Dearest Diary,

I'm finally 16. As a 15 year old I was often looked at as a kid but now it's like I'm so much older. Like I've sprouted 5 years in the mere one year that it's actually been.

Plans? Nope. But I have a feeling that Bucky has something up his sleeve for once.

As days go, the morning was casual. Mom made eggs special for me. Then I, as usual, took a shower, brushed my hair and my teeth, got dressed and headed out.

———

It was only 9 o'clock. The day hadn't even really begun yet. Somehow, despite all of this, Bucky was already there for me.

Waiting.

Outside my house.

In the 97 degree heat.

"Buck... what— why are you waiting out here? It's way too hot to be out here dressed like that." He was wearing a jeans and dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the top and his chest was... anyway.

"Yea yea yea I get it 'don't put yourself in harms way for me ever again James Buchanan Barnes. And this time I mean it!'," he mocked me. I made a face. "Oh come on Steve. It's your birthday! We have to have a good time. No exceptions."

"We can have a fun time doing the usual, Bucky, you know that."

"But can we though?" He squinted, then smiled and put his arm around my shoulder. "C'mon, Steve. We've got placed to go, things to see, people's birthdays to celebrate."

"Uggg," I groaned. "Fine. Just this once."

"Once? Steve. I'm not sure if you quite understand this but... birthdays are kind of an annual thing sooooooo..."

"Oh shut up, will ya?" I teased, a smile spreading across my reddening cheeks. I'm not sure what's actually happening with that... maybe it's the heat. Yea, that's it. I'm probably just getting some sunburn or something.

Bucky laughed at my comment and we headed down the street, on our way to the mystery location.

• • •

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Where in the world did you get this?" I was completely and utterly shocked.

"I know a guy."

"You know a guy... that gave you a car?!" I asked.

"Uhhm... well, yea. Kinda."

"Okay, well, where are we going then?"

"Uhm... hello? It's a surprise. Duh."

We got in the car and drove off... where to? I had no idea. But it was gonna be insane. I could already tell by the way things were going.

The road got twistier and began winding up hills as the scenery changed from metallic glass buildings and brick walls to lush green grass and trees taller than I could see.

"Bucky where are we going? Please tell me. It's my birthday after all..." I sent a pleading look his way.

"Ugh don't guilt trip me, Rogers...  fine," he gave in. Finally. "The mountains. We're going camping."

"But I didn't bring any—"

"You didn't. But your mom did. I talked to her and she packed you a bag."

"Oh..." I was surprised that he put so much work into this. He really was a great friend.

• • •

By the time we arrived it had been a 3 hour car ride that was exclusively talking. No sleeping. Just us, talking about nothing.

We got out of the car and both sighed at finally being able to stretch our legs.

"Well. This is it," he said.

"...this is it... but we're in the middle of nowhere, how could-"

"That's the whole point, Steve. Staying out in the wild with nothing but trees and grass and rivers and animals. Upstate New York is a beautiful place if you know where to look," he looked down from the trees and set his gaze on mine (because  I had been watching him as he spoke). "And I know for sure that what I'm looking at is definitely one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen."

It sounds like he's... maybe talking about something else. That little twinge in his voice, that pitch change that deepened his voice, almost gave it away. His eyes, when he looked at me like that, with that glimmer in his narrowing blue eyes. The small smirk taking over his face... Was he... was he talking about me?

"Ready?" He asked.

"For...?"

"We're gonna go set up camp," he replied.

"How long are we staying?"

"Well it's 12 now so maybe tonight and tomorrow night. We'll leave Thursday morning at 9, okay?"

"Sure, sounds fun." And it really did. I was hyped to spend my birthday out here with my best pal.

• • •

After setting up camp Bucky traveled into the woods to collect wood for the fire. When he came back he placed the twigs in a perfect little teepee and set it aflame with the matches he had brought with him.

He managed to find a log for us to sit on, so we did. Sausages on sticks and a beautiful night ahead of us.

After hours and hours on end of small talk about the upcoming summer months and maybe a few dames here and there (mostly on Bucky's part), it was nearly midnight.

"Hey, Steve?"

"What's up?" I turned to look at him from my side of the log.

"I noticed a little opening in the canopy a ways back while I was collecting twigs for the fire... do you, maybe, wanna go over there and check it out?" He flashed me an innocent smile, making it nearly impossible to say no, despite my tiredness.

"Sure. Sounds fun," I said, standing. We walked a good ways into the woods before I noticed my vision getting better.

I looked up to see the dark green leaves that made up the thick brush we're clearing. All that was left to see was an old, tattered black blanket with the smallest of holes poked in it (probably from being used to cover the earth for countless nights throughout it's many years of existence). It rested draped over the atmosphere, allowing little bits of light to shine through it's holes - along with the singular giant tear that allowed us to see, what we perceived to be, the moon.

Looking over at him I took in everything I could possibly see. The way the blue-ish white light fell upon the jagged edges on his face. The way he stuck his tongue out between his lips when he was concentrating. The slight squinting of his eyes as he looked up at the moon with pure joy.

These were the moments worth living for.

"Do you wanna lay down and star gaze for a bit?" He placed his hand on my shoulder as he turned to me.

I looked down at his hand before finally saying "good idea," and lowering myself to the ground.

We sat upright for a bit, leaning back on our hands and enjoying the view before us. It's not often that you gets to come out, escaping big cities and light pollution, and enjoy the outdoors at its most raw and authentic. Especially with your best friend.

After a long while, we were stuck laying down in the grass, even though it was damp, because the view was better from there. And even though it was summer, having left my jacket at the campfire sight (which was now nowhere to be seen) left me cold. Bucky gave me his jacket. Most likely because he said it was too hot anyway even though I don't believe him.

I was nearly asleep too. From the cool night air, the beautiful view of twinkling lights above us and the sound of the crickets off in the bushes, to the fresh scent of tree maple mixed with Bucky's cologne and the sound of his quiet breathing next to my ear... it was the perfect place to fall asleep. Until...

Bucky's hand shot up into the air as he pointed at a pattern of light that had just shot across the sky, "look! Steve, it's a shooting star!" He nudged me with his elbow and I finally looked up, luckily catching it streak across the sky. "You know what that means, right?" He asked.

No.

I stared at him blankly. "It means you gotta make a wish. And the rule is that you can't tell anyone or it won't come true."

———

What'd I wish for? Well, I can't say. Or else it won't some true... right? Maybe if I wrote it down that would still be okay. Or is that still breaking the rules? I think so long as no one else reads my diary I'll be okay. (So please please please turn back now if you've been reading my diary this whole time. It's kinda personal in here :) thanks)

I wished that Bucky and I would be able to do things like this more often. You know, hang out alone doing nothing but never getting bored with each other. Driving around to nowhere in particular just for one night or even just for the day. I just want to be his friend and for him to be mine.

I feel like we are all each other has. Like if we didn't have one another, we would be so terribly alone in this world.

I know I'll never leave his side. Through thick and thin. His being right or wrong in any matter is irrelevant so long as we stick together.

Because at the end of the line, we're all we need.

We're all we've got.

~ Steven G. Rogers