#war veteran bucky barnes

[bittersweet-in-boston]

Modern no powers mystery fic featuring our favorite two ding dongs - here’s the prologue, chapters will post every day or two over the next week

#stucky #bucky barnes #steve rogers #captain america #marvel #stevebucky #modern au #pre serum steve #lawyer steve rogers #war veteran bucky barnes #shrinkyclinks #kind of? #murder mystery #omg it’s done runs and hides

[builder051]

Adverse Effects (ch.4 Who's calling what now? No one signed up for this.)

A chasing Ghosts story. Last chapter. I promise. It will come to an ending.

Warnings: The usual: college drinking, drug use, alcohol, flashbacks to war/bad childhood/etc., seizures, emeto, migraines, photosensitivity, threats (mild, like calling the cops on a party), mentions of hospitals/ambulances, petty crime, bad choices... That should cover the basics. This one is tamer than the previous chapter.

___________________

Steve puts his arm around James's shoulders and approaches the bouncer from the head of the VIP line.

"You paid ahead?" He looks uncomfortable in his fitted black jacket. The bouncer sticks his finger between his collar and his neck. His tie's definitely a clip on.

"Um, no," Steve says. "But we're just here to look for our little sister. She might've come in with a football player?"

The bouncer narrows his eyes. "You trying to say I don't check IDs? That I'm not so good at my job?"

"No, sir." Steve answers, putting his free hand up, with his palm open and his elbow locked at 90 degrees. "Not at all."

James wonders if Steve wants him to pipe up, but he doesn't have a lot of confidence in his ability to speak. Plus, he's interested in what Steve will say next.

"She has a fake." Steve feigns shame, sucking in his lip. "I've been trying to get it off her, get her to lay off the partying. It's not like her 21st is that far away."

Laughter makes easy punctuation. Steve knows good and well that Tasha's barely tipped 19, but his... attractiveness, James guesses? Steve's straight nose and perma-cheery personality, and everyone just assumes he's telling the truth. James has never had that power, and he's still in the dark as to how it works.

"Your little sister?" The bouncer looks pointedly at Steve, then moves his gaze to James, who probably resembles a shaggy-haired scarecrow with the fold of Steve's jacket behind his neck. They probably look more buddy-buddy than pair mated.

"So, you guys, like, brothers?"

Steve shifts and pulls out his wallet. "It's not that important. Here, I have my ID. We're both over 21."

"What's with him?" The bouncer gives James a severe look. He probably thinks he's already wasted, which, honestly, isn't a bad guess. "Why's he not talking?"

James lifts his chin an inch or so. He's going for neutral. Battle casual. The way you're meant to watch the slide show and the commanding officer giving the brief at the same time. Interested. Respectful. But not oogling. Not creepy. He hopes his clenched jaw isn't too obvious. That would be a good baseline, at least.

"Disabled vet, man." Steve uses his powers again. Informing. Reminding. Putting people in their place. But not in a pushy, rude, ego-trampling way.

Steve doesn't pull that card a lot. A little strategic, maybe, but he and James don't play the system as much as they probably could. Steve care is much better than public accessibility and the VA. But, bus seating, the movie theater exit row, idling the car in the fire lane... They are benefits, and, as much as James hates admitting it, they are beneficial to him. There is a fine line between getting what he needs and losing his identity to the system, though. And crossing over is one of James's greatest fears.

Right this moment, though, he'll take what he can get. An explanation is definitely called for, because otherwise, his presence tonight makes no sense.

If Steve passes for the worried brother, James is sure he looks like that one embarrassing friend, the big-guy-lightweight, the shower-not-grower who gets wasted early and winds up at the literal mercy of his friends, lest he wake up naked in somebody's front yard, clueless, apologetic, and unaware that this is a serial habit.

It's almost amusing-- James has no alcohol in his system. And no drugs. Well, except caffeine. The prescription medications in his bloodstream, fading rapidly to levels far lower than therapeutic, probably aren't providing much protection from the migraine about to crack over his head, or a seizure grabbing onto autopilot at any moment.

Being out at would-be-bedtime is not a smart idea. But recharging with his next doses of meds brings on immediate hibernation. He's stuck between hell and, well, hell. Fuck Tasha and this goddamn mission. Whether James is the ride-along or the brother, the football player or the treadmill fixer, America's bravest on honorable discharge, or just a guy losing his shit, it isn't important. Steve's already said so.

The bouncer is forcing a stalemate, though. That's the thing about Steve. He protects his own, but he doesn't fight back. He builds walls. Agrees to disagree

It's James that has a crusty edge, bringing them together as a balanced team. Couple. Whatever you want to call it. James can't always stop the sharpness in his tone, but it comes in quite useful when the server needs to really, leave the spilled coffee, don't ask if he's ok, and don't dial 911. James will have his panic attack in the bathroom, then throw some napkins on the spill, and slink out the back door. There's a reason he doesn't like eye contact.

He has to, sparingly, look into the bouncer's face, though. James sighs, willing all parts of his body and bodily fluids into their respective places, if only for the moment.

"Look," James says. "We're trying to help you do your job."

The bouncer seems around James's age. Maybe a little younger. A little heavier. Not so much life experienced etched in lines around his eyes. Or perhaps he's always had oily skin and resided in a humid climate. James would take him on, one to nothing, in just about any contest of strength. Darts. Dash-n-grab. Probably not Greco-Roman wrestling, though. Then the dude would probably just sit on him.

"Tasha's a turd. It's just, like, what she does." James makes the mistake of shrugging his flesh-set in silicone-set in metal shoulder. It only sets off a mild tingling, and he didn't really mean to do it; it was just that his other arm was busy keeping him upright by wedging between two of Steve's upper ribs. If he doesn't think about it, it shouldn't set off all the bells and whistles. And phantom limb pain, really? That's left him alone for, what, a year? Now is definitely not the time.

James bites down on his lip and his tongue a few times. He tries speaking again. "You know, like the big brother and the guy friend, or the dad friend, or whatever? Checking out the new boyfriend? To see if he's cool? Like, clean?" Perhaps he'll catch the bouncer on a more personal level?

But that just makes the guy look torn. He glances to his counterpart, who is turned away as he deals with the sluggish non-VIP line. Then he looks back to James and Steve, brows lowered.

James, despite the chaos in his head, knows perfectly what the bouncer is thinking. It's fair, and it's probably what he'd do in the reverse of the situation. It's most definitely what Steve would do.

"Well," the bouncer jerks his thumb over the velvet rope. "Go to that line and show your IDs--"

They don't have time for that. More specifically, James doesn't have the patience for that. And the quicker Steve vacates his stupid parking spot, the better.

James nabes his lip with his front teeth and splits it. He tastes blood, anyway, which is marginally better than bile, though it will look worse when it all inevitably comes up.

James knows what they have to do. It's not among the 27 thousand slapstick solutions he and Steve talked through earlier, during the mission planning session, but this is better. And it's going to work.

A snort of wry laughter escapes through James's nose as he carefully chooses his words. Or, as it be, silent stand-ins.

James nudges Steve in the armpit, then points his gaze to the iPhone protruding a centimeter or so from Steve's pocket. On the way of raising his head up, James twitches in the bouncer's direction. Then, using as little energy as possible, he locks eyes with Steve. Just long enough to ensure he catches and returns the smile, nod, and flash of a wink.

"What?" The bouncer asks loudly, flatly, and with a spit spray of matching intensity. "You--?"

"Well," Steve clears his throat. "We could do that. Wait in the other line." He pauses. "Or we could make a call and have you raided for having and serving underage customers."

The bouncer goes a bit pale. He adjusts the back of his hat. Tilts his clipboard just enough so they can see the pages upon it are completely blank.

Steve makes a fine line with his lips. "It's the truth, mam. We gotta, you know, do the right thing."

The bouncer swallows heavily. Taps his blank pages. Maybe inciting a tremor.

Now it's James's turn. "Or, you could let us in, grab the fucking rascal, and get out of here. Maybe we won't call the cops." James stops to take a breath. "Or your boss. Main number's on the website, right? Google Maps pin?"

"Uh--" The bouncer stutters. He's nodding, whether he's aware of it or not. People tend to agree with agressers when they pose plausible threats. It's... just something humans do. They have to be trained out of it. Plus one for the Army. And Steve's and Tasha's behaviors? Only to be expected.

"Um. Yeah?" The bouncer's voice comes out higher than it did previously. Maybe he's truly frightened. It doesn't matter. They've already closed the deal.

"Just go. Be fast. And don't go back out through this door!"

"Cool." Steve claps the bouncer on the shoulder. "Thanks. You're saving our lives."

The bouncer waves furiously at them, as if to blow them into the building and far away from him and his responsibilities. Like cops on patrol still puff up and yell "Get out of here!" at young bicyclists, even when they can recite the bylaws back, word-for-word, and explain that non-motor vehicle tickets cannot go on one's permanent record.

But nobody's exceeding the speed limit by coasting down concrete hills in the hood. That weird, neglected, unsupervised place that used to be the burbs until it got trashy and someone built new burbs, but nobody could afford to move there. It's not like anyone can afford to live here, either, in the flat neighborhoods that swallow the college a good three miles in every direction. No one bikes because it's too dangerous with the traffic, and permanent records actually are at stake, seeing as foster care and all claims of juvenile status are up and vanished. Those days of kiddie freedom are gone for good. And it sucks.

Something, though has James's attention. The thud of the bass from the dance floor? Nah, it's crappy drywall vibrating with crowd and speaker systems. Their apartment does the same thing. But it's rhythmic, synchronizing with something deep inside him. Not his auto-adjusting hearing aids. Something in his center, like his heartbeat. Except that's stupid, because vintage punk does not sustain one's most basic body systems.

It's like the air outside. It's weird. Distinctly noticeable. Almost...nostalgic? James feels as if he's been here. Like he's allowed to belong here. Maybe it's something to do with one of his past lives, rising to the surface just long enough to provide him with a whiff of familiarity before he's lost again in the overwhelming mess of tonight's activities. But... this place exists. And he could come back. With Steve. Maybe Tasha. As long as she drinks Diet Sprite and cherries.

"Ok, she's wearing purple, right?" Steve cups his hand around his mouth and leans in close to James's ear, but he still has to shout over the music and general noise.

"Yeah, like a lace thing..." James decides to spare the diatribe about trendy womens' wear and sheer tops and whether or not Tasha understands the idea of undergarments-- at all, let alone pieces appropriate to the occasion.

"Oh! I see her!" Steve points to a blurry conglomeration of people who eep dancing in and out of James's blind spot. The aura goes swimmingly with the disco ball, providing both eyes with an assault of silvery stars.

"Is Maria tall, or can she just walk better in tall shoes?" Steve stands on his toes and squints.

"No clue. Tash is great en pointe, but sucks at drag."

Steve laughs uproariously. "There has got to be a story behind that."

"Mm." James has to let go of Steve's shoulder. There's a massive increase in the pressure behind the bridge of his nose, and, somehow, logic tells him to rub hard with finger and thumb jammed into the corners of his eye sockets. James's hand is clammy. So is his face. The urge to throw up is coming on again. Pressure builds in his body. Then... he has no body. He just feels his head, with excruciating pain in his ears. His jaw. An ax cleaving his forehead--

James's foot is stuck atop the manhole cover. His toe strikes concrete. Again. Again. Why can't he lift his knee?

But then the joint breaks, and he can't support anything on that leg. There goes the hip, and with it, the other knee. James's hips are rocking. He can't control the direction of the momentum, though. That's all he needs, and then he can stand up.

Where the fuck is Steve? Why hasn't he put James back on his feet? There's a wisp of frustration, passing like a shooting star, before it all goes to hell.

James can't hear; his head buzzes with white noise so loud it's surely making blood ooze from his eardrums. He can't see. It's too bright and dark and painful all at the same time, and he can't tell if his eyes are open or closed. James struggles to recall if he has more senses, and bats out with his hand. He hits something. Hard but soft? Pants? If that's what they're called?

James must've grabbed and pulled, because the shadow of Steve bends and squats. "No, you can't have that." Steve removes James's grip from his ankle and offers his wrist instead. "Lie down. Come on. On your side."

Movement happens. James neither initiates it nor approves of it. He cares less about the weightlessness than he does about the spasms of his pylorus, but it's all lost a second later when James seems to have forgotten how to breathe.

But-- oh. Clicky sounds. Steve's watch against his teeth. At least James isn't choking anymore. But all it's good for is making a passage for expulsive vomit, which comes out all over James's face, and his shirt, and the floor.

He can do nothing to hold it down. Just as he can do nothing to stop his arms and legs and spine from twitching and spasming and sending shooting pains through his body every time a bone or joint makes contact with the solid ground.

"Buck?" Steve's hand is cool against James's cheek. Spiking a fever, giving everyone a good spare. James is an expert, even though he never does so on purpose.

Steve tries again. "You with me?"

James blinks. Makes the effort to part his lips. Pulls his fingers into his fist and tries to sign. James catches a glimpse of steve's forehead, a dash of his fine blonde hair, but, like a streak of sun between rain clouds, he can't hold on. One of James's eyes begins rolling again, and that just makes him sick.

James has tried telling Steve how the seizures feel; how they combine the symptoms of severe nausea, the pain of lying on a bed of nails, and a night of restless leg syndrome. But even that doesn't quite get to it. The episodes of uncontrollable and barely senseable body movements and misfires undo him, tear him apart, and not on the seams that are visible and easily mended. He'll recover. He'll be fine. It just...happens sometimes. Personally, James suspects the strobe. He reacts to that rare trigger, and sometimes mechanical devices detonate and events unfold beyond his control... Fuck DBT and the whole radical acceptance thing, but. Well. James doesn't care to flip another coin.

Steve's watch makes mechanical sounds. Not in James's mouth. On the floor. Steve's taken the band off his wrist, and now he glances at the time, all whilst guarding James's limp body in elbow plank. James hopes he's on his knees, even though Steve can probably do semi and full indefinitely, keeping them safely side by side.

"That's time," Steve says, a worried note in his voice. "Three minutes are up. I've got to, you know, med you and call a squad? That's the guidelines and stuff..."

James fights to get the cogs turning. Comprehension has landed. Response... he's working on it.

"God," James croaks. "No. Fuck, no." He coughs and tries to move his head. All that accomplishes is bringing on a retch and a series of tremors down his arm, which have almost certainly distracted anyone and everyone from hearing his answer.

"Hey, breathe," Steve reminds him.

James reluctantly takes the advice. He's barely come around to realizing he has a body, and that there is a world containing not only him, but also Steve. The crowd of curious bystanders remain in the ether.

"I don't think you're quite back yet." Steve speaks slowly and gently. He gives James a pat down, which only brings to light the fact that he's soaked.

"Did you even bring a wallet?" Steve pulls his hand out of James's back pocket. "Where are your meds?"

It takes a hiccup and a spasm, but James has an answer for that, too. "Car."

"Bucky, hey, I'm really sorry." Steve's practically the one shaking now. James can sense his anxiety. "The ER is down the street, but going to get the car is going to take way longer than--"

"No!" James isn't sure if he's meaning to be loud or forceful or just heard. He's not so bad off now. He can open his eyes without feeling like they're being burned with a laser now. It's not proof he can walk, or that his brain isn't still playing the old Nintendo Tanks game with itself, but it's an improvement.

James actually feels like, once somebody pulls him off the floor, he could puke a couple more times, maybe off somebody's back porch, then hustle a glass of water and a clean shirt from a buddy and take up the offer to sleep it off on the couch and devour a frozen waffle in the morning.

He's not in base housing with the other kids, though, enjoying their last few days before shipping out. James has not, nor will he ever be, a college kid riding the freedom of a dark lawn and a few hours yet till sunrise to wildly waste his time. Like...friends dunking each other in the fountain. He would totally dunk Steve in a fountain, Mr. Swimmer and all that stuff. But James isn't sure their university even has one...

What is he even doing? Why is his brain even considering this shit? Steve is the one talking sense here. James might think he knows himself, but what the hell, he's had a migraine and suspicious flashbacks all evening, so shutting up and going along with Steve is probably the better move.

"What the- Jamie? What? And you?" The last part comes with far too much accusation, but Tasha's late arrival is nothing but comically adorable.

"Sorry?" Steve says with hesitation. "We're kind of late with your...ride?"

"Huh?" Tasha understands subtlety, at least James thinks she does. She's just not good at applying it when it's not her idea to begin with. "But what happened? Tasha makes a move as if to kneel down, but with her unsteady shoes and all the puke on the floor, she winds up staying upright.

"Aw, the usual," James says hoarsely.

Steve starts talking at the same time. "We were going to pick you up. And go to... the..."

James coughs loudly again. Mostly on purpose.

"Right." Steve picks back up. "Now we have to go to the hospital, so you should go in the ambulance, and I'll go get the car." A frightened look passes his face. "If I still have a car..."

"A what about your car?" Tasha looks blankly at him.

"I might've... parked in a bad spot," Steve admits, without completely spilling the details of his mistake. "But, anyway," he moves on quickly, "You'll have to sign the consent for them to administer Versed, put him in the MRI, and put him under observation until, oh," Steve checks his watch, then bobs his head as he counts silently. "9:30 tomorrow morning?"

"I gotta stay up all night?" Tasha asks, tone verging on complainey.

"Well, were you planning to go to bed early tonight?" Steve's beaming, but his joke doesn't land.

"Fuck you." Tasha crosses her arms. The tiny triangles of her bra are, in fact, neon pink.

"Hospital pancakes are not that bad," Steve insists. He digs the car keys from his pocket. "And you are legally the next of kin."

Tasha has to pull out her claws a little, just to prove she can fight, despite her usual needy cute kitten act. She hates looking like she's capable of caretaking. Regarding herself, and everyone else.

Thing is, though, that's an act, too. She's seen James in and out of the hospital before, and she knows it turns out fine. She can be in charge of James. Take his prosthetic on and off. Shoot disgusting medicated gel into his gumline. It's nothing. And nothing like it was an hour earlier when there was imminent danger for a different member of the party.

"I know this isn't exactly like we planned for it to end," Steve says. "But I'm pretty sure we're clear of danger, uh, mostly, and all that's left is the phone call." He looks amongst them, probably to ascertain understanding, but Tasha's clearly lost, and James isn't ready to let laughter out of his throat, lest more bile come with it.

"I gotta scram before we call the cops on ourselves and I get a ticket for self-sabotage." Steve points toward the back door and it's glowing exit sign. Then he raises his brows to Tasha. "You want to do the honors? You do know the phone number, right?"

It's clearly another tease, but Steve deserves the finger Tasha shoots him after she starts scrolling through her phone and answers him with a terse ASL "yes."

