#The price of our freedom is the blood on our hands (Steve Rogers)

[letsbreakhearts]

@thirium-blue​ asked:

​ 💋Tony wants to check out Steve's flirting skills

Send 💋 for my muse to attempt to flirt with yours

“You know, when we are done here, how about dinner?”, Steve tried very subtly to ask Tony out for a date. Perhaps a bit too subtle, so he added on “Some place nice. Just the two of us.”

#to satisfy a hunger (answer) #The price of our freedom is the blood on our hands (Steve Rogers) #I thought that fighting with meant fighting for but you turned it around (Stony) #yaall make me test my limits today with making my reserved muses flirt #So he is straight forward instead

[yelena-bellova]

Fault Line: Steve Rogers x F!Enhanced!Reader - Chapter Eleven

chapter ten - Chapter Eleven: Beloved Enemies - chapter twelve

Series Masterlist

Plot: Team Cap works to stop the helicarriers from launching and encounter more than their share of roadblocks.

Warnings: language, canon-typical violence, blood, gunshot wounds, near-death experiences, hospital setting,

Word Count: 8k

A/N: Hi! Life has gotten complicated and busy so my fix updates are even more infrequent than usual. For that, I apologize deeply. I hope this long chapter makes up for it!

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It was a strange feeling to wake up in Steve’s arms as if it was any ordinary Wednesday. When in actuality, we were about to change the structure of the world.

Just before we suited up, Hill came into the bunker and handed me a case I’d seen for the first time only days ago. “Before we went off the grid, I broke into your apartment and grabbed this,” she explained, “S.H.I.E.L.D. would have taken it.”

I thanked her and unlocked the case, pulling the white Tony Stark designed suit out and examining it. Knowing Tony, he couldn’t just make a simple suit. There were hidden features that would have to be experimented with at a later day.

As our bruised and bandaged group left the cave, the details of the plan were cemented. I would transport Steve, Sam, Hill and I a mile out from the Triskelion and enter through the back. Natasha would go undercover as a Council member, entering with security. Fury would fly himself in as soon as he received word from Natasha that things were secure. If we could execute everything perfectly, we could all come out of it alive.

Steve, Sam, Hill and I arrived at the Triskelion, looking at the massive building from a safe distance. Suddenly everything felt very real. I instinctively reached for Steve’s hand, taking comfort in the fact that what we were about to do, we’d do together.

“You ready for this?” he asked. “Not in the slightest,” I replied, turning to him with a sigh and a small smile, “Now come on.”

Once we got into the building through a series of backdoors, I shorted out the communication system for the surveillance department. With guns drawn, we waited until one of the employees opened the door, surprised to see Captain America and Voltage waiting for him. “Excuse us,” Steve said as we approached, sending every person hurrying towards the doors with hands raised.

“What exactly are you planning on doing?” I asked him as he made his way to the PA system.

“Haven’t thought that far ahead,” he replied, taking off his cowl and clipping his shield to his back.

We stood behind him as he hunched over the microphone, pausing for a few seconds before he pressed the button.

“Attention all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, this is Steve Rogers. You’ve heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it’s time you know the truth,” he paused, looking to sky briefly as if strength would fall from it and land in his palms, “S.H.I.E.L.D. is not what we thought it was. It’s been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The S.T.R.I.K.E and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don’t know how many more, but I know they’re in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want, absolute control. They shot Nick Fury and it won’t end there. If you launch those helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way. Unless we stop them. I know I’m asking a lot. But the price of freedom is high, it always has been. And it’s a price I’m willing to pay. And if I’m the only one, then so be it. But I’m willing to bet I’m not.” I watched his speech unfold with tears in my eyes, prouder of him than ever. “That’s my man,” I whispered to myself.

“Did you write that down first,” Sam stepped forward with a smile, “Or was it off the top of your head?” Steve laughed and looked to me, confused at my watery smile. I shook my head and dried my eyes, stepping forward to rub his arm. “Clock’s ticking,” Hill spoke up.

Sam made his way to the door, I began to follow him but my arm was pulled back by Steve who drew me into him and pressed one final kiss to my lips.

“Good luck, agent,” he said softly, his breath still fanning my mouth.

“You too, Captain,” I smiled, taking in one final second of peace before chaos took over.

Switching gears, I kept a hand on Steve’s shoulder and reached out to touch Sam’s arm. “Here we go…” I mumbled, steeling myself for whatever we were about to encounter.

I teleported the three of us to the landing strip in time to see the helicarriers lifting up into the sky. “Hey, Cap,” Sam shouted as we ran, “How do we know the good guys from the bad?” “If they’re shooting at you, they’re bad,” Steve answered before wrapping an arm around my waist, “Ready?” “Ready,” I nodded, watching as Sam’s wings sprung out from his pack and he glided off the landing strip. I prepared to teleport us, visualizing the inner workings of the helicarrier and attempting to land us there. Except…we hadn’t budged. “What the…” I mumbled. “What’s going on?” Steve asked, just as confused as I was. “I don’t know,” I held onto Steve tighter and tried to send us away with no luck, “Fuck. They’ve got tech that prevents me from using my powers. They’ve got it set up somewhere. What do we do?” Steve thought for a second before grabbing my hand, “Trust me?” “Always.”

Looking over the edge of the platform, we stepped forward at the same time and leapt over the edge. We both tucked into somersaults as we landed and continued our sprint, never missing a beat. Ahead of us there were armed guards opening fire on us. I ran behind Steve and his shield as we twisted and turned through an array of crates and ammo storage. One of the guards snuck around one and tried to sneak up on us but I landed a punch that leveled him. We hid behind one of the storage units and Steve, rarely equipped with destructive weapons, threw a small grenade in the direction of the other guards attempting to capture us.

“Hey Cap,” Sam called over the comms, “I found those bad guys you were talking about.”

“You good?” I asked.

A few distant explosions sounded in the background, “I’m not dead yet.” “Good, keep up the optimism,” I quipped, turning to Steve, “I can’t get us in the easy way.” “Then we fight our way in,” he said authoritatively, “Stay close.”

I unholstered the two guns from my hips and along with Steve, took off from our hiding spot to face the guards waiting for us. Steve took on a few of them, landing kicks and hits with his shield but never ceasing his run. I kept more of a distance and fired perfect shots into their chests, clearing our path. “Eight minutes, guys,” Hill said. “Very helpful,” I called, narrowly dodging a bullet before firing three.

Finally, Steve and I had an access point to the inside of the helicarrier. “Let me try my powers again,” I said as Steve climbed the stairs. He came back to me and I clutched his arm, visualizing the part of the craft that Fury had shown me weeks ago. Suddenly, we were transported to the very spot. There was no time to celebrate, we took off across the bridge. When we reached the navigational system, Steve pulled out the chip from his belt and inserted it into the correct space.

“Alpha lock,” he called as we took off across the bridge again.

“I can get us to the last one,” I declared, taking his arm again and visualizing the other helicarrier. Nothing. “Shit, there must be tech in here.” “We’ll find another way,” Steve said as we took off across the bridge and back to the staircase. We rushed down the steps and onto the deck, welcomed by another group of armed guards. In vain, I tried to use my telekinesis to move them.

“Sam!” Steve called into the comms, “We’re gonna need a ride!”

“He can’t possibly carry us both,” I shouted as we ran towards the edge of the carrier.

“What other option do we have?”

I thought my plan through, getting closer to the edge with each sprinting step, and decided to bet on my gut feeling. “I’ll meet you on deck,” I called at the last second so Steve couldn’t object, just before we leapt into the air.

The freefall was startling, waking up whatever parts of my body were still been asleep. I gasped once and then my lungs seemed to freeze, my mind going blank as I descended towards the ground rapidly. I vaguely sensed Steve falling somewhere near me, that was enough to bring my brain back online and remember what I was supposed to do. There was no way that S.H.I.E.L.D could have tech in the air. I visualized the deck of the last carrier and successfully transported myself onto it, shakily landing on my feet just as Sam, dangling Steve by the arm, landed beside me. 

“You know, you’re a lot heavier than you look,” Sam remarked as we walked across the deck.

Steve shrugged, “I had a big breakfast.” I had barely gotten the chance to laugh when a dark figure lunged out from behind a set of crates, tackling Steve and shoving him off of the deck. “STEVE!” I screamed, rushing to the side to try and telekinetically pull him back. Unfortunately, there was tech hidden somewhere.

Sam extended his wings and tried to jump off the deck, only to be pulled back by the figure. One decent look at him and I could identify him as Bucky Barnes. He threw Sam back by the wings, but Sam was able to catch himself in the air and pulled out his guns. I unholstered mine and kneeled down, shooting near perfect shots if it hadn’t been for Bucky’s quick reflexes. He flipped and took cover behind a piece of machinery. Sam reached down to me and pulled me up, lifting up and flying away to go find Steve. We both let out a cry as we were violently pulled back and down to the deck, Bucky ripped one of the wings clean off of Sam’s suit with his grappling device. Sam fell on top of me, quickly getting to his feet and pulling me with him. Before we could get our wits about us, Bucky landed a kick to Sam’s stomach, sending him flying off the deck. I attempted to land a punch, but was caught by my throat and thrown off the deck seconds after Sam.

During my second fall, I was able to keep focused. Sam was so close I knew I could reach him if I controlled my fall correctly. Channeling Tony, I held my arms in a way that would allow me the ability to surf the wind currents. “Grab on!” I yelled. Sam reached out and as soon as he took hold of my arm, I created a forcefield around us and we landed on the top of the Triskelion safely.

“Steve,” I said into the comms after taking away the field, “Steve, are you okay?” “I’m here! I’m still on the helicarrier! Where are you guys?” Relieved, I pressed a hand to my chest. “We’re grounded,” I reported, “Sam’s suit is down. If they don’t have any tech down here, I can get us up there.”

“I’ll meet you there.”

I turned to Sam, ready to take hold of him and bring him with me, when Hill’s voice came into our ears. “Falcon? Rumlow’s headed for the Council.”

“I’m on it,” he looked to me, “Get to Steve.”

As Sam headed for the inside of the building, I looked up into the sky and found the last helicarrier. I visualized the inside of it and prayed that S.H.I.E.L.D hadn’t seen fit to outfit the rooftop with tech. I felt myself slip away easily, landing on the bridge of the helicarrier next to Steve. He gripped my arm to steady me, “You good?” I nodded before looking ahead to the end of the bridge, an unwelcoming sight awaiting us. Bucky.

Steve tensed beside me, his eyes locked with his former best friend’s. We were right where I’d hoped we wouldn’t end up. I didn’t want Steve to hurt any more over Bucky, but I also wouldn’t hesitate to to kill the Winter Soldier. But first, I’d give Steve his chance to bring back Bucky’s memories.

“People are gonna get die, Buck,” Steve said, trying to sound confidant, “I can’t let that happen.”

Bucky made no move, giving no indication that anything Steve had said resonated with him.

“Please don’t make me do this,” my love’s voice faltered and some part of me broke alongside him. I already knew how the fight would turn out.

Bucky’s lips curled ever so slightly as he stared out his eyebrows at us.

Steve and I steeled ourselves.

A breath-stilling silence.

And then Steve threw his shield.

The weapon careened towards Bucky and bounced off his metal arm, landing back in Steve’s hand as we charged forward. I quickly tested my powers but the tech was hidden somewhere, leaving me with only my natural weapons. Bucky fired two shots at Steve’s shield before I ducked behind my boyfriend, narrowly missing the bullets meant for me. Steve whacked Bucky’s hand with his shield before crouching down to deter the next bullet. I had to plan my attack strategically, there was little space to move on the bridge and it would be too easy for Bucky to nail me if I made a wrong move. As Steve tried to block the next shots, Bucky faked him out and shot at Steve’s side, two bullets tearing through his suit and grazing him. Set off, I leapt out from behind Steve’s body and kicked the gun out of Bucky’s grasp. I felt the wind brush me as I jumped back, barely avoiding a punch to the face delivered by his metal hand and giving Steve the opportunity to push him back with the shield.

If possible, we’d made him more mad.

Bucky unsheathed a blade from one of his holsters and stalked towards us, unhinged. Quickly, Steve lowered his shield and I stepped onto it, letting him launch me into the air. I landed a few feet behind Bucky, who was more focused on attacking Steve, and charged toward them. Steve was masterfully avoiding all of Bucky’s attempts to stab him, but he couldn’t hold him off forever in such an emotional state. I kicked Bucky in the back but hardly put him off balance, he was far too attuned to what was going on around him for a sneak attack to work. He spun and swung the knife around, I crouched down and sprung back up to punch him in the face. Steve ran around him and headed to the station, entering the code that would allow us access to the targeting system. As he worked, I gripped both sides of the bridge’s railing to lift myself up and use both my feet to kick Bucky hard in the chest. He fell back, but it had only bought us seconds. He got to his feet as if nothing had happened, catching me by the back of my suit and throwing me. I hit the station Steve was working at, landing roughly at his feet.

“Look out,” I cried, ignoring the pain from my ribcage and focusing on Bucky focusing his rage on my boyfriend.

Steve dodged Bucky’s punch with the shield, the metal hand creating sparks as it scraped against the Vibranium. They were locked in a standoff, Steve holding Bucky’s knife wielding hand away from him and Bucky gripping the shield. I got to my feet and wrapped my hands around Bucky’s neck, pulling him back and away from Steve before ducking out of the way so Steve could kick Bucky away.

Steve retrieved the data chip from his belt and handed it to me, “I’ll buy you some time.” Adrenaline surged through me as I hurried to identify the right chip that needed to be switched out. The sounds of Steve’s pained grunting and groaning didn’t help me to focus at all. My fingers shook as they pulled out the chip, I was reaching to replace it when I felt a searing pain come from my arm. I pulled away from my position and saw Bucky still holding his smoking gun as Steve fought him with a new fury. Swiping a finger over my wound and seeing the blood, I knew I’d been shot. Steve blocked a few more punches before Bucky sent the both of them over the railing, sliding onto the bottom of the station’s structure. I didn’t think twice before throwing myself off the bridge as well.

Bucky and Steve were locked like two bulls, Steve had lost his shield in the fall and had nothing to defend himself with. He took a punch to the stomach from Bucky’s metal hand just before I landed. I was torn between Steve’s request that I give him time to bring Bucky back and shooting the man where he stood. The time to decide was drawing close.

I decided to give Steve a little more time and simply punched Bucky on the side of his face. The data chip was still in my curled fist but Bucky had figured that out quicker than I’d expected. He grabbed me by the throat and shoved me down, choking me as he tried to uncurl my fingers. Steve took hold of his torso and tried to throw him off me, but Bucky’s grip around my neck held and we both went flying. The data chip fell out of my hands as we landed, the impact throwing Bucky off his game just enough for me to raise my legs and kick him away. Still gasping for air, I quickly looked around for the missing chip. Steve moved to where we were and stood between me and Bucky. Just as I found what I was looking for and reached out to grab the chip, Bucky’s boot came stomping down onto my hand. I screamed out, bringing my hand to my chest and cradling it in a rare moment of weakness. In doing so, I had accidentally swept the chip off the platform. Steve and I met eyes, a plan forming silently between us, and we synchronously kicked Bucky over the edge. Steve helped me stand and took my hand, the two of us leaping down together.

We landed on the sturdy glass panes providing a view out over the city, unfortunately I landed on the arm that had been shot with a loud cry. Steve hurried to help me up, his glove staining with blood as he handled my elbow. Having gone through extensive wound training in my early S.H.I.E.L.D days, I knew I was losing blood fast and had precious moments left before I started to feel the effects. “Move,” I urged Steve, shoving him in the direction of where the chip had landed.

As we made a run for it, a familiar sound came from behind us and Steve toppled over. He took me down with him as his large frame hit me and we tumbled across the glass together. The shield rolled next to us, I turned around to see Bucky pulling out his second gun and taking aim. Steve pulled me into him and we hid behind the shield, I could feel the impact of each bullet as it bounced off. When they stopped, Steve sprung up and hurled the shield at Bucky. The two of them made contact as I got to my feet, not rising fast enough as Bucky was able to stab Steve in the shoulder. He let out a yell of pain so tender to my ears, I prayed then and there I’d never have to hear it again. Steve head butted Bucky twice before he was thrown into a large support structure. The sight sent me into a rage, if I didn’t act soon, Steve wouldn’t be there to save. I ran towards Bucky, dropping to my knees as soon as he swung his knife at me and sweeping one leg out from under him. He’d managed to retrieve the chip in the time it had taken me to get to him. I climbed on his back to weigh him down just as Steve returned, but Bucky managed to flip me off him. It figured, I weighed nothing to a Super Soldier…

Steve managed to keep Bucky on the ground, his hand pushing his face away and holding his hand under his arm. “Drop it!” Steve yelled, “Drop it!”

When Bucky tried to fight back, Steve laid into his arm hard enough to make Bucky scream out. I scrambled over to them and tried to pull Bucky’s fingers open one by one. As much as he fought, I was able to pry the chip out of his hand, walking around to him after and landing a punch to the head that knocked him out. He slumped over in Steve’s arms and to Steve’s credit, he let him go. We sprinted off with the chip tucked in my belt, the real challenge would be getting back up to the station.

Steve jumped up to grab the railing, flipping himself over and landing on the platform perfectly. He laid down and reached down his hand, I used my good arm and allowed him to pull me up. Softness in battle wasn’t something we typically allowed ourselves, but he stroked a quick hand over my shoulder before pulling me to my feet. We made our way towards the next set of difficulties when Steve went down, a sick echoing gunshot alerting us to Bucky’s conscious state. There was blood on the leg of Steve’s uniform and I couldn’t see an exit wound, the bullet had stayed in him this time around.

We hurried up the platform and Steve took the first set of bars, pulling himself up and narrowly missing another shot of Bucky’s. I pulled out my gun and fired a few quick shots to Bucky’s metal arm, I knew it wouldn’t do any damage but it was enough to shock him and give us a few extra seconds. Powering through the pain of my injured arm, I followed Steve’s example and pulled myself up the bars, letting him help me the rest of the way. We had finally made it back onto the bridge.

“30 seconds, guys,” Hill said over our comms.

“Here,” I pulled the data chip out of my belt pocket and handed it to Steve, who was already up on his feet. The blood loss was beginning to make me dizzy. I bent down on one knee and aimed my gun at Bucky again, hitting his metal arm three more times. When I tried for a fourth, the weapon failed on me. Whether it was lack of ammo or it got jammed, I didn’t have time to figure out-

A sharp pain through my left shoulder silenced all thoughts.

I doubled over onto the grated floor, a shaky hand reaching up to touch the wound. Bright red blood coated my fingers and I tried my hardest not to pass out. Not because the sight made me woozy, but because I knew what it meant. I was on borrowed time.

BANG!

Life rarely moved in slow motion, but the moment that Steve fell to the ground and I saw the crimson staining the front of his uniform played out so slow, I could commit every detail to memory. I couldn’t tell if I screamed or whispered his name, but it was enough to bring us both out of shock. Steve clumsily flipped himself over onto his knees, pulling himself up to the navigational system. He placed the chip in its slot, breathing hard as he sat back and looked at me. We both knew what was about to happen.

“Charlie lock.” We would win, but Steve and I wouldn’t live to see the victory. 

“Okay, Cap, Voltage,” Maria called over the comms, “Get out of there.”

I crawled towards Steve using the arm that hadn’t been hit by bullets, if I was going to die, I was at least going to decide where I did it. The only place I’d ever consider was in Steve’s arms. He struggled to move towards me, slumped over on the floor, but he managed to pull me into his side. “Fire them,” I replied.

“But-“ “Do it!” Steve yelled, “Do it now!”

My breath quickened as I tried to convince myself death was nothing to be scared of. But the truth was that I wasn’t ready to go. I wanted more time, more time with everyone I cared about. I’d spent so much time by myself, wishing for what I’d managed to finally get. Now I was being prematurely torn from it.

As if he could read my mind, Steve pressed a shaky kiss to my forehead. “We gotta try,” he breathed.

Together, we hoisted each other up, clinging to the railing and each other as tight as we could. Just then, the helicarriers began to fire at one another, throwing Steve and I off balance. A scream sounded from below us and I was able to spot Bucky trapped underneath a large piece of the helicarrier’s structure.

Steve looked to me, “I gotta help him.” “He’s going to kill you,” I argued, Steve was in no fighting shape and neither was I. “I have to try,” he replied, “He would do the same for me.”

I loved Steve and how much he cared about his tribe, but it was the first time I wished that he’d give up. Just once. Our lives were at stake and he was placing them in the hands of a HYDRA assassin. Shared past or not, he was letting emotion cloud his judgement. But there was no arguing with him, he was going to try and save Bucky even if it killed him.

Steve slipped under the railing and let himself fall, landing roughly on the glass. A giant chunk of the helicarrier had been taken out, the wind coming in and spreading the sparks of the fires that had started. Steve searched for and retrieved his shield, carrying it in one hand while holding his abdomen in the other. There was so little I could do to help him without my powers. I watched helplessly as Steve stumbled his way towards Bucky and pulled with all his remaining might on the structure that held him. Once Bucky shimmied his way out from underneath, Steve let the structure go with a loud groan. Bucky was bent over, gasping for breath, but he didn’t attack. 

“You know me,” I could hear Steve urge, I knew he’d take Bucky’s lack of violence as a good sign…

“No, I don’t!” Bucky yelled, punching Steve hard. Super Soldier or not, Steve was vulnerable at the moment.

I stood to my feet shakily, trying to figure out a way to protect Steve. If I jumped down, I was sure to injure myself further. Too risky, there was a possibility I could further lodge the bullet in my shoulder and nick something vital. The tech hidden somewhere inside the helicarrier had to have been damaged, there was a chance that my powers could work. I looked down to Steve and Bucky and visualized myself quickly, feeling the tug but not being able to physically move myself. It was better than it had been minutes ago. I took a few steps on the bridge, putting distance between me and wherever the hidden tech was. I tried to teleport myself again, feeling a stronger tug. The further I moved across the bridge, the more my powers began to return. I stumbled down the catwalk as fast as I could, hearing Bucky hit Steve once again. 

“Your name is James Buchanan Barnes,” Steve said carefully, not wanting to provoke Bucky anymore than necessary. “Shut up!” Bucky screamed, hitting Steve so hard that he flew backwards and landed on his injured front. Enough was enough…

Using every bit of strength I had, I teleported myself down successfully to where Steve and Bucky lay injured. I summoned an electric current and aimed it at Bucky, causing him to scream from the intensity of the shocks. 

“Y/n!” Steve yelled from behind me on the glass, “Wait!” The currents weren’t strong enough to kill Bucky, just enough to weaken him. Though I wanted to end him then and there, I reluctantly absorbed the electricity at Steve’s request. Bucky rose to his feet, vengeance in the eyes directed my way. I quickly threw up a force field around Steve and I, but my strength was fading. I couldn’t hold it for long. “Get out of here,” Steve ordered, his voice low and exhausted.

“I’m not leaving you,” I strained, fighting to keep the energy field around us.

“I can’t leave him,” he pushed, putting a hand to my shoulder. “He’s gonna kill you, Steve,” I yelled, grunting along the way as I felt the energy beginning to fade, “We had a deal!” Steve panted, “I can’t let him die.” Internally, I was cursing him. He was risking both of our lives to try and save someone who was too far gone. But I loved him too much to give up on him. “We’ve only got a minute or two till this thing breaks,” I said, building my compromise, “The second it does, I’m teleporting us back onto land.” Steve nodded weakly, fighting to stand as the force field finally dropped due to my exhaustion. Bucky didn’t attack as I thought he would, instead he simply watched us. “I’m not gonna fight you,” Steve said, dropping the shield straight through a hole in the flooring. I winced as it fell down somewhere into the Potomac. “You’re my friend.”

Bucky roared as he charged toward Steve, tackling him to the edge of the helicarrier. “You’re my mission,” he growled, accentuating each of his words with a hit. “You’re,” punch, “My,” punch, “Mission.” It was the last straw. Steve’s opinion no longer matter to me. I wasn’t going to let him kill himself because of sentimentality. I telekinetically raised Bucky up in the air and slammed him down into the glass. I dragged him back towards me, raised him up and kicked him in the chest, sending him flying backwards. Steve groaned from behind me, probably trying to get my attention but I didn’t care. Bucky had tried to kill him, Natasha and Fury in the last two days, three of the most important people in my life. I wasn’t going to let him have another chance.

Bucky stalked towards me menacingly. My strength was fading and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold him off. I telekinetically held him in place, his confusion was visible as he tried to figure out why he couldn’t move. He began to look like a panicked animal, clawing at the air and moaning as he tried to escape my hold. It was pitiful. I aimed my hand towards him and shoved him backwards, he hit a beam during his landing. I fell to my knees in exhaustion, all the fight had been drained from me. The blood from both wounds streamed down my arm and hand, the dizziness filling my head and making it hard to see straight. It looked like there were three Bucky’s coming towards me, but they morphed into one the closer he got. He picked me up by the throat and held me in the air, trying to choke what little life was left in me. He threw me down towards Steve, the last thing I remembered was hitting my head against a piece of metal. After that, everything went black…

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My head pounded before I even opened my eyes. My entire body felt soaked, even underneath my suit. I felt like I couldn’t move, but I was alive.

My eyes fluttered open, trying to adjust to the light. I curled my fingers ever so slightly to feel the dirt that I was laying on. I groaned as I turned my head, seeing that Steve was laying beside me. The slight rise and fall of his stomach let me know he was still fighting. The sound of footsteps on my other side stole my attention and I watched as Bucky walked slowly away from us. My head was foggy but I could still feel his metal hand wrapped around my throat moments before. He’d tried to kill me…and then he rescued me. “Hey,” I called weakly, summoning as much strength to my throat as I could. He stopped in his tracks and turned his head in my direction, looking away but focusing on my words. “If you ever come near him again,” I stopped for breath before finishing, “I’ll kill you.”

Bucky took in my words without showing if they had any effect on him. He simply listened, then continued on his way. Wherever he was going, I took comfort that it was away from us. Away from Steve.

