#I tore out the side that looked more kitchen-y to relocate later it was such a weird shape

[derp-craft]

What do we thing guys? All red brick or do we like the diorite brick? I think I like breaking it up buuuut the white is pretty stark against the deepslate. Given I have NO idea what I will be doing with the background of this underground 'base' soooo. The shape has been fun to work with since I'm building it around something rather than on it's own lol.

[quietmyfearswith]

girl at home ; andy barber x fem!reader ; 1/3

status — completed series

word count — 4,830 words

warnings — few swear words, a bit of defending jacobs spoilers, not compliant with book/show ending, fluff?? bit of angst???

pairing — andy barber x fem!reader

a/n — lmao i lied this comes first then in a few i’ll post the final part of public’s eye. if someone reads this pls tell me what youd be more interested in, august walker or steve rogers social media au

masterlist | series masterlist

After proving Jacob’s innocence Andy imagined things would have been smooth-sailing from there. He was wrong.

Laurie asked for a divorce; citing how their marriage was built on a lie and that it was time to be truthful to themselves and to Jacob. They both also agreed that it wasn’t just working anymore, but on Andy’s part he was more than willing to try harder for it to work, but didn't want to push it. He accepted her wishes and didn’t fight for full custody over Jacob — he was more than content with spending weekends and certain holidays with his son. They both moved out of their Newton house and revealed to Andy how they were both relocating to Bakersfield in California; the lawyer being partially surprised with how far they were moving, but ultimately remembered how she had some family members over there.

Before their departure, Andy and Jacob got to bond one last time and somehow their conversation shifted to how the former had no plans of selling the house and moving somewhere else. “Don’t you think you’d be too lonely?”

The blunt question did get Andy thinking but he shrugged it off, “Maybe? I just don’t see myself living anywhere else, I guess.”

Nodding, the boy looked out the window as the Audi drove by. His eyes scanned a big red sign that read “For Rent” and suddenly gave him the idea as he turned to his father, “Or you could put a room up for rent?”

Hitting the brakes smoothly as there was a red light, he turned to his son and looked at him with his eyebrows furrowed, “What?” 

“Green light,” Jacob informed and Andy nodded as he released his foot off the brake and continued the way home, “Advertise my room, or the spare one, for rent. That way, you know, you won’t really be alone.”

Pursing his lips together, Andy thought about it for a while. Would anyone even one to live there? With him? He didn’t want to seem like he was rejecting his son’s idea or make him feel like he was a fool for coming up with that one so he just found himself nodding, “Sounds like a great idea, pal.”

And when they were back at home, Jacob insisted he help his dad place an advertisement online for the availability of the spare bedroom across Jacob’s. Even though he thought it was a foolish idea, Andy just went along with it for two reasons — one, he just wanted to go along with what his son wanted and make him somewhat happy. And the second one being he was absolutely positive no one would want to live here.

It was a deal too good to be true; surely there had to be a catch? $500 a month for a room that was fully furnished? Maybe the house was just ugly? Or perhaps the room wasn’t really how it was pictured? Either way Y/N found herself messaging the house owner, Andy Barber, and let her know she was interested in checking the place out.

Pulling up in front of the house, Y/N let out a long whistle as she marveled at how the exterior of the house was well-groomed and clean. Exiting her car, she made her way to the front door and rang the doorbell and leaned by one of the columns as she took in the quiet ambiance of the neighborhood. Hearing the door creak upon, she turned around and smiled, “Hi! Are you Andy Barber?”

The bearded man was dressed in a simple ragged t-shirt and a pair of sweats; and despite the impression that he had just woken up, she thought that he had this cute boyish charm to him. “Yeah that’s me, you must be Y/N?” He offered his hand out for a shake, one which the girl enthusiastically shook. 

As they both unclasped their hands Y/N wondered, “Is it a bad time? I can come back later,” Her question had him chuckling and she felt her heart warm with how relaxed he looked as he shook his head, “It’s not a bad time, this is just how I normally look.”

