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James Barnes was the most handsome man in Brooklyn. Every girl wanted him, and every guy was jealous of him. He was the total package: tall, strong, polite, and popular. Especially now that he apparently was planning on enlisting in the army. A man willing to die for his country? He was also admirable. And you never expected to serve him at the diner you worked at. “Oh, my god. Look who’s in your section, Y/N!” Brenda, your coworker shrieked as she gave your arm a squeeze. You sighed. If it was Mr. Henderson you swore you were going to take your apron off on the spot and–“Holy shit,” You gasped as you glanced over your shoulder quickly to see the one and only James Barnes sitting at table 53. And he was by himself! “Well?! Go ask for his drink order!” Brenda nudged you but before you left from behind the counter, you adjusted your white paper hat in your neatly pushed back hair and straightened out your black and white checkered shirt. Well, this was as good as it was going to get. You looked at James for a moment before heading to the table. God, he was so dreamy. His chocolate brown hair was neatly combed back and his jaw was so sharp it could probably cut the week old pound cake the pastry chef still hasn’t thrown out. Not only was it a wonder that James was here, but how this diner was still in business. And for some reason, that’s what made you love it even more. You got your note pad out and walked over to the table, placing a smile on your face. James was still a customer, and you were going to treat him like one. “Good morning, sir! Welcome to Digsy’s Diner. My name is Y/N and I’ll be taking care of you today. Would you like a drink to start off?” You spiel in your waitress voice; God for some reason it sounds extra annoying today. “Hi, doll,” James flashes a bright smile at you and you really think you might just melt right then and there. “You can call me Bucky. And I’ll have a coffee to start off. Bucky. It sounds like music to your ears. “Regular or decaf?” you meet his eyes from jotting down in your note pad for a moment and up close his eyes are so damn blue. “Regular.” “Any milk or cream?” “Whole milk. You ‘ave any sugar, sugar?” He asks, and it’s hard for you to hide the blush on your face because did he just flirt with you?You’re smooth though, and you think quick as you point with your pen to the end of the booth, “right there on the table,” you quirk. Bucky holds your gaze for a moment as he reaches for the sugar caddy, his eyes never leaving yours. “I’ll be back in a bit,” you say with a warm smile as you walk back to the counter to fetch his coffee. Brenda is standing there, seemingly to have watched the whole thing. She comes up to your side, expecting you to tell her what the conversation was. “Well?!” “He ordered coffee.”“Shut up! I saw you blush from a mile away. What did he say?” “He called me sugar,” It sounded silly coming out of your mouth but what could you say, he was so handsome. And he was nice. Brenda squealed and you silenced her with a harsh glare. He was still in the diner, after all! The entire time you were waiting him, Bucky was an absolute dream. He was kind, conversational, and super flirty. Maybe even a little too much because you were starting to run out of retorts. He liked the way you were bantering with him. But he was making you furious–in the most romantic way possible. “Well, Y/N, looks like I’m done here. But I don’t want this to be the last I see you,” Bucky smiles. “You can catch me on Wednesday’s and weekends here,” You reply, unsure of where this was going. “Weekends? I hope that excludes nights and Friday’s. Because those are my days off.” “It does.” “Well, Miss Y/N,” Bucky suddenly grabs a pen from out of your pocket and scribbles something on a napkin, “I’d love to see you at this address at nine in the evening on Friday night.” Bucky slides the napkin towards you and you almost want to wipe your mouth with it as a joke but his dreamy blue eyes and dazzling smile has you frozen. He just asked you on a date. Brenda helped you get ready. You borrowed one of her evening dresses–it was light blue and a bit short, which you weren’t used to, but the sight of you in it had you sure that there was absolutely nothing else you wanted to wear. She gave your hair soft curls and you had brought your favorite red lipstick out. “I cannot believe James Barnes asked you on a date! I mean I can believe it, because, well–look at you, darling! You’re a stunner. With or without the red lipstick.” “Aw, Brenda, you’re so sweet. I’m so nervous!” You assumed the address he gave you was his house address. As you sat in the cab, you looked out the window at passing buildings and began to think about the last time you went out with a guy. He was terrible to you. You felt taken advantage of, like the only thing he ever wanted from you was sex, and after months of being heartbroken over what he did, you were finally with yourself again. Now, you thought you were ready to be with someone else. And if that person was Bucky Barnes? Hell, yes. When the cab pulled up to a club, you almost through you gave the driver the wrong address. But without any time to question, you gave him cash and he sped on his way. You guessed Bucky would be inside? It was a bar, actually, but also a dance club. Swing music blasted and you felt like a lost puppy in this crowd of people. Guys and girls were everywhere, either at the bar or the dance floor. No sign of Bucky. You were starting to feel let down, and more so, embarrassed. Then, you saw him. Sitting at the bar with a beer in his hand, surrounded by guys and girls. He had a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead, reflected by the dim lights of the club. He looked handsome, and if the situation were any different, you would’ve gone up to him and told him so. But when he caught your eye, as some girl linked her arm with his, you turned around and walked away. “Doll!” You heard him call after you, but you pushed past a group of people and headed towards the door. You had no time for this.You left the club, left the blaring music and drunkards, as you tried to hail a cab when a voice called for you. “Hey, where are you–” “If this was some kind of joke, I want no part of it,” You told him in a strong and steady voice. The music was now muffled as the doors closed behind him. You stood at the curb, your heart beating frantically. Bucky Barnes or not, you didn’t care. He was a fucking ass. “Doll, listen–”“I have a name. Not that you would have remembered it,” You rolled your eyes and turned away from him. Where the hell was a cab around here?! “Y/N,” He said your name with such conviction, you almost believed him to be sorry about–whatever this was. “Let me explain,” Bucky says in a softer tone of voice, but you cut him off. Whatever he had to say, you knew you would believe it. You’d take his excuse as an apology. You had to protect yourself. “No, let me explain. Whatever it was you had planned for tonight, I blame myself for falling for it. I thought you were different. Turns out you’re just like the others.” And with that, a cab finally pulls up and you get in it without hesitation. Sunday brunch at Digsy’s Diner, the craziest shift you’ve ever had to work. What happened with Bucky, you got over in one night. You didn’t need him. “You okay?” Brenda asked you, “Your section’s completely full. Need any help?”“No, they’re all satisfied. Just waitin’ for it to be four o’clock, honestly,” You smile. You made a mental note to yourself to get extra fries for table 51. “Uh…” Brenda trailed off. You heard the bells of the front door jingle as someone walked in. You ignored it and looked at Brenda with concern.“You okay, Bren?”A huge smile spread across her face as she points over your shoulder. You look behind you and raise an eyebrow as you see Bucky Barnes standing in the middle of the floor with a giant bouquet of flowers that covered almost half his body. He has an apologetic smile on his face. You cross your arms but then look nervously around you for your manager. Not even this was worth it to lose your job over! “Sir, you need help with anything?” You try to play it off cool as people started to look. Bucky began to speak but before he could get any words out, you’re shoving him through the back door.“What the hell, Bucky!” You say with gritted teeth, “What do you want?” “I want to explain myself and apologize,” Bucky said in anguish, “I damn well screwed up.”