[British and American] Jason Wayne's Struggle

Jason later refused to admit that he and Bucky had escaped. He called it a strategic withdrawal from Gotham and that he could only make a comeback after recovering from his injuries.

The heater was on in the car and Jason felt a little stuffy, so he opened the window to let in some of the cold winter wind.

Bucky smiled and said, "This wind is so cold, it reminds me of Siberia."

"It's still a little far from Siberia. The latitude of Milijian is not as high as Siberia."

Jason blew into his palm. Bucky said, “I put a scarf in my bag. Take it out and put it on.”

Jason responded but didn't move. Bucky reminded him again, "My driver's license is fake and won't stand up to scrutiny. You'd better buckle your seatbelt to avoid being stopped by the traffic police."

Because Jason looked dazed and his reactions were slow, Bucky helped Jason buckle his seat belt while speaking.

Bucky first drove Jason to a hamburger shop and bought fried chicken, hamburgers, cola, muffins with syrup and other high-sugar, high-calorie foods and stuffed them into Jason's hands.

These foods were not healthy, and Jason usually didn't touch them in order to maintain his muscles, but Bucky knew how happy he would feel when he consumed these foods. When he was in a bad mood, he would eat a lot of high-sugar, high-calorie foods.

Besides, there was definitely nothing good to eat in the asylum, and Jason didn't look like he had eaten anything before leaving Arkham.

"Eat, and the world will be a better place when you are full."

Jason would make midnight snacks for Bucky when he had nightmares and then comfort Bucky with these words. Bucky now takes care of Jason in the same way.

After a while, Jason picked up a burger and took a bite slowly. Gradually, he ate faster and faster, and his eyes became a little red, but he forced himself to stuff the food into his stomach while wiping his eyes.

At a very young age, Jason could eat his food while crying, because if he couldn't be so strong, he would never survive to grow up.

Bucky said to Jason again, "Wear your scarf and gloves. You are afraid of the cold and you will get frostbite."

Jason has a physique that is prone to frostbite and is really afraid of the cold. The evidence is that when the weather is hot, Jason is happy to sleep on Bucky's left side, using his cool metal arm to dispel the heat. When winter comes, he lies firmly on Bucky's right side.

This time Jason listened to him. He piled the food bags together and threw them on the back seat. He opened the window to dispel the smell of fried chicken in the car, put on all the warm gear, and summoned a blue jay for fun.

Bucky drove all the way to North Carolina, where Frank and Roy were teaming up to hunt vampires in a village. After working together for some time, they had become a very tacit partner.

Jason chatted with Bucky on the way, and they both talked a lot.

Bucky told Jason about his past, including Brooklyn in the 20s, the "heroic deeds" of the stubborn bean sprout version of the captain, and his experience in the army.

Jason talked about his terrible childhood and the bright spot in his childhood, Andrea. He sold cakes and was a street child. Later, he was adopted by Batman, but was tricked to death by his biological mother and the Joker. After his resurrection, he was tricked by Talia into giving birth to Damian.

"You've had a baby!"

Bucky's hand slipped and Jason quickly grabbed the steering wheel, saving them from a tragic car crash.

Jason asked Bucky, “Are you okay? How about I drive instead?”

"No, you sit down and I'll drive."

Bucky gripped the steering wheel again, still in disbelief, and glanced at Jason's flat, firm abdomen, remembering the abdominal muscles he had accidentally glimpsed when they were living together.

There was actually a child in there! A living child who can now go out on the streets and fight villains!

"The only ones who knew about this were Talia and Yin Sen. Most of the other people who knew about this were dealt with by Talia. Damian himself didn't even know about it. I am really telling you the biggest secret now."

Jason sighed. Sometimes he couldn't tell whether his feelings for Damian were brotherly or maternal or paternal, so he was actually quite glad that Damian had forgotten the past.

Otherwise, how would he face Damian?

"That is to say, you were injected with the serum extracted from my blood and conceived Damian, so the child is also a super soldier like me...god."

Fortunately, although Bucky is an old man born in the early 20th century, his psychological endurance is quite outstanding, so he quickly adjusted his mood and accepted this fact.

"No wonder you have such a high tolerance for that kid."

Jason admitted that.

"Yeah, if someone else had hit me with a crowbar, I would have shot him in the head."

The conversation continued, and both parties talked about the past, including but not limited to the dark history left behind when they were brainwashed and manipulated, and even past relationships.

Bucky was once the most popular young man in Brooklyn. Girls were happy to go out on dates with him, but at that time, the general concept of the people was still relatively traditional, so everyone just went out to play together, and Bucky had to send the girls home on time, otherwise the girls' fathers would come to trouble him with baseball bats.

Jason was surprised: "So, you haven't done it with your girlfriend..."

