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hydrates) wrote in
bakerstreet2018-05-31 07:01 pm
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Entry tags:
Stolen Moments

the stolen moments meme.
Time spent with the person you care the most for is a precious, invaluable thing. Most people take it for granted, though, as they can be with their beloved as much as they'd like. But not you. You and the one you love are kept apart - be it by the people you know, the merit of what you are causing your relationship to be taboo, your true destiny and calling, or even something as relatively mundane as your job.
Today, though, you get a rare private moment with them. This is the first time in quite a while, and may be the last time in months, if not years. What do you do? Comfort each other? Hold each other tight? Have sex? Argue? The specifics are up to you; mix and match your canons, tag someone new to see how this stolen moment plays out.
HOW TO PLAY
★ Comment with your character and preferences. Feel free to either leave a blank comment or some brief info about your character and their situation(s).
★ Reply to others.
★ Be creative! Go out on limbs and try new things.
kylo ren { STAR WARS } ota
Ryo Asuka | Devilman Crybaby
Esther Moreau | OC | M/F
joan dority | oc | ota.
dick grayson | dc (rebirth) | ota.
Ignis Scientia | Final Fantasy XV | M/M
Yosuke Hanamura | Persona 4 | OTA
Keith | Voltron: Legendary Defender
Jyn Erso | Rogue One | OTA
Nico Acosta | OC | M/F
for metalfisting
No, she's nobody's idea of a good wife.
And yet he had come home yesterday wearing his olive-green uniform, cleaned and pressed by people other than her, and told her they were going to get married.
Her mother would kill her for this. Stephanie is Irish Catholic. She was supposed to have a proper church wedding, with her family in attendance, with her fiancé's family in attendance, with God in attendance. Instead she's standing in line at the courthouse at nine am with only Bucky at her side, wearing the cleanest, nicest clothes she could find, her heart thundering in her chest as she hides her sweaty palms in her sweater pockets. She's nervous, a little sick to her stomach, and she's not sure if it's just the idea of people staring at her and wondering what the hell a sickly asthmatic like her did to convince a man like Bucky to ask her to marry him, or if it's typical pre-wedding jitters. She's been sick for so much of her life, she never spent much time discussing her potential wedding with her mother. She doesn't know what to expect. She doesn't know how this is going to affect their friendship. (She doesn't know if he'll even return for their relationship to be affected.)
She clears her throat and lets herself lean closer to Bucky, jostling his elbow with her arm. ] You remembered to bring your ID, right?
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He huffs, a soft and exasperated sound akin to a laugh but devoid of real humor. ]
How many times you plan on asking me that between now and when they pronounce us?
[ He asks, a wry sort of amusement in his tone. To placate her, he slips an arm around her back and pulls her in close, acting for all the world like the soon-to-be-married couple they're supposed to be. Nobody cares, though- the courthouse is full of young couples looking to tie the knot before their partner goes off to war. It's a sad state of affairs, but the draft spares no love the heartache. ]
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[ According to the people she's spoken to, there's usually a 24-hour waiting period between filing for a marriage license and being allowed to actually get married, but it looks like, with all the other couples getting married as quickly as they possibly can before the war comes crashing home, that has been waived. It's the reason she's standing here with just Bucky and no one else, not even his parents or his sisters here to act as witness to their vows.
Oh god, their vows. She knows Bucky well enough to know that he doesn't put much stock in religion, but she does, if only to make her mother happy.
Yet another reason Sarah would be angry with this current situation.
But Sarah is dead, and Bucky is going off to war, and Stephanie is desperate not to lose every single part of him.
He drapes his arm over her shoulders and pulls her closer to his side, and normally she would resist a little, or at least roll her eyes and then wiggle away soon enough, but since she's playing the part of a doe-eyed fiancée (a part that comes to her far easier than she wants to admit to), she lets herself turn in towards him, tucking herself in close. ] I know what you're like.
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[ He asks, amused. It's a quiet mutter from the corner of is mouth while his eyes scan the other couples. The line shifts forward as another set disappear inside the door right before a prior pair leave, arm and arm, grinning for all the world to see.