My head fell back again as I panted, the simple sentence having taxed me. It was a good thing Steve had been unconscious, I knew that my proclamation wasn’t anything he’d have ever agreed to. But what I did, I did to protect us. I believed in second chances, I believed in Steve Rogers…but I did not believe in Bucky Barnes.

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Fury, Nat and Sam found us at some point because I woke up in a far too bright hospital room. I looked around in a stupor, finding beeping machines and an IV on one side of me and Sam on the other.

“Hey, Energizer,” he smirked, “How you feeling?” I chortled, an instant pain coming from ribs and throat. “Fantastic,” I remarked, my voice hoarser than usual, “Where’s Steve?” “He’s in the room next door,” he motioned with his head to the left, “He’s in and out. He wanted to be here when you woke up but the doctors wouldn’t let him out of bed.” I moved to push the blanket off of me and swing one leg over the bed. “Whoa, whoa,” Sam stood up and carefully put his hands on my wrists, “You wanna take a look at yourself?” In my hurry to see Steve, I hadn’t thought to examine myself. I looked down to find four of my fingers on my other hand were in splints. The arm that had taken the bullets was in a sling, I peeked under my gown to find multiple bandages over where they’d stitched me up. I ran a hand over my throat and gasped at the sensation, there were definitely bruises from where I’d been choked. It explained my voice being hoarse.  There were also large ugly bruises around my middle, no doubt from however many ribs I’d broken. This was definitely the most banged up I’d ever gotten in a fight.

“I have to see him,” I pushed, trying to clear my throat to help my voice. 

Sam sighed, “Alright, but at least let me help you.” He helped me out of my bed slowly and carefully, wrapping an arm around my waist and holding my hand with the other. There were two security guards posted outside my door and one of them opened it up so we could exit. Sam guided me to the next room over, identically dressed guards protecting it as well, and we entered. Steve was laying in his bed, eyes trained on the door as we entered. His face lit up at the sight of me. “Look who’s up,” Sam beamed as he guided me into the room. “Y/n,” my name fell from Steve’s smiling lips.

I felt tears well in my eyes as I looked him over. He was bruised, bandaged and stitched up, but he was alive. I hadn’t lost him.

Sam helped me into the chair next to Steve’s bed, scooting me as close as he could. “I’ll give you guys a minute,” he said, brushing a hand over my shoulder before vacating.

Steve lowered his bed with its remote and sat himself up a little further, taking my hand and letting out a breath of relief. I let out a soft sob as I squeezed his hand, I’d been so sure that we were going to die. “How’re you feeling?” he asked eagerly. “Awful,” I giggled, “Better now that I know you’re okay.” Steve carefully raised my hand to his lips, pressing a sweet kiss to my knuckles. “I can’t remember what happened after I fell,” he said, “I grabbed you but…that’s all I can recall.”

Even with an undoubtable concussion, I could remember the events quite clearly. But Steve didn’t. Was I supposed to tell him what I had said to Bucky? Would he ever forgive me for telling his best friend never to step foot in his direction again? I cleared my throat, “I woke up and we were on the shore. I couldn’t have pulled you out so-“ “Bucky,” Steve gasped, “Bucky pulled us out.” “He must have,” I shrugged. “You were awake, did you see him?” I sighed heavily, feeling myself slip into the lie all too easily. “No, I didn’t see him.”

Steve’s brow furrowed as he thought, “He must have remembered me. He had to. Why else would he have saved us?”

There was a silence that fell over us as he tried to put together the pieces of what had gone on. I chewed on my lip, feeling a sickness in my stomach for lying to Steve. It was second nature to me. But I had never intended to use my talent against the man I loved.

“I’ve gotta find him,” Steve said decisively, “He’s out there, he remembers-”

“Steve,” I spoke up, holding his hand a little tighter, “He almost killed both of us and Fury. I know that he means a lot to you but…don’t you think it’s time to let him go?”

Steve sighed and shook his head, “Y/n, I can’t. Bucky’s my brother, he’s my best friend…He’d do the same for me. I have to find him, try to help him remember who he was.”

I was quickly learning that when the matter was related to Bucky, there was no argument strong enough in the world to change Steve’s mind. All I could do was stay quiet, support him, and sit on my lies. “I know you think I’m wrong…” he began. I laughed under my breath, “When has anyone thinking you’re wrong ever stopped you?” Steve smiled warmly at me, rubbing his thumb over my bruised knuckles. I faked a smile, trying to make it seem as if everything was okay. When in reality, Steve had endangered both of us to try and save a piece of his past. And that bothered me.

“I love you,” I stated, truthful as ever. “I love you too,” he replied, “You’re the most important thing in the world to me.” Then why didn’t I feel like it?

—————————

A few days later, after hiding out at Sam’s house, the three of us stood in the middle of a cemetery. We stared down at the gravestone with Fury’s name etched into it. “So what are we supposed to do?” I asked, standing at Steve’s side, “Come every few weeks and lay flowers? I do have a life.” “Gotta make it look real somehow,” Steve replied.

The world had been rocked at the exposure of HYDRA within S.H.I.E.L.D. The government had gone insane, placing the blame for the fall of one of their top intelligence agencies on us. Natasha had taken care of the Capitol Hill bigwigs and addressed the country accordingly, letting them know exactly where they could stick their blame. We were off the hook for the moment.

The few members of S.H.I.E.L.D I bothered to ever be in contact with were rebuilding their lives successfully. Sharon Carter, Steve’s assigned security detail at his apartment building, had been approached by the CIA. Sharon was a longstanding acquaintance of mine and I’d personally picked her to watch over Steve. There was familial duty on her end what with her being a Carter and all…

Hill and Fury had concocted a plan of how to keep an eye in the sky and it meant her pursuing a job at Stark Industries. She’d be working closely with Tony and would be based out of New York, primarily Avengers Tower. She could feed whatever information necessary back to Fury. The only reason I knew about it was because they’d allowed me to read their minds, knowing that it was near impossible to keep secrets from me. All in all, everything was decent considering what had happened. Our world wouldn’t stop turning just because of the loss of S.H.I.E.L.D.

“FYI,” Fury said as he approached from behind us, “I’m partial to magnolias.” “I’ll remember that,” I smirked, looking over to my ghost of a boss.

“We’ve been data mining HYDRA files, he explained, “Looks like a lot of rats didn’t go down with the ship. I’m headed to Europe tonight. Wanted to ask if you two would come.” Steve and I looked to one another, we weren’t lined up for any jobs anywhere and the world didn’t need any avenging. It seemed to be a perfect offer, but I knew that Steve was otherwise occupied at the moment.

“There’s something I got to do first,” he answered.

“We’ll call you when we’re ready,” I interjected, I wasn’t going to miss a chance at taking out the rest of HYDRA. “Or…Hill, I guess.” “What about you, Wilson?” Fury turned to Sam, “Could use a man with your abilities.”

“I’m more of a soldier than a spy,” our new friend replied.

“All right then,” Fury turned and looked over his gravestone once more before shaking Sam and Steve’s hands. “Anybody asks for me, tell them they can find me, right here,” he finally addressed me, “We’re working on tracking down the scepter, but it’s gonna take more than a while.” “Wherever Strucker is,” I said, “The scepter is. I’m gonna get in touch with some contacts as well, I’ll let you know if I find anything.” Fury nodded and turned to leave, but stopped and looked back to me. “Try to keep out of trouble.”

“Try not to die again,” I smiled, feeling our own unique brand of connection.

“You should be honored,” Natasha called as she passed a departing Fury, “That’s about as close as he gets to saying thank you.”

“Not going with him?” Steve asked as we walked to meet her.

“No,” she elongated the single syllable.

“Not staying here,” he stated, coming to a different conclusion.

She smiled, “Nah, I blew all my covers. I got to go figure out a new one.”

“I don’t think there’s a name under the sun that you haven’t used,” I chuckled, “What was the last one? Samara Brady?” “Bradley,” Nat corrected me, “But Brady's not bad. Maybe I'll use that one next.” 

The redhead held up a tan folder towards my boyfriend and handed it to him, “That thing you asked for. I called in a few favors from Kiev.” 

I didn’t have to ask what it was, Steve had been sitting at the breakfast table across from me as he called Nat to ask for the favor. I’d had to bite my tongue, the first of many times I guessed, and pretended that I was okay with his plan. Nothing and no one could stop his pursuit of Bucky and I was done trying.

“Will you do me a favor?” Nat asked, nodding towards me, “Take care of my best friend.” Steve smiled and took the hand of mine that didn’t have broken fingers, “I’ll do my best.”

Nat reached out to me and we embraced, we both knew we were saying goodbye for the forseeable future. “Try not to get yourself killed,” she said, rubbing a hand over my back as she spoke.

“Take your own advice,” I mumbled into her shoulder. I knew that I’d scared her when she’d found us, bloody and barely clinging to life. Natasha would never admit to being afraid, but I’d known her long enough to know when there was fear in her eyes. I wanted her to stay just so I could reassure her each day that she wasn’t going to lose me. Selfishly, I wanted her around too. She was like the big sister I’d always needed in my life and when we were apart, it felt like I was missing a piece of me. “Будь осторожен,” I warned her as I pulled away, “Clint and I won’t be there to save your ass.” “Thank God for that,” she quipped before winking, approaching Steve and pressing a kiss to his cheek. They’d both filled me in on the adventures they’d been on while I was in New York, though Steve’s had been more of a sweaty confession. He felt so guilty for kissing my best friend while they’d been undercover, quite frankly it was adorable. 

“Be careful, Steve,” Nat said as she walked away, turning around to emphasize her point, “You might not want to pull on that thread.”

She had succeeded in making me feel vindicated, I wasn’t the only one who thought going after Bucky was a bad idea. As Nat left, Steve opened up the file that revealed documents written in Russian and an old photo of Bucky in a cryo-freeze chamber. It explained how he kept his looks into the 21st century. There was also a small photo of him back in the 40s, dressed in his sergeant’s uniform. The sight of him looking so normal should have made me feel pity for what he’d been turned into, but it only filled me with anger. He was still the man who had tried to kill everyone I loved.

“You’re going after him,” Sam stated from behind us.

“You don’t have to come with me,” Steve said, his eyes never leaving the folder.

“I know,” he replied, “When do we start?”

I smiled politely, trying to conceal my disdain. “You boys have fun with that,” I said, pulling away slightly from Steve to look at Fury’s grave one more time. My absence was enough to make Steve close the folder and follow me. “I don’t expect you to come,” he came to stand across from me, taking my hands, “I just-“ “Steve,” I closed my eyes and tried to smile, “Let’s just leave it at we disagree. Okay?” A few seconds of silence passed before he nodded and replied, “Okay.” Steve pulled me into his arms and held me, his chin resting on the top of my head. Never having been in a relationship, I wasn’t sure how things like this were supposed to go. Were we supposed to disagree on something so major? Was it okay that I concealed the threat I’d made to Bucky? All I was doing was trying to protect him, to protect us and our future. Something inside me swirled with fear, I was certain that if Steve found Bucky, the ramifications would be irreversible.

As Sam, Steve and I left the cemetery, my eyes fell on a pair of matching gravestones. They belonged to a couple who had both passed away in the 90s. It made me think about my parents, about the family I’d lost out on. I’d long put away my desire to know about my past, it was pointless to wish for since there was no way to trace me back to anybody. But with Fury away in Europe, Natasha somewhere in the wind and Steve on his own path, I felt a loneliness I hadn’t felt in a long time. The irrelevant longing had lodged itself in my chest once more and it burned a hole right through my heart.

-----------------

A/N: That's a wrap on CATWS! We're getting to my favorite part of the story so I'm very excited for the next few chapters. Hope you enjoyed, let me know if you'd like to be tagged!

Fault Line Taglist: @superbookishhufflepuff @narcissism-iskey @fangirl-swagg @oopsiedoopsie23 @justanothermagicalsara @luminousrecs @21st-century-daydreamer

Steve Rogers Taglist: @x-judyjude-x @dindjarinsspouse @justreadingficsdontmindme

#steve rogers x reader #steve rogers imagine #steve rogers x f!reader #steve rogers x female reader #steve rogers fanfiction #marvel imagine #marvel fanfiction

[mosswillow]

Come back (Dark!Steve Rogers x Reader)

Word count: 2.3k

Warnings: Dark! 18+, stalking, cults, kidnapping, blood, drugging, bondage.

Summary: Your father's death brings you back to your childhood home and the cult you grew up in. You just need a few days to pack things up before selling the place and leaving forever.

A/N This is for @tansypoisoning​ spooky challenge. I picked the words nostalgia and ritual as a prompt. It’s supposed to have a horror element. I was going for more of a suspenseful/creepy vibe.

It’s been eight years since you left. You walked away and never looked back, at least not until you got the call that your father had passed away in his sleep. His only possession, the small cabin you grew up in, was willed to you. So now you stand outside the cabin, suitcase in hand, taking deep breaths before opening the door and walking in. You look around the one room cabin, taking it all in. you’re surprised to feel nostalgia creep into your bones. A blanket on the couch reminds you of forts you used to build. The smell of the forest brings back memories of climbing trees and picking wild fruit. You notice a knife sitting on the kitchen counter and imagine your father whittling figures out of wood. You look back on your childhood with mixed emotions. It was a cult, plain and simple. Leaving was the hardest thing you ever did but it was necessary. You feel happy and free now. You’ve made new friends and family. You’ve gotten an education, a job. You’ve fallen in and out of love multiple times. You’ve lived life to the fullest. So looking around now and feeling loss is both unexpected and unwelcome.

“Y/N?”

A voice brings you out of your head. You look over to see a mountain of a man standing in the doorway. The last time you saw him was right before you left. The cult had told you that you and him were chosen to marry. It’s not that you hadn’t liked Steve or anything, you just couldn’t do it. You had made friends in the city who had helped you get out. They introduced you to the internet and taught you that there’s more to the world than the little community in the woods. You were to marry him as soon as you turned eighteen but instead you left without a word.

Steve stares at you with an intensity you’ve never seen before. His eyes travel down your body, stopping at your breasts for a few seconds. You cover them by crossing your arms and force yourself not to step back. You don’t owe him anything and shouldn’t feel intimidated by his presence.

“You look good Steve.”

“So do you.”

The two of you stand in silence for several moments longer than is comfortable.

“What are you doing here Steve?”

“Come back Y/N.”

Steve cuts in without interlude, his voice strong and commanding. You close your eyes and brace yourself. He’s always been like this, all of the men you grew up with had the same attitude, Stubborn and assertive. You had hoped you wouldn’t see Steve because you knew exactly what his reaction would be, that he would aggressively try to make you stay.

People in the cult can’t remarry. They have the belief that soulmates exist and once yours is picked that’s it. When you left you were condemning Steve to a lifetime alone. The price of your freedom was Steve's. He would not be allowed to rise in the cult without being married, would never have children or have what the cult deems is a fulfilled life. You remind yourself again that you don’t owe Steve anything. He can leave just like you did.  

“No.”

you make your voice sound as strong as you can. you were taught from childhood that women are supposed to be submissive and docile. It comes back now in full force, pushing you down like an invisible hand. You’re a boss now, having worked hard to create the life you have. You’re strong and confident but here, under the watch of Steve's cold blue eyes you feel like a child.

A look of apathy moves across Steve's face before his expression lands in a controlled smile.  Your body language wavers and you take a step back. Steve smirks at you, leaning against the doorframe.

“How long are you staying?”

“Just a few days, I’m just going through some stuff before I sell the place.”

Steve nods and places his hand on his chin, scratching the stubble that surrounds his jaw.

“Stay safe Y/N”

With that he leaves, shutting the door softly behind him. You walk to the window and look out to see a group of cult members dressed in white cloaks surrounding the cabin, half hidden in the woods. They just stand there, unmoving like zombies. You shudder and close the blinds, locking the door quickly. You need to get out of this place as soon as possible.

---

That evening you hear a knock on your door. You walk to the window and peak out. Nobody is there. You open your door and find a dead rat. A steak knife punctures through the eyeball into its head. You gasp and close the door quickly, locking it and stepping back. You check every window to make sure they’re all locked and look out at the woods only to see darkness.

After the sun rises you open your door and run to your car. It won’t start. You curse, returning to the cabin and grabbing your cell phone. There’s no reception and you curse again. You had reception yesterday. A knock makes you jump and you see Steve in the doorway, eyebrows knitted in concern. You could have sworn you had locked the door when you came back in.

“You ok doll?”

You always hated when he called you that.

“My car won’t start and my phone doesn’t have reception.”

“You want a ride to town?”

You eye Steve wearily.

“Do you think I’m going to kidnap you or something? I could do that right now if that’s what I wanted to do.”

He looks at you like he might pounce at any second. You can tell that’s exactly what he wants to do and the thought of him kidnapping you makes you want to lock yourself away. You’re in a tight spot though and don’t know what else to do.

“Ok, thanks Steve.”

You get in Steve’s truck and he drives you to a mechanic. He puts his right arm on the back of your seat casually, brushing his hand over your hair. the action is purposeful and you both know it.

“Did the cult, uh, leave a dead rat on my doorstep?”

Steve scrunches his face in disgust.

“Um, no we didn’t.”

You look out the window, not totally convinced Steve is telling the truth but also not sure that he’s lying. You never experienced any of the cults rituals as only married adults were allowed to do them. You have no idea if the dead rat is a cult thing or not but can’t really think of any other reason for the events of the evening prior.

You park at the mechanics and get out. It looks the same as when you were a kid. you remember running around playing hide and seek with other children in the woods nearby, coming over for a soda after an afternoon of playing.

“Y/N, long time no see.”

You smile sweetly at the mechanic, Mr. Stark.

“My car isn’t starting and I need to leave tonight.”

“Soonest I can come look at it is tomorrow sweetheart.”

You shift uncomfortably on your feet but nod. One more night won’t hurt. Steve drives you back to your cabin and walks you to the door. He leans over, placing his shoulder beside the door and looking at you. You refuse to make eye contact and unlock the door, opening it and walking in.

“Thanks for the ride.” you say, shutting the door and locking it.

“I’ll see you later.” Steve yells through the door. You hear him whistling as he walks to his truck and you watch though the window as he drives away.

---

That evening you sit at the kitchen table, hugging your knees and biting your nails. As soon as you hear any noise you stand up and open the front door confidently.

“Go away!” You yell to the empty yard.

You slam the door and lock it, moving to the window to look out. Shadows move through the woods but you can’t make out any defined shapes.

You find a baseball bat in the closet and check all of the doors and windows once more before getting in bed. You fall asleep cuddling the bat.

Half way through the night you hear whispering outside your window. It doesn’t sound like talking, more like chanting. You clutch onto the bat and sit up in bed waiting. There’s rustling outside and then suddenly banging on all sides of the cabin. You cry, holding onto the bat for dear life like it can save you. The banging stops as suddenly as it started and the cabin becomes eerily quiet. You run to the window and pull the curtain back but nothing’s there. The rest of the night is spent awake and shaking. You’re not sure if they’re just trying to scare you or do something more nefarious. You’re not going to wait to find out. Tomorrow you’re leaving and never coming back, if you stay here any longer you may never leave again.

---

Mr. Stark drives up around noon and you meet him outside. He takes a look at your car and you sit on the porch watching.

“I need to order a special part.” He yells and you walk to him.

“I can’t stay here any longer.”

“It’ll be in tomorrow and I’ll come as soon as I can.”

You’re stuck. Panic starts rising in you but you push it down. One more night. As soon as your car is fixed you’re getting in and leaving. You don’t care anymore about finishing work on the cabin. You’ll sell it as it, heck give it away. You’re sure the cult will take it.

Mr. Stark gets in his truck and drives away. You spend the rest of the evening working in the cabin, sorting and boxing things. You’re just trying to pass time by at this point and not actually trying to finish everything you originally wanted to.

You check all of the windows and doors obsessively. They’re always locked but that voice in your head tells you to check again and again. As the sun sets, your anxiety rises, finally falling asleep out of pure exhaustion.

“Y/N”

You jolt awake to find Steve standing over your bed.

“What the fuck are you doing here Steve?”

“I won’t tolerate that language once we’re married.”

“Get out!”

“It’s our wedding night Doll.”

Steve reaches out to grab your arm and you pull away, falling out of the bed and scrambling up. Steve looks like a monster in the dark. His tall frame blocks the light coming from the window, blurring most of his features. The only thing you see aside from his outline are his eyes. They glow in the dark, ethereal and terrifying. You run past him and out the door. The woods are familiar, having played in them all growing up and you take a well worn path. You hear Steve calling after you.

“You can’t fight this. We’re soulmates.”

You keep running and crouch down behind a fallen tree. You peak your head over to look back toward the house and see a white figure walking towards you. You stand again and run only to see another ghost like person. Every time you turn in another direction someone is there, walking slowly towards you. You’re surrounded and soon you’re standing in the middle of a circle of people, dressed in white cloaks. You kneel down, tears streaming down your face. Steve breaks the circle and walks toward you, needle in his hand. He sticks it into you and your eye’s flutter before closing.

---

When you wake up you’re strapped to a large stone slab. Memories come back of being told over and over never to touch it, never come near it. It feels wrong to be strapped onto it now and you wiggle trying to get away.  you look down and see that you’re wearing matching clothing to everyone else. How long have you been out? It’s dark outside so you assume it’s the same night. Everything is fuzzy and you look around at the people’s unintelligible faces.

“Steve, do you promise to love, to care for, and to control Y/N” You recognize the voice as an elder of the cult.

“I do.” Steve speaks clearly and you perceive a hint of pride in his speech, like he knows he’s won.

The elder brings a knife to your hand, making a small cut, doing the same to Steve. Your head becomes more and more clear and you pull on the restraints.

“You may kiss your bride.”

“No!” You yell before Steve’s lips cover yours.

When he finally pulls away you yell at him again.

“Leave me the fuck alone Steve, you have no right.”

Steve ignores your cries, undoing your restraints. You try to fight against him but he leans over and whispers in your ear.

“It’s done Y/N, your mine. Do you really want me to punish you now in front of all these people? You know I will.”

You still long enough for him to carry you to his cabin. You’ve never been here before, have never wanted to be here.  He sets you on the bed and you back into the headboard.

“Let me go Steve.”

“It’s done now Doll, you can’t leave ever. I own you.”

“You don’t own me Steve, none of it is real. It’s a cult. I’ll run away the first moment I can.”

Steve's eyes darken and he stalks toward you. You roll off the bed and try to run making it out the door but  fall as soon as you hit the treeline. It feels like something is stabbing your chest and you cry out in pain. Steve slowly walks toward you, letting out a displeased sigh before picking you up. The pain disappears as soon as you’re in his arms.

“It’s ok doll, You’ve just gotten false teachings in your head but you’ve been brought back to me like it’s always meant to be. I’m here to help you learn your place. Soon you won’t even be thinking about leaving.”

“This can’t be happening.”

Steve gives you a look of pure joy.

“Oh, trust me it is.”

#dark!steve x reader #dark!steve x you #dark!fic #TansySpookyChallenge2020

[winchesterbrotherstan]

MCU: Logan Barnes-Stark - CATFA

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x (sibling) OC, Steve Rogers x (bestie) OC

Summary: The beginning of Logan's very long and very complicated life story.

Warnings: mentions of death, absent parents, fighting, curse words, abandonment, there is so much crying in this blurb, guns, needles, there's a bar scene

Word Count: 9877

“I’ll be back in a little while.” Steve pulled his jacket off the hanger by the door.

“Where’re you going?” I looked up from my book.

“Try to enlist again.” He opened the door, already halfway out.

I jumped up, tossing the book aside as I grabbed his arm. “You can’t! They’ll never let you, Steve.” I was young, but I knew enough about Steve’s health issues to know it was a lost cause.

He shook his thin arm loose. “I have to try. I’ll be back soon, Logan. Don’t let anyone in.”

I sighed. “Fine. Be careful.”

************************************************************************

"War continues to ravage Europe. But help is on the way.” Patriotic music blared. “Every able-bodied young man is lining up to serve his country. Even little Timmy is doing his part collecting scrap metal.” The scene cut to a little blond boy throwing metal around.

I glanced over at Steve, who seemed to be thoroughly invested in what we were seeing. I sighed. I knew what was going on, I knew it was serious. I just wanted Bucky to stay safe. He had enlisted. He was the only blood brother I had. I would still have Steve, but I didn’t want to lose Bucky.

“Who cares? Play the movie already!” A man shouted from a row ahead of us.

I felt Steve tense next to me. “Hey, you wanna show some respect?” He called out.

“Meanwhile overseas, our brave boys are showing the Axis powers that the price of freedom is never too high.”

“Let’s go, get on with it!” The same man.

I felt the tensions shift. “Steve, don’t.”

“Hey, you wanna shut up?” Steve was loud this time.

The guy stood up, blocking the screen. I sighed, knowing Steve was in for it. He was small and fragile. I loved him, but he could never hold a fight on his own. I looked over at him, and he seemed deflated.

“...face the threat no matter the size.” I heard the screen.

I got to my feet and sprinted out of the theater and across the street. I found the payphone and pulled out a few coins and called the apartment. Bucky would be home by now.

“Hello?”

“Buck, it’s me! Steve and I are at the movies, you gotta come quick!” I watched as the front doors swung open and the guy from inside dragged Steve into the side alley.

“Lo? What’s wrong?” His voice grew stern.

“They’re gonna beat Steve up again. Please help. He’s not gonna make this one.” I whined, toes tapping as I became frantic.

“I’ll be right there. Just stay calm and stay out of the way. Do you hear me?”

“Buck-”

“No! Logan, you aren’t allowed to get hurt. Now wait for me there. I’ll see you soon.” He scoffed.

“Love you.” I mumbled, but the only response was a dial tone.

I hung the phone up and groaned. I would be no help to Steve. Bucky was right. I should stay put. Bucky was usually right. I had an internal battle for a little bit before crossing the street. I crept into the alleyway slowly, hearing grunts and noises like metal crashing. I almost rounded the corner to where Steve was getting beat up.

“You just don’t know when to give up, do ya?” I heard the guy.

“I can do this all day.” I heard Steve’s wheezing.

I peeked my head around the corner to see him take a fist to the face.

I felt a hand come down on my shoulder and yank me backward. I jumped and wheeled around, only to see my older brother dressed in his uniform with an eyebrow arched.

