Work Text
(YN) : your name (LN) : last name (NN): nickname (HC) : hair colour (HL): hair length (EC) : eye colour (FC): favourite colour
Bucky Barnes x Reader - When love must die
June 4th 1943 Your POV You’d moved over here during the war to escape the war torn England, your small apartment in Finsbury Park back in London now long forgotten as you stood in the booming city of New York. There you stood, waiting for your beau to arrive. For you see, you’d been walking down the dodgy area of Brooklyn when you first arrived in the states, you got jumped to which you tried to defend yourself till the man got punched in the nose by a tall, dark and somewhat handsome figure. James Buchanan Barnes, his knuckles stained red from the man’s now bleeding nose, you held your suitcase close to you as Bucky and his minuscule friend, Steve fought off the attacker who soon scuttled off. And of course, Bucky being a gentleman took you to a diner for something to drink, seeing that you were visibly shaken. And ever since then, it was you and Buck. Well. And Steve of course. You three were inseparable really, but of course you were the closest to Buck. Bucky treated you like a princess whenever he could, whenever he wasn’t teaching Steve how to fight down at Goldie’s Boxing Gym, he would be taking you out dancing. Swinging you around and dancing to the latest tunes, you’d never met a guy like Bucky before ever in your life and you were sure you’d never meet anyone just as special as he was. Suddenly you felt a pair of hands cover your eyes, they were warm and slightly sweaty, you then heard the smooth and silky voice of your beau “Guess who, doll?” You could almost feel him grinning behind you, like a cat who got the cream “Hmm I wonder~ Oh wherever could my loverboy be?” You faked the impression of a damsel in distress before removing his hands from over your eyes “Its good to see you, Buck.” you leant up to peck his cheek, his hands wrapped around your waist lovingly. You wrapped your arms around his neck “So what’s the plan for tonight, hotshot?” You asked, Bucky never told you about what he had planned for dates, he always loved the look of surprise on your face. Bucky, still in his soldier uniform grinned “Well I may have planned a little double date for Stevie with us, what do you think?” He grinned, he was always setting Steve up, he wanted his best friend to be as happy as he was. You began to fiddle with the wrinkles on your dress “Its true that Stevie needs to get himself out there but you’re still acting all mysterious! What have you got planned Mister Barnes?” You teased and fiddled with his perfectly tied tie, he rubbed your sides gently “You’re going to have to wait and see, doll.” You pouted and huffed at this jokingly to which Bucky simply kissed your cheek, his lips tickling slightly against the soft flesh of your rouge tinted cheeks. You smiled “So, where are we meeting Steve? And this girl you’ve matched him up with?” Bucky grinned “First doll, you need to get dressed up in your Sunday best! And second, I’ll pick you up in an hour or so, Steve will be waiting with me outside.” He instructed and smiled “I’ll walk you home first then I’ll have to see what mess Steve has gotten himself into.” You giggled at his statement and walked alongside him, his arm wrapped around your waist “God I’ve missed you Buck.. Letters just don’t cut it.” Your nose was nuzzled into his shoulder, he’d been away training in Wisconsin with the rest of the Regiment for the whole winter, you had to mail him his present for Christmas to him instead of spending your first Christmas with him together. Bucky smiled and pulled you close “I missed you too, Doll.. let's hope this war ends soon eh?” walking along the sidewalk to your tiny apartment, it wasn’t much but it would do in the meantime. You retrieved your keys from your purse and opened the first door, you turned to look up at your boyfriend “I’ll see you in tick, Don’t get into too much trouble before then okay?” joking with him, to which he laughed “Well Doll, when it comes to Steve that’s a promise that I can’t make.” he winked before walking off, going to try and find where his best-friend was. Scuttling up the creaky staircase, you rushed into your apartment to start and get ready, picking out your best dress which you’d been saving for a high-class event. Any date with Bucky could be considered a high-class event. Picking up bobby pins, you slid them into your hair to secure your (HL) (HC) hair into a