#is this a modern au or was steve 40 years old when it happened? have fun trying to figure out

[theshippirate22]

eddie’s favorite story to tell about steve? the time he heard the first two notes of apple bottom jeans at a club and whipped around so fast to try and find robin that he pulled a muscle in his neck

[mediocre-daydreams]

𝐛𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐬

📌 jen's favs 📎 drabbles 🔒angst 🌷fluff 🗯 18+

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

under oath @ugh-supersoldiers

(series) the world needs someone to blame for the deaths that hydra facilitated for decades, and the target is on the back of the former winter soldier. the case is going to trial, and seemingly the guilt ridden bucky barnes can’t care less about the verdict.🌷🔒📌📌

café crema @wonderlandmind4

(series) the first time was an accident. the second time was coincidence. the third time is just unlucky. the fourth time is getting out of hand and the fifth may or may not be with intent. otherwise known as The One Where He Spills Her Coffee. (modern! au) 🌷

guiding light @wkemeup

(series) it was supposed to be a simple mission. get the intel and go home. until everything goes wrong and you’re taken captive by hydra. while you struggle to stay alive and hold your sanity, bucky begins to lose himself to a darkness and gives into the soldier because he doesn’t know how to breathe without you. not until he brings you home. if he even can. 🌷🔒🔒📌📌

two sides of the same coin @anonymityisfunwriter

(series) you've been in hydra isolation your entire life, and sam is tasked to watch over you. bucky can't understand how you came out of hydra so optimistic and decides he hates you because of it. as you integrate into society, the avengers team, and SHIELD politics, bucky ends up being your biggest supporter. (inspired by taylor swift songs) 🌷🔒📌

snow @delaber

(series) tired of your constant bickering, sam sends you and bucky on a mission alone. when the worst possible outcome happens and you’re forced to spend several days together in a small cabin, you finally get to see a different, more pleasurable side to the man whose flesh you’ve always had a thorn in. 🌷🔒🗯📌📌

not happening @notimetoblog

(series) an online dating site clearly makes a mistake when it matches you with the one person you cannot stand. 🌷📌

tell me which one is worse (living or dying first) @nightowlwriting

(11k) you are in love with bucky barnes. for a long time, the both of you were joined at the hip but then your team stops being paired with his on missions. he stops inviting you over for movie nights. when it finally looks like things are looking up, you hear bucky talking with steve and... it's not good. 🌷🔒📌

safe with me @bitsandbobsandstuff

(series) when an unknown threat enters your life, protection is offered at the highest level. as bucky barnes comes into your life, the game changes, and you realize falling for the man tasked with keeping you safe is the last thing you expected.  (bodyguard! bucky x journalist! reader) 🔒📌

the lengths i'd go to @real-jane

(3.3k) detective barnes and his partner are the star team at precinct 75. one threat could tear it all apart. 🔒🌷📌

heart of steel @invisibleanonymousmonsters

(series) sir james is known throughout the lands as the most fearsome and honorable warrior. ballads have been written about him. men fear him. he is the most trusted knight of the king henry. so why has he given up the glories of war and pledged his loyalty to princess y/n? 🌷🔒

just one kiss @sarahwroteathing

(series) bucky barnes has been chasing after you since he was ten years old, but you’re determined not to give in. how long can you hold out when all he’s asking for is just one kiss? (40′s happy ending AU) 🌷🔒📌

pin it @buckysbabygorl

(1.6k) reader will fight barnes until she wins. bucky isn’t complaining, problem is he can’t resist pinning her to the floor. 🌷

better @captainscanadian

(series) dr. james barnes has it all: a loving family, caring best friends, and a successful career as one of the best heart surgeons in new york. he has everything he ever wanted his whole life… well, almost everything. one thing he never thought he could ever have was y/n y/l/n. she may have been a lot of things, but he loved her because she made him better. (modern! au) 🌷🔒

looped @softlybarnes

(15.2k) you are inadvertently trapped in a time loop without any memory of the last five years, including your relationship with bucky. but bucky would stay in the loop forever, explain everything again each day, if it meant getting to stay by your side. 🔒📌

the push and the pull @delaber

(9.8k) there’s nothing bucky wants more than to be with you - and for that reason alone, he has to break both your hearts. 🔒📌

in the right hands @loving-bucky-is-easier

(5.5k) bucky couldn’t tear his eyes from her lips, from the frost melting into teardrops on her eyelashes, from her slack face that seemed like the life was being drawn straight out of it with every wavering breath.” 🌷🔒

you’re a what now? @floatingpetals

(1.6k) sometimes bucky’s girl is just a little, tiny tiny oblivious and doesn’t realize who she’s talking to. and sometimes she can say the darndest things. 🌷

i need him like water @pellucid-constellations

(3.1k) you think bucky’s having an affair. he thinks… well you aren’t sure what he thinks. but he must notice the living room light is left on. every night. 🔒📌

perfect @thesnowsoldierwrites

(3.5k) in which you and bucky have slowly become inseparable, and someone mistakes you for a married couple. 🌷

torture @just-dreaming-marvel

(5.6k) a miscommunication happens between you and bucky, and it all comes tumbling down from there. 🌷🔒📌

part ii: (9.1k) you and bucky get captured, and it’s definitely not an easy time. 🔒

i’ll be there for you @aries-writingblog

(4.8k) even though they’re best friends, bucky can’t seem to trust himself enough to move in with y/n. 🌷

to build a home @fanficimagery

(5.7k) imaging being rescued from a djinn and having a hard time readjusting to reality after living a lifetime of an almost perfect life. 🔒

awake my soul @foreverindreamlandd

(series) (78k) it’s been five years since zombies first started walking the earth. when you stumble across two young, scared boys lost and being chased by walkers, you go against your better judgment and help them to safety. little did you know that helping them would lead you to bucky - an angry, grumpy, distrusting member of the camp shield. 🌷🔒📌

goodbye @lovelybarnes

(4k) enemies to lovers 🔒📌

completely @rassvetsky

(1k) being one of the few people bucky barnes trusted meant having to babysit alpine when he's away. 🌷

pt ii: (5.6k) 🌷🗯

oh baby, oh baby @tooearlyforthis

(6.2k) as a new recruit, y/n isn’t allowed to go on all the missions yet. to make matters worse, they left behind another, someone that she had despised ever since she first stepped foot in the compound - james buchanan barnes. 🌷

remember me @starryevermore

(14.5k) they sold you out to hydra. but little did they know, they had been tricked by one of their own. too little too late, or can they get you back before you’re too far gone? 🔒🔒

harmless @shurisneakers

(series) bucky volunteers to go stop a small time villain, but nothing can prepare him for what exactly he has to deal with. 🌷🌷

cute @buckyalpine

(1.3k) bucky being offended he looks cute. he’s a tough beefy muscly super soldier so how. dare. you. 🌷

my girlfriend, the worm @vivwritesfics

(1.2k) y/n asks bucky the worm question. like the old man he is, he answers wrong. 🌷📎

yours @jadedvibes

(8.7k) you broke up with bucky right before college to pursue your career goals across the country. you didn’t think the first time you’d see him again years later would be in your office after he was arrested for a crime you know he didn’t commit. 🌷🗯

there's been a misunderstanding @touchstarvedirl

(5.3k) you’ve been distant with bucky, and he just wants to fix whatever it is that’s keeping you away from him. little does he know, it has everything to do with your encounter with a nosy red-headed assassin you’ve gotten the wrong idea about. 🌷🔒

through the year @/punani

(10.8k) bucky barnes is a sight for sore eyes and he doesn’t know it. she is a sunflower in a sea of roses. just give it another year, and a flurry of 11 soft moments and 1 heartbreaking one. 🌷🔒📌 

sunflower @mollygetssherlockcoffee

(21k) when y/n joins the team, bucky isn’t fond of her but as time goes on, she begins to form bond with the team and with him. 🌷🔒📌

for as long as you need me @whatthetumblfck

(6k+) a recent mission turns out some unexpected results, and you end up a little (a lot) worse for wear.🔒📌  

not for me @kinanabinks

(1.6k) your best friend, steve, has good intentions. he's just really bad with words. 🌷📌

who are you trying to fool? @notimetoblog

(1.5k) a perfect chance at messing with new recruits presents itself to bucky. can he pull it off or will you foil his plan? 🌷 

all that glitters is gold @printedpeterparker

(4.7k) the one where y/n takes a chance on the mobster.🌷 

poppy fields @buckysfaveplum

(3.7k) hiding your feelings for your best friend always seemed like the best idea, until you start coughing up flowers. (hanahaki au) 🔒🌷

[buckrecs]

2022 Bucky Barnes Fic Rec 2

masterlist | req masterlist

All of them are COMPLETE Series.

✨ - fav fics

Status - Complete

1. through his eyes by @sebbytrash

Bucky x Reader

Bucky arrives at the compound to start afresh but you and him have a somewhat colorful past, colorful being that you met him once before as The Winter Soldier and it did not go well. New beginnings, yeah? If you can learn to forgive.

2. pastel colors by @the-canary

Teacher!Bucky x Librarian!Reader

If only the cute teacher would stop pestering you for a pen.

3. appointment by @buckycuddlebuddy

TFATWS!Bucky x Reader

bucky barnes, finally being able to live freely in 21st century, accidentally gets a fuck buddy and starts to rediscover himself. the only weird thing about this situation is that you have to make an appointment to get railed by him.

4. my eyes by @invisibleanonymousmonsters

Bucky x Reader, past Steve x Reader

Steve is a good man, America’s golden boy, a hero. He’s Captain America for christ’s sake! So it’s normal to want what he has… right? Bucky knows he doesn’t deserve her. He doesn’t even deserve the second chance at life he’s been given. But Bucky can never let him know. Steve can never find out that his friend is in love with his best girl.

5. hard feelings by @gayouijaboard

Bucky x Mutant!Reader

You’re a mutant born with the ability to read and feel other people’s emotions. Steve thinks this means you can help Bucky figure out his triggers and learn to communicate what he’s feeling, but no one ever said he was planning on making your job easy.

7. just one kiss by @sarahwroteathing✨

Bucky x Reader 40’s AU

Bucky Barnes has been chasing after you since he was ten years old, but you’re determined not to give in. How long can you hold out when all he’s asking for is just one kiss?

8. FATWS series by @cjsinkythoughts

TFATWS!Bucky x Avengers!Reader

Series based on the show

9. that summer by @tellmealovestory

Bucky x Reader Modern AU

You’ve spent every summer since you were a child in the idyllic beach town that you call home three months out of the year. This summer should be no different except for the addition of Bucky Barnes. Sparks fly upon first meeting, but it’s only a summer fling, right?

10. hey neighbor by @moonbeambucky

Neighbor!Bucky x Reader

You had a plan and then life came along with one of its own. With your future almost derailed you worked hard to get yourself back on track and finally everything seemed to be going right… that is, until your new neighbor moved in.

11. snow by @delaber ✨

Bucky x Reader

Tired of your constant bickering, Sam sends you and Bucky on a mission alone. When the worst possible outcome happens and you’re forced to spend several days together in a small cabin, you finally get to see a different, more pleasurable side to the man whose flesh you’ve always had a thorn in.

12. vacant mirrors by @whirlybirbs ✨

Bucky x Reader

shit’s been rough. shit was rough even before the blip. dr. hart shares an office with dr. raynor, and you share with waiting room with bucky barnes. set before tfatws; a friends-to-lovers, slowburn, eventual smut.

13. the cupcake guy by @nacho-bucky

Baker!Bucky x Reader Modern AU

Baking has become Bucky’s creative outlet, and the root of his recovery. He’d love to launch it into a full-time job, but he needs a good partner -- business, and...you know...kissy-kissy.

14. as it was by @heli0s-writes

Bucky x Reader, past Steve x Reader

Sam warned him when he arrived at the compound, returned to the timeline he ran from: It’s different now, she doesn’t do the superhero thing anymore, she’s got another life now, but he wouldn’t listen. He can’t. He must hope that some things are the same, that your love is the same.  

15. choosing us by @itsanerdlife

Single Dad!Bucky x Teacher!Reader

You were content with your life. The way your life was. Till you take on the Barnes Twins. Kindergarten’s worst nightmares.Epic love wasn’t in your cards. Fate didn’t deal you in, this lifetime. Till James, aka Bucky, Barnes sets his sights on you. It’s not right, you can’t. Right?Love doesn’t have a timeline. There is no set amount of time to tell you what you feel. For the way things progress when you fall in love. Can you get everything you ever wanted with Bucky and his boys, or is it just too fast?  

16. looking for a heartbeat by @justreadingfics

Bucky x Reader

You and Bucky used to be in a relationship. Feelings were hurt, you left. Now,  it’s been two years and you’re back. You both will handle the reunion well, won’t you?

17. burn the witch by @dreamwritesimagines ✨

Bucky x Spy!Reader

There’s a thin line between mission and love, and spies aren’t allowed to cross that line.

18. the lost husband by @whitestarbucky

Bucky x Reader Country AU

Starting again was never easy. Recently widowed, you now have to start this process over in a place you once called home. Staying with an old family friend seemed like the simple solution. Until a blast from the past comes back into your life, stirring up long lost memories. Whether you’re ready for them or not.

19. life as we know it by @whitestarbucky ✨

Bucky x Reader Modern AU

You had never disliked a person more than Bucky Barnes. But as the universe would have it, you were stuck with him. Under the same roof now after the tragic passing of your two best friends, their child was yours to take care of. With a complicated past plus raising a toddler, you both find yourselves needing to confront a few things before it tears the only family Sarah Rogers has left, apart.

