buckybarnesweek2022

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Time for us to celebrate our precious plum-loving brainwashed assassin on his special day! This is a low-pressure, no sign-up event. If you create any work that revolves around Bucky celebrating his birthday some way, then it counts!

It can be any rating, though this event is 18+ as the collection will be unmoderated. You can @buckybarnesevents and tag #bbbdaybash2023. 

For overall event/blog rules, please make sure you read here: https://buckybarnesevents.tumblr.com/rules

AO3 Collection: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/BuckysBirthdayBash

Posting opens March 9, 2023 and will close March 11, 2023 to cover all time zones. Have fun!

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers Additional Tags: Bucky’s birthday, Fluff and Smut, Lingerie, Plugs, Dom/sub Undertones, Bottom Steve Rogers, E for safety, as in it isn’t super detailed Word count: 3.6k Summary:

Bucky’s day starts slowly. He awakens with the sun on his face, warmth surrounding him. The sheets are soft on his skin and he feels rested.

–

Bucky’s birthday starts slowly. It continues peacefully with Steve in the morning, then with his friends for lunch and in the afternoon. The evening starts as a relaxing one too, but that was without counting on Steve.

–

I totally forgot to share this on tumblr! This was for day 3 of @buckybarnesweek2022, Bucky’s birthday, and my fill for the squares G2 ‘Riding’ for the @stuckybingo and N3 ‘Free’ for the @anyfandomkinkbingo

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Catnapped, Chapter 6: Catastrophizing

rating: T

pairing: Bucky x Darcy

excerpt:

“You go on ahead and be mad all you like. You’re entitled,” Bucky says as he plucks her off of his shoulder to set her down beside Jane on the rug. “Try to stay out of trouble for five minutes, okay?” He pats her butt gently to send her off into the main lodge next door with Jane to play, but it’s an extra firm pat and Darcy goes end over teakettle, face-first into the floor. She flips end over and flops hard on her back, temporarily stunned and unable to even complain about the rough treatment as he walks away to eat his delicious bacon.

Jerk.

note: Bucky Barnes Appreciation Week (Month) ‘22 prompt filled: March 12: Day 6 fluff or New York @buckybarnesweek2022

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Catnapped: Chapter 5: Catastrophe

rating: T (for language)

pairing: Bucky x Darcy

excerpt:

“I do not understand it,” Thor says, ending on a wide yawn as Bucky totes Darcy into the kitchen for more chicken and a saucer of water. “How have they even greater energy in this form? They are so tiny!” he insists as Jane climbs his T-shirt, claw over claw, one tiny, insistent paw snagging at the braid hanging over his shoulder. She gives the hair tie on the end a good yank and Bucky thinks Thor’s a second from almost cussing her out like he’s been stabbed by Loki.

Again.

In the end, he doesn’t so much as raise his voice, but it’s a near thing, by the look of him.

“She keeping you up?” Bucky asks with a knowing grin as he tries to shred chicken with Darcy climbing the leg of his jeans and hollering for fresh meat.

“Aye.” Thor rests his face in his palm.

notes:

Bucky Barnes Appreciation Week (Month) ‘22: March 11: Day 5 seasons @buckybarnesweek2022

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Title: Table Top Games

Author: RuckyStarnes

Characters: Bucky Barnes, Wanda Maximoff, Kobik

Pairing: WinterWitch

Warnings: none

Rating: G

Written for: @buckybarnesweek2022

Event: Bucky Barnes Appreciation Week

Prompt: Recovery or Nerd Out

Summary: Kobik approaches Bucky and Wanda, asking if they could play a game she found to be popular amongst the residence of Earth. When Wanda and Bucky are presented with seven dice each and a hand drawn map on the table, they were confused, until Kobik skipped into the room with a book under arm, wearing a cloak.

Type: Moodboard

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Three words that became hard to say I, and love, and you (x)

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Catnapped, Chapter 4: Kitten Adventures!!!

rating: T

pairing: Bucky x Darcy

summary: Kitten!Darcy is off on fantastic kitten adventures!!! …down the hall. Bucky follows to see what shit she’s gonna get into next.

Notes:

Bucky Barnes Appreciation Week ‘22 prompt filled: March 10: Day 4 Happy Birthday, Bucky Barnes! @buckybarnesweek2022

This was such a difficult prompt to work into the story! 😆 I hope this one works for you guys. (Keep an eye out for the next Bucky week prompt update soon!)

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Can't Just Stop

Summary: As Bucky recovers, Steve can’t stop worrying about his husband. His constant anxiety is taking a toll.