He stepped aside so she could come in and take a tour of the house. As Y/N was being shown around the house, she could not prevent her jaw from dropping from how cozy, elegant, and complete everything looked.

“And if you choose to, this is where you’ll be staying,” Andy opened the room to the spare bedroom and led her inside and allowed her to take a look around. It had a bed, a dresser and wardrobe, mirror, a reading chair, and a study desk paired with an office chair.

Turning to the man, “So what’s the catch?” Her question caught him off guard and folded his arms as he tilted his head to the side, “The catch?”

She nodded and looked at him as if she had the telepathic abilities to let him know what she was thinking, “You know, the reason why the rent’s so cheap? Is this house haunted? Do you actually have a rat infestation problem?”

As Andy threw his head back laughing at her suggestions, he couldn’t remember the last time he was this carefree. “No catch,” he explained once he calmed down from laughing and sat down on the reading chair, “Not haunted or rat infestation, really. Just I don’t know,” he struggled to look for the right words as he placed his hands on his thighs and rubbed them, “Put a room up for rent just so I wouldn’t get lonely.”

Y/N leaned by the office desk that was beside the chair Andy was sitting on as she spoke, “Well I liked the place so much; I’m guessing that means you won’t have to be alone?”

Looking up at her Andy smiled, “That’s great then, let me get the spare house key for you.” 

“I hope I don’t seem too fast or what, but I hope you don’t mind if I move my things up already? I have all my belongings in the car.”

Andy nodded, “Oh no worries about it, let me help you get your stuff.”

For the next couple of hours, Y/N settled her things around the room. She placed her clothes on the dresser and wardrobe. Settled her pictures and other stationery items on the desk. Attaching the house keys to the keychain she had which contained her keys and skipped her way down the stairs. 

Seeing how Andy was by his office area she asked, “Oh by the way I forgot to ask, are you allergic to something?”

“Planning to kill me already huh?” He joked as he looked at her pointedly to which she rolled her eyes at, “No, dummy. I was planning on cooking dinner.”

“Nope, not allergic to anything,” he clarified and she smiled and waved goodbye. Looking at her retreating form, Andy shook his head as he took note of how silly his new roommate was. He buried himself with preparing his things for office as Y/N went around to explore her new neighborhood’s grocery store.

Dozing off in the bedroom, Andy woke up once a savory and aromatic smell hit his nostrils. Rubbing off the sleep in his eyes, he sat up and glanced at the clock on his bedside table and took note of how it was already 5:30 in the evening. Slept longer than I thought I would, he thought to himself as he left the comfort of his bedroom and headed to see the source of the fantastic smell.

Upon reaching the kitchen he was greeted with the sight of Y/N moving around the kitchen, “What’s all this commotion about?”

Stopping her movements from stirring the pot, she smiled, “Cooking dinner; made carbonara,” she pointed to the pot she was currently attending to, “Baked some garlic bread,” she pointed to the pyrex container which had a few loaves of bread in it, “And some chicken tenders as well, because I was craving.”

Nodding, he grabbed a chicken tender and took a bite of it to which she gasped, “Andy! Couldn’t even wait a few more minutes!” The taller man could only sheepishly smile with his mouth full of chicken, “Sorry ‘bout that, want me to set the table?”

“Please do. Oh and I noticed you had a certain beer in the fridge so I hope you don’t mind I bought you a pack?” As she mentioned that he did see a new, unopened pack next to the single beer he had left inside the fridge. “Thanks for that; red wine your poison?” He inquired since he noticed a wine bottle he surely never bought. Seeing her nod, he asked if she wanted a glass to which she said yes to. In the next few minutes a comfortable silence engulfed them as they both were focused on preparing their first meal together. 

Once everything was put in place they both sat across each other, Y/N placed her hands under her chin and looked at Andy with an excited look in her eyes, the man raised his brow at her, asking her nonverbally what she was looking at him for. “Go ahead, try it,” she softly encouraged him to which he nodded and swirled his fork around the pasta which the white sauce had already clung into and opened his mouth to taste.

