On that Friday, when Bucky went to pick up the kids from school because Sam had an online meeting and couldn't do it, and Sarah was out of town, he expected to find Cass happy, excited, and talking non-stop since he had gone on a field trip to an animal shelter earlier that day and had been very enthusiastic about it. Instead, he found a downcast, listless, and silent child.
"Is everything okay?" Bucky asked, concerned. Cass nodded slightly, and Bucky decided to try again, "Didn't you like the shelter?"
"It was okay," Cass mumbled.
Feeling helpless and not knowing what to do, Bucky decided to follow Sam's example. He knelt down to the child's level, as he had seen his friend do on other occasions, placed his hand on Cass's shoulder, just as Sam had done numerous times to console or show support. In those moments, he knew Sam would say something encouraging, but he didn't know what to say, so he thought it wouldn't hurt to add a little Bucky Barnes to Sam Wilson's technique.
"How about we order pizza and ice cream for dinner, pick it up on the way home, and watch a Disney movie?"
Bucky placed the order from his phone, making sure to include Sam's favorites, as well as what the kids wanted, and sent a message:
"Change of plans: Pizza to eat, we'll pick it up and bring it home. What we prepared can wait for tonight."
He quickly received a response from Sam:
"Sarah's been gone for less than 4 hours, and you're already spoiling the kids?"
"Focus on your meeting, Wilson. I'll explain when we get home."
"I was very focused on the meeting until SOMEONE messaged me."
"A message you could have replied to with an 'Ok.' I think you just want to talk to me."
Bucky regretted sending it almost immediately; he had intended it as a joke, but perhaps he had gone too far. Before he could panic about how Sam would react, he received a response.
"I hate you."
While the first time Sam had told him he hated him at the airport had hurt, now it made him laugh. One might think that the more Bucky loved Sam, the more it would hurt to hear him say he hated him, but it was quite the opposite. At the airport, Bucky had thought Sam was serious, and perhaps he had been, but now he knew it wasn't true. Maybe Sam wasn't in love with Bucky, as Bucky was with Sam, but he was sure Sam didn't hate him.
"Of course. I'll see you in a bit."
When they arrived home, Sam had finished his meeting and came to greet them. Bucky wished he could greet him with a kiss when he came home. He knew it was impossible, but he allowed himself to dream, especially since Sam and he had decided to live together in Delacroix and had rented a beautiful house that they had gradually turned into their home.
After greeting them, Sam sent the kids to wash their hands and looked at Bucky inquisitively, silently asking what had happened.
"Cass is sad," Bucky whispered, "but he didn't tell me why." Sam put his hand on Bucky's shoulder. How could he not be in love with the man who could tell when his nephew was sad and do his best to cheer him up? It was impossible.
"Thanks for taking care of him."
Bucky smiled, and Sam returned the smile.
"By the way, I told them we'd watch a movie while we eat."
"Sounds good."
The chosen movie was Luca, but before they started it, Sam decided to find out what was bothering his nephew.
"Hey, Cass, you don't seem very happy after your field trip. Do you want to tell us why?"
"I just feel sorry for the black kittens."
Bucky and Sam exchanged puzzled looks.
"Black kittens?"
Cass nodded.
"Usually, people don't want them because they think they bring bad luck, but in this month, as Halloween approaches, some people adopt them, but only to harm them." Cass had tears in his eyes, and from the expressions on Bucky and AJ's faces, Sam knew they were as horrified as he was. How could someone be so cruel? He couldn't understand it. He also didn't know if the shelter had done the right thing by telling such terrible things to such young children, but there was nothing they could do about it now. What mattered was Cass. They comforted and cheered him up as best they could, and then they watched the movie while eating the pizza and ice cream that Bucky and the kids had brought.
Sam noticed that Bucky was pensive; he had been since the conversation with Cass and had been distracted even during the movie, which was one of his favorites. So Sam took him to the kitchen.
"What's on your mind?"
"Sam, I'd like us to adopt a cat. A black one, to give it a safe home."
Sam sighed.
"I understand how you feel. I feel the same way, but what will happen when both of us are on a mission?"
