#alpine is the best

[burninblood]

Some thoughts on the ending of Captain America Sentinel of Liberty

considering how I haven't been that much enthusiast with how the second arc of this story has been handled (Cold War was terrible, imo), and mostly with Bucky's character, I have to say I'm rather pleased with how this ending was crafted, considering the writers had to cut it short and change plans midway, probably. This was maybe the best they could do at this point.

I just beg for one thing

can we stop having scenes' like this one each time Bucky is facing an enemy? I know that in this case the scene serves as a parallel to what happened in issue #5 (I think?) with Bucky killing the former Revolution, and this is also a way to show us how Steve has taken a different sight to his friend's approach, standing by his side and trying to understand his pov. That's cool and reasonable.

BUT PLS LET THIS BE THE LAST TIME WE SEE THIS TROPE in comics and in mcu or wathever!!! Bucky isn't a child pulling a tantrum that needs to be calmed down each time by someone else, he is a man who has gone through so many terrible and unfair shit, and still he has proven so many times he can be a real hero. He is a good man at heart, that knows compassion in spite of how bad he has been treated since forever. He has his own moral compass and sense of justice, but he is not a killer anymore, and he hasn't been for a long time now.

How much more powerful a scene would be if there wasn't someone else to talk "sense" into him when he is pointing a gun at a bad guy (a scene similiar to this one was in Falcon and WS 2020 too!), and still he would lower the gun all the same and spare his enemy life, by himself?

I get why this scene was used here, and it is a good one who speaks some volume on Steve's character too, but I do really hope this will be the last time Bucky has to go through this!

btw, Alpine was the absolute best character, sorry not sorry, awesome badass baby murderer <3

Wondering if the Love somehow escaped the explosion and saved herself? She was the only OC member with some decency (and some sense), it seems, and still we know so little about her! (still living with my headcanon she had a crush on Bucky, lmao!!!)

[vbecker10]

Hi Neighbor (Part 2)

Part 1 / Part 3 / Part 4 (in progress)

Pairing: Bucky x female reader (Y/N)

Summary: You try to help Bucky find his runaway cat then spend the afternoon getting closer then you thought you would. Bucky starts to open up to you about not being able to sleep in a bed and all the things he's never done for himself before.

A/N: This is going to be a multi-part series with a bit of a slow burn between you and your hot new neighbor. I'm not sure how many parts yet but I already have the ending all figured out 💚 I hope you all like it!

"Cute cat," you both look down and smile as his pet comes slowly towards you.

"Alpine, go back inside," he orders gently but the cat ignores him, rubbing against your ankle until you bend down to scratch behind his ears.

"Alpine?" you ask. "That's an interesting name."

"Thats what they called him at the shelter," he answers. The moment Bucky takes his eyes off his cat to look at you, Alpine takes off down the steps towards the sidewalk.

"Alpine!" Bucky calls as he runs barefoot down the sidewalk after him.

"Oh shit," you swear, following Bucky to see if you can help.

That's a really fast cat, you think as you jog down the sidewalk then cross the street behind Bucky. The super soldier clearly isn't putting in any effort as he gets further ahead of you and closer to his runaway pet. Alpine crosses another street and Bucky looks both ways briefly then follows him.

Breathing heavily, you start to slow down dramatically after the fifth or sixth street, I think I need to start doing more cardio. And that cat needs a leash, holy crap.

You watch Bucky, almost two blocks ahead of you finally slow down as Alpine turns off the sidewalk and hides under a bush. You give up on running completely, leaning over to rest your hands on your knees while you catch your breath. Wiping a bit of sweat off your forehead, you barely hear Bucky over your pounding heartbeat. When you look up, he's standing in front of you looking just as calm as he had before the chase.

Smiling in victory, he holds Alpine close to his chest with his metal arm. The feisty little feline hasn't given up yet though, he's still struggling to get free.

"Did you say something?" you stand up straighter, hoping he won't notice that your very obviously dying.

"I asked if you were okay?" he says and you can tell he's trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, yeah," you nod, forcing a wide smile. "Totally fine," you give him a thumbs up. "I love running."

He can't help but chuckle as he starts to walk back towards your apartments, "Yeah, that doesn't sound like a lie at all. Don't worry, I'll walk slow so you can keep you."

"Oh, that was mean," you laugh and he smirks.