"Yes, I haven't done it. Sexual liberation was a thing of the 60s and 70s, but in my time, people were still relatively traditional. It was a bit irresponsible to roll into bed with a girl rashly."

Bucky said frankly: "I liked a black-haired, round-faced girl. She was very cute, but then I went to the front. During those few years on the battlefield, I had no time to fall in love. Then you know, I became the Winter Soldier. If Steve didn't have a girlfriend after waking up, he should be the same as me."

Two old popsicles, two old virgins.

Jason suddenly burst into laughter, and Bucky pushed him and laughed too.

"Hey, don't laugh."

"Sorry, I just didn't expect that you looked like a popular type, but you turned out to be a virgin."

Jason couldn't help laughing: "I'm better than you. I'm not a virgin. I dated Damian's mother."

Bucky retorted, "No, you're a virgin."

Jason was stunned for a moment, then he realized what Bucky meant.

Now it was his turn to get so angry that he pushed someone.

"Hey, I gave birth to a baby!"

Bucky said confidently: "But you are still a virgin, as pure as the Virgin Mary."

The Virgin Mary was also a virgin giving birth to a child.

Jason couldn't really argue with that. He muttered, "I hate that place. This extra organ causes me a lot of trouble. I won't let any man touch it. I'll be the Virgin Mary if I want to."

Bucky glanced at the highway sign.

"Weren't you in a relationship with Nightwing? I see you don't hate men either."

Jason said self-deprecatingly: "He and I both think that relationship was a mistake from the beginning. It was actually a good thing that it didn't develop into something further."

"Will it? That's very unfortunate for Dick."

"Unlucky?"

Jason looked puzzled.

"You are charming, with both sexual charm and nothing superfluous. You are strong and brave, and you are kind and smart. It is so unfortunate that he missed someone as good as you."

Bucky turned on the radio in the car and Schubert's "Serenade" came out from the speakers.

Jason blinked, his cheeks suddenly feeling hot, and he turned his face away and coughed.

"Now, I can understand why you're popular with girls. If I were them, I'd like you, too."

Thinking about it this way, it was a good thing that he saved Buggy, because not being able to meet a good person like Buggy would definitely be his biggest regret.

For a moment, only melodious classical music lingered in the car.

When they arrived at the place, Frank saw Jason, patted him on the shoulder, and sighed, "You've grown taller."

Jason had met Frank when he was still a little figure skating boy, but no one would have thought that such a small child would grow into such a strong boy today.

Together they dealt with the local vampires. Roy enthusiastically took them to visit the local scenery and said that they came at the right time because there would be a bonfire party tomorrow, and they could have a barbecue, dance and sing.

"You are all so handsome. There will be many beautiful girls coming to you."

Roy winked.

"By the way, how's Leanne?"

Since the new elementary school in Gotham's East District was built, Roy simply sent his daughter to the kindergarten attached to the elementary school. If he was too late to pick up his daughter, he asked Yin Sen to take Lian back to the orphanage.

Lian is a well-behaved little angel. It is said that she looks a bit like Yin Sen’s deceased daughter when she was a child, so he likes her very much.

"Lian has a good talent for music, so Yin Sen enrolled her in a violin class. However, Gotham has been a bit chaotic recently, and her teacher was unfortunately killed in the battle between Penguin and Poison Ivy, so Yin Sen is looking for a new teacher for her. Also, she has good hands-on skills. She dismantled one of my motorcycles a month ago, and Yin Sen taught her how to put it back together. Her skills are actually pretty good, but some places were not tightened enough, and I almost had a car accident."

Hearing this, Roy slapped his thigh and laughed: "You really are worthy of being my little princess. Sorry, Jason, is your motorcycle okay now? Do you want me to compensate you?"

Jason rolled his eyes. "No need. Lian has already apologized to me and gave me 20 back massage coupons as an apology gift."

Roy immediately yelled when he heard this: "Back massage coupon? She has never given me a back massage coupon!"

Frank is also a father of a child. He proudly said, "My girl can play the violin and is now attending the Curtis Institute of Music. But my boy is not that good. He has no special skills other than studying. He is only good at using computers."

Jason held his chin with both hands. "That's not bad. At least your children listen to you. My...brother doesn't respect me at all. He deserves a beating."

"How old is your brother?"

"About ten years old, that's how old he looks."

"It's normal for him to deserve a beating. My son also deserves a beating at this age. It's the rebellious period. Everyone goes through this."

The scene was just like three men complaining about their own child. Bucky choked and started coughing with his head down. Jason patted him on the back.

Until the bonfire was lit, the crowd became lively, someone turned on the speakers, and the young people went to invite the people they liked to dance with them. During this time, someone also came to invite Jason and Bucky.

