Pairing: 40s!Bucky Barnes x Rogers!Reader
Summary: After months of keeping your relationship a secret, your brother Steve finds out and Bucky has an important question to ask him
Word Count: 2.5k
Warnings: Mentions of a quick fight.
1941
You and Bucky had been seeing each other behind your brother's back for months. You were shocked you both had gone on for so long without Steve finding out considering how neither of you could keep your hands off of each other. Whether it was sneaking kisses when your brother wasn't looking or holding hands under tables- you needed each other like you needed air.
Despite the fact that Bucky was his best friend, you knew the moment your brother found out everything would change. Steve was nothing if not overprotective of you since the deaths of your parents and his own struggles growing up. He just wanted what was best for you and you knew that, but sometimes the lines were blurred on what that was- especially when it would come to dating... and dating Bucky no less.
So, not wanting to risk your brother's rage and his friendship with Bucky, the two of you had been keeping your relationship a secret. You knew eventually you would have to tell him, but you both were in such romantic bliss that you told yourself that was a futureproblem.
You had first told yourself that ten months ago and the future was bound to catch up.
"Buck, you need to go." You giggled against his lips before pressing yours against his once again. "He's gonna wake up."
"C'mon Y/n." Bucky chuckled, gripping your waist tighter and pulling you closer to him. "He sleeps like a rock. Just let me in, hmm? Just for one night?"
"Shh!" You hushed him, wrapping your arms around his neck. "You're not stepping into my room while my brother's home without a ring on this finger, mister. You understand me Barnes?"
"Doll," He groaned, throwing his head back which just made you laugh harder. "You know I've got a plan- you just gotta be patient, Y/n- trust me."
Lacing your fingers into his hair, you laughed against his lips.
"Shush, James. You're gonna wake him up!" You whispered. "You gotta head home."
"If you insist. One more kiss?" He asked.
"One more."
Pressing your lips against his, you couldn't help but smile into the kiss, both of you laughing out of pure bliss.
Pulling yourself away, you opened your eyes and turned your head to the side only to be met with the sight of your brother standing in the doorway of your apartment.
Eyes growing wide and heart thumping in your chest, you and Bucky jumped away from each other, you pushing him behind you.
"Steve, I can explain." You pleaded, holding your hands out in front of you.
Watching as his hands balled into fists at his sides, you knew you weren't going to be getting out of this one easily.
"You better have a damn good explanation." He said, firmly.
"Steve, I-" Bucky attempted to speak up, moving from his spot behind you to be by your side.
"You can have every girl in this city, Buck, and you just have to go after my sister too?" Steve asked in disgust, cutting off his friend.
Glancing from your brother to his friend, catching a sadness you had never seen before in his eyes, you shook your head.
"Stevie it's not like that-"
"It's always like that, Y/n!" Your brother shouted, turning his attention back to you while pointing an accusing finger at Bucky. "You don't know what he's like! He takes out a different girl every day and I used to turn my head, but God damn it! My sister too?"
You and Bucky had always known that there wouldn't be a necessarily positive reaction from your brother when you first told him, but standing in the midst of the situation now you both wished you could escape to seconds before.
A part of you felt so guilty you wished you had told him earlier.
Maybe his reaction wouldn't have been so bad.
"Steve, I- I don't do that anymore." Bucky said, his voice faltering. "I know that I've done stuff like that in the past, but it's over for me now. I care about your sister, Steve. I love her."
Rather than relax at his friend's confession of love, you watched as your brother took a deep, long, shaky breath.
"How long has this been going on?" He asked.
"Steve-" You attempted to ease him.
"I said 'how long has this been going on!'" He shouted this time.
"Ten months." Bucky confessed calmly from beside you.
It happened so quickly that you couldn't stop it.
Rather than shout once again, seeing red, you watched as Steve threw himself at Bucky, shoving him to ground and climbing on top of him.
