#buky

[lunarian2001]

Big Friend

[gumibuki]

I intended to draw this piece earlier but- anyways- could this count as being fashionably late?

This is a DTIYS from @cult-of-a-buttercup! Congrats on the blog anniversary and I do hope you enjoy this little piece _(:з)∠)_

[hajihiko]

I randomly colored some of my fav art pieces you made <3 I hope you like them love your art.

https://imgur.com/MlIhtYF https://imgur.com/JejugK8

:0 those are really nice thank you!

[wool-string]

Day 1: juwa juwa (I hope I wrote that right)

[harlequin-hangout]

Incapable

Bucky Barnes Masterlist

Pairing: Mob!Bucky x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Mob violence, violence against reader (Not Bucky), mature themes, Brock Rumlow just as a person, guns, general mob fuckery, light alcohol use, slutty themes ( Minors DNI), Kidnapping, torture

Contains: Arranged marriage, fluff, some angst, femme fatale/boss bitch energy, strangers to lovers maybe? Happy ending

Word Count: 4.7k

Dividers are made by me! Want some for yourself? Send me an ask!

Summary: Bucky Barnes is the only person to treat you as human, despite your marriage being transactional. How will you react when he's kidnapped?

I do not nor will I ever give permission for my writing to be copied, pasted, reposted to other sites, or edited in any way shape or form. Seriously, just don’t.

A/N: I did not make the gif, and @vbecker10 inspired me to use it. Just look at him! Adorable, and so, so done with people's bullshit. If this progressed kind of fast, I'm sorry! I really didn't want to start another series, and I didn't want to publish something that was INSANELY long either. I love writing our Reader as someone who can handle herself, it makes me so happy. I hope you all can enjoy another Badass Reader fic!! (There will be a super slutty epilogue but I'm so ready for this to be out so the smut will appear in the next bit, but both pieces can be read on their own)

The door to your house was broken. Someone had kicked it in. You step over broken glass, finding every drawer ripped apart. 

“James?” You called out to your husband. Silence was the only answer you received. 

“Bucky??” Your voice was more desperate. You ran from room to room, only finding more destruction. Making your way into Bucky’s office last, you found his sitting corner smashed, with blood staining the carpet and upholstery. A broken cell lay on the ground – Bucky’s work phone. The picture of you and Bucky on your wedding day had been ripped out of its frame, the blade of a hunting knife stuck in the side table through the photo of Bucky, while your face had been scratched beyond recognition. There was no mistaking the message that the sender was intending. Though your marriage wasn’t traditional, James Buchanan Barnes had never made you feel like property. Your husband was the only person in your life that hadn’t treated you like a means to an end, like a bargaining chip or a high-ticket item, and he was missing. You pick up the cracked phone on the ground, managing to turn it on enough to get Steve’s number out of it. You dial, hang up after one ring, then call right back. 

“Hey, Buck, what’s up?” You hear Steve’s jovial voice on the line. 

“He’s made his move. Get Wilson and be here in 20.” Your voice was calm, but Steve could hear the icy bite. 

“Y/N, sweetheart, I know this is tough but–”

“But nothing, Rogers.” You cut him off. “I know that I haven’t been involved in the business, but this is personal. 20 minutes. Wilson. Bring however many weapons you can carry.” You hung up, not waiting for a response. 

Your marriage was transactional, you’d known that from the start. You’d been adopted by Rumlow Senior when your mother had passed, and been raised alongside his son, Brock. At least, that’s the story the Public knew. You had been part of your mother’s efforts to pay off her debts to the Rumlow Mafia family. Your father had passed from massive medical complications – you didn’t know a lot of the details, you had been too young to understand and no one had ever given you much to go on past that – and your mother had borrowed money from the Rumlows to help pay for his treatments. There wasn’t money to pay back her loans, so she paid them back the only way she could. Your mother had become the infamous Mafia fixer known as Lady Death, and you had been sent to live with the Rumlow family at age five as insurance. She had been legally dead since you were adopted by the Rumlows, but your mother had been killed for real on an assignment when you were seventeen. After over a decade with the family, Rumlow Senior had made you a deal. Keep playing the role of his adoptive daughter, and you would be kept safe. When you were twenty one, you were given a choice. Rumlow Senior would be stepping down as head of the Rumlow Family that year.

“But why would you pick me?” The question hung heavy in the air of Rumlow Senior’s office.

“You have been raised in the Family just as Brock has, Y/N. You are every bit as ruthless as my biological son, and I have complete faith that you would make the right decision for the future of the family whenever the need arose. Unlike my son, however, you have a cool head on your shoulders. You do not jump at the chance for violence. You take the diplomatic route whenever possible, and leave none in your path when it is not.” You sat there in silence. This wasn’t a life that you had wanted. True, you had grown up learning alongside Brock in order to maintain the role of Rumlow’s Little Princess, but you hadn’t ever expected to be offered anything, much less control of the family.

“I . . . I don’t mean any disrespect, but what’s the other option?” Rumlow Senior crossed his arms. You knew that wasn’t the answer he was hoping for, but still, he responded.

“If you don’t step into the role of Matriarch, there will be a target on you. Your safest choice would be to marry the head of another family. Your husband’s power would both protect you and benefit our family.” You chew on your lower lip and nod slowly. There was no leaving this life behind for you, not if you wanted to live past the age of 25. 

“If I really do get a choice . . . I would rather the marriage.” You took a deep breath, collecting your thoughts. Rumlow Senior watches you, a pensive expression on his face. “You’ve been an amazing father to me, both before and after my mother’s . . . Passing . . . but this life. . . it isn’t for me. I don’t want any hand in the lifestyle that killed my mother.” You couldn’t stop the bite from sneaking into your voice during your last sentence. Rumlow Senior nodded slowly. 

“As much as it pains me to admit, this life has not been kind to you. I’ll put out the notification to other families and see who we may ally ourselves with. You’ll always be a part of this family, Princess, even if you weren’t born into it.” He gave you a gentle smile. The old man had always treated you carefully and stated that your mother’s debt wasn’t yours to carry, but you’d overheard conversations behind closed doors. An arranged marriage had been in the cards for almost a decade now. You weren’t a part of the family, you were a business asset that he wanted to keep compliant. If nothing else, at least the marriage would get you out.

Several offers had been made. It seems the Romanoff Matriarch liked women, and the Pierce empire also put in a bid for his youngest son. The one that surprised you the most, however, was James Buchanan Barnes. His was a family made of people who didn’t have a home, jokingly called The Lost Boys by Brock and his lackeys. While he had no family power, he was indisputably powerful.

“So which one do you think, Princess? Any of these would make great allies for our family. That Romanoff girl is quite a catch, she’s got fire in her.” You put on your best business mask, looking over the files.

“Yeah . . . She is pretty great, but the Romanoffs only control most of the upper East side. We have the South, which is almost double the size of the upper East. The smartest choice is Barnes. His White Wolf family controls the North and the parts of the East that the Romanoffs don’t.” You close the folders and lay them on the desk. “First choice is Barnes, second choice is Romanoff, and third choice is Pierce. He’s always given me the creeps though.” Rumlow Senior smirked, impressed with your choices. 

“Spoken like a true businesswoman. Let’s have a wedding!”

Within the next two months, you and Barnes were married. 

“Please sit still?” You kept dabbing the medical wipe on his bloodied knuckles despite the mobster’s squirming. “I know it stings, but you did this to yourself. Besides, are you gonna sit here and tell me that you can punch a man multiple times, but you turn into a toddler when I have to clean a cut?” Barnes kept looking down, his face forever brooding. He didn’t answer, but did still his hand. “There. Was that so hard?” You busied yourself putting away the first aid kit.