“And?” You raised an eyebrow, “I already know that.” “I’m sorry, Y/N. What you saw was not what I had intended.” “Then what did you have intended? You gave me an address to a club! You had girls all lined up for you.” A look of confusion crosses over Bucky’s face, “That wasn’t the address I gave you. Honestly, I don’t even know how you knew–Oh, God.” Bucky shuts his eyes and runs his right hand over his face, his left hand still holding the flowers. “What?” You urge him. “I didn’t realize the restaurant’s address I gave you was right next to the club. Everyone gets it confused all the time. The reason why I was at the club was because, well, I was nervous. Needed a drink, just one drink, to calm myself down. Then I ran into my friend Benny, and then–And then you came and now that I think about it, I probably should have left sooner anyways or else it would’ve ruined the set up I had at the restaurant….” He trails off, and soon it makes sense. It really, really was a misunderstanding. “Y/N, I’m sorry. I’m here with these flowers because I didn’t know which were your favorites so I got them all, I also wrote you a card but you don’t have to read it and–I’m here to ask you on a date again. You won’t have to take a cab, my car got outta the shop yesterday. I probably should have told you that, too… I haven’t dated in a while. This all seems new to me,” Bucky said and if you hadn’t been paying more attention, you thought you noticed a hint of sadness in his voice. “I forgive you, Bucky. Next time, maybe give me the name of the restaurant rather than an address? You know how confusing Brooklyn can get,” you laugh lightly, taking the flowers from him. “And these are beautiful. I appreciate this.” “So, you will go on a date with me still?” Bucky asked. Now he looked at you like a lost puppy with those damn blue eyes. You smiled and nodded, “Yes, Bucky! Of course I will.” You dip your head to sniff the flowers and as you do so, Bucky wraps an arm around your waist and spins you towards him so now he’s dipping you, holding you tightly. “How does dancing sound? I’ll pick you up at seven thirty tomorrow,” Bucky says in a low voice. The way his arms are holding you makes you feel like electricity is running through your body. “Dancing sounds perfect.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Even though you haven’t traveled much, actually at all, you were convinced that the hottest place to be in June was Brooklyn, New York. Sweat was dripping down your back as you walked home from Digsy’s Diner. You couldn’t wait to get out of your polyester made black and white checkered shirt and black skirt. Any petty thing you had to deal with from a customer today, you didn’t care about. You had a date tonight and you couldn’t help but keep a smile on all day long. Walking up the porch steps to your humble abode, you slipped your black shoes off and opened the wooden door to be greeted by your younger sister, Marcy, running down the stairs and hugging your legs. “Hey, Marcy. Miss me?” You tussled her chestnut hair and squatted down to meet her at her height, bringing her in to a warm hug. “Ew, you’re all sweaty!” Marcy scrunched her face as she pulled back from you. “Well, that’s what it takes to be a hard workin’ waitress saving up for college. One day, it’ll be you!” You teased her, bringing her in for another hug. She laughed as she scooted away from you. You began to unbutton your shirt and head into the kitchen where your mom had already prepared a plate of chocolate cake and cold glass of milk for you. “How was it today, sweetie? Couldn’t believe you picked up a shift for Monday, you hate working Monday’s,” Your mother said as she set the plate on the table for you. You sat down and immediately dug into it. “Yeah, well, I’ll take all the money I can get,” was your answer. In reality, you counted up the bills you had and thought that it wasn’t nearly enough to cover whatever the expense your date tonight would be. You wanted to be prepared, and you wanted to save yourself embarrassment–just in case. “Honey, your father and I are so proud of you for working towards an education. You know if we had the money, you’d already be–““Mom,” you held up your hand, “Don’t even sweat it. I like Digsy’s,” you said, but you left out the part that you liked it since it lead you to Bucky. She gave you a kiss on the head and let you finish. “I worked when I was nineteen,” She began as she washed the dishes, “I mean, not in a diner but–““Mom! It’s okay,” you smile. Your mom always wanted to make you feel better about the situation you and your family were in, but really, it had no affect on you at all. Well, it did, but you were okay. You knew your hard work would pay off in the end. “Also, tonight…” You trailed off. You forgot how awkward it was to tell your parents that you were going on a date. “Tonight, I’m going on a date.” “A date?” Your mom replied casually, “With who?”“This guy I met at Digsy’s… Bucky Barnes.” “Didn’t you go on a date Friday?” “No. Well… yeah. But this time it’s a real one.” “A real–““So is that okay?” She laughs from the sink and shrugs, “Yeah. I’ll tell your father when he gets home, he’ll be back pretty late tonight.” With that answer you hurried yourself upstairs–all you needed was approval and then your heart was set on getting ready for the night. ~ Seven o’clock. You couldn’t believe that it was only yesterday that you thought Bucky Barnes was a huge jerk and now, you’re sitting in your room waiting for the honk of his car to let you know he was here. Life was funny to you that way. You only thought of it like that because your past relationship was so different in the end than how it was in the beginning. Like, drastically different. You were only nineteen, but the heartache you felt could count for an entire lifetime of experiences. Or maybe you were just being dramatic. You didn’t know what would happen between you and Bucky but you told yourself to stop thinking about the details and to just have fun tonight. Live in the moment. And oh, my God, is he here?! Before you head down the stairs, you glance at your appearance quickly in the mirror. You fluff the skirt of your black and white polka dotted dress and do a quick twist in front of the mirror. The dress was absolutely perfect for dancing. Then you look at your makeup and clean the edges of your red lipstick before grabbing your sunglasses and heading out the door.“Bye mom! Bye Marcy,” you gave your sister a quick hug and kiss on the head. “Be careful, Y/N! Have fun, my darling,” your mom said before you headed out the door. Bucky Barnes was standing outside of his Ford pickup, arms crossed over his chest, gorgeous blue eyes shielded by a pair of sunglasses. His hair was neatly combed back, like the day you met him at Digsy’s. He’s wearing casual tan pants and white button down shirt, held down with suspenders. He was quite the sight. So handsome and casual; he wasn’t even trying at all. “You’re gorgeous, doll. Just gorgeous. You ready for a night full of dancing and music?” Bucky asks as he brings you in to a tight hug. He smells like vanilla and after shave, you notice. “More than ever,” you reply. “Well,” Bucky starts as he opens the car door for you, “the night awaits.” ~ The place Bucky takes you to is not the same place as the first time. No, this place has style–it has class. Inside the lights are dimmed. People are in line for either a table or the dance floor. The music is more upbeat with a real band, not a record. A faint smell of a sweet pastry fills the air though you can’t figure out what it is. The smell is soon replaced with cigarette smoke. Bucky wraps his arm around your waist and pulls you close to him. You smile at him shyly. Bucky gets a table for two and orders a cream soda for himself. You opt for an orange cream soda and request a red and white striped straw. Bucky laughs and looks at you in amusement. “A dame with a straw preference. Now that’s a first,” Bucky sits back in his chair and sips his soda. “I’m full of surprises,” You shrug nervously. God, you’re trying so hard to come off as cool and collected as he is but you can’t help your beating heart. Bucky doesn’t seem to notice as he smiles sideways, leaning closer to you across the small circular table. “Like what?” He raises an eyebrow. Your stomach flips at the look he gives you. You glance to the dance floor where people are swinging to the music and meet his eyes again. “Like, I am actually an amazing dancer and I bet I could show you up on the dance floor, Mr. Barnes.” As if on cue, the band begins to play “In the Mood” by Glenn Miller. You tap your foot to the music as Bucky nods his head to the floor. “Well, doll, they’re playing your song. Show me up,” Bucky repeats your words with a wink and you get up from your chair and take a slight bow. Everyone else on the floor has a partner but no–not you. With a new found confidence you stride gracefully through the couples until you reach the center of the floor, shuffling your dress from side to side as you do. Once you finally reach the center, you turn around and meet Bucky’s eyes through the swarms of people. He smiles at you brightly. You spin around, causing your dress to spin with you, and hold your right arm out as your left arm hides behind your waist. Tapping your feet, you swiftly move into a Charleston stroll. You smile to yourself–you haven’t been out dancing in so long! The euphoria you feel shows through your moves as you start to lose yourself in the music. Your twisting your feet, shuffling your dress, and smiling through the whole thing. Other couples stop their dancing to look at you–their competition–and pause for a moment as they think to themselves that you don’t even need a partner to steal the floor. Not only are you showing up Bucky, but showing up everybody