"Cool. See you guys soon?" Steve gives a last look or assurance before starting at a clip to the back door. James wonders if his paranoia will end up as beneficiary or overkill.

Once Steve's out of sight, Tasha rolls her eyes and gives James a sideways smile. "What do you want? The ambulance and the gurney? The non-emergency police help desk? Or CrimeStoppers?"

#fanfic #fanfiction #marvel #mcu #college au #captain america #steve rogers #bucky barnes #natasha romanov #natasha romanoff #sickfic #migraine #headaches #seizure #emeto #emetophilia #illness and injury #hurt/comfort #war veteran bucky barnes #operation iraqi freedom #alcohol #college drinking #drug use #relationship issues #bad childhood #foster system #hospitals #ambulance #police

[sailorkamino]

love the idea of taking soldiers to an arcade/carnival. they confidently roll up to every shooting game like "you want the big prize babe?" bonus points if they get a low score and start raving it's inaccurate.

#clone wars #the mandalorian #call of duty #task force 141 #bucky barnes #steve rogers #sam wilson #marvel #avengers #inspired by my veteran dad <3

[ajaxisaloser]

bucky better than me if sam wilson pulled my antisuicide therapy seat closer so our thighs were interlocked i would fold like a plastic chair

#bucky barnes #sam wilson #the falcon and the winter soldier #jesus christ i want him #why doesnt anyone think my mental illness is cute #no ones like aww they hallucinate and have frequent panick attacks xoxo #so trauma induced nightmares are only cute when its a giant buff war veteran with a metal arm sure whatever its fine i dont even care #just saying i would also benefit from someone kissing me to make me feel better

[buckrecs]

2023 𝙗𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙮 𝙗𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙘 𝙧𝙚𝙘 3

masterlist | ✨- fav fics | status - completed

All of them are COMPLETE Series.

1. Galavano by @ichorai

Bucky x Reader

a series that follows the hero galvano through the events of the mcu!

2. Time (D)rift by @darkficsyouneveraskedfor

Dark!Bucky x Reader Apocalypse AU

The end has come and gone as you keep waiting for your own.

3. Uncontrollable by @fictional-affairs

Bucky x Widow!Reader

The year is 1992. The Winter Soldier is under HYDRA’s control, and the Red Widow is under Dreykov’s control, but when they find out their organizations are working together to have them kill each other, they decide to make a deal.

4. The Lake House by @rustytricycle

Dark!Bucky x Dark!Reader

You decide to spend the summer before Freshman year of college with two of your girlfriends at one of their parents’ lake house. It turns out that Captain America and his two best friends are staying next door. Bucky thinks you might be his perfect girl. But are you too perfect?

5. turn a blind eye by @sergeantxrogers

Bucky x Reader

The Winter Soldier was cold. Brutal. Unflinching. A machine formulated to comply. Bucky Barnes was the sun warming your skin, your happy pill. Loving him was like bittersweet liquor, sickeningly sweet when you sip, harsh and burning when you swallow.

6. Rooftop Sessions by @forever-rogue

Bucky x Therapist!Reader

Y/N is a therapist that works with war veterans that ends up meeting a mysterious stranger who asks for her help.

7. it’s all fun and games, until you catch feelings by @prettyyoungtragedy

Bucky x Reader

You’re pining after Steve and Bucky is pining after Nat, what better way to distract yourself from those two perfect humans than to distract yourselves with each other?! Fuck buddies it is then.

8. oh my delightful heart by @prettyyoungtragedy

Sequel to it’s all fun and games

Bucky Barnes is the sweetest dumbest most adoring boyfriend any girl could ever ask for... 

9. Follow My Lead by @ciarawritesmarvel ✨

Bucky x Reader

You and your new friend Wanda are enjoying a day together at the Avengers Tower, her giving you a tour around the place when you both run into the infamous Bucky Barnes. Moments later, he’s introducing you to Sam as his girlfriend and placing a kiss on your temple and you’re not sure you’ve ever been so confused in your life.

10. The Maid of Mr. Barnes by @disasterofastory

Mob!Bucky x Reader

You get a job as Mr. Barnes's maid. You heard about the notorious gangster, but since you desperately need money and a place to live, you are not in a position to be picky.

11. Guiding Light by @wkemeup ✨

Bucky x Avenger!Reader

It was supposed to be a simple mission. Get the intel and go home. Until everything goes wrong and you’re taken captive by Hydra. While you struggle to stay alive and hold your sanity, Bucky begins to lose himself to a darkness and gives into the soldier because he doesn’t know how to breathe without you. Not until he brings you home. If he even can.

12. Home | Better by @softlyspector ✨

Bucky x Reader Modern AU

Bucky comes home from his second tour overseas, after a long time away from the reader.

13. Mad For You by @i-am-a-closet-fanfic-fiend

Bucky x Reader Modern AU

Nat hosts a costume masquerade. Bucky meets the Alice to his Hatter. Shenanigans ensue. 

14. Sanguis Sanguinis Mei by @captainscanadian

Vampire!Bucky x Vampire!Reader

It took Bucky Barnes two centuries with the blood of his blood to realize how much he loved her. This is their story. 

15. Another World by @sinner-as-saint

Alien!Bucky x Reader

In a futuristic world - a millennium from now, you and your team rescue and care for stranded and hurt otherworldly beings; who are held captive and kept on Earth against their wills. You save them from the bad guys who exploit them. You help them adjust to your planet’s life, and give them their freedom back. Then one day, while on a rescue mission, you come across a human-like extraterrestrial being; in a cryogenic chamber, with a missing arm. And nothing is ever the same again…

16. Picking Up The Pieces by @gogolucky13

Bucky x Reader Modern AU

Bucky chooses to stay in his tumultuous relationship knowing you’ll be there to pick up the pieces, until finally you’re not.

17. Knight In Rusty Armor by @revengingbarnes ✨

Knight!Alpha!Bucky x Queen!Omega!Reader

For the sake of politics and to get rid of you, their omega daughter, the King and Queen of England marry you off to the King of France. Settling into an unfamiliar monarchy is a tedious process all by itself, but a new problem arises soon after your arrival at your new home. One of the Knights turns out to be your true mate. Your Alpha. The one you are meant to be with. But you’re mated to someone else. And that someone else is the King of France.

18. The Escaped Bride by @marvelouslytrekking

Pirate!Bucky x Reader

Being forced to marry someone was not something you wanted, but when it turns out that it is to your best friend, who you secretly loved, things weren’t so bad. Unfortunately, good things don’t seem to last and when the worst happens, you refuse to sit around and be miserable. Will you find true love again, or will your life be turned upside down?

19. Plot Twist by @winterarmyy

Mafia!Bucky x Reader

An arranged marriage with mafia!bucky.

20. The Road Goes Ever On and On by @rocketrhap3000 ✨

Bucky x Single Mom!Reader

Life as a single mother of a three year old certainly has its struggles. But when a sweet stranger makes his way into you and your little boy’s life, a one of a kind connection sparks.

21. you’re my desire by @marvelouslizzie & @notafunkiller

40s!Bucky x Reader

Your best friend drags you out on a double date. You were supposed to be Steve Rogers’ date but plans change pretty quickly and you end up in Bucky Barnes’ arms.

22. Death Do Us Part by @sgtjbuccky ✨

God Of Death!Bucky x Mortal!Reader

For centuries, the God of Death had known two things about mortals. One, they were his job, his to collect when their days came to an end, and two, they were obnoxiously odd beings. Their purpose ceased to make sense to him. Never did he understand why they created a life for themselves, why they loved, why they loved other mortals when they knew that none of it would last forever. It was nothing but sheer stupidity, but that was until he met you. A mortal unlike any other. A mortal that would make him question everything. A mortal that would teach the God of Death how to live.

23. Lost In Each Other by @majestyeverlasting ✨

Dad!Bucky x Mom!Reader

For Bucky, one of the best things to come home to is family. Especially after a day at work. So he's pleasantly surprised when you want to show him a new dress after dinner one night. And it just so happens that little Eden and Jamie find a way to work themselves into the equation. But it all makes for good fun and memories you will never forget.

24. Fight For Me by @littleseasiren

Bucky x Reader

After years in an abusive relationship, you finally get out. When the Avengers decide to raise awareness for your Battered Women's Home, you bump into Bucky Barnes, the hottest, most complicated man you've ever met. He thinks you're too good for him, but when your abusive ex reappears, Bucky knows he has to keep you safe - by any means necessary.

25. call me baby by @cherryrogers ✨

Biker!Bucky x Reader

Returning to Brooklyn for the summer after a year of travelling from city to city, you hadn’t expected to find your best friend, Peggy Carter, hopelessly in love with a biker, and when she decided to introduce you to the rest of his club, you hadn’t expected to fall for one either — that was until you met one with pretty eyes and a habit of calling you baby.

26. Static Verse by @theconstantsidekick ✨

Bucky x Enhanced!Reader

Tony Stark's sister's a fucking badass, codename—Static. Here's her story through the MCU.

27. Bygone by @borntobewondering

Bucky x Reader

You and Peter get sent back in time, and you fall in love with someone unexpected.

28. Clockwork by @aries-writingblog ✨

Bucky x Reader

Bucky has moved on. He’s found a place in the new world of the 21st Century. Found peace. But the past is always half a step behind him, waiting to snatch him backwards- like clockwork.

29. Deny the truth, set the world on fire by @lizatill

Bucky x Reader, Dark!Winter Soldier x Reader

He knew that she was having an affair...she denies, but the love marks on her body are still there. She can't tell him the truth, it will break him - the Winter Soldier is indeed inside of him, fucking her at night and Bucky doesn't remember.

30. Carnations by @viollettes

Bucky x Reader College AU

It’s a simple concept: Students can buy flowers for each other at the carnation sale. Red flowers are for love, pink flowers are for friendship, and white flowers are for expressing secret admiration. A carnation fundraiser, an iota of possibility, and a longtime secret crush on your hot best friend - what could go wrong?

#bucky barnes fic rec #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x f!reader #bucky barnes smut #winter soldier x reader #bucky barnes series #bucky barnes angst #bucky barnes fluff #winter soldier!bucky #bucky barnes x widow!reader #dark!bucky #soft dark!bucky #dark!bucky x dark!reader #bucky barnes fake dating #mob!bucky x reader #vampire!bucky #alpha!bucky x omega!reader #knight!bucky #knight!bucky x queen!reader #pirate!bucky #mafia!bucky #mob!bucky #beefy!bucky #40s!bucky #bucky barnes 40s au #dad!bucky x mom!reader #dad!bucky #bucky barnes college au

[talesofadragon]

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐬

Synopsis: Receiving wind that Hydra has successfully managed to awaken another wave of winter soldiers, Captain America appoints his two best avengers, Bucky Barnes and Y/N Y/L/N, for the job. But aside from Bucky’s trepidation at reliving his worst memories, there’s something else rooting him in his place–the fear of inflicting harm on the woman he loves the most. Between her encouraging words and his violent past, what will happen when Y/N is forced to encounter her boyfriend’s alter ego?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Enhanced!Reader

Warnings: Angst | Fluff

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐬  Masterlist | 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏

𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐄. Ironically, considering his service as a soldier during World War II in the 107th Infantry Regiment. One might assume his story followed the typical trajectory of a veteran—a man who had served and preserved, giving his all until he had nothing left to lose nor gain. 

Bucky faced wars in waves, losing his sense of direction as he battled the currents. Maybe the placidity he yearned for was because of the instabilities and perplexities he'd witnessed, though the peace he needed went far beyond that. From the moment he was reborn into this world, all he ever wanted was to find solace within the hurricane that had upended his life. 

Bucky sought peace, yes. Peace within the chaos of his fractured realities.

The sky lit up, a white veil enveloping the night's somber hues. Its brilliance lingered for a fleeting moment before the darkness regained its dominion. Sometimes, Bucky wondered if the storms were a remedy or a curse. When the sky, such as tonight, wailed and bled, and when the clouds tore themselves up to bits and pieces, was the chaos some twisted form of peace? Or was it his fractured mind pitifully attempting to shroud the truths with another veiled deception?

Rain dropped down in fervor, droplets finding themselves on Bucky’s skin. A part of him told him to move away and give the sky some space to grieve. Another rebutted that he should stay to remind the heavens that they’re not alone.

He raised his head, feeling the water droplets on his face, allowing them to delicately trace his features. The storm was ravenous, tumultuous, mutinous—everything a winter turbulence should be, everything the winter soldier in him was.

And yet, the damned poets he’d read about weren’t too far off in their exuberant analogies, comparing a winter storm to a peaceful spring. As polarizing as it was, there was a certain peace to its violence—a peace that Bucky could experience extrospectively but never conversely.

“James,” he heard behind him. This voice, perhaps, was the nearest semblance of personal tranquility he could reach. It permeated his skin, nestled in every nucleus, exuding an air of calmness and hope. He cherished it when she called him by his name. It was her personal term of endearment. To the world, he was several things: Sergeant Barnes, Bucky, and The Winter Soldier. But to Y/N, his precious Y/N, he was James. And he loved her even more for the simple yet profound reminder.

“I’m scared,” he admitted in a shy whisper, playing with his fingers. Truths came easy with her, despite how he grappled with them in his solitary battles. “Going there… going there will trigger a lot of bad memories. It might even trigger him, too.”

Y/N stepped closer, placing her palm on his left arm. His metal arm. She didn’t miss the way Bucky shut his eyes, which is why her thumb traced invisible shapes on the prosthetic. “You don’t have to go there, baby. You don’t have to do anything if your heart’s not in it.”

“But you’ll be there. I can’t…. I won’t for the life of me let you wander around in that monstrous prison world without me. Especially with all those people there.” Bucky’s lower lip trembled as he spoke. His blue eyes harbored a thousand emotions. Peace, fortitude, courage… they all fought waves of anguish and despair. But love, concern, and fear all remained afloat. 

“James,” Y/N whispered delicately, framing his cheeks with her gentle hands. Bucky nuzzled in her open palms, his lips brushing against her skin. His eyes captured her in an everlasting glance, filled with so much devotion. “I don’t want you to relive your worst nightmare because of me. Yes, you are our primary knowledge hub when it comes to Hydra, but you’re also a part of our family. We would never want to harm you. I would never want to harm you or cause you despair.”

“You could never,” Bucky answered, his hands falling from the railing and finding their place on her hips. He suddenly became aware that she was wearing no more than his Henley and a pair of pajama bottoms in the middle of this storm. So, he pulled her closer and buried her face in his chest.

“I can go with Steve, maybe even Nat. You don’t have to do this. You–”

“It’s not the memories I fear most, angel.”

“Then what is it?” Y/N asked, raising her head to meet his eyes without stepping out of his embrace. “Is it those soldiers they have created?”

Bucky stared at the falling rain, realizing that the two of them had drifted away from the sliding door’s overhang, which shielded Y/N. He tried to step back, but she must’ve falsely interpreted it as his attempt at fleeing because she tightened her hold on him. 

He brushed a strand of her damp hair behind her ear, his thumbs tracing her pink cheek. “What if he comes back?”

“Say his name aloud,” Y/N encouraged. “It’s okay, baby.”

He gulped, closing his eyes for a moment. “The Winter Soldier.” Heaven knew he didn’t want to, and maybe that’s why this whole storm had assaulted New York this evening.

Y/N, on the other hand, didn’t seem to think the same. Calmly, she lifted herself on her toes to kiss his beard, nestling her head in the junction between his neck and shoulder. “The Winter Soldier is what you make him out to be.”

“He’s a murderer,” Bucky spat, his hold on Y/N tightening as if the simple mention of the Soldat would breathe him back to life. 

Y/N shook her head. “He’s you.”

“He’s not me, Y/N!” Bucky pried himself away, giving her an indignant look. “He’s a homicidal menace that will not hesitate to rip you apart without a second thought!”

Y/N tried to step closer, but Bucky flinched. He involuntarily retreated back, his cerulean eyes rimmed with despair and hurt. Y/N shook her head, locking her eyes with his. “The Winter Soldier is James Buchanan Barnes. A man that has never stopped fighting, not even for a second. He may be bruised, erratic, and damaged. But he’s not a monster. Not in my story.”

“Y/N,” Bucky all but growled, keeping as much distance between himself and the girl. “You have no idea how twisted these words sound. You won’t even have a chance to take them back or change your mind when he all but attacks you and rips your heart out of your chest like some goddamn fucking prize without even taking his eyes off yours!”

“My heart is his for the taking.” Bucky’s mind spiraled out of control. “As much as it is yours. He and you are one. What I feel for you, I feel for him.”

“Don’t, Y/N.” 

Ignoring his comment, Y/N took his hands in hers before he had the chance to run away. “If you cannot see your true worth through your own eyes, James, then see it through my own. Every part of you is worthy. You and The Winter Soldier are heroes in your unique ways, each fighting different battles to find a missing piece of yourself. So, if you’re so afraid that being there will trigger the worst parts of you, then I will whisper to you both all the truth you need to hear until you find your way back to me. Back home.”

“You’re my home,” Bucky whispered, caressing her cheek. He dipped his head, his nose caressing Y/N’s. A second passed, and he allowed himself to bask in her warmth, losing himself in the ardency of her love. His lips delicately traced her berry-flavored ones, claiming them against his own. “I love you,” he almost cried, fearing he might lose her. His mouth wrapped around her lower lip, sucking it fervently and inhaling in all the devotion he held toward his girl. “You're my sanctuary, my peace. And I don’t want my own violent dispositions to threaten the home that I’ve built with you.”

“James,” Y/N mumbled breathlessly, tears on the edge of her lashes. She pressed one more fervent kiss against his lips, resting her hand on his heart to remind him once more that he could feel. That he was human. “I love you in all your nuances and dispositions. No matter who you are or who you think you ought to be, you'll always be my home."

Bucky smiled endearingly, taking Y/N’s hand in his. He kissed her knuckles, one by one, before planting his lips on her wrist. With a final glance at her eyes, Bucky led her inside their shared bedroom, relishing in the feeling of her between his arms. 

He closed his eyes with the images of her in his mind, forgetting all about Hydra and The Winter Soldier. It was tomorrow’s nightmare, but Y/N was tonight’s dream, and that’s all that mattered.

BUCKY IS BACK!!

I have so many ideas for this man, and we're starting with this short little series. If you're a fan of hurt/comfort and The Winter Soldier coming out to play, welcome to this maze of truths!!

All-Works Taglist: @xxrougefangxx

Bucky Barnes Taglist: @ye0nvibezzn

: ̗̀➛ Read Chapter 2 - CHAOS - here!!

