#prince!bucky barnes | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

onceuponastory · 9 months

Text

a perfect fit - bucky barnes x reader

Plot: After fleeing the Royal Ball, Y/N knew she had no chance of ever seeing the Prince again. But Prince Bucky is determined to find her. Pairing: Prince!Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader Warnings: Mentions of abuse and violence, blood, being cut by glass, Y/N’s stepfamily belittling and degrading her, Y/N doubting herself, and her parents dying. Also the cheesy fairytale love at first sight tropes and all that good stuff I love so much, hahaha. As always, if I miss any triggers, please let me know! Notes: This is part two of my Cinderella AU, because I’m a sucker for a happy ending... and writing PrinceCharming!Bucky, as it turns out. You can read part one here if you haven’t already.

Not beta’d, so any mistakes are my own.

When she awakens the next morning, for a moment Y/N thinks the night before was little more than a dream. It’s only when she sees the glass slipper beside her bed, shining in the early morning light, that she remembers how real it all was. The memories come flooding back. She really did dance with Prince Bucky, and spent the whole night with him. Unfortunately, now she has to go back to her regular life. But that doesn’t mean she can��t hold onto the memories a little while longer. After hiding the slipper, she soon busies herself making breakfast for her stepfamily, whilst pretending like nothing happened at all.

Inside, though, she’s so happy that she wants to burst.

“Good morning.” She smiles, placing down each plate and teacup in front of her stepmother and stepsisters. “How was the ball?” She asks, trying to hide her grin. All she can think of is Prince Bucky, and the warmth of his smile. The way he looked at her still makes her heart beat that much faster.

“It was awful.” One of her stepsisters huffs, and Y/N raises a brow.

“Really? How so? You were dressed so beautifully. I thought Prince James would’ve been enthralled by you.” It still feels odd to call him Prince James, rather than Bucky. In the few hours they spent together, the pair really connected, as if they were close friends. But that only reminds Y/N of how she’s never going to see him again.

“Prince James didn’t even look at us! Some other princess caught his attention, and he spent the WHOLE NIGHT WITH HER!” she whines.

“And then she just ran away from him!” The other gasps. “Imagine running away from Prince James! She doesn’t even know how lucky she was!” As her stepsisters continue to wail about how unfair everything is, Y/N nods along, feigning shock. Although, all she wants to do is laugh. Her stepmother and stepsisters have tormented her for so long, yet they couldn’t even remember what she looks like, too ignorant to realise it was her that Prince Bucky wanted. The mystery princess they’re talking about is right under their noses.

“Didn’t you hear? She left one of her shoes behind. The Prince is searching for her now.” When she hears that, Y/N almost drops the plate she’s holding in shock. He’s looking for her. Maybe she has a chance after all. A part of her wants to tell the three of them the truth right there and then and rush out to find Bucky. But she can’t. Not now. She has to wait for the opportunity to present itself. But she can’t stop a little happiness from peeking through. As her stepfamily eats, Y/N refills their tea and fetches more food for them, humming a happy tune to herself.

“You seem rather… happy this morning.” Her stepmother frowns. “More so than usual, anyway.”

“Do I, stepmother? I hadn’t noticed. I suppose it’s just such a wonderful sunny day that I guess I’m in a sunny mood.” She chuckles, paying no mind to her words. Yet, it’s enough to get her stepmother thinking. The tune Y/N is humming seems so familiar, and she’s never seen her so happy before. Something must have happened whilst they were gone.

“How about you? What did you do while we were gone?” For a moment, Y/N’s eyes widen slightly, only adding to her stepmother’s suspicion.

“Well, I finished my chores and then… I read my book for a while before bed. Nothing too exciting.” Y/N replies. Yet, her stepmother remains unconvinced. She knows she’s hiding something, she just doesn’t know how to prove it.

But she’ll find out what it is. One way or another.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When she finally has a free moment, Y/N rushes back upstairs, ready to think about the night before. She closes the door, finally letting out a small, happy squeal.

“I believe this is yours, isn’t it?” A voice speaks from behind her, the sudden noise making her jump. When Y/N turns, she sees her stepmother standing there. As soon as she sees what she’s holding, Y/N’s stomach drops. Gripped tightly in her stepmother’s hands… is her remaining glass slipper. “Imagine that. A glass slipper. Just like the one belonging to the mystery girl Prince James is so desperately looking for.” She gets up, stalking towards Y/N. “And yet, I found it in my stepdaughter’s bedroom. When she was under explicit instructions not to attend the ball.” The entire time, her voice remains eerily calm and monotone. With each step she takes, getting closer and closer to her each time, Y/N’s heart pounds so strongly it could break through her ribcage. “It is yours, isn’t it?” She hisses, and Y/N nods, deciding it would be best to accept whatever’s coming her way than to lie.

“Yes, it’s mine. And Prince Bucky’s looking for me now.”

“Oh, Prince Bucky, is it?” Her stepmother scoffs. “Searching for you or not, do you really think he’d want you when he realises what you truly are? Just a pitiful, lonely and dirty servant girl with no money or dowry to her name?” Her words register something deep within Y/N. The same shame she felt when she fled the ball. When she ran from the kindest man she ever met, and the best chance she ever had. Y/N’s stomach twists, and she registers tears pricking at her eyes. Yet, she remains strong.

“I cannot trust that he will want me. But that is my slipper, and you said yourself that he’s looking for me. I still deserve the chance to win his hand.”

“Very well. How about a deal?” Her stepmother suggests, and Y/N raises a brow. “When the Prince arrives, we tell him the truth. And I’ll help support you in your new role and life.” Y/N listens intently, waiting for the catch. She’s been living here for long enough that she knows better than to trust her stepmother. “But of course, I’ll need to help your new husband too, no doubt. After all, he’s foolish enough to want you as his wife. So you will make me your royal advisor. All decisions go through me. Deal?”

“No.” The word causes Y/N’s stepmother to blink in surprise for a moment. Quickly, she regains her composure, yet her brows remain furrowed in confusion.

“I’m sorry?”

“No.” Y/N repeats. “I want the Prince to find me more than anything… but not with your ‘help’. He is the most wonderful person I have ever met, and I refuse to let you treat him as cruelly as you treat me. So.” She takes a breath. Despite the courage flowing through her veins, she can already feel the sick taste of regret, and the worry that she’s throwing her last chance away is beginning to build. But she’d rather be stuck here for the rest of her life if it meant Bucky and the others in the kingdom were safe. “My answer is no.”

She expects her stepmother to start sputtering or yelling, to call her all the names she’s accustomed to hearing by this point. Because that’s what she always does. But that’s not what happens. Instead, her stepmother simply stands up straighter and walks towards her, completely silent. With each step she takes, Y/N feels her heart pounding faster and louder. She considers running, but she can’t even take a step. She’s frozen, waiting for what’s coming.

“You ungrateful brat.” Her stepmother hisses, finally reaching her. As she backs Y/N up against the wall, she towers over her. Despite the stones digging into her back, Y/N stands firm, showing her stepmother that she isn't scared of her anymore. “After your fool of a father died and left us with next to nothing, I made sure you still had a home! And when I ask for something in return, for a moment of thanks, you throw it back in my face.”

“Don’t speak about my father like that!” Y/N demands. “He may not have had a lot, but he still loved me. He loved us. All you have done is treat me awfully. I have nothing to thank you for.” A harsh slap suddenly hits her cheek, stunning Y/N into silence for a moment. Her stepmother has only ever called her cruel names, and treated her like a servant. She’s never hit her before.

“How dare you disobey me! What on earth makes you think that a servant girl like you deserves this over my daughters?!” Her stepmother hisses, her breath hot against Y/N’s cheek.

“Because that is my slipper. I am the one who danced with him.” Y/N repeats. Fully aware of the potential consequences, she looks her stepmother right in the face once more. “It proves that I’m the one he is looking for. He wants me.” Suddenly, her stepmother smirks, standing up a little straighter.

“Oh yes. So it is.”

And without another word, she raises the slipper into the air, and then smashes it against the wall. When the slipper hits the wall, it shatters, spraying glass everywhere. Although, the sound of Y/N’s cry blocks most of it out. She sinks to the floor, desperately trying to salvage what pieces she can before her stepmother can crunch them under her heel. Her vision blurred by tears, Y/N registers pieces of glass slicing into her palm and fingers, but she doesn’t care. She has to get these to show Bucky the truth. That it was her he danced with all night. Although she already feels like it’s hopeless. These are simply just smashed pieces of glass… they mean nothing. Especially not that they used to be a glass slipper. As the last shred of her hopes and dreams fade, Y/N sniffles, breaking down in silent tears.

“Clean this up.” Her stepmother orders, her voice back to the scarily calm, monotonous tone from only a few minutes ago. “And do not fill your head with such ridiculous fantasies again.” Then she slams the door shut, the sound ricocheting across the room. Y/N jumps up, ready to run out of the room after her, to fight for her future, her and Bucky’s future.

“Let me out! Please!” She begs, pounding on the door and trying to pull it open. But it doesn’t budge. Her stepmother must have locked it, trapping her inside. Her chance to get out of here is just as shattered as her glass slipper. Breaking down in tears, Y/N sinks to the floor once more, too tired to fight it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Still no luck finding the mystery woman, Your Highness.” The Captain informs Prince Bucky, and he sighs.

“How many houses are left?”

“Just one.” Bucky nods. Although he still has some hope left that they will find his mystery princess, he’s been losing hope with every failed house search there is. He glances down at the slipper.

“Let’s hope the last house gives us some more luck, then.” Mounting his horse once more, they set off.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sometime later, Y/N sits up, her body aching from laying on the cold and wooden attic floor. Her cheek throbs from where her stepmother slapped her, and her eyes are red and raw from crying. She doesn’t even know how long it’s been since her stepmother locked her in here. Bucky could’ve been and gone already. As the beams from the setting sun fill the room, the shards of her glass slipper sparkle, a cruel reminder of the happy ending she could’ve had. Now, it’s just as shattered as her slipper.

Y/N goes to the window, hoping that the sunset will at least cheer her up. As she gazes out of the window, she suddenly notices something. Men atop horses. She has no idea exactly how many, but there must be at least thirty. And they’re all outside the house. Y/N’s up too high to see everything clearly, but she recognises the deep blue of their uniforms.

It’s the Royal Guard. They’re here. She’s not too late. She still has a chance.

But how is she going to get their attention? Her stepmother locked her in, and she’s not strong enough to pull open the door or to break it down. She could try screaming or stomping her feet to prove someone is upstairs, but her stepmother would probably find her before they did. Y/N paces the room anxiously, muttering to herself, trying to think of a way to get their attention.

And then, something crunches under her foot. Glass. And then, she knows what she has to do. The walls of this attic room have been falling apart for decades, leaving stone pieces scattered around the room. If she breaks the window, she could alert them that way. Quickly, she grabs the biggest piece of stone that she can, rushing back to the window. Of course, hitting a member of the Royal Guard with a stone or raining broken glass down on them is not ideal, but it’s her only hope to get their attention. Bracing herself, Y/N raises her hand… and throws the stone at the window.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Thank you again for your time, ma’am.” The Captain nods.

“Of course.” Y/N’s stepmother replies. “I am sorry that your search wasn’t successful.” She smirks. Even if her daughters don’t get to marry the Prince, the fact that Y/N won’t either is more than enough solace for her.

Bucky walks back to his horse, unable to hide his disappointment. Maybe he’s destined never to find his mystery girl again.

“Wait! Stop!” a distant voice calls, stopping him in his tracks. “I’m up here! Wait!” The words send a jolt of hope through his body. Immediately, he turns around, marching back towards the house.

“Ma’am. You said there were no other eligible women in your household aside from your daughters, did you not?” Her eyes widen, and she stammers.

“Well, there’s only my stepdaughter, but it can’t be her, she’s just a servant girl, nobody important.” Bucky hates the way she talks about her stepdaughter, as if she’s not a valid member of this household because she’s not related to her by blood. He remembers the mystery woman’s apprehension, and how afraid she was to let him help. And things suddenly make sense. If someone who speaks so terribly about her is 'taking care' of her, it's no surprise she didn't want him too close. Although, this only spurs on his desire to find and help her.

“Her status does not matter. What matters is you lied to the Royal Guard, and to your Prince.” He states. “Now, let us pass.” He orders.

Upstairs, Y/N nervously wrings her hands. Ever since she broke the window, she’s been waiting for her stepmother to burst into the room and punish her. She’s spent the last few minutes trying to think of an explanation that will save herself, but her brain has turned up empty each time. And that’s why she’s also considering making a break for it. When she registers the sound of the key in the lock turning, she sighs.

“Stepmother, I just wanted-”

“Hello again.” Prince Bucky smiles. Y/N gasps. As the fear leaves her body, she takes an enormous sigh of relief. It feels like an immense weight has just been lifted off her shoulders.

“Am I dreaming?” She asks, and he chuckles.

“I was going to ask you the same thing.” He steps closer, taking in every inch of her. “It is you.” He whispers, still grinning. And something deep in Y/N’s stomach flutters. Suddenly, he notices the mark on her cheek. Immediately, his face hardens. “Who did this to you?”

“It was my stepmother. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth, I was afraid she’d find me, and-” He takes her hand, cutting her off. He grips it tightly and protectively.

“There is no need to apologise, my love. She will never hurt you ever again. She won’t even be allowed near you again. You have my word.” Y/N nods. Even now, when he holds her hand, she can feel the same care and love from the night before. “Now. If you’ll allow me, my lady…” Bucky smiles. He holds out the remaining glass slipper, ready to slip it onto her foot. But first, Y/N knows she has to tell him the truth.

“Prince Bucky, my name is Y/N. I’m not a Princess, or a noblewoman. I’m more of a servant than anything. In fact, that’s why my stepfamily calls me Cinderella. I don’t have any family, or dowry I can offer. Even though I am the person who danced with you at the ball… I still don’t know what will happen once that slipper fits, or if you’ll even want me afterwards.” She can feel tears rolling down her cheeks, but she doesn’t stop. “But I love you. And I hope you will take me as I am.”

Bucky smiles, gazing at her like she hung the moon. “Of course I will. I don’t care about your title or what dowry you can bring. All I care about is the person behind it. And I love you… Y/N.” He whispers her name, almost as if he still cannot believe he finally gets to know it, or that he’s finally found her. Her name leaving his lips sounds so sweet, so loving. It’s been so long since she heard anyone say her name, let alone with no hostility in it. For the first time in a long time, she feels loved. “Now. Despite knowing the truth, every maiden in the kingdom has to try this slipper. Prince’s orders.” He reminds her, and she giggles.

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Y/N slips her boot off, and Bucky slides the slipper onto her foot. “It’s a perfect fit.” He beams. He takes her hand, running his thumb along her knuckles. “My princess.” He whispers.

Slowly, he leans in closer, tilting his head towards hers, and Y/N rises to meet it. The kiss is soft, yet passionate. In fact, it’s everything she could’ve dreamt of. He holds her in his arms again, keeping her safe from everything in the world. Soon, Bucky leads her downstairs, keeping a tight, protective grasp on her hand.

“In a way, I’m going to miss this place. Well, I enjoyed living here when it was just my parents and I.”

“Don’t worry, my love.” His nickname for her makes her smile, light heat settling on her cheeks. It’s a nice change from Cinderella. “We’ll both make sure nothing happens to it, and you can come visit whenever you want. I’m sure your stepfamily won’t be here for much longer.”

“And if they do stay?” Bucky chuckles.

“Trust me. My guards and I will make sure they don’t.” Y/N smiles, squeezing his hand.

“Thank you.”

When they reach the bottom of the stairs, her stepmother stands there, flanked by two guards. Reflexively, Y/N tenses. “It’s alright.” Bucky soothes. “I won’t let her hurt you ever again.” As they pass by her, Y/N can feel her stepmother’s glare burning through. As she begins to panic, Y/N registers Bucky squeezing her hand once more. Keeping her head held high, Y/N and Prince Bucky walk through the door, ready to start their new life.

Together.

The End.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Please follow @onceuponastory-library and turn on notifications to be notified when I next post!

246 notes · View notes

navybrat817 · 2 months

Note

Just for you.

Oh, you shouldn't have, lovely! But I will take him. 🫠

But what are we thinking? Modern royal playboy crazy about a princess who won't give him the time of day because of his reputation?

Or something else?

Love and thanks. ❤️

#navybrat answers #bucky barnes #prince!bucky barnes #the ring #please sir #no-not-without-you-blog #sending love ❤️#asks are always appreciated

57 notes · View notes

holylulusworld · 8 months

Text

Not a queen (9)

Summary: You are no one. What if fate makes you queen?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Maid!Reader x Nick (Fowler) Barnes

Warnings: dystopian world, modern royal au, shy reader, arranged marriage, implied smut, fluff, cuddling, a little time jump (2 months), pregnant reader, overprotective Nick

A/N: We are reaching the end of this arc.

This series takes place in the Two kings universe, at the same time. I recommend reading this story first to understand this universe better.

You can find all arcs here: Of Kings and Queens Arcs

<< Part 8.5

Not a queen (Arc 2) masterlist

“Father, are you sure?” Bucky shakes his head. He can’t believe his father wants him to take over the throne so soon. “Why now?”

“Our revolution needs fresh blood, not men stuck in the past. We need the second and first sons to work together,” the king shushes his son. “I know you two will make me proud. I always knew you are special, Bucky, Nick.”

“Has this something to do with King Joseph’s death?” Nick questions. “Father, you are strong and undefeatable.”

The king chuckles at his son’s words. He pats Nick’s shoulder and gives him a soft smile. “Son, you, and your brother will take over the kingdom. It’s my decision. You have a queen and are excepting the next generation.”

“Father,” Bucky tries again. “Why so sudden? We never talked about this before.”

The king sighs deeply. “I got preparations to make, son. While you and Nick take over the throne, I can work in the background with Howard and the others. The new generation must fulfill their fate, and we, the elder generation must fulfill ours.”

“What are you up to? What are you and Howard Stark hiding? Tony took over the throne, Steve too,” Nick huffs. “It feels like you are working in the shadows while leaving us in the dark.”

“Son, you gotta trust me in this,” the king clears his throat. “Soon you will understand. If you want to change the world, you got to find allies in places you never expected to find them. It’s hard work to earn their trust. Our bond is still vulnerable.”