else too. And people are liking it. One man from the band hollers at you as you jump in the air with grace, back to your two step. The music gets louder and faster and you keep up with the pace. You spin around again and as you go to stretch out your right arm again in your usual stance with your left behind your back, you feel a strong warm hand take yours and spin you towards him. You’re out of breath as you place your hand on Bucky’s chest–hard chest–and smile up at him. “Miss Y/N, you’re driving me wild,” is what Bucky says to you before he spins you outward and the two of you fall into the Lindy hop. You’re almost caught off guard at how good of a dancer Bucky is. You smile at him through the moves and he’s clearly enjoying this as much as you are. All the couples are now completely off the floor, leaving you and Bucky at it. You’re show stoppers, show stealers; now the two of you are showing up everybody else, together. You liked it. No, you loved it. You’re twisting towards Bucky now and he takes it upon himself to hold you on your waist tightly and lift you up into the air, causing the crowd to go “oooh!” You feel like you’re flying as you laugh, and Bucky looks up at you in awe. He’s never seen anything more beautiful than you in that moment. As he begins to set you down to the floor gently, the music slows down to Santo & Johnny’s “Sleep Walk”. “I think this one calls for a partner,” Bucky says in a soft whisper against your ear as he sets you down. You don’t even realize it but you wrap your arms around his neck as his fall around your waist, pulling you closer towards him. He’s looking at you deeply for a moment before you both say something at the same time. “So what do you–““How is–“The dance floor fills with couples again. But to you it still feels like it’s only you and Bucky Barnes. “You first, doll,” Bucky says as he dips his head lower to you. “I was just going to ask what it is you do?” “Well, for now, I deliver and pack produce at the local market. All day, every day.” “Except weekends,” You chime in.Bucky smiles and laughs softly, breaking his eye contact before meeting your eyes again, “Yeah, yeah. Except weekends. I couldn’t afford college. But I’m planning on enlisting in the army soon.”You raise an eyebrow, “Really?” You had heard about that but hearing it from Bucky seemed a bit more real. He nods, “things are gettin’ pretty serious over seas, doll. I want to serve.” “Well, that’s very admirable, Bucky,” You tell him, but a small part of you is thinking ‘what about this?’ Even though “this” wasn’t anything. Not yet, at least. “How’s Digsy’s? How long have you been working there?” He asks. You notice how warm his hands feel through the fabric of your dress. Was he nervous? “Almost a year now. I’m actually saving up money to go to college,” You say with a sigh. “Hard working girl. How–and don’t think I’m being rude for asking–but how old are you?” He asks, and his voice is genuinely polite. You don’t really mind the question, because you want to confirm his age, too. “Nineteen,” You tell him with as much confidence as you can. You feel his movements pause in the slightest, slightest bit. But he doesn’t seem that phased by it. “I’m only two years older than ya.” Bucky says. So, he’s twenty one. You’re silent, as you don’t really know what to say. “What do you want to do in college?” He asks, bringing you closer to him. “I want to be a writer. I like writing short stories and stuff like that but for a job, I really want to work for a newspaper,” you tell him, and he can see the light in your eyes when you talk about this. “That sounds amazing, doll. I’d love to read your short stories sometime,” He tells you, and now his eyes light up, “Hey, my friend Steve is an artist. Maybe he could illustrate your stories! I gotta get you guys to meet.” He wants to introduce me to his friends?! “That’d be amazing, I’d love to meet him!” Bucky smiles at you. The song plays for a little longer and you make the bold move to rest your head on Bucky’s shoulder, to his content. He holds you a bit tighter and sways the both of you to the music until the song ends. For the rest of the night, you and Bucky shared stories over bottles of cream soda, and stole shy, soft glances from each other over the soft glow of candlelight. He really was so handsome. He had this way of looking tough, but his eyes looking soft when he was listening to you speak about your little sister. He has a little sister too, named Becky, around the same age as Marcy. Towards the end of the night, you and Bucky are walking back to his car. To your delight, Bucky trailed his right hand down the length of your left arm and linked his hand with yours, intertwining your fingers together. You smiled at the contact and looked at him to see him smiling at you. The ride home was silent. You and Bucky were tired from dancing and laughing so much, but the silence wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable. Neither of you felt pressure to say anything to one another and that was something you hadn’t felt in a long time. Checking your watch, you saw that it was almost fifteen past ten. Bucky turned to your street and you sighed contently as he pulled up to your house. “I’ll walk you up the steps,” Bucky says softly as he puts his truck in park. The air is cool yet sticky at the same time, summer nights in Brooklyn were always like this. In the distance you can hear cars on the roads as they honk their horns, people in a rush to get home after working late shifts. Your house is dark but the porch light is on, the only light above you and Bucky as you both stand in front of your front door. “Did you enjoy tonight, doll?” Bucky asks you in a sweet and sheepish way. You give him a warm smile and nod, “Yes, I did. Very much. It was lovely evening, Bucky,” You tell him. His eyes instantly light up at this, like he really thought you might’ve been disappointed. Which you weren’t, not even in the slightest. He smiles big and holds your gaze for a moment, “I’m glad. I’d love to take you out again.” “I’d love to go out again,” was your response, and for some reason, as each second passes, you begin to get nervous. You’re feeling a little shy, suddenly, and you see that he is too. You’re standing close to each other. Your hands are at your sides as Bucky takes his out of his pockets. Bucky ponders for a moment whether he should take a step closer to you, or if he’s at a perfect distance. He finds himself wanting to be closer to you; he craves your touch. Your affection. He especially doesn’t want to leave just yet. Bucky looks away from you for a moment. He glances at the tall building in the distance and the lights that shine off of them. And just past those buildings, past the Atlantic Ocean, is a war. A war he soon hoped to be fighting in for the U.S. It was daunting, and while he was with you the entire night, it was tugging on the back of his mind. He looks back at you and without hesitation holds your chin with his thumb and his index finger and tilts your head towards him. Bucky kisses you gently.Bucky’s lips are soft and they feel like a dream on yours. His kiss is tentative, something you didn’t expect but didn’t not enjoy. It’s so soft, and so gentle, you’re left with wanting more. And more is what he gives to you. He presses his lips harder onto yours and cups the side of your face in his hand. You’re absolutely intoxicated by his lips, his hands, him. Bucky pulls back only slightly but pecks your lips once more before meeting your eyes again. You smile softly as his hands fall back to his sides. “Goodnight, Y/N,” He whispers.You get inside and close the door and locking it, sliding down with a smile on your face. You close your eyes with content, the feeling of Bucky’s lips on yours lingering, even after you’ve fallen asleep.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Oh, Brenda, he was an absolute dream. I haven’t been taken out in a while and he just–God–he was amazing!” You beamed as you cleaned off a plate and put it in the dish pit. Brenda squealed with excitement. She had always been like the older sister you never had, and when it came to a situation like romance, it was comforting to know she was there for you to talk to.
“Honey, you have no idea how happy I am to hear that. I’m so glad you had fun with him. I knew he couldn’t be a bad guy!” Brenda said.
“Yeah,” You said softly, “I mean, I still have to get to know him, like really know him,” you said to her, “but I like him.”
“Oh, I know,” She agreed, “But for now, we can admire. How old is he?”
You bit your lip and turned around the counter, “Twenty one.”
Brenda raised her eyebrows, “Y/N! He’s older than you?”
“Well, that’s not my fault! And he’s only two years older than me. What’s the big deal?”
“Does your mama know how old he is?”
“No,” You tell her.
“Then that’s the big deal!”
You sigh, “I’ll tell her at some point. But really, I don’t see the big deal here. I’m almost twenty.”
“That’s–the age is not the problem. You’re saving up for school, which you intend to go to soon! And him? He’s enlisting soon, you said. Your lives will be going in separate directions at some point, Y/N.”
