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Steve smiled at Sam as the jet landed. Both men were excited to see Bucky, their last visit having been months ago, just after he had been woken from cryogenic sleep. As they stepped down onto Wakandan soul, their fingers interlaced as usual, their mouths fell open. Bucky looked positively radiant. His hair had grown, and was lighter than usual, whether from dyeing or natural lightening neither could tell. A wide, beautiful grin spread across his face as he pulled both of his boyfriends into a tight hug. Back in each other’s arms, their worlds seemed to click back into place.
As the three walked to wherever the hell Buck was taking them, they took the time to catch up. Bucky was telling them how close he had been getting with nature when he stopped in front of an enclosed field, residing in which were 7 goats.
“Bucky, wha-“
“We’re here!”
“What do you mean?” Confusion was rife on the two soldiers faced. He had told them he had something important to show them. These were just.... goats?
“These are my goats. Let me introduce you!” He led them through the gate and knelt beside two of them.
“This is Peggy and Jacques, my first two. They’re getting on a bit.” Another two trotted over, whom he introduced as T’Charla and Shuri. He had named them as such as thanks for the help they two siblings had given him.
His smile grew as he stood, and walked to the final three goats, who were stood away from the other four.
“These are my favourites, but we don’t tell the others that.” His boyfriends wondered what was special about these specific goats, but knew that if Bucky loved them so much they probably would too.
“Can you hold their collars for a moment? Don’t look st them yet.” He handed them a collar each. They chose not to remark on the strangeness that only these two goats had collars, or the strangeness of goats having collars at all.
“This is Bucky. I have a good reason for naming him after myself, I promise. You see these other two?” He gestured to the two that had previously been wearing collars. “That’s Sam and Steve. Steve bites everyone but me. That’s not an exaggeration. Sam? He’s just a feisty little shit. You can see where they got their names” Buckys face was lit up, they had never seen him so happy. Not even before the war had Bucky smiled this much. Sam and Steve were grinning too. He had named goats after them.
“But, these guys are special for another reason. They’re ‘married.’ Now, obviously they cant really get married but, they’re together. It’s sweet. You can look at the collars now”
They both opened their hands, and simultaneously gasped. Attached to each of the collars was a ring. Sams was a red band, with a black stripe. Steve’s was blue and white. They noticed Bucky was holding one too, a black and white band that matched theirs.
“So, the question is, if my goats can be married, then can we be married too?” He barely finished his sentence before they tackled him to the ground, each placing a kiss on his cheeks.
They lay there for a few hours, surrounded by goats. They talked and cuddled, enjoying their presence, each of the three soldiers wearing an engagement ring.
In another universe, they might have been fighting a war, instead of lying in a field planning a wedding. But not in this one. These three men, who had been through unspeakable trauma, were finally safe. Finally happy. Finally loved. It was going to stay that way.