Memories
It has been a few days since the incident with Bucky and Steve. Belle hadn't talked to either of them since. She didn't know what to say or do. She was still very confused even with everything feeling somewhat familiar. She didn't like staying away from Steve and Bucky, it felt odd not having them around. She decides she'd talk with them and get some answers.
Belle took a few breaths before stomping into the living room, turning off the TV and saying,
"What are we? I don't understand anything that's going on anymore. Everything is more confusing than before. I need answers before more questions pop up. And actual answers, no distractions." She eyed Bucky at the last part but he just smirked. Steve got up from the couch and left the room. Belle's confidence had begun to fade as he left the room. Maybe she was too forward. Bucky saw her face fall and hopped into action. He pulled her down on the couch next to him and took her hands. He was about to bust out one of his good speeches when Steve came back into the room with a shoe box in hand he set it on the coffee table.
"I kept all our memories together. I found anything I could get my hands on and I just ... kept it all together. I needed memories since I didn't have... I didn't have you two." Steve opened the box and pushed it towards both Belle and Bucky. "Maybe this will help you two jog your memories."
Bucky was the first one to look in the box pulling out a photo of the three of them. They were dressed up fancy with a tacky backdrop. They were all smiling, they were all young and happy.
"Prom. Yeah, I remember that. I took Belle and Bucky took some girl named Stacey."
"I did?" He was confused, he didn't remember that.
"Yeah, but at the end of the night, you still came home with us. She lied and told everyone you took her virginity." Steve laughed and pulled out his old sketchbook. "I remember this, yeah. This was my last sketchbook before Belle left for war." Steve flipped to the last page, it was a drawing of Bucky and Belle curled up on the couch cuddling together. Last picture he drew before Belle left for war.
"That's... this is us." Belle said.
"Before the war... before everything went to hell," Bucky said, "We look happy."
Belle observed the pictures and the drawings. "Things must have been simpler back then."
"No, we just didn't have as many things to worry about. And we always found solutions rather quickly especially with three heads." Bucky chuckled as Steve went on. "The only real thing we worried about was hiding from everyone. We became very good liars, and pros at sneaking around." Steve reached forward and wiped a stray tear from Belle's cheek.
"Love made us liars... but also saviors." Bucky said as he pulled out another photo but this time it was of them in a military base, all of them in uniform. This was their last picture together...ever.
"You guys...are so freaking dramatic yet poetic." Belle said as she continued to go through the box. She didn't get as many memories as she wanted but she did get some significant memories. Memories she surely needed.
Like prom: Belle watched as Bucky danced with his prom date. Her dress twirled around with her. Belle envied the girl who danced with one of her men. She looked beautiful in her dress. Steve too was envying the girl whose hands were all over Bucky. They both wanted to be where that girl was but society wouldn't allow it.
"I know," Steve said as he sat with Belle and handed her a drink.They both wanted to be in the place of the girl. But Bucky was with her and Steve had an asthma attack on the dance floor. They were waiting for a slow dance now.
"She looks so beautiful." Belle said, she wore a dress the boys had picked out of the choices she gave them.
"You look gorgeous, like an angel." Steve praised and worshiped her.
"Thank you, Stevie."
"He loves you and I do too. She's just a strange girl." Steve whispers softly. Belle smiled at Steve softly as she leaned forward and took his hand. At the moment she didn't believe him but didn't want a speech from him.
A slow song came on.
"Stevie, would you please dance with me."
"Always. Every single dance." The two walked over to the dance floor next to Bucky and his date, who was laying her head on his shoulder. Bucky and Belle both let out a small laugh as they watched Steve look down and watch his feet to make sure he didn't step on Belle’s toes. Belle looked up to Bucky and smiled, he smiled back just as bright. He gave her a wink causing her to giggle and look down and blush.
That night, after he returned his date home without a kiss, he returned to Steve's house and spent the rest of his night with Belle and Steve.
