#never has he told me ‘my coworker got assassinated by the fucking water company for airing their dirty laundry’

[badolmen]

Was talking with my mother the other day about the Boeing Whistleblower’s murder being framed as a suicide and she casually drops that the same thing happened to one of the union leaders my dad worked with. Would go on Facebook with a puppet account and a bag over his head documenting the company’s various legal violations. Two weeks before his daughter’s wedding he kills himself. Nobody believed that - he was happily married, healthy, and financially secure with no prior indications of depression or mood swings. But it was still ruled a suicide and everyone just…moved on I guess?

Like, I understand the Boeing whistleblower, but some random utilities union guy? Jfc he gets offed for bad mouthing the company and what we just go on with our lives? How are you not radicalized by this???

[shini--chan]

I have an idea! What would Allies do after finding out that their s/o have (another) stalker? It can be another yandere, a creep, ex, jealous coworker with bad intentions or even a serial killer.

And a good idea it is, my dear anon.

Yandere Allies – Feindling America

You were already fast asleep, snoozing away under the covers in your shared bedroom. He, on the other hand, was still wide awake and had decided to settle down in the living room to do some light reading. His insomnia was due to the usual reasons – too much caffeine, too much stress, too much curiosity to just let the day finish.

And because he was worried, intently, about you. There was somebody else trying to stick their grubby fingers in your shared life, and pry you apart. That was something he was absolutely sure off. After living so long, and becoming paranoid due to his position on the global stage, he knew very well when he was being watched.

There was something after you in particular, he didn’t like it.

Out of his peripheral vision, he caught sight of somebody moving in the bushes. A spike of adrenaline shot through his body, and for a moment he was tempted to storm about side and give that creep a hook. Yet a better idea came to mind – first to fire a warning shot.

He net his book aside and sauntered to one of the glass door to the balcony and gave the pane a few sharp knocks. It was enough to catch their attention. It was almost comical how the figure froze, and the hood swivelled in his direction. Alfred couldn’t identify them in any capacity – they wore non-script jeans and a grey hoodie along with a pair of gloves. But this was about digging up the war axe.

Grinning, he flipped the bird at them, and then proceeded to draw a thin line across his throat in an unmistakable message.

Alfred would see this as a chance to play hero. He would finally be able to prove to you how capable he is at protecting you, how attentive he would be when it would water down to your safety. Of course, he would make sure there would be a lot he wouldn’t catch wind off – it would be the instances where he would come off as an evil master mind or as a control freak that he would skilfully hide from you.

He might or might not elect to torture the fool that would be stalking you. For him, waterboarding that creep would be a method of stress relief. It would also drive home the point that nobody should dare try to get between him and his sweetie.

Canada

Besides you, your phone beeped for what must have been the twelfth time in the span of one minute. You sobbed harder and buried your face in his chest. Matthew calmly stroked your back, making quiet soothing noises as he held you close.

“(Ex) will have to leave you be someday. This can’t go on forever. One day that jerk will have to accept that you’re gone for good”, he told quietly, while cautiously shifting his position to a more comfortable one.

You were both on the backseat of his car, having sought sanctuary there after you started panicking upon seeing the messages. All the memories had started to overwhelm you, and you had gripped his arm as if it was the only thing that was preventing you from drowning.

“No, that won’t be the case. Before I met you, I tried to leave so often only to be lured back into it. It was only because I met you that I haven’t gone back”, you cried, gazing up at him with a tear-stricken face.

“Shh, I will think of something. There shall be hell to pay.”

Matthew would be concerned about your wellbeing first and foremost. He would cater to you, cuddle with you, sooth you. But don’t think that would mean he would go easy on you should you step out of line and try to flee from him. When he would say he would never let your ex take you back, he would be indirectly saying he would never allow you to leave him.

Naturally, he would be careful and avoid any explicit rhetoric stating that your place in the world is at his side, but the message would be there, hidden between the lines.

With the legal sway he would hold, he would easily have your ex punished in some capacity. This could range from a fine to a restrain order to spending some time in jail.

China

A scream pierced the silence of the night, followed by a yell as the attacker was swept off his feet. Yao didn’t hesitate to continue beating the culprit up, even though he was on the ground.

After all, this was a man that had just been a few milliseconds away from dragging you away and murdering you, after doing unspeakable things to you, things that couldn’t be lightly talked about in any context.

“So, you’re the vermin that has been butchering people left and right for the past four months. You’re just as disgusting as I expected”, Yao commented as he brought his foot down on his back in a harsh stamp.

You had taken seat on a tree stump that was standing by. The near death experience and the fight going on in front of you had utterly rattled you. You were numbly staring at the scene playing out, heads in your hands, whole body trembling and eyes wide blown.

He kicked the killer in the side and was rewarded was a grunt and a hiss: “And I’ll fucking kill you too.”

“Sure you will”, Yao drawled sarcastically and pressed the criminals head into the dirt. “Get used to the taste of it.”

