#“they kissed and lived happily ever af-” [GUNSHOTS]

[bloodbruise]

fun fact! marauders writers are contractually obligated to write 50k words of pure angst before they’re allowed to drop one happy sentence

[the--sad--hatter]

Phantom Pain (22)

FANDOM - MARVEL MCU

PAIRING - Bucky X Reader

WARNINGS - Bad Habits and Rough Sex, Angsty and Dark AF.

DESCRIPTION - Everybody in the world knew of you, but not who you really were. Some called you a vigilante, some called you a criminal and some called you a hero but all of them called you The Phantom.

Only two people knew your real identity and they swore to never tell anyone but when The Avengers need to infiltrate a high-security facility, Bruce Banner deduces that you’re the only one who can pull it off. That decision puts you and Bucky Barnes on a path you can’t turn back from, even if neither of like where it’s leading.

Series Masterlist

Chapter Twenty-Two - The Calm Before The Storm

“Let’s go to bed.” He said.

Before you had the chance to respond you were hoisted into his arms gently and he carried you bridal style into the bedroom. His eyes were shining and he was smiling down at you so softly that you felt your heart literally melt under his gaze. 

He gently set you down on the edge of the bed and pecked you on the lips before he stood up. He made it halfway to the door before he turned around and came back, kissing you again. He finally pulled himself away and went to fetch your suitcase.

His behaviour wasn’t dissimilar to that of an excited child and you smiled fondly at him.

“Pyjama’s, what ones do you want?” he asked, unzipping your suitcase and picking up piles of your clothes and shoving them in drawers.

You huffed out an amused laugh. He had somehow gone from a 6ft tall terrifying, deadly, sexy as hell former assassin to an excitable puppy and it was beyond adorable. You were about to say something when you remembered what was tucked at the bottom of your suitcase and watched in embarrassed horror as he picked it up and looked at you.

“You were planning on stealing my shirt?” he asked, holding the Red Henley he’d lent you that first night up with wry amusement.

“It smells like you.” You mumbled awkwardly.

Bucky smiled happily as he realised that even when running away, you’d needed to take a part of him with you.

“I know you’re scared, I know you’re taking a huge chance here. We barely know each other and you’re trusting me in a way you haven’t trusted anyone before. I won’t push you. We can take it slow.” He promised.

“Pretty sure that ship has sailed.” You laughed.

“There is more than one way to be intimate with someone.” He said.

I know and I'm gonna try, I promise”. You vowed.

“I believe you. Would it helped if we laid down some ground rules, I know you feel better if things are structured?” He offered.  

You frowned at him, it wasn’t surprising that he had noticed that about you so much as that you’d never really thought about it before.

“It’s not that I like thing structured it’s just I have so much I need to keep under control, I can’t ever slip up, not even for a second. Structure helps me maintain that control.” You said.

“I know Domniţă, it’s why you like giving up all control when you’re with me.” He said, chuckling lowly.

He wasn’t wrong and you proved it by leaning your head back, offering you lips to him. He took what you were offering and kissed you so thoroughly that you were breathless in seconds. And then you tried to shift and ended up yelping.

“Are you alright?” he asked, cupping your cheek and shooting you a look of deep concern.

“The Cradle works literal miracles but I’m still slightly wounded. Just a tad.” You explained, gently rubbing your abdomen.

“Stop that.” Bucky admonished, pulling your hand away and when you pouted he gently pecked your protruding bottom lip.

“We need to talk about this.” He said, gesturing to your stomach.

“What about it?” You muttered bitterly.

“You didn’t fail by not shooting him sweetheart, you didn’t screw up.” He said gently.

“But I did. I keep holding onto the version of my father in my head, the one from before my mother died. But maybe that man was never even real, maybe he was, either way he’s not real anymore. He shot me Bucky, whether he meant to kill me or not, he shot me. And it was a Vibranium bullet. He known who I am, he’s known all along.”

“I don’t know how he became the way he did but Domniţă, it doesn’t matter. He’s twisted and he’s not your family. Tony and Bruce defied the accords for you, for months, kept you secret from the whole team and stood by your side. They’re your family. The Avengers will stand with you, if you let us. I’m pretty sure Steve will legally adopt you if you ask him.” He chuckled.

“Does that mean I can call Steve Daddy?” You asked innocently.

“I meant as a sister.” He growled, his eyes darkening.

“Though… If you want to call him Daddy so we can watch him choke on his own tongue, you have my permission.” He added as an afterthought.

“Challenge accepted. But I hear you, I do. As a wise man once said ‘Family don’t end with blood’.” You quoted.

Bucky puzzled over it for a moment.

“Obama?” he asked.

“Dean Winchester.” You corrected.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bucky was breathing evenly beside you, moonlight glinting off his beautiful face that was for once free of stress. He looked so untouched by darkness and pain like this, innocent and peaceful in a way you’d never seen before. You gently brushed a lock of hair off his face, careful not to wake him and pressed a featherlight kiss to his cheek before you silently slipped out of the bed.

Frank looked up from where he was coiled around Bucky’s metal arm and blinked curiously at you, unwinding himself and jumping onto the floor to pad after you to the living room.

Bucky and Tony’s words were tumbling around your mind, the echo of a gunshot echoing in your memory over and over again.

Your father, real or not was gone. Alexander King was just another villain for The Phantom to take down.

Bucky was right about Bruce and Tony. They had taken you in, protected you and stood by you. Matt Murdock had saved you from being exposed by your own mistakes and taught you how to be the best hero you could be, given you legal advice as well as fight training. You had a family and it wasn’t your blood.

But it wasn’t just Matt, Bruce and Tony who had helped you. You had other allies.

From almost the beginning there had been someone behind the scenes, pushing the rumours of your drunken and antics and incompetence. Someone helping you build the image of a stupid girl, easily manipulated and in need of guidance.

You dialled the number and waited as the phone rang.

“Hello?” She said sleepily.

“It’s me.” You said softly.

“It’s 1am, what’s wrong?” She said, suddenly alert and you heard Frank Castle in the background telling her to put it on loudspeaker.  

“Sorry to wake you, you need your sleep after all. Tomorrow is a big day for us.” You said slyly.

“Why, what’s going down?” She asked.

“Tomorrow is the day you and I take down the Secretary of State Karen. And then we’re going to kill a King.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 A short but important chapter that sets up what comes next and.... Introduces The Punisher and Karen Page! I've been hinting at the reporter thing for so long now, it's uber satisfying to finally do it!

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