#civil rights attorney bucky

[zenaidamacrouras1]

THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER OF THIS FIC. This is a gif of me instead of a gif of the chapter.

Unpredictable Synchronicity, Chapter (fucking) 30

In this chapter, I have written what I am reasonably certain is the sexiest scene ever written. I mark in the author's notes what I think that is. Your mileage may vary.

Thanks to @burberrycanary and @booksandabeer and TenMileStilts for HEROIC AND UNWAVERING BETA to end all Beta I truly, thanks. In particular for making the relationship so much healthier than it was in my first draft. I am sad not to be working on a fic with you all, someone else write something stat so I can talk to you in the comments.

I was looking for a cannoli gif to share and found this one:

Maybe this one is better:

Also, it's a fill for "Love is Love" the @allcapsbingo All Caps Bingo Monthly Mission for June.

[medeafive]

The big fat WIP list

After finishing write our name in blood and in flowers of flame, I have nothing finished ready to post, so I thought I’d give you (and me) an overview of all WIPs I have lying around! Some snippets, some multichapter fics, some recent, some not touched in years.

Buckle in, it’s a long list. Feel free to ask questions, make suggestions and tell me which ones you’re most interested in! Also, if you ask nicely (and promise to give me feedback), I can send you what I have so far.

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Working title: 40s

What it’s about: Steve and Natasha accidentally end up in 1940′s New York. While trying to get back, Steve uses his new strength to punch Nazis, Natasha has to figure out how much of her future boyfriend is already in Bucky and they maybe kind of break the timeline.

How it’s going: Four chapters.

The Problem(tm): Still have to figure out the American fascists part of the plot and do research on that (shoutout to Rachel Maddow’s podcast Ultra for giving me the idea).

Working title: Chocolate cop AU

What it’s about: Spawned from this snippet, a later one for flavor here. Bucky is a veteran, Natasha is a cop working on organized crime. Very hot sex, banter, Natasha struggling with her life.

How it’s going: I literally have 56 chapters of this already.

The Problem(tm): I really fucked up several things (Matt Murdock's accommodations as a blind state attorney, Chicago neighborhoods, probably the whole investigation plot) and I really hate editing and rewriting.

Working title: College burnout

What it’s about: College AU. Natasha is a grad student struggling very much with her thesis and Bucky is that asshole friend of a friend who is just in her class to flirt with her.

How it’s going: Some 7 chapters.

The Problem(tm): I don’t know what to do to realistically make Nat actually write her thesis (i.e. some method she figures out that’s not just “and then she wrote it”). Also, Natasha is a Russian student at the Russian department, so that won’t read the same way anymore following the war in Ukraine.

Working title: FATWS

What it’s about: Endgame canon divergence where Natasha is revived when Steve returns the Infinity Stone to Vormir (before he fucks off himself). Bucky keeps her company while she recovers and they kinda fall in love. Basically, writing Buckynat into FATWS.

How it’s going: Wrote the part from Endgame up to the start of TFATWS.

The Problem(tm): I don’t have Disney Plus so I can’t rewatch FATWS right now. Also, I probably forgot most of what I was going to do and I’m not sure it’ll come back with the rewatch.

Working title: Icarus

What it’s about: Set in 1959. Bucky and Natasha ditching the KGB and the Soviet Union and becoming free agents in Western Germany struggling with surviving and morals (and also falling in love).

How it’s going: On chapter 2.

The Problem(tm): I feel like this is going to be really good, which raises the bar on self-confidence I need to write this.

Working title: Oh no, he’s hot

What it’s about: Set after Civil War. Nat decides to seduce Bucky and they start a strangers-with-benefits thing that turns into a friends-with-benefits thing that ... I’m sure you can guess.

How it’s going: Apparently 12 chapters?

The Problem(tm): Basically just missing the end. Classic 80% problem. I know how it’s gonna go, just .... hrngh.

Working title: Amnesia

What it’s about: Inspired by Burn With Me from MissMorwen. Nat gets amnesia. Actual plot.

How it’s going: 6 chapters

The Problem(tm): Again, missing the end.

Working title: Breaking

What it’s about: Red Room fic! Natasha finds a weakness with the Soldier and keeps prying and prying.

How it’s going: Over 20k.

The Problem(tm): Guess what? The fucking end.

Working title: Rents by the hour

What it’s about: Smut. Bucky and Natasha meet between missions in a place that rents by the hour.

How it’s going: 2k.

The Problem(tm): Stuck on the smut (happens surprisingly often).

Working title: Love and War

What it’s about: Inspired by this song. Bucky is having a really shitty time post-CATWS. Nat checks up on him. 

How it’s going: Six chapters but it’s complicated.

The Problem(tm): This is one where I might just post the first or the first three chapters (which should work as a standalone) and then decide whether I took it in the wrong direction after or not. 

Working title: Menage à trois

What it’s about: Kinda TFATWS with Nat - Nat and Sam are dating but Bucky is an asshole and hits on her all the time. Smut. Maybe going towards a triangle thing.

How it’s going: 6 chapters.

The Problem(tm): The first chapter would work as a standalone. If I posted the second one, too, I’d probably have to figure out where this actually goes (and whether I like where it goes).

Working title: So companionable as solitude

What it’s about: Soulmate AU. Unfortunately, Natasha hates the very idea of soulmates. Unfortunately for her, Steve gets dusted instead of Bucky. Unfortunately, after going through all the tropes (only one bed, fake dating etc.), he kind of grows on her.

How it’s going: One and a half chapters.

The Problem(tm): Zero motivation to write this.

Working title: Bikes

What it’s about: Bucky and Natasha bond over their love for motorcycles which leads to going on biking trips together which leads to friends which leads to friends with benefits.

How it’s going: 16k.

The Problem(tm): I don’t really want to make them date here so this doesn’t really have an endpoint. I thought about turning it into a oneshot, too.

Working title: IVF

What it’s about: Natasha is traumatically scared of being touched and also asexual but figures things out with Bucky and they have a baby through artificial insemination.

How it’s going: Almost 20k.

The Problem(tm): This doesn’t really have an endpoint yet.

Working title: Meeting the Parents

What it’s about: Bucky meeting everyone from Nat’s (adoptive) family to get their blessing.

How it’s going: 1.5k.

The Problem(tm): Kinda just a premise. A fun one, but just a premise.

Working title: Physical therapy

What it’s about: Natasha and Bucky doing friends with benefits which I somehow decided to make go horribly wrong.

How it’s going: Over 20k from both of their POVs.

The Problem(tm): Really not sure I should have taken that there, but then again, otherwise I wouldn’t have a plot or an endpoint.

Working title: Russian Mafia

What it’s about: Bucky is a mafia goon who’s supposed to bring the boss’s girlfriend from A to B, which obviously goes horribly wrong, too.

How it’s going: one chapter

The Problem(tm): Had this idea for a while but only started writing this week. Unfortunately, going forward, I will have to figure out how the plot actually works.

Working title: Supersoldier stamina

What it’s about: Smut. The supersoldier serum gives... multiple orgasms is playing it down, and it’s awkward.

How it’s going: Like 8k.

The Problem(tm): You guessed it, stuck on the smut.

Working title: Wedding traditions

What it’s about: Steve and Natasha fake their wedding for vague mission purposes, and Bucky is the horrible best man who is way too much into the outfit. Smut.

How it’s going: 2k.

The Problem(tm): Stuck on the smut.

Working title: Western soulmate AU

What it’s about: Western AU, soulmate AU. Clint walks into a saloon to find his soulmate who is, unfortunately, already married. Years later, they meet again when she asks him for help in finding her husband.

How it’s going: 3k.

The Problem(tm): Missing the whole plot before getting to the end.

Working title: WWII

What it’s about: Somebody asked for a younger Bucky with an older Nat and somehow I decided to put it in the Nazi-occupied Soviet Union. So, expect the usual super-light story. The Howling Commandoes parachute in to kidnap some Nazi, Nat is a local partisan helping them and a young Bucky is totally head over heels for her (to everyone’s amusement).

How it’s going: 2k.

The Problem(tm): Have to make the plot work...

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If you’ve read this far, wow! Please come talk to me about it!

[ao3feed-stevebucky]

Unpredictable Synchronicity

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2OGCouy

by Zenaidamacrouras1

Bucky is a civil rights attorney and Steve is Captain America and they both are busy with their important careers and they are also both VERY HANDSOME and competent and should definitely kiss. But will they kiss? Gaaahhhh! I don't know!

May contain: Slow burn, like, for real (for real, will they actually kiss?) (I know you have seen the tag slow burn, but I need y’all to understand I really mean it this time). Extremely petty sibling fights. Very tired attorneys. Acknowledgement of the existence of scorpions. Extensive discussion of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. The Avengers all living in the tower and the exact timing in the MCU world being *hand waves*

Warnings for: canon typical superhero violence, period typical (the period being present day) transphobia and homophobia. The existence of transphobia and homophobia are central to the plot, but there is no gratuitous detail of people being shitty. Extensive discussion of legislation against gender-affirming care (specifically: the characters are trying to stop such legislation).

As always - my intent is not to trigger anyone or ruin your day with problematic writing/characterization, I appreciate being told if I do so.

Words: 3767, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Rebecca Barnes Proctor, Wanda Maximoff, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Tony Stark, Clint Barton, James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Maria Hill, Monica Rambeau, Joaquín Torres, Yelena Belova, America Chavez, Kamala Khan, US Constitution

Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers

Additional Tags: Shrunkyclunks, Captain America Steve Rogers/Modern Bucky Barnes, Lawyer Bucky Barnes, Civil Rights Attorney Bucky Barnes, Fluff and Smut, Angst, Happy Ending, Slow Burn, Possibly slowest ever burn, Pining, Virgin Steve Rogers, Not that it's your business, Idiots in Love, US Constitution - Freeform, Specifically the 14th Amendment may as well be a named character at this point, Period Typical Homophobia, Period Typical Transphobia, The period is present day

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2OGCouy

[little-cereal-draws]

Imma be completely honest, I’m literally only here as a Marvel Fan because of MK and WWBN, the writing of everything else is atrocious.

This is my fifth year being an mcu fan so i definitely have not been following it since the beginning but those two definitely are the best of phase 4.

I know this isnt' what u asked for but i'm bored here are my ratings for phase 4:

Moon Knight. I'm not going to write all the reasons i love it bc that would turn into an entire essay lol but this show is phenomenal and has captured my heart and soul

Werewolf by Night. again, just like moon knight, it's creative and cinematic and perfect in every way

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. It's funny, got good action, emotional parts, and i live for shang and katy's relationship. they're so funny and i'm eternally glad they didn't force them into a weird romance

Ms. Marvel. the kids were written like kids and kamala is so dorky and cute. i know a lot of ppl didn't like her for some reason but she also lives in my heart

Hawkeye. This is just bc im one of those comic book nerds and have read every single hawkeye book and have merch and stuff lol I'm a diehard fan and loved pointing out all the little details even if it deviated from the comics

Black Widow. I think people are right that Yelena did steal the show a little bit but i love it anyway. It always makes me cry. every time.

Thor: Love and Thunder. I liked this movie! I saw it in theaters multiple times and enjoyed it. I can see the reasons behind people's critiques and do agree that the first half felt a bit weirdly paced but the second half really saved it for me

WandaVision. I'm just a sucker for Wanda and Vision lol They were my first mcu ship and i'm glad they finally got a spotlight. ppl complain abt the ending but i thought it was pretty good

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. I loved seeing all the different dynamics that came up in this show and the real world problems it addressed. It also made me cry. I loved Sam and Bucky but Karli really stole the show for me and I was on her side the whole time lol

What If...? I actually really liked the reimagining of the characters and the odd pair ups. It was fun to see all the new interactions we would never get in canon. I think the watcher was weird and didn't need to fight ultron but the rest of it was good. Also the animation was beautiful. I was on the edge of my seat trying to get a better look at it the whole time lol

Spider-Man: No Way Home. It was a really good movie but I haven't seen all the og spider man movies so i didn't know who a lot of the villains were. and peter could have thought his little stunt at the end through a bit more but oh well. Still funny though

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It was really exciting to see America (i'm also a fan of her comics) but really I was rooting for wanda the whole time lol Ofc I knew that america would live bc they need her for the young avengers but it was really fun seeing wanda be in her villain era. they did her dirty at the end tho and basically had her learn the lesson she just learned in wandavision... which was also the lesson she learned in civil war. when will they give my girl a new arc? also i'm in denial, I refuse to believe she's dead :) (and also dr strage was in it too ig)

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. This was fun, I had a good time. It was really funny and finally confirmed that peter and mantis were siblings but i don't think i'll watch it any time other than christmas (unlike werewolf by night which is a year round event lol)

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. ok this one got a lot of hate but i don't see why? i didn't think it was bad, i just wasn't gripped by the story. i only watched up to episode three so i can't judge the whole thing but it was a bit too slice of life-y for me to be engaged w the story but as far as i can tell, that's jen's thing. The parts that i did see weren't poorly written and it's not the shows fault the animation was so bad (cough marvelwon'tlettheiranimatorsunionize cough)

Eternals. Same problem as she hulk. it wasn't bad, it just wasn't interesting. I only made it through half the movie before i left but i was really confused by who was who. i kept getting them mixed up

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The only reason this is so low is because I haven't seen it yet. I've heard nothing but glowing reviews so i'm sure it'll go up to the top of the list but i can't judge it until i see it

Loki. I hate this show, i hate it so much. I am so fucking mad abt this bc it had so much potential! I've also read the loki comics and i think those set my bar too high. yes, the show acknowledges loki is bi but they make him fall in love with another version of himself instead of doing anything w that. yes, they acknowledge he's genderfluid but we never see it, not even in flashbacks. he's trying to redefine who he is and stuff but i was so distracted by the horrible self-cest romance, that i was actively rooting against, to notice character development. If you want a good story about a bisexual, genderfluid loki redefining themself in the most beautiful way, read the Loki: Agent of Asgard comic run

[justkending]

Moral of the Story. Chapter Four.

Summary: Marrying too young out of highschool leads to a naive and failed marriage. Now 10 years later, word comes that the divorce was never actually completed. Bucky and Y/N have to come back together after all this time to settle what wasn’t all those years back. Passive attitudes, miscommunicated endings, and reminiscing of old loves and lives all comes back for the two.

Pairing: Bucky x Y/N

Word Count:

A/N: 

Chapter Four:

Bucky groaned as the alarm blared throughout the room. Rolling over to his side, he threw his head into the pillow. That didn’t stop the beeping like he had hoped, so with a groan he pushed up, smacking the red numbers that screamed at him. He rolled back onto his back and blinked up at the bare ceiling.

Today was the day…

_________________

Y/N couldn’t seem to sleep at all, so she woke up early at 6:30 jumping into the shower. Having the extra time, she took it to have a nice long soak in the hot water. The schedule of the day running through her mind.

The chance of them running into each other was practically at 100%. They had a time frame of 9-10 to get in and sign what they needed. Mr. Murdock said something along the lines that it would take about 30-45 minutes to get everything finalized and copied. 

So yeah… Within an hour frame of needed 30-45 minutes of signing shit and getting multiple copies made, meant Bucky and her would most likely be sitting next to the other as it was done. 

She let out a tired and irritated moan as she finally decided to turn off the water. She had it running for so long, her hands were prunes and the water was becoming lukewarm. The world was telling her to suck it up and move on with the day. 

____________

The car ride there was dreadful. Every stop light just elongated the inevitable meeting. Every turn brought him closer to the terrifying reunion. 

He was running early to begin with, but after hitting traffic from a wreck, he was now running just a few minutes behind. So weaving through the people who didn’t understand New York traffic was his specialty in showing up in time. 

____________

She stopped at the coffee shop by her house before really heading to the attorneys office. The car ride to the place was easy and smooth on her end. From coming from the outskirts of Brooklyn, the inner city traffic was avoided for the most part. So she was there early. She even had a second to sit in her car and drink the latte she had bought. Something about Brooklyn latte’s was 10x better than anything California had.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact they actually had cold weather to pair the hot drink with, whereas where she now lived, the lowest low in temperatures was 70 degrees. 

________________

Getting there with just 3 minutes to spare, Bucky rushed out of the car and walked with a hint of speed to the door that read Nelson and Murdock Law Firm. 

No sign of Y/N yet, but as he walked in, he heard a shout from the street that caused him to turn as soon as he walked in. He didn’t have a second to register what the shout was about as he took two steps in and ran straight into someone��s back. 

“Whoa!” he said, using his hands to brace himself on the mystery person's shoulders, and the other person making the same exclamation. “Oh God, I’m so sor-”

Before he could finish the apology, the women turned showing the face of his matured high-school-sweetheart. 

“Oh,” he let out in a breathy turn. He could tell just from past experience with her, she had a snarky comment on her tongue at the run in, but upon seeing him, the words died on her lips. “Hey.”

She looked great. Like, really great after all these years. Not that she wasn’t a beautiful gal to begin with, but you never know how someone’s going to age. However, she looked almost the same. 

Sure, she had aged some, but just like a nice bottle of the finest wine in all the vineyards of California. Maybe that was her secret given her new home. 

Her Y/H/C hair was styled in loose curls. It was voluminous with a healthy shine to it. She had on an off white, canvas dress that cinched at the waist with buttons going down it. And she had a layered gold necklace going down her chest where the buttons were undone. She looked both professional yet casual at the same time. 

