Gold Rings ⚜️ Bucky Barnes X Reader

15: Happy Birthday Steve

--- JULY 4th 2017 ---

Bucky may not have been a fan of technology, but he was really wishing for some air conditioning right about now.

The summer heat had made its way into the valley of the village, finding a comfortable home among the sun-bleached rooves of the clay huts. Their architecture at least allowed for some cooling, catching the higher breeze and funneling it downward through small openings near the ceiling.

However, there is only so much cooling a breeze can do, especially when you have plans that require you to go outside.

Bucky was joining Songbird in gathering some ingredients around her farm and having a small celebration for 4th of July. It wouldn't be a big party, but it didn't have to be. Most years, Bucky and Steve would celebrate the occasion with a simple birthday cake and some fireworks going off around New York City.

Most years, they'd celebrate Steve's birthday together.

"Happy birthday, Steve." Bucky said to himself as he sat at the end of his bed looking at his hands. He hoped that, somewhere out there, his friend was able to hear him.

And with that, he started packing his things for Songbird's place.

---

"Hey there, Yankee!" Songbird called out from her field as she saw Bucky approaching. "Happy 4th of July, ya filthy animal!"

Bucky scrunched his eyebrows as he approached her simple wire fence.

"I don't think you're using that quote right."

"Is that not for 4th of July?"

"That's from Christmas movie. Not a 4th of July one. I don't even think they make 4th of July movies..." Bucky paused, trying to think of an example to disprove his own theory.

"Ah, well, I tried!" She shrugged, leaving the fence to carry her basket of eggs inside. Bucky followed her along the fence line, making his way to the front door of her house before going through the cabin to join her.

"So what ingredients do you have?"

"I got the sugar, flour, butter, and eggs set. Also some cream cheese for the frosting and berries for decoration. All that leaves is the milk."

Bucky's eyes slowly moved from the ingredients to the goats outside.

"... Oh you have got to be kidding me."

"Hey, I spent all of last night churning the butter! Least you can do is help watch some baby goats while I milk Miękki."

With that, Songbird turned to the small overhang she had made for the goats while Bucky turned to guiding the kids away from the shade and towards the tall grass waving in the summer's sunshine.

Tiny took to surveying the fence, doing hai best to perform a perimeter check with the proudest of trots. Tina was much harder to coax away from Songbird, but once she was by Bucky's side she refused to be anywhere else. All that left was Steve, who--

THUD.

THUD.

THUD.

... Had taken a passion for hitting Bucky in the shin over and over again.

Bucky couldn't help but laugh, picking up the kid to try and stop him from doing any more damage. "Just as stubborn as the real thing." He joked to himself, wrapping the kid in his arms and swaying him gently in a desperate effort to calm him down.

"All done!" Songbird called out to Bucky, but seeing his hands full, she couldn't help but smile. She took the bucket of milk to the kitchen before making her way back to Bucky.