1941 {Bucky Barnes x OC}

17.

"Has Howie been going to work?" Lillian asks over the phone.

"Yes, he's in the midst of what he calls a 'HUGE breakthrough' so he's nearly sleeping at the office every night. If at all."

"Always a hard worker, our boy." She hums.

"Always." I agree. "Well Lil, I should go help Bucky with dinner." I tell her as I hear Bucky cutting something against the chopping board.

"Ahh can I speak with him?" She asks. "I'd like to catch up."

"Ya sure." I put the phone down and  go to the kitchen and see he is humming to the radio and twirling the knife between cutting vegetables up. "Hun, Lillian wants to chat with you."

He stops abruptly and nods. He puts the knife down and starts heading over to the phone. "Hey doll, can you check the mail?" He asks. "I think we were supposed to be getting an invitation in the mail to my sisters birthday. She's making a big deal out of it." He shrugs.

I nod and go to check the mail then when I come back again he is speaking in a hushed tone.

"I know." He says. "I will... Talk soon... bye..." then hanging up and heading back to the kitchen.

"Hey hun, there was no mail." I tell him as I come back to the kitchen.

"Ah, damn." He shakes his head. "Maybe we aren't invited." He jokes.

"What can I help with?" I offer.

"Nothing, I'm just throwing these in to boil for a little and then we can eat." He smiles.

I nod and see he's already set the table for us, he throws the vegetables in a pot and begins cleaning the mess he's made along the way.

"You'd make an excellent house wife you know." I tease as he passes me a glass of wine.

"Who says that's not my goal in life?" He quirks an eyebrow up. "I'll stay home with the kids, prepare dinner, clean up."

"Mmmm, that does sound like a pretty good life." I hum and imagine him with kids running around, showing him that as well.

"Anything with you sounds good to me." He smiles, he comes over and cups my jaw with wet hands and kisses me sweetly.

We eat dinner and go to the living room. Once I'm seated on the couch, he offers dessert. I nod and he goes to get us each a treat. He places a slice of cake for each of us on the table, then lighting the candle on the table.

"There's actually something..." he starts before getting cut off by rapping on the door. He hangs his head and groans as he goes to open it.

He opens it and I hear Peggy's voice. He lets her in and she comes to the living room. "You will not believe the audacity of the man I went out with today."  She tells us.

She begins telling us about the awful date she went on tonight. Bucky tries to seem like he's listening as he picks at the cake on his plate, seemingly disengaged in the conversation.

When she heads home for the evening, we head to bed. He wraps his left arm around my waist and I snuggle up to him. "I love you James. Always." I tell him.

His body relaxes at my words. "And I love you, Elizabeth Casey." He kisses me softly. His mind and body seemingly exhausted.

*****

The next day when I wake up he's humming and bringing in breakfast on a tray with a single sunflower.  "Good morning sunshine."

"Breakfast in bed? To what do I owe the pleasure?" I ask as I sit up.