Trying Your Luck - Bucky BarnesxOC

Part 35: Celebrations

"Huh."

"What?"

"Would've thought it'd be a ring with the way you look at her and talk about her."

Bucky sighs. He doesn't tell Sam about the ring that he's hidden in the pocket of his travel bag and will keep in his jacket every single day until he finds the courage to ask her to marry him.

"You know, you really like to meddle in other people's business."

Sam grins as he hands Bucky a dish to dry.

"Just yours, Bucky."

Bucky sighs.

"We talked about the marriage thing last week in Topeka."

Sam's eyes go wide.

"Really."

"Yeah. I've never felt this way about anyone before, Sam. If she told me she wanted to marry me tomorrow, I'd do it, but she's waiting until her divorce is final and we've only been together for two months, so..."

"That's smart, Bucky. You shouldn't rush into anything."

"I've been rushing into things for 80 years," he replies. "This is the first thing I've had to do slowly and it's killing me."

"I know," Sam says softly. "But you have to consider her feelings, right?"

"Yeah. She said she's scared to get married again. She doesn't want us to end up like her and Will."

"I don't think that'll happen, but I think you need to respect her feelings. The necklace is a safe bet."

"Me too."

They're quiet, Sam scrubbing away stains from previous meals while Bucky dries the china meticulously and stacks it in the cupboard.

"Buck, you know she's crazy about you, right?"

He smiles.

"I do." He sighs. "I want her so bad, Sam. I want her forever, or as long as she'll have me."

"You have her," Sam laughs. "Have you seen the way she looks at you?! When you're in a room, nobody else exists, Bucky. Believe me, I'm great at attracting a woman's attention, but I cannot pry her eyes away from your ass - literally and metaphorically. The other day when you were out there playing lumberjack, she was practically foaming at the mouth."

Bucky shakes his head.

"I don't know."

"You know, George was right the other day on that fishing trip. You're both so goddamn stubborn and in love, it's sickening. You look like you've been together for fifteen years."

"It feels like that," Bucky whispers. "It feels like I've known her my whole life. But we've been together two months. There's still plenty of time for me to screw this up."

"Do you really have that little faith in yourself, Buck?"

He shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't know. It's hard to tell these days."

Sam hands him another dish.

"Well, if you don't get some confidence in yourself, I'll smack it into you. How's that?"

Bucky rolls his eyes as Sam punches him gently in the arm.

"Are we making fun of Bucky again?" Shannon asks as she walks into the kitchen in a t-shirt and shorts, winding a hair tie around her ponytail.

"Always," Sam laughs. He walks toward her and wraps her in a big hug. "Happy birthday, kiddo."

"Kiddo?" She scoffs. "I'm older than you."