*narrator pov*
a couple of months later : Christmas Eve
In the past couple of months, you and Bucky had been living happily in your new apartment. You didn't leave much, except that you got a job as a bartender round the corner, and Bucky had his court-mandated therapy sessions. Other than that, you made yourself at home most of the time.
Now it was Christmas Eve, and you and Bucky had decided to invite some friends over for dinner.
You were currently finishing off decorating the tree.
"Wow. It looks great doll" Bucky hugged you from behind as you reached up to put a bauble on one of the higher branches.
"Doesn't it?" you smirked proudly. "I think it's almost done... we just need a star." You turned around to face him. "Please tell me you remembered to buy one on your way home this morning."
"I was meant to go shopping?"
"Bucky! No! What are we gonna do? We don't have a star for the tree and the others are gonna be here soon but the tree isn't finished and..."
"Y/n I was kidding! It's in a bag on the table" Bucky laughed.
"God I hate you."
"You love me."
"Yeah whatever" you sighed, but couldn't help grinning.
You walked over to the tree but couldn't reach the top.
You looked back at Bucky hopefully.
He shook his head happily and took the star off you, then placed it on the top of the tree.
"Perfect" you grinned. "Come on. We should probably start cooking. The others will be here soon."
Sam arrived as you were chopping vegetables.
Bucky opened the door for him and he stepped inside.
"Hey guys" Sam grinned.
"Hey Sam" you smiled, then spotted the bags he was holding. "Oh! Presents!"
You ran over to grab them, but Bucky stopped you.
"Let's wait until everyone is here" he suggested.
"Ugh! Fine" you groaned and went to put something in the oven.
Over the next hour, Tony, Pepper, Morgan, Clint, Bruce, Scott, and Rhodey arrived.
They all crammed into the tiny apartment, sitting on the floor as you didn't have enough chairs for everyone.
"You know we could've hosted" Tony said. "We have much more room. And furniture."
"No" you complained. "You would've made it into a full-on Christmas party and invite way too many people."
"What's wrong with that?"
"Many things. I just wanted to hang out with my friends and eat dinner and open presents."
There was a knock on the door.
"There's more people?!" Clint exclaimed.
"Get cosy everyone" Scott laughed.
"It's just Peter" you chuckled as you walked to the door. "He's small. Doesn't take up much space."
You opened the door.
"Hey Pete."
"Hey... everyone. Wow it's crowded in here."
"Okay one more person complains and you can all go home without food!"
Peter laughed and held your hand. You walked and sat down with the others on the floor.
"You don't have chairs?" Peter asked but he immediately regretted it when he saw you glaring at him. "No I'm not complaining!"
"Good" you nodded.
"But this is everyone, right?" Bruce wondered.
"Well I invited Wanda, but I haven't heard from her or even seen her since..." you trailed off, knowing everyone knew that you were going to say since Thanos.
"Yeah she was busy taking a town hostage. It's over now but she's been MIA since" Clint explained.
"Fair enough. She's been through a lot. Let her do her thing" you shrugged. "As long as she's okay."
After chatting for ten minutes, there was another knock at the door.
"Seriously? More guests? I thought you said everyone was here?" Tony asked.
"I thought they were" you said, visibly confused.
"I uh, invited someone" Bucky informed.
"Really, who?"
"It took time. But I tracked him down" Bucky headed for the door.
"Bucky, who?!"
He opened it.
"Your brother."
"Hey y/n" Thor grinned.
"Oh shit, Thor!"
You jumped up excitedly and ran across the room, stepping on several hands in the process. You took no notice as you embraced Thor in a large hug.
"I missed you" you smiled.
"I missed you too... is something burning?"
"Shit!"
You ran over to the oven and pulled out something so very black and crisp that it was difficult to tell what it was meant to be. You then checked on the vegetables, and found out they were ruined too.
You sighed and turned everything off, before turning to face the group.
"Pizza?" you embarrassingly suggested.
They collectively laughed, and Bucky picked up the phone.
The pizza arrived within half an hour.
When the pizza came to the door, you answered, and took the total of ten boxes from him.
"Thank you" you smiled.
"Have a good party..." he was about to leave when he noticed over your shoulder "shit you guys are the avengers."
"No they're not. Bye!" you slammed the door shut in his face. "Pizza!" you cried and put the boxes on the floor in the middle of the room.
You sat down on Bucky's lap on the mattress that was facing the TV, and helped yourself.
Between you, you managed to get through all the boxes, and still had room for dessert. You had bought a cake the day before, and you served a slice to everyone.
"Okay! Time for presents!" you declared when you finished.
You cleared away the boxes and put the plates in the sink.
Then you ran over to the tree and started to grab presents that the others had put under there.