certain style, brushing out the knots of your hair with a soft and gentle comb, before trying to smooth the inevitable flyaways with a tiny bit of hair pomade, you only had a little left and it was considered a luxury item during the war. Everyone needed to be canny nowadays. Sliding off your thin cotton dress you’d worn during the day, you searched through your drawers for your brand-new girdle*, wanting to really dress up as you hadn’t dressed up like this since Bucky went off for training. Sliding on your girdle, you attached your stockings using the small clasps of the suspenders, adjusting them so they looked smooth and not bumpy. Gently, you put on your (FC) dress, adjusting the neckline so it fit just right. Smoothing out the edges of the dress, it accentuated the gentle dip of your waist and feel just above your knee. You twirled around in your dress, watching it twirl around beautifully, you giggled to yourself as you searched for your little black heels which were somewhere in your suitcase. Time flew so fast that soon you heard whistling outside your window, your heart beat fast as the tune belonged to you and Bucky’s favourite song to dance to. You rushed to find your shoes and purse, putting on a little bit of red lipstick for good measure. Grabbing your pea-coat as you rushed down to meet Bucky and hopefully Steve. As you opened the door, there he was. Your Soldier. Your Bucky. Bucky smiled “Ready to go doll?” You nodded happily and nuzzled into Bucky and glanced over to see Steve “Steve?! What happened to you!” Pulling a handkerchief out of your pocket to blot his still somewhat bleeding nose. Steve dabbed his nose gently “Oh you know me (NN), always getting into trouble that Buck needs to fix.” joking with you but you being so motherly, you did not take that as a good answer “If they come at you again, I’ll knock their teeth out.” showing a more defensive side for your boyfriend’s best friend which made Steve flush “Thanks (NN).” You shrugged and went back to stand next to Bucky “So where are you taking me this time Buckaroo?” you teased as Bucky led you along the sidewalk with Steve trailing behind him. Bucky smiled “Well.. I know how you wanted to see that Stark Expo. So..” he grinned and waited for your reaction, you gasped excitedly “Bucky!! You are the best!” hugging him happily, he gave you a gentle squeeze “Come on then!” he busied you along till you reached the Stark Expo where Connie was waiting, trying to wave down Bucky but stopped when seeing you nuzzling into him. She glared at you with such jealousy and in that moment you knew that tonight was going to be fun. ~~~ There you and Bucky were, he was walking you home after Steve’s date, Connie had badly rejected him. You nuzzled into Bucky, he seemed to have taken all of Steve’s emotions onto himself “Darling, what happened with Steve wasn’t your fault. She was stuck up anyways and Steve deserves a sweetheart!” trying to reassure Bucky that he’d tried his best and that it would be better luck next time. Bucky nuzzled “suppose you’re right, doll.” kissing your cheek as you led him up the stairs of your apartment building “Come on, I have a few beers in my fridge, nice and cold just the way you like them.” Leading him inside your tiny apartment,the floorboards creaking under the two of yours weight as you made him sit on the couch. He took a seat and watched as you wandered off to the kitchen to fetch him a beer. Soon you came back with the two beers, the bottle caps off and ready as you handed one over to him happily. Bucky took a long sip, letting out a sigh of relief and delight “God I love cheap beer.” He laughed, you rolled your eyes and sat down beside him comfortably “Hey its all the shop had.” you retorted and kicked your heels off before settling down beside him properly. Bucky smiled and ran a hand through your hair lovingly, you arched your head back into his touch, humming softly “How long do you have till you have to head out?” You buzzed softly and hummed but heard only a sad sigh from Bucky, you turned your head to him and looked at him for an answer. Bucky inched closer on the couch to you and held your hands sadly “I only have tonight doll..” You felt your heart break at this, only night before he was gone. “Well. We’ll make tonight the perfect night won’t we?” You smiled, acting a lot more positive and putting on that smile for him. Bucky nodded “Our final night together till I head off to the mouth of hell.” He joked and reached to rub your