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dameronspector · 2 days ago

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Challengers: Avengers Edition (Part 3)

Pairings: Joaquin Torres x Fem!Stark!Reader (Established Relationship); Bob Reynolds x Fem!Stark!Reader

Summary: Sam decides to sue, Sam and Bucky are being angsty for no reason, Bob finally talks to Yelena and Bucky, you get invited to a gala and and Joaquin is a lil upset.

Warnings: Fuff, Banter, Angst, Cameos, Joaquin loves Reader a LOT, Joaquin being a cutie, Poor Bob suffers :(,CAUTION: Mentions of Bob’s Addiction, Drugs and Mental Illnesses, Graphic discussion of Bob's withdrawals from drugs and his past, the Void demeans Bob, I am NOT romanticizing pre!serum Bob. He is depicted to have an unhealthy/codependent attachment and that is NOT romantic. Valentina is a piece of shit, SO much Yearning and Longing from Bob, SamBucky are dads and cough best friends, Jealous!Joaquin, Jealous!Bob, Reader is oblivious as hell because she has eyes for Joaquin only, Reader is mentioned to have hair long enough to be let down loose, thats all i think! Let me know if i should add something else!

Also, sorry if the timeline is a lil confusing :(

AN: just watched Ironheart, you guys, PLS WATCH THE SHOW! its sooo good and riri my girl is just amazing! please support dominique! <3

"So...we're definitely suing."

Sam announced as he entered the living area, where all of you were lounging around.

Kamala and Kate were sitting on the bean bags, huddled over a laptop as they watched a show, Scott was scavenging in the pantry for something to eat, Carol had decided to busy herself with digging up some more dirt on Valentina, sitting at the dining table, while Joaquin laid his head on your lap, your soft hand buried in his curls, other hand holding a book. His eyes were closed, hands folded on his chest, light snores leaving his mouth.

All of you, minus Joaquin, looked up in shock.

"What...do you mean?", you asked nervously.

Sam rubbed his eyes.

"Well, they're not ready to expose her themselves. He said their hands are under a rock and that they really cannot do anythin'."

You bit your tongue to avoid blurting out that you and Joaquin knew this already.

"What's next?", Kate asked.

"We'll contact our lawyers right away. I'm not letting that woman think ahead of us for even a second. I've talked to Jennifer already, said she'll meet me tonight. Carol, you're comin' with me", he sighed.

Carol simply nodded her head.

"I feel like I'm getting a deja vu", Scott quipped with his mouth stuffed with Oreos.

"Did Mr. Stark and Steve fight like this, (Name)?", Kamala asked you in curiosity, side eyeing Sam nervously.

You looked at Sam who shook his head in dejection.

"Yes, but worse, because they wouldn't hear each other out", you answered her lowly. Sam sighed.

"Alright, It's nearing 6, so you", he pointed at Kamala, "need to get back, before your mom calls us all."

Kamala’s eyes widened before she pulled up Kate, and they left in a hurry, throwing a quick ‘Bye’ over their shoulders. Carol was staying back because she had to go meet Jennifer with Sam, while Scott left shortly as he had a date with Hope.

Now that the base was empty, you decided to finally have a talk with Sam.

You watched him walk around the sofa and join Carol at the dining table, discussing something with her. Dog-earing your book, you laid it on the couch next to you, gently lifting Joaquin’s head off your lap and putting a pillow under him. His eyebrows scrunched up a little before he curled on his side, crossing his arms sighing sleepily.

You pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead before standing up and approaching Sam.

“Guys?”

He turned around, frowning at the nervous look on your face, “Yeah?”

“Um-Carol, I’m so sorry, but I need to talk to Sam about something. Would you mind if I steal him for sometime?”, you requested her, not wanting to make her feel left out.

She smiled, “Yeah, of course. Please, go ahead. I need to read this file anyways.”

Sam and you walked over to his personal office, where he stared at you like he’d already read your mind.

“Spit it out, Stark”, he quipped, a small smirk tugging at his lips. You looked at him and covered your face with your hands.

“You’re gonna hate me”, you groaned.

“What?”, Sam stood up straight.

You removed your hands from your face and put them on your hips instead, chewing on the inside of your cheek before spilling everything.

“Uh-Joaquin and I went to the Tower yesterday.”

Sam paused, his eyes wide in disbelief, “You did what?”

“…yeah”, you grimaced.

And Sam spiralled, just a little, out of worry for you two, his eyes wide and face slack.

“Kid, I told y’all not to do this one thing, specifically. What goes on- why did ya’ll even go there? And did anybody see you? Hold on, did Valen-”

“Hey, relax. Nobody saw us, I promise, Sam. We went through the launch pad, so, no security or media people saw us. And no, Valentina wasn’t there either, so don’t worry”, you consoled him.

Sam rubbed a hand down his face, “That doesn’t make it any better, what if they use this against us? What if they’re all going to provoke Valentina against us? This changes everything about the case and now the two of you are caught in the between-”

“Sam-Sam!”, you called him out loudly, holding his flailing hands in yours to ground him.

“I know, we don’t know the team properly, but I swear, they all want Valentina to fall, just as much as we do.”

Sam frowned, “What?”

“Yeah. I don’t know what Bucky told you but he’s right, they’re all lost. She’s holding them hostage and manipulating the Bob guy, who was responsible for the whole black out thing”, you squeezed his hands earnestly.

“That’s…yeah, he did say that. What else do you know? You talked to all of ‘em?”, he murmured.

You released his hands and tugged your cardigan sleeves over your hands.

“Most of it was just her manipulating and threatening to expose them. She’d reintroduce all the omitted information from their files, that could turn them into convicted criminals again, if they disobeyed her.”

You swallowed thickly before continuing, “And this Bob guy…Sam, he’s got a heavy past. Drug addict along with a long history of mental illness. Which is why he’s been so unstable and she’s been using him as a weapon. That blackout thing? That was due to a depressive episode that Valentina forced onto him”, you solemnly relayed the information to Sam, who just frowned harder.

“Has she lost her damn mind? She should be put behind the bars for abetting someone, add the scammy stuff later”, he muttered in disbelief.

You pursed your lips, “I know. She’s a fucking leech.”

Sam furrowed his brows. He couldn’t believe this woman had the audacity to groom a mentally ill person to be an indestructible weapon and worsen their condition.

“And no, we didn’t get to talk to them properly, but they seemed pretty over it. Bucky said he’ll talk to them. Did he tell you anything about it?”

Sam snorted humourlessly, “It was just a whole lotta ‘I don’t know, man’, ‘I’m sorry, Sam’, ‘I can’t do anything except wait’”.

That tracks. He’d said the same to you.

“Yeah. He said the same to us. Honestly, you guys are worse than my dad and Steve”, you huffed.

“Excuse me?”, Sam quirked an eyebrow.

“At least those two fought and yelled at each other. You guys don’t even do that. It’s just endless pining and yearning”, you quipped, pretending to look at your nails.

Sam sputtered, “Wh-Wait. No. That’s not what’s happening-”

“Okay, okay, Cap. I got you”, you chuckled, choosing to go easy on the man. Sam glared at you, his face could radiate steam if it could, because he was positively flustered.

“Alright, listen. Here’s what we’re doing next. We have to get the team on our side first. Build the rapport and trust, and then, make them testify against Valentina. She’s holding them hostage anyways, so it’s not like we are lying about it”, you suggested.

Sam nodded solemnly, “Yeah. I was thinkin’ of meeting the rest but I dunno how, without raising a few eyebrows.”

You folded your arms across your chest, “Don’t worry about that. We’ll figure something out. Valentina loves the whole parade. She will probably arrange a gala or a party for the team so that all the big shots visit her.”

“You think she’ll invite us?”, he raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, I’m sure she will. She wants you to see all of this, rub it in our faces and all that crap. But before that happens, we need to file this case, Sam.”

He nodded, “Yeah, of course. Gonna insist Jennifer and might even meet up with Murdock. We need all hands on deck.”

“That’s good”, you nodded before perking up, “Would you mind, if I suggested you to meet up with her at a different place?”

Sam frowned, “I mean, no, but why?”

You chewed on your lip, “I don’t trust her. At all. If you’re gonna meet at a bustling place, she’s probably gonna keep an eye on you. You’d have to take a trip but, it’s important.”

“Yeah, okay, go on.”

“So, dad had this hide out kinda thing. In Virginia. It’s fully surveilled with high tech security, I’ll manage it myself and FRIDAY has access, too. It’s better if all the meetings related to this case take place there. I don’t want you, Jennifer or Carol risking your own assets or lives for this.”

“That makes sense, yeah. Sure”, Sam nodded.

“I’ll send a car to pick up Jennifer. You guys will be okay?”, you inquired.

“No no, we’re good. Virginia’s not that far from here and I know a route, so we’ll be fine. Thanks, kid”, Sam patted your shoulder, a soft smile tugging at lips because he couldn’t help but see your father in you. They had their differences, but Tony Stark was always the first in line to help his team.

You flashed him a sincere smile before turning serious again, glossy eyes looking up at him with so much trust.

“Sam, if there’s any two people, in this whole world who can get through this, it’s you and Buck. You’re not like my dad or Steve. What you have is special. You’re each other’s family. It doesn’t matter that you’re the leaders of two different teams, the two of you will always, always find a way. Please remember that. We need you two to come together for this. And it will happen if you guys just..talk.”

Sam tilted his head, eyes shining with longing and something else.

“I asked Bucky the same, and now I’m asking you the same thing. Promise me, that the two of you will fix this, together”, you croaked.

Sam looked at you for a moment before brushing his hand across your back soothingly, a wet smile spreading on his lips.

“Yeah, sweetheart. I promise.”

You exchanged sad smiles, bringing up a hand to wipe your eyes when there was a knock on the door to the office.

“Bet it’s your clingy boyfriend”, Sam teased.

You snorted, wiping your eyes on your sleeves before Sam walked over to the door, revealing a half awake Joaquin, his hair was mussed with sleep and plaid shirt wrinkled from the tossing and turning.