“It’s good,” he complimented her as he swallowed, “Better than anything I’ve eaten in the past few months.” She clapped her hands and started to eat as well. “I was surprised to see your lack of groceries.”

He waited until his mouth was empty from eating the garlic bread she had before explaining, “Don’t really cook a lot; survived off takeout recently.” Despite having her mouth full with a tender, a loud shock was emitted from the woman across and Andy lightly cuckold at how adorable her reaction was. 

“Lucky for you, I love to cook so you won’t be filling yourself up with that junk,” she assured him as she drank from her glass of wine. Setting his fork down he looked at her skeptical, “What brings you to Newton anyway?”

Her hands tore the garlic bread as she gulped down her drink, “Just finished college then found a job here so there’s that.”

“Which program did you take?” He wondered; not knowing if it was his curiosity about someone living in his house or it was the lawyer in him couldn’t help but question everything.

“Took a few years off after high school to know what I really wanted to do; then just took a two year course,” she further explained as she told him which degree she chose. Somehow her answer just had Andy even more interested so he pried, “Why not get a full degree?”

She shrugged her shoulders, “Didn’t want to waste four years of my life.” 

“Would four years really be wasted if you spent it studying something you’re interested in?” he retorted back as he took a swig of his beer.

“Touché,” she acknowledged as she gobbled some pasta, “But I don’t know, I just feel like the time I’m spending on studying would be better spent if I was actually doing something I want. Get a job I wanna do. Visit every state in the country. Get a house with a pool. You know, just do things that make me happy without having any regrets”

As she listed off the things she desired in life, a solemn expression graced Andy’s face. Her perspective did make him think about how he lived his own life as well. Perhaps how there were certain choices that did make him happy and somehow there were regrets lingering in his mind. “And have you done any of those?”

“Well obviously I don’t have a house,” she joked as she waved her hand around Andy’s home, “But I did get a job here that I think I’ll enjoy, an 8-5 kind,” she paused for a while to gulp down more of the red wine she bought, “What about you?”

“What about me “ he questioned back as he looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. She rolled her eyes jokingly, “What’s your story, I guess? What brought you here in Newton?”

Her naivety had him questioning whether or not she knew the whole ordeal that his family went through; but he spared her of the full details, maybe next time or once he felt like he could fully trust her he’d tell her everything. “Had family here with me, but not anymore,” her eyes widened in shock with what he revealed but he was quick to reassure her, “I'm divorced now, ex-wife has full custody of our son. Used to be an assistant district attorney, now I’m just in private practice for civil litigation cases.”

Somehow, Andy felt a weight unload once he told her about him. Though granted it wasn’t the whole thing, but having someone to talk did make him feel lighter, more human. Y/N, on the other hand, felt amazed with how Andy chose to carry on despite what he’s been through. She got the feeling there was more to it than what he let on; and pity was not what she felt but more of feeling happy with how he did not give up and instead keep on going.

Holding her glass she raised it, “Here’s to new beginnings and being single then,” she toasted. Smiling, he raised his beer bottle and brought it to touch against her glass, “To new beginnings and being single.” The two then proceeded to finish the rest of their meal in silence.

The sun was shining bright that Monday morning and Andy woke up early to head down to their basement and do his morning exercise. Thirty minutes into it, he could sense that Y/N had woken up not only due to her footsteps he heard, but also because he could smell something delicious coming from the kitchen.

As he finished his workout, he headed up to his room to take a quick shower and dress up for his work. Granted it might have been too early to do all those but the smell of the food and the company of which he’d be eating breakfast enticed him to do so. Heading down, he was dressed in his full lawyer gear, minus the jacket, and smiled as he saw Y/N eating the rest of her pancakes by the breakfast bar.

“Morning Andy,” she greeted him, “There’s a fresh pot of coffee if you’d like,” she pointed to where she had just gotten a cup for herself as well. “Thank you,” he then moved to get himself a cup and once he did he took note of a plate that had a couple of pancakes, eggs, and bacon.

