March 10th
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x female reader
Word Count: 7.2k
Summary: You’ve got a surprise planned for the big day, and Bucky is anxious to get it out of you before you head back home to DC.
Ch 13 of the Neighbors Series | Masterlist | Ch. 12 | Ch. 14
Warnings: mild language, AnGsT, pet names, make outs and lots of kisses to balance the angsty bits, Rebecca Barnes is a warning that’s all I’m legally allowed to say.
AN: I was crying while I wrote this so…. buckle up. If anyone thought New York was going to be anything but the chaos I have produced, you’re dead wrong 😂 I’d also like to make a public service announcement, because the next few chapters are going to be an adventure… and I think that’s all I can tell you without any spoilers 😬 Thank you @deceiverofgodss for reading through my nonsense as usual, ily 💛
I have a couple links I found in my research for this chapter that I thought were really neat, so if you’re interested, take a look at these once you’re done reading: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
Gif from @unearthlydust 🤍
Bucky stirred awake at the sound of laughter and began to stretch his limbs, managing to keep his large frame from rolling off of the twin mattress in the process. The sounds of commotion downstairs brought a smile to his face, the two voices managing to overpower the music playing from the radio in the living room as usual. He cracked his eyes open to confirm that his sister was one of them, finding her bed made and empty on the other side of their childhood bedroom, smiling to himself when he heard his mother’s amusement bubbling up through to their room.
He preferred sleeping in his own bed in his Brooklyn apartment a few blocks away, but when his mother caught wind that Steve would be busy and he’d be alone on his birthday, Winnifred Barnes couldn’t be dissuaded from getting him to come home.
“It’ll be good for you and your sister, you know she’ll be gone for school this time next year,” she had pleaded, the final push that had him agreeing and running back to his apartment to pack a bag. This was what had led him to sleeping on the spare mattress he’d helped push into the room – which was now only Becca’s – the night before, leaving him a little more achy than he would have liked.
He forced himself up out of bed and stretched again when he was up on his feet, working out the kinks of his muscles, and rubbing the sleep from his tired eyes. And after throwing on a pair of slacks and a nice shirt while he had the chance, he made his way downstairs to greet the rest of the family.
Bucky’s steps were damn near silent as he descended, always accused of sneaking up on people when he suddenly appeared behind them without a sound. While the Barnes were unaware, he saw his father propped up in his arm chair by the radio, his morning coffee replacing the tobacco pipe that usually occupied his hand. He’d gotten George the pipe for some birthday or fathers day once they were in a comfortable place after the depression, silencing the complaints about how much more sophisticated he would look holding a pipe instead of a commonplace cigarette. The rest of the family had rolled their eyes each time it left his mouth, and were equally relieved when the gift had silenced his complaints – one of them, at the very least.
Turning to the kitchen he found the culprits, his mother was laughing as she turned eggs over in the pan, and his sister standing by the table entertaining herself with the piping bag full of chocolate in her hand. Becca’s brown curls bounced as she cracked herself up, no doubt having written something crude on the chocolate cake that sat on the cake display in front of her.
He reached the bottom of the stairs as he watched them, and when Becca looked up to include George in her shenanigans, her matching blue eyes caught his and she scrunched up her face.
“Bucky, what’re you standing there like a creep for?” she snarked, her cheeks already rosy with her own amusement. He rolled his eyes, only seeing his mother turn around to look at him out of his peripheral vision.
“Geez, when did it become a crime to walk down the stairs?” he teased right back, and any further retaliation was cut off when Winnifred came gliding across the kitchen to greet her son.
His mother was the picture of grace, at least he’d always thought so. She moved with a purpose, managing to be light on her feet while also being strong and sturdy; a Barnes family trait, she couldn’t be moved by anyone’s choice but her own. As always, she looked perfectly put together, even at early hours of the morning when the rest of the world should have been asleep. Her dark, auburn hair was pinned into neat rolls on top of her head and tied back with a yellow ribbon – her favorite color.
“Oh James, look at you,” she gushed, brushing her hands on her skirt apron before they were reaching up to cup his face. “You’ve grown into such a handsome young man.”
“Thanks Ma,” he smiled, leaning down as she engulfed him in a hug. He was almost sure these hugs got longer each year, but he always refused to be the first one to let go, letting his mom squeeze the life out of him until she got what she needed. He turned to give her a kiss on the cheek, and she pulled away with a smile and an extra glisten in her eye. So emotional…
“C’mon George, come help us light the candles,” she beckoned, turning to walk back towards the kitchen so it wasn’t obvious she was dabbing under her eyes to fix his makeup.
“This is breakfast?” Bucky giggled, following his mom back up to the table and pulling out the chair his father always sat in, the older man hoisting himself up out of the cushioned arm chair and ignoring the limp in his right leg. “I mean… flour, milk, eggs, that’s a great breakfast.”
He peeked up at his sister and saw her subtly shaking her head. Bucky groaned.
“Did you make the mayo cake again?” He whined, and his mother turned around with furrowed brows. One look directed at Becca – a ‘you weren’t supposed to say anything’ glare – and one more back at him.
“There is nothing wrong with that cake, you’ve been eating it for years.”
“It’s the principle of the thing, Ma. You literally have eggs cooking on the stove.”
“And they’re still expensive!” She defended. “You try feeding four adults. If you want a cake for your birthday and a decent egg breakfast, then compromises have to be made,” she huffed, turning back to the stove and shutting off the burner before dividing the last of the eggs onto the plates she laid out on the counter.
“She’s right, y’know,” his father said quietly as he approached, more than used to his wife’s passionate temper. Bucky looked at him for a moment and the two shared a look; they’d had this conversation before. ‘They’re always right. It’s easier to just agree with ‘em. When you have a lady of your own, you’ll understand.’
Bucky wasn’t sure how much his mother would agree with his thought process, but in this moment, his father was right.
“You’re right, m’sorry.” Becca shot him a look, he shot one back at her. “The cake’s gonna be great, thanks Ma,” he offered. He watched her turn to look at him, her face softening. He gave her a small smile, and she returned it.
“Alright alright, I don’t need to be the only one doing stuff. Becca, can you put the candles on for me?”
