Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to CapGirlCanuck, who is notable not only for her wonderful friendship and incredible writing talent, but also for her singular ability to act as a human radiator. When she asked me to write some pure fluff for her, I was about to despair, because the next few chapter ideas I have for this fic are pretty dark and angsty. Thankfully, she provided some firsthand inspiration recently, which I was actually able to flesh out into two whole scenes! Thank you, my dear, for being my human blanket, for sitting on my feet and holding my hands—in short, for being the Steve to my Bucky. Here's my proof that I can write something 99% angst-free XD

I was not able to track down the picture that inspired the first half; the closest I could come was a discontinued tumblr, but I'm not sure if that was the original artist or not. The picture for the second half can be found at frostbitebakery dot tumblr dot com / image / 160272435716. This chapter takes place on either side of the second half of "Nothing" - the first half of this chapter would happen several months before, the second half would happen several months after.

Steve was jostled from sleep by the rustling of sheets and the bed dipping down behind him as someone sank into it. Blinking groggily, Steve rolled over to find a shadowy figure settling under the covers on the other side of the bed. "Buck?" he yawned.

"'M cold," Bucky mumbled, pulling the blankets up to his chin. "Can I sleep with you?"

"'Course you can," Steve said with a smile, reaching under the covers and pulling Bucky closer. He could feel that, besides the warm pajamas and fuzzy socks, Bucky was also wearing a sweatshirt of some kind. Yet even so, he was shivering slightly.

"How are you so cold?" Steve asked, grasping Bucky's right hand in both of his and looping one of his legs over Bucky's. "It's May!"

"Partly the arm, I guess," Bucky said, tucking his metal hand under the pillow, where it wouldn't touch any skin. "Partly the serum." He let out a soft sigh. "Your hands are warm."

Steve's eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough that he could make out Bucky's contented smile. He scooted a little closer so he could lean in and place a kiss on the tip of Bucky's ice-cold nose.

Bucky's fingers curled around Steve's, his legs finding a more comfortable position sandwiched between Steve's. "Guess I won't be able to keep doing this forever, huh?"

"What do you mean?" Steve asked, making sure every inch of Bucky's hand was covered.

"Well, I don't think Sharon would be too thrilled if I kept crawling into your bed every other night..."

Steve was grateful for the darkness as his cheeks burned. "Wha...it's not like we're...we've only been dating for..."

"If you don't propose to her soon, you're an even bigger idiot than I thought." Bucky sounded quite satisfied with himself.

"Oh, hush," Steve grumbled, squeezing Bucky's hand a little tighter. "Even when we get married...I mean, if..."

Bucky cackled loudly.

Once he was finished, Steve attempted to bring the conversation around to something slightly less embarrassing. "No matter what happens...no matter what changes...I can promise you one thing: You can always wake me up if you need me. Always."

He suddenly realized that he was absently rubbing his thumb back and forth across Bucky's wrist. A rough collection of scars marred the skin over the largest of his veins, an indelible memorial to one of the hardest battles he'd ever fought.

Their eyes met, and in an instant, they both knew their thoughts were on the same page. It had been months now since the last time Steve had walked in on Bucky cutting himself. Weeks since the last time Bucky had shaken Steve awake in the middle of the night, begging him to hold his hand before he did something with it that he'd regret.

"Don't ever hesitate to ask for help," Steve whispered fervently. "You hear me?"

Bucky scooted even closer, till their foreheads were nearly touching. "I won't. I mean, I will. I mean...you know what I mean."

Steve laughed out loud, and he couldn't seem to stop. Maybe it was the late hour that made everything extra funny. Maybe it was the warm bubble of joy expanding in his chest, demanding to be let out.

"Hey, I'm tired," Bucky complained, but he was grinning too. "Gimme a break already."

Once he'd managed to stop laughing, Steve pressed his lips to Bucky's knuckles. They weren't quite so cold anymore. "Think you can sleep now?"

Bucky's smile was all he needed to see. His eyelids drooped as he mumbled, "'Slong as it's with you."

"Good night, Buck," Steve whispered, watching as his friend drifted off to sleep.

Being a rather light sleeper, Bucky woke when he heard his door softly creaking as someone opened it. Steve had offered to oil the hinges several times, but Bucky preferred to know when someone was coming. There was only one person it was likely to be, but Bucky held still until he heard the hoarse whisper: "Buck? You awake?"