"Oh my God!" You shouted in shock, wrapping your arms around your brother's torso to pull him off of your lover. "Steve, get off of him!"
Rather than let go, your brother pulled the collar of Bucky's shirt, shoving him against the floor.
"Ten months!" Steve shouted. "You've been seeing my sister for tenfucking months and you didn't say anything? She's not something that you can just mess around with-"
Throwing a punch to his best friend's face, Bucky cursing in pain but not moving to throw Steve off of him, you found the strength to tug Steve hard enough to pull him off, you both falling to the ground in the process.
"Shit!" Bucky cursed, holding his eye.
Glancing from your brother back to Bucky, you pushed yourself to your feet, making your way to Bucky's side. You dropped to your knees and attempted to examine his wound before turning back to your brother.
"You know- this is exactly why I didn't want to tell you." You told your brother. "I mean, God, Steve you're so overprotective of me. You get so mad when people think you can't fight or handle yourself, but you do the same shit to me. I can handle myself! I've known Buck just as long as you and I know what he used to be like but it's not like that anymore, Steve. I know what I'm doing. I'm with Bucky and you can either come to terms with that or... I don't know... but I'm not leaving him."
Noticing how your brother's shoulders began to relax and his fists loosened at his sides, you turned back to Bucky, gently brushing your fingertips against the bruise forming around his eye.
"I should get you some ice."
Rather than agreeing, Bucky shook his head adamantly.
"No. Leave it doll." He groaned, moving his hands up to hold his eye once again. "I deserve it."
Glancing back up at Steve you saw him sigh before reaching his hand out for Bucky to take. Glancing at you and then Steve's hand, Bucky took it, Steve pulling him to his feet.
An awkward silence hanging between the three of you for a brief moment, Steve was the first to speak up.
"Y/n, can you leave us alone for a few minutes?" Your brother asked.
"I don't know." You shrugged standing up. "You gonna try to throw him over the fire escape?"
"Y/n, it's okay." Bucky said, pushing himself up to his elbows. "Head inside. I'll be fine."
Eyeing Bucky and then your brother, you sighed, shoving past Steve to reach the open door of you and your brother's shared apartment.
"If I see another bruise on his face, Steve, I sweat to God I'll kill you."
And with that you shut the door.
Watching the door slam and his face, Steve sighed, moving to sit on the steps that led up to your apartment, Bucky following behind.
Groaning as he slowly situated himself beside his friend, Bucky glanced at Steve and sighed.
"I'm sorry for not telling you." Bucky said, staring out into the dark night in front of him. "I was just afraid of what would happen when you found out. You're my best friend and I didn't want you to get so pissed that you never wanted to talk to me again... or never let me talk to her again. I really love your sister though, Steve. This isn't like the other ones."
Steve knew without him even saying it that you were different from his past relationships. He had never seen his friend so sincere, so vulnerable. Ten months was far beyond the longest relationship Bucky had ever been in which lasted a total of three weeks. Ten months was a long while for anybody- especially his best friend.
"So uh... ten months huh?" Steve asked, glancing at his friend sat beside him. "That's a... that's a long time."
"Yeah." Bucky agreed, turning to face Steve. "That's kinda why I'm glad you know now. There's something I wanted to talk to you about... if you're in a good mood anyway. I don't want a matching shiner."
Not being able to hold back his laugh, Steve chuckled, nodding his head.
"Go ahead, Buck."
Although Bucky had run through this conversation since one month into your relationship, as he sat there now next to Steve, he didn't know if he would actually be able to say it. He had gone through hundreds of different scenarios thousands of times, but choosing the right one in this important moment seemed almost impossible.
His mind drifting to you though, he knew he couldn't wait any longer. He didn't want to. In his mind he had already waited long enough.
"I just want to do this right, Steve." He said, facing his friend, trying his best to sit still and stay calm. "You know, I've thought about how I have to do this my whole life- asking the dad and everything- but I don't know if it's better or worse that I have to ask my best friend." Bucky chuckled. "I know your sister can handle herself and everything- she would say that it's stupid that I'm even asking you and everything- but I love her and I just want to do this right because she's it for me, pal."
