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Perfect days had never existed for Bucky Barnes. They'd always been shrouded in pain and misery, death and disaster. Never once had any control over his thoughts or actions until now.
Until he was found in Bucharest by Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson.
He had escaped the Winter Soldier program that had ruled over his life, and spent half a year in Wakanda trying to retrieve as much of his own humanity as he could. For a quick while, Bucky had thought his life was over.
Steve had stepped back in time and the same four white walls trapped him in his own pit of loneliness and despair. Until Sam Wilson. Until Sam pulled him from his thoughts and into the world. With warm smiles, gentle touches and promises of something better.
That's all that Bucky needed.
Bucky just needed something better.
He'd been partnered with the better Captain America for just over a year now, and they shared an apartment to make it easier for the Government to find them when they needed an assignment done or if the whole world needed saving again.
They had grown used to each other's space, knew when to evade it and when one needed to be left alone. Meals were cooked every night with laughter, and Bucky finally talking Sam into listening to forties music with a bit of Marvin Gaye thrown in the play list too.
Morning runs had become a morning ritual for them, with Sam often grumbling that it wasn't fair that Bucky could run laps around him. They'd go get a coffee from their favourite spot, and soon it had got to the point where one would talk for the both of them, both knowing the exact coffee order of the other.
Saturday's were spent with Sam's Nephews, Cass and AJ. Giving Sarah, Sam's sister a day to herself to catch up on anything she missed during the week. She was elated when her sons began to recognise Bucky as one of the family, often asking for him to pick them up from school.
Bucky the ever secretly adorable man he was, promised to be at the school pick up every afternoon and he hadn't yet missed a day. Sam would often lean on the doorframe to their shared living room, to watch AJ, Cass and Bucky race each other on Mario Kart.
He had noticed the relaxed lines around Bucky's face and noted how much healthier he seemed. Bucky laughed a lot more and that was Sam's favourite thing. Listening to Bucky laugh was like finding a really good song and listening to it over and over, hearing it somehow get better and better with each listen.
One in the neighbourhood could say that these two were the most helpful men they'd ever met. Sam and Bucky were always volunteering their spare time to help out at clubs or to maybe spend some time with more lonely elderly.
Bucky had formed a close bond to an elderly gentleman that would be about ten years younger than him. He had also served in the world war that had claimed Bucky's innocence. They reminiscened about the old days, how food was a hell of a lot better now but the music was terrible.
Who the hell was Lil Nas X anyway?
When they were called out for missions, Bucky had Sam's back and Sam protected Bucky's. The ultimate duo, inseperable on the field. They argued and fought a lot but usually ended agreeing with each other. When Sam got shot, a minor injury compared to what could have happened, Bucky spent the next two days fussing over Sam until the Captain got so annoyed he threw a lamp at the super soldier.
At home, they were nicer. They were more careful and considerate around each other. When Bucky was having a rough night and nightmares plagued his mind, Sam would be there holding his hand and sitting on the edge of his bed. Sam would be gone when Bucky woke, so Bucky never knew.
Bucky returned the favour quite a few times, using his strength to carry the tired man from his knocked out position on the uncomfortable couch to his bed, tucking him in and taking his glasses off for him.
Touches lingered, a gentle hand on the small of Bucky's back while Sam tried to squeeze past in the kitchen. Fingers that gripped Sam's shoulder as he set Bucky safely on the ground. When Bucky's hair began to lengthen, Sam found himself messing with Bucky's hair every morning after their run and coffee as they walked through their front door, and Bucky let him.
It was the small things that led to the very big moment for Sam.
It was a Saturday and Sam, Bucky and the boys were at a soccer field. For no reason at all, other than the fact that Cass wanted to show Uncle Bucky some cool stuff he'd learn at practice.
Sam and Bucky were sitting on the grass while the boys kicked the soccer ball back and forth to each other and Bucky was watching them with a huge smile on his face.
Romantic epiphanies was something that had always eluded Sam, having thought that maybe with his kind of lifestyle, any chance of romance was dead for him. But as he turned his head to talk to Bucky, Sam found himself watching him instead.
The way his eyes crinkled up, the way his teeth flashed when he smiled and watched as he tilted his head back to laugh at Cass and AJ'd antics.
Sam had let his eyes fall to the curve of Bucky's shoulder, where metal met flesh and wished to all gods that Bucky didn't look at him right now.
"Good?"
The Gods had not favoured him today.
"Huh?"
He looked up to meet Bucky's stunningly blue eyes.
"You look like you're worlds away."
It was so easy, the way they spoke to each other. Like there was always a little hint of teasing in their tones.
"Just thinking." Sam half lied.
"About?" Bucky asked, his eyes burning to curiosity so bright Sam had to look away.
"Uh if I need to buy stuff for dinner." Sam lied.