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes #bucky x y/n #bucky x female reader #bucky x you #bucky fanfic #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes imagine #winter soldier #winter soldier x reader #winter soldier x you #marvel fanfiction #avengers fanfiction #winter soldier!bucky #winter soldier relapse #winter soldier x y/n #bucky barnes fanfiction

[highonmarvel]

hi hope ur doing well. i was thinking, could u do a buckyxreader where hes paralyzed and like needs a caretaker. through some means reader ends up as the caretaker and all is well. but actually bucky was just pretending and hes not realy paralysed and he just pretended to get closer to reader and reader start expresing the idea that she might have to leave for whatever reason and buck does not like that so like he kidnaps her or something. I rlly luv ur work this is the first request iv sent

this is so good, i’m upset i didn’t think of it first. i’m so sorry for taking so long to get back to you, i really hope you enjoy, and thank you so, so much for the love. okay, here it is:

Himalayan Salt

Bucky Barnes: You’re assigned to a notoriously grumpy war vet, but he’s different with you.

content warnings here!

You nod as your supervisor goes over your final notes: James Barnes, World War II veteran, quadriplegic.

You follow her from the overcast weather into a beautiful but modest home in a fairly quiet suburb to meet the man sitting in a wheelchair in the centre of the room.

“Good morning, Mr Barnes,” your supervisor calls, tucking her clipboard under her arm as she waits for him to turn around. When he does, you’re surprised. You hadn’t seen a photo of him beforehand as this had been a pretty impromptu assignment, but you’re sure you were told he was born in 1917, yet he sits looking like he’s in forties, and aging well, at that.

“Hi, Mr Barnes!” you smile warmly at him, and he returns a friendly smile, introducing himself as Bucky and insisting you call him that.

“I just need you to fill out the last of the forms quickly,” your supervisor mutters, waving goodbye to Bucky as she leads you back out to her car.

You’re leaning against the boot of her oldish, red car, pen scratching against paper when she says, “He really likes you.”

“Hm?” you offer, raising your eyebrows but keeping your eyes focused on the form.

She leans her back against the trunk and shifts down a bit, speaking to you but looking over at your handwriting, “He’s known to be grumpy. You see the left arm? I don’t think he likes being dependent, I’ve had to swap out a lot of people.”

“And you didn’t tell me this before I took the job?” you frown, still finishing off the document, “Didn’t think I could handle it?”

“I know you’re capable, but I thought you wouldn’t want it. But listen, the organisation needs this, I don’t know if there’s anyone else we can find for him.”

You complete your signature with a satisfied smile, handing back the clipboard, “Don’t worry, I can do this.”

She nods then gets in her car and drives away, leaving you in the driveway. You stretch your arms then make your way back inside. When you enter the living room, there’s a draft you swear wasn’t here a few minutes ago. Bucky hasn’t moved, but you notice an open window. You furrow your brows as you look down at him, “Can I close that? It’s a bit chilly in here.”

“Go ahead,” he nods, and you walk over, pulling the handle it, and ignoring the recent-looking fingerprint marks on the glass.

***

A few hours into your first day, you’re a little taken aback by how friendly he is; even despite your boss’ warning, you’ve never had a patient so willing to co-operate, especially not veterans — they tend to be angry they need help, or have episodes due to PTSD, but Bucky seems perfectly in his right mind and understanding of both his and your position.

“Did they tell you I was a pain in ass?” Bucky asks before opening his mouth for a spoonful of food.

You laugh as you pull the spoon back, scooping up more of the rice and curry you made to lift to his lips, “Kind of,” you admit, “Said you were grumpy, is that true?”

He smiles, “I tend to be,” he confesses, “But I can’t keep that brooding persona up around you,” he takes a spoonful.

“So that’s what it is?” you raise an eyebrow as you pile the last of the meal onto the utensil, “A persona?”

He swallows the last of it and shakes his head with a grin, “No, but I can’t not be amused around you.”

***

You have no idea why your supervisor said he was difficult, your next few weeks with Bucky are light and fun, and you feel you’re even developing a friendship. You don’t see to him at night, and he has minimal needs during the day — some days it just feels like you’re there to keep him company.

You’re doing so well, in fact, that your supervisor wants to transfer you to a veteran from Vietnam who’s apparently even worse than Bucky (by other people’s stories — to you, if he’s anything like Bucky, he’ll be nice to see), convinced you have some magic touch.

As much as you’re developing affection for Bucky, you have to put work first, and you’re compelled to leave him for the other man who clearly needs you more. Bucky seems to be doing well, you’re sure you can’t be that special, and you’re sure someone else could take care of him just as well, if not better.

“Hi, Buck,” you greet with a smile as you close the door behind you. You hear his motorised wheelchair come rolling down the corridor to greet you.

“Hi, why could you only come in at ten today?”

You usually come in at seven on weekdays and eight on weekends.

“Sorry, I had a meeting,” you sigh, setting your tote bag down as Bucky switches his chair to manual.

“A meeting?” he asks as you take hold of the handles and push him to the other side of the kitchen island.

“Mhm,” you nod as you open the fridge, rummaging around for something to make, “There’s this other guy my boss wants me to help,” you call with your head still in the cold, “A Vietnam vet, no one else in the org will take him.”

You emerge with some eggs and milk, shutting the door with your foot before placing the contents on the island, “Did you eat? I assume Carol made breakfast but I can make more.”

“Are you going to take it?” he inquires, ignoring your question, “The job.”

“I mean, maybe,” you answer, placing your hands on the counter and tilting your head as you think, “I’m not sure yet.”

“But what about me?”

“The other guy needs full-time care, I’d have to spend virtually all my days there, but if I leave, Carol can take over for me, she can go from night to day, she’s amazing, and she doesn’t complain about you, at least not as much,” you wink, but he doesn’t crack a smile.

“Bucky, I didn’t mean to upset you—”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s just that—”

“It’s your job, I get it,” he replies, and you can see the stoicism build up.

“Nothing’s final, yet,” you say as you walk over, “And you’re doing great either way,” you give him a kiss on the forehead, “We don’t have to talk about that, let’s just eat, I’m starving.”

He nods and attempts to smile, but you can tell it doesn’t reach his eyes.

You try to make conversation as you make yourself an omelette, but you can tell he’s not in it, giving short answers and not reacting to your jokes. When you reach to grab the salt, he stops you.

“Not that one,” he says, “Use the pink salt, Himalayan, I swear it makes everything tastes better.”

You grind some onto your food and sit across from him on the island. Digging your fork into it, you see something flash across Bucky’s eyes. Your first thought is hunger, but he’d just eaten and swore he wasn’t hungry. You ignore it as you bring the fork to your mouth, savouring the taste, though it’s not necessarily a chef’s rendition.

It tastes fine, but there’s something off. At first, you think it must be the salt, but it’s not the taste that’s off; usually when you eat, you feel that warmth in your throat and then your stomach, but now, it’s like it went to your head. You press a hand to your forehead, feeling like you’re burning up. Trying to stand, you immediately sway, only not falling by gripping the counter so harshly and hastily you bend a nail. You try to look to Bucky to tell him you’re not feeling well, but he’s out of focus. In fact, he’s not there. Just as you collapse and close your eyes, you feel a tall shadow over you, but you don’t have time to figure out where it’s coming from before you fall unconscious.

***

You groggily wipe at your eyes when you finally stir before turning over to reach for your phone, at first thinking you had had a dream, but your phone’s not there, and the nightstand isn’t yours. You shoot up in panic and look down at your sheets: Bucky’s sheets. Okay, maybe Bucky rang Carol and she came and set you in bed. Your head still hurts, and everything’s a little hazy.

When the door opens, you expect to see Carol, but it’s Bucky.

“Bucky!” you gasp as you throw the sheets off of you.

He gives a lopsided grin, and for the first time you notice how tall he actually is, because he’s standing.

“Christmas miracle?” he offers.

He walks over to you and sets a glass of water on the bedside table.

“That Himalayan salt is really exotic, isn’t it?”

You don’t even have time to process exactly what he means by that, he’s still standing over you, using his arms and legs just fine, in fact, like he’s been doing it every single day forever. You should have suspected something was up; how could a paralysed man stay in such good shape? The thought briefly crossed your mind once when you ran your fingers over his muscled arm, but you brushed it off.

“Bucky! You- you—”

“Are perfectly fine, I am, and you will be too, soon, those drugs just need to wear off. I know you’re having trouble understanding, just drink some water and sleep it off a little longer.”

He leans down to give you a kiss on the forehead, but you dodge him, nearly falling off the bed in the process.

“Woah, there,” he chuckles as he catches you with ease, his reflexes so sharp it’s nearly unnatural, “Now I’m taking care of you.”

You’re not sure if you can’t speak because of the drugs or if it’s because you’re in shock. He gently sets you back down and your head falls against the pillow as you struggle to keep your eyes open, spots of black blocking little bits of your vision.

“I’ve been needing someone, I’ve gone through a few, but you, honey, you’re special, and I knew it from the moment I saw you. You can’t leave me, I still need you.”

✪

[taglist; @cjand10]

#dark bucky barnes #dark bucky barnes x reader #dark bucky x reader #dark bucky barnes x y/n #dark bucky barnes x you #dark bucky x you #dark bucky #soft dark bucky #dark!bucky barnes #dark!bucky barnes x reader #dark!bucky x reader #dark!bucky barnes x y/n #dark!bucky x y/n #dark!bucky x you #dark!bucky barnes x you #soft!dark!bucky #yandere bucky barnes

[jobean12-blog]

Finding Home (10)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader (Animal Rescue AU)

Word Count: 1,887

Summary: You and Bucky make a big decision and you're overwhelmed with happiness... for everything.

Author's Note: So this is the final chapter for my Finding Home story with Animal rescue!Bucky! I'm sorry it took me so long to get to this but then the Buck's and Noble server Summer Send Off Event gave me a great idea (using the song September, by Earth, Wind and Fire-listen HERE) on how to end it and my sweet friend @newgirlintheneighborhood sent me THIS great post that just made it all come together. Thank you all for the inspo. You can definitely read this as a stand alone but I will give you a few little bits of info just in case:

-Bucky and Sam own an animal resuce called Shelter to Soldier which helps rescue animals find homes with veterans (and everyone else too)

-Reader first saw Bucky when he was walking Alpine on a leash down the streets of the city

-Bucky has his metal arm in this AU since he's a war hero/veteran and he's come a long way both by himself (with Sam's help) and with reader in their relationship

-He rescued the dog Winter (mentioned in this story) and he's a white German Shepard with three legs (he's a war vet too)

-Bucky rescued Alpine from the streets and the cat has been a big help during his rehab

-This part takes place about 2.5 years after reader and Bucky have met

Thank you all so much for reading! Much love always! ❤️❤️❤️Divider by the lovely @firefly-graphics Thank you Daisy! 🥰

Warnings: lots of super soft and sweet fluffs, LotR references, the animals and kisses!

Finding Home Masterlist

The morning light peeks through the thin curtains of your bedroom, warming and illuminating your skin. You slowly open your eyes and see Bucky’s soft profile, his eyelashes fluttering ever so slightly with his even breathing. Winter is at the base of the bed, keeping your feet warm, and Alpine is perched atop the spare pillow on Bucky’s other side.

The moment you shift your feet you hear the thump of Winter’s large white tail and then feel him rise up and do a big downward dog stretch.

“Oh big stretch Winter,” you coo quietly, giggling as you watch him try to tentatively hop over Bucky’s body to get closer.

Alpine lifts his head and blinks at you several times then seems to glare at the dog who is still desperately trying to find a place to settle between your body and Bucky’s.

Bucky starts to move, his long legs tangling even more with yours as he wraps you up and curls you into his bare chest. Winter finally finds a suitable spot next to Bucky, the dog’s big white body pressed into his side and his tail still thumping on the bed.  

“Mornin’ doll face,” Bucky mumbles as he nuzzles your neck.

Winter let’s out a small whine and pushes his wet nose into Bucky’s skin while Alpine paws at the top of Bucky’s head.

“And mornin’ to you two fuzzballs,” he adds, peeping one eye open to survey the bed.

The moment he locks eyes with Winter, the dog scoots closer like a worm and starts to nose his shoulder. Alpine promptly joins in by chasing the glittering rays of sunshine that dance along Bucky’s metal arm every time the breeze blows through the curtains.

“It’s a party already,” Bucky chuckles.

He pulls you impossibly closer and hums into your skin, placing a soft kiss under your ear.

“Morning baby,” you whisper, inhaling his scent.

Winter, apparently unhappy with the possibility of you two going back to sleep, starts to lick Bucky’s cheek and cover it with kisses. Bucky’s large hand lands on Winter’s head and he scratches him before lightly giving him a shove.

“Winter, down boy,” he says. “I’m busy.”

Winter doesn’t give up, only shimmying closer and becoming more determined in his quest for kisses. You sit up and take in the scene, smiling widely when Alpine starts to bat at a piece of Bucky’s long hair that’s laid out across the pillow.

Without warning you lean down and press a big kiss to Bucky’s other cheek. The corners of his eyes crinkle with his smile and you continue to pepper his skin with kisses, hitting every spot you can find.

Winter seems to catch on as his tail swishes faster and he keeps up his licks on Bucky’s other cheek. Your lips trail along Bucky’s jaw, then you nibble his ear, then move back down and cover the whole side of his face with more kisses, catching the corner of his mouth before doing it all over again.

“Best. Morning. Ever,” he sighs.

After several more wet kisses from Winter and sweet ones from you, and even a few paw bats from Alpine, Bucky slips free and flips you over onto your back, dislodging everyone in a heap of blankets and pillows.

“Oops,” he says sweetly, but there’s mischief dancing in his eyes. “My turn!”

He pins you down with his body and proceeds to smother you with feather light kisses on every inch of skin he can find. You arch into him, wiggling beneath his body which makes him rumble with pleasure.

His kisses become slower as he moves along your neck and when he reaches your lips he hovers just above them as he stares into your eyes.

He brushes his nose to yours and presses a kiss to your mouth before slowly rocking his hips.

You moan out his name and nibble his lip before pulling away.

“What?” he pouts. “I was just getting started on having you naked.”

You smile against his lips. “I have an idea for a wedding date.”

His pout disappears as happiness takes over his expression.

“I’m listening doll,” he says, but continues to place butterfly kisses along your face.

“So we had talked about Fall and I was thinking September might be nice. Not too cold but hopefully not too hot if we do it toward the end and there’s a special date that would be perfect.”

“Still listening,” he hums as his lips graze your collarbone. “Which date?”

“How about September 22nd.”

He stills, his lips still pressed to your skin. “I know that date,” he muses, finally lifting his head to meet your eyes. 

You nod with a giggle.

“It’s Bilbo and Frodo’s birthday!” he says excitedly. “That is perfect!”

“YAY!!!” you squeal, doing a dance under him.  

He sits up and pulls you into his lap.

“I can’t wait doll,” he whispers.

“Me either Bucky.”

“We just need to find the perfect spot.”

“Exactly.”

You both sit in comfortable and cuddled silence for a few moments before he breaks it.

“What about in Central Park? I bet there’s a tree we could find that’s big like the party tree in the Shire!”

“You’re such a dork and I love you.”

He beams at that but before he can get you under him again, Winter has nosed his way between you two, impatiently asking for love too.

“Alpine and Winter are coming to the wedding of course,” you add.

“Of course doll,” Bucky says. “Besides, I think they would be like Merry and Pippin and invite themselves anyway.”

You bury your head in his chest and laugh.

“So September 22nd is our day,” you whisper, toying with his dog tag.

“September 22nd,” he echoes.

He’s just about to kiss you when your eyes go wide and you yell out, “OH! And we can play that song at the wedding and on every anniversary…you know the one by uh…um…it goes ‘do you remember…’.”

He studies you, waiting for you to think of more.

“Is this a song from Lord of the Rings?” he asks, looking confused.

“No, no, it’s by…OH MY GOD Bucky, it’s an older song…”

As you start to recall the lyrics you sing them and shake your body to the rhythm.

His face brightens in recognition and he grabs his phone, typing quickly into Google.

“Got it,” he chimes just before ‘September’ by Earth, Wind and Fire, starts to play.

You both start to sing along and Winter begins howling with his pack, much to the dismay of Alpine who seems to want to disappear into the pillow.

“Wait!” Bucky says, pausing the song. “Don’t they say the 21st night of September?”

He clicks on the lyrics and rewinds the song, singing along as he reads. “Yep they do!”

“But that’s not Hobbit day!” you say.

“We’re definitely sticking with the 22nd baby doll. It’s perfect.”

In a fit of excitement you curl into Bucky’s arms and kiss him all over. Winter takes the opportunity to smash himself under Bucky’s arm and even Alpine saunters over to join in the happy cuddle pile.

~September 21st of the next year~

“You need…”

Those are the only words you get out before Bucky’s mouth is on you again, your body pressed into the wall and his hands wandering under your shirt.

“Bucky,” you gasp, gently pushing on his chest. “You need to go. Nat will be here soon and then we’ll never hear the end of it!”

He pulls away slightly but lifts his arms so he can plant both his hands along the wall on either side of your head, caging you in.

“I don’t wanna,” he whines. “This is the last night before you’re officially my wife and I want to make it count.”

“We spent all day making it count,” you giggle, grabbing his shirt and pulling his mouth back to yours.

Your fingertips trace the broad width of his shoulders before delving into the hair that hangs loosely at the nape of his neck.

“Thought I needed to go doll face,” he smirks against your lips in between kisses.

His metal fingers dance along your skin, inching higher until he’s toying with the little boy in the center of your bra.

“I should never have agreed to this girls night,” you pout.

He nibbles on your extended bottom lip before deftly unhooking the clasp of your bra.

“Now who’s whining,” he teases.

“Buck!” you squeak. “Fix that!”

“Well, lemme see here,” he starts with a grin before he lifts your shirt so he can stick his head under it.

Instead of fixing your bra he kisses your skin as he loosens the silky fabric more.

“BUCKY!” you admonish playfully as you try and push his head out. “You’re stretching out my shirt!”

“It’s my shirt,” he says from inside, his voice muffled.

There’s a loud knock on the door followed by Nat’s excited shouting.

“Shit,” you grumble. “Shit, shit.”

Bucky reluctantly pulls his head free but not before he has you pinned to the wall again and he quiets any of your protests with his kiss.

When he pulls away you’re breathless and flustered.

“I’m going out the fire escape,” he says with a wink.

“What?!? You can’t do that!” you whisper shout.

“Better than getting yelled at!” he says as he grabs your hand and rushes into your bedroom and to the window.

He opens it and then turns back to you, pulling you into his arms and kissing you breathless all over again.

“I love you. More than anything. And I can’t wait to marry you.”

“I love you the most Bucky. I can’t wait either.”

