#grumpy!steve

[sp0o0kylights]

Steve Harrington, who has a very “in name only” relationship with his parents, the people who claim they love him lots but have simply given him cash for his last six birthdays without bothering to send a card. 

Steven Harrington, who lost his connection to the only adults in his life who actually parented him when he had his final fight with Tommy and Carol-- not that they ever really did that much. Having an adult put a bandaid on his knee and complimenting him for being tough was plenty enough. 

Steve Harrington, who drove Dustin and co. to the Byers house that one Christmas and was told by Hopper not to come in; that Joyce was still mad at him about the ‘demodog in the fridge’ and figured his exclusion was fair--it wasn’t like Hopper actually liked him. Joyce certainly had no reason to. It wasn’t like he was doing anything for Christmas anyways. 

Steve Harrington, who is fairly certain Robin’s parents have clocked her as queer but who still treats him in that careful way many parents do when he’s hanging around their daughter. There’s a barrier there, in the way of firm handshakes and “get her back safe”’s that keep things formal. (It’s never bothered him before, and he swears it doesn’t bother him now.) 

Steve Harrington, whose relationships with adults are defined by words like “networking”, “proper connections”, “favors”, and “finances”, who has at best been treated like a miniature version of his father and at worst as a spoilt moron, who encounters Wayne Munson and has no idea what to do with the man. 

Wayne Munson, who asks him actual questions about his life. Who asks him to watch the game with him. Who calls him “boy” and “son” in ways that sound affectionate and not frustrated. Wayne, who shoos him away from the dishes and compliments his cooking, who has invited Steve over when Eddie isn’t even home.

Steve Harrington, who keeps apologizing to Eddie because “I’m not trying to steal your Uncle man, I promise.” and doesn’t believe Eddie when the latter just laughs at him.

(“You can’t steal Wayne, Steve.” Eddie says with a snicker, when he finally figures out what Steve is apologizing for.  The guy apologizes a lot for things that make no sense, it’s a bad habit Eddie’s working on him with. “Though I do believe he has been trying to steal you.” 

“Oh.” This does not relieve Steve. In fact, this seems to make him more nervous looking, which Eddie does not want. 

“I uh. I don’t want to come between you guys so I guess we can just hang at my house…?” The voice he trails off with is downright painful for Eddie to hear, and he’s already slashing his hand in the air in a wild ‘No’ before Steve can even finish speaking.

“Dude you’re fine. I’m glad you guys are getting along! Wayne needs someone to talk sportsball with and clearly so do you because you keep trying to talk about it to anyone who will listen.”

“I guess if you’re alright with it…”) 

Steve Harrington, who allows himself to be adopted by the Munsons much in the way a feral cat lets itself become domesticated, and who starts looking at Wayne like the man hung the moon. 

Wayne Munson, who is referred to by Steve as “Dad” exactly once, and feels so fucking happy about it he misses the panic attack Eddie has to talk Steve through. 

He also misses that that is the moment when Steve accidentally confesses his feelings to Eddie in the Munson’s (new) cramped bathroom, on grounds that “I can’t date you and also call Wayne dad like that, that’s weird! Isn’t that weird!? It feels weird!” 

(“Sweetheart,” Eddie says, trying not to smile and failing entirely. “I get what you’re saying, but I think in your panic you missed something kinda key, there.”) 

Steve Harrington, who gets himself an entire family in the end (and gets to both call Wayne “dad” and Eddie as his boyfriend, without issue, because “we’re not related babe, you can call your inlaw whatever you want.” 

“Now who's skipping steps? When did we get married?”

“The very second it’s legal, that’s when.”) 

--and has never been happier in his life.

[parkers-gal]

make-believe girlfriend J.B.

pairing: bucky barnes x f!reader, a smidge of grumpy x sunshine

wc: 3.1k

warnings: use of nickname 'peaches.' long distance relationship

summary: after a three month long mission, bucky returns and he has a girlfriend. the team doesn't believe she exists

a/n: i loooooveeee this i hope u do too ! <3

⋆˚✶˚‧⋆｡˚

it was supposed to be a simple mission followed by a month long sabbatical. three months steve told bucky in between sets in the training room. two months to finish the mission, one month to just… explore. you need to get out, discover, to just- i don’t know… do something else besides be a soldier.

bucky had laughed at first. “coming from you? the world’s best soldier? that’s rich.”

“i know i’m not one to talk. but i care about you, buck. wakanda was good for you, i just want you to be at peace again.”

bucky hummed. “i’ll think about it.”

steve nodded, then after a beat, added “if not for you, do it for me.”

that was two weeks ago. now, bucky can’t even believe he’s packing his bags and loading onto the quinjet. alone. for the first time in almost 70 years, he’s afraid of something. of what, he doesn’t know. that’s what’s so nerve wracking about the entire ordeal – with hydra, he’d always known who to fear, who to submit to. when he was fighting on the field, there was always a bad guy, an alien, a man with a scepter. but this was out of his experience. 

footsteps sound behind him. dropping his duffel bag by his backpack, bucky turns around calmly, trying to read steve’s face.

“you can call every once in awhile… if you want to. or just- you know. don’t forget your check ins.”

bucky nods. “it’s just a couple months, steve. i’ll be fine.”

he laughs a little. “i know. i don’t want you to think i’m pushing you to get out.”

“i know you’re not.” a hesitant smile spreads on his face. steve can see right through it, but he doesn’t comment, merely offering a hug. he pats bucky on the back as they always do, and once again, bucky is alone on the quinjet. 

it was scary at first. chicago is so different from his little corner in brooklyn, safe in a bubble of familiarity. his apartment came pre-furnished, and felt more home-like than his bare apartment in new york. it was easy to play along, to act like he was playing a part on a mission.

but then he met you.

the walls of his facade started to crumble, and he found himself seeping into the soft sheets of his bed instead of a thin blanket on the hardwood floor. it became harder and harder for him to convince himself that he was faking the enjoyment of this trip.

you worked at the cafe nearby his apartment. his neighbor came home one day as bucky was leaving, and the smell of her coffee coupled with the croissant in her other hand was enough encouragement he needed to try out the restaurant. 

the bell at the front alerted you of a new customer. you smiled while frothing some milk for an order, “i’ll be right with you!” you chirped sweetly. 

the way you moved behind the counter had bucky in a trance the first time he laid eyes on you. the atmosphere around you was bubbling; it was as if bucky had walked right into a room of sunshine, and you were the star, beautiful and gentle and sweet. he wanted more.

dusting your hands on your apron, you stepped towards the register. “what can i get for you?”

a pause. worry was etched on bucky’s face.

“have you been here before?”

he shook his head. “i don’t know what to get, i’m sorry.”

you smiled again, soft and reassuring. it melted his insides. “that’s okay. would you like any suggestions?”

he finally grew the courage to look at your eyes. his mouth went a little dry, lips parted in shock. you were just so beautiful. he couldn’t describe it. “yeah.”

another comforting smile spread across your face and it soothed him immediately.

“i think our latte macchiato is one our yummiest drinks. i usually get the peach cobbler croissant. it’s amazing when it’s warm and gooey.”

“peach cobbler croissant?”

you nodded, “house original. don’t knock it ‘till you try it,” another smile. 

this time, he smiled back. “okay, i’ll have those, then.”

“great!” you finished registering his order before moving back towards the various coffee machines, lightly singing along to the music playing. a few more people trickle in and out, and bucky takes his time admiring the quaint cafe. 

“hey,” you lightly call. “i never got a name for that order.” you hold a cup of coffee in one hand, a sharpie in the other. 

bucky steps closer to the counter, a sudden surge of confidence rippling through him like it used to back in the 30s. “can i give you a number for it too?”

your eyebrows shoot up in surprise. with a shy nod, you place his cup on the counter and take out a notepad from your apron. he recites his phone number and, with a grateful smile, leaves the shop. his legs almost give out as soon as he steps outside. he’s never been so nervous around a girl before. 

he finished his mission two weeks earlier than planned. that gave him a month and a half to do whatever he wanted in the city. what he really wanted was you. every morning, he’d try a new drink and whatever breakfast special you had that day. and every day, at the end of your shift, bucky would walk you home. or sometimes, you’d walk to the park and sit on the bench and just talk. 

by the second week of this, bucky asked you out on that bench. 

⋆˚✶˚‧⋆｡˚

stepping into bucky’s apartment, you place your keys in the bowl by the front door, and drop your apron next to your shoes. bucky lounges on the couch, a book in his lap and the tv on low.

“peaches?” he closes his book. “why didn’t you call me? i would’ve come to get you.”

you hum, sliding onto the couch beside him. “didn’t wanna bother you.”

he tsks at you before kissing your forehead, pulling you into his side. “how was work?”

you shrug. “i saw the cutest dog. i gave her some whipped cream and it was so cute.”

he smiles, squeezing you close. “wanna watch tv and order in?”

you nod, shuffling to grab the remote and putting your feet in his lap. “wanna watch gilmore girls?”

he massages your sock-clad feet and hums in approval at your question. 

it’s odd how quickly he let go of his life at home. something about you made him want to be everything he thought he could be before the war, before hydra, before everything. he does miss home – new york city, the avengers compound, his clanky washing machine, steve and yes, even sam. but the longer he spends here, the more his home starts to feel like you. 

“i think i love you.” the words slip out before he can register them, and his hands freeze in the middle of massaging you. you turn your head slowly, eyes softening upon hearing his words. “i’m sorry, it’s way too soon to say that i don’t even know why i-”

“i love you too.” you cut in. “i think i’m falling in love with you, bucky barnes.”

his eyes well up and he tugs you closer. “really?”

you nod, a grin breaking out on your face. “really.”

seeing your smile makes him start to smile too. “i’m falling in love with you, too.”

when he kisses you, it’s tender and caring, and his hand cups your face gently. he tastes faintly of apricot jam, and you sigh into the kiss, tugging him closer. “i don’t want you to go.”

he rests his forehead against yours, frowning. “aww, peaches.” bucky places a feather-light kiss to your cheek. “i’ll miss you so much.” 

you nod in acknowledgement. “don’t know what i’m gonna do without you here.”

“i’ll visit as much as i can, honey.”

you huff, sniffing just below his jaw, inhaling his scent. “i know,” you pout. “but i really love being around you.”

bucky can’t help his smile from forming. you’re just so cute, missing him already when he hasn’t even left yet. 

“good thing i have two weeks left to spend as much time with my girl as possible.”

his fingers slip down to your waist, pressing into your sides. laughter bubbles from your throat as you try to pry him off you. bucky chuckles at you, the adorable giggles spewing from your mouth are enough to make him kiss you again. 

“you’re so pretty, peaches.”

you huff, out of breath from the tickling. “yeah?” it’s your turn. “you think so?”

“what are you doing…”

“…nothing…”

“peach- hey!” 

you attack his freakishly hard abdomen, squeezing the muscles with all your might until bucky pulls you up and plops you into his lap, laying back on the couch. satisfied, you rest your hands against his chest. 

“i wonder what stevie’ll think of you.”

your brow quirks. “you mean… captain america?”

bucky laughs, “that’s not his real name.”

you slap his chest lightly. “i know that, silly.”

“don’t know how i got so lucky.” his eyes twinkle at you.

lacing your fingers with his, you give his hand a squeeze. “me too.”

⋆˚✶˚‧⋆｡˚

bucky skillfully lands the quinjet on the helicopter pad at the compound. after showing you all the cool gadgets on the plane, bucky was reluctant to leave your side, but you kissed him and promised to facetime as soon as he was settled in, and bucky couldn’t say no to that, so he kissed you goodbye and waved as he took off, never having been so sad to return to his home in new york.

strolling into the compound, his backpack dangles from his right shoulder as he holds his duffel bag in his metal hand. he makes his way to his room, passing wanda and vision in the kitchen who say ‘hello’ while making some sokovian dish. 

while he unpacks, steve knocks on his door despite bucky leaving it open. 

“hey, buck. how was it?”

closing his dresser drawer, bucky shifts towards steve who steps into the room. 

“it was good. i think… you were right. i really needed that.”

“that’s awesome, man. i’m really happy for you. maybe we can talk about it tonight, have some beers and just catch up?”

bucky nods, already grinning to himself when he thinks about telling steve about you.

he showers, facetimes you for a good hour, before friday alerts him that dinner is ready. he finishes his call with you and heads towards the kitchen, finding sam and steve spread on a table with food. natasha and wanda have taken their plates to the tv, opting to watch a new episode of some show. peter and tony are too caught up in some math problem to leave the couch.

“what’s up, terminator?”

squinting at him, bucky grabs a beer and pops it open with his metal arm, taking a seat beside steve at the round table. “so,” steve talks in between mouthfuls of food. “tell us about the trip.”

taking a gulp of beer, bucky bites the inside of his cheek. “i… met a girl.”

silence overtakes the three of them. 

“what?”

“really?”

bucky nods, a blush already heating up his face. 

“so… are you dating?” steve put his fork down to really look at bucky, still shocked at the sudden news. his friend nods in response. 

“wow.” sam leans back in his chair. “i don’t believe it.”

“what?” it’s bucky’s turn to be shocked, eyebrows furrowing at sam’s confession. “what do you mean you don’t believe it?”

“you go on a three month long trip and suddenly you have a girlfriend for the first time in 70 years? no way.”

“sam, be nice.”

“i am being nice.” he loads up his fork for another bite. “i’m just saying i’ll believe it when i meet her.”

“well, she lives in chicago, bird-brain.”

“who lives in chicago?” natasha suddenly appears in front of them, an empty glass in her hand, presumably here to refill it. 

“bucky’s girlfriend.”

“sam!” steve slaps his shoulder

natasha’s mouth drops open. “you got a girlfriend?!”

bucky’s mouth forms into a disapproving line. “yeah, and sam doesn’t believe she exists.”

she laughs at this, beckoning over wanda and tony.

bucky wants to hide in his room at the sudden amount of people staring at him. 

“i’m with sam on this one.”

“really tony?” steve’s tone is teasing but he can’t help but feel bad for bucky. “you too?”

“i’ll believe it when i see it.”

“whatever.” bucky mumbles, his plate empty and beer gone. “you guys don’t have to believe me.”

“okay, buddy.” sam laughs. “good luck keeping up the act.”

⋆˚✶˚‧⋆｡˚

it’s been five months since bucky was first in chicago, and the team is nowhere near closer to believing in his relationship with you. they’ve walked in on him on the phone, smiling down at his text messages, him on call with you, even him calling a local flower shop in chicago to send you flowers. still, only steve believes you exist, but even he is starting to grow wary. somehow, bucky hasn’t shown any photographs of you, no letters, not even a video call to prove your existence. 

“i don’t know what else to do, peaches.” bucky pouts into the phone. on the other end, you laugh softly.

“they still don’t believe you?”

“sam thought i was texting myself today. myself! i told him i don’t even know how to do that! when i tried to show him photo of you, he said it doesn’t count unless i’m in the photo with you. then he said something about shop photo.”

“... do you mean photoshop?”

“yes! that!”

you giggle at him again. 

“this isn’t funny, peaches.”

“sounds awfully funny to me.” you can’t help but tease him. “why can’t you just put them on the phone?”

“they think i’m just gonna hire someone to pretend to be my girlfriend.” 

you don’t respond for a second, merely humming. “i’m sure we’ll think of something.”

the conversation changes and after a few minutes, clint comes by to get bucky for training. 

“hey, you’re late for training. steve is already downstairs waiting.”

“oh crap,” he pulls his phone closer to his ear. “i’m sorry, peaches. i gotta go. i love you.”

he hangs up after a moment and then moves to grab his gym bag.

“that your pretend girlfriend?” clint points to the phone.

bucky rolls his eyes. “not you, too.”

he raises his arms in defense. “sam has a good point.”

the two of them walk down the hall. “i don’t think he makes a good point.” he grumbles. clint laughs at him, entering the gym where nat and steve are sparring. 

“he’s here.” sam calls out, alerting steve. “what were you doing? calling your fake girlfriend?”

“she’s not fake.” 

“your make-believe girlfriend.”

“alright, sam,” steve interjects. “let’s just get started.”

by the time training ends, bucky just wants to cuddle on the couch with you and fall asleep. but you’re not here, and you haven’t texted him back since your phone call earlier. so, he’s stuck lounging on the couch, freshly showered, watching movies with the rest of the team for some “bonding” that steve insisted on. 

“why wouldn’t they just exchange numbers if they clearly like each other?”

“because,” wanda turns to bruce. “she wants fate to bring them together.”

“fate is not a five dollar bill. fate already brought them together! they’re just denying it.”

before anyone else responds, friday alerts them of someone’s arrival. 

“friday, who is it?” tony calls out. 

“she is not in the stark catalog or the shield workforce database, sir.” she responds.

“how did she get in here, then?”

“miss potts approved of her.”

they all exchange glances until the elevator doors slide open and in it, you with your overnight bag. 

stepping towards the group, you shyly call out. “bucky?”

he whips his head around, standing immediately. “peaches?”

a smile blooms across your face, dropping your bags to engulf him in a hug. he’s never hugged anyone so hard. 

“what are you doing here?” he kisses the top of your head. 

“i wanted to surprise you.” you speak quietly so only he can hear. “and i wanted to prove my existence” you giggle.

“who the fuck is that?”

“language.”

sam looks annoyingly at steve before focusing back on you two.

“sam…” natasha looks disappointed for him. “i think that’s bucky’s girlfriend.”

his jaw drops. “no way.” he scoffs. “no way she actually exists.”

“yeah, what?” tony looks around in shock. “and she just waltzes in here??”

you chuckle at the group of supers. “i thought you said they were smart.” 

bucky laughs at your comment. “sometimes they are.” 

“so you’re actually his girlfriend?” wanda studies you. “how did you meet?”

“bucky came to the cafe i work at.” you smile fondly at the memory. “we make the best peach cobbler croissants. i brought the recipe for you all to try.”

a few ears perk up at this. 

“what’s bucky’s middle name?” sam quizzes. “if you’re really his girlfriend.”

bucky wants to slap his forehead.

“uhm… pretty sure bucky is his middle name.” you laugh out. 

“oh.”

“that was a stupid question, sam.”

“i forgot!” he waves his hands around to dismiss what just happened. “what’s my middle name??”

“aren’t you supposed to be quizzing her about bucky?”

“not the point, peter.”

“you shouldn’t even be quizzing her.” bucky wraps his arm around your waist, pulling you into his side. “everyone, this is y/n. my girlfriend. my real girlfriend.” 

the sight of affection from bucky causes a silence to settle over the group, as if that was the definitive determining factor in this whole ordeal. 

