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noctumbra · 1 year

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𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒎

summary ─ he knew when it was time to step back and let yourself be loved and taken care of. that was why he stepped in.

pairing ─ librarian!bucky barnes x student!reader

warnings ─ soft smut, +18, kissing, soft dom bucky, but like d/s tones are very soft and light, bucky’s taking care of the reader, hugging, cooking, cuddling, thigh fucking, morning sex, sleepy and lazy sex, they’re in loveee

a/n ─ definitely self-indulgent because i need me a bucky like this one lol enjoy! please leave a comment! thank youu <3

You rubbed your eyes and stretched on the chair that you’ve been sitting on for the past two hours. You could feel your brain slowly giving out, your muscles screaming at you for keeping such a shit posture for so long, but you had finals coming and a deadline to catch up. Your eyes were begging you to stop reading and to just close them and sleep a little, but you couldn’t afford sleep at the moment. You got things to do.

So, you decided to get up your seat and walk up to the coffee shop that was adjoined with the library you were currently studying in. You needed some caffein to stop you from falling asleep and some food to make your stomach happy so that you could pay attention what was written in your books. Sighing, you approached to the guy, Clint, on the register all the while looking at the food and desserts on display.

“Hey, how can I help you?” Clint greeted you cheerily. You smiled at him. Clint was a good guy; he was a little bit clumsy but a very funny and protective guy nonetheless. He always treated you as a little sister, and you were okay with that. You liked considering yourself as his little sister, he was making way much a cool brother for you.

“Uh,” you murmured. “Tall americano with that big, chocolate muffin, please.” Clint nodded. You rubbed your eyes once again and pulled out your wallet.

“Does Bucky know you’re overloading yourself with caffein again?” He asked as he handed your orders to you. You frowned. “You know he doesn’t like it when you drink too much coffee in one day.”

“It’s honestly the only way for me to process things I read,” you told him, paying for your food and drink. “Besides he won’t know if you don’t snitch on me.” Clint raised an eyebrow. His green eyes flicked at the library reception and turned to you. You rolled your eyes. “I know,” you grumbled. “He’ll understand even if you don’t tell him. Sue me.” Clint snorted and raised his hands as a peace offering.

“Hey, I’m just stating a fact here,” he said. You nodded. Clint meant well; you knew that. He handed you your change. “Bon appetite.” Saluting him, you walked up to one of the tables near the window. You didn’t want to go back to the library, not just yet, and figured a seat by the window could be a nice change of view.

Bucky Barnes was the guy who worked in the in-campus library. He was the manager but did all the work by himself because he once told you that he liked being close to the books. He was a very handsome man with long, brown hair, kissable plush lips and pretty blue eyes. He was tall and muscled; you liked ogling him when he was around and you didn’t have nothing to do. You thought he was a student for the first time you’ve seen him in here, putting the books where they were belonged. Later, he told you that it had been ten years since he graduated from university, and he decided that his previous work ─he was a nurse and worked in Metro-General for seven years, his internship times included─ was too much for him mentally, so he quitted his job and found a new one in the library.

“Thought I could find you here,” a familiar voice murmured in your ear, and you startled. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” Bucky walked into your sight and took a seat next to you. “Hey there, sweetheart,” he whispered and leaned in to kiss you on the lips.

Yeah, well, only after two months of knowing Bucky, he asked you out. He said that he didn’t mind the age gap ─it was eleven years; he was thirty-one and you were twenty─ and also didn’t mind that you were still in school. You accepted it, knowing yourself that you already liked him, you didn’t have the heart to tell him no because you wanted to get to know him better than you did in those two months. You’ve been dating for the past year; you were in your third year when you started dating, and now you were battling with being a senior in university.

You hummed into his kiss and felt him smile against your lips. “Hello to you, too, handsome,” you whispered when you pulled back. Bucky’s smile widened. His pretty blue eyes were looking right into yours, making your heart flip and blood boil in your veins, you fidgeted on your seat happily. He leaned in for another chaste kiss.

“You’ve been studying?” He asked, taking in the situation you were in: Comfiest sweatpants, sweatshirt and no-makeup, you must have been screaming that you were going through rough times. You nodded. Bucky hummed, and his eyes found the treasure in front of you. “Coffee?” He looked at you. “Honey…”

“I know,” you whined. “I know it’s not good for me to drink a lot of it, but I need to stay awake, Bucky.” You looked at him with begging eyes. “I need to sleep, too, but when I get into the bed, I can’t turn my mind off, can’t find a comfy position and I end up not sleeping at all.” You huffed, placing your coffee cup on the table and ripped a piece from your muffin. “I barely slept for two hours last night, and I have to finish this book today.” Bucky’s eyes filled with concern and fondness, his hands were stroking yours gently.

“May I intervene?” He asked. You paused your actions and looked at him. That only meant for one thing: Him taking over and making sure you were okay and clear minded. It also meant losing some time. You frowned. “Baby, you said you barely sleep because you can’t turn off your brain. I know how you get during finals: You barely eat something healthy and filling, and drink coffee constantly. May I intervene?” You sighed.

“I don’t want to lose time,” you whispered. Bucky moved his chair closer to you.

“It’s not losing time if you’re taking care of yourself,” he murmured. “It’s almost 6PM. You can take tonight off. Let’s go to my place, hm?” He grabbed your chin with his gentle fingers and tilted your face up so that he could look you in the eye. “I’ll cook for you. We’ll let the food simmer while I run you a bath. Then, we’ll put you in your comfiest pajamas, eat homemade food and watch stupid things or just sleep.” His eyes sparkled beautifully. You whined a bit more because that sounded like a dream. “In the morning, I’ll wake you up, we’ll have a nice breakfast and come back here together. What do you say?”

Your shoulders sagged with defeat because you knew you needed something like that. Besides, you missed spending time with your boyfriend. “Yeah,” you agreed. “Okay. Let’s do that.” Bucky smiled widely and brightly. You looked at your coffee and muffin. “This means I have to toss them into the trash, doesn’t it?” Bucky’s smile turned a little apologetic, and you sighed. “Fine.” You paused. “Can we make cupcakes?”

Bucky chuckled. “Sure, baby,” he agreed. “If you want, we’ll stop by Natasha’s and buy some so that we’ll spend more time cuddling.” You perked up at the suggestion and nodded excitedly. You loved Natasha’s. She was the Queen of Baking, and you adored every single pastry she baked. “Alright. Come on then, up you go.” He grabbed your coffee and muffin, taking them away from you and standing up. You followed him. “Go grab your things and find me at the reception, okay, doll?” You hummed and nodded, signaling him to lean a bit so that you could kiss him. Chuckling, he did, giving you the kiss that you asked so nicely. “Go.”

Your feet carried you to your desk silently. There were still many students who were studying, and you didn’t want to ruin their focus. Your hands grabbed at your books and pens, quietly putting them back in your bag. Once you were finished collecting your things, you wiped your desk clean from all the eraser dust and put the chair back in its place. Pulling your jacket on you, you shouldered your bag and made your way to the reception.

Bucky was there, waiting for you all dressed up for outside while talking with Steve, his colleague and second-in-command. He was probably telling him what he had to do before he closed the library for the night since Bucky wasn’t going to be there to do it himself. You saw Steve nod, and that was when you decided to pop up.

“Hey, Steve,” you called out, sliding under Bucky’s arm. Steve beamed.

“Hey!” He smiled. “I heard you convinced this one to leave early,” he added, pointing Bucky with his chin. You chuckled.

“More like he convinced me to leave early,” you corrected him, eliciting chuckles from both men. Bucky reminded Steve what to do one last time, and you bid goodbye to him. “Oh, hey, Steve?” You stopped, looking at him over your shoulder. Steve paused and raised a brow. “Sam is in aisle twelve. He’s been there for hours. I think he needs a break, don’t you?” Winking at him, you watched his boyish and innocent face reddening up and pulled Bucky towards the door. Bucky laughed.

“God, Steve’s crush on Sam and him not doing anything about it is so…” He started but didn’t finish it. You smiled.

“Sam is gonna do something about that after he’s done with his finals,” you informed him. “We’ve talked, and he’s aware that Steve has a crush on him.” Pausing, you snuggled up against Bucky. “Sam’s crush on him might be bigger than the one Steve has, though,” you added. Bucky giggled.

You walked up to his bike. It was sleek black and shining under the last of sunlight of the day. Bucky handed you one of the helmets, helping you put it on. You took your places on the bike, you wrapped your arms around his thick waist securely. Bucky stroked your hands, and then you were off.

───

As soon as you stepped inside Bucky’s apartment, Alpine, Bucky’s pretty white cat, greeted you with a soft ‘meow’. You smiled down at her. Dropping your bag on the floor, you took your jacket and shoes off and crouched down to take her in your arms.

“Hello,” you murmured to her, scritching under her chin and her belly. “How are you today, Miss Alpine? Hm? Did you miss me?” The cat purred and mrred and meowed at you, rubbing her cheek against your fingers, her tail swooshed non-stop. You chuckled.

Bucky smiled at the sight of you and Alpine. You had a special bond with her that he had not grasped the full capacity of, but he wasn’t complaining. He liked that you fit right into his home as well as in his arms. He was also happy that Alpine loved you as much as she loved him, it meant a lot in a cat’s point of view, he assumed.

“Any cravings for dinner?” Bucky asked. You looked up from where you were talking with Alpine and hummed.

“Can we have meatballs and pasta, please?” You asked him. Bucky’s smile widened.

“Of course, baby,” he murmured. Walking up to his kitchen, he dropped the bag full of pastries that he bought from Natasha’s and opened the fridge, checking the ingredients for the meatballs. Thankfully, he had everything he needed. Bucky really would hate to leave you alone even if it was for a short trip to the grocery store. He pulled out the ingredients. Opening the cupboards, he found two big pans and grabbed them; filling one them with water while the other one waited on the side for later.

