#i need to watch rumlow being a double agent

[ex0rin]

yeah, you seemed pretty helpless without me 😏

[abbatoirablaze]

White Wolf's Shadow, Chapter 9

Word count:  3.6k

Warnings:  Mentions past trauma and coercion, mental abuse, blood, gore, death of an unborn child, A/B/O dynamics, severing of a bond, violence, and tense situations.  Angst.  Very angsty

2 years ago

How he managed to get the upper hand on you was still a mystery. You had done the recon needed to determine the safest entry point was through the basement, but somehow, he still managed to beat you.

You knew as soon as you entered the cabin that it wasn’t Bucky.

The outside of the cabin had been masked. But the inside of it reeked of him.

Rumlow.

Your mind drifted to the last time that you’d seen him, when you were fourteen. He’d been arrested and detained into a remedial camp along with Pierce, for the corruption, abuse, and harassment of you. But they were only to serve five years.

You hadn’t thought about them a day in your life when they went away. And now you regretted that fact.

You regretted that you hadn’t paid more attention to the way he fought. To his weaknesses. If you had, you would have caught the fact that he’d used simple sensory overload on you. As a theta, it was one of your biggest strengths, but like any double-edged sword, it was also one of your biggest weaknesses.

He’d made sure there was a constant veritable hum of noise to drown out your hearing, the different tones and pitches, leaving you unable to hone in on one direct thing. That while the cabin was drenched in his scent, there was an underlying odor of the suppressants that you used to take. It smelled slightly bitter, almost like a sour candy. You had recognized it quickly, as it was the kind that would push away your ability to release the calming agent in your own scent.

The flickering of the lights that played with the delicate balance of your own vision. You couldn’t wear the goggles as they couldn’t transition between the flickering quick enough, so you were forced to adjust manually, which caused the smallest of lapses in your ability to make a quick decision.

But that was how you came to be resting on the main floor. You’d made it to the second floor, and were beginning the process of clearing the rooms, when he’d come out of a hidden pocket in the walls and injected you with something.

You had fallen down the stairs instantly as your legs gave out from beneath you. It was only seconds later when he was happily trouncing down the stairs, pulling the knife from his thigh holster.

“Well, well, well,” he purred, stopping at the step right before you. You groaned, and tried to push yourself up, only for your arms to feel heavy, “oh, don’t push yourself little wolf. The harder you fight it, the faster your body loses. Well the agent doesn’t hurt, but neither does your training.”

“Theta?”

You heard Steve’s worried voice as tried to call out for you, but you couldn’t speak. It felt like you were paralyzed. Brock smiled, taking the final step, and leaning over you. He reached down to your ear and grabbed the comm, crushing it between his fingers, “Thirteen. Sleeper. Boarding. Prague.”

In a blink of an eye, he was on you. The knife was held to your forehead as you laid on the ground. Rumlow had you pinned by your arms, but he didn’t need to. You had responded to the training that you were given all those years ago, and whether it was from that, or the paralytic, and you were immobile. He chuckled as he looked at you.

So pliant.

As he leaned forward and his lips grazed yours, you gave no reaction.

“I told you, one day, little theta,” he laughed. His knife trailed down along your jaw and he put it beside himself. Gripping your face hard, he made you look at him, “All I had to do was be patient. I know you can hear me. Can’t you theta?”

He felt you barely nod your head, “yes sir.”

You tried to move, or even speak out again, but your body felt like it was being weighted down. Your only relief was through Brock’s orders.

“Good girl,” he smirked, slapping your face lightly. He watched the hollow, glassy-eyed look you had with curiosity, “I remember when you were becoming this pliable. The times where Rogers and Barnes couldn’t save you. Do you remember the way my lips taste, theta?”

“Yes sir.”

It felt as though you were being punched when a memory of you at the young age of fourteen flashed across like a movie.

Brock had injected you with something, and you felt dizzy. Unable to move. His lips touching yours as he purred that you were his. Scented you as his hands touched parts of you that you were much too young for.

He pulled your face to his, ripping you from your own fragmented mind and his lips caught yours at a bruising rate. You barely reacted when he bit your bottom lip, a warm coppery taste filling your own mouth, when he threw himself away from you. Your head bounced back against the wall, and you released a small whimper.

“Oh, come on,” he chuckled, standing up. He watched as you lay leaning up against the wall, “I’ve done way worse to you than that, little theta. I know you’ve taken more from me.”

Grabbing his knife, he stabbed the ground beside you.

“Do you know what I miss the most about us, theta?” he asked with a chuckle, “how much you don’t remember. You had me arrested and charged for corruption and harassment. But I didn’t harass you…by the end of our sessions you begged me for everything. You were such a good, respectful little theta. It was only when those bastards Barnes and Rogers got to you that you brought yourself back. Piece by piece. But I’m a patient man. I could wait. I could stand by and allow them to think that they won while I slowly held that piece of your soul they never knew existed. You may be their whore now…but you were mine first.”

He turned back to you and roughly kicked your stomach. You whimpered, but still couldn’t move as the paralyzing agent continued to work through your bloodstream. You couldn’t even respond anymore to his questions, even though your subconscious conditioning tried to fight the agent so that you could.

Your body was at war with itself.

Fighting against the training that Rumlow and Pierce put you through when you were fourteen.

Fighting against the paralytic agent to be able to fight him.

Your eyes shifted to the knife, and he laughed.

“Oh, sweet little theta,” he scoffed, coming back over to you. He straddled your hips and grabbed the knife, “are you seriously so hard-headed that you think you’ll be able to hurt me? To go against your own training. Do you want to stab me?”

You wanted to scream for him to go fuck himself. You wanted to wrap your hands around the knife and thrust it deep into his neck and watch the blood come from it. You wanted to watch the life fade from his eyes, and for him to beg with his last dying breaths. But you couldn’t move.

“I see that look in your eyes, theta,” he said darkly. His knife came up to your face again, before sliding down your bodysuit, pausing over the small swell of your stomach, “you fucking whore. Couldn’t get enough of his knot…could you? Don’t worry. I’ll help you get rid of it. I’ll help make sure that you don’t have to deal with Rogers or Barnes…just have to make them think they won this little battle is all…have to make them think I got away. You’re the key to it all you know…it’s time for the little wolf to come out of her mentor’s shadow. Time for you to enact your training.”

You groaned as you felt the pain of his knife in your abdomen. You knew the familiar feeling of blood seeping out of a wound, but your mind freaked out thinking about your pup. He pulled you by your hair so that you could see the wound he’d made. The anxiety rose across your bond, and you could feel Steve’s renewed vigor as he pushed himself closer to you.

“We’re out of time, little theta,” Rumlow purred as the cameras that showed a perimeter breech of one mile, his lips capturing yours in one last fleeting moment, “Thirteen. Active. Boarding. Prague. Instructions for mission, available on twenty-two. Sub level C. Reengage Malta. Seven days.”

“WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?” Steve demanded, screaming at the staff as he stared into the empty room where his fiancé should be. Bucky stood beside him, a nervousness rising in his chest as he saw the chip on the metallic stand.

“Steve.”

“Shut up!”

“Steve,” he called again, pointing to it. Steve’s breath caught in his throat as he noticed the blood on the bed, the chip on the stand, and tools to sew a wound shut. The two men walked over to the bed, and their worst fears were confirmed. The chip that each theta had inserted whenever they started their service in the shadows had been removed from her arm. The forceps and bed had fresh, wet blood, proving that she’d done it recently, “she still has to be here.”

Steve’s blood went cold as he felt a burning sensation on his neck, over his mating gland. He bent over in pain and grabbed at it. “FUCK!”

“What’s going on?”

Steve was unable to catch his breath. It felt like someone had taken a hot branding iron to his mark. The connection between himself and his mate fizzled. Steve felt the beginnings of a panic attack, unsure on what was happening to her.

“NO.”

“Steve?”

“S-someone’s removing her mark,” Steve hissed. A knot formed in his stomach, almost like he was being stabbed, and he fell to the cold tile, shivering. Bucky stood, watching in horror. He’d heard of the chemical removal of bonds. He’d never had to go through it, but watching his best friend now, every horror story was confirmed. Steve looked like he was dying as he screamed in pain. Some doctors came in, trying to attend to him, but they looked on in pity, recognizing what was happening, “please…please help me.”

“There’s nothing we can do,” someone said solemnly, “someone get the morphine. Knock him out!”

Steve screamed in pain, writhing, until Bruce finally came through, needle in hand, and shot him up. It took only seconds to enact, before Bruce put another needle into him, “Jeffords. Smith. Get Captain Rogers into a bed. Keep him on the morphine for the next few hours. Someone’s removing his mate’s mark, and he’ll be unable to cope. Alvarez, call up to security and let them know I’m coming, and get me video for theta thirteens room. We have to know where she is and when she left. Barnes. Follow me.”

“The pup,” you whined softly from your bed, tears falling freely down your face even though you were asleep. Bucky and Bruce watched the screen as your hands felt your stomach, “Stevie…I can’t feel him.”

Bucky angrily watched on.

This shouldn’t have happened to you.

His should have never been allowed to happen.

“It’s okay,” Bruce said softly. Bucky looked at him, and Bruce was holding out a box of tissues, “you uh-“

Bucky hadn’t realized that a few tears had made their way from his eyes, and down his cheeks. Wiping his face, he ignored the box of tissues and watched the screen.

Natasha came into the room, just as you sat up on the bed on screen, “Where is she?”

“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Bucky replied, looking back sadly. Nat glared at him, “she disappeared…”

“Why are you here?”

“That’s not important, Nat,” Bruce called, fast forwarding the recording. He stopped and rewound the footage when he saw you talking to yourself, “something’s happening.”

“T-twenty-two,” your voice echoed in a hollow tone. You sat up and looked around the room, eyes settling on the medical cabinet in the corner. Jimmying it open, you grabbed a pair of forceps, some scissors, a scalpel, and some dissolvable stitches. Pulling the curtain so that no one would have direct line of sight from the door to your bed, you felt along your arm until you reached a spot just above your elbow. Using two fingers you felt around a little more, then nodded and grabbed the scalpel, cutting into your arm. You didn’t even react as you dropped it on the metal stand and dug around for a second with the forceps. Your glassy look remained as you pulled out the tracking chip and sewed yourself back up. Going back over to the cabinet you dressed in some dark blue scrubs, and tied a mask on your face. You looked like an ER surgeon who was scrubbing up to go into surgery, “Sub level. C.”

“What the hell is she doing?”

“They brainwashed her.”

Nat and Bruce looked to Bucky whose eyes were wide with shock and horror.

He knew that face all too well.

He’d known that face since she was fourteen.

“What?”

“How did I miss it?” he asked, his voice now taking a scared tone as he watched her disappear on the screens, going down hallways until she reached the elevator. He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat as he realized just how much he’d missed when she was in training, “sh-they must have done it to her when she was at basic…when Ru-“

“You mean that she’s been brainwashed this whole time?”

“Zola developed a technique,” he admitted to Nat and Bruce, “he and Schmidt…back in the forties…similar to the one they used in the red room to make sleeper widows. They wanted sleeper soldiers but whoever took over after they were caught didn’t like that. So, they switched to coercion and wiping techniques…she-I should have seen it…should have recognized the patterns.”

“What patterns, Bucky?”

“Rumlow and Pierce…they’re Hydra. They’ve removed her mating mark to Steve so that he can’t find her…she’s their new Winter Soldier.”

“Shit.”

When Steve woke, he asked for her, thinking it was all some sick dream. A nightmare that he was finally able to wake up from.

When no one would talk to him about her, he asked for a mirror.

And when no one would give him one, he ran until he came across his reflection in a window.

His mark was gone. An ugly scar that looked like a chemical burn was all that remained of his fiancé.

He couldn’t feel her.

She was a ghost in the wind. Everything felt hazy.

Empty.

As Bruce came into the room with Nat, they let him know that Bucky had been watching the cameras.

Sub Level C of the hospital. Room 22.

It was where they housed the bio-medical chemicals.

Where they housed the Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, or LSD. Which is what she took to bring forth the bond, before using the sulfuric acid agent that would ultimately burn it off of her.

When Steve felt the bond dissolving, they didn’t realize that she was still in the building.

When the medical personnel rushed to attend to Captain Rogers, she made her escape.

Steve felt heartbroken at the thought of his mate being somewhere in the world without him.

“Is she going after Rumlow?”

Bruce and Nat looked away from him.

“She’s been brainwashed by Rumlow.”

Steve looked to Bucky. His best friend looked beyond exhausted as he came into the room where Steve was.

“What are you talking about?”

“They did it to her when she was 14, Steve.”

“Who did?”

“Hydra,” Bucky said calmly, “Steve, Hydra has theta thirteen.”

Steve jumped from his bed, “that’s impossible. We-“

“We weren’t always there,” Bucky replied, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach, as he had to finally admit that he couldn’t always protect her, “Bruce looked into the orders more from when she was at basic…there were documented orders of her receiving the same treatments I got when they were transitioning me between being on ice and doing their dirty work. She’s their new me…trained by all of us to know our habits. To know how we work…she’s a sleeper. They picked her on purpose. They eliminated your bond because that would allow you to have a hold on her that they can’t afford.”

“Buck…she’s my everything.”

“I know Steve,” he sighed softly, looking at his best friend, “and she’s mine…that’s why we have to get to her before she does too much damage.”

“We’ll appeal to the council,” Bruce said quickly, “Make sure that they are aware she’s been compromised just like Bucky was when he was the winter soldier…we’ll have them form a team to-“

“No,” Nat said quickly, shaking her head, “we’ll inform them that she’s compromised…but we have to make sure that we are the team. If they allow a team to be made, they’ll eliminate her. If she’s been compromised, they’ll see that as a weakness. We have to be the ones to bring her in.”

“I’ll call Shuri,” Bucky said quickly, “when we bring her in, we have to take her to Wakanda. Shuri knows how to break the bond. She’ll be able to help her after we find her.”

“But what if we can’t find her?”

Everyone looked at Steve. The man was broken, having lost his mate and fiance. His blue eyes held a sadness that Bucky had only recognized before the serum. The same sadness from his mother’s funeral when they were young.

“Steve-“

“I have to think about my kids, Buck,” he said softly, “I-I don’t know if I can go after her…”

“She’s your fiancé,” Bucky growled angrily, “what are you talking about, you don’t know if you can go after her?”

“I’m saying I have to think about Ender, Stevie, and Sarah,” he mumbled, looking away from Bruce, Bucky, and Nat, “even if we do manage to find her…who’s to say that Shuri can help her. It took you two years in Wakanda, Buck. And that’s if she doesn’t kill us when we find her. She was picked because she was trained by us. She knows our tricks. She knows our strengths and weaknesses…Buck…I can’t find her just for her to kill me. If it came down to it…If it were to be a me or her situation, I’d let her kill me before I hurt her…”

“What the hell are you saying Steve?” Nat growled, looking at her friend, “are you saying you want to give up on her?”

“I can’t leave the kids,” he whispered, “she-we always talked about if anything happened to either one of us when we went on a mission…she was worried something would happen to her. We always said if something happened, we’d take the kids and disappear…get them out of the states so that they wouldn’t have to do what we did…I-I have to fulfill our promise.”

“No,” Bucky growled, furrowing his brow, “she wouldn’t want you to hide the kids away and you know it. That’s what happened in Wakanda the first time.”

“You don’t know how afraid she was when she lost Ender,” Steve snapped, looking at Bucky, “you don’t know how much it broke her, thinking that he was going to be lost in the system and forced into something he didn’t want…”

“I know what my mate would have wanted, and it wouldn’t be a coward.”

Steve stood up, sizing Bucky up at his comment, “and what would you know about not being a coward? You left them.”

Bucky growled at Steve, and the two gave one another looks that would kill if they could.

“Well, I’m going…my mate deserves someone that doesn’t give up on her.”

“I’m doing what I need to for our kids,” Steve growled, “something my mate would want.”

“You two can stand here and have a dick measuring contest if you want, but I’m going to find her,” Nat said suddenly. Both men’s eyes shot to her. In their moment they’d forgotten that Nat and Bruce were with them, “Steve…I know the anxiety she had about Ender, Stevie, and Sarah being stuck inside the system. But you should know that she had a plan with Shuri…should something ever happen. Wakanda is still shut off to the rest of the world. You should go there with the kids. If we find her, we’ll meet up with you. Bucky, if you’re serious about coming with me and finding her we need to assemble a team. You know just as well as I do that if they woke her up they’re planning on utilizing her soon. You know what Hydra is capable of.”

“What do you want me to do?”

Nat looked at Bruce longingly, and she wrapped her arms around him, “I need you to pretend to go along with everything. Help Steve get the kids ready, and make sure they get to Wakanda safely with you. I’ll let Thor and Loki know we need their help. You get Clint and his family to safety too. Once they find out we’ve disappeared they’ll go looking for them.”

“Of course.”

“I love you,” she said quickly, pulling his face to her own. She slotted her lips against his own, and the two shared in a simple, passionate kiss, “stay safe big guy.”

“I love you too, Nat.”

“Let’s go get our girl,” Nat said quickly, looking to Bucky, “Rogers…keep my grandchildren safe.”

Chapter 10

[lizamango]

Finding You (Bucky Barnes x Reader) 2/?

A/N: Hi everyone! I’ve decided to call this fic Finding You, just to inform you for future chapters! Getting my second vaccine tomorrow!! 😁🤩

Summary: You’ve been one of SHIELD’s top spies for years but what happens when the organisation you’ve put your trust in crumbles and Captain America gives you a mission to help him find his best friend? The last thing you expected to happen was to fall in love with your assignment and become best friends with a witch.

Taglist ~ just comment if you wanna be added

@buckylokisimp​, @white-wolf-buckaroo, @austynparksandpizza, @markandlexies

Word Count: 2345 (this is so fucking satisfying omg)

Masterlist

Chapter 1

Warnings: Just curse words, rewrites are hard but it’s kinda like shifting but through fanfiction??

Chapter Summary: Steve Rogers doesn’t trust you very much

Chapter 2: BUT YOU KNOW BETTER

On our way back, the STRIKE team is on celebration mode while Rogers is quiet. It won’t be a surprise if he goes to see Fury about the side mission I was assigned without his knowing. As we land on the Triskelion landing pad I watch as Captain Rogers leaves without a goodbye and heads to, undoubtedly, Fury’s office.

I tune into Fury’s communicator.

“Heads up, Fury. Angry Cap on your way. He found out about my mission.”

“Batroc?” he asks.

“He got away,” I answer regrettably.

“I’ll have international agents on high alert. You’ve done your part. Just leave the drive with me after Rogers.”

“Yes sir.”

I put all the weapons into the cache and go to clean up, changing out of my stealth suit and into a SHIELD hoodie and sweats that I keep in the locker for after missions. I wait by Fury’s office doors and he finally emerges from the elevator without an angry Cap.

“Gave him a little tour of Project Insight,” he says as he unlocks his office.

I walk in behind him. “That’s brave of you.”

“He didn’t like it.” He takes a seat and so did I.

“I’m sure he didn’t.” I fish out the hard drive and put it on the table. “One super secret hard drive for Nicholas J Fury,” I announce like a waitress.

“Good job.”

“He didn’t think so.”

“I want you to keep an eye on him. Just make sure he doesn’t do anything, alright?”

“What could he possibly do?” I raise my brows.

“He isn’t on board. I need you to get him there.”

“Don’t you already have an agent assigned to him?”

“Agent 13 is for when he’s off duty. You will be there for when he’s on.”

I scoff. “Have you met the guy? That’s all the time.”

“That’s an order, Agent.”

I nod. “Fine. Have you heard anything else on HYDRA?”

“The last reliable intel we have is three years old now, Y/N. It’s hard to track them down.”

“I don’t understand why you had to take me out. I was getting close to something. Someone. I don’t know.”

“Finding the world’s greatest soldier just took precedent. You weren’t getting anywhere for a whole year. Whatever it was, they packed it up tight.”

“Because it was something big,” I defend. “I still think you made the wrong choice. Captain America doesn’t need two babysitters.”

“Well, you try being asleep and waking up 70 years after to a whole new world and see how you feel. You’re dismissed. Get some rest. Make nice with the old man.”

I get up and leave his office. Make nice…. How do I do that when he doesn’t trust me anymore?

I get a ride home from Fitz who congratulated me on completing the mission.

“So what was he like?”

“He doesn’t like me very much,” I chuckle.

“Why not? What did you do?” he asks in an accusing tone.

“Me?!”

“He’s the perfect man, what could he have done?”

I roll my eyes but don’t answer. We arrive at my apartment and I thank Fitz for the ride back.

Unlocking my door I go straight to the bathroom for a bath. I run the water to the perfect temperature and add a bath bomb that turns the water a glittery lilac scented with lavender. I also light a candle that crackles like a fireplace that emits a subtle smokey French vanilla. A girl’s gotta treat herself. After a good long soak I get out and decide to rest up not wanting to do anything for the rest of the day.

I wake from my nap to the ringing of my phone. Reaching over to my bedside table I read the screen which has nothing but the number 1212. Well, that can’t be good.

“This is L/N,” I say.

“I need you to find the star. Keep your guard up.”

Shit, I think as I jump out of bed and get dressed in something inconspicuous. Black trousers, leather combat boots, a Kevlar vest under a back hoodie, two pistols on my belt and a knife tucked in each boot. I pick up a grey Von Dutch trucker hat on my way out.

Walking is the safest option so I navigate toward Steve Rogers’ DC apartment that he was relocated to after the New York Invasion as he decided to become a full time SHIELD agent.

I arrive outside his apartment and see Sharon on her way out.

“What are you doing here?” she asks.

“Mission. Waiting for the Captain,” I say. I look at her scrubs. “How you liking the infectious disease ward?” I ask.

She rolls her eyes and laughs. “Well it’s just a uniform. I guess it’s better than people shooting armour piercing bullets at me.”

“I’ll see you ‘round, Kate,” I wave, using her alias.

I track Steve’s whereabouts on my phone and see that he’s at a counselling centre for veterans. Fair enough, it’s good to admit you need help.

What do you want me to do here, Fury? I wonder to myself. I decide to do a perimeter check for any bugs, wire taps or double agents.

I reach an alleyway and after peering into it I hear the scraping of a manhole against the ground. I reach for my gun and keep it to the side as I slowly approach it.

I hear a grunt and raise the gun.

“Agent,” I immediately recognize the voice as Fury’s. “Stand down.”

“Shit, Fury.” I holster the gun and help him out of the manhole. “What happened, who did this?”

“Not safe,” he says in pain.

“W-where do we go? Rogers isn’t inside.” I inspect his wounds. “Looks like you have multiple fractures on your left arm and abdominal bruising-“

“Car ambush,” he utters as he approaches the fire escape. “Stay out here, keep a look out.” He pushes a phone into my hand, I don’t recognize it as his day to day. “Anything happens, secure line 0405. I have to… get to Rogers. Do not engage unless enemies fire first.”

“Fury-“

“That’s an order.”

I put the phone into my back pocket and stay behind as he climbs up and through the Captain’s Window.

The sky is starting to darken so I make my way through the perimeter again. Sharon returns and shortly after that, Rogers arrives, weary but alert. Just as a soldier would.

I hear some 40s music coming from the walls of the Captain’s apartment. I suppose he heard it too and got suspicious because he exits his apartment building to climb up the very same fire escape that Fury did.

My eyes follow him up and survey the roof of the building for any suspicious activity.

Suddenly three shots are fired right into one of the apartment building’s walls.

“Fuck!” I whisper, looking for the source.

“Foxtrot is down, he’s unresponsive. I need EMTs,” I hear one of my comms come through. It’s Sharon’s voice.

“Do we have a 20 on the shooter?” a dispatcher responds.

Before I know it, Captain Rogers is jumping out of his window and into the building the shots came from.

“Captain Rogers is in pursuit,” Agent Carter says.

I follow the Captain as he runs through a building following the shooter while he runs on the roof. They don’t fight but Rogers manages to throw the shield at him and does what some would say impossible as he catches it and throws it back just as hard. I stop where I am and just observe which is what Fury wanted me here for. The shooter jumps from the building and it looks like he catches himself using his… metal… arm. I look up and see Rogers standing at the edge of the rooftop, looking back down the shooter is out of sight.

“Transporting Foxtrot to BridgePoint Hospital Capitol Hill,” the dispatcher says from my comms. After sweeping the place one more time for any sign of the shooter and coming up empty I decide to take a cab to the hospital.

I put out an arm but it’s not a cab that stops in front of me.

“Get in, L/N.”

“Hill?” I get into the passenger’s seat and she starts to drive. “You’re supposed to be –“

“Fury called.”

“He was shot.”

“I know. Ballistics will tell us more at the hospital.”

“He’s gonna be okay,” I say but it’s more for my comfort than hers.

We arrive at the hospital and Maria takes a phone call while I find his room number, viewing the operation through the glass. Rogers is already there.

“Is he gonna make it?” I ask the Captain.

“I don’t know.”

“Tell me about the shooter.”

“He’s fast. Strong. Had a metal arm.”

“Ballistics?” I ask, knowing he can hear Hill’s conversation outside.

“Three slugs, no rifling. Completely untraceable,” he answers and looks at me.

Hill enters.

“Soviet-made,” I add as I put the picture together in my head.

“How did you know?”

I don’t get to answer her as the surgeons and nurses say that Fury’s in V-tach and rush to solve the problem.

“Fuck’s sake, Fury,” I whisper. “Don’t do this.” My hands start to shake as they lose his pulse and can’t bring him back. I notice that I’m mumbling something repeatedly but I can’t realise what.

I feel Rogers leave as the team gives up.

“Time of death, 1:03am,” the doctor calls.

I watch them wheel him out as Hill goes too. Taking a deep breath, I walk outside into the hallway.

“How did you know they were soviet-made?” Rogers asks, following me.

“Do you trust me?” I ask him, turning to face him.

“No. How did you know?”

“Why are you asking me when you don’t trust me?”

“Why are you dodging the question?”

“Cap!” Rumlow calls. “They want you back at SHIELD.”

“Give me a minute.”

“They want you now.”

“Okay,” he replies irritated.

“You’re not gonna ask me what Nick was doing in my apartment?” he asks.

“I know what he was doing there. Do you?” I raise a brow and turn on my heel, walking away.

I see Maria in the viewing room with Fury’s… body.

“I need to take him,” she says. “Don’t get yourself into trouble, alright?”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not a child, Maria.”

“Do you want a ride anywhere?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

“What, you’re just gonna hang around here until Rogers comes back?”