cheek gently “You will come back to me, Bucky Barnes. You are not dying on me yet.” You insisted and looked at him with such passion and such love, Bucky couldn’t help but smile at this as he reached to brush hair away from your face “Okay. I’ll try my hardest to stay alive.” He smiled and went silent for a moment, you rose a brow at this behaviour “Buck? You got something on your mind?”He nodded and you tilted your head “What is it?” He opened his mouth to speak and just blurted out “Marry me.” You blinked and looked at him “W-What?” You watched as he pulled out a small thin metal band, it wasn’t like the rings which most girls wanted. It wasn’t littered with diamonds or ornately designed, it was a simple thin silver band, shining in the light of your living-room. Bucky smiled “I know its only been a few months doll but I know that this between us is right. And when I come back I’ll buy you that diamond ring, white dress and everything. But right now I want to know that when I come back, you’re here. My future wife.” you couldn’t help but flush at his declaration of love to you, you began to smile as he scrambled off the couch to be on his knees before you “Will you? Will you marry me?” He gave you his trademark grin, holding the ring out, still dressed in his army uniform. You nodded “Yes! I will marry you!” You leapt into his arms from the couch, the two of you fell back onto the carpet, you giggling as he cheered up to the heavens or to the neighbours “She’s gonna marry me! My girl is going to marry me!” He declared as he slid the silver band onto your ring finger, you admired it happily. The two of you sat there for a while, cuddling and almost glowing from the happiness you both were feeling. You inched up into a kiss, this kiss was long and filled with a passion which made your fingers tingle. Wrapping your arms around his neck, leaning into the kiss as he pulled you onto his lap, his hands on your hips and pawing at the material of your dress. Pulling back from the heated kiss, panting heavily you stared into his eyes and he looked at you as if you were the most precious thing he’d ever seen. You wrapped your legs around his waist, the suspenders which held your stockings up peering out from underneath your (FC) dress, Bucky picked you up delicately and carried you to your bedroom, his lips kissing your ear tenderly “What would you like to do, future Mrs Barnes?” smiling as he got to say that finally, you smiled “I would like you to take me to bed Mr Barnes~” you cooed and purred happily to Bucky who nodded “Yes Ma’am.” As soon as you entered the bedroom, clothes were pulled off and thrown aside and lay in piles on the floor. Skin against skin. Lips against lips. Bodies intertwining and pulling apart before intertwining again, pulled together by a sort of electricity or magnetism. You were drowning in the rush of euphoria which seems to explode from your chest, pouring out from you. Bucky could feel it too, the feeling of your soft flesh against his sent his heart a thumping, the two of you admiring one another and taking your time to explore the expanse of each other's bodies as if this would be the last time you’d see each other. But it wasn’t. You knew he would come back to you. He would come back to you. ~~~The morning came, the sun cracked through your thin blinds and woke you, your room a mess from last night’s rendezvous. Rubbing your eyes, you soon spotted Bucky, putting back on his uniform and standing in the mirror whilst trying to straighten his tie. You smiled and reached for your robe, sliding it on your naked form. Padding over to him, your cold feet hitting the wooden floorboards you smiled “Come here. Let me fix that.” You reached to straighten his tie, he stared down at you happily as he watched your nimble fingers fiddle with his tie “There. Now you look respectable.” you teased and pecked his cheek. Bucky kissed you quickly “Thank you, Mrs Barnes.” He smiled and held your hand, his thumb fiddling with the ring he’d put on your finger last night. Smiling, you looked up at him “Come on. Some breakfast before you leave.” you led him to the kitchen, taking a quick peek at the living-room where two beer bottles stood, barely drunk due to last night’s activities. You giggled at that before setting forth to make some breakfast for the two of you, Bucky of course helping. Breakfast was soon made and devoured, plates almost licked clean as you both watched the time betray you, it was almost time for Bucky to