"What are you saying?" Steve asked.
"I wanna marry her, Steve." Bucky said finally. "And I don't want you to think this just came out of nowhere. I've known for a while. Ma gave me her ring 'n everything and I've been ready for so long, but I couldn't do it without telling you and asking you for her hand 'n all."
Staring at his friend, eyes growing wide, it hit Steve for the first time just how serious not only Bucky was, but your relationship. You were Steve's little sister, adopted at an age that he had barely known life without you and Bucky was his best friend- a friendship forged so young that he couldn't remember not having him by his side. It was hard for Steve to believe the words he was hearing out of Bucky's mouth.
Not only were you and Bucky in love with each other, but he was ready to devote his life to you.
"Wow, Buck." Steve exclaimed at a loss for words. "What happened to her being a 'nosy punk'?"
Chuckling, Bucky shrugged.
"C'mon you know I always had a soft spot for her." He said. "I don't know... things changed. I'm sorry for not telling you, pal, I am. I was just scared of losing her 'cause she's the best damned thing that ever happened to me."
Moving his hand to Steve's shoulder, Bucky gripped it gently.
"I promise I'll take care of her." Bucky said sincerely. "As much as she'll hate it- I'll do everything I can to protect her. I know I don't have much, but I'll give her a good life, Steve. I'm with her until the end and then some. I'll be haunting her ass as soon as I'm six feet under."
Not being able to help the laugh that escaped his mouth, Steve chuckled, resting his hand on his friend's shoulder in return.
"So you really love her?" Steve asked.
"Steve, I'm asking you to let me marry her." He said. "Of course I love her."
Removing his hand from his friend's shoulder, Steve shook his head in disbelief.
"This is a lot to take in, Buck."
And it was.
You were his sister and as hard as it was, he would do whatever it took to protect you. He almost couldn't help but feel a part of his heart sink, feeling as though you didn't need him anymore. But as he stared at his best friend and heard both yours and Bucky's words replaying in his mind he couldn't find it in himself to stand between either of the people he cared for most.
The longer Steve thought about it, the more relieved he was that his two favorite people had found their way to each other.
"You promise you'll take good care of her?" Steve asked, glancing at his friend in the dark night, only the light shining through the window of the apartment highlighting his face.
"I promise, pal."
Staring straight ahead of him, Steve finally nodded.
"You have my blessing- or whatever it is- to ask her." Steve said, giving his permission. "It's her decision, but I'm not gonna stand in your way, Buck. Just don't forget about your brother-in-law, alright?"
Not being able to help the complete and utter joy he was feeling from the pieces finally coming together in his life, Bucky shook his head, laughing.
"God, 'brother-in-law'." Bucky repeated. "This is really happening, huh?"
"I guess so." Steve smiled, standing to his feet. "Now go plan that proposal and everything. You've convinced me, now you just gotta convince her."
Only chuckling in response, still sitting on his spot on the step, Bucky fiddled with his fingers, basking in the relief of the weight he had been under finally being lifted off of his chest.
Moving towards the door of his apartment, Steve glanced over his shoulder at his best friend.
"Hey Buck?" He called.
"Yeah?"
"For uh..." Steve said, clearing his throat. "For what it's worth... I'm glad it's you."
Not giving him an opportunity to reply, Bucky listened as the door shut behind Steve, leaving Bucky on the steps of your fire escape alone with his thoughts.
Slipping his hand into his pocket Bucky pulled out the ring his mother had given him two months before, twisting it around in his fingers. It took everything in his power at that moment to not knock on the door of your apartment and propose to you right then and there. Instead, he closed his eyes, feeling the cool metal against his skin, planning just the right way to convince his best girl to spend the rest of her life with a lovesick fool like him.