Pointing to it he accused her, “It’s as if you want me to waste the workout I just did huh.” She threw her head back in laughter at what he said while shaking his head to tell him that it wasn’t her intention. Glancing down on her wrist watch she mumbled a soft, “Shit,” upon noticing the time. Stacking her mug on the plate she moved to the sink where Andy grabbed the cutlery and utensils from her, “Let me do it and go ahead.”

Placing a hand on his forearm — in which they both felt relaxed and warm at their first touch — she thanked him for doing so and grabbed her bag that she placed on the couch. “Good luck on your first day,” Andy called out as he began munching on his own food. She yelled a quick thanks and see you as she closed the door behind her. Staring down on his plate, he smiled again upon seeing how the food in his plate resembled a smiley face; She really is something, he thought to himself.

The rest of the week flew by and both Andy and Y/N spent the week almost doing everything together. The former would wake up early and get his workout down; and sometime during the 45 minutes he’d spend on the basement the latter would take that time to prepare herself for the day ahead as well as the most important meal for their day. And if there were leftovers from the night before or that she had made too much for breakfast and was able to whip it into something for lunch, then she packed those not only for her, but for Andy as well.

And their routine together did not just stop there it bled into the night as well. Where it was always Y/N who came home first. After taking a bath either she’d start cooking supper or she would clean around the house a little — she noticed how Andy’s office area was frequently messy and she did her best to fix the mess without being too intrusive about it. She never step foot in his room, wanting him to have his privacy, but from what she could see he kept it organized despite having a few trash here and there, so she didn’t really loiter in that area of the house.

In hindsight, Y/N didn’t have to cook and clean for Andy. But with how low her rent was she felt that it was only fair to do so. Plus there was a part of her that somehow liked being around him, having someone to talk to about everything and anything they both could think of. There was never really a dull conversation between them.

Friday night arrived and instead of cooking another meal Y/N decided to get a pizza, wings, and another pack of beer for Andy. As she was in the liquor portion of the grocery she bumped into one of their neighbors, Joan RIfkin, whom she also recognized as one of the friends of her workmate.

“Y/N, right?” the woman asked as she looked at her with concern. “Yeah, that’s me. We met through Emily, when you helped her get to work,” Y/N recalled, both for her and Joan.

“Is it true that you live with Andy?” her question had Y/N wondering, how the hell did she know that? Despite that thought she nodded, “Room was cheap so I thought why not?”

Her nervous chuckle could not ease the tension between the two ladies; especially when Joan gave her a stern look as she warned her, “Be careful, okay? The Barber’s caused quite a ruckus and Andy is quite unpredictable.”

As Joan walked away while pushing her cart, Y/N was left confused and conflicted. The new information presented to her, though it was vague, left her puzzled about whether or not it was true. She was also unsure about the need to clarify with Andy what she has just been told.

Once his car was parked in the garage, Andy loosened his tie and entered the house. What greeted him was not the sight of Y/N cooking but her sitting on the couch while scrolling through her phone. Placed in the coffee table was a pizza box, his usual beer, a glass of wine, and box of chicken wings as well as a couple of paper plates.

“Didn’t feel like cooking today huh?” he jeered as he placed a hand on his hip, the other hand holding his briefcase for work. Diverting her eyes from her phone to the man in front she grinned at him, “No, but I felt like having pizza. Maybe we could watch a movie while eating?”

“Yeah sure, I’ll go change quickly,” he told her and she nodded. Andy then went up the stairs, taking two steps at a time to do so. Somehow there was this part of him that was incredibly excited at the thought of being physically close with Y/N. but he just shook his head at the thought and claimed that he was just excited to unwind the week’s stress with food, beer, and a movie.

Heading down after he dressed in more comfortable clothes he asked, “Alright, what are we watching?” Y/N shrugged as she moved to open the box of pizza, “Want a slice?” Andy nodded as he grabbed the remote and thanked her, “You heard about the hippie who burnt his mouth on the pizza?”

While holding a pizza slice of her own she looked at him and tilted her head to the side, her face being a combination of confusion and curiosity, one that Andy found charming. The bearded man had his face in faux seriousness as he continued, “He ate it before it was considered cool.”

