epiphany. (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter Twelve

NOTE: I highly recommended listening to "The Very Thought of You" during this chapter.  It's linked in the header above.

"Hell, I'll always fight. But you got to do one thing for me."

"What's that?"

"Open a tab."

~*~*~*~

London. November 1943.

Bucky sat quietly at the bar of the pub Whip & Fiddle, nursing a finger of whiskey or scotch as the barkeep had called it. "Better than that stuff you Yanks make," he said. Bucky smirked as the newly minted Howling Commandos sang along with the pub's piano player.

"Fare thee well, for I must leave thee,

Do not let this parting grieve thee,

And remember that the best of friends.

Must part, must part.

Adieu, adieu kind friends, adieu, adieu, adieu,

I can no longer stay with you, stay with you,

I will hang my harp on the weeping willow tree,

And may the world go well with thee."

On any normal occasion, he would have been singing with them and participating in their drinking games. Liberation was something that should be celebrated. However, since Kreischberg, he felt different, physically, and emotionally. In fact, this was his fifth scotch and he had yet to feel any effects at all. Zola had done something to him; he just wasn't sure exactly what. All he knew was that he was the only prisoner to survive his time in the HYDRA base's lab.

He looked at Steve who sat beside him. He had grown up. Quite literally. He wasn't that little dumbass from Brooklyn who didn't know how to back down from a fight. Now, he was the BIG dumbass from Brooklyn who viewed HYDRA and the Third Reich as simple back alley bullies.

By all rights, they wouldn't even be here if Bucky had his way. They'd still be in Brooklyn. He would have studied science and Steve would have studied art. They would occasionally go out dancing with girls, eventually settling down to raise their own families.

But, people were finally seeing Steve for who he really was all along, idealistic and inspirational. A great man. Seeing Steve this way was confusing. He didn't need a protector anymore, and now Bucky would have to share him with the rest of the world. Where did that leave him?

The drunken singing died down. He shoved these thoughts aside as Steve made a move to stand up to face Agent Peggy Carter whose sudden appearance caused the revels to cease. He downed the rest of his scotch before following suit.

"Agent Carter," Steve said, nodding to her.

"Ma'am," Bucky greeted.

Peggy nodded to both of them. "Howard has some equipment for you to try. Tomorrow morning?" She looked to Steve.