Bucky fell into a very well-known routine of cooking; sounds of water that was bubbling, meatballs sizzling and smells of spices and all… He loved cooking and the calming feeling it brought with itself, and he loved it more when he was cooking for someone he loved. He smiled. Turning off the stove and putting the meatballs aside ─some place safe from Alpine and her paws─, he left the pasta to cool off.

“Alright,” he walked into his living room, finding you and Alpine playing on the floor. “It’s bath time.” You hummed approvingly and stood up, Bucky helping you by holding your hands. Both of you made your way to the bathroom. It was right across Bucky’s bedroom, and Bucky told you to go inside and strip while he looked for some clothes for you.

You shed the layers of clothing on you. Your body was suddenly too heavy, too tired, and muscles too sore. You sighed. Fumbling with the water settings, you found the perfect one and let it fill the bathtub. The tub was almost done with filling when Bucky joined you in the bathroom. He brought two bathrobes, you realized and smiled. He leaned in to kiss you on the forehead before he took his clothes off. He checked the water temperature and sent you smile.

“Good job, baby,” he murmured and held out his hand. You felt your cheeks flush with the small praise falling off his lips and grabbed the hand he extended to you, letting him pull you in. Both of you slowly lowered yourself into the water; Bucky behind you and you between his legs, he wrapped his arms around you and let you rest against his chest in the warm water for a while.

You sighed deeply as you felt your muscles relax. Suddenly, your finals and assignment looked so far, like they were someone else’s exams and deadline, and you felt lighter than air.

“There you go,” Bucky whispered when he felt you melt against him. “That’s good, love, relax. It’s okay. You’ve got time. You can do it. Now, close your eyes and relax.” You let his soft voice carry you into some place filled with pinkish clouds where there was no weight, no thoughts, no stress and no worry. You let yourself go and let Bucky intervene.

─

Bucky watched you with careful and fond eyes as you handed him the control of your life and thoughts. Ever since you’ve first done this, it had been making Bucky to tear up and hug you tight for hours because the amount of trust you put in him when you let go was something that he cherished so dearly.

Sighing deeply, Bucky started to wash your body gently. Soaping your body up slowly with careful moves, he, then, took the loofah and scrubbed your body clean from all the dirt and sweat of the day. Next, he grabbed his shampoo, it was the vanilla one that you loved so much, and placed it somewhere he could reach easily. He helped you to wet your hair by letting you float on the water, he pulled you back against his chest after he was satisfied. Then, Bucky squeezed some shampoo in his hands, placing his palms on your hair, he started to wash your hair. You sighed, eyes closed still, and let out a noise of content. A happy sound. Bucky smiled. After he was done shampooing your hair, he washed it off carefully, making sure that there was no bubble left.

“Kitten,” he whispered in your ear. You hummed. “Hold onto me,” he instructed. He tightened his hold around your waist and rose from the water, your hands on his forearms as you did as he asked you to. He steadied you on your feet. “Good girl, baby, good. Don’t let go.” You hummed again, lost in your head and up in a happy cloud. Bucky let the water in the tub go down the drain before he turned on the hot water and grabbed the shower head to adjust the heat. It took him two minutes to wash the bubbles off your bodies. Then, Bucky turned off the water and stepped out of the tub, his hands were still holding you steady on your feet.

“Careful now,” he murmured as he pulled you out of the tub as well. Grabbing one of the bathrobes he brought, he helped you put one of them on and made you sit down on the toilet’s closed lid. Quickly putting his own robe, Bucky dug out smaller towels to dry the water from your hair and his own. After he was satisfied that your hair was no longer drowning in excess water, he squeezed some of the hair oil you frequently use on his hands and rubbed them together before he applied it on your hair.

You hummed happily as his fingers rubbed your scalp, his touch making your body feel tingly all over. You were warm, in a fluffy bathrobe, and loved. Bucky was the best, and you were so lucky to have him. You loved him very much and appreciated the way he took care of you. As you sighed, you heard him chuckle softly.

“I love you very much, too, sweetheart,” Bucky murmured, and you realized you’ve said all of those things out loud. You felt the heat creeping up on your cheeks, but Bucky didn’t let you hide away. “I’m glad you’re talking about your feelings freely, baby,” he said. “Don’t ever be afraid to voice them, alright?” You nodded. “Good. Let’s go.” He grabbed your hand after washing his own, and both of you made your way downstairs while still in your bathrobes.

Bucky made you sit on the table as he pulled out the bowls and utensils. He put some pasta on the deep bowls and placed some meatballs on top of it, grated a small piece of cheese on them. Placing the bowls on the table, he pulled out two tall glasses from the cupboard and cold water from the fridge, squeezing a little lemon and dumping tiny mint leaves in them for the taste. Bucky sat down next to you, glasses finding their places on the table as well.

“It smells amazing,” you murmured. Bucky smiled widely because he could hear the happiness in your voice and see how relaxed you were. He knew you were going to pass out once the food was in your belly. “Thank you,” you whispered. Bucky hummed.

“You’re very welcome, honey,” he responded gently. Then, he paused. “Would you like to try something a little different tonight?” You frowned lightly, cocking your head to your side, but you nodded. “Alright, come sit on my lap.” He opened his arms to you, spreading his legs a bit more and waited. You stood up from your seat to find your home on his lap, sighing deeply when his arms closed around you. Bucky, then, reached for the utensils, cutting the meatballs in half and getting some pasta on the fork with the meatball he cut, and he held it against your mouth. “Open up, love.”

The realization dawned on your face, and you giggled happily, excitedly, before you opened your mouth. Bucky fed you with small bites, let you have small sips from the water while he talked about the book he read recently. His voice was soothing, and he was always a very good storyteller, so it was no surprise that you got sleepy.

“C’mon,” he whispered. You blinked your eyes open and let him help you stand up. Bucky quickly dumped the bowls in the sink, and then he held your hand to walk you back into the bathroom. There, he dried your hair while you brushed your teeth very sleepily, and then you were carried into his bedroom.

“You want your underwear, love?” He asked silently. You shook your head. “Alright, but I’m gonna put a t-shirt on you, okay?” You nodded.

“Yours,” you murmured. “One of yours.” Bucky smiled, his stomach doing flips in his body, and reached for the t-shirt he wore this morning. It was a clean one, but he wore it long enough to smell like him. He took the bathrobe off you and slipped you in his t-shirt. It ended four fingers above your knees, and you looked absolutely adorable in it. Bucky’s heart fluttered happily at the sight. He tucked you in the bed, stroking your cheek and kissing your forehead.

“Sleep, baby, I’ll be right back.” You nodded, but before Bucky could walk away from you, you were already hugged tightly by the sweet and relaxing unconsciousness.

──

The morning woke you up and brought you soft kisses on your neck. You could smell Bucky’s detergent coming from the pillow and could feel his body heat behind yours. Humming, you shuffled in the bed and hugged the pillow between your arms. Strong arms wrapped themselves tighter around your waist, and you were being pulled against an equally strong chest. You sighed.

“Mornin’, sweetheart,” Bucky low voice greeted you gently. You wiggled in his arms happily. Your body was well-rested; no back and neck pain, no headache… You felt refreshed. Smiling, you slipped one of your hands into his hair and pulled him closer to your neck. Bucky pressed soft kisses along the line of your throat. You shivered.

You could feel his morning hard-on. You didn’t have the energy to go all the way, but your body still craved the pleasure and the relief it usually followed, so you wiggled against his crotch. Bucky gasped softly into his next kiss on your neck. You rubbed your ass against his boxer-clad hard-on. Bucky’s hold on you tightened even more as if it was possible, and you melted in it.

“Kitten,” he whispered, voice already a little breathy. “What’re you doin’?” You hummed. Your hand in his hair tightened as you pulled on the strands a bit. He groaned. His hips were grinding against yours on instinct. You let out a soft moan.

“I don’t have the energy,” you whispered back slowly. “But I want you,” you breathed. You turned your head to brush a kiss on his lips, morning breath be damned. Bucky let out a soft pant and one of his large hands grasped your jaw, pulling you into a kiss. You moaned into it.

His warm and soft lips stroked yours gently. Even though both of you burned with the pleasure that you so badly wanted to let it consume you, his kiss was chaste. It was also tender and loving. You felt like a cotton candy in his arms, being kissed like that while also being hold tightly against the person you loved so very deeply. Sighing, you leaned into his body even more.

Bucky’s hand disappeared for a moment. You felt his boxer briefs pushed down to his mid-thighs and closed your legs, knowing his next move. It was a favorite way of coupling for both of you when you didn’t feel like getting up to no good fully. You whimpered as he slid his hard cock between your thighs, your wetness helping him ease in gently.

“God, kitten,” he whispered, biting down your bottom lip. Thrusting forward slowly, you gasped into his mouth when his cock brushed against your clit. He wrapped his arms around you, lips on yours, but sometimes peppered kisses all over your neck and shoulder, as he slowly fucked your thighs.

It was lazy, tender and about the lust and love you felt for each other. There were times where he came this close to rip your clothes off or bent you over the nearest surface, not caring if you were out or alone. But there were also times like this one where everything was slow, soft and tender. These moments always left you thoroughly loved and cared for. They made you feel like you were wanted for who you were, not for your body. That Bucky loved you for your personality.

Your climax was a soft moan and a gasp breathed into his mouth.

His climax was a deep hum and a light groan.

It was your love that reached its peak, fed with lust and affection your felt for one and another.

──

The breakfast was a quiet event: Scrambled eggs, cherry tomatoes and green peppers. Freshly toasted and buttered bread. A big cup of steaming tea.

It was perfect.

You’ve exchanged kisses, soft whispers of love and soothing touches.

You would have never changed moments like this to anything. They were yours to keep. Just like Bucky was.

