"Forgotten the Day"

Why Bucky didn't go straight to Steve he would never know. At first, he reacted appropriately.

"Phil just left!" Bucky said, flailing his arms. "I woke up, and he told me to stay in bed as long as I wanted, and that he'd be back later. I remember that. But when I did wake up, two hours later, he still wasn't back!"

"What have you tried?" Steve asked, frowning, his arms crossed as Bucky began to pace. "Bucky, have you tried calling him?"

"Of course I have, Steve! I've called seven times since I found out he was missing. What if he's been kidnapped, or hurt, or k—" He stopped himself there, not wanting to consider that possibility.

"Coulson's not the type to run away from a fight, run scared at all," Steve muttered.

"We didn't have a fight," Bucky said, stopping abruptly. "Not one little spat. Nothin'. Something's gotta be wrong. Why won't he answer his phone? At least if someone answered it asking for ransom, we could try tracing the call, find Phil and bring him home. But we can't, because it's like his phone isn't on at all! JARVIS refuses to help, and I've asked Natasha and Clint and Bruce and none of them have any clue where he is. Natasha just looked… blank, like usual. Clint almost smirked, and I nearly punched him for the… the implication that Phil can take care of himself, when he know he can get hurt. Bruce just said he was sure everything was okay."

"I'm sure it is, Bucky," Steve said, even though his brow was still lined. "I can't think why he'd disappear, today of all…" His expression suddenly cleared, and Bucky saw his lips twitching at the corners. "Buck."

"Yeah, Steve?"

"Has Coulson been… distant at all the last couple of days?"

"`Bout a week by now," Bucky said, his heart sinking. "You think he wants to… to break it off with me?"

"What? No! No, of course not. He'd never do that, he's too stuck on you. But think, Bucky. What's special about today?"

He shrugged helplessly. "I dunno. Is it International Hide and Seek Day? Am I supposed to remember something like that? Ah hell, Phil should've told me."

"I don't think it's that, Bucky," Steve said, and he patted him on the shoulder. "Why don't you go put on something a bit nicer, huh?"

Bucky looked down at the old shirt and jeans he was wearing. "Why?"

"When you look better, you feel better."

"Then why does Clint hate wearing white tie and tails?"

"No idea. Just go get changed. I'll try calling Coulson for you."

Bucky didn't really feel all that much better, but if he had to go rescue his lover, he may as well look more like a knight in shining armour than a knight in… well, a ratty t-shirt. From Phil's youth, apparently. He liked seeing in it, and if he didn't answer the next call, Bucky had been planning to text him the picture, just in case he was sore at Bucky for some reason. Make him come home from work early, even though Agent May said that he wasn't in today. But she could've been covering for him. Who knew?

"Sir, he is back," JARVIS said. Bucky's head jerked up.

"Phil's back?" he said.

"Yes, sir. If you would go to the common lounge, you will find him there."

So nervous he could've thrown up, Bucky caught the elevator to the usual level, and as soon as he stepped out he damn near bumped into Phil. Well, at least his lover his smiling, and he was dressed nicely. That was… if not encouraging, some kind of a relief anyway.

"Where's you been?" Bucky asked, twiddling his thumbs together. Phil took his left hand, and pulled Bucky along.

"Co-ordinating," he replied. One word replies never boded well, but he couldn't think what this one meant. It wasn't the usual sharp 'Yes' or 'No' that he'd get out of Phil after doing something stupid during battle.

"Co-ordinating what?" he said apprehensively. Phil chuckled. That was good, right?

"This," he said. "Don't worry. I know you don't like big noises at home, in case they trigger something. I kept it as low-key as possible when living in the same building as Tony Stark."

"What d'you mean?"

Before they entered the common area, Phil leaned in and pecked Bucky on the lips.

"Happy birthday," he murmured. Bucky didn't have time to register that before he was led into the lounge, where there were balloons, a banner saying 'Happy birthday, Bucky!', a table groaning under the weight of stacked plates of food, and all their friends gathered around in party hats and holding wrapped parcels.

"It's… it's my birthday?" he said. Then he face-palmed with his free hand. "Shit. It's my birthday."

"Thought you might forget. Decided you deserved something a little special." This time, Phil kissed his cheek. "Hope you like it."

Prompt from Anonymous: 'Phil is super busy making sure Bucky's birthday is super special. Bucky, who forgot about his own birthday, assumes the worst and rallies the Avengers to look for him. The Avengers may or may not know what Phil is up to and are either humouring Bucky or are equally worried. (Like, "really, Phil? You couldn't call to let me know you hadn't been kidnapped?" – "I sent a text, Bucky!")'

Only a mini-fic response, just from Bucky's POV, but I don't think I did too badly. Nothing about the texts – I forgot that bit, caught up writing the rest of it – but Bucky was appropriately worried and the others were appropriately in-the-know or just plain worked it out.