Upon realizing the joke, Y/N let out a few giggles — real giggles, Any took note. “Okay not gonna lie, that was good,” she took a bite, “ Haven’t heard that one before.” Saying that made Andy feel proud, somehow his lame dad jokes made this brilliant woman laugh. “You wanna watch Ferris Bueller's Day Off?”

She nodded at his suggestion, “Yeah why not? Haven’t watched that in a while.” And so they both began to watch it as they ate and drank.

As they watched the film their occasional laughs were the only sound emitted from the two. As Andy was grabbing for a few slices or chicken wings, he found himself scooting closer beside Y/N, who didn’t really mind it and instead found having him close was comforting. The wartm that seeped past his clothed thigh and on to her bare skin as she was only wearing shorts made her feel safe. And somehow Andy’s arm found itself draped across the couch, almost touching Y/N’s shoulders, his fingers almost touching her. When she did move to drink her wine her skin touched the tips of his fingers rested on her shoulders and Andy who drank some of his beer as well looked alarmed.

“I’m sorry, I can move away if you’d like,” he said as he began to remove his hand from where it was comfortable in her shoulder. “No, it’s fine,” she assured him a little too quickly, “I mean, I don’t really mind. I’m not the type of person who hates hugging so I don’t really mind at all.”

She couldn’t prevent herself from physically cringing with what she said and how stupid it must have soounded like; but the man beside her didn’t think so based on his eyes crinkled in laughter. His arm then dropped from being on her shoulders and settled itself on her waist and pulled him as close as they could be sitting beside, “Well I hope you won’t mind if I do this then?”

She felt herself flutter with how smooth the man was and just silently assured him by placing her head against his shoulder, both turning their attention back to the movie.

As the end credits rolled, they both were full and were just now finishing up the last of the drinks. Y/N fiddled with her fingers as she had an internal debate about whether or not she should bring up her conversation with Joan earlier.

“You alright, Y/N?” Andy noticed how her actions might have indicated how she was nervous, a complete opposite to how she was earlier. Setting down his empty bottle on the coffee table, he turned to her and grasped both her hands in his, loving the feel of her soft hands against his calloused ones.

“It’s just, there’s something I need to ask,” she sighed and looked up at the ceiling as if it would have helped her say it better, “No, not really ask, but tell you. I don't know.” Her hesitation and uncertainty was something Andy easily sensed and he did his best to calm her down by rubbing their hands together and telling her she could tell him anything.

“So after work, I headed to the grocery to grab your beer, right? Then I saw Joan there, I don’t know her surname though. Anyway, she warned me to be careful of you because you’re unpredictable and that your family had caused a ruckus?” She ended her encounter with the woman by looking up at Andy, and the latter was surprised that there was no disgust in her tone and facial expressions; but more of worry? As if she was worried that rumors were spreading around about him and his family.

He stopped rubbing her hands and instead settled with fiddling with them, “I think it’s best if you found out now,” he began before taking a deep breath, “Almost two years ago, Ben Rifkin, a fourteen year old boy, died. At the time I was the assistant district attorney and was assigned to investigate. When fingerprints of my son, Jacob, were found in the body everyone assumed he did it.”

“Did he?” Y/N question when she noticed it took Andy sometime to continue with his story. Shaking his head no he picked up where he left off the story, “He didn’t, his fingerprints were there because he just saw the body, panicked and didn’t call the police. A man who had a record for groping and stalking kids did it. But Joan, Ben’s mom was still convinced that Jacob had something to do with her son’s death even after it was proved that he didn’t.”

“I’m sorry about that Andy, she has no right to name you and your family those things,” Y/N was quick to comfort him. But he only chuckled sadly, “Does she not?” She could feel that there was more Andy wanted to say so she remained silent, “During the trial and investigation, they were fully convinced Jacob did it because of me, of my father.”

He said those three words with so much hate and disdain, “My estranged father, rather, he raped and killed some student many years ago. Now he’s serving a life sentence for it. They claimed that I had this murder gene and somehow Jacob got it too, hence why he killed Ben.”

