Work Text:
Sam burst out in a fit of laughter. He had to lean on the ropes. He almost lost his phone to the ocean. His hands, hell, his entire body was shaking as he wheezed air in between laughs.
“Sam?” asked Sarah from somewhere, actually doing her work, “It’s Bucky again, isn’t it? I thought you put your phone on silent.”
Sam should be focusing. He shouldn’t have even looked at his phone. He always knew it was a danger. Mostly because Bucky was a ridiculous man always looking to make Sam smile and that was the biggest distraction of all, but Sam couldn’t help himself. He really couldn’t. Because of that. Because he always knew it was going to be a text that made him smile.
“I know but,” Sam somehow said between laughs, “But just – look at this.”
Sam handed Sarah the phone. And he could see it, he could see the amused smile on Sarah’s face before she handed the phone back.
“He’s so in love with you,” said Sarah as she looked over the catch of the day.
Sam felt his face heat up, maybe enough to actually show (probably not). He went back to organizing the ropes, tried to busy himself.
“No, he’s not,” mumbled Sam into his ropes.
Sam didn’t know when their dynamic shifted. Maybe it was when Sarah went from younger sister to older after the Blip. Sarah didn’t use to know how to poke fun at Sam so well. Though, with Bucky around, maybe it was just easier. Maybe Sam was too obvious about it. It was annoying. It was a little endearing, but annoying all the same.
“Sure, he’s not,” said Sarah with a wink, “Is he coming to family dinner again tomorrow?”
“Of course he is. I’m not leaving him at home,” said Sam without a thought as he walked off the boat with Sarah.
“Of course. I’ll see you two tomorrow then?” said Sarah as Tommy and Carlos began unloading the catch of the day.
“Are you sure you don’t need any more help?” asked Sam, curious.
Sarah waved Sam off.
“We’re good here. This is your day off of captaining. You don’t have to do everything for everyone. Go relax with your roommate,” said Sarah as she grabbed her clipboard.
“You’re saying roommate weird. But I’m going to ignore that because I’m working on having a healthier work-life balance and going home and hanging out with Bucky would be relaxing,” said Sam as Sarah laughed.
Sam heard a slew of “Go home!”s and “Take care of yourself!”s from as far down as the end of the docks and Sam couldn’t help but groan. Because every single person on this dock knew him too well.
“I’m going, I’m going! I told Sarah I was taking a break. Are y’all happy?” asked Sam as the Greek chorus of his life gave a wave of affirmative phrases at Sam that all clustered and morphed into a kind thunder of sounds.
Sam wandered over to his truck, checking his phone again to see it.
The photo.
She looked like a little gremlin. A little onyx scruff of a thing, all wet and confused but trusting of the person holding her in his hands. She was so tiny. Barely bigger than Bucky’s hand. She was hilarious. She was adorable.
Sam had no clue where Bucky found a kitten, though.
DID YOU ADOPT A MONSTER?!! texted Sam as he got into his car.
Sam laughed as he saw the Facetime call immediately pop up. And Sam couldn’t help it. He answered the call.
“Did you just answer the phone while driving?” asked Bucky as the phone’s camera adjusted and focused on him, “That doesn’t seem safe.”
“Not driving yet. What’s up with the little fizzgig?” asked Sam, unable to not smile back when Bucky grinned dopily.
“What’s a fizzgig?” asked Bucky, blinking.
“It’s a – there’s this movie called The Dark Crystal and it has this furry creature with a million teeth and it’s real scruffy and – you know what? Movie night. I’ll show you next movie night,” said Sam, “What’s up with the cat?”
Bucky smiled.
“There was this box of them left at the shelter I work at,” said Bucky, adjusting where he was on camera, “They ran out of room and needed a few people to foster. I know that we’ve talked about fostering animals if the shelter ran out of room and needed to help and you were okay with up to two animals in the house, so… volunteered. And I’m realizing that I should have called you to double-check. If you don’t think we should, that’s okay too. You’re allowed to say no. I could talk to some people at the shelter.”
Sam heard the sound of one very melodic kitten. He saw another in the background climbing up the open shelving in his and Bucky’s kitchen.
“No. I said I was fine with it as long as they weren’t lizards or snakes or raccoons or something,” said Sam, “You’re good. We talked about this beforehand so that we’d be prepared if you were asked about fostering at work. Now, show me the cuties. Where are the kitties?”
“Well, they are - shit, give me a second,” said Bucky as he finally realized what the cat behind him was doing, placing the phone down, Sam seeing the ceiling.
The cat that was mewling like she was auditioning for a girl group poked her little head into the view of the camera and sniffed at the phone before promptly sitting on it. Sam laughed as distantly, Sam heard Bucky say, “Wait – no. no sitting on the phone, please.”
Sam watched Bucky’s hand grab the other kitten. Bucky moved around everything and angled the phone so that Sam could see both Bucky and the two little kittens in his arms.
“Okay, so this one – she’s Alpine. She – ”
“Likes to climb,” said Sam with a smile.
“I know, I know. She’s a curious one. Just wants to see the world,” said Bucky, as he turned from Alpine to the next cat, “This one… I don’t know. Yet. She’s a little shy, but a sweetie. Needy once she’s comfortable with you.”
“Figaro,” said Sam, “We should call her Figaro. ‘Cause she sings.”
Bucky smiled softly.
“Figaro it is,” said Bucky.
Sam jumped as he heard people knocking on his car window. He glanced over to see half of the dock crowding the door and telling him, “Go home, Sam.”
Sam laughed.
“Okay, I’m going – let’s pick this up when I get home. I’m excited to meet the cats,” said Sam, anticipation growing inside him.
The thought of raising two cats.
With Bucky.
Sam was getting ahead of himself, though. That wasn’t their relationship… right?
“Yeah, get home and meet our babies,” said Bucky, beaming, “I’ll see you soon. Love you.”
Bucky’s face went completely red before ending the Facetime.
Sam gaped for a moment, just… taking that in. Love you. It echoed in his mind as Sam pulled out of the port, haunted him as he drove the hour from the port to the house in Delacroix. Love you. Sam got out of his car on autopilot and tripped on the steps of the porch as he kept thinking about it. Love you. He opened the door, watching Bucky pace before he noticed Sam.
Love you.
“Sam, I’m so sorry. It just slipped and – ”
Sam pulled Bucky in for a kiss.
“Love you too,” said Sam, a little terrified about what he had just done, wondering if Bucky wanted that too, “I love you too.”
Bucky immediately relaxed as he pulled Sam in for a hug, peppering Sam’s face with kisses between “I love you”s as the cats walked up to them, rubbing up against Sam and Bucky’s legs all purry.
“Right,” said Bucky as he reluctantly moved away from Sam, “Meet Figaro and Alpine.”