Chapter Text
Darcy shut the door behind her, and leaned against it for a minute. Sighing she set her bag down on the entry table and tossed her keys in the dish next to the lamp, and vase of bright pink roses which hadn’t been there that morning. She smiled and picked it up carrying it into the living room. She stopped in her tracks though as she took in the scene in front of her.
The little table that usually sat in their kitchen had been pulled into the living room and was covered in a heavy white table cloth, she was pretty sure they didn’t own. There was another vase of flowers in the center, red tulips this time, surrounded by votive candles and two tapers in crystal holders, she was again sure weren’t theirs. There were more candles scattered around the room, on the coffee table and entertainment center. A closer look at the table revealed it was scattered with valentine themed confetti.
She felt a pang in her chest and her eyed filled with tears. She couldn’t believe they’d done all this for her, and they weren’t going to be there to enjoy it.
When the call to Assemble had come in, Darcy’s heart had dropped for minute, but she’d given herself a pep-talk and put a smile on her face just as Steve and Bucky came down the corridor at a jog. They’d seemed more upset than she’d been, always worried about disappointing her, so she’d shushed them, and sent them on their way with “I love yous” and kisses.
She wouldn’t lie; she had been looking forward to their night together. She’d made two cherry pies, Steve’s favorite (contrary to stupid nicknames) and Bucky’s too actually. They joked they had the same tastes in sweets, and feisty brunettes. She’d planned for the three of them to make dinner, slip into something with seamed stockings while they had pie, and then take them into the bedroom for dessert. But there would be other Valentine’s days and the world needed saving. She’d made peace with loving super heroes long ago.
She’d made her way home at the end of the day, determined to enjoy her favorite day as much as she could with her men off fighting. But this, seeing what they had set up for her, that they had made their own plans to romance her so blatantly which wasn’t their usual way, it made it little a harder to shake of the sulking that wanted to happen.
But no matter, Darcy was nothing if not stubborn. This was her day and she wasn’t going to let anything ruin it. Before meeting them she’d spent all but two Valentine’s days as a single gal; she would be just fine doing it alone again. Hell it might even be nice to pig-out and watch a few rom-coms like she used to. Making a quick call to her favorite Chinese delivery place, she headed for the shower, only to be met with a bed covered in rose petals, and candles spread all over the room. Damn, they really had gone all out. Sighing, she made her way into the bathroom.
Feeling relaxed and back to feeling good, she gave one wistful thought to the new black lace and magenta silk lingerie tucked away in her dresser, before digging out a pair of conversation heart printed flannel pants and a tank top. Slipping on a pair of fluffy socks and one of Steve’s old man cardigans, she headed out to the living room to wait for her dinner to arrive and queue up her first movie.
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Steve felt the last of his tension melt way as the sound of Darcy’s quiet snoring reached his ears. Next to him Bucky’s posture relaxed, his shoulders becoming visibly looser. His lips kicked up on one side a bit. He stowed their gear in the hall closet then followed Bucky into the living room, noting the vase of roses missing from the hall table. Darcy must have moved them, he thought.
He was surprised to find Bucky frozen halfway into the room. He immediately tensed, scanning the room for threats. Finding none he started looking for whatever else would make his friend and partner react that way. Darcy was asleep on the couch, the afghan her grandmother knitted for her haphazardly covering her bottom half, and one of his sweaters wrapped around her top. He smiled at the little candy hearts on her pajama pants, only they’re girl. He hoped her wearing them meant she’d forged on, and made the most of her special day. He couldn’t help feeling guilty she’d had to spend it alone. He felt disappointed with the situation himself. They’d had plans for their girl that night.
Moving on with his perusal the TV was on, the menu for “50 First Dates” on screen. Their small kitchen table still sat to the side of the room, just how they’d left it before heading into SHIELD that morning. She’d moved the roses to the coffee table, and a few of the candles on it had been lit, but weren’t still burning; he hoped she’d blown them out before falling asleep, and they hadn’t burnt themselves out. The room smelled of wax and Chinese food, but the only food container in sight was a tub of Ben and Jerry’s on the coffee table, next to an empty wineglass and…
“Fuck!” He ran a hand through his hair, how had he not seen this coming?
“No shit.”