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes angst #bucky barnes smut #bucky barnes imagines #bucky x reader #bucky barnes x you #bucky x you #librarian!bucky #cherry blossom

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smuttyfantasyrecs · 11 months

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Bucky Barnes pt.2

*original Bucky Barnes post can be found here*

🦋 sinners and saints 🦋

@nastybuckybarnes

🦋 play pretend 🦋

@kinanabinks

🦋 call of the wild 🦋

@syven-siren

🦋 it's the shirt 🦋

@buckyownsmylife

🦋 what's it like 🦋

@duuhrayliegh

🦋 bikini 🦋 cane corso 🦋 ask nicely 🦋 girlfriend 🦋 code word 🦋 chicken 🦋 pornstar!bucky 🦋 fbro 🦋 main masterlist 🦋

@bucksfucks

🦋 what are friends for 🦋

@bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky

🦋 face sitting 🦋

@psychedelic-ink

🦋 take it 🦋

@buckmepapi

🦋 my number is 0 🦋

@jaaneymann

🦋 gentle 🦋

@vibraniumcollar

🦋 teasing 🦋

@sluttystucky

🦋 pushing your luck 🦋

@lilacletter

🦋 the arm 🦋

@stargirlfics

🦋 accidental pictures 🦋

@alisonsfics

🦋 five 🦋

@killatravtramp

🦋 two doors down 🦋

@queerpumpkinnn

🦋 marry me? nah. marry me? yeah. 🦋

@antiquarianfics

🦋 drunkenly in love 🦋 look don't touch 🦋

@kurogxrix

🦋 a fragile mind or a fragile heart 🦋

@lvrdrafts

🦋 masterlist 🦋

@winterarmyy

🦋 oral 🦋

@itiswormtimebaby

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evis-gossip · 2 years

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Thoughts right now: Bucky being in love with a nerd/smart reader.

My mind is all over the place so here are some scenarios for different alternate universes:

Lumberjack!Bucky in awe while you pace from side to side of his cabin’s living room while you explain every Greek myth ever

Biker!Bucky lovesick while you rant faster than his bike about the true meaning behind The Secret History and how it is a masterpiece

Librarian!Bucky (i also imagine chubby!Bucky for librarian) saw you spend hours researching the Minoan civilization because lineal A hasn`t been translated yet and you needed to know why and when you told him how sad it made you it broke his heart

Avenger!Bucky amazed by the energy you radiate while trying to explain the concept of The Black Parade by MCR because it was never a phase, it’s a lifestyle

Mob!Bucky taking you to every bookshop ever just to see the smile on you face when you talk about literature (i have a whole concept for this, but haven’t gathered the courage to work it out)

Chubby!baker!Bucky oh so worried about you when you spent almost five hours straight sitting at his bakery teaching yourself latin to read the Aeneid in original, far too high on caffeine, far too low on real nutrients

Roommate!Bucky cuddling with you on the couch while you read and trying to get you attention for funny businesses but nothing can tear you away from hyperfixating, still he finds you adorable

CEO!Bucky taking you on a romantic trip to Paris and absolutely dazed when instead of giving you a tour of the city you stop and explain the history, art and architecture of every building. Yes, you dragged him for hours on end through Norte Dame

Neighbor!Bucky going feral when he found out you were fluid in any language other than English (he did try to convince you to se it for certain endeavors)

Had to get that out of my chest. I might work on some of them, maybe a drabble or headcanon, idk. If you guys would like me to elaborate on some, my asks are open and I’d live to hear what you guys think.

a Bucky gif as a gift for you

Masterlist

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ozwriterchick · 8 months

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Something to read...

Summary: You are new to the area. With your stuff in transit, you stumble on a local library that feeds your love.. of reading..

Characters: Librarian!Bucky; OFC!Reader; mentions of Librarian!Steve

No warnings

Word count: 915

A/N: So this popped into my head when I was relaxing reading one day. I wanted to make a one shot - let's be honest, that's what I am always striving to do and I usually fail.

This one could be a one-shot - unless you want more. If so, let me know and we might get some drabbles or imagines. Anyway, enjoy, don't forget to like, reblog and comment.

I appreciate each and every one of you.

Not Beta'd so any mistakes are my own.

Masterlist

You had just moved to the area, arriving a few days ago. All of your belongings were still in a moving van, probably only about halfway across the country at this stage. You should have planned this better you thought to yourself, maybe having your stuff collected a few days ahead of you leaving your old place.

There would still have been the need to stay a few days in a hotel and really, it seemed more logical to do that in your new hometown and spend the time exploring the area without the hassle of also trying to unpack. You spent the first 2 days here in the hotel just recovering from the trip.

California to New York was a ridiculous move, but you’d been offered the job of a lifetime, working as a PA to Tony Stark, the Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist of Stark Enterprises. The pay was phenomenal, the hours and perks amazing. You’d certainly never be able to afford to live in New York without the pay he had offered. Not even in Queens or Brooklyn, where you would be renting an apartment for the first few months at least. If you liked the job and the area, you’d decided that you’d see if you could afford to buy something, to put down roots.

It had been years since you had any contact with your family, and you didn’t have many close friends either, simply deciding that the less people you had close to you, the less chance of being hurt. There had been far too much hurt in your lifetime for you to endure any more..

You thought today would be a good opportunity to venture into Manhattan and suss out where the Stark building was, but as you strode through the tree-lined streets heading for the subway station, you noticed a sign for the local library. Knowing your stuff was still a few days away and you were wanting some reading material, you decided to check it out and maybe go into Manhattan afterwards. Feeling unsure whether this library was close enough to your new place to join and whether you’d be able to check out any books without joining.

Walking up to the front door, it looks fairly non-descript. Just a normal brick building with a few windows, you weren’t expecting anything fantastic inside. The sign out front said Brooklyn Public Library. Inside it wasn’t huge, but it was bright and airy, had a few tables in the middle and shelves of books around the outer area. You also noticed a few comfy looking chairs and you thought if they didn’t let you check any books out, you’d be able to spend a few hours in one of them reading the books you chose.

The front desk was unattended but you saw a bell so you rang that and waited for someone to come so you could ask a few questions. After about a minute you heard a deep Brooklyn accent behind you.

“Mornin’ sorry to keep you waiting. How can I help you?” The voice asked.

Turning around you saw the most intense blue eyes you’d ever seen. Words failed you as you felt like you were swimming in the ocean blue eyes that were looking at you. “Oh, Um, hi” you stuttered, feeling more like a teenager and wondering if your cheeks were as red as they felt.

“Are you ok sugar? Can I help you with something? My names Bucky, I’m the head librarian here.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry” you say, shaking your head to clear your mind. “I’m new to the area and all my books are still on their way and I wondered if I could borrow a couple of books? But I’m not sure if I live close enough to join this library”

“No problem sweetheart, where are you living?”

“Well, I haven’t actually moved in yet but I’ll be living down near Coney Island, kind of Gravesend/Bath Beach area? That’s if my stuff ever gets here.”

He laughed and you wondered what you could do to make that sound come out of his mouth more. “Well, lucky for you, that’s still in the Brooklyn area. So all you need to do is join one of the libraries, and you have access to all of them. So if you can’t get back here, you can go to the Gravesend branch, which shouldn’t be too far from your new place but the sounds of it.”

“Ok then, what do I need to do” you smiled at him.

You spent the next half hour chatting to Bucky and filling out the paperwork to join the library. He handed you your new library card and offered to show you where everything was.

“Oh I’m sure you have more important things to do, I’m happy just to browse.”

“Well, some things are more important, but if you’re sure I do have a kids session to host shortly. Just give us a wave or a yell if you need any help. Alternatively the other librarian, Steve, is around here somewhere. He’s a blond meatball so he should be pretty easy to spot.”

“Thanks for your help Bucky, I’ll be sure to let you or meatball know if I need any assistance.”

Walking away, towards the shelves of books, you couldn’t help but hope that you could get back to this library branch in the future.

Little did you know, someone else was hoping the exact same thing.

***********************************************************************

Tag list: @cjand10 @angstysebfan @psychictazzy76 @lovely-geek @samanthaneedsanap @kentokaze @void-imaginations @iheartsebastianstanstuff @yourmumsluke @wolfbeanpotion

@buckymorelikefuckme

Let me know if you want to be added/removed to/from the tag list :)

#ozwriterchick #bucky barnes #james bucky barnes #steve rogers #sebastian stan #librarian!bucky #librarian!steve #book nerd reader

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nexusnyx · 1 year

Note

First of all, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY MY GORGEOUS MOON GODDESS. Sorry I'm late, I haven't been on tumblr for a week. Im not sure exactly how long I've been following you, but I know its been over a year now because it was your last birthday that I first sent you an ask calling you moon goddess 🥳 haha

How was your birthday? Did you enjoy it?

p.s. I feel like i remember you mentioning working on writing for a librarian bucky... is that still on the table? ❤

Awwww hi angel! No issues, I'm happy to know you've been busy.

Not only is librarian Bucky still on the table, but it's also in the works. It's the first out of two commissions I have coming out :)

#librarian!bucky #nyx mail #baby i'm gonna leave you

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navybrat817 · 1 year

Text

A Real Prince Charming

Pairing: Librarian!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader Summary: You get to see Bucky in his element. Word Count: Over 2.1k Warnings: Fluff, (f)lirting, feels, passionate Bucky Barnes (he's a warning, okay?) Graphics Talent: Edit by Nix (extra thanks for spitballing!), banner by @sgt-seabass, divider by @firefly-graphics - Thank you, lovelies! A/N: Follow up to Once Upon a Time and Far, Far Away. ❤️ Not beta read and written on my phone, so any and all mistakes are my own. Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

Picking out on an outfit to wear to the library took you more time than you cared to admit. You didn't want it to be too revealing since you were visiting Bucky at his job and there would be kids around. You also didn't want to look too casual since you were going on a date.

