How to impress girls. Success isn't guaranteed đ
Zero - Crown the Empire
Perfect Doll
Beefy!Bucky x Chubby!Reader
Summary: You invite Bucky to your family memberâs wedding when things are just as toxic as you remember them to be. Bucky stands up to them, having enough of their toxicity.
Warnings: Self esteem issues, body image issues, self doubt, toxic family, chubby!reader, angst with a happy ending, mutual pining, fake dating au, friends to lovers.
Words: 1,749
Authorâs Notes: This is written for @the-ss-horniest-book-club and my prompt was: Chubby!reader asks beefy!bucky to be her fake boyfriend for her random family member wedding.
She asks him because she has a crush, he says yes because he's crushing too (those pining losers)
They'll be gone for a whole weekend and her family won't believe her because look at him, why would he want you?
Until bucky can't take it anymore and rips them a new one for treating his perfect doll like that.
I think Iâve covered everything in this! I hope you like it đ„°
The moment Bucky walked in and your eyes met, your breath hitched. The effect this man had on you was staggering; how your heart would always skip a beat, trying to speak clearly but ending up speaking backwards and embarrassing yourself. It was hard to concentrate when you had this beefy super soldier in front of you; his shirt pulled over his abs and his jeans hugging his thick thighs tightly. You were always a mess, not that Bucky seemed to mind too much. Bucky always seemed rather pleased with himself whenever he could render you speechless and an adorable stuttering mess. Though, in his eyes everything you did was adorable.
But today you were a nervous wreck for a whole new reason. A wedding invitation arrived in the mail today; the wedding of a family member. The invitation was for you and a date, and as your mom also wrote a separate note stating the family wanted to meet the mysterious man you had been talking about, you had no choice but to ask Bucky.
Well, you did have a choice. You could have asked any guy in the compound to be your date but you didnât because you knew what would happen. They would have all rejected, your self esteem had already hit rock bottom and you didnât need to give them another excuse to snigger and comment behind your back.
There was nothing actually wrong with you per-say, but you hated the way your body looked. Your clothes never looked right, youâd buy the next size up in jeans and they would still end up being too tight and uncomfortable around your belly. You didnât own a single bikini or bathing suit.
Bucky was always the one complimenting on how great those jeans looked though, or how that blouse matched your eye colour. Your weight didnât even seem to bother him, heâs never made a comment, heâs never compared you to Natasha or Wanda or even any other thin girl in the compound. Heâs actually been more than happy to snack and binge eat with you during movie nights. But you try not to overthink that part too much, youâre pretty sure heâs just being kind to you since nobody else in the compound was. He was actually your only friend, the only person who would speak to you without judging with his eyes.
Bucky finished speaking to Steve before he walked over to you with a smile and a bounce in his step. Subconsciously, you tug on your T-shirt to pull it away from your round belly.
âHey doll, you okay?â He smiles, putting his hands in his pocket and gnawing on his lip⊠nervously? Why was he nervous? Oh, did he see your invitation? Oh god, maybe he already knew what was going to happen and heâs come here to tell you he canât go with you and youâll end up going alone like the worthless loser you felt.
âDoll? Youâre overthinking something.â Bucky clicks his tongue and moves closer. His chest right in front of your face makes it difficult not to lean in and bury your face in his delicious cologne.
âSorry, Iâm just⊠Iâm just nervous.â You sigh, biting your lip and feeling more uncomfortable with how you look under his careful stare.
âNervous? What happened?â Bucky takes your arm and leads you over to the couches in the common room. Youâre aware youâre alone with him and that makes it slightly easier if he does end up rejecting your proposal. âDoll? Youâre making me nervous now.â He chuckles, trying to lighten the mood.
âOh, right! Sorry! I kind of have this favour to ask and youâre the only one I want to ask but I understand if you say no thereâs no pressure.â
âIâm all ears doll.â
âIâve received⊠I had a wedding invitation arrive in the mail today and I have to bring a date and I was hoping that you would be my fake boyfriend? Itâs for the whole weekend and Iâll pay you back - whatever you need!â
A smile grows on Buckyâs face as he gently wraps his hand around your thigh and squeezes gently. âOf course doll, Iâll come with you.â Your smile matches his, your heart doing somersaults in your chest and those butterflies are fluttering around in the pit of your stomach.
â
The weekend arrived a lot sooner than you would have liked. Normally you would be ecstatic about the weekend and relaxing, but giving the circumstances you were incredibly nervous and anxious. You knew your family would love Bucky, heâs charming and sweet. It was their comments about your appearance you were most anxious about. You just hoped they wouldnât embarrass you in front of your crush.
Bucky grasped your hand and interlaced your fingers before he leaned in. âItâs going to be okay, doll. Iâm here.â He whispers, kissing your temple just as the front door opens and your mother gives you that look you were so familiar with.
âY/N.â She greets coldly, already her vibes not sitting well with Bucky. Your mother doesnât even invite you in for a hug, she sidesteps and lets you both in. âDidnât they have that dress in your size, dear?â She asks and your heart becomes heavy.
âThis *is my size mom.â You answer, feeling Bucky squeeze your hand.
âAnd I think you look gorgeous in it doll.â Bucky kisses your cheek and smiles.
âYou must be Bucky? Hi! Iâm Y/Nâs mom.â She smiles proudly up at him. âYou wait until you meet the bridesmaids!â She tells him and youâre ready to run off and never speak to your family again. Itâs Bucky that keeps you grounded, reminding you heâs here with you every step of the way. Heâs in disbelief at how your own mother treats you, heâs dreading to see how the rest of your family goes down.
He didnât have long to wait to find out. Your father was most welcoming. Pulling you into hugs and telling you how much heâs missed you. The rest of your family, not so much. You hear people whispering and smirking, you know itâs about you being here with Bucky. Youâre on your second sandwich when your sister approaches with a glass of wine in hand.
âSo, how much are you paying that hunky guy to be here?â She sniggers, keeping her eyes on Bucky. Heâs talking casually with your father and your eyes well up.
âIâm not paying him anything, weâve been together for a few months.â You lie, but wishing it was true.
âOh come on Y/N. Who are you trying to fool? Us or yourself? Thereâs no way a guy like that; good looking, hunky, beefy would date someone like *you.â
That was it. You dropped the plate, allowing the thin china to shatter over the floor and hiked your dress up allowing you to run inside. Bucky heard the commotion and saw you run off, he glared at the laughing woman that was standing next to you. Something within him snapped, and he couldnât stand it any longer watching your family pick at your insecurities.
âWhat the hell did you say?â He yells, stomping over and wiping the smirk off her face. âWhat did you say to my girl?â
Your sister stutters, looking at the other household members for help but receiving nothing in return.
âI told her⊠thereâs no way a guy like you couldâŠâ
âCould. What?!â Bucky is seething, his jaw and fists clenched.
âCould⊠couldâŠâ
âSpit it out!â
âCould date someone like that, I'm so sorry!â
Bucky storms past your sister, calling out your name. Youâre on the bottom stair with tears staining your cheeks.
âDoll, come with me.â He takes your hand and pulls you up, not giving you a chance to argue with him. Youâre too humiliated to face anyone right now but he leads you back out and itâs so quiet. It seemed like the birds had even stopped singing.
âYou know,â Bucky starts, clearing his throat and demanding the attention from every single member of your family. âItâs my first time meeting everyone and since I got here Iâve been biting my tongue. The things Iâve wanted to say, I didnât because I didnât want to upset Y/N. But seeing *you, her own family make comments, snide remarks, laughing behind her back and then worst of all be told she has no right to date someone like me?â He takes a breath, taking in everyoneâs guilty expressions before he continues. âY/N is the most beautiful woman Iâve ever met,I love her and if anyone doesnât deserve to be with someone itâs me who doesnât deserve to be with her.â Bucky turns to face you, youâre frozen in place and shocked. You're happy but you canât believe this is real. âI love you, I have for a really long time doll. Youâre perfect the way you are and donât you ever change how you look to please other people.â Bucky refers to a comment he had overheard earlier between your mother and her friend.
You sigh happily, wrapping your arms around his neck. âDo you mean it? You like me for me?â
âI love every inch of you doll. Thereâs nothing I wouldnât change about you.â He smiles and leans in, âonly your family.â
âI love you too Buck, youâre the only family I want.â You lean in and he closes the gap. A round of applause from your father is quickly stopped by a glare from your mother.
âAnd just for the record,â Bucky says, turning around to face them. âNone of you are invited to our wedding. You can also imagine what your grandchildren will look like. Come on doll, letâs spend the rest of the weekend alone in a happier place.â You giggle, walking behind him and ignoring your mother calling your name. She burned these bridges herself. But it was Buckyâs words that replayed in your head over and over. Nobody had ever stood up for you before and he loved you for who you were?
Of course he did. Because it doesnât matter whatâs on the outside; whether youâre small, big, tall, short. Itâs whatâs on the inside that counts and every single person in the universe needs someone like Bucky to bring the best out of you. Donât let anybody ever tell you something differently. You are loved and deserve to be loved.
Me when people are testing my patience
NOT MINE! I found it on Pinterest
Thats⊠so⊠CUUUTEE
~ gif not mine credit to owner ~
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader
Summary: Buckyâs moved next door to you and your children, your children wants to play matchmaker.
Word count: 7,322
Warnings: fluff. angst (only a tiny bit though) children being adorable. reader nearly takes her finger off/blood. mention of a dead beat dad. Bucky being the cutest. Alpine being the cutest. swearing. mention of health insurance problems? Iâm British so if Iâve gotten it wrong justâŠleave me alone. small mention of financial issues/being in debt.Â
Masterlist
Opening the door to the apartment you shut it again, opening slowly before repeating the action a few more times, sighing in defeat that nothing had changed you took in the sight of the once cleaned apartment that now looked like a bomb had hit it.
Toys laid out on the floor, your daughters toy prams laying on their sides with the baby dolls hanging out of them, legos scattered around, broken crayons laid amongst the chaos.
âKids?â You called out as you removed your coat.
âOhâŠhi Y/n the kids are next doorâ Poppy your kidâs babysitter says as she pops her head around the corner.
âWith Ms Hopewell?â
âUm no the new guyâ.
Your heart stopped. The apartment next door had been empty since you and the kids moved in to your apartment two years ago, hearing that there was now a tenant living there didnât bother you what bothered you was that it was a man who was alone with your children whilst the babysitter was-
âWhat was that?â
âThey, um their next doorâ Poppy replies quickly.
âNo I got that bit but what I want to know is who just coughed?â
âI-itâs my boyfriend-â
Oh your day just kept getting better and better.
âGet out. Your sackedâ
âB-but Y-â
âNo. Tell him to put his shirt on and I want you both to leave my home. Nowâ
The regret of not listening to Marina the mum of your daughters friend who had warned you not to hire the sixteen year old babysitter was hitting full force but at the time you was desperate and in need of a babysitter so you could work. Now you felt foolish that you gave her the benefit of the doubt, just for her to think it was acceptable to bring her boyfriend who you did not know into your home and to allow your children to be next door with a complete stranger.
Not listening to Poppyâs excuses you told her one more time to leave as you went next door where you could now hear your childrenâs cheerful voices.