Sitting there looking innocent and not life altering at all, was a very familiar black velvet box, an open black velvet box, the small amount of light from the TV glinting of the stones of the ring resting inside. Steve knew the serum prevented him from having a heart attack, but right then he wasn’t so sure. How could he have been so stupid? Bucky had told him to keep the ring locked in the gun safe where it had been tucked away since Christmas. But Steve had been nervous, and wanted to make sure it was close for when the moment was right that night. So while they got the apartment ready, he stashed it in the drawer of the end table. He wondered what she’d needed from in there.
“Matches.” Bucky said. More proof of their freaky ESP thing, as Darcy would say.
Of course matches. Wasn’t he supposed to be a master tactician? He could plan and execute an assault on a Hydra base without issue, but one little proposal, something lots of guys and even gals do every day, and he screws it up at every turn. Way to go Rogers. He buried both hands in his hair and pulled, “shit.”
Bucky snorted, “you gonna just curse all night, or figure out a way to fix this, Punk?”
Steve glared at his best and oldest friend, “s’not just my problem y’know. I don’t see you offering any bright ideas here, Buck.”
“Nope, this is all on you,” he shook his head, arms crossed over his chest. “I said we should just do it, none of these over the top plans, especially after the Christmas fiasco. But you said it needed to be special, memorable or whatever. Not sure how you figured a dame could forget the two loves of her life proposing illegal marriage anyway…”
And there’s the rub, he’d royally screwed this up twice now.
“Ladies and gentleman, Captain America: The man with the plan.”
“Fuck off, Jerk.”
They both snorted. Okay, so things didn’t go to plan, what was new in their lives? The real question was where they went from here. Obviously they couldn’t just put the ring away and come up with a new plan like last time. Darcy’d seen it and left it out, making sure they knew she’d seen it. But she hadn’t put it on, did that mean she didn’t want it, they needed to talk first, or something else entirely?
Of the three of them he was the only one at all concerned about marriage. Darcy said love was love and no piece of paper made it any more real. Not that it mattered because the three of them couldn’t get the paper anyway. She did admit that she had dreamed on and off about one day walking down the aisle though. Bucky couldn’t remember what he’d thought about marriage before, and didn’t feel strongly either way now. But he understood Steve’s need for it, in a way Darcy didn’t. No matter how much of it had been washed away, some part of him was still a product of his time. Darcy got it in a way he wasn’t sure Bucky was capable of anymore.
He wanted a ceremony to tie them together in front of their loved ones, and the God he still believed in, to forge a new tie with the two people he loved most in the world. The ones he fought hardest to save it for. Bucky was his soul-mate, a part of him that couldn’t be removed by time, distance or death. They would always be connected in a way that defied definition. Darcy wasn’t anything less to him, their connection just as strong. She was his heart, his hope and solace. She made him strive to be the man Dr. Erskine believed him to be those many years before. He wanted to make promises and vows to them out loud that he already made every day in silence. It might not be legal or “normal”, but it felt right and that’s all he had ever fought for. And he’d keep fighting now, even if that meant risking another failed proposal. He’d keep going until he got right, or she turned them down.
“You okay, man?”
He looked up and realized he must have been thinking for a while. Bucky had moved to the couch sliding in under Darcy’s feet. He watched his thumb slid back and forth gently on her calf.
“Yeah, I’m good. Just thinkin’.”
“Hmm…” Bucky continued to stroke Darcy’s leg. “I want it too, y’know,” barely more than a whisper. He locked eyes with him the way he used to, direct and no bullshit. No Winter Soldier trained manipulation, or façade. “Not ‘cuz you want it, but for a part of me. She does too.”
Steve wasn’t sure what to say to that, it wasn’t something he’d expected to hear. He couldn’t deny it felt good though. Something loosened in his chest he hadn’t realized was tight. Things looked a little better. Even if Bucky was wrong about Darcy, it was nice knowing he wasn’t alone it his wanting.
“Yeah, ok,” it wasn’t eloquent but he was still a little dazed. “We should get our girl to bed.”
Bucky nodded and slipped out from underneath her legs, before bending to scoop her into his arms. Darcy stirred a little rubbing her face on his shirt, breathing in deeply.
“Bucky. Where’s Steve, when’d you get home, you guys ‘kay?” She mumbled against his chest in one long sentence.
“He’s right here, Doll. We just got back, and we’re both fine. No worries. Now let’s put the princess to bed.”
“Hmm…'kay,” she snuggled in closer and sighed.
