"

She shrugs, quickly looking away. "I'm not sure, I've never been. I don't know if it's like his. But when we were children we would love learning about all the animals. The things our parents would teach us..."

A flash of their childhood comes back to Wanda; a blur of their parents, holding them, smiling, and telling stories. It ends too quickly and when it is over she keeps her gaze away from Bucky and out at the city.

"I liked the animals." she says, once her throat is clear again. "The birds, the dogs, the pigs. I liked them, I think that I always have."

"That's great." Bucky adds, voice warm, suddenly much closer. "You got any pets of your own?"

"No, the apartment is too small. And even if it wasn't, I work too much." Wanda answers a moment later. "I am not there enough to look after a pet. It is the same with my brother. He wants a puppy, but there is no room in the apartment for a puppy. And he is there even less than I am. What about you? Any dogs? Or cats, maybe?"

"Nah, it's the same for me. Apartment's too small, and I'm not always there. But yeah, dogs are cute. Same with cats. Sharon and Sam have a pretty cute fuzzball. But yeah, nothing for me. Not yet, anyway."

Wanda smiles, thinking about it, about what kind of cat Sam has. It stays on her mind, as they turn onto the street that will eventually take them to her building. After this it becomes quiet again and Wanda thinks about leaving it, about giving them both time to their thoughts, but she doesn't feel like getting lost in her thoughts again. And even though Bucky says nothing, she can tell that, just like her, he's looking for another distraction, too.

"Your turn again." she says soon. "Tell me something else I don't know?"

This time around, he barely stalls at coming up with an answer. He's only quiet for a second, thinking it over, then he looks to her, eyes clear and honest.

"I didn't always want to be a soldier. I'm not anymore, you know that. You know I work with Barton sometimes, I mean. But before, way back when I was a kid—I wasn't sure what I'd do. Then one day I just knew it was what I was gonna do. Not forever, but for as long as I could."

So many new, little thoughts come to her and leave her with questions that she wants to ask him. But she doesn't want to push it tonight. She doesn't want to ask too much, so she settles on one question.

"Why aren't you a soldier anymore?"

"I was discharged a while back. It had to do with a medical thing." he answers, briefly looking down at her. "Your go now, red. Tell me one more thing that I don't know about you."

There's something that lingers in the way that Bucky is now, in the way he walks, how he looks out at the city, that tells her that he is still searching for that distraction and he needs it more now than he did before. She's not certain that it will help him, with whatever is going on in his head, but she knows that she wants to try. She wants to give him something to think about, to maybe even smile about, before they get back to her place and go their separate ways again.

For now there's still time.

"Something you don't know is that I am a very good dancer."

And just like that all traces of anything heavy or dark fade from his face, quickly replaced with something much brighter.

"Really? You sure you're not lying just a little?"

"I can dance." Wanda smiles, bumping her shoulder against his. "And I am better than you, and probably most people you have seen dance."

It's something he considers briefly, before his smile turns into a grin and she finds herself letting out a tightly held breath of relief, to see him happy again, if only for a moment.

"Including the ballet?"

She hesitates, chewing on her lower lip as she thinks it over. Bucky's eyes never leaves her as she takes the time to think about it, and through it all he looks deeply and genuinely amused.

"So maybe I am not that good, but I am still good. And maybe even better than you are. I still stand by that."

Suddenly he comes to a halt, eyes glowing with that same playful look he had back at the diner.

"You really think you're better than me, red? See, I think you're bluffing. But who knows? Maybe we'll just have to have a little challenge and see who wins."

She smiles, walking ahead. "Not tonight, I am too full from dinner. And you..I don't even know how you are walking after how much you ate." 

"Yeah, you did eat a lot." Bucky calls out, as he jogs to catch up with her. "You had at least half of my burger, and then two of your own. I don't even know how you're up and walking right now if I'm honest."