“You aren’t comfortable around me, are you?” His statement caught you off guard and your head snapped up to look at him. His expression was relaxed. This wasn’t the kingpin that had just beat information out of a Pierce Empire lackey. He sighed, rolling his shoulders. “I don’t think a lot of people would be, especially witnessing what you just did . . . I’m sorry you had to see that.” You chew on your lip and Barnes continued. “I know you were raised with the Rumlows, and I guess I just assumed that you’d be used to seeing that sort of thing.” He paused, waiting for your response, but seemed genuinely taken aback when you started to giggle.

“You think I’ve been distant because of a little violence? James–”

“Bucky,” he interrupted. “Please, call me Bucky.” A soft smile breaks through your mask.

“Bucky,” you corrected. “I’ve done worse than that to Rumlow thugs when they failed to follow my father’s orders. I wasn’t shielded from any of it. In fact, I was even offered control of the Rumlow family. I turned it down. Given the choice, I’d rather not be the cause of violence, but violence doesn't bother me ”

“Then what does?” His eyebrows knit together in confusion, and you sit across from him on the tile floor

“About the beating or the relationship?”

“Uuhh . . . both, I guess?” You’d never heard Barnes sound so unsure. It was refreshing, even endearing to a degree.

“I’ve been treated like a bargaining chip since I was little. First, my mother, then my adoptive father on multiple occasions. Our marriage was just another business deal to him, and I didn’t think you’d want a clingy business deal. You get alliance with the Rumlows, and I get to keep my protection. I don’t see a reason to complicate things.” Bucky was quiet for a few moments.

“And the beating?”

“Oh, that one’s easy. It’s really hard for someone to give you information if you don’t give them a break in between blows to answer your questions. Seriously, that’s basically mafia 101.” Bucky burst out laughing at your cheeky response. People didn’t usually talk to him like that, they were all too afraid. 

“I’ll give you that one, Doll,” he stated as he regained control of himself. He stared at you, taking in your every feature. After a few moments, you broke the silence.

“You’re thinking something, Bucky. What’s on your mind?”

“I’m thinking that I’d like to make this relationship a little more complicated . . . what about you?” 

You had kept your own room, but from then on things with your new husband just seemed . . . easier. You spent most of that night talking about how you really came to be a part of the Rumlow family, and how you had opted for marriage because it was the closest thing to your own life that you’d ever have. In turn, Bucky began to open up about his past. How working for other groups had landed him with a metal left arm and a distrust of most people. How his time as a fixer had caused most people to fear him, and therefore avoid him. He didn’t really have friends outside of Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson, and they both worked for him. You got the sense that he chose to have his marriage arranged because he thought it was easier than the alternative for someone like him.

“You know . . . you don’t have to be alone.” You had told him one night. 

“And what do you mean by that, Doll?” He had questioned you, raising an eyebrow as he set down his bourbon glass.

“You say you’re alone because people are afraid, but that’s not completely true. You can’t fool me, Buck. I was raised with the potential to do the job you do. You aren’t alone because people are afraid, but because you don’t give them the opportunity to not be.” Bucky was quiet, but watched you with a fascination. You place your drink on the side table and lean forward. You’d come to enjoy the nights that you and Bucky would just sit and talk. It was a welcome escape from the monotony of everyday life and the drain of keeping up social appearances. Both of you were relieved when you could drop the masks and the roles that you were each expected to play and just exist with another person who didn’t judge you. Who didn’t hold any expectations apart from honesty. Your husband takes another sip, trying to hide the smile that played across his face.

“And what would you suggest I do instead, Sweetheart?” God you loved the intensity of his gaze, and as he ran his tongue over his lower lip, you decided that you were feeling brave. You stood, sauntering over to him. Bucky leaned back in his seat, setting his drink down and allowing you to lean over him, your lips brushing his neck.

“Ask.” That singular word whispered in his ear broke Bucky’s self control. His right hand flew to your neck, pulling your lips to his. You felt the cool metal of his left hand pressing into your thigh as he slid your skirt up, allowing you the mobility to straddle his lap. You press yourself against him as you whine, desperate for his touch. You didn’t sleep much that night, being pushed to the edge over and over and over, only to be brought back without release. Bucky loved watching you struggle. He loved your willingness to fight, and he wanted to watch as the fight drained from you and you submitted to his will. He knew you had been playing the roles expected of you your whole life so here, behind closed doors, he would earn your submission, not demand it. You would choose when you broke, but once you did? Bucky was going to ruin you, and he was going to savor every moment

After that night, you rarely slept in your own room. Your marriage was transactional, no one could deny that. Through the years, however, it had become so much more. You became one of the most powerful couples in the city, though you still kept your distance from the world of crime. Your diplomacy was unrivaled, but one night, that all came crashing down. 

Your brother, Brock, had taken the role of Rumlow Patriarch when your father stepped down. For years, Brock’s temper had been controlled by your father’s background guidance. That all changed the night Rumlow Senior passed away. You attended the funeral, of course, but he passed suddenly. Bucky was out of town on a business trip and unable to make it back in time for the event. You passed along his condolences to Brock, but Brock took your husband’s absence extremely personally. Without the watchful eye of Rumlow Senior, Brock Rumlow’s true nature shone through. Brock was a loose cannon. His temper was unmatched, and his ego caused him to completely disregard the rules that every other family played by. For months after the funeral, the street thugs under your brother’s command ran rampant. They overstepped boundaries and lines of control held by other families as well as started fights wherever the opportunity arose. One night, they went too far. Three of Bucky’s new recruits had been carried back to the office after your brother’s thugs beat them almost to death. All they had done was refuse to leave the bar that they were already drinking at when the Rumlow thugs showed up, stating that the two groups could co-exist. These were just kids, barely old enough to even be IN the bar, and with six men versus the three kids, it was a massacre. Adding insult to injury? That bar was on White Wolf property and owned by Steve Rogers, one of Bucky’s right hands. Bucky had come home fuming that night. You talked him down from murdering your brother on the spot. You had no love for your brother, but murder would result in an all-out war. You spent the better part of the night with Bucky, Sam, and Steve readying yourselves for several outcomes. The following night, Bucky went to have a civil meeting with Brock, Mob Boss to Mob Boss about the behavior of his subordinates. Steve and Sam went on patrol hoping to stop another encounter, and you went to meet with Natasha Romanoff, the Matriarch of the Romanoff family. If this all went south, you would need an ally in order to take your brother in an all out war. 

So that’s how you got here. Standing in your husband’s office surrounded by the aftermath of a ransacking. Your shoulders fell back and your chin lifted. If Brock wanted a fight, you’d give it to him. Brock may be the head of the Rumlow Family, but with Bucky currently indisposed, you were the head of White Wolf. Time to show him what his Little Sister was capable of when someone threatened her family. You headed straight to your room. If you were going to be acting as the White Wolf Matriarch, then you should look the part. You slide into your black business leggings. They look like skinny cut pants, but provide enough flexibility for you to move. A flowy black blouse pairs nicely, accompanied by several gold accessories. You favored rings and necklaces, but added a couple cuff bracelets for good measure. Your knee high riding boots with the steel toe inserts were pulled from your closet. Your winged liner was sharp enough to stab a man was accompanied by a dark lip and perfect brows. Finally, you swept your hair up into a sleek high ponytail. You take one look in the mirror, and your appearance plus the cold hearted look in your eyes made you smirk.

“The bitch is back,” you thought to yourself. You pulled a duffel bag out from under your bed. You hadn’t much from your mother, but you did keep her favorite set of knives. They were well known as the choice weapons for Lady Death, and that fear could serve your purposes. Strapping the wrist holsters to each wrist, you frowned. This blouse was nice, but it didn’t hide the knives well enough for your liking. . . You slipped several more into your boots as you heard Steve’s car pull up. You turned to rush out the door when you paused. One of Bucky’s black suit jackets was draped over the chair by your door. It was far too big for you to wear, but if you draped it over your shoulders . . . You tried it out in the mirror. It worked, hanging off your shoulders like a cape. The extra fabric also provided the cover to your wrists needed to conceal your wrist sheaths better. You grab your phone and head down the stairs to meet Steve. 

