Chapter 8
March 30th
Dear Steve,
First things first Steven Rogers. Just because the owner of a bar is gay does not make it a GAY Bar :p. I'm only kidding. I guess I thought it was more of an unknown thing but I guess not as unknown as I thought.
Which brings me to …I'm really sorry about taking forever to write you. There was an accident at my bar. I stayed close by in my old place just so I could be there for Fire Marshall, contractor, inspector, police, ect ect. Oh and can't forget the journalist who wanted to blow it into the possibility of a hate crime or some shit. (It wasn't. It was an electrical issue. Some old wires behind the stove made the thing catch fire and here we are.) It also didn't BURN DOWN like other articles say, I mean it's damaged don't get me wrong but fixable...hopefully without too much of a headache.
That's interesting your friends used to come here. I might remember them if you wanted to describe them. And I smile plenty! Just...not at work, or out running errands or... and I will at work if it means I can get a better tip. See I know how to use it. Though sometimes it's hard to read if the customer wants brooding, smiley, or just sarcastic asshole so I try to balance them out. Sometimes I read wrong.
Also am sorry about getting angry at you (silently) about not writing me back. You must've been busy at the ER you know saving lives...meanwhile I just ruin them or turn people into alcoholics who then ruin them. Sorry, sorry self deprecation. I'm just feeling a little...lost haha. Blame it on the fire if you will. Anyways I hope all is well with you and I'm patiently (impatiently) waiting for your letter back.
With much lack of sleep,
Bucky
P.S. OH and I forgot as soon as things calm down I will definitely do my part in establishing the year I'm in haha. As for yours I'm definitely going to need more and I think I might've missed the ones you put in your last letter because ...life. Maybe just shoot some for April or May?
Steve breathes out the biggest sigh of relief he's ever felt and he can feel his heart start to slow to a normal rhythm. He's okay. Bucky is okay and from the sounds of it his bar will be okay. He wonders only a little if he looked it up now and drove by if he will have confirmation on that thought but he shakes that from his mind. It has the potential to ruin things depending on what he knew. So he won't do it...for now. He quickly writes another letter this one in response to Bucky's. It's short since most of it was in his initial letter, basically he apologizes again, tells him he's glad he's okay, asks for details on the damage if Bucky wants to give them, and quickly looks on his phone for other historic events that happened in 2010. This time in April. He lets him know there's no rush on doing his part for proof of living in 2010, although maybe this was partly proof...or it would be if he looked it up. He describes his friends, best to his ability to see if Bucky would remember his old patrons but he does preface they probably didn't come as often as his other customers. And he lets Bucky know that he was indeed busy in the ER for the week he didn't write him, tells him about the layoffs and having to pick up shifts to make up for it. Let's him know luckily it's calmed down since. He ends it, trying not to be too sentimental but still asking him to write back when he can especially since he's currently not at the Lakehouse.
So it's a surprise to Steve when he decides to look at the place as a possibility to rent it out again a few days later that he finds the flag up again.
Hey Steve,
So turns out after being repeatedly told by many friends and an off the clock therapist (free of charge) now that I've been basically on call the past week...weeks worrying non stop about shit I should "find somewhere peaceful" and "relax" so I guess I'm back here though I can't say as permanently I'm still waiting on an estimate for repairs and other stuff but IM NOT GONNA WORRY ABOUT THAT :). Anyways I figured with my now free time I'll get to your thing. Bought a newspaper on the way here and a disposable camera also picked up a gallon of milk (and cereal) but that part of this mission will take a little bit of time. I'll get some magazines when I go out again, failed to pick up dog food so Jack won't be happy. Speaking of I probably didn't tell you about him! He was the dog that messed...well our walkway up. The damn thing wont let me out of his sight, but I'm grateful. I had to keep him at my friends while I was staying in town because my old place doesn't allow pets. I saw him when I can so it's nice to have him back for a little whille and here where we met...and well were we met sort of. Anyways I'm getting too sentimental and Jack is whining because I promised him I'd pick up food 20 minutes ago *sigh*. But I'll be sure to bury those things some time this week I'll leave you a map! It'll be like a treasure hunt.