The front door to the apartment was open, calling out for your kids where you heard them running towards you.
âMommaâ
âWhat the hell do you think you two are doing? How many times have I told you not to talk to strangers.â You scolded despite seeing them okay and well.
âMr Bucky isnât a stranger mommaâ Cora your daughter says sheepishly.
âMamaâ Jasper your son - the youngest out of the two - laughs as he pulls on your shirt.
Before you could reply to either child you hear soft footsteps coming towards you.
âIâm sorry Maâam-â
âYou canât just let strange kids into your home-â
You cut yourself off when you look up. Not expecting a six foot, built like a brick wall yet looked soft oddly enough man. His bright blue eyes shined through the dimmed hallway, brown hair long enough to be pulled up in a bun that sat low on the back of his head, with a few strands of wavy hair framing his handsome face.
âMomma Mr Bucky has a black arm and itâs cold!â Cora giggled pointing at her left arm.
âCora!â You scolded, apology on the tip of your tongue before this Mr Bucky laughed.
âItâs true, I do have a black armâ And thatâs when you notice it.
âMomma guess how he lost it? Guess, momma guessâ Cora jumped around on the spot causing Jasper to do the same.
âI-umm Iâm not sure sweetieâ
âHe didnât eat his veggies and his arm fell off!â She laughed âhe told me and Jaspy that we have to eat all our veggies so it donât happen to usâ her eyes widened comically.
Looking up at the man who you assumed the worst of as he stood there with his arms crossed and a huge grin on his lips making his eyes crinkle.
âItâs true maâamâ
âMama kittyâ Jasper tugs on your shirt again, taking your eyes away from the man to your son who was pointing at a ball of white fluff as it came trotting over âname kitty mamaâ
âHer names Alpine-â Cora tries to correct.
âNo name kittyâ Jasper pouts causing you and the man to laugh.
âYouâre very right, her names kittyâ he smiles softly. âBy the way Iâm James, well everyone calls me Buckyâ He holds his right hand out for you to shake.
You tried to ignore the way his hand was warm, calloused yet soft, shaking his hand. âIâm Y/nâ.
âItâs nice to meet you. And listen Iâm really sorry that I had your kids in here, um they were outside in the hallway-â
âExcuse me?â
âT-they were outsideâ he points behind you âI had just came back from the store when I saw them, um Cora said that Poppy had a boy inside and they were told to play in the hallwayâ He winces as he scratches the back of his neck.
âItâs true momma. They were kissingâ you grimaced and the anger you felt for your now former babysitter increased.
âCora said you was at work and at the time I didnât see the harm in letting them in to my apartment b-but now I see I did the wro-â
âNo no no, I-thank you.â You cut him off, feeling slightly ashamed for overreacting.
âItâs okay, theyâre great kids.â
âThank you, I best get them back so I can feed them. Iâm sorry if they caused any problems for youâ you smiled, finally stand whilst picking Jasper up and placing him on your hip.
âThey didnât cause any problems, donât worry. Bye Mr Jasper bye Miss Coraâ
âBye bye Mr Bucky and Miss Alpineâ Cora waves already leaving.
Jasper just waves, his thumb sliding into his mouth.
âBye Buckyâ
âBye, oh um Y/n⊠I would wash the bedding, the bedroom closest to this wall if I was youâ He says grimacing as he knocks on the wall to his left.
Your bedroom.
âGreat. Just great, thanks for the tipâ. Giving him a tight lip smile you give him an awkward wave and walk back into your home.
âI-Iâm sorry Y/n please just give me another chanceâ Poppy begs.
âAbsolutely not. Now I want you to leaveâ
âBut I need this job Y/n pleaseâ
âYou told my children, the same children I pay you to look after, to go and play in the hallway so you could have sex in my bed! Oh donât look so shocked, I found the used condom on my floor - thanks for that. Now donât come backâ
âWi-will you give me a referen-â You slammed the door in her face.
The audacity of this girl.
âMama kittyâ Jasper catches your attention and sure enough thereâs Alpine walking around in a circle around your two year old.
âHow did she get in here?â All you got in response was Jasper sticking his tongue out out you. âLetâs get her back home yeah?â
Now here came the tricky part, did you pick her up? Or just open the door and pray to a higher power that she didnât run off?
You really hoped that she wouldnât run off as the thought of chasing after a cat exhausted you but picking up the cat wasnât your fan favourite either, from thirteen years old youâve had a fear of touching cats after the neighbours tabby dug his claws into your skin and clung on for dear life.
âOkay bubba I need you not to move, Iâll be right back okayâ great parenting leaving a two year old home alone, you scold yourself. Running out of the door and rapidly knocking on Buckyâs.
âHey, Y/n are you okay?â
âAlpines in my apartment and Iâm scared to touch cats so⊠come get herâ
âShit. Iâm sorry I donât know how I missed her getting out-wait did you just say youâre scared to touch them?â
Rolling your eyes as he chuckles âdonât laugh itâs a real phobiaâ
That has him practically crying. âSo youâre afraid of cats?â
âNo, I just donât like touching them unless theyâre asleep-stop laughing!â
âIâm sorry doll- hi Mr Jasper, come on missy youâre scaring our neighbourâ he laughs as he bends down to pick up the cotton ball of fluff.
âIâm not scared of her!â
âWhatever you say doll, whatever you sayâ
âItâs-â
âA real phobia I knowâ winking at you âwhereâs Miss Cora?â
âAt her friends for a sleepover so itâs just me and little man tonightâ even though your daughter is two blocks away, you couldnât help but miss her and mainly worry despite knowing sheâs safe.
âThat sounds like fun, Iâll see youâ
And just as heâs about to cross over the threshold Jasper interrupts him. âKitty stayâ
âNo baby kitty has to go home nowâ
âNo kitty stay mamaâ
âNot tonight babyâ
Here comes the waterworks in 3âŠ2âŠ1âŠ
Jasper burst into a fit of tears, throwing himself backwards kicking his little arms and legs out.
âKitty stayâ he stutters, it breaks your heart hearing him cry like that.
âMa-maybe if itâs okay with you Alpine can stay for a bit? I donât mind honestly and sheâs great with kidsâ Bucky offers and at his words Jaspers tears start to cease.
âYeah umm yeah thatâs okay with meâ you say smiling lightly at Bucky.
âBehave missyâ he tells the cat whoâs trying to jump out of his arms, and once sheâs free she runs over to Jasper rubbing herself all over him that he starts giggle at her fur tickling him.
âOnce heâs asleep just knock on the wall and Iâll come and get her-â
âStayâ you blurt out instantly feeling the heat warm your cheeks âth-thatâs if you donât have anything better to-â
âI would love toâ he smiles.
And so Bucky and Alpine join you and Jasper for dinner and some cartoons.
You was sitting next to Bucky on the couch when he taps your shoulder and nods his head in the direction of Jasper and Alpine, you couldnât help but take your phone out and taking a picture of the two cuddled up together, fast asleep.
Months had passed before you had even realised. Bucky and Alpine spent most of their days now at your apartment, which you couldnât complain as you now had another adult to talk to.
You had just left to go and get something from the store leaving Bucky alone with the kids. Jasper was playing with his toys with Alpine whilst Bucky and Cora was sat on the couch together.
Everything was good until.
âMomma doesnât have a boyfriendâ Cora told Bucky causing him to choke on his drink.
âOhâŠâ
âDo you want to be mommaâs boyfriend?â
âI erm Iâm not sure why?â
âMomma will make you happy, she makes me and Jaspy happy and she makes us dino nuggies for dinner and she reads us bedtime stories and makes sure thereâs no monsters under the bedâ
âReally?â
âYep she would do that for you too if you was her boyfriendâ the six year old put her hand on Buckyâs left arm as she told him.
âIâm not sure CoraâŠâ
âWhy not? Do you not like my momma?â
âI do sweetheart but itâs just a little bit more complicated than thatâ
âMomma said she likes you, I asked her. You can make her happy and sheâll make you happy. I donât want momma to cry anymoreâ
âWhat do you mean?â
âShe cries at night when sheâs in bed but she doesnât know that I know. If you be her boyfriend she wonât cry anymoreâ
Bucky knows Y/n cries at night, due to his enhanced hearing he can hear her. It pains him to hear her sobs until sheâs eventually cried herself to sleep.
The knowledge that Cora knows it happens too makes his heart hurt. Sheâs six years old and all she wants is her momma to be happy even going as far to ask him - the ex brainwashed assassin whoâs over a hundred years old - for help.
And the way sheâs looking at him doesnât help.
âSo⊠will you think about it?â Cora asks when she doesnât receive a response.
âYeah Iâll think about itâ
Five minutes go by.
âHave you thought about it?â
âNot yetâ
âOkayâ
Another five minutes go by.
âNow?â
âStill thinking Coraâ
Jumping up from the couch when he hears the door come open he jogs over to help you with the shopping.
âHey, thanks youâre a lifesaverâ sighing in relief as the bags are released from your arms.
âNo problemâ
âDid they behave?â
âYeah, well apart from Miss Coraâ he winks at Cora as she comes over.
âNo momma it was Mr Bucky that was naughtyâ
âWhy what did he do?â
âHe ate all the cookies and didnât let me have oneâ she pouts.
You had to stifle the laugh from coming out as Buckyâs eyes widen and jaw dropped open, gasping dramatically at the claims.
âY/n it was the other way round! I swearâ
âNo it wasnât momma I have witnessesâ holding her one finger up to you she runs back into the living room to get the witnesses. Bucky stands there with his arms crossed and lightly tapping his foot.
âThey saw it happenâ laying her dolls down on the counter she looks at you then at Bucky with a smug smile.
âY/n whatever they say itâs a lie!â
That time you couldnât hold the laughter in any more.
âYou twoâŠâ shaking your head.
Seeing a grown man arguing with a six year old and her toys about them being liars makes you laugh even more.
Later that evening Cora says goodnight to Bucky and Alpine, you hear her ask him âhave you thought about it now?â Causing your eyebrows to furrow.
Walking him to the door you ask âwhat was Cory talking about before she went to bed?â
âOh nothing doll, see you tomorrowâ.
You was in the kitchen cooking dinner when the knock at the door had Cora running straight towards it.
âHi Mr Bucky hi Alpineâ
âHello Miss Coraâ
âIâm a princess todayâ
âI see, hi Princess Coraâ he chuckled.
âHello, would you like to come into my castle?â
âYes please, thank youâ
Their footsteps got closer towards you, turning round you saw Alpine run past jumping straight on to the couch where Jasper was sitting.
âMomma Mr Buckyâs hereâ she told you before going back to the living room.
âHi Buckyâ
âHey, so Coraâs a princess today then?â
âYep. Thatâs her fourth dress change since she came home from schoolâ
Chuckling as he sits down on the stool he watches you move around the small kitchen. âDo you need any help?â
âOh no Iâm fine, how was work?â You asked.
