Bucky Barnes didn't remember anything about himself. Not even his name, he'd been told that.

How pathetic. Stupid. Weak.

He stood at the steps of the biggest library he could find. Hopefully there'd be something, something to bring everything back, something that would let him feel better than the raging storm he'd become.

The place wasn't that quiet, in fact it was one of the libraries that people were meant to talk in, share knowledge. Bucky took several large World War II history books and started sifting through them with a sigh, intending to read every single painstaking word.

"What's up, bitches?" Bucky heard a voice say, midway through his fourth or fifth text.

He turned and saw a beautiful woman with h/l h/c hair and soft e/c eyes. She dumped her books further down the table and sat with people who were evidently her friends. Bucky couldn't help but stare at her, watching her laugh.

Completely and utterly distracted.

So much for studying.

Y/N

You saw some guy looking at you. He seemed to be studying World War II, by the looks of his heavy pile of books, and that happened to be one of your favourite subjects.

Bucky Barnes, the war hero, was especially dreamy ... but that was somewhat besides the point. You waved him over to come sit with your friends, but to your horror, you had made a mistake.

You'd waved at him with your right hand.

The prosthetic hand.

Oh, fuck.

He still came over though, and you weren't sure if you were relieved or anxious.

"Hi," you said meekly. He stared at your fake hand, cutting straight to the point.

"Hi. Is that a prosthetic?"

You braced yourself for a bunch of rude questions. "Yes."

He rolled up his sleeve and your eyes widened, probably comically, at the metal arm he had. "Woah. Yours is so much cooler than mine!"

He grinned slightly, and he seemed familiar, but you couldn't pinpoint it.

"I saw you were studying World War II." you said, pointing at his books. "And I thought I might be able to help. It's my area of expertise."

"I'm looking for information about James Buchanan Barnes."

"Oh wow. He's my favourite. If he was still around, I'd totally date him." You gave a giggle at your own words.

Flipping to the right pages, you showed him some of your books too, not noticing his flush at your earlier comment. (Steve does from where he's spying, and totally not shipping) "He was a Howling Commando, who worked alongside Captain America..."

- - -

You and the mystery guy began to meet up day after day in the loud library, somehow always arriving as the other would, and spending hours deep in the pages of old books.

"I think that should about cover it," you sighed, not willing to part with this strangely enjoyable experience.

"Thanks, Y/N," he smiled. "That was really helpful. You didn't need to take so much of your time to show me, though, I feel super bad."

"It's not a problem," you assured him, poking his metal arm with your prosthetic. "Though, I'd like it if you at least told me your name."

He sighed. "It's Bucky."

"Shut up," your eyes widened. "Like, the Bucky we've been studying?"

"Well," he winced. "That's me."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" you asked, flushing as you realised you[d basically told Bucky that you would date him.

"Because you'd be scared of me, and confused and you'd hate my metal arm," he listed. "Not to mention, I should be dead."

You raised your eyebrows. "I think you forgot who you're talking to. I shouldn't be dead, I think, but my arm is made out of fucking plastic! Not to mention, you let me tell you I would date you ... oh, fuck, this is embarrassing."

Dropping your head into your arms, you banged it against the table with mutters of 'stupid, stupid, stupid'.

"Well, I would date you too," Bucky blurted out.

"What?" you raised your head, eyes wide in confusion.

He leans forward and kissed you gently, softly. You kissed back, wrapping your arms around the back of his neck as his hands slid to your waist.

A kiss of understanding in the half-shadows of a library, on a calm and beautiful night. All alone until ...

"Nice going, Buck, I didn't know how many days it would take you."

"Steve!? What the fuck-"

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