go. You watched as he slipped on his shoes and his jacket, but you knew it truly was time when he reached for his hat. Standing beside him, you reached to cradle his face in your hands as you spoke to him “You will come back to me. Stay alive.” rubbing his cheek gently with your thumb, it was tickled by his slight stubble. Bucky reached to kiss your hands and kissed your ring before kissing you passionately one last time “I will come back to you Mrs Barnes.. I promise you.” He hesitantly pulled away, leaving you standing in the doorway in your robe as he walked down the stairs. Leaving you alone. You rushed to the window to watch him leave, your hand pressed against it as he gazed up to look at you and mouthed in your direction ‘I love you’ to which you returned the sentiment. There you watched him, walking off into the busy streets and disappearing amongst the crowds. Heading off to war, holding onto the hope of soon returning home to you. That hope would keep him alive. ~~You were tending to the flowers on your balcony, it had been 2 excruciatingly long years since Bucky had left. Worry was eating you up, no letters had arrived for many months which made your anxieties and paranoia soar. Blanking due to your paranoia as you watered the pots with your watering can, you suddenly heard a knock on your door which pulled you from your anxieties “Who is it?” You called out as you put down the watering can and dried your hands on your cotton dress, walking towards the front door before unlatching the lock. You opened the door and looked up at the tall figure standing before you. It was Steve. A much taller and much more muscular Steve. “Steve?! Bucky told me about this but I couldn’t believe it!” You ran and hugged him, this was so shocking and you could still barely get your head around this “Come in!” you ushered him inside and led him into your living-room, Steve remained quiet. You sat down on the couch beside him and looked at him “Is Bucky okay? He hasn’t been sending me any letters.. I’m worried Steve.” you looked into his eyes which were filled with such sorrow and pain, you bit your lip “He is okay.. Isn’t he?” your voice breaking as you prayed in your heart that he was okay but the feeling of dread was rising more and more. Steve, looking at you with pained eyes “I-I’m sorry (NN)... it was a tragic accident. I-I couldn’t save him.” You were frozen out of shock and heartbreak, your world crumbling around you as what Steve had just told you settled into your mind. Tears began to run down your cheeks “No. No… NO!?!” You stood suddenly and began to wail hysterically, you could not be calmed down, your pain was flowing out of you like a volcano erupting “NO! HE PROMISED ME! HE SAID HE’D COME BACK TO ME!” You clawed at your arms, acting as if maybe if you cried enough or yelled enough that the truth would not be true. Steve tried to calm you “Please (NN).. I’m Sorr-” You snapped at him “HE PROMISED ME! HE PROMISE! NOW HE’S GONE!” You held spite in your voice, grief had made your voice fill with venom. Steve, though he flinched, stepped forward to try and soothe you but you just shoved him back “GET OUT!” You were taking your grief out on Steve, who already blamed himself greatly for his best friend’s death. But Steve simply backed away “I’m sorry (YN)...” He stood in the doorway as he stared at you, you had your back to Steve as you huddled on the carpet “Just.. Get out.” you said blankly, your emotions now drained as everything in your world came crashing down at you. Steve left your apartment, he felt so guilty for doing this to Bucky and now to you. You just sat, the wind whirring and lashing against the windows, they sounded like cries of a banshee, taunting you. Numb. That’s all you could feel. You stared down at your ring finger, your cheeks stained with your tears as you hiccuped. Everything around you reminded you off him. The couch, reminded you of long night cuddles with him The kitchen, reminded you of your last breakfast with him. You rose to your feet shakily as you wandered into your bedroom, you picked up a box which was on your vanity and retrieved the photo which was pinned onto your vanity mirror using the frame of the mirror itself, it was a picture of a you and Bucky on a date at Coney Island. His smile, oh his smile was beautiful. Your thumb traced the picture as you sniffled, you sat on your bed and placed the photo down, you started to open the box. Inside the box was everything to do with Bucky, a shirt of his