Chapter Text
“Whoo!” Bucky stamps his feet, cheering. The people around the table join in, except a blonde. Bucky smirks, feeling an electricity in his veins, fueled by the neon lights and beer. He can smell the excitement in the air, he can feel it. It’s palpable in the bar, and Bucky lives for it. He turns to look at his mate. Steve’s blithe attitude doesn’t dampen Bucky’s raucous actions.
“Buddy, you’re a boy, make a big noise!” As people catch on, they start singing along, and Bucky feels the excitement grow thicker. “Playing in the street, gonna be a big man some day! Got mud on your face! Ya big disgrace! Kicking your can all over the place!”
It is a simultaneous cheer/singing of the song as it hits the chorus, “We will, we will rock you! We will, we will rock you!” Bucky swings hims arms, notifying his makeshift choir that they’re done and he grins. Everyone’s eyes are on him, and he revels in the power. He slaps his hands on the table, causing a cheer to ripple around him.
“Well, I must say...” he starts, continuing to let his eyes drift over his team. They begin chanting at him, yelling for a speech. Bucky looks over to Steve, glad to finally see a genuine smile on his face. He nods, encouraging Bucky to make the speech. “I’m lucky to be a part of the best intramural soccer team on campus!” More cheers erupt and for a moment Bucky almost feels bad for the rest of the bar attendants. Then he looks at Steve, and the genuine smile, and he doesn’t care.
“We’re lucky to have the best captain!” Bucky isn’t sure who said it, but his heart surges. He’s spent an entire semester with these guys, practicing everyday, working a little more passionately than most intramural teams. Except their biggest rival, a senior team, the reigning champions.
“Aw, shut up. Guys, I’m so proud of us. We beat the seniors. The reigning, well the previously reigning champions! Now that’s us!” Bucky raises his beer glass, grinning at his teammates, beaming at Steve. “To us!”
Eventually Bucky and Steve stumble back to their dorm, a little more than tipsy. Well, it’s actually Bucky’s dorm, but he has one by himself so Steve basically lives there. The dorm feels almost like a home. Steve has never felt more complete. Freshman year they were on opposite sides of the campus, and Steve felt further from Bucky that he did at home. Sophomore year they were two buildings apart, but Steve still felt the distance, wishing for a bigger bed that would hold him and his boyfriend. Thank the Lord that this year they are capable of staying together. He’s glad that Bucky’s grades made him capable of having his own room. All those extra class hours, and study time that Bucky was alone helped him. And yeah the degree that will result from that stuff is great, but being able to fall asleep next to him every night is more than enough for Steve right now.
They collapse onto Bucky’s bed, twin expressions of contentment on their faces. Bucky took fewer classes this year, having loaded up his schedule last year, which made time for soccer. He’d gotten the idea for a team when one of his buddies suggested, while they were drunk, that they do something sporty. And Bucky is never one to say no to a crazy scheme.
Now, Steve is laying beside his boyfriend after weeks upon weeks of standing in the cold, on the sidelines, cheering him and his teammates on. And damn it all if he’s not proud. Bucky is so amazing, and Steve knows that if he were more sober he could think more eloquently about this, but for now his eyes keep focusing on the curve of Bucky’s bottom lip, and the soft rising and falling of Bucky’s chest. Steve thinks that his boyfriend has fallen asleep, but suddenly he turns, light in his eyes, smiling.
“You… are the bes’ thing tha’s ever happened to me, Ste’.” Bucky whispers, ungracefully putting his hand on Steve’s shoulder. Steve snorts, leaning forward to kiss Bucky. The brunet holds him back, eyes searching for something Steve can’t name.
“Buck’, baby, let’s go to sleep. It’s bedtime.” Steve whispers back, putting his hand on Bucky’s face. His boyfriend, his mate, grunts at his, turning onto his back again. Steve scoots closer, wrapping himself around Bucky, letting his eyes fall shut. The sound of the heater blowing gently and Bucky’s soft breathing filled his ears. Steve was content to falling asleep like this, but apparently Bucky was not.
“Steve… marry me.” Bucky’s voice is so soft, that Steve isn’t sure he heard him. He’s drunk so surely he can’t be serious. Steve doesn’t respond, just letting himself drift off to sleep.
