The moment Elizabeth walked out the door Bucky knew that he was too late. He stared at the closed door with a frown on his face. His brain still not registering the words that she had said to him.

Never in his overextended life did Bucky Barnes think he would ever hear someone say the words 'I love you,' to him. Granted, she did add idiot behind it but that proved to himself that, he did in fact love her too.

Bucky got attached way too quickly. He knew it and somewhat hated that he did. Hated that he had found another person to burden all his problems with. But then again how could he not fall in love with her.

It was so easy and natural that he didn't realise he had fallen until he was in too deep. He realised it a month ago when they were back in Elizabeth's apartment in Washington. The first place that he felt like he could call home.

They were sitting side by side on the couch as the tv played some Disney movie that Elizabeth had wanted him to watch. Something about a rat cooking in the kitchen, which he knew wouldn't sit right with most people on reality.

Halfway through the movie there was a scene where the rat, Remy, was cooking in the kitchen while a calming French song played in the background. He understood most of the song, since in his training he had to learn multiple languages.

But he knew for a fact that Elizabeth didn't speak French. So when he heard soft muttering coming from his left he was surprised. Turning his head to look at her, he saw her muttering along with the song.

It wasn't even the proper words just complete and absolute gibberish and in a weird accent. But when he saw the smile on her face with her eyes full of joy he couldn't help but feel the grin on his face.

As if feeling that he was staring at her, she turned to meet his eyes. She stopped her light singing for a moment to laugh at him.

"What is it?" She had asked him with a smile. Not knowing what she was talking about he tilted his head for her to elaborate. "Why is your face like that?"

He laughed at her confused expression, the loving smile never dropping from his face. "Like what?"

"Like," he watched her try to find the words to describe whatever look he had on his face. "I don't know! It's your face, you're doing something with it!" Neither of them knew that he was looking at her with a face full of love and adoration.

He sent her an amused smile, his eyes looking at her softly. "Is it a good face?"

Elizabeth looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, tapping a finger to her chin exaggeratedly. "Yes," she finally answered with a grin on her face. "It's a cute face."

It was that moment that he knew he was in love with her. And he kept an eye on her as she went back to the movie. Watching her closely, taking note of every time she smiled or laughed. Making sure to engrave the sound into his head.

Bringing himself back to the empty apartment in Bucharest, he felt him curse himself in his head as he took a seat on the mattress in the corner of the room. Repeating what he said to her in his head he groaned before placing his head in his hands.

'A horrible decision'? Why on earth would he say that. It wasn't exactly wrong of course. What good would come out of her loving him? Bucky couldn't even think of anything at all.

Still, there were so many better things he could have say to her than that. Those words weren't even his, they were from the last movie he'd watched. He could have said what he really wanted too, but he was too late. He froze.

Loving her on the other hand, that gave him so much good. She brought out a part of him that he thought was long gone, lost in the war. The Bucky liked who he became when she was around, he loved the feeling that she gave him.

Some kind of warmth that made him feel so much less alone. The way that she'd hug him made him feel wanted and worth it. He was finally happy with where he was. Even if she had to disappear every few days but he was fine with it. Even just a little bit of her was enough to bring him so much love.

For a while, he thought that everything he was feeling was just a trick. Something that she'd done with her magic stuff. That it wasn't really true. But then he decided that even if it was a trick he didn't mind. As long as she was right next to him, he'd be fine.

She was too good for him and he knew it. But he was selfish, he wanted her near him. Where he could make sure she was safe. Not out there, fighting all those bad guys. He wanted to be the one to fight the bad guys for her.

But Bucky knew he'd have to let her go at some point. He liked to think that he knew her well enough to know that nothing good would come out of stopping her from doing what she had to do. And yet he still tried, resulting in that mess of an argument the two just had.

