אַ פייגעלע אין אַ שטײַגעלעגע

Because some people still seem a little lost on the character relationship that is Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, let’s fill you in

Bucky Barnes treated Steve Rogers as an EQUAL. He’s one of the ((at the time)) two people in Steve’s life ((the other having been Sarah)) to not look at him with disgust or treat him like fragile glass. Steve would fucking hate to be babied. To be patronized and mother henned. It’s not what he’d want in any sort of relationship. Which is why Bucky is so important to him. 

When Bucky took him on the Cyclone, he did so because he never underestimated Steve. And you can’t tell me that Steve didn’t get them in their fair share of trouble. Both of them screwed with each other. It’s not like Bucky dragged him on, but probably pestered him until Steve agreed. Bucky wouldn’t have done it if Steve really didn’t want to AND Steve is one of the most stubborn people on the planet. If he really didn’t want to go on, he wouldn’t have.

When they laughed about it later, it was because Steve had been fine, just like Bucky knew he’d be. 

When Bucky offered Steve a place to stay after his mom died and all Steve had to do was “take out the trash or shine his shoes” HE’S KIDDING. He’s fucking around with him. He is NOT serious. He’d never make Steve do something like that. His best friend is in unimaginable pain and he knows what will normally stir a laugh from him. Bucky’s never treated Steve as an inferior. Steve would want nothing to do with someone who did. Especially when the rest of the world already does. In fact, just being seen with Steve at all has the risk of a negative view for Bucky himself. 

However ((and this is actually very plausible considering Steve’s personality)) Steve might want to do things around the house to earn his “keep” ((which Bucky wouldn’t see it as needing, but Steve would so as not to be a “burden”)) cause it’d be extremely difficult for him to maintain or even get a job. Steve’s not one to just take handouts. He had a job as a paper boy, which is already a pretty lousy job for someone Steve’s age to have, but given the rampant ableism of the times, any time off for being sick, probably saw him having to find another one over and over. So Steve would want to do something to not feel like he was a drain on Bucky, even though Bucky would never see it that way. 

When Bucky discourages Steve from joining the army it’s out of fear for his safety. This is the man who knows each and every one of Steve’s disabilities. He’s been there almost his whole life through sickness and wants nothing more than to keep Steve safe. Bucky’s priority in life is Steve. Bucky didn’t want Steve to enlist, but no more than Steve didn’t want Bucky to enlist. This was a war. Friends and families being torn apart because of it. Bucky not wanting Steve to join the army had nothing to do with Bucky trying to keep Steve from achieving his goals, but rather everything to do with wanting him to stay alive and be safe.

However, this is only after Bucky’s already tried to help him enlist and taught him how to box. He was scared for him, but he still tried to help him in the beginning. ((this can be found in the tie in comics))

When Bucky says “sometimes I think you like getting hit” he’s KIDDING. Once again, he’s not making fun of Steve. He’s simply joking around with him. Bucky has had years to grow used to Steve’s stance on bullies and not backing down and admires this trait of Steve, but he also knows how single-minded Steve can be. That’s where Bucky comes in to help pull Steve back out of his own head. Steve’s the one that’s inspired him to also stand up to bullies in the first place. ((again this is in the tie in comics)) Steve is and always has been Bucky’s inspiration to make himself a better man.

When Bucky gets back from the Hydra base with Steve, he’s not jealous of Steve. He’s just been rescued from being tortured and tormented at the hands of “mad scientists” who experimented on him, saw this horrifying Nazi dude peel his face off to reveal the Red Skull and now has his best friend in this brand new body. The guy’s going through a lot of shit. Is there bitterness there? Of course. But that bitterness does not stem from jealousy. It’s from feeling a sense of abandonment. Of now having no place in Steve’s life anymore. instead of letting that dwell in the least Bucky turns it into something else and finds his place at Steve’s side. After being a POW, and probably wanting to go home ((having every right to want to go home)) he follows Steve back to the war that did all that to him. 