âIt was fine just the usual, Sam being a pain in my backsideâ
âFair enoughâ you laughed âhey um Bucky I need to ask a huge favour, you can say no okay so donât fee-â
âDoll ask meâ
âRemember you can say no, okay? But I have to work tomorrow as someoneâs off ill and itâs Saturday so I was wondering if itâs no issue for you to look after the kids for me?â
He doesnât even think about his answer as he answers âof course, just tell me when I should come overâ
âReally? Oh Bucky youâre a lifesaver, Iâll have to pay you next week if thatâs okay?â
âNo absolutely not Y/n, Iâm not going to take money off youâ
âBut I canât ask you to look after them for freeâ
âYour not, Iâm not taking money off you doll and thatâs finalâ
He gets up off the stool and moves into the living room, you hear him tell the kids that theyâll be spending the day with him and the kids cheering.
Ever since you sacked Poppy youâve been struggling, luckily your boss has been understanding that you need to work certain hours however the hours you now work is way less then what you use to, tomorrow will be the day you work longer that five hours.
Ms Hopewell from next door normally looks after Jasper but since it was the weekend she didnât need to, plus her daughter was taking her out for the day-
âShit-fuck goddamnit!â So lost in your thoughts you didnât realise how close the knife was to your finger that was until you felt the sharp pain and warm sensation of blood trickling down your hand.
âShi-shoot Y/n are you okay?â Bucky comes running over stopping when he see the blood.
âIâm fine-is it suppose to hurt this much? It really hurtsâ
âDoll we need to get you to the hospitalâ
âNo, no itâs fine Iâll put a plaster on it-can you hand me the first aid kit from the cabinetâ
âY/n you need stitches-â He attempts
âI canât. I donât have insurance anymoreâ you mutter.
âWhat?â
âThe kids have but I had to give mine up so I could have insurance for Jasper. I canât afford to pay the hospital bill Buckyâ
Youâve never been ashamed of the fact that you couldnât afford treatment for yourself it was just one of those things, your kids or you - it was an easy choice. Thereâs only ever been one time that you slightly regretted that decision and thatâs when you broke your ankle just before you moved into the apartment, it had healed fully after nearly a year of being broken and the only time it affects you is in the winter or when you stood up to fast.
You knew he was right about needing to get stitches as you was pretty sure you could see the bone - you couldnât - but you couldnât help the shame that crept into your veins admitting it to Bucky that you couldnât afford to pay for said stitches. The thought of getting another letter with big bold red letters telling you that you was in debt made your heart pang with fear.
Despite the pain in your finger and the cramp that was starting to seep into your hand you was still not going to go to the hospital.
âIâll pay for it doll. Come on letâs get it sor-â
âNo absolutely not. Iâm not your charity case Bucky, just pass the first aid kit over and Iâll put a plaster onâ You snapped. Instantly regretting it when you see Buckyâs eyes go sad.
âIâm not saying you are Y/n but a plaster isnât going to do anything doll, I honestly donât mind paying please just⊠just let me help you outâ
âI canât Bucky okay, I just canât ask you to do that for me.â
âOkay. Okay how about I take you to my work place we have a doct-â
âWhat part of I canât afford it donât you understand?â
âSheâll do it for free! If you could stop interrupting me for one second. Dr Cho will do it and she wonât charge I promise.â
Nibbling on your lip as blood splashed down the counter you started to shake your head.
âI can ring her now and ask her to come here if you want?â
âI-will she?â
âOf course give me a minuteâ he steps away to ring the doctor. âSheâs on her wayâ he comes closer and helps you wrap your hand in the tea towel.
âBucky, Iâm really sorry for snapping I-â
âY/n itâs fine okay. Choâs on her way sheâs nice and sheâll fix your fingerâ
âMomma what happened?â Cora goes pale at the sight of blood.
âMomma had a bit of an accident Princess Cora, can you go back to Mr Jasper and Alpine for me?â Bucky says before you had the chance.
âOkay but is momma okay?â
âYes sweetheart she is, donât worryâ
Cora looks at you waiting for confirmation and when she gets a smile and a nod she runs back to her brother and Alpine.
âThank you Buck-shit itâs really stingingâ
âI know, she should be her-â the knock at the door cuts him off, just before he walks off he kisses you on your forehead.
Hearing him talk to the doctor your fingers lightly grazed the part where he had kissed, a small shy smile made its way on your lips.
âCho this is Y/n, Y/n this is Choâ
âHi itâs a pleasure to meet you, James said that youâve injured your finger?â
âHi, and yeah I-I wasnât looking at what I was doing and sliced myselfâ awkwardly lifting your hand up that now had dry blood on your arm.
âHi Miss who are you?â Cora comes over with her hand on her hip.
âHello Iâm Helenâ
âHello Helen Iâm Princess Cora, thatâs momma, Mr Bucky and over there is Jasper and Alpineâ
Helen curtsyâs at Cora making the six year old giggle âItâs nice to meet your family Princess Coraâ
The implication that Bucky was apart of your family didnât slip your notice and by the look of Buckyâs face it didnât him either, neither one of you said anything to correct her though.
Cora walks off once again and Helen turns her attention back to you, unwrapping the towel she turned to Bucky telling him what she needed out of her medical bag.
With him distracted you looked at Helen âI-I canât pay you so itâs okay just to put a plaster on it, itâll be fine in a few daysâ
âDonât be silly Iâm not charging youâ she says softly. âThank you James, Y/n this might hurt but Iâll try and be as gentle as I canâ
It was weird because it hurt until Bucky held your other hand. Strange.
âAll done, if itâs easier for you Iâll come back here in a few weeks to remove the stitchesâ
You thank her once again as Bucky walks her to the door.Â
âYou okay?â
âYeah Iâm okay. Bucky I really am so-â
His lips cut you off. Said lips being attached to yours.
âStop apologising, itâs my turn now - Y/n Iâm really sorry for thatâ he says once heâs pulled away.
âDid you not like it? Was it bad?â You panic, it was your first kiss in over two years to you it was magical but not to him as he apologising.
âGod no doll, to both questions. Itâs just I should have asked first-why are you smiling like that?â
âC-can I have another one?â
Bucky chuckles just as his lips gently touch yours again.
A week after nearly chopping your finger off and having not one, not two but three kisses with Bucky, he knocked on the door and let himself in like you told him to do.
âHi Buckâ
âHey doll, whereâs my two favourite people in the world at?â Pressing a kiss to your temple.
âJaspers down for a nap and Coraâs in her room, Buck sheâs upsetâ
âWhy? Whoâs hurt her?â
âOne of the girls in her class is having a sleepover and invited all the other girls in the class, apart from Coryâ
Your heart breaking again remembering how sad she looked coming out of school, normally she was all smiles and talking a thousand miles per hour, filling you in on what she had done that day but not today. It wasnât until you got home where she finally broke down in tears.
âWhen?â
âTonight, apparently all the other girls knew and was told not to tell Coraâ
âIs her friend going?â
âAbbie? No sheâs in a different class so sheâs hasnât been invited eitherâ
âGive me 20 minutes and Iâll be backâ
âWhere are you going?â
âItâs a surprise dollâ he winks before kissing you and leaving.
And sure enough twenty minutes later he was walking back through the door. This time he had two bags in his hands.
âBucky?â
âMe, you and the kids are having our own sleep over and itâs going to be way better than that snobby-â
âSheâs six Buckyâ
âAnd? She didnât invite the best girl to her sleep over so there for⊠sheâs snobbyâ
Shaking your head you couldnât help but smile as he pulled different snacks and drinks out of the bag onto the coffee table.
âSo Iâm thinking that weâll make a pillow fort, watch movies and eat snacks and Iâll order us a pizza from Coraâs favourite place?â
Every fibre in your being was screaming at you just say those three words but you couldnât, not yet at least. You and Bucky wasnât even dating all you did was share a few kisses, itâll be weird to blurt out them words.
âMr Bucky youâre hereâ Cora says coming out of her bedroom.
âIâm here sweetheart, did your momma not tell you what was happening tonight?â
âNo, whatâs happening?â
âUs four are having a sleepoverâ
âReally?â She squeals and runs into Bucky who lifts her up. âThank you thank you! This is the best day ever!â
You hear Jasper call out for you from his room so you leave Bucky and Cora alone. Picking Jasper up from his bed and walk in to the living room where the two year old says something that stops not only you in your tracks but Bucky and Cora.
âDadaâ
His little arms reaching out to the only man in the room. Buckyâs eyes bounce from you then to Jasper, then to you. You can see it in his eyes that heâs begging you to tell him what to do but you canât, youâre completely frozen.
âBuckyâ he says slowly as to make Jasper understand but all he receives is-
âDadaâ Jasper giggles and repeats the word a few more times.
Bucky finally puts Cora down and slowly makes his way over to you two and when heâs just in reach Jaspers jumped out of your arms and into Buckyâs. As soon as Bucky has hold of him you walk out of the room going straight to your bedroom. Shutting the door you burst out crying.
âDoll? Iâm coming in okay?â It had been close to ten minutes since you had walked out. âOh sweetheart, Iâm so sorryâ
âWhy are you sorry for?â Wiping your tears he pulls you into his chest.
âI tried correcting him but he just wouldnât stop, even Cora told him not toâ
âDid she say anything to you? About their father I mean.â
âNo she just looked really upset.â
âHe erm, he-â
âY/n you donât have to tell me, itâs okayâ
âNo no I want to, I trust you. He left, well he kicked me and Cora out when I was four months pregnant. Everything was fine that morning when we woke up, he went to work I stayed at home and when I was putting his dinner out he came home with an envelope in his hands and threw it on the table, he walked into Coraâs bedroom walked out with a huge bag a few minutes later then did the same with our roomâ wiping the fresh tears that had fallen, you hadnât spoken about that day to anyone - not even your family.
âHe told me to open the letter so I did an-and inside was paper, right. When I read it, it said that he had given up his rights to Cora and the unborn baby. I asked him why he was doing this and he told me I ruined his life when Cora was born and I was doing it again with the new baby, said he wanted to live his life without being tied down. Kicked me and a crying three year old out, at first I thought he had been cheating on me but it turns out he wasnât, there was no one on the side he just wanted to live his lifeâ
Bucky was practically shaking, you could feel the anger coming from him.
âI found out a few months later that all of our friends knew what he was doing, promised him that they would keep his secret and that he started the process when I was a few weeks along. Everyday he told me and Cory he loved us, spoke to the bump saying he couldnât wait to meet them all while he and everyone around us knew what he was doing.â
âY/n⊠doll Iâm so sorryâ
âWhy itâs not your fault, you know Cory never even mentioned him after it happened not once, I thought she would of because she was such a daddyâs girl three nearly four years old and she knew, she knew he didnât want her anymore so she never asked when she was going to see him or called out for him during the night. If he had just told me he didnât want me anymore that I would have been okay with bu-but to not want anything to do with his kids? It didnât make sense to meâ
âHas he even been in contact with you since?â
âNo. I got a phone call once from his friend who told me that he was really struggling to sell the house and somehow it was my faultâ
âHow was it your fault?â
âGod knows, he started rambling off then started calling me names when he heard Ms Hopewellâs son talking in the background, said I had moved on pretty quick when I hadnât. He was there helping me fix up my bed after his mum found out I was sleeping on the floorâ
âDoll-â
âDonât apologise again please Bucky, I got through it Iâm fine now. I think hearing Jasper call you dada made unwanted emotions come up you know? Youâve obviously realised that he doesnât speak much even at two thereâs only a few words he can say, I donât know where I went wrong with that but Iâve tried, Iâve tried teaching him other words but he just donât.â
âYou didnât do anything wrong Y/n you are an incredible mum, those two kids out there are the most sweetest loving people. Jasper will start talking soon, I just know itâ
You tried, you really did.
