Chapter Text
Just you and me, pepperoni goodness. Cheesy bread sticks, you complete me. Even got an archer guy discount. I’m gonna eat this whole pizza when I get back. Gonna sleep all through tomorrow. Life is so good. I deserve this. I really –
Suddenly there’s a hand darting int0 my peripheral vision. I dodged, but the box of cheesy bread went flying. I cursed my luck when the hand struck out of the darkness again to grab my box of cheesy delights, pulling it into the shadowy alley.
…
Am I really gonna possibly risk my life for a box of cheesy bread?
…
Yeah. Fuck it. Those were mine. I earned those damn it!
Despite common sense screaming how bad of an idea it was, I rushed into the alley with my phone flashlight. The thief is a quick find. And not at all what I expected.
Greasy blood spattered hair frames two absolutely burning blue eyes glaring up at me. The box of cheesy bread is open, cradled tightly to his chest, and somehow a third of it is already gone. And glinting from my flashlight is not just a knife but the metal hand that’s holding it.
The star on the shoulder had my breath hitching. He tightened his grip on both the box and knife. For a small eternity, it’s a stalemate. I’m too scared shocked to move and he just keeps on glaring, poised to jump and stab me.
I’m unarmed. I’m good, but this guy is the freaking Winter Soldier. He almost killed Nat.
Fuck. This guy trained Nat.
What am I gonna do? I just got this pizza. I just got back to the states. I wanted to – I wanted –
Wait… Was that…
“Was that your stomach or mine?” I asked.
The question sparked something. Hell, it broke his concentration entirely, for at least a second, and there was fear.
The box was hiked up higher. He readjusted his grip on the knife. And then quick as a cat, he snatched up a bread stick with his teeth. Didn’t even flinch as he choked it down.
…
Oh.
“You want some pizza too?”
His brows snapped together in suspicion.
“Yeah… I wouldn’t trust me either. You did steal my bread sticks though. I really wanted those.”
Surprisingly, emotions began to play across his face. Small ones. Fractional expressions. But still. Nat said this guy was stone cold. Guess hunger really will change a guy.
Resignation won out. The knife dropped. The box was closed and set near my feet. Both hands came up to fold behind his head.
“Look man…”
Am I really about to do this?
…
Yeah. Fuck it. Nat turned out okay.
“We can share, but I am not eating in this alley. I live like three blocks away. Let’s go.”
He took a deep breath. Looked right up at me and stared.
“C’mon. I wanted to eat this while it was hot and it’s probably a minute from stone cold now.”
His eyes darted to the box of cheesy bread still sitting at my feet.
“You want em, you carry em.”
I bet he won’t follow. There’s no way. He’ll scarf the cheesy bread the moment I clear the alley and then go… do whatever super secret assassins do on a Tuesday night. Doesn’t make any sense though. Nat said this guy was cruel, a real old school baddie. What the hell is he doing here stealing cheesy bread for? Why’s a guy like that starving when supposedly he was this highly coveted asset to the Russians? Are they going through budget cuts?
I shook my head at the ridiculous thought. Waited for the crosswalk light and stole a slice of pizza from the box.
Cold… *Sigh* Damn. Guess I’m reheating this after all.
The rest of the walk was pretty uneventful. Nobody else tried to steal my pizza. I sulked over my lost cheesy goodness as I made it up the four flights of stairs to my apartment.
The keys slipped from my fingers before I could stick it in the lock, probably from pizza grease on my fingers. Someone caught them before I could. That someone had metal fingers.
…
I turned. Looked him up and down.
…
Yep. That’s my cheesy bread. Same guy.
Great…
“Thanks.” I took my keys back. “Come on in, I guess.”