With one more kiss he slips out the window and starts to climb down. The banging on the door becomes louder but you can’t tear your eyes away from him.

“Give Alpine and Winter kisses for me!” you shout down to him. “And Sam too!”

You giggle when Bucky gives you a scowl.

“Sam will be lucky if I don’t punch him,” Bucky jokes. “And don’t worry, I’ll make sure the babies are well loved and ready for tomorrow!”

Once he safely reaches the ground he looks back up and blows you a kiss, mouthing ‘I love you,’ before running down the street toward Sam’s apartment.

You watch until he’s out of sight then rush to the door and open it.

“It’s about time!” Nat screeches. “Is he here!?!”

“NO!” you say and throw up your hands in surrender. “It’s just us girls. Not even Alpine and Winter are here!”

She pushes past you and looks around suspiciously.

After a thorough inspection she turns back your way, one eyebrow lifting to her hairline.

“WHAT!?” you ask, going to cross your arms over your chest.

You stop mid gesture, realizing your bra is still unhooked and hanging off you under your shirt.

Nat stares at you and you stare back but it only lasts a few seconds before you both burst into laughter.

Once you’re calm again, Nat asks, “he just left didn’t he?”

“Down the fire escape,” you giggle.

“I knew he was perfect from the moment we saw him walking Alpine across the street,” she states with a warm smile.

“Me too,” you reply dreamily. “Me too.”

@blackwidownat2814 @buckysdollforlife @goldylions @hiddles-rose @randomfandompenguin @book-dragon-13 @lizette50 @mazarinqueen @matchat3a @abigailbeloved @pineprincess @lalalalokii @blossomedfloweroflove @danireal17 @ginger-swag-rapunzel @buckybarnessimpp @mugi-chwan95 @hibernocaledonian @gloriouspurpose01 @adoringsebstan @aedicn @thepurpletie797 @buckrecs @openup-yourmind @lettersandsodas @kingfleury @moonlightreader649 @kmc1989

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x you #animal rescue!Bucky #bucky barnes x female reader #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes au #bucky barnes imagine #animal rescue au #sebastian stan #sebastian stan x reader #finding home au

[magnificent-nerd]

The Expendable Disabled Heroes of Marvel’s Infinity War

BY JOHN WISWELL 

(UNCANNY MAGAZINE | 2018)

"It’s the middle of the big Wakanda fight scene. Thor and Captain America banter about haircuts, M’Baku and Okoye crack skulls, and for a moment, Rocket Raccoon meets James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes. The audience is ready to laugh the second the raccoon eyes up the veteran. They know what’s coming.

"Rocket compliments Bucky’s prosthetic arm, asks to buy it, and the audience tenses up.

"Bucky says it’s not for sale and returns to battle.

"Rocket mutters that he’ll steal that arm.

"And the audience laughs. I don’t."

-

Begging y'all to read this article.

#Bucky's arm #rocket raccoon #ableism #ableist #mcu critical #mcu criticism #movie review #john wiswell #avengers infinity war #mcu #disabled characters #marvel critical #marvel criticism #bucky barnes #gotg

[simmerandwrite]

Sink Into Me - 02 - mob!Steve Rogers x plus size! reader

Pairing: mob boss!Steve Rogers x plus size female reader

Summary: You were simply doing a good deed, pulling the handsome stranger out of the way when a car jumped the curb. Little did you know that the life you saved belonged to Steve Rogers, the Army veteran turned art dealer with connections to the Brooklyn crime syndicate.

Steve Rogers, who won’t stop calling you his guardian angel.

Steve Rogers, whose new goal in life just might be repaying his debt to you.

Steve Rogers, who isn’t shy until it comes to his feelings and will stop at nothing to keep you safe.

Chapters: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08

Wordcount: 6k

Warnings: canon level violence (series), body image issues (series), very brief mentions of animal abuse

Notes: hello! meet your friends - Maria Hill, Claire Temple and Wanda Maximoff. thank you all for being here and reading!! I appreciate your enthusiasm soooo much. things are :) about to get :) complicated :) if you see me out in the wild, my main blog is @simmerandcry​

---

The skyline view from the floor to ceiling windows had been the real selling point to Steve taking the penthouse apartment at his latest investment property. Truthfully, he had been growing tired of the brick walls of his old place, despite their aesthetic charm. The new renters could live with that red dust now.

But the view into both Brooklyn and downtown towards Manhattan made him feel like he was exactly where he needed to be. Like he was on top of the world, his own little empire carved out in the heart of the borough. Most importantly, his apartment was his home. And that meant work didn’t come home with him, ever.

He drew that line very cleanly, even leaving the second bedroom fully intact as a guest room instead of converting to an office. Because this is where he needed to clear his head, to be Steve Rogers, the plain and simple Brooklyn born boy who loved his city.

Steve Rogers, the war veteran turned real estate mogul and art dealer, who sat at the top of what remained of an old Irish crime syndicate - that man worked on the streets, in the office, in his clubs and galleries and restaurants. That shit was not supposed to come home with him.

Though recently, it seemed to have started to bleed into what little time he spent at home. Mainly because of you and the whole incident outside the restaurant.

“Well, what’s the plan?”

“I already told you, Buck. I’m not retaliating.”

Bucky Barnes, Steve’s right hand man, his oldest friend and main confidant, the literal fist and brawn behind their organization, scoffed. “Someone sent an amateur barrelling into our territory to try and pin you between the hood of a car and your new restaurant - and you don’t want to retaliate? We coulda been weeping over your body right now, Steve.”

“I can recognize an act of aggression when I see it, I’m not an idiot.” Steve tipped his rocks glass against his lips once more, the scent of scotch lingering as he stood from the couch. “We don’t know if it was Rumlow or that new idiot creeping in from Staten Island.”

Steve rolled his eyes and cut off Bucky before he tried to add in his two cents again. “And if someone wanted to kill me, they wouldn’t hit me with a car. You know what. This was some stupid message that was poorly planned and equally poorly executed.”

Sam Wilson, who had been sipping his own concoction from the kitchen table, finally looked up from his phone and piped in. “I mean, I hate to admit it but Bucky is right. You would have been dead if it wasn’t for that beautiful woman saving your ass.”

“Sam.” Steve turned his head, eyes narrowed in a pointed glare. 

“What? I’m not blind. The hips on her were-”

Steve took another step towards his friend and trusted colleague, who had a particularly loud mouth and a flair for getting on Steve’s nerves, and held up a steady hand. “Stop.”

He wasn’t inclined to admit it, but the entire thing had been replaying in Steve’s minds for days now. Ever since you had saved him on that sidewalk, throwing yourself into a dangerous situation for him, a total stranger, something had changed. He was still living, breathing, surviving. And although he was dead set on figuring out just who was driving that vehicle and ensuring they paid for their actions, it was you he couldn’t stop thinking about.

You. Who had been in the right place at the right time, who had risked your own personal safety to make sure he didn’t get hit, who was insistent that it had been an act of good faith, a simple act of kindness. 

You, with the kind smile and generous curves. You, who swept off your actions as innocent and selfless, concerned more about the happiness of your dog than your own well being. You, who left Steve feeling curious and longing to get to know you, to make you smile, to hear you laugh.

God, what he wouldn’t give to have someone like you in his life. While he couldn’t stop thinking about the kind of person you were, he also had your face playing over and over again in his mind too. It didn’t help that his mom called him a few days ago, asking how you were doing and reiterating how much she enjoyed talking to you and…

“Still no news from Hammond?”

Steve knew Bucky couldn’t help but prodding, as if his fingers were itching to find a quick, efficient solution. 

“He said their tech department is behind. I’m inclined to believe him but my insisting this is a priority hasn’t been successful this time. I’m trying to play nice.” Steve gritted his teeth, finishing the last sip of his drink as he stood, tugging on the lapel of his suit. “So I asked Stark to help instead. We’re meeting him at the club.”

 ---

The only good thing about your dreadful basement apartment was the private patio space in the backyard. You had high hopes for it when you rented the garden level unit but once your lease had been signed, everything about the place seemed a lot less shiny. From the shared laundry with the loud, obnoxious upstairs apartment to the inconsistent water pressure and flickering lights, you were counting down the days until your lease was over.

But the backyard - you had done what you could to make it a safe oasis for you and Hercules, with a few pieces of thrifted outdoor furniture and string lights making it a bit more magical. It was a nice location when hosting your girlfriends, especially when such a thing happened so rarely now that your schedules seemed to conflict all the time.

You were so grateful to have your girls. Because at any moment, they all loved to share their opinions on the weird chaos that seemed to stir up in your life. While you had known Maria since college, you had collected Wanda and Claire into your life since starting your new job in the city. You had worked as a server at the same restaurant as Wanda a few summers ago and Claire, an ER nurse, had dropped into your life by chance one night when you were stood up on a date at a bar in Hell’s Kitchen. Your group had been solid since then - although girls nights were few and far between now, with jobs and the general grind of life making it hard to get together often.

“I’m not saying the man isn’t attractive. Because I have eyes,” Maria was on her third glass of sangria, legs extended out on the brick patio outside. “I just have no reason to trust him.” She squinted down at her phone screen. “What did he say he did for work again?”

You sighed. Perhaps it was a mistake to share Steve’s name and photo - that you found after an extensive internet search - with your friends, but you valued their perspectives. It’s not like anything had happened with the guy. You hadn’t seen him since that day you saved his life and hadn’t communicated either, outside of you emailing him the stupid photo you took.

You had added his number to your phone, though. Just in case. Just in case what? You had no clue. But he had written it down for you and all.

And he said he owed you a thousand favours…

Officer Hammond, though, had reached out to you a few days after the event - asking you to come in and try and ID the driver in a police lineup. It made you feel a bit uncomfortable but you supposed it was your civic duty to do it, if it could help stop this from happening again or to help in delivering justice for wrongdoing. You pointed out the person you best recognized from your blurry memory and moved on, trying not to think any further about the situation.

Although a few strange things seemed to happen since then, if you just used your head it could all be justified. Like seeing the same black, unfamiliar SUV on your street multiple times this week. That was probably just a new vehicle belonging to one of your neighbours.

And that one time you were walking Hercules and a stranger who seemed to be lingering outside your apartment asked to borrow your phone.

Which you promptly said no to, because you aren’t dumb enough to let someone run off with your phone. But instead of going inside with Herc, you continued to circle the block until the blond stranger disappeared. You wouldn’t consider your neighbourhood the safest place after dark, but in the daytime you never felt concerned. 

It was all just sort of weird. 

But completely unrelated to anything else, you were sure. 

That was all behind you now anyway, a strange footnote in the chapter of your life that was playing out. You’d probably never have to see Steve again, though he had crossed your mind a few times…

Okay, you had been thinking about him a lot. Which is why you had told your three closest friends about everything that had occurred.

You replied to Maria, who was nudging you with her elbow. “Oh. Uhm, he works in real estate, I think. He owns an art gallery and some apartments. Oh, and that club on Morgan Ave - Shield .”

“Sounds like a professional landlord. Thumbs down.” Claire chimed in from her chair too, shaking her head and dismissing the entire concept of Steve with a wave of her hand. “Rich at best, financially questionable at worst.”

“And he owns that restaurant the car smashed into?” Maria reached for her own phone. “The one owned by the mob. Okay, that settles it - he’s in the mob then.”

You laughed and shook your head. “The mob isn’t a thing, Hill. What’s your source on that again?” 

Wanda shrugged and finally chimed in, fingers tapping idly against her wine glass as she turned towards you. “Describe his aura to me.”

You groaned, smirking as Claire rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh. “His aura?”

“You know, what kind of energy did he have?”

“Is that your way of determining the kind of person he is?” Maria got up from her chair to toss a small toy for Hercules to chase after. “I’d love to know the science between your aura theories, Wan.”

You delayed answering by grabbing the nearby bowl of popcorn and cradling it in your lap, leaving your phone and the thought of Steve on the small crate that sat between you and your friends. “He was very confident.” How could you do any justice to Steve’s intimidating Big Dick Energy without admitting your attraction to him? That last thing you wanted to do was bait your friends with any material to tease you with. Plus, really, it didn’t matter. You had no plans to ever see Steve again. And AND and, even if you did, what made you think it would be romantic in any way? 

Steve was beyond hot - from the trimmed beard and deep blue eyes, to his easy charm and well dressed body. You had no doubt in your mind that the man probably had some equally hot partner. If not, he could have his pick of the entire city. There was no way you would be on his radar.

“I don’t know,” Maria chimed in once more, clapping her hands quickly. “This is the wildest meet cute story I’ve ever heard. If the man is so willing to do you some favours, maybe you should cash in on it, mob be damned. You know what they say about tall guys..”

“You just said you don’t trust him!” You laughed, tossing a piece of popcorn at her.

Maria just scooped it up and popped it into her mouth with a shrug. “I don’t trust any man. I trust you and your judge of character, though. Plus, you haven’t been on a date in forever so maybe this was some sort of fate driven happenstance.”

“The universe does work in weird ways,” Wanda agreed. “And you said he really filled out that suit so…”

“You should text him!” Claire sat up tall and straight, pushing her hair over one shoulder as an idea formulated in her brain. You were nervous. “I think how he reacts to a sudden text will be a perfect test.”

“It’s a Saturday night, I can’t text him! And a test of what? All I did was save the man’s life, there is nothing else to..” This was not how you wanted this to go. The last logical thing you could think of doing right now was messaging Steve Rogers anything. What would he think if you texted him out of nowhere on a Saturday night? “What would I even say?”

“Here, allow me.” Maria plucked your phone off the table and damnit, why did you ever tell her your passcode? 

“Maria-”

“It’ll be harmless, I promise!” She glanced up from your phone and opened her eyes wide. “You need to stop playing safe. What’s the worst that could happen? He doesn’t reply?”

You sighed. YES. The fear of rejection crept up like a weird pain in your chest. “Yeah, I guess. He might think it’s a wrong number or some sort of spam message...”

“Then no harm, no foul.” Her grin grew even wider as she typed something out on the screen. She took a deep breath. You leaned over to see what she had crafted together and sighed. “It’s just a simple little push..”

 ---

Normally Steve would ignore then block an unfamiliar phone number, but this had been intriguing. Given that you hadn’t reached out to him at all, he had tried not to give much of his time to thinking about you. But when the text came in, without a lot of context or forewarning, he figured it was a small gamble to see how it could play out.

Unknown number [10:47PM]: hey, I need to cash in a favour S Rogers [10:49PM]: who is this? Unknown number [10:51PM]: 👀 🍑 🎁 🔄 🥞 S Rogers [10:55PM]: am I supposed to just guess what this means? Unknown number [10:59PM]: yes ;) S Rogers [11:02P:M]: it’ll be easier if you just tell me what you want, angel ;)

You hadn’t struck Steve as the type to flirt like this. If it was you, of course. He could really only safely assume, considering only a certain number of people had his phone number. And now, he finally had yours.

Tony had consolidated all the info he could find about you earlier that week. Steve didn’t feel great about asking Tony to dig into you, but since he had sent your picture for analysis after the delay at the police station, it sort of just happened. Frankly, Tony said your online presence was minimal. You were smart about keeping your social media secure and had a very thorough CV on LinkedIn. Otherwise, he didn’t have much information that you hadn’t already shared. And Steve had no intentions of doing anything suspicious with any of it, it just helped him understand who he had invited into a small corner of his life.

If that’s what he could call it. But you had crossed his mind over and over, and it didn’t help that Bucky kept bringing you up. Especially the part about Steve taking you to the clinic for help from Sarah. That resource was a well kept secret in their family and the fact that Steve took you there had been a big risk.

Beyond Steve’s unavoidable racing thoughts about you, he had been deep into a plan to deal with the actual problem - the group of idiots spilling into his Brooklyn territory. Tony had helped him with that too, finding names and dossiers on everyone who belonged to Rumlow’s extended Stryke gang causing a mess in the boroughs between Queens and Brooklyn. 

For years, Steve had worked hard to make a respectable reputation for himself and now things were getting shaky. And it annoyed the shit out of him, especially when a few of the names Tony pulled were on the NYPD payroll.

“It’s messy,” Tony had said with a shrug, leaning back into the leather seat from their place at the top of the club. 

Another property on Steve’s growing list - Shield was a popular nightclub in Brooklyn, which served as a perfect location for arms deals and financial transactions to float. For Steve and his old friend, tech mogul Tony Stark, it was a safe place to share theories and secrets. The upper level served as a secure hideout from the general population while the downstairs dance floor catered to obnoxious crowds looking for a drink or something else to roll on. 

It was lucrative for Steve, to say the least. 

“Let me know if you want me to get Rhodes involved.”

Steve shook his head. “He’s got enough on his plate. Is he ready for the campaign announcement?” Steve had a serious interest in the upcoming Mayoral election, especially if James Rhodes, former DA, planned on running. And with Tony bankrolling the campaign and some additional under the table support from Steve, it was going to be a shoe in.

“Oh, we’re just getting started, big guy,” Tony stood up and patted Steve on the shoulder as he left the corner area, flitting off in search of whoever might be going home with him soon enough. 

Usually that would be Steve’s next step too, but damnit, if he couldn’t stop glancing at his phone for a response from you. Maybe calling you ‘angel’ again had been out of line. He contemplated sending another message, but no, he had to wait. He knew how to play this game.

The rest of the night carried on, with certain reports popping in with updates for Steve on what was happening out on the streets. Things like confirmed shipments at the dock and successful cash pickups. He had eyes across the whole of Brooklyn, with his growing syndicate working beneath him. Things mostly operated smoothly and this night was carrying on as normal.

Bucky showed up eventually, grumbling about getting turned down by some smart mouthed girl outside the club. Sam corroborated the story, lauding the woman and her tone. 

Steve checked his phone, again. 

“I saw Sharon downstairs,” Sam nudged Steve, eyebrows raised curiously. “Unless you’re off again-”

“We’re permanently off-again,” Steve rolled his eyes. “You have my blessing if you want to pursue, Sam. But good luck, don’t say I didn’t warn you..” That was all Sam needed apparently, finishing off his glass and heading back down to the dance floor below. Steve didn’t miss his cheeky grin.

“You’re thinking about that girl again, huh?” Bucky nodded and tried to hide his mischievous smirk as he scanned Steve’s face.

Steve scoffed. “No, no. I’m not..” 

Bucky laughed, hard and incredulous. “I haven’t seen your head in the clouds like this in ages. Since whatsername in high school, maybe. What was her name?”

Then as if by some weird shift in the universe, Steve’s phone started to buzz. He left Bucky’s commentary lingering as he looked at the screen. You. 

Ah, no text reply but a phone call? Okay, he could get on board. Standing, he headed a few steps from the lounge and brought his phone up to his ear, with a small smile. “Rogers.”