His sleep is interrupted by the bed jerking. Steve groans, pulling the blanket tight and closer, trying to stay in the sweet smelling cave of heat that is created by the duvet. He cracks an eye open, seeing Bucky grinning at him. Steve sighs, squeezing his eyes shut. He wants to sleep more, and Bucky surely got up hours ago, even despite his drinking last night.
“Stevie, I made waffles!” Bucky says softly, hoping to pull his boyfriend from bed. Steve opens one eye again, eyeing Bucky warily.
“Waffles?” he croaks, swallowing thickly. Bucky cooking? This can’t be good. Bucky nods happily, getting off the bed and bounding out of the room. Steve turns onto his back and sighs. He should get up. Imagining Bucky in their teeny kitchen making breakfast for him eventually pulls him from his warm paradise. When he enters the general living area where Bucky’s desk, couch, and dining table are Bucky hugs him, giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. Steve groans and laughs, trying to push away.
Bucky doesn’t let him, “Stevie, you never answered my question last night.” He looks into Steve’s eyes, his expression serious. Steve furrows his eyebrows, trying to remember when Bucky inquired anything of him.
“Bucky, what did you-“ It dawns on him suddenly, all at once the memory of Bucky asking him to marry him slaps him in the face. Steve’s jaw drops. He’s being serious. “Well, I’m obviously yours Buck’, if you wanna get married, can we wait until we have money to pay for things?”
“Baby,” Bucky starts, pulling away from Steve, as he talks he serves two plates of waffles, “I don’t need anything. I don’t need a fancy wedding, or expensive gifts. If I have you then… I have everything I need.”
“Shut up.”
“No, I’m serious,” Bucky sets the plates down on the tiny dining table, “you are my everything Steve. I will only want you for the rest of my life. A big fancy wedding is only necessary if that’s what you want. For me, you’re enough.”
Steve’s slack jawed expression is one Bucky has seen before. He remembers that same expression on his face when Bucky reciprocated his feelings. Eventually they hack out details, and Steve demands a real proposal with a ring. Bucky barters that they don’t tell anyone until Christmas, wanting to enjoy this alone. Wanting to be just Steve and Bucky and Bucky and Steve for a little while longer. Steve couldn’t argue with that.
-
Steve gasps wildly and Bucky’s heart surges. He sure hopes this was the right thing to do. The soft little barks coming from the box make everyone go quiet. Steve pulls the puppy out, sniffling happily. He holds it to his chest, looking to Bucky.
“You got me a puppy?!” Steve bites his lip as Bucky nods. The little golden retriever barks at Steve again and the blond sets him down on his lap. The puppy sniffs for a few moments before clumsily laying down.
Bucky scoots forward to the edge of his seat, “Do you like him?” Steve nods wildly, petting the puppy.
“Who’s going to take care of him?” Steve asks, looking up again, “We still have a year and a half of college! He’s so cute but-“
“We will, darling,” Winifred says, and Steve’s worries are brushed away. Sarah rubs his back as Winifred talks, “Bucky asked about this months ago. He made sure we were okay with taking care of a puppy.” Steve sniffles. He launches off the couch and tackles Bucky backwards onto the couch. The room is cozy, a fire crackling, the joy of family and Christmas warming his heart. Steve kisses Bucky’s cheek and gets close to his ear.
“I’m telling them,” Steve sits up, pulling Bucky with him, “Bucky and I have something to tell you!” Rebecca looks up from her cell phone, a devious smirk on her face, Bucky immediately widens his eyes.
“Lemme guess. Steve’s pregnant?” She blows a bubble with her gum, and Bucky wants to be proud of her for an incredibly well timed zinger, but he’s distracted by his parents.
“Rebecca!” his mom scolds, she turns back to Steve and Bucky, urging Steve to go on. Bucky’s guts are folding in on themselves, tying into knots, and suffocating the previously gentle butterflies. He grabs Steve’s hand. Bucky knows Steve has been dying to do this since they got here.
“We’re engaged!”
The rest of the night is filled with celebrations. The holiday, the engagement, family… Steve feels so content that he looses focus on dialogue a few times, just seeing his mom, his fiancé, his future family all together… happy. He can’t help it, everything is just as he imagined that night when he and Bucky admitted their feelings. Sure, he doesn’t have kids, and only one dog, but here he is with the man he loves and his family.