“Bond? Allies?” Bucky groans. “Father, stop talking in riddles. Nick and I deserve that much. What are you talking about? Why did we never hear of this before?”

“The time almost has come, Bucky. Please don’t ask me to give you answers. I can’t give them to you. Not now.”

“What do you think about this? I don’t get it, Bucky. Months ago, father didn’t say a word about giving up the throne.”

“Nick,” Bucky’s features soften at his brother’s worried expression. “Months ago, we didn’t know our wife will expect a child. But she does, and making her queen keeps her safe.”

“I-“ Nick licks his lips. “You think so?”

“A queen has a higher status than a former maid. Father knows that too. I think he tries to keep our wife and child safe. We got to have a little faith in him brother.”

“Y/N, mouse,” the moment he steps inside the room he pounces on you. He looks you all over, checking on you as if he’s afraid something happened to you while you were waiting in your shared chamber. “How are you? Do you need anything?”

“I’m good,” you softly say as he runs his hand over your barely swollen belly. “How about you tell me what your father wanted to talk about.”

“He wants us to become king,” Nick replies. “You will be a queen soon, mouse. Can you imagine, you and I will rule this kingdom?”

Bucky clears his throat. He quirks a brow as you hide your face in Nick’s chest.

“Oh, yeah. Bucky will share the throne with me,” you snicker at Nick’s words. He loves to tease his brother. “I bet the little bean inside her belly is mine too.”

“Brother,” Bucky grits his teeth. “We talked about this! No more fighting over her womb. If the baby is yours, I’ll put another one inside of her.”

You giggle when Nick shoves you behind him. “I didn’t agree with you on this. Y/N needs to take care of this little bundle of joy first. You’ll get your chance later…much later.”

“Uh-no fighting. We talked about this too,” you point out. “We will wait for the doctor to tell us if the baby is healthy, and about their gender. I don’t want to know who the father is. I know in my heart that both of you are their father.”

“Doll,” Bucky sniffs. “Of course, we are both the father. You’re right.”

“Mouse, I’m the father…and Bucky too,” Nick wrinkles his nose. He’s not convinced but doesn’t want to make you mad at him again. Lately, you scolded him more than once. Especially when he cursed around your belly.

“So, how about we spend the evening talking about lighter things? I found this book I want to read. Or one of you can read it to me…I mean us.”

“It’s my turn!” Bucky insists. “You will get comfortable on the bed, and I’ll read the book to you, and my annoying brother.”

“Howard, we need results. Our enemies will strike soon. We need to strike first,” the king sighs deeply. “Stark, what are you cooking up with your son?”

“We are close, my friend. Give me a little more time. I’ll make sure we win this war before the first blood gets shed. My son knows how to bring back something we last a long time ago.”

“Howard … time is running out on us. I only hope you know what you’re doing. We are all counting on you and your son.”

“We won’t disappoint. I promise…”

Howard likes to keep people in the dark about the things going on in his laboratory and kingdom.

“She smiles and turns away from the man who used to be her hero…and then, she walks away,” Bucky reads the last line of the book. He silently closes it. “She’s asleep, Nick.”

“Just a minute,” Nick mumbles. He presses his ear to your belly, hoping to feel the baby kick. “I know they will kick me.”

Bucky doesn’t have the heart to tell his brother it’s too early in your pregnancy. “I bet they will kick you soon.” He smiles while hoping he can watch their children grow.

>> Part 10

Tags in reblog.

#bucky barnes #nick fowler #prince!nick fowler #prince!bucky barnes #royal au #dystopian au #bucky barnes x reader #nick fowler x reader #Not a queen (9)

68 notes · View notes

katcoquette · 2 years

Text

Fatal Royals III

Prince!Bucky x Princess!Reader

Word Count: 4.2k

TW: slow burn, blood, violence, swearing, sexual content, 18+ (you are responsible for your media consumption!)

A/N: Here is part three of (tentatively) five parts, thank you to everyone who sent in requests as part of my graduation celebration. Here is the ceremonious closing of the celebration. Enjoy! & as always thoughts are appreciated!

Part One | Part Two

“What happened, Y/N?” Pietro sat down in front of you after securing the door, his face furrowed with concern. He’d stayed silent from the time you found him until you’d gotten a room at an inn he knew was safe, which was where you sat now.

You hug your knees to your chest, feeling like a little kid again, being scolded by your older brother. It was the furthest thing from what he was doing, but your head was swarming, and you assumed he was upset you had been hurt.

You find it hard to meet his eyes, instead keeping your gaze down. “I let him get in my head, that’s what allowed him to get close enough to me-“

“No, I’m not talking about the assassination.” He takes both of your hands in his- an attempt to calm them. “You’re shaking Y/N. You’re never this upset over mission details.”

You let out a shuddered breath.

“What happened with James?” He searches your eyes for any hints. “He told you, didn’t he?”

You finally look up at him at that. “You knew?” He moves to sit next to you.

“Of course I knew Y/N. He’s my best friend…He was my best friend.” He corrects. It pains him to say it, you can see that plainly. He pauses for a moment, “You still love him, don’t you?”

You scoff. “Still?”

“Don’t try to conceal it from me, you’re my little sister.” You can see a smile glimpse his face. He knew calling you his ‘little’ sister had always vexed you.

You groan. “Must you remind me?” He nudges your shoulder, chuckling despite the serious topic. You give him a small smile, then sigh.

“It wouldn’t matter if I did or not, it’s too much. There’s too much tension. It would never work, Pietro. We’re too different.”

“You can’t know that. You were successful, and Father seems hopeful that your success brought the end of our problems.” You shake your head. “I have a feeling our troubles are only starting.”

You couldn’t have been more right. All hell had broken loose in the year since your return home. King George had been convinced of your family’s involvement and had considered it an act of war.

When you had heard the news of his declaration of war, your heart had dropped to your stomach. Everything had been planned to the last detail. The assassination was supposed to, and did, appear random. The only way you figured he would’ve found out is if Bucky had told him.

You didn’t want to entertain that idea. You’d convinced yourself that it didn’t matter, that the tension reaching its boiling point was only a matter of time, this just accelerated the timeline.

Your father seemed more ready for war then you’d have assumed, but you supposed he had thought the same you had- it was only a matter of time.

Now, both kingdoms had been through many months of war. Despite small victories in the beginning, King George’s army had been anticipating your kingdom’s every move as of late, and your armies were suffering.

Pietro storms through the entrance of the strategy tent, sword clanking against his armor as he walks. “Is it true? We’ve lost two more companies?”

Your father sighs from the throne at the head of the table, resting his head on one arm. “Pietro, please.”

You see your brother clench the hilt of his sword. “I won’t stay silent! The men are losing hope, and they die at my side while I follow your orders. King George has met us head on in every battle and now he sits, taunting us from across the river. We can’t advance without seeing more death.”

“It’s as if they know our every move before we take it.” You say through gritted teeth, though everyone in the tent has come to the same conclusion. Your eyes scan the map laid out in front of you, searching for any relief, any suggestion you could offer.

“Perhaps we just need more men.” Anton suggests. “Every able-bodied man can be sent for at a moment’s notice.”

“So they can be sent to die?” Pietro raises his voice. “That’s the last thing we should be doing.” They stare each other down. You don’t miss the tension between them.

You had told Pietro everything that had happened eventually, including your suspicions about Anton. And unlike your sister, he had supported your conclusion, though the two of you were still hesitant to believe them. Despite this, it was no secret that they had differing opinions on the strategies of war.

Your father silences their bickering with the raising of a hand. “Anton is right-“ He has to raise his voice as Pietro protests. “We must stay strong. We can’t let up.”

He turns to one of his generals. “Give the order. Send word to the largest provinces, get any man who can hold a sword into a training camp as soon as possible.”

Pietro runs his hands through his hair, exasperated, and leaves without another word. “You two will kill us all.” You mutter, before following your brother.

You find him by the river, crouched down and observing the smoke coming a few miles south of the bank. “They’re right there.” He doesn’t look up as you approach him.

“They’re just sitting. Miles from us, making no move.” He stands. “But every time we advance, he’s there. Every attack, he’s ready for.”

“Perhaps he has someone whispering in his ear.” You share a look.

“What are you two scheming over out here?” You turn to see your eldest brother stomping toward you. Pietro clasps his hands behind his back and gives him a tight smile. “Nothing, brother. We wouldn’t dare question your authority.” Anton glares at the both of you.

“You say that sarcastically, but that was true just last year.” He sighs, “What happened?” Pietro shifts uncomfortably, glancing at you. Anton doesn’t miss it.

“Y/N. What happened while you were in the Barnes’ kingdom?” You swat at Pietro for turning your brother’s attention on you, but resignedly speak anyway.

“The mission was a success…” You start. He raises an eyebrow, his arms folded across his chest. “But?”

“But… before I completed it, that man, he said to say hello to you.” It wasn’t technically a lie, but you wanted to see his reaction to the subtle accusation. His face barely changes.

“And you think that I was working with him?” He questions.

“Was he lying?” Pietro presses him, but Anton stays focused on you.

“How do you presume we knew his whereabouts? That he would be there? That his habits would leave him alone and vulnerable? Do you think we would risk an assassination going wrong?” He hisses. “Of course, he thought that we were friendly, Y/N, that’s the entire point.”

“That can’t possibly be all there is to it.” You snap back.

“Secrets only stay that way when one person knows them.” When you don’t say anything, he continues. “It doesn’t matter if you believe me, though it is the truth. All that matters is that the two of you understand that we will win this war. The cost is insignificant, and father agrees. They have plagued us for far too long, and nothing will stop me from getting what I want.”

__________

You figured of all the stupid things you’d done in your life; this might be the stupidest. Dusk had settled over the valley, creating a natural cover as you slipped out of your tent and untied your horse.

You reach for your dagger again, the cool metal bringing some comfort to your nerves.

You were going to find Bucky.

In your mind, it’d been long enough that your last encounter would have been far from his mind. You’d realize later how naïve that was since it was fresh in yours all those months later.

It was easy to sneak into the camp. You’d left your horse tied to a tree a half mile from the borders and walked the rest of the way, the moon lighting your path. You only wandered the edges for a few moments, spotting the royal tents quickly by their noticeably bigger size, and grander materials.

Now to figure out which one he was in. “Shouldn’t you be asking yourself that question instead of bothering me with it? Isn’t that your job?”

You almost laugh when you hear him. In another situation, you’d probably tease him about how easy this whole journey was, and how his temper had aided you in finding him. And though you don’t laugh, you do have to purse your lips to keep from smiling.

The realization of that stops you in your tracks again as you remind yourself, he could very well use that temper on you. You weren’t exactly on cordial terms. You push aside the fabric being used as a door, sucking in a sharp breath when you see him.

He’s facing away from you, wrapping his hands with bandages. He’s in a pair of plain pants, the most casual you’d ever seen him, and nothing else. His muscles contract with every flick of the white fabric over his palms.

He has a fresh cut across his back. You feel a pinch in your heart at the thought of him facing battle.

“Haven’t I already put you in your place-“ He turns around as he says it, cutting himself off when his eyes land on you.

“Y/N.” He breathes out your name. “Hello Prince James.” Something flashes in his eyes at you reverting to formalities, but it’s gone in a second. He doesn’t spend a second longer looking at you, focusing back on his previous task.

You hesitantly step toward him. “You’re hurt.” With each movement you make, he yanks the fabric tighter around his hands. You stop when he’s within arm’s reach.

He finishes his hands, ignoring your statement, and turns to the desk behind him to pour himself a drink. He seems to change his mind, though, leaving the drink at his side and turning to lean against the table. “What are you doing here?” His voice is steady, completely calm.

You can’t say the same of yours. He was utterly beautiful and standing so close to you. The flickering of the torches that kept the room illuminated cast shadows over his tanned chest. Along with admiring his physique, you also noticed he looked more rugged than the last time you’d seen him, despite noticeably shorter facial hair. War did that to men.

“I needed to talk to you. Isn’t that obvious?” You say it as if it’s a challenge.

He tuts, “Have I been on your mind?”

You don’t attempt to come up with a retort, “I need your help.”

You’re surprised when he doesn’t have a snarky response, instead, he looks almost intrigued. “And what might you need my help with, princess?” Your nerve falters, so you attempt to change the subject to distract him while you recollect it. “The cut on your back needs to be cleaned. It could kill you.” You know that isn’t true, and you can tell he does too by the way he cocks an eyebrow, but instead of calling you on it, he nods you over to the bed, where he sits down on the edge.

There’s a dish with water and a cloth already sitting by his bedside. You move behind him, sitting next to the side table, and angle your body to allow you to reach both his back and the water. His back flexes when you first touch the soaked cloth to his wound, gently dabbing the blood and dirt away. Without his sight on you, you find the strength to talk.

“Anton is on a rampage.” You pause. “He’s prepared to sacrifice thousands more to win this war.” He stays quiet, aside from soft grunts as you continue to work on his back. “I had hoped that we could come to some sort of agreement. On behalf of our fathers.” You wring out the cloth, and though you’d seen water run red hundreds of times, seeing it in relation to Bucky made you queasy.

“You know, I never liked Anton.” He finally says. It’s almost dumbfounding how casual he says it. “Is there a point to that statement?” You ask, finishing your cleaning.

He scoffs, standing up to walk back to where his drink sits. He keeps his gaze locked on you as he picks up and finishes his drink in one go. He shifts and folds his arms across his chest. You get up from the bed, feeling uncomfortable to invade his personal area without him there with you, and move to stand near where he’s leaning against the table once again.

“I figured you’d be more rational than your father…” Annoyingly, you glance down, unable to not admire his biceps flexing. Your eyes shift back to his, and he has a cocky grin on his face, not missing the distraction he’d cause you.

Still looking at you, he places the glass back on the desk. Then, with the same hand, he grabs your wrist and yanks you forward so you’re standing between his legs. You reach out to steady yourself by instinct, planting a hand on his chest.

“I should kill you.” He mutters, eyes flickering to your lips. “I’m sure that would make your father realize his stupidity.” His hand moves to your waist to hold you in place. You make no effort to move yours off his chest, even sliding it up slightly to rest on his shoulder.

“Where’s the fun in that?” You whisper. He smirks at this, moving his hand to your face to tuck stray hair behind your ear. He studies his action as he does it, contemplative, and when he looks up at you again, his expression has changed.

“Anton was the one who told my father that you assassinated his noble.”

You blink at his bluntness. “What?”

The surprise must be evident on your face because he continues. “Wasn’t that the plan all along? Your father wanted this war, and he got it. Now we’re finishing it.”

You step back from him, and his hands fall to his lap. “I don’t understand. We were just settling the score. A life for a life.”

He snorts, “Please, Y/N, if we’re to negotiate like you said, we have to be honest with each other.”

You turn, giving yourself a few paces as your mind processes the new information. With a shake of your head, you stop and look at him again. “I didn’t know about any of this. I was avenging my mother. That’s all.”

“You really didn’t know?” The change in his tone takes you by surprise for the second time this night. You shake your head. At this, you can see his mind start moving, eyes calculated as he walks to a cabinet on the other side of the room and starts searching for something.

“He’s wanted this from the beginning. My father played right into his plan because he’s so blinded by his own pride.” He mutters.

“What are you suggesting? That my father wanted this war all along?” He’s completely serious when he looks at you again. “Yes.”

Some parts of it made sense to you, but others didn’t. “Why would he do this? As much as I hate to admit this, I don’t think this is a war we ever had a chance of winning.”

“With an official war declaration from my father, yours can do just about anything and use defense as a justification.” You furrow your brow, still unsure.

You hear a voice outside his tent, “Your highness, his majesty is requesting your presence!”

He keeps his eyes on you as he responds, “I’ll find him in a moment.” You hear steps receding, and when Bucky speaks again it’s quieter. “You need to go back to your camp. It’s not safe for you to stay any longer.”

“But we need to figure this out!” You protest.

He crosses the floor in an instant, his entire demeanor softening. You recognized the man standing in front of you now as your Bucky. The Bucky you had been in love with, who you’d seen glimpses of when he had kept you hidden last year.

“Bucky…” You whisper, eyes pleading. He cradles your face in his hands when he reaches you, fervently searching your eyes. “We will. But not here, it’s not safe.” He looks over your shoulder, as if expecting someone to be behind you. “Did you see the twisted tree on your way here?” You nod, vaguely remembering passing it. “Meet me there two nights from now. See what you can find out, and we’ll come up with a plan. Okay?”

“Okay.” Satisfied with your agreement, he moves his hand to the back of your neck, kissing you softly. “Please be careful if you confront your father.” He whispers against your lips. You hum in response, kissing him again. He only pulls away when his father’s voice booms outside the tent.

“James! Get out here!” The panic is his eyes is obvious. “Now you really need to leave.” With one last kiss, he lets go of you and walks toward the front of the tent.

He turns one last time. “I’ll see you soon, Daisy.”

And with that, he disappears outside. Daisy. The name causes your breath to hitch in your throat. He hadn’t called you that in years. He’d come up with it at nine years old, proclaiming it your nickname after finding you on more than one occasion in the garden picking daisies.

“I have a nickname: Bucky! It’s only fair you get one too.” As you got older, Pietro would tease you about the nickname, but Bucky would just smile, still proud of coming up with it.

You wait for him and his father’s voices to fade. You were more confused now than you had been the last time you’d kissed him. You couldn’t decipher his true feelings, or your own for that matter, but you weren’t going to question the cooperation to figure out what else you didn’t know about the true intentions of this war. Pushing your feelings about him aside for what felt like the hundredth time, you make your way back to the camp, intent on seeking out each of your family members before you next met Bucky.

__________

It was hard to find a time when your father was without his advisors. The opportunity presented itself the evening of your meeting with Bucky. You had asked Pietro to come with you after filling him in on what you had learned because of the volatility you knew the conversation would have. He agreed without question, and also insisted on being with you when you met the prince later that night.

“Princess Y/N and Prince Pietro, my king.” His guards bowed as they announced you and your brother. “Yes, yes. I know my own children.” Your father mumbles, waving them off, all without lifting his head from the papers at his desk. You glance at Pietro, and he nods, giving your arm a squeeze to nudge you forward.