Becca did as she was told, more than happy to place the handful of candles in just the right spot so that her drawing of a middle finger could be accentuated. Winnifred shook her head as if she was disappointed, but none of them were fooled. George lit the candles as the girls sang Bucky Happy Birthday, a perfect excuse for him not to have to join in himself. And after Bucky had blown out the candles, his father clapped him on the back and gave him a half hug.
“Happy birthday, son,” he smiled.
“Thanks, Pop,” he returned, knowing his father well enough to see through the stoic expression, taking the veiled affection with a smile. His mother left nothing to be assumed, rushing to grab his face and plant lipstick-covered kisses on his cheeks before his sister tackled him from behind, and Bucky only staggered a little as she clung onto his back like she had since she was three years old.
“So, Steve’s stuck in that class today… that means it’s just you and me for the movies right?” She asked excitedly, and his smile was easy to hide when she was on his back. He played the part of the annoying older brother, but he loved that his sister was still genuinely excited about spending time together.
“Yeah. Why, you got a thing for Steve?”
That didn’t mean he wasn’t still annoying.
“No,” she shot back with no hesitation.
“Aw c’mon, Steve’s a good egg,” Bucky defended.
“Do you really want me dating Steve?” She snarked, and he made a face before he made a sound of disagreement. “That’s what I thought.” Their parents laughed as they settled at the table, digging into the breakfast their children were ignoring. “Besides, he’s too skinny. I can’t help that I like ‘em big and tall.”
“You come by it naturally, you’re my daughter,” Winnifred smiled, and he felt Becca shrug her shoulders in agreement. Bucky watched his father smile sweetly at his wife, giving her hand a squeeze. Whenever he decided he was ready to settle down – which was not anytime soon – he wanted whatever his parents had.
“What’s playing at the theaters?” George asked as Becca released Bucky’s shoulders, and he followed to sit next to her at the table.
“Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm!” She pronounced dramatically. Bucky shook his head as he cut himself a slice of cake.
“Of course… I thought we were going to watch the Donald Duck cartoon? Because it’s my birthday?” He whined.
“Well… we’ll watch that one too.” Another round of laughter followed her comment, the walls of their house no stranger to Becca’s quips.
As they all started digging into their plates – the wacky cake tasting just as good as the real thing, his mother would be glad to hear – he heard someone whisper his name. Looking over at his sister, he found her snarking at their parents. He tried to pay attention to the conversation, but he heard his name whispered once again as their voices started to fade.
Bucky closed his eyes to try and focus in on the voice, and the sounds of the Barnes family dining room were gone. All that was left was the back of his eyelids.
“Bucky…” He heard his name in a whisper once again, and when his brows creased as he processed his surroundings, he heard a light hum of amusement that made him feel warm.
Your lips ghosted over his cheeks, featherlight kisses against his skin as his body adjusted to being awake. He instinctively lifted the arm wrapped around you to run his hand soothingly against your lower back, causing you to giggle against his cheek while you were laying half on top of him.
“Are you awake, birthday boy?” You asked quietly, your lips traveling to place kisses against his temple.
“No,” he whispered back, just to feel your lips curl up at the corners. “M’dreaming.”
“Ah shit, I tried to wait, I thought I was in the clear. I didn't mean to wake you up,” you pleaded, and he chuckled quietly as he shook his head. “What’d you dream about?”
“My birthday… in 1938.” He finally opened his eyes to see the sun filtering in through the large window, giving you a golden glow as you shielded him from its light. You looked ethereal, and he lifted his free hand to tuck a piece of hair behind your ear, holding your face in his hands. Fucking beautiful.
“Oh yeah?” You asked in a sweet tone, which he knew by now meant ‘tell me more.’
“I took Becca to go see a Shirley Temple movie, and then I think we ended up just going back home to help Ma cook dinner,” he rambled, more focused on the way your eyes were dancing across his face, drinking him in.
“Sounds like a fun time,” you smiled, but there was something you were hiding behind it he couldn’t quite place. “How’d you know it was that year specifically? Was there something special about it?” He took a breath before he answered.
“That was uh… that was the last time we all spent my birthday together,” he admitted. And just like clockwork, your brows shot up in concern, your melancholy emotions written clearly on your face. “The year after that my sister was in Indiana for school, and two years later my parents died. It wasn’t much longer until I enlisted… and you know the rest.”
Why did that realization hit him like a brick wall? It certainly wasn’t news to him that he hadn’t seen his family in eighty years, that he’d been alone.
That part wasn’t true. He had you.
“Sorry peach, I didn’t mean to put a damper on your morning,” he tried to smile, and you rolled your eyes at him while shaking your head.
“You do that a lot,” you teased, grabbing his face so you could pull him closer, littering his cheek with kisses. “And it’s your birthday,” you stopped for a few more kisses at his temple. “If you wanna put a damper on it…” A kiss to the tip of his nose. “That’s up to you.” You shifted so that you could reach his opposite cheek, covering it in the same amount of your little pecks, balancing your enthusiastic affection.
You pulled a chuckle from deep within his chest as you continued your barrage, and he wrapped his hands around your waist to encourage you to stay there, kissing every inch of his face but the one place he wanted you most. But he didn’t mind. He could get on board with spending his mornings lying underneath you in bed, being showered in your loving glow.
“Well if it were up to me, we’d do this.” He gripped your waist a little tighter before he flipped you over on the bed, using his knee to make a spot for himself between your legs as he hovered over you. You giggled happily as he fitted himself to your body like a mold, one hand curving around your ass to bring your legs up around his waist, and the other grabbing your jaw to hold you still.
When his lips hit home, all the tension in his body evaporated. Kissing you was like stepping into another world, his body lighting up when your hands found their way into his hair, his tongue slipping between your lips and dancing with yours. You traded pleasured groans and desperate whines, making music for your bodies to move together in perfect rhythm.
When he reluctantly pulled away, your breathing was heavy as he traveled down to kiss your jaw – he didn’t have the power to stop himself, the need to have his lips attached to you anyway he could get it was all-consuming. It was hard to sift through everything in his brain to find any coherent thoughts outside of you… only you…
“I’m having a pretty good time laying in bed with you,” he husked, dragging himself back up your skin to kiss your pretty lips once again. What started as a punctuation to his sentence quickly turned into a little more, being pulled back in by the sheer taste of you, encouraged by the needy whimper that escaped you. But he had a point he was trying to make. “Unless you’ve got any objections, how’s about we stay here and… enjoy the view,” he finished with a wiggle of his brow, hinting that the view he really wanted to enjoy was not the one outside the window.