The first thing he heard was your frightened yelling. “Leave me alone! Jesus - oh my god, Steve? Is this Steve?”

He said your name quickly to confirm who he was speaking too but raised his eyebrows in concern. “What’s going on?”

“Someone is trying to - HEY! Stop -” Steve could hear banging in the background. “--trying to break into my fuckin - I’m going to CALL THE COPS! Leave me alone! Please, just..” 

Steve closed his eyes, doing his best to focus on the background noise. Behind your defensive yelling and the attentive reactions of your dog, there was a mixture of other voices. Something about the voices felt familiar. 

“We just want to talk.. Did someone offer you something for that statement? Was it Rogers?”

“If you tell Hammond you got the wrong guy, this will all be over very quickly, honey.”

“Walker, move, let me – Open the door, or we’ll open it for you. Let’s talk..”

“He didn’t offer me - Stop, please! I swear I -”

Steve nearly crushed his phone when the call dropped. He was off like a bullet train, shouting for Bucky to follow him as he pushed past his security guards on the stairs and rushed down towards the back exit of the club. He tried to call you back as he sped through traffic, blatantly bypassing stop signs and treating red lights like suggestions. 

A heavy twisting feeling in Steve’s gut had told him that the aftermath of this entire situation wasn’t going to go smoothly. Especially with dumbass dirty cops on the inside who could share information to the highest bidder.

Steve felt a new responsibility to keep you safe, until this whole mess had been taken care of. He had plans to deal with it all on his own but now, if he hadn’t acted quickly enough and something had happened to you.. God, he couldn’t live with himself. How could he explain that to his mother?

He got to your apartment first, hoping Bucky was close behind. Steve didn’t know what he might be walking into but having backup was never a bad idea.

Steve had not only visited but had also lived in a lot of seedy neighbourhoods over the years. The street you lived on didn’t strike him as anything especially dangerous, but that thought enough couldn’t squash the unsettled feeling in his stomach as he approached. He pushed his way through the small metal gate beside the front stairs, towards the door to your garden level apartment.

His jaw clenched when he saw the damage to your door, clearly kicked in with plenty of force before being shoved closed. He glanced to the front window, nearby - that had been smashed, too. He tried to contain the growing fury and pressed on the door, calling out your name as he made his way inside.

As someone more than familiar with the real estate market, Steve could tell the bones of your apartment weren’t in the best shape. The entire townhouse was in desperate need of updating. But what concerned him more, outside of the low ceiling and old light fixtures, was what he could only assume was a new mess. Your coffee table had been smashed, creating a pile of kindling in your tiny living room. Papers were thrown about, a coffee cup sat shattered on the floor. 

He called your name again as he went in, reaching inside his jacket to pull out his concealed handgun as he listened carefully. Once he stepped into the hallway leading to your tiny kitchen, he took a step back at the sudden lurch of your dog heading in his direction.

Then Steve heard your quiet voice. The dog retreated into the kitchen, planting himself in front of you as Steve turned to look in. His heart sank.

You were seated on the floor, back pressed against the wall. It was clear you were trying to hide, make yourself small. And was that… some sort of steak knife in your hand? When you finally looked up at him, your eyes were wide.

When you tried to press yourself even further back, eyeing down the gun in Steve’s hand, he slowly put it down on the counter and said your name. “Hey, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. That was just a precaution.” Shit. The way you reacted to the gun wasn’t a surprise but it made Steve even angrier. Whoever had been here, whoever had done this, well, they probably had guns too. 

“Can you tell me what happened?” Steve crouched down, keeping his distance while Hercules acted as your bodyguard. He was trying everything in his power to maintain his composure but god fucking damnit, Steve needed to know who did this and he needed to deal with it. “Are you hurt?”

You took in a deep breath then just shrugged, relaxing just a fraction when Hercules circled around and flopped down to rest his head on your knee. “There were two guys, they had.. They had guns with them. They said they just wanted to talk to me, to … they kept talking about whoever the guy was who drove that SUV.” Your breath picked up as you recounted what had happened. “They..they smashed my phone and..” Slowly, you moved your hand up towards your neck, gently dragging your fingers against the tender skin on your collarbone. “..One guy he..” You winced at the memory.

The heat grew more and more in his stomach as he saw you shaking with fear, recounting whatever the fuck had just happened. How dare any of those fucking imbeciles lay their hand on you? And because of him? If he wasn’t sure of his next steps before, he was going to figure them out now. Because someone needed to pay for this.

His phone buzzed. He stood up and saw a message from Bucky, wondering if Steve needed his help inside. Steve took a step back, turning towards the front door.

“Don’t go,” you pleaded quietly, letting your hand linger in the air as you reached for him. “Steve, please..”

Steve stopped and turned back to you, giving his head a firm shake. “Sweetheart, I’m not going anywhere.” 

---

A few hours ago you were saying goodbye to your friends as your sangria pitcher finally ran dry. And now? You and Hercules were in an elevator with Steve and his friend Bucky, heading to Steve’s apartment.

Everything that had just happened felt like a bit of a dream - a bad dream. A break in at your own apartment, being intimidated, harassed and assaulted by men with guns, zipping through Brooklyn with Steve as he promised you a safe space to stay for the night.

You didn’t say much to each other once you had left, but you could see the twist of concern and small decisions Steve started to make to ensure you felt secure. A hand at your back, a soft smile, extra attention being given to Hercules to make sure he was okay, too.

You hadn’t gotten into much detail yet but you knew Steve wanted to figure out who the men were who had done this. You were already dreading talking about it again. And god, you likely had another police experience coming your way. What was happening in your life and how could it go back to normal again?

“Hey,” Steve tipped his head towards the door as the elevator opened. You took the lead as you stepped out into the hallway, where just a small handful of apartment doors were spread out. 

Steve’s building was a place you could only daydream about living in. You followed him through the door to his apartment, checking over your shoulder to see Bucky guiding Hercules behind you. 

Bucky was incredibly kind to you throughout this whole thing, especially back at your apartment. He had patiently directed you as Steve made some phone calls, carefully standing outside your room as you packed a quick overnight bag. And he was very taken to Hercules, which you really appreciated. 

Once inside Steve’s place, you made your way into the living room just past the foyer. Steve and Bucky moved into the kitchen briefly, exchanging a few hushed sentences out of your earshot. 

When they joined you in the living room, they found you crouched down on the floor with Hercules. You tipped your head up to look at them. Bucky’s gaze was on his phone but Steve was watching you with a soft smile. 

“Do you think he’ll be okay here tonight?” Steve took a knee on the other side of Hercules, slowly reaching his hand out to scratch behind his ear. 

You couldn’t stop yourself from smiling, just a bit, as you nodded. “Yeah, he’s pretty easy going usually.” As if on cue, your dog nudged his head against Steve’s hand for one more quick pet then trotted further into the living room, flopping down on the rug between the couch and windows. “All his adrenaline seems to have worn off.”

And so it seemed had yours.

A few minutes later you were sitting on the couch, with Steve planted in the chair across from you and Bucky standing over his shoulder, arms crossed. Steve leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he took you in. 

God, even in the low light of his living room, the man was handsome. Wearing just a navy blazer and matching dress pants, over a black button up with no tie, he managed to look effortlessly intimidating and strangely welcoming. Like you had no reason not to trust him, as if the dark shadows behind his eyes were a sign of protection instead of a signal of something to be feared.

You took in a long breath and leaned back into the couch.

Steve dragged his tongue over his lips then let out a sharp breath. “Okay, so I need you to walk me through exactly what happened.”

You knew this was coming. The moment Steve insisted on not calling the cops, something shifted for you. This whole situation had escalated beyond what you were used to, that whomever these men were to Steve - it probably wasn’t good. 

But when you looked over at Steve, as much as you wanted to shake with worry about what might happen next, you couldn’t. Despite being way out of your comfort zone, scared out of your mind, coming down from your own rush of adrenaline, you weren’t scared. Not anymore, not in his presence and under the additional watchful eye of his right hand man.

And so you told him and Bucky exactly what had happened. How your girlfriends had left, how you were finding the next episode of your favourite show to watch, how you had some writing to catch up on and planned on staying up late. Then you heard a noise outside, then a knock at your door.

Then… well, then you had called Steve when everything started unfolding.

And after the men managed to get beyond the door and push their way through to you, you had nowhere to hide. Once they smashed your phone, you were going to comply and do whatever they needed to, to get them out of your home but then one of them threatened Hercules, and even kicked him-

“Jesus,” Bucky muttered, teeth clenched. Before he could get his true feelings out, Steve held up his hand and had you continue.

“I shoved the guy who was closest to me, trying to go for the other idiot before he hurt Herc and then..” You closed your eyes, going into vague details about how the man pushed you back, how he shoved you into the wall, the kitchen counter. How he pulled out his gun and put his hand around your throat and..

When you opened your eyes again, taking in the silence of the room as you trailed off, Steve was watching you carefully. Though you safely assumed he was an expert at hiding his emotions, you could see a twitch in his jaw. His fists rested on his knees, clenched and turning white with tension.

“One of them got a phone call and I guess they were beckoned to leave. They had enough time to make more of a mess while I cowered away but..” You gulped, shaking your head. “What if they come back? I think I should just call Officer Hammond and-”

“No.” Steve stood up, taking barely a stride to make his way towards the couch. He took a seat beside you, extending his hand to ever so gently cradle your jaw, turning your head to look at him. He said your name softly, barely.. “I’m going to take care of this.”

Your safe feeling was depleting and as much as you wanted to argue, to put a stop to all of this, to do it the correct way, you couldn’t. Earlier, when the threat was outside your door, you didn’t think of calling the police. It was Steve who had crossed your mind. For some unknown reason, you had a feeling he would help you. 

Steve pulled his hand away and stood again, shooting a glance to his friend. 

Bucky cleared his throat, taking a step forward. “Doll, can you tell me what the guys looked like? Identifying features?” 

You wanted to ask a thousand questions about what happened now, about what Bucky was planning on doing, about his metal arm and lack of hesitation to help Steve. But you just played along, delivering all the details you could. Once you repeated it all and answered a few of his questions, you sat up and leaned forward. “Oh. One of them went by Walker. I’m not sure if that’s a first name or..”

“Last name.” Bucky gave one nod before muttering out a tired laugh. “That fucking moron.” He looked at Steve. “Okay, I know where to go. Nat’s gonna meet me downstairs.”

Steve followed him to the door and you could hear their quiet conversation once more. 

Twisting your hands together, you sat on the couch with your thoughts. You couldn’t believe how your night had played out. Really, if you thought about the last week of your life you’d be hard pressed to believe it was real life. How could the simple act of getting a person out of harm’s way lead to this?

When you heard Steve’s footsteps heading back towards you, after the door shut behind Bucky, you stood up and looked at him. 

Okay, you had to ask. Because a lot of this felt nonsensical, impossible even.

“You don’t really work in real estate, do you?” With the most courage you could muster you met his gaze, which was stoic as he watched you. “My friend Maria had this crazy theory and.. I don’t know what I’ve gotten myself into here, Steve. But this isn’t… I just did the right thing and saved you from being hit by a car and.. Now what? People with guns are breaking into my home and threatening my dog? And instead of going to the police.. I’m right here in your apartment - with you, a kind, handsome stranger who keeps offering to help and take care of me and I just don’t get it. Is this real?”

He didn’t falter or let his facade break when you spiraled. Instead, he motioned towards his kitchen. “Would you like a cup of tea?”

You sat with a steaming mug of chamomile at Steve’s kitchen island. His kitchen felt impressively Steve somehow too, with dark granite counters and cool grey tones decorating the tall cabinets. The light blue kettle that sat on his stove somehow humanized him even more though. 

Steve opted to lean against the counter, shrugging off his suit jacket as he met your eyes. “So. First, let me just say - I don’t want you to feel like I brought you here for any other reason than keeping you safe tonight. I want you to feel safe here, with me. But if you don’t feel comfortable, you can leave. I will put you up in a hotel somewhere or if you have a friend you can stay with-”

You swallowed hard and brought your hand up. “No, that’s not.. I’m sorry for, uhm, going off a bit there. I just..” You left your mug on the island and leaned forward, balancing your chin on your hand while your elbow propped you up. You matched his gaze, somehow both honest and shy. “In college, my friends and I did this thing called honesty hour. Usually after a really late night or when we were a bit drunk. But the point is to be as honest as possible, but gentle, I guess. Feelings were always at risk but if it was after 2am, it was honesty only.”

A small smirk tugged at Steve’s lips as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. “Okay.”

“So. Honesty hour.” You nodded.

“What do you want to know?”

“Do you always carry a gun?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“There are often dangerous, poorly- intentioned people in my line of work.”

You narrowed your eyes, pausing to take a small sip from your mug. “Your line of work - in real estate and art gallery ownership?”

Steve let out a quiet laugh. “The scope of my day to day work goes well beyond that.”

God, you had so many other questions but you had a feeling Steve was not going to share any details with you. Maybe it was better that way for both of you. Because answering some of your questions might ruin everything. “Would you rather I not ask about that? Your.. full scope?”

“I don’t think it qualifies for your honesty hour, no.”

You were ready to counter with something but you figured it wasn’t worth pushing his buttons. After another big breath, you closed your eyes. “Do you think those guys are going to show up again? At my apartment?”

The mug that had been resting in Steve’s hand found a careful spot on the counter. He took a big step forward and leaned onto the island opposite you.

Your name left his lips. You opened your eyes.

“I promise they won’t.” It was clear some things were being left unsaid, hidden behind his reassuring smile. His hand landed on yours as it rested on the table. “Trust me when I say I’ll never let that sort of thing happen again.” You looked from him, focusing on the warmth in his eyes and how his palm felt against your skin and…

“My turn.” Steve ran his thumb over the top of your hand, as if searching for the softest spot. “You called me. How come?”

You had never been so grateful to hear someone’s phone ring, because you did not want to answer that question. He tried to ignore it but the buzzing in his pocket filled in the quiet that lingered between you. Just like that, whatever that moment was or could have been - vanished. He gave you an apologetic glance as he stepped away. 

You sipped on your tea, feeling more and more run down by this whole situation. You were tired, finally and Steve’s big sweeping statements gave you some peace of mind. You trusted him, that was the only thing you were certain about. 

Despite everything, including the silly rumours from Maria and the broken remains of your apartment on the other side of Brooklyn… There was something about Steve that made you feel okay about all of this.

But the thought of talking any more about it now made your thoughts spiral out of control. Truthfully, you needed to sleep. And you really needed to talk all of this through in the group chat with the girls. You desperately wished your phone was still functioning.

Before you could even let your train of thoughts derail, you heard Hercules’ feet tapping against the floors in search of you. You took one final sip of your tea and met him in the living room. Your boy was ready for bed too.

You hesitated though, glancing from him to the door. He looked that way too. Maybe it would be smart to take him out one more time before you headed to bed.

Steve found you near the door and reached his hand out to stop you before you could even grab your coat. “Hey. I can take him out, if you want to get ready for bed.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Please, I insist.” He grabbed Hercules’ leash from the small entry table and rested his hand on your shoulder. “I’ve been thinking about adopting a dog for months now so this is a nice reminder about responsibilities.” 

Steve’s genuine smile was unmatched and, well, Hercules just looked excited for one last moment of fresh air. “Okay, fine. For your own research purposes. Thanks Steve.”

He waved his hand and pulled on a coat from the hanging rack. “The guest room is just down there.” With his free hand he pointed down the hall behind you. “First door on the right. Bathroom across the hall.”

The minute Steve was outside the door with Hercules, you made your way to the bedroom. You nearly gasped when you opened the door, considering the space was practically the same size as your entire apartment. And god, the view from the windows. A full floor to ceiling piece of glass illuminated Brooklyn below.

The bathroom was just as impressive. After finding a fluffy towel and figuring out how the shower and faucet functioned, you let yourself get consumed by the water. Though you felt far past your breaking point, you held back your tears. Yes, the entire night behind you had been a rollercoaster. And yes, you were nervous about what tomorrow was going to bring.

But you were safe. That’s all that mattered.

--

Chapter 01 - Chapter 03

#steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x plus size reader #mob boss steve rogers #stever rogers fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #steve rogers #steve rogers fanfic #plus size reader #stever rogers x plus sized reader #mob boss stever rogers x reader #simmerandcry #simmerandwrite #simmer writes #story: sink into me

[bittersweet-in-boston]

Latest in the President Steve saga, lots of angst and smut just the way we like it, right, folks

#stucky #steve rogers #bucky barnes #marvel #stevebucky #modern au #president steve rogers #war veteran bucky barnes #hail to the chief

[builder051]

Press on, press on again

Whoa Bessie

Content warnings: medical talk/seizures, sickness/emeto, possible sexualized behavior between grown people in a sexual relationship

____________________________

They've resurrected the tradition of the Sunday drive.

James has been complacent lately, either between the points of satisfied and bored with his activities and tasks, or ever so slightly stagnated. Steve can't quite tell which.

From the talk-therapy perspective, James seems as well as can be expected, all things considered. The same traumas come up in the night terrors, and he makes difficult confessions over again in the post-icthal fog after Steve picks his twitching, medicated ass up off the floor. But he remembers people's names now. Even from back in college. Sometimes he cracks jokes so slyly it takes Steve a second to get them before cracking up.

Sam and Nat report continued progress in the PT and OT departments, but Steve isn't sure whether he believes them.

"He's always gonna be, you know. Right?" Clint had weighed in when Steve had asked for a third opinion.

Steve shrugged and tried not to be disappointed.

"Broaden your horizons. Take him to, I don't know, the Smithsonian?" Clint pointed in the vague direction on the nearest metro station.

"Eh," Steve replied. "He hates crowds."

"Other way? We live way out near Big Sky..."

Steve vaguely recognized the name of the National Park, though he wasn't sure hiking or picnics were what he was after, either.

By Sunday, though, Steve couldn't take James's ghostly presence as he hovered in front of the bookshelf, pondering the jigsaw puzzles as the theme for Independent Lens cued on the television. It would be either dinosaurs, the Louvre, or the moon landing, and James would finish it right around the time Alan Cumming introduced tonight's Masterpiece Mystery.

James makes his requisite humming sound, and Steve puts his foot down.

"No," Steve says. He reaches for the TV remote.

"Wha?" James looks at him, confused.

Steve immediately softens his face and checks his tone. "I'm sorry. You're not doing anything wrong." He takes a breath. "I just want to do something different."

"Oh." James steps away from the shelf. He nods. "Like, uh. Umm..." He blinks, then makes a thin smile. "Do you...?"

"Know what to do instead?" Steve finishes.

James nods.