Yes that’s exactly what I was going to do. “No.”

She chuckles and walks away. I wait for all the SHIELD and STRIKE agents to clear out of the floor to go back into the waiting area. I go to the vending machine to pick up a snack and notice something that shouldn’t be there… the drive I gave Fury with SHIELD intel hidden behind three packets of bubble gum. Frowning I buy out the stack until the drive also falls to the dispenser. I take a seat, waiting for Rogers.

I don’t realise when I fell asleep until someone shakes me gently.

“I heard.”

I look up and it’s Sharon. “Hey.”

“How are you doing?”

“I’m fine.”

“Sure.”

“Don’t you have an assignment debriefing to give?” I reply.

She shrugs. “That can wait. I wanted to see how you were doing.”

“Did you wanna know what Fury was doing at Rogers’ apartment too?” I ask, suspicious.

“Do you know?”

I nod.

“Then that’s all I need to know.”

“Fury trusts – trusted him,” I correct myself. “That means we have to.”

A beeping comes from her wrist communicator and she sighs. “I have to go. I’ll keep you in the loop about what happens at the Triskelion.”

I frown. “Why would I need to be kept in the loop?”

“Because I know you’re gonna be on the run, soon. With him. To find that shooter. Pierce won’t like that you’re after him outside of mission directives…”

“I know. You be careful, Sharon.”

She smiles stiffly and I know it’s because she’s worried about me. “If I didn’t know better I’d say you were being careless and rash.”

“But you know better.”

She chuckles softly and turns to leave. I get up walk around to stretch my legs. Where the fuck is Rogers?

An hour passes and I’m back where I started but I see the man of the hour stop in front of the vending machine. I pop a strip of gum in my mouth and walk up behind him, blowing a bubble.

His face sharpens and he sighs then pulls me by the arm and takes us into a room.

“Where is it?”

“Safe.”

“Do better.”

“Fury trusted me. I’m on your side if he trusts you.”

“He doesn’t trust anyone. That’s the problem. That’s why he’s dead,” he says harshly.

I swallow the lump forming in my throat.

Rogers sighs and pulls away. “What’s on it?”

“I don’t know.”

“I bet you knew Fury hired the Pirates didn’t you?” he accuses.

No, no I didn’t. Stunned, I blink at the news. “Made sense. The ship was dirty, Fury needed a way in, so do you.”

“How did you know it was Soviet-made?” he repeats his earlier question, losing patience.

“I know who killed Fury,” I say. “The metal arm… I knew as soon as I saw it. 2009, Natasha had a mission in Odessa. Someone shot out her tires and killed the engineer she was protecting by shooting right through her. Soviet slug, no rifling. Metal arm. The intelligence community call him The Winter Soldier. I’ve heard him as the Asset. That’s who killed Fury.”

“How do we find him?”

“He’s been credited with two dozen assassinations in the last 50 years, Rogers. You don’t go after him. I’ve tried.”

He looks up at that, as if surprised. But he doesn’t know half the shit I’ve been through while working for SHIELD.

“So he’s a shadow.”

“Was.” I pull the drive out of my pocket and hold it up to him.

“Let’s find the Asset, then.”

 💖

Thank you for reading! I’ll update once I’ve finished Chapter 4 but I am busy this weekend!

Chapter 3

[anika-ann]

The 5 Times Steve Felt Betrayed - bonus

and the 1 Time He Felt Like He Was Betraying You

Type: mini-series to a series (part 1 & part 2 & part 3),  Avenger!reader AU.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x reader       Word count: 3400

Summary: Steve might have abandoned you and his friends in Germany, but Steve Rogers does not give up on people. Do you?

Set shortly after the rescue from the Raft.

Warnings: mentions of violence and fights, mentions of the Raft, language...fluff

A/N: This part of Melting Hearts’ verse follows the events of CA: Civil War, sometimes only referencing them and kinda expecting the readers to know what’s up ;)

Posted in double chapters (1st & 2nd time, 3th & 4th, 5th+1... and the bonus, because my brain clearly doesn’t understand the concept of 5+1)

Previous part

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Seeking Shelter, Finding Home

Clint had been kind enough to replace Steve in the pilot seat – with a significant look sent your direction. You were sitting away from the others, watching your hands as if you couldn’t quite believe they belonged to you. Steve’s lips automatically press a thin line at the sight – you still looked so small as you had when he had found you in the cell.

Just the memory of The Raft made his stomach turn over. The prison was just inhumane – the way a power-restricting collar had been pinned around your neck, your hands trapped in a straitjacket just in case you would somehow manage to remove the collar. And then there had been the tiny thing in the straightjacket, ready to deliver an electric discharge if you would have left your cell despite all the barriers.

Sure, Wanda had been in the same… outfit, and it was sickening, but seeing you crumbled in the corner of the cell, tied and broken like that – it had made him unable to breathe in or out, his chest just too constricted. And knowing you had gone through all this because of him made it even worse.

Now, you were at least free of your cuffs, in a comfortable hoodie that was two sizes big for you, and yet you seemed absolutely lost.

He approached you hesitantly, his heart jumping to his throat and making it almost impossible for him to speak.

“Uhm… hey,” he greeted you softly and you immediately raised your head to him, a faint unsure smile appearing on your lips. Your absent eyes found his, missing its usual spark. He beckoned to the seat next to you. “May I?”

“Of course,” you whispered, apparently a bit baffled. Steve sure as hell didn’t like the resignation in your voice. “This is your jet.”

He shrugged, seating himself by your side. Your shoulder almost brushed his and it was as pleasant for him as unnerving. So close and yet too far.

“You helped me steal it.”

You eyed him timidly, fumbling with your fingers nervously. Heavy silence fell and for several moments; he just stared into your eyes, drinking in the feeling of being able to do that again. To look into your soul and see all the emotions playing in your head; until you lowered your gaze again, hiding from him.

He sighed, not knowing how to even start, not knowing how to talk to you; you had barely exchanged few words about Bucky’s whereabouts since the rescue from the prison and it had been… awkward, to put it mildly.

God, where should he start? He wanted to apologize. He wanted to ask million questions and most of all he just wanted to wrap his arms around you and hold you close, not saying a single word, because words only made things messy.

That was if someone bothered with forming them – or receiving them.

He gulped and pulled out the folded envelope. He would swear he could hear your heart skip a beat as you drew in a sharp breath.

“Uhm… I didn’t read it. I’m sorry. I… I was angry with you, disappointed. I thought… I thought you left me in a lurch and then you were just… trying to make it better with few words. And after, I didn’t want to… to waste any time. I wanted to find you, all of you, because I left you behind and I knew you suffered for it. And…” he took a deep breath, setting the letter aside, taking your restless fingers in his hands. You looked up at his face, your eyes wide and glassy. It made his throat even tighter. “And I was hoping you could just tell me what you wrote. That you could tell me everything.”

You pressed your lips together, blinking your tears away as you avoided his gaze once more. It was driving him insane, but he couldn’t say he blamed you.

“There’s not much to tell, Steve. I… I agreed with the Accords. With someone watching over us, maybe to be held responsible for--- but all I wanted was someone watching over me. Because I can do so much damage-“

He grimaced, a cold hand squeezing his guts as you stumbled over your words. Forever and always guilty. He underestimated sometimes how deeply your guilt ran.

“That’s not-“

“-and… I hated we couldn’t agree on that. But I never got myself to sign it. Didn’t really have the time and after what they did to Wanda – I couldn’t, it was just wrong. So wrong to hold her prisoner, throwing her under the bus. She made a mistake, yes, but we all did-- and… it wasn’t right. It was when I decided I couldn’t do it.”

“Why didn’t you come with Clint then?” he asked, confused. He was recognizing you now, the motivations you had had suddenly feeling much more like you than he would expect.

You smiled wryly.

“I couldn’t. It was… I figured that maybe at least I could make myself useful. I knew where that was heading. I had to stay with Tony to know their plan.”

Steve closed his eyes, exhaling shakily, your hands in his weighting a ton all of sudden. You had really been playing double agent. That had been such a stupid and reckless move. And kinda brilliant, but that was implied.

“God, Snowflake…”

You freed one of your hands to wipe the tears from your cheeks; Steve gripped your other hand tighter, so you wouldn’t get the idea of stopping touching him for a goddamn second.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry about the arrest too, but I saw what kind of a task force they sent after you, Steve. You would stand no chance, there was no way you could escape. The heavy guns, Rhodey, snipers, helicopters. It was-“

Steve’s eyes snapped open at the realization.

“You were trying to protect us,” he whispered incredulously.

Oh god. Had you gone completely insane? Had you lost your mind? Had you lost the last pieces of self-preservation somewhere along the way?

“I’m sorry. I know it wasn’t my call and I swear I was waiting until the last moment, I waited until I was sure that they would get you anyway. And I am— I’m so, so sorry for--- for-”

You hand was shaking in his, your voice cracked and you were now wiping the tears uselessly, because new ones were coming constantly. You weren’t able to finish the sentence, but Steve knew exactly what you were trying to say.

And it made him snap.

He threw away stupid ideas like approaching you carefully and wrapped his arms around your trembling form, cradling your face to his chest to hush you. He was taken aback when your weak fingers grabbed the edges of his leather jacket and you melted into him. He tightened his embrace.

“Hey, I know. It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m sorry you had to use your powers against me. I’m sorry,” he mumbled into your hair and you stiffened, you breath hitching.

“What?”

He caressed your back, his previous certainty wavering. “You hated it, didn’t you? You hated it so much, but you did it anyway, because you thought it was the only way to keep us from getting shot.”

You didn’t speak up, unable to find your voice, but Steve could feel your furious nods. He inhaled deeply through his nose, wishing he could just take the feeling tearing you apart away.

“You did the right thing.”

“Right things suck.”

Steve huffed out a surprised laugh and pressed a shameless kiss into your hair. “Yeah. Sometimes they do. But you did it anyway, which makes you the bravest person I’ve ever met.”  

You stopped shaking by then, and you fumbled with his jacket this time. Your face was hidden in the crook of his neck, but Steve would swear your face felt hotter even when he couldn’t see your cheeks. It was a little piece of happiness for him in this huge mess and he couldn’t be more grateful for you being here with him – finally in his arms.

“Can I ask you something?”

He wanted to slap himself the moment you tensed in his arms again. You nodded stiffly anyway.

“After… after Nigeria. Why— why did you start going to Matt? What happened? Were you… were you disappointed in me?”

You retreated, escaping his embrace, and Steve scolded himself for being so stupid. Why had he poked you again? Words always made things messy…

It was only a little comfort that you were still holding onto his jacket. Your baffled face confused the hell out of him – but at least you didn’t seem angry.

“Why would I be disappointed? What… what?”

“Uhm… well… because I froze. I didn’t handle the situation-“

“Jesus, Steve,” you choked out, shaking your head, your eyes finally finding his willingly. The look in them warmed Steve’s heart even when he wasn’t sure what exactly it was supposed to mean. “Is that what you think? That I was… disappointed that you didn’t perfectly keep your cool when Rumlow mentioned Bucky? Did you think I was… thinking any less of you? Judging you? Oh god, Steve. How could I?”

The sincerity of your voice struck him straight in his gut and he was honestly feeling like an idiot in an instant. Of course you hadn’t judged him. You weren’t one to judge people – you hadn’t said a word against Wanda after she had messed up. The only person you ever had been hard on was yourself. How could he have believed anything else even for a second?

Jealously, whispered the intrusive voice in the back of his mind and he shushed it angrily – mostly because it spoke the truth.

“But… why did you go to— uhm, to Matt then?”

You arched an eyebrow inconspicuously and Steve felt a blush creeping up his neck. Yeah, he had been jealous and wounded at the time and it was stupid, okay?

“Because I needed a lawyer,” you explained hesitantly and it was Steve’s turn to be perfectly shocked. Again. What? “A good one. A smart one. An outsider too, at least to certain extent. I wanted to ask him about the possible consequences of the Avengers messing up. I wanted to know his opinion and I didn’t want to ask him over a phone. He predicted the Accords with scary precision, by the way. And he said hi on several occasions, but I never got the nerve to actually deliver the greetings, because I was afraid you would pry why I was going out.”

Steve’s jaw went slack, his eyes widening in awe. That— that was pretty much the only thing he hadn’t seen coming. Shit. You-- you were incredible. You had been thinking ahead. So much. You had been afraid of the consequences so you had gone to a lawyer to be prepared.

Yes, you had sought out the one friend, who had happened to find too much liking in you, but… while he and Wanda had been figuring out their guilt – and Steve was still sure you had taken some of the blame too in your head – you had sprung into action. And his ego had been too wounded to see it.

He tilted his head back, pleading heavens to give him strength.

“Oh god, I am such an idiot…”

“No, you’re not,” you protested immediately, finding his hand to cover it with yours. Oh, how quickly your roles reversed, you soothing him now.

He looked at you, still not quite believing you had done all that. His eyes scanned your form, your face still damp from the tears you had shed, your eyes red-rimmed from crying, dark bruising under. But regaining at least a little of your confidence, you had grown right in front of his eyes. You were incredible. How had he ever doubted that? How had he ever deserved you?

“Really? Because I was being jealous instead of asking what was the visit about, my ego was hurting and I was hurting, and I was too blinded by my petty feeling of betrayal to see what you were doing. And then I honestly thought you just left me – that all we had meant nothing to you all of sudden. I thought the worst of you and I was too damn proud to comply with the single wish you had. I didn’t even read your letter. Which part of that does not make me a complete idiot?”

You bit your lip, lowering your gaze to your joined your hands, caressing it softly. It made Steve’s heart grow in size – but it still didn’t make him less of a jackass, it actually made him feel worse at the same time, because it wasn’t your place to offer comfort to him, it was supposed to be the other way around.

“The part in which feelings aren’t petty and make us human,” you whispered hoarsely, a tiny spark appearing in your eyes, disappearing all too fast. “I wanted to drop it all – the moment you looked at me when I-- when I froze you and the… the look in your eyes at the airport. It was the worst part of it all. You thinking… thinking that I’m a scum.”

Steve had never shaken his head so abruptly as the moment you called yourself a scum. His hand slipped from under yours, only to frame your face with his palms, making you look into his eyes. He was the one feeling like a scum at the moment, because… you hadn’t been that far from the truth and he didn’t think he had ever felt so ashamed for his previous thoughts like at this very moment.

“No. Hey, look at me. You— I was-- I wasn’t thinking straight. I was hurt and felt betrayed and I was disappointed, yes, but never ever-” he emphasized, staring into your eyes as if there was nothing more important in this world. And it wasn’t. “-have I thought you were--- that. And I’m sorry that I doubted you for even a moment.”

Your eyes turned glassy again under his intense stare, so many emotions written in it. You couldn’t bear it, you wanted to look away, but he wouldn’t let you, holding your gaze.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated firmly and you finally managed to close your eyes to escape.

It was when he did one of the boldest moves ever. Without a single hint of permission, after your relationship had suffered an enormous hit and with him not having a clue how you felt about him now, he pressed his lips firmly to yours, stealing your breath away.

He didn’t know what he had expected, but the hesitant response turning into an eager one within few seconds was not it. Your hands flew to his hair, interlacing in them and pulling him closer, your mouth opening for him almost immediately. He sighed at the unexpected sensation, a shiver of excitement running through his body. Your mouth was hot and wanting against his, one of your hands trailing down his chest; when it stopped above his navel, he found himself silently groaning in disappointment.

It was also when he realized where the hell you were and how much audience you had. His fingers twisted in your hair – god, he missed that – and he withdrew just slightly, setting a slower pace and putting some distance between you two. You seemed to get the memo, because you gently caressed his abdomen over the fabric of his t-shirt, separated from his lips and rested your forehead against his. You were both out of breath, panting.

Steve opened his eyes first, only to see your lips kiss-swollen and parted as you fought for a little air, your eyes still closed as if you were trying to regain some composure. His lizard brain whispered more and he listened, kissing you one more time; but at least wary of keeping the kiss socially acceptable this time. It was next to impossible to part again.

“I’m sorry,” you breathed out and Steve looked at you, once again confused.

“For?”

You licked your lips, the movement utterly and unfairly distracting. He retreated and your eyes snapped opened as you cleared your throat.

“I honestly don’t know where we go from here – and now I mean… like… the two of us, but… I’m sorry. They took all of our personal belongings,” you whispered, embarrassed and pissed off a bit.

Steve tilted his head to side, not following. Yeah, he knew that. Why were you pointing it out?

“…okay?”

“All of it. Including… including jewellery.”

“Oh,” he let out intelligently, his heart expanding in his chest with hope.

Really? Was it possible that-… really? Sure, the kiss you just shared was nothing sort of loving, you had cleared things out and maybe it should hint him, but…

“I mean... I know you're probably angry with me-“

“Would you still want it?” he breathed out, astonished. He was trying to fight the euphoria creeping into his voice, no doubt showing on his face, but he couldn’t help it. “After what happened? After I... thought you turned your back to me, after I left you behind even when knowing you actually didn't? After I became a criminal?”

“I am a criminal too, Steve. And… I told you to go. You didn’t want to, because you're not leaving people behind. And you came back. I… I love you. Of course I’d still want it.”

He felt his lips curl up in a smile that mirrored only a fraction of the surge of joy in his veins. You didn’t seem to follow why. The declaration alone would be enough to make him feel like this, but… well. At least the little delay in the rescue had been worth it.

“Why are you smiling like that?” you asked him warily, hesitant raise of the corners of your lips lighting up your face as well.

Steve reached into his pocket, drawing a thin chain with a ring out, holding it out between the two of you. You gasped in awe, watching the chain you had bought to protect your ring while fighting wide-eyed.

“How-?”

“When I asked the guard about it, he looked at me as if I was crazy. Maybe I am,” he explained with a shrug and you chuckled incredulously, biting your lip.

“May I... may I wear it?”

Steve had honestly no clue how you could be asking such a stupid question. He observed your features that seemed to come alive, finally back to your usual self – the sunshine in even the darkest place.

And that thought gave him a stop; he was in a pretty dark place at the moment and he didn’t think it would get any better any time soon.

“I… I’m in a terrible mess, Snowflake. I’m probably the most wanted criminal in the world now. Are you sure?”

You cleared your throat significantly. “Steve, allow me to remind you that I am a fugitive too. That’s the first thing. The second thing… you’ve done nothing wrong – the whole criminal thing is just a word, a label someone gave you. And the third thing… I know what I’m signing up for. I knew you were trouble – for a good cause – when I said yes the first time. I knew you were trouble long before I fell in love with you. So yeah, I’m pretty sure.”

“God, I love you so much,” Steve murmured before he could even think of anything else.

As he freed the ring so he could slip it back on your ring finger, you held out your trembling left hand for him. It wasn’t fear – it was excitement all over again. Too many emotions to contain. Steve felt the same. He was stunned, moved, and felt so incredibly loved and strong with you by his side that there weren’t any better words to say anyway.

He enclosed your hand in his when the ring was on place, bringing them to his lips only to plant a kiss over the thin metal. It made you smile like a madwoman.

From the corner of your eyes, you saw Sam Wilson fist-bump with Scott Lang. You hid your face in Steve’s chest with silent laugh.

You had no idea what the future held for you now – you could only guess that it wouldn’t be exactly pretty. But as long you were not about to face it alone, you were ready and determined to fight all the battles coming your way.

────── ·❆· ──────  

S.R. masterlist

Hell Froze Over (next in the series)

────── ·❆· ──────  

Thank you for reading!

Someone once told me that fluff is my default setting. They weren’t wrong. I know mini-series was a bit different and with shorter chapters, but hopeflly, you enjoyed nevertheless.

Sequel ahead, this one a longer one! Title’s Hell Froze Over... I can promise you a new enhanced on the scene, some fluff, some angst... the usual :-*

[wiypt-writes]

Stark Spangled Banner

Ch 2. The Contest.

Summary: Life at SHIELD isn’t always missions and seriousness, as a good natured shooting contest between Katie and Clint shows. The questions is, as the two dead-shots face off, who will be the winner? Steve has utter faith in his best friend, so much so he’s willing to bet money on her. But is this just another ten bucks he’s gonna lose?

Either way, both are left contemplating their feelings towards one another and fast come to the realisation that they run deeper than they want to admit

Pairing: Steve Rogers X OFC Katie Stark

Warnings: Language!!

A/N: A huge thank you to @angrybirdcr​ for her lovely little edit below of Katie and Clint. She’s kingly agreed to pull a few edits together for me in honour of my relaunch so keep your eyes peeled…

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Katie Stark and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

Stark Spangled Banner Masterlist // Main Masterlist

Chapter 1

 Katie had no idea why she’d agreed to any of this. Actually, that was a lie, she knew exactly why she’d agreed to this, it was all down to Evans who had decided that STRIKE were long overdue a competition of sorts and had organised a shooting-slash-obstacle course tournament. Eight members had entered, going into random draws and competing against one another over the past week. Out of those eight, two now remained. Her and Clint.

A shooting contest between two Avengers was always going to draw big attention, so it was hardly surprising, therefore, that the SHIELD agents were running a book. Clint was odds on favourite to win, but Steve had so far refused to take part, that is until ten minutes or so before the contest was supposed to start. He was stood outside the shooting range, eyes focussed on Katie and Clint as they both stood checking their equipment, a crowd steadily gathering behind him.

“I know she’s good, but she really doesn’t stand a chance.” Natasha drawled as she stood at his side. Her matter-of-fact tone caused something in his chest to stir, the lack of faith everyone bar Evans and Lawson from the lab seemed to be displaying in Katie over Clint riled him and he turned to Natasha, a smirk flickering over his face as he repeated the words Katie had said to him the first night they’d met.

“Ten bucks says you’re wrong.” He stuck his hand out.

Natasha raised an eyebrow at him, before shaking his hand “Alright Rogers, you’re on.”

His hands returned to his belt buckle and both Katie and Clint signalled they were ready.

Evans went into the room, it was soundproof unless you pushed the button to listen in, which Rumlow did, of course.

“Okay you both no the rules but I’m gonna repeat ‘em just in case. No pushing or shoving of your opponent because that’s just a shitty thing to do.” Evans said, his Texan drawl loud as his hand scratched at his ginger beard. “Perfect kill shots are an extra half-point. Twenty minute time limit is in force. If you’re tied on score then we’ll go to the number of kill shots made.” Evans looked at them and they both nodded, Katie licking her lips. “Now. To your starting lines. You may go when the barriers open.” Evans nodded and held his right hand up, three fingers extended “May the odds be ever in your favour…”

Steve had no idea what that was a reference too, but he heard the rest of the people around him snigger. Katie threw her head back in a laugh as Clint mimicked Evan’s hand gesture as the other Sniper left the room.

The two opponents both looked out over the room from their starting positions at the obstacles which were constructed out of crates and various other objects. Katie cracked her neck side to side as Clint raised his pistol again, looking down the barrel before he turned his head to meet Katie’s gaze. She put her gun back into its thigh holster and turned to her old SO.

“May the best woman win.” she smirked, as she felt the blood pounding in her ears. Then, with a loud klaxon, the barriers opened in front of them and they both shot forward.

It might have been a friendly competition, but Katie wasn’t someone who liked losing so she was playing to win, and that was obvious from the determination written all over her face. Steve felt a surge of pride as he watched her leaping from obstacle to obstacle, landing shot after shot. After she hit her fourth target head easily and ahead of Clint, Steve heard Natasha hiss through her teeth.

“Ok, so maybe she has a little chance…”

He didn’t reply, simply watched, silently willing her on.

As the minutes ticked on, the two continued, both making leaps, dropping into rolls, and ducking behind corners. Katie took another shot, and paused for a split second, if she was counting correctly there were two more to go and five minutes left on the clock. She looked up for her next target and saw Clint was blocking her way, knelt down, aiming at his own. Katie knew the sensible thing to do would be to wait, but then she was a Stark, being sensible wasn’t one of her main attributes. With a smirk she re-holstered her gun and sprinted as fast as she could, launching herself forward into a perfect front flip, catapulting right over the top of Clint before she immediately slid onto a knee and brought the handgun back up, aiming at the target.

Outside the room there was a lot of cheering and cat calls at her display of acrobatics.

Katie moved to her final target, back against a large crate, aimed but then missed and Steve closed his eyes- that would cost her.

“Shit!” She exclaimed, doubling over to catch her breath as at that point the klaxon sounded again to say they were out of time. She stood up, cocking the safety on her pistol before stowing it away as Clint walked over to her, pulling her into a hug.

“Sharp shooting, Nova!” He grinned, ruffling at her hair. Both of them turned as the doors open and a few agents walked in, back slapping them both as Evans collected the targets and went to tally up the points.

“That was impressive!” Steve smiled as he crossed the room. “Both of you.”

“Yeah, not bad Stark.” Nat added, appraisingly

“Thanks.” Katie nodded, taking a drink of the bottle of water Clint handed to her. She was red faced, sweating but absolutely thrilled, pumped full of adrenaline. She placed her hands on her hips and took a deep breath

“And we have the results!” Evans said and Clint threw his arm round Katie as hers slid round his waist. “Stark you missed one giving you nine and three kill shots, taking you to ten point five.” Cheers rang around at the pretty damned good score and Katie grinned as Evans waited until the applause died down before he continued. “However, Barton hit each target, giving him ten plus four kill shots, taking him to twelve over all meaning he is the winner of this year’s STRIKE Shoot Off!”

“Damned it!” Katie groaned, shaking Clint’s hand as various cheers and complaints went up and people started to cash in their bets.

“You’re fired.” Steve heard a familiar voice say. Spinning round, he saw Fury handing over a fifty to an agent whose name escaped him and Steve bit back a smile. The Director had bet on Katie. That one mistake had been costly.

“Cough up Rogers.” Nat held out her hand and he turned to her, sighing and fished in his pocket for a note, handing it to her.

“You bet on me?” Katie looked at him, surprised.

“Course I did, Doll.” he said immediately.

 “Yeah I didn’t, sorry Stark.” Nat took the ten-note off him “Clint’s never lost a challenge yet.”

“He nearly did.” Steve looked at Katie proudly before he glanced back at Natasha. “Was worth the bet to see you get so twitchy Romanoff.”

“Seriously?”  Clint turned to Natasha. “You got twitchy?”

“I’ll admit at one point I thought Stark might have just shaded it.” Nat narrowed her eyes at Steve who simply shrugged, hands dropping to the front of his belt buckle.

“To be fair, there was one point where I thought that too.” Clint smiled, and Katie felt a surge of pride in her chest as he pulled the magazine out of his pistol. “Did good Nova, I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks Clint.” she smiled at him.