“I’m not worried about that yet. No one is going to stop me from going to college. And plus, I want to have fun!” You defended.
“You can have fun, honey, but I just don’t want you to get hurt again,” Brenda’s voice is softer now, and you can tell she’s choosing her words carefully.
“Richard hurt me at a time where I didn’t know what anything meant, or was supposed to be. He took advantage of me. I know the warning signs now,” You explained to Brenda, but it sort of felt like you were explaining it to yourself.
Brenda raises her hands, “Alright, alright. I mean, I approve of Bucky–I just don’t know if I approve of this situation.”
“What situation?” You wink at her, and she laughs lightly as you walk away to wait your table.
~
Bucky hops of the bus and practically sprints to Steve’s apartment. He can’t wait to tell his best friend about the amazing girl he took out last night–you.
He bounds up the metal steps and knocks on Steve’s door, impatient for an answer.
“Just a minute!” Steve’s voice is heard through the wooden door. After a few locks unlatch, the door opens. Steve smiles,
“Hey, Buck. Why are you so out of breath?” He asks.
Bucky walks in as Steve opens the door wider. Kicking off his shoes, he sits down on the beat up sofa and sighs,
“I’m in love, Stevie. In love.”
Steve laughs as he shuts the door, sitting on the chair opposite the sofa, “You always say that.”
Bucky leans forward, “I’m being serious. I took out this amazing girl last night–Y/N–and she’s something else. She’s funny, sweet, a bit cheeky at some points. She’s beautiful, let me tell ya. And an amazing dancer. And she’s a writer! You’d love her, Steve. I want you to meet her as soon as I can make it happen!”
“Sounds like a real doll, Buck,” Steve smiled, “You really like her?”
“Yeah, I do. I can’t wait to see her again,” Bucky smiled to himself. Where was he going to take you next? Arcade? Coney Island? Milkshakes? There were so many things Bucky wanted to do with you, he didn’t even know where to start.
“How old is she?”
Bucky sighs, “Nineteen.”
“Nineteen?” Steve raises his eyebrows, “okay.”
“I know, but it doesn’t bother me. Two years not too shabby. I don’t see the big deal.”
“Well–let me put it to ya this way: you’re enlisting soon, right?”
“Right.”
“Right. What does she do again? Writer?”
“Well, she’s going to college soon to be professional.”
“A-ha. There it is.”
“What?”
“Buck, what if things got serious with this girl? Y/N? You’d be leaving and she’d be going, too.”
“I mean,” Bucky sighed, “It could work. I’d make sure of it.”
Steve noticed that this was probably the first time Bucky’s ever considered that issue. It’s written all over his face–he could tell that Bucky was already trying to find a solution in his head. That’s one of the things Steve really admired about Bucky. But that was also a weakness Bucky had, too. He often forgot to consider his own feelings in matters like this.
“I hope it does. I’d love to meet her.” Of course, Bucky had just came beaming in about you, and Steve didn’t want to rain on his parade. If anything happens, Steve would always be there for him.
“So, when are you going to see her again?”
~
“Y/N! Phone! And what did I say about phone calls, not on the clock!” Ken Digsy, the owner of Digsy’s Diner and your boss, calls for you. You immediately set down your glass of water. I didn’t tell anyone to call me, did I?
“Thanks, Ken,” You say sheepishly, “won’t happen again, I promise.”
“Yeah, yeah,” He waves you off, not that frustrated with the phone call. Once you were sure he was far enough, you put the phone to your ear.
“Hello?”
“Hey, doll. How’s work today?” It takes you a moment to register the voice, and once you do, you have to bite back a squeal of excitement. Instead, a big grin spreads across your face as you turn your body away from your tables.
“Oh, hi, Bucky. It’s actually pretty slow today, could be the weather,” You say a bit nervously.
“Ah, I see.”
“Is there anything wrong, Bucky?” You ask, curious as to why he’s calling you at work. It also just sunk in that he remembered what days you worked, and that for some reason meant a lot to you.
“No–nothing at all, doll. Just wanted to hear your voice,” Bucky says and you can see the cheeky smile on his face.
“That was so cheesy,” You reply, stifling a giggle.
“Was it? I thought it’d work on you!”
“Nope. You’ll have to try harder.”
“Okay well, how about this. What are you doing after work? Any plans?”
“Bucky, it’s almost the middle of June. I have absolutely no plans or homework or anything.”
“Well then, that’s perfect. I’ll pick you up at… three o’clock?”
You look at the clock and the amount of tables you still have. Besides the tables, you also had to do some side work before Ken would let you go.
“Three thirty,” You reply.
“Three thirty it is.”
~
Milkshakes. This is what Bucky had in mind when he called you, and this is what he did when you told him to try harder.
A man after your own heart.
You’re sitting across from each other, a hint of a smile on both of your faces as you sip your shakes. Yours strawberry, his vanilla. Bucky’s wearing a plain white tee shirt and suspenders. His hair isn’t combed back like it usually is–instead it’s a little blown out. Disheveled, but still put together. Effortless.
He catches you gazing at him and you look away, suddenly interested in the scenery outside the window. You hide the blush on your cheeks as Bucky leans in and takes your hands under the table.
You ask him about his day and he tells you he worked up until about two o’clock, and that was when he debated on calling you at work. He admits that he didn’t want to come off as creepy, but you didn’t take it that way at all. Actually, you thought it was sweet. Working in a restaurant could get stressful, so getting a call from someone you know from outside of work is like a breath of fresh air.
As Bucky tells you about this day, you feel yourself finding more things to admire about him. He’s funny, and he’s so genuine when he speaks–like every word and detail that goes into what he’s telling you serves a purpose. He doesn’t want to leave anything out.
“Can I ask you something?” You ask Bucky. Bucky nods earnestly,
“Anything, Y/N.”
“So… what exactly made you want to join the war?”
Your question appears to have caught him off guard, which makes sense since just before, Bucky was talking about how on a delivery once, the truck had gotten a flat tire and him and his coworker had to hitch hike back to Brooklyn.
“I want to fight for our country, and fight for the people who can’t,” Bucky replies, “that’s why.”
“That’s great, Bucky. When can I start calling you soldier?” You ask with a hint of a smile on your face.
Bucky looks at you for a moment–maybe this was a conversation meant for another time. A conversation that maybe he didn’t want to think about right now. But right now, it was the two of you in his favorite secret ice cream parlor in Brooklyn, in the almost middle of June, as you described it. So, Bucky smiles, and dips his head,
“How ‘bout once I get the uniform?”
“Deal.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Last day of June, 1940
Your thoughts have been clouded by Bucky Barnes. Every day, every minute, every second, that man is on your mind whether you’re thinking about him or if something reminds you of him. Normally you hated being distracted but since it was with Bucky, you didn’t mind. You couldn’t remember the last time someone made you feel like you were walking on air. You couldn’t remember the last time someone had you smiling constantly, even if it was about nothing in particular.
“Momma! ___’s doing the thing again!” Marcy yells followed by a giant grin as she squirms in her seat. You immediately look up from your pancakes with a surprised look on your face,
“What am I doing?” You inquire, Bucky still occupying your thoughts.
“You’re staring at your food smiling! Is it Bucky?” Marcy says not so quietly, and that is when your mom and dad look at you with an interested expression on their faces.
“Bucky? Is that the gentleman who took you out that one night?” Your mom asks.
“You went on a date?” Your dad responds to that question.
“One night? You mean six?!” Marcy giggles as you shoot her a glare. Marcy!
“Mom, Dad. I can explain. It’s not that I’ve been hiding anything, I was meaning to tell you, I just didn’t know when–“
“___,” Your mom starts off with a calm expression, “Don’t worry. But who is this Bucky? Let’s start with that.”