"What's the big deal? It's just pizza," Tina said on the video call as you held up a shirt. "Wear a sweater."

Might as well have just told me to wear a burlap sack.

"It isn't just pizza. It's the first of many dates," Kim argued on your behalf. "Wear a dress."

You inwardly sighed as you tossed the top onto the pile with the others. While it thrilled you that your friends were interested, you were nervous enough to begin with and the call almost caused additional stress. They were only trying to help though and that mental reminder pushed some of the nerves away.

"Or just wear whatever you feel is comfortable that still looks nice," Nicole suggested, bringing balance to the optimist and pessimist. "Whatever you wear, he's going to love it."

I hope so.

"Nice jeans and a blouse it is," you decided.

I still can't believe he agreed to go out with me.

Kim clapped giddily. "You have to tell us everything, promise?"

"And keep us on standby if you need an escape, okay?" Tina asked.

One of the reasons you loved having her as a friend was because of her protective nature. No matter how blunt she could be, she would be the first to step up if anyone tried to hurt you or your other friends. At the end of the day, her heart was in the right place.

"I won't need an escape, but thank you," you assured them, smiling at your friends through the phone. "And I'll give you the details within reason."

Nicole's eyebrows shot up before she smirked. "Within reason, huh? Does that mean you're going to put out on the first date?"

Why did I say that?

"Did you see his picture? I'd put out, too. At the library," Kim grinned mischievously as you went back to the closet and searched through your clothes. “I would even let him put it in my-”

"Sluts. All of you," Tina joked.

"I'm hanging up now. Thanks!" you announced, disconnecting yourself from the chat after they wished you "good luck".

You pushed through a few more hangers before you stopped and pulled out a blouse, smiling as you looked it over. It was casual enough for the library and pizza, but still nice enough for a date. The shade of blue was nearly identical to Bucky's eyes.

Perfect. Now I just need to make sure not to fall on my face.

The Abraham Library was, unsurprisingly, quiet when you entered the building. The soothing light and smell of paper brought you back to when you were younger and eager to get your hands on a new book. Electronic devices made reading more accessible to some, but they couldn't beat the feeling of holding a book in your hands as you curled up and immersed yourself in a new world.

Fitting I'd go for a man surrounded by books.

You spotted Bucky as you made your way to the service desk and wished you had a glass of water with how dry your throat went from looking at him. He was every bit as handsome as when you met him on the subway in slacks, a sweater, and glasses. Though you witnessed firsthand how intimidating he could be, you had a feeling the kids adored him.

You couldn't wait to see if he proved you right.

You quietly walked over to the desk as Bucky spoke in a hushed tone to a colleague. You weren't about to raise your voice to get his attention and you didn't want to interrupt his conversation. Whatever it was, he sounded a bit worked up even as he kept his voice down. You hoped everything was okay.

"You realize that they're restricting access to diverse voices and censoring speech by banning books, don't you?" Bucky asked as he pointed to a piece of paper from the counter.

"They're not doing that," his coworker said.

"Yes, they are. They're saying that some experiences and topics are worthy of discussion and exposure and others aren't," Bucky argued as he brushed a hand through his hair and slowly exhaled. "They're reinforcing a way of thinking that limits others. Kids are trying to find their way in the world and they should have the right to choose and be properly educated."

You almost propped an elbow on the counter to watch and listen as you fell a bit in love with the hunky librarian. You didn't get to witness a man speak so passionately about his beliefs very often. Hearing that it was in regards to the type of literature kids could or couldn't read and how they should have the freedom to choose made it even better.

"It's not that deep, man. Let it go," Bucky's coworker said.

“You let it go, Greg,” he grumbled.

The retort made you giggle, which got Greg’s attention. "Sorry, miss. May I help you?"

"I'm waiting for him," you smiled as Bucky turned to you with wide eyes and pink cheeks. “I didn’t want to interrupt.”

"Hi," he said, swallowing as he pushed his glasses up and smoothed out the non-existent wrinkle in his sweater. "You look. Wow."

It's just a compliment. Don't preen.

"Thanks," you smiled.

"I hope you weren't standing there long."

"Just long enough to hear you defend what kids should have access to reading, which I happen to agree with you."

"You do?" he asked, running a hand through his hair again.

Adorable.

You hoped it didn't embarrass him that you overheard the conversation, but his cheeks still had a pink tinge to them. You wondered how warm they were to the touch. Maybe you'd find out at a later time.

Like when his coworker wasn't looking between the two of you with growing interest.

"I do," you confirmed. "I wish more people were passionate about topics like that."

The lopsided smile on Bucky's face was one you hoped to see again and again.

"You must be the new volunteer Bucky wouldn't shut up about. I'm Greg."

"Nice to meet you, Greg," you said, glancing coyly at Bucky. "You were talking about me?"

"Why don't I show you to the children's section?" he replied, shooting Greg a look before he gestured for you to follow him. "And for the record, yes. He may have asked why I wouldn't stop smiling after our phone call."

You almost swooned again. The wonderful, handsome librarian smiled at the thought of going out with you. Were you dreaming?

You pinched yourself.

Not a dream.

"You mean the call where you heard me shriek?" you asked, biting back a groan.

Why did I bring that up? Can I blame his handsome face for causing my brain to fritz?

"Yes, that call," he chuckled as you got to the area with bright colors and high ceilings.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you said as he began to arrange some of the cushions in a semi-circle.

“You brought up the shriek,” he pointed out.

Touche.

“So, we’re forming a semi-circle?” you asked, following his lead.

“Yes,” he smiled, placing another cushion on the carpet before he looked around the area. “We do basic story time four times a week for some of the younger kids. A few of them like to go to the quiet reading areas after or do STEM activities, like the Tinker and Crafts Lab. Plenty of opportunities to play with the open floor space or use the technology at their disposal. There’s even an area for pre-walkers and a baby mat for tummy time.”

You smiled at the pride in his voice. Though you were only in the beginning stages of getting to know him, you sensed that the library wasn’t just a place where he worked. He was in his element here. Maybe that was one of the reasons he was so passionate about the kids being able to read whatever they wanted.

“Sounds like you put a lot of love and care into this library,” you said as he selected a book from the small stack on the nearby table.

“Yeah, well. I spent a lot of time here when I was a kid. Read as many books as I could get my hands on,” he said as he shuffled the book between his hands. “One of my best friends got picked on a lot for being small, so we hung out here some days. We’d read or draw until it was time for us to go home. Still one of my best friends to this day.”

Chivalrous, a good friend, and cares about the well-being of kids. A real Prince Charming.

“Sounds like you were lucky to have each other,” you said, brushing your hand against his forearm. “And you should be proud of what you’ve done with the place.”

Bucky didn’t blush, but the lopsided grin was back on his face. “You being nice so I’ll pay for your pizza?” he asked, gently taking your hand in his.

You didn’t realize there was only a few inches of space between you until you stared directly into his eyes. Your nerve endings singed with electricity and you wished were bold enough to drag him away to one of the bookshelves. If you were lucky, maybe another time.

Not when you were about to help him with a group of children.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” you smiled back. “I can pay for my own pizza. Should pay for yours, too, for stepping in on the subway.”

“I thought we both agreed you could've handled it," he reminded you. "And I wouldn’t make my girl pay for her meal or mine.”

"Oh, so I'm your girl now?" you smiled wider, wondering if your stomach would keep doing summersaults around him. "You move fast."

"I don't do everything fast," he whispered.

Oh.

“Mr. Barnes!”

You jumped away from Bucky at the sound of a woman’s voice, but he didn’t let go of your hand right away. An elderly woman stood a few feet away with a little girl by her leg. She gave you both a tiny wave.

And gave you a chance to breathe.

"Greg said there was a new volunteer," the woman smiled.

“Hi, Mrs. West. Hi, Joely. And, yes, this is our new volunteer,” he smiled as he introduced you. "Are you excited for story time, Joley?”

“Uh huh,” she said, giving you another wave. “You’re pwetty.”

What a sweetheart.

“This very pretty lady is excited to help today,” Bucky smiled, making your heart speed up. “Is that okay with you?”

“Uh huh,” she nodded.

“Thank you, Joley,” you grinned. “For the compliment and for letting me help.”

“Thank you. She looks forward to this every week,” Mrs. West said as Bucky offered his hand to Joley and led her to the carpet as other kids began to arrive. “He really is a wonderful man. Joley was falling behind on reading and my daughter and her teacher did everything they could think of to help. He stayed with her to help, even when his shifts were over. He helped her fall in love with books.”

“He seems like the kind of man who makes it easy to fall in love,” you said, your eyes wide when Mrs. West stared at you. “With books,” you added quickly.

“Of course,” Mrs. West nodded. “You know, I’ve been bringing my granddaughter here for some time now and, I have to say, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him hold hands with any of the other volunteers. I haven’t even heard him mention anyone special. I’ve asked, believe me.”

I'm not special to him already, am I?

“Oh, we’re not. Well, we are,” you tried to think of the right words. “I mean, we’re going on a date.”

“You don’t say? I hope it goes well. Maybe you’ll make it easy for him to fall in love, too,” she grinned before she walked away.

Your gaze flickered over to Bucky where he sat on the floor. He had Joley in his lap and held the book open, ready for the other kids to join them. It was a beautiful image.

As the librarian looked up at you and smiled, you hoped Mrs. West was right.

