“Stop laughing, asshole.”
Sam glanced up from where he was doubled over holding his stomach, saw the pissy look on Bucky’s face, and only ended up laughing harder.
“I’m serious, jerk,” Bucky said, his already murderous scowl somehow managing to deepen. “I don’t see what’s so funny.”
“You don’t,” Sam paused, trying to catch his breath even though he was still laughing, “you don’t see what’s so funny?” He finally managed to get his question out, as he stood back up to his full height. “The first time we met you ripped the steering wheel out my car and tried to kill me—
“I was mostly trying to kill Steve.”
“And now you’re asking me for my permission—
“Your blessing,” Bucky said, cutting in again.
“To marry my sister,” Sam continued, a grin on his face as if he hadn’t heard either of Bucky’s interruptions. “And you don’t see why that might be a little funny to me.”
“Well, maybe funny, but not ‘haha’ funny,” Bucky mumbled.
“Definitely haha funny,” Sam countered.
Now, given how salty Sam had been a little over a year ago when Bucky and Sarah’s casual flirtation had morphed into not so casual dates and then became an anything but casual relationship, Bucky knew he should probably just be counting his blessings that Sam had warmed up to the idea of him and Sarah being an item enough that he was laughing instead of trying to brain him with the book he was currently holding. Bucky was already feeling nervous and awkward enough though, and having Sam laugh at him wasn’t helping any.
“Can you try to take this seriously, Wilson. This is your sister we’re talking about.”
“Yeah, no shit,” Sam said, his smile slipping just enough to let Bucky know he’d probably put his foot in it. “There’s nothing more important to me than Sarah and my family, and you know it,” Sam continued, and Bucky had the good grace to look chagrined. “But the guy who snapped my wing off is asking for permission—
“Your blessing,” he bit out.
“—to pop the question to my sister, so excuse the hell out of me if I got a little hysterical for a minute.”
“Sam,” he sighed, “you know I’m—
“Don’t apologize, man,” Sam interrupted, heaving a sigh of his own. “I don’t hold any of that against you; you know that too. It’s just — it’s a little weird. Even pushing all that old shit aside, it’s still my partner, my best friend, wanting to propose to my sister. I mean, I knew you guys were serious, but I guess I didn’t know it was like that.”
Although, he probably should’ve known. Sarah was serious by nature, she wasn’t about to be messing around with Bucky or any man for that matter. If they were dating for this long, Sarah likely definitely had marriage on her mind (or at least a permanent commitment of some sort). And Lord knows Bucky didn’t do shit half-assed. They were two of the least casual people he’d ever met, so, yeah, Sam really should have seen this coming.
“I’m your best friend?” Bucky asked, perking up a bit, completely unaware of Sam’s newest revelation.
“Shut-up,” Sam said, but he was fighting a smile. “I thought you wanted to discuss your relationship with Sarah, not me.”
“I do,” he said, earnestly.
“Okay, so tell me why you want to marry her?”
“Because I love her. I’m in love with her. Sarah, Cass and AJ, they have my heart,” he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
And it kind of was.
“I know all that, man,” Sam said, rolling his eyes. “What I asked is why do you want to marry her? You can love her and the boys, without marrying her.”
“True,” he nodded, “but the thing is, I don’t want to. I want the piece of paper, Sam. I want the legal proof that I’m hers and she’s mine. I want to stand up in front of everybody and pledge my commitment to her and the kids.” He gave an almost sheepish laugh. “Hell, on a more practical note, if anything ever happens to me in the field I want her to get my Army pension and the pension I’m currently paying into for our… government work.”
Sam’s eyebrows were raised and he was about to say something about how those were some pretty good reasons, but Bucky barely paused for a breath before he started talking again.
“Shit, man, I don’t know,” he said, and he sounded a little frustrated. “I just want to take care of her and the boys, now and forever. I already feel like I’m a member of the family, and I already plan on sticking around until death makes us part, I guess I just want to make it official.”
Sam just stared at him a minute. The kind of unnerving and penetrating stare he hadn’t sent Bucky’s way since back in the bad old days when they were barely coworkers, let alone friends. And for a minute Bucky thought he’d somehow thrown all hope of a blessing from Sam out the window. (Not that that would stop him proposing, but it would sure make things a hell of a lot more unpleasant.)
But then a grin broke out on Sam’s face and he clapped Bucky on the shoulder.
“Well, hell, your cyborg brain sure didn’t malfunction that time.”
“Does that mean…” he trailed off, feeling a smile tug at his lips.
“Yeah, Buck, you’ve got my blessing ,” Sam confirmed, smirking, and the sigh Bucky let out was audible.
One Wilson down, one Wilson to go.
******
As nerve-racking as it had been, Bucky was glad he’d spoken to Sam the other day. Sure, it was kind of nice to take part in a tradition he remembered from a time he’d mostly forgotten. But, more than that, more than all that man of the house/head of the house bullshit, it was just nice to know that Sam — a guy who even if he hadn’t been Sarah’s brother, was still his closest friend — had his back and was okay with the idea of them marrying.
Now he just had to find out if Sarah was. Admittedly, he was nervous and his stomach was churning so much that he wondered if he was going to hurl for the first time since he’d been dosed with the serum, but still, he powered through. He could’ve been knocking on death’s door and it wouldn’t have stopped him from going through with his proposal, especially not when he had finally come up with the perfect plan after a week of brainstorming.