"Not... not exactly," Steve says honestly. "But a change of scenery? Do you want to go for a drive?"

"I might get carsick." James looks doubtful.

"It's nice out. We can roll down the windows." Steve is already heading for the shoe shelf and the rack where he hangs his keys. "I think I have some CDs in the glove box. Maybe the trunk..."

"This is... different." James follows him halfway, looking unsure whether he intends to dig in his heels.

"Yeah." Steve's voice cracks a little as he bends over to open the folded heel of his boat shoe. "Consider it... field trip therapy. We can talk about it or draw about it or do sit-ups about it when we get back, it it makes you feel better." Steve grins.

James's downturned eyebrows neutralize, then he makes the thin-line smile again. "Ok, sure," he gives in. "But not during Mystery."

"It's going to be a rerun," Steve says.

"How do you know?" James dons his shoes, then stands on his toes to knock his hat down from the top shelf just above his head.

"I can tell the future."

James glares at him darkly from under his black brim.

"No, ok," Steve laughs. "Mystery is always a rerun. It's the dramas that are new this year."

"But still--how--?"

Steve opens the door and waves James outside into the driveway. "You ever notice the TV guide is missing from the newspaper? Every day?"

"You mean they print a TV guide?" James looks a little dumbstruck.

Steve unlocks the car and they both get in. "Yeah. It's like a little magazine with celebrity gossip and movie times. I confiscate it. Well, I usually put it in my waiting room, now that you don't go in there anymore."

"Why?" James asks earnestly.

"'Cause you'd never put it down," Steve teases.

"I only watch PBS." James defends himself. "Deadliest Catch, sometimes. And... and... the animal channel--"

"Animal Planet," Steve corrects, "Which you confuse with Discovery and National Geographic."

"They're all animal channels. And last time, I let you program the remote." James crosses his arms and nods decisively.

"I guess I'm caught." Steve makes it out of the townhouse's neighborhood gridlock and pulls onto the main drive. "We're headed into the state, not the city today. Maybe you'll see some real animals."

"A pigeon," James reports sarcastically, nodding to the fat, grey bowling pin of a bird perched atop the nearest stop sign.

It takes just a minute to get to the highway. Steve assumes the crowds are spending their not-quite-noontime enjoying brunch after their choice of worship. Sure enough, the exit to Cracker Barrel gives him a view of American made pickups and families meandering the overflow porch. Not that Steve would've ever heeded it, but he's glad nobody's yet recommended that he and James try to join them.

They crack the windows at the next mile marker, and the breeze is perfect. James's hair takes flight at the ends, rippling up to his ears and turning gentle waves until the length is trapped beneath his cap.

Steve steals glimpses at him; he can't help himself. At least he does until James catches him, loosing a toothy, undignified snigger that makes him look raw and sexy and absolutely ridiculous.

A bubble of laughter builds in Steve's chest, but he's afraid he'll completely lose it, so he pops the center console and points at the messy array of junk inside.

"I forgot to look for CDs," he tells James. "There may be some in here. Hell, there might be cassette tapes."

James nods. He digs his seatbelt out of his neck, then turns so he can reach and rummage. Once he's down a layer of napkins and thoroughly un-sticky sticky notes, James come up with two shiny red cases rubber-banded together.

"The Civil War-abridged. Narrated by Ken Burns?" James reads, after blowing off some dust. "Cassettes." He raises his eyebrows, then flips the package over in his hand. "Oh--library copy--" He looks hurriedly to Steve. "These have a campus bar code. Do you owe money?"

Steve thinks quickly. "Um, probably not?" He cocks his head. "I no longer have a student account. No debt, as far as I know. Full ride for grad school." He shrugs. "I don't think so."

"Ok..." James sounds doubtful.

"We don't have to keep it, if it makes you feel weird."

Steve thinks about tossing the tapes in the trash next chance he gets; the sound quality has to be terribly scratched and warped.

"Like, mail it back?" James asks.

"Uh..." Steve isn't inclined to waste the postage. The cassettes are probably worth less. But he's also inclined to humor James's every inclination. "Maybe."

There's a gas station at the next exit. It's the kind with a corner store, plentiful with drinks and snacks and souvenir shot glasses. They probably sell car electronics and the like. Hopefully they're just outdated enough to have a few music CDs in stock among the chargers and adapters.

It's also a good change of conversation. "Hey, Buck," Steve poses. "D'you want to stop for a coke or something?"

"I know how to get lids off," James replies, annoyingly moving to an adjacent topic instead of answering.

"Yeah, bottled drinks. I bet they have glass bottles, too." Steve points down the approaching turn lane. "If we're going to stop, I have to turn now. Shall we?"

James is quiet for a second. He turns his head slightly to watch the road. Then he looks to Steve. "Sure," he says. It comes out a little oddly, though. As if he's reading out his Scrabble play instead of saying something with meaning.

He'll have to pay postage on the cassettes, Steve knows it. Rush shipping, probably. But he dusts off a grin and eases into the turn lane.

There's another bird clinging to the top of the traffic light, some little ugly brown unidentifiable thing that would require an expert and a magnifying glass to name properly. Steve's about to point it out to James, but James is already staring at it, his eyes big and blank. The light turns, and the bird ruffles it's wings, seeming affronted.

James sniffs. Steve isn't sure if it's a reaction to the bird, or just one of his sounds of existence. There's a pothole in the driveway to the gas station, and the car wobbles a bit. James's body ebbs and flows in his seat, his torso flexing whilst staying strong and upright. One muscle in his neck stands out, then disappears. He tips his head back, and Steve can just see the lines at the corner of his eye.

Steve turns the steering wheel and navigates into a parking spot. He steals a nervous glance at James, who has resumed his stoic stare into space. If Steve touches him, he might melt. So, of course, the best thing to do is rush the space between them and plant a startling kiss on James's cheek.

"Ah," James breathes, surprised. Pleased? Steve can't quite tell.

All he can take in is the burn of James's stubble left on the tip of his nose, like a child's tender knee bitten by sidewalk. Teenagers making love on cheap carpet.

Steve throws open his door and gets out of the car. He doesn't look at James, but doesn't actively look away, either. He can feel him walking at the same pace, right behind his shoulder. James's breathing is off. Flustered, perhaps. That would match Steve's inner workings, trying to maintain all normal processes with just a touch of what the fuuuccckkk...

The corner store is empty, so Steve takes his time glancing around. A case of overwhelmingly sweet-smelling doughnuts overtakes one side of the room, so he turns toward the soda fountain and coffee machines on the opposite wall.

"Coffee?" Steve offers, pointing it out to James. "Recyclable cups, even."

"Mm." James nods.

Steve himself opts for the soda fountain, where he won't be judged if he adds a little root beer and lemonade to his plain cola. After watching James choose his coffee cup and stoop his neck to read the flavors, he depresses the handles over his own chosen beverages and watches the bubbles flow.

Steve adds the final splash of A & W to fill his cup to the brim and watches intently as the foam fades away. Suddenly something heavy drops onto his shoulder, and his drink dribbles over the edges.

"What?" Steve tries not to move, though it only takes him a fraction of a second to recognize the shape and sound and smell of James having come up behind him and laid his head on Steve's shoulder.

"Hm." James stump is extended to its fullest and perched on the outside of Steve's arm, right where his sleeve cuts off. His chest is practically on Steve's back, though he's cockeyed slightly, and he's caught Steve's hipbone with his at a sloppy T.

"Hey, Buck," Steve murmurs. "What's up?"

James exhales another humming sound. The bowl of his pelvis conforms to Steve's gluteus, his groin wrapping just below. His body feels muscular and toned, and his breath is hot on the side of Steve's face.

"This, uh, isn't the time..." Steve tries to hiss at him.

"Hm." James's right leg hitches, as if he's trying to ride Steve's ass by only hinging his knee, the toe of his shoe squeaking against the floor.

"Stop," Steve groans. "We don't do this in public."

"Uh. Uh." It's only when James collapses at the beltline and gives Steve an uppercut in the chest three times over that the situation becomes clear.

"Fuck." It's, perhaps coincidentally, the only word Steve has at the moment. The fountain drink falls victim to somebody's elbow, splashing the back of Steve's jeans and becoming a puddle on the floor. Swearing again and checking his footing, Steve wraps James's waist with one arm and his shoulders with the other, suspending him mid-fall as the seizure takes hold of his body.

"Ok, ok." Steve starts his usual grounding murmurs as he looks for a dry spot to place James's legs. He swipes at the soda spill with the side of his foot, but all that does is invite wetness under his foot and into this insole. Maybe it's all for naught; James is halfway likely to leak from one or more orifice, anyway.

"I've got you," Steve says as he's forced to sit heavily and roll James to his side. His breathing is gurgly, and his body twitches spasmodically in a dead bug sort of way. James makes a retching sound that seems to resonate from deep in his ribcage, but all it produces is a trace of clear saliva.

"Yeah, get it up." Steve pats James's back.

"Is he sick? Do you need an ambulance?" A hairnet and a hillbilly drawl come out from behind the doughnuts, the curly cord of an landline stretching several feet overhead from a bright red wall-mount.

"No, he does this," Steve says, finding himself gasping as well. "I mean, he's a disabled veteran. Epileptic. I have his meds. Or he does. Somewhere."

"Ok, sweetie. Tell me if you change your mind." The hairnet puts down the handset and noisily changes gloves.

"Buck, sorry," Steve says, stroking James's hair. Then he collects James's hat, which has fallen off, and buttons it to his own belt loop for safekeeping. "I gotta feel you up."

James makes a guttural sound, which may or may not have been voluntary. He does see to take ahold of his flickering eyelids, though, and jam them together in a single, hard blink.

"Ok. Good." Steve tries to stick his hand in James's pocket without fondling him. "We got this." There's nothing in the upward-facing one. James must be lying on his emergency syringe. He can't imagine that's very comfortable. Not that seizing in the middle of a gas station store is very comfortable to begin with.

"Ok, it's under you," Steve tries to explain. "Your Versed. Your mouth. meds? That make you go to sleep?"

"Uh," James forces out. But then his chest and arms go jerking again. So does the side of his face. That part always scares Steve most, filling him with fear he'll start stroking, start disappearing, and they'll have to start all over.

He can't perseverate. Hell, five minutes ago he thought James was going all youngblood on him. When he wakes up from this round of medically-induced drowse, James will owe him. They'll owe each other.

Steve hoists James's waist an inch off the floor and explores his rumpled pocket. Sure enough, the syringe is rolled in the lining, covered in lint, and the label is all but worn off. He should probably check the expiration date, but Steve is too eager to get the goods into James's body to wait even a moment longer than necessary. He discards the cap and jams the tip under James's lower lip. It makes friction along the lower gum line, and Steve groans in apology. The syringe seems to depress for an ungodly amount of time.

What's the dose? Is it always this dose? Does it always take this long? Steve's the one trembling when he finally removes the empty syringe and drops it at James's side. "Ok?" he whispers. "Ok. It's ok."

James takes a shuddering breath. His body stills. Then he resumes a normal, though slightly quickened chest rise.

Steve sighs in relief. He hovers the back of his fingers hear James's forehead, which is warm and glistening with slight perspiration. He's got to have burned, what, a thousand calories, at least? Four hundred a minute, or something like that.

"Ok..." Time to get his brain back on track. James is stable. That's the most important thing. But... backtracking. Why'd they stop? Where even are they?

"You sure you don't need help, sweetie?" The hairnet is behind the ice cream counter now, waving the phone beside its wall mount.

"Um..." Steve gives his pockets a glance. Sure enough, his phone is in the car. "Actually, yeah. Can I call somebody?"

"Even I know the Fire Department." The glove doesn't quite tap the hairnet in the motion of acknowledgement.

"No, a person. Like, a house." Steve presses up to his knees. "Will your cord stretch?"

"Every dern corner of this place." Bouncy Dr. Scholls come at a clip, and the gloves change again as soon as the receiver is in Steve's hand.

"Thanks." Steve looks at the number pad set into the center of the receiver. The phone feels like a toy, but for now, it's a lifeline. He shuts his eyes and envisions the piece of paper taped above the computer monitor in his office. Clint office. No, next one down. Clint cell.

Steve dials the number, including the 1 and area code, just in case they're across the county line. Then he tucks the receiver behind his ear and waits.

It rings twice, then picks up. "Why does my caller ID say 'Gas-n-Go?'" An annoyed-yet-curious voice asks. "Is this a phone booth? Or a hijacked number?"

"No, Clint, it's me," Steve says quickly. "Steve, from the office."

"Ok?" There's definitely skepticism.

Steve hastens to explain. "I'm at a gas station, that's why the phone number is odd. I'm with Bucky-- James, I mean--"

"Yeah, I know you live together. You're calling me on a weekend on a personal number, so professional isn't, like, a thing anymore."

"Ok, I'm sorry, so, we were driving, and we stopped and he had a seizure, and he's had medication and he's passed out now--"

"Where did you say you were?" Clint interrupts.

"You said to go places and stuff."

"You're at a gas station? What exit?"

"Uh." Steve can't remember the number. He isn't sure he even looked at the number. "The one with the dippy bird on the traffic light?"

"The fuck?"

"After Cracker Barrel."

"Ok," Clint pauses. "And you haven't seen the diner inside the giant silver Airstream yet?"

"There's a--" Steve stops short. "No. Definitely no."

"Yeah, so you're like, halfway."

"To what?"

"Big Sky, dipshit." Clint laughs. "That's where you were going, right?"

"Uh... We got...really sidetracked." Steve rubs his hand up his forehead, making his bangs stand on end.

"Yeah, well. We're the other fork."

"I don't follow," Steve sighs. "Buck is passed out, and if you live near here, I really don't want to put upon, but if you could, like meet me--"

"Steve, hey, it's fine. That's what I'm telling you," Clint says. "You're halfway there. Big Sky National Park is one fork in the road. Our driveway is basically the other one."

"Oh."

"I think we're an hour apart, ish? Forty-five, if I take my car instead of the van?"

"That would be.. Oh my god. Thank you." Steve trips over his words.

"My wife wants to turn one wing of the house into an Air BnB. Says I'm on business trips too often, and she needs more people to cook for." Clint laughs. "She'd love you guys."

"I don't want to be a burden. He'll wake up by tonight--"

"No. Stay," Clint insists. "Play hooky with me tomorrow. I have leave to burn. Laura has a double oven. Strawberries are blooming..."

"You're being way too kind. I'm so out of line, doing this--"

"Steve. Stop." Clint puts on a gentle, yet firm tone. "We treat each other like family. Always. Ok?"

Steve takes a moment to breathe. He nods to himself. To James. Then he murmurs, "Ok. See you soon."

#marvel #mcu #fanfic #fanfition #whoa bessie #captain america #steve rogers #protective steve rogers #war veteran bucky barnes #bucky barnes #amputee bucky barnes #au #hurt/comfort #seizures #emeto #emetophilia #sex talk #clint barton #laura barton #sickfic

[enchantedbarnes]

Recommendations #2 💌

Well hello again. Just in case you make your way through my first list, here's some more reading material for you 😉

I went digging to find some past gems - these lists are also partly selfish so I can go back and re-read them easily.

💖 Thank you to all of these creators for all the writing you've shared with us. I very much appreciate all of you! 💖

And to all you readers out there, I hope you enjoy and send some love to all of these beautiful writers 🥰

If you haven't already, you can check out my first Recommendation List - Here ❤️‍🔥 make sure they get all of the love too

xo

Caught In The Fire by @dreamwritesimagines

Pairing: Mobster! Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: In a city ruled by gangsters, nothing is ever simple.

Delicate Edges by @wkemeup

Pairing: Bucky x reader (Biker!AU)

Summary: Your family’s beloved flower shop was not the only thing you inherited when your parents passed. Trapped under a mountain of debt to the Hydra club, you bear the cost of your father’s desperate bargain. It’s only in moments when the charming Bucky Barnes walks into your shop that you can forget the cruelty of the biker clubs of this town. But a war is brewing. The border is crumbling. You're trapped in the middle. And Bucky will stop at nothing to keep you safe.

Sunrise by @wkemeup

Parings: Bucky x Reader (veteran!bucky x librarian!reader)

Summary: After an explosion takes his arm and his only sense of belonging, Bucky is discharged from active duty and sent back to civilian life. Left with a storm of unchecked guilt, Bucky is content to live out the rest of his days in the hollow comfort of the dark. This is, until Sam drags him down to the local VA and he meets you. (Modern AU)

In the Embers by @foreverindreamlandd

Pairing: Firefighter!Bucky x Fem!Plus Size!Adopted Rogers!Reader

Summary: It’s been years since you’ve been home, and you didn’t expect it to be in the aftermath of your life falling apart. Though much has changed over time, one thing has stayed the same: Bucky Barnes is still the boy next door, and there’s no running from him now.

Awake My Soul by @foreverindreamlandd

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x F!Reader

Summary: It's been five years since the zombies started invading, and despite everything you've been through, you've survived up until this point. And now you must survive your most dangerous challenge yet...the grumpy, untrusting, captivating Bucky Barnes.

Check out their Bucky masterlist 😍 -> Here

Beneath the Milky Twilight by @bucksangel

Pairing: Ceo!Bucky Barnes x Personal Assistant!Reader (Sugarbaby!AU)

Summary: Being Mr. Barnes’ personal assistant has been tough, balancing a full time job while taking care of your younger brothers has you running yourself thin. Then, things take a sharp turn after a dinner with your boss when you disclose your financial situation.

‘The Road Goes Ever On and On’ by @rocketrhap3000

Pairings & Characters: Bucky Barnes x singlemom!reader, Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson (eventually), and OC three year old Jasper :)

Summary: Life as a single mother of a three year old certainly has its struggles. But when a sweet stranger makes his way into you and your little boy’s life, a one of a kind connection sparks. 

Yours, Mine, Ours by @coffeecatsandcandles

Pairing: singledad!Bucky Barnes x singlemom!pediatrician!Reader

Summary: Bucky Barnes has been raising his girls, Rebecca and Winnie, for the last two years. He'd lost all hope of falling in love again until he met you, a pediatrician with two children of your own- Elliot and Willow. He falls in love and he falls hard, but the challenges of being single parents still weigh on you both at times. Luckily, you'll always have each other.

Also you need to go read their entire Masterlist

Mob!Bucky x Fairy Masterlist by @kinanabinks

Pairing: 18+ | Mob!Bucky x Best Friend!Reader

the adventures of bucky and his little fairy.

Appointments by @noctumbra (prev buckycuddlebuddy)

Pairing: tfatws!bucky barnes x reader

Summary: in which bucky gets a fuck buddy and rediscovers his body’s needs and himself in the twenty-first century.

