Originally posted in November 2014 as part of a 30 day writing challenge on Archive of Our Own.

All Steve can think of at first is how small it is. His next thought is to wonder why it's there, not that he has to wonder long.

Bucky opens his eyes when Steve shuts the door, and his grin is lopsided and apologetic.

"It's freezing out," Bucky says, hand still scratching idly behind the kitten's ears. "And it was crying. I couldn't just leave it out there, Stevie."

Steve crouches down, reaches out to run a hand down the kitten's back. It blinks its eyes open at Steve's touch and yawns, stretches from where it's curled on Bucky's chest. Steve gets a peek at tiny teeth and a pink mouth before it tucks its face back into the folds of Bucky's shirt. Steve's mouth curls into a smile of its own volition when the kitten starts to purr.

"Buck…"

"Just until it warms up outside, Steve. It's too little for a winter like this."

Bucky pouts and widens his eyes, curls his hand protectively around the cat on his chest. Steve can't resist Bucky when he looks at him like that any more than Bucky can resist a stray, and he sighs heavily.

"Shove over," Steve orders. Bucky shifts carefully but the kitten still gets jostled and it lifts its head to watch them with golden eyes as Steve positions himself next to Bucky on the couch. Steve makes himself comfortable, rests his head on Bucky's shoulder. Reaches out and scratches under the kitten's chin.

It closes its eyes in bliss and purrs even louder; Steve takes a moment to admire how soft the cat's mottled grey fur is under his fingers.

"I guess we could keep it until spring," Steve says a while later. They've shifted again – Steve's tucked under Bucky's arm with the cat curled up on his chest – and he's warmer and more comfortable than should be possible on their old couch in the middle of a New York winter. "Gonna need a name, though."

"Mhmm," Bucky murmurs against Steve's temple, drowsy and soft. "We'll think of somethin'."

The kitten makes a sleepy noise then, half sigh and half chirp as it wiggles until it's stretched out in the dip where Steve and Bucky's sides meet.

Steve nods, closes his eyes. They've got time.