Early Mornings and Christmas Presents
Over time, the late night workout sessions became less about training and more about just being with Bucky. Some times you would just lay on a mat and stare at the ceiling, talking about everything and nothing. He opened up to you about his past and you told him about yours. It was getting colder out, almost November, when you were the first to the gym one night. It wasn’t something you were expecting. You hoped it meant that he’d been able to sleep soundly for once. Instead of working out alone, you opted to return to your room and read or something, but when you encountered Bucky on the couch sitting stiffly, you stopped dead in your tracks.
His face was stoic and void of emotion, his posture rigid, and his hair wasn’t in the usual ponytail you’d both grown to love. Carefully, you made your way around the couch and knelt next to him slowly. “Hey Buck what’s up? What do you want me to do?” Your voice drove a shiver down his back and he finally moved to look at you. His expression softened when he made eye contact. He managed to mumble “cold” and you nodded understanding what he needed. You left the room briefly, returning with several fuzzy and warm blankets. Taking his hands, both freezing, you lifted Bucky to his feet and arranged some of them on the couch. Then, you pushed him gently so he would sit again. When he did, you laid the last few blankets on his lap. You slipped the hair tie from your wrist and gently combed your fingers through his hair and pulled it into a pony tail then you took a seat next to his still form and turned the TV on to a random channel.
As he warmed up, Bucky seemed to relax more and eventually, he pulled a blanket back. Suddenly, he wrapped his arm around your waist and pulled you into his side. “Thank you,” is all he says as he finally relaxes into the couch holding you close. It’s in this position that Sam and Steve find you in the morning. Bucky hears the men approaching and tightens his hold on you as they enter the room and stop short at the sight. “Damn, man.” Sam is loud enough for you to react. In your sleep, you nuzzle Bucky’s neck lightly and tighten your grip around his waist. Bucky tenses for a second then relaxes to avoid waking you and hears Steve whisper, “Leave ‘em be. He hasn’t slept that soundly since the forties and you know she needs the sleep, too.”
When both men leave the room, Bucky opens his eyes and looks down at your sleeping figure. Over the course of the night, you’d shifted until both of you were laying with you on top of him. Without another thought, Bucky shifts into a sitting position and pulls you into his arms. He lifts you easily and makes his way to your room quickly. Bucky lays you on your bed gently and pulls your comforter over you.
Only two hours later, you stumble into the kitchen and immediately make your way to the coffee maker. Pouring the beautiful substance into a mug, you hear Steve and Sam talking as they enter the kitchen. “Look who’s up, Steve. How was the couch?” Sam asked as he leaned against the counter next to you. Before you can respond, Bucky enters the kitchen as well and Sam says, “They’re both up and at em. Did you sleep well, Bucky?” Steve rolled his eyes and Bucky just sent a glare at Sam. Silently, you put a bagel in the toaster and pulled out the cream cheese, as Sam and Steve return to their previous conversation. Once the bagel popped up, you shot a glance at Bucky to see him staring into the fridge aimlessly. “Want a bagel?” you offer. He smiles and nods, letting the door close.
Your day is mostly uneventful after breakfast. But when night rolls around, you’re nervous. As you make your way through the compound, you begin thinking about last night. What if everything goes back to normal? Will he pretend nothing happened? Did anything happen? Why do I want last night to mean something? Your train of thought is cut off as you enter the gym to find Bucky sitting on the ground, waiting for you as usual. When he looks up and sees you, he jumps to his feet, eyes lighting up. “Y/N, I wanted to thank you for last night. I don’t do so well in the cold. It means a lot that you did that for me.”
You smile and make your way across the room. “You’re welcome, Buck. I know you’d do the same for me.” He shakes his head lightly, as a smile pulls at his lips. “Still, you are an angel. I don’t deserve you, but I can’t seem to let you be.” You meet his eyes and ask, “Bucky what are you saying?”
“Be mine? Be my girl?” A smile appears on your face and you nod eagerly. In a second, Bucky’s arms wrap around you and his lips are so close to yours. “Can I kiss you?” he mumbles softly. As you breathe out a “yes,” he closes the gap and his lips press to yours, slow and warm. You return the kiss and reach your hands up to tangle in his hair. After a moment, Bucky pulls away for air, and you laugh breathlessly. “Did you break another hair tie?”
The next day, you and Bucky slowly announce your relationship to your teammates. Steve is happy for both of you while Sam is as snarky as usual. Nat is happy and $10 richer while Tony just shooed you out of the lab while Bruce gave a “congratulations!” Time seems to pass so quickly with Bucky by your side. Your midnight gym sessions seemed to happen more and more on the couch, as you pick a movie Bucky hasn’t seen and watch it in each others arms. As time passed, you and Bucky grew closer and so did Christmas.
The team usually spent holidays separately, but you’d all decided to spend this one together as a family. You helped Pepper decide on decorations and Wanda helped put them up. Vision even helped put the tree up and put the star on the top when the rest was decorated. By the 20th, the entire compound was incredibly festive, and you were still struggling to find a gift for Bucky. You’d managed to find something for everyone else, but just didn’t know what to get your boyfriend.
“Hey, doll. Whatchya thinking about?” he asked as Bucky wrapped his arms around your midsection from behind. You turned your head slightly to see his resting on your shoulder. “Still figuring out what to get you,” you mumbled before giving his lips a peck. Once again he says, “You don’t have to get me anything. Just being with you is gift enough.” You shook your head and turned in his arms until you faced him and ran your hands up his chest lightly until they tangled in his hair.
When Christmas finally arrives, you wake up early and begin a making breakfast for the team. Deciding to continue a tradition you had growing up, you’d made cinnamon rolls from scratch and bought enough chocolate milk for an army. You close the oven and turn to the fridge when you see Bucky standing in the doorway. “What are you doing up?” you ask going for the chocolate milk. “Had a feeling I’d find a beautiful woman in the kitchen, and I was right.” he said, smiling wide. “God you are so cheesy.”
“You love it.”
“Yeah whatever, want some milk? Cinnamon rolls have like 20 minutes left, then we can have breakfast.” Bucky took the cup you offered and pulled you into his arms, pressing a kiss to the top of your head before saying, “Merry Christmas, Y/N.”
Once breakfast was done baking, you had FRIDAY wake the team, and soon you were all sitting around the common room as Tony takes each present from under the tree and passed it to who it was meant for. By the time the tree had nothing below it, each of you had a small stack of presents in front of you. You watched as Bucky carefully opened the first present. It was from Steve. A photo album. “It has some pictures from back in the day, and I figured you could fill the rest with whatever you wanted.” Steve mentioned as Bucky marveled at the gift. “Thanks, Steve. It’s great.” Everyone took turns opening gifts.
Finally, Bucky got to the gift you’d gotten him. He ripped the paper carefully and laughed as he pulled the item from the wrapping. “What? You stretch mine out and you break one like once a week!” you say jokingly as he smiled at the 200 pack of hair ties you’d bought him. “Its perfect. Thank you, doll.” He leaned in and gave you a kiss as a flash lit up the room. You looked at the culprit and saw Sam with a smirk on his face, phone in hand. “For the photo album!” He said in his defense and you threw a pillow at him before turning back to Bucky. You find him already looking at you and a smile tugs at his lips as he says, “I don’t think I’ll need a photo to remember today.”