was in there and there were petals from a bouquet he’d given you on your first date with him. You felt so numb as you stared at the memories laid in your lap. “He’s gone.” You whimpered out as you fell back onto the bed, pulling Bucky’s shirt out of the box and cuddling it for comfort as you wept like a babe, sniffing his cologne from the shirt and continuing to weep, tears staining it as you lay in the bed where the two of you had made love, became a part of each other. Forever entwined. And now he was gone, your heart felt raw and empty. He had left a crater in your chest, nobody could patch up a heart that broken. Nobody. ~~August 21st 2016 Bucky’s POV I was in horrible shape, the fight with Tony had broken me. I was littered in scars and wounds, my metal arm gone from the energy blast during the fight from Tony’s Arc Reactor. T’Challa had promised he’d be able to help with his resources back in Wakanda to help get rid of the HYDRA programming, I agreed. I wasn’t stable or safe until they were gone. Steve had left to free everyone who’d been held in the RAFT like Wanda and Sam. In my lonesome, my mind scanned through the memories which had been coming back. Each one brought mostly a source of joy to me. I was remembering who I was. Not what I became because of Hydra. That was when the face of a woman appeared in my memories, at first she’d been a blur but now she was fully there in my head, like a beautiful portrait. Her name was at the tip of my tongue, I wanted to yell it out like it was the gospel. “(Y/N)!?” I screamed, that name echoed against the walls of the quinjet, I panted as if a weight had left my throat, it flooded past my eyes. The memories. The dances. The touches. The kisses. His fiancee. His (YN). My (YN). I then paused, what happened to her. What became of my (YN). Before anything in Wakanda, I needed to know. Even if she was dead, I wanted to know. I had to know. T’Challa returned with Steve, the others following behind, all battle-torn and tired. Steve wiped blood from his cheek and sighed “Ready Buck?” I rose to my feet “I am… but I need to do something first. I need to know what happened to… I need to know what happened to my (YN).” Steve looked shocked at his words, he’d never thought to look up what happened to her, still remembering the day so clearly when he told you about Bucky. It haunted him… “You remember her?” I nodded in response, my eyes watering as the memories of her smiling and laughing couldn’t stop running through my mind. Steve frowned “You want to know what happened? Then you will go to Wakanda?” I nodded “That is all I want.. That is all I'll ever ask of you from now on.” Steve nodded and sighed before looking at T’Challa who smiled “With my technology, it will be easy to find her.” I felt so relieved, so thankful that T’Challa trusted me now after knowing the truth “Thank you.” that was all I could muster up to say to him as T’Challa worked on it. As long as I knew that (YN) had lived a happy life then it would give me peace. Knowing that she had lived. Knowing that she was okay. It wasn’t long before T’Challa returned with a piece of paper “I found her.” I thanked him too soon as T’Challa interrupted me once more “Not only that but… she’s alive.” Alive. She was alive.~~~Your POV You were sat in your small cottage home, it was homely and filled with antiques. Your (HC) hair no longer shone in the same way, it had been replaced with a head of (HL) silver hair. Your (EC) eyes remained the same, though now sunken and wrinkled, those eyes had lasted you throughout your 96 years of being alive, though you could no longer read the small print on the back of food packaging which required your reading glasses’ assistance. Your cat curled up on your lap as you rested by the fire, above the mantle stood photographs, ranging from family events to the main picture which stood up front and centre. The picture of you and Bucky at Coney Island, framed and well-dusted, you never let it look unkempt and always smiled at it. As you stared at the photograph, you heard a knock at the door. It sometimes seemed that as soon as you daydreamed, something important would follow. Today would not be an exception. You grabbed your walking stick and hobbled over to the door, your cat following, you lived on your own and only usually got visitors from sometimes family or the carers who came to check on you and how your health was currently. You opened the door and there stood Steve Rogers, he looked the exact same. “I