Chapter Rating: T

Author’s Note: Written for @buckybarnesweek2022. Prompt: Recovery

[buckybarnesweek2022]

he deserves peace and calm after all.

prompt for the @buckybarnesweek2022 “recovery"

[buckybarnesweek2022]

⭐Bucky Appreciation Week 2022⭐ is officially over! THANK YOU all for participating, whether it is content creating, consuming, or sharing <3 We’re blown away by all the gorgeous submissions - you are AMAZING!! We’re so thrilled!!

If you didn’t manage to post during the last week, don’t worry at all - we will still be reblogging Bucky Week posts until the last day of March. Just remember to tag our blog @buckybarnesweek2022 so we can see it!!

If you would like to see the Bucky Week 2022 submissions that we have received so far, you can visit our blog tag here or the tumblr tag #bbweek22

Note: We will be keeping this blog alive for the possibility of Bucky Week 2023. This will depend on fandom interest and availability of the mods. If Bucky Week 2023 is confirmed, we will be making an announcement post later in the year.

With that said, we hope you enjoyed this fest, and have a happy (rest of) 2022!

[buckybarnesweek2022]

buck with a fluffy bucky bear

for the @buckybarnesweek2022 “fluff"

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Steve has a surprise for Bucky’s birthday! 🎁 🎈🥳 🎉

💖 the teeniest, tiniest, cuddliest ball of fluff 💛✨

Keep reading

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Bucky Barnes Appreciation Week - Day 7

AN: Here we are - at the end of BB Appreciation Week 2022. Thanks to all those who have read, liked and re-blogged my little imagines - I love you all.

I've got more in store for Bucky and Sam (someone sent a bit of a spicy ask, which I'm hoping to get to soon!)

Big round of applause to the ever wonderful @firefly-graphics for her superb dividers.

Check out my master list if you are feeling so inclined.

Pairing: Luke x Lando Bucky x Sam

Word Count: Approx 640

CW: Tooth-rotting fluff, Nerdiness, Fangirling

Bucky was in heaven. Like literally, Bucky thought he was in heaven.

Back in the 30’s Bucky had been an avid reader, enjoying Tolkien, Huxley and Rand, any books where the world wasn’t portrayed as it was, whether that be fantasy or a bleak dystopian future. Since coming out from under HYDRA’s control, part of his recovery had been to catch up on pop-culture and he had fully embraced the fact he was a nerd and therefore ‘Nerd Culture’- grabbed it in both fists and refused to let go. Which is why he was here, now, basking in freedom to let his nerd flag fly.

Sam shuffled beside him, tugging at the collar of his cloak.

“Are you sure I look okay, Buck. I feel a bit self-conscious.”

Bucky snorted in amusement.

“You fly through the sky in a state of the art red, white and blue suit with a massive pair of wings and chew out politicians on live TV, but this,” he gestured up and down his boyfriend’s body at the costume he was wearing, “is what makes you self-conscious? Doll, you look gorgeous. Sexiest Lando Calrissian I ever saw, and there are a few here…..and Billy Dee Williams is going to ‘freak’ when he sees you.”

“He’s here!” Sam’s voice came out in a squeak, his eyes widening in abject terror and embarrassment.

“Yeah, babe, I’ve booked for us to do a meet, greet and photo with him.”

“Gone the whole hog, huh?”

“Yup! Shame that Mark Hamill isn’t at this one, but it’s not one of the big ones. I wonder what he’d think of my outfit?”

Bucky plucked some non-existent lint off of his boiler suit and adjusted the skin colour glove over his prosthetic. Sam had told him he didn’t need to do that, until Bucky had turned to him eyebrow raised and started to lecture him that his outfit was from before when Luke loses a hand and Luke lost his right hand not his left, and he didn’t want glaring inaccuracies in his outfit. Sam knew when he was beat.

“Bucky-Bear, you make the best Luke Skywalker, I swear. I reckon with all these new shows, if they need someone to play Luke they’d be better calling you up than relying on CGI – that shit always looks far too ‘uncanny valley’ for my liking. We can take a photo later though and tweet it to him, how about that?”

Bucky leant over and rubbed his nose against Sam’s.

“You have the best ideas Sammy… oh look – there’s the life size Jabba replica, let’s go and get a picture, then there are a few merch stalls I want to check out. Also got to get my picture taken with as many Yoda’s as possible…”

Bucky practically skipped off, as excited as a child, and Sam couldn’t contain his grin as he followed along in his wake. All the ‘Leia’s’, ‘Vaders’ and even some ‘Hans’ all wanted pictures with his dashing boyfriend, who was sporting a blonde wig with his costume and looking very un-Bucky like. But that wasn’t the only un-Bucky like thing about him today.

