#heamarvel hallmark event

[moonstruckbucky]

Royal Holiday (1/6)

Summary: Bucky Barnes is bored - trust him, he knows how that sounds. But being royalty, in his humble opinion, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Time to mix it up a bit.

Pairing: Prince!Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader, modern AU

Warnings: None

Notes: Here it is, my submission for @heamarvel​‘s Hallmark Event! Hope you all enjoy! Feedback is appreciated. x

Series Masterlist / Main Masterlist

If it’s one thing Bucky hates, it’s diplomacy. Ironic, considering he’s currently neck-deep in a manifesto his father had dropped into his lap a week ago. Ironic still, considering he’s a bloody prince. Not a prince who prances around in jewels or silks, but a prince nonetheless - a prince with responsibilities and a duty to his country when the throne eventually comes to him.

It’s a mantra he’s heard his entire life, and it’s a mantra he’d really love to stop hearing before he takes a screwdriver to his eardrums.

He knows it’s unfair, knows he’s got it better than most, and he respects that - kind of. While he wants for nothing, he feels trapped, imprisoned by duty, regality, and nobility. Bowing under the weight of his future, the eventuality that he’ll be a king. He’ll need to command and rule and say goodbye to his freedom - however much of it he has.

He’s already damn tired of it.

And that’s why his unofficial-official bodyguard Sam finds him open-mouthed and snoring behind his desk in his office. The older man isn’t surprised by it really. Having been with the Royal Family for close to ten years now, he knows Bucky’s mannerisms, habits, quirks, and annoyances better than most, and while he wishes Bucky would grow up a little, he isn’t quite so strict as his Queen Mother over his behavior.

Sam purses his lips, rolls his eyes a bit, before he creeps to the desk. Reaches for the massive manifesto that sits open in front of Bucky, snaps it closed, the dark-skinned man’s gaze flits between the two for a few moments.

A little humming under his breath, he lifts the binder over his head above the desk, lets it drop with a loud slam that wakes Bucky with a jolt and a girlish yelp. He flies backwards and his weight shifting tips the chair. Trinkets and knick-knacks rattle as he and the chair hit the floor. Sam waits patiently, tipping a snowglobe on the shelf beside him, while Bucky splutters and curses him out.

“The hell was that for, Wilson?” he grouses, rubbing the back of his head where it hit the floor.

“Your mother is requesting you,” Sam responds with a pointed look, setting the snowglobe down.

Bucky feels himself scowl before he can stop it. He loves his mother, he does, but he knows what she’s going to speak to him about - it’s the same thing she always wants to talk to him about.

“Do I have to?” He knows he sounds like a petulant child, he knows, but if he’s honest, he’d rather play Baby Shark on repeat for the rest of his life than listen to his mother prattle on and on about how it’s time for him to find a wife. A suitable one, one of noble birth. One who’s proper and polite and graceful.

Bucky wants something different.

He admits he hasn’t thought much about marrying (clearly) or even falling in love, but as he gets older, grows closer to becoming a king and taking on more responsibility, the prospect of finding someone to share that with occasionally crosses his mind. He has no doubt his mother would find someone who’ll make him happy, but the idea of having his bride chosen for him, the risk of being trapped in a forced marriage, doesn’t sit well with him at all.

Sam gives him an exasperated look. Nodding sagely, he sighs and straightens his shirt, slightly wrinkled thanks to Sam. Following the older man out, he prepares himself for the conversation he’s heard a thousand times before.

She’s relentless, he decides, and he finally figures out where his stubbornness came from. She’s organizing a gala in his honor, a presentation of him as an eligible bachelor, and she’s taken the liberty of inviting every eligible heiress, princess, and everyone in between in a massive effort to get him to connect with someone.

She’s frustrated with him when he voices as much, voice growing higher with her irritation. “James Buchanan, it is your responsibility to marry. You’re nearly thirty, and you’ve yet to choose a wife! You’re not getting any younger and should you choose not to marry, your reign will be forfeited!”

Ah yes, the little wrench in the system. A decision made by the country’s parliament as a failsafe in case Bucky clutched his bachelor lifestyle to the vest. Clearly they hadn’t had much fail in him to marry and rule successfully, and a small part of him wants to shove their faces in it.

But only if it’s on his terms.

“Sounds like a dream to me,” he mutters back, just loud enough for his mother to hear him. She screeches, kind of like a hawk - or a banshee - and Bucky feels a little bad. But only a little. Gesticulating wildly, he exclaims, “What? Would it really be so bad if we just gave the crown to parliament? I’m sure Pierce would be happy to take it. After all, can’t have a thirty-year-old playboy bachelor ruling alone, can we? Bad for his family’s image, isn’t it?”

She opens her mouth to retort, offense written clearly on her face, but Bucky sweeps from the office before she can utter another word. Sam is waiting for him outside the door, and he straightens, tries to act like he hadn’t been eavesdropping on the loud exchange.

“Let’s go Sam,” Bucky orders, “I need to get out of here for a while.”

Sam doesn’t hesitate - he calls for a car and fetches Bucky’s winter coat. “Yes, sir.”

You resist the urge to slam the phone down into the cradle, opting instead to gently place it back where it belongs. But you do give it the middle finger as you scribble out the order you’d gotten halfway through before the customer decided she didn’t want to spend fifty dollars plus delivery on a floral arrangement.

Tossing the paper in the trash, you walk around the counter to straighten out the displays of vases, each holding stems of various flowers. Casting a glance out the window, you sigh at the people who walk right by your shop, despite the inviting fairy lights, the floral displays and boxwood trees in the windows, and soft Christmas music playing from the speaker system.

It’s a month until Christmas, and your orders are down - again. You’re not sure why, but there’s been a steady decline in sales for the past six months. Dejectedly, you chalk it up to people losing interest in sending flowers to people, with the exception of funeral arrangements if only because people die every day. In New York, it’s unheard of that people can’t afford flowers - most can. They just don’t send them. The classic gesture is being swept under the rug in favor of material things - new electronics, vacations, jewelry.

It saddens your heart to think it, but it’s true, and if sales don’t pick up, you’ll be forced to sell the building you left everything behind to buy. Tail tucked between your legs, you’ll plant yourself behind a desk for the next foreseeable future, working overtime to pay off the expenses from the flower shop.

Misty-eyed, you sniffle and clean the stamens from the stems of stargazer lilies. A little unusual to carry them this time of year, but they’d been a special request from someone who’d never showed to pick them up. Usually it’s easy to lose yourself in the pretty colors and scents of flowers, but now, you can’t even be bothered to make new arrangements for fear they’ll go to waste - then it’s more money down the drain.

Instead, you clean the shop from top to bottom, rearrange the displays, open the door despite the chilling air and display a boxwood tree - handmade - out in front. A couple slow in front of the shop, eyeing the boxwood tree. The woman smiles, pointing happily to it, remarks about bringing it for Christmas dinner.

To your joy, the husband agrees and they step inside to order one with red and gold decorations. It’s a steep sale - $100 plus tax - but it’s not quite enough to cover your rent for the month just yet. A few more boxwood tree sales and you’ll be covered. Surprisingly, you catch the woman taking a photo of the boxwood tree outside as the husband places the order.

“I’m going to send this to Sue! I’m sure she’ll love one for her house!”

You smile gratefully, hoping like hell this Sue woman indeed places the order with you. The couple waves pleasantly, offering their names - Jack and Michaela - and then they take their leave. A few more people trickle in, place orders for both Christmas and for Thanksgiving centerpieces, and you take a couple of phone calls - one to actually order, one for general information. It turns into a fairly successful afternoon, and as you get ready to close, you feel a little hope blooming in your chest.

Hope that you might not lose your dream.

Outside on the busy streets, Bucky is blown away. He’d insisted on getting far, far away from the royal house despite Sam’s initial reluctance. Bucky was a prince, a known prince, and both paparazzi and people could be unpredictable. Not to mention, he’s sure there would be people willing to hurt Bucky, ransom him or something to make money off his family - okay, Sam knows that particular scenario might be a stretch, but it’s what he’d been trained for.

Bucky’s like a kid in a candy store, weaving in and out of the crowd, ducking into this store and that, experiencing regular city life like he never got to. It had always been schedules and propriety and rigidness that he’s relishing a bit in the freedom to just be. He buys Sam a new winter coat, one that blends in a bit better with the public, and he settles on a peacoat, scarf, and paperboy hat for himself. He feels...normal, and on the street, no one recognizes him.

As he strolls down the sidewalk in the fading light, he catches a glimpse of fairy lights across the street. A woman stands outside the door, beige coat and burgundy hat in place. When Bucky crosses the street, he realizes she’s staring at the building, which he now notes is a florist shop. There’s a longing in her gaze, a shininess that suggests she might be on the verge of tears.

There’s a pull deep inside him, compelling him towards her. It’s like she’s pulled him into her orbit, and Bucky doesn’t think he’s ever had this kind of reaction to a woman before. He doesn’t even know her and yet he desperately wants to, needs to know her. He’s entranced by the look on her face, an expression of sheer yearning paired with sadness trapped within it. He wants to kiss it away, and his reaction should startle him.

But it doesn’t. It only forces that tug to pull harder, and he takes a few steps forward. Before Bucky can approach her, he’s swept up in a crowd and loses sight of her. When he steps out of the throng, he searches for the woman, but she’s gone.

Chapter Two

[27dragons]

The Christmas Unicorn

by @27dragons​, @tisfan​, and @monobuu​ for @heamarvel‘s Hallmark Event!

Summary:

Tony doesn't begrudge anyone else their enjoyment of the holiday season; he just wants to be left out of it. He's never really seen the point. Bucky's usually all for it, but a disaster at work that forced him to cancel his plans to travel with his family have left him feeling a little curmudgeonly. The two meet and bond over their shared lack of interest in the holidays.

When Tony unexpectedly finds himself taking care of a pair of kids who rather emphatically expect Christmas to be Done Right, he finds himself turning to Bucky for help.

—

From prompt #6: Character A - a famous author who writes about how to stay single - is forced to look after their niece and nephew over the holidays. With the help of their Christmas-loving neighbor, Character B, they learn to find love and the Christmas spirit.

This will post three times a week (Tues/Thurs/Sun) until it’s done!

[sunalsolove]

Chapter One

AU. The day before her Christmas Eve wedding, Jemma's stranded in Ohio. Luckily, a friend gets her a ride to New York. Unluckily for nearly-a-bride Jemma, the man sharing the backseat with her is a grumpy Scottish engineer who quickly captures her mind, and maybe her heart. The storm catches up to them and they find themselves snowed in at a Pennslyvania B&B with only one bed. Will Jemma and Fitz discover what they truly want in love and life before it's time for her to walk down the aisle?

