December 9: I KNITTED YOU A SWEATER

One of the first things Bucky learned about Steve was that he was cold-natured. He was always cold everywhere he went. He was the kind of person who wore a jacket in the middle of August and always had cold fingers. So, because Bucky was Steve's friend, it was natural that he would want to get Steve something for Christmas that would help him stay warm. Now, any normal friend would just buy him a scarf and be done with it, but not Bucky. No, he was not normal friend and he wanted his present to mean something.

Bucky decided that the best place to present his idea was to Sam. While talking with Sam, he discovered a little-known fact about his friend-Sam could knit. After gaining this little nugget of knowledge, Bucky formed a plan. This plan included two things-knitting lessons with Sam and a lot of yarn.

He worked long and hard on Steve's present, spending every spare moment on it because he wanted it to be perfect. When it came time for Bucky and Steve to exchange presents, Bucky just barely got it finished, but he was very satisfied with the finished product.

Every Christmas morning, Steve and Bucky got up ridiculously early and made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast just like they used to with Steve's mother before she had passed. After breakfast they met in the floor of the living room of their shared apartment to open their presents to each other.

This Christmas was no different. Bucky stumbled out of his room at 5:47 in the morning only to meet Steve in the kitchen already making coffee.

"G'morn'" Bucky mumbled out as he plopped down into a chair.

"Merry Christmas, Buck!" Steve said with more cheer than should be allowed before nine o'clock. "I was just about to start on the pancakes."

Bucky perked up a little at that. "What about the coffee? How long until it's done?"

"It will be done in a minute." Steve said as he busied himself with getting the things down for pancakes. "I hope you like the present I got for you this year."

"I'm sure I will, Stevie." Bucky said. "Now mine for you, I know you will love."

"I'm so excited." Steve said. "Can we just go ahead and open our presents now?"

Bucky let out a gentle laugh. "Nope." He said, popping the 'p'. "You know tradition. We have been doing Christmas like this for as long as I can remember and we will continue doing it this way until some girl opens her eyes long enough to realize how amazing you are and snatches you up. Or until you decide you are tired of me and move in with Tony like he keeps asking."

Steve's back was turned, but Bucky could tell by the tips of his ears that he was blushing. "Don't talk like that, Buck. We both know that if either of us gets snatched up it will be you." he said. "Also, I will never get tired of you. You are my best friend. We are going to be old maids together, yelling at kids to get off our lawn and being generally crabby."

Now it was Bucky's turn to blush. "Thanks, Stevie, but we will see how long that attitude of yours stands."

After a cup of coffee, Bucky joined Steve in making pancakes. Somehow, Bucky ended up with flour in his hair and Steve with a few chocolate chips in his pants, but they made and ate their pancakes before they headed into the living room and sat on the floor.

There were several presents under the tree-some for family and friends-but Steve and Bucky each grabbed one present and handed it to the other. They looked at each other for a few seconds before either of them said anything.

"How are we doing it this year?" Bucky asked.

"How about we open them at the sam time like we end up doing every year." Steve said with an eye roll.

"Okay, sounds good to me." Bucky said. "On the count of three."

Steve nodded. "One."

"Two."

"Three."

They both immediately ripped at the wrapping paper to try and get to the present underneath. After they had both gotten their presents fully unwrapped, they stared at each other with a shocked expression for a second before they both burst into laughter.

They both held in their hands homemade sweaters from the other, Bucky's was green with his name across the front in red and Steve's was red with his name in green.

After their laughter calmed down Bucky gave Steve a meaningful look. "Sam?" He asked.

Steve nodded. "Sam." He said. "One day he just came up to me and told me that you would love it if I made you a sweater."

"That was probably soon after I asked Sam to help me with your present." Bucky said. "I've got to admit, this is one of the most 'Sam' things that he has ever done."

Steve let out a laugh. "Tony will never let me live down the fact that we have boyfriend sweaters." He said.

"Well, you know, he'd get less satisfaction out of teasing us if it was true." Bucky said scooting closer to Steve.

Steve's face suddenly burned red. "Wha-what?"

Bucky backed up a little bit. "Uh, I mean, we could pretend that we were dating to throw Tony off of the teasing game." He said.

"Honestly, I'm not opposed to leaving off the pretending part." Steve said looking at the ground.

"Oh." Bucky said as he sat frozen in his place, not completely convinced that he had heard Steve correctly. They sat for a few seconds before Bucky spoke up again. "So it's agreed that we should be boyfriends to match our sweaters." He said.

Steve finally looked up. "Not just for the sweaters." He said. "But yeah, I'm willing to try this if you are."

Bucky's answer was to cup Steve's jaw and lean in. "Is this okay?" He asked.

"That's more than okay." Steve said before leaning in and closing the distance between them.

Needless to say they showed up to Tony's party holding hand and wearing matching sweaters.

Part of a 25 part Christmas AU series.