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The days after Bucky and Steve finally revealed their feelings for each other were somewhat anticlimactic.
Sure, he got to kiss Steve whenever he wanted to now, and the sex was great, but Steve was also Captain America, and Captain America was a busy person. There were mission debriefs and press conferences that Steve had to be at to reassure the public that the latest villains had been dealt with, and endless mountains of paperwork to go through.
There was only so much fun to be had watching Steve go through the latest stacks of files that he had to read, so Bucky was bored.
And when he was bored, Bucky's thoughts tended to wander and recently, they generally involved Steve in all sorts of dirty situations. Today though, he also remembered something that Steve had mentioned on that first night when they had gotten together.
“Hey Steve,” Bucky started, leaving his perch by the kitchen counter to head over to where Steve was sitting on the couch. “When you mentioned getting Natasha a gift the other night, did you have anything in mind?”
“Not really. Why?” Steve glanced up from the SHIELD files that he was flipping through, and looked inquiringly at Bucky.
“I just thought that we could start figuring out what to give her.” Bucky shrugged, “Unless you've changed your mind about getting her a thank you gift.”
“No, I haven’t changed my mind.” Steve replied, standing up and stretching. “You got any ideas?”
“Not yet, but I’m sure I can think of something.” Bucky answered, shrugging again. “It’s not like I’m doing much else with my day anyway.”
Steve looked a little upset at his reply, and Bucky resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was a variant of the same argument that they had been having from the moment he had recovered enough sense of self to clearly be Bucky and not the Winter Soldier.
“It's not your fault, Steve.” Bucky huffed as he moved over to stand behind his boyfriend, slinging his arms casually over the bigger man’s shoulders. “I know you've been trying to get SHIELD to clear me so that I can do more work with you, but they’re just being cautious. I respect that.”
“Bucky-”
“And yes, I know I can go out and do other stuff on my own,” Bucky interrupted Steve before he could say more, moving his mouth closer to Steve’s ear. He wasn't bothering Steve just to have an argument with the man.
“But I like being with you. Watching you work. Distracting you.” Bucky continued, his voice going lower towards the end, and he could feel Steve shudder as he suppressed a moan.
“I thought- we were discussing- gift ideas.” Steve was already barely managing his words, and Bucky grinned as he licked along Steve’s neck.
“Maybe after this.” Bucky had moved his arms off Steve’s shoulders and around his chest, and it was all too easy to give the man’s nipples a teasing pinch through the thin material of his T-shirt.
“Buck- ah!” That was another pinch, accompanied with a light thrust of his hips into Steve’s firm ass.
“Come on, Stevie.”
“Bedroom.” That came out almost a growl, and Bucky felt a stab of arousal go right through him.
“Thought you’d never ask.” He smirked, spinning around and pulling Steve along behind him.
They barely made it to the bed.
They were cooking dinner when the topic came up again.
“So, gift ideas for Natasha?” Steve asked as he chopped up vegetables while Bucky was peeling potatoes.
“Do you think she’ll like a new handgun?” Bucky looked over. “I know she already has a number of them, but we could get her another one for her personal collection, perhaps?”
Steve was already frowning before Bucky had even finished his suggestion. “I don’t think Natasha needs another gun, Buck.”
Bucky shrugged, looking down as he started cutting the potatoes. “How about a set of knives?”
He heard Steve sigh. “Must it be weapons, Bucky?”
Bucky looked up again and smirked at Steve. “I could have been talking about kitchen knives, Steve.”
Steve rolled his eyes. “You know as well as I do that Natasha can still use those as weapons, Buck.”
Bucky opened his mouth to make a remark, but Steve held up a hand to stop him. “No skewers, forks, rolling pins or cheese graters either.”
Bucky snorted.
Steve quirked an eyebrow in response, as if he was challenging him to respond.
Bucky stuck out his tongue instead, and went back to cutting his potatoes.
Several minutes later, when everything had gone into a pot to cook, he slid over to Steve.
“How about gun polish?” He murmured into Steve’s ear.
His boyfriend turned to him with an exaggerated scowl. “Let’s just keep away from work related stuff, shall we?”
“Spoilsport.” Bucky huffed, feigning annoyance.
Steve cuffed Bucky gently on the side of his head and smiled at him. “I’ll still buy you an updated version of your favourite WWII rifle for your birthday though.”
Bucky’s facade cracked, and he laughed. “Punk.”
“Jerk.”
“Bucky, would Natasha be interested in jewelry?” Steve asked as they were about to go to bed.
“Jewelry?” Bucky looked up from the book that he was reading.
“Yeah, maybe we could get her a necklace or something.” Steve said as he slid under the covers. “I've seen her wear one.”
“Nah, it’s usually not practical, Steve.” Bucky shook his head as he put his book down. “Also, the only necklace she’d wear is the one that Barton gave her, and I highly doubt that you’d want him to think that you’re hitting on his girlfriend.”