Pizza date to come soon. Love and thanks! ❤️

Masterlist ⚓ Bucky Barnes Masterlist ⚓ KoFi

#navybrat writes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x female reader #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes #librarian!bucky barnes #librarian!bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes au #sebastian stan x reader #sebastian stan x female reader #sebastian stan x you

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buckrecs · 10 months

Text

𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙘 𝙧𝙚𝙘 : 𝙅𝙪𝙡𝙮 ~ 𝙎𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧

masterlist | monthly fic rec masterlist

FLUFF

Puppy Eyes by @coffee-with-bucky

look at me by @aquariusbarnes

The Pull of Gravity by @navybrat817 (shifter au)

The Rejects by @/navybrat817

A Little Less Restless by @majestyeverlasting

The Sleepover by @littleredwolf

An Ol’ Fashioned Notion of Wartime and Whisky by @rookthorne

Honeyed Words of a She by @/rookthorne (mob!reader)

A Stroke of Luck by @/rookthorne (lumberjack!bucky)

Serenity by @/rookthorne (Mafia!reader)

A Clover’s Intuition by @/rookthorne (lumberjack!bucky)

Ducks on Plaster by @lovelybarnes

the great shirt debate by @rocketrhap3000

Barbie by @buckyalpine

Imagine | 2 by @noctumbra (chubby!bucky)

Don’t Tell Bucky by @lives-in-midgard

closer by @eviesaurusrex

bucky getting used to modern crap by @bucky-bucket-barnes

Around My Neck by @mcu1shots

These Hands Are Meant To Hold by @vanderlustwords

Timeless by @antiquarianfics

You Have A Girlfriend? by @/antiquarianfics

Something to Smile About by @jobean12-blog

Found Waldo by @lovelybarnes

Unchained Melody by @delusionalvenusian

valentine by @softlyspector

The Way We Were by @avintagekiss24

Midnight Escapades by @kiritella

Stunt Double by @/kiritella

Sleep and Cuddles by @/kiritella

Flowers And Things by @espinosaurusrexex

Little Mermaid by @buckyarchives

cuppa coffee by @irndad

A touch of color by @starrysebastians

Smooth Criminal by @redgillan (officer!bucky)

ANGST

Verbal Fight by @espinosaurusrexex

Tommy’s Party by @bucknastysbabe (college au)

Rescue You by @writing-for-marvel

not my one by @stxrvel (steve x reader)

Imagine by @/buckyalpine

One Night by @/buckyalpine

ours by @trashywormeateroffics

give me a minute by @amayatheowl

Seasons Change & I Carry You With Me by @/vanderlustwords

The Truth Is; I’m A Liar by @imtryingmyfuckingbest

Better Than Us by @/antiquarianfics

The Rain Will Always Gonna Come if You’re Standing With Me by @bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky

Love Me… by @/kiritella

You could never hurt me by @theeleggymeggy

SMUT

braid my hair, honey by @witchywithwhiskey

finally by @adrinktostopyourthirst (spy!reader)

cherry blossom by @noctumbra (librarian!bucky)

virgin mob bucky by @/buckyalpine

Take the edge off by @bitsandbobsandstuff

Hayloft by @wienerbarnes (40s au)

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holylulusworld · 1 year

Text

Weak Spot

Summary: He has a weak spot for you.

Pairing: Mobster!Bucky Barnes x Librarian!Reader

Warnings: fluff, mentions of his business, protective Bucky, established relationship

A/N: I love soft mafia Bucky. So, you will all suffer with me...

<< Part 1 - Soft Spot

“Bucky! What did you do?” You look at your boyfriend. Men came to his house, carrying heavy boxes inside the library next to his office.

His father used the room to impress his business partners with all the expensive books he bought over the years. However, Bucky turned the library into your second favorite place.

Your favorite place is right next to him.

“I bought a few more books,” he wraps his arm around your shoulders. “I think we need to expand the library. Maybe we can break through a wall and use one of the spare guestrooms.”

“Bucky, it’s too much,” you say. Your eyes are glued to the books the men unpack. “Oh my god! Did you buy a whole library?”

You gasp as more men with more boxes walk past you and Bucky. “All for my girl,” he whispers in your ear. Bucky softly pecks your cheek as you stand next to him. Speechless.

Your heart wants to burst. Every gesture and every word tells you how much you mean to the man by your side.

“We should leave them to their job, doll. Let's look at the books later.”

A few hours later Bucky sits in the library, in one of the old armchairs you found in an antique shop. You are on his lap, snuggled into his chest as he reads you one of your favorite books.

“How was your day?" you softly ask. “Did Stark agree to the deal? He’s a stubborn man, isn’t he?”

“I know you’ll make a perfect queen,” Bucky wraps his arm a little tighter around your body. He sighs deeply, wishing his business wasn’t part of your life now. If only he could give up on business and run away with you.

“Do you sometimes wish I was someone else?” you ask. “You know, an insider. A woman who grew up in your world.”

“No!” Bucky drops the book as you look at him with teary eyes. “Where is this coming from, Y/N? You are the one for me. I don’t want anyone else.”

“I heard your men talk. They told you that I’m your weak spot and a liability. That I will get you killed one day,” you choke on your words. “I don’t want you to die because of me. I love you too much.”

“Doll, I won’t get killed,” he drops the book to wrap both arms around your trembling body. “No one will dare get between us. You are the only woman I want. No one compares to you. I love you more than anything in my life.”

You hide your face in his neck to inhale his cologne. Bucky always smells good. “I love the books and the library.”

“It’s the least I could do after you quit your job for me,” he replies softly. “Did you think about my offer?”

You giggle.

Bucky asked you to become his sexy kitten and offered belly rubs as payment last week. "Sir, I am considering your offer.”

“Hmm…good…that’s good.”

He gently runs his hand over your head, patting you. “I didn’t quit my job for you. I left because I couldn’t work with people harassing the man I love.”

Bucky doesn’t tell you this is the same thing. He smiles and enjoys having you in his arms. All he wants is you by his side for the rest of his life.

“You better pick that book back up, Sir,” you lift your head to look Bucky in the eyes. “I won’t accept violence against books in this house.”

He grins at your words and says, “Baby doll, I promise to protect the books too. No one will touch them. I swear.”

"You are a great man," you say while snuggling into his chest and closing your eyes. “My protective and strong boyfriend.”

“My sweet and caring girlfriend,” he says as you softly whisper his name. “I’ll burn the world for you…”

>> Part 3

Bucky Barnes/Sebastian Stan Tags @marshyrebelcloud

@buchanan-lover

@rosalynshields

@jane-dough666-blog

@hinata7346

@sociallyantisocialbutterfly

@eclecticpatrolroadlawyer

@sexyvixen7

@danzalladaggers

@thegirlnextdoorssister

@babygirl-one-and-only

@danielle143

@peaceinourtime82

@teambarnes72

@lovewolfspirit

@thebaileybugle

@raajali3

@wykkedwitch

@getwellsoontana

@broadwaybabe18

@wintasssoldier

@lu-zo-san

@liloxclu

@winters1917

@thatdbeagoodsticker

@creepzeyecandy

@mochionly��

@deansonlywife

@creepzeyecandy

@kiki13522

#bucky barnes x reader #soft mobster bucky #mobster!bucky barnes x fem!reader #bucky barnes x female reader #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes #Weak Spot #librarian reader #bucky barnes x librarian!reader

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bucky-barnes-diaries · 1 year

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Testing tags before posting

#testing 123 #kinktober 2022 #kinktober #beefy!bucky #librarian!bucky #bucky barnes #bucky barnes smut

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austeenbootler · 20 days

Text

yall what’s nerdy major that would require frequent library visits?

sincerely,

satnin who is finally writing again.

ps: here is cute buck and bucky for bribery

#buck x bucky #austin butler #masters of the air #bucky egan #callum turner #buck cleven #mota #gale cleven #john egan #clegan #LIBRARIAN FIC IS UNDERWAY #god let me finish this one pls

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fsbc-librarian · 10 months

Text

Guess who just updated the Legendary Category?! New fics!!

Legendary is located here!

I’ve simplified how I list the fics (older fics have not been changed) so it will be quicker and easier to add to each category moving forwards.

I’ve also changed the Legendary criteria a touch (if only so Infinite Coffee actually qualified because it was heartbreaking that it did not).

#stucky #fsbc #bucky barnes #steve rogers #fsbc library #library categories #the librarian is back #the librarian never actually went anywhere but they certainly got lazy #curating the things we love #fic rec #fanfiction #fanfic #stevebucky #fsbc recommended

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mediocre-daydreams · 2 years

Text

don quixote and the classics // bucky barnes bookstore! au

pairing: bucky barnes x bookkeeper! reader

summary: bucky develops a sudden affinity for secondhand books from one specific store, and coincidentally, that store just so happens to employ a pretty, intriguing bookkeeper. from don quixote to the history of Hun empire archery techniques, bucky just wants to see you again.

warnings: swearing, mutual pining, the avengers are meddling assholes but i love it, couple references to my favorite books, and oblivious reader

w/c: 6.5k

prompt 6 by @juicywritinghoard

“librarian desperate to understand what wild phase the other character is going thru rn”

＊✿❀　❀✿＊

when you dreamed of moving to new york, you had hoped your days would be spent glamourously lounging in high-end bars, frequenting gentrified hip indie cafés (because let’s be honest, you can’t escape them these days), and/or getting yourself a sugar daddy.

what you didn’t plan for was working six days a week at a shitty bookstore where you tripped over the loose floorboard behind the counter even after three months. granted, the “shittiness” of it all was quite charming, and the old man who owned the place was probably the sweetest person you’d ever met—which said a lot because you hated old people.

the business had been slaw. as aforementioned, the gentrified millennial-catered cat-café-bookshop-cabaret-bars blew whatever “run-down charm” your store could try to advertise itself as. you spent most of your time abandoning the counter, since it wasn’t like there were customers who needed to purchase things anyway. instead, you’d found yourself lost in shelves of haphazardly organized books (fuck the dewey decimal system), trying to squeeze in new finds (and by new, you meant the battered up copies that the owner’s friends had no more use for) but eventually settling for stacking them horizontally on top of the rows and rows of dusty books.

you’d never admit it, but this place had become your home. sure, it was probably decomposing. and you swore that you saw a squirrel in there once. but you and your single coworker were always treated with baked goods from the owner and paid a reasonable salary. the owner had done so much for you back when you were a naive, freshly moved-in new yorker. he’d fed you when your bills were becoming too much, he offered you a job and made sure you were paid enough, and once, he even let you crash on the cushy chairs in the back when the subway was down and a thunderstorm was raging.

today was like any average day, so essentially a day full of nothing. stevie nicks crooned through the old radio—the owner insisted on CDs—and you hummed along, occasionally singing some of the lyrics you knew. when the bell chimed and you heard the hinges of the door squeak, you yourself let out a squeak.

