Bucky Barnes sees a fucking raccoon firing a machine gun while cackling like a maniac and instead of losing his shit he just shrugs, picks it up and spins it around Mary Poppins style
Sam’s the first person to suggest that Bucky get a therapy dog. Steve was concerned by Bucky’s growing antisocial tendencies and anxiety.
After a little convincing from Sam and Steve’s part, Bucky eventually ends up adopting a Saint Bernard.
Tony even bought it for him and heavily researched a breeder that was the lead in therapy/service dogs.
Bucky names him Hemingway.
He’s the best dog that anyone could ever have.
Hemingway can always sense when Bucky’s stressed or about to have an anxiety attack. He’ll either plop himself on Bucky’s lap (as if he’s ¼ of the size he actually is) or he’ll fetch his leash and convince Bucky he needs to go for a walk.
Whenever Bucky has nightmares, he wakes up to Hemingway licking his face. Then he curls up to Bucky for the rest of the night.
Hemingway is so amazing with children. Always patient and never seems bothered when they flock to him and beg Bucky to let them pet him. It makes Bucky realize that kids aren’t as afraid of him as he thought.
Hemingway also understands when he needs to push Bucky to be more social, instead of comforting him.
Bucky was trying to go for a walk in the park when Hemingway sprints away so quickly that Bucky is too surprised to catch his leash from slipping out of his grasp.
He sprints after the dog to see that he’s already made a new friend.
On a bench, sat a beautiful girl who looked like she had been peacefully reading before Bucky’s monstrous dog decided to sit on the other side of the bench and lick her face.
Bucky’s heart leaps when he hears the girl’s giggle from the kisses.
“You’re just about the cutest thing ever. But where is your owner? Huh?” She cooed as she scratched behind his ear.
Bucky jogs over. “I’m so sorry. He never runs off like that.”
The girls smiles warmly up at him as she continues to pet Hemingway.
“Oh, you don’t need to apologize. I love dogs! I was actually having a bad day before he decided to introduce himself.”
Bucky smiles at his dog. It would seem Hemingway knew how to help people beside himself.
“What’s Your Name?” She asks.
“Hemingway.” Bucky answers.
“I was asking for your name…” She smiles at him.
“Oh, I’m Bucky.” He almost forgets to offer her his hand.
“The dog’s name is Bucky or your name is Bucky?” Y/N teased as she shook his hand.
“My names actually James… but my friends call me Bucky.”
Y/N seemed to enjoy Bucky’s endearing shyness and slight awkwardness.
“Alright, Hemingway, you’ve bothered the pretty lady long enough.” Bucky lightly scolded his dog.
But just as he was about to pull the beast away, Hemingway started whining and refused to budge.
Y/N tried to stifle her laughter at the dogs defiance.
Then Hemingway laid his body across Y/N’s lap, making it clear that he had no intention of leaving her.
Bucky sighed in embarrassment.
“Maybe the two of you could stay a little longer?” Y/N offered politely. “I promise I don’t mind.”
In that moment, Bucky knew he had to get that dog the biggest treat he could find for being the best wing man and hunting down a beautiful woman.
– “You’re going to wear out the floors, Buck.” Steve would say patiently as he watched Bucky pace around the room
– In under an hour, Bucky was leaving for his first date with you
– He didn’t think he was ready
– But you were just so perfect and beautiful that, one day, he just blurted out that he wanted to take you out
– He would’ve been more embarrassed by his outburst if you hadn’t immediately said YES
– As soon as you left the room, Bucky realized what he actually did
– He begged Nat to help him pick out an outfit
– Then he begged Steve to help him fake his own death so he didn’t have to go
– He wanted to go. God, did he fucking wanted to
– But Bucky didn’t think there was any hope for him
– He’d for sure blow it with you
– “I don’t know how to do this anymore, Steve!” He cries out. “I’m not that charming guy from back in the day anymore.”
– Steve manages to calm him down enough to get him to actually leave to pick you up from your apartment
– Bucky is so speechless when he sees how beautiful you look that it actually makes you think you look bad
– But then Bucky stutters out “You-you look beautiful.”