Bucky shifted and Sam looked over to watch Bucky turn to fully face him.
"I was actually thinking that maybe when we drop the boys home that you and I should go out tonight." Bucky suggested.
Bucky, the 'I like being by myself, crying and listening to Hozier on repeat' man wanted to go out for dinner.
"Oh yeah?" Sam asked with a surprised blink.
"Yeah well not sure if you're keeping track but it's officially been four hundred and twenty days since we partnered up." Bucky said with a smile.
"You were counting?"
"And Cass says that four twenty is an important number." Bucky said, frowning slightly.
Sam wasn't sure if he wanted to dob his nephew in or high five him.
"Yeah it is." Sam agreed to save his nephew's skin.
"So I thought maybe we could do something nice. Both take a break from cooking and maybe get some four star quality into us." Bucky said, his eyes a little more hopeful.
"Is this your way of breaking it to me that my cooking is terrible?" Sam asked jokingly.
Bucky punched Sam's shoulder lightly with his right hand, making Sam chuckle and sigh. Bucky turned his head to watch the boys again. Rubbing his shoulder gently, Sam nodded onfe and dropped his hand.
"Okay. We can go out for dinner." Sam agreed.
Bucky looked at him and smiled, all front teeth.
"Good cause I kind of already made reservations." Bucky replied with a shrug.
"Oh so you knew I'd say yes?"
There it was again, that teasing tone they both seem to use a lot.
"You can never say no to me." Bucky replied with his eyes sparkling mischievously before Cass yelled out his name.
Bucky looked over at Sam's nephew and Sam's eyes wandered over Bucky's white almost flawless skin. Yeah. He was right. Sam could never say no to Bucky, and Sam didn't think he would ever want to.
They continued watching the boys mess around before Cass decided it was ice cream time and Bucky bribed the boys not to tell their Mother. They were walking along the path back to the parking lot, the boys running ahead and throwing the soccer ball to each other.
As per normal, Sam and Bucky were in step. Their shoulders brushed occasionally and Sam would occasionally shout out for the boys to be aware of other people.
"You know if you had told me seven years ago that I'd be doing this, I would've shot you." Bucky said randomly.
"Shot me because you were the Winter Soldier or shot me because it seems ridiculous?" Sam asked to clarify.
"Both." Bucky replied with a slight shrug.
"I don't know. You were a fighter. You told me yourself that sometimes you'd fight the memory wipe thing they did to you, on your own. I think you would've got out. Found someone, settled down and had all of this." Sam replied gently as he gestured to the two boys ahead of them.
"I don't see myself settling down any time soon." Bucky said, his tone unsure.
Sam glanced over at him, a slight frown on his face.
"Well its their loss. Because you're amazing. With or without kids." Sam said matter of factly.
Bucky met his gaze and the corner of his mouth perked up slightly in an attempt of a smile.
"What about you, Cap? Any chance of you settling down?" Bucky asked, rubbing his shoulder deliberately against Sam's.
Sam chuckled.
"What I want, is something I know I can't have."
Sam had never admitted that to himself out loud, and now that he had heard it. It seemed foolish.
"Well what is it that you want?"
If Sam had been telling the truth that day, he might've said,
"You."
But Sam knew he couldn't talk like that, not when they were in a good place with their friendship and partnership.
Instead, Sam plastered a fake smile across his face, the same one he used when standing in front of a camera and next to a very obvious disgruntled government employee.
"I don't know, maybe something like what my sister has but, I know I do want a big family." Sam pointed out, his eyes glued to Cass and AJ.
"One day, Sam. One day you'll find that someone that loves you just as much as you love them. And you'll have your big family and maybe you'll be sitting on that porch together drinking sweet tea and listening to some Marvin Gaye as the sun sets." Bucky said with a gentle smile.
The hand that Sam had tucked in his pocket, fisted. The man practically knew everything about Sam, even what Sam wanted the most.
"Maybe. And who knows, maybe you'll find your someone too. White picket fence, midday picnic surrounded by those flowers you love and maybe you'll have a kid or a few and you'll definitely name one after Steve and me because I am your best friend." Sam pointed out, bumping his shoulder against Bucky's.
"And what if I end up having a girl?" Bucky asked with a chuckle.
"You have to choose your favourite. Just remember Sam can always be a Samantha. Can't really do anything with the name Steve."
"So you're saying I have to choose between you and Steve. Man that's a rough choice." Bucky laughed out.
"Uncle Sam!"
Sam tore his eyes away from the light heartened Bucky to see that AJ had fallen over.
"Come on kiddo, up you get!" Sam said, as he walked a little faster.
Bucky stayed a little behind but followed his lead.
AJ rubbed at his ankle and gave Sam a look as his Uncle knelt in front of him.
"It hurts!" AJ cried out.
"Lets have a look, shall we? Mind if I take a look? Medic Sam is here to assist." Sam said lightly.