“uh, hello?” a raspy male voice called from the front of the store. he cleared his throat. “is there anyone- are you guys open? i didn’t see a closed sign or anything and the lights were on so…” he was speaking to nobody in particular, trailing off after he heard no response.

“okay, um, no worries! have a good day,” he called to no one, turning to leave.

“wait! wait, come back!” you huffed as you ran to the front of the store, clutching your stomach to catch your breath. “sorry, i thought i was hallucinating. we haven’t had a customer in a long time.” you winced. “that’s really bad advertising, isn’t it,” you muttered to yourself.

the man laughed. “no worries, i’m enjoying our introduction, actually.” he hesitantly held his flesh hand out for you to shake. “bucky. bucky barnes?” he waited for some sort of recognition to flash in your eyes, or maybe a recoil, or maybe for you to ask him to leave. instead, you took his hand in yours and gave him two firm shakes. he smiled at your confident grip.

“as much as i’m glad you’re enjoying this introduction at my expense—sorry about that, by the way; customer service is not my thing—how can i help you?”

“i’m looking for a book,” he said, eyes flickering around the crowded bookshelves as if he were a little intimidated.

“then you’re in the right place,” you snorted. “sorry, that was rude of me. sorry. do you know what you’re looking for? our organization system is a bit… unique, so i can show you to our different sections if you need.”

“that’d be great, actually,” he confessed, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. “do you have anything on… gardening? botanicals? specifically flowers? ones that are native to the east coast would be preferable.”

you smiled, picturing the burly man in front of you curled up on an armchair, scanning pages and pages about delicate, colorful petals and local flora. “we do, actually! come with me.”

the man—no, bucky—trailed behind you, mesmerized by the way you navigated seemingly random stacks of books with such familiarity. you stopped abruptly and he nearly walked into you—and thank god for that, because he probably would’ve run you over.

“here ‘ya go!” you chirped, running your hand over the spines of botanical books fondly. “if it’s not too invasive to ask, but why are you looking for books on flowers? no offense, but you don’t really seem like,” you waved your hands around, “a flower kind of guy.”

bucky chuckled, already immersed in his hunt for the perfect book. “you’re right, i’m not. my friend wanda’s been wanted to start a garden, but she’s always been a city girl. we have a place further out from the city with a good amount of land, so i’m hoping to get her started.”

“that’s so sweet!” you swooned, smiling widely. “you’re such a wonderful boyfriend. god, those are rare.”

“oh no- uh, we’re not dating,” bucky stammered, cheeks flushing slightly as he refused to meet your eyes. his hands froze midair, fingers dancing across the spine of a book. “we just live… together. there’s a lot of us there.”

“ah, so you guys are like fancy outskirts-of-new-york co-inhabitants, huh?” you gazed at the ceiling thoughtfully. “never met anyone like that.”

“well, normal is not a word i’d use to describe myself,” he said with a hint of bitterness. was that right? he was bitter?

you leaned against one of the shelves as you watched him search. when he found what he was looking for, he turned with the book clutched against his chest, giving you a triumphant grin.

“you found one! c’mon, i’ll get you all checked out.”

bucky couldn’t help but watch as your fingers danced across the old register whose numbers on the keys had begun to fade. you flipped the book to the back to check the price. “hey, you got a good deal! five dollars, please.”

he fished for his wallet and handed you a crumpled bill. you smiled and handed him his book. perhaps it was intentional or maybe it was simply an accident, but bucky shivered when your fingertips brushed against his own. “it was nice to meet you, bucky,” you waved cheerfully as he left, a bit reluctant to say goodbye. he held his hand up in parting, walking out the door backward to keep you in his sight for as long as possible, almost bumping into a passing pedestrian who shot him a glare. you giggled.

as he began the walk back to the subway, he flipped through his new book. he smiled to himself. right in the center of the pages was a delicate bookmark, stained with dancing hues of a painter’s watercolor touch.

wanda was overjoyed at bucky’s gift. she seemed to love the secondhand nature of it, claiming “that’s what gives it personality!” bucky agreed that the book had personality, but he didn’t think it was because of its age. it was because it reminded him of the sweet bookkeeper’s smile. unbeknownst to wanda, he’d taken the bookmark out and kept it for himself.

steve’s birthday was coming up, and seeing as wanda couldn’t stop gushing over her plants, the rest of the team had taken an interest to where the book had come from. when living in a hundred-million-dollar complex, something as simple as the concept of paying for a battered-up, used item was a bit foreign.

“you’re back!” you’d exclaimed at the sight of bucky’s smiling face. it was late june, and between his first meeting with you and today’s mission of retrieving a birthday present for steve, he’d stopped by three times already.

“your favorite regular has arrived,” he grinned, draping himself over the counter teasingly to admire your face. you swatted him away.

“you’re my only regular and you know it.” you tapped his nose. “so what are you looking for today?” you came out from behind the counter, taking extra care to skip over the loose floorboard. after tripping over it twice in front of bucky, you were determined to take extra caution.

“something on art, actually.” he looked down at you adoringly as you stood in front of him, head tilted up to meet his eyes as you rocked back and forth excitedly on the balls of your feet.

“ooooh, you’re versatile!” you wrapped your small hand around his wrist, catching bucky off guard, but by some miracle, a wave of courage swept over him and he slipped his wrist out of your grasp and interlocked your fingers with his. if you were caught off guard, you made no indication, but bucky could swear your heart jumped a little.

you weaved the two of you through the shelves once more. the two of you were fully aware that bucky could probably navigate just fine on his own after his multiple visits here, but neither of you would complain about the extra few minutes you’d get to spend together.

as he browsed, you settled into your usual routine of chatting as he searched and you leaned casually against a shelf. “... so first you come in with gardening, and then the next week it’s archery during the Hun empire, and then last week you get two books—which were great picks, by the way; you were very tasteful with the don quixote and thinking of you reading alice in wonderland absolutely made my day-”

bucky blushed. you had been thinking of him?

“-and now you’re here for art? i’ve got to say, i’m extremely impressed, buck.”

he stood up from his crouch, where he had been examining the lower shelves for the perfect book, and held it up to you for approval. this was also part of the routine—he’d pick out a book, you’d inspect it, and if you deemed it a good fit, he’d buy it.

“i love it! mainstreamers of modern art? i never pegged you for a modern art guy, but i see it now. you’re adventurous.” as the two of you made your way through the checkout process, he couldn’t help the thought that’d been running through his mind the past few weeks.

“do you make the bookmarks yourself?

this time, it was your turn to blush. “um, yeah, actually.” you hesitated before handing him his book and meeting his eye. “i’m no picasso,” you tapped on the cover of the book where his art was featured, “but before you started coming, i had a lot of free time. so i started making little bookmarks.”

the loveliest smile you’d ever seen on bucky’s face, or anybody’s face, for that matter, spread ear-to-ear like the flowers you assumed that wanda had successfully been nurturing.

“what is it?” you laughed nervously, tilting your head away from him shyly.

he reached out and took hold of your jaw with a gentle touch. he wasn’t sure where all this courage was coming from. perhaps it was the spirit of capitan america running through his bloodstream. “don’t… don’t look away. don’t be embarrassed. i think it’s beautiful,” he confessed, eyes never leaving yours just as his hand refused to pull away from where it had reached up to caress your face. the two of you were trying to contain your bashful smiles.

“thank… thank you,” you whispered, finding your faces a bit too close for this to be platonic. at this point, you weren’t sure if the “beautiful” bucky had been talking about was referring to the bookmarks or to you. you hoped it was the latter.

the clanging of the bell broke your spell. the both of you jumped back; you pretended to be busying yourself with papers that didn’t exist and bucky’s arms snapped to his side like a soldier in position. a young woman appeared at the door.

“wanda?” bucky revelled, eyebrows furrowing as he took in the figure of a curious customer scanning the store.

“no, bucky. vision decided to emulate me and come all the way down here to terrorize you. yes, it’s me, wanda,” she deadpanned.

“wanda!” you abandoned your nonexistent busywork. “you’re bucky’s roommate? i’ve heard so much about you? how’s the garden coming along? what’d you think of the book? i’m not sure if- i put bookmarks in all the purchased books, i hope yours didn’t fall out! i put a flowery patterned one in there for you,” you gushed, overjoyed to meet a friend of bucky’s and get a glimpse of his personal life which he was incredibly guarded about. oh, and because you had a new customer, obviously.

“bucky’s told me all about you as well! it’s so nice to finally meet you!” you hesitated for a second as wanda wrapped you into a big hug before reciprocating with equal enthusiasm. bucky didn’t care about wanda’s comment as much as he was thrilled to see you get along with his friends.

“and yes, i loved the bookmark,” wanda said, shooting bucky a questioning glance, eyebrows raised. bucky wilted under her knowing look.

“how did you even find me, wanda?” bucky chewed his lip nervously at wanda’s mischievous smirk.

“oh, it was totally an accident. i found this darling store online and i knew i just had to come get steve’s birthday present here. it just so happens that this is the place you’ve been running off to all these weeks! i can’t believe you’d keep this gem to yourself,” she simpered, taking hold of your hand.

“you know, bucky can’t stop talking about this place,” she smiled. “and you,” she whispered connivingly into your ear. you felt your face heat up and hoped wanda couldn’t tell. she could.

