Chapter Text
Taking a drag from his cigarette, Bucky’s eyes scanned the sidewalks in front of him. The week before he’d seen a pregnant cat in the area and wanted to see if he saw her again. If he did he’d send Steve with a carrier to get her to a shelter. Yes, mob boss James Buchanan Barnes had a soft spot for cats. He wasn’t ashamed of that fact, either. He donated monthly to various shelters around the city.
A sparkle caught his eye, making him furrow his brows. Moving to it, he crouched and picked up what turned out to be a sequin wallet that had seen better days. Opening it he saw the ID of a pretty looking woman with bright Y/E/C eyes. He noted a couple loyalty cards to local discount stores, a debit card, and a piece of paper where the cash would go. Pulling it out, he furrowed his brows.
Electric: $100+
Rent: $1500
Water: $50
Bus/sub fare: $70
Total: $1,720+
Pay last month from both jobs in total: $1,900.
Note to self: Find more work
He read your bubbly writing. It told him a lot about you. “Jesus.” He breathed, realizing how close you were cutting it. One wrong move and you’d be homeless. You likely didn’t eat much, that was for sure! His eyes darted to your ID again. “Not while I have anything to say about it, Y/N.” He put the paper back and turned on his heels to head home. He would be sending your wallet back, with cash in it. He’d also be sending you various things here and there to take care of you. There was something in your face that reminded him of Steve before he buffed out. Someone who needed to be protected.
Walking in your apartment after your shift, you felt dead on your feet. You had worked both jobs that day. It was just after 11 and you had to be into work at 7 the next morning. “Hey, babes!” Your room mate (and best friend) glanced at you. “You got a package today. I put it on your bed.”
“Thanks.” You dropped your bag before slipping off your sneakers. “I work tomorrow morning, but I’ll be home for dinner. Will you?”
“No, I go in at noon tomorrow, then I’m sleeping over Hux’s.” Kat had been dating Hux for just over six months and you loved them together. You’d been floored when you were told she was dating a man whose name sounded like he came from money. The two of you did not come into contact with men like that! However, he did not. Huxley Lawson the third was a middle class guy whose parents had big dreams for him. “Why?”
“Wanted to know what to plan to make for dinner. Since it’ll just be me I know I can go simple.” In other words: sparse and cheap.
Kat chuckled and shook her head. “Just include protein!” She called after you as you made your way to your room, grinning as she heard you laugh. It was a running joke that she was the ‘dad’ of the apartment. Her father had visited once and you knew where she got the ‘protein’ from. You’d made the two of you pasta with butter and seasoning. He’d stared at your bowl and asked where the protein was. You’d told him ‘at the store’ jokingly.
Once in your room, you were curious who could have sent you something. There was no return address, but it was from someone local from what you could tell from the markings from the post office. Ripping it open you saw your wallet. “Thank God!” You breathed. You’d lost it the week before and had been hoping it would turn up so you didn’t have to go through the hassle of dealing with everything. Opening it, you gasped. There was over a grand in it. That had not been there before. You set that aside and lifted the folded note that had been under it.
Found your wallet. Don’t look for more work, you have me. Expect more.
-B
P.S. I hope I picked a good replacement for your old wallet. It had clearly seen better days!
“What. The. Fuck?” You set it aside and pulled out a new pink sparkly wallet. It was still in its plastic and everything. There was nothing else in the box. No clues to who the hell this man was. Putting everything back in the box, you just stared at it as you chewed on your lower lip. On the one hand: you needed the money, but getting another job would have worn you down even further. On the other: some strange man gave you a ton of money and wanted to what? Be your anonymous sugar daddy???
Bucky stood across the street from your building and told himself you’d be out of that shithole soon. When he saw you step out, he stood up straight. You were a burst of color in a sea of browns, greys, and blacks. You were talking to who he assumed was your roommate animatedly. In your hand was that new pink sparkly wallet he had bought you. Grinning, he let you get a few feet before crossing the street to trail you.
Now, despite his ‘career’, stalking hadn’t ever been his thing. He got around that by telling himself this wasn’t stalking. It was protection. You were an angel that needed to be kept safe. He was the one to do that. Steve and Sam were checking out your jobs to see how safe they were at the moment.
“I’m so excited!” You squealed. “Her music is so much fun.” He knew which concert you were talking about, too. He’d been seeing advertisements everywhere for it. Some local pop singer that was blowing up lately.
“Thank your mystery man.” Your best friend giggled. “We couldn’t have afforded these tickets without him.” When you’d told her what was in that package she had stared at you for a good minute or two before telling you that it was weird, but it wasn’t like you could give the money back. So, you’d spent $150 on these two tickets, stocked your kitchen with $500 worth of groceries, put some aside for emergencies, and then you had $200 for this night out. “Wonder if he’s hot.” She mused, making Bucky smirk. The two of you were in heels so catching up to you had been easy.
You snorted at that. “You’ve been reading romance books again, haven’t you?” You nudged her lightly. “No prince, mafia don, cowboy, rock star, or professional athlete is going to turn up, declare me as his and then whisk me away so I can quit one of my jobs.”
Oh, if you only knew. He thought to himself.
“Oh, you read them, too. Don’t act all innocent.” Your best friend countered. Now he wondered what books you were reading.
When you glanced at her he saw you were blushing. Ohhhh those kinds of books. Finally, the two of you were crossing the street and he was off to buy tickets to that concert. And look into romance books.