He looked so warm and cosy, it took everything in you to not tackle him in a hug.

“Good morning, sunshine”, Sam boomed, wrapping an arm around Joaquin’s shoulders and hiding you from his view.

You pursed your lips to stop yourself from laughing out loud.

“Hi….where’s-where’s (Name)”, his sleepy voice cracked as he spoke, a hand rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

“She went back at her apartment, man. Said she’d let you sleep for sometime”, Sam teased further. He knew exactly how Joaquin would get clingy and snappy after he woke up and how he’d relax only if you were with him.

That seemed to have snapped him out of his sleep, his back suddenly straightened up in attention, a sad little pout tugging his lips down. As if someone stole his candy.

“Wait, she left? Without me? I was supposed to drop her home, bro. We were gonna go on a grocery run and I was gonna help her with dinner, and I—”

You giggled loudly, both of the men whipped their heads behind to look at you.

Sam in amusement, Joaquin in disbelief.

And then Joaquin grumbled, Sam shaking his shoulders while cackling.

“Oh man, you’re so whipped. I’m never letting you live that down, by the way. You should’ve seen your face!”, Sam wheezed, leaning against Joaquin, who was still grumbling, a whine leaving his mouth.

“Stop it. You guys are the worst”, he groaned loudly and rubbed his face with his hands. You pouted.

“Alright. Alright. I gotta go. You guys can stay if you wanna. It’s too late to go back, anyways. (Name), please look into picking up Jennifer, yeah?”, Sam instructed and squeezed Joaquin’s shoulders.

You nodded and Sam murmured a ‘Bye’ to Joaquin, before leaving.

Joaquin scrunched his nose before bee lining towards you, strong arms going around your waist and head buried in your neck. Letting a smile pull at your cheeks, you bring your arms around his back, smoothing your palms over the wide expanse, feeling his muscles move underneath them as your head leaned against his temple.

“Good nap?”, you asked quietly.

His warm breath hit your chest, soft curls tickling your jaw as he nodded in affirmation.

“Missed you though. Why’d you leave me alone”, you could practically hear the pout in his scratchy voice. You sighed.

“Sorry, baby bird. I needed to tell Sam about everything that happened yesterday.”

That got his attention, pulling back from your neck to look at you, arms still caging you in his embrace, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Oh, damn. How’d it go?”

You busied yourself with straightening his collar while filling him in.

“Well, Bucky called him. Said the same things he said to us. They must’ve had a disagreement because the first thing Sam said after the call, was that we’re definitely suing. So he’s gone to meet Jennifer Walters right now, with Carol. I decided to tell him everything before he found out from someone else.”

Joaquin’s eyes widened, “Please tell me he’s not grounding us.”

You huffed a laugh, rubbing his chest soothingly, “No, I handled it and told him that we had it in control.”

Joaquin breathed a sigh of relief, before you continued.

“So now we gotta wait till Valentina announces a gala or a party or something, which she will definitely do because-”,

“She’s an attention seeker”, Joaquin deadpanned, squeezing your waist, jaw clenched in annoyance.

You snorted, “Exactly. And she’ll definitely invite us, or Sam, at least. I’ve requested him to keep in contact with Bucky and sort out whatever they’ve got going on. We need all of them on our side, and to testify against that woman. Sam has agreed to all of this, thankfully.”

Joaquin smiled in relief.

“That’s good. You’re good. You’re so smart, baby”, he praised, brown eyes oozing with love and pride.

You blushed, ducking your head to avoid his intense eye contact, “Shut up.”

Joaquin laughed and pulled you closer, leaning forward to press a kiss to your forehead, enveloping you in a warm hug, both of you unaware of the storm brewing back at the Tower.

Yesterday

Bucky and Yelena speed walked towards Bob’s room, the only place where he could be in their absence.

The conference had taken longer than expected, all of them were a cranky and tired mess by the second half. Now they just couldn’t even bear to see each other’s faces or talk to anybody.

But Yelena reminded him of Bob. The events that took place during the day, your arrival, Bucky’s emotional conversation with you and Joaquin, and Bob’s sudden attraction to you, and they immediately got to work, leaving behind the other three to quickly check on the golden boy, who was still in his room, they assumed.

They exchanged a worried look before Yelena opened the door carefully, making sure to make minimal noise so as to not freak the boy out.

The room was dark. The only light that came in, was the moonlight, coating the room in a dark blue hue, highlighting a large lump on the bed, curled up in a fetal position.

For a second, they worried that the Void was out again, both of their hearts thundering against their ribs. Bucky slowly made his way towards the side table, flicking on the lamp that perched on it.

The lamp coated the room in a golden glow, finally shedding some light on the large form resting atop the bed—Bob. Just Bob. No jet black shadow covering him.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Yelena rounded the corner and sat on the opposite side, observing Bob’s sleeping face closely.

“Just asleep”, Yelena murmured, making Bucky unclench his fists.

“Should we wake him up?”, he rasped.

Yelena thought about it for a moment, before nodding hesitantly.

“Yeah. It’s been a while since we left, anyway. If we don’t talk now, we’re gonna keep delaying it and he’ll keep avoiding it.”

Bucky pursed his lips before nodding in approval, letting her do the job of waking Bob up.

Yelena gently placed her hand on his shoulder, shaking him carefully like she was handling a bomb waiting to go off.

“Bob? Wake up, c’mon”, she shook his arm.

A breath left his nose, eyebrows twitching before he suddenly jerked, eyes whipping open in a sudden manner.

Yelena jumped, raising her hands in a surrender manner, Bucky made himself more visible to Bob so as to not scare him further.

“It’s okay, it’s just us. Yelena and Bucky. You’re okay”, Yelena’s raspy voice soothed him.

Bob blinked a few times before sitting up, hands rubbing his eyes to clear his vision of the bleariness. He swallowed thickly, trying to forget the very realistic memory he’d had of you, before clearing his throat.

“H-hey guys. You’re back. That’s..that’s nice. What’s the time?”

“It’s past 9pm, kid. Did you have dinner?”, Bucky asked softly, his voice coated in concern.

Bob furrowed his brows, “9 pm? Damn, I-I don’t know when I dozed off…and no, I didn’t have dinner yet”, he sheepishly admitted, hands playing with the edges of his sleeve.

Honestly, he was still out of it. He wasn’t sure when he’d fallen asleep, half expecting to have an episode but surprisingly his body had fallen into a slumber.

“That’s okay. We’ll order somethin’ for you”, Yelena offered, exchanging a look with Bucky, who was already ordering some burgers and fries for Bob, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

“Oh. That’s nice of you. Thank you”, Bob gave them one of his crooked smiles, one that was teetering between a frown and a smile.

Yelena gave him a tight lipped smile before deciding to ask away.

“Bob, we need to talk.”

He tensed up, eyebrows shooting up in fear, a few strands of brown curls framing his eyes, “Wait, what-what did I do? Did the-did the other guy show up again? I’m sorry, it’s just, not been a good day and I-”

“Hey, hey, hey. Relax. It’s nothing like that”, Bucky placated, a hand held out to stop Bob’s ramblings.

Bob’s mouth fell open in disbelief, glassy eyes switching between the two figures in front of him.

“So-what is it..?”, he asked hesitantly.

Yelena gave him a sympathetic look, deciding to ask him directly in that straight forward way she does, “Bob…what happened with (Name)? Why were you acting so…weird?”

Bob froze. Blood rushed to his ears as everything came running back to him. Your face. Your voice. His sudden possessiveness. His jealousy towards Joaquin.

You and Joaquin together.

Bob clenched his jaw, leaning away from Yelena and averting his gaze from both of the assassins in shame and anger—towards himself and towards the situation.

“Nothing”, he simply murmured, closing his eyes tightly to get rid of the voices and images of Joaquin’s hands on you.

Yelena frowned, Bucky shook his head.

“It’s not nothing. You were practically staring holes into Joaquin, I saw your eyes glow golden as well. You looked at her like-like she’s some kinda ghost. Or a god. And you’ve been asleep for what? Almost 8-9 hours? Don’t lie, kid”, Bucky conceded firmly, his voice taking the shape of a tired and worried father.

At hearing Joaquin’s name, Bob’s jaw clenched tighter, somehow. That same green monster clawing his way up his throat.

“Yeah, well, it’s not like he wasn’t being a dick to me”, he scoffed, looking at Bucky incredulously, a strange attitude overtaking him.

Bucky quirked an eyebrow while Yelena’s mouth fell open.

“This! You’re being aggressive, again! What’s with this attitude, Reynolds?”, she cried out, folding her hands across her chest.

Bob narrowed his eyes, those golden tendrils shimmering behind his irises again, “So I shouldn’t defend myself when someone’s being an asshole to me?”

Her eyes widened, looking at Bucky for help, who just scoffed in disbelief.

“Not when you’re ogling said person’s girlfriend like he wasn’t standing in front of you. Not when you’re poking at him for simply standing next to his girlfriend, Bob.”

That struck Bob straight, wincing as if the jab had hit him directly in the chest, shrinking into his skin once again, blue eyes focused onto his fingers picking the skin around his nails in nervousness.

He knew he was acting strange. He knew he was provoking Joaquin for no reason. And he knew he had no right to feel so possessive over you. All of it was wrong and shameful.

But he just couldn’t help it.

Not when you were no less than a god, as Bucky had mentioned, to him.

As damaged as he was, he had feelings too. Real, raw, human feelings.

“S-sorry. I just…I don’t know what came over me. I’m sorry. Really sorry”, he whispered with his eyes shut tightly, making him see stars behind his lids as his hands kept picking at each other.

“See? You’ve once again managed to ruin everything….”

That voice was back again. Bob shook his head in denial.

Concerned, Yelena put her hands on his fidgeting ones, separating them before holding them tightly to ground him.

“It’s okay, Bob. We want to help you. But we can’t if you don’t tell us what’s happening. Is there something you’d like to share?”, she gently prodded, bending slightly to look at him.