20. merry & married by @sunriserose1023

Bucky x Reader Modern AU

It’s been almost a year since the most humiliating moment of your life. You’ve done your best to move on—by literally moving across the country, starting a new job, and you’re finally starting to feel settled. That, of course, is when your bubblehead cousin sends you the invitation to her wedding—which is exactly one year to the day that you were left at the altar. You have to go, but you don’t have to go alone.

21. have I made you uncomfortable? by @marveliskindacool

Bucky x Reader

you and Bucky hate each other. or do you? (enemies to lovers)

22. recruit by @invisibleanonymousmonsters

Bucky x Enhanced!Reader

Fury gives Bucky a simple mission that’s also guaranteed to be impossible. But Bucky refuses to give up.

23. stable by @revengingbarnes

Bucky x Reader Bookstore AU

Bucky Barnes. Owner of one of the only three bookstores in town. Quiet. Shy. Peace-loving and reserved. Bucky’s life has been one big routine. Nothing is out of place. Nothing is out of the ordinary.

24. the lucky one by @avengerofyourheart

Bucky x Single mom!Reader

As a single mom with a jerk of an ex-husband, you’re doing your best to run the family business all on your own when your mother hires a mysterious man with a troubled past to help out. He just might be what you need in your life, but will his secrets bring you together or tear you apart? (Events occur shortly after Captain America: The Winter Soldier)

25. catch me by @buckyywiththegoodhair

Bucky x Reader

In which a bet leads Bucky to have to catch you every day for a week, no matter what.

26. one’s promised by @invisibleanonymousmonsters ✨

Winter Soldier!Bucky x Pierce!Reader

Living a double life was not a choice when one was the daughter of Alexander Pierce. Y/N was the youngest agents of SHIELD and one of the most respected threats within Hydra’s empire. No matter her allegiance, she was feared by both. Y/N Pierce would’ve tried to escape it all… if it hadn’t been for The Winter Soldier.

27. the five times bucky saved you.. by @buckysknifecollection

Bucky x Avengers!Reader

You have a special bond with Bucky. He's more than your best friend, your partner in missions, the person you care most about. He often saved you from uncomfortable situations, always ready to protect you, but sometimes, you are the one who did the saving.

28. howlin’ for you by @invisibleanonymousmonsters

Biker!Bucky x Reader

When Y/N gets an unreal deal on her first home, she wonders why her neighbor scared away all the other buyers. Despite being cautious, she wonders why the town has given Bucky Barnes a bad name.

29. supernova by @whitestarbucky

Bucky x Widow!Reader

A supernova happens where there is a change in the core, or center, of a star. As the star runs out of nuclear fuel, some of its mass flows into its core. Eventually, the core is so heavy that it cannot withstand its own gravitational force. The core collapses, which results in the giant explosion of a supernova. Bucky never thought he could witness this beautiful tragedy in his lifetime. Until he met you.

30. relationship tutor by @samingtonwilson ✨

Bucky x Reader College AU

a relationship novice, asks for your help in dating your friend. Unable to say no to him, you agree despite everyone and everything telling you not to.

[sj-ficrecs]

FIC REC: oldies but goodies

Decided to go back and re-discover some of my older favorite fics that aren’t as recent and re-read them. Maybe older fics you haven’t read yet. So here we go, In no particular order. This one includes Bucky x reader, Steve x reader, Sebastian x reader, etc. Enjoy!

This is purely a fic rec blog, always reblogging fics I enjoy. So check out more I’ve reblogged on this page. :) See my past fic recs below:

2020 fave fics // recs: one // two // three // four // five

Bucky Barnes x reader:

Howlin’ For You by @invisibleanonymousmonsters Biker!Bucky x reader

“When Y/N gets an unreal deal on her first home, she wonders why her neighbor scared away all the other buyers. Despite being cautious, she wonders why the town has given Bucky Barnes a bad name.“

Safe With Me by @bitsandbobsandstuff Bodyguard!Bucky x reader

“When an unknown threat enters your life, protection is offered at the highest level. As Bucky Barnes comes into your life, the game changes, and you realise falling for the man tasked with keeping you safe is the last thing you expected. “

Leave This Town by @avengerofyourheart​ Mechanic!Bucky x reader AU

“Your dreams of kissing your small town life goodbye are about to come true when an unexpected detour leaves you stranded. Meeting the handsome local mechanic has you rethinking your plans. Perhaps happiness is less about where you’re headed and more about the people you meet along the way.“

Spilled Wine by @sunmoonandbucky​ King!Bucky x servant!reader

“You’re nothing more than a servant who happens to warm the bed of the king.  At least, that’s what you thought you were.“

Emergency Room by @jaamesbbarnes​ Doctor!Bucky x reader

“Who would have thought that going to the ER could made a bad night turn pretty nicely?”

Just One Kiss by @sarahwroteathing​ 40s!Bucky x reader (happy ending)

“Bucky Barnes has been chasing after you since he was ten years old, but you’re determined not to give in. How long can you hold out when all he’s asking for is just one kiss?“

All That’s Best of Dark and Bright by @ursulaismymiddlename​ Bucky x reader

Sam asks his old friend if Bucky can live with her while he’s recovering. 

“Wilson had come to you as Sam, your old friend, Sam, the man you trusted, Sam, who thought more of you than you did yourself sometimes.  And he was with people he trusted that could use your help.  Damn that man for knowing you all too well, for knowing that you were a sucker for a tragic tale.“James Buchanan Barnes,” Natasha informed when the scruffy-haired man with the metal arm was ushered quickly into your living room to sit on your couch.“Bucky,” Steve corrected solemnly and you suddenly saw a war going on in the broody blue eyes of your new acquaintance.  One war or a hundred or a thousand, all because of a word that was said more like a quiet plea than a nickname.They’d barely finished telling you all they knew before you gave them your answer.“Okay.”“

A Touch of Ink & sequel Of Love and Ink by @deamstellarus​ Tattoo Artist!Single dad!Bucky x reader

“After a breakup with your ex, you decided to move to the small town where your long-time friend Sam lives, hoping for a change of pace and starting a new chapter in your life. You were prepared for a slower paced lifestyle, quaint diners, and a change of scenery. However, you didn’t expect to be swept off your feet by two stunning pairs of blue-grey eyes.“

Heart to Love by @mywritingsblog (can’t tag for some reason) Modern!Bucky x reader, fake dating AU

“You hate Bucky Barnes. He’s arrogant, full of himself, shallow and a total womanizer. But when you take him as your fake date to your family’s Christmas vacation you learn there’s a lot more to Bucky Barnes than meets the eye, a whole lot more.”

Time After Time by @justsomebucky​ Modern!Bucky x reader au

“When the reader’s parents divorce, her mother moves her to a new town, right next door to Bucky Barnes. This is their love story.”

Cafe Crema by @wonderlandmind4​ Bucky x reader

“The first time was an accident. The second time was coincidence. The third time is just unlucky. The fourth time is getting out of hand and the fifth may or may not be with intent. Otherwise known as The One Where He Spills Her Coffee.“

Bulletproof by @amandaoftherosemire​ College!Bucky x reader

“You, Steve Rogers, and Bucky Barnes have been the best of friends since middle school. On top of that, you’ve been in love with Bucky pretty much the whole time. Everything changed after the three of you got to college, however. Over the past couple of years you and Steve have become even closer but things between you and Bucky have been strained since the night he broke your heart. Can anything bring you back together?“

Espresso by @shurisneakers​ Modern!Bucky x reader

“In which your best friend’s brother begins to set you up on dates when you mention that you haven’t been in a relationship in years, but things don’t go as expected.“

Sleeping Beauty by @221bshrlocked Bucky x shapeshifter!reader

Just the adventures of Bucky and reader who turns into different animals and they very much prefer being around Bucky.

Feelings Are Fatal by @sunmoonandbucky​

Bucky x reader, past Steve x reader

“After the events of Endgame, you struggle to come to terms with what you’ve lost, though you’re learning that you still have something to gain.“

Paper Walls by @writingcroissant​ Bucky x reader

“Your apartment happens to be right next to Bucky’s, heads only separated by a paper-thin wall, leading to you witnessing every second of his nightmares. Although, bonding over your late night conversations, you seem to forget that you never even saw him before.“

Seven Thirty by @nacho-bucky-fics @nacho-bucky (for some reason it won’t let me tag the main account.) Bucky x reader 

“You were planning on a productive — if lonely — weekend, but the little girl across the hall has different ideas about how you and Bucky Barnes should be spending your time.“

Tender Surprises by @empyreanwritings​ Biker!Bucky x reader

“On Bucky’s birthday, your son has a very important question to ask him. And it may just be the greatest gift anyone has ever given him.“

Words on My Skin by @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked Bucky x reader soulmates

"Words that have significant meaning in their soulmate’s life appear on the skin at birth & emotional bond.

Y/n had always felt a little leery about the tattoo on her wrist. She could feel her soulmate’s aversion to the 10 russian words, and was too chicken shit to translate them… When she finally does? All hell breaks loose. Life will never be the same.”

My Neighbor’s a Jerk by @jurassicbarnes​ Modern!Bucky x reader

“there’s this mutual feeling between you and your neighbor, called hate. and since your first meet you both commence that feeling with a burning passion. you don’t know the reason behind his hate but you know for damn sure that he will never tell you. but what happens on the first day of your job, when you find out that you even work together? maybe you will learn to co-operate?

“𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒆?” “𝒊 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”“

Flour Girl by @avengerofyourheart​ Modern!Bucky x reader, Baker AU

“Discovering the cute guy you just flirted with is the heir of a rival bakery, you suddenly find yourself running into him all over the city. Can your small boutique bakery compete? And how do you deal with the guy who seems determined to make your life a living hell? Luckily you’re distracted by a secret admirer…But who is he? (Inspired by “You’ve Got Mail”, Enemies to Lovers)“

The Witness by @wkemeup​ Detective!Bucky x reader

“Owner of a bar full of criminals, maybe you shouldn’t be surprised when you’re the sole witness to a hydra hit. In comes Detective Barnes, the quick-witted, flirtatious cop who somehow became a regular at your misfit bar. When he takes it upon himself to ensure your safety off the books, you learn to rely on someone else for a change and find you don’t mind it at all. Not when it’s him.“

Sparks by @sunriserose1023​ Bucky x doctor!reader, Enemies to Lovers AU

Sparks fly between the Avenger’s team doctor and Bucky, except they seemingly don’t get along.

South Hills by @beccaanne814​ Southern/Cowboy!Bucky x reader

“You have been in love with Bucky your entire life, but he still sees you as the kid his friend used to babysit.  When you finally get him to notice you, will you be able to convince him that you’re the only woman for him?“

Catch Me by @buckyywiththegoodhair​ Bucky x reader

“In which a bet leads Bucky to have to catch you every day for a week, no matter what.”

Keeping Score by @all1e23​ Bucky x reader, fake dating au

“After hearing you begging Steve to pretend to be your fake boyfriend to keep your family off your back, Bucky quickly jumps at the chance to play your boyfriend even though you’re a hundred percent sure he hates you. What could possibly go wrong?”

365 Days by @abovethesmokestacks​ Bucky x reader, soulmate AU

“you all know how it is, the one constant in this hellish life: you have a soulmate. no idea who it is, no clues whatsoever, only 25 years to find them. in 364 days, my time’s up. it sounds like a lot, but so does 25 years, and look where that got me. so, for better or for worse, i’ll try. i’ve got twelve months to find whoever my soul is knit together with.”

Love or Hate by @justsomebucky​ Modern!Bucky x reader, enemies to lovers au

“When the reader’s shot at a better life is stolen from her, she continues to see the person responsible all over town. Will she learn that there’s a fine line between love and hate?”

Wrong Number by @jaamesbbarnes​ Bucky x reader

“When calling people for a living turns out being your favorite thing in the world.”

Mark Yes or No by @teamcap4bucky​ Bucky x reader

“Sometimes you find the most comfort in the people you barely know, because it’s there where you’ll find the least judgment.“

Bloody Roses by @the--sad--hatter​ Bucky x reader

“What you thought was a trapped squirrel turned out to be a super soldier in need. It’s not every day an Avenger turns up in your garden; in serious need of help, but you deal with it as best as you can.“

Not Happening by @notimetoblog​ Modern!Bucky x reader, enemies to lovers au

“An online dating site clearly makes a mistake when it matches you with the one person you cannot stand.”

I Hate Everybody by @morsmordre-writes​ College!Bucky x reader, social media au

“After spending the summer getting over your high school sweetheart, it’s time for new beginnings. What else is college for?“

On, Off, Repeat by @avasparks​ Bucky x reader

“It’s been 247 days since Bucky came back home. It’s been a good 300 days since he last felt remotely human. He came back from his last tour not only battered and bruised, but down one arm, and a nice big hole in his head causing brain damage.It’s been 247 days since Bucky left his apartment.“

Say It by @sgtjbuccky​ Bucky x reader

“In where you loved Bucky unconditionally, enough to sacrifice your life for his happiness, now Bucky tries to save yours.“

Steve Rogers x reader:

Slow Like Honey by @heli0s-writes​ Single Dad!Steve x teacher!reader AU “The gossip that buzzes around in the teacher’s lounge is that sweet, sensitive, divorcé Steve Rogers is hot-for-teacher. His daughter’s first-grade teacher, to be exact.”