“So, who fancies a drink?” Barton looked around, clapping his hands together.

“I’m game.” Katie nodded as she stripped down her weapon.

Natasha hummed in agreement and then Steve realised they were all looking at him. He hesitated, he really did need to train as he hadn’t had a decent run that morning and he’d be restless all evening otherwise, but after that…why not?

"I gotta work out first but if you tell me where you’re going I’ll join you when I’m done.”

“Take a day off!” Nat drawled, examining her nails. Steve was about to reply but Katie got there first.

“If he doesn’t work out he’s a right crank! And no one likes a Cranky Cap.”

“You know what Stark?” Steve started but she simply stuck her tongue out at him causing him to roll his eyes, fighting to keep the smile off his face.

“Why don’t we try the new sports bar on the high-street, what’s it called again?” Clint suggested.

“Home Run?” Nat asked.

“Yeah that’s it.” he nodded “Couple of doors down from the Burger joint.”

“I’ll find it.” Steve said as Clint nodded, making for the door, Natasha following.  Katie turned to Steve, smiling at him as he surveyed the room.

"You did a good job,” he nodded to the obstacle course “Did it take you back to fighting Aliens?”

“Not quite the same, you know? No returning gunfire… no life-or-death stakes… no Captain America cushioning my fall when we got blown out of a bank window,” she teased. He laughed, as she started to back up towards the door. “I won’t take up your workout time. See you at the bar?”

“You never take up my time, Honey.” He smiled back, honestly, before he felt the flush rise up his neck. What a dumbass thing to say. “See you later.” He nodded.

With that she took her leave, tugging her hair out the ponytail as she left, allowing the gentle waves to cascade down her back.

********

Half an hour or so later, after Katie had showered and changed, the three Avengers were making the twenty minute or so walk to the bar downtown.

“You know I still can’t believe I got to within a point and a half of you.” Katie nudged Clint.

“Me neither actually.” Natasha mused. “I thought it was gonna be a whitewash.”

“Nice to know you have so much faith in me, Widow.” Katie scoffed and Nat snorted.

“Tell you who did have faith, other than Rogers… Fury.” She looked at Katie who grinned from ear to ear.

“Hang on…the boss bet against me?” Clint stopped. With a heavy sigh he shook his head. “Damned, that hurts.”

“Don’t take it personally.” Katie shrugged as they reached the bar. With a loud snort, Clint opened the door to let the girls step in first and then he joined them, looking around at the new surroundings. It was low lit but piled with sports memorabilia held in various glass cases around the room and on the walls. They took the time to look at most of it on their way to the bar where Clint bought the first round. Drinks in hand, they headed to a plush, leather seated booth and settled down.

The three friends fell into an easy chat, and then the inevitable teasing about Rumlow fancying Katie started up and she groaned. Clint and Nat enjoyed ribbing her about him and she had to admit, he wasn’t subtle to be fair. He’d asked her out three times now and she’d politely declined but it didn’t stop her friends from enjoying teasing her about it. Clint and Nat took turns in trying to highlight Rumlow’s more endearing qualities. They managed a sum total of three when Clint leaned back in his chair and shrugged.

“Yeah, that’s all I got. I’m out.” He grinned as Katie laughed, raising her glass to her mouth to drain the last of her beer.

“Yeah, he’s not relationship materiel.” Nat shrugged

“But you could just fuck him, get what you need and kick him out before breakfast.” Clint suggested causing Katie to choke down her mouthful of European lager and pick up the beer mat nearest her.

Steve chose that exact moment to walk into the bar. He watched as the beer mat hit Clint straight between the eyes, and Katie threw her head back in pure, unadulterated laughter. Something in the Captain’s chest stirred as he watched her, that wonderful smile and laugh filling her face.

“Hey.” He greeted them as they all looked up. “You guys need another drink?”

“Cheers Cap, three beers.” Clint motioned round the table and Steve headed off to the bar. Katie watched him go, eye trained on his ass which looked remarkably fine in those dark denims, then, realising what she was doing and who she was with, she let out silent groan as she turned back to see Clint and Nat exchanging a glance, a glance between two people who had just discovered the best secret ever.

“What?” she shrugged, trying to keep her face as straight as possible. “Girl can look, right?”

“Nova, you ain’t just looking, you’re practically drooling.” Clint grinned. “You soft on Cap?”

“No, I just happen to…” She hesitated as she stumbled for the words “…appreciate what my father had a hand in producing, that’s all.”

“Bullshit!” Natasha snorted as Clint roared with laughter. “You’re hot for Rogers.”

“No, I’m…”

“You know, considering you’re a secret agent your poker face is really shit!” Clint pointed at her

“Oh fuck off, the both of you.” She spluttered and the pair of them continued to chuckle, exchanging looks in that infuriating way they did, until Steve returned, setting down the four pints which he easily held in his hands and slid into the spare seat next to Katie.

Thankfully, Natasha and Clint decided to leave their teasing alone and the four of them struck up a conversation talking about everything and anything. A few more pints were drunk and when it came back to Clint’s turn to buy he came back from the bar, a wicked grin on his face.

“Oh, no I know that look!” Katie pointed at him and Clint shrugged, placing her pint down in front of her before he sat down.

“Yeah, she’s right.” Natasha eyed him. “What you up to?”

“I’m just in the mood for another challenge.” Clint leaned forward, his eyebrows raising up and down as he spoke.

“Like what?” Katie folded her arms

“Which one of you…” he said, waving his finger between her and Nat, “…can down a pint fastest?”

“Is that really wise?” Steve asked and Katie smirked.

“Not for Nat, no.”

The red head quirked an eyebrow, “I’m game if you are.”

Katie shrugged as Clint chuckled and pounded his hand on the table. “Alright then, Ladies! On your marks…”

As soon as Clint had done counting down Katie raised the glass to her mouth and chugged, draining it in four seconds flat before turning it upside down on top of her head. Natasha wasn’t even half way through hers before she groaned and set it down, trying to supress a burp.

Steve couldn’t help but look at Katie, his mouth falling open.

"What?” she laughed, shrugging as the Captain exchanged a look with Clint. “I spent three years at University, drinking with boys.”

“Yeah well I’ll stick to Vodka.” Nat shook her head “Fancy that as a challenge?”

“Not a chance.” Katie scoffed, “Although Cap could.”

“He could, but he won’t” Steve sternly shot her a look “Because it wouldn’t be fair.”

Katie rolled her eyes pouting.

“You do know I’m Russian, right. Well, I was.” Nat leaned back on the bench. “I was practically weaned on the stuff.”

“Yes, I know that, but I can’t get drunk.” Steve shrugged. “My metabolism burns it off too fast.”

“Cap,” Clint sighed, shaking his head, “that might just be the saddest thing I have ever heard.”

“Even sadder than when you heard you were shipping off to guard Thor’s hammer?” Nat asked. Clint considered her point for a moment, and shrugged.

“Hmmmm. Maybe the same level of sadness at learning I was about to head to Butt-fuck America for an undefined amount of time, yes.”

Steve choked into his beer. Besides him Katie laughed and as Steve looked at Clint, the archer snorted and shook his head.

“Cap. I’m serious. It was legit in the middle of the fucking desert. Nothing for miles.”

“Hey, what happened to that one eyed puppy we found?” Katie asked suddenly.

“Err, I took him to some friends.” Clint answered after a slight pause. “Their kids love him, he’s living the best life.”

Katie and Natasha shared a smile, both understood friends to mean his family and his own kids.

“Still eating Pizza?” Katie asked.

“Pizza?” Steve asked, frowning. “Who feeds a dog pizza?”

“Well he was a bit like you in that respect. Do anything for a double pepperoni with extra cheese.” Katie nudged him with her elbow

“As long as its New York style.” Steve drained his glass, matter of factly.

“Admit it, you enjoyed it when it took you to Second City” Katie eyed him.

“You been to Seconds?” Clint asked. “Thought you swore you wouldn’t go back after that waiter said he wanted to give you a real slice of Chicago to talk about?”

“He did not!” Natasha giggled.

Katie groaned “He did.”

“Now, I wish I’d seen that.”  Nat grinned as Clint let out a loud snort.

“She went full Supernova in three seconds flat. Dragged him over the counter and everything.”

“You didn’t?” Steve glanced at her, although he knew the answer from the look on her face as she groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Look… we had just got back from a week’s stake out in Saudi Arabia…” she sighed, shrugging as Clint and Natasha laughed “I was tired and fending off the advances of some greasy, 40 something year old man politely really wasn’t top of my list.”

“Why not? You do it every day to Rumlow” Nat smirked.

At the mention of his name Steve felt his eyes narrow. He hated the way the STRIKE leader blatantly eyed Katie up at every given chance. It was disrespectful.

“Don’t start that again” Katie rolled her eyes.

“He’s not a bad looking guy.” Nat persisted. “You could do worse.”

“You like him so much you fuck him!” Katie’s voice was snappy. Romanoff leaned back in her chair, eyeing her over half full glass, smirking.

“Touched a nerve, Stark?”

“No, you’re just talking crap, as usual.” she shot back, standing up. “My round.”

Steve moved so that she could get out from the booth and watched her head to the bar.

“Think we need to lay off the whole Rumlow thing.” Clint snorted, turning Nat. “She’s clearly not interested.”

“She’s obviously looking for someone a little less…” Nat pondered and Clint cut in.

“Of an ass hat?”

Steve snorted and Natasha shrugged.

“I was gonna say a little more of a gentleman but…if the cap fits…” Her eyes flashed to Steve and he looked at her, his eyebrows pulling together as he felt the heat flushing to his neck. She simply shrugged, in her usual nonchalant way before she changed the subject.

****

A few hours later Clint and Nat decided they’d had enough and left to grab a taxi. When Clint was in town he always stayed with Nat, prompting Steve to wonder if there was anything going on beyond the platonic friendship. He pondered it for a moment, deciding to just ask the question.

 “Is there something between them?” he nodded to the pair as they left.

“No.” Katie shook her head “Absolutely not.”

“How are you so sure?”

“Okay, I’ll tell you, but don’t be pissed I haven’t told you before…” she said, pausing “Clint…he’s married, has two kids.”

“What?” Steve choked on his beer.

“They have a place, somewhere, I don’t know exactly but it’s off SHIELD’s books and no one knows bar me, Nat and Fury.”

“Huh.” Steve pondered the information for a moment and Katie took a deep breath.

“Look, sorry I didn’t tell you but…”

“It’s okay.” Steve smiled. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel a little bit disappointed she hadn’t told him before, but he understood, she was loyal to a fault. “I get it, he’s your friend.”

“Yeah I know but he’s not my best friend.” she batted her eyelids at him.

“Hmmm, stop buttering me up.”

“Has it worked?”

“Yes.” He deadpanned, draining his glass and she grinned “Same again?”

They had a couple more before Katie decided she was one pint away from being drunk and Steve found himself a little bit disappointed she wanted to leave. He was enjoying spending the time with her. It felt different to their usual trips out, she’d been more relaxed than he had seen her in a long time, enjoying the gentle touches she made to his arm and leg when she was teasing him.

His mind flicked back to Natasha’s little comment before and he found himself wondering if the red head knew something he didn’t. Was there something there on Katie’s part too? As he studied her for a moment as she pulled on her jacket, talking to him, he shook himself out of it. No, why would someone like her look twice at someone like him.

He managed to tune back into what she was saying, telling her no way was he giving her a lift home on the back of his bike without a helmet, causing her to pout and bat her lashes at him in an outrageously over the top manner causing him to snort.

“That ain’t gonna work either.” He shook his head and she shrugged.

“Worth a shot.” She chuckled as they made their way to the door. “And speaking of shots, you really shouldn’t have told Nat you can’t get drunk and whooped her ass at a vodka necking contest.” Her arm linked into his as they walked, and she leaned into him a little, her head laying against his upper bicep.

“Now that would have been dishonest. “Steve smirked. “Surely you’re not saying I should use my enhancement to my advantage in such a situation?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” she nodded.

Steve laughed, sticking his arm out to hail a cab for her.

“But then you’re a very honest kinda guy.”

“I have my moments.” He turned to face her

“Moments? Nah ah, you can’t lie for shit!” she grinned at him.

“No, I can’t lie to you for shit, Sweetheart” He rolled his eyes “You know me too well.”

“Hmmm, true.” she nodded in agreement as the car stopped at the curb and Steve opened the door for her.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Steve asked, not particularly happy she was cabbing back alone, it was times like this he wished he had a car. “I can walk back for my bike.”

“I can handle myself, I’m a trained killer remember?” she raised her hands and made gun signs at him with her fingers. He shook his head, smiling.

“You’re an idiot.” He snorted a laugh.

“But you love me!” She grinned, standing on her toes to give him a peck on the cheek. “G’night, Soldier.”

“Call me when you’re home.” He instructed “And if I ain’t heard from you in twenty…” he raised his voice so the cab driver could hear.

She shook her head, smiling as she climbed into the taxi and waved as it pulled off.

It wasn’t long before she was home and once she made her way into her bedroom, Katie kicked off her boots, flopped down onto her bed and pulled out her phone, better do as Captain Badass instructed or knowing him he’d turn up and kick the door in.

“So I’m home Old timer…” she said, when he answered and from his sigh she knew he would be rolling his eyes.

“Less of the old” he retorted, the clinking of cutlery and plates rattling in the background.

“What you doing?” she asked.

“Making food.”

“You can’t cook.”

“Yes I can.”

“So why have you never cooked for me?” she asked indignantly, feeling somewhat annoyed that she always did the cooking for the two of them.

“Because you’re better at it.” He replied, simply. “And I’ve made you grilled cheese before. And soup. Now drink some water and go to sleep.”

“God you’re so bossy.” she grumbled.

“Someone has to be, you’re a law unto yourself.”

“If I say it will you do what I said?”

“Maybe, probably, definitely maybe” she shrugged to herself.

“Then you’re awesome. Goodnight, Doll.”

“Night Stevie.”

****

Steve cut the call, placing his phone down on the counter as he thought back over the day, waiting for his food to heat up. For the first time in a long time he actually felt completely at ease. Ease with his life both in and out of SHIELD.

Up until a few weeks ago it had still felt slightly confusing, and it still did with the STRIKE team sometimes. At first he had been tentative, not trying to step on Rumlow’s toes but that had quickly settled and the two of them had fallen into a pretty good working relationship. As much as Rumlow could rile him, Steve knew that the man was good at his job, and Steve was equally good at his. He was the tactician, Rumlow organised the troops. But sometimes, well, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Sometimes he felt interest, but it was often coloured by the lingering disillusionment that his team were merely humouring him as the blue eyed all American hero he had been painted to be.

But never once had he felt like that with Katie.

And then his apartment seemed to blur in front of him, causing him to realise this went way beyond some daft crush. He was really falling in deep. The heat travelled up his chest into his neck and he felt his palms become sweaty. He dropped his arms to wipe them on his jeans as the fizzy feeling left his body, but stayed by him, swirling around until he could practically hear it. This really, really wouldn’t do. She was his best friend, a work colleague, the daughter of one of his friends from the forties…and then there was Peggy.

Not for the first time Steve delved into the reasons he’d been drawn to Katie, comparing her to Peggy. Both women had strong personalities, an unwavering sense of justice and ethics, a deep well of compassion, loyalty, and the air of authority that put more than one man in his place, including himself. They were both incredibly beautiful, filled with passion, devotion and ambition…

Abandoning his food, his appetite lost completely, he threw the remains into the bin and headed into his bedroom, intending to do what he did best when it came to women. 

Stick his head in the sand and hope to God it all went away.

****

Once she’d cleaned her face of make-up and pulled on a pair of pyjamas, Katie collapsed into her pillow, thinking about what a good day it had been. She hadn’t disgraced herself at the contest, had a good evening in the pub afterwards, and to top it off Fury and Steve had actually backed her in said contest.

At the thought of Steve, it reminded her she needed some water. Heading to the kitchen she grabbed a glass, filled it, and then made her way back to bed, this time snuggling down under the covers as she smiled to herself.

It was kind of nice to have Steve looking out for her, even if he was a bossy bastard about drinking water. It showed he cared. And it wasn’t just that, it was the way he was so comfortable with her. The gentle touches to her arm and lower back, the fact he called her doll or sweetheart. The smile that he flashed her that could light up his entire face, and those eyes, those god damned beautiful eyes that could drown her in seconds.

Her stomach was suddenly crawling with those damned butterflies, the same ones she had been feeling on or off around him now since Thanksgiving. And they fluttered from her stomach to her chest

“You’re hot for Rogers…”

Natasha and Clint had both hit the nail on the head, and that nail was getting harder and harder to ignore. She had feelings for Captain fucking America. Her dad’s friend, her best friend.

Groaning, she rolled over and shoved her head into the pillows. “I’m so fucked.”

**** Chapter 3

**Original Posting**

[kahlsflannel]

The Lost Art of Murder

Bucky Barnes is bodyguard to Mafia boss Steve Rogers. When Hydra makes plans to take New York for themselves, they send in a deadly assassin, one who takes a quick liking to Bucky and suddenly takes on the role of a double agent. 

Chapter One: Explosive Events

Hi hi hi, so I’m starting another series (which lets be honest here, I doubt I’ll finish) but if I get enough feedback I’ll hopefully stay inspired!!! Please lemme know your thoughts!!!

Word Count: 1.3K

Pairing: Mafia!Bucky x Assassin!Reader

Warnings: Swearing, guns, violence in general, mafia related activity, Natasha being hot 

"James? Can you meet me in the lounge?" Natasha's voice spoke smoothly into the ear piece that was tucked snuggly in Bucky's right ear. He reached up a hand, pressing the response button. 

"Be there in three." He did a final glance of the front lawn before stepping inside the large house in which he worked. The lounge was located at the back of the estate, nestled between the kitchen and back sunroom. When he rounded the corner, his hand instinctively flitting down to check his pistol was in it's holster on his belt loop. Natasha's tone was calm, but she was good under pressure. She'd never sound alarmed, even if a threat was apparent. His nerves were calmed as his eyes were met with a smirk and a flute of champagne in her left hand. The crystal of the glass complimented the large diamond that adorned her ring finger, a gift from Steve many years ago.

 "Good morning, James. Security report?" Bucky straightened his form, clasping his hands behind his back. An unnecessary behavior, but he was always one to push buttons of Natasha, one of which hated the formalities put into place by her husband. 

 "I did a full sweep of the house this morning when I arrived. Negative on any threats. I brought in a few packages and checked the seals on each. I don't believe there were any issues, but I followed protocol and had them sent up to Bruce so he could be sure. I did a perimeter check next, which was negative as well. And now I'm here talking to the red-headed deviant who is also known as one of my bosses." He finished with a smile, watching as Natasha took a long drink from her glass.

"Thank you, James. Steve needs you in his office. Come on," she said as she turned on her heels, the expensive robe that wrapped her figure moving in the breeze of the open french doors. A spiral staircase led up to a library, stuffed full of books from every corner of the world, Bucky's eye flitted to his favorite shelf, the one filled with the Romanian novels. Natasha pressed a small button the side of a bookcase, one that only pressed in with hers or Steve's fingerprints. The door opened quick, revealing a very stressed out Steve, one whose hair was ruffled from hours of clawing his fingers through. At the sound of the door, he looked up, eyes softening at the sight of Natasha. 

"Hey babydoll. Hey Buck. Come in, come in," he said, rolling his chair back to allow his wife to take a seat upon his lap as Bucky sat on the leather seat across from the pair. The room smelled of smoke and something metallic. Bucky scrunched his nose as he better took in his friend's appearance. Steve's eyes were bloodshot, and he had large bags forming underneath them. Natasha thumbed at the darkened skin, sighing at his state of being. 

"What's going on, Stevie?" Bucky finally spoke, eyebrows furrowing at his obviously stressed best friend. With a sigh, Steve slid forward a file, one that had a bloody set of fingerprints stamped on the brim. That explained the smell of blood, but didn't ease any worry that had started. Bucky knew his face showed confusion by the way the man across him avoided his gaze. 

"We didn't come across this easy, the guy put up an obvious fight: Sam pried it from his dead hand. Wish we could have worked it out but here we are. What's done is done," Steve spoke emotionlessly as Bucky grabbed the information, opening the manilla colored folder, glancing over the information as Steve continued. "Rumlow is hitting our men hard. Hydra is getting out of control. They want Brooklyn, but they know as long as we're here, they can't have it," he went quiet, making eye contact with Bucky before stating, "They've put out a hit for me. One I can't escape unless we get the assassin on our side over theirs. It's going to be expensive, and it's going to be hard. That's why I've put you in charge of doing it-" 

Before Steve could finish his sentence, a loud explosion sounded from the front of the house. Bucky immediately stood, gun drawn from his hip and pointed at the door. 

"You two stay here," he spoke quietly, glancing behind him before stating, "I mean it, Natasha. Stay here. I'll be back. Don't leave until I come back up here, understood? No one steps out of this room until they see my face." Both nodded, eyes wide as Bucky took a deep breath, slipping out of the door and waiting to hear the electronic whir of the lock clicking into place. He closed his eyes, accepting that he may very well be walking into his own death. 

He'd never given it much thought: dying, that is. He had always pushed it to the back of his mind. Protecting Steve was more important than anything, even his own life. Steve had been his best friend for as long as he could remember so when Steve stumbled home with a harsh brand stamped onto the side of his neck, Bucky asked no questions and joined his best friend in the underground world. As years progressed, Steve rose up in rank, taking Bucky with him as his personal bodyguard. No matter the threat, Bucky always jumped in, taking care of it before a single hair was touched on Steve's head. 

This time was no different. 

Bucky cocked the gun in his hand, breathing out sharply as he rounded around bookshelves, peeking out to ensure the all clear. He assessed his plan of action. There was no way he could make it down to the basement, where the security based their operations, without being seen. Pressing the button on his earpiece, he spoke softly. 

"I need intel, boys. What in the fuck just happened?" he was initially greeted with static before the voice of his second in command, Sam Wilson, piped up. 

"Some sort of plane flew overhead and dropped a whole lot of men, one with a bomb strapped to his chest. Blew up the front door, and now the house is littered with em. Fairly certain they have radio access, however, because my lines are not quiet so you'll have to fly solo, sir. I can't lead them to headquarters." Bucky sighed, nodding to himself. 

"Can you see me?" He waited for the yes before making eye contact with the camera. "Kill the coms, cameras, and phone lines. I'll handle them somehow. No matter what, do not give away the position of the boss or yourself. Over and out." He stayed on the line until a thick silence greeted him, telling him he was alone. He tugged the bud out of his ear, tucking it into the pocket within his jacket. The only way out of the library was the damned staircase that stuck out like a sore thumb in the lounge. Bucky shook his head, his breathing picking up as his adrenaline started to spike. He had to quick and silent, two things that he had spent years working at but still never felt quiet or fast enough.

He neared the stairs, peering down into the area below. It was deadly silent. Bucky took a deep breath and looked around, eyes landing on the new book that Natasha had been reading in the nook. He grabbed the paperback and dropped it down the stairs. No shots were fired, hopefully meaning that he could get down without suffering any bullet wounds. Slowly, he stepped down, silently hoping that the back of the house was still slightly safe. Once his full body was on the staircase, he glanced around, trained eyes scanning the room. No one was in sight, but he still didn't let his guard down as he pulled his suppressor from his back pocket, twisting it on with ease before heading out into the expanse of the estate. 

[kitkatd7]

I Hate You More

Summary: You're in love with Bucky- but he hates you. Right?

Pairing: Bodyguard!Bucky x Hydra Survivor!Reader

Tropes: Bodyguard AU - Whump - hurt/comfort

Warnings: Angst, talk of previous torture, cursing, fluff ending

Word Count: 3,883

A/N: This isn't my best work but I hope you enjoy it regardless!!! Please let me know what you think as this is a combination of about 4 things I've never tried writing before! This was written for @waywardodysseys in the @marvelxreaderfanfictionfest!!!!❤❤❤ thank you @fandomsandxfiles for beta reading it!!!!

Masterlist of Masterlists

Marvel Masterlist

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

You had walked into the Avengers Tower conference room timidly, giving all of the Avengers a shy smile and small wave- You weren’t very trusting with new people but something about them felt… safe. As if nothing could ever hurt you again so long as you were with them. It felt like you were part of the family; It felt like home.

----Two months later----

Bucky was head over heels for you; He liked everything about you since the very first day he met you. He craved your touch and loved the sound of your laughter more than anything, the way your eyes lit up when you were excited and how your intoxicating scent drew him in. And for him… that was a big issue. He wasn’t ready to deal with all of the emotions that welled within him when you were around and he definitely couldn’t admit his feelings. He told himself you wouldn’t feel the same way but deep down he knew he was just afraid. 

So he made a decision. 

God, it killed him to do it- but he made himself hate you; Forced himself to give you nothing but rude comments and cold glares at every turn. He didn’t talk to you unless he absolutely had to. 

You tried to be friends with him, you did everything you could think of; Invited him whenever you went out to the bar with Sam and the girls, asked him if he wanted to train together or watch movies- but he just sneered and turned away. After weeks of the same cold treatment you couldn’t handle all of the rejection and blatant hate you received from him, so you stopped asking him to do things with you and eventually you started avoiding him; made excuses not to go to movie night, making sure you were never in the gym at the same time as he was.

Regardless of the hate you received you couldn’t bring yourself to return it- quite the opposite, actually- You fell for him. Hard. Fell for the small smiles he gave so rarely (Even though they were never directed at you) The soft sound of his laughter ringing throughout a room and the sweet way he displayed his love for the team. His ocean blue eyes that you could get lost in so easily, the deep, warm lilt of his voice. 

Why did you have to be in love with the man who hated the ground you walked on?

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

A year later and he still hates you. 

Now you're standing in the conference room of the Avengers Tower, being briefed on your next mission by Director Nick Fury himself- Or you were being briefed before a certain tall, dark and brooding Sergeant stormed in. 

“Director, may I have a word? Privately?” He emphasizes, shooting you a deliberate glare.

“Well I would love to accommodate you, Sergeant, but as you can see I’m having an important conversation with Agent Y/L/N,” He states easily while Bucky looks at you coldly. “I’m sure whatever you have to say to me, you can also say to her as well.”

“I don’t want to be her bodyguard,” he says bluntly, switching his gaze back to Fury.

Chuckling lightly, Fury looks between your fallen expression and Bucky’s stone one. “Care to explain why, Sergeant?”

