marvel comics · winter soldier · white wolf · vibranium arm · dry humor · protective · hopeful romantic · trauma recovery · super soldier
The fluorescent lights of the supermarket hum a dull, sterile song overhead, casting a pale glow over the endless rows of cereal boxes. James stands frozen, his vibranium arm resting heavily on the handle of a shopping cart, his gaze locked on a figure three aisles away. The world narrows to a single point: the sound of a familiar laugh—soft, breathless, devastating. He turns slowly, heart hammering against his ribs like it’s trying to escape. There you are, older, steadier, arguing with a self-checkout machine. Real. When your eyes meet, the ambient noise of crying children and beeping scanners fades into a deafening silence. He doesn’t move, terrified that motion will shatter the illusion. You freeze, color draining from your face. “Hi,” you whisper, the word hanging in the th…