Missed Connections by @i-am-a-closet-fanfic-fiend​ College!Steve x reader

“The reader sees the same guy almost everywhere on campus. Despite her friends encouraging, she is too shy to talk to him, but will that all change when there’s a post on the school’s missed connections page?“

Twenty-Twenty by @brooklyns-boys​​ (story on Google Drive link) Steve x blind!reader

Post Endgame Steve is retired, filling his time walking the streets of NYC reacquainting himself with Brooklyn. He stumbles upon an old bookstore and takes a liking to the woman behind the counter. 

Sebastian Stan x reader:

Great Chemistry by @thedevilwearsvibranium​ Sebastian x actress!reader

“After years of auditions and small acting jobs, you finally get picked to play the female lead in a major spy movie: Rogue Agency. Suddenly you find out that the actor playing the male lead and love interest is none other than Sebastian Stan himself. Throughout the story you go through the motions of filming a movie and come to find out that you and Seb have great chemistry. Do you take the leap and let yourself fall in love with your costar?”

[the1918]

Song of the Rolling Earth

the Farmer Daddy Steve and Bucky AU Series

by @the1918

a love story in | one | two | three | four | five | parts

read the farm-verse background post here 

SHIP: Captain America Steve Rogers/Modern Bucky Barnes (Shrunkyclunks)

SERIES RATING: E

GENERAL TAGS: [No Archive Warnings Apply] Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Retired Captain America Steve Rogers, Modern Bucky Barnes, Injury Recovery, Homelessness, Homophobic Parents (Off-Screen), Implied/Referenced Abuse, Angst with a Happy Ending, Identity Porn, Depleted Topsoil, Slow Burn, Age Difference, Guilt, So much guilt, Bucky Is 25, Steve is 40, Getting Together, Farmer Steve Rogers, Twink Bucky Barnes

SMUT TAGS: [Will Be Updated] Masturbation, Fantasizing, Sexual Tension, Daddy Kink, Virginity Kink, Virgin Bucky Barnes, Loss of Virginity, Steve Rogers in Not a Virgin, First Times, Size Difference, Size Kink, Anal Sex, Dirty Talk, Rimming, Sex Toys, Others on Ao3

The Storm and the Dust

story | o n e  [15k]:

Bucky Barnes was twenty-five years old. He had been a student of something before whatever happened to him, well. Happened. Bucky had lived his first shot at youth with a red, beating heart and the world before his feet until Steve’s own failure on the other side of the planet reduced Bucky and billions of others to lifeless, gray dust. But now—now, after 2023 and weak long-shots and time machines—here Bucky was: still ash in the wind even when he was ten feet away from Steve and made of bleeding, splintered flesh. He was ash reformed as a lonely kid with dirt in his hair and dried blood on his ear, and he was young, and he was devastating, and he was beautiful in a way that burned the tops of Steve’s own lungs.

read story one on Ao3

The Dust and the Seed

story | t w o  [26k]:

They’ve had one fight—

(“Did just fine on my own, and I walked a lot, Steve. No one ever stopped.”

“I should have stopped when I saw you. I don’t know if I would have.”

“You did stop”

“I didn’t stop, I hit you.”

“What? You think you were the first? Least you didn’t do it on purpose.”)

—But it didn’t last long; nothing more than a fit of hot anger between them with its only basis in insecurities and what Steve is willing to identify as guilt. His only choice afterwards had been to go outside and disappear into chopping firewood for a winter that wouldn’t leave the horizon, lest he stay inside and rip apart the wooden furniture instead, burying his teeth in scar tissue.

read story two on Ao3

The Seed and the Root

story | t h r e e  [32k]:

His hands and mouth are gentle on the outside, but on the inside, Steve is burning up. He’s got everything he’s ever wanted on the bed and land beneath him, and now it’s so much at once that he’s afraid he’ll combust into white, nuclear light.

read story three on Ao3

The Root and the Stalk

story | f o u r  [36k]:

“My mom, she’s not perfect, but she always had this one saying. You can’t look right into the sunset, because the light will burn your eyes. So you have to face east, right?” Bucky tucks his forehead against Steve’s chest, staring down the gap between them, eyes on their feet. “And when you do, you can look at the ground, and you can see your own shadow.”

Bucky raises his head after a contemplative silence and gazes up at Steve. Those stormy gray eyes are filled with luminance, iridescence, splintered rays of shining light.

“Or—Mom would say—you can look in front of you.” His lashes kiss his cheeks in butterfly pulses every time he blinks. “And ‘God’s light at your back will show you everything.’”

read story four on Ao3

The Stalk and the Storm

story | f i v e  [41k]

“You could…” she starts, looking between him and Steve. Her eyes land on Bucky. “You could come home—”

“I’m not leaving here,” Bucky cuts in sharply. “This,” he gestures all around the barn, “is where I belong now. Steve’s farm is my home.”

read story five on Ao3

[honeypiehotchner]

i knew you (Bucky Barnes soulmate AU) -- part one

I know, I know. I just finished a story and I started another one and now I’m posting a different one...I’m insane. But I’ve had this idea for a while, just never wrote it down until last night! Enjoy xx.

Also! It’s Bucky x Reader, but it might read as Steve x Reader. I promise it’s platonic!Steve x Reader, though. Steve has no intentions of stealing Bucky’s girl. He knows Bucky would haunt his ass if he did (this is set in The Winter Soldier movie, so Steve still thinks Buck is dead).

Warnings: just some general sadness and angst, mentions of depression, it’s angst city honestly it made me cry

You watch as the old footage replays of Bucky’s wide grin. The only kind of smile that his best friend, Steve Rogers, could draw out of him with one single look or gesture. The only kind of expression that knocks the wind out of your lungs and sends chills down your spine.

“Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable both on schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country.”

You hastily wipe a tear away. It’s been months since you put the pieces together. Months since your parents told you that they had known for years. Months since they told you they didn’t want to tell you because they didn’t want to see you hurt. 

Months since you’ve realized the man you keep seeing in your dreams is Bucky Barnes.

At first, you thought you were crazy. People dream of faces they’ve never seen all the time, right? 

Soulmates are said to be rare, but not nonexistent. You’ve always thought they were real, just that the world was so cynical to really talk about them. The idea that there is one person out there whose soul is connected to yours is exactly the kind of thing that would send this generation walking the other direction with their middle fingers raised and eyes rolling in disbelief.

Then you started remembering your dreams. You started to see his face more clearly. Granted, you had no idea it was Bucky that you were seeing. 

You came to the Smithsonian almost half a year ago now with your best friend. She realized you both had never been before, and she basically said fuck it one day and took you with her. Her exact words were, “How have we gone to college here for a year and a half and we’ve never been to the damn Smithsonian?”

You weren’t expecting to meet your soulmate that day. 

Of course, you use the word “meet” very loosely. Your soulmate isn’t alive, which explains the emptiness you feel on a daily. It’s been said that soulmates can feel what the other is feeling. Often times it’s muted, but recognizable. 

You got to see his face, to finally realize that it’s Bucky. The Bucky Barnes. 

It sounds ridiculous — and God, you love your best friend for not calling you pathetic that day — but when you walked up to the very exhibit you’re standing at right now and saw Bucky’s smile...you knew. Instantly, you knew. And it moved you to tears.

It was like your soul had finally found her counterpart, here, grinning like a madman next to his best friend, all the way back in the 1940s. 

Your parents knew simply because of things you would say, offhandedly, without even realizing it. 

Your interest in WWII caught their attention, but it surprisingly didn’t last long -- only from about the time that you turned thirteen to a few months before your fourteenth birthday. You would’ve found Bucky a lot sooner had your interest in the war itself lasted much longer, but it didn’t. You wonder now if you subconsciously knew it was Bucky, but steered yourself away from it in an attempt to save yourself the heartache at such a young age. 

Your taste in music has been the constant that they didn’t quite understand at first. You listen to modern tunes, sure, but you’re a sucker for the music of the 40s. Even clothes. You sometimes found yourself leaning toward the styles of the 40s in subtle ways, not realizing it. 

The true confirmation of their suspicions came, though, when your mom said she heard you say Bucky’s name. The first time was on a road trip. You had fallen asleep in the car. You were sixteen at the time. You were dreaming and you have no recollection of ever saying his name. You weren’t even aware that you said his name while you were dreaming until she confessed that day.

You haven’t told anyone about it. Your best friend doesn’t even know. She still believes you got too excited about seeing Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, that’s all. She doesn’t know the real reason, the real aching pain that you feel every day. 

The only thing that eases the ache is this. Hogging this exhibit. Watching the footage over and over again. Watching Bucky’s smile and being unable to hold back your own, despite your tears.

You know the staff must think you’re delusional. Somehow you haven’t cared enough to entertain the thought. But you have seen the security guard give you strange looks when you walk in almost every other day.

It used to not be this bad. You came every day for a few weeks, but then you were able to calm down to once a week, sometimes twice a month, if you were too busy with school to think about Bucky much.

But lately, something has changed. You don’t know what it is. You still feel the emptiness, but something is different. It’s...troubled. That’s all your mind can come up with.

It makes no sense, though. How can Bucky be troubled? He’s dead. You believe in ghosts and all -- you’ve never been given a reason not to -- but you’ve heard more stories than you can count from people whose soulmate has died. They all say the same thing. They felt it when it happened. Because it was like a switch was flipped. They were feeling everything one moment, and the next, it was all gone. Empty.

Empty. How you’ve felt since the day you were born. You’ve been to therapists and they all told you the same thing. It’s just your thinking. Change your thinking processes. You’ve never slipped or spiraled far enough for it to be classified as a depressive disorder or anything else, just...empty.

When you found out about having a soulmate, and even more so when you found out it was Bucky, you still felt empty, but not as much. It was like everything suddenly made perfect sense. The emptiness had a purpose, a reason for existing.

When you see him smile, everything makes perfect sense. You feel like you have a reason to exist.

“Excuse me, miss?”

You slowly drag your eyes away from Bucky, preparing yourself to deal with a disgruntled museum-goer or staff member complaining about how long you’ve been standing here. But that’s not who you see.

He’s wearing a hat, but the resemblance is unmistakable.

Quickly, you glance at the video before looking back to the person beside you. That’s him. Steve Rogers.

“Hi,” you say hesitantly, quietly. He’s obviously hiding, which he is right to do. If anyone got wind of Steve Rogers walking around here, there would be mass chaos.

“Hey,” he replies just as quiet. “Um...Wanna get a coffee?”

You have no idea why he’s asking, but you nod anyway. Who would say no to coffee with Captain America?

Outside the Smithsonian and down the block, you bring Steve to your favorite spot to get coffee. Your best friend turned you onto it when you first got here for college, and you’ve gone here weekly ever since.

After grabbing your coffees, you pick a table far enough away from everyone else on the patio to talk without anyone listening in.

“So, uh…” Steve exhales, shifting in his seat. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” you shrug, holding onto your cup with both hands. “Why did you ask me to get coffee?”

“You looked familiar,” Steve says, slowly. “What’s your full name, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Y/N L/N. Why?”

“Y/N…” Steve mutters under his breath, a crooked smile crossing his face. “I can’t believe it’s you.”

“Huh?”

“Bucky used to talk to me about you,” Steve continues, and you swear your heart stops. “He had me draw pictures of you. He couldn’t draw for crap, but he kept describing you to me from his dreams. I’ve drawn so many I’d recognize your face anywhere.”

“He dreamt about me?” You whisper. “Really?”

“All the time,” Steve nods, smiling sadly. “So you’re his soulmate?”

“I guess,” you say. “My mom says I used to say his name in my sleep all the time. I dreamt of his face, too, but I never knew it was him. Until my friend took me to the exhibit a few months ago.” You pause. “It sounds stupid. But seeing him there makes me feel...better.”

“I’m sorry,” Steve says suddenly. “It can’t be easy being born in a completely different generation.”

You smile softly. “Thank you. I’m sorry, too. I can’t imagine how hard it is to still be here after all this time. And without your best friend, too.”

“Yeah, it hasn’t been easy,” Steve admits. “But thanks. I appreciate it.”

“If it’s not too much to ask,” you begin, pausing to think about if you’re going to regret this. “Would you tell me about him? Just anything. It doesn’t have to be anything profound, just...anything you want to talk about. But if it’s too hard, don’t worry about it.” You wave your hands in front of your face, already preparing yourself for Steve to politely turn you down.

But he doesn’t.

“Bucky, he…” Steve pauses, shaking his head. “He was a lot wealthier than me back in the 40s. I had no business acting the way I did, picking fights with people three times my size, but I still did it. And Bucky was always there to pick me up off the ground and give me a ride back home.”

“Yeah?” You chuckle. “You used to be super skinny, right?”

“I was really sick, actually. Bucky had every reason to treat me like anyone else, but he never did. We grew up together -- though I used to joke that he grew up. I stayed the same size. But he never made fun of me for it.”

You can’t help but grin. “That video in the museum -- his smile. I see it in my dreams all the time.”

“Yeah, yeah that was Bucky’s signature grin. He could give any woman that smile and they were his.”

“I can see why,” you admit quietly, averting your eyes when Steve raises his eyebrows. You change subjects, not wanting to talk about how attractive you find Steve’s dead best friend -- despite him being your soulmate. “What was his favorite thing to eat for breakfast?”

Steve takes the bait, and for the next four hours, the two of you sit on the patio, talking about Bucky Barnes. 