You hummed in amusement as he managed to only steal another chaste kiss from you, your hands sliding down to his shoulders as you came up with your answer. “Any other time, I’d love to take you up on that… but I do actually have a surprise planned for later today.”
His interest was piqued.
“Really? What is it?” he asked excitedly, his previous intentions fading to the back of his mind as he shifted gears, caressing the side of your thighs as he waited for your response.
“I think you’re missing the point of it being a surprise, Buck,” you laughed, and he only pouted.
“Yeah, but… c’mon, you can tell me, what’d you plan?” He tried, and this time he heard the difference when a little bit more of his Brooklyn came out, hoping it was working to his advantage. You smiled bashfully, but you didn’t seem to budge any further than that.
“I’m not gonna, you’ll find out when we get there.”
“Okay, so it’s somewhere you’re taking me…” he mused, listing off the details as if you’d given him a puzzle to solve. You closed your eyes and scrunched up your face as you cringed, realizing you’d already revealed more than you wanted to.
He could work with that.
He nuzzled himself back into the crook of your neck to place kisses at your sweet spot, definitely not trying to weasel more answers out of you, he would never… “Aw baby, gimme another hint, I can’t stand the suspense,” he crooned, and when you were about to make a sound of rebuttal he poked a vibranium finger in your side, right where you were the most ticklish.
You flinched against him as you tried to get out of his hold, managing to get his full name out through your laughter as you pleaded for reprieve. It was kind of cute, he had to admit, the way you were trying. But as strong as you were… his super soldier strength didn’t exactly make it a fair fight. You didn’t stand a chance.
“James please, I- I can’t breathe,” you laughed, and when he realized the attack hadn’t even moved you an inch, he let up, leaning down to press a soft kiss to your cheek. “Are you trying to suck up to me now?” You sassed.
“Is it working?” he mused, earning a huff of amusement. “Alright, I won’t ask you anything else about what it is… but what else can you tell me? When are we going, how far away is it?”
“It’s… well, it’s a little bit of a drive, so it’ll be the last thing we do today,” you answered, and he didn’t miss the way your demeanor shifted ever so slightly, like you were nervous. “We can go do anything else you want while we’re still in the city, this can wait until whenever you’re ready to go.”
He observed you for a moment, studying your features. Mapped the curve of your cheeks, the softness of your lips, and was somehow able to keep himself from getting lost in those pretty eyes of yours. Whatever this was, it made you nervous, but you didn’t seem to be any less excited about him finding out.
“Okay… then let’s get to it,” he smiled, leaning down to capture your lips in a sweet kiss, slower and softer than all the ones before it. “I say we start with an easy morning. Take our time getting ready and getting out of the hotel, and we can meander through the rest of my stomping ground.”
He felt your laugh rumble through your core as he continued to lay over you, settling himself down so he could gaze up at you from his spot on your chest. “I love it,” you sighed as rested one hand over his back, threading the other through his hair, and he closed his eyes as he enjoyed the feeling of it.
“How does chocolate cake for breakfast sound?” you lilted, amused at the mere suggestion. When the words left your mouth there was a warmth that blossomed in his stomach, spreading out to the furthest points of his being.
“Sounds perfect.”
…
You were fucking nervous. Beyond nervous, borderline nauseous at the mere thought of what was coming.
The rest of the day had gone by smoothly, and you had actually been able to enjoy most of it. You had spent a blissful morning in the hotel room, half dressed as you basked in the golden light of the morning sun, and you watched in awe as Bucky packed away three quarters of the five inch cake from the bakery and damn near half of the loaf of banana bread. “S’not as good as yours,” he shrugged while shoving a fourth slice into his mouth. It was giggly and relaxed and wonderful, cuddling him close to your chest and listening to each other's heartbeats, and managing to sing him Happy Birthday despite his best efforts to kiss you quiet.
After everything had been packed up and loaded into your car – having made it out with only seconds to spare before your check out time – you ventured into the heart of Brooklyn. He took you down to the pier and cornered you into the railing, keeping you close to his chest as you gazed out at the Statue of Liberty, enjoying the early spring breeze. You went as far as venturing into downtown Brooklyn, not surprised in the least when Bucky didn’t recognize a thing, but just as excited when he would point between a Macy’s and a Foot Locker to tell you what used to be there.
The end of your day came sooner than expected, just after you’d finished the hot dogs from the park he’d justified as your afternoon snack. You shouldn’t have been surprised though, he was nearly bursting at the seams in anticipation for what you had waiting for him. While he was giddy, you were trying to keep your heart from coming up your throat.
You had to give yourself credit though, because when you “accidentally” happened upon a cute little florists shop just outside of the city, he was either playing into your act or he actually believed you when you suggested getting a bunch for the drive home. “It’ll be dead before we get there,” he’d reasoned, but he caved when you whined about how pretty they were, acting as if you hadn’t messaged the shop and asked them to make it for you ahead of time.
But now, with Bucky holding a prettily wrapped bouquet of daffodils while he sat in your passenger seat, you had no other distractions.
You felt like you were going to be sick.
“Apparently these are the flowers for March… did you know that?” he’d piped up, and you tore yourself away from your laser focus on the road to see him glancing at the information card placed inside the wrapping, detailing tidbits about the flowers included and what they meant.
“I didn’t! No wonder I was drawn to them,” you winked, and he gave you a boyish grin before you turned back to the road.
“It says that once daffodils bloom winter is over, so they’re supposed to be a sign of good news,” he continued reading. God you hoped that was true… “I wonder if my sister knew. I think I’ve told you that these used to be her favorite flowers.”
He had told you.
“You know, that sounds vaguely familiar,” you tried to laugh, focusing back on the directions your car was displaying, not daring to look at him and put your composure at risk.
You were almost there… not much longer… You didn’t know if that made you feel better or worse.
“I’ve been out here before,” he muttered, and you realized he’d been studying you, glancing between your worried expression and the steps your map was giving you.
“Oh yeah?”
“We buried my parents out here.”
You couldn’t look at him.