“Buck. That was fast.”

“We don’t live far. Steve’s back there?” He looked disappointed.

I lowered my head and nodded. He rounded the corner and pulled the guy off. “Hey! Pick on someone your own size.”

I rushed around them to help Steve up, watching as Bucky punched the guy in the face, holding a paper in the other hand. I helped Steve steady himself as Bucky came back around.

“Sometimes I think you like getting punched.” Bucky teased.

“I had him on the ropes.” Steve groaned.

I pointed to a piece of paper on the floor in the middle of the three of us.

“How many times is this?” He picked it up. “Oh, you’re from Paramus now? You know it’s illegal to lie on the enlistment form. And seriously, Jersey?” He held his hand out for me and I took it, shuffling over to his side and avoiding eye contact with Steve as he eyed Bucky’s uniform.

“You got your orders?”

My brother nodded. “The 107th.”

“Logan, you knew, didn’t you?” Steve sought my eyes.

I nodded. “Yeah I knew.” My nostrils started to burn as my eyes watered up.

“She just can’t keep her sticky fingers out of places they don’t belong. Isn’t that right?” Bucky said it as a joke.

“When do you-”

Bucky cut Steve off. “Sergeant James Barnes, shipping out to England first thing tomorrow.”

We all paused. I didn’t know that part. My throat threatened to close off as I took my hand back from Bucky’s, folding myself into a hug.

“I should be going.” Steve broke the silence, brushing the dust off his hands.

I felt Bucky’s eyes on me and I looked the other way, to the ground. I was thirteen and already an orphan, unwanted by my mother. I loved Steve, but Bucky was my brother. I needed him.

“I’ve gotta get you cleaned up. Logan, you’re coming with us.”

“Where’re we going?” Steve asked.

I trailed between them like a lost puppy. Bucky handed him the newspaper. “The future.”

************************************************************************

“I don’t know what the problem is. You’re about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know there’s three and a half million women here?” Bucky scoffed at Steve as we walked.

I rolled my eyes. Bucky always meant well but sometimes he annoyed me.

“Well I’d settle for just one.” Steve shrugged.

“Good thing I took care of that.” Bucky grinned.

I looked up to see him wave, and across the crowd, two girls waving back, one even shouting out his name. Steve asked my brother something, but I was too out of it to listen in. This was Bucky’s last night. He could die out there. He might never see us again after tonight, might never see me again after tonight, his last living family member. And instead of spending it with me and Steve, he dragged me along as a 5th wheel to their surprise double date. What a scam.

************************************************************************

“Oh my god! It’s starting!” The girl squealed, tugging Bucky to follow her.

Steve and I trailed behind awkwardly. His date was glued to her friend’s hip, and she wasn’t giving Steve the time of day.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Mr. Howard Stark!”

The crowd erupted into cheers, and Steve and I eyed each other. Stark was a genius, and he was sort of charming, but there was no way he could hack a flying car, which is what was promised for tonight. Steve tilted the bag of popcorn my way, and I gladly popped a few in my mouth, watching as Stark kissed the lead dancing girl and took the microphone.

“Ladies and gentlemen!”

I ignored the rest, uninterested by technical talk. Steve offered popcorn to his date, who only turned to him with a face of disgust. He looked at me, confused. I shrugged with a sigh. Some girls were just like that.

“Your automobile won’t even have to touch the ground at all.” Stark spoke as the girls took the tires off the car.

We watched as he turned a few dials and then hit a button, lifting the car to hover above the ground.

“Holy cow.” Bucky sighed.

The car short circuited, and it crashed to the ground. The girls flinched, both backing themselves into Bucky’s hold. He looked back at me and, upon seeing my clearly disgruntled expression, winked.

“Now, I did say a few years, didn’t I?” Stark laughed.

I checked my pockets for the key to our apartment. I couldn’t find it, so I slipped a hand into Bucky’s pocket and took his. He was so wrapped up in the attention of the girls that he didn’t notice. I turned to Steve.

“I’m gonna head home.” I whispered.

“Why?” His face showed concern.

I shrugged. “I don’t like feeling like a fifth wheel on my brother’s love triangle date.”

He nodded. “You want me to walk you home? I think I’m gonna head out too.”

I looked over my shoulder to see what his sight was trained on. It was an Uncle Sam poster on a light pole. I sighed.

“Again?” I turned back to Steve.

He nodded. “Gonna try one last time.”

“Can I come with you?” We snuck away from Bucky and the girls.

Steve shook his head. “No, I’ll take you home and then double back. It’s dangerous for a girl out there.”

I looked at him and rolled my eyes. He sighed.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I know, I know.”

“Guys!” I heard Bucky as he grabbed my shoulder. “Come on, you’re kinda missing the point of a night out. The girls wanna go dancing.”

I feigned a stomachache, grabbing at my stomach and wincing, scrunching up my nose as I stumbled a bit.

“I don’t feel so good, Buck. Steve was just gonna walk me home.”

Bucky sighed, and put a hand up to my forehead. He pulled it away and raised an eyebrow at me. I dropped the act and sighed, rolling my eyes.

“Fine. I just don’t wanna keep third wheeling you and your girlfriends.”

“My girlfriends? Come on, Lo!” Bucky grew agitated.

“No, you come on!” I caught a glance from Steve and lowered my voice to a whisper. “You could die out there, and this is how you wanna spend your last night out?” I looked up at Bucky with a sigh, letting my shoulders fall. “You’re the only family I’ve got left. Sorry if this isn’t ideal for me.” I patted his arm and brushed past him, head down. “I’ll see you at home, Buck.”

“Logan.” He tried to catch my arm, but I squirmed away and kept walking, biting back tears.

************************************************************************

“I’m in!” Steve burst through the door.

“What?” I mumbled, sitting up on the couch.

“I’m in! They let me enlist!”

I laughed. “Nice joke, but Bucky’s not home yet.”

Steve pushed my legs off the couch and sat next to me. “It’s not a joke, Logan. They let me enlist. For real.” He shoved the papers into my hand.

I rubbed my eyes before looking over them. I spotted the ‘1A’ stamp in the corner and dropped the papers, looking up at Steve with big eyes. He grinned.

“Wait, so… you’re leaving too?” I didn’t mean to sound selfish, because I knew this was what Steve wanted more than anything in the world, but if Bucky was gone, Steve was the only one left. And if they both left? I would be a goner in this city.

He nodded, smile dropping. “I’m sorry, Lo. I didn’t realize what this would mean for you.”

I only shook my head, forcing a smile back at him. “It’s okay. This is your dream. Remember?”

He smiled again, nodding. “Yeah, it is. I’ll write you every day, yeah?”

I nodded, pulling him into a hug. I held back the tears that were stinging at my eyes. This was what he wanted. This was it. The only people I had were going to be gone. And I had to accept it.

************************************************************************

I hadn’t seen Bucky on the morning he left. I had woken up to a note next to a still-warm cup of coffee.

Hey Lo. Didn’t wanna wake you, know you had a rough night last night. I’ll write when I can. I’ll be safe. I promise. Please be careful. Don’t go out unless you have to. Regina knows that I’m leaving, so don’t worry about rent or anything, just try to be mindful of the electricity and the water. There’s a stash of money in my bedroom drawer for food. I love you.

See you soon,

Bucky

Regina was our landlord, and I was beyond grateful that she wouldn’t charge me rent. She liked us, mostly because it was just the two of us and sometimes Steve, and we were quiet. Bucky could fix whatever went wrong in the apartment, and if Regina asked, I could help paint whatever needed painting. She had checked up on me multiple times over the last three weeks that Bucky had been gone. She cooked me meals and brought them to me. She even joked about getting me a puppy, despite the no pets rule in the apartment building. She took care of me, and it made me feel a bit better about both the boys being gone. Steve had also held up his promise. He wrote a letter every day, telling me about training and how harsh everybody was, and an agent named Peggy Carter. He seemed to like her.

Today, they were going to inject him with a serum to make him stronger. It sounded sketchy to me, but who was I to crush his hopes? He had also said that Agent Carter had agreed to let me attend the injection and testing. They would come by today around noon to pick me up. He asked me to not mention it to Bucky, and I had agreed, reluctant to tell him that Bucky hadn’t written much. I had gotten a few letters, but they weren’t anything like Steve’s were, and Bucky didn’t tell me much. He probably thought it would protect me, but it hurt more than anything in the world. He wrote so little that at times I thought he could be gone.

I pulled myself from my thoughts and checked the clock. They would be by in a few minutes. I went to get changed, pulling on my nicest pair of slacks with a white blouse tucked into it. I slipped my shoes on and then went into Bucky’s room, stepping softly so his floorboards wouldn’t creak.

I wasn’t sure why I was still trying to tip-toe. I was allowed in Bucky’s room, and I spent more time there than in my own room. I ended up sleeping in his bed a lot of the time, even more now that he was gone. I raided his closet for the good leather jacket, the one with a few creases and one scratch down the back that I had caused a few years back.

“Logan?” There was a knock on the door, which then swung open.

“In Bucky’s room!” I called back, figuring it was Regina.

“Hey!”

I turned and saw Steve. I squealed and bolted to him, jumping to hug him. He hugged back, laughing as he stumbled backward.

“I’ve missed you.” I whispered, closing my eyes.

“I know.” He laughed. “I’ve missed you too.”

I stepped back and composed myself, smoothing out my blouse before pulling on Bucky’s jacket, sniffling.

“Logan, this is Agent Carter. Agent Carter, this is Logan.” Steve introduced me to the brown haired woman who was taller than us both.

“Hi.” I held a hand out, smiling widely.

“You can just call me Peggy.” She grinned at me, her white teeth peeking out between her red lined lips.

“It’s nice to meet you, Peggy.” I giggled, nervous.

I hadn’t grown up around other girls, much less women of authority, and never anyone British. My whole life, it was Bucky and Steve, and play-fights and being tossed over shoulders onto the floor.

“You too. We should get going.” She checked her watch. “Not much time to spare.” She smiled politely.

I nodded, pocketing the house key before looking over at Steve, breaking into a huge smile once more. Peggy walked out first, and Steve followed. I went after them, closing the door behind myself as I reached for Steve's hand.

************************************************************************

“I know this neighborhood.” Steve spoke from behind me. “I got beat up in that alley.” He pointed through the window. “And that parking lot. And behind that diner.”

I stifled a chuckle, trying not to disturb the army man who sat next to me, driving the car. I peeked back at Peggy, who was smiling faintly.

“Did you have something against running away?” She asked.

Steve shook his head. “If you start to run, they’ll never let you stop. You stand up, push back… can’t say no forever, right?”

“I know a little of what that’s like. To have every door shut in your face.”

“I guess I just don’t know why you’d wanna join the army.” Steve hesitated. “You’re a beautiful dame.”

I froze and my eyes went wide. Why on Earth would he call her a dame?

“Or a bea- a woman.” Steve stumbled to correct himself. “An agent, not a dame. You are beautiful, but…”

Peggy must’ve been glaring at him, because he began to stumble again.

“You have no idea how to talk to a woman, do you?”

Steve snorted and I slumped my shoulders, relieved.

“I think this is the longest conversation I’ve had with one. Well, I’m not exactly sure if Logan counts.”

I smiled.

“Women aren’t exactly lining up to dance with a guy they might step on.” Steve explained.

“You must’ve danced.” Peggy spoke softly.

“Well, asking a woman to dance is usually so terrifying. And the past few years, just… didn’t seem to matter that much. Figured I’d wait.”

“For what?”

“The right partner.”

I glanced over my shoulder to see Peggy with a smile on her painted lips. The rest of the ride was silent, and the car pulled over in front of an antique shop. Steve stepped out first, opening my door and helping me out of the car.

“This way.” Peggy led us through the doors.

“What are we doing here?” Steve pulled on his cap.

“Just follow me.”

Steve looked at me. I shrugged and stepped in behind Peggy.

“Wonderful weather this morning. Isn’t it?” An old woman stepped into view, smiling.

“Yes, but I always carry an umbrella.” Peggy smiled.

The woman walked behind the counter without a word, and Peggy led us through a set of curtains hung up in a doorway. We stood in front of a bookshelf, which swung open, revealing a hospital-like hallway, with men in lab coats walking around. We followed Peggy down the hallway and passed a bunch of military police. We walked through a set of doors, into a lab.

Everyone below looked up, silenced. There were a few nurses and doctors, and a capsule looking contraption was in the middle of the room, surrounded by control boards with every type of button imaginable. Steve and I looked around in awe, before turning to Peggy. She let out a breath and led us down the stairs, into the main part of the lab.

“Good morning.” A man in a lab coat shook Steve’s hand.

A camera flashed, and Steve flinched. The man in the coat turned to the photographer, disappointment on his face. “Please, not now.” He looked at me. “You must be Logan Barnes. I’m Dr. Erskine.”

I accepted his outstretched hand and shook it, smiling. “Nice to meet you.”

Steve looked at the capsule, eyes wide.

“You ready?” Dr. Erskine looked to Steve, who nodded hesitantly. “Good. Take off your shirt, your tie, and your hat.”

Steve looked at Peggy and I awkwardly, and we both turned away as he undressed. He handed me his clothes, and looked at me, nervous. I forced a smile.

“You’ll be okay. Promise.”

He nodded at me and stepped into the machine, lying on his back. Dr. Erskine stepped forward and began to talk to him.

“Mr. Stark? How are your levels?”

Steve squirmed to look at me, and his eyes must’ve been as wide as mine. Stark was helping?

“Levels at one hundred percent.” Stark brushed past me and to Steve’s side. “We may dim half the lights in Brooklyn, but we are ready. As we’ll ever be.”

“Agent Carter, Miss Barnes, don’t you think you’d be more comfortable in the booth?” Dr. Erskine pointed up.

“Oh yes.” Peggy smiled and led us up to the booth.

Steve and I locked eyes as I followed Peggy up the stairs, both anxious. Steve was fragile enough as it was, and this looked like it could kill him. Hopefully, Stark had this perfected, unlike his flying car.

“Can you hear me?” I heard Dr. Erskine over the speaker. “Is this on? Ladies and gentlemen, today we take not another step towards annihilation, but the first step on the path to peace.”

Peggy and I were in the front, noses practically pressed against the glass. I could see them placing pads on Steve’s chest. He looked nervous, but was trying to hide it with a steely look.

“We begin with a series of microinjections into the subject’s major muscle groups. The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then, to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with Vita-Rays. Serum infusion beginning in five… four… three… two… one.”

I watched as Steve’s face scrunched up, biting back pain. Dr. Erskine had a hand on his shoulder, but Steve didn’t seem to notice, trying his best not to squirm as the dozens of small needles poured the serum into his bloodstream. Stark hit a lever, and the capsule closed around Steve. I must’ve been visibly nervous, because I felt Peggy grab my hand. I looked up at her and she sent me a reassuring smile, squeezing my hand.

Stark began to hit dials, and turned a wheel. A light sparked inside the capsule, and it grew brighter as Stark turned the wheel. It must’ve been the Vita-Rays. Peggy and I squinted, but we didn’t look away. Steve began to scream and I looked at Peggy. She jumped from her seat and ran down the steps. I followed behind her.

“Shut it down!” Peggy shouted. “Shut it down!”

Dr. Erskine began shouting orders for the people to shut it all down.

“No!” Steve screamed. “Don’t! I can do this!”

Stark and Erskine shared a look before Stark turned the wheel the rest of the way. Peggy looked at me, knuckles white from gripping the railing.

“He can handle it.” I looked at her, gripping the sleeves of Bucky’s jacket.

The lights flickered, and things around the room began to spark. The machine shut down, and Erskine called for Stark to open it back up. He did so, and the capsule slid open, red light beaming from inside.

“Steven?” Erskine ran forward first.

I stared, eyes wide. It was still Steve, but he was now taller and more muscular than Bucky. It was insane.

“I did it.” Steve winced as they helped him out.

He was sweaty, and obviously in pain, but he looked at me and smiled.

“Yeah, ya did.” I scoffed, amazed.

“How do you feel?” Peggy ran forward, fingers skimming his new muscles.

“Taller.” He breathed out.

“You look taller.” Peggy handed him a shirt.

He pulled it on, stumbling.

“I feel weaker.” He whispered to me as I came to his side, still in awe.

I laughed, trying to think of a response, but I only stuttered, then shrugged. “Holy fuck.”

He pushed me by the shoulder with a playful eye roll. “That’s a bad word, Lo. Don’t say that.”

I chuckled, but his eyes turned wide and he pulled me under his arm, ducking. There was an explosion, and then glass rained from above.

“Stop him!” Erskine shouted.

There were two gunshots, and people began to scream. Steve pushed me into Peggy, who had her arms out, ready and waiting. He ran to Erskine, who was now on the ground, dying. Peggy lifted one arm, taking two shots at the man who caused the explosion and pocketed the last vial of the serum. She got him in the arm, but he kept running.

“Stay here!” She shouted at me, and then ran after him.

Steve got up and followed. I screamed for him, trying to run to him, but Stark appeared behind me and grabbed me by the wrists, stopping me. I struggled against him, but his grip held firm as Steve disappeared beyond the double doors and after the killer.

“He’s gonna be okay. He’s indestructible.” Stark tried to calm me.

I took my hands back, breathing heavily. “He better be.”

************************************************************************

I stood by Steve’s side as the nurse eyed him before pulling the last syringe of blood from his arm.

“You get enough?” He was upset.

He had been shot at, and he stopped the man, but he killed himself before Steve could bring him in.

“Any hope of reproducing the program is locked in your genetic code. But without Dr. Erskine it would take years.” Peggy explained to him.

I helped him roll his sleeve back into place and he sighed, getting off the table.

“He deserved more than this.”

“Well if it could work only once, he’d be proud it was you.” Peggy sighed.

He sighed again, looking down at me. I reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. We would figure this all out. We always did.

“Come on.” Peggy led us back downstairs, where Stark was inspecting the submarine the German spy tried to get away in.

“As of today, the SSR is being retasked. We’re taking the fight to Hydra. Pack your bags, Agent Carter. You too, Stark. We’re flying into London tonight.”

I stayed tucked behind Peggy, in front of Steve. I didn’t want to open my mouth, because I was only thirteen and I probably officially wasn’t really here, and I definitely wasn’t supposed to be here, and I absolutely wasn’t supposed to witness what had just happened.

“Sir. If you’re going after Schmidt, I want in.” Steve spoke in as the Colonel passed us by.

“You’re an experiment, you’re going to Alamogordo.”

I stepped back, astonished. Alamogordo was where they had an air force base. Why on earth would they send him there?

“The serum worked.” Steve fought back.

“I asked for an army and all I got was you. You are not enough.” The Colonel scoffed before walking away.

Steve sighed, and another man stepped in, smiling at Steve.

“With all due respect to the Colonel, I think we may be missing the point. I’ve seen you in action, Steve. More importantly, the country’s seen it.” He held his hand out and his secretary handed him a paper from today. “The enlistment lines have been around the block since your picture hit the newsstands. You don’t take a soldier, a symbol like that, and hide him in a lab. Son, do you want to serve your country on the most important battlefield of the war?”

“Sir, that’s all I want.” Steve’s eyes were wide.

“Then, congratulations. You just got promoted.”

************************************************************************

I sighed as I smoothed out Steve’s costume. It was a ridiculously bright white, red, and blue. They refused to send him out onto the actual battlefield. So they made him a consumer icon. And since he didn’t wanna leave me behind, they made me, a thirteen year old kid, his manager.

“I don’t know if I can do this.” Steve mumbled.

“Nothing to it. Sell off a few bonds, bonds buy bullets, bullets kill Nazis. Bing bang boom. You’re an American hero.” Gray, Brant’s secretary, spoke to Steve.

“It’s just not how I pictured getting there.”

“The senator’s got a lot of pull up on the hill. You play ball with us, you’ll be leading your own platoon in no time.”

I waited for Steve to pull the mask with wings on, then handed him the metal shield with stars and stripes on it.

“You’re on, Steve.” I drummed my fingers against the clipboard I held against my chest.

He stepped out onto the stage as the girls sang.

“Who’s strong and brave, here to save the American way?”

“Not all of us can storm a beach or drive a tank. But there’s still a way all of us can fight.” Steve was clearly reading off the back of his shield, and I followed along with the script on the clipboard.

“Who vows to fight like a man, for what’s right, night and day?”

“Series E Defense Bonds. Each one you buy is a bullet in the barrel of your best guy’s gun.”

“Who will campaign door-to-door for America? Carry the flag shore to shore for America? From Hoboken to Spokane, the Star-Spangled Man with a plan!”

************************************************************************

“Cut!” The director yelled as Steve and a bunch of extras walked in front of the forest background. “Guys, don’t look at the camera!”

I sighed. We had been doing the same scene for the last hour, and Steve was getting fussy, like a child who hadn’t eaten lunch. We had been on this plan for the last two years, and Steve could read things off a script and have them memorized in minutes. He was famous world-wide, with the exception of the Axis powers. Bucky only wrote a few times every couple of months, and I feared the worst, but I was too busy with managing Steve and booking tours to find anything out about him.

“And action!”

************************************************************************“We can’t ignore there’s a threat and a war we must win!”

“Each one you buy is a bullet in the barrel of your best guy’s gun!” Steve grinned out at the crowd.

“Who’ll hand a noose on the goose-stepping goons from Berlin? Who’ll redeem, heed the call for America? Who’ll rise or fall, give his all for America? Who’s here to prove that we can? The Star-Spangled Man with a plan!”

“We all know this is about trying to win the war. We can’t do that without bullets and bandages, tanks and tents. That’s where you come in.” Steve spoke as the fake Hilter snuck up behind him and kids in the crowd began to shout. “Every bond you buy will help protect someone you love!”

Like every time, my mind wandered to Bucky. A third year had passed, and everyone I went to refused to give me information. Some because I was a girl, others because I was only seventeen, and others because they simply didn’t feel like it.

“Keep our boys armed and ready, and the Germans will think twice about trying to get the drop on us.” He swung around, faking a punch for the man, sending him to the floor.

“Stalwart and steady and true, forceful and ready to defend the red, white, and blue! Who’ll give the Axis the sack and is smart as a fox? Far as an eagle will soar! Who’s making Adolf afraid to step out of his box? He knows what we’re fighting for! Who wakes the giant that napped in America? We know it’s no one but Captain America! Who’ll finish what they begin? Who’ll kick the Krauts to Japan? The Star-Spangled Man with a plan!”

************************************************************************

Another couple of months passed, and I was betting that Regina thought I was dead. She probably thought Bucky was dead too. Most people did. Steve and I refused to talk about it. Most people, at this point, would hold a memorial or a funeral. Steve and I didn’t. We didn’t say a word. Bucky was probably dead, yes, but neither of us could really accept that he could be gone.

People began to love Steve more and more as time went on. Well, most people. Not soldiers. Soldiers really didn’t like him. We were in Italy, five miles from the front. These men had fought long and hard, and they were tired.

“How many of you ready to help me sock old Adolf on the jaw?”

The soldiers said nothing to Steve. “Okay. Uh… I need a volunteer.”

“I already volunteered! How do you think I got here?”

The crowd laughed.

“Bring back the girls!” A different man shouted.

“I think they only know the one song. But um…let me…I’ll…I’ll see what I can do.” Steve stuttered.

“You do that, sweetheart!”

“Nice boots, Tinker Bell!”

“Come on, guys. We’re all on the same team here.” Steve tried to quiet them down.

“Hey, Captain! Sign this!” A man from the crowd mooned Steve and others began to throw things at him.

“Bring back the girls!” Another soldier shouted again.

“Go.” Gray and I pointed the girls out as Steve came backstage.

“Don’t worry, pal. They’ll warm up to you. Don’t worry.” Gray tried to reassure him.

************************************************************************

“Hello, Steve. Logan.”

Steve turned and I looked up from his drawing to see Peggy.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

“What are you doing here?” He asked.

“Well, officially, I’m not really here at all. That was quite the performance.” She grinned, and he shied away.

“Yeah, uh… I had to improvise a bit. Crowds I’m used to are usually more, uh… twelve.” Steve shrugged.

“I understand you’re America’s New Hope?”

“Bond sales take a ten percent bump in every state I visit.” Steve shrugged again.

“Is that Senator Brandt I hear?” She teased.

“At least he’s got me doing this. Phillips would have had me stuck in a lab, and put Logan... who knows where.”

“And these are your only two options?” She gestured to the open book in his lap where he had been drawing. “A lab rat or a dancing monkey? You were meant for more than this, you know? Both of you.”

I only looked away with a sigh. Steve opened his mouth to say something but stopped short, looking down.

“What?”

“You know… for the longest time I dreamed about coming overseas and being on the front lines. Serving my country. I finally get everything I wanted, and I’m wearing tights.”

An ambulance blared its horn, and we turned to watch as wounded soldiers poured out, clutching their sides and their heads and blood falling down their arms and legs in rivers.

“They look like they’ve been through hell.” I mumbled.

“These men more than most. Schmidt sent a force to Azzano. Two hundred men went up against him and less than fifty returned. Your audience contained what was left of the one-oh-seventh. The rest were either killed or captured.”

Steve and I locked eyes, hearts stopping in our chests, bile rising in our throats as our stomachs churned.

“The one-oh-seventh?” I looked at Peggy.

She nodded, confused. Steve tried to grab me, but I shoved his hands away as I got to my feet, stumbling over the laces of my boots. I inhaled shakily as I ran to the Colonel’s tent. Steve and Peggy were at my heels.

“Well, if it isn’t the Star-Spangled Man with a plan and his manager. And what is your plan today?” The Colonel eyed us both.

I couldn’t breathe, so Steve stepped in.

“I need the casualty list from Azzano.”

“You don’t give me orders, son.” He squinted.

“Please, we just need one name. Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes from the 107th. Please, Colonel Phillips.” I gasped out.

“You and I are gonna have a conversation later that you won’t enjoy.” Phillips pointed at Peggy.

“Please just tell us if he’s alive, sir. B-A-R-”

“I can spell.” Phillips cut him off, then eyed me. “He’s your brother, isn’t he?”

I nodded, swallowing.

“I’ve signed more of these condolence letters today than I would care to count. But the name does sound familiar, and I’m sure it was addressed to Miss Logan Barnes. I’m sorry.”

My heart fell to my stomach and I stumbled backward.

“W-what about the others? Are you planning a rescue mission?” Steve placed a hand on my back, steadying me.

“Yeah! It’s called winning the war.”

“But if you know where they are, why not at least…”

“They’re thirty miles behind the lines. Through the most heavily fortified territory in Europe. We’d lose more men than we’d save. But I don’t expect you to understand that, because you’re just a glorified chorus girl and a dumb kid.”

Steve scoffed. “I think I understand just fine.”

“Well then understand it somewhere else. If I read the posters correctly, you’ve both got some place to be in thirty minutes.” He walked away.

I stared up at the tent wall, which had a map marked with where the men were thought to be. I nudged Steve, nodding to the map. He studied it and breathed deeply.

“Yes, sir. I do.”

“If you have something to say, right now is the perfect time to keep it to yourself.” Phillips growled at Peggy, who only sighed.

Steve walked out, and I followed him to the tent. He changed into his costume, flinging his other clothing across the room. He yanked a bag up, emptying it onto the ground and then stuffing it with other things.

“What do you plan to do? Walk to Austria?”

“If that’s what it takes.” Steve grunted.

I sat on his bed, pushing my head into my hands.

“You heard the Colonel. Your friend is most likely dead.”

I winced, curling into myself.

“I’m sorry, Logan.”

“You don’t know that.” Steve paused, putting a hand on my shoulder.

“Even so, he’s devising a strategy. If he detects-”

“By the time he’s done that, it could be too late!” I sprang up, following Steve back into the rain and to the jeep. “You told us you thought we were meant for more than this. Did you mean that?”

“Every word.” Peggy sighed.

“Then you gotta let me go.” Steve began to climb into the car.

Peggy raised an eyebrow. “I can do more than that.”

************************************************************************

I sat in the tent, shaking. I was to stay put. Phillips couldn’t force me to talk, and I was only a minor. He couldn’t do much to me. I pulled the blanket up around my shoulders and sighed. Stark and Peggy would drop Steve off. With a plane. Steve would fight his way through the Hydra base. Steve would bring Bucky back. Steve would bring them all back. Alive. I shivered at the prospect of losing Steve too. Would I even be able to go back to New York? Would Regina let me back in? Or had she already booted our things and given our little two bedroom apartment away? And on top of all that, I wasn’t even sure if Bucky would come home again.

************************************************************************

“Senator Brandt, I regret to report that Captain Steven G. Rogers went missing behind enemy lines on the third. Aerial reconnaissance has proven unfruitful. As a result, I must declare Captain Rogers killed in action. Period.” Phillips spoke as the man typed at his desk.

I winced, hugging myself. Stark and Peggy had been found out, but they hadn’t bothered to try and lie about it. Steve still hadn’t come back, and they came clean. Phillips was pissed beyond belief, but it was nothing compared to the idea of Steve being dead too.

“The last surveillance flight is back. No sign of activity.” Peggy spoke quietly.

“Go get a cup of coffee, Corporal.”

“Yes, sir.” He left.

“Now Stark, I can’t touch. He’s rich and the Army’s number one weapons contractor. Miss Barnes here is a minor. But you-” He pointed to Peggy, “you are neither one.”

“With respect, sir, I don’t regret my actions. And I don’t think Captain Rogers did either.” Peggy stated.

“What makes you think I give a damn about your opinions! I took a chance with you, Carter. And now America’s golden boy and a lot of other good men are dead, because you had a crush!”

“It wasn’t that. I had faith.” Peggy defended herself.

“Well, I hope that’s a big comfort to you when they shut this division down.”

Soldiers began to shout and cheer outside. I looked up, confused.

“What the hell’s going on out there?” Phillips hissed.

“Look who it is!”

I pushed past the curtains to see Steve, costume torn and face bruised and bloodied, but alive. Men crowded behind him, most of them also hurt.

“Some of these men need medical attention.” Steve saluted Phillips, who was now behind me.

I scanned the crowd as medics scrambled to help the wounded men. Steve said something about disciplinary action, but everything went numb the moment I saw my older brother.

“Bucky!” It was a shriek, and I was pushing past the sea of dirtied men to reach him.

“Logan!” He shoved his rifle into somebody’s hands and scooped me up, hugging me so tightly I thought my ribs would break.

“I thought you were dead!” I cried, letting my head fall against his shoulder as he lifted me off my feet.

“I know, I know. I’m so sorry, Logan. I’m so sorry.” He calmed me, smoothing my hair back as tears streamed down my face.

“I missed you.”

“I know. I’ve missed you too, Lo . I’m so sorry.” He set me down and sniffled, wiping away his tears and then mine.

“You’re late.” Peggy spoke to Steve.

I broke my attention from Bucky and leaned over, punching Steve in the arm. He grinned at me, and held up a broken transponder.

“Couldn’t call my ride.”

“Why’s he wearing tights?” Bucky leaned in, whispering.

I snickered. “He goes by Captain America, too, Buck.”

Bucky pulled back with a cruel smirk. “Hey! Let’s hear it for Captain America!”

************************************************************************

I slouched against the counter with a yawn. I was still only fifteen, but Captain America vouched for me in that I wasn’t at the bar to drink, but to spend time with my brother, who had been gone for years.

Bucky smoothed my hair back with a soft smile as Steve sat next to us. The other men, who I had learned were dubbed The Howling Commandos, were getting drunk, singing with all of their hearts.

“See? I told you. They’re all idiots.” Bucky grinned, referring to the fact that the men were more than willing to go for the Hydra bases Steve had seen on a map during his rescue mission.

“How about you? You ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?” Steve smiled, and Bucky laughed.

“Hell, no. That little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight. I’m following him. But you’re keeping the outfit, right?”

“You know what?” Steve grinned. “It’s kind of growing on me.”

The singing stopped as Peggy walked in, wearing a red dress that stuck to her like a second layer of skin. She ignored the others and addressed Steve.

“Agent Carter.” Steve swallowed.

“Hi, Peggy.” I grinned at her, spinning around on my stool.

“Hi, Logan. Sergeant Barnes.” She nodded at Bucky.

“Ma’am.” Bucky’s eyes were wide.

Peggy turned back to Steve. “Howard has some equipment for you to try. Tomorrow morning?”

Steve nodded. “Sounds good.”

“I see your top squad is prepping for duty.” She eyed the drinking men.

“You don’t like music?” Bucky tilted his head.

“I do, actually. I might even, when this is all over, go dancing.” Peggy stated, curt.

“Then what are we waiting for?” Bucky winked.

I turned to him, eyebrows furrowed. What had the war done to him?

“The right partner.” Peggy responded, eyes on Steve. “0800, Captain.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be there.” Steve nodded, and Peggy turned on her black heels and left.

“I… I’m invisible. I’m … I’m turning into you. It’s like some horrible dream.” Bucky spoke to Steve, who only laughed.

“Don’t take it so hard. Maybe she’s got a friend.”

************************************************************************

The boys were getting ready to leave, packing their final things and changing into their army uniforms. I had woken up early to see them off, horrified to have the same thing happen once more. Bucky would come home this time, as would Steve, but it was still a scary thought in the back of my head.

“Logan, do you have a hairbrush?” Bucky came out of the bathroom, trying to comb his hair back with his hands.

I laughed, still sleepy as I patted the spot on the bed in front of me. “I wanna brush it.”

He rolled his eyes playfully before sitting down. I pulled the brush through his hair, laughing as he squirmed. I finished his hair as Steve came back, fully dressed. He sat down and tied his shoes. Bucky did the same, pushing at his hair once more before turning back to me with a sad sigh.

“Be careful. Please.” I stared up at him.

He nodded, then pulled me to stand, hugging me tightly. I buried my head into his shoulder and held back tears. He let go first, smiling at me and ruffling my hair.

“I will be. I love you. I’ll see you soon.”

I fixed my hair and he kissed my forehead. He shouldered his bag and walked through the door with a sad smile.

“Steve, wait!” I called him back, tears flowing freely now.

“Be safe. And-”

“I’ll bring him back. I promise.” Steve hugged me.

I nodded as I pulled back.

“Thank you.”

They left, closing the door behind them. I sat back down on the bed and sighed. My only people were gone. Again.

************************************************************************

The next few days were uneventful. Stark let me help him around his lab, but only to tidy things up. He was sort of a spaz when it came to his little inventions. He treated them like they were his children, which I understood to an extent. I slept in the little motel room the division had rented for Steve, Bucky, and I. Peggy would stop by to visit every other day. Sometimes she would give me updates on the boys, other times she would bring by food and a new book so I had something to do.

The boys were supposed to come home tonight. I was excited, so excited that Stark kicked me out of his lab and told me to go do something useful. I settled for baking a peach pie in the kitchen. The boys scarfed them down whenever I made them back home, and they would probably appreciate a taste of home when they returned from their mission.

************************************************************************

I sat on the steps of the Allied HQ. The boys were due back any minute now, and I had the pie wrapped up next to me. My leg was bobbing up and down at such a speed that my foot went numb and my ankle was beginning to hurt. I had gotten a bad feeling around noon, and I couldn’t seem to shake it. I chalked it up to an upset stomach, but it was beginning to feel like something more.

I checked my watch and sighed. The boys were late. I looked back up to see Peggy running to me, eyes wide and concerned. I asked her what was wrong, but nothing that came out of her mouth was comprehensible. A black car pulled up, and Steve was the first to climb out. I smiled at him, but when he looked at me, he started to cry. Things began to move in slow motion. The other men poured out of the car. But none of them were Bucky. Steve fell to his knees in front of me and spoke.

“Bucky’s gone.”

I shuddered, feeling my heart break. It ached, and I stared at Steve with wide eyes.

“But you promised!” I screamed, hitting his chest.

“I’m so sorry, Logan.” He tried to pull me into a hug.

I hit his chest again, squirming up and away. I ran, and I didn’t stop.

************************************************************************

I woke up in the motel room. I felt like I hadn’t gotten any sleep. My limbs felt leaden, heavy, asleep. There was a knock on the door, and I grunted. Peggy walked in and set down a mug, presumably of coffee. I forced myself to sit up. I hadn’t left the room in days, and I refused to speak to Steve. I had never felt so betrayed, so hurt, so much pain.

“Logan.” She spoke, and her voice broke.

I looked up at her, now alert. Peggy didn’t cry.

“Steve’s gone.” She pushed out, then broke down.

I felt myself go numb as Peggy cried beside me. I could only breathe, and only if I really focused. When did he leave? What mission did he have? Why was he gone? How? I looked at Peggy, feeling my eyes begin to burn.

I stuttered, but no words came. I let out a sob, and Peggy pulled me into a hug, trying to soothe me.

“What happened?” I stumbled over the words, my tongue heavy in my mouth.

She only sobbed again.

************************************************************************

Steve had left to stop Schmidt. He had to save New York. He crashed the aircraft into the middle of nowhere. He was gone. They still hadn’t found him. They built a memorial for him in Brooklyn. Bucky was forgotten by everyone but me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still alive. Regina had died, and the apartments were torn down. I had nowhere to go. I was an orphan, a sister without a brother, and now a girl without her only friend. Stark, Peggy, and the others were to return to their homes tomorrow.

“Logan?” There was a knock at the door.

“You can come in.” I shifted in the bed of the motel.

The door opened, and Peggy walked into the room. She eyed me with a sigh, then sat next to me.

“How do you feel?”

I scoffed. “Can I be honest?”

She nodded, understanding what I meant. “Vulgar too, if you’d like.”

“I feel like total fucking shit. My brother’s dead. My best friend is dead. They’re all gone. My apartment got torn down. It’s all over. I’m fifteen and I don’t have a family anymore.”

She nodded again, sighing.

“I’m sorry, Logan. I know that doesn’t make any of it better. But genuinely, I’m so sorry.”

I shrugged. “Not much could make any of it better. Not unless you can go back in time and fix it all.”

She looked down at me. “Listen. I know we aren’t very close. I know I could never replace any of your family. But… would you like to move in with me? You would have your own room, you could have all your own freedom…” She sighed. “I just… I don’t want you to keep being alone.” She eyed me.

I looked up at her, then smiled. “Seriously?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

I threw my arms around her and began to sob, overwhelmed.

“Thank you, Peggy. Thank you.”

************************************************************************

I loved Peggy. I still love Peggy. But I only managed to live with her for three months. She always had to go for work, and I couldn’t stand to be left alone with her younger brother. Their relationship reminded me of Bucky and myself. I still believed he was alive, and I missed him, and I couldn’t handle it any longer. I grew desperate. I ran away. I lasted three weeks. Then I went to Stark.

I knocked at his door. His security measures were fairly weak. But I was still horrified. If he couldn’t take me in, then I was a goner. For real this time. There was no place for me to go. The door opened.

“Logan Barnes! What a surprise! What’re you doing here? Please, come in, come in!” He was cheerful.

I stumbled in. “Hi, Mr. Stark.”

“Hey. I heard about your brother. I’m sorry for your loss.” He patted my shoulder.

I nodded, biting back tears. I breathed deeply. “Um. I’m actually… here about that.” I sighed. “I have nowhere to go. And you’re the only person I had left to think of. A-and I-”

“No, it’s alright. I understand.”

I looked up at him, my bottom lip quivering. My nose became stuff and my eyes started to burn. “I know it’s a lot to ask. I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “It’s alright. You can stay here. I’ll do my best, but I’m no father.” He smiled.

I chuckled. “Neither was my brother, don’t worry.”

He smiled again, wider this time. “Well, I’ll show you to your room.”

************************************************************************

I jolted awake. Bucky was gone, but still alive. Steve was gone. I wiped the tears away, but they kept coming. The sheets, thankfully, were soft and smooth and comfortable. I had been living with Stark for a week. He was nicer than I had expected. He understood that I was in pain, and he gave me the space I needed while also ensuring that I didn’t become unhealthily isolated. There was a knock on the door.

“Logan. You’ve been sleeping for a while. Are you okay?”

I sniffed and cleared my throat.

“Yeah, I’m okay. I’ll be down in a minute.”

“Alright. No rush.” I heard his footsteps leave.

I sighed. I had dreamt about Bucky, again. I was still firm in my belief that he was out there, somewhere, alive, and scared, waiting for help to come. But nobody agreed with me. Nobody else thought he was still alive.

I wiped the sleep from my eyes and got out of bed. I changed out of my pajamas and into normal clothing: a pair of overalls with one of Bucky’s old shirts underneath. I found Stark at the dinner table, a cup of coffee on the table in front of him. I sat down with a sigh.

“How’d you sleep?”

I shrugged. “Keep having nightmares.”

He nodded. “You ready to talk about them? You keep having them. They about your brother?”

I finally looked up at him. “He’s still alive. He has to be. I-I-I… I just have this feeling. Like he’s not really gone. You know? He’s alive, he’s somewhere out there.”

Stark arched an eyebrow. “A feeling?”

I scoffed. “I know it sounds ridiculous, but… When I get feelings… like this. I’m usually not wrong.”

“Could it be possible that you just want to believe that he’s still alive?”

I nodded, biting my lip. “Yeah, I guess so. I mean… my mom didn’t want me. She left me and my brother.” I shrugged. “And then my dad died. Bucky was all I really had.”

Stark only sighed. “I’m sorry.”

I shrugged. “Bucky liked French. He uh… had a favorite phrase. I think it was something like uh…” I cleared my throat. “C’est le vie.”

“I believe it’s C’est la vie.” Stark smiled.

I snorted. “Yeah.”

************************************************************************

“Logan. You’ve been in there for two days. You have to come out.” Howard knocked on the lab door.

“I can’t. I’m so close.” I dropped my head against the wall behind my head. “I’ve almost got it.”

Howard forced the door open, shutting off the computer systems.

“Please!” I whined, but he ignored my pleas.

This had continued for two months. I still believed Bucky was alive.

“Look, Logan.” He squatted in front of me, eyes stern. “He might be out there. You could be right. Bucky could still be alive. But you can’t find him. You cannot find him. You don’t know where he is. Do you understand me?” He shook me by the shoulders.

I looked away.

“Logan. Do you understand me? Bucky might be out there, but you don’t know where. You can’t find him. You’re just a kid.”

Something in my brain flipped and I looked up at him.

“Maybe I could be more.”

“What?”

“Maybe I could be more.” I repeated.

“Logan?”

I stood up, eyes wide as I looked at him.

“If I had the serum. I could be more than just a kid.”

“No.” He shook his head.

“Howard, please. I can find him. I-I-I-I just… I just need a little help. The serum could help me.”

Howard paused, and then shook his head again. “No, Logan. I’m sorry. The last part of the serum was destroyed, remember?”

“No. No, you told me that you made a better version. An advanced one. You just didn’t have anything to test it on.”

“Logan, I have no idea if that would even work. It could kill you!”

“So what? If it works, then great. I get to find my brother. If it doesn’t, and I die…” I shrugged. “I don’t wanna live without Bucky anyways.”

Howard thought it over, I could see it in his eyes. But then he shook his head again, with a scoff.

“No. I’m sorry, Logan. But I’m not doing it.”

************************************************************************

“Are you ready?” Howard asked as I laid down in the capsule.

I nodded. “Now more than ever.”

“It’s gonna hurt.” He warned.

I nodded again. “I know.”

************************************************************************“Well why in the hell did you do it?” I could hear Peggy.

“She begged! She wants to find her brother! That’s all she wants! Who am I to stop her?” Howard shouted back.

“Well what if she dies? She looks like she’s about to!”

“Just… Peggy, please don’t mention it to anybody.”

“I have to! She’s not normal anymore!”

I forced my eyes open looking to my side to see that neither of them were in the lab. I pushed myself up with a grunt. I looked at my arms. I didn’t seem more muscular. My legs didn’t either. Sure, I was definitely more toned, and I was no longer chubby, but there wasn’t a notable difference like there had been with Steve.

I got to my feet, and stumbled out of the lab. It sounded like Peggy and Howard were in the kitchen, and they were still yelling at each other. They were a floor away, but they sounded like they were on either side of me.

“Guys!” I called out as I reached the steps.

“Logan!” Howard was relieved.

“Logan.” Peggy was angry.

I felt a mix of my emotions in my head. Peggy came over and grabbed me by the shoulders. I felt a stabbing pain in my leg and I winced, pulling away from her. She let go, and I felt the pain remain. I looked at her, confused.

“Did you hurt your leg?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yes, earlier this week. How did you know?”

“I felt it.”

“What?”

“I felt it.” I spoke louder this time. “When you touched me, I felt it. Y-your right leg. Just under your knee.”

She nodded, eyes wide. I looked to Howard, who was ecstatic.

“This is amazing!”

“What the hell?” Peggy scoffed.

“Okay. Okay, I want you to tell me exactly what has changed.” Howard spoke softly.

“Uh…” I felt light-headed. “I’m skinnier. Uh, I can hear … I could hear you guys, clear as day, down from the lab. And I just felt Peggy’s pain.” I looked up.

“When she said she felt it, it went away.” Peggy spoke.

“Yeah, I still feel it.” I grunted.

Howard and Peggy shared a look.

“We have to give her up to SHIELD.” Peggy shook her head.

“What’s SHIELD gonna do with her?”

“House her! Keep her safe!”

I wrapped my arms around myself and sighed, letting my head dip forward as I blacked out.

Next: December 17, 1991

#mcu #mcu oc #mcu fic #mcu shield #mcu fandom #marvel #marvel oc #marvel fic #marvel fandom #bucky barnes x sibling!reader #bucky barnes x oc!sibling #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x sister!reader #bucky barnes x sister!oc #steve rogers #howard stark #peggy stark #logan stark #logan barnes #captain america #captain america the first avenger #the first avenger #catfa #cafta fic #winter soldier #apollowrites #junowrites #ratwrites

[lokis-army-77]

If You Please

Chapter Fourteen

Bucky Barnes x Reader

Word Count: 4440

This is technically a reader insert but without the (y/n) and all that. She also has no name mentioned so feel free to imagine as you please.

Follow the reader through the events of the Captain America movies and experience her love for Bucky Barnes.

Warnings: canon typical violence

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Masterlist

We escaped quickly and descended down into the dark, damp sewer system of D.C. until we came to a steel ladder directly in the middle of our path several minutes later. Maria climbed up first, to make sure the coast was clear then she signaled for us to follow. There was an SUV waiting for us a few paces away from where we had emerged. I slowly trailed behind the others and into one of the back seats. The drive to the base, which seemed to be a rundown dam in the middle of the woods, took us almost half an hour.

After getting out the van we rushed in through a singular gated door at the base of the dam. Nat was still losing blood but the first aid kit in the van helped slow it down. As we walked down the dimly lit hall I spotted a man running towards us.

“GSW,” Maria shouted out to the man. “She’s lost almost a pint of blood.”

“Let me take her,” the man shouted back, still jogging to us.

“She’ll want to see him first,” she said before we reached a set of double doors and hurried through them. Maria led us down a long corridor which opened up to a large room with a section closed off with plastic strip curtains. She reached out and pulled part of the curtain back to let us see inside. There lying down in a hospital bed was Nick Fury, who was supposed to be dead.

“Well, it’s about damn time.” Fury stated in a sarcastic tone. I looked to Steve, Who was holding Nat up, and gave him a quizzical look, which he returned with his own shake of the head.

After the initial shock of seeing Fury alive, Nat was sat down by the doctor who was trying to stop her arm from bleeding. In the meanwhile, Fury was explaining to the group how he was able to fake his death and why he was hunkering out in a dam. This plan also helped him to know which people he could have some trust in, seeing as how SHIELD was now compromised and there was no telling how far the clutches of HYDRA had gotten. Now that people thought he was dead, it would come as a surprise when he inevitably resurfaced.

When Nat’s stitches were done we headed to a table on the other side of the room which had several files and computers scattered about. I took a seat on the far end and put my head in my hands. I could feel a massive headache coming on, which was uncommon for me since I took the serum. It felt like white-hot knives were digging through the back of my skull and into the spot right between my eyes. It was so bad that I completely missed the whole conversation the group was having. I eventually laid my head down in my crossed arms to try and combat it, but the pain never subsided.

A hand came down on my shoulder, startling me out of my painful daze, it was Steve. I saw his mouth move but couldn’t hear anything but the loud ringing in my ears. I just looked at him confused. He tried saying something again but I still couldn't hear him.

“Stevie, I can’t hear anything over this loud ringing in my ears,” I whispered, I knew if I talked loudly the vibrations of my voice would hurt. He gave me a nod and held up his finger, telling me to wait as he walked away. The doctor from before came back with him and sat in front of me. The doctor motioned his hand like it was talking and I knew he wanted me to tell him what was going on, so I did. When I was done, he took a small flashlight out from his pocket and shined it in my eyes. He turned to Steve and said something then turned to me and grabbed hold of my hand.

Both the doctor and Steve led me to a second hospital bed, which was a couple feet away from where Fury had been and made me lay down. As I got situated under the covers, Steve tapped my hand a few times to get my attention and when he got it, he started to tap again. Morse code, he had made me learn it as kids, that way mom could never hear our secret conversations, it even came in handy when I joined the SSR. I watched closely as he tapped out a series of long and short patterns. He was telling me the doctor was going to give me something to help me sleep and that I would be okay. I nodded and tapped back a thank you before the Doctor came back and inserted a syringe into my arm, seconds later I could feel myself drifting away.

I woke up hours later without the searing pain of a headache and my hearing fully intact. I flipped the covers away from myself and turned to let my legs drape off the side of the bed. I hulled myself onto my feet and began to make my way to the table the group was setting at yesterday. Sam was there drinking coffee and talking to Nat, and from what I could tell, it must have been early morning.

“Good morning sleepy head.” Sam sang out. I gave him a small smile as I took the seat to his right, across from Nat. “How ya feeling?”

“Eh. I’m not in physical pain anymore if that’s what you’re asking.” I looked down at my hands and eyed the ring I had been wearing since a few days ago. It glimmered in the light as I took it off and placed it on the table. I then took my locket necklace off and slipped the ring onto the chain. I was lucky I hadn't lost it yesterday, but I wasn’t thinking I would be going into a fight. Now that I knew more fighting was to come, it would be safer around my neck.

“Is that your engagement ring?” Sam asked quietly.

“Yeah. It was Bucky’s mother, Winnifred. He originally proposed with this locket, but a few months later, after talking to her and begging her to keep it a secret from Steve, she finally gave it to him.” I smiled at the memory.

“Wait, I thought Steve knew.”

“He does now. I kind of blurted it out when he tried to stop me from going with him to rescue the 107th from the HYDRA base in 1943, but we got engaged in ‘41.” I took a long pause before talking again. “You know it feels like just yesterday when I lost him, like the pain from him being gone still hurts, but I’ve learned to cope with it over the past two years. Now I have to find out that he is alive, but not himself because he's being used as a mercenary by HYDRA. He looked at me after you knocked him down and that look broke my heart. It wasn’t the look of a man wanting to kill, it was of someone who was scared, someone who had no clue what was going on. He’s still in there, I know he is and I’m going to be the one to bring him back.” I jammed a finger down on the table to make my point.

“Are you sure he’s really still in there? He’s been in and out of cryo hundreds of times throughout the last 70 years, no to mention, he’s probably endured countless hours of brain wiping and torture from HYDRA.” Nat said in a concerned but doubtful tone.

“I didn’t lose hope when he might have been dead in the forties, I won't lose hope in him now. I’ll find a way to bring him back to me.” That was when Steve came through the double doors and into the room wearing his old suit. “Steve, where in the world did you get that?”

“I borrowed it from the Smithsonian. Here, I found your office. Thought you might want it.” He tossed a bag at me and I caught it, slowly opening it to reveal my old suit. “I still have no clue why you keep it in there and not on display with everything else.”

“Thanks, that was very thoughtful of you.”

“Don’t be sarcastic. You’re gonna want it when we go to take out the helicarriers.” He looked at me then to the other two, “Come on suit up, we don't have much time before they launch,” he looked back at me, “I’ll fill you in on the plan after you get dressed. Oh and Maria has your staff, and new guns for you.”

It was almost noon now and Steve, Sam, Maria, and I were quickly ascending the back stairs of the SHIELD base. We made it to the thirty-second floor in no time, only for the door to be locked. We all held our guns up to the door as Maria sent out some radio interference so one of the people in the room would come to check on the dish that was outside. When the door opened the man was surprised and instantly let us through

Steve came to a stop at the PA system and turned it on. “Attention all SHIELD agents, this is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me over the last few days. Some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time, to tell the truth. SHIELD is not what we thought it was. It's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want. Absolute control. They shot Nick Fury. And it won't end there. If you launch those helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way. Unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot. But the price of freedom is high. It always has been. And it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not.”

“Always been one for speech haven't you Stevie?” I joked.

“Shut up kid, let's get going.” he shook his head, bemused.

“He totally came up with that on the spot didn’t he?” Sam asked.

“Definitely,” I replied.

We left Maria in the PA room where she would be able to monitor the status of the helicarriers as we tried to take them offline. Making our way down to the docking bay I looked out one of the windows next to where we were running.

“Steve, we need to hurry, the bay doors are opening,” I called out.

“Only a few more floors, we can make it.” After he said that, we started running faster, almost leaving Sam behind.

Finally, we pushed through one of the lower roof doors. I started to sprint toward the edge and before I jumped off, Sam grabbed my outstretched arm and started to fly. He maneuvered us to the far-right helicarrier and then let go of me. I plummeted to the deck and as I made contact with the ground I immediately threw myself into a tumble so I didn’t get hurt. As I sprang to my feet I was met with an onslaught of bullets. Ducking to dodge them I ran off to the side where a stack of crates was lying. I fished one of the guns from the hustler and cocked a bullet into the chamber. Taking a deep breath I stepped out from my cover and shot back at the men.

Two of the seven went down as a bullet went through each of their chests. I went to shoot again but a hand came out from behind me and yanked my right arm down. They tightly brought my arm to my back and grabbed my gun with the other hand. With my free left arm, I swung it back and clipped the person in the chin hard with my elbow. The grip they had on my right arm fell away as they fell to the ground. I turned around and quickly grabbed my gun from his hand and resumed shooting at the others.

I reached to the back of my holster where I had clipped two grenades before we had left the hideout. Pulling the pin and letting go of the trigger, I threw it at the men, who were immediately taken out with the blast.

“Hey kid you good?” I heard Steve's voice come through the comlink.

“Good as I can be. The deck is all clear, where are you?”

“Sam and I are inbound.” as he said that Sam shot up from below the carrier with Steve holding onto his hands. They landed a few feet in front of me and I jogged to catch up to them. “Wow, you took them all out really fast.”

I just smiled and held up the second grenade, “Work smarter not harder. Come on let's hurry up, the fact there weren't that many people on here is making me suspicious.” As soon as I said that we walked past one of the crates and Steve was pushed over the edge of the carrier by Bucky. “Steve!” Sam and I yelled simultaneously.

Sam jumped into action, trying to take off to save Steve from falling to his death, but Bucky grabbed one of the wings of his suit and flung him back. “Go put the chip in, I'll take care of this.” He yelled out to me.

I turned and sprinted to one of the doors that led into the carrier and I was met with two corridors. After looking down at each of them I decided on taking the right one. Reaching the end I heard a soft noise around the corner, I peaked around slowly and saw a man carrying an assault rifle. He was close enough for me to run up on him without him being able to get a good shot in with a gun. So that’s what I did. I ran at an angle from the corner and used my left leg to push myself off the ground and then my right to push off the wall and kick the man directly in the side of the head. He fell to the ground, completely unconscious. Not turning back I continued down the hall until I came to the stairs that would take me down to the systems room.

“Are you both okay?” Sam cut through on the coms.

“Yeah, I'm still on the helicarrier.” came Steve.

“Me too, I’m almost in the systems room. Where are you?”

“I'm grounded, the wings are busted.”

I exited the staircase and walked to the middle of the systems room. The opening to the targeting system was on the other side of the large cylindrical computer that took up the whole center of the room. I made my way around but stopped short when I saw him standing there, glaring.

“Bucky,” I held my hands up and took my finger off the trigger of my gun to show him I wasn’t going to do anything. “Bucky, I know you’re in there somewhere.” He just kept staring blankly. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will in order to get this chip where it needs to be.” I took a slow step in his direction, but in an instant, he pulled his gun and shot mine out of my hand, and started to stalk towards me. I reached over my shoulders to grab the two separated staff pieces from their holsters as I moved backward. Bucky stopped walking and just started some more before he came at me full force. I quickly stepped up onto the railing and did a flip over him, landing behind him. Before he turned around I slipped the piece of the staff in my right hand around his neck and latched on with my left, forcing him to stumble back. This didn’t hold him long because he grabbed the bar and forcefully twisted it over his head, thus breaking my grip. I stumbled a few feet ahead, almost barely missing the punch that he threw. That was when I noticed Steve had made it into the room.

“Steve, a little help here would be great,” I said as I started to run back to Bucky who had turned around to face Steve. I jumped up doing a backflip kick, using Bucky’s back as a kicking-off point and landed back on my feet as Bucky slammed into the railing. Hoping he would stay preoccupied with Steve, I hurriedly ran to the system console and opened the chip holder. I took out one of the chips and placed it off to the side before reaching into my pocket for the new chip. I had almost put it in the open slot before I was knocked off my feet and the chip flew from my hand and over the banister. I turned over off of my stomach just in time to see Steve and Bucky also fall over the banister. I scrambled to the edge to see what was going on as I called out, “Steve the chip fell over.”

“I got it, stay there.” He yelled back before Bucky sent him flying. I watched as he grabbed the chip but it was dropped further down as Bucky came at Steve again. I took my second gun out and started to shoot near Bucky’s legs, in order to try and veer him off course without hurting him. Steve reached the glass bottom of the room and started sprinting to the chip which was nestled in between the glass and a metal beam. I stopped shooting as it became harder to get a clear target without also shooting Steve.

They were fighting now, hand to hand, Bucky had knocked Steve’s shield away and he pulled his knife out in the process. He stabbed Steve in the shoulder, when he fell to the ground Bucky dove for the chip. Steve wasn't far behind him, He latched onto Bucky, choking him then throwing him to the ground.

“Steve, don't hurt him,” I cried out as I watched them struggle on the ground, my hands went straight to my mouth as I heard the loud sound of bone breaking and Bucky’s scream right after. He tried rolling over but that gave Steve an opening to put him in a chokehold. “Steve stop, that's enough, you’re hurting him,” I yelled out in despair as I watched bucky struggle to stay conscious, I couldn't watch it anymore, I turned away. Seconds later Steve yelled my name. I hesitantly looked back over the railing, Bucky was lying unconscious and Steve was jumping up onto the landing under me.

“Here”, he tossed the chip up to me and I caught it. Suddenly a gunshot rang out and I looked to where Bucky was once laying, he was standing now, gun raised.

“Thirty seconds” Maria’s voice came over the com.

“I've got it,” I spoke back, making my way to the control board.

Another shot rang out, this time I heard the impact right behind me before a pain erupted on my side. I turned to see Steve laid out on the ground clutching his stomach, the bullet must have gone straight through him to me.

“Guys, they're going online right now, hurry!” Maria almost yelled into the com. I turned back around, holding my side and took the last few steps up to the console, and securely placed the chip in the open space.

“Charlie lock,” I huffed out, confirming to Maria that I had successfully put the chip in, as I slid to my knees.

“Okay, both of you get out of there.”

“No fire now,” Steve yelled.

“But Steve,” Maria said almost reluctantly.

“Just do it,” he yelled again.

The helicarrier jerked seconds later after being hit with the rockets. I slammed into the railing and was flung over, landing ungracefully in a heap on the glass floor. I could hear shouts of pain echoing, looking around I spotted Bucky stuck under a massive metal beam. Steve apparently had to because he was climbing down to him. He got to him quickly and started to lift the heavy thing off of him. Bucky wiggled out from under the beam and knelt there for a second before Steve said something to him that I couldn't hear, he reared back and swung a punch at him after that. I stood to my feet and slowly made my way to them, stopping multiple times to steady myself as the carrier trembled violently. I reached them just as a large metal cylinder fell into the glass floor, making it give way. I fell through the broken glass and into the cold water of the Potomac River.

I swam weakly to the surface. Once my head came out of the water I took a deep breath in and made my way to the rocky shore, careful to not be hit by any debris. The shore was farther away than I had anticipated and I was almost completely out of breath as I crawled my way out of the water. Laying on my back I looked and the smoke filled the sky.

‘So much for laying low,' I thought to myself. I was broken from my thoughts as a few yards down the shoreline Bucky came out of the water dragging Steve with him. He looked back at me as he dropped Steve to the ground but then turned to walk away. I got up quickly and ran to Steve, making sure he was okay. I took out the tracker Maria had given each of us in case anything happened and set it off. They would come find him now, I gave him a short kiss on the forehead. “Goodbye Stevie, I'll see you again some time,” I whispered to him before taking off my tracker and throwing it into the water.

I started walking in the direction Bucky had gone, He couldn't have gotten far with that broken arm and I was right. I found him slowly making his way through the woods. I stayed away from him, but he never left my sight. I knew he realized I had followed him when he tried to slip away behind a group of dense trees but was unsuccessful. He tried this a few more times before giving up and acknowledging that I wasn’t going anywhere. Finally, we broke out into part of the city, but we kept a low profile, or as low of one as two people in fighting suits and a man with a metal arm could. I kept inching closer to him as we walked and twenty minutes in I was almost next to him.

“Quit following me” He let out gruffly without looking back at me.

“No,” I argued.

“Quit following me, now,” He said a little more agitatedly.

“No, I won’t. I’m not leaving you alone and hurting Bucky. I love you, I can't leave you again.” That made him stop in his tracks and eye me down.

“Don’t know who you are.” his voice sounded uncertain.

“Yes, you do.”

“No, I don’t.

“I have proof that you do.” I yanked the necklace with the ring and locket over my head and marched to him, holding it out. He took it hesitantly and looked at the ring first then opening the locket he just stared at the picture of the both of us together. I saw something flicker in his eyes before he gave the necklace back, it almost looked like he remembered something. He started back walking but didn’t say a word when I kept following, just let out a long huff.

It took us an hour to reach Ronald Reagan Airport, and I finally understood what his plan was. “So your plan is to hijack a plane?”

“You aren’t coming.”

“I don’t know why you want to argue with me, I’m coming with you.” He gave me another glare after that.

We were walking through the small wooded area across the road from the runway when suddenly Bucky stopped. There was a small metal sign secured to one of the trees to the right, in big bold letters it said ‘NO TRESPASSING’. Bucky pulled on it and it opened like a small door into the tree where a keypad was nestled. He typed in a series of numbers and a few seconds later the ground started to move several right next to us. I jerked my head in the direction of the commotion only to see the ground opening up to a narrow staircase that descended into the earth. Bucky then closed the sign and started down the stairs, I followed suit.

It became darker the further we descended, the sounds of cars faded into the steady dripping of water. By this time I was thinking to myself that we weren't hijacking a plane, but I was proved wrong as the stairs leveled out to flat ground and Bucky turned the hanger lights on. There in the middle of the room was a black jet with a red HYDRA symbol on its side.

Looking around the room there were papers strewn about, dust even covered some of the desks along the walls. The place looked like it hadn't been used in years. To my left, I spotted Bucky grabbing all sorts of weapons from a rack on the wall and shoving them in a tattered duffel bag before zipping it up and heading to the jet. I trailed behind him.

He raised his hand up and pressed on part of the back flap to the jet, a small handle shot out and he pulled on it, which opened the back hatch of the jet. When it settled on the ground Bucky and I climbed up the ramp and into the cabin. Bucky tossed the duffel bag onto one of the benches and headed for the cockpit. He hit several buttons and switches before sitting down in the pilot's seat.

“Where are we going?” I asked softly as I sat myself down in the copilot’s seat.

“Romania.”

Tag List: @ginger-swag-rapunzel @underc0vercryptid-reads @geek-and-proud @intothesoul @leyannrae @starkleila @andy-is-gay

#james buchanan barnes #bucky x y/n #bucky barnes #bucky x reader #bucky x female reader #bucky fic #bucky fanfic #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x rogers!reader #winter solider x reader #marvel fic #marvel fanfiction

[misformorales]

Find Me / Save Me (Bucky x Reader Fanfic) Ch. 18

Summary: Friends since childhood, separated by tragedy. Can you seem to find each other again? Can you save each other?

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Warnings: 18+ ONLY, smut, angst, violence, cannon divergence, fluff, mentions of suicide attempt, mentions of blood, torture, miscarriage

Word Count: 174,507

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|| Masterlist ||

Chapter Eighteen || Previous Chapter || Next Chapter

As we approached the Triskelion I was determined. Determined to bring down Hydra, to find Bucky, free him from their control and bring him home. Nothing would get in the way. Nothing. Sam, Steve, Hill and I make our way into the headquarters. The guards we encounter don't even put up a fight. Steve heads to the microphone, addressing all those in SHIELD.

"Attention, all SHIELD agents. This is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth. SHIELD is not what we thought it was, it's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want: absolute control. They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there. If you launch those Helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not."

I see the determination in Steve's eyes. An unspoken understanding between us. Hydra would fall today. Here and now. "Did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?" Sam smirks towards Steve. "What can I say, he's always been the poet of the group?" I laugh as we make our way to launching area.

I hear Hill over the earpiece, "They're initiating launch." Looking at Sam and Steve I smile and say, "Time to get to work boys."

Approaching the helicarries Sam asks, "how do we know the good guys from the bad guys?" Steve grabs his shield from his back and responds, "if they're shooting at you. Then they're the bad guys."

I start making a run for the first helicarrier I see. Steve heads for the second, while Sam takes to the skies. Once on the helicarrier bullets start flying. I use my wings, bocking the bullets. Running to the source, I ram the shooter making him fly off the helicarrier. Were several feet of the ground already, as I continue to push through different armed guards trying to stop me.

I eventually make it to the computer port, chip in hand. I replace one of the chips on the helicarrier with my own. "Alpha lock." I say through the earpiece. I look around, the helicarrier is already several hundred feet off the ground.

"Bravo lock." I hear Steve say.

"Two down, one to go." Hill answers back.

"Sam, I need a lift." I hear Steve call out and I reply quickly, "Hey so do I!"

"Cap, let me know when you're ready. I'm close." Sam says into the earpiece. I run to the edge of my helicarrier watching the skies. I see Steve jump from his helicarrier in the distance. "I just did!"

Thankfully Sam catches Steve, dropping him on the last helicarrier. "Sam! Come get me!" I say, readying myself to jump. "Shit! Hold on! Wait don't jump!" I hear Sam yell too late as I already jumped over the edge.

Free falling down, I look around me for Sam. "Come on Sam! I'm falling here!" All of a sudden, I'm scooped up bridal style by Sam, who caught me just in time. "(Y/N) I said to wait god dammit! Do you seriously have a death wish or something?" I give him a kiss on the cheek and playfully joke, "aww my hero!"

He shakes his head in annoyance making our way to the third helicarrier. As we reach the top of the helicarrier, just before Sam can make a landing we're yanked back. I'm sent tumbling down the tarmac of the helicarrier.

I look back to check on Sam, when I see what pulled us back. Bucky. Sam is trying to fly out of his grasp, but Bucky pulls on the wing. Causing it to break. Sam lunges at him, but it's too late. He grabs him and throws him off the helicarrier. "Sam!" I run to the edge, relief washing over me seeing a parachute open.

"I'm grounded. Suits down. Sorry guys." I hear Sam say through the earpiece. "Steve he's here. He's headed your way. I'm coming." I say into the earpiece, running to the area I know Steve will be.

As I reach the hub, I see Bucky standing in front of the computer port with Steve down the walkway. I quietly approach from behind, trying to make my way to the port without him noticing. Steve sees me and starts talking to Bucky to distract him.

"People are gonna die, Buck. I can't let that happen." I'm getting so close to the hub, I'm almost there. Steve speaks to Bucky again, "Please, don't make me do this." I'm about to reach for the hub, when suddenly Bucky spins around, grabbing my back and tossing me in front of Steve. Steve immediately throws his shield at Bucky, not allowing him to approach us.

I get up quickly and crouch besides Steve, ready to launch myself at Bucky. He starts running towards us as I push off from my crouch and collide with him, hitting the railing and falling down below to another. "Do it Steve!" I yell as I get up from my feet, grabbing the railing sending a kick in Bucky's direction. It sent him flying a few feet back the walkway.

He gets up almost instantly, a gun in his hand. My wings fly up, protecting me from the shots. He quickly turns and shoots up at Steve, I hear Steve react from a hit. I start to run back towards Bucky, but he reacts too quickly, jumping up grabbing the railing above us. Lifting himself up he runs towards Steve, ripping him away from the console.

Steve throws his shield at Bucky, causing the gun to fall to the ground. Bucky grabs a knife and lunges for Steve. I immediately jump up to their level, taking the opportunity to run towards the console. But Bucky noticed, throwing Steve down to another level. He comes up behind me as I reached the console, grabbing my hair yanking me back. I instantly drop to my knees and kick swipe his legs from under him. This causes us to roll down the walkway, landing where Steve was.

Bucky stands in front of us both, his eyes still shallow pools. "Bucky... this isn't you." I say hoping to get through to him. Nothing. "One minute guys" I hear Hill on the earpiece. I immediately launch myself towards Bucky, falling one more level down, I scream up at Steve "GO! I got him!"

I look at Bucky as he grabs his knife again. "Bucky... please..." I beg again, "don't make me hurt you." The words don't register anything in him as he runs forward to attack. I dodge the knife, grabbing his hand and allowing my glow to give me more strength I knock him down into the floor. I put him in a choke hold, tears falling from my eyes. "I'm sorry Buck..." I say through the tears as he passes out.

His knife drops from his grip as he loses consciousness. I get to my feet, making my way up to Steve. "Charlie locked." I hear Steve say through the earpiece. I let out a sigh of relief once I get on the walkway and see him standing there. All of a sudden Bucky jumps in between both of us. Knife back in hand.

"Alright guys, get out of there." I hear Hill on the earpiece. "Fire now..." Steve replies.

"But Steve..." Hill counters. "Do it. Do it now!" I say, hoping the explosions would knock Bucky off his feet. The explosions come; we're all tossed from the walkway down to the glass dome below. Looking around I see Steve helping Bucky out from under a beam. I make my way towards them. As soon as Bucky slips out, he goes to hit Steve. I run up, grabbing his arms from behind.

"You know me." Steve says to Bucky as I hold him as much as I can in place. "No I don't!" Bucky yells back, pulling against my grip. "Bucky, you've known us your whole life." At that Bucky slips from my grip and punches Steve in the face repeatedly. Using my glow for extra strength I pull him back, launching him from Steve.

Looking at Bucky straight in the eyes I say, "Your name is James Buchanan Barnes." I see conflict in his eyes. Slowly walking towards him I say, "We're your friends. We're not going to fight you."

He snaps back, "You're my mission." Running towards me, he brings me down to the ground, his metal arm wrapping tightly around my neck. His free hand goes for the knife on the floor next to us.

Picking me up off the ground, his hand still wrapped around my neck he points the knife at me and yells again, "you're my mission!"

"Then finish it... James..." I say as I grab behind his neck placing the tracker on him and pull myself into his knife, my lips crashing into his. "(Y/N)!!! NO!!!" I hear Steve yell. I don't feel the knife, the sting of the pain. I feel Bucky's lips, those lips that drove me wild once before. I open my eyes after releasing him from the kiss. I see his eyes, tears welling up in them. "(Y/N)?..." he says as a whisper. The shallow pools are gone, replaced by the deep oceans I once loved.

He pulled the knife out, holding me as I let myself fall to my knees. Tears falling from my eyes, I smile. "I found you."

Steve comes up to me, pulling me from Bucky's arms. "He's back..." I say looking up at Steve, taking the opportunity to place a tracker on him when he turns to see Bucky. Realization of what he had done was written all over his face.

I picked myself up as a beam from the slowly collapsing helicarrier fell right next to us, causing the glass to shatter. Grabbing a hold of Steve, I walk up to Bucky. He looks up confused and broken. "You guys will be okay. I promise." Using all the strength in me left I grab them both by the collar and throw them out the open glass as I said, "Till the end of the line." Watching them fall I hoped Tony would keep to his promise.

#bucky #buckybarnes #buckyxreader #bucky barns x you #bucky barns x y/n #marvel #captain america #steverogers #wintersoldier #hydra #end of the line

[blancheludis]

Tagging: @tokky231

Fandom: Marvel, Avengers Characters: Tony Stark/Steve Rogers, James Rhodes, Pepper Potts, Bruce Barton, Steve Rogers Chapters: 27/?, Words: 152.012

Summary: Tony meets his soulmate under the worst possible circumstances. It is not just a kidnapping gone wrong. It turns out Steve and his gang picked him on purpose and they want some personal revenge. If only he had managed to say the words written on his soulmate’s arm before they threw him back out into the streets.

—

It smells fantastic in the kitchen, throwing Tony back immediately to their college days, Back then, Rhodey’s cooking skills had still been unrefined, but they spent a number of holidays and summer breaks at the Rhodes’ home and it had seemed to be Rhodey’s mother’s single mission in life to fatten her two boys up. And to teach Tony that he is loved. She has had partial success in both those things, but since then Rhodey has taken seamlessly over.

Tony walks up to the counter to glean at what Rhodey is making. A pan is sizzling on the stove with an ungodly amount of garlic, just as they like it. Next to that sits a plate with neatly cut vegetables that Tony is sure cannot have come out of his kitchen.

Before he can say anything, Rhodey turns to look at him, eyes travelling over Tony’s form as if he thinks Tony managed to get himself injured again in the few hours they were apart this morning. Tony knows how he looks. The suit jacket he put on to appear at least somewhat collected for his meeting with Coulson does not hide the bags under his eyes or the fact that he walks with his shoulders slumped, almost bowed as if something is pulling him down to the ground.

That something is Obadiah, of course, and has been for weeks. Ironically enough, Tony thinks he might have preferred dealing with the mental toll of the betrayal alone, instead of adding its inglorious end to the mix. He cannot get the way Obadiah crumpled to the ground out of his head. How he kept sneering until the pain took over. How that last look in his eyes resembled hatred more than anything else.

“Are you ready to talk yet?” Rhodey’s voice interrupts his thoughts, cutting right through them and catapulting Tony back to the present.

He is in his kitchen with his best friend. Food is on the stove. Nobody is out to kill him anymore. He is safe. It is over. Obadiah is dead.

Tony killed Obadiah.  

“About?” Tony asks, not bothering to make his tone innocent. This is straight-up denial and they both know it.

Rhodey’s expression does not change much, but Tony is practised in seeing the small signs of disappointment.

“Don’t do that, Tones,” Rhodey says, his voice unbearably calm. “Tell me if you need time, but don’t pretend nothing happened.”

Tony could run. That is what he usually does when things become uncomfortable, when he does not want to answer questions. JARVIS could put the workshop on lockdown and keep everybody out until Tony feels more collected – or until they stop trying.

Instead, Tony sits down on the counter, feet dangling, and stares at the pan. Rhodey must take that as sign enough that Tony is willing to talk because he turns back to the food, cutting with precise strokes, completely in control.

“It’s –” Tony shrugs. Fine. Over. Complicated. A myriad of entirely inaccurate words. “I’m not sure what to say.”

That, at least, is the truth. He is barely able to think about it in an even remotely coherent fashion without landing back in that warehouse, his mind running away from him but the gun steady in his hands.

“Stane is dead,” Rhodey says, echoing the constant choir in the back of Tony’s head. “How about you start with that?”

Heartrate picking up, Tony does not meet Rhodey’s eyes. “I already told you –”

He stops talking when Rhodey huffs. “I don’t exactly consider your feverish rambling from last night telling me anything.” Despite the words, Rhodey’s voice is gentle, as if he could ease Tony into this conversation. “Do you even remember what you said?”

Tony remembers surprisingly much of the night before, mostly in flashes but it is there. Steve brought him home, helped him lie down, and kept his distance while making sure Tony felt protected. He stayed when Tony asked him to. He made sure someone called Rhodey.

After that, things get more blurred. Rhodey had put him into the bathtub when he could not stand long enough for a shower. There was tea, and a mostly one-sided conversation full of mindless, soothing things.

Tony has talked too, in random bursts of information that can probably all be boiled down to two facts: He does not understand why this has happened. And it hurts.

Even now, it is hard to put into words. Years of Tony’s life turned into a lie that he happily believed as long as he was handed what he considered freedom to do as he pleased.  

“Obie killed my parents and now he wanted the company for himself,” Tony says, not reacting when Rhodey winces.

Since he does not look very surprised, this is one of the things he must have let slip the night before. It is the most pressing thing, too, because they already knew that Obadiah wanted Tony dead. They just were not aware that this was not the first time he decided to remove his problems in a permanent manner.

“He told me – everything was a lie, you know.” Tony’s lips turn into a bitter caricature of a smile. “Encouraging me to build, helping me out when Dad got mad, letting me grieve after they died. It was all part of some scheme to make more money. He did not care about me one bit. He – Dad said they were best friends and it was all a lie.”

Rhodey stops cutting for a moment to look at him, a sigh on his lips that Tony does not want to hear.

“It’s just impossible to wrap my head around,” he continues quickly, unwilling to linger on this. “I mean, you and Pep always tell me I’m terrible with people. That I always choose to trust the wrong ones and push away the ones who are good. But how could I have been so blind?”

A multitude of examples come to mind. Ty Stone and Sunset Bain being the most prominent of them. Rhodey had warned him away from them. If he had trusted his best friend more, he might have avoided those heartbreaks. Nobody knew to suspect Obadiah, although that does not help him at all to cope with the aftermath.  

“We never meant it that way, Tones,” Rhodey says quietly, his eyes turning sad. “We all fell for it. Stane – he did not fool you because you are naïve. He’s –”

Tony knows what Rhodey is going to say and he does not want to hear it, so he cuts Rhodey off, his voice a wounded monotone.

“I killed him.”

The knife clatters loudly on the counter as Rhodey stares at him. “What?” He looks like he has understood perfectly well what Tony said but wishes he did not.

Last night, Rhodey had reacted with unconcealed satisfaction at hearing about Obadiah’s death. Now, his expression is dampened by shock.

Unable to stand the scrutiny, Tony looks down at his lap. Rhodey will not judge him, but he still feels the recoil almost ripping the gun out of his hands after the first shot. That would have been enough to keep Obadiah down, and yet he steadied the gun and fired again.

All of the reasons and justifications have fallen away since then, leaving him to feel like nothing more than a murderer.

“He tried to run and we had to decide what to do with him,” Tony explains in a flat tone, flailing to keep calm. “Rhodey, I – I could see it in his eyes that he would never leave me alone. It does not matter that they would have locked him up. He would have somehow managed to make me miserable even from prison.”

He wanted to be left alone, but now he is not so sure anymore it was worth the price. Tired and hurting, with a mind eager to replay all the bad memories from the night before, it is like he has lost a part of his soul without any hope of making up for it.

“So you,” Rhodey beings but trails off. It is not clear whether he does not know what to ask or is simply not sure whether he should. He has by now completely abandoned the food.

The silence between them is, for a moment, only interrupted by the sizzling of the pan.

“I took a gun and shot him. Twice. I –” Tony takes a deep breath, surprised that his lungs allow it despite the weight on his chest. “I watched him die.”

Every long second of it. Every shuddering gasp, every new drop of blood, every twitch, every glare. Tony watched and did nothing. He merely waited until it was over and wished he was anywhere but there.

Obadiah might have betrayed him, but this was a betrayal in return. Not so much the bullets themselves because that night demanded that only one of them would leave the warehouse alive. But Tony pulled the trigger. He asked to do it himself and he did it. Coming back from that is impossible.

Rhodey is saying something, although Tony cannot hear a single word over the rushing in his ears. He sees Rhodey’s mouth moving, his lips turned down in sympathy. It must be something soothing, some kind of promise that Tony will be all right, that he only did what had to be done.

“How do you do it?” Tony asks, talking right over Rhodey. “Kill people?”

He has been wondering that since he was first kidnapped by the Avengers, really. That ready violence between people does not make sense to him. Where does the thrill of hurting or killing strangers come from? They are all human. They are all the same. And yet something primeval allows them to draw each other’s blood.  

“It’s not –” Rhodey starts, but Tony knows his best friend’s expression when he wants to shower him in platitudes.

“I swear I’ll throw you out if you’ll tell me it’s not easy,” Tony counters, rousing himself a bit from his stupor. “Obie deserved it but I can’t get his face out of my head.”

That is what he tells himself, that Obadiah deserved to die. He cannot even believe that, however, much less that he should be allowed to regain some inner peace.

Rhodey picks the knife back up and, without any semblance of a plan, throws everything he has cut into the pan at once, too thrown to stick to whatever recipe he chose.

“I am still seeing the face of the first person I ever killed,” he then says, dragging his eyes back to Tony with some reluctance. To Tony’s surprise, there is shame lingering in Rhodey’s face. “I still sometimes wake up from him asking me why in my dreams. I didn’t even know him. He was just some unlucky sod on the other side of a battlefield. You’re not supposed to shrug this off, no matter whether Stane deserved it or not.”

The thing is, Tony remembers Rhodey coming home on leave after that happened. He never told Tony about the nightmares, about how hard it is. It makes him feel like a bad friend. Like an egocentric, selfish man-child who does not like to take responsibility for anything ever. He should have known about Rhodey’s struggle. Perhaps Rhodey knew that there are no good answers to the questions simmering inside Tony now.

“So what?” Tony asks, still thrown but needing to make some sense of this. “I shouldn’t have done it? Is that what you’re telling me?”

The thought of Obadiah being alive hurts more than reality. He could just now be sitting in a holding cell, planning Tony’s further downfall, or talking in excruciating detail about all the things Tony did over the years that were hushed up. Drunken misadventures, bringing dozens of people into his bed, seemingly not caring for anyone but himself. Between that and the dutiful COO of Stark Industries, who would the police believe?

“I wish I could have been there to do it for you,” Rhodey says, and the sincerity in his voice breaks Tony’s heart further. “But I understand why you had to do it yourself.”

Tony thought it would help. That it would be a mercy. Just another pair of lies.

“It doesn’t feel like it’s over,” Tony admits, wishing Rhodey would give him reassurances, no matter how empty they would be.

“No, I can imagine,” Rhodey says instead. Then, however, he reaches out and puts his hand on top of Tony’s where they lie clenched in his lap. “But I’m proud of you.”

Immediate warmth floods through Tony, but he stamps down on the feeling, trying to expel it from his chest.

“What’s there to be proud of?” he asks, tasting bitterness on his tongue.

Somehow, Rhodey finds the strength to smile. “You’re stronger than you think.”

If this is strength, Tony is not sure he wants it. Someone has to take responsibility for his life and, more often than not, he left that job to others, and this is the reason why. He is feeling brittle, like one wrong word or touch will be enough to shatter him.

“Thank you,” Tony says quietly. Nothing is resolved. He is still raw, but Rhodey’s presence always helps.

“One day I’ll manage to make you believe that I’m not going anywhere,” Rhodey replies, his tone too serious to match the lightness of his smile.

Tony knows what he is saying. He is still working on not doubting it.

 ---

They have just finished their lunch, having turned to easier topics so that they could finish cooking and manage to keep the food down, when JARVIS speaks up.

“Sir, Dr Banner has entered the tower and asks to come up.”

Tony’s mind immediately jumps to new possible problems. Perhaps Thor’s state worsened since they saw each other this morning. Perhaps Coulson lied and brought in the Avengers anyway. Perhaps some more of Obadiah’s men have surfaced to give them more trouble.

“Let him in, J,” Tony says, his mouth dry. He swallows and he tries to convince his shoulders to straighten and his head to stay up to meet whatever is coming head-on.

“Dr Banner?” Rhodey asks. He, too, looks affected, although that might just be because he would prefer to wrap Tony up in a blanket and not let anyone ask something of him for the next seven years.

“He’s a friend,” Tony replies immediately. Whatever else happens, he does not need Rhodey and Bruce to argue. “He’s also the Dr Banner whose papers we’ve been gushing over, so don’t embarrass me.”

Rhodey’s lips twitch, even while his eyes remain serious. He is undoubtedly trying to figure out how Bruce fits into this. How, between all the bad things of the past few weeks, Tony made a new friend.

“Are you telling me you had an actual scientific celebrity in your home before and didn’t invite me?” he asks as he gets up to clear their plates from the table.

Tony takes overly much care as he gathers their cutlery and glasses to avoid looking at Rhodey. He cannot help the small grin, though. “You’re here now, right?”

Huffing, Rhodey replies, “We’re going to talk about that.”

That feels almost normal, the banter between them, the easy way Rhodey lets Tony be himself. If not for Bruce and his likely bad news coming closer, Tony might have even relaxed a little.

They just manage to clean the kitchen enough to let a guest in it before the door opens and Bruce comes in. He looks tired but not like he is in a hurry. His supplies bag is slung over his shoulder.

“Tony,” he greets with a smile that appears unstrained. “And you must be Colonel Rhodes.”

He does not get the change to offer his hand because Rhodey crosses his arms in front of him and asks, “Who are you?”

Tony rolls his eyes, mostly for Bruce’s benefit. Rhodey has a habit of mistrusting everybody Tony meets. He would prefer they skip that here since Bruce has proven himself to be an ally.

“I told you he’s a friend,” Tony says, a warning in his tone that he knows will be ignored. It should be more annoying, but even after years of friendship, Rhodey’s protectiveness soothes him.

“And I’d like to hear it from himself,” Rhodey rebuffs him before turning towards Bruce with a grim expression. “Are you with that mob?”

They have not yet talked about that. Only in fragments the night before.

Bruce takes the glare in stride and nods. “I am, although I’m not here as one of them,” he says as if that could restore Rhodey’s favour. “Now, if you would excuse me. I promise I’ll let you yell at me later.” Completely ignoring Rhodey’s flabbergasted expression, he puts his bag down on the kitchen table and says to Tony. “Did you have anyone look you over?”

“I’m fine,” Tony says before he even fully realizes that Bruce has come here to make sure he is all right. That last night did not leave him with more injuries he refuses to have looked at in a hospital. The thought makes his throat constrict. Although, for once, in a good way.

��We took a while to get to you,” Bruce says. He knows Tony well enough by now to not believe him about his health. “And you were bleeding when we arrived.”

Tony has catalogued his injuries in the shower this morning. Split lip, a cut over his eyebrow, sore ribs, and a multitude of bruises. That is it. It could have been much worse.

“Truly, Bruce,” Tony insists, even though Bruce and Rhodey are now looking at him with obvious doubt. “I’m fine.”

They do not believe him. Tony probably would not either. He has seen his face in the mirror this morning. He knows he takes every movement with exaggerated care, at least when nobody is watching him.

Compared to the weeks before he is fine, however. Nobody is trying to kill him anymore, he can concentrate on the future. If hie ignores the emotional toll of last night, he is doing well. He is free.

“What are your ribs doing?” Bruce asks, skipping the pretence completely.

Tony just barely keeps himself rolling his eyes. “I guess I refractured them again.” That happens when people keep kicking him in the ribcage. By now, he has almost gotten used to being constantly in pain with every breath he takes.

“You guess?” Rhodey pipes in, sharing a look with Bruce as if they have always known each other, always banded together over Tony’s inability to take care of himself.

A small part of Tony feels flattered. Bruce should not be here. He has a soulmate to care for and the Avengers to go back to. Since Obadiah is dead, he does not need to look in on Tony. It would probably be safer for all of them to keep their distance lest Coulson changes his mind about covering up for them. And yet Bruce is here.

“I appreciate your concern, but I’ve been worse,” Tony says. Bruce is too kind to just leave if Tony does not give him an out. “They didn’t torture me. It was just a couple slaps to remind me of who’s in charge. The worst thing was Obie’s monologuing.”

He keeps his tone light but cannot quite hide how the mere memory makes him wince. His mother’s face keeps flashing in front of his eyes, the way she used to smile. how she never gave up on mediating between Tony and his father.

“Take off your shirt.”

Tony is already halfway through nodding his head when the words register. He expected Bruce to accept his rejection of medical care and leave. Or possibly to ask more questions about what transpired between Obadiah and him the night before. People never just stay for his sake, Rhodey being the glorious exception. Even Pepper and Happy had been on his payroll before becoming his friends.

“What?” Tony asks, raising his hands in front of him as if he has to bodily keep Bruce from tearing his shirt off. “No.”

Identical glares meet him from both Rhodey and Bruce. He does not want to show them the new mess of bruises on his chest, even though Rhodey must have noticed them the night before and Bruce has seen him in a worse condition already. This time, it feels more like a personal failure than a violation done to him.

If he keeps the bruises on his skin tucked away and breathes shallowly enough to avoid his ribs hurting, he can almost feel like everything that happened is long behind him. There is no hiding from the scars inside his mind, of course, so perhaps his reluctance is moot anyway.

“I’ll make it quick, but I am going to have a look at you,” Bruce counters, unimpressed by Tony’s refusal. “I can’t believe you’re this stubborn. You were kidnapped.”

Tony knew what he was getting into. Theoretically. Bruce can do nothing for his broken ribs. The bones will heal and so will Tony’s heart. It just needs time.

“And I’m –”

“Lose the shirt, Tones,” Rhodey cuts in, not stern enough to mask the worry on his face. They are all just trying to look out for each other.

“You’re supposed to be on my side,” Tony mutters and lowers his hands, clenching his fingers around the hem of his shirt without lifting it.

“I am,” Rhodey answers solemnly, not moving even an inch. “And I like this one.”

With great reluctance, Tony takes off his shirt. He does not meet his friends’ eyes as he leans back against the table, preferring to look down at himself. Several big patches of skin are discoloured. Vibrant blues and violet, misshapen or vaguely reminiscent of fists. The pain increases immediately, just from looking at the bruises as if all his brain needed was a confirmation that they are still there.

Next to him, Rhodey stares intently for several long seconds before turning away. He is clenching his hands, muttering curses under his breath. Perhaps he regrets not having been there the night before as Tony is glad that he was not. It would have been impossibly harder to keep himself together with his best friend there.

Bruce’s face does not show what he is thinking, although his jaw twitches with distinct displeasure. He reaches out and palpates each of the bruises. The touch stings but Tony remains where he is, knowing Bruce does this as carefully as possible.

“Despite knowing I’ll be ignored, I’ll tell you now that you should take it easy for the next weeks,” Bruce says as he turns to get the tape out of his bag.

“I’ll make sure he does,” Rhodey says, still sounding like he wants to go out and deal some damage of his own to the people who did this to Tony.

Wisely, Tony keeps his mouth shut. He has no time to rest. Now more than ever, he needs to be present in his company, needs to build and pave the way for the future. If pressed, he can tell them that he will have DUM-E do all the heavy lifting for him in the workshop, but Rhodey knows better than to expect him to stay in bed.

Thankfully, there are no open wounds to clean or stitch up, so Bruce is done very quickly, applying the tape as if he rarely does anything else. It has Tony wondering how often he needs to patch up the Avengers this way. Tony did not register much of the fighting in the warehouse but the entire thing seemed rather headless, swarming in without much of a plan other than attack. That might be Tony’s preferred mode of action, but as professionals, they should surely do things differently.

When Bruce is packing his things back up, he looks up at Tony, lips dipping down for a moment as if he already regrets what is going to say. “I guess you’re not seeking help for your mental health either?”

Tony’s first instinct is to ask What for? He knows. Of course, he knows. He has been kidnapped twice in mere weeks, and has almost been killed three times. His godfather betrayed him. His parents were murdered. He can see how that could warrant seeking help. He is fine, though. Exhausted and still somewhat in shock but fine.

“Don’t tell me you’re offering to do that too,” Tony asks lightly without outright rejecting the idea. He would never hear the end of that. Already, he is afraid that Rhodey will pick it up later.

“Hardly.” Bruce snorts, although he does not sound very amused. His expression is pinched but clears again quickly. “I would just recommend it.”

Bed rest and therapy. Other people might have the luxury of taking care of themselves first, but Tony has found that a few hours – or days – in the workshop do the same job. The art of creation is the most potent medicine he knows.

“It’s over now,” he says dismissively.

Bruce’s eyes linger on Tony’s torso, running over the bruises and the accurate lines of tape. Suddenly self-conscious, Tony reaches for his shirt and pulls it back on.

“Is it?” Bruce asks, no trace of pity in his voice. “Did you sleep tonight?”

“Yes.” Well, he passed out when the exhaustion finally pulled him under. Nobody has to know he woke up mere hours later because he dreamt of Obadiah looming over him. Rhodey might have noticed but did not comment on it.

Bruce does not believe him. To be fair, the bags under Tony’s eyes do not exactly back his answer. With a sigh, Bruce turns towards Rhodey. “Is that something you can talk sense into him about?”

“I will certainly try,” Rhodey promises without missing a beat. It sounds vaguely like a threat.

Straightening, Tony glares at them. “Could you please not conspire against me?”

To himself, he can admit that he is glad for it. Considering the way Rhodey had raged against the Avengers, it is a small miracle that he is now standing in the same room with Bruce and has an entirely amicable conversation with him. Tony has no illusions that the rest of the team would get the same treatment, but this is important to him.  

Rhodey smiles at him, something predatory in the line of his lips. “That depends on how well you take care of yourself.”

Which means Rhodey will talk JARVIS into throwing Tony out of the workshop at a sensible time, and they will force him to eat three meals a day and limit his coffee intake – all for his own good, of course.

Already feeling the future lack of coffee, Tony pushes himself away from the table to get himself another cup. They are welcome to stop him – and Bruce does, although not with medical advice.

“Thank you, Tony,” he says suddenly, his voice firm. That stops Tony right in his tracks. He has done nothing that warrants gratitude from Bruce. On the contrary, considering he got Thor shot. “I’m not saying it was smart what you did or that you should ever do it again, but thank you for getting Thor out of there.”

Oh. Bruce is thanking him for giving himself up. Which Rhodey and Pepper yelled at him for. And Thor. And Steve too. Compared to that, Bruce’s words should not weigh more, but Tony’s chest fills with unexpected warmth.

Still, Tony is aware of Rhodey in his back, and of how most people think he should not be so lax with his own safety.

“It’s not as if he went to the hospital as he was supposed to,” Tony says, attempting to wave the entire matter off.

“I already yelled at him for that,” Bruce says, his eyes narrowed. That conversation apparently went very well.

“So it’s my turn now?” Tony quips and starts walking to the coffee machine again. He just knows that Rhodey and Bruce are sharing a glance behind his back, but he does not mind. Things worked out well.  

Bruce sighs. The sound is practised, long-suffering. “If I thought for a second that you wouldn’t happily sacrifice yourself the next time the opportunity arises, I might try.

It takes effort not to laugh at that. Howard tried for years to cure Tony of his undesirable character traits and had never any success. His friends will not either, especially not if it is about something that ultimately benefits them.

Once the coffee machine is running, Tony opens the cupboard and turns around, gesturing vaguely in question whether he should get out cups for them too. Rhodey nods with the quiet resignation of someone knowing they will need all the energy they can get to survive Tony’s madness. In turn, Bruce hesitates but declines.

“What are you even doing here, Bruce?” Tony blurts, then immediately scolds himself for it. Bruce looks like he wants to leave but, at the same time, like he is not sure where to go. “I just mean, I thought you wouldn’t leave Thor’s side.”

Tony does not want Bruce to think he is not welcome here. To hide the blood shooting into his cheeks, Tony hides his face in the cupboard as he gets out two cups and arranges them neatly next to the coffee machine.

“He sent me back to the base when Coulson wanted to talk to you two,” Bruce replies, nothing offended in his tone. Quietly, he adds, “He worries.”

Coulson could still be a danger to all of them, especially the Avengers. This story about having worked with Natasha and Barton before sounds too convenient, leaving them with the sudden possibility for a happy ending that none of them could imagine before. There has to be a catch.

“And you didn’t go?” Tony asks instead of opening that can of worms.

He glances over his shoulder and blinks when he finds Bruce’s normally amiable expression twisted into something annoyed. “Oh, I did go,” he bites out, his displeasure tangible in the air. “But my team continues to be full of idiots who take offence to anyone having a private life, so we yelled a bit at each other before I came back here.”

Tony hides a sigh of relief at not being the reason for Bruce’s anger. It also makes him wonder how the Avengers have managed to stay together for years if they are so prone to bickering amongst each other.

“I’m sorry,” Tony says and turns to pour the coffee to escape Bruce’s reaction.

“What for?” Bruce asks, already sounding gentler again. “It’s not your fault.”

In a way, though, it is. He has had no hand in Thor becoming a bodyguard or in Stane deciding to get rid of him in the first place, but Tony is still the axis this entire mess revolves around.

“Without me, they wouldn’t have found out about Thor,” Tony offers. He does not know Bruce’s reasons for keeping his soulmate secret, but it is out now.

He uses the coffee as an excuse to keep his eyes down as he carries the two cups over to the table. Rhodey and Bruce are still standing, making the entire scene look as if they are all ready to run at a moment’s notice.

“I’m not angry about them finding out but about how they handled it,” Bruce says firmly. He does not elaborate, but Tony has an inkling how that conversation went.

“Do you want water, at least?” Tony asks Bruce, unwilling to get deeper into the topic of the Avengers dealing with emotional matters. He could not offer an objective opinion anyway.

“I shouldn’t even be here,” Bruce says but trails off, perhaps wondering where else he could go while arguing with his friends.

To Tony, the solution to that is obvious. He does not blurt it out like he almost wants to do, but sits down and pointedly gestures at them to follow suit. There is no reason they cannot have this conversation in a civilized manner.

Rhodey is the first to sit, while Bruce appears conflicted. He must worry about Thor. Finally, he caves and sinks into a chair.

“You’re welcome to stay here, you know?” Tony says. He should perhaps not blurt that out like that, but he is not sure he will get another chance.

This interlude with the Avengers is over. Luckily, of course, because that means he is not in any particular danger anymore to get beaten up again by Barton or Barnes. It means his name is cleared and nobody is attempting to kill him anymore. It means he can distance himself from their little mob and get on with his life.

Regret has no room here. Tony likes Bruce, and he feels safe with Thor. Wanting them to stay close does not mean he is betraying himself or forget his treatment at the hands of the Avengers. He will not allow Steve close without reservations.

Bruce smiles at him, little more than a slight twitch of his lips. “Thor said as much. Thank you, Tony.”

That sounds like a rejection. Not as if Bruce does not want to stay but like he thinks Tony is simply offering him a hiding place for a few days. Tony wants him to stay for good, though. Thor too.

He has learned anew how important it is to surround himself with people he can trust, who are good at heart. If Bruce accepts to stay, Tony could offer him a better life. They could work together. With both their minds applied to a project, they could change the future.

“I mean long-term,” Tony corrects quickly, wondering whether he is out of place. They do not know each other that well, after all. “I don’t presume to tell you what to do with your life, but you’re brilliant and a friend. I could have a lab ready for you in no time. You could – stop running.”

Tony bites his lips and looks down at his coffee. He feels Bruce eyes on him. Worse than that is Rhodey’s staring. All Rhodey knows is that Bruce is part of the Avengers. Whether he patched Tony up or not, he is still the enemy. Bruce might very well think the same about Tony.

“I –” Bruce trails off. He does not look offended but almost embarrassed. “I appreciate the offer, but it’s not as easy as that.”

That is not a no, Tony realizes with relief. Bruce is not refusing outright and his reluctance might not have anything to do with Tony at all. No matter that they have spent little time together, Tony knows that Bruce has no qualms to speak his mind. He would not hesitate to tell Tony no if he really does not want to stay here. Which leaves one more, glaring option.

“Because of Ross,” Tony states calmly, fighting to not sound too excited.

He throws a guilty glance at Rhodey who perks up at that, connecting Tony’s manner to the topic at hand.

“General Ross?” Rhodey asks, always able to read Tony – and Tony would not care about Rhodey’s presence if they were talking about a Ross he does not know. Involving Rhodey could make things much easier but also more complicated.

“Nasty business,” Tony replies with forced cheer. There is no going back now anyway. “I hope you don’t like him because I have half a mind of making sure he’ll never set foot on a military base ever again.”

Rhodey has questions, but Bruce looks positively green around the nose, so Tony twitches his head just so that Rhodey notices. They can talk about this in more detail later – Tony would not go against a general of the US military without Rhodey anyway.

“Nobody likes Ross,” Rhodey says, drawing out the words in a way that tells Tony they will have a long conversation about this and why Tony is talking about taking on another powerful person after just escaping the machinations of Stane.

“Great,” Tony says with a careless grin that has to be grating on his two much more sensible friends. “Do you have some dirt on him?”

Rhodey looks at him, rather unimpressed. “That depends –” he starts but cuts himself off when Bruce clears his throat uncomfortably, looking at them like he regrets ever having sat down.

“You don’t have to do this,” Bruce says, his expression closed off. A note of hope is clearly audible in his tone, however, which is certainly involuntary, considering the way Bruce ducks his head the moment the words are over his lips.

Tony looks at Bruce for a long minute, taking in the tension in his shoulders and the way he is hiding his hands under the table where they are surely clenched. He wants Bruce to know that he sees him, that he knows this will not be easy. Stopping to run never is, especially not when it is all one has done for years.

“I know,” Tony says, aiming to sound confident without being dismissive about it. “But you also helped me when you didn’t have to. And I like you.” He shrugs, trying to take the weight out of the words. “It’s just an idea, but I’d like you to think about it.”

Some of the tension drains out of Bruce’s posture, and while he does not appear surprised, he is not entirely convinced this is a good idea. Which is good, Tony supposes, because he is not either. Liking Bruce is one thing, but going to war against Ross for him is another. They have been through an ordeal together, though, and that is a first good step to trusting each other.

“I’ll need to see where Thor is going,” Bruce says after a moment of silence. As far as answers go, this is neither acceptance nor refusal. Of course, he will have to talk this through with his soulmate.

“I will talk to him too,” Tony says before he knows what he is doing. He does not want to put pressure on Bruce. If they do not accept his offer, that is just proof that he might have been wrong to make it in the first place, so he should not dig himself any deeper than he already is.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Rhodey moving as if he has to say something to that, but Tony does not look at him, intent on catching Bruce’s reaction. And Bruce leans back in his seat. Tony is smart enough to not read that as a sign of sudden acquiescence, but it is a start.

“Why?” Bruce asks, carefully neutral.

The why, for once, is comically simple. “Because I’ve just been shown that the number of people I can trust is even smaller than I thought,” Tony says, his mouth turned up in an estimate of a wry smile. “And platypus here tells me that I have a habit of pushing people away the moment I risk being vulnerable with them. I think it’s time to change that.”

He is not really ready to change that, of course, but he is willing to make an exception. Bruce has proven himself trustworthy several times, and Thor is steadfast in ways that stabilise Tony.

Bruce smiles, looking wistful for a moment. “You’re a good person, Tony, you know that?” he says, nothing but honesty in his voice. And Tony barely knows what to do with that.

Being a good person never really featured in the plans other people and he himself had for him. He is supposed to be brilliant and innovative, to generate jobs and a lot of money. He has to be good at things. Building, leading the company, socialising. He has no idea how to be good just for the sake of it.

“Nope,” he replies with fake cheer. “But I’m working on it.”

Bruce opens his mouth as if to argue, and Tony just knows that Rhodey will have to say something about it. They both stay silent, though, until Bruce nods.

“All right,” he says, not showing either way whether he thinks about accepting Tony’s offer. That is all right, they have time as long as Bruce and the Avengers do not disappear without a word. “I’ll go and try to wrangle Thor back into bed. I suggest you get some more rest too. If you’re feeling dizzy or are in pain, call me.”

JARVIS is here to keep an eye on Tony, but he appreciates the offer. Even if he knows he is not going to call for Bruce when he is feeling unwell. Thor needs Bruce more and he has done enough to them.

“You should get some sleep too,” Tony says instead of making any promises. The past weeks have been long for all of them.

“Look at that,” Rhodey drawls to the side. “We’re all being adults and taking care of each other. Miracles do happen.”

He looks at them appraisingly and makes his words sound a bit like a threat. In a way it is. After wrangling the mess Tony was at MIT, he knows exactly how to push Tony into compliance to take care of himself. He has never stopped guiding Tony’s hand when necessary.

“Ignore him,” Tony says, shooting a glare of his own in Rhodey’s direction. “He thinks he’s funny.”

Once again, Tony is beyond glad that Rhodey is here, that he has someone at his side whose motives he never has to doubt anymore.

Bruce looks at them, his expression warm. “Well, I see you’re in good hands,” he says and, without further ado, gets to his feet.

It does not feel like a goodbye, but Tony still fears he will never see Bruce again if he lets him just go now. Still, it is not his place to cling to either Bruce or Thor. Heaping his expectations on others does not end well, as Obadiah has shown.

“Thank you, Bruce,” Tony says, trying to convey everything he feels in these few words.

And Bruce smiles, softening further. “Any time.”

The answer is the same as Steve’s has been and it appears just as honest. Tony has never doubted Bruce, of course, but it makes him feel better about Steve. He hopes there will not be a next time, but it is good to know that he has people around who will have his back.

They watch Bruce go, his back straight and his steps light. He has barely disappeared out the door when Rhodey says, “Just because I like him doesn’t mean the rest of that mob is off the hook.”  

Unable to help himself, Tony laughs. It is not particularly funny, and he does not feel either that the situation with the Avengers is resolved, but life goes on. And Tony does not have to walk that road alone.

#stony #marvel #fanfiction #slow burn #angst #hurt comfort #mostly comfort #tony stark #rhodey #bruce banner #soulmates #mob au #leave the gun on the table #ao3 #my writing

[tilltheendwilliwrite]

Qi Flows for Her

Chapter Nine

Previous Chapter

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC x Bucky Barnes  |  Word Count: 6581 Warnings: Language. Angst. I apologize in advance.

This update was brought to you anonymously through Coffee Updates. Thanks for the support, nonnie!

They were sixty minutes into the trip before Bucky's fidgeting finally forced Steve to put the jet on autopilot and turn toward his best friend. “Alright. Spill.”

“Huh?” Bucky muttered. “S’nothing.”

Steve shook his head. “You're as antsy as that time you nearly got caught making out with Betty Wilford by her dad. You're lucky I was waiting for you outside, or he would have beat your ass. Now spill. What's the matter with you?”

“Steve,” Bucky sighed and pushed from his seat to wander back into the jet. “This isn't something we need to go over right now. We’ve got a job to do and don't need- I mean- we shouldn't- Fuck!” he shouted and tugged at his hair. “I kissed Celine!”

The blood rushed in Steve's ears as it drained from his head. “What?” That wasn't at all what he’d expected Bucky to say.

“I didn't mean for it to happen. We were talking, and she was saying this stuff about how she could help me get the trigger words out of my head. How she could help me blend past and present to give me a future, and her hand was in my hair, and she was looking at me with those eyes… God, Steve. She smells… so good. And then her mouth was on mine and… and then she was pulling away and crying, and I told her I was sorry. That I'd really been there to talk to her about you.”

“Jesus, Bucky!” Steve barked, lurching to his feet. “What the hell?”

“Fuck, Steven! I know! Okay? I fucking know!” Bucky yelled. “I felt like dirt after, alright? Like scum! Of course, it's you. It's been you with every woman since that happened.” He waved at Steve, indicating his change in size.

“Yeah? And it was you for years before that!” Steve snapped. “It was me that was invisible. You think I liked being set up on your pity dates? Being the odd man out?”

“Do you think I liked hearing about from my date afterward when her friend bitched her out?”

Rage filled him, so strong he was lunging toward Bucky before stumbling to a stop. “Jesus,” he whispered, staring at Bucky in horror. “I just about… over a dame.”

Bucky unclenched his fists and sat slowly down on the floor. “Me too. Shit.” He hung his head. “Though she's one swell dame.” 

“Yeah… well,” Steve dropped to the floor beside Bucky and let his head thunk against the wall. “What the hell do we do now, Bucky?”

“Nothing.”

“We can't keep dancing around it. We both want her.”

“Yeah, but she doesn't want us. She's terrified of an emotional connection. Says she destroys what she loves. That she's cursed and destined to be alone. That she deserves to be alone.”

Steve sighed, his heart hurting for her. “I wish she'd talk to us. Tell us what went so wrong.”

“You think Charles would? Or Logan?”

“I think contacting Logan anytime in the next century will be met with a frosty reception. The Professor might, but if it's personal to Celine…” Steve gave a defeated shrug. “I didn't mean what I said, Buck.”

“I know, Steve. Even if it was true.” Bucky bumped his shoulder against Steve's.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Bucky began to fidget again.

“What?” Steve asked.

“It was a perfect kiss.”

A smile twitched Steve's lips. “Yeah, it was. Best I've ever had.”

“Well that's not saying much,” Bucky teased. “You've kissed what, like three women?”

“Shut your piehole, Barnes.” Steve shoved him over. “Quality over quantity.”

“Sure, sure. You keep telling yourself that,” Bucky snickered. “We’ll get that cherry of yours popped someday.”

Steve rolled his eyes and stood up. “I ain't no virgin, Barnes.”

“Considering you haven't gotten any since 1940 you may as well be.”

“Fuck you,” Steve muttered, ignoring the red in his cheeks.

Bucky laughed and jumped up to follow him back into the cockpit where he dropped in his seat. “Seriously though. What are we going to do about Celine? If she can fix my head, I want the help, but I don't want my feelings for her to strain against our relationship, Steve. We've been friends too damn long for that.”

He sighed and nodded, agreeing with Bucky. “No, you're right. She's made it clear she's doesn’t want a relationship, but I think she needs friends. Something's going on with her and Nat. More than what we saw today. Peter’s never spoken out like that before. When we get back, we get to the bottom of things. If that means I have to make a personal visit to Xavier, I will. I want answers, and Nat’s out of control.”

“She was spying on Celine and me in the library.”

Steve frowned and glanced at Bucky. “I don't like it. I also don't like Celine lying about needing to feed.”

“Maybe,” Bucky sighed. “But Wanda's right. We don't ask permission to eat. Why should she simply because her food source is different? She's not hurting people. Logan looked a little shaky when he stormed out, but they've done that before, clearly. Guess he's a teammate she's willing to feed on.”

The slight bitterness didn’t escape Steve's notice, but he didn't point it out either. “Logan's got that advance healing ability. It's likely he could sustain the loss of chi and rebuild it easily enough. It was Celine I was worried about. She looked… like death.” Gray and wasted away, as if she'd aged rapidly in minutes.

“Do you think that's what having no reserves is like? She said she'd purged the negative after her talk with Stark. If she was already running on fumes and then lost her connection to her chi when Nat sucker punched her, Steve… could she have died while we all stood there looking on if Logan hadn’t been around?”

The idea made his chest hurt. “I don't know, Buck. But it makes me wonder something.”

“What's that?”

“If Celine's supposed to be able to feed on emotions, and has fed on the negative ones associated with a mission, why would she need to purge these ones? And why would living in a writhing cesspool be a problem for her?”

Bucky looked momentarily surprised before frowning. “That's a damn good question, punk.”

***

A week went by in which Celine spent as little time as possible with the others. Her freedom had come at a price though no one knew it but her and the shadow which dogged her trail. Every time Celine left the tower, Natasha followed. The woman made it damn near impossible to feed without her constant hovering presence.

It was tricky to slip into a bathroom stall and seduce dinner out of a willing subject when seconds later the door would open, and a throat would clear, indicating Natasha was waiting. The first time it happened, Celine had been livid. How dare the woman interrupt what was essentially Celine’s lunch break? But Natasha was determined to make Celine’s life as difficult as possible and didn’t seem to care Celine was gradually growing weaker.

Celine had taken to leaving at night and making the rounds of the clubs closest to the tower, but her shadow never faltered. Still, she could dance and feed in the dark edges of the clubs, and if she happened to syphon off the outcome of a few transactional relationships taking place in the alleyways on her way home, she doubted Natasha noticed.

Then, somehow, a tabloid got ahold of a picture of her one night while she was out dancing. When speculation was made about the new Avenger and her penchant for partner swapping and partying, the brass had gotten involved.

Fury and Hill had appeared the next day and made it clear they wouldn’t tolerate bad press. Celine had made it equally clear she didn’t appreciate having her name or face associated with the Avengers when her position on the team was supposed to have been a secret. They’d both looked guilty, but no one was talking about just who had sold her out, or how someone had gotten ahold of those pictures. Like she couldn’t guess.

Natasha had looked too smug and pleased with herself not to have been involved.

After that, Celine had gone on a mission with Tony and Sam. The ease of the operation made her think they’d brought her along so that she could have a break from Natasha and get something to eat. Little did they know the fear and anger she’d feasted on was doing nothing but making her sicker by the day.

Then Vision and Wanda were called away. Sam was asked to speak at a Gala for Veterans Affairs. A crisis at the UN required Tony’s input. Soon, the only ones left were Celine, Natasha, and Bruce.

A few days passed in relative peace. Celine was far too tired to deal with Natasha and spent more time reading or sleeping than was healthy. She went out long enough to feed when and where she could before returning to the tower, her stomach growling in anger at being denied a real meal, but anything longer than a snack was interrupted.

Steve and Bucky had been gone for three weeks when the call came in late one evening. Clint was visiting, and Peter had stopped by with questions about his history paper, but no one else had returned from their current missions, leaving only the five of them in the tower.

“Suit up,” Clint said when he ended his phone call. “We’ve got a foreign dignitary whose daughter was taken by kidnappers thirty minutes ago.”

“What makes this an Avenger call?” asked Peter when he hopped up from the floor, his homework forgotten.

“Chitauri powered weapons were involved in her taking. They’ve got more firepower than the police are equipped to handle. Friday’s already been tracking them and has a location pinpointed.” Barton frowned when he looked at Celine, climbing slowly from the couch. “You up for this?”

“I’ll be fine,” Celine murmured and headed for her room to change. “I’ll meet you at the jet in five minutes.”

She made it back in three and walked up the ramp as she was tying her hair back. “What else do we know?”

All business, Natasha had the jet rising the minute Celine joined Bruce, Clint, and Peter. “The girl is fourteen-year-old Gerda Jensen. Her father is a Prince of Denmark, and they’re here because Gerda needs a new heart. She’s been on the transplant list for almost a year.”

“And they found her a heart?” Celine asked.

“Finally,” Clint nodded. “She’s got some rare condition which made it damn near impossible. We’ve got four hours to get her back and get her to the hospital before the donor's heart is no longer viable.”

“Dang,” Peter muttered. Suited up, he sat perched on a beam with his mask in hand. “What they want with her?”

Clint shrugged. “We’re pretty sure the ransom demand is bogus. Nine billion? Yeah right. The prince doesn’t have that kind of money even with his ransom insurance. They’re buying time, but for what we don’t know yet. So keep your head up and your eyes open.”

He pulled up the satellite images Friday had managed to capture of the warehouse in the industrial area they were holding Gerda. “Nat and Celine will go in through the ground floor. There are doors here and here.” He pointed to the North and East of the building. “Parker and I will secure the roof and work our way down. We’ve got a dozen bad guys to deal with, and when we find Gerda she’s likely going to be scared out of her mind and with her bad heart…” Clint looked pointedly at Bruce.

“Everyone gets one of these.” Bruce held up a little syringe. “I’ve had a chance to look over her files, and it’s not good. Too much stress and she could go into cardiac arrest. This is a mild sedative. It will keep her calm long enough for us to get her back to the doctors who can treat her best.” He passed one out to each of them, while Clint chucked Natasha’s at her which the woman easily caught. “Having the Hulk tear through the building is just a horrible idea unless necessary. No code green if we can avoid it. Once you’re secure, I’ll come in with the jet and extract everyone from the parking lot behind the building.”

“How are we getting in without anyone noticing?” Celine asked. Dusk was falling, but it would still be easy to see them without cover.

Clint zoomed out the satellite image. “Nat will set the jet down in stealth mode here in this empty lot. We’ll have to hoof it from there, but we should be fine for coverage. I'll have a clear sightline of the building from this roof and will deal with these two sentries myself.”

“Sounds good,” Celine murmured, ignoring the pain in her middle. A young girl’s life was on the line. Whatever discomfort she was in was nothing when compared to the terror Gerda must be feeling. “Are there schematics for the building?”

The holographic image which appeared was all Friday’s doing as the AI began to speak. “The main portion of the warehouse has been sectioned off into individual bays and what appears to have once been office spaces. The second floor, though relatively more open, has an unstable floor structure. Step in the wrong spot, and you will fall through. Which makes this all the more difficult as Gerda is on the second floor.”

“Great,” Barton grumbled. “Pete looks like that’s all you.”

“I can help if needed,” Celine offered. “Use my power to hold the floor together. I’ve done it before.”

“Alright, change of plans. Once I’ve got thing one and two taken out, you and Pete start down from the roof. Nat and I will work our way through the building, quietly taking out the baddies,” Clint said.

“Cool!” Peter grinned at Celine who only arched a brow. “I mean, it will be nice working with you again, Celine.”

She chuckled softly and ruffled his hair. “Fast and quiet, little spider. We must make rescuing the princess our priority.”

“Haha! I can’t believe someone said those words aloud,” Clint snickered. “We just became a flipping Disney movie.”

Celine rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but chuckle as the three males all laughed.

“Two minutes!” Natasha called, dragging them out of their mirth.

Peter pulled on his mask. Clint checked his bow and quiver. Bruce went and readied everything he thought he might need when they returned with Gerda. Celine only turned to face the door. The combined emotions of her teammates weighed heavily against her. As hungry as she was, it made focusing past them difficult. She needed to feed, even if it was anger or fear. Depending on how unstable the floor was, she would need the energy to hold things together.

The jet slowly touched down, and Clint appeared beside her holding out an earpiece. “You alright?”

“Still fine,” she muttered as she put the com in her ear.

“You’re looking a little sallow there,” he murmured. “Not your usual chipper self.”

“I’m fine, Clint. Don’t worry about me,” Celine said as the ramp for the jet opened.

“Team leader worries about everyone,” Clint said as he followed her down the ramp. “That’s just what we do.”

Sincerity rang in his words and suffused his aura, singing truth to her. He honestly did care if something was wrong, but Celine could never tell him the truth. “Thank you, Clint. But I’m fine.”

“Time’s wasting away,” Natasha snapped as she stalked past them. “Move your ass, Barton.”

“Hard to do when someone is a monumental pain in my ass,” Clint grumbled but followed her. “Let’s get this done.”

Celine bit back a laugh. The relationship between Natasha and Clint was so pure and just right, even if it was Natasha “stick up her ass” Romanoff on the receiving end of the playful banter.

“Com check?” Bruce murmured in her ear.

“Check,” Celine said, listening as the others answered.

At the fire escape stairs of the building just north of the warehouse, they parted ways. Natasha continued toward the entrance, while Peter, Clint, and Celine climbed the rickety, rusty stairs to the roof of the neighbouring building where they all crouched low to avoid being seen by the two guards watching for anyone approaching.

“Sir?” Friday murmured in everyone’s ear.

“Yeah, Friday?” Clint asked, pulling an arrow from his quiver.

“We just got word. They’ve demanded the Prince outlaw all Mutants in Denmark.”

“Can he do that?” Peter asked.

“No. Though he is a Prince of Denmark, he has not the authority to make such a decree,” Friday informed them.

“So why ask for a second ransom you should know will be impossible?” asked Celine.

“Because when they ask for the third one, which will be attainable, the Prince will pay it.” Clint let the first arrow fly, the second streaking after it barely a second later. Two gas clouds puffed up and both men slowly slid to the ground. “Sentries are down. Nat?”

“I’m in. Clear so far.”

“You two find the princess. We’ll see what these idiots were really up to,” Clint murmured, turning to climb down off the roof.

“I could-” Peter offered only to have Clint hold out his hand.

“No. The stairs are fine.” His head disappeared over the side of the roof.

“Wow, you push a guy off a roof one time,” Peter grumbled.

“Explain?” Celine chuckled as she snuck her way across the roof to get closer to the warehouse.

“He said he wished there was a faster way off the roof. I shot him with my webbing and gave him a shove. It worked, and he landed nice and soft. Still, Clint didn’t appreciate my genius.”

Celine snickered. “I suppose if one wasn’t prepared to be shoved off the roof it might come as a surprise.”

“Maybe,” Peter huffed.

“Can you see through those windows?”

“No, but Drony can.” He tapped the spider centred on his chest. The little robot spider lifted up and flew across the gap between the buildings. “Looks like five, no six guys. I don’t see Gerda, but the windows are really grungy.”

“Is anyone looking at us?” Celine asked, calculating the distance between the two buildings. A twenty-foot span roughly.

“No. Why?”

Celine backed up a few steps, then sprinted forward. She hit the ledge and pushed off hard. It was a distance she’d cleared many times in the past, but on the slow arch down, she realized this was going to be one of the times she didn’t quite make it and hit the ledge stomach first with a bone-jarring thud. A mad scramble ensued as she jerked herself up and over the edge, falling to the roof to pant and mentally swear at her weakness.

“Jeez, Celine!” Peter hissed, dropping down beside her. “I could have swung us both over without the need to scare the life out of anyone.”

“Didn’t think of that. Sorry,” she wheezed, rubbing her midsection.

“Are you okay?” he asked, helping her to her feet.

“Little sore. I’ll be fine. You remember to stay out of the way this time, alright?”

“I have little desire to get shot again. You be careful too. I’ve dealt with these Chitauri made weapons before. They’re dangerous.”

Celine patted his masked cheek. “I believe you, little spider.”

Together, they made their way across the roof to the access door. Before Peter could pull it open, Celine placed her palm against the metal, sending a trickle of golden chi along the hinges. “Let's not announce ourselves if we don’t need to.”

He nodded and tugged at the door. It swung open without a sound and no resistance, nearly hitting him in the face. Peter slipped inside, jumped to the ceiling, and crawled along it to see down the stairwell. “All clear,” he whispered, continuing forward along the ceiling.

The door swung shut behind her with barely a click as Celine descended the steep stairwell. Another door hung off its hinges leading into the second floor, and she crouched down to have a look through the opening. Three men stood smoking off to the right, large guns of a type she’d never seen before hanging from their backs.

Along the floor were boards laid end to end, creating a network of pathways to walk upon over the weak, hole filled floor. The three stood in a half circle muttering to each other, partially hidden behind what was left of a former office wall. Celine listened for a moment before looking up at Peter. “See if you can find the princess. I’ve got them.”

“You’re not going to do that whole River to the Underworld thing again are you?” he whispered.

Her face fell. “No-”

“Good. It was loud last time, and if you were, I wouldn’t want to miss it.” He winked, somehow, with his mask and snuck through the opening to climb quickly to the ceiling.

Surprise filled her, but Celine only smiled and shook her head. The boy was too damn sweet. Rising to her full height, she gave the zipper front of her suit a tug, allowing her cleavage to spill forward far more than necessary. She pulled her hair from the tie, allowed Styx to rise, and sent tendrils of lust curling along the ground to ensnare the three men before they could react with fear.

She walked out onto the wood and swayed toward them, a siren call in her chi. Each turned to look at her and inhaled in shock. “Now, what are three fine men like you doing here?” she purred as she moved into their circle.

The first stuttered softly when she dragged her nails over his chest. “Waiting.”

“For?” she whispered, running her fingers over the second’s arm.

“Instructions,” said the third when his hands landed on her hips.

“From who?” she asked innocently.

“The Lash,” he said.

“And who’s The Lash?” Celine asked, running her hands over his body.

“Whip’s partner,” he murmured, eyes dark with want. “Girl, you’re a fine piece of ass.”

“I know, baby and I’m here for you.” She stepped back into the first man who was grinding up against her. “For all of you. Don’t you feel it? How much I want you?” she purred, pulling the second man closer.

“Fuck, yes!” he groaned, his voice thick.

“Then kiss me,” she whispered. “Kiss me like I’m yours.”

His mouth was on hers, lust-drunk and delicious. Celine fed his fantasy, made it burn hot and hard and dirty until he came in his pants and dropped to his knees. Feeling a little high, she reached up and gripped the hair of the man groping her breasts. “Gently,” she crooned, allowing him to slobber on her throat.

The man before her was staring at his comrade on the ground, some of the lusty haze fading from his eyes. “Look at me,” she purred, slipping her hand over his groin. “Don’t you want me?”

“Yeah, baby, but Bob…”

“I was too much for Bob,” she purred. “You’re so much better than him. Come. Kiss me like you mean it,” she coaxed, licking her lips.

He swooped down and sealed his mouth to hers. Celine pulled hard, fed fast and deep and dropped him to the ground before spinning around to feast on the third man, completely oblivious to what was happening around him. She dropped him to the ground when she’d had her fill.

A glorious throb of chi pulsed through her, making Celine shiver as she pulled up her zipper. She was full. Wonderfully full, and the three of them would be out of commission for a good twelve hours. Celine rolled her shoulders and turned to follow the winding pathways. No sound came from anywhere around her, but she could feel Barton and Natasha working their way through the first floor. Peter was above at the far end of the building, but he was approaching at a rapid pace.

“Celine!” he whispered, dropping from the rafters upside down. His eyes widened at the pile of men a few feet behind her. “Wow.”

“What did you find, Peter?”

“Oh, the Princess. She’s tied up in the corner over there.” He pointed to the far side of the building. “There are three more men with her, but she doesn’t look so hot.”

“Alright. I’m on my way.”

“Follow this path, then take the left fork,” he said, climbing back into the rafters.

Celine made her way quickly but cautiously forward, running her chi beneath her feet to be safe. When the path forked, she crouched down behind another rundown wall. “Friday,” she whispered. “Time?”

“Three hours, ten minutes remaining until the heart is no longer viable.”

Peter landed beside her. “What now?” he whispered.

“We need to get Gerda out of here.” She appeared to be tied to the wall by a piece of rope. Another bound her feet, and a third her hands. “If I get her untied and hold their attention, can you get her out of there without being seen?”

“Yeah, no problem,” Peter nodded.

Celine brought her hand to her ear. “Clint, Natasha. We’ve found her. Be ready to move when things get loud. Bruce, we’re going to need that evac in five minutes.”

“Celine?” Clint muttered. “Cap would say something profound at a time like this so… you get shot, walk it off.”

She chuckled. “I’ll do my best.” Concentrating on her hands, Celine created three little golden mice and sent them crawling across the floor until they could slip through a hole and run along beneath it, coming up again a few feet away from Gerda.

The girl jumped but didn’t scream. It wasn’t everyday mice of sparkly gold appeared out of a hole in the floor after all. Her eyes darted up and around. Celine allowed her chi to flicker over her fingers drawing the girl's notice, then brought a finger to her lips when Gerda appeared about to cry. The mice were already at work chewing through the ropes binding her.

Eyes on the girl, Celine mimed inhaling and exhaling calmly, trying to keep Gerda from panicking. She gave Peter a nudge, sending him back into the shadows and up into the ceiling.

“I don’t know why we’re doing this,” one of the men muttered. “What’s the boss want with some sick kid?”

“Who knows why Whip does anything,” another grumbled.

Celine rolled her eyes. What in the world kind of names were The Lash and The Whip? Again she lifted her finger to her lips for Gerda, then skirted the wall to come upon the men so their backs would be to the girl.

Celine's blood hummed happily, her chi strong, her body sated by her excessive but delicious meal. She felt fabulous, and when she rounded the far side of the wall, Celine let her tiger walk along with her. “Gentlemen,” she smiled, pouring the full power of Styx into her voice. “I think you have something that doesn’t belong to you.”

All three turned toward her with weapons raised. “Who the fuck are you?” the bigger of the three asked.

Her tiger leapt and tore the weapon from his hands, returning it to Celine. “I am the Gatekeeper. The River of Life flows through me. You have done great evil here today. If you wish to live to see tomorrow,” she hesitated, watching as Peter dropped down, gathered Gerda close, and ascended back into the ceiling, “you will leave now and give me the girl.”

“We’re still two guns to one,” said one of the other tattooed, muscle-bound idiots.

Celine flicked her fingers, and the tiger became a phoenix, wings spread wide, red chi sparkling along the feathers and tail. “I care very little for your guns,” she sneered, tossing the weapon away.

“Celine, we’re out,” Peter said in her ear.

“I think we’ll keep what we came for.”

Ice poured through her veins at that voice. “Thomas…” Slowly, Celine turned to face him, the boy she’d once cared for deeply, and the man whose world she’d torn apart. She took an involuntary step toward him. “Thomas. Where have you been?”

His once beautiful face twisted into an ugly sneer. “Dealing with what you’ve done. What you did to me!” he screamed, and the building shook.

“Celine?” Peter’s voice echoed through the com. “We need to go! Where are you?”

“Thomas… I’m sorry. I looked for you. The Professor looked for you. After what happened with Jacob-”

The building shook harder. “Don’t you speak his name!” Thomas roared. “You killed Jacob! You did!”

Celine took another step toward him. “Thomas, please. Come home. Let us help you.”

“I helped myself, Celine. But you. I’ve been looking for you for years.” Fire flowed from his fingers like a whip. “I couldn’t go back to the school to find you. Couldn’t find you out in the world. Imagine my surprise when I saw you whoring it up on the front of some trashy magazine. The newest Avenger.”

“So you took the girl to draw me out?” She took another step toward him. “Thomas, please. Don’t do this.”

“Do what?” he smiled, his dark eyes and rich red hair the only things about him still familiar. “Kill you? I’ve wanted to do that for years!” he bellowed and swung the fire whip.

It cracked against her phoenix when the bird flew in front of her, sending explosive balls of fire into the air and raining down over all of them.

“Celine!” Peter screamed through her com.

“Go!” she shrieked at them. “Go now! Save the girl!”

The sound of a blaster charging had her lifting her hand to deflect the weapon, but the energy just blew through her chi and slammed into her side. Agony screamed through her ribs as Celine stumbled backward. Then the floor gave way beneath her, and she was falling through the air, reaching for her phoenix.