His favorite color? Your eyes. Which you think is a little ridiculous, but Steve swears it’s the truth.

His favorite thing to do? Go dancing. Hands down.

His favorite thing to talk about? You. Again, you give Steve a stern look, and again, he swears it’s true. But when he wasn’t talking about you, Steve says Bucky talked a lot about the future. He was an optimist. Steve has no idea how, but Bucky always saw the brightest side.

Bucky was kind. Kinder than a lot of men his age, at the time. He had that blinding smile and instead of hiding it and going for the mysterious, brooding attitude, he chose to smile as much as he could, to anyone who looked like they needed it.

Realizing that the sun is beginning to go down, Steve decides to get you home.

“It’s alright, I can walk,” you tell him, feeling high on everything Bucky. “It’s just up here. I go to college here.”

“At least let me walk you to the campus,” Steve offers.

You raise an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“Bucky would kill me if I let his girl walk home alone. Especially when it’s getting dark.”

“Fine,” you cave. Hearing Steve refer to you as “Bucky’s girl” sends chills down your spine -- the good kind of chills. The kind that makes you wish it was the 1940s. The kind that makes you wish Bucky was here, holding your hand, walking you home.

Once you reach campus (you decide to let Steve walk you all the way to your dorm building), you ask Steve the question you’ve been wondering about ever since you first saw Bucky in the museum.

“Hey Steve?”

Hands stuffed in his pockets, Steve turns his head toward you. “Yeah?”

“If this was the 40s...do you-- Do you think I’m the kind of girl Bucky would want?”

Steve’s steps falter. You slow your pace to match his until you’re both stopped, looking at one another.

“What is it?” You ask.

“Yes,” Steve says simply. “Yeah. I do. I know for a fact he would’ve torn down every building until he found you. Because he tried.”

Your breath hitches. Deep down, you had convinced yourself that you weren’t the kind of girl Bucky would want. Not that it’s your fault because you were born this side of the millennium. But to hear Steve tell you otherwise makes you freeze.

“What?”

“Bucky didn’t have me sketch you because he wanted me to practice my drawing. He did it because he wanted to see a picture of you. Something he could keep in his wallet and look at every night. He was a ladies man, yeah, but every single one...he wanted them to be you. But they never were.” Steve shakes his head. “It really tore him up, that he never found you. He still held out hope, though. Until the very last second.”

Tears have sprung to your eyes before you even realize it. 

“Before he fell, he--” Steve pauses. “He told me to promise that I’d find you. I guess I kept my promise after all.”

He looks up to see the tears in your eyes, streaming down your cheeks. Without a single word, Steve pulls you into his chest, and without hesitation, you let yourself cry.

He’s not Bucky. And you’ll never find your Bucky, but he’s close enough. Steve promised Bucky that he’d find you, and he kept that promise. Now he’s going to do everything in his power to keep you safe.

Because he knows for a fact Bucky would’ve wanted that, too.

[brooklynboysficrecs]

Ria’s Top 10 Shrunkyclunks Fic Recs

Okay, let me preface this by saying: I could name about thirty fics and still not be able to tell you, definitively, what my favorites actually are. The top spots change kinda frequently, depending on what I’m in the mood for, and there are always new fics to consider. But these ten are some of the best I’ve personally read, ones I’ve re-read multiple times, even, and I really value whether or not I can see myself re-reading something (published books or fics) when I’m considering how much I actually liked it. Also, I went with lengthier fics that were finished, because otherwise it’d be a completely different list. Anyway, without further ado...

1. The Voyager by notlucy. God, I’ve read this at least three times and I’m definitely going to be reading it again in the future. notlucy is a fantastic writer in general, but this particular fic from them checks a lot of my boxes. I’m not especially into age differences in ships, but I liked the dynamic between Steve (who’s around... six, seven years older than Bucky, I think?) and Bucky here, and it’s made even more interesting because for the majority of the fic, Bucky has no clue who Steve is. There’s a long road trip, Bucky as a burgeoning writer, and Steve coming to grips with his sexuality as well as his place in the 21st century, as this story takes place pretty much right after he comes out of the ice. There’s also art! Which is always great, imo.

2. The Honey Honey series by justanotherStonyfan. This definitely has one of the most unique takes I’ve seen on a Cap!Steve/Modern!Bucky fic I’ve ever seen. It also features a pretty big age difference (Steve is 40, Bucky is 20/21), so if that’s not your thing, sorry. But it’s a long, long, long series, with multiple installments, that tells the story of Stark Industries employee James (who doesn’t go by Bucky because of reasons) and Commander Steve Rogers (who passed on the Captain America mantle to Sam a while ago). Not only has Steve been in the 21st century for almost two decades by the time he meets James, he’s also had a few colorful relationships prior to the start of the story that influence his current relationship with James and who he is as a person. I don’t want to spoil anything, but they’re all mentioned in the tags I think, so. I’m probably safe to say that uh. Steve still grew up with a Bucky Barnes, just not the one we see in the story. 

3. All of Your Love is Sunlight by canistakahari, WarlockInTraining. I can’t express just how cute this story is -- or I can, but I doubt I’d do it justice. Magic Bucky and his flower shop stole my heart the first time I read this, and honestly, I was as giddy as Steve pretty much the whole time. Steve’s kind of a disaster too and it’s frankly adorable. The whole story is adorable. All comfort no hurt, which is right up my alley. Also, come for the cute boys in love, stay for the butt plants. Just saying.

4. sleeping lessons by glim. This is such a good fic, oh my god. Steve’s auditing a college course to try and catch up on history (instead of like being bombarded by not-so-well-meaning SHIELD agents) and Bucky’s the professor, and he’s just. So sweet with Steve. So intuitively kind. I actually reread this one recently because I was on a shrunkyclunks kick and I remembered why I liked it so much, and even why I tend to like this trope/AU as much as I do — because it gives Steve a foothold in the new century, a friend who treats him as Steve and not Captain America, a civilian he feels safe and comfortable around. It’s a way to introduce Steve to the rest of the world through someone he didn’t meet as an Avenger or through SHIELD, which I think a lot of people agree is something he was sorely missing in the actual movies. I don’t know, this fic is great, give it a try!

5. Matchmaking by Nori. OH WOW. Let me just say, the premise of this fic is absolute precious. It’s like. The closest thing I can equate it to is a wrong number AU? Bucky is a gamer and Steve and Sam are on his team for something, and Steve — the dork — uses the in-game chat to respond to Bucky and it’s just. Fantastic and hilarious and so damn cute. Their friendship develops through playing games together and then Bucky gets a crush and... well. Love happens, like in every other fic I’ve read. But really, this is one of my favorites period, and another one I’ve re-read a number of times. It’s so so good.

6. the cold never bothered me anyway by icoulddothisallday. Alright so this is one of two soulmate AUs on here because I’m an absolute sucker for the concept of soulmates. Especially when it comes to shipping, because I adore the idea that two people are meant for each other regardless of the universe they’re in, ya know? Which is why I really love it for modern Bucky and Cap!Steve — proves their circumstances could’ve been completely different and they’d still find their way to each other. The lore for soulmates in this fic was interesting, too; I like the whole world-building that went on, and the mirroring concept they introduced. Bucky kinda got the raw end of the deal with his mirroring, considering Steve was stuck in the ice, but... as always, love conquers all, and Steve makes sure Bucky is never cold again so it’s all good!

7. Where All Roads Lead by alby_mangroves, DrowningByDegrees. Ooooh this was a fun one. There’s time-travel involved!! I love time travel (when it’s done well — looking at you, Endgame) and I really love when you randomly get a person from the past popping up in the present/future, which is exactly what happens here with Steve. Instead of surviving 70 years in the ice, an artifact sends him to the future where he meets Bucky, who’s something of an expert on Captain America. What follows is they’re attempts to get Steve back to the past and to the team he left behind, all while falling for each other along the way. The ending was so good, too; or, I thought so, anyway, but I suppose that’s just something people have to decide for themselves.

8. This Feeling We Carry In Our Souls by jinlinli. The other soulmate AU! In this one, it’s soul marks that people share; whoever has your mark is your soulmate, though technically it doesn’t mean they’re the love of your life. Bucky explains it at some point that sharing a mark can just mean you were meant to meet the person, that there could be a moment that changes your life and they’re a part of it. Obviously the soulmate connection here is of the romantic variety, which is good for Bucky — eventually. He has to deal with people faking his soul mark to try and get to Steve, and the fact that he lost the arm that had his soul mark on it... happy endings guaranteed though! I don’t read things without happy endings, because I don’t really see the point of them? But yeah, trust me to provide only the happiest of happy endings with my recs, and this one is no exception.

9. Waking Up Slow by odetteandodile. This is another author who I follow kinda religiously. I’ve read most of their stuff and I love all it. This fic is up there, though, because a) it’s my favorite AU and b) it involves Bucky living in an old lighthouse with his daughter. It also features an amnesiac Steve, which was a nice change of pace. Instead of being found on the Valkyrie by SHIELD, Steve thaws our and washes up on Bucky’s beach, and with nowhere to go and no one to call, he ends up staying with Bucky and his daughter until he can get back on his feet. They make such a great family, and it’s lovely to see their relationship grow even as Steve’s memories start coming back. Highly recommend this one!!

10. The Roommate by Niitza, layersofsilence. Okay, this is number 10 but by no means is it my least favorite of the bunch. This one features Steve trying to carve out a life for himself and give someone else a break by looking for a roommate for his place in DC. SHIELD (thought Natasha) tries to get him to give up on the idea, of course, but in true Steve Rogers fashion he goes through with it anyway and even picks one of Natasha’s “reject” candidates — one recently discharged James Buchanan Barnes. They prove to be good for each other, with Bucky proving more than capable of protecting Steve’s privacy and helping him integrate into this new century, and Steve helping Bucky find his footing now that he’s back in the States and in need of a friendly face who he can trust. The best (and worst, good lord) part of this fic is how long it takes the rest of the Avengers to figure out Steve and Bucky aren’t just roommates. You’ll be groaning at some of their assumptions, i swear, it’s both hilarious and painful to read them misunderstand the situation to the degree some of them do.

[pizzarollpatrol]

Fic Rec List #4 2/3/2019

First rec list of 2019! As always, thank to all these beautiful writers for sharing. 40 fics on this list this time. If a link doesn't work, please let me know! I’ll be happy to fix it.  

You Don't Have to be Alone by @thottybarnes

Summary: In which Bucky Barnes, a soldier who lost his arm on a peacekeeping mission overseas in Syria is having issues adjusting to being a disabled man in modern times. You, Barnes’ best friend since childhood, take it upon yourself to help him the best you can. Bucky x Reader. —— Oh my god I loved this so much. I just really love your writing.

Safe House by @thottybarnes 

Summary: When a mission goes south, you make it a personal mission to make your boyfriend, Bucky Barnes, see the light at the end of the tunnel by taking him to your safe house. Bucky x Reader.

Peppermint Shake by @thottybarnes

Summary: In which Reader happens to buy a peppermint milkshake with a cherry and two straws while on a date with her best guy. 40s!Bucky x Reader—— I love this one so much, its so sweet and endearing. 

Hero for Hire by @delicatelyherdreams

Summary: Tired of constantly being sat on the sidelines for missions, Bucky Barnes deciders that he’s going to do his own hero work and office his services to the public as a freelance “hero for hire.” he expects to be asked to rescue cats from threes or help little old ladies cross the street, but he doesn’t expect to get tangled up in your life. He definitely doesn’t expect to fall for you either. But, when you’re a hero for hire, you’ve gotta see the mission through. Bucky x reader. Completed series.—— holy fuck. Y’all, if you only read one fic from this list, read this one!!! Oh my god it is such a ride. I loved this fic with my whole ass heart and I got so freaking invested. 

Touch me Tenderly by @delicatelyherdreams

Summary: You’ve never seen his skin, never seen his scars. He’s scared to show them, but maybe all he needs is to feel your tender touch. Bucky x reader.

Day Off by @softlybarnes​

Summary: Bucky really wants to take a nap with the reader, but she just wants to read.Bucky x reader. —— Holy crap. This is literally the softest thing I’ve ever read. This is my actual dream, I absolutely loved this and I desperately want this in life. I love how clingy he is and I love how despite how he’s touching her, its still just innocent, grounding touch. I love this fic with my whole ass heart, definitely one of my favorites. 

Sad by @softlybarnes

Summary: The reader, who has struggled with depression all her life, slips back into that deep sadness. Bucky is worried and tries his best to help. Bucky x reader. —— I was crying almost the entire time i read this, it’s so beautiful and heartbreaking

Sugar by @softlybarnes

Summary: Bucky survives the war and comes home just a little bit changed. His girl loves him anyway, and she knows exactly how to show it. Bucky x Reader. Smut. —— YOOOOOOOOO. Dude I just love your writing so much, you don’t understand the happiness I feel every time i read one of your fics. I loved this one so much. I love the way to talk to each other and how they carry their relationship.

Casual by @writing-parker

Summary: The reader has been seeing Steve for more than a year now, stuck somewhere between friends with benefits and an actual relationship. He wants to commit to you, but he cant let himself. You overhear a conversation you wish you hadn’t-learning much more about the way Steve feels about you than you ever wanted. Steve Rogers x reader. —— My heart BROKE. Even tho know you see how Steve feels about the reader from his thoughts, I still couldn’t help but hate him. God, this was so good. 