He still wouldn’t meet her eyes, lips quivering with the sob he was holding in.

Bucky sighed sadly, “Bob…do you like (Name)? If that’s the case, then, I’m sorry to tell you but, she’s already-”

A few tears escaped Bob’s eyes, face scrunched up in pain before he decided to correct Bucky, unable to hold it in any longer.

"You don't get it", he whispered, cutting off Bucky, who paused.

"What do you mean?", Yelena asked from his right, a hand coming up to rest on his shoulder.

They were going to find out someday. It’s not like he wasn’t obvious or anything.

“…I love her”, he finally answered, his voice a weak and tired variant of itself.

The room was suddenly too quiet. Bob swore he could hear the rustle of the mattress and the traffic below. Bucky's mouth hung open as he stared at Bob blankly and Yelena decided to break the silence by blurting out, "What?"

Bob winced again, removing his hands from Yelena's grip.

"That's-you don't even know her, Bob. You just met her. That's not possible", Bucky reasoned, a frown tugging at his already stressed face, the lines next to his eyes more prominent due to the low light in the room.

Bob's jaw ticked, a bitter taste lingering in his mouth as he mulled over Bucky's words. Even though he was right, he didn't know how you were an anchor for Bob. How he'd decided to get his shit together after learning about you. How Angela would convince him to get better by talking about you and your philanthropy. How he'd seen all of your speeches and talks on his friend's borrowed computer and on Angela's TV, who purposefully set it to your interviews when he would stumble into her shop.

Did he know you personally? No.

Had you changed his life? Yeah. In more than one way.

When he had nobody who stuck around in his life, your face and voice was a constant. You were The (Name) Stark, with a face as radiant as the sun, who was incredibly resilient and courageous and with a heart made of gold, and yeah, you didn't even deserve someone like him. But he was sure that if he ever tried to talk to you, just as a friend, you'd never disappoint him like the others did. The others who left him when it got tougher.

Maybe he was being parasocial. But how would he know the answers to his questions, if nobody gave him a chance to even talk to you? Even a 'thank you' would suffice, he thought. But he couldn't deny the pull he felt towards you any longer. Even being in your orbit was nothing short of an honor for him.

"You don't get it, Bucky. She's-she's saved me. When I had no one, I had her voice to keep me grounded. Even before reaching the lab, I had borrowed a phone, from someone. I used to listen to her speeches every day. On repeat. I'd throw it aside when the withdrawals would start. But I'd feel this...this hole in my chest, craving her voice just as badly as the drugs. And sometimes...sometimes I'd cry my eyes out while I withered on the ground. But my earphones would always play her voice", Bob's voice cracked as he confessed.

Bucky and Yelena were stunned into silence.

The fact that Bob was aware of you before coming here. And unknowingly, you'd played a vital part in his life and where he was today, was so shocking that Bucky stared at Bob's tearful face dumbly while Yelena felt her own eyes water, head turned towards the side to hide her tears.

"I told myself, if I get to meet her, I'm thanking her. For just…being there, even if she wasn’t there physically. For her speeches and work. But...when I saw her, in person today...I realised that...it wasn't just a stupid crush or-or some weird codependent attachment. Her entire energy, the way she holds herself, it's so powerful. I-I haven't been with someone in a long time", he scoffed humourlessly, "Not that anybody wanted a fuckin' mess like me. But, maybe that's why I sort of, fell hard for her. She's been the only constant in my life for the past 5 years."

Bob wiped his tears with his sleeves, nose tinged red and eyes swollen.

"That's why I was also being an asshole to...to Joaquin. The whole 'I know her longer than he does' shit. Even though, as Bucky said, I don't know her, technically", he croaked shamefully, red dusting his cheeks.

Yelena sniffled and Bucky opened and closed his mouth like a fish, unable to take in all of this.

It was a lot. He's getting too old for a love triangle in his own family. And his heart also breaks for Bob. If you and Joaquin weren't, quite literally, each other's soulmates, then maybe it would've worked out. You'd get along with Bob just fine.

But that wasn't the case, and now there were two separate teams as well, so Bucky wasn't sure how to handle this without further breaking Bob's heart.

Because Bucky was sure that Joaquin, being as stubborn and steadfast he was, was absolutely not going to let Bob try anything. Let alone talk to you. Especially not after the intense show down between the two men. Bucky almost groaned at the fact that this was just going to worsen the situation between the teams even more.

Letting out a big sigh, he sat down in front of Bob, elbows braced against his knees as he carefully chose his words.

"Look, Bob...I understand. You knowingly or unknowingly imprinted on her, and you were so used to being the only one who listened to her, that you feel a little disoriented now that your bubble is burst. I get that. But...", he sighed again, "Kid, it's just, not gonna be easy, I'm not gonna lie to you. At least, not as peacefully as you're hoping for it to go. Joaquin is...he's very protective of her and vice versa. And they're literally made for each other."

Bob clenched his jaw harder, the lump in his throat making it harder to swallow. Why was Bucky cutting a deeper wound into his already broken heart?

"So, whatever you do, don't go around picking a fight with him unnecessarily. We're already in a sensitive situation, yeah?", Bucky softly added, trying to be as gentle as he could be.

Bob's vision blurred with tears before he nodded tersely, bringing a hand up to wipe at his eyes and push back his curls.

"Bob", Yelena's scratchy voice brought his attention back to her. He looked up at her hesitantly. Her eyes were bloodshot.

"We know this will be difficult for you. Maybe in ways that is beyond our understanding. But, please, for your sake, talk to me or Bucky next time. Or...maybe we can start your therapy sessions soon? If that's okay with you?", she offered carefully, eyes trained on his every move.

Bob bit his lip, mulling over her words. Therapy didn't sound that bad, honestly. At least, he'd use all the free time to work on himself instead of withering away.

"Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good. I-I can go to therapy", he admitted, nodding in agreement.

Yelena let out a sigh of relief and Bucky gave him a rare, kind smile, one that Bob had only ever seen on the super soldier's face when he was with you.

The thought almost made him smile. You had a way around making people comfortable.

"I'll talk to my therapist. She might recommend someone fit for you. You can take a trial session and the rest is your decision. That okay?", Bucky suggested.

"Yes. That's okay. Thanks, guys", Bob finally gave them a weak smile, cheeks glistening with tear tracks under the yellow light of the lamp.

Maybe, Bob could get over this. And he prayed he wouldn't see you anytime sooner, either.

Minutes after he'd finished his meal, Valentina had called for an emergency meeting. At 11 pm.

Why? Because that attention seeker had decided that she wanted to throw a Gala for the team. 'For the team' was just an excuse, she just wanted to show off. Show off her wealth, show off her so called team and her nonexistent efforts and how she's the new 'saviour' of the American people.

It was all a load of crap, honestly.

But she wanted to host a Gala and she was going to host it by the end of this week. And guess whom she wanted needed to attend this gala?

Sam Wilson. And you.

"We're not doing this", Bucky seethed, fists clenched tightly in anger. He still hadn't talked to Sam, like he'd promised you. And now, Valentina wanted to do this?

He couldn't imagine how betrayed Sam would feel, if he found out that Bucky had purposefully kept information from him. As if he wasn't on thin fucking ice already.

Valentina smirked, "Listen up, Barnes. I don't remember asking for your permission. It's my money. My team. I can do whatever the hell I want to."

Bucky clenched his jaw, the rest of the team glared at Valentina, except Bob, who had a faraway look in his eyes.

"Anyways, there's gonna be investors, shareholders, some of the richest people in attendance, including a real Captain America and our resident billionaire Stark heir. You guys better behave and keep up my reputation, hm?", she announced absently while flicking through her Ipad, Mel looking at her in confusion.

John scowled at the Captain America jab, Alexei's eyes kept jumping between Bucky's tensed body and Valentina's unbothered one like he was at a tennis match, Ava and Yelena exchanged glances before Yelena looked at Bob, who was restlessly moving around in his seat, itching to correct Valentina on her comment on you.

Yelena grabbed his arm firmly, tersely shaking her head 'no'. Bob bit the inside of his cheek to keep quiet.

"And oh, don't you dare invite them on my behalf, Bucky. We will be drafting a sweet and sophisticated invite, okay?", she gave him a sickly sweet smile. Bucky sneered.

"I'm not listenin' to-"

"You want me to release that footage from 10 years ago? Where you almost killed your best friend, who was also Captain America, on that helicarrier?", she narrowed her eyes.

Bucky froze, his vibranium arm whirring from how tightly he was clenching his fists, a mist covering his eyes.

Valentina smiled in victory.

"That's what I thought. Anyways! We'll keep you updated on the group chat. You'll get a phone soon, Robert, do stay active on the chat. Don't miss any texts and we'll have stylists over to give you all a makeover. I don't trust you all to turn up decently", she grimaced.

John yawned while Alexei was already napping on the desk, burly body leaned over his arms entirely, snores leaving his mouth. Valentina rolled her eyes at this.

"Yeah, fine, Jesus. You're dismissed", she waved them off, walking out of the room with Mel in tow.

"It would take one swipe. That's all. Then she'll be gone", Ava casually mentioned.

"Count me in on that. Anyways, I'm heading to bed. I don't have the energy for this", John announced before yawning loudly, trudging away to his room.

Bucky, Yelena and Bob didn't move from their spots, at all. A strange silence and tension seizing their body as they exchanged worrying looks.

Ava noticed, quirking an eyebrow, "What's going on with the three of you?"

Bucky cleared his throat, "Nothin'. Just...fed up with her", he referred to Valentina.

"Yeah, I mean, I don't really like social interactions, so", Bob laughed nervously.

Yelena simply hummed in thought. Ava narrowed her eyes in doubt.

"Uh- I'm going to sleep. Yep. I'm really tired. Yelena, you should wake up Alexei", Bucky coughed, quickly making his way outside, Bob following closely, while Yelena shook Alexei awake and walked out of the room hastily, leaving behind a perplexed Ava, who was not going to live peacefully until she finds out what's up with these three.