Bucky realized he had been staring when she awkwardly looked around her trying to not pay attention to his analyzing eyes. 

“Hey,” she said, letting out a deep breath. 

She didn’t miss how good he looked either. Even in those facebook pictures that she had found the night before, the ones she found him just as attractive, they didn’t do the real man justice. His hair was just as long as the most recent picture his mother had posted, and he looked more muscular than she ever remembered. The scrubs didn't do his build justice. 

He was wearing a navy blue v-neck tight fitting t-shirt. A brown leather jacket that looked as though it was tailored specifically for him and him alone. And lastly, he had on a pair of jeans that of course, fit in him all the right places. 

There was a very awkward silence as they stood there not knowing what else to say. Neither now looking at the other, but instead looking at every little inanimate object item in the office. 

After what felt like eons of the most tense silence to exist, Bucky was about to speak up again, but was cut off from another person running in late.

“Oh, gosh. I’m so sorry guys,” the voice sighed, out of breath from what they presumed was running to get there on time. “Foggy was supposed to pick me up and we were going to ride together, but he got food poisoning last night, so I had to take the train last minute.”

The man had dark brown hair, a nice suit, and a pair of sunglasses on even though it was overcast today and the sun was barely peeking through the heavy clouds. 

“Foggy?” Y/N asked with a tilt of her head. 

Bucky turned back looking at her with the same question on his mind, but watching the small action of confusion brought him back 10 years. God, it had been so long he had almost forgotten the little mannerisms she had that he found adorable. And damn her for still having that adorable action. 

“Oh, right. Franklin Nelson. My co-attorney,” he nodded. “We’ve been friends since we were in college. Friends call him Foggy.”

“Oh, I see,” Y/N nodded with a kind smile. 

“Anyway, I won’t bore you with my morning chaos. I’m sure you two are ready to get this over with and go on about your day,” he smiled, and pulled a walking stick out from around him as he closed the door. One that neither had realized he had been holding until now. “You two much be James and Y/N. It’s nice to meet you, I’m Matthew Murdock.

“It’s nice to meet you Matthew,” Y/N replied sweetly.

“Yes, thank you for helping us out,” Bucky nodded, placing his hands nervously in his pockets. 

“It’s my pleasure. I’m so sorry about everything that you guys are having to fix,” he said apologetically. But I’m sure you guys want to go about your day, so please, right this way,” he motioned to the door that was across from them. 

Bucky and Y/N both shared an impressed look on their faces as they watched him maneuver through the office gracefully. 

They followed close behind him and once they were seated in the chairs in front of the desk, Bucky began to fidget in his spot. Sure the office had been redone and really didn’t look much like it had all those years ago, but the layout was the same. And all it was doing to him was bringing back memories he hated trudging back to the surface. 

He subtly looked over at Y/N and saw her sitting in perfect posture watching Matthew as if if she were to look at him and only him, then she wouldn’t have to face Bucky. 

Why did he expect anything less? Of course she hated him just as much as she had all those years. She was probably dreading this meeting just as much as him. That small speck of hope that maybe they could be somewhat normal and civil upon meeting again after all this time, completely faded at that point. 

“Ok, this really shouldn’t take all that much time since Foggy and I went ahead and wrote up all the things that needed signed and double checked. So we should be able to breeze through all this,” Matthew nodded, bringing up a thick file that looked as though it had tabs on the side organizing them. 

Y/N looked over wondering just how he knew the difference between documents and noticed on each tab, there were bariel markings along them. 

“If you don’t mind me asking, out of all places to live, why New York? It’s got to be hard getting around such a crazy busy city given.. ” Bucky asked, but didn’t finish not sure how to word it. Y/N snapped her head in his direction and smacked his arm. “Ow!” Bucky jumped, sending her raised eyebrows. “What the hell?”

“I’m assuming you’re asking because of this,” Matthew laughed casually as he pointed to his glasses. “Don’t worry. You would be surprised just how often I get asked that.”

“Yeah, it was just a question,” Bucky pouted toward Y/N while rubbing his assaulted arm. The two falling back into their old behaviors rather fast. 

“I wasn’t always blind. I mean I have been for a good chunk of my life, but I’ve lived in New York my whole life as well,” Matthew went on to explain as he moved papers around. “If anything it would be harder for me to get around if I moved any place else. I know this place like the back of my hand.”

“That’s impressive,” Bucky nodded, getting comfortable in his seat. 

“Eh, it’s either learn or get bumped around the sidewalk of a place full of people who don’t give a second glance to anyone who’s in their way,” Matthew shrugged. “Oh, I need to go grab something before we start.”

He maneuvered through the room leaving the door open as he went across the office. Tension filled the air as they were left alone for a second time in the past 5 minutes. 

Y/N was sitting straight forward, her eyes wandering here and there around the meeting room, but careful not to go over to Bucky’s side of the room. He looked down seeing her hands were fiddling in her lap. She was tapping her thumbs together while his leg bounced up and down.

Bucky had opened his mouth to start to say something, but even he wasn’t sure what was about to come out. Lucky for him, Matthew came back in and went back to his seat. 

“Sorry about that. I thought I had it all, but needed to get some pens and one last paper I left on the printer last night.”

“You’re fine,” Y/N said professionally, but kindly. “I have one quick question, if you don’t mind.” Matthew nodded her on with a soft smile. “What exactly happened to Hammer after all this chaos was discovered?”

“Oh, yes. He, uh, he will not be an issue to anyone else to put it lightly. His license was revoked and terminated and he is currently on trial for money laundering and malpractice,” he answered. 

“Serves him right,” Bucky mumbled, and instead of getting a smack to the arm, Y/N nodded in agreement. 

“Ok, if you two are ready, let’s begin,” Matthew smiled before grabbing the first set of papers. 

The two straightened in their seats and the process began.

After a few minutes of just signing, Matthew started to make notes of updated information for the two. 

“Ok, Mrs. Barnes, sorry, Y/N,” he corrected quickly. “What is your line of profession at the moment?”

“I work at Horizon Labs in L.A. It’s a company a friend and I from college started up. I’m a Sustainable-Conscious Financial Advisor for a lot of smaller businesses as well as some bigger ones we recently just became partners with,” she answered. 

“Horizon Labs, huh?” Matthew said with an impressed look. Bucky turned to look at her as she lightly blushed. “I think I listened to a podcast about them. You guys help companies use recycled goods and find energy efficient technology, right?”

“We just redirect them to people who can help them get those resources. It’s practically just connecting the companies that would work great together in helping the environment,” she nodded humbly. 

“That’s amazing,” Matthew smiled. “We need more people and companies like that.”

“Thank you.”

He made note of that on a computer. “I’m assuming with all that, you have to be a little too busy for a second job, right? I don’t need to make note of another?”

“Uh, actually,” she added, Bucky’s already focused eyes on her quirked at her response. “I just invested in a Woman’s shelter with another friend of mine. I haven’t really got to do much with it, but it is a second job as of lately.”

“Wait? Nat?” Bucky caught on.

“Uh, yeah,” she nodded almost shyly. Probably the second time out of this whole meeting that she actually made eye contact with him. “My company works with them in getting some of the resources and items they need for the shelter. I talked with Nat and I invested into it some to help with some with their financial advisements.” 

“Wow, th-that’s,” Bucky faltered. “That sounds like you,” he said with a breathy laugh thinking about how maybe she really hadn’t changed all these years. That being one of the ‘reasons’ they had broken it off, how people change and all. But that’s a story for another time.

Y/N didn’t show a response to his words, but she did take them in. 

“So you run a woman’s home and you run a well-off business that promotes eco-friendly resources for the environment?”

“Well, I don’t run the woman’s home. That’s all my friends doing. I just help where help is asked if I can,” she answered once again humbly. No sense of egotistical pride hinted in her explanations or answers. 

“That’s extremely impressive Y/N,” Matthew gushed some, and Bucky noticed the smallest form of attraction come off the lawyer. He straightened at that. “I’ll make a note of it. And you Mr. Barnes. What is your occupation?”

Bucky relaxed his shoulders and focused back at the issue at hand. Trying to not get jealous of something that wasn’t even his to be jealous of. 

“I’m one of the head occupational therapist at Stark Theracorp,” he answered. Now it was Y/N’s turn to look at him intrigued. “I run the geriatric occupational therapy floor and manage our equipment and employees. ”

“Two very impressive people in the work field from what I’m getting,” Matthew chuckled some as he made the notes. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have to ask about income from the both of you for the record. If you want to write it on a paper and hand it to me you can or if you are comfortable saying it outloud that works too. Either way, I’ll have Foggy add it in later to the finalized papers.”

“Wait, so we aren’t finalizing it today?” Y/N asked, somewhat shocked. 

“Did Foggy not tell you?” Matthew asked. “I thought he reached out to you before this meeting.”

“I don’t believe so,” Y/N shook her head. 

“Well, the reason this one is so quick is because I just need a few signatures and updated notes on you two. After that, I’ll make the altercations for the official papers and I’ll send those to you both on their own to get the final signature. You can either bring them to me here, fax them, or have them sent via mail after you signed off on them.”

“Oh, I see,” Y/N nodded. The look of defeat in her posture and facial expressions.

It hurt Bucky a little seeing her reaction to it. Did she really want to get away from him that bad? Was he that much of a nuisance in her life? I mean, yeah, they were supposed to be divorced 9 years ago, but he didn’t want it then and it still hurt seeing just how much she wanted it now. 

“That’s not an issue is it? I’m terribly sorry for the inconvenience,” Matthew apologized. 

“No, no. It’s ok,” she said in reassurance to him. But she let out an almost bitter laugh before she spoke again. “We’ve been married for the past 9 years apparently. What’s a few more days?”

“I guess that’s true,” Matthew laughed with her. 

Bucky rolled his eyes discreetly. He really hated how she was reacting with all this. It wasn’t surprising, but doesn’t mean it hurts any less seeing how badly she wanted out of the situation.  

“Mr. Barnes, are you ok with that?” 

“I’ll survive a few more days, I guess,” he returned just as bitterly as Y/N. The two looked at each other one more time, but this time, anger and annoyance was clear on both of their faces.

If you would like to be tagged in this series, please send an ask! It keeps things more organized for me. If you comment, I most likely will not add because I loose them:)

- Tags will be closing soon.

Moral of the Story Taglist:

@taylormobley @ximaginx @vicmc624 @leyannrae @lonerlovescompany @jessyballet @angstysebfan @tita127 @semistablecentenarian @im-a-light-child @alyssahowden @studiesinspanish @natyvwe @rebekahdawkins@fanfictionjunkie1112 @millennial-teenybopper @scotlandasshole @aquariusbarnes @shinykoalacat​

Marvel Tags:

@thejourneyneverendsx​ @death-unbecomes-you​ @heyiamthatbitch​ @lizzymacy555​  @srrymydood​ @xa-dia​ @redhairedfeistynerd​ @morganclaire4​ @connie326​ @captain-asguard​ @mollygetssherlockcoffee​ @teenagedreams-bucky​ @shower-me-with-roses​ @pham-tastical @livstilinski​

My Lovelies forever:

@natura1phenomenon​ @lauravicente​ @kakakatey​ @traceyaudette​ @notyourtypicalrose​  @laneygthememequeen​ @awesome-badass-cafeteria-sauce​ @sandlee44​ @thorne93​ @thefaithfulwriter​ @essie1876​ @greyeyedsmile14​ @capsiclehan​  @xostephanie​ @averyrogers83​ @awesomenursingstudent​ @gh0stgurl​ @cs-please​ @carls1022​ @jjlevin​ @rainbowkisses31​ @anise-d-castle6​ @deannotmoose​ @their-bibliophile​ @kitkatd7​ @willowbleedsonpaper​ @mariaenchanted​ @snffbeebee​ @couldabeenamermaid​ @rebekahdawkins​ @alyispunk​ @princess-annna

Bucky Barnes Tags:

@chloe-skywalker​ @charmedbysarge​ @jbarness​ @bellamy-barnes​ @katiaw2​ @aikeia​ @stopjustlovethemcu​

[stockholmdolly]

EASY PREY (BEWARE OF THE LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD) 25

Characters: Brock Rumlow, Bucky Barnes, reader, mentions of Bruce Banner (he’s like a secondary character tho)

Warnings: false testimony in a courtroom? Also, what's the correct word, is it lying? lie-ing? hahaha for my life I didn’t know and yeah, I put a different thing lol

Word count: 3,960

Author’s note: Hello fanfiction world, it is me! Stockholm Dolly. I’m not going to say anything because we are at the end and this is getting exciting. I didn’t really proofread this last chapters because I’m at work, so I hope I didn’t fuck up that much, sorry in advance. Happy reading...😈

CHAPTER 25/26 THE TRIAL

I knew enough about mens rea to be dangerous. Although she is a civil trial and government enforcement attorney, my mother kept her criminal law Bar Exam book. The one chapter on criminal intent or mens rea, a culpable state of mind, fascinated me. I read it when I was fourteen and again when I was fifteen and again when I was sixteen, after the whole ordeal. I was obsessed with Law & Order and true crime documentaries. For a death sentence to stick, or my fallback, the life sentence without parole, I’d make damn sure there was no doubt in the minds of jurors that Banner—the only one who got a trial—had mens rea. As with my captors, my revenge plan for these villains had triple layers of insurance.

If you’re a legal scholar reading this, you may be confused why the federal government didn’t try Banner in a federal trial and why it was Indiana who got the spoils of war. I don’t know the details, really, but some sort of exchange was made between Rumlow, Sharon, and Indiana, which allowed Indiana, the one we thought most committed to throwing criminals in a dirty hole, to hold the golden keys to damnation.

As the months ticked closer to trial, Banner became especially villainous; he’s the only one who wouldn’t accept the prosecution’s onerous plea deals or try the other’s Road to continual judgment, and thus the only one who insisted on a trial by his peers. What peers? I kept thinking. How could he possibly have peers? He killed Tery. He could have saved her. He’s not human. He’s not even good enough to be an animal. He’s a lesser form. He’s nothing. Peers?

Since they’d block me from entering Banner’s holding cell with a machete, I worked hard at his conviction. A conspiracy to kidnap and attempt murder—both felonies—would be easy to get, and since people died in the commission of these felonies, his offense was punishable by death. So far, so good. A death occurring in the commission of a felony is a murder attributable to all conspirators, even if they did not pull the trigger as they say, or, in my specific case, push the deceased into a box spring pool to drown and electrify, or purposefully leave a pregnant woman and her fetus to die avoidable deaths.

As anticipated, Banner argued that Tery would have died regardless of and not “but for” the felony. A drowning rat will claw at any splinter floating in the ocean. I could not allow Banner’s argument to go unchecked, so I prepared my testimony.

Courtrooms are actually quite similar to what you see on TV. The one in which I testified had dark wood paneling to about eight feet high on the four windowless walls. The pews for the onlookers, interested family members, courtroom junkies, media, and sketch artists were about ten rows deep. Past them and through a hip-high swinging door, were large tables, the left side for the prosecution, the right for the asshole loser defendant. At the very front was the Judge’s raised bench, a seat to her side for a witness, and the court reporter in front.

Banner’s trial took place six months after I was freed, fast-tracked really, and I’d slimmed back down to my prenatal size. On the day I was called as the star witness, I sat outside in a wooden chair, the kind with the indents for your butt cheeks, and I swung my feet, dressed in stylish leather Mary Janes. Mother refused to allow the prosecutors to dress me as some frumpy, poor castaway just to garner jurors’ sympathy. She said such a show would encourage “reverse bias” or “reverse discrimination” and was “lazy lawyering.” Oh, don’t you worry, Mother had her claws firmly sunk in the prosecution’s strategy, and she knew what she was doing. She was the best trial lawyer anyone could ever hope to have.

My black shoes matched nicely with my simple, black, cap sleeve dress, which had two straight pleats darting from the hip seam. Of course, it was lined. Of course, it was from Italy. Of course, it cost a fortune. Mother lent me her best pair of giant diamond studs, which was the only jewelry she afforded my appearance in court, much to the discontent of one of the raggedy state female prosecutors who wanted me in a string of innocent pearls.

- Pearls? Pearls? Good Grace, woman, pearls are for insipid sorority girls and underappreciated wives. Pearls are not for my daughter. She’s better than that. Mother later told me that pearls are also for slutty idiots who don’t know good fashion and only think pearls are good fashion because “Audrey Hepburn wore them in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” She forced air through her nose and continued, “But, film is film, and she’s Audrey Hepburn, and that’s the single instance in history when pearls were okay.”

So, there I sat in the court’s wooden chair, clad in a rich black dress, looking funereal but wealthy, not wearing any pearls, when they called my name to enter the court. On my way in, I passed Tony Stark, who had just left the stand and was being escorted out by the sheriff. The prosecution had offered him a deal in exchange for his testimony against Banner, no more teammates and family in this courtroom.

So, Stark passed me and how striking he looked in that country courtroom.

I held back the wink I wanted to give Mother, who sat behind the state prosecutor, for she was the one who predicted Stark would do this, and she was the one who insisted on the precise timing of my entrance. Mother and I both looked at the jurors. I noted how they noted Stark’ display of superiority too. A neat man in a salmon-colored sweater mouthed “damn” and jotted something in his juror’s notepad.

