Chapter 8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“He's going through some heavy personal stuff Travy. His soul mate just died! How would you feel if, Daemon, died right now?"
You felt the air start to crackle with the power of your brother's mutation. He could control electricity no matter how weak the current. Could even produce lightning bolts under the right conditions. You threw your hands up.
“There you go! Now times that by the almost eight years Steve and his girl were together instead of the, what two? you've been with your romantic soul mate."
“Three, but I see your point, sis. I just wish there was something we could do..."
“Me too."
Bucky squeezed your hand and you turned your attention back to him. His eyes looked slightly awestruck.
“What's wrong?"
“I-uh-we-can-."
“Dinner!"
Your mother finally poked her head out from the kitchen and gave, Bucky, a warm smile which the supersoldier nervously returned.
“Go on and get your food before, Travis, eats it all."
“Yes, ma'am," Bucky nodded.
“(Y/M/N) or my last name is fine, Bucky. I'm not some old white lady."
“Mom..." you groaned.
She shrugged and, Bucky, just nodded again, not sure how to respond to your mother's bluntness. You told him to go on ahead to the dinner table. When he was out of earshot, your mom hugged you and you hugged her tightly back. You forgot how long it had been.
“I missed you, (Y/N)," she whispered, “Don't make it another two years okay?"
“Okay, mommy. I'm sorry..." you said.
“Eh, you look like you're doing pretty well for yourself. Thank you for not ruining the good looks that run in the family."
“Mom! Bucky and I are no where near that level of commitment!"
You felt the rumble of her laughter. She sat up from you and kissed your cheek before walking into the kitchen. That's when it hit you that she can see into the future. You shook your head. Her mutation was never certain since the future wasn't.
All that filled the kitchen was the sounds of knives scraping against plates and quiet murmurs to pass things. Steve had come back in at some point that you didn't know, but your mother softly thanked him for setting the table. No one said anything about the empty seat next to the Captain, but it was obvious to everyone that he was desperately trying to hold it together for everyone's sake. You turned to, Daemon, who was just staring at the spot his sister was supposed to be.
“So, Daemon," you began, “Tell me about yourself? I want to know the man my brother's bonded to."
“Not much to know," he said absentmindedly, “I run a company that's second only to Stark's, like long walks on the beach, and cute boys that can get me out of a personal financial hole."
Travis smiled and took his fiancee's hand to kiss it. Daemon in turn playfully pushed him away with what seemed like a genuinely love sick look in his eyes. The man was a better actor than you thought.
“Well, what about your family?" you pressed.
“What about them?"
His dark brown eyes snapped to yours, burning holes in you. He knew you knew.
“Just about them," you said smoothly.
He glared for a minute longer before answering.
“My mother hated all four of her children, never knew my father, I was closest to my twin but she ran away with some idiot that claimed to love her six years ago. I told her he was lying-."
“I wasn't-!" Steve began involuntarily.
“Daddy, could you pass me the salt?" you interjected.
Both Bucky and your stepfather reached out for the condiment at the same time and the room went silent. Your cousin choked on water, your brother tried and failed to stifle a snigger, Steve just smirked and shook his head while drinking his juice, and Daemon pretended like he didn't hear anything.
Your parents on the other hand glared at the embarrassed supersoldier who had withdrawn his hand immediately after he realized his error. You decided to ignore everyone externally while internally dying of humiliation.
“Bucky, what the hell?" you whispered.
“A-all my girls called me that back in the day. I just autopiloted-," he muttered back.
“So, Bucky, (Y/N), tells me you were in the army?" your mother asked, “What made you leave?"
Bucky nodded vigorously, grateful for the chance to erase the awkward moment.
“Yeah, I was a Sergeant. And why did I retire? Well, ma'am, getting your arm hacked off by psychopathic fascists really makes you rethink your life choices."
“Excuse me?" your mother said.
“Bucky, can I talk to you outside?"
You didn't even let him answer before pulling him through the kitchen to the front door. Once out of earshot, you rounded on him.
“Buck, could you be less...old?" you sighed.
“What?"
“Answering to- Daddy-, Nazis, that's not twenty first century dinner talk," you explained, “If we don't want them finding out who you really are-!"
“Whoa whoa whoa, what's this 'we' talk? You're the one who wants to keep your work secret!" Bucky exclaimed.
The supersoldier folded his arms and scowled darkly at you. You stubbornly mirrored him.
“Sorry, that I so selfishly want to keep my family safe!"
“I didn't say it was selfish, (Y/N), stop putting words in my mouth!" Bucky shouted, “I'm just saying that sometimes I'm gonna slip! Sorry, seventy years of isolation makes a guy a little socially awkward!"