After hearing his explanation, Y/N now understood why Joan claimed Andy was unpredictable. She also empathize with the mother who lost her son and understood why she felt this indifference towards the Barbers; but she still believed that maybe Joan would someday accept that the what they’ve been believing — that Jacob had any involvement for her son’s death — is nothing but mere suspicion that was proved false.

“I mean, I understand why she holds this sort of grudge against you or your family,” Andy’s heart dropped at what Y/N said and loosened his grip on her hands, prepared to hear her say how she wanted to leave his house that somewhat felt like home ever since she came, “But it’ll take time for her to accept the truth and disregard the suspicion she had. I believe in what you say and do think that you are harmless.”

Her statement had Andy looking up from where he was staring at their hands and looked up at her with relief in his face, “What?” He could not help but sound meek as he asked so; but he felt the opposite, he felt empowered and invincible upon knowing that there was someone on his side for once.

Deciding to do something risky, Y/N leaned forward to plant a gentle and comforting kiss on Andy’s forehead, “What happened to Joan’s son was horrible, yes. But if you say, and an investigation says your son had nothing to do with it, then I believe it. And murder gene? The only thing that a gene can pass down to us is sickness,” she joked, hoping to lighten up the atmosphere and was pleased to see how Andy laughed softly at it,”You’re not what your father did, okay? The only way to define you is through what you say, think, and do.”

Andy smiled as he stared at her lovingly, “And if I think and tell you that you’re such a beautiful person, inside and out, and that it's been great having you here live with me?” She laughed as she rested her cheek against her hand and sassed at him, “I’d call bullshit ‘cause you probably used that line with your wife.”

He just rolled his eyes as he moved her around so she could comfortably lay her head against his chest as he wrapped his muscular arms around her frame. “Well then I’m just gonna have to do my best to prove it to you the entire time you’re here then.”

Turning her head so she could face him, “Well joke’s on you, I plan to be here for quite a long time.” The butterflies in Andy’s stomach then went wild at what she said, but his composure allowed him to answer back with, “I don’t mind that at all, honey.”

Laying a kiss on her forehead, he then teased her about the grin she had on her face and two then talked the rest of the night away.

part two

[whoisbxcky]

‘Till Next Time, Doll.

summary: Bucky is fatally wounded on a mission and you’re forced to say goodbye. 

pairing: bucky x reader

word count: 2k

warnings: death, blood, angst, my own breaking heart if you squint 

author’s note: Should I have written this at 2am after copious amounts of red wine? No. Did I? Yes. Gets a little cringe in the last paragraph but I needed something to giggle at after writing this.

Sometimes, there’s no warning at all.

In the chaos of battle, stray bullets and flying shrapnel are easy to miss. Especially for those who aren’t gifted with enhanced senses or reflexes. Y/N grimaced as a bullet that was meant for Natasha flew just centimetres away from her left ear.

“Y/N, you good?” Came Romanoff’s voice over the comms. Y/N grinned, dodging a Hydra agent who had snuck up behind her while she was distracted, her fist connected with his jaw while her right leg snuck in behind his own, the impact causing him to fly back onto the floor. Her heel came down with a sharp crack onto his face, leaving him out cold, and likely in need of a good plastic surgeon’s contact details.

“Living the dream, Nat. Although, I have to say, if you want me taking bullets for you, you’ll at least have to buy me dinner first.” Y/N responded, a devilish smirk over her face as she gunned down a few more Hydra agents coming in from the left corridor.

“There something we should know about, Y/L/N, Romanoff?” Tony’s voice came muffled over the earpiece, he was clearly out of range, probably flying around somewhere outside the warehouse, but his point was made perfectly clear.

“Only in your dreams, Tony.” Nat quipped back. Y/N let out a half laugh, ducking for cover as bullets rained down of her from the right, third floor. She yelped as one grazed over her thigh, cursing enough to make a priest turn red, before reloading her pistol. A low, gruff voice over the comms made her stop in her tracks as she moved to fire back, her brows furrowed in half anger, half pain.