Instead, you made a noise of interest, encouraging him to continue and hoping he would ignore that you were not yourself. “My sister was on her summer break, so she took the train out here from Indiana to help me sort everything out. They had everything laid out in the will. Apparently they’d picked out a place before the depression, and had enough money set aside to cover the funeral and all that.”
You could see him out of your peripherals, his brows raised in concern as he watched you avoid him.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have to talk about this. I don’t wanna ruin whatever you had planned,” he started, resting one of his hands against your thigh comfortingly.
“No, no, I’m okay,” you managed, somehow finding it easier to reassure him than it was to do so for yourself. You turned to try and give him a smile, and when your eyes landed on his blue ones your resolve started to crack, resorting to a tight lipped grin instead. “Really, you know I want to hear everything. The good, the bad, and the ugly.”
He gave you a soft chuckle and shook his head. “That’s a movie reference I’m not getting, isn’t it?” You managed to laugh.
“Yeah… but it’s old, I think there’s a lot of people who probably don’t get it,” you shrugged, and he gave you one more bright smile before he turned back to the road, and you did the same.
Not even five minutes later, you were there.
Canarsie Cemetery. Est. 1843.
You both saw it at the same time, but when he opened his mouth to speak you turned on your blinker, and he held his tongue. You were positive he could hear your heart beating through your chest as you turned into the drive and found a spot in the almost empty gravel lot just inside the gates.
“Doll… I don’t…” He started, but he didn’t finish his statement, looking to you for an explanation instead. When you finally turned to face him, you knew he was already starting to piece everything together.
“Just… just trust me,” you managed, the silence around you making it that much harder to formulate a sentence.
He gave a small nod. “I always do.”
You walked up hand in hand, Bucky insistent on holding the flowers in his other hand, your intentions with the flower shop no longer secret. Neither of you said anything as you walked through the tight rows of headstones, but everyone and then he would rub his thumb soothingly across your skin, and you would do that same in return. You were mostly following Bucky, trusting his perfect memory to lead you through the maze of names.
Mostly. He hadn’t strayed too far from the path you had studied obsessively for the past week.
He kept your hand interlaced in his while he walked in front of you down one of the rows, his steps slowing as he approached his destination. He came to a stop in front of a combined headstone slightly larger than those around them, and you followed his gaze to read the inscription.
Barnes
Loving parents, married 1914
George, 1889-1941
Winnifred, 1892-1941
“Not exactly how I imagined I’d be bringing a girl home to meet my folks,” he offered, no doubt trying to make light of the somber atmosphere.
You cracked a smile and let out a huff of amusement, stepping closer and giving his hand a squeeze. He returned it before letting go, wrapping his arm around your shoulder and pulling you in to place a kiss on your forehead. You wrapped your arms around his middle and took a deep breath, the two of you standing like that for a few moments in silence.
“They would’ve loved you,” Bucky admitted quietly, and you tilted your head up to look at him, his blue eyes trained ahead. “Pop wouldn’t have told you outright, he would have just started a conversation one day and never shut up. Ma would’ve gone crazy.”
You turned to look back at the gravestone, smiling for a moment when you thought about how that scene might have played out. And then of course a wave of emotion hit you once again, your imagination conjuring up a picture of George Barnes shaking your hand before Winnifred took your face in her hands and wrapped her arms around you.
“I’m sure I would have loved them, too,” you assured him. He kissed your hairline in response, pulling back just enough to give you a soft smile.
Bucky looked back over at the headstone one last time before he made to step forward, raising the flowers up so that he could position them at the base. But before he could get too far you put a hand on his chest to stop him. He raised his brows in concern as he looked back at you.
“Not yet,” you explained, using the distraction to slip out from under his arm. You laced your fingers with his once again and took one step back, a sign for him to follow you. “There’s someone else I want you to see.”
The detour had been a welcome one, and although it put you a little bit more at ease, it did nothing to calm your racing heart as you led him back out of the row the way you came. Trying to take things slow, you kept glancing back over your shoulder to check on the man following behind you, and every time you did he gave your hand a squeeze as if he was trying to reassure you.
Maybe you needed it.
Using one of the names as a guide, you turned to walk along a path a few rows past his parents, your throat constricting as you approached the real reason you had brought him here. One … two… three more steps and you stopped, turning to Bucky to let him know you were here.
And the second he looked at the gravestone ahead of him, you broke.
In memory of a beloved sister, wife, and mother.
Her friendship was an inspiration, her love a blessing.
Rebecca Proctor, 1920-2012
You watched the confusion cross his features, his brows furrowing for half a second before realization dawned on him. His eyes darted across the epitaph, settling on the engraving of her name and swallowing hard. You felt a tear roll down your cheek as he turned to look at you, melting.
“Sweetheart…” he cooed, and you shook your head at him to try and communicate ‘I’m okay.’ You weren’t, but this wasn’t about you, it was about him. It was about her.
“You said you always spent your birthday with your sister, so…” you explained shakily, gesturing towards her as another tear threatened to spill over.
Before you could try to get anything else out, Bucky took your hands in his large ones and gently wrapped them around his neck. His muscular body engulfed you in a hug, slipping his arms around your waist to hold you tight against him and burying his face into the crook of your neck. And only once you felt him settle did you release an uneven breath.
“How long have you known?” he asked gently, tracing soothing patterns into your lower back, grounding himself.
“Do you remember when I had a bad day at work last week, and you gave me a massage when I cam home?”
“Mhmm. You didn’t want to talk about what happened…”
“I um, I had this idea. I thought that, if I could find her… I thought that you might be able to see her again.” You were audibly crying now, too far gone to even try and hide it. “I just got so swept up in this picture in my head, I forgot how old you are,” you managed, earning you a choked laugh. “I went looking for her while I was at work, and…”
You didn’t have to say anything more. Bucky gripped you impossibly tighter, and you did the same, one hand on the back of his head as you clung to him. You tried to hold it in, you really did. But the moment you felt his quivered breath fan against your neck, a sob wracked through your body.
There was nothing more you could do for a few minutes, holding each other while you let your emotions take over you. Your crying was much more audible than his. You couldn’t even be completely sure he was crying, but he was at least giving himself a chance to soak in his emotions with no thought to anyone else.
By the time you had calmed down, he pulled back just enough to be able to look at you, bringing his thumb up to wipe a stray tear from your cheek. His eyes were noticeably bluer and slightly puffy, the only evidence tears had been shed.