You shake your head in response to the show you're watching as you finish folding the laundry. Just as you place the last piece of clothing in a drawer your doorbell rings. With an annoyed sigh, you grab your phone and check the video from your camera app. I'm not talking to one more person trying to sell me something, you think as it loads.

"Holy crap," you say outloud then walk quickly to the door. "Hi," you open it and smile at Bucky. "Your little fur ball escape again already?"

He shakes his head and chuckles, "Not yet. He isn't going anywhere for the moment and I think he's pretty angry with me about it. He needed a bath and then I had to put him in his crate cause he decided to test out his claws on my arm."

"Oooh, the metal one I hope," you cringe.

"Yeah, thankfully," he smiles then gets a bit more serious. "I've only had him for a month so we're still getting used to each other. He hasn't been this upset since I first brought him home from the shelter. I don't think he likes new places."

"Probably not," you agree. "But he'll get used to it here, he just needs a little time to adjust and you seem really good with him."

"I'm trying," he sighs and looks down for a moment to folded menu in his hand. "Anyways," Bucky changes the subject abruptly and smiles again. "I was going to order some Thai food and I was wondering if you wanted any, you know as a thank you for helping me find him."

"I'm not sure I really helped very much," you tell him, cringing internally when you think about how you nearly died trying to keep up with Bucky. "And I think he escaped cause of me in the first place."

"At least you tried," he smiles and you know he remembers you dying as well. He adds, "Just between us, he's a really smart cat and I think he was planning that escape since last night."

"You sure?" you ask. You're hopeful he won't change his mind but you are afraid to seem too eager to accept his offer.

"Absolutely," he nods which makes you smile and relax.

"I'm still unpacking so don't judge me too much," he says from a few steps ahead of you as you follow him up to his apartment.

You smirk, "Oh, I'm definitely going to judge you."

He smiles at your response and explains, "I'm waiting on some furniture to come in but the living room is mostly set up."

"Yeah, I noticed you didn't get a bed delivered," you say when you reach the top of the stairs and he turns to look at you. "Okay that sounded stalker-ish," you giggle nervously. "I have a camera on my door and it sends me a video anytime there's motion so if someone walks by or you open your front door I get a notification."

"Ahh," he nods in understanding. "Slightly less stalker-ish then."

You blush awkwardly, "Yeah, slightly."

"You're right though, no bed yet," he says as he walks towards the kitchen.

"So you're sleeping on the couch?" you continue to follow him through the apartment.

"I've slept in worse places," he shrugs and you bite your lip because you have no idea what to say to that. The two of you become silent, both of you ignoring his comment.

Bucky opens the fridge, "I didn't get to go grocery shopping yet so I've got water and beer."

You laugh and peak around him, "Is that really all that's in there?"

"Yep," he nods proudly. "Actually the beer isn't even mine, Sam brought it over last night when he was helping setup my TV and forgot it."

"Water is good," you tell him. "I'm going grocery shopping tonight, want to come?" The words leave your mouth before your brain can even process them. Seriously, shut up. He's a grown man, he doesn't need you to take him shopping and- your thoughts are cut off by his quick answer.

"Sure," he agrees. "Sam told me I was an idiot for getting a bike and not a car, mostly cause I'm not sure how to carry groceries and stuff on it yet."

"I think the bike was a good idea, you look pretty good on it," the words bypass your brain and you fight the urge to literally cover your mouth with your hand.

He smirks when he makes eye contact with you, "Thanks." You look away quickly, staring at your feet as you blush and clear your throat.

He pulls out the pitcher of water and opens the cabinet near the sink. A giggle escapes you when you see six identical black mugs arranged neatly on the middle shelf. Bucky looks over his shoulder at you, "What's so funny?"

"All of your mugs say Stark Industries on them," you point out. He chuckles and nods as he takes two glasses down and places them on the counter. "Wait, did you steal them from work?" you ask unable to stop giggling.

"No, of course not," he says defensively. "Steve did," he adds with a shrug.

"Shut up! Captain America stole them?" you gasp in surprise.

"Steve's literally the reason we were always in trouble as kids. He's done way worse then pocket a few mugs," he chuckles and hands you a glass of water. He pausesadd if he's thinking and adds, "He's still getting me in trouble actually."

"Wait, really?" you ask, not quite believing him.

He walks to the couch and you follow him while he talks, "Really. He even taught me how to steal cars."