“Father, I was hoping to bring something to your attention.” He grunts, and you take it as a sign to continue. “Are you aware that Anton told King George of the mission you sent me on?” This causes him to finally look up, a scowl on his face. His eyes narrow at you. “How did you learn of that?” In that moment, you make an easy decision to keep Bucky’s name out of the conversation.

“He told me before I ended his life.” If Pietro notices your lie, he doesn’t show it. Your father hums, looking back down. “Yes, I instructed him to do so. He still listens to his king.”

“Well that was easy…” Pietro mutters.

“Are you saying you intended to start a war?” You step closer to his desk. “You sent me to start a war without my knowledge?” Your father sighs, setting his quill down with a thud of his fist. “Y/N, it was easier to keep you in the dark. Less emotional, you understand.”

“But why? Is there not better ways to settle your disputes? Ways that don’t threaten the lives of our people?”

He stands up suddenly, slamming his hands against the desk. “They killed your mother! My wife. How can you forget that?” He walks around the desk, towering in front of you.

“I haven’t forgotten! But how many other children will have to lose a parent because of your selfishness? This isn’t the way to do it!” He raises his hand to strike you, but Pietro catches his arm as you flinch. The silence in the room is deafening. Pietro shifts his gaze between your father, and his arm, completely bewildered.

You stare at the anger in your father’s eyes, “I don’t even recognize you.” You speak softly, eyes glistening. Your father yanks his arm from Pietro’s grip, causing your brother to stumble back.

“Get out of my sight. Both of you. Guards!” They enter immediately. “Escort my children back to their tents. And find Anton immediately!” He doesn’t spare you another glance as the guards walk you and Pietro out of your father’s tent.

__________

You and Pietro arrived before Bucky did, even after wandering for what felt like hours until you found the twisted tree. You hadn’t talked about the conversation with your father, in fact, you’d barely spoken five words since you had been banished from his presence.

Pietro paced the clearing in front of the tree, hacking at random bushes if they dared to be in his path. He was frustrated, but also feeling hundreds of other emotions, just as you were. You leaned against the tree, throwing a set of knives into a stump several feet in front of you.

The next knife you throw bounces off the side of the wood, sticking into the ground next to it instead. You sigh as you push off the tree to retrieve the knife, as well as the ones in the stump.

“You’re getting sloppy.” Pietro has paused his whacking to watch you. The normal amusement was missing from his voice. You don’t say anything in response, keeping eye contact with him as you throw the knife to a tree in the corner of your eye, hitting it directly in the middle of the trunk.

“Jesus Christ.” You whip around fully when you hear his voice and see him looking at the knife you’d just thrown inches from his head. “I thought we’d agreed to stop trying to kill each other.” He pulls the knife from the tree and walks to where you and Pietro stand, handing it back to you. You take it with a small smile.

“Pietro.” He pulls him into a stiff hug, slapping him on the back.

Pietro smiles, returning the hug. “It’s been a while, my friend.”

Bucky pulls away after a moment, “I didn’t know you’d be here, but I’m glad to see you.” Pietro nods, “I forced Y/N to bring me. This is much bigger than either of us could’ve thought.”

At that, the energy in the area shifts, and you decide to speak up.

“You were right about our father. He sent me to start this war of egos.” You force yourself to meet his eyes. “I’m sorry.” Bucky looks like he wants to reach out to you, but restrains himself on account of Pietro.

Instead, he offers a simple reply. “It wasn’t your fault.”

Although you should be grateful for the reprieve, you can’t help but continue to be overwhelmed by it all. “Regardless, this can’t continue.” You look to your brother. “I think it’s time we had a new king.”

__________

“Are you sure the two of you are prepared to do this?” Bucky asks. You harden your gaze and without hesitation, offer your response. “He’s been gone for years. We just haven’t seen it until now.” You look up at the two men in front of you. “He needs to be stopped. They both do, him and Anton.”

“I think I can convince my father to negotiate peace if you’re successful. He’s only irrational when it comes to his rivalry with your father. I don’t think the same would extend to either of you.”

You nod at Bucky, “Then it’s settled.” You turn your attention to your brother.

“What is it?” You snap at Pietro and the smirk he can’t help but have on his face.

“Look at the two of you, getting along so well.” He gestures at you both, your face heats as you realize that you had subconsciously moved closer to Bucky. You clear your throat, glancing at him and then giving a look to your brother, “Now’s not the time, Pietro.”

“Lighten up, Y/N, it’s only treason the two of you are suggesting. What could possibly go wrong?” You roll your eyes at him. “I know, I know.” He pushes off the tree he had been leaning against. “We’ll need Natalia. We need to be united to have support from our kingdom.” You nod, agreeing, then think of your youngest sister.

Your heart aches, “What about Yelena?”

Pietro’s answer is quick. “She doesn’t need to know. She’s safe at home. We can explain it to her when it’s all over.” He had a soft spot in his heart for all his sisters, but especially the baby of the family. She was only 13 but had already started the training your father had put you and Natalia through.

“Alright.” He claps his hands together. “Let’s stage a coup.”

Taglist: @mggpleasedontlookhere, @emmabarnes, @intothesoul, @art-eye-like, @melcutie, @thatwasnotplanned, @5lutty5arah

56 notes · View notes

queers-gambit · 7 months

Text

Clingy Baby collection masterlist

a collection of varying muses labeling Reader as "clingy".

got another idea for being clingy? lemme hear it! requests CLOSED

requesting rules and masterlist

mostly hurt and comfort, some angst some sequels are being fleshed out

God's Plan

your boyfriend carries the worst parts of his job home, bringing to life one of your deepest-seeded insecurities. >>> or when a fight breaks out with your boyfriend, you're called clingy to your face.

pairing: Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto x female!reader

word count: 3.1k+

fandom masterlist: FX's The Bear

🎭 drama 🥺 hurt 🚫 no REAL comfort 🙊 general language and content warning 🍄 toxic relationship

read here

part two: Two to Tango

the aftermath of Carmy's words seem to rattle him more than you.

word count: 5.4k+

🎭 drama ❤️‍🩹 hurt and comfort 💔 small angst 🧸 small fluff ☠️ discussion of deceased family member 🙊 general language and content warning 💣 relationship angst 🔏 barely edited

read here

Curiosity Killed The Cat

few weeks after rescuing you from a kidnapper, you overhear your boyfriend-turned-savior complain about how clingy you've become. >>> or you overhear your boyfriend call you clingy to his friends.

pairing: Mafia!Bucky Barnes x female!reader

word count: 5.1k+

fandom masterlist: Marvel

🎭 drama ❤️‍🩹 hurt and comfort 🦋 modern AU 💸 mafia AU 🙊 general language and content warning 🥊 brief depiction of physical violence and / or aggression 🫠 description of self-destruction 🔏 barely edited

read here

You Might Think It's Foolish

meeting your boyfriend's family for the first time creates anxiety, so, you stick to his side. at dinner, his mother calls out your clinginess - and Aemond doesn't defend you. >>> or when someone else calls you clingy and he doesn't defend you / agrees with them.

pairing: modern!Aemond Targaryen x female!reader

word count: 3.1k+

fandom masterlist: House of the Dragon

🎭 drama 💔 angst 🥺 hurt 🚫 no comfort 💣 relationship angst 🐝 stand alone 🙊 general language and content warning 🐍 toxic family 🍄 toxic relationship...? 🔏 barely edited

read here

Not All That Glitters is Gold

during your engagement dinner, you learn from your fiancé's niece that he hold choice words about you. >>> or when you find out he's been talking behind your back; calling you clingy. it comes to light during a public outing.

pairing: Daemon Targaryen x female!reader

word count: 3.1k+

fandom masterlist: House of the Dragon

🎭 drama 💔 angst ❤️‍🩹 hurt and comfort 💣 relationship angst ⏳ AU timeline 🙊 general language and content warning 🔏 barely edited

read here

Save Me From Myself

in a moment of unparalleled anger, you learn what Joel really thinks of you.

request: Can i request joel miller for the clingy baby series!! Maybe they were traveling together w ellie and she clings to him bc he always kept her safe until he calls her clingy one day.

pairing: Joel Miller x female!reader

word count: 1.9k+

fandom masterlist: The Last of Us

⚠️ mild spoilers 🙊 general language warning 🥺 hurt 🚫 no comfort 💔 mild angst ❗️ short fic!

read here

requesting rules and masterlist

924 notes · View notes

dysfunctionalmaki · 4 months

Text

Say My Name

Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Reader

Chapter 03/?

Summary: You work all around at the local country club, to your advantage you flirted and used your beauty to get what you want, though with this certain woman your own way can't seem to work.

Warning: This work contains smut and foul language, minors DNI!!

A/N: This update came too long but with the holidays going on, I was occupied but I assure this work could be smooth sailing from now on.

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ.───

You were nervous, that's the simplest way you can describe what you're feeling, the table by the window was occupied by Wanda who was having her lunch alone, you were too sure that your eyes would always meet with hers whenever you'd look her way. Yelena even noticed the way you're fiddling with the pen you're holding, Bucky had to steal it away from you since he can't stand the constant clicking sound that came from the object. “Well, what the hell are you doing here? Go do your pretty girl things that you always do, Y/N.” Barnes teased and you can't help but roll your eyes.

“What? No! Y/N, you're not pulling that shit with a married woman.” Yelena retorted, trying to play with your conscience until she chuckled. “Just kidding, go do your thing, her husband's an ass.” she snorted which made you laugh nervously, looking around the room you looked eyes with the redhead once more. Slightly raising her hand to get your attention, you went to be at her service after all you’re still her waitress. “What time are you heading out?” She asked casually which made you widen your eyes a little but you looked at your watch. “In four hours… I'm sure you won't push around your salad for that long.” You say which made the older woman smile. “I have some errands to do but I think it'll be nice to tell Yelena that you won't be going home with her.” Wanda says as she took her designer handbag, taking out her purse so she could get her credit card to pay for her meal.

Doing your job, you went to take it and bring it over to the counter. You weren't sure why you're so nervous, you've done this before… you've hooked up with people way shadier than Wanda, in fact… she's probably the most normal one you're about to go after. When they're finished with her card, you went back to Wanda to return the item to her. She smiled as you returned and took back her card, placing it back in her purse before putting on her sunglasses that made her look even hotter considering how well it matched her outfit. “I’ll pick you up, make sure those two keep their mouths shut about us.” she softly says before getting up from her seat, clearly talking about Yelena and Bucky who were basically watching from their stations.

Placing a hand on your forearm, gently squeezing on it and letting go of you almost immediately, then you watched her walk out of the restaurant with such elegance and style, she didn't have to wear the most obvious designer clothing to scream out that she's loaded, the way she carries herself and her aura was enough to tell that she's that kind of person. Getting inside of her luxury car that the valet got for her, that kind of vehicle was enough to tell you that she is surely a powerful woman. Making your way back to your station, the two gave a certain look and you're immediately reminded of what Wanda told you to do. “So… I hope you two can shut your mouth about this.” You say then Bucky shrugged. “I can keep my mouth shut, I don't know about this one.” Barnes teased while using his thumb to point at Yelena who's waiting on the drink he's making. “Just be careful with what you're doing, you're playing with fire here, Y/N.” she warned you, shrugging with what your friend said, you just went on to do your job.

Hours went by and you were exhausted, you've told Yelena that Wanda’s most probably picking you up, and you think that the older woman was… well, ‘man’ of her words. Heading into the restroom so you could freshen up after your shift, finally you've let your hair down, spray on perfume that has worn off hours ago, and finally you clock out. Heading to walk outside the country club, you see the familiar car that has picked you up once. Making your way towards there, you hear someone call your name and it's coming from a car that just pulled up. “Y/N, how are you darling?” The familiar voice called to you which surprised you, Wanda was about to open the door for you from the inside but confused by what made you stop.

“Diana? Hi! How are you home so soon?” You greeted the other woman who just exited her car, Diana wrapped her arms around you the moment she got close to you, you went to look at Wanda’s car and you're sure as hell that she's watching all this happening. “The meeting went well, everything goes to my approval hence why I'm back here early, didn't tell you ‘cause I'm planning to surprise you… seems like I did.” she says as she batted an eye towards the redhead’s car. “Well, yeah- I'm actually surprised.” you say then you looked at Diana before gently pulling away from her arms. “Mhmm, are you coming with me or not?” she asked so casually. Meanwhile, Wanda can't really hear what you and this woman was talking about, though she could sense there's something between you and this stranger but she didn't want to pry much instead she just waited.

“I- I'm afraid I can't, I made a commitment and I really stick by my words… you know that.” you say which made Diana roll her eyes. “Sure, but you know where to find me and you'd have to promise that you're going to make it up to me.” She says which made you bite the inside of your cheek. “Of course, you know I always do.” You say and finally you bid your goodbyes to her, and Wanda unlocked the door for you… now, you awkwardly get inside her car. “She looks familiar.” Wanda commented the moment she finally drove off. “Oh, she's also a member of the club so you probably ran into her a couple of times if you went here back then.” you say while the redhead nod in response.

“So, I'm going to ask the same question that I asked you last night in our texts… You're aware that I am a married woman, right?” she asked then you simply answer with a yes. “You like trouble don't you? The way that woman held you? There's something there isn't it?” she softly chuckled then you took a moment to think what to answer. “Well, it's no secret that Diana and I do go out… completely casual and no strings attached.” you say causing Wanda to raise a brow. “I hope you're not expecting the same thing with me, Y/N.” the redhead softly spoke. “I don't like sharing at all.” she added with the most innocent smile that she could put on.

“But I think you and I both know what I want.” you say honestly and Maximoff looked at you for a moment. “Oh, you're getting straight to it?” she chuckled before biting her lower lip. “Well, this is how it usually is, right? The married woman goes for the girl she wants to experiment with and once it's done… it's done.” you say, causing the older woman to laugh softly. “Marrying a man is more like the experiment.” Wanda scoffed, she went to drive a little longer and finally you both arrived at some motel out of town, well, she probably chose this one so no one could recognize the both of you and especially her.

Getting out of the car, you went after her just tailing behind her, heading into the motel the older woman asked you to do most of the talking so you did, you chose a decent room for the both of you. While you two were in the elevator, you went to move a little closer to Wanda’s side. “It's Diana Prince… I think she works for Wayne's company.” Wanda says all of a sudden. “Yes, that's her. Do you know her?” She shook her head at your question then you nodded yours. “Well, it's probably just I've seen her whenever I have to do some errands when I do business meetings with their company.” she added. “And you're aware that I'm married to a man who's somehow related to Stark too, right?” you nodded your head once more.

The moment the elevator, Wanda went ahead first and you followed after her, though you had to go first eventually since you're the one holding the key card. The moment you two were inside, Wanda went to look around the room for a moment, while you placed your bag on the chair by the desk near the bed. “What do you mean you don't like to share?” you ask her and tracing back to what she said earlier. “If you want to get me and have me, I want you to have me and only me.” Wanda says and she turns to face you. “Come on, I'm sure you're aware how much of a pretty face you are.” she added which made you even more confused.

“You really want me to put it into simpler terms?” Wanda says with a sigh before composing herself, walking closer to you. “I want to be the only one kissing this lips of yours, be the only one who gets to mark you up… take you whenever I want and whenever I need.” the more the redhead talked about her whims for you, you can't help but feel your body warm up. Eventually, you felt her hand resting on your waist. “You're going to have an affair with a powerful woman, Y/N, are you sure you're ready to take the heat?” she asked as she pulled you closer to her, fingers slowly digging into your skin. “I- uh- You mean I have to drop every possible connection that I have?” That was the question you could ask, sure it does sound stupid but your mind stop working when this woman had you under her spell.

“Well, you're quite greedy if you want to keep me around and still have other people, don't you think?” she asked then finally your face was only a couple of inches apart from hers. “I mean… I know I'm a catch, sweetheart.” she confidently says. Unsure of what to say at this point, all you know is that the both of you were staring at each other's lips, you didn't know how it occurred and who made the move first all you know is that the both of you started kissing… It was needy, hot, and desperate. To your surprise, it was Wanda taking the control here, you were always the one in control… they always have the hots for you and not vice versa, but this woman certainly has her way for you.

Eventually, you found yourself going at Wanda’s flow, you could feel the warmth of her tongue against yours, her wet muscle just swirling against yours. You walked backwards, trying to get a feel whether you're near the bed or not and as the back of your leg hit it, you slowly sank to your knees and sat on the mattress. This time your hands were around the older woman's waist, you were trying to take control this time… your hand was hiking up the blouse that she was wearing, yet you were stopped when she held your wrist. “Who said that you could touch?” Wanda purred as she parted her lips from yours just so she could speak. “I've got to have you first before you get me, malysh…” she spoke in her thick sokovian accent that caused butterflies all over your stomach.

“I- uh- I'm yours…” you stuttered which made Wanda chuckle. “We both know you're not there yet, sweetheart.” she says and you know damn well that she's not wrong. “But, we'll get there.” she whispered against your lips, now she crashed her lips against yours once again. The redhead straddles your lap, her lips moving perfectly with yours, you never felt this desperate… desperate for someone's touch, lips, and warmth. “Give me a chance tonight…” you mumbled against her lips which made her smirk. “No, I want you to crave for me… to the point you'll have no choice but to submit yourself to me.” she answered.

For a couple of hours the both of you didn't do anything but make out, and you've never felt so frustrated, neither of you took your clothes off. Here you are facing the mirror by the sink at the mirror, and what's worse? You're alone, the older woman had to leave since she had to be home when her husband unexpectedly came home. Taking your phone from your bag, you went to call someone.

“Hey, I know it's late and you're probably tired but I was wondering… if you can pick me up?” you hear a soft laugh from the other end. “You didn't score? You're not in your game, darling?” Diana teased which made you chuckle. “I guess you can say that.” You went to tell her where the motel was, this woman actually drove this late so she could get to you, she asked what your room number is and not even an hour later she was knocking on your door. “Should have come with me.” she says before leaning instantly for a kiss and you made sure to give her that satisfaction.

Spending the rest of the night with Diana instead of Wanda whom you came here with, lavishing on Prince’s warmth and taste on the same bed where you made out with the redhead you had earlier. You really are playing with fire after all, it's either you burn brighter than the fire you caused or be burnt, and you know you're never one to back out from a challenge.

