Work Text:
Bucky resented his friends as he looked around the fancy Stark party he'd been coerced into going to. He was in a suit that fit weird, dateless, and all of his friends had more or less abandoned him for the dance floor.
He wanted to go home. Bucky had never liked parties like this.
"James! Hey, I want you to meet someone!" Natasha called, just as he got his phone out to text them he was leaving. She was leading someone over to Bucky, and Bucky froze when he saw the face he hadn't seen since the last night of his last summer back home.
"Buck? You okay?" Steve asked, looking down at him. Bucky sighed and nodded as he watched others dancing and saying their goodbyes.
"It's really over, huh? The last four years here... just done..." he said. Bucky looked up at Steve and saw the understanding in his eyes. Steve sighed and remained quiet. Bucky looked back out at the crowd of people and felt his eyes burning.
“Oh, Buck. C’mon, baby, we can make this work. I promise you, no distance is gonna keep us apart. It’s you and me til the end, right?”
Bucky sniffed and nodded, trying to make himself believe that as he leaned into Steve’s side and listened to the music blasting through the speakers around them.
Bucky’s breath caught as he looked up at the blonde before him, who looked to be struggling as much as Bucky was. “H-hey, Buck. How’ve you been?”
“Good. I’ve- yeah. Good. I’ve been... good.” He replied. Natasha looked between the two of them and seemed to sense something, because she pat both of them on the hand before turning and walking off to rejoin the others.
“That’s... good.” Steve said awkwardly, “Um... what have you been up to?”
“Working here at Stark Industries. I’m in bioengineering.”
“Just like you always wanted,” Steve said softly, a small smile on his face.
Bucky’s chest felt tight. “You, uh, remembered that?”
Steve chuckled, “Of course I did, Buck. Watched you work so hard for this in schools I’m proud of you.”
Steve’s face turned dark red as the words escaped his mouth. Bucky smiled a little, he couldn’t help it as he remembered how easily flushed Steve got. His own cheeks felt warm as he remembered how far down that blush went.
“Thanks, Steve. What about you?” Bucky asked. No matter how much time had passed since he’d seen Steve, there were moments out of nowhere that Bucky would wonder where Steve had ended up. What he was doing with his life these days. Whether he’d ever met someone and settled down. The thoughts always broke Bucky’s heart, but he couldn’t help but be proud of Steve when he answered.
“I went into art. I own a gallery in Brooklyn.” He said. Bucky nodded, “Just like you wanted to.”
Steve’s smile was small and sad as he nodded. They fell silent for a moment, listening as the song changed to one that had the both of them sucking in a breath.
“You wanna dance?” Steve asked as the last song of the night started. A slow song that would let him hold his baby close one last time tonight.
Bucky nodded and let Steve lead him on to the dance floor. The disco ball that Bucky had originally thought super cheesy spun in slow circles above them, shining like a full moon and reflecting its lights all around as they swayed with the rhythm of the music.
Bucky laid his head on Steve’s shoulder, wanting the song to last forever, never wanting to let go of the man in front of him.
“Would you... like to dance?” Steve asked, holding out his hand. Bucky took a shuddering breath and nodded, taking Steve’s hand and letting himself be lead to the dance floor. His eyes stung as the memories came flooding back even more.
Steve brushed a lock of Bucky’s hair from his face as they looked at each other, still slowly dancing in the middle of the floor. Steve leaned in to kiss Bucky softly, his own tears finally spilling and mixing with Bucky’s as the realization hit them that this would become a rare occurrence for them as the song came to a close.
“Buck-“
“Shh, Steve. Just... just hold me.” Bucky begged softly, his throat tight and burning as he buried his face in Steve’s chest.
Steve did as he asked, rocking them in the middle of the floor as everyone began leaving, their lives starting over as Bucky felt like his was about to come crumbling down around him.
“Hey, it’ll be okay, Buck. We still have all summer, right? We’ll make this work.”
Bucky sobbed into Steve’s shirt, feeling Steve lean down a bit to kiss his wet face and the top of his head. His heart felt like it was dying as he and Steve backed out of their hold slightly and wiped their faces. Steve leaned down and kissed Bucky again, putting all the love he could into it trying to comfort his crying boyfriend.
Bucky felt the emotions welling up just like they had that night, his eyes filling quickly with tears that he tried blinking away.
Steve’s hands came up and wiped them away as they spilled, looking down at Bucky as if the last 12 years hadn’t affected them at all. He spun Bucky slowly on the dance floor, keeping him held close as they moved the same way they had back then. Bucky almost wished a cheesy disco ball were spinning above them as Steve brushed a lock of hair away from his face.
“Buck-“ Steve started softly.
“Shh. Just dance with me, Stevie.” Bucky whispered. Steve’s breath caught in his chest. He nodded and wrapped his arms tighter around Bucky’s waist. He took a deep breath as Bucky laid his head on his shoulder, his face tucked into Steve’s neck just like he always used to do. Steve swallowed thickly and laid his head on top of Bucky’s and stayed in their moment for as long as they could.
Bucky’s lip trembled as he taped shut his last box. The end of the summer had snuck up on them faster than they’d thought it would. He didn’t know what to say as Steve and Sam walked back into the room to help him with the last few boxes. Steve stopped as he looked at Bucky, close to tears again, and he asked Sam for a moment alone with him.
Sam nodded and walked away, telling them to take all the time they needed.
