#mcu preference

[hughiecampbelle]

Thunderbolts Preference: Being The Youngest Teammate

A/N: *Comes back to life after watching a new MCU movie pretending that everything is fine and I did not disappear and that I'm not the worst writer, but maybe second or third worst, when really I am deeply so very sorry for leaving, again* Enjoy my loves! Thunderbolts requests are open, I'm making a big post asap! 🖤

Bucky is used to being the oldest person in every room, but you age him another thirty, if not forty years. You're experienced, and methodical, and you do things like he would have, like he has, and it makes him queasy. When he sees just how young your face is, he regrets trying to blow up the limousine. None of them know who you are and they all definitely talk about you behind your back: who is this kid? Where did they come from? Should we let them go? As the mission continues, they're all hit with the reality that Valentina wanted to hire you for a reason. That you weren't just lucky in aim or thoughtful about how to kill, you were one of the most skilled they had ever seen. Bucky tries to take you under his wing a little. Not as fatherly as Alexei tries to be, but he does want you to know you've got someone in your corner with such a scrappy set of teammates. He confides in you about being the Winter Soldier and, in return, you share bite size pieces about your past. Your childhood spent learning to kill, to become an expert in the craft. All those years you spent along, in dangerous places, with some sort of faceless boss ordering you around. He knows you have a dark side, you all do, but you were so eager to step across the void. He doesn't want you to think that's an option when you really do have so much to live for.

Alexei immediately sees you as his child, or at least part of his responsibility. Because they only know bits and pieces of your past, Alexei assumes (rightfully so) that you missed out on normal young adult things like a first date and prom and graduating from a traditional school. Though those things can get to you, you put up a front that you'd rather be killing world leaders and cleaning up Valentina's messes. Still, he catches you doing things a younger version of yourself couldn't do, like watching cartoons on the weekends with a bowl of extremely sugary cereal or sleeping in until past noon when you know you all have somewhere to be, becoming a gremlin to wake up in the morning. Because he sees you as so small, he is jarred when reality hits that you can out drink almost all of them or that the shame room you had was you as a very young child being trained to kill. he asks if there are any normal memories of a family, siblings, of soccer games or stuffed animals, but you can't remember anything. He takes it up on himself to protect you, or at least thinking he can, when in reality you're the one saving his ass. because he lost so much with his daughters, he tries to do better by you, whether you like it or not.

Yelena and you actually become pretty close. You remind her of herself, of Tasha, and she can't help but gravitate towards you. Similar to Ava, she doesn't want to be seen as a paternal figure. You have enough of those with this team, you don't need someone else lecturing you about swearing when that's the least of your worries. You speak Russian together, along with Alexei, when you want to talk shit about the others in front of them, teaching Bob at the same time so he can be in on all the jokes. When you shut down, disappearing for hours on end, unreachable, she isn't met with worry or hostility. She knows, like a stray, you'll always come back, you just need your space. Yelena pays more attention to the little things than the others do, like when she surprises you with something sweet, a muffin or a scone and a coffee, you prefer fruits to something sweeter. Or, when you wander between 1am and 4am, she can find you re-watching old interviews and documentaries of your teammates. Part of it is gaining information, sizing them up, but mostly you just like knowing things about people. She'll sit beside you and watch, every so often watching you like she used to watch her sister.

Ava, unlike the rest of the team, doesn't see you as being so much younger than them. You're young, yes, and your baby face doesn't help, but she's not going to talk down to you or pretend you need a paternal figure when you've clearly been handling yourself well. Maybe behind closed doors or with the rest of the group, she'll be caught off guard when you make a reference to just how young you were or make a joke that doesn't sit well with her, she'd never do any of that to your face. You have just as much a right to be in this team as any of them. She adores how much you and John don't get along, which makes your bond stronger. Things aren't always sunshine and rainbows: not with any of them, but especially not you. You go days without sleeping after a night of nightmares and you lash out, trying to push everyone away because you're too damaged. Bob is the one you go to when you're feeling low, really low, but she hopes one day she'd have the honor of being confided in. You were all kids once. Some of you were relatively normal, but most of you were not. She's not going to act like because you're younger, you must want normalcy. None of you know what that's really like and she doesn't believe it's right to push that on you.

John does not like you. When you met, he thought you were some scrappy kid who snuck in and got yourself in a bad situation. That you had no idea the real danger you were in and that he had to save your ass from getting killed by Yelena, Ava, Bob, or Antonia. He tells you to get behind him and his shield and when you start a fight, he can't believe what he's hearing. Once you got to know one another, you liked him even less. He calls you Baby Assassin and questions how many kills you have given your age. You roll your eyes, eventually going into detail of some of your worst, and most famous, kills. It makes him sick thinking you were nine, ten, eleven years old doing those sorts of things. John likes to get in your face about things and you have no trouble bringing up that his wife left him, something the others might cringe at knowing how much it must hurt. You don't care. You will not be patronized by him. You're told to keep your distance and when you do unfortunately have to interact, you stick to commands without name calling. You still laugh at the fact that Bob made his shield into a taco, something that wasn't funny in the moment, but now can bring you to tears. John thinks, foolishly, because of your younger age, that you're inexperienced and impulsive, but you know that could not be further from the truth.