Manipulating these fine details, predicting the personalities and actions of others, balling all the minutiae into a legal strategy, was the game of trial lawyers, who are no more than masters of theatrics. Producers and lead actors rolled into one. I almost got the bug to go into law myself from the whole experience, but how dreadful it is to spend your life in those windowless coffins they call courtrooms.

You already know the full extent of my interactions with Banner. I’ve told you, he came on three different days: once by himself when he had cold fingers, during which he said nothing; once with Natasha for all of one minute, and again really said nothing; and the last time, when he violated me with the ultrasound wand for Stark and Natasha. That was it. I knew nothing about him, except that he caused Tery’s death by refusing to treat her. He looked like a log of wood. When Sharon cuffed him, I noticed his fly was down. When I said “Check” to him, he toggled his head so I could look straight into his red-veined eyes, and then he belched.

But six months later, when I passed through the swinging doors of Courtroom 2A and waltzed up to the witness stand, I found a completely transformed man. The defense had given him a pin-striped suit, a white-collared shirt, and a tasteful red tie. He could have been a politician or a banker. His face was slick-smooth and his hair waved and gelled like Superman’s. Frankly, if I didn’t know he was a monster, and if I allowed for rampant female hormonal fluctuations, I might have formed a crush on him. Instead, with the jurors to my left and unable to see my turned face, I provided him with an ever-so-subtle wink and flicked my eyebrows, letting him know the game was on.

He stiffened, breathed deep, and hunched his shoulders to his ears, appearing like a cat scared of the full moon.

Recall, Banner’s defense was that Tery would have died regardless of and not “but for” the felony. And I knew all this because Mother didn’t let anything fly by me.

I sat in the witness chair, nodded hello to the kind but firm lady Judge Rosen, sitting higher than me in her Judge’s perch. I swore on a Bible, answered the questions of who I was and where I lived and other biographical foundation points, identified Banner as the man who examined me, and then added the missing ingredients needed by the prosecution.

With my eyes down, I sniffled my nose in a certain way that I’ve found produces tears. When my eyes were wet enough, I looked to a sympathetic grandma in the jury and explained how on two occasions Banner told my captor: “Tery would do well in a hospital. But who gives a shit? We’re throwing her in the ditch as soon as she gives birth anyway.” I added a flourish to this lie by saying he chuckled like a cartoon villain whenever he said this. Then I garnished it all by saying he also said, “Let’s wait it out. Maybe she’ll get better and the baby will be fine, and we’ll have three babies to sell to HYDRA. Otherwise, we’ll throw them both in the ditch as planned. We are obviously not sending her to the hospital. If she continues to decline, stop feeding her.”

Banner yelled, interrupting my testimony, “That’s not true. That’s not true at all!”

I slunk into my chair and feigned fright, sucking my bottom lip while pleading with bulging eyes for the good judge to protect me. Tick-tock, crocodile tears did flow.

- Your Honor, it is true. It is true, I cried.

- You will sit down and hold your tongue in this courtroom, sir! She bellowed. “One more outburst and I’ll find you in contempt. Do you understand me?”

Silence.

- Do you understand me!

- Yes, Ma’am, yes, Your Honor, Banner said, with head bowed, sitting back down, I don’t how he doesn’t Hulk out there but he was surprisingly calmed.

But then defense counsel popped up, and their table performed a Whac-A-Mole game. Banner popping up and down and counsel popping up. I had to suck in my cheeks and tilt my view to stare at a water stain on the court’s ceiling so as not to laugh at such slapstick. I also did that eye maneuver again so the tears could continue crocking down my pretty little face.

- Apologies, Your Honor, there will be no further interruption, defense counsel said.

Mother told me this would happen. She said I could say anything at all up on the stand because the defense would be loath to call me a liar in front of the jurors. At most, they’d question my ability to recall details and events accurately, but they wouldn’t call me a liar. Mother didn’t know in advance I was actually going to lie. I didn’t want her to bear that burden. I had no problem bearing it myself.

Still, I did catch her skeptical look, which turned into a smirk of pride, when I tearfully pleaded with the judge about my truthful testimony. Mother knows I don’t cry, and she’d heard my account of my time in confinement a thousand times, during which I knew enough to give some vague indication that I’d heard Banner say certain things—but I’d never really given the details. I had wanted to keep my options open on where my story might go, make sure the tale went where the prosecution needed. So, Mother knew enough to be skeptical.

Everyone settled back down, and Judge Rosen shouted at the prosecutor, “Well, continue then. Go on. I want to get to a good point for a recess.” Turning to me, she said, “You okay to continue?”

- Yes, Ma’am, I said, in a timid but confident voice.

The prosecutor rolled around on his heels, picked up a plate and said, “Exhibit 77.” Tery’s plate.

- Yes, sir, that is the plate. Steve Rogers is the one who delivered my food and had her plate, too, in the beginning. I saw the letter ‘T’ labeled on the front from the very start. Lie. The prosecutor presented the note I found in the kitchen with the letter T, “Exhibit 78.” “Yes, that is the note. He must have delivered my meals first. But about a week before I escaped, he stopped bringing her plate when he came to my room. Sometimes, before that, I watched him through my keyhole eating off the same plate. In the bathroom garbage there were these post-it notes with the letter ‘T’ on them. He ate her food.” All lies. “He must have been following Banner’s orders to let Tery starve.” Most likely, a lie.

Defense counsel threw an apoplectic fit, practically cursing out objections to “speculation” and “lack of foundation” and blah, blah, blah, but in my side-eye inspection of the gasping jurists, I knew the damage had been done. The bell has been rung, I said in my subtle glance at Banner, who wrote notes and loudly whispered to his defenseless defense lawyer.

Checkmate, bitch.

I lied mercilessly and I sobbed on cue. Three jurists, including one man, cried. It was a disastrous day for The Hulk. Boo-hoo. Rot in hell. I have no remorse for my false testimony. Everything else I said was truthful, and I believed my testimony to be the truth anyway. If embellishing reality got the stiffest sentence possible and avoided the usual and despicable plea agreements, so be it. Justice would be served. Cold. On a toile-patterned Wedgwood china plate.

They dredged the ditch to find three girls and two fetuses. Banner argued most vocally about the ditch and denied being involved in the “past murders.” He claimed that while on a week-long drug haze during one of their Avengers missions, Natasha threatened him to be part of the team and help found the new HYDRA lead by Steve as Captain Hydra himself. Natasha had actually scouted Tery months and months before she was taken, given that Tery tried to do the right thing and sought medical care as soon as she’d missed her period. The criminals let her stew in her pregnancy at home, until they snagged her.

Anything happening before or during Tery’s incarceration, however, Banner “was not involved,” he claimed. “They brought me in because they had threatened me with something bad from that mission, something I saw that day and they didn’t want us to know. They might have done the surgeries themselves, I don’t know, or they may have had another physician,” he told Brock.

Predictably, he pled the Fifth at trial. The prosecution forensically analyzed his past patterns and records and came up with inconclusive evidence of prior involvement. As such, Judge Rosen barred mention of the bodies in the ditch, but not the fact of the ditch’s existence on the property, as it had been a threat about which I testified. Good old Judge Rosen snapped at the prosecutor, “Connect the dots and bring me a new case on the other murders.” I was not comfortable in taking my missionary fiction to this level, so I declined to connect those dots myself. I could have easily testified, Banner made reference to ‘the others in the ditch’ and ‘throw them in just as we did the others.’” But I had a level of doubt as to his involvement with these other victims, and I had to trust that justice would find a way, eventually.

As it turns out, “T,” Tery, had been in captivity for one week longer than me. When the detectives scoured the boarding school, which Ransom and Stark bought in a foreclosure auction two years prior, they found a “lost and found” bin and a teachers’ lounge. They surmised my pencil case came from the bin and Tery’s knitting supplies and books from the lounge. They also speculated that Tery made my red blanket before my arrival and that my captor stole it from her. I choose to believe she knit with her fingers on fire, looping and purling with a furious intent of offering a weapon to our war chest.

Why would a captor give his victim knitting needles? Aren’t they sharp? Can’t they do harm? From holding Tery myself, I can tell you, she was weak; her arms were thinner than mine. Short too, about five foot one. But worse yet, she was riddled in pain, incapable of walking down the steps for rescue without my support. You’d think the adrenaline drummed up at being freed would supply some strength. Not so. So, no, I’m sure our captor was not concerned the needles would be used against him. Plus, he was dumb.

I dumped my hot chocolate in the sink.

I told you she was soft. Even if she was right.

As for Banner, I was relentless, insatiable, mad with revenge. A conspiracy for justice is no aberration of the laws of Mother Nature, although it might be an aberration of a legislature’s over-generalized and unworthy laws.

My mother took a leave of absence. She used up all her favors to get appointed to assist the prosecutor. CEOs she’d saved from white-collar jail who had senators for sons moved whatever mountains she pointed to blocking her way. “I’m not about to let some government-paid first-year second-chair this case,” she said. She had the devil in her, just as I had.

I did try with her, right before the trial. We were once again in her study at home; she sat in her throne chair, absorbed in forcibly editing the prosecutor’s Motions in Limine—these are pre-trial motions both sides file in an attempt to bar certain evidence and bar certain arguments. Since it was early December, and since everything was picture perfect in our New Hampshire home, the Christmas lights on our early-cut tree in the adjoining foyer reflected a rainbow of colors on her deeply waxed floor. The spotlight outside her window revealed a thick falling snow on the dark night. I was warmed, standing by the roaring fire in her office fireplace, waiting for her to look up from the massacre she gave those draft motions. My babies were snoring upstairs with Bucky, he was a dutiful father and quit helping in the tower and Brock to concentrate on being a stay-at-home dad, he was hands-in in this parenting thing, letting me prepare for the trial. I watched him with our baby boy, his rounded belly so full of milk and his onesie so soft on his silk skin, I figured he might sleep an eternity with a burpy baby smile etched in his perfect, chubby cheeks.

I watched her. She didn’t relent in marking up the pages, flipping angrily, muttering things about the prosecutor’s writing, such as, “Drivel,” “For Fucking Crying Out Loud,” “Moronic,” “Do you even know what commas are?” “Mother of all that is, what?” “Seriously?” And, “I’ll just have to write this from scratch, I guess.”

As she continued murder-editing, I recalled my time in the VW with Ransom. I remembered how I had vowed to try with Mother. While turning toward the fire and placing my palms closer to the flames for nearer warmth, I continued my maternal observations. How she moved her Cross pen across the page, biting her lip as she read new paragraphs, X’ing whole those paragraphs, I wondered, could I love her? Openly?

I turned on my Love switch for Mother. And as I did, I remembered I had tried this long before. The experiment didn’t end up good then, nor did I think it would end well this time. The emotion for her was too painful. A slow sweat formed on my neck, and a wave of nausea buckled my stomach. It seemed as though a hand was squeezing my heart. I continued to try, but with the trying, my muscles seized in anxiety. When is she going to leave again for another trial and for how long? Will she ever look up to see me here, in her office? Will she give me any time away from her work? Play a game with me? Talk to me about nothing important? Joke? Tell me a joke?

I continued to try. I continued to worry. My anxiety revealed itself in a deep breathing, and then I began to cry. In her office. In front of her. And embarrassment accompanied my love.

- Y/N, Y/N. Oh my, Y/N. What is it? she said.

She jolted from her chair and crossed the room faster than as if I had sat my body in the well of the fireplace to burn myself. Encapsulating me, kissing my cheek, she kept repeating, “Y/N, Y/N, Y/N.” I don’t know if she remembered the time when I was eight and had tried this and reacted the same way, but I did, and I recalled how I shut it all off then, just as I was committed to do again.

So, I could convey what I really felt, I chose to keep Love on for one more minute, still fretting she’d release her hold on me and return to her work.

Crying, I said, “Mom, I do love you. I hope you know. It’s just too hurtful to…”

- Y/N, she said, hushing me by pressing my face into her cashmere sweater shoulder. “Y/N, Y/N, Y/N. I am your mother. And although it breaks my heart to allow you to turn cold to me, it would be far too selfish for me to ask you to love me openly. I understand. If there’s one thing, I’ve learned in growing through raising you, I understand. You are stronger than I could ever ask to be, and I quite like you that way. You’re what I aim to be, you’re my shining hope, my love. So, if you need to stay strong, then you do whatever you need to do to be as strong as you can be. You’ve saved me, you’ve saved yourself, and I want you to always be just who you are. You are perfect. You are perfect. You are everything to me. Some of us have to bury our past in papers, darling. Some of us, well actually only you, are lucky enough to turn off switches. I think you’re blessed. You’re blessed, darling. I love you. Hush now.”

I allowed Love to encase her words in a titanium shell, locked her hug in there too, stored the whole shelled moment deep within my memory bank, and swayed with her a few more seconds in the glow of the fire. And as she pulled away to check my eyes, her hands on my biceps, I shut Love off, but kept Gratitude firmly on.

As for my actions in captivity and my testimony during the trial, I understand now how my mind worked, even if I had not yet harnessed the rationale behind my actions. My captors threatened to kill or take my children, and they meant to follow through with both threats. Because of this, they deserved to die at my hand. The others who were complicit with these threats also deserved to die, or rot in jail while being tortured. I am not ashamed for seeking revenge or for having to lie to do so. I am, however, ashamed that I failed to exact revenge more efficiently, in one act taken them all out. My assets, although wonderful, did not afford me such luxury.

Mostly, I’m ashamed of my abject disregard of time. Some days I can barely look myself in the mirror for having practiced so much for perfection, when I should have acted sooner and saved Tery.

Taglist: @cjand10​

[howdoyousleep3]

OMFG i only JUST got a chance to read your 2k celebration origin story fic and i am DYINGGG. when bucky asked “now?” i swear that was the softest shit ever and i, like steve, melted from the cuteness.

this just made me want SO SO SO SO MUCH of their story like i want that first date and everything in between and idk it’s funny because i came here for the smut but i stayed for THEM. the way you write them is everything to me i love their relationship. idk if you ever plan to write more things like this without the smut but i bet i’m not the only one who lovesssssss it.

this meet cute really made me think of that first fic we have of them, where bucky shows up at steves? it just makes it so much sadder—how uncertain bucky was then and how steve must have felt😔Ohhh, these two🥺My heart

(this made me have 2 questions-how old are steve and bucky again? and have you said what type of law steve practices? i forgot and this is important to me🥰)

Ahhhh, sweet baby of course he wanted to keep his first night with Steve goinggggg, ahhhh so cute. I should include more of their domestic moments and the beginning of their relationship. Yes, I had No One Else on my mind as I wrote the end of the 2K Celebration. I think I might need to fill some more gaps in the future. 

Questions! I have answers. 

Bucky is around 23/24/25 maybe. He is in school, went right into grad school after a 5-year program. Steve is about 35! I’ve been thinking about what kind of lawyer he would be and I think he’d be a Civil Rights Attorney. It’s very fitting for him to fight for the rights of others who need help, be it Immigration, Discrimination, Human, Civil Liberties, etc. 

I haven’t answer that questions specifically before so thank you for letting me do that now, sugarbug! 💕

[80yrscap]

A night at the Garden

Political speech is protected, even intentional lies, even fascist lies meant to destroy us. This story is wartime Captain America comics’ argument that it’s never worthwhile to listen to a Nazi talk, and the best defense is a good right fist.

The villain is the charismatic leader of a violent political movement based in New York. He relies on established law to protect his voice, while simultaneously encouraging his followers to tear down the law and remove legal protections for the most vulnerable among us. You may recognize this maneuver from every social media platform ever.

20,000 Americans flock to Madison Square Garden, eager to hear a Nazi’s lies.

Oops, wrong image. 20,000 Americans flock to Madison Square Garden, eager to hear a Nazi’s lies.

This being a comic book for children, there is no uncut Nazi rhetoric. Instead, the Reaper’s speech is Nietzsche-lite nonsense. 

“The beasts in the jungle heed no laws... are they not happy? Have they any wars? Are they not creatures of nature... even as ourselves? I say, destroy your laws. Abolish your laws! Do whatever you want! There is no such thing as wrong!”

At Camp Lehigh, Steve and Bucky listen along on the radio. Steve is worried, and rightly so.

The Reaper’s philosophy permeates all levels of American society. In courtrooms, defense attorneys argue that there is no wrong. In classrooms, schoolyard bullies argue that there is no wrong. On the streets, rioters violently attack representatives of government and public order.

The Reaper himself stays away from violence. This makes him untouchable. Civil authorities are at a loss.

Enter Steve Rogers. Steve tries his usual tactic of physical intimidation.

It’s not effective. The Reaper politely calls the cops.

Next Steve goes to the Reaper’s rally and tries his backup tactic, a dramatic speech.

It’s not effective. The Reaper has already fully discredited Captain America in the eyes of his followers.

Bucky has proof that the Reaper is actually a foreign enemy agent, and as such his anti-government speech is not protected. This is a bit of a cop-out, and the story seems to agree because it doesn’t change anything.

At this point Steve is ready to try his favorite tactic, all-out Nazi punching. He chases the Reaper into a dark subway tunnel. But before Steve can really get his licks in, the Reaper trips over the third rail and dies. 

Without its leader the political movement fizzles out, and that’s it for Hitler’s left-hand man.

