Marvel One Shots

insecure bucky. *part 2*

steve stumbled out of the bathroom. "rogers, you alright?" tony slapped his back.
steve nodded, resisting the urge to look in the corner at bucky. bucky and that girl. he coughed, "yeah. i'm good."
peter tilted his head before asking, "could i talk to you a second?"
tony looked between them. "am i... missing something?"
peter shook his head, "no, no. i just need to talk to mr. rogers. you know, new yorker to new yorker?" that seemed to be enough for tony because he turned back to the conversation he had been having.
steve followed peter away from the crowd. he kept his eyes on peter because looking away would mean looking at bucky, and he couldn't do that. "what'd you need, pete?"
peter crossed his arms. though he acted like a little kid, he had the times where he was serious. "what happened to you and mr. barnes?"
"what are you talking about? nothing happened," steve bit the inside of his cheek.
"i know something did. mr. barnes looked upset before he went to the bathroom then you went in there after him. now he's kissing another girl, and you've definitely been crying."
"is it that obvious?" steve sighed.
peter shrugged. "i don't think anyone else noticed. but i did. so tell me."
"i, i don't really know. he just, he thinks i don't love him. it's my fault really. i didn't show him enough. and now it's too late. he thinks i want the old bucky."
"and do you? want the old bucky, i mean."
steve took this time to look at bucky. he was still in the corner, but the girl was gone. now he was just staring at the ground. he definitely wasn't the same bucky, but which one did he want more? "i miss the old bucky, yeah. i mean, that's the one i knew all my life. bucky used to be the most excited person, no matter what. bucky used to always cheer everyone up, always joking around. everyone loved him. that's who i always loved."
"it seems like you're expecting him to be the kid he used to be. things change, steve. he's been the world's best killer," steve flinched at peter's words, "for seventy years. he's a lot better than he was when we all fought, but i don't think he'll ever be completely the same."
steve looked away from bucky. "i know. i guess it's just hard. bucky was the one person i never expected to lose. i think i do want the old bucky back. of course i do. but i love this bucky. this bucky still makes me happier than anyone else does. this bucky still makes me feel safer than when i'm with anyone else. hell, at least this bucky isn't as over protective. and it's still HIM. so yeah, i do miss the old bucky. but i love this one just as much."
peter nudged steve's foot with his own. "then tell him that."
steve sighed. "he doesn't want to talk to me."
peter nodded to the corner where bucky was. "that's why he's staring at you like you're some kind of god? he doesn't even stare at the actual god like that," peter gestures toward thor.
steve chuckled, looking at bucky, who was in fact looking at him. bucky bit his lip, then dropped his gaze. he looked hurt, and it was all steve's fault. "i'm going. thanks, pete."
"anytime, mr. rogers."
steve stopped when he was half a foot away from bucky. "i need you to listen to me, buck. i don't care if you believe me or not, but i need to tell you this."
"steve.."
"no." he glared at bucky. "i LOVE you, buck. i am truly so in love with you. you're the one i love. you've ALWAYS been the one i love. i loved the old bucky, and i love THIS bucky. you're still my bucky. you're still the one person who makes me smile just by laughing. you're the one person who knows more about me than i know about myself. things have changed, but not my feelings. i still love you as much as i did then, if not more. and if you still want to break up, then i understand, but that doesn't change how i feel about you."
"you do love me? you're not just being nice?.." bucky raised his chin, then smirked. he was trying to look confident, like always.
steve grabbed his face. "i love you, james buchanan barnes. all of you." he laced his fingers with the metal ones.
bucky nuzzled in to steve's neck. "i'm sorry. you just looked so happy with them and i thought you'd be better without me. and i love you so much, but i was worried you didn't really love me and-"
"bucky, it's okay." steve rubbed circles into his back. "i'm sorry you even had to think that. i'll always make sure you know i love you."
bucky pulled away, kissing him lightly. he wrapped his arms around steve's waist with a small smile. "steve?"
"mhm?" steve smiled against bucky's jaw.
he heard bucky take a deep breath. he breathed out, "marry me, steve."
steve chuckled. "now?"
"now. tomorrow. in a week. i don't care when, just... marry me."
steve felt his heart stop. "you're serious?"
"of course i'm serious."
steve beamed. "i'll marry you. god. of course i'll marry you."