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ.───

Taglist: @esposadejoyhuerta @reginassweetheart @lvinhs @alexawynters @mfd-101 @dorabledewdroop

286 notes · View notes

missmorwen · 23 days

Text

\o/

Thunderbolts 2023 #4

#buckynat #winterwidow #thunderbolts 2023 #wednesday spolers #bucky barnes #natasha romanoff #alpine #black widow #winter soldier #otp otp otp #his one true love #bucky really said fuck kot and his alien princes

213 notes · View notes

justarandomgirly · 9 months

Text

Who did it the best?

#sebastian stan #steve kemp #bucky barnes #james buchanan barnes #sergeant barnes #nick fowler #tj hammond #prince jack benjamin #jack benjamin

789 notes · View notes

marvelettesassemblenow · 10 months

Text

The Swan Princess

Pairing: Bucky x female reader

Summary: Fairytale AU based on the movie The Swan Princess – Bucky and you hate each other! Your kingdoms hope for a marriage between the two of you, but each summer you have to spend with in each others presence makes it worse – until his friends start to befriend you and he realizes you have more in common than he thought. But when he was ready to finally accept his feelings a curse hit you.

Warnings: Reader is called Sunshine, maybe some stuff that isn’t accurate because I couldn’t decide on a time this would take place and switching POV’s

Word Count: ~7k

A/N: This is for Nika! I started it so long ago as I rewatched the movie I liked so much as a kid and I still loved the part when they were kids! Sadly my favorite part didn’t fit in, as Bucky wouldn’t offend you in 5 syllables or less. @intrepidacious

Once upon a time there were two kingdoms divided by a sea. It wasn’t so long ago to be honest, but that’s just how fairytales start and this is the one of the swan princess. We’ll get to the part with the swan soon, but first we must start when she was just a little girl.

Her parents had both passed and the kingdom was without a ruler until the princess was of age. Until then a council was ruling the kingdom on the island. The council often argued but there was one part everybody agreed on: They needed to bond with the kingdom of Shield. An arranged marriage would solve all their problems as Shield had an heir only one year older than the princess. The only problem was that the late king and queen had made sure that their daughter should only marry if she wished so and should have never had the pressure of an arranged marriage. And so the council came up with a plan that they proposed to Queen Winnifred of Shield, who immediately agreed. Both kingdoms would benefit from a joining and the plan was made that the princess and prince would spend each of their summers together to hopefully fall in love.

They didn’t get discouraged when the princess and prince hated each other at age seven and eight. They were young kids and both thought the other gender was gross. Prince James even wiped his mouth after he was forced to kiss the young princess hand. „James, behave!“ the queen called him out.

„But mom, girls are just gross,“ James said in a whiny voice and looked up to his mom.

„You don’t think so about Natasha, right?“ His mom tried to point out, but his mind was made up. He wanted his summer spent with his two best friends Steven and Natascha – not being forced to entertain a stuck-up princess who had been apologizing repeatedly that there had been mud on her dress when she stepped outside the carriage. Natasha was covered in mud and didn’t complain!

His only logical response was to tell his mother that Natasha didn’t count. She sighed, but didn’t force him anymore. They still had time and they were still kids.

It didn’t get better the following summers. James, Steven and Natasha had been friends for years and spent all year together. You on the other hand didn’t have any friends. The council, maids and teachers raised you, so your childhood wasn’t really one for fun. You learned how to stitch and to sit properly at a table, so you were always lost when the three kids started games that you didn’t know and soon you rather sat with the maids and helped them stitching some flowers onto a tablecloth.

It all came to a turning point when Samuel came along. He was the son of a new teacher and only a year younger than you – and he was your first friend. He played hide and seek with you and taught you that it was okay when the seam of your dress was dusty and that you could clean it. And soon your laughter was heard in the castle and you were smiling as you were finally having fun. Which gave you the nickname Sunshine from the guards and maids in the castle as you were still always politely greeting them and asking how they were, while sneaking them little treats – but now you were mostly smiling and happy while doing so.

“Sunshine,“ James, who went by Bucky now, scoffed. “What kind of stupid nickname is this?“ He kicked a stone that was lying in front of him on the path and then even his supposed to be best friend had gone behind his back. “Hi Sunshine,“ he waved in the air with a stupid grin towards a tree and made gagging noises afterwards. No one was here to see him, but he had to get it off his chest. It was supposed to be Steve and him against you. Not you bringing a friend along who glared at him the whole time and Steve greeting you with a horrible nickname that wasn’t even fitting. And now he was stomping alone to his tree house while his traitor friend was making new friends and forgot all about the pact they both had made years ago to never befriend you. He hoped at least Natasha was still on his side.

It turned out that Natasha wasn’t on his side as both her and Steve reminded him, they weren’t ten anymore and that you could all spend your time together. But Bucky watched how you joked around with the guards and the smile you got back made him roll his eyes. Why were you charming everyone? He had heard about the whispers how they hoped that there would be a marriage. But he was only 14, he shouldn’t even be thinking about stuff like that. And with you? No way!

You on the other hand didn’t think your summers sucked anymore. Sam trained to be a guard and was accompanying you to your visits still and Steve and Natasha were nice and started to include you – even if it sometimes meant to exclude Bucky. Stupid nickname, you thought. And he was always especially mean when you played cards and he lost. But it wasn’t your fault when luck was on your side and that he had a tell when his cards weren’t as good as he pretended them to be.

“We could go to the market tomorrow on your last day here,” Steve suggested when he shuffled the cards. Bucky wasn’t amused but in the end he agreed to go to – at least he could get one of the best peach pastries, that would make up for the day. And at least you were gone soon and he would have his friends to himself again.

A carriage was taking the five of you to the market the next morning with four guards trailing along. They weren’t too keen to accompany the teens on an outing, but then you came and handed each of them a flower and thanking them for trailing along. One of them even put the stupid wildflower through his chain armor – which caused you to smile so brightly that Bucky finally understood why you got that nickname.

People swarmed the young prince when they saw him and you snuck away with a guard and Sam by your side. A lovely smell pulled you towards a bakery. “Good morning,” you greeted the baker when you stepped inside the small building.

There was only grunting as a response until the tall man turned around and spotted you. “Oh, excuse me. Good morning, princess. What can I get you?”

“What can you recommend?” you ask and looked around. In response the baker held a finger up in the air, turned around and came back with a steaming plate in his hands.

“These are the favorites of the prince. He loves them and gets them every time he comes by. I hope you’ll like them just as much. Maybe I can even provide them for your wedding, it would be such an honor.”

That made your eyes grew wide. “What wedding?” you asked stunned, but Sam had already placed some coins on the counter and grabbed the plate.

“Thank you for that, I’m sure we’ll enjoy them,” he said and pushed you towards the door while the guard just shook his head towards the baker.

“What wedding, Sam?” you asked him in a quiet voice when you stepped outside and he was already tasting a small pie.

“Oh yeah, well... they all hope that you and Bucky will marry,” he picked a crumb from the corner of his mouth with his tongue. “As if you couldn’t get someone better and not as brooding. What about Steve? I could see that, I think?” He was quiet after that and you pushed the half-eaten pie in his face. You could hear a chuckle behind you.

“Stop talking nonsense,” you said and grabbed the plate from him. You shared them equally with the others and Bucky was surprised that you even handed him one and that you got his favorite.

-x-

“What are you reading?” Bucky let himself fall into the seat next to Natasha. He just came from lessons and a meeting and he was tired.

“A letter from Sunshine,” his friend replied casually, but Bucky peaked up.

“You exchange letters?” he asked confused and was more awake.

“We have for three years now,” Natasha confirmed. “Mostly we write about what a dumbass you are.”

“Haha,” Bucky replied, but he wasn’t so sure she was really joking. He hadn’t been the friendliest towards you, even though you had tried.

“Other than that, she’s really nice. And lonely, Bucky. She’s living on an island without her parents. Her only friend there is Sam and her whole childhood was constantly pushing her into being a queen. She’s 17 now and the only times she was outside of her kingdom was here and let’s be honest, we weren’t friendly with her at the beginning. It’s only two months until she’ll come again, just try to not be as annoyed, will you?”

“I’m not really that annoyed with her anymore to be honest. It’s just that people expect that we’ll marry each other. They watch like a hawk how we’re acting and it’s,” his voice turned quieter at the end until he stopped himself.

“I get it,” she said and pushed her elbow into his side. “Maybe you should write to her about it. If there is one person who’ll understand how you feel it's her. Just clear the air and maybe you’ll be friends. You don’t have to marry her, you know? And before you say that it's expected from you and that both kingdoms could benefit from it... Be Bucky first and future king later. Just try to talk to her normally, you’ll see she’s nice.”

“I’ll think about it. After dinner,” he added when his stomach let out a loud growl.

In the end Bucky did send you a letter. And you replied, which motivated him to write a response and you both agreed to just try to be civil towards each other. You also both started to talk about the pressure both of you felt and with the hushes of whispers of a marriage that was following you when you were walking through the halls.

Bucky was looking forward to see you this time, because it seemed like you just got him. And so he was smiling when he stood in front of the castle, next to his mother and best friends and saw the carriage on the horizon.

“Are you smiling?” Steve teased his friend quietly, but the queen still heard and was beaming.

Sam was the one helping you out of the carriage and maybe that was a good thing because you knocked the breath out of the prince. It had been nine months since he last saw you and maybe it was because he had never really looked at you before or maybe it was because he now knew a little bit more of you, but you were beautiful. And when you smiled at Natasha who beat him to greet you, he decided that from that moment on he would call you Sunshine too. Steve came next and then his mother nudged him so he would finally come forwards and greet you.

He wanted to greet you with your title, he really did, but when he kissed your hand for the first time and wasn’t grossed out by it or the idea of standing near you, your nickname slipped his lips as a greeting.

“It’s good to see you, Bucky,” you replied and he held your hand when he guided you towards his mother where you could greet the queen.

“Do you want to lie down after your travel?” he asked you, but you denied and so it was decided that you would all gather for tea in the green house. He knew it was one of your favorite places as Steve had told him so. It was something you didn’t have at home. Bucky offered his arm and you accepted with your friends and guards following behind you.

“What is happening?” Sam asked Natasha and Steve, not believing his eyes. But that was only the beginning and when the second month of your visit was coming around no one was batting an eye seeing you and Bucky arm in arm anymore. Instead, the whispers weren’t whispers anymore and they were openly asking you when the wedding would be. But no one of you even bothered to reply to that.

“Since when do you like that brat?” Sam asked, referring to Bucky the name you had given him when you were younger.

“Since I noticed he isn’t really a brat,” you replied and tugged Sam along on your way through the garden. “We were kids, we aren’t anymore and I kind of like him now. He kind of gets me in a different way.” You then realized what you said to your best friend and started to apologize, but he stopped you.

“I get it, kind of. It’s something different for someone who is in the same position. And I mean he is friends with Steve, so how bad can he be?” he chuckled and you continued your way. As if on cue your name was yelled by the blonde, who ran up to the two of you and asked if you wanted to accompany him into town as Bucky was sitting in a meeting.

When you came back you had some peach pies in your hand and were on the search for Bucky, who was searching for you as well. When you found each other and you held out his favorite pies for him and him a flower (because he just had to give it to you as he knew it would make you smile), your friends all had a smile or smirk on their faces when you agreed to dine with Bucky while Steve decided he would eat with Sam and Nat in the kitchen tonight.

This was the first year that both parts weren’t glad that the summer was over.

“You can write to me, if you want to,” you said when Bucky was leading you through the castle towards the carriage that would bring you to your ship.

“I will,” Bucky promised and cleared his throat. “And you don’t have to wait for next summer to come visit. You can come visit in winter too. We have places here that are nice in the cold too. And the greenhouse is heated we could sit there even when it’s snowing outside. I mean, if you want to,” he added more shyly, but still hopeful.

“Do you mean that?” you asked and stopped to look at him.

“Absolu-,” he started but didn’t finish as the impact of your sudden hug cut him off.

“I would like that very much,” you admitted in his neck.

“You’re always welcome here,” he told you and although his mom had said the same sentence to you often, you never felt them like now. The farewell did take longer until a guard told you you needed to leave before it would be too late for the ship. You promised again to come back sooner and went on your way.

It was late in the evening with Steve and Natasha being in a competitive round of chess when a knock was heard above the storm outside. At the same time as a thunderbolt was hitting outside the door was opened.

“Prince James, sorry to interrupt but I thought you wanted to know. It’s about Sunshine, I mean Princess,” he started but Bucky was already jumping up at your name and stalking towards the guard that wasn’t even fully in the room. Steve and Natasha had also stopped their game and walked closer so they could hear the guard over the storm.

“There has been an accident. Samuel is here and he says they got attacked.” Bucky knew that Sam would never leave without you. His heart got heavy as he feared for the worst. The guard pointed him in the right direction where Sam was sitting on a chair while someone tried to get a look at his leg that was bleeding.

“We were attacked,” Sam said as soon as he saw Bucky running towards him. “I couldn’t really see what it was and I tried to get Sunshine out of there, but there was suddenly a bright light and she was just gone. I couldn’t find her, I searched for her, you must believe me! I would have never left without her! She wasn’t there and with the injury I thought it was better to get you.”

Not soon after Bucky left with a few men despite the storm. But they couldn’t find anything despite the carriage and the men that were left there. They couldn’t see that much and the rain would wash away every traces soon, but even Bucky had to admit to himself that they couldn’t do anything more now. The next few days and nights were restless, but your friends were searching for you.

What they didn’t know was that they had no chance of finding you. You were held at an enchanted place and even if they found it – there was no way that they would recognize you. Which would be the only way to help, but we must rewind a few days.

After the attack on the carriage, you were knocked out. When you woke up your feet were wet and your dress had soaked up a lot of water. You tried to push yourself up, but you were too dizzy to do so.

“Ahhh, my princess is awake. That is good, we can wrap this up in a few minutes.” You couldn’t recognize the voice, but something was off and nothing could have prepared you for the next sentence. “My dearest princess, would you please marry me?”

Your dizziness was all forgotten when you pushed yourself up. “What?” you wanted to scream, but it was more of a whisper. One part was because of the ridiculous offer, another because the man in front of you looked nothing like a man with the red skin across his face.

“Isn’t it simple? When I’ll marry you, I’ll be king!”

“Why do you even want to be king of Madripoor so bad? Wouldn’t it be easier to just kill me?” You didn’t know why you were even suggesting that, it was like an offer of your part and you didn’t know what he was capable of.

He walked closer. “See, the thing is your folk loves their princess. When you’ll finally agree to marry me, your kingdom will accept me. Because there has to be something good about me, when Sunshine decides to marry me. And you and I both know why I want your kingdom! Usually islands need more help, so I wonder why no one was suspicious that a lot of things just grow there. The things you could do with the Tesseract and you fools use it to let the ground be more nutritious,” he scoffed. And you were shocked that he knew about it - it was one of your best kept secrets! “Don’t look so shocked, I knew your father. But enough of that. Will you marry me?”

“No, never!” The words were spat out of your mouth and he nodded as if he had expected that.

“Then we’ll see each other tomorrow. Goodnight my little swan.”

You would scream if you could be sure he wouldn’t hear you and wouldn’t know he got under your skin. Why was your life so unfair? You felt helpless!

The secret had been kept for generations. Once your ancestor found a cube that had a blue shining. When he took it in his hand he felt the force from it. It had been a hard year, the rain hadn’t stopped and the harvest had been weak. His folk had been starving and so he had wished for a miracle to help him. The miracle had been the stone that was called Tessaract and the information had been only shared by a few selected people. But as it always had been when there was a force was that someone tried to steal it for their own selfish purpose. The guy that had kidnapped you and whose face you hadn’t seen yet was once called Johann Schmidt. He was a magician wo had the Tessaract for a short while. But he was too selfish, wanted too much at once and now he was called Red Skull as it described him the best now. HIs face was deformed and red and he wasn’t ashamed. Why should he care what he looked like when he almost had the solution for infinity? He had to get closer, but he couldn’t come back to the island, your father had made sure of that. So had trapped you at the lake. You could only turn into a human when the moonlight hit the water on the lake and you were touching the water. You could turn back into a swan anywhere as soon as the first rays of sunshine were seen.

Days passed and the routine stayed the same. Every night he came back, asked the same question and walked away when you refused. You were standing at the end of the lake waiting for the moon to rise. There was something in your feathers that you tried to pick out with your beak when something slammed your body into the water. You tried to lift your neck, but something pushed you under the water. Something sharp was pressed into your body and it hurt, but then you felt your body shifting. The struggle for air was still there but suddenly your human head was out of the water and you took a big breath. A pressure was on your chest and when you looked at it you saw a white cat staring at you. If a cat was able to look puzzled this one just did.

“Did you attack me?” you asked and the cat looked from its paw that was resting on your chest towards your face as if it couldn’t understand what was happening here. Which it probably couldn’t. The cat stayed close to you after that, followed you when you were walking around at night in your human form (and hid once Red Skull came to ask you the dreaded question) and when you turned back into a swan it stayed near you. It even laid beside you when you finally rested your eyes and thought back of home and your friends.

Meanwhile Bucky, Steven, Natasha and Samuel were gathered in the greenhouse as it was the only place where they wouldn’t be disturbed.

“Okay, I hate to say this, but we searched everywhere. I don’t know how, but if they’ve taken her, they must be really far away,” Steven sighed. He was exhausted, not that he would say that out loud but his friends looked like they would drop from the chairs any minute now.

“We can’t give up,” Bucky still sounded determined, but his eyes were closed. He just needed to rest them for a second. That’s why he didn’t notice the yellow and orange sparks that started to appear.

“What is that?” Natasha asked and it caused Bucky to raise his head. Everyone was staring now at the sparks that appeared in a circle until they suddenly spotted a blonde woman, stepping confidently through it and stopping in front of Sam.

Bucky didn’t have a weapon with him so the first thing he could think of was standing up and taking a few steps into the direction of the new arrival. “Samuel,” the blonde woman said coldly.

“Yelena,” Sam replied, not much warmer.

“You’re an idiot.”

“I know,” the man agreed, which caused the others to share a confused glance. Their attention was divided by another newcomer. A man with white streaks in his hair and a long red cape followed through the hole and then the sparks died.