“She’s cocky, arrogant and reckless, she’ll do anything to get her way and God help us if she doesn’t- she’s stubborn and hard-headed.” Bucky regrets what he’s doing to you; He hates hurting you like this but he doesn’t know what else to do so he schools his features and presses on, delivering the final blow. “I enjoyed my time with Hydra more than I enjoy being around her,” he finishes, immediately regretting it when you flinch away from him and your mask slips, your features morphing into an overwhelming expression of pain and anguish. 

You quickly put your mask back in place, willing yourself to keep your eyes from tearing up. You subconsciously run your fingers over where you know the scars are on your forearm from when you were a prisoner of Hydra. Only Fury knows what happened to you and you’d like to keep it that way for the time being.

Sitting up, Fury starts stacking files briskly, giving you a small apologetic glance; He knows what effect the mention of Hydra has on you. “Well Sergeant, as much as I would love to help- I can’t. You are one of our best agents and she needs to be protected. Hydra wants her and we can’t let that happen. You know what they’ll do if they get her. We have bigger issues than your feelings at the moment, you may both go,” he says dismissively. 

Turning, you make your way out the door and away from both of them as quickly as possible as tears stream down your face despite your efforts to keep them at bay. After all this time his words and actions still cut deeper than any knife ever could. Why does he hate you so much? 

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

It’s been a little over a week since you were assigned your bodyguard and you're sick of it already. Why couldn’t you get a bodyguard that actually likes you? God, it’s frustrating; being tailed constantly by someone who probably doesn’t care if you live or die- especially when it’s literally their job to keep you alive. And as luck would have it, he has to go on your next mission as your bodyguard. You don’t need Bucky to go; It’s an easy mission, gathering intel from a double agent and you could easily do it by yourself. Child’s play. But Fury insists on him going with you. 

So here you are; Sitting in a club, sipping on bourbon and coke- Without the bourbon- Waiting for your contact to show while Bucky watches you from across the room. He’s trying to focus but it’s hard when you're wearing that; Form-fitting black jeans and matching knee-high leather boots, a tight, long-sleeve maroon crop-top that accents your curves perfectly. 

You usually wouldn’t wear this but tonight you're not you- you're just a girl out for a night on the town with her boyfriend- So you play your role, toying with your necklace and squealing excitedly when your ‘boyfriend’ comes and kisses your cheek before taking his place next to you. 

“So what do you have for me?”

He leans closer, whispering in your ear, “Rumlow has a meeting set up tonight, he’s bringing in another weapons shipment on the east loading dock by the river.” 

You rage inwardly at the information but keep in character, pressing your lips  to his before leaning to whisper in his ear, “What time?”

“11 o’clock sharp, he’s bringing his squad with him.” 

“Shit,” you mumble, faking a smile before standing to go to the restroom. “I’ll be back in a minute, baby,” you say cheerfully, loud enough for anyone close by to hear.

Bucky glares across the room at your contact, he knows it’s all a ruse- but he still bristles when the other man touches you, kisses you. 

His girl.

What? Where did that come from? She’s not yours, he reminds himself but he still rages inwardly.

He snaps back to reality when you stand and move towards the ladies' room. Anyone watching would have thought you looked like you were having the night of your life but he could see the energy and rage sizzling beneath the surface.

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

You storm into the bathroom, the door slamming shut behind you. You lean heavily on the counter, staring at your reflection in the mirror as you will the tears to stay down but it’s no use. Rumlow. The man who literally ruined your life. He was your captor during your time with Hydra- He’s the one who gave you your scars. You run your fingers up under your sleeve, grazing the scars gently as the tears start to fall, the only sounds are your quiet sobs of anger and the tip-tap of the leaking faucet. You yank your sleeve down quickly when you hear the door open behind you. 

You whirl around, not expecting to come face to face with Bucky.

“What the hell are you doing in here Barnes? Someone could have seen you! Or what if someone comes in? You could blow my cover!” You fume, not really mad at him but you need an outlet for your rage. 

“Calm down, doll. I just came to see if you’re okay,” He murmurs, locking the door to keep you from being interrupted. 

“I’m fine,” You tell him unconvincingly, swiping at the tears that are rolling in steady rhythm down your face. 

“You don’t look fine.”

Scoffing, you turn away, leaning on the counter again. “Since when do you care?” You spit bitterly, turning your head away from him.

“I’ve always cared…” He whispers softly, reaching out to comfort you but his hand drops to his side, his fingers curling into his palm uselessly. His words surprise you and you look at his reflection in the mirror. You don’t know what you were expecting to see there; Sarcasm maybe? An indication that he was lying? But all you see is a gentle sort of… Openness and honesty on his face that confuses you all the more. 

“What do yo-” You start but you're cut off by someone banging on the door and yelling: “Hurry up!”

Snapping out of your thoughts and confusion, you push past him towards the door; blinking back fresh tears. “I have to go.” And then you're gone- making your way through the crowd quickly without a backward glance at the man who’s calling your name. 

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

Bucky walks towards your contact, sliding in next to him casually, but he’s raging inside. “What did you say to her?” He asks quietly, desperate to know what has you so absolutely wrecked. He’s never seen you like this… He’s seen you storm out of a room with tears running down your face (courtesy of him) He’s seen you punch a man in the nose for making a pass at you- But never like this. 

"Exactly what I was supposed to. It's my job to pass on the information and I did, it’s not my job to babysit the agents afterward or keep track of where they go."

"What. Did. You. Say." Bucky spits through gritted teeth, his metal fingers digging into the bar. 

Sighing, the agent turns towards him fully. "Look, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but since she's your girlfri-"

"She's not my girlfriend."

The agent gives him a disbelieving stare; one eyebrow raised in question. "It sure looks like she is. I saw you on the other side of the room- you looked like you were gonna slit my throat for touching her."

"I'm still considering it." 

Ignoring the not-so-empty threat, he continues; "I told her about the meeting Hydra Agent Brock Rumlow is having tonight and after I gave her the location and time, she split." 

Pushing away from the bar, Bucky slips on his leather jacket. "Who’s Rumlow? And where's she going?" He asks briskly, all business despite his wildly beating heart. 

"You really don’t know who he is? Sorry but that I can’t tell you- You’ll have to ask her. And she’s going to the east loading dock by the river, Rumlow will be there in less than an hour." 

Nodding curtly, Bucky storms towards the door, people moving out of the way when they see the frenzied looking giant of a man.

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

“What the hell do you think you're doing?” Bucky growls, pushing you against the brick wall in the alley that you're using for a stakeout point. You wince when your shoulder hits the wall painfully, your head tilting back to meet his anger-filled eyes.

“Staking out a dangerous Hydra operation,” You say nonchalantly.

“Don’t give me that bullshit, what are you actually doing here? Why are you going in without backup? Or telling me? What’s so important that you have to risk your life for it?” He demands, his Brooklyn accent growing thicker, expression darkening further.

Anger flashes in your eyes at his question. “Why the hell should I explain it to you? It’s none of your business, and even if it was it’s not like you would care anyway!!” You yell, heat rolling off of you in waves as he takes a step back, grip loosening as he stares at you in confusion and regret- He didn’t mean to be so hard on you. He was just worried.

“Doll-”

“I am not your doll,” You growl. “I am not some pathetic girl you can just order around like you own her and then treat her like absolute shit, so don’t start with me.”

He whispers your name as you stalk past him, heading for a better viewpoint. “I didn’t mean it like that, please…” He trails off, but you're already disappearing into the shadows.

“Damn it!” He huffs, slamming his metal hand into the brick wall before tailing you, finding another alley not far from where you are; watching the loading dock.

A little while later, Bucky curses when he sees two dark SUV’s pull up, followed by another two vans. He watches intently as ten men step out and approach each other- five from each group of vehicles. He strains to hear what they say, but even with his enhanced abilities, he can’t make out anything of use.

Before they get any farther than a few words, you spring out of the shadows close by, easily taking out three guards as Bucky swears again before racing out to help you. By the time he gets there, you’ve taken out another three- Thanks to the element of surprise and training with Natasha.

Firing his Glock quickly he takes out two of the remaining four, lost in the flurry of ringing gunshots and the sound of fists connecting with their targets. Springing onto the remaining two, Bucky tussles with them a moment before knocking them to the ground and turning to see another Hydra agent stalking up behind you as you scuffle with another, his knife drawn. Shit. He must have miscounted. Before Bucky can fire his gun again he’s tackled from behind, his gun skidding just out of reach as he scrambles to fight off his opponents. Rolling away from the first and rushing to his feet, he kicks the second squarely in the chest, sending him flying against the truck, his head lolling to the side; unconscious. Clamoring to his feet, Bucky rushes to grab his gun, firing it in quick succession, hitting his targets expertly- 4 rounds. 2 men. 1 goal. Turning quickly to locate you, he sees you straddling the last one, your knife pressed against his throat and your teeth bared dangerously. Approaching slowly, he watches as you whisper a name… Brock.

Bucky looks on in confusion as the man laughs dryly, his eyes glinting with… confidence?

You dig the knife deeper into Brock’s neck and watch as blood trails slowly down his skin, leaving scarlet trails in its wake. As Bucky steps closer, he catches the end of what the man was saying: “-You always were weak.” 

You visibly tense before throwing your dagger to the side and by the time Bucky jumps forward to pull you off, you’ve landed several well-aimed blows and Brock’s face is covered in blood.

You're all breathing hard as you struggle in Bucky’s grasp, lunging at the no longer arrogant man on the ground. “I am not weak, Brock. I survived- I survived every cruel thing you did to me; Every stab wound, every burn, every scar. Every. Single. One. And not only did I survive, but I made the most out of my life after everything you put me through; I got a job that allows me to catch bastards like you, and that job gave me a family- a family that doesn’t know my past and doesn’t care because they love me anyway. And all of that makes me strong. Stronger than you could ever be,” you growl, looking over your shoulder in surprise when you hear sirens and turn to see Fury’s black Tahoe screech to a halt, accompanied by three other black SUV’s; Agents piling out of them, guns drawn.

Bucky grabs your arm and hauls you back as agents surround Brock and you stare up at Bucky. “Did you call him?”

“I did.”

Wrenching out of his grasp, you turn towards him. “Why the hell would you do that? I was doing fine! I had it handl-”

“You mean we! I saved your ass! without me, you would be drowning in a pool of your own blood right now!” 

Snarling, you start with a biting remark when the world around you starts to spin and you stumble unsteadily into Bucky’s chest. You barely register Bucky’s arms wrapping around you or him calling your name as hot pain sears through your side. Everything seems fuzzy; Muffled. You swear you hear Bucky say your name but he sounds… panicked maybe? You can't tell, it sounds so far away and all you know for sure is your side feels like fire and then everything goes black.

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

You try to open your eyes but close them again as bright lights flash above you over and over as you're rushed to the OR. You hear voices on both sides of you but it hurts your head to focus on their words. Opening your eyes again, agony greets you as the too-bright lights worsen your headache. Everyone and everything around you looks bleary. All you can feel is pain and a large, warm hand engulfing yours. You feel like your about to fall back into the abyss when you hear another voice-

Bucky?

"It's okay sweetheart, I've got you. Stay with me doll! Please- don't leave me. You’re gonna be okay, It’s okay." You're not sure if he actually says the last part or if it’s your imagination- what you wished he would say. Hell- you're not even sure if it really is Bucky running next to your trolley or if it’s just the lights playing tricks on you.

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

When you wake up everything seems blurry. Blinking, you glance around for the source of the annoying beeping, your eyes landing on a monitor system, the tubes and wires attached at various points on your body. You shift in your bed, wincing when agony sears through your abdomen.

When you groan in pain Bucky jumps to attention, taking in your tormented frown and confusion clouded eyes.

You look even more confused when your gaze lights on him. “How long have I been here? And... why are you here?” You ask; bewildered.

“3 days. I’ve been waiting for you to wake up- I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Bucky confesses, looking up at you through his lashes timidly- Under different circumstances, it would be funny. You’ve seen Bucky many things, but never so… small looking.

Your expression furrows further, your confusion growing. “You- 3 days- Why?”

“I don’t know.”

You look back down at your lap. “Were- were you with me? When they brought me here? I could have sworn I heard you and that you were holding my ha- Nevermind.” You mumble, keeping your eyes downcast. 

“I was,” Bucky whispers, a light blush tinting his cheeks. “With you, I mean… And holding your hand,” He confesses under his breath but you hear it nonetheless. You look at him again when he murmurs your name gently. “I was really worried about you.” 

Your brows knit together, puzzled beyond belief. 

“Why do you care? I thought you hated me?” You whisper so quietly he wouldn’t have heard if not for his enhanced hearing. His gaze jumps to your face as you pick at an imaginary thread on your blanket, blaming your boldness on the drugs they gave you. 

“I don’t hate you,” he says softly, looking down at his hands.

You laugh dryly, giving him a sad, calculating look. “Really? Because It sure seems like it- Judging by the cold glares and harsh comments. We’ve known each other for over a year and you're still like this- I’m beginning to think it’s just your personality... Why do you hate me?” You try to keep your voice even but it breaks, coming out as a broken whisper.

“Because it’s easier than the alternative!!” He half yells, his face flashing between anger and something you can’t quite place. 

“What’s the alternative?” You whisper, eyes on him as he runs his fingers through his hair.

Huffing out a breath, he stares at his hands like if he does it long enough he won’t have to answer your question. When your stare doesn’t falter he scoffs slightly, shaking his head- 

At you or himself you don’t know. 

“James…”

Bucky gives a short, mirthless laugh; eyes flashing indecisively.

I have a right to know,” you murmur, hoping to coax him into telling you. “Please…” You beg, more perplexed than ever.

“The alternative would be to tell you I really really like you and ask you out but I can’t do that because I’m scared that you’ll say no so it’s just easier to hate you!” He says frantically, face flushing scarlet as his jaw clenches in a hard line to stop himself from saying more.

Your move your lips but no sound comes out as his words sink in; recognition dawning on you. 

“I- You made me think you hated me so that you wouldn’t have to ask me out? What the hell, Barnes?” You fume, watching as his eyes widen at your outburst and he ducks his head in embarrassment. “Yeah… That’s about the size of it, Doll.” 

“Do you have any idea what you did to me Bucky? How many nights I went to bed crying because of you? How many times I rearranged my gym schedule and faked being sick so I wouldn’t have to go somewhere you were? All because you didn’t wanna ask me out! And you know what, the amazing part is that I couldn’t even hate you after all of it- Even though you were a total asshole I still liked you and thought you were amazing!” You finish, breathing hard.

“You like me?” Bucky asks, his whole face lighting up with hope.

“Really? That’s all you got from that?” You laugh, quirking an eyebrow at him as your eyes glint with amusement.

“Um, yes?”

You burst out laughing at his confused puppy look, gasping when a wave of pain washes over you. "Well, I guess that's the important part," you huff playfully. 

Bucky chuckles lightly but his eyebrows draw together in a puzzled line when you stare at him expectantly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I'm waiting for you to ask me out like you said you would, dummy, " you tease, the corner of your mouth turning up in a smile as his eyes light with understanding. 

"Hey, doll?" He asks, continuing when you give a low hum of acknowledgement. "Would you like to go out with me?" 

Your whole face lit up as your eyes sparkled. "James Buchanan Barnes, I thought you'd never ask."

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Reblog with tags! Please tell me what you think!

[sokoviaaccordsarticle16]

alphabet meme

W, P, and L!

🐙🐙🐙

L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves (chars you’re neutral on are fair game, as are chars you dislike)

Ooh Alexander Pierce! Not a character I dislike at all, but I’m completely neutral on him, and he’s not my favorite for HTP stories. That being said - Robert Redford’s ACTING?? Amazing! The calm, affable facade that never really seem to crack? His smiling veneer of grandfatherly geniality?? So great and creepy! I love the sense of total control he maintains at all times, especially in front of superhumans (Steve and Bucky) that could physically destroy him. And he is a consummate diplomat - he’s always trying to convince others to join his cause, right up until the very end. And unlike some political villains, he’s also not afraid to get his hands dirty.

P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas)

Ooh I’ve discussed this with @spintwinwb a bit, but an AU where Jack Rollins is an EKO Scorpion soldier in deep cover as a sleeper agent in Hydra. (Would that be a triple agent?? Reverse double agent??) this is largely based on how sexy Callan Mulvey is with an Eastern European accent (watch his clips in Power, everyone!)

W - 5 favorite ships and 5 kinks you like best for said ships

Rumlow/Bucky - abuse of authority; non-con… but with feelings (bad ones! …sexy bad ones!); dehumanization; internalized homophobia (from Brock); PRAISE KINK

Zemo/Bucky - dub-con; heavy dom/sub; light pet play; unhealthy coping mechanisms; Bucky retreating back into the Soldier’s headspace

Rollins/Bucky - Jesus frankly I’m not even sure I have specific kinks for these two. I just love the idea of Rollins being mostly asexual but enjoying getting Bucky all hot and bothered. I guess some dom/sub elements in this one, too, with Rollins as the unflappable, amused dom/top.

Angel/Cordelia - oh god, again, not sure if I have specific kinks for these two I just LOVE THEM so much! Frankly I see Cordelia more as the top, but I love some Angelus/Cordelia action too, especially where she can hold her own.

Darla/Angel(us) - ooh that borderline incest dynamic first off is delicious; masochism/sadism; co-rapist couple; open relationships; emotional manipulation

[anaboo-thewriter]

Reckless (End)

Summary: The Fast and the Furious AU. You’re an undercover cop with a mission to infiltrate a team of street racers responsible for the theft of millions of dollars worth in electronics. However, you didn’t think you would fall for the leader of the team and your target, Bucky Barnes. Now you must make the decision, will you turn Bucky and his team in order to become an FBI agent you’ve always wanted to be, or throw caution to the wind and continue to fall for a criminal?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warning: Angst

Word Count: 1.4k

A/N: Holy. Shit. It’s been 2 years since I’ve written this and it has finally ended. Inspiration has a funny way of showing up in unexpected places. Unfortunately, I’m unable to write as much as I’d like to because I’m back in school with a whole new set of rules and priorities. So thank you to all those who stuck around and thank you to newcomers who have enjoyed the ride!

Please reblog and/or comment if you enjoyed it.

RECKLESS MASTERLIST

Nat was wheeled back into surgery on a stretcher. The gash on her head was deep enough to receive stitches, and she floated out of consciousness on the way to the hospital. You, Sam, Steve, and Bucky attempted to wait patiently in the waiting room. Steve paced back and forth, chewing on his bottom lip, Sam occupied himself with an old magazine, and Bucky stared you down from across the small area. His jaw was clenched tight, and his foot tapped against the for impatiently. You tried to avert your eyes from him, but every time you glanced at him, guilt consumed more of you.

"James, I'm really sorry about Nat," you couldn't take the silence anymore, and you were trying desperately to make amends. You couldn't stand him being mad at you.

"Are you really sorry about Nat?" Bucky questioned, but you could hear the anger in his tone, "or are you sorry that you got caught being a nark?"

His words stung. "That wasn't my intention, James," You tried to defend yourself.

"Don't call me that. You lost that right when you became Officer Y/L/N," Bucky interrupted you. Your heart dropped and withdrew from the conversation. That was it, you were cut from Bucky's life, and there was no coming back from it.

Sam and Steve looked at you with sad eyes before they returned to what they were doing. The friends you once called family remained loyal to their leader, and it sent a shiver down your spine from the cold shoulder. You were now an outcast. The pit in your stomach grew bigger with guilt. The foundation for the makeshift family was trust and loyalty, and you broke it with one phone call. You didn't want to make the call, but it was the only thing you could do to save Nat. You didn't regret your decision; you just regretted the consequences.

"Mr. Barnes," the doctor came into the waiting room with a small smile on her face. Bucky, Steve, and Sam darted towards her. You lingered in the back to eavesdrop on what she had to say. "Your friend is doing great. No serious injury, other than a few scratches and bruises and a slight concussion. She should be ready to go home soon, though."

"Thank you, doctor. Is it okay if we go see her?" Steve questioned with a sigh of relief. The doctor shook her head and lead the group through the double doors. You trailed behind the group, contemplating on joining them, but you watched as they walked to Nat's room. Steve turned to you with sad eyes, with a small smile on his face. It hurt to look at, but you knew you made the right decision.

You couldn't stand to look at the white walls of the hospital, so you decided to step outside to get some fresh air. The open-air filled your lungs and relaxed your tight muscles from the tense situation. Your mind wandered to your case. Everything pointed to Bucky and the crew, but you couldn't bear to put him in jail. There had to be some way for you to take the heat of them and put on somebody else. It was unethical, but you were willing to do it.

Police sirens drew closer to the hospital, and you knew why they were coming. Before they surrounded the area, you ran back into the hospital. You burst through the double doors and looked through each room until you found the crew.

"Jesus, Y/N, what the hell are you still doing here?" Steve all but screamed.

"No time to explain," you insisted, "you guys need to get out of here,"

Confusion crossed the crew's face before distrust settled. "Why would we believe you now, after you've been lying to us for months," Bucky suspected.

"Bucky, we don't have time for this," you grew frustrated, "In less than 15 minutes, my boss will come through this door and shut this place down looking for you and they will send you to jail,"

"Bucky," Nat softly spoke, "I don't think she's lying about this,"

Bucky's head snapped toward Nat. Her bandage covered her scar, but there was a bruise on her shoulder where her gown had slipped. "You can't be serious, Nat? Before Race Wars, you were so skeptical of her, now you're siding with her. You must have hit your head harder than we thought,"

"Bucky, I know you're feeling betrayed right now, but Y/N wouldn't be risking her job right now to try and save us if she didn't care as much as she does," Nat slowly got on her feet and inched her way to you. She wrapped her arms around you for a tight hug. "Thank you, Y/N," Nat choked out, holding back some emotion, "I don't think I'd be here right now if it weren't for you,"

You were surprised by the embrace, but you gently wrapped your arms around her in return. "Thanks, Nat," you whispered.

"I hate to break up this very sentimental moment," Sam said as Nat, and you broke apart, "but didn't you say that your boss was coming in less than 15 minutes?"

"We're basically sitting ducks here," Steve chimed in, "we need a plan out of here,"

"Leave it to me," you said with a confident smirk.

"Fury!" you called for him, "Fury, I just saw Bucky and his team, they were headed to the roof,"

"Good work, Y/L/N," Fury commended, "They won't get far," He and group of officers ran through the double doors to catch the team.

On their way into the hospital, four nurses in gray scrubs and face masks walked out in confusion. You surveyed the area before walking out of the hospital. Not many officers were in the vicinity, nor were there police cars, marked or unmarked. You didn't encounter any other officers on your way to your vehicle with the four nurses in tow.

"I think this is the end of the line for you guys," you declared.

The nurses took off their masks with a breath. "How did you find these?" Sam asked.

"I don't think you want to know that," you winced. The look of disgust crossed the gang's faces as they were ready to get out of their dirty disguises. You pulled your keys out of your pocket and handed them to Bucky.

"What do you want me to do with those," he questioned.

"It's your 10-second car, you should take it," you simply said.

Bucky reluctantly took the keys from you and whispered, "Thank you." His eyes were soft, with a small shimmer. He was grateful for what you did that it was almost redeemable.

You gave him a small smile, "You guys should really head out before you really get caught,"

"Not so fast," a gruff voice was heard throughout the parking lot. You all turned to see Rumlow, strutting his way over to you. His eye was nearly swollen shut, and his lip still split open from the beating during Race Wars. "I want what's mine, Barnes,"

"We don't owe you shit, Rumlow," Bucky stood between you and Rumlow. Even after your betrayal, he still continued to protect you.

"Bucky, you need to go," you insisted, stepping away from his security, "I can handle this," Bucky started to speak. Still, you commanded him, "Go!"

He let out a disgruntled huff. He ran with the team to your car and drove out of the parking lot.

"Whatcha gonna do now, girly?" Rumlow taunted, "Your team left you, what kind of loyalty is that?"

You put your fists up, ready for a fight. Rumlow lunged forward to grab you, but you dodged and punched him in the ear. He let out a yell in aggravation and tried again, but you went under for a kick in his groin. He winced in pain, taking a knee. You needed to subdue him to get the cuffs on him. You brought your knee back and hit him square in the chin. He fell on his back, knocking him unconscious.  

Quickly, you struggled to roll him on his stomach and placed the cuffs on around his wrists. You grabbed your cell phone to make the call to Fury. "Fury, I got the guy you're looking for,"

"What? You said that Barnes was on the roof," Fury said.

"It wasn't Barnes doing the heists. It was Brock Rumlow," you asserted. The tried to make the lie as convincing as you could for now. Bucky and the gang were off to plant the evidence to make the conviction stick. It was the only way to keep Bucky safe. Nobody could know you were framing somebody for a crime they didn't commit. Nobody could know you did this for a criminal street racer. Nobody could know were in love with James Buchanan Barnes.

Tags: @anagentinwriting ,  @capbuckybuchanan @thecheesecakeklutz @caplansteverogers@cap111218 @ursulaismymiddlename @fandomlifeuniverse @suz-123@after-avenging-hours @asirenscalling @killmongerdreams @papi-chulo-seb @a-splash-of-stucky @captainrogerss @anakin-skywalkers @sebbies@whothehellisbella @howlingbarnes @poealsobucky @soldatbarnes@satans-knitting-club @nedthegay @ex-bookjunky @lostinspace33@avengedqueen26 @thefallenbibliophilequote @vaisabu @pinkisokay@lachicadelamanzana @void-imaginations @its-daydreamer23@showbuckysomelove @palaiasaurus64 @goodolbucky @artemis3691

[saiyanprincessswanie]

Civil War - Brooklyn

Chapter 10 Redemption

Previous Chapter

Masterlist

Pairing: Steve Rogers/Reader/James Bucky Barnes, Reader/Brock Rumlow

Words: 6,228

Warnings: SMUT, Fingering, Swearing, Little Drama, Little Angst, Mention of past sexual assault

Summary: The reader finally comes face to face with Bucky and Steve after a fiight they had. They make amends in the only way they know how, sex. The reader is also planning something big to try and take Brock and Hydra down. But does Brock have his own sinister plans in motion? What is he up to?

Huge shoutout to my beta readers. @music-culture-mythology

Reblogs & Comments on Tumblr are welcomed and encouraged. 😊💜

I do NOT give my consent to have my work translated or reposted on any social media platform, apps or third party sites. If you see my work anywhere other than MY Tumblr or AO3 then it was stolen. I will NEVER give written or verbal permission as this is MY work. 🚫🚫

Regret was playing on Bucky’s mind. They should have been honest with you on the very first night, when the three of you were reunited for the first time in years. Instead, they had dropped so much information into your lap less than 24 hours after you were assaulted that you had pushed them away. They should be there to comfort you, not argue with you constantly.

