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missvelvetsstuff · 28 days

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With Friends Like You, Who Needs Enemies

Steve Rogers x Reader, Steve Rogers x Natasha Romanoff, Bucky Barnes x Reader

Reader is a mutant with the ability to turn sound into light who was 'adopted' aka stolen as a child by Baron Von Strucker to use for experimentation. She was given a form of the Super soldier serum so in addition to her mutant abilities she also has super strength, enhanced senses and healing. When he starts experimenting on his volunteers, the Maximoff twins, she tries to convince them to escape with her but they tell the Baron that she's planning to escape so he doubles her cell security. Steve and reader met when the team recovered Loki's scepter from Strucker.

She falls in love with Steve and becomes good friends with Nat but they aren't the friends she thinks they are.

This story is canon adjacent except that Thanos never happened.

I try to keep my readers description vague but, as always, she's female and above average height.

****Previous chapter

At the compound they were still trying to find where Nat and Rainbow had disappeared to when Tony hollered "YES! I've got it. I know how to find her."*****

Chapter 10

Warnings: swearing, angst, violence

Bucky bolted to Tony's side to see what he had found and stared at him expectantly "Well?"

Tony turned to see him right in Tony's face "A little space, Barnes."

Bucky scoffed and backed up "Fine"

Tony looked at Bucky and Sam before glaring at Steve "Well, obviously I had FRIDAY searching for Y/N and Nat but no luck so far. Then it hit me, she left with her sister Yelena so I found some video from her visit and Friday is searching for her now, too." He grinned, pleased with himself.

Bucky nodded "Yeah, that's not a bad idea" he sighed heavily "I hope it works."

After a few hours Friday alerted them "Mr Stark? I found her, Yelena Belova was just sighted in a Kroger in Cleveland, Ohio."

Tony grinned "Send the Iron Legion to detain Miss Belova"

"Yes, boss"

"WAIT!" Bucky shouted.

Tony looked over at him, brows raised in question.

Bucky shook his head "The Iron Legion isn't very stealth. If Nat even thinks we're on to her she might pack Rainbow up and bolt somewhere and..." He trailed off before Sam spoke up

"And what?"

Bucky was lost in thought for a moment not realizing that all eyes were on him "She was raised in Ohio, with Yelena. Before her training in the red room, to acclimate her to the states and work on her accent."

He looked up to see everyone staring "What if they're staying at their childhood home?"

Sam stared "Do you know where in Ohio? Maybe we can narrow it down. Like set up in the general area before picking up Yelena?"

Bucky shook his head "No, maybe. Fuck I don't remember exactly, just Ohio."

Tony nodded "Alright, fair point. How about we just send Vision ahead since he can fly and be practically invisible? He can pick up Yelena and find a discrete place for us to meet them."

Everyone sounded their agreement and after a kiss from Wanda, Vision was on his way.

Tony looked at the team, pointedly passing Steve over "Suit up kids, wheels up in 10."

Steve headed towards the quinjet hangar before Bucky stopped him "Not a chance, Rogers, you're waiting here."

Steve started to protest before Tony nodded "Yeah, Barnes is right you can wait here. I think the rest of us can handle Nat and her sister if she gets involved. So go take a nap or whatever and we'll see you later."

Steve bristled "No way I'm sitting this out, you need me. Y/N needs me." The last part was almost under his breath but Bucky heard.

Bucky took a few deep breaths to keep from hurting him "Y/N needs you? Like when you spent most of your relationship with her off fucking Nat? Like when you helped Nat coordinate this bullshit and would be doing god knows what to Y/N right fucking now if Nat hadn't betrayed you?"

His eyes burned into Steve as he fought to keep control "It's your goddamn fault that she's in Natasha hands and I think I speak for the team when I say we can't trust you. You're just as likely to betray us and try to sneak away with her as you are to help in any way.'

A chorus of agreement followed Bucky's words and Steve deflated. "Fine, I'll go on my own."

Tony shook his head "I don't think so, can't have you coming in with your own agenda."

Steve laughed "You can't hold me prisoner here, I'll-" he looked at Tonys armored hand and grabbed at the sting in his neck "What the-' he almost dropped to the floor but Bucky caught him and threw him over his shoulder then carried him to Steve's room, dropping him on the bed.

Once Bucky left Steve's room Tony spoke up "I knew those tranq darts would come in handy. Friday. Please keep the Captain locked in until we return."

"Yes boss."

As they boarded the quinjet 10 minutes later they heard from Vision "Miss Belova is with me and we will be waiting for you..." and rattled off the coordinates.

Tony grinned, finally something good "You heard the, uh man? Friday take us to his coordinates, fast as you can. Everyone strap in."

They landed in an empty field and when they opened the ramp Vision walked Yelena into the jet, and the ramp closed behind them.

Yelena looked at the team with disdain "What are you assholes doing here? We left the city like you asked so now what do you want? Wasn't it enough to kick her out of your so called family?"

Bucky tried to keep his voice calm "It would have been plenty if she hadn't decided to kidnap Y/N on her way out."

Yelena scoffed "Why would she do that? We have enough to do to find the rest of the widows, after Natalia gets some rest. That's why we stopped here for a few days. I would know if there was another person with us."

Clint shook his head "Are you sure? She couldn't have Y/N hidden away somewhere on the property? Maybe somewhere that she's spending time to "recuperate"? She lied to you about the whole drama so maybe she's still hiding something."

Yelena started to object before her eyes widened "No, she wouldn't I mean she couldn't but........She's been hiding in the basement. Said she had some kind of project to help find the missing widows. She was so distraught about leaving the Avengers that I thought I should give her some space."

She shook her head

"I should have known she was up to something, girl never knew how to let anything go."

Suddenly Yelena's phone rang "it's her"

she paused for a moment before answering

"What's up sestra? Oh sorry I didn't realize how late it was getting, I've just been chatting with some of the locals. No I'm fine, I'll be home in a few."

They set up a rough plan and the team waited 30 minutes for Yelena to get home and settle in before converging around the property to ensure Nat couldn't get past them.

Bucky and Clint took the lead through the front door, being the more stealthy members of the team. Sam followed right behind. Wanda and Bruce stayed further back to make sure Nat didn't escape. Vision went through the outer basement door, while Tony stayed behind to make sure she didn't try to sneak out that way. Wanda set up a field surrounding the property. Bruce just stood back hoping there wouldn't be a code green for the woman he had once loved. His feelings for her were gone but he didn't know what the other guy would do to her.

Yelena let the first two into the house and showed them the door to the basement.

Clint went first hoping that their friendship would be enough to distract her so the others could get to Rainbow.

When the door opened the slight creaking caught Nats attention

"What are you doing Yelena? I told you not to come down here, I still haven't quite been able to work this properly"

She was standing at a work bench next to a wall of fresh drywall with a door. She jumped as an arrow hit the wall, barely missing her face, then quickly turned to face him.

"Clint? Very funny. It's about fucking time you remembered who your real friend is. Go hang out with Yelena, I'll be up in a little bit."

Clint scoffed "Friends, right. You need to let her go, she never did anything to you."

Nat looked at him in shock before quickly pulling herself together "She who? I don't know what you're talking about. I'm working on a way to find-"

Clint interrupted. "I know she's here, Natasha. Please, for the sake of our friendship, let her go before this gets out of hand."

She smirked at him "You gonna try to take me down? Maybe if I was alone but I have Yelena on my side and you don't stand a chance."

Clint shook his head "No one is on your side except maybe Rogers and he's not here. You've gone off the rails and taken someone who doesn't deserve your ire." He paused, sad that his closest friend had come to this.

"Besides, I'm not alone and I don't want to hurt you. None of us do. Well maybe Barnes but you can stop this madness and let her go."

Nat snapped "Fuck you Barton that little bitch is leaving here one little piece at a time and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Bucky stepped out of the shadows

"How about me, Natalia? Anything I can do to stop you? I'm not Barton and don't have any reservations hurting you if that's what's needed."

Nat eyes grew wide with fear, knowing first hand what the soldier was capable of, before she quickly composed herself

"Aawww, the Soldat came to rescue his little princess but I'm not quite done with her yet."

Bucky bristled "You're done, Natalia. Done as an Avenger, as a SHIELD agent, as our family or friend, as a free woman. Let her go now before you're done living."

While Bucky and Clint kept Nat distracted, Vision found Y/N, bruised bloodied and half dead, and worked to release the binds keeping her in the chair. Once he had her freed he decided not to remove the knife still in her stomach so she didn't bleed out. When he went to carefully pick her up the chair fell over and made a loud noise.

Nat jumped at the noise and turned towards the door in the drywall "Dammit, you and your friends are ruining everything. Why do you even care so much about a stupid little girl?"

When she opened the door it slammed her into the wall, stunning her as Vision walked to the stairs and out of the house with Rainbow. Vision advised Bruce that he had her and was on his way, giving all the info he had on her condition.

Bucky was distracted for a moment when he saw the terrible shape she was in. He felt like his heart stopped as his eyes followed her up the stairs until they were out of view.

Then he turned to Nat, jaw clenched, face turning red, hands balling into fists and soft whirring from his vibranium arm. His chest ached and his breathing was heavy as he fought to keep the Winter Soldier at bay.

His voice was low and dangerous as he growled out "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now, Natalia."

Nat stuttered "But James muy lobuv, we can be together now. For real, in the open. I had to get her out of the way, she was dangerous. A silly child who could get us all killed. Please. Ple-"

Bucky grabbed her by the throat with his vibranium hand squeezing until she couldn't speak, could barely breathe. "Yeah, that wasn't it. You know, Steve told me we should let you live, have you sent to the raft but he is just as much of a snake as you are so I know he would try to find a way to get you out. Hell even Tony said I shouldn't kill you and maybe he's right but I don't know if I can live with the knowledge that you were out there somewhere, plotting against us. Against her. Maybe if we take you into custody you'll be tried and executed anyhow or locked up somewhere you can't escape but I just" he sighed "I just don't think I can live with that. Good bye, Natalia."

He quickly snapped her neck and let her body drop to the floor without a second thought, quickly following Visions path to the quinjet.

Clint looked at the remains of his old friend sadly before wiping a tear away and hurrying to the jet, softly apologizing to Yelena on his way past her.

Once the team was all in the jet on their way home, Bruce advised them of all Rainbows injuries before he contacted Helen Cho so she could prepare for their arrival.

Bucky sat by Rainbow on the med bed for the flight home, holding her hand and speaking words of love and encouragement softly as his tears fell onto her. She died twice in the air but Bruce was able to revive her. She was barely hanging on as they landed and Helen took over, barking out orders as they rushed to the med bay.

Bucky said a prayer to any gods, to anyone that would listen, that his Rainbow would be alright.

Chapter 11

@vicmc624

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction #james bucky barnes x reader #james bucky barnes #bucky barnes x you #angst with a happy ending #james bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes x female reader #steve rogers x reader

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late-to-the-party-81 · 7 months

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The best laid plans...

AN: This silly little fic was written for @buckybarnesbingo Square C5: A picture of Bucky waiting against a wall, holding a gun. I hope you enjoy the sass and crack. Thanks to @drabbles-mc for cheerleading and beta-ing

Dividers by @firefly-graphics. Moodboard by me, with robot image by Rafael Amarante

Master list| BBB Master list

Summary: Bucky and Nat had a date night planned, but you know what’s said about best laid plans?

Relationships: Established Bucky x Nat, Established Sam x Steve, Cap Quartet friendship.

Word Count: 2.4k

CW: Crack, Sass, Snark, Flirting, Innuendo, Swearing, Robots being smashed, a bad-guy getting his come-uppance, Sam and Steve are like a pair of horny teenagers, Bucky is done, Nat is always right.

Bucky came to a halt a few feet from the bunker entrance, his back pressed to the smooth, grey concrete with his assault rifle held in his right hand. Snowflakes swirled around him.

This was not how he’d intended spending his Friday, but here he was. The bad-guys never had any respect for his plans, the bastards. Or rather his and Nat’s plans. Not that they’d had anything major organised, just a quiet night in, the pair of them, the cat’s, a box set, some wine and some blini’s. Maybe a little ‘something-something’ later on, if he played his cards right.

But, here he was, in the freezing cold - and god-knows he hated the cold for many legitimate reasons - waiting for the signal from Nat, before the pair of them stormed in to save Sam and Steve from whatever-the-fuck mess the pair of them had managed to get themselves in to. If Bucky recalled the briefing notes he’d skimmed over on the way here, it was robots of some sort. Which was better than aliens, and a one hundred percent improvement on wizards. That Strange guy gave him the willies, despite Tony’s assurance that his cough friend was on their side. He still wasn’t sold on Howard’s son’s judgement, despite the years that had passed since the ‘Siberia Incident’.

Robots, though - he could handle those. To steal a line from Bruce, with robots he could “smash”, and not feel bad. Not that he felt bad when he punched aliens. Or wizards. But robots were like Nazi’s. Not sentient in Bucky’s humble opinion.

He did briefly wonder how Steve and Sam had managed to get themselves captured, but that knowledge would wait for later. They’d probably got distracted from the mission because they were making out or something equally as stupid. They could at least keep the PDAs to a minimum in the field, like he and Nat did. Although he did get it - Steve could let himself be seen now, in a way he hadn’t been able to back in the day. And Bucky wasn’t blind, Sam was an attractive man, even if he did act like a cocky dickhead about it ninety nine percent of the time.

“Stupid Steve and stupid Sam.” He hadn’t even realised he’d muttered under his breath until a slightly tinny voice sounded in his ear.

“Be nice, Yasha. They are our friends after all. Even if they did ruin our date night.”

Bucky’s lips twitched upwards at Nat’s admonishment. “Can you blame me, malyshka? I was looking forward to a night-in with my best girls. All cuddled up together, all cosy. Maybe a bit of kissing, a bit of…”

“Okay, cool it lover-boy. I don’t think Al and Liho would be appreciative of your kisses.”

Bucky’s smile broadened and he let a bit of ‘40’s’ into his voice. “Is that your way of saying that you would be?”

“I plead the fifth.” He could hear the smile in Nat’s voice. “Now, get ready. I’ve almost reached the East Entrance. We need to breach together.”

Bucky rolled his eyes, glad that Nat wouldn’t be able to see.

“Not my first time out, Natalia. Just because Steve likes to go in without a plan and Sam seems to have adopted his technique, doesn’t mean I’ve lost my sense of strategy. I’m ready on your mark. As always.”

“The way it should be. But James, don’t roll your eyes at me. You know how it annoys me when you’re passive aggressive. Now…breach!”

Bucky pushed away from the wall and kicked in the door. He rolled through the opening, coming to a halt on his knees, gun raised.

There wasn’t anyone or anything there.

“No bogies here, Nat. You?”

“Nothing. It’s suspiciously quiet.”

Bucky rose to his feet and slung his rifle over his shoulder.

“I’ll work myself toward the centre and meet you there. First to find our disaster gays buys pizza.”

He heard Nat laugh over the comms, clear and unaffected. “You always make it so easy for me, kotenok.”

“Only because you’re easy for me.” Bucky couldn’t help but tease her. He could imagine the faint pink blush dusting her cheekbones about now. She was probably doing that cute nose wrinkle too.

“Bucky!” Nat hissed, but her tone didn’t hold any real censure.

“Okay, okay. I’m all business now. I promise. See you soon.”

Bucky pulled one of his knives from its sheath, gave it a cursory flip to check the balance, and then made his way toward the next door. If there was anything behind it, it would know Bucky was there - he hadn’t exactly been quiet when he’d come through the first door. He placed himself on the hinge side of the door, noting that this one opened towards him, and with a steadying breath, he pulled it open.

Immediately, laser blasts peppered the space Bucky would have been standing in if he’d opened the door like a normal person. He observed the rhythm of the shots for a few seconds, then rounded the door, his knife flying forward from his hand. There was a satisfying thunk, followed by a crash as the robot landed on the floor. Bucky walked towards the pile of metal, taking in its form as he pulled his knife from its ocular sensor. Why mad scientists had to mimic human biology by putting the CPU in the most obvious place constantly baffled him, but at least it made it easy.

He didn’t have long to ponder though. He heard a whirring noise and looked up to see four more robots bearing down on him. Sheathing his knife, Bucky unslung his rifle, holding it in his right hand. With his left he picked up the late robot to use as a shield. He felt the impact of the laser blasts, and peaked around the metal shell to aim his weapon. He squeezed the trigger, letting off three bullets at a time, and kept moving forward. One of the robots wouldn’t go down, so as Bucky approached it, he decided to use the one he was holding as a bludgeon. There was the screech of metal on metal, and the fizzing of wires as they broke, still sparking, then there was a pile of twisted steel on the floor. He opened his comms.

“Everything okay, sweetheart? I’ve had a few tin cans to deal with over here.”

“Doing fine, baby. Hang on…” Nat went silent for a moment, but Bucky knew it was just because she was concentrating. He heard the high-pitch whine of her Widow’s Bite deploying, followed by a hollow clang sound and then she was back. “How many have you taken out?”

Bucky looked around him.

“Five.”

“Ha! Six. I’m winning.”

“Malyshka, our competition isn’t about numbers, remember?” Bucky drawled, letting a small amount of condescension into his voice.

“Yours might not be, but mine is.” God, he loved this woman. She challenged him everyday and he couldn’t get enough.

“Always gotta be the winner, huh?”

“No ‘gotta’ about it. Just ‘am’, kitten.” He could see her smirk in his head. She was probably coyly twisting a lock of hair around her finger as she spoke as well. “Now, I gotta get into that next room.”

The comm line went quiet again and Bucky smiled to himself as he thought about all the ways he was gonna worship her when they got home. After he’d torn a strip off Steve and Sam for being idiots. However, he had to find them first.

He wasn’t surprised to discover more robots as he entered the next area of the bunker. They weren’t too difficult to deal with, especially considering how frustrated Bucky was feeling. A couple of laser shots grazed his jacket, the burning leather smell filling his nose unpleasantly. A replacement jacket was definitely coming out of Steve’s pocket.

Six more robots lay in a sparking, dented mess on the floor, but he just walked around them, moving forward. It was only a minute until he came upon a bulkhead door, the mechanism for opening it on his side. Bucky could also see that the door was dented, hit from the inside in what he assumed was an attempt to open it from the other side by someone exceedingly strong. It would take a lot to deform it like that.

“If you’re not behind this door, Steve”, Bucky muttered under his breath, “I’m gonna kill you.” He reshouldered his rifle and grabbed hold of the bulkhead wheel. It was tightly closed and the metal groaned under Bucky’s hands as he turned it. “Fuck Sam and fuck Steve, idiotic, stupid idiots.” He didn't know exactly what he was going to find when he got in there, but he wasn’t too worried. They might have some scrapes and bruises, at the worst be unconscious, but they were tough and no two-bit robot maker was going to get the best of them. Not for long anyway.

The catch on the door fully opened and Bucky pulled it ajar. He slipped through but came to a dead halt at what he saw. This was definitely not what he expected to find. In fact, he was so taken aback that he didn’t notice the door swinging shut behind him, until he heard the clunk.

Sam and Steve leapt apart. Steve’s short blond hair was sticking up all over the place, evidence of Sam’s fingers having been threaded through it. Both their lips were kiss swollen, and their chests were heaving. Steve pulled the shield across his lap. Sam just used his hands to cover his crotch.

Bucky pinched the bridge of his nose and screwed his eyes shut. “Really, guys? You get stuck in the lair of a mad robot inventor, so you just end up making out like teenagers?” Steve flushed, his ears going bright pink, but Sam just gave Bucky a grin.

“What can I say, man. Stevie boy can’t keep his hands off me, even when we’re in mortal danger.”

Steve shot Sam a glare. “It wasn’t like that. We tried to get out, but the doors were too thick, and glass didn’t want to break either.” Steve waved over to the far wall, which was half glass, and appeared to have some kind of observation room on the other side. There was a door in that wall too, as equally as dented as the one Bucky had come through, giving credence to Steve’s story that they’d at least attempted to get out before getting bored and starting to get handsy with each other. “We knew you’d come when we didn’t check in, so we were just waiting. But you’re here now.”

“Unfortunately, though,” Sam drawled, “Because you let that door shut behind you, we’re now all stuck.”

“As long as you two don’t start sucking face again.” Bucky made a gagging noise.

“No chance of that, Bucko. Don’t you know that cyborgs kill the mood,” Sam fired back.

Bucky raised an eyebrow and cocked his hip. “Nat doesn’t seem to think so.” He held up his left hand and wiggled his fingers, the vibranium plates clinking and servos whirring. “In fact she…”

“...Would most likely kill you for having this conversation.” Steve cut him off. “And speaking of Nat…”

Steve pointed into the observation room, where the door into it had burst open and a man in a white lab coat and goggles was staggering through it, a very angry Russian redhead sat atop his shoulders. Nat rained blows down onto the man's face before doing her patented twisty thing where she spun herself down and hurled the guy across the room by his neck. He crashed into a table which had various electronics and tools across it, and didn’t get up. Nat, of course, landed on her feet and tossed her hair back. At that moment, Bucky didn’t think he could love her more.

Nat walked over to the control panel, a swagger in her steps. She peered down at it for a few moments and then pressed a button. The door to the side of the glass opened with a creak and Nat sauntered over and pushed it further open.

“I win, kotenok.”

Bucky reached in a few long strides and, in an uncharacteristic display of public affection, wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her close.

“How do you figure that, sweetheart? I was obviously here first, and we haven’t done the final count of robots dispatched.” He smiled down at her and brushed a stray lock of hair back from her face.

“But I took out him,” she jerked her head in the direction of the felled robot creator, “and you got yourself trapped in with Dumb and Dumber over there. I think that means I can rightly claim the win.”

Somewhere behind them, Sam shouted out “Hey!” but both Bucky and Nat ignored him.

“You think, do you? I’m not sure I agree.” Bucky’s lips twisted up into an amused smile and Nat reached up and bopped her finger against the tip of his nose.

“Of course you don’t agree. You’re always wrong, Yasha. Now, let’s get home and you and I can try and salvage the rest of date night. You owe me a pizza.” She slipped effortlessly from his hold and spun away. Bucky looked over his shoulder at Steve and Sam and shrugged his shoulders, as if to say ‘what are you gonna do?’ and followed in her wake, picking up their unconscious captive and throwing him over his shoulder on the way.

They got outside and as they neared the two jets Bucky looked over at Nat, silent communication passing between them. She jogged towards the jet they’d arrived in for their rescue mission and Bucky peeled off toward the one that Sam and Steve had used. He jogged up the ramp ahead of his friends, and as he reached the top he pressed the ramp close button and dumped the robot maker on the floor.

“Um, Buck… What are you doing?” Steve called out to him through the narrowing gap. Bucky grinned back. “It’s only a two hour flight back to the compound. Surely you can wrap your legs around your boyfriend for that long.” He shot a wink at their outraged faces as the ramp closed and then whistled to himself as he made his way to the cockpit.

Childish? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.

Bucky sat down in the pilot’s seat, put the headphones on and switched to his and Nat’s private comms channel as he started the jet up.

“So, malyshka, what do you want on your pizza?”

Tag list: @km-ffluv @christywrites @alexakeyloveloki @doasyoudesireandlive

#winterwidow #bucky x natasha #buckynat #crack #late writes #samsteve #cap quartet

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thesugarclubs-blog · 1 year

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You Rescued Me - AU Bucky Barnes x OC

warnings: TFATWS Bucky Barnes, strangers to lovers, pure cat!dad Bucky fluff

word count: 9.5k

WP: https://www.wattpad.com/1319637159-you-rescued-me-lottie

Masterlist

Bucky felt the corner of his eye twitch as Sam droned on and on. Something about how he couldn’t keep living by himself with his plants forever. Like his life was any better. The man went on one date with his nephew's teacher and suddenly had all the advice in the world. His deep blue eyes bore into his friend, as his mind wandered to what he wanted to make for dinner, the metal of his arm whirring as his fingers flexed in the pocket of his tight leather jacket.