Sam had seen Bucky happy before, but never this carefree and, well, childlike and it was fucking endearing. Bucky was indulging himself in a way that hadn’t been available to him in his younger years. Preparing for this event had definitely kept him busy and he hadn’t had a nightmare in two weeks. Obviously getting involved in a hobby wasn’t going to be an instant and permanent fix; trauma recovery didn’t work like that, but Sam was proud of his nerdy boyfriend, recovering in his own way and allowing himself just to be.

Today Bucky wasn’t the Winter Soldier, the White Wolf or even Sargent Barnes.

Today he was James Buchanan Barnes: Nerd.

The man who Sam loved.

Tag List: @christywantspizza @jobean12-blog @tinnedowl @bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky @tuiccim @beelicious-barnes @yarnforbrains @sidepartskinnyjeans @maladaptivexxdaydreaming @krissy25 @bodeckersdiamonddoll @turbolisedcomet @goldylions @buckybarnesweek2022

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Title: New York's False Spring

Author: RuckyStarnes

Characters: Bucky Barnes, Wanda Maximoff

Warnings: none

Rating: G

Written for: @buckybarnesweek2022

Event: Bucky Barnes Appreciation Week 2022

Prompt: Day 6 - Fluff or New York

Summary: After a few days of what seemed like spring was coming, a winter storm came through.

Type: Moodboard

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Day 7: Recovery for @buckybarnesweek2022

Recovery in Wakanda

[buckybarnesweek2022]

Summary: Steve heard Bucky’s scream from the kitchen. The scream that meant taking it out on expendable walls wasn’t enough, that the breathing exercises didn’t work, and that the flashback was in full swing. Quickly, Steve grabbed a blanket, and ran upstairs. It had been nearly a month since the last time it got this bad. Bucky was making steady progress in his recovery process, a process that they both knew would not be linear. There would be bumps. This was one of them.

A/N: Read through tags before reading this fic.

Rating: E

Word count: 1,2k

Written for @buckybarnesweek2022 day 7: Recovery

[buckybarnesweek2022]

When I Close My Eyes

Bucky Barnes X Joaquín Torres

Summary: Bucky's mind just wants to keep him in the dark. But there's something about Sam's Lieutenant, Joaquín, that just brings the colour back.

Warnings: 18+, language, suggestive situations, Bucky's mental health is not good. Happy ending.

Credits: thank you as ever to my lovely beta reader @christywantspizza . Thanks also go to @yarnforbrains and @late-to-the-party-81 for encouraging me to actually write this!

Challenge: Bucky Barnes Appreciation Week @buckybarnesweek2022 . Prompt - Recovery.

Find the prompts here.

AN: Based on the song Colourblind by Darius, if you know this one from back in the day then happy 30s to you 🤣

If I time this right it'll be the only Bucky / Joaquín on AO3 that isn't an AU and doesn't involve Sam romantically. I sure know how to do my research on popular ships 🙃 I hope you guys enjoy it!

Masterlist

Feelin' blue

While I'm trying to forget the feeling that I miss you

He needed to get on another job with Sam, that was the aim. Get on a job with Sam and that fuckin' comms kid will be there too and he can get over whatever this feeling is that he can't shake. This odd, sad, blue, sort of feeling that made him empty and lonely in a way he hadn't felt in a long time.

Bucky had only spoken a handful of words to Sam's Lieutenant, Joaquín Torres, but he didn't have to say much. He didn't want to say much, say anything stupid or embarrassing to the perfect man that he'd stumbled into on the Quinjet. 

In the end he didn't say enough because Torres had stayed well away from him on the flight home, as if he was sharing the jet with a wild animal and not a colleague, sticking to the opposite wall and avoiding eye contact. 

Bucky rubbed his hands over his face, willing himself to concentrate on the film he was watching and away from the disaster of a mission he'd just returned from. 

Would have been better if you were watching Sam's 6 instead of Joaquín's ass.

His mind was so cruel sometimes, the more distance he put between The Soldier and himself, the more he realised how quiet his mind had been. Now it seemed to have something to say constantly and he wished... god damn, he wished it would just leave him alone. 