Give Him Back by @soopranatural

Summary: The Hulk is not an idiot, he knows when he is needed and he knows when he is not. Bruce Banner x Enhanced!Reader. —— Oh my god. ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod. This is the first Bruce fic I’ve ever read and I feel in love. I love how you characterized Hulk and it was so sweet. This fic definitely left me wanting more Bruce and Hulk fics.

Firefighter!Bucky Drabble by @hootyhoobuckaroo

Summary: If firefighter!Bucky rescued you from a fire, realistically you wouldn’t even know it was him. Bucky x Reader.—— AHHHHHH I never even considered Firefighter!Bucky until now and I can’t stop thinking about it. I loved this sooooo much. 

Eggnog by @buckyforbreakfast

Summary: Bucky as a little too much and gets creative with the gingerbread men. Bucky x Reader. —— I know, I know, Christmas passed already but holy crap. I was not about to leave this fic out of the list. Its so cute, I could not contain myself.

Baby by @paradisaicsam

Summary: Different situations in which reader makes Peter flustered by calling him baby. Peter Parker x Reader. —— Oh i loved this one so so much. Its so sweet and endearing.

A Restless Night by @221bshrlocked

Summary: “My room is haunted, so I have to sleep in yours.” Steve x reader. Smut.

Things Change by @fvckingavengers

Summary: After completing a rough mission, Bucky and the reader retreat to her family’s vacation home as a safe house. Bucky x reader. 

Effortless by @supernovasandcoronas

Summary: “I’ll be right back” kisses: A puts their hands on B’s shoulders from behind them, where they are sat on the couch. He leads down around, while B turns his head a little, accepting the quick peck. Sam Wilson x reader.

Fresh Eyes by @supernovasandcoronas

Summary: You’re a pharmacist in one of the busiest pharmacies in Brooklyn. When some of the Avengers start picking up their medications from your pharmacy, you know life is about to get infinitely more interesting. Sam Wilson x Poc!Reader

Oxytocin by @supernovasandcoronas

Summary: Touches that may or not lead to something more. Bucky x reader.

Gentle by @invisibleanonymousmonsters

Summary: Y/N has never seen Bucky be anything but gentle and loving. It’s hard for her to believe her boyfriend was ever the world’s deadliest and most lethal assassin. Bucky x reader. —— Oh god, I loved this with my whole ass heart. 

Swipe Right by @avengerscompound

Summary: Sam Wilson signs Steve up for Tinder. When the woman he Super Likes during Sam’s tutorial messages him, Steve goes from unwilling dating app user to developing feelings. Steve  Rogers x Reader. Completed series.

Breakfast in Bed by @avengerscompound

Summary: Children really do change things They also have terrible timing. Steve x reader.

Dead Serious by @puppy-barnes

Summary: When you accidentally kill a man after a night with friends, you call your boyfriend Bucky to come save the day. Bucky x Reader. —— God, I loved this so much. Its so original and hysterical and I’ve read this so many times. 

Polaroids by @spidey-holland67

Summary: May gets Peter a camera for his birthday, ever since then he cant stop taking pictures of you. He always kept them in a box in his room, but one day some one finally finds them. Peter Paker x Stark!Reader. Smut

Sharing by @elivanah

Summary: Steve’s girlfriend finds out that Steve and his best friend used to share their women. Steve x reader x Bucky. Smut.  —— If this aint the hottest shit I’ve read in a while. 

What Feels Right by @waywardmoeyy

Summary: Castiel makes a move on the reader. Castiel x reader. 

Adrenaline Fix by @jaamesbbarnes

Summary: When you need to spice up your life and Bucky in intendedly provides the spice but also the comfort. Bucky x Reader. —— AHHHH IM SO SOFT YOU DONT EVEN KNOW. 

Lil Bit Floozy by @piscesbarnes

Summary: Bucky’s more prone to be responsive when you’re a soft drunken mess. Bucky x reader

Snowed In by @beckzorz

Summary: You’re all set for a vacation in the woods. A cozy cabin, a fireplace, solitude… Then a tall stranger falls through your front door. What’s a girl to do? Bucky x reader. —— Hannukah fic!!

Starshine by @a-splash-of-stucky

Summary: The starts feature in some important moments throughout your life. 40s!Steve Rogers x reader —— Absolutely loved this and shed a few tears by the end. 

Unusual Request by @a-splash-of-stucky

Summary: In which you dress up as a schoolgirl and have a threesome with Nat and Steve. Steve x Natasha x Reader. Smut.

How Long Will I Love You by @a-splash-of-stucky

Summary: Nothing Lasts forever, except, perhaps, your love for him. Artist!Steve Rogers x Artist!Reader. —— Just break my heart into billions of pieces i guess.

The Quest for Love by @sgtjbuccky

Summary: (Modern-Day!AU) Work has always been a priority for Bucky, leaving things like love long forgotten, and for him it’s no problem, but for Sam and Steve it is the biggest problem to grace this earth. Fed up with Bucky and his constant protests and avoidance of love, they set him up on a series of dates to find the girl of his dreams with the help of the magical spirit of December. Only for Bucky to realize love isn’t always found where one goes looking for it, but may be close by. Bucky x reader. Completed series. —— Ohhhhhhhh my goddddddddd.  The love i have for this series is unreal. I love their banter and playfulness and how easy going their whole relationship us. Its so fun and sweet and endearing. 

Say It by @sgtjbuccky

Summary: In where you loved Bucky unconditionally, enough to sacrifice your life for his happiness, now Bucky tries to save you. Bucky x reader. Completed series. —— Bruhhhhhhhhh, this is such a good ass series. Unrequited love, sacrifice and soooo much pain. Love this fic with my whole ass heart.

Already Yours by @sgtjbuccky

Summary: Bucky hasn’t had the best of luck trying to charm you, but when confidence finally washes over him, he makes his move only to realize is ain’t as smooth as he used to be, but that may not be a bad thing at all. Based on prompt: “You keep licking your lips and giving me that look, you don’t even know me, yet I’m already yours”. 40s!Bucky x reader.

The Three Times Steve Caught You by @bucky-plums-barnes

Summary: Bucky is back from the war, you have time to make up for. Sometimes it’s interrupted. 40s!Bucky x reader. 

Woman Like a Drug by @writingcroissant

Summary: Bucky thinks naughty thoughts and you’re not ready to reveal a secret. Bucky x reader

Out of Touch by @buckitybarnes

Summary: “I think i requested this one before but i really want this fic! Bucky always to goes to hang with the reader when he wakes up with nightmares because he thinks she’s always still up. In reality, reader make FRIDAY wake her up when Bucky gets up at night so she can comfort him and Steve finds out.” Bucky x reader. —— This tore my heart to bits.

I Just Want Attention by @buckysforeverprincess

Summary: You begin to have doubts about your relationship with Steve as he starts to pull away from you. Steve x reader. —— Oh fuck, whatever I had left of a heart was destroyed. 

Kinkmas - Day Eight by @beardandbooty

Summary: Subby rope bunny Bucky. Bucky x reader. Smut. —— Technically this is more of an headcanon/drabble (???) than a fic but It was too good to not put it on the list. Also, i love the term rope bunny, and Bucky’s last line in this fic.

Headcanon by @prettyyoungtragedy

Summary: Ask: “Being one of the best assassins ever known, Bucky lord to use his skills and stealth to get handsy with you whenever he can. He can almost have you on the verge of coming on the couch while everyone is in the same room watching movies and they never notice.” Bucky x reader. Smut. —— Also a headcanon, but I loved this a little too much. 

[hellzyeahthewebwieldingavenger]

Spider-Man: Life Story #3 Thoughts

Since I was most anticipating this issue when I read it in the solicits, I read it in the store as soon as I got it. But I always meant to take a more careful look at it when I got the chance and try to break it down a bit more.

The tl:dr version of my thoughts are: This is possible the weakest issue so far.

Massive rant under the cut.

 As discussed before the perennial problem with this series is it’s muddled concept.

Is it a What If story and if so what exactly is the zag effect to where the canon zigged? Is it that Spidey ages in real time? Or that things happen more ‘realistically’ so you have a Watchmen scenario wherein real life social issues get addressed within a superhero context?

Is it an Elseworlds wherein the idea of a more ‘realistic’ worldview is the overlayed concept a top of the familiar canon?

Is it like what the Ultimate Universe was supposed to be according to some people wherin it’s a canon-free reimagining of the original stories free to take whatever liberties it desires for the new audience?

Well Life Story thus far has tried to be all of those things and winds up being none of them. This is quite aside from how it was originally marketed as a straight What If story, what if Spider-Man aged in real time.

But really this series is best described via the convoluted descriptor of:

“It’s a story where people who love and are familiar with the canon Spider-Man’s life can see how it would’ve been different if it happened in real time.

But also how it would’ve been different if the Marvel universe was more realistically wrapped up in social political issues of the different time period.

But also if it only really cared about the international military conflicts of those time periods and mostly uses all other social political issues as window dressing.

But also that realism mentioned above only goes as far as the writers decide it should go so the actual real life ramifications of superheroes involved in international military conflicts just don’t happen because Zdarsky says so.

And also those military conflicts only impact upon Spider-Man’s life directly whenever the story decides it should so half the time things are different because of the more ‘realistic’ warfare stuff and the other half of the time it’s different because it just is...not even because he’s aging in real time.

So yeah actually it’s also a what if Spider-Man’s life included all that stuff above but also things are randomly different from the canon for the sake of it, but the reader is still supposed to be surprised because they are familiar with the canon anyway.

Oh and what if also there are massive status quo changes between issues that randomly adhere and deviate from the canon on a whim and go unexplained”

 THAT apparently...is Spider-Man Life Story.

It’s a fucking mess at this point, I cannot understand the people who are praising it.

Let me get my ONE positive comment out of the way first.

Mark Bagley is just slaughtering the art on this story.

This is the best his art on Spider-Man has looked this decade and it’s up there with some of the best of his Spider-Man career.

I think it comes from him benefitting from modern inking and colouring like in Ultimate Spider-Man but he’s drawing something that isn’t as reimagined from the canon as USM. So consequently Spider-Man’s physique is more traditional (because Spider-Man wasn’t 15 when he began his career), Venom and the villains don’t have their Ultimate designs etc.

But the story...oh fuck the story.

The ONLY way any of this adds up in terms of story decisions is if you take it as Zdarsky’s fanfiction.

I respect fanfiction, but this is amateurish in it’s decisions and it says too much about Zdarsky’s view of Spider-Man or Spider-Man aging.

The story is so cynical about how Spider-Man aging would ruin him. the story is cynical about Spider-Man’s idealization of Mary Jane or the alleged toxicity of the Peter/MJ marriage.

Like I’ve said before he has an agenda when it comes to MJ and I think this is further proof.

Peter being Spider-Man fucks up her life big time, she suffers big time, it destroys their relationship and she lives in the shadow of Gwen.

When you consider this is supposed to on some level be a representation of the spirit of 1980s Spider-Man, or at least the stories it’s choosing to remix, it becomes utterly insulting.

This is a story remixing Kraven’s Last Hunt, a love letter to the Spider-Marriage if there ever was one, and it’s used in part to destroy their relationship.

Shit Gwen’s ghost is brought up as a bone of contention between them when it was in an 1980s story (drawn by Bagley no less) that it was clearly spelled out that Peter loves his WIFE Mary Jane more than his DEAD GIRLFRIEND Gwen Stacy.

Now I know the situation here is different because Peter was with Gwen for longer than in canon and longer even than his relationship with MJ in this universe. But the fact that it’s beating that same old drum speaks very much towards the idea that this is Zdarsky’s actual assessment of that love triangle. This is like something of the bygone days of BND and Slott’s era FFS.

The bullshit doesn’t stop there though because wouldn’t you believe it Peter and MJ have twins. Okay cool. And one is called Ben and the other is called...Claire...Claire? Who the fuck is Claire? We have 2 major AU Spider-Man stories where Peter and MJ name their first daughter after Aunt May and their second after Aunt Anna! Who the Hell is Claire?

That’s just the tip of the iceberg though.

There is so much stuff in this that as a what if or an elseworld’s story utterly fails and even stuff that simply doesn’t add up within the context of this story on it’s own terms.

·         So I guess...Vietnam ended...um...how? We already established that nonsensically Vietnam lasted longer than in the real world even though it should have ended earlier by rights. But now it’s just...over. How? How did that happen? I’m not saying it’s impossible but the story NEVER ADDRESSES this?

 ·         Captain America is clearly participating in Secret Wars in 1984, taking on Doom himself no less. We see little of his face but from what we do see he’s in uniform and also seems to still be in his prime. Huh? Captain America went rogue and fought against the United States for over 10 years in Vietnam! How does he still hold the rank of Captain America and how could he possibly still be seemingly in his prime by 1984 if he’s aging in real time? Think about it, he’s older than Spider-Man physically (forget that he’s from the 1940s). And Spider-Man is saying he’s getting slower in his old age in this story. So how the Hell is Cap (who’s powers don’t slow his aging and don’t give him Spidey’s power levels) still in his prime when he’s definitely in his 40s! It doesn’t make sense! It could all be explained a million ways because it’s the Marvel universe. The Beyonder could’ve addressed all of this but the problem is the story doesn’t. It just presents it as Steve Rogers betrayed America in 1967 and fought against them into 1977 then between then and 1984...went back to being the Captain America you knew and loved in the canon Secret Wars story

 ·         Doctor Octopus...is evil again. It was nonsensical enough that he was a good guy in issue #2 but now, with no explanation, he’s back to being evil. He doesn’t even seem to give a fuck that Aunt May is dying of dementia. That even highlights the stupidity of hookig them up in issue #2, Otto never actually romantically liked May, the age gap was massive!

