"You're my friend"

if you are still taking prompts! the avengers do their best to avoid touching bucky because of all the trauma and he flinches away and then one day they see him curled up with steve on the couch!!! pls make it as fluffy as possible :)

It was heartbreaking the first time they saw it, Bucky’s aversion and near abhorrence to human touch. Thor had opened his arms and took strides towards Bucky for an embrace and Bucky tensed, reached inside his jacket and pulled out a gun to Thor’s face.

No one saw him for a week after that.

Bucky felt like a freak, and for the most part he believed that he was.

His flashbacks no longer resulted in violent outbursts, but everyone still thought it was best to keep a safe distance and leave the room if he seemed agitated.

That is, everyone except Steve who tirelessly attempted to get closer to him physically and emotionally despite Bucky clearly expressing his distate to being approached.

He was showing better signs of coping alone too, until Steve finds him on the couch one morning sitting unnaturally straight, face contorted in discomfort and fists clenched on his lap.

“Buck?” Steve carefully sits next to him, their thighs almost grazing as he brings a hand forward and suspends it above Bucky’s fist, never touching without permission.

Bucky nods in approval and a tear rolls down his cheek.

Instead of just holding his hand, Steve decides to risk the rejection and wrap his arms around the tensed body, laying his head next to Bucky’s to whisper assurances.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Steve rubs circles on the muscled back. “I’m here.”

Bucky takes a deep breath on Steve’s neck and nuzzles his nose on the skin, making Steve shiver but hold him tighter. Bucky doesn’t want to admit it but Steve’s natural scent calms him. It takes a couple of minutes before he returns the hug.

“You’re here.” Bucky repeats and it feels foreign, the words and the warm embrace.

“Yeah, Buck, I’m here.”

Bucky blinks blankly and sighs in complete surrender, resting his entire weight on Steve who is attentive and leans slightly onto the couch so they’re both comfortable.

Bucky is surprisingly quiet as Steve adjusts their position, slowly maneuvering the limbs but not once detaching himself from the man.

They settle with Steve’s hand on the back of Bucky’s head whilst Bucky buried his face on the broad chest and took steady lungfuls of air. Somehow Steve was able to drag the folded blanket under the coffee table and cover them with it.

He runs his fingers through the brunet hair and Bucky outright purrs, snuggling closer and whining softly when Steve halted his movements because of the unexpected reaction.

He chuckles lightly and proceeds to pet Bucky, prepared to offer everything he had in that moment.

“Thank you.” Bucky mumbles, almost inaudible.

Steve looks down only to find a tousle of locks and Bucky’s hand resting on his firm stomach. He smiles and holds Bucky tighter.

“Anytime.”

Natasha’s hand is still clapped over Sam’s mouth as she drags him back to the hallway where the rest of the Avengers are waiting with their eyes wide at what they just witnessed in the living room.

“No one will speak of this.” She glares at everyone who nods their head, still too shocked to contend.