Take Me back to the Start | B. Barnes

34. Our Tomorrow

"Evelyn Farrell. Will you marry me?"

My jaw could meet the ground, that's how far my mouth is open in shock. I just stare at him and am completely taken aback, his words have stolen the oxygen that I breathe. My mind is empty and I can't even feel if my heart is still beating because I can't focus on anything else than his proposal. He actually did it, Bucky really proposed to me. It seems so unreal, like a dream that I don't know how to deal with. Is this much luck even real?

"A-are you sure?" I somehow find a way to speak, even though my voice is shaky and the words leave my lips crumbly. Goosebumps spread over my whole body, worn by my paralysis like a second skin.

"I am sure, I've never been so sure about something." He stands up, his enthusiasm still lasts although I haven't answered yet. "You almost died and it made me realize that I can't live without you, it assured me that I need you to live. And what I accidentally did yesterday is just a proof that I really want it. I had a whole day to think about it and couldn't help but be excited at this thought."

"But- but we're just dating for a couple months, it's not really long." I remind him, want him to rethink this. It's still possible that he'll change his mind and I just don't want him to regret anything.

"And?" Bucky laughs securely, not caring about this and he cups my face with his hands, looking deeply into my eyes. "I'm allowed to kiss you in public for a couple months. But I love you for nine years, Eve. Nine whole years. And the only thing that I regret is that I haven't told you sooner that I love you."

I'm still speechless and place my hands on his, holding them tightly. "I just don't want to disappoint you... What if you'll find something about me that you dislike?"

"Impossible." He confirms with confidence. "I know you. You always blush when you hear compliments although you deserve them. You bite on your lower lip when you're nervous or think about anything and you have no idea how much control you have over me with that." A little laugh escapes his lips. "You can't eat more than five apples because you'll feel sick afterwards. You're very ticklish. You scrunch up your face adorably in confusion when you don't understand something but that's a rare occasion. You prefer to sleep on the right side of the bed. Your favorite ice cream is chocolate and you love big places. Your nose is always slightly red in winter. And you're so caring about others that you sometimes forget yourself."

"Why do you know so many unimportant facts and details about me?" I ask and feel how my eyes are filled with tears but they don't leave their place. The way he talks about me is just so affecting that it makes me weak.

"Because I love you." He simply reasons with a sincere smile. "And I'll never leave you. You're stuck with me. Eve, I want this, I want you to be my future. I want to have a little daughter with you that I'd love to name Rosie, I want to give you the family you never had. So marry me and make me the happiest man alive."

I smile and try not to tear up by his words, it's so heart-warming that he even thought about names for children already. And his whole proposal fills me with happiness, making me laugh with joy and tears now. I can't believe what's happening right now, the love of my life really proposed to me. Bucky, who's always been there for me, the only one who can read what I feel and drove off my loneliness. My salvation.

"Rosie is a beautiful name." I smile brightly and put my arms around his neck, decreasing the distance between us.

"Wait, does this mean... " His eyes widen and dares me to answer his proposal. I laugh and can't prevent how my eyes tear up now.