…
"What about this one... this one for some reason makes me happy." Belle said as she picked up another picture, it was the three of them. All of them were in civilian clothes but on campgrounds which could be seen in the background. Belle was holding on to and kissing Steve's cheek and Bucky had his arms pulling at her waist he was winking at the cameraman. Belle laughed as Bucky chased her around the base camp. They were on a far-off field away and out of sight of others.
Howard was setting up his camera trying to take a picture or video of them. Steve was sitting down in the field watching the two run around together.
"Steve!" Howard called him over and he sighed, getting up from his comfortable position to see to Howards needs.
"STEVE!" Belle screamed.
"Save.. AH.. Save me, he's trying to get me." Belle laughed as she tried to hide behind Steve. He laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck. Bucky swooped in and wrapped his arms around her waist as she squealed.
Bucky leaned forward and kissed Steve's cheek before he leaned back and pulled at Belle's waist. She leaned forward and kissed Steve's cheek as Bucky pulled her away.
The three saw a flash snap and Howard said, "Perfect." Before Belle was pulled away from Steve and dragged to the ground to be tickled to near death.
"You need something?" Steve asked, approaching Howard.
"No, I got more than I needed." He smiled back with a cocky grin on his face.
…
"Howard always took pictures and videos of us back then. Mainly because he was the only one that knew about us. He hoped people would understand us in the future and accept us unlike back then. But I don't think anyone is accepting us even now." Steve said as he moved off the coffee table and in between Belle and Bucky.
They continued to go over memories. Pulling out items from the box, all holding so much value and memory. They also pulled memories out of thin air. Some memories were sweet, funny, others sad but all held significant value.
All their firsts and lasts.
"I remember ... I remember our first kiss."
"Really," Steve asked excitedly, turning to Belle.
"Yes, but I didn't remember you. I didn't know it was you two which is why it was so confusing. It was just some random memory before... but now it holds meaning. Value."
"What about our first Christmas? Do you remember that? I do... part of it at least." Bucky said, picking up a picture of a Christmas tree with a few presents underneath. It was the great depression and not much could be bought.
Belle was laying on the couch with Steve next to her. Bucky was still at work and it was Christmas eve they were hoping he'd be back before bedtime. But with needed times like those, they could only hope.
Belle looked over Steve's shoulder to see that he was drawing a picture of Belle in a beautiful white dress and Bucky next to her in a tux they were smiling and holding hands. Steve hadn't noticed her leaning over his shoulder.
They both jumped when they heard the front door swing open the clothes. Bucky stood before them. He was wrapped up in warm clothes but his nose was still red as a cherry. Belle jumped up and gave her hot cocoa to him.
"T-thank you doll, It's fucking freezing out there." Belle pulled him onto the couch between the two.
"What's in the box, frosty?" Steve asked, being the first to notice the box under Bucky's arm.
"Oh, My early Christmas to you guys. I saved up a lot of money for this one and also had to pull some deals." Bucky put the box on the table and motioned for the two to open it. Inside was a..
…
"Camera. Yeah, you spent a lot trying to get it for us. But we couldn't even afford to develop all the pictures we took. Now maybe we can." Steve pulled out the very same camera they were speaking of.
"How about no." Bucky said chucking under his breath.
"Why not?" Steve pouted back at his lover.
"Do you remember all the pictures we took with this camera?"
"No, not exactly."
"Then we aren't letting them develop until we know. I'm pretty sure we've got plenty of nude pictures on this thing anyways." Bucky said, taking the camera from Steve. The two began to argue with each other about nothing serious.
Belle leaned back and giggled as they began to get a little physical, nothing serious. When the boys noticed her giggling they turned their attention to her.
"Oh no." Belle said with a small smile as she felt their hands move up her side. Next thing she knew she was laughing and screaming as they started a tickle fight.
Box of memories left on the table but not forgotten, simply of no use at that moment. After that day they wouldn't really look in the box for a while. None of them liked to look in the past and compare it to the present but they did enjoy making memories. So they continued to make memories and fill their box.
But they never looked back.