Contrary to expectations, Yao would approach the situation of serial killer being after you calmy. Not because he wouldn’t care about you, but rather because he would be far to old to be surprised by such a – in his eyes – trivial thing. And because he would know that letting himself drown in anger or panic would just result in him making grave mistakes – ie. losing you.

Nevertheless, he would never be far off, lurking behind corners, just out of sight of you and the murderer. He would also scoure your online activity, searching for any suspicious doings from other users. Furthermore he would use the opportunity to learn more about you and your strengths and weaknesses.

England

“Ah, ah, ah. Keep your dirty paws off that”, Arthur chided Jane and firmly grabbed Jane by the ear, harshly tugging there. It wasn’t the most humane treatment of a mortal, that England knew very well. However, he was in a sour mood, your infuriating co-worker being one of the contributing factors to it. Besides, he hadn’t made it one of his life maximas to be nice.

“You dare”, she hissed. When he gave another sharp tug, she yelped and dropped your phone, showing one of your social media profiles. Jane Smithers was persistent, he would have to give her that. Yet that would just be her downfall because she had decided to use that trait to try to ruin your life.

“Oh yes I dare. I dare to not tolerate your disgusting behaviour. Between you and me, we’re going to have a very long talk about your morals.”

She snorted and grabbed his hand.

“I could sue you for sexual harassment. We’ll see if you’ll still be laughing then.”

Oh, he had expected such a threat to come from such a vile person as her. He chuckled lowly – did she really think she could best him when it came to anything.

“And then spend some time in the nick for lying to judge and jury. Don’t think you’d be able to weasel your way out of this. I’m the one here that can have your framed and believe me, I could get you a bloody life sentence.”

She stared at him, uncomprehending, before realisation dawned and she let out a harsh laugh.

“So that is how (l/n) did it. Slept the way to the top.”

“No. (Y/n) has talent, impeccable talent. So unlike you, my dearest never had to resort to the methods you were so kind to mentioned.”

Arthur would see it as his duty to protect you – your physical & mental wellbeing as well as your reputation. So of course he would go after any jealous co-worker that would try to ruin you to any extent. And as mentioned in the snippet above, he wouldn’t be exactly nice about it. Any means would do for him, as long as the risk of his machinations backfiring on him and you would be relatively low.

During the whole process, he would letting you know about everything. It would be his point of proving that the world is a horrible place and that you can only find solace in his company and attention.

France

Francis was in the kitchen when you came stumbling in, frazzled and panting as If you had just run a marathon. By the way your extremities were trembling and sweat dotted your forehead, he wouldn’t be surprised. The only question was why.

Aside from that, fear danced in your eyes, and that was the only further information he needed to know that something was wrong. Rushing forward, he scooped you in his arms, ignoring the coffee that he had been preparing, and asked you:

“What happened, ma cherie?”

Instead of answering, you leaned your head against his shoulder and wrapped your arms around his torso, taking heavy, laboured breaths, as if you were crying. That was when he realised that you were. It worried him.

Was this something that he had done? What had caused you to become so distressed? Was it something he could fix.

“You don’t have to talk about it now if you don’t want to”, he offered shakily, unsure about what he should do to cheer you up. How could he, when he didn’t know why you were in such a state?

Thankfully, you supplied him with an explanation, one that caused his concern to freeze to ice cold anger: “There is some creep following me. He grabbed my butt when I got off the bus.”

Whoever that devil was, he was going to have hell to pay,

Francis would be enraged that somebody would be so disrespectful of your boundaries and of the fact that you’re already taken. In the brief moments of his more intense bouts of fury, he might do something as rash as to track the creep down and bludgeon him with something, probably a newspaper.

However, his preferred method would be character assassination (this would work especially well if the culprit in question would have a high social status) and verbal abuse. In this case, his revenge could be long-winded and very elaborate.

Russia

The temperature of the corridor had dropped since the last time he had visited – a testimony to the bad insulation and the approaching winter. Ivan thought it did her justice. After all, she did deserve this after nearly kidnapping you.

Speaking of her, she was sitting near the bars when he approached and when she glimpsed him, she quickly scooted away. Clever; she had learned from what had occurred the last time.

“Come to taunt me again?”, she seethed, curling into a tight, haggard ball of fury. Understandable in her case, however he wouldn’t shed any tears or have any sleepless nights.

“As is customary. I have to elevate your boredom somehow”, he confirmed, grabbing a chair and seating himself opposite her.

She stared at the door at the end of the passage, hungerly tracing it and searching the shadows for any sign of you. Ivan derived pleasure from mocking her: “How foolish are to think I would have brought my lover with me? I didn’t the last few times so why should it any different now?”

“You’re so very attached to (y/n), so I had my hopes.”

“Then I’ll have to forever dash them. That I owe you.”

She snarled at this; face twisted to a nasty frown.

“You know, you and I aren’t so different. So it is even more hypocritical of you to claim the moral high ground. Does (y/n) know even half of the things you’ve done in the name of your love?”

“I detest the comparison. I walk free while you rot in solitude, unloved and unwanted. While you have done everything wrong, I have done what was right where it counted most. You go very far by suggesting anything else.”