FitzSimmons. Rated T. Complete at 3 chapters and around 10K. Beta’d by the wonderful @robotgort​, who makes all the words possible! 

Written for @heamarvel​‘s 2019 Hallmark Holiday Event, prompt 9:  An anxious bride-to-be (Character A, “bride” is non-gender assigned) throws in with broken-hearted and cynical Character B and a happily married couple for an emergency ride to NYC from New England.

Other Tags: Christmas, Snowed In, Only One Bed, Snowball Fight, Runway Bride, New York City, Road Trips, Snow, Background Mackelena, Light Angst, No SHIELD AU, HEA, Wedding Dress, Will is kind of an ass, snuggling to keep warm

Chapter 1: White Christmas. 

[heamarvel]

Come one, Come all!

Marvel Happily Ever After is thrilled to announce that the 2019 Hallmark Collection is now open!

The Hallmark Holiday Prompt Challenge 2019 can be found here on AO3. Please tag your AO3 entry with ‘MHEA Hallmark 2019′ as well, so that people searching by tags can find your work!

As a refresher: The collection is open from November 1st and will close on December 24th at midnight EST. There are no sign-ups for this event… you simply write your story, or create art, mood boards, playlists, or podfics as per the challenge guidelines… and then you post!

The really fun part comes after you post …. You get prizes!! We have some amazing achievement badges and banners created by the absolutely glorious @kocuria (who created the fantastic image above), and those prizes can be claimed by filling out the Prize Claim Form here! (We will preview the badges and banners soon!)

May your characters find their Happily Ever After, and may you find yours as well.

Happy Hallmarking! <3

[juuls]

PepperStuckony Hallmark Challenge snippet

Written for the @heamarvel Hallmark Challenge --- a challenge that even I, as a mod, said I wouldn’t be participating in, I’ll have you know. I am definitely not a fan of Hallmark movies, preferring to make fun of them as my mom tries to legitimately watch them (we... compromise).

BUT, along came @tehroserose with her love for this Quad, and she won me over, enticing me gently to turn to the dark side because they have poly, not just cookies.

I may or may not continue.... oh who am I kidding. Rose, you’re awesome, and you’ll likely end up with some train car s/mut before Dec 24 (when this Challenge finishes). That good enough for you? ;) ily

I did Prompt 9:  An anxious bride-to-be (Character A, “bride” is non-gender assigned) throws in with broken-hearted and cynical Character B and a happily married couple for an emergency ride to Point X from Point Z.

Check out my UST-driven PepperStuckony snippet below and let me know what you think! <3

“Let’s play a game,” she begged—her, Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries, reduced to begging.

There was only so much Pepper could handle, and it seemed like she’d reached her limit. That limit seemed to contain many different things: 

One of which was Tony, the love of her life, engaged—arranged via Howard of all people; who even arranged marriages anymore??—to another man he didn’t even like, let alone love, sitting next to and pressed against her from knee to hip to shoulder. She was uncomfortably aware of every single part of him.

Another thing helping her reach her limit was that said love of her life had somehow lost his wallet and the small bag containing her phone and StarkPad. Not only was she bored practically to tears, but they needed to be in Ottawa yesterday if they were to make the meeting with the Prime Minister’s cabinet on time, and the only method of transportation available to them in Halifax had been the VIA Rail train—every last plane was cancelled or diverted due to the blizzard, including their Learjet, every last car rented, and Tony and Pepper both refused to get on a bus of all things. 

Which left… the train. 

Oh, it wasn’t so bad, if you got past the fact that the trip took on average twenty eight hours. Twenty. Eight. Hours. Tony had reminded her of that fact one too many times.

She was well aware, Tony. 

Especially considering all she had to amuse herself was a collection of battered, dog-eared, creased Hallmark and Harlequin novels one of their companions had loaned her with a blush.

Ah, yes, their companions. The third of many reasons Pepper had reached her limit.

There was only so much that Pepper could handle when forced to listen to two disgustingly sweet (loving) men, who were so obviously in love with each other, prattle on and on about their Christmas plans. How it was going to be so perfect, so beautiful, so spirited, so loving, so perfect perfect perfect, and even about the history of their small town’s Christmas traditions and especially those of their large, loving, amazing, extended family.

Four times now Pepper had been reminded of everything she desired most in the world.

Steve Rogers had to be on the fifth go of the same exact topics, with that same sappy (stunning) and dopey (adorable) look on his face, as his husband, James call-me-”Bucky” Barnes went through their photo album, and shared the memories with not only his husband, but also Pepper and Tony.

But worst of all—the absolute worst thing—was the thing that pushed her over the edge: Tony looked happy. He looked wistful, as if he wanted what they had, and Pepper… Pepper wanted it too.

But she couldn’t have it. Tony was not meant for her, as much as she might wish it.

As much as she did wish it.

Thus the game.

“Truth or Dare,” Tony said immediately, his devilish grin, his roguish charm, more suited for Halloween than two days before Christmas, spelling immediate doom for Pepper—and Steve and Bucky, if she knew her Tony.

She did.

“Truth,” Steve and Bucky answered simultaneously, leaning back and relaxing into a comfortable-looking snuggle with each other on the opposite bench seat.

“Hmm,” Tony mused, his eyes as wide and observant as they’d been for the last seven hours of their trip.

Damn it, Pepper groaned internally. Tony was awesome when he got like this—both in the very bad and the very good sense of the word. 

“You both find my Pepper here stunning, don’t you?” he asked, voice even and light, curious, though he sounded sure of himself, as if he already knew the answer and was simply waiting to see if they would lie to him.

Oh fuck me, Pepper wanted to say aloud, and she never swore out loud, never; instead opting to internally up the dial on her freak-out, the only outward sign of her reaction a probably rather comical widening of her eyes.

Her breath caught in her throat as the two men opposite them sent suddenly dark, appreciative glances her way.

Nope. Her control noped right out.

[betheflame]

Pumpkin Pies & Twinkle Lights

James Barnes did not sweat through his shirts.

He was calm. Cool. Collected. All three at all times.

Which did not explain why he was on his fourth shirt of the day as his plane landed in Danbury Municipal Airport.

“James,” Natasha said calmly. “You need to calm down.”

Calm down? he wanted to hiss. Calm down. You called Steve Rogers to tell him I was coming and found out I can’t land a plane on Tony Stark’s land which used to belong to my family before everything went to complete shit and no one told me that Tony bought it for him and Darcy and that doctor he married and Jesus Christ how am I supposed to calm down when I am now fifty-seven minutes away from my childhood?

Instead, he replied, “Thank you for your infinite wisdom, Natasha, I’ll get right on that.”

A collab between me and @kocuria​ for the @heamarvel​ Hallmark Holiday Prompt Event. Chapter 1 up now and the other five will post throughout the month! 

[sunriserose1023]

Merry & Married {1}

SUMMARY: It’s been almost a year since the most humiliating moment of your life. You’ve done your best to move on—by literally moving across the country, starting a new job, and you’re finally starting to feel settled. That, of course, is when your bubblehead cousin sends you the invitation to her wedding—which is exactly one year to the day that you were left at the altar. You have to go, but you don’t have to go alone. Enter Bucky Barnes, the best friend you’ve ever had. You fill him in, and of course he agrees to go home with you. What are friends for? Never mind the fact that he’s desperately in love with you. And if you hadn’t sworn off men forever, you might just find him … attractive. So there you are, surrounded by love, bridesmaid dresses, champagne, and no less than one hundred sprigs of mistletoe. What could possibly go wrong? WORD COUNT: 3294 WARNINGS FOR THE SERIES: Emotional angst, presumably unrequited love, friends to lovers, fluff, happily ever after AUTHOR’S NOTE: Here’s my entry for the @heamarvel​ Hallmark event! This story is based off this prompt:  “Character A has to go to their cousin’s holiday wedding that’s taking place a year to the day they were left at the altar. Unable to face going alone, they con Character B into going ‘just as friends.’“

Masterlist

The computer screen explodes into a shower of white rose petals that slowly drift down as the wedding march blares through the speakers. The petals materialize into an envelope, which opens to reveal a pristine wedding invitation with glowing gold script.  

“With the blessing of their families, Ian Boothby and Darcy Lewis  Request the honor of your presence  At their wedding ceremony, December 23, 2019”

Bucky clicked the mouse to restart the whole invitation, jumping when the music started, then nodded. 

“Impressive.” “Mm-hmm.”

He looked away from the screen, seeing you pace back and forth in front of the section of windows in your office. He narrowed his eyes, resting back in your chair, steepling his fingers together over his stomach.

“Are we mad about this?”

You looked to him, shaking your head. 

“I’m not mad.” “You’re not?”

You shook your head again, blinking once. 

“I am pissed off.”

Bucky’s eyes widened as your lips curled into a snarl before you started pacing some more. 

“This is so like Darcy. She’s doing this because—“

You pressed your lips together, slamming one hand into the wall. Bucky jumped up, walking to you, digging your fingers out of the wall. 

“Easy. Don’t break the sheetrock, Killer.”

You couldn’t help the smile, sighing as Bucky turned you to face him. He gave a shake of his head. 

“What’s so bad about this? You hate weddings?”

You swallowed, shaking your head, casting your eyes down to Bucky’s shoes as you spoke softly. 

“I love weddings.” “Then why are you so mad about this one? Who’s Darcy?”

You studied the frayed end of one of his shoelaces. 

“My cousin.” “She a bitch?”

You gave a quiet laugh. 

“No, she … well, she’s not the brightest crayon in the box. She’s sweet, and really smart, just … not that gifted with common sense.”

Bucky slowly nodded. 

“So what’s the deal?”

You swallowed again, exhaling a slow breath. 

“I never told you the reason I moved here.” “So it wasn’t just to upstage Natasha at every turn?”

You had a soft smile on your face when you lifted your head to look out the window, at the gray New York City day. Snow was in the forecast, and you still hadn’t gotten used to the chill in the air. Or the way it got dark around four P.M.

“Y/N?”

You blinked, moving one hand to touch the cool window while Bucky took your other hand. You just stood there, looking out the window until his soft voice spoke again. 

“What is it?”

You took in a breath, letting it out again. 

“The day Darcy is getting married?”

Bucky nodded as you looked to him, a sad smile on your face. 

“That’s my wedding day.”