“I uh… I don’t know if this is overkill. Don’t feel like you have to read it right now,” you started sheepishly, resting your hands against his chest so that you could reach into the purse hanging off your shoulder. “When I was looking for her, I came across these and thought you might like to read ‘em. Just, sort of share a moment with her,” you rambled, fishing out a folded up piece of paper and handing it to him.
He took it gingerly from you, and you took the bouquet of daffodils out of his hands so that he could focus his attention on unfolding it. And when he did, he took a sharp intake, coming face to face with the digital newspaper clippings you had found in your search.
“Rebecca Barnes Graduates From Indiana State University. Distinguished as one of the top students of her class of 1943, Miss Barnes – from Brooklyn, New York – graduates with all honors, earning a Bachelor's degree in Nursing…”
“Rebecca Barnes Completes Plans For Wedding. The marriage of Miss Rebecca Barnes and Mr. Lawrence Proctor will be an event for Sunday, June 15 1947. Miss Barnes’ dress will be…”
“Mr. And Mrs. Proctor Welcome First Child. Lawrence and Rebecca Proctor bring their first son, James Thomas Proctor, into the world…”
“Proctor Family Hosts A Lovely Party. Mr. Lawrence and Mrs. Rebecca Proctor hosted a wonderful garden party at their home this Saturday with their three children – James, Joann, and Jack – to kick off the summer festivities…”
Her whole life… he had pieces of her entire life in his hands. Things he thought he’d never get to learn about his sister, things he thought would be lost to time. She graduated with honors, got married, had kids… Rebecca had gotten everything she’d ever wanted.
“Thank you,” he managed, holding the paper like his life depended on it as he looked up at you, the tears already starting to well back up in your eyes.
“Happy birthday, Bucky,” you said softly, resting your hand on his arm as you stood on your toes to kiss his cheek. You didn’t go far, linking your arm with his and resting your head on his shoulder. And while his eyes danced between Rebecca’s grave and the her children’s names on the paper in his hands, you stood together in silence, giving him a minute to sit with all of the emotions swimming through his head.
He wasn’t even sure he knew how to make sense of it all. There were feelings leftover from when his parents had died in the accident, feelings he thought he wouldn’t be affected by so many years later. Though maybe he hadn’t had enough time to truly process it all before he was swept up in a war that changed his life far more than he could have ever guessed.
Rebecca… he wasn’t quite sure he had even given himself the chance to grieve. Once he came out of Hydra’s hold, he assumed the only person he had left was Steve, and hadn’t let himself dwell on anyone else he’d lost. And while technically that was true, it wasn’t until his neighbor started asking about his sister that he let himself wonder about Rebecca and the life she had created. Until today, she had existed as very little but a fleeting memory in his mind.
Now, she was a real person again. All grown up and happy, having left behind a legacy all her own.
He had you to thank for that.
You had brought his sister back to him. You and all the waves of emotions he felt when he thought of you. The way his skin anticipated your touch, longed for it. Your voice calmed the noise in his head, and his hands felt whole when you were in them. Your hearts reached for each other, pulling him to you by some invisible force…
“Hey,” you whispered, pulling him out of his thoughts. He had no idea how long you two had been standing there; it could have been a few moments or a few hours, he wouldn’t have known. But when he met your gaze, your soft smile put him at ease. “I’m gonna go wait by the car, give you a minute alone with them.” You nodded towards Rebecca to illustrate your point as you rubbed gentle circles into his bicep.
“M’kay… I won’t be long, I promise,” he assured you, his voice crackling with the lack of use.
“I’m not rushing you, take your time,” you said warmly, and he nodded in acknowledgement. He folded up the page with all your clippings and tucked it into his back pocket as you stepped in front of him to slot yourself in his arms. You were gentle as you got up on your toes and lifted on arm around his neck, the flowers still secure in your other one as you went to give him a kiss.
Bucky, however, was overtaken by his emotions the second your lips had met his in what was supposed to be a sweet kiss. He needed you under his skin, wrapping his arms around you to hold you firm to his body, pouring his soul into you as he kissed you back. It was hungry, desperate, but not in the same lustful way he had the day before. That was the last thing on his mind. He was consumed by his need for you in its most genuine form.
You were both panting when he finally released you, resting your foreheads against each other as he came back down to earth. You tilted your head to nudge his nose with yours, giving him one more chaste kiss before stepping back. You squeezed his hand before removing it, placing the bouquet of daffodils there instead and removing a handful from the bunch. With one more reassuring smile, you were on your way.
All he could do was watch you for a moment, walking gingerly through the rows of headstones and gracing each of them with a moment of your kind consideration, like you saw each name for the person it represented and their story. He should have been able to guess your intentions, but instead he watched in awe as you returned to his parents headstone, and – like the wonderful woman he knew you were – set the flowers you had taken below their names.
You were speaking as you rested a hand gently over the tall stone, but he couldn’t hear you no matter how hard he tried.
Which meant you wouldn’t be able to hear him either.
“She’s really something, Becca,” he sighed, tearing his eyes away from you to look back down at his sister.
Rebecca Proctor… he’d have to adjust to that. He spared a glance to the right to see her husband – Lawrence, apparently – beside her, the dates signifying that she had passed first. At least that was one more heartbreak she didn’t have to suffer through.
Bucky crouched down to be eye level with her epitaph before he kept speaking, fiddling with the bundle of flowers in his hands. “You would’ve loved her, I know it. You would have done that thing where you tried to steal her away from me, claim that she was your new best friend. She asks about you so often, sometimes I think she might’ve let you,” he laughed, imagining you all dolled up while engaged in a sort of custody battle between the two of them.
“You told me once, when you were being mean, that you didn’t think I could fall in love. And at the time, I didn’t care whether it was true or not. But after everything that’s happened… I started to think that you were right, maybe that just wasn’t in the cards for me.” He spared a glance back over to you, seeing you walk away from his parents and turn towards the entrance where you would wait for him, passing slowly to read names as you went.
His heart shot up into his throat.
“She proved us both wrong, Becca. I’m in love with her.” It felt right coming out of his mouth, wrapping him in a warmth he had yet to feel in years, a warmth he’d gotten glimpses of in the past few weeks with you. And as he set the bouquet of yellow flowers, ones you picked out specifically for this moment, he knew it was true.