“Yes, Bucky is the one who took me out that one night. And we did go on a few other ‘dates’, I guess. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you guys, I guess I was just too excited to say anything and I’m not really sure what exactly we are. They’re just dates,” You explain, saying the last part a little bit softly.
“Okay,” Your dad says, and your relieved at his response, “But I would like to meet him at some point in the near future,” He gives you that typical dad look, but you take it gratefully and nod.
“Well, since the air’s clear now, today Bucky and I are going to Coney Island with his friend, Steve. Is that okay?” You ask raising an eyebrow.
“Yes as long as–“
“Coney Island?! I want to come!” Marcy says, and you smile at her while your mom interjects.
“Marcy, you can’t today. You have a playdate with Emily. Remember?” Your mom asks her.
“She can come too!”
“Marcy,” Your mom says a little more firmly, “Not today, okay?”
Marcy looks down at her plate, “okay.”
“Don’t worry, Marc. I’ll bring you home a stuffed bear,” You say, and this cheers up your little sister beyond words as you’re pretty sure you can see that twinkle in her eyes again.
“Back to what I was saying,” Your mom gives Marcy one more look before adding, “As long as you’re back at a reasonable time. And I would like to meet Bucky soon, too.”
Pressure lays on your shoulders as you nod. Was this a level that you and Bucky were already at? Meeting the parents? “Okay,” is all you say.
~
“Steve Rogers. It’s so great to finally meet the girl Bucky won’t shut up about,” Steve Rogers smiles as he holds out his hand. You laugh and glance at Bucky as you take Steve’s hand to shake, noticing the slight blush on Bucky’s cheeks as he shoots Steve a glare.
“You’re a punk,” Bucky mumbles under his breath. Steve laughs and meets your eyes again,
“I’m Y/N L/N. I’ve been dying to meet you, Steve!” You tell him and take in his appearance. Steve is significantly smaller than Bucky. He has blonde hair that’s brushed to the side, like he was in a rush but still managed to pull it off. He’s got bright blue eyes and a smile that’s contagious.
When he pulls back his hand, he immediately coughs into his arm and apologizes quickly. Steve takes out an inhaler and uses it, and this concerns you. Bucky must notice your concern since he takes your hand and gives it a squeeze, looking at you with a reassuring grin.
On the train ride to Coney Island you can immediately tell that Bucky and Steve go way, way back. They’re banter is entertaining and brother-like, and you can tell that Bucky cares about Steve deeply, despite them teasing each other. They’re mostly doing the talking as you sit back and watch two best friends create another memory together.
After the forty-five minute train ride that feels like only fifteen minutes because of the fun the three of you are having, the train finally arrives at your destination: Coney Island.
Stepping into the amusement park, you take in your surroundings and the feeling it gives you. It’s giant, that’s for sure, and the first thing you notice is The Cyclone, an intimidating looking roller coaster that you can’t wait to get on. Then your senses fill with the smell of zepolis and sweets, and chocolate and cotton candy. Your mouth waters at the smell of hot dogs and hamburgers and your eyes widen at the people on stilts as well as other people dressed in eccentric outfits you couldn’t keep your eyes off of.
It’s been a while since you were last here; yes, it’s been a long, long time.
Bucky wraps his arm around your waist as he notices you gazing around. He brings you back from your thoughts as you meet his ocean blue eyes with a smile.
“You okay?” He asks, placing a kiss on your forehead.
“Yeah, just lookin’ around,” You tell him.
The three of you decide to start off small with roller coasters and then work your way up. Bucky watches you as you go up to a snack stand and buy a pretzel, hands in his pockets, looking down at Steve.
“So, Steve, whaddya think of her? I need your approval, you know,” Bucky smiles. Steve looks at him and nods his head,
“Gotta say, Buck, she is pretty amazing. I’m happy for you, man.”
When you come back, you’re already half way done with your pretzel as you see Steve and Bucky standing waiting for you.
“Come on guys! We’ve got the whole day!” You exclaim as you brush past them to the first ride you see. It’s a smaller roller coaster that you all accomplish easily.
For two hours straight you all go on all the roller coasters you can get to before you wear yourselves out. And even after that, the three of you are ready for more. To cool off before going on yet another stomach twister, Steve suggests going in the funhouse.
“Ooh, good idea, Steve!” You agree with him. Bucky groans a little bit and you look at him with confusion.
“Bucky hates clowns,” Steve says, trying to stifle a giggle, but fails. “Come on, Buck, it’s not that type of funhouse!”
“Okay,” Bucky says, though he still sounds a little apprehensive. You take his hand and squeeze it, leading him to the front of the fun house.
“Come on, Bucky. I’ve got you,” You give him a small smile and he looks at you with appreciation in his eyes, as he lets you lead the way.
They’re only clowns, he thinks to himself. But you didn’t take a second to tease him, you took it upon yourself to make sure he was comfortable, and he appreciated that more than you’d ever know.
The first room of the funhouse is the mirror room. You find yourself looking at a normal mirror while Steve and Bucky are laughing at a distorted mirror. Looking at yourself, you fix your white gingham shirt dress that’s covered in little blue flowers and retie your oxford shoes. Then you flip your hair and get closer to the mirror to smudge away any mascara that might’ve melted on your skin because of the hot June day.
“You look beautiful,” You hear behind you and you look away from the flaw you see on your skin to the gorgeous, heart of gold man standing behind you. Bucky wraps his arms around your waist and hugs you from behind, placing his head in the crook of your neck. You melt into his touch and spins you around, leading you to the other rooms of the funhouse.
There’s a giant spinning wheel you have to walk through, a room with pictures of people doing tricks, a room with a bunch of doors, and finally, the exit, where you have to slide down a slide.
When all of you are out of the funhouse, Bucky suggests to take a short break and eat before going on the last few rides. As Bucky makes a mental note of what you and Steve want, he goes off to a food stand and you and Steve find a place to sit near by.
“So, Bucky tells me that you’re a writer,” Steve says as you both sit down at a table. You nod your head,
“Yup, I am. I love it, it’s definitely what I want to do as a career,” You tell him.
“What do you write?”
“Actually, a variety of things. I like writing short stories, but I also like writing about Brooklyn. New York, you know? The war. Current events. In high school, I was apart of the school newspaper. I always kept people informed,” You smile at the memory, and Steve smiles too.
“That’s really neat, Y/N. I’d love to read your work.”
“Thanks, Steve! Bucky told me you’re an artist?”
Steve shrugs sheepishly, “I just like to draw, really. I wouldn’t consider it a possibility for a career…”
“Hey, you never know. But I’d love to see your drawings, Steve.”
“Well, actually, I did bring my mini sketchbook today.”
“Oh, my God! Mind if I look? I know an artist’s sketchbook is like a diary,” You say in understanding. You were always shy when you showed someone your writing, but deep down, you wanted to share it badly.
“Yeah, sure. I don’t mind,” Steve says as he pulls out a brown leather sketchbook. It fit perfectly in your hand and you flipped through the pages, amazed at how talented Steve’s artistic skills were.
“Steve, these are amazing… you know, maybe you could draw images for my short stories. “
Steve’s eyes lit up at this, “And you could write stories to my drawings!”
You both smiled at each other and then you said, “It’s a deal.”
You hand Steve his sketchbook back and then ask him, “Well, if an art career isn’t an option, what do you want to do?”
“Well, uh,” Steve takes an uneasy breath, “I want to join the army.”
You raise an eyebrow at this but try not to show too much surprise. You nod your head and Steve continues,
“I know, I know, but… it’s what I feel like I have to do. I want to do my part, just like everyone else,” Steve explains, and you nod your head,
“That’s really admirable, Steve. You and Bucky would be fighting alongside each other,” The last part sort of slips out. You hadn’t really thought about Bucky at war, and now that you’re thinking about it, the thought sort of scares you.
“Who’s fighting who?” Bucky asks as he walks over with two hot dogs and a hamburger.