Bucky’s eyebrows furrowed and you cleared your throat before you spoke again. 

“I moved here in January after … after I was left at the altar.” “I’m sorry, what?”

You nodded and Bucky stared at you with wide blue eyes. He shook his head, ushering you to the little couch in your office. You sat, and he sat beside you, turning to face you, stormy blue-grey eyes still wide in shock. 

“Whole story. Now. Go.”

You smiled at him, giving a shaky exhale. 

“I’d always wanted a wedding at Christmas. The red and green and the snow … of course, you don’t get much snow in Louisiana, but sometimes.”

You shrugged and Bucky nodded before you went on. 

“Peter and I … we dated for three years before he proposed. He did it perfectly, exactly a year before, so I’d have enough time to plan.”

You looked down at your hands, at your bare ring fingers. 

“I had everything like I wanted. My bridesmaids had deep, dark emerald green dresses. The flowers were red and white roses. The dress … god, I loved my dress.”

You shook your head as you slid your tongue between your dry lips. 

“I should have known something was up. I should have seen it. But I was … I was so preoccupied with having everything perfect. The baker told me two days before the wedding that there wouldn’t be strawberry filling in the cupcakes and I very nearly had a nervous breakdown.”

You gave a nervous giggle, moving a hand to your hair, just to give yourself something to focus on other than the pain these memories were bringing up. 

“The rehearsal dinner went off without a hitch. Peter was quiet, keeping to himself, talking to his best man while I was flitting from here to there to check the arch and the favors and the Polaroid cameras on every table.”

You shook your head, closing your eyes. Bucky moved a hand to gently rub your back and you gave a quiet whine. You shook your head again, standing up and starting to pace again. Bucky didn’t say a word, just watched as you started slow, picking up speed as you spoke. 

“The morning went off without a hitch. Everyone was on time to get their hair and makeup done. We had mimosas and doughnuts and laughed and danced and I felt like a princess. My best friend and my mom helped me put the dress on, and I felt more beautiful than I ever had. I held my bouquet of roses and looped my arm through my uncle’s and I waited impatiently to become Mrs. Peter Quill.”

You came to a screeching halt as the words you’d just said echoed through your brain. You gave a sharp exhale, shaking your head.

Ever since you left your hometown, you’d tried so hard not to think of Peter. You’d pushed him so far out of your mind, deliberately not allowing yourself to think of what all you’d lost when he’d walked away from you. 

All of that came rushing back, and you blew out another breath at the renewed pain in your heart. 

“Y/N?”

You shook your head, holding up a shaky hand. Bucky moved to the edge of the couch, and you exhaled again. You swallowed, straightening your shoulders. 

“When I took his hand, it was cold. Sweaty. Shaking. I thought he was just nervous, because you get nervous when you’re about to pledge your life to someone, you know?”

You gave a nervous giggle, licking your lips again. 

“The preacher started talking, and I don’t even know what he said. I was staring at Peter, and … he wouldn’t look at me. I kept squeezing his hand and he … he just shook his head.”

You took in a breath, raising your chin and letting it fall. 

“The preacher asked if there was anyone who had any objection as to whether or not we should be married. ‘Speak now or forever hold your peace.’ And I guess Peter couldn’t.”

You shook your head, turning back to Bucky, tears sparkling in your eyes. Bucky stared at you as your mind slipped back, to you standing in a white dress in front of all of your family and most of the people you’d known for your entire life. People you went to school with, people you attended church with, girls you’d played tee-ball with as a child. 

Your friends and cousins stood beside you in their dresses, Natasha looking absolutely gorgeous in the emerald gown that seemed to set her fiery hair even more aflame. 

Peter looked so handsome in his suit, but the bow tie at the base of his throat was slightly askew, and your hands itching to straighten it. You gave a shake of your head when his blue eyes finally met yours, and the look in those eyes made your heart drop. He mouthed two words to you, words that lit a panic in your heart while simultaneously making you want to lay down and die. 

I’m sorry.

Peter gave your hand a squeeze, letting it go as he stepped forward, in front of the preacher, forcing you to take a step back. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I …”

Peter shook his head, looking down before raising his head again, glancing back at you. 

“I’m so sorry.”

Hushed whispers began rising from the crowd as Peter shook his head again. 

“I shouldn’t have let it get this far. I can’t follow through with this wedding.”

The whispers began growing louder, or maybe that was the roar of your own blood in your ears. You felt pain when Natasha’s nails dug into your hand, and you looked over, seeing her standing beside you, her flowers on the ground. One of her hands was entwined with yours, the other hand on your elbow, holding you steady. You looked to her with wide eyes, your face pale, and she gave a shake of her head, murmuring under her breath. 

“Stand strong. Don’t fall to pieces now. Not here.”

You nodded to her, gripping her hand tightly. You looked into the audience, meeting the eyes of your mother, who was staring back at you with love and worry in her eyes. Peter shook his head again, looking over his shoulder back at you. 

“I never wanted to hurt you. You’re wonderful, but I … I can’t marry you. I’m sorry, Y/N.”

Peter shook his head once more, then stepped off of the stage, walking down the aisle by himself. You watched him go, the whispers of the crowd growing to a buzzing that crowded your ears until no other sound could get through. Your bridesmaids gathered around you while the groomsmen left in the direction Peter had gone, and Natasha forced you to put one foot in front of the other until you were away from the crowd, away from everyone but her. 

And that’s when you collapsed.

“Y/N.”

You blinked, once and then a few more times. You found Bucky standing in front of you and you blinked some more. He shook his head and you spoke softly, smoothing your hands over the lapels of his suit jacket. 

“He’d written me a note that one of his groomsmen gave Nat. Peter said loved me, but he wasn’t in love with me, and he couldn’t spend the rest of his life trying to make himself love someone. He knew he’d grow to resent me and we’d be unhappy and it’s better to break it off before kids get involved, you know?”

You lifted your head to see Bucky staring down at you, and you smiled. 

“I’m a great person, apparently. Just not great enough to be married to.”

You started to step away when Bucky wrapped his arms around you. You put your face in his shoulder, digging your nails into his back. 

“Y/N, I … I can’t even imagine. I’m so sorry.”

You clung to Bucky, missing the way he closed his eyes and rested his head atop yours, breathing in the scent of your shampoo. 

“What can I do?”

You shook your head, moving to rest your cheek against his shoulder as you sighed. 

“Nothing. I thought I was over this.” “This doesn’t sound like something you just easily get over.”

You sighed again, stepping out of his embrace and crossing your arms over your chest. Bucky swiped his tongue over his lips and shook his head. 

“That Peter sounds like an absolute cunt.”

You gave a gasping laugh, shaking your head. 

“Bucky!” “I’m not sorry.”

You laughed again. 

“I hate that word.” “Nothing else fits.”

You pursed your lips, then nodded. 

“You’re right, though.”

Bucky eagerly nodded and you sighed again. 

“It’s over. I don’t even have the ring anymore.” “What did you do with it?”

You smiled. 

“I wish I could say something poetic, like that it sank to the very blackest depths of the Mississippi River, but I just couldn’t bring myself to throw it. It facilitated my move here.”

Bucky nodded and you sighed, glancing down at your bare ring finger again. 

“It was such a pretty ring.” “Did he try to get it back?”

You exhaled, then looked to him. 

“I haven’t spoken to him since the day he left me.”

Bucky lifted a hand to his chest and you rolled your eyes, reaching out and shoving his shoulder. 

“Don’t be so melodramatic.” “It’s such a Lifetime movie situation, I swear.” “Except for the fact that I’ll never love again. Why set myself up for failure a second time?”

The phone rang, so you missed the way Bucky blinked rapidly, watching you as you walked back to your desk. You leaned over and grabbed the phone, using your last name as a greeting. 

“Tell me you didn’t open this monstrosity of an email.”

You giggled, covering the receiver as you whispered to Bucky. 

“Nat got an email, too.” “Speaker!”

You pushed the button to channel the call through the speakers, and Bucky shut the door to your office. 

“Buck’s here too, Nat.” “Did you make him watch it?” “Twice.”

Nat groaned, and you just knew she was slipping her heels off under her desk. 

“I love Darcy to pieces, don’t get me wrong, but she is real fuckin’ clueless sometimes.”

You laughed as you sat in your chair, grabbing up a few files and settling them. 

“It’s fine. I’m fine.” “You sure? I know it’s—“ “Fine, Natasha. I am fine.”

The line was quiet for a moment, with Bucky looking from the phone to you, back to the phone. 

“You’re not going, are you?”

You stopped shuffling papers and Bucky’s eyes widened.

“Seriously?”

You looked to him, your own eyes wide. 

“Why in God’s name would I go? Did you miss the whole story about how this wedding is exactly one year from the single most humiliating moment of my entire life?” “But you have to go.” “I don’t have to do anything, Natasha. Except pay taxes and die, I guess.” “Darcy will shit herself if you skip her wedding.”

Bucky made a face and you shook your head. 

“She won’t even miss me.” “The hell she won’t! Mom’s there and she said all Darcy has been talking about is the week leading up to the wedding.”

You lifted your eyes from your desk, staring at nothing. 

“She didn’t.”

Natasha’s low, sultry laugh came through the speakers. 

“Someone didn’t read the fine print, did they?”

You scrambled to pull up your email, both you and Bucky jumping when the wedding march screamed through the computer. You shook your head, then noticed the email was two parts long. 

“Goddamn it.”

Natasha laughed again and you started to read the note Darcy had written. 

Y/N—

I’m getting married! Can you believe it’s finally happening? I can’t wait to be Ian’s wife, but I can’t do it without you there. You’ll be a bridesmaid, won’t you? My favorite cousin just has to stand beside me on my Big Day. Don’t worry about a dress or any of that. Nana’s helping me get it all together. I know you and Nat have work, but surely you’ve built up some time off, right? Ian doesn’t have much family, so we thought, why not have our whole family come down for a big reunion-type thing, culminating in our wedding! Doesn’t that just sound like all kinds of fun?! Seriously, Y/N. Say you’ll come. We all miss you around here and what better reason to come home than a wedding? I love you, cousin. Can’t wait to see you! 

XOXO,  Darcy

You shook your head, resting it in your hands, your palms pressing against the headache threatening right behind your eyes. 

“So … should I get the flights together?” “Nat, what am I going to do?”

She sighed. 

“Head back so we can show everyone what a kickass boss bitch you’ve become?”

You snorted, lifting your head and leaning back in your chair. 