The cool March air swirled around them as people bustled about the streets of New York. Murmurs of oh my god it’s Captain America echoed through the wind as the two men stood there on the busy sidewalk.

“Man, are you even listening to me?” Sam’s hand impacted his shoulder and brought Bucky back to the present.

His tongue pushed into his cheek and his eyes narrowed, “Something about my sad, lonely life, I don’t know”

“You gotta do something here! Find some friends, take off to Vegas, go outside!” Sam continued.

“I have friends,” Bucky retorted.

“Your old neighbour doesn’t count,” Sam clicked his tongue and crossed his arms over his chest, “Look, okay? Start simple! There’s an animal shelter two blocks from here, just go in and see what happens”

Bucky narrowed his eyes and swiped his tongue along his bottom lip as he studied Sam. Having a pet was never something he had even thought of for himself. After the blip and getting his life back together, he still felt as though he was figuring himself out as a normal person. Well, as normal as a 106-year-old super soldier could be.

“If I do this, will you shut up and leave me alone about my plants?” He questioned.

Sam smirked and placed his hand over his heart, “cap’s honor”

With a dramatic groan, Bucky turned on his heel and practically stomped away from Sam, sucking in a deep breath of the fresh, cool air. This was a ridiculous venture and he had already decided that it was going to be a bust, but if it got Sam off his back, it would be worth it in the end. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, keeping his annoyance at the forefront of his emotions.

A bright yellow sign that hung above the street came into his view. There were big swooping letters that read “Wags & Whiskers Animal Rescue” with a big paw print in deep brown and small white flowers littering the negative space. Bucky ran his hand into his short dark hair, and sucked in a sharp breath as he reached for the fake-bone door handle.

It was ridiculously kitsch inside, all cheerful colours and animal-themed decor. He hadn’t really known what to expect but he definitely hadn’t anticipated such a warm and welcoming space. He double-checked; yep, it was definitely the animal shelter. Steeling himself with a deep sigh, Bucky walked up to the wide yellow counter and looked around for a member of staff. Seeing none, he reached out and pressed on the buzzer, which let out an electronic *meow*.

A few moments later a door opened to the right of Bucky and a beautiful blonde with a wide and bright smile walked out and stepped behind the counter.

“Welcome to Wags & Whiskers Animal Rescue. My name is Lottie. How can I help you today? Are you looking to volunteer or adopt?” She beamed at him.

Bucky's brows furrowed slightly, unsure of how to match her enthusiasm he cleared his throat and mustered up his best smile.

"Hi, um I guess adopt."

He watched on as she raised a brow in amusement, her smile growing wider.

"You guess? Are you here against your will? Blink twice for yes." she teased.

“It’s, uh—“ Bucky paused, unsure of how much to reveal of himself, “my friend suggested it, thought maybe I could use a companion… army vet.”

Vague enough, he thought, taking an awkward glance around to avoid the inevitable look of pity he’s usually met with.

When his gaze landed back on the sunny girl behind the counter, he almost did a double take. Poking out of her sweater, and staring at him inquisitively, was a little white cat.

Lottie shifted a touch, and the cat meowed in annoyance from the jostling. "Snow White here has an attitude." Lottie laughed, "can't seem to get her in a kennel or to play with the other cats."

Little sky blue eyes watched him carefully, something in the blue making his nerves settle a touch. He had seen that look before in a particularly skinny alley cat named Steve. It seemed Bucky had a long standing habit of making friends with the underdogs. Bucky pulled out his right arm from his jacket pocket and offered it to the cat, unsure of how animals even operated but it seemed he wasn't the only one nervous and in need of a friend. Lottie's lips parted to say something but she shut them quickly, confusion kissing her brows as Snow slinked from the safe confines of her sweater.

Without any seeming hesitation Snow made a big jump into Bucky’s arms, caught off guard he chuckled nervously. Lottie didn’t move as she watched the feline get comfortable against the leather of his jacket. Looking on at the sight she seemed completely unsure of what to say and blurted out, "your eye’s match. You're meant to be."

From his arms the cat quickly looked around before she crawled into the safety of Bucky's leather jacket - like she was hiding in a cave. Bucky felt her spin around a little before her head poked out of the opening on his chest. A soft purr could be heard coming from the white and fluffy head. Both ears straight in the air the fluffball looked around the shelter from the new perspective.

Bucky carefully raised his right hands and placed his fingertips on top of the cat's head, but the animal flinched a little and tilted her head upwards to sniff on Bucky's finger tips.

"She... she’s never done that with anyone before. She’s usually a little shy and bonded to me. We have a bit of a backstory together." Lottie smiled at the man in front of her.

"Oh really? I can relate to that. I am not good with people, either." Bucky murmured the last part and thought she hadn't heard him, but a laugh could be heard from the other side of the counter while he started to scratch behind the cat's right ear.

"Maybe you guys are meant to be after all." He heard the soft murmur from across the counter, absent-mindedly nodding his head in agreement as the cat's tiny purrs increased while its little wide eyes turned to focus on his face.

Staring down at the dainty white ball of fur, he felt his brain go a little fuzzy, but when his new friend nudged her tiny pink nose against his hand he melted into the floor.

“I…umm…I don’t think I can put her down anyway,” Bucky admitted, his cheeks turning a little rosy.

“Well you don’t need to,” Lottie smiled. “You can sign your name with one hand, right?

Bucky’s eyes looked back up at Lottie and he smiled nervously.

“I … yeah. Really? Right now? I mean that’s fast… don’t you need to do some kind of background check or something. I don’t even have anything at my place for a cat…” he spoke nervously and quickly.

Lottie giggled at his response as she began to pull out an assortment of papers and began placing them on the counter in front of her.She leaned against the counter, reaching her hand out to scratch Snow's chin and looked up to Bucky. The sparkle in her bright blue eyes and her soft, sweet smile stopped his rambling as his eyes locked with hers.

"No background checks, no. If Snow here trusts you, so do I," she mused, "As for the things she needs, I'll help you pick everything out right now. Think you can walk around with that precious cargo on you?"

Bucky glanced down at the soft source of warmth in his jacket, curiously sniffing him out and purring contently. When she noticed him observing her, she stilled and stretched a paw out, resting it lightly on the dimple in his chin.

He chuckled softly, feeling his guard lower, insides melting and all it took was the gentle touch of an animal — and a pretty girl looking at them like she’d never seen anything so adorable.

“Yeah, I think I can manage.” Bucky stammered, clearing his throat as he gestured to the papers. “Let me sign these and then you can lead the way.”

Bucky shifted Snow in his arms, looking down at her as Lottie pointed to the important parts. "What's your refund policy?" He said, meaning it to be a joke but realizing from the shocked look on Lottie's face he had done that rude thing with his voice that Sam always picked on. "I mean..." He forced a quiet laugh.

"I think she'd sooner refund you after that joke," Lottie smiled, a dimple forming on her left cheek that he surprisingly had the urge to touch and Bucky could feel the heat flushing up his neck. "You'll have to work on his delivery," she whispered to the cat playfully. "He's a little stiff."

Bucky laughed, "okay," he nodded, his tongue brushing over his bottom lip, "I deserved that."

His playful defeat tickled another smile out of her which he found was something he longed to bring out more often. Bucky didn't know what it was about this sweet looking woman that enticed him but he couldn't help but feel comfortable in her presence which to be completely honest scared him a little bit.

Scratch that, it scared him a lot.

After he had signed everything that Lottie showed him Bucky cleared his throat once again.

"So... uhm... can you show me what I need? Like a cat-owner-starter-pack?" he asked - his cheeks slightly blushed and his lips curled into a shy smile.

"Sure! Wait, I'll come around and show you." Lottie responded and stepped around the yellow counter. She passed Bucky and headed towards a shelf on the other side of the shop where Bucky could see food and water bowls in different sizes. The moment Lottie passed him, her hand slightly touched his left one that was covered in a cold leather glove. Something in Bucky's lower stomach moved, but he couldn’t manage to put his finger on it.

His steps faltered a little in the beginning because of the brief contact, afraid she might question the coldness before slowly focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. Her blonde hair swaying gently down her back caught Bucky's eyes as she kept moving and not paying attention to the man lost in his thoughts over how beautiful she was.

She stopped in front of one of the displays and he was so distracted by her hair that he almost ran into the back of her, only his enhanced reflexes saved him from knocking all three of them into the wall of bowls before them. He didn’t even need to look down to know his new companion was giving him a disdainful glare.

“Ok, here we have our selection of food and water bowls. Along with enrichment toys to hide treats in,” she said gesturing towards the display in front of them.

“Enrichment toys?” Bucky asked in confusion.

“Oh.. they’re great. Basically they’re a toy that you can hide treats in. Then your pet has to work on getting the food out. It helps a lot with fast eaters but also with pets that are quite smart and like a challenge. It keeps them entertained for ages and then they get rewarded with food.” She smiled. “You will also need a litter box, a kitty bed and a wide range of toys. Are you planning on letting her go outside like in a garden or will she be an indoor cat?” Lottie asked.

Bucky blinked, he had not realised he had to think about so much when adopting the soft bundle of fur that was nestled in his chest purring contently.

“Uh. Indoor, I guess. Not sure I trust the chaos that is New York,” Bucky replied, “unless… I mean, if she wants to explore then…”

“Snow here is a curious one, but I get that you don’t want to risk it. Maybe you could take her out every now and again like that,” she suggested with a soft smile and Bucky glanced down at the cat snuggled in his leather, “she looks pretty comfy in there, I’m almost jealous.”

Bucky cranked his head up so fast, he winced at the strain of the muscle he definitely just pulled doing so. The gorgeous smile and coy sparkle in Lottie’s eyes were worth it though, and Bucky felt his skin warm, no doubt pink from cheek to chest.

He was flirted with on the daily but it’d been a long time since he enjoyed it, or at least felt like he deserved that kind of attention.

Snow chittered loudly within his arms almost like she was laughing at him and stared up at him with a look that screamed, lovesick fool on it.

"If you're going to go exploring, you'll need this." She turned toward him with a long, dark blue braided leash in her hand. Looking at his full arms she leaned onto her tiptoes and hung the leash over his shoulder. Her warm, vanilla and spice scent filling his nose as she made sure it wouldn't fall, "might take her a couple tries to get used to it."

"Got it." Bucky muttered as Lottie smiled up at him cheekily almost buried in items for his new furry friend.

"Come on, I'll ring everything up and bag them for you." She said to him with excitement glittering in her eyes and a bright smile that Bucky found himself– albeit timidly, automatically returning.

Lottie urged him back to the counter, turning on her heel to head back while waving and cooing at the little animals in their little rooms along the wall. He followed, securing his hand under the small feline hidden in his jacket while his heart fluttered in his chest at the sight.

Bucky could feel his breath falter as he tried to come up with something else to say. This has been the most pleasant interaction he’d had with such a beautiful girl in a long time, and he found himself not wanting it to end. Even if it was about animals, a topic he hadn’t really been interested in until she started talking.

“So, uh, how long have you been doing this?” He questioned awkwardly.

Another soft chuckle left her pink plump lips, “about 6 years…” she answered quietly, “I was one of the lucky people who didn’t get blipped, and there were a lot of animals who’s owners did so I took them in. It started as just the animals in my building and then kind of grew into this place,” Lottie pressed her lips into a thin line and half smiled up at him.

“Beautiful and kind,” he muttered but then his eyes grew wide in panic at the tinkling sound of a giggle.

His gaze darted up long enough to see Lottie’s hand cover her mouth as she scrunched up her nose in amusement before he decided that the worn spot on the tiles near his feet demanded his utmost attention.

“I didn’t…I mean, I…” Bucky stammered.

“No, it’s ok. Now let’s get you all checked out so we can get you and little miss Snow home.” Lottie said as she blushed a little and began to scan all of the items that she helped him pick out and put them into some bags.

“I’ll also put in our info packet for kitty care and how to help settle your new pet. Our phone number is there if you need to reach us.” She smiled as she placed the info packet into the bag before placing it on the counter.

It took Bucky a second to retrieve his wallet from his pocket, careful not to jostle his new friend too much.

A swipe of his card (he’s still getting used to that) and one appreciative meow later, Bucky grabbed the bag of cat goodies as Lottie came back around the counter.

“Well, you’re all set. I hope you and Snow have a very happy life together…”

“Bucky, my name’s Bucky.”

“Bucky,” Lottie smiled, “I’m glad you found your match today.”

“Thanks, sweetheart. For all your help.”

With a nod of his head, Bucky turned to the door with a spring in his step. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Sam’s face.

The walk back to the apartment was full of soft mewls from Snow and concerned grunting from Bucky, "you okay in there?" He asked at a crosswalk, peering down at the cat hidden in his jacket. The old lady standing next to him gave him a strange look and shifted over on the sidewalk.

"Oh no its..." he bit the inside of his cheek and looked up to the side laughing at himself. He probably looked ridiculous and now he was talking to himself.

"Haven't even had you for half an hour and you're embarrassing me." Bucky paused and smiled to himself. "You'll get along pretty well with Sam, I guess."

He headed up to his apartment and pushed the door open. Bucky usually kept his place tidy. He told himself it was a habit from being in the Army, but realistically, his cell at the Hydra facility was filthy. Bucky never wanted to live like that again. So, he spent days scrubbing at his kitchen and bathroom tiles with a toothbrush and making sure everything was as clean as it could possibly be.

But keeping himself occupied with all of that cleaning didn't take away the loneliness.

He hated when Sam was right.

Bucky looked down at Snow as he shut the door behind him and turned on the hall light for the first time in months. The place already felt a little brighter with her in it. He smiled as she peered up at him from his jacket, already purring.

"It ain't much, little one, but it's home."

He pulled down the zipper of his jacket to let Snow out of the confines of the garment. He lowered himself closer to the ground so that she could get out.

"Let me make this your home too." Bucky murmured as he pulled out each item out of the bag Lottie packed for him. Lottie…That one is gonna be stuck in his mind.

Shaking his head, Bucky watched as Snow explored her new surroundings, jumping onto the small coffee table and then onto the back of the couch. She batted at a throw blanket Sam had gotten him, with some joke about being frosty all the time or something that Bucky had ignored. With a small meow, her claws came out and caught the edge, leaving her tangled in the soft fabric.

"C'mon, kid," Bucky chuckled, pulling her paw free gently before tucking her into the crook of his elbow. "How about we stop tryin' to kill the blanket and get some food instead?"

Snow let out something like a snarl before settling into his arm, purring loudly as her eyes fluttered closed.

They entered the kitchen where Bucky had already placed the food and water bowl on a rubber mat to prevent the tiles from getting dirty every time the fluff ball would eat something.

He let her down on the floor again and Snow sneaked through his legs while forcefully rubbing her head against Bucky's muscular calves.

"Just because you're begging, doesn't mean you get your food faster, kiddo." he chuckled.

Lottie had given him two different sorts of canned cat food and Bucky grabbed a can of each and held it in front of Snow's tiny face.

"Chicken or Tuna?" he asked.

The little white fur ball butted her head against his dark metal fingers that held the tuna flavored can of food, overestimating her strength and falling backwards on her hind legs.

The little creature seemed startled by the position she found herself in with her wide eyes staring up at Bucky as a quiet chuckle left him at how silly she looked before helping her up.

"Okay, tough guy, here's your tuna."

He opened the can and carefully dropped its contents into her little pink, cat face-shaped plate while Snow looked at the can in what he felt was an offended look.

"What?" Bucky's eyebrows knit together as he stayed in a seemingly tough staring contest with the little cat until he figured out what might be wrong. He rolled his eyes as he picked up the dish and mashed it with a fork, before grabbing the bag of tuna treats Lottie had given him, and placing one on top.

He cocked his eyebrow at the cat, setting the dish back down in front of her, "sorry your majesty, is that better?"

Snow stretched her two front paws out in front of her giving him a giant yawn, as she flicked her tail at him and sauntered over to the dish, sniffing it quickly before deciding to eat. Bucky felt the corners of his lips turn up as he shook his head and turned to open his fridge and decide what he was going to feed himself.

“It’s alright for you Princess, your food comes in cans. I gotta actually think about what to make,” he grumbled, looking down at cat again, as if waiting for a response.

“Suppose I could throw together one of those stir fry things from that cooking show,” Bucky continued, musing on the contents of his fridge.

A sharp pattering against the window made them both turn, the brightness of afternoon giving way to grey, thunderous clouds as rain began to fall.

“Looks like we made it home just in time,” he hummed.

With all of the contents he’d need to get his dinner ready set up on the countertop, he grabbed a knife and flipped it in his hand not realizing his small feline friend was following his every move.

Bucky smiled down at her intrigued look, tilting his head slightly to the side as hers was, “cool trick huh sweet girl?”

She meowed loudly in response, “well I don’t know about you flipping knives but we’ll work on other tricks for ya, yeah?”

The kitten pawed at his socked foot as if she understood his every word, he leaned down to scratch her chin and whispered, “you’re gonna be trouble aren’t you…”

He washed his hands and began his cutting process, ears finely tuned already to her every move, her calm breaths and the way her paws softly pounded on the floor as she ran. His mind drifted off to Lottie back at the shelter, he wondered how the rest of her day was and if she had started to miss the kitten. Maybe they’d go visit her once in a while so she could see she was safe with him and growing happily, maybe it’ll also give Bucky the courage to have longer conversations with her.

A soft rhythmic knock on the door interrupted his musings and he furrowed his brows, wiping his hands on the towel beside him before he walked to the door. When he looked through the peep-hole he was surprised to find Lottie dripping from head to toe in rain as she stood on the other side.

“Lottie?”

She smiled big and bright just as she had this morning waving a small plush toy in front of Bucky as she imitated a meow, “meow owww,” Lottie stared back at Bucky cheeks turning red as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

He heard her whisper, “nice Charlotte, embarrass yourself in front of the hot vet” and chuckled. A wave of confidence ran through him and he reached his hand to her forearm, calling her attention.

“I thought it was cute.” he voiced with a smile.

“Well, there’s more where that came from— no, shit, sorry. Uh, I was just dropping this off, you left it at the shelter, so… hope you don’t mind that I got your address from the forms,” she handed him the toy, all whilst Bucky watched, amused. “Anyway, that’s all— see ya around, Bucky.”

She turned on her heel, seemingly attempting a quick getaway but Bucky called her name, striding forward as she spun back to face him and landed with a soft ‘oof’ into his chest.

She let out an awkward giggle and mumbled apology as Bucky steadied her with quick grasp on her dripping sweater sleeve.

“Lottie, it’s raining cats and dogs out there, at least come in until it stops, dry off a little. I’m sure the little terror will be pleased to see you again.”

Lottie turned pink but Bucky couldn't tell if it was from his suggestion or the coldness of the rain seeping through her clothes and into her skin.

"Come on, I think I got something dryer that'll fit you." He said, pulling away from her and heading towards his closet looking for something warmer for her to put on.

He really wished he had the chance to do laundry, rummaging around looking for a henley but not finding a single one. He groaned at the only clean sweater in the whole apartment, grabbing it begrudgingly before turning around and handing it to her.

"Wow..." Was all Lottie had to say when she held it up. "Didn't know you were a fan of Captain America,” she giggled.

"The old one, not the new one. I think he's a bit of a jerk." Bucky said flatly, desperately wanting to punch Sam in the face for gifting him the ridiculous sweater.

"Sam?" She laughed rubbing the sweater between her fingers.

Bucky's suspicious expression gave away his thoughts, of course Sam knew Lottie. There's a shelter, two blocks from here, just go in and see what happens. "That smug asshole," he laughed under his breath.

"He volunteers his time, walks the dogs..." Lottie still stood with her wet sweater hanging over her shoulders and her eyes on the sweater. "I can't," she handed it back.

"Lottie," Bucky forced a tight smile and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "Thank you for bringing the toy but I bought her lots... why did you run through the rain for this one?"

Lottie sighed and Bucky's heart leapt into his throat as the kitten trotted out of the kitchen and did figure eights around Bucky and Lottie's ankles. Lottie looked at the toy that was clutched in his hand.

"That's her favorite toy. She's had it since she was rescued. I just... I think she'd be a little anxious without it." Lottie chuckled. Bucky could see just how much she cared about these animals. A lump formed in his throat and he swallowed thickly. "Or I'm overthinking and--"

"You're not," Bucky whispered. "This is really sweet. Thank you."

The two of them stood in awkward silence for a while, and Bucky stared too long. He always stared too long. But she was gorgeous, her nervous eyes flicking all around his apartment. Suddenly, he became self-conscious about the fact that he didn't wipe down the baseboards like he said he would last week. He ran a hand through his hair and she let out an awkward chuckle. Bucky cleared his throat as Snow trilled and used his leg as a scratching post. He grit his teeth through the pain of her little razor claws sinking into his jeans.

"Uh, listen, I was just about to make dinner--"

"Oh! I'll get--"

He held a hand out. This might be his only shot.

"No! Uh, I was wondering if you-- uh, if--" Barnes, you're cooler than this, he thought. He cleared his throat and tried again, his cheeks hot with embarrassment. She was so pretty he didn't want to screw this up. Or seem like a weirdo. "I was wondering if you wanted some food? I could put your sweater in the dryer. I have beer-- or soda! I-- if you-- don't like... uh, beer. That's--"

He could almost hear Sam laughing at him all the way from his apartment. Lottie smiled.

"You got somewhere where I can get changed?"

Bucky felt himself blush even further as he cleared his throat and nodded. "Uh... Down the hall, first door on the left is my bedroom. You can change in there. Just give me your sweater when you're done, and I'll put it in the dryer." He watched as she smiled at him before turning and silently going down the hallway.

I really don't want to mess this up.

A sharp meow came from Bucky's feet and he looked down at Snow with a sigh.

"What?" He asked, blue eyes going as wide as his tiny counterpart. "She's really pretty, okay? Get off my back."

As Bucky walked back to the kitchen, all the dates he had ever picked up back in the day flashed through his mind. He wished for just a minute he could channel some of that carefree demeanor that poured from him before the war. This wasn't something Bucky made a habit of, but Lottie made it a little easier, with her warm smile and bright eyes. He felt a prickle of warmth in his chest and the corner of his mouth turned up as Lottie stepped out from the bedroom.

"Okay, so this thing is freaking HUGE. Not all of us are giant super strong guys so it might look weird."

She shuffled back into the kitchen, her leggings peeking out from under the oversized sweater. Bucky's brain misfired seeing this gorgeous girl in his clothes, standing in his kitchen. A cold nose bumping against his arm snapped him out of his own head as Snow jumped onto the counter.

"Um, you look great," Bucky stammered. "I mean, it looks great! The sweater. It's...great."

To avoid things getting possibly more awkward, he quickly stepped into the kitchen to finish the stir fry for him and Lottie.

She was leaning on the wall and he could feel her gaze on his back.

"You said it's her favorite toy." he pointed to the plush toy that was in her hands again before he continued: "Why's that? It looks like a regular plush toy for children."

"It's a special plush for kittens." she carefully started. Bucky turned around while stirring a spatula around the pan in front of him.

"A special one?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah. You know... Snow had a rough start. I found her almost frozen to death before I started a shift in early January. Her mother gave birth to four kittens right in front of the shelter but because it was freezing that night, only Snow and the mom survived. The others..." her voice broke at the end and she was incapable of finishing the sentence. Her eyes glistened with tears - a single one escaped and trailed down her cheek.

Bucky stepped away from the pan and placed his flesh hand on her forearm in an assuring gesture. He mumbled "I’m sorry to hear that."

"It was horrible. Snow was with her mom in the beginning, but we found someone to adopt her mom a week later. I tried to prevent it, because the kitten still needed her but I needed the space for other stray cats that were coming into the shelter the other day. The plush imitates the feel of the mother cat. I’d heat it up so that the tiny kitten could snuggle with it and feel safe. She also needed it for orientation as her eyes were still closed in the beginning. Snow got so used to the smell of the plush that she only slept peacefully while her head was resting on it. That's why I thought I should bring it here. So that she would be able to sleep."