“Sweetheart, I don’t think this is a good–”

“Well, then it’s a good thing your job isn’t thinking right now, Rogers.” The blatant interruption caught both men off guard. “You’re going to listen carefully because I’m only explaining this once. The story you’ve been fed about the Rumlows taking me in out of the goodness of their hearts is complete and utter bullshit. My mother worked off her debt to them, and I was kept as collateral. She taught me a lot of what she knew. I was raised as a Rumlow and was offered control of the Family because of my brother’s inability to control his temper or play by the rules. You can either do what I tell you, or you can explain to Mr. Barnes when we return why you didn’t accompany me. Are there any questions?” Whether it be the lack of emotion in your eyes or the ice in your voice, you didn’t know, but neither man argued. Wilson was the first one to speak up.

“ . . . Who’s your mom?” You look Sam dead in the eye, smirk, and with a flick of your wrist you impale one of the knives in your wrist sheath in the ground between his feet. Both Sam and Steve go pale with recognition.

“My mother was Lady Death.”

The Door to the interrogation room blew inward. C4 was such an amazing toy, you were so happy that Sam kept a stash. Hands in your pockets, you step over the twisted remains of the door, the dust settling at your feet. Immediately you hear the click of guns, but that only pulls a sadistic smirk to your face.

“Hello, boys. For those of you who don’t know who I am: look to your elders. For those of you who do: Run.” It was your brother's right hand and childhood friend, Justin, who spoke first.

“Y/N, didn’t expect to see you join the party.” He swaggered up to you, full of confidence that only an upper class white man could possess. He loomed over you, and you weren’t sure if he was trying to be sexy or intimidating. Neither was a good look on him. “What’s your problem, princess? Did we break up your little game of house?” You look up at the taller man, not budging an inch.

“Oh not at all, champ, I just thought I’d give you and your little friends a chance to play in the big leagues. Only three of them? Shouldn’t be much work.”

“Hey, Lady, I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, but –” Justin interrupts him before you have the chance.

“That’s Barnes’s wife, dumbass. She’s the Boss’s adopted sister, and the last person you wanna piss off.”

“She don’t seem so scary, all of her power comes from other people! Why should I–” 

“You’d be well to listen to your superiors, or haven’t you learned that yet?” The ice in your voice stopped the newbie dead in his tracks. You stalk towards him, eyes fixed. “Let’s give you a family history lesson, hmm?” You had the undivided attention of all four of the Rumlow thugs. You just needed to keep it that way long enough for Steve and Sam to work into position. You stopped in the dead center of the room “ Justin, how many years ago was Lady Death’s final kill?”

“Uuhh . . . five years? Just before you married Barnes.”

“Good Boy,” you purred, working as much condescension into your voice as you could manage. “And how many years ago did my mother die?” As he did the mental math, Justin began to shift uncomfortably.

“ . . . Seven . . . no, Nine? Nine years ago . . .” As the dots started to connect, the realization began to show on each man’s face. Your smirk grew to a full-on sadistic smile. 

“Let’s try this again, gentlemen. Whether or not you know who I am, it’s too late. I’m Lady Death.” The tension is palpable in the air as the newbies eye you, then the door, as if evaluating their chances, but your backup was already in position. From the rafters of the building, four shots rang out. You’d ordered Steve and Sam to aim to kill, but you hadn’t bothered to check their handiwork, simply stepping over the bodies and making your way towards the last door that stood between you and your brother.

The door creaked open, and your rubber soles thudded against the concrete with each step you took. No matter how hardened to violence you were, you had never cared about any of the people on the receiving end of your violence. No matter how hard you tried, nothing could have prepared for the sight that met you on the other side of that godforsaken door. Bucky was sat in a metal chair. His arms were tied behind his back, and a gag was stuffed in his mouth. His white dress shirt had been discarded, and his undershirt was torn. The bridge of his nose was cut, and someone had busted open his left cheek. Dried blood still caked his skin. The moment he saw you, his eyes filled with fury. He fought against his restraints, almost toppling the chair.

“Aaaah, Y/N, nice of you to join us! Can’t have a party without Daddy’s favorite kid,” Brock spat at you. You study your brother, willing your face back to neutrality.

“You know just as well as I do that that isn’t true, Brother mine.” If your calm demeanor threw Brock off guard, he didn’t show it.

“Well, Sister mine, your husband here had the audacity to tell me how to run my people, after refusing to even honor our father. Our father who spoke of him like the Golden Son just for marrying the whore who wormed her way into my life!” By the end of his statement, Brock was screaming. He took a moment and regained his composure. 

“Do you really think that was a good move?” As you questioned Brock, you walked over to a spare folding chair. You let the jacket fall from your shoulders, draping it over the back of the chair. 

“I can make whatever move I want. Dad may have taught you everything you know, but he taught me everything he knew. That’s the difference here, Wendy. That is what you are, aren’t you? The Wendy to his pathetic troupe of Lost Boys.” Locking eyes with him, your smirk returns.

“See, that’s where you’re wrong, Brock. Dad isn’t the only one who taught me things. My mother lived here too, remember?” Brock’s eyes narrow, tracking you as you slowly close the distance between you and him. “How do you explain the kills on Lady Death’s roster after my mother passed, hmm? Think about it.” You could see the gears turning in Brock’s thick skull before he shook his head.

“You lying bitch, you’re trying to play on my nerves. You turned down this job because you weren’t capable” You interrupt, starting to slide one of your knives from the wrist sheath into your hand.

“I turned that job down because I wasn’t interested. Never mistake my disinterest for being incapable.” You flick your wrist, your knife landing squarely in the meat of Brock’s shoulder.

He lunged at you, and the only thing you could focus on was the exchange of blows. He was a lot faster than you’d anticipated, and you were fairly evenly matched. You registered the pain of his blows connecting multiple times, but you pushed it down and attempted to return the favor. Suddenly, you felt his fist connect with the side of your face, then an arm wrapped around your waist. Brock spun, throwing you across the room. You hit the wall with a sickening smack, the wind being knocked from your lungs. Your brother slowly started stalking towards you. He was breathing heavily and wiped the blood from his upper lip as he walked, never taking his eyes off you. Brock grabbed your jaw, dragging you upwards, and you did the only thing you could think of. You slipped a knife out of your boot, and jammed it into him on your way up. Both you and him fell, Brock’s head hitting the ground with a sickening smack. You hauled yourself up, steadying yourself against the wall. You grabbed your brother by his hair, yanking his head up. 

“You’re a fucking disgrace to this family and all that Dad stood for.” You paused, spitting out the blood that was pooling in your mouth. 

“What the fuck happened??” You heard Sam shout as he and Steve finally caught up. You looked from your brother to Sam, steeling your gaze.

“Change in management,” you stated. “Send out a notice. Due to extremely reckless behavior that nearly started a war, Brock Rumlow has been removed as Patriarch of the Rumlow family. Its territories and personnel will be merged into White Wolf. Any concerns can be taken up with Lady Death.”

You turn your attention to Bucky, picking up one of your discarded knives to cut the ropes and gag off of him.

“Doll, that has got to be one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen.” Your satisfaction definitely showed on your face. After taking a moment to catch your breath, you pick the discarded suit jacket off the back of the folding chair and hand it to Bucky, leaning on him for support. Bucky pauses, glancing between Steve and Rumlow.

“Bring him back to the office. We’re not going to be done talking for a very long time.”

Tags: @vbecker10 @soubi001 @brattymum96 @vicmc624 @caritobbg @winterslove1917 @xonickibaby @youngblood199456 @thehumanistsdiary @ozymdias @thomase1

[hiraethblack22]

Fire and Ice

(Bucky x ofc) series.