Steve moved to follow them into the bedroom, smiling at the sight of the woman he loved curled up in arms of the man he loved. It was a sight that sent a thrill through him, even after almost three years.
“Wait.”
Both men stopped.
“Yeah, Doll? Y’need somethin’?” Bucky asked.
“Steve.”
He stepped forward, using his slight height advantage to peer at her over Bucky’s shoulder. “Yeah, Darce?”
She blinked up at him, eyes adjusting to the dark and probably having a hard time focusing without the glasses he picked up off the end table. “Can I have my ring now?”
Now it was his turn to blink, “huh?”
Bucky snorted.
“M’ring. I found it earlier, but I didn’t want to put it on myself, and nobody had asked me. It’s really pretty and I want it, so can I have it now or do I hafta wait?” She sounded half asleep still.
Bucky started shaking, letting a chuckle slip out.
Steve felt like someone had smacked him in the face with his shield. “Umm…wait for what?”
Darcy blew out a sigh, “your candles and flowers and stuff. I dunno what you had planned or whatever.”
Bucky started full out laughing, “Well…y’gonna make our girl wait, Punk?”
The question finally got Steve’s brain running on most its cylinders. “What, no.” Steve took three long strides, scooping the small box up in his hand before moving back, standing in front of his lovers. This was it, the moment wasn’t perfect like he’d planned, but it was right, and maybe that was the true lesson of his life.
He took a deep breath, “Darcy,”
“Yes,” she stuck her hand, her right hand towards his face then snatched it back. “Wait! It’s from Bucky too right,” she turned her face to look at the man holding her, “it’s from you too, right?”
Bucky smiled, not a smirk or quirk of his lips but a full on smile, “course it’s from me too. Y’know the guy’s hopeless without me backing his play.”
She smiled and nodded, turning her head to face Steve once more, “yes!” She flung her right hand out again, and smiled so big and bright, he almost let it go.
“Wrong hand, Doll.” Bucky helpfully supplied.
Darcy blinked, “Oh!” She switched hands reaching over her body to finally offer him the correct hand, “yes.”
Steve chuckled, “you do know I haven’t actually asked yet, right?”
Darcy huffed and rolled her eyes, “well are ya’ gonna get to that tonight, or should I like get back to you in the morning. FYI the answer might not be the same come then.”
Bucky snorted again.
Darcy waved her hand around, “well…”
Sobering slightly Steve took her hand in his glancing quickly to Bucky’s smiling face, before locking eyes with her. “Darcy Jolene Lewis, you are a pain in my ass. You’ve been driving me crazy since the moment you stormed into my life. You’re snarky, and messy, you always stick your cold toes on me in bed and you never remember to cap the toothpaste. But you’re also funny and beautiful and smart. You have a big enough heart to put up with and love not one, but two grumpy old soldiers. And you make a mean cherry pie. You give me, you give us a reason to fight, to adapt, to move forward. So will you please do me the honor of marrying me and my other pain in the ass?”
Tears rolling down her cheeks, she beamed at him, the same smile that made his heart stutter the first time she aimed it his way, and every time since, “Duh. How many times do I have to say yes.”
He slipped the ring on her finger, a perfect fit, and leaned in to kiss her, while wiping away her tears. He pulled back and moved his head up to kiss Bucky.
“Me too,” Darcy made grabby hands towards Bucky and he raised her up higher in his arms and swooped down to lay one on her.
Steve wasn’t sure he’d ever felt so happy or light.
Bucky grunted as he settled her back to her original position against him, “getting heavy, Doll.”
She snorted, “Whatever. You can handle it, Bionic Man.”
“I dunno, s’only the one arm. Can only lift so much.”
“Y’know this having two husbands is starting to sound better and better. Just think, I won’t have to be lonely while one spends a lot of time in the doghouse,” her eyebrow rose as she looked up at him.
“Ya’ can’t just put Captain America in the doghouse. It’s unpatriotic. They might toss you in jail” Bucky deadpanned.
“Wrong husband.”
Steve decided it was time to intervene; those two could bicker for days. “Like I said, pains in my ass.”
They stopped their staring contest to look at him; it was a little scary that the Winter Soldier could pull off an innocent face better than Darcy. “You love us anyway.” They looked at each other and started laughing.
Not for the first time in his life, Steve wondered just what the hell he’d just signed up for. Life with those two would be anything but predictable, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.