So, basically, Bob was not getting over this anytime soon.

Because you would definitely attend the event. And you'd be with The Captain America this time. Just the thought of being around you, dressed in fancy clothes, with the Cap next to you, was enough to make him hyperventilate.

All he could do was pray for a miracle. And that he didn't have one of his extremely high episodes.

But, god, he'd lying if he said that he wasn't excited to see you again.

It was the weekend, Sam had surprisingly decided to take a day off, you and Joaquin joining him for lunch at a staple restaurant, catching up with the recruitment process and other life updates over some pasta and drinks.

Sam, was currently telling you all about Riri Williams and her suits, how she'd worked under Princess Shuri and how she just needed some exposure to update her suit.

"I'd love to meet her", you admitted while taking a sip of your cola. The fact that she had benefitted from your dad's grant at MIT and hearing about her potential and intelligence was enough to encourage you to meet her.

Sam gave you a smile, exchanging a look with Joaquin, who was sitting on your right with his shoulder nudging you every now and then.

"I knew you'd say that. Great, I'll ask her to-", he cut himself off as your phones went off at the same time with a text notification.

Furrowing your brows, you looked down at your screen, an unknown number flashed on top of the chat bubble. Joaquin spared a glance at you phone before leaning over to look at Sam's.

"Wait. Is that the same number?", he murmured, cross checking once more.

Frowning, you opened the message and read it out loud for the two of them:

Valentina Allegra De Fontaine and OXE Group invites you for a Gala night to celebrate the New Avengers! Saturday, 7:00 pm, The Watchtower, Manhattan, New York Dress code: Formal PS: Please do not carry any suits or weapons. Invitation limited to you and Sam, exclusively. - Mel Vishwanathan, Secretary to Miss De Fontaine.

"Holy shit", Joaquin cursed.

"Did you get the same text?", you foolishly asked Sam. Sam quickly opened the message and sighed.

"Yep. Copy and paste."

You scoffed, "Knew this was gonna happen. She's too smart for her own good", fiddling with your phone for a moment, furiously typing away.

"How do we know this isn't a trap?", Joaquin asked in curiosity.

You turned your phone to show it to him, "Because it's up on LinkedIn. This is basically an investment and sponsorship event, alright."

Joaquin read the post, which had over 130k likes already, his eyebrows raised in surprise before he passed it to Sam, who whistled lowly.

"Damn. Look at all these people glazin' her up. There's gonna be media and shit too, it'll be a pain in the ass. We'll never get to talk to any of 'em", he shook his head.

You pursed your lips in thought, "Maybe. Not if we separate, though. You take three, I'll take three", you continued before he cut you off, "And you're taking Bucky. I don't care how, but the two of you are talking. That's it."

Sam narrowed his eyes, "You bossin' me around, Stark?"

"That's right, Wilson. This is the only way how a Stark and Captain America team up can work out, remember?", you teased him.

The two of you stared each other down before erupting in giggles.

"Alright, alright, I will. But the moment he's being immature, I'm callin' you in", he proposes.

"I got you, I promise. But he loves you too much to brood for longer, Sammy", you gave him a knowing smile. Sam coughed to hide his.

Next to you, Joaquin was way too quiet. Silently observing the entire conversation with a distant look in his eyes. You quieted down, nudging him to get his attention.

"You good, babe?", your voice took on a soft lilt that it did, whenever you talked to Joaquin. Sam watched him closely.

"Yeah. Just, I'm not invited", Joaquin muttered with thinly veiled irritation, his brows creased, brown eyes looking like pitiful pools of honey as he looked at you knowingly.

You paused, a flash clip of the events that transpired at the Tower playing in your mind, causing you to close your eyes in realisation.

Of course he was apprehensive about this. This meant you'd be around Bob again, and you'd be alone this time, since Sam would be busy with the task at hand.

Sam raised an eyebrow, "I didn't know you wanted to attend Valentina's gala so bad, Joaquin", he joked lightly. He observed your tensed body and Joaquin's clenched jaw, neither of you responding to his joke and that's when he knew there was more to it.

"Okay, one of you better tell me what's goin' on? I feel like I missed a few chapters?", he asked with narrowed eyes.

You glanced at Joaquin, who was still brooding, before letting out a sigh, "Well. Y'know, the Bob guy in their team?"

Sam furrowed his brows in confusion, "Blackout guy? Yeah, Why?"

Joaquin let out a humourless chuckle, "Yeah, he has a damn crush on my girlfriend. That's what happened."

"Joaquin..", you pinched the bridge of your nose.

"Oh, and, he was trying to challenge me or some shit, bro. His eyes were all golden and stuff, as if I was being a hindrance for touching my girlfriend, like, have some class, Jesus", he seethed, getting worked up again.

"And you know what, Sam? He was lookin' at her like I do. Fuckin' stars in his eyes and shit. I can't-"

"Okay, okay. Relax, bird boy. Drink some water", Sam cut him off, an amused smile on his face.

Joaquin almost pouted, leaning back into the seat like a grumpy toddler. You pursed your lips. This was going to be really difficult.

"Guys, c'mon, it can't be that serious. We're not in high school! It's just stupid crush, I bet. And Joaquin, you can stop pouting, it's not exactly her fault that she's a star!", Sam laughed, trying to reason with him. You gave a wary smile at his joke before turning serious again.

"I truly hope it's just a crush. It's going to be a mess to deal with, otherwise..."

Sam gave you a close lipped smile, "Nothing's gonna happen. We'll figure somethin' out if it escalates, yeah?"

"Not before I handle him myself", Joaquin grumbled his breath.

Your eyes widened and you whipped your head around, "Jay, what the hell?"

Sam scoffed, "Easy, tiger. No need to go guns ablazin'. Unless you want another timeout", he warned Joaquin, arms folded across his chest, like a father scolding his son.

That sobered him up. Joaquin sat up straight, glancing at you and Sam briefly, feet scuffing against the floor in embarassment.

"Okay. I'm sorry", he murmured in shame, turning to the side to press a kiss to your shoulder, a soft "'M sorry, baby", spoken into the fabric of your shirt.

You softened up, rubbing a hand down his back. A smile tugged at Sam's lips.

"We'll put you in our comms so that you don't freak out, okay?", Sam suggested. Joaquin nodded in agreement, a hand coming up to rest on your thigh, free hand absently twirling the pasta around his fork.

"Alright, we should inform the team as well. And...maybe I'll call Buck. Let him know beforehand about our plan. That okay?", he asked you.

"Yeah, sounds good. I'll gather some discreet comms that'll stay concealed", you agreed.

"Good", he lowered his voice before continuing, "Also, Shulkie has suggested not to tell them about the entire case just yet. Just to request them to testify. If they ask anything further, we've to ask them to meet personally."

Shulkie was a code name for Jennifer Walters in public, you'd decided.

"Yep, got it, Cap", you affirmed.

"Alright, I need to bounce. I have a meeting with Leila. You guys will be okay?", he glanced at Joaquin, before looking at you knowingly.

Joaquin and you gave him close lipped smiles, Sam taking his leave before clearing the tab. He always treated you two like you were kids on a summer vacation.

You stared at Joaquin's sulking face, hyperfocused on his plate. He did look cute when he was jealous.

"Stop lookin' at me", he grumbled, the natural light filtering through the window making his skin glow, his curls were loose today, falling in ringlets on his forehead and his arms flexed in that gray t shirt he was wearing.

Although his pouting made him look like a chipmunk who had stuffed too many nuts into his cheeks. The thought made you giggle. His nose scrunched up in embarassment.

"Whaaaat, babe, stop", he whined, closing his eyes.

You wordlessly shifted closer, a hand cradling his chin, lips pressed to his cheek lovingly and free arm slinked around his neck.

"You're too cute when you're jealous", you mumbled into his skin and he finally hugged you back, leaning his head into your touch.

He hummed, "I love you, you know that right?", his lips moved against your hair as he spoke.

"Yeah. I know", you reassured, rubbing his shoulder gently, a frown tugging at your lips as you tried your best to hide the sense of dread filling your stomach at the thought of going to the Tower again.

Part 4

AN: please let me know if it's still making sense and like and reblog!❤️

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#joaquin torres x reader #joaquin torres x fem!reader #joaquin torres x stark!fem!reader #bob reynolds x fem!reader #bob reynolds x reader #bob reynolds x stark!fem!reader #bucky barnes x platonic!reader #sam wilson x platonic!reader #marvel cinematic universe #fluff #angst #bob thunderbolts #thunderbolts #joaquin torres fluff #captain america brave new world #yelena belova

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mandoalorian · 8 days ago

Text

the night we stole the stars [bucky barnes x f!reader]

pairing: new avenger!bucky barnes x f!reader

synopsis: you and bucky chase the glow of a forgotten fairground, where soft kisses taste like memories in the making. beneath the boardwalk lights and scattered starlight, the night becomes yours—wild, sacred, and fleeting. but even as your hearts sync in stolen rhythm, something waits in the quiet edges of the multiverse, changing everything

word count: 7900

rating/warnings: 18+ explicit content, dry humping in public place, grinding, making out, plenty of sexual tension, angst in the making (sorry in advance), a little sambucky if you squint

masterlist

previous chapter | current | next chapter [coming soon]

It was early. Not sunrise-early — city early. Horns honked like an orchestra warming up. A dog barked three times in a row. Somewhere, a jackhammer stuttered to life.

Bucky liked mornings like this. Loud enough to drown out memories. Soft enough that everything still felt... possible.

He waited outside the Tower with two coffees in hand, both black. No sugar, no nonsense. He knew Sam would complain. That was kind of the point.

When Sam stepped outside, hoodie pulled over his head, he squinted at the sky like it had personally offended him. His eyes landed on Bucky, then on the second coffee. He walked over wordlessly and took it.

“No sugar?” he asked, sipping anyway.

Bucky shrugged. “You’re sweet enough.”

Sam huffed. “You flirting with me, Barnes?”