Steve walked to Bucky and wrapped his arms around him. Bucky did the same, wrapping his arms up and around Steve’s shoulders as they stood there. Steve’s hands stroked up and down Bucky’s back, trying to keep Bucky calm as they wished for time to just slow down.
“I thought we’d have more time.” Bucky said, his voice thick with his tears.
Steve nodded, “I know, sweetheart. It went too fast.”
Bucky nodded his head, “Are you gonna miss me, Stevie?”
Steve scoffed, “Of course I am, Buck. Every damn second of every damn day. But look at me,” he said, taking Bucky’s face gently in his hands, “I’m gonna call you every chance I get. Okay? And you... god, Buck, you’re gonna take over the world with that big brain’a yours. My smart boy. I’m so proud of you, honey. I love you so much.”
Bucky sobbed as Steve kissed him, holding tighter each time he felt like Steve was going to stop.
“Dance with me one more time, sweetheart?” Steve asked. Bucky nodded, and there in the middle of Bucky’s silent bedroom, Steve danced him slowly around in circles until Sam came back in to tell them they had to get going.
They nodded, and kissed again before they all grabbed the last boxes and walked out to their cars.
Sam hugged the both of them tightly before he drove off, leaving them alone again.
“I love you, Bucky Barnes. Never forget that, okay beautiful?”
Bucky nodded, “You, too, Stevie. I love you, too. Remember to call me as soon as you get there.” He said, wiping his face and Steve’s as his boyfriend nodded.
“I will. You call me every chance you get, baby. Okay? Promise me?” Steve asked, “And I’ll promise the same.” He kissed Bucky again and leaned his forehead against Bucky’s when they stopped.
Bucky nodded, “I promise, Steve. I promise. I’ll see you during the first break, right?”
“You will. We’re gonna spend all our breaks together. I promise. We’re gonna be able to do this. You and me, right?”
Bucky nodded, their foreheads rubbing together, “Til the end of the line.”
Steve grinned, “Til the end of the line. We gotta get going, baby.”
“I know,” Bucky replied, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Slowly, they took a step back. A few times they came back to each other to kiss each other breathless, before repeating their promises and walking away again and again.
Steve watched as Bucky finally got in his packed little car, blowing him another kiss and watching Bucky smile into the rear view mirror as he blew one back before driving in the opposite direction of Steve.
Steve watched his baby drive off, taking his entire heart with him, until he couldn’t see him anymore, then got into his own car and drove off towards his own future.....
As their song came to an end, Bucky felt Steve’s arms tightening around him.
“I’m sorry I stopped calling.” Bucky whispered.
Steve shook his head, “Don’t be. You weren’t the only one. I just... I wish we hadn’t lost touch. After. There was so much I wanted to show and tell you. There still is.” Steve said, his blue eyes vulnerable and bright as they looked into Bucky’s.
Bucky nodded, “I wish the same thing, Stevie. I... god, I was a mess after I realized what had happened. When I knew we were... I hadn’t realized how much I lost when we said goodbye all those years ago.”
Steve smiled, “I’ve missed hearing you call me that, Buck. God, I’ve missed you.”
Steve blushed again. “I’m- I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be unloading all this on you. I should- I should let you get back to your date.”
Steve went to back up, but Bucky grabbed his hand. “I don’t have a date, Steve. I was about to leave before Natasha brought you over to me.”
“But I thought Natasha-“
“No! God, no, Steve. I love the girl but I am still very much gay. And... still pretty hung up on someone I knew way back when. And wondering if he might still feel the same for me?” Bucky asked, his heart pounding hard in his chest as he looked up at the blonde.
Steve started smiling, his eyes getting shiny with tears again as he nodded, “He does. He never stopped loving you, Buck.”
Bucky smiled back at him, “Good. Because I didn’t either. Do you wanna, maybe, get some coffee in the morning?”
Steve nodded, “I’d love to, Buck. Wanna give me your number? I’ll pick you up in the morning?”
Bucky held his hand out for Steve’s phone and entered his phone number into it, sending himself a text so he’d have Steve’s number in his own phone.
Steve placed his phone back in his pocket and held Bucky close again. He started leaning in and paused.
“This okay?” He asked. Bucky nodded, “Always.” He said before stretching up and pressing his lips lightly to Steve’s.
They kissed for a while before a throat clearing behind Bucky alerted him to his friends standing there.
“I guess I should get these guys home. I’ll call you when I’m finally home, okay?”
Steve nodded, “I’ll definitely answer. It’s so good to see you again, sweetheart.” Steve kissed him one more time before letting him go. Bucky lead his tipsy friends to the exit, looking back over his shoulder and smiling as he saw Steve doing the same.
Steve couldn’t help his smile as he watched the owner of his heart walking away, knowing that this time he wouldn’t be gone for long. He had his Bucky back, and he was never letting him dance away again.
~A few years later~
Steve kissed his newly officialized husband as they danced around the floor of their venue, surrounded by their friends and family and the love that had been building between them since they were old enough to know what love was. Bucky’s tears were nothing but happiness this time as Steve brushed hair back from his face and moved him as if reading his mind, watching Bucky laugh and smile with all the love in the world in his eyes and in his heart.
Steve couldn’t believe he was getting the real future he’d always wanted, and he vowed to himself to never take his Bucky’s company and love for granted again.
For the rest of their lives, it really would be him and Bucky.
Until the end of the line.
“For me you’ll always be eighteen, and beautiful, and dancing away with my heart....”
The end♥️