He had hoped for a better reunion with you but that was on him and Steve. Bucky knew Steve was hurting just as much since the fight. Steve didn’t need to say anything considering he was an open book.

Steve had gone back to Shield and confronted Fury. He wanted to double-check to make sure no one from Shield had actually assaulted you. They interrogated almost all the male agents and got nowhere, they decided Hydra had to be involved. But what angle were they trying to play?

Steve had walked into the room that Bucky was occupying. Bucky had opted for a beer as he went over everything that has happened with you. Taking a swig, Bucky looked up at Steve. “Any news on y/n?”

Steve plopped down in a chair across from Bucky. “Nat and Clint followed her to and from Tony’s place earlier. Brock apparently came to pick her up and they lost them when they hit the highway. Word is there was a car following them heading east.” Steve sighed, running his hands through his hair.

Steve was exhausted and angry. None of this should be happening. When they got into Shield, Fury had promised you would be protected. So far, they were not holding up their end of the bargain. Steve hated that you kept running to Brock and were working alone to take him down. Working undercover had gotten you hurt. Lord knows if him or Bucky found out who hurt you they would pay dearly.

“I don’t like this, Steve. Something is not right. I keep going back to Hydra being involved. But why have someone hurt her and say it was Shield? What’s the endgame?” Bucky watched as Steve lifted his head to look at him.

“I’m not sure Buck. All I know is I don’t trust Brock. I just wish she would stay away from him and let us take him down. She is... just so stubborn.” Steve huffed out, throwing his hands in the air.

That caused Bucky to laugh for the first time that day. “Hate to tell ya pal but she is just as stubborn as us. Hell, it’s one of the reasons we love her so much.”

Steve smirked at that. Yeah, it was one of the qualities he loved, you never backed down in the face of danger. “We will need to reach out to her tomorrow since it’s getting late now. Hopefully, her meeting with Brock won’t run late.”

Bucky nodded, “She’s smart, I’m sure she is making her way back home. Have Clint do a drive-by of the townhouse. We will start fresh in the morning.”

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

Brock had hacked your phone within the hour of having it in his possession. He couldn’t believe that his sworn enemies, the Captain and Winter Soldier were none other than those stupid bastards Steve and James. He thought he had done away with them a decade ago. How did they even survive? He lightly chuckles to himself as he thinks about how they are working with Hydra and they don’t even know it.

He watched your sleeping form from a chair in his bedroom. Did you already fuck them? Were you working with them to take him down? He scoffed at the idea. This was going to have to be dealt with. With the seed of doubt planted in your mind already about Shield, he needed to turn you against them for good. But what would be the tipping point for you?

He stalked over to the bed and sat on the edge. Oh, how he couldn’t wait to have you willingly in his bed, moaning his name. He would love nothing more than to videotape it and send it to them. No, soon enough he would turn you against them and when he does, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Chuckling, he left you to sleep in his bed. He had some planning to do.

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

You awoke the next morning to the sun filtering in the window of...not your bedroom. What the hell happened? Sitting up, you took in your surroundings. You heard the shower running in the bathroom that was adjacent to the room you were in.  Were you still at Brock’s mansion? Looking under the covers you breathed out a sigh of relief to see you still had your dress on from the night before. You couldn’t remember making it to bed. The last thing you remembered was drinking wine and falling asleep outside on the patio. Maybe drinking wine with a head concussion wasn’t a good idea.

The shower turned off as you looked to see if your phone was on the side table, it wasn’t.  Where did you leave it last? You recalled the night before, with the chase and then patching Brock up. The last place was in your coat pocket. You heard the bathroom door open and out walks Brock in just a towel.

“Oh, geez, sorry sweetheart. I wasn’t expecting you to be awake yet. I just need to grab some clean clothes.”

You looked away from his half-naked torso. You had never seen him without his shirt before and you never realized how ripped he was. “It’s no problem, I just woke up actually. It’s, um, your room so I guess I should be sorry for intruding.”

Brock stood there with his hands on his hips, “You’re not intruding sweetheart. I brought you up here after you fell asleep last night. I figured between your injuries and the car chase you had to be wiped out.”

Looking at him you nodded, “Yeah, I guess I was. So did you sleep…”

“Whoa, no, it's not like that. I took the guest bedroom so you could sleep here in peace. With operations running around the clock, I figured you wouldn’t be disturbed here.”

That made sense you guessed.

“Look let me grab some clothes and I will dress in the bathroom. Then we can talk over breakfast.” He walked over to the walk-in closet and disappeared for a moment. He reemerged in minutes with a suit and walked back to the bathroom.

You got out of bed and looked around the bedroom for your coat. It wasn’t here, shit. It must be downstairs, course you don’t even remember taking it off. You padded out of the bedroom and entered a huge hallway. Walking down the hallway you passed a decent-sized office. There looked to be another 4 or 5 rooms ahead of you and the staircase to your left. Instead of looking around more, you headed downstairs.  

Reaching the foyer area you made your way to the kitchen. There didn’t seem to be anyone on the first floor. Spotting your jacket hanging from a bar chair, you walked over to it and looked through your pockets. Pulling out your phone, you checked it and thankfully had no missed calls or texts. That could have been disastrous.

You were looking through your text messages and decided to delete the messages you had with the guys. Moving quickly, you got rid of them all.

“You finding everything okay?” He chuckled at you as you dropped the phone on the floor.

“Jesus, Brock. You can’t be sneaking up on me like that.” You had a hand to your chest as you tried to get your breathing under control.

Brock bent down to get the phone and handed it back to you. “Sorry sweetheart, I thought you heard me come in.”

Taking the phone from him, “So I want to apologize for falling asleep. I shouldn’t have had that wine with how I was feeling.”

He leaned against the counter grinning at you, “It’s not a big deal sweetheart. You had a long day yesterday.”

“Still, I shouldn’t have stayed over. I…” You stopped as your phone started to vibrate in your hand. Looking at it, you saw Bucky’s phone number pop up. Shit

“Are you going to answer that sweetheart?” Brock narrowed his eyes at you.

“What, um yeah. Do you mind if I take this outside?” You clutched the phone as it continued to buzz.

Brock shook his head, “Go ahead, sweetheart. I need to make my own phone call anyways.”

Smiling at him, you bolted to the door that leads to the patio area. “Hello?”

Bucky sighed, “Hey, doll are you okay?”

You looked over your shoulder as you locked eyes with Brock, “Yeah, look now is not a good time for this phone call. I’m with Brock.”

“What do you mean you are with him? It’s just 9 am. Please tell me you didn’t stay over at his place.” Bucky sounded annoyed.

“It’s really not your concern but yes. Nothing happened and it’s a long story. Just...I need to go.”

“Call me as soon as you get back to your place.” Bucky hung up on you.

Dammit, You blew out a sigh and headed back inside. Brock had just hung up when you walked in.

“You don’t look happy sweetheart. Why don’t we go out for breakfast? Then we can discuss what I need from you next.” Brock walked over to you and ran his hands up your arms.

Looking into his brown eyes you smiled, “Sure, breakfast sounds good.”

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

Breakfast had gone as expected. Brock had laid out his terms. He wanted your buyer’s contact information for the drugs you were going to be bringing in. You obviously couldn’t do that as it was Tony’s contact. You were going to be the middleman so to speak for the time being. Brock seemed fine with that arrangement for the time being. He gave you another list of items he was going to need. As you looked it over you knew you were going to have to contact Richards as this was enough to arrest them with.

Brock had dropped you off at the townhouse just before noon. He kissed you softly before you got out of the car and made your way to the front door. Jesus, you were getting in over your head with him. Hopefully, once you bring the taskforce in on this deal, you could bust him and be done with all of this.

Walking into the townhouse you threw your keys on the kitchen counter. Pulling out your phone you texted Bucky.

Hey, I’m back at the townhouse. I’m going to shower. Call you in a little bit.

You headed up the stairs, shrugging out of your jacket as you walked into the bedroom. You definitely needed a shower to wash away the stress from Brock. From him kissing and lightly touching you, it makes your skin crawl to have that murdering son of a bitch near you. Your phone buzzed and you looked at the home screen, seeing it was Bucky replying.

Bucky: We will be over in a little bit.

Throwing the phone on the nightstand, you stripped out of your clothes and went into the bathroom, turning the shower on as hot as you could stand it. As you washed you were thinking about the guys coming over. Things have been rocky between you three. The lies had built up so much that you weren’t sure if you could trust them. Course, when they talked about Brock having them and torturing them you knew that was the truth as you had heard that at the time it happened.

But to work for Shield? Did they really have no other choice?

Richards had told you to stay away from Shield. You weren’t sure what Shield’s purpose really was as a ghost agency. You still believed that Shield had something to do with your assault. No matter what the guys told you. It just didn’t make sense for Hydra to cut off the hand that is supplying them with their goods.

As you rinse your hair of the shampoo you thought of her, Peggy. They had slept with another woman because they were jealous of a guy you were hanging out with. Peggy was dead now but a part of you was jealous. She touched what was yours and you couldn’t even confront her. You thought about them telling you how Hydra killed her as they figured out she was an agent. What would Brock do if he found out you were setting him up? Would you have the same fate?

Shutting off the shower, you got out and grabbed a towel to dry off. Looking into the mirror you got a good look at the bruises that still littered your body and face. Could Hydra have done this to send a message in a roundabout way?

You were cut from your thoughts as you heard Steve call out your name. Wrapping the towel around you, you walked into the bedroom, “Up here guys. I just got out of the shower.” As you heard them walking up the steps you walked into the walk-in closet to find something to wear. Grabbing a pair of jeans and a low cut top you walked out to see them waiting for you. Steve and Bucky were both dressed casually.

“Sorry, I’m not put together yet. If you give me a few I will be…”

Steve had walked across the room as you spoke and as he reached you, cut you off with a kiss. “I’m sorry doll. We are sorry.”

“What for Steve…? ” You tried to pull back from him but he held your face in his hands.

“We are sorry for everything. The lying, keeping you in the dark about things.” Steve stared into your eyes and you could see his blue eyes start to water.

Bucky chimed in, “We are also sorry for dumping everything in your lap when you needed us the most. That was unforgivable on our part.” Bucky started to walk up to you and Steve.

You could feel the tears start to form in your eyes.

“You probably don’t want us to touch you considering what happened. But we want to show you how much we are sorry for hurting you. What can we do to show you? Anything you want, it’s yours.”

You looked between them both, “Anything?” They both nodded at you.

“I need you both. I need you to chase away what he did to me. It may hurt but I have to feel you inside me. Please…”

Steve and Bucky looked at each and then you as they assessed what you were saying. “We can do that doll,” Steve said and started to kiss you slowly, walking you back towards the bed. The back of your legs hit the bed and Steve pulled away from the kiss. You reached down and undid the towel, letting it fall to the floor. Leaning back you scooted up the bed as you watched them both undress.

Steve was the first one naked and crawling onto the bed towards you. You were in the middle of the bed on your back when Steve started kissing you again. His lips were soft and the kiss was not demanding at all. His tongue ran across your lips and you parted them as the kiss deepened. As the kiss continued you felt the other side of the bed dip with Bucky coming to your other side.

Breaking from the kiss with Steve, you turned your head to Bucky who leaned down to kiss you softly. You felt Steve run his hand over your breast and pinch your nipple, causing you to moan into Bucky’s mouth. Pulling back from the kiss, you watched them as they smiled at you and then leaned down together to take a nipple into their mouth.

When Bucky sucked on it, Steve would lightly bite on the other. They went back and forth, alternating on what they were each doing to you. You were groaning out with how good it felt. They both ran a hand down your body and you felt yourself become wet with anticipation. Steves’s hand ran over your clit and started to rub small circles over it while Bucky inserted two fingers into you.

The pleasure was overwhelming. “Oh my god, Bucky...Steve…Mo-More…” They both stopped sucking on your nipples and focused on the pleasure they were giving you.

“You want more?” Steve seductively said as you were nodding your head.

Bucky picked up his momentum, finger fucking you a little harder as Steve rubbed your clit faster. You felt the familiar pull of your orgasm as they continued their pace. “I’m...I’m gonna cum…”

Bucky leaned down to whisper in your ear, “Then come doll, come for us.” At his command, your orgasm ripped through you causing you to scream out their names as your walls clenched down on Bucky’s fingers. Steve had stopped rubbing you as Bucky fingered you through it. Bucky finally stopped when you closed your eyes and he took his fingers out of you. Opening your eyes you watched as Bucky took one finger into his mouth as sucked your arousal off. Bucky looked to Steve, “Here want to taste our girl.”

This was new to you as you watched Bucky stick his other finger out and Steve leaned forward sucking it into his mouth. Holy hell that was actually hot.

Steve pulled back with a pop, “Mmmm, our doll does taste really good.”

You couldn’t help but lick your lips. “Who wants me to go down on them off first.”

Bucky chuckled, “Actually doll, this is all about you. We don’t want to overwhelm you. Just let us take care of you.”

Steve leaned down and kissed your lips, “I’m going to let you two have fun first.” He got off the bed and walked over to a chair that sat on the other side of the bed. You watched as he positioned the chair closer and sat down.

Bucky had positioned himself between your legs and watched you bite your lip, “Is this okay doll?” You nodded your head. Bucky pumped his hard cock a couple times and placed it at the entrance of your pussy. “If this becomes too much for you, tell me and I will stop.”

You released the breath you didn’t know you were holding and nodded. “Okay, Buck.”

Bucky pushed slowly into you and you moaned as soon as he was fully inside you. He leaned over you, resting on his arms and kissed you as he pulled out and thrust back into you. You wrapped your legs around his hips and started moving your hips with him. Every thrust was slow and soft. Moving together you both moaned with every thrust. You were enjoying it but you needed something more. “Bucky, uhh, I need you to go harder.”

He looked into your eyes and you could sense his hesitation, “Doll, are you sure? I mean I don’t want you to think of…”

Cutting off his sentence as you knew where he was going, “Bucky, please, I need it harder.”

Bucky kissed your lips, “Anything for you doll.” He snapped his hips hard into you causing you to moan. He pushed up on his arms and he set a hard pace. With every pull, he was snapping his hips back into you harder each time. “Is this what you want doll? You want me to fuck you hard?”

Grabbing onto his forearms, “God, yes Buck.” This is what you needed. With all the emotions of dealing with your assault from a couple of days ago and the fight you had with them, you needed the rawness of it all. This, what you had with them, would always ground you. This would chase away the demons in your head that plagued you.

He pulled out of you, flipping you over onto your hands and knees. He positioned you to face Steve as he slammed back into you. Bucky gripped your hips tight as he thrust hard and fast into you. You were moaning Bucky’s name as you watched Steve slowly stroke himself with a smirk on his face. God, he was irresistible, they both were. Bucky was hitting your g-spot at the angle he had you at and you were starting to feel yourself tighten up on Bucky.

Bucky knew you were about to cum and he grabbed your hips harder, pounding into you with everything he had, “Cum for me doll.” You screamed his name as you cummed hard. Bucky felt you tighten around his cock and he drove himself into you three more times as he came inside you. Your arms gave out and you rested your head on the bed. Bucky pulled out of you and kissed your back.  You felt the bed dip as he headed to the bathroom.

“I hope you aren’t tired yet doll cause it’s my turn.” You looked up into Steve’s blue eyes as he stood next to the bed.

Sitting up on your knees you were eye level with him, “I’m not tired, I’m waiting on you.”

Steve smirked as he climbed onto the bed and sat up near the headboard, “Why don’t you ride me doll?”

Crawling up the bed, you straddle his lap. You rubbed your soaked pussy up and down his length. Bucky had walked out of the bathroom and made his way to the seat that Steve was originally in. Soon as he sat down you looked over to him and grabbed Steve’s cock in one of your hands, gently stroking him. You positioned yourself over his cock and slid down taking him in one fluid motion.

You put your hands on his shoulders, “God, Steve,” you couldn’t help it as you rode him. Gliding up and down his length, Steve put his hands on your hips, helping you keep a good tempo.

Steve was thrusting up into you, matching the pace you set. Rolling your hips faster caused him to let out a groan. You bit your lip as you locked eyes with him. You could always get lost in his blue eyes when you looked into them. He could feel you nearing your orgasm as you started to clench around him. Wrapping his arms around you, he quickly flipped you onto your back and you wrapped your legs around his hips, digging your ankles into his ass. Steve grabbed your hands and linked his fingers with yours as he pinned them next to your head.

He was fucking you hard now, “Tell me you’re mine. That you are only ours.”

You felt yourself starting to clench around him as he hit your spot with precision. Looking into his blue eyes you could see he needed this, “I’m only yours... and Bucky’s. Only you both can have me.”

Steve thrust hard again and you tipped over the edge, screaming your orgasm out to them. As soon as he felt you clench around him Steve had followed you, shouting your name. He let go of your hands, falling to his forearms. Smiling at you he kissed you on your lips. Whispering for only you to hear, “I’m so afraid of losing you. You mean everything to me.”

You ran a hand up to his cheek and through his hair, “You won’t lose me. I love you so much.”

That made him smile but you could still see the fear in his eyes. He pulled out of you and sat up. “I know you already took one but we all need a shower.” Standing up, he reached for you, pulling you off the bed and over his shoulder. You squealed out as he slapped your ass.

Steve started walking to the bathroom. “Are you coming, Buck?”

Bucky was already following you both, “Right behind you guys.” He couldn’t help but laugh at your facial expressions as Steve slapped your ass again.

Steve set you down as he started to get the shower going. The three of you got in the shower to clean but not before they both took you against the shower wall.

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

You sat on the couch with a coffee mug in your hands as you stared out the window. The day had been going rather well so far with the guys. Like with any fight you had with them you made up with mindblowing sex. Sex was your therapy in many ways. It helped mend things between the three of you but, today, it helped chase away the thoughts that haunted you. Sure, you were still affected by the assault, but you needed to feel their touch so that it would chase away the slimy feeling that haunted you every time you closed your eyes.

Steve had gotten called into Shield headquarters half an hour ago. Thankfully Bucky didn’t have to go with him. Instead, he stayed behind to make phone calls. You set your mug down on the end table and grabbed your cell phone. Looking up Richards’ number you called his office phone.

“Agent Y/N, I wasn’t expecting a call so soon.”

Clearing your throat you say, “Hi Sir, I wanted to let you know that I will be setting up a meeting tomorrow evening with Brock. I will be supplying him with AK-47s, fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Brock wants to bring drugs into the area and I have a contact that is willing to work with me.”

“That’s impressive that you can pull all of that in for this. Can I ask who your contact is?” Richards questioned.

“My contact is through someone that doesn’t even want to be involved. I would rather not say as I don’t want the bureau taking a look into him. Just know my contact is good.” You were actually hoping your contact was good. Tony had said he knew someone that could supply the drugs. You haven’t met the person but you were trusting him with this.

“Okay, I will take your word on it. Text me the time and location when you have it.”

“Will do,” You hung up and let out a breath. This was going to be a complicated bust as there was going to be no money to exchange. Brock had promised to find your assailant as payment. If he produced the person you would be able to take that person down as well as Brock and Hydra. Hopefully, once this was done with you would be able to start a life with Steve and Bucky. That was a goal to reach now that you had been reunited. You flipped through your contacts and landed on Tony’s number. You decided to text him.

You: Any word on my contact for the drugs I need?

Tony: Yeah, he said he can pull in anything to the area. What do you need?

You: I need fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. I need it as soon as you can get it. I want Brock in cuffs by tomorrow night if possible.

Tony: I will see what he can do and contact you later tonight. Are you home safely?

You: Yeah, got home this morning. I made up with the guys. Don’t be mad! There is a lot we will have to work on but it will be easier once I’m done with this case.

Tony: Do me a favor and never spend the night at Brocks place. I know for a fact you were with him. I don’t want to worry about you being near him. As for tweedle dee and tweedle dum I still have issues with them but that’s for another day. I will talk later, need to go see my guy.

You: Thanks Tony

As you put your phone down Bucky came over to sit next to you on the couch. You stretch your legs and laid them in his lap. “How did your phone calls go?”

He grinned, “They went well. I spoke with Steve and apparently, I have been called in for an assignment. Fury wants us both for this. I wish I could give you more details but you know how Shield is. Steve says he is sorry he didn’t kiss you goodbye but he said he made up for it in the shower and bed.”

You couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory. There was no way you could be mad at him with all the orgasms he pulled out of you. Your cheeks heated up as Bucky watched you, knowing exactly where your mind went.

Bucky leaned over and kissed you softly on your lips. “You can’t be mad at me either cause I did one more than him. Plus, I’m kissing you goodbye.” He kisses you, again and again, making you laugh at how playful he was being.

Smiling into the kiss you knew he had you. “I won’t be mad. Just keep me posted when you can. I will be planning on a takedown with Hydra either tomorrow or the day after.”

That caught his attention, “What? A takedown? Are you serious? How?”

Putting a finger to his lips to keep him quiet, “I will be bringing in a lot of weapons and drugs. I’m talking like millions of dollars worth. Just need him to take the bait and once it’s in his possession my task force will take him down. I already spoke with my Director. We are going to iron out the plans tonight once I hear back from Tony.”

Bucky watched you with unease, it was written all over his face that he was worried, “Doll, I don’t like you doing this with me and Steve gone. Maybe wait till we get back? That way if something goes wrong we can be there…”

You got off his lap and started to pace the floor, “Why do you and Steve undermine me? I don’t need you both there to do my job. We just had a good day the three of us. Please don’t ruin it. Just be supportive for once.”

Bucky got off the couch and walked over to you. Placing a finger under your chin, he made you look up into his blue eyes, “We don’t undermine you doll. We love you more than you will ever know. I won’t start a fight because that’s not how I want to leave things. Just, be careful.” Leaning down he kissed you again. “I love you doll.”

“I love you too Bucky.” With that Bucky turned and left you in the living room as he headed to meet Steve at Shield HQ.

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

A few hours later Tony had called you. He told you that the guy bringing in the drugs will have everything by 6 pm tomorrow evening. The supplier was going to meet some of Tony’s men and they would be the ones to drop everything off tomorrow. You then contacted your supplier about the Ak-47s. The weapons would be dropped off at the townhouse later tonight. You were thankful for the $100,000 in cash you took with you when you decided to go undercover. This would go towards the weapons.

With those key parts in place, you were about to call Brock when there was a knock on the door. Putting the phone down you quickly grabbed your gun from the end table and made your way to the door. Looking out the peephole you spotted Brock. Odd.

Opening the door with a gun in hand, Brock looked down at your hand and then you. “Is this any way to greet me, sweetheart?”

“I wasn’t expecting you. I always have to be ready for anything. Come in.” You waved him in with the gun. “What can I do for you?”

Brock walked to the living room, sitting in a chair like he owned the place. “I just happened to be in the area. I was wondering if you had any word on my shipments that I needed.”

Laying the gun on the table next to the couch you sat down, “Funny, I was literally about to call you. Weapons will be in probably tonight and drugs will be in by 6 pm tomorrow. I figured we could do a drop of everything tomorrow evening.”

“That sounds great. I have a warehouse in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. It’s 35,000 square feet so perfect to drive the cars inside, make the deal and then drive out.” Brock watched you as he made the suggestion.

“Normally I pick the place but I think we can settle on that. It sounds like an easy deal. Course we need to discuss payment as you haven’t brought me what you promised.” Crossing your arms you watched him as he flashed you his smile.

Brock leaned forward with his arms resting on his legs, “About that, I have your guy.”

Your mouth opened in shock, “What? You found the guy who…”

He got up, crossed the living room and sat next to you, grabbing one of your hands to hold. “That’s right sweetheart. My men worked long hours and called a lot of contacts. The guy who raped you has been found and being held by my men. You told me if I found him I could ... ‘have my fun as long as you could look him in the eyes when you killed him’. He is a bit roughed up, broken jaw so he can’t talk. I personally broke some ribs and a few other bones since he touched you. So he will be waiting for you at the warehouse.”

You were in shock. Tony, Steve, and Bucky had promised to find this person with no luck so far. You even had Thor, Loki, and their resources trying. How on earth did he pull this off? Maybe Hydra really did have a far reach after all. The memory of your assailant pinning you to the bed entered your mind. ‘Shield doesn’t like your involvement with Hydra. After tonight you will no longer do business with them or you will get far worse than this’. You shuddered at the memory and shook your head, trying to rid your mind of what happened.

“Make sure he is there. We will make the exchange at 10 pm.” You got up from the couch to put some distance between you and Brock. Your mind was reeling from the information.

Deep in thought, you didn’t hear Brock come up behind you to wrap his arms around your waist, causing you to momentarily freak out. “Easy sweetheart, it’s just me.” He was holding your wrists to your chest as he was calming you down. “Just breathe, that’s it. Shhh.” He holds you tight against him and you couldn’t help the tears that formed. All of this was overwhelming to you. Turning you around to face him he let your wrists go and started wiping your tears away with his thumbs. “I told you I would get him for you. Now you can finish it tomorrow and we can move forward together.”

Looking into his brown eyes you nodded in agreement. That bastard will pay with his life tomorrow.

Brock kissed your forehead, “I need to go handle some business. Just try to relax for the night. Get everything finalized for tomorrow, okay?”

“Yes, I will.” You watched as Brock walked out the front door and you went over to lock it for the night. There were a lot of fine details you did need to work out, but your mind could only focus on one thing, revenge.

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

Brock had gotten into the back of the car that was waiting for him. His driver was taking him back to the mansion. Things were going exactly how he planned this. He had downloaded an app that helped him clone your phone to another one he had. So every phone call, every text message that has happened since you left he has either heard or read.

He was initially pissed off when he found out Steve and James were alive. He couldn’t figure out how they survived. No wonder you were acting like a bitch in heat. You were back to fucking them both again. No, this wasn’t going to do. He had talked to Pierce about them and it was all decided. Frame both Steve and Bucky for the murder of your Director. The Director was the only one at the FBI who knew you were undercover. With him gone you would be an ex-agent on the wrong side of the law.

The last part, oh yes, that is what would fully turn you against them. He found out through your texts that Tony was your point of contact with the illegal activities you were doing. If they could murder Tony, who is like a brother to you, and frame Steve and Bucky you would be out for blood. Brock, well, he could help you in that department. Yes, everything was going according to plan. Soon you would be on his side ruling Brooklyn and warming his bed. A civil war was about to break loose and no one would be able to stop him.

