Disclaimer: Everything belongs to their rightful owner(s).
Timeline: Set after Captain America: The Winter Soldier, when (or if) Steve finds Bucky.
Posted on: June 10th 2014
Anonymous asked: I'm terrible at thinking of prompts but buckynat fluff would really make my day & "Maybe that's just what I want you to think" winterwidow [feat. Sam, Steve & Maria because I can't help it.]
"Maybe that's just what I want you to think."
"What? Don't tell me you don't like these puppies." Sam exclaimed, shocked, while trying to maintain all of the pups that were climbing on him from actually swallowing him whole. Not that, now that Natasha's thinking it through, Sam would have minded based on her judgement. She cocked her head to the side as Sam laughed when a pup licked an area under his jaw, "Look at them! How could you not like them?"
Natasha herself was patting one; it kept on shovelling its small head against her palm, while another one came paddling forward, right to her side. One hand reached for that one too, feeling its fur. "They're so soft."
Sam laughed, and a few seconds later Natasha snapped her head when she heard grass rustling from the entrance of the pound, and immediately locked eyes with Steve, who, behind him, Maria Hill and Bucky Barnes followed.
A dog yipped happily at their arrival and Steve smiled in greeting, while Maria hesitated in her steps and James― Bucky ― whichever seemed careful at stepping forward. Natasha leaped to her feet, grabbing one pup in her hand and cradling it carefully, as all three of them approached.
James met her eyes.
"It's a pup," was all Natasha said when she stood right in front of the still-recovering former Winter Soldier, calculatingly observed the decreasing pattern of bruises across his face. He stared back, perplexed, glancing back from the dog to her.
"I―" He began, unsure (just as he always was― about everything, about Steve, about himself, about her) while from behind, Natasha heard Maria began sneezing.
"Touch it," she said firmly, yet there's a gentle edge to her tone. Not commanding, not threatening. Just a silent, direct plea, and his bright eyes descended on hers. "It won't bite," she added, then shrugged a shoulder. "Well."
James immediately gave her a sharp stare, which quickly dissolved once the pup yipped, catching his attention. Natasha moved to assure it, still presenting it to the man opposite of her, and slowly, James' one hand ― not the metal one ― came and patted its head, down to its body. The pup growled happily, humming perhaps.
"It's soft," he said, a whisper under his breath.
Natasha nodded her head, contentment washed over her whole body, something that didn't happen often, while James' fingers continued intently, not breaking to pause. "Do you like it?" She asked, and there's child-like curiosity in her tone, but she'll allow it this time, she decided.
Her eyes met his again, and tried as she might, Natasha was holding her breath. He licked his lips, which should have been illegal for him to do, and breathed out: "Yeah. I do."
Natasha smiled, but only a little. "I like it too."
The pup continued to yip.