For the Love of the Game // Bucky Barnes

Oneshot - Going Pro

Bucky had been fidgeting all day.

If his knee wasn't bouncing, his fingers were making patterns on your leg or messing with the ends of your hair.

It made sense to you. It was draft day-the beginning of summer, just weeks after you'd both graduated. There had been scouts at just about every one of Bucky's games last year, all scoping out talent for the major leagues.

You weren't worried in the slightest. Bucky was the best pitcher in the nation, and you knew every coach was just aching to get their hands on him. Bucky knew it too. So while it made sense that he would be a little nervous, he shouldn't look like he was about to bolt out of his parent's living room.

"Bucky," you whispered, attempting to pry his sweaty hand from yours. He didn't budge. "What's got you so worked up, honey?"

He looked over at you in a daze. "What'd you say, baby?"

"I asked you what was wrong. You've been freaking out all afternoon."

You'd know that better than anyone. After over a year of dating, the signs that Bucky was losing it were clear as day. You hadn't seen him this panicked since you'd crashed your car in the snow last winter.

"I'm just nervous, you know? What if I don't get drafted? All this for nothing."

That was a lie.

His eyes were shifty and his thumb began running small circles onto your hand. Clear signs of a guilty conscience.

Plus, he was bragging just last week about all the coaches sending him emails.

You placed a hand on his cheek and turned his gaze to you. "You know you're going to make a team, Buck. That's not even a question."

"Yeah, but-" he paused, words evading him. The deep sigh from his chest sounded pained. "What if it's not the right team? What if you-"

"I'm going to set up the camera now, Bucky. Oh, I am just so proud of you! And I have your sister on facetime so she can see too and-George! Get down here, they're going to announce the draft in a few moments," Winnie rambled, cutting off her son's anxious spiel.

The league had asked each family to set up cameras during the draft reveal so they would have footage for the recap later. You insisted you didn't need to be in the video, but Winnie had almost clobbered you with a rolling pin when you did.

"You are a part of this family, y/n. You will sit on that couch with the rest of us and you will like it."

There was no way you were going to argue with Winnie Barnes wielding a rolling pin.

You brushed Bucky's hair back as his mom fretted about the room. The nervous smile he gave did little to reassure you. He was supposed to be happy today. All of his hard work was finally paying off.

"I'm so proud of you," you whispered. "And I love you."

He pressed a long kiss to the side of your head, his exhale displacing a few strands of your hair. If you had looked up, you would have seen his eyes squeezing shut, as if trying to commit the act to memory. He was acting more like he was being sent to war, and less like he was about to be offered a six-figure baseball contract.

Winnie finally got everything set up, and Bucky's dad joined the group a few moments later. With his whole family squeezed on the couch-Becca through a phone screen-the livestream flickered on the television.

There was a very long introduction, and an even longer list of players that came before Bucky. That was to be expected; the draft always saved the best picks for last. Unfortunately, the longer wait meant more time for your boyfriend to become anxious.