"No!" you laugh, "That wasn't in the museum."

"I'm sure it wasn't," Bucky doesn't seem surprised. "It's all part of the image of Captain America, they needed him to be perfect. Always following orders, not breaking any rules," he smiles, "Pretty much the opposite of Steve."

"That's a shame, he's a lot more interesting now," you take a sip of water.

"I'll tell him you think so," he chuckles then his attention shifts to the sound of the doorbell.

You look around the still unfinished living room, smiling when you see a faded picture of him and Steve in their Army uniforms from the 40s sitting on the windowsill. He looks damn good in that uniform, you think. Not quite as good as he did when he opened the door with almost nothing on this morning of course. Oh my god, stop, he's sitting right here, you yell at yourself for your rouge thoughts.

You shift on his couch while he unpacks the food, your thoughts shifting. This is a pretty small couch for such a big guy to be sleeping on it. How does he even fit? He's gotta be a foot taller than it is long. It's at that moment that you notice a blanket folded in the corner of the room and look up at him while he unpacks the food.

"Bucky, are you sleeping on the floor?" you can't stop yourself from asking. His jaw clenches and he doesn't answer, pulling the last container out of the paper bag. "There's no way you fit on this couch," you add even though you know you should drop it. "You're too tall."

"It's not a big deal," he shrugs and picks up the remote in his metal hand, hoping to end the conversation quickly.

You put your hand on his forearm and the vibranium plates shift under your fingers causing you pull your hand back. "Sorry," you apologize knowing you've completely overstepped. You shift away from him further to give him space.

He's quiet for a moment, the sound of a random show playing in the background. "Beds are too soft," he says, his eyes drifting towards the blanket.

"Did you even buy one?" you ask but you're pretty sure you know the answer.

He shakes his head, "No. I will, probably just so the room doesn't look weird but I don't think I'll use it."

Maybe not for sleeping, your brain tries to make a joke but thankfully you don't let it slip out. This definitely isn't the time for that.

You sit quietly and wait, thankful when he starts talking again. "Once in a while, I'll fall asleep on the couch when I'm watching TV but I can't seem to last the night. I don't know... I'm just not used to being comfortable I guess. It feels weird, almost like it's wrong. I'm not sure how to explain it but I can't even use a pillow most of the time."

"Have you talked to anyone about this?" you ask him, feeling more worried about him as the conversation continues.

"Steve knows," Bucky answers with a light nod. "I don't think he gets it though."

"Oh, I meant like a therapist..." you stop yourself, "I'm sorry this is none of my business."

"No it's okay," he says but you can tell he's uncomfortable. He flexes his hand, the metal whirling as it recalibrates and the plates shift. "I've been avoiding the one SHIELD set up for me to talk to."

"Why?" you ask, not meaning to push but you're too concerned about him to just drop the subject.

"I'm not ready to uh..." he pauses and you can see he's really trying to think of the right word. "Trauma dump, that's what the kids call it now right?"

You can't help but laugh lightly at how sincere his question is, "Yeah, that's what the youngsters call it."

"Don't make fun," he smiles for the first time since you brought up his sleeping habits.

"I'm not," you promise. "Who's teaching you slang anyways?"

He chuckles, "Peter." You shrug having no idea who that is. "Peter Parker," he says as if that should help but you still look at him blankly. "He's umm..." he stops himself, "He's a high schooler who's interning for Stark. Smart kid from Queens, way too much energy though."

You giggle, "So you went straight to the source huh?"

"Just trying to catch up," he opens the container of food closest to him.

"How's that going for you?" you help him open the other one.

"Most of what he says makes very little sense," he laughs. "I think he's messing with me a lot."

You smirk and agree, "He might be. I know I would."

"I have no doubt you would," he says as he divides one of the containers between your plates.

You watch him smile as he focuses on the food but your eyes drift back to the blanket tucked away in the corner. "Bucky," you clear your throat a little and he looks up at you. "Try not to put off the therapist for too long okay?" He nods and you add, "And if you ever wanna talk I'm around. I'm pretty good at just listening."

"Thanks Y/N, I really appreciate that," Bucky hands you your plate. "You know," he smiles, "If you keep offering to help me with things, I'm going to start thinking you like being around me or something."

You shake your head, not willing to admit you've got a serious crush on him that inky seems to be getting worse. "I actually just want to hang out with you to get closer to Alpine."