Captain America #22, on sale November 1942.

[that-nico-diangelo]

Muse Wanted Connections List

Nico Di Angelo || 20 || Unemployed || Percy Jackson

Paired: Casper

Connections:  gods/goddesses, he needs a bestie.  Maybe a therapist.  Someone to spar with him/train his abilities with

Specific: Jason Grace, Reyna Ramirez-Arellano

Jason Todd || 25 || Fight Club/Bartender || DC

Paired: Jean Grey

Connections: Coworkers, One night stands, more friends (takes some work but he’s loyal), fellow antihero/vigilantes

Specific: Dick Greyson, Tim Drake, Talia Al Ghul, Joker

Stephanie Brown || 21 || Bookstore Clerk || DC

Paired: Robin Buckley

Connections: Friends, Friends with Benefits, A mother-esque figure

Specific: Dick Greyson, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne

Ruby || Ancient || Stripper || Supernatural

Paired: Faith LeHane

Connections: Coworkers, regular customers, friends, people who wanna make deals with demons, Friends with Benefits, One Night Stands

Specific: Sam Winchester

Luke Castellan || 22 || University Student || Percy Jackson

Paired: Cecily Herondale

Connections: Enemies, One Night stands, sparring partner, other demigods

Specific: Hermes, Thalia

James Potter || 21 || Waiter at Benbow Inn || Harry Potter

Pairing: Lily Evans

Connections: Coworkers, friends, enemies, troublemaking pals

Specific: Voldemort/Tom Riddle

Jace Herondale || 25 || Cab Driver || Shadowhunters

Pairing: Johanna Mason

Connections: Friends, coworkers, regular riders, a therapist

Specific: Lilith, Maryse Lightwood, The Owl (if you’re feeling creative/mean)

Harry Hook || 23 || Hitman at the Continental || Descendants

Pairing: Gil Legume

Connections:  Coworkers, Boss figure, friends, One night stands, enemies

Specific: Captain Hook, CJ Hook

Irene Adler || 35 || Philosophy Professor || Sherlock Holmes

Pairing: Sherlock Holmes

Connections: Students, Friends with benefits, colleagues, friends, partner in crime, people she’s robbed/conned

Specific: John Watson

Diego Hargreeves/Number 2 || 30 || Fight Club || Umbrella Academy

Pairing: Eudora Patch

Connections: Other fighters, budding friendships.

Specific: Luther, Vanya, Allison, Five, Reginald Hargreeves

Clint Barton || 39 || Bouncer & Fight Club || Marvel

Pairing: Laura Barton

Connections: Coworkers, fighters, enemies, Therapist

Specific: Thanos, Nick Fury, Kate Bishop

Geralt of Rivia || 94 || Nurser || The Witcher

Pairing: Yennefer 

Connections: Co-workers, random people he’s helped, One night stands, friends with benefits, enemies.

Specific: Zoltan, Iorweth

Valkyrie || Ancient || Commander at LCPD || Marvel

Pairing: Kassandra

Connections:  Co-workers, one night stands, friends with benefits, friends, sparring partners

Specific: Thor, Bruce Banner

Morgan Stark || 22 || Student at UNLV || Marvel

Pairing: Lila Barton

Connections: Fellow students, friends, colleagues, professors, enemies

Specific: Bruce Banner, Sam Wilson

Ben Hargreeves/ Number 6 || 30 || Counselor at UNLV || Umbrella Academy

Pairing: Shuri

Connections: Students, people he’s counseling, friends, fellow people with powers.  

Specific: Luther, Vanya, Allison, Five, Reginald Hargreeves

Arthur Pendragon || 26 || Owns Amagi Inn || Merlin

Pairing: Gwen

Connections: Employees, friends, enemies, fellow former rulers.

Specific: Merlin, Lancelot, Percival, Uther

Jack Frost || Ancient || Student at UNLV || Rise of the Guardians

Pairing: Toothiana

Connections: Classmates, teachers, friends, enemies, one night stands

Specific: Easter Bunny, Sandman, Man in the Moon, Pitch Black

Maleficent || 38 || Professor at UNLV || Disney’s Maleficent

Pairing: Conall/Diaval

Connections: Students, Co-workers, Friends, friends with benefits, enemies, fellow fae she’ll want to protect.

Specific: Prince Philip, Stefan, Any of the dark fae/fae in general.

Illya Kuryakin || 32 || Head of Security at Wayne Enterprises || Man from UNCLE

Pairing: Gaby Teller/Napoleon Solo

Connections: Employees, enemies, one night stands, friends with benefits

Specific: None

Jughead Jones || 20 || Journalist || Riverdale

Pairing:  Shock

Connections: Coworkers, friends, enemies, 

Specific: Literally anyone else from Riverdale

Stiles Stilinski || 23 || Police Officer || Teen Wolf

Pairing: Derek Hale

Connections:  Coworkers, enemies, one night stands

Specific; Malia, Theo, Erica, The Nogitsune, 

Lady Death || Ageless || Mortician || Marvel

Pairing: Currently unpaired

Connections: Friends, coworkers, friends with benefits, one night stands

Specific: Thanos

Regulus Black || 20 || Student at UNLV || Harry Potter

Pairing: Steve Harington

Connections: Friends, classmates, teachers, one night stands, people into dark magic

Specific: Kreacher, Walburga Black

Jade Nguyen || 34 || Hitman at the Continental Hotel || DC

Pairing:  John Wick

Connections: Coworkers, enemies, one night stands

Specific: Roy Harper, Artemis

Eris || Ancient || Owns Seven Devils || Sinbad

Pairing: Currently unpaired

Connections: Friends, Enemies, people who’s lives she’s ruined, people who love chaos, one night stands

Specific: Sinbad

Madzi || 20 || Student at UNLV || Shadowhunters

Pairing: Josie Saltzman

Connections:  Friends, classmates, one night stands, fellow magicians

Specific: None

James Rogers || 24 || Dojo Instructor || Marvel

Pairing: Bella Swan

Connections: Other Superheroes, coworkers, students, friends, frenemies

Specific: Ultron, Torunn, 

Carl Grimes || 19 || Student at UNLV || Walking Dead

Pairing: Nina Gursky

Connections: Classmates, Teachers, maybe a therapist.  Friends

Specific: Rick Grimes, Michonne

Atreus || 23 || Citadel Clerk & Fighter || God of War

Pairing: Jenny

Connections: Sparring partners, fellow demigods, coworkers, friends

Specific: Freya, Mimir

Finnick Odair || 25 || Tailor Shop Manager || Hunger Games

Pairing: Annie Cresta

Connections: Coworkers, friends, therapist, enemies

Specific: President Snow, Mags, Peeta Mellark

Blossom Utonium || 22 || Student at UNLV || Powerpuff Girls

Pairing: Brick Jojo

Connections: Classmates, Teachers, friends, enemies, 

Specific:  The professor, HIM, Mojo Jojo

Magnus Bane || 400+ || Owns The Screaming Cat || Shadowhunters

Pairing: Alec Lightwood

Connections: Employees, fellow warlocks, enemies, clients both magical and otherwise

Specific: Camille

BD-1 || 20 || Student at UNLV || Star Wars: Fallen Order

Pairing: BB-8

Connections: Fellow droids/androids, Classmates, teachers, friends, jedi and sith

Specific: Cere, Greez, Trilla

Raphael Santiago || 79 || Owns Medical Clinic || Shadowhunters

Pairing: Simon Lewis

Connections: Other vampires he can assist, friends, enemies, fellow downworlders,

Specific: Camilla

Leta Lestrange || 24 || Public School Teacher || Fantastic Beasts

Pairing: Queenie Goldstein

Connections: Students, Colleagues, friends, enemies, other witches

Specific: Theseus Scamander, 

Will Herondale || 18 || Citadel Clerk & Fighter || Shadowhunters

Pairing: Princess Aurora

Connections: Coworkers, Sparring partners, friends with benefits

Specific: Jem Carstairs, Tessa Grey

Katniss Everdeen || 18 || Fighter || Hunger Games

Pairing: Koriand’r

Connections: Friends, sparring partner, fighters, rivals, therapist

Specific: Peeta Mellark, Gale Hawthorne, Cinna

Poe Dameron || 32 || Fighter & Firefighter || Star Wars

Pairing: Finn

Connections: Coworkers, enemies, fellow rebels, one night stands

Specific: Chewbacca, Zorii 

Lucy Pevensie || 20 || Doctor || Chronicles of Narnia

Pairing: Currently Unpaired

Connections: Patients, coworkers, friends, magicians of any sort, fairytale creatures

Specific: Peter Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Eustace Scrubb, Mr.Tumnus

Steve Rogers || 95 || Owns Hawke’s Gym || Marvel

Pairing: Bucky Barnes

Connections: Employees, clients, fellow heroes, maybe a therapist

Specific: Sam Wilson, Thor, Bruce Banner

Ahsoka Tano || 20 || Owns The Sanctuary || Star Wars

Pairing: Emily

Connections: Employees, friends, jedi, enemies, 

Specifics: Anakin Skywalker, Padme Amidala, Commander Rex

Adrien Agreste || 25 || Bartender at Seven Devils || Miraculous Ladybug

Pairing: Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Connections: Coworkers, friends, one night stands, sparring partner, superhero buddies

Specifics: Gabriel or Emilie Agreste

Toothless || 23 || Student at UNLV || How to Train Your Dragon

Pairing: Lightfury

Connections: Friends, classmates, teachers, tutors, people who like dragons

Specifics: Any of his kids, Stoick, Stormfly, Grimmel, Drago Bludvist

Pietro Maximoff || 25 || Bartender at Lux || Marvel

Pairing: Kara Danvers

Connections: Superheroes in general, friends, coworkers, regular customers, one night stands

Specifics: Vision

Isaac Lahey || 24 || Motorcycle Specialist || Teen Wolf

Pairing: Vernon Boyd

Connections: Friends, packmates/fellow werewolves, enemies, coworkers

Specifics: Erica, Cora

Ezio Auditore || 25 || Bartender at The Eagle’s Perch || Assassin’s Creed

Pairing: Leonardo Da Vinci

Connections: Friends, Coworkers, fellow assassins, templars, enemies

Specifics: Bayek, Desmond Miles, Caterina

Katara || 20 || TA at Xavier’s School || Last Airbender

Pairing: Bianca Di Angelo

Connections: Friends, coworkers, other benders, enemies

Specifics: Aang, Sokka, Toph.

Arwen Udómiel || Ancient || Director at the Medical Clinic || LOTR

Pairing: Aragorn

Connections: Other elves, friends, coworkers, patients, sparring partner

Specifics: Elrond, Legolas, Gimli, Frodo

Kaa || 24 || Stripper || Jungle Book

Pairing: Kidagakash

Connections: Friends with Benefits, One Night Stands, clients, friends, enemies, people she can hypnotize/con

Specifics: Mowgli, Bagheera, Shere Khan

Peter Pettigrew || 25 || Clerk at Mr.Gold’s || Harry Potter

Pairing: Petunia Evans

Connections: Friends, a therapist, personal trainer, anyone willing to be nice to him

Specifics: Voldemort/Tom Riddle

Eddie Brock/Venom || 30 || Journalist || Marvel

Pairing: Cassidy

Connections: Friends, aliens, a Therapist, Enemies, sparring partner, spider-people

Specifics: Anne Weying, Riot

Aslan || Centuries || Counselor at UNLV || Narnia

Pairing: Amalthea

Connections:  Friends in general, patients, enemies, everything really.

Specifics: Peter Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Eustace Scrubb, Jadis

T’Challa || 35 || Civil Rights Attorney at City Hall || Marvel

Pairing: Jessica Jones

Connections: Friends, Coworkers, more family members, clients, enemies

Specifics: Kilmonger, Nakia, M’Baku

Jacen Solo || 28 || Fighter at Fight Club || Star Wars

Pairing: Mitchell McKinnon

Connections: Other Jedi/Sith, friends, rivals, other fighters, enemies

Specifics: Ben Skywalker, Anakin Solo, Tenel Ka

Damien Wayne || 20 || Student at UNLV and Assistant at Wayne Enterprises || DC

Pairing: Currently Unpaired

Connections: Friends, other DC heroes and villains, classmates

Specifics:  Tim Drake, Dick Greyson, Talia Al Ghul

Matt Murdock || 32 || Lawyer at Beaumont Law Offices || Marvel

Pairing:  Sidney Prescott

Connections: Friends, Clients, enemies, you name it.

Specifics: Foggy, Karen Page, Electra

Pamela Isley || 33 || Head Caretaker of LC Gardens || DC

Pairing: Harley Quinn

Connections: Fellow plant enthusiasts, people who want to cause trouble, heroes, friends,

Specifics: Joker, Dick Greyson

Zatanna Zatara || 35 || Owner of The Black Butterfly || DC

Pairing: Currently Unpaired

Connections: Other magic users, friends, enemies, clients

Specifics: None currently

Mipha || 68 || Doctor at Limbo City Medical Clinic || Breath of the Wild

Pairing: Currently Unpaired

Connections: All of them.  Mipha loves/cares about everyone, good or bad alike.

Specifics: Ganon, Urbosa, Daruk, Revali

Fili || 82 || Cab Driver and Fighter in Underground Fight Club || The Hobbit

Pairing: Pippen Meriadoc

Connections: Friends, co-workers (he’s been here for nearly a decade, so feel free to assume any connections you like

Specifics: Thorin, any of the other Dwarves, Tauriel

John Winchester || 45 || Manager at Mr.Gold’s || Supernatural

Pairing: Mary Winchester

Connections: Other Hunters, friends, enemies, supernatural people he can be nervous around.

Specifics: Bobby Singer 

Trixie Espinoza || 24 || Manager at Seven Devils || Lucifer

Pairing: Currently Unpaired

Connections: Employees/coworkers, friends, other supernatural beings

Specifics: Danny Espinoza, Mazikeen

Raven Darkholme || looks 27|| Manager at Limbo’s Bimbo’s, Underground Fight Club Fighter

Pairing: Irene Adler/Destiny

Connections: Xmen, other mutants, enemies, new friends

Specifics: Charles Xavier

Scorpius Malfoy || 23 || Teacher at Limbo City Public School || Harry Potter

Pairing: Primrose Everdeen

Connections: Former classmates, other teachers, friends

Specifics: Draco Malfoy, 

Ygritte || 25 || Security at the Eagle’s Perch || GOT

Pairing: Jon Snow

Connections: Friends, warrior buddies, other free folk

Specifics: Mance Rayder, Tormund Giantsbane, 

Peggy Carter || 27 || Lieutenant at the LCPD || Marvel

Pairing: Daniel Souza

Connections: SHIELD personell, friends,  enemies, pretty much everything.

Specifics: Howard Stark, Jarvis

Thomas || 20 || Student at UNLV || The Maze Runner 

Pairing: Newt

Connections: WCKD people, Other gladers, new friends, people to prevent him doing self-endangering shit.

Specifics: Minho, Gally, Chuck, Alby, Theresa, Ava Paige

[oceteva]

Justice | Marvel ~ First Client

[Slowburn!Frank Castle x OC] Word count :5,306 Info | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2

Amelia Mansfield stormed into the police station with her two fellow lawyers only a couple of steps behind while everyone else in New York was still trying to wake up from their weekend hangover. The brunette woman couldn't believe the phone call she had received this morning when she was walking Bucky down the street for his morning walk. Amelia's close friend and police Sergeant, Brett Mahoney, had told Amelia that while M.M.N. Associates's client was supposed to be safety asleep in her cell, she was attacked by a man that just so happens to work for the police department.

Amelia was furious with how Karen Page was treated in the custody of New York's finest. That was the one place where she was supposed to feel the most safest. But no, the blonde was almost murdered in her sleep while clueless police officers were only feet away. Amelia definitely knew now that this case was way more important than they had originally thought. She guessed her and Matt's theory was right; that something or someone else was involved in the supposed simple murder case.

"Detectives, I'm going to make this real simple," Amelia exclaimed as she, Foggy, and Matt walked into the same stuffy interrogation room that they were in yesterday, which also held the same two detectives; the hard ass and the silent partner. "You are going to release our client before I accidentally tell my good friend, Nora, that works at New York Times about our sweet and kind client and how she was nearly killed in the custody of the police." Amelia twitched her head to the side with amusement written all over her face as she commented, "I think her story will be front page worthy."

"And I'll agree not to make cooing noises for the rest of this meeting when I think of the civil suit that we have on our hands," Foggy added to what Amelia had said as he gave the two detectives a condescending grin.

Detective Hard Ass as Amelia liked to call him, or Detective Blake, crossed his arms over his black tie with absolutely no emotion on his face like he wasn't even bothered by the threats from the two lawyers. "How do you know they're not charging her?" He questioned as he barely lifted up one of his dark eyebrows.

"Besides the fact that you were required to do so four hours ago if you were gonna do it at all?" Matt stated in a form of a question as he stared straight ahead which just so happens to be in the direction of Detective Blake.

"That's an excellent question," Foggy commented before he added to the reason why the police should release their client, "along with how the security cameras on Miss Page's detention area went on the fritz right before the assault."

