Prompt: (1940s) Reader and Bucky are married, have a son and Bucky is shipped off to war. Based on photo above.
Photo:
"Wait for me, Daddy" by Claude P. Settlor on October 1, 1940
This was a weird prompt and I feel a little bad for using this picture as a prompt but I hope you enjoy.
Words: 1709
—
August, 1943
"I'm home!" Rang the voice throughout the apartment, and soon the sound of running feet sounded down the hall.
"Papa! You're home!" Laughed the little boy, who was scooped up in the man's arms. The man, Bucky, smiled and hugged him close. You walked out of the kitchen, wiping your hands on your apron and heading towards the two by the door. Bucky looked at you and smiled, opening his arm and bringing you into a hug.
"Hello, doll," Bucky spoke, pressing a kiss to your lips. You smiled as you returned the kiss and pulled away.
"Hello, love. How was work?" You pulled your 3 year old son, William-Liam for short-into your arms and sat him down. He took off down the hallway and towards his room, no doubt grabbing something to show his father.
Bucky placed his stuff in a chair by the door and turned towards you. He wrapped you in his arms again and held you close. "It was alright. As usual the docks are busy shipping a lot of supplies out for the war, so I'm surprised I got home at this time. Danny has to stay until 7, poor guy."
You nodded and left the hug, walking towards the kitchen. How could you forget, the war. The evil that was tearing families apart and destroying homes. Fathers from kids, husbands from wives, sons from mothers, brothers from sisters, and boyfriends from girlfriends. That dreaded letter from the government would come in any day, tearing your family apart.
Bucky tried to show a proud and strong appearance for your son, but you knew that Bucky was terrified of going to war and leaving you behind, and possibly never returning. Every night as you got ready for bed and crawled under the covers, the two of you would hold each other close, trying not to cry but some nights that didn't work. You would hold each other as you cried, never wanting to leave.
But why worry about it when no letter had arrived...yet.
"Papa! Look!" called out Liam, running down the hall and towards Bucky. He handed a paper to his father who looked at it. "Momma taught me how to draw fishies today!" Bucky looked at the 17 sloppy and colorful circles and triangles that covered the paper, smiling.
Bucky crouched down to his son and handed the paper to him. "Good job bud! They look awesome," he spoke, ruffling the boy's hair.
Liam grinned and his bright blue eyes lit up. He ran back to his room to put the paper down and came back, sitting down at the kitchen table.
"Dinner's ready," you said, pulling the dish out of the oven and onto the table. Bucky grabbed cups and filled them, placing them on the table and sitting in his chair.
"Looks and smells amazing, doll."
You smiled and sat down, helping Liam with his food and dishing some to Bucky, the three of you talking and enjoying the peace for once.
After dinner the 3 of you cleaned up, Liam making more of a mess with the bubbles than actually cleaning, and headed to the living room, tuning into the radio. The station played the St. Louis Cardinals verses the New York Yankees, a very intense game as it sounded. Bucky and Liam listened with wide eyes and smiles, both equally amazed at technology. Sure the radio had been around for about 50 years, but it still managed to amaze the two, at how far technology had come along.
They were in the 8th inning, 7-4, Yankees. The game continued for another 20 minutes, ending with a score of 7-6, Yankees. Bucky and Liam cheered, and you laughed at the two. Bucky stood up and turned the station, music sounding through the speakers. Bucky grinned and turned to you, extending his hand towards you. "Dance with me, doll?"
You grinned and took his hand, standing up from the sofa. Bucky held your hand in his and placed his other hand around your waist, holding you close.
The two of you swayed to the steady paced music, smiling and soaking in the moment. You heard Liam run down the hall and return, his wooden trains in hand. You watched with a smile as he plopped down on the floor and started playing with them. You placed your head on Bucky's chest and breathed a sigh of contentment.
Bucky looked down at you and you looked up, seeing a slightly confused look on his face. "Everything okay?"
You nodded and smiled, laying your head back down. "Everything's just perfect, love."
—
The next morning Bucky and Liam went down to the main lobby of the apartment to grab the mail, and soon returned with three letters in hand. Liam ran behind Bucky's legs and into the apartment, and to his room. Bucky closed the door, staring down at a letter held tight in his hand.
