Winter's First Snow

Homecoming, Death of St. Jimmy

Steve sat on the floor next to the bed and pulled out the shoebox from under it. He smiled sadly at the little doodles and names written on the lid and the sides. He started putting pictures in there in highschool. Mostly polaroids of him and bucky and school pictures. But eventually he just put it away and forgot about it. Until now. He opened it slowly and looked at the picture on top. It was a senior portrait of Bucky. He was wearing his best suit and smiling so nicely. Steve remembered that day. He
remembered fixing Bucky's tie every five minutes because Bucky kept loosening it because it was hot. Steve shivered a little because he hadn't changed the thermostat because he couldn't afford the heat. steve picked up the box and cradled it to his chest with one arm while using his other
hand to grab the comforter off the bed. He slowly made his way into the livnig room and budled himself up on the couch. He picked up a handful of photos then set the box gently on the table. Flipping through so many memories brought tears to his eyes. He missed Bucky so much. Steve sighed and let his head hang forward. His tears dropping onto the photo of him and Bucky sitting in their empty apartment. Steve sniffled a little and grabbed a few more photos from the shoebox.
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The tapping came at one am. Which steve slept through. And then again at two. Which steve ignored. And then it was knocking at three. And banging at three thirty. Which Steve couldn't ignore nor sleep through. He got up and
grabbed a kitchen knife and walked over to the door. Should he even open it. He was contemplating it until he heard something. He felt like he was hearing a ghost. he could've sworn it sounded like Bucky. He sounded desperate. worried. It was so soft that Steve could have imagined it until he
heard a small rap against the door again and heard it clearly. "Steve please!" Steve quickly undid the locks and threw the door open. And just like a dream, Bucky stood there. His arms wrapped around himself. Snow stuck in his hair his clothes soaked. Steve put his hand over his mouth and started shaking his head. It couldn't be true. Bucky gave a weak smile and gathered steve into a hug. At that point steve started sobbing. it was such a shock to the system. Bucky ushered steve inside and closed the door behind him. Steve stepped away from Bucky and gave him a long look. Steve gave a cold laugh. "I told you not to do anything fucking stupid... God you're so fucking stupid." Steve shoved bucky and he stumbled and hit the door. Steve shook his head and stood on his tip toes and gave Bucky a tender kiss. "I love you, you know? And what do you do? Try and go get yourself killed..."
Steve halfheartedly punched Bucky in the chest and walked into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee for his soldier. Bucky smiled at steve and watched in silence as
he made the coffee. Buck sat down at the table and waited for his Stevie to be done. "I missed you Stevie..." Steve smiled and wiped his eyes that never seemed to stop watering... "Missed you too you idiot." Steve brought him his coffee and sat down next to him at the dining table. Steve looked at Bucky long and hard. Studying his face and his clothes. He still had his coat on.
"Buck arent you gonna take you coat off?" Bucky looked down at his arms where he was dressed in a coat and gloves. He shook his head. "No, I'm okay Stevie." Steve gave him a weird look. He knew something was up. The first thing Bucky did, was take off his damn coat. "Bucky, how bad could it be. honestly, im not a child i can handle some fucking battle scars." Bucky shook his head. "Steve this isn't a normal battle scar honey. Its different. way worse than that..." Steve look incredulous. He just wanted to know what bucky was hiding from him. "For gods sake buck just fucking show me it cant be that bad." Bucky shook his head
sighing. "Fine.." He mumbled something else along the lines of "Youll regret saying that" And stood up to take off his coat. He started with the glove on his right hand and then the left. Steve watched as the metal hand was revealed and took a sharp breath. Bucky paused and gave Steve a weird look before slowly taking his coat off and hanging it over the back of his chair. He sat back down and folded his hands in his lap. "Buck, I-" Steve shook his head and tentatively reached out to touch the metal arm.
Bucky reached out toward steve with his left hand and felt steve grab his hand. Steve made an odd squeek noise. "Jesus Buck." Steve looked a mix of amazed and
fearful. "I can understand if you dont want me here anymore steve." Steve looked up at bucky, offended, then gave him a sad smile. "Bucky I would never kick you out. I love you too much you dork." Bucky looked relieved and
then yawned. He hadn't slept right at all... Steve got up and dragged him by his metal arm into the bedroom, grabbing the comforter off the couch on their way. It wouldn't be so weird to sleep in the bed anymore. Even if Bucky's arm was cold and heavy and unnatural feeling. okay it was gonna be weird. But steve was gonna be able to get used to it. it was still his Bucky with or without the metal arm.