"That's some coincidence," Amelia tsked as she slowly shook her head. She then linked her hands together on top of the cold metal table while she glanced between the two detectives before she finally spoke as she began to request, "we'd love to have a little chat with Mr. Farnum about that as well as -"

However, before Amelia could finish even getting the request out of her mouth, she was soon rudely interrupted by the silent partner, Detective Hoffman, as he barked out, "get in line," before he informed the defense attorneys in a calmer voice, "he'll be arraigned tomorrow morning."

"Get our client released," Matt demanded in a strong voice as he didn't see why Karen Page was still in the police custody and why there were even still talking about it. There was no way around it if the police department didn't want a huge law suit on their hands.

The small gray room soon grew silent as the two detectives whispered back and forth with each other before Detective Blake told the group of lawyers with a small nod of his head, "I'll call the ADA." He then swiftly stood up from the metal chair and leaned over the table until he was right in front of Matt's face and threatened, "but you take that tone with me again, I don't care if you're blind, I'll kick the shit out of you."

The Mansfield lawyer instantly stood up from her own metal chair at the threat towards one of her closest friends as she glared down at the bent over arrogant man before her expression swiftly changed into one of a large smirk as she uttered sweetly, "have a good day, gentlemen."

It took a couple of long minutes before the heavy metal door closed behind the two detectives as the hard ass kept glaring at all three defense attorneys. The long haired man, Foggy, breathed out a loud scoff as soon as the room was overcome by silence before he mumbled sarcastically, "well, that was pleasant."

There was barely a beat that went by once Foggy had closed his mouth before Matt Murdock exclaimed quietly, "it doesn't make any sense." He shook his head before he explained, "the ADA had everything they needed." Matt then paused for a moment, so he could think about their case before he murmured as he slowly stood up from the metal table, "unless they have too much."

"What?" Foggy questioned with his brows furrowed deeply as he quickly scrambled to get his brown side bag along with clumsily getting up from the uncomfortable chair as he tried to keep up with Amelia and Matt. "What am I missing?" He hurriedly questioned as jogged up to their side as they exited the interrogation room.

Amelia bit down on her bottom lip as she thought everything over before she suggested to what Matt was saying, "maybe someone else was there." She paused in her step as she turned and faced her two fellow lawyers and added, "it's possible they could have evidence that supports that someone else was in Karen's apartment."

Foggy quickly shook his head as he disagreed. "That's Brady material," he stated as his mind went straight to the education he learned in the past three years at Columbia Law School, "they'd have to turn that over."

"Only if she was charged," Matt corrected the male lawyer. "If Karen hangs herself in her cell," he told Foggy as he used the current situation their client was in as an example before he explained in the simplest of words, "then it all goes away."

A chill instantly ran up Foggy's spine at the very thought of the people that works for the law would do such a thing. "Let's get her some clothes and get the hell out of here," Foggy hurriedly exclaimed as it felt wrong being in this very building since the officers almost allowed for their client to get murdered.

Amelia patted her black purse as she told her fellow lawyers, "I got it covered," before she exited the long silent interrogation hallway and made her way towards the detention area. Amelia had brought a set of clothes with her as she knew without a single doubt that they would be able to get Karen out of jail thanks to what happened here last night.

"Hi, Connie," Amelia greeted the woman who's in charge of who gets to enter and exit the detention area. The defense attorney signed her name on the fifth slot on the log-in clipboard before she told Connie, "I'm here to get a Miss Karen Page. The ADA should be sending in the paperwork soon."

The woman with the curly salt and pepper hair silently nodded her head before she turned to her old desktop computer. She then slowly began to type the aforementioned name before she told Amelia as she handed her a set of keys, "cell eleven."

"Thank you," Amelia uttered politely as she held the cold keys closely before she headed down the long hallway that was filled with cells on each side. The brunette woman ignored all of the hollering and whistling she got from the men before she finally found the correct cell. Amelia then unlocked the door with the right key and spoke towards the pacing blonde, "I'm here to rescue you, Miss Page."

Karen swiftly turned around at the new voice in the room before she sighed thankfully when she spotted a familiar face that she was beginning to trust. "I get to leave?" She questioned in a whisper as she rubbed her hand up and down her pale arm.

"Yes, ma'am," Amelia uttered with a soft smile before she opened up her black leather purse. "I brought you a change of clothes," she informed the blonde woman before she took a quick glance to the standard grey jail uniform on Karen's body and stated, "I don't think you want to walk down the streets in that." The brunette lawyer then focused back onto her purse before she finally pulled out a pair of black sweatpants and a light blue sweater. "We're basically the same size, so they should fit," she commented as she handed over the clothes to the blonde woman.

"Thanks," Karen mumbled in a whisper before she moved to the corner of the small cell and slowly began to change out of the itchy uniform she had been wearing.

"It's my job," Amelia told the blonde woman in a gentle voice as she stood in front of the opened cell until she heard Karen clear her throat. Amelia took that as a sign she was finished changing, so she turned around while she pulled out a pair of black and white sneakers from her purse before she handed them over to the now free woman.

Once Karen had slipped the shoes over her feet and stood up straight, Amelia lightly placed her hand onto the blonde woman's back and directed her out of the cell. "You'll be in good hands with us," Amelia promised as they made their way down the end of the hallway, where Amelia handed the keys over to Connie with the same polite smile she had greeted her with before the two women walked out of the detention area for hopefully the last time.

                                                  ***

The sun had disappeared and the moon was lighting up the city of Hell's Kitchen by the time Amelia and Karen had finally exited the police station and made their way inside of the old building that held the company of M.M.N. Associates. It took so long thanks to the ADA taking their slow time to get the paper work sent over to the detectives before they could officially release their blonde suspect into Amelia's custody.

Amelia made sure Karen was comfortable once they had joined Matt and Foggy in their newly furnished conference room as the brunette lawyer pulled out a black leather rolling chair for their client. Amelia didn't even remember Matt or Foggy setting up the room. She guessed Tony had something to do with it. But, of course, Amelia would have to take credit so her friends didn't look into the fact that her famous adoptive brother, who happens to be Iron Man, basically gave them thousands of dollars worth of new furniture.

The dark room had been overcome by silence ever since Amelia had brought their client up to their floor before it was finally interrupted by the long haired man, Foggy, as he placed a navy blue ceramic tea cup onto the glass table in front of the emotional blonde. Foggy gave her a small smile as he told her in a gentle voice, "I couldn't find any milk. I hope it's okay."

"We have tea now?" Matt inquired as he took an unpacked box off of the cold table and placed it in the corner of the conference room before he felt the leather furniture and took a seat in the surprisingly comfortable rolling chair.

Foggy chuckled awkwardly before he murmured, "I stole it from the financial office next door," as he took a seat in the chair next to the man he was answering.

Amelia rolled her hazel eyes as she took a seat next to the blonde woman before she looked across at Foggy with an amused expression and told him in a teasingly voice, "of course you did, Franklin."

Matt ignored the joking between his two fellow lawyers and best friends as he looked in the direction of the fast beating heartbeat that just happens to be Karen Page's direction as he questioned softly, "how are you holding up?"

Karen ran her fingertip over the rim of the warm tea cup as she muttered simply, "better." She then glanced up as she looked between the three lawyers with a kind look in her sad blue eyes as she stated truthfully, "thanks for getting me out."

"Don't thank us just yet," Foggy told the blonde woman before he quickly explained as he didn't want to worry her too much, "they could still bring charges against you even though they released you."

Matt cleared his throat to get the attention of the blonde woman before he added to what Foggy had said in a serious and professional tone, "which means it's crucial you don't speak to anyone other than the three of us about what happened."

Karen stared at Matt for a silent moment as she studied his calm features before she looked back down to her warm tea that helped with the cold wind of New York. "I don't have anyone to talk to, anyway," Karen told the lawyers in a small voice as if she was embarrassed by her statement.

Amelia leaned the side of her head into her palm as her hand was placed onto the glass table while she looked in Karen's direction with soft hazel eyes. "Do you have somewhere you can stay tonight?" She gently questioned as she felt bad for the blonde woman. It's not an everyday occurrence for people that someone tries to frame them for murder when they have no support system. Well, not for normal people, anyway, unlike Amelia who had gone through that a few times in her life.

"My apartment's not far from here," Karen told Amelia has she took a quick glance over to the brunette before her blue eyes went right back to the navy tea cup as she watched the pale brown liquid slowly swirl around.

Foggy quickly shook his head before he informed Karen, "you can't go back there."

When the blonde woman began to look at them in confusion, Amelia lightly placed her hand on top of Karen's as she explained as softly as she could without causing the blonde anymore pain, "your apartment is a crime scene. Plus, whoever is after you will be coming back to try and finish the job."

Matt silently nodded his head as he agreed with Amelia before he told their client, "Miss Page, our immediate priority is to keep you safe." He then cleared his throat as he rubbed his hands together before he continued, "and in order to do that, we're gonna need to have a frank discussion."

Karen glanced between the three lawyer's serious expressions before she murmured, "okay."

"Do you know who's trying to kill you?" The Murdock lawyer questioned as he got straight to the point.

Karen slowly shook her head before she looked down to her now cold tea and mumbled out a quiet response, "no."

Amelia swiftly opened up her black leather purse as the interrogation began and pulled out a blue pen along with a small notebook before she began to write about how Karen didn't know the person who was trying to kill her as they needed to remember every detail if they were going to make sure Karen wouldn't get any jail time. "Do you know why they're trying to kill you?" Amelia questioned once she looked up from her notebook and looked over to their client.

The blonde woman stayed silent for a moment as many thoughts ran through her mind before she finally answered without hesitation and complete confidence, "yes."

Foggy leaned across the table and pressed the small 'play' button on the black Sony recording machine as they were finally getting somewhere. He gave Karen a small nod once Foggy heard the hum of the device as to tell her to continue before the conference room was overcome by silence as they waited for the blonde woman to tell her side.

Karen picked at her fingernails before she awkwardly cleared her throat and began to tell them the whole story like she had planned to do at the police station last night before they were interrupted by the two detectives, "I, uh, work -" Karen then swiftly shook her head before she corrected herself, "worked in the financial department at Union Allied." She pushed her messy blonde hair behind her right ear as she added, "they're overseeing the bulk of the government contracts for the West Side reconstruction."

Foggy nodded his head as he listened carefully and wrote small notes on his notepad before he commented, "I've seen their signs all over Hell's Kitchen."

Karen licked her pale chapped lips and swallowed thickly before she continued to speak about her now previous employer, "the last year have transformed the business." She then listed off some things she had seen in the past twelve months, "there's new owners, new grants, new contracts."

Amelia silently wrote down 'Alien invasion = U.A. work,' as she and the Avengers were the main reason for the big jobs the company Karen used to work for had been dealing with. "The world watched one of the largest cities in the world being ruined. They're is gonna be a lot of people that want to help," Amelia commented as she understood why Union Allied was getting lots of revenue for business and, of course, money.

"And Union Allied benefited from every dollar of it," Karen muttered under her breath as she was thinking exactly what the female lawyer was. "I was the secretary for the chief accountant," Karen stated as she continued to inform them of the people that were involved in the center of her case, "and one of my jobs was to coordinate the pension claims for the company."

The conference room and the recording machine grew silent once again for a couple of minutes before Karen picked up on her story as she explained, "about a week ago, I was emailed a file called; Pension Master." Karen shook her head before she commented nervously, "it must have been meant for my boss, but I made the mistake of opening it."

"I'm guessing it wasn't the pension fund," Matt suggested as he could tell by the tone of voice the blonde woman was using that held only disgust and fear.

Karen bit down on her bottom lip before she muttered in disbelief, "it wasn't the size of the pension fund. I couldn't believe the numbers. But it was still being designated as company pension." The blonde woman crossed her arms over her chest as she hugged the blue sweater closely before she explained, "it was constantly being adjusted. Money coming in and money going out."

Foggy lifted his head up from his notepad along with stopping the movement of his pen as he questioned with his brows furrowed, "going where?"

"I don't know," Karen whispered tiredly as she stared down at the glass table in front of her and down at the white and black sneakers on her feet. "It was coded routing numbers," she stated as that was the only thing she knew about the 'Pension Master', "but we are talking a lot of money."

"What did you do with the file?" Matt interrogated as each answer they got only led to confused expressions and more questions.

"Well, I told my boss, Mr. McClintock about it," Karen answered Matt's question before she explained, "but he just laughed it off. He said that it was a theoretical model that they were screwing around with." Karen shook her head as she ran her fingers through her blonde hair before she muttered, "I knew something was wrong." She glanced between the three lawyers as she defended herself, "I thought it was just him, you know? Embezzling or whatever."

Amelia flipped through her notebook once their client was finished talking about Union Allied and went to the page that was designated on the man who died in Karen's apartment. "So, how does Daniel Fisher fit into all of this?" Amelia questioned as she hadn't heard the man's name in any of Karen's story.

Karen's calm breathing came out shaky and erratic as soon as the name came out Amelia's mouth as she hadn't thought about him since she was almost killed in her sleep. The blonde woman squeezed her blue eyes shut for a moment before she finally responded, "Danny worked in the legal department."

Karen glanced over to the woman who had asked her the question with the smallest smile she could muster before she stated, "I didn't know him very well. But he was nice, so I asked him to meet me after work." Karen's blue eyes went back to her cold tea as she muttered, "I don't know how they knew. They must have people watching me. They must have people everywhere."

The blonde woman glanced back up to the three lawyers that were trying to help her as she told them in conclusion, "all I did was ask him for a drink and I start to tell him about what I found. But then things got blurry, like I was drugged. And the next thing I know, I'm waking up back in my apartment, covered in blood."

Karen's breathing swiftly got erratic once again as her heart began to pound painfully against her chest. "They killed him because of me," she whispered as tears clouded her blue eyes, "he had a family. A little boy."

However, without any warning, the blonde woman swiftly jumped up from the rolling chair and exclaimed hurriedly, "I need to get out of here." Karen only gave the lawyers a quick glance as she apologized, "I'm sorry," before she went to rush away from them.

At the fast movement of the blonde woman, Foggy quickly got up from his chair and stood in front of the door of the conference room. "We can't advise that, Miss Page," he stated as he gently placed his warm hands onto her shoulders as he hoped it would calm down their client.

"No, you don't understand," Karen cried out as she swiped the tears from her face. "Either you're with them or you're not," she emotionally stated, "and if you're with them, then I'm dead already." Karen shook her head as she quickly added before she got choked up, "and if you're not, then I cannot have anybody else die because of me."

Amelia stood up from her seat and leaned against the glass table as she stared at the blonde woman with sorrow in her hazel eyes. She shook her head as she told Karen, "we can protect ourselves. You are the one that needs to be protected, and we can help you."

Karen stayed in her position in front of Foggy as she only stared at the ground and mumbled slowly and tiredly, "no, you can't. Not from them."

"Miss Page," Foggy began as he tried to assure the woman that she was safe, however he was soon interrupted by the aforementioned woman as she whispered out a quiet, "no."

Amelia folded her arms across her chest as she watched the emotional woman. She shook her head and told Karen, "we can't advise you to go back to your apartment. It's just not safe." Amelia just had this bad feeling that something will happen if she goes back there. And her instinct has never been wrong before.

"Please!" Karen shouted before she quickly pushed her fists to her lips as sobs left her tired body. She slowly moved her hands to cover her face as tears poured down her face like a water stream. Karen leaned her body against Foggy's blue suit as he held her closely.

"She can stay with me," Matt stated in a quiet voice as the only sound in the conference room was the sound of Karen's crying and sobbing. However, when he only received silence from both Foggy and Amelia, Matt added, "just for tonight until we figure something out."

The other two defense attorneys glanced at each other with worried looks, but Amelia knew this was the best choice other than letting Karen stay with her in her secure apartment. But since Matt offered first, Amelia just silently agreed. Karen should be safe with Matt as no one from Union Allied knew that M.M.N. Associates was defending the blonde woman. So they should be fine for tonight until they could find a better solution.

                                                  ***

Amelia Mansfield sighed tiredly as soon as she stepped foot inside of her apartment. She was exhausted from everything that happened today. From spending more than half of her day inside of a police station while she trying to get Karen released along with the interrogation that went down at M.M.N. Associates. Amelia was just ready to eat some leftover takeout before falling asleep with her husky, Bucky.

The brunette lawyer kicked off the black heels from her feet and hung her purse onto the metal hanger that was right next to her door. Amelia learned her back against the door as she closed her eyes. "Lights," Amelia commanded loudly as she spoke to the familiar, A.I., J.A.R.V.I.S. When Amelia felt the heat from the lights, she opened up her hazel eyes before she instantly frowned when she saw a manila folder laying on the hardwood floor of her foyer.

Amelia took a few steps until she was standing in front of the folder. She bent down a gave Bucky a quick scratch behind his ear when he came up to her before grabbed the folder from the floor. The brunette woman studied the outside of the folder carefully and the only thing that was there was a large 'A' written in black marker that was in the center of the folder.

Amelia came to the conclusion that someone slipped the manila folder under her door. She didn't really think it was that important, so Amelia tucked it under her arm before she made her way into her kitchen. Amelia swiftly grabbed her leftover chicken lo mein from the black refrigerator and a half full bottle red wine before she headed towards her living room.

The Mansfield woman took a seat onto her leather couch with Bucky watching her from his small red and black bed in the corner of the living room. Amelia opened up her takeout box and took a quick bit with the plastic fork that was seated on top of the noodles. The brunette woman moaned as she finally had food in her system before she grabbed the manila folder from her glass table in front of her.

