Before We Fall | Bucky Barnes {2}

1

"Loving can hurt sometimes, but It's the only thing that I know."

               - Photograph, Ed Sheeran

"Alex!" Bucky manages to snag my hand and pulls me from the crowd into an ally.

I stand up against the wall, his body pressing closer to mine. He smiles and cups my cheek with his hand. I return the smile and he presses his lips to mine.

I wrap my arms around his neck, one hand snaking up the back of his neck and combing through his hair.

His lips pull into a smile against mine and then he pulls away slightly.

"I love you." He stares in my eyes, still wearing his stunning smile.

"I wish you didn't have to go," I sigh, looking away.

His hand gently pulls my chin up, making me look him in the eyes.

"I'll be back before you know it, I promise." He brings his fingers to my face and brushes a strand of hair behind my ear.

"I'll be waiting." I give him a small smile. He slowly brings his lips to mine, placing a gentle but passionate kiss. "I love you." I mumble against his lips.

He pulls back and gazes in my eyes. "I love you too."

"You haven't told Steve yet, haven't you." I question him. He just looks away.

"I guess I kinda have to now." He sighs. He takes my hand a we walk out of the alley and back down the street.

"Please tell me you weren't planning on writing to him from the front lines." I say sarcastically. He rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

"Come on, you know me better than that."

"Yes I do," I hum. "You wouldn't tell him you were going until you got back if you could."

"He already feels like crap, why rub it in." He shrugs. I stop walking and he stops with me.

"He needs to move on, the army will never accept him. It's just the way it is." I huff. "Besides, if he had anyone else besides us you know I'd be out there with you."

"Agent Carter seemed to think you had a lot of potential, are you sure you're okay with giving that up?" He asks.

The truth was I didn't want to give up that position. I've always wanted to work with Agent Carter, but it was Steve's dream to be in the army. What would happen to him if the only two people who cared about him just left? I couldn't do that to my brother.

"I'd give up anything for him. So would you." I point out. We proceed to walk down the street.

"Can't argue with ya there." He admits.

I was about to ask him about tonight, but something drew my attention away. "Do you hear that?" I ask him. His face scrunches in confusion but he listens. I open my mind and let my radar stretch, I can feel Steve is near. Damit!

"Wait!" He yells for me but I ignore him.

I run across the street, right into another alley. Where Steve has face planted next to the garbage cans, with some guy ready to pounce on him.

"Hey!" I yell. The guy turns to me and I punch him in the nose. "Get away from my brother."

He scrambles back, but stands back up. "You little bitch-"

He's cut off by Bucky who has caught up and pulls on the guys collar and shoves him away from me.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size." He challenges.

The guy stupidly jumps forward and tries to attack Bucky. He easily dodges him and punches him in the face, he falls back around and then Bucky kicks him in the ass, before he cowers away.

I turn my attention back to Steve and help him off the dirty ground.

"Sometimes I think you like getting punched." Bucky comments.

"I had him on the ropes." Steve tries to defend himself.

"Sure you did." I roll my eyes. I love my brother, but he's about as useful in a fight as a toothpick.

"How many times is this?" Bucky asks picking up a card from the ground, I take it from his hands and look at it.

"You did it again?!" I scold him. If he doesn't stop trying to enlist he's going to wind up in jail.

"And you're from Paramus this time?" He reads off the card. "You know it's illegal to lie on your enlistment form. Seriously, Jersey." He says with distaste.

"Did you get your orders?" Steve asks, seeing now that Bucky is in his uniform. Can't stall any longer Buck.

"107th. Sergeant James Barnes. Shipping out for England first thing tomorrow." Bucky says. Steve looks down disappointed.

"I should be going." Steve says tiredly.

"Come on man." Bucky wraps his arm around Steve and my fingers are intertwined in his other hand. "It's my last night. I gotta get you cleaned up."

"Where are we going." Steve asks bored. Bucky tosses the rejected enlist form to the side and hands Steve.

"The future." I say smugly.

AN: Okay, so first I just wanna say how excited I am for this book.

And second, I wanna say happy birthday to Mr. Sebastian Stan. He inspires me so much, I would've never started writing if it wasn't for him. He portrays Bucky Barnes so beautifully, and I feel so lucky to have him do that.