We Fell in Love in October by @noctumbra (prev buckycuddlebuddy)

Pairing: farmer!bucky barnes x reader

Summary: in which october brings love for bucky with his favorite season surrounding him.

As It Was, Baby (AO3) by @nexusnyx

Pairing: Neighbor Bucky x Reader

Summary: Living right across from James Barnes was certainly an experience, but a much different one than most people expect. A neighbour who is respectful, funny and brings you food every now and then is any girl's dream. Too bad you're only his neighbour and nothing else. Or, at least, that's what you thought.

One stormy night changes everything and discovering that you mean more to the Sargent than you expected has life-altering consequences.

Bring Me to Life by @nameless-ken

Pairing: Dad!Bucky x reader

Summary: Bucky is a struggling single father trying to take care  of his daughter when a stranger welcomes them into her home and brings a gentle love back into their life.

Masterlist for nameless-ken -> Here

Unexpected by @nameless-ken

Pairing: Bucky x reader

Summary: Our mutual friend dropped out of this trip at the last minute, so hi I guess we’re spending the next two weeks together.

The Bienville by @indyluckycharlie

Pairing: Modern AU Bucky Barnes x Reader

(Island/CEO!AU)

Summary: Bucky is the young CEO of his family’s publishing house. A year into the role and working his ass off, he’s finally taking a much needed vacation (upon the advice of his well-meaning family and friends).

Solo and feeling a little lost, Bucky finds himself getting a little attached to the front desk receptionist, a local who grew up on the islands and dreams of bigger things.

All You Need by @barnesafterglow

Pairing: publisher!bucky x author!reader

Summary: just after finishing college and your first novel, you meet bucky barnes - a friend of a friend, a publisher, and hopefully something more

No Day But Today by @buckysfaveplum

Pairing: bucky barnes x artist!female reader

Summary: bucky finds himself enamored with the girl upstairs who paints on the fire escape.

(loosely inspired by mimi and roger from rent)

Brotherhood and Bullets Masterlist by @rookthorne

Pairing: Biker!Bucky Barnes x F!Reader

The 107th motorcycle club has been the protector of their collective hometown for many, many years - shouldering all the bloodshed and loss that came with it. Little did you know, you'd become the President's own twisted version of an angel on his shoulder; the tips of your angelic wings tinged red by your own demons.

Check out rookthorne's full masterlist -> Here

The Old Man's Grocery Order (AO3) by yarnforbrains

Pairing: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader

Summary: The grocery order was the same every week, and every week it came with the same instructions: Don’t ring the bell. Leave it and go.

It wasn’t the most polite message, but that’s about what you expected from someone with a grocery list like this...You figured it was an older man.

Our Home to Heal by @subwaysurf45

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: working at the VA, you’ve found your place. helping people in the sobriety unit as well as cooking for the food bank, the VA had everything for you. Bucky Barnes has a not-so-good first impression but after dealing with a dark recent past he finds you to help him heal. 

Snow by @delaber

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: Tired of your constant bickering, Sam sends you and Bucky on a mission alone. When the worst possible outcome happens and you’re forced to spend several days together in a small cabin, you finally get to see a different, more pleasurable side to the man whose flesh you’ve always had a thorn in.

Finding Home by @jobean12-blog

Pairing: Beefy!Bucky x reader (Animal Rescue AU)

Summary: You meet Bucky while he’s out walking Alpine in the city. It’s love at first sight and to make it even better he just opened up an Animal Rescue, Shelter to Solider.  But will his past stand in the way of him finally finding his home. 

Stud and Smartie Universe by @navybrat817

Pairing: Mechanic Roommate!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader (Stud and Smartie)

AU Summary: You're crazy about your handsome roommate. Luckily, he feels the same way about you.

Your Hands Have Made Some Good Mistakes by @thenhewaswrongaboutme

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Summary: Bucky has to spend six months locked up with a stranger. His teammates went on an international press tour and left him behind. They hired someone to supervise him, per the conditions of his pardon— a roommate, they said. A roommate?

Happy New Year

and Happy Reading!

(Dividers by saradika)

#my recs #fic recommendations #bucky barnes fanfic #bucky barnes fanfiction

[sweetbuckybarnes]

Bucky Barnes Series

Decades: To introduce the World War 2 veterans, Bucky and Steve, to the time that they missed. From the 50s to their current time, Singin' in the Rain to Grease, Alien, Flashdance and Mamma Mia! The Avengers are going to give these ancient fossils a pop culture lesson.

Magpies: Bucky remembers (only slightly) what his ma used to say about magpies - and it's something Y/N even said. Suddenly, Bucky's relationship with Y/N was a test of the magpies' poem. But he knew they would get out on the other side, alive and together.

12 Days of Christmas: 12 days running up to Christmas, Bucky and Y/N come closer together.

Who is This?: Bucky had a wife during the 40s, she was left heartbroken after the telegram arrived (missing, presumed dead). It's surprising when 80 years later, she was working behind a bar in Madripoor of all places!

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #bucky x female reader #james buchanan barnes #bucky masterlist #bucky barnes

[avengersfantasies]

Series Summary: When you were little, your life was changed forever. Your parents were brutally murdered before you, and the doctors said it was a miracle that you survived. Now, almost 22 years later, you come across the man who took everything from you.

Chapter Summary: After waking up in your bed to a note and doing some research, you decide not to run from your parents' killer anymore.

taglist: @felicitylemon @lostinth3echo

You awoke in your bed without remembering how or when you returned to your apartment. Was last night even real? You couldn’t help but wonder if the nightmares had returned in full force or if what happened with the man actually happened. You sat up, feeling the effects of too much drinking taking over your body all at once. You had stopped getting hangovers in the sense of headaches and nausea; instead, they consisted of just feeling sluggish and tired all day. Reaching to grab your phone, you found a handwritten note underneath it. Curious, you read it.

I needed to make sure you got home safe. I wasn’t able to protect you before, but I’ll be damned if I cause you to get harmed again. - James Buchanan Barnes

You gasped at the note, realizing that the murderer of your parents had figured out where you lived, brought you into your apartment, and put you into your bed. Why had he signed it with his full name? Your mind raced with anxious thoughts as you slummed around your apartment that morning, making multiple cups of coffee and eating some freshly made French toast. Unable to fight off the curiosity anymore, you grabbed your laptop and opened up Google.

James Buchanan Barnes, you typed in the search bar, and within seconds, all the pictures and news articles about The Winter Soldier, Hydra, and Sergeant James “Bucky” Barnes from World War II popped up on your screen. You had heard of The Winter Soldier, but you never in a million years imagined that he was the one who took your parents from you. Tears filled your eyes as you read through the accounts of what happened to the veteran. You read about all the things he had gone through, the control he was under, and the only way you could see him was as a monster. He was the monster that had haunted your dreams for over twenty years, the one you would run from and never be able to escape, the monster that stabbed you nearly to death and broke your fragile bones in your small leg. But, at the same time, it wasn’t him. 

Your discovery had you reeling for the entirety of the day and into the evening. A million thoughts raced through your head, and you needed a way to stop them. So, you did what you had become used to - go to your local dive bar for some much-needed drinks. You walked in and sat in a booth that was hidden away in the corner of the bar, giving you access to see everything and everyone coming in, coming out, and moving about the place. By the time you were on your fourth drink, the door chimed, and you looked up to see who else but the man you had run from the night before. This time, however, you didn’t move. You subtly watched him walk over to the bar and order a beer. You weren’t going to initiate contact, but you weren’t going to run from him this time if he tried to talk to you. Returning to minding your business, sipping your drink, and scrolling on your phone, you looked up when you heard the familiar voice call out to you. 

It was him. 

“Um…would it be okay to sit with you?” the Sergeant asked softly, his voice filled with hesitation. 

You shrugged, never looking up at him, keeping your attention on your phone instead. “I guess,” you said apathetically. After all, could you really show him hatred after learning what you had earlier? Sure, you weren’t thrilled to see the man, but you came to realize that you couldn’t necessarily hate him…Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes wasn’t the one who actually caused the pain in your life. 

It was just his face that haunted your nightmares.

A few awkward moments passed before the Sergeant finally spoke. 

“I’m…,” he closed his eyes and exhaled, “glad you got home safe.” 

Still looking at your phone, and with the same apathetic tone, you replied, “That’s not a very good conversation starter, considering you’re the one who took me there.”

“Right,” he confirmed. “You uh…passed out in the street outside here,” he began to explain. “I wanted to make sure you got home safe, so I, well, I found your wallet and got your address off your license.”

You nodded in response. “Why?” you asked. “Why did you even care, Sergeant Barnes?”

“So, you did find the note,” he concluded almost to himself before turning his attention back towards you. “I…look, I couldn’t protect back then–”

“But I’ll be damned if I cause you to get harmed again,” you repeated back the words from his note. “Yeah, I know.”

He took a sip of his drink and looked down at where he held the cold beverage in his hands. “What happened…I –”

“It wasn’t your fault,” you interrupted his explanation, causing him to snap his head back up to look at you, and finally, you looked up at him with tired and expressionless eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, Sergeant.” He couldn’t find the words to respond. “I did the research,” you told him. “I know about HYDRA, The Winter Soldier…all of it.”

He only nodded in response. “Smart girl,” he smiled slightly. 

“I figured that was why you left me your full name,” you said flatly, ordering another drink. 

“It was,” he confirmed. Taking your silence as a cue, he continued to speak. “It’s Bucky, by the way,” he told her. “You don’t have to call me Sergeant.”

“It’s what I’m used to doing,” you shrugged. He raised an eyebrow at your words.

You told him your name, unsure if he knew it all those years back, making sure to include your rank of Sergeant. 

“Sergeant?” he questioned. “Which branch?”

You chuckled at the irony of the situation. “Army.”

“So, you’re in the Army?” he questioned.

“Was,” you clarified, “I got discharged a few weeks ago.”

Bucky nodded, knowing better than to pry into a discharged veteran’s past. “Well, welcome home, Soldier.”

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x you #james bucky barnes #james bucky buchanan barnes #the winter soldier #bucky x reader #the winter soldier fanfiction #sergeant james barnes #sergeant james buchanan barnes #james barnes #james buchanan barnes #bucky barnes angst #bucky barnes fanfic

[srgntjamesbuckybarnes]

Buck & Doe (15)

Summary: Natasha attempts to take down Dreykov, who is mind controlling Black Widows. In her quest she recruits Y/N, a former Black Widow turned science experiment. Bucky and Natasha share a history in the Red Room but his life might be intertwined with more than one Widow. The closer they get to taking down Dreykov, the more secrets come to light.

Rating: Mature

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: None

Word Count: 5.3k

A/N: Not Beta’d

Series Masterlist

Previous Chapter

Chapter 15

Yawns passed around the room; exhaustion was rooted deep in everyone's bones. The group huddled in Rebecca’s living room swapping stories, reminiscing as if it was their last night alive. The dreaded mission loomed like a storm cloud threatening to rain; a constant reminder of what was to come. Like a child refusing to go to bed, Y/N fought to keep her eyes open. She didn’t want to miss a single story. She looked forward to Rebecca’s stories when she was in the Red Room. It was like a payment for all of the cruelty she had experienced. A chance to escape, to live a life beyond the Red Room. She had finished that chapter of her life, but the story wasn’t over. Tomorrow she would return to the Red Room and if things went south, it would be these stories that she would cling to.

Steve twisted his body, leaning over the arm of the cloth chair. With a stoker in his hand, he poked the logs in the fireplace. Ash fluttered around the wood like snowflakes falling from the sky. The flames were mesmerizing, a game of charades warning the bunch they were playing with fire.

Rebecca frowned catching, Beck yawning. His sister slumped on the floor beside him. With an authoritative voice that rivaled Steve’s Captain America voice, she commanded, “Alight kids, head up to bed.” Though the teenagers hadn’t been involved in anything involving HYDRA, the long hours in the car had drained them as well.

When neither of the pair moved, Harold nudged Beck. “Come on, you heard your aunt. Bedtime.” Jaime groaned, suddenly sitting straighter. Her back pressed into the couch keeping her upright. Rebecca’s lips parted but Harold towered over the kids. The fire lit up his back casting his face in an intimidating shadow. “I got them. I’m gonna head to bed myself. Big day tomorrow and all.”

After a series of goodnights, an eerie silence fell upon the room. The only sound coming from the crackling of wood. Y/N’s head rested on Bucky’s collarbone, his metal hand carding through her hair. Her eyelids twitched struggling to remain open.  She swore the super-soldier was coaxing her to sleep on purpose. Bucky was skilled at reading people. Between her confession on the way to the HYDRA base, the long car ride, and the uncomfortable motel bed he knew she needed a good night's rest.

She would have lost her battle with her consciousness had Natasha not elbowed her ribs. Y/N’s eyes sprung open, lifting her head slightly to look at the redhead seated beside her. The super-soldier’s fingers gently guided her head back into his chest. It almost felt like a silent battle between Bucky and Natasha. The tension between the two had yet to settle.

Thanks to Steve and Rebecca claiming the single chairs, Y/N had been caught in the middle of whatever war was brewing between the assassins. Sam sat on the floor with the kids between Steve and Bucky. Though the teenagers were older than his nephews, he was happy to pick the minds of the youth. Kids always know more than adults think they do. Due to his time counseling veterans, he had hoped to gain something from the two. Unfortunately, they were a lot more like Bucky than he had thought. They remained silent or talked about something else. After their departure, he had been left on the floor hogging the heat emitting from the fire.

“Jane, what’s your favorite story?” Natasha asked.

Bucky peered down at Y/N, curious himself. Like him and Natasha, Y/N didn’t have many positive memories. Unlike Y/N, Bucky remembered a life before HYDRA and Natasha had a life with the Avengers after the Red Room.

Y/N pushed against Bucky’s chest, bolting upright. Her eyes twinkled as she faced Rebecca, the fire reflecting in her eyes had Rebecca on edge. The younger Barnes had hoped her favorite memories didn’t revolve around her time in the Red Room. “I don’t know about my favorite story but I do like the ones Rebecca tells.” Rebecca relaxed back into her chair, a soft smile on her lips. “Oh, I know one you could tell,” Y/N clasped her hands together. “Tell the story about when you almost kissed Steve. I like that one.”

The room froze. Y/N settled back against Bucky delighted to hear a story that she knew the end to. Bucky’s hand didn’t return to her hair. She had been unaware of the intense stare down Bucky had been giving Steve over her head. Steve ignored Bucky; his cheeks dusted a light shade of red as he stared at Rebecca racking his brain for when Rebecca Barnes could have possibly wanted to kiss him. Rebecca averted her gaze, her ruddy complexion in the fire turned a shade darker.

Twirling a strand of hair with her finger Rebecca mumbled, “I don’t know what story you’re referring to.”

Y/N rolled her eyes opening her mouth to speak but Sam beat her to it. “Well if Jane remembers the story, she could always tell it. I’m sure she won’t hold back any details.” Everyone knew he was instigating the situation by the toothy grin he was sporting. No one cared though as all eyes snapped to Y/N. Once again, Y/N opened her mouth to speak but was cut off, again.

“Fine!” Rebecca snapped. Her hands covered her face. “There’s not much to tell.” She peeked at Steve. At that moment, the blonde super-soldier who had shed his underweight identity had looked like the boy she knew growing up. Years may have passed, and his body may have changed but his heart and mind were still the same. Turning to her brother she pointed a finger at him, “It was your fault anyway, always bringing him around.” Bucky remained silent, a stoic expression on his face. “Sarah had just passed, Steve’s mother,” Rebecca clarified for Sam and Natasha’s sake. “Bucky went over to Steve's to invite him to stay with us but he was stubborn. He refused, determined to get by on his own. He turned into a hermit, stopped coming over, shut everyone out.”

A solemn look crossed Steve’s face at the memory. His mother’s death was a dark time for him. “Before that, Steve was always over. Our house was chaotic. I grew fond of having him around, we all did. When he stopped coming over, our house just felt incomplete.” She dared glance at her brother, the grim expression he wore told her he remembered the same empty feeling she had.

“The Rogers were always good to us, the selfless bunch they were.” This was the first time she had told the story since she knew Steve was alive, so she corrected herself, “I mean, are.” Lost in his own world, Steve continued to stare into space. Rebecca wondered if maybe she shouldn’t have told the story. He didn’t need the reminder that his family was dead while Bucky had reunited with his. It wasn’t fair. “Anyway,” she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, “Bucky invited Steve out several times. He always refused. Bucky was exhausted, juggling long hours at work and attempting to cheer his friend up. Not to mention, the string of dates he had lined up. Never one to disappoint a woman, he refused to cancel.”

Bucky tensed as Rebecca recalled the many dates Bucky had been on. He wouldn’t have cared had Y/N not been there. He didn’t want her to think he was some sort of playboy. Even if he was in the 40s, those days were behind him. Y/N could feel the way Bucky’s chest tightened beneath her ear. Nuzzling her head against his chest, she brought his metal hand back to her head. Bucky resumed stroking her hair subconsciously. He had nothing to worry about. Y/N had heard the story already and she liked it. It unnerved Bucky to know that she knew parts of his past that not even he was aware of.

“While Steve might have been able to turn a blind eye to girls and dancing, there was one thing he couldn’t ignore,” a sly smile painted Rebecca’s lips, “a fight, a chance to do the right thing, to be a hero.” Steve eyed her warily. “I once overheard Bucky and Steve talking about a guy their age, a real handsy fella. Up until that moment, I avoided the man like the plague but at that moment, I didn’t care. There was a dance down the street from Steve that weekend. So I asked the guy to go with me, which took a lot of convincing once he found out I was Bucky’s little sister. I waited until Bucky left to meet up with the guy. If things didn’t work out, I knew Bucky would be at the dance. This guy wouldn’t try anything in front of Bucky.” It was true, Bucky could hold his own in a fight and after saving Steve plenty of times, everyone knew it.

“As expected, the man was handsy the moment we met up. I ignored it until we walked past Steve’s house. Stevie was always home so I knew he’d hear me. I let the guy have it, yelling at the top of my lungs. Steve ran out in no more than his trousers, his chest puffed out.” Rebecca chucked at the memory. “The moment Steve was between us, the guy backed down. I think he recognized who he was. Usually, wherever Steve was, Bucky wasn’t far behind. After that, Steve lectured me. A good ol’ fashion Captain America lecture, I’m sure you are all familiar with by now.” Sam nodded enthusiastically.

“I waited while Steve dressed. He was going to walk me home but I couldn’t let a perfectly good dress go to waste. I convinced him to walk me to the dance hall instead. He only agreed because Bucky was there, he didn’t realize I was asking him to be my date.” Her ears turned pink. “As promised, he dropped me off at the dance hall when he spotted Bucky. He had been a true gentleman. At that moment, I wanted him to kiss me outside of the dance hall,” she narrowed her eyes at Bucky, “and I didn’t care if my brother saw.”

