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Steve’s clothes disappearing then reappearing on Bucky all started when Bucky came back on his own, a few months after the HYDRA shit show. As he slowly recovered pieces of himself, his PTSD was very present - it never went away of course, but these days it’s a lot more manageable, like the others’. One day, after a really bad episode, Steve went to the gym and when he came back, one of his sweaters had disappeared.
Natasha being known for stealing clothes from everyone, Steve figured she had taken one of his things again and didn’t think much of it -it would reappear at some point.
When the sweater reappeared though, it was with Bucky. Or, more accurately, the place his best friend had just left after hiding during another bad episode. Steve figured Bucky must have taken it the last time, and as Bucky in his perturbed state might not appreciate Steve having seen his hiding place, didn’t say anything. It was only during yet another episode, that Steve discovered Bucky was wearing it. It seemed Bucky took some comfort in Steve’s clothes -the fabric, or as Sam suggested, his smell?- so Steve started leaving sweaters here and there. Soon, the first sweater reappeared and one of the others disappeared.
The habit went on and on, with other items of clothing as well. It slowed down as Bucky got better, then his best friend stopped hiding altogether whenever he took Steve’s stuff. Then a few dangerous missions came, and the clothes stealing came back full force. But this time, from both sides.
Now that they’re -finally- together, they share the same dressing and end up swapping clothes all the time.