you never wanted to get caught up in this situation. or involved with james barnes, the most powerful crime boss in the city, at all. it just happened like that. you’re in college. you’re in debt, you need money to pay for the prestigious school your at to impress your parents. to prove them wrong.

things just weren’t going your way. that is, until one day when you were at your cousins wedding. turns out, the groom was childhood friends with the famous bucky. so you talked, and talked. all night. and you didnt know what to make of him. he was scary, of course, like everyone says. but it intrigued you. because he seemed very complex. but that’s not the point. the point is, he gave you his business card right after you told him about your finances because it just came up. then all he said after that was, “i’ll protect you. i can help you.”

so here you are, at this big fancy office building where he told you to be today. it doesn’t feel real, not even as you talk to his secretary and she tells you to go in.

as soon as you enter, you smell the warmth of brown liquor mixed with the musk of a cigar. sitting at his desk is the source of this scent, bucky.