âI love youâ
Oh the silence was killing you.
âI love you tooâ he smiled softly.
He leant in for a kiss when-
âIs Bucky our new daddy?â
âNot yet sweetheartâ not yet played in your mind over and over even as he stands up winking at you and taking Coras hand in his and walks back to the living room.
That night after all the excitement needed to come to an end all four of you climbed into your bed. Cora tucked snuggly in your arms, Jasper in Buckyâs, Buckyâs left arm over your waist pulling all three of you closer to him. Alpine slept curled up in a ball at the bottom.
For the first time in just over two years you went to sleep dried faced and peacefully.
And unbeknownst to you, it was the first time in a very very long time that Bucky only had happy dreams as he slept.
It had been a month since the sleepover and confession, within that month Bucky had practically moved in. Alpine spent all her time with Cora and Jasper, sleeping with Jasper at night.
Bucky had to go on a work trip, heâd been gone for just over two weeks now and to be truthful you was missing him even if you did speak to him everyday, him ringing every night to say goodnight to the kids and speaking to you for a few minutes before he had to leave.
It was Wednesday afternoon and you couldnât stop worrying when Bucky hadnât called you the night before or that day. As you was cleaning the apartment the knock at the door made you jump. Cora went to jump up and answer it but since you knew it wasnât Bucky you told her to stop receiving a frown in response.
Answering the door you froze.
âHi, are you Y/n?â Nodding your head at the man he smiled. âHi Iâm-â
âMomma itâs Captain America!â Cora squealed from behind you.
Turning his attention from you to Cora he smiled softly âhello you must be Miss Cora, Buckyâs told me all about youâ
âYou know Mr Bucky? Momma he knows Buckyâ
âI-I know sweetieâ your eyes still trained on the blonde âwould you like to come in?â
âThank youâ
Pulling Cora closer to you, you watched as Steve walked into your home. You couldnât put your finger on it but for some reason you didnât like the feeling you had in your stomach. Steve walked into the living room where Jasper and Alpine was.
âCora take Jasper and Alpine into your room pleaseâ
âWhy momma?â
âJust do as I sayâ
Cora listened and picked up her younger brother who had Alpine in his arms and walked into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her you let out a deep breath.
âHi, are you okay?â
âIâm fine, is Bucky alright?â
âYeah heâs fine, he asked me to come over and pick you guys up. Itâs better if he explainsâ
âWhere is he?â
âHeâs at the tower, I need you to pack some clothes and come with meâ
âFor how long?â
âEnough for a few daysâ
âWhatâs Buckyâs favourite book?â
âHuh?â
âWhatâs his favourite book?â You asked again with your arms crossed.
âThe Hobbit, why?â
âOkay, Iâll be right backâ
âWhy did you ask me that?â
âJust to see if it was really youâ Steveâs laugh made you smile as you walked into Coraâs room.
Once packed Steve stood there holding the bags in one hand and in the other Coraâs hand as they both stood watching with amused smiles as you struggled to get Alpine into the cat carrier that Bucky had brought over a few weeks earlier when you both took her to the vets.
After almost ten minutes of struggling all it took was Jasper to pick her up and place her inside.
Never in your life have you been more thankful for your two year old.
âBucky gave me his car keysâ giving Steve a questionable look, he smiled âhe said that he brought car seats for the kids and since we donât have any laying around the tower it would be better if I took his carâ
You didnât know that he had brought car seatsâŠ
âO-ohâ
You watched in awe as Steve strapped Cora into her seat that was princess themed easily, when he caught you staring at him âBucky and I practiced with Morgan, Pepper her mum helped us figure it out. Got to say weâre naturals nowâ he laughed.
âI honestly didnât know he was doing thisâ
âHe really likes you and these kids, donât tell him I told you this but heâs been reading books about kidâs development and stuff.â
âNo he hasnâtâŠâ you say as you put your seatbelt on.
âHe has. Thatâs how I found out about you guysâ
âI-Iâm-wow. I didnât knowâ
Steve chuckles at your shocked expression, âlike I said he really likes youâ
The rest of the drive was quiet between you and Steve, Cora asking the blonde a million of questions about everything and anything and him answering all of them with as much enthusiasm as she gave.
You didnât have very much time to stare in fascination at the huge tower as Steve pulled into the underground garage, the squeals from both Cora and Jasper had your attention going to where they were shouting, Bucky stood there with his hands deep in his pockets and a large smile on his face as the car pulled up to a stop, going straight to the back door where Jasper was sat.
âHey little manâ
âDada!â
âIâm here buddy, come on letâs get you out of this seat, yeahâ.
Steve had already gotten out and making his way to help Cora out of her seat.
âBucky itâs Captain America and heâs my friendâ she said making both men smile.
âIs he now? Am I still your friend?â
âOf course Bucky! Your my best friendâ
You had removed yourself from the car and made your way to get the bags out of the boot when Steveâs voice stopped you.
âIâll get them donât worryâ
âYouâve done enough-â
âNo honestly itâs fineâ
"Come on doll, he'll be fine plus everyone's dying to meet youâ Bucky says as he places Jasper further onto his hip.
"Are you sure Steve?"
"I'm sure, don't worry"
Reluctantly leaving Steve to grab the bags you take Bucky's free hand and hold onto Cora's, all four of you make your way into the large building.
"Doll, after I introduce you to the team you and I need to talkâ Bucky whispered in your ear making you nervous slightly.Â
âAh hereâs the Manchurian Candidateâs little family, welcome Iâm-â
âIron man!â Cora cut him off.
âYou know who I am then?â
âYes! You fly in the air and itâs so cool!â She says excitedly.
âI fly tooâ Sam Wilson laughs - Coraâs eyes go wide at seeing him.
âT-the Falcon! Momma look itâs the Falcon a-and Black Widow an-and Scarlet Witch! A-a-and momma itâs Thor!â She spoke so fast she started to stutter, her entire body shaking with excitement making everyone chuckle.
You all heard hurried footsteps and a voice speaking with a hint of panic come closer. âAre they here? Iâm sorry Iâm lateâ
The loud gasp had everyoneâs eyes snapping down to Cora - including yours and Buckyâs. âI-itâs Bruce! M-momma he-it-Bruce-Hulkâ she lets go of your hand and runs up to a very confused looking Bruce âIâm-your-your hulk! Youâre my favourite! I have so so so so so many toys of you donât I momma? I do Bruce!â Once again everyone chuckles at her, not that she pays any attention to them, too busy looking up at the man who sheâs pretended to be when sheâs playing.
âHi, you must be Cora?â Bruce says with a soft hue coating his cheeks.
Her eyes widen comically, turning to you slowly her chest rising and falling fast. âB-Bruce knows my name mo-mommaâ
âI know beautiful, just breathe okayâ
âCan I hug you please?â She asks politely and nearly squeals when he nods and crouches down to her level. âThis is the best day ever!â She declares whilst keeping her arms around Bruceâs neck.
Whilst the team was distracting the kids Bucky took your hand and led you both to his room. âI need to tell you something, and maybe ask you something.â
âOkay?â
âWhen I was in Wakanda Shuri promised me that if I ever wanted to go back I was welcome, and that I could live there, work there, have a life there and⊠and doll I want to retire, Iâm done with this life, Iâve been doing it for so long.â
âDo it.â You said after a few minutes of silence, the hopeful look in his eyes hurt your heart, and even though it meant that what ever you two were was now at an end and you would have to explain to the kids that they wouldnât see him or Alpine again, you couldnât find it in yourself to ask him not to go.
âWhat?â
âRetire, move to Wakanda and have an amazing life there.â You smiled softly at him. âYou deserve all the happiness in the world, you deserve to be free Bucky.â
âB-But thatâs the thing Y/n, I have you and the kids and I donât want to leave you three behind.â
âYou can always visit or we could visit you?â
Moving closer to you, taking your hands in his, he shakes his head. âNo doll, I donât think you understand. Iâm in love with you and I love your kids like theyâre my own and Iâm happier than I have ever been since meeting you three, I want to ask if you will move with me? If-if not I can stay here with you, I donât want to lose my familyâ
For the past year Bucky lived happily in Wakanda, true to her word Shuri welcomed him with open arms and even showed him a farm house that she got built just for him - right where his hut use to be. He had his own farm, his own sanctuary and he loved every single part of it.
Bucky would admit that he had missed New York, especially Steve and the little life he had for himself there but he knew he made the right decision by walking away from it all.
As he was walking towards his home some of the local children were playing with a football, all stopping their game to run over to him, all wanting a hug from the White Wolf as they still called him.
âDaddy!â
âAh, thereâs my little girl! How are you princess?â
âIâm okay, are we going home?â
âYou can stay out and play for a little bit? I donât think momma will be mad.â
âNo, I want to go home now.â Watching as she waves goodbye to her friends, she lifts her arms out for him to pick her up.
âYou are so heavy now.â
âNo Iâm not!â She giggles.
Walking through the gate and down the pathway Bucky opens the door, helping his little girl take her shoes off as well as his own, Alpine trots over to them giving them a welcome home meow.
âMomma weâre home!â
They both stand there hearing footsteps come closer to them. âDid you have fun Cory?â
âI did momma, whereâs Jaspy?â
âHeâs in the living room baby. Hey handsome.â
âHi beautiful.â
When Bucky asked if you would move to Wakanda with him, you was skeptical, itâs not that you didnât want to go but you had two children to think about. You asked Cora about it and she seemed happy about moving to a new place, Tony let Bucky take a jet for the four of you to fly out to see how the kids took to the place.
Coraâs jaw dropped wide open when she met Shuri. âA-A real princess!â She stuttered, you thought she was going to collapse the second Shuri opened her arms for the six year old to hug her. Cora instantly made friends with some of the children she met, and when she met the farm animals it was that moment she was sold on moving there.
Jasper seemed happy too, he was fascinated by the goats and wanted to touch each and every one of them. Bucky told you that Alpine now had competition.
After a few days in the beautiful land you came back to New York, the next day you sat the kids down and asked them if they wanted to stay - both shaking their heads- or go to Wakanda - both of them screaming âyesâ. A week later both yours and Buckyâs apartments were empty and ready for new people to call the places home.
âHow are my babies doing?â
âJasper and Alpine decided to wreck the play room.â You both chuckled. âAnd this little one has been very active today.â Buckyâs hands went straight to your growing bump, his eyes lighting up at feeling his third child move around in the love of his lifeâs stomach.
Five months ago you found out you were pregnant, and whilst you was happy you couldnât help but feel nervous about Buckyâs behaviour changing towards Cora and Jasper, when you told him he burst out crying and kept saying that he was going to be a dad again, he kissed you and your stomach. It wasnât just you that was scared but Cora was as well, Bucky promised that he would love all his children equally, later that night he promised you that nothing would change and that he is still Cora and Jaspers dad regardless.