“Oh wow,” Bucky whispered, gazing down at his tiny companion with glassy eyes. “She sure has been through a lot.”

“Yeah, she has,” Lottie nodded. “She survived the freezing cold, being pulled away from everything she knew. I hoped the plushie would help.”

She smiled as she saw the way Bucky looked at the kitten. “But now she’s got you.”

Bucky looked over at the little kitten who was looking up at Lottie and eyeing the plush toy in her hands. He couldn’t help but feel an even deeper connection to her surviving the freezing cold all alone. His mind wandered back to the cold mountain when he fell off the train.

“I think me and her have a lot in common. Is she attached to the name Snow? Because I have a different name in mind if that’s ok. It still sticks with the snow theme” He asked, looking back up to Lottie.

“I’m sure she won’t mind,” Lottie smiled softly, “what were you thinking?”

Bucky turned down the heat, the stir fry pretty much done, and rested his back against the counter. Lottie’s eyes tracked his movement, he could sense that without looking, her gaze warm and head tilted with intrigue.

“Um… Alpine?”

Lottie’s features softened more, if that was even possible and Bucky could swear her eyes were glistening.

“I think that’s perfect, Bucky. She’s a lucky kitten.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhmm, I think… despite Sam’s obvious influence that led you to my shelter today, Alpine would have waited for you even if you hadn’t followed his advice straight away.”

Bucky smiled, hiding the lump in his throat. He would not get emotional in front of the pretty girl.

“It really fits her.” Lottie’s voice was barely above a whisper as they both continued to watch her bat at some crumbs on the counter. She was surprisingly graceful for such a young kitten.

Bucky glanced at the beautiful woman in his kitchen and saw a few tears glistening on her rosy cheeks.

“Thank you for introducing us,” Bucky offered. A warm smile pulled at his lips and he immediately felt warm.

Lottie chuckled and wiped the tears away with the sleeve of his large sweater. “Are you talking to me, or Alpine?”

Bucky’s cheeks burned. If it was a joke, it was hilarious. If she was still flirting… he was in trouble.

“Well, uh,” he cleared his throat and chuckled. “I guess both of you.”

She smiled back at him, eyes warm and full of hope. Hope. Bucky could use some more of that in his life.

The room was silent for a beat, both of them grinning like fools, before he opened the cabinet and grabbed two plates. “Let’s eat, yeah?”

Bucky carried the plates to the table, setting them both down in front of a chair and not realizing just how close Lottie was following him. When he turned, they bumped into each other and he felt himself flush red when she giggled at his nervousness.

"Sorry," He mumbled, putting some space between them and quickly grabbing one of the chairs, pulling it out for her to sit in.

It was a force of habit, an old habit, but chivalry had not been one of the things he lost in the fall, just his smoothness and ability to not turn into mush by a sweet smile and melodic laugh.

"M'lady." He teased, as she sat with a beaming grin splattered across her face and he pushed in the chair for her.

“Thank you kind sir,” Lottie giggled, and Bucky felt his insides warm at the sound, light and happy. He walked back to the kitchen, grabbing the pan with the food, setting it on the table with a warming pad beneath it. As he sat down, he gestured for Lottie to go first. There was a clicking noise from above them and all the lights went out, plunging them into darkness.

“What the- Damn rain must’ve knocked the power out. Hang on, I’ve got a flashlight somewhere,” Bucky said, standing back up and feeling his way to the kitchen, searching through drawers. “Well, no flashlight but I got a few candles.”

"You need help?" Lottie asked.

"No, no." He found a few candles and a box of matches. "I wouldn't want you to burn yourself." He winced, realizing how patronizing that sounded. "I mean--"

"It's okay, Bucky," Lottie chuckled. "It's your apartment."

He smiled at her over his shoulder, the moonlight lighting up part of the room. Bucky fiddled with the matches for a moment, snapping it against the striker and trying to get the damn thing to light up.

"Son of a bitch," he muttered.

He heard Lottie's chair slide out and suddenly felt her right next to him. She reached out and placed her hand over his metal hand. He swore he could feel sparks through the Vibranium.

"Might need a more delicate touch," she offered, her voice gentle and sweet.

Bucky was thankful that she couldn't see him blushing furiously in the dark as he relented and gave her the box of matches. He watched as she struck one and it lit up instantly, illuminating her gorgeous face.

"You just need a little patience," she whispered softly as she looked back to him.

Bucky was trapped in her gaze as the flames from the candle reflected in their blue depths and danced around. He felt as if she could ask him to drown in them and he would. No questions asked.

It must've been seconds but they felt like lifetimes and just as he felt the pull between them grow stronger he saw her tongue sweep across her bottom lip before she turned away from him, hiding behind a curtain of hair dried hair to light the rest of the candles.

"All done," she told him as she lit all four candles and set the one in her hand on the counter.

"Thank you."

He honestly didn't know what he was thanking her for. He doubted it was for lighting the candles when he couldn't. It was more because since he walked into the shelter this afternoon, Lottie had saved him in a whole new way.

They made their way back to the table carrying the candles and sat down to eat. He watched apprehensively as she took a bite.

“Wow, this is delicious.” She said, looking at him. He let out a sigh of relief.

“Really, well I’m glad you like it.” He smiled as he took a bite of the food himself. They fell into a comfortable silence as they ate their food.

“So,” Lottie started, setting her fork down on her plate. She smiled at him through her lashes. Bucky gulped as the flames of the candles threw shadows against her face. She was somehow even more beautiful in this light.

“He cooks, he’s good with animals, and he’s friends with Captain America. You are quite a catch, sir.”

Bucky was sure his cheeks were melting with how hard he blushed. Was this really happening? Maybe he got hit by a bus on his way home and he died and went to heaven. Or maybe Sam spiked his drink and he’s dreaming.

He scoffed to himself since the serum would leave him virtually unscathed in both of those situations. He took a deep breath and exhaled, setting his fork down as well.

“You’re not too bad yourself, Lottie.” He winced as he heard the words leave his mouth. He wanted to kick himself under the table for that one.

“Some would disagree,” Lottie replied, voice a little quiet and eyes cast down at her plate, “but I’ll take it from you,” she added lightly.

Bucky frowned and set his fork down, hackles raised.

“Whoa, no. What do you mean ‘some would disagree’? Because from where I’m sitting, anyone would be lucky to have someone like you.”

“Bucky, that’s sweet but—“

“Sweetheart,” Bucky wasn’t sure where the fight in him was coming from, but the thought of anyone thinking Lottie — sweet, gorgeous Lottie who ran through a downpour to deliver a beloved cat toy — wasn’t good enough, made him want to do something to make her believe different.

“According to a few of my exes, I spend too much time at the shelter,” she revealed, before a smile bloomed across her lips. “But it’s my happy place so screw them, huh?”

"Animals are better than men anyway." Lottie laughed, her blue eyes shining and that wonderful grin remaining plastered across her face although her brows furrowed when she realized she had sort of just insulted him.

"Well, you just haven't met the right man yet." Bucky said much lower than he anticipated, much more breathy and like a whisper.

Lottie seemingly froze in her seat, like the air had been stolen from her as she turned bright red and bit her lip in the most adorable way.

"Does he have a cat?" Lottie asked, and Bucky chuckled.

"You know, astonishingly he does. You see, he wasn't really looking for companionship at first, just decided he would try to get a friend off his back about his houseplants. But then there was this little thing with glorious blue eyes and well..." Bucky sighed, talking both about Alpine and her.

“It’s always the ones that grump the most about getting a pet that end up loving them the hardest,” Lottie smiled, and Bucky felt himself melt just a little more even as he tried to look shocked.

“I’ve never been grumpy a day in my life,” he said, grin breaking through as Lottie snorted a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand to hide her giggles.

"Oh, really?" Lottie teased. "I might have to ask around to back that up."

Bucky put his head in his hands and groaned through laughter.

"God, please don't! Sam's gonna have a field day with it!"

He felt her gentle hand cover his and looked up. Lottie was smiling at him.

"Your secret's safe with me," she whispered. Bucky's smile mirrored hers and she gave his fingers a gentle squeeze. "And for the record, I don't actually think you're a grump. You've been pretty darn sweet to me today, and to Snow-- sorry, Alpine. Still getting used to it."

Bucky chuckled, feeling just how hot his cheeks and the back of his neck felt. Butterflies fluttered through his chest and every time he looked at Lottie, all he wanted to do was smile.

"Thanks for that. Sam really wouldn't let me live it down if you told him." He looked down as Alpine rubbed against his leg. "You can't tell him either, missy."

They ate in contented silence for a few moments, enjoying the warmth of the candles and each other.

"It's really cute how close you are already," Lottie smiled, pushing the rest of her food around on her plate. "But it makes sense."

"How?" Bucky asked through a mouthful of chicken, eyebrows furrowed mid bite and she let out a soft, tinkling giggle.

"Well because you're really cute too," she remarked without looking up and Bucky was now positive that he was dead or someone was playing a joke on him.

He actually choked on the piece of food he was chewing, coughing a few times as he felt his face flood with heat that he was pretty sure wasn't from the candles.

"Oh my god! Are you oka– I'm so sorry!"

Lottie’s panicked wide blue eyes focused on his face and Bucky heard the faint clatter of the fork she was eating with on the table while he tried to catch his breath. The sudden compliment had positively stunned him.

Bucky– the old, pre-war Bucky, once knew that he had the looks and the ability to charm the socks off any dame back in his day but now, now he felt inadequate. He didn't have the patience to try to strike up a conversation with anyone, even women.

His scars ran deeper than what his eyes saw reflected back in the mirror every morning.

And now this beautiful, incredibly kind woman was not only talking to him and making it seem all too easy, she was also flirting with him.

"I'm okay." He assured her after catching his breath and taking a generous sip of the water next to him while Alpine meowed loudly at his feet in what he thought was concern.

“Are you sure?” Lottie asked, looking at him as if she didn’t quite believe him.

“Yeah, my food just got stuck on the way down. No need to worry about me” he reached down and scratched Alpine between her ears.

The rain was still hammering against the windows outside, heavy drops illuminated by the candles on the table and the odd strike of lightning that had now decided to join in.

“Doesn’t look like it’s gonna stop any time soon,” Bucky commented, changing the subject.

“New York storms, huh?”

“Sorry you’re kinda trapped here.”

Lottie swallowed her last bite of food, pushing her plate to the side and reaching across the table for Bucky’s hand.

“How many times do I have to hint that I’m happy to be here, Bucky? That I like you.”

“Old man like me? Probably a few more before it sinks in.” He grinned, bashful but real as he watched Lottie’s face scrunch adorably into a giggle.

“I’m starting to think you’re just fishing for compliments. You are definitely not old. Worldly, maybe, and your eyes are definitely hiding like a thousand stories I’m dying to hear. But definitely not old.”

"My stories are... They're not the happiest." He told her truthfully, feeling his grin fade as he began to chew on the inside of his lip.

Lottie reached across the table, stroking the top of his hand gently before her small fingers wrapped around his metal ones, holding his hand completely unbothered by the fact that it wasn't flesh.

"We can write some happy stories together. It's what I do after all." She smiled joyfully and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"You write stories?" He questioned and she simply nodded.

"Well, I'm trying to, nothing published yet but I've got lots of ideas." She told him, her hand still in his.

"What kind of ideas?" Bucky asked, genuinely curious.

"Gentle romance, falling head over heels for a kind stranger." She said softly and he felt himself melting with every word she said.

"Does the love interest have a cat?" He wondered and the laugh she let out was beautiful, it filled his apartment and settled into the empty spaces.

“Just adopted one in fact,” she smiled and Bucky felt his heart stutter as she looked at him, blue eyes big and full of hope. “He picked out the best kitten, a real sweetheart, just like him.”

Bucky grinned back at her. "I think we're going to have some adventures." He looked down at Alpine just as she scratched at his jeans. "You've already had dinner. You cannot possibly be hungry."

"Sorry that I'm stealing all of your dad's attention, Alpine," Lottie said playfully, eyes shining as she watched Bucky scoop the little fur ball into his lap.

He grabbed a piece of his chicken, tearing a bite off and holding it up to Alpine's baby pink nose for inspection. After a few cautious sniffs, she took it from him eagerly, contented purrs and growls coming from her tiny body as she ate.

"So you said you write?" Bucky asked softly, smiling down at Alpine before looking back at Lottie as she nodded. "Well, I can read-"

"Whoa! No way!" Lottie exclaimed jokingly, enjoying the way Bucky's face scrunched up as he laughed.

"I mean," he replied with a giggle. "I can read anything you write...if you ever need another set of eyes."

"Especially eyes like yours," Lottie drawled.

Bucky felt lightheaded from all the blood rushing to his cheeks.

"You're killin' me, sweetheart," he sighed, taking a drink from his glass.

"Sorry," Lottie blushed. "You just get all pink and flustered...it's very cute."

"Yeah well, usually I'm the one doing the flusterin'."

Laughing, Lottie grabbed a piece of chicken from her plate and held it across for Alpine, who had finished Bucky's piece and seemed eager for more.

"Believe me, Sargeant," she whispered softly, looking up at him through thick lashes. "I am very flustered right now."

Bucky could have punched a hole through the wall with the burst of confidence that soared through him.

How was it possible that he could make Lottie flustered? He chuckled and wiped his hands down the front of his shirt. “This ol’ thing? You’re bluffing.”

Lottie’s jaw dropped, and a look of playful shock came across her face. “You trying to call my bluff, huh?”

Bucky eyed her thoughtfully. His gaze, whether he meant it to or not (he definitely did), flitted to her lips. They looked soft, plush and pink, and inviting as hell.

“You could always prove it,” Bucky smirked. He caught her eye, daring her to make a move.

“Or… you could fluster me some more, see the real fruits of your labour.”

Sometime during this conversation, Lottie’s chair had edged closer to Bucky’s. He could feel the warmth radiating from her as her fingertips danced up and down his arm.

The anticipation was killing him.

Which one of them had actually made the first move was completely unclear to Bucky. There was just the look of trepidation on her face along with the thought that he should do it first just so he could throw her into the same kind of tizzy as she had put him in.

Bucky leaned in slowly, eyeing the soft appearance of her lips but Lottie had done exactly the same after finding her courage.

He felt her stretch up to meet him, soft supple lips pressing gently against his, her vanilla spice scent filling his nose and making him a little dizzy. It was so tame, sweet and absolutely perfect that he couldn't help but bring his hands to her face, cradling her cheeks in his palms and pulling her back in when she went to move away.

There were a million butterflies in his stomach and he swore if they didn't keep their lips connected, they would all come bursting out of his mouth along with a flurry of thoughts about how he wanted her to stay with him, possibly forever.

Bucky couldn’t help smiling into the kiss, happiness bubbling over. He could feel Lottie doing the same and suddenly they were both grinning against each other’s lips, little laughs escaping them.

Bucky pulled back, bringing his metal hand up to brush a piece of hair back from Lottie’s eyes. She caught it in her hand, leaning her face against the palm, fingers stroking delicately over the back. Bucky felt his heart clench and Lottie looked up at him.

"That was..." She exhaled and took a deep breath.

"I hope it was okay," he chuckled. "I'm a little out of practice."

She placed a hand on his chest and Bucky drew in deep breaths to keep his heart from racing so much. It was useless. Every time he looked at her, his chest felt tight. Her eyes shone in the low light, and that smile could actually bring him to his knees.

"Well, we could always practice again if you feel like you need it."

Food long forgotten, Bucky gave Lottie a half smile before he leaned in again to run his lips over hers, hearing her gasp at his intrusion. He slowly moved his hand to rest on the back of her neck, weaving his fingers through her hair.

"I bet you make a really good teacher, doll."

Lottie smirked, biting her lip as she studied Bucky's face and leaned in once more.

"Let's find out."

He felt Lottie go soft as this second kiss grew deeper, his hands pulling her close as if she might float away without his help. When her tongue traced his bottom lip, Bucky groaned and let her in to explore, their kiss becoming hotter in the dim candle light.

He could taste the spice from the chicken mixed with the sweetness of the sugar from her coffee and the chapstick she put on earlier today. He was drowning in Lottie and never wanted to come up.

She was the one who finally relented, breaking the kiss and leaving them both breathless and blushing.

"Bucky, if that's you without practice..." Lottie breathed against his lips and he smiled, running a thumb along her bottom lip. "I might be the one who needs some lessons."

"Say yes to another dinner," Bucky whispered, rubbing his nose against hers. "And I'll teach you whatever you want."

He could feel Lottie vibrating with excitement and it suddenly dawned on him that what he said came out in a way he hadn't meant.

"I could teach you how to make stir-fry." He blurted out nervously, causing her to laugh and she placed a small peck on his nose.

"I'd like that a lot." She smiled, and just as she did, Alpine jumped from Bucky's lap where she had been snuggled throughout dinner and into Lottie's lap.

"Of course, that's if this little lady doesn't mind me sharing your attention." She giggled.

Bucky smiled, knowing his face reflected how calm and happy he felt, but he couldn’t hold back.

“I think that’s her way of asking you to come back too,” he said and Lottie laughed, scratching behind Alpine’s ears.

“How could I ever say no to such a plea?” she said, eyes twinkling before she sighed. “But I should probably get back to the shelter now, the rains nearly done, it sounds like.”

Bucky nodded. He really wanted to see her again. As soon as he could, or as soon as she had time. Lottie looked around and tugged at his sweater. Bucky reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Keep it," he replied. "You don't need a reason to come back, but..."

She beamed at him.

"I have three reasons. Sweater, cute cat, cute guy..."

Bucky blushed furiously and ran a hand through his hair.

"Listen, it would be ungentlemanly of me to let a lady walk alone at night. Can I walk you back to the shelter?"

He was never going to get used to the way her smile gave him butterflies.

"I would love that."

Bucky smiled and stood before reaching out for her hand just as an audible click reached his ears and they both began to blink rapidly. The power had been restored. "Well... talk about timing," he chuckled. "Let's get you back to the shelter sweetheart."

The walk back seemed much too short for Bucky's liking, but he couldn't stop smiling regardless. Lottie's presence had permanently drawn it onto his face, unable to brush it off if he tried. They talked as they walked, little comments about the neighborhood or Alpine, who peeked out from inside Bucky's jacket. His fingers tangled with Lottie's for the final block and for the first time in a long time, all the pieces seemed to be falling into place.

Lottie turned to him as they approached the shelter, the light above the sign reflecting off the water beneath their feet.

"Don't suppose we have time for one more practice session..." She sighed exaggeratedly, a small smirk on her lips.

Without a word, Bucky wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in for another kiss as she yelped. Her smile melted into his and so did the rest of the world until a tiny disgruntled mewl broke the spell.

"Sorry, baby," Bucky whispers.

"It's okay," Lottie smiles before he laughs.

"I was talkin' to the fluffball, Lottie," he grinned, earning him a shocked laugh and a slap to the arm.

She walked up the few steps to the door of the shelter, turning back and making Bucky's heart stop. Her glittering eyes, the wave of her blonde hair, the cute button nose, on top being kind and a little bit goofy? He'd truly hit the jackpot.

"Next time, I'm cooking, Barnes."

Bucky gave her a grin and shoved his hands in his pockets as she unlocked the door.

"Okay, but I'm not giving away anymore of my clothes."

"Damn it..." Lottie grumbled before smiling again.

The door opened up and Bucky felt lighter than he had since before...well, everything. Over one hundred years of life and he had to wait this long to find someone like her.

"What time you open?" Bucky gestured to the sign. "Might need someone to help out with all the other little guys."

"We open at 8, but I'm not opposed to opening earlier for a pretty face."

Bucky grinned brightly as he backed down the sidewalk, the comforting warmth of Alpine against his chest and Lottie still on his lips, for once looking forward to everything the morning would bring him.

"I'll be here at 7."

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stuckybingo · 2 months

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Stucky Bingo Round-Up #16 (February 4th - 17th)

If you would like a shiny Bingo Card of your own, you can fill out this form! Don’t forget to fill out the submission form to be a part of the round-ups and to get your bingo badges!

Steve Rogers, PA by sparkagrace Square filled: G5 - blind dates Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: winter soldier Bucky Barnes, personal assistant Steve Rogers, fluff, hunkyclinks, canon div Summary: Steve nudges Sam’s beer towards him because even if he doesn’t like this conversation, he’s not going to let his best friend die on oversalted bar peanuts. Sam drains the rest of his beer and then zeroes back in on Steve. “Riley knows a guy.” “No, Sam, please don’t!” “You told me you’ve got a couple of nights free at the end of the week so don’t try and get out of it. He has a nice and safe job. He works with one of Riley’s cousin’s neighbors. Or is it Riley’s neighbor’s cousin? Whatever. He’s new in town and wants to meet a decent New Yorker. It’s just drinks and maybe dinner. Think about it.” Format: Part of a multichapter fic

Deep End.... by kahey2804 Square filled: I1 - Engagement photos Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply, I am choosing not to use archive warnings (eg because you don't want to spoil the ending) Major tags: Minor Character Death, Character Death, Forced Bonding Summary: There is no summary. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

maybe we’re just born with stardust in our blood by aspen | blackwood4stucky Square filled: N2 - germany Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: ws!witch!bucky, bucky barnes centric Summary: Team Cap search for the one thing that could send Bucky back to where he started. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

The Weight of Gold Binding by dontcallmebree Square filled: N3 - Free Space Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Book binding Summary: Mini Bind & Straight Back Bradel of The Weight of Gold by dreamsinthewitchouse Format: Craft

And We're on Our Own in the Afterglow by Voylitscope Square filled: Adopted square (February) - Avengers compound Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Friends to lovers, canon divergence, emotional sex, feelings reveal, cabin fic Summary: "Could make up for it now. The mugs, I mean," Bucky offers, taking another long sip of coffee. "Could buy a whole variety of 'em. Get some of those they make with you on them, even." "Oh god," Steve says, picturing the stacks of mugs, cups, plates, and all sorts of other kitchenware with his own image plastered on them that he's been shown. "I still don't understand who would want that." "I don't know. I can kinda see the appeal," Bucky says, leaning back in his chair and keeping his eyes on Steve. ""Starting the day looking at your face." Steve swallows his coffee a bit too fast. Or: Steve, Bucky, and a month's vacation in a mountain cabin. Featuring Steve's art, a fireplace, online shopping, so very much pining, two beds (but eventual sharing anyway), comfort for decades of hurt, and even some talk about feelings. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

#stucky bingo #stucky bingo round 5 #round up 16 #weekly round up #don't forget to fill out the submission form

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sesamestreep · 11 months

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Sam/Bucky, 29

29. It’s 2am and I’m cursing your name (from this prompt list) more gbbo AU shenanigans, as per usual. with permission from the bake off queen herself! Set pre-all stars season by a few years 🩷

“You know what, Buck? This is all your fault.”

Bucky lifts his gaze from the digital readout on the kitchen scale to look at Sam, who is doing a fairly impressive job of looking stern for someone who also has powdered sugar on the tip of his ear. He assumes Sam doesn’t know that last part, though, and he decides it’s funnier if he doesn’t tell him.

“I’m not saying you’re wrong,” Bucky says, tiredly, “just that you’re going to have to be more specific.”

Natasha makes an soft, amused snorting sound from Sam’s other side but doesn’t look away from the recipe she’s been staring at for the past ten minutes. She’s got her hair piled on her head and secured with an enormous claw clip and she’s making the sort of face she normally reserves for when she encounters one of the few languages she doesn’t speak a word of, but she is also tapping her foot and mumbling along to the B-52s song that is playing softly out of a bluetooth speaker (a concession to the fact that everyone else in the house is asleep and also that Sam regards baking in silence as a weird form of punishment), so she must not be in the worst mood.