“y/n, this is the team.” 

you smile, waving at them. 

“that’s steve.”

bucky points him out and steve immediately stands up, offering a hand. “it’s nice to finally meet you.”

you smile in response, the same soft one that had bucky falling for you in the first place.

“he’s the only one who actually believes you exist.” bucky whispers lowly into your ear, and the feel of his facial hair tickles you. “maybe we can all hang out later.” bucky announces, pulling you along towards the hallway to his room. 

he shuts the door behind you, pulling you into his arms. “i can’t believe you’re here.”

you tug at his henley, dog tags clinking as you pull him closer, wanting to kiss him after being void of it for so long. “kiss me already, barnes.”

and kiss you, he does. 

⋆˚✶˚‧⋆｡˚

bucky masterlist

[andvys]

The edges of your soul (I haven't seen yet) ⭐︎ S.H.

⭐︎ Warnings: 18+ mdni! post apocalypse, character death, angst, mean!steve, grumpy!steve x sunshine!reader, blood, wounds -- all the gory stuff, smut in the future chapters, hurt/comfort

⭐︎ Pairing: Grumpy!Steve Harrington x sunshine(fem)!reader

⭐︎ Summary: Everything he once knew, is gone, dead and buried, burned to the ground and turned into ash. All he has known is loss, death and pain, he despised this world, until it brought you to him -- the sunshine he had long forgotten. Light he will follow till the very end.

⭐︎

Prologue ☀︎ When the sun hits, she'll be waiting

Chapter one ☀︎ Welcome and Goodbye

Chapter two ☀︎ Can you see right through me?

Chapter three ☀︎ You’re the greatest thing we’ve lost

Chapter four ☀︎ While I'm alone and blue as can be

Chapter five ☀︎ Watching cityscapes turn to dust

Chapter six ☀︎ The killing time. Unwillingly mine.

Chapter seven ☀︎ Fall back into place. Fall back...

Chapter eight ☀︎ Dead-eyed. Dead weight.

Chapter nine ☀︎ Pull the trigger on the gun I gave you when we met

Chapter ten ☀︎ Turn me into something tragic, just for you, I let it happen

Chapter eleven ☀︎ And I'll fear no evil because I'm blind to it all

[rana030]

We always get sunshine!reader what about grumpy!reader, huh?

[holylulusworld]

Cranky Doll (2)

Summary: He’s getting on your nerves. But you kind of like him.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Grumpy!Reader

Warnings: sunshine & grumpy trope, cranky reader, language, a hint of naughtiness, implied past smut, fluff

Written for @yenzys-lucky-charm Cranky, Grumpy, Stabby! Oh, My! Challenge

Trope: Cranky + Grumpy & Sunshine + Stabby  

Prompts: 🗡️ “Why is it so hard for you to admit that I’m right?” ☀️ Grumpy character’s horror in realizing they are smiling 🗡️ “Did you just give me an order?”

Catch up here: Cranky doll

Well, you have to admit Steve Rogers keeps his promises.

He ended up christening your bakery with you all day long.

You barely had the strength left to get up from the ground and put your clothes back on. Minus your panties. Steve destroyed them with his teeth.

Who would believe that Captain America is a kinky man?

Luckily, your apartment is right above your bakery.

Ever the gentleman, he lifted you in his arms and carried you upstairs. Steve watched you fall asleep, kissing your forehead.

He wished to stay with you, but duty called him soon after you closed your eyes.

Two weeks later, you still didn’t hear from Steve. You brushed his absence off as what it was—disinterest after a one-night stand. Still, it stings a little that he didn’t even call.

“Hello, welcome to my bakery. What can I do for—?” You stop talking as the man you didn’t want to think about any longer steps into your world again.

“Hi,” he says, and the world suddenly looks a little brighter. Wait, what? No. The world cannot be more colorful because of a guy with a decent dick and perfect ass. “How have you been, doll?”

“Rogers,” you curtly greet him before twirling around to take care of the other newly arrived customers. Hungry hipsters are the worst.

“Doll, wait,” Steve sighs as he follows you hot on your heels. “I know you must think badly about me. I wanted to call, I swear.” He touches your shoulder, but you shake his hand off. “I swear, I wanted to come back or at least call, but I was on a mission. I came here right after I jumped out of the Quinjet.”

Turning back around, you look Steve up and down. He didn’t lie, though. Steve looks like he came here after a fight. He’s still wearing his tactical suit. His face, suit, and hands are dirty, and his hair is disheveled. “Do you want some coffee or cake?”

You touch your face, realizing in horror that you are smiling because the motherfucker who fucked and left you dry and high came back to you. No way. Fuck this, fuck him. You cannot go all soft on him.

“Phones exist, Rogers, ya know.”

“I didn’t know you’d miss me so much,” he cups your face with his gloved hands. “I believed you hated clingy men. Now that I know you’re missing me dearly when I’m away, I’ll make sure to always be around.”

You huff. “That’s not…no. You…we…and then you left.”

“Why is it so hard for you to admit that I’m right?” He asks. Steve dips his head to press a soft kiss on your lips. “I’ve missed you too, and your potty mouth. You’re a sweet grump.”

He’s not wrong. You have been waiting for him to come back so you could stab him in his peach for not calling you after he fucked you to sleep. How dare he come back, fresh from a fight, looking like sin?

“It’s not like that!”

“It’s not?” He cocks a brow. “Well, then I can disappear again and never come back?” Steve challenges, making you even angrier. You narrow your eyes and bite his lower lip when he tries to kiss you again. “Ouch!”

“If you dare to come back only to leave, I’ll bite more than your lip, Rogers,” you threaten. Steve chuckles because you are about to take Captain America himself down for not calling you after your night together.

“Doll, I would’ve come back sooner, but the mission was important. I didn’t get the chance to call you either. Why don’t you close the bakery, and we can continue where we stopped last time?”

“You mean after you sneaked out of my bedroom, Captain?” You slap his chest. “I shouldn’t talk to a man who seduced a woman only to leave her all alone, not even cuddling her after fucking her for hours!”

Your guests gasp loudly. They look anywhere but at you and Steve while murmuring under their breaths.

“Y/N,” he tries again. “Close the bakery and let’s go upstairs,” Steve says, not budging when you shove him.

“Did you just give me an order?” You smirk as Steve’s features darken.

“Maybe…”

“Good,” you are quick to reply. “You’re learning. Now, send my customers home and come upstairs. Your lesson isn’t over, Captain…”

[buckyalpine]

Drama Queen Bucky

Imagine Bucky being absolutely offended, OFFENDED when he’s called out for being dramatic. Not even in a bad way. Just. He thinks he’s so lowkey and quiet and stealthy, not realizing he’s such a little drama queen sometimes. He has his arms crossed over his chest while Sam and Steve exchange examples they can think of, his annoyance only growing more after each one. 

“He tore the arm off his jacket before throwing himself off a plane, who does that?” 

“I have it all on camera-

“I told you I’d break it” Bucky growled but it just made you giggle, imaging your grumpy boyfriend walking around with just a single sleeve of his leather jacket. 

“Remember the time you broke Zemo out of prison and I asked you how a prison fight would randomly ensue and you said “Who knows” with crazy eyes?” 

“Okay but-

“And then you said you didn’t do anything, only to have Zemo walk in 3 second later?” 

“I had good reason-”

“I mean you did dramatically yell “Stop the car” only to walk off like a grumpy old man” 

“M’not grumpy” 

“I remember this one time, I was beating up this guy in the back of an alley way and he came in with his new army uniform and-

“You were getting your ass handed to you, Steve” Bucky said with an exasperated huff, recalling the event much differently, back when Steve was about the same weight as Bucky’s left thigh. 

“Remember when he pouted because Tony wouldn’t let him travel through time and kill baby Zola” 

“I wasn’t pouting” 

“Look, he’s pouting right now!” 

You couldn’t contain your laugh anymore, looking at your poor helpless boyfriend with his bottom lip jutting out, looking like a poor admonished child. 

“No, m’not” He mumbled, letting you coo and wrap your arms around him, his face now buried in your neck, hiding away from his mean friends who were now nearly on the floor.  

“Awww, the big scary white wolf needs cuddles- oh” Sam’s smile dropped when Bucky’s head pulled away from his hiding spot, glaring at him. Steve let out a nervous laugh watching his best friend gently lift you off his lap and plopping you off to the side before getting up and stretching. 

“You idiots have 10 seconds”

“He can’t be serious”

“9″

“C’mon Buck-

“8″

“He won’t- 

“1″ 

...

“Run” 

“OH SHIT”

“USE YOUR WINGS DAMN IT”

“DO YOU THINK I KEEP THEM UP MY ASS FOR SAFE KEEPING, I DON’T HAVE THEM ON ME, YOU’RE THE SUPER SOLIDER, CARRY ME”

*Sam nearly gets clocked in the head*

“Did he just throw his metal arm at me!?”

“Yes. Yes he did” 

“So dramatic” 

[zenaidamacrouras1]

New fic! Posting...weekly or something.

Stellate

Summary:

Dr. Bucky Barnes is a plastic surgeon, highly regarded in his field. Dr. Steven Rogers, new head of the ER, has very little regard for Dr. Barnes or his field. Content Warnings: Descriptions of medical procedures and surgery, particularly for burn patients. I tried to make it not totally gross, but y'all, human bodies are like, kinda yucky.

Author's note: I wasn't totally ready to post this today, but frankly, I need the serotonin, for reasons, and I suspect I'm not the only one.

[agentbootyreportingforduty]

can i get a hell yeah in the chat for my man’s day 🙂‍↕️

[munsonsmixtapes]

🏀❤️‍🩹🏕

sunshine!Steve x grumpy!fem!reader

cw: mention of blood

When you had signed up to be a camp counselor for the summer, you hadn’t expected Steve Harrington to be there. If you had known, you definitely wouldn’t have gone to that particular camp. There was something about him that rubbed you the wrong way. It was almost as if he seemed too happy and you didn’t like that. With him, there was always something to look forward to and maybe you just didn’t like him because you were jealous.

Despite your dislike for him, he was always nice to you when you were both in school. He’d greet you with in the cafeteria with that megawatt smile and you’d grimace, but that would never deter him. In fact, he’d just smile wider, as if the look on your face made him happy.

But it didn’t. Seeing you always so angry upset Steve. He wanted to get to the bottom of it. To know what was making you tick and how he could fix that. He had been that way for a years after everything that had happened in the Upside Down and after he had found healthy ways to cope with it, he tried his best to help others around him.

He sat next to you every day for every meal and you’d just brush him off. You didn’t need friends. You just wanted to be alone, which was ironic since you had decided to spend your summer around a bunch of kids. But Steve wasn’t going to give up. He was going to sit there every day until you finally talked to him.

The day you did finally speak, you turned to him long enough to utter the words “fuck off” before turning back to your tray. After that, Steve decided to leave you alone for a while.

He watched you from afar, smiling to himself as he saw you interact with the campers. His heart warmed seeing you help one of them out with an injury. One of the girls had fallen on her way inside the lodge for dinner and scraped her knee and you had been quick to react, taking a first aid kit from the backpack you had carried and wiped the debris out of her cut along with the blood that had run down her leg.

You were talking to her the whole time, trying to distract her from the pain and it worked like a charm. You asked her what her favorite color was and she seemed very passionate about pink, blush pink to be specific. She talked about it the entire five minutes you cleaned her up and you nodded along, agreeing that it was a great color.

Once your work was done, you helped her up from the ground and she decided that she wanted to sit next to you for dinner which you had no problem agreeing to. She seemed to be a loner just like you and you were happy to have someone who you got along with.

You sat at the table and waited for Clementine who was in line getting her food. Steve stood in front of her and helped her pile her plate high with the options that were available that night. You watched him lean down to talk to her, that stupid fucking smile making its way onto his face. You got this weird feeling in your chest as you watched him help her, the smile on both their faces as he did so.

Once they had their food, Clementine grabbed Steve by the hand and pulled him right over to the table where you were sitting. You tried your hardest to keep your smile on your face as he approached you.

The tension was high and Steve wasn't sure how to approach the situation. He wanted to sit with Clem since she had been so eager, but now that you were in the equation, he wasn't so sure. He was still trying to be respectful.

"Y/n, look who's going to sit with us!" She exclaimed as she got to your table with Steve's wrist in her hand. You bit back a laugh at how awkward the man looked. For someone who used to have the word "king" tacked onto his name, he definitely didn't seem very confident. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but there and you felt the same.

"Hey, Clem, he started to say, knowing that you didn't want him to sit with you, but you cut him off before he could finish his sentence.

"Take a seat, Stevie," you said as you pulled out the chair to the left of yours. Not only were you calling him by the nickname that he loved, but you also were letting him sit with you? What alternate dimension had he entered? Definitely not the Upside Down. This dimension was much nicer since it had you in it.

Steve hesitantly set his plate on the table and sat down next you, your chairs dangerously close to one another, but you weren't going to admit that you liked it. You could feel his eye's on you, but you ignored him. You weren't going to let him win.

You got up from your seat to throw your plate away, but there was something slippery on the floor, causing you to slip. You closed your eyes and braced yourself for the fall, but it never came. Someone had caught you. You were so grateful that you had been saved that you had to know who had caught you.

You opened your eyes to be met by the warm honey ones you had become familiar with over the summer. Steve helped you to your feet and you looked at him, his eyes boring into yours as he searched them for any sign of discomfort. You liked that he wanted to protect you and you knew you had to nip that right in the bud. You couldn’t be with him as much as you wanted to. You just couldn’t.

You pushed Steve’s hands off of you and stepped away, feeling yourself bubbling with anger as you watched his face contort into even more concern. He stepped forward and you stepped back, putting you hands out we he’d keep his distance.

“Stay away from me, Harrington,” you told him before fleeing the lodge. You could still feel the way his arms held you and felt even more angry that you kind of liked it.

What was Steve’s deal. Why was he playing at? He was still so nice to you despite your dislike for him and you didn’t like that you were slowly warming up to him. That he was starting to that’s your frozen heart bit by bit.

You went to your cabin and got ready for bed even though it was still light outside, trying not to think about him and his pretty smile or his beautiful brown eyes that made you melt when they looked into yours. You weren’t falling for him. You just weren’t. You never would have worked out anyway. You were just too different. The complete opposite of each other.

You got into your bunk and your mind drifted to Steve, the moment where he caught you replaying over and over in your head. You were starting to feel bad for the way you treated him. He was just trying to help and you blew up at him. You didn’t think you deserved his niceness.

You tossed and turned the entire night, wondering how Steve was doing and if you still had time to apologize for being so rude to him. Somehow, you just knew that he’d forgive you.

You couldn’t sleep, your guilt of being rude to Steve practically the entire summer eating you alive. You checked the clock and saw that there was only an hour before everyone would be up so you got out of your bunk and sneaked out the door to the lodge for some early breakfast.

You slowly crept inside and noticed a box of cereal out on the counter, feeling your stomach growl as you thought about having a bowl of the stuff. You went to grab the box only to find someone else in the kitchen with you. Steve. Maybe now was your chance to finally apologize.

“Hey,” he smiled and you still weren’t used to the fact that he was a morning person. How someone could be that chipper at 7:00 AM, you didn’t know.

“Hi, Steve,” you grumbled and Steve reached for the cereal and poured you a bowl before holding it out to you. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” he smiled before passing you the milk and a spoon. “Do you want some orange juice?”

“Sure,” you nodded and he grabbed the orange juice from the fridge and set it on the counter before reaching for two glasses from the cabinet that was behind him. He turned his head towards you and watched you stretch, your t-shirt riding up as you did so. He was so distracted that the glass in the hand fell to the floor and shattered into many pieces.

Your head jerked in his direction and you rounded the counter, no wanted to get hurt in the glass. The cabinet managed to close on its own, whacking Steve in the forehead. He clutched it in pain and you pulled him backwards to get him to a safe zone.

You swept up the glass and got rid of it before checking on Steve to make sure that he was okay. You noticed a little blood on his forehead. You pulled him over to the sink and grabbed the first aid kit that was under it. You grabbed an alcohol wipe and wiped away the blood causing Steve to wince at the stinging sensation it brought.

“Sorry.”

“That’s alright. You don’t have to do this, you know.”

“I know,” you nodded. “But I want to.”

“You do?”

“I’m sorry, Steve. For everything. I was a bitch and-”

“You weren’t a bitch. You had created boundaries and I crossed them.”

“I told you to fuck off when you were just being nice. You can say that I was a bitch, alright? And I’m sorry. I’m sorry for pushing you away when all you were trying to do was be my friend.”

“It’s okay,” he put his hands over yours, his honey eyes looking into yours and you could see how serious he was. He was forgiving you and it was time for you to forgive yourself. “Can I be honest with you?”

“Of course you can.”

“I really like you.” Out of all of the things he could have said, that definitely wasn’t what you were expecting. His tone made it seem like he wasn’t meaning liking you as a friend.

“I really like you too,” you replied and his eyes widened at your confession. His mouth was agape and you supposed that it was shocking that his feelings were reciprocated considering your supposed hatred for him. “I feel like I have for a long time but I was afraid to let you in. Getting close to people is scary, but I’m not scared anymore.”

“Are you saying that you want to start something with me?”

“I’d really like that,” you nodded and Steve smiled, warming your heart.

“I’d really like that too,” he smiled back and you put a bandaid on his injury before wrapping your arms around his neck, pulling him in for a sweet kiss.

[unamused-boss]

Tip Toes

Prompt: "Shut up, you know I'm literally obsessed with you"

Billy Hargrove x Fem Reader

(Billy maybe a little OC) May have some misspelling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It all started with a simple question "You free Saturday at 1?". Such a simple question right? What could possibly happen when your boyfriend of 6 months, Billy Hargrove, asks if you're free Saturday afternoon. Well lets start from the beginning right after your shift at the record store...

The chime of the bell at the front door gains your attention, putting on your customer service smile and voice. "Hello welcome to- and it's just you." Your voice going somewhat flat after seeing it was your boyfriend and not a customer.

"Wow, do you welcome all your favorite customers like that?" Billy grinned at you.

"What do you want?" You said to him, "You know I don't get off till 6:45." You lean your body over the counter and crossing your arms under your chest to be closer to Billy. Billy, having the same grin on his face that he walked in with, does the same motion as you. In a result your noses almost touching. You giggle at his antics.

"Well. I was wondering if you were free Saturday at 1?" Billy asked.

"Why?"

"Cause your pretty and I wanna take you out" Billy said like that was reason enough.

"Why?" Now you got playful.

"Cause it's a surprise." Billy said.

"Why?"

