#the valentines day colletion 2025

[buckysouvenir]

the heart wants what it wants

pairing: bucky barnes x y/n authors note: day seven!

the valentine’s day collection 2025: for the first 14 days of february, i’ll be posting a series of short stories inspired by songs, all centered around bucky barnes.

reblogs, likes and comments are always encouraged and highly appreciated! thank you ♡

Y/N sat on the edge of her bed, her fingers gripping the soft fabric of her blanket as she stared at the dim glow of her phone screen. The last message from Bucky felt heavier than it should have, a simple "Talk later." It wasn’t a real goodbye, but it wasn’t a promise either. Just three words, carelessly typed, leaving her in limbo.

She exhaled, trying to shake off the sinking feeling in her chest. The bed beneath her was cold, the space beside her empty—just like it had been so many times before. She pulled the blanket tighter around her, as if that could replace the warmth she craved. But nothing could. Not really. Not when she knew exactly what was missing.

She had told herself, time and time again, that she needed to let go. That this wasn’t sustainable. That waiting for him, aching for him, was nothing but self-inflicted torture. And yet, here she was, curled up in the same bed that still smelled faintly of him, her heart stubbornly refusing to listen to reason.

She thought about all the times he had come back. The way he would walk in, exhausted and conflicted, his tired blue eyes scanning the room until they landed on her. And suddenly, the weight of the world on his shoulders would seem just a little bit lighter. He’d sit next to her, never saying much at first, but she could feel it—the silent plea in the way he touched her, the way his fingers would ghost over her skin like he was afraid she’d disappear if he held on too tight.

And she let him in, every damn time.

Because the truth was, no matter how many times she told herself she should move on, she couldn’t. Bucky was the only person who made her feel like this, like she was standing at the edge of a cliff with no fear of falling. He set her world on fire and then left her to sift through the ashes.

Her heart clenched as she thought about it—how much of herself she had given to him without ever being sure he’d stay. She hated feeling like this, like she was chasing something that would always be just out of reach. Like she was waiting for him to choose her completely.

It wasn’t fair.

But love never was.

With a shaky breath, she ran her fingers through her hair, trying to ground herself. There were a million reasons why she should walk away. Every time he disappeared, every time he shut down and pushed her away, should have been enough. But it never was. Logic had no place in this. The heart wanted what it wanted, and hers only wanted him.

She clenched her jaw, frustration bubbling up inside her.

She had tried—God, had she tried—to move on. She distracted herself with missions, forced herself to smile at Sam’s jokes, even let herself believe that maybe, just maybe, she could learn to live without him.

But then he’d come back.

Like clockwork.

A knock on her door, a quiet "Hey, doll," and all her resolve would crumble. Because no matter how much Bucky ran—from himself, from his past, from whatever it was that made him believe he didn’t deserve love—he always found his way back to her.

Her phone vibrated against her palm, pulling her from her thoughts. She glanced down, her breath hitching when she saw his name on the screen.

Bucky.

Her thumb hovered over the answer button.

She should let it ring. She should protect herself.

She should walk away.

But instead, she pressed accept.

Because no matter how much it hurt, no matter how much she told herself she should stop, she knew one thing for certain.

She would always choose him.