The bird streaked down in a flash of gold and red, barely arriving in time to break her fall before her body slammed into the concrete. Celine coughed blood, choked on it, and laid there staring at Thomas above her.

“You should have killed me when you had the chance!” he screamed.

“Sure thing, pal!” Clint snapped, firing an arrow.

The second floor exploded beneath Thomas’s feet, sending wood and people flying through the air.

“Celine!” Peter cried, rushing toward her. “Oh, my god! Oh, my god! How bad is it? Can you move?”

“Parker! Pick her up! We don’t have time to worry about it now,” Clint barked, notching another arrow.

Celine whimpered in pain and coughed again when Peter pulled her close. “I’m sorry, Celine,” he whispered as he hurried toward the door, Clint backing out with him.

She tried to speak, tell him it wasn’t his fault, but the darkness took her.

***

Bucky was used to dreaming. He was used to nightmares and the memory of pain, so when he woke to darkness, it wasn’t much of a surprise. What did surprise him was the quiet whimper he could hear somewhere in the dark.

Slowly the dark lightened until a dirty living room with a dingy, sagging sofa appeared. A TV sat in one corner, tinfoil wrapped around the rabbit ears. The shag carpet was butt ugly orange and brown. The walls and ceiling yellowed from cigarette smoke. Through the hallway, he could make out two doors.

The open one showed a single bed with a pink blanket, more of the ugly carpet, and a beat-up white dresser. From behind the closed door, the sound was one he knew well. Someone was fucking, loudly and with vigour.

A second whimper sounded, and he turned to see a child, a little girl crouched down in the space between the sofa and the side table, huddled over her knees and sniffling.

“Hey,” Bucky whispered, moving to crouch down in front of her. “You okay?” She curled further in on herself. “My name is Bucky,” he said, sitting down close to her but not too close when she pulled away. “Can I sit here?”

She peeked at him through her hair but nodded.

“Man, they’re sure noisy,” he said, playing with the nasty carpet.

“Mama’s workin’,” she whispered. “I gotta be quiet and not a brat.”

“Looks like you’re doing a good job of that.”

“She said I could watch ‘tunes, but the TV doesn’t work no more.”

Bucky looked around. There wasn’t a light on in the place. “Maybe it’s broken?”

She shook her head. “Mama didn’t pay.”

“Sorry?” he blinked at her.

“The bill. She didn’t pay.”

“Oh, baby,” he murmured, heart breaking for the tiny child who knew things no child her age ever should.

“It’s okay. I snuck enough money to get bread.” She smiled at him.

Shock rippled through Bucky’s entire body. “Celine?” he whispered, staring into her too familiar eyes.

“Who’s she? I’m Adeline.”

Bucky startled awake.

***

“You bitch!”

Steve turned around in time to watch the woman slap the girl across the face. “What the hell?” he muttered, frowning at the ratty looking apartment.

“I didn’t take nothing!” the girl cried, holding her face.

“Don’t you lie to me, girl!” The angry woman raised her fist again but didn’t bring it down. “I had twenty dollars this morning, and now I don’t! You give it back! I need it.”

“I didn’t take it, but even if I had I wouldn’t give it back, mama! We need to eat this week!”

“I need a fix!” she screamed.

“Then whore yourself out like you always do!” the girl shrieked only to take the woman’s backhand to her face. All of ten, she fell to the ground with a sharp cry and laid there as the woman stormed out.

“Hey,” Steve murmured, finally finding his legs and making his way over to her. He crouched and reached for her arms, only to have her jerk away.

“Don’t touch me!”

Steve sat back as she shifted to sit bent over and hold her face. “Does that happen a lot?”

“So what if it does?” she snapped, her hair hanging in her face.

“I can help you if you want to leave.”

She snorted. “No one can help me. Not yet.”

“Why?” Steve asked.

“I’m not ready yet. For now, I skim what I can from Tammy’s purse to get by. I’ve kept a roof over our heads and my belly full. I just need three more years.” She sounded nearly gleeful.

“Three years until what?”

She lifted her head and threw her hair back, revealing her battered cheek, but a vicious smile curled her lips. “Until I escape.”

Shock rippled through him for he knew her eyes. “Celine?”

She frowned and shook her head. “My name is Adeline.”

***

Steve jolted awake and stared at the ceiling of the small apartment Shield had set them up in for the last three weeks. A creak of floorboards had him turning his head in time to watch Bucky walk past his door. “Buck?”

He stopped and backtracked. “I had a weird dream. Did I wake you?”

Steve shook his head. “Had my own weird dream.” He sat up and shoved at his hair. “You tell me yours, and I’ll tell you mine?”

Bucky wandered in and sat with a thump on Steve’s bed. “Dreamt about a little girl crying in a fucking ugly apartment. Six years old at most. Pretty clear her mother was entertaining in the other room. It was weird. She seemed to just… know stuff no kid that age should know. When she looked up… I… I could have sworn…” He shook his head. “It was weird.”

Steve scrubbed a hand over his mouth. “Mine wasn’t any better. A girl and her mother were fighting. The mom hauled off and backhanded her one. Looked like something that happened a lot, but when I said I could help her, she told me no one could help her. Not yet. That it would be three more years before she escaped.”

They sat there for a minute, contemplating the weirdness of it all.

“I thought she was Celine,” Bucky admitted, causing Steve’s head to snap up.

“I thought mine was Celine.”

They stared at each other for a heartbeat before saying together, “But she said her name was Adeline.”

Bucky lurched from the bed. “The fuck is this! Someone better not be fuckin’ round in my brain again!”

“If they were in yours they were in mine,” Steve said.

“What the fuck!” Bucky huffed, tightening the tie on his sweatpants. “Christ, Steve.”

“Don’t freak out. It could just be a weird coincidence,” Steve said, pushing to his feet when his phone buzzed on the desk across the room. “We’re headed home tomorrow, and we’ve talked a lot about Celine. Maybe we just… made it up?”

“You trying to convince me or you, Steve?”

He rolled his eyes and picked up his phone. There was a text from Peter, something rambling with emojis and shorthand Steve had no desire to learn. “It’s late for Parker to be texting.”

Bucky shrugged but sat on the foot of Steve’s bed. “Best call him. He doesn’t text you unless there’s a problem.”

Steve was already doing so. “Pete? What’s up?”

“Cap! It’s all my fault! I should never have left her. We were partners. You’re supposed to watch your partners back!” There was a wet sob. “I’m sorry. I know I’m not supposed to bother you when you’re working, but Mr. Stark said you’d be back tomorrow.”

“Peter?” Steve frowned. “What happened?”

“There was a mission,” Peter whispered. “It’s Celine.”

Fear hit him like Thor’s hammer. “What about Celine?”

“She fell through a warehouse.”

“Christ!” Bucky hissed, rising to his feet to start throwing Steve’s clothes in his duffle.

Steve put his phone on speaker and reached for a shirt. “Peter, how bad is she hurt?”

“She fell through a warehouse! She was coughing up blood. I had to pick her up and carry her out, and I could feel her bones-” he gasped a raspy breath, “grind together. Now... Cap, she’s on a ventilator.”

Bucky’s knees went out, and he crashed into the dresser before catching himself on a chair. “Steve…” he whispered, sounding lost and scared.

“Peter, we’re on our way back right now.” Steve hung up the phone and moved toward Bucky, his best friend shaking as much on the outside as Steve was on the inside. “She’s not going to die, Buck.”

“Steve.” Bucky’s hand wrapped around the back of Steve’s neck. “She can’t die.”

“She won’t, pal. She’s strong.” Steve hugged Bucky tight. “She’s powerful. She’ll pull through. She can heal like no one we’ve ever met before remember?”

“We can’t lose her,” Bucky whispered.

“We won’t,” Steve assured him.

They couldn’t. They needed her as much as she needed them.

Next Chapter

#qi flows for her #Steve Rogers #Bucky Barnes #X-Men crossover #avengers au #steve rogers x ofc x bucky barnes #avengers fanfiction #x-men au

[rebuildhq]

Every television simultaneously flicked on. Three hooded figures appeared on every screen across the city.

They were holding knives. Bloody knives. “Let’s dispense with pleasantries,” said the middle figure, her voice a cool, collected whisper. “We are the Syndicate. And we are responsible for the death of Trish Walker.”

The entire city seemed to gasp, and the woman paused as if she could hear it. Her gloved fingers ran along the blade. “We had hoped our message would not need to be so blatantly stated. But you, dear citizens, are so good at ignoring what is right in front of you. The deaths of a few Inhumans and freaks are so easily covered up. The body of a ‘hero’ left in Times Square so quickly forgotten.” She spoke the word hero with a heavy disdain.

The figure straightened up, the hooded men behind her stock-still, standing like vanguards. “But our pain is not forgotten. For too long have we allowed these unnatural creatures to exist among us. To threaten our lives, our homes, our families. No more. No more will we cower in fear and mourn quietly while all around us, those things reign down hell in the name of ‘saving us.’”

It was impossible to see her face, but her sneer was clearly audible. “The Panel sought to control them. But it is clear that these animals cannot be controlled. They are wild, feral, and dangerous. And dangerous animals must be put down, for the greater good of society. For a normal society to once again be free to flourish. Sacrifice is necessary, and we of the Syndicate are willing to give our lives to see our goals become reality. Every hero, every ‘gifted’ person, every freak who wears a mask and leaves destruction in their wake, will be eliminated. Only then can we reclaim our city, our world from the blight of so-called superheroes.”

She held up the knife now, the blade glinting as if the blood was still fresh. Perhaps it still was -- there was no way to tell if this was a recording or a live broadcast. “Trish Walker defended heroes, and look at what it brought her. She claimed to be one of them, but we believe the ‘most honest voice in New York’ was nothing more than a liar. If you stand against us, your blood shall be the sacrifice paid to open the door to a new world, a safe and normal world. A sane world, cleansed of insanity by any means necessary.”

She passed the blade to one of them behind her. Folded her hands together beneath her long, dark robes as if she were a monk, praying. “But if you feel as we feel. If you see what we see, if you too long for the terror to cease, then we invite you to join us. We will find you, and we will welcome you with open arms. Consider this our last invitation -- and our last warning.” And the screen went black.

Half an hour later, The Panel announced a special broadcast. Karl Orse once again appeared at his stark desk, though no papers were in front of him this time.

“Greetings, citizens,” he said in a serious voice. His face, usually so stoic, was twisted in a deep frown. “We all know the fate of Ms. Walker. She was not only a beloved child-star, a trusted voice in these troubled times, and a person of upstanding moral character and judgment -- she was also a valued member of our team. Despite her comments in her final broadcast, we on the Accords and Accountability Panel deeply regret losing her.”

A heavy sigh left his lips. It seemed stiff and awkward, not quite human. His pale eyes fixed on the screen, and though they were watery, they were as fierce as ever. “Ms. Walker believed in the Accords. Whatever else you may take from this tragedy, please remember that. She believed that being a hero was a privilege, and not a right. That it was a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. Accountability is one and only goal, protecting each and every citizen by holding heroes to a higher standard, to face the weight of the role they choose to take on. It is no easy task, being a hero, or being one of those who watches them. Who watches over them, and over every citizen of this city.”

He paused, hands folded lightly in front of him. “We have failed Ms. Walker. In the name of Accountability, we admit that. Just as we failed the unregistered hero who met his untimely fate in Times Square, and the countless more before him. But my fellow citizens, we are not the enemy. We never have been.”

His face grew stern now, eyes colder than ever before. “The so-called Syndicate has stepped forward and told you themselves the horrors they committed. Their ‘safe world’ comes at too high a cost, and we on the Panel do not believe in paying for peace with bloodshed. We renounce these people, see them for what they truly are -- a cult, preying on fear and weakness. Do not be swayed by them. We must stand strong if we are to face this new threat. We must stand together. A wise king once said, ‘United we stand, divided we fall.’ And though he was nothing more than literary character, his words ring with truth.”

Orse leaned forward, towards the camera. “It is time we put aside our differences, and choose security over secrecy. We once again implore all unreigstered heroes to come forward, to stand with us, to fight against this cult and bring them to justice. A humane justice, a responsible justice. A true justice. We cannot do it alone. And thus we have made a difficult, but unanimous decision. We hereby waive all criminal charges that may arise from those who would seek to register. Whatever you may have done in the past, it is the present that matters now. If we wish to protect the future, time is of the essence. And as Ms. Walker has shown us, time is a luxury we do not have.”

He let the words sink in for a moment, as he sat back in his chair. His hands fell to his lap, hidden by the plain, empty desk. “The choice is yours, citizen and hero alike. We can allow our city to bow to terrorism, or we can stand tall and stand for justice. Goodnight, citizens. May tomorrow bring a brighter future, in spite of all that we have lost.”

“Five minutes of airtime,” the hacker promised, a bracing smile on her lips. “Then you’re on your own, Cap.”

Steve nodded. He could work with that. An hour ago, he was worrying over what to do next. How to help. Now, it was what to say. That was easier. Saying the right thing wasn’t as easy as doing the right thing, but it could be done. Sam once wondered if Steve pulled the words out of thin air, or memorized a script. The truth was, it was something in between.

Agent Johnson motioned to him. “And live, from Saturday Night,” she murmured.

Steve set his gaze on the camera. Attention, he thought, but changed his mind. This wasn’t a call to arms to the agents of SHIELD. This was a message to everyone in Times Square, a plea to keep going to the everyday people. “Hello,” he began, “this is Steve Rogers. In the words of this ‘Syndicate’, I’ll dispense with the pleasantries.” He paused, seeing Johnson’s smirk of amusement in the corner of his eye. “I’m here to talk to you about the Accords.” Steve would bet every cent to his name that some expected this to be the end of it. He could easily throw in the towel now—raise the white flag. He could, but he wouldn’t. Not ever. “Some of you out there have been hunting me down. Some of you stand with me, after all this time. I’m here to talk to both of you, and everyone in the middle, still not sure what’s right. What’s best. Listen to me, now, like you listened to the Syndicate and Orse. The right thing to do is to keep fighting,” Steve continued, looking down for a moment at the shield lying on the table in front of him. He could see Howard’s handiwork in the grooves, Peggy’s bullets near the center, Bucky’s catch as the Winter Soldier, Clint’s hand off against Ultron, and Natasha’s own volley—always picking up after you boys. The shield has always been held by heroes, heroes just as brave as Hellcat.

He lifted his gaze back to the camera. “The Syndicate wants you to stop. The Panel wants you to stop. Stop fighting this ridiculous, losing battle against them. A fight they started,” Steve reminded them, sternly as he dared. “They aren’t against action, though. They’re against you. Us. The ‘gifted’ and the ‘freaks’. They want to reclaim the city and the world from the people who make it better. I quote Trish Walker—I’m sick of this bullshit, aren’t you?” He demanded, leaning forward a little. “They both want to steal your freedom. They both want to steal the world from you. Trish Walker died for it. Trish Walker and that masked boy were murdered for upsetting the status quo.” Steve felt a flush of anger rising on his neck. That, at least, hadn’t been washed away by the serum. “Orse, meanwhile, calls this a tragedy. ‘United we stand’, he says. He’s got it wrong. He wants you to forget about the sword hanging over your heads when you blame the Syndicate for Miss Walker’s death, for that boy’s death. He’s wrong. Hear me? The Panel and the Syndicate are both responsible, and it’s up to us—up to you—to unite against them. See them for what they are: the common enemy. Orse wants security over secrecy,” Steve went on, coldly. “At a price. The price of your identity. I’m not willing to pay that price. Not this time, and neither should you. Stand for the right thing. Stand together. Stand as bravely as Miss Walker did, when she held the line until the end.” Steve paused again, letting it sink in. “I won’t speak for the Avengers, but I am speaking for myself, and for the Justice League. We’ve set aside our differences for the greater good, you see. For you.

“Compromise where you can, a friend of mine once said. Where you can’t, don’t. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye, and say ‘No, you move’. I know I’m asking for a lot,” Steve said, acknowledging Johnson’s wrap-it-up gesture. He’d given them enough to chew on. “But I’m willing to do whatever it takes to give you the right to choose. The right to freedom. The right to privacy. The right to do what’s right, to the best of your ability. Goodnight, and thanks for listening.”

WHAT’S HAPPENED:

Trish Walker was brutally murdered in a live broadcast at 9pm last night.

The Syndicate have stepped forward out of the shadows. In a pre-recorded message, they claim responsibility for killing Trish Walker, the boy in Times Square, and the other brutal murders of Inhumans and heroes that have occurred over the last few months. Their message is clear: they want a world free of ‘freaks,’ and will kill to make it a reality. They warn those against them to stand aside, and those who agree to join them as quickly as possible.

The Accords and Accountability Panel gave a broadcast after the Syndicate’s message. Mr. Orse spoke of the Panel’s grief over losing Trish, their spokesperson, and once again implored all unreigstered individuals to come forward. The Panel has decided to waive all criminal charges that might arise against them, a blankest amnesty for any and all who choose to register now and help them track down the Syndicate.

Captain America gave the broadcast as seen above calling the heroes and citizens to arms.

PROMPTS:

REGISTERED HEROES:

A team of the registered heroes hunting down the Syndicate, this can be done either in pairs or as a group. We suggest that they find a lead, but no specific location of the Syndicate. (If you’d like them to discover something bigger, please message the main!) We’d expect this to be action packed and tense! The government is scrambling.

The registered heroes discussing what to do, whether they still support their cause, and together, rethink their position with the Accords. This can be a member of the Strike Force, a member of their heroes who have joined, or a registered hero with a citizen! This can also be done SOLO.

Registered heroes may also leave the government to ally themselves with the Alliance! We suggest you plot this further with the current members, which include Bruce Wayne, Diana Prince, Steve Rogers, Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff. We’ll keep you updated as people join in the ooc blog!

UNREGISTERED HEROES:

Unregistered heroes banding together with the Justice League/Avengers alliance. They can seek them out at various locations to be plotted in the future. Current members include Bruce Wayne, Diana Prince, Steve Rogers, Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff. We’ll keep you updated as people join in the ooc blog!

Like the registered heroes, the unregistered will likely take it upon themselves to hunt down the Syndicate. Like above, we suggest they find leads, but nothing concrete. This would be an action packed thread, and tensions would be running high.

GENERAL:

Shows of support for those that have not registered can also be seen through protests, blog posts, and simple discussions between characters. We’d love to see people participate through whatever means possible! Write up an open starter at a protest, write up a blog post your character did, we’re flexible.

#rebuildplotdrop #big shout outs to cris for helping us come up with this and to ry for writing steve's brilliant part!

[letsbreakhearts]

@snarkofstark​​ Stony with Hydra!Cap 

           The carefully crafted lie of a relationship lay shattered in thousand little pieces at the ground of Steve’s feet and he topped his gruesome behavior by kicking it once more. His shiny black boot, now matching the rest of his true black and red Hydra uniform, rammed into Tony’s gut. The captured genie had been tortured for hours now - not by Cap though. He had just entered the scenery again and ordered the torturer to leave them alone. 

           Cold, cristal clear blue pupils rested on the beaten man and burned through him like dry ice through dry skin - fixated on him, till the door behind the captain fell back in its lock. That’s when the blonde squatted down in front of his prisoner. “Enjoying your stay?”, Cap mocked him with a tog on the corner of his mouth. “If only you would have shut up about it and played along. Are you regretting it already - having confronted me?”

#The price of our freedom is the blood on our hands (Steve Rogers) #Verse: Steve Rogers (Captain Hydra) #I thought that fighting with meant fighting for but you turned it around (Stony) #(queue) I'm running out of time

[letsbreakhearts]

@youxmove​​​ gets a coffe date with Steve 

         Steve was learning quickly to adapt. Over a lifetime had passed and so much had changed but a lot did for the better. The internet was a handy tool to get back on track and see what today’s population liked and were used to. He actually started to enjoy his second chance as Captain America, working for Shield and living his own life in his new city apartment. The very same he met the women at, who he had a coffee date with today. Thankfully the weather was perfect to sit outside and enjoy coffee and company that way. Actually, he was a little early and already got seated, passing the waiting time with scribbling in his sketchbook, occasionally looking up till he spotted the blonde, packed his book aside and stood up with the brightest of smile, ready to go full on gentleman on her, pushing her chair back, so she could get seated across from him. “Kate! I’m glad you could make it. You look stunning.” 

#The price of our freedom is the blood on our hands (Steve Rogers)

[letsbreakhearts]

@defectivexfragmented​​ Hydra!Cap 

            It was a file he never would have guessed to find in HYDRA’s possession. Never would Steve have guessed that he had made it this far - that he would see HIM ever again. HE - his childhood friend 

                                  - his Bucky. 

             After Rogers had discovered this information, he had insisted on meeting their little priced, deadliest assassin, the Winter Soldier and ordered them to defrost him and bring Bucky to him. His rank was clearly high enough to shush their scientists and other commanders around for that, even though he obviously had to hide his true intentions. Towards his comrades he marketed it as being interested in someone that could actually keep up with him on missions - basically calling everyone else useless. 

            When the door creaked and they brought in a long haired man with metal arm and brody facial expression, Steve had trouble keeping a straight face, his jaw clenched while he stared as his opponent, waiting for some reaction to happen - hoping the other would recognise him. 

          “That is HYDRA’s prized possession?”, he tried to gain his cool again and brought back his arrogant snarl as he stood up to walk around the man that resembled almost nothing of his former childhood friend any longer. Eventually he stopped directly in front of Bucky, done checking him out, taking in that new appearance, before he reached out to touch the other’s face. But instead of it being a touch of longing, it rather was a degrading squeeze of the brunette’s cheeks, when Steve was about to grab his chin. “How do they control you? Are you really loyal to the cause - to HYDRA?”

#The price of our freedom is the blood on our hands (Steve Rogers) #(Steve Rogers) #Verse: Steve Rogers (Captain Hydra) #till the end of the line (stucky)

[letsbreakhearts]

@defectivexfragmented​ fix it stucky au 

           Being greeted by a very confused Banner, without Bucky or Sam to be seen anywhere, was definitely not what Steve had expected, when he returned from a successful mission. Way too quickly, he had to learn that he was gone for much longer than he had intended to and the world had moved on, kept spinning, even had the audacity to announce a new Captain America. The posters were not to be missed as he wandered under the living again. All of it felt so surreal that he was questioning himself, if he had landed in the right time line at all. But a quick call to  Sam revealed he was in fact where he belonged to. 

           “You should come over and pick up your baggage. He is currently crashing at my sister’s couch. It’s - a long story.”, Steve heard Sam demanding to come pick up Bucky at the other end of the line, giving a clear signal for the former Captain how much his friend must have missed him. Just like he had missed Bucky when he had been first stranded in this foregine modern world without him. 

         “Give me a few hours and I will be there.”, Steve ensured Sam before going out to borrow a car and got on the road. Just when the sun was about to set, he arrived at the location Sam had given him. When he stepped out of the vehicle, he already spotted  the two, training in the backyard with the shield that once had belonged to him.

#I had to use this gif because that dramatic moment is not to be catched in a little icon #The price of our freedom is the blood on our hands (Steve Rogers) #(Steve Rogers) #Verse: Steve Rogers (Post Endgame) #till the end of the line (stucky) #large gif

[letsbreakhearts]

@spiderbitten​ asked: 

“ are you gonna keep looking at me like that or are you actually gonna kiss me? ” joking but also 100% serious >:3 ( @ Steve )

           Late night staked out and Steve’s mind was drifting off, since their target didn’t seem to make it to the location tonight. He only catches himself staring at the spider, as the webswinger mentioned it in his usual joking manner. “Wouldn’t you picture a more romantic first date than a boring mission like this, for a first kiss?”, the blonde tried to give the youngster some of his own medicine as he looked back at the shady club across the street, then a look at the clock he rummaged out of one of his pockets. “Either our information has been wrong, or something went wrong. But either way, it looks like the arms deal isn’t going to happen tonight. Sorry for having wasted your night.”

#to satisfy a hunger (answer) #The price of our freedom is the blood on our hands (Steve Rogers) #A second chance. Another last dance. One more crack at my life (Spidershield) #continuable due to plotting and us not having a thread for them yet #another mission

[letsbreakhearts]

#asdfgh this is so well eddited #reincarnated au #once upon a star (wishlist) #wishlist #The price of our freedom is the blood on our hands (Steve Rogers) #(Steve Rogers) #or also #It always ends in a fight (Bucky Barnes) #(Bucky Barnes) #tw: drugs #tw: drug abuse #tw: death #tw: overdose #tw: pills #yeah riggering content from all puncture. That was the name of that chris evans movie right? #tw: gun violence #tw: gun #tw: war

[letsbreakhearts]

@storieswrittcn​ Wanda/Steve ​

             A bright sun rose above a grey sky clear of any clouds. A marvelous spring day, so to say on which all the scales of grey really came to shine in their little small suburban town. The ruitin was always the same. At 7 o’clock he woke up next to his marvelous wife Peggy, ate a marvelous breakfast with her and kissed her goodbye for his marvelous work, to return at 6 o’clock in the evening. Just about everything was absolutely marvelous. He couldn’t imagine a happier life, unless - 

            “We are invited for dinner by our neighbours tonight, darling.”, Peggy reminded him, to which Steve replied with an “oh, splendet!”, since they both were good friends with Wanda and her husband, but it felt like they hadn’t seen them in ages. 

             Dressed sharply for their get together, Family Rogers knocked on the household of the Maximoffs perfectly in time at 7 o’clock in the evening. Steve already felt like starving, but when his eyes lay eyes upon their female host the thought of hunger was quickly suppressed by another thought that tried hard to verbalise itself in his head, however failed to do so. All that came out of his mouth was the former expression. 

              “I’m already starving. Thanks for the invitation.” Shortly he seemed confused on why he said that, but when they sat down on the dinner table the smile automatically returned to his face. “So ~ You two like it here in Westview?”, he started politer small talk whether or not he liked to.

#Now that you love her - baby - that's my only way out (ScarletShield) #The price of our freedom is the blood on our hands (Steve Rogers) #Did I tainted icons of mine gray scale for this? yes I did #(queue) I'm running out of time