Critical Feline Mass

Fanfiction
Title:	Critical Feline Mass
Author(s):	Kryptaria, zooeyscigar
Date(s):	May 24–29, 2014
Length:	39,533 words (12 chapters)
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Captain America Movieverse
External Links:	Critical Feline Mass on AO3
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Critical Feline Mass is a Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes fanfic by Kryptaria and zooeyscigar. It is a modern AU.

The authors also published a short sequel, Can't Pronounce It, Not Buying It.

Summary

Adjusting to civilian life is hard for any military veteran—especially for one ex-sniper with a cybernetic arm, a classic Harley, and friends who keep trying to ‘help.’ When Sam Wilson at the VA sends Sergeant Barnes to rent a room from the hottest guy in the DC area, Bucky thinks maybe civilian life is worth it after all. And then he finds out Captain Rogers is everything Bucky’s not: a real hero, a Medal of Honor recipient, and an all-around nice guy. Bucky doesn’t have a chance in hell with him.

Sam was a huge help to Steve Rogers when he left the military. In the spirit of ‘pay it forward,’ Steve decides to rent out his basement room to a vet in need. But when Sergeant Barnes shows up on his doorstep, he knows he’s in for a world of trouble. Barnes is exactly what Steve never knew he wanted, from his bedroom eyes to his wicked innuendos. And he’s Steve’s tenant.

A love story in twelve chapters, including two Harley-Davidsons, a guardian angel, multiple snipers, the only woman who can scare them into behaving themselves, spontaneous kittens, and one attacking sheep.

Comments & Reactions

As of March 12, 2019, the fic has 1,464 comments, 9,664 kudos, and 2,835 bookmarks on the Archive of Our Own.

ao3love:

This fic is an absolute classic in the fandom, as far as I’m aware. Since it has been around for such a (relatively) long time (it was posted May 2014), it also works to compare the way stucky fanfic has developed over that time, in what fandom accepts and wants and how certain characters are conceptualised. I finally got around to reading it yesterday (September 20, 2016). And it helped to actually define for myself why I (and possibly the fandom at large) love modern AUs so much for this particular pairing.

There is not a whole lot of plot to this story. Bucky is done with the war, he’s looking for a place to live, and Sam suggests Steve. Bucky is flirty and Steve is a looming character (to him) initially and shenanigans ensue. Much fluff and some mild smut, all good stuff. This is a general pattern for most modern AUs (there are definitely many exceptions as well). Canon-compliant fics, especially those set before or during the war, tend to be lower on the fluff factor (which like. the Great Depression and homophobia and WWII and all, it makes sense there is more of a permeating atmosphere of tragedy).

So I guess modern AUs work as a refuge for that pain, a way to give Steve and Bucky the happier stories and endings they deserve. But reading Critical Feline Mass I finally managed to articulate for myself it’s even more than that. Because most modern AUs also contain a certain narrative of hope in them. At the beginning of each story in this genre, Steve and Bucky tend to be on autopilot, spinning their wheels, struggling, figuring things out, generally not realizing / accepting that something vital is missing from their lives.

I’m not saying that we all need romance in our lives or anything like that. But we enjoy these narratives where as soon as Steve and Bucky come in contact with each other, they both start growing personally. They make each other better. They blossom and find their callings or even carve out a niche for themselves. And I really dig how these fics feel like they’re glowing with love and hope and the belief we can all be better and there’s good in the world and we can work to have it too.

Related Works

• a scene that happened in the last chapter of kryptaria and zooeyscigar’s fic Critical Feline Mass, fanart by maria-tries

Critical Feline Mass has been translated into several languages:

• Chinese, by mringo
• Russian, by faith_fatal
• Polish, by erraticmuse