“I guess you’re right.” Steve huffed. “Coming up with a good gift idea is hard.”
Bucky smirked and kissed Steve lightly on the cheek. “I’m sure Captain America’s up to the task.”
“Oh shut it.” Steve muttered, turning his back towards Bucky, and Bucky draped an arm around his middle, grinning into the blond hair. Even after all these years, Steve still preferred being the little spoon.
Steve was back to sorting through various SHIELD documents the next day, and Bucky alternated between reading another sci-fi novel, going to the gym and attempting to distract Steve.
“Maybe we can get her a book.” Bucky suggested, after failing for the fifth time in trying to get Steve into bed for a quick afternoon break.
“Mhmm.” Steve nodded absently, still concentrating on a report.
Bucky prodded him in the side with a metal finger. “Are you even listening to me?”
“What?” Steve looked up then, frowning a little at Bucky.
“I asked if we could get Natasha a book as a gift.” He repeated.
Steve scratched his head. “What does she like to read?”
“Don’t know.” Bucky shrugged. “I could get her a copy of this book that I just finished though, perhaps in Russian?”
“That’s what you like to read.” Steve responded. “Doesn't mean that she’d like to read the same thing.”
“But she might like it.” Bucky countered.
“Maybe, but it doesn't feel sincere enough as a gift.” Steve was frowning again, and Bucky just wanted to kiss that expression off his face. He held off for the moment though, and waited for Steve to continue.
“I’d prefer if the gift was more us, if you get what I mean?”
Bucky nodded, then sighed. “I guess my next idea to get her a bottle of Vodka will be out too, then.”
“Yeah, kinda.” Steve replied, looking apologetic. “I’d like to come up with a gift that’s more meaningful.”
“Tony has the best stock of alcohol in this city anyway.” Steve continued after a moment. “So it wouldn't have been easy to come up with something better.”
Bucky smacked his palm on his forehead. “Oh yeah, I’d forgotten about that.”
Steve laughed. “I guess you would, since you can’t get drunk.”
Bucky huffed. “You can’t either, punk.”
“Yes, I do know that.” Steve quipped, smirking. “Now go think of more ideas. I have work to finish.”
“Aww.” Bucky pouted. “So that’s still a no for mid-afternoon sex?”
Steve was already turning his attention back to the files on the table. “After I finish my work, you jerk.”
“Yeah, I’d jerk.”
“Bucky!”
They were out having lunch at an outdoor cafe when Steve came up with the next gift suggestion. “Maybe I could gift her a nice night out, with dinner and dancing?”
Bucky shook his head at once. “You still can’t dance, Steve, and she’s a way better dancer than you are. Plus, I might get jealous.”
Steve shifted the cap on his head that was part of the disguise that they both wore and grinned impishly. “Didn't think you’d be the jealous type, Bucky.”
“Oh, you bet I am, Steve.” Bucky retorted as he crossed his arms and pretended to be angry.
Steve laughed, and Bucky couldn't help but grin in response.
“How about a double date then?” Steve tried again. “Like the ones you used to pull me along to, except that it’s you and me this time, with Natasha and Clint?”
“Nah.” Bucky replied after thinking about it for awhile. “We already have dinner with the two of them pretty often. And the dancing part. Don’t have to remind you again about that do I?”
“You’d be there to teach me Bucky.”
“Yeah, and all my attention will be stuck on you, which would defeat the purpose of the night being a gift to Natasha.” Bucky reminded his boyfriend.
“I guess you’re right. Again.” Steve conceded.
“I’m always right, Steve, didn't you know?” Bucky teased, picking that moment to steal a fry from Steve’s plate.
Steve snorted and smacked Bucky’s hand away. “Yeah, yeah. That’s what you think.”
It was a few nights later when Bucky finally hit upon the perfect idea. He was lounging in bed while Steve sat at the desk by the window, sketchbook out, pencil moving over the paper in sure strokes as he drew the scene before him.
“Hey Stevie,”
“Yeah?” Steve paused from his work and looked up.
“Why don’t you draw Natasha a gift?” Bucky asked, sitting up. “Your art is great, and it can’t get more you than that, can you?”
“That’s a fantastic idea, Bucky!” A slow smile grew on Steve’s face. “Don’t know why I didn't think of it earlier.”
Bucky grinned cheekily. “That’s because you took all the stupid with you, Steve.”
Steve put his sketchbook down and stood up. “No, you took all the stupid. I guess some of it rubbed off on me because I’m always with you.”
Bucky spread his legs and smirked.
“And would you like to spend more time with me, Steve?” He asked, his voice low.
“Always.” Steve took a step towards him. Then another.
Then he paused, and his eyes were filled with- Amusement?
“I should probably finish drawing this first, though.” He commented, turning around.
