Sambucky One Shots

┌ Too Late - Royalty AU (Part 2) ┘

Sam was coming down the stairs, talking to the woman he had been seen embracing before.
Natasha nudged Bucky and he moved his hands from his face. He saw Sam and wished he could hide. Sam had seen him too, and his expression told Bucky everything he needed to know. The anger and bitterness behind his eyes was obvious.
Bucky moved his gaze to the floor, not wishing to be in eye contact with him any longer.

"Oh! You're the prince from the neighbouring kingdom," Sam's companion spoke to Bucky as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Bucky froze.
The woman turned to Sam, her hair bouncing as she did.
"Do you know him? You must introduce me, Sam." She said.
Sam pursed his lips, but then smiled at the woman.
"Of course," he said, and the two of them approached Bucky and Natasha.
Bucky wanted to die right on the spot. Sam wanted nothing to do with him, and it was obvious.

"Good afternoon," said Natasha, bowing to the pair.
Sam gave a light smile. "You're a friend of his?"
Natasha nodded.
"Yes, I am, your highness." She said.
Natasha nudged Bucky, prompting him to look up from the floor.
Bucky begrudgingly did as she instructed, his gaze flitting from Sam to his companion.
She had an eager smile and a kind face, and black hair that fell down her back in curls. Her brown eyes were warm, and friendly somehow.

Bucky found his gaze automatically going back to Sam, surveying every detail of his face and appearance.
He was just as handsome as he was the last time Bucky had seen him. The last time being when Bucky left because Sam told him to. All Bucky had wanted to do was wrap his arms around him and never let him go, but Sam had insisted.
It broke Bucky's heart to leave, and it broke him more to see Sam's anger towards him now.

Sam turned to the woman beside him.
"Charlotte, this is Prince James," he said, and gestured to Bucky.
Bucky gave a forced smile, trying his best to be friendly.
"It's so lovely to meet you," Charlotte said to Bucky, beaming at him. "And who's your friend?"

Bucky turned to Natasha, wondering if she could see the pain behind his eyes.
"Ah," he spoke for the first time in the conversation, his throat feeling hoarse. "This is Natasha Romanoff. She's the head guard in my kingdom."
He fumbled over his words, feeling Sam's eyes on him.

Charlotte smiled at Natasha, her eyes lighting up.
"Wow, you must be very skilled with a sword then!" She said.
Natasha smiled at her. "Of course, your highness. Prince James hired me for my skill with a blade, and my quick wit." She said, giving a nod.
Charlotte seemed enraptured by Natasha's words.
"That's fantastic! You simply must show me sometime." She said, brushing her hair over her shoulder.

Bucky kept his eyes on the ground, his heart hammering loudly in his chest.
"How long will you be staying?" Sam's voice broke through the air, sweeter than honey, softer than butter. The sound melted in Bucky's ears, and he wished Sam would just keep talking.
Bucky looked up, meeting his eyes.
"Not long. A couple of days, perhaps." he said, all while wishing he could say 'forever'.

Sam gave a tight lipped smile. "Good then. We'll see you two at the ball tomorrow, be sure to be there." He said.
"Oh yes, you must come," said Charlotte, beaming. She seemed to radiate brightness and happiness. Bucky thought he might go blind if she kept smiling that much.
"Right," Bucky said, giving a nod. His heartbeat was fast.

A ball?

This was all too familiar...

ﾟ☾ ﾟ。 ⋆

Bucky and Natasha were staying in the castle, as per request of Sam's mother, the queen.
Bucky spent some time wandering about, haunting the halls as if he were a ghost, just remembering his past.
As he reached the palace gardens, mere hours before the ball, the memories all came flooding back to him. He walked the rows of trees through the orchard, traversing past the hedges and flowerbeds.
He walked past the rose bushes, and stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide.