1. Natasha
The music that had been blaring through the tower earlier that night had been turned down and the Avengers were now all curled up on a set of couches and armchairs. There were a few different conversations taking place throughout the group and Sam had found himself tucked into a corner with Steve, Natasha and Clint. He idly played with the label on his beer bottle as he listened to Steve.
“Okay, I’d fuck Thor.”
“Obviously.” Clint said, Nat and Sam both nodding in agreement.
“Marry Tony.”
“Ew, really? Tony?” Nat had wrinkled up her face in disgust at Steve.
“He’s a billionaire, Nat. I could afford an apartment in Brooklyn with all his money.”
“He’s also got an amazing ass.” Clint added, making Steve blush a bright pink as he fiddled with his own beer bottle.
“And avoid Fury.” Steve put his bottle down and nudged Clint lightly. “You’re up.”
“Easy. Okay Nat, me, Sam and Steve, who you picking?” Clint sent a cocky smirk Nat’s way, causing Sam and Steve to exchange eye rolls but they were both laughing.
“Well obviously I’m going to marry Sam.” The nonchalant reply made Sam straighten up, suddenly paying a lot more attention to the silly game they were playing.
“What? Not red, white and blue, here?” Sam thought he really should’ve just taken the compliment (everyone knows being picked as marriage material is the best option in this game) but apparently his brain had decided to ask questions before he’d really caught up with himself.
“I’m sure Steve and I could have a nice roll in the hay, I could teach him some things.” Steve made a high pitched squeaking sound next to Sam as Natasha looked him up and down, “but you’re the type of man I’d want to come home to everyday. So, you wanna settle down with me Sam? Forever?” She sent him a brilliant grin, a rare sight on Natasha’s face, waggling her left hand at him and Sam could feel his face heating up even if he knew she was only joking.
“Wait, you’d avoid me? Me!” Clint’s offended voice cut through room, causing the rest of the team to turn around and look at their little group.
As Natasha and Clint bickered and Steve explained the situation to a curious Tony and Rhodey, Sam thought to himself that it might be nice to have someone to come home too after a long trip trailing around Europe looking for someone who didn’t want to be found.
2. Steve
“So did Sharon get everything?” Sam asked as Steve got back into the car, he could still feel the smirk on his face but he couldn’t stop himself.
“Yes and stop looking at me like that. Both of you.” Steve shot a glare towards Bucky in the back seat before starting the car. Sam did try to make an effort to relax his face but he wasn’t doing very well. He tried to distract himself instead.
“This is really happening, huh? We’re going rogue?” Sam tapped his leg as they pulled away, back onto the road.
“Appears so but like I said Sam if you want out just say now, if people ask we can say I dragged you into this by force.”
“Don’t be stupid Steve.” Sam turned to look at him, sure the other man would be pouting like a kicked puppy, “and anyone who has met us will know that’s bullshit, I’ve done enough stupid stuff for you by now.” His eyes involuntarily flicked up to the rear view to look at Barnes. Who was already looking at him, shit. Sam quickly looked away, back towards Steve.
“And I’m eternally grateful to you Sam, I really, really am. I couldn’t do it without you.” Steve’s earnest voice made Sam roll his eyes fondly but he said nothing.
Steve started drumming his fingers against the steering wheel, apparently deep in thought as he drove. Barnes was also silent in the back. Sam chanced a glance back up to the rear view mirror to get a look at him. Bucky was staring out the window, clearly not interested in them.
“You know-” Steve started before cutting himself off.
“Oh god.” Barnes muttered to himself in the back, “here we go.”
“It’s just an idea.” Steve defended. Barnes’ eye roll made it clear that he thought it was going to be a bad one.
“What, Steve?” Sam prompted.
“Well, married couples can’t testify against the other in a criminal case so that might be an idea if we get caught.”
“You want to get married?” Sam said at the same time that Barnes snorted behind them.
“If it’ll keep you out of getting in more trouble then, yeah why not?”
“Steve, are you aware that you were just kissing a very lovely woman about ten minutes ago?” Bucky’s snort had turned into a proper laugh now, it sounded like he was trying to muffle it into his sleeve though.
“You’re still an idiot.” Barnes crowed in the back.
“Look it was just a suggestion guys, come on.”
“Can you believe this guy?” Sam turned in his seat to look at Bucky, “do you think this makes me the other woman then or is that Sharon?”
Steve groaned as Sam and Bucky continued to laugh at his expense.
3. Torres
Sam and Bucky both tried to poke their heads around the door to Torres’ hospital room at the same time, leading them to bash against each other and for Sam to pull away with a loud hiss.
“Hello?” Joaquin called.
“Hey man.” Sam shoved Bucky out of the way to enter the room first. “How you holding up?”
“Oh I’m great. This stuff is amazing, I can’t even feel my body right now.”
“Is that supposed to happen?” Bucky asked, he’d stopped right behind Sam and he could feel Bucky’s breath hit his neck.
“Oh my god, Bucky!” Sam felt Bucky startle slightly at Joaquin’s loud shout. “You’re here. Wow. This is so cool! Wait did I almost die? Is that why Bucky is here, Sam!” Torres' hand shot towards him, flapping around as he reached out, Sam leapt forward to take it, “Am I dying?”
“You’re not dying Joaquin, don’t worry, you’re just pumped full of pain meds right now. You took a bit of a nasty fall but you’re gonna be fine.”
“Oh that’s good!” Torres seemed even more smiley and bright than usual, he reminded Sam of a puppy. Bucky had shuffled closer whilst Sam had been reassuring Torres and Sam could feel the heat of his body behind him again.
“You’re so nice Sam! Isn’t he Bucky? He’s just the best!”
“Yeah, he’s pretty great.” Bucky was clearly holding back a laugh but he sounded sincere enough as he agreed with Joaquin.
“I bet you’re the best friend ever, aren’t you? And the bestest brother and the best uncle and, and, and, the best boyfriend. Ha! B b, double b, best boyfriend!” Torres had dropped Sam’s hand as he gestured around wildly.
“Oh my god.” Bucky whispered in his ear, “he’s high as a kite, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, 100%. It’s kinda cute though.”
“How come you’re not married yet, Sam?” Torres pulled their attention back to him, “will your boyfriend not marry you? Bucky? Someone should marry you Sam! I’ll do it!” Torres suddenly frowned to himself, “I’m still young though, no Bucky should, yeah.”
Sam snorted and elbowed Bucky gently.
“We should have thought to record this.”
“Yeah.” Bucky sounded a bit flat but before Sam could say anything Torres started talking again.
“I’m tired now. I think I’m going to go to sleep.”
“Alrig-”
“Sssssh.” Joaquin lifted a finger up in a classic shushing motion, before he wiggled down his bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. “Bye.” He gave them a little wave and then shut his eyes.
Sam and Bucky backed out of the room and gently shut the door again. As soon as it clicked Sam started to laugh to himself.
“Wow. Did Torres just propose to me and then immediately take it back?” Sam turned around to look at Bucky, who hadn’t moved back much, which meant Sam was almost pressed up against the door.
“I think he did. Kinda glad though.” Bucky stepped forward just slightly and Sam’s heart jumped to his throat.
“Why, you jealous he didn’t ask you?”
“Oh I was jealous alright but not because he didn’t ask me, sweetheart.” Correction, Sam thinks, his heart might have actually just dropped out of his ass. Bucky’s head dips forward until they can feel each other breathe. “This okay?”
“Course.” Sam managed in a hoarse whisper.
“Great.” Bucky whispers back, his fingers coming up to hook into Sam’s belt loops and pull him forward to bring their lips together.
Sam gets lost in the kiss, his arms reaching to wrap around Bucky’s neck and run through his hair. Bucky lets out a little groan and goes to push him up against the nearest thing. Which is the door to Torres hospital room. Which also promptly flies open under the pressure of two grown men leaning against it and they tumble through.
“Oh my god! Are guys here to visit me? What are you doing on the floor?”
4. Scott
“-will you marry me?”
Bucky came to an abrupt halt outside the common room at the Avengers Compound. He was supposed to be meeting Sam there but he didn’t want to barge in on something private. His nose wrinkled slightly as he considered what was potentially happening a few feet away. The common room? Really? But it had sounded like Scott and he wasn’t the best at planning these things out-
“Oh of course I will Scott!” Bucky’s mind came to a screeching stop as he heard Sam’s voice through the door.
What?
Why was Bucky’s boyfriend accepting a proposal from another man? And why was Scott asking Sam to marry him? What about Hope?
Suddenly Bucky’s legs were working again and he strode down the rest of the corridor and burst through the door. He was greeted by the sight of Sam slouching on one of the sofas, legs kicked up along it as he watched Scott in the middle of the room, who appeared to have been pacing before Bucky’s unexpected entrance had stopped him in his tracks.
“Oh good, you’re not Hope.” Scott’s shoulders dropped in relief as he started to pace again. Erm, hello? How can he be so calm after Bucky just caught him proposing to Sam? At that moment Sam sat up properly and then pushed himself to his feet. He turned fully towards Bucky, his bright, sunny grin dropping slightly as he took a proper look at him.
“You hungry? Ready to go?” Sam was making his way around the couch towards Bucky now. He stopped in front of him and grabbed Bucky’s hands, squeezing them tight. He turned is head towards Scott as he wrapped himself around Bucky.
“Your speech sounds great Scott, Hope is definitely gonna say yes, don’t worry about it.”
“What is-?” Bucky started but Sam squeezed him tighter, signalling him to stop talking. He had some nerve, Bucky thought, as he lifted his own arms up to wrap around Sam, telling Bucky to stop talking like he hadn’t just given him a heart attack.
“You sure? I shouldn’t make it longer? I can put the part about her eyes back in.”
“No, don’t do that.” Sam grimaced slightly. “Just say exactly what you just said to me and it’ll be perfect. Now come on Bucky.” And Sam let go of him, linked their hands again and tugged him out of the common room and back down the corridor towards the exit.
“Sorry what just happened?”
“Did you just burst in there thinking Scott had just proposed to me? You looked ready to murder someone.”
“No.” Bucky scoffed, best to play it off, Sam will never let him hear the end of it otherwise.
“Hmm.” Sam looked unconvinced but thankfully didn’t say anymore. They walked in silence for a few more minutes, their arms swaying gently between the two of them as they went.
“Would you want to do that though one day?”
“What, marry Scott? No way.”
“Sam, be serious! I meant for us, would you want to get married to me?”
“Is this you asking?” Sam had stopped walking so Bucky’s arm was yanked back slightly as he carried on so he stopped and turned back towards Sam.
“No, you think I’d ask you in the middle of the corridor?”
“You thought Scott was asking me in the common room.”
“And I was definitely judging him for it, believe me.” He moved his head slightly to catch Sam’s gaze, “no this is me asking if you want to be asked one day, is that something you want?” He watched Sam turn the question over in his mind for a moment before he opened his mouth to answer.
“Yes, I do want that with you. Without a doubt.” Sam blinked at his own answer for a moment before he carried on, “I was going to try and play it cool but why should I? I’d like to marry you one day. What about you?”
“Darlin’ do you even need to ask me that? Of course I do. I’ll ask you one day, sweetheart.”
And with that Bucky threw his arm over Sam’s shoulders and they made their way out of the building together.
5. Rhodey
“Oh my god, Sarah, this,” Rhodey pauses to savour the taste of the piece of fish he just swallowed, “is amazing.”
“Thank you very much.” Sarah smiled at him from across the table.
“What do I need to do to get this recipe from you?” Rhodey leaned forward in anticipation of her answer.
“Sorry, Rhodey, secret family recipe, only the Wilson’s are allowed to know.”
“Aw come on, are we not practically family? Your brother and I save the world together all the time, we risk our lives for each other, does that not grant me familial privilege?” Rhodey tried not to pout into his glass as he took a sip.
“Nope, only the bonds of marriage are accepted. Even Bucky doesn’t know yet and those two,” at this Sarah jerked a thumb towards Sam and Bucky, who were walking towards them, “are practically attached at the hip.”
“Well then how about we get hitched, you free this evening?” Sarah only laughed and shook her head and unfortunately for Rhodey Sam had caught his last question as he and Bucky joined their table.
“Hey! What did I say about hitting on my sister.” Sam glared at Rhodey as Sarah and Bucky exchanged a look.
“Calm down, I was only asking her to marry me.” Rhodey smirked as he watched Sam’s eyes widen and his mouth drop open.
“What?” Sam looked like he was just clamping down on the urge to yell.
“Relax Sam, god,” Sarah rolled her eyes, “he’s just after a Wilson family recipe.”
“And you know what, I don’t care how I get it, so if Sarah won’t have me what about you Sam? Wanna get married tonight?”
“No thanks, considering I’m sat here with my boyfriend.” Bucky reached down to rest his hand on Sam’s knee and sent Rhodey one of the smuggest looks he’d ever seen, and Rhodey has lived with Tony Stark. “But if said boyfriend doesn’t ask soon,” Sam leaned across to rest his head on Bucky’s shoulder, “then I might have to take you up on your offer.” Now Sam was looking smug as Bucky’s grin had been wiped from his face.
Rhodey and Sarah both started to laugh as Bucky huffed and muttered something about people being audacious before shoving a piece of fish into his mouth and almost instantaneously letting out a moan at the taste.
“So glad I’m gonna marry into this family because this really is amazing.”
Their laughter carried across the docks as the sun set on the horizon.
+1 Bucky
Bucky was nervous. He wasn’t sure why because he was 99.9% certain that Sam was going to say yes. They’d talked about it and Sam had been pretty clear it was something he wanted. But Bucky was still nervous. He fiddled with the box in his pocket, opening and closing it with a snap as he went over everything in his head again.
He had a plan. He needed a plan to make sure this was perfect.
Time to go over the plan. Again.
Sam would come in from his meeting. Bucky would tell him they were going out for dinner and that he should dress up. Bucky would drive them into New Orleans to his and Sam’s favourite fancy restaurant. They’d have a nice dinner in a romantic setting and then Bucky would suggest going for a walk, talking in some music and having a dance. Once they’d had their fill Bucky would walk them back to the restaurant under the guise of collecting the car but he’d actually arranged to be able to have access to the roof. He’d take Sam, who would definitely know something was happening by now, up there and then after taking in the view and making sure they were secluded enough Bucky would start his speech, get down on one knee, ask and hopefully Sam would say yes.