Bucky loved you. Wholly, profoundly, endlessly.
He loved you when he walked back out the front gates to find you leaning against the car waiting for him. You hugged him tight and made no attempt to rush him away, almost hesitant to leave yourself.
He loved you when you sang the wrong words to a song on the radio he’d never heard before. You lit up as you danced along the best you could while driving, and he knew it would become one of his favorites.
He loved you when you were stopped in stand-still traffic, a slew of colorful expletives leaving your soft lips. He kissed the angry expression off your face when someone managed to cut you off in the slow moving chaos, and soaked up the bashful smile that replaced it.
He loved you when he took your suitcase out of the car, and you fought him about carrying it inside. You didn’t win, he was far more stubborn than you were, but he chuckled to himself when you grumbled about “fairness” as you unlocked your apartment to let him in behind you.
He loved you when your cold hands trailed up under the hem of his undershirt, giving him an innocent smile as you urged him to take it off so you could wear it to bed. That would be another one he would find “accidentally” placed in your pajama drawer instead of the one he’d started to fill with his own clothes.
He loved you when you cuddled up close to him in bed, sharing soft kisses and quiet words in the darkness. Your legs tangled with his, cold feet tickling his skin while you informed him he ran hot like a furnace.
And when you finally fell asleep, he watched contentedly as your pretty features relaxed and your breathing slowed. He was captivated by your very presence, awed by the hold you had on his heart. In that moment he knew that – if for no other reason – this was why he was here. You were his silver lining, the reason for this over-extended life he’d been given. This life with you, this love for you, made everything he’d ever gone through make sense.
Bucky drifted off to sleep feeling lighter than he had in a long time, his entire world curled up peacefully on his chest.
Thanks for reading!! If you’d like to be notified when I post a new fic, be sure to follow @writerlyhabits-library + turn on post notifications! 💛
Masterlist | Ch. 12 | Ch. 14
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Hey 😁 I just finished reading HFTH 2, it took a while cause I had to read it in batches to really savor it 😂 And I want to apologize in advance cause I know this is all over the place with me just fangirling and reacting to what’s happening 😅
I already love Jk’s mom the moment she gave MC the chocolate that Seojun made. She can “force” feed me delicious food, especially desserts, any day 😌
I was like 😬 when Aera was suspecting something was fishy with them cause they weren’t “affectionate enough” 👀 but then I was like 🥴 cause it just means they’re gonna amp up the PDA and I’m so ready for it 😉
They’re so freakin adorable when she asked for a goodnight kiss and then he heard her squeal after going inside, I just can’t 🥺
I agree with her “You’re lucky you’re cute,” when he wakes her. They have to have that face to force me to wake up early 😤 lol
O M G the scene from the teaser !!!!! Seojun and Saraí were the intruders 🫣 And I love how MC bonded almost instantly with Saraí 🥰
And Jimin already planning his room on Jk’s future apartment 😂
Grandma Jeon is something else and I LOVE HER! She’s both intimidating and endearing. All your female characters are so awesome, their personalities are all completely different yet interesting and lovable 😌
It’s so hilarious how MC is bewildered at how Luna is treated, that’s one pampered dog 😂
Luna Patrice Jeon — Jk’s dog-aunt Jk’s dad’s little sister 🤣
And this scene when Jin flirts with MC:
— “Hey!” Jungkook stomps his foot. His cute bunny nose scrunching. “You’re my girlfriend!” How adorable is he? 🥺
And the stroll with their dogs? SO CUTE 🥹
Jk’s reaction when Yoongs exposed his breeding kink 🤣 but also MC’s reply 🫢 They are a riot 😂
The make-out scene in front of the giant Christmas tree at the mall 🫣
And then THE AWAITED “BED SCENE” 😳🫠
They said they liked each other afterwards!?!?! 🥳
The scene with the sledding and Koo’s giant snowball 🥺
But also Jimin asking MC “Are you free next Christmas?” 👀 I don’t think so Min 🥴
Their “pillow talks” in bed 🥺
THE AWAITED “BED SCENE” PT. 2 🥵
But they’re getting loud and as hot as it is, I’m sweating cause there’s now way no one is hearing them right? 😅 and i think Grandma Jeon is next door 😱
I felt so relieved when everything was normal the next day 😮💨
And when Gramdma Jeon started to talk about her love story with Grandpa Jeon, it was 🥰🥹🥺😭🤧
And I would’ve been so guilty too 😔 I’m glad they came clean about it
But I also wasn’t surprised that Grams knew all about the scheme 😏 but 🤦♀️ when it was because of Jimin 😂
But I’m so happy that there wasn’t anymore necessary drama and that they all talked it out and fixed it ☺️
Minji is the coolest Grandma ever, who else would gift their grandson his future home with his newly introduced gf 💅 Where’s can I find someone like her in my life? 😭😂
And when they ratted out Min to the others cause he’s the reason that Con Jungkook’s Grandma mission was a fail 🤣
The snowball fight scene 😌
THEY FINALLY MADE IT OFFICIAL!!!! 🥳😍🥹😭🤧
That was such a beautiful ending to a beautiful story 🥹 this was written so well, you’re amazing! I loved every bit of it, each character was so unique with interesting personalities. This MC and Koo is officially part of my fav couple in all of your stories. The list is growing so much and I love it 🥰 This was really good, thank you for sharing it with us. All your hard work paid off cause this was 🤌
As always, I’m so excited to read what you have in store for us in the future but I hope you are taking your much needed rest after writing this masterpiece 😉 Take care always 💜
Hello! I'm glad you got to read it and savor it lol 🥰
SPOILERS
I adore Aera lol she loves to host and feed anyone who comes over! She reminds me of my grandmother lol
Aera is definitely suspicious but one of her character "flaws" is that she expects Jungkook and the MC to be like Seojun and Saraí and while his brother and Saraí are very lovey-dovey wherever they are, Aera expects the same from JK and Dae is like uh no? they don't have to be all over each other lol
fun fact: I added her squeal and him hearing it in one of my read-throughs so it wasn't a thing until this week lol but I think it fits them well lol and it's a nice little comical relief 🥰
I do not like being woken up lmao when I was a teen, my family knew better than to wake me because I was grouchy so I would miss out on takeout and whatnot because they knew I'd be upset lol I think I have a lot of grouchy reader inserts so I'm just realizing I do that a lot. whoops!