“‘It’ll be fine, Sam,’” Sam says, in what Bucky guesses is probably supposed to be an impression of his voice. He’s pretty sure he doesn’t sound like Joe Pesci in real life, but he does try to avoid hearing recordings of himself talking, so it’s hard to be completely certain. “‘We’ll just bake our cakes for the wedding AFTER the rehearsal dinner!’”

“You said it was a good idea!”

“Yeah, that was one-month-ago-Sam! He didn’t have to get to the airport at 5 this morning! He’s not still up at 2 in the morning with your dumb ass, either!”

Natasha mutters something under her breath in Russian that Bucky refuses to acknowledge because he does not want to translate it for Sam.

Instead, he says, “Okay, yes, this is stressful now, but it’s all going to be worth it tomorrow—”

“Today,” Natasha interrupts.

“Not helping,” Bucky replies. “It will all be worth it when we surprise Steve and Peggy with everyone’s cakes at the wedding tomorrow.”

“Today,” both Natasha and Sam correct him, and none too gently either.

“Whatever,” Bucky grumbles. He takes a deep breath in through his nose and then releases it slowly. He tries adopting a sweeter tone with obvious effort. “Is there something I can help you with, Sam? Anything I can do to be of service? To atone for this terrible idea of mine?”

Sam looks suspicious at first—or maybe just aware that he’s being placated—but he also can’t seem to fully fight off the smile that eventually takes over his face. He shakes his head, still smiling, and says, “Just get me some more butter from the fridge, will you?”

“Yep. Absolutely. Wait, how much?” Without waiting for an answer, Bucky steps closer to peer at the recipe over Sam’s shoulder. The same shoulder that, naturally, collides with his own as Sam steps back to show him the recipe. This leaves them in a weird sort of prom picture pose as they look at the iPad together and Bucky doesn’t have to look at Natasha to know she’s smirking at them.

“Damn, is there enough butter in this thing, Sam?” he asks, just because he needs something to do besides think about how broad Sam’s shoulders are or how good he smells (even accounting for the fact that they all smell like sugar and vanilla right now).

“Fuck off, man,” Sam says, shoving him lightly. “I thought we were cool for a second there.”

The absolute last thing Bucky feels right now is cool, which is why it’s good that he’s about to stick his head in a fridge and look around for ingredients. It will give him time to calm down, and also avoid looking at Natasha for even longer.

“I’m just saying, I’d like Steve and Peggy to make it to their honeymoon without, like, any heart attacks or anything like that.”

“You’re back on my shit list now,” Sam replies, not even looking at him. “Natasha, remember this day!”

“Oh, I imagine I’ll have trouble forgetting it, Sam,” she says, coolly, as she moves to rinse some fruit in the sink.

Bucky does as he was told, then, with the attention off of him, and searches for more butter in the fridge, feeling both relieved that he and Sam are back to their usual bickering and oddly disappointed to be out of Sam’s good graces so quickly, even if it is mostly them joking around. One of these days, he vows, he’ll figure out how to feel normal about Sam Wilson. Just maybe not tonight.

#no comment except 👀#the gbbo au #bake off au #sam wilson #bucky barnes #natasha romanoff #sambucky #firstelevens #mutuals admiration society #taylor swift song prompts #prompt fill #prompt fic #homelywenchsociety #that’s my writing tag! don’t worry about it!

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polizwrites · 7 months

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PoliZ’s WIP Update - 11 Oct 2023

A less-than average week as Real Life took center stage. I touched 3 fics (2 WIPs & 1 new works) for a total of 1954 words.

On Ao3, I posted:

An A-maze-ing Afternoon Together - established Stephen/Tony fluff ficlet

Lessons Learned - a Sam/Clint meet-cute ficlet.

Tony Stark Bingo Mark VII - September Round Robin - post-Avengers Tony/Bruce friends to maybe something more.

A Sign of the (Sexy) Times - WinterPepperony silly, sexy ficlet (no actual smut)

I have 18 semi-active WIPs 😬 with my current deadlines being the Sam Wilson Bingo that wraps on Oct 15, the Halloween Horror Bingo and the the Fictober/ Flufftober/ Whumptober prompt challenges that all wrap at the end of the month.

See below cut for what I’m working on/planning to work on - arranged more or less by bingos/challenges/etc. As always, feel free to send me prompts or plot bunnies as well as asks regarding any of these projects or any other WIPs I’ve got out there. Interaction really helps feed the Muse and keep me motivated!

Seek & Destroy Collab

After reading @psychiccatpanda‘s amazing Morguna and the Green Queen, I got the itch to explore the Soldier’s POV and talked Faustie into collab’ing with me! We’re working on a new part of the series, and I’ve contributed about 900 words towards the 2500-ish we have so far. Going to see if I can squeeze any of my BBB squares into this fic.

Sam Wilson Bingo [SWB_R3] (Ends 15 Oct 2023)

I have eight fills and zero WIPs - targeting a Column G bingo and perhaps one more fill before the bingo wraps up.

* B4 - Natasha Romanoff - Maybe add on to my Card Sharks drabble, where SamNat & Steve conspire to create a polycule with Bucky? This idea crosses over nicely with my BBB KINK: Seduction mission square and maybe I can squish a Fictober or Flufftober prompt in here.

* G2 - Teacher/Teacher AU - Posted Lessons Learned on Monday - a No Powers AU FalconHawk meet (mostly) cute ficlet that crossed over with Flufftober Day 9 “: "I wouldn't do that if I were you.” and came in at 414 words.

* G4 - Adopting a Pet - posted a moodboard for this where Joaquin brings a stray cat home and Sam and Bucky (pretend to) disapprove. Shout out to @hannahshattuck3121 for the assist on the Joaquin pics!

Halloween Horror Bingo - [HHB_23] (Ends 31 Oct 2023)

Just signed up for this event, hosted by @halloweenhorrorbingo. After picking three horror films, you get a 3x3 card (with 3 alternates) with prompts based on those films.

* B1 - Dealing with Extreme Cold - seems like a good match with my BBB Cold and or SVB Last Resort square along with Whumptober: Thermometer & Fictober "It's not too late, let's go."

* ALT1 - There’s something under the bed - Finished up A Hairy Situation - WinterHawk Werewolf AU that’s coming in at a nice, round 2200 words and crosses over with my BBB "This might as well happen" square. Targeting to post on Friday the 13th. 😁

Fictober/Flufftober/Whumptober - [FFWtober_23] (Ends 31 Oct 2023)

I’m lumping these three prompt challenges together as I plan on mixing and matching with a goal of using at least four prompts from each list by the end of the month for a total of 12 prompts. I’m a little behind at only three used so far, but we’ll see what the rest of the month brings!

* Whumptober Day 2: Thermometer see HHB Dealing with Extreme Cold

* Fictober Day 3: "Okay, show me." see SWB Joaquin Torres above.

* Flufftober Day 6. Corn Maze - posted An A-maze-ing Afternoon Together (fluffy IronStrange established relationship ficlet) on Friday. It crossed over with my TSB Tony/Stephen square and came in at 451 words.

* Fictober Day 9: "I wouldn't do that if I were you." See SWB Teacher/Teacher AU.

* Fictober Day 12: "I'm not saying I didn't like it." Wrote up a short Chapter 2 to Caught By the Rain and Blinded by the Lightning as a crossover with my TSB Pairing: Tony/Thor square. It came in at 567 words and will post on Thursday.

* Fictober Day 24: [melting emoji] - combine with TSB "Get back in bed!" Tony has a fever and won’t listen to his partner. Maybe throw in a little Whumptober too?

* Fictober Day 27: "I don't know if they will accept this." - This could be a fun combo with TSB T2 - KINK: Cock-blocking 'bots.

WinterIron Bingo - [WIB_R1] (Ends 16 Dec 2023)

I have sixteen fills completed and two WIPs for this brand-new bingo event that I’m helping mod! Along with crossfilling against my other bingos, I’m going to try to combine my B column squares for the Iron Soldier badge (complete a bingo with a single work). – Alpha Tony Stark, “That was not my intention.”, James Rhodes, Alpine loves Tony and Blind date. (Tony POV remix of A Sugar Coated Pill?)

* N1 - Bucharest – I think I can fold this into a future chapter of My Love is Vengeance - where a young!Tony and a recovering!Bucky have been kidnapped by Hydra, who still thinks Bucky is the Soldier.

* G2 - Eye contact during sex - This will come into play in Chapter 6 of A Sugar-Coated Pill, where Bucky figures out what making love really means, with Tony’s help. It’s crossing over with BBB KINK: Gentle Sex and is up to 830 words.

* G4 - AU: College Students – looking to expand Beaten to the Punch with some backstory on Bucky and Tony as science camp counselors to fit with this square - will also cross over with my WFB Volunteering Together square.

* O5 - Gentle – use this poem as inspiration?

Stucky’Verse Bingo Round 1 - [SVB_R1] (Ends 22 Dec)

Eleven fills, two WIPs and a couple of ideas.

* A1 - Harem - crossover with CABB Secret/Forbidden Relationship - Bucky and shrimpy!Steve are both concubines - they love each other more than their lord. I poked at this a little for 71 words.

* A4 - Fairy Tale Curse - this seems custom-made for a continuation of Beyond the Beast😁 Nothing written yet, other than some Vague Ideas.

* C3 - FREE - Need to find a good match for Chapter 2 of Half of the Flesh and Blood That Makes Me Whole - a Bucky POV remix of at least the first part of Take What Was Wrong (And Make it Right), which is current sitting at 52 words. I’m expecting at least one more chapter, possibly two, depending on how far I want to take the remix.

* C5 - Last Resort - see HHB Dealing with Extreme Cold

Bucky Barnes Bingo - [BBB_R5] (Ends 10 Jan 2024)

I’ve got eleven fills, four WIPs, and a couple more Vague ideas.

* B2 - KINK: Seduction Mission - might add a new chapter to Card Sharks - where Sam/Natasha and Steve finish what they started to get Bucky onboard for a poly partnership.

* B5 - Cold - see HHB Dealing with Extreme Cold

* U1 - Never the fall that kills you - I’ve got a WinterIron hanahaki fic idea for this that I might play with or check against Whumptober prompts

* U3 - Fireplace - Working on a 1980′s No Powers WinterIron fic set at a ski lodge where Tony’s being wooed by poetry and love letters that Bucky wrote to someone else. Started poking at this as a crossover with a Love Letters prompt and it’s sitting at 129 words.

* C2 - Yelena Belova– The plan is to use this prompt in the next chapter of Peresmešnik, (aka Three Avengers and a Baby), which is currently sitting at 1303 words (600-ish of which are mine).

* C5 - Marriage of Convenience/Pretend Couple - next chapter of Lady Natasha’s Consort and Lord Steve’s Companion. Got a spark of an idea the other day that might get me a bit further on this fic.

* K3 - Magic - Aro!Bucky healing with a kiss idea?

* Y1 - Gentle Sex – In-progress Chapter 6 of Sugar-Coated Pill- see WIB Eye Contact During Sex.

* Y3 - Alpine - see WIB Iron Soldier combo.

* Y4 - Forgotten Things - using this for Chapter 4 of You Can’t Stop It With a Gun - it’s sitting at 116 words at the moment.

* Y5 - "This might as well happen" - see HHB Alt1

* May Adopted - Insomnia - finally got this filled with The Dead of Night, which also filled a Flash Fiction Friday prompt [#FFF211 An Old Friend] along with my JBB FREE square. It came in at 317 words and will post to Ao3 before this event ends.

* August Adopted: Take the Shot - sounds like a WinterHawk fic to me… maybe cross over with JBB Touch-starved? Whumptober/Fictober possibilities as well.

Tony Stark Bingo Round 7 - [TSB_R7] (ends 15 Feb)

Thirteen fills and one WIPs, with a couple of ideas in play.

* S1 - Galaxy - possibly use in final chapter of Never More to Go Astray ?

* S2 - KINK: Multiple Orgasms - Posted A Sign of the (Sexy)Times this morning - 425 words of a WinterPepperony not-quite-smutfic (fade to black before actual sex, but there is Sexual Content) thanks to a NSFW shitpost over in the WinterIron Discord server (and @rebelmeg’s awesome commentary).

* S3 - Pairing: Tony/Thor - see Fictober Day 12 above.

* T2 - KINK: Cock-blocking 'bots - see Fictober Day 27 above

* T3 - A pairing you've never done - @SomeSortofItalianRoast and I are looking at collabing on a Steve/Tony/Scott fic - possibly throw in a Flufftober/Fictober prompt?

* T5 - Shawarma - possible crossover with SAUB Canon Divergence – Battle of New York-related?

* A2 - KINK: Concubine - possible crossover with SAUB Gentle Dom

* A5 - Building your friends - used this for the Tony Stark Bingo Mark VII - September Round Robin - contributed 395 words to the overall fic.

* R1 - Animal Transformation - DemonPanda shared a fun prompt on the WIB server - Tony as a short-haired werewolf who needs to cuddle his pack members for warmth.

* R5 - Doppelganger/Evil Twins - The Flash Fiction Friday prompt [#FFF214 Broken Mirror] got me at least a good start on the idea I’ve been playing with for this square. I posted NamNori on Tumblr and have a general idea of how I want to build on it to also fill my SAUB AU: Crack square. It’s currently sitting at 360 words.

* K2 - "Get back in bed!" - see Fictober Day 24 above

* September Adopted: Tony/Stephen - see Flufftober Day 6 above

Stony AUniverse Bingo [SAUB_R1] (ends 15 Feb)

Another brand-new bingo I’m helping co-mod! Six fills, three WIPs and several crossover ideas already!

* S1 - Edging - Filled this with Ringing in the New, where Tony makes a suggestion to improve/change up their love life. It’s a crossover with a Flash Fiction Friday prompt: How Do You Use ‘It’? and came in at 324 words - I will post it to Ao3 before the event is over.

* S2 - AU: Crack - see TSB Doppelganger/Evil Twins

* S3 - AU: Wings - see SVB FREE square

* S5 - Accidental Baby Acquisition - see BBB Yelena Belova

* T1 - AU: Fantasy - CoffeeOwl shared a really cool dragon!Steve/indebted!Tony prompt in the ACB Discord server that I may be playing with for this.

* T4 - AU: Canon Divergence - see TSB Shawarma above.

* N2 - Mutual Pining - crossover with CABB Royal Knight?

* N3 - Gentle Dom - see TSB KINK: Concubine above

* Y4 - AU: Soulmates - @chrissihr posted a cool idea about Animated soulmarks, where only your SM sees your mark move - may try to do something with this!

Captain (America) Bottom Bingo - Round 2 [CABB] (ends 28 Feb 2024)

I signed up for a 3x3 card for this bingo and have four fills, one WIPs and a couple of crossover ideas.

* A2 - Secret/Forbidden Relationship - see SVB Harem

* B3 - Royal Knight - see SAUB Mutual Pining.

Post July Break Bingo [JBB_23p] (Ends Apr 2024)

@julybreakbingo is running another event to tide participants over with a 2x3 non-fandom-specific card - I got mine earlier this week and am checking it over for potential crossovers.

* A1 - “It’s you. It’s always been you.” - This might fit in with my TSB Doppelgangers/Evil Twins fill NamNori above :: ponders::

* B1 - Ask the neighbor if they know why your apartment is haunted - I gotta do something with this for Spooky Month - maybe combine with TSB Old Ghosts or something off my HHB card :: ponders::

* B2 - Character’s personality is split into two different beings – I’ve never played with Bucky & the Soldier being two different people, but this seems like the perfect opportunity! Will see what might be a good crossover on BBB or WIB (or even SVB)

* C1 - Touch Starved – another good fit for a Bucky-centric fic. (Steve or Tony or Clint) possibly crossover with BBB Take the shot?

Warm and Fluffy Bingo - [WFB] (no end date)

I got my card from @warmandfluffybingocards back in February but really haven’t done much with it - however, I’m picking it back up for some crossover possibilities!

* O5 - Volunteering Together – see WIB AU: College Students

————

On other creative fronts: I am working on a Bela Lugosi Dracula Stuffed With Character figure in progress for a commission and have signed up for the Marvel Trumps Hate event - so keep an eye out for my auctions!

If you’re looking for one of a kind gifts for birthdays or other celebrations, check out Stuffed With Character over on Facebook for a full list of my designs (now over 150!). These soft stuffed figures are mostly Marvel and monsters, but I have some Star Wars, Star Trek, DC and Disney figures as well. Plus I love to take custom design requests for any fandom!

#writing stuff #wip wednesday #wip update #shameless self promo

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themculibrary · 2 months

Text

Domestic Masterlist 2

part one

between everything, yourself, and home (ao3) - napricot steve/bucky E, 24k

Summary: “This is your home?” asks Bucky at one point.

“It’s where I’m living now, yeah.”

Bucky comes home. Steve's a little slower on the uptake.

Chronicles of Super Soldier Parents (ao3) - rememberednoah steve/bucky G, 12k

Summary: In which Steve and Bucky adopt a little girl. In which The Avengers think the little girl is theirs as much as she's Steve's and Bucky's.

Domesticating a god (ao3) - Sif jane/thor G, 2k

Summary: Thor is struggling with life on Earth with Jane Foster, his lover.

Falling out the Clouds (ao3) - abcd_em mj/peter T, 9k

Summary: Five times Peter gave MJ flowers and one time MJ gave them to him.

Fever (ao3) - MoreThanAFeeling (Daretodream66) steve/bucky G, 10k

Summary: Gay Bucky meets Stephanie Rogers, a chef working the Stark Expo. He finds her attractive and doesn't understand those feelings. Then Stephanie reveals something about herself and Bucky falls hard.

Friendly Neighborhood Superheroes (ao3) - steverogersandpeggycarter peggy/steve G, 2k

Summary: Peter Parker meets the Avengers and learns a few things about Captain America's domestic life.

glitter in the air (ao3) - haveufoundwhaturlookingfor bucky/steve/sam G, 1k

Summary: Steve volunteers him and Bucky to watch Peter when Tony needs to go to an important business meeting for Stark Industries. Bucky's only been back for a few months, and doesn't quite trust himself around others, let alone a child.

Hello Midtown High (ao3) - AmyR G, 20k

Summary: This is basically domestic Avengers and Peter Parker, with a slight smattering of the Field Trip trope thrown in. It's really just domestic Avengers though.

Just Hold Me (ao3) - shanology steve/bucky E, 10k

Summary: Bucky Barnes is living in Avengers Tower, and all he wants in the world is to be cuddled. He sets out to get his new friends to give him the snuggling he needs, because it's not something he can ask of Steve yet.

Steve doesn't see it in quite the same way.

Also, there are Avengers movie nights, possibly with a showing of The Covenant. Just saying.

just know you're not alone (ao3) - haveufoundwhaturlookingfor tony/sam T, 10k

Summary: Tony was settling into his new life being an Avenger. Everything was going fine, great even, and then suddenly a kid was thrown into the picture. Peter Parker becomes Tony’s world, and he’s doing everything he can to keep his son out of the spotlight. Unfortunately, some things don’t always go to plan. But would it really be such a bad thing if his fellow Avengers found out about his son?

Kissin’ Dynamite (ao3) - crime_fighting_spiderling pepper/tony, mj/peter G, 27k

Summary: “Maybe I shouldn’t go.” Peter spoke. MJ shoved a permission slip into his hand at his comment.

“You’re going.” She simply stated.

Where Peter and his class go on a field trip to Stark Tower.

Parenting for Superheroes (ao3) - somebocly steve/tony G, 5k

Summary: AKA Peter thought coffee and energy drinks would mix well together while staying at the Avengers Tower.

Sleep deprivation (ao3) - alienspronkles N/R, 3k

Summary: What if Tony didn’t know that the building fell on Peter in Spider-Man: Homecoming? And Peter accidentally mentioned it?

Aka: Sleep deprivation gets to Peter due to his nightmares from Toomes dropping a building on him, Tony thinks he’s been kidnapped after he falls asleep in Matt Murdock’s apartment, and Peter accidentally lets it slip to Tony that Toomes dropped a building on him.

spider-man: homewrecker (ao3) - watsonmj (divineauthor) mj/peter M, 3k

Summary: Peter and MJ are married. MJ’s a famous actress. Peter’s still Spider-Man. People think Spider-Man and MJ are together. The problem? Everyone knows MJ is a married woman.

The Best Thing (ao3) - winterstony steve/tony E, 32k

Summary: A billionaire finds home in the presence of a single father and his adorable little son. Together they help fill the empty holes in each other's lives.

where spider-man is not having a good time and neither is anyone else (ao3) - Guessthisiswhat N/R, 13k

Summary:

Stark Expo, May 2010 14 kids go missing in the attack. Only one found alive.

May 2016 Peter Parker escapes the compound he’s been in for the last six years.

August 2016 Spider-man makes his first appearance.

Or Peter Parker was kidnapped by Hydra at the Stark Expo in 2010 and was never reported missing because Aunt May and Uncle Ben died in the attack. Six years later he has escaped and now takes up the Spider-man persona. Leading the Avengers to be tracking him down, all while he is homeless.

you don’t have to work to make it feel like home (ao3) - AuroraWest, Nonexistenz loki/stephen, jane/thor M, 5k

Summary: It was so stupid to be nervous. His fears didn’t even have form; he was simply concerned that…something, anything, would go wrong. Stephen would realize he’d become involved in something that was far more work than he’d realized—far more work even than Loki was by himself, and that was saying something—and he would excuse himself halfway through dinner and say Maybe we shouldn’t see each other anymore.

Loki and Stephen have been together for two months and that can only mean one thing: it's time for a family dinner.

You're My Home Now (ao3) - TheWickedWitchy steve/thor E, 2k

Summary: Thor moves in with Steve, and is made to feel at home.

#themculibrary #marvel #mcu #masterlists #fluff #domestic #domestic masterlist

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authorred · 2 years

Text

Avengers React

Preface: Avengers reactions to witnessing the reader use their OP powers for the first time

Disclaimer: Will involve the OG Avengers, the new gen, and side characters. If you've any suggestions for an Avengers React, do comment them! (pls do actually I'm utterly uncreative)

Warning(s): None

Characters: Tony, Steve, Natasha, Bruce, Clint, Thor, Loki, Bucky, Sam, James, Wanda, Pietro, Fury, Steven (Strange), Peter, Vision, T'Challa, Carol

Tony Stark: Would stare. If anyone else was there, he'd look at them, then look back at you. "Did . . . anyone else see that tiny person create a wormhole, or was that just the caffeine and sleeping pills kicking in?" Would probably be warily curious of your powers and how you got them. If you didn't know how, when, or where you got them, Unknowing Adoptive Dad Powers activate.

Steve Rogers: Would gape at you for a solid two seconds before closing his mouth and nodding in quick acceptance. "That's not the strangest thing I've seen." Would probably offer to train with you--silently. He'd just show up in the Stark Tower training room whilst you're in there and give you a knowing look.

Natasha Romanoff: Would be both impressed and wary. With the evolving enemies coming after their necks, they don't need to deal with someone (or something) else that's crazy powerful. "Okay, we can deal with that. Probably." Would keep a safe distance from you at first but isn't hostile or closed off.

Bruce Banner: Absolutely fascinated. Star struck. Jaw-gaping. Him and his seven PhD's are buzzing with theories as to how you got your powers. The Hulk side of him wants to get thrown around to see if you're as strong as him. "That's--that's tearing my knowledge of physics apart. And I don't know if that makes me scared or fascinated."

Clint Barton: "I might need more arrows for that." Wouldn't surprise him that much. If you somehow demonstrate greater accuracy than him whilst shooting (some sort of projectile) he'll get a bit salty. Probably say, "Best two out of three". If you beat him consistently, he literally will not give up until the thousandth round at least.

Thor: Would laugh heartily. "That's the spirit!" Would probably be the most open and friendly to you, despite your monstrous power. Would make a passing comment that you're still not worthy (of Mjolnir), but maybe one day you will be. Doesn't seem to be intimidated by you and your power. Until you throw him through a few buildings (at his request).