"Can you go Saturday or not?" He laughed.

"Yes I can go Billy, I would love to." You smiled. Billy leaned forward an gave you a smooch on your lips. You giggled into the kiss as he parted ways from your lips.

"Okay, Saturday at 1. Just look pretty like you always do." He said making his way out of the store. Now you get to be giddy till this Saturday when your date is.

Saturday, current time-12:55

You have been meticulously been putting yourself together for you date. Your make had warm tones and put delicately onto your face to enhance your already pretty features. Your outfit was put together perfectly in the case of being outside, going to a cute restaurant, or the need for back seat action for after.

You stared at the clock on your bedside as the hour changed to 1:00. At that moment the doorbell rung through the house. You jump up from your bed and down your stairs to the door, running past your mom to the door to open it.

"I got it!" You yelled.

"Alright, honey." Your mom laughed. You opened the door to see your dashing boyfriend. With his usual unbuttoned shirt that showed off his chest and jeans that fit him right. Billy smiled when he saw you.

"Hello gorgeous."

"Hey handsome." You said to Billy. "Bye mom!" You shouted to your mom as you shut the door leaving. Making your way to Billy's car, he opened the door for you to get in.

"Wow, doing all the stops are we." You joked.

"Just get in sweetheart." Which you did. Then Billy got into the drivers seat. And the date has begun. The short drive you thought that was going to be taken turned into a two hour drive to Indianapolis. You started looking out to all the tall buildings, "Billy what are we doing?" You asked as you still looked out at the city.

"Don't worry pretty girl, I know what I'm doing." Was all Billy answered with. It was another twenty minutes till Billy parked that car in a parking garage. He took my hand. We walked for what felt like five minutes; we then arrived to a familiar building, 'well at least for me.'

"Billy, why are we at the International Indianapolis Museum?" You looked to him. Billy just smiled to you.

"Because your super amazing boyfriend got two tickets for the limited time art expedition for his sweet girlfriend that he loves." He said, flashing two tickets to you. You stared wide eyed at him, mouth gaped an all. You've been talking his ear off about the exposition. Painting from not only the British museum is here but the Louve as well, only for two weeks here in Indianapolis. You couldn't afford ticket so you thought it was out the window. But some how your boyfriend got you tickets.

"You got us tickets." You said.

"Yep."

To go to a museum?"

"Yes I did."

"But you hate museums?!" You are flabbergasted by this.

"Yes, but I love you." Billy smiled, " I'm gonna have ten hour shifts for a while but it's worth it." Putting his hands on your waist pulling you closer to him. Your chests meet: Billy is just smiling down to you.

"But-" You were cut off.

"Shut up, I'm literally obsessed with you." Billy stated, holding you close. "You are the only girl I wanna be with, and the only girl that stand my bullshit." You laughed at him hugging him close to you.

"Okay, let's go in lover boy." You both made your way to the front, Billy giving the tickets to the man in the booth. With the transaction down with you made your way in.

The colors blasted into your face. Never letting Billy's hand go, dragging him from one painting to another. Whispering small notes and facts about each painting to him. Billy letting you do it with a smile on his face. You and Billy made it to a hall of art pieces. They were gorgeous. The pinks were bright, the purples, the yellows... the red. Everything was perfect. Faint classical music played in the back. What also surprised you was what small number of people were here. Well it was the last day of the expo, so it made since. You and Billy did kinda stick out a bit; being that you guys weren't as well dressed as the others. Nothing mattered though. You were with Billy holding his hand the entire time, no one else existing to either of you. In front of you, for real life, was The Kiss by Gustav Klim. You just stared ahead at the piece, unknown to you was that Billy was staring at you.

"Isn't she beautiful." You simply said.

"Yeah, you are." Billy answered. You look to him with wide eyes; a smiled then forms on your face. You realize that it was only you and Billy in the exhibit room now. You felt Billy lean back a bit dragging you with him, taking your other hand within his.

"Okay do it." He said with no context.

"What?" You asked.

"Really." He laughed, "You dance on my feet, now do it I find it cute."

"Okay bossy." In your doc martins you step onto his motorcycle boots, even on his feet you were still kinda on your tiptoes. You both gently swaying to the music that played over head. Nothing mattered to either of you except for right now. The light were dim but you both could still see each other. Your hand in his the other on his shoulder; with his hand also in yours as for the other is on your hip. Billy guided you both across the floor of the museum following the melody. You both just stared at each other, lovingly. Billy leaned toward you kissing your cheek softly then moving to your lips. This wasn't your first kiss with Billy, obviously, but this was one your few kisses like this. Nothing but soft. passion that you hold for each other. Your kiss felt like the universe was yours, nothing else could ruin this. Billy separated from the kiss.

"I love you." He said sweetly.

"I love you too." You smiled. Stepping of his boots, locking your hand with his and continuing you way through the museum. After a few more expo rooms and a few sculpture pieces, you and Billy made your way outside. Billy's watch reading 5:30.

"So what are we doing now?" You asked.

"We, my sweet girl, are going to the best restaurant in all of Indianapolis." Billy stated walking with you in hand down the street.

"Really?" You were shocked.

"Yeah we're going to Burger King." You laughed at his response. "Hey we are on a budget from the point out." He joked back at you.

"Alright, whatever you say lover boy." You wrap yourself around his arm and continue your prefect night with you perfect boyfriend. Laughing and kissing the night away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you enjoyed!

Also I will start working on Part three of California Dreaming soon!

@capitanostella

@maackiimoo

@mystargirl-interlude

@bbarbiegurll

[fluffysucker]

Miss Americana & The heartbreak Prince

Bucky Barnes x Reader (AU)

In no world were you meant to be together, but in every universe, you were meant for each other.

A/N: I present you grumpy sunshine wrapped in enemies(ish) to lovers with Beefy Boxer/Biker Bucky.

Written in Third POV. No use of Y/N. However, the reader is referred to as a female. Likes, comments, reblogs are VERY VERY highly appreciated.

Also, I tried to be as inclusive as possible. But my delusion couldn't be controlled I'm sorry.

Ngl this is for me more than anything.

Also, I'm thinking about making this its own universe and maybe write more of it. Tell me what you think

Series Masterlist

Main Masterlist

You hated Bucky Barnes, and he hated you.

The two of you should have never crossed paths. Your worlds should have never met. But the wall separating you could only hold for so long.

The infamous boxer was a phenomenon in his field. Unbeatable and astute, Bucky Barnes held his reputation with pride. He was stronger than all and the smartest the game had. His jab was as numbing as the winter. His techniques were as calculated as a soldier's. Bucky Barnes was as hard as nails. A legend.

To keep up with the notoriety, it was rumoured that Barnes and his team were also a biker gang. It was never confirmed, but the black leather jacket he always had on, the long hair touching his shoulder or tidied in a low bun, the motorbike barked in front of the gym, and the intimidating sense lingering around him. It was never denied, either.

In the mornings, Bucky Barnes ran a successful gym with his two bestfriends, Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. Both played occasionally, but only Bucky was the professional, so they were more his trainers. They also trained other players and armatures. They tried to gain other normal customers, but it didn't always work. With a reputation like theirs, attracting customers wasn't easy.

It was usually the same for nights, unless they had matches. Most of their fights were held on Stark's property. He ran an empire, and boxing was the dominant centre, led by the biggest champion. And Stark lets Bucky have it his way, just like he likes. As long as Bucky keeps on bringing these huge numbers into their pockets, both are happy and content.

So it was out of the nature for Bucky to have zero interest in the new restaurant that opened up right next door to the gym. They had their regularly frequented places. The bar run by Romanoff and Belova, a couple of blocks away from Stark's property, was more than enough. He didn't even bother to throw a glance at it. Even after he knew that the owner had come by and given out menus and promised them discounts if they stopped by, there was still nothing.

Until one night. Bucky got carried away in training. He had an important match coming up. He knew his opponent barely stood a chance, but Bucky enjoyed the thriller of the game. The sweat and blood that go into it He didn't remember a time when he didn't want to do this. It was like it was programmed so deeply in his brain. He was made for this.

Everyone left, one by one. Until then, it was only him. After so many hours, he finally got tired. He threw his gloves aside and went to take a shower to remove the evidence of his hard work before going back home. As he was locking the gym's door, he heard his stomach growl, reminding him that he needed food. He was starving. Before deciding to wait and order food once he got home, the big sign caught his eye. They did indeed have a restaurant right next door. He admitted he was too tired to cook or wait for delivery. He needed food, then crashed into his bed. So maybe the closest restaurant would be useful.

Once he stepped in, he felt out of place immediately. His dark clothes and huge frame made him look like a stranger compared to the light-coloured painted walls. Some had flowers, and others had stars drawn on them. There were fairy lights in some corners. The aromatic scent was everywhere. Bucky almost winced at how bright and colourful everything felt. This was an alternative universe that he didn't belong in.

"Hi, how can I help you?" An even sweeter voice rang and caught Bucky's attention, breaking him from his trance of observing the place.

He turned around to find the prettiest girl he had ever seen standing behind the counter. Your beauty caught him off guard. He never believed someone could be so beautiful before. But here you were, standing. Taking his breath away.

He recovered very quickly and moved to stand in front of the counter. With the most loving smile, you handed him the menu. He took a look at the menu and wanted to laugh out loud. Dish names were just as cheerful as the atmosphere.

Out of habit, you started explaining and recommending stuff for him. He interrupted you, putting in his order. You didn't give it much thought but took his order happily.

You apologised for the lack of waiters, as it was almost closing time and it was only you. No answer. With his blank stare, you told him he could sit wherever he wanted. Only then did he notice the empty restaurant. It was just you and him. It was that late. So he took a seat at the nearest table.

Not taking much, you returned with his order. You placed it in front of him with a big smile on your face. You knew right away who that was the minute he walked in. James Barnes. The famous boxer who trains next door You have been praying after your small visit to them that they would be regular customers. The business was doing great. But the more, the merer. Always. Lots of people warned you about the men next door. But you didn't feel like they were as bad as people made them out to be. You were always so trusting, unless shown otherwise. So you were happy that, finally, one of them stopped by.

You moved away, letting him enjoy his food. Unable to fight your nature, you started talking to him as you continued cleaning the remaining parts of the place. No answer again. He didn't even bother to look at you. Okay. Maybe he had a rough day. Not all people are used to chatting.

Bucky was one of these people. His eyes widened as you started talking to him. People were never that friendly to him. People avoided him. Nobody tried to open up a conversation with him. He didn't know how to react. And he was too tired to try. So he practiced his other specialty. Silence. But even if he wouldn't admit it, Bucky found your voice calming. So he let you talk instead of just shutting you up.

You reduced your talking to a minimum. Only little remarks there and then to avoid complete silence. The second time, you heard his voice since he walked in and asked for the check. You brought the paper to the table he occupied, keeping your smile up and telling him that he got the 'neighbour discount' as you called it. You almost heard his scoff as you left him.

You had your back to the door, so you only turned around when you heard the door close. You didn't hear his footsteps, and most definitely, you didn't hear his goodbye, goodnight, or even thank you. Now that's rude.

You returned to the table to collect the check. But you found the review note you attached to every check empty. Not a single penmark. And that was more rude. You made sure that filling out the note only took seconds. You genuinely cared to hear people's opinions so you could be better and have the restaurant grow more.

So he didn't speak to you for more than two sentences. Didn't say thank you or goodbye. Didn't fill in the note. Okay, maybe you didn't want them as customers if they were all that rude.

It turns out they weren't that rude. However, Bucky was more rude than you thought.

A couple of days after Bucky's visit, you were surprised to see Bucky with another two men. You guessed they were Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. The trio was all well-known. You doubted if Bucky was the one to recommend the restaurant. You weren't sure if he even liked the food. And you were right. He would be caught dead if he brought up the fairy world you called a restaurant. Even when it served the tastiest food he had ever had,

It was a slow day. No intense training or excessive fight preparation The three men didn't have much to do that day. So when Steve suggested trying out the restaurant, Bucky neither objected nor showed excitement.

So when they walked in, you couldn't help the feeling of surprise along with the tiny bit of happiness, hoping it would be a nicer visit this time. After preparing their orders and sending them out, you waited for a bit before you left the kitchen to greet them. Not before making sure you looked presentable.

With the small space and their loud voices, it wasn't hard to locate them. You approached them with a big smile and positive attitude.

"I wanted to make sure you were having a good time." You followed up after introducing yourself.

"The food is amazing. This burger is to die for." Steve was the first to compliment you, with Sam nodding and agreeing.

"You have one good chef." Sam added as he took another french fry into his mouth. "Send my regards to them."

"Actually, I'm also the chef." The statement caused a shocked expression to fill in their faces. They asked for details, and you briefly told them how you were the core of the small business as the owner and main chef.

The two men were polite, and they didn't seem annoyed by your chatty personality. In fact, they interacted with you and asked questions to learn more. And all they had to say were nice compliments. Except one.

"So tell me, sweetheart, what was the inspiration for the place? Was it a fairy garden or Disney's latest cartoon?" None of you were ready for the sarcastic comment Bucky threw at you.

You didn't let your smile break in the face of his sarcasm. Nor did you give much thought to the pet name. You put on a bigger smile now, looking at him.

"A bit of both." That's one thing about you: you refused to let the world change about you. You never reciprocate rudeness with rudeness.

"I can tell." Bucky was taken back by your response. He expected you to get offended, but you didn't.

"Thank you. It was my vision all along." You replied, your smile never leaving your face.

And that started your hate relationship with Bucky Barnes.

After that day, the men became regular customers. And it wasn't just the three men. Little by little, it was most of the team. First, it was just to try the good food. Then it was because they wanted to. They wouldn't admit it, but your place was like a breath of fresh air. Something so different from what they are used to. From what they are known for. From what people expected from them. And you never judged them, treated them differently, or asked about the rumours that followed them. So it was a calm change, but much needed.

But their favourite thing was yours and Bucky's constant bickering. Or more Bucky's. Nobody understood why Bucky was doing this. You never partook in his constant attempts to make fun of you. You always had a sweet response to fire back. You truly were the living embodiment of killing them with kindness.

However, he never stopped. Every time he stepped foot in the place, you claimed it was your biggest achievement. He had something rude to say. Something to annoy you with. Something to bother you. Sarcasm and jokes spilling out of him with no end whatsoever.

The number of times you wanted to punch him or snap at him right back was increasing. But you refused to give in. To let him win. He wouldn't be the one to change you. So you kept engaging with him only with gracious things to say.

Besides, you chose to think that everyone had their own battles and demons. And for sure, Bucky looked like he had lots of them. He looked rougher than most. His job made him appear invincible, but he wasn't. Nobody was. So he may drive you mad, but he deserves the gentle treatment you offered all.

Bucky had no idea why he was doing it. Why every time he saw you, he felt the urge to tease you. It wasn't like him. But he didn't fight it back.

"How are you, Tinkerbell?"

"You should buy green carpets. It will finish off the garden aesthetic."

"Here is the princess who got lost."

"The pasta was great, Barbie."

Stuff like this flew from him all the time. And not once did you get back at him. You stayed nice and polite. Your sweet self never crumbling.

There was something in you that drove him insane. Your warm eyes. Your bright smile. Your cheerful voice. Your positive mindset. Your kind heart. Your friendly nature. Your hard work. Your delicious food. Your colourful wardrobe of dresses, skirts, tops, and cardigans. He couldn't pinpoint what it was. Maybe it was all of it.

The deepest part of him knew why he was doing this. He liked you. He liked you so much. From the moment he entered your restaurant alone, the first time And the more he knew you, the more he liked you. You were special. And you were everything he wasn't. He thought if he got closer, he would be tinting you. He would bring darkness to your shine. A moral thing preventing him from speaking his truth. even thinking about it.

So he acted like a teenager. He made fun of you. In hopes of making you hate him. He convinced himself and the others that he didn't like your sunshine personality.

Until one day

It started off like any normal day. Bucky had a match coming up. So they all had something to do. The day was going fine. Up before Peter Parker, who was usually on reception duties, ran in and said there was fire in your place,

For a second, blood ran cold in Bucky's body. He heard ringing in his ears. Were you okay? He collected himself quickly, wanting to check for himself.

He threw the gloves away, almost pushing everybody out of the way to get out. And he was the first to see the chaos in the street. A firetruck was parked, and firemen were going in and out of your restaurant along with some policemen. His eyes were searching for you frantically until he spotted you.

You had some dust on your face and your white clothes. You were checking that everyone was okay and out safely. But you couldn't hide the quivering of your lips or your shaking body.

He couldn't help himself as he ran towards you. You turned as you felt someone approaching you. Without your control, your face softened, and tears blurred your sight once you noticed who it was.

"Bucky." You whispered as a way to ground yourself from all the mess that happened and is still happening.

Following his first instincts, Bucky pulled you into his chest, wrapping your trembling form in his arms and holding you so close to him. And the dam broke.

Sobs fled from you. Tears mixed with his sweat. Your fists gripped his white tank top. Your face hidden away in his chest.

You didn't know how it happened. You had been holding up well enough during it all. You had been managing the situation the best you could. However, when Bucky got here, your mind stopped working. Your mind gave up on you, letting your emotions hit you with full force, breaking down your bastion with no guarantee you would be caught.

But you were. You were braced by strong amrs, rubbing your back, laying small kisses on your hair, and whispering words of comfort in your ears. "I'm here. I'm right here." "You're okay. You're fine."

Your sobs ceased, but your body still shook against Bucky's. Tears remained to fall freely on your face. Bucky's hold was still firm but secure around you.

You only moved away from him when a policeman approached you, informing you that you were needed at the police station.

"I'm coming with you." Bucky's stern voice left no room for negotiation. It wasn't up to debate. He wasn't leaving you.

"I'll grab my stuff in a second." He turned to the policeman standing in front of you, making sure it was okay that he joined. And he got a nod of approval in return.

He left your side, walking towards the gym. He paid no attention to his friends standing by, who were puzzled by the encounter. And true to his words, he came back in seconds, his black leather jacket on, phone in hand, and wallet in hand.

He got to you, letting his hand wrap around your shoulder. The gesture was welcomed by you as you rested your head on his chest. Something about having Bucky spread calmness in you

At the police station, Bucky found out what really happened. It wasn't just fire. It was a robbery. A bunch of armed men attacked your restaurant, demanding money from you and all the people inside. As you are trying to handle the situation without panicking more, it was discovered that one of the customers was a cop, which sent the robbers into an unexpected turn. So they took all they could from the cash register and your own things before setting the kitchen on fire to run away without being caught.

Between talking with the insurance company, the bank, and watching security footage from your restaurants and the street, you spent the rest of the day in the station.

