"Morning milli moi." Bucky ignored the gorgeous red head leaning over the bedside. She gently tugged the duvet off and clambered on top of him. He tilted his head to kiss her lazily but she ducked out of the way giggling. "Oh no. Not until you've cleaned your teeth." He groaned and sat up, combing his fingers through his messy hair. He only succeeded in making it stick up even more. She laughed softly before running her own fingers through it, smoothing out the tufts before planting a kiss.
The smell of pancakes and waffles drifted in from the kitchen. He rubbed away the sleep from his eyes and caught the shirt she tossed his way. Her eyes sparkled happily and a happy smile lit up his face.
"You're my life."
Waffle houses were built and destroyed. Bucky threw several strawberries at her lopsided tower and brought it crashing down. This prompted her to scoop up a handful of berries and stuff them down his shirt. An all out waffle war broke out and ended in them both covered from head to toe in sticky syrup and whipped cream. She pecked his cheek and wrinkled her nose at the icing sugar that came off. He laughed and pulled her into his arms, covering them both in more sticky mess. He knew he'd be the one cleaning the kitchen later.
"You're beautiful."
She shrieked as he pushed her over the edge and landed in the water below with a huge splash. He laughed loudly before cannon balling in after her and sending a huge wave that almost submerged her again. She paddled over to him and gave a half hearted scowl. He merely grinned cheekily and stole a quick kiss, grabbing her hands and kicking back towards the shore.
They raced each other up again and this time she was the one that pushed him. He yelped in surprise and tipped over the side, arms flailing. The bright blue ocean lapped rhythmically at the base of the cliff as he squinted up towards the sun and watched her dive gracefully after him. He snorted salt water and started choking and spluttering. She banged his back and floated him towards the sandy beach.
"You're my hero."
Piano music drifted through the hot air. It was soft and sweet and resonated with the gentle breeze. Bucky peeked his head into the studio and let his eyes roam over the woman before him. She held herself delicately en pointe, her arms held out and her chin tilted up. He stepped inside and leant against the wall, his heart swelling with joy as she moved into a complex yet seamless routine. The mid day sun turned her hair a fiery shade of copper and she flew through the air with the elegance of a bird.
The sunlight warmed him and he found his head nodding along to the music, his eyes lazily following her every move as she brushed along the floor as delicately as a feather.
"You're graceful."
Dusk had settled and night was creeping in. The beach was alive with music and laughter. The two danced around a large open fire and swigged drinks from the amber coloured bottles. More people were talking and singing. Youngsters raced each other down the water line and a dark haired man ran the barbecue.
The music was lively and upbeat and Bucky watched as Natasha's skirt billowed up and out as he span her around. Her hair fell in long curls and she fit perfectly in his arms. Her smile was so bright and brilliant that he felt an unmistakable ache inside.
"You're my love."
Night was well and truly upon them. The beach was empty bar the couple curled up on a worn blanket. The only sounds were the waves against the shore and the wind through the dunes. Natasha lay snuggled into Bucky's side. His arms were around her, protective and warm. They lay side by side and watched the stars far above them. He kissed her gently and she sighed in content, the wedding band glinting beneath the moon.
She lifted her face up towards his and planted a kiss on his jaw. He smiled down at her wearily and watched the stars reflect in her peaceful eyes. "I love you." It was quiet. So quiet it could have been lost in the wind. He heard it though. Her eyes fluttered and sleep slowly drew her in. She was lulled by the warmth of his body and the hushed sounds of the sea.
He let a small tear escape as he held her close for a little while longer. He smiled tiredly as he slowly got up so as not to disturb her before picking her up in his arms and carrying her back towards the house.
"You're perfect."
A flurry of news headlines danced across the screen. The most prominent one was the black and white picture of a car, the front smashed into the tree and the metal bonnet crumpled from impact.
"You're so strong and I love you with everything I have."
The tape ended and Natasha felt the tears staining her cheeks. The wedding band, although feeling familiar, was still a foreign concept to her and she struggled with the idea of it. On her wall was taped a calendar, the date being 3rd July 2019. It had been two years. Two years and five months since her accident.
A knock at the door startled her and she span around to see the man from the video leaning against the door frame. He was wearing a matching band and seemed shy and nervous. The smell of pancakes and waffles drifted in from the kitchen.
"Morning milli moi." She stared at him in disbelief. "You had an accident a while ago which gave you amnesia. I met you two years ago just after you came out of hospital. I found out that you had short term memory loss and ever since then I've reintroduced myself to you every morning." He tried to hide his tears but she felt his pain. "We got married about a year ago and since then we've been living together." She noticed a photo of them on one side of the bed, the side which looked freshly made.
"So I guess you want to know who I am. Well, I'm your husband. My name is-"
"James." It fell off of her lips without a conscious thought but she saw him freeze up.
"I'm sorry?"
"James. Your name is James right?" She had a brief flash of a blonde at the local diner mocking him.
He grinned stupidly. "Yeah. Yeah my name's James. You're doing it Nat, you're doing it. The doctors said your memory might come back eventually and yesterday you remembered Steve's wedding." Another flash of the same blonde in a smart tuxedo.
She gave a hesitant smile as he reached out to take her hand.
"We're getting there, just one day at a time."
A/N inspired by 50 first dates.
