Stories are hard to tell aren't they? You don't know where to start most of the time. Most stories start from the beginning then the middle follows then the end.
Well, I guess I should start at the beginning, right? That's what's excepted of me.
Before we start I just want to put out there that I didn't want to be dragged back into the life I tried to get away from. Seriously I was fine on my own without being around S.H.E.I.L.D. or HYDRA or the Avengers.
I am Wyatt Barnes, a 25 year old, ex-assassin of S.H.E.I.L.D. and my story starts when I woke up to find an ex-assassin of HYDRA's sitting on my couch lost and confused.
Wyatt Barnes yawned as he rolled out of bed, landing on the floor with a thump. He grumbled as he rubbed his eyes and yawned again. It was a late night at the club he bar tended at and he was tried, though that's probably how he didn't notice the visitor he had on his couch until he got his coffee in his system. He leaned against the kitchen counter and frowned when he felt something off in his apartment. Slowly, he set his coffee cup down and his well trained eyes flickered around his space as he made his way into his living room.
He blinked, once, twice, and then a third time before clearing his throat so the person on his couch knew he was there. He could make out his figure and saw the gleam of the sun hitting the metal on the guy's left hand. His brain automatically knew who he was, he was a ghost story that became real in DC, The Winter Soldier. Dammit, he wasn't going to be dragged back into it, no. He refused to be dragged back into this shit. "Um...Not to be rude or anything but why are you sitting on my couch?" He asked, getting silence for an answer.
Well, that was just wonderful, he thought to himself, a silent assassin in his apartment. Why wasn't that not the most messed up thing that has happened to him? S.H.E.I.L.D. fucked up his life. "Um..Soldier dude?" He asked again, moving closer to him. He got a reaction that time since his head snapped up to look at him. "You gonna answer me?" He frowned, knowing he should be freaking out that he had the world's most deadly assassin in his house but he really couldn't be bothered with worrying about it. If he wanted him dead he would have killed him in his sleep.
"You're Wyatt Barnes?" Was the first thing Wyatt heard him ask and he nodded, narrowing his eyes slightly at him. His voice sounded emotionless but his eyes had a lost and confused look in them that made Wyatt's heart hurt. He seen the same look on someone he knew once. "Yeah? Who are you?" He countered, already knowing his code name.
He was silent for a moment before Wyatt heard his voice again, "He called me Bucky..." Wyatt froze at the name, sure he read over the reports but he didn't want to believe it was true. His step father's uncle was alive. "James Barnes...That's who you were, right?" He had to be sure.
"...Yes." He didn't sound so sure about it though and now Wyatt understood why he was confused and lost. He didn't know who he was. Dammit, now he had no choice but the be dragged back into this shit. He couldn't just leave his great uncle by himself. His mother always said 'Family doesn't end with blood', now he knew what she was talking about.
"Right...You hungry?" Wyatt asked because he didn't know what else to say. He doubted that James wanted to be told that it would be alright or something stupid like that because it might never be alright. He got a blank look at that and he sighed, "Just...Um...Just follow me?" He cleared his throat awkwardly before turning on his heel and going to the kitchen, hearing the couch made a sound when James got up. He began to pull out bacon, eggs, and pancake mix.
He started cooking, mixing everything together while he drank his first cup of coffee. Wordlessly he sat another cup on the counter next to James, just plain black coffee like Wyatt himself drank. His green eyes flickered over his face for a moment before he turned towards the stove again and began flipping the pancakes. He didn't want to burn the meal but it was kinda hard to focus when he could feel the heavy weight of James's eyes on him.
He swallowed hard and put the pancakes on a plate before cooking the eggs and bacon, leaving James alone to his thoughts. He didn't want to upset him anymore then he already was. Licking his lips, he put the bacon and eggs on another plate then set them all in front of James, moving to get a fork for him also. He got his own plate and stayed leaning against the counter to eat. He wasn't stupid, he wasn't going to trust him easily, he was an assassin after all.
Though, Wyatt couldn't help but wonder if he should even be doing what he was doing. He knew that his parents would be proud of him for helping him but he didn't think what went on with S.H.E.L.I.D. was his problem anymore.
After he ate he put his plate up and looked at James to see that all three plates were empty along with his cup so he grabbed the plates and put them in the sink before grabbing his cup and filling it up along with his own. He did sit across from the other assassin this time and wrapped his fingers around his cup. He watched James over the steam of his coffee, frowning as he tried to think of something to say. He wanted to ask lots of questions but thought better of it.
He was going to have to wait until James spoke to him first he supposed. He apparently didn't have to wait for long either. "I read your file once S.H.E.L.I.D. went down...Are..Are you related to me?" James asked, hesitating on asking it seemed. Wyatt swallowed hard and set his mug down, keeping his fingers wrapped around it tightly.
"Um...No...Only by marriage. My mom married your nephew when I was a baby. They changed my last name to yours and he raised me like I was his own son. I didn't find out that he wasn't my father until I was eighteen." He explained quickly and awkwardly. He wasn't known for his social skills at all, he was actually socially awkward and really didn't like being around people if he could help it. James seemed to accept that answer since he nodded before looking at him with that same lost and confused look.
"I...I can help you if that's what you came here for?" He offered with a shrug, looking down at his mug before playing with the simple sliver band on his middle finger. It was his father's wedding ring and he had his mother's around his neck on a chain along with his dog tags. James nodded again and looked as awkward as Wyatt felt so he wasn't the only one feeling awkward about this whole thing. He wondered if he should tell him he was his hero growing up or not, deciding that it was better if he didn't at the moment, at least not until they knew each other better.
"Right, I have pictures and things from my grandma, your sister, if you want to see them?" He pushed away from the table and went to go get the things without waiting for an answer. He dragged the box to the living room, putting it on the coffee table then moving to sit in the arm chair that was in the living room. He watched James open the box after sitting down on the couch and start to go through some of the things.
Wyatt looked out the window after a few moments and wondered how his life got so messed up again. Now he was going to have to go through all that again, he didn't want to be dragged back into the assassin life when he was still trying to break himself of the habits he had like checking every room he walked in and thinking about how many ways he could kill someone with an object if they pissed him off.
He sighed and ran his fingers over his face, knowing this was just the beginning.