Russia would be the one to act the most intense of all the allies. He would have had people that were dear to him ripped away from him in the past, so he invest a lot of energy in insuring that wouldn’t happen to you and him.

That would mean he would go up to 11 in this case. As in, he would either kill this person and dissolve their body in acid or feed it to the pigs. Or he would leave this other yandere to rot somewhere after having dragged them before court for a very showy trail to break their spirit.

[invisibleanonymousmonsters]

Little Hints

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

Summary: Y/N has always had a way with people. But Bucky proves there’s a weakness to her observational skills. 

Word Count: 7,200 - One Shot

Y/N’s attention to detail couldn’t be rivaled.

Even Nat said she would be deadlier than the Black Widow herself if she had the combat and field training.

But Y/N was no superhero and she was definitely no Avenger.

Yes, Y/N’s perception skills were uncanny. She remembered almost every personal detail someone shared with her. For most of her life, Y/N didn’t think much of it. Even Fury noted her astute observation, but he would never compliment or acknowledge it openly. Tony argued it was a weird string of genius. But it was Nat who finally said it was because Y/N had high empathy.

Because it wasn’t just numbers and dates.

Y/N noticed people: their quirks, their habits, their personalities.

It were these skills that got her the job as both Tony and Pepper’s personal assistant. What used to be the job of four people, turned into one when the couple met Y/N.

Y/N was working as an gallery assistant when she all but ran into Tony with a tray full of champagne at an opening. In an attempt to calm her down and stop her from apologizing, Tony started asking Y/N questions about her personal life. She was an artist, struggling with making ends meet in the big city. She worked two jobs, since being a gallery assistant gave her a salary that couldn’t even get her an apartment in New York. The rest of her hours were spent bartending and flirting with terrible men in an attempt get higher tips.

The sad thing was that her hustling barely gave her time to do the thing she was hustling for: making art.

Once Pepper overheard Y/N break down the gallery director’s party details and personal schedule, she realized Y/N could be of much more use. And get better compensation for it.

The very next day, Pepper called offering her a job as both her and Tony’s personal assistant. Tony had a personality that most couldn’t handle. Meanwhile, Pepper was in charge of one of the world’s biggest and most advanced companies. They needed someone who knew how to handle a lot and integrate themselves into the crazy lifestyle the two of them shared.

They offered her an obscene amount of money. Pepper even said they’d build a studio space for her in the compound, as well as pay for her to move out of New York City and to an apartment of her choosing near the compound.

Y/N knew it wasn’t just the skills that made the couple want to give her a chance. Tony had a thing for underdogs. He saw Y/N struggling financially, mentally, and creatively. But he also enjoyed seeing her snap at a gallery attendee who tried hitting on her inappropriately.

Two weeks later, Y/N said bye to Manhattan and instantly fell in love with the quiet and the space of Upstate New York.

----

There was a knock and Y/N looked up to see Steve give her a shy smile from the doorway of her office.

“Hey, Y/N. Do you know where Tony is?”

“He had a meeting in the city. His helicopter is set to land in about…” She glanced at her watch, “20 minutes.”

“Thanks. You already eat lunch?” He added.

“Nope!” She jumped up from her seat, happy to have someone to eat with instead of hiding in her office for longer than she needed.

All of the Avengers had somehow become her friends. They practically made her part of the family; the same way they had with Happy. It was something that she had never expected. Out of all the Avengers, Steve and her got along the best. Y/N assumed it had to do with their mutual love of the arts. But Steve would say he liked Y/N for her ability to talk to him like he was just Steve Rogers…and not Captain America.

Just as the two of them wandered into the kitchen, Bucky was grabbing an apple from the fruit basket.

“Hey, Buck.” Steve greeted casually.

His best friend was covered in sweat and his hair was pulled back into a small bun.

He just gave Steve a nod and barely looked at Y/N. Of all the Avengers and workers at the compound, Bucky was the one Y/N interacted with the least. She understood he had a rough past and seemed more out of time than Steve did on most days. But it drove her crazy that he was the only person she couldn’t seem to figure out. Bucky never really talked to her. He wasn’t rude or mean, just passive…always polite and quiet. Y/N tried so hard to discover his personality from subtle observations. But Bucky was a secretive and stoic man.

He only really talked to Steve, Sam, and Natasha. Y/N never took it personally. Instead, she saw it as a secret challenge to try and understand him better.

“Did you ask out that girl from statistics like Nat suggested?” Y/N asked Steve casually, as she pulled out her packed lunch from the fridge.

Steve shrugged. “No. Honestly, I don’t think I’m in an position to be dating anyone right now.” He once admitted that he enjoyed talking to Y/N more about his love life than Natasha. Y/N was patient and understanding, while Nat could be a little pushy.

“Fair enough.” Y/N smiled as she tossed his a banana.

“What about you?” Steve raised an eyebrow.

“You know that answer, Steve.” She laughed. “I don’t date. I prefer to just live vicariously through other people.” Then she playfully tapped his nose. “Like you.”