"We'll find a solution, I'm sure. Maybe Sarah will want to help us, the kids would be thrilled. But if Sarah can't or doesn't want to, we can ask Mrs. Morrison; you know she'd be delighted. Or Carlos, or even hire someone to take care of the cat when neither of us is around. Besides, you know it won't be very often; we hardly ever have missions at the same time."
That was true. Since Bucky had joined the Thunderbolts and Sam led the new Avengers team, they rarely went on missions at the same time, and Bucky had proposed good options. Sam smiled.
"I think it's a great idea, Buck." Bucky's smile made it all worthwhile, even though having a cat would be a big change.
"Thank you!" Bucky said, hugging Sam and then pulling away, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"You're welcome. Let's go."
"Kids," Sam said, returning to the living room, "Come on, we have a surprise."
"What are we doing at the shelter?" Cass asked when he recognized the place he had been that morning.
"You'll see," Sam replied, winking at him. He looked at Bucky, who had a smile on his face.
"Good afternoon, my nephew was here this morning," he said, putting his arm around the boy's shoulders, "and he told us what's going on with the black cats. We'd like to adopt one, if you have any, but if not, we're willing to adopt any other cat."
The kids exclaimed excitedly, and Bucky and Sam exchanged smiles. Before the employee spoke, Sam knew she was a fan.
"Captain Wilson, Sergeant Barnes," the woman said, surprised, and from her expression, Sam knew she was a fan, "Yes, of course, we have black cats. We normally allow them to be adopted this month, especially with Halloween approaching in a week, but considering who you are, we'll make an exception."
"We don't mind waiting until November."
The employee smiled.
"That rule was put in place to ensure the well-being of the cats, and there's nothing better for that than being in their new home. You saved the world; the kitten couldn't be in better hands."
There were 3 black cats at the shelter, and the truth was, it was very difficult for Sam to choose. The kids seemed to want them all, just like Bucky.
"They're all great, Sam."
"They are, but we have to choose one."
Bucky nodded.
"What do you think of that one?" he asked, pointing to the one that seemed the most scared and elusive.
"Are you sure?"
Bucky nodded again before responding, "I think he's the one who needs us the most."
That reason melted Sam's heart; it was truly difficult not to love that man.
They went with the employee to fill out the necessary adoption paperwork while Cass and AJ stayed with the cats.
"All right, who's going to adopt the kitten?"
"Both of us," they said at the same time before looking at each other and laughing.
"Oh, I didn't know... but you make a lovely couple!" The worker seemed genuinely excited about the idea of the two of them together, and Sam almost felt sorry for having to disappoint her by telling her they weren't a couple, although it was equally disappointing for Sam. Bucky, on the other hand, had lost himself in his thoughts. Did he and Sam look like a couple? Were his feelings for Sam evident? Was adopting a cat together something reserved exclusively for couples?
The sound of Sam's voice interrupted his train of thought.
"Oh, no, we're not together. But we're going to take care of him together, and that's why we'll both adopt him."
The woman blushed and seemed truly embarrassed.
"I'm so sorry, please forgive the confusion."
After both reassured her that it was okay, they continued filling out the paperwork.
"Have you thought of a name for the cat?"
"We could call him T'Challa," Sam joked before remembering that the man had passed away and feeling terribly guilty because he knew the gratitude that Bucky felt towards Wakanda and how he had mourned the death of his king.
"Damn, Bucky, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize; it was completely insensitive of me."
"In fact... if you're okay with it, I think it's a great name," Bucky said with a smile, although he was well aware that the ones who had helped him the most were Shuri and Ayo. He still remembered that it was the man who had reached out to him first and given him the opportunity to become who he was today.
"Of course," Sam said, putting a hand on Bucky's shoulder, making Bucky feel at home next to Sam once again.
They finished filling out the paperwork and received advice and recommendations on how to care for the cat, which made them realize they didn't have what they needed.
They spoke with the woman who had assisted them and decided to go buy everything they needed before taking the kitten.
"Do you mind if I take a photo of you with the kitten to put on the wall?" she asked when they returned, pointing to a part of the wall with different photos, "and post it on our social media?"
After they accepted and signed the consent to allow the photos to be posted, while covering the kids' faces, she took a photo of the four of them with the kitten in Bucky's arms.
Sam asked her to send it to him via Bluetooth and sent it to Sarah with the following message: "We have a new family member. Say hello to your nephew T'Challa."