This time she is the one to stop suddenly, smiling, with her mouth hanging open just a little. Then she comes closer, grabs his arm, and nudges him in the side. He pulls away playfully, pretending to rub at the spot on his side as if it hurts.

"I had a few bites of your burger, while you had at least half of my burger, most of my fries, and over half of my shake." Wanda says, coming closer. "This means you had two plates of fries, and almost two burgers. I would not even be surprised if you ate before coming here tonight."

Grinning, he continues to rub at his side.

"You don't hold back, do you? And hey, was that supposed to be an insult you just threw at me? I'm a little confused. First you compliment my body, then you're talking about me like I had three dinners, which if I did would be fine because it's totally fine for people to eat whatever they want. But I didn't actually do that."

"You're pretty defensive, James. And I don't actually remember complimenting you. I made a comment about football, that was all."

He smiles, as they take two steps down the mostly empty street. He stops and turns back, smile still bright.

"Yeah? So you saying that I look like I'm in good shape wasn't a compliment, was it? I just misread the whole thing?"

Wanda nods, walking on. "I guess so. I'm sorry if you misread the signs." 

He laughs and comes to join her, before something up ahead catches his attention and he stops. Bucky stares over at it, at whatever it is, for a moment and then turns back to her, with a new idea obviously in his head.

"Hey, would you mind if I just—Could you wait here for one sec? Are we far from your place?"

"Only a few minutes." Wanda shrugs. "Why?"

"There's just something I need to get while we're here." Bucky says, taking a step back. "It's not gonna take long, only a minute. Maybe two minutes, but that's it. That okay?"

She takes a slow look around then, after spotting a bench just a little to the left, she turns back to him and nods.

"I don't mind. I'll sit over there and wait."

"Good, that's a good idea." Bucky calls back, smiling as he walks away. "You must need the rest after all those burgers you ate tonight." 

"Just go. Go." Wanda smiles, waving him away. "Why don't you just go and get yourself another dinner?

He lingers for a moment then starts to jog away, down to a store just a few minutes away. Wanda doesn't bother looking at, she just watches Bucky as he turns back with a smile.

"Yes, ma'am."

Tonight, the walk back to her apartment feels like it's over in in just a few minutes. It ends quicker than it has before, and suddenly they're standing outside of her building, sharing a cigarette and putting off the inevitable.

Wanda wishes that they had more time, that she didn't have work tomorrow and that he was free, too. She is still happy with the night, with the time they spent together, but she finds herself still wishing for more, as she passes the lit cigarette back to Bucky.

He's currently looking up at the sky, and then at the rows of buildings on the street opposite the one they're standing on. He looks comfortable where he is, leaning back against the brick wall by the stairs. He looks happy here, she thinks, as she passes him the cigarette and then glances down curiously to the brown paper bag by his side. When he came back he didn't mention what it was, didn't even acknowledge it. They just left to walk here, and even though she was curious she didn't ask. She still hasn't asked and she's not sure that she will, not if he doesn't want to tell her. So she leaves it and follows Bucky's gaze, that is resting back on her apartment building again, as if he is seeing it again for the first time.

"Looks nice. My memory's a bit foggy from that night, but it's almost how I remember. It's real nice." he says, then looks back at her. "Thanks for letting me walk you back. I enjoyed it. It wasn't the worst walk I've ever been on."

She smiles, taking the cigarette from him after he's done with it.

"And you are not the worst person I have ever talked to, or walked with. So thank you for tonight. The company was..Good enough."

He shrugs, looking out at the street briefly. His eyes linger on it, on the people and shadows passing by, before he must remind himself that he hasn't answered and he looks down at her, smiling again.

"Not a problem. I always aim to be good enough."

When they're both done with the cigarette, Wanda steps away to crush it out and to discard it into a bin outside of the building. She returns to him after, watching as he hesitates noticeably before glancing between her and the building behind them.

"So, uh—You want me to walk you to your door? I don't remember what floor you're on, but hey..Remember, I'm in good shape. Also, you guys have an elevator. Right?"

