šš :Ā Ā Ā šš·šøšš“ ,Ā š°š»šøš²š“.
Distance. Ā She Ā kept Ā her Ā distance Ā from Ā James Ā Bucky, Ā not Ā just Ā because Ā she Ā assumed Ā he Ā wouldnāt Ā want Ā her Ā to Ā invade Ā his Ā bubble, Ā but Ā because Ā Alice Ā gave Ā everyone Ā distance. Ā She Ā had Ā no Ā choice Ā in Ā the Ā matter. Ā One Ā accidental Ā brush Ā of Ā physical Ā contact Ā for Ā a Ā moment Ā too Ā long, Ā and Ā the Ā other Ā would Ā undoubtedly Ā perish. Ā She Ā wasnāt Ā willing Ā to Ā take Ā that Ā risk, Ā and Ā she Ā never Ā did Ā bother Ā to Ā ask Ā anyoneās Ā preference Ā becauseā¦ Ā Really, Ā who Ā in Ā their Ā right Ā mind Ā would Ā want Ā to Ā risk Ā sudden Ā death? Ā So Ā she Ā unspokenly Ā gave Ā the Ā man Ā three Ā feet Ā of Ā distance Ā like Ā she Ā always Ā did, Ā holding Ā the Ā bloodied Ā white Ā tee Ā shirt Ā in Ā her Ā hands.
She Ā didnāt Ā bother Ā to Ā scan Ā and Ā inspect Ā for Ā more Ā than Ā three Ā seconds Ā before Ā looking Ā up Ā at Ā the Ā man, Ā ā Ā You Ā came Ā to Ā a Ā woman Ā for Ā a Ā blood Ā stain Ā issue Ā before Ā theĀ Ā internet, Ā Iāll Ā give Ā you Ā that. Ā ā Ā Alice Ā says Ā with Ā a Ā sigh. Ā Being Ā an Ā immortal Ā in Ā your Ā prime Ā was Ā fun Ā and Ā games Ā until Ā you Ā realized Ā that Ā youād Ā be Ā getting Ā a Ā regular Ā period Ā cycle Ā for Ā an Ā eternity. Ā Sheād Ā learned Ā a Ā thing Ā or Ā two Ā over Ā the Ā years Ā about Ā cleaning Ā blood, Ā not Ā just Ā from Ā being Ā a Ā woman Ā (although Ā it Ā certainly Ā did Ā help), Ā but Ā from Ā her Ā background Ā with Ā the Ā Assassins Ā Guild.
ā Ā ā¦ Ā But Ā itās Ā a Ā regular Ā white Ā tee Ā shirt, Ā Buck. Ā Theyāre Ā like Ā five Ā dollars Ā at Ā any Ā grocery Ā store, Ā you Ā can Ā even Ā get Ā a Ā four Ā pack Ā of Ā them. Ā ā Ā She Ā tells Ā him Ā with Ā a Ā raised Ā brow. Ā Though Ā she Ā remembered Ā how Ā living Ā through Ā the Ā depression Ā probably Ā effected Ā people, Ā how Ā wasting Ā items Ā was Ā a Ā big Ā no-no, Ā Alice Ā was Ā long Ā passed Ā that. Ā She Ā assumed Ā Bucky Ā was Ā too, Ā but Ā perhaps Ā there Ā was Ā a Ā significance Ā to Ā this Ā particular Ā shirt. Ā It Ā didnāt Ā really Ā matter. Ā She Ā wouldnāt Ā lecture Ā him Ā any Ā further, Ā these Ā were Ā facts Ā he Ā already Ā knew.
