Moments in Time

Snow Day

Bucky hated the cold. He hated being outdoors. He hated his itchy scarf. Basically, he hated everything that took him from his cozy nest of blankets on the couch and his piping hot cup of cocoa that his boyfriend made him.

Bucky wanted cuddles and kisses, not a dismal trek through the four inches of snow outside. His nose was freezing, and the bitter north wind kept inching beneath his collar regardless of the knitted scarf that was doing a lousy job of defending him.

"It's not that bad, Buck," Steve scoffed as he glanced at the brunet's scowling face.

Bucky growled something unintelligible, kicking a clump of snow with his snow boot. His hands were crossed over his chest and shoved under his armpits for warmth and his breath puffed out into a white cloud.

"We can have a snowball fight, or make a snowman - the snow is perfect for packing!" Steve excitedly enthused.

"I don't wanna be wet," Buck whined. "It's cold out here!"

"You're telling me you don't want to finish the battle of '43?" Steve arched an eyebrow.

Steve obviously expected a different answer than the small, "I'll concede if we can go back in!"

Steve rolled his eyes and decided to make a snowman with or without Bucky's help. Steve made the base, rolling it in the snow, then carefully packing more on top and flattening the surface for the middle to sit on. After thirty minutes, two thirds of the snowman was erected. He was plump and well rounded, the effect of an artist clearly pronounced.

While Steve was busy making his snowman, Bucky was huddling into himself by a small brick wall where the wind couldn't penetrate his many layers.

"Bucky, come help me with the head!" Steve yelled, his nose was a vibrant red but he probably didn't feel the least bit cold thanks to his super soldier serum.

Bucky grudgingly stood up and half-heartedly helped Steve with the smallest bit of the snowman. The perfectly round piece was carefully packed into place, and then Steve produced a few things from his pocket: a carrot, a few buttons, and a couple of pinecones.

The pinecones he used as eyes, the buttons for the mouth, and the carrot of course, was the nose. Bucky stuck a few twiggy branches into the pile of snow for arms, and managed to stick some leaves on the end with some sap from a tree nearby. Steve grinned happily as he plopped his hat and scarf on the snowman.

"Can we go inside now?" Bucky pleaded, making a cute puppy dog face.

Bucky's cheeks were a pale pink from the cold, his nose was cherry red, and he was visibly shivering, teeth clacking together uncontrollably. His stormy grey eyes looked round and full, and he batted his eyelashes just enough to emphasize them. Snowflakes were falling gently in his hair, making his brunet waves damp for the wet.

"I guess," Steve conceded.

"Can we cuddle?" Bucky perked up a bit.

"Yeah, we can cuddle," Steve obliged.

"Can we watch Christmas movies and drink hot chocolate?" Bucky begged as if Steve weren't already planning on it.

"Of course, Buck," Steve chuckled.

The pair shook out their clothes, carefully taking their boots off by the door and placing them on the newspapers they had placed there for that exact reason.

The two swiftly made tracks for the bathroom and stripped to their underwear, trying to keep the mess minimal. In no time their clothes were in the dryer, and they were hopping into new clothes.

Steve opted for a pair of sweatpants and a short sleeve T-shirt since he was all toasty and warm no matter what. But Bucky grabbed a long sleeve shirt, an oversized sweater, two pairs of socks, and some fuzzy pyjama bottoms.

Steve was adding the finishing touches to the hot chocolate when two hands wrapped around his waist. Bucky's whines were muffled in the back of his blue T-shirt as he carefully put five marshmallows in Bucky's cup. Personally, Steve loved the fluffy goodness, but Bucky preferred the silky chocolate to the air puffed sugar.

"Come on, let's cuddle on the couch," Steve persuaded his boyfriend.

Bucky followed, trailing after him like a little puppy, head bowed and hands tucked behind his back. Steve set up the DVD player while Bucky settled into a cushy spot on the couch.

"Blanket?" Bucky requested before Steve could join him.

Steve grabbed the soft blanket from one of the chairs and quickly cuddled up to Bucky, situating the blanket so it would fit snuggly around the both of them.

"I'm cold," Bucky pouted, burrowing into Steve's chest as the previews started up. "I hate my arm."

Steve knew it made Bucky's temperature fluctuate more than his own. In the summer the metal acted like a furnace, making the heat worse for Bucky than anyone else. In the winter, it made him much colder, and he was always a tad cool, no matter how many layers he seemed to wear.

"Shhhh, I'll warm you up," Steve soothed his sweetheart.

Steve rubbed Bucky's back, making the blood circulate more and therefore warming Bucky a bit. Bucky gradually stopped shivering, and began to relax.

"Steve?"

"Hmm?"

"Love you."

"I love you too, baby," Steve smiled into Bucky's hair where his face was currently buried.

"Thanks for being so sweet even when I'm grumpy."

"You can be as grumpy as you want," Steve laughed. "I'll still love you."

Bucky smiled to himself. Steve would always love him. It was as steady and firm as the fact that the sun rose every day. It wasn't something that would be swayed or changed.

Bucky felt safe in Steve's cozy embrace. Steve had always been there to catch him, even if it took seventy years to do it. Steve wouldn't let him down, it just wouldn't happen.

"I know," Bucky mumbled happily.

Because he did.

Outside, a new flurry of snowflakes whirled through the sky. And maybe, just maybe, they could entice two super soldiers to finish that snowball fight they didn't have a chance to all those years ago, back in 43'.