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When your partner calls you over to talk, your mind understandably goes to the worst thoughts and you believe that your relationship is to be over.
So the minute Tony called him and said in a voice full of anxiety and worry,
“Hey, can you come over? I need to talk to you about something.”
Bucky feared the worst, but still, with a face and posture of bravery, he knocked on Tony’s door and greeted his boyfriend with a hug and a kiss, it may be the last time he got to do so.
——LINE BREAK——
“Is everything okay, Tony?”
“Huh? Yeah. Yeah. Everything’s fine. Great.” Stammered the pacing genius,
“Wanna tell me what’s going on, Doll?”
“Yeah…sorry. Need to build up the courage.”
“Tony-“ Bucky sighed, he couldn’t handle the agonising silence and stress,
“Willyoumoveinwithme?” Bucky choked,
“What?” He hadn’t understood a word the genius just said,
“Will…you…move in…with me?” He whispered ever so quietly and suddenly, the anxiety his boyfriend had been showing made sense to Bucky,
“Oh thank god.” Was all he could say, “I thought you were breaking up with me.” Bucky stood and wrapped his arms around Tony, “Yes, I’d love to move in with you, Doll.”
“As if I’d ever break up with the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Tony muttered into his chest, “I still don’t get why you’re with me, especially after everything I did.”
“Tony, please-“
“Wait! Did you say ‘yes’?” Bucky nodded, ignoring the interruption, “Really? You-“
“Yes, Tony.” He pressed a kiss to his boyfriend's lips, silencing the rambling man, “Yes, I will move in with you.” He held him ever so close, “We can start packing my things up and moving them across now if you’re up for it?”
“Yes! Yes! A million times yes!” That prompted the genius to forget about his insecurities as he dragged Bucky out of the house and towards the car.
——LINE BREAK——
Moving in was surprisingly easy and almost fun. But as Tony helped Bucky find places for his belongings and fill up his own walk-in-wardrobe (turns out Tony had been planning for Bucky to move in for a while and so when Bucky was last away on a tour, the genius had the place renovated so there was space for Bucky -as in the bedroom had been extended so his boyfriend had his own spaces and nothing would be cluttered.), the soldier couldn’t help but smile softly. It was always rare to see Tony so carefree and completely and utterly happy. This was one of those moments.
“Oh, and you’ve got two rooms to do whatever you want with!” Tony added as he bumbled about placing things in places, standing back to see if it worked there and then moving it elsewhere.
“Oh, Doll, that’s too much.” Bucky murmured gently,
“Well, you might get bored of me and want some space. I’ve got the workshop and so you’ve got these rooms to do whatever you want with -like an office or a library or something! Oh and I need to show you the gym, it’s actually downstairs opposite the workshop -but, don’t worry, it’s all soundproofed so you won't get annoyed with any noises I make!” Bucky strode over to Tony and held the chattering man tightly to his chest, effectively silencing him.
“Doll, you’ve done so much for me. Thank you. But all I need is you. I don’t need all this, Tony, you’re too generous. Where would I be without you? I love you.”
“I love you too.” Tony’s whisper was nearly inaudible as he stared over Bucky’s shoulder, his mood swiftly becoming solemn at his boyfriend’s words because he didn’t believe he’d done enough. Deep down, he was still waiting for the ball to drop and Bucky to leave him like he believed he deserved.
——LINE BREAK——
Later that night, they laid in what was now and officially their bed. Bucky’s left arm wrapped around Tony, who was curled up on his chest staring at his right side with his hand on the soldier’s stomach.
“Doll, please stop. I hate to see you so full of self-hatred.” Bucky whispered into the darkness of the night as he felt a tear soak through his thin white t-shirt.
“It’s my fault,” Tony croaked quietly as his finger gently traced a line on Bucky’s new metal arm, “it’s all my fault.”
“No, it’s not. No matter what anyone says, it wasn’t your fault.”
“I should’ve known!”
“How could you? Your own godfather blinded you with this, Tony. Someone you trusted manipulated you, no one can be blamed except Stane.” More tears fell and stained his shirt -not that Bucky minded- and the ex-soldier wrapped his arm around Tony even tighter,
“But because of my naivety, I’ve ruined your life!”
“Tony.” At the tone of his voice, the crying genius looked up with watery and red eyes, “I was always going to leave the army after that last tour. The honourable discharge just made me leave sooner.”
“What?”
“I realised that I hated being away from you for so long. It got really difficult not being able to wake up each morning and hold you. And I realised, I didn’t want to be in the army any longer, so I had that last tour and then it would’ve been you and me.”
“Bucky…”
“Tony Stark, listen to me. I love you. It wasn’t your fault that Stane was selling weapons to the enemy. You are not at fault. If I need to repeat those words to you every day and every night, so be it because I’m not going anywhere, as long as you’ll have me.”
“I love you.” Was all Tony could choke out as he buried his face into Bucky’s chest and mumbled apologies as his boyfriend ran a hand through his hair.
“We’ll get through this together, Tony.”
——LINE BREAK——
“I know it’s a bit sudden and…well, I hadn’t planned to do this now.” Bucky stated suddenly about ten or so minutes later, neither were asleep but Tony had calmed down and was tracing lines on Bucky’s metal arm (it was a comforting thing for both of them). Reaching over to his bedside table, Bucky grabbed a small box and with both his hands, he opened it and propped it on his stomach so Tony could see it, “Tony, will you marry me?”
“Yes.” Tony’s voice was quiet in awe as he stared at the ring and back up at his boyfriend -fiancé’s face, they shared a gentle kiss,
“I would’ve done it in a more romantic setting, but…I thought now was a good time.”
“It was.” Tony mumbled as Bucky put the ring on his finger, “It’s beautiful.”
“To new beginnings."
“To new beginnings.” Another kiss was shared before they closed their eyes and fell asleep curled up and holding each other.