“r-really? that’s so sweet of you,” you stammered, eyes flickering between wanda and bucky. bucky looked like he was going to sink into the floor.

you cleared your throat. “so, you said you’re looking for a birthday present? would you like some assistance or are you good to wander on your own?” you deflected, letting go of wanda’s hand when you felt yours begin to clam up.

“well, i see bucky’s already beat me to the art book. i think steve might like a classic though. he’s been trying to catch up on everything he missed when he was under the ice, and i know he’s always had a soft spot for the paperbacks with the pretty colors. you should stop by and check out his collection!”

you narrowed your eyes. “under… under the ice?” you questioned, not sure where this was going and wondering if you needed to call an ambulance and/or schedule a psychological examination for wanda.

“yeah, you- oh, has bucky not told you?” the both of you turned back to look at bucky, who was still frozen in place by the counter with his eyes wide. wanda turned back to you smugly. “we’re here for steve rogers. you know, captain america.”

your mouth dropped as you stared at wanda blankly. you weren’t sure if you were drooling or not, but you wouldn’t be surprised if you were.

“c-capitan america? the real one? a-and are you wanda, as in the scarlet witch? holy shit. and- oh my god,” you panted, eyes wild. “bucky?”

bucky met your eye, apprehensive. “bucky? i’m so fucking stupid. bucky barnes. james barnes. the- the winter soldier?”

bucky flinched, steeling himself for the inevitable. you sounded so afraid, tripping over your words as you tried to say his name. the secret was out now, and he’d have to stop coming to your bookshop—no longer could he tease you, or buy books he didn’t really need, or spend all his spare cash, or help you dust the shelves, or add to his collection of your bookmarks, or-

“bucky, i can’t believe you didn’t tell me, you little sneak!” you ran up to him and slapped his arm playfully. you tugged at your hair. “i’m so blind, aren’t i? you’re wearing a jacket in the summertime. your name is literally barnes. you told me you lived in a fucking compound on the outskirts of new york and i was so caught up in your pretty face to even-”

you slapped your hand over your mouth, eyes widening enough to rival bucky’s own wide eyed stare.

“uh, wanda! you wanted a book?” you rushed over to her side, grabbing her hand and tugging her deeper into the shelves as wanda snuck a look back at bucky, whose face was buried in his hands as he leaned against the counter.

wanda ended up buying 1984. you were a fidgety mess as you checked her out, tucking another one of your bookmarks between the pages. you and bucky didn’t look at each other once. well, that was a lie. your eyes were burning holes into the first edition paperback while bucky snuck glances at the side of your face, watching your concentrated brows and small huff at the sticky keys of the register with a stupid, infatuated smile on his face. wanda elbowed him hard.

“what was that for?” he hissed, lowering his voice and hoping you couldn’t hear him. wanda rolled her eyes.

“thank you so much,” she simpered as you handed her the book with a polite smile. “you know, you’ve done so much for us. bucky’s never been big on reading before,” wanda patted the super soldier’s arm. your eyebrows raised as if to say, oh really?

“hard to believe, right?” she laughed. “he comes here so much i could be fooled. anyways, i was thinking you should come and celebrate steve’s birthday with us! it’s the fourth of july, which is cliché, i know, but if you don’t have any plans you’d be more than welcome! we’d all love to meet the woman that’s gotten bucky all intellectual recently. your books have more of an impact around the compound than you think.”

you looked terrified. “i- what? the compound, as in the avengers compound? wait, captain america’s birthday? a birthday party? you want me to come to america’s party for his birthday?” you gasped, blinking furiously to try and comprehend the insanity of it all.

wanda giggled. “yes! you’re so cute; i can see why bucky likes you so much.” once again, you and bucky blushed and looked at the floor. wanda either didn’t notice or didn’t care.

“i mean, i’ll have to- i might have to work but- yes! i’d love to, i just have to check with the owner, uh, thank you? for inviting me to your party? um, are there going to be avengers there?”

wanda shook her head, enamored by your antics. “yes, there will definitely be avengers there. it’ll probably just be the team and their families, but you can be bucky’s plus one. here, let me write down the details for you!”

you slid wanda a piece of scrap paper silently, subtly pinching yourself to check if you were dreaming. you were not.

“here ‘ya go! bucky and i can’t wait to see you there!” she chirped before dragging a dazed bucky out of the store and leaving you breathless. bucky can’t wait to see me there.

“stop being such a sourpuss, bucky.” wanda complained, smacking his arm with a trail of red energy.

“yeah, bucky. if your girlfriend is half as obsessed with you as you are for her, she’ll show up here with a trumpet fanfare and a horse-drawn carriage. you’re down bad, my man, and it’s getting kinda sad.” sam had his arms crossed in front of bucky, who had decided to tag team with natasha to bully bucky all day.

“it’s steve’s birthday, can we just… ugh,” bucky groaned, tugging at his hair. “i don’t even care if she comes or not. it’s not a big deal. i’ve only seen her like, five times. i’m just a customer. so it doesn’t even matter.”

natasha rolled her eyes. “i’m this close,” she demonstrated with her fingers pinched together, “to beating the stupidity out of you, buchanan.” bucky glared at her.

“can you not-”

“shut the fuck up, idiot,” sam interrupted.

natasha elbowed him “okay, the goal is to piss him off, not rip his fragile, lovesick heart into shreds,” she chastised. bucky pursed his lips in frustration and took a deep, calming breath.

“i am going to remove myself from the situation,” he spoke mostly to himself, closing his eyes and remembering with dr. raynor had taught him. as much as he hated his shrink, he had to admit, therapy was coming in handy when it came to dealing with his asshole teammates. de-escalate, bucky. remove yourself from the aggressive environment. good job, bucky. deep, calming breaths. imagine you’re on a quiet beach…

“bucky!” the sound of your honeyed call broke his trance. his heart raced once more. well, shit. that ruined the whole meditative process. but it was worth it if it meant he got to hear his name roll off your tongue, all sugary and pure.

natasha and sam smirked at each other as you ran over to bucky with a gift in hand and bucky took speedy steps over to you with his long legs. he wrapped you into his arms and you squealed as your feet left the ground as you returned his hug with just as much passion.

“hi!” you whispered as you caught your breath, smiling up at him with such joy that he thought he might melt under your gaze before he’d even get a chance to wish steve a happy birthday.

“so you’re the girl that’s turned that frown upside down?” sam joked, taking your hand delicately and planting a charming kiss on the back of it. you laughed breathlessly, unaware of bucky’s pointed look at the back of sam’s head. it didn’t slip natasha’s perceptive gaze, however, and she took note of it.

“i’m natasha,” the spy shook her hand and raised her eyebrows approvingly at your firm handshake. you introduced yourself eagerly. “wow, you’re the black window! i- wow. i love you so much. my coworker and i are such big fans,” you raved, fanning yourself with your hands.

natasha chuckled, taking your hand in hers and lowering it for you. “well, i’m a big fan of you too.” you looked like you were going to pass out. “it’s an honor to meet the woman who’s turned the most petulant, ancient asshole into a cutesy, sappy little boy.”

you gasped dramatically, eyes jumping up to bucky. “bucky’s not an asshole! or a little boy, for that matter. he’s a cultured reader and classics aficionado. one of my best customers, actually,” you said proudly. natasha and sam looked at each other once more, but you and bucky were too immersed in each other’s smiles to notice their smug looks.

“wait, can you fly?” you whipped your head around to sam. “you’re the falcon! of couse you can fly! sam—can i call you sam?—can you take me flying?”

sam opened his mouth presumably to say yes, as he would take any excuse to zip around the compound and annoy his team, but bucky cut him off.

“nope, we’re not doing that. don’t do that, doll,” he looked down at you. you smiled, confused, at the pet name that slipped out of his mouth. “there’s a 70% chance that sam will kill you and a 10% chance that he’ll land roughly and you’ll both fall, and you look too beau- nice for grass stains. plus i’d really like to spend at least a couple hours with you outside of your work before you die.”

you gaped at him, not sure whether to interpret this as him making jabs at sam or him trying to flirt with you. maybe it was both. you were too stunned to analyze any of it anyway.

“buck? hey, you brought your friend!” steve jogged over eagerly with a glint in his eye that bucky did not like one bit.

“i- oh my gosh- hello? i’m sorry, it’s just that you’re capitan america and that’s pretty cool and stuff and bucky and wanda got books from my store—oh shit, did i just ruin the surprise?” you gasped.

bucky was prepared for steve to scold you for your language, but instead, he burst into a full-bellied laugh that neither of you were expecting. “i may be turning 105, but i’m not blind yet! we can never usually get bucky to talk, but ever since he got wanda her book, it’s all been ‘this girl at the bookstore,’ and ‘did you know that she paints?’ and ‘i wonder what her work schedule’s like because i never see her outside of the store,” steve ranted.

“it’s kind of really annoying, actually,” tony piped in, sauntering over with a half-eaten chocolate covered strawberry in hand. “the gramp won’t shut up about you. it’s nice to know that your favorite vegetable is cauliflower and that you’ve promised to take the tinman to a vegan restaurant. y’know, he hates vegetables. he’s practically a carnivore.”

tony pushed his sunglasses down to give bucky a judging look unobstructed. normally, bucky would’ve retaliated, but all he could do was blush. (from the heat of the sun, obviously. he did forget to put on sunscreen today.)

you looked up at bucky, taking his metal hand and shaking it without hesitation. your fearlessness surprised him—not only had you touched his prosthetic so nonchalantly, but you hadn’t run away screaming after hearing all the embarrassing things his teammates had divulged within the first half hour of your arrival.

“bucky, is it all true?” you teased, licking your lips and tilting your head ever so slightly. bucky knew it was because you were questioning him, but all he could think about was how you were perfectly positioned for him to kiss; all he needed to do was bend down a bit and maybe then he could finally see if you tasted as homely as your books smelled or if you had just eaten cauliflower—somehow, the idea of vegetable breath was appealing if it was on you.

