OneShots and OffCuts

There You'll Be

There You'll Be - Faith Hill

When Steve Rogers decided to remain in the past he told two people: James Bucky Barnes, and Lizzie. Now, his two closest friends are preparing to say their last goodbyes and the world is watching. Will they find comfort and strength in each other, or will the weight of their grief overwhelm them?

Content: SFW, grief, loss, some fluff

Word Count: 1966

Requested by @LizzieBarnes1917

***

Lizzie ran her hands over the midnight of the dress, straightening it, fixing it, making it just right. Her eyes roamed over the sunken eyes, shimmering with tears left unshed, and the dark circles that haunted the face that stared back at her, the face that grieved with her. She could hardly recognise herself as she took one final look in the mirror. Slowly she fixed the small pearl earrings, gifted to her by him for her birthday just passed, and she let her hair fall over her shoulders. She felt the weight of the world on her shoulders and the day was yet to begin.

She heard his footsteps behind her, entering the room quietly and her eyes flickered to the left, watching him in the reflection as he moved to stand behind her.

"You ready?" His head hung low and his eyes were tired.

She took him in. The suit he wore was not his and fit him poorly. He stood stooped and his head remained low, as if he were hiding his eyes to cover his pain. She knew that had he not just cut off the beautiful locks of waves that had been synonymous with Bucky Barnes for so long then he would be hiding behind them. With him behind her like that it dawned on her just how ridiculous their height disparity was. Both he and Steve loomed over her at over six foot and she, a tiny five foot two, had grown so used to having to work hard to look into both her best friends eyes. She turned to face him and reached up, straightening his tie as he shuffled his feet and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"You know, you look really dashing Bucky." She offered him a small smile as his eyes met hers and her chest ached. He was breaking. "Steve would have been impressed."

"Steve was an idiot." He huffed, gently moving an out of place piece of her hair from her face, his fingers lingering for a moment as he returned it to its place. "Anyway, it's not my suit."

"I know. It's Steve's."

"How did you - ?"

Lizzie shrugged as she moved around him and sat on the edge of the bed, moving quickly to slip on her heels before standing.

"The fit. You've always been more muscular than Steve."

Bucky watched as she moved around the space; putting tissues in her small bag, picking up the piece of paper that had been folded and unfolded one hundred times, switching off her phone and slipping it away. He was grateful she was distracted; grateful she had not seen the soft blush that had encroached as she spoke.

"Oh." He sighed as he ran a hand over his tired eyes and turned back to the mirror. "I must look ridiculous."

"No Bucky, you look handsome. Just a little..." She paused as she moved to his side, watching him watch her in the mirror. "Uncomfortable."

He sighed as he pulled her into a warm embrace, resting his chin on her head and pausing for a moment before they had to face the pain and the people.

"I don't think I can do this Lizzie." His voice cracked as she broke their embrace and slipped her hand into his. He looked down at their fingers intertwined and held his breath.