MASTERLIST OF THE SERIES: here.

SUMMARY: Thirteen is a HYDRA pawn, a soldier, a spy and an assassin. A wraith. Chosen because of her powers and transformed into the perfect weapon. (enchanted!reader) What happens when her mission becomes locating and eliminating The Winter Soldier?

IMPORTANT: I won't use Y\n but the lead character will be given a name and will be a fully formed character. Set in a time where everyone is still alive and Bucky is free of the hydra. Warnings: violence, blood, torture, and manipulation. Vulgar language. The story will contain adult content. Probably a whole lot of Smut.

CHAPTER TWO: US AND THEM.

Peace is an abstract concept made by powerful people to install faith in the institutions of the world that claim to keep crime and danger at bay. In all the years I’d been living, I quickly realised that it was indeed a false concept, a lie, considering that the same people who claimed to protect the world were installing the danger in it. The idea of peace is nothing but a facade that is used to manipulate the masses.

Hydra was claiming to cleanse the world from evil, but how could they pretend to act for world peace when they were responsible of the death of millions? Couldn’t they see the blood tinting their white vest of morality? How could they profess goodness when they were keeping dozens of slaves under their polished boots?

The Avengers were painted as heroes. Flying around to beat up the evil—that, yes, when they weren’t busy fighting among themselves.

There had been a time when I had hoped for them to come and rescue us, me, from Hydra. But, it soon faded; hope was dangerous, it only led to disappointment and despair. Instead, I focused on survival. I had waited, spending days laying facedown on the filthy floor of the cells and weeks silently witnessing the deaths of my cellmates one after the other. The years I had passed, fed with injections of syringes, and pumped up with synthetic drugs to accomplish assignments that were impossible for anybody else, had helped me to give up all hope, not just in the Avengers but also in the rest of the world.

I ingenuously thought they weren't saving us because they were fighting each moment to defend their values, as we fought every day for a cup of water or a bit of sleep, but no; here they were, drinking champagne in fancy dresses, dancing, as the world outside cried their names.

The fair of peace for the future was another clown show created by the government to show the citizens that the future was safe. The secretary of state had delivered a very long sermon on heroes and peace, licking the avengers' arses every two sentences, and delivering sexist remarks about the heroines of the team—that made my fingers tickle the trigger of my rifle more eagerly than I should have—but in between inaugurations and philosophical peace speeches, the secretary of state made sure he got an exclusive on the prostitution trade every single month, and on the remaining days he accepted bribes from Hydra. So, he would end up murdered, one way or another, but killing him wasn't allowed in my future.

I guessed I couldn’t even proclaim myself as a white knight of peace, not when I was currently waiting to bomb the shit out of it.

“I have eyes on the target.” I murmured into the radio, lowering the binoculars to eye the building where the fair was taking place.

My body moved without me telling it what to do. It checked the ammo, fastened a couple of guns to my legs, secured the daggers around the belt, and lowered the rifle behind my back.

"I hope you mean this horrible building," Marya's voice said in reply. The radio cracked with her voice.

The building was indeed quite horrible—a white oval with an awful lot of windows. It was not a safe place, not even with the dozens of security guards standing outside the building. The others had by now removed the guards and placed the explosives.

The orders had been made clear that it had to be set to trap everyone inside, and us inside with them. The roof was the way out. A soldier had infiltrated the rooftop guards to take control of the chopper when the time was right.

I lowered my hand, and as I willed it, a light flared beneath the skin, producing a flame on the palm of my hand. It swirled on itself, hissing like a wild animal. I allowed it to dance around my fingers with a smile. “It will burn down with the lot of them.”

Marya had been with us for what I imagined was a couple of weeks; sharing a wall of bars had quite made us close. It wasn’t friendship; I didn’t even remember what friendship was supposed to feel like, but we were accompanying each other on long missions and on the dark, cold nights at the headquarters—holding my hand in hers like a loving mother and whispering funny stories of her childhood, telling me how her family had always been loving and caring for her and the rest of her siblings. She often cried, remembering them, thinking about what they thought when they remembered her—I cried with her most of the time, thinking about my brother and the life we had lost.

I knotted the rope to my body, crawling down the side of the building in the silent shadows of the night.

As the other soldiers would trap them all inside, and I would be focused on The Winter Soldier.

The programme they implanted in his head was nearly perfect, certainly better than the one in my head; ours was injected with syringes and would fade away after some weeks, leaving us begging for more. I didn't know why these people wanted the soldier, but I was in charge of bringing his body back with me to the base. I wasn't in a position to care about the reason; the only thing I needed was for my brother to be safe.

I nodded to the other soldiers when I crossed the doors. As soon as I was inside, they all disappeared.

The people were all gathered in the big hall on the second floor, watching the performance. And I was going to give them the most beautiful spectacle—the one they were going to pay with their lives to watch. I distantly heard the noise of the bombs going off behind me.

I smirked.

The game was finally on.

The door of the big hall flew open. The people inside began rushing out, scarfs and clothes over their mouths, to block the smoke from entering their lungs.

I rolled my eyes—people really didn’t know how to save themselves. Running straight into the arms of danger.

I grabbed my rifle and fired shots against the walls. They all dropped in an instant, moving out of the way, and clearing the way for us.

He was in the back of the room. Beautifully swinging punches and kicks at the soldiers surrounding him, ducking out of the flashes of knives. I walked to him, taking my sweet time to extract my favourite dagger from the belt.

The soldiers didn’t waste any time, shooting and punching their way to the Avengers. I recognised a couple of them—I saw the widow jump straight for one of us, leaving him at her feet an instant later. The Captain was, as usual, throwing his shield at the enemies and shouting orders. An arrow flashed past me, grazing my cheek, but I paid no mind; somebody else would take care of that. I saw out of the corner of my eye the soldiers shooting in the direction of the Hawke without breaking the protective circle they had me in—if I didn’t grab a hold of the Winter Soldier, none of us would go unpunished. And then, finally, I saw him

One of the soldiers, S-32 was his number, was attacking too roughly, advancing too closely. He swung a powerful punch at the Winter Soldier, making his head shoot sideways. I saw his blood spraying the floor. Another soldier came, locking his arms behind him. S-32 raised a knife, arching down straight for the Winter Soldier’s throat. The knife flashed closer and closer and brushed the skin of his neck before it stopped.

S-32 stared at me in shock, his eyes wide. His mouth opened, but only a pained groan escaped his trembling lips. He shot his eyes where my hand was closed around his wrist, my skin glowing and his flesh fuming away through my fingers.

“He is mine.”

I kicked him in the chest, watching his body tumble to the ground amid the fight.

I nodded to the other to release him, and his hands couldn’t have dropped faster.

I stared at the Winter Soldier, bending my head to the side to study him better. He was panting in pain, but I couldn't feel any remorse. The power coursing through my veins was too intoxicating to resist. The first thing I noticed were his blue and intense eyes. They reminded me of the ocean, but with a dangerous edge that made me shiver.

I threw another knife from my holster, imbedding it on the floor between the Winter Soldier's feet. He stared at it, then at me.

I winked. "I'd hate for this to be boring."

The Winter Soldier's eyes narrowed, sizing me up and trying to figure out if it was a scam or not. I took a step forward, keeping my eyes locked on his.

"You know," I said, "I've heard a lot about you. The things you've done... they're pretty impressive." He didn't react, remaining frozen in the little bubble that had formed around us. I saw a flicker of something in his eyes. Recognition? Regret? It was hard to tell.

"I don't do that anymore."

"It's cute you think you can escape this," I mocked him.

I quickly turned around to face him, my heart racing as I braced myself for his next move. He lunged at me with the knife. I bent sideways, avoiding that flash of silver.