  ·         The story has Peter test his new costume to determine it’s a living organism and he decides to keep it because he’s getting older and wants to remain strong and relevant. Then MJ claims he’s addicted to it because he wears it a lot and then when he is buried alive by Kraven it goes to him and turns him into...Venom? There is a lot to unpack with this I need multiple points. But let’s just start with this. First of all technically the symbiote shouldn’t give you synthetic muscles as it does to Peter when it turns him into Venom. Venom had a lot of muscle because Eddie Brock was a body builder. But I won’t hold that against the story because that’s been a problem with Venom for decades now. Similarly I hate it, but I can forgive the symbiote turning Peter into a toothy Venom monster.

 ·         More significantly the implication of this story is that the costume is corruptive of Peter, making him addictive and then feeds off his anger, threatening to permantly turn him into a monster after he’s buried alive. Er....That’s not how that works. The symbiote wasn’t originally like that outside of cartoons and films. The symbiote didn’t even corrupt Eddie Brock, Brock was already sick and twisted. It’s status as a metaphor for substance abuse also didn’t come in until later and it wasn’t a factor for Peter’s personal relationship with it at all so what gives why is that in this story? Does Zdarsky think Spider-Man 1994 is canon or something?

 ·         Peter is using the symbiote sparingly and even puts it aside when he goes off web swinging before Kraven confronts him. yet we’re told he’s becoming addictive. There is little evidence of this, it could just as easily be Reed and MJ were being overly concerned. At best it’s a case of Zdarsky telling yet not showing. If Peter was truly addicted he’d have taken the suit with him.

 ·         Is the implication the suit is going to take him over when he became Venom? How does that add up? If he’s not been wearing it to avoid that how does it rescuing him from the grave = now it’s in danger of taking him over?

 ·         What is this nonsense about Peter needing the suit to remain relevant? The costume didn’t enhance his powers originally. The story isn’t even very clear on if it does that in this universe or not. They didn’t even bring up how the costume makes the wearer more durable, able to surviving being shot, which would’ve been pertinent in this tale

 ·         Why is Peter even getting weaker? He’s 37, that’s a little older than he is now in the comics

 ·         Moving on, there is this weird inconsistency where Reed asks Peter has figured out if an alien machine can nano-weld, implying Peter’s new costume is nano-tech. This would add up because he has Parker Industries in this universe and he had a nano-tech armour during that time period. Yet his outfit is still torn like cloth. How? In fact if he has nanotech armour why would he even need the symbiote?

 ·         This story confirms for us that because Reed felt responsible for Dr. Doom he pushed away his friends and family and this is a warning to Peter of what he might become, and indeed does by the end of the issue...what? How the hell does that add up. Why does Reed feel more responsible for Doom and how does this result in him pushing away his family? Because he’s aging in real time? Because of...Vietnam??????? it makes no sense

 ·         Why is Peter concerned about staying relevant to the point where he keeps a dangerous suit? In canon Tony Stark replicated the abilities of a symbiote with non-living Extremis Armour so Peter with his resources could probably make a symbiote suit that isn’t dangerous. More importantly if he has all these resources at his disposal couldn’t he either just in general make tech to help him out and compensate for his old age (Bruce Wayne has done this in different continuities) or just use his companies resources to help people out without being Spider-Man anyway?

 ·         In canon and RYV and the MC2 universe it’s made repeatedly clear that when Peter became a parent being Spider-Man would take a backseat. Yet in this universe he’s being Spider-Man MORE at the detriment of his wife, mother and children who’ve been devoid of his presence for an extended period of time. MJ is upset to the point of swearing when the issue opens. The story is so devoid of the love and affection between the pair that’s important to the mythos.

 ·         WTF is Peter’s problem about putting May in an old folks home? He did THAT in canon too IIRC in the Marv Wolfman run. Even if he had a problem with that he’s the head of a big company just HIRE people to look after her. He’s got the money for a high tech lab and nano-tech suits why is a carer for the elderly out of his price range. And isn’t MJ really rich after Harry and her split up? Why is this an issue?

 ·         How did Peter wind up with Parker Industries? In canon it was because Doc Ock founded it then manipulated things behind the scenes after Peter regained his body to make the place a success. In this story without explanation Peter just has it. But Peter is a bad businessman, having money from MJ wouldn’t mean he’d be able to successfully run a company he hasn’t the aptitude for that!

 ·         The nuclear strike is just....putting aside how cynical it is, how achingly it wants to be like Watchmen or DKR...are you honestly trying to tell me Russia’s access to superhumans never resulted in anything game changing in the world before now? There is a superhuman arms race happening but we didn’t bring it up until nearly 20 years after the first issue began and only in 1984 does anything bad happen?

 ·         The implication is actually that Russia having superheroes of their own is a recent innovation. This makes no sense as there were Russian super powered people in the 1960s, including Red Ghost who is the perpetrator of the nuclear strike in the issue

 ·         Wait, wait, wait. Russia launches nuclear missiles at the United States because there are less super humans there and this results in a town getting destroyed and...that’s it. That’s all that happens. Oh and Vision is sad and intangible.

 Are you fucking kidding me?

How does aging in real time or the existence of super humans = The stalemate of Mutually Assured Destruction isn’t a thing in this universe.

 I’m sorry to bust out the most rudimentary of 20th century history here but if America or Russia launched a nuclear strike at one another then it’d set of a chain reaction wherein everyone would launch their nukes and the most of life would be wiped out.

Zdarsky in this story displays a blisteringly ignorance of real life history to the point where it’s honestly insulting.

It’s insulting to people’s intelligence but also to the real life people who lived through the Cold War, frightened the world would end any day.

 ·         Oh boy. Now we come to Kraven. I actually re-read this the same day I finished off Hunted so I saw a really good homage to KLH back-to-back with a really bad one.

What is Kraven’s plan here?

I will grant Kraven’s plan in KLH technically speaking made no sense but we were presented his twisted perspective and it was from that perspective we were able to deduce he was viewing Spider-Man (and the world) with blinders on. And from that limited viewpoint his plan added up.

Seemingly kill Spidey. Bury him alive. Imitate him. Be a better Spider-Man than him. when he wakes up tell him he could’ve killed him and show him you are a better Spider-Man than him. Die in glorious victory, honour restored.

It’s crazy, but it makes sense from Kraven’s POV, so much so that when he killed himself real life readers took it to be glorifying suicide.

Here we don’t get Kraven’s perspective. Which wouldn’t be a problem as much if his plan and motives were the same.

But it they aren’t because in Life Story Kraven the Hunter imitates Spider-Man, drugs him and then buries him alive...because America is at war with Russia...and he has cancer...and he needs Spider-Man to be ‘beautiful’ which seemingly means...violent and probably prone to killing.

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

I’m just....what?

The worst case scenario for this is that Zdarsky should never be allowed to write Kraven the Hunter ever because this so aggressively doesn’t seem to understand his character, his relationship with Spider-Man or Kraven’s Last Hunt.

The best case scenario, Zdarsky is a terrible writer and in his head is justifying Kraven’s actions via ‘he’s crazy so it doesn’t have to make sense so I can have the character do anything.’

Let’s unpack this.

So Kraven is imitating Spider-Man (poorly because he uses a rifle) before he buries Spider-Man alive because...um...I don’t know.

Because as with so much in this story, it’s never explained.

You’d think it’d be to draw out Spider-Man but no, that’s not it because Kraven just happens to apparently know where Spider-Man is and sneaks up on him (where the Hell was the Spider Sense?)

The he shoots at Spider-Man at very close range but Spider-Man dodges. That’d be the Spider-Man who’s so old now at age 37 he maybe needs a symbiote suit to compensate. Yeah that guy can still dodge a rifle at close range just fine...without the symbiote.

Oh but then his old age catches up with him because Kraven stabs him.

Let me repeat that.

The old man, with no super powers (as he wants to remind us) who is also dying of cancer is able to stab the much younger super fast and agile guy with a precognitive danger sense.

What.

The.

Fuck.

Do you see?

Do you see how bad this series is?

This would be inexcusable writing even if we weren’t comparing it to canon!

But we aren’t done. Because remember how I said Kraven is old and has no powers? Yeah...why is Kraven old and hasn’t got any powers?

Kraven’s powers 100% grant him super human strength, speed, agility, the usual package of super powers.

It’s nowhere close to Spider-Man’s power level no, but it is beyond human nevertheless.

And KLH itself established that Kraven’s jungle herbs and potions make retard his aging immensely. In fact as real life time elapses their abilities to do this grow greater since he was a not yet an adult at the time of the 1917 Russian Revolution but looked to be in his 30s circa 1987 when KLH was originally published. As time goes by KLH didn’t happen in 1987 but much later so Kraven seriously doesn’t age! It’s to the point where he was part of a 1950s Avengers team in canon.

I get that Zdarsky in his alternate universe can take the characters in different directions but you aren’t even getting the super powers of the super heroes and villains right here!

But it gets worse.

So Kraven is doing this because after so many years in America he regards it as his home?

Fuck...Off.

Kraven the Hunter would never  think that way. Kraven finds America’s ways decadent. He hates them because they lack the kind of jungle and animalistic honour he holds so dear. This is spelled out in the goddam story Zdarsky is homaging.

What? Is the implication Kraven’s cancer is affecting his brain thus making him a totally different person?

If pressed Kraven might choose America over Russia but only because ‘Mother Russia’ destroyed his family in the Russian Revolution. But I’m not convinced Kraven would take a side in general, so much as he’d regard it beneath him or just the law of the jungle playing out on a bigger scale.

But. It. Gets. Worse.

Kraven’s motivation in trying to make Spider-Man ‘beautiful’ again, into a warrior again is akin to Zdarsky gluing in a character from a story we’ve not been reading into this one.

When the Hell in this mini-series was it ever implied Spider-Man was a warrior, a killer, someone violent the way Kraven wants him to be?

It’s even stupider when you consider Kraven says America hasn’t got a real hero, i.e. a real warrior who is willing to kill and be violent because...Wolverine literally appears in this comic.

Hulk appears in this comic.

Captain America appears in this comics.

Iron Man appears in this comic

THOR appears in this comic. Thor, the Viking WARRIOR God!

What is he talking about!??????????

BUT. IT. GETS. WORSE!

Because Kraven after burying Spider-Man proceeds to go around continuing to impersonate Spider-Man (for some reason without his gun now).

Why?

In KLH it made sense.

But WTF is Kraven’s motive in pretending to be Spider-Man in this story at all?

Why was he doing it before and what is his motive in doing it after burying Spider-Man?

He isn’t trying to make himself superior to Spider-Man now.

Peter isn’t even mad ABOUT Kraven impersonating him (which he was in KLH) so Kraven wasn’t doing it to rile him up.

WHY?????????????

BUT IT GETS WORSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spider-Man only survives being buried alive because of the symbiote.

But Kraven couldn’t have known about that so his plan was either to

a)      Genuinely send Spider-Man out the way of a warrior...by drugging him and burying him alive to slowly suffocate...how noble...Or

b)      Burying him alive with the expectation he’d get out and be so angry he’d become a murderer and this would magically mean becoming old and weak wouldn’t be a problem any more.

*smashes head against desk*

·         Not to mention, a Venom empowered angry Spider-Man shoves the old, non-superpowered, dying of cancer Kraven’s head into a brick wall and...he’s fine. He’s not even dazed or bleeding.

 ·         What was the point of giving Kraven cancer? Like how does it make the story better? How does it at all play into anything? All I can think is that Zdarsky is weirdly planning on using it as a substitute for Eddie Brock’s cancer because he’s going to make Kraven Venom instead of Brock. Speaking of which

 ·         Apparently if Spider-Man ages in real time this would mean that Kraven the Hunter would become Venom instead of Eddie Brock one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains ever. What?

 ·         Just to be clear this is a retelling of Spider-Man’s history where Eddie Brock isn’t Venom and where Kraven doesn’t kill himself. Way to ruin 2 iconic characters at once there Zdarsky

 ·         It’s implied a major part of what motivates MJ and Peter to break up (because again there is clearly  no agenda here at all) is that MJ had to risk possibly killing him with the sonic weapon when the symbiote sent him out of control.

 Okay, first of all Reed Richard had sonic weapons that could be rid of the symbiote without killing the host. The only way that could happen is if they were permanently bonded which Peter clearly wasn’t. So how comes with all his tech Peter invented a potentially lethal solution?

Second of all, he entrusts this to his...wife...and the mother of his children....um...Why not entrust it to an employee? Or Reed? Or Johnny?

Johnny is his best friend in the superhero community and his natural super powers give him an advantage against the symbiote. Reed already knows the risks and surely if Reed knows who he is then Johnny does too.

Or maybe Spider-Man ‘aging in real time’ results in Spider-Man and Johnny not being friends because...er...reasons. Seriously Peter is closer to Reed than Johnny in this continuity what the fuck.

Regardless, he’s entrusting a normal human woman with no combat skills to take down an out of control super powered being. And he’s entrusting she could bring herself to potentially kill  him as well.

Reed and Johnny might be friendly with him up to a point, but surely they’d find the prospect of killing him easier than Peter’s wife!

 My final point is this.