Disliking the state he was in, frustrated and angry at himself. He got up from the mattress and shrugged one of the three jackets he had on. Making sure to grab a pair of gloves and a baseball cap, he headed out the front door. Since Elizabeth wasn't here to calm him down, he had to go to his new found replacement.

***

"Hey there, Kitty."

Bucky stroked the spine of his new friend. The snow white cat laid by the door to the grocery store as it meowed happily. He knelt down to scratch the ear of the cat. It somewhat soothed him to feel the soft fur underneath his hands.

He didn't know how old or young the cat was. Bucky didn't know much about animals. The cat was no longer than the length from his palm to elbow, so he guessed that it couldn't have been too young.

A person passed by the open door to the grocery store and Bucky tensed up. He readjusted the cap on his head to cover more of his face. Keeping his head down, he waited for the passerby to leave before looking up again.

"I'll be back, Alpine." He muttered to the cat before heading into the grocery store.

The warm air of the place welcomed him as his eyes looked around cautiously. At the check-out there were only two workers and an elderly lady paying for her groceries. The rest of the place seems empty accept for a few extra staff.

Bucky made a move to take a few steps but stopped when he heard the soft meows by his foot. Furrowing his eyebrows, he looked down to see Alpine next to his shoes. Walking between his legs happily before rubbing itself up against his leg.

Not wanting to attract anymore attention than he needed to, he checked to see if anyone would object to the animal being inside. Seeing that no one stopped him or the cat, he shrugged before getting a cart heading deeper inside the store.

Bucky put what he needed into the cart as fast as he could without being suspicious. He didn't want to stay any longer than he needed to. Cooking was something he was not great at, so he settled on most of his food being instant noodles and some soup.

Looking down back at the cat that followed his steps, he stopped at the aisle that had cans of cat food. He did have enough money to spare anyways. There were so many options and so many types.

Tuna and chicken, chunks of tuna or fine flakes of tuna, shrimp, roasted chicken and so much more. Bucky thought that the cats were eating better than he was. It looked so fancy in its nice little packaging and colourful cans. He already had a hard time buying for himself now he had to buy for a cat.

Picking two of the nearest cans, he held one in each hand before kneeling down to Alpine. The cat looked at him with its big eyes as he held out both hands.

"Which one?" He asked quietly to the cat. Alpine sniffed both cans for and Bucky for sure thought that the cat really was gonna decide. But instead the cat walked past the cans to rub itself against his sleeved arm.

He stood up disappointedly once he saw that the cat was more interested in getting pet than choosing its own food. "Big help," he grumbled out sarcastically as he put the cans back on the shelf. Lizzie would know what to do, he thought to himself sadly. She always knew what to do.

Taking a step back, to get a whirl view of the shelves he scanned the cans one by one. Glancing down at Alpine, who now sat obediently by the cart next to him.

Not knowing what else to do, he grabbed as many cans as he thought he should. Blindingly putting them into the cart. Counting them, he had at least fifteen different types of cat food in the cart. His logic was that Alpine had to at least like half of them. The other half that he didn't like, he could always find some stray cats to feed.

Seeing that he needed nothing more from the store, he headed to the check out counter. The lady gave him a questionable glance at the amount of cat food he had. But Bucky tried to smile at her as he lifted Alpine up into his arms.

Paying for the groceries, he grabbed the bags before muttering a quick thank you to the lady. Exiting the place, he expected to see Alpine settle in to it's usual spot. Instead the cat stood right beside him, waiting for his next move.

Unsure of what the cat was doing, he tried taking a few steps in the direction of his apartment. Just as he thought, Alpine followed him happily, no trace of hesitance in its little steps. Still not sure if it was a coincidence, Bucky walked in a large circle to see what the cat would do.

Just like before, Alpine trailed after him. Whether it was because of the food in the bag or just him. Bucky didn't know. Nodding to himself, he smiled down at the cat.

"Guess you're coming home with me," he told the feline before taking off back to his new place. The sound of the cats meows following him.