Bring Me Home // Bucky Barnes

Chapter XXXIX - Soldier On The Stairs

"Come on Buck, just put it on. She's organised a whole thing." Steve chuckled as he listened to Bucky huff and groan in the bathroom off of his room.

"I look ridiculous."

"As do I," Steve brushed down the old khaki jacket of his Dress uniform and sighed at memories left behind, "so get out here and look ridiculous with me."

As the door opened Steve grinned at his best friend, remembering the first time Bucky had stood in front of him in his uniform; his head held high, his chin jutting forward in mock confidence, telling him he had his orders. "Now that's a blast from the past Buck."

"I don't see how this is going to help Steve." Bucky groaned as he tried to fix his hat over the mess of hair he had tried and failed to tie back and Steve laughed loudly.

"Leave the hat Buck. You never really wore it much anyway." He took the hat and chucked it over to the bed. "Let's go find out how this helps."

*

Downstairs Elizabeth fussed over the final details, making sure the bar was stocked and Stark's technology was hidden away.

"Miss Halsted?" The gentle tones of the voice she had known as Jarvis floated around her as she sensed the calm aura of the man behind her.

"Vision?" She smiled softly as she turned around to face the newest creation of Stark and Banner.

"Mr Stark instructed me to inform you when Mr Barnes was on his way to you. I believe that would be now."

Elizabeth smiled as she turned to the stairs. He was grumbling, as she had predicted he would be, and Steve was smirking. Her mind flooded with memories and her heart pattered.

When he saw her he stopped moving. The crimson dress hugged against her skin and fell just below her knees. It was modest yet enticing, simple yet mesmerising. Her hair was pinned back and perfectly curled, a sea of dark ringlets that fell below her shoulders and framed the softness of her face. Her lips were striking red, cherries against porcelain, and when she smiled he could think of nothing but them. He felt the tug of homesickness and familiarity as he took in the sight of the most beautiful woman, standing in front of him in perfect forties style, and he raked his eyes over her with a possessiveness that sent her heart racing.

"Good evening Sergeant Barnes," she stepped forwards tentatively, a soft rose glow flaming beneath her cheeks. "The show is this way."

Slipping her hand into his Elizabeth revelled in the nostalgia of the moment: the uniform; the feeling of wonder and adoration that flooded her senses as he squeezed her hand and laughed at her excitement; the swell of music as a Stark took to the stage.

"Good evening all," Tony laughed into the microphone he now swung around as the crowd that had gathered in the large room cheered, "and welcome to tonight's, never to be repeated," he winked at Elizabeth as she grinned at him before turning to Bucky, "Stark Expo." As he spoke a collection of his newest suits rose up from the ground, illuminated by the lights built into the cases that they stood in and Bucky smiled a little.

His eyes wandered around the room as he felt her staring up at him, watching his every reaction, searching for a hint of recognition or recall. The whole team were there, surrounded by faces he didn't know, people he'd never met. Every single one of them were dressed in outfits that made him feel like he was home again, like time hadn't carried on moving while he was on ice, and his heart was full as he put together pieces of information that seemed to be falling into place. She had spent two days in Stark's office, two days on phone calls and in whispered conversations with people he hadn't heard of, two days of smiling at him from across the room and telling him to just be patient each time he had asked what she was doing and this was it. She had sourced decorations, outfits, servers, the band... He turned to her with wonder in his eyes and shook his head so slightly that she almost didn't see it.