He wanted to keep AJ distracted, but was relieved when he got a nod. Gently, Sam rolled up the jean pant leg to take a look at AJ's ankle. Mostly worried that somehow he'd sprained it.
It didn't look too bad but it could be worse later.
"Can you move it or does it hurt?" Sam asked, tilting his head.
AJ gave his ankle a slight movement and shook his head.
"It doesn't hurt." He said, his eyes flickering to someone beside Sam.
Bucky knelt down beside Sam, worry on his face and his hand on Sam's shoulder. The touch sent tingles down Sam's spine.
"AJ. I have some terrible news. We're gonna have to cut your foot off." He said lightly before jumping forward, taking his hand off Sam's shoulder and tickling AJ under the arms.
Aj squealed and wiggled out of Sam's grip to get away from Bucky. He was laughing as Cass helped him up and Sam sighed, turning his head to look at Bucky next to him.
They shared a glance and there it was again. That stupid romantic epiphany.
Bucky was the first back on his feet, pulling Sam up with him. Their hands clasped. He let go as Sam straightened and Sam felt the loss like an old friend. They started forward again, the parking lot in sight.
"So did you choose?" Sam asked with a gentle smile, moving the subject back to what they'd been discussing.
"Of course I chose." Bucky replied as Sam pulled the car keys from his pocket and unlocked it.
The kids jumped straight in the back, Bucky moving to the passenger door.
"And? What will it be?" Sam asked, ready to open his car door.
"I'll always choose you, Sam." Bucky replied, looking right at Sam before opening the car door and climbing inside.
Sam took a moment to close his eyes and calm his breathing.
When the kids were finally dropped off with a very relaxed Mother, Sam and Bucky made their way home. It wasn't a fancy apartment, like most people would expect from America's Favourite hero but it was comfortable and it was theirs.
Sam had been the interior designer, much to Bucky's chargin but after a while it grew on him. As soon as they were through the front door, Sam felt a heavy hand touch his waist and immediately turned to look at Bucky.
"Coffee?" Bucky asked, squeezing past the Captain to reach the kitchen.
"Please." Sam replied, watching him closely.
Their usual lingering touches had been lingering a lot longer lately and San wondered if something else had changed. Watching Bucky pull out mugs from the top cupboard gave Sam an idea and he was crossing the room in an instant to rustle through Bucky's music collection.
They'd found an old record player at a bargain store and it was still working like a charm. Selecting one record, and giving it a smile before giving Bucky a glance. Sam put it on, and let the needle do its job.
The beautiful tones of Margaret Whiting filled the apartment and Bucky turned around to look at Sam weirdly.
"You must be in a good mood." Bucky said with a smile before turning back to the coffee.
He finished making it and picked up the mug and turned to hand it to Sam. Taking it, Sam took a sip and watched Bucky through his eyelashes.
"You're so very different to the man I had first met." Sam couldn't help but say.
Bucky swallowed.and busied himself with moving out of the kitchen.
"Hope I'm not too much of a disappointment."
"You're not a disappointment, Buck. Far from it." Sam replied.
Their eyes met before Bucky looked away.
"Dinner reservation is at seven, by the way." Bucky changed the subject.
"Sweet." Sam replied, putting his mug down in the kitchen bench top.
The music was soft in his ears, almost driving him to move and when he did, he moved to stand in front of Bucky. Giving Sam a weird look, Bucky tilted his head.
"May I have this dance, Mister Barnes?" Sam offered his hand.
"Oh no. I don't dance anymore." Bucky replied with a grimace.
Sam sighed and plucked the coffee cup from his hands and put it down before taking a hold of his vibranium hand and pulling him away from the tight kitchen.
Bucky protested but let Sam pull him, until they were standing in the only open spot in the apartment. Sam faced Bucky and lifted his arms to rest them on his shoulders, Bucky moved slowly to hold around Sam's waist.
They moved back and forth, swaying to the song and Bucky's eyes closed. A serene look passed across his face and for moment, Sam got to witness Bucky in his prime.
"So it this what you did in your day?" Sam asked, making Bucky open his eyes.
"Sometimes. I think I mostly just tried to get Steve to have fun. He was always a bit of a party pooper." Bucky admitted with a smile.
"I'll tell him you said that." Sam said with a laugh.
"Just not any time soon, okay?"
Sam's eyes drifted to the in memorial flyer on their fridge, Steve's young face staring back at him.
"Promise." Sam promised seriously.
The dance only lasted a few more minutes before the song changed the dinner reservation ticked closer.
They separated to start getting dressed. Sam taking a shower and choosing a nice black button down that he smoothed out and some nice pants to match. Sam wasn't used to going out, having spent the younger years in the military. He emerged from his bedroom before Bucky did and waited in the kitchen.