“Y/N, stay where you are, I’m coming to back up.” She couldn’t help but smile slightly, the reassurance of that voice in particular making her light up despite the myriad bullets flying past her head at that moment. Bucky had caused that reaction in her from the moment she laid eyes on him two years ago, when she’d first found herself in Stark Towers, relocated from S.H.I.E.L.D on Nick Fury’s orders. It hadn’t taken long for the pair to grow close; Bucky had appreciated the way Y/N had treated him like a person right off the bat, rather than the ex-killing-machine the rest of the world seemed to view him as, and he’d opened up to her after just a few months of late night run ins in the communal kitchen. Y/N had seen something incredibly human in the super soldier, she always told him it was his eyes, something buried deep in them, that had first drawn her to him. But Bucky never really understood what she meant by it. Nevertheless, over time their relationship had reached a fever pitch, and for the previous nine months they’d been inseparable.

That closeness had transferred into their work lives, and it was not uncommon to find one abandoning their position to rush to the other’s aid when things got hairy. No one really minded though, seeing Bucky find some happiness in the world that had brought him to his knees so many times was a gift, and no one was going to complain about it.

The sound of cursing in Russian and some pained screams alerted Y/N to her beloved’s arrival. It wasn’t long before his head appeared around the side of the stone pillar she had leapt behind. His eyes showing the concern, and then relief, that his grin tried to cover up.

“Sleeping on the job, doll?” He offered her a hand, which she took gingerly as he hoisted her to her feet. His hands came to rest on her waist, his eyes scanning her over head to toe, analysing the extent of her injuries.

“Someone mentioned dinner and I got side-tracked.” Y/N shrugged, flashing Bucky a sharp-toothed grin as she dusted herself off, before giving his shoulder an affectionate squeeze.

Bucky chuckled lightly, his hand trailing up her arm until it reached her face. His fingers were hooked gently under her chin, tilting it to face him and he smiled lovingly down at her. “We should be wrapping up here soon, once we get home, I’ll get dinner going. I’m thinking steak, with that bottle of red from your birthday, sound good?”

Y/N couldn’t help but practically beam back at him. God, she was so in love with this man. And so loved by him. She never thought she’d feel so loved while in the middle of a miniature war zone. But being with Bucky, no matter what the surrounding, always made her feel at home. “That sounds perfect, Buck, thank you.”

“Anything for you, Y/N.” He pressed his lips against her forehead in a quick, but meaningful kiss, before reloading his rifle. “Come on, let’s go and find the others and get the hell out of this joint.”

Y/N nodded in agreement, checking the magazine of her pistol once over, before stepping out from behind the pillar to do one final sweep.

Y/N did not have any super-powers. No gimmicks, or tricks. Nothing that made her extraordinary. She was a skilled markswoman, and proficient in hand-to-hand combat. But none of that would have allowed her to notice the sniper who had lined up a shot over her heart from across the warehouse, until of course she heard she gun go off.

Time tends to move incredibly slowly when it’s your final seconds, and Y/N could to little but stare in shock, as the bullet sliced through the air, barrelling straight for her chest. There was no time to run, no time to duck even, not for a regular old human like her.

A dull thud alerted her to the fact that the bullet had hid its target. A flash of red across her vision as blood sprayed from the exit wound. She was only vaguely aware of a scream that she would later realise was her own.

Sometimes, there’s no warning at all. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Please… Bucky, please don’t leave me.” Y/N sobbed into his chest, her hands gripping uselessly at the torn fabric of his suit. She could barely look at him, looking at him… Seeing him like this… The colourless face, the distant eyes… Looking at him made it real.

“I don’t have a choice, doll.” His voice rattled in his chest as a barely-there whisper left his lips. Y/N could hear the blood pooling in his mouth, feel the strain in each of his breaths. He was fading. Fast. “You have to let me go, Y/N-”

“No.”

She heard the strain in her own voice. It didn’t sound like her. This voice sounded broken, empty. Like the voice of one who had accepted the imminent future laid out before them. She couldn’t, she couldn’t accept a world without James Buchanan Barnes in it. She wouldn’t.