âI love you and I love our perfect family.â
Tags: @imcinnamoons | @pigeonmama | @capsbestgirl77
Honey Girl. Chapter Three.
Chapter One. Chapter Two. Series Masterlist. The Playlist.
Chapter Synopsis - You and Bucky get closer. Your choice only gets harder.
Pairing - Dad'sBestFriend!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader - soulmate au.
Word Count - 6.4k
Age Rating - 18+
Warnings - smut. cursing. angst. alcohol consumption.
Author's Note - angels, i can only apologise for the wait!! i've had some stuff going on, and i was on vacation, so this has taken a while. thank you so much for your patience, kindness and support on Honey Girl - it means everything.
as always, reblogs, comments and feedback (even anonymous feedback!!) are immensely appreciated!! your reblogs are the only way to circulate my fics, which keeps me going <3 please, send me your thoughts, predictions, desires!! i will get excited with you!!
Masterlist. Inbox.
The sunlight seeps through the stained glass windows, murmured chatter echoing off the stone walls around you.
You smooth down your dress and adjust your bracelet, smiling at the rare sight of your family and friends all gathered together in one place. Your parents are sat on either side of you, all of you eagerly awaiting the beginning of this exciting occasion.
Man, you love weddings. You always have. So much happiness and joy in one short day, everyone excited about the possibility of eternal love.
You're still sat waiting when you realise, with quiet uncertainty, that you're not sure who's wedding this is. All of your family is here, as well as many of your friends. So why do you feel so confused all of a sudden?
The Priest gestures for all of the guests to stand just as the first notes of the Wedding March begin to reverberate around the room. You turn around, craning your neck to try and get a glimpse of the bride.
You don't know her, but she's... beautiful. Long, dark hair falling in waves over her shoulders, white silk dress hugging her frame perfectly, accentuating every dip and curve. She has kind eyes, warm and brown, and a blinding smile that's infectious and dazzling. Her skin glows in the stained glass sunlight, illuminating her in an ethereal radiance. She has a beauty that belongs on the cover of a magazine, or on the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel.
You eagerly turn back towards the altar to find out who her lucky groom is. He has his back to you, dark suit stretched across his broad shoulders. He turns, and you can't help the gasp that escapes your lips.
It's Bucky.
You're panicking, suddenly. You want to scream, shout, run over to them and object in any way possible. Your Mom grabs your hand tightly from one side, as your Dad does the same on the other.
"Mama, I have to-"
"You can't, sweetheart. It's not fair."
"You made your choice," your Dad says kindly, not an ounce of malice in his voice. "Now you have to let him make his."
White hot tears drip down your cheeks as your chest rises and falls with frantic frustration. This isn't how you wanted things to go. This wasn't supposed to happen.
The lights in the church are suddenly too bright, the wooden pews too hard. There's an incessant knocking noise coming from somewhere in front of you, loud and overwhelming. You swear someone's shouting your name in the distance, among all of the chaos.
"Honey? It's Bucky. Are you okay?"
Why is he asking if you're okay? Of course you're not okay, you're in this living nightmare.
Nightmare.
You're having a nightmare.
You wake with a startled gasp, cheeks wet and warm, sweat dripping down your back. The knocking hasn't stopped, in fact, now it's even louder.
"Sugar? Are you in there? Can you let me in?"
It's Bucky. Bucky's here.
You throw yourself out of bed and race through your apartment, swinging open the door. Bucky is stood on the other side, still in his navy plaid pyjama pants, sweater thrown over himself haphazardly. You look down at yourself and see that you're only wearing an old t shirt, legs bare and feet cold on the wooden floor.
"Are you okay?" he asks gently, stepping forward into your space. "I had this horrible feeling. It was like... like I was panicking. I knew it wasn't me so I figured it must have been you. What's wrong, sweets?"
He snakes his fingers around your wrist and pulls you into him gently, wrapping his arms around you completely. You relax into his embrace, inhaling the warm, cosy scent of him. All the fear leaves your body, and you cling to him tighter, worried that he'll disappear any minute.
"I had a nightmare," you whisper into the soft cotton of his chest.
He pulls back to look at you, large, calloused hands cradling your tear stained cheeks.
"You wanna talk about it?"
You deliberate for a second before shaking your head softly.
"If you change your mind, you know I'll always listen to you. Any time. I mean it."
"I know," you say quietly. "Thank you."
You step away from him and towards the couch, where you curl up with your legs tucked underneath you. Bucky walks over to the kitchen, filling the kettle and placing it on the stove. He makes two mugs of tea, handing one into your outstretched hands carefully. He shuffles to sit next to you, pressed into your side, arm slung around your shoulders. You relax into the broadness of him, the comfort he brings, the safety. The two of you fall asleep intertwined, warm and content, wrapped completely in each other and the blanket of your love.
â” â”  ·ă â” ăă * · â”
You're both startled awake by a phone ringing. The unwelcome melody is coming from somewhere between where you're nestled together, limbs intertwined and bodies connected.
"It's-fuck- is that mine or yours?" Bucky's mumbling as he scrambles amongst the couch cushions.
"Yours, I think," you reply, finding your phone on the floor where you've kicked it in your sleep.
Bucky finally finds the source of the noise, trapped in the arm of the couch. He presses the green button reluctantly, still disorientated from being woken so suddenly.
"Hello?"
That deep, raspy grumble of his morning voice is enough to make you melt back into your original position, the tone golden and honeyed. You slide back towards him and tuck yourself into his side, the two of you fitting together perfectly.
You can hear muffled talking on the other end, which takes Bucky a minute to comprehend. When he does, his eyes widen, and he looks at you like a deer caught in headlights.
It's your Dad, he mouths silently, muscles in his body going rigid.
Fuck, you mouth back, praying that he can't hear the two sets of heaving lungs on your side of the line.
"Yeah, of course. I'll be there. Sounds good, man. See you then."
Bucky's about to hang up the phone, when your Dad makes a noise of complaint. You can hear your Mom yelling something at him in the background.
"They're coming here," he whispers to you as quietly as possible, covering the phone speaker. "Fuck, what do we do?"
"Tell them you're already here... borrowing something. Or giving something back."
You shoot him a look that says trust me. Trust you, he does.
"I'm with her right now. I can ask, if you want? Yeah, just dropping off a couple of tools - last time I saw her, she mentioned a few loose screws in one of the kitchen cabinets. Easy fix."
You can hear your Dad singing his praises and expressing his gratitude, and your Mom asking Bucky to put you on the phone. He passes it to you carefully, as if it's a bomb, bound to explode at any given second.
"Hi, Mama."
"Hey, sweetheart. Bucky get everything sorted for you?"
"Oh, yeah. He's been great. Fixed it in two minutes flat. I just didn't have the right kind of screwdriver."
"He's one of the good ones, huh?" she chuckles. "We called to tell you that you have to come to our get together later. I know it's a little impromptu, but we have so much produce from the garden, too much for just us. We'll have dinner in the backyard, and drinks, and play some games. And we'll tell you all about the wedding!"
Your Mother has a gift for hosting. She's a people person through and through, warm hearted and kind spirited in nature. She loves having people over at the house, loves cooking for them, loves choosing wine pairings for her dishes and explaining each one carefully. It's a gift. She's a gift.
"I'd love to come, Mama. Do you want me to bring anything? I can make desserts?"
"Oh, darling, would you? I'm making a strawberry and cream tart, but you know it's nothing compared to your talent."
"Oh hush," you chide playfully. "I'll see what I can conjure up. Maybe I'll even rope Bucky in to help."
You wink at him cheekily and he laughs, the sound settling gently in your ribs like a caged bird singing it's morning song.
"Glad to be of service!" he yells into the phone, his right hand moving to rest at the nape of your neck. He massages the muscle there gently, and the tension leaves your body just as quick as it arrived.
"What time, Mama?"
"Everyone's arriving at seven o'clock, but you and Bucky feel free to come any time. Did you hear that, Bucky? Any time!"
"Loud and clear," he chuckles. "See you soon, Lori."
"Bye, you two. Call if you need anything. Love you, sweetheart."
"Love you too."
She hangs up the phone and you're plunged into silence, the two of you panting like you've just ran a marathon.
"Fuck," Bucky breathes.
"Yeah, fuck," you exhale. "Now my parents think I'm not capable of fixing a loose screw."
"It was the first thing I thought of! Sorry, honey. Didn't mean to undermine your DIY skills."
You fake angry, but you can't keep it up while he's looking at you like you hung the moon just for him. The corners of your lips twitch, and before you know it, you're grinning at each other like idiots.
"Now I have to make dessert," you laugh. "There go my plans for the day."
"You offered."
"I panicked!"
"I'll give you a hand, if you need it. I don't have to be at work for another hour and a half."
"It's okay," you reassure, reaching out to link your fingers with his. He's still absentmindedly tracing patterns across the back of your neck, the sensation almost soothing you back to sleep.
You relax into Bucky, and he pulls you into his chest, wrapping his arms around you. He's so warm, and soft, and broad. You realise that there's been two occasions recently where you've slept like the dead. Both were in Bucky's arms.
"You wanna help me make breakfast?" you whisper, careful not to disrupt the golden glow of the morning sunlight. The orange hue of the room feels fragile, sacred even. You don't want to ruin it.
"Of course. I can't bake, but I can cook. I have my uses."
"That, you do," you tease, leaning back into him as he places a tender kiss on top of your head. If you could bottle up this feeling of complete tranquility, you would. For a moment, everything else disappears. It's just you and your soulmate. Nothing else matters.
â” â”  ·ă â” ăă * · â”
Bucky, as it turns out, is a decent chef.
Sure, he's not Michelin star level, but neither are you.
You're sat on the counter, bare legs dangling over the side as you watch him move around your kitchen with ease, as if it's his own. You can't help but notice the way he belongs here. Like he's been here all along.
Bucky leaves everything cooking on the stove to come to stand in between your legs, warm hands splayed across your thighs. He rubs comforting circles into your skin while his steely blue eyes look at you intently.
"You okay?"
You smile at him softly, draping your arms around his neck to play with his hair.
"I'm fine."
You're not fine. The words California and Bakery and Dream Job and Bucky keep circling around your mind like horses on a fairground carousel. The more time you spend with Bucky, the more your Tethering makes sense. The two of you work. This connection you have is made of threads of gold, braided into both of your souls.
"You've been quiet all morning. And... I can feel it, you know. This anxious, sinking feeling, deep in my chest. There's something really bothering you, honey."
You take a deep breath and grasp onto his shoulders tightly, grounding yourself back down to Earth.
"I'm okay. There's just a couple of things I need to work out, and I think they're giving me some anxiety. I'm just stressed, I think."
"Are you trying to convince yourself, or me? Because you're not doing a very good job of either."
He's only teasing, but the way he's looking at you makes your breath hitch. It's as if everytime he looks into your eyes, he's also looking into your soul. It's like he can read your mind. Your heart is covered in braille and he's running his fingertips over it gently. You suddenly feel very exposed, shrinking down into yourself on the counter.
"Hey, pretty girl. Look at me. Please."
He uses his finger and thumb to tilt your face towards him, holding onto your chin gently.
"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to push you, or anything. I'm just worried. It's weird, being able to feel what you feel. I think I'm still getting used to it."
