(this is gonna be very sad and it will also feature me so if either of those things bother you then don't read this)
My Dear, Max,
I have an important mission tomorrow, and I may not come back from it. So it's important to me that I get this written and sent to you now.
I love you, Max. I know you may not believe me, or you may hate me, or you may hope I die during this mission, but I love you. I'm sick of hiding from you and from everyone else. I still will hide from everyone else, but I can't hide from you any longer. I can't die knowing I never confessed to you. If you could find it in your heart to forgive me, I would be eternally grateful.
Yours truly,
Bucky
As I read the letter, my hand ended up covering my mouth from the shock.
At one point in reading it, I began to think it was a prank. Some sick joke he had come up with. I fondly remember the time he got paint on my new dress shoes when we were kids.
But then, as I read on, I realize that he's not joking around. He's being serious. Once I finish the letter, I drop all the other mail in my hands to write a response.
Dear Bucky,
I love you too. And I mean it. I always have. Even that time you got bright white paint on my new black dress shoes, and when you fell off your porch and landed on me, giving me a broken arm and a concussion.
I hate that we have to hide, but I have news. I applied to be in the war just after you left, and I got in. I've already gone through training. I just got a letter that told me I'm coming to the 107th. I'm leaving tonight. I hope to see you when I get there.
Best Regards,
Max
I just got the envelope ready, and I remembered the other mail. I look through it, and find nothing important. I go to my room and pack my things, including the letter from him and the letter I wrote. I plan to give it to him when I get there.
As I walk out the door and lock, I think of him and start my walk.
A few days later
The night after we got back from the Hydra base, Bucky and I are in our tent, and I pull the letter I wrote out of my bag.
"Hey, I, uh, got your letter."
"You did-?"
"Yeah. I wrote a letter in response, and I would've mailed it, but I figured this wouldn't take as long. So, here," I say, handing him the letter quickly.
He opens it and reads it over, then sets it down.
"You really feel that way?"
"Yes, I do. A lot. Do you?"
"Of course I do. I never would've sent that letter if I didn't. Or even wrote it, for that matter. I really do mean that, Max."
Once he finishes speaking, I finally realize how close our faces are. Mere inches away. I could just kiss him. As if reading my mind, he kisses me.
I deepen the kiss, pulling him closer and slipping my tongue in.
"Hey, Buck-" Steve says as he walks in. Seeing us kissing, he covers his eyes.
"Sorry, guys. Just wanted to let you know that we're leaving for New York in the morning, so you might wanna get a good night's sleep."
"Yeah, thanks. We were about to go to bed-"
"That didn't look like going to bed."
"Please, please don't tell anyone-"
"Don't worry, I'm not that kind of guy. Besides, with as many men in close quarters as there are in the army, it's probably not the strangest thing that's happened. Just don't be too vocal about it. I don't want you guys getting hurt."
"Thanks, man," Bucky says, smiling. "I really owe you one."
"Goodnight, Max. Goodnight, Buck."
~~~
The next night, we're somewhere in NYC, and Buck and I are sitting questionably close, but nobody questions it. We're all drunk, and a lot of us are lonely. Steve comes over and asks us if we wanna join his elite team of Hydra ass-kickers, and everyone says yes. But I pull Bucky aside for a private talk. We walk into the bathroom together and I lock the door.
"Are you sure we should do this?" I ask cautiously.
"Max, I get it. You're worried. I am too. But this is a war. It comes with a little danger. And this isn't some stranger asking us for help. It's Steve. Little Steve, who couldn't even put on his shoes without coughing."
"Don't guilt me with that. He's not little Steve anymore, he's big and beefy and he's got the girls all over him."
"Yeah, it's weird. Like I'm in his place now. I'm shorter and less strong... Max, don't look at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like that, with the glare you give me when you think I'm spouting nonsense."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Sarge."
"You're trying to change the subject by seducing me, aren't you?"
"Maybe. Is it working?"
"Yes," he smiles, kissing me deeply.
"Shh~! Someone'll catch us!"
"The door's locked."
"Bucky~! We're both drunk, we can't have you-know-what in the bathroom!" I whisper-shout.
"Well, if you think like that, we can't."
"Bucky... I'm tired."
"Alright. C'mon, let's go to bed." He unlocks the door and and leads me to our room.
"I love you," I whispered, kissing him.
"I love you too," he whispered back.
~~~
(timeskip to like. 60-70ish years in the future bc y'all know what's about to happen)
"He's alive?"
"No, I'm joking. Yes, he's alive! He never died in the first place. Hydra just abducted and brainwashed him."
"Oh, good, so it's not anything bad."
"You know what I mean."
"I feel like you have history."
"Oh, was that not obvious in the past two years, Natasha?"
"No, I mean you two and the soldier."
"His name is James."
"Right, sorry. You two and James."
"Well, what a detective you are."
"Don't be rude. I was just pointing out an observation."
"Do you wanna know just how well I knew him?"
"Max, we don't need to know about the time you two had sex on duty."
"Ew, no! That's private information, Steven."
"Well, it wasn't when you were telling us when you were drunk and we had to carry you back to camp, Maxwell."
"How dare you bring that up in front of the kids!"
"Woah, woah, woah. Let's not start a fight with everyone. Calm down, and let's figure out how we're going to stop this guy."
~~~
(years later, in the compound)
"No!" I scream, bolting upright in bed and gasping for air.
"Are you alright, Max?" Bucky asks, rubbing my back gently.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a n-"
"Nightmare?"
"Yeah... I'll be fine in a few hours. But for now, you could kiss me..."
"Okay," he says, smiling and kissing me softly.
"Oh, I missed this," I sigh.