I didn't wait any longer and lashed out in attack. As I lunged forward, I felt a rush of adrenaline. My foot collided with his stomach, making him stumble backward. He doubled over, escaping from my attack like intangible smoke. He rolled out of the way, rising on his feet behind me, knife in hand and ready.

"Let's dance, doll."

In a flash, the Winter Soldier was on his feet, behind my back, immobilising my arms against my torso with his metal arm. He pressed me against his hard chest. The knife angled beneath my chin, and his breath caressed my ear as he bent down and whispered, "It's cute you think you can beat me."

I took a step back, my eyes locked on his, searching for any sign of weakness. He was quick and agile. Hydra had definitely wasted their time training this man, but they had done it with me too. With a sudden burst of energy, he charged at me again, his knife glinting in the light. I sidestepped his attack and landed a swift kick to his side. He stumbled backward.

The Winter soldier grabbed his side, slightly hunched on his side. I dove forward, sending my knife to slice the air towards his forehead. But the bastard grabbed my wrist, like I had done with S-32 minutes prior. His metal hand crushed it so hard that I felt my bones' wishes to snap. He twisted my wrist until my fingers spasmed open, and the blade clattered awkwardly to the floor. If any of my trainers had been watching, they would have whipped me into unconsciousness.

There was something in his voice that made my blood roar violently in my veins. I involuntarily licked my lips.

"If you're done flirting with me, soldat,” I hardly recognised my own voice, and that mocking smile that could be heard in it. “I'd like to kill you now."

I concentrated on my back, making the skin flare up with fire. He hissed. At first, he tried to hold on to me, but he stumbled back, surrendering to the pain. The knife fell, and I kicked it to let it disappear in the crowd.

As soon as there was space between us, I elbowed him in the groin. I laughed as he groaned in pain, finally rolling away, free from his hold.

With a quick movement, he lunged at me again, his metal arm glinting in the dim light. I dodged his attack and countered with a swift kick to his side. He grunted in pain but didn't back down.

We continued to exchange blows, each one more powerful than the last. As the fight dragged on, I could feel my energy waning, but I refused to give up.

The winter soldier's punch came straight for my mouth. The hit almost knocked me to the ground, but I managed to stay on my feet. I could feel the blood trickling down from my lip. The winter soldier smirked at me, his intense eyes now filled with a hint of amusement.

I knew that this fight was far from over.

I wiped the blood off with the back of my hand. My lips curled in a small smirk of their own.

"I hoped I didn't have to use this," I told him, showing him my hand, the fire rolling on my fingers, "Hydra won't be happy if I burn you to fucking ashes, but hey!" I shot a wave of fire, making it more solid than hot, sending him backward. I shrugged. "Accidents do happen."

I knocked him down twice, sending him further and further into the back of the room, right where I saw Marya keeping the door open for me. She was leaning against the door, using a small knife to clean the underside of her nails, unbothered by the chaos and destruction that was going on around us.

The Winter Soldier stumbled on his feet again, and finally, sending a last blast of power against his chest, he stumbled out of the room.

I nodded to Marya, and she moved to grab her two guns, diving into the room and locking the door behind her.

I took my rifle from my back, and pointed it straight for his heart. “It’s just you and me now, soldat.”

“You don’t have to do this,” he spoke, holding up his hands to show submission.

“Don’t I?” I asked, my voice rougher than I intended. “Are you going to appeal to my sense of pity? Because I have none.”

None I could feel; not at the moment. Not when whatever they shot in my veins was making my heart hammer so loud in my ears that my head felt like it was about to explode; not when I knew what would happen to me and the others if I failed.

“I can help you.”

His eyes were kind, almost sweet, but it was pointless. I didn't know how long I could resist the urge to give in to the voice screaming at me to complete my mission.

“Help me?” I laughed bitterly. “It is a bit late for that.”

I pressed my finger on the trigger. I didn’t know why I was entertaining his idiotic desire to speak with me. I didn’t know why I yet had to shoot a bullet in his heart—heart, not head—because, for whatever reason, my orders prevented me from performing my regular schedule.

“I know they control your mind. I can help you get out of their control. Let me help you. I have connections," he said, "people who can protect you and your loved ones.”

I shook my head.

I opened my mouth to speak again, to scream at him to shut up, to stop messing with my time.

“Nobody can save us,” I said. I heard the sound of the chopper igniting and taking off and the noise of screaming in the distance. The sinister whispers of the serum in my ears and the roaring of the fire.

“The building is on fire. You will die one way," I raised my rifle to aim at his heart, "or the other. Goodbye, soldat. Hydra sends its regards.”

Then everything exploded.

I felt my body flying, smashing against the wall. Then everything turned black.

“Thirt-” a voice broke the surface of the fog clouding my mind. “Thirteen…are you—”

My throat felt like sandpaper, it was aching, and it burned. I brought a hand to my head, as if to find out if I could feel something other than the loud ringing in my ears.

The hand came away stained with blood. I coughed, groaning in pain.

I couldn't understand where I was, couldn't understand why I was in pain. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut, making the tears that had been stuck in my eyes fall, and tried to bring my surroundings into focus.

Everything was tinted in red, smoke was filling the room. The flames were slowly consuming the area around me, but my powers had squeezed me into the familiar protective shield, allowing me to breathe. The fire would not burn me, would not kill me—the scientists had tested it in any way they could think; they burned every part of my body, shoved burning iron on my body, in my eyes, in my throat, but nothing; the smoke would kill me, with time, and those damn powers didn't even give me the joy of an unexpected death.

My throat felt like sandpaper; it was aching, and it burned.

I lifted myself onto my knees, bracing myself with my hands when the world wobbled violently.

The screams in the distance were now drowned out by the crackling of the fire. I knew I had to get out of there, but my mind was still reeling from what had just happened. The sinister whispers of the serum echoed in my head, getting quieter and quieter. And for the first time since I had woken up, my head wasn’t heavy and my mind wasn’t blank.

"What the fuck is going on?"

For the first time in years, I was out of the base, and I didn't feel the black mask of the drug pushing me down. There was no constant pain that clutched my heart and mind, no voice in my head making me do things I hated. The world around me seemed brighter and more vibrant than ever, as if I were seeing it for the first time.

Tears rolled out of my eyes. I stared at the door, and I gathered myself to run out of it. Maybe I'd reach those mountains I had seen on the mission to Norway a few years back. I could finally escape and hide. I would be free. Free.

But then I saw him—the sergeant, the soldat, the Winter Soldier slumped on the ground, eyes closed and still as a corpse.

And I remembered the mission. The headquarters. The other soldiers. The fucking microchip they had implanted in my body, prevented me, even in my clearest moments, from escaping.

The rifle was lying somewhere in the room, but retrieving it was the least of my thoughts. I remembered all those words the scientists had shouted in my face, as they beat, whipped, and carved my body according to their pleasure. Michael. Michael would die if I disappeared like that.

I sobbed, mourning for the life I didn't get to live, for the things I wasn't allowed to feel. I took a deep breath and wiped away my tears. I couldn't let my emotions consume me, not now. Michael would be safe, and I would need to sacrifice my life for him. It was a small price to pay for the life of my only family. I had to get up and go back, no matter how hard it was.

But I had a choice to change things. To make them better.

I crawled to the soldier as blood began to trickle from my nose. I groaned with pain as I rolled him onto his back, placing my fingers on his neck. He was alive.

His words echoed in my head.

I can help you. I can help you.

I eyed the exit; it was engulfed in fire, and an escape through the windows was unlikely. "Soldat." I shook him from his shoulders roughly, but nothing. "Soldat. Wake up! Come on."

His eyes stayed closed. Shit.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. I had to think fast.

"Thirteen! Thirteen! Report now." I nearly ripped my belt off in my haste to grab the radio. Marya's voice came through, screaming at me to inform her whether the mission had been successful. "Is the target dead?" I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down.

And I could make no other decision.

