Archive of Our Own ^beta

Bucky stares wide-eyed at Yelena as she walks into the kitchen.

That’s his hoodie.

She’s wearing his hoodie.

That’s not what was supposed to happen.

His hoodie hasn’t even left his room. He washed it last week, and he hasn’t worn it since.

Brows furrowing, Bucky asks, “Where did you get that sweatshirt?”

“Huh?” asks Yelena as she tips her head to the side, looking down at herself before looking back up at him innocently. “It was hanging in my closet, though it’s really big on me. I like it that way though… Why are you looking at me like that, James?”

“Because I—I’m pretty sure that’s my hoodie, and I put it in my room after I washed it. So for it to get out of my room means someone went—“ James cuts himself off because he doesn’t even know for sure that it’s his hoodie. He shakes his head before looking at her properly. “Is there a stain on the right sleeve by the wrist that’s purple? It’d be pretty prominent because I couldn’t get it out when I just washed it.”

The hoodie itself is black, but the sleeves are white. He had to sew sleeves onto it after it got destroyed during training with Sam.

“Huh? Oh,” Yelena looks down at the sleeve, tugging it down with her fingers pressing just over the edge of the ends. She gave herself sweater paws to look for the stain. “Woah, okay, yeah there is a stain. That’s a big stain, James, what did you do?”

She looks fucking adorable… He’s gonna die.

“Grape jelly, don’t worry about it,” huffs Bucky as he rolls his eyes at her. “The real question is how did it end up in your closet when I know for a fact that I put it in mine?”

“I have a feeling I know the answer,” sighs Yelena as she twists around to stare at the only other person in the room with them.

Bob.

It hits Bucky so quick that he feels like a complete idiot.

Bob had borrowed a hoodie a couple of days ago, and Bucky hadn’t seen which one because he went on a mission with Sam and only just got back like five hours ago.

“Bob,” Bucky’s voice is soft because he can’t be mad at the kid since he gave him permission. “Did you put that sweatshirt you borrowed from me in Yelena’s laundry basket after you wore it?”

With a mouthful of toast, and without looking up from his phone, Bob says, "Yeah, I had to. Got splashed with a gross puddle, and she was getting ready to do her laundry."

"You didn't think to tell me it was James' hoodie?" Yelena sounds mildly annoyed, but also amused, and Bucky rolls his eyes when she looks at him with a grin.

"Thought you knew, you seen me leave his room with it," replies Bob with a wave of his hand like they're annoying him.

Bucky arches a brow at him before turning to Yelena and tipping his head to the side. Then he grabs the dishtowel from his shoulder, balls it up, and throws it at Bob.

Yelena's giggles spill across the room as Bob yelps in surprise, and James bites his bottom lip as Bob throws the towel back at him with a glare.

"Hey, what did we say about dropping borrowed clothes without announcing the owner or tugging it out of the dryer yourself?" asks Bucky as he narrows his eyes at the younger man, snorting when Bob's face twists in a pouting grimace. "You were doing so good, and yet Yelena is wearing my sweatshirt."

"Oh shit," says Bob as he turns to look at Yelena who waves, sweater paws and all. "I am so sorry! I didn't realize she took it out of the dryer already. I— She never takes it out of the dryer the same day she washes it!"

"It got slipped in two days ago, Bob," replies Yelena with a snort as she crosses her arms over her chest.

"Okay, okay, that— that's definitely my fault," sighs Bob as his nose wrinkles. "But in my defense, aren't you two dating? Is it really that big of a deal that she's wearing your sweatshirt?"

Bucky chokes on air as Yelena yelps, "Bob, what the hell?!"

"What?! Ava said you two had finally gotten your shit together!" exclaims Bob as he throws his arms in the air, dimples appearing as he grins at her.

"Excuse me?!" chokes Bucky as he turns to him with wide eyes. "Ava said what?!"

"Oh, so you two haven't confessed yet?" Bob's brows are harshly furrowed, amusement dancing in dark eyes. "Well, maybe you should do that."

"I'm going to kill you," says Yelena through clenched teeth, eyes narrowing so harshly that Bucky wonders if she's going to complain of it hurting her head.

"No, no you won't," replies Bob with a smirk as he stands, plate in hand. "Because I'm not going to be here long enough for that to happen."

"Bob, you are so— And he's gone," Yelena groans as she glares at the door that Bob just escaped out of. "I'm going to kill him. He can only escape for so long. I know where he sleeps."

Bucky chuckles, and his body vibrates with it.

Her and her threats.

She's as adorable as she is deadly, and he fucking loves it.

"Yelena, he knows that, and you know he does," replies Bucky in amusement as he holds his plate and starts cutting into his pancake. "He's going to wait until he thinks he's safe to come back, you'll get your revenge, and everything is going to go back to normal."

"It really won't," mutters Yelena as she fiddles with the end of the sweatshirt.

"Why wouldn't it?" asks Bucky in between bites as he tries to quickly finish his food.

If he has to keep seeing her in his sweatshirt, he might lose his mind.

This isn't the first time he's seen her wearing his clothes, laundry mishaps are a given when they sleepily try to do their laundry together. But she's wearing his favorite hoodie, and it's doing something to him.

"Because I have to ask a question," sighs Yelena as she covers her face with her sweatshirt-covered hands. She sounds defeated, and she looks it too as she lets her hands drop and looks at him properly. "James, why do we act like a couple when we're not? Or well, maybe the question is why aren't we a couple when we act like one?"

Bucky chokes on air, glad that he'd swallowed his last bite before she spoke again. He reaches out for his water, chugging until he feels like he could breathe properly. Then he sets them both down on the counter looks at her, arms crossing over his chest. "Probably because you don't want to be in a romantic relationship?"

The "with me" goes unsaid because he can't listen to that agreement.

"I don't want to be in a romantic relationship," she agrees softly, making him fight to keep his face blank as he holds eye contact with her. "With anyone except you."

His lips part on a gasp as those four words shatter every ounce of control he'd had on his reactions.

"Did you just— Did— Me?!" his voice goes high enough for his throat to hurt as his shock echoes through him.

"Yes, James, you. If I was going to be in a romantic relationship, you'd be the only one I could be with. I don't want anyone except you," Yelena's voice is soft as she curls her hands into the sleeves of his sweatshirt, hesitating like she wants to do something but is scared to.

"We're on the same page, and yet we're not dating," Bucky finally manages to make words work for him, and he gets the pleasure of watching her eyes go wide as pink dances across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. "Will you by my girlfriend, Yelena Belova? I can even plan a date for tonight."

"Why don't we make it a nap date, and we go your room instead?" counters Yelena as she walks to him, hands pressing against his chest. "I would love to be your girlfriend, and I really don't want to wait until later for a date."

"I mean, I could do with a nap," replies Bucky softly as he lets his hands fall to her hips, tugging her a bit closer. "I haven't managed to go to sleep since I got home, so this will be the best sleep of my life."

"Well, then let's go have that nap date, James," says Yelena happily as her hands slide up and interlock behind his neck, soft smile curving her lips.

"Gladly, дорогая," replies Bucky with a cheeky grin before his hands slide down to grip her thighs as he picks her up.

"James!" yelps Yelena as she buries her face in his neck, legs wrapping tightly around his waist.

Laughter follows them to his room where she'll wrap around him like an octopus, his hands will hold her tightly against him, and sleep will claim them while leaving soft smiles on their lips.

Yelena will still get her revenge on Bob, but it may not be as violent as it usually is.

He is to be thanked for their confessions.