A Horse of Course

By
Ghostlywhitedirewolf

AN: This is possibly the shortest and worst thing I've ever written haha! The horse is based on a horse I loaned for a little while. Also, before anyone pulls me up on it, lostness is a word.

Prompted by: fitzcharmingward

Visit me on my tumblr: ghostlywhitedirewolf

"Bucky, stop with the scowling. All you have to do is turn up and smile, make a good impression and then we can go home. It'll be good for them to see you after the announcement that you're not dead." Steve said, pushing the brunet into the car and closing the door behind him before he could hear the reply.

"I hate horses," Bucky remarked as Steve climbed into the car and motioned to their driver to set off.

"You have never had any experience with horses. You can't hate something you've never come into contact with." Steve raised his eyebrows, shooting a disapproving look in the direction of the ex-assassin.

"I remember being bitten by one in Central Park. That counts. And anyway, most animals are scared of my arm. Remember the cat that Pepper found that day; it loved everyone but wouldn't come near me and then Clint's dog growled at me. People don't like me now, animals don't like me either, and I don't see why I have to go to these things. No one wants me there." Bucky looked at Steve with a look of dejection.

Steve couldn't help but frown at the expression on Bucky's face. "Clint's dog is a mean dog, he's growled at most people at some point and that cat scratched Tony too, that's why it was suddenly 'claimed'. Maybe horses will like you; you're not so scary in a Henley and khakis."

Bucky made an unconvinced humming noise and turned to stare out of the window.

"This is ridiculous, Bucky, it's just a horse. You don't have to ride it, you don't even have to really like it, but for god's sake quit looking like it's going to eat you alive." Steve mutters under his breath, smile forced for the cameras as he looked sideways at Bucky.

Bucky looked at the big chestnut horse in the stable next to where he was stood, it looked at him inquisitively and reached its nose towards him, snuffling at his shoulder length hair.

Steve felt Bucky freeze next to him, allowing the horse to nuzzle at his hair, before the ex-assassin reached up a tentative hand to stroke the horse's muzzle, his scowl relaxing when the horse didn't flinch or move away from him, instead nosing eagerly at his pants in search of treats.

"He likes you." One of the stable hands said with a smile.

"What's his name?" Bucky asked as he accepted a polo from the girl and fed it to the horse.

"His name's Cavalier." She grinned, ruffling the forelock of the horse affectionately.

"Cavalier?" Bucky returned her smile.

"He was a police horse," She shrugged, "he was injured in a riot and most of his hearing after falling and hitting his head on the sidewalk. Can't leave the yard now or he panics unless he's with a certain person. He was a mess when he first came, took us months before he'd even leave the stable willingly. Most people considered him a lost cause but his owner wouldn't give up on him. He doesn't usually like strangers."

Steve could see the small, sad smile on Bucky's face as he stroked Cavalier's neck, deep in thought and knew exactly what he was thinking. It seemed ironic that this horse had chosen him over anyone else to make friends with.

Steve wondered if animals could recognise the same symptoms in other people as with themselves and that was why Cavalier had taken a liking to Bucky. Maybe the horse had sensed the same vulnerability in Bucky as in himself, the same sense of lostness.

"Everyone deserves a second chance," Bucky muttered and the girl smiled knowingly.

"They definitely do, Sir." She agreed, placing a careful hand on Bucky's shoulder, looking as though she half expected him to shrug her off. "I'm sorry for your trauma."

Bucky looked at her for a moment, eyes widening slightly with shock as she retracted her hand and turned her attention back to Cavalier.

He was silent for a long moment before Steve saw his shoulders relax slightly.

"Thank you." The words were no more than a breath, but Steve knew that she had heard him.

"Anytime."

Bucky was quiet on the drive home, staring out of the window of the car deep in thought and Steve started to worry.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" he asked once they were back at Avengers Tower and Bucky was slumped on the sofa, his head in Steve's lap as the Captain carded fingers through the his hair.

"She was nice to me." Bucky whispered incredulously.

"Yeah, of course she was Buck. People just see you as Bucky Barnes. They don't see what you see in yourself. They don't know what HYDRA did to you." Steve stroked a thumb across Bucky's cheek gently. "They love you as much as I do. People understand trauma now. They get it. Just like me, just like Sam. People understand that everyone has skeletons they'd rather forget. You're not HYDRA's gun anymore Buck, you don't need to punish yourself for something you had no control over."

Bucky sighed and turned over to press his face into Steve's stomach, a sign that he was feeling overwhelmed.

"Just think about it, Bucky," Steve murmured, "we're all here for you when you're ready to talk."

Bucky was silent for a long time, his breathing evening out and Steve thought he was asleep until he heard the other man speak.

"Hey Steve? I think I do like horses after all."

Steve couldn't help the laugh that escaped his mouth at the confession.

"I told you you weren't so scary."

Fin.