Leave This Town (Mechanic!Bucky AU)

Epilogue (End)

Two Years Later

Cruising down the small town's Main Street, you turned the steering wheel sharply and pulled into the auto shop's dusty lot before parking the '67 Chevy Impala out front. You jumped out of the driver's seat and headed straight for the main office, throwing the door open roughly before entering.

"Hey, DumDum. Where is he?" you asked, never slowing a step.

"Afternoon, Y/N," the mustachioed man replied, answering your question by hooking his thumb toward the garage.

Stepping into the cavernous garage, you searched for the long-haired brunet but grew impatient. "James Buchanan Barnes!" you shouted into the echoing space, then seeing a head pop up in between cars.

Bucky started to walk your way, wide smile upon his face as he wiped greasy hands on a rag. "Hey, doll. You look...amazing. Wow. What're you...wait..." he paused, face dropping when he saw your less-than-pleased expression, "what time is it?"

"45 minutes past the time when we should've been on the road, Buck," you answered him, arms crossed over your chest.

"Oh, man...I'm sorry, babe. I just got caught up and..."

"I know," you said with a resigned sigh. "It's fine, but you've gotta get cleaned up so we can go, alright?"

"Okay," he agreed, giving that sweet smile of his that got him out of just about anything these days. "You really do look incredible, though. Gonna be hard to keep my hands off you..."

"Don't you touch me with those greasy hands!" you warned him with a pointed finger, backing away.

Bucky smirked then, still approaching slowly. "What? I thought you liked me all sweaty and greasy."

You squealed then, dodging away from his outstretched hands. "Don't you dare! We can get plenty sweaty later, but right now I need you showered and dressed ASAP, you hear me?" you said as both a promise and a threat.

He straightened up with hands in surrender. "Alright, I'll get going. Can I have a kiss first?" he asked when he was only a few inches away.

You relented, ensuring that Bucky's hands were clasped tightly behind his back before offering a lingering kiss that under different circumstances would have definitely become more. He pecked one last kiss to your lips and then stepped back with a grin.

"You gonna be alright finishing up there, Pete?" Bucky asked, calling out into the space behind him.

To your surprise, Peter popped up from in between the cars where Bucky had been moments before. He was nearly 18, taller and even more of a string bean than he had been when you first met him. You suspected he would fill out his features in the next few years, though.

"Sure thing, Buck. Thanks for the help," Peter replied with ears tinged pink. You weren't sure if that was from what he overheard or if that was just his natural reaction to you ever since that first encounter years ago. "Hey, Mrs. Barnes."

"Hi, Peter," you replied with a smile. He always addressed you formally, even though you'd told him multiple times that he could call you by your first name. It was always Mrs. Barnes or Ma'am, but you preferred the former. You turned back to Bucky, who had gathered the last of his things and was ready to go. "Do you want to take the truck back?"

"Nah, I'll just ride with you," he replied as he followed you out through the office. You both said your goodbyes to Peter and DumDum before climbing back into the Impala with you behind the wheel.

________

Half an hour later, you were back on the road. Bucky looked dapper in his suit and dress shirt with no tie, damp hair brushing his shoulders as he turned the Impala onto the highway. He rested a hand on your knee as he drove with his left while evening sunlight filtered through the back window.