“You know, Y/N, sometimes I think you were meant to live in my time. All these dating apps and- What did you call it? Hookup culture?” Y/N laughed nodded. “You hate it.”

“I do.” She sighed. “Never thought about that. What was dating like back then? You’ve never really told me.”

Steve chuckled darkly. “You’d have better luck asking Bucky. I didn’t go on dates back then. I was that little punk, remember?”

Y/N nodded even though she knew she’d never ask Bucky about dating culture of the 30s and 40s. They were barely coworkers, let alone friends that had conversations at a level above small talk.

Y/N was tiptoeing around the kitchen, refilling a few mason jars with clean water. It was in the middle of the night. Even though she knew the whole place was extremely sound proofed, Y/N still tried to be as quiet as a mouse. It was normal for her to stay late or even be at the compound on the weekends so she could use her studio.

Y/N drew the line at living in the compound. She did still feel like it was a second home to her, but she wasn’t an Avenger and she also needed her own space away from the world of superheroes and the Stark business.

As she cleaned the dirty paint water in the sink, she heard the footsteps coming into the kitchen. Y/N smirked. She knew Bucky walked louder on purpose. After scaring her a few times with his assassin silence, Y/N noted that he made his steps easier for her to hear.

“Hey, Y/N.” Bucky greeted groggily. He was wearing baggy shorts, but no shirt.

Y/N had become used to seeing all the guys without shirts, either from working out or just waking up. But she couldn’t deny that seeing Bucky’s bare chest got her more bothered than anyone else’s.

“Hi, Bucky.” Y/N said softly back. She didn’t bother making small talk. Bucky’s silence was something she never wanted to disrupt. If he wanted to talk to her, he would make the effort. She let him have the control.

Y/N was heating up an old mug of coffee when she tried to toss her hair up into a messy bun. It was the default style while she was painting or drawing.

Just as she tried to wrap it around for a third time, the hair tie snapped and flew to the floor. Y/N barely had time to swear when she saw Bucky handing her something. He must have saw the whole because he was handing her his own hair tie.

Y/N looked at him slightly surprised for a moment. He patiently waited for her to take it without saying anything.

“Th-thank you.” She stuttered before taking it from him.

Bucky left the kitchen without any other words.

Y/N was so stunned by the interaction that she actually jumped when the microwave beeped with her reheated mug of coffee.

----

“Tony, I don’t need a fucking escort.” Y/N rolled her eyes as she sipped her coffee in the kitchen. It was moments like these where she was glad she didn’t have to filter herself. Y/N swore like a sailor when it was just her, Tony, and Pepper. It was rather freeing.

“Remember that incident in London.” Tony pointed at Y/N aggressively.

“What happened in London?” Steve asked curiously. He had just walked into the kitchen with Sam and Bucky.

“One of our potential partners…umm…” Pepper tried to word it as politely as possible.

“He got a little handsy, okay!” Y/N finished for her, not bothering to hide her frustrations from revisiting the memory. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Handsy?” Steve stood straighter and uncrossed his arms. That’s all it took for him to side with Tony and jump on the overprotective bandwagon. But what Y/N missed was Bucky’s hands clenching tightly into fists at his side.

“He was just another rich asshole that thinks personal assistants are women he can objectify and sleep with. I handled it, okay?”

“Needless to say, we decided not to conduct business with him.” Pepper added.

“Happy is busy. So we have to find you some other security.” Tony thought aloud.

“You’re being ridiculous. All I have to do is pick up some important mockups and paperwork in the city.” Y/N scoffed.

“I can go with her.”

Y/N’s eyes flickered to Bucky. Had he really just offered to go with her or was she now hearing things?

“Perfect! Frosty will be your personal bodyguard for the day and I don’t have to worry about you. Especially when you’ve got the Winter Soldier to scare the bejesus out of anyone who looks at you funny.”

Pepper sighed in relief.

As soon as Tony left the room, Y/N’s face softened as she met Bucky’s gaze. “You really don’t have to do that, Bucky. He’s just being ridiculous. You have better things to do than follow me around.” He was Avenger.

“We don’t have a mission. So I really don’t.” Bucky shrugged.

“He’s right.” Steve supported. “Yes, please take him with you. He needs a life.” Sam added brazenly.

Bucky glared at him.

“Well, okay then.” She was still caught off guard by the offer. “I just have to grab my things and then I guess I’ll meet you at the helicopter pad?”

Bucky nodded.

A few minutes later, Y/N found Bucky waited patiently for her.

She was in her usual work attire. Being employed by Stark Industries required a business attire dress code. But working for Tony allowed her a quirkiness that most high-end companies wouldn’t allow. Y/N always had on fun patterns and bright colors. Even now, she was wearing a bright pink pantsuit with black, pointy stilettos.

Meanwhile, Bucky was wearing his civilian clothes. After he got situated in this time period and started to find himself again, Y/N would describe his personal style as a grungy biker. Now he wore a clean white t-shirt underneath his black, leather jacket. Once again, his hair was off his face and pulled into a sloppy bun. He probably knew Y/N didn’t want him to look like her security guard. However it was still obvious that he could kill someone with his bare hands. But maybe that was just…Bucky.