They take a step forward in tandem. Some of the girls here wear wedding dresses, some of them wear factory uniforms, some wear diner uniforms like they've come from a lunch break just for this. Almost all the men wear dress browns.
He knows how Sarah would have felt about it, he does, which is why he chose what he did to stand in as a substitute ring. Maybe if there is a heaven after all she'll see it and grant him a little favor when he dies and heads for hell. ]
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She loves Bucky, she really does. He's her best and her oldest friend, and if she were ever honest with herself, she'd admit that perhaps she would have wanted more from him.
This is not quite the way she considered she'd go about getting it. ]
Reckless. [ She pulls one hand out of her pocket and slides her arm around his waist in return, figuring if she could get away with it at any time, this would be it. She wants to remember how he feels in this momenet, strong and healthy and alive. There's no guarantee she'll get to see him like this again.
She lifts her chin to grin up at him, hiding her nerves with a self-deprecating joke. ] You're marrying me, after all.
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And besides, there's going to come a moment where he has to kiss the bride. If that's the only one of those he gets from her he may as well savor the time leading up to it too, right? Another couple enters, another couple exits, and they're second in line behind a sobbing girl and her placating fiance. If they're going to be anything, he doesn't want them to be that.
He shifts, tilting them away from the sad view in front of them.]
Damn straight, Mrs. Barnes. [ He replies, amusement in his tone. ] It's a family trait, you're gonna have to adopt it if we're gonna make this marriage work.
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[ That's going to take some getting used to. Although, that being said, she's almost always reacted when she heard Bucky's name being called, just because she wanted to know what was going on with him, whether or not he'd gotten in trouble or if she needed to come up with an alibi quickly. Maybe it won't be so difficult, after all. This is just like a more adult version of one of them backing up the other in a lie on the playground.
Bucky turns them a little, giving the couple in front of them some privacy, and Stephanie appreciates the gesture. It's sweet of him, and it has the added benefit of allowing her to pretend that there's nothing sad coming at all. This is a perfectly normal day.
A perfectly normal day where she marries her best friend. ]
And I don't think our marriage could handle two reckless idiots. [ Which is too bad, since that's what it's getting. ] Luckily, I've got all the brains covered. You've got the stupid. [ She squeezes him around the waist to undercut her insult, letting her head lean affectionately against his shoulder and smiling up at him. ]
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The sobbing couple before them disappear into the courtroom, leaving the pair of them next in line. Suddenly, with the reality of it impending, he finds himself solemnly contemplating what's about to happen. His arm's still around her back, lips pressed into a gentle line, and he glances down at her. ]
You sure you're okay with this?
[ Because this, for once, had been his idea, and they've already established what he was in their dynamic. Stupid.
He's sure of it, though- it's one way he can guarantee her future in case he's not there to physically oversee it later. ]
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Even if she does to stupid things like agree to marry the man she's been more than a little in love with for half her life, knowing that he doesn't feel the same about her. ]
Sure I am. It's always been a girlhood dream of mine for a fella to come home one day and say "we're getting married tomorrow, where's your blue dress?" to me.
[ The thought of Bucky not returning from the war is enough to clench tight around her ribs, leaving her feeling like she's in the midst of one of her asthma attacks, unable to suck in enough air, feeling like she's drowning on land. He's been such a constant in her life for so long, the idea that he might not be around absolutely terrifies her. This marriage lark is probably incredibly foolish, but while she can lie to herself about a lot of things, she can't lie about this: the only thing she had of her da was his name. Like hell is she going to let Bucky go off and let himself be killed without getting at least that from him to keep.
She squeezes her thin arm around his waist again. ] You're such a romantic, Buck.
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Thank me later. [ Is his deadpan reply, because it's all he can think to say. The crying couple emerges from the room, and the door stays open before them, revealing their destination. A pristine and silent courtroom beckons them forward.
He shares a glance with her, a long and steady one, and then tugs her gently forward.