My heart was pounding as I took a deep breath and replied, "Affirmative, target eliminated."

"Meet us at the rendezvous point in ten minutes.”

I knew what her words actually meant, if I was not there in time, a squad would track down my microchip—whatever that thing was—and execute me for desertion. Mission accomplished or not. I had to move fast.

"Copy that."

I took another moment to stare at the man before me, looking so peaceful despite everything. He was strong enough to have survived that long in the smoke, in that moment, I had to be strong and pull us both out of this hell. "I hope you're worth it."

I wrapped my arms around the soldier and began to pull, nearly screaming from the pain in my muscles, but I had no time to find an alternative. I couldn't do anything else.

"Damn it, you're heavy." I yanked him with me, stretching the shield around both of us. “If we both die because you want to pull a Sleeping Beauty on me, my ghost will torture yours for eternity.”

The crossing was excruciating.

I dragged him through the big chamber, and then, kicking open the doors, I hauled him up the fire escape to the roof.

I collapsed on the floor beside him, desperately gasping for air. The soldier was still unconscious and unmoving, but he was breathing, and his pulse was steady. And that was enough. Enough to hope.

I lifted the sleeve of his jacket, exposing his arm. And being the only thing at my disposal, I began to write on his arm with my blood.

"You said you could help us." I gave him one last look. "Please do it."

I jumped down the stairs again, submerging into the fire and disappearing.

For the first time in years, the familiar bite of hope came back to haunt me, I only hoped not to be absolutely devastated by the consequences of my actions.

Please, Let me know what you think and if you would like to be tagged in later parts!

Disclaimer: all of my chapters will have a title with the name of a song. This chapter has the title 'Us and them', a song by Pink Floyd. It has no correlation with the story, but I thought it was nice to let you all know.

@mori1b2bpad @lady-bellyn  @thefandomplace @bonkyandsteebluver @billihill - let me know if you still wish to be tagged to the next parts or deleted from the tag list.

[writeshite]

Asking Bucky if he wants to umm f you?

Bucky's pupils were blows, and his eyes were wide as he glanced up at you, "Do you want to fuck me?" He nodded as best as he could; your grip on his face was soft, and Bucky's arms elevated you slightly off his lap as you straddled him - just enough for you to look down at him.

"Please," he mumbled desperately, moving forward and lowering you in tandem.

"Well, since you asked so nicely."

[caribeandthebooks]

Caribe's Top Reads

An Ordinary Wonder by Buki Papillon

Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Adult Fiction

Setting: Nigeria

Description: An Ordinary Wonder is a powerful coming of age story of an intersex twin, Oto, who is forced to live as a boy and adhere to prohibitive Yoruba traditions despite his desire to live as a girl. His wealthy and powerful family are ashamed of him and we see Oto become more estranged from his twin sister and experience heart-breaking brutality at the hands of his mother…Read more on Goodreads/Storygraph

Content Warning information can be found via the above Storygraph link.

[fictionkinfessions]

I've been emotionally unstable way too much lately.... so pos stuff !!!

I recently got the stuff i needed to "cosplay" myself, all i gotta do now it get more feathers to flesh out the wings and style my wig!!!

I'm starting to forgive myself, as well, which im really really proud of !!!! yay !

-Lute, Hazbin Hotel :)

x

[danganreqs]

Ibuki with her music shenanigans and any dr character's ears suffering? thank you :)

and… what characters would you eat if they were bread

probably imposter cause something about them reminds me of this really good bread I had once it was so good that I didnt even put anything on it I was just ripping into it with my bare hands and I forgot to ask what it was and now I will never know

[darklordreasonable]

baby rudy. adorable.

[jellyspells]

Feeling all emotional tonight.

[victorrollins034]

Ways To Wear Short-Sleeve Tech Shirts On Every Occasion

In the ever-evolving world of fashion and function, short-sleeved tech shirts have emerged as versatile wardrobe essentials, offering a seamless blend of style and practicality. These advanced garments have transcended their athletic origins, becoming a staple in the modern wardrobe and allowing wearers to navigate the diverse demands of daily life easily. 

[wool-string]

[harlequin-hangout]

The Winter Storm: Part 1

Series Master List | Bucky Barnes Master List

Part 2 | Part 3

Pairing: Mob!Bucky Barnes x f!Reader

Warnings: minor alcohol use, guns, violence, bucky's intense gaze

Contains: Maybe angst, definitely a little fluff

Word Count: 3.7k

Dividers are made by me! Want some for yourself? Send me an ask!

I do not nor will I ever give permission for my writing to be copied, pasted, reposted to other sites, or edited in any way shape or form. Seriously, just don’t.

Summary: You're working as a secretary for one Alexander Pierce, and find your world upside down when the wrong file finds its way into your hands. There's more to your boss than you could ever imagine . . . Can you survive the Winter Storm?

You take a deep breath as you wait outside the door to the Owner and CEO’s  office. Alexander Mr. Pierce was an imposing man, and something about his demeanor usually unsettled you. Today, though . . . Today was different. Today, you could feel the electricity in the air as you fidgeted in your seat. Pierce Enterprises was a Technology Megapower, rivaled only by Stark Industries. Honestly, as far as you could gather, Mr. Pierce had started Pierce Enterprises as a response to a falling out with Billionaire Playboy Tony Stark. You had been called in after reporting discrepancies in the company books. You weren’t an accountant, by any means, no. You were a secretary for one of the middle managers. 

The heavy doors push open to your direct boss, Natalie Rushman. She was the Executive Assistant hand picked by Mr. Pierce. She was gorgeous, in a scary kind of way. You could definitely tell she was masking something, but beyond that . . . Blank. You’d mentioned that to your friend Wanda once, but she couldn’t see it. You’d always been far above average when it came to reading people, but she was better. 

“Go on in, Y/N, he’s expecting you.” She shoots you a small sympathetic look as you can feel your nerves collect in your core. The CEO. Why the fuck did he want to see you? Your footsteps echoed louder than you thought possible as you hesitantly made your way into the office. Mr. Pierce hasn’t looked up from his desk. In fact, you aren’t even sure he’s registered your presence, but you don’t dare say anything. You’re about to perch on one of the chairs on the far wall when-

“Who sent you here?” You freeze.

“I - I don’t understand, Sir. You asked to see me? Ms. Rushman let me in, but I don’t-”

“Stop.” He cuts you off, opening a manilla folder on his desk. “These reports shouldn’t have made it below the twentieth floor. You work on the sixteenth, and ONLY because Natalie deemed it fit to assign you to assist Evans. HE shouldn’t even see these reports, so how did you? Let alone find an accounting error? So I’ll ask again. Who sent you?”

“Mr. Pierce, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know they were anything that sensitive!!” Your heartbeat is increasing, your speech speeding up . . . Dammit. Get a hold of yourself. If there’s anything that’s going to make this worse, it’s panicking in front of Alexander Mr. Pierce. “Mr. Rumlow dropped them on my desk and told me to take them to Ms. Rushman. I tripped on the stairs on the way up, and when I was trying to put the papers back in order, I noticed that some of the records were wrong. Items in the wrong categories, a couple dollars here and there . . . I thought someone may be embezzling from you, so I reported it to Ms. Rushman..” Mr. Pierce’s eye’s narrow as he waits for you to continue. His breathing is even, that’s good. He’s skeptical, but calm. He may not trust you yet, but you’re confident that he doesn’t think you’re lying. “When Mr. Rumlow left me with the papers, his pulse sped up. He’s really veiny, you can see his pulse without touching him. He was on guard. Possibly even nervous. It didn’t sit right with me. I’m not accusing him of anything, but it’s an observation that has stuck with me.” You keep your eyes locked on his. If you’re going to get fired, you aren’t going to give the smug bastard the pleasure of hearing you beg. 