And Bucky didn't leave your side for a second of it.

He didn't leave you until you both got out of the cap in front of your apartment. And he didn't leave until he made sure you got inside safely.

Something about you being hurt sent Bucky into a spiral. Who was heartless enough to hurt such a sweet soul as you? To look at you and not want to give you everything? Bucky would never know. All he knew was that he never wanted to see you so afraid and shaken like today. To not see your smile lighting up your face. So he would do whatever it took to make sure you were always fine.

Which was why you found him by your building the first thing in the morning.

"You have lots of places to go today. Said I would join you."

And up until you were handed the keys to your restaurant brand new after the insurance company had finished the repairs, Bucky didn't leave you. He was always there. Helping you finish papers, going to the police station to identify the robbers, and buying new stuff for the restaurants. Everything. He was there for everything.

And you had to admit. It was lovely to have him. A helping hand you needed. Physically and emotionally. Someone to share this unfortunate journey with. And Bucky didn't bother it for a bit. And you appreciated having him.

So, it only felt right for him to be your first order after the reopening.

The truth was, you never hated Bucky, no matter how much you tried. His huge form, his steel blue eyes, his signature stare, his playful smirk. They all made you feel something. He made you feel something you couldn't quite understand. But it was a pleasant something. He annoyed you so much, but you never took it too seriously. Maybe he hated you, but you didn't.

Now, you didn't need him. You were ready to carry on with your life. He didn't know how to get back to normal. He couldn't. He couldn't pretend you didn't make his heart beat faster. You made his days better. But he was so unworthy of you. And he knew you could never look at him. Maybe you hated him, but he didn't.

He tried to get back to his life. Only training and matches. Only visiting your place with the others who quickly figured out what was happening. He needed to get you out of his mind. That lasted for two days.

When Bucky was closing the gym, he heard something coming from your restaurant. With a frown, he moved to see you still inside. He looked at his watch to check the time again. It was indeed late.

"What are you doing?" He didn't bother with greetings as he entered.

"Hi, Bucky." Your cheerful voice rang through the empty place.

"What are you doing?" He repeated his question, looking at the paper in front of you.

"I'm sending out advertisements and deal offerings to different places." You answered him with a smile.

"Sweetheart, do you know what time it's?" Bucky signed as he looked at you, looking clueless.

"C'mon, let's get you home." He moved towards you, taking the papers out of your hand and putting them down without messing them.

"But I have a lot to do." You tried to protest as he gathered your stuff and helped you out.

"It will still be here in the morning." And he was having none of it.

"I need to get the business going." You added.

"You can do that in the morning, too." Bucky led you out of the restaurant in spite of your complaining.

He took the key from your hand and handed it back to you after he closed up. You expected him to move away, but he didn't.

"How are you going to get home?" He hoped you wouldn't give him the answer he had in mind.

"It's not very far. I was going to walk." And it was it.

Do you not care about your safety, or do you think you are James Bond?

Bucky had to bite his tongue and not scold you right on the spot. He knew you were stressed about the business, so he didn't want to add more.

"Great. I was going somewhere there, too. Let me walk."

"You were?" You questioned him, not believing him, but he nodded quickly.

As a matter of fact, Bucky didn't have anywhere to go other than collapsing on his bed. But over his dead body were you going to walk back home alone in this hour

"Lead the way, princess." The return of the name, but a smile on your face. He may mean it as an insult. You didn't care. It sounded good coming from him.

And the two of you walked.

And somehow, without planning, it became a routine.

Bucky would finish at the gym and come straight to the restaurant. It didn't matter whether it was late or not. He would get in and wait till you were done with the day. Then he would walk you home. Sometimes, he would help with stuff, but most times, you would make him sit down and bring him tonnes of food you prepared just for him.

"You train so hard. Don't want to burn these muscles. Eat and rest."

You weren't stupid. You knew he had nothing to do with where you were living. Yet he still chose to go out of his way, walk you home, and wait until you got in. He was taking care of you. So you wanted to take care of him too.

It felt strange to Bucky. Nobody made sure if he was eating well enough, drinking enough water, and resting enough. Nobody ever did. Everybody treated him like he was a machine. Like he He needed nothing.

Then there you were. Feeding him with delicious food. Letting him relax. Laughing at his jokes. Your hands grazing softly. It was all foreign to him, but very welcome. And he was getting attached. He knew it. How could he not?

He had the sweetest and most loving person on the planet, showing him attention and care.

Bucky counted the minutes until he could be with you. Until he could walk you home, it would be just the two of you. You did most of the talking, telling him about your day or an interesting story you heard. He would tell you briefly about his day.

He loved listening to you. Every detail you shared with him. You were the first in his life to be carefree around him other than his family. You didn't let his stiff demeanour affect your friendly one.

The extra time he spent back to his place from yours didn't bother him in the slightest. He found it reassuring that he knew for sure you were safe at home. It was all worth it.

Every single one of Bucky's friends knew what was happening from the moment he asked to postpone a match to go somewhere with you when you're repairing the restaurant. And it became so clear when he stopped hanging out at Natasha's bar after matches, claiming he was tired. But, in truth, he only wanted to be with you. And the days he knew he couldn't turn it down, especially after a grand victory, he would be glued to his phone until you texted him that you were home. Then he may start celebrating.

Bucky almost punched Steve in the face when he brought up inviting you to one of the matches, or at least to hang out with the whole team at Natasha's bar. Bucky wanted you nowhere near this world. He couldn't imagine you watching him while he was fighting. You would never look at him again. Yes, you were kind, but in the ring, he was a beast. You didn't deserve to see how bad he could be.

That's why he never acted on his feelings for you. He knew he was falling for you. He knew from the start. But you deserved better. So much better.

Your radiant nature had no place near him.

He even tried to stop seeing you, feeling guilty for ever getting close to you. But he failed miserably. You gave him something nobody did. A light in the darkness.

So he bottled it and felt grateful that you even let him be your friend. Or whatever you were.

Before a fact came crushing. You were single.

The days following matches were usually very slow. So he left earlier than usual just to come and wait for you. As long as you wanted. He had a bandage on his forehead and a compression bandage around his hand.

Sometimes you forget what his job was. Until he shows up bruised and bandaged like this. You knew he was strong enough to handle himself. He was the best in the game. But you couldn't help the twinge of your heart at the thought of him hurt.

So you prepared extra food and drinks for him. Once it was evening, you kept your best table for him. You even brought the air freshener with the scent; he commented once that he liked it. Everything to help him relax.

You kept telling yourself you were only doing this because he liked to help everyone. But you knew it was very different. He was very different.

So when he stepped in, your big smile got bigger.

You tried to come and talk with him whenever you could, but it was a busy day. He had no problem. He enjoyed watching you work. You were so dedicated and smart. He wanted you to be the most successful chef and owner in the world.

But maybe he shouldn't have been watching. He should have paid attention to anything else. So he wouldn't have seen the man who had been flirting with you since he walked in.

It was taking everything in Bucky to not get up and throw the guy away. But he heard it. Your answer to his question "Yes, I'm single." And he was reminded of the cruelty of the world. You weren't his. He shouldn't be jealous. He shouldn't have been biting the inside of his mouth when the guy tried to touch your hand as you handed him his bill.

And he most definitely shouldn't be feeling like crying and burning down the world when the guy asked you out and left his number.

Wasn't that what he wanted? For you to have better than him. To have someone who wasn't surrounded by blood and pain. Someone who wouldn't defile your glimmer That guy looked decent enough. Maybe that was your chance to find love.

However, he wanted to tear that paper to pieces. He wanted to punch the guy for asking his girl. But you weren't his girl.

Bucky was conflicted by his emotions. He didn't know what to feel or how to think. So he did the thing he was the best at. He stayed silent.

You noticed right away the change in his mood. He wasn't the most talkative person, but this silence was different. He looked like he was somewhere else. Somewhere, that wasn't so nice.

"Are you sure that you are fine?" You asked as you came to a stop in front of your building.

You only got a nod as an answer.

"You know you can tell me anything. I'm always going to be here."

Your words finally made him look at you after you left the restaurant.

"You are?" His hesitant tone made you frown.

"Of course." You answered very quickly.

"Are you going to go out with this guy?" It was quiet; you almost missed it, but you didn't.

Bucky didn't know what happened. He promised himself he wouldn't bring it up. It had nothing to do with him. But he couldn't. It fell from him.

"Do you want me to?" Your reply was something he didn't expect at all.

You couldn't say you weren't disappointed when Bucky did nothing when the guy started flirting with you. You didn't know what you wanted him to do. But you wanted him to do something.

Instinctively, Bucky moved closer to you, standing right in front of you.

"No, I don't want to."

"Tell me why I shouldn't go out with him."

The space between the two of you was almost nonexistent. You were so close to each other. His blue eyes piercing into yours. His eyes were filled with something so warm that you couldn't quite figure it out.

Bucky didn't know how to answer your question. Why didn't he want you to go out with the guy? Well, he didn't want you to go out with any guy. So he threw caution to the wind and followed his heart.

You almost tripped, but his hands on your waist steadied you. The feeling of his lips on yours was something out of the world. His lips were a bit bruised, but they were soft. It was all so good that your mind stopped working.

Bucky was about to pull away and apologise profoundly when you didn't kiss him back. As he was about to move, your hands wrapped themselves around his neck, pulling him closer to you and kissing him.

The kiss was gentle, and it was filled with emotions. Loving ones. It sent electricity through your bodies. It spread warmth all over you.

Your need for oxygen made you break the kiss, hands still around each other, eyes only looking at each other.

"I thought you hated me."

"Never did. Not for a second, princess."

Bucky's lips smashed against yours once again. And it was like every piece was falling into its place. The puzzle was completed. The rainbow after the rain

You were the shining star in Bucky's dark sky. He may not deserve you, but he was going to do everything in his power to get you to shine more.

Because you were made for each other.

[afewproblems]

I just got a tattoo done and was thinking about all of the before and after care instructions they gave me and how older Eddie would have possibly reacted to the list of things he would need to do or items to purchase for a new addition to his sleeve.

The artist reaches out to Eddie years after corroded coffin makes it big. She's fairly well known as a minor celebrity herself in the tattoo and body modification space in LA, so when she contacts Eddie's agent about offering a new piece for his eclectic sleeve he checks out her portfolio and is immediately sold.

She sends him the idea and he signs off on it right away and before they know it, he and Steve are on a plane from Chicago to Los Angeles.

It isn't until it's done, and the second skin is placed over the piece, smoothed out to ensure no bubbling, that Eddie balks at the secondary list of steps he needs to take.

The artist taps out the instruction email on her phone, hitting send with a dimpled grin before reaching out to shake his hand and Steve's, thanking them for being such great new clients. She asks Steve if he would be interested in a piece at some point, to which he smiles politely and shakes his head.

Steve has never been into tattoos for himself, though he's always gone to great lengths to admire and kiss each piece on Eddie's body.

Eddie half listens as they continue to chat, pulling out his phone to review the email she sent him.

"Ensure that you leave the second skin on for three to five days and upon its removal (see removal instructions on page two)..."

Eddie has to stop himself from rolling his eyes right then and there. It's not as though this is his first ever tattoo, he's been getting ink since before this girl was even born.

He winces at the thought, reminding himself that just because she's young doesn't mean she doesn't know her shit, and she clearly does. He shakes his head and nods when Steve says goodbye for them and they make their way to the elevator.

"Okay, what's with the face?" Steve asks quietly as soon as the door closes.

Eddie sighs and folds his arms over his chest, careful not to bump the now tender area on his forearm.

"You look like you swallowed a lemon, spill," he reaches out for Eddie's shoulder, his warm hazel eyes, now lined with gentle wrinkles at the edges search his face, "do you not like it?"

Eddie barks out a laugh, "it's probably one of the nicest ones in the whole collection, no Stevie, it's not that".

Steve raises his eyebrow now and just looks at Eddie until the elevator dings and the doors open before them.

God Dammit.

He loves and hates this ability, that Steve knows Eddie will crack eventually if he just waits long enough.

"Fine!" Eddie sighs as they make their way back to the hotel.

It's gorgeous out, nothing like the weather back home right now, the palm trees lining the streets and the twinkling fairy lights on every corner gives the area an almost magical feel, despite the bustling pedestrians packing the sidewalks.

"It's a little weird all the instructions," Eddie says eventually. He speaks slowly, doing his best to articulate exactly what he feels.

Steve nods, though the confused pinch between his brow doesn't quite fade.

"And I've been getting these done since it eighties, Steve, it's just a little--"

Eddie growls and tugs on his hair in frustration, "I don't want to be shitty".

Steve shrugs and loops his arm around Eddie's small waist, tugging him closer.

"Be shitty, you know I love it," he grins and lifts his free hand to remove Eddie's from his hair, "what about the instructions made you upset?"

"It's like I'm being talked down to," Eddie says with a frown, "I got a stick and poke from Jeff in '84 that was totally fine with out any of this," he lifts his arm now to show off the shiny second skin to Steve who nods.

"And which one was that again?" Steve asks, there's a leading lilt to his voice that makes Eddie want to sit on the sidewalk.

He huffs out a low whine, "Steve--"

"Eddie," Steve answers with a soft smile.

And Eddie knows he's lost this argument, if you could even call it that, because the bats that Jeff did for him all the way back in '84, have since been covered up.

Over the years they had morphed into six blobs of bluish grey on the back of his forearm that could no longer be distinguishable as bats, and after being asked about his 'abstract' tattoos by an interviewer a few years back, he had made the decision to get them covered.

And it could have been any number of things that lead to the eventual fading and blobification of his bats, but Eddie figured it was probably because they had almost immediately gotten infected a few days after Jeff had finished them in his parents garage.

Eddie clears his throat and opens the email on his phone again, taking another look at the list the artist had sent him.

"Fine, you gonna help me take care of this thing Stevie?" Eddie grumbles as they enter the revolving door of the hotel, stepping carefully into the pie shaped section to avoid colliding with the moving entryway.

Steve snorts and lets his hand curl through one of the belt loops on Eddie's jeans, "I think I remember agreeing to something like that, in sickness and health?"

He leans forward and nuzzels his nose into Eddie's ear, "till the end of our days".

[camaelias]

Sunny Winter Day

CHAPTER 1: The Man Across the Hall CHAPTER 2 - The Winter Soldier Pairing : Grumpy Winter Soldier x Sunshine Reader

Tags : enemies to lovers, angst, slow burn Author's note : Omg, after more than a decade spent on and off this app, I finally mastered the courage to post something! Please be kind, but feel free to give feedback! especially when I make mistakes, English isn't my first language I hope you'll understand ^^ Okay so, here the story : PLOT :In a world still reeling from Hydra’s fall and the Avengers' rise, you are a new recruit—a burst of golden light in a team still learning to trust. You have light powers. They call you sunshine, a little too soft for war, a little too bright for shadows.

You thought you were finally safe. A new world, a new life, a place among the Avengers. But danger doesn’t always knock on the front door ��� sometimes it smiles from the apartment across the hall. And sometimes, the one sent to destroy you is the only one who might just save you.

- Post-Avengers 1, Pre-Ultron - Steve Rogers and the Winter Soldier have never met before. In this world Bucky Barnes is not yet part of Steve’s memories - Hydra has been publicly dismantled, but in truth, it still thrives in the shadows.

Chapter 3: Whispers in the Walls

The room was cold enough that even the walls seemed to shiver.

A long, black table stretched from one end to the other. Around it sat a dozen men and women, faces sharp, unforgiving. Papers were scattered across the polished surface — files, photographs, a few flickering video feeds showing grainy surveillance footage.

At the head of the table stood Pierce — or the man who wore his face now — fingers steepled under his chin. His voice was low, deadly calm, "The Avengers are too careful. Too well-guarded."

He flipped a tablet toward the center of the table. It skidded across the surface, coming to a stop with your smiling face beaming up at them, caught mid-laugh "but every fortress has its cracks"

A photo of you was slid out, this time with notes were scribbled along the margins:

Overly empathetic.

Unthreatening appearance.

Trusts easily.

High loyalty to team.

Around the table, a few agents smirked. Others simply nodded

"She is soft, predictable, and predictable means controllable " Pierce chuckled as he looked at your pic with a sinister amused smile- this was going to be so easy. He pushed the file toward the far end of the table — to the man standing silently in the corner.

Black tactical gear, combat boots, a metal arm gleaming dully under harsh lights. Blank, glassy blue eyes that betrayed no emotion.

The Soldat.

"Proceed with psychological proximity strategy. Emotional infiltration. Timeframe: undetermined. Do not escalate until full access to Vault-09 is confirmed.”

The screen of the tablet shifted —this time to the schematics of the vault hidden beneath the Avengers Compound.

There were no doors. No passcodes. No override. Only one way in.

Avenger-class biometric sequence, living tissue confirmation, no exceptions, no backdoors. Only someone with Avengers clearance—someone who was trusted enough, valued enough—could get close.

“She’s already on the team,” Pierce continued “Already earning their trust. They see her as something bright, something good... a glorified lightstick if you ask me" He smiled, small and sharp "She doesn’t even need to break, She just needs to let you in, Soldat”

The Winter Soldier didn’t blink, didn’t breathe. He simply nodded once.

--

The Compound

"Alright, let's start from the top," Steve said crossing his arms tightly over his chest. You sat at the long glass conference table, surrounded by the team.

Tony was half-slouched in his chair, spinning a pen through his fingers so fast it was a blur. Nat's gaze flickered between you and Steve, Clint leaned back, chair dangerously tilted on two legs, gum snapping in his mouth every few minutes, and Bruce hovered by the back wall.

You cleared your throat, "He was fast," you started, eyes flickering across the room "Metal arm, masked, had a collection of knives hidden in every pocket.. didn't talk, he didn't make a single sound and he just vanished in the smoke like a damn ghost"

You twisted your fingers together under the table, left out the part where your powers pulled

Tony snorted, tossing his pen onto the table with a sharp clack

"Yeah, sounds about right. Terminator Lite. Wonderful."

"Tony," Steve said warningly, but Tony just threw up his hands

"What? Sorry Cap, but how many times do we have to kill Hydra? Kill one head, two shall appear- oh fuck.off!" Steve sighed loudly, you know he had enough of Hydra as much as Tony did. You, on the other hand, you never really encountered any of their weapons yet. When you joined the Avengers there was only a couple of hiding nests to dismantle, but never super soldiers, never weapons like that.

Tony groaned again as he stood up from his chair, one hand in his pocket and one pinching his nose bridge. Nat raised an eyebrow at Tony but stayed silent, then her eye went back on you as she finally spoke “He didn’t try to kill you”

That made you blink

“He could’ve,” she continued, arms crossed now “The way you described it—he was strong enough, trained enough...but he left?”