He’d worried it was too simple at first but neither he or Sam were particularly extravagant and Bucky thought his plan had a certain old school charm to it, much like himself.
He nudged one of Alpine’s toys out of the way as he made his way into the living room, then kicked one of Figaro’s away when he decided that his suit was too close to becoming wrinkled if he sat on the sofa and moved back to sit at the kitchen island.
After a few minutes of tossing the ring box between his hands he heard a car approaching and then the front door swinging open. Bucky quickly shoved the box into his pants pocket hoping Sam wouldn’t notice it.
“Hello my darlings, aw did you miss me? Yes you did, come here, oh yes.” The cats had clearly leapt at Sam as soon as he came through the door, usually Bucky was too busy wrapping Sam up in a hug for them to get first dibs. Sam’s voice carried down the hall as he continued to dote on Alpine and Figaro.
“Bucky? Where are you?”
“Kitchen.” He called back, his voice coming out slightly strangled as his nerves increased, creating knots in his stomach.
Sam rounded the corner, a cat in each hand, Bucky watched his eyes grow wide as he looked at Bucky in his suit.
“Wow, what’s going on? I haven’t forgotten anything have I?” Bucky shook his head as he gazed at Sam, a flood of fondness rising in his chest.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” Sam smiled up at him as he bent his head down to nuzzle the two cats in his arms.
“Marry me?” Wait. “Shit. I didn’t mean to say that.” Bucky watched Sam’s face fall. “Yet. I didn’t mean to say that yet. I had a whole plan but you came in here looking so adorable and I-“
“Bucky.” Sam was back to grinning at him now, his smile getting wider and wider as Bucky rambled on.
“Right, sorry. I did have a plan though and well, look.” He shoved his hand into his pocket to pull out the ring. “See, I’m ready but you threw me off and now I’m still talking because I don’t know whether to ask you to pretend I didn’t just ruin my own proposal plan and we can carry on with it or if I should just speed through it and ask you now.”
“I think you should ask me now.” Sam whispered as he gently set down Fig and Alpine.
“Okay, yeah, I can do that, sure.” Bucky twisted the box around a couple more times as he moved around the island to properly face Sam. “Just here in the kitchen? You don’t wanna move to the living room or?”
“Buck!”
“Sorry! I’m just nervous.”
“Don’t be.” Sam reached out to steady his hands and Bucky sucked in a deep breath, trying to slow his thundering heart.
“So this isn’t the romantic moment I had planned for us but I apparently can’t wait to say this any longer. I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time and I’m never really sure when I started to but I know that I never want to stop. I cannot imagine my life without you, every night I look forward to waking up just because it means I can spend time with you, just us. I treasure every moment we’re together and even the ones when we’re apart because they make me realise how much I adore being with you. I know we drive each other crazy sometimes and I promise to keep infuriating you much like I’m sure you’ll get more and more maddening every day but that’s just one more reason to keep loving you. I want to experience everything with you. I’m amazed every day to find that you still love me, despite my flaws and imperfections, but you do love me as much as I love you. You’re the most extraordinary person I’ve ever met Sam, you’re brave and loyal and you love so much, you see a side to humanity that I think I’d have given up on without you. You’re a marvel and you have the most beautiful eyes too and you’re it for me Sam, I’ll never love anyone like I love you. So,”
Bucky was trying to blink back tears as he sunk down onto one knee. Sam was making no effort to hold in the few tears that had spilt onto his cheeks.
“Samuel Wilson, will you do me the honour of marrying me?”
“Yes. Of course I will.” Sam threw himself down to hug Bucky. Elated, Bucky wrapped his own arms around Sam and stood up, spinning them and letting out delighted laugh as Sam sobbed a couple of times. Once Sam’s feet touched the ground again he yanked Bucky forward by the tie to plant a kiss on him, then continued to pepper his face with more kisses.
“Alright, alright. Before we carry on let me give you this, it’s kind of important.” Bucky gestured for Sam’s hand and he slid the ring on. Sam let out a happy sigh and leaned in for another kiss.
“I can’t believe you made me cry.” Sam punched him lightly in the shoulder but he was smiling too much for Bucky to be worried. “My vows are gonna be so beautiful, just you wait.”
“It’s not a competition, you know.” But Bucky was already sweeping Sam’s feet from underneath him and carrying him towards their bedroom. “You know what, I’m glad my plan didn’t work out or I wouldn’t have been able to do this.”
The sound of their bedroom door slamming echoed through the house but if you listened hard enough you could still hear some muffled, ecstatic laughter.