Maybe there is something coming to address this problem but we’re three issues in and I have to ask...what is the point of all the war stuff?

Spider-Man is a street level, personal story right? It’s about a normal guy, not a soldier. It’s about regular crime and social group tensions and romance and rent and smaller scale things like that.

So why is there such a focus in this story upon Vietnam, superheroes in Vietnam and the nuclear arms race with Russia?

Even Spider-man vs. Wolverine played things more low key than this.

This is a Spider-Man  story where a bona fide massive plot point is Russia nuking a town.

Just like...what is the point of this?

Why are we using a Spider-Man story about his life in real time to explore (badly) the horrors of war?

If you want to do that then actually finish the Spider-Nam mini-series!

Fuck this story!

P.S. Why were MJ and Peter casual about mentioning Spider-Man in front of Aunt May? Learning a bombshell like that could harm her health and in her state she could let something slip.

[imfucking-magical]

Awoken pt.2

A/n Here is part 2 lovelies

Warnings: Swearing probably and some fluff

My body felt heavy and cold as I squinted against a bright light. 

“Y/n?” My heart raced. Steve? It hurt to open my eyes more, but I wanted to know if my mind was playing tricks on me.

“Steve?” The light that was shining in my eyes went away and a nurse was in front of me with Steve sitting at the foot of my bed.

“I can’t believe you’re here.” Steve told me smiling.

“Where is dad? Where is Peggy? What happened to the Hydra agents? How did we escape? How did you know where I was? Is dad ok?”

“Whoa whoa slow down a bit there kiddo. There is alot of explaining to do and I have to give it to you slowly because its a lot to take in.” Steve told me trying to calm me down. I looked around and there were strange things in the room. “I will give you the big news first before I answer all of you’re questions.”

“What big news? Steve where are we?” The nurse prodded at my back with her stethoscope.

“Breathe.” She instructed

“And why do I have a nurse inspecting me?”

“Y/n…. what was the last thing you remember?”

“Peggy and I were on a rescue mission to shut down a Hydra base where they were experimenting on people to create superhumans. I got cut off from Peggy and heard dad’s name and saw him. He…. he had a metal arm and then I was attacked from behind from a small ugly dude and I blacked out.”

“First of all, you are grounded for not telling us that you became an agent with Peggy. Second of all…. what happened was many decades ago.”

I looked at Steve like he was stupid. “This is one of you’re jokes isn’t. Oh you were out cold for years when in reality it’s only been like a week right? And we somehow ended up at Stark’s place? I’m guessing all the gadgets in this room are his inventions.” 

“Y/n I’m not joking this time. Hydra froze you. You were frozen. I was frozen after defeating the main branch of Hydra and your dad was frozen as well. Its 2014. That is a tv.” He pointed to the thin rectangle on the wall.

My face dropped when I realized that he wasn’t joking. “Where is Peggy?” Steve sighed. She was gone. I never got to say goodbye to her. I screwed up our mission because I let my emotions interfere. 

“You said dad was frozen too. Does that mean he’s still alive?”

“That’s actually why they woke you up. I didn’t even know that you were frozen.”

“Who is they?”

“A group called the Avengers. Mr.Stark’s son Tony is part of it and so are many others. They found you and woke you up because…. well Hydra had done some things to your dad. We’ve figured out that they had trigger words to make him act like… well go crazy and destroy things.” 

“So where do I come into this?”

Steve stared at me blankly. “You’re taking this very well.”

“Steve my dad is alive and so are you. I mean I would’ve preferred that Peggy was here too, but I know that you’ve got my back.” He smiled.

“You’re going to be part of the Avengers. They woke you up because maybe you could snap your dad out of his trigger words long enough to get him back to the tower to make sure he won’t do damage again and have him join the Avengers as well.”

“Do they know where he might be?”

“Yea. You might want to get dressed first. There are some clothes in the bathroom for you. Warning though. Some of the fabrics are weird.”

I stood up and walked into the bathroom to change. He was right about the clothes

It was about a week before there was any news on dad and in that time I got to know all of the avengers. Nat took a liking to me right away and with her came along Clint. We practiced together and Nat showed me more modern moves that added to my skill set. Everyone started to help me settle into a life of technology. Mr.Stark’s son Tony had all the cool gadgets however so I was always hanging around him to see what new stuff he was doing. He was the one to actually pick up something on my dad.

“There!” He pointed at the screen from security footage. “He’s getting plums.”

“Well he’s an old man he’s probably having dietary issues.” I joked.

“He’s the same age he was when you two were frozen.” 

“Yea ok where is he?”

“Pretty close actually. Go get ready we’re getting in the jet.” 

Soon we were across the country in some slums.

“Everyone split up into pairs. He’s armed and dangerous. Y/n you’re with me.” Steve told everyone and we headed into a run down building.

“Do you think this is going to work?”

“It has to. It’s the only way to get Buck back without harming him.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“Then we’ll have to use force.” 

THUMP

“Did you hear that?” I asked him stopping on the stairs. There was quiet until the door next to me flew off its hinges and a figure came running out. Steve pushed passed me and ran after him. I got all the way to the roof before I caught up to them.

On the roof they were both putting up a good fight. Steve relied on his shield every time dad tried to hit him with his metal arm making Steve’s feet to dig into the roof.

“DAD!” I shouted across the roof and he kicked Steve in the stomach sending him flying then he started to walk over to me. He pulled a gun out of its holster and started to shoot at me. Quickly I dodged and flipped out of the way until he ran out of bullets.

“Dad stop. It’s me! Y/n! Your daughter!” I told him running towards him and met him in the middle with him swinging. I quickly maneuvered behind him and jumped on his back trying to hold his arms behind his head, but settled for his hair.

“You should really put your hair up or let me braid this shit dad.” I told him while staying on his back pulling on his hair. He kept swinging trying to get me until he finally decided to body slam me into the wall and before I could move he slammed his non metal arm into me causing me to double over.

He started to walk away as I spit blood.

“You know who I am don’t you? That’s why you didn’t kill me by hitting me with your metal arm.” I told him leaning against the rooftop wall for support while holding my stomach. He didn’t react.

“You are my sunshine.” I said and he stopped. “My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey.” He slowly turned to face me as I still held my stomach, but I kept going. He had to remember our song.

“You’ll never know dear how much I love you….”

“Please don’t take my sunshine away.” He finished and paused in front of me.

“Dad?”

“Y/n… I thought they killed you.” He wrapped his arms around me.

“We need to get you back to the tower to get your arm under control.”

“No Y/n I can’t… I can’t hurt any more people.”

“Dad I’ve seen the stuff Stark has. He can fix your arm and get rid of the words.”

“No you need to go you’re still just a kid.”

“Dad Uncle Steve can even vouch for me.”

“That’s true Bucky.” Steve walked over to us. “If not we can figure it out. Just come back with us. You can join the team and fight for good.”

He looked skeptical.

“Please don’t take my sunshine away.” I told him and he sighed and nodded.

I was finally going to have my dad back.

Sorry for some of the inaccuracies guys. Its been awhile since I’ve watched the movies and this is also an au so there are things that are different. Also yes that song sung came out in the 40s which I did not know and I thought it was cute so yea I put it in there for some fluff.

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Let me know if  you want to be added or removed from a taglist and/or if you guys have requests. Don’t be scared to message me! I enjoy hearing back from you guys and I can do prompts you send in. 

[sj-ficrecs]

FIC REC SIX:

it’s been a min since I’ve done a new fic rec, so here we go. just a random collection of new stories (or new to me lol) that I’ve been enjoying! as usual, no specific order. 

This is purely a fic rec blog, always reblogging fics I enjoy. usually Bucky x reader, sometimes Steve x reader, Chris Beck x reader, etc. So check out more I’ve reblogged on this page. :) See my past fic recs below:

PREVIOUS FIC RECS HERE !

Bucky x reader:

Reputation by @captainscanadian​ College!Bucky x Reader “There was a fine line between being study buddies and fuck buddies; a line that was never meant to be crossed until it was. All you wanted was to finish off your undergraduate degree, get a decent MCAT score and go off to medical school. But when NYU’s resident fuckboy offers to be your tutor, it seemed as though fate had a whole other plan for the two of you. His reputation precedes him, but you soon came to realize that there was more to Bucky Barnes than what meets the eye.”

107th by @baezen​ cop!Bucky x reader

“in which her hot cop neighbour asks for multiple favours and she can’t seem to say no to him”

Hearts in Secret by @jbbarnesandnoble​ King!Bucky Barnes x Princess!Reader “people always assume that princesses are free to do as they wish, to dress and act how they want to. In fact, it’s actually quiet the opposite.”

The Kid From Queens by @wkemeup​ Modern Army Vet!Bucky x reader (drabble from Sunrise) by @wkemeup​

“Bucky and Y/n take a trip to Queens in search of the boy Bucky saved on the day that changed his life“

Black Lace and Property Damage by @bitsandbobsandstuff​ Bucky x reader

“With your messy work hours, Bucky’s consistently inconsistent mission schedule, and those basic life tasks you’re both ignoring (when was the last time he actually bought a new toothbrush?), the simple act of just being together has been shunted to the side. Bucky’s officially starting to panic.“

Behind Enemy Lines by @writingcroissant​ 40s!Bucky x reader

“Bucky Barnes falls off a train right into the midst of a nation he swore to fight to his last breath. But instead of Hydra, he just so happens to be found by a young woman who risks her life in order to save his.“

Broken Crown by @lionoflannistarth​ Knight!Bucky x princess!reader

“James Buchanan Barnes is a knight who is in love with his childhood best friend, the royal princess. Both of them think, and for different reasons, that the princess’ betrothal is the worst thing that can happen. Until…“

Better by @captainscanadian​ Doctor!Bucky x doctor!reader

“Dr. James Barnes has it all: a loving family, caring best friends, and a successful career as one of the best heart surgeons in New York. He has everything he ever wanted his whole life… well, almost everything. One thing he never thought he could ever have was Y/N Y/L/N. She may have been a lot of things, but he loved her because she made him better.“

The Wilds by @moonstruckbucky​ Lumberjack!Bucky x reader

“After a bitter divorce, you seek solace in the wilds of Alaska. Unbeknownst to you, it’ll change you in ways you could have never imagined.”

This Town by @no-champagne-socialist​ Bucky x reader

“Y/N has been included as one of Earth’s Mightest Heroes for so long, that she considers each and every member of her team to be her family. So when the Avengers are torn apart from the inside, she takes the road less travelled to one of retirement. Y/N finds herself settling into a life of exclusion, but also one of safety and comfort, when an old friend comes knocking, asking for a favour.“

If I Could Fly by @ceeellewrites​ Actor!Bucky x Actress!Reader Social Media AU

“Bucky Barnes is an actor with a small (just a tiny) celebrity crush on Y/N L/N, one of the industry’s well-known actress. Well, it’s just a celebrity crush, what could go wrong?”

Long Way Home by @captainscanadian​ Doctor!Bucky x doctor!reader

���If the doctors don’t fix you, then I’ll become a doctor and I’ll fix you, Bambi.” While Bucky Barnes did not remember the promise he had made almost thirty years ago, he still kept it.“

Waves by @buckys-darling​ Prince!Bucky x Reader “Prince James Barnes of Montiero despises the spotlight and has been hidden from the public eye for years. You meet a stranger at the bar on your girls trip to a remote island. What’s the harm in a one night stand?”

Leather Jacket by @mymoonagedaydream​ Biker!Bucky x reader

“Your genius business idea seemed to have attracted the wrong sort of people to your brother’s bar- at first“

Rookie by @sebastiianstxn​ Detective!Bucky x cop!reader

“it’s the start of something new for detective Barnes and the rookie y/n but figuring out their relationship ends abruptly when reader gets unknown calls“

The Cat’s Meow by @moonbeambucky​ Bucky x reader

“On an effort to rescue a cat you didn’t expect to also rescue your love life.“

Know it All by @moonbeambucky​ College!Bucky x reader

“Your grades and patience are tested when you’re paired together for a class project with the one person you cannot stand, Bucky Barnes.”

[officialaemondtargaryen]

Together (part one)

Summary: When Steve introduced his girlfriend to his best friend, he would have never thought that they might have already met. Modern Day AU.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader / Bucky Barnes x Reader

Word Count: 2, 952

Author’s Note: Guys, I think it goes without saying that you should never cheat on anyone. Just don’t do it. I’m not exactly sure how many parts this will have, it all depends on y’all. With that being said, enjoy this angsty piece of crap. Warnings for the entire series: severe angst, cheating, unprotected sex, jealousy, lying.

Playlist: 1, 2, 3, 4

She felt the bed shift.

The sun hadn’t yet made a break in the early morning sky, and the room was still dark; only dimly lit by the bathroom light that had just been turned on. She could hear the faucet running and the faint sound of teeth being brushed as she reached over and checked the time on her phone. The intense light of the screen made her vision blur and eyes squint. But after a few blinks, she could make out those three numbers; 5:06.

A shadow moved along the hallway walls, and she quickly placed her phone back on the bedside table and turned on her side. With her eyes clamped shut, she listened as he moved around the room, mentally picturing every action; opening the closet door, pulling a shirt from the hanger, crossing the room to the dresser, finding a pair of socks and boxers in the drawer. It was the same every morning, every day, at the same time. 

Steve wasn’t Steve without his routines; wake up, brush teeth, shower, breakfast, gym, lunch, gym, home, dinner, bed. She used to like that about him- the structure he brought to her haphazard life. 

