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Right after the conflict involving Ultron and the incorporation of Wanda into the Avengers team, the teasing jokes about Steve’s “Language!” slip-up still abounded. And although the Captain was initially annoyed by the constant comments reminding him of that particular moment, he soon found a way to use it to his advantage.
That’s how the “swear jar” idea was born and a glass jar was perched on top of the kitchen counter in the Avengers compound. Every time someone said a curse word or swore while in Rogers’ presence, they had to pay the fee. And, soon enough, the jar started to get filled with bills and coins while the profanity around the compound began to decrease substantially.
Naturally, different words ranked at different prices, thus why the worse ones cost up to two dollars. After all, Steve wouldn’t let anyone get away with anything on his watch. That was the price to pay for making fun of him for so long because of something so silly.
Months soon turned to years and the jar kept being used, although nobody knew where the money went or what it was used for. By the time Bucky joined the team for good, he had noticed the jar immediately. And not only that, but he also became aware of the fact that his best friend never cursed in front of the other members.
One time, when the curiosity became too much to bear, he got Steve alone to ask what the deal was with the infamous jar.
“What gives? You got the worst mouth out of anyone I know,” the Sergeant inquired, suspicion making him wary of the other’s motives.
“They made assumptions, Buck. Those assumptions were followed by non-stop joking about the matter. And I think that if I had to suffer through that, I deserve at least a new bike, don’t you?” The Captain replied with a perfectly innocent expression.
Of course, he was referring not only to the teasing but to his retaliation by using the jar.
“I forgot how fucking devious you are,” Barnes admitted, awed at the audacity of his oldest friend.
Not only did the man manage to trick all the Avengers into his ruse (to make them stop messing with him as well as to improve their manners), but he got himself a nice compensation out of it too. Thus, it’s easy to say that Bucky was proud of Steve for capitalizing on the situation.