Bucky loves Thor, which isn’t a widely known thing. Thor’s usually off-world, which Bucky understands, he’s royalty or whatever, but when he is around, Bucky hard-pressed to find someone he wants to hang out with more. Clint’s great, and they’ve gotten a lot closer since he turned, and Steve is probably Bucky’s favorite person on the planet, but, well—Thor is Thor. He’s sunny, sees the best in people, and has never looked at Bucky with any sort of pity. He’s never flinched away from him or been shy about slapping his hand on his back as he laughs at one of Bucky’s jokes, or reeling him into a too-tight hug in greeting. It’s refreshing. Plus, Thor is just as clueless about most of the technology of this century as Bucky is, so they figure things out together, like the defrost function on the microwave, and Tony’s weird toaster that fits half a dozen slices of bread and has ten different buttons and knobs.
If Steve has noticed him disappearing in conjunction with the times Thor is on-planet, he’s never brought it up. His therapist has agreed that Thor is an overwhelmingly positive presence on him, since he has no expectations to uphold when he’s around him. Thor doesn’t think of him as the ex-Winter Soldier, or look at him like he should be a different person like Steve does sometimes, or look at him like he might snap at any second. Thor just sees him as Bucky, as a friend, and she’s told him that having people like that in his life is very important for him.
So, yeah. Bucky loves Thor. Thor is also really good at tactile affection, which he’s explained is something that’s very common in Asgardian culture, and Bucky lives for casual affection. Casual affection is, arguably, Bucky’s favorite thing, Steve notwithstanding. So sometimes he ends up falling asleep on Thor, on a couch or a bench or while he’s standing up but it’s 5AM and he’s tired and doesn’t want to be awake but can’t sleep. Thor’s cool with it. He’s even done the same thing, a time or two.
“Friend,” Thor says into the phone at 4 o’clock in the morning one completely normal day, “I’m lost.”
Bucky grumbles a little, sleepy, and disentangles himself from Steve to pull on pants and a hoodie and move into the kitchen. “Lost? Lost where?” Bucky yawns. “Can’t Mjolnir just bring you here?”
“She could, but I feel that would make a scene, and I’m trying to do that less these days. Jane likes it when I keep a ‘low profile.’”
Bucky snorts. “I’m sure she does. You’ve probably got half the New York population after you with those biceps.”
Thor laughs loudly in his ear, making Bucky smile a little too, despite how sleepy he is. “Ah, well.” Thor answers, as if it can’t be helped either way. “Let me see if I can find a street sign so I can tell you where I’m at.” Bucky can practically hear him smiling on the other line. He chomps on a plum while he waits, leaning on the counter across from their fridge, staring at the grocery list there. Jarvis could order them anything they want, but Steve always insists on making one and going to get them in person.
“I can’t find a sign.” Thor grumbles, sounding discouraged. “I’m going to ask someone,” He says decisively, and two minutes later he’s telling Bucky the exact address of the store he’s standing in front of.
“Hey, I know how to get there.” Bucky tells him helpfully, plucking the list from the fridge. “That’s where Stevie an’ me get our groceries. I’ll come to you?”
“That would be appreciated.” Thor sighs thankfully. “I thought you and the Captain had your food delivered by Stark’s ethereal servant?”
“Nah, I don’t like to get things from Jarvis that I can get myself. I know he doesn’t mind, but it seems rude, you know?” Bucky hums quietly; there’s only maybe a dozen items on Steve’s list, all with cute little illustrations of them next to their names. “Can I pick up some stuff while we’re there, or are you in a hurry?”
“I’m in no hurry.” Thor answers. “I’d be more than happy to accompany you.”
“Thanks, pal. I’ll be there in a few minutes, I’ve gotta get dressed and tell Steve where I’m going so he doesn’t worry.”
“Alright. See you soon.”
Bucky hangs up and pads back into the bedroom with the list in-hand. Steve’s still sleeping soundly, face pressed into the pillow with only a portion of it visible. He snorts softly and pushes at Steve’s shoulder. “Steve,” He says gently. Steve snuffles and burrows further into the pillow, a tiny crease appearing between his eyebrows. “Steve.” He says again, shaking his shoulder once more, and getting a grunt and Steve turning to the other side for his trouble. Bucky huffs and climbs on the bed, flopping bodily on top of him. “Stevie.” He says again with feeling at Steve’s put-upon grunt, directly in his ear. He’s just started contemplating biting him or tickling him when he gets a disgruntled, “What, Buck? M’tryna sleep.”
“I’m going to the store, just wanted to tell you so you didn’t wake up and freak out.” He tells him easily, not at all offended by Steve’s grumpiness. He does rub his stubbled chin against his bare shoulder and the back of his neck in retaliation though, earning another grunt and a tiny shiver from Steve.
“You want me to go too?” He asks, putting his elbows underneath himself and hoisting himself up onto them. Bucky hooks his chin over his shoulder and shakes his head.
“Nah. You sleep. I’ll be back soon, okay?” Steve turns his head to the side and kisses Bucky’s cheek before he collapses back into the pillows, making Bucky smile like an idiot. “God, you’re a sap.” He snorts, kissing Steve’s shoulder and rolling off him to get dressed. Steve’s asleep again before Bucky leaves the room.
It’s a little chilly outside, now that Fall is in full swing, so Bucky pulls on his favorite long-sleeved Henley and one of Steve’s massive hoodies. It takes him a brisk 20 minutes to get to Thor, who looks like he’s freezing in just a long-sleeved shirt, a pair of jeans, some tennis shoes, and a scarf. He’s shivering a little, but he grins brightly when he sees Bucky, immediately sweeping him into a huge hug, which Bucky returns.
