Chapter Text
Bucky Barnes sits back comfortably in the lounge chair conveniently placed at the side of his parents' luxurious pool. It was large, around 30' long and 8' deep and the edges were lined with a meticulously designed mosaic that Bucky's mother was even more proud of than having created her two children. And though Bucky knew that his mother loved him very dearly, he also knew that he would always be second best to some rotting stone tiles on the poolside, and his mother's riches.
Bucky scoffs and turns his head upwards towards the sky, watching the clouds form beautiful shapes, then messy muddles. He reaches a hand out to his right, eyes still trained on the blue sky, and grabs his long glass of lemonade. The heat of the summer sun was sweltering, and anyone would've thought that after three years of active duty in the Middle East, Bucky would have been immune to the heat of the sun's rays in Florida. They didn't call him 'The Winter Soldier' for nothing.
“James!” Bucky's mother's harsh voice calls from inside, and Bucky's head falls downward so that he's facing the brown fencing on the other side of the beautiful garden. He looks at his mother and has to squint his eyes.
“Ma?” The 23 year old asks slightly annoyed, because he loves his mother but she chooses the worst times to interrupt his relaxation.
His mother leans her stick thin body against the white patio door-frame with her arms folded over her chest, her perfectly manicured nails rested precisely on her biceps. She watches her son intently for a long moment, as if something was troubling her, before nodding once and beckoning him him inside. As she turns she tells him that dinner's ready and closes the patio door, leaving Bucky to stare at the glass surface.
~~
Bucky straightens his black tie, tightening it until it nearly strangles his neck, and turns to pull on his suit jacket. It had always been tradition in his upper-midlle class family to have dinner in formal attire. 'A person of a class as high as ours, should treat formal dinners as a chore, not a privilege,' his mother had always told Bucky and Becca. A load of bull if you asked Bucky.
The Barnes' hadn't always been wealthy. Bucky remembers a time when he was only a child, where he lived in a shabby apartment in Brooklyn, lucky to have orange juice rather than milk with his basic dinner. It only changed when his father came bursting through the doors one evening, shouting 'eureka' and kissing some sort of contract. And thus Barnes Industries was born. And of course, Bucky was heir to the throne.
Bucky sighs, running fingers through his already neat hair, just out of habit. He hears his sister running down the stairs, her husbands heavy footsteps trailing behind her.
“Rebecca,” John's sharp British accent calls, “Slow down!”
Bucky half expects to hear a thud, followed by a string of curses from Becca, and chastising tone from his mother. Then he remembers that that only happened 'one time James. Shut up!' and laughs fondly at the memory, despite himself.
“James! Where are you?” A shrill voice calls from the bottom of the extravagant stairwell that Bucky immediately recognises as his mother's.
“I'm comin', Ma!” He shouts back, leaving his room abruptly and racing down the stairs like his sister had. His mother is waiting there for him, with a disapproving look on her flawless face, (because even before they were rich, his mother looked like a supermodel).
“James, what did I tell you and Becca about running down the staircase?”
Bucky sighs, clearing his throat, “The people of our class don't rush for anything.”
She nods, smiling at him and running a smooth hand down his face, “Exactly.” Then she disappears into the dinning room, expecting Bucky to follow. He does of course.
“Buck! So glad you could make it!” Rebecca jokes, pausing in her conversation with John to get at her brother.
“Shut up Bex.” Bucky mutters so that only she can hear, and clips the back of her head teasingly.
“Love you too.” She laughs after having smacked his ass with her napkin. Bucky glares at her and goes round the table to his usual seat across from the couple,
“Hey John.” Bucky smiles at his brother in-law, who smiles back brightly.
“Hello James.”
“Hey Pa.” He greets his father next, and gets a nod and a sweet smile. Bucky loved his father, though they'd agree on very little, but they'd always had a silent understanding. The rest of the dinner goes on without a word, everyone tucking in to their lavish meals greedily. They'd never gotten out of the habit of treating each meal like their last, even his mother who preached about their place in society, and acting like royalty.
The silence is broken after the main course as they waited for desert. Mrs Barnes' eyes are trained thoughtfully on the empty chair next to Bucky.
“Ma?” Bucky asks, startling her slightly, “What's the matter? Something on your mind?”
“Uh, no.. no.” She pauses, “Bucky you're getting married.” She says it fast, it blurts out before she can stop herself, but it comes out all the same. Married.
“Uh.” Bucky narrows his eyes, “Since when?”
That's when Bucky's shy father decides to contribute to the conversation.
“There's a lovely family-”
“You mean a rich family.” Bucky interrupts before he can stop himself and his mother scolds him.
“A family.” Mr Barnes starts again, “With a wonderful son who we think would be a perfect match for you.”
“I appreciate the effort on finding your useless son a husband 'nd all, but it really isn't needed. I can find a man all by myself, thanks very much.”
“James Buchanan Barnes don't be rude. Not to your own parents” Bucky's mother tells him, riled up, “We do everything for you and we expect you to do something back!”
“Not marriage!”
“Yes Marriage!” His mother barks. Slamming her palms on the table.
She takes a moment to come back to herself, leaning back in her chair and looking at her reddened hands. Everyone at the table is tense, not daring to look each other in the eye and Bucky's chest is heaving.
“This is bullshit.” He says, and storms out of the room.
~~
“You okay?” Rebecca asks her brother as she enters his room. Without knocking, Bucky notes but doesn't say, he's just grateful she cares.
Bucky just grunts unattractively and continues staring up at the ceiling. Becca takes it as a 'no' and an invitation to come closer, and goes to sit on the edge of his bed.
“It sucks, Buck.” She says, hand on his knee, rocking it slightly, “It really fuckin' sucks. Mom and Dad don't have any right.”
Bucky yanks his leg away from his sister's grip and turns away from her, folding into himself.
“You don't know nothin'. Ma and Pa liked the guy you fell in love with. They didn't choose your husband.” He complains in a voice muffled by his pillow. It was times like these when Rebecca Barnes wondered whether it as her or Bucky that was the older sibling.
“Well you have been single for four years, now. And the last boyfriend you did have definitely wasn't good enough for you.” Becca pauses, “Not even if we still lived in the shit hole. You're too good for guys like that.”
Bucky smiles widely from his position, his back facing his sister, then sits up and brings his knees to his chest.
“Is that a compliment? Rebecca Barnes, giving a genuine compliment?” He teases, with a smirk.
“Yeah well don't get used to it.” Becca murmurs and they fall into a comfortable silence, the only sounds being the ticking from the clock and shuffling of the kitchen staff downstairs.
“Buck, Mom and Dad know you.” Rebecca starts again after a minute, “They wouldn't just pair you with some random because he's hot and rich.”
Bucky scoffs because of course she'd be on their side,
“Wouldn't they.”
“No, they wouldn't.” She says firmly. The sternness in her face makes her look years beyond her youth and Bucky suddenly feels like a child under his mother's scornful gaze, “They love you more than that. So before you shoo the idea away completely, just let Mom tell you who he is, meet him and decide for yourself.”
“Who cares what I think-”
“They aren't so evil to force you into a marriage. Don't be a stubborn child.” Rebecca's tone changes from pleading to demanding and frustrated and Bucky has to pause for a second. He inhales deeply and exhales deeper, taking his sister's hand in his own and squeezing it tightly and reassuringly.
“Okay. I'll find out more about him. But only to make you happy.” Becca just smiles before kissing his forehead and leaving Bucky alone with his thoughts.