This is it. ]
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The door opens and the couple leaves, the bride — now wife, presumably — still sniffling and dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief as her fella escorts her out, and then there's no denying it: this is actually happening. She swallows sharply, forcing down the nerves that have sprung up in her throat, and meets Bucky's gaze as he looks down at her.
As usual when he's nervous or unsure of himself, he's utterly inscrutable. It would only serve to make her own nerves worse, but the arm he has about her is warm, and his eyes are gentle, and she's been placing herself in Bucky's capable hands for years now, what's the point in stopping now?
She steps into the courtroom, letting her arm fall from around his waist, and steels her nerves. ]
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We gather here today to celebrate and dedicate the joy and deep meaning of the union of- [ He pauses, looking down at the paperwork on his desk. ]- James and Stephanie. The essence of this covenant is the acceptance of each other as Lover, Companion and Friend. Will the couple please join hands and repeat after me?
[ Bucky shifts, sliding is arm out from behind Steph and wrapping warm hands around her thin, cold fingers. ]
I, James, receive you, Stephanie, as my partner and love beside me and apart from me, in laughter and in tears, in sickness and in health, in conflict and serenity, asking that you be no other than yourself. Loving what I know of you and trusting what I do not know in all the ways that life may bring..
[ He repeats the words line by line, and as he does so, he looks her straight in the eyes. Unflinching in his gaze, because unlike a lot of the catholic weddings he's gone to that spout on and on about god in their union, these words he actually means. He can stand behind them with honesty, and the sentiment carries through his tone. ]
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And yet, standing in front of the justice and the bored civil servant to act as their witness, with the warm sunlight splashing across her face and Bucky's hands strong and secure around her own, she can't think of a single improvement. (Well, maybe having their family here would be nice.)
His eyes are so blue in this light. She feels pinned by them, almost, the frank way he's staring down at her as he slowly and deliberately parrots the lines the judge is feeding him leaving her feeling like a butterfly on a display board, helpless and oh so exposed. If she didn't know any better, she might think he actually means his vows, based on the way he's watching her and the solemn weight he's giving each word that he says.
She shivers, and it has absolutely nothing to do with any kind of chill she might be feeling. ]
I, Stephanie, receive you, James, as my partner and love beside me and apart from me, in laughter and in tears, in sickness and in health, in conflict and serenity, asking that you be no other than yourself. Loving what I know of you and trusting what I do not know in all the ways that life may bring.
[ Her voice quavers a little at the beginning, but as she continues to speak, the stronger it becomes, and by the time she finishes, she matches him in tone and feeling, staring boldly up at him as she squeezes her thin fingers around his.
And then the judge asks them to present their rings, and a deep blush spreads across her face, her gaze shifting from bold to mortified. She doesn't have a ring to give him, it hadn't even occurred to her to find one, somehow. She sends Bucky a beseeching look, her lips rolled together, her hands clutching his tightly. ]
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He hadn't expected a ring from her, but fortunately he's prepared with something of his own. A hand slips from hers and into his pocket, and from it he pulls something that is decidedly not a ring. It's a small, thin, white scrap of fabric that appears to have been cut from something. A keen eye will pick up a distinct lacey pattern; it's a cutting from her mother's dress, taken from the sleeve. It hangs still in the closet of their home, one of the last pieces of her mother Stephanie carries with her. Maybe Steph will hate him for it, but he thinks Sarah would have appreciated being part of this ceremony in some small way.
Carefully, he wraps the fabric around her ring finger and ties it into a knot. It's the closest to a ring he can manage now. ]
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She recognizes that fabric. Part of her wants to scream at him for cutting up her mother's dress, but it's a small part. Sarah was taller than her daughter, and more full-figured, too, a lifetime without chronic illness giving her a healthy shape that she didn't lose until she contracted tuberculosis herself and wasted away in her bed. The dress hanging in their closet would never fit Stephanie, not without significant alterations. That Bucky trimmed a piece off isn't the end of the world, and she can even appreciate the sentiment, a little. ]
Bucky... [ Her voice is barely above a breath, shaky and emotional despite her best efforts, but she holds her hand steady and lets him tie the fabric around her finger.