“Did she ask you to be a bridesmaid too?” “Yep. And Carol and Hope. Her old college roommate is going to be her maid of honor. Crap, what was her name?” “Jane?” “Yeah, that’s the one.”

You tapped your fingers on your desk. 

“So Darcy wants me to come home for a week of fun for the whole family—literally—and be in her wedding exactly one year to the day of my own. And not only that, but I get to be in the actual wedding party, so just in case I think I’m okay, let’s put me back on stage in front of everyone in a pretty dress and see if I don’t pass out from PTSD or something.”

You could hear Natasha rolling her eyes. 

“You got left at the altar, bitch, not left for dead in some backwoods cabin with a machete-wielding psycho.” “Don’t tempt me with a good time.”

Bucky snorted, and you narrowed your eyes at him, but smiled. 

“It’s not as bad as you’re making it out to be. We can get shitfaced at the open bar and no one will bat an eye. Hell, they’ll probably be expecting it from you.”

You tilted your head. 

“You’ve got a point.” “Plus someone’s got to have slutty bridesmaid sex and it might as well be you.”

You barked out a laugh, shaking your head. 

“Might I remind you, Bucky’s listening.” “I don’t give a fuck. Hell, he can come, too. Everyone should experience the hodge-podge of our family at least once in a lifetime.”

You shook your head, going still and tilting your head when Bucky smiled. He looked down at his feet, then back up, a soft smile on his lips when he met your eyes. 

“What?” “Come with me.”

Bucky’s eyebrows raised as Nat coughed on the phone. 

“Excuse me?”

You shook your head. 

“Nat’s right. Our family’s batshit insane, but they’re fun. We always have a good time.” “We put the ‘fun’ in dysfunctional.”

Bucky shook his head and you reached across the desk, laying your hand on top of his, both of you jumping and laughing softly when the shock wore off. 

“Sorry.” “Don’t be.” “I know it’s Christmas and all, but you should come.” “I don’t know, this sounds like a family thing.” “All the more reason you should come!”

You stood up, walking around your desk to sit on the edge of it. Bucky sprawled in the chair, looking up at you. You opened your mouth, then closed it as Natasha spoke. 

“We have a metric fuckton of family members. Cousins galore. The one thing guaranteed to keep everyone from constantly staring at poor, pitiful Y/N is fresh meat.”

You rolled your eyes, then met Bucky’s. 

“Seriously. They love new people. You’ll like my mom more than you like me. You'll adore Nana. And I know they’ll all fuss over you.”

Bucky swallowed. 

“I …” “Come on, Buck. I need you there. The one thing guaranteed to get me through this is—“ “The open bar.”

You closed your eyes, shaking your head at Natasha, smiling at him as you took his hands. 

“Is my best friend.”

Bucky stared into your eyes, as you mouthed ‘please.’ He opened his mouth, closing it again and nodding. Your eyes widened as you gave his hands a squeeze. 

“Seriously?”

Bucky nodded again. 

“Yeah, I can’t let you go alone. That would be like throwing you to the sharks and I’m not a hundred percent sure you can swim.”

You rolled your eyes, but stood up. Bucky stood as well, and you stared up at him. 

“You’re really going to come with me?”

Bucky smiled, saying the words even though they felt thick in his mouth. 

“What are friends for?”

You squealed and threw your arms around him, and he closed his eyes as he hugged you back, opening them when he heard Natasha’s quiet, knowing laugh through the speakers.

TAGS: @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan​, @walkingchemicalfire​, @eileenalone​, @mrsalh32611​, @alexxcorona113​, @ivoryhazlewood​, @imweirdandobsessed, @chaoticfanatic​, @rhapsody-in-flannel​, @hidden-behind-the-fourth-wall​

[iam93percentstardust]

Pining for Lost Innocence

Written for @heamarvel‘s Hallmark Event: Prompt 10

Find on ao3 here

It’s a long one so look out for the read more

In Becca’s defense, it isn’t like she could have known that she’s picked the day Bucky had gotten left at the altar.

He and Brock had been very lowkey, so lowkey in fact that when Brock had asked if they could just get married at the courthouse, it hadn’t seemed off. That probably should have been the first clue. And then there’d been the two witnesses and no one else- clue number two. And then the fact that both witnesses had been Bucky’s friends and not Brock’s- well, Bucky should have known by then that Brock was going to walk out on him.

But he had fancied himself in love and had thought that Brock was just as in love with him. So he had waited, waited there in the judge’s office with Sam and Tony as his witnesses for as long as he could until the judge had finally, reluctantly, told him that she had other weddings to attend to. He’d gone back to the apartment they shared to find that Brock had cancelled their lease. He’d called Brock’s job- the other alpha had quit three days earlier, no forwarding address. He’d tried once to reach Brock’s phone; he received a message informing him that the number was no longer in service. It had hit him then, really truly hit him that Brock hadn’t just left him at the altar, he’d gone and abandoned him. He’d shown up at Tony’s door thirty minutes later and had never really left since then.

So when he gets Becca’s wedding invitation and sees that she’s set the date for December 23rd, the same day that Brock left him, he takes a deep breath, resolutely does not crumple the invitation in his hand, and just carries it inside.

Tony’s stretched out on the couch, a heating pad across his lap. His heat’s coming up in a few days. The pre-heat cramps have always been the worst for him, to the point where he usually has to take an additional couple days off work along with the regular three for his heat. Bucky can’t stop himself from sniffing at the air surreptitiously to try to catch a hint of Tony’s sweet pre-heat scent.

Tony smells the best, always has. It had driven him crazy after they’d both presented as teenagers, it had driven him crazy during the one heat they’d shared when Ty had walked out on Tony only hours before his heat and he hadn’t had time to get his suppressants into his system, and it still drives him crazy now. But Tony doesn’t want him, not really. He’d been convenient after Ty but that was it. He wants to ask for more but he also doesn’t want to ruin the fantastic friendship they’ve got by trying to push, not when Tony’s never asked for it. When Brock had come along, he’d thought he’d managed to move on from his feelings but he’d lived with Tony for barely a month before they were back in full force.

He’s loved Tony since they were children. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he’s convinced that he’ll love him for the rest of time, no matter who he mates with. And if Tony never loves him back, he’ll have to be okay with that because he’ll take Tony any way he can get.

“Hi honey,” he announces, shoving his moping to the back of his mind. “I’m home!”

Tony looks up from his phone and smiles brightly, spying the grocery bags in his hand. “Hello darling. Did you bring home the bacon?”

“Nope,” Bucky says, popping the p. “Doc says bacon isn’t good for your heart.”

Tony pouts. For a fleeting second, Bucky has the urge to turn around and run back out to the store to get bacon but he holds firm. Tony’s had a weak heart for years. His last surgery should have fixed the problem but it doesn’t hurt to be careful. Tony can’t die. Bucky doesn’t know what he’ll do if Tony leaves him too.

“What’s that?” Tony asks. He nods at the envelope.

The beginning of Bucky’s good mood deflates. “Becca’s wedding invitation,” he says gloomily. He tosses the envelope Tony’s way, sending it spinning through the air. “She and Stevie picked a day.”

Tony completely fumbles the catch and ends up having to bend down from his reclining position to grab it from the floor. His shirt rides up, showing the smallest sliver of tanned skin. Bucky catches his breath, hoping that his scent blockers keep Tony from smelling horny alpha. Tony’s got enough trust issues after Ty; he doesn’t need Bucky adding to them.

He marches into the kitchen as Tony opens the envelope. He doesn’t need to see the look on the omega’s face when he sees the date. It’s sure to be pitying and he doesn’t want that, not from Tony.

There’s the shuffle of feet from the doorway to the living room. Bucky doesn’t turn around, just keeps putting away groceries. Even so, he manages to catch a glimpse of Tony in the mirror above the sink. The little omega’s wrapped the blanket from the couch around his shoulders. One hand is both clutching the heating pad to his stomach and holding the blanket closed. The other is holding the envelope. There’s no pity in his eyes, just soft understanding. Bucky smiles fondly to himself. He doesn’t know why he expected any different, except that maybe that’s all he ever seems to get from Sam (that and the occasional “You know, if you asked Tony out, you wouldn’t have this problem.”).

“Are you going to go?” Tony asks softly.

He shrugs. “Can’t not. It’s my sister and my best friend. Sides, Becca’d never talk to me again if I missed it.”

“You could tell her. She’d understand.”

And that’s the crux of it. He’d never told his family about what had happened last Christmas. His romance with Brock had been such a whirlwind. They’d gotten engaged after only two weeks of dating, moved in together a week after that, and nearly walked down the aisle three months later. He’d never even gotten around to telling his family that they were even dating, let alone that they were getting married (and subsequently, that he’d gotten left at the altar). He’d just told them that he didn’t feel up to visiting for Christmas and had spent the holiday curled up on Tony’s couch, letting the omega hold and soothe him.

“I won’t ruin Becca’s day,” he says decisively. It’s high time he stops letting Brock ruin his life. The man didn’t even bother breaking up with him. He certainly doesn’t deserve the right to determine the rest of Bucky’s life.

He tells Tony so. A huge grin breaks across Tony’s face. “That’s my alpha,” he declares proudly.

Bucky’s hand slips on the milk carton. He just barely manages to catch it before it hits the floor, glad that the mishap keeps Tony from seeing the red glow on his face. He wants to be Tony’s alpha, wants to hear Tony say that he’s his alpha. But if wishes grew on trees…

Well, wishing never did anything but cause misery.

“Dunno if I can do it by myself,” he mutters as he puts the milk in the fridge. Tony quirks his head curiously. “’s just I wouldn’t’ve had to do it if Brock was here. I dunno if I can handle Becca’s wedding on what was s’posed to be my anniversary.” He takes a closer look at what they’ve got in the fridge. “How does spaghetti sound?”

This close to his heat, Tony usually craves Italian food. Bucky’s more than happy to make it for him. If there’s a little voice in the back of his mind reminding him that any good alpha would take care of their omega before their heat, that’s nobody’s business but his own.

“Okay,” Tony says quietly. “I’m gonna go lay down again.”

Bucky watches him go before busying himself with dinner. He mulls over the problem of the wedding as he rolls the meatballs. He doesn’t want to go alone. If he goes alone, he’ll spend the entire time moping, fixated on what he almost had, and Becca will kill him. But-

“Tony,” he pants, skidding into the living room, “will you go with me?”

Tony, despite being fully clothed, clutches the blanket to his chest. He blinks at him sleepily. Bucky curses himself for disturbing the omega’s nap.