Smiling, she takes a step back over to the apartment doors. Before she even really gets close, she stops and turns back to him.

"It's okay, you don't have to. The building needs a key to get in. That, or you have to get buzzed in." Wanda answers with a smile. "So it's okay, really. Thank you though, I appreciate you walking me home."

He shakes his head, smiling softly. "I don't mind, really. And also, this is for you." Bucky says, then lifts the bag up. "And it's, you know..It's pretty heavy. So really, I'm just being a gentleman. A gentleman who is in good shape, like you said. I'm happy to help." 

Slowly she glances Bucky over, looking between him and the bag in his hand, that really doesn't look heavy at all. Then she looks back to him, fighting another smile.

"Oh, yes. How could I forget? The gentleman who made comments and lies about how many burgers I ate tonight. Mm. You are such a gentleman, James."

He grins as he walks past her, up the stairs, and over to the locked doors. He waits until she joins him there and then he looks back to her, barely able to hide his smile.

"What can I say? You get me. I'm a softy at heart."

With a smile, she reaches into her purse for her keys. After finding them she unlocks the door, holding it open for Bucky before she follows him inside. She finds herself glancing briefly, but curiously, at the bag in his hand as he walks past her. She tries not to think about it and follows him inside, over to the stairs on the left, that they begin to follow up to her floor.

"It's killing you, isn't it? Not knowing what's in the bag.." he says, turning to her with a grin. "I've seen you look at it at least sixteen times in the last minute." 

"Not really. I wouldn't say I'm curious about it at all." she says, shrugging. "And I think it is..Weird. How often you exaggerate. I think you might have a problem, James."

"Another insult? Really, Wanda?" he sighs, following her up the stairs. "What a great end to a great night."

She looks back at him, smiling over her shoulder, before they reach the last step and walk over to her door. Once they get there, she turns around to find Bucky standing behind her with that same warm smile on his face.

"I had a good time tonight. Thank you for that. And thank you again for the company."

He smiles as he offers her the bag, watching as her gaze flickers down to it.

"Yeah, same to you, red. Thanks for all the laughs. And hey, don't open this 'till I'm gone. Yeah? So then if you hate it, you won't break my heart."

"Oh."

He isn't joking. It really is for her. The realization comes to her slowly, after she looks up and catches a genuine look on his face. So he really did stop to get something for her.

Wanda's eyes drop to the bag then move back up to Bucky, who is still holding the bag out to her even though she hasn't moved to reach for it yet. For a moment she hesitates, while a voice in the back of her head tells her what she's always known, that this is a date. Maybe they won't ever admit it, but she knows it. After a minute of thinking about this, she reaches for the bag.

"This is very..Nice. Thank you, James."

He shrugs and folds his arms over his chest casually, and for a moment she almost invites him in, almost asks him to stay. She knows she shouldn't, but for a minute she considers it.

"No problem at all. Hope you like it."

She smiles back warmly. "I'm sure I will."

There's a moment after this, a moment of quiet, of heavy tension, where Wanda doesn't really feel like she knows what to do next. It's the same as the moment they had earlier, and she finds that she doesn't know what to do, or how to say goodbye. A hug, she thinks, and then slowly he leans in and kisses her on the cheek. It's only brief, the softest kiss to her cheek, before he leans away.

Wanda wants him to stay, just like that night they shared beer and conversations on the floor. She wants him to stay like she wanted him to then but he has to go, they both have work in the morning so he can't come in tonight. Still, the longing remains. She watches him quietly as it lingers inside of her. He takes a step back, his smile crooked, as he sighs, then lifts his hand to wave at her. She waves back, watching as he walks over to the stairs and then disappears down them.

It's only after Bucky's gone that she lets herself think about this, about what it is, what it means. Maybe it wasn't a date, but it was something. It means something to her, she's always known that but she feels it now. Wanda remembers telling him that night in her apartment that she wasn't looking for complications and she still isn't. People are messy, and hard, and they leave. But with Bucky it feels different, it feels new. It's been so long since she's had a night like this, a night that went good, with no little bumps or problems. She can't remember the last time she felt so good, with a stranger.

