An Unexpected Christmas

Final

Christmas morning came too fast. You woke up to Bucky watching you.

"If you were anyone else I'd be so creeped out right now," you mumbled, eyes closing.

"And because it's me all your dreams have come true," he replied.

You kicked his leg.

"Hey!"

"Shh."

"You kicked me!"

You cracked your eyes open. "We're best friends, Bucky, of course I'm gonna kick you."

Something like disappointment flickered across his face when you said "best friends". It was gone so fast that you were half convinced you'd imagined it, if it was lingering in his eyes. It made you wonder, if it was real, if there was a chance that, like you, he wanted to be more than friends.

You chose not to dwell on it right now. Tomorrow evening you'd be back home, and you would tell him. You could wait until then.

"This is the part where you kick me back," you said.

Bucky wrapped his arm around you and pulled you to his chest. "Next time."

You hummed, already starting to nod off.

"Hey," he whispered. "Merry Christmas."

You smiled. "Merry Christmas, Bucky."

---------------------

Peggy cornered you in your room after the gift giving was over.

"So you and Bucky?" She asked.

You nodded. "Me and Bucky."

"Engaged?"

"Engaged."

She studied you for a long moment. "Steve told me."

"Thank God, 'cause I was about to."

"That bad?"

"No, not at all!"

You peered at the closed door, watching the handle to make sure it didn't turn. Biting your lip, you turned back to her.

"You're in love with him," she said.

You nodded.

"Oh, no, and he doesn't love you, does he?"

"Honestly? I have no idea. Sometimes it seems like he might, but then it could just be him faking it."

"Have you asked him?"

"We'll be back home tomorrow evening, I'm going to then."

Peggy hugged you, a knowing look in her eyes. "Don't chicken out."

You gave a nervous laugh.

-----------------

You had packed your nicest outfit to wear today, and you ended up wearing a Christmas sweater instead. It had been a gift from Bucky's mom. She had stayed up late every night since you arrived knitting it for you for Christmas.

You had almost cried a little.

She beamed at you when she first saw you wearing it.

The day went by surprisingly fast. You supposed that's what happened when you're having a good time.

That night, you and Bucky were slowly making your way to your room.

"Guess it's over," he said quietly.

"Guess so," you replied.

You came to the door and went in. You started going for the dresser to pull out your pajamas, but you stopped when you noticed Bucky lingering in the doorway.

"What's--"

"I don't wanna break up."

You blinked. "What?"

"I was faking at first, but--" he stopped and ran a hand through his hair. "When we were at the tree ceremony, I saw the way the lights made your eyes shine, and then the way you looked at me when we fell in the snow the other day, and last night, when we were dancing, God, just holding you felt right, doll, and--"

You went up to him, grabbed his face and kissed him. His hands settled on your waist as you pulled back.

"I've been wanting to do that all week," you breathed.

Bucky gaped at you. "All week?"

"I was gonna tell you tomorrow, when we got home, in case it didn't work out."

"Oh."

"I like your timing better."

He grinned. "Yeah?"

You nodded. Something above you caught your eye. You looked up and grinned, nudging him. He looked.

"Mistletoe," you said. "You know what that means."

He looked back at you. "Don't mind if I do."

You laughed into the kiss.

The next year, you went back to see Bucky'sparents again. This time you weren'tpretending, and you had the ring to prove it.