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Bucky felt the corner of his eye twitch as Sam droned on and on. Something about how he couldn't keep living by himself with his plants forever. Like his life was any better. The man went on one date with his nephew's teacher and suddenly had all the advice in the world. His deep blue eyes bore into his friend, as his mind wandered to what he wanted to make for dinner, the metal of his arm whirring as his fingers flexed in the pocket of his tight leather jacket.
The cool March air swirled around them as people bustled about the streets of New York. Murmurs of oh my god it's Captain America echoed through the wind as the two men stood there on the busy sidewalk.
"Man, are you even listening to me?" Sam's hand impacted his shoulder and brought Bucky back to the present.
His tongue pushed into his cheek and his eyes narrowed, "Something about my sad, lonely life, I don't know"
"You gotta do something here! Find some friends, take off to Vegas, go outside!" Sam continued.
"I have friends," Bucky retorted.
"Your old neighbour doesn't count," Sam clicked his tongue and crossed his arms over his chest, "Look, okay? Start simple! There's an animal shelter two blocks from here, just go in and see what happens"
Bucky narrowed his eyes and swiped his tongue along his bottom lip as he studied Sam. Having a pet was never something he had even thought of for himself. After the blip and getting his life back together, he still felt as though he was figuring himself out as a normal person. Well, as normal as a 106-year-old super soldier could be.
"If I do this, will you shut up and leave me alone about my plants?" He questioned.
Sam smirked and placed his hand over his heart, "cap's honor"
With a dramatic groan, Bucky turned on his heel and practically stomped away from Sam, sucking in a deep breath of the fresh, cool air. This was a ridiculous venture and he had already decided that it was going to be a bust, but if it got Sam off his back, it would be worth it in the end. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, keeping his annoyance at the forefront of his emotions.
A bright yellow sign that hung above the street came into his view. There were big swooping letters that read "Wags & Whiskers Animal Rescue" with a big paw print in deep brown and small white flowers littering the negative space. Bucky ran his hand into his short dark hair, and sucked in a sharp breath as he reached for the fake-bone door handle.
It was ridiculously kitsch inside, all cheerful colours and animal-themed decor. He hadn't really known what to expect but he definitely hadn't anticipated such a warm and welcoming space. He double-checked; yep, it was definitely the animal shelter. Steeling himself with a deep sigh, Bucky walked up to the wide yellow counter and looked around for a member of staff. Seeing none, he reached out and pressed on the buzzer, which let out an electronic *meow*.