ā Ā Cāmon, Ā Iāll Ā show Ā you Ā how Ā to Ā get Ā the Ā stain Ā out. Ā ā Ā She Ā finally Ā says, Ā sheepish Ā smile Ā now Ā on Ā her Ā face Ā before Ā leading Ā the Ā way Ā out Ā of Ā the Ā room.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā :Ā·ļ¾*ā¢. ā¶ Ā @freedwolfĀ·Ā· - to James Buchanan Barnes
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā šŖš®š¢ššĀ šš§šĀ š«šš¬šš«šÆššĀ š©šš«Ā š®š¬š®šš„ ,Ā š”šĀ šš«š¢š§š š¬Ā šš”šĀ š¬š”š¢š«šĀ ššØĀ š”šš«.Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā heādĀ alwaysĀ admiredĀ howĀ hisĀ motherĀ andĀ sisterĀ seemedĀ toĀ beĀ able toĀ getĀ aĀ stainĀ outĀ ofĀ Ā everythingĀ ,Ā Ā noĀ matterĀ theĀ culprit.Ā backĀ then ,Ā mostĀ menĀ didnātĀ careĀ toĀ getĀ theirĀ handsĀ dirtyĀ overĀ laundry.Ā theyĀ calledĀ itĀ aĀ womanās workĀ Ā Ā Ā (Ā which ,Ā heĀ loathedĀ theĀ conceptĀ ofĀ anythingĀ everĀ beingĀ solelyĀ ā aĀ womanāsĀ work āĀ )Ā Ā Ā Ā butĀ heĀ alwaysĀ triedĀ toĀ helpĀ theĀ womenĀ inĀ hisĀ life.Ā nowĀ thingsĀ areĀ much ,Ā muchĀ different.Ā butĀ forĀ theĀ better ,Ā heĀ thinks.Ā itāsĀ notĀ completelyĀ Ā abnormalĀ Ā forĀ aĀ womanĀ toĀ haveĀ equalĀ treatmentĀ asĀ aĀ man ,Ā norĀ isĀ itĀ forĀ aĀ manĀ toĀ beĀ expectedĀ toĀ doĀ theĀ thingsĀ onceĀ labeledĀ aĀ womanāsĀ so ā calledĀ Ā ā soleĀ purpose āĀ andĀ thatĀ makesĀ himĀ hopeful.Ā hopefulĀ thatĀ notĀ everythingĀ inĀ thisĀ crazyĀ worldĀ isĀ soĀ bad.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā butĀ whenĀ heĀ bringsĀ theĀ articleĀ ofĀ clothingĀ toĀ alice ,Ā sheĀ understandablyĀ doesnātĀ knowĀ theĀ significanceĀ ofĀ it.Ā sheĀ tellsĀ himĀ aĀ whiteĀ teeĀ canĀ beĀ boughtĀ anywhereĀ inĀ bulkĀ andĀ cheaplyĀ asĀ well ,Ā butĀ again āĀ Ā sheĀ Ā doesnātĀ knowĀ Ā whatĀ theĀ shirtĀ meansĀ toĀ him.Ā hisĀ eyesĀ keepĀ low ,Ā avoidingĀ contactĀ withĀ herĀ ownĀ asĀ sheĀ insistsĀ thatĀ theĀ bloodĀ soakedĀ shirtĀ wouldĀ beĀ easierĀ toĀ justĀ replace.Ā Ā Ā Ā (Ā oh ,Ā ifĀ onlyĀ itĀ wereĀ soĀ easyĀ )
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā itĀ onceĀ belongedĀ toĀ hisĀ bestĀ friend ,Ā theĀ onlyĀ manĀ whoĀ hadĀ sharedĀ lifeĀ experience ,Ā knewĀ himĀ beforeĀ theĀ frigidĀ mantleĀ wasĀ placedĀ onĀ himĀ andĀ heĀ wasnātĀ Ā entirelyĀ himself.Ā Ā itāsĀ theĀ lastĀ thingĀ heĀ hasĀ thatĀ wasĀ steveāsĀ andĀ heāsĀ kickingĀ himselfĀ inĀ theĀ assĀ forĀ beingĀ obliviousĀ toĀ whatĀ wasĀ beneathĀ hisĀ bodyĀ asĀ heĀ patchedĀ hisĀ woundsĀ fromĀ anĀ encounterĀ earlierĀ inĀ theĀ day.Ā heāsĀ notĀ usuallyĀ soĀ careless ,Ā butĀ thingsĀ happen.Ā nowĀ heĀ wasĀ payingĀ theĀ price.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā still ,Ā gazeĀ keptĀ toĀ theĀ floorĀ andĀ lipsĀ sealedĀ whileĀ sheĀ spoke.Ā heĀ rubbedĀ theĀ padsĀ ofĀ hisĀ fingersĀ againstĀ theĀ denimĀ onĀ hisĀ legsĀ untilĀ sheĀ gaveĀ in.Ā aĀ sortĀ ofĀ Ā sorrowĀ Ā showsĀ onĀ hisĀ faceĀ likeĀ heādĀ lostĀ hisĀ bestĀ friendĀ allĀ overĀ again ,Ā butĀ theĀ expressionĀ couldĀ beĀ mistakenĀ forĀ aĀ foulĀ mood ,Ā whichĀ promptsĀ wordsĀ toĀ finallyĀ beĀ putĀ toĀ use.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā ā thankĀ you.Ā itāsĀ justĀ thatĀ uh ,Ā thatĀ shirtĀ meansĀ aĀ lot.Ā truthĀ beĀ told ,Ā itāsĀ theĀ Ā lastĀ thingĀ Ā iĀ haveĀ ofĀ steveās.Ā so . . .Ā youĀ seeĀ whyĀ iādĀ likeĀ toĀ eraseĀ myĀ mistakesĀ hereĀ insteadĀ ofĀ justĀ replacingĀ it , āĀ Ā Ā Ā heĀ clearsĀ hisĀ throatĀ andĀ offersĀ herĀ aĀ smile ,Ā finallyĀ bringingĀ hisĀ eyesĀ toĀ hers.Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā ā iĀ meanĀ that ,Ā alice.Ā Ā thankĀ you.Ā Ā itĀ mightĀ notĀ seemĀ likeĀ much ,Ā butĀ itĀ meansĀ theĀ worldĀ tāĀ me. ā