“Steve!” Bucky squawked indignantly and jumped off the bed, grabbing Steve by the back of his T-shirt and pulling him towards the bed. “You’re not leaving me hanging like that, you punk!”
Steve laughed, and flopped down onto the bed, nearly squishing Bucky. “Have it your way then, Buck.”
And Bucky did.
Two hours and several orgasms later, Bucky lay back on the bed next to Steve, aching in all the best ways and feeling totally fucked out.
“I still need to think of my gift idea.” He told Steve sleepily.
“I thought I’d be drawing the gift?” Steve asked, sounding equally exhausted.
“That’ll be your gift, Stevie.” Bucky explained. “I want to do something too.”
“Think about it tomorrow, Buck.” Steve reached out behind him to pull Bucky’s arm around his waist. “Wanna sleep now. You wore me out.”
“Kay,” Bucky smiled into the back of Steve’s head, and fell right asleep.
Steve had to leave for a mission the next morning, so Bucky was left to his own devices to come up with something he could make as a gift for Natasha.
He first considered knitting. But after attempting to look up how-to videos on YouTube, getting totally tangled up and almost having a panic attack from that, he decided to try his next option, which was baking.
Bucky had never tried baking before in his life either, but he was a better cook than Steve was, so he was quite sure that he wouldn't fail at it.
He failed his first two attempts.
Steve returned home in the midst of Bucky’s third attempt.
“Bucky?” Bucky shot up from behind the kitchen counter when he heard Steve enter their apartment, his voice sounding concerned. “Why is the whole kitchen covered in flour?”
“Um- I may have dropped the mixing bowl?” He replied sheepishly, waving the now-empty bowl that he was holding with his left hand. “And I may have knocked the bag of flour onto the ground as well?”
“Is that why you’re covered from head-to-toe in flour too?” Steve’s concerned expression had turned into one of amusement.
“Um- I um, tripped?”
Steve was spluttering by then, barely keeping in his laughter.
“Fine. Laugh at me all you like.” Bucky huffed grumpily. “Not gonna give you any of the cookies I make.”
“Come on Bucky,” Steve moved towards him, giving his best puppy-eyed look.
Bucky sighed and gave in, a shy grin returning to his face. It was rather difficult to get angry at Steve when covered in flour.
Steve ran a hand through Bucky's flour-covered hair then, and Bucky laughed. “You’re gonna get yourself covered in flour too, Stevie.”
“I’m okay with that.” Steve replied, looking into his eyes for a moment before leaning in and kissing Bucky. “Missed you.”
“Missed you too, Steve.” Bucky breathed, as he licked Steve’s lower lip.
“Let’s get you cleaned up.” Steve said as he pulled back a little. “Got some things I want to do with my best guy in bed.”
Bucky smirked at him, dropping the bowl onto the counter-top. “I’m all for starting in the shower.”
Bucky managed a perfect batch of cookies later that day, and Steve finished drawing a book full of sketches the day after.
Their gifts were finally ready.
“We can give these to Natasha tomorrow.” Steve smiled, looking happily at the neatly packed jar of cookies and the leather-bound sketchbook that he had filled up.
“Yeah.” Bucky smiled too, feeling glad that his efforts had paid off.
When they met the red-haired assassin the next day, she was fairly touched by the gesture.
“Why, this is a pleasant surprise.” Natasha remarked, flipping through the sketchbook and admiring the pictures. There were several landscapes of New York and D.C., some scenes from the Avengers‘ daily interactions, and a number of portraits.
“I really love this one.” She paused at one of her and Clint, running one finger along the beautifully drawn lines. “You’re really good at this, Steve.”
Steve was blushing faintly, but he smiled at her. “I try my best.”
Bucky was hovering a little anxiously at Steve’s side as Natasha turned her attention to his gift.
“You made cookies for me, Barnes?” She asked quirking an eyebrow at him.
“I couldn't think of anything else that I could make.” Bucky ran a hand through his hair sheepishly. “I wanted to get you some knives, but Steve wouldn't let me.”
Steve huffed annoyedly at his side, but Natasha laughed.
“I think I’ll take your cookies any day, Bucky.” She grinned as she tried one of them. “I'm quite happy with my current collection of knives.”
Bucky gave her a shy smile then, and Natasha pulled the two big men into a hug.
“Thanks, boys.” She murmured, and Bucky could hear emotion in her voice. “You don’t know how much I appreciate your friendship.”
“We do, Natasha.” Steve replied quietly. “Bucky and I really appreciate yours too.”
Natasha stepped back, and smiled at them again. Her eyes were just a tad watery.
“Go on then,” She told the two of them, making a shooing motion with her free hand. “I want to have some time alone with the cookies before Barton finds them.”
Steve laughed, and Bucky waved as they entered the elevator to return to their floor.
All in all, it had worked out much better than they had expected.
END