The judge, either so inured to the routine of weddings that nothing at all could surprise him, or so used to seeing the poverty that runs rampant through this neighborhood, says nothing about their strange arrangement. Clearing his throat, he drones on in a monotone, apparently not even bothering to alter the wording of his script to account for their only having one ring and not two. ]
Your rings by their very shape are symbols of eternal unity without beginning or end. They are the emblem of the love that exists between you and characterize your devotion to one another. Let them always remind you of the commitments you make today.
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He barely hears the words their civil servant asks him to repeat, feels like he's speaking them of his own accord as he says: ]
With this ring I promise to grow with you, to build our love, to speak openly and honestly to listen to you, and to love and cherish you for all the days ahead. From this day forward you shall not walk alone. My heart will be your shelter and my arms will be your home. With this ring, I thee wed.
[ And with every word their judge says, Bucky's heart beats a little faster, because he knows what's coming up.
Now you will feel no rain, For each of you will be shelter for the other. Now you will feel no cold, For each of you will be warmth for the other. Now there is no loneliness for you, Now you are two persons but there is only one life before you.
You may kiss the bride.
And he does. He ducks in slowly but with purpose, hands still wrapped around hers, moving before he can think to talk himself out of it. Moving so that he doesn't get frozen in place an inch from her, moving faster than he'd have done it if it were just the two of them, but it happens nonetheless. His lips touch hers.
His heart beats twice, slow motion. He lingers. ]
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She thinks she repeats what the judge prompts her to, but it's all a blur at this point. She knows what's coming, and she can't focus on anything else.
And sure enough, come it does.
She knows what Bucky looks like when he kisses someone. She's seen it countless times, usually in the dark of a dancehall or at the base of the steps when he's walking some girl home. The way his lips quirk, the way his eyes drift closed, the way his head tilts as he leans in with confidence, the easy was the dames he's charming melt against him. Stephanie had always wanted to shake those girls. Didn't they know, didn't they understand, they weren't special at all. Bucky could have had his pick of any girl in Brooklyn, and hardly ever took a girl out more than a handful of times before moving on to someone new. They weren't special at all. Swooning in his arms didn't make him want to stay with them, it just made them look weak and easily duped by a charming smile and a winsome word.
With Bucky leaning in to kiss her, Stephanie can finally understand how those girls felt.
She wants to fling her arms around his neck and wilt against his chest like any of the other dames he's put the moves on, letting out a breathy sigh against his lips and pretending not to notice the way his hand might migrate down to her backside, but their audience stops her from even entertaining the thought for too long. (It's a nice thought, though.) Instead, she clutches her fingers around his and tries to commit this moment to memory, leaning in closer to him, feeling the warm wash of his breath caressing her cheek, a tiny patch of stubble he missed shaving beneath his lip tickling her chin, the warm, slightly-dry press of his lips to hers.
She should probably pull away. She doesn't. ]
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Delirious with rushing hormones and hope he surges forward a bit more, something desperately intentional. Presses in with urgency, and flicks just the tip of his tongue along her lower lip. Catches it with his teeth.
And around that time the judge behind them, wholly sick of this shit because they're about the four hundredth couple to do it, pointedly clears his throat to disturb the moment.
He jerks back as though slapped, flicking wild eyes toward the officiator and then back to her, something dark in the intensity of his look. ]
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She's aware of it, dimly, somewhere in the back of her mind, but right now her focus is entirely on the man in front of her, his huge hands enveloping hers, his lips coaxing and soft against hers, the unexpected jolt of his tongue touching her lip. His tongue, followed by his teeth catching on her lower lip when she gasps. Heat surges in her, unexpected and overwhelming, and she just starts to press closer when the judge makes a noise behind them and Bucky leaps back like he's been electrocuted.
The hot blush that suffuses her face couldn't be stopped even if she tried, and suddenly, she can't quite meet Bucky's eyes, ducking her head a little and touching the tip of her tongue to where his teeth had been.