“bucky? you still here?” you poked him in the stomach, which didn’t do much seeing as he was a buff avenger with enhanced strength. he blinked himself into the present.

“yeah, yeah! sorry, uh,” he rubbed the back of his neck, a habit you’d come to recognize as something he did when he was uncomfortable.

“hey, are you okay?” immediately, the interrogation you were planning on giving him disappeared from your lips and was replaced with eyes of concern. you placed your other hand on top of his metal one and tugged on it to catch his attention. “bucky, c’mon. let’s go somewhere quieter.”

you weren’t really sure had no clue where you were going, but once the bubbling of voices from the party began to fade, you stopped and turned to face him fully. his flesh hand, which had continued to run across his face, paused and slowly sank to his side as you watched him solemnly.

“i know that friends sometimes push things to far,” you laughed quietly, eyes darting to the ground, “and it can hurt a little bit. and sometimes for me it’s hard to tell them that i’m hurt.” you looked back up at him, but his face was expressionless.

you sighed. “i guess you’re right; we don’t know each other that well apart from our interactions at the store. but… if what your friends were saying were true, i’d- well, i’d like to know you better. outside the store, i mean.” your eyes darted between bucky’s intense, blue stare. your gaze never left his, even as he swallowed hard and refused to let any emotion cross his face. by the bob of his adam’s apple, though, you could tell that he was affected somehow.

“i wasn’t joking when i said i’d take you to that restaurant, you know. ‘cuz i really like you and i don’t understand you and your reading choices but i’d really like to because… you intrigue me. i don’t care if your team thinks you’re broody or whatever, ‘cuz i think you’re enigmatic and thoughtful.”

you dropped his hands. “ha, sorry. i don’t wanna push it; i know you’re probably really overwhelmed right now, it being your friend’s birthday and hosting a stranger and all your friends probably made you really uncomfortable just now so i don’t want to add to your stress-”

“can i kiss you?” bucky murmmured, the tiniest bit of nervousness flashing across his eyes as he pursed his lips in anticipation for your answer.

you needed no words. instead, you raised your arms and jumped, flinging them around his neck and bucky was quick to understand. he caught you, holding you up by your thighs and being careful to keep things respectful (he was a 40s gentleman, after all). bucky’s eyebrows furrowed as his lips met yours cautiously. god, he’d been dreaming about this for so long, and it always felt a bit vouyeristic knowing that you didn’t reciprocate his feelings. how wrong he was about that.

you hadn’t expected bucky’s lips to be so soft and you adored it when you leaned into the kiss. your noses brushed and your hands, after fidgeting with themselves for a bit, climbed up his neck and into his hair, where you tangled your fingers in his locks and gently rubbed over his scalp. he groaned, opening his mouth to deepen the kiss.

you had to break off, though, as you were not nearly as capable of holding your breath as long as a super soldier was. you were reluctant to do so, of course, and you pulled away just as much as necessary, making sure to remain as close to him as possible. your foreheads and noses were still touching as your lips remained just an few inches away where you were trying to catch your breath. your eyes were closed blissfully, and bucky dared to flutter his open.

there you were, the subject of all of his daydreams in the past few months, so close to him. he could feel your warm breath on his face. when you leaned in to kiss him again, you did so with even more fervor. you gasped into his mouth so wonderfully that he stumbled backwards a couple steps, swiping his tongue over your bottom lip so that your mouth would stay open and he could continue kissing you even deeper.

“bucky,” you whispered hoarsely as you pulled away for a second time. “bucky, i-”

“keep it in your pants, barnes!” tony’s voice bellowed from the party, and bucky burned red. you wiggled a bit in his hold and he took it as a sign to set you back on the ground. once you were standing, you shook your hands fiercely, letting out all the tension.

“wow,” you breathed, a satisfied, wonderstruck smile blooming on the lips buky had just kissed.

“wow is pretty accurate,” bucky agreed equally as breathless.

when you two captured each other’s eyes again, bucky reached down to cup your jaw and run his thumb over your cheek.

“you’re so beautiful, you know that?” he muttered, smiling fondly as you leaned into his touch and covered your hand with his own.

“i could say the same about you.” you turned your head so that your lips were in the palm of your hand and pressed a chaste kiss to his skin. he was glad he hadn’t reached out with his metal hand. he didn’t want to miss out on feeling every kiss you blessed him with.

“we should go back.” you watched as clint’s kids and tony’s daughter began pleading to cut the cake whilst steve insisted that they wait for the two of you to return.

“we should,” bucky nodded.

neither of you spoke or made any effort to move. instead, you stood on your toes to press one final kiss to the corner of bucky’s mouth and whispered “you don’t even have my phone number.”

he laughed. “doesn’t matter. i’ll just come bother you at the bookstore.”

you bit your lip to stop the beam that was sure to explode across your face and agitate your sore cheeks, so you tilted your head towards the party.

“we should definitely go back. the cake, and stuff. and maybe if i decide that i really like you, i’ll give you my number at the end of the party. so don’t get too comfortable.”

“it’s a deal, doll.”

you were perched on one of bucky’s thighs, horizontal to his chest, as the two of you dug into new reads. just like steve, bucky had decided to catch up on the classics (mostly because it meant he could watch your face light up as you chattered on about your favorites and what they meant and tried to convince him to read them, even though he knew he’d read anything you gave him anyway). thus began your sunday ritual of domesticity. bucky knew sunday was your only day off, so the first sunday after steve’s birthday, he had planned to make the most of it.

he took the train to brooklyn (he loved liked you even more for that) and picked you up at 10. he’d brought you to one of the coffee shops that’d been running since the 40s, which you doted on; “it’s so classic! i love mrs. basque—she gets me, you know? hates the gentrification too; she’s so progressive.” he teased you when he found out you (used to) hate “old people.”

“what a change of heart, huh? first your boss wins you over, then you fall for an 106 year old, and now you seem to like mrs. basque more than me.”

“well, if you keep making fun of me, maybe i will start liking mrs. basque more than you.”

bucky had dropped to his knees right outside of the store, begging you to forgive him as the two of you struggled to hold in obnoxiously loud laughs for the sakes of the people around you.

bucky had taken you up to the compound and cooked you a plant based meal and even ate it himself, which was when you realized how deeply you felt for him. he showed you wanda’s garden, helped you safely fly with sam, and then brought you to see steve’s book collection. but the best thing he’d done was present you with a book. it was a limited edition copy of herland, the book you’d been raving about ever since you’d convinced bucky to read the yellow wallpaper. he’d devoured your collection of feminist literature soon after and you fell a little more.

and now, curled up against the chest of the man you loved adored, you were struck by your second revelation of just how far you’d fallen. you watched as his blue eyes, almost as blindingly bright as his smile, danced across the pages of the newest novel you’d given to him. you watched as the sunlight streaming from the window made his eyelashes glow golden, and how his fingers tapped on the cover of the book absentmindedly. you knew he truly cared about the book when he let you be mesmerized by him instead of looking away, embarrassed. and he knew you truly cared about him when he took the time to read through your little annotations and add some of his own.

you shifted, wrapping your arms around his broad chest and nuzzling your head into the crook of his neck. he hummed contetedly, using two fingers to hold the book open so that he could free up one of his hands to rub your back with.

from within the blanket of security his body provided you, you allowed yourself to confront your feelings. he’d confessed to you two weeks ago that the only reason he’d kept coming back for books was because he wanted to see you again. technically, he had a “reason” to, but he was the one coming up with them. the book on Hun empire archery was for clint, who didn’t really want the book in the first place, and when he came back the third time, he did so with the intention to ask you on a date. when he chickened out, he thought that’d be the last time he’d see you. instead, he ended up buying two more books—not because he was particularly interested in the classics, but because he’d asked you for your recommendations and you had said don quixote. he picked up alice in wonderland mainly as a joke, but ended up reading it (and loving it) just because it was you who sold him the book.

and then you learned he’d been keeping each one of your bookmarks, treasuring them as if they truly were picasso-level art, and you’d planted the biggest kiss on his cheek. and then you’d learned he never learned how to cook and taught himself just so he could make food for you, and you threw yourself into his arms. and then you had met alpine, and discovered that bucky would read aloud to his cat every night.

and then—well, just now, you cursed yourself out in your head. holy fucking shit i’m such a dumbass, aren’t i? i’m in love with this man. i’m in love with bucky. i. love. bucky.

you didn’t even hesitate when you lifted your head from his shoulder and pecked his cheek to catch his attention. when he closed his book, making sure your bookmark was properly secured before closing it, your breath was shaky.

“i love you, bucky. i’m so in love with you it’s stupid. i love you.”

bucky was silent for just a second before pulling you into the tightest hug. “i love you too,” he whispered into your hair, voice wet with emotion. “i’ve loved you for so long,” he confessed, pulling away and keeping his hands on your shoulders as if he wanted to be assured that you’d never leave.

“i hated everything you loved, at first. reading. vegetables. being so happy, all the time. but you made me love it all. and i must be the biggest fool for taking so long to figure this out, but the reason i’ve changed isn’t because i’ve learned to love all those things. it’s because i learned to love you. and i’d stop eating beef for you, sweetheard. i’d eat cauliflower burgers for the rest of my life if it means i get to love you.”

you backhanded his cheek softly. “you stupid, stupid boy,” you sniffed. “i hate you. god, i hate that you do this to me.” you were blinking back tears. “you’re making me fucking cry. i hate the power you have over me.” you didn’t. the both of you knew that you didn’t.

leaning in, you pressed your lips to his. it was a shitty kiss where your big smiles stopped you from actually doing much kissing, but the “shittiness” of it all was what made it charming. and no amount of bad customer service of ineffective advertisting could convince you or bucky otherwise.

＊✿❀　❀✿＊

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