Wonka's Sweets Shoppe | Wednesday

[shapethecentury]

Bucky had never expected to be overwhelmed by candy. But this was really a lot of candy. And it wasn't the sheer volume of it, either, but the different types of it. Even the ones he recognized had different packaging from what he remembered. Sure, the guy who'd spent a good while yesterday getting him settled in at the store had said he'd need a while to adjust (not just to the store but everything, he'd said), but this was more than Bucky had expected.

But he wasn't about to let it show to anyone else. So, the first order of business as the new manager of the store was to put a neatly (well, sort of neatly) hand-written sign in the window.

HELP WANTED
Inquire within!

And with that done, Bucky was going to wander the store and sample some of the wares. Maybe at some point he'd be able to memorize which candy was which. He hoped that'd happen before an unnecessarily intense sugar rush.

(open!)

Comments

[imafuturist]

Tony was... lost. No, he didn't know how that could happen on an island this size, but it did. Which was why he ducked into the nearest shop to get his phone to give him GPS information for something other than Mont Saint-Michel.

Weird.

[shapethecentury]

Right, the thing about a shop was that sometimes people turned up. Only a little bit startled, Bucky straightened up from here he'd been inspecting some foreign candy, and smiled.

"Good day, sir, and uh, welcome to Wonka's."

[imafuturist]

Weird, right?

Tony looked away from his phone to figure out who was talking to him and... there was just something familiar about the guy.

Damn Marvel. Damn it.

"Oh, it's a candy store." Yeah, he knew that, Tony.

[shapethecentury]

He most certainly did, but that did not stop him nodding his agreement. "Indeed it is," he said. "The finest candy from all around the globe."

Or so he gathered, because seriously, he was pretty sure the thing he'd last been looking at had been Japanese or something.

"Can I interest you in anything particular?"

[imafuturist]

Why not support a local business?

"I would have expected this place to be packed with the school."

They were teenagers, though.

[shapethecentury]

Bucky shrugged his shoulders. "Me too," he said, "but I've only been here barely more than half a day, so it could just be a slow one today."

[imafuturist]

"Then there's finally someone newer than me around. Congrats."

Not counting other versions of him.

[shapethecentury]

"Thank you," Bucky said, even though he wasn't sure that was really anything you needed to be congratulated on. He rubbed his hands together. "So, can I get you anything, Mr. ...?"

[locointhecoco]

There was a help wanted sign on the candy store. Like Pinkie wasn't going to zero in on that and beeline right on over.

"What sort of help do you need?" she bellowed, the moment she was in the door. "Is it candy tasting help? I'm really good at candy tasting."

Here, Bucky, have a pink pony. Just to make the brain breaking of Fandom complete.

[shapethecentury]

"Umm."

That was all Bucky could manage. 'Umm.' And some blinking. His brain, it was breaking.

[locointhecoco]

Honestly, Pinkie had gotten pretty used to that reaction. "You're new around here, aren't you? Welcome to Fandom! Would you like a welcome wagon song?"

At least she'd learned to ask first?

[shapethecentury]

Bucky thought to close his mouth, after a second.

"No, thank you?"

That was a question merely because he was just that damn unsure of what his eyes were seeing.

[locointhecoco]

"Okidokiloki!" Pinkie said. "Just let me know if you change your mind! I'm Pinkie Pie. What's your name?"

There, a nice easy one for you this time, Bucky.

[shapethecentury]

Was it? Was it really? Because for a second, he wasn't sure if he could actually remember.

"James," he managed. "James Barnes. Ma'am."

[locointhecoco]

"Well howdy, JamesJamesBarnesMa'am!" Yes, Pinkie understood that wasn't really his name. But it was funny. "Are you the new candy shop owner?"

[giveherahand]

Mara didn't have much of a sweet tooth, but a new store demanded reconnaissance...and the extremely handsome man behind the counter didn't hurt at all.

Even if he looked a lot like Flick. Weird.

"You're looking for employees?" she asked, British Coruscanti accent prominent.

[shapethecentury]

He looked like himself, thank you very much.

Ahem.

"We are," Bucky confirmed from behind the counter, with a smile. "Interested? We have a lot of open shifts."

[giveherahand]

"I'd love to," Mara said, nodding eagerly. "I have a lot of time on my hands here that I'm not really used to."

[shapethecentury]

"Great!" Bucky replied. In all honesty, a part of the very genuine smile on his face had to do with the fact that she was not a crazy talking pony. "Practically the whole week apart from this shift is open."

[giveherahand]

Most days Mara was indeed, not a crazy talking pony! Huzzah!

"I don't have any classes on Tuesdays?" she offered. "Oh, I'm Mara."

[shapethecentury]

"And I'm James," Bucky replied, coming out from behind the counter to offer her his hand. "James Barnes, pleased to make your acquaintance, Mara."

[giveherahand]

Mara shook it. "Likewise. Have you been horribly traumatized by this place yet?"

[so_hawkward]

Clint hadn't made many stops into the candy store, but he figured it might be nice to surprise Kitty with a "thank you for not killing me" present. So, he headed in to look for something sweet and peered around to see if anyone was working. "Hello?"

[shapethecentury]

There was someone working. Bucky was poking at the cash register, trying to get familiar with it, but looked up and straightened up when Clint came in.

"Hello, welcome to Wonka's! What can I get you?"

[so_hawkward]

Clint was surprised to see someone not a teenager behind the cash register, but he just smiled. "Hey, how's it going? I think I'm just looking around right now. This place is kind of packed, huh?"