“To the wedding,” he clarifies. He’s already woken him up, might as well keep going. “Will you go with me to the wedding?”

There’s a strange, eager light in Tony’s eyes. “With you?” he repeats.

Bucky turns over the request in his mind and hastily adds, “As friends. I wouldn’t expect you to be my date.”

The eager light disappears. “Oh,” Tony murmurs. If Bucky hadn’t known any better, he might have thought that Tony sounded disappointed. But he does know better. There’s absolutely no way Tony’s upset that Bucky’s not asking him as a date.

Tony reaches up and holds onto one of Bucky’s hands with both of his much littler ones. “Of course I’ll go with you,” he says warmly.

He was imagining the disappointment. That’s all it was.

Imagining.

For Bucky, at least, the wedding of Steve Rogers and Becca Barnes is a strange one. Mostly because Steve’s his best friend and he remembers when they used to groan when Bucky’s mother would insist that they include Becca in their games. They had been six years older than Becca and so they really hadn’t had much to do with each other, which is why it had so surprised him when Steve had told him three years ago that he was madly in love with his sister and planned to ask her to marry him.

“I didn’t know you were even dating,” Bucky had said, utterly dumbfounded. Steve had scuffed his shoes along the floor and mumbled, “…we’re not.”

That was the point when Bucky had burst into laughter but he’d given Steve his blessing to ask her out, given it again when Steve had come back a year later and asked for his blessing to marry her, and continued wishing that he had the courage to ask Tony out like Steve had for Becca. They’d waited a few years to get married after announcing their engagement so Becca could finish college but everyone had known they were as good as mated. Steve was absolutely besotted with her and she was just as enamored as Steve.

Steve’s in the middle of his vows when Bucky hears a quiet sniff from beside him. He looks over to see Tony dabbing at the corners of his eyes with a tissue. He leans over. “This can’t possibly be making you cry,” he whispers. “It’s Steve. You two fight like cats and dogs.”

“Shut up, you useless alpha,” Tony hisses. “It’s romantic.”

Bucky wrinkles his nose and sits back up. It’s his alpha best friend and his beta sister. Bucky’s seen both of them (and Tony too, now that he thinks about it) naked in the kiddy pool. There’s nothing romantic about it.

Well, maybe it’s a little romantic. Just a bit. Barely more than a smidge. Fuck, if he and Tony were together, he knows that he’d think that it was romantic, with how they’ve known each other since childhood. He casts a sideways glance at Tony, who’s staring raptly at Steve and Becca with bright, shining eyes. He remembers the first time he’d ever seen Tony, standing alone on the playground, smaller even than Stevie because he was four years younger than everyone else in their year; remembers how Tony had come yelling to their rescue when Bucky had taken on a couple of Steve’s bullies. He’d gone home that day and told his mom, “There’s a new boy in our class and one day, I’m gonna marry him.” 

Only he never had. Somehow, the timing had never worked out and they’d passed each other by like ships in the night- except for Tony’s heat.

They’d had three perfect days together. Three days sharing Tony’s heat because his heats were always terrible and Bucky couldn’t stand seeing him in so much pain. Usually, Tony’s suppressants were enough to smother the worst of the heat cramps but Ty had never liked him on suppressants so he’d gone off of them for the duration of their relationship. For Ty to dump him only hours before his heat when everyone knows that suppressants needed at least a day to take effect…

He growls, low enough to be nearly subvocal, the thought still making him angry after all this time. Tony swats him and he jumps. “Sorry,” he whispers and lets his mind drift again.

Tony had called him after Ty had left, sobbing. It had taken Bucky an age to figure out what Tony was telling him and when he’d finally managed it, he’d been up out of his chair and halfway out the door before he’d paused.

“Tony, honey,” he’d said. “You’re asking me to come over now?”

Tony had sobbed out a yes but Bucky had still hesitated. “Right before your heat?” He’d known that omegas in heat could be needy, known that they craved attention and touch, but Tony wasn’t his to hold.

“Please, Bucky,” Tony had whispered into the phone. “Please share my heat, just once. I need you.”

And Bucky had had to put his phone on mute so that Tony couldn’t hear his broken cry. Just once. That was all he could have Tony for. Just that one heat before he had to let the omega- his omega- go again.

They’d had three perfect days. Three days of Tony writhing beneath him, of him crying, “Alpha!” in that perfect way of his. Tony had been perfect, responsive and lovely and so, so beautiful. He’d made the prettiest noises, soft little mews when he was overwhelmed and breathy sighs when he was happy, the cutest growls when he was being bratty and demanding and when he’d come- his sweet cries could have rivaled the birds for their songs. “Pretty omega,” Bucky had murmured, nosing into Tony’s throat. “Sweet omega. My omega.”

Three perfect days and then never again. 

“-for the first time as mates, Captain Steven Rogers and Rebecca Barnes Rogers,” the priest concludes.

…and now he’s missed most of the ceremony. Great. He hopes that Becca didn’t catch his drifting mind. He likes his dick where it is, thank you very much. Steve leans Becca backwards in a thorough kiss. For all of two seconds, Bucky entertains the thought of yelling, “Get some, Becca!” but he thinks that might be even worse than missing the ceremony.

“Did you pay attention to any of it?” Tony asks as they stand and clap with the rest of the guests.

“No,” Bucky sighs.

“Useless alpha.”

~

Becca finds him halfway through the dancing lurking in a corner. “Hey, dickwad,” she says as she bounds up to him.

“Fuckface,” he replies cheerfully, not able to tear his eyes away from Tony dancing with one of their younger cousins. Becca’s beautiful of course, brides always are, but Tony’s radiant in his traditional male omega formal wear. It’s nothing more complex than an ensemble cut like a suit across his torso but the back is entirely lace, dipping low across his hips where it flares into a gown. Bucky can’t stop staring- and neither can most of the other unmated alphas here.

“Are you staying for Christmas this year?” Becca asks.

“Hmm?” Bucky hums, still watching Tony dance with his five-year-old cousin. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Good. We really missed you last year. Actually, no, just Mom and Dad missed you. I was delighted that I didn’t have to see your stupid face.”

“Right back atcha.”

“But really, Bucky, it isn’t really Christmas if the family isn’t together and I know you had plans with Tony last year but maybe you could bring him this time?”

One of Steve’s artist friends, an alpha by the looks of him, cuts in and steals Tony away. Tony looks absolutely bewildered and keeps glancing back at Bucky’s little cousin, left alone on the dance floor. Bucky clenches his fists. That hadn’t been necessary. The alpha could have let them finish the dance or better yet, could have left Tony alone for the rest of the night.

“If you could take your eyes off your omega for five seconds,” Becca says archly.

That gets through to him. “Tony’s not my omega,” he replies confusedly.

Becca looks just as confused. “What? But you RSVP’d together.”

“Yeah…” Bucky says slowly, not certain where she’s going with this.

“He could have just come on his own. We sent him his own invitation. He didn’t have to come with you.”

He gets it then, where she’s confused. She doesn’t know that Tony’s here as his support. She’d just seen that they had sent two separate invitations but had replied together to only one of them, the same way a couple might have.

“Tony’s not my omega,” he repeats quietly. “We came together because this was supposed to be my anniversary.”

“What?” Becca’s mouth is gaping slightly open. Under his misery, he can’t help but be a little pleased that he’s stunned his normally unfazed sister. 

“I was seeing someone last year,” he mutters. “We were going to get married. It was supposed to be a quick, private ceremony, just us and a couple witnesses. I thought it would be a nice surprise for Christmas. And then he left me at the altar.”

“Oh Bucky,” she sighs. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve picked a different day.”

He glares at her. “You’ve worked so hard on this. I wasn’t going to ruin it.”

“Taking care of yourself isn’t ruining things,” she says firmly. “Is that why you didn’t come for Christmas?”

He nods miserably. “Tony said I wasn’t in any state to go anywhere so we holed up in his apartment and watched shitty Hallmark movies.” More quietly, he says, “It was perfect.”

Becca bites her lip. He watches her detachedly, wondering if she’s going to say what she’s thinking or not. She’s quiet just long enough that he’s getting ready to excuse himself before she blurts out, “And you still think he’s not in love with you?”

“What?”

“I can’t keep doing this,” she says quickly. “I know I told Steve I wasn’t going to interfere but I can’t watch you two miss out on this.”

“Becca, what are you talking about?” he says harshly.

“Isn’t it obvious?” she says helplessly. “You think just anyone would’ve given up on their Christmas like that?”

“I was upset!” he replies. “Yeah, I think any decent friend would’ve done that.”

“So Steve was there too, huh?”

It’s rhetorical. They both know that Steve spent last Christmas with the Barnes. “That’s different,” he begins.

“You said any decent friend. But fine. What about Sam? Was Sam there? Or how about Nat? Maybe Clint?” Bucky gapes at her. “You don’t have to say anything, it’s fine. I know it was just Tony.”

“Just because Tony spent Christmas with me doesn’t mean he’s in love with me,” he argues.

She throws her hands up in the air. “For fuck’s sake, you shared a heat together!”

“How do you even know about that?”

Becca sneers. “Steve tells me everything. I mean, come on, Bucky. Heats mean something to omegas. Sure, Tony was going through a breakup but he could have spent it by himself if he really wanted to. He wanted you.”

“He told me, ‘Just this once.’”

“Did he?” she asks. “Or did he ask for just once? There’s a difference.”

Bucky falls silent and turns to look at where Tony’s stepping firmly away from the alpha and going back to the kid he’d been dancing with earlier. “Becca, does he love me?” he murmurs, half-dazed by the very thought.

“He hasn’t dated since Tiberius. He invited you into his home. Hell, Bucky, you’ve seen his nest. No one gets to see his nest. If he doesn’t love you, then I don’t know what love looks like.”

He takes several deep breaths. “I think I need to sit down,” he gasps.

“Nope,” Becca says, pushing him in the direction of Tony. “You need to go ask that pretty omega to dance and tell him how you feel and then you need him to bring him to Christmas with you because I’ll never talk to you again if he’s not there.”

Bucky takes two steps away from her and then turns back around. He swoops down to drop a light kiss on her cheek. “You look stunning,” he says honestly. “Now please go find your husband and stop meddling.”

~

He waits for Tony to finish his dance with his cousin before he comes up behind him. He settles a hand at Tony’s back and murmurs into his ear, “Walk with me?”

Tony turns his head, so close Bucky can feel his breath on his cheek. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s great.” He pauses and then amends the thought. “I think. I just wanted to ask you something and I’d really like it if I could do it away from my very nosy family.”