Amelia sat her food beside her before tore open the manila folder. Amelia's hazel eyes furrowed deeply when she realized there was only three medium sized pictures inside. She carefully pulled them out and noticed they were only pictures of her. The first one was taken last week, Amelia recalled as it was a picture of her and Pepper Potts, Amelia's close friend, eating together outside of Barbuto on Washington St.

The second picture was Amelia or Sergeant Viper entering Stark Tower with Natasha Romanoff or Black Widow, at midnight. Amelia remembered this moment instantly. It was right after they defeated Loki and the two women were going inside the tower to grab some of Amelia's clothes since she was going to stay with Natasha at her apartment.

And last but not least, the third picture was, once again, an image of Amelia. It was a shot from this morning when Amelia was walking Bucky down the street for his daily walk. There was nothing special inside of the picture, just Amelia and Bucky at six in the morning. The brunette woman didn't understand why someone would be taking pictures of her. Yeah, it would normal for Sergeant Viper, but no one even knew about her true identity except for the Avengers and the agents at S.H.I.E.L.D.

Amelia flipped the pictures of her as she looked for any type of clue from who's watching her. The only thing she did find was a small note on each picture. The first one of her and Pepper said, 'we'll be seeing each other soon.' The second one of Sergeant Viper said, 'you were never good at hiding your secrets.' And the third one said, 'no one will be able to save you, not even yourself.'

The brunette woman shook her head as she grabbed the bottle of wine. She was confused and annoyed at these small threats. It was obviously someone she knew or that knew her. However, it could be anybody seeing as Amelia had plenty of enemies. It could be someone from when she was in Marines or someone who was in Operation Cerberus, someone that she had dealt with while working for Fury or even someone from when she worked with her family after high school. The list was enormous for Amelia, so she just shrugged and placed the items onto the table.

Amelia had dealt with plenty of enemies in her life, so it was not something new for her. She would do what she always does when trouble comes towards her. She will fight when it's faced in front of her. She'll either do it alone or with someone watching her back. Amelia knew like Natasha had told her, there was no getting out of this life. Amelia just hoped whoever was after her, knew what they were dealing with. She didn't care if she gave up that part of her, if someone threats her life, she will go back to that way to protect who she really is and to protect the people she cares about.

                        Ready or not, here comes Sergeant Viper.

[zenaidamacrouras1]

Chapter 24 of Unpredictable Synchronicity. This wasn't the gif I had saved for this chapter, but it's a reasonable enough approximation.

This chapter is a bingo fill for "sharing an umbrella" for @allcapsbingo

Have an excerpt:

They drip their way up the stairs and into Bucky's apartment. “I have about twenty messages from Sam and Nat asking where I am, and telling me not to go over to your apartment. Nat says she’s willing to shock me with her Widow Bites if necessary to restrain myself,” Steve says as they enter. “I sent them a pineapple emoji.”

“What’s a pineapple emoji mean?”

“Hell if I know,” Steve says, gingerly setting his damp phone on Bucky’s entryway table.

[tilltheendwilliwrite]

The Bodyguard

Chapter Ten

Master List  |  Bucky Barnes Master List

Previous Chapter

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x OFC  I Word Count: 5212 Warnings: Fluff, Bucky being Bucky, smexy

This chapter brought to you care of @diinofayce through Coffee Updates. Thanks for your support, hun!

Bucky shuddered gently against Penny, while his mind whirled with her revelation. "You have to tell Steve.”

"I can't. Not just yet.”

"Penelope Grace," he growled against her neck.

"Bucky. Not just yet. I'll tell him when I've gone through all the options, but until that time, how can I place more stress on him? He's off saving the world. He doesn't need to be thinking about me while he's doing it.”

"Penny…” Bucky sighed and looked at her, but gave up when she gave him the stubborn face.

"I'm not giving up, Buck. I won't. I promise, but I have to do this my way.”

"Stubborn as a mule,” Bucky grumbled, tugging her close so he could rest his cheek on the top of Penny's head.

"Ma'am? Sorry to interrupt,” Friday said into the silence. "The detective is back, and he brought friends.”

Bucky growled a second time against Penny, far more feral and angrier than before. "What kind of friends?”

"Special Agent Julie Markov and Special Agent Anthony Barrow of the FBI, and his NYPD Captain, Ryan Harris.”

"Run all three.”

"Bucky.” Penny rested her head on his chest. "I'm too tired and worn out for this.”

"I know, baby girl. You head upstairs and get changed. I'll deal with them until you're ready.” He stroked her hair, then her cheek. “I'll even make you some tea.”

She smiled and nodded. "What will you tell them?”

"As close to the truth as I can. But I think it's better to let SHIELD deal with the money aspect. It's still Hydra. Regular cops aren't equipped to deal with them.

Penny winced. "Um, Buck? We need to talk about the money. I have something to tell you about… all that.”

"Pen?”

"Sergeant? The police are still requesting entrance,” Friday interrupted.

"Did you contact Tamara yet?” he asked, still staring at the fidgeting Penny.

"Miss Smith is on her way. She will be here as soon as she can.”

"Let them up,” Bucky muttered. "Talk fast, Penny.”

"I've been screwing with Hydra's finances for years, so even though they've stolen eighty-two million from me, I've cost them eleven times that much.”

"What!” he shouted.

"Through back channels and anonymous reports to the Attorney General, Miss Rogers has shut down numerous Hydra fronts, false charities, and exposed a number of high powered Hydra supporters. In total, Penelope has removed nine hundred forty-six million, three hundred twenty-seven thousand, four hundred eight dollars and twelve cents from Hydra's coffers,” Friday announced.

"Holy fuck!” Bucky bellowed. "That's motive to kill you, Penny! Why the hell didn't you tell me this earlier?”

"I didn't think it was relevant because they don't know it's me! I swear my trail is untraceable. I've been doing this as long as I've had Marquis, and everything is sent via hardcopy and flash drive to the AG's office. Not even a trace of DNA or a fingerprint left behind. I'm good at this, Bucky. Really good.”

"I want to see it. Your files. Your setup. All of it.”

"It's all in my lab at work.”

"Jesus, Penelope! Anyone could gain access to your damn lab!”

Her hands framed his face. "Shut up for one damn minute and listen!” She waited until he nodded before speaking. "Not my regular lab. My secret lab. The one beneath the building.”

"That's some fucking mad scientist crap, dollface,” he smirked when the shock wore off.

She breathed out a sigh and shot him a wink before returning her satchel of serum to the safe in the wall. “What more would you expect from a literal genius?” she snickered over her shoulder.

“Sergeant Barnes. The police will be arriving in sixty seconds.”

“On it, Friday.” Bucky took one more long look at Penny. “You okay, Pen?”

“Too much exertion today, but I'm steady now. I’ll be fine and down in a few minutes. Don’t shoot anyone unless you have too.”

He beat her to the doorway and took her by the waist. “No more secrets. What you know, I need to know. Promise?”

She tilted her chin up and looked him directly in the eyes. “That’s it. I swear.”

“I believe you, darlin’.” Ducking his head, he kissed her quickly, a swift mating of lips which didn’t last nearly long enough. “Go on,” he murmured when he lifted his head.

“I was going until you sidetracked my brain,” she grumbled, heading down the hall to the secondary set of stairs.

Bucky chuckled as he returned to the living room and took a quick look around. He had weapons stashed everywhere from behind the couch cushions to taped to the undersides of the tables and more in the kitchen. There were four of them coming, all armed, all trained. "Friday, can you turn the kettle on?"

"Of course, Sergeant."

He shook out his flesh arm and rolled the metal one hard, calibrating it from the shoulder down like Stark had shown him. “Give me the rundown, Friday.” Having not bothered to remove the Bluetooth from his ear, she spoke directly to him.

“Special Agent Julie Markov. She is a ten year veteran of the FBI, currently assigned to the Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. In her years there she has been accredited with taking down a number of dirty business relating to drug or gang crime, as well as white-collar crime. If I had to guess, Penny’s attack and subsequent investigation by the IRS has caused them to launch an investigation of their own. Her partner, Special Agent Anthony Barrow, is an expert in white-collar crime and computer-based crime. It is perhaps better not to inform them of my presence. Knowing she employed an AI to compile the data on Taft will only cause them to collect a warrant so they may compile their own data apart from what I’ve already done, and poke their noses into parts of Marquis they have no business getting into. I have put together a file with all our relevant information, the reports submitted by Taft, and the real data, cross-referenced and correlated, along with the money trail from the subsidiaries Taft was using.”

“Thought we’d decided to leave it to SHIELD?” Bucky murmured when the door announced their arrival.

“Well, I only gave them the money as far as I could follow prior to Jarvis’ involvement. If we stonewall them, Sergeant, they will not let it go.”

“Tricky girl,” he chuckled.

“The Captain, Ryan Harris. I do not know why he is here,” Friday murmured. “His record is impeccable with only a few minor incidents in his beat cop days. It appears he had difficulty with authority.”

“Don’t we all.” This time, Bucky didn’t meet them at the door but off to one side, his gun in his hand. Once all four were out of the elevator, he stepped silently from the shadows with the weapon pointed at their heads. “That’s far enough.”

“Barnes!” McGilvery snarled. “You really want to get arrested, don’t you?”

“Not particularly,” Bucky muttered, “But there’s four of you and only one of little old me, so I’ll thank you to remove your service weapons slowly, and the backups, and place them on the table one at a time. You can pick them up on your way out.”

“Sergeant,” the woman took a step forward but froze when Bucky arched a brow. “My name is-”

“Special Agent Julie Markov. Ten year veteran with the FBI, CCRSB. I know who you are, ma’am. At the moment, I don’t give a flying fuck if you’re the President. You aren’t coming near Miss Rogers armed. Not after today.”

“We want to talk to you-” McGilvery started in.

“Do I look like I care at all about what you want, McGilvery? Last time you were here you made unfounded accusations in regards to Penelope. How was the phone call from Steve? That go well for you?” The first thing he’d done out of the shower was send in his report to Steve. Not all of it, of course, but enough, including McGilvery and his asinine comments.

Steve may have been flying over the Atlantic on his way to a mission, but nothing would stop him from coming to Penny’s defence. And when Captain America called, you picked up the damn phone. Bucky knew McGilvery had gotten an earful, likely Harris as well.

“That’s why I’m here, Sergeant. To offer my sincerest apologies to Miss Rogers and assure both of you Detective McGilvery will be on his best behaviour from here on out.”

“Fantastic. Weapons. On the table.”

“If you think I’m going to give up my gun because some washed out Avenger tells me to-”

“Barrow!” Markov snapped. “The Sergeant is well within his rights to ask us to remove our weapons. Miss Rogers has been put in mortal danger twice. As head of her security, it's understandable he’d be… distressed having four unknown and armed people anywhere near her.”

“Look at you go, doll. Got it in one. Weapons. Table. Then you can sit in the living room and ask your questions. Or you can get back on that elevator, and we can meet you at SHIELD’s New York office and conduct this interview under Director Fury’s watchful eye.”

Markov was the first to relent, pulling her service weapon from her hip and placing it on the table. She dropped into a slow crouch and added the ankle revolver before moving further into the room. “We can all be civilized, can’t we, gentlemen?”

Harris was second, his service weapon and back up landing beside Markov’s. McGilvery gave his up begrudgingly, but it was Barrow who crossed his arms and glared at Bucky.

“It’s not happening.”

“Then get out of my house.”

Bucky didn’t look; he didn’t need to. Penny’s oddly beating heart had betrayed her the moment she made her way down the hall to the top of the stairs.

“Miss Rogers, we’re FBI. Surely this isn’t necessary.” Barrow turned on the charm as Penny descended the stairs.

She’d changed out of the pink dress but was no less stunning in skinny jeans and a floaty white top covered by a grey sweater. The knot she’d worn in her hair had come loose in their mad run through the hospital, but she’d somehow managed to pile her wealth of blonde curls up on her head. Penny appeared casual, but there was no mistaking the quality of anything she had on.

Poised and polished, she stopped halfway down the stairs with her hand on the railing and let the ice queen out. If it was wrong getting a thrill watching her go cold on people, Bucky didn’t want to be right, because when her eyes went glacial, and her chin jacked up, it kicked him right in the balls with a hard shot of lust.

“I don’t care if you’re the Queen of England. You will remain unarmed in my home, or vacate it immediately. I have been blown up, shot at, and shot at again by people who were supposed to be some form of security or protection. Perhaps you can see why I am reluctant to have anyone enter my home with a weapon.”

Tall at six feet two inches, Barrow still had to tilt his head up to look Penny in the eyes. His skin had taken on a ruddy flush of anger, causing the pock marks from acne scars to surface white in the red. He thrust his hand through his shaggy mop of curling chestnut hair, but finally tugged his service weapon from beneath his arm, and crouched to remove the one at his ankle. Both landed with a thud on the table.

“And the one at your back,” Bucky said.

Narrowed eyes of sharp obsidian glared at him, but Barrow complied and added it to the pile. Bucky lowered his gun and returned it to the holster beneath his arm.

“Excellent. Now, we can finish, and you can all get the hell out.” Penny made her way down the final few stairs.

“If someone wanted you dead, Miss Rogers, removing their gun isn’t going to stop them,” Barrow stated, clearly angry as he stomped toward Penny.

“That’s where you’re wrong, Agent. You could try to hurt me, but that’s why he’s here. And if you think for one moment you could lay a hand on me while there was still a single breath left in the Sergeant’s body, well then, you’d most likely be dead. Right, Buck?”

“Right,” Bucky growled from directly behind Barrow who flinched a lot harder than McGilvery had.

“Damn,” Harris muttered. “He is quiet,” he said to McGilvery who only rolled his eyes.

Penny made her way into the kitchen where she turned off the boiling kettle - thank you Friday - and reached for a teapot made of glass. “Can I get anyone anything?” she asked, adding loose tea to the filter.

“Answers,” grumbled McGilvery.

“I’ll take a tea,” Markov spoke over him.

“Tea would be great,” Harris agreed.

“Coffee?” Barrow asked.

“Fresh out,” Bucky said, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed.

“Bucky. Don’t be an ass.” Penny shoved him in the ribs and stuck a cup beneath the fancy coffee maker of hers. “Strong, super strong, or stand a spoon in it, Agent…?”

“Barrow, ma’am. Special Agent Barrow and this is Special Agent Markov,” he motioned to his partner, “and the stronger, the better.”

She set the dial and walked away to place the teapot and three mugs on the island. “I’m assuming this is about the hospital today?”

“Among other things.” Markov sat on a stool at the island, clearly working to make Penny as comfortable as possible. “Miss Rogers, we don’t believe for a moment you have anything to do with the attack on you at your office or the one that took place today.”

“Ain’t that a relief.” Sarcasm laced Bucky’s voice.

“But we do believe someone is using your company to clean dirty money.”

Penny nodded, not bothering to look at any of them. “And why would you think that?”

“Your profit and loss margins are out of sync,” Barrow said, eyeing Penny like she was fresh meat and he was a vulture.

Bucky plucked an apple from the bowl beside him and flicked a knife out of nothing he used to begin peeling it. He'd never seen four people come to attention so hard before and had to fight not to laugh.

“They’ve been taking bigger risks. Moving larger sums of money at one time and causing red flags to show across the board.” Markov frowned. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“Penny. Wait for Tamara,” Bucky cautioned, the thin strip of red apple peel getting longer.

“She’s stuck in cross traffic, and as Agent Markov has already stated, I'm not a suspect,” Penny murmured, returning for Barrow’s coffee. “His name is Marcus Taft. He's been in charge of finances for my company since the beginning, and from what I’ve been able to piece together, he’s been washing money through my company since the beginning.”

“You didn’t think this information was relevant last night!” McGilvery snapped.

Penny’s head whipped up, and her eyes ran cold a second time. “Before last night I knew nothing about it!”

“McGilvery! Zip it!” Harris snapped. “My apologies, Miss Rogers for your poor treatment at the hands of my officer.”

She waved off his apology. “I care very little for the politics which happen within agencies, Captain, but I won’t tolerate being spoken to and blindsided like that a second time.” She tugged her phone from her back pocket, tapped a half dozen keys and swiped upward. All four of them beeped at roughly the same time. “That is everything you will need to charge Marcus Taft with money laundering, theft, and embezzlement. The financial statements go back ten years, since the beginning of my company, and I’ve followed the money as far as I can. You’ll have to work outward from there.”

Barrow was already scrolling through the document. “This is impossible! You couldn’t possibly compile all this data in one night!”

“Agent Barrow, I build and maintain the most complex set of computer servers in the world, rivalled only by those of Tony Stark. Yes, I assure you, I can put that together in such little time.”

The Duchess in her voice made Bucky's cock throb. He just wanted to pin her to the fridge and kiss the sass right out of her. When he finished peeling the apple, he set a single uniform width strip of apple peel on the counter and began to slice small sections off he ate from the blade.

“Why is some of this blacked out?” McGilvery asked, clearly trying to ignore Bucky and his knife.

Penny placed a jar of honey and a small bowl of sugar on the island. “The redacted files are Government contracts. I can guarantee none of you have security clearance that high.”

“I could get it if I needed it,” Markov muttered, still reading.