Loki: Power is hot to this man. "Well, that . . . certainly is something." Would eyefuck you with a certain gaze. Is lowkey jealous of the power you wield, but also lowkey wants to be crushed by it, no matter how hard his superiority complex fights it. He's always trying to get under your skin to prove he's better than you in some way. You always seem to match him in most areas, though.

Bucky: Would stare in slight surprise. Brows raised. Then he'd shrug. "Damn." He's smart (unlike some), so he wouldn't actively try to get a fight out of you. Would be open to you and friendly enough. Sometimes you'll challenge him to arm wrestling. He wins sometimes, but he knows you probably let him. Treats you like a little sibling.

Sam Wilson: "Now, what in the hell do we do about that?" Is utterly perplexed and confused as to how another super-powered human landed on their doorstep. Is initially wary of you and your powers and often combats you with wit and sarcasm that you combat with some of your own. Whether you eventually gain his respect or not is hard to tell.

James Rhodes: ". . . what the hell am I looking at?" Essentially the same as Sam, but forget the wariness, the man is just confused. Doesn't interact with you much but does stay with the others if they're trying to find more about you, or during times where you're explaining to them what you can do and how.

Wanda Maximoff: At first, she's wary. Second, she'd be tempted to go into your mind to see what it is you are. If she sees it, she most likely tells Steve. If she can't, she tells Steve that's she's unable to see inside your mind. Meaning, you've some sort of immunity to her magic. She keeps a distance from you and speaks curtly with you at first. "A mind I can't see into is a dangerous one."

Pietro Maximoff: Due to his playful personality, he'd probably want to be thrown around gently to see if you can catch him. "What? You didn't see that coming? Gets thrown into wall a second later". Acts as an annoying older brother but will get firm/stern if you act stupid. Protective. Also tries to race with you a lot and brags like a bitch when he wins.

Nick Fury: "Motherf--". Is utterly tired of enhanced humans. Will probably never speak to you after an initial interrogation. Will keep a close eye on you, though. Sort of how they kept a close eye on the Avengers as well--exception is he knows nothing about you. Your powers are inexplainable and never-before seen or observed.

Steven Strange: Both intrigued and wary--much like Wanda. He'd be a bit more curious about you, though. He'd probably look into different universes, into your mind, into all books and knowledge he has access to, to understand even a fraction of who or what you are. "Are you sure you're not an interdimensional demonic entity?" He'd engage you in conversation often, asking you if you know anything about the mystic arts, Sorcerer Supreme, so on, so forth.

Peter Parker: Would think you were ultimately the coolest person on earth and in space (second to Tony). "Dude--! Did you see that?? That was awesome, dude!" Would be the most talkative and bubbly to you. An actual puppy whilst talking to you. Is super curious and doesn't seem afraid of you and your powers. Wants to know everything about you.

Vision: Is the calmest. The most curious since he doesn't know everything about you yet. "You're a human, but you exhibit powers far beyond human capabilities. It's fascinating." Asks you a lot of philosophical questions, and maybe some about your past. Sometimes the way he speaks about humanity confuses you, but you catch on pretty quickly after a few explanations.

T'Challa: Just kinda gives you an, 'Oh, okay, that happened' type of look. Probably would respect you as a fellow enhanced person. "You are not the strangest person I've met so far." Of course, as the king of the most powerful nation, he needs to make sure you're not a threat to him and his people--especially his family. He keeps it civil and lowkey playful with you. Often, he'll indulge you in physical sparring.

Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel): Somewhat threatened but feels respect as well. Only because she's used to be one of the strongest (humans) in the universe and isn't used to being challenged (aside from Scarlet Witch who she hasn't interacted with since Endgame). "Hm . . . I like you." She doesn't interact with you much and she's arrogantly playful with you.

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janeykath318 · 7 months

Text

Wintershock

Fall Words: hayride, pumpkin spice

Fake dating

“Who’s gonna volunteer to be my fake date for the annual Science Hayride?” Darcy sang out, bursting into the training room, eyes roaming the various Avengers.

She eyed the row of men with a thirst like they were pumpkin spice lattes.

“And just why do you need a fake date?” Steve asked. “I thought you and Ian were a thing.”

“Nope,” she made a face. “He dumped me when he moved back to England. I am totally and completely single.”

She may or may not have been looking at Bucky when she said it. Steve noticed and immediately excused himself, saying he was booked up that evening. Sam grinned and followed suit.

Bucky looked betrayed, but he was soon left alone with Darcy.

“C’mon Bucky, help a girl out, won’t you? Tony keeps trying to set me up with Johnny Storm.”

Bucky grimaced sympathetically.

“I’d love to help you out, Darce, but Tony’s not gonna want me there. You know how it is.”

“I do, but he’s just gonna have to accept that you’re a good guy and one of us and if he’s gonna force me to bring a date, he doesn’t get to pick it. Trust me, I’ll protect you from Tony.”

Darcy drew her taser and adopted a post like she was one of Charlie’s Angels.

Bucky grinned, despite his misgivings. She was so darn cute, he would gladly go out on a real date with her if she asked. He would even brave Tony Stark for her.

“Yeah, if anyone can keep me safe from him, it’s you. I heard about The Incident.”

Darcy grinned proudly. After Tony had been a dick to Steve one too many times, even after the Avengers had defeated Thanos, she’d made the sound system play non stop country music (his least favorite) until he apologized.

“And I won’t hesitate to do something like that again,” she promised. “He has been going to therapy finally, so maybe that will help.”

Tony was slightly disgruntled when Darcy showed up on Bucky’s arm, but he was distracted by the amount of party host duties and left them well enough alone.

But on the hayride he was giving them a few dirty looks and Darcy decided action was required.

She whispered something in Bucky’s ear that made him grin and nod.

Everytime Tony looked askance at Bucky or rudely ignored him while talking to Darcy, they would cuddle closer or show some PDA, which made him turn green and look away quickly.

“You’re very snuggly, Bucky,” Darcy whispered. “Extra fake boyfriend points for you.”

“Don’t let word get around,” he murmured, planting a kiss on her cheek that made her whole face heat up. “Would ruin my reputation.”

#wintershock #darcy lewis #bucky barnes #janey writes drabbles #fall vibes

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inkedmetanoia · 2 years

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Cat's & Coffee

I am aware that there's many basic Bucky & Alpine stories, but I just wanted a shot at my own. Here's a 2-3 part mini series (who knows!) but I hope this is nice to read for some!

“You need a fish or somethin.” Sam’s voice broke him out of his thoughts while on their walk. Bucky had just finished his morning coffee when Sam called him out of the blue asking if he wanted to meet up near the local VA center.

“Why would you say that?” Bucky looked at him as if he had grown two heads in seconds.

“Cause you’re lonely! And don’t give me that look. You aren’t terrible at socializing, you just choose not to. So maybe start with some baby steps. A fish, or some type of pet that you’d enjoy; keep you distracted from other things you know?” Sam shrugged but deep down he had hoped that Bucky would actually take him up on the suggestion. The guy was seriously alone. Other than his daily routine and the random mission thrown in, he really had nothing else to do or look forward to.

“I’m not lonely, I like being alone. And I don’t need a fish. Just sounds ridiculous thinking about it.” Bucky gave Sam a hard stare before reaching the doors to his building.

“Wait, just humor me okay? I know someone who fosters kittens, let me give her a call and we can meet her and you can check some out.” Sam gave Bucky a look as if to say ‘come on bro’. Bucky let out a deep breath and nodded letting Sam know he’d try it.

“Great! I’ll give her a call right now. We’re gonna get you a cat man.” Sam’s grin was ridiculous, borderline giddy at Bucky’s expense.

“No one said we’re getting me anything!” His statement fell on distracted ears since Sam was already walking ahead, phone to his ear.

“Hey Y/N! You up for some visitors?”

You had just finished putting away the jar of coffee grinds when Sam, also known as the new Captain America, had called you. He wanted to visit to see some of your fosters and you of course said yes. These calls weren’t unusual for you, people from the VA called you often to see if they could meet some fosters and possibly adopt. It felt like something small you could do to help out someone in need and it also gave an innocent foster a new home.

Your newest litter of 9 week old kittens were the fluffiest ones you have received to date. You only had two left and your own cat, Rip, was watching over them. He was quite maternal and you always felt lucky when you saw him interacting with the fosters. His head turned towards you as you slid the doors closed of the den. The last thing you wanted people to see was the mess your makeshift studio was.

“We’ll be having some visitors soon Rip, you might have to say bye to your babies.” Your voice made his ears twitch and he twisted his head as if he understood you; you swore there was a human in there sometimes. The sharp and sweet smell of cinnamon reached your senses and it made you smile; of course Sam would make it just in time for his favorite coffee.

Not even a minute later you hear the obnoxious knocking on the door while Sam’s voice carries through,

“Open up Y/N, your favorite person is here!” You only shake your head smiling at his big personality. There’s never a boring moment with that man.

As you open the door you can’t help but smile at Sam only to be taken in a big hug before you can even register his friend’s figure.

“I missed you too Mr America,” you give him a mock salute and he only laughs.

Your attention moves to his friend and you give him a timid smile, you were never really good at interacting with people you found insanely attractive. And holy shit this man is better looking in person than the pictures.

“This is Bucky, we need to get him a friend.” Sam says while placing a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. Bucky just gives him a deadpan look then shoves Sam’s hand away.

“It’s nice to meet you Bucky, I’m Y/N.” Your hand reaches out toward him and he grasps it firmly, and in an instant he has a smile on his face.

“It’s nice to meet you too.” You almost don’t want to let go of his hand when Sam’s voice scares you.

“Is that the cinnamon coffee I like?” He doesn’t waste a second to rush towards the kitchen area.

“You knew I was coming didn’t you. I swear you got some witch in there somewhere.” You give a slight chuckle then give Bucky an exasperated look.

“He swears it’s always just for him” you say. Bucky gives a slight chuckle, and his attention is drawn to Rip coming towards the two and sitting near them while looking straight at Bucky.

“This is Rip, he’s my cat but here I’ll take you to see the others” you guide him toward the sitting area past the kitchen and sit down near the kittens playing. Bucky looks so awkward but you can’t help but find it endearing for such a big confident looking man of his stature trying to make himself small.

“Would you like a cup of coffee, Bucky?” you shoot Sam a look and he has the decency to look slightly guilty.

“Sorry, I just can’t help myself.” He then gets a cup ready for Bucky while you gesture for Bucky to sit down near you.

“So have you had a cat before?” Sam snorts at your question to Bucky. Bucky only looks at him with a warning stare to shut up and stop making a mockery of him.

“I haven’t and I’m not sure if I'm ready for that. If I’m being honest Sam dragged me here.” He says and you only look up at him with a small laugh.

“You aren’t the first one he brings here that doesn’t want to come Bucky. But you take one look at these faces and you’re mush.” As you finish your sentence you bring one of the kittens up to your face and smile at Bucky.

His eyes switch back and forth between both you and the cat and he smiles sweetly. He shakes his head because he knows that you’ll definitely convince him to get a cat especially with that smile. The first moment he saw you warmth radiated off of you in waves and he felt at ease almost instantly. It might have been the cozy feeling of your home with the smell of cinnamon and coffee but it could have been you. He didn’t care to make the distinction. He then gestures towards the kittens.

“So who do we have here?” Your face lights up almost instantly and Bucky’s chest fills with warmth, making you smile like that. Sam is so focused on eating the bread sitting on the counter that he doesn’t care to pay attention to you two talking about the kittens.

“This is Margie, she is absolutely adorable and very picky about people. I already had her seen by many possible homes but she didn’t like anyone.” You show him the female kitten who constantly licks your hand and her big blue eyes look straight at Bucky. She's a white puffball with tan fur covering the tip of her left ear.

“You can change their names of course if you take one.”

“And this is Elton, he’s the biggest charmer ever.” You smile at Elton while Rip nudges against your hand almost demanding you put down both cats in your hands. You only laugh and gesture for Bucky to interact with them. Both cats start playing with each other and the two of you laugh.

“I rename the one I take? Will they respond to anything else other than the name you gave them?” He asks curiously.

“Animals are smart and can pick it up easily with time, he or she will get it eventually.” You answered his question easily and it only made him feel more at ease.

“Every cat has their own personality. Pretty special when they’re the same but it’s fun to see them interact with one another. You’re more than welcome to take a few days to think about it. There’s no rush.” The wrinkles in his forehead go away after you said that, knowing there’s only a million thoughts running through his mind.

“I think I can’t say no to that face but I just need time to get all the supplies.” Your smile could brighten the darker cozier room.

“That’s alright! I always have extras when this happens. Just give me a minute to get it all ready and I’ll be right back.” You get up and place ‘Margie’ in his right hand before you rush up the stairs.

“You good man?” Sam has the biggest smirk on his face; borderline teasing Bucky at this point.

“Shut up. She’s cute.” As he says this he brings the kitten up to his face and she just stares with her big eyes.

“Margie or Y/N?” Sam can’t help the shit eating grin on his face as Bucky looks at him as if he was seconds away from being killed by the big metal arm of his.

“Shut up.” Bucky can only wait for Sam’s constant teasing until Y/N comes back.

“Here we are! This should last you a couple weeks and there’s also a litter box in the studio for you to take. We can wait until tomorrow if you want to bring a car since the litter is insanely heavy.” You were out of breath from running back down the stairs and your flushed face only attracted Bucky more. He really needed to get laid.

“He can borrow my car and come back tonight right Bucky?” Sam shoots another grin at Bucky but you’re none the wiser and just nod your head in agreement.

“That’s fine, I’ll keep her till then. Did you pick a name Bucky?” He’s floored at the thought of being alone with you so it took him a second too long to catch up to your question.

“Alpine.” His voice is so satisfying for you to hear.

“That's pretty.” You look at Alpine and she already looks content with her new owner; nearly falling asleep completely. Bucky gives you a soft smile at the easy transition.

He was extremely handsome. You weren’t ignorant of his past but you had also been close to Sam and he always talked about his new friend. The progress must have been so gratifying for Bucky and you were happy to help contribute to that by having him take a foster. He seemed so sweet under the harsh, testosterone oozing exterior of his and you could only hope to see more of the real Bucky tonight; alone.

Yes, you were shy, but you had your moments and this seemed like a perfect moment.

To be continued…

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes #marvel fanfiction #winter soldier #james bucky barnes

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hannahshattuck · 1 year

Text

Never More Than Lord of the Rings

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Sam Wilson

Rating: General

Square: N3 - Free Space

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Bucky Barnes/Sam Wilson, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Joaquin Torres & Sam Wilson Friendship

Summary: Torres tells Sam to talk to Bucky after hearing him sighing too many times. After talking to Bucky, Sam now can’t stop smiling.

Written for @allcapsbingo All Caps Bingo Masterlist

Read on Ao3

A/N: Italics - Sam, Bold & Italics - Bucky

Sam sighed as he laid on the couch of the safehouse. Him and Torres were out on a mission for the Air Force and Bucky was back in Louisiana either with his sister and nephews or chilling in their apartment with the cat they adopted, Alpine. Sam wanted nothing more than to be cuddled up with Bucky on the couch watching whatever newest reality tv program the super soldier ended up getting obsessed with.

“Dude.” Torres looked over at him from the kitchen. “I swear to god if you sigh one more time, I’ll paint your wings with butterflies and rainbows.”

Sam looked over at Torres with an eyebrow raised. “Do it and I’ll write you up for insubordination.”

Torres chuckled as he continued making his lunch. “Nah, man. You wouldn’t.” He grabbed his sandwich and took a bite as he made his way to sit on the other end of the couch from Sam. “I’m the only one who can keep up with you, Cap.”

“Dude, don’t talk with your mouth full.” Sam groaned as Torres started chewing obnoxiously. He stood up from the couch and went to the kitchen to make himself lunch.

“Whatever, dad.” Torres teased. “But seriously. If you sigh again, I’ll call your man for you.”

Sam rolled his as he went to the kitchen to make himself lunch. He didn’t think he was sighing all day. It’s not his fault he misses his boyfriend. Okay…well, maybe it is. But also Sam told the Air Force he wouldn’t go on any missions by himself. And now he realizes he should have been more specific and said he wouldn’t go on a mission unless it's him and Bucky.

Sam held in a sigh, since he wasn’t sure how serious Torres was, and grabbed a pot to get water boiling for some boxed mac and cheese. As he waited for the water to boil, Sam grabbed his phone out of his pocket and pulled up his and Bucky’s text thread. The last message was Sam letting Bucky know they made it to the safehouse. Thankfully this mission wasn’t complete radio silence, just limited contact. Sam typed out a message to his boyfriend hoping he was still awake.

‘Hi babe’

‘Hello, Samuel.’

‘What’s up with the full name?’

‘Sarah just told me something stupid you did when you were a kid.’

‘I’m not even going to ask what it is. I miss you’

‘I miss you too. How’s the mission going?’

‘Boring. Torres and I are at the safe house. Apparently I was sighing too much. Torres threatened to paint my wings.’

‘*laughing crying emoji* omg that’s amazing.’

‘I love you’

‘I love you more’

‘More than *picture of a Lord of The Rings movie poster’

‘...know your place, Samuel’

Sam chuckled. Of course Bucky doesn’t love him more than Lord of the Rings.

‘Alright, alright. Well I should go. Don’t need the enemy coming to the safehouse. I ain’t making enough mac and cheese for them.’

‘It better not be the boxed stuff?’

‘...’

‘SAMUEL THOMAS WILSON!’

Sam shook his head with a smile. Only Bucky would raise a fit about him eating boxed mac and cheese. Ever since Bucky got the recipe from Sarah when she made her mac and cheese, Bucky had banned the box stuff from being in the apartment.

The water boiled and Sam smiled to himself as he opened the box, took the cheese packet out, and dumped in the noodles. He could hear Bucky in his mind screaming at him and it made him smile even more. Texting Bucky even for just those few minutes put Sam in a better mood.

“Oh my god. He’s smiling now.” Torres groaned in the other room which made Sam laugh. He thought about sighing dramatically but smiling suited him better.

#AllCapsBingo2023 #sam wilson x bucky barnes #sam wilson #Bucky Barnes #sambucky #hannahshattuck writings #hannahshattuck all caps bingo 2023

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rebelquilts512 · 2 years

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Some of My Fanfic and AU Ideas

Here’s a collection of AUs that have been rolling around in my brain (some for over six months) that I wanted to write down so I don’t forget them before I get around to writing the actual fanfics. I welcome anyone who wants to know more about or has questions about any of these; I’d love to answer them. Maybe getting some interest for these will encourage me to write them sooner.

These are only the ones I felt comfortable sharing.

Fandoms range from Marvel to Encanto to the Disney Zombies Trilogy

Marvel/Encanto Crossovers:

Starks Don’t Shine They Burn (Iron Fam Encanto AU)

I’m just gonna link to my post and not bother with much of a summary.

Basically Encanto except it’s the Iron Fam.

2. Marvel/Encanto Crossover (One Meeting Version)

Notes: In this AU, time passes differently inside the Encanto, so while about 50 years have passed inside the Encanto, over a hundred years have passed outside it.

This also takes place about two years after the events of Encanto. Mariano and Dolores are married and Dolores is pregnant.

Months before the Civil War, an Avengers’ mission in Colombia goes south and Vision is the only one uninjured. They are stranded in the middle of the Colombian wilderness about a mile away from the Encanto. One of Antonio’s animals tells him about them and the Madrigals go to help. After getting over their shock they take the Avengers in and heal them. Vision spends time with the Madrigals while his friends recover and bonds with all of them. After the team fully recovers, they spend some time with the family and Bruno gives Steve a vision of how to find Bucky so he finds him sooner.

Civil War happens slightly differently since Bucky is safe and the existence of a super-powered family in the Colombian wilderness makes everyone pause over the Accords.

Basically: Vision is the Madrigals’ weird but polite houseguest for a couple days while Steve, Natasha, Sam, and Wanda are unconscious in the back room.

3. Marvel/Encanto Crossover (Madrigals Stop Thanos Version)

Same notes from the previous AU.

An offshoot of the previous AU where Bruno has a vision of Thanos while the Avengers are still there. This leads to the Avengers secretly training the Madrigals outside government knowledge. Steve still finds Bucky early with Bruno’s help. Lagos happens differently and the Madrigals input on the Accords debate leads to a compromise with some revised Accords.

In this version, Thanos is defeated before he can snap thanks to the Madrigals’ help.

Encanto Ideas:

Broken Hearts Made Whole ( aka Encanto Boxcar Children AU)

Background:

In this world, some people are just born with magical gifts (or because one or both of their parents have gifts). Not everyone accepts this magic and some families reject children with gifts.

Also, Encanto is just a normal (if isolated) town that is very accepting of magic. Pedro doesn’t die young and he has a gift. Julieta, Pepa and Bruno are born with their gifts. Pedro’s gift is the ability to enchant objects by putting in a little of one’s soul. He made bracelets for the triplets so they can always find each other and Casita was his dying gift (it’s where his soul resides).

Short Summary:

Isabela, Dolores, Luisa, Camilo, Mirabel, and Antonio have all been rejected by their families and caretakers, but have found family in each other. They survive on their own while living in a city. Meanwhile, the Madrigals are tragically childless and take a trip to the city where the children live. The two groups of six meet. Things are strained at first, but eventually the Madrigals gain the children’s trust. So much so that when the children need help they go to the Madrigals and this eventually leads to them being adopted.

2. Encanto Circus Captives AU

A year or so after the events of the movie, the Madrigal Grandkids are kidnapped by an evil circus owner from outside the Encanto. They are all forced into working for the circus. Luisa, Isabela, Antonio, and Camilo have acts related to their gifts while Dolores has to gather information she hears for the circus owner and Mirabel works on the costumes. They are abused for months to a year before Abuela, Tio Bruno, and their parents manage to find them.

3. Encanto Fairytale AUs

Different Madrigal Characters in fairytales because fairytales are my jam.

The only idea I have so far is Luisa in a Cinderella AU because it’s the first one that come to me and I think Cinderella fits perfectly for Luisa. I want to get fairytales for the rest of the family eventually.

My plan for the CinderLuisa AU story wise is a combination of the Disney movies and multiple versions of the original fairytale.

Highlights include: Isabela and Mirabel as her Fairy Godsisters and cameos of Bruno as the rat-turned-coachman and Camilo as the lizard-turned-footman.

Encanto/Zombies Crossover

Takes place maybe a year after Encanto and during the summer after everyone’s first semester of college (In the ZOMBIES Universe). For convenience, the Miracle Candle was restored with the house’s magic in this story (I’ll explain later/at some point). All canon Encanto couples are in effect, as are: Zed/Addison, Bonzo/Bree, Wyatt/Eliza, and Willa/A-spen from ZOMBIES.

Through unexplained circumstances, Casita lands in the middle of the Forbidden Forest with all the Madrigals plus Mariano inside. Naturally, our Seabrook gang, plus some others, go to investigate. Upon realizing that the Madrigals (and Mariano) aren’t a threat and are just as confused as they are, they welcome them to Seabrook and introduce them to modern technology and monsters. Seabrook accepts the Madrigals’ gifts and their Miracle and, after a period of adjustment, the Madrigals accept the monsters of Seabrook. Eventually they figure out how to get the Madrigals home.

Disney Zombies Ideas:

Zombies Pirate AU

A historical-based AU where the Zombies are pirates. Zed is the Captain, Eliza is the First Mate, and Bonzo is the Quartermaster/Second Mate. Addison is a princess or of some other noble birth and Bree is her lady-in-waiting (and friend).

So what happens is that Addison and Bree are captured by a different pirate crew to be held for ransom. They’ve been on their ship for a few weeks when the Zombies attack the other pirate ship and find Addison and Bree. They take the girls aboard and intend to bring them home. Unfortunately, shenanigans happen that delay their return. During their extended stay, Zed and Addison fall in love, as do Bonzo and Bree. I’m thinking that eventually a Navy force led by Bucky finds the Zombie pirate ship, captures the Zombies, and takes them all back to Addison’s parents’ kingdom.

