Moral of the Story

Chapter Thirteen

"Wait." There was silence on the other end of the phone while Nat processed the story. "You guys made up?"

"Yes, Nat. We made up," Y/N laughed.

"Never in a million years did I think- I mean, I thought, but the journey was so much longer in my head," the redhead rambled.

"I don't know," Y/N jumped in. "We had a good talk the day he came over for brunch. Which, believe me, my dad got a stern talking to for his little setup he planned."

"Love Thomas. What a guy," Nat pointed out.

"Turns out Bucky and I can have a civil conversation if we try, and well... Even though hearing the story again hurt, my ego finally took a side step, and I now understand what happened."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you. If you just heard him out, I was sure you guys would-"

"I know. I know. It's just- It's hard to want to think back on such a shitty situation in our life," Y/N cut her off, not ready for the same lecture she had received all these years. "Then you add in the shit he accused me of that same night... Now, I'm not saying it was right of him to make the accusations he did, but I was kind of in the wrong on that turn. He tried telling me multiple times that Reed made him uncomfortable, and every time, I brushed it off as Bucky trying to be the alpha male. Little did I know, he was actually insecure about the whole situation."

"Did he tell you that?"

"After our little makeup session, we got into detail about why everything unfolded the way it did, and he confessed with the distance he thought another guy who was sweet and always around would give me other thoughts. He said he knew deep down I would never do that, but after being together since freshman year of high school to freshman year of college, maybe I would want something different," she answered.

"Young insecurities. A normal thing," Nat nodded on the other end. "So does this mean you guys are besties now? I mean, I heard you call him Bucky, and I don't know the last time I heard that name come out of your mouth."

Y/N was sitting on the back porch swinging in the midday breeze and looking out to the swing that was attached to the tree in the backyard. Memories coming to the forefront of her mind.

________________

Senior Year

"Hey, Everest?" Bucky asked. He was leaning back on the giant root of the tree, book in hand, and watching her swing lightly as she read multiple pamphlets of different colleges.

It was close to the end of their first semester of senior year, and making the choice of their future colleges was around the corner. They weren't married or engaged yet, but they had discussed such ideas.

"Hmm?" She hummed, switching from one pamphlet to another.

"What happens if you do choose an out-of-state school?" he asked, forgetting the book in his hand that he'd read at least ten times now.

"What do you mean?" she asked, never looking away from the tri-folded papers.

He tilted his head, watching her, but he didn't answer. Honestly, he wasn't sure what he meant. He just knew he had been thinking a lot about what would happen if they did end up going to colleges far from each other.

Y/N could practically hear the gears turning in his brain and put the folded pamphlets in her lap.

"Buck, what're you thinking about?" she asked, sending him a soft, questioning look.

"Huh?" he asked, coming out of his thoughts. When he saw her worried eyes, he sent her a soft smile before standing, leaving the book on the ground, and moving in front of the swing. "Just tell me. What are your top choices for schools right now? At this very second." He placed his hands on both ropes on either side of the swing, leaning slightly over Y/N with a soft yet curious look on his face.