Obediently, Tony trails behind him until they’ve left the wedding tent behind and are winding through the labyrinth behind the tent. Becca picked this reception hall specifically for the labyrinth and had thumped Bucky on the head when he’d informed her that it wasn’t like she was going to be spending any time in it. He’s glad for it now though as it offers them some small bit of privacy.

He comes to a stop when he has to start straining to hear the music. They’re in a small corner; if they were trying to find the center of the maze, they certainly wouldn’t have succeeded. It’s cold out, the way it always is in upstate New York in December. He can see their breaths hanging in the air between them. It’s supposed to snow soon, he knows, but it hasn’t started yet.

Tony rubs his arms. “Cold?” Bucky asks. When Tony nods, he holds out his arms. “I could warm you up.”

Tony doesn’t even hesitate to step into his arms, burrowing his hands beneath Bucky’s jacket to wrap around his waist. Bucky holds him close, settling his hands low on Tony’s hips and resting his cheek against the little omega’s hair. This close, he can smell Tony beneath the scent blockers he always wears. He inhales deeply. Peaches and honeysuckle, his favorite scents.

“Omega,” he murmurs. “Pretty omega.”

“You never call me that,” Tony says just as softly, shivering slightly. Bucky wishes he could know if it’s because Tony’s cold or if he likes it.

“I could stop.”

Tony hesitates. “Don’t stop,” he whispers finally.

Bucky smiles into his hair and turns his head so that his lips just barely brush the top of his head. “Sweet omega,” he rumbles. Tony trembles in his arms. The band begins a waltz and he shifts on his feet. “Would you dance with me?” he asks. Tony nods, his cheek rubbing against Bucky’s shirt.

Bucky doesn’t move much, just moves so that one hand holds onto Tony’s. They’re still pressed together. He’s still resting his head against Tony’s. But they’re turning in place, breaths whispering in the still night air.

“Becca wants you to come for Christmas,” he says.

Tony tenses just slightly. “Can’t.”

“Why not?”

He can feel Tony shrug against his body. “Christmas is for family.”

“So you’re going home to Stark Mansion?”

Tony’s silent, not that it matters. Bucky already knows the answer. Tony left that life behind a long time ago. “You could come back with me,” Tony says eventually.

“Christmas is for family,” he parrots. Tony growls, the hand hidden in Bucky’s jacket clenching in his shirt. He decides he’s teased him long enough. “Don’t you know you’re family?”

Tony shakes his head. “Not like that. Not for Christmas.”

“Especially for Christmas.”

“Bucky, don’t tease,” Tony says quietly. He starts to push away.

Bucky panics. Somewhere, this has gone wrong. Somewhere, he’s made a mistake. It’s started to snow, big white flakes falling to coat the ground around them. “Don’t go,” he says desperately. “Let me start over.”

But Tony’s standing away from him now, wrapping his arms around himself like he’s trying to replace Bucky’s warmth. “What are we doing out here?” he asks. He can’t keep his eyes on Bucky, keeps darting them away to look at the hedges around them.

He doesn’t know where to begin, doesn’t know how to ask him if what Becca said was true. So instead he asks, “Why did you ask me to share your heat?”

Tony stills, gaze coming back to him. “Wha- that was years ago,” he says incredulously.

“I know,” Bucky says steadily. He falls to his knees, shuffles forward to take Tony’s hands in his. “Honey, I can’t stop thinking about it. Why did you ask me?”

Tony’s gaze darts away and then back. His eyes are wide and a little fearful. Bucky prays that he’s not the reason that Tony looks scared. The omega swallows hard before saying, “Ty broke up with me. I-I-”

“It was your heat, Tony. It would have been awful but you could have gone through your heat alone. I would have been there waiting after it was over.” He presses his forehead to Tony’s hands. “Omega,” he begins. “Pretty omega, my omega. Why did you ask me to share your heat?”

He looks back up then. Tony’s eyes are as bright with unshed tears as they were a few hours ago. “I wanted to,” Tony breathes. “Ty left me because he said he couldn’t be with an omega who loved someone else.”

Bucky takes in a shaky breath. “Loved?” he asks, hesitant to say anything but he has to know.

Tony looks about as wrecked as he feels as he slowly shakes his head. “Loves.”

The word’s little more than a sigh, barely louder than the wind in the hedges, but Bucky hears him clear as a bell. 

He surges to his feet, one hand dropping Tony’s so he can catch his arm around Tony’s waist and reel him in. Tony’s now-free hand curls into the fabric of Bucky’s shirt. Bucky drops his head to press his forehead against Tony’s. This close, he can see the light dusting of freckles on Tony’s nose that the little omega tries so hard to pretend doesn’t exist.

“Honey, can I kiss you?” he asks, trying to tamp his desperation down. He doesn’t want to scare Tony. He can’t scare Tony. Tony’s precious and sweet and doesn’t deserve to be scared by a hulking alpha.

Tony flashes him a quick smile, bright as the sun. “Call me omega and we’ll see.”

He rubs his nose alongside the length of Tony’s. “Omega,” he rumbles, putting as much Alpha into his voice as he can. Tony shivers.

“Alpha,” Tony breathes and Bucky feels like roaring his triumph. “Yes.”

Their first kiss is little more than a brush of Bucky’s lips against Tony’s. “I love you,” he says, pulling back to drop a quick kiss to the tip of Tony’s nose. He presses another kiss to Tony’s lips, there and then pulling back. Tony’s eyes flutter closed on a soft sight and Bucky’s arrested by the sight of those long eyelashes against his cheek. His next kiss lands on Tony’s right eyelid. “Love those pretty Bambi eyes,” he says. Another fleeting kiss on Tony’s lips and then back to Tony’s left eyelid. “Love that pink blush on your cheeks.” Tony’s cheeks immediately heat. Bucky can’t resist placing his next kisses on each cheek, feeling the heat under his lips, before coming back to Tony’s pouting mouth. He’s there longer this time, placing quick teasing kisses on his lips, pulling back slightly, and then coming back, too overwhelmed by the feeling of Tony in his arms to stay away for long. “Love your perfect scent.” He buries his face in Tony’s neck, nuzzling into his scent glands. Happy omega is pouring off of him, filling the air with the smell of honeysuckle and peaches.

He fits his teeth around the gland and bites gently, not hard enough to spark a bond, just enough to tease. Tony goes limp against him, falling into his shoulder with a whimper. “I’ve got you, honey,” he says and presses a line of kisses up Tony’s throat to the corner of his mouth.

“Love you,” he says again, just because he can. 

Tony smiles at him, bright as the sun, warming up the winter night. “I love you too.”

Bucky kisses his smiling mouth, firmly this time. He takes the omega’s bottom lip between his teeth and nibbles on the soft flesh. When Tony gasps, he slides his tongue between his lips and licks inside. He pulls back to trace his tongue over the outline of the omega’s mouth, dips back in for another taste. Tony’s hand moves from his shirt to his arm, digging his fingers into his bicep. Bucky groans and hauls Tony even closer.

“Let me take you home,” he whispers, tearing his mouth away to suck at the smooth skin at the juncture between Tony’s neck and shoulder. “Let me lay you out on my bed, keep you safe, keep you warm.” He rolls his hips so Tony can feel just how hard he is. “Keep you full.”

Tony whines, hand clenching and unclenching. “Yes,” he says on a gasp as Bucky bites down. “Please.” Bucky takes his earlobe between his teeth and tugs. “Alpha.”

“My omega,” Bucky says. He drops his hand to where Tony’s ass meets his thighs and lifts. Tony immediately wraps his legs around his hips. “So perfect, honey.”

He carries Tony out of the labyrinth, kisses him quiet when Tony protests leaving without saying goodbye to Steve and Becca. “If I know them, they’re already gone,” he mutters. “’Sides, we’ll see ‘em in two days.” He takes a quick look at Tony’s blown pupils, the barest hint of omega gold around the edges. “Maybe.”

~

Bucky shifts on the front stoop for only a second before Tony slides his warm hand into his. “It’s just your family,” Tony points out.

“Yeah but I told Becca about Brock so she told everyone else so they’re all going to look at me like-”

“-you’re the luckiest alpha in the world,” Tony finishes. He reaches up with his other hand to thumb at the bondmark on Bucky’s neck. 

“More like the stupidest,” he mutters. He bends down to drop a quick kiss on the tip of Tony’s nose. “Coulda had this years ago.”

Tony wrinkles his nose. “Don’t know why you like my nose so much.”

“Your freckles, honey. I like your freckles.” He presses another quick kiss to the side of Tony’s head. “Even if I can’t see ‘em under that foundation you wear.”

Tony preens. “Well, that’s okay then.”

“Love you,” Bucky says and presses one more kiss to Tony’s lips. Tony mews and opens for his tongue. Bucky indulges in Tony’s taste for only another second before pulling away. “Pretty omega.”

Tony blinks his eyes back open, hazy and dreamlike. “Love you too.”

“Yes, yes you both love each other,” Becca says dryly. She snickers as they jump apart.

“When did you open the door?” Bucky demands.

“Too early. You two are gross, look like two seals wrestling over a grape.”

Tony sniffs haughtily. “It isn’t like you and Steve were much better,” he begins but Bucky presses his fingers against his bondmark and he falls silent with nothing more than a quiet whimper.

Becca watches the byplay with a tiny smirk before casually saying, “Are you just going to stand there the entire time or are you going to come inside? You’re letting all the cold air in.”

“Come inside,” Bucky says promptly and shoves her aside.

“Dickhead,” Becca snaps.

He replies cheerfully, “Fuckface,” and drops Tony’s hand to pull her into a tight hug and mess up her perfectly styled hair.

“Glad to have you back,” Becca mutters sullenly. She hesitates. “Better Christmas this year?”

Bucky looks at where Tony’s flounced off to the kitchen, probably to wheedle cookies off his mother. At the door to the kitchen, he pauses and looks back at Bucky to blow him a kiss. He smiles fondly. “Much.”

[twentyghosts]

Rating: Teen

Relationships: Bruce Banner/Tony Stark

Words: 35k

Summary: Tony Stark’s ambitious new plan to convert all of his factories to manufacture solar panels and other green energy technologies causes some concern in the small town of Snow Falls, Ohio: the home of the StarKids toy factory. Despite the toy factory’s popularity, the town’s Green Party mayor, Bruce Banner, actually supports the solar panel initiative.