"Ahh, I knew it," he laughs as he sits back on the couch with a smirk.

You follow Bucky to the kitchen, throwing out the garbage while he places the dishes in the sink. "Not gonna use the dishwasher?" you ask him.

"Oh," he looks over at the appliance then you. "Um... I haven't figured that one out yet."

"Add that to the list of stuff I need to teach you," you joke.

He chuckles and grabs a pad off the fridge, placing it on the counter next to you with a pen. "Go ahead," Bucky says.

"You're ridiculous," you roll your eyes but take the cap off the pen. "So we've got a lot of horrible adult things. Using a dishwasher, going grocery shopping, doing laundry-"

"I actually don't mind laundry," he interrupts you.

"Seriously?" you look at him surprised.

"Yeah, it's so easy now. You put the clothes in one machine, push a few buttons and come back when it's clean. Then you've got a whole separate machine to dry them," he explains. You laugh at how cute he is when he's excited and he continues talking. "You have no idea how annoying laundry was back then," he says seriously. "I had to boil the water, use a washboard which is an absolute nightmare and you had to do it on a nice day so you could spread it all out on the clothesline."

"You're so old," you cover your mouth, laughing at the thought of Bucky bent over a washboard.

"Ow," he pretends to pout but he chuckles when he makes a friendly threat. "He nice to me or I'll tell Alpine you prefer dogs."

You gasp, "You wouldn't!"

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[gremlin-girly]

Banner by me and the images were sourced from Pinterest (credit to the OG pics and their beautiful cats!), made in Canva | Dividers by: @/kodaswrld

Alpine’s Adventure

Originally posted as part of the 2024 @flufftober challenge, but it became it's own fanfic!

Prompt: Lost Pet Meet-cute

Pairing: Bucky X Reader (no gender mentioned)

Tags/warnings: Fluff, Bucky x reader, Meet-cute , Alpine goes exploring,  Alpine is the best wingwoman , cat dad! Bucky, gn!reader, Alpine P.O.V, brief mention of a panic attack

Not beta'd. I do not give permission for my work to be reposted, translated or copied. My warnings are non-exhaustive and I may have missed something (though I try not to) so please read at your own risk.

Summary: Alpine escapes the apartment and decides to go on an adventure to find Bucky the perfect gift, eventually enlisting the help of a newfound friend to help her plan come to fruition.

Word Count: 3.3k (3365)

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Part 2 | Series Masterlist | Bucky Barnes Masterlist

Alpine's day had been pretty exciting, all things considered.

Alpine loved her dad – no doubt between her furry little ears. However, when her dad left for work that morning, curiosity had finally gotten the better of her as she slinked by him and out the door. In his tired state he hadn't noticed her dash for freedom and she hadn’t expected to actually get outside.

But she had.

The street was loud, louder than it was in the apartment and people walked by so briskly they barely noticed her. Alpine dodged multiple shoes and weaved through legs hurriedly. Some humans scorned her but otherwise left her alone.

Alpine's soft paws tittered over the concrete as she took in her surroundings.

Everything smelled the same, just amplified.

She hadn’t been outdoors  - at least, not without her dad– since she was kitten. She couldn’t remember much about her life before she met her dad other than everything was big, it was cold and she had been scared. Bucky had brought a warmth she had only briefly experienced as a kitten. He had taken her in, fed her and comforted her. He had shown a kindness she was unfamiliar with but appreciated all the same. She had attempted to return the favour, on occasion, but apparently dead mice are not appropriate gifts for humans. However, Alpine had found she was better on the nights her dad couldn’t sleep or had a nightmare, sitting on top of his chest and purring gently to help him calm down.

Alpine slipped through an iron fence crunching leaves in her wake and emerged from under a green shrub onto another pathway. This one had strange wooden seats littered along the pathway, looking onto a lake and…

Birds.

There were plenty of shrubs and trees in this area and the humans around seemed to be feeding strange birds on the lake. Alpine hopped onto one of the strange seats and sat down, curling her white tail around her, studying the birds. Perhaps a bird would be a better gift than a mouse. Alpine’s ears flattened as she considered it but eventually decided that her dad would probably scold her and be ungrateful for her efforts as per usual.

Alpine’s tail flicked in annoyance. There had to be something she could gift her dad, without getting into trouble. She eyed the humans who were walking along the pathway with the utmost scrutiny.

