THE FADING FALLEN ● Bucky Barnes X OC ● 18+ ● ENGLISH [COMPLETE]

Chapter 22

∼⋄∼⋄∼ ○❖○ ∽⋄∽⋄∽

Bucky couldn't believe his ears. Just like Steve, he immediately recognized what era the song was from at the first trumpet sounds.

Memories flooded the two friends. They looked at each other briefly and found themselves reminiscing about the past. The song catapulted them back to the bars and clubs of the early forties, when Bucky more or less had to persuade Steve to hang out with him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Emilia standing on the small stage, casually leaning one arm on the piano. Bucky didn't know if he was hallucinating. Her bare shoulders moved back and forth to the beat and she bobbed her head to the sounds.

One could think she was born for it and jumped out of time. At least, that's how he felt about Emilia standing on the stage in her dress and her shiny hair loosely pinned up at the nape of her neck.

His gaze caught something shimmering, which she brought to her lips.

"She won't... or is she?"

Steve could only hear the slight murmur beside him before Bucky fell silent and only her voice could be heard.

It seems to me, I've heard that song before

It's from an old familiar score

I know it well, that melody

It's funny how a theme recalls a favorite dream

A dream that brought you so close to me

I know each word, because I've heard that song before

The lyrics said, "Forevermore, forevermore's a memory"

Please have them play it again

And I'll remember just when
I heard that lovely song before

Emilia's voice filled the high hall. Some of the others were quite surprised. Those who had heard her sing before, not so much.

When Steve looked once again at his friend, he noticed an expression on his face, which at first he was unable to interpret. Slowly, however, it dawned on him.

Bucky was an outspoken and honest person, always had been. Especially towards women. On one of the many arranged double dates, Steve could see for himself how he treated them.

Courteous and flattering. A gentleman and hopeless romantic - even if he never admitted it and the women perceived him more as a kinky gigolo.

About a year before he was enlisted, in his rather drunken state, he revealed to Steve during a visit to a club that there would be only one true love.

It was a mindset the two friends shared from a young age.

Bucky didn't think it was fair to fool women when he didn't feel the same way about them as they did about him. Of course, he had some short and passionate affairs. But as soon as he realized they were going nowhere, he ended them.