“I’m magician Strange, this is Yelena and we’re here to search for the princess. As this was the last place where she was before she disappeared we needed to come here. We’re sorry for coming in here unannounced,” he said, but he didn’t sound as he was sorry at all.

“Where were you coming from?” Natasha asked and walked around the place where the sparks had been and only a small black trace on the floor revealed that there had been something magical.

“It’s called a portal and I don’t have much time. Yelena, if you’re done with staring at Samuel, would you help?”

It still took a few seconds for the staring contest between the man and woman until she stepped back and stood next to the magician. “We need something from Sunshine that she recently had on her,” she said and suddenly Bucky felt as if he couldn’t move under her stare. Maybe it was magic too.

“I’m not going to give someone I haven’t even heard of something of her. Maybe you’re after her and I would only help you.” Bucky managed to say. He couldn’t see it, but Natasha and Steve were nodding behind him.

“You haven’t heard of us because we’re in a secret organization. That’s the point: You don’t see or hear us.” He could have sworn he also heard an insult, but it was too quiet.

“They tell the truth. They live on the island and they’re there to protect the land. I know Yelena and I know of Strange, I was wondering when they would show up.”

“Then a warning would have been nice,” Steve commented.

Samuel recreated the story of how you were taken and the other added where they had been searching for Sunshine and what they found at the damaged carriage. They brought the magician and his shadow towards your stuff. Magician Strange wasn’t interested in your clothes and books, but then he found a stone. It was a regular stone, he didn’t have a special color or a special shape. They were confused why it had been there, but Strange claimed it was the object they needed. Sunshine carried around the stone with her on her travels as it was a gift from Steve. He had given it to her when they started to become friends and he had pressed it in her hands and told her if Bucky was annoying her again she should just throw the rock at him. He had laughed and ran away, but it was the first present she got from a friend and so she kept it close to her. Strange told Yelena he would open a portal for her where he would feel she was with the help of the stone, but he looked more than confused when the other people said they would follow through. He tried to tell the prince he couldn’t just send him out, but in the end he noticed he didn’t have a chance at a discussion with them and he wanted to get their princess back so he agreed.

Packed with weapons they stepped through the portal. When Bucky looked back he saw Strange staring back at him before the portal closed. They were in a forest, trees he had never seen surrounded him. He could hear the animals, a few birds and frogs. While the others discussed how they should approach they divided in teams. Yelena, Natasha and Sam while he would walk with Steve.

“Take this,” Yelena pressed a red stone in his hand. It was smooth and cold. “If there’s black magic around it will glow and alert you. Be careful.” She nodded at him a last time before she walked away with Natasha and Sam.

“That’s a lot. Suddenly there’s magic, we just stepped through a hole full of sparks to step out into a forest and we have a stone that will glow when we stumble across magic. But I guess that’s what you’ll have to do for the woman your best friend loves,” Steve concluded.

Bucky looked from the stone to his friend who was smirking at him. “I thought she was your friend?”

“Oh, she is! But she’s also the woman you fell in love with. I actually thought we would have this discussion when she would have been gone for a few days and you noticed that you miss her. Not here – mostly because I didn’t know this part existed.”

“I already noticed,” Bucky admitted and looked at the stone. No glow, still cold and dull in his hand. “That’s why I invited her for winter. And that’s why I’m afraid we won’t find her.”

“We will! Now come, so you can tell her,” Steve patted Bucky's shoulder and with more determination than ever they walked through the uneven path. Suddenly there was a glimmer in the stone and Bucky tugged on Steve’s sleeve to show him without having to talk. The closer they walked towards a lake the brighter the glow became. The fact that the sun was down and the moon was about to come up made it look even brighter.

By the end of the lake was a white swan staring at them. Next to it was a white cat - also staring. “It seems like it comes from them,” Bucky whispered. “What should we do? Should we catch them? The swan and the cat?”

“I mean we were only here to find Sunshine,” Steve was interrupted by the swan making angry noises at them. Before they could say anything else the swan was startling them as it ran in their direction. Its beak was pulling at Bucky's sleeve, and it ripped. Steves arrow was pointing at the swan, but the bird took another bite into the fabric and Bucky was too stunned and almost lost his balance as the swan was pulling him in the direction of the lake. When he gained back his balance and pulled into the other direction, he lost another piece of fabric. It almost seemed as the swan huffed and waddled towards the water alone – still followed by the arrow. As soon as it could the swan swam on the lake and the cat followed to the muddy path where it could still stand and interrupted the line of the arrow.

“What should I do?” Steve asked, but Bucky only had eyes for the swan. As soon as the reflection of the moon hit the water small splashes flew into the air until they swirled around the swan.

“What is happening?” Bucky asked but had already drawn his sword. The cat looked unimpressed even by the splats of water that were hitting it as it was still staring at Steve. The water went higher and higher until it suddenly stopped and fell. But where previously had been the swan was now Sunshine. “How?” Bucky breathed.

“Bucky,” you sobbed and ran towards him. As you had to travel through the muddy part he had enough time to lower his sword and wrap his arm around you as soon as you reached him. Your tears landed on his shirt, but he couldn’t care at all.

“Are you okay, love?” His arm pressed you against him and he savored the moment you were in his arms. The stone in his hand suddenly wasn’t only glowing but turned hot. The air around them was shifting.

“You have to go,” you exclaimed and pushed him away.

“We just found you,” he tried to say, but you kept on pushing. “Go now, before he sees you. Please,” she begged when he didn’t move at all. The cat behind you was hissing. “Just hide there,” you pointed somewhere where the trees were thick. Unwillingly Steve and Bucky walked where you pointed and they only did it because they noticed your panic. The white cat was also hiding in the high grass and Bucky had to watch as you tried to dry your eyes while the grass around you started to become greener and flowers started to grow.

“There you are,” he heard a voice and his eyes were about to fall out when he spotted someone walking towards his Sunshine. “There is no need for tears, we can turn them into happy tears if you’ll finally accept my offer of marriage. Your days as a swan will be over, you can go back to your island. So will you marry me?” Bucky had to watch as the man with the red face stepped towards you and tried to wipe away your tears. He was about to confront the man, when he saw you stepping back and he could hear your disgust when you declined.

“Oh this would have been your chance, princess. Did you think I wouldn’t notice your little visitors. This was your last chance,” with a swipe of his hand the enormous tree where Steve and Bucky were hiding was split in two. “You think you can save her? What fools you are! Have fun finding her now!” A loud boom was heard and before they could do anything the whole area around them changed. Loud cackling was heard and suddenly hundreds of swans were surrounding the two flabbergasted men. They couldn’t see Red Skull anymore but could hear his voice before it faded out. “No more human form for you, princess. Let’s see if your prince will recognize you now.”

“Where is he?” Steve asked confused.

“Where is she?” Bucky asked at the same time.

It was loud, very loud. They could almost not hear each other despite standing next to each other, but the swans were making so much noise. They were making their way towards the lake while a few of them came towards Steve and Bucky. One snapped at Bucky’s sleeve. “Sunshine?” he asked, but the swan only turned more aggressive. Another one was biting in Steve’s shoe.

“Sunshine?” Both yelled in the hopes that you would hear them and come towards them. But they only saw birds over birds.

“And why are they so aggressive? Sunshine?” Bucky complained and tried to take some steps forward, but there were too many birds. Suddenly a few swans were extra loud and two started to dive into the air. Feathers were flying around and they could see something else between the swans: a white cat. The one which had protected Sunshine.

“We must reach it, I bet it will be able to recognize her! Can you grab it?”

“One of them just stole my shoe!” Steve complained and tried to move forward but slipped on the ground and almost fell on one swan. In the end he managed to grab the cat who climbed his form more than willingly and sat down on his shoulder. “Got it, Buck!” As soon as both men stood next to each other the cat walked over to Bucky's shoulder. Together they moved and when the claws retrieved from Bucky's skin, he knew they came closer.

Until the claws came back full force suddenly and the noise in his ear indicated that Sunshine had to be close to them. That’s when he spotted one swan fighting against two others and the cat jumped in, ready to shove her claws into the bird. Steve was pushing one out the way and Bucky almost ran to the animal that was injured and tried to scoop it up in his arms, but the bird didn’t want to be caged.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” he tried to soother it. “Calm down, Sunshine. I’ve got you!”

It was these words that did the trick. Suddenly it was very quiet around them while the swan and the prince stared into each other's eyes. One by one the other swans disappeared until only one remained.

“I think she needs to be on the water to change,” Steve’s voice sounded much too loud in the now quiet area. Bucky was finally able to lift the swan he believed to be his princess and carried it towards the water. And as soon as the feet touched the surface the water started to spin splash against both – although the prince couldn’t care less as he stared into the face he came to love.

“You’re hurt,” he exclaimed once he let his eyes roam over your body and saw you clutching your arm against your torso.

“It’s not much, but we need to leave. I think the curse might be broken I feel more like myself I think. But we need to get out of here in case he comes back.”

The prince agreed. He might be a good swordsman but he was helpless against magic. The three of them made their way back to where Bucky and Steve came from, including a white feline following them. Bucky didn’t hesitate to pick it up and place it back on his shoulders. As soon as it had a comfortable place where it was secure it retreated its claws and slung its tail around the prince neck. With Sunshine to his right and Steve on her right side they continued their way.

“Okay, so we have Sunshine. And now how to we get back? The portal is closed?”

“Oh, I might be able to fix this,” you said and walked towards a burned place on the ground. Suddenly your voice had more authority than they had ever heard from you. “Magician Strange, I order you to open this portal right now so your crown princess can come back home.”

“How did you do that?” Steve asked when he watched the sparks to appear again. You pointed at a bracelet around your wrist with an orange stone like the one they had in their hand. When you told them it was a precaution so you could stay in touch with the magicians it dawned on them that they didn’t even have a plan to get back or if they even should have made it back. And later when you heard the whole story you fell even more in love with your prince and were glad that you had such good friends who risked everything for you.

“It’s so good to see you, princess,” Strange lowered his head instead of a bow.

“It’s good to see you too, magician Strange. At least one magician I know I can trust.” Your recap of the story was interrupted when another portal opened and Yelena, Natasha and Samuel stepped through. Samuel didn’t even care that he had to bow before you – never in your life had you seen him rum so quickly and his arms were thrown around you. A burnt smell filled your nose, but you didn’t care and wrapped your uninjured arm around him.

“I’m so sorry I failed you,” he almost sobbed in your shoulder.

“You didn’t fail me,” you assured him. It was chaos after that. When Strange heard the whole story, he took Yelena with him to face Red Skull and they disappeared through the portal. After a lot of hugging and checking in with each other (and calling a healer for your arm) you all agreed to get cleaned up to get rid of the burned smell and the smell of swamp.

Many hours later you were all still gathered in a sitting room. Your head laid on Bucky's shoulder and you had problems with staying awake. Sam was currently retelling the story of a dragon they had faced and you weren’t sure if you should believe him if it wasn’t for Natasha who backed up his story. The white feline was laying on the softest pillow next to Steve, but decided that your lap looked more comfortable.

“You can sleep, princess. We’ll all protect you,” Bucky mumbled in your ear.

“I need to go home tomorrow, but maybe – would you like to accompany me? I could show you my island and to be honest,” you paused as you weren’t sure if you could share your feelings now.

“I’m not ready to be apart from you again too,” he assured you and a featherlight kiss was pressed against your hair.

“Okay, good,” you yawned and your eyes finally closed.

In the end the two kingdoms were reunited. And while it was a huge political thing that no one really wanted to get into it was more about their princess. As the story started as the Sunshine and the Grump it didn’t end that way. Because when their King looked at his Queen you wouldn’t know who smiled more. It was a story of love that most people would only find in a fairytale book. And with their friends who travelled with them from the island to the mainland it wasn’t only a story about love, but friendship and family. And as we stated that the story wasn’t so long ago, they still live very happily.

Masterlist | Library Blog

Reblogs, comments, asks or just a ramble mean the world to me <3

#bucky x reader #fairytale au #fairytale retelling #the swan princess #bucky x you #bucky barnes x you #prince!bucky #sunshine x grumpy #bucky x female reader #prince!bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #found family

228 notes · View notes

onceuponastory · 10 months

Text

last stroke of midnight - bucky barnes x reader

Plot: When a stroke of luck and a little bit of magic allows her to attend Prince James' royal ball, Y/N soon realises that they’ve met before. Pairing: Prince!Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader Warnings: Mentions of Y/N’s stepfamily belittling and degrading her, her parents dying, and her doubting herself. Classic Cinderella story stuff. Also, a little bit of angst bc it’s me. As always, if I miss any triggers, please let me know! Notes: My final entry for @buckybarnesevents Into an Alternate June-iverse Connect Four event! My final square was Fairytale, and I realised I haven’t written a Cinderella inspired story before, so here we are! This can also tie into the Royalty square I had, but I’ve used that already.

Not beta’d, so any mistakes are my own.

Slowly, Y/N makes her way down the hallway, the sound of her heels against the tiles reverberating around the room. Various elaborate portraits and other pieces of artwork stare down at her. Unsurprisingly, the royal palace is ornately decorated, ready for the hundreds of guests attending tonight. Y/N has never seen somewhere so beautifully decorated in all her life. When she reaches the end of the hallway, two heavy oak doors stand before her, the muffled sound of music and laughter from the ball seeping through. That’s how her life seems to be nowadays. On the outside, looking in. It’s still a wonder that she was invited to this ball in the first place. But Prince James ordered every maiden in the kingdom to be present, and who was she to deny a Prince’s wish?

Of course, if her stepfamily had it their way, she’d still be at home, finishing her chores. Honestly, she thought her dream of attending the ball was as ruined as the dress they tore up to force her to stay home. It was only then that Y/N learnt she had a fairy godmother of her own, who gave her a gorgeous new dress, a pumpkin carriage and a pair of glass slippers, making her look like a true princess. And now, Y/N is standing in the royal palace, surrounded by various noblemen and women, and royalty from all over the world.

And she’s never felt so out of place. She’s still waiting to wake up, for this happy dream to be over in the blink of an eye. Even now, she can hear her stepfamily screaming in her ears, forcing her to do all the household chores, as they have done every day since her father died. Treating her like a servant, rather than a human being. For so long, Y/N thought that was what the rest of her life was destined to be. Living as Cinderella, their idea of a nickname for her, rather than Y/N. Since her stepsisters took over her bedroom, Y/N has nowhere else to sleep at night other than on the cold tiles by the dying light of the fire. And each day, she wakes up covered in soot, which inspired the name.

Their voices and laughter still echo in her mind, even now. Belittling her and labelling her a mere servant with no potential. Especially for even thinking that she could attend a royal ball, Prince’s invitation or not. But here she is, at the royal ball. Wearing a gorgeous ball gown that shimmers like the stars whenever she walks, and a pair of glass slippers that somehow perfectly fit her feet.

Finally, she has a chance to do something else, to be someone else, even if it's just for a night… and she’s terrified to take it. What if they see right through her? Realise that she doesn’t belong here, that she never did? Warily, Y/N holds her hand out, her fingers tracing along the ornate, carved detailing on the door. But she’s made it this far. Surely that must mean something.

Suddenly, the doors burst open, and Y/N gasps. “I apologise, I wasn’t-” Apologising for everything is simply second nature to her now. At least, it is when you live with people like her stepmother and stepsisters.

“Ma’am.” The guard bows to her, gesturing for her to enter the ballroom. She steps back for a moment, taking a breath for courage as her heart pounds through her chest. Yet, her feet start moving without a second thought, leading her into the ballroom. She glides through the room, past everyone’s watchful eyes. Y/N can hear them whispering, wondering who she is, and she has to tune them out before she becomes too panicked and flees.

Until suddenly, the crowd parts like the sea, and Prince James steps forward, right towards her. The second she looks into his silvery blue eyes, she recognises him right away. “Hello again.” He chuckles. “I’m thrilled to see you made it.”

Of course, Y/N could never know that she was the entire reason he suggested inviting everyone in the kingdom to this ball. Since he first saw her, Prince James couldn't get her out of his mind and yearned to see her again. And the ball his parents insisted he throw to find a suitable wife seemed like the perfect opportunity to find her again. The sparkles on her dress twinkle in the light, and he can’t stop smiling the more he looks at her. She looks beautiful.

And yet, Prince James could never know that the main reason Y/N is attending this ball is for the hopes of seeing him again. Although, she had no idea he was the Prince in question.

The two first met when Y/N was at the market with her stepsisters, being bossed around once again. Thankfully, they soon stopped bothering her and went to visit the local dressmaker, granting Y/N some precious alone time. Once they left, she took some time to walk around the stalls and take in everything on offer. Just taking some time to do nothing. As the sun warmed her skin and the cool breeze blew through her hair, Y/N finally felt at peace again. She wasn’t Cinderella, at the constant beck and call of her stepfamily. For a few blissful moments, she was Y/N again.

Soon, she found a stall selling fresh fruits and vegetables, and her stomach began to rumble. That morning, like most others, she was preoccupied completing the other chores and making sure her stepfamily were fed. And that meant she hadn’t thought about feeding herself. All the food on offer looked so enticing, and she just couldn’t resist. She rifled around in her pockets to find the few coins that she had managed to hide away, hoping it would be enough for something to eat. As she did so, a voice cut in.

“No, please. Allow me.” She had turned to see a face with a pair of gorgeous silvery blue eyes smiling back at her. Before she could protest, he paid for some apples and handed them to her.

“T-Thank you, sir.” She smiled, gazing over at him. It had been so long since someone treated her with kindness that Y/N swore she could’ve broken down into tears right then.

“Please, don’t worry about it. I couldn’t leave a lady like yourself in distress.” Y/N giggled at that, her cheeks burning slightly. As they started walking together, Y/N glanced over at the kind stranger, her gaze tracing over every inch of his face. As she did, a feeling of warmth settled in her stomach. Of course, a large part of that was because of his kind gesture, but Y/N found herself attracted to him from that very moment. With the way his eyes sparkled whenever he laughed, and the way he smiled at her… falling in love with him was very easy to do.

They spoke for a while, as close as friends, despite only meeting a few minutes ago. “Forgive me if this sounds rude, sir, but I haven’t seen you at the market before.” The man laughed, adjusting the hood of his cloak.

