catfasteve:

um? obviously???? pls tag me in all yr fluff

Say the team doesn’t splinter, let’s pretend even with the Sokovia Accords, the team was able to set up an agreement to be held responsible for more but still with initiation freedom. Despite this, the team still backs Steve’s search for Bucky. They understand he was forced to be the gun, not the shooter. When Steve finally convinces Bucky to come back in from the cold, of course there are some bad days, but they will weather the storm together.

Bucky wants to get better for Steve, but Steve just wants Bucky to feel safe, no matter what form that may take. So it’s slow some days, but Bucky appreciates the patience and Steve’s not going to push; this is more than he could have ever asked for. Even still, there’s a calm between them, a sense of warmth that settles over their shoulders when there’s nothing but themselves to worry about. Sure, Hydra is still out there, but they’re scrambling, and Steve swears they will burn every last hydra peon to the ground (Bucky believes him). When they can, they find themselves settling into this moments of quiet, soaking each other in like sunshine.

Steve doesn’t draw as enthusiastically anymore, and one day Bucky quietly asks him why.

Steve shrugs. “Inspiration was a bit… lacking.” Steve means ‘upsetting’ since all he wanted to do was draw Bucky or Peggy or the Howlies or anything from before the war. Now, he’s too busy smiling at Bucky like a dope to actually take his likeness down on paper.

Bucky looks thoughtful, his brow creasing lightly as he props his chin in his metal hand.

“What do you think my patronus would be?”

Steve laughs, blindsided by the question. They had started reading Harry Potter at the same time, which Tony had dubbed to be the beginning of their book club. Bucky swats Steve’s shoulder.

“No seriously! You have to be curious? I was thinkin’ about you and a wolf, ‘r something. Because pups are all energy and teeth, and they freakin’ fight with each other to prove who’s best-” Bucky rolls his eyes at Steve’s incredulous eyebrow, “But they can be disciplined, and are loyal to the pack. They have the ability to be aggressive and dumb, but with each other, they’re protective… they’re family. You’d have an alpha wolf, ‘r something…” Bucky trails off, quieter at the end, valiantly trying to hide his blush.

Steve is struck dumb, feeling the build of a blush of his own at Bucky’s thoughtfulness. They lock eyes for a few long seconds, but Steve breaks it first, scribbling the beginning of a wolf on the open page. Bucky starts to thumb through his current scifi novel, settled in close to Steve’s side as Steve invests more attention in his drawing. The only sounds are paper rustling, a pencil against page, and the dual soft hums of both of them breathing. It feels like home.

The form of a cat starts to take shape on Steve’s page and he regards it thoughtfully, outlining the angled eye like a revenant stroke of his hand.

“What about a snow leopard?”

Bucky looks up from his book.

“Because they’re predators?”

“Wolves are predators. So, no. Because they’re reclusive and powerful, but surprisingly gentle with the few they let in. Yeah, they’re dangerous, but they do it to survive, not unnecessarily so. They’re still just a big cat. You need to watch your fingers, but they melt at a loving touch,” (Steve and Bucky have watched several big cat videos in their downtime, the animal sanctuary ones some of their favorites) “They’re survivors. They take what is given to them and thrive despite it. Plus, um, they’re really pretty,” Steve finishes with his nose buried in his sketchbook and his blush reaching all the way up to his ears. He can’t face Bucky even though he feels the burning of eyes into the side of his head.

Full silence, a beat, then, “Shucks, you think I’m pretty, Rogers?”

The smile sounds like one of the biggest Bucky’s made in years, but Steve can’t look at him yet.

“Shuddup.”