But is he? She wonders, for a moment. He's not a stranger anymore. Not a friend, not yet, but it's close now. She feels closer to him after tonight after their talk of dancing and his days as a soldier. It was only a small talk, but sometimes two people don't need words to bring them closer to each other. Sometimes they just need moments, like tonight, like every moment they've had since they met that day in the market.

Wanda smiles thinking of tonight, and then of the bag in her hand. The moment she's inside her apartment and the door is locked behind her, she opens up the bag and looks inside. And when she realizes what it is, she smiles more.

Flowers.

He got her a bunch of flowers. Pretty white and pink carnations, similar to the ones she had that day in the market, the broken ones that he helped her pick up. These are different to those, just a little, but they are still lovely and all that Wanda can do is smile as she reaches out to touch the petals, before she leans in to smell them. 

A soft, sweet aroma comes up from the flowers to meet her. She smiles because of it and carries the flowers over to the kitchen table, to place them there while she finds a vase and a perfect spot to put them. But when she reaches the table and begins to take off her jacket, she realizes that it isn't her jacket. It's his.

He might still be out there, she thinks, for a moment. Wanda turns to the closed door, thinking about where on the street Bucky might be right now. It's only been a minute since he left, he could be close, could still be there. She knows that she doesn't have to give the jacket back tonight, but she wants to. She wants to thank him for the flowers, too.

It only takes a minute to get outside. The stairs are long but familiar, and Wanda takes them with speed. Once she's out on the street, she glances down in both directions and quickly finds Bucky walking on the other side, not far away at all. She follows him down her side of the street then waits for a break in the traffic to cross over, and it's as she's walking across the momentarily quiet street that he turns back. She wonders if he's just looking back over his shoulder, or if he senses that someone is coming up behind him. 

Whatever it is, whatever reason it is that he looks back, she doesn't care. Wanda's just glad that he stops and looks back, that he's still here, still close enough for her to catch up to. When Bucky realizes that it's her, a sweet and uncertain smile begins to form on his face. Then he glances her over and realizes why she's here.

"Hey, red. Cute jacket." he smiles, walking over to meet her. "Didn't think I'd see you so soon. Guess I must have left a good impression, huh?" 

Smiling, she comes to stop just a few steps in front of him. After she stops, he takes another step towards her.

"The flowers..They're beautiful."

"You looked already?" he smiles. "You like 'em?"

Wanda nods, unable to get rid of her own smile. She wonders how long it's been since she smiled this much, since she had a night that was so fun and calm.

"Yes, I do. I like them a lot, James. They're beautiful. It was very sweet of you." 

"Well, like I said, I'm a softy at heart." 

At first, she just smiles. It's like she can't do anything else but smile at the memory of the flowers, the smell of them, and how lovely they felt in her hands. And then she finds herself thinking about the moment that Bucky walked away and how she wanted him to stay. She still does.

"Do you want to come up?" 

The question seems to surprise him, just a little, but it quickly fades. He looks between Wanda and the apartment, then back down to her.

"I'd love to. But don't you have work in the morning?" he asks, smiling slowly. "I mean, yeah. I'd love to, but I've got an early start, too."

"Just for a while?"

The next moment comes and goes too quickly. Wanda doesn't have the time to think, before she's reaching out a hand for his. She comes to hold it gently, lifting her eyes to his. She can't read him, but tonight she doesn't want to read him, she doesn't want to search his eyes for what is his, what he may not want to share with her.

She doesn't even want to think about what is going on in her own head right now, she just wants to let herself feel this. For once, she wants to feel something without thinking about it too much or too deeply. She is tired of over-thinking and for a moment she wants to ignore all of the thoughts swirling around and just feel something good.