Bob doesn't see you as being so much younger, mostly because you're closer in age vs. 100+ year old Bucky. It does, secretly, make him feel sick that you were so eager to step into the void. That, like Yelena, you were forced to relive some of your worst and shameful memories. But, like always, you brush it off like it's nothing, like you don't really have feelings. Bob quickly becomes a confidant. You never knew anyone who felt the way you did, so low it scared you to be alone with yourself. You guys spend a lot of quiet time together. He's sure, though he'd never say, he knows the most about you, your history. You don't know why it comes out, why you say it, but he's never judged anything you've had to say. He doesn't mind when you sleep in past noon or lose important things like a gun or a grenade. He doesn't mind when you want the windows down in the car or the music you play that everyone else can't stand. He has a lot of patience with you because no one had the patience for him. It's the least he can do. You're methodical and always planning for the worst: what is everyone leaves you? What if they're all killed? Etc. If he can offer whatever comfort he will. You're not just a teammate, you're a friend.

[mallory524]

the thunderbolts when you’ve been kidnapped

pictures from pinterest

tags- guilt, fear, angst, kidnapping, guilt, canon level action/violence, injuries, mentions of arguing, implied drugging/beating, mention of Void

notes- This all ended up being way longer than I intended. Oops. I need to keep writing or else I’ll explode. The fixation is strong

Yelena

When you’re with Yelena, she can be so tender and sweet that it’s easy for you to forget the life she’s lived and the things she’s capable of. The day you don’t come home from what should’ve been a 10 minute grocery run, that tender side is gone - and boy is it sorely missed around the tower. When Yelena's upset, she lashes out at anybody who gets too close to her, and it gets ugly pretty quickly. Her words are cruel and vindictive, as if each member of the team is personally responsible for what’s happened to you. She knows the people who took you are doing it to lure in the "new avengers", but it doesn't matter. It's working. She's going to find you, and she's going to march right in there, guns blazing.

You're in bad shape when the team finds you, but you are able to walk out on your own two feet with just a little assistance from Yelena. Pay no mind to what happened to your captors. It's not important.

Yelena can't go "back to normal". You're trying to, but it's clear you're still shaken, and so is she. You keep trying to laugh it off and say that you've survived worse, and she knows you're just trying to change the subject, but she doesn't push it. She's not going to force you to open up if you're not ready. All she can do is make sure you know that she's always there to support you and listen if you ever do decide you want to talk about it. You do know that. As everyone in Yelena's life knows, she might be a bit rough around the edges, but she will always be there for you when it matters most.

Bucky

Bucky tracks you down very fast. He knows these people are doing this to get to him, so he tells the Thunderbolts to stay behind and let him do this himself. Good thing they never do as they're told.

The people who took you thought they had laid the perfect trap for Bucky Barnes, but all they did was set themselves up to be pulverized by the Winter Soldier. When he does find you, you're unconscious and clearly injured. Nothing serious, but it doesn't matter; he feels more guilty than he has in a long, long time. The team covers Bucky as he runs back out to the car with you in his arms, and you're immediately rushed to the hospital. The press is already there, waiting to ask Congressman Barnes all kinds of questions about what happened tonight, but after a few choice words from Yelena and Walker, most of them leave immediately.

Even when things slowly start to go back to normal, Bucky is constantly reminded of what happened. You're sitting around and laughing with the group one night, weeks after, and he notices a bruise on your shoulder that he'd forgot you had. He wakes up in the middle of the night a lot of nights to you tossing and turning and shaking in your sleep. He holds you and repeatedly reminds you that you’re home and that you are safe. He’s reminding himself, too. This is all hell for him. Every nightmare, every scratch, and every bruise is a reminder to him that he couldn't keep you safe. He rescued you and brought you back home, but it's not enough for him. This never should've happened.

Ava

Ava woke up to the sound of alarms and glass breaking. She phased through the walls to your room right away to make sure you were okay, but you were already gone. Nowhere to be found. She’s immediately panic stricken. Who did this? Why would they take you hostage? Where did they take you?

Ava’s desperate. When Ava gets desperate, her sense of right and wrong gets very skewed. You’ve been kidnapped, and that’s wrong. Everything she’s doing in an effort to get you back is right. Or that’s how she sees it, at least. The rest of the team sees this as Ava spiraling out of control. This is a mess. These people who took you do not realize what their "leverage" means to the team, especially to Ava. They do not know what's coming.