“Do you know what it is I do, Ms. Y/L/N?” His tone is calculated. You shake your head no. The smile that creeps across his face sends a cold shiver up your spine as he presses the intercom button. “Natalie. No one in or out for the next hour. I have some . . . business to discuss . . . 

The door of your apartment slammed shut behind you. You lean back against it, sinking slowly to the floor. Every cell in your body was shaking. He was a fucking Drug Lord. The moment Natalie had confirmed that no one would interrupt, Mr. Pierce had laid things out for you, plain and simple. The document you had seen wasn’t for the Tech company, and now you had two choices. Play along as Mr. Pierce’s pawn, or be “permanently relocated”, as he’d put it. You didn’t like the sound of that second choice, so you took the first. You take a deep breath and make your way towards the kitchen, needing a drink after the day you’d just had. An extremely stiff drink. You didn’t know a lot, just that you were to keep your head down, not ask questions, and do what you were told. Mr. Pierce had said you were to attend Stark’s Charity Christmas Gala as his assistant. He and Stark may not get along personally, but there were appearances to be kept. Natalie was to take you out tomorrow to get a dress, then spend the day teaching you the etiquette needed for some of the people you may run into. You shuddered as you mixed some regular eggnog with the alcoholic eggnog that you’d found at the liquor store. Less than usual, but still. That stuff burned and you really were a wimp when it came to alcohol. 

Mr. Pierce sat next to you in the limo. Your hair swept up, exposing the back of your neck, as well as the delicate gold chain that Natalie had lent you for good luck. The red and gold dress that he had picked matched beautifully, and the off-the-shoulder cut helped accentuate your collarbone. As long as you kept your head up and face neutral, she had said, you’ll look like you fit right in. You most definitely did not fit in. 

“There’s a special guest of sorts here tonight. Your ability to read people is uncanny, and I don’t like unknown players. Befriend him, figure out where he stands in the game, and then forget everything you saw. Don’t disappoint me.”

You follow behind Mr. Pierce silently as he moves through the crowd, warmly greeting person after person. None of these people knew what he was, that much was evident. You played the demure assistant, not drawing attention to yourself yet analyzing everyone. The current man that Mr. Pierce was talking to - Zola or something like that - was bragging about his father’s scientific works, while his mistress eyed someone across the room. Yes, Mistress. She was at least half his age, held no interest in Zola, and the wedding ring tan on his finger was so obvious that you were surprised it didn’t reach out and slap you. Glancing down at the tablet that you used to keep track, you made a note for Mr. Pierce that Zola talked a tough game, but based on the increased perspiration and affinity to people please, he’d never put up a fight. God, you just wanted this to be over. As Zola leaves, Mr. Pierce slips his arm around your waist and pulls you so close that you can feel his breath on the back of your neck. 

“Don’t mess this up, lest you want to be relocated. Permanently,” He reiterated. Your throat caught as you had to consciously control your breathing. A tall man was walking towards you, clad in a solid black suit with his long hair falling haphazardly around his face. He looked a bit out of place, definitely awkward, but the power that radiated from him . . . He belonged here, and he almost DEFINITELY was in a similar line of work as Mr. Pierce. You take a deep breath as Mr. Pierce plasters a smile on his wrinkled face and warmly greeted the towering stranger. You didn’t pay attention to what was said, but rather the man’s face. He was masking. Just like Natalie. Almost EXACTLY like Natalie . . . but he wasn’t as good. He was uncomfortable being here, most likely didn’t enjoy being in the spotlight – no. It was Mr. Pierce. He was attempting to read Mr. Pierce just like Mr. Pierce had you attempting to read him. It all clicked into place just as you hear Mr. Pierce laughing at something the man had said. It was a little brilliant, actually. By shopping out the deduction to someone who would usually not be given a second look, anyone who tried to see what he was up to would only be met with jovial holiday honesty. You turned your full attention to the man, determined to not be relocated. Taking his stance, perspiration, word choice, body language, and facial expressions into account, you found your in. This is someone who’s so used to people being afraid of him that he’s resigned himself to being alone for the evening. He was gorgeous, yet here without a date. You could use that. 

“Mr. Pierce,” you cut in suddenly and both heads swing towards you. “I’m so sorry to interrupt you and . . . I’m sorry, what was your name?”

“You may call him Mr. Barnes, Ms. Y/L/N.” You can feel Mr. Barnes’s eyes rake over your form, taking in every bit of you in that dress. You had to thank Natalie for the wonderful choice. Even if you were working, getting attention from such an attractive man. 

“Pleasure is mine,” He flashed you a smile, possibly the most genuine expression you’d seen him wear all evening. 

“Thank you, Mr. Barnes. Y/N, I’m assisting Mr. Pierce tonight. Mr. Pierce, I finished up the donation financial reports like you asked, and scheduled meetings with Zola and Rumlow, as requested,” you lied. “Is there anything else that you need me to complete before I enjoy the party?” You glance briefly over at Mr. Barnes and bite your lower lip ever so slightly. Thankfully, Mr. Pierce catches on.

“Not at all, you’ve earned the break.” Mr. Pierce places his hand on his lower back and gently  pushes you towards Mr. Barnes, who raises an eyebrow and looks down at you, obviously entertained. “In fact,” Mr. Pierce continues addressing Mr. Barnes, “Why don’t you spend some time chatting with Ms. Y/L/N? She’s new to the area, she could use some friendly faces. Have fun, kids!” He strolls away before either of you can protest. 

Mr. Barnes looks down to the floor, and you give him your most genuine smile. 

“I’m so sorry about that!” You start trying to concoct a story to explain your presence at the Gala, but when you glance up at Mr. Barnes’s face, your stomach drops. His mask is gone, and he’s studying you. Not like you’re studying him, no, more predatory.

“You’ve spent the entire night attempting to read me from behind one of the most dangerous men in New York. Why?” The statement caught you off guard and your voice caught in your throat. Now that Mr. Pierce had left, Mr. Barnes seemed . . . dangerous. You dropped your entire facade. A mistake? Probably, but you couldn’t help it.You were completely out of your depth. You risked a glance back towards Mr. Pierce, who was watching you like a hawk, however, he was out of ear shot. You put a calm smile on, and will your voice to be as steady as possible given your current circumstances.

“Do you want the work answer or the personal one?” you ask innocently.

“Work.”

“I didn't mean to offend. I was told that I was to help Mr. Pierce tonight with the social aspect of this event . . . When he drinks, he isn’t always the quickest.” Not a lie, however it was something Natalie had mentioned. Mr. Barnes eyes you trying to decide whether or not to trust you. You remind yourself to breathe, then continue. “I’ve been reading people my whole life. Mr. Pierce asked me to accompany him here because of it.” 

“Come with me. If you lie like you did earlier, you’ll regret it.” Shit. You were in trouble, and Mr. Pierce didn’t seem like the kind of person to have your back.

The door to Mr. Barnes’s suite clicked behind you. You hadn’t realized that he was an invited guest of Mr. Stark, but it didn’t completely surprise you.

“There,” he says, voice controlled enough that you couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “Now, tell me who sent you.”

Barnes strode over to the table, grabbing the bottle of bourbon and taking a swig. He dropped his weight unceremoniously in one of the wingback chairs in the sitting area. He hadn’t bought Pierce’s matchmaker act for a second. Who was this girl? If she was a spy for Pierce, then he’s picked a lousy one. She was a fantastic profiler, he’d give her that, but a good profiler doesn't make a good spy, not without other skills. Regardless of who she was, she worked for Pierce, and that made her possibly dangerous, definitely disposable. He pulled his pistol out of its holster inside his jacket, racked the gun, and placed it on the side table to his left. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs, close to his knees. His eyes bore into her as she cowered in front of him, having barely made it inside the suite. What did she want? What was she going to do? Could this Little Spy be ignorant enough to fight – Shit. Barnes didn’t let his concern show on his face, but seeing tears begin to well in her eyes as her body began to tremble, he was growing less confident in his spy theory. Immediately switching tactics, Barnes leaned back in his chair, crossing his ankle over his knee. 

