Bucky actually woke before his alarm the next morning and found that he was actually looking forward to going to the mall. He was looking forward to going to the mall.
That was a first.
He'd never thought he'd see the day that he would be excited to go to the mall. He absolutely hated that place. There were too many people and they all seemed scared of him constantly, even when he wasn't hurting anything. He was just so... big. And the metal arm didn't help anything.
He got dressed quickly, excited to see Gwen. That was also a new feeling. He usually didn't get attached to the strays they picked up. He made his way across the hall and knocked on Gwen's door politely. Almost the second he did, the little werewolf opened the door looking as adorable as ever.
Except.
She looked normal.
Human normal.
She had hidden her wolf-ears under a slouchy hat, though had left her hair down. She was also wearing a long skirt, which hid her tail. She looked human and Bucky found himself disappointed. He liked her wolf-ears and tail. They were part of who she was and he found himself missing them when they weren't there, though he understood that disguising herself while they were out among the humans was important. At least until she came out as a member of the team. Then it might be safer for her to go out in her natural form.
As a member of the team...
He was already thinking of her as one of them.
"Morning, Bucky," she greeted him brightly when she opened the door.
He gave her a warm smile in return. "Morning, Gwenie," he replied
"I must like you not to bite you for calling me Gwenie..." she teased him as she stepped out of her room to walk with him to breakfast.
He smirked and decided to tease her back. If she could tease him, she could take a little teasing in return. At least he'd see how she took it. "You never know, I might like being bitten."
She raised an eyebrow and grinned. "I'll just have to find out sometime," she flirted with a purr. It was safe flirting with him. He wasn't going to hurt her. Though her purred comment and obvious flirting wasn't helping his libido any and he was glad he'd chosen to wear looser pants that day.
"I might bite back."
She gave him a smirk, showing her longer, sharper canines. "Do try to make it fun at least," she teased. Bucky blushed. That had gone father than he thought it would.
Gwen laughed and the pair made it to breakfast where they found Loki with a huge stack of pancakes with way too much chocolate and sweets on it. Bucky pointed to Loki's plate. "See? I told you so,"
Gwen giggled. "So you did," she agreed.
"Discussing me again, dear Cyborg?" Loki teased between bites of pancake. "Careful, or you'll fill her head with all of my virtues," he added with a smirk.
"Oh, we already know you're a big softy. You were worried about how hard you knocked her out yesterday morning," Bucky reminded his friend who liked to pretend he was gruffer than he really was. Loki chuckled and Gwen ignored him to go find food and coffee. Bucky went with her and jumped in line after her. "He was only joking."
She gave him a warm smile. "I know. I was just hungry," she reassured him.
"Good." He filled his plates and sat at the table with her. At least she finally seemed to stop being shy about eating since she had a plate crammed full of French toast and another of breakfast meats. He looked over her plates approvingly. "Good, now I don't have to share from my plates." He winked at her, showing he was teasing. She giggled and happily devoured her breakfast. Healing werewolves were even hungrier than normal werewolves, it seemed.
The other members of the team wandered in and out as they got their own breakfasts. All of them seemed drawn to the little omega, seemed to need to touch her as they passed. A hand on her shoulder as they said good morning. She smiled at all of them and didn't seem at all surprised by the behavior. She was used to casual touches, to people needing the reassuring calm of the omega when they were in her presence, though most of the humans didn't understand it.
Everyone noticed that her brightest smiles were reserved for Bucky.
Especially Bucky.
"Hey, kid, ready to head out?" Nat asked after they'd finished eating. Gwen rolled her eyes at being thought a kid, but nodded and stood.
Bucky got up to go with them. "Nat, she's 23, not a child," he scolded his friend.
Nat smirked at him. "I know, Barnes, but that still puts her younger than anyone here except Wanda. And Pete when he shows up," she gave him an inquisitive look, especially when Gwen took Bucky's hand automatically after he'd stood. "You're coming with us? You know we're going to the mall. For clothes," she reminded him, teasing.
Bucky nodded, not rising to her bait. Though he could make a jibe at Steve. "I kinda need to get new shirts. I think Stevie has been getting me the wrong size on purpose," he laughed. Making fun of Steve was a time honored pastime for Bucky.
Nat couldn't help laughing too. "Finally figured it out?" She teased and led them to the parking garage and the military grade SUV she preferred to take out. She didn't like being undefended, even when driving.