Why? Why hadn’t she moved faster, been more cautious, done something differently. Why had Bucky stepped in front of her, his superior reflexes giving him the ability to get in front of the bullet that was meant for her. It didn’t make sense. Nothing made sense to her right now. This was wrong, wrong, wrong.

“I can fix this, Bucky, I can fix this. Please- Just, please let me-” She tore the fabric of her shirt, clumsily pressing it over the bullet wound in his chest, her eyes blurry from the tears that cascaded over her cheeks. However, she was cut off by Bucky’s hands on her wrists, their grip a wiry strength that didn’t feel like him. Didn’t feel warm, strong, comforting. It felt fragile. Distant. No, no no, no.

“Y/N, hey, stop it.” His voice was firm, as firm as could be in between the ragged breaths that made his shoulders tremble with each inhale. “Let me see you, look at me, baby.”

Quiet sobs racked Y/N’s chest as she drew in a shaky breath. You have to be strong, for him, you need to pull yourself together. She slowly raised her head, her eyes meeting his as she roughly wiped the tears from her face. Her hands clutching his own with a certainty that wasn’t there before. A promise.

“I’m right here, Bucky. I’m not going anywhere.” She managed to force a smile for him, it was barely there, but it was met with one of his own. Bucky had always loved Y/N’s smile. No mater how dark his mind became, no matter how broken and beaten he felt, her smile, glowing like the summer sun, was his light in the darkest of places. He raised a trembling arm to her face, his arm, his own flesh with his weak, final heart beats running through its core. His palm rested against her cheek, his fingers trailing down her features, blurry eyes drinking in every minor detail of her face, as if they could be etched into his memory beyond the constraints of mortality.

“Hey, Y/N…”

“Yeah, Bucky?” Her hand found its way over the top of his, slick with his blood, but she didn’t care. She gripped onto him tightly, savouring the feeling of his skin against hers, her eyes trying desperately to take in every detail of his eyes, steel blue and full of the hope for a better world than the one he’d leave behind. The eyes she had called home for so many years.

“Y/N… If there’s… If there’s a life after this one-” Bucky paused for a moment, struggling to take in a breath, his hand slipping into Y/N’s hair to stroke it softly. He could no longer mask the pain on his face, the fading light in his eyes. “If there’s a life after this one, let’s meet up again in it.” He smiled at her through the pained expression on his face, his breaths becoming shallow and rapid. His grip in her hair felt weaker than it did a moment ago.

Y/N’s heart rose into her throat, threatening to leave her body entirely. The impending numbness was close, and she was vaguely aware of her mind shutting down around her, but for this moment, this one sweet second, there was only her and Bucky. A fresh wave of tears trailed down her cheeks, mixing with the blood from her hand there, and she smiled through the pain, nodding her head in agreement with him.

“I love you, James Buchanan Barnes. I will love you until the end of this life, and all through the life after that, and the one after that. I love you.” Her words tumbled out in between her sobs, as if saying them could make him stay, even just a second longer.

Bucky’s eyes were still now, still fixed on hers, but the light in them was all but gone. His smile was fading into an expression of peace, and she thought she must have imagined his voice, as the barely-there whisper almost went unheard in between her shaky breaths.

“I… love you… Y/N…-” And with that, her name on his lips, a silent promise to himself that one day, somehow, some way, he’d say it again, he slipped away.

All throughout the warehouse, there was silence. Not even the wind dared take a breath. Bucky’s eyes stared at nothing, his expression that of one who is blissfully absent from the triviality of being. Trembling fingers reached out, slowly drawing his eyelids closed. Lips stained with dust, blood and tear marks pressed against each eyelid once, before settling on his lips, which had already grown cold. Y/N held the fallen solider in her arms for what felt like an eternity, rocking backwards and forwards with him gently. But her face, once a picture of joy, hope, fear and sorrow, was entirely expressionless. In the silence of the room, she made a silent vow to Bucky, to herself, to the universe. She may not have been able to save the love of her life, but consequences be damned, she would avenge him.