“Take a deep breath, Doll. I’m not gonna hurt you as long as you answer my questions honestly. Let’s start with the basics. I already know Pierce is using his technology company as a cover for his movements in the underground. What does he pay you to do?” The girl takes a shaky breath and tries to steady her voice before answering. She isn’t completely successful, but he admired her effort.

“My name is Y/N Y/L/N. I work as a secretary for Vincent Evans at Pierce Enterprises. He’s a middle level manager for the marketing department. I report to Natalie Rushman, Mr. Pierce’s Executive Assistant. I learned about the Drug Lord thing two days ago on accident, I swear.” Barnes tilted his head, considering what she’d said. It would explain a lot of what’s going on, and scum like Pierce were not above using innocents to do their dirty work . . .

“I believe you.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Barnes could see the tension drain from her shoulders. “You don’t need to cower in the doorway, Honey. If you’re starting to do more intense work for Pierce, then you should know who he really is, what he’s capable of.”

Mr. Barnes continues as you cautiously make your way to the far end of the couch, not liking the idea of being close to the pistol on his side table.

. “Does the name ‘White Watch’ mean anything to you?” Your true crime obsession was paying off, look at that. 

“White Watch was an organized crime syndicate about four years ago. They operated mostly out of Brooklyn if I remember correctly . . . They were arrested about a year and a half ago, got caught in a sting.” 

“It was a rat, not a sting,” Mr. Barnes almost whispered.

“What do you mean? I thought–”

“I will answer your questions if– and ONLY if– you answer all of mine. Completely and to the best of your ability.” The cold edge had returned to his voice. “Lie to me or try to run, and I shoot you where you stand. Understand, Doll?” You nod, stilling your nerves. You were terrified, but you’d be damned if 

“Why are you at the Gala?” 

“Mr. Pierce told me to show.”

“When?”

“Just after I found out about the Drug Lord thing.”

“Why did you show?”

“Because my only other option was being “Permanently Relocated” as he put it, so I’m pretty sure it was either this or death.” Mr. Barnes sighed, not bothering to mask his annoyance.

“How was I involved? He’s never been subtle.” Bucky spat. It wasn’t lost on you that Mr. Barnes and Mr. Pierce definitely had a past, contrary to what Mr. Pierce had told you.

“He said there was going to be someone new. All I was told was he wanted me to read whoever that was and make an informed guess as to their motives. I didn’t ask questions because of the . . . Relocation.”

“His exact words?” 

“Your ability to read people is uncanny, and I don’t like unknown players. Befriend him, figure out where he stands in the game, and then forget everything you saw.”

“Don’t disappoint me,” Mr. Barnes finished. Your head snaps up to look him dead in the eye. His stare is still intense, you doubted it would ever be anything BUT intense, but the predatory edge had softened. Your voice came out in a whisper.

“How did you know that?”

“Because he’s said the same to me.” With that one sentence, you felt something inside of you snap. You were done playing the demure, helpless little assistant who obeyed everyone else’s orders and was at everyone’s beck and call. You were going to die here, but you weren’t going to take it lying down. Against your better judgment, you lost your temper.

“What the hell is going on here?? Three days ago I’m a fucking secretary, and now I’m somehow a pawn for a drug lord and whoever you are? And don’t even fucking try to deny it, Barnes, you both offered me the same deal: compliance or death.” A darkness returned to Barnes’s eyes as he spoke, his tone even, as if he were bored. Was he imposing? Sure. Were you scared? More than you’d ever been in your entire life. Were you backing down? Absolutely not. “You keep talking about these different pieces. The White Watch, Mr. Pierce, and an infuriating need to know the timeline, so what’s your game? You’re probably going to kill me anyway, so at least be decent and connect the dots before you take me out.”

“You think I’m going to kill you?” He smirked as you threw your tantrum, as if he were looking at an angry duckling. Intimidating, you were not. “One more question, Angel, then you get your answers.” You decided to bite your tongue and stare daggers at him, but you remained quiet nonetheless. “Pierce will almost definitely kill you for this. What’s your plan for that?” Your stomach dropped. You hadn’t even thought about that. You had been so focused on not getting shot by Barnes that you hadn’t even considered what Mr. Pierce would think of how the night went. 

“Let me help you with that one, but first I promised to fill you in. The White Watch was in it’s prime as of a year and a half ago. They were powerful. Too powerful for Pierce’s liking. What do you know about the organization?” Barnes leans back in his chair, waiting.

“ . . . Mostly street level thugs, but there were three heads. The Triumvirate. They acted as a check and balance system with each other, which is how they grew so quickly and were so successful. Impulsive choices couldn’t be made.” Barnes nods in approval

“Good. They were the Wolf, Avalanche, and The Winter Soldier. The Wolf mostly dealt with the financial side. Payouts, protection money, deals with others. Things like that. The Avalanche?” He waited for you to supply information, but you just shook your head. This hadn’t been in any of your documentaries. “He organized the troops. He was in charge of mobilization.” grabbed the bourbon and took another swig. 

“ . . .And the Winter Soldier?” you prompted, quietly.

“Him? Well, he’s a right bastard,” Barnes gave a cold laugh as he spoke. “He was the fixer. He operated alone, and without second thought. It’s impossible to get double crossed when there’s only yourself to worry about.” He sighed. “At least it should be. The Sting operation story was to keep the cops looking shiny. In reality, one of the Triumvirate had bigger plans for himself. He wanted all the power, and turned rat for the cops. He single handedly destroyed the White Watch from the inside because of greed.”

Your brow knits together as you think. 

“I . . . okay, that makes sense, but what does that have to do with –” Shit. The dots connected in your head. “Which one is he?” You asked darkly. 

“The Wolf,” Barnes replied. “He took all the White Watch’s financials for himself. That’s how he was able to build his company. Good news is that my organization has a couple people inside of Pierce Enterprises. We have Pierce covered from all sides possible, but we know less about how the company functions and who else may be involved.” A spark of realization hits you, and before you can stop yourself—

“Rumlow.” Barnes’s ears perk up at that name.

“As in Brock Rumlow??” His tone was dangerous.

“I-I think so, I’ve only known him as Mr. Rumlow, but he’s the one who gave me the financial folder that started this whole mess. He told me to take it to Natalie, but he seemed really nervous the whole time.” You can practically see the gears in Barnes’s head turning. 

“You can’t go back to Pierce, so you’ll come with me. We’ll get you to a safehouse where the Wolf can’t touch you. You have information that we can use, and with a little training, may not be bad in the field. We’ll leave with the rest of the party guests, less obvious that way.”

“Safehouse?? Mr. Barnes, respectfully, how do you expect to keep me safe from someone like Mr. Pierce? If he was really involved in the White Watch, then he’s one of the most dangerous men . . . I dunno, maybe ever?” You’re losing your battle with panic. You can feel your stomach begin to churn. “I’m just supposed to trust you and go with you? I don’t even know who you are!” Barnes looks you dead in the eye, vicious confidence reflecting in his.

“ You wanna know who I am, Doll? The Winter Soldier.”

No official tag list but here's some nerds who might like this: @vbecker10 @lunarbuck

[keep-on-trying]

One thing I noticed about Setsuna's character when she was still Eas is that, at one point she clearly was fine with using red shirt, but after the bowling ep where she was gonna choose between red and black bowling ball, she chose black and... never wore red clothes til she became Cure Passion, and left the life of Eas behind her (not counting the outfit of Eas ofc!).

Like, she was avoiding the fact she seemed to prefer red. Then she starts embracing it, with also wanting a red toothbrush. I really, reaaaaally liked that detail of her. It felt like it was intended non-direct story-telling detail.