And with that in mind, he let himself into the Wilson home, a place he practically lived but didn’t officially, (mainly because his lease wasn’t up for about another six months since he’d foolishly signed a two year lease when he moved to Delacroix) and made his way through the house looking for his soon to be intended. If - when Sarah said yes though, he was going to pay the outrageous lease breaking fee, finally take her up on her offer, and move in like he’d wanted to two months ago.
“Hey, pretty girl,” he said, when he found her in the kitchen.
“Hey, pretty boy,” she shot back, tartly.
She liked to pretend she found all the nicknames silly, but they both knew she really got a kick out of them.
“Where is everybody?” He asked, feigning confusion, after leaning down to give her a quick peck on the cheek. “I thought we were gonna all tackle the yard today?”
“Me too.” She scoffed. “But when I came downstairs earlier Sam had left a note saying he took the boys into town for breakfast and then they were gonna run some errands.”
Thank you, Wilson, Bucky thought, but managed to keep a disapproving frown on his face.
“Guess it’s just us,” she continued. “At least you showed up and remembered to bring the bulbs.”
“I’ll always show up for you,” he said, fiercely, and then just about wanted to gag when he realized how cheesy he sounded, even if he did mean it.
The perplexed look on Sarah’s face didn’t help either.
“Duh. You’re like the most loyal person I’ve ever met,” she said, laughing lightly and bumping her shoulder against his. “Now, what kind of bulbs did you bring?”
“Begonia, Calla Lily, and Dahlias,” he answered, and sort of dangled the tote he was holding.
“Those are all my favorite Summer flowers, how’d you know?”
“A little birdie told me,” he replied, with a cheeky smile.
“Redwing?” She joked.
“Nah, your brother.”
“Boy, shut up and bring that bag outside,” she said, but she was grinning. “Since I didn’t have to make breakfast for anybody else but myself, I was already able to get an area cleared,” she continued, as he followed her out the back door and down the deck steps. “So we can get right to planting.”
Perfect.
“Sounds good to me, honey.” They both kneeled down in the dirt. “Wanna do the Begonias first?” He asked, and hoped he sounded more nonchalant than he thought he did.
“Sure.” Sarah shrugged. “Pass me one of the packages.”
He did, and when she had it in her hand she cocked an eyebrow at him.
“It’s already opened.” She frowned. “Who was working up there when you went? Was it Big Mike? He’s so touchy about his stock, always bragging about how his nursery produces the best flowers, I can’t believe he’d sell you an open pack.”
“He didn’t,” Bucky admitted, and was annoyed with himself for never considering that Sarah might wonder why the bag was already open.
“I opened it. I just wanted to see what bulbs look like,” he explained, rather lamely.
“You’ve never seen flower bulbs before?” Sarah asked, disbelief clear on her face.
“Not many places to plant a garden in Brooklyn,” he gave a shrug of his own, “even way back then. And I haven’t had much chance for any gardening since then either.”
“Right,” she said, somewhat doubtfully, but went back to focusing on the pack.
“Just dump it out,” Bucky suggested. He knew he sounded kind of impatient, but he was ready to get down to it.
Sarah’s eyebrows were up at her hairline because of his tone, but she did as he asked and turned the bag upside down. Six bulbs plopped down into the dirt, followed by one tasteful yet obviously expensive ( really expensive ) engagement ring.
Her eyes went wide and her gaze shifted from the ring to Bucky’s face and then back to the ring.
“James?” She said, a clear question in her voice as she grabbed the ring between her index finger and thumb.
“Sweetheart, I love you,” he said, grabbing her hand with his own. “You and the boys, you’re my family. I want to be with you all forever. I will be with you all forever, for as long as you’ll have me, with this ring or without it,” he promised. “But, boy, it sure would make me the happiest man on earth if you’d wear it — if you’d agree to be my wife.”
As a rule, Sarah didn’t cry. Oh, she’d get emotional and upset, and want to cry, but she’d shed enough tears over the years for her parents… and her husband… and then her brother when the blip got him, and she’d promised herself that she wouldn’t let anymore fall.
But damned if she didn’t feel herself tearing up now. However, for once, Sarah didn’t mind the stinging in her eyes because, for once, they were tears of joy.
“Will you let me help take care of you and Cass and AJ?” He asked, and plucked the ring out of her palm and hovered it over the tip of her ring finger. “Will you take my last name or, hell, let me take yours?” He slipped the ring on her finger, and took a deep breath. “Will you marry me, baby doll?”
“Yes,” she exclaimed, happily, and then grabbed his face and pulled him in for a kiss.
“Yeah?” Bucky asked, somewhat dazed. Sure, he’d thought she would say yes, but there had still been that tiny niggling bit of doubt.
“Yeah,” she giggled, and pushed his hair back from his forehead. “I want all that stuff too, but mostly I just want you. Forever.”
That was it. Not that Bucky had really been holding himself back or anything, but that was the end of any control he had over his emotions. The biggest brightest grin broke out on his face, and he wrapped his arms around her waist and hauled her against his chest.
“I’m gonna make you so happy, sweetheart.”
“James, you already do,” she said, and then leaned in and pressed her lips upon his once again.
And wouldn’t you know it, not one single flower got planted that morning.
The end.