"Bucky? Is everything alright?" You asked, walking towards your husband. Bucky just shook his head and dropped the letter and wrapped you in his arms, holding you impossibly close. "Bucky?" You questioned as you placed your arms around him.
"This can't be happening. This can't- I can't- Oh doll," Bucky mumbled, burying his face in your hair. It only took a second for it to click in your mind. The letter. Bucky had gotten drafted.
"Oh James. Oh I'm so sorry," you spoke, trying not to cry. You pulled him even closer, a few tears escaping your eyes. You felt water hit your neck, and realized that he too was crying. You rubbed your hand up and down his back, trying to comfort him. You pulled away slightly and looked up at him. Bucky's blue eyes shown with tears, and you felt even more tears form in your own. "When do you leave?" You whispered, trying not to let your voice crack.
Bucky picked up the letter and looked at it, reading it over again. "September 1st. I leave for England," Bucky paused and kept reading. "It says I'm being placed as Sergeant of the 107th Infantry."
You nodded and pulled him back into a hug. You only had 3 weeks left with him, and you planned on enjoying every moment of it.
"Papa? Momma? What's going on?" Said a small voice from the kitchen. The two of you turned towards the voice to find Liam looking up at you, confusion in his eyes.
You looked at Bucky and whispered, "It's no use making up an excuse or a lie. He needs to know what's actually going on and where you are going." Bucky just nodded and led you over to the sofa, taking a seat with you next to him, grasping his hand. Bucky motioned for Liam to walk over, who came over in an instant.
He picked Liam up and sat him on his lap, so he could face the two of you. "Liam, you know how there is a war going on, right?" He nodded, looking between the two of you. "And you know how daddy's are leaving to fight, right?" Liam nodded again and looked at Bucky.
"They chose you, didn't they?" Liam asked, looking down at the floor.
"Yes. They did."
Liam looked up and slightly smiled. "You're going off to fight bad guys? And learn cool fighting stuff and actually fight people?" Liam asked excitedly, wonder in his eyes. You and Bucky looked at each other and back at your son.
"Well, yeah. But he's going to be gone for a long time, Liam," you spoke quietly, squeezing Bucky's hand. Liam just nodded and hopped down, running around.
"My daddy's going to fight bad guys! He's going to be a super hero!" He yelled, laughing and running around the living room.
You looked at Bucky and slightly laughed. "He's taking it much better than I thought he would."
"Well, he is three."
—
August 31, 1943
It's Bucky's last day with you and Liam, and you tried to make it as happy as you could. But the cloud of gloom and reality hung over you and your family, reminding you of the inevitable.
When you and Bucky put Liam down for bed, he started talking.
"How long will you be gone? Will you write to us? Will the training be hard?" Liam listed off many questions, all to which Bucky placed a small smile to and a few a fake one.
"I'm not sure, I'll try, and most likely, yes," Bucky answered every question and ruffled Liam's hair and placed a kiss to his forehead. "Get some sleep, Liam. I'll see you in the morning." Bucky stood up and headed towards the door, when Liam had another question.
"What about Uncle Steve? What's going to happen to him?" Bucky turned and looked at the little boy, trying to keep tears at bay.
"He'll be alright. Hopefully he won't do anything stupid for once," Bucky left the room and shut the door, and found you standing there. Without a word, Bucky pulled you into a hug which you gladly returned, holding each other as close as possible.
"Oh James. I'm-" Bucky cut you off with a kiss, which you gladly returned. You stayed like that in the hallway for a moment, soaking in the last few moments together that you had left.
The two of you separated and walked toward your room, got ready for bed and laid in bed, wrapped in each other's arms. You just laid there, silently crying and holding each other as close as humanly possible, mentally preparing yourselves for the months, maybe years, ahead.
"Goodnight doll, I love you so so so much," Bucky croaked, kissing your forehead.
"I love you too, more than you know. Goodnight James," you whispered, cuddling closer to the man holding you. The two of you eventually fell into slumber, begging the night to say forever.
But when do dreams come true?