“Maybe he was interrupted,” Steve offered “Maybe,” she said, but her expression was thoughtful. Pensive.

You cleared your throat “Could’ve been a recon op. Testing our response time. Our defenses"

Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair “Or maybe we’re being watched and don’t even know it.”

Steve stepped forward, tapping the screen “What do we know about this ‘weapon’ they were after?”

“We’re still trying to figure that out,” Tony said “All I know is that building was on my list. Hydra-linked, last seen transferring tech from something called Project Uroboros. Not much on the files—just redacted nonsense and words like ‘containment protocol’ and ‘genetic lock.’”

“What kind of lock?” Nat asked

“Something that requires... organic access,” Tony replied slowly “The file mentioned ‘avenger-biometrics authorisation’ Which shouldn’t even exist, by the way"

“So... only an Avenger can open it?” Clint said

Tony nodded

“Great,” Nat muttered “So now we’re keys as well as targets”

You stayed quiet, but the words burrowed under your skin.

Only an Avenger can access it.

And Hydra just tried to steal it.

You could almost hear it, like a whisper at the back of your skull: They think you’re the weak link. They sent him for you.

Steve turned back to you, his voice warm but firm.“You held your ground, Y/N. That’s what matters"

You gave him a small smile “Didn’t really have a choice.”

Tony start pacing back and forward, the bridge of his nose still pinched between his finger. You could see a slight irritation vein pulsing on his forhead. He shook his head in frustrated denial

"I don't know folks, I just think maybe, I don’t know, we should be a little more concerned that Metal Mickey out there is gunning people down and we don't even know what model he is!"

Clint shrugged lazily "Could be worse. Could be two of them"

Bruce's eyes flickered towards the glass door of the briefing room, an exasperated chuckle left his lips "I am afraid it will be worse, Fury is coming"

And before anyone could say more, Fury’s voice rumbled from the doorway.

“Let’s make this quick," he says without preamble, his voice sharp enough to slice through the room. He stands near the head of the table, trench coat flaring slightly as he shifts his weight, posture as stiff and unyielding as always “Effective immediately, you’re getting a new head of security.”

You blink. Clint blinks. Even Steve shifts slightly, frowning deeper.

“Security?” Clint echoes, incredulous “For us?”

Tony throws up both hands "Oh, fantastic. Are we getting babysitters now? Should I go get my crayons and nap mat?" Fury’s eye sharpens into something lethal "You’ll keep your sarcasm to yourself, Stark"

Tony scoffs under his breath, muttering something about “micromanagement at its finest” and you follow him with your eyes as he flops dramatically into a chair, raking a hand through his messy hair. His hoodie bunches awkwardly at the elbows — black, some band logo half-faded. You catch the glint of frustration in his eyes, though. It’s not just sarcasm. He’s angry.

Steve steps forward, calm but firm, a deep frown etching itself between his brows “With all due respect, Director... we can handle ourselves”

"Clearly" Fury’s deadpan doesn’t leave much room for argument. “New threats. New vulnerabilities. You’re a high-value target team. You don’t get to like it — you get to live with it.”

You feel your fingers curl unconsciously against your thigh, tension coiling tight. Something about this— It’s wrong. It smells wrong.

And then the door hisses open.

You hear the footsteps before you even turn. Measured. Heavy. Familiar.

Your heart stumbles once, twice. Your head snaps around instinctively.

Standing just inside the threshold, casual as anything, is your neighbour.

James.

His dark hair is slightly mussed like he ran a hand through it on the way here, and he’s wearing a plain black long-sleeve shirt tucked into tactical pants, leather gloves and combat boots laced tight. His shoulders are broad and straight, posture deceptively relaxed—but you can feel the discipline bleeding from him. His eyes—deep, winter-cold eyes—flicker across the room once, calculating. Landing on you. Lingering.

This must be a joke.

Natasha catches your expression. One arched brow, a knowing tilt of her lips that says, you okay, sunshine?

“Mr James Buchanan Barnes,” Fury announces, oblivious—or uncaring—of the sudden current running through the room. “He’s your new head of security”

Dead silence.

Tony blinks, then leans forward slowly, palms splayed flat on the table. "I’m sorry, did you say Barnes?" He snorts "What, were all the real candidates busy? Is this Bring Your Neighbour to Work Day?"

A chair screeches as he shoves back from the table again, starting to pace, gesturing wildly "This guy—he's what? An army reject? A ‘thank you for your service’ card and a pat on the back? How exactly does this help us?"

James says nothing. Stands perfectly still. Takes it.

You don’t miss the faint tension in his jaw though. The way his hands stay loose at his sides — controlled.

Steve exhales sharply through his nose, stepping closer to Fury “We’re soldiers. We’ve fought gods, aliens, robots. We’re not civilians. We don’t need a—” He bites off the word. Babysitter.

Fury just levels a hard, steady stare at the room "I don’t care if you fought Loki in a tutu. Orders stand. Barnes reports to me. You work with him—or you deal with the consequences"

You glance at James again, heart hammering. Weeks. You’ve been living across the hall from him for weeks.

Was that coincidence? Was any of it?

You almost laugh, a short, disbelieving sound you have to swallow down quickly. Of all people... it's him.

You can feel the unease twisting low in your gut, your light humming just faintly under your skin, your instincts nudging you harder now. But you force yourself to stay still. Smile. Make a good face for a bad game.

Tony claps his hands sarcastically, spinning back to the table "Awesome. Great. Love being outvoted. Democracy's dead anyway"

Clint mutters something under his breath about “spooks running the show,” scratching at his jaw again, the picture of skeptical disinterest. Natasha just watches you, sharp-eyed.

James finally steps forward, slow and unthreatening. His voice when it comes is soft, careful.

“I’m just here to make sure you’re safe,” he says, looking right at you when he says it. Not Steve. Not Tony. You.

You swallow hard. Your hands feel too empty. Your smile feels too tight.

Safe.

Right.

The second Fury dismisses the meeting, you’re out of your chair so fast it scrapes against the floor. You murmur a quick excuse — bathroom, fresh air, whatever — and bolt before anyone can pin you down with concerned looks or worse, questions.

The compound’s hallways feel colder today. Your sneakers squeak faintly on the polished floor as you move quickly, tugging the sleeves of your sweatshirt over your palms, trying to ground yourself.

It’s fine. It’s just a coincidence. You’re overreacting.

You push through the stairwell door and start up the stairs two at a time, heart hammering a wild rhythm against your ribs. The thick silence around you only amplifies the racing of your thoughts. Your building neighbour is now your bodyguard. The man you almost trusted with your spare key last week is now guarding your life.

You press your back against the cool concrete wall and squeeze your eyes shut. You can still feel his gaze—like fingerprints on your skin.

And then — footsteps.

You snap your head up just as James rounds the corner at the landing, casual as anything. He slows when he sees you, tilting his head slightly, a look of almost disarming concern passing over his face

“You left fast," he says, voice low, smooth, almost tentative

"I needed air," you answer too quickly

He stops a few steps away, close enough that you can smell him — that crisp, clean scent you’ve learned to appreciate. He doesn’t close the distance, doesn’t trap you. You dart your eyes past him, searching for an exit. Anywhere. He notices.

"I don't want to cause problems," he says gently "I'm here to help"

You bite your lip, you feel your powers slightly burning your fingertips

"Yeah, sure...it's just... a lot to take in," you say with a shrug that you hope looks casual. James steps closer carefully, giving you plenty of time to move if you want. You’re about to make another excuse to slip away when a new set of footsteps thunder up the stairwell.

You don’t even have to turn to know it’s Steve, you would recognise that heavy determined stomp anywhere

"Y/N," Steve calls, voice clipped, protective

James straightens subtly, squaring his shoulders, but keeps his hands visible, palms loose by his sides. No sudden moves, no hostility.

"Barnes," Steve says, voice all soldier now, stiff and wary. He steps up beside you, close enough that his arm almost brushes yours, "You good?" he murmurs toward you without looking, his posture broadcasting say the word and I’ll remove him

"I’m fine," you answer quickly, voice flickering just a tiny bit

Steve’s jaw tightens, you see the muscle jump near his ear. James meets his gaze, unflinching, respectful

"I was just checking in," James says, polite to the point of almost military deference "Sir"

Sir.

He plays the good soldier so perfectly that even Steve has to hesitate. He studies him for a long, grinding moment — Captain America measuring the unknown variable.

Something unspoken passes between them. Not quite trust. Not quite threat. A truce, maybe.

"I should, um... get ready for training," you mumble, backing up a step.

James gives you a slight nod, that same careful, disarming half-smile on his face.

"I'll see you around"

CHAPTER 4 - Black Coffee and Cookie

---- AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hello hello! a few questions for my reader! how is the pacing? too slow? too fast? any ridiculous english mistake? it's my very first time writing something so really looking on ways to improve! hope you enjoyed!

[andvys]

The edges of your soul (I haven't seen yet) ⭐︎ chapter eleven

⭐︎ And I'll fear no evil because I'm blind to it all

Warnings: gore gore gore, violence, blood, death, murder, angst, mentions of sexual assault, threats of r*pe (it does not happen), literal slaughter, read this chapter with caution, it's a very heavy one. one character turns into a killer, not giving away who ofc. hurt/comfort in the end

Pairing: Steve Harrington x fem!reader

Summary: In the haze of your distraction, you let your guard down and the monsters you have warned your friends about catch up to you — and now you will have to pay… in one way or another.

Word count: 11.7k+

Author’s note: This chapter is a wild ride, and it’s not an easy one to read! Be prepared for some heavy angst — but it will only get better from now on hehe. @hellfire--cult and I are evil cackling knowing how shocked you all will be after this one! As always, give her some love for coming up with the sickening chapter with me and for beta reading and working on this one with me! 🤍

series masterlist ⭐︎ previous chapter

☀︎

Steve awakens to the feeling of something tickling his nose causing him to scrunch it up. The feeling continues. He brings his hand up to his nose and rubs it before he drops his arm again, bringing it back to its original position – around something or someone. 

He registers the warmth, the weight of a body against his own. A sweet scent fills his nose and he can’t help but breathe in deeply. It’s your scent. It’s your body against his, and it molds into him like it was meant to. 

He peeks one eye open. There’s no sun shining through the blinds today, and the grey clouds outside make the RV seem darker than usual. 

Steve’s chest heaves strongly when he looks down at you. You are sleeping heavily still, your cheek is squished against his chest, your hair is covering your face, and your hand is on his waist. 

He breathes in shakily as his heart starts thumping strongly. He’s got you completely wrapped in his embrace, one arm is under you, and the other wrapped around you tightly, like he was afraid to let you go in his sleep. 

But just like the other times you have shared a bed, he slept peacefully, unlike ever before. He wasn’t plagued by nightmares, by pictures of his best friend getting ripped away from him and torn into pieces. He didn’t wake from dreams of losing Eddie, Nancy or… you. 

He just slept and he dreamed – normal dreams. He knows it is your presence that calms him, that takes away the fear in him, that makes him feel safe. He knows it should make him happy, but it only worries him.

Steve watches you, his hand slowly moving up to your face to push away your hair. His lips curl into a smile as you lean into his touch, sighing softly in your sleep. Your eyelashes flutter, and you press yourself further against him, making his heart flutter.

Screwed. He is screwed. 

The bed dips faintly under him, he goes to turn around, only to feel the tiny paws on his shoulder. The wolf pup must have escaped your embrace to explore the RV. You have taken such good care of it yesterday, it only made Steve’s case worse to see you take care of the lost little pup. 

You sat outside by the fire for what seemed like forever, warming up the pup and feeding him with some canned meat. You hoped for the mother to appear; you even whistled in hopes that it would attract her attention, but she never came. So you took him into the RV, wrapped him in your blanket, and held him against your chest. Steve joined you moments later. He lied down with you and you talked for what felt like forever. It wasn’t his plan to fall asleep, let alone cuddle you in his sleep, but he won’t lie and act like it doesn’t feel good, like it doesn’t feel right. 

He held you all night, you and the pup who found comfort in your embrace, just the way he did too. 

A chuckle falls from Steve's lips when the pup jumps on top of you, wobbling on his paws as he balances on your shoulders and leans down to rub against your cheek, making you scrunch your nose up in your sleep. 

“Hey buddy,” Steve chuckles as he lifts his hand to pet him, his palm is twice the size of his little head. The pup suddenly jumps at him, attacking him with licks to his forehead. 

“Whoa!” Steve laughs softly as he furrows his eyebrows and shuts his eyes as the pup licks his eyebrow. “That’s–” He laughs as he starts rubbing against his cheek. 

All the movement and the laughter make you stir against him. You open your eyes slowly, furrowing your brows as you take in the sight before you. An instant smile appears on your face, your heart fluttering at what you’re seeing first thing in the morning.

The wolf pup is on top of Steve, rubbing against his face, purring. And Steve is chuckling softly, holding him. His hair is messy, and his eyes are still sleepy. He looks so cute. 

You feel his arm under your body, and you realize just how close you actually are, how you fell asleep in his arms the night before. Your cheeks heat up, and your stomach jumps weirdly. It’s not the first time, it’s the third time, but unlike those other times, you had no reason to fall asleep in the same bed or all cuddled up. 

You are not complaining though; if it was up to you, you’d have this every night. 

“Good morning, sunshine.” 

His voice pulls you out of your thoughts. You look back into his eyes. He is smiling at you, making your heart flutter even more because you can’t help but wonder what it would be like if you woke up together as something more than friends — if he pulled you closer and his lips met— 

The pup jumps at you so suddenly, you fall back into the pillow behind you, making Steve chuckle again. 

“Oh my god,” he laughs as he watches the pup attack your face the way he did to him just moments ago, before he nuzzles into your neck. 

“I think my heart is going to explode,” you whisper as you wrap your hand around the puppy. “He is so stinking cute.” 

Steve pushes himself up onto his elbows, watching you with a smile on his face, how the pup cuddles you, how it nuzzles against you, like you’re the mother. His heart warms at the sight of it in a way it never did before. 

“He loves you.”

You pout at his words, your eyes softening. 

“He loves you too,” you whisper.

“Nah,” Steve shakes his head, still smiling. “Not like that. He feels safe with you.” Just the way he does. 

“I wish I could keep him,” you say as you push yourself up, holding the pup against your chest. “But I have a feeling his mother is still around.” 

Steve nods, “yeah. We should stay put another day, if we don’t find her, we leave.”

You nod in agreement, though you can’t hide the sadness in your eyes. You know you shouldn’t have gotten attached to the pup as quickly, but you did. 

“Hey,” Steve whispers, reaching for your hand. “Maybe we’ll find you a dog puppy someday.” 

Warmth rushes through you as he squeezes your hand. You so badly want to entwine your fingers with his. 

“Yeah,” you smile, nodding. “I always wanted a dog, a big one.” 

“Yeah? What kind?” 

You shrug, looking down at the pup cuddling against you. “A german shepherd.”

“Then we’ll find you a german shepherd, Sunshine.”

“Really?” 

Steve sees the way your eyes light up at his promise and it only causes his smile to widen. 

“Yeah, unless we don’t find his mother, then we’ll keep this little buddy.” He whispers, petting the pup. “You think we can raise him like a dog?”

“Oh yeah! If wolves are raised around people and get proper training, they’re basically like dogs! Just with sharper teeth and more strength.” 

“You know a lot about them?” Steve smiles, raising his eyebrows. 

“Kinda, I guess? They’re my favorite animals.”

“Oh?” 

Steve looks surprised, and it confuses you. 

“Why do you seem so surprised?” 

He shrugs as he turns on his side, moving closer to you. 

“I don’t know. I just thought you’d like something uh… more tame.”

You squint your eyes at him, tilting your head to the side. “Tame? Like what, a sheep?” 

Steve chuckles, growing a little nervous under your gaze. He shakes his head, “no, not a sheep. I thought that maybe your favorite animal would be a kitten or a duckling.” 

“Oh! So you thought that I’m too soft to like a wild animal?” You chuckle, shaking your head at him. 

“No, no. It’s just…” He pauses, trying to think of the right words to say. “It’s just… you are soft– not in a bad way!” He panics as his eyes suddenly widen, and he looks like he is afraid that he said the wrong thing again. 

You keep your face straight, enjoying his struggle… a bit too much. 

“In a good way, in a… a pure– not like that… fuck.” He sighs, bringing his hand up to his face. “Just in a good way.” 

You can’t hold back your giggles when you notice the fear in his eyes and how he must think that he offended you. 

His shoulders slump, and he relaxes when he realizes that you aren’t offended by his words. 

“Oh Steve,” you murmur as you reach out to him, tapping his nose. “You still think I’m some soft, pure thing. You think that I’m a sheep, don’t you?” 

“No,” he shakes his head. “Not a sheep, certainly not a sheep.”

No, you could never be that, especially not by the end of this day. 

“Alright,” you mumble, still amused by his panicking. You sit up and take a look out the window. The pup gets off you and jumps from the bed. “Wow, the weather looks nice today,” you frown at the grey clouds. 

“Yeah.” Steve mumbles as he sits up too. 

“Let's get some coffee, and some food for baby over there.” You nudge your chin towards the pup sniffing on the fridge. 

Steve chuckles, “we should probably give him a name.” 

“Not yet.” You shake your head. 

“Eddie called him Ozzy already.” 

You roll your eyes, “yeah uh no! Not happening!” 

You scoot to the edge of the bed and lean down to put on your shoes. You tie your laces and push yourself up when Steve stops you, reaching for your hand. You look down at it, eyes stuck on his large hand enveloping yours. His warmth inviting as always. 

“Hey,” Steve whispers softly, looking up at you. 

You look into his eyes. All the amusement is gone, his face is serious again, his lips curled into a soft frown. 

“Are you feeling okay?” 

You furrow your eyebrows, tilting your head to the side again. 

“What do you mean?” 

“After yesterday… After our conversation a-and after you jumped into the water?”

Your heart flutters at the way he cares, at the softness in his eyes, and his touch. 

You nod, giving him a genuine smile. 

“Yeah, Steve. I feel okay, I feel good actually.” You squeeze his hand, promising him that. 

“You’ll let me know if that changes, okay?” He says softly, giving you a pointed look. 

“I will,” you whisper with no hesitation. 

Steve squeezes your hand back. He looks into your eyes for a moment longer before he tilts his head down, looking at your joined hands, at the way your hand fits into his… so perfectly. Something in him stirs, something in him yearns to keep holding on, to pull you closer. 