Yes! It was Seojun and Saraí! JK and MC were too busy kissing to hear them coming into the home and up both sets of stairs 😂 Jungkook was definitely a little miffed they interrupted lmao but at least Seojun was more likely to fall for it now. It's unusual for Jungkook to keep stuff this big from him, so he was a bit suspicious. Saraí is very friendly, she mostly spent the holidays with her family because they always did big events and Seojun would normally go to his parents for a bit and then to her family's home. So Jungkook didn't know her all that well, but she's good at reading people so she was suspicious from the get-go.
Jimin planning his room in the apartment was also added later on lol it seemed to fit his character well and I imagine he will have his own room there until JK and MC need it for their kids, then he'll have an attic game room because he's Jimin and it's hard to say no to him lmao
I LOVE Grandmother Jeon! I wasn't sure how I was going to make her personality at first but it kinda just manifested into what she is now lol Kinda like dog-mom meets lovable grandmother meets Golden Girl lol thank you! that's such a huge compliment about their personalities because it's hard sometimes to make everyone different at times 💜💜💜
Grandmother Jeon loves Luna so much lol she takes her everywhere including her cruise and to the slot machines in her purse. Kinda reminds me of Suga Mama and Puff from The Proud Family lmao Luna is spoiled to bits and leaving her with Jungkook and MC to go on a walk was a major sign of trust on her part
One thing Jimin is going to do is flirt! Seokjin as well lmao he's mostly joking but also maybe not? lmao who knows
Namjoon loves to start chaos and watch it unfold lmao and Yoongi's loves to ruffle feathers. Jungkook's giant snowball was in my head for ages lmao I had to include it
The bed scene! I love a one-bed trope lol I almost let them share a bed in part 1 but then I rethought it and JK went to the couch and that's how Grandmother Jeon ended up mixing up her hotel reservation all leading to the bed trope and them admitting they like each other
I'm so glad you mentioned Jimin asking if MC was free next year lmao he didn't know about them admitting to liking each other and JK was definitely happy he nailed him that GIANT snowball at the park 😂😂😂
Their pillow talk in bed 🥺 they're falling for each other! like it's wild they started all this out just being acquaintances and each other's crush to sharing a bed and falling in love
JK definitely wishes their first time was in his apartment just so he could hear her moans without them being muffled and Grandmother Jeon's room was across the hall from theirs but her and Luna are deep sleepers. Jungkook's parents are further down the hall but they sleep with earbuds in (which isn't 100% safe so I assume their fire alarm also has a phone alert and maybe some lights or vibrations to wake them) but nobody heard them 👀👀👀
Grandmother Jeon loved her husband so much! But she continues to live her life to the fullest for herself and for him. She loves spending time with her friends, Luna, and the slot machines. She doesn't take herself too seriously, and she may be a flirt but she has no real interest in pursuing a relationship at the moment. She loves having the freedom to go where she wants, when she wants at the drop of a dime
Ah, Jimin and his mouth lmao it came later to me that Grandmother Jeon would already know about the scheme but I didn't know how she would find out, and then boom! Jimin is a talked, he's home for the holidays, and so is Grandmother Park and she DOTES on her baby and Jimin gets a loose tongue when he's being spoiled with affection and homemade pie. He genuinely thought she'd forget, but Grandmother Park loves a good gossip session with her bestie Grandmother Jeon when she's in town 😂
I love a good happy ending :) and they definitely tattled on Jimin the moment they could lmao they were fucked from the start and didn't even knot it. However, Grandmother Jeon adores her grandkids and their partners so she's happy to gift them a home to get them started. I think she would have done so regardless but JK's relationship was definitely a push to get things going.
I think the snowball scene was good to wrap things up and bring in the boys one more time before the end since they were such a huge part of the scheme lol
JK was elated to make it official 😍😍😍 that boy is in LOVE!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and I'm glad I actually got to work on it after 3 years. Now all my boys have a Christmas fic and I'm so happy with them <3 Though it's been years since Seokjin and Yoongi's, so I may eventually write new ones that are more on par with my writing now but who knows, I want to focus on fics I haven't updated in a while :) I have some drabbles planned for this couple, so there will be a lot more of them in the future! Thank you! I always love it when you stop by! It makes my day! Take care as well 💜💜💜
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My RL gameplay (18+)
Philip & I were at his parents. It was Fabienne’s birthday. Fabienne wanted to show me her new bike, so I went out with her. F. was so happy. She thought I might not be coming, because on my last visit here, I was crying..... While Fabienne was busy with her bike, I kept looking at the other side of the road. Nico’s House.😞 I started to remember the time with N., when I was here with him, at his Mom’s. I was so deep in my thoughts, that I didn’t really listen to Fabienne. I also had to think about the moments with Philip, when I fainted over there, in front of Nico’s house and...... all this made me so sad. But Fabienne is so cute! She ran back into the house to get her brother to comfort me. When P. was out with us, he immediately hugged me and I actually felt better again.
Philip: Are you ok, A.?
Me: Yeah! I’m fine! I just had to think about the time a few months ago when......well, you know what I mean. 😞 That swing over there, I can see Nico and me, how we hugged each other.... he was afraid of losing me to you. ���♀️
Philip: Yeah ...Every fucking time I’m here and look over at Nico’s Mom’s House, I feel so bad & depressed....Let’s just go in.
Me: I’m so sorry! But nothing that happened was your fault! 🤍
Philip: Anyway!... I love you, I just want you to be okay. Even if Nico & I will never be friends again, you are worth it to me! I love you and... you are my best friend now.
Me: ILY, too. And one day you’ll see Nico again, and then you two can be friends. 😟
Philip: And you, A.?
Me: I? What should be with me? I’ll stay with you of course! Forever! And I’m not gonna get involved, if you and Nico meet or clear this up.
Fabienne: Ewww! 🤢 Stop kissing! It’s my birthday! A.’s here today because of me!
Me: Yeah, that’s true! Come, here! ILY, Fabs! 😄 ....Hey, go open my gift. I bought you a really cool outfit, I hope you like it.
