Endgame alternative ending.
Bucky knew what Steve was going to do and even thought he was about to act like he was okay with it; he wasn't. But Barnes was whiling to go with him, without the Captain even knowing. The dark haired knew that his best friend only wanted to have the opportunity to have a life on his own time, the life he never had, the life he couldn't have because of the events everyone knows about.
"Don't do anything stupid 'til I get back" Said the blonde, making Bucky smile and remember that one time he said that to him.
"How can I?" He answered "You're taking all the stupid with you" A little smirk illuminated Steve's face, and it was never so bright before.
They hugged, it was longer than other times; One of them was thinking that he would never see his best friend and only companion again, the other one knowing that he was going to do more than that. Then they just broke the hug, Cap saying goodbye with his eyes.
"It's gonna be okay, Buck" The Captain says, Bucky just nodded and after a few seconds he talks, slowly.
"I'm gonna miss you, buddy" He whispers and Steve just keeps his gentle smile, then walks aways and picks up mjolnir, his shield and the suitcase with all the infinity stones. He walks up to the machine and after five seconds disappears, to not come back.
Steve Rogers was sitting on a chair while reading the newspaper and listening to a baseball game that was on the radio, some days passed since he went back to the past and so far he didn't have anything great with him, other than newspapers and boring games on the radio, it had become his routine and he was enjoying it just a little. A part of him didn't want to be there, he missed what he had in the future or what used to be his present, but mostly, he missed Bucky who was once part of his past too, but now he wasn't and that was being hard for him. Having to live in a different time as Bucky.
A nock on the door caught his attention, Steve wasn't expecting anybody to come and the fact that somebody was actually there surprised him. He stoop up leaving the newspaper aside just in the moment when the baseball game finished and some slow music started playing.
Steve opened the door without even asking and the person in front of him surprised him even more. Bucky had his hair short and his beard disappeared, his arm was still metallic, but what actually caught Rogers attention was the little and happy smile on his face.
"I think I owe you a dance" Bucky mentioned before walking into the house.
The smile on Barnes' face grew bigger the moment he noticed the slow music coming from the radio, that was just perfect for what he wanted to do. Call it fate, call it destiny, it was pretty perfect either way. It hadn't been so long since he last saw Steve but he still felt like it was too long, too damn long and so did Steve.
Rogers closed the door behind him, looking at his best friend with amusement on his eyes; he couldn't still believe what he was seeing, he never thought he would see him again and that was killing him, honestly, because in that exact moment, the Bucky from that timeline would be suffering in Hydra and he couldn't do anything about it and even when if it wasn't his Bucky, it felt so wrong.
"Buck, I-"
"Come on, Steve" Bucky whispered without letting him finish that sentence. He held Steve's hand trying to stay calmed, because he really wanted to hug him and kiss him, but he needed to dance with him before anything else. "We'll have all the time in the world to speak later, so get your pretty ass over here and dance with me"
It didn't take too long for the captain to put his arm around the soldier's waist and for his hand to squeeze the other one. The dark haired one put his hand on his friend's shoulder, trying to hold him close whilst dancing to the soft music and thinking about how lucky they both were.
"I was missing you so much" Bucky said, and it was true even when he knew they were going to find each other again.
"I know, Buck" the blonde one whispered on his ear "But we can now have the life we always wanted to have, we can be together... For life"
A little smile appeared on both faces and they held each other closer, moving their bodies at the rhythm of the melodies that filled the room with such a beautiful and calmed energy. They didn't need to say anything else, they knew what they felt for the other, the love that they could never have and now could, they were going to have a life together in their own time, grow old together, and they both knew and loved that.
"I love you, Bucky Barnes"
"I love you too, Steve Rogers"