Small humans got excited to see her and she had to swat one who was petting her a little too hard. He was tugged away by his mother pretty quickly after that.

Slowly, a pattern began to emerge. There were all sorts of humans, of all ages, but mainly in pairs.Old, young, mother and son, father and daughter, sisters, brothers… they were all coupled in some way. Alpine’s tail tip curled with excitement. She could find her dad a companion. Steve and Sam were okay but she couldn't imagine their hands intertwined with her dad's or doing that strange thing coupled humans were doing with their mouths.

No. Alpine needed to find a new human to be her father's companion. That would be the best gift she could get him.

Alpine leapt from her seat and began her search. The first human she walked by was pretty, but pulled a sour face when Alpine approached and was snapping at someone down the phone. They only stopped to shoo at Alpine.

Too rude.

Alpine huffed, tail flicking is distaste and moving down the path.

The next was a woman who, Alpine assumed, in her prime would have been beautiful. She has feeding some pigeons with a woollen blanket across her lap, large thick framed glasses almost covering her face entirely. Her wrinkled hands shook crumbs onto the floor for the birds, who barely batted an eye at Alpine’s approach.

“Well, now,” The lady cooed as Alpine sat before her. “Aren’t you just darling.”

She held out a knuckle to Alpine, who graciously butted it with her head and allowed herself to be petted ever so gently by the sweet old woman.

Too old. Unfortunately.

After five minutes of fussing, Alpine moved away giving the old woman a small trill of a goodbye.

Much of the next hour around the open area was the same. Some were too young, or too old, were not a good potential match,  didn’t like Alpine or were already coupled. Alpine growled in frustration. Maybe she would have to go elsewhere but for now she wanted to go home. Today’s mission was a failure.

There was a loud noise that tore through the park. It wasn’t human. It was angry, gravelly and approaching rapidly.

A dog.

Alpine’s eyes widened in fear as the dog made a run for her, teeth snapping ferociously. She scampered, clawing her way more than halfway up a tree, turning back to hiss viciously and scratch at the dog’s muzzle when it tried to jump for her. It’s human was taking an idle time in retrieving it.

However, Alpine didn’t have to wait very long when she heard a human yelling at the dog, and it’s human. Alpine’s blue eyes narrowed  as she spotted the human stomping their way over to the tree.

“Keep your damn dog on a leash!” The human yelled as the dog’s owner tugged the collar of his pet away. The dog’s eyes watched Alpine and continued to snarl.

“Christ, it’s a cat –“

“and you’re an irresponsible dickwad.” The human stood tall, hands on hips as they glowered at the owner. “Dogs at the park should always be on a leash, regardless of how well trained they are. There is a reason for that; protecting the dog and the other people. How inconsiderate do you have to be?”

The owner huffed and muttered under his breath, finally managing to get the dog away. After glowering at the owner until he was out of sight, their features softened and they dropped their hands loosely at their side, turning towards Alpine.

“Hey sweetheart,” they spoke gently, giving Alpine space to jump and vanish if she so wished. “it’s okay. You’re okay now.”

Alpine considered the human for a moment, detaching her claws from the bark and elegantly landing on the ground. She sniffed hesitantly. Alpine could smell so many different things from the human; cinnamon, coffee, another scent she couldn’t quite place and... her cat kibble. This human smelled similar to home. The human offered their knuckle and Alpine bumped her head against it with a happy trill, tail high in the air.

The human laughed and rubbed Alpine’s ears as she weaved around their legs. The human’s smile was warm and gentle; just like Alpine’s dad’s.

You are perfect.

Your day had been relatively mundane. Until you saw an asshole with his dog off leash chasing some poor cat up a tree.

Now you had said cat bundled into your hoodie purring happily whilst you rode the subway, the cat’s little white head sticking out the neck hole to hiss at anyone who came too close to you. Probably not the strangest thing New Yorkers had ever seen, but you couldn’t help but smile at the little furball.

The cat’s tag had noted its name as Alpine but no address, only a phone number. You had made a mental note to call later in the safety of your apartment, however, you had more  pressing issues at the forefront of your mind. For example, manoeuvring for your subway tickets whilst holding Alpine in your arms.

“Sweetie, I might have to put you in bath jail.” You tell Alpine, looking down at her tucked away in your hoodie. Alpine looks up at you, as if she’s listening intently to what you’re saying, big blue eyes staring back at you. You melt – she’s so beautiful. Her owner, whoever they may be, clearly adores Alpine; a cute collar and beautifully maintained soft, clean white fur.