“It’s rather frigid on Midgard this season.” Thor tells him after he sits him back on his own feet. “It’s not pleasant.”
“Yeah, it’s always warm on Asgard, isn’t it? This isn’t even as cold as it gets here. Wait ‘til Winter.”
“I hate the cold.” Thor grumbles unhappily. “It reminds me of the frost giants.”
“You and me both, man. You and me both.” He pulls the list from his pocket, humming and showing it to Thor as they head into the small grocery store. “Let’s find Steve’s… Almond milk?”
“Your partner is strange,” Thor says with a knowing nod, making Bucky snort as they head for the cold aisles at the back of the little store.
“You’re tellin’ me. He also wants egg whites. The yolk is the best part!” He exclaims, scandalized. Thor laughs loudly, nodding in agreeance and patting his back consolingly.
Sleepiness hits Bucky again as they’re pacing the aisles looking for some specific healthy thing Steve’s listed on the paper with a little quarter-sized drawing of it next to it. Bucky doesn’t know what the fuck tofu is, but it’s frustratingly hard to find, even with a picture. Thor notices him starting to lean against him after several minutes, raising his brows in amusement. “Are you still tired, friend?”
“Exhausted.” Bucky mumbles back. They’ve stopped moving at this point, and he just sort of has his whole face smashed into Thor’s bicep, half-awake but quickly becoming less so. Thor chuckles good-naturedly, shaking his head fondly and plucking the list from Bucky’s hand.
“You should sleep,” He says, and before Bucky knows what’s really going on, he’s perched on Thor’s back and the warmth the Asgardian is putting out is seeping into him and making him all the more drowsy. “I’ll find the rest of the Captain’s list, I’ll wake you when we leave so you can direct us back to Tony’s tower.”
“Mhm.” Bucky mumbles, arms wound loosely around Thor’s neck, face buried between his shoulders. Thor has no problems carrying him like he weighs absolutely nothing, at points even doing so one-handed as he reaches out to get the next item on the list.
Bucky moves them blearily through the streets when the leave the store, only awake enough to murmur street names and directions every few minutes. Thor doesn’t even wake him up anymore once the tower comes into view, just lets him rest as he makes the trek there.
When Thor gets to Steve’s floor, it’s already been invaded by Clint, Natasha, Darcy, and Tony. Steve’s apparently become The Guy to get breakfast from, and everyone has picked up on it. They all freeze when Thor comes in, Bucky sleeping away on his back, carrying bags of groceries. “Hello, friends,” He greets easily, breezing past them to put away the food, never once displacing Bucky. Darcy and Natasha are taking pictures and video; Tony is having Jarvis record the entire thing; Clint is laughing, Steve is staring.
“This is going to be my wallpaper,” Darcy announces. “And Jane thinks you’re adorable, Thor.”
Thor beams at her and waxes poetic about how adorable he thinks Jane is for several minutes, all of which is on video and sent to her immediately. Bucky snuffles at all the commotion, squeezing his way closer to Thor and nuzzling his head under Thor’s hoodie, letting out a displeased huff as he does. “I think you woke him,” Thor laughs, quieter than normal, and glances over his shoulder. Then he looks back to Steve, who looks somewhere between incredibly fond and outrageously jealous, his cheeks flushed a healthy pink. “Captain Rogers,” He says, gesturing to Bucky, “Would you give me a hand?”
“Stevie?” Bucky pipes up sleepily, head raising and pawing at his eyes to rub the sleep away. Steve immediately steps forward, as if drawn to him like a moth to a flame, and Bucky beams at him, arms outstretched. As soon as Steve’s close enough, Bucky’s climbing him like a tree, latched firmly onto him like a koala, face buried in his neck. “Stevie.” He sighs dreamily, then promptly falls straight back asleep. There’s a tense moment of silence where everyone in the room, barring Thor, stare at the pair, and Steve’s temperature rises until he feels like he’s as inflamed red as a tomato.
“I’m gonna,” Steve says, gesturing vaguely to the bedroom. Tony laughs.
“Yeah, you do that.” He waves him off dismissively, leaning over the back of the couch to look at the footage Natasha had gotten while Thor wandered off to get some breakfast of his own.
Steve settled Bucky in the middle of the bed, tugging off his shoes and socks despite the man clinging to him like his life depended on it. “Buck, quit it,” He chastised softly, laughing a little. Bucky hummed in response, nosing against his neck before placing a soft, sleepy kiss there. “Bucky.” He sighed emphatically, temperature starting to rise again.
With no small amount of trouble, Steve untangled himself from Bucky and got him undressed and under the covers. Before he could turn away and go back to the kitchen, though, Bucky caught him by the back of his pants and yanked him into the bed next to him, pulling the covers over him in one sweeping motion. He smiles sleepily, head on Steve’s chest.
“Hi,” He mumbles, eyes shining. “I bought groceries and found Thor.”
“I saw that,” Steve chuckles in return, running his hands through Bucky’s sleep-mussed hair. He wanted to be mad, really. “You and Thor looked pretty close…” He trailed off, not particularly feeling jealous now that Bucky was in their bed with him, but still feeling it needed to be said.
“Mm. You’re still my best guy though.” Bucky agreed easily, snuggling his way up closer to Steve as his eyes started to drift shut. “Stay with me a lil’ while, stranger.” He rumbled.
Steve pretends to think for a moment, scratching softly through Bucky’s hair as the man lets out what can only be described as a purr of contentment. “Alright,” He agrees eventually, after he thinks Bucky might’ve already drifted back off. “I’ll stay a while.”