As Roy said, they are very good looking and it is normal for someone to like them.

Jason had just been released from a mental hospital a few days ago, and he was too lazy to accept the girls' invitations, but Bucky also rejected all the girls.

This little prince of Brooklyn was very polite. Girls would not get angry after being rejected by him, but would just smile happily. Some of them would even leave a plate of barbecue or dessert or fruit wine. Thanks to Tobacki, Jason didn't even have to buy dinner.

He nibbled on a skewer of grilled meat, feeling that since he had eaten the meat in exchange for Bucky's charm, he should help him.

When Bucky was about to reject another girl, he called out, "Bucky."

Bucky looked back at him, his grey-green eyes full of concentration. “Well, what’s wrong?”

Jason pointed to the bonfire and said, "Go play. You haven't had a good time in years."

You old virgin who hasn't had a date for seventy years, go find your spring. It's not a good idea to keep dating like this. You're already ninety-eight years old.

The girl who invited Bucky also looked at him expectantly when she heard this. She was very beautiful, with brown hair and blue eyes, and she exuded the energy of youth.

Bucky looked at her, then at Jason, stood up, and politely coaxed the lady away.

Jason simply couldn't understand: "Why are you rejecting another one? This girl looks really nice. I'd like to dance with her and..."

His words were cut off as Bucky walked up to him and rubbed his head.

Bucky's expression was very gentle, his profile was reflected in the light of the bonfire, and his slightly long hair hung on his shoulders, making him look like a prince.

"Jay, I don't know how to dance modern dance. There wasn't even disco in our time."

Disco emerged in France in the 60s, when Bucky was assassinating Hydra's enemies in Siberia speaking Russian.

Well, Jason wouldn't push Bucky to go play. Out of sympathy for the old popsicle, Jason took the bottle and blew at him, Frank, and Roy, but he was the one with the worst alcohol tolerance, and his legs were shaking when they returned to the hotel.

Seeing him like this, Bucky carried him on his back.

It's only 177 pounds, a super soldier can lift it with one hand, and it's even easier to carry it on his back.

When they got back to the motel, Bucky put Jason on the bed and prepared to get some water to wipe his face. But when he came out with the basin, he saw Jason sitting on the edge of the bed with a serious look on his face, as if he was thinking about some century-old problem.

He called out, "Jay?"

Jason came to his senses, he stood up, tapped his phone, and it started playing some very old dance music.

He looked at Bucky and opened his arms as if to risk everything. “Come on, Bucky, I’ll dance with you.”

Bucky was immediately amused. How persistent was this kid in getting him to dance and play?

But this persistence was also cute, so Bucky came forward and put his arm around his waist, holding Jason's left hand with his intact right hand, and they danced an old-fashioned 40s ballroom dance. Jason swayed and almost stepped on Bucky's foot, and then they both laughed.

All the dark memories left them at this moment.

When the dancing stopped, they looked at each other.

It was not known who chose to get closer first, but until the moment their lips touched, Jason’s ears were burning. He suddenly lowered his head and buried himself in the back of Bucky’s neck, his nose filled with the scent of shampoo.

He said sullenly, "Sorry, can you let me lean on you like this for a moment?"

Bucky held him and nuzzled his cheek into Jason's hair.

The reason why the little prince of Brooklyn didn't accept the invitations of other girls was because the dance partner he wanted was the Prince of Crime Alley in Gotham, so he didn't need anyone else.

They were close friends who had lived in a dumpster together, but Bucky wanted to be closer to Jason, preferably forever. They would wake up together in the morning, eat delicious breakfast, and then go to work or school together. When Jason had a game, he would disguise himself and go to cheer him on. Finally, they would go home together, and the cute Paddington Bear would greet them.

He loved living with Jason and admired Jason's soul, and they could take care of and protect each other.

Bucky thought that perhaps the biggest advantage of living a long life was that he could meet people he would never have met seventy years ago.

Afterwards they didn't do anything, not even kissing again. Bucky helped Jason take off his coat, wiped his face and limbs, then held Jason in his arms and lay in the quilt together, like hugging a bear, hugging their companion for warmth in the winter. The hustle and bustle, noise, sadness and coldness of the outside world could not disturb them.

Bucky had a beautiful dream. In the dream, there was a warm bonfire. Jason and Paddington were sitting on his left and right. Jason had a red guitar in his hand, and as his fingertips plucked the guitar, it played a beautiful melody.

The sound that awakened him was more beautiful than the guitar.

Someone yelled in his ear, "Bucky, it's snowing!"

Bucky sat up and asked blankly, "What snow?"

Jason trotted to the bedside and showed him the snow in his hands: "There is a thick layer of snow on the windowsill alone."