“I don’t know if my kitty will like you.” You say apologetically, giving Alpine a small smile. You could’ve sworn she huffed as she looked away from you as you climbed the stairs to your apartment.

Unlocking your door awkwardly, leaning back so Alpine doesn’t slip out from your hoodie, you enter your apartment. Once the door shuts into place, before you can even call out that you’re home, Alpine is wriggling from your grip and out of your arms.

“No no no,” you say hurriedly, dropping your keys as Alpine bounds away from you sniffing.

There's a scampering sound, then bolting into the living area, Apollo appears. His green eyes fix onto Alpine, his usually sleek fur prickling like he was charging static. Alpine’s tail fluffs up like a pom-pom and you watch on with baited breath as Alpine growls warningly at Apollo. The last thing you need right now is a literal cat fight.

Apollo’s ears twitch rapidly. Both cats are frozen in mid-step, staring at one another until Apollo chirps, his thin tail twitching as he bounds at Alpine. He bulldozes into her and she flops onto her side with a soft thud. It takes you a moment to realise that your young cat is playing and Alpine doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, shes tolerating it. You sigh with relief watching Alpine pin Apollo’s excitable self under her with ease. Apollo's legs stick comically out from underneath her, his tortoiseshell patterning making Alpine’s elegant self look like she’s wearing crocodile hot pants with white socks.

You chuckle and snap a quick picture before punching the number you’d copied from Alpine’s collar into your dial pad. You hold your phone to your ear, pacing to the kitchen to make yourself a drink. It rings seven times and you almost hang up before a male voice answers.

“Hello?” The voice is gruff and curt, and you're immediately feeling nervous, wondering if you’d typed in the wrong number accidentally. “Look, if you’re selling something I’m in the middle of-“

“I have your cat!” you blurt and at the risk of sounding like a catnapper, hurriedly add, “I found at her at a park near the Central Cafe.”

“Oh thank God,” the voice heaves, sounding a lot less tense now which helps to ease your own nerves. “I’ve been looking for her for the past two hours. I can call off the search party.”

You chuckle, glancing over at Alpine, whose now pinning Apollo by the head with a snowy paw. “She’s got one heck of a personality, I’ll give you that.”

“She sure does,” The voice chuckles. “Uh, when can I come to get her?”

“Oh – whenever. I can text you my address.” You open the fridge with your phone tucked between your ear and shoulder, pulling out a soda.  

“Great. I can come now? If that’s not too short notice?” The person on the other end is clearly desperate to be reunited with Alpine and you don’t blame them one bit. The soda in your hand hisses as you pop open the tab.

“No it’s fine. You want your baby back, I get it.”  

“Thanks. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” You expect to hear the beep of the call disconnecting, but you’re surprised when the voice speaks again. “And thanks... for finding Alpine.”

You feel a little bashful. You hadn’t exactly found her. More like rescued her and then she’d clambered onto you. “It was nothing. I’ll see you soon.”

“See ya.”

You find yourself smiling smugly as the call disconnects and you tap in your address to Alpine’s parents’ number.  When you look up from your phone, both Alpine and Apollo are looking at you.

“What?” You say, raising your arms half heartedly. Strangely, the cat’s are looking like they were plotting something  and you couldn’t put your finger on what. With one last curious glance at them, you shake your head and move to the couch; waiting for Alpine’s owner to arrive.

Bucky’s day had been awful.

He was still tired from his last mission when he got called in to work again. He couldn't wait to return home to Alpine. He imagined her waiting for him by the door as usual, waiting patiently for him to walk in from work and bombard him with pleas for attention and treats. He smiled to himself as he unlocked his door. Alpine was the best thing to have ever happened to him and he spoiled her rotten to prove it. He never thought he would be what Natasha had called a cat dad, but he was, and loved every moment he spent with his furry companion.

So when he entered his apartment, calling out for Alpine and having no response, his mind immediately frog-leaped to the worst conclusions. Bucky tore his apartment apart frantically, calling Alpine’s name. With each shout and each room and nook searched his voice became more desperate. Bucky checked all of the windows to make sure they were closed. He checked Alpine’s usual spots. The cupboards. The washing machine. Under the couch. He almost ripped up a floorboard before he realised he was hyperventilating and collapsed to the floor.