– You took charge a bit and realized maybe dinner was too much for Bucky right now
– So you took him to one of your favorite local dive bars
– It wasn’t crowded (which Bucky appreciated)
– The music wasn’t too loud or modern
– And the two of you grabbed a quiet corner
– Bucky could barely stop fidgeting
– After a few minutes, you reach over and grip his shoulder gently and then caress it softly
– “I know you’re nervous. But it’s just me, Buck.”
– It’s the softness in your eyes, the genuine support in your voice that finally takes the weight off his shoulders
– He relaxes
– Then he realizes the whole point of this was to get you all to himself, to get to know you better
– And Bucky does just that
– You barely have a chance to ask him a single thing about himself because he wants to know literally everything about you
– You realize that it’s usually the other way around: men you go on dates with just talk about themselves then convince themselves you’re into them when you’ve answered nothing in return so they’re free to project whatever they want onto you
– But not Bucky
– You two don’t even realize how long you’ve been at the bar until the bouncer comes over and politely tells you that it’s closing time
– Bucky walks you back to your apartment, something no man has ever done for you on a date
– “I had a lot of fun, Bucky.” You say as you fidget with your keys
– “I had fun too, doll.”
– “Maybe next time you can let me ask you something.” You smile cheekily.
– Bucky blushes, making it impossible for you to remember he was ever the fearsome Winter Soldier
– “Trust me. You’re far more interesting.” Bucky mutters softly.
– You smile and lean forward, surprising him with a kiss on the cheek. “Goodnight, Buck.”
– Steve is reading on the couch in his room when Bucky bursts through the door and tells him every single detail about the night
– Steve doesn’t think his best friend has ever been happier
Bucky, really, was the physical embodiment of hesitancy most days – and you couldn’t blame him. He had, after all, survived a great deal of trauma in his century-long life. He was coming into himself, finding his footing, finding out who he really was. Not Bucky, not James. Just… himself.
Touching was a luxury most people didn’t realize they possessed until it was stripped away from them. Adversely, Bucky hadn’t realized what a luxury it truly was until he was so suddenly allowed it. Physical contact with him – the asset, the killer, the Winter Soldier – was prohibited and advised strongly against under H.Y.D.R.A’s stifling boot. He was a dog on choke-chain back then, lashing out when someone neared. He knew nothing but pain and fear back then.
They muzzled him for a reason.
You’re a touchy person and at first, Bucky hates you. He hates how you smile and touch his arm like the hand attached hasn’t snapped the necks of men three times your size. He hates how you say his name and ask him how he is. He’s horrible, ruined with nightmares, but you don’t need to hear it to know. You treat him like he isn’t fragile, you treat him without that pitiful look Nat is always serving him.
You’re just… you.
He thinks it’s sinful that you’re just naturally so nice. And he doesn’t trust you.
But, one day, you realize that touch isn’t well received. He was trying to decide what to eat. He was focused – hyper focused, really, on the pickles in the back of the fridge – because decisions are hard when you’ve been tube-fed slop for forty years by men in lab coats.
He doesn’t hear you, and his entire body recoils in a terrible flinch and you stammer out a wide-eyed apology for scaring him, and Bucky snaps the handle off the fridge in the lounge at the words.
Somehow, though, you’d coaxed him back to your hands with reassurance and maybe one too many late-night television binges. He learns you’re not bad, you don’t have a motive. He slowly begins to trust you – and before you even know it, the super-soldier is no longer some scarred fight-dog with barred teeth. Instead, he’s a lap dog. He follows you, chatters to you, laughs with you.
You’re the first person, aside from Steve and Sam, he calls a friend in the Avengers compound.
(Yeah, listen, he’s aware Steve sneaks him looks when you guys sit close on the couch. He’s aware you’re pretty and smell like lilacs and you make him happy. He’s aware, okay? Fuckin’ punk thinks he’s smooth, telling Buck to ask you out. Bucky doesn’t do that, not anymore. Romance is dead.)
But, you don’t mind.
“Your hair is getting long.”