“Is it that obvious?”

“A little.”

“Well, I thought it would be a pleasant change from my normal life. Getting out in the fresh air, meeting new people.” He explained. “And….” He looked over at her, smiling softly. “I’m glad I came.” Her cheeks burned, and her heart felt like it was doing backflips in her chest.

“I’m glad you did too.” She smiled. But before they could talk for much longer, the voices of her stepsisters filled the air, calling her and pulling her out of her brief moment of happiness. Sighing, her body slumped in disappointment. The handsome stranger raised a brow, concerned by her sudden change in emotion.

“Is everything alright?” He had asked, instinctively placing a reassuring hand on her forearm. For a moment, she considered telling him the truth about her life. But as her stepsisters got even louder, she realised she couldn’t possibly drag him into this, or let him hear the things they say about her. It’s bad enough that she gets to hear it day in, day out.

“I’m sorry. I better go.” She sighed. When she saw the man’s face fall, she regretted her choice even more. But she didn’t have a choice. “Hopefully, I’ll see you again, sir. Thank you again for the apples.”

And here he is once more, standing in front of her in all his royal finery, looking like a completely different person. He’s still just as handsome as he was that day, his eyes still sparkling. And of course, she’s sure that she looks a lot more different than she did that day, too.

“You’re a Prince?” She gasps. “The Prince?” Embarrassment flows through her veins, and her heartbeat rises. How could she have been so stupid, so naïve to not realise that she was speaking to the Crown Prince? The bitter venom of her stepmother’s words flows through her veins once more.

“You foolish child! To think the Prince would even want you, a servant girl, at his ball-”

“It’s quite alright. Please, do not worry.” He reassures her, placing a soft hand on her forearm and pulling her out of her spiralling thoughts. Just like he did that day at the market. As he does so, Y/N feels herself beginning to calm down once more. And a familiar warm feeling settles in her stomach. “I’m sorry. I should have been honest.”

Even after the complete bombshell that's just been dumped on her, she is glad to be reunited with him, too. She and Prince James stare into each other's eyes for a little while longer, each feeling their hearts beat faster and faster. For a moment, the crowds fade away, leaving just the two of them together. Despite all her anxieties from earlier that night, Y/N feels so at ease around the Prince. For the first time in a long while, she even finds herself smiling. It isn’t until the music starts playing again that they remember where they are. And the crowd is still watching them. Clearing his throat, he stands up straighter. “May I have this dance?” And once more, Y/N’s feet move forward without even thinking about it.

“Of course.” Nodding, she slips her hand into his, whilst he rests his on the small of her back. As his fingers brush along her spine, she gasps. Being in his arms feels so right, so comfortable. Every time his touch brushes against her, it feels like a spark of electricity throughout her entire body. She’s never felt so alive.

Despite how long it’s been since Y/N danced, being with Prince James makes her feel so at ease that she easily matches his steps. As they dance together, moving gracefully throughout the room, Prince James twirls her under his arms, spinning her around the room. Y/N honestly feels like she’s floating. For a moment, she forgets all her worries, and it’s as if she and the Prince are the only people in the room once more. In fact, it feels like they’re the only people in the universe right now. The fact that her stepmother and stepsisters are here, and are no doubt watching her with the Prince doesn’t even cross her mind. She could stay here for the rest of her life, in his arms.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After spending most of the night dancing together, Prince James soon invites Y/N out into the palace gardens for some peace, and to relax after dancing for so long. The cool night air hits her skin, and Y/N takes a breath. All thoughts of the time limit on her night, and her fairy godmother’s warnings seem to have slipped her mind.

“I must say, you are a wonderful dancer.” Y/N chuckles.

“Thank you very much, Prince James. Although, I did have wonderful company.” Prince James grins, blushing furiously.

“Please allow me to introduce myself. Properly, this time. My full, official name is Prince James Buchanan Barnes. Personally, I think it’s too fancy of a name, so my close friends and family call me Bucky.” Immediately, she drops into a curtsey. “Please, don’t feel the need to do that. It’s alright.” He chuckles. She’s still amazed by his refusal to treat her like she’s any different to him, or a different class, like she’s been used to people doing most of her life. In fact, he looks at her like she’s the most important person in the world. And it’s making her even more smitten.

“I just can’t believe I didn’t realise you were a Prince when we first met, Your Highness.”

“Please, call me Bucky.” He smiles. Y/N chuckles, and her cheeks burn even more. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth when we first met. The truth is, I enjoy going out into the kingdom and meeting the people. It’s surprising how easy it is to be undetected when you wear a cloak.” He laughs. Oh, she knows that very well. “And besides, I’m sure you understand. Wanting to get away from it all.” His words confuse her for a moment… until the penny drops.

He thinks she’s the same as him. A royal, disguising herself in order to escape her life. Of course, she looks the part right now, but it’s all fake, just pretend for the night. Her head swirls, her smile dropping. Is that why he wanted to speak to her alone? Because he thought she was something different, something special? If he knew the truth, who she really was, he’d never want to see her again. Embarrassment rushes through her, chilling her veins as her stomach churns.

“Is something the matter? Did I say something wrong? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“No. I’m alright.” She lies. Her mind screams at her to tell him the truth, that compared to him, she’s a nobody, just a simple servant girl. He’s been so compassionate towards her already tonight, surely he’d understand. But she can’t bring herself to tell him. This night has been so wonderful already, and she can’t ruin it now. She just wants one good night with the man she’s falling in love with. At least after tonight, she’ll never see him again. He won’t know anything else about her.

And that hurts deep in her soul, more than anything in the world. The universe seems to be set on constantly taking away every ounce of happiness in her life. First it took her parents, and then her freedom. And now, it’s taking Prince Bucky. But like she said, this is how it has to be. She couldn’t bear him seeing the truth, or seeing him letting her go.

“These gardens really are beautiful.” She says, hoping to steer the conversation away from anything to do with her.

“Well, that’s my mother’s pride and joy.” He chuckles.

“My mother loved flowers too.” She nods, thinking back to the flowers that used to adorn their garden, vibrant hues of pinks and purples. The bees and butterflies that filled the air, flying past as Y/N played with her parents. Life was so much simpler back then, so happy. She’d give anything to return to that time, when she had no worries or stepfamily. Although, being with Bucky is making her feel just as happy as she did back then.

“Well, she must have been a wonderful woman then.”

“She was. She really was.”

“And you’re right, they are beautiful. In fact… there’s a lot of beautiful things here tonight.” He smiles, and Y/N’s cheeks burn even deeper this time.

“Thank you.” She murmurs, a small smile tugging at her lips. “This has truly been such a wonderful night. And I never want it to end.”

“Then stay with me. Just a little longer” Bucky smiles, stepping closer. Y/N gasps, shaking her head in disbelief.

“I wish I could, but I can’t.” When he sees the tears shining in her eyes, Bucky’s brow furrows, noticing how panicked the woman is becoming. He sighs, not meaning to come across as so forceful, or to scare her.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You didn’t. Not at all. You’ve been nothing but wonderfully kind to me all night.” She sighs. “It’s just… a lot to explain, Your Highness.” When he hears her call him by his official title again, it registers a feeling deep within in his gut. At the market, when her face fell as soon as she heard people calling for her, he wondered what was wrong. And now, seeing her so distressed, things are starting to make sense. Whoever this woman is, she seems to be hiding from someone. Or something.

“If anything is wrong, I can help you with whatever it is you need.” Y/N chuckles, sniffling slightly.

“I wish you could.” She’s worried enough about the possibility of her stepmother finding out she went to the ball in the first place, let alone her knowing she spent the whole night with the Prince. But if she did, Y/N would take full blame for it. It would break her heart if Bucky was hurt by her actions. Y/N steps closer to him, gently taking his hands. “But the fact you even offered means more to me than you could ever know.” Bucky looks into her eyes once more, gently cupping her cheek. Even though he only met this woman recently, he already feels like he knows her better than anyone else in the entire kingdom, even his closest advisors. He’s falling more and more in love with her with every waking moment. And he wants to make sure she’s alright. He has to.

Suddenly, a sound pierces through the air. The sound of clock chimes. Immediately, Y/N’s blood runs cold.

“What time is it?”

“It’s midnight.” Everything hits her all at once, like a bucket of cold water has been dumped over her, chilling every part of her. Her fairy godmother’s warnings ring out in her mind once more.

“At the last stroke of midnight, everything will be as it once was.”

“I’m so sorry, but I have to go. Thank you for a lovely evening!” She gasps, breaking free from Bucky’s grasp and rushing back towards the palace, to her carriage before the chimes finish. As she runs through the gardens, dodging people left and right, she can hear Bucky calling after her, trying to get her to stop. And every fibre of her being wants to turn back and tell him the truth. She knows he could protect her if she needed, that he would in a heartbeat.

But she can’t take that risk.

When she reaches the steps leading up towards the palace, Y/N runs down them, adrenaline rushing through her veins. In her haste, she can feel her shoes slipping off, but she has no time to stop them. When the first slipper falls off, Y/N doesn’t go back for it, too worried about Bucky seeing the truth to care about a shoe of all things. She slips the other one off, clasping it in her hands as she finishes her descent of the stairs and climbs back into her carriage.

As it sets off, whisking her back to her ordinary life, Y/N glances out of the window. Bucky stands on the stairs, watching her go. And Y/N feels her stomach twisting, and regret fills her veins.

“I’m sorry Bucky.” She whispers.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The carriage only makes it a few miles away from the palace before collapsing completely, turned back into a pumpkin. And so, Y/N begins the long walk home, still clutching her remaining glass slipper. The waltz she and Bucky danced to replays in her head, and she hums along to the tune, moving through the steps in her head.

“It was wonderful.” She sighs to herself. “Better than I could’ve ever dreamt it.”

When she’s only a few yards away from home, the sound of hooves approaches, and Y/N ducks out of the way behind a wall. Peeking out, she glimpses them as they pass. Almost immediately, she notices the royal crest on the saddle. The feeling of hope builds in her gut once more, and she smiles. Bucky’s looking for her. He wants to find her again.

But just as soon as the hope rises, her anxieties sink in once more.

He’s not looking for her, some poor orphaned servant girl with no dowry to her name. He’s looking for the girl he thought she was. The princess, the wonderful dance partner. The girl who doesn’t exist. Sighing sadly, Y/N glances down at her remaining glass slipper, still glinting in the moonlight. A permanent reminder of the wonderful night she had…and what she lost.

But like she said, it’s better this way.

Isn’t it?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Your Highness.” The Captain of the Royal Guard pants, rushing into the room. “We looked everywhere, but there’s no sign of the mystery maiden. It appears she’s disappeared out of sight.”

Bucky sighs, nodding. “Thank you for trying, Captain.” He murmurs. He can still see the look on her face as she ran, the fear that something would happen if she didn’t leave immediately. It still makes his heart sink, even now. Nervously, he begins to tap his foot. Something is wrong with this woman, something in her life must be causing her great pain. He wants to find her again and to help her more than anything. The slipper sits atop his desk, sparkling in the candlelight. He picks it up once more, his fingers tracing around the heel. “A shoe made of glass.” He chuckles. “What a wonderfully strange woman.”

“Your Highness?” The Captain asks.

“Tomorrow morning, we commence a kingdom wide search for the maiden who fits this glass slipper.” He states. “No stone will be left unturned. Do you understand?” The Captain nods. “Good. Ready your men for the morning.” As the man departs, Bucky holds the slipper close to his chest, as if he was holding her that closely. “I will make this right.” He whispers. “I promise.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Please follow @onceuponastory-library and turn on notifications to be notified when I next post!

#Connect4AU #bucky barnes x reader #Bucky Barnes #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x y/n #Bucky Barnes x female reader #bucky x Female Reader #bucky x you #bucky x reader #bucky x y/n #marvel oneshot #marvel fanfic #marvel fanfiction #prince!bucky barnes #princecharming!bucky barnes #prince!bucky barnes x reader #fanfiction #fanfic

253 notes · View notes

navybrat817 · 2 months

Note

https://www.tumblr.com/navybrat817/743881312429064192/just-for-you?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/navybrat817/742933863404290048/abo-bucky?source=share

Which one? 🥺

Love and thanks! ❤️

#navybrat answers #bucky barnes #prince!bucky barnes #king!bucky barnes #alpha!bucky barnes #alpha king!bucky barnes #future fic #navybrat polls #sweet nonnie #sending love ❤️#asks are always appreciated

27 notes · View notes

holylulusworld · 8 months

Text

Not a queen (8.5)

Summary: You are no one. What if fate makes you queen?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Maid!Reader x Nick (Fowler) Barnes

Warnings: dystopian world, modern royal au, shy reader, arranged marriage, implied smut, fluff, cuddling, a little time jump (4 months)

A/N: Another shorter chapter. I wanted to cut out this scene and make a bigger time jump. I decided against it. So were are getting chapter 8.5.

This series takes place in the Two kings universe, at the same time. I recommend reading this story first to understand this universe better.

You can find all arcs here: Of Kings and Queens Arcs

<;< Part 8

Not a queen (Arc 2) masterlist

That night, they told you…everything. About the revolution, the second sons are planning. They also told you that Nick, Bucky, and their friends want to change the world.

Bucky told you that once everything is prepared, war will shake the world you know.

You don’t know if that’s a good thing. People will die. And if they lose the fight, you will mourn Bucky and Nick too.

If this happens, you don’t know if you will survive. Losing your family was painful. But losing the men you fell in love with, will shatter you.

They revealed the truth and their plans four months ago. In the meantime, so much happened. You got closer to both men. Very close.

It started with soft kisses, and little touches and lead to so much more. Lingering touches, passionate make-out sessions, and love confessions.

Until your wedding night arrived and you ended up between the brothers.

At first, you shied away. Afraid they will hurt you or do something you don’t want.

Nick took away all of your fears. He fulfilled his promise and went down on you. Finally putting his mouth to better use than calling you mouse. When you trembled, his mouth on your leaking cunt you chanted their names.

Bucky let his brother have this. He let him touch you first to make sure Nick knows, they are equals in this relationship.

After that night, you never want to leave the secret chamber again. If it was up to you, you’d spend your days hiding in the room, wrapped up in your men.

If only you’d have the choice to decide on the world’s fate.

“Mouse, what are you thinking about?” Nick wraps his arms around you from behind. He pecks your neck, humming as you lean in his touch. “What is my beautiful wife up to today?”

“Our beautiful wife,” Bucky corrects. He smirks, but a hint of jealousy flashes in his eyes before he blinks it away. The prince learned to share your love and attention over the last months. It was hard for him to accept that you are in love with his brother too. “So, what are we going to do today, doll.”

“I want to sit on the bed and read another book. It’s getting chilly and maybe, you can keep me warm while I read my book,” you glance at Bucky. “Only if you got time, of course.”

“Our friends left in the dead of the night again,” Bucky pecks your cheek. “We got all the time in the world. I like your idea.”

“I like it too,” Nick nuzzles his face in your neck. “Maybe there is time to cuddle in between reading books.”

You chuckle. Nick has something more than reading in mind. He can barely keep his hands to himself. The prince always needs to kiss, hug, or nuzzle you.

Bucky loves to touch you too. But Nick is the needier man in your life. Maybe it’s because he always came second. Or that he fears losing you to his brother if he doesn’t shower you with affection all the time.

“We can cuddle too,” you whisper, making Nick groan. ”Cuddle, my prince. I didn’t feel well this morning.”

“You didn’t feel well? Why didn’t you tell us so?” Bucky immediately looks you up and down. He presses the back of his hand to your forehead. “No fever. Good. That’s good. Uh-did you cough, sneeze, vomit?”

“Bucky,” you scrunch up your nose, “don’t ask things like that. I was just a little dizzy and…uh…I had to vomit a little. I’m fine now, though. I drank some tea and ate toast.”

“A stomach bug, maybe?” Nick looks at his brother for help. “She should lie down and have a rest.”

Bucky nods. His eyes drop to your middle and he wonders if his dream came already true…

>> Part 9

Not a queen

@somewereinthegalaxi

___

Bucky Barnes/Sebastian Stan Tags

@marshyrebelcloud

@buchanan-lover

@rosalynshields

@jane-dough666-blog

@hinata7346

@sociallyantisocialbutterfly

@eclecticpatrolroadlawyer

@sexyvixen7

@danzalladaggers

@thegirlnextdoorssister

@babygirl-one-and-only

@danielle143

@peaceinourtime82

@teambarnes72

@lovewolfspirit

@thebaileybugle

@raajali3

@wykkedwitch

@getwellsoontana

@broadwaybabe18

@wintasssoldier

@lu-zo-san

@winters1917

@thatdbeagoodsticker

@creepzeyecandy

@mochionly

@deansonlywife

@liloxclu

@creepzeyecandy

@kiki13522

#nick fowler #bucky barnes #royal au #prince!nick fowler #prince!Bucky barnes #maid reader #bucky barnes x reader #nick fowler x reader #Not a queen (8.5)

88 notes · View notes

warriorofthought · 3 months

Text

Dragon racing

Summary: You and prince Bucky decided to do a dragon race.

Word count: 2.641

Warnings: no one

Prince Bucky x Princess Reader

The people of your kingdom were mad with joy that the strange but beloved Prince Bucky was coming to your kingdom.

The day the prince descended from the sky on his dragon Belrath, shaking the earth and flattering your mother with compliments, you felt annoyed.

Seeking comfort and peace, for the first time in the hours since his arrival, you went to the Mountain of Snowflakes.

What you didn't know was that the object of your wrath was just a few feet away in the shadows.

"I see you have taken a liking to my favorite resting spot."

The prince's familiar voice spoke to you as he leaned against the wall, his bluish eyes twinkling mischievously.

"It's nice here. Quite and an amazing sight" you answer.

"I don't often get visitors to my little hideaway. I like that you found it." The Prince spoke warmly, the corners of his lips curling in a smile.

"You are a Skylar, the symbol on your jacket is your family wappen, correct?"

"yes" you nod.

"And who may I have the pleasure of speaking with?" he took a few steps closer, his eyes scanning them up and down.

"Y/n" you answer simply.

Bucky paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing at the recognition.

"Ah yes, you are the daughter of Queen Rajendra?"