"I am now," Bucky yawned, rolling onto his back. "What's up?"

"I'm hot," Steve mumbled, sliding into bed and curling up next to Bucky. "Can I sleep with you?"

Bucky had been comfortable enough under the blankets, but when he felt Steve's arm wrap around his side, he relaxed even further. How did Steve always manage to stay so warm? He was like a walking furnace. So different from the way it used to be.

When Bucky tentatively touched Steve's cheek with his left hand, Steve didn't recoil from the cool metal. Instead, he made a small, contented sound and tucked the metal arm under his chin. Bucky had been sleeping on his right side with his left arm outside the blankets, because even at this time of year, the cold metal was enough to raise goosebumps if he touched it to his own skin. That didn't seem to bother Steve, though.

"What about Sharon?" he asked dubiously.

Steve cracked an eye open. "Yes, my wife is very hot, but that's not something you should be noticing."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "And your very hot wife has no problem with you ditching her to share someone else's bed?"

"If you must know, she told me that either I had to take my body heat somewhere else, or she was sleeping on the couch. Chivalry demanded that I sleep with you."

"Chivalry, huh?" Bucky snorted. "And what are you going to do once I move out? Are you going to hop in your car and drive across town every summer night?"

Steve pouted at him. "Or you could just stay and make things more convenient for everybody."

"Well, this place only has two bedrooms," Bucky pointed out. "Someone has to move once you start having kids."

"Wha..." Steve spluttered. Even in the darkness, Bucky could tell he was blushing. He could practically feel the extra heat emanating from his face. "Bu...we're not ready...we've only been married for..."

Bucky laughed at his friend's embarrassment. "If you and Sharon aren't talking about children by the end of the year, I'll eat my metal hand. And those things are hard to replace, so you better not disappoint me."

"Yeah, whatever," Steve muttered. Which they both knew meant that Bucky had won.

For several minutes, they simply lay in contented silence. Bucky assumed Steve had fallen asleep, and was about to drift off himself, when Steve finally spoke up again. "Buck?"

"Mmm?"

"I love you. You know that, right?"

Bucky smiled, but didn't bother opening his eyes. "Did you decide to change your name to Captain Obvious? 'Course I know that. Kinda comes with the territory of being best friends."

Warm fingers wrapped around Bucky's right hand, clutching just a little too tightly to be casual. Bucky dragged his eyelids open again, to find Steve gazing at him with an odd expression. Maybe it was just the darkness, but he couldn't figure out what that expression meant.

"I don't say it enough, though," Steve said softly. "I don't know why it is... I say it to Sharon every day. Multiple times a day. But then...so many times, I don't even think about saying it to you."

"But you do." Bucky pulled Steve's hand closer and pressed those warm knuckles against the cool skin of his own throat. He wondered if Steve could feel his pulse beating in his neck.

"What?"

"You do say it to me," Bucky said with a little smile. "Every day. Every time you look at me and smile. Every time you hold my hand...or give me a hug...or say my name. Whenever you listen to me...or send me a text...or remember to tell me something later...you're saying it. You're saying it right now, just by lying here."

Steve stared at him long enough that Bucky started to feel a little stupid. But instead of laughing at him, Steve just murmured, "You...hear me saying that?"

Bucky looked directly into his eyes and smiled, gently rubbing his thumb back and forth over Steve's cheek. "Do you?"

The grin slowly spreading across Steve's face was the only answer he needed. But Steve went on to say, "You're the best friend anyone could ask for."

A steady flame of affection burned in Bucky's heart, till he finally thought he understood why Steve was always so warm. "There you go, being Captain Obvious again."

Steve yawned widely, then settled Bucky's metal arm more comfortably against his neck. "Ah, what is love but two people telling each other increasingly obvious truths for the rest of their lives?"

Bucky quirked an eyebrow. "Who said that?"

"If I told you that," Steve mumbled sleepily, his eyes sliding shut, "then you really would have to call me Captain Obvious."

Snorting softly at that, Bucky watched Steve steadily drifting off to sleep. He'd watched Steve fall asleep many times over the years, but it never really got old. How could he ever get tired of watching those long lashes flutter closed, or that warm hand relaxing in his, or feeling those deep breaths breezing across his face?

Especially when every second, every breath, every beat of his heart was filled to the brim with the silent exchange of I love you.

I love you.

I love you.