To The Bitter End (Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier x reader)

Chapter five

1971

'Cause baby, you are all that I adore

If love is what you need

A soldier I will be

Angel With A Shotgun by The Cab

"Good morning, soldier." Your eyes were still having trouble coming into focus after defrosting, but you didn't need to see his face to know it was Karpov. The fact that he only addressed Bucky and his unpleasant voice gave it all away.

Bucky's hand tightened around yours and you knew how badly he wanted to send his fist into the general's face. You wanted to as well, but it wasn't worth it. You were meant to follow orders, so that's what you did.

The mission briefing was short, and you were soon exiting the room, heading down the hall to gear up and collect weaponry.

"Bucky?"

"Can it wait?"

You could see the concentration etched on his face as he stared down the scope of his rifle, ballroom below was packed to the brim, so it would be difficult enough to shoot just one person in the throng.

But this couldn't wait. You might have second thoughts about saying it if you waited too long.

"Do you ever wonder what we're fighting for?"

He huffed in annoyance, setting his weapon down and turning to look at you. "No."

You waited for him to go on, knowing that he would.

"I don't know. I know I shouldn't, but at night I can't help but wonder what any of these people did wrong. Or if... if maybe we're the ones doing something wrong."

You hesitated before answering.

"I don't think it's us who are the bad guys," You started, choosing your words carefully. "They are, we're... I guess we're their weapons, they use us like tools, like we don't have meaning other than to do their dirty work. But... No one deserves to die, no matter what they've done or what they will do."

Bucky's eyes locked with yours, his ice blue meeting your e/c. But not with that dark glare he gave everyone else, this was the soft, kind look that he reserved only for you.

His rifle lay, forgotten, several feet away as you both looked deep into each other's eyes, finding in them deeper meanings... and feelings.

Only then did you realize he wasn't wearing his mask.

You barely noticed you'd been leaning forward until Bucky closed the distance between you, his soft lips meeting yours as his hands cupped your cheeks. You melted into it, trying to express every ounce of love you'd ever felt.

Several years of manifested feelings had been building up to this moment when you shared your first kiss on a dark rooftop, framed by moonlight in the most beautiful way possible.

When you finally broke away it was very reluctant, if you could have stayed there forever, you would have.

"How long?" Bucky asked softly, still with his forehead pressed to yours.