Your rescue was not easy, and it definitely wasn't pretty, but everyone's just happy that you're home. Adjusting to business as usual after your rescue is tough, but she's there for you every step of the way. If you don't want to sleep in your room for a little while because it doesn't feel safe anymore, Ava offers you her room. She'll sleep on the ground, she'll sleep next to you, she'll sleep in the other room, whatever you want. She'll demand more security features in your room and around the tower to make you (and herself) feel safe again. If the people in maintenance and security were to question the necessity of doing this, Ava would install these features herself. Nothing like this is going to happen again, and she doesn't even want you to feel like it's a possibility. You're safe now.

John

It all happened so fast. An explosive had gone off during a fight, he’d lost sight of you for a minute, and when the smoke cleared, you were gone. He frantically searched the perimeter, but it didn’t take him long to realize what had happened. Bucky practically had to beg John to get in the car, saying they could figure out their next move back at the Watchtower. John didn't want to stop looking for you, but he knew it was the only choice he really had. Everyone's really worried about you, but John is losing his mind. His brain is plagued with images of you, scared and alone and hurt. He's snapping at the team even more than usual, but they give him a pass just this once. Ava walked by his room one night and she could hear the sound of him softly crying through the door. She never mentioned it, but she went easy on him for a few days.

Down in a dark, cold underground base, you're going in and out of consciousness. Your body aches and your head's spinning, but the moment you register that it's Walker gently taking you into his arms, you smile up at him weakly. He caresses your face, and you can feel that his hands are shaking as they trace every little wound, no matter how small. All of Walker's anger has been replaced with a weary, guilty sadness. All that aggression, replaced with a certain gentleness. He carries you out, and although you don't see much of your surroundings, it's hard to miss what remains of the poor souls who thought they could stop John Walker from breaking in to save you. It's not too shocking, though. You know he would've torn the entire world apart if he had to.

Alexei

Missions and fighting and hero activities in general are usually really fun for Alexei. This is not fun. It's so rare for the team to see him like this. He's downright miserable. Since the moment he lost you, he hasn't slept. He works alongside the team all day long to find you, and when everyone's asleep, he just paces back and forth around his room, which gets more cluttered with garbage and papers and files with each passing day.

When they find you, nothing and no one can stand in his way. He's a real sweetheart, but let's not forget how strong he is or how much damage he can do. Believe me, there's a lot of damage done in the name of your rescue. All of that is worth it for Alexei when he finds you. He gently wipes at the sweat and dirt on your face, a lot of which is dry and caked on after you've been sitting down there for nearly a week.

Alexei is so relieved to have you home, but he thought he'd feel better. There's still something... off. The illusion of total safety has been shattered. He's not able to keep you from ever getting hurt like he thought he was. If you were to try to joke about what had happened to keep spirits up, or spin it to sound like a cool story instead of the worst week of both of your lives, he'd try to go along with it. But everyone notices how his smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. He's proud of you and he usually loves hearing you're cool tough stories, but this one is hitting a little too close to home for him to fully enjoy it. Maybe because he was there. Maybe because he almost lost you for real.

Bob

Bob's terrified. The team came back from a mission, but instead of you pulling him into a big hug while the team fills him in on what happened like usual, everyone is frantic and you're gone. He's never felt so helpless in his life. He breaks down the second he's alone in his room. Whenever Yelena tries to talk to him, he insists he needs to be alone, or he doesn't even respond and continues just rocking back and forth on the floor and talking to himself.

When the team tracks you down, they tell Bob to stay behind. He keeps telling himself that they're right and staying behind is the responsible thing to do, but he just can't do that. He has enough control on the Void now to use his powers, right? The team is slightly horrified when Bob shows up out of nowhere, doing everything they told him not to do, but this isn't the time to worry about that. They're definitely not going to try arguing with him right now. He's a bulletproof human shield, more powerful than any of them could ever hope to be, so it's good to have him there to help. He crashes through walls, busts down doors, and disarms everyone in his path without breaking a sweat. Then they find you. Bob rushes to your side and tears apart your restraints with his bare hands, and in a second they turn back into the gentle hands you think of when you think of your Bob. He helps you to your feet and slowly leads you back outside. As tears start to roll down his face, Bob smiles a soft smile at the others, thrilled that you're safe again. They smile back at him, but it's like they're all holding their breath until you're all fully out of there. Void may not have made a formal appearance this time, but they know now what lengths Bob will go to and what risks he'll take to ensure your safety. The man is not helpless, and he sure as hell isn't weak.