For a brief moment he felt ridiculous, then he remembered Joaquín's wide, brown eyes. The soft curve of his lips and his clean shaven face. He just looked so, so, so... bright eyed, so young and innocent as if his bouncy demeanour and batting lashes didn't drive Bucky completely wild. Like he didn't know exactly what he was doing standing so close and watching him from the corner of his eye.  

Was he young? Bucky figured he was about 28 or 29. He couldn't be much older than 30. He had light laughter lines around his eyes but he was brave, professional and organised. No green recruit. A Lieutenant. 

So then how old was Bucky? Officially, far too old for anyone. But in lived years? 34, maybe? He thought that was probably right, even if his body felt ancient. 

Bucky didn't care about rank or figuring out his age or whatever the hell held him back from enjoying his previous dates. 

He wanted him.

Wanted to ruin him and claim him. Wanted him to look up at him in awe again, like he had when he ripped his jacket. He'd looked a little frightened but excited and it made Bucky's cock throb painfully even in his loose sweatpants. 

"Fucking hell." He clicked the film off and slammed his bedroom door behind him. 

Feelin' red

When you spend all your time with your friends and not me instead

Well you got what you wanted, Barnes. Here you are. Another mission and have you done a single useful thing about this obsession? No. Weak. 

Instead of turning on the charm, Bucky was watching Sam and Joaquín laugh in the cockpit with bile rising in his throat. 

Fuck them if they didn't need him to have fun. He could just sit back here and talk to himself, couldn't he? He didn't need Sam's friendship or Joaquín's attention. Did he? Maybe...a little bit. 

The jet landed gently, taxiing into the hangar and jolting Bucky from his thoughts. 

“You want to join us, Bucky? We’re going to this bar in DC.” Joaquín’s voice was light, only a little hitch on his name, but the poor kid was clearly scared of him. Until yesterday, he’d called him Sergeant Barnes, it was only Sam’s incessant teasing that made him stop. 

“Us?” 

Torres rubbed his hands together awkwardly “Me and Sam, he said he’d been there before and it was good. What do you think?" Bucky stared at him, trying to keep himself trained on his earnest face and not the way he'd rolled the short sleeves of his khaki t-shirt over making the seams tight on his biceps.  "Uhm - A few mates might come if you wanted to…"

C’mon, Barnes, this is a pity invite. Say no and save yourself the bother. 

“Sorry, Torres, I’ve got to ride back to Brooklyn tonight.”

“Awh, c’mon Sarge, what if I said it was an order?” Torres' eyes twinkled mischievously. 

Then I’d get on my fucking knees and crawl there for you, Lieutenant. 

“You pullin’ rank on me for this?” For just a second Bucky felt an exciting fizzle run up his spine. Was Torres really flirting with him? He cocked an eyebrow, taking in the way the other man's pupils widened, filling the deep brown of his iris', his breath caught slightly. 

“I mean - ah.” He looked down at his feet. “If you’d like Sergeant Barnes, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” 

Bucky gathered his overnight bag and jacket making a swift escape while Torres continued to fumble with his hands. 

Sam clapped Joaquín on the back. “You going after the cyborg? I thought you were meant to be wise?” 

“Bizarrely wise, not normal wise, Sam.” 

“So you coming?” 

“Nah, not anymore.” 

Feelin' green

When the jealousy swells and it won't go away in dreams

Bucky basked in the Louisiana sunshine like a lizard on a rock, if lizards worked ten days in a row and tried to sleep off minor bullet wounds. 

Sam had invited him down to spend a few days with his family, taking the boat out with him and Torres for the day. They’d had beers at lunch, eating po boys wrapped in silver foil and making fun of Sam’s inability to catch anything. 

Torres glowed in the low sun, catching the dark shine of his hair, the warmth of his gaze like melted chocolate when he let Bucky teach him how to steer the boat. One hand on the wheel, the other on the small of his back. His languid gaze trailing over Bucky's hand slowly, across his bare metal arm and up to his face, grinning lazily. 

As the evening drew in, the sun levelled itself with the boat and Bucky climbed onto the roof to soak up the last few rays on his scarred skin. The bob of the waves and soft hum of music from the cabin rocked him to an easy sleep, letting the tide of his own tiredness drag him down.

Joaquín smiled at him, reaching for him and stroking his hand down Bucky's arm. 

"Hi, Bucky," he cooed, lips close enough to taste, minty breath fanning across Bucky's neck. 

"'Quin." He was pliant under Bucky's hands, soft and delicious, warm and sunny. He wrapped a hand into the dark,sweaty, curls at the nape of his neck and dragged him forwards, parting his lips with a lap of his tongue, rubbing his thigh against the tent in Joaquín ’s jeans. 