You open your mouth to say something but Steve swiftly changes the subject.
“No one. Is that my hot dog?” Steve asks. Bucky hands him a hot dog with ketchup and mustard and hands you the one with just ketchup.
The three of you munch down on your meals before you offer to throw out everyone’s garbage. When you come back, you see Steve and Bucky arguing about something.
“Come on, Steve! You gotta!”
“No way, Bucky. You guys can go on, I am not going on the Cyclone.”
“Afraid of heights, Steve?” You tease with a lighthearted smile. Steve shakes his head and raises his hands in defeat,
“Oh come on, you both are going to gang up on me now?” He says. You and Bucky look at each other then back to Steve.
“Yup,” the both of you say at the same time.
“Alright, fine. You guys win. But that might be my last ride for the day,” Steve says.
~
Before making your way to the Cyclone, you suggest playing a few games in the mean time. Steve and Bucky race over to one that has balloons hanging off a cork board, and you had to throw darts and pop as many as you can. Bucky wins and is given a small bear as a prize.
“For you, my Princess,” Bucky says, batting his eyelashes and bowing. You giggle as you take the bear.
“For my sister,” You reply.
~
The time has come. You, Bucky, and Steve gaze up at the Cyclone in all its glory. A car full of kids passes by on the drop and you hear their screams as you’re still staring at the big red letters that say THE CYCLONE.
“You guys ready?” Bucky gulped. You look at him and Steve and burst out laughing,
“You two are so dramatic,” You say as you walk through to the ride entrance. Bucky and Steve look at you in awe before following you suit.
After you all were buckled in to the cars, everything turned into a blur. The Cyclone was so fast and twisted, it was hard to process it all. One moment you were looking at Bucky, slowly going up, the next you were being sent down and all you could hear were screams. It was a rush of adrenaline you would never forget.
Twists and turns you never were prepared for, you lifted your arms up and let the wind blow in your face as you let out a woo!
Once the ride was over, you stepped out of the car and felt yourself lose balance. Bucky caught you and let out a laugh, holding you tightly against him. You both check on Steve and he’s hunched over, holding his stomach.
“Steve, you okay?” Bucky asks in concern.
“Yeah, yeah. Uh, we just… shouldn’t have… eaten before going on–oh, God,” Steve struggles to say before hurling in a trash can. Bucky rushes over to Steve and pats his back, making sure his friend was okay.
“You can laugh if you want,” Steve chuckles, “I’m okay.”
Bucky doesn’t laugh. Instead, he smiles in relief. “I’ll get you some water, Steve.”
“Thanks, Buck.”
You all sit down on a bench near the Wonder Wheel. Steve is sipping on his water. You look up at the ferris wheel and point towards it.
“Guys, we have to go on it,” You say.
“You two can,” Steve says. You almost argue but Steve holds up his hand, “I’ve had enough for today. I’ll be here, don’t worry.”
Bucky stands up from the bench and holds out his hand for you to take. You look at him for a moment and smile sheepishly, taking his hand and letting him lead you to the Wonder Wheel.
Waiting in line, you and Bucky are silent. It’s been a long, exhausting day, and you two had been worn out. As you’re standing, you lean back into Bucky’s shoulder and he holds you tightly against him.
When it’s finally your turn to get on the ride, Bucky lets you go in the cart first and then he follows. The man controlling the ride closes the cart’s door and shortly after, you and Bucky are moving around the wheel towards the top.
You place your hand over Bucky’s that’s resting on your thigh. Looking up, you meet his ocean blue eyes and smile softly. Bucky leans in and kisses your jaw, and you scoot closer to him in the seat.
“Did you have fun today?” Bucky asks you. You nod your head and sigh,
“A lot. I could fall asleep right now. Did you have fun?” You look at him and he smiles,
“Yes, I did. How do you like Steve?”
“Steve is so fun. I’m so glad we got to meet, finally. He’s so talented with his drawings,” You tell Bucky. Bucky nods,
“Yeah… the punk is more talented than me,” Bucky says.
You laugh at the nickname, knowing it was an endearing one for Steve rather than a teasing one.
“You are close, aren't you?”
“Yeah. We’ve been friends since we were just kids. He’s like a brother to me, honestly.”
“That’s really nice, Bucky. And you guys might be going over seas together?”
Bucky pauses for a moment and then nods, “Yeah, yeah. Maybe.”
The closer the two of you get to the top, the more your heart starts to pound. You were never scared of ferris wheels, per say, more so it was the thrill of being at the top and looking over wherever you were that gave you the excitement. It was always a beautiful view and even better if you were with someone you liked. And you were with Bucky, and nothing could be more perfect.
Finally reaching the top, you gaze at the rides below you that look so small. Even The Cyclone looked tiny and that made you laugh; the ride made you dizzier than any ride you’d ever been on. You looked over the seat to see if you could point out Steve, but even that was hard at the height you and Bucky sat at.
“Look up,” Bucky says against your ear, and you shiver at his low voice and how he feels against your body; so close, so warm. You look up and feel his knee brush against yours. You gasp at the sight above you. The sky was literally pink, the sun setting in the distance. It’s a nicer temperature now–not hot at all, a comfortable warmth with a cool breeze that gives you goosebumps when it passes by. When you shiver again Bucky pulls you even closer to him.
“You’re sensitive, aren’t you?” Bucky asks sweetly. He pulls you from your gaze on the sky and you look at him. Something about that question sent a pang to your heart. Yes, you were sensitive. Very, very sensitive.
“You could say that,” you reply.
You and Bucky enjoy the view together in a comfortable silence. The ferris wheel starts to descend the both of you back to the ground slowly, and finally, you reach the bottom. Bucky holds out his hand for you to take again as he helps you step out.
When you meet back up with Steve, the three of you decide to call it a day and head home. The train ride back home is much different than the one this morning. You’re all leaning against the train walls, exhausted from the day’s activities, but feeling a huge sense of satisfaction.
Especially Bucky. The fact that you and Steve got along so well meant more to him than he could put into words. Now that Bucky thinks about it, you’re the only girl who Steve has actually really gotten along with–really talked to, like you weren’t just there for Bucky, but for the both of them.
You and Bucky are startled by a loud noise to your right. The two of you look in sync to follow the noise and see that it came from Steve, snoring and sleeping soundly leaning his head against the window. You and Bucky look at each other and laugh softly. Your eyes trail towards the window next to you and you find yourself subconsciously leaning against Bucky.
Bucky places his arm around your waist making it easier for you to lean on him as you look out the window. You rest your head in the crook of his neck and he places a kiss on your temple. His soft breaths you can feel on your forehead and the sound of the train on the tracks is somewhat peaceful. Everything feels right and the amount of content you feel being in Bucky’s arms is a feeling that is hard to put into words.
You want this, whatever it is you have with Bucky, to last. You want this feeling of comfort and contentedness to last, and maybe you want this train ride to go on forever. You can’t help the small fear you have for the future, knowing at some point you would have to go separate ways, but maybe the thought of making this work outweighed that worry.
Bucky is looking at the sky out the window with you, but then he sees you in the reflection gazing at the scenery as well. His heart swells in his chest because he can’t remember the last time he felt this way about someone. He can’t remember the last time he was so enticed by someone and everything about them. And for the first time, he thinks to himself that he may have one reason that would keep him from going to war.
Bucky takes a risk.
“___,” He says your name so low but even so you can hear the emotion in his voice, though you can’t tell what it is. Before you look at him, you see in the reflection of the window that he is already looking at you. You turn your head to face Bucky.
Meeting his ocean blue eyes, he smiles at you softly.
For a moment you wait to see if he will continue but he doesn’t. So you reply, “Yes?”