They were halfway through their helicopter ride to New York City when Bucky finally broke the silence.

“Did that guy really touch you?” He asked carefully.

Y/N sighed, but eventually nodded. “He asked me out for drinks. I was just trying to make a client happy. He wanted me to go back to his place, got a little too inappropriate, and basically groped me. I handled it and told Pepper.”

“Handled?” He questioned.

“I kneed him in the balls.” Y/N shrugged as if it was no big deal.

To her surprise, Bucky smirked at her.

But his face quickly returned to his stoicalness. “Does that happen a lot?” Every word was even and purposeful.

She shrugged. “It’s 2018, but the workforce is still not always kind to women. Usually it’s just flirting or an inappropriate comment or two. It’s never gotten worse than that time.”

Y/N studied his face and saw that Bucky looked deep in thought. His lips were turned into a frown.

“I promise I can take care of myself.” She felt like she had to reassure him.

“You shouldn’t have to.” He replied while looking out the window.

They didn’t talk for the rest of the helicopter ride.

It didn’t go past Y/N that this was the longest they’d ever conversed.

When they landed, Y/N felt Bucky walking a few steps behind her. She found it funny that everyone felt like they needed to protect her. Her situational awareness made her more than receptive enough to keep herself safe.

She’d already caught the bulge of a gun on the building’s security guard. Or the tan-line of a recently removed wedding ring on his finger. Y/N even noticed him check her out a split second before he held the door open for her.

However it was impossible for her to catch the death glare Bucky gave him when he saw it too. The security guard quickly looked away.

Bucky stood guard outside the office and listened carefully as Y/N sat in the meeting.

But it only took a few minutes.

“Done already?” He asked quietly when she strutted out of the office with a new briefcase.

“Yeah. I told you I didn’t need an escort.” Before he could answer, her expression changed. “Do you mind if we grab a coffee real quick? I’m running on fumes.”

He nodded and followed her to the elevator.

“You really came all the way to the city for just mockups and paperwork?”

Y/N smirked at his curiosity. “Top priority files. This company doesn’t accept electronic signatures and it’s sensitive information. The mockups are too fragile to be shipped and Tony has trust issues.” She chuckled. “He doesn’t let anyone do these pickups except for me and Happy.”

As soon as they were on the ground and out of the office building, Y/N walked with confidence. She knew the area well and remembered a cute coffee shop a few blocks away.

Bucky still walked a few steps behind her.

Y/N was about to tell him to stop when she noticed a group of men standing in a small circle and talking to each other. She could tell by their clothes and the sound of their murmuring that they were foreign. Y/N also didn’t miss the way their eyes undressed her. It made her feel gross and vulnerable.

One of them decided to be bold and made kissy nosies at her. “Не хочешь зайти ко мне пошалить?”

Another one muttered, “Хорошие ноги, красивые.”

Y/N assumed it was Russian. But she had no idea what it meant. She ignored them and kept walking tall.

The last thing she expected was for Bucky to bark back at them. Growl was actually a better word to describe it.

“Поговорите с ней снова, и я закончу вас.”

Their eyes widened in fear. Bucky was taller than all of them and three times their size in muscle alone. It was clear they hadn’t realized he was with her or they would never have been so brave. They jumped and scurried away like cowards.

Bucky walked alongside Y/N now.

Y/N noted how much closer he was as well. She eyed him carefully. It was obvious that the interaction upset him more than her. Every woman in a big city sadly became accustomed to catcalls and creepy men.

“I’ll have a caramel latte and whatever he’s having…” Y/N said to the barista as she gestured to Bucky, who was standing protectively behind her.

“Oh, you don’t-”

“Bucky, I dragged you all the way out here. Let me buy you a coffee.” She gave him a warning look for him not to try to refuse again.

He chuckled awkwardly and then ordered a black coffee.

As they waited at the bar, Y/N shifted her weight back and forth.

“What did they say?” She finally found the courage to ask.

Bucky’s jaw clenched. “Doesn’t matter.”

She nodded, already expecting that it was too gross or inappropriate for Bucky to ever repeat. “You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

“I know.”

Bucky moved even closer to Y/N as they walked back to the helicopter. But the ride back to the compound was silent. Y/N never minded Bucky’s quietness. For some reason, it relaxed her more than the silence of other people.

-----

Y/N wondered if the interactions between her and Bucky would change after he tagged along.

They didn’t.

Bucky remained his polite and quiet self. They didn’t have conversations; just the usual greetings and nothing more.

Y/N put it all to the back of her brain and continued with her job.

Weeks later, Y/N was in town with her niece. She’d offered to watch over the 5-year-old while her sister and brother-in-law took a weekend trip. They were expecting a newborn in a month or two, and the pregnancy hadn’t been easy for her sister.

Y/N loved being an aunt. A part of her believed she’d been born to be one; not a mom, but just an amazing aunt.