“Oh, Sam, feels so good.” The younger man moaned and Bucky lurched back, burnt. 

Bucky snapped his eyes open. Fuck. Even his dreams knew the kid was too good for him. Too good to really care for him.  

I told you, you're not worth it Barnes. 

Feelin' yellow

I'm confused inside

"Hey, Bucky." He snapped to attention, staring at Joaquín across the debriefing room.

"Torres?" 

"You looked a little spaced out there. You okay?" 

“Just - seen a lot this week, ya know?” 

“I do.” Joaquín nodded sagely, “I do know…you know that right? You can come talk to me about stuff. Sam says I have a ‘good ear’.” He gave Bucky a genuine smile, his teeth flashing a brilliant white, lips pink as candy floss. "And I know we haven't really hung out that much, so," he tapped his fingers on the table, "if it made it easier, I am the superior officer. Your welfare is important to me... you're important to me." 

“Thanks, Torres.” Bucky flushed, he wasn't sure whether it was because of the reminder that the handsome colleague was actually his superior - he gulped, spit filling his mouth - or the fact Joaquín had admitted to caring about him, even if it was just professional. 

“Joaquín.” 

“Thanks, Joaquín.” When Bucky looked up he was impossibly close, perched on the table next to Bucky’s papers, phone, laptop, shuffling his own phone in circles. 

“You want to take a walk? Get a coffee maybe and we can talk about it?” 

He just wants to - shut the fuck up, okay. Shut up. Maybe he wants to talk to me. Just, let me live!

“I’d love that, Joaquín, thanks.” 

A little hazy but mellow

When I feel your eyes on me

Feelin' fine, sublime

When that smile of yours creeps into my mind

They strolled across the Avenger’s campus, coffee cups in hand, and discussed the latest mission, Sam’s leadership, the fuck up with the supplies on the jet. 

Before he knew it Bucky was telling him a story about Sam and Scott Lang, drawing an outburst of deep laughter from Joaquín's chest. Bucky could see the smile that would be on his face without even turning, imprinted on his mind like a brand. 

“Don’t ask him about it though.” He coughed out around his own laugh. Joaquín turned to walk backwards so he could look at Bucky properly, enjoying the smile on the normally stoic man’s face.

Just leave. He hates you he -

"This is nice, maybe we could do it again sometime." Bucky suggested, too afraid to look up, too lost in the haze of coffee and laughter, on the hand on his arm, on the heat radiating from the body next to his. 

"Yeah, let's do this again. You want to get something to eat next time?" Joaquín suggested. 

"I like to eat." Bucky answered, too quickly. 

Too quick and too weird, Barnes.  

Joaquín laughed and nodded his head a little. "Good, good, I like to eat too. It's a date, then." He paused, suddenly unsure of himself and Bucky looked back at him, really looked at the nervous tapping of his fingers and the faint, pink tinge on his cheeks. 

"It's a date." He smiled back, scribbling his real number on the side of Joaquín's coffee cup. 

Feelin' black

When I think about all the things that I feel I lack

Bucky ripped his second paper napkin into tiny pieces, his placemat snowed under with the evidence of his anxiety. 

What if he'd just meant it as a casual thing, maybe that's what people said now. Was Joaquín even into men? 

You really should have spoken to Sam. Shut. The. Fuck. Up

He didn't need Sam, he needed mental fucking stability. He needed to not feel broken inside, he needed a nice apartment to bring him back to instead of his shell, he needed a life to offer someone and this just wasn't it. 

Why had he even agreed to this when all he'd do was mess it up like he had with Leah? He looked down at his watch, 7:55. If he left now, he could text Joaquín and tell him something came up, maybe he wouldn't bump into him outside. 

Dropping a few notes on the table to cover his beer and a tip, he gathered his jacket ready to leave. 

"Hey, Bucky...oh. Did I get it wrong? Am I late? I thought we said twenty hundred?" Joaquín looked tense, but Bucky noticed he smelt different. The same sweet shea smell like always, but with a hint of cologne over the top. 

"No, you got it right. I was just…" 

Running away? Being a coward? 

"You didn't mean to ask me on a date did you? That's okay. I get it." Joaquín slipped his black leather jacket back over his arms and turned to leave but Bucky's hand stopped him, ight on his forearm. He pulled him, turned him back, so close he could see his pupils dilate and feel his heartbeat. 

"I thought it would be nicer on the terrace, outside?" 

