A/N: Hey, guys and gals. I wanted to inform all of you that Making Use of The Weekend is now over with, but it will still continue through a series of ficlets and connected oneshots dealing with the aftermath of the main story. I will post these oneshots on the same story, though, so there will be no confusion. Happy reading! :D
Bucky thinks back to when he first met Natasha and his hopes that she would end up with his owner, Steve.
It was true that Bucky had been restless on the fateful day that Steve met his lovely neighbour. Bucky hadn't intended to go out looking for trouble, but he was having terrible cravings at the time, and for tomatoes of all things.
If he hadn't found those delicious tomatoes in Natasha's backyard, he would have just satiated his hunger by mauling a cat or two. He swore that ugly, yellow Garfield-looking tabby he'd spied on the street had been giving him nasty looks. From Bucky's trained eye, he saw that the feline had been a stray and therefore, an open target for his pent-up aggression.
Thankfully - on the ugly cat's part - Bucky had managed to find juicy, plump, gushing tomatoes in a nearby neighbour's yard and he just went crazy. As he ate the tomatoes, he felt a rush of shame run through him.
What if the person who owned these tomatoes was easily angered or one of those simpering type of people like on Dr. Phil? What if they were a notable rifleman and liked to go hunting with their friends Billy Ray and Tommy Lee? If Bucky was caught in this yard, this could be his last supper.
Sometime after he'd chomped through his thirtieth or fourteenth tomato, Bucky had passed out in a veggie coma. He lie there, semiconscious, in the tomato patch until he heard a voice shriek in horror.
Oh, no, he thought. A woman. I hope she isn't one of those people who cut up dogs and sell their carcasses on the black market.
OKay, so maybe he watched a little too much last night television. Didn't everyone?
Anyway, the poor little German Shepherd was a bit sluggish in his movements because of his tomato eating orgy before, but he still ran up to her, barking and wagging his tail in greeting. He did his best to look as cute and innocent as possible - humans were suckers for puppies, after all.
To his relief, the pretty redhead picked him up and asked who would name their dog Bucky. That was very rude. Bucky was a perfectly acceptable name for a dog. He certainly had no problem with it.
Pretty redheaded lady talked about tying him to her fence, which she did, until his owner came around looking for him. Then she went back inside, made herself dinner and brought him a flank steak. Steak. Bucky couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten flank steak, but bless her heart, this neighbour lady really knew how to cook it.
Bucky gobbled that food up like a dying man and in the back of his mind, he mused. Hmm. You rub my chin just as nicely as Steve does. Plus, you know how to cook meat just right...I think I'll have to introduce you to my owner.
The lady had begun digging through her tomato garden later, trying to find the salvageable pieces of vegetables from what Bucky had demolished. From his perch at the fence, Bucky had lain on the ground and covered his doggy head with a paw. He was feeling very guilty about eating those tomatoes.
The redhead smiled at him and told him that the damage to her garden hadn't been as extensive as it looked. This information was well-received and Bucky barked and wagged his tail a few times at her. It was his way of apologising for being gluttonous and going through her garden.
Then his ears perked and he recognised the sound and smell of his master. Bucky jumped and barked like crazy to get Steve's attention.
Yes! Come over here, Steve! There's a lovely girl who made me flank steak for breakfast and rubbed my chin and I think you should marry her right away!
She had predictably gotten up and walked over to him, wondering what he was barking about and then she saw Steve. They smiled at each other and introduced themselves.
Gorgeous neighbour lady's name was Natasha. Finally, Bucky knew what to call her when he looked at her because she was nice to look at. He was sure that Steve noticed too, since his pupils dilated when he looked Natasha over. Sexual tension, anyone?
Steve chastised Bucky for messing up Natasha's garden, but she was gracious and even offered to share some of her tomatoes with him. Both humans went into Natasha's house and they indulged themselves in more dialogue. Bucky would have been content to let them continue for a while, but he was getting sleepy and wanted to go home.
So he barked a couple of times and the two humans moved away from each other and went outside. To Bucky's amazement, Steve asked Natasha out on a dinner date at his house! The puppy was shocked. That boring Sharon girl Steve dated a while back had never even gotten a dinner date at Steve's place when he lived in an apartment. Natasha was a million times more preferable to Sharon, that was for sure.
Unfortunately, Bucky hadn't been able to make a guest appearance to Steve and Natasha's dinner on account of swallowing a rather large toy bone - man, that thing had hurt. He'd been drugged to the nines that day, but it was nice to watch his owner angst over his lovely neighbour afterwards.
Bucky observed Steve called Bucky and Tony, trying to figure out what went wrong between he and Natasha that night. He was even thinkin up of some creative and romantic way to bring her back.
Just go and talk to her, punk! Bucky thought the following day as he lie on Steve's chest with sobering eyes. She's your true love! Isn't that obvious?
Silly humans and their silly emotions.
Seriously. Human mating rituals were so lengthy and troublesome. If Bucky liked a female dog, he would sniff her butt and she would either tell him to go away or she'd give him that sultry lady dog look and they'd go to a secluded place - or not secluded, as dogs had no personal preference mating in front of humans or in a concealed space.
Imagine Bucky's surprise a few days later when he discovered Steve and Natasha hugging and being all cuddly and romantic in the living room. The puppy knew to make himself scarce and he quietly shuffled back to the doggy bed in his master's room.
To think that, a few days ago, Bucky's craving for tomatoes would bring love into Steve's life before the week was even over. The puppy smiled to himself as he settled in his bed. There was doubt about it. He was a born matchmaker.
Yes, I had to use Bucky's nickname for Steve in this oneshot. I'll get around to Steve calling Bucky 'jerk', later. So be on the lookout for that. :D