“You wish.”

They started walking with no clear destination, boots hitting pavement in sync. The Tower loomed behind them, and Bucky felt a little lighter the farther they got from it.

“So,” Sam said after a beat. “I signed Valentina’s accords, we’re on the same team now, what’s all this about?”

Bucky winced. “Us.”

“Okay, now you’re definitely flirting.” Sam smirked and Bucky stifled a laugh.

“Outside all of this: Doom and the multiverse and… her,” Bucky stopped as he noticed Sam’s face soften. “I really miss you man,” he sighed, the revelation hard for him to admit. If only he had communicated better months ago. Then maybe the fallout wouldn’t have been so bad.

“I miss you too, Buck, but none of this has been easy. Abandoning me and teaming up with John Walker?” Sam replied, not angry but not amused either. “Seriously?”

Bucky thought ‘abandoned’ sounded harsh, but it wasn’t the time to mention it. He took a sip of his coffee. “I know, but the world really needs Captain America. I need Captain America. And I just want us to be okay again.”

“I want that too.” Sam sighed. “Come here.”

And in that moment, Captain America pulled the Winter Soldier in for a hug, solid and comforting, and for the first time in months, Bucky felt like he could breathe again.

“Now that we’re okay,” Sam said, pulling away but keeping his hands on Bucky’s shoulders. “You gotta tell me how the hell you ended up on a team with a literal black widow assassin, the Red Guardian, and Walker. And those billboards… damn Bucky, they had you overlooking New York City like you were some kind of God.”

Bucky looked down at his coffee. “Yeah. That wasn’t my idea.”

“Valentina?”

“Yup. She created this whole PR thing. Wheaties boxes and magazine covers and merchandise. Wanted Yelena and Walker to pretend to date each other, but like hell they would,” Bucky explained. “At the time, they couldn’t be in the same room as each other for longer than ten minutes. So she decided it would look good if me and her pursued this fake relationship. I think she thought the public would put more faith in her if they saw she was dating an Avenger.”

Sam slowed. “Buck… that’s fucking crazy.”

Bucky nodded. “Yeah. Wasn’t easy. But eventually the team started trusting each other. And because I was leading, it meant they were trusting me. And for once… I felt like I was actually doing something right.”

Sam took another long sip. “That’s not nothing.”

“I didn’t agree with the logistics,” Bucky said. “The secrecy, the contracts, the way Valentina tried to puppet us from behind the curtain. But when we were out there, actually fighting for people, it felt... good. Like I belonged somewhere.”

“You’ve always belonged somewhere.”

Bucky gave a quiet, humourless laugh. “You have to say that. You’re my friend.”

“I’m also the guy you iced out when I was trying to rebuild the Avengers. The real Avengers.”

That landed like a punch. Bucky rubbed the back of his neck.

“I thought you didn’t need me,” he admitted.

“Bullshit,” Sam said calmly. “We both know that’s not true. I needed you. I wanted you in it with me. You’re the one who stepped off to be with your Thunderbolt buddies.”

Bucky took a breath. “Maybe. But now you know the truth. Not everything was so rosy. I think from this point forward, we phase Val out for good. We do this, together. We lead, together.”

“Doom’s coming,” Sam muttered, eyes scanning the skyline like he expected Victor to emerge from the clouds. “We both feel it. And now we’ve got all these pieces— The Fantastic Four, the Avengers, tech from a different world—and no time to get our footing.”

“We’ve got each other,” Bucky said.

They walked another block in silence.

“I hated that billboard,” Sam finally said, like he couldn’t keep it in any longer. Bucky let out a snort.

“Me too.”

“I hated seeing you in it more.”

“That one hurts a little.”

Sam stopped walking and turned to him. “Because you’re mine, Barnes. My grumpy, murderous, 108-year-old sidekick.”

“Sidekick? You’re pushing it now,” Bucky smirked. “I prefer ‘combat veteran with emotional baggage.’”

Sam cracked a grin. “Same thing.”

There was a pause. Then Sam added, “I get it now, though. You felt useful. That matters.”

“It does,” Bucky said. “But it doesn’t matter more than you. More than this.”

They locked eyes. A shared history of battlefields and therapy chairs between them. A bond forged in grief, hammered into something solid by time.

“I’m still with you, Sam,” Bucky said. “Even when the world spins sideways.”

Sam nodded. “Alright, then. Let’s go clean this mess up together.”

They stood there another beat.

Then Sam extended a hand, and Bucky pulled him in for another hug instead—tight, firm, warm.

“I love you, buddy,” Sam murmured.

Bucky’s voice was rough. “Love you too.”

A car honked behind them. The city marched on.

But for the first time in weeks, something clicked back into place. Like the world might still be fixable after all.

────✪────

Sam had given the Fantastic Four a floor of their own in the Avengers tower, on the condition of their cooperation.

The door to the secure living quarters slid open with a hiss.

Reed Richards stepped inside, eyes scanning the space with something between dread and longing. It wasn’t much—a makeshift living area hastily assembled—but within it stood three faces he thought he might never see again.

Sue was the first to spot him. Her posture stiffened instinctively, shielding mode kicking in before she even registered the emotion. Then her face cracked—just slightly—at the corners.

“Reed,” she said.

Johnny moved faster. “You look like hell.”

Reed blinked. “You look... exactly the same.”

Ben Grimm chuckled from the couch, deep and gravelly. “We had better lighting than you did, pal.”

Sue took a slow step forward. “I didn’t think they’d actually let us—”

“They didn’t,” you said, emerging from behind her, voice firm but not unkind. “I did.”

He turned. You leaned in the doorway with arms crossed, tired but steady. “I reminded Valentina that you’re not much use locked in a cage. Reed agreed that you would help. So now you help.”

Ben gave you a small, grateful nod. “And in return?”

“In return,” you said, “you get your family. But if you step out of line, or Reed, if you try to vanish into a black hole of your own genius—”

“Understood,” Reed said, lifting his hands in surrender. “No disappearing acts. No more secrets.”

Sue was still watching him. She didn’t smile. But she didn’t stop him when he crossed the room and touched her hand.

The silence stretched. Then Johnny cleared his throat loudly. “So, uh. Doom’s back?”

“Doom’s coming,” you corrected. “We’re not sure from where yet. But the tech that attacked the safe house... it wasn’t from here.”

Reed’s brow furrowed. “Alternate universe signatures?”

You nodded.

“That explains the Stark resemblance,” he muttered.

“Exactly,” you said. “We thought Doom was a myth or at least dormant. But if he's tied into a multiverse collapse, we’re going to need your expertise. You said before that you’ve studied this stuff—doppelgängers, alternate selves—what can you do now?”

Reed’s expression turned calculating. Focused. Alive.

“I need to run some tests. The multiverse... it’s like a shattered mirror. Some pieces reflect you exactly, others distort you beyond recognition. I want to start with Johnny.”

“Me?” Johnny blinked. “Why me?”

“Because you’re a perfect test subject. Young, genetically altered by cosmic radiation, and narcissistic enough that if another version of you existed, you’d want to find him immediately.”

“Aw, you do know me,” Johnny said, grinning.

Reed stepped away from the group, already talking to himself. “I’ll need quantum mapping. Multiversal scans. If I can trace even the smallest residue of variant DNA…”

“Reed,” you interrupted. “Focus.”

He blinked and looked at you. “Right. Yes. I’ll start with the scans now.”

As he swept out of the room, Sue sighed deeply. “Same Reed. Different apocalypse.”

Ben snorted. “At least we got him back.”

You watched him go, already lost in theory, hands moving like they were drawing math from the air. Something about it unsettled you—but also gave you hope.

You wandered back to the upper levels, catching the tail end of soft laughter in the training hall. Inside, Yelena was perched cross-legged on a bench, casually tossing a butterfly knife between her fingers. Her gaze lifted when she saw you.

“Was wondering when you’d check in,” she said.

You leaned on the wall beside her. “Reed’s reunited with his family. The science-freak reunion went about as expected.”

“Any theories yet?”

“He wants to test Johnny first. See if he’s got a doppelgänger. Maybe map how the multiverse is pulling apart.”

Yelena tilted her head. “You think that’s what this is? A multiversal pull?”

“I think it’s something worse. Doom doesn’t just appear without reason. And he doesn’t send attack drones for fun.”

Yelena sighed. “You have a point.”

You smiled faintly, then looked around. “Have you seen Bob?”

Her fingers paused over the knife. “No.”

“How long’s it been?”

She gave a small shrug, too casual. “He wasn’t at the morning check-in. I figured he was with Bucky. Or maybe passed out somewhere dramatic.”

You frowned. “I thought he might’ve come to see you.”

“Nope,” she said. “But now that you mention it...”

The two of you exchanged a look. Yelena tucked her knife away and stood up. “You think something’s wrong?”

“I think something’s different,” you said carefully. “He’s been... off. Ever since the void.”

Her brow furrowed. “He said he felt weird. More... powered.”

“Exactly,” you murmured. “Like something in him activated.”

You both stood in silence a moment longer.

“I’m gonna go look for him,” she announced.

“Want some help?” You offered, already tapping into your aura to scan the room for life.

“It’s okay, he can’t have gone far. Besides, I want all the glory for finding him.” Yelena joked.

When Yelena left the room, you paused for a moment, taking in the silence. It felt good to have a moment alone, away from the stress of John and Ava arguing, or Bob disappearing, or the upcoming potential multiversal collapse. You inhaled, your fingers starting to tingle and burn a pale lilac colour, sparkling like iridescent flecks of glitter as you tapped into your own aura. Your own feelings.

Calmness. Wonder. Peace.

You felt relaxed.

You exhaled and pinched your fingers together, shooting a burst of energy towards a punching bag. The power snapped the chain and the bag went flying into the wall, knocking over a stack of weights in the process. The loud clatter made you jump. How were you ever going to learn to control your powers, when there was no one who could teach you?

