𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬

lover- bucky

"Doll," Bucky called as he walked through the front door, one hand carrying the bags of groceries while the other gripped the list you'd given him before he left. "Now, I think I've gotten everything, almost everything, neither I nor the grocery store helper could figure out what on earth this third line said," he laughed, pausing in his steps when he saw you huffing about in the living room, lamp in one hand and a scatter pillow in the other as you shook your head to remove a strand of fallen hair from your vision.

"James," you sighed, out of breath from your fiddling as you narrowed your eyes at your boyfriend. "You're finally home."

"I am," he noted, carefully placing the groceries on the counter before meeting your gaze once again. "Though, it does quite look like we're moving out, rather than in," he mused, and you'd have rolled your eyes at him if you weren't so nervous about the whole ordeal that laid ahead of you.

Your parents had met Bucky a few weeks after you started dating, and though they loved him, they had a sense of objection to you moving into the avengers' tower when you could be starting a life together. This objection had been shared between the both of you as well, Bucky wanting a place to call home that didn't involve missions and politics- he wanted comfort and though half of it came from you, the other half would come from the future the two of you would build together. The little loft you'd moved into had quite quickly become exactly that, having been filled as time passed, decorations and furniture being picked up as the need arose, the last of which being Christmas decorations, the fact very evident as you both stood in the festively lacking room.

"It's December," you informed him, not at all aiding in easing his confusion as he offered you a careful nod to continue. "My parents are coming over for Christmas, but it doesn't look like Christmas in here, James, looks like November or something and we don't have anything to decorate with," Bucky hummed in reply, acknowledging your frustration as he carefully made his way towards you, gentle hands ridding you of the pillow and lamp you'd been gripping onto.

"Alright, if I remember correctly, there are some Christmas lights in one of the boxes we're storing for Sam, so we can start there for now, maybe tomorrow we can stop by the little store on the corner and see if there's anything else there, how does that sound?" you nodded, smiling at how nimble his voice was, his actions of trying to calm you not going unnoticed as his metal arm surrounded your waist.

"You forget, however, how much you despise the lights in question," you reminded him with a soft smirk, hands mimicking his as you squeezed his waist lightly.

"I don't despise them," he objected, faux certainty on his face as he spared you a kiss to your forehead, still shaking his head in mock objection as he abandoned you to go fetch the box he was talking about, smiling once he was back in your presence. "I find the idea of putting them up now and taking them off right after Christmas a little mundane, is all."

"Oh no, mundane tasks are below this super soldier, hmm," you mused, helping him remove the lights from the box, Bucky's eyes narrowing for a split second before he started untangling the wires.

"You mock me, doll, but it'll be me balancing on a chair the morning of the twenty-sixth trying to get these off, not you."

"You want to know a little secret, my love," you prompted, smiling when you shifted the lights in your hand just enough to untangle them completely. "We can leave the Christmas lights up until January," you giggled at the little shock he painted on for your amusement.

"What about the rules, hmm, the Christmas rules?" he was amused now, knowing that more than anything, the silly little moments he used to believe to be pointless, were the moments you held closest to your heart.

"It's our place, we make the rules," you replied, a carefree smile dancing over your lips as you watched him, his actions, though simple, making your body fill with warmth.

"Hmm," he hummed, and you realized that much like many times before, the little sentiment was a reminder of a new beginning, a new life, he'd been many men before, been part of many stories, but the one he was writing with you- that was the one that would make it all worth it. "Hand me the chair, doll," it was the little wink that made you smile as you retrieved the chair without thought.

"Where are you going to put them?"

"Across the arch," he noted, taking hold of the hand pointlessly held out to assist him in his climb onto the wooden chair, hand clutching the lights as he looked up at the arch separating the living room from your bedroom.

"That's not where they go."

"Says who? Thought we make the rules now?" he laughed, and you allowed him to continue, the little song his lips were humming, making your smile grow even wider.

Minutes had passed, Bucky making slow progress as he embarked on his attempt to create a little scene of perfection for his girl. You were shamelessly adoring him, watching his every move, registering every little sigh and silent nod of agreement when an idea worked, he was doing nothing at all and yet completely captivating you. There was a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about him. He was yours, your future, your story- as much as you were his everything, he was yours in twofold. You'd go wherever he goes, forever.

"Hey James," you nearly whispered as you pushed yourself away from the counter you'd been leaning against, a little sound of acknowledgment leaving his mouth as he remained lost in the motions of his fingers. "I love you," he paused, furrowed brows as he stared down at you.

"I love you too, doll. Where's that coming from?"

"Just getting all sentimental seeing you up there, being all domestic," you admitted, stilling next to him to get hold of his free hand. "Thinking about how all's well that ends well to end up with you," you mumbled, and he scoffed softly, gentle features watching you place a loving kiss to the metal digits as they folded around your hand.

"This is only the beginning, Y/n," he informed you as he gave your hand a little squeeze. "My little lover, hmm, wait until you see me making you dinner, might get a wedding proposal out of you yet," he mused and the laughter that filled the room would be but one moment of thousands to come.