They're asked to sign their marriage license, the slip of paper that will make all of this legal and concrete, And Stephanie can only be grateful that her hand doesn't shake as she takes the pen and carefully inscribes her full name on the space provided. Her maiden name, still — and oh, isn't that a weird feeling, having a maiden name now — as she needs the license to legally change her name to Barnes, although that can also apparently be done in the same building. She hands the pen to Bucky, finally daring to look up at him again, her heart in her throat.
This is real, now. ]
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But Bucky lets himself believe, for a while. Lets the surge of endorphins overtake him, lets himself get lost in the act. He pulls her from room to hall by the hand, never really letting it go for more than a minute at a time.
They change her name, they change their status, they change their lives, and he leads her out of the courthouse with a grin. They pass lines of unmarrieds waiting, people who shoot them fond looks and grip their fiances tighter hoping to look as happy as he does by the time they're through.
He whirls on her when their feet hits sidewalk. ]
We got one night, one honeymoon. What say we hit the town, huh? Go around to all the bars, tell 'em we just got hitched, rake in some free drinks while we got the chance?
[ Let him show off his new wife to every place he ever frequented, because this will be the only night he has to pretend it's real. ]
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Part of her thinks she should keep herself in check, keep her reactions muted, keep a level head on her shoulders. But then Bucky's hand squeezes hers and he turns that infectious grin at her, and all her attempts at staying calm and collected fly out the window.
Clinging to his hand as tightly as he's holding hers, Steph does her best to keep up as Bucky hauls her through the courthouse, signing the forms to change her name, filing their paperwork with the city clerk's office, and then dashing out to the street. She feels a little bit like she did when they were kids, when they got away with some stupid little prank, giddy and disbelieving, her heart light enough in her chest to make her feel like she's floating. ]
Buck, we ain't exactly special for getting hitched. [ She rolls her eyes at him, unable to hide the equally broad grin splitting her face. ] 'Sides, what bar will give you a drink at ten am?
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Although she's right about one thing, they've got some time to kill before they can paint the town. And so he tugs her forward by the hand, ambling down the street anyway with no particular destination in mind. ]
Alright then, Mrs. Barnes, what's plan B?
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Being so short and having to wear heels is such a pain in the ass. Sometimes Stephanie wishes she had been born male, like Bucky, but then again, if she had been a man, she certainly wouldn't be able to hear him call her Mrs. Barnes so...
Using her free hand to tuck her hair behind her ears, she shrugs. ]
We could go see a picture. Maybe get breakfast down at the diner. [ That would require spending money, though. Money that they don't really have. Money that she has to save for when he leaves and she can't rely on his factory wages to keep them afloat.
Her hand tightens in his, a cloud passing over her face. ]
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It's the cloud he sees pass over her face that stops him, a slight furrow in his brow. They slow to a stop there on the empty street, and it finally occurs to him that she might not be so happy about all this like he is. ]
Why the face? [ He asks solemnly, scrutinizing her for the truth of her answer. ]
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[ Still, he's standing there in the middle of the sidewalk, looking down at her with a furrow between his brows, and she hates having put that look on his face, especially when he had been so happy just a few seconds before.
She still has a hard time admitting why he was so happy, even to herself.
Instead, she sighs, her hand squeezing his again, this time for reassurance. ]
I gotta pinch my pennies, [ she admits, giving him as reassuring a smile as she can when she feels like her stomach has dropped out of her every time she thinks about Bucky going off to war. ] Can't live high on the hog forever, you know, not with you leaving soon.
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One day ain't gonna hurt us, you know?
[ He tugs her into motion again. ]
C'mon. Lead the way. Wherever you wanna go, we go.
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Oh alright. It's your money. [ Technically now it's their money, even more so than it had been before. What's his is hers, after all, they just signed a bunch of papers to prove it.
Keeping her hand tucked securely in his, she leads him down the familiar streets of their neighborhood, suddenly unsure what she wants to do with their last day of freedom. There's nothing playing at the movies that she really wants to see, and her stomach is still feeling so unsettled from the butterflies of the morning that she doesn't really want to eat anything. What she really wants is to have today last forever so she doesn't have to live with the reality of watching him sail off to die on foreign shores.
She stops suddenly, tugging on his hand to make him stop with her. ] Let's go to Macy's.