His breathing was laboured, vision blurring from both the lack of air in his lungs and the overwhelming feelings of fear and guilt thar plagued him. His head was in his hands staring at the floor wondering how and where Alpine had vanished to.

He'd almost missed your phone call because he was so upset.

Bucky stands outside your door awkwardly. He's buzzing with desperation to have Alpine back in his arms but doesn't quite know what to expect beyond the door. He raps the wood gently, hearing the butsle of you shift off your sofa with a muted "Coming!"

The first thing you do when you open the door to Bucky is smile. That catches him off guard. You step aside and welcome him in, apologising for a mess that doesn't exist and explaining that Alpine was playing with your cat somewhere in the apartment.

"What did you say his name was?" Bucky asks, eyeing an enormous cat tree you'd placed in a corner. He made a mental note to buy one for Alpine.

"Apollo." You reply. You frown and pace around your sofa, clearly looking for something. "Sorry I... they were right here a second ago."

"That's a nice name." Bucky stuffs his hands into his pockets. You hum in response this time. This was painfully awkward.

A meow from one of your rooms echoes through the apartment. It sounds like Alpine. Bucky moves before you do, taking two large steps in the direction of the sound before a flash of fur attaches itself to Bucky’s leg. Bucky looks down excitedly expecting to see Alpine, but his face falls when he realises it's a cat he doesn't recognise. It's Apollo.

Apollo's claws poke through the blue fabric of Bucky's jeans and Bucky could have sworn the cat looked damn smug about it too.

“You little asshole,” You gasp, grabbing Apollo. His back half lifts easily but his claws remain latched in Bucky’s jeans. Even as Apollo is stretched further, his body limply following your hands, he doesn’t retract his claws. He mewls softly and looks back at his pet parent with wide green eyes, that were trying desperately to look as innocent and cute as he could muster.

“I am so sorry.” you grovel apologetically to Bucky, not meeting his gaze. Bucky huffs with a smile. Now he really doesn't know what to do. Your cheeks burn with embarassment as you give Apollo a gentle wiggle. “Let go.”

Apollo refuses and meows in defiance. As if on cue, Alpine trots out from your bedroom rounding on you and jumping onto your back. You yelp, startled by Alpine's sneak attack, and straighten your back to try to shake her off. Alpine perches on your shoulder, sinking her own claws into the thin fabric of your shirt. She definitely wouldn't be moving unless she decided it, and meows triumphantly.

"Alpine!" Bucky gasps, reaching for his own cat. She had never done this before with anyone. He flushes with embarassment as well now. He thought your cat was a smug ass and now his cat was misbehaving too. This day was getting worse and worse.

Alpine mewled in protest when Bucky attempted to tug her away from your shoulder.

"Ow, ow, ow," You mutter, half turning to offer more of your shoulder to Bucky.

"Sorry," Bucky mumbles trying to detach Alpine’s claws; but she'd lift a paw to re-attach it to you shoulder again. What had gotten into her?

With Alpine’s distraction, Apollo sinks his pin-needle teeth into Bucky's leg. Bucky curses and looks down, you fluster and are about to ask what happened when Alpine slinks lower and leaps from your chest; her back legs pushing off you hard enough to send your back into Bucky’s chest. You stumble slightly, and thanks to his training, Bucky catches your hips to steady you. He looks down at you with concern and your head tilts back to look up at him wide eyed and flustered.

The cats have disappeared from beside you both. It's just you and Bucky in the middle of your apartment. The silence is palpable but not uncomfortable. You both are taking in the other's features; truly looking at one another. It isn't until a loud meow snaps you both out of your thoughts.

Bucky releases your hips, blushing and mumbling an apology. You stand up straighter, blushing equally red, also mumbling an apology. Bucky's eyes drift to where the meow came from, only to see Alpine and Apollo sat side by side, watching their parents' interaction.

"I think we've been had," Bucky says, pointing at them. His lips twitch into a small smile and you follow his finger to the cats, whose tails are flicking impatiently.

You sigh, setting your hands on your hips. "I knew they were planning something."

Bucky chuckles. "She's never done that before."

"I wish I could say Apollo hasn't," You smile sheepishly over at Bucky and he can feel himself smiling back.

"He is a little bastard." Bucky glances down at his jeans that have a few small holes from Apollo's teeth and claws.

