In All Our Years Series - 4 In 1 | Captain!Bucky, WinterSoldier!Steve | Stucky

1950

| 1952 |

The whole world believed that Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter had been in love; it was the tragic war love story that had done nothing to get sold, that had been forced, but everyone wanted. Something could came out of the horrors, and that meant life would go on.

So why would anyone assume Bucky and Peggy were together? No one. Precisely the way they wanted it. They didn't need the attention. But they left their New York apartment one day in some of their best with their hands folded together.

It wasn't like they were trying to hide it. They already lived together. They had kissed in the middle of a street when they had visited Hampstead, but no one had caught it. The last of Peggy's family and her friends knew about him. If Bucky had friends - other than the Howlies, but they obviously knew everything - they would know. If he spoke to his family, they would know.

Maybe that was the purpose of their day. Bucky wasn't sure. Peggy had a fit and had called Rebecca while she had Bucky pinned beneath her, while he was protesting the hand in his hair and the knee in his spine. Now they were trecking out to a cafe, and his back - as it was whenever he was on edge - felt tense and frozen.

It kept up when they walked up the street toward the cafe, fingers still entwined. Even when his heart melted at seeing his sister.

Becca had been a few weeks off, by the time he left. Pregnant, grieving her husband days after he had been blasted over in Germany, the condolence letter glued to her hand.

Peggy let him pull away when he needed to, when his hand tensed and his fingers straightened. Then he ran, and Becca saw him - like the madman he was, because what else would their reunion be? She jumped up from her seat - she was wearing trousers, atta girl! - and met him halfway. They barrelled into each other, a mess of limbs and words, and god, Bucky realized now how much he missed her. How much he missed everyone. How much of their lives he had missed out on.

When they finally pulled away from each other, Becca shoved his shoulders, tears glistening in her eyes and the corners of her mouth twitching. "You didn't came back when you got out!"

Bucky just pulled her back in, holding her as tightly as he could. He dug his chin into her shoulder. "I didn't want to be a burden."

She made an indignant sound into his jacket, pushing at him, and he let her go. She looked up at him with wide eyes. "Bucky." God, that was the first time someone that mattered had called him Bucky in so long. It was always James. Sergeant, then Captain, James B. Barnes. Sometimes Peggy called him Bucky, sometimes he was Jamie, but it just wasn't the same when it wasn't coming out of Steve's mouth. "You'd never be a burden. Ever."

He smiled, more politely than anything. He knew it didn't reach his eyes. "You should've seen me when I got out. That'd change your mind for sure."

She chose not to poke the bear. She grabbed his hand and pulled him along. "Come on, before everyone gets antsy and rushes you."

He looked over his shoulder at Peggy, who had come up behind him and was waiting patiently. She smiled brightly as she moved to follow, her lips a plum purple compared to the normal red or pink.

Next thing he knew, his little brother was throwing himself into his arms. Dominic wasn't very tall, compared to someone six foot, but he wasn't thin - he was mean and lean, lined with wear and tear.

"Goddamn, what happened to you?" He pushed him away, grabbing onto his neck to get a look at him. He had a jawline! "You were seven, you were supposed to stay seven!"

"You didn't stay seven," he shot back, lamely. His voice sounded like grating gravel, deep and masculine. "You turned twenty five and went to war."