"You knew?!" Bucky demanded indignantly. "That's just mean. So this is him making me go out to the regular world?" he whined. Steve was always trying to make him go out in the world and be around people. He hated that he was now the adventurous one, especially since Bucky's mind had been blended and broken so many times that it was still hard for him to be around people. Even with Loki's help fixing his broken mind. It had been hard to trust the god with his fragile mind, but Loki's magic had done wonders and the two had become good friends.
"Of course I knew. It's my job to know everything. And Steve isn't exactly subtle. If he weren't so busy insisting he's not gay, I'd swear he has a crush on you. And yes, you need to get out in the world," Nat told him, noting with a smirk that Gwen was still holding Bucky's hand casually, as if that were normal behavior from the soldier. Bucky didn't say or do anything that might make Gwen drop his hand. He didn't want her to.
Bucky huffed at Nat. "I think he's bisexual. Isn't that what you call it now?" he asked. When Nat nodded he continue. "And he saw all of me in the military. Hell, there was no privacy in that place. Why the need to display me now?"
Nat shrugged. "Because he can? And because it's hot as hell?" She teased, without any interest besides friendly teasing. She could appreciate the view even if she didn't want to do more than appreciate it. She had known in the red room and was surprised to have found him again and was glad he was better.
She was much more interested in Gwen's reaction to her words. The adorable little werewolf puffed up grumpily and wrapped her arms around Bucky's arm possessively with a growl only loud enough that Bucky could hear her.
Bucky noticed a pattern that two of his closest friends were teasing him. Loki must've tipped Nat off about his not so little crush. He also noticed how possessive Gwen had gotten of him and he couldn't help but love that possessiveness out of her. He gave her a warm reassuring smile and she calmed some, though kept a grip on his hand.
Nat pointed out her SUV. "This one is ours," she said for the benefit of the possessive werewolf and climbed into the driver's seat.
Bucky went to open the passenger's door for Gwen, and was surprised when she got in the back and slid across so he could join her. "You can sit up front, if you want," he offered her, assuming it a dominance thing. Wolves had a dominance hierarchy. It made sense that the werewolves would as well. He would have to find out more about the werewolves. Especially if Bryn was going to stay with them.
Gwen shook her head and gave him a bright smile. "I'd rather sit with you," she replied with a purr. How the fuck did she literally purr? She was a wolf! Bucky would have to find that out too. Nat rolled her eyes at how adorable the flirting not-quite-a-couple was, but set out to the mall anyway.
Bucky made sure Gwen was buckled in. He was already protective of the wolf. He put his arm around her shoulders she they were both settled in and she laid her head on his chest with a contented sigh. Bucky couldn't believe how quickly he was getting used to her presence. It was much faster than most.
They made it to the mall and began the boring search for clothes, since Gwen needed an entire wardrobe and Loki was only so providing on that front. And only when he was in a good mood. Or felt like teasing Bucky. They wandered from store to store looking at and trying on tons of clothes to fit the little wolf.
Gwen and Nat lost track of Bucky after visiting one of the fitting rooms. "James?" Gwen asked loudly enough to get his attention. She thought calling for 'Bucky' out in the real world would be a bit too obvious as to who they were. They weren't exactly hiding Bucky and Nat, but it still didn't seem like a good idea to go advertising that the Avengers were in the mall.
Bucky perked up when he heard Gwen saying his real name. He was across the store, in the men's section. He walked quickly towards the fitting rooms, worried they needed something or that there was trouble. "Yes?"
Gwen smiled when she saw him. "We found what we needed here" she told him. Her arms full of clothes. "But lost you. Did you find anything?" She hoped he hadn't been offended by her calling him by his real name.
He looked relieved. "I thought something was wrong. I'm almost done too," he told her warmly.
"Nothing wrong, except that you weren't with me," she purred. Flirting with him was such fun. He was such an easy mark, since he had a crush on her. Though it seemed innocent flirting.
His fist clinched up, giving him ideas... Taking her into a fitting room.... showing her how she'd fit on him. He had to remind himself that he was in public and going to the bathroom to rub one out wasn't appropriate. Even if she did give him thoughts. Very inappropriate thoughts. And very, very tight pants.
They visited a couple more shops and got lunch while they were out. They also tortured poor Bucky by Nat insisting that they needed to go into the lingerie store. Bucky stood outside of that store, looking more like a bodyguard than anything.
One of the best parts of the day was the sheer look of awe and joy in Gwen's eyes when she saw and got the explore the bookstore. She roamed the store as long as they'd let her and Bucky loved her easy excitement and amazement. He wanted to do anything to have that look in her eyes as often as possible.
