Work Text:
Natasha sat down at the kitchen table with a coffee in hand to join Tony, Clint and Sam. It was months since they all — including Steve and Bucky — moved in together in a house that Tony had bought, since it would be way cheaper for them than the college dorms. And since Tony mostly refused to acknowledge their want to pay rent, it was very cheap.
A few minutes later Steve trudged down the stairs to join them, his grumpy face a clear indicator that he wouldn’t make any small talk until he’d gotten his caffeine. But Natasha wasn’t interested in making small talk, no, there was something way more interesting she wanted an explanation about.
Apparently Sam was thinking the same thing, because he asked, “What’s that?”
Steve, instead of answering, went to the coffee machine and started fixing himself some coffee. With his back to them his disheveled hair was even more prominent. The big shirt he was wearing — that was almost slipping off his skinny shoulders — made it look like he was almost drowning in it. Nat hoped dearly that he was at least wearing underwear, even though the shirt reached his knees.
And maybe all that shouldn’t have been something weird, but fact remained it was. Because the shirt was one of the very black, very much not Steve’s style, shirts that Bucky always wore. In fact, Nat was sure it was his favourite, the very one he wore yesterday.
So the question was: Why was Steve wearing it?
“I’m glad you’re getting your caffeine and all, but do you think maybe you could explain why you’re wearing Bucky’s shirt?” Tony eventually asked, putting words to Natasha’s thoughts.
Steve only grumbled something and continued sleepily fixing his coffee. They wouldn’t get anything out of him until Steve had gotten his coffee fix.
“Have you been in a fight again?” Clint suddenly asked, and when Nat studied Steve a little closer she knew why.
Just under the collar of the shirt, on the top of his shoulder blade, a tip of a forming bruise could be seen. It would be very typical Steve if he’d gotten in a fight again; one could rather ask when he hadn’t been in a fight than if he’d been in a fight. Bucky always moaned about having to fix whatever mess Steve had gotten himself into, being it by fighting of angry men or taking care of bruises. So all in all, Na wouldn’t be surprised if Steve had been in a fight again.
Just, she was starting to get a feeling this was from something different.
At that exact moment the sound of someone almost falling down the stairs reached the kitchen. Bucky was awake and looked very tired, until she realised it was only smeared eyeliner. He usually removed it before going to bed.
He walked into the kitchen, a slight spring in his steps, even though he winced slightly at every movement of his hips. He was only wearing a pair of black skinny jeans that hung low on his hips — despite the many belts in it’s hoops. He had no shirt on, leaving every tattoo on his chest and back on display. But that wasn’t everything on display, Nat noted when Bucky walked up to Steve and circled his arms around Steve’s small waist.
Amongst the tattoos, small bruises was covering his skin, and what Nat was absolutely certain there were hickeys trailed along his neck.
Steve obviously hadn’t gotten in a fight, Nat decided when Bucky started trailing kisses along Steve’s neck, and Steve very obviously sank into his embrace.
“When?” she then asked when Bucky and Steve had taken a seat with them at the kitchen table.
Bucky looked up in confusion, but Steve stared down at the table with flushing cheeks.
“Oh, James, you know very well what I mean.”
“Oh,” Bucky said with a smirk, “you meant me and Steve fucking. You know, it’s nothing new, we just haven’t told you before.”
Three things then happened: Clint and Sam dropped their spoons into their bowls of cereal, splattering milk over half the table; Tony choked on a mouthful of coffee; and Steve looked up with a horrified: “Bucky!”
“Clearly Steve is the one who has done the fucking,” Nat added, thinking back to Bucky’s wincing steps.
Bucky only kept his smirk, while even Steve’s ears where blushing, making him look absolutely adorable — something that while Nat was completely capable at kicking anyone’s ass, deliberately chose not to mention.
You survive by choosing your fights, and angering Steve was something they could all live without.
(Even if she was firmly by the believe she could take Steve down.)