[araneapeixes]

happy dragon age month, i miss my homies so I doodled them in some simple camp clothes (bc im bg3pilled)

[kirbytuna]

tony "I spend ten thousand dollars on peanuts" stark and his mentee peter "I have exactly twelve cents and a dream" parker during any interaction at all is just

tony : "you good, kid? you got here later than you normally do."

peter : "sorry mr. stark, I had to take the subway today after school."

tony : "the subway takes that long to get here? could've sworn it was a 15-minute ride at most."

peter : "well, I was down two dollars for the ticket, so I had to ask a few people for some money. I ended up spending twenty minutes asking people for quarters like a crazy person, super embarrassing. oh!—and then I was really hungry. like, so hungry I was probably gonna faint if I kept swinging, so I stopped by mcdonalds but I still didn't have any money so I just had to pretend it was my birthday and take the free mcflurry."

tony : "you do know I could've just sent you money, right"

peter : "yeah but that's cheating"

[visually-corrupted]

by Maca [jayh.sketch]

[based on this book cover]

[leihaddock]

Let's imagine Steve and Bucky who were well established in their local queer community. Because they lived in one of the few underground queer cities at the time, and it seems damn near impossible that they *wouldn't* know other queer people

Actually, for that, we probably should talk about Sarah first:

as a nurse she saw it as her duty to help anyone and everyone, no question asked and no matter where they come from, and soon developed a reputation for just that

so she had all sorts of people come to her for help

including queer folks in gender and/or sexuality, what we'd nowadays call drag queens and kings, disabled folks, people of colour, jews and so on

little Stevie grows up around a very diverse group of people

when he was only a couple of years old, he asked Sarah ie why that woman had a beard, and she'd explained to him that there are all kinds of people and there was nothing wrong with being "transsexual" or with men liking other men or women liking other women

and that if he ever found out he was like them, she wouldn't care and love him all the same

and that was one of the lessons that stayed with him, along with always getting back up, always protecting those in need of protection, and later from his own experiences, that he didn't like bullies

the community Sarah builds around herself ends up protecting Steve more than once, no matter how much he hates accepting help

So at some point Steve and Bucky meet and befriend each other and become inseparable. And of course the older they get the more people talk. That they're too close, that that sickly Rogers boy is a fairy (or that he's a waste of oxygen and should be dead, let alone ever reproduce), that there are so many pretty girls for Bucky to choose from. You get the idea

Sarah of course figures out they're dating pretty much immediately. she knows her son, she loves Bucky like her own like she knows the Barnes family does in turn for Steve

To me the Barnes family is supportive but it took them some time because they're the "ideal" middle class family and their oldest son being a fairy wasn't quite ideal but they love Steve and Bucky too much to give a rat's ass about it later on

and with all the people Steve grew up knowing and introduced Bucky to, they have plenty of friends, even if they'd choose each other over the world on any given day

society as a whole wasn't kind to them, would never be kind to them, they knew as much, but they weren't alone

sapphic couples to go on double dates with as a cover (though Bucky goes out of his way to find more women to date as a cover, lest people ask too many questions)

underground bars to meet at, in the "bad" parts of town, to drink and kiss and be a normal couple for once

meet artists of all flavours, punks (our modern definition, relative to the time), go to protests and rallies for women's rights and workers' rights

Bucky meets other jewish queer folks, too, to his delight

they run from cops more than once

lose more than one friend in that time too, who got found out and sent to "conversion therapy" at best, but more than once was found beaten to a pulp in the street

Sarah passes away and Steve is distraught, but he's not alone in mourning, her funeral has so so many of the people she'd helped in her life, and there's some solace in that, despite feeling more alone than ever

Bucky moves in with him and they get those few happy years with a lot of the same they'd done since becoming a couple, before the war comes

not only is Steve upset he can't join the war effort, he's now seeing his friends joining, getting drafted, or denied for the same reasons he is. queer women join en mass and he knows he'd find his people there too, but they just won't let him

then Bucky gets drafted and TFA plays (mostly) as we know it

their friends freak the fuck out when Steve's suddenly gone, then shows up as "Captain America"

some of the chorus girls pick up on Steve being queer, and suddenly the whole group feels a lot more comfortable around him, and he actually ends up enjoying their company a lot

the Howlies don't care, Howard doesn't care, Peggy is a Nazi so her view doesn't matter, no one really does, and they get to be pretty open about their relationship, with everyone covering for them

Bucky falls

the Barnes family gets a letter on what happened to Bucky, from Steve, and suddenly they know that they'll lose both their sons/brothers in that war, because there's no Steve without Bucky and no Bucky without Steve

they've always known it would end like that, but just like Steve, they'd never expected Bucky to be the one to die first

Steve puts the plane down

When he's confirmed alive in the 21st century, not only do the families of the Howlies reach out to him, who'd spread far by then

not only the Barnes family, Bucky's niblings and, hell, grand niblings (who all also insist on calling Steve their uncle, because that's who he is to them, and Steve cries at that)

but also all the children and grandchildren of the community he and Bucky had been part of

that had seen so much loss, he gets told, in the 80s and 90s, and before that, but still stands strong as ever and he's welcomed back with open arms

because those people, too, were his family

he's also told how after his death, some asshole wanted to discredit him for being queer, and all the people he'd ever known jumped to help him

his and Bucky's relationship was their families' best kept secret

that loss still weighs heavy on him, so he doesn't have the energy for pride, but there's something about queer rights having advanced enough that people like him can get married, that fills him with both overwhelming joy and longing

then Bucky is alive, and after everything is said and done, they come out to the world and get married, for real, not the fake wedding their community had thrown for them, or the one the Howlies did

and the rest is history

[codename-adler]

the aroacespec experience is watching thunderbolts* in theatres and knowing that when you walk out of there, the beautiful relationship between yelena belova and bob will be hijacked by romance and shipping

[imsebastiansta-n]

He’s So Hot

Summary: you prank Bucky with another TikTok trend.

