Trying Your Luck - Bucky BarnesxOC

Part 22: All of Me

Alpine's personality comes out in full force over the next few days. She really is a gorgeous cat and Bucky finds himself falling in love with her a little more every day. He pats the empty seat next to him on the couch whenever he sits down to watch TV or read. Alpine always leaps up to join him, snuggling in his lap, purring like a motorboat.

But that's only when nobody else is around.

Most of the time, she seems to be powered by kibble and spite. Shannon and Bucky have to keep her from knocking things off of counters and pull her down from the top of the fridge while she scowls and snarls at them. Shannon brings Ace over to meet her. At first, Alpine is suspicious. Bucky suspects she's run into the odd dog or two before he met her. She walks in large circles around the giant dog before pouncing on his tail. Ace is incredibly patient, flopping down and closing his eyes while Alpine jumps on his back, swats at his head, and eventually falls asleep next to him after tiring herself out. After that, they're inseparable whenever they're together. Ace picks her up by the scruff of her neck and carries her into the bedroom when it's time for bed while Alpine meows softly and Shannon giggles.

Bucky feels like they're a little family - a strange family, but a family nonetheless. Shannon spends more time at his apartment because Alpine claws up her sofa whenever Bucky brings her over. He refuses to buy her a cat carrier, instead just puts her in his coat whenever they have to go anywhere together. He likes scratching her head while he sits on the subway. When Shannon isn't around, Alpine snuggles up next to him in bed and he falls asleep to the sound of her soft purr. It feels nice to be able to take care of something and not completely mess it up. Alpine seems to like him a lot. She follows him everywhere around the house. Of course, he would rescue a cat with separation anxiety. They really are one and the same. When she can't follow Bucky, she follows Shannon, and if she can't follow Shannon, she follows Ace.

The evening of Shannon's work party is fast approaching and Bucky feels himself getting more and more nervous when he thinks about it. He doesn't do well at these things. Actually, he's never really been to a party since Stark Expo. And that wasn't even really a party. He has no idea how to conduct himself, making conversation feels so disingenuous with people he doesn't know. Unless it's a one-on-one thing, his anxiety goes through the roof.

Two days before the party, Shannon suggests that they go shopping for him the next day. He puts up a small fight.

"I have a suit jacket."

"Sam wants it back," she says, flopping onto the couch beside him.

"Wha — why didn't he tell me?"

"He left you a voicemail."

"I don't know how to check those."

She laughs and musses up his hair with her fingers. Bucky growls softly, but leans into the touch.

"Yeah, he figured that out when you didn't call him back. He's coming to the party too."

Bucky's eyes widen.

"Seriously?"

Knowing two people who will be there makes him feel a little less like throwing up. If he can stick with them the whole night, he's good.

"Yeah, someone else's plus one ditched, and I'm head chef, so..."

She shrugs and grins.

"Sam's good at all that socializing stuff," Bucky mumbles. "I'm not."

"Stick with me, cutie pie. Trust, me we'll have a good time. It won't be as crazy as you're anticipating."

Bucky wraps his arm around her and pulls her close as they watch television.