He clears his throat and lets go of your hand, “alright, let’s go grab some coffee.”

The pup is the first to jump out the moment Steve opens the door of the RV. 

Nancy and Eddie are sitting in front of the small fire, each with a cup of coffee in their hands, a map on the ground before them. Eddie looks up, his eyes lighten up.

“Ozzy!” He grins as he puts his coffee down to pick up the pup. 

Nancy laughs beside him when she sees your disapproving expression. 

“His name is not Ozzy!” 

Eddie ignores you as he pets the pup, “don’t listen to her, you got the most badass name, Ozzy.” 

Steve watches the way you roll your eyes and the way you try to hold back your smile. He chuckles softly and turns around, giving Nancy a nod as he reaches for the coffee pot. He pours you a cup first and hands it to you before he pours his own. 

Silence settles between you all for a moment. Eddie lifts his blanket over the pup before he continues to pet him, smiling brightly. 

Nancy tries to put her focus back on the map but finds herself distracted by you and Steve. Her curiosity is too big as she looks between you both. She watches the way Steve puts sugar in your coffee and the way you steal glances at him while he isn’t looking. 

A smile tugs on her lips when she sees him do the same, stealing glances when you’re not looking. 

How didn’t she notice before?

“So what’s the plan for the day?” Eddie speaks up after a few minutes of silence. 

Steve glances at you, eyes meeting yours. 

“We thought we’d stay here for another day, see if we can find the mother or if she finds him,” he explains as he gestures to the pup in Eddie’s lap. “And uh, you two can get some rest for now, get some sleep. Sunshine and I are gonna check out the nearby town afterwards.” 

Nancy lifts her mug to her lips, nodding at both of you, “sounds like a plan.” 

“And if we don’t find the mother?” Eddie asks, looking a little too excited at the thought of it. 

“Then we keep him.” 

Eddie’s eyes lock with yours. He wants to keep the pup just as much as you do. 

“We’ll fight over the name if we do, right?” He murmurs, squinting his eyes. 

“Mhmm,” you nod. 

Steve chuckles at the two of you. He looks down into his coffee. He can see his reflection in the dark liquid, he looks away. 

“You can give him two names,” Nancy shrugs as she gets up from her seat. She leans down and picks up the map. Pointing at you, she looks at Eddie, “she gets to pick first, she saved him.” 

Eddie’s eyes widen, a frown making its way on his face, “that’s not fair, you are just saying that because she’s a girl.” 

“That’s such bullshit,” Nancy chuckles as she continues her way to the RV. “Now get your ass up, we gotta catch up on sleep.” 

“Yes ma’am,” Eddie mumbles as he gets up as well after putting the pup down, he pets his tiny head, “keep these two on their toes will ya, bud?” 

Eddie winks at you before he looks over at Steve, wiggling his eyebrows, “have fun playing mom and dad.” 

Steve gives him a deadpan look, sighing in annoyance. 

But you pretend not to hear, not wanting to blush in front of Steve now. You busy yourself with your coffee.

“C’mon,” Nancy calls out to him as she opens the door. “Before I take the bed.”

Eddie skips up the stairs, chuckling. “I don’t want it anyways, who knows what happened there last night.” He says loudly before he shuts the door. The last thing you hear is Nancy’s laughter. 

You choke on your coffee as your eyes widen. 

Steve leans forward, ignoring Eddie’s comment. He pats your back, “you okay, Sunshine?” 

You nod your head quickly, blinking away the tears that built up in your eyes as you start coughing. 

“Peachy.” You manage to croak out after a moment. 

From the corner of your eye, you notice movement in the window. You turn towards it and find Eddie looking out, wiggling his eyebrows at you as he puckers his lips, making kissing movements as he points between you and Steve. 

Your eyes widen, and your cheeks heat up strongly, burning hotly even beneath the cold wind. 

Right. You forgot that you haven’t talked to him yet after yesterday, when he called you jealous after you found out about Steve and Nancy’s history. 

You shake your head at him, wanting nothing more than to flip him the bird. 

You see him laughing. 

God. This is gonna be a long day. 

-

The RV is filled with nothing but silence as Eddie wakes up hours later. He opens his eyes and stares up at the ceiling, feeling tired still. A weird, unsettling feeling pulled him out of his sleep. 

He swallows the lump in his throat as he pushes himself up, placing his palm against his beating heart, and he looks around. He tries to remember his dreams, if a nightmare had left him feeling weird, but he can’t recall it. 

Nancy isn’t sleeping anymore, she isn’t around the RV at all, but he can hear the movement outside. He peeks out the window to see her cleaning her gun. He closes his eyes and breathes out in relief. 

Despite being stuck in this world, he rarely feels unsettled. He rarely feels fear nowadays, which is surprising considering he almost died because of it. He used to run from things, he used to wake from nightmares covered in sweat, he used to feel crippling anxiety. It’s not like that anymore. He doesn’t know what it was that changed him, if it was a sudden surge of strength and confidence or if it was Nancy’s presence or something entirely else. 

But he is not the guy who woke in fear every day, not anymore. So he feels nothing but confused as the unsettling feeling in him continues to spread. 

“Calm down, Munson.” He mumbles to himself as he rubs his chest. He makes his way into the bathroom and splashes some cold water into his face before he puts his jacket and his shoes back on. 

When he walks outside, he takes an immediate look around, hoping that you and Steve haven’t left yet. 

His shoulders slump in relief when he finds the two of you on the field with the pup, playing with him as you and Steve throw sticks for the pup to catch.

Eddie takes a deep breath before he makes his way down the stairs, he glances at Nancy, “can’t sleep?” 

Nancy shakes her head. Her eyebrows are furrowed in concentration as she continues to clean her gun, polishing it. “Took an hour nap, woke back up. It’s not my day, I think.”

Eddie nods in agreement, he looks around, eyeing the snow covered field, the road nearby, and the forest that suddenly feels eerie to him. Nothing is moving, the wind isn’t howling the way it usually does. The silence is unsettling, adding to the feeling growing inside of him. There is a fog spreading as the grey clouds grow darker. 

The darkness will bring nothing good. 

“I think we should hit the road.” 

Nancy’s movements stop, she looks into the fire for a moment before she looks up at him. Her blue eyes flashing with concern when she sees the look in his eyes. 

“What? We said we’d–”

“I know what we said,” Eddie mumbles, glancing towards you and Steve, neither of you seems affected by the darkening clouds. 

“Is everything okay?” Nancy frowns. 

Eddie breathes in deeply, continuing to look around as though in search of something, for danger. 

“Yeah, just… have a bad feeling about the weather.” He lies. He wishes it were only that. 

Nancy doesn’t believe him; she can see right through him. She gets up and throws her gun on the chair. 

“Eddie.” Her voice is stern. 

He gulps, bringing his hand up to his chest again, which she notices right away.

Her frown deepens, and she shakes her head at him, “what is it?” She asks a little softer now, bringing her hand up to his upper arm. “You were fine before. What happened? Did you have a nightmare? Are you dealing with panic attacks again…?” She whispers softly. 

Eddie shakes his head, sighing. 

“No,” he murmurs as he stares at her, intensely. “I just… I just think we should leave this place.” 

She presses her lips into a thin line as she looks into his eyes, trying to figure him out, trying to figure out the fear lingering in them, but it only infects her as well. She doesn’t understand where this growing fear is coming from or why, but it makes her feel unsettled too. 

She looks into the forest and then at the clouds in the sky. Grey. Nothing but grey clouds. No red in them, no lighting surging through them. A part of her feels relieved. The other part feels a kind of fear she hasn’t had to deal with yet. 

Nancy takes a deep breath as she slowly looks towards the field, but you and Steve are no longer there. 

“If the wolf mother was around, she would have been here by now. We should go; there is no use staying here any longer.” 

Nancy looks back at him. 

“We’ll stop in the town down the road, and then we’ll get back on main.” Eddie speaks sternly, which surprises her, not knowing this side of him. “I’m not accepting any no’s.” 

She is a little taken aback when he brushes past her and turns his back to her, walking along the RV as his eyes are set on the field, “I’m gonna get Steve and–”

“Eddie.” 

“You heard what I said, Wheeler–”

“Eddie!” 

Only as she says his name a second time, does he pick up on the trembling in her voice, the fear. 

He halts in his tracks. Staring down into the snow, he feels the hairs on his neck stand up, goosebumps rising without him knowing why she sounds so afraid all the sudden. He doesn’t know what to expect when he turns around, but the fear grips him tightly. 

He feels the threat without having to look. 

Eddie slowly brings his hand up to his belt as he turns around. His eyes widen as his heart lurches to his throat when he meets Nancy’s panicked gaze, when he sees the gun to her head and the woman standing behind her. 

“Don’t even think about it, boy.” The woman calls out to him, her eyes stuck on his hand. 

He instantly reaches for the gun in his belt when the sound of a gun cocking behind him makes him freeze. 

“Nuh uh.” A man’s voice murmurs behind him, “drop the gun or this pretty girl right there will be covered in the remains of your brain.” 

He feels the gun against his head now. He sees the fear in Nancy’s wide eyes. He feels his own fear eating at him. The despair clinging to him now. 

“Take whatever you need and get the fuck out of here.” Eddie says through gritted teeth, feeling a surge of anger rushing through him. 

The man behind him chuckles. 

“I don’t think you’ll like what I’m here for.” 

Eddie’s face curls in disgust and in rage. He hasn’t even seen him yet, but he can tell what kind of man he can expect. 

Nancy’s hand is shaking, her eyes are filled with fear as she looks over Eddie’s shoulder before her eyes lock back with his. 

She wants to fight. She wants to fight so badly but she is crippled with fear. 

“Oh, this is gonna be fun.” 

Eddie’s head snaps up at the third voice. A guy walks around the RV, brushing past the woman and Nancy. A gun is strapped to his thigh, a machete in his hand. He is around their age. Tall, dark hair, a wicked look on his face that shows Eddie nothing but cruelty. 

The woman shared the same expression as him. 

The guy stops, sparing Eddie a glance before he puts his attention on Nancy. His eyes roaming her figure as he brings his machete up to her face, tilting her chin up with the blade. 

So those are the monsters you have told him about. 

“Don’t touch her!” Eddie snaps at him as the fear wears off and the anger grips at him. “I swear to god, don’t fucking touch her or I’ll–”

Before he can even finish his sentence, he gets pushed and thrown to the ground. He barely gets to recover before he feels the heavy boot stomping on his back, forcing him to stay down. 

“Let him go!”

“Tie these two up, will ya, Randall?” The man keeping Eddie down orders, gun still pressed against his head. “Now… where are your little friends?” 

-

“Come on, buddy.” You whisper to the pup, petting his head, “call out to your mama, you got this.” 

Steve is standing with his arms crossed, a big smile on his face as he watches you. You are kneeling on the snow, not caring about the cold digging through your jeans. The wolf pup has been trying to howl for the past ten minutes, though with failed attempts. 

“How does one teach a wolf to howl?” You ask, looking up at Steve. 

He shrugs, “guess you gotta show him.”

He chuckles when you roll your eyes at him, “I don’t think that it would sound very cute.”

Steve kneels down beside you, looking down at the pup who rolls around in the snow instead of howling to lure in his mother. He reaches his hand out, petting his belly. 

“Maybe he picked you out to be his mother,” Steve chuckles, watching with fondness in his eyes. 

“Would that make you his dad?” You blurt out without thinking.

Steve raises his eyebrows and turns to you, amusement flashing across his face when he sees the realization of your words sink in. Your eyes widen, and you start blushing beneath his gaze. 

“I’m… I mean because he–”

“Sure.” Steve shrugs. 

Your words get caught in your throat, and your cheeks heat up further. Something stirs in your chest as you look into his eyes, something deep, something hopeful. 

He doesn’t look away from you like you expect him to; he stares into your eyes just the way you stare into his. His gaze causes your heart to stop for a moment. 

The pup jumps up and around you both, kicking some snow into your lap, forcing your attention away from Steve. A giggle falls from your lips when it jumps towards you, crawling into your lap and nuzzling against your hand. 

“You know what, Stevie might be right,” you chuckle as you pet it. “I’ll happily be your mama.” 

Steve stares at you, his eyes softening more and more. Those words made his heart skip and flutter strongly, catching him off guard a little. His cheeks heat up for some reason, probably burning a bright red. 

“Guess we’ll just have to take you with us, huh? But first I need you to howl, I need to make sure,” you whisper. “Just one howl, baby.” 

Steve forces his eyes from you, he looks into the forest, squinting his eyes. 

“I think if she was still around, she’d be–”

A gunshot cuts him off, echoing through the large field and the forest. 

Your blood runs cold, and you both freeze. 

The pup jumps off your lap and runs off in the direction of the forest, giving you no time to grab him. 

You and Steve turn towards each other, the looks in your eyes matching. Fear. 

No words are spoken as you both move into action. You are the first to jump up, glancing at the pup one more time before you take off. Steve is right behind you as he reaches for the knife in his belt. 

You grab your gun, clicking off the safety. You hold it tightly in your hand. Your heart begins to pound strongly against your ribcage, your throat closing up from the panic rising up inside you. 

Million thoughts run through your head. The worry for your friends coursing through you like lightning. 

You don’t know what kind of danger to expect, what kind of death you will face now. 

Infected. Creatures. Or monsters. 

You let your guard down. You let it down, and now you will pay in some way. 

You pick up the pace when you are closer to the road. Steve’s footsteps echo behind you. The snow slows you both down. Neither of you is thinking, neither of you tried to come up with a plan, there can’t be one in a moment like this. 

Your friends are in danger, that much is clear. 

You have a feeling, a hunch. That sickening realization is rushing through you before you even set eyes on what you know you will face. 

What he had never faced before. 

Your blood runs colder, and your heart stops beating completely when your eyes lock with Eddie’s first. There is a machete to his throat, his nose is bleeding, dripping down onto the pavement he is kneeling on. 

Nancy is right beside him, kneeling with her hands tied behind her back. You can see how much she is trembling, how scared she is. 

You freeze, halting in your steps as you take in the sight before you. 

Your eyes move up and down their bodies, making sure they aren’t hurt. Neither of them is shot or seriously injured, but you can tell by the dirt on their clothes and the state of their hair that they had been dragged from the RV to the road. 

Anger ripples through you, killing any fear that lived in you just moments ago. 

Three. Three of them. Four of you. 

Two men. One woman. 

One is standing behind Eddie, smiling cruelly at you as you lock eyes with him for a moment. The woman standing next to Nancy is holding a gun to her head. Her eyes are void of anything. You have encountered people like her, like them. 

And lastly, your eyes meet the ones of the guy who shot to lure both of you in. He is big and burly. A sickening smile spreads across his face when Steve steps in front of you, pushing you behind him. 

“There is no use, boy.” He chuckles as he holsters his gun. He raises his eyebrows at you, eyes moving between your face and the gun. “Put the gun down, kid.” 

You step around Steve, shaking your head as you clench your jaw. 

“Let my friends go.” You demand, tightening the hold of your gun. 

They all chuckle, sharing glances with each other – angering you further. 

Steve’s eyes move back and forth between his friends and the man who is eying you with a smirk on his face. He can see the look in his eyes from miles away, the disgustingly wide pupils. 

A mixture of rage and despair rushes through him. The panic of not knowing how to get you all out of this situation. His fist clenches around his knife, his eyes locked with Eddie’s.

“Put the gun down,” the man repeats as he motions with his hand. 

The woman shoots into the sky before she puts her aim back on Nancy’s head. 

You all flinch, Nancy especially. 

“Put your weapons down, now!” The woman orders roughly as she nudges Nancy’s head with the gun. 

Your eyes never stray away from the man, your gaze never faltering. You know he wants you scared, you know he wants you trembling in fear. 

Steve is the first to move, he throws his knife onto the ground, the blade clinking against the pavement. 

“It’s okay, Sunshine.” He whispers as he takes your gun from your hands and throws it down as well. “It’s gonna be okay.” He isn’t sure if he even believes his own words. 

“Randall,” he orders, never looking away from you either. “Tie them up.” 

“What the hell do you want!?” Steve grumbles in anger, his eyes burning with rage. “You want food? We got it, you take it and you get the hell out of here–”

“That’s cute.” The woman chuckles, shaking her head at him. “Does it look like we’re starving?” 

Steve clenches his jaw, breathing in angrily. 

“No, I suppose not.” You speak in anger as you look the man up and down. 

The guy, Randall, stops before you two. He looks down at you, holding his machete tightly in his hand. 

You know you can’t fight back now, not when there is a gun to Nancy’s head. But you feel desperate to fight back. You’ve been in bad situations before, but it never came this far. You always managed to get away before this. 

“Get on your knees.” He orders, glaring at Steve. 

You have no choice, none of you do. 

“Do I have to repeat myself?” Randall asks as he lifts his machete up to your throat. 

Your heart keeps beating strongly, not out of fear. Not now. 

Steve’s eyes flare in anger. The urge to rip the machete from his hand and handle this growing deeper and stronger. 

“Don’t fucking touch her or I’ll–”

“Or you’ll what?” Randall mocks him, catching you off guard when he delivers a punch to his cheek before he forces him to his knees and gets behind him, grabbing his wrists. 

Steve grunts in pain, and he curses under his breath. “Fucking asshole.” 

Your breathing quickens, the fire in you burning deeper and stronger. 

You slowly get on your knees, knowing there is nothing you can do about it without losing one of your friends. If you move now, there will be a bullet in Nancy’s head, and you will not lose her. 

You never break eye contact with that man before you, not even when he slowly begins to make his way towards you. You know where he wants you, he wants you to feel scared, intimidated. 

He wants you to feel like prey. 

But you are no prey. 

Your heart is racing in your chest, though no longer out of fear. You can’t explain the feeling rising in you, you have never felt anything like this before. 

You know what will happen. 

You always do. 

But anger never flared up in you so strongly. 

The sickening look in his eyes is so clear, the disgusting smile spreading further as he grins at you wickedly. You can see how much he is enjoying this, and it does nothing but add fuel to the anger and the adrenaline growing in you. 

Hatred burns in you the way it never did before, a growing lust to take him apart and feed him and his friends to the infected taking place inside of you, especially when you feel Nancy’s fear and Eddie’s despair, when you hear Steve grunt in pain. 

“I’m gonna kill you.” 

Steve glances at you, needing a moment to register that those words fell from your lips. 

“I’m gonna kill every single one of you.” 

Eddie looks into your eyes as you repeat your threat. A shiver runs down his spine when he realizes that it wasn’t a threat but a promise. There’s no emotion in your voice, no fear, no bluff, nothing. 