Snacking on some dry biscuits, Sam began to tidy up their space before hearing a throat clear.
He turned around to face Bucky, in a black suit and immediately the dry biscuit lodged in his throat. He had to cough a few times to clear it.
"What are you wearing?" Sam asked, his eyes all teared up from the almost choke.
"What? Is this not what people wear out?" Bucky asked his eyes wide.
"It's the local restaurant, Buck. Not the Met Gala." Sam said before shaking his head.
"Well now I feel stupid." Bucky shifted on his feet.
"Wait. I think I have a suit jacket somewhere." Sam offered before making his way to his room.
"You just said that people don't wear this." Bucky said matter of factly.
"They don't but at least we'll be weird together." Sam yelled back from his bedroom.
Bucky flicked his eyes to the mirror in the lounge room and let his right hand smooth down his left arm. He was a little conscious about it but when Sam emerged with a blue jacket, he didn't anymore.
"You had that hidden away?" Bucky asked as Sam did a sarcastic spin and rejoined Bucky.
"Duh. Only bring this out for special occasions." Sam replied back, jabbing his finger lightly into Bucky's chest.
"It is a special occasion I suppose. Four hundred and twenty days being partnered to you is almost like riding a bull through a ring of fire." Bucky replied with a nod of his head.
"That was oddly specific."
"Come on. We're gonna be late otherwise." Bucky hurried them.
The restaurant was the nicer one in Delacroix, the one that screamed a little bit of money. And as soon as they arrived, they were seated, wine was poured and Sam was studying the room and the paintings on it.
"This is nice. Which kidney did you have to sell to afford tonight?" Sam asked, looking back down at Bucky.
"My left one. Thought I might as well keep the tradition." Bucky replied with a straight face.
Sam narrowed his eyes, unsure if he was serious. Bucky rolled his eyes.
"It's uh actually something I wanted to talk to you about." Bucky started, his fingers messing with the fork
"I'm listening."
"I found some surviving Barnes and got in contact with them."
"Bucky! That's amazing!" Sam exclaimed, happily.
"Yeah well turns out Mother and Father had a bit of money and the fortune sort of just grew over time. They let me have access to it and I wanted to spend my first check on.. you know.. you and me." Bucky said, a little shyly.
"So you made up an important milestone just to take me out to dinner?" Sam asked, leaning forward.
"Yeah. Don't be mad." Bucky replied with a frown.
Sam chuckled.
"I'm not mad, Buck. But you know we don't need an excuse to hang out like this." Sam said as he spotted the waiter coming towards them.
Bucky halted the conversation while they ordered and when the waiter left, he looked almost guilty.
"And there's something else."
Sam looked up from the wine menu.
"Before, I didn't have much you know. Living on practically scraps and now I've got something behind me. And I know it doesn't seem reasonable but I thought that maybe now I'm not gonne be homeless-"
Bucky's rambling made Sam frown.
"Now that I'm a proper man with money, I thought that maybe it persuade you to I don't know, like me a little more."
"You're my best friend?" Sam asked confused.
"Sorry. You misunderstand me, that's my bad. I mean I could look after you now, and treat you right and yeah I'm kinda messed up mentally but with you I don't feel so uh- broken?"
Sam raised his eyebrows as he watched Bucky flush and stumble over his words.
"Are you asking me out?" Sam asked surprised.
Bucky flushed again and looked down at the table.
A feeling bloomed across Sam's chest to the point where it almost took his breath away.
"If that's the modern way of saying that." Bucky replied, his voice low.
"I am genuinely in shock. I thought- I mean I didn't know you were interested." Sam said gently.
He didn't want to spook Bucky, not when he'd been practically given a slice of the best damn cake in the world.
"Neither did I. But I-uh don't want anything else."
Sam's chest tightened at that and the urge to pull Bucky across the table almost became unbearable.
There was a silence and the waiter came back, gently putting their plates in front of them. When he moved away, Sam stared at the food.
"Does that make this our first date?"
Bucky shot his up, eyes wide.
"Y-you want-" he couldn't finish it.
"Today in the park. It kind of clicked for me. Romantic epiphanies are pretty dope." Sam answered.
A smile broke out across Bucky's face like the sun breaking from the clouds and Sam felt himself relax.
"Do you want this to be our first date?" Bucky asked, his tone much clearer.
"Depends. Are you gonna walk me to my door and kiss me?" Sam asked with a tilt of his head.
"If that's what you desire."
Sam picked up his fork, and picked up a string bean.
"I'm desiring a whole lot right now." Sam said, their eyes connected as Sam popped the bean into his mouth and chewed slowly.
Bucky swallowed heavily.
Sam reached out and picked up his wine glass. He raised his glass and Bucky did the same, they clinked together gently.
"To being partners." Bucky said softly.
"To being boyfriends." Sam added before taking a sip and shooting Bucky a wink.