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Clint always walked Lucky at this time of day.
Honest.
Okay, some days, the walk was an hour earlier, or seven hours later.
Clint tried to walk Lucky at this time every day, whatever time it was.
One of the benefits of walking around at this time of day ( was it four am or six pm? ) was that there was a lack of people around. Less people around meant that it was less obvious that Clint couldn’t hear everything.
Well, there was supposed to be a lack of people. Clint could not explain the sight in front of him.
There was a person sitting in the gutter, wearing a formal suit and holding a bouquet of roses. As Clint processed the image, he discovered that the suit was torn in several places.
Trap Barton, it’s a trap.
What if it’s not?
What if it is?
What if it’s not?
Clint won his inner battle, walking over to the person. Besides, I have Lucky. Lucky will let me know if they’re untrustworthy.
As Clint got closer, he purposefully made his steps louder, not wanting to startle the person.
The person turned their head, gave Clint a look, then went back to staring at their feet.
“Not much in the mood for talking.”
Clint sat down, a good distance from the person, Lucky sitting next to him. “Well that’s fine by me; I’m not much one for listening.”
When the person looked back at Clint, Clint pointed to his ears. The other person laughed a little.
“You always so blasé about it?”
Clint shrugged, moving to pat Lucky. “Been like this most of my life now; it is what it is.”
“Don’t I know it.” The stranger looked down again, before putting down the bouquet of roses on their lap, looking up and offering a hand to Clint. “Name’s Bucky.”
Clint leant over to shake the hand. “Clint. What brings you here today?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Bucky gestured down to the roses.
Clint shook his head. “Nope, sorry.”
Bucky laughed again. “Don’t be. So, I was… god, I sound pathetic.”
“No you don’t. And you can trust me, I know what pathetic sounds like.”
Bucky frowned at Clint. “ You ? But you’re so..”
Clint laughed, shaking his head. “You’ve known me five minutes. Trust me, there’s no way I think you’re pathetic.” I think you’re pretty… pretty.
What? Where’d that come from?
“You’re telling the truth, aren’t you?”
Clint shook his thoughts away, moving closer to Bucky. “Yeah, I am.”
Bucky searched Clint’s face for… something , before deciding to continue. Bucky turned to face Clint more fully. “So, I was on my way to the hospital. I got to the door, and just … I just couldn’t go in there. I turned around, and walked away. As I was walking away, someone tried to take my wallet. I kept the wallet, but they messed up the suit. Shame, I borrowed it from a friend.”
Clint frowned at Bucky. “That wasn’t pathetic.”
“Yeah it was,” Bucky sighed, rubbing a hand through their hair. “I was supposed to see my sister, she’s just had a baby. The roses were for her. They’re her favourite.”
“Okay.”
“Okay? Why don’t you think I’m pathetic?”
“Why would I?”
“I couldn’t even see my sister, was too scared to enter a hospital.” Bucky looked down again, talking to the ground. “So pathetic.”
Clint watched Bucky stare at the ground, instantly knowing what to do. “You’re going to have to speak up, I didn’t hear you.”
Bucky looked up, eyes looking like they were on the verge of tears. “You really don’t think I’m pathetic, do you?”
Clint shook his head. “Nope.”
“You literally found me sitting in the streets at four am, in a torn suit and holding a thing of roses. How can you think I’m not pathetic?”
“I’m walking around the streets at four am with my dog,” Clint patted Lucky, who lapped up the attention. “Do you really think my life is any more put together?”
Bucky gave Clint a look. “I’ve been walking the streets since nine last night.”
“I woke up an hour ago. Until you told me the time, I had no idea what the time was.” Clint looked down at his outfit, frowning at it. “And I’m pretty sure this is what I wore two days ago. And I definitely haven’t done any laundry in that time.”
Bucky laughed at Clint, before covering their mouth. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t laugh. I’m in no position to laugh.”
Clint waved a hand. “Hey, I have no problem with you laughing at me. It made you feel better, right?”
“Yeah, it did,” Bucky sighed, before looking sad again. Clint decided in that moment that he didn’t want to see Bucky look sad again.
“Hey, you want to come for a walk?” When Bucky frowned at him, Clint gestured at Lucky, who was asleep. “He really should finish his walk. And maybe walking with someone will help you feel better?”
Bucky raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
“There might also be a cup of coffee at the end of it, if you want?”
Bucky seemed to think this over, before nodding. “Okay. You don’t mind being seen with me?”
“Well, you don’t seem to mind being seen by me, so I figure we’re fair.” Clint stood up, holding out a hand to Bucky. Bucky took it, standing up. Neither quite let go of the other’s hand at first, until they noticed that the roses had fallen to the ground.
“Aww, flowers,” Clint bent down to pick them up, before offering them to Bucky.
“Thanks,” Bucky took them, holding them loosely. “Guess they’re no good now.”
Clint patted his leg, Lucky jumping up. “I guess so. You could get some new ones in the morning?”
Bucky shrugged, walking alongside Clint. “Maybe. I thought that if I bought the roses, it’d force me to go in and see her.” Bucky laughed humourlessly. “Can’t even trick myself.”
Clint looked down at Lucky, who was walking along happily. “Hey, I haven’t introduced you! Bucky, meet Lucky.”
“Lucky…” Bucky trailed off, looking down at Lucky, who was looking up while walking. “Really?”
“Coincidence, I swear!” Clint held up a hand. “Seriously.”
Bucky looked to Clint, staring at him for a moment before smiling. “Hey, it’s okay. Seems like a nice dog.”
“Yeah, saved my life a couple of times, and I returned the favour. He’s pretty great.”
“And likes to walk around at four am?”
“Sometimes?” Clint rubbed the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly. “Like I said, I woke up. And sometimes, I don’t sleep too well. And… I can’t believe I’m actually talking about this.”
“No judgements here.”
Clint nodded, before pointing at a building. “That’s my place; still want that coffee?”
“Please.”