He can see it now, how you survived on your own for so long. 

Randall chuckles behind you as he grabs your arms forcefully, wrapping the rope around your wrists. “You know how many people threatened us? What’s a small little girl like you gonna do, huh?” He asks as he works on tying you up. 

The burly guy kneels before you, cocking his head to the side as he reaches out to touch your face. 

“Don’t touch her!” Steve snaps at him with nothing but venom in his voice as he watches them both corner you. He feels helpless and desperate. The fear in him kills him slowly as he is scared for you. “Get your filthy hands off her!”

But the man barely looks at him, he keeps his eyes on you, caressing your cheek, even as you lean away. 

“Don’t worry, man.” Randall chuckles behind you. “I’ll fuck her little brains o–”

You throw your head back against his face with force, wanting nothing more than to hurt him, to break their bones, to kill. The loud crunch gives you the outcome you were hoping for. 

“You fucking bitch!” He cries out in pain, dropping your hands and the ropes he was working on, leaving the knot unfastened. 

Before you can even react, the man before you slaps you with the back of his hand, cutting through your skin in the process. Your head hits the pavement, causing your ear to ring. 

Steve calls out your name in panic, rising to his feet, ready to fight even with his hands tied behind his back. But Randall recovers quickly as he lurches forward and kicks his knees in, forcing him back on the ground. 

“Stay the fuck down!”

Eddie says your name, calling out to you in despair. 

Nancy stares in shock as she looks between you and Steve. 

“God.” The man sighs as he looks up into the sky. “I love it when they put up a fight, makes it all even better.” He steps forward. “I’m gonna have so much fun with this pretty thing.”

Steve senses heighten, fearing for you and Nancy as the anger takes further hold of him. His gaze is on the ground as he struggles, trying to tear the ropes around his wrists. 

He freezes when he feels a hand grabbing his chin, making him look up. The man towers over him with a disgusting smirk on his face. 

Steve freezes. 

“Yeah… I’m definitely gonna have fun with you.” 

Nausea washes over him as he takes in the dilated pupils in his eyes, the perverted look that was never meant for you but for him. 

“Yeah, you look tight.” 

The bile rises in Steve’s throat as a new kind of fear he never felt before rushes through him. 

Eddie’s and Nancy’s faces grow pale, both unable to move, both feeling helpless as they watch the man grab Steve by the collar of his jacket, dragging him forward. 

“Get your hands off me!” Steve grunts through his shock, trying to fight despite the restraints on his wrists. His movements cause something to fall out of his jacket pocket, landing right by the feet of his attacker. 

“Aw, have problems breathing, pretty boy?” The woman chuckles, eying the inhaler that Steve kept in his pocket in case you ever have an attack again. 

Even after your sickness, he never removed it. 

“Let him go!” You scream, struggling as you push yourself back up on your knees, watching in panic as Steve gets dragged away. “Let him go if you want to live–”

Randall grabs your cheeks. There is blood running from his nose. Knowing that you broke it makes you feel satisfied. He kneels before you, moving close to your face. His disgusting breath hitting your cheeks. 

“Don’t worry, you’ll get your turn too. I’m gonna make your friends watch and I’ll make it extra painful for your little move back there.”

“I’m going to rip your throat out,” you spit into his face, feeling nothing but uncontrollable rage now. 

“You–” He stops, eyes growing wide at the sound echoing through the trees. 

Everyone freezes, even the man dragging Steve. He keeps his hold on him as he looks around. 

You look over Randall’s shoulder, eyes locking with Eddie’s. 

Howling. 

“Wolves?” The woman mumbles as she lowers her gun and steps away from Nancy. “I haven’t heard a wolf in–” 

A shadow moves past you, catching you off guard. 

Before any of them can blink, the woman is taken to the ground with a force she can’t fight against. She drops her gun. Her scream echoes through the empty streets as teeth sink into her throat. 

The wolf you’ve been calling out to since last night, mauling at her neck. 

Randall turns around. 

You struggle against the restraints, cutting your skin open in the process. You don’t think, you don’t have the time to. You only see one way out. The adrenaline courses through you, gripping at you tightly. 

He reaches for his gun, ready to take out the wolf. 

You lurch forward, hands still bound behind your back. You don’t see another way out. You sink your teeth into his ear, biting through it with a force that could only be triggered by a hatred and an anger you didn’t even know you could have. 

He only manages to gasp in pain, unable to even fight against you at the sudden attack. The gun drops from his hand, clashing against the ground. His blood splatters all over your face as you rip his flesh with your teeth, not caring about the weight of your action, about the metallic taste now in your mouth. 

All you feel is disgust for these people, knowing that you weren’t the first they tried to do this to, knowing that they were successful all the other times. 

Who knows how many people they have done these things to? 

Who knows how many people they have raped and murdered?

You would do anything to stop that from happening. You would do anything to save your friends, to save him. Anything. Even this. Even if it means losing yourself. Even if it means becoming a monster yourself. 

You pull away and spit out the flesh and the blood in disgust. The blood oozing from the spot his ear used to be getting all over your face and your hair. 

He brings his hand up to the side of his head, weakly. His head turns towards you as he looks at you in horror. In this moment, you see into his eyes, into his soul and you see what you have caused, but even that isn’t enough. 

You rip your hands free from the ropes and push yourself up. You reach for the gun he is weakly struggling to get to. You rip it off the ground and look into his eyes as you finish him off. Shooting into his head, not once or even twice, you shoot several bullets into his head. 

The wolf dragging the woman across the floor back and forth, doesn’t even flinch nor do your friends. 

Steve stares at you, his eyes wide just like Eddie’s and Nancy’s. You are dripping with blood, the look in your eyes not recognizable as you hold the gun in your hand. 

You slowly look up, eyes locking with the man who is still holding onto Steve’s collar. Without a second of hesitation, you move your arm up and aim at him, pulling the trigger, but the gun never goes off, the clicking sound telling you that it’s empty. 

You throw it on the ground. Your eyes search for the machete of the guy you killed. Blood drips down your chin as you lean down and grab the handle. You wrap your fingers around it, gripping it tightly. 

“I–” The man who held Steve, drops his hand and lets him go, dropping him back on the ground again. His eyes move between you and the wolf still mauling at the woman’s neck, her body just as limp as the guy you murdered. 

You look up at him, eyes flashing with an even deeper rage. His threats of what he wanted to do to Steve brought out the ugliest side of you. 

He didn’t fear you before, no one did. But the sight of you now is sickly and disturbing, you don’t have to look at your reflection to see what kind of monster would do this. 

It doesn’t matter how much height or weight he holds to you, he had lost the moment your teeth went through Randall’s neck and his blood splattered all over your face. 

The wolf growls at the man after letting go of the woman, her teeth dripping with blood just like your own. She circles him, ready to attack for you if he tries to run. 

You start walking towards him, turning him into your prey now. He should have stayed far away, he shouldn’t have put a finger on them, on him. You don’t look at Steve or Eddie or even Nancy. You don’t look at anything but your target. 

You want him to suffer, knowing what would have happened if things had gone different, knowing what he would have done to Steve. 

“We– let’s forget this,” the man speaks, clenching his jaw as he looks at you with fear in his eyes. He glances at his dead friends as he begins to back up, not even considering reaching for his gun that is still in his holster. “Okay? I’ll take my truck– and we can simply pretend we never met. Yeah!? I have so many things in my truck–” 

You swing the machete before he can even finish his sentence. You swing it between his legs, cutting through his testicles. He yells out in pain, eyes growing wide as he stares at you in horror. 

You rip the blade out and he drops to his knees, murmuring nonsense as he looks down in shock, watching his blood rush onto the pavement.

But you aren’t done. You are far from done. 

You see red. 

You see blood red. 

You made a promise and you never break them. 

Your friends watch. They watch how you start stabbing him with the machete, again and again, drawing more and more blood with each stab into his body. Draining the life out of him. Stabbing until no more grunts of pain or whimpers fall from his mouth. Even when he lies lifeless on the ground, eyes wide and void, you don’t stop. The blade rips through the flesh, blood splatters all over you until you are dripping in it. Like you want his ghost to see what a mistake it was to mess with him. 

Steve calls out your name. 

But you are lost in the haze, drowning in the hatred, blinded by everything you didn’t know lived inside of you. 

“Sunshine…”

His voice is somewhere far away, but you hear it, you still hear it. It pulls you out, he pulls you out of the trance you are in. 

You drop the bloody machete on the ground and step away. Your chest is heaving, your eyes dark and burning with despair. Your hands are dripping with blood, everything is dripping with blood. 

For a moment, you stand there, breathing heavily as you look down at the slaughter caused by your own hands. Your shoulders are rising up and down heavily as you try to catch your breath. You look down at your palms, at your fingers that are dark red. You can wash them, you can wash the blood off, but your hands are forever tainted. Your soul is too. 

You didn’t kill. You slaughtered. 

And you’d do it again. For him, you would do anything. 

An angry scream rips through your throat, and it takes every bit of power left in you. 

You step away from the body on the ground. You turn away from it, facing the other one that you killed. There is blood. Everywhere. It’s all over the ground, it’s all over your face, all over your hands. You can’t even wipe it away. 

As the adrenaline wears off and reality faces you again, you feel the sickness in your throat rising up. Your chest starts heaving, and your vision becomes blurry; you can’t breathe in anymore, and the metallic taste makes you nauseous. 

A pained whimper falls from your lips as you step away from the bodies lying around you. You stumble back into the field, not noticing the wolf pup who found his way back here, sitting in the field watching you. 

You drop to your knees, the blood drips into the snow, redness covering the white ground. You stare at it for seconds, minutes, for what feels like hours. You stare at it until the wolf who ripped the woman’s throat apart walks past you. 

You stare at it, looking into its eyes. You see your sickening reflection in them. 

It’s the mother of the pup you have saved. She knew where he was, your scent was all over him. You saved one of her own, so she saved your friends. 

A tear slips down your cheek as you watch her walk away, back to her pup, back into the forest. 

Your bottom lip begins to tremble, the saliva on your tongue building up to the point you can’t take anymore. You clutch your stomach as you puke out the lunch you have eaten earlier. 

“Take it off, Nance. Please.” Steve trembles as he struggles with the ropes around his wrists. His eyes burn with tears as he watches you lose yourself in what looks like a panic attack. 

Nancy stumbles forward, her hands are shaking after cutting through her own restraints with the knife Eddie managed to reach for. 

Once free, Steve jumps to his feet and grabs the inhaler that fell out of his jacket. He runs to you, heart pounding in his chest. Worry etched into his features. He drops to his knees beside you. 

Tears are running down your cheeks, you are trying to breathe, but you can’t. Your throat is wheezing, and your eyes are filled with panic. 

“Sunshine,” Steve whispers, his own voice trembling. “I’m here. I’m here, you hear me?” He is desperate. Grabbing your bloody cheeks, he forces your attention on him. 

“I’m here, Sunshine.” He repeats, moving closer to you in the snow. “You have to breathe with me, okay… baby?” He whispers as he hands you the inhaler, in case this is what you need. 

You nod quickly and grab it. 

“Steve…” 

Your whimper breaks his heart, the whole sight before him breaks his heart. 

Nancy and Eddie watch from the side, their own faces pained. 

“It’s okay, you’re okay, I’m okay.” Steve whispers to you as he grabs your hand and brings it up to his chest. “We’re all okay.” 

You look down at your hand on his chest, at the blood you are getting all over him. You pull away and try to rub it off. You won’t calm down until you get it all off you. 

Nancy senses your distress and she wastes no time to make her way over to you. “Hey…” She calls out to you softly, getting down beside you, she places her hand on your back, whispering your name. “Come with me. We’ll get you cleaned up, okay?.” She takes your arm softly, gesturing to the blood you can’t get off. 

You sniffle as you nod quickly. 

Nancy helps you to your feet, wrapping her arm around you. 

Steve watches with a worried look on his face. He rises to his feet, reaching his arms out to you. He takes your hand and gives it a strong squeeze before Nancy leads you away. 

He doesn’t want to let you go, he doesn’t want any distance between you, not now. But Nancy pulls you away and towards the RV. 

Steve follows, not planning on following you both inside, but he just needs to be close. 

“Steve…” Eddie murmurs as he starts walking after him, ignoring the bodies on the ground. 

“I’m fine.” Steve mumbles, only really caring about you at this moment. He feels angry and weak. He watched someone hit you, he watched while he was dragged away, and he was unable to fight back. 

He swore to himself that he would protect you, that he would protect his friends – he did none of these things. 

Eddie picks up the pace, walking up beside him. He stays silent, for a moment at least. 

Steve glances at him. There is dried blood on Eddie’s face, a forming bruise on his eye. His nose is swollen; it’s clear he put up a fight, unlike him. 

“Hey, she will be fine…” Eddie speaks up after a moment. 

Steve frowns as he stops in front of the RV. He looks around, the fire is still burning, small but burning. He sees the blood on the snow, from where Eddie must have been beaten. A heavy feeling settles in his chest, knowing he wasn’t there to help, knowing that there wasn’t even anything he could have done. 

“Did you see her face? She is not fine.” Steve scoffs, shaking his head as he begins to pace around. 

“She will be! She is just shocked!” Eddie exclaims. Everything that happened has shaken him up as well. 

“Yeah, no shit, Eddie!” 

“Harrington, calm the fuck down before I puncture a tranquilizer on you. I also saw my friend getting punched and threatened to be taken advantage of. So please…” Eddie begs, his voice is shaking. 

Steve frowns, turning to face him slowly. It only now begins to dawn on him that Eddie isn’t only worried about you but also shaken by what almost happened to him. 

And it hasn’t even dawned on him fully either. He was worried about you, not thinking about what almost happened. 

But now, as he looks down at the blood that rubbed off your hands and onto his own, at the blood from the man you killed to save him, he begins to realize, and it makes him sick, it knocks the wind out of him. 

His breathing quickens, and he reaches for his chest. 

“Oh god,” he mumbles as his knees almost buckle. He stumbles over to the camping chair and sits down. 

Eddie rushes to his side, worriedly. He kneels beside him, grabbing his wrist. He notices how he begins to hyperventilate. 

“Man, you need to breathe…” He murmurs softly, his eyebrows furrowed. “Steve…”

“I– what would have happened…” Steve croaks out as his eyes flicker with shock. “Oh god… If it wasn’t for her, right now I would probably–”

“No. Don’t think about it,” Eddie shakes his head, grabbing his hand and holding it strongly. “It didn’t happen, that’s what matters… alright?” Eddie says, looking into his eyes intensely. 

Though the thought sickens them both. Neither of them had to deal with such threats in their lives. Never before. 

Steve closes his eyes as he takes deep breaths. 

It all happened so quickly, so suddenly. 

You saved him.

You. Only you. 

You killed for him, you went so far just to protect him. 

“She… god, she…”

“I know,” Eddie says softly, understanding without needing to hear him say more. “I know, Steve.” 

“How is she gonna–”

“She’s gonna be okay… You know her, man.” Eddie mumbles as he squeezes his hand. “She has us, she has you.” 

Steve swallows, nodding at his words. 

You are strong. Stronger than he once thought. 

“I get it now.” Eddie mumbles. 

Steve’s heart is still racing in his chest, strongly. His mind is still in a whirlwind, he will need time to process all that happened. 

“What do you mean?” He asks softly as he looks into Eddie’s eyes. 

“People are the real monsters. She told me that.” 

-

The water is splashing against the tiles, warming up still. 

Nancy glances at you worriedly as she takes off your bloody clothes. You are not moving, your face is void of emotions as you stare at the wall before you. 

“Step out of your shoes, please.” Nancy says softly after undoing your laces. 

You do as you’re told, stepping out of them. You look down at your feet, even your white socks are red. 

“I’m gonna take off your pants, okay?” Nancy mumbles, looking at your face, her eyes scanning your every feature. 

You only nod, not finding it in yourself to speak up. 

Nancy unbuckles your belt, pulling through the loops as she removes it from your jeans completely. She throws it into the sink, leaving it there to wash it later. 

“Come on.” She pushes you forward towards the shower. The space is small and definitely not meant for two, but she won’t leave you alone here, not now. 

You look down at yourself, the blood seeped through everything, even your bra. The blood clinging on your whole body. You step into the shower, letting the warm water envelope you. 

Nancy keeps her arm around you, her other hand on your wrist as she helps you inside. The water hits her too, seeping through her sweater. 

“You good?” She whispers, her blue eyes searching for any discomfort. “Is the water too hot, too cold?” 

You shake your head, “fine.” You manage to croak out before you close your eyes and step beneath the stream completely. Letting the water wash away the remains of this day. As though it could actually clean you. 

You place your hands against the wall as the water runs down your back, pooling at your feet – the blood. 

Nancy steps back to take her sweater off, she throws it into the corner before she reaches for the shampoo. 

“I’m gonna wash your hair, okay?” 

You don’t really say anything, just nodding at her words. You keep your eyes closed and you listen to the sound of the water, feeling the warmth splashing onto you, feeling her fingers running through your hair, washing away the blood. 

You lower your head for her, and you make the mistake of opening your eyes and seeing just how much blood is flushing down the drain now. 

You knew there was no running from it. You knew this day would come. It almost came before, but back then, you managed to get away before you had to take such a burden on you. 

There is no regret in you, no remorse. It had to be done, and you would do it again and again if it meant saving someone you love. 

They deserved it. You know they did. You saved not only him, Eddie, and Nancy but many others who would have encountered them if you didn’t stop them. 

You know what he wanted to do to Steve. You know what would have happened to Nancy, to you, and to Eddie if it wasn’t for the wolf, if it wasn’t for your sacrifice. 

You wouldn’t be here now. 

You wouldn’t be here at all by the next morning – none of you. 

A whimper falls from your lips as your eyes well up with tears again. The tension slipping off you slowly as the realization rushes through you of the pain you have spared your friends and yourself from. 

Nancy stops her movements, glancing at your face in concern. 

Your bottom lip begins to tremble, your whole face crumbling as a sob tears from your throat, and you start crying. 

Nancy’s own eyes burn with tears as she stares at you. You just stood there like a lifeless doll, and now your face is etched in pain. Her heart breaks at the sight of you, and she doesn’t hesitate to move forward, to step into the shower with you, not caring about her clothes getting wet. She wraps her arms around you, pulling you into her embrace. She holds you tightly as she presses her forehead to your temple. 

You say her name brokenly as the tears cascade down your cheeks, mixing with the blood still clinging to you. 

“Shh, it’s okay,” she whispers into your ear as she tightens her hold on you, hugging you tighter when she feels your knees buckling. “I got you.” 