You smile at him carefully, running your fingers over the stubble on his cheeks.
"I appreciate you looking out for me, Buck. It's just... overwhelming, I guess. Nothing's a secret between me and you anymore."
You both know that's not true.
"You know, if there's anyone who understands how you feel... it's me."
"You're right," you laugh, "on account of the whole half-of-my-soul thing, I guess."
"Exactly. It's scary, but you're not alone in this. The two of us will figure it out. I know we will."
He has so much faith in you it makes you want to cry.
You wrap your legs around his waist, pulling him in closer to you. He leans down and presses a sweet kiss to your lips, firm and reassuring. It's like he's reminding you that he's right here, in front of you. He's not going anywhere.
You might be, though.
"We've got all the time in the world, remember?" he murmurs against your mouth.
"All the time in the world," you echo, tucking your head into his chest.
He holds you close until your breakfast starts to burn. The impending fire on the stove is nothing compared to the impending fire that feels like your future.
â” â”  ·ă â” ăă * · â”
The two of you eat on your balcony, tangled together on the love seat chair. The sun is beating down, beams of light illuminating Bucky, setting him aglow. He looks like an angel, the golden hue creating a halo around him. You wonder for a second if he is. An angel sent just for you.
"Oh hey, did I tell you?" he asks, turning as much as he can in his spot to face you.
"Tell me what?"
"Leonie and Eli are having a baby."
"No way!" you exclaim, grabbing a hold of his hands in excitement. "I'm so happy for them. Man, it feels like yesterday that they found each other."
"Right? Hell of a story, too."
"Rough one, though. I mean, imagine it. You introduce your brother to your new girlfriend, and turns out they're soulmates."
Bucky's laughing so hard that he's clutching at his stomach, shaking the chair and you along with it.
"That's fucked," he wheezes. "It's so fucked."
You can't contain your own laughter, not when his is so contagious.
"It's not funny," you breathe, but you're giggling so hard your sides hurt.
"Not funny at all," he chuckles, pinching your thigh.
"If you think about it, our Tethering is a little fucked up too. I mean, you're my Dad's best friend."
"Yeah... not ideal, huh?" he teases, still laughing.
"Not ideal at all, really," you agree playfully.
You sit in the quiet for a moment before you speak again.
"What do you think they'll say? When we tell them, eventually?"
Bucky thinks for a moment, cogs turning in his brain. He considers carefully before he answers you.
"...I think they'll be happy for us. Your Mom'll be excited. It might be a little harder for your Dad to navigate, I guess, but... he'll be okay."
"Yeah. You're probably right."
The rational part of your brain is telling you that he is. They'll be ecstatic that the two of you have found your person. The celebrations will be endless.
But there's a tiny, nagging piece of your mind that won't let you rest. It's taunting you, telling you that they're going to be confused, shocked, upset. That they won't accept the two of you. You can't lose them over a soulmate. You won't.
You clear your throat and stand from your spot, picking up your empty plates.
"Don't you have to be at work soon? I doubt you can show up in pajamas."
"I'm the boss, pretty girl. I can wear whatever the hell I want."
You raise an eyebrow at him, and he relents.
"Fine. I need to change. But I'll see you later? At your Mom's?"
"Yeah, of course. I'll see you there."
You walk Bucky to the door, opening it expectantly. He looks at you for a moment too long, still unconvinced by your reassurances from earlier.
"If you need anything, just call me. You know you can talk to me anytime, yeah?"
"Yeah," you confirm, absentmindedly playing with the hem of his t shirt. "I know, Buck. Thanks."
He leans in to kiss your forehead before leaving you in the doorway, more confused than ever.
â” â”  ·ă â” ăă * · â”
You commit your day to baking your feelings away.
As soon as Bucky left your apartment, the space felt empty, incomplete. Much like you do. As much as you hate to admit it, you feel better when Bucky is around. You know it's the whole Tethering thing, but still. Your heart feels fuller, the world seems brighter, the sun on your skin is warmer. Everything's easier when your soulmate is next to you.
You click on the radio, a soft, jazzy melody filling your kitchen. You begin to measure your ingredients, picking up bowls, utensils and your piping bags as you go.
This is the only thing you've ever felt like you were made to do. Sure, you've had hobbies as you've grown up. You're a good swimmer, you enjoyed soccer, you weren't too bad at dance. But nothing compared to baking.
Which at first, sounded ridiculous. Grown ups would ask you what you wanted to be when you were older, and when you said Baker, they'd laugh in that patronising way that adults do. It didn't stop you, though.
Your Grandma bought you a half empty recipe book for your tenth birthday. You can create your own and add them, she'd said. You'll be publishing a book with your name on in no time.
Your parents took you on a European vacation when you were sixteen. In Amsterdam, you passed this tiny little bakery, tucked away down a back street. It was red brick with a big window in the front, showcasing the cakes and endless sweet treats they had to offer. When you peered through the glass, you watched as the woman who you assumed was the owner went about her day. She looked so happy to be serving her customers. You decided then and there that was going to be you one day. A Bakery of your own. A happy life.
Which is why you're having such a hard time. You haven't talked to Stella since she called you, and you're worried she's going to change her mind if she doesn't hear from you soon. You haven't talked to Bucky about it either, even though he presented you with opportunity after opportunity this morning. It's starting to feel like the walls are caving in.
So, you do what you do best. Bake.
The day passes by quicker than anticipated, lost in a cloud of cinnamon and powdered sugar. You're wiping down your counters when your phone rings, Bucky's name lighting up your screen.
"Hi, Buck."
"Hey, pretty baby. You want me to pick you up later? I'm passing your place anyway."
He's always thinking of you so selflessly. The thought makes your heart stutter for a moment.
"You sure you don't mind?"
"Course not. I can drop by at six? Gives us enough time to help your Mom set up."
"Sounds perfect. Thanks, Buck."
"See you then, honey."
You hang up the phone and realise the hours have completely escaped you. You jump in the shower and do your hair and makeup in record time, miraculously. You're stood in a towel in front of your closet when you feel Bucky pull up outside. The tension in your chest eases a little, and you take a deep, full breath. He knocks on the door, and you completely relax.
"Hey, you," he greets, leaning in to press a kiss to your cheek.
You take a step back to look at him, and almost lose your balance. He looks ridiculously handsome. He's wearing a dark short sleeve button up that hugs his biceps so tightly, you're worried it might burst open. His jeans cling to his thighs deliciously, and the leather jacket slung over his shoulder adds a ruggedness that most men couldn't pull off. Your eyes rake over him slowly, taking him in from top to bottom. He lets you devour him, smirk never leaving his lips. Eventually, you meet his gaze.
"You see something you like?"
"You clean up real nice, Barnes," you tease, wrapping your arms around his neck and pressing a sweet kiss to his lips.
You untangle yourself from him before you jump his bones, and walk back to your closet. He follows you and sits on the edge of your bed, watching your every move like a hawk.
You pick out a sage green sundress that skims your thighs and hugs you in all the right places. It's a warm night, and your Mom loves to start a bonfire when it's cold.
"Close your eyes, playboy," you scold jokingly, laughing when he flops backwards to stare at your ceiling.
You slip the dress on, and realise it has a zipper at the back that you can't reach.
"Buck? Can you zip me up, please?"
He rises from his spot on the bed and strides over to you, standing a little closer than necessary. He pulls the zip upwards ever so slowly, fingertips brushing your spine as he goes. He's so warm and so broad behind you that it sends a shiver through your body.
Bucky brushes your hair to one side and leans down to press a featherlight kiss the place where your neck meets your shoulder. You hum in contentment, which only spurs him on. He begins to leave kisses wherever he pleases - your shoulder, your neck, behind your ear. You practically melt into him, and he wraps his arms around you to keep you steady.
"You look so beautiful," he murmurs against your skin. "Prettiest girl I've ever seen."
You smile at his words, leaning your head back to rest on his shoulder.
"Says the man that looks like a goddamn supermodel."
"Oh, angel. Now you're just lying to me."
His chuckle rumbles through the both of you, the sound lighting up your nerve endings.
Your eyes flick across the room, where you notice the clock on the wall.
"Baby," you whisper. "You gotta stop. We're gonna be late."
He groans lowly and lets his head loll into the crease of your shoulder.
"I was fine until you called me baby," he murmurs. "Now that's all I'm gonna be thinking about for the rest of the night."
"Sorry."
"You're not."
"I'm not."
You both laugh and untangle yourselves, you moving to put on your shoes while Bucky straightens himself out.
"You gonna be able to keep your hands to yourself, lover boy?"
"I'm gonna have to," he grumbles, trying to hide the smile that's fighting to take over his face.
You lean against him as you do up the straps of your shoes, dancing your fingers down his arm to interlink your hands.
"Ready?" you ask, looking up at him with big doe eyes.
"Ready," he confirms, leaning down to kiss you chastely.
"A night of pretending that we're not soulmates. How hard can that be?"
â” â”  ·ă â” ăă * · â”
Pretending that Bucky isn't your soulmate is one of the hardest things you've ever done.
You haven't even made it inside yet.
Buck parks his truck in your parents driveway and turns to look at you. You've been silent the entire ride over, and it's making him anxious. He reaches over and places a warm palm on your bare thigh, thumb rubbing patterns back and forth.
"You okay?"
You take a deep breath, which is all the answer he needs.
"It's alright, baby. I'm nervous too. We've got this. We're alright."
You look into his eyes for the first time since you were in your apartment, and have to fight to stop yourself from crying. You nod and bite your lip, inhaling and exhaling carefully.
"You're okay. I promise. It's me and you, honey girl. It's me and you."
You want to crawl over into Bucky's lap and bury your face in his chest. You want to curl up in his strong arms and let his scent envelope you. You want to tangle your fingers into his hair and smash his lips to yours, until you don't know where you end and Bucky begins.
Instead, you bring his hand from your thigh to your lips, and kiss each of his knuckles tenderly. The gesture makes his heart beat so fast, he's a little worried he's about to pass out.
"Come and talk to me anytime tonight, okay? I've got you. I've always got you."
You nod again, and take another deep breath.
"I know, Buck. It's the only thing I'm sure of."
â” â”  ·ă â” ăă * · â”
"My baby!"
Your Mom smothers you in a hug the minute you knock on the door, almost tipping you over in the process.
"Oh, you look so beautiful. This colour is gorgeous on you, sweetheart."
The heaviness of your heart gets a little lighter at the sight of your Mother. She's magic like that.
"Thanks Mama. Is your skirt new? It's pretty."
She gives you a twirl, the skirt billowing around her like a princess. Both you and Bucky smile when you catch each others eyes briefly.
"I got it on our trip! Your Dad got a new shirt too - he looks so handsome."
She's grinning from ear to ear talking about him. Your smile only gets wider.
Bucky gives your Mom a one armed hug, and hands her a white box with a bow on.
"I wish I could say this is from me, but I don't have nearly enough talent for that."
"You're plenty good at other things, Buck," she laughs. "What's in here, sweetheart?"
"Apple, carrot and cinnamon cake with cream cheese frosting. I piped little bunny rabbits on top, too."
Before she can say anything else, you take the box from her hands and walk into the house.