Warnings: fluff, bit of angst, sad Bucky for like 10 seconds

Word count: 1,132 🩵

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

It was another rare day off for you and Bucky — a luxury that didn’t come around often. The rest of the team had been called away on what Val had assured was an “in-and-out” mission, something simple and low-stakes. That left the two of you home alone for once, free to breathe without the weight of the world pressing down.

You were stretched out on your stomach across the bed, phone in hand, mindlessly scrolling through TikTok. Bucky was sitting at the foot of the bed, back propped against the wall, brows furrowed as he frowned at something on his phone. One of your calves was draped over his lap, and his metal hand absently massaged it, warm and comforting even through the cool vibranium.

You weren’t paying attention to the screen anymore — until a trending sound caught your eye. That wicked little smirk tugged at your lips.

A plan formed.

With a grin, you closed TikTok and opened the camera app, flipping to video mode and pressing record. You angled the camera toward yourself, barely suppressing a mischievous glint in your eyes.

“Holy shit, Buck,” you started dramatically, eyes wide. “This guy is so damn hot.”

You watched him through the screen as his head perked up, eyes narrowing slightly. “Who, doll?” he asked, the gentle kneading of your calf coming to a stop.

You could already see it happening — the subtle way his shoulders stiffened, the slight frown deepening as he slowly began to shift your legs off his lap.

“There’s this guy on my feed,” you went on, feigning breathless awe. “He’s so tall. Kinda grumpy, but he’s got these gorgeous ocean-blue eyes… and long, luscious hair I just wanna run my hands through and pull a little.” You bit your lip for effect. “I think I might be in love.”

Bucky stood up abruptly.

The sight of him — jaw clenched, eyes downcast, heart clearly sinking — made your own breath hitch. He looked at you, mouth opening and closing like he wanted to say something, but nothing came. Instead, he just turned, walking out of the room without another word.

The soft click of the door closing behind him snapped you out of your daze.

“Shit,” you muttered, scrambling off the bed. You ran out after him, cursing the serum-enhanced speed that gave him a head start. It took a minute, but you finally caught up in the hallway, grabbing gently onto his flesh arm.

“Bucky—baby, wait.”

He stopped, but didn’t turn.

You stepped in front of him, heart pounding. “Look at me.”

He lifted his chin slowly, his eyes meeting yours — and what you saw in them nearly broke you. The flicker of insecurity, pain, and quiet defeat behind that stormy blue made your chest ache.

“What’s wrong?” you asked softly.

He sighed, voice barely above a whisper. “I… I can’t compete with those guys you see on your feed, doll.”

Your heart cracked.

Without a word, you lifted your phone again and unlocked it. Pulling up the camera app, you switched it to the front-facing view and angled it toward him.

“I don’t want you to compete with him, Buck.”

He looked up, confused — until he saw his own reflection on the screen. His eyes widened.

“…It’s me?” he asked quietly, almost like he didn’t believe it.

You nodded, eyes softening. “Of course it’s you. It’ll always be you.”

He blinked, the weight in his chest slowly lifting. And when you leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, he smiled into it — small, a little sheepish, but real.

“Still think you’re funny, pulling that little prank?” he murmured against your mouth.

You grinned. “A little.”

He shook his head, chuckling under his breath as he pulled you into his chest. “You’re lucky I love you.”

“You’re lucky I love you, Barnes.”

And just like that, the rest of the world didn’t matter anymore.

Bucky didn’t let go of you for a long moment.

His arms stayed firm around your waist, holding you like he needed the confirmation — that you were still there, still his. You didn’t mind. If anything, you buried yourself further into his chest, listening to the soft, steady beat of his heart.

You always loved this part of him. The way he’d let the tension melt out of his body once he realized he was safe. That you were safe. Like he could finally exhale.

His hand found the back of your head, fingers threading through your hair in lazy strokes. “You know,” he murmured, his voice rumbling low against your temple, “you really scared me for a second.”

You pulled back just enough to look up at him, guilty and soft-eyed. “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to. It was a stupid trend.”

He gave a half-smile, brushing his knuckles against your cheek. “You got me good, I’ll give you that.”

You grinned. “You’re not mad?”

“Nah,” he said, kissing the top of your head. “I’m too tired to be mad. Plus, you said I’m hot, so… guess I’ll let it slide.”

You giggled as he guided you back toward the bedroom with an arm wrapped tightly around you. When you reached the bed, he sat first and gently tugged you down with him, pulling the covers up around you both like a cocoon.

You immediately settled on top of him, limbs tangled, your head resting on his chest. The cool contrast of his metal hand curled around your waist while the warmth of his other hand rested on your hip made you melt into him.