You nod confirming.

"I've heard quite a bit about you."

His smile returned.

"What are you doing with yourself up here? It's nice to see you are out of your mother's shadow."

"what have you heard?" You ask slightly curious.

A slight twinkle appeared at the corner of his eyes as he looked down at you.

“I heard you’re quite feisty.”

"Yeah, it can be true" you answer.

“A trait we both seem to share.” Bucky spoke softly into the shadow.

His eyes trailed over you lightly, but you saw him smirk.

“You do have a bit of a reputation.”

"Have I ? Which one?" You ask and walk over to a dragon who was watching you both.

The massive beast shifted its weight, its eyes narrowed in curiosity as it regarded you.

Bucky's eyes remained on the pair of you for a few moments, before he spoke again.

"The one that you're a bit of a wild thing. That, and you're a troublemaker." he teased.

"But it's nice to talk to someone who isn't afraid to be bold." he added with a sly smile.

You chuckle " I don't make so much trouble" you say sarcastic.

"I don't believe that for a second."

He leaned against the wall, his arms folded across his chest.

"So, why the sudden interest in a place like this? Are you looking for a bit of trouble to stir?" He couldn't help but smirk.

"Maybe. Do you want to race with me, a dragon race?" You ask with a mischief gaze at him.

Bucky’s smile only grew wider as he considered the offer.

“Well now that’s an offer I can’t refuse, though you do know my dragon is faster, don’t you?”

"oh, don't underestimate my dragon, I think he can keep up with your dragon, maybe even a little bit more." You say with a smirk.

“Very well, let’s see if this little dragon can keep up with my Belrath.”

Bucky’s face broke out into a devilish grin.

“I won’t be too easy on you.” he added with that same mischievous tone.

"don't be. That wouldn't be funny"

Bucky shrugged and turned abruptly, beginning to walk out of the massive cavern.

"Belrath is waiting outside."

He turned his shoulder to see if you were following.

You follow him and as you walk outside you call your big ice dragon.

For a moment, Bucky stares over at you and your massive dragon. If he was impressed by the sight then he didn't show it, however, a slight smirk was still evident on his lips.

"I have to say, I've never raced against an icy dragon before."

He mounted Belrath and waited for you to do the same.

You chuckle " it would be funny" you say and smirk then you sit up on icefire.

"Well, I suppose we should get started then, unless you want to back out?"

He smirked widely, watching you mount Icefire. Belrath rumbled a low grumble- as if to say they wanted the race to begin as well.

"I never back out" you answer and give icefire a signal to go in the sky

As soon as Icefire took off, Belrath took to its own speed. The massive beast surged up into the clouds with tremendous speed and force.

The Prince was quiet as his eyes remained fixed on the massive white dragon that flew alongside them.

The ground became a blur below.

Then you make a very rare and risky turn around Belrath and Bucky can hear your giggle.

Belrath gave a loud hiss as it felt the icy wind brush past it.

Bucky was quiet for a moment, his face twisting in an almost mischievous grin as he heard the laughter.

He looked forward, he could see the snowy mountains looming closer and closer.

You give icefire a signal to be as wild as he wants and you tighten your grip on the seat.

Belrath roared a deep, throaty rumble as its talons reached out in front of the other dragon in a wild manner.

The prince grunted as he struggled to keep control of his dragon.

In a moment of pure instinct, the Prince gave his dragon a deep command: 'burn.'

Belrath's head swerved sharply towards Icefire, as a small, orange flame shot at the Icy dragon.

Before you can comment anything to icefire he handles himself and dives into the sea before overtaking Belrath.

As the Icy Dragon dove into the water, Belrath roared in defiance as it chased the dragon down.

The prince's face twisted in concentration as he fought to keep control of his massive dragon.

He could hear your laughter above, as if you were enjoying yourself.

Then you both land at the same time on the massive mountain road.

Bucky sighed with relief as Belrath touched the ground. He jumped abruptly as he dismounted, the dragon still breathing like a raging fire.

He walked over to you. As he approached, all of the humor in his eyes faded into a serious expression.

"That was a foolish gamble, but I like that."

He paused for a moment.

"You've got fire in you, the same as me." He said with almost a chuckle.

You chuckle slightly and get down from your dragon. You softly pet icefire before icefire relax.

Belrath let out another low murmur as Bucky turned his attention back to the large, white dragon beside him.

He looked at you curiously, his face shifting in a thoughtful manner.

"That dragon of yours is quite impressive, where did you find your beast?"

"Deep In the mountains "

Bucky's eyes stayed on the massive, white dragon. He seemed oddly interested in the creature.

"Hmm...That's quite interesting. Most of the dragons we find in the mountains look much different than yours."

"He is different, he spit blue fire" you answer proudly.

Bucky couldn't help but smirk, as he stepped closer to the beast.

"Blue fire? Now that's an interesting sight indeed."

He ran a hand against the creature's face.

"How old is he?" Bucky asked curiously.

" i think he is maybe 100 or a little bit older"

"And how is it that you tame such a beast?"

Bucky stepped back from the creature, his eyes still studying it as he spoke.

"Taming dragons from the mountains can be extremely difficult."

You shrug your shoulders " icefire has seen me playing with the wolfs and then he followed me"

"He chose you." Bucky spoke softly as he looked down at the dragon.

"That's impressive, I don't know how many could say their dragons followed them on their own accord."

You nod.

"That's good to hear." Bucky stepped back from the dragon and looked over at you.

"Your dragon seems very different to anything I've seen. I suppose he's as unpredictable as you." Bucky paused.

"Or are you more of a force of the wild like Icefire?"

"maybe both" you answer with a slight smirk.

Bucky let out an amused chuckle.

"From this encounter alone, I would say you're the more unpredictable of the two."

He gave you a sly smile.

You chuckle slightly.

"You're a bit like me, aren't you?"

He couldn't help but smirk, as he looked over at you.

"A bit of a wild thing. You don't always listen, and you aren't the kind to be a follower."

He paused again.

"I have to admit, that's quite attractive."

You shrug your shoulders " you can ask mother if I'm difficult or not. " you utter, referring to your mother, Queen Rajendra.

A light chuckle left Bucky, as he looked away for a moment.

"I have heard quite a bit about you from your Mother, as well."

His face twisted up in a sly grin, as he turned back to you.

"She says nothing about you is ever easy."

You scoff "i don't cause much trouble"

"Then you must have an interesting definition of trouble."

Bucky's eyes trailed over you slowly.

"The stories that I have heard about you are the exact opposite of what I'm hearing now."

"what have you heard?" You ask slightly curious.

Bucky's eyes stayed on your face, as he paused for a moment before answering.

"That you're difficult, hard to handle, feisty." He paused for a moment, his face turning teasing as he spoke.

"And that you've given your mother numerous headaches."

He smirked, as he awaited your response.

"she is sometimes just too emotional" you utter and roll your eyes.

Bucky chuckled at that.

"I don't believe that for a second."

His face twitched into a playful smile, as he continued.

"I think you must make her incredibly frustrated, in which case I would say you can be a pain in the arse."

He smirked again, a playful, almost seductive glint in his eyes as he spoke.

"What makes you the most annoyed is that you enjoy it."

You try to suppress your smile. " not my fault that they don't understand fun"

Bucky took a step closer, his face turning into a smirk.

"Fun? I'm sure your mother would argue that what you do is nothing more than pure mischief."

"Which, I would completely agree with."

He paused, then let out another amused chuckle.

"And yes, I do believe you rather enjoy it."

"Has my mother told you that you should stay away from me because I'm too much trouble?" You ask curious.

"I believe she did, yes."

He took another stride forward, his eyes still looking down at you with a sly grin.

"She warned me about you, and I believe she may have been onto something."

"about what warned she you, for example, that I would steal your sword if I liked it or rather that I rarely follow rules." You ask and tile your head slightly.

"She warned me about how much of a wild thing you are. How you don't often listen and don't care much for rules."

Bucky paused for a moment, before continuing.

"And she did tell me you loved to steal things." He chuckled slightly, his lips turning into a smirk.

"And you didn't steal my blade, did you?"

"Oh, don't worry, Prince. Your sword is still on your hips" you say with a hint of mischief in your eyes that you couldn't suppress.

Bucky's smile widened. The prince took another step closer, his eyes staying intently on your face.

"Well, you're quite an interesting character. What else have you stolen from me?"

He raised an eyebrow in amusement, as he looked you over slowly. His eyes shifting up and down, before settling on your face again.

"Who said I have stolen something?"

"Your face is a dead giveaway, my lovely dragon rider."

Bucky chuckled as he said that, still looking over at you with a twinkle in his eyes.

"What did you steal?" He repeated with a teasing grin.

"your necklace, dear prince" you say amused and hold it up.

Bucky let out a low grumble, as he stared at you and the necklace in your hand.

"Are you going to give it back, or are you just going to tease me?" He asked with a sly grin.

His eyes stayed fixed on you for a deep moment, as he glanced up at the necklace.

"Don't make me use force, my sweet sweet dragon rider..." Bucky said playfully.

"sure you can have it back" you answer and you hold out the necklace to him.

Bucky took the necklace from your hands, the prince couldn't help but notice the small grin on your face as you gave it back.

He examined it for a minute, before giving you a playful, suggestive smile.

"Would it surprise you to hear that I didn't even notice it was missing?" He asked with a smirk, as he glanced at you.

You grin slightly “Oh I know you didn't notice it, that's why I did it.”

Bucky chuckles softly and steps closer to you, then his hand wraps around the necklace in your hand and before he can react you pull him against you. You hear him slightly gasp, then your eyes meet and for you both stop the time.

Your hands intertwined softly, the necklace still between them. “You know I have missed you, Princess. You should definitely decide to come with me to my kingdom, my heart always longs for your teasing.” Bucky says, his voice has a lovely undertone.

“You missed just my teasing? Nothing more, Prince Bucky?” You slightly pout.

He grabs you on your hips and pulls you closer, now you both stand so close that nothing fits between you both, you can feel how his chest moves as he breathes your scent in.

“Oh, i have miss you so much, my love. Not just your teasing, your whole being have i missed and your wild side.” he whispers with a gentle undertone in your ear.

This sends a shiver down your spine.

“I have missed you too.”

Bucky reaches his hand to your face and slowly caress your cheek.

Bucky's face softens a bit, as he sees you lean slightly against his hands and he smiles at you, his eyes shining with a deep affection.

He then leans towards you and kisses your forehead in a gesture of tenderness and adoration.

You can feel his strong and warm body against yours and it fills you with a feeling of safety and comfort.

Bucky hugs you again, this time his grip is tighter and warmer and he presses you against his chest more tightly.

You feel his heart beating rapidly against yours and he is breathing slowly, as if both of you are just enjoying the moment of being together without any further words.

Then you take his necklace and put it back around his neck. “There, it is back at his place.” you whisper softly and pet his chest.

“Come, my princess, it's slowly getting dark, we should go back to your castle” Bucky smiles gently at you as he sees how your hair slowly begins to move through the slightly windy evening air.

“Alright, we both should probably go back, you are right.” You nod.

The Prince pulls you closer to himself and places his hands on your shoulders, gently stroking your hair with affection as you both walk back to the castle.

You can feel his warmth and strength around you, making it feel like he is protecting you from the world.

He leans his head on top of yours and whispers to you:

"I am yours, and you are mine…”

“Always and forever “ you end his sentences.

#bucky barnes #bucky x reader #bucky x y/n #james buchanan barnes #bucky barnes x reader #james bucky buchanan barnes #bucky fanfic #dragon rider au #Prince Bucky Barnes #Royal Bucky Barnes

52 notes · View notes

itneverendshere · 4 months

Text

runaway - bucky barnes au! (one shot! series)

warnings: angst!!!!!; little backstory and a little surprise??

parti i and ii: out of time; as it was

I remember the day it happened as if it were yesterday, the years not having drifted by and drained every emotion from my heart.

How foolish of me to think I ever stood a chance against the most powerful woman in the Kingdom. To go against the Queen meant meeting your doom. My love for her son, for Bucky, had blindsided me. It made me believe that she would understand, maybe not at first, but surely, if she saw how happy we were, she would do her best to respect her son’s wishes.

I was wrong.

Royalty loves their power and their choices more than they could ever love someone else. There’s no space for understanding, for caring. Everyone is a pawn in their game, and if you become a threat, you’ll be dealt with.

The day it happened, Bucky and I stole moments together in hidden corners, weaving dreams of a future where love conquered all. Little did we know that our happiness hung by the thinnest thread, a thread that would soon be violently severed.

It was during a lavish royal banquet that the Queen's displeasure was unveiled. The grand hall echoed with laughter and music; the air filled with the aroma of delicacies. Bucky and I exchanged stolen glances across the room, oblivious to the storm that was brewing.

How did I not see it?

As the night wore on, the Queen's icy gaze found its way to me. Her piercing eyes bore into my soul, stripping away the illusion of safety I had built.

She knew.

My heart sank as I realized I was no longer a dirty secret kept between the walls of the castle.

“Tell me, girl,” her voice haunts me to this day, even after her passing, “How long have you known?”

My eyes darted quickly in her direction, seeking to escape whatever punishment I knew she was about to bestow on me. “I’m—My sincerest apologies, my queen, I don’t know—”

“Surely, you’ve realized you’re with child?”

Her words hung in the air like a heavy fog, thick with a mix of shock and terror. The revelation struck me like a thunderbolt, leaving me momentarily paralyzed. My hand instinctively moved to my stomach, as if to shield the secret growing within me. The truth was laid bare, and the Queen's sharp eyes seemed to pierce through the layers of my being.

“I understand your education is…appalling. But surely, you’ve noticed your lack of monthly bleedings.”

I stammered, trying to find the right words that could soften the blow of this revelation, “I don’t understand—”

With a deliberate step, the Queen descended from the elevated platform and approached me, her royal gown trailing behind her like a river of silk. The weight of her disapproval bore down on me.

"Your naivety is astonishing," she hissed, her voice a low, venomous whisper. "You will deny that child belongs to my son as well?”

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. The Queen circled around me like a predator closing in on its prey.

I summoned whatever courage I could muster, standing tall despite the storm of emotions raging within me. "Your Majesty, my love is genuine. I never intended to disgrace the kingdom or your family. Bucky and I—we simply wanted to be together."

The Queen's cold laughter filled the hall, sending shivers down my spine. "Love?! You dare speak of love? You believe you’re special.”

“I don’t—”

“But you do! Look at yourself, girl, you dare to think my son would ever love a commoner such as yourself? You can barely write your name, let alone rule a Kingdom.”

The Queen's words were like a harsh wind that threatened to extinguish the flickering flame of hope within me. I felt the weight of her scrutiny, a heavy burden that threatened to crush me under its enormity.

“Any man is easily fooled by a pretty face and a pair of legs. James, as smart as he is, is still a man at the end of the day, is he not?”

I felt the hot sting behind my eyes, my breath caught in my chest. My shoulders trembled slightly, a subtle sign of the emotional turmoil within. Determination etched across my face, I fought valiantly to hold back the tears threatening to spill. My jaw tightened, and I blinked rapidly as if trying to push the emotions away. “Your son is a good man.”

“Yes, but he is only just a man. Not very smart creatures, are they? So easily played, so gullible, yet so… treacherous. You cannot possibly think you were the only girl in his bed.”

I knew his heart better than anyone; Bucky would have never hurt me. If there was one simple thing I was certain of, it was him.

"Your Majesty, please," I implored, desperation seeping into my voice. "If it's punishment you seek, punish me. Banish me from the kingdom, but spare the child.”

A cold smile played on the Queen's lips as she continued her circling, the predatory dance of a predator toying with its prey.

"Innocence is a rare commodity in the realm of politics. You, my dear, chose to dance with wolves, and now you must face the consequences."

My mind raced, desperately searching for a way to salvage the remnants of my shattered world. “I beg of you, please don’t do this!”

She halted in front of me, her gaze piercing through my defenses. "You will leave this kingdom at sunrise, never to return. Your presence will be erased from our history, and my son will be free to fulfill his destiny without the shackles of your deceit."

Leave? I’d barely left the castle, let alone the kingdom; it was all I ever knew. There was nothing for me outside these walls, no one to guide me or to come to my rescue.

“I have nowhere to go."

“And that is your doing. Your kind is not meant to challenge the order we've established. You’re a stain, a stain I will erase for the sake of the kingdom. If your child meets its death, it will be a deserving ending, better than what I would allow."

A profound sense of isolation engulfed me. The weight of impending exile pressed upon my chest, making it hard to breathe. “Bucky won’t allow this.”

“James will abide by his duty to the kingdom. He’ll have someone warming his chambers by tomorrow night.”

A surge of disbelief and betrayal coursed through me. The Queen's words cut deeper than any blade, and I struggled to comprehend the enormity of the situation. The love we had shared, the dreams we had woven together – all seemed to crumble into dust before my eyes.

"You underestimate the bond between a mother and her son," she continued, her voice dripping with malice. "He will move on, just as the kingdom will, once you are but a distant memory."

The reality of my impending exile and the Queen's ruthless intentions gripped my heart with a vice-like force. “He loves me.”

“He might, but he will certainly not once he learns you gave him up for a better life.”

“You would lie to him?”

A realization struck me like a lightning bolt – my love for Bucky had become a pawn in the Queen's game of power and control. She wielded it like a weapon, ready to sacrifice it for the sake of the kingdom's stability.

My fight wasn't just against her disapproval; it was against the very foundations of a society that deemed love a threat.

“I’d be doing him a favor. He’s currently out on a mission? By the time he comes back, you’ll be long gone.”

Her cruel indifference stung like a thousand needles. I stood there, my world unraveling, as the reality of her manipulation settled in.

A numbness crept over me, replacing the desperate fight with a resigned acceptance of my fate.

"Your Majesty," I spoke, my voice barely above a whisper, "I will leave at sunrise, as you command. But please, spare him the lie. Tell Bucky the truth about why I must go."

The Queen's cold gaze bore into mine, and for a moment, I glimpsed a flicker of satisfaction in her eyes. "You underestimate the power of a well-crafted narrative, my dear. Sometimes, a lie is more potent than the truth. It protects not just the kingdom but also the fragile hearts of those who must bear its burdens."