As for your friends, they didn't come by too much but they were always pleasant. I remember one night I must've had a good night because I dared smile at one of them and they joked around with each other in hushed whispers, blushing. Think they thought I wasn't paying attention but I was. I'm glad things are calming down for you at work. I can't imagine the hassle. I'm anxiously waiting for further in the next few months to come so I can get more of your "historical facts".
May we have better futures,
Bucky
Later in the week and after a few letter exchanges one with a map in it, Bucky leaves Steve with a treasure hunt. The first one, the milk jug, he finds in the grass where he usually parks his car, and he's sure Bucky parks his. He brushes the dirt off and sure enough it's from 2010. Expiration for April 9th. The second are the magazines and Steve laughs at the choices and the nostalgia. One is a Men's Health with Paul Walker gracing the front (good choice), A people magazine with Dancing with the Stars and that lady that had a show with her and 8 kids, another People about Susan Boyle, Entertainment weekly about the very Oscars Steve told Bucky about, and for some reason a Puzzle book for the month of March. 2010 of course. The last thing he finds is a canister. It's right by the mailbox, matter of fact Steve noticed a strange patch of grass a few days prior but didn't think much of it. So he digs there, right on the spot Bucky says. And sure enough he pulls out a canister and inside the canister is a newspaper. He unwraps the newspaper and looks at the headline, his fingers graze over the date. He unfolds the newspaper and in the middle pops out a small envelope.
So here it is. The big reveal.
-Bucky
It says written across. Steve takes a minute, realizing this must be the picture...picture with the newspaper of course. He slowly opens the envelop and pulls it out, his eyes dont go to Bucky at first, he would say he was a little shy despite them not actually being in front of each other. He looks at the newspaper and it's the same one in front of him. He see's Bucky's finger point at the date and that's the first part he sees of the man he's been talking to for the last few months, the man he's grown fond of. His eyes finally gaze up further at the picture, talking it all in. From Bucky's finger, to his forarm, taking in his build. His chest, his neck, his face. His face, God his face. His friends weren't wrong Bucky was gorgeous. His jawline could cut glass and Steve would by lying if he said he didn't smooth his finger over it, his nose was cute and fit his face well and his eyes...well... there arent words to describe his blue eyes but not only was he gorgeous in an obvious way with his features but his smile. It was bright but soft and it made his eyes illuminate further. He could look in those eyes and see how thoughtful and kind he was and how full of love. His thumb moves over each feature he already cemented in his mind as if Bucky was in front of him, God he wanted him in front of him. He turns the photo around and can see Bucky wrote something on the back as well.
Sorry about the haircut. Usually wear it longer but the hairdresser messed it up so for now it's well that. I swear I look like I should go out with one Andrews Sisters. (That's a trio that most notably sang songs from the 40's) :). Anyways. Little unfair I don't get a picture of you but the sacrifices we make. </3
Steve laughs. He's a little intrigued what Bucky would look like with long hair but he's definitely enjoying the short right now. Although looking again he really does look like he could be from an old picture his grandpa had of when he was Steve's age, just add a cigarette to his mouth and an old Army uniform. Of course he knows about the Andrews Sisters. He'll have to write to Bucky about how one time his mom went to sing at a talent show for church when he was a kid and she sang that song with 2 other women. His mother, and the other woman, dressed exactly how the Andrew Sister dressed in the movie that made that song famous: Buck Privates. Steve wants to laugh at that name now but he remembers this night fondly despite being very young because he thought for that short amount of time he had traveled back to 1941. He begged and begged his mom to teach him how to do that, she just laughed and patted his head.
He takes the newspaper and picture under his arm, covers up the hole he just made from digging, and grabs his shovel. He throws the shovel in the trunk and heads toward the driver's seat where he places the newspaper on the passenger's side and pulls the picture back out. He looks at it again, unsure what to do with it. Should he keep it with his other stuff he collected? Post it to his dashboard? Keep it folded in his wallet? He sits there, trying to decide which option is least weird then thinks the glovebox. That will do for now. It's more meaningful than what might as well be trash but he's still not close enough to Bucky to be carrying it around with him at all times and in the glovebox it can be reserved for when that times comes, and no one will be able to find it.
Steve, satisfied with this decision, heads back home with hopes of returning in a few more days.