He smelled like sandalwood and clean laundry and the faint trace of leather — home.

“You really meant it?” he asked after a beat, his voice softer now. “That it’ll always be me?”

You looked up at him again and reached for his hand, pressing your lips to the scarred knuckles.

“Always, Bucky. There’s no one else I’d ever want. Not with your grumpy morning hair and ocean eyes and that stupid little smirk you try to hide when I’m being ridiculous.”

He snorted, lips twitching. “You are ridiculous.”

“But I’m your ridiculous,” you whispered, tracing the line of his jaw with your fingertip.

His eyes fluttered shut, and he nodded. “Yeah. You are.”

Silence fell over the room, warm and familiar. Your breathing slowed in sync with his, your fingers lazily drawing patterns on his chest.

“You wanna watch something?” you asked sleepily.

“I’d rather stay like this,” he mumbled, already halfway gone.

“Okay,” you whispered, burying yourself closer into him. “Me too.”

And just like that, the world faded away — nothing left but steady heartbeats, warm blankets, and the soft, quiet love that wrapped around you like the safest place on earth.

[mischievous-thunder]

Stop traumatising the poor thing, Wade!

[juiche]

⚫🔴 b&w version of my Bucky illustration

get your own print here ❤️

[hughiecampbelle]

Thunderbolts Preference: Helping Clean Your Depression Room

A/N: My depression room was a huge disaster and it made me think of the New Avengers seeing this and waiting to help in whatever way they could :) Silly, but I hope you like it!! 🖤

thunderbolts requests are open

Bucky is used to people asking him to clean up their messes. Usually they're a lot bigger, scarier, and usually involve mortal danger. When you sheepishly asked him for help, he went into action mode. What did you need? Weapons, of course. Guns, grenades, knives. Who would he have to contact? Valentine, probably. Who else? What about the rest of the team? When you clarify that it's just your room, he relaxes, laughing at himself. Force of habit. You try to explain just how bad it really is, warning him, but when he sees it he's not phased at all. He doesn't judge or joke, he gets this serious look on his face when he's focused. Lightly he'll tread, asking you how you've been feeling, everyone knowing you were going through an episode. You tell him the truth, knowing he'd know if you were lying. Together you clean and vacuum and dust. He washes all your blankets and sheets so that your bed is extra cozy. He smiles when he tells you that was the easiest mission he'd ever been on, reminding you you can ask him for help with anything and he'll be there.

Alexei makes zero judgments. Before the New Avengers, his apartment was a disaster. He was insecure showing Yelena, having her over, having anyone over. When he looks at your mess, your depression room, he isn't ashamed of you, he doesn't get embarrassed, he looks at it and he recognizes it. Early on you see how helpful he'll actually be: more so than you originally thought, but not as much as the others. He likes things he can put away. Plates, bowls, cups. He washes them by hand as he tells "fun" stories of being the Red Guardian, raising his daughters, etc. Something about him feels familiar, paternal, a feeling you've been missing. You listen, ask questions, and sort through your things. He gets sidetracked by photos of loved ones, sitting on your bed and going through them. You apologize afterwards, hating that he's wasted his day cleaning your room, but he doesn't mind at all, telling you it was actually very fun. Next time, he'll bring the vodka.

Yelena tackles this head on. She doesn't take no for an answer. You were too ashamed to ask her for help, instead trying to take care of it by yourself. The first day wasn't so bad, but after you were so tired, so overwhelmed, you broke down in front of her. She shows up at your door with a trash bag and a vacuum cleaner. You try to tell her you've got it covered, but she barges in regardless, taking charge. Yelena gets it. Her apartment was sort of falling apart. She knows you've been feeling depressed lately. Doing anything in that state feels impossible, crushing even. You wanting to take care of it is a good sign. She doesn't mean to, but she reminisces about sharing a room with Tasha. How messy it could get, how their mother made them clean it until it was spotless, just for it to be messed up by a pillow fort or a dollhouse explosion. She reminds you to take breaks, taking over when it all feels like too much. You thank her, but she doesn't want to hear it. There is no need, she had a wonderful time hanging out with you. Helping was just an added bonus.

Ava is actually so good at cleaning. She loves lists and baskets and labels. You don't want to show her the disaster, but in order for her to help, you have to. She isn't disgusted or horrified. She doesn't shame you or belittle you. Like everything else in her life, she must put the chaos in order. She takes a look around, making a list of everything that needs to be done. Trash first, then clothes, books, whatever else you've got lying around. She nicely gives you tips on how to handle this before it gets as bad as it is. Tricks you can do to keep it clean even when you are feeling depressed. You thank her a million times, shame creeping up as you watch her work, but she doesn't mind at all. She knows you've been struggling. There's so little one can do for someone else that feels adequate, helpful, like it's enough. This, she thinks, is how she can help. You talk about everything. It takes a few hours and by the end, you've told her things you wouldn't have told any of them. It feels like a relief. It is. She makes sure you know, when you're feeling bad, she'd love to come help organize. It's not a job or some sort of punishment, she genuinely enjoys it.