I can’t decide whether Addison and Bree jailbreak the Zombies and run off with them, Addison pleads with her parents at their castle to pardon the Zombies, or Addison convinces her parents to pardon them after she’s run off with the Zombies.

2. Zombies Reunited Childhood Sweethearts AU

AU where Zombietown is just the poorer section of Seabrook and everyone’s human. Addison’s mom is still the mayor and her dad is the chief of police.

When they’re around eight or nine, Addison and Bree are dropped off in Zombietown by a couple of teenage bullies and befriend Zed, Eliza, and Bonzo before Addison’s dad finds them. Addison and Bree come back to Zombietown to play with Zed, Eliza, and Bonzo as often as they can. When they’re all around ten, Zed and Addison become “boyfriend and girlfriend” and so do Bonzo and Bree. (Since they’re ten it’s not much more than holding hands and extra hugs)

By the time the kids are eleven, Addison’s parents decide they don’t want their daughter to have friends in the poor part of town and ban her from going to Zombietown and later convince Bree’s parents to do the same.

About fifteen years later, Addison and Zed reunite as adults and so do Bree and Bonzo. Then the whole gang gets back together and Zed & Addison and Bonzo & Bree both start dating for real.

If you can’t tell Zed/Addison and Bonzo/Bree are my two favorite ZOMBIES ships

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midnightsxxvi · 2 years

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Want You More

Summary - You want a guy from work to get the hint you aren’t interested. Of course, instead of just using your words, the only solution must be to get your dear friend with benefits to be your fake boyfriend for the night.

Pairing – bucky x rogers!reader (friendswbenefits); fem!reader (u can be adopted idk it doesnt go into detail.) It’s an au - avengers who??

Warnings – SMUT. 18+ ONLY; penetration, hand stuff; uses of pet names (baby/peach); semi-public sexual shenanigans, & alcohol use.

A/n – Reader and Bucky go out with “work friends” but i have no clue what your work is. Most of the mentioned characters are scientists, so maybe something sciency but feel free to get creative. Also, pls note, I ALWAYS write y/n’s character without any physical description. Reader is written as fem, but pls know no matter ur identity, you are welcome here sweet pea.

W/c: 7k

───※ ·❆· ※───

His calloused right hand grasped your hip, holding you steady as you moved up and down on top of him. The left hand, colder and smooth aside from the slim divots where the metal shifted, held your own hand. Two different methods of holding you steady, and two very different feelings. He held you like a dance, although the music completely different.

‘Bucky,’ your words were breathy and light as the feeling of him overtook you.

‘Fuck, Baby,’ his tone was the same, just his voice lower and scratchier. Your moans increased at the sight of him fluttering his eyes shut, his mouth parted as the pleasure flooded his senses.

So badly you wanted to lower your face to his and press your mouth against his pretty lips. It wasn’t the time though. He seemed content in the moment and you sometimes feared initiating a kiss in the midst of it all would turn him off of it. So instead you watched his face as he reacted to the feeling of having you ride him like this.

You let yourself get lost in it and the pleasure within you only built up more and more until you couldn't take it anymore and your own eyes closed. You groaned, ‘I’m so close.’

Although you didn’t see it, he looked up at you again. He was full of awe, watching you lose yourself above him.

‘Go ahead, baby,’ he growled, his hand on your hip tightening. He sucked in a breath as your movements increased, your hips rolling against him unforgivingly. ‘Fuck.’

You made a sound only described as a whimper, your head dropping back as the feeling overtook you.

‘That's it,’ he grinned, ‘Cum for me. I love feeling you like this. Fuck— I love seeing you like this.”

In the last moment, you looked back at him, and the absolute hunger in his eyes drove you over the edge. The twist within you let go. He watched your face contort as you came on him, quickly following and releasing after you. The feeling of you clenching around him, the absolute vulnerable expression on your face and the addictive moans you were letting out were all he’d ever need.

“Fuck,” you fell gently against his glistening chest, letting your mouth fall against his collar bone.

The two do you spend a few moments catching your breaths.

“Wait, y/n?” He said between breaths.

“Hm?” You let out against him, still obsessed with the feeling of him inside you as you were coming down.

“What were you saying about tomorrow?”

Your brows furrowed and you took a moment to get off of him, stretching as you rolled onto your back. “That’s what you’re thinking about?”

“You’re going out with work friends… and bringing Sam?” He squinted trying to remember the conversation before he was pushing you onto his bed only a little while ago.

“I haven’t asked him yet.” You got up to go to the en suite, leaving the door open while you cleaned yourself up and put on some clothes again. Calling out of the bathroom, you continued explaining, “That weird guy at work just won’t stop flirting with me, so Kate told me I should make up a boyfriend so he’d leave me alone.”

“What about reporting things to HR?”

You scoffed, poking your head around the corner, “I don’t have enough against this guy. I don’t think they can fire him for flirting. I don’t have, like, tangible proof of it or anything, so it’s just my word against his, yunno? Could be easily written off as him just being friendly.”

You heard Bucky grunt as you were putting clothes on, and you figured that maybe that was the end of the conversation. However, he ended up walking into the bathroom behind you, discarding the condom and cleaning himself off. This was all a very classy moment the two of you were sharing.

He bumped his bare hip against your clothed one so that he could wash his hands. “That’s that guy who asked you to the Harry Styles concert? Brad? Bailey?”

“Oh yeah! Bruce!”

“Can’t believe you missed out on Harry Styles,” he shot you a teasing grin in the mirror.

“Buck. That’s not funny,” you frowned, bumping his hip again. “I didn’t want him to think I’m into him. I have a hard time outright telling him I’m not interested because I don’t know how to bring that up without making things awkward! He’s not like a weird guy or anything, I just am not interested.”

“So, Sam’s gonna be your fake boyfriend?” He raised a brow.

“Yes. I think he’d be fine with it. I’ve told him about Bruce before and he’s actually suggested having a fake partner.”

Bucky was frowning while drying his hands.

“What?” You questioned. His grumpy face was always quite adorable and you held back from smiling.

“Can’t believe you have to make up a boyfriend to have this guy leave you alone.”

“Being a woman is hard,” you shrugged. “I also could easily tell him no, I just haven’t.”

“But it’s not your responsibility,” he stared back at you in the mirror, the blue of his eyes bright under the vanity light, “He should get the idea. I dunno, if I was flirting with a girl for months, I’d eventually get it in my head that she’s not into me. Especially after turning down concert tickets to Harry Styles.”

He cracked a smile at the end there, clearly thinking he was quite the jokester. You rolled your eyes yet grinned back. “I lied and told him I didn’t like Harry Styles.”

Bucky’s laugh had his eyes lighting up and he turned to you, “Y/n, oh my god. I can’t believe you have to lie to this guy!”

“It’s fine! I’d rather lie than hurt his feelings!”

He shook his head, “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine!”

Bucky nodded with a little smile on his face, thinking to himself. You often wished you could get an insight to what he was thinking. He kept a lot of feelings to himself, and was not exactly the best communicator. Still, whatever arrangement this was between you had been working. At the beginning, several months ago, you both had decided on no strings attached, and set a few little rules, but after that, that was it for him. The rules were set and he didn’t have much more to say on that. If he wanted to say more, he would.

“Yunno,” he turned to look at you, “Ask me.”

You weren’t certain you knew what he was implying. “What?”

“Ask me to come tomorrow. I’ll be your fake boyfriend,” he seemed pretty proud of this idea, “Yunno, peach, I’m kind of insulted you didn’t think of me first.”

Truthfully, you had thought about asking him. You’d thought about it quite a lot, really. However, you decided it could be too much, just like sometimes you thought kissing him and making sex more intimate than it needed to be would be too much. There were many little things about your interactions and times spent with Bucky that you wanted to become a little more, but he never said anything, and so you figured he wouldn’t want them.

You faltered, looking at him to try to ascertain if he was serious. “I can’t ask you that!”

He looked puzzled. “Why not? I already know Kate, so I’d feel comfortable coming along. I also think any PDA would look more natural with me than it would with Sam.”

Your expression did not change. “What?”

He chuckled and grabbed your waist, pulling you closer, “C’mon, peach. Imagine Sam tryna make a move on you. Seriously, imagine. I think you’d both end up laughing. That man cannot act.” You grinned, knowing he had a point.

“Plus,” he leaned closer, his lips brushing against your ears, “Imagine my hand on your thigh all night, hm? I’d make sure Bruce could see that, and I’d kiss you right in front of him. He’s gotta know you belong to someone else.”

You shuddered at that, your hands subconsciously falling against his bare chest.

He laughed lightly and pulled his head back enough to look at you. “You like that.” It wasn’t a question.

“Kate’s gonna make fun of me.”

“She knows about all this though, right?” By all this he meant your friends with benefits situation.

“Yeah, but won’t that make it weirder? She’s never seen us act… like that.”

His smile was contagious and he knew you weren’t completely turned off by his idea through the look in your eye. “This could be so fun.”

You bit your lip. “Okay, I guess. Are you sure you wanna come? It’s at this pub downtown. I think like six of us are going?”

“Fuck yes, I want to come,” his nostrils flared and he looked at you with a joking astoundment as though this was obvious, which it kind of was. He didn’t say things he didn’t mean and he never said more than he had to.

You pretended to consider. “Okay. I suppose you can be my date.”

He pressed a quick kiss to your cheek, something he only did sometimes, and swiftly moved back into the bedroom to get dressed. “You’re not gonna regret this, peach.”

───※ ·❆· ※───

Bucky was always respectful and kind to you, but you’d never really thought of him as a gentleman until he offered –no, insisted, that he pick you up for Friday and even be your DD. He even walked to your door when coming to get you, telling you how beautiful looked even though you were dressed rather casually. If you didn’t know it was fake, you’d probably swoon. He himself was also quite casual, but he sure had a way of wearing his black jacket.

You’d been frantically updating Kate on where you were at because you were nervous to arrive before her. She was a great security blanket when it came to you being around Bruce. Sure, you had Bucky tonight, but you weren’t sure if he’d sense any nerves from you.

She had arrived first, luckily, and met you two outside. Her eyes lit up when she saw you, and then she made a strange face when she realized Bucky was holding your hand.

“Look at you two,” she smirked as you approached. “Quite the lovely couple, I see.”

“Don’t make this weird,” you hushed although you were grinning. “Cute outfit.”

She had on her cutest smile. “Thank you, y/n/n. Cute hair.”

“Cute shoes.”

“Cute makeup.”

“No you.”

“No—“

Bucky was giggling, “What about me?”

She pretended to look confident, her chin high as she looked him up and down. “I suppose you have some lovely facial hair today, Barnes.”

You grinned up at him and teased, repeating her, “I suppose.”

He just chuckled and tugged on your hand a bit. “Let’s get inside. I wanna meet this Bruce guy. Also, I’m hungry. This place got good food?”

“Not amazing, but still good. Drinks are divine though,” she told him and swung her arm around your shoulders. Maybe you should’ve just asked her to be your fake girlfriend. However that would’ve meant putting on the role at work and that’s simply not something you wanted to do.

The three of you entered the familiar pub, welcomed by the scent of beer and smoke, and the chatter of laughter and the click of pool cues.

Bucky raised a brow, “We playin’ pool?”

You bit your lip, “Wasn’t planning on it? But who knows.”

Kate had ignored that and bit her lip when she caught where everyone from work was sitting. “Wait, y/n, I’m nervous. Why am I nervous?”

You halted which had Bucky stumble for a second and they both paused beside you. “Oh my god, Kate, you’re not allowed to be nervous. That’s my job.”

Bucky leaned down to be more at your level. “Why are we nervous?”

Kate winced, “What if Bruce sees right through this? What if they ask a question about your relationship and I mess it up for you guys! We should’ve coordinated answers.”

Bucky started chuckling, “Hey, it’s fine. Just don’t think too much about it. Everything’s the same, except me and y/n go on dates sometimes.”

You felt lucky that you were on his left side, because the vibranium wasn’t able to sense how sweaty your palm was against his. “What if they ask how we got together?”

He smirked. “Just say we started as friends with benefits.”

Your hand was definitely sweaty.

“First date?” Kate questioned.

“Harry Styles concert.”

Your eyes widened up at him, “Bucky, no.”

Finally Kate was cracking a smile. Perhaps Bucky would be both of your security blankets tonight. His relaxed mood was rubbing off on you a little already. “Okay, okay. First real date was to the MoMA.”

Your lips parted, a little surprised by the answer because it was actually something the two of you had done before. It was before you’d even started sleeping with each other and was one of the first times you hung out one on one with him. However, before you or Kate could comment, a person stood in front of the three of you and cleared their throat.

“Excuse me, do you three need help finding a seat?” The person was in all black with an apron around her waist, probably a server or bartender, and was doing her best to not look irritated with you.

“Sorry!” Kate apologized and cringed, “Just looking for our friends… Oh look! Found them! Thanks so much!”

She dragged you away, you and Bucky giggling along as you all approached the work table.

“Bishop! Y/l/n!” Your coworker, Clint, called out and raised his beer stein up, “You finally made it!”

Out of everyone, aside from Kate, Clint was the only other person you worked with who had met Bucky before. Luckily, he hadn’t had a long moment with the guy, so he didn’t think twice when he saw Bucky at your side, hand in yours.

“Hey guys,” you gave them a little wave.

One of your coworkers, Gamora, scooted her seat over and patted the one beside her, “Plenty of room for you all.”

Kate took the seat beside her, and you took a second to scope out everyone. Yelena was the only one not here yet, but otherwise there was Clint, Gamora, Helen, Erik, Darcy, and, of course, Bruce. He was on the other end of the table, and luckily the spots around him were taken so even if he had offered, which he hadn’t, there’d be no spot to sit beside him. He still was giving you a little smile, but looking at Bucky a little puzzled.

He was not the only one looking at Bucky.

Darcy patted the chair next to her, “C’mere, you two. This is your boyfriend then, y/n?”

You blushed, the nerves kicking in again but then Bucky gave your hand a little squeeze. He displayed his best charming smile and told Darcy, “The one and only. I’m Bucky.”

She raised a brow, looking impressed for some reason. You soon realized the reason when she looked him up and down. “Well, come sit, handsome.”

“Darcy,” you huffed.

“Oh,” Bucky chuckled, “You’re Darcy? I’ve heard about you.”

“Only the best I presume!”

Bucky did end up sitting by Darcy’s side but pulled your chair closer to him as you sat. You swung your bag and coat over the back of the seat, and the moment you were settled, Bucky had his arm around you.

“Um, so,” You cleared your throat, “Everyone, this is Bucky. Bucky, this is everyone.”

“You’re real good at this,” Kate teased, picking up the drink menu with a little grin.

Gamora nudged her, “Let her live. Introducing everyone to your partner is always a struggle. Remember when I brought Peter for the first time?”

A few of them chuckled and Kate responded, “Yes! Oh, that poor man.”

Bucky gave Kate a nod, “What happened with him?”

Helen, who was sitting on Gamora’s other side, leaned forward a bit to acknowledge Bucky’s question, “Honestly, Kate, Darcy and your beloved girlfriend are the ones to ask. They kept embarrassing the poor man, asking him things like what are your intentions?”

Bucky gave you a look, “Were you bullying the poor guy?”

You leaned over to grab another distant drink menu, hiding your face behind it. “No comment.”

Helen giggled and told Bucky, “I’m Helen by the way. And this is Gamora, Clint, Eric, and Bruce. I’m assuming you already know Kate?”

“Oh yeah,” Kate whistled and leaned back to look cool, “Me and Barnes? We go way back.” They did not go way back.

“We’ve met before,” Clint recalled openly. “Kate’s family banquet thing.”

Bucky’s eyes lit up, “Yeah! You were her mentor back then, yeah?”

“Mhm,” Clint mumbled, picking up his beer and taking a sip. “Didn’t realize you and y/n were a thing, though.”

Erik gave you a look, “So, this is the lad that has you rushing out of work every Friday, hm? He is quite the handsome face. I see why you’d be so eager.” Erik was your mentor when you’d first started on the job. He’d totally caught you grinning at your phone on Friday afternoons, reading Bucky’s texts as he teased you in preparation for that night.

“Oh my god,” you shot him a teasing glare, “I do not rush. And I have other friends! I never said I was going to meet up with my boyfriend!”

Bucky gave you a little grin, teasing, “Well, we do kind of hang out almost every friday, peach. It works best with our schedules.”

Bruce cut in, “I didn’t even know you had a boyfriend?” He was trying to sound casual, but you could see in his eyes that he was deeply confused. Who knew what was going through his head, especially when Bucky started to fiddle with the hem of your shirt, just by your neck.

Gamora looked at Bruce and then back at you, a little smile on her face like she was up to something. “I totally knew you were seeing someone.”

“I just like to be private!” You and Bruce briefly made eye contact.

Kate blew a raspberry, putting the drink menu down, “I’m gonna hop up to the bar and order. Y/n, Bucky, you ready?”

“I’m the designated driver tonight,” Bucky nodded as if this were some philosophical answer and let out a loud sigh, “Yup. Sober night for me.”

You snorted, “You don’t even drink much, you weirdo.” He was never the type to get drunk, or even tipsy really. He would usually have a drink to fit in, but sip it slowly throughout the night.

“I’m kinda hungry though,” Bucky announced. “Any recommendations?”

Helen leaned to slide over a general bar menu that was sitting in the middle of it all, “We were talking earlier about sharing curly fries.”

Bucky furrowed his brow at the menu and said in all seriousness, “I fuckin’ love curly fries.”

“What a coincidence, so do I,” Darcy said proudly.

“I’m trying to fight to also get some nachos,” Erik declared.

Bucky gave him a thumbs up, “I’m down for that too. Kate, I’ll come order with you to grab all that. Y/n, what did you want, baby?”

Peach was one he’d use more regularly in front of friends, as it could be written off easier as platonic in his mind, however baby was one he usually kept private. So, you blushed at it. You still hadn’t been able to read a damn word on the menu so you pointed at some random drink that said honey something. “This, please.”

He glanced at it, “Okay, you’ve got it.”

“Thank you,” you squeaked as he kissed your temple quickly. Kate also got up, following him to the bar.

After you set aside the menu, you glanced up to find that everyone’s eyes were behind you, watching Bucky in the distance, presumably. With both of them gone, you felt vulnerable to everyone’s opinions as though they’d see right through you. Although, no one had any reason to suspect you were lying. You’d probably even mentioned hanging out with him before to Darcy, even using his name. If anyone had ever looked through your social media, there were photos of him. Being friends with your brother, Bucky had been in your life longer than Kate had.

“He’s got a handsome smile,” Erik said in approval. Apparently a handsome smile was all love required because he quickly moved on, “Okay, did any of you hear what happened in HR on thursday?”

Everyone engaged in some gossip over whatever was going on, which you were grateful for. Bruce was quieter than usual, you noticed, but you avoided eye contact so you didn’t quite know what this expression was like.

Soon, you felt Bucky beside you again. He gave you a little smile and handed you your drink and placed some nachos on the table. “Erik, my man, here you go.”

Kate placed the curly fries.

“Oi, you are a gem,” Erik praised before grabbing a big chunk. “I’ll pay ya back.”

“On me,” Bucky insisted, reaching to grab his own share. He placed some on a plate and brought it closer to you.

“Thanks,” you said quietly before taking a sip of your drink. Luckily, whatever it was, it tasted pretty good.

The group settled into a comfortable chatter, continuing on about the HR stuff and diving into little drama things. And of course, just as Bucky promised, his hand was on your thigh. It was his right hand, warm and firm through the fabric of your pants. You swore he pressed a little harder every time you laughed at something, and you also swore that each time Bruce spoke up, Bucky’s hand moved upward as well. Still, you remained calm and relaxed. Bucky was getting along nicely with everyone and you almost forgot how you had to be pretending here. Even though this was something you never did publicly, his hand on you was something normal and comforting.

Before you knew it, you had finished your drink. Your cheeks were warm and you realized you probably drank it a little fast. The damn thing was good. You wondered if there was real honey in it.

“Peach?” Bucky leaned over, his words warm on your cheek, “Want another?”

You pursed your lips while pondering over the glass. “I think so.”

“Hey,” he said to get your attention pointed his way instead. You understood and looked over, his nose nearly touching yours. He had a curious look on his face, the corners of his mouth turned up in a crooked grin, “You doin’ okay?”

You nodded and he absolutely did not miss the way you glanced down at his mouth because he mirrored your action. You thought for a moment that he was going to kiss you then. He had said earlier he would to make Bruce jealous, and you momentarily panicked, realizing you’d never kissed in front of anyone before. However he quickly pulled back and stood up, knowing how much his teasing drove you crazy, “Be right back. Does anyone else need a refill?”

Darcy lifted her glass, “Me, please!”

Bucky somehow knew what she was having and accepted her glass.

“I love this guy,” Dary laughed openly and happily with you and you couldn’t help but giggle along.

Gamora had been glancing at her phone and raised her finger to tell evefryone something, “Hey, folks, Yelena finally texted. She’s just pulling up with Nat.”

“Why is she so late!” Clint scolded although his anger wasn’t serious.

You and Kate however froze over the name Nat and stared at each other.

“Um. Her sister?” Kate asked. “Didn’t realize she was comin.”

“Oh yeah,” Gamora was typing something back to Yelena, “I told everyone this earlier, but you guys weren’t here yet. Hey, y/n, she’s friends with your brother, Steve, right? She must know Bucky then!”

You smiled awkwardly, hoping it didn’t look that way. “Definitely. Yelena’s never met him, but Nat? Yup. Absolutely. Yup, yup.”

“Uh oh,” Darcy smirked, sensing your awkwardness contrary to your efforts, “What’s up with you? Is there some drama there?”

There was zero drama there. Nat got along with you and Bucky very well, however not only did you not tell her about your fake dating plan, but she had no clue you and Bucky were friends with benefits in the first place. And on top of that, Steve had no clue either, and he’d definitely be hearing about this night from her if his little sister was involved.

You went to pull out your phone, hoping that even though Nat was probably right in the parking lot or even closer, that you’d be able to text her an explanation and that she’d read and understand the explanation before she got to the table. However, just as you pulled out her contact, you heard Yelena’s familiar voice, “Hi, guys!”

You raised your eyes, seeing the two sisters wander over, looking lovely and happy as ever. How the hell were you supposed to warn Bucky?

Everyone greeted them. The only two spots left happened to be the one right beside you, and the one at the end of the table. Yelena placed her coat at the end chair, so Nat came and sat beside you, her eyes lighting up when she saw you.

“Little Rogers,” she teased, giving you a little side hug as she sat, “I thought you’d be here!”

“Yeah, Nat, good to see ya, um, can I talk–”

“Here ya go, peach,” Bucky’s voice had you freeze up, especially when Natasha looked up and gave him a confused look. He was oblivious to her at first, only ntoicing Yelena after placing down your drinks. “Oh hey, you must be–”

“Bucky?” Nat laughed, sitting up a bit more and leaning toward him to swat his shoulder, “Why are you here?”

Kate started choking on her drink in fear.

Bucky had a smile still on, but his eyes were worried for the first time all evening. “Uh…” When he didn’t know what to say, you knew you were screwed. Sure, Nat knew you and Bucky were close, but it still seemed weird that you brought him along to some work hangout especially when she’d never heard the two of you doing that before.

Yelena, despite being Nat’s sister, had never met Bucky and her eyes lit up, “Oh! You’re her boyfriend, then? I thought Gamora’s text was lying when she said y/n was bringing a man along.”

Nat laughed but then saw the panicked look in yours and Buckys’ eyes. “Wait, what?”

For the most part, everyone was oblivious to how confused Natasha was, or they were just polite and didn’t comment.

Clint leaned forward to talk to Nat, “Hey, Bucky’s here.”