"We better put this in the refrigerator before the frosting melts!" you call as you leave.
"Come on Buck, let's get you a drink. Jack bought your favourite."
â” â”  ·ă â” ăă * · â”
Your parents backyard looks incredible.
Golden fairylights adorn the deck, illuminating the dining area that your Mom has set up. The table is covered with a white lace tablecloth, and littered with tea lights and candlesticks. Each place setting has a wine and a water glass ready, fringed cushions perched on each wooden chair. There's a beautiful bouquet of flowers in a stained glass vase as the centerpiece, more flowers scattered across the entirety of the table.
The sun hasn't set yet, and the entire garden is dripping with the glowing orange hue of the evening. The air is warm and calm, salty ocean breeze only disrupting the peace occasionally. If summer were to be summed up in a night, it'd be this one.
Your Dad is pouring water into all of the glasses from an ornate painted jug when you walk into the yard.
"Hi, Papa."
"Oh, sweetheart!" he smiles in surprise, abandoning his task to come and give you a hug. "You look amazing. I like your dress."
"Thank you - hey, is this your new shirt? It suits you!"
"It's nice, right? Your Mom picked it out. She said the colour brings out my eyes."
You look him up and down comically, crossing your arms over your chest like a cartoon detective.
"Hmm... she's right. It definitely does."
You're both laughing when your Mom and Bucky join you, the two men immediately smacking each other on the back affectionately.
"Where you been, Buck? Work keeping you busy?"
"Stupidly busy - you wouldn't even believe."
"Well, it's your night off, so no shop talk!" your Mom encourages, handing Bucky a beer.
"Easier said than done," he winks, and your breathing picks up just a little.
"Mama, do you need help with anything in the kitchen?"
"Oh, yes please, sweetheart. Come, let me show you what needs doing."
The two of you leave the men to catch up, walking inside to prep the appetisers.
You're slicing tomatoes carefully when you turn to watch your Mom for a minute. She's chopping up basil, completely engrossed. The evening sun beams in, illuminating her as she stands by the window. You love her so much it makes you unsteady on your feet.
"Hey, Mama? Can I talk to you about something?"
She turns and immediately stops what she's doing, giving her full attention to you.
"Of course you can, baby. Anything at all."
You take a deep breath, and carry on slicing while you talk.
"So, you remember Stella, right?
â” â”  ·ă â” ăă * · â”
The night goes off without a hitch.
There's good food, gorgeous wine and even better company. Your parents invited many of their friends, meaning twelve of you are sat around the meticulously prepared table. In between courses, there's conversation, laughter and games, everyone letting go of the stress of the week.
You're doing everything you can to avoid looking at Bucky. You're worried that if someone catches the two of you, they'll know everything. You're surprised you haven't confessed already, the weight of the secret too heavy to bear.
Your Mom is cutting your cake on the table when there's a sudden commotion.
"Oh, fuck!"
"Shit! Shit, I'm sorry. Shit."
"Is everyone okay?" your Mom asks, flitting to the other end of the table.
"I'm so fucking clumsy, my God. Dropped my wine straight onto Bucky," Jesse, one of your Dad's oldest friends, explains.
"As long as it doesn't stain my white tablecloth, we're fine," your Mom laughs. "What do you need, Buck?"
"It's only white wine, luckily, so no stain. I'm just wet. I'm gonna go dry off."
"I have a hairdryer?" you offer without thinking.
"Good idea, honey. Go help Bucky upstairs while I get some paper towels."
You rise from your chair and make your way inside, heart racing as Bucky follows you. You rummage around the drawers of your childhood bedroom, certain you used to keep all of your hair tools here somewhere.
"You got it?" a warm, whiskey smooth voice asks from behind you.
"Got it," you reply, standing up with the hairdryer in your hand.
Bucky kicks the door closed behind him, and takes a step into you.
"I can't focus on anything when you're sat there in that dress," he murmurs. "Look like a fuckin' angel, all pretty under the lights."
Heat blooms over your chest, and you pray he doesn't notice. Your breathing quickens, and you step forward too, now chest to chest with him.
"I'm so worried that I'm going to accidentally blurt it out," you confess. "You're the only thing that's on my mind."
Bucky leans down to press his lips to yours, smiling into the kiss. You fist your hands into his shirt and pull him closer, snaking your tongue into his mouth. He tastes like mint and sugar and every kiss for the rest of your life.
He groans when you bite his lip, nipping yours back in retaliation.
"Easy, baby," he warns teasingly. "I can't go back down there black and blue."
You roll your eyes and kiss him harder, practically melting when he grabs at your ass roughly.
"What do you need, pretty girl?" he questions against your mouth. "I'll give you anything."
You're panting against him, vibrating with need.
"Need you to take the edge off," you whisper, hands shaking as you unbutton his wet shirt. "Can't carry on like this. Please, baby. Please."
"We've gotta be quick," he reminds, sneaking his hand under your dress to tease you over your underwear.
You grab at his shoulders for leverage, almost certain your knees aren't going to hold out long enough. Bucky doesn't even take your panties off, just slips his hand down the front. It feels filthier this way.
"Fuck," he groans. "This all for me, honey? You been thinking about this?"
"Yes," you whine. "All I've thought about."
Bucky wastes no time, slipping a finger into you easily. After a minute, he adds another, setting a steady rhythm immediately.
"Shit," you breathe, leaning forward to rest your forehead against his chest. "We're supposed to be taking it slow."
"You want me to go slow?"
"No, fuck," you say immediately. "Don't stop. Please."
He chuckles lowly, clearly enjoying the effect he has on you.
"I won't, baby. Almost there."
It should be embarrassing, how quickly he can take you to the edge, but you don't care. This is what having a soulmate is. They know you better than anyone - inside and out.
"So close," you whisper.
"I know, pretty baby. I can feel it. Stay quiet and come for me. That's it."
You can't hold out when he uses that tone with you. You're thrown over the edge, your climax running through you like molten honey, hot and delicious. Your knees buckle, and Bucky uses a strong arm around your middle to hold you up.
"There we go," he's murmuring. "Atta girl. That's my girl."
You wrap your arms around his waist and breathe him in, finally coming back to your senses.
"My parents are gonna wonder where we are," you realise. "Grab your shirt and the hairdryer. You're gonna have to do it while I recover."
Bucky smiles at you with so much affection, the world stops spinning for a second. This is a moment of bliss. The two of you revel in it.
Bucky dries his shirt while you go back outside, trying to keep suspicion to a minimum.
"Fixed, sweetheart?" your Mom asks, holding out a piece of cake to you. You take it gratefully and sit back down, relaxing into your chair.
"Yeah, it's basically dry. That hairdryer is old, so it's taking a while."
"Well you didn't miss much, other than Jesse telling the Joshua Tree story for the fortieth time this month," your Dad laughs.
"You love that story, asshole!" Jesse yells, just as Bucky re-enters the garden. He throws you a mischievous smile, which you reciprocate with ease.
Everyone is a little more careful with their wine as the night goes on, keeping all the glasses planted firmly on the table.
â” â”  ·ă â” ăă * · â”
"So then I said, well, if you don't like it, leave!"
You're pretty sure you've heard your Mom's friend Cora tell this story before, but you're all laughing like it's the first time. She has such an animated voice, you're convinced you could listen to her read the phone book.
"Which, I mean, I didn't think he would. Imagine breaking up over a chinchilla! A fucking chinchilla!"
You're laughing so hard your sides hurt. You look over to Bucky, and see that he's grinning like a Cheshire cat. You could get used to this.
"So I watched him pack his shit, box by box. Which took fucking ages, by the way. He was using those big plastic boxes, you know the black ones? And he was filling them so carefully and so slowly, that I started helping him!"
You wipe a tear from your face, still doubled over in amusement. You're gonna be sore tomorrow, the way your abs hurt now.
"But I didn't want him taking those boxes, because they're nice, right? They're expensive, and they're mine! So I helped him move out, and then unpacked all of his shit so I could have my boxes back."
Your Mom, despite hearing this story before, hasn't taken her eyes off Cora the entire time. She's such a careful listener. It's one of the things you love most about her.
"Oh, I'll drop them off for you, if you like!" Cora yells, staring directly at you. Everyone turns to look at you in confusion.
"Why would she need all your boxes?" Jesse laughs.
"For the big move!"
Time stands still. The world goes silent. Your heart stops beating.
"...What move?" Bucky asks, never taking his eyes off you.
"To California! Her dream job, falling in her lap. We're so proud of you, babygirl. You've worked so hard for this."
Cora's tearing up now, the alcohol catching up to her. She raises her glass high in the air.
"To our little superstar. The best baker the world has ever seen! Cheers!"
Everyone clinks their glasses together in the middle of the table, except for you and Bucky. You haven't taken your eyes off each other. The world carries on, but you stay still.
You suddenly feel a cacophony of emotions - sadness, anger, betrayal, hurt and confusion settling like ten tonne weights onto your chest. Then it hits you - you're feeling what Bucky feels.
You feel a heart break.
You're not sure if it's yours or his.
tag list part one -
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18+ | Mob!Bucky x Best Friend!Reader
the adventures of bucky and his little fairy.
recommended to be read in order, but most can be read as standalones.
just let me see them
your best friend, bucky, has done some research about makeup for you. it's imperative that you show him your boobs.
look at me forever
continuation of just let me see them.
watch me cry
request: can you write some with mob!bucky x best friend!reader where he makes her cry and they stop talking for awhile? please make it angsty!!
big mouth
you have a bad habit of running your mouth when you're tipsy. luckily, your best friend is always prepared to help you out of any trouble that big mouth of yours gets you in.
tug of war
ex!pietro wants you back, but bucky will never give you up. you're his, and his alone.
just like a fairy
the start of the most loving friendship in history.
one of mine
bucky and fairy's second meeting; a chaotic gunfight.
how you love me
a fairy's beloved object
bucky's high out of his mind, and paranoid about saving you from apparent danger. taking advantage of the fact that he won't recall any of this, you reveal your true feelings to him.
priority
in your hour of need, bucky doesn't show up. what could be more important than you?
never steal from a fairy. the consequences could be deadly.
clingy as fuck
you overhear bucky telling sam about how clingy you are, which breaks your heart.
friends that kiss
bucky and fairy get high together.
constant
bucky gets a tattoo of your name for your birthday.
permanent marker
you get a tattoo of bucky's name.
cruel
touching bucky's fairy is suicide.
friends having fun
bucky and fairy get a little carried away after a night out.
no big deal
you want to practice giving head. who better than bucky give it to?
play pretend
in order to appease his uncle, bucky needs to prove that he's a family man. what better way to get that image across than with a loving wife? there's only one problem: bucky doesn't have a wife. he does, however, have a little fairy.
best friend
in the face of adversity, you make a tough decision. continuation of play pretend.
something blue
dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of two lives.
alternate timeline
how things would have ended if fairy chose to leave.
first night
the honeymoon.
christmas gifts
the things your husband gets you for christmas.
marital bliss
months have passed since the wedding and you're settling into your new life as the queen of new york.
masterlist | req masterlist
SERIES
Seeing Red by @mypoisonedvine
bucky used to brag that he didnât have a celebrity crush, or really care about famous people at all, which is what made him the perfect person to start working for a celebrity like yourself. except, of course, itâs just his luck that heâd fall for you.
