Bucky Barnes Oneshots

Soda and the Stars

1942
The cool New York night air made you shiver involuntarily. Your shift at Joe’s Diner had just ended and you were about halfway to your apartment, your arms wrapped around yourself as you tried to fight off that little chill you were getting.
It was dark out, the only light coming from a few streetlights that were put on the sidewalks sporadically. You sighed, looking up, wanting to see some stars, but you knew there wasn’t a chance of that. Not in this city.
You started to round the corner, still looking up. You were knocked out of your stargazing when you ran into someone. You stumbled backwards with an, ‘oomph!’
“I am so sorry, ma’am!” You looked at who you had run into.
A soldier dressed in his military uniform. He had the prettiest blue eyes you had seen in a long time. And those pretty little blues were filled with concern and apologies as he watched you carefully.
“Are you alright? I hope I didn’t hurt you,” he said. You smiled those red lips of yours politely, shaking your head lightly.
“I’m alright,” you chuckled. “It was my fault.”
“I should have been looking where I was going,” you both said simultaneously, causing you and the soldier to laugh.
When your chuckling had subsided, he extended his hand, giving a charming smile.
“The name’s Sergeant James Barnes,” he said. “You can call me Bucky.”
“(y/n) (y/l/n),” you replied, shaking his hand.
“Not to intrude, (y/n), but what’s a girl like you doing wandering the streets of Brooklyn at this time of night?”
“I work at the diner,” you said, pointing down the street you had just come down. “I just got off my shift.”
“Long shift?”
“A bit,” you shrugged with a chuckle.
“You’re not too tired to get a soda, are you? The least I could do after smashing into you like that is get you a pop,” he smiled.
“I’m not too tired, no,” you giggled. He took your arm in his, leading you back down to the diner.
Oh God. What would the girls think? You’re gone for five minutes and come back with a soldier in tow?
                        A cute one, at that…
There’d be a bit of teasing after this one.
He opened the door for you and followed you behind, guiding you to a seat at the counter. One of your friends, Marie, who was working tonight, watched you as you sat down, a smile forming on her face as she saw who you were with. She came down to where you were both sitting and grinned mischievously.
“What can I get you?” she asked, giving you a playful smile. You blushed and looked at the counter for a second.
“A Coke for me and this lovely lady,” Bucky smiled. Marie gave you another grin and went to get your sodas.
“A friend?” Bucky asked, eyeing you with a smirk. You nodded vigorously, your blush spreading further. He chuckled.
“Sorry if this is embarrassing,” he apologized. You waved it off.
“They only tease,” you laughed. “It doesn’t help that they’ve all been after me to get a man. Now they’re gonna think I got one,” you smiled even more.
He took his cap off and set it on the counter as Marie brought your sodas. You both thanked her and she slipped off to another waiting customer, but not before giving you a wink. You stuck your tongue out at her and immediately hid it, remembering that you were in company with someone. Your blush deepened as he laughed at your action.
“I don’t meet many girls like you,” he stated. “You’re quiet, but I hint that you’re a bit playful, am I right?”
“Only sometimes,” you grinned. “If provoked.”
“And how does one provoke your playful side, doll?” He leaned towards you a bit, taking a sip of soda. You also took a sip of your own, eyeing him.
“Depends on how charming you can really be, I guess,” you smiled. His blue eyes glittered.
“Well, sweetheart, whaddya say we go provoke that playful side?” he smiled, laying some money on the counter for your drinks. You got down from the stool you sat on, letting him lead you back out the door and down the sidewalk yet again.
“Well at least this time we can’t crash into each other,” he laughed. After a few seconds he looked down at you.
                        “Yes?” you asked, looking at him.
“Not to be too nosy, (y/n), but I noticed when I ran into you that you were looking up. If you don’t mind me asking, what were you looking at?”
You sighed, looking back up at the sky again. “I was trying to see the stars.”
“Aw, shoot, doll. You can’t see ‘em from down here. Come with me!” he said excitedly as he led you hurriedly down the street and to an apartment building. You two went in and climbed the stairs higher and higher until you went through a door that exposed the roof of the building. You could now see the stars more clearly.
“That’s much better,” he said contentedly, taking your hand and leading you to an inclined part of the roof. You both sat down and stared at the sky in silence for a little while.
“(Y/n), tell me about yourself,” he said quietly after a while, not removing his eyes from the glittering stars. You sighed.
“Not much to tell,” you shrugged. “I grew up with two brothers and a sister. I was the older of us two girls by a year, and both of my brothers older than me. Mom’s was a nurse until she got TB. She died a few years ago, and I had to get a job. Dad worked at the docks, but it didn’t pay all that well. So then after my sister, Emily, got married my dad didn’t need me to help support the family. So I bought an apartment with what I had saved, and here I am.”