“Auntie Y/N, will Ironman be there when we go?” The little girl asked in between licks of her ice cream cone. It would appear that most of the dessert got over her face, instead of her mouth. Y/N couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

“Yeah, Jane, Ironman will be there.”

The little girl’s eyes lit up. “And Captain America…will he be there?”

Y/N laughed and assumed she would just go right down the roster at this rate. “Yep. He’ll be there too. Did you know he’s actually a good friend of mine?”

Jane gasped and nearly dropped her ice cream from the shock. But she recovered and immediately named the rest of the team. Y/N patiently explained that each and everyone of them would be at the compound and they were all very excited to me her.

Once they were done eating ice cream, Jane started climbing all over Y/N as she tried to walk to her car. Roughhousing and play wrestling were a big part of their relationship.

Y/N became used to this, but decided to hook Jane up from behind her legs and carry the child over her shoulder so Jane was hanging upside down against Y/N’s back. Jane was very amused by this and let out the most adorable giggles.

“What’s so funny, monkey?” Y/N played along.

But she stopped walking abruptly when she saw Bucky standing up ahead.

He had a small, but amused, smirk on his lips.

How long had he been watching them?

It was unlike Y/N to be surprised or caught off guard by someone.

“Stark got you stealing kids now, doll?” He asked.

Y/N didn’t overlook the fact that he’d just called her ‘doll’.

She carefully put Jane back down on the ground. Jane quickly looked over to Bucky and her eyes widened, immediately recognized him. She immediately hid behind Y/N’s legs, but continued to peak around to look at him.

Bucky’s face fell a little, believing the small child was scared of him.

Y/N caught it instantly. “It’s not like that.” She said hurriedly. “You’re…You’re just kind of…her favorite Avenger.” Y/N urged quietly, but knew Jane wasn’t paying attention to anything she was saying.

Bucky looked stunned by the possibility. Y/N even nodded slowly to further press that she was telling the truth.

“Jane, do you want to say hi to my friend Bucky?” Y/N called down to her.

The little girl shook her head, becoming far too shy to face her hero.

Bucky’s entire body softened and her crouched down. He leaned his head to the side to get better look at the hiding girl.

“Hi, Jane.” He greeted with the kindest smile Y/N had ever seen. “We all heard you were coming to the compound today. Everyone’s excited to meet you. But I guess I’m lucky that I get to meet you first, huh?”

Jane looked up at her aunt, who nodded encouragingly, before slowly walking to Bucky.

“Hello there.” Bucky smiled. “I’m Bucky.” He held out his hand politely.

Y/N watched him closely and realized this had to be the version of Bucky that Steve only knew, the one that grew up in the 30s and was the star of all Steve’s childhood memories. He was charming and sweet. Y/N had heard the description of this old Bucky before, but she’d never seen remnants of it until now.

“You’re Sergeant Barnes.” Jane whispered in awe as she slowly shook his hand.

Bucky couldn’t help but chuckle at his proper title.

“Your arm is so cool!” Jane added. “Didn’t Princess Shuri make it for you?”

“That’s right, darlin’.” Bucky smiled and nodded.

“Jane, why don’t you tell Bucky who you want to be when you grow up…” Y/N encouraged from behind her niece.

Jane seemed to get shy again and her cheeks blushed in embarrassment.

“It’s okay. You can tell me.” Bucky reassured her gingerly.

“I-I-I want to be like Princess Shuri. I want to be an inventor.” Jane managed to stutter out.

Y/N had never seen Bucky’s blue eyes light up so brightly. She knew that Jane warmed his heart just as much as she warmed up her own.

Bucky looked at Y/N for a split second before turning his attention back to the child. “Maybe one day I can introduce you to Shuri. She’s a dear friend of mine. I think she would love to meet you.”

Jane’s jaw dropped. “Really?” She gasped.

“Really.” He confirmed.

“You should marry Auntie Y/N!” Jane suddenly yelled out. “Then you could be my Uncle!”

Y/N rolled her eyes. “Alright, monkey. That’s enough of that.” She came and picked up Jane in her arms.

“Mommy always says you need a boyfriend!” Jane argued. “Look how handsome he is!” The child pointed out as if it were the most obvious thing in the world and couldn’t understand what Y/N’s problem was.

Bucky was standing up and blushing at the sudden subject twist.

“Yes, yes, yes… Bucky is very handsome.” Y/N admitted without looking at him. “But we gotta go, otherwise we won’t have time to paint before we meet the Avengers.”

“I could be your flower girl!” Jane added.

“Okay. I’ll race you to the car, monkey. I bet I can beat you! Ready, set, go!” Y/N shouted and watched as Jane sprinted to the parked car.

It gave Y/N and Bucky a moment alone.

“I’m sorry. She doesn’t have a filter quite yet.”

“It’s fine.” Bucky assured her. “She’s a great kid.”

Y/n nodded in agreement. “Right? I’m a lucky aunt.” Then her eyes stared into his. “Meeting you just about made her entire life, by the way. I wasn’t kidding when I said that you’re her favorite superhero.”