“I see that, thank you,” she grinned awkwardly, “I wasn’t aware you two were… dating? I mean, I’m not surprised. I’m more surprised with how I’m finding out–”

You had cut her off as you started to ramble, coming up with some idea of how to spin this “Nat, we just didn’t want to tell Steve yet and –huh? You’re not surprised?”

“Yeah. You two are hanging out like all the time. And don;’t get me started on the crush Bucky had on you when you were teenagers and–”

“Nat,” Bucky’s jaw clenched, “Can we talk privately for a sec? Now?”

She rolled her eyes, assuming he was mad that you guys were caught because now she’d of course have to tell Steve. “Listen, Steve has to know, you guys! The longer you wait the more upset–”

“Natasha,” he insisted with a huff, standing up. He was not taking no for an option, so once again, she rolled her eyes and followed.

“Sorry, I’ll be one sec, thanks to Grumpy Barnes,” Nat gave you and her sister a look, slightly annoyed before she disappeared outside with Bucky.

Darcy’s eyes were wide and the moment they were gone, she was staring right at you. “You haven’t told your brother about your relationship!”

You didn’t even have to lie as you told her, “I just know he’d react weirdly and I don’t want to ruin a good thing.”

Helen tilted her head, “Sweetheart, if it’s a good thing, then it’ll be okay, right?”

Yelena added, leaning back in her chair as she stole a plate of nachos, “I’ve met Steve once or twice. Seems like an understanding man.”

Surprisingly, Bruce also spoke up in defense of your relationship, and you had to stare at him in confusion as he said, “I’m sure your brother would be happy knowing his sister and best friend have found love, right?”

I don’t think he’d be so happy knowing we have not found love but instead he’s railing me senseless every week, you thought to yourself but of course did not say this. “I suppose,” is what you said instead.

Bruce, although he looked disappointed since you showed up, he gave you a little smile, happy to finally have your attention, “You two seem good together. I’m sure it’d be nice to be open with your family.”

Once again, you were truthful. “This is kind of the first time we’ve really gone out with others and been able to be… like this? I mean, Kate has known about us, but even then…”

Kate let out a snort, “I have never heard him call you baby in my life.”

You blushed and held onto your glass, feeling the condensation and distracting your gaze by gathering the droplets together.

“How long have you even been together?” Erik asked. “I swear you’ve been blushing at your phone for months.”

You bit your lip. “Um. It’s complicated?”

Kate outed you, “They were friends with benefits.”

“Kate,” your eyes widened at her, even though what she was saying was true aside from the past tense.

“Oh dear,” Helen giggled.

“Nice,” Darcy smirked.

Just then, you felt your phone buzz in your pocket, and around the same moment Natasha had made her way back to the table. You couldn’t help but feel the lack of Bucky’s presence, but you saw that he had texted you. Before reading it however, you glanced nervously at Nat.

She was giving you a suspiciously tight little grin, “Hey.”

“Hi,” you squeaked.

Darcy leaned over to grin at her, “How ya feelin’, Nat?”

Nat put her arm around you, giving you a wink, “Your secret is safe with me, kid.”

“I’m not a kid,” you blushed, afraid of what the fuck Bucky may have told her. You peaked at your phone, hoping she didn’t see.

I told her its fake to try to get bruce off ur ass. We r in the clear.

You grinned, about to put your phone away, figuring he’d come back to the table soon, but then he messaged again.

Meet me in the bathroom.

You slid your phone away then, unsure of how to get up and leave without it being obvious. Perhaps there was no way to do so, so you just needed to be confident about your actions. You gave Nat a pat on the shoulder and she got the idea to take her arm off you. “I’ll be right back.”

“Team meeting?” Kate teased, however she wasn’t completely joking because she really wanted to be filled in on what just happened.

Instead you just gave her an awkward smile, hoping to convey that everything was fine, but she just seemed lost. You left anyway.

You had never been to this place and it took you a hot moment to find the bathrooms. Surprisingly, Bucky was not situated outside the bathrooms and you paused to look around, wondering if he decided to meet you elsewhere. For a single illogical second you even worried that this was too weird for him and he ditched. That’s be quite a shitty move for a designated driver though, and Bucky was not a shitty guy.

Along with the binary washrooms, they had a small single gender neutral washroom, so you figured to poke your head in there, however that was empty. Perhaps that was a good thing, because using gender neutral washrooms as an excuse for rendezvous with some man and not for the intended use of a safe space to use a toilet, simply was unethical, you thought.

A person walked out of the woman’s washroom which startled you. The person just gave you a strange glance but walked away. Feeling like you looked like a weirdo, you went into the woman’s washroom because that was a normal action.

Only one of the stalls was in use and the air dryer was still flowing loudly from the last user. You crept in, letting the door slam, and went to wash your hands, unsure of what to do with yourself. Where the fuck is Bucky?

However, peering at the closed stall, you saw some familiar shoes under the door’s crack.

You tilted your head and called out, “Hello?”

“Mhm?” A voice that had to be Bucky squeaked back, sounding like he was trying to sound feminine or nonchalant but instead sounded like a fool.

You whisper yelled, “Bucky?”

He whisper yelled back, “Y/n?”

Feeling relief, you began to giggle to yourself and dried your hands off. “Get out here. Why are you in the women's washroom!”

In the mirror reflection you saw him peak his head out of the stall, looking to see if you were alone. “Well, Nat brought me in here to talk. She did not care for my opinion on the idea. And then she left me here!”

“Um,” you tried not to laugh, “Well, why did you not just follow her back?”

“I went to wipe some sweat off my forehead– she can be nerve wracking, and some women came in so I had to hide.” Bucky looked so relieved to see you, looking at you with wanting eyes and walking up behind you, watching you back in the mirror.

You grinned, “So you just asked me to come in here and save you?”

He looked sheepish as he wrapped his arms around your waist, his cheek pressing against yours as he hugged you from behind, “I also just like you.”

You swore your heart skipped and you had to hold onto his hands tightly just in case you started shaking nervously. It felt silly, the idea that you were normally completely fine being naked in front of the man, yet him saying I just like you, had you feeling giddy. “So, everything is fine with Natasha?”

“Mhm,” in the mirror, he was not looking at you really, but seemingly looking at the reflection of your intertwined fingers, “I just told her the truth, aside from, well, yunno.”

“And she bought it? She seemed fine, I think.”

With his throat by yours, you could hear him gulp before he responded. “I think so. She seemed really convinced though that we’d end up together.”

As his hands held yours still, you felt a boost of confidence. “Did you really have a little crush on me as teens?”

His smile grew and he tried to play it off with a laugh, “Listen, c’mon! You were pretty and made me laugh. That’s the formula for teen love.”

“Am I no longer pretty?” You teased.

He laughed again and lowered his head to kiss your shoulder, mumbling, “You know you’re pretty.”

“So I no longer make you laugh then? Can’t believe this.”

“Shut up,” He chuckled lightly, his mouth back on your shoulder but he paused there. You swore his grip tightened on you and you could see him pondering something in the mirror reflection. Although you wondered what he was thinking, you didn’t want to push and lose the moment. He was warm against your back and his words had been soft beside your ear.

However, as you were embracing the moment, he had pulled back, yet only slightly so that he could turn you around in his arms to face him.

Bucky looked you in the eye, his expression suddenly a little more serious. “You, y/n, are so pretty, and you make me laugh every single day.”

“Too bad that’s not the formula for love when you’re an adult,” you teased, your hand subconsciously fiddling with the lower hem of his knit shirt.

He cracked the smallest smile, yet was still gazing at you seriously. “You’re off limits, though. You always have been.”

Your movements faltered just as your smile did. This is not a direction you expected this to go in and you wanted so desperately to know what he meant by that. “W-what?”

His lips were in that subconscious pout of his which he did when he was thinking too much. “You’re Steve’s sister. That’s just… it’s off limits.”

Attempting to hold onto confidence, you joked, “Well, I’m pretty sure touching me under my shirt is a bit off limits too, but that hasn’t stopped you.”

“Yeah, but–” his jaw briefly clenched, “Being a boyfriend to you? This whole situation tonight? Imagine Steve’s face. Imagine your mom’s face.”

In a quiet questioning gaze, you wondered where all this was coming from. “Are you saying dating me would be worse than just taking me to bed?”

His grip on your waist moved to your hips. The look in his eye was familiar yet rare, and you never knew how to place it. He looked full of want, but not in the way he did before taking off your clothes. There was a sadness to it that went unexplained. “It’d be something. Worse implies that this is already bad. And neither situation is bad at all, it’s just… it’d be, something.”

“I- I don’t get what you’re even going on about, Buck,” you admitted vulnerably. You realized his expression matched the way he’d look at you in the mornings if you ever stayed the night, and it was the way he’d look at you after a gathering with all your friends when he had to say goodbye to you as though it was the same as bidding farewell to everyone else.

Still, though, this expression was all he gave you. His words tonight were more than you’d gotten. Filling whatever he allowed himself to access, he was kissing you then before you realized he was leaning in. Perhaps he had been leaning in all along.

Bucky was steady at first, but one kiss became more, and he was displaying all the desire he could through the touch of his mouth to yours and the slide of his tongue.

Even though it was a completely normal thing between the two of you, you felt a little embarrassed as you moaned against his mouth without realizing it was going to happen.

In response, Bucky let out a deep groan, lightly pushing you backward by the hips, up against the counter. The action had you giving into your hunger, whatever it was, your hands went to tangle in his hair, pulling him closer by the back of his head.

“Y/n,” he moaned against your mouth. You embraced his breaths, the tension of being pressed between the counter and his own hips was driving you up the wall. “I liked holding you, unafraid of the others watching.”

You just smiled against his lips.

He continued, “Getting to touch you in public without worrying? Fuck, baby.”

You giggled, “That sounds like voyeurism, you weirdo.”

“No, that’s not what I mean,” he grinned. Suddenly he was pulling you up by the hips, placing you on the counter beside the sink. Your legs went around his waist naturally, pulling him closely to your core. Bucky’s mouth moved to kiss your cheek, and then your jaw, and he made a needy sound as he neared your ear, “I mean I like being beside you and calling you baby and having everyone know that it’s me who makes you feel good.”

You shuddered at both his words and the breath against your ear.

He continued to your neck, messy and hungry kisses pressing against you. “You like the sound of that, baby?”

“Mhm,” you gasped quietly.

He groaned, “You have no idea how much I want you.”

If it weren’t for the hardness pressing between your legs completely distracting you, you would’ve been thinking far too deeply about all of this. You’d analyze his words later, because for now, you just wanted him too.

You slipped your hands down, finding the zipper of his pants while he continued at your neck, sliping between wet kisses and light sucking. He whined against you as you slipped your hand under the fabric, going to his erection and gliding over it confidently.

As you began your slow and teasing movements up and down his length, he dropped his forehead against your shoulder, trying to gather himself.

Quietly, Bucky said, “Are you trying to tease me?”

“Maybe,” you hummed, your free hand going to his chin to lift his gaze to yours. I want you. You could practically hear his thoughts. It was written all over his face. And you had no doubt that your expression mirrored his. I. Want. You.

You sped up the pace, a slight twist in your wrist in the way you knew he liked. You were in awe as his mouth parted, watching you back.

However, the sound of the bathroom door opening had you both freezing, your hearts dropping as you both realized how you were a couple of damn idiots. You’d been so lost in the moment you didn’t even think to hold it together to get out of here and maybe go to the car, or at the very least think to lock the door.

“Um, what the fuck?”

Bucky and you looked toward Natasha, who of course, happened to be the one to walk in on this moment. The two of you probably looked like deers caught in headlights, and you honestly didn’t know if it was the favoured or least favoured scenario that Nat happened to walk in instead of a stranger.

“Ah, fuck,” Bucky hissed.

Your hand was very clearly in his pants, and there was no way of hiding it. Bucky’s hair was also quite ruffled up, and there was no hiding that either.

Nat looked at both of you in horror, eyes darting back and forth for what felt like the longest moment ever.

“‘Fake’ my ass,” She finally smirked.

“Nat, this isn’t–”

She cut you off, “Don’t you dare say this isn’t what it looks like.” She walked backward, about to head out of the door, “What a turn of events.”

Before you knew it, Nat had slipped back out into the hallway. Your hand slipped away from Bucky, horror rushing over you as you processed how dangerous this could have been and how much trouble you could’ve gotten in if a stranger had walked in.

Once more, Bucky hissed, because there was nothing else to really say, “Fuck.”

───※ ·❆· ※───

#Bucky Barnes x reader #bucky x reader #Bucky Barnes x you #bucky x you #bucky x yn #Bucky Barnes fanfic #Bucky Barnes fic #bucky x y/n #bucky fwb #Bucky Barnes friends with benefits #rogers!reader #bucky barnes #Bucky Barnes au #Bucky smut #smut

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allyouneedisbuck · 3 years

Text

adore you

summary // bucky and alpine enjoy their solitude, but the girl across the hall is slowly creeping into their hearts. (bucky x fem!reader)

words // 7.4k

warnings // diverges from canon & no major spoilers.

notes // just thousands of words of fluff bc that’s all i know how to write. maybe one day i’ll venture into anything else. fluffy bucky has my heart

reblogs & replies are greatly appreciated!

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 。* 。° 。* 。 • ˚《

The first time you knock on Bucky’s door Alpine wanders over curiously.

Bucky stares at the door silently urging you to go away. You knock again and Alpine begins to paw at the door before meowing loudly, which makes Bucky groan. “I’m coming.” He calls as he stands from the couch. He pauses the movie playing on his television, something ridiculous that Sam had insisted on. Alpine meows again and Bucky can hear you laugh through the door.

He pulls on a hoodie that’s laying on his counter and stuffs his left hand into the front pocket. When he pulls the door open you smile brightly. “James!”

The two of you had met briefly when Bucky had originally moved into the building. You had smiled the same bright smile in the elevator and offered up your name easily. Bucky had smiled tightly in return and told you his full name, a habit he had yet to break, and he deeply regretted it. Every time you passed in the hallway you called out a cheery James despite Bucky’s corrections.

“It’s Bucky.” He mutters. Your eyes move over his shoulder and Bucky watches as you take in his very undecorated and barely furnished apartment. Bucky didn’t mind how seemingly empty his place was. He wasn’t home a lot and nobody but Sam spent time with him. Sam might think it was time to add barstools and a spice rack, but Bucky was content with how things were.

Your attention is pulled to Alpine as he peeks out from behind Bucky’s legs. “And who are you?” You ask quietly as you squat down to meet his eyes. You hold a cautious hand out and Alpine only stares. You wait for a moment before he turns and moves back into the apartment.

You don’t seem to take it to heart though. You laugh as you stand up. “He takes after his dad, huh.” There’s a teasing glint in your eyes and Bucky should be offended but the comment actually makes him smirk.

“His name is Alpine.” Bucky says monotone as he watches you rock back and forth on your feet. “Did you need something?”

“Oh!” Your eyes light up as if you had completely forgotten your reason for coming here in the first place. “I need salt! Do you have any?” Your eyes move behind him again as if you’re now suddenly worried the answer won’t be yes.

“I have salt, yes.” He doesn’t move from his spot and only stares down at you. Your eyes flicker around the hallway before you smile nervously. “Can I have some?” You ask quietly.

Bucky nods and makes his way into his kitchen. He expects you to stay and wait in the doorway, but he hears the door shut behind you.

“Didn’t want him to get out.” You say as you lean against his counter. Bucky’s a little put off by your brazen personality, but you don’t seem to notice his discomfort. “How long have you lived in DC?” You ask as Bucky moves to pull the salt out.

“How much do you need?” He asks instead of answering.

“Not much! A couple teaspoons.” Bucky’s stoic attitude doesn’t seem to deter you at all. He glances around the bare kitchen before deciding to just give you the shaker.

“I don’t have anything to put it in, just make sure to return it eventually.” He shrugs as he slides it over to you. You grasp it in your hand but make no effort to move. Bucky sighs. “And I’ve lived here for a couple years now. I… I moved here after the Blip.”

He wonders briefly if you know who he is. He’s not sure what happened in the years of the blip, if his name had been marked on one of those memorials. That had been before his pardon, so he assumes not. He wonders if Steve’s exhibit had been changed. He hadn’t been back since before the blip. Was he still in it? Had they changed it or was Bucky Barnes still dead in America’s eyes? His eyes find yours and then he wonders if you did know who he was, were you worried?

You seemed fine around him. He hadn’t seen any recognition on your face when he had introduced himself all those months ago. A frown tugs at your lips. “Were you…” You trail off but Bucky knows the question.

Bucky nods tightly and you take a step away and move towards his door, like you know he’s reached the limit on sharing personal details for the night. “Me too.” You finally say when your hand lands on his door knob. You pause. “It’s weird. Right? Coming back to a completely different world?”’

“Yeah.” He nods. You have no idea, he thinks. He had just begun to figure out how to live free again and then he was gone. And when he came back, he was thrust into battle then lost Steve to a world Bucky was no longer a part of. “It’s weird.”

You smile apologetically. “Thank you for the salt, James.” You say quietly. His eyes flash to yours but your face doesn’t give much away.

He nods and the door slams shut. Alpine comes trotting out and rubs against Bucky’s shins. “Yeah, she’s weird.” Bucky reaches down to softly pet Alpine’s back. “Pretty though, huh?”

Alpine pushes against his hand and Bucky takes that as agreement enough.

Bucky liked helping Sam down at the VA. Handing things out, setting things up, and talking with veterans gave Bucky a sense of something. It gave him something to do when Sam and him weren’t away on missions.

And he got to spend time with Sam. While it was something he would never admit to the man, he enjoyed his company. Sam had slowly become Bucky’s best friend. Not that Bucky really had any other close friends.

“Thanks for helping out today.” Sam smiles as Bucky leads him through the hallway towards his apartment. “But you know, you can just come for a meeting. To talk.”

Bucky nods. He did know that, really. But Bucky was okay with listening for now. Maybe one day he would share some of his story, but helping out now was helping him.

Bucky stops short in the hall when he notices something sitting outside his door. He throws an arm out that Sam slams into. “Jesus, what…” He trails off when he notices what Bucky had seen.

There’s a small brown box sitting on the ground. “Stay here.” He murmurs as he begins to move towards the object. Sam gives Bucky a look before following behind him. “Or not.” He glares. Both men kneel down in front of the box. There’s not much that gives anything about what’s in the box away, just his name written in fancy script.

He reaches a hand out to touch it when the sound of your door opening makes him second guess and pull away. You were a little weird, but he didn’t want to blow you up.

“James!” Him and Sam look over at you as you lock your door. You’ve got a red apron wrapped around your waist and your bag is slipping off your shoulder. Before Bucky can say anything like be careful, you furrow your brows at the men. “What are you doing? Do you not like cookies?”

“Cookies?” Bucky asks as he glances down at the box again. Sam has already stood up and straightened out, but he’s still kneeling in front of the door. He can hear Alpine pawing at it, no doubt having heard Bucky’s voice, and he feels a little ridiculous now. “It’s Bucky.” He adds on now that he knows it’s not an explosive sitting in front of him.

You nod slowly with a confused smile on your face. ��Cookies. I made a bunch so I packed up the extra for you. When I knocked nobody answered so I left them, I wasn’t sure if I’d be home when you got back.”

Bucky feels heat rise to his cheeks. He hastily picks the box up and stands. Sam laughs loudly and Bucky glances at him coldly. “Thanks.” He says quietly.

You rock back and forth on your feet again. Must be a nervous habit, Bucky thinks. “I also made some cat treats. For Alpine.” Bucky recognizes the nervous tone in your voice as you stare at the box in his hands. “Thank you. For the help.” You say before spinning on your heel. You freeze and turn again, this time your eyes land on Sam. “Nice to meet you, Captain America, sir.” You look like you’re thinking of throwing your hand up in salute, but instead you turn again and rush down the hall.

Bucky just stares after you until a muffled meow breaks his focus. He shakes his head before shoving the box into Sam’s hands and moving to unlock the door. “So.” Sam says with a poorly contained smirk as he follows Bucky inside. “She seems nice, James.”

Bucky groans before snatching the box from his hands. “She knows I go by Bucky, she just calls me that to mess with me… I think.”

“And she knows Alpine?” Sam kneels down to pet said cat, but he jumps away and hides behind Bucky’s legs. “Come on, Al. We’ve known each other since you were adopted.” Sam stands up and rolls his eyes at Bucky.

Bucky laughs softly at the cat. “She asked to borrow salt last night and kind of met him. Alpine didn’t really stick around to hang out with her.” He begins to open the box and notices a small note taped to the inside of the lid.

He pulls it off hesitantly. “What’s her name?” Sam leans against the counter and pulls a cookie out of the box.

“Y/N.” He says quietly as his eyes skim over the note.

James,

Thank you for the salt. And the conversation. I hope you enjoy the cookies. I made some simple tuna treats for Alpine.

Step One in getting your cat to love me.

Bucky lays the note on his counter and looks into the box. His shaker is standing in the corner next to a small plate of cookies and a jar of what he assumes are the cat treats. Sam laughs and Bucky glances up to see him reading over the note. “Hey!” Bucky yanks it out of his hand and shoves it into one of the drawers in front of him.

“Getting Alpine and you to love her, she means.” He laughs again and Bucky rolls his eyes. “That’s cute. I didn’t know you had a little flirtationship going on.”

Bucky scoffs. “I don’t… What does that even mean? Did you see us in the hall? I don’t flirt with her.”

Sam reaches for another cookie. “Really? Just felt like that’s how you would flirt. And you blushed so…” He trails off with a smirk.

“I wasn’t blushing!” Bucky says defensively. He didn’t blush just because a pretty girl gave him cookies. He wasn’t in middle school. When Sam reaches for another cookie, Bucky yanks the box away. “Are you gonna order dinner or stand here and eat all of my cookies?”

Sam throws his hands up in mock surrender and pulls out his cell phone. “Hey. No need to get defensive. Maybe it was just hot in the hallway.” He moves into the living room and flings himself onto the small couch.

Bucky scoffs and looks down at Alpine, who has made himself comfortable at Bucky’s feet. “I wasn’t blushing.” He says quietly to the cat. Alpine just blinks. Bucky pulls a treat out of the small jar and holds it out to him. “You know I wasn’t blushing.”

The next time Bucky sees you, it’s him at your door. He’s got a clean plate in his hand and is decidedly not nervous as he waits for you to answer.

He lifts his hand to knock again when the door swings open. You’re standing in nothing but a sweatshirt and shorts that barely peek out from beneath it. Bucky swallows and forces his eyes up from your legs to your face.

He gives you an apologetic smile when he sees your raised brows. “James.” You smile kindly as you lean against your door frame. “What can I do for you?”

“Bucky.” He says automatically. He holds the plate out and notices your eyes catch on his gloved hands. “Figured you might want this back. I washed it.”

You take the plate from his hands. “Thank you.” Bucky doesn’t move from his spot in the hallway. He’s not really sure why because he’s done what he needed to do. He just wanted to enjoy your presence, he assumes. You had begun to grow on him and your cookies were really good. Or maybe he had always kind of liked you.

“Do you want to come in?” You ask. There’s an inviting smile on your face and he almost says yes. He wants to say yes. But he didn’t want to leave Alpine alone, he had already been gone for most of the day.

Bucky gives you an apologetic smile. “I would… But I don’t want to leave Alpine alone.” You nod with a soft smile and Bucky watches for a moment before taking a step back.

“I’ll just…” He points over shoulder at his door. He turns and starts the short walk to his door.

You laugh quietly. “Have a good night, James.”

“Bucky.” He corrects. He takes a deep breath and turns to face you again. You’re still standing in your doorway watching him amused. “Do you want to… You can come to mine instead?”

Your small smile transforms into something bright and excited as you nod. “That would be great. Let me grab my keys.” You hold a finger up and disappear into your apartment.

As soon as you're out of sight Bucky slumps against the wall. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He thinks. His living room is bare except for the small, shitty couch Sam had persuaded him into buying. That and a lamp on an Ikea side table and his television.

