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Could one get an insurance policy for this kind of thing, Bucky wondered.
While he always hated the curtains that came with the apartment (puce, who even had puce coloured things), they had replaced so much upholstery these past few months that the guy in the shop knew them by name.
“Bucky, is something burning?”
You mean my sanity? Bucky wants to reply unhappily, because that’s definitely going up in flames. Instead he shrugs before turning around and wincing, “Uh, Steve your hair…it’s sort of smouldering.”
Steve’s eyes widen and he reaches out to pat down the flames on his head without thinking.
“Shit!” he curses, jerking his hand away from the mess and Bucky groans good-naturedly, before he waves one hand over Steve’s head, a tiny jet of water dousing any stubborn fire that remained. He sticks his hand out expectantly and Steve only hesitates for a few moments before he gives Bucky his burnt hand.
Bucky allows a burst of healing magic to flow into Steve, leaving the pale skin good as new. When he’s done, he holds Steve’s hand close to his face, before placing a kiss to his palm.
Flushing, Steve pulls his hand to his chest, as though he had been burned again. “Bucky!”
“Can’t be too careful doll.” He drawls, slinging his arm around Steve’s shoulders.
“I had ‘em on the ropes.” Steve mutters, decidedly not leaning into Bucky’s warmth.
“I know you did pal. Just maybe, lay off the demon summoning for a little bit more. Until you’re sure you can contain them in a proper spell ward?”
Bucky knows that Steve is disheartened, he barely picks at his dinner and goes to straight to bed after, but he can’t help it. Bucky’s worried about Steve. Because Steve’s spirit is too strong and too bright for his body and he needs both to be able to summon and expel demons from the human realm, even though he wishes he didn’t.
Steve wants to help, he’s one of those people who can’t rest if he knows there’s work to be done. But this is the tenth demon summoning gone wrong this month and Bucky’s scared. What if something happens and he’s not around to save Steve? He’s heard the stories, Fury had lost an eye after a run-in with a particularly unfriendly high-ranking demon and that man was a pro. See, Bucky doesn’t really care about fighting demons, he’s happy enough with his job at the local bakery.
But wherever Steve goes, Bucky goes.
Besides, there’s only so much their tiny apartment can take. And Steve’s terrible at lying so it generally falls on Bucky’s head to explain, for example, to the super, why exactly the living room is flooded with water and there is a family of crabs making its way across the ceiling.
“You awake?” he whispers to Steve, as he perches at the edge of Steve’s bed. He knows the man is pissed, otherwise he wouldn’t be using his own bed, the pair usually shared Bucky’s room. Steve doesn’t say anything and Bucky sighs, he knows Steve is awake, but he doesn’t want to force him to talk.
“Steve, you know I know you’re one of the bravest people I’ve ever met. But you can’t keep diving headfirst into these things. How’d you think I felt coming home to find you surrounded by nothing but fire and smoke? I’m worried,” his voice cracks, because he’s never really talked about this with Steve before, but he figures, this is something he needs to say.
“I’m worried about you. Because you always think about everybody else except yourself. And I can’t help but be scared that one day, I’m going to be left all alone, and I don’t think I would be able to handle that, don’t put me through that Steve.” His voice breaks off at this point and Bucky’s horrified to find he’s tearing up.
Suddenly he finds a pair of bony arms wrapped tight around him. He hugs Steve tight and buries his head into Steve’s hair (which still smells of smoke, did he shower?).
“I’m sorry Buck, I didn’t mean to make you worry. It’s just, I feel so useless sometimes. Everybody else can control their powers and I’m barely just plodding along. I just wanted to do my part.”
“Hey now, you’re not useless. Everyone has a different part to play Steve. In fact, just the other day, Dr. Banner was telling me how you calmed down all those kids when that goblin pack broke into their school. He said he’s never seen someone work so quickly. Doll, maybe you’re so caught up in trying to do something you’re not meant to, that you’re not able to see what you are meant to be doing.”
And Jesus, when did Bucky become so philosophical? But it seems to have worked, because Steve’s gone a sort of silent that means he’s thinking about things. When he tilts his head up to press a kiss to Bucky’s jawline, he knows things will be ok.
“I’ll talk to Fury tomorrow, about a temporary reassignment.”
Bucky sighs in relief and presses a kiss to Steve’s forehead.
Later when they’re pressed together in bed, Steve tucked into Bucky’s side, Bucky mumbles, “Think of all the money we’ll save, not having to replace the carpet every week.”
He thinks it’s hilarious, Steve doesn’t share his views.
His boss just raises his eyebrows when Bucky walks in the next morning with bubble gum pink hair. It’s way above Sam’s pay grade to even begin to deal with this.