He shook his head. “That doesn’t tell me anything,” he smiled. “Other than you care for your family. Which I respect… I want to know about you. What’s your favourite colour? Your favourite animal? Favourite song? Tell me about you.”
                        “I like dogs. I used to have a puppy when I was younger. Couldn’t keep it when the Depression came about. Had to give him up to a family who could afford him. His name was Alfie,” you breathed. “I like ‘Moonlight Serenade’ by Glenn Miller. I love springtime, even if it’s rainy. I love the rain. And my favourite colour, James Barnes, is blue. Blue like those pretty eyes of yours,” you finished, watching as his eyes turned towards yours. He nodded, looking at your hands absentmindedly.
“What about you, Sarge?” you smiled. He proceeded to tell you about his own preferences, his family, and his best friend, Steve.
“Steve Rogers?” you laughed. You knew the scrawny boy Bucky talked about. He smiled at you.
“Yeah, Steve Rogers,” he chuckled. “But how is it that you know Steve and I didn’t know you?” he asked.
“Like you said; I’m quiet,” you grinned. He shrugged in agreement.
Then you both were quiet for a while again. You listened to the city. To the wind blowing around you, making you shiver a bit again. Bucky noticed this and sat up, shrugging off his jacket and putting it around your shoulders. You smiled gratefully, pulling it to your body even closer. You could smell his cologne, it being more prominent now that you wore his jacket. And boy, did it smell heavenly.
“I get shipped out tomorrow,” he said, his eyes distant. You turned toward him, brow furrowing.
“Where to?”
“England. With the 107th,” he replied heavily. You took his hand, trying to give him comfort.
“Hopefully it goes well,” you smiled.
                        “(Y/n), I don’t want you to think that I bought you a soda and dragged you up on this roof just to have one more fling before I leave,” he said rather quickly. “In fact, if I weren’t being shipped out tomorrow, I’d ask you out on a proper date. Try to provoke your playful side more. Get to know you even better. You’re a real catch, (y/n). I only wish I could keep you,” he said sadly, looking at you. You felt a small lump in your throat as he finished, and you had to force yourself not to let any tears slip. You couldn’t let him see you cry. It’d be wrong.
“I could maybe wait for you…” you offered.
“You’ll do no such thing,” he said, shaking his head. “You need to find yourself someone that’ll be here for you. You don’t need the worry of if yours truly makes it home after this mess.”
“Then why’d you tell me all that? About you wanting to take me out?” Your voice quavered a bit and a small tear ran down your face. He wiped it away with his free hand.
“Because I want you to know you’re worth it. Don’t kid yourself. You’re beautiful, (y/n). Any guy would be lucky to have you. I’m only sorry it can’t be me.”
“B-But why can’t it be?” you asked, almost pleading.
“Like I said, doll; I don’t want you worrying over dumb old me.” He raised your hand to his lips as he kissed your knuckles gently. “But I’ll tell you what. If I get back in one piece, and you’re not hitched to some lucky man, then how about we go for a dance? I owe you that much after almost knocking you down.” He smiled. You couldn’t help but laugh, letting more tears go. He caught all of those, too.
“It was me who almost knocked you down and you know it,” you murmured.
   “Like I’m gonna let you take fault,” he scoffed playfully. Then his smile fell a bit. “I’m sorry I’ve made you feel like this, (y/n). But I gotta say, I’m happy that I spent the last night I’ll have in New York for a while like this. With you.”
“I’m glad I could be such a joy to you, Sergeant.” You smiled.
He stood up, helping you up as well. You both walked back down the stairs and to the street, where he proceeded to take you home.
When you arrived at your apartment building’s door, you stood on the second step, still holding his hand as he stood at the bottom of the steps, looking up at you with a bright smile.
“So this is where we part tonight,” he mused.
“Seems so.”
“Then, darling, I’ll let you to yourself for the remainder of the night.” He kissed your hand again.
And you just could not take it anymore. You hopped down the steps and your mouth crashed into his with gentle force. He was almost taken aback by this, but soon let himself into it.
And it was the best damn kiss you’d ever had…

                        But not all good things last, as was the case for this moment. You parted from him, a happy smile plastered on his face as you grinned in turn. You began to climb the stairs again, going inside your building. Bucky turned and started towards his own building. You poked your head out the door.
“Hey, Bucky!” you called. He turned, a grin still plastered on his face.
“Yeah, doll?”
“You come back for that dance, understand?” you smiled even more. “You owe me that much after almost knocking me over, after all.”
He laughed. “Of course, doll. Of course.”
And with that he left.
 
You went and watched him the next morning as he departed with his regiment. Tears ran down your face as he waved to you, his own eyes filling with tears. Then he was gone.
But as you turned to go back home, you had no idea that that was the last time you’d ever see him. That he’d be gone from you forever after that.