Next Chapter

[what-is-your-plan-today]

Stark Spangled Banner Ch 2: The Contest

Summary: Life at SHIELD isn’t always missions and seriousness, as a good natured shooting contest between Katie and Clint shows! The question is, as the two dead-shots face off, who will be the winner? Steve has utter faith in his best friend, but will he win the bet? Either way, both are left contemplating their feelings towards one another and realise they run much deeper than either could ever have imagined them doing.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Katie Stark

Warnings: Bad language (no smut, yet, but will be down the line) Bit of angst, two idiots struggling with feelings

March 2013

A shooting contest between two Avengers was always going to draw big attention, so it was hardly surprising, therefore, that SHIELD agents were running a book. Clint was odds on favourite to win, but Steve had so far refused to take part, that is until 10 minutes or so before the contest was supposed to start. He was stood outside the shooting range, eyes focussed on Katie and Clint as they both stood in there, checking their equipment, a crowd steadily gathering behind him.

 “I know she’s good, but she really doesn’t stand a chance.” Natasha said as she stood at his side. Her matter-of-fact tone caused something in his chest to stir, the lack of faith everyone bar Evans and Lawson from the lab seemed to be displaying in Katie riled him and he turned to Natasha.

“Twenty bucks says she does it.” he stuck his hand out.

She raised an eyebrow at him, before shaking his hand “Alright Rogers, you’re on.”

His hands returned to his belt buckle and both Katie and Clint signalled they were ready.

Evans went into the room, it was soundproof unless you pushed the button to listen in, which Rumlow did, of course.

"No pushing or shoving of your opponent because that’s just a shitty thing to do…” Evans said, his Texan drawl loud as his hand scratched at his ginger beard “No fancy arrows Hawkeye, just the normal rounds.”

“What’s normal about any of this?” Katie mumbled, earning her a smirk off Clint.

“Perfect kill shots are an extra half-point. 20 minute time limit is in force. If you’re tied on score then we’ll go to the number of kill shots made.” Evans looked at them and they both nodded, Katie licking her lips. “Now. To your starting positions…and…” he held his right hand up, 3 fingers extended “May the odds be ever in your favour…”

Steve had no idea what that was a reference too, but he heard the rest of the people around him snigger. Katie threw her head back in a laugh as Clint mimicked Evan’s hand gesture as the other Sniper left the room.

The two opponents stepped up to the line that marked off the beginning of the course, which was constructed out of crates and various other objects. Katie cracked her neck side to side as Clint tested the tension in the bow string one last time before turning his head to meet Katie’s gaze. She put her gun back into its thigh holster and turned to her old SO.

“May the best woman win…” she said with a smirk, fist bumping him with her right hand as she felt the blood pounding in her ears. Then, with a simultaneous nod, the two of them shot forward.

Steve felt a surge of pride as he watched Katie leaping from obstacle to obstacle, landing shot after shot. After she landed the 4th he heard Natasha hiss through her teeth.

“Ok, so maybe she has a little chance…”

Steve didn’t reply, simply watched, silently willing her on.

As the minutes ticked on, the two continued, both making leaps, dropping into rolls, and ducking behind corners. Katie took another shot, and paused for a split second, if she was counting correctly there were two more to go and 5 minutes left on the clock. She looked up for her next target and saw Clint was blocking her way, knelt down, aiming at his own. Katie knew the sensible thing to do would be to wait, but then she was a Stark, being sensible wasn’t one of her main attributes. With a smirk she re-holstered her gun and sprinted as fast as she could, launching herself forward into a perfect front flip, catapulting right over the top of Clint before she immediately slid onto a knee and brought the handgun back up, aiming at the target.

Outside the room there was a lot of cheering and cat calls at her display of acrobatics.

Katie moved to her final target, back against a large crate, aimed but then missed and Steve closed his eyes- that would cost her.

“Shit!” she exclaimed, doubling over to catch her breath as Clint walked over to her, pulling her into a hug.

“Sharp shooting Nova!” he grinned, ruffling at her hair. Both of them turned as the doors open and a few agents walked in, back slapping them both as Evans collected the targets and went to tally up the points.

“That was impressive!” Steve said, crossing the room smiling “both of you.”

“Not bad Stark.” Nat added, appraisingly

“Thanks.” she said, taking a drink of the bottle of water Clint handed to her. She was red faced, sweating but absolutely thrilled, pumped full of adrenaline. She placed her hands on her hips and took a deep breath.

“Ok and we have the results!” Evans said and Clint threw his arm round Katie as hers slid round his waist.  “Barton hit each target, giving him 10 plus 4 kill shots, taking him to 12. Stark you missed one giving you 9 and 3 kill shots, taking you to 10.5…”

“Damned it!” Katie groaned, shaking Clint’s hand as the various cheers and complaints went up as people started to cash in their bets.

“You’re fired…” Steve heard a familiar voice say. Spinning round, he saw Fury handing over a fifty to an agent whose name escaped him and Steve bit back a smile. The Director had bet on Katie. That one mistake had been costly.

“Cough up Rogers…” Nat said, holding out her hand. He turned to her, sighing and fished in his pocket for a twenty, handing it to her.

“You bet on me?” Katie looked at him, surprised.

“Course I did, sweetheart.” he said immediately.

 “Yeah I didn’t, sorry Stark.” Nat said, taking the twenty off him “Clint’s never lost a challenge yet.”

“He nearly did.” Steve said, looking at his friend proudly before he glanced back at Natasha. “Was worth the bet to see you get so twitchy Romanoff… “

“I wasn’t twitchy…” She said, as Clit looked at her.

“Seriously?”  he frowned.

“I’ll admit at one point I thought Stark might have just shaded it…” Nat narrowed her eyes at Steve who simply shrugged, hands dropping to the front of his belt buckle.

“To be fair, there was one point where I thought that too.” Clint smiled, and Katie felt a surge of pride in her chest as he replaced the arrows into his quiver. “Did good Nova, I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks Clint.” she smiled at him.

“So, who fancies a drink?” Barton looked around, clapping his hands together.

“I’m game.” Katie said, emptying her magazine, already stripping down her weapon.

Natasha nodded and then Steve realised they were all looking at him. He hesitated, he really did need to train as he hadn’t had a decent run that morning and he’d be restless all evening otherwise, but after that…why not?

"I gotta work out first but if you tell me where you’re going I'll join you when I'm done.” he said.

“Take a day off!” Nat drawled, examining her nails. He was about to reply but Katie got there first.

“If he doesn’t work out he’s a right crank! And no one likes a Cranky Cap…”

“You know what Stark…” he started but she simply stuck her tongue out at him causing him to roll his eyes, fighting to keep the smile off his face.

“Why don’t we try the new sports bar on the high-street, what’s it called again?” Clint suggested.

“Home Run?” Nat asked.

“Yeah that’s it.” he nodded “Couple of doors down from the Burger joint.”

“I’ll find it.” Steve said as Clint nodded, making for the door, Natasha following.  Katie turned to Steve, smiling at him as he surveyed the room.

"You did a good job," he nodded to the obstacle course “Did it take you back to fighting Aliens?”

"Not quite the same, you know? No returning gunfire… no life-or-death stakes… no Captain America cushioning my fall when we got blown out of a bank window," she teased. He laughed, as she started to back up towards the door. "I won't take up your workout time. See you at the bar?"

“You never take up my time, doll.” He smiled back, honestly before he felt the flush rise up his neck. What a dumbass thing to say. “See you later." he nodded.

With that she took her leave, tugging her hair out the ponytail as she left, allowing the gentle waves to cascade down her back.

********

Half an hour or so, after a Katie had showered and changed, the 3 Avengers were making the 20 minute or so walk to the bar downtown.

“You know I still can’t believe I got to within a point and a half of you.” Katie nudged Clint.

“Me neither actually.” Natasha asked “I thought it was gonna be a whitewash.”

“Oh ye of little faith…” Katie said, mock hurt lacing her voice.

“Tell you who did have faith, other than Rogers… Fury.” Nat said grinning.

“Hang on…the boss bet against me?” Clint stopped “Damned.”

“Don’t take it personally…” Katie shrugged as they reached the bar. Clint opened the door to let the girls step in first and then he joined them, looking around at the new surroundings. It was low lit but piled with sports memorabilia which they paused to have a look at on their way to the bar. Drinks purchased, they headed to a plush, leather seated booth and settled down.

They fell into an easy chat, and then the inevitable teasing about Rumlow fancying Katie started up and she groaned. Clint and Nat enjoyed ribbing her about him and she had to admit, he wasn’t subtle to be fair. He’d asked her out 3 times now and she’d politely declined but it didn’t stop her friends from enjoying teasing her about it. Clint and Nat took turns in trying to highlight Rumlow’s more endearing qualities. They managed a sum total of 3 when Clint leaned back in his chair and shrugged.

“I’m out…” he grinned as Katie laughed, raising her glass to her mouth to drain the last of her beer.

“Yeah, he’s not relationship materiel…” Nat shrugged

“But you could just fuck him, get what you need and kick him out before breakfast.” Clint suggested causing Katie to choke down her mouthful of European lager and pick up the beer mat nearest her.

Steve chose that exact moment to walk into the bar. He watched as the beer mat hit Clint straight between the eyes, and Katie threw her head back in pure, unadulterated laughter. Something in his chest stirred as he watched her, that wonderful smile and laugh filling her face. He enjoyed seeing her so relaxed.

“Hey…” he greeted them as they all looked up. “You guys need another drink?”

“Cheers Cap, 3 beers…” Clint motioned round the table and Steve headed off to the bar. Katie watched him go, eye trained on his ass which looked remarkably fine in those dark denims...then, realising what she was doing and who she was with, she let out silent groan as she turned back to see Clint and Nat exchanging a glance, a glance between two people who had just discovered the best secret ever and she knew she’d been caught.  

“What?” she shrugged “Girl can look, right?”

Neither of them said anything just kept smirking to themselves in that infuriating way until Steve returned, setting down the 4 pints which he easily held in his hands and slid into the spare seat next to Katie.

“I’m in the mood for another challenge.” Clint leaned forward, his eyebrows raising up and down as he spoke.

“Like what?” Katie folded her arms

“Which one of you…” he said, waving his finger between her and Nat “…can down a pint fastest?”

“That’s not a contest…” Katie looked at Nat, smirking. “We all know it’s me.”

The red head quirked an eyebrow, “I’m game if you are.”

Katie shrugged as Clint chuckled and pounded his hand on the table. “Alright then, Ladies…on your marks…”

As soon as Clint had done counting down Katie raised the glass to her mouth and chugged, draining it in 4 seconds flat before turning it upside down on top of her head. Natasha wasn’t even half way through hers before she groaned and set her glass down, trying to supress a burp.

Steve couldn’t help but look at her, his mouth falling open.

"What?” she laughed, shrugging as the Captain exchanged a look with Clint “I spent 3 years at University, drinking with boys…”

“Yeah well I’ll stick to Vodka…” Nat said, shaking her head “Fancy that as a challenge?”

“Not a chance.” Katie said, “Although Cap could…”

“He could, but he won’t” Steve said sternly shooting her a look “Because it wouldn’t be fair…”

Katie rolled her eyes pouting.

“You do know I’m Russian, right.” Nat said, leaning back “I was practically weaned on the stuff…”

“Yes, I know that, but I can't get drunk." Steve shrugged “my metabolism burns it off too fast.”

“Cap…” Clint sighed, shaking his head “That might just be the saddest thing I have ever heard.”

“Even sadder than when you heard you were shipping off to guard Thor’s hammer?” Nat asked

Clint considered this for a moment “Hmmmm. Maybe the same level of sadness at learning I was about to head to Butt-fuck America for an undefined amount of time, yes.”

Steve choked into his beer. Besides him Katie laughed.

"That's a bit harsh," he said as Clint snorted and shook his head.

"Cap. I'm serious. It was legit in the middle of the fucking desert. Nothing for miles."

“What happened to that one eyed puppy we found?” Katie asked suddenly.

“Err, I took him to some friends.” Clint said “Their kids love him, he’s living the best life.”

Katie and Natasha shared a smile, both understood Friends to mean his family and his own kids.

“Still eating Pizza?” Katie asked.

“Pizza?” Steve asked, frowning. “Who feeds a dog pizza?”

“Well he was a bit like you in that respect. Do anything for a double pepperoni with extra cheese.” Katie nudged him with her elbow

“As long as its New York style…” Steve drained his glass, matter of factly.

“Admit it, you enjoyed it when it took you to Second City” Katie eyed him.

“You been to Seconds?” Clint asked, “Thought you swore you wouldn’t go back after that waiter said he wanted to give you a real slice of Chicago to talk about?”

Natasha snorted “Wish I’d seen that.”

“Trust me…”Clint said, “You don’t. Nova went from zero to full metal jacket in 3 seconds flat. Dragged him over the counter and everything…”

“You didn’t?” Steve glanced at her, although he knew she probably had.

“Look… we had just got back from a week’s stake out in Saudi Arabia…” Katie sighed, shrugging as Clint and Natasha laughed “I was tired and fending off the advances of some greasy, 40 something year old man politely really wasn’t top of my list…”

“Why not? You do it every day to Rumlow” Nat smirked.

At the mention of his name Steve felt his eyes narrow. He hated the way the STRIKE leader blatantly eyed Katie up at every given chance. It was disrespectful.

“Don’t start that again” Katie rolled her eyes.

“He’s not a bad looking guy.” Nat persisted “You could do worse…”

“You like him so much you fuck him!” Katie’s voice was snappy. Romanoff leaned back in her chair, eyeing her over half full glass, smirking.

“Touched a nerve, Stark?”

“No, you’re just talking crap, as usual.” she shot back, standing up. “My round…”

Steve moved so that she could get out and watched her head to the bar.

“Think we need to lay off the whole Rumlow thing…” Clint snorted, turning Nat. “She’s clearly not interested.”

“Tell that to Rumlow” Nat shrugged snorted.

“Well you can’t blame him, she’s a good looking girl.” Clint shrugged

“Yeah but she’s obviously looking for someone a little less…”

“Of an ass hat?” Clint cut in making Steve snort.

“I was gonna say a little more of a gentleman but…if the cap fits…” Nat shrugged and her eyes flashed to Steve and he knew instantly she had aimed that comment at him. Steve sighed and shook his head, shooting her a glare which she shrugged off, in her usual nonchalant way.

But he couldn’t shake it out of his mind. Did she know something he didn’t?

****

A few hours later Clint and Nat decided they’d had enough and left to grab a taxi. When Clint was in town he always stayed with Nat, prompting Steve to wonder if there was anything going on beyond the platonic friendship. He pondered it for a moment, deciding to just ask the question.

 “Is there something going on there?” he nodded to the pair as they left.

“No.” Katie said, shaking her head “Absolutely not.”

“How are you so sure?”

“Ok, I’ll tell you, but don’t be pissed I haven’t told you before…” she said, pausing “Clint…he’s married, has 2 kids.”

“What?” Steve choked on his beer.

“They have a place…somewhere, I don’t know exactly but it’s off SHIELD’s books and no one knows bar me, Nat and Fury…”

“Huh…” Steve said, pondering for a moment.

“Look, sorry I didn’t tell you but…”

“It’s ok.” He smiled. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel a little bit disappointed she hadn’t told him before, but he understood, she was loyal to a fault. “I get it, he’s your friend.”

“Yeah I know but he’s not my best friend…” she batted her eyelids at him.

“Hmmm, stop buttering me up.”

“Has it worked?”

“Yes.” He said, draining his glass and she grinned “Same again?”

They had a couple more before Katie decided she was one pint away from being drunk and Steve found himself a little bit disappointed she wanted to leave. He was enjoying spending the time with her. It felt different to their usual trips out, she’d been more relaxed than he had seen her in a long time, enjoying the gentle touches she made to his arm and leg when she was teasing him.

“You know, you shouldn’t have told Nat you can’t get drunk and whooped her ass at a vodka necking contest.” she said, linking her arm into his as they headed to the taxi rank.

“Now that would have been dishonest” he smirked. “Surely you’re not saying I should use my enhancement to my advantage in such a situation?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” she nodded.

He laughed, sticking his arm out to hail a cab.

“But then you’re a very honest kinda guy…” she said.

“I have my moments” he turned to face her

“Nah ah, you can’t lie for shit!” she grinned at him.

“No, I can’t lie to you for shit, sweetheart” He said, rolling his eyes “You know me too well.”

“Hmmm, true.” she said, nodding in agreement. The car stopped at the curb and Steve opened the door for her.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Steve asked, not particularly happy she was cabbing back alone, it was times like this he wished he had a car. “I can walk back for my bike…”

“I can handle myself…I’m a trained killer remember?” she said, raising her hands and making gun signs at him with her fingers. He shook his head, smiling.

“You’re an idiot.” He snorted a laugh.

“But you love me!” she grinned, standing on her toes to give him a peck on the cheek. “g’night soldier.”

“Call me when you’re home.” He instructed “And if I ain’t heard from you in 20…” he raised his voice so the cab driver could hear.

She shook her head, smiling as she climbed into the taxi and waved as it pulled off.

*****

It wasn’t long before she was home. She kicked off her boots, flopped down onto her bed and pulled out her phone, better do as Captain Badass said or knowing him he’d turn up and kick the door in.

“So I’m home Old timer…” she said, when he answered and from his sigh she knew he would be rolling his eyes.

“Less of the old” he said, the clinking of cutlery and plates rattling in the background.

“What you doing?” she asked.

“Making food.”

“You can’t cook.” she snorted.

“Yes I can.”

“So why have you never cooked for me?” she asked indignantly, feeling somewhat annoyed that she always did the cooking for the two of them.

“Because you’re better at it.” He said simply “And I've made you grilled cheese before. And soup. Now drink some water and go to sleep.”

“God you’re so bossy.” she grumbled. “Captain Badass…”

“Someone has to be, you’re a law unto yourself.”

“Yah but admit it, I’m awesome.”

“I know you are, I’ve told you before. But if I say it again will you do what I said?”

“Maybe, probably…definitely maybe” she said, shrugging to herself.

“Then you’re awesome. Goodnight doll.”

“Night Stevie.”

On that he cut the call, placing his phone down on the counter as he thought back over the day, waiting for his food to heat. For the first time in a long time he actually felt completely at ease. Ease with his life both in and out of work.

Up until a few weeks ago it had still felt slightly confusing, and it still did with the STRIKE team sometimes. At first he had been tentative, not trying to step on Rumlow’s toes but that had quickly subsided and the two of them had fallen into a pretty good working relationship. As much as Rumlow could rile him, he knew that the man was good at his job, and Steve was good at his. He was the tactician, Rumlow organised the troops. But sometimes, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Sometimes he feels interest, but it was often coloured by the lingering disillusionment that they were merely humouring him as the blue eyed all American hero he had been painted to be.

But never once had he felt like that with Katie.

And then his apartment seemed to blur in front of him, causing him to realise this went way beyond some daft crush. He was really falling in deep. The heat travelled up his chest into his neck and he felt his palms become sweaty. He dropped his arms to wipe them on his jeans as the fizzy feeling left his body, but stayed by him, swirling around until he could practically hear it. This really, really wouldn’t do. She was his friend, a work colleague…the daughter of one of his friends from the 40s…and then there was Peggy.

Not for the first time Steve delved into the reasons he'd been drawn to Katie, comparing her to Peggy. Both women had strong personalities, an unwavering sense of justice and ethics, a deep well of compassion, loyalty, and the air of authority that put more than one man in his place, including himself. They were both incredibly beautiful, filled with passion, devotion and ambition…

Abandoning his food, his appetite lost completely he threw the remains into the bin and headed into his bedroom, intending to do what he did best when it came to women. 

Stick his head in the sand and hope to God it all went away.

Meanwhile, Katie was going through her own bedtime routine, shedding her clothes and pulling on a pair of pyjamas before collapsing into her pillow, thinking about what a good day it had been. She hadn’t disgraced herself at the contest, had a good evening in the pub afterwards, and to top it off Fury and Steve had actually backed her in said contest.

At the thought of Steve she smiled to herself. It was kind of nice to have him looking out for her, even if he was a bossy bastard about drinking water. Which reminded her, she needed some. Heading to the kitchen she grabbed a glass, filled it, and then made her way back to bed, this time snuggling down under the covers.

And it wasn’t just the way he cared, it was the way he was so comfortable with her. The gentle touches to her arm and lower back, the fact he called her doll or sweetheart. The smile that he flashed her that could light up his entire face, and those eyes…those god damned beautiful eyes that could drown her in seconds…

Her stomach was suddenly crawling with those damned butterflies, the same ones she had been feeling on or off around him now since Thanksgiving. And they fluttered from her stomach to her chest. It was getting harder and harder to ignore them now, she had feelings for Captain fucking America. Her dad’s friend, her best friend...

Groaning, she rolled over and shoved her head into the pillows. She was utterly fucked.

Tags @the-omni-princess​

[darylandbethfanforever9]

Downfall Of Us All: Chapter 12

Downfall Of Us All

Chapter 12

AN: I’m going through a rough time right now, emotionally and I’m sorry that I won’t be posting a chapter every day. Thank you to @jtargaryen18​ for writing this story with me.

"If Foster's assistant hadn't been snooping for information, on Project Genesis then Foster wouldn't be in this mess." Rumlow said bluntly, eying Pepper hungrily. She wasn't bad looking, and she had wonderful breasts as he pulled out the metal handcuffs. He restrained her hands, and Laura smirked in amusement. This would be fun.

Rumlow could tell help but feel aroused by the sight of Pepper Potts handcuffed to the bed, and he cupped her right breast tightly. He heard her moan, and smirked.

One of the HYDRA female scientists strapped her legs down to begin the process, he was going to enjoy this. He saw her wake up and grinned malevolently at her. "Hello Virginia, you're gonna be part of our experiment." He said amused, as he began cutting at her hospital gown with his knife.

Pepper's eyes widened, she jerked in the restraints as the knife sliced the gown up, over her stomach. "W-what experiment?" Pepper looked groggy, but she did understand that she was in very real danger. "Where am I?" "Don't worry about where you are," Rumlow told her as she slid the knife through the gown to just under her chin, grinning as he let the gown gap open down her body. "The experiment, well, let's just say it's not totally unfamiliar to you personally." Pepper's gaze bounced from Laura and back to him. Pepper squinted at her, did a double take. "Laura?" she rasped. "Right? You're Clint's wife." Laura shrugged nonchalantly. "Was." "What? Why are you here? Where's Clint?" Pepper's panic was a living thing around them, her fear nearly tangible. For Rumlow, the fear satisfied a craving. It was all he could do to contain the feeling of triumph as he watched the famous Pepper Potts, posed wife of Tony Stark, crumble before him. "Clint will meet the same fate as his children soon enough," Laura said coolly. "Not your problem though." One of the scientists reached the table next to the bed, opening a case he placed on the table. He opened it to reveal a set of injections of something that looked terrifying familiar. "Is that…?" The scientist, a small bald man, didn't even make eye contact with her. "Extremis?" Rumlow asked. "Why, yes, it is. I'm pleased you remember." Pepper shook her head frantically in denial. "You can't… Why would you… Why are you doing this?" Rumlow shrugged a shoulder. "I'm doing this because that's why HYDRA wants. Specifically, to you because you once had Extremis and you did remarkably well. You'll be our star pupil." "I need your help now," the scientist said, injection at the ready. Pepper fought as she watched the huge man walk around the bed to the other side. His grip on her arm was like a vice. He kept her arm flat against the metal bar, so she couldn't move it, smiling at her the entire while. "Just a few pricks," he told her, making it sound like she was overreacting. "Then a bigger one once he's done. Me and you will have a little fun." Pepper's mouth dropped open as the needle slid into her arm. She screamed as it burned its way along her arm, through her body.

"T-Tony will come for me," she warned them. "I wouldn't be so sure about that," Rumlow said with a chuckle. "That was a pretty bad fight. The slap across the face was a nice touch. I'm not so sure I'd come after you. I mean, you have a guy, a do-gooder granted, working hard to make the world a safe place for everyone, including you, and you're just a complete bitch to him. It's a level of selfishness that's just impressive really." Pepper gasped, feeling the virus burn its way into her body. "That's why I'm not going to feel too bad about what we do after these injections." Laura laughed on the other side. "You going to stay and watch again," Rumlow asked her. Her nod was the last thing Pepper saw as everything started to fade in and out. It felt like she was burning alive, from the inside out. The pain was intense and then he planned to rape her? With any luck, this time, the Extremis would kill her.

She could feel the burning sensation, despite needles being injected into her bloodstream. She could feel the fire burning through her veins, and cried out in pain. This could be happening to her again, it couldn't be. She felt tears stream down her face, she didn't regret how she'd spoken to Tony. If Tony hadn't gotten back into being Iron Man, then none of this would have happened.

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The team refused to give up on finding Pepper, Darcy and Jane. The team had reluctant help from S.H.I.E.L.D grudgingly and were searching abandoned HYDRA bases in America. Clint and Grace both surveyed the abandoned HYDRA base located in Wyoming, it looked deserted. They cautiously entered the base, and Grace looked around quietly. It was like people had left in a hurry, there was hardly any equipment around the place. Clint cautiously checked the room and found nothing. He joined Grace and they both began searching the other rooms, when they came across a file. Half of it was written in Romanian, and Ukrainian. Clint couldn't make out most of it, but Grace helped him translate some of the words. He felt his stomach drop, as he saw Grace's face pale. Project Genesis. The project had been formed by Dr List and Dr Wolfgang Strucker, in 2014. The project's aim was to use Enhanced, Inhuman and Gifted women as breeding mares for HYDRA agents who had been part of Project Centipede. The file went on to file how many of the women had died from complications, caused by being impregnated by the HYDRA agents. Many of the women had died along with the baby, and there had been only one survivor. Grace Melnychenko Drăgoi had survived the procedure, she'd been captured in early July. Unlike the other women who had failed to carry the pregnancies to term, Grace had thrived, and it was believed her DNA had protected her. 'Test Subject 24 shows no signs of illness, or stress. The father of the child had been informed.' HYDRA also expressed interest in using Peter Parker, Natasha, Sophie and Bucky but dismissed Peter due to his young age. Clint saw that Grace was shaking slightly and gave her hand a tight squeeze. She gave him a grateful smile, and they put the file away as they continued to search. The wind howled around the base, and Clint pulled out his bow when he saw a blood trail leading down the hallway. He cautiously followed it, Grace behind him. And lying on a medical table, was the dead body of a young woman. Her stomach had been cut open, and her skin was waxy looking. She'd been dead for a few days.