You stood and sauntered towards the weights, reaching out to put them back into place. You turned back toward the far end of the room, brushing a hand over your arm to dispel the unease. That’s when you felt it.

Arms wrapped gently around your waist from behind, pulling you into a solid chest.

You gasped, instincts kicking in before your mind caught up.

“Whoa,” came the familiar voice, rough and apologetic. “Too much?”

You exhaled, your heartbeat thudding against your ribs as you melted back into him. “No,” you said, breathless. “Not too much.”

Bucky let out a soft laugh behind you. His metal hand rested low on your stomach, while his warm one splayed across your ribs like he needed to hold you closer. “Sorry. I saw you and just... wanted to be close.”

You turned your head slightly, cheek brushing against his stubble. “Then don’t apologise.”

He leaned in, his lips grazing the shell of your ear. “You okay?”

You nodded. “Bob’s missing. Yelena’s out looking for him. We’ve got Reed researching but there is so much to do, and so little time. And the universe might just collapse in on itself in,” you checked your watch. “Six days,”

Bucky hummed quietly, acknowledging your concern. He dropped his hands to your hips, fingertips brushing skin. “What were you doing in here? Training?”

“I just needed some space to think, and uh— I was trying to understand my powers but I ended up just knocked over a punching bag. The chain snapped… we might need a new one.”

“Forget about the punching bag.” He gave you a gentle squeeze. “Your powers? We’ll figure it out. Besides, for now we just need to make sure we have reinforcements for when Doom comes. We plan for the worst.”

You smiled softly and turned in his arms. His eyes searched yours, his features soft in the training room’s dim light. He looked at you like you were something fragile and holy all at once.

“Bucky, I’m scared.”

He pressed his lips into the top of your head, letting them linger there. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

But that’s exactly what you were afraid of. You had seen just how protective Bucky was of you, even back when you hated him. He’d die for you. And you were too powerful… too chaotic and unruly. What if you hurt him?

You swallowed, and it cut like glass in your throat. Uncomfortable. Fear. Nearly impossible to repress. You tapped his chest lightly, trying to change the subject. “I had fun last night.”

“Me too, uh— I actually wanted to ask you if you’d maybe wanna come out on a date with me again, tonight? But a real date this time. I can show you how I did it in the 40s,”A pink blush appeared over his cheeks. Was Bucky Barnes nervous? When you didn’t reply, he stumbled over his words. “You can say no. I know we have a lot going on but I really think it might be a good distraction and I had this idea…”

Your hand stayed against his chest, feeling the steady thud of his heart beneath your palm. “Yes.”

“Yes?” Bucky’s voice softened. “Okay then. I’ll drop by your room at midnight.”

“That’s late. Where are you taking me?” You asked, looking up at Bucky with curious doe-eyes.

“That, doll, is classified information,” Bucky smirked before sinking to the floor and pulling you down with him, your bodies tangled together on a training mat.

The hush of the empty gym held the moment like a secret. Bucky leaned against the mirrored wall behind him, legs stretched out, and you leaned sideways into him. His arm rested loosely around your shoulders.

“You ever think about the past?” he asked softly. “The good bits, I mean. Not the nightmares.”

You glanced up at him. “Sometimes. I try to remember my brother like that.”

Bucky hummed. “What was he like?”

You smiled faintly, your fingers tracing idle shapes on your own knee. “He was funny. And so patient. He taught me how to ride a bike, you know? Held the seat the whole time until I was halfway down the street. Then I realised he’d let go, and I panicked, wiped out completely. Skinned knees. Total mess.”

Bucky chuckled gently. “Bet he ran straight to you.”

“He did.” Your voice softened with the memory. “Carried me back like I weighed nothing. Gave me the whole pep talk while Mom cleaned me up. Said, ‘you didn’t fall, you learned where the limits were.’” You paused. “He always believed in me, even when I didn’t.”

“You were close.”

You nodded. “He was my best friend. And when he died, I found myself searching for him in other people. I just wanted to feel protected again. Somehow I got caught up with Shane…”

There was a moment of reverent silence between you both. Bucky’s hand slipped from your shoulder to your back, running slow, comforting circles there.

“Shane wasn’t like him?” Bucky asked cautiously, voice almost a whisper, like he was afraid of breaking you.

You stiffened for a second, but then exhaled slowly, leaning a little harder against him. “No. Not even close. My brother protected me. Shane... hurt me. Controlled me. Made me feel like I wasn’t allowed to be myself.”

Bucky’s jaw tensed at that, but he said nothing. Just listened.

“You saw it,” you continued, your voice steadier now. “In the apartment. God Bucky, I’m so glad you came after me. I was a jerk to you and still, you kept coming after me. Saving me when I was in trouble.”

Bucky’s hand stopped moving for a moment. “Shane had a darkness in him,” he said, low. “I’ve seen a lot of monsters, but... the way he tied you up and looked at you—like he owned you—it made my blood boil.”

You swallowed, heart squeezing. “I used to think I’d never get away. And then one day... I did. I just ran. I didn’t even grab my coat.”

“And now look at you,” Bucky murmured, the faintest smile tugging at his lips. “Powerful. Brave. Still standing.”

You looked at him, heart caught in your throat.

“You were the one who showed me I could be more than what he made me believe I was,” you whispered.

He leaned his head down, brushing his forehead gently against yours. “And you showed me I’m more than what they made me.”

Your fingers curled in the fabric of his Henley. “We’re more than our pasts.”

“We are,” he agreed.

And for a long moment, neither of you said anything. You just sat there in the quiet, warmth shared between you, breathing steady, hearts beginning to heal—together.

Your breath mingled with his, both of you hovering on the edge of something that had been growing for days—weeks, maybe. The gravity of everything that had happened, the closeness, the confessions—it all pulled you closer.

Bucky’s hand gently cupped your cheek, his thumb brushing along your skin like he was afraid you’d vanish. His steel-blue eyes searched yours, his breath hitching.

“I want to kiss you,” he murmured, his voice rough and vulnerable. “Is that okay?”

You nodded, your voice caught in your throat. “Yes.”

He started leaning in, slowly—tentatively, reverently—like he was asking one last time. His nose brushed yours. His lips were just a breath away.

And then—

BZZZT.

Your comm crackled to life in your ear. Both of you froze.

“Sorry to interrupt,” came Reed Richards’ voice, clipped and urgent. “But I need you down in Lab 3. Now. I’ve found something. Something... important.”

You pulled back, blinking, heart pounding in a completely different rhythm now. Bucky sighed, his forehead dropping to your shoulder.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he muttered.

You couldn’t help the small, exasperated laugh that escaped you. “Of all the times…”

He pulled away, clearly frustrated, but kissed your forehead in a soft, lingering motion. “We’ll come back to this.”

You nodded, already rising to your feet. “We better.”

────✪────

The lab was dimly lit, a low blue glow cast across the polished floor from the array of holographic panels circling Reed Richards like orbiting satellites. You stepped in quietly, the door hissing shut behind you. Reed didn’t even glance up at first — he was too focused, his hands weaving through data streams as if conducting invisible symphonies of code.

Only when you cleared your throat did he look up.

“Reed?” you called softly, drawing his attention.

He looked up, pale and drawn, like someone who had seen something they wished they could unsee. “You’re here. Good,” he said, his voice clipped, too fast. “I’ve made progress. Or maybe a mistake. I’m still deciding.”

You furrowed your brows and approached, arms crossed. “What kind of progress?”

Reed turned and gestured to the swirling portal behind him, a shimmering ring of translucent energy buzzing low. “Multiversal resonance,” he said, tapping rapidly on the console. “It’s more stable than I expected. I managed to create a soft tether. A gateway. Not just a window, but a bridge. I was able to bring something—someone—through.”

Your stomach dropped. “You brought someone here? From another universe?”

“Yes,” he said. “And that’s where it gets... complicated.”

You glanced at the portal. “Is this about the doppelgängers? Doom looking like Tony Stark?”

Reed nodded grimly. “Exactly. What we’re seeing—these strange overlaps in appearance—comes down to multiversal genetic convergence. Some universes don’t just echo ideas, they echo faces. Patterns of DNA that play out across timelines. It’s rare, but not impossible. You’ll see repeating archetypes, especially in people tied to strong cosmic forces. Heroes. Villains.”

“So this Doom, the one we saw,” you said slowly, “he looks like Tony not by coincidence.”

“No,” Reed said. “And... that brings me to what I have to show you.”

You stilled. Something in his voice changed. He wasn’t the overly confident, casually arrogant genius you were used to. He was nervous. Genuinely nervous. You had never seen Reed Richards unsure before, and it sent a chill through you.

He gestured for you to follow. You walked in silence through the back corridor, the tension thick as lead. When he paused at a reinforced door with a biometric scanner, your pulse quickened.

“Before I open this... I want to be clear,” Reed said, turning to face you. “I didn’t know this was going to happen. And I don’t know what to do with him.”

“Him?” you asked, confused. “Who is it?”

Reed looked at you, his eyes apologetic. Then he unlocked the door.

The lights inside were dimmed, but you saw him instantly.

Sitting on the edge of the cot was a man in a form-fitting fireproof suit, silver gauntlets hanging loosely from his hands, his posture relaxed but guarded. He turned as the door opened.

And your breath was punched out of you.

Blonde hair. Blue eyes. That face.

Steve Rogers' face.

No—not Steve. You knew that. Your brain knew that.

But your heart didn’t.

He stood slowly, confusion flickering in his gaze. “Hi,” he said cautiously. “I’m Johnny. Johnny Storm.”

You couldn’t speak. You couldn’t breathe. It was like your body had frozen solid, horror and heartbreak twisting in your gut. Steve had been gone for years—but this? Seeing that face, alive, familiar, animated with new inflection and different energy—it shattered something in you.

“I don’t know how he ended up like this,” Reed said quietly beside you. “In his universe, Johnny Storm looks like this. I tried to trace the genetic divergence, but the more I dug... the more I lost track of our Johnny.”

Your head whipped toward him. “Wait—what do you mean, you lost him?”

