It’s a crisp autumn, with the wind blowing through the bare trees and raising goosebumps on Bucky’s neck. He pushes his fists further into the pockets of his jacket to try and beat the chill and refrain from reaching out to touch Steve.
He didn’t know Stark, didn’t know Tony, they had a shaky past, but the man saved the world and it saddened Buck, knowing all that he had to leave behind, knowing how pained Steve was.
When Mrs. Potts? Stark? When Pepper finally laid Tony’s heart to rest, the sun flickering off the familiar metal, the crowd surrounding grouped off. Mournful faces were everywhere he looked and he bumped his shoulder with Sam’s, nudged his head in the direction of Colonel Rhodes, and with a slight smile and a roll of his eyes Sam took the hint.
Steve turned then and Bucky’s heart ached for him, ached for all the pain they still had to carry.
“Tony’s got a lot of kids, doesn’t he?” The hard topic had a soothing way about it. Sad that a father passed on, but the light of knowing good kids were there to grow in place.
Steve smiled, albeit a little brokenly, always that smidge optimistic.
“I don’t really know any of them. I think I’d…I think I’d like to change that.”
“From the way Pepper has been looking at you, I think she’ll be mad if you don’t.”
“How would you know what Pepper thinks?”
“I’m a super spy, Stevie. I’m trained in angry women.”
The soft chuckle Steve gave was far more warming then his jacket pockets could ever hope to be.
“Jerk.” “Punk.”
They smiled at each other for a moment before Bucky brought them back on task.
“Banner said he’s ready to return the stones whenever you are, but if you want to go talk to the kids, I’ll tell him it’ll be a while.”
“No, don’t. They seem to be centered around Hogan and I wouldn’t want to interrupt. Besides, there’ll be plenty of time after.”
And, here Bucky grinned, because time was always such a focal point in their lives, constant and short and unending and now it seems like they’d actually be able to have it, together, again. Things didn’t get more bittersweet than this, but there was still work to do.
Gesturing out with his flesh arm he said-
“Lead the way.”
And, just like where ever Steve went, Bucky followed.
Watching Steve step up onto the time travel platform with his flight suit a brilliant white against his tan skin, Bucky wants to swallow from how attractive he looks, but he’s afraid he’ll choke with the fear beginning to well up. He’s so nervous, but Steve looks calm and self-assured and it’s going to have to be enough for him, his expression already schooled to a fond neutral, he steps up too, getting into Steve’s space and wrapping him in a hug.
“Don’t take too long, short guy.”
Steve’s arms come up to wrap around Bucky in return and he gives an undignified snort.
“I’ll be back before you even get the chance to miss me.”
Bucky lifts away just enough to catch Steve’s eyes and say-
“I miss you every second you’re not around. Not missing you is not possible, never has been.”
Steve takes a measured breath then, Bucky can feel the steady rise and fall of his chest against his own, and licks his lips distractedly.
“Then you’re right. I better hurry.”
Bucky nods, and steps out of Steve’s space down and off the platform.
“You’ll learn one day, punk, I’m always right.”
Steve lets out another snort, a sort of suppressed laugh and gives Banner the go ahead to send him through.
“We should see him any second now.” Bruce reminds, and Bucky and Sam look to each other for reassurance.
The reassurance isn’t really necessary in the end though, because it’s all too quick before the machine is crackling up with light again and Steve’s large frame is uncurling from the slight crouch he must have traveled in.
He’s got a bag with him, too round to be anything other than the shield, and Bucky thinks he has an idea of what Steve has planned.
“The man out of time. How many times you been to the forties now? Three? A hundred? Aren’t you a hundred by now?”
And, it’s Sam’s easy snark that really makes everyone feel that little bit more at ease.
“Be nice to him, birdbrain. I think he’s got something for you.”
Sam looks at him with sort of disbelieving eyes, eyes that drift to Steve before turning back to Bucky, a question in them that Buck knows the answer too.
“It’s okay.”
It’s all he needs to say, because it is okay, the honor of Captain America isn’t his to take right now, he doesn’t want that and in the end, there really isn’t any one more fitting then Sam. Turns out it’s all Sam needs to hear.
Watching as Sam steps up to the platform, he stands where he is.
“I don’t know if I’m ready, man, you’ve left...quite the shoes to fill.”
And, Steve smiles, with all the wisdom he doesn’t have because he’s still that little shit from way back when.
“You not thinking you’re ready means that you absolutely are. I’m just a kid-”
“-from Brooklyn, yeah, yeah. So, is that for me?”
And, Steve laughs, lighter now than he was earlier and unzips the pack, the red and blue making Bucky’s heart seize before pounding just a little bit heavier purely on reflex.
“You’re the only person it could possibly belong too right now.”
And, it’s almost funny how after all of these long years, how being frozen in ice and being brainwashed respectively, have almost zero effect on how well he can fit inside Steve’s headspace.
Sam hugs Steve after being handed the shield, after putting it on and tightening the leather straps to hold it in place, after taking up the mantle of Captain America, after Steve smiles at him with so much pride and fondness in his eyes.
Sitting down on the leaf covered ground and resting his back on the platform, Bucky smiles when Sam steps off, his face stuck in a sort of sweet awe as he walks over to talk to Banner. The smile slips off when Sam doubles back before he gets there to ruffle at his hair, before smirking satisfied to himself and leaving with Bruce.
“Pain in the ass.”
“You’re no better.”
“You have no room to talk.”
Raising his hands in surrender Steve's moving down to sit next to Bucky.
Thunking his head down onto Steve’s shoulder he sighs dramatically.
“What would you say to retirement?”
“I’d say that as long as I’m with you, I don’t really care what happens next.”
There’s a comfortable silence as Bucky mulls that over, before deciding to voice his fears.
“I didn’t know if you’d come back.”
Steve is quiet for a beat, and then he’s shifting just enough to look down at him.
“How many times do I have to say I’m with you until the end of the line before you realize I’m in love with you?”
And, for a trained super soldier assassin, Bucky doesn’t possess the ability to stop the smile forming on his own face.
“Just one more.”
And, Steve grins in return and moves his hand to come around and cup the side of Bucky’s cheek.
“I’m with you, until the end of the line, because god Buck, there’s never been someone I love as much as I’ve always loved you.”
Moving together for their first kiss is as natural as breathing, and Bucky doesn’t really have time to worry about being out of practice, because Steve makes a soft little noise and when they break apart he’s got tears shining in his brilliant blue eyes.
It’s easy then, to cup Steve’s face back, to smile so bright, and even easier to say-
“I love you too.”