Hard to Love (Bucky Barnes fanfic)

Chapter 69

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This FANTASTIC pic is from nixakimbo on Instagram. Seriously go check out all her work, it's absolutely amazing! Other social media's to find her at- Tumblr: nix-akimbo, Twitter: nixakimbo, TikTok: nix_akimbo. Full credit to her for this absolute masterpiece!

The visit to the vet went smoothly, Alpine behaved almost the entire time. Only freaking out when the assistant took her temperature and squeaking when the vet pinched her back to administer a few shots. Free of any fleas and parasites surprisingly but has the beginning signs of an eye infection which we added the medication to our bill

Bucky ended up doing most of the work when we gave her a bath. Took almost the entire time for her to get used to the water and even then she only had her back paws submerged. Alpine clung to Buckys metals arm as if her life depended on it the moment we placed her in the shallow filled tub. I basically held the extendable shower head to rinse her while he lathered the pet safe shampoo all over

Of course we rewarded her with treats and kisses afterwards

Given it's only been four days since we brought her home, I'd say she's settled in perfectly. Eating her bowl of bits while I had my breakfast before work every morning. Explored and napped around the entire house during the day. Whenever she'd get the zoomies, Bucky would play with her until she either crashed from the high or I got home

Some days I'd find them sitting on the floor in the living room. Alpine in Buckys arm being held like a human baby while he used his free hand to rub and scratch at her furry stomach, playfully half shouting 'tummy claw!'. She'd grab at his hand with her front paws while trying to nibble his fingers and use her back legs to jackrabbit kick his wrist. Other times Bucky would be twirling around a wand that had a long thin strip of fabric around with her pouncing and chasing after it

I'd also heard him talking with her. 'Listen I'm sorry but the garage just isn't a safe place for you yet' meow 'I know, I know. But it's also cold in there' meow meow 'Do you have the money for a heater to go there?' mmrow 'I don't wanna argue. Treat?'

Honestly I thought my heart was going to melt into a puddle every time I caught him with her

At night Alpine would eat her dinner with us and cuddle afterwards. At bedtime, she would either curl up on one of her cat beds around the house or at the end of ours by our feet

Bucky didn't question the new box of tampons in our connected bathroom. Didn't even comment on the situation. Instead he not-so-subtly pampered me

Making sure I was drinking enough water, pain relief meds always at the ready, bringing me whatever odd combination of food or snacks I asked for, ignoring when I'd get gassy, dealing with my mood swings

And boy did they swing

Massaging my back and hips while reassuring me that I don't in fact look like a beached whale when I had started crying and whining about feeling bloated and disgusting. Overall having the patience of a Saint with me

He even went out, on his own, and bought me a heating pad to help with the cramps

One night when I was feeling extra lovey dovey, offering to suck him off because I know it's been a while, you know what he did?

He. Grabbed. A. Towel.

A dark one. And laid it out on our bed

"I'm not afraid of a little blood babydoll."

My jaw was on the damn floor. I expected him to be grossed out by period blood like every other man on this planet. Especially with the time period he grew up in. Yet here he was, flattening out the thick towel across our sheets and giving me that look