Most Definitely

The low soft music greets your ears as you walk in, as does the local chattering from the locals and the occasional hissing from the beer pumps behind the bar. The wood is crackling in the fireplace, taking away the bitter feeling from the cold and replacing it with warm and relaxation. Your eyes scan the room until they eventually land on the bulky muscled man sitting next to the fire with his hand in the air and a smile on his face.

“Over here doll!” He calls out, making you flustered under the stares of the other locals. You excuse yourself as you shimmy past some of the tight spaces and feeling relieved when you reach Bucky, greeting him with a hug.

“I hope this place is okay?” He chuckles nervously, pulling your seat out.

“This place is great! And you picked the best spot.” You grin, rubbing your hands together and hold them close to the fire.

“Yeah well, I had to beat a drunken old man to get here first.” He laughs lightly, “what do you want to drink?”

“I’ll have a whiskey! Let me grab my purse.” You reach into your bag when Bucky stops you.

“I’m buying.” He smiles, standing up and heading towards the bar. You take a moment to marvel at the atmosphere in the bar. It’s relaxing, the locals looked relaxed and you’re sure it’s because the lights are turned right down. The soft glow from the roaring fire and the candles doing the job it’s meant to.

Bucky returns to your table with two whiskeys and some snacks minutes later. From the times you’ve met him, he’s looked tired and a little stressed out. But tonight, he looks just like everyone else: relaxed and comfortable.

“Thank you!” You take the whiskey and slowly sip it, the liquid burning the back of your throat. “So how long are you in town?”

“A couple of weeks, a couple of months. I have no idea at this point.” He chuckles, chugging the drink down in one and your eyes widen. “Oh, the alcohol has no effect on me.” He clarifies, noticing your expression.

“I’m just impressed. If I did that I’d be on the floor.”

“And I’d be here to pick you up.” He winks, opening the bag of something you couldn’t read and sticking his gloved hand inside the packet. He offers you the packet and you do the same. It’s salty and crunchy, something your thirst won’t appreciate later.

“You’re so charming.” You grin, taking in his appearance. You’ve never seen a man look so good in a leather jacket before, until now. “Tell me about yourself.”

“What do you wanna know?” He asks, crunching the salty snack. “I’m not that interesting.”

“Oh come on, I beg to differ. You caught my interest. I wanna get to know you.”

Aesthetic:

Daisies

Lingerie

Stockings

Library

Friendship

Vintage black&white photos

A well-dressed man - suit, tie and watch

Opening Lines:

In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, he told me, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had. (The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald)

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. (Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen)

Wine/Cocktails:

A glass of chilled white by the seaside

A glass of red by the fireplace

An Old Fashioned in an oak-paneled, dimly lit bar

A cosmopolitan on girl's night

Sangria in a pitcher outside on a warm, sunny day

Mimosas and Bloody Marys at brunch

Broadway:

"It was like she was someone you'd always known

It was like you were holding the world when you held her

Like yours were the arms that the whole world was in"

Hadestown by Anais Mitchell

"Love doesn't discriminate

Between the sinners and the saints

It takes and it takes and it takes

And we keep loving anyway

We laugh and we cry and we break

And we make our mistakes"

Hamilton by Lin Manuel Miranda

"But he's never really there

So you want him even more

And you drown inside the eyes...

I could look at him forever"

Sunday In The Park With George by Stephen Sondheim

"I've been waiting, for a lifetime

For someone simply

To look and see me

The way that I see you"

“You mean: us?” You wonder, taking a sip of your drink and maintaining eye contact.

“Yeah, are you looking for a relationship with me or...?”

You shrug. You’ve never really thought about it. So far, he was great company and was turning out to be a reliable good friend.

“I don’t know, I’m just happy to be your friend for now, you know? Until you’ve figured stuff out and then we’ll see where we go from there.”

And Bucky agreed. He too didn’t want to rush into anything so drastic, he was still learning the ways of the world, learning how to use technology, how to order a coffee, how to brush his teeth. The easy tasks we often take for granted. A relationship would be out of the question right now, but that didn’t stop you and Bucky growing closer and him inviting you over to his apartment.

You were shocked when you walked into his apartment. It was almost empty, except for the single chair in the living room, a television and a scattered blanket on the floor. There were no pictures hanging on the wall, it didn’t feel like a home. It felt like a shell of a property and your heart plummeted in your chest. You wanted to help him, and you decided right there and then you would do just that.

***

It took a lot of work, it took a lot of saving but you finally did it. You finally transformed Bucky’s once empty looking apartment into a cozy welcoming home, a space he could come home to and relax.

To your advantage, Bucky was gone on a month long mission and he entrusted you with his spare set of keys to look after Alpine. You were nervous as you heard his heavy footsteps clamber up the stairs. You were worried this would be too much and he wouldn’t appreciate it. Maybe he liked things bare and minimum. Maybe he didn’t like it as a home because he didn’t feel deserving of it.

His keys jingled in the lock before it was pushed open and Bucky stepped in sighing as he threw his leather jacket over the coat rack and kicked off his heavy combat boots. Your heart was racing and your blood was pumping in your ears the second he turned around, his eyes bulging out of his sockets.

His living room that once had the single armchair, blanket and television was transformed with a large corner sofa that could be turned into a sofa bed, a plush rug with a glass coffee table in the middle. Book shelves the entire length of the wall with his television mounted on the wall in the middle of the book shelving to create a feature wall. You had installed some new wood effect blinds, cream curtains and hung some tasteful artistic pictures on the wall. There was also a cat climbing frame for alpine.

“Wha-what is all of this?!” He asks, looking around his new living room in complete awe.

“Do you like it? I wanted to do something nice for you and you deserve a cozy comfortable home to come home to.” You told him, wringing your hands nervously.

“I do, I love it very much! Thank you.” A sob breaks out and you rush over to pull him into a hug.

“It’s my pleasure, really! A thank you from me for being such a great friend.”

“Well anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask!” You bite your lip, Bucky notices. “Tell me.” He presses and you sigh.