Only a step or two away from her, Bucky lets out a quiet breath and glances down to her hand around his. He quickly lifts his head again, meeting her gaze as he leans in. Close, but not too close. It still feels nice, the way he watches her, how his eyes flicker between hers to her lips, and then over the rest of her face. He looks lost, in her, in his head. She says nothing and just watches, as he quickly looks away again. 

"I just—Yeah, of course I want to. Of course, red. I want to say yes, I do. But I just..I shouldn't. Not tonight. It's not a good idea."

"Why?" Wanda asks quietly, lifting her other hand to his cheek. "It's not too late, is it?"

Her fingers come to rest gently against his cheek, to the spot she has thought of touching a few times now. She stretches her fingers out slowly, unfamiliar with both touching him and with touching someone else. This moment of closeness, of intimacy, feels new to her, as if she is experiencing it for the first time. It's just that it's been so long that she has forgotten what it was like, to touch someone else, to be touched. But the moment of uncertainty soon ends and she begins to feel more sure of this, of herself, even lifting a finger and brushing it gently against his cheek.

"We could have beer? Another drink? Maybe dance?"

Bucky's eyes shut for the briefest second then open again, finding hers as she leans in to kiss him, to taste the ash and beer on his lips. But whatever she tastes is quickly forgotten and replaced with the mix of carnations and cologne that rises up to meet her.

He kisses her back, slowly at first, and then one of his hands comes to grip her waist gently, the other finds a place to hold onto on the front of her jacket, his jacket. Bucky kisses her back like this is new for him, too. It is unexpected, and new, and when Wanda ends the kiss (that feels too short, like it never happened at all) she looks into his eyes and finds in them all that she's feeling right now.

When it's over, she doubts that it ever really happened. But his hand still on her waist, and his other hand holding onto the edge of her jacket, reminds her that it is real. That, and Bucky's lost gaze confirms to her that it did happen and it wasn't just in her head.

"That...Um, that was something. Yeah, that was something else." Bucky sighs, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. Then he opens them, looking up at her. "I wasn't expecting that."

He trails off, quiet again for a moment. There's something more to it, something in his eyes, that she picks up on. And she wants to know what it is, to listen, but her doubts immediately come to her after seeing this and she begins to question all of this, whatever it is. She doesn't realize she's frowning until Bucky glances up at her, looking as if he wants to smooth it away. He stays where he is though, only moving to drop the hand away from her side. The other stays loose, holding onto her jacket.

"What's wrong?" Wanda asks, her breaths a little shaky now. "What did I—"

"Hey, no. It wasn't you, red. God, it wasn't you." Bucky's quick to say, suddenly coming closer. "It just wasn't something I expected. It was really good, it's just—It's me. When I said I shouldn't.."

She takes in a small breath, eyes glued to him.

"I'm just..I'm complicated."

He says it as if it explains it all, and maybe it should. Wanda thinks maybe if she weren't feeling so raw, after putting herself out there for the first time after Vision, then she might see it his way, might see what he's saying to her now and what he means. And she does, in her own way. But now her fears and her doubts are back, and she's not sure what to do next.

"So am I."

She only realizes now that he looks different, unlike himself from tonight. Bucky lets go of the spot on her jacket he was holding on to and looks up at her, quiet for a minute more before he speaks again.

"Yeah,  sure." he nods, only once. "But I'm talking like really complicated. The kind of complicated I don't think is good to share with anyone else."

"You are saying I'm not—"

"I'm just saying that I remember you said you weren't looking for complications." he adds quickly, coming close again. "Remember? And I said the same thing. Wanda, I'm—"

"Messy? So am I. We all are." she says, voice a little softer, a little less shaky. "Life is not always easy. Is it, James? And I am not. I am complicated, but I thought.."

I don't know what I thought, she wants to say, and then she wants to admit to both Bucky and to herself that perhaps she let herself get swept up in this, in him. She got swept up in the night, their laughter, the bliss she felt, and then in the flowers he gave her. It's this, and it's how long it's been since she opened herself up to anyone else. 