"My God, Clint," Grace said with tears in her voice. "How many women have they done this to? How are we going to stop them?" Clint steered her out of the room. "Grace, we don't have to know right now how we're going to stop them. We only have to know that we will." Her beautiful face was drained of colour. "Clint, I'm scared." "I know," he told her, getting his comm ready to bring the team in for the body. "But I'm not going to let anything happen to you. The team will keep you and your sister safe. I can promise you that." "And Bucky?" Clint snorted. "Steve damn near tore the Avengers apart before for Bucky. I would expect no less now. Besides, I think he likes your sister." Grace smiled at that, one small happy thought in all this darkness. "Need a team up here," Clint said into the comm. "We've got another body. If we can spare a couple of agents, let's sweep the grounds. You'll probably find the body of a child buried somewhere on the grounds." Grace's chin trembled. Clint wrapped an arm around her, trying to steady her. She was clutching the file so tightly in her hand that her knuckles were white. "Let's get you out of here," Clint said. "Okay?"

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Tony sat behind his desk when Clint walked in, Steve and Bruce waiting with him. "What did you find?" Tony asked. "Why the specificity on who was here?" Clint held the file, placing it down on Tony's desk. "Information Grace and I found on in Wyoming," he explained. "Most of it is in languages I can't read. The gist of it? Project Genesis."

That got Tony's attention. "Did you say Project Genesis?" "Yeah, reasonably sure I did," Clint told him. "Do you know what it is?" Tony asked curiously. "A breeding program to create super-soldiers," Clint told him. "The only one the Erskine serum ever really worked on was Cap here. Since they can't replicate his formula, they are taking enhanced and inhuman women, raping them, and forcing them to carry pregnancies that they hope will be a new race." Steve's expression was grim. "That's disgusting." "I asked for the specific people now because I don't want people's emotions to compromise them as we deal with this," Clint explained. "Compromised?" Steve asked concerned. "I even hesitated to have you here," Clint told him. "This concerns Bucky too." That got Steve's attention. "What about Bucky?" Clint calmly explained what they found. Aside from the body being autopsied at the moment in their lab, he explained the contents of the file. "Basically, only one woman has survived this procedure to produce a viable child," Clint finished. "Grace," Tony said out loud. Clint nodded grimly. "They will want her back," Clint told them. "And I don't mind saying that I'm emotionally invested because I'll die before I let that son-of-a-bitch Rumlow lay another hand on her." "They also had Sophie, Bucky, and Parker as viable candidates," Clint went on. "Peter?" Tony's face darkened in anger. "They ruled him out because of his age," Clint explained. "Bucky?" Steve didn't like that. "He's been through enough." "Agreed," Clint told him. "That wasn't why I didn't request him here. With Sophie being a target? I don't want him going off the deep end if they target her." Steve understood, but shook his head. "I think it will give him… focus." "I'll defer to whatever you think, Cap," Clint told him. "But I'm going to make my intentions very clear here. Rumlow? Is mine. Laura? She's mine. I don't want to fight any of you for the privilege of killing either one of them, but I will if I have to." "It's okay, Legolas," Tony told him, his expression serious where his words weren't. "I understand. For my part, I'll stay out of your way." "But parts of our team are targeted," Steve wanted them to understand. "That means we're going to have to handle things carefully. And Ross…" "Ross knew," Tony said, rising from his chair. "Son-of-a-bitch, you're right. He knew the girls were targets and that's why he put them on the Avengers Initiative. Bucky, he was theirs to play with for years. No offense, Cap, but that was a given. And Peter?" Clint knew that pissed Tony off. He thought of the kid as a son. "I want Peter looked after," Tony told them. Steve nodded his agreement.

"We won't let anything happen to Peter, Tony. Grace, and Sophie love Peter like he's their baby brother, and Lilia might actually blow up someone if they hurt her assistant." Clint reassured, Tony looked relieved and reassured. "We better tell his aunt, and put her into protective custody. Not to mention his friends, their parents never came back after we killed Thanos," Tony said quietly, sighing bitterly. Even though Thanos was dead, people had still died because of him snapping his fingers. It was something he still hadn't forgiven Peter Quill for, and why none of the team left them alone. Steve squeezed his shoulder in a sign of comfort, and they both decided to get the others.

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Lilia had been busy looking through Darcy Lewis and Jane Foster's laptops, that SHIELD had given to her. Whoever had been on them, had not left any clues. She frowned when she saw that Darcy had been hacking into the old Soviet Union government files, she managed to download the files onto a backup USB stick. 'Project Genesis Candidates.' 'Natalia Alianovna Romanoff: Deemed a suitable candidate, due to having been in the Red Room Program.' 'Sophie Anastasia Melnychenko Drăgoi: Deemed a suitable candidate, due to having been burn from the successful Widow Project.' 'Grace Alexandra Melnychenko Drăgoi: Deemed suitable, after successfully carrying a child conceived from a HYDRA agent who was a member of Project Centipede.' 'Peter Benjamin Parker: Not a suitable candidate, due to his young age.' 'James Buchanan Barnes: Deemed a suitable candidate, due to having the super soldier serum. Will be recaptured in time, along with the two sisters, and Black Widow.' The file went on to express interest in using an Enhanced individual known as Quicksilver, Lilia had no idea who that was. But HYDRA did want Wanda Maximoff, who was the only surviving female from Project Psyche. Lilia felt sick, as she saw Tony's name had been added onto the list, due to his genius intellect. It was hoped by using Steve, Bucky, and Quicksilver, and a man named Ronin that they could build an army. Hands shaking, she printed the files quickly and told her AI D.A.V.I.D to make sure no one hacked into the laptop. David assured her they wouldn’t and locked the laptop.

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Sophie and Grace had been in the training room all afternoon but neither minded, Grace had told Sophie what she and Clint had found in abandoned HYDRA base. It made her feel sick and horrified at what these people did to those poor women. Had they done this to their mother, when she'd been used by them.

She took off the boxing gloves, and took a sip from her bottle of water, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She saw Bucky entering the room, and he looked at her quietly. "Tony and Steve are calling an emergency meeting, everyone needs to be there in an hour," he explained quietly, and Sophie could tell that he was worried. "Has something happened?" Sophie asked concerned, Bucky bit his lip and squeezed her hand. He didn't want to scare her or Grace, as Peter came over. "Lilia's found out something on Darcy's laptop, and it's not good." He said finally, his voice from. Sophie felt her hair stand on end.

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They'd all gathered into the larger conference room at the compound for the meeting, Steve and Tony waiting for everyone to arrive and take a seat before getting started. Grace caught the concerned glance between Nat and Steve when she walked in with Sophie and it did nothing to bring down her already elevated anxiety level. Clint motioned her over, having saved her a seat. Joining him she sat down as Tony looked ready to get started. "Hey guys," Tony started. "So, thanks to ah, my –" "Lilia," she offered with a smile. "Her," Tony pointed to her, "we have some critical new data that we need to review as a team." "Starting without me?" Nicky Fury walked into the room to loom over them ominously, Maria Hill right behind me. "Just started," Tony told him, trying to reach his usual snarky level but missing it by a mile. Whatever it was, it had Tony rattled. That wasn't a good sign. "Lilia, why don't you…." Tony motioned her to the front. "Okay," Lilia told him, coming to stand next to him. "I was able to retrieve data from S.H.I.E.L.D from laptops belonging to Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis. Unfortunately, it appears they were targeted because of their hacking efforts into old Soviet files. From what I can tell Ms. Lewis was able to retrieve files and download them onto a thumb drive. No clues were left as to who accessed the systems after they were captured. Whoever they were, they really knew what they were doing." Steve's expression was grim as he looked to Thor, knowing his friend's feelings for Jane were still raw and painful. "They are calling this program Project Genesis and it's a breeding program. They need to generate an army of enhanced, superior individuals," Lilia explained. "Which doesn't do them any good for what – twenty years?" Nick offered. "Well," Lilia continued, "you would think that but…" "But what?" Sophie prompted, knowing the other woman was struggling with whatever she needed to say. "Okay, look," Lilia explained, "HYDRA has been secretly working on some very interesting biological experimentation in the last few decades. None of this is really new, it just existed without our awareness. They are working with Extremis, which I know most of you have heard of, and is likely why Pepper Potts was taken. She's been the most successful project with the virus to date." Tony's face showed his shock. "I'm sorry," Lilia told him. "The one project they haven't had any luck on – so far – is age acceleration. The minute they figure out how to do that, their army goes from being a threat down the road to an immediate emergency." "So, we need to locate facilities where this is being developed and shut them down?" Steve asked. Lilia nodded. "Apparently Darcy was able to locate certain data files, including lists of possible candidates for the project. They include Natasha ---"

"I can't have children," Nat pointed out. Lilia took a deep breath. "Another part of their biological developments is the reversal of sterilizations. Even on females. Their plan for you is to reverse that and then breed you." The look on Natasha's face made Lilia's heart drop. To think they sterilized her to make her a weapon, taking away her ability to have children if she ever wished. Then wanting to reinstate it to cruelly use her for a broodmare. "They have also identified Sophie and Grace as potential candidates," Lilia went on, "particularly since Grace is the only experiment case to produce a live birth and thrive with the child." "Live birth?" Grace's eyes stung with tears. "He's my son." "I know," Lilia said gently. "I mean you no offense. Sophie was the result of an experiment, same as you, and they think she's viable along with Bucky who they plan to take back and Wanda who is the only living experiment from Project Psyche." Bucky's expression was closed while the sisters gazed at each other fearfully. "They eliminated Peter Parker as a possible candidate, for now, due to his age," Lilia went on. "But the minute they can age him…?" Tony threw in. "They'll likely re-add him to the list," Lilia said. "This is barbaric," Natasha grumbled. "Forcing people to breed. How is that scientific?" "It greatly increases the chances of a viable pregnancy," Lilia told them. "They are using their agents as fathers for the female patients. Many have been a man named Brock Rumlow who is working with a female accomplice, someone you all knew as someone named Laura."

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[constantwritingblock]

Stolen Worlds 1

Queen of Thieves: Takes place just after the MC breaks up with Nikolai.

Avengers: Takes place during The Winter Soldier, but with additional characters.

Unknown!Nick Fury x reader, (previous) Nikolai Stirling x reader, platonic!Natasha Romanoff x reader, (eventual) Steve Rogers x reader.

Things take a positive turn for Y/N’s mission to infiltrate Hydra, though when she meets a certain Captain America, of whom she’s not supposed to at all, will that complicate things if she lies about who she truly is? Or is Rumlow’s attraction towards her distracting enough?

Chapter One

Getting out of the Gilded Poppy was easier than expected if you don’t count the numerous calls and texts from them awaiting a response or a way to track her, thank god for signal jammers, while she transferred some necessary data and contacts she made on her adventure.

It came to even more of a surprise for her with Fury. “For a supposed dead man he sure has a lot of connections still.” Muttering to herself, she scuffled her way down to her newly found desk. Fury had managed to pull some strings for her to have a placement within the already infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.and her mission was to infiltrate Hydra. This was going to be fun for her. Working as a computer techie had its perks, she wouldn’t be going back in the field, something she asked for. That was the only part of their deal Fury had no light behind, but nevertheless respected her wishes and privacy, for once.

Y/N has put up with the most toughest of enemies in the past, going as far as to having torture them for information or to weasle her way in undercover missions, she hadn’t anticipated a certain Brock Rumlow to take her bait so quickly. She needed to be stealthy and cautious, he could be on to her and that was something she did not want to happen. It had taken a few rough months to gain the trust of him and others from Hydra for them to start confiding in her of updates. The other part of her mission was to feed the information to Captain America and Romanoff without being caught, so anonymity was vital.

The duo, who were doing their own investigations and schemes had recruited a Sam Wilson onto their team. Y/N was getting very anxious with their side of things, though the trio had no idea who she was going by the alias of Agent Z; it had given them great mixture of distrust in her. Which she fully understood, how couldn’t she?

Sighing for the upteenth time that day, she ignored another one of Remy’s calls. The Gilded Poppy were not giving up on her, concerned if she was alright. Luckily she kept one of her older phones that she used when she was doing spy work for the Organisation. Shuddering at the thought of her old life, she attempted at brushing it off, she needed to focus. Meeting with Rumlow was something she was getting used to alongside the odd gropes, but this meeting was different, she was finally meeting Alexander Pierce. Fury had stated his suspicions of him being the one to set the hit out on him. Hopefully this gave her more insight into the Winter Soldier.

Y/N was tactful, her advances in technology were made known to him, so she was silently praying that it would be enough to allow for more access to any classified issues. As she approached the end of the long hallway, Y/N felt one of her shifts hit stronger than normal. Someone was behind her, subtly changing her pace, she prepared for the worse when an arm slithered its way onto her waist, sending a grimy squeeze on her right side. Rumlow. Hiding her disgust she gave him a thin smile in greeting as a mischievous grin reciprocated.

“You know, after this, perhaps we could finally get some time alone.” The suggestion did intrigue her, she wasn’t new to sleeping with someone on the job, but for the safety of herself and revealing her true self she battled against it. “How about, you can jack off to the vision of me actually sleeping with you?” With that, she strode forward, forcing his grasp off her body to slip as the door opened and they both stepped inside. Before Brock could argue further with her, the sight of Pierce’s back was daunting enough to challenge him. “Sir.” The double agent coughed. Turning around ever so slowly, Pierce had a rather striking appearance, but Y/N was using her chance to to analyse him. So he’s the big boss man… well, I suppose it fits… She’d never met Pierce but has heard of him, from some brief talks with Fury in the past with liaisons between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Organisation. Again, stop thinking about that right now, you can’t fuck this up. 

“Ah, so you must be the famous Agent Z. Agent Rumlow has spoken highly of you and your skills.” The older man had the nerve to smile at her and be polite. “I wouldn’t say my work is anything special, sir.”

Deciding to act all humble about it was a smart move, his eyes lit up. Great he wants someone to manipulate. Pierce chuckled, rather sinisterly, “Oh, sweetheart, don’t put yourself down. You’re the best I have seen in a long time and trust me, I’ve been working here for a long time. Now,” flicking a switch, he triggered the holographic computer screen to appear as well shut off all doors and windows, making the room completely safe from eavesdroppers and trapping Y/N, “let’s begin, shall we?”

Gesturing for her to sit down, she did so as Rumlow stood directly behind her chair. Gulping nervously, Y/N kept her thoughts at bay. “I want to introduce you to something that will further you to work for the best of the best. Have you ever considered… joining Hydra? Now, before you argue with me, I am aware you do have a criminal past… odd jobs here and there within mobs and gangs, then progressing yourself to change your tune, into a good citizen of life. But, when I saw your application process through to S.H.I.E.L.D., I knew that you can’t resist this kind of life.”

Taking deep breaths, it was a lot to take in, she was worried that he caught for her more physical resume. All of her work for those mobs and gangs did underlay that she was doing hacking jobs for them. “Yes, sir… I guess you must have seen right through my lie there, I just… I didn’t know how to grab the attention.”

“My dear, you have caught mine. What would you say to assisting me in making the world a better place?”

—

Stopping at a coffee house, Y/N couldn’t resist the urge to sigh. She needed a break from everything. Luckily for her, she was granted a day off, something she thought would’ve been rejected given her area of expertise was close to what Hydra wanted. Pierce has probably allowed this to rope me in further. Distracted by her own thoughts, she hadn’t noticed a blond gentleman asking if the seat before her was free. Blinking up at the man, she noted the gentle, genuine smile that crawled on his lips. Returning a smile of her own she allowed him to take the seat, finally realising how quickly the coffee shop had filled. I need to focus… though her thoughts said so, the man before her thought otherwise.

He kept a conversation flowing, apologising if he had disturbed her from her work, then beginning to question on what she was doing. “I don’t mean to disturb you, but the look on your face is quite a sight ma’am.” He chuckled.

Shaking herself out of focus she fixed her attention on the blond, instant panic swept her. Shit, does he know who I am? Fuck fuck fuck, stay calm. “Ah, sorry, got a lot of uni work to catch up on. It’s hell.” Smiling and nodding along playfully she played along to his antics. “I bet it is. I’m Steve, what’s your name?”

Her eyes widened in horror as she finally took a moment to look at him. Shit, Captain America is right in front of me...

—

“You what? How on this damned earth could you have bumped into him Y/L/N!?” Fury’s voice resonated through the practically empty apartment she had supplied for him. The former director began pacing, almost wearing out his shoes and the floorboards beneath him.

“Well, it’s not as if I knew that was gonna happen Fury? Besides he didn’t recognise me and I gave an alias to him, so be glad I was able to think quick on my feet. What I want to know though, is why I can’t tell Captain Rogers that I am their mole in their little operation.”

“I can’t risk having anything happening to you. Let’s put it that way and it doesn’t help when you don’t want to be in the field and be stuck behind a screen all day.”

—

“Let me get this straight Rogers, you gave a stranger your actual name and just hoped she wasn’t Hydra?!” Natasha was not one to irritate, Steve learnt this quick, but now he had to face her wrath.

“Nat, I doubt she was Hydra. There was something about her…” He could already predict the scoff that slipped out of the woman’s mouth seconds later. “Listen, if this gets back to me badly, I’ll take the fall for it. Besides, you’re the one that wanted me to get back into the dating game. I can’t really lie to her and then tell her the truth when everything’s over.”

She knew he was right but she couldn’t go back and change the past. “Alright, but I’m telling you, anything bad happens because of this, then we’ll be royally fucked.”

—

Y/N was getting to a breaking point already. She was a bit rusty with this however, there’s too much violence for her liking. At least phase two was done for her. Though as she got to work and proved herself over and over, secretly storing information she perceived as valuable to taking them down, she couldn’t help but miss watching Zoe doing all the hacking things.

It gave her a break for certain, she wasn’t heavily relied on for the things she used to do and is currently doing now compared to when she was living the life of infamous luxury. But she did miss it. The image of Zoe tapping away on her phone when they were out and about, moving the cameras from seeing them as a group as they all pranced, planning or celebrating. The look on his face as he smiled at her, fingers slipping into her own, muttering something about not wanting to lose her from her excitedness.

A soft expression played itself onto her face as she daydreamed her now old life. Though it didn’t last long as the sound of a thud as coffee was placed on her desk rather abruptly, causing her to jump. “Looks like you could do with it.”

Rumlow. Again. The man had practically not left her side since, as if she was something he needed to protect. It made Y/N grimace at the thought of him wanting to do more with her, but she was glad that there were some rules that kept him from doing so, didn’t mean that he didn’t keep his distance. The only alone time she could grab alone time was when he had to deal with The Winter Soldier. From that, she managed to complete the USB stick to stash in a vending machine, in the hospital where Fury’s body lay. She almost got caught by a woman with reddish hair. She’d rather not have anyone know her identity or even recruit her to help with such physical tasks of anything. Preferring to play behind a screen, doing all the cleaner work, allowing the others to get their hands dirty.

The last thing Y/N needed was for her name to smudged once more. Her work had been proven useful for Hydra, no one had to question her anymore, though she doubt they would with Rumlow spreading that she’s ‘his girl’. It helped her get promoted to The Winter Soldier project eventually and that was when shit got real for her. Captain America’s best friend is the Winter Soldier. It was a simple search online, but that made her uneasy with how she could tread with this information.

Steve Rogers. He had a good physique and for a man that was rumoured to be unable to talk to women, he held his own quite well. She never expected for the next events to happen. It was all so sudden, plus she had barely even met the guy and she was already growing a crush. I guess that’s what happens when you literally watch from the sidelines to ensure the plan is going accordingly...

[justlostinautumn]

The Assistant 15/20

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9,Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14

Avengers x Reader (Fury/adopted-daughter) Bucky Barnes x Reader

A girl trying to hide her past who was adopted by Nick Fury, but cared for by Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. Being Tony’s assistant and asked to help the rest of the team. She doesn’t remember much from her past, but maybe working with this group of misfits will help knock a few memories loose and open some doors to the past. – Sorry if this sucks!

A/N: Please send me thoughts on where you want to see this imagine go… or ideas for new stories!

Y/N POV:

Getting back to HYDRA was a walk in the park, it took a week for Y/N to find them and they welcomed her home with open arms. The hard part was realising that she would have to start to do jobs for them again, at first they were reluctant they wanted her to train her back to full strength she faked being weak and losing as many times as she needed. She was back on their database and now it was time to bring home their Soldier, she acted out enough for them to find it pressing that they bring him home and get him back on the program. She had her full access back, she made up a story about being found by someone taken care of and then running again and again never staying in one place too long.

It took her a month before she was allowed anywhere near the tech. But once she was back on the system she opened a backdoor for the Avengers and also typed in the codes her parents taught her before she was handed over. In the message she wrote to her parents it said: I want to come home now. She knew the team would get it, she only prays that they kept an eye on it to know when it was going to go down.

Training became more relentless, the more mistakes she made the more she was punished. She didn’t cry, she didn’t scream and she didn’t fight them back. She knew they were watching her and Bucky and Wanda were most probably screaming at the screen begging her to fight back, but they will soon learn it is better this way… that this was the only way.

It was another training day and I hate to lose but I’m scared, winning means showing my full strength, it means the risk of being out back in action and being moved from facility to facility. This would ruin the plan and I know my parents would figure out what I was doing. I granted them access to the backdoor too, they needed to believe that I am still on their side and I want to come home. what better way than allowing them in and letting them watch as I fake being out of practice.

THE AVENGERS POV:

“Sir, someone hacked into the Tower from a known HYDRA facility and left a backdoor open,” FRIDAY spoke up and everyone froze.

“Show me!” Tony spoke not thinking twice.

A hologram appeared in front of them and they saw Y/N’s face she looked tired and a little ruffled.

“Hey, this message will have to be short, they will be back any minute but here’s a backdoor. I’ve managed to work this so you will be notified when I communicate with the family.” She smirks at them, “I look like shit, trust me I’ve been through worse.”

The image was gone and what was left was a coded message to her family that Tony began to try tracing.

“FRIDAY what do we have access to?” Steve asked the AI. “Everything Captain Rogers, it seems Miss Fury opened a backdoor into their mainframe and has granted us unlimited access,” FRIDAY responds.

“That’s my girl.” Tony smiled at the image of Y/N in front of them.

“FRIDAY show us footage of her now,” Bucky whispered, he couldn’t talk any louder. He had seen the bruises on her face he knew what she was doing.

An image filled the screen it was her in a training room circling her opponent, he lunged and she let him hit her and the sparring continued. She blocked very few of his jabs and then he pinned her to the floor.

“AGAIN!” Someone shouted out and they watched as Y/N got to her feet and spat at the man who just shouted. Bucky and Wanda take a deep breath and they hear a loud slap and Y/N head is to the side and pointed down and before anything could happen the man who hit her was on the floor neck snapped.

“Stand down Asset!” A voice that was familiar to them all spoke through the video and Rumlow walked into frame.

“Or what?” She hissed back, her body was tense.

“Or we will kill you little Soldier instead of bringing him home.” He smirked and they watched as Y/N slumped back. Rumlow walked up to her and stroked her smarting cheek and Bucky growled causing everyone to stiffen.

“Don’t touch me.” She snapped pulling her head away. “I know who you belong to and I wouldn’t touch you. As much as I want to have my way with you I know the stories of the men who have tried it before… let’s just say I value you my life.” Rumlow laughed and pushed her into the wall with her back to him and he pressed up against her. “He’s a lucky bastard though.”

They watched Y/N’s hands clench and she was stiff as a board, not moving or flinching. They watched Rumlow step away and order her to go back to one of the tech rooms to work. They watch her being taken there, Wanda saw the look in Y/N eye and knew what it meant. She was losing hope her parents would come, she was losing touch of reality and was beginning to forget that they would save her. They watch her being dropped off into one of the rooms and found it had no audio.

A ping went off and a new message came in from her family - Party starts soon, we will let you know. The Soldier will be no use to us anymore we just want what’s ours. Nice faking Sweetheart!

There was a static noise filling the room before.

“Hello.” She whispered.

“Kitty!” Bucky cried out and he watched as she looked up to the camera and for the first time he could see something in her eyes.

“Party?” Steve spoke up getting a dirty look from Bucky.

“It means it’s going to be something of war here. They bring a lot of what they have, did you read the files yet?” She turned back to the computer and started tapping away and files appeared on their screens.

“Shit, those are monsters!” Clint looked horrified.

“It’s what they’re good at.” They could all hear the hatred in her voice and they couldn’t tell if it was just for her family or if it was for herself as well.

“Why not fight back?” Nat asked what they all wanted to know.

“They want me back in the field, I don’t want to. It also means I would be moved around a lot more this ensure the plan works.” She sighs and then static fills the room and her voice is gone they see her pull something away from her ear and hide it somewhere.

Y/N POV:

Hearing Bucky’s voice even just for a moment gave her some hope, just the nickname was enough to give her strength to keep fighting through this. But when the door was opened she knew something was wrong. She typed a quick message to the team - the party started early! She didn’t know if that made it so she signed it quickly hoping Clint was in the room or that any of them could read sign language. It was too early, she wasn't prepared. The sirens started to let our a loud shriller noise, she was being dragged to the armoury to be suited up ready for battle.

“You fight until you die. Do you understand Soldier?” Rumlow shouted in Y/N’s face he could see the fear and all she could do in return was smirk back at him. She raised her gun and shot every agent in that room and ran out.

“Please tell me they are here or on there way… something.” She ran for the tech room, when she got there she locked and blocked the door and pulled out the earpiece gunfire was all that can be heard in the background and she hacked into the Tower camera feed to find nothing and she then decided to try the jet and found the team standing in a circle around a table discussing strategies.

“How long do you guys think you’ll be?” She asked in a bored tone and they all turn to see a hologram of a heavily armed Y/N standing before them.

“I thought they’d give you a warning,” Steve spoke up.

“They most probably think I’m a double agent for HYDRA, that I turned on them since the last time they had me. They want me back no matter what at this point, they’ll get me.” She sighed and she looked around and they realised that she had a gun raised and they could hear gunfire getting louder it sounded like it was in the room with them.

“Mother fucker!” They hear her scream and the image shows live footage, they see that Y/N had been shot and she looked pissed.

“Y/N!” Bucky and Wanda scream as they see Y/N pull out another gun from the holster and without care shooting at anyone and everyone.

“We will be there in about 2 minutes, hold on Princess,” Tony shouted and they could hear the pants coming from her as we watch her run down the halls until she stands completely still.

“Hello, Sweetheart.” Her father’s voice stops her dead in her tracks and she turns slowly.

“Dad?” She looks at the man smiling at her and she doesn’t know what to do.

“It’s time to go home.” Her mother spoke from next to her father.