“I didn't say you're weird, James!" you argued back.
“BUT I AIN'T NORMAL EITHER! A-A-AND I AIN'T EVER GONNA BE SO STOPPUSHIN' IT ON ME!"
He was red and shaking with rage and embarrassment. You knew how excess anger could accidentally trigger you both so you put your hands up.
“What are you talking about, Bucky?" you asked gently.
Bucky sighed and ran a hand through his hair, before looking at the ground.
“Ever since you moved into the Base, it's been 'Bucky, let's go here. Bucky, let's go there. Bucky, you need to talk more. Bucky, why don't you leave the house?'"
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. You had no idea how your constant instance on him opening up and going outdoors got to him...
“Don't think think I don't appreciate the sentiment behind it, doll, but I...just can't do the whole average Joe thing. Not anymore, not ever."
Bucky took off his left glove and looked down at his prosthetic. The one that was forced to do countless heinous acts for almost a century. Six years isn't even a dent in what he's sorting through.
You stepped closer to him. You cupped his cheeks to raise his head, so you could meet the sad blue eyes that colored your world from day one and brought you so much hope even before you two "met".
“I'm sorry, James."
“Not your fault, baby doll. You didn't ask for a fucked up bastard like me to be your soul mate."
“Actually, it's aIl I've hoped for seven years. I didn't even care if Bucky Barnes was or wasn't my soul mate eventually. I just wished I lived when he did."
You put a kiss on his nose and hugged him tight. He held you as close as he could, burying his face on top of your shoulder.
“I wish you did too...maybe I wouldn't've been as reckless if I had my baby doll waitin' on me."
“I dunno...I kinda like my scruffy puppy faced bastard."
He lifted his head up with a deadpan look that he couldn't hold looking at your smirking face. Bucky put a hand on your cheek, his eyes filled with adoration for you. You scoffed and tucked his hair behind his ear, brushing some of the now falling snow. You really looked at him. How could one man be so damn pretty? Bucky laid his forehead on yours.
“Well, how the fuck are you so beautiful?"
Your eyebrows shot up. That statement, while well appreciated, was too perfectly timed. There's no way he heard you right?
“Baby doll, I think we-."
“If you two wanted couple time all had to do was ask! Travy and D do-!"
“IT'S DAEMON!"
“-all the time!"
You closed your eyes and sighed. There was no couple time for you. You two weren't even a couple! You felt a warm hand on your cheek.
“Come on before you catch cold, doll. As much as I love you, I'm not dealing with a cranky rage mutant."
“Thanks for the support, asshat, I love you too."
Blissfully unaware of the feelings you two just admitted, you took each other's hands to go back in, but your cousin stopped you.
“Mistletoe!"
You looked up at the top of the door where your cousin hung the accursed plant. Why did she make it her mission to embarrass you every time you came home?
You and Bucky looked at each other. This was the exact opposite of what just friends do, but you knew your cousin wasn't going to let you go so you gave him a peck on the cheek.
“That's not a kiss!"
You sighed and turned back to the blushing supersoldier, giving him a chaste kiss on the lips. He tensed and went even redder, clenching his fists at his sides.
“I got all day, cuz."
“I'm telling, Ma!" you pouted.
“What ever is just do it!" your mother yelled from the kitchen.
“Fine!" you huffed.
You pulled Bucky's head down to yours by his hair and crashed your lips onto his. After a couple seconds of no response from him, Bucky, started to kiss you back and you mentally thanked him for going along with it.
It was pretty good for a “pretend to be a couple" kiss. His lips were soft and relearning his experiences. Thankfully, he kept it innocent. You were about to pull away when you heard an almost inaudible growl from the Soldier.
He pushed you flush to him and suddenly squeezed your sides just on the side of too hard, making you gasp. Bucky smirked against your lips and used your surprise to deepen the kiss, holding your head in place with his metal hand on the back of it.
At first, you scowled at him for making it weird, but as his tongue explored your mouth, you couldn't help but give into him. No wonder, Bucky Barnes, was a lady killer back in the forties, the man could fucking kiss. You buried your hands in his hair with small noise of contentment when he suddenly pulled away and glared at your cousin.
“Satisfied?" he asked.
“Whatever."
Your cousin walked away with a self satisfied smirk and you scowled at the supersoldier while everyone made their way to the living room for Christmas movies and nightcap.
“Bucky, wh-."
He stopped touching you so fast that you didn't even register it. He was breathing heavily, flexing his hands, refusing to make eye contact with you.
“I gotta...go find, Steve, a Christmas present, yeah," Bucky grunted.
He went out the door, leaving you confused as hell.