However, Bruce’s deputy mayor Darcy Lewis goes behind his back to invite Tony to be the grand marshal of the town’s annual Winter Joy Toy Parade, in an attempt to convince Tony to preserve the toy factory. Tony accepts, secretly hoping to use the event as an opportunity to reconnect with Bruce.

Unbeknownst to the citizens of Snow Falls, Bruce and Tony haven’t spoken to each other since their boarding school romance came to an abrupt end. Can their love be rekindled, or is it as dead as a string of vintage Christmas tree lights?

–

I’ve got a great Black Friday deal for you all! Ten chapters for the price of one! (And the price of one is free!)

Thanks to everyone who’s been reading along the way, but if you were waiting until the (happy) ending was in place, now’s your time! I’ve completed my first work for the @heamarvel Hallmark Holiday Event! 

[jbbarnesnnoble]

Love from the Outside: Prologue

Summary:  Sunshine is a WWII nurse who finds herself waking up in a whole new world after making a wish on a star. Confused, freezing, and scared, she finds herself faced with the ghost of her love. 

Features: Angst; Peggy Carter, Howard Stark

Pairing: Reader/Bucky Barnes, mentions of Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers 

Notes: I’m avoiding using Y/N in this fic and I’m writing in the 3rd person. I’m still considering it a reader insert, as I’m leaving the details about how she looks up to the reader. Reader is referred to as Sunshine (which, I have a whole backstory for in my head). Also note that more pairings will be added. While at it’s core it will be a Bucky/Reader fic, I have certain pairings screaming at me to be featured. 

That being said, this is for the @heamarvel Hallmark Event, using prompt 14:  A WWII era nurse (Character A) is transported in time to 2019 and meets Character B who helps them discover the bonds of family and that the true meaning of Christmas is timeless.

You can also find this on AO3 under the name ByAStream. I changed the summary here. 

Word Count: 726

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

December 1945

Snow was falling as she looked out the window. Howard Stark had invited her to his Christmas party in New York. The sound of Judy Garland singing ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ floated through the air. Her heart ached as she took in the words of the new song. The image of blue eyes and a soldier from Brooklyn made its way to the front of her mind. She sighed as she took a sip of the drink in her hand. He had promised her forever, only for forever to be ripped from them somewhere in the Alps. 

“Someday soon, we all will be together, if the fates allow. Until then, we’ll have to muddle through somehow,” Judy’s voice sang. Tears stung her eyes. Fate, it seemed, did not want to allow her that small bit of happiness. 

“Are you okay, Sunshine?” a voice came. The woman turned to see Peggy Carter standing there. Sunshine, the nickname Steve Rogers had given she the day they met. It had just stuck. Peggy, who had lost Steve before she ever really truly had him. 

“I could ask you the same question, Peggy,” she said softly. Peggy reached out and took her hand, squeezing gently as if to say ‘I miss them too’. The two of them stood, watching the snow fall outside the window. Sunshine was lost in her thoughts. She had loved Christmas, once upon a time. But then the Depression hit, and the War. Christmas lost it’s magic long before she’d lost her love. 

“Hey Peggy? Dance with me?” she asked quietly. Peggy smiled at her. It was Howard’s party. No one would bat an eye at the two women off in a corner, dancing slowly to the music that played.

As the evening drew to a close, she pulled her coat on. Howard insisted on seeing she and Peggy back to her accommodation. If there was one thing Steve Rogers was right about, it was that the woman standing in front of him radiated warmth and happiness without trying. The year had not been kind to her, to any of them really. There were moments where the hurt shined through. If Howard Stark was honest with himself, he worried about her. It was something that went unspoken, the worry and concern he and others had for the woman. Any attempt to bring up Sergeant Barnes or Steve was quickly rebuffed. The warmth, kindness, and love that once seemed to radiate from her had dulled with the loss of a love that had barely had a chance to flourish and thrive. Howard pulled himself from his thoughts as he opened the car door for the two women. 

The drive to their accommodation was quiet. Sunshine stared out the window at the snow reflecting off the lights. Lost in her thoughts, she wondered what it would be like if it were James with her. Her James. James Buchanan Barnes. Some days were better than others, but Christmas was the worst, she found. The snow was letting up, some of the night sky peeking through. A shooting star passed overhead and she closed her eyes and made a wish, clutching the locket that held a photo of her and James, one of the only photos she had of the two of them. 

‘I wish I could be with James again’ she thought. 

Howard pulled up in front of the building, getting out to open the door for Sunshine and Peggy. Peggy slid out of the car and she followed. Howard walked the two of them to the door.

“Merry Christmas, Peggy, Sunshine,” he said.

“Merry Christmas, Howard. Enjoy your holiday,” she said, forcing a small smile. Howard nodded, bidding the two of them a goodnight before returning to his car as Peggy unlocked the door. 

She headed to bed not long after returning home. As she lay in bed, she stared at the photo on her nightstand. It was one of Peggy, Steve, Bucky, and her, taken after the formation of the Howling Commandos. She had ended up with the unit after being a nurse assisting Dr. Erskine. She travelled with Peggy and Steve, a permanent attachment to wherever they were sent. Sighing, she turned the light off, wishing she could just be with her love again.

The next thing she knew, she was freezing. 

[tisfan]

State of the Fics 2019

The WIPS and Dead Ends Edition

So: having recently had a few discussions with some fellow authors and talking about other writers and stuff... here is where I’m going to answer some/most/all of the MOARPLZ requests.

I have 440+ works on A03 and a lot of what I hear is MOARPLZ or “is there going to be any more of this...”

So, I’m kinda going through my list right now and letting you know what my plans are for 2020 and what, if anything, you can count on to see more of, and what is, in fact, truly over. If you don’t see a fic that you love and want to know more about it, feel free to ask me. 

Take Note and RSVP - every once in a while, we get asked about this story. This was my first jaunt into the fic world, and it’s unfinished. We lost our Steve writer because of some Fandom Drama (you can blame some stans who accused us of plagiarizing a fic we’d never read who continually attacked us until the stress just made it not worth the effort of finishing.)

Solar Powered Soldiers was my first solo effort. This fic, as far as I’m concerned, pretty much sucks. It was meant to be a Steve/Bucky fic, ended up with the only smut scene as a Nat/Clint piece, and didn’t really have a satisfactory ending. I am not likely to ever go back and fix this.

Steve of Oz was supposed to be mostly smutty foray into exploring Steve as the Avengers Bike. The plan was basically for him to end up having sex with literally everyone, while in a Wizard of Oz setting. Never happened, didn’t get much response to it. 

Lost in the Shadows Every once in a while, I get someone who asks me about this AU. Talk about your niche markets! On the other hand, I love me some ShadowRun, so I have not closed down the idea of writing more on this AU... 

So, here’s a fun thing: This particular AU is what’s been requested by my Marvel Trumps Hate winner, so, I’ll be writing a dragon-level event story for this, some 27 - 30,000 words. You ready, chummer?

The Communal Kitchen AU We have a few half-complete stories in this series; Vol 3, the Mating Habits of Hero Birds, a vague outline of a Team NuclearWinter side piece, and a couple of smut pieces that never got written. I may yank the sex pollen scene from Vol 3 out and post it as a stand-alone. We’ll see. If there’s interest in any of this, maybe we’ll come back to it. (I am currently re-reading the whole series, because honestly, I write the fic I want to read, and so I re-read my own stuff rather a lot.)

Anything involving Phil Coulson and Clint Barton - while I still ship this couple, and I’ll read stuff about them, I’ve pretty much given up writing them. Between Agents of SHIELD and everything with Clint starting in, say Age of Ultron forward, I just... don’t feel it anymore? Which does include the started and never finished Coulson’s Final Case 

Next Thursday Night - huh, I’d honestly forgotten about this fic. maybe i’ll revisit it this year upcoming... somewhere I think I have an outline.

Subject to PunTax - I love puns, and this story is very formulaic. I pick a topic, make up 5-7 puns on the subject, wrap a story around it and tie a bow with a suggestive pick up line. So, I leave this open to continue, the next time I’m feeling Punny.

Bucky Barnes has Kittens - Bucky as the crazy cat lady writer with bad anxiety. I’ve had a lot of people tell me this story has been great for them, dealing with Bucky’s anxiety issues. I do have more story ideas for this ‘verse, including Bucky finding out that Steve is also a writer and dealing with that. Decidedly On the List.

Eight Arms to Hold You - I have a handful of extra stories for these. Some of them went up on Tumblr for tentacletober... generally speaking, any mermaid fic of mine is subject to a continuation because MERMAIDS and OCTOBUCKY

All American Road Trip confession time here: I stopped writing this fic because of some anti-tonys who kept popping in my comments for this fic to rant about Tony Stark in a fic that was NOT ABOUT TONY. I’ve deleted all their comments, but they were nasty, and I stopped wanting to write for people who were being so abusive to Tony (and honestly, that much bile spilling in my comments, I don’t care who it’s about, it makes me sad) Like, they liked the Fic (steve/sam/bucky) but... eeeh, whatevs. I didn’t feel like dealing with it, and I’m not going to.

Also Prey - One of my more popular pieces, I reserve the right to add more to it when I’m in a fluff mood.

Kiss me Through the Phone - I wrote this with @27dragons and I have about... half a plan for a third chapter called Your Dirty Little Secret. So, with some encouragement, that could happen.

The Truth is Who You Are - my BDSM with religious song lyrics fic; this stuff is really emotional for me, and while I do have 2-3 more pieces planned, they take me a while to write and they knock the shit out of me while I’m doing it. There’s a lot of Tony working through his self-hatred that just... it’s deep. So... there will be more, it just... might be Some Time. 

The Killer and the Kid - this is literally my most popular piece. I get a MOAR PLZ ask on this at least once a month. I have been saying for a while I’m not planning any more of this, but I did offer it as an incentive for the Marvel Trumps Hate auction. This particular fic will ONLY BE WRITTEN for a charitable donation. 

Joyride - I’ve written a couple of addons for this fic loosely titled Bundle of Joy. They’re not quite Done Yet, but when I get there, I’ll be posting that.

Nights in Sandbridge - our most popular series, and I love these boys so much here. We have no major plans to continue, but if something strikes us, we may. 

WinterIron Pickup - a short story that spawned a second chapter. I have some ideas for continuing this, but it’s fallen by the wayside as I write other things.

What Good is the Sky - this piece is so angsty, and I keep getting requests to do moar of it. Trust me, you don’t want that, it will END BADLY. and I will cry a LOT.

Off the Menu - I really do have a LOT more of this story in my head. I just don’t know when I’m going to get around to it.