Joaquín beamed up at him. "That sounds great, Bucky." 

Feelin' jaded

When it's not gone right

All the colors have faded

"And you haven't spoken to him since?" 

"No." Bucky sighed on the phone. "How many times are you going to make me say it?" 

Sam chuckled, "Alright, alright. Have you considered that 'Quin is actually a Lieutenant and might have better shit to do than text you?" 

"Is that the attitude you took when I didn't text you back?" 

"That was different, the fuck did you have going on? Nothing. 'Quin is an important guy."

"Don't rub it in."

"What?" 

"How important he is and how unimportant I am." 

"Fucking hell, Buck, that's not what I meant and you know it. I just want you to stop getting worked up. He likes you - Bucky? Bucky?" 

Bucky threw his phone on the bed, dropping his body heavily onto the firm mattress. The mattress he'd bought to make his apartment look like a real person lived there, and not a cyborg who slept on the floor and ate and lived like a monk. 

But what did it matter now? 

Then I feel your eyes on me

Bucky fell into a dreamless sleep, tossing and turning on the bed until he rolled off the end with a bang. The banging didn't seem to stop even when he opened his bleary eyes. What the hell was that? 

Oh. 

His door. Someone was banging on his door. The clock blinked 03:00 on the bedside table. Who the hell wanted him at 3am? Cursing under his breath, he dragged himself to the door, looking through the peephole but just saw a standard issue army duffle on the floor. He flung the door open expecting to see Sam, and to curse him and his whole family for waking him up. 

Instead, he was met with the sleepy, but grinning, face of Joaquín, leaning on the wall next to the door. He got less than a second to enjoy his smile before the smaller man threw himself at Bucky. Wrapping both arms around Bucky's shoulders he buried his face in the scruff of his neck. 

"I got your texts. I'm sorry. I wasn't allowed to take my phone." Joaquín's voice was muffled by Bucky's t-shirt. 

"Falcon business?" Bucky asked, confused and sleepy and kind of horny now he had his arms full of Joaquín. 

"Falcon business." He agreed. "But I wanted to see you. I missed you."

"You. You missed me?"

"Right, everyone was smiling and there were no surly, grumpy, cocky comments. It was terrible." 

Bucky couldn't help but laugh, stumbling back into the apartment and kicking the door shut with the warmth of his fantasy coming true in his arms. 

Nobody told me you'd feel so good

Nobody said you'd be so beautiful

Nobody warned me about your smile

Joaquín took a quick shower while Bucky reheated some food in the microwave. 

"Thanks for letting me in, Buck." Joaquín stood in the door of Bucky's bedroom, back lit by the table lamp. He had pilfered a shirt and a pair of sweats from Bucky's dresser, the loose fabric pooling at his feet and highlighting Bucky's 6 foot 1 height even further. 

"Is it okay if I say you look cute?" Bucky let his eyes wander up and down, committing every wrinkle of fabric, every laugh line, every wisp of hair, to memory.

"I'll allow it," Joaquín hummed with a cheeky smile, "because it's you." He didn't drop his gaze, holding Bucky’s blue stare steady, approaching slowly like a cat trying not to scare its prey. He cosied up to Bucky's side, taking a bite of food from his plate and humming in satisfaction. 

"You stealing my food now as well as my clothes?" Bucky laughed, a genuine and relaxed laugh. It felt rusty still, to smile with his whole face and let the contained joy out. 

"I'm stealing your food, but if you want your clothes you can always come and get them back."

 Bucky was pretty sure Quin's flirtatious smile would be tattooed on his memory forever, alongside his petal soft lips and the squeeze of his legs sat astride his own. 

You're the light, you're the light

When I close my eyes...

Bucky stared at Joaquín's sleeping face, relaxed against the pillows. Bucky's pillows. He's just glad he bothered to buy a few nice ones and some new sheets the day before. A hand finds its way around Bucky's waist, drawing him closer, with a soft mumble. 

God, his lashes are so long, kissing his cheeks and fluttering slightly on each breath. Bucky brushed his thumb over Joaquín's sharp cheekbone, down towards his lips, a slight purple tint to his bottom lip where they'd been perhaps a little too enthusiastic, a little too eager. Joaquín hadn't complained though and Bucky liked that, liked that he could give as good as he got. Grasping hands, rolling hips and the forceful press of his tongue. 

Bucky snuggled deeper into his pillow, dragging Joaquín in as close as possible and slipped into sleep. Behind his eyes, his dreams shone brightly with his boyfriend's smile.