You wrap your hand around her bicep, gripping it tightly, like you need to be sure that she is there, that you are all okay. 

“Steve–”

“He is okay. Eddie is with him, I promise.” She whispers, not trusting her own voice as her chest tightens. “I’m sorry you had to do this. I am so sorry…”

You hold onto her tighter, feeling safe in her embrace, knowing she would have done the same for you if things had gone differently. 

“It’s okay,” you whisper weakly. 

You stand there for a moment, not moving, not speaking, you just stand there, holding onto each other, being there for one another. 

You know you won’t be okay, not today and not tomorrow but you will recover with them by your side. You will. It’s gonna take a while, you know that but it will be alright again. 

You know that when you look into her eyes and you see the unspoken promise that she makes. 

She will be there, and they will be too. 

-

Eddie keeps the fire smaller than all the nights before. The anxiety of this day takes over as he wonders what mistake was made for these people to attack so easily. 

Nancy’s gun is strapped to his thigh for now. He is staring into the small flame, his eyes moving back and forth between that and Steve, who is pacing around again, who won’t stop pacing. 

Eddie cleaned the blood from Steve’s hands, brought him fresh clothes to change into so he won’t have to look at the stain of blood on his shirt. He took care of his friend the way he once took care of him. 

And now Eddie is sitting down, staring at Steve who is looking just as restless. 

You haven’t come out yet, he doesn’t know how long it’s been, but it feels like forever. That sky has turned dark already, and he refuses to spend another night here. He will drive through the night, he doesn’t care, but he needs to get you all out of here. 

“Fucking Nebraska.” He murmurs under his breath. 

Steve stops pacing the moment the RV door opens, and you step outside first. Steve’s eyes scan your whole body. Your hair is still wet, there is a bruise forming on your cheek, a band aid covering the cut on your cheekbone. You’re wearing a sweater that looks way too big on you. 

His eyes lock with yours, and they turn glassy immediately when he sees how red and puffy they are. His heart aches at the sight of you, yearning to feel you close, to wrap his arms around you and never let go. 

He whispers your name, and you instantly move forward as he does the same. You meet each other halfway, wrapping your arms around one another into a tight hug. 

You don’t bother hiding your cries as you nuzzle your face into his chest and wrap your arms around his waist, melting into his embrace and holding him shakily. 

He closes his eyes as he hides his face in the crook of your neck. He holds the back of your head as he finally gets to feel you again. His heart calming down yet racing at the same time. 

“Are you okay?” He whispers softly. 

You nod against him, squeezing him as you bury yourself further into him, not wanting to let go, not wanting to pull away just yet. 

“Are you?” You mumble. 

Steve sniffles softly, nodding as he runs his fingers through your wet hair. He breathes in the scent of your body wash, of his toothpaste you have used, of the cherry shampoo that you only have a little left of. He holds on tighter, never wanting to let go, never wanting to miss the touch of you. 

There was a reason why he felt so safe with you. 

“I am now.” 

Eddie glances at Nancy. She still stands in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, as she watches you both with a weak smile on her face. She turns to face the metalhead when she feels his eyes on her. 

‘You okay?’ He mouths, eying her figure. 

Nancy nods with furrowed brows, giving him a tight lipped smile. ‘You?’ 

He lifts his hand up, giving her a thumbs up as he tries to smile at her, wanting to lighten her up a little, but even he can’t act okay. Not today. 

Eddie gets up from the chair, and he clears his throat. 

You and Steve pull away from each other, though keeping your hands locked. 

“I won’t stay here another night. You guys can uh, get some rest in the back.” Eddie gestures to the back of the RV, where the ‘bedroom’ is. “Nance, you can get some sleep too, but I’m driving. I won’t take any more chances, we’re gonna get the hell out of here.” 

No one protests against him. 

Nancy nods in agreement, wanting nothing more than to get away from here too. 

“Yeah.” Steve mumbles, looking down at you. 

Your gaze meets his. You don’t speak, you don’t have to, your eyes say enough. 

Nancy disappears back into the RV. Eddie follows her after killing the flame still burning in the little pit. He nods at you both before he walks away. 

Steve tugs at your hand, “come on, Sunshine.” 

You squeeze his hand as you move towards the stairs, you halt in your tracks and look over your shoulder one more time. Taking a look at the field you have last seen the wolves.

The pup now reunited with his mother, like you wanted it to. 

A lingering sadness spreads inside of you. You take a deep breath, sighing softly before you turn back around and walk inside. 

Without any words shared, Steve leads you to the tiny ‘bedroom’. He takes his jacket and his shoes off and you follow suit before you settle on the bed, scooting closer to the window and making space for him. 

There is a small lamp on the shelf above the bed, it’s burning an orange golden. The color of the light kisses your skin. His chest aches at the sight of the evidence the fight left on you. The anger still living in him, despite the attackers being dead. 

Your wet hair falls in front of your eyes, and he doesn’t hesitate to move forward, he sits down close to you, and he lifts his hand to cup your cheek. 

“Hey…” He whispers, lifting your face to make you look at him. The look in your eyes is soft, vulnerable. Its so different from what he saw in you before. It makes his heart ache more. He saw how much you struggled with yourself after what you did, how much you still struggle. 

You weren’t ready. 

“Sunshine,” he whispers as his eyes roam your face, as he notices the tears welling up in your eyes. 

He won’t ever let anything like this happen. 

He won’t let anything happen to you. 

“I would have done the same for you,” he whispers as he leans down, pressing his forehead against yours. “I hope it doesn’t come to it, but I would do it if–“ His words get caught in his throat. 

He heard the threats that were directed towards you as well and it pains him and angers him at the same time. 

Your sniffle breaks his heart as another tear rolls down your cheek. 

“I would do so much worse…” He whispers. 

You bring your hands up to his shoulders, your body trembling in his embrace as you look into his eyes. 

“You would?” You whisper shakily.

“I would.” He nods, promising it to you with a determined look in his eyes. “I would do anything for you.” 

You don’t know if it’s his promise or if it is him caring about you that makes you so emotional, if it’s this day catching up to you or the fact that he is here and well but before you know it, you break into cries and you throw your arms around him, pulling him tightly against you. 

Your heart is in your throat as you cry, beginning to feel him shaking under your embrace. His mouth is pressed against the crook of your neck and shoulder, his tears staining the shirt you are wearing, but you couldn’t care less. Not when your mind drifted back to him being chosen for that. Not when your mind reeled back to how the man grabbed him by his collar, dragging him inside this RV, eager to do stuff to him you couldn’t even imagine.

You’re not sure who moved first, if you or him, but somehow you two got under the covers, still holding each other close, crying into one another, not being able to stop, not being able to stop the images and the repetition from replaying in your heads, over and over and over again.

Your voice was small as you tried to talk, completely broken as you felt you felt your throat dry as sandpaper.

“You almost– You almost got–”

“I don’t want to think about that, and I don’t want you to think about that either… Please, Sunshine. We’re safe… We’re safe because of you…” He couldn’t stop shaking. After all the horrors he endured, the horrors he witnessed, the horrors he fought against… maybe that could have been the worst one yet. The one who could have shattered him completely. The one who could have probably made him lose himself, if not for a while, forever. 

But if it hadn’t been for you, who knows what else they had planned for your group. What they had planned for you, for Nancy, for Eddie. You choked on a sob, feeling your eyes as if they were about to explode from how puffy they felt, how raw.

“I– I killed humans. People. I killed people.” You were in shock, and he took a deep breath before pulling his head back to make you look at him. This is the first time you two saw each other this broken. This anguished. He shook his head at you, his arms never leaving your body.

“You killed monsters… True monsters. A demogorgon would not do what they planned to do… They go for the instant kill, with no other ulterior motive, with no torture… And that makes them more humane than whatever these three beings were.” 

And he was right.

Your head leaned close to his chest, your tears finally slowing down after his words processed inside your head. His heart resonated in your ears, and you could still hear it because of what you did. 

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Yes. You would do it again if it meant you could keep hearing this. Just like this. Close. Warm. Calm.

“Stay with me, Steve…” His embrace tightened around you, his eyes finally closing as he felt your breaths slowing down under his palms. Up and down. Up and down. Gentle, little by little.

His lips instinctively pressed at the top of your head, but you were already sound asleep before you could notice them, before you could feel the tender touch he just gave to you. His eyes closed as he felt safe, the RV starting to rock him to sleep as Eddie drove, heading to whatever destination he desired, just far away from here.

“Always, Sunshine…”

☀︎

taglist: @prettyboyeddiemunson @pretentious-blonde @thecreelhouse @tvserie-s-world @thesickestqrmydcll @crispystarfishhottub @sophal22 @definitionwanderlust @talkativecarnation @mysticalwoolenfroglegs @ariesandwolves @mortqlprojections @sattlersquarry @sherrylyn0628 @purpleeyeswithgoldensparkles @micheledawn1975 @keepingitlokiii @littleromanoff2005 @sunshine-mrk @xxladymjxx @bananasplits-world @myharrington

[anonymityisfunwriter]

The GED

Pairing - Grumpy!Bucky Barnes x Sunshine!Reader Summary - There's more than one way to be smart. Or so you've been told. But how on Earth do you go about proving that you're not (the stupid, illiterate Avenger) dumb?

Anon's 1K Celebration | The GED Series List

"Can you please just listen to me?" Sam begs you. "I'm telling you this is a bad idea."

"Or it's an amazing idea and it'll all be for the better!" you counter, plating the last of your freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

He snatches a cookie from the plate when he thinks you're not watching, "Or you'll make an already strained relationship like ten times worse."

You glare at him, snatching the cookie back and placing it back on the plate, "Or by then end of the day we'll have a new set of friends."

Bucky groans, entering the room just in time to hear your rebuttal to Sam's negativity, "Please, not more friends. I don't like the ones I have as it is."

"See?" Sam wildly gestures to Bucky. "When do we ever agree on anything? It just proves that this is a terrible idea!"

"Hi," Bucky finally greets you, gently pecking your lips. "Missed you. Now, who exactly are we trying to make friends with?"

"The SHIELD agents downstairs," you blithely reply.

Bucky quirks an eyebrow at you, "Why? They hate us."

"That's exactly what I said!" Sam frantically exclaims.

"Have we ever asked ourselves why they hate us?" you muse. "Maybe we need to be a little nicer to them."

"Or maybe it's because they're bitter and jealous that we're better than them," Sam remarks.

"Well, it's definitely not because of Sam's incredible sense of humility," Bucky sarcastically retorts.

"Shut up," Sam snarks. "And we are better. Our stats are better, we get first pick of assignments, our mission times are like a third of theirs, Fury trusts us a hell of a lot more, and we get all the good snacks."

"And that means we can't be friends?" you rhetorically ask. "We work together all the time!"

"Listen, it's not that bad of a deal," Bucky tries to convince you. "They tolerate us. We tolerate them. It's never caused a problem on missions or anything, so who cares? Not everyone in this world is going to like you."

"Who else doesn't like me?" you frantically question, quirking an eyebrow at Bucky.

"Everyone likes you," Bucky assures you.

"Except the people downstairs," Sam teases.

"That's it!" You throw your hands up in frustration. "I'm going down there. I'm just going to bring these cookies down there and talk to them. They're just people, I'm sure they're all really nice!"

"Nice going," Bucky mutters to Sam, elbowing him in the ribs. "Come on, can't we just leave well enough alone? Isn't it enough that the people who actually know you like you? And not to mention, I like you and I don't like anybody."

"Aww.." you coo at Bucky, caressing his cheek. "Nope, too late, I'm committed."

"Why?" Sam groans. "You're never going to get everyone in the world to like you!"

"Oh, yes, I can! I've spend my entire time out in the world cultivating a personality that's impossible not to like just to satisfy my compulsive people pleasing tendencies."

Bucky's eyebrows furrow as a teasing smile pulls at the corner of his mouth, "People really don't see this side of you enough."

Sam nods, "You're a little scary when you think people don't like you."

"Scary or strangely endearing?" you wonder.

"Scary! Definitely scary!"

Bucky sighs to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose, "You're not going to leave this alone, are you?"

You beam at the two of them, scooping up the plate of cookies, "Not even a little bit."

"It's a bad idea!" Sam bellows down the corridor as you walk away from him.

You roll your eyes as you step onto the elevator and tell Friday to take you to the third floor, where the SHIELD agents typically hung out.

It wasn't a bad idea. It was a great idea. What could go wrong with trying to bring people closer together? They were just people. They were people you had to trust with your lives, why not get to know them a little bit more?

As you step off the elevator, you immediately notice that this layout is almost identical to the one upstairs, except without all the extravagant touches of Tony Stark. You amble down the hallway, looking for a sign of anyone. You figure if the layout is the same, their common room will be in the same place as the one upstairs. 

You're right, you realize when you start to hear faint voices from where you thought their common room would be. Even all the way down the hall, voices echo off the walls as you make your way closer.

You certainly don't mean to eavesdrop or listen into a conversation that you're not supposed to hear.

No, you definitely don't mean to eavesdrop on your new friends, but the open floor plan does nothing to dampen the sounds of their booming voices. 

"Yeah, I leave first thing tomorrow," an unfamiliar voice sighs.

"Who with?" someone else asks.

You don't like the way they spit Bucky's name out in disgust, "Barnes."

"Oh, he's the worst!" the same voice dramatically groans. You silently scoff at the insinuation that Bucky was the worst. "He just sits and stares like he's got nothing better to do."

"Please, I'd take him over his girlfriend any day," a different female scoffs.

You freeze at the mention of yourself. You know you should go. You shouldn't be listening to this. The things they were saying were definitely not nice, but neither was eavesdropping.

"Oh come on, she's not that bad."

You sigh in relief, feeling a little better that someone was defending you. You could go upstairs and tell Sam that he was wrong, not all the SHIELD agents were that bad.

And in the next second, you were proved very, very wrong.

"She's just such an idiot!" Your stomach twists in knots as the same SHIELD agent continues complaining about you. This is what you got for eavesdropping, you tell yourself. They're entitled to their own opinions about you. Better yet, you could change their minds and show them that there was more to you than what meets the eye. You just don't want to believe that people can be this mean, that it's so easy for them to be this casually cruel. They just didn't know you. You were sure that if they did know you all, they wouldn't be saying such awful things. "I don't know what everyone sees in her, but I swear I can see right through that whole Sunshine act."

"I dunno, she acted like that on the last mission I had with her."

"She didn't let up? Not once?"

"Nope! The whole time."

"I'd rather get caught by the bad guys then deal with her for a whole week."

"Who knows, maybe Barnes likes them dumb," the agent giggles. The words feel like a punch to the gut. You want to leave, to turn on your heels and pretend like you never heard a thing, but you're frozen in shock. "Like a Stepford Wife thing."

"If that's true, then they'll be together forever," the same agent, the one going on a mission with Bucky tomorrow, jokes. 

"What do you think they even talk about?"

"Who knows?"

"My question is what kind of adult makes it knowing as little as she does?"

"The kind with Fury in their back pocket."

"Exactly! It's the only reason she's even apart of the team. I'd bet anything she's never even picked up a book."

"Can I tell you guys something?" an agent exclaims. "Someone got into a bunch of their files upstairs. And guess what? She can't even read! She's illiterate! An illiterate Avenger!"

Your blood runs cold. Those were private. They held so much intimate information about you and your history and they were using it to make fun of you, make fun of the people that chose to love you.

You weren't sure what was worse, that they were using your past to make fun of you, or that they knew intimate details of your past, they knew the torment you were put through as a child and they still thought it was funny, they still used it as a way to belittle you. As though you had any control over it. As though it was your fault.

It's only then that you realize that tears are staining your cheeks, that you're still standing in the hallway with a plate of cookies as a peace offering for the SHIELD agents making fun of you and your friends. 

"Probably doesn't even know what a book is. Maybe her next mission should be a day of kindergarten."

It's mean. It's meaner than they have any right to be, but a lightbulb goes off in your head as you finally regain the ability to leave.

You furiously wiped away your tears, storming down the corridor and back to your side of the Compound. You leave the plate of pastries on the counter for your team mates.

And you made a decision right then and there. You wouldn't cry. You wouldn't try to convince them that you were smart. You would just do better. Be better. You were going to show them that you could be more than the illiterate Avenger. 

In that very moment, you decide your very next mission: School.

AnonymityIsFun Masterlist Grumpy Sunshine Series Anon's 1K Celebration

As always, let me know what you think! Reblogs and comments are always appreciated! 💛

Taglist: @marianita195 @meli18gonzalez@ludicbouquetfromearth@matchat3a@famousbreadcherryblossomsstuff@valoraxx@blue786sworld@buckyandgeraltsupremacy@geminigengar@ansaturn@ecolle@lexhalstead3@ybflkmj@mediocre-daydreams@shanye1112@thegirlnextdoorssister@toomanyfanficsbruh@moonlightreader649@breathtaking-cynthia@mirikusashes@beans-and-toast@niyahcoca@katiechikin@elxvrr@antiheroxsblog@infamouslyclumsy@krissydclayton93@buckysbarne@deadheadwbedhead @qualitygiantshoepsychic@whitexwolfxx310 @getosprettyboy

[navybrat817]

Sin on Skin AU

Pairings: Various men with female readers. ❤️

AU Summary: Sin on Skin is the hottest tattoo parlor in town and the men who run it live up to the name. And as luck would have it, they only have eyes for you. 🔥

AU Warnings: Explicit sexual content, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it), oral sex (m. and f. receiving), dirty talk, fluff, flirting, feels, slowish burn (depending on the couple), slight angst, porn with feels (it's me, lovelies), more to be added.

A/N: You lovelies know me by now! I hope you all enjoy this AU and the various pairings. Please heed the warnings before each post and I will update as time allows. Banner and moodboard by yours truly. Divider by the lovely @firefly-graphics . Tattoo edits by the talented Nix and the "Andy" edit by the amazing @randomagnes0210 . Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

Bucky Barnes x Baker!Reader - Hottie and Sugar

🧁 Sugar and Spice

🧁 And Everything Nice

🧁 What Dreams Are Made Of

🧁 Sweet and Strong

🧁 Sundresses and Leather

🧁 Innocent and Sinful

🧁 Ladies and Gentleman

🧁 Rules and Chaos

🧁 Traditions and Innovation

🧁 Tasty Treat

Steve Rogers x Teacher!Reader - Thorn and Rose

🌹 Every Rose Has Its Thorn

🌹 By Any Other Name

Andy Barber x Reader - Grumpy and Sunny

☀️ A Sunny Outlook

Hal Carter x Reader - Menace and Angel

Jake Jensen x Reader

Love and thanks for reading! ❤️