Chapter Text
Calloused, roughened fingers rubbed the cool metal locket pressed between them, memorizing the faint engraved details of a bygone era. A time before the war. Before Hydra. Before now. The locket, heart-shaped and dainty, was clasped within a strong fist.
James “Bucky” Buchanan Barnes pressed the fist to his mouth, closing his eyes as he breathed in deeply. The scent of her was long gone, replaced with the metallic of the locket. He sat down on the floor, back pressed against the wall, one leg bent to rest his elbow on.
In all honesty, she shouldn’t have been someone so important to him. Back in the 40s, a lifetime ago, he had been a player. One of the best. He loved the chase, the thrill of catching someone, but commitment…well, that wasn’t in his book. He hadn’t been ready to settle down, to start a family, to be locked in one place for the rest of his life. She had been one in a group of girls he had set his eyes on.
Yet no matter how often he denied it, she was the only one who felt different than the others. The only one whose face didn’t melt in with the others. He didn’t mean it in a cheesy way. Every girl is different, but…she was the one who had stood out to him . She had been sweet, yet spunky. Responded to all his flirting, maybe even fell for him, but had accepted that he would never be the type to stay put.
The others wanted families, children, a steady home life. She had wanted adventure, travel, love and life. She was soft, yet strong. Sweet, yet not. Blossoming in life, but quiet.
He could still hear her voice.