When Bucky flirts with Peggy, he’s not actually trying to pick her up. That’s why he first glances to Steve before even opening his mouth. He knew what was going on there. He was trying to help Steve out. To bounce the flirt off of him. Be his wingman so-to-speak cause the Steve he knows doesn’t know how to speak to women at all. Yet he finds this woman to be charmed by Steve already. Peggy not even acknowledging him at all?  That was a bit of a blow, but not enough that he’s actually offended by it. “I’m turning into you, this is a nightmare” Once again… BUCKY IS JOKING. 

That’s the beauty of Bucky and Steve’s relationship. Bucky is close enough to Steve that he can poke at him, even in those areas that are sensitive. And Steve is close enough to Bucky that it doesn’t bother him. He likes it because Bucky gets him. He understands him and, once again, doesn’t baby him. He treats him like an equal. Which is so important to Steve. 

Seriously, Steve and Bucky’s relationship is one of, if not the strongest, healthiest relationships in all of Marvel history. There’s such an amazing sense of camaraderie and understanding between the two of them that even through 70 years of brainwashing and torture just a few seconds together is enough to begin to crack through the programming.  

Bonus: 

tw:  dark  themes  present  ( blood,  death  etc )

“  my  muse  ”  is  the  muse  of  person  receiving  the  meme.  “  your  muse  ”  is  the  muse  of  the  person  sending  the  meme.

🛏️  -  a  starter  where  our  muses  have  to  share  one  bed.

💍  -  a  starter  where  our  muses  are  enemies  forced  to  marry.

⚔️  -  a  starter  where  our  muses  are  fighting  and  my  muse  admits  their  feelings  for  yours.  (  add  + reverse  for  your  muse  to  admit  their  feelings )

😴  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  is  comforting  your  muse  after  a  nightmare.  ( add  + reverse  for  your  muse  to  comfort  mine )

🤕  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  is  patching  up  your  muse’s  injuries.  ( add  + reverse  for  your  muse  to  be  patching  up  my  muse’s  injuries. )

🥂  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  drunkenly  confesses  their  true  feelings  about  your  muse  to  them.

💭  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  chooses  to  give  up  their  memories  of  your  muse  to  save  them.  ( add  + reverse  for  your  muse  to  give  up  their  memories  to  save  mine )

🥊  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  pins  yours  whilst  sparring.  ( add  + reverse  for  your  muse  to  pin  mine )

🛡️  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  protects  yours  from  a  fight.  ( add  + reverse  for  your  muse  to  protect  mine. )

🩸  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  is  injured  and  yours  demands  to  know  who  hurt  them.  ( add  + reverse  for  your  muse  to  be  injured )

💋  -  a  starter  where  our  muses  have  to  kiss  to  maintain  their  cover.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 -  a  starter  where  our  muses  are  fake  dating.

🤐  -  a  starter  where  our  muses  have  to  pretend  they’re  not  dating.

🤯  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  recognises  yours  from  a  past  life,  but  your  muse  does  not  remember  them.

☠️  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  admits  their  true  feelings  for  your  muse  after  believing  they’re  about  to  die,  but  they  survive.  (  add + reverse  for  your  muse  to  admit  their  feelings  to  mine )

🔪  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  kills  to  protect  your  muse.  ( add + reverse  for  your  muse  to  kill  to  protect  mine )

💔  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  breaks  your  muse’s  heart  to  save  them.  ( add  + reverse  for  your  muse  to  break  my  muse’s  heart )

🌪️  -  a  starter  where  our  muses  are  trapped  together  during  a  storm.

💰  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  has  to  seduce  yours  for  information.  ( add  + reverse  for  your  muse  to  try  to  seduce  mine )

✋   -  a  starter  where  my  muse  traces  your  muse’s  scars.  ( add  + reverse  for  your  muse  to  trace  my  muse’s  scars )

🫂  -  a  starter  where  my  muse  runs  to  embrace  yours  after  winning  a  battle.  ( add  + reverse  for  your  muse  to  embrace  mine )

Stabbed?!

я ничего ⧗ I'm not anything

Independent & Selective RP

Yelena Belova ⧗ The White Widow