Somehow they convinced her to leave the bookstore with less than her body weight in books. Though no one was quite sure how they'd managed that. It seemed impossible.
The next store that caught her attention was the build-a-bear store. She tugged on Bucky's arm to get his attention. "Look, James, that one looks like you!" she pointed one out that was decorated to look like it had a metal arm and his combat uniform. They'd released a whole line of Avengers themed bears and somehow Bucky was among them. Bucky couldn't help groaning and facepalming when he saw the bear. Worse, Nat giggled at his reaction.
"I just thought it was cute..." Gwen said softly, feeling bad for upsetting him. She'd just been pointing out the interesting thing. She moved to continue on their way past the shop
"If you want to, you can make one. Then you can have something to remind you of me when I'm out on a mission," Bucky said hesitantly. It was too forward to suggest she'd want something that reminded her of him, but he couldn't help it. He liked the idea of her having a bear of him and not the rest of the team. He wanted her to be his.
Fuck.
What the fuck was wrong with him?
She grinned and then proceeded to drag him into the shop while Nat laughed. Bucky, it seemed, had accepted that the little werewolf was staying with them. Bucky chuckled and let her drag him into the shop, though she quickly let go of his hand to go build her bear.
"You have a crush" Nat informed Bucky quietly while Gwen was having her fun building the teddy bear, within sight, but out of hearing.
Bucky shoved Nat in the shoulder like one of the guys. "Shut up." He grumbled at her. He then asked: "you think she's crushing on me too?"
Nat laughed again. "Of course she is. You saw how possessive she got of you. And she keeps checking to make sure you're in sight. And she wouldn't buy a dress for Tony's party next week until I swore you'd love it,"
Bucky blushed, then full panic set in. Shit! The party, he had totally blown off. He hadn't been planning on going. He didn't have a tux or a suit for it. "Nat, I didn't get a tux for it! I had no intention of going before now!"
Nat smirked. "I already ordered you one," she told him warmly. It wasn't like she didn't know his size. "It'll be delivered to the tower in plenty of time"
"When? When did you order it?" He was relieved but now trying to make sense of it all. How had she slipped away and when had she ordered a tux for him? And how had she gotten his sizes?
"After we bought the dress. While you were trying to keep a leash on her in the bookstore I went to the tux place," Nat replied with a shrug. She didn't bother answering his unasked questions. She'd already reminded him it was her job to know things.
He growled at her choice of words. "I'd never leash her," he snarled.
She gave him a look. "I didn't mean it like that," she grumbled at him, annoyed that he was being this overprotective.
Bucky calmed down when he realized she didn't mean it. "Sorry... it's just... Did you know it's Hydra's fault that she can't fully shift back to human? It just makes me angry, how they did her. It's not right. It's not fair and that sweet wondering girl didn't deserve it.
Nat nodded. "She told us after you went to bed. While she was telling us werewolf lore. Which is why Wanda donated her hat and skirt so she could come out with us safely." Nat was doing everything in her power to make sure the girl was safe.
"Do you think she'll be happy, at the compound?" Bucky asked in a non-sequitur. He needed to know she'd be ok.
Nat nodded again as the little werewolf was coming back over to them, buckybear cradled in her arms. "I think she definitely will be,"
He looked up at her, as she approached them. Noting that the bear had pants, but no shirt on. "Where's its shirt?" he asked her curiously.
She laughed "The arm ripped when I tried to put the shirt on," she lied fluidly. She was a good liar, but Bucky was friends with Loki. "I have a replacement in the bag."
Bucky knew that wouldn't happen. "Bullshit. You're a bad liar," he teased. He wouldn't tell her that she was good at it.
She huffed. "Cheater. That's my trick," she whined. Her cheeks turned pink, since Bucky wasn't letting her get out of giving him a real answer. She braved a hand on his chest to stand up on her toes and whisper in his ear: "Maybe I was fantasizing about how you'd look without a shirt while I was making him, James," she purred before she dropped back to her feet, shy and nervous that she'd overstepped.
His widened. But flirting with her was so much fun. And it was so easy. And he was very glad he'd worn a looser pair of pants. He leaned towards her ear. "If you ask nicely, maybe you could see it for real," he purred in her ear. He then kissed her temple. It was too forward, but he didn't care. He needed to touch her and shower her with affection.
She smiled up at him. "I'll have to keep that in mind," she said warmly and took his hand again so they could head home.
Bucky didn't even care if Nat had witnessed his small kiss. Gwen had let him kiss her without rejecting him.
He was on cloud nine.