I'm not entirely sure of exact months, so forgive me for not going into further research for that. I just wanted to basically get the years right. I haven't written fanfiction before. I just want to write something I would like to read, so let me know what you guys think! Thank you!
May 1943
"Hey, doll," Bucky whispered low in Ellie's ear.
Ellie gasped and dropped the plate she was holding into the sink. "Don't do that!" she gasped. "You know I hate being scared."
Evelyn Wyse and Bucky had been dating for a little over six months. She had met him at a local bar she frequented on the weekends called Fosters. They had talked for over two hours at the bar together and that was it; they were inseparable. Ellie had successfully stopped Bucky's playboy days without even trying. He was enamored with her the second she smiled at him through those long lashes with those bright green eyes.
"I'm sorry," he whispered again. Ellie melted at the warm tone of his voice. He was instantly forgiven and she turned in his arms to place her arms around his neck. He smiled his crooked smile down at her and slowly leaned down to kiss her. "You look more beautiful every time I see you."
She laughed, "That's just old run around Bucky talking."
He feigned hurt by placing his hand over his heart. "Me?! I'd never use that on you, doll." He reached quickly behind her to give her butt a squeeze. She slapped him lightly on the shoulder.
"Mr. Barnes if I didn't know any better I would think you're still into those ways." She slipped deftly from his grasp and started putting the dishes away that she had laid out to dry.
"Marry me, Ellie," he stated to her backside. He could see her tense up as she slowly set the tea cup she had in her hand down.
"You can't be serious," she said barely above a whisper and without turning around.
"I can't be serious?" he asked.
"We've only been together six months. I thought moving in was a big deal for us at so short a time and now this?"
"You don't have to say yes or no yet. I'm just showing my feelings. You make me the happiest man alive, Ellie, and I would be damned if I let that go."
She smiled at his words and turned around to face him. She fixed her gaze to look up at his through her eyelashes. "I will, but, on one condition," she said as she brought her finger up to his lips before he could celebrate her answer.
"Yes, anything," he said from around her finger.
"I get a puppy."
"That's it?" he asked skeptically.
"That's it. I've always wanted one and I figured now was a good a time as any to ask."
"Well, if I knew getting you to say yes would be this easy then I would have asked you a long time ago." He picked her up in his arms and swung her around the kitchen before placing her back on the floor and kissing her deeply. "You are going to make the happiest man."
"I thought you already were?" She was laughing happily with him. This was perfect and no one or anything was going to ruin this.
October 1943
Ellie looked at the sparkling ring on her finger closely. Bucky had just gotten it for her the month prior and she could not quit looking at it.
"If you keep staring at it that hard while we're outside you're going to blind yourself," Bucky laughed. He took her hand in his as they strolled through Central Park.
"I can't help it if it's beautiful."
"Hey guys!" a call came from behind. Steve was jogging towards them with a smile plastered across his face. Bucky placed his arm across Steve's shoulders as he drew closer.
"Hey! Did you call that girl we met last Saturday night?" Bucky asked him as he squeezed his shoulder.
Steve looked down guiltily before answering, "No…I don't think she was very taken with me."
"Lies!" Bucky cried. "She hung on to every word you said!"
Steve's cheeks turned a bright crimson.
"Bucky, leave him be. You know he's shy," Ellie said as she grabbed Bucky's hand from his shoulder and placed it back at his side. She drew Steve into a comforting hug before letting him go. "You'll find someone Steve," she smiled. "But only when you're ready." She shot a scathing glare in Bucky's direction, but he just shrugged his shoulders and gave her an innocent look.
"I was only helping out."
"Anyway, Steve, what are you up to today?" she asked, ignoring Bucky's comment.
"I was about to ask you the same. There is the Stark Expo tonight at Flushing Meadows and I was wondering if you guys would like to go?"
"You ship out tomorrow, Sergeant Barnes. Sound like something you would like to do?" Ellie asked him.
Thoughts of spending his last night with Ellie in his arms flashed through his head. He could always do that after the Expo, plus he wanted to be with his best friend on his last night.
"I don't see why not," he smiled.
"Excellent," said Steve. "I'll meet you guys there say, 7:30?"
"Sounds like a plan," Ellie said. She smiled and waved at him as he headed back the way he had come from.
"I'm going to miss that little guy," Bucky said with a hint of melancholy in his voice.
"Oh, not me then? I see." Ellie cast her eyes down in mock sadness. Bucky knew she was joking.
"You know it, baby doll."
That evening Flushing Meadows was lit up from corner to corner with promises of exhibits from the "future". Ellie was in awe as she clung to Bucky's arm and allowed herself to gawk at the exhibits. Bucky was in full uniform and looked as good as ever. Every now and then when she knew he wasn't looking she would gaze upon his face trying to remember every detail, from the quirk of his smile that brought up the corners of his mouth into a boyish grin to the sparkle in his deep blue eyes.
"Watcha looking at, miss?" Bucky had caught her staring off guard.
"Trying to remember everything about you."
"I'm coming back," he laughed, but she noticed the undertone in his voice. What if he didn't? She had tried to hide her fear from Bucky as best she could, but her façade was about to slip. She let a single tear drop from her left eye. Bucky caught her by the shoulders and pulled her into the dark space between two of the exhibits.
"Come on, Ellie," he pleaded desperately while wiping the tear with his thumb. He placed his hands on either side of her face as she let them freely fall now.
"I'm scared, Bucky."
"I am, too." He placed his hand behind her head and pulled her into his shoulder. He prayed she couldn't feel the hard beating of his heart as her head rested there. He needed to be strong for her and for himself. He felt her shoulders start to shake as she gave into the sobs. "Please don't cry."
"Bucky how can I help it?" she said as she lifted her head and spoke between sobs. "You're leaving tomorrow and you might not come back to me."
"Hey now, I have to come back. We have to get married remember?" He was grasping at straws here. He needed her to calm down or he was going to lose it, too, but the question only made her cry harder.
"We…should have…before you left."
He was hoping that by not marrying her before he left that it might keep him alive during the war. The world could not be so cruel as to kill a man before he can go home and marry the woman he loves, right? Suddenly, it all started feeling very real. He let his emotions get the better of him as he squeezed her harder tears pricked their way into his eyes.
"I'm sorry all of this had to be this way. I wish we were in simpler times."
Ellie calmed herself enough to look up at Bucky. "Maybe someday, soon, we'll have them."
"Of course…now let's go find Steve before he gets himself into trouble."
For the rest of the night, Bucky and Ellie tried to find comfort in each other and enjoying the grand scale of things at the Expo, while unsuccessfully keeping Steve out of the recruiting area. After warnings from Ellie about being arrested and Bucky threatening to throttle him, Steve felt it didn't hurt to try. Their evening at the Expo ended with leaving Steve at the entrance and the couple slowly walked home together.
"Promise me something, Ellie," Bucky said when they were finally home.
"Anything."
"If something were to happen to me-"
"Bucky, nothing-"
"Hear me out. If something were to happen to me please don't mourn my death for the rest of your life. I want you to find happiness and comfort from those around you and if that means meeting someone new, do it. Don't live your life alone because of me."
She looked down sadly again before slowly shaking her head. "I promise, Buck."
Bucky was quick to grab her up in his arms. "Now, let's make this night worth remembering. I need something to think about on those long nights at the front."
He scooped her up bridal style and carried her, laughing, into their bedroom.