"But he's my little bastard," you chuckle jokingly and hold out a hand. "I'm Y/N."

Bucky pauses for a moment before shaking your hand delicately with his flesh hand, conscious of the serum and worried about accidentally crushing your hand. "Bucky."

There's another moment of silence as you shake hands, looking at eachother. Bucky watches you swallow thickly and he clears his throat, dropping his hand from yours.

"I don't think the cats want to leave just yet," Bucky says, running a hand through his hair. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so.... bashful.

You glance at the cats, who look like they're trying very hard to be nonchalant.

"No, I don't think they want to leave their play date either." You comment, narrowing your eyes at Apollo before turning back to Bucky. "Would... you like to stay for a coffee?"

"Coffee sounds good, if you don't mind." Bucky smiles again and you smile back. Something inside of his chest twists, and heat creeps up his neck. He watches you move towards the kitchenette, your hand meeting with Alpine’s head as you pass by. Alpine’s eyes close as you scratch her head and she purrs loudly. Your saying something about sugar and milk and apologising for Apollo again but Bucky isn't listening.

There's something about the way Alpine is looking at him, the way her eyes blue blink slowly at him and look over to you, sitting proudly on the counter that reminds him of when she brings him mice. He shakes his head of the thought and rejoins the conversation with you.

Alpine and Apollo share a look; a look of smug triumph that's missed by their parents who are too busy chatting and standing close to on another. Apollo gives a short trill and nudges Alpine with his head. Alpine purrs gently in response. Their plan had succeeded.

You were most definitely better than a mouse.

A/N: Well, hello. This is my first official post of my own on tumblr. I won’t blather too much because there’s a pinned post explaining that this is my first rodeo.

The inspiration for this particular prompt came from the opening scene of 101 Dalmations (clearly). This also inspired another prompt - and maybe even a part three. 👀 (can you tell I loved writing this one?)

A/N 2 March 2025: Yeah this grew arms and legs 😌

[dinosaurraarr]

Guys y'all don't understand how much I love Clint and Bucky I just wanna grab them and put them in my pocket

[super-max-verstappen]

ABSOLUTELY LOSING MY MIND OVER THESE TWO

Their story brings me to my knees

[moon-brain-90]

British journalists are so rattled by a small comment and it's genuinely hilarious. What do you mean Will Buxton went on a mini rant because max joked how no British reporters were present and they would if there was a British driver on the podium??

[polite--cat]

Just when I thought the way Alpine dropped Ocon couldnt get any worse, I saw the helmet that esteban ocon won't be able to wear this weekend. I'm not crying, you are.

[stimiva]

Okay, so since it's the week off and I need to cure my Ferrari depression, I created "a magazine, a newspaper"?, with some things that happened during the Chinese Grand Prix.

If there will be some free time, I will maybe work on more of this.

Please do not take things written there seriously. It is for pure entertainment. Also, English is not my first language, so sorry for any mistakes.

Thanks.

[martaaairwin1994-blog]

My brand ❤️‍🩹

[sevencardigans]

them ✨💞🥹

[pinkcarsupremacy]

Alpine screaming crying throwing up realising if they'd painted the car pink camo at the start of the season they'd be leading the Constructors rn

[burninblood]

Alpine in Captain America Finale #1

[pg-sk]

Fucking disgusting behavior from Alpine

I'm definitely not a fan of Esteban, being a Pierre fan, basically out of principle I want Pierre to always do better than Este. But this is absolutely disgusting treatment for the guy who won you your only win in recent years and had been nothing but loyal to your trashy tractor.

I hope Pierre say something or start planning his own team swap, because if they can treat Este like this, there is no doubt they could treat Pierre like this when they sees fit.

[aaltilis]

Pierre: *entering room* I'm wearing a new sweater, how does it look?

Esteban: Disturbing.

Pierre: *pouting*

Lance: It looks good on you, Pierre. But it will look better in Este's room floor.

Esteban: Did you just filrt with him for me?

Lance: Someone has to.

Pierre: Well, well, Este...

[raapija]

My favorite genre of F1 is Nando and Esteban beefing like teenage girls 💚

[polite--cat]

reports are getting more and more serious about franco having an alpine role next year and I'm so torn between a) its good for him to move/get loaned to a team with a bit more money and a more stable car & hopefully keep up the momentum a bit and b) NO NOT ALPINE!! ANYONE BUT ALPINE!!