First Love || Bucky Barnes

Chapter Seven: Bucky's Graduation

~June 14, 1935~

Grandpa Jack was bustling about in the kitchen making sandwiches for him and his granddaughter, Elizabeth, for lunch when the doorbell rang. He placed the knife down and walked over to the front door.

He opened it and smiled at the young boy in front of him who was dressed in a dress shirt and trousers.

"Hello, Steven." 

"H-hello, Grandpa Jack. May I come in?"

"Of course, you can Steve!" Grandpa Jack said as he stepped aside and let him away. "You know, you are always welcome here," he said as he closed the door behind him. "I-I know, sir." "Would you like a sandwich? I am making some for myself and Elizabeth for lunch." "I-I would love one, sir." Grandpa Jack clapped his hands, making Steve jump. "Excellent. I am almost finished," he said heading towards the kitchen.

He stopped by the doorway of the kitchen, "Oh, I completely forgot. Elizabeth is upstairs in her room." "T-thank you, sir," Steve said before heading upstairs towards Elizabeth's room. He stood in the doorway and his eyes widened at the mess in Elizabeth's room.

Just as he was about to knock, a blouse landed on his head. He took it off his head and carefully folded the blouse up. He heard a loud frustrated sound.

"Uh, L-Lizzie...are you okay?" 

Elizabeth stepped out of her closet. "Oh, hello, Steve," she said. She then looked around her bedroom, wincing at the mess she had made. "Uh, sorry about the mess, Steve." Steve shook his head as he placed the now folded blouse down on her dresser. "It's quite alright, Lizzie." He then peeked inside her closet. "Doing a bit of a spring cleaning?" 

Elizabeth let out a laugh, "I wish. I'm having trouble on deciding what to wear to Bucky's graduation today." Steve nodded before looking back at the closet, "May I?" "Go for it. The closet is all yours, Steve."

Steve stepped inside the closet and began shifting through the clothes one by one to help find a dress for Elizabeth to wear. He stopped on a hanger that had a white blouse on it. He took it off the hanger and searched for a skirt to go along with it. His eyes then fell on a blue ruffled skirt. He took that off the hanger as well and stepped out of the closet.

"How about this outfit?" He asked, holding it up to show Lizzie.

Elizabeth gave a big smile at Steve and gracefully took the clothes from him. "Oh, Steve, it's perfect! You always know what would be perfect for me." Steve blushed and darted his eyes to the floor. "N-no problem. B-besides, Bucky likes it when you wear blue. It's one of his favorite colors on you."

Now it was Elizabeth's turn to blush, "Really?" Steve nodded, "Even told me himself." Elizabeth let a soft giggle out. "Thank you for informing me of that, Steve." "You're welcome, Lizzie." The two childhood friends smiled at each other.

"Lizzie! Steve! Lunch is ready!"

"Ooh! I got to get ready!" Elizabeth exclaimed. 

"I will head downstairs then," said Steve as he left the bedroom and closed the door behind him to give Elizabeth her privacy. He headed downstairs and into the kitchen where Grandpa Jack was. He was already sitting down at the kitchen table, eating one of the sandwiches he had made.

Grandpa Jack looked over at the doorway where Steve was standing. "Come on in, Steven and grab yourself a sandwich." Without hesitating, Steve walked in and sat down next to Grandpa Jack. He grabbed himself a sandwich and took a bite out of it. 

"This is delicious, Grandpa Jack."

Grandpa Jack waved his hand at the boy, "Nonsense. My sandwich skills are nothing compared to Lizzie's." He straightened himself up, "That woman makes the best peanut butter sandwiches in the world." Steve chuckles at Grandpa Jack's statement.