everyday i think about bucky calling sam pretty bird and it makes me want to die inside.
god the first time bucky lets it slip out, because he vaguely remembers thinking it during tws era, is when they’re comfortable with each other again post tfatws
pre-relationship sambucky who are housemates at this point just relaxing in each other’s spaces. bucky who’s reading a book in the living room, and sam who’s fiddling around in the kitchen post run & shower.
honestly, maybe it’s because bucky’s been pining for ages but he looks drop dead gorgeous with the sunlight shining in - swaying slightly to the song he’s got playing through their bluetooth speakers. sam wilson is happy and it makes bucky even happier
so he slides up to sam after deciding he can’t keep pretending he’s reading when he’s been on the same page for the past 10 minutes.
“hey pretty bird, what’re you making?”
the nickname slips out too fast, too easily. and it is easy because he’s been calling sam that in his head for literal years.
sam takes in the nickname, and bucky realizes what he’s done, ready to fucking bolt but he plants his feet onto the kitchen floor - and waits for sam to react.
the swaying continues after he stopped for that one second where it felt like bucky couldn’t even breathe - and sam manages to cut bucky’s oxygen flow again when he breaks out into a stunning grin
the sun hits his face just right then, like it’s a paid actor and bucky wants to worship sam like he’s a god, an angel
it takes a beat too long for bucky to realize sam’s saying something about pancakes because he’s just staring. he can’t stop looking at sam, who looks like he loved the nickname
neither of them acknowledged it, but from then on bucky’s always calling sam pretty bird.
(joaquin raises an eyebrow at sam one day after a mission because bucky had said in the most concerned voice ever, “pretty bird, are you there?” when sam had gone silent for a bit while kicking ass. the last guy had it the worst because sam was practically preening at the nickname, so whoops - maybe he forgot to pull his punches just then. sorry, not sorry.)
(“don’t say anything kid.” “and you still insist you’re not together? come on! i have a bet to win!”)
