HAPPY || b. barnes ✔️

022

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"It makes you feel happy like an old-time movie
I'll tell you about the magic, and it'll free your soul"

The Lovin' Spoonful,
Do You Believe in Magic

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T H E next time that Bucky Barnes saw Charlie Grant outside of work was that following Friday. He had been invited by Charlie to once again join her and Oliver for their pizza Friday's, and he was more than excited to attend the family event again.

While outside was cold with the November air, the inside of the house was warm with laughter and love.

Music was once again playing, but it was quieter than last time. It was more calm and peaceful this time around.

Oliver was sitting happily next to Bucky, with his legs swinging below the table. He was trying his best to help teach the infamous man to make a pizza.

"Put you can't leave the cheese like that, Bucky." Oliver said with a laugh. "You gotta spread it around town."

Charlie smiled from across the table, where she was stretching out the dough with her hands.

Bucky was having a hard time focusing on anything but her hands; as they worked at the dough. They were tiny and cute, but it was her fingers he especially paid attention to.

"Bucky, did you hear me?"

"Hm, what?" He snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at the little boy.

"I said you split sauce on your pants." Oliver laughed loudly.

Bucky felt his cheeks heat up and he grabbed a napkin to clean up the mess that was now on the floor. "Sorry."

"It's okay." Charlie said. She was working on making her own pizza at this point.

"Addie said yesterday that you guys are dating." Oliver said out of nowhere. Both Charlie and Bucky looked at each other before they looked at Oliver.

"Why would, why would she say that?" Charlie asked.

The little boy shrugged and sprinkled the last of his cheese on the pizza before he grabbed pepperoni. "She said it's because Bucky always comes to see you at work. But I didn't know that."

"Well Addie is an idiot." Charlie forced a laugh, averting her eyes to the pizza.

"You visit each other at work without me?" Oliver asked.

"Only sometimes."

"That's not fair. Bucky's my friend." Oliver crossed his arms in his seat. His eyes narrowed at his older sister.

"Hey, I'm friends with both of you."

Oliver then slid his pizza away and jumped off the table. "No! Why do you guys hang out without me? That's not fair."

"Oliver, sit down." Charlie told him.

"No! You're stupid, Charlie. I wish mom was here so I wouldn't be stuck with you. You're a stupid mom!" He yelled in anger. Then he ran out of the room and slammed his bedroom door.

Charlie swallowed the lump in her throat as she felt her heart begin to ache.

"Charlie, I'm sorry." Bucky said. He was immediately filled with guilt.

The eldest Grant sibling nodded slowly and went to take a deep breath, but instead broke out into tears.

Bucky moved from his chair and sat down at the one next to her, moving closer. His hand sat just below her shoulder blades. "Hey, it's okay."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She breathed out through tears.

"Don't be sorry." He whispered to her. His eyes were on her face, watching as she wiped away tears as fast as they came.

"I'm doing the best that I can. I try to make things happy like pizza Friday's and Saturday mornings I make him pancakes. I really try I just... I'm not our mom. It's not fair. He deserves a mother."

Bucky pulled her into a hug then, easily wrapping both his arms around her small frame. She was warm against him, and he felt like he could keep her there forever. But he felt bad for her and wanted to make her feel better.

"He's happy with you. He is." He tried to reassure her.

"But not as happy as he could be." She said. "And he deserves it."

"So do you, Charlie."

She pulled away from his comfort and looked up at him. Her eyes were red and brimming with tears. "He deserves it more, though. He lost so much."

Bucky shook his head. "So did you, Charlie. You lost just as much."

Then suddenly Charlie felt stupid. She was crying over what she and Oliver had lost, but it's nothing compared to what the man next to her had lost.

"I'm sorry." She shook her head and sat up. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be complaining about this to you."

"Hey, hey." He quieted her and took one of her small hands. "It's okay. We all have bad days."

She nodded ever so slowly and looked down at her hand. It was engulfed by his larger one, and her small fingers poked out just barely. She moved her hand then, threading their fingers together.

Then she leaned against his shoulder and closed her eyes. "Thank you, Bucky."

I called out of work and I'm hanging out with my sister who I haven't seen in WEEKS so my life is good