“I want to take this seriously with you. I want to keep going on dates with you, keep taking you out, but only you. I want to be with you. I want you to be my girl, but if you don’t want to, tell me now because God, I like you. I like you so much,” Bucky tells you with a smile, but it says so much. It says want, it says nervous, it says fear of rejection. But what you say next, his smile only says happiness.
You say with a smile in return, “I’ll be your girl, Bucky.”
You feel his body relax and he kisses you in return. You let his lips dance on yours gently. You feel him cup your face in the palm of his hand, and you feel yourself holding your breath for a moment. When he pulls back that’s when you let it out softly and for the rest of the ride home, the both of you can’t stop smiling.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Come on, Buck. Don’t be nervous, I know they’ll love you,” You squeeze Bucky’s hand as he drives downtown towards your house. Bucky flicks his eyes at you before looking back on the road. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest and his palms felt warm as he tried to grip the steering wheel. Bucky feels your hand on his knuckles and he calms down a little, only to grow even more tense than before. “You already told them about me, right?” He asks. “Yes,” you sigh, looking out the window, “Yes, Bucky, I did. They know a little bit about you, but they finally get to meet you tonight!” Tonight, your parents had invited Bucky over for dinner to finally meet him. Bucky said yes of course, he wants to meet the parents of the girl he’s going steady with. But that didn’t calm his nerves down. He liked you so much, he wanted your parents to like him and to have a good impression. “Do they know my age?” Bucky asks as he turns on your street. Oh, God. “Yes, they do. Stop thinking about it so much, my parents are very relaxed, y’know, as long as you don’t make yourself look like an idiot,” You tell him with a soft giggle. Bucky shoots you a glare as he pulls up to the front of your house, “Don’t say that, ___. Please.” “I’m just kidding. But you need to stop worrying, alright? Plus, my little sister will be there. God knows she’ll help ease any tension whatsoever,” You tell Bucky, and he genuinely relaxes at this. When he puts his truck in park, you turn in the seat to face him. A look of worry is still etched in his face and you graze your fingers softly over his cheek. Bucky closes his eyes, melting into your touch. You notice his tie is a little crooked so you scoot closer to him and readjust it. He must’ve been so nervous just putting it on. Glancing up at his hair, he has pushed it back. “You look dashing, Mr. Barnes,” you say in an English accent. Bucky laughs and takes your hand, kissing your knuckles. You get out of his truck first and he follows. You wait for Bucky at the foot of your porch steps and hold your hand out. Bucky takes it and before you head inside, you decide to give him a few more words of reassurance. “Really, Bucky. I’ll be right by your side. Meeting the parents was going to happen anyways, especially after Coney,” you tell him, and he nods in understanding. It was a step in your relationship the both of you were taking. “Okay. Oh! I almost forgot,” Bucky says as he walks back to his truck. He opens the back door and brings out a small bouquet of roses. You look at Bucky dumbfounded, “I didn’t even see those.” “I forgot to tell you. These are for your mom,” Bucky says bashfully. “You didn’t have to do that, Bucky.” “I really want to give your parents a good first impression, ___. I want them to know their daughter is in good hands,” Bucky says. You smile, “All you have to do is be yourself, Buck. But it’s a nice touch, at least.” Walking up the steps, you knock on the door three times before letting yourself and Bucky in. You whisper to Bucky to slip his shoes off and he does so immediately. This is serious to Bucky so he doesn’t want to accidentally offend your parents in anyway. You appreciated this greatly. “Mom, Dad, Marcy, we’re home!” You shout as you slip your oxfords off. Bucky has already taken off his coat and you look at him in amazement as you take it out of his hands and hang it up on the wall with coat hangers. As your parents walk in the room, Bucky immediately straightens up and holds his hand out for your dad to shake. You watch in amusement behind calm eyes as this unfolds. Bucky looks so sophisticated and that’s funny to you because you’re so used to him being playful and flirty. “Mr. ___, it’s an honor to meet you. I’m James Barnes. You can call me Bucky,” Bucky says to your father. Your dad gives Bucky a smile and firmly shakes his hand. “The pleasure is all mine, Bucky.” Your mom puts out her hand and Bucky looks at her, handing her the flowers first, “Hi, Mrs. ___. These are for you,” He says. “Oh, how sweet, Bucky. Thank you so much. It’s so nice to finally meet you, you know, we’ve heard all about you!” Your mom gushes to your horror. “Mom!” “Oh, stop, ___,” She winks at you. Bucky looks at you and smiles a little, and you already know he’s going to tease you about that later. “And this is Marcy–Marcy?” Your mom calls for Marcy and she comes running out of the kitchen holding a piece of paper with something on it though you can’t quite tell what it is. “Bucky, this is Marcy, ___’s younger–““Hi, Bucky! I’m Marcy, nice to meet’cha!” Marcy holds out her hand. Her light brown hair is in pigtails and Bucky smiles as he kneels down to meet her height. He takes her hand, “Hi, Marcy. Nice to meet you, too. Whatcha got there?” Bucky asks, looking at the paper. Marcy holds it up proudly. “I drew this of you and ___. You guys are going to be together forever, right?” Marcy says with excitement. You glare at Marcy, Mind if I keep it?” Marcy nods profusely and Bucky takes the drawing, carefully folds it and slips it in his shirt pocket. He looks up at you and takes your hand in his and gives it a squeeze. You smile softly, curious to see the picture. Bucky stands up and lets go of your hand. Your mom leads everyone into the kitchen and you see that she has made a pasta dinner with a choice of either chicken or meatballs. You make a guess to yourself that Bucky would go for the meatballs, and you’re right as you already seeing him eye the delicious Italian meal. It’s almost as if you were merely just a bystander as Bucky took the reins of conversation and laughter with your parents and even Marcy. It’s like Bucky is an entirely different person than the one you were with in his truck earlier. Before, he was nervous and unsure of himself, but now? He’s the Bucky you know. The Bucky who can talk to anyone without difficulty, the Bucky who is funny, a bit cheeky, and charismatic. The Bucky you fell for on that very first date. He’s talking to your parents so easily. You didn’t want to tell him before, but your mom and dad did have a little bit of a guard up (considering your last relationship) but Bucky seemed to have taken it down easily. The dinner was going well and you could tell your parents loved Bucky. Marcy had been looking at him the entire night. When everyone finishes up, you help your mom with the dishes. The sink is a little bit further away from the table, so you ask your mom quietly what she thinks of Bucky. “He’s great, ___. Just fantastic, and I can tell your father likes him, too. Which is hard to tell sometimes, as you know.” “And?” “And he’s a hard worker. It’s easy to see with his hands. He’s charming and yeah, ___, I think you might’ve hit the jackpot with this one.” You hug your mom from the side and she kisses your head, “I knew you’d love him!” You tell your mom that you’d finish up cleaning the dishes and she thanks you as she joins them at the table again. Once you're done scrubbing the last dish, you sit back down next to Bucky. He takes your hand from under the table and lightly strokes your knuckles as he listens to a story your father is telling him. You look across the table and see Marcy beginning to doze off, her head resting on the back of her hands on the table. “Uh oh, looks like somebody’s a little sleepy,” You say as you nod your head to Marcy. It was always after big meals she felt a little more tired. And looking at the clock, you saw it was almost nine. “It’s past her bed time anyways. I’ll take her upstairs and get her ready for bed,” Your mom says. Even Marcy who seems to never run out of energy gets tired, too. “I’ve got work early in the morning tomorrow,” Your dad says, “Well, Bucky. Thank you for joining us for dinner.” Your dad holds out his hand and Bucky shakes it, “The pleasure’s all mine.” “Good night, ___,” Your dad gets up from the table and kisses your head, “Night, Dad. Bucky and I are going to be up in my room, alright?”“Okay, but no lights out!” “Dad!” Your dad laughs from the other room as you hear him head upstairs. It’s now just you and Bucky. “Well, you definitely charmed them, Bucky. See? Nothing to–““We have to talk, ___,” Bucky cuts you off, and you look at him surprised. He wasn’t the charming, laughing Bucky you saw just moments ago. Instead, what’s written on his face is something you haven’t seen yet–it’s sadness. It’s pain. “Okay. My room?” ~ Bucky doesn’t say anything when he walks into your room. Instead, he looks around, seeming to take in every detail. He looks at the books on your shelf and pulls one out. It’s Stars On the Sea as you can tell, but you don’t say anything. He puts it back and goes to your desk. Lipsticks and mascaras cover the top and pictures are hanging from your light blue walls. Pictures from high school of you and your friends who you miss terribly, pictures of you and Marcy, and some of your favorite spots in Brooklyn.