“I think I displaced him accidentally,” Reed admitted, rubbing his forehead. “I was tracing multiversal threads and he slipped through one of them. I don’t know where he ended up. But I brought this Johnny in before I realised. Now I don’t know what to do.”

You turned back to the man in the cell—this Johnny who smiled like Steve, tilted his head like Steve, and radiated warmth with that same impossible familiarity.

You saw Bucky’s face in your mind. His grief. His softness. The way his voice broke when he said Steve’s name.

No. He couldn’t see this.

You stepped forward and placed a hand on Reed’s chest. “You cannot tell anyone about this. Especially not Bucky.”

Reed blinked. “I don’t—why? He’s harmless.”

“No, Reed,” you said sharply. “He’s not. Not to him.”

You swallowed hard, forcing back the storm behind your eyes. “Bucky already saw Doom with Tony’s face. He’s still dealing with that. But Steve? That’s different. That was his brother. His anchor. You show this to Bucky and you break him.”

Reed was quiet for a long time. “So what do you want me to do?”

“Hide him,” you said. “No one can know. Not yet. Until we figure out what this means, and where our Johnny is, you keep him locked away. Please, Reed.”

He hesitated... and then nodded.

“I understand,” he said. “I’ll keep this between us.”

You exhaled softly, the tension in your shoulders loosening just a little.

“I’ll run deeper scans,” Reed added, his tone shifting back toward the scientific. “I want to study this version’s neurological data. If there’s even a trace of Steve’s consciousness—”

“Then we tell Bucky,” you said. “Together.”

He nodded again. “Agreed.”

You looked back at the projection one more time before turning away.

It wasn’t Steve. But it felt like him. Like a phantom echo. A mirage your heart wanted to chase — but couldn’t.

You turned away from the door before the man inside could speak again. Before he could smile and tear another hole in your chest.

As the door sealed shut behind you, your legs nearly gave out from beneath you. You caught yourself on the cold wall, heart racing.

Steve’s face was back in the world.

And you had no idea how long you could keep it secret.

────✪────

The tower was quieter at night — no footsteps in the halls, no voices echoing through the common areas, no alerts pinging from the comms. Just silence, heavy and still.

You were lying in bed, eyes on the ceiling, the room bathed in soft, warm light from the bedside lamp. You’d changed into something comfortable hours ago, ready for your date night, and were trying to relax beforehand. Process everything that had happened. But rest hadn’t come. Every time you closed your eyes, your mind dragged you back to the lab. To Reed.

To the way Johnny Storm’s variant looked like Steve Rogers.

It had been hours since you left the lab. You hadn’t told anyone — not Sam, not Yelena, and definitely not Bucky. You’d eaten half a protein bar, drank some tea, and curled into your bed, hoping for sleep. But instead, you were stuck inside your own head, spinning in circles of guilt and protective instinct.

You didn’t even hear the knock at first. Just a soft thunk thunk at the door.

You sat up slightly, blinking.

“Yeah?” your voice rasped.

“...It’s me,” came the muffled voice.

Your heart tugged in recognition.

You padded barefoot to the door and cracked it open to find Bucky standing in a loose shirt and sweatpants, hair tousled like he’d run his hand through it a hundred times. His eyes searched yours, worry etched into every line on his face.

“You didn’t come to dinner” he said softly. “You okay?”

Your lips parted, but for a second, you didn’t know what to say. You finally nodded, stepping aside to let him in.

“Just… a lot on my mind,” you murmured.

He stepped inside quietly. The door clicked shut behind him. He didn’t go far, just stood near the edge of your bed like he wasn’t sure if he should sit or stay.

You climbed back into the bed and looked over your shoulder at him. “You can lie down. If you want.”

That was all it took. Bucky crossed the room slowly, eased onto the bed, and lay facing you. It was quiet for a beat — the kind of quiet that presses into your ribs.

“What did Reed find?” he asked gently.

You hesitated. Then lied. “Just more data. Another anomaly he’s investigating. But nothing solid.”

His gaze lingered on yours for a long second. Maybe he knew you weren’t being fully honest. Maybe he just trusted you enough not to push.

“Mm,” he hummed. “Okay.”

You studied him. His face was shadowed but soft. Less guarded than usual. His shoulders weren’t quite so tense.

“How are you doing?” you asked, voice barely above a whisper.

He gave you a tired little smile. “I promised I’d stop lying when you ask me that, didn’t I?”

You nodded.

“I’m tired,” he said, exhaling slowly. “Not from the fighting. Not even from Doom or the mission. I’m just tired of feeling like I’m chasing ghosts. Of trying to make peace with who I was and not knowing if I deserve any of this.”

Your heart squeezed. You reached out without thinking, your fingers grazing his forearm.

“I’m glad you’re here,” you said.

A silence stretched, but this one was comfortable.

His hand found your hip beneath the blanket. Warm and gentle. He rested it there for a moment, like he was testing how close he could be without scaring you off.

You didn’t flinch.

“I like it,” you said softly, not looking away. “When you touch me.”

Bucky’s brows lifted slightly, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “Yeah?”

You nodded. “I feel… safe.”

His thumb swept across your hip, tracing slow circles. “That’s all I ever wanted,” he murmured. “To make you feel safe.”

You swallowed, heart fluttering as he leaned in just a bit closer, their noses almost touching. You could feel his breath against your lips. His eyes searched yours, and then dropped briefly to your mouth, like he was weighing a decision.

“I had feelings for you,” he whispered, “even when you hated me.”

Your breath caught.

“I didn’t want to,” he added quickly. “You had every reason to hate me. And I told myself I didn’t deserve to want anything from you. But I’d watch you on missions. Hear you laugh in the hallway. See you stand your ground with Sam. And I couldn’t help it.”

A soft sound escaped your lips — a whimper somewhere between awe and disbelief.

“I didn’t hate you,” you whispered back. “Not really. I wanted to. But deep down… I think I was so afraid to come to terms with what I really felt. It was easier to fight with you than… the other thing.”

Your hand found his jaw and held it, thumb brushing across the stubble along his cheek.

“I think,” you added, ready to elaborate. “I was scared to forgive you, because if I did… I’d have to admit how badly I wanted you too.”

His breath stilled.

You leaned in closer, your foreheads almost touching.

“I wanted you when I thought I shouldn’t,” you said, lips barely brushing his. “And now… I just want you.”

Bucky closed the gap, but it wasn’t desperate — it was soft, sweet, tender. The kind of kiss that lingered. His hand slid up to your waist, holding you gently. Yours tangled in his hair.

And for a moment, the weight of everything — of multiversal threats, of ghosts in the shape of Steve and Tony — melted away.

It was just the two of you. Whispering warmth and safety into each other’s mouths.

And when the kiss broke, and Bucky tucked you against his chest, his arm curling around your back, you finally felt content.

You were lying face to face with Bucky, your noses almost touching, the warmth of his palm still resting gently against your waist. You were both content to just be. To breathe each other in. To exist in the same sliver of peace.

His thumb made slow circles over your shirt, right above your hip. You’d long forgotten how to keep your heart from racing around him.

“As much as I love lying here with you, I did promise I’d take you out tonight.” He said, his voice low and husky from the hour. You hummed in response, eyes half-lidded, fingers absently brushing the seam of his sleeve.

He reached up and gently tucked a piece of hair behind your ear, fingertips barely skimming your skin. You shivered—not from the chill, but from the softness of it. From him.

“Oh, so you did.”

“Come sneak out with me,” he whispered, right against your temple.

You blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

His grin was slow and teasing. “Let’s get outta here. Just for a while.”

You stared at him, half laughing, half suspicious. “Bucky. It’s nearly one in the morning.”

“Exactly. Everyone’s asleep. No one will miss us.”

You raised a brow. “What are we, sixteen?”

“Not since the Great Depression,” he said with a smirk. “But I still know how to cause a little trouble.”

You shook your head, biting back a grin. “Where would we even go?”

“I told you earlier, it’s a surprise.”

You groaned. “I hate surprises.”

He tilted his head, eyes sparkling. “Do you trust me?”

The question hung there, weighty, gentle, honest.

Your smile faded, but in its place came something deeper—something vulnerable. You nodded, slow. “Yeah. I trust you.”

His smile softened. “Then come with me. I promise you’ll like it.”

You stared at him, your breath catching—completely and utterly gone for him.

“All right, James Barnes,” you whispered. “Let’s go break the rules.”

────✪────

The rusted gate creaked behind you as you both dropped onto the sand-dusted boardwalk, giggling like you were teenagers again—though Bucky technically had at least a century on that title. The whole place was draped in shadows, lit only by the flickering remnants of carnival lights left on for maintenance or nostalgia. The sea whispered behind you, and the wind tugged at your clothes as Bucky caught your hand and tugged you deeper in.

Coney Island was asleep, but somehow more alive than it had ever been.

"Okay, rules of the fair," Bucky said, voice low, full of mischief. "One: you have to let me win every game we don't actually play. Two: you must pretend to be utterly charmed when I twirl you. And three—most important—no phones, no mission talk, just you and me."

You held up three fingers like a scout. “Scout’s honor.”

“You were never a scout.”

“You were never charming.” You bit back, with a smile painting your face and stars in your eyes.

“Ouch,” he grinned, already pulling you toward the carousel. It sat still and silent, the hand-painted horses frozen in place. Most of the lights had been turned off, but the moonlight cast a silver sheen across the platform.

“I dare you to ride one,” he said, eyes glinting.

“You dare me?”

He nodded solemnly. “Ride it like a princess.”

“Oh, I see. And what does that make you?”

He stepped closer, voice dropping theatrically as he tugged on his jacket. “Your loyal knight in shining leather.”

You threw your head back and laughed. “God, you’re cheesy.”

“Excuse you, I’m gallant.”

Still laughing, you mounted the tallest horse, gripping the pole, dramatically tossing your hair. “Take me on my steed, knight!”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he said with a faux-bow, pretending to draw an invisible sword. “I vow to protect your honour and steal your cotton candy.”