He imagined your living room was much homier. Probably decorated to fit your aesthetic and cozy. What would you think of his place? What did you think? You couldn’t mind it too much if you agreed to come, right?

His nervous train of thought is disrupted when he hears your door slam shut. Bucky watches as you lock your door quickly. “Lead the way!” You look at Bucky with teasing eyes.

Bucky smiles hesitantly as he turns towards his own door. When he opens it, he finds Alpine laying on the back of the couch and he stares confused at Bucky and the new addition to the apartment.

“You remember Alpine.” Bucky says with a small smile as he beckons you further into the apartment. “It’s not much-“

“-It’s nice.” You cut him off. You’ve got a genuine smile on your face and Bucky begins to wonder why he had ever been nervous. You’d always been kind, he couldn’t imagine you having anything rude to say. “Hi, Alpine.” You say quietly as you step cautiously towards the couch.

Bucky watches as Alpine looks up at you equally as cautious. “Nice to see you again. I hope you like the treats.” At the word, Alpine perks up and looks at you intrigued.

Bucky quietly pulls a couple treats out of the jar. He moves as subtly as he can in order to avoid shifting Alpine’s attention. “Here.” He slips a treat into your hand. “See if he comes to you.”

You hold the treat out in front of you and Alpine sniffs the air. You don’t say anything, like you know trying to coax the cat to you might spook him. Alpine seems to appreciate it and moves towards you slowly. He snatches the treat from your hand before dashing away. He disappears down the hallways, but you don’t seem to care because you spin around to face Bucky with a happy smile.

“Did you see that?” You laugh. Bucky swallows and nods. Briefly he thinks you have a beautiful smile before shaking the thought off. You take a seat on his couch and pull your legs up underneath you. “I’ll be his favorite in no time.”

Bucky snorts. “I’m sure.” He says sarcastically. He sits next to you on the couch and moves to hand the remote to you. He lets a small smile be directed at you as he watches you make yourself comfortable in his home. It’s not much, but you seem to fit right in.

When your eyes land on his gloved hands again, he thinks you’re gonna ask for a reasoning behind them. He’d have to come up with a poor excuse, not wanting to share the truth yet. But your eyes move from his hands to his face and you take the remote with a smirk. “You ever seen Legally Blonde?”

And, well. That’s that.

The next time you and Bucky see each other, it’s in passing. He’s going out as you’re coming in. There’s a grease stain on your shirt and your red apron is barely stuffed into your purse.

Bucky hesitates for a moment. “Hey.” He says quietly. You spin around and slam backwards into your door. “Fuck. I didn’t mean to scare you, I’m sorry.” He takes a cautious step towards you. His eyes trail over your face, your eyes are red and he can tell how exhausted you are.

“It’s okay.” You say quietly. You take a few calming breaths. “I was in my head. It was a rough night.”

Bucky leans against the wall next to you. “Wanna talk about it?” He’s grown so used to you just stopping to chat that this tense silence feels wrong. Normally he wouldn’t even have to prompt you, he would listen as you just launch into a story easily.

You trail your eyes over his outfit. “You look like you’re headed out.”

Bucky shrugs and doesn’t move from his spot. “Just a recap then. I have time.” He’s not sure what’s inspired him to do this. But he thinks it has something to do with this newfound fondness to your bright personality. He wants it back.

You take a deep breath and nod. “Come in for a glass of water? Then I’ll let you go.”

Bucky sighs in relief. “Sounds perfect.” He follows you into the apartment. It’s different from his. Bright, like you. You’ve got posters hanging neatly on the wall your tv is against. Plants sitting by your window. A large couch and soft rug. “Nice place.” He comments as he moves to sit on one of your barstools.

You laugh softly. “Thanks.” You drop your purse onto the counter and turn to pull two glasses out of the cupboard. “Where are you headed? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Bucky glances at the time on your stove. “Oh… I help my friend out with meetings at the VA. I was headed to help him set up.”

You slide a glass of water towards him. “You’re a vet?” He takes it with an appreciative smile. “I didn’t…” You shake your head. “Thank you.”

Bucky shakes his head. “I’m not…” He trails off unsure of how to explain his status to you. Did you really not know who he was? “Tonight's topic is you.”

You roll your eyes and lean back against the counter. “Have you ever just had a bad day? Where nothing seems to go right?” Bucky nods and you sigh. “My master’s thesis, I’ve been working on it for months, I got back my draft today from my advisor and he tore it apart. Had a good cry about that. Got called in early to work, I need the money so I said yes. The diner was busy and we were short staffed. To top it off, my last customer of the night was a douche. He hit on me all night. When I told him no to getting my phone number, he threatened to take my tip away.” You laugh bitterly as Bucky sits in silence, listening intently. “And then when I walked away, he tried to grab me. So… Stellar night over all.”

“Want me to kill him?” The words are out of Bucky’s mouth before he can think. He couldn’t imagine being forced to be nice to somebody who was just harassing him all night. In fact, he knows he wouldn’t be. And he knows you certainly didn’t deserve treatment like that.

You let out a shocked laugh that turns into a full blown laughing fit. Bucky lets out an awkward chuckle as he watches you shake.

“That’s…” You trail off and Bucky notices tears gathering in your eyes. “That’s really sweet.” You say wetly.

“Hey.” Bucky stands up and takes a step towards you. He pauses, unsure of what to do, but when you start to shake again, this time with tears, his decision is made. “Hey. You’re okay.”

He pulls you into him and you come easily. You wrap your arms tightly around his waist and rest your head against his chest as you let it out.

Bucky rubs your back and tries his best to calm his rapidly beating heart. He hopes you can’t hear it because he’s sure it would break any kind of aura of nonchalance he had created.

He glances at the time again. He really has to go. The meeting was starting soon and he’s sure Sam is worried about where Bucky is. He pulls back slowly, not wanting to let go.

You look at him with sad eyes. “I’m so sorry. I have to go.” You nod dejectedly and take a step back. You don’t go too far, both of your hands still clinging to his jacket. “Can you watch Alpine?” He rushes the words out and he knows there’s a light blush rising to his cheeks. He just wants to make you feel better and he really does hate leaving his cat alone.

You furrow your brows. “What?”

“I mean.” He takes a hurried step back suddenly aware of you still wrapped in his arms. “I hate leaving him alone. And… You look like you could use some furry company.”

A slow smile spreads across your face. “Are you saying your cat likes me?”

“No.” Bucky laughs. “But you are the only other person he doesn’t completely hate.”

“I would love to watch Alpine.” You take a few rushed steps out of your kitchen. “I’ll change and head over.”

Bucky lets out a relieved breath and nods. “Good. Cool. I mean-“ He shakes his head. “-my spare key is on top of my door. You don’t have to do anything but hang out with him. Don’t expect cuddles though, I’m not sure you’re on that level yet. Don’t give him too many treats.”

You’re nodding like his instructions are even the smallest bit important. “I have to go.” Bucky says ago and takes another step towards the door. “I’ll see you later.”

You nod and take off down your hall. Bucky lingers by your door for a moment.

“Wait!” You yell and come rushing out again. Bucky freezes and turns to look at you. “Thank you…James.” You smile brightly before spinning around again and disappearing.

Bucky smiles to himself as he leaves. The bright was back.

When Bucky gets home he’s more nervous than when he left. His palm is sweaty and all that’s on his mind is Sam’s constant teasing.

Bucky didn’t have a crush. He just… Liked having you around. That didn’t mean he wanted to date you. Maybe he did think you were pretty. And sure when you had let him hug you earlier it had made his heart race.

But it wasn’t a crush. Bucky was too old to have a crush. He takes a deep breath before opening his door. He can hear a movie playing softly before he even looks up.

“Hey.” You say quietly from where you’re laying on his couch. You sit up hastily with an embarrassed smile. Alpine is laying on the chair across from you. “We’re friends!” You point to the sleeping cat.

Bucky nods. “He actually stayed in the same room as you all night?” He asks doubtfully.

You frown, but there’s a mischievous sparkle in your eyes. “Maybe not all night. But he came out like an hour ago. I think he gave up on waiting for me to leave.”

You pat the spot next to you on the couch and Bucky moves as quietly as he can. “How was your night? Do you feel better?” He looks you over. You looked less tired and from the blankets piled on his couch it looks like you had taken a nap.

You nod. “A lot better… Thank you. I really appreciate you letting me hang out with your cat.” You look up at him with a nervous smile. “He’s just like you. You two were made for each other.”

Bucky glances at Alpine. “What does that mean?”

You poke Bucky’s leg with your socked foot. “Hard exterior, secretly wants to be best buds with me.”

Bucky snorts and gently shoves your foot away. “My secret plan has been outed. Make the girl from 4B my best friend.” You laugh and move to tuck your feet under his leg. It’s silent for a moment, and Bucky knows you’re watching him so he busies himself with watching Alpine.

“Hey…” You trail off waiting for Bucky to turn his attention to you. “I don’t want to upset you or anything.”

“That’s always a good start.” Bucky says nervously as he focuses on you. Your hands are fidgeting in your lap as you watch him. “What’s wrong?”

You shake your head quickly. “Nothing’s wrong! I just… Promise you won’t be upset with me?” Your eyes are pleading and Bucky can feel himself get anxious. What could you be so nervous about?

“What’s wrong?” He asks quietly. You don’t say anything, so Bucky swallows hard. “I promise.” He nods slowly.

“Okay.” You take a deep breath. Bucky watches your eyes shift around the room before landing on his hands clenched together in his lap. “I thought I recognized you. Like, your name is so familiar and then when I saw you with Captain America…”

Bucky looks down at his hands and nods. He knew where this was going. “I…” He trails off.

“I looked you up.” You rush the words out. Your voice is small and Bucky feels any hopes he had for this friendship shatter around him.

“I don’t… I’m not any of those things anymore.” Bucky cringes. His leg is shaking anxiously, but he just can’t get it to stop. He can’t even get himself to look up from his gloved hands, didn’t want to see the fear or disbelief that would be painted across your face.

Your toes poke at his thigh again and it forces Bucky to look over at you. Your eyebrows are furrowed as you watch him, but there’s no trace of fear or anger, you wear the same kind smile that you always did.

“I know that.” You whisper softly. Your eyes move past him and Bucky follows your line of vision to Alpine, whose bright eyes are staring at him. Bucky smiles gently at the cat as he stretches out and hops off the chair. Alpine rubs against Bucky’s shins, a welcome distraction from the impending conversation. Your feet curve upward to poke Bucky in the leg again. He looks up hastily at the gesture. “When I asked if you were a vet earlier, why did you say no?”

Bucky purses his lips to think. The truth was he wasn’t at all sure how to explain everything to you. He didn’t have to explain things to Sam or Steve, they knew. “My war was a long time ago.” He settles on saying.

“That doesn’t make you any less a veteran.” You say firmly. “And there’s not much online about the Winter Soldier-“ There’s ringing in Bucky’s ears as the words come out of your mouth. What had you found? And what were you thinking?

“Hey.” You lean over and place a gentle hand on his shoulder. “There’s not much online, but I didn’t read what there was because I knew that it was your story to tell me. When you’re ready.”

Bucky inhales sharply as you look at him with curious eyes. “I… I did a lot of bad things. I… I worked on making amends and I… I was pardoned.” He pleads with you like he’s sure you’ll walk out if you know everything.

“Okay.” The word is quiet and your hand is still resting on his shoulder. “You don’t have to tell me anything. I just wanted you to know that I’m your friend. Even with your super cool secret identity.”

Bucky laughs at that. “It’s not a secret if you use your real name.”

“Ah! You agree? We’re friends?” You say with a smirk. “Does that mean I get to see the super cool metal arm that’s always been covered around me?”

Bucky shakes his head, but laughs. “Not yet.” You’re watching him carefully so he gives you a small smile. “I would say we’re friends though, yeah.”

Suddenly, you’re always there.

When Bucky has missions with Sam, you check in on Alpine for him. His spare key has moved from above his door to your keychain.

You’ll come over with treats when he gets home from the VA. (Bucky likes to think you check for him when you hear the heavy footsteps in the hall and that’s why you’re always there right after he gets home.)

He’ll bring dishes back whenever he sees you get home. (He does check the peephole when he hears footsteps.)

You send him pictures of Alpine when he’s away. Alpine who still won't cuddle with you or even touch you, but who lays in the same room and has recently started allowing short pets. He sends you pictures of Sam and cities they’re in.

And tonight, while he’s in New York, you’ve sent him a picture of you in his bathroom mirror with Alpine sitting pretty on the counter.

He’s not supposed to be up there.

All he gets is another picture in return, this time you have a thumbs up and Alpine is still on the counter. Bucky smiles. Sam notices.

“Your girlfriend texting you?” He teases.

Bucky scoffs. “She’s not my girlfriend… She just watches Alpine for me sometimes.” He looks back down at his phone. Nice. He sends back before stuffing it into his pocket and looking back at the man.

Sam nods slowly. “Right. She just watches Alpine sometimes. And hangs out with you when she’s free. Don’t forget the treats she makes you and Alpine.” Sam lists off casually as he looks down at his fingernails.

Bucky feels an embarrassed heat crawl up the back of his neck and looks down at his feet. “We’re friends. She’s a good friend.”

When he looks up, Sam doesn’t have a teasing smile, but instead a genuinely happy one. Bucky thinks that this one is somehow worse when Sam grips his shoulder firmly. “I’m glad you have such a good friend, Bucky. Someone outside this super hero business.”

Bucky nods and swallows the lump in his throat. “Yeah. Thanks, Sam.”

“I’m serious, Bucky. You deserve it.”

Bucky gives him a grateful smile unable to say anything else.

Bucky creeps into his apartment at four in the morning. It’s quiet, like usual, but Alpine isn’t sitting on the couch like he normally does when Bucky isn’t home.

“Al?” He calls out quietly. The logical part of him is aware that Alpine may have fallen asleep in his bedroom, or underneath a piece of furniture. But there’s another part of him that panics at the routine being broken.

Alpine was always there to greet him.

Bucky would rather be safe than sorry. “Al.” He whispers again, already reaching for the knife strapped to his ankle. He bends slowly and lifts his pant leg as he scans his eyes under the couch and coffee table in search of the cat.

He stands with the knife in his hand and moves slowly down his hallway. His bedroom door is ajar, Bucky takes a deep breath before pushing it open all the way. Alpine blinks at him from the edge of his bed. The knife slips from Bucky’s hand as he stands, shocked in the doorway. You’re asleep. Asleep on the bed that he never used.

The knife clattering against the ground stirs you from your sleep and your eyes widen when you notice Bucky standing there.

“Hey!” Your voice is raspy and low. You rub your eyes and Bucky can only stare at your half-asleep form. “I… I thought you were going to be gone until tomorrow night.”

He nods. “Yeah. I mean, we got things done sooner than expected.” He explains. You lean over to flicker the light next to you on. Bucky doesn’t recognize the pillow sitting behind you or the blanket that’s thrown over your legs, he thinks you’ve brought them over from your apartment. You must have because his pillow and blanket was sitting folded in his linen closet waiting for the next time he camped out on the floor or the couch.

You smile apologetically. “I’m sorry. I… I got tired of falling asleep on the couch.” You whisper. “And Alpine lays with me on the bed.”

Bucky hastily shakes his head. “No! It’s fine. You don’t have to apologize. I should’ve told you to sleep in the bed. I didn’t even think of it.” I don’t really sleep in the bed. He moves further into the room.

You scratch nervously at your cheek before freezing in action. He almost laughs at the annoyance that crosses your face. You had mentioned once that touching your face was a bad habit you had been trying to break for months. “I should go.”

“You don’t have to.” Bucky opens his dresser drawer in search of sweatpants. “Stay here. You’ve already got yourself set up. I’ll crash on the couch.”

You push the blanket off of your legs and Bucky has to force his eyes to stay on yours when he notices the already short shorts you’re wearing have ridden up your thighs from sleeping. “I can’t make you sleep on the couch, James. I’ll go!”

“You know it’s Bucky.” He stops you with a hand on your shoulder. “It’s fine.” He stresses. “I… I don’t really sleep in the bed anyways. The couch is better.”

Your eyes narrow. “You don’t have to lie to make me feel better.” He can tell you’re hesitant, but your rushed movements have paused. “My apartment is across the hall! I feel awful for invading your space like this already.”

Bucky sits on the edge of the bed and watches curiously as you shift to sit next to him. Both your legs are dangling off, almost brushing his, and Bucky feels warmer than he had all week. “Doll, I’m serious. Beds are weird for me. I haven’t had one in so long that sometimes they’re just too overwhelming for me to sleep in.”

He almost jumps when your head rests against his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t… I didn’t think of that.”

“It’s good to see somebody getting good use out of this bed.” He leans into you slightly. “My ma would have thrown a fit if she saw how much this bed was. 800 dollars for a mattress... 800 dollars back then is like, thousands now.”

You laugh softly. Bucky glances down again. Your eyes are closed and he thinks you’re almost asleep until you talk. “Do you… Would someone being there help you sleep in the bed?”

You don’t open your eyes and Bucky’s almost glad for that because he can’t look away from you. “I… I don’t know. It’s only been Al and I.” His eyes follow the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe slow and calm.

You finally look up. “You should stay with me. The couch isn’t comfortable to sleep on, I would know.” You elbow his stomach gently.

He nods before he can even think about it. “If… If you’re comfortable with it.” He whispers.

“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t. I promise.” You move away from him and Bucky already misses the warmth you radiate. “I’ll let you change.”

He leans against the bathroom door as soon as it’s shut behind him. “It’s okay.” He mumbles to himself. His nightmares had been getting better, but that didn’t mean they were gone entirely.

They probably never would be. And he knew he couldn’t let himself be afraid of the bed for the rest of his life. He had bought the bed. He just hadn’t expected his attempt at getting over the anxiety to be with you.

Why had he said yes? He thinks as he shakily slips his jacket off. He looks at himself in the mirror and sighs. It was a good question, why had he said yes?

He slips into his sweatpants and just stands in the bathroom. He couldn’t change his mind now.

Well, he could. He knew you would give him a kind smile and reassure him that he didn’t have to do anything he didn’t want to. You were just that person. Kind and understanding and holding no judgement.

“Okay.” He takes a deep breath. “Okay.” He shakes his shoulders out and picks up his discarded clothes. He stops at the linen closet and pulls out his blanket and pillow.

You’re already wrapped up in your blanket again when Bucky comes back into the room. Alpine has moved to lay the floor in front of his bed. You smile sleepily at Bucky. He feels himself smile back. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

(When his eyes crack open the next morning he finds Alpine curled at his feet and you curled into his side, he knows being with you wouldn’t be bad. It’s the first time he lets himself think maybe this really is a crush.)

So, Bucky has a crush. Which is a little ridiculous because he’s over a century old and having a crush is so high school, but it’s there. When you smile in the hall and butterflies rush through his stomach or when his chest warms at a picture you’ve sent of you and Alpine. It’s so obviously there.

“What are you staring at?” Your voice shakes him when he realizes he’s been staring at you this entire time. You’re sitting next to him on the couch, so close your legs are touching. “Do I have something on my face?” You reach a hand up to your cheek.

Bucky shakes his head hastily. “No. Sorry, I was just lost in my thoughts.”

“Penny?” You ask softly and Bucky furrows his brows in confusion. “Penny for your thoughts.” You clarify quickly.

He thinks the smile that appears on your face is bashful and it makes Bucky feel just a little more confident. Maybe he made you as nervous as you made him.

“You’re really pretty.” He says suddenly. Your eyes widen and you look away nervously. A hand scratches at the back of your neck and Bucky bites down on his lip as he watches you. Not exactly how he hoped that would go. “I mean… I was just looking at… how pretty you were.” He cringes at the words as they come out of his mouth.

He used to be so much smoother than this, he thinks. He remembered having a new girl on his arm every week and a friend of theirs for Steve.

Alpine meows loudly and Bucky just knows the cat is laughing at him. “Thank you.” You finally say quietly. “I… I didn’t think you thought that about me.”

“‘Course I do.” He says equally as quietly. “Always thought you were pretty.” He glances at you and smirks, “Even when I thought you were weird too.”

You gasp and turn to look at him. “You thought I was weird?”

Bucky laughs and nods. “After you came in the middle of the night for salt? A little. And the fact that you keep calling me James when I’ve told you it’s Bucky.” He raises an eyebrow.

You smile brightly. “You introduced yourself as James. Why would I call you anything else?”

Bucky presses his tongue to his cheek as he tries not to laugh. “Yeah. I’ve regretted that every day since. Nobody’s called me James since the forties.”

You scoff. “I find that hard to believe.”

Bucky looks away. “Well for decades I was referred to as soldat.” He glances down at his hands. He’d stop wearing his gloves around you after you’d spent the night, even told you a little of his story the next morning.

Sam thinks your relationship is weird. You spend the night sometimes and both of you find time to spend together when you can. It’s like you’re dating, but Bucky knows it’s not really like that. He thinks you both bring a sense of calm to one another.

He’s not sure how to shift that, or if you would even want to, into a relationship. He glances back at you with a tense smile. “Steve always called me Buck. Sam calls me Bucky. Last person to call me James was probably my mother.”

“I’m sorry… I never meant to-'' You take a deep breath like you’re preparing yourself for what you're going to say next.

Bucky shakes his head. “It’s fine. I’m not trying to make you feel bad, I was just pointing it out.” He tries to smile reassuringly.

“I was just trying to flirt.” You say so quickly the words sound jumbled together.

It takes him a moment to comprehend what you’ve said. “With me?” He points to himself. The words make his confidence rise exponentially. “You were trying to flirt with me?”

“With you.” You confirm with a slow nod. You start laughing, but it’s soft and happy. “Of course I was! I wanted you to remember me! How could I do that if I called you what everybody else does?”

“I don’t know. Anything else?” He laughs along with you. “I…” He shakes his head with a smile.

You both settle and Bucky hears you inhale sharply. “The salt to come see you and talk, the cookies and treats for Alpine… I’ve had this huge crush on you since you moved in.” You say softly.

Bucky nods, he could see it now. Then he starts laughing again. He feels you smack his shoulder. “I’m sorry… You… Sam said that those cookies and treats were you trying to get me and Alpine to like you.”

You roll your eyes at him. “Keen eye. He saw I was flirting.” You tease gently. “Does it… Does it bother you? Or change anything? The fact that I was flirting?” You ask softly and full of nerves.

Bucky smiles sweetly. “That depends. Do you still want to flirt with me?”

You narrow your eyes, but nod. “I don’t ask just any boy to sleep in the same bed as me.”

“Just me and Alpine?” Bucky nudges your knee with his. You nod softly and he inhales a deep, nervous breath. “It worked.” He says quietly.

You nudge his knee back. “It did?”

He turns to look at you again. You’re already looking up at him with hopeful eyes and Bucky feels his heart race. “Yeah. I like you a lot. I don’t... I haven’t felt this way in a long time.”

A smile breaks out on your face. “I like you a lot too.” You whisper, like you’re afraid anything louder will break the moment.

“Can I kiss you?” He whispers back. You nod excitedly and lean towards him. Bucky places a gentle hand on your cheek as shuts his eyes and leans in.

His chest warms when your lips press against his tentatively, like you’re both still nervous it’s not real. Your lips are soft and Bucky knows his own are chapped, but he feels you smile against him and can’t stop his own smile from overtaking his face.

You pull away, but you’re still close enough that your lips are brushing against his. He’s caught up in the moment staring at you when he feels something rub against his shin.

It makes you pull apart. Alpine is rubbing himself against both your legs and purring softly. Bucky presses a kiss to your cheek.

“Think you won both of us over.”

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 。* 。° 。* 。 • ˚《

notes // what do you do when your midterm is an essay & gave you a headache? write bucky barnes fanfiction. thank you for reading! i hope you enjoyed it. ps i’ve seen some spelling mistakes promise to edit those in the morning!

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x fem!reader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #james bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x female reader #bucky barnes imagine #cupidswritings

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