was wondering when you were going to come see me, you punk.” You gave him a cheeky smile, acting like a young girl all over again to which Steve faintly smiled “Yeah. Sorry bout that.” He looked down at you, to which you rolled your eyes “Oh pish posh. Don’t give me that. Now get yourself inside.” Ushering him in, mirroring the day that Steve had came to tell you Bucky had ‘died’. You sat on the couch with him and reached to hold his hand “I cried when I heard you were alive. I did.” You admitted and smiled “Since the day when you came to my apartment, I regretted how I treated you. I am sorry.” Steve smiled “You had just lost someone (NN). You mourned the only way you could.” He rubbed the backs of your hands as you giggled “No one has called me that in a long long time.” referring to the nickname which made Steve smile wider “You haven’t changed a bit you know?” He looked at you happily to which you scoffed “Have you seen me Steve? I am old now. Not the same beauty I used to be.” You let out a hearty laugh but froze as a voice could be heard from the shadows “You’re still beautiful, doll..” That voice. It couldn’t be? But. There he appeared, from the shadows appeared Bucky. He was war-torn, one of the arms to his hoodie limp, you thought maybe it was in a sling or something under his hoodie and his hair much longer than how it was before. But it was his eyes, it was still the same Bucky. The same Bucky you fell for. The same Bucky you agreed to marry. Tears brimmed at the edge of your eyes “Loverboy? Is that you?” Your voice cracking as you had to reassure yourself that this wasn’t an illusion or that you hadn’t died. Bucky wandered over and took Steve’s place on the couch, Steve had moved off and stood close to the wall. Bucky reached and touched your cheek with his right hand, it all felt the same yet different. You stared up in wonder “How?” You were still shocked and glanced to Steve for answers but Bucky frowned “You don't know about the news? About me?” You had never seen Bucky this way, so scared for your reaction about something, you shook your head “I’m all alone out here. Alone with my cat. I don't have a tv or any internet, Darling… but even if I did it would not matter. What matters is that you’re here and that you’re alive.” Bucky had tears in his eyes as he embraced you, holding you close to his chest as he cried, you cried too. The both of you cried together, exchanging words and declarations of love which you’d been waiting to speak since before you found out about Bucky’s ‘death’. Bucky stared at your hand, no other rings graced your fingers. Only the small thin silver band that he’d given you the night before he left was gracing your ring finger, he looked up at you in shock to which you smiled “I told you many times, Mr Barnes that you were special and that I would never find someone like you ever again… And I was right.” Bucky smiled sadly at this “But… you always wanted children (NN)?” You shushed him “I never loved another man but I gave my love to others. I fostered many children, Bucky. I got to see them growing up and in some of them I could see you and Steve.” You told him, your heart bursting at the seams, Bucky smiled as looked at the mantelpiece to see the pictures of the children you’d fostered and welcomed into your heart before spotting the picture of you and him at Coney Island, he stared at it for some time. You nuzzled his shoulder “I never let go of you, Buck. I love you. I never stopped loving you.” You told him, he wrapped his arm around your frail frame “I’m sorry I never came back to you…” Bucky muttered, you frowned “James Buchanan Barnes, you cannot change what has happened. From what I can see, what happened to you was terrible my love.” Touching his left shoulder “But what happened happened my dear, changing the past is impossible.” Bucky nodded sadly and sighed “I need to show you something.” He unzipped his hoodie and revealed his arm-less left shoulder, you gasped and felt tears form “Oh Bucky… Who did this to you?” You touched where his arm once was, he sighed sadly “I was taken by the enemy. They turned me into a monster.” he stared down at his hands but you reached over “Bucky.” you embraced him, your fragile form embracing him and cradling him like a babe in your arms “Hush. relax...” wanting him to relax and to let go of everything. Bucky froze before calming down and just curling into your arms, Steve watched the two of you sadly. “Can I stay with her? Just one last time