The truth, it seemed, was a luxury not meant for the likes of me.

She took everything from me that night. And although surviving in the cold, harsh world lying outside those walls almost killed me, it allowed me to protect the most important thing in my life.

My beautiful Becca.

#prince bucky #bucky imagine #bucky x reader #bucky fanfic #bucky fic #bucky barnes #james bucky buchanan barnes #bucky x you #james buchanan bucky barnes #bucky angst #james buchanan barnes #bucky x female reader #angsty

63 notes · View notes

beananacake · 11 months

Text

My Crown Upon Your Head

Ch. 1

Prince!Bucky Barnes x Reader

Synopsis: When an arranged engagement between Prince James of Brookland and Princess Natasha ushers the discovery of the existence of a marriage contract between you and said prince, you readily agree to a divorce for the sake of the kingdom. At first, you had been willing to be separated from Prince James but as you spend more time with your husband, you begin to feel things that are forbidden. It does not help your case when James shares the same sentiments. As you combat the emotions that excite and scare you, the discoveries you make of the people that surround you make you suspect there is something else at play...

WC: 3.9k

Warnings: period-typical misogyny, 18+ for delicate issues, typos, not beta'd

A/N: Hi! Welcome to my first Bucky fic! If you think you've read this before... uh, no you didn't ;) Likes, comments, and reblogs makes beananacake a happy writer lol

Once upon a time, there was a girl who accidentally married the prince.

That would have been a story to be told for ages, you thought ironically to yourself. It would have made for an everlasting tale by the Brothers Grimm; storytellers whom you had met during one of your travels to the distant land of Prussia with your diplomat father. They were an odd sort; old men whom you would never have thought to have been the authors to the short tales you loved reading as a child. Their stories were rather macabre despite the hopeful beginnings. After all, not every Once Upon A Time ended with a happy ever after.

I wonder how they would have written my story, you mused rather distractedly as you stood before the King of Brookland.

You had been summoned to the palace the moment your ship had docked into the kingdom’s port. There was no preamble as to why you were wanted; they had only loaded you unto the carriage and had been presented to the monarch without so much as a change of clothing. You were not vain but it would have been more preferable to be wearing the proper attire when meeting with the king. Instead, you met him in your leather breeches, a silk dress shirt, and a waistcoat that you had fashioned from your father’s old vest—all of these articles of clothing were scandalous by themselves, but not as scandalous as knowing the reason why you had been summoned.

“You see, my son is set to marry the Grand Duke’s niece but we find ourselves in an unusual predicament,” said King George II of Brookland as he stood from his throne.

You had no voluminous skirt to tuck your hands into when you were nervous. Instead, you only clenched them at your sides, clutched into fists to calm the nervous quake about you.

“My secretary has found a marriage certificate binding you and my son in matrimony.” The king said disdainfully as he looked down on you. He was a classically handsome man if a bit gaunt and pale. His blue eyes were kind yet piercing. His jaw was strong and covered with a beard that was white as it was thick. His voice rasped with every words as though he labored them out. He was an old man, stooping because of his many years but it did not dampen the regal, commanding aura he had about him.

“You had been married to my son for two decades.”

Twenty years? You would have been but six years! Surely, there must have been a mistake.

You took a discreet step back, afraid of the silent fury in his voice. You had no idea of this marriage to the prince but your lapse in memory only seemed to make the blaze of anger in the king's eyes grow.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I have no idea of this certificate of which you speak.”

A harsh scoff sounded from the man who stood beside the throne. Your eyes flitted to the Grand Duke and the cruel severity from him made you step further back. His features told you he did not belong to Brookland; rather than possessing the strong jaws and high cheekbones of the Brooks, he appeared more foreign. The Grand Duke—an honorable title reserved only for the king’s advisers—had his lips drawn tight, his brown eyes beady as he regarded you.

“His Majesty will not tolerate insolence, child. I suggest you answer in truth.” His words, while spoken calmly and simply, chilled you. His eyes betrayed nothing nefarious but there was an air about him, of something that made him unfriendly to you. Then again, it was his niece the prince was promised to and you had unknowingly married said prince.

“My apologies, Grand Duke,” you bowed your head as you lowered into a curtsy. You could not bear to look him in the eye for one more time.

“Tell me your name again,” commanded King George.

You kept your head low as you said your name.

“If you are who you say you are, then it must be you who signed this contract.” The soft unraveling of the scroll drew your attention and you looked up as the king thrust it before you.

There it was. Your name, written by the hand of a six-year-old child. It was a mess of letters but it was discernible enough for anyone to read your name. Beside it was Prince James’s inscription, no better than yours but still enough to be recognized as the name of the kingdom’s future monarch.

The royal seal of the Barnes of Brookland—a crowned lion standing atop a shield that bore the coat of arms of the family—brought about a memory that had long been buried until that moment.

You watched closely as your father, a scholar and one of Brookland’s diplomats, poured hot wax on the space between where he and another had signed. It was a rich blue with gold flecks, the colors and symbol of your country’s opulence. You were always curious as to why he did the ritual of laying his ring on top of the molten wax after signing the papers. You asked him.

“It is a promise, Y/N,” your father had replied as he took of his signet ring and placed it sigil-down on the paper.

“Like friendship, papa?” you had asked in your small, excitable voice.

He chuckled fondly, caressing your cheek as he watched you in the candlelight. “Of a sort. This paper is a memory of that friendship with our country and this country’s king.”

“Can I do it with my friends?” You watched with curious eyes, taking note of where he had written his name and the fact that it must be sealed with wax and his ring.

“Of course, little one. I shall have to teach you how to write your name so you can sign your promise.”

You beamed, eager to employ this newfound knowledge and practice of sealing your promises of friendship.

You were unable to read as well but it was no matter, your papa will teach you. It was your memory that was prodigious and you remembered his process. First, he took parchment from his sheaf of papers. He signed his name on the first empty space, then the other man did as your father had. They shook hands. Your father poured hot wax and placed the sigil on the promise and placed it on different sheaf of papers.

It was simple enough for you to do.

You recalled that moment you had done it. You had visited the palace with your father and he had let you play around the grounds while he conducted business with the other diplomats of the kingdom. Prince James had been but a boy then, a little older than you were but not old enough to talk affairs of the kingdom. He had been in the garden alone and you approached him with the idea of trying your newfound way of sealing friendships. You had not realized that you had plucked a marriage certificate from the Great Study because, truly, all of your father’s contracts appeared one and the same to you and you had assumed as much for all the papers. You innocently scrawled your name, taking good care in spelling it right as your father had told you. The prince had done the same and with your father’s ring, you sealed your—and the prince’s—fate.

“You recognize it then,” asked the king as he snatched the offending paper away.

“Your Majesty—” The apology did not slip past your lips.

“You may look innocent but I sense ambition in you, girl,” remarked the adviser. There was a hint of malice in his words and you flinched.

“Grand Duke.” There was a warning edge to King George’s tone. He turned to you once more. “You recognize this certificate?”

You steeled yourself, standing erect as you drawled out slowly. “It was not my intention to bind myself in marriage to the prince, Sir.” You swallowed. “My father introduced contracts to me as a way of keeping friendships. As a child of six, I did not know of diplomacy or the legitimacies of binding contracts nor the numerous different kinds of it. I only took the paper as I had assumed all were one and the same. I signed my name and had the prince sign his and stamped it the ring my father had me hold for safekeeping. I did not know that any agreement signed by the prince and sealed with the royal stamp would be legally binding even at so young an age.”

The silence that followed echoed in the throne room. Your boots scraped against the marble floor and you were once again reminded that you were unfit to be meeting with the king in such a state. Women, even common folk, were expected to be in dresses and long skirts. You shunned those articles of clothing whenever you were traveling the waters, finding breeches, shirts, and practical boots better than the full hoops of the skirt that often got in the way whenever you walked about the ship. The sailors were used to seeing you in this garb and did not find it offending at all that you were not dressed like a lady but to the eyes of the king and the Grand Duke and perhaps the many a footman you had passed before entering the throne room, you looked downright scandalous.

“We will keep you in the palace, Y/N.” proclaimed the king, which made you turn to him once more.

Evidently, the news shocked the Grand Duke as well because he turned to the monarch with his question plain on his face. King George held up a hand to his adviser and sat on his throne before answering.

“We will keep you in the palace until we find a solution to this impasse.”

“Of course, Sir,” you replied because what else was there to say?

“Surely, you understand the delicacy of this matter. I would not have you proclaiming to the people that you are the new princess—or rather, had been their princess for near two decades already.”

You were offended at his insinuation but did not show it. You had no right to show indignation towards the king.

“In here, you are contained. You shall still be free to roam the palace grounds as you please but we will not have you out of it. If so, you shall have a chaperone and we would be informed of your itinerary.”

You only nodded. You were a creature of adventure; the very notion of being confined within the palace grounds was comparable to have your wings clipped. But I had started this problem and I must pay for my childish ignorance, you thought to yourself.

You were set to sail with your father once again to the return to the distant land of Wakanda. It had been your life; traveling from one kingdom to another. You had learned of cultures and languages, of food and dance, and everything it was that you could ever beheld. Your home kingdom might be tiny and beautiful but the world beyond held more possibilities that you never once thought was within your grasp.

Oh, how you would have wanted to walk your father’s footsteps as Brookland’s new diplomat. You learned from all the travels you have done; your father had made you his apprentice and had taught you everything he knew of his trade. People still underestimated you. It was unheard of for someone of the fairer sex to be an ambassador, so you had never tried. You only acted as an adviser to your father within the confines of his office walls, honing your innate talent of persuasion and diplomacy.

Sadly, your dreams were once again stalled.

“Your Majesty, since I am common folk, my presence in the palace will arouse suspicion.”

The king nodded. “It is all being taken care of. My son's cousin will be arriving soon and you shall pose as a guest with him. You are merely early in your arrival.”

“Of course, Sir.” You paused and looked down to your clothes before turning back to the monarch “There is also a matter of my trunks, Your Majesty. I have arrived empty-handed.”

King George looked at you from your head to your boots. “Are all your clothes thus?”

You shook your head. “No, Sir. This is what I wear when I am traveling the seas. I do not find it practical to wear a skirt whilst I am on deck and the tides are high.”

“Ah, yes. You travel with your father.”

“Yes, Sir.”

He nodded. “I cannot allow you to leave the palace so soon after we have talked. Write him a missive for your trunks but do not mention your business here.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You may go.”

“My King,” you genuflected at the monarch before doing the same to the Grand Duke. “Your Grace.”

You stepped backwards, keeping the front of your body towards the king as you slowly went out of the throne room. Once the doors had closed, you heaved a great sigh and straightened, only to knock against someone behind you. You turned and gasped, rooted in place, at the sight of the man before you.

It was the prince. Prince James Buchanan Barnes. Prince James with his dark hair and fiercely blue eyes and features that told you he truly was the son of Brookland. He had grown handsome over the years, which shouldn’t come as a surprise as his father was a handsome man as well. James—were you allowed to address him as James?—had a firm look on his face, a bit reminiscent of his father’s gaze as he watched you. Broad of the shoulders and fit of the body, his muscled legs were encased in tight white breeches and his coat brought out the color of his eyes. They were as blue as the sea and as clear as the sky.

Your husband. What an absurd notion!

“Careful,” he said as he held you by your arms. His voice was deep and smooth and it caressed you in places that you never thought were possible.

You ogled at the prince. As much as you wanted to look away, you cannot. His gaze held you, searching your eyes and quite frankly, perhaps even your soul. Even if you had nothing to hide, you were scared of the things he would find there. Like the matter of your being bound to him in marriage.

Your heart skipped a beat. It had nothing to do with your being nervous of him finding out about your accidental ploy of being married to him but more of the fact that you had never been looked at like how he was looking at you. Your appearance was unkempt and you had not been able to properly tie your hair but something about his stare made you feel like you were much more beautiful than you truly look. He made you feel emotions not even the best of the world could offer and for the life of you, you had no idea why.

Your knees buckled and you bent down in an ungraceful curtsy. It did not escape your notice that your arms were still caged by his fingers. The heat from his hands seeped through the soft cotton of your shirt into your skin and you gave a shaky breath. “Your Highness, my apologies. I did not see you—”

“James. I thought the hunt would have run you ragged.” You heard the king say as the doors open behind you.

Princes James gave you curious smile and you realized he had no idea of who you were or why you were there. Would it change if he knew? You wondered absently. Your eyes still lingered on his lips.

“It is all right. No need to apologize.” he said.

You turned to his eyes as you rose to your full height. His hands left your arms and the imprints that he left warmed you as you were ushered away.

…

Prince James Buchanan Barnes was, for all intents and purposes, an apprentice. His whole life he was schooled to be the next king of Brookland. He was taught to be a soldier to know of battle strategies. He had masters who taught him philosophies and history. He was knowledgeable in three languages because his parents had insisted he learn two more so he can converse with more people. He was, essentially, an apprentice monarch. And a king, even one still learning the trade, needed a queen.

Which brought him to the matter at hand. His father had promised his hand to the Grand Duke Zemo’s niece. He had never set eyes on her before and was only sent a portrait that he and his father had looked at and had deemed her beautiful. Her country was powerful and Brookland—albeit teeming with natural and mineral resources—needed to ally with a kingdom for its protection. Marrying a princess from a rich and powerful country was the correct step in ensuring the best for the kingdom. It was what his father had done with his mother. It was fortunate that his parents had fallen in love despite the circumstances.

“I was not aware Princess Natasha was arriving today,” James said as he pried his eyes away from your retreating figure.

It was unusual for him to see a princess not in their finest clothes, either, especially one from a country that was advertised to him as bountiful and rich. He had no qualms, however, about seeing you in such a state. Clad in what was commonly considered as undergarments, you were a small person than what the portrait had let on. You came only until his chin and even then, you still seemed tinier. Your legs were enclosed in buckskin leather, much like his own when he went hunting, and it made him wonder if maybe you hunted as well. You wore a dress shirt beneath a curious piece of waistcoat that you had tucked in the waistband of your breeches and it accentuated your rounded hips and ample bottom. You wore none of those heeled shoes he knew ladies favored. Instead, your feet were clad in flat boots that went up to your knees and showcased your perfect calves. Albeit you were dressed inappropriately, it did not escape him that you were dressed practically. And sensually, he thought to himself.

You were beautiful in the portrait but in person, you were exquisite. The painter failed to capture the smattering of freckles across your nose or the hint of lightness on your hair. There was a small scar on the side of your cheek that he did not notice when he beheld your picture; perhaps the painter found it wise to not include the blemish lest it deterred him from making an offer of marriage to you, even if it was not his idea to be wed to you. Be that as it may, the scar endeared him to you. It made you appear more tangible, more… real, and nothing like the uptight version your uncle had painted you to be.

“Heavens, no. I would never associate myself with that—that thing.” Zemo said, looking at your back in what could only be termed as disgust.

James raised a brow. So you were not the princess. “I would assume that thing has a name and a purpose?” When his question was met with silence, he turned to the king. “Father?”

“Walk with me, boy.” was all the king said. He waved his hand away to his adviser. “Thank you, Grand Duke. We do not need you in this talk.”

“Your Majesty. Your Highness.” Zemo bowed as King George led James away.

He followed his father down the Hall of Portraits. He remembered his lessons of his family’s history, of the important people who had changed the laws and the lives of many. King Alphonse. Queen Mariam. Queen Winnifred, his mother. He knew it best not to dwell on his mother’s untimely death around his father, whom he knew was still mourning her. She had left them so suddenly and they both had not been the same ever since. It did, however, brought them even closer.

“James,” his father started as they arrived in the garden. “There is a matter I wish for you to know.”

Rarely did his father venture this far into the gardens. Queen Winnifred had kept a small alcove for her personal use, locked away but still kept clean by the royal gardener. James often went there when he needed time for himself. His father did not.

“Yes, father?” James asked, watching his father closely as he sat.

Since his wife’s death, the king’s health had deteriorated rapidly. The doctors had deemed it a great depression, one the king will brave in a few months’ time, but James knew his father would never recover from the death of his beloved. Every day he feared his father would leave him so soon after his mother had. The mere idea frightened him.

“You are promised to Princess Natasha,” King George said, to which James nodded. “But there is a small matter we must address before you wed her.”

He raised an inquiring brow. “Does she not want to be wed?”

“She wishes to be wed to you, James. However, we find ourselves at a loss for something you have done some twenty years ago.” He patted the space beside him on the bench and the prince sat.

Twenty years ago? What could he have done at eight years old for his father to remark on now?

“Are we bringing up old sins, father? Because if we are, I do not remember what I had done at eight years old that would bear remembering.”

“My boy,” the king clasped his son on the shoulder. It was a fatherly touch but also that of a king, a touch that brooked no argument.

“You are already married.”

James frowned. Married? Surely, he would have remembered the festivities that came with the union.

“Married? I don’t remember meeting my bride or signing a marriage contract.” He turned to his father. “Are you well, father? Perhaps we should return inside. The sun—” The sun had killed his mother. He did not wish the same for his father.

The king waved his hand away. “I am well, son. Do not worry about my health.” He looked sternly at the young prince. “You are not married to the Princess Natasha but you have been married for two decades now.”

“Father, I must ask you to speak plainly. I had been married for two decades? And not to the princess I was promised? Then who am I married to?”

“Do you know anyone by the name of Y/N Y/L/N?”

James’s frown deepened. He readily denied but stopped short.

Y/N. The name sounded familiar to him. And then he knew. He remembered; the girl he had invited inside is mother’s secret garden and had played with under his favorite tree. Familiar eyes that lit up as they smiled at him, the same ones who had looked upon him just a few moments before. You had brought a paper to him—a promise of friendship, you had said—and he signed it with no hesitation.

“She is that girl you thought was the Princess Natasha, my boy.”

James looked back to the door they had came through, as though he would see you appear if he called your name out loud.

“She is your wife.”

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes royal au #bucky x reader #bucky barnes fic #prince bucky barnes x reader #prince!bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes au #bucky x female reader #bucky barnes x female reader #bucky barnes x you #james bucky barnes #james buchanan barnes #marvel royal au #marvel historical au #prince!bucky #bucky barnes x y/n #my crown upon your head fic #beananacake writes

317 notes · View notes