Bucky blushed and looked at his shoes. He was back to his shy self. “I’m struggling with the why part…”

“She knows a hero when she sees one.” Y/N stated confidently. “I better go… I can’t leave the little monster unattended for too long. I’ll see you at the compound.”

Bucky watched her until the two of them got into the car and drove away.

----

Y/N was glad she had her phone as armor at things like these. Using the excuse of being Pepper and Tony’s assistant was always helpful. In reality, she was basically always on the clock with those two.

She shifted her weight, even though she knew there was no standing comfortably in these high heels.

When Tony threw parties like these, he insisted on getting her the finest dress. He’d have designers send over options and let her pick. That way she’d never know how much he was spending on her. Y/N knew it was all pennies to him. But she didn’t think she’d ever be comfortable with Stark’s wealth.

Fast forward to Y/N, now wearing a Balmain gown that cost more than she’d like to know. It was strapless and navy up top, with the most detailed metallic design on the bottom. She couldn’t deny that it made her feel like a high-fashion model or a movie star.

But the feeling always faded when Y/N was reminded of how out of place she was at these things. Yes, the Avengers treated her like family. If anything, the few of them here felt just as out of place. It was more the military leaders, politicians, and fellow rich people that made Y/N feel like an imposter.

She usually stuck to Steve, Wanda, and Sam’s sides at the parties.

All of the men, even Tony, had already asked her to dance.

Steve fumbled his way, but eventually got his footing.

Sam dramatically did the tango, dipping and spinning Y/N every chance he could. It ended with Y/N in a fit of laughter, ignoring the somewhat annoyed expression of the guests around them.

Sam got Y/N out of her head enough for her to miss Bucky watching her from a dark corner of the party.

He always skipped the parties. He hated being paraded around and surrounded by judgmental strangers. Y/N always got him a suit (on request from Tony), even though she knew he never attended.

But as soon as Bucky caught a glimpse of Y/N entering the compound and heading to the ballroom, he knew he couldn’t miss a second of seeing her in that dress. He begrudgingly put on the suit that he usually ignored and slicked his hair back into a tight bun at the back of his neck.

It was worth it, watching Y/N laugh as Sam twirled her around for a second dance. There was no jealousy in the sight. Bucky simply enjoyed see her smile and hearing her laugh.

Y/N was now standing at the bar all by herself and sipping on another glass of champagne. Her Avenger friends had been pulled away from a senator or someone else important. Y/N was left to fend for herself. She wondered how it was possible to feel alone at such a crowded party.

Suddenly a large man moved just a step or two beside her.

Y/N did a double take when she realized it was Bucky.

“Bucky?” She blurted out. “Sorry. I-I’ve just never seen you at one of these parties before.”

He smiled shyly at her and shrugged. “Not really my scene.”

“Believe me…I totally get it.” Y/N chuckled. “What changed your mind tonight?”

Bucky ignored her question.

“You look really beautiful, Y/N.” The way he said it was so soft and sincere, like they’d known each other forever. What she didn’t realize was his compliment was also the answer to her question.

Y/N was so blindsided by it that she couldn’t say ‘thank you’ or even speak.

Bucky didn’t seem to mind. He smiled at the blush that graced her cheeks.

The music changed to a slow song that Y/N recognized and it made her glance over at the seven piece band. When she turned back, Bucky was looking at her in a way that made her feel exposed.

“Would you like to dance?” Bucky asked with a quiet confidence.

Y/N continued to be taken aback from this version of him that she was so unfamiliar with. But her body took over and Y/N realized she had nodded.

Bucky seemed pleased and gently took her hand, weaving through the crowd as he led her to the center of the dance floor.

He wrapped his flesh hand on her lower back and his metal one gripped her hand delicately.

Y/N instantly noticed Bucky had the confidence and movement that Steve and Sam did not. Then she remembered all the stories Steve had told her of Bucky wooing and dancing with all the pretty girls back in the day.

Was he still that man? Or was he a different person?

“You’re infuriating, you know that?” Y/N finally gasped.

Bucky’s eyes widened at her declaration. But he kept silent and continued swaying.

“I know people…I understand them. In fact, I pride myself on it. I liked to think it’s what makes me a good artist.” Y/N huffed and stared into his eyes as if she was trying to read his mind. “But you, James Buchanan Barnes… I can’t read you.”

“You seem rather frustrated by it.” He chuckled.

“I am!” She sighed dramatically.

Bucky pulled her even closer to his body so his lips were right next to her ear. “I know that you’re unbelievably observant. That’s why I’ve been careful.”

Y/N pulls up to look at his face. “Careful?”

“I have to watch myself around you.” He admitted as if it’s obvious.

Y/N stopped dancing now so she could focus all her attention on him. “Why?”

“Because I didn’t want you to figure me out.”

She was becoming irritated with his cryptic answers. But then she realized this conversation was difficult for him.

“What exactly are you trying to hide, Bucky?”

He looked at the ground and put his hands in the pockets of his pants. “My feelings, Y/N. For you.”

Y/N’s mouth opened slightly.

It wasn’t possible.