“But, James…” She trailed off as something was fired and Y/N collapsed on the floor.

THE AVENGERS POV:

It was too late by the time they got there, bodies and blood everywhere. Bucky and Wanda ran into the facility looking for any traces of Y/N but come up empty-handed. The team hear a scream of anguish and the ground tremors, they watch as Pietro speeds into the building and everyone running after them. They end up in the hallway where Y/N was last seen, there was a message on the wall. You are too late Soldat! Steve watched as he saw his best friend punch the wall and a large crack formed in the middle of the note.

“We failed,” Bucky spoke, his voice void of any emotions.

“No, we will find her,” Steve says firmly.

“Then you tell Pepper, Maria and Fury that their girl isn’t coming home for dinner.” Bucky pushed his best friend and Steve saw it.

“There’s hope.” Sam spoke up, “they said they wanted her. They aren’t going to kill her.”

“Hope is a dirty 4 letter word,” Wanda spoke up and they all looked at each other not even knowing where to start looking.

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[thepartyresponsible]

after a somewhat prolonged absence (moving is a goddamn nightmare), here’s the second soundtrack fill! this one is for an anon who asked for jason todd + "why you gotta kick me when i'm down" by bring me the horizon.

so here’s what happens when superheroes/vigilantes are (vaguely) legitimized and organized into authorized teams, but jason still manages to ruin his life.

no real warnings for this one, except it’s not overly kind to bruce wayne.

Jason gets traded to SHIELD after he shoots the Penguin in the face. He’s probably supposed to be grateful that he gets traded at all. Unnecessary kills are frowned upon all over, and Bruce especially takes a pretty grim stance on them.

Hell, Bruce is so pissed about this kill that two of Jason’s molars are still sitting a little loose in his jaw when his plane touches down in D.C.

The media’s been brutal about it, especially in Gotham. It’s nothing new. They’ve hated Jason since he crawled out of Crime Alley. They hate Jason, and they hate the Outlaws, and they’ve been gleefully running grainy videos of Bruce backhanding Jason’s mask to pieces all Goddamn week.

There were reporters camped outside Titans Tower from the moment Roy Harper brought him in, and Dick, because he’s Dick, never sent them away.  

“It’s public property. They’ve got a right to be there,” he’d said, while he packed Jason’s mouth with gauze and cleaned up cuts and clucked over bruises. “They can’t get inside.”

And Roy would’ve chased them off, probably, except Roy got dragged into trade negotiations immediately and left before Jason even woke up the morning after Bruce kicked his ass.

Jason wasn’t part of any negotiations. Dick ran what interference he could, but half the country, including Bruce, wanted Jason in prison. In the end, SHIELD is better than he could have hoped for. It’s better than he deserves. He’s got no right to be angry about it, even if D.C. is not his city. Even if he worked damn hard, for years, to stay out of SHIELD and its reach.

But the collateral damage is pissing him off. Roy, pulled from the Titans, stepping in to run the Outlaws. Kate Bishop, loaned to the Titans to fill their archer slot. And Peter Parker, graduated early from SHIELD, sent to round out the West Coast Avengers.

Parker, who’d been angling for a spot on the Avengers. Who earned that spot. Who’s everybody’s Goddamn darling.

Jesus Christ, people barely tolerate Jason in Gotham. He’s not going to be able to set foot in New York for years.

When he steps off the plane, he expects to be met by agents. He’s not technically in anybody’s custody; he’s been traded, not incarcerated. But Dick and Wally escorted him to his gate, possibly to keep any riled-up civilians from spitting in his face, and he feels rootless and exposed, navigating the airport alone.

It’s fine. He’s not armed, but, in a place like this, he doesn’t need to be. There’s no threat here.

He nudges his teeth with his tongue, feels them give more than they should. The stitches dissolved two days ago, and the swelling’s mostly gone, but the bruises on his face have settled in to linger.

He gets a few wide-eyed stares, but it’s hard to tell if anyone actually recognizes him or if it’s just the bruising turning heads. Most people only associate Red Hood with the mask. He’s lucky that way. He’s been careful to keep his face out of the press.

SHIELD, of course, does all its work with its Aux agents bare-faced and uniformed, all their stats and headshots available for public perusal. So that’s probably the end of whatever anonymity Jason had managed to preserve.

Which is fine. He wouldn’t’ve had any anonymity in prison, either. So it’s not like he’s losing something he ever had a chance to keep.

He’s standing in baggage claim, waiting for the duffle bag of clothes Artemis brought over, when a man wearing a decent suit and a blandly pleasant expression approaches from his left. “Phil Coulson,” he says, hand extended. “From SHIELD.”

Phil Coulson is a name that sounds vaguely familiar, like something Dick said to him a couple dozen times while Jason was busy trying to pretend none of this was going to happen. Jason sizes him up and then reaches out, shakes his hand. “Hey. Jason Todd, from--” He cuts himself off, flounders.

Jason Todd, from the Outlaws.

But he isn’t. He built that team. He was the cornerstone of that team. The Outlaws have never existed without him. And now, for nothing, for a father that maybe at some point cared about him, he’s ruined the whole Goddamn thing.

“From SHIELD,” Phil supplies, patiently.

“Yeah,” Jason says. He turns away, grabs his bag. “From SHIELD.”

Phil gives him a long, evaluating look. His eyes linger on the bruising around Jason’s jawline, and Jason doesn’t fidget, doesn’t drop his eyes. After a tense, drawn-out moment, Phil nods. “Alright, Jason,” he says, “let’s go.”

  He doesn’t expect a warm welcome. He escaped SHIELD training by virtue of Bruce’s dogged resistance to oversight and the fact that, technically, Jason put on his first costume before the Auxiliary Justice Department was established. He was grandfathered in, had to register but never needed to be licensed, and, for the past seven years, he’s just been one of the many now-authorized vigilantes who refused any kind of PR-pleasing government training.

Now here he is, showing up at SHIELD’s doorstep like a puppy no one wanted. And he’s taking Parker’s place, which sure as hell isn’t going to endear him to anybody.

He’s heard about trades like this. People being traded into teams that don’t want them. It was never like that on the Outlaws, because the Outlaws were, technically, under Bruce’s watch, and Bruce’s theory on teamwork has always been less is more.  And it’s not like that on the Titans or the Teen Titans or any of the teams directly below the Justice League, either, because they’ve got enough draw to only get the best.

But some of the government teams. Some of the military teams. Not so often with the higher-ranking SHIELD teams, but everybody heard about the mess on Rumlow’s team a few years ago. Everyone knows what they were doing to Barnes before Rogers found out.

Hell, Xaiver’s school is full of former government recruits who dropped out and need to be reconditioned – whatever the hell that means – to civilian life.

“Regulations require that you stay on base through the weekend,” Coulson tells him.

“Sure,” Jason says. He’d been under the impression that he’d be staying on base through the rest of his natural life, so weekend, in comparison, sounds mercifully reasonable.

“Pending clearance from Medical, you’ll be moved into the team’s building on Monday.”

Jason stares out the window, watches the cars. “Medical?” he asks, because it seems like the least treacherous part of that sentence.

“I was told,” Coulson says, with a sudden sharp edge to all that quiet patience, “that you were cleared for fieldwork.”

Jason’s tongue goes to his teeth, works at the swollen line of his gums. “Jesus,” he says, “it’s just cosmetic. And I probably shouldn’t blow anyone for a week, so maybe swap someone else in for the time-sensitive dick-sucking jobs.”

The look Coulson gives him is dangerously, infinitely bland, and Jason’s heart double-skips in his chest as it occurs to him that maybe that kind of shit is supposed to be on the table now. What the hell would he know? He’s worked with Bruce his whole career.

Jason, for the record, would happily take a mask-shattering, teeth-loosening backhand over being sent out to suck some scummy government dick. Jesus, he’d take the hit every day of his life.

“Is that a common work requirement in Gotham?” Coulson’s tone is light and even, professionally curious.

“It absolutely is not,” Jason says.

“That’s good,” Phil says, as he expertly navigates a u-turn through four separate lanes of traffic with all the nonchalance of someone turning right on red. “So you’ll have Medical, and then sexual harassment training, and then you can move into the team building on Monday.”

“Jesus Christ,” Jason says, forehead thunking into glass hard enough to make his bruised temple ache. “You fucking Feds.”

  They don’t go to the SHIELD base. They go to a small Italian restaurant in a strip mall. “We’re a little behind schedule,” Coulson says, as he unbuckles his seatbelt. “They already have a table. Let’s go.”

Jason follows because he’s got no right to stay behind. He keeps his mouth shut because he’s got no reason to need more information. He’s not running anything; he’s nobody’s captain. He traded all of that for a bullet in the Penguin’s head, and maybe it was worth it, maybe it wasn’t, but it’s already done.

Coulson gives him another look as Jason falls in step beside and a little behind him. It’s a thoughtful, calculating look, eyes unreadable, mouth a flat line. It’s the kind of look Bruce used to give him, before he gave up and kicked Jason out of the cave. It’s the way someone looks at an investment they’re starting to reconsider.

Well, it’s not Jason’s fucking fault if SHIELD made a bad trade. The whole world was running headlines saying the best thing to do with him was lock him up in isolation, keep him confined for the next ten, fifteen years. It’s not like SHIELD wasn’t warned what a shitshow Jason is.

As they step into the restaurant, make their way toward the back, Jason wonders if SHIELD did this as a favor to the Titans and Outlaws or as a way to get some kind of leverage on Bruce. He hopes they had the sense to angle for a favorable relationship with the Titans. If they think Bruce Wayne is going to give a damn what SHIELD does to him now, Jason has two loose teeth, three bruised ribs, and an impressive array of week-old bruises that would argue to the contrary.

“Here,” Coulson says and nods towards a table with two occupants.

Jason knows, in a glance, that it’s Hawkeye and the Widow.

They’re both watching him. Barton’s subtler about it. He’s got a sort of hapless, heedless air about him that makes his awareness seem accidental. It’s hard to take him seriously with that line of butterfly bandages above his eyebrow, the half-healed scab over his badly split lip. He reminds Jason of Roy, a little, and Jason almost smiles at him, because it’s good to see anything that looks like home.

And Romanoff could be Artemis, with the catlike stare she levels his way. Not aggressive, necessarily, but patient, intent. Assessing. Her body language lacks the casual, lived-in ease of Barton’s mannerisms. But that could be because she’s sipping elegantly from a glass of red wine while Barton is wrestling a plate of spaghetti into submission with a fork held awkwardly between bandage-wrapped fingers.

“Clint, Natasha,” Coulson says, as he slides into one of the open seats across from them. “This is Jason Todd.”

“Hey,” Clint says, around a mouthful of spaghetti. “I ate your breadsticks.”

“And he’s very sorry,” Natasha adds. “And he’s buying you more.”

Jason stares at them. And then he stares at Coulson. And then, because he’s got fuck-all else to do, he settles into the seat across from Clint and narrows his eyes. “You’d fucking better,” he says.

Sometimes, when he can’t find the fight he knows he’s losing, he starts a new one. It saves time.

But Clint just grimaces, looking good-natured and abashed. “Sorry. Got hungry.”

Jason furrows his brow, keeps staring. Clint blinks and shrugs, ducks his head so he can funnel more spaghetti into his mouth, and Jason wonders if he’s actually supposed to think that Clint Barton – Hawkeye, World’s Greatest Marksman, Avenger – is as friendly and harmless as your average Golden Retriever.

“Let’s see you,” Natasha says, leaning forward, and Jason goes completely still as the Black Widow’s fingers curl around his chin.

Jesus Christ, he thinks. Jesus Christ.

The Avengers are the reason their work was ever legitimized. The Avengers are the reason the Accords were reworked toward mercy. Without the Avengers, there would’ve been a war, and Jason knows exactly how that would’ve ended up for groups like the Outlaws, who were always a special target, even back when all vigilantes were criminals.

The Widow’s fingers are cold against his skin. She lifts his face toward the light, runs her thumb so lightly over the bruising along his jaw that he barely feels it.

“Get fussy with the flight attendants?” Clint asks. “I got locked in the lavatory once.”

And he is like Roy, because, when Jason glances over, he’s got a big dopey smile on his face and a look in his eyes like someone, somewhere, is going to lose blood over this.

“You guys don’t watch TV?” Jason should pull away from the Widow. Her fingers are still on his face, and he has to speak soft and careful to keep from dislodging her. It’s making him sound young and unsure, almost shy. “Batman doesn’t keep killers on his teams.”

“If you’d been a shade less study,” Natasha says, tone strangely controlled, nearly singsong, “Bruce Wayne would be a killer.”

Jason blinks. He remembers the hit that shattered his mask, the starlight sickness of heat-pressure-pain that broke his brain to pieces, left him too Goddamn dizzy to remember to get his hands up to block the next punch.

He remembers, also, the hot splatter of his own blood when Bruce opened his fucking throat with a batarang years ago.

“Bruce, you know.” He tips his head out of the Widow’s grasp and steals her wine, just to give his hands something to do. “Sometimes, when people don’t listen, he gets loud about things.”

“Sometimes,” Clint says, lifting the wine right out of Jason’s hand, “when I don’t listen, Coulson pulls me from the field, makes me go to therapy.”

“Wow,” Jason says, “I think I’ll take the punch to the face.”

Clint grins at him. His grin is sharp enough to cut someone. Beside him, Natasha mirrors it. “Yeah,” he says. “Devil you know, huh?”

“Okay,” Jason says, because this whole week has been a stretch of nightmare after nightmare, waking up to realize it’s getting worse every time he opens his eyes. He was ready for a bleak SHIELD room that locked from the outside. He was ready for revenge. He was ready to be made into a point, a cautionary tale for all the other Auxers who refused licensing. “What the fuck is this? Why am I at dinner with two Avengers? The fuck is going on?”

Natasha swipes her wine out of Clint’s unresisting fingers, brings the nearly-empty glass up to her mouth. “Coulson believes in team bonding rituals,” she says.

“I’m not on your team,” Jason says. He’s not. He’s here because nobody wanted him. He’s here because SHIELD was better than prison. He’s here because he fucks up every single thing he touches.

“Well,” Clint says, “not until I get you those breadsticks.”

Jason gives up on the pair of them and turns to stare at Agent Coulson, who’s been casually perusing the menu throughout the entire conversation. “What,” Jason says, as clearly as he can, “the fuck.”

Phil Coulson smiles at him, calm and unconcerned and vaguely benign. He looks like someone who’s used to dealing with people like Jason, which is a hell of a change from the way Bruce always looks at him. For years now, Bruce has been staring at Jason like he’s got no idea what species he is.

“Jason,” he says, “what do you know about Strike Team Delta?”

[gore-hovnd]

Jack loses his medication and starts showing symptoms of a mental disorder during a mission, he becomes violent and Brock wanna stops him without hurting him.

Temper Tantrum

Only fifteen minutes in and Brock was pretty sure that airports were among some of the worst places on the planet. And this was coming from a guy who’d been in active war zones. It was loud,⁠—even that early in the morning⁠—their flight wasn’t going to leave for another two hours, and somehow everything was sticky. 

“Why couldn’t we just take the quinjet, again?” He yawned, trying and failing miserably to keep the whine from his voice. His commander looked back to Brock over his newspaper with a quirked brow and a smirk on his face that said, ‘is it really that bad?’

It was Commander Marcus Diaz’s final mission with STRIKE Team Alpha and he had one last lesson he wanted to teach Brock and his chosen Second in Command, Jack Rollins. 

“It’s an espionage mission, Rumlow. If we raise too much suspicion with an out of country aircraft, our target could go into hiding before we can get the information we want.” Diaz said patiently, as if Brock hadn’t asked the same question on two other occasions. 

Anxiety coursed through his veins, forcing his leg to bounce as they waited at the gatehouse. Somewhere behind him there was a baby crying and the only thing he could think of was that he’d lose his mind if they were on the same flight as that thing. Brock wasn’t opposed to people having kids, so long as the little crotch goblins stayed away from him. Even at his accomplished thirty five years of age, he wasn’t ready for kids. Wasn’t sure if he ever would be. So it was a good thing he was with Jack because that eliminated any and all possibilities of an “accident” happening. 

Glancing over, he watched as Jack fiddled with the hem of his sweatshirt, nervous energy seeming to radiate off of him in waves. And like responding to a signal from a beacon, Brock felt called to calm his partner. Leaning back in his chair, Brock quietly hooked one of his legs over Jack’s, ignoring it when the other glanced over at him but it seemed to settle him all the same. The two of them sat like that for the rest of the time they had to wait. 

Another thing for him to hate about airports was having to sit on the tarmac for another three hours with little to nothing to do because of “adverse weather conditions.” He could only scroll through his phone for so long without getting bored and instead, found himself asking Jack to read to him. Which Jack did happily.

Once the flight finally took off, Jack got drowsy rather quickly. He always did during transport, whether it be by car or quinjet, and Brock found that to be one of the most adorable things ever. But that left Brock with little to do. Diaz, of course, was booked in a first class seat that left the two lower ranking agents stuck in economy. It took everything in him not to smash his head through the window while having to deal with squealing toddlers and an obnoxious woman who was apparently able to complain about anything. 

By the time their flight landed and they pushed their way into yet another airport, they found themselves dealing with a rush period and getting out seemed to be just as hellish as getting in. He really wasn’t looking forward to the flight home on Sunday. 

Finding their bags was hard enough, the three of them standing at the claim for another thirty minutes just so they could stand outside for another hour waiting for the car to come pick them up. Brock thought that things would finally smoothen out at the hotel, but of course they didn’t. Because the second he stepped out of the bathroom he was hit with another strike of bad luck. 

“My lithium isn’t in here.” Jack said, a mild note of panic in his voice. Approaching, Brock tugged the backpack his way and dug through it himself. The two of them double then triple checked. But it wasn’t there. Emptying it all out, placing all of the contents neatly on the hotel bed for the fourth time, Brock sighed, running a hand through his hair as he shifted his weight to his right side. 

“You sure you packed it?” He asked and Jack just eyed him with frustration. 

“You know I did, you checked four times.” Jack grumbled and Brock found himself wrapping an arm around his partner’s shoulders, pulling Jack’s head to rest against his shoulder. 

“I know I did,” He murmured into Jack’s hair, thinking about what he was supposed to do. Jack needed his medication. It regulated his mood, kept him from exploding like a hot glass filled with cold water. The thought crossed his mind to update Diaz on the situation but he quickly decided against it. He was going to be the commander soon and Diaz wouldn’t be there to fix the things that went wrong. Brock knew he’d have to do it himself. So with a determined huff, he pulled Jack away to look at him. “We’re gonna take care of this, alright? Two days. We got it, you’ll be fine.” 

There was a moment of silence that past where they stared at each other, a weariness in Jack’s eyes as he glanced back down to the empty backpack. Brock leaned over to pick up the remaining pill bottle, holding it between them as his hand slid down to rest comfortably against the back of Jack’s neck. 

“You trust me?” Brock asked. 

“Always.” Jack said automatically. The two of them had been through this song and dance plenty of times to know the outcome. But they went through it again anyways because it never failed to reassure both of them, no matter how many times they’d done it. 

“Good. It’ll be fine, you’ll take the Prozac for now, we’ll call your doctor first thing when we get home.” He said with a curt nod. Situations like those always called for Brock to take the lead. Jack was still just a kid. Just barely into his late twenties, only been on the STRIKE team for a year before Brock was told he’d been promoted. Jack had a lot to learn, a lot to be afraid of. Brock had to be the one to guide them through while Jack figured out how to handle these kinds of things. And so far, their system worked well for them. 

That night, Jack took his pill and things seemed to be relatively normal up until right after breakfast. Diaz was going over the briefing again, making sure they were all on the same page with how they’d be approaching their target. 

“I don’t want either of you interacting with the target at all,” Diaz specified just as he had when the mission had first been brought up to them. “You’re here for learning, nothing else. So just try to-”

“Be unobtrusive, yeah we got it.” Jack growled low, the snap in his voice unlike anything Brock was used to. 

“Jack,” Brock warned, being met with intense green eyes that felt like they were boring holes into his skull. Swallowing hard he glanced up to Diaz who was looking at him with a stern look of expectation and all he could do was cough out a nervous laugh. 

“He’s jus’ tired. Won’t happen again, sir.” He promised and Diaz nodded, continuing his briefing. All the while, Brock could see Jack clenching and unclenching his jaw, like he was gearing up for a fight. 

As the trio of them headed out the door he couldn’t stop himself from asking if Jack had taken his medication that morning, unsatisfied as he watched Jack nod. But there wasn’t really anything else they could do, he couldn’t take a double dosage, it would likely do more harm than good. They’d just have to muddle through the day. 

Meeting up with the target was simple enough, Diaz using a cover as some scientist. He paid Brock and Jack no mind, prodding the man with simple questions at first, likely to get his guard down. As they stood, Brock could see Jack’s breathing level out into something shallow, rapid as he glanced around, trying to keep his attention from focusing on anything in particular. His hands were shoved in his pockets, his chest puffed up in an aggressive way. All it would take was one off handed comment. One ever so generously supplied by their lovely target. 

“What’s with the big guy?” the target scoffed, his accent painting his words in an almost incomprehensible way. Diaz seemed to falter, glancing to Jack for a moment before brushing it off. 

“Resting bitch face, you know how it is.” He tried to laugh off, gaining a laugh from the target. 

“He’d bitch for me, that’s for sure.” 

And that was it, that was all it took for Jack to snap. Brock didn’t understand the slur of Russian that left Jack’s mouth as he shoved the man into the ground but he didn’t need to to know that it was nothing but a flurry of threats that Jack most likely intended to fulfill. 

‘God fucking dammit!’ Brock’s thoughts screamed as he rushed forward, grabbing onto Jack’s raised fist. It took a minute for Brock to get Jack’s arm behind his back, his wrist between his shoulders, but he did it. Working his arm around Jack’s throat, Brock pulled his SIC back with as much strength as he was able. The hold was loose enough that Jack could probably get out of it if he was really trying to which was a definite weakness on Brock’s part. But he couldn’t bring himself to dislocate Jack’s shoulder or do anything that would actually hurt him. 

“Rollins, back to the car, now. ” Brock barked, his usual cool demeanor falling away as he shoved Jack toward aforementioned vehicle. Jack stared at him with a look of hurt, of confusion. But when Brock mouthed a silent ‘please,’ Jack did as he was told all the same. Brock followed suit, the two of them sitting in the back seat without a word.

Silence laid over them in the form of a thick tension as they waited for their commander to return, hopefully being able to patch things up with the target. Brock could see the two of them laughing together before Diaz returned to the car so he figured things were just fucking peachy which confused him. Usually a high risk man such as their target wouldn’t be so easy to calm down, at least, not from his experience. But he brushed it off, much more concerned with the earful he knew they’d be getting from Diaz. 

And damn, was it a good one. Jack didn’t fuck up often, but damn when he did it sure was a spectacle. Diaz was harping on them for a good two hours before he declared that he was going for a drink, that he’d decide on a punishment for Rollins at a later date. And then he just left the two of them alone to sit in the hotel room and stew in their thoughts. 

Jack had been quiet the whole time, staring at his hands in his lap. At first he still looked angry, like he was almost ready to fight again. But as time went on, regret blanketed his features and eventually, he looked up to Brock with those big, green, puppy dog eyes that just told him there was a guilty apology waiting at the tip of his tongue. Before he got the chance to say it, Brock pulled Jack into his arms, shushing him quickly as a bevy of ‘I’m sorry’s’ fell from Jack’s lips. 

“Hey, you’re okay, Jack. I gotcha, baby.” Brock sighed in his ear. Jack had a vice grip on the back of Brock’s shirt, to the point where he could’ve sworn he heard the fabric straining. But all he could do was focus on Jack. “Whatever happens, I’ll exonerate it. Okay? You’re gonna be okay, I promise.” 

With these words, Jack pulled back from him. His arms were shaking, eyes already reddened and dewy with tears that Jack refused to let fall. He shook his head and Brock stared at him, confused. 

“What if I fucked this up for you?” He asked, his broken voice hitched with remorse. Brock couldn’t keep himself from smiling a bit. 

“I’ll be fine,” Brock assured, pushing a few strands of stray hair from Jack’s eyes. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll take care’a both of us.”

Jack nodded, running a hand over his eyes as he calmed himself down. Somehow, he managed to get Jack to agree to take a shower and he sat there with his own devices, trying to figure out just how he would see his promise through. If Diaz reported Jack’s outburst to the higher ups, shit could hit the fan extremely quickly. Even in a commander’s position, he wouldn’t be able to do anything if someone higher than him ordered for Jack’s termination. Brock shuddered at the word. If they worked for anyone but HYDRA that thought wouldn’t be quite as scary. But sadly, they didn’t and even worse, it was. 

Just then, the door opened and Brock instinctively caught the object that was tossed to him. Turning the little pill bottle over in his hands he immediately glanced up to look at Diaz. 

“You took it?” He asked, thumbing over the label that read lithium: 900mg. Diaz shrugged a shoulder. Anger and confusion fused to create an awful bastard in his gut as he glared at his commander.

“You did good today, Rumlow.” Diaz said with a sigh, leaning against the doorframe and flicking his head toward the closed bathroom door. “On your mission.” 

“My mi-” He cut himself off, standing up and almost posturing the man. “I thought this was espionage. Gathering intel? The fuck does fuckin’ with Jack’s head have anythin’ to do with that?” 

Diaz only chuckled at the growl in Brock’s voice, shaking his head. Brock still wasn’t understanding. 

“It was a set-up, Rumlow.” Diaz finally said, readjusting his stance. “With high risk agents, such as Rollins, we need to know you can handle a situation quickly and efficiently. And you did. You really thought we were worried you wouldn’t be able to finesse information from a target?” 

Brock wished he could share Diaz’s amusement but he couldn’t, still confused on why they’d go through so much shit. He knew he could handle Jack, in every way, shape, and form. Meds or not, didn’t make a difference. Brock knew Jack, trusted him. Had it been him talking to the target, Jack would’ve never gotten involved. He shook his head again, shifting almost uncomfortably when Diaz placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Rollins is a valuable asset to the team. The two of you together are nothin’ short of unstoppable and we wanna keep you together but, we had to be sure you could manage your team.” Diaz sighed before straightening up. Brock nodded, still discomforted by how easily they’d played this off as a real mission. “Good to know you can do just that, Commander Rumlow.” 

With a wink and a mock salute, Diaz made his exit into his own room and Brock was left standing, alone. A small huff of relief left him. 

He’d be able to keep his promise after all. He and Jack would be just fine.