"I'm just trying." Bucky sighs, placing a hand on her forearm. "I just wanna do the right thing, that's all."

"The right thing, for you or me?"

He sighs again, jaw tight for a moment. "For both of us, Wanda. That's all it is. That's why I don't see anyone, why I don't date, or do this." Bucky admits, then drops his hand a way. "I don't wanna hurt anyone else. I can't. And I don't wanna hurt you because you're great and you deserve so much better than that." 

"You're worried you'll break my heart?" she asks, holding his gaze. "It can't be easily broken, so there is nothing for you to worry about."

Moments later his hand comes back to rest against her arm, as if it was never gone at all. His touch is soft, barely there, but she welcomes it anyway.

"I just wanna do the right thing by you."

The lights of the city allow her to read him, to see the conflict and the tension lingering in his eyes. She doesn't want it to be here, and now that it is there she blames herself for it. She came out here looking for him, knowing in her own way that it would lead to this, that she wanted to kiss him. She did this, and this is all that Wanda can think about as Bucky lifts a hand to his face, runs it over his creased forehead, then drops it away.

"From the start, you have only done right by me. There is nothing wrong with you. You aren't a bad person, James. And you wouldn't hurt me. I don't think you could. And even if that were possible, I am stronger than I look."

The faintest smile comes and goes on his lips, barely there before it's gone. Then he looks up to her, still not convinced by any of this.

"But I'm not who you think I am. You don't know me or the things I've done."

"I don't want to hear you say this. That you are bad or that you do not deserve good things." Wanda says, taking a step back. "I came out here to give you back your jacket. So here, take it."

She removes the denim jacket slowly, offering it to him as he offered her the bag of flowers, but things feel different this time, because of her. She regrets it now and wishes she could go back, to her apartment, to the afterglow of a nice evening, and to the bunch of flowers waiting for her upstairs. 

"Hey, Wanda. Wait a sec." he sighs, taking the jacket as he comes to stand beside her. "Don't go yet, just wait..Can we just talk about this for a sec? Maybe you'd understand then, why this isn't a good idea."

"I understand that you are messy. We all are. I am messy, too."

He looks away, while holding the jacket loosely in his hand. "I know, but I just..You're so good. Okay? And I'm not good. I'm not. I've done things.."

Wanda lifts her head, holding his gaze even though she wants to walk away, wants to be back upstairs in her room, in her bed.

"We've all done things." 

That same look fills his eyes. He won't be convinced, not on this. He is sure of this, of who he is, and what he's done. He is sure of what he deserves and he thinks that he doesn't deserve this, and even though Wanda can't really think about it now she knows that deep down she feels the same. And this is why she feels the way she does right now (weary, upset, regretful) because she always imagined they were similar. She still does, so to hear him saying this, that he doesn't deserve something good because of who he is, what he's done, and the mess he's created—it stirs something in her, the doubt that often lingers, and the fear that she will always feel this way. That she doesn't deserve the good, or that even if she does that if she finds something good it won't last.

"I don't care what you've done." Wanda tells him, before he can speak. 

He looks away, taking a minute to stare off at the city before looking back at her.

"But I do." he says quietly. "I have to."

"So what does that mean? You are not going to do 'this' with anyone? You would prefer to be alone?"

When he looks back to her, he's still different, so unlike the man she sat in a booth with and shared laughter and shakes with, and it troubles her to see it but it feels as if there is nothing she can say or do tonight to change that.

"I don't think I have a choice, red."

She makes the decision to leave now, to go back to her apartment, to the quiet of her room and to sleep. If she can't sleep she'll take a bath, or get high, because even if she wants to stay and convince him that he does deserve something good, she is now too doubtful of herself and what she deserves to be able to convince him of anything tonight.

"There's always a choice." Wanda says, before she turns away again. "A choice to start again. To know yourself again. There's always a choice. There has to be."