John is extremely judgmental and though you know he can't help it, he's the last person you come to about this. Nobody else is home though and you can't look at it anymore, you can't live like this. Discreetly, you take out bowls and cups, mugs and trash, washing them and taking out the trash. You know you shouldn't be embarrassed, but you are: John's room is immaculate. Yours? Not so much. When it looks a little better, more manageable, you politely ask him if he'd help you wash some clothes. You try not to let him see the extent of it, but he barges in with an empty basket. He'll make a crude comment or two, but he really does mean well. He wants to help. You give him tasks you think he'd like: folding laundry, switching it from the washer to the dryer, making piles. You stick to the odds and ends, things that need to be put back in their right places. He makes a few jokes that fall flat, but you laugh anyway, thanking him. He shrugs it off, says he's been wanting to get this mess cleared for weeks. You might not always enjoy his company, but at this moment you don't mind the small talk. You're grateful for the help.

Bob, unlike Walker, feels no need to complain or laugh. Bob gets it 100000%. It was so hard for him to keep his room clean. As a child, it was easy: fear drove him to perfection. The fear of his father made him sure not to keep his things lying around, where others could see and then react. As he got older though, it seemed impossible. Not just losing things (important things), just seeing the floor became it's own mission impossible. Depressed, he could barely get out of bed, could barely move, let alone put away laundry. Manic, there are too many important and pressing issues than cleaning his room. There never seemed to be a good time. He doesn't see failure or laziness, he sees struggle, and does everything he can to help. He knows how overwhelming it is, so he gently guides you through, picking categories so it doesn't seem so big/daunting. He definitely gets distracted if you put on music, but neither of you really mind. He's always willing to help, no matter how "bad" it all seems.

[mallory524]

Oh oh, can I request a sort of alternate ending to the kidnapping headcanons with each of the Thunderbolts where, when they are about to break into the building reader is trapped in, reader appears behind them all bloody and bruised, making them jump and her saying, “Did you guys come to save me? Aww, that’s so sweet, I feel so loved right now!!”

(OMG YES This is sweet and fun I love it)

the thunderbolts come to save you, but you've already handled it yourself

tags- fem!reader, mostly just silly and fluffy, mentions of kidnapping, mentions of blood and fighting and minor injuries, some language

Yelena

Yelena knows that you’re tough, but she doesn’t expect you to be able to get yourself out of this one. The group gets to where you’re being held, and you’re just sitting on the ground, with your back up against the doorway. You look like hell, but you’re free. This is not what Yelena had imagined. She thought she’d have to free you herself and toss you over her shoulder or something. She couldn’t be more happy to see that she was wrong about your state. “Oh, hey, guys! This is awfully sweet of you to all come out here. This is a long ways away from the city,” you say as you manage to get back up on your feet. Yelena looks at you, amazed, and runs up to hug you and kiss your temple. Walker mutters to Ava, “At this point we could’ve just called her an Uber.”

Bucky

Bucky did not want to think about what could be happening to you. He’s seen a lot of pain and hurt in his day, so he knows firsthand how ugly these situations can get. Luckily, it never got as bad as it could’ve, because you actually broke yourself out. Bucky did not expect to find you already fighting off your captors on your own when he arrived with the whole team. Bucky wants to help, of course. He gets one punch in. You thank him, like you haven’t just knocked out every other person on your own. “I was just about to look for where they hid my phone so I could call you to give me a ride home, but it looks like I didn’t even need to call! You guys are the best,” you say, as if you’d just been stranded at the airport. Bucky’s never been so proud.

Ava

The fact that the search for you was dragging on for days was only making Ava’s nerves worse. Leaving you in danger for so long made her feel so horrible, and sometimes she’d wonder if it was possible that you’d escaped on your own. She figured it was too much to hope for, but it made her feel a little better. Besides, it wasn’t too far out of the realm of possibility. She’d imagine finally reaching your location, and the people who were supposed to be guarding you would all be just as clueless about your whereabouts as she was. She never considered that they’d all be unconscious on the ground when she got there. “Ava!!” she hears you yell from behind. She spins around and sees you jogging (with a slight limp) down the hall to reach her. She’s astonished. “Aww you guys! Thanks for coming. That means a lot.” After that remarkably chill response, Ava looks at you like you’ve never been so beautiful and cool in her eyes before, and that’s saying something.

John

John was terrified the whole time you were missing. All day long, he panicked and thought about all the horrible things that could be happening to you at any given moment. He didn't sleep, he didn't eat, he led the whole search, and he was ready to do whatever to took to get to you. You can only imagine his surprise when you run out and cut his destructive rampage short. He keeps standing there and looking at you because this is not computing. You're just standing there with your hands on your hips, your clothes all tattered, with bruises and cuts all over you. You're clearly exhausted, but you manage a little smirk. "Awww, Walker! Were you worried about me?" He just tosses his silly folded shield to the ground and pulls you into a tight hug. "Yeah, yeah, whatever." He doesn't even put up a fight when you reach out to affectionately ruffle his hair or pinch his cheek like a grandma. He's just so happy you're safe.

