Till the End of the Line: Our Beginning | Stucky Fanfic

Chapter Seventeen

After this, we have the epilogue and then we're on to the next book!! Warning: This is unedited!! We'll be going through within the next few weeks and editing it all, but until then. . . Enjoy this angsty chapter, my friends!! ~ J xx

Chapter Seventeen

1945

The fire was blazing in the makeshift fire pit Gabe had dug out. It was freezing out, the snow falling around them delicately. The Commandos were huddled around the fire, exhausted from the day's work and shivering from the cold. Bucky sat opposite of Steve, hugging himself as he glared at the blond. "I don't know what you were thinking," he started calmly, shattering the peaceful silence around them.

Steve sighed and rubbed his hands over his face before they went back to hovering over the fire. "I did what I thought was right."

Bucky scoffed. "Steve, I've known you since you were six. I know when you get on your self-righteous trips and that wasn't one of them."

"It was instinct," Steve defended.

"It was stupid."

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"Um, how about not jumping off a building!" Bucky's voice grew with every syllable, his eyebrows raised, his eyes wide, and his lips pursed. "That would be the smartest option."

Steve rolled his eyes. "It was that or get shot. It made the most sense at the time! 'Sides, I'm perfectly fine!"

"But there's a chance you could have seriously hurt yourself, Steven."

"And there was a chance I could have survived. Which, if you didn't notice, I did."

Bucky pointed at Steve from across the fire, the flames lighting his face in an ominous tone as he leaned forward a little more. "You ever die, Rogers, and I will kill you three times over. Do you understand me?"

Steve couldn't help the fond smile that teased his lips. "Yes sir." He gave a small salute as Bucky rolled his eyes. "I will put serious consideration for your well being the next time a life or death situation occurs, okay?"

"Good. And if you do decide to do something stupid again, don't think I'll hesitate to kicking your ass into next week," Bucky declared with a pointed nod.

"Are we done, fellas?" Falsworth asked with a bored, yet amused expression.

Steve grinned at Bucky, the latter still pouting. "I think so."

An easy silence fell on the Commandos, eyes attracted to the flirting flames in front of them. Dugan plucked his cigarette box out of his pocket, passing it around the circle. Everyone but Steve grabbed one, lighting them on the fire and taking a long drag. "Cap, how come you don't smoke?"

Steve shrugged. "Never could. Just feels weird now. 'Sides, it probably doesn't have an affect on me anymore."

"Like alcohol?" Bucky asked, curious. Steve nodded with a shrug.

Morita cleared his throat, "But you don't, you know, care if we drink right?"

"No," Steve chuckled, "I really don't mind."

With that, Morita ventured off into his tent, returning with a bottle of liquor. A few minutes later, the rest of the Commandos were starting to loosen up (besides Bucky, who hadn't actually taken a sip when he was handed the bottle) and their conversations grew louder.

"You boys ever wonder what you'll do after all this is over?" Dugan asked, focused on his hat that he was twirling on his finger.

Gabe nodded. "I want to find a nice girl and have a couple of kids before it's too late." He turned to Dernier, who was speaking rapid French in a mumbled slur, the alcohol already taking effect. "He just wants to see his family again."