Fabienne: Everything I get from you is totally cool! All the girls in my class wanted your lip gloss, but I said I got it from you and didn’t give it to them.
Me: I have a lot more lip gloss for you, sweetie. Just go and check my bag. Like you allways do. 🤷♀️
Fabienne: And may I try your perfume, too? You smell so good.
Me: That’s your brother who smells so good! 😏 😉 Sorry, Fabs. 🤷♀️
Fabienne: No, that’s you, A.! I smell coconut and Philip doesn’t like coconut, so he certainly isn’t! 🤔
Me: You’re really clever, you cheeky, little mouse. 😉 It’s just a bodyspray/mist. And don’t spray around too much! Ok? Otherwise we all choke. 🤨
Fabienne: I’m sorry for what happend last time with your comsmetic bag A.! 😬 🥺 I promise I’ll never do this again!
Me: I know, it’s ok! I was just a bit upset, because this was my only fragrance in a travel size. But, I have a new one, so yeah. Just be carefull this time! ☝ 🤨
Philip: I think Fabienne’s getting to be a freak like you when it comes to cosmetics and all that....shit. I mean, stuff! 😬
Philip wanted us to go back in, but I knew my sister and my parents would be right here. I wanted to ask my partens, not to discuss anything awkward tonight. Like this one thing when P. & I, were so high.😬 🤦♀️.... As soon as Philip & Fabienne were back in the house, I heard Melanie calling for me! I was totally shocked, when I saw her and I wondered what she wanted from me? I mean, I’m not with her brother anymore. That’s what she always wanted. So...??? I was just wondering, if I should get into a conversation with her.
Then I saw Melanie coming towards me. She told me she doesn’t want to fight, it’s about her brother! And I swear, for a moment I thought Nico was home? But....no! 😢
Melanie: What's this all about? Are you two doing this on purpose? 😧🤷♀️ I saw you & Philip kissing, from my car. You wanna kill my brother?
Me: WHAT? Nico’s here? 😧 😳
Melanie: No, bitch! He isn’t! Thanks to you! 😠 Because of you, my brother doesn’t want to come home! And who knows if he will ever come back! Now I understand why! How could you do this to him? I thought you loved him so much?... What you did, I wouldn’t do to my worst enemy! I mean with Philip!!!? His best friend he grew up with! Right across the road! You’re so disgusting, Aleksa 😠 🤦♀️.....Oh, come on! Stop this fake cry!
Me: Why are you saying this? 😧 🤷♀️ 😭 ...You know exactly how and what happened! You’re the one who screwed ME and made stupid jokes about Nico, Philip & me all the time! You said, I was their toy they share in bed. AND you even said, that I was boring for Nico, so he wants me to go to bed with his best friend. And this is exactly what happened, Melanie! Your brother left ME! Not I him! I would never have done this to him! He wanted to go, and he's gone. He wanted Philip to stay with me! And he’s not mad at him!! He said he’d come back and get in touch with P.! 😟
Melanie: But he won’t come back! He won’t even come to my wedding!😠 😞 I went to visit him with-....He said, he doesn’t want to see you & Philip here. He’s so down! I’ve never seen my brother so fucked up! And you know what? I’m not gonna lose my brother for a bitch like you! First my dumb Dad and know Nico? No!... You’re just as that low class-bitch, who’s with my Dad! I knew this from the beginning! That’s why I couldn’t stand you! 😠 You.... even look like her, with your fat boobs and dark hair. And that’s also why I made this jokes about your... fat ass. I HATE her! 😡 And now I hate you, too!
Me: Since when is your brother so important to you? You only made trouble for him when I was here! And I’M NOT like you Dad’s bitch!!! 😠Nico wasn’t married, hell!!! I have NEVER done anything bad to you! I always tried to stay calm, because you’re Nico’s fucking sister! 😠 Now you even got exactly what you wanted! I’m not with your brother anymore! You succeeded in getting rid of me! 🤷♀️
Melanie: Unfortunately, this isn’t quite true! You are still here! You just switched sides. You’re across the road, with Philip. First my brother shaged you, then both, and now....Now you’re doing P.! But he’ll dump you soon, just like my brother! I know, I told you once that my brother had constantly bitches here, before you. But compared to Philip....this was ....nothing! Nico hadn’t much time, he was busy with soccer, but P.? There was a lot going on, across the road & here at our place.🤨
Me: Stop talking bad about Philip. You’re just lying! Philip never did.....this! Here, in his Mom’s House! He has a little sister! 😦 😠
Melanie: You’re so dumb, I swear! 😩 🤦♀️...Philip used to bring all his bitches here with Nico. Nico was at soccer practice, and when he came home in the evening, he & P. had a lot of fun ....with their bitches. My Mom mostly didn’t notice anything, our house is big, as you know! And you know this one little room, next to my brother’s bedroom, where you kept your stupid suitcases? That’s where Philip used to shag all his ex-bitches. Ask him if you don’t believe me! 😈
Me: This isn’t TRUE!!! 😠 When I was here, I never saw P. with a woman here.
Melanie: Yeah, at that time he moved from here, dummy!!! I don’t care anyway! All this serves you right! My brother will get over you!! 😠 😟 And now go over to your........ sweetheart.
Me: Melanie! Wait a sec!...I didn’t want to hurt Nico! Really not! He still means a lot to me and all this... has broken my heart so much. I see that your brother means a lot to you, too! I hope you can be there for him and that he will come to your wedding. That’s....all.
Melanie: You know, I started getting used to you, and honestly, I didn’t think you and my brother were gonna break up. But this only proves that I was right about you! And you can bet I’ll help Nico to forget you! And I already know how and with whom! So stay with Philip! Nico doesn’t need you anymore!
It will never stop! 😞 This was my thought when Melanie left. I’ll always feel bad about Nico as long as I’m with Philip. I started to lose faith that Nico will come back one day or stay friends with Philip. I don’t mean this because of me! I just wanted everything to be fine between P. and Nico. ...They will meet again & everything was ok for a short moment? But....still, there will be so many problems and stress!! 😢 💔 Things got worse and worse between Nico & Philip. I thought I was going crazy! But then....I got sick!....This changed everything! We stopped fighting. But I didn’t give a shit anyway! I just wanted to stay alive, so I could take care of my son. This was the only thing that counted for me!
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