Alexei

When Alexei gets there and realizes you’ve already broken yourself out, he is so shocked. Then he thinks about it for a moment, and he doesn’t know why he’s even surprised. Of course you solved this on your own! You’re such a badass. You always have been. It’s one of the first things he noticed about you, and it’s what initially drew him to you. He feels like he should’ve had more faith in you, but now’s not the time for that. Now’s the time to celebrate the fact that you’re safe. He lets out a loud, jovial laugh and wraps his arms around you, telling you over and over again how proud he is of you while wiping some blood from your forehead. Somehow, you always manage to surprise him. Everyone is thrilled that you’re back, but Alexei is absolutely beaming with pride and relief for the rest of the night.

Bob

Part of why the team originally didn’t want Bob to go on the rescue mission, besides the Void stuff, was because they didn’t know what kind of state you’d be in. Bob’s very new to this line of work, and they know how much you mean to him, so they thought it might be too much for him to handle if he ended up having to see you seriously hurt. Luckily that didn’t happen. Before they have the chance to break the door down, you walk out from the other side of the building, waving your arms. “Hey! I’m right here!” Bob rushes to hug you, and it’s so tight that all your words are kind of muffled. “Guys I got the whole search party? This is actually really flattering.” Bob pulls away after a while and he’s immediately worried again when he sees the bruising all over you. You make a “You should see the other guy” joke, but everyone knows you’re not kidding. They really don’t want to see the other guy.

[nickeverdeen]

The original 6 MCU characters reacting to you kissing them while being drunk

Tony Stark

Tony would initially be amused, his signature smirk appearing as soon as you kiss him

He’d make a playful and flitry comments

Despite his teasing, Tony would be concerned about your state and make sure you’re okay

He’d gently guide you away from any more drinks, saying, “Let’s get you some water, champ.”

Tony would definitely remember the incident and bring it up in a humorous way in the future, teasing you lightly about your drunken kiss

Steve Rogers

Steve’s immediate reaction would be one of surprise, his eyes widening in shock

He’d blush, clearly flustered by the unexpected kiss

Steve would gently but firmly pull away, asking if you’re okay and if you need any help getting home

He’d make sure you’re safe for the rest of the night, staying by your side to ensure nothing else happens

Steve might feel a bit awkward about it later but would handle it with his usual politeness, never bringing it up unless you did first

Bruce Banner

Bruce would be visibly shocked, his scientific mind trying to process the unexpected event

He’d feel nervous and awkward, not used to such spontaneous displays of affection

Bruce would gently ask if you’re alright, making sure you’re not feeling unwell

He’d try to reassure you in a calm, soothing manner, suggesting you sit down and drink some water

Bruce might avoid the topic in the future unless you bring it up, feeling too embarrassed to discuss it

Natasha Romanoff

Natasha would be surprised but would quickly recover, a small, amused smile playing on her lips

She’d remain calm and collected, gently but firmly pulling back and assessing your state

Natasha might tease you slightly, saying something like, “Enjoying the party, I see?”

She’d make sure you’re safe and not getting into any more trouble, keeping a close eye on you for the rest of the night

Natasha wouldn’t bring it up again, understanding that it was just a drunken moment and respecting your privacy

Clint Barton

Clint would be startled at first, his reflexes kicking in before he realizes what’s happening

Once he understands, he’d chuckle, finding the situation funny

He’d tease you lightly, saying something like, “Calm down, tiger, you could’ve just asked”

Clint would make sure you’re okay, perhaps even leading you to sit down and sober up a bit

He’d definitely remember the incident and might bring it up later in a joking manner, making sure you’re comfortable with it

Thor

Thor would be surprised but quickly break into a hearty laugh, finding the situation really funny

He’d respond with an affectionate, “Ah, a kiss from a friend! You honor me!”

Thor would ensure you’re alright, offering to get you something to eat or drink to help sober you up after a while

He’d stay close to you, ensuring your safety and wellbeing for the rest of the evening

Thor wouldn’t bring it up again unless you did, respecting your dignity and understanding it was a harmless, drunken moment

[lobeliamaximoff]

damn I feel physically sick when I think about Val manipulating and drugging this poor boy. The Empire article says Bob has a good, gentle soul, that he is lost, and this woman will probably use his desire to belong, to be useful and help people to her advantage and turn him into her weapon I just-

[sidekick-syndrome]

2022 art repost. The only MCU fanart that I've ever done. I don't remember what inspired it lol. Had to do it to 'em, I guess.

[xxplastic-cubexx]

I cannot tell you enough how much I love the way you draw Charles, every time you post new doodles of him an angel gets their wings <3

thank you so much !!!!! at the rate im going at ill have an army of angels in no time