One Last Job by @sunriserose1023
Bucky Barnes is retired. He did a stint in the Army, did a stint as a Secret Service agent, even dabbled in the private sector, but thatâs over. Now, he just wants to rest in the solitude heâs found in a cabin in the Adirondacks, with only his memories to get him through the sleepless nights. Until his best friend comes to him with a special request. One last job, protecting the movie star sister of an old Army buddy. Sheâs being stalked, getting death threats, but thatâs nothing they havenât dealt with before.
wrong choice, right places by @mvtthewmurdvck
never wanting to work for him or protect his fiancĂ©, falling for you was the last thing he should doâespecially when his boss was zemo, who now ran most of the city.
Safe with me by @bitsandbobsandstuff
When an unknown threat enters your life, protection is offered at the highest level. As Bucky Barnes comes into your life, the game changes, and you realise falling for the man tasked with keeping you safe is the last thing you expected.
Written in the Stars by @prettyyoungtragedy
Youâre the type of woman who is headstrong and fiercely independent. Heiress to a fortune and one of the most brilliant minds of the 21st century. Until youâre forced into witness protection. Your âProtectionâ turns out to be 220 pounds of dreamy, sassy, delightful Bucky Barnes. Whatever could go wrong?
Youâre Mine, Sunshine by @theeleggymeggy
Bucky gets picked by a very rich and respected man to be his daughterâs personal bodyguard. The Father warns him that it wonât be an easy job, that she is a brat and difficult to deal with. But what happens when Bucky meets you and youâre the complete opposite?
ONESHOT
Shopping by @quarantined-with-bucky
Buckyâs paid to be your bodyguard and youâre, well, kind of a bitch.
Sunday is s Family Day by @lazyangeltreemoney
Youâre stubborn, annoying and hot as hell which seems to be an awful combo to mix with Bucky Barnes. However one day he realises he got you all wrong and now thereâs a little kid in the mix that needs both of your help.
Not so Forbidden by @vanillanaps
You were upset after a mishap that happened so your favorite bodyguard came to comfort you with good news.
Under The Burning Sun by @kinanabinks
The Winter Soldier is assigned to be your bodyguard, covertly protecting you from many assassination attempts. One day, he has no choice but to reveal himself to you.
Protecting Whatâs His by @jobean12-blog
Bucky has been your bodyguard for some time now and itâs been hard to deny how badly you want him to be more than that.
Bodyguard by @subwaysurf45
getting drunk at galas was fun, but not as fun as Bucky taking care of you after.
princess by @buckycuddlebuddy
âhoney,â bucky growled, and then moaned. you felt your walls clench around him because of his voice tone.
security blanket by @comfortbucky
reader is having a bad day and Bucky notices and cheers them up.
Lovely tuesday evening and Im baling my eyes out
~ gif not mine credit to owner ~
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader
Summary: Bucky wonât be home tonight. He just hopes his girl knows how much he loves her.
Word count: 1,616
Warnings: angst. some more angst. death. swearing.
Masterlist
It wasnât meant to be like this, it was meant to be a straight forward mission get in and get out thatâs what Fury said, not with the majority of the team fighting with their bare fists against guns.
Bucky looked to his left after hearing Natasha cry out in pain, her hand going straight to her thigh where blood was seeping through the crevices of her fingers. Another deafening gunshot one after the other. He hears Sam groaning in pain as he crashed into the ground after he had been shot down.
The chaos surrounding him had his mind spiralling in confusion. He didnât know who to go to save first. He didnât know where Steve was. His right side was throbbing. He just wanted to go home to his love and cuddle up in bed whilst watching shitty tv programs with his fingers threading through her soft hair.
These agents werenât backing down in the slightest, every time he blinked he swore that the number of said agents grew. Bucky heard Steve ordering the team to retreat Nat gave Bucky a confused look which he shrugged but complied with his best friends request.
âSHIELD agents are hereâ Steve panted down his comms trying to fight off his opponents.
With the extra back up they were now gaining the upper hand.
After what felt like hours but realistically was only twenty minutes tops all Hydra agents were down, those still breathing were being handcuffed and already being loaded on the jets.
As Natasha, Sam, Wanda were getting patched up Bucky, Steve and Tony made their way through the now destroyed base to look for what they originally came for. Steve eyed Bucky up and down noticing that his right hand was pressing down on his right side.
âBuck?â
âYeah?â
âAre you alright?â
âYeah, itâs just a grazeâ
âThatâs not just a graze tinmanâ Tony says also eyeing up Buckyâs side.
âIâm fine. Come on letâs get this doneâ Steve and Tony share a look of concern behind Buckyâs back watching the man starting to lean on his left side to make it easier for himself.
Just as Bucky turned the corner his foot stood on something making a beeping noise, looking down he swallowed. âSteveâ
âWhatâs up?â
âC-can you go and get my phone off the jetâ
âHuh? Why?â The blond looked at Tony who shrugged in response.
âJu-just get me my phone please, please Steveâ
âOkay-â
âIâll get it Capâ Tony says before flying off to the jet. Steve made his way to where he knew Bucky had gone.
âStop! Stop Steveâ
âBuck whatâs going on?â
âI-Iâve erm Iâve triggered a bomb I thinkâ Bucky admits with his head downwards trying to find a wire in hopes that someone could deactivate the thing.
âBuckâŠâ
âI know okay I know. I canât find the wire but I-I know itâs bad alrightâ
Neither one of the super soldiers realise that the rest of the team including SHIELD agents could hear the conversation through their comms. Tonyâs feet faltered when he was heading towards Buckyâs duffle. Nat squeezed Wandaâs hand, Sam closed his eyes and Steve looked around desperately hoping he could see a wire or something to deactivate the bomb he could see under his best friends boot.
Back at the shared home you shared with Bucky you was getting all the ingredients for Buckyâs favourite meal. The loud buzzing of your phone startled you from its place on the counter.
âHey babe, you on your way home? Iâm making your favourite dinner tonight, why? Because I love you. How was the mission? Everyoneâs okay arenât they? Buck?â You rambled, excited to talk to him, it wasnât until you noticed that he was completely silent on the other end. You pulled your phone away from your ear and checked to see if the call dropped but it didnât. âBuck?â
âHi babyâ
âAre you-â
âI love you, you know that donât you?â
âI do, Buck wha-â
âI love you more than anything, please donât ever forget that okayâ
âBucky whatâs going on? Are you hurt? Is Steve with you? What-â
âBaby I-Iâm not going to make it home tonightâ
âNo no no you are alright, donât be silly babe. Youâll come home to me a-and Iâll take care of you and youâll be okay-â
âLove, listen to me, Iâm not, god I wish I was but itâs not happening b-but listen I love you a-and I love Peanut please tell them that, promise me that youâll tell them, baby pleaseâ
Gasping for air as your airways started to close up you nodded completely forgetting he couldnât see you, with a painful rasp you promised him that you would keep your promise.
The team shared glances at hearing Buckyâs mention of Peanut, unaware of what he was talking about. Due to Steveâs enhanced hearing his heart broke at hearing your voice sounding broken.
âI love you Y/n. I love youâ Bucky repeated softly as the tears streamed down both of your faces.
âSteve?â
âI-Iâm here mateâ
âYou need to get ev-everyone out of here, now. I-I canât hold on any longerâ
âB-Buck, Sam can get you out-â
âHe canât and you know it. It-it wonât work alright, no point in two families grieving. But Stevie you need to pro-promise that me that youâll take care of Y/n, please I donât want her to be left aloneâ
âBucky if you hold on for five minutes Sam can get you out-â Tony says as he tried to fix the right wing that had been damaged earlier that day.
âI donât have five minutes. Okay I-I donât have that alright, please you all need to leaveâ
âBuck-â
âLeave! Just get everyone out of here, please Steveâ
âO-okay. Okay everyone get out, now.â The agents start leaving but the Avengers donât. Tony was still trying to fix Samâs wing, getting frustrated as the wires and pieces werenât connecting properly, even Tonyâs suit was too damaged to use. None of them wanted to leave him alone.
âSteve, itâs okay. Itâs okay just promise to look after Y/n, youâve only have a few minutes left to get out so please guys, just go.â
Reluctantly they do as he says, knowing that it was no use arguing with him. Both Sam and Tony have to drag Steve out as he refused to move, to leave him best friend to die.
âW-weâre outside Buckâ Steve says through his comms, standing far enough away from the base he clinged onto Tonyâs arm.
âGood. Baby are you still there? Hey, hey itâs okay, everythingâs going to be okay I swear. I love you and Peanut so fucking much baby. Iâm sorry princess, I really am. Baby? I have to go now alright, I love youâ everyone bowed their heads at hearing Buckyâs words.
Bucky closes his eyes and smiles softly as the last image heâs ever going to see is of his greatest love. Slowly he moves his foot off the bomb.
Steve tried to keep up his promise but it wasnât working as Y/n kept pushing him away. He understood that she was grieving but so was he but he also made a promise to his best friend. He couldnât let Bucky down.
A month after that fateful day it was time to bury the remains of Buckyâs body. The team went back into the base after the smoke and fire cleared, all disobeying the direct orders from Fury, they refused to leave without Bucky. It wasnât fair on him or on Y/n. For the first time in that month they had seen her, she didnât answer their phone calls or answered the door when they went to the apartment she shared with Bucky.
As they stood by the side of the coffin watching as it went into the ground, Y/n looked up to the sky and smiled sadly. They all noticed her hand placement.
âY/n, a-are you?â Steve asked.
âFour months, Buck wanted to tell you but I told him it was too soon. I-it was three months the day, that day, anyway thatâs why he was retiring, he wanted to be there for Peanutâ she said softly.
âH-he was retiring?â
âHe gave Fury his notice, he only had a week left before he retiredâ
The news of hearing that he only had one week left made their stomachs hurt. He was so close to being free from fighting and raising a family with his love.
âY/n-â
âDonât apologise okay, I know heâs still here with us. Please donât be strangers alright? Iâll see you aroundâ Before they could reply she was already walking away from them.
As she gave birth she had Steve on one side and Wanda on the other, both ignoring the throbbing pain in their hands as she squeezed them.
âHeâs gorgeous Y/n, whatâs the little manâs name?â Nat asked as soon as they were allowed in the room to see the newest member of their family.
âBuck said if the baby was a boy he wanted him to be named after him so, James Stevie Barnesâ
Nobody was aware that the Bucky was in the room, he stood at the bottom of the bed watching with admiration in his eyes at his love with her arms around their son. His arm on the shoulder of his mom Winnie. The two stood there long after everyone had left, Y/n and baby James had gone to sleep.
Placing a kiss to his sonâs head he told him that he would always watch over him. Moving to the bed he did the same to Y/n.
âI love you both foreverâ
Tags: @imcinnamoons | @pigeonmama | @capsbestgirl77
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Their other series are also *chefs kiss* -> go read the rest of @foreverindreamlandd's series
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@jobean12-blog
@navybrat817
@coffeecatsandcandles
@metalbuckaroo
@wkemeup
@nickfowlerrr
(Dividers by saradika)
Happy Reading!
XO