Bucky Barnes Prom CYOA this was SO HARD to format that I just gave up on it. I may come back and redo this as a few “completed” stories? 

Phoning it In - I do, in fact, have a few more of this AU in mind, I just lost a bit of the shiny after an amazing fucking against the sofa smut scene. So, there might be more of this in your future (also I kept expecting it to win March Madness, so I-- didn’t get back ‘round to it?)

A Poor Reflection - never got finished. Not sure why, I had the whole damn thing plotted out. Where is my outline??

The Enhancile War Series - mostly to play with the trope of naked girl in a box, this series originally had four plotted stories, but we just could NOT get the fourth story to GO anywhere, even pushing on it really, really hard.

Any Old Music Will Do - I have a plot outline for this one, with Bucky and Tony forming the core of the Defenders, along with Luke and Jessica, but I don’t know what I did with it... anyway, there’s more ideas here. a bit.

Indispensable we had a plot idea for a sequel and I actually think we wrote about 15000 words or so on it, but-- meh, it ended up not being very interesting. If we come up with some actual plot, then maybe?

Park(s) and Wreck(ed) - I have some more ideas for this as Tony and Bucky get their sexy on all over the office.

Stark, Naked - we did, in fact, do a sequel to this, which was rather short, but well-received. Not much ideas here for anything else, but we like this version of them, so if we get good prompts, we might be tempted to take up the reigns again.

Land After Time - We get a LOT of requests for Moar of this. If we had ANY FUCKING CLUE what was going on, we might. but we really, really don’t

We Can’t Eat That (It’s Dead) - I actually have an entire plot for this, on who the dead guy is and what happened...  I could be encouraged.

Forever Home - we wrote a full length sequel to this, but weirdly enough, it WASN’T the original sequel we’d sort of talked about. which means there’s potentially a third story here... (maybe a 4th one, too)

Excuse me, I think You Have My Suitcase - the further adventures of Tony and Bucky in lacy underthings. Yes. The next time I feel like PWP, I plan to revisit.

Dead to Rights - I still really like this idea... I just didn’t get as much traction from the Umbrella Academy fandom as I would have liked. Probably because most of my writer friends are Not Into It, which doesn’t give me many people to bounce ideas off 

New York: Become Human - there’s a LOT more story here to tell... maybe we’ll tell it.

Rejoice in the Sun - I started writing this fairly soon after Endgame, when I had a lot of feels, but between the absolute outpouring of hatred about that movie from the fandom. seriously, y’all were going all Annie Wilkes up in the house to the point that I put Endgame back on BLACKLIST to get away from the seething bile... it got really hard to enjoy post endgame content, and I got sick, too, so... that didn’t help any.

Once a Knight - Witch Bucky and Knight Tony... we have some more plot for this...

No Job Too Small - I think I even have another chapter of this WRITTEN. And some more plotted out. Tony and tiny children. What could go wrong?

(D)rift Away - Bigger Better Bugspray... what happens when the Rifters come back? There might be more of this, once I work out some plot. And honestly, stop getting distracted by the damn @heamarvel prompts.

The Door into Winter - I have a whole story for this, still working on it

Learning to Work Together (Good Omens) - we have some more feels for this, so possibly, if we can put plot together.

Pretty much everything else i’m posting in progress is still going strong, Blueberries, Hell Charger, Can’t Help you Fix Yourself, Reclamation, Draco Malfoy and the Rune... and I have a couple of other collabs with other people that are... bogged down with details right now.

We’ve got a couple of stories headed your way from the Marvel HEA Hallmark challenge, including what may well be my new favorite: Buck Barnes Got Married. We also wrote a Cyber Punk AU with companion Tony as an excuse to dress Tony up in skimpy outfits.

So, that’s like the general status of Old Fic... and having ideas is not the same as finding the time to sit down and WRITE them, especially since New Ideas are attacking me at the same time, honestly.

[moonstruckbucky]

Royal Holiday Masterlist

Summary: Bucky Barnes is bored - trust him, he knows how that sounds. But being royalty, in his humble opinion, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Time to mix it up a bit.

Pairing: Prince!Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader, modern AU

Warnings for Series: Cheeky Bucky is a warning in itself. Massive amounts of fluff. A teensy bit of angst. 

Notes: At it again! This is written for @heamarvel​‘s Hallmark Event! I’m super excited to share this with all of you. I hope you enjoy this and that you all have a very happy, healthy, safe, wonderful holiday season - whatever you celebrate!

I’ve said it once, but I’ll say it again:

I don’t do taglists so please don’t ask.

If you like my work buy me a Ko-Fi.

Part One // Part Two // Part Three // Part Four // Part Five // Part Six

[27dragons]

Bound by Blood - Chapter 13

My love, Bucky had called him, and beloved, and Tony had absolutely not let himself read anything into those endearments, not even several weeks into their peculiar partnership when Tony had begun to suspect that he, himself, was falling hard and fast.

Bucky was a vampire, immortal, and even if he’d slept away most of the last lifetime, he’d go on for many more lifetimes. Centuries. Maybe even millennia. Why would he tie himself to one short-lived mortal?

But as Tony laid back on their narrow bed, Bucky looked down at him with something more than hunger, more than lust, and Tony couldn’t even begin to make himself believe that Bucky’s feelings were so shallow. Not even if he’d wanted to. And god, he didn’t want to believe that. He wanted Bucky to love him, wholly and madly and completely.

He reached up, skated fingertips down the side of Bucky’s face, along his jaw and down his neck, hand curling around Bucky’s neck, the inert jugular there, just under the surface of that pale skin. “Mine,” he whispered, full of awe and wonder at the thought.

And that's a wrap on this story!

On Thursday (yes, Thanksgiving, for our fellow U.S. folks) we will kick off the holiday season with a bit of utter fluff we wrote for the @heamarvel Hallmark Event, called The Christmas Unicorn!

That will run three days a week (our usual Tues/Thurs/Sun slots) until it's done, and then we'll take a couple of days off (! I know!) and be back the week of Christmas with two new stories that we are really excited about!

[sunalsolove]

Chapter Two

AU. The day before her Christmas Eve wedding, Jemma’s stranded in Ohio. Luckily, a friend gets her a ride to New York. Unluckily for nearly-a-bride Jemma, the man sharing the backseat with her is a grumpy Scottish engineer who quickly captures her mind, and maybe her heart. The storm catches up to them and they find themselves snowed in at a Pennslyvania B&B with only one bed. Will Jemma and Fitz discover what they truly want in love and life before it’s time for her to walk down the aisle?

FitzSimmons. Rated T. Complete at 3 chapters and around 10K. Beta’d by @robotgort​. Who I desperately try to not have make notes about commas. (Remember all those NCs?)

Written for @heamarvel​‘s 2019 Hallmark Holiday Event, prompt 9:  An anxious bride-to-be (Character A, “bride” is non-gender assigned) throws in with broken-hearted and cynical Character B and a happily married couple for an emergency ride to NYC from New England.

Other Tags: Christmas, Snowed In, Only One Bed, Snowball Fight, Runway Bride, New York City, Road Trips, Snow, Background Mackelena, Light Angst, No SHIELD AU, HEA, Wedding Dress, Will is kind of an ass, snuggling to keep warm

Chapter Two: Silent Night

[heamarvel]

Hallmark Happiness!

My goodness, everyone!! We are absolutely blown away at the level of participation we’ve seen with our event so far, just 20 days in! This is more than Mod Pepper thought we’d get over the entire event. Every other mod told her she was deluding herself... and we were right! We surpassed her expectations in the very first week.

As of right now, we have 16 (16!!!) pieces submitted to our Hallmark Holiday Prompt Challenge collection, and those 16 pieces include fic, art, and mood boards, and span 10 different ships! That’s just amazing.

There is still time to contribute to this wonderful event, even if you haven’t started anything yet. Our collection will be closing at Midnight EST on Dec. 24th, and we will then release a Masterpost of all the works, and members will start receiving their achievement badges and banners (preview here!).

For now, take a look at what these talented people have contributed. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts! <3

Fics

Snow Falls, Love Rises | heyjupiter @twentyghosts​ | Bruce x Tony | Teen

Love from the Outside | ByAStream @jbbarnesnoble | Bucky x Reader | Teen

Wave a Magic Wand Over This World | iam93percentstardust @iam93percentstardust​ | Steve x Tony | Mature

Meet Me On All Hallows’ Eve | Iron_Eirlyssa @eirlyssa​ | Tony x T’Challa | General

Shed a Sweet Light | RoseRose | Sam x Bucky @tehroserose​ | General

WhatsApps and Weddings | betheflame | Bucky x Nat | Teen

An Irish Solstice | wolfiefics @wolfiejinn​ | Steve x Bucky | Mature

Once Bitten, Twice Smitten | starspangledmanwithaplan @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan​ | Bucky x Reader | Explicit

Jingle My Bells | Dresupi @dresupi​ | Bucky x Darcy | Explicit

Time only mends some wounds. Others you have to stitch back together. | Celticas @quartzcelticas​ | Clint x Phil | General

Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn | betheflame @betheflame​ | Bucky x Tony | Teen

Mood boards

A King For Christmas | iam93percentstardust @iam93percentstardust​ | Steve x Tony | General

A Little Bit More | iam93percentstardust | Bucky x Tony | General

Fairytale of New York | iam93percentstardust | Bucky x Steve x Tony | General

Pumpkin Pies & Twinkle Lights (mood boards) | kocuria @kocuria​ | Steve x Bucky | General

Fic, mood boards, and art (combined)

Pumpkin Pies & Twinkle Lights | betheflame, kocuria, Em @betheflame​ @kocuria​ @em-dibujsb​​ | Steve x Bucky | General

Happy Hallmarking, you beautiful souls. <3

[debwalsh]

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Pepper Potts Additional Tags: Marvel Happily Ever After Hallmark Holiday Prompt Challenge 2019, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gay Bucky Barnes, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Snowed In, Inspired by Hallmark Christmas Movies, Pining, Holidays, Christmas, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Marvel hea holida Summary:

In which New York attorney Bucky Barnes gets stranded at the airport with the last car denied him in his hour of need. He’s rescued when a handsome guy offers him a ride to town as a blizzard bears down on the area.

And that’s how Bucky Barnes finds himself snowed in with Steve Rogers ... with extra pine ... for the holidays ...

Written for the Happily Ever After Marvel - Holiday Movie Event, Prompt 15:

15. Stranded at an airport at Christmastime, Character A accepts a ride from Character B, who has just rented the last car in town.

@heamarvel