Next To Me // A Stucky Au

Chapter Twenty-Three

"So, how're you gonna get around on this tour thing?" Steve asked, after they had finished their afternoon with everyone. They lay on Bucky's  sofa, in his new house that he'd moved into about a week ago. Steve had his personal drawing pad out, not the one he used for commissions, and Bucky had his body spread across the couch and was half laying on Steve. He said he was on his phone, but he seemed to be staring at Steve more then he was looking at his phone.

"We've got this awesome, huge bus thin' for the cities that are closer to each other, but we're going by plane for the others," replied Bucky, putting his phone down and looking at Steve. Steve just nodded in reply and went back to his drawing.

It was a few minutes before anyone spoke again. "I'm gonna miss you," Steve said softly, and Bucky looked up.

"I'm gonna miss you to, Stevie doll. I'll Skype and call whenever I can, yeah?" Bucky replied, getting another nod off Steve, but a slightly more hesitant one now.

Steve leaned over to Bucky, putting down his sketch pad and kissing him full on the lips. Bucky was surprised, but after a few seconds he melted into it, lifting himself up to Steve and wrapping his arms around his waist. After a while they broke apart. "I'm gonna need a lot of them to make up for when you're gone." Steve said breathlessly, his voice shaking.

Bucky could see Steve's eye watering now, and reached over to cup Steve's face in his hand. He pulled Steve closer into a hug, and ran his hands down Steve's back. "Don't worry Steve, I'll be back before you know it." Bucky's voice shook slightly as he said this and he hoped Steve didn't notice. Bucky wasn't entirely sure if he was trying to convince Steve or himself at this point, because, although, in this moment in time, he was trying to be the stronger of the two, sometimes stronger isn't strong enough. "It's til the end of the line, remember, Steve." He said again, his voice trembling now and tears silently streaming down their faces.

"Til the end of the line," agreed Steve quietly, and they both pulled each other closer, afraid that the other would disappear at any second, leaving them with nothing, all alone. Bucky thought about it, and he didn't know what he'd do without Steve, or what he'd do if Steve had never come into his life.

After what seemed like an eternity, but still not long enough, Steve let go. Steve shuffled his way over to where his abandoned sketch book lay, and picked it up. Bucky watched in mild shock and curiosity as he started ripping out pages, about five all together. Steve then shuffled his way back over, pages in his hands.

"These are for you," Steve said quietly, handing over the paper to Bucky. Bucky turned them over, eager to see what they were.

They were sketches, sketches of him. They were amazing, and every little detail had been carefully drawn. The first one was one that Steve had probably sketched just now, of him lying on the sofa. There was one of him in his suit and tie at Clint's wedding, smiling happily at something someone had just said. There was one of him laughing, and, judging by the date on it, it was probably sketched while he talked to Peter's friends, Ned and MJ. Another was of him before they even got together. This one didn't seem to have any significant time or place, but it did have the caption, I can't seem to get this guy out of my head, written in Steve's small scrawl.

He got to the last one and gasped. It was him, again, but he remembered the day as clearly as Steve did, by the looks of it. It was him, sat on a bench in a secluded area of the park, where they had first kissed. This one was different from all the rest, because the rest were just in black and white. But this one, Steve had coloured the blossoms hanging in the background the prettiest pink.

"Steve, I don't know what to say," whispered Bucky, in awe.

"Then don't say anything," Steve whispered back, pulling Bucky in yet again for another kiss, a more desperate one this time. "Just make up for all the time you'll be gone," he said, a small smile forming on his face.

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The departure from the airport to go to montreal had been a sad one. Although they were meant to be happy, Bucky couldnt help but think how much he'd miss Steve, and he could tell Clint was thinking the same about Laura.

Peter couldn't come to say bye but they had all waved him off the day before. Steve and Laura, however, accompanied them all the way to the departure gate, as far as they could go. After a long goodbye, they headed onto the airplane, and they were all strangely quiet. No one had shed a tear, but Bucky couldn't help but feel like all the tears had already been cried, and there was no more needed.

After roughly five minutes sat on the plane, waiting to leave, the adrenaline started to set in, and the exitement. It was only a one and a half hour flight, but they were still in anticipation of lift off.

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The next day was the first concert. It was nothing like he'd ever experienced, more people then he ever could imagine. Steve had called him earlier that day, asking how the flight went and Bucky described it to him happily. He talked about the fancy hotel not far from where they were performing that they were staying in for the night. He recounted their talk with a small smile as he lay on his bed, looking up at the ceiling, exhausted but to awake with exhilaration to sleep.

Still, the realization of them being apart had not quite settled in.

A/n: heyyyyyyyyy idek this is kinda sweet but kinda depressing at the same time. It was fun. Sorry its kinda short, but also not sorry because I had a hell of a good time writing it. Hope I didn't break you to much (actually the I hope I did). Byyyyeeeee.