“No, Agent. You couldn’t. Not even Captain America has clearance to read those files. You certainly won't obtain clearance to know even the names of those contracts.” All four of them looked at her in surprise. “He may be my brother, but I sure as shit don’t tell him everything,” Penny smirked as she poured the tea.

“I’d like a chance to go over these with you, Miss Rogers,” Barrow said, continuing to scroll.

“That won’t be necessary. It’s all perfectly self-explanatory.”

“Is this the real reason behind the attack on you?” Harris asked. “Rather than the bogus story SHIELD fed us?”

“We suspect so,” Bucky answered when Penny glanced his way. “But can’t rule out a Steve connection until Taft is brought in and questioned.” He held out a piece of apple Penny plucked from the tip of his knife and ate without thought.

Harris shot McGilvery a look.

“I’ll call it in,” the Detective murmured and walked away to use his phone.

“We’re going to want first crack at him. We need to know who he’s been laundering the money for. Unless you figured that part out already?” Markov asked.

Penny shrugged. “Not so far.” She blinked innocently, sipping her tea. When the coffee maker beeped, she retrieved Barrow's cup.

The steely eye Markov observed her for a long moment, but Penny didn’t flinch. If he hadn't been able to hear the odd beat of her heart, Bucky would have assumed she was entirely honest.

“Hm,” Markov hummed. “Now, Sergeant. You want to tell us how you deflected three bullets with your arm?”

“Nope. SHIELD tech. Proprietary information. Clearance would have to come through them.”

She rolled her eyes, Barrow gritted his teeth, but Harris only grinned. It appeared the Captain was having a very good time getting out from behind his desk.

“If I do have questions about this,” Barrow pointed at his phone, “is it alright if I call?”

“If you must. Email is better. I’m good at multitasking,” Penny said, wandering toward Bucky. She leaned into him, hip cocked, and one knee bent to drink her tea. Bucky’s arm went possessively around her waist, solidifying the statement she was making. They were a team, and Bucky the only one of all of them she trusted.

Markov ran an appreciative eye over him before sending Penny a smirk and a nod. Evidently, the Special Agent approved.

“The men at the hospital were hired guns. Both had a reputation for collateral damage and more than two dozen confirmed kills to each of their names. No one is sad to see them go, but we’re going to have to get your statement of what happened,” Harris said.

“Can’t you just use the hospital’s security footage?” Penny asked.

“There are discrepancies in how it looks on film. Why did you stop before you exited the ER? How did you know to turn when you did? Where did your car come from to pick you up when, from what we could tell, you two were alone?”

Bucky scowled at McGilvery returning from his call. “You gonna ask if I’m in on it this time?”

“Are you?”

“Watch it, McGilvery. One day your mouth is gonna run, and you’ll find yourself with fewer teeth,” Bucky warned. “I’ve been a sniper a long ass time. You learn to listen to your instincts, and when the hair rises on the back of your neck, you make a tactical retreat until you figure out why. Something didn’t feel right when we made to leave out the front, so I changed the plan. When the guys who’d been milling around out front came at us with guns drawn, I fired back. Then I got Penny out of there as fast as possible.”

“Picking her up was just a bonus?”

He shifted his glare to Barrow. “Faster that way. She always wears these ankle-bustin’ shoes.”

“You opened fire in a crowded hospital. You could have missed.”

Back to McGilvery. “Like I said. Sniper. I don’t miss. Only one with more accuracy than me is the Hawk.”

“Hawkeye? Clint Barton?”

“Yeah. We done here?” Bucky looked to Markov who seemed to be running the show.

“How’d you move the car?”

“SHIELD tech. Classified.”

McGilvery’s lip curled up into a snarl. “Convenient.”

“We’re done here.” Markov pushed from her stool. “Thank you for the tea, Miss Rogers, and your cooperation. We’ll be in touch.”

“I’ll be plugging that hole by cutting off access to those monetary channels as soon as you pick up Marcus,” Penny said, following them to toward the elevator.

“Ma’am, we can’t let you do that until we get in there and follow-”

Penny cut Barrow off with a raised hand. “And is the Bureau going to compensate me millions of dollars if I leave it open? I’m eighty-two million in the hole as it is these last ten years. You want me to leave those channels available you’d best be able to get me my money back.”

“Close the holes, Miss Rogers,” Markov nodded, returning her gun to her hip.

“Will do, Agent Markov.” Penny smiled at the Captain. “And thank you for coming, Captain. It’s allowed cooler heads to prevail.”

He shook her hand when she offered it. “A pleasure, ma’am.”

“Let’s hope the next time we cross paths it’s at the NYPD Gala.”

“Looking forward to your speech, Miss Rogers.”

“Penny, please,” she smiled. “Well, in a few weeks then.”

They collected their weapons as Bucky watched and got on the elevator. Once the doors closed, Penny sagged into him.

“Whoa, Pen. You okay?”

“Tired,” she sighed. “Need to lay down.”

“And call off Tamara.”

“Did that when I found out she was stuck in traffic. Better she isn’t around for the Marcus bits anyway.”

Bucky swept her up into his arms and took the stairs three at a time as he returned her to her bed. “Rest, Pen.”

“Mm,” she hummed, eyes already closed.

He covered her in her red blanket, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and quietly left the room. He and Friday had work to do. “You let me know if there’s any change in her heart, Friday.”

“Yes, Sergeant. And Sergeant?”

“Yeah, Friday?”

“I am… happy she told you the truth.”

“Now all we have to do is figure out a way to fix her.”

“I have accelerated my work with the artificial heart. Already I have had an increase of ten percent in my success rate when paired with Penny.”

“What’s your success rate at in total, Friday?” he asked, a smidge of hope filling him.

“... ten percent,” Friday whispered. “It is not as easy as it looks.”

“Considering it doesn’t look easy at all...” Bucky sighed, returning to Penny’s office. “Keep working at it. We’ve got to do something. Penny dying isn’t an option.”

“I agree. Sergeant?”

“What, Friday?” He pulled up the images of her original assailants. Something about their use compared to the two hitmen of today seemed… off to him.

“May I have a sample of your blood?”

Bucky froze, then slowly sat back to look at the wall. “Why?”

“I have a hypothesis.”

“Which is?”

“A hypothesis is-”

“I know what hypothesis means, Friday! What is it? Why do you want my blood?”

“I’d… prefer not to say. In case I am wrong.”

Bucky pulled a knife from his sleeve. “How much and where?”

***

Penny dreamed. She dreamed of a soft bed and a hard body beneath her hands. Of warm muscles and quiet moans.

She dreamed of Bucky's hands on her skin, calluses and metal. His lips were soft when she kissed him. They felt even softer moving down her throat and over her chest to pull at her nipple.

A moan escaped her lips. “James…” she sighed.

“Penny,” he whispered, his hands touching her everywhere.  Then his grip tightened, turned bruising.

"You sure grew up pretty,” hissed maliciously against her skin before sharp pain flooded her belly. When he lifted his head, he wasn't Bucky anymore.

Penny screamed herself awake.

“Pen!” Bucky rushed to her side, and she recoiled. “Easy, easy, Penny. It's just me. You're okay.”

He knelt at her bedside while Penny tried to catch her breath. “It wasn't you,” she whispered and threw her arms around him. “It wasn't you.”

“What wasn’t me, baby doll?” he asked, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

“The one who hurt me. I was dreaming of you, and then you were him…”

“Penny.”

“I want to not be afraid anymore. Just for one damn moment, can I not be afraid?” she sobbed.

“It's gonna work out, Pen. You'll see.”

“Will I?” she whispered. “I have six months to save my life. Six. I've spent so much time working to save everyone else; I haven't done any living.” She pushed away and wiped her eyes. “I wanted to travel. See the world. Visit Tokyo, Paris, London. Instead, I've worked myself into an early grave.”

“No!” Bucky took her by the shoulders. “Don't you dare give up!”

“I'm not! But what am I doing it for? What did I do all this,” she thrust a hand out, “for if I'm not enjoying it! No life. No relationships. I may as well be a damn computer for all the good it's doing me!”

“Then change it! Figure it out and change it! Fix your heart and take a fucking vacation! Hell, I'll take you to Paris if that's what you want, but you're not allowed to quit on me, Penny!”

A smirk twitched her lips. “You're gonna take me to Paris, Barnes?”

“Damn right.”

She arched a skeptical brow. “And what would you know of Paris?”

He rocked back on his heels and dragged Penny around so he knelt between her spread knees with her feet dangling from the side of the bed. It made her heart kick in excitement and breath hitch with the same.

“I've been a lot of places, Pen. I know what colour paints the sky over the Eiffel Tower at dawn. I know the Arc looks like it's made of butter at dusk. Like you could reach out and touch it, and it would melt beneath your palm. I've seen the glass of the Louvre's pyramid sparkle after the rain, and ate pastries and drank coffee from cafés along the Rue de Seine.”

“Bucky.” His eyes were like sapphires, dark with want and memories.

“There's a hotel, out of the way and off the tourist track, with the best beds I've ever slept in, piled with blankets and pillows. The windows all have these fragrant flower boxes and Evangeline who runs it waters them each day. She makes breakfast from croissants and mandolins, fruit and cheese, and fresh squeezed orange juice. There are eggs and sausage, bacon and fruit tarts with fresh cream.” Bucky's arms wrapped around her hips and drew her closer, intimately so until her legs were spread wide around his torso, and his face level with her suddenly aching breasts.

She swallowed thickly. “Evangeline, huh?”

“She's seventy if she's a day, with wrinkles and laugh lines, and a head full of curly white hair. I adore her. Learned French just for her.”

“You speak French?” Penny was astounded.

“Oui, et si la dame veut se lever du lit, le dîner peut être servi.”

She blinked at him for a moment before smiling. “Calling me a lady and serving me dinner? Look at you go, turning on the charm. And here you are enticing me out of bed instead of into it. I'm impressed.”

Bucky's arms tightened around her hips. “Darlin’,” he purred. “I assure you, I want you in bed just as bad, but I'm not gonna seduce you after you wake up from that kind of nightmare, especially when you need to eat. Your body's gotta fight ahead of it.”

“You know, you're kinda sweet when you want to be, Barnes,” she smiled and slid her hand through his hair.

A devilish look came into his sapphire eyes. “Baby girl, I can be sweet, or I can be sinful. You fix your heart, and I'll show you just how sinful.” He turned his head and closed his mouth unerringly around her nipple through the fabric of her shirt and bra, granted neither was overly thick, and scraped his teeth over it, making Penny gasp in shocked pleasure. “Then I'll take you to Paris and introduce you to Evangeline.”

He pushed to his feet and drew her up with him, holding her so she was pressed full length to his body without any hope of wiggling away.  When his teeth scraped her ear, she shivered, and a drum beat thudded in her womb.

“And then I'll show you just how soft and sexy the beds can be.” Bucky released her with a wink and sauntered out of the room. “Dinner will be ready in five minutes.”

Penny sat with a thump and pressed her hand to her chest. Her heart raced, but it didn't feel laboured, only excited. He'd seduced her with words and barely a touch, given her an incentive to work toward, but Penny had never been a patient woman when it came to getting what she wanted.

And right now what she wanted most was more of the man whistling as he walked away. The reason she’d been hesitant in agreeing to anything this morning was because she didn’t want to hurt him when he found out the truth. But now he knew. He knew, and he still wanted her. He would be with her till the end, and clearly, he was offering her an incentive to work faster.

But what if she didn’t want to wait that long? What if she still ran out of time? What if this was her last chance to grab for a slice of happiness?

Penny let the sweater fall to the bed behind her. “Two can play that game, Barnes.”

Next Chapter

[pennie-dreadful]

Pursuant to this post, considering that Ross (and I don’t believe for second Ross didn’t spearhead the whole thing) was Bruce’s antagonist in Incredible Hulk,  because he wanted to control Hulk and make more Hulks for the US military…and Tony McFreakin knew that??? And still decided to trust Ross and take his supposed change of perspective at face value??? Bruce would have smacked Tony upside the head for even considering it. I honestly don’t understand how anyone thought the Sokovia Accords were meant to be anything other than shady as fuck. Like. Sure, make a set of rules, a charter for them to follow; Steve would have been okay with that. He was ready to sign until Tony called Wanda a weapon of mass destruction and reminded him that THAT’S what the Accords were really about, not setting some rules trying to protect people, but signing over their autonomy and thereby turning themselves into weapons to be used by the world’s top governments.

Please stop pretending Steve was against the Accords because he was blinded by self righteousness, when he has a literal lifetime of experience showing him that governments do not always know best and do not always act for the greater good*, and that Tony supported the Accords for any reason other than that he felt guilty over Ultron. He was breaking the Accords and defying Ross less than 36 hours after signing them, that was the strength of his conviction that “we need to be put in check”.

*let’s see, the government turned him into a super soldier and then decided he was useless because he was the only one, then had him selling war bonds instead of fighting

*the World Security Council (and remember in The Winter Soldier, it was revealed none of the WSC were Hydra), an ostensibly non fascist international ruling body, decided nuking a civilian population was the first resort in an alien invasion

*Speaking of The Winter Soldier, Steve found out the US government recruited Nazi scientists after WWII, thereby planting the seeds of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s own destruction; he had to have realized that he likely played a part in Hydra destabilizing the world while he was working for S.H.I.E.L.D., “cleaning up Fury’s messes”, which has to make him feel horrible on top of all the other reasons he has to feel bad

See how I haven’t even mentioned Bucky at all? But sure, let’s talk about how when he was in custody, Bucky, a U.S. citizen, was denied by his own government his civil right to an attorney--so what were the odds he would even be given a trial, much less a fair one? How much more likely was it he’d just be thrown in the raft to rot and be forgotten, with no one bothering to investigate what really happened? So yeah, add that in to the reasons Steve has to severely doubt the wisdom of relinquishing his agency.

In my AU that I was never actually pissed off enough to write, there was no Civil War; some Avengers opted to (ostensibly) retire–Tony for sure, and the others to go underground–Cap, obviously. I’m undecided as to who followed who. Well, Wanda probably went with Steve, but the point is Tony would still be feeding Steve info and tech on the down low. Honestly, living in this headcanon and ignoring CW is the only way I can still like Tony. But from Civil War on? Canon Tony lost all respect from me.

Honestly this whole diatribe plus the Infinity War shenanigans has convinced me that The Winter Soldier was a fluke and that whole creative team is garbage through and through, they just managed to get lucky once.

[forever-rogue]

Words and Paper - Part V

Summary: Y/N is a brilliant young lawyer who was hired by Tony Stark himself. She didn’t expect half of the things that would happened, but she was sure glad Bucky happened.

A/N: thank you all for your continued support! If you’d like to be tagged, let me know! If you have any requests, feel free to send them in!

Word Count: 2.6k

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Warnings: None

MASTERLIST

PART I | PART II | PART III | PART IV | PART VI | PART VII | PART VIII | PART IX | PART X | PART XI | PART XII | PART XIII

Y/N had the spent the remainder of her first day organizing her office and making it cozy and homey, just like her old one. Every once in awhile there was a knock on her door, presenting another attorney giving her a welcome. For the most part, everyone seemed kind enough and would probably not make any problems for her, but she could tell some of the more senior associates might not like her as much.

She plopped down in her chair and put her feet up on her desk, and let out a large sigh. She wondered what Tony had in store for her tomorrow. It would only be her second day, but she was eager to start on a new project and start making a name for herself. She closed her eyes for a moments, but was pulled out of her thoughts by the buzzing of her phone. She looked at it and saw that it was Bucky calling her. She smiled to herself as she eagerly grabbed it.

“Hey Princess,” his warm voice brought a smile to her face. Even though he wasn’t there with her, she felt the familiar warm blush creep up in her cheeks, “how’s your first day?”

“Oh Bucky, what a day it has been,” she laughed a little bit, “the people here are..interesting.”

“Are they treating you okay?” His voice immediately got a note of defense in it.

“Yeah...well I think they will be anyway. The first lady I met, Mary, ruffled me a little bit, but I stood my ground, so I think we’re okay,”

“Oh?”

“I think she had a problem with my age and I don’t know what else. But I told them all that if it was a problem they could take it up with me, and no one’s said anything else,” she shrugged her shoulders lightly even though he wasn’t there to see.

“Atta girl. Don’t let me undermine you,” he agreed, “and if you need anything, let me know.”

“Should I let them know if they have a problem with me that I’ll call in Sergeant Barnes to teach them a lesson?” She tried to picture him storming into the building and giving everyone the business.

“I think that could work,” he said with a chuckle, “do you want to get dinner when you’re off? Unless you’ve made other plans?”

“I’d love to, Buckaroo. I’ll meet where we parted at 5?”

“Sounds great, I’ll see you then,”

“Bye Buck,” she said softly and hung up the call. She looked down at her watch and saw that she still had another hour to kill. She sighed and wondered how to pass the time. An idea popped up in her head, and she gathered her things. She left her office and started walking down the hall to where she believed Mary’s office was and knocked softly.

After a few seconds, she heard footsteps and a second later the door opened. It wasn’t Mary, but rather, it was a young man who looked to be a few years older than her.

“Hello there,” he gave her a brilliant smile with dazzlingly white teeth. He had dark, slicked back hair and a perfectly pressed dark blue suit and bright green eyes. He looked every part the lawyer.