Bucky blinks. “Is that bad?”
“You kinda look like Jesus,” you say, tilting your head and looking at him in the glow of the television. His features look softer, “Which isn’t a bad thing. Jesus was a good guy.”
“You’ve met him?”
It cracks a smile out of you and Bucky feels a little proud.
You hesitantly reach, fingers curling into his hair to sweep is back off his neck. Bucky swallows, jaw clenching at the sudden contact, but within the beat of a moment he’s remembering it’s you, not some slack-jawed fuck trying to strap his head down for a memory wipe.
“Sorry.”
“You say that too much.”
“I touch too much,” you say, frowning, “I know you’re not a fan. I’m sorry. I gotta… get better about it.”
“I don’t mind it,” he says slowly, “Just gotta remind myself, y’know?”
You don’t need him to explain.
A nod. And you wring your fingers. And Bucky isn’t satisfied with that reaction. So, he snags your hand and unceremoniously dumps it atop his head. And you blink at him.
“You can touch my hair. S’ just hair.”
“It’s nice hair,” you say, “Nicer than mine.”
“Not true.”
“Do you use L’oreal?”
Bucky cracks a smile at that, and you curl your fingers into the thick brunette waves. He leans back into the couch cushions, legs spread. He has a bad habit of taking up space. You don’t mind, though, because you’re crisscross applesauce and nearly in his lap.
“Feels good,” he finally says after a few minutes of you casually un-knotting the unkempt mess. The snarls are nothing, really, and he smells a little bit like Steve. You wonder if he’s borrowing his hair product. The two are nearly joined at the hip. It wouldn’t surprise you.
“If it’s annoying, you can tell me to stop.”
“Don’t. I like how it feels.”
You grin at that, and enjoy the lack of hesitancy in this small moment of intimacy.
Summary: The Avengers are talking about make up (idk why) and bucky says ‘Look at y/n! It’s 11am and she’s already wearing make up!’ and y/n’s like ‘…no I’m not’ and he’s just starstruck and says something like ‘…god you’re gorgeous’ fluff – ANONYMOUS
Pairing: Bucky x Fem!Reader
Word Count: 1,912
Bucky was just trying to eat his lunch in peace. But Clint and Natasha were about to go on a stealth mission of sorts and they were banging around the entire compound in preparation. Steve and Sam came in almost immediately after, just returning from their morning run.
Bucky was always the first one up and did all of his intense workouts and other morning routines before anyone else was awake. The compound could get pretty hectic and there were times where Bucky needed the quiet and time alone. That period was obviously over.
Sam eyed Natasha. She was wearing a tight, green dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. “You got a hot breakfast date or something.” Sam teased the spy.
For Anonymous: “So I’m allergic to the sun. I can’t go outside without like clothes covering all my skin or I get like red and itchy. I was just wondering if I could have one where Bucky finds out and he’s like if you can’t go out then we won’t and it’s just like cuddling inside and fluff?”
A/N: Y’all, realizing that Bucky was with HYDRA when Mary Poppins came out was upsetting. Can you imagine not having seen Mary Poppins until after you’re brainwashed and tortured for almost a century? It hurts.
I really wanted to make a Mary Poppins reference for the title, for no other reason than it’s referenced in this. But like…nothing worked except “No wonder that it’s Mary that we love!” from “Jolly Holiday” so…yeah.
Warnings: Absolutely none, Bucky is happy and fluffy and adorable and it’s what he deserves. (Yeah I’m lookin’ at @captain-ariel-barnes 😂😂😂)
Words: 1,611 (wow I actually came in under 2k?!?!?)
For Anonymous: “Could I request one where you accidentally discover Bucky’s hair pulling kink?”
A/N: The second I saw that ask in my inbox I knew exactly how the discovery was gonna be made. Now Bucky has a reason to keep his hair long 😉
Warnings: Honestly there’s nothing graphic. Like at all. It’s mostly fluff and like noises are made but I wanted the end to be more ambiguous than straight up smut. The title is super suggestive but I swear it’s a hair pun!
Toad's Cave 