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The first thing you notice when you wake up is the light filtering its way through the blinds, then you feel the arm around your waist. You can’t help but smile at the feeling of Bucky’s fingers ghosting over your skin, the feather light touch trailing goosebumps over your skin. Rolling over, you’re greeted by Bucky’s eyes staring at you lovingly.
“G'morning,” you sleepily murmur while tucking your face into his neck with a kiss.
“Mornin’ sweets,” Bucky kisses your temple.
“What time is it?”
“Just before six.”
“That’s too early for a Saturday,” you groan at the ungodly hour making Bucky chuckle.
“You can go back to sleep sweetheart. I was planning on heading to the gym for a bit, I can wake you up when I get back.”
You nod at the offer and press a kiss to his neck once again. Bucky gently untangles himself from you and tucks you in on his side of the bed. You bury your face into his pillow while relishing the warmth he left behind. Kissing your forehead, Bucky grabs his gym bag and walks toward the living room. He smoothly ties his trainers before grabbing his hoodie off the couch where you’d left it. Moving silently, Bucky closes the door behind him before walking to the compound’s gym.
He feels his shoulders relax while wrapping his hands. He remembers more of his life before the war, and is grateful that not much has changed in boxing equipment. Making sure his hand wraps are secured, he pulls the hoodie over himself. He feels a slim square shift in the pocket and grins at the thought of you leaving your music player in the most random areas. He pulls the small object from the confines of the hoodie and unwinds the earbuds. Threading them through the hoodie, he put them in and presses play. Not paying too much attention to what’s playing, he begins settling into a rhythm at the reinforced punching bag. He settles into a pattern of landing his hits while shuffling around the bag and focusing on his breathing. Time feels as though it’s standing still but also flying past him as he lets his mind wander.
The world is still so different to what he remembers. All the technology in the compound’s gym is overwhelming. He doesn’t understand why treadmills and stair masters exist. These aren’t revolutionary exercises, they did the same thing and more back in the war. He, Sam, and Steve never used most of the equipment in the facility. He wanted to keep some things the way he remembers them to be. He was grateful for many of the modern wonders of the twenty-first century, however some things weren’t improved by it. Like punching a bag filled with sand to clear your mind.
It doesn’t matter how well his feet are planted, once he actually listens to what music you’d left off on, Bucky completely misses his next hit and feels the bag slam into him. The reassuring chorus of “We’ll Meet Again” is what really knocks the air out of him and leaves him reeling. It wasn’t the version he remembered, having Frank Sinatra's timber instead of Vera Lynn’s breathy words wrapping around his head and settling into his chest. He felt warmth at the thought of you playing this song while wrapped in his hoodie. He hung his head and took deep breaths trying to steady himself again. He tries to continue the rhythm he'd fallen out of, but it was to no avail.
Walking back to his locker he begins unwrapping his hand as the song finishes. As he closes his locker the beginning notes of “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” begin to come through the earbuds. Bucky smiles softly at the song, remembering how often it had played on the radio before he'd been drafted. Shaking his head in loving disbelief, he finally pulled your music player back out and looked at your playlist. It was filled with songs he knew by heart that he regularly played, others he remembers telling you about in passing, and others he had missed out on. As his eyes scan over the songs, they catch on the name of the playlist being “Buckshot” and roll at the dumb nickname you’d given him after a few missions together.
The elevator doors open and Bucky steps in, "Jarvis, take me to my living quarters."
As Jarvis sets the elevator, Bucky finally feels the shock wearing off that you have a playlist of songs named after him. He wants to know everything about the playlist. Why these songs, how often do you play it, when did you make it? The elevator slows and soon the doors open to the floor of your shared apartment.
Bucky swiftly opens the door and toes off his shoes. Not having been working out long enough to get sweaty, he doesn't bother to shower before going to the bedroom. He nimbly climbs in bed next to you and unplugs the headphones from your music player. He turns to volume to a quiet level and faces you. Taking in your peaceful form as you sleep, Bucky cups your cheek. He starts to sing along in a murmur to the music, and eventually your eyes start to flutter open.
"Hi," you breathe with a smile. "When'd you get back?"
"Not long ago. You looked so peaceful I didn't want to wake you yet." Bucky rests his forehead against yours. "How'd you sleep?"
"Okay, I missed your cuddles. How was the gym?"
"It was great," he kisses your nose with a giddy expression. "I found your music player in my hoodie."
You let out a surprised squeak and cover your face with your hands.
"It took me a few minutes to realize what music was playing," he continued. "But once I did I was surprised."
"I'm sorry," you mumbled from behind your hands. " I know it's probably weird."
"Don't be, doll. I liked discovering you have a playlist about me. It's sweet. Made me feel special knowing you had something that reminded you of me like that," he slowly peeled your hands from your face to reveal your blush.
"Of course I want something to remind me of you when you're gone!"
Bucky just leans down and kisses you sweetly. It isn't until you feel your head start to swim that you're forced to break away from his kiss. You trace his lips with your index finger, chests bumping together as you share each other's breaths, and hear the opening notes of "Dream Sweet in Sea Major" coming from near your head.
"You don't know this one," you breathe against his lips. "It made me think of something you would have listened to. Both sweetly wishful while being a kind of aching longing."
Bucky feels his heart swell even more from your explanation of why you put the song in the playlist. He doesn't recognize it but it feels eerily familiar. He listens carefully, thinking about how the song really did resemble some songs he'd shown you but definitely more modern.
"'Believe me, darling. The stars were made for falling,'" you quietly sang to him. "'Like melting obelisks as tall as another realm.'"
Bucky closes his eyes and lets your quiet singing wash over him. He'd never understand how he got lucky enough to meet you, let alone date you. After every horrible thing he'd been forced to do, he had resigned himself to a life of being alone with the exception of Steve. But you'd always been so accepting of him, reminding him he didn't want to do those things. That wasn't him. He'd never understood how you could be so accepting of him, and choose to love him as openly and sweetly as you do. He couldn't help the grateful feeling that arose every time he thought about your compassionate heart.
"'You look quite divine tonight. Here among these vibrant lights. Pure delights surround us as we sail,'" you continue as you trace his features slowly.
You take care tracing down the slope of his nose. Ghosting over the delicate skin beneath his eyes. Following the arch of his eyebrow, trailing along his cheekbone down to his jaw. Grazing his cupid's bow. Completely entranced by the tranquility that has graced his relaxed form. It wasn't often he let go of the weight surrounding his mind.
"What did I do to deserve you?" He wondered aloud, gently grabbing your wrist. His eyes met yours as he swept his thumb along the inside of your wrist.
"You were you. Simple as that, Bucky," you admitted.
As the song faded into the next, you shared with Bucky why you'd added this one to the playlist. And that's how the two of you spent the rest of the morning. Singing to each other and sharing your thoughts about the songs that played. Revealing your thoughts to each other. Adding songs as Bucky recommends them and as you show him new ones.