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The first time he had told you ‘I love you’ he had said it shily. Being worried that it was too soon, that you did not love him back. But instead you smiled at him, kissed him and expressed your love for him as well. Nevertheless to say it was the best day of Bucky’s life.
He had said it with joy as you had thrown flour at him at your failed attempt to bake Sam a cake, or as you all excited showed him the latest project you had been working on.
He had said it like a promise when you kissed for the last time before having to get divided in a mission, as in your profession each time could be the last.
He said at as a whisper as the door closed behind him leaving him alone to fight too many hydra agents, as you screamed his name banging your fists against the door wanting to help him. And he had said it again as he woke up in the hospital bed, you next to him, his hand in yours as you looked at him tears of joy in your eyes.
He had said it often in your shared bedroom, tracing your features as you fell asleep on him with a happy smile on your face, as he looked at your peaceful state, thanking the universe for having found you, for having built a house, a life with you.
He had said it with passion as you two melted in each other touch in the night as you became one, libs, hearts and bodies mixing.
He had said it laughing as you made him smile by just being you or by having made a sassy remark to Sam.
He had said it with devotion as you comforted him after he woke up sweating and panting from yet another nightmare or as he comforted you when you cried or when something was upsetting you. It was his own way of promising that he always would be there for you no matter what.
He had said it with anger before, at times where you had been reckless risking your life during a mission, or worse for trying to save him. He had said it with fear and anger as he scolded you for having risked too much, to express how much you mattered to him, how without you nothing mattered. You had given him a new life, and your life for him was the only thing that mattered, more than himself, more than the world. He had said it begging you to be more careful, to not always act as the hero even if you were an avenger.
He had said it with fear as he told you to run when the enemy were too many and he knew you both could not make it out alive, he needed to save you, who cared about the consequences. He had whispered like it would be the last time, believing that those would be his last words, and hell they were the most meaningful words he could ever say, as you screamed and kicked not wanting to leave him, as Sam tried to bring you to safety while Bucky fought to give you time to escape.
Bucky didn’t say I love you witout a reason, but with you he learned to say it often, because you were the reason.