Steve?” Bucky begged Steve, who gave in and nodded. Bucky smiled and looked up at you “I’m getting help from a new friend. I’m not stable yet but he can help. But till then I am not safe.” you nodded at Bucky’s statement “One last night together? Well... We’ll make tonight the perfect night won’t we?” Your words echoed to the past, a reflection of the last night the two of you had together before the war, he nodded “We shall, doll.” Steve backed away and left the cottage, he would return for Bucky in the morning but for now the two of you deserved time together alone. Not being watched over, given time to reminisce and remember the good times. The two of you sat by the fireplace together, reminiscing on old dates the two of you had and also with you filling him in on your life after he had ‘died’. You’d told him that your life was a happy one, something that Bucky loved to hear. You smiled and rubbed the back of his hand “Bucky, on my vanity there’s a box. Could you get it for me?” You asked, he nodded and soon returned back with the box, you smiled and gently took off the lid of the box. Bucky’s eyes widened “You kept all of this?” he was shocked as he went through photos, old movie tickets, old records and books which you had flower pressed some of the petals from the bouquet he’d given you on your first date into. You smiled and nodded “Of course I did.” You pulled out his old shirt and smiled “I used to cradle this, it smelled of you.” your wrinkled hands ran across the fabric, Bucky smiled and kissed your head gently before looking at the clock “Time seems to go so fast when we are together doesn’t it?” Seeing that it was now 12pm, you yawned “It does indeed.” resting your head upon his shoulder. Bucky smiled and stood up “Ready for sleep, Mrs Barnes?” holding out his hand for you, you nodded and grasped his hand, shaking a little as you rose to your feet. Bucky steadied you, walking with you to the bedroom, you were already in your nightgown anyways. You sat down on your side of the bed, Bucky took off his shoes and his jeans as well as his hoodie, leaving him in his shirt and his boxers. You reached out with your hands to cradle his face, finger tracing the contours of his face, remembering everything about him which for a long time had seemed a distant memory. Bucky smiled and got into bed alongside you, being comforted by your presence alongside him, you relaxed also. The two of you looked into each other's eyes, though Bucky wasn’t truly himself, you knew it was still him. You curled close to him and rested your head against his shoulder, his right arm curled around you just like he used to do, you held onto him as if preparing for him to disappear. The two of you were curled close to one another, relaxed and feeling connected. The crater which Bucky had left after his ‘death’ began to heal, being slowly patched up as you breathed in his smell which somehow still smelled the same to you. Everything felt perfect.~~~As if it had only been an hour sleep, the morning had came. You opened your bleary eyes to expect Bucky to be gone or for last night to have been truly just an illusion, but there he was lying beside you. Bucky was still asleep, his brown hair covering his battle-wounded face, you reached and brushed the hair from his face, he leant into your gentle touch. His long eyelashes flickered as he stirred awake, his blue eyes meeting yours. He smiled tiredly and remained by your side on the bed “Mornin’ Doll.” you relaxed alongside him “Morning Hotshot.” Your silvery gray hair formed a halo around your head as you rested against your soft pillows. Bucky smiled sadly “Steve is waiting outside… its time for me to go.” you frowned “How come you know that?” you sat up slowly, taking your time as Bucky chuckled “I have super hearing now.” He too sat up and reached for his clothes, getting dressed but taking his time. You watched from your bed “Why should I be surprised?” smiling tiredly. Bucky was ready to go, you rose to your feet shakily and retrieved something from your memory box which you’d saved for a long time. You stood before Bucky, he looked at you puzzled as you revealed a small velvet box, you opened it to reveal a thick silver band. A ring… A ring for Bucky. The ring you’d planned to give him when you met at the altar. Bucky looked at it and sighed “Sucks that I don't have a left hand eh?” He joked sadly, forcing out a smile, you shook your head “That doesn’t matter now. What matters is that you have this.” You pulled