Natasha leaned forward, “So what stopped you from kissing him?”

Rebecca laughed, reliving the moment she nearly kissed Steve. “I batted my eyelashes at him, squeezed his bicep for good measure. I thought it was clear that I was flirting with him but he didn’t make a move. Our families were close, Bucky was his best friend, and he wouldn’t betray him. He had already lost his parents. I knew I had to be the one to make the move but when I leaned in, he patted my head, bid me a good night, and went home.”

Sam howled with laughter, “You patted her head!”

Bucky glared at Steve, “You turned my sister down?” He cocked his head arching his eyebrow, “Is there something wrong with her?”

Steve panicked, turning beet red, “N-No! Of course not!” His head whipped to the younger Barnes, “You were flirting with me?”

Rebecca chuckled, “Yes and you were clueless.”

Bucky raised his eyebrows, “Well that explains why your love life is so terrible.”

“It’s not-” Steve attempted to defend himself. Natasha’s pointed stare silenced him. The Widow had tried to set him up with plenty of women, but the Captain declined every one of them, too busy to settle down.

“I can see why you like this story. It’s good to know Captain America isn’t so perfect,” Natasha joked.

Sam snorted, rolling his eyes, “Yeah, it has nothing to do with Cassanova over there.”

“Of course, it does Sam,” Y/N teased. Bucky could see the mischievous look she gave him before addressing his sister. “Oh, Becca, tell the story of how Bucky-” Bucky slapped his metal hand over Y/N’s mouth. She had successfully embarrassed Steve, Bucky wasn’t looking to be next.

Bucky cut his eye to his sister, “I don’t know what you told her but let’s not tell any more embarrassing stories.” Steve nodded in agreement. Y/N’s eyes were wide, a deer in headlights staring up at Bucky. She was trapped, Bucky’s arm around her shoulder, his hand pressed to her mouth. Her eyes were level with his lips forced to watch his lips pucker and curl with each word he spoke. The pink of his tongue poked between his teeth running across his lips. She never wanted to kiss anyone more; so close yet so far. A deep exhale spread heat against Bucky’s palm; the sensation contrasting with the cold metal had his eyes trailing down to meet hers. Bucky was no stranger to women; he knew what she wanted. He wanted it too. The brunette super-soldier hesitantly removed his hand, grateful she had been facing him. Surely the group would tease him for what he was about to do after Steve’s embarrassing story. But they couldn’t see her face, they didn’t know the way she looked at him, the desire.

His eyes betrayed him the second his hand released her. How could he not stare at the lips that had been pressed against his palm? He longed to feel the skin of her lips with his own. Bucky cleared his throat, “That goes for you too, no more embarrassing stories.” Then, almost identical to Steve, Bucky reached up ruffling her hair just as he had done before in the very same spot on the couch. It had worked before, and he hoped it would kill whatever tension was brewing between them.

It worked. With a grimace on her face, Y/N reached up, smoothing her hair back down. “I hate it when you do that,” she groaned. Perhaps she wouldn’t mind the gesture if it didn’t kill the mood every time, he did it.

Bucky could feel Sam’s eyes studying the pair, so he snapped, “Got something to say, Wilson?”

Sam rolled his shoulder, raising his palms in surrender. “Just wondering what’s going on here is all. I’ve been out of the loop for a hot minute.” 

Bucky grunted. Had their interaction been that obvious? If Sam was able to pick up on it, Natasha definitely did. Perhaps Steve and Rebecca had too. Not that anything was going on but it seemed like everyone around them was able to pick up on his feelings.

“You know,” Sam began, “when little boys like girls, they tend to pull on their pigtails on the playground.”

Bucky tensed. Was that what he was doing? His eyes darted between his sister and best friend. Is that what Steve had been doing? No, it couldn’t be. Pulling a girl’s hair hurt them, at least the way little boys did it. Bucky and Steve weren’t hurting anyone. They were being friendly? Maybe Bucky wasn’t friendly, maybe his metal fingers hurt when he ruffled her hair.

Noticing the odd worried look Bucky was giving Y/N, she asked, “Bucky, are you okay?”

“Did I hurt you?” He whispered, low enough for only her to hear.

Her eyes widened, “What? No, of course not! My hair just gets messy.” It wasn’t completely true; his subtle rejection had hurt but she’d never admit that to him.

It wasn’t long before Y/N fell asleep. The heat of the fire and the comfort of Bucky lulled her to sleep. At that moment, she was safe. She could let her guard down and she knew everyone in the room would protect her. She was home.

“Are you gonna join them?” Natasha nodded towards the kitchen. As soon as Y/N’s light snores filled the room, Rebecca, Sam, and Steve moved to the kitchen to discuss the mission.

Bucky stared at the woman resting against his chest. She was like a cat laying on a human. Bucky feared if he moved even in the slightest, she would wake and run. He bit the inside of his cheek, “In a few. I wanna make sure she’s out before I move.”

The redhead nodded, turning to face Bucky. One leg bent resting on the cushion while the other dangled to the floor. He could tell she wanted to say something, but she remained silent.

“You don't have to stay,” Bucky offered.

“I want to.”

The assassins sat in tranquility, listening to the hushed voices in the next room.

Bucky bit his bottom lip, “You told Jane about us?”

Natasha pursed her lips, “I implied it, but she figured it out.” She shrugged, “She is a Widow, she was bound to figure it out at some point.”

The brunette contemplated her words. He wasn’t angry or disappointed that Y/N knew. They agreed it was better to not tell anyone. His history with Steve was already complicated enough. They worked well together; they didn’t need anyone splitting them up on missions. They were also both private people, so Bucky was shocked she told Y/N so soon after reuniting with her when she kept it a secret from everyone else.

“She would have distanced herself from you if she found out about us on her own. I assured her we’re just friends now. You’re welcome by the way.” Natasha flipped her hair over her shoulder.

He huffed, clenching his right hand into a fist. “Is that what we are, friends?” he spat. The past few days have been rocky between the two but they were still friends. Bucky knew that but he couldn’t help but snap from their built-up tension.

If his harsh tone affected Natasha, she didn’t show it. “I’d like to be.” She rested her elbow on the back of the sofa, her head rested in her hand. “It really hurt me that you didn’t tell me about the Wolf-Spider Ops. How could you keep that a male version of the Red Room existed from me?”

Bucky avoided her eye, “Because I killed the only person in the program.” He knew it hurt her because it was close to her own experience which is exactly why he didn’t tell her. “If I told you you would have been scared of me. It could have easily been you that they ordered me to kill. You would have made the connection between yourself and Niko and cast me aside.”

Natasha’s eyebrows softened, “Is that what you thought? That I’d leave you? I was ordered to kill people too Bucky.”

“But never a Winter Soldier.”

Natasha's hair whipped around her face as she threw her head back laughing. “And if I had, would you have left me?” The silence was enough of an answer for Natasha to continue. “You’re too harsh on yourself Bucky. You’re your own worst enemy. You have to trust that people don’t see you the way you see yourself.” Bucky’s focus latched onto the fire. “You wouldn’t know a good thing even if it fell into your arms.” That caught his attention. His head cut to the woman in his arms. “Or maybe you wouldn’t think you deserve it.”

He deserved it. He deserved her. At least he hoped he did. It terrified him how accepting she had been of him as if he was never the Winter Soldier. She knew what he did, everyone knew at this point. Stillness took over once again.

Gods were real, at least that’s what Y/N had gathered while listening to the Avengers discuss the best way to get in contact with the god of thunder, Thor. Y/N had just escaped the Red Room, the real world was still new to her. No amount of training in the Red Room would have prepared her to meet a god. She was overwhelmed.

Staring up at the ceiling, Y/N couldn’t help but listen in. At some point Bucky had disappeared, leaving her to sleep on the couch. The sofa had been more uncomfortable than she remembered. She reasoned that it had something to do with the super-soldier acting as a buffer between her and the cushion last time.

“I just wanna make sure we consider all our options. Because people who shoot at you usually wind up shooting at me too,” Sam’s voice pierced Y/N's ear from the other room. He was concerned but thorough. There was no reason to take the easy way out if it meant risking someone’s life.

“Can’t sleep?”

Y/N propped herself up on her forearms finding Natasha standing in the archway.

Shaking her head, Y/N raised an eyebrow, “Done already?”

The redhead strolled further into the room with crossed arms. “Not exactly. We're taking a break.” The way Natasha stared down at Y/N left her feeling tense as if she knew a secret. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you.”

“Uh-ok,” Y/N mumbled. She scrambled into an upright position, sliding over so Nat could sit beside her. The Avenger ran a hand through her hair letting out a long sigh. The uneasy feeling pooled in Y/N’s gut. Something wasn’t right. “What is it?”

Natasha pursed her lips, emerald eyes filled with remorse as she met Y/N's eyes. “I don’t know what’s going to happen on the mission, but I want to say this before things get messy.” Y/N nodded hesitantly, encouraging the Widow to continue. “Barton saved me when no one else wanted to. He fought for me, introduced me to Nick Fury, and gave me a second chance. One of the requirements to get a second chance was to leave my old life behind. I had to get rid of Dreykov.”

Y/N smiled weakly at Natasha. The Widow didn’t have to open up about her past to Y/N, but Y/N appreciated it.

“I had the shot. Barton asked me if it was a clear shot, but I wanted out so bad. I was furious at what Dreykov had done to me and all of the other girls, so I lied.” With her green eyes trained on the floor, she continued, “His daughter was there. She was young and much closer to me than Dreykov.” A strand of hair fell forward, covering the shame that painted Natasha’s face, but she didn’t attempt to move it. There was comfort in the shield her hair provided, protection. “I killed her. Dreykov lived and then he became fixated on you. What happened to you was my fault, I’m so sorry Jane.”

When Natasha finally looked at Y/N, she was met with a more youthful version. Y/N sat there kicking her feet, her fingers twirling her hair.

“Uh, Jane, can you bring the other Jane back?” Natasha pleaded.

“She doesn’t want to,” Y/N dismissed as she jumped off the couch searching for something to play with.

Natasha swore under her breath. She shouldn’t have listened to Clint. She should have waited until after the mission. She had to sort this out before Y/N’s reaction affected the mission. Blue eyes halted Natasha’s movements. Ignoring the child, she followed the blonde super-soldier’s eyes toward the front door. Long brunette hair swooshed as the front door clicked shut. Rebecca was leaving.

Crouching beside Y/N, Natasha smiled sweetly, “Hey, Jane. Do you want to play with Bucky for a bit?”

The young girl nodded exuberantly, forgetting what she was doing in the first place. Natasha stood up, patting the girl’s head. After Natasha called Bucky’s name, the two watched the super soldier round the corner. His eyebrows raised at the sight of Y/N.

“Key!”

Bucky braced himself as Y/N charged at him, jerking his metal hand to the other side of the room. 

“What’s goin’ on?”

Natasha sighed, glimpsing out the window. “I told her about Budapest, and she shifted, I think she’s having a bad reaction.”

Bucky wanted to reprimand the Widow, but Y/N needed him. Tongue in cheek, Bucky ignored the redhead. Natasha observed as Bucky sat cross-legged beside the child, his back to her before slipping out the front door.

“Key, do you speak Russian?” Bucky frowned at the sudden inquiry but nodded. Y/N jumped up and down full of energy. “Let’s play a game. I say a word and you,” her tiny finger poked Bucky's chest, "say it in Russian.” Bucky didn’t see how it was much of a game but indulged the child.

Sam and Steve watched the two from the other room. “Who knew Bucky was good with kids?” Sam mused. The corner of Steve’s lip jerked upward. He knew. Bucky came from a big family and even though he had his hands full with his siblings, it didn’t stop Bucky from taking care of Steve too. “I’m still not over Bucky’s nephew looking just like him. I could barely handle one of them but two? Not to mention he’s already outlived his life, no offense Cap. His face has been around well before me, but now it’s gonna be around long after me too?”

“You could always have kids, pass on your own genes,” Steve suggested.

Sam shrugged, “I'll stick to being an uncle for now.”

When Y/N shifted back, the first thing she noticed was how sore she felt. She groaned as she sat up. Her arm crossed her chest to massage her shoulder.

“Sore?” Bucky mumbled, his head propped up by his metal hand covering the corner of his mouth. His figure slumped in the chair beside the couch Y/N was occupying.

Y/N nodded, “This couch sucks.”

The brunette snorted, “It’s a sitting couch, it’s not made for sleeping.” The furniture was from the 40s, a time when people would entertain their guests in their living rooms. They weren't made to sleep on. They weren't supposed to be comfortable.

Y/N rolled her eyes, “You seemed pretty comfortable the last time you slept here.”

“I’m used to it; I usually sleep on the floor. Bed’s too soft. Don’t sleep much anyway.”

Bucky had a rough life between war and HYDRA, it didn't take a genius for Y/N to guess why he wasn't sleeping. She still wanted him to clarify that it was the only reason. “Nightmares?” Bucky stiffened for a moment, then slowly nodded. “Is that why you’re always drinking coffee?”

Another nod. “Gotta keep going somehow.” Stroking his chin, he asked, “You wanna talk about what Nat said?”

Y/N recognized Bucky was deflecting, not wanting to talk about his own problems, so she indulged him, shrugging. “It’s in the past. The damage is done. We can’t change it. Just needed to process it.”

Bucky slapped his knee, leaning forward, “Anything I can do?”

Y/N felt guilty once again. While she didn’t remember, Bucky’s presence when she woke was enough to tell her he had entertained the child once again. She didn’t want to take advantage of his kindness, but she did need a friend, a distraction. “Actually, can I use your phone?”

The super-soldier fished his phone from his jeans, tossing it in her direction unlocked. He had not been concerned by her request until she scrolled repeatedly, clearly searching for something.

Y/N had been scrolling through Bucky’s contacts hoping to call Tony. She wished someone had checked in on her in the Red Room. She knew it would mean a lot to the Avenger to know she cared. Besides, if there was anything Tony was good at, it was chatting about himself. Y/N would welcome the distraction from anything HYDRA. Like Bucky, she too wanted to evade discussing herself. Unfortunately, Bucky had 3 contacts in his phone and Tony wasn’t one of them.

"Something wrong?"

Y/N peeked up from the phone, "You don't have Tony's number."

Bucky shrugged, "Never needed it." He paused, catching a glimpse of disappointment on her face. "Until now, I guess." Clearing his throat Bucky pushed himself into a standing position. "I'll ask Steve to borrow his phone. Tony probably wouldn't answer my number anyway."

When Bucky returned, smartphone in hand Y/N thanked him. She had expected him to return to his previous spot but instead he plopped down beside her. She ignored the rosiness that dusted her cheeks as his arm slithered around her, resting on the back of the sofa.

The phone rang for a few moments before a woman’s face appeared on the screen. Her black framed sunglasses reflected Y/N’s face on the screen, the clear sky above the woman’s head. They had gone on vacation after all.

“Uh, hi?” Y/N mumbled.

“You’re definitely not Steve.”

Bucky wrapped his metal hand over Y/N’s turning the phone to him. “Pepper, this is Jane. Mind handing Tony the phone.”

Pepper’s eyes raised behind her sunglasses. “Oh. Nice to meet you, Jane. Tony’s told me so much about you.”

Y/N perked up at the idea that Tony spoke to his wife about her. “How is Venice?”

“Beautiful,” was all Pepper replied before the sky disappeared. Seconds later Tony’s face popped into the screen. His wife was long gone.

“Hey kid, what’s up?” He squinted, his forehead taking up the majority of the screen for a second. “Is that the Manchurian Candidate’s arm behind you?”

Y/N furrowed her eyebrows turning to Bucky for an answer. The only answer she got was a shrug. “Um, it’s Bucky.”

Tony raised an eyebrow, pointing a pen at the camera. “Fully clothed I hope.”

Y/N giggled at that. While Tony was serious, she imagined this is what it would be like to have a father.

“Nope, just letting it all hang out Tony,” Bucky rolled his eyes.

Tony deadpanned, “He better be joking.”

Whatever Tony had been tinkering with wasn’t visible to Y/N and Bucky, but she could tell he was in a lab. “I thought you were supposed to be in Venice?”

“I am. Some work can’t be put on hold just because you’re on vacation.” What Tony really meant was he was restless.

“And your wife, can she be put on hold?” Y/N asked, remembering the short answer Pepper had given.

Tony paused, spinning in his swivel chair to face her. “Did she say something?”

“Not exactly. I just thought you were trying,” Y/N worded carefully. She didn’t think Tony would appreciate Bucky knowing his business.

Tony resumed tinkering. “A man can only try so much in a day. We’re taking a break.”

Y/N flushed, and it didn’t take much for Bucky to know what they were discussing.

“Is something bothering you?” Tony asked.

Yes. “No, just nervous for tomorrow.”

“Word of advice,” Tony began, “we create our own demons.”

Y/N wanted to reply when a notification appeared across Tony’s face.

I followed her to a pharmacy. I’m going in to get a better look.

Bucky frowned at the message from Natasha. His gut told him he knew what was going on but he had to give his friends the benefit of the doubt. “Hey Tony, sorry to cut this short. We gotta go.” Before they could exchange goodbyes, Bucky snatched the phone calling out for Steve.

“What’s going on Buck?” Steve asked, finishing pulling a t-shirt over his torso.

Y/N watched from the couch, confused. She had been asleep and the other version of herself for so long that she knew she was missing something.

The brunette extended his arm, twisting Steve’s phone toward the blonde. He could see the moment Steve had finished reading it. The guilt instantly washed over his face.

“Where’s Rebecca?” Bucky growled. “Are you tailing my sister?” His lips curled into a snarl like a rabid dog.

Y/N flinched, expecting Steve to back down. Instead, Steve squared his shoulders and puffed out his chest. “We had to make sure she wasn’t leading us into a trap. You’re too close to her, we knew you would try to stop us.”

Bucky’s fist clenched around the phone, nearly snapping it in half. “You knew I would try to stop you and yet you did it anyway!”

“Keep your voice down,” Steve hissed. “Rebecca doesn’t want the kids to know anything about the mission.”

“This isn’t about the mission, this is about you not trusting my sister, not trusting me. What would you have done if she was working with HYDRA?”

Steve paused; his hands raised as if he was trying to tame a wild animal. “Whatever I had to do to prevent anyone else from getting hurt.”

Bucky scoffed, dropping Steve's phone between the two of them. He turned, storming toward the front door. Before he could reach the door, he glared back at the blonde. “Too late.” Then, he was gone.

Next Chapter

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