He sees a backpack in the corner and textbooks piled on top of one another. You sit on your bed and make room for Bucky to join you. With one last look at your backpack, Bucky sits next to you on your bed. He sighs and leans his elbows on his knees, looking at you with a small grin. You wait for him to say something, but he doesn’t. Instead he wraps his arm around you and kisses your bare shoulder.
“Bucky…”
“I don’t want to talk yet,” Bucky whispers. You meet his eyes and you can tell he’s upset about something. It’s so confusing because, didn’t he have a good time at dinner? Was he not just exchanging stories with your father over the table? You were starting to think that Bucky Barnes was a little more complex than you thought.
Whatever it was that was bothering him, he would tell you when he was ready. So you take it upon yourself to straddle him on your bed. You place your hands on his face and lean down to kiss him. He grips your waist and kisses you just as passionately, letting himself get lost in your touch.
He falls back on the bed and brings you down with him, his lips never leaving yours. Bucky’s hands are still on your waist holding you close to him. You feel your dress hike up on your legs, but you don’t care.
In a swift motion, Bucky flips you over so that now you are laying on your bed and he is hovering above you. He kisses you lightly once more before pulling back and kissing your forehead. You watch as he closes his eyes, clearly bothered by something.
“Do you want to talk about it now?” You ask softly. “Was it dinner? Did you feel uncomfortable?” Bucky seemed to have had a good time but looks can be deceiving. You remembered on the train home he looked so many emotions at once. It was no wonder that he was probably good at hiding them, too.
Like he is now, masking his worries with the kisses he gives you.
Bucky moves over so he is laying next to you, his head resting in his left hand while his right hand is laying on your stomach.
“No, doll. Dinner was amazing. Your parents are great. Marcy is adorable–but.. I don’t know where to begin. I had a fantastic time but I guess I’m just thinking about the future,” Bucky admits, and from the look on his face you can tell that he has been thinking about this for quite some time. Possibly, for as long as you have been thinking about it, except you weren’t sure when you and Bucky would talk about it.
“What about it?” You ask in a small voice. You hold your breath, knowing exactly what Bucky is going to say–knowing exactly that he was about to voice both of your concerns, your fears.
Bucky meets your eyes, and if you didn’t know any better, you swore they looked glassy. “You know…” He trails off, and you nod, finishing his thoughts for him.
“You’re leaving soon and I am, too,” You say finally. At some point, whether you wanted it to or not, you and Bucky’s lives would be going in completely different directions.
He whispers a “yeah” and fingers his way through the opening of your button down dress, his fingers rubbing circles on your bare stomach.
“I know,” You say, “I mean… I know.”
“___, you don’t understand how bad I have it for you. I like ya a lot, much more than I was expecting to and I don’t want this to ever stop. Meeting your parents–God, I saw a future beyond the next couple of months. I saw it in years. I just–listen for a sec, alright, doll?”
“Yeah, Bucky. I’m all ears.”
“I know you’re going to school in a few months. And then a few months after that, I’ll be overseas but–I want to keep this. I don’t want an ocean to be the reason why we can’t be together. I want to fight for you, for us,” Bucky tells you. He now has your hand in his and you feel your heart flutter at his words. You felt the same way, because with Bucky, you hadn’t felt this way with anyone else before. Maybe something close, but nowhere near the sense of home you get whenever you’re with Bucky. Bucky was special, someone you never wanted to let go of.
“We can make this work,” You reply, and Bucky’s eye light up at your agreement, and your heart breaks that he even thought that you wouldn’t, “It’ll be worth it.”
“The only thing is that, when we have to part ways, you know, just for a little while, it’s going to hurt. I know it is. I didn’t want to be the reason for your heartache, ___. Laughing and talking with your family, I felt closer with you. And this just makes the goodbye even harder…”
You can tell he’s letting his mind wander farther off than he has to, and you quiet him with a kiss to his hand. He’s surprised at your gesture and you smile.
“Don’t think about that. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Bucky. Right now, you’re in my room for the very first time, and I’m just surprised you haven’t made fun of my baby pictures yet.”
Bucky lets out a laugh and your heart melts at the sound, “I actually did see them. You were adorable.”
“Am I not anymore?!”
Bucky’s smile softens and he kisses your jaw, “You’re just beautiful.”
“You’re so corny.”
“I’ll never be able to get you with those lines, will I?”
“Nope.”
“I don’t care. You’re still beautiful.”
Bucky attacks your neck with kisses and grips your waist again, holding you firm on the bed. You laugh and hold onto his strong shoulders. Bucky makes his way so he’s now between your legs.
“Well, this is awkward.”
“Is it?” He asks in a low voice, nipping at the sensitive spot just below your ear.
You look down and notice a folded piece of paper in his front pocket.
“What’s that?”
“Marcy’s drawing.”
“Let me see it.” You pull it out of his pocket without question and open it, smiling at the image.
There are two stick figures. One with a military suit on, the other a dress. Two arrows point at each figure. One arrow pointing at the suit saying BUCKY and the other pointing at the dress saying your name. At the top of the image it says TOGETHER FOREVER.
You smile softly at the image.
“That also made me think about the future…” Bucky trailed off and started to kiss your neck with lazy, slow motions. “I’d like to keep it,” He says.
“Yeah, okay. That’s fine.”
You kiss for a few more moments before you tell Bucky your parents might get suspicious of how awfully quiet it is in your room. Bucky smiles and tugs at your dress a little before you both sit up.
“You’re right. Well, if they’re ever not home…”
“Bucky,” You smile, trying to make your voice sound stern but you fail miserably. Bucky notices and kisses you again before you say, “I’ll walk you out, okay?”
You and Bucky quietly tip toe down the stairs. You hand Bucky his jacket and open the door to walk him to his truck. You’re immediately hit with the cool summer air you love so much and shiver at the contact.
Reaching the driver’s door, Bucky’s about to open it but instead turns around and takes your hand. He has a mischievous look on his face. You can see it even under the moonlight. He spins you towards him and locks you in a kiss which you accept gracefully.
He can’t get enough of your lips. He doesn’t think he ever will.
You let out a whimper which Bucky hears and holds you tighter against him. You wrap one leg around his waist, the other keeping you grounded as Bucky backs you against the side of his truck. His hands are at your sides but you can tell he’s using every bit of his strength to not let them roam, not without your consent first. And that alone sends your heart into a flutter. He’s kissing you harder now, pressing his lips against yours and he tickles your bottom lip with his tongue. You bite his lip gently and he groans.
You both pull back to catch your breath, forehead to forehead, eyes closed, hearts hammering against each other’s chest becoming one. He moves his head so he’s now resting in the crook of your neck.
His ocean blue eyes are still closed, “come home with me.”
You laugh lightly, “I can’t, Buck. Not tonight.”
Bucky looks up at you and nods softly, “okay. Good night, __.” With that he leaves you with one more kiss, and you almost say to hell with it and go home with him. But you don’t. You stand in your door way and you wait for him to drive off. When he does, you lock the door behind you and make your way to your room, the tingling of Bucky’s lips on yours still there.