Everyone took turns opening them, thanking each other for the gifts.
Eventually, you got round to Thor's gift.
You thanked him for the necklace he got you, but then he handed you another.
"You got me two? Thor, you shouldn't have" you exclaimed but didn't hesitate to rip it open.
"Technically this isn't from me" Thor sighed.
"What do you mean?" you asked as you dropped the wrapping paper on the floor.
It was a large ish purple velvet box.
You carefully removed the lid and you stared at disbelief at what was inside.
It was an Asgardian dagger. The blade was sharp and silver. The handle was gold, with a shiny green emerald in the middle. The letter 'L' was engraved on it. 'L' for Loki.
You looked up at Thor with tears in your eyes.
"Thank you" you said softly.
"Oh no, don't cry."
"I'm sorry. I can't help it. I love it, Thor."
"He always wanted you to have it. And when I found it I knew you should have it."
"Thank you so much."
"You're welcome. Just... don't use it."
"Don't make me" you joked.
You stood up and carried the box to set it aside carefully
You stared at it then sighed and turned around.
"Is that all the presents?" you asked, looking around at the wrapping paper that carpeted your floor.
"You have one more" Bucky said.
"From who?"
"Me."
"You? I thought we were doing our presents tomorrow."
"Yes but I want to give you this one now."
"O-okay."
"Come here" Bucky gestured you over.
You walked over to him and he stood up next to you.
He handed you the gift, and you unwrapped it.
Everyone was watching intently as you revealed the small black box. You opened it and saw two rings inside.
"Bucky... I-"
"Y/n..."
"I don't want to get married" you whispered.
"I know. That's why I'm not asking you."
"You're not?"
"No."
"Then what's this? And why are there two?"
"Y/n, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you and I never want to lose you. And so I bought us these rings, and if you want, we wear them as a promise to each other. I know it sounds like a marriage, but there is no commitment, except to each other. Nothing changes, except we wear these."
You stood staring at him, speechless.
"Y/n? Will you wear these rings with me?"
You took a slow, deep breath.
You opened your mouth to say something, but closed it again quickly.
Looking into his eyes, you nodded.
"Yeah?" Bucky questioned.
"Yeah" you grinned, then leaned forward to kiss him.
You wrapped your arms around him, accidentally dropping the rings on the floor.
Bucky bent down to pick them up.
"Get down on one knee!" Sam cried.
"What?" Bucky sighed.
"Yeah get down on one knee!" Scott joined in.
"Do it!"
"You've got to!"
"Get on one knee!"
Bucky looked at you, and you bit your lip hopefully.
He smiled softly and sighed, then lowered to his knee.
He held up the ring.
"Y/n, I love you" he slipped the ring on your finger and held your hand. "I promise you that will never change."
He stood up again, then handed you the other ring that was in the box. The one meant for him.
You took his hand and put it on his finger.
"I love you too baby. Always. I promise nothing will change. Well, except one thing."
"What thing?"
"My last name" you grinned, and hugged him tightly.
Bucky happily kissed your forehead and held you close.
Over his shoulder, you admired your ring behind his back.
"It's beautiful Bucky" you smiled.
You pulled out the hug and held his hand. Then you turned to face the others, grinning widely.
"So, what exactly are you now?" Tony wondered.
"In love" Bucky said.
"Right. I'm happy for you."
"So... you guys are basically married, just unofficially?" Sam wondered.
"I don't know. I guess so" you shrugged. "We're still boyfriend and girlfriend, but now we wear rings."
"Right. Why don't you just get married?" Pepper asked.
"I don't want to."
"If they get married, the metal arm man technically becomes a prince" Thor explained.
"Because y/n is a princess!" Morgan exclaimed.
"Technically yes... but also no. And weddings in general are too much and very unnecessary."
"So that was your alternative to a wedding" Clint pieced it together.
"Mhm" you nodded.
"Sounds complicated, but I think I got it" Clint said.
"Good. Cause I'm done explaining" you smiled. "You can all leave now."
"We can leave?" Tony questioned.
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Well you don't have to. But Bucky and I are going to celebrate, whether you are here or not."
"Okay we'll go" Tony decided.
"Good choice."
You said goodbye to everyone, hugging them one by one as they walked out the door. Thor was last.
"So what are your plans now?" you asked.
"I will probably go back out to space."
"When will I see you again?"
"Not sure."
"Okay... bye then" you frowned.
"Bye y/n."
"I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too."
Thor walked out, and you closed the door behind him.
You turned back to Bucky.
"We should probably clean up" he decided, gesturing at the mess left on the floor.
"Yeah we could. Or we could just... not" you suggested.
"Yeah okay."
You kicked everything off the mattress and dropped down onto it, and Bucky landed next to you.