“Oh, hi! I’m sorry, I thought this was Mary’s office, I didn’t meant to interrupt,” Y/N stammered a bit. She nervously pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Don’t worry, you weren’t interrupting, I was actually just finishing up what I was doing,” he opened the door wider so she could see inside, “please come in, you must be Y/N?”

“Yes, that’s me,” she shuffled past him and took a look around. His office was spacious like hers, but had a sleek modern look to it, with dark furniture. It felt unattached and dark, almost too business like.

“I”m Zachary Walsh,” he extended his hand out to her. She grasped it and gave it a firm shake, “I work with financials. Nothing too exciting.”

“I’m sure it must be plenty exciting to you if you decided to devote your career to it,” she gave him a small smirk, one eyebrow cocked.

“I suppose you’re right,” he agreed as he strode over to his desk and starting putting things away, “probably not as exciting as what you do though. Civil rights, correct?”

“I wouldn’t necessarily call what I do exciting, it’s just trying to get and equality for people, but yes, I do it enjoy it. It was nice to meet you, Zachary.”

“Zach, please, I’m not old enough to be Zachary yet,” he paused for a moment, “would you like to get a drink?”

“What? I-I kind of have plans already,” she was taken aback by his sudden offer.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be forward. A bunch of us usually go out for a drink on Mondays, you know, usher in the new week. You’re welcome to join us whenever, if you’d like.”

“Oh, thank you, that’s very kind of you,” she breathed a sigh of relief. She headed towards the door and gave him a small wave, “have a good evening Zach.”

“If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask,” he flashed another smile. She nodded and closed the door behind her. At least not everyone was out to get her.

Y/N decided she had had enough for her first day, and decided to leave a little early. She made her way out of the building walking slowly to where she had left Bucky earlier.  On her walk she passed some bushes which had a few flowers left from summer, and when she made sure no one was looking, picked one off.

Y/N was sitting on a bench, waiting for Bucky, lazily scrolling through her phone. She had received lots of texts from the rest of the Avengers telling her to have a good day, as well as some from her friends back home. She heard a throat clear and looked up to see Bucky staring at her.

She jumped up and wrapped her arms around him, “Bucky!”

“Y/N!” He kissed her cheek lightly.

“I have something for you,” she reach into the top of her bag and pulled out the flower she had picked earlier. He gently took it from  her, a huge goofy smile on his face.

“You’re the best,”

“Yeah, I think so too,” she agreed and nodded.

“And so humble,” he picked up her bag, slung it over his shoulder and put his arm around her, “where would you like to go for dinner?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. How about Italian? Some pasta sounds great,”

“I know just the place, it’s got the best pasta,”

“Lead the way, Sarge,”

Bucky hadn’t been lying when he said the restaurant they were going to had the best pasta. Y/N had opted for some pasta with pesto and had to stop herself from stuffing her mouth.

“Slow down there, partner,” Bucky laughed at her as he had barely made a dent in his lasagna, “don’t want to eat it too fast and get an upset stomach.”

“I’m starving and you were not joking, this place is amazing,” she sheepishly put down her fork for a second.

“Yeah, it was good in the 40s too, I don’t think they’ve changed the recipes, just the building,” Y/N’s eyes widened for a second. She sometimes forgot he was that much older.

“Oh my old man, at least you know how to pick places. That’ll definitely be your responsibility,” she stuck her tongue out at him before grabbing another forkful.

“I can definitely do that,” he agreed. He was about to say something else when he was interrupted by loud laughter and cheering coming from the bar area across the restaurant.  They both grimaced in annoyance as they looked over to see what the commotion was.

Across the bar, a group of 15 or so young men were crowded around taking shots. Just the type of people Y/N liked to stay away from. She stared for a few for seconds before she realized she knew who these people were. Of course; it was the group of attorneys from her office. Apparently this was were they like to go, she was happy she hadn’t agreed.

“Hey Buck, those guys work in the office,” she motioned lightly towards them, “one of them invited me to go out with them.”

“Them? I guess they aren’t concerned with anyone seeing them act like idiots,” he cast a wary eye in their direction, “if they ever give you any trouble, let me know.”

“Trust me, I will,” she nodded and took a sip of her wine, “I think I got it handled for the moment anyway.”

The group finally quieted down and they continued telling each other about their respective days. While Bucky was talking, Y/N couldn’t help but feeling like somebody was watching her. She slowly lifted her gaze and meet Zachary’s eyes. He narrowed his eyes a little bit as he watched her, and studied who she was with. It didn’t take long before he realized she was with Bucky once he saw his metal hand reach for his glass. Y/N didn’t say anything to Bucky, but hoped this would all blow over.

“Y/N?”

“Huh?” She focused her attention back on Bucky as she realized she had completely zoned out.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just was more tired than I realized, I guess,” she looked back at him, “I’m sorry. Please, continue.”

“Yeah, sure,” he gave her a slightly suspicious look as he launched back into his story.

The next morning, Y/N was eager to get to work. She was ready to take on her new assignment from Tony. She pulled on her clothes quickly and tied up her long hair, giving Pickles a few cuddles before running out the door. She was heading towards the stairwell when she bumped into someone. She looked up and saw that it was Bucky; she had completely forgotten to check her phone or text him.

“Sorry, Buck!” She looked and saw that he had brought her breakfast again, “Oh, you shouldn’t have! You’re the best.”

“I called, but you didn’t answer so I figured you were busy and I wanted to make sure you had breakfast,”

“I was running a little late, but I’m meeting with Tony, so I wanted to make sure I was early. I spaced out. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, yeah it’s fine,” he said quietly as she grabbed one of the coffees from the tray in his hand.

“Thanks! I’ll call you as soon as I get a chance, okay? I just really want to make a good impression,” she said somewhat apologetically she started down the stairs, “you have the key, make yourself at home! Pickles will be happy to see you.”

Bucky listened to her retreating voice for a moment before letting himself into her apartment. He walked in and put down his coffee and the food on the kitchen island. Pickles came running from Y/N’s bedroom and meowed at him softly.

“I guess it’s just you and me for breakfast,” he sighed and gave her a few scratches behind her ear.

Y/N practically ran into the tower as she wanted to make sure she was perfectly on time today. She walked up the receptionist she had met yesterday, “Good morning! What floor is Mr. Stark’s office on?”

“Good morning, Dr. Y/L/N! He’s expecting you, so I’ll let him know you’re here, but his office is on the top floor,”

“Of course it is. Thanks so much-” she paused for a second and realized she hadn’t ever asked for her name, “I’m sorry, I never asked what your name was.”

“I’m Aya,” she smiled at her, happy someone actually asked her instead of just treating her like a building ornament.

“It’s wonderful to meet you properly, Aya. I’d love to talk some more sometime,” Y/N smiled and gave her a wave as she started heading towards the elevator. Aya returned the gesture and quickly dialed Tony’s number to let him know she had arrived.

After waiting inside the elevator for what seemed to be a small eternity, she finally heard the familiar ding. She looked at the red number displayed on the top and saw a big 100 displayed. Of course this building was that huge.

She got out and clutched her bag tightly as she head down the hall to where she saw his office door. When she reached it, she rapped her knuckles against the frosted glass.

“Come in,” he called and she opened the door. He looked up from what he was tinkering with and smiled when he saw it was Y/N, “aww, just the young lady I wanted to see.”

“Tony, just the boss I was expecting to see,” she joked back and sat down in one of the big squishy chairs he had facing his desk.

“Clever girl,” he gave her an amused smile, “are you ready for your first assignment?”

“Absolutely,”

“Excellent. Now, first tell me, is your passport in order?” He triangled his fingers together under his chin.

“Yes? Why?” Y/N leaned forward; he had her full attention now.

“I need you to go to Russia. There’s an issue with some of our citizens being detained over there for some  ‘atrocities’ they had committed. However, it was not our citizens that did anything; they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and we need show them this. Then we need take some actions against Russia,” he explained it simply and pulled out a file out of his desk drawer and slid it over to her.

“How exactly does this come under Stark Industries’ jurisdiction?” Her head was spinning with all the information he had given her.

“We work closely with the government these days, dear Y/N. When they ask for help, we provide it when possible. I think you’re the best one for this job...that is unless you don’t feel up to it.”

“No! I can do this, absolutely. Just me some time to look over this file and get prepared,”

“You’ll have plenty of time on the flight. I recommend you go and get packed quickly. Your flight leaves at 3 this afternoon. Be back here by then,” he returned his attention to the small object he had been working when Y/N had walked in.

“Oh, okay - what?!” She stood up in disbelief, “this afternoon?!”

“Yes. Time is of the essence. Like I said if you don’t feel up to this-”

“No, I can handle it. I just didn’t expect it to be so sudden,”

“This is what you signed up for, Y/N,” he gave her a small nod as she picked up the file and headed for the door. She bit her lip and closed the door behind her. Once she was out of earshot she let out a small yell of frustration.

She wasn’t exactly sure this what she had signed up for.

Taglist: @sebstanwassup @ladyabby-1996 @bookaddic @jems8241 @ruinerofcheese

[aion-rsa]

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 4: Marvel and MCU Easter Eggs Guide

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This article contains The Falcon and the Winter Soldier spoilers for episode 4, and potentially future episodes and the wider MCU.

That sure was a grisly ending to an otherwise slow boil of an episode, wasn’t it? The Falcon and the Winter Soldier episode 4 is heavy on the philosophizing and mostly light on the action…until the end. And while there aren’t as many in-your-face Marvel Comics and MCU references as we’ve come to expect from these Disney+ shows, the events and the weighty dialogue are all steeped in Marvel history.

Here’s what we found…

The Whole World is Watching

The title of episode 4, “The Whole World Is Watching”, is a phrase thought to have originated at Civil Rights events in the 50s, but that came to prominence at the 1968 Democratic National Convention when anti-Vietnam War demonstrators were beaten and arrested by cops outside the Conrad Hilton Hotel in Chicago, a point in US history recently depicted in Aaron Sorkin’s Netflix film, The Trial of the Chicago 7. “The whole world is watching” has been publicly chanted by other groups of activists since. 

In the closing moments of this episode, we see John Walker savagely murder one of the Flag-Smasher activists while being filmed by a crowd of onlookers. The whole world has been watching the Flag-Smashers escalate their cause, and now the world is watching Walker go postal. 

John Walker

Walker finally takes the Super Soldier Serum, which he has been destined to do since he first arrived in the MCU. He got superhuman abilities from the Power Broker in the comics, too, but in a much more direct way than we witness in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. There, he was already augmented BEFORE becoming Captain America, as opposed to here where his insecurities help drive him to the formula.

Lemar (RIP) posits that the Super Soldier Serum just makes people “more of themselves” – sometimes you get Karli, sometimes you get Steve. This echoes comments made by its creator, Doctor Abraham Erskine, in Captain America: The First Avenger. “The serum amplifies everything that is inside,” he said. “Good becomes great. Bad becomes worse.”

Walker, while a decorated soldier, considers the time he spent serving his country to be morally murky at best. Despite Lemar’s warning in episode 2 that he can’t just punch his way out of situations now that he’s Captain America, Walker has proceeded to do just that, and in episode 4 we see that he and Karli are now on very similar – but opposing – paths. 

Walker also talks about his past in the military, referencing “the worst day of his life”. Lemar says a lot of lives were lost that day. Presumably, we’ll get to see some flashbacks of exactly what happened in the last two episodes of the series, and how those events led to the MCU’s version of John. All of this feels more nuanced than the version of John from the comics, who was literally known as the Super Patriot before becoming Captain America, and was an unquestioning lover of all things American.

It’s pretty awkward seeing Captain America brandishing a gun with his shield, and that’s a deliberate bit of dissonance the show is playing into. But there was a live action version of Captain America who DID wield a pistol, but it was instead of a shield. The 1944 Republic Pictures Captain America movie serial starred Dick Purcell as not Steve Rogers but district attorney Grant Gardner, who wore the famous costume but otherwise had very little in common with his comics namesake. We don’t necessarily recommend watching this, although it does feature some terrific fights and stuntwork for the era.

Walker smashing through a window when he’s in pursuit instead of taking the stairs is probably the most Steve Rogers thing he’s done yet, to be fair. 

Walker murdering a Flag-Smasher in public view is disturbing, but this is a subtle callback to a Captain America story from the 1980s. In Captain America #321, Steve Rogers had no choice but to kill an ULTIMATUM (the comics equivalent of the Flag-Smashers team) agent who was about to gun down a group of hostages. At the time, the official position in Marvel Comics was that Cap didn’t kill, and this high profile event weighed heavily on Steve’s conscience and brought him a ton of bad publicity. It’s a faint echo here with Walker, but an echo nonetheless.

We wrote about this moment and it significance in more detail here.

The final shot of John Walker standing in public with the bloodied Captain America shield is reminiscent of the iconic cover to Civil War #1, where Steve Rogers Cap is also holding a bloodied shield for metaphorical reasons.

The way Walker slays Nico is much like how Rogers defeated Iron Man during the climax of Captain America: Civil War. It’s more interesting due to the contrast of the events. Cap was trying to disable Iron Man in order to protect his best friend and sidekick. Cap 2.0 was slaughtering a man in the name of vengeance due to the death of his best friend and sidekick.

Bucky Barnes

We get to go back six years and see Bucky finish his HYDRA deprogramming journey in Wakanda. We had previously seen only a sliver of what happened between Bucky being put on ice at the end of Captain America: Civil War and his full reemergence during Avengers: Infinity War. Ayo recites his trigger words as that distinctive Winter Soldier score returns, and Bucky gets emotional when nothing happens. We’re not crying, you’re crying.

Bucky stays quiet about Isaiah Bradley when Zemo thinks he’s won the Cap argument. “But there never has been another Steve Rogers, has there?” That you know of, Helmut, no.

Sam Wilson

Despite Zemo’s eternal Machiavellian chuntering about Super Soldiers, Sam manages to give him pause when he warns about Zemo playing God, and makes an example of Bucky’s redemption. He also talks Karli around a little bit when he gets a moment alone with her. Seems like this Sam Wilson guy would make a pretty good Captain America, no?

Walker, Zemo and Karli have now all appealed to Sam’s beliefs and background to get him on side. Bucky remains the primary cheerleader of Sam stepping up to be his own man.

Zemo

Zemo compares the Avengers to Ultron and the Nazis. When Sam admonishes him for speaking that way about their friends, Bucky jumps in a little too quickly to clarify that Sam meant the Avengers and not the Nazis. Probably not the best time to unpack all the ways Bucky and Zemo are connected to the Nazis.

Our man in the fetching fur-collared coat also begins to chat about his childhood to Sam and Bucky in this episode, potentially opening the door for some flashbacks with his father, Heinrich Zemo – another man you wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of.

Zemo sings “Baa Baa Black Sheep” as he approaches the children playing outside in the most sinister way possible. Not Marvel-related trivia, but the nursery rhyme was the first of two songs to ever be digitally saved and played on a computer. 

Speaking of super old things, the other person to trick a child into betraying their family with a piece of Turkish Delight was the White Witch in The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe. In case anyone was wondering if Zemo was turning antihero or not.

Zemo squarely catching a thrown shield to the face is almost funny in its timing, but it’s also remarkable how something that basically happens once an issue in Captain America comics doesn’t seem to have happened all that often in live action.

Battlestar

We say goodbye to Lemar Hoskins aka “Battlestar” in episode 4 when Karli punches him into a stone pillar. Heroes and villains alike are regularly blasted into pillars in the MCU, but this episode acknowledges the realistic effects at long last.

Much like Walker, in the pages of Marvel Comics Lemar received superhuman abilities from the Power Broker, but sadly in the MCU he became the reason Walker snapped instead.

The Dora Milaje

Once again we have Florence Kasumba here as Ayo, and she’s joined by Nomble (Janeshia Adams-Ginyard) and Yama (Zola Williams). As far as we can tell, Nomble and Yama don’t have comics counterparts, but if anyone would like to correct us, just let us know!

A member of the Dora Milaje stamps on the edge of the shield and flips it up in a nice nod to Steve’s Winter Soldier elevator sign-off.

Miscellaneous Stuff

Nico, who admits with some embarrassment that he used to be a Captain America fan, ends up getting brutally killed by Captain America. A firmly ironic yikes. But he’s not the first Cap fan to die for some much-needed plot momentum in the MCU – Clark Gregg’s Cap enthusiast Agent Coulson also took one for the team in The Avengers.

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[ao3feed-buckybarnes]

Forward, Always

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2kWkyIv

by Lasgalendil

"...And it doesn’t stop there. It’s not just the police. Falcon’s a fugitive now, what, for violating the Sokovia Accords to aid an American citizen stripped of his rights and freedom? An American citizen and serviceman held without charges, without an attorney, illegally and against his will? We had a President who violated the Geneva Conventions, passed the Patriot Act against all provisions in the Constitution—and people think Sam Wilson, an American soldier and an Avenger, is a criminal—?"

Lucas, Carl. Black History Month. Seagate Vlogs. uploaded 01 February 2016.

Words: 713, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 1 of Black History Month

Fandoms: Luke Cage (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: F/M

Characters: Luke Cage, Claire Temple, Gabe Jones, Sam Wilson (Marvel), James "Bucky" Barnes

Relationships: Luke Cage/Claire Temple, Luke Cage & Claire Temple

Additional Tags: black history month, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Metafiction

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2kWkyIv