it from the box, dusty as you’d been holding onto it since 1944. You slid it onto his ring finger on his right hand, now the both of you had rings to signify your love, a love which had continued on past supposed ‘death’ and time. Bucky smiled and brushed your cheek gently with his thumb, he took in all your features one last time as if this time he’d truly never see you again. You looked at him “Steve’s waiting Buck… go.” You insisted and smiled “I ain’t getting any younger.” Bucky chuckled lightly and leant in to kiss your forehead, his lips lingering there as if wanting to prolong the eventual heartache. He pulled away slowly and walked out of your room, you watched him leave like a shadow escaping before the morning sun broke out, you turned to look out of your bedroom window. You saw him and Steve walk away from your cottage, he turned his head to look at you and as he did so he mouthed ‘I will always love you (YN)’ to which you pressed your hand against the window pane and mouthed ‘And I will always love you, James.’ He walked off into the distance with Steve, you felt your heart ache sorrowfully. Because deep down you knew. Deep down you knew that this was the last time you’d see your loverboy. A final goodbye.~~~? / ? / 2018 Bucky’s POV I searched for Steve, I had been blasted back by Thanos whilst trying to stop him from advancing towards Vision, my face was covered with dirt and my heart beating fast. I called out for Steve but a feeling in my gut arose, something in my body felt terribly wrong. I reached the clearing, still holding my weapon as I approached Steve and Thor who stared at each other in utter shock. “Steve?” I asked as I stepped forward, my hands slowly were disappearing into dust. I kept stepping forward but I felt my body just disappear. Disintegrating into millions of pieces of dust, before I was gone completely I heard my gun hit the floor and the dead silence from Steve. It was only darkness for a moment. But then I heard voices, voices of the team. My eyes blinked awake to see them, they were all shocked and confused. Where are we? I stood up as the team gathered together to figure out a plan on how to get out. But I could hear something, a voice calling out from the dark expanse of the new terrain. I wandered towards the voice, I could see a figure forming out of dust. The figure was wearing a fitted (FC) dress with a pair of black heels, the hair styled like a movie from my time. I froze when I saw the figure’s face, it was (YN) but she was young again… She looked around in fear and confusion “Where am I?!” I rushed over “Doll!?” I too was confused by this, how was she here and how was she young again. (YN) looked at me, her eyes wide in fear “Bucky?! Where am I?” she then touched her face, realising that she was no longer 96 years old. She didn’t look a day over 21 now. I held her face in my hands “Calm down for me, Doll. I don’t know where we are but you’re safe with me.” she nodded and calmed down slowly before taking a moment to think “Am I dead?” her eyes watering, I couldn’t help but feel my heart ache for her “I don’t know the answer to that doll, but we’re together okay?” smiling gently. She nodded and looked at my new metal arm, she let a tear fall when seeing on my new left hand there was the ring on my finger, her own ring still gently wrapped around her soft nimble finger. I smiled and wiped away the tear with my thumb, she giggled a little before pressing her forehead against mine, nose brushing against one another like an Eskimo kiss. (YN) smiled “We may not have any music but… Shall we have our first dance?” I smiled happily, regardless of the horrors of the situation we were currently in, this was our chance for a little while to have the first dance we never got to have at our wedding. I simply nodded “I would feel honoured for you to dance with me, Mrs Barnes.” (YN)’s hand reached to rest upon my bicep as I clasped her other hand and held our arms out horizontally, I began to hum the tune to a song we both loved. A song we used to slow-dance to on our dates at the various dance clubs, we always suggested this song. I hummed the tune to ‘Taking a Chance on Love’ as we started to dance, though there was nothing around us but never-ending shadow and monotone landscapes, we still danced, (YN)’s dress twirling around as we did. If this is truly the end of me, then I accept it.Because now I can finally be with the girl I love. And I’d give it all to take a chance on love again.
The End ~