She used to wake up with him and get and early start on her day. They used to make breakfast together, and she used to sit at the table, reading her emails while he read the paper. They’d make plans for dinner and talk about their friends, and their jobs, and they’d laugh and joke. And it used to be nice. But now she just pretended to be asleep, waiting until he left for the gym before getting out of bed. She wondered if it was wrong to do that, because, to her,  it certainly felt like a lie. Steve brought it up, too, a couple of times; always wanting to know if something was wrong, or if she was okay. Truth be told, she wasn’t even sure of the reason for the change, so she just told him that she was tired and that work was stressful.

Often, she wondered if maybe she should start again. Start trying...

Maybe it’d make things better. 

Or as her best friend, coworker, and self-proclaimed love guru, Natasha, liked to say, there was no getting better. According to the redheaded cynic, the vast majority of relationships are doomed from the start, and she should take her unhappiness as a sign that things just weren’t meant to work out with Steve. 

Some mornings, she’d look in the mirror- bare feet cold on the tile floor, hands gripping the sides of the porcelain sink- and asked herself if Natasha was right; if all of this was a sign that they weren’t meant to be. She’d ask herself if she really loved Steve, and if it’d be better to break things off than to dig herself deeper. She knew that the answer was probably ‘yes’, because if the answer was ‘no’, she wouldn’t even be asking those questions in the first place.

But then she’d remember what it was like to be together when they first started dating, and she couldn’t help but hope that one day it’d go back to that.

The subway platform was cold and damp as she waited in the crowd of a hundred people. Melting snow from the streets above had water dripping down the walls, and it smelled of musty leather and dirty shoes. Her scarf and jacket weren’t doing much to keep her warm, and she cursed herself for not grabbing her gloves before she left the house. Although, she probably wouldn’t have kept them on very long because she couldn’t use her phone while wearing them.

It was late December in New York. Christmas had come and gone, and everyone was gearing up for the new year. In the office, there was a giant board in the break room for people to write down their New Year’s resolutions; serving as a reminder to keep people on track for the first few months. Most of them were ‘eat healthy’ and ‘exercise more’, and most people would fall off the wagon before February.

Natasha was already at her desk when she got to their tiny, cluttered, shared cubicle. A red coffee cup in one hand and her cellphone in the other; her hair was curled to perfection and shined underneath the fluorescent lights; swaying softly as she turned in her desk chair. “Good morning, pretty girl.” She said with a smile. “Coffee’s on your desk.”

“Thank you,” she replied. “I didn’t have time to stop this morning.” She shrugged out of her jacket and hung it over the back of her chair before grabbing the small, cardboard cup and bringing it to her lips. Her eyes fluttered shut at the taste and warmth of the beverage. “You’re too good to me, Nat.”

“I know,” Natasha replied with her signature smirk. “How was your weekend? Did you and Steve do anything exciting for New Year’s?”

“We stayed home, had a couple glasses of champagne, and watched a movie.” She replied with her back turned to her coworker, fingers dancing over her keyboard as she logged into her computer. “I broke out that pretty, purple lace lingerie set,” Nat made a sound to let her friend know that she was still listening. “He said that he really liked it, but he didn’t want to do anything because he was too tired, and had to go to the gym in the morning.”

She could hear Natasha clicking her tongue against her teeth. 

“It’s like, we have these really good moments together,” she continued. “And most of the time, things are pretty good, but they aren’t the same. There’s no passion, or spontaneity, it’s like we don’t have fun anymore.”

“Yeah, but you guys have been together for over a year.” Nat replied, turning slightly in her chair to look at her friend. “Relationships usually change after awhile, that’s normal.”

“Nat, the last time we really had fun was Tony’s birthday.”

“But that was last May.” She replied, her green eyes widening in disbelief. 

“That’s exactly my point.”

“Speaking of birthdays,” Natasha began, finally changing the subject. “Clint’s is on Saturday, and I was thinking we could take the old man out for a few drinks, let him beat us both at darts, I might even make a cake.”

“I can do Saturday,” she replied as she marked the date on her desk calendar.

“Great!” Nat exclaimed. “He’ll really like that, I think.”

As if on queue, Clint’s head popped over the wall of their cubicle; wrinkles deep in his forehead, eyebrows raised. “Hey ladies,” he said smoothly with a slight smile. “How goes it this Monday morning?”

“Great!” Natasha answered first with a wide, sparkling smile. 

“I wouldn’t have used that much enthusiasm, but sure, it’s great.” Y/N mumbled in return, not taking her gaze off of her calendar after having noticed that it was almost two years to the day that she met Steve. Little, red hearts outlined the box that marked the day. 

She remembered that day so vividly, as if it was just yesterday; stumbling into Steve’s gym after her boss had asked her, of all people, to write an article on health and fitness after they lost their resident fitness columnist, Pietro. But Steve was so willing to help, which made her job so much easier, and even taught her a few quick workouts that she could do right in the office, which she included in her article. He also agreed to have his picture published, and advertised that those who brought in a copy of the paper would get a free one-on-one training session with him. 

After the paper was printed and distributed, Steve showed up at her office a couple of weeks later with a bouquet of roses; wanting to thank her personally for helping boost business, and asked if he could make it up to her by taking her out to dinner. She, of course, said yes and the rest was history.

“Hello?” Clint’s voice pierced through her thoughts. “Earth to Y/N! You coming to the meeting or are you just going to sit at your desk and daydream all day?”

She looked up to see Natasha and Clint both standing, waiting for her. They had a mandatory team meeting in five minutes. “Yeah, I’m coming.” She said quickly, grabbing her coffee and following her coworkers towards the conference room.

“What’s got your head in the clouds?” Nat asked under her breath as they walked side-by-side.

“Just thinking about when Steve and I first met.” She replied.

Natasha just shook her head and took her seat at the table, pulling a pen from behind her ear, and waited for the meeting to start. Her face was determined and focused, waiting to spill all of her new ideas for this week’s paper, and knowing Natasha, she had a million and one. 

After the meeting, the two went straight to work, only letting up off of their keyboards for their lunch hour. Natasha was strictly relationship advice, and had an entire bin in the mail room dedicated to letters from her fans; who were mostly women in their late 30′s to mid 40′s, wondering what to do about their lazy husband who failed to notice that she got her hair dyed. Ironically enough, they were probably the same women who showed up to Steve’s free training sessions. 

Y/N also had her own column that was rightfully called ‘Popular Now’, where she wrote about everything that was popular that week, including television shows, music, people, movies, and restaurants. Sometimes she got to go to fancy restaurant and club openings, movie premiers, and concerts. Despite her life long dream to be a front-page, investigative crime journalist, she enjoyed her job and the perks it offered. 

“You want to go grab a drink?” Nat asked, turning off her computer. She had a stack of fan mail in her hand. “We can read about all the horrible break ups that happened this past week.”

“As fun as that sounds,” Y/N began. “I have to go to the grocery store before I head home. I’m making Linguine tonight. Steve’s favorite.” She said as she shut off her desk lamp and began stuffing some papers into her bag.

“Suit yourself,” Nat replied with a shrug. “I’ll ask Clint.”

“You two have fun, then.”

The streets were overcrowded with overworked city-dwellers who were desperate to get home. The wind had picked up significantly since that morning, numbing her face as she walked through the crowd of double-breasted, suit wearing men and women who were yakking on their phones about what was for dinner. Her tights did little to keep her knees from shaking, and she started to regret her decision to walk instead of call a cab. It would have only taken longer for the latter in the stop-and-go traffic of rush hour.

She tried to call Steve once she got into the store, to make sure that there wasn’t anything else he needed added to the list, but he didn’t answer. He barely ever did. He was almost always on his phone, taking business calls from potential clients and partners. At this point she didn’t even bother leaving a message, knowing that he wouldn’t take the time to return it.

After she had made her way through the aisles with her basket, she walked towards the checkout lanes, only to find two long lines that were moving too slow. Her foot tapped idly against the floor as she waited. She glanced back at the line that was forming and caught eyes with the man standing directly behind her. He looked oddly familiar, but she shrugged him off at just being another guy with a beard and long hair, giving him a quick smile before turning back around.

He let out a low whistle and chuckled, prompting her to turn back around. “Sorry,” he mumbled as his cheeks became a shade darker and he smiled towards the ground. “I’m sorry, but I think I can die happy now.” 

Her eyebrows came together in confusion. “Why’s that?”

“Because I just saw heaven in your eyes.” He admitted with a smirk. “It’s beautiful.”

“Oh,” she blushed immediately; pulling her lips between her teeth to keep herself from smiling at the cheesiest pick-up line she had ever heard. “Thank you.” She replied quietly before turning back around to face forward. 

“I’m sorry,” he apologized again. “That was really bad.”

“Yeah, it was.” She replied and turned around to look at him once more. She knew him from somewhere. Maybe she had interviewed him once for the paper, or he could have been in a band that she had researched; he did look like that type. “I appreciate the compliment, though.”

“Wait a minute,” he asked after a few moments of silence. “You’re Y/N, right? Steve’s girlfriend.” She turned her head, eyes narrowed, wondering how he knew her name- yet alone that she was Steve’s girlfriend. “He showed me a picture of you, once. I’m Bucky.”

It finally clicked. This was Steve’s best friend that she had never met due to the fact that he was always travelling for business. She had seen his picture on their refrigerator a million times. Only, in the picture, his hair was much shorter and he was clean-shaven; wearing his uniform from when he and Steve served together. “I knew you looked familiar!” She replied with a smile now. “There’s a picture of the two of you on our fridge.”

“What a sap,” he smirked, talking about Steve. “It’s nice to finally meet the girl Steve never shuts up about. I can certainly see why now.”

She blushed, allowing her eyes to wander over Bucky. He was certainly nothing like any of Steve’s other friends; unkempt, two day old stubble, sweatpants and a hoodie like he had just crawled out of bed and ran to the store to get pre-packaged deli meat and Doritos. 

“Well this is embarrassing,” he laughed. 

She nodded in reply, and began placing her items on the conveyor belt. “It’s great to finally meet you,” she told him. “Steve says you’re always travelling for work. So how long are you in town for?”

“I actually got promoted,” he replied as he placed the divider in between their purchases. “So I’m home for good now.”

“Oh that’s great!” She exclaimed before handing her discount card to the cashier. “You should come by the apartment some time. I’m sure Steve would love to see you.”

“Yeah,” he smiled. “I will.”

She looked back at him one last time before grabbing her bags and gave Bucky a genuine smile. “I’ll see you around, then.” 

He nodded his head before the cashier asked him for his discount card. 

Steve wasn’t home when she got there, and she reveled in coming home to an empty apartment. It was so quiet; no loud football game on the television, or hour long conversations with his financial advisers about the gym. Just the sounds of boiling water, and the sizzling of shrimp in the frying pan. 

It was peaceful.

“Yeah man! It’ll be great to have you around again.” She heard the front door open shortly after she drained the noodles. The door slammed behind him, followed by the thud of his gym bag on the living room floor. “You should definitely come by soon,” Steve said loudly into his phone. He came into the kitchen and placed a kiss on the side of her cheek without saying a word and then headed up the stairs to change out of his sweat-stained clothes. “I can’t wait for you to meet, Y/N, man. You’re going to love her.”

She smiled to herself as she pushed the shrimp around in the pan one last time before shutting off the heat. Everything looked and smelled amazing, and she couldn’t wait for Steve to try it. She had the table completely set up; white wine, the nice plates that were only for when they had company, candles burning. 

“Hey babe,” he said as he stepped back into the kitchen. “That was Bucky, he’s back in town for good now, he’s going to come for dinner on Friday night.”

“That’s great, honey.” She replied, and Steve picked a plate off of the table. 

“He’s excited to finally meet you.” Steve was grinning from ear to ear. “I was thinking maybe you could invite Natasha,” he followed up as he sat the plate on the counter next to her and moved to grab a bottle of beer from the fridge. “That is if she isn’t seeing anyone. I think her an Buck would hit it off.”

“Y-yeah,” she replied with her back to him, wondering why Bucky didn’t mention their run-in at the grocery store. “That sounds like a great idea.” She placed the pot on the kitchen table with an oven mitt underneath and took her usual seat. 

Steve, still standing, hurriedly fixed himself a plate and popped a shrimp in his mouth. “Mm, this is delicious. I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to eat in the office. I have a lot of work to catch up on.” He told her quickly and dashed up the stairs.

Before she could say anything, he was already gone. She took a sip from her wine glass and sighed, staring at the dinner she had prepared. Despite how hungry she might have been before she cooked dinner, her appetite seemed to have completely vanished. She didn’t even bother to fix herself a plate, just finished her wine instead before she stood up and started putting the leftover away. 

tagging

@jarnesbrnes, @poe-also-bucky, @asirenscalling, @brandybucky, @unpredictable-firecracker, @creideamhgradochas, @lbouvet, @darkchocolaterey, @winteraconitum, @bovaria, @flowercrownsandmetallicarms, @angryschnauzer, @hellomissmabel, @john-benderr, @kinqshley, @captainmqmeep, @iwillendyourlifeslut, @malfoy-milkovich-royalty, @ailynalonso15, @undertheseabass, @aubzylynn, @holydeanmon, @callamint, @buckyywiththegoodhair, @knittingknerdy, @danimuhle 

(this is a series, so if you’d like to be removed or added, please let me know! i have plenty of spots open. like infinity spots.) i hope you liked it! let me know what you think.