The wind whooshed around you as he stepped up onto the carousel and reached for your waist. With a playful grunt, he lifted you off the horse, spun you once in the air, and planted you gently back down—your laughter ringing loud in the night.

Your cheeks were hot, and your grin stretched ear to ear.

“I hate how strong you are,” you said breathlessly.

“You love it,” he teased, his hands not leaving your waist just yet.

“I’m not confirming or denying anything.”

Then, you noticed it—the Ferris wheel. Set a little ways off, mostly dark, except for one lone cabin light that blinked weakly every few seconds. The wheel wasn’t running, but it was gently rotating—just enough for someone to sneak a ride.

You glanced at Bucky.

He raised a brow. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Depends. You thinking felony trespassing?”

“I was thinking romance. But felony trespassing is a close second.”

You grabbed his hand. “Then let’s go commit a crime.”

He laughed all the way there, helping you climb into one of the cars. It creaked as it lifted, slow and lazy. You shivered from the chill, and Bucky immediately shrugged off his leather jacket and wrapped it around your shoulders.

“Look at that,” you said softly, curling into his side. “A gentleman and a criminal.”

“Only for you.”

You rested your head against his shoulder, your breath fogging slightly in the air.

“I used to bring girls here,” Bucky said after a long pause, voice low and nostalgic. “Back before the war. Before everything. It was always Coney Island.”

You sat up a little, narrowing your eyes. “Wow. I feel so special.”

He laughed quietly, the sound bittersweet. “Hey, I haven’t brought anyone here since, well... not for about ninety years.”

You blinked. “Seriously?”

He nodded. “Not since Steve and I shipped out.”

Your chest ached, but in the warm, aching way.

His hand found yours again, intertwining your fingers like it was the easiest thing in the world.

“I used to think what I felt for those girls was real,” he said. “Back then, everything felt real. But it wasn’t. Not like this.”

You turned to him slowly. “Like what?”

He looked at you—not just looked, saw you. In a way that made your skin warm beneath your clothes, even in the cold wind.

“Like this,” he whispered, brushing a thumb across your cheek. “This is different.”

Your breath hitched. “Yeah… it is.”

The Ferris wheel turned on, just enough to shift the car you were in, giving you a sweeping view of the empty boardwalk below. Everything quiet, timeless. Like the world had pressed pause and made space for just the two of you.

Bucky leaned in, his lips brushing yours with a softness that made your stomach flutter. When he kissed you, it wasn’t rushed. It was reverent. Like every part of him was savoring the moment.

When you pulled away, he pressed his forehead to yours.

“Best first date I’ve ever had,” you whispered.

He smiled, brushing your nose with his. “I’m not even done yet.”

You grinned. “What else is there?”

He nodded toward the beach. “Stars.”

────✪────

You kicked off your shoes the second your feet touched the sand, the grains still warm in patches from the sun earlier that day. Bucky followed, boots in hand, his rolled-up sleeves brushing against his forearms as the two of you wandered toward the tide. The moon hung low above the ocean like it was watching you, soft and golden.

You dropped onto the sand with a sigh, hugging your knees as the waves whispered their endless lullaby. Bucky sat beside you, then stretched out on his back with his arms behind his head. You glanced at him—his profile soft, more boyish in the moonlight than you'd ever seen him before.

“Lie down,” he murmured, patting the space beside him.

You did, your head on his shoulder, his jacket draped over you like a cocoon. He turned slightly, adjusting to cradle you better, one hand resting protectively over your waist, fingers splayed like he wanted to memorise every curve.

The stars were scattered across the sky like glitter tossed by a careless god.

“This was our favorite thing,” Bucky said after a while, voice quieter than the ocean. “Me and Steve. We'd come out here late, lay on the boardwalk or the roof of my building, and just… stare. No talking. No noise. Just… stars.”

You closed your eyes for a second, imagining that younger version of him. Smiling. Carefree. Unburdened by war or metal arms or trauma.

“I think he saw something up there I never did,” Bucky continued, “Hope. A future. Something good waiting.”

You swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the secret tucked behind your ribs. A Johnny Storm variant that looked just like Steve Rogers. Too much like him. The resemblance had sent ice down your spine. You touched Bucky’s chest lightly, feeling the slow, steady rhythm of his heart.

“He was right, though,” you whispered. “There is something good waiting.”

He looked down at you, his mouth twitching into the ghost of a smile. “Yeah?”

You nodded. “It’s this. Right here. You and me.”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he tilted his head to kiss the top of yours, lingering for a beat too long, like he was scared the moment might vanish if he moved too quickly.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve this,” he said against your hair.

You tilted your head up toward him. “Maybe it’s not about what you did. Maybe it’s about what you do now.”

He stared at you. And there it was again—that open, wounded awe in his eyes, like he still couldn’t believe you were real. That you’d forgiven him. That you’d chosen him.

“Can I ask you something?” he murmured.

“Anything.”

His hand moved from your waist to your cheek. “Back there, in the tower… before this. When you said you like when I touch you—was that just a line? Or…”

You leaned in, kissing the corner of his mouth.

“Not a line,” you whispered. “It’s the truth.”

His smile was shy but electric. “Good. Because I don’t think I can stop.”

You laughed, the sound melting into the sound of the waves. “Then don’t.”

You closed the distance, pressing your lips to his in a slow, deliberate kiss that melted into something deeper. His breath hitched, and his hands moved—one sliding under your shirt, fingers grazing the bare skin of your side, the heat of his touch making you shiver.

Your hands found their way to the front of his shirt, fingers tracing the hard muscles beneath, before boldly slipping beneath the fabric to feel the warmth of his skin.

The stars were wide and endless above you, a smattering of silver across the dark velvet sky. You lay together in the soft, cool sand at Coney Island, wrapped in the folds of Bucky’s worn leather jacket. The wind carried salt and sea and silence, but none of that mattered — not with the weight of him over you, his mouth locked on yours like he was starved for every taste.

And you kissed him back just as hungrily, gasping when his tongue swept against yours, when his hips shifted against yours, slow and searching.

You felt everything.

The rough denim of his jeans against your thighs. The warmth of his hands sliding beneath your jacket, fingers curling under the hem of your shirt. The press of his clothed thigh between your legs where you’d unconsciously slotted yourself against him.

“God,” he muttered against your mouth, voice strained, reverent. “You feel so good like this.”

Your breath hitched as he adjusted his thigh just right — and you instinctively moved, hips rocking forward, rubbing against the strong line of muscle. It was clothed, it was barely anything — but your body jolted, craving more.

“Bucky…” you whispered, dizzy.

He kissed you again, slower this time, almost tentative. But his hands were not — one slid up the length of your back to hold you close, the other trailing down, past your waist to where your leggings hugged tight to your hips.

“Can I?” he asked, voice hoarse, palm resting at the curve between your thighs. “I won’t go any further unless you want—”

You nodded before he could even finish.

“I want,” you breathed. “Please, I want—”

That was all it took.

His hand moved over you, warm and steady, rubbing slow circles over the heat that pulsed between your legs. The pressure sent a jolt through your spine. Your hands clawed at his back through his shirt, needing something to anchor yourself as your hips rutted against him, desperate for friction.

“Jesus,” Bucky groaned, voice muffled against your throat. “Watching you like this — grinding on me — you’re gonna kill me.”

You whimpered when he pressed harder, a precise, perfect drag of his fingers over your leggings, right where you needed him most. Your body was trembling now, breath catching with each stroke.

And then — his thigh shifted again beneath you, and you found yourself rocking against it while he kept his fingers working you through your leggings. A filthy, delicious rhythm.

You gasped his name.

His mouth crashed to yours, swallowing your sounds as he pressed into you with equal urgency — the thick line of his erection clearly outlined through his jeans now, grinding against your hip.

“Fuck, baby,” he whispered, forehead pressed to yours. “You’re drivin’ me crazy. You feel that?”

You nodded, dazed. “You’re hard…”

“For you,” he said, his voice nearly breaking. “Been hard since you kissed me on that damn carousel.”

You shifted then, adjusting your angle — straddling one of his jean-clad thighs while reaching down between you, just bold enough now to cup him through his jeans. He choked out a groan and buried his face in your shoulder.

“Oh fuck—don’t do that unless you wanna see me lose it right here,” he growled, laughing breathlessly.

“I do,” you whispered with a smirk, rolling your hips down against him.

The air around you turned hot and thick, full of panting and groans and need. You rubbed against his thigh, hips rocking, slick and desperate beneath your clothes. And Bucky — Bucky met your rhythm, hands on your ass, pressing you down against him as he thrust up into the crook of your thigh.

The moment was messy, wild, completely clothed — but somehow more vulnerable than anything you’d ever felt.

“I’m close,” you gasped, shaking.

“Me too,” he rasped, voice wrecked. “Let go for me. Wanna feel you come on me like this.”

And you did — with a broken cry muffled against his lips, your body wracked with waves of pleasure as your hips stuttered against his thigh.

Moments later, Bucky came too, groaning into your shoulder, holding you tight as his body trembled. The press of his cock against you went rigid, twitching through his jeans as he spilled into his boxers, panting like he’d just gone ten rounds in the ring.

Silence followed — just the crashing of waves and the sound of both your hearts hammering out of sync.

Then Bucky laughed softly, breathless and warm. “First date, huh?”

You buried your face in his neck. “Best one I’ve ever had.”

“Don’t tell the carousel horse,” he teased. “It’ll be jealous.”

You giggled, tightening your hold on him.

And neither of you moved — not right away. The stars shone down, and for now, the weight of the multiverse didn’t exist.

Just him. Just you. And the soft, sweet echo of everything you were becoming together.

────✪────

Sebastian Stan taglist: @notreallythatlost @houseofaegon @bunnyfella @sunday-bug @wintrsoldrluvr @maryevm @mcira @monsteraddicts-world @positivenergy @cherriesnmango @navs-bhat @hits-different-cause-its-you @avivarougestan

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