epiphany || bucky barnes

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐅

FIVE MONTHS LATER.

JULY 2024.

The air was thick with bustling crowds and loud laughter from children. The sky was dotted with constellations, reigning over the city as restaurant workers and business owners rushed to prepare the festivities.

We, however, decided to take advantage of the half-deserted apartment building and moved onto the rooftop.

The world had finally come to a greeting point. People who disappeared in the blip were rehoused and reorganized, and Bucky and I finally got to have what I'd like to call a happy ending.

Louisiana was a nice place to stay, sure, but... I thought it was time to start living the life I always wanted to. With the man, I had always dreamed of.

My hand was tightly interlocked with Bucky's, his metal hand gently rubbing up and down my thigh in small circles. My head was placed delicately on his shoulder, a smile drawn onto my face. Nothing had ever felt so relieving, or comforting, in my entire life. For now, we were safe and happy. Nothing could split us apart.

"You know... It's Steve's birthday today too." Bucky whispered, the rumble of his voice in his chest making me grin.

"Sometimes... that sounds like too much of a coincidence for Captain America, huh?" I replied, "I wonder how Sam's doing... probably got a load of cameras in his face right about now."

Bucky chuckled at that, "Probably..." 

My forehead snuggled against his chest, my arms wrapping lazily around his waist. "I know you're missing him... right about now. Both Steve and Sam."

A soft sigh came from the latter, "I do... But... I think this past year has taught me a lot about relationships... friends... partners." he whispered. "I feel like...  finally closed a chapter in my story that I want to remember, and start a new one with you."

His hand gently brushed over my thigh, "Steve... will always have a place in my heart. And it'll always ache for his laugh, his persistence, hell... even just his presence." he whispered, "A lot of times I wish I could've spent just one more birthday with him. He always told me that the whole world celebrated his birth... In the forties, I thought that was stupid. Now, it's the truth." he looked down at me. "Wherever he is out there. Living with Peggy in another timeline. I hope he remembers a sliver of what we went through together. Because those are the times in my life I'll never forget."

A few tears formed in the corners of his blue eyes. He never usually got emotional, but it was either about me, Steve, or Sam when he did. A soft sigh escaped me as I cupped his cheeks. "It's okay to cry, sweetheart..." I whispered, "I know... it's hard to think about a man that jumped through endless hoops to save you... and now he's gone." My thumbs gently rubbed his cheeks, "But I promise you... he would be so proud to see how far you've come in this life. Moreover how proud he would be to see that you found life, people, and a community that accepted you."

Bucky looked down into my eyes, some crystal tears streaming down his cheeks. It hurt me to see him so distraught, but I would always be there to comfort him. He just buried his face in my shirt, staying there for a few long moments as my hand gently rubbed his back.

I placed my hand on his chest, "You have started a new chapter with me, Mr. Barnes. But... you will always have the memories of the past."

Bucky nodded, his fingers stroking my hair softly. My head tilted back against his touch, a low hum coming from my lips. "I know... and I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world."

"I know you wouldn't, my love... If you thought differently, we'd be in two very different places right now." I giggled, sitting up so I was in his lap, my back pressed against his chest. He was still sniffling a bit, but I gently traced his arm to calm him down.

His arms slinked around my waist, my hand reaching back and playing with the ends of his brown hair. There was a silence for a moment, spite for the cars and people yelling down on the ground. What mattered to me was the fact that there was peace. I could finally let my guard disintegrate into the ground, for just a fleeting moment.

"The fireworks are gonna start soon..." Bucky whispered.

Bucky, as I recalled, hated loud noises more than anything. I could tell from when the explosion went off in the lab that he covered his ears over everything. My head tilted a bit so I could get a glimpse of his eyes, my fingertips gently brushing over and turning his head to look at me.

"Hey... you want me to kiss you and make you feel better?" I asked, a playful tone in my voice to lighten the somber mood.

The first few fireworks lit up the sky just after my words. I could feel Bucky's muscles tense against my touch. An array of colors lit up the night sky as loud thuds resonated through Brooklyn.

"My sweetheart... come here." I hummed lowly, cupping his cheek.

I leaned down tenderly, my chest pressing against his as our lips connected in a gentle kiss. My hand slinked through his shorter brow locks slowly, his vibranium fingers rubbing against my lower back. Slowly, the tension he held in his shoulders disappeared, his flesh arm wrapping around my back as he gently laid against the rooftop.

A small breath left my lips as some of my longer hair fell to the sides of my face, almost as if creating our own personal cabana. A grin was plastered on both of our faces.

"Feel better?" I whispered.

"I'd feel better if you were to kiss me again."

"I don't think we should screw each other on Steve's birthday." 

"If he were here, he'd be cheering me on. Now come here." Bucky whispered, grabbing the back of my neck and pulling me into another kiss.

My legs straddled his waist, sitting against him as my hands held his shoulders for support. His fingers traced over every inch of my body, marking down my neck and collarbone in the midst of it. My hand slowly unbuttoned his shirt, exposing the top half of his chest as I kissed over his scarred skin.

"Happy fourth of July, Bucky."

"Stop trying to make this sentimental and kiss me, Lucy!"

AN

hi there everyone :)

i wanted to make a cute post for the fourth of july since steve's birthday and I know bucky's def feeling pain right now. however, i wanted a soft moment between lucy and bucky just to give yall a treat. new chapter coming soon! i love you all!