There was a reason she was observant: Y/N hated being surprised. She described it more as hating the unknown…or even just the feeling of being unprepared. Now her mind started racing, desperately trying to find the missing pieces of this puzzle.

Bucky looked kind of sad. He wasn’t sure what reaction he expected, but his insecurities and cynicism made him think it would end badly no matter what.

He stepped forward and gripped her hand before dipping his head slightly. “You really do look beautiful, Y/N.” Bucky whispered before placing a whisper of a kiss on her cheek. Then he disappeared through the crowd again and left the party.

“What the actual fuck…” Y/N whispered to herself as she now stood in the middle of the dance floor by herself. 

----

Y/N was painting late at night in her studio.

Sometimes Steve would join her, sketching in a giant pad, when he couldn’t sleep or was jet lagged from a mission.

Tonight was one of those times.

She had been constantly stealing glances at Steve. She was trying to figure out if it was inappropriate to ask about Bucky or if she even wanted to know.

Eventually, she had enough of the inner turmoil and slammed her paintbrush down.

“Do you know?” Y/N practically yelped.

Steve looked at her, utterly confused. “Know what?”

“About…” She took in a deep breath. “About Bucky…ugh…” Even saying the words felt ridiculous. There was no way it could be true.

Steve instantly knew what she was talking about and slowly placed his sketchpad and pencil on the table.

The change in posture answered Y/N’s unasked question. But she still refused to believe it. “Come on, Steve. There’s no way.”

“To be honest, I didn’t think he’d ever say anything. When did he tell you?”

“At the gala over the weekend. He asked me to dance…and…he just said it. Like he was shocked I hadn’t figured it out. Like it was so obvious!”

“Obvious?” Steve let out an amused scoff. “He hasn’t even told me! I had to figure it out on my own. It took me forever just to catch the little hints. And I’ve known the punk his whole life!” He chuckled darkly. “It’s weird seeing Bucky being subtle about a girl. He used to act the complete opposite.”

When Steve was brought out of his own thoughts, he saw how troubled Y/N looked.

“Y/N, why is this so hard for you believe?”

Her brow furrowed. “It…it just doesn’t add up, Steve.”

“Think about it, Y/N. Really think about it.” He encouraged quietly. “Whenever the two of you are in the same room, he’s always watching you. His body’s turned in your direction, even if it’s subtle.”

Then Steve laughed lightly. “There’s a reason a piece of dessert is always left, even when you’re late to dinner.”

Y/N squinted.

“Bucky leaves his. He does it so no one else will eat it all before you get there.” Steve explained. “The last time we all went out to a bar?”

“Yeah?”

“Did any men bother you that night?” Steve quizzed her.

She blinked, realizing there really had been absolutely 0 creepy men trying to hit on her. She’d even remembered going home and thinking about how fun and carefree the night had been with the team.

“Bucky watched over you like a hawk.”

Men caught on to such masculine behavior. Steve was basically telling her that Bucky had unintentionally been her man-repellent that night.

Y/N pinched the bridge of her nose, suddenly overwhelmed with all the new information.

“But why didn’t he just say anything? Why the distance?”

Steve sighed sadly. “He doesn’t think he’s good enough. Or mentally well enough, really. Bucky’s come a long way. But that doesn’t mean he’s stopped hating and doubting himself.”

Y/N slowly stood up and started cleaning up her palette and paintbrushes.

“I…I think I’m going to call it a night.”

Steve gave her a mournful look. He knew she was upset, but mostly confused.

Y/N needed time to think.

-----

Y/N didn’t see Bucky around the compound for almost two weeks. She knew he had to be doing in on purpose. He wasn’t on a mission. Therefore, he was hiding from her. It only confused her more. She didn’t know what to do.

After two weeks, Y/N decided she had enough.

She was rarely in the residential hallways of the compound. Pepper and Tony had their own wing at the compound. Y/N never wanted to intrude on the Avengers’ personal space by being anywhere near their bedrooms.

It just added to her anxiousness as she stared at Bucky’s room.

Hesitating slightly, she knocked on his door.

The door swung open quickly and Bucky didn’t have time to hide his surprise at seeing her.

“Y/N.” He stated more than greeted.

“Hi…” She muttered quickly in return. “Ugh…Can I talk to you for a second?”

Bucky nodded and pulled his door open wider for her to come in.

His bedroom was decorated more than she expected. He had old memorabilia either framed or mounted. Y/N assumed he fought for its return from various museums. There were vintage photographs of him and Steve, or him and his family. She even found a very recent photo of almost a dozen children. The quality gave away that it was modern.

“Those are my grand-nieces and nephews.” Bucky explained shyly without asking. “My little sister, Rebecca, she’s still alive…has a whole family and everything.”

Y/N smiled at the sweetness of it. Maybe Bucky wasn’t as alone in this time as she’d once thought.

She was about to comment on the photo further and ask more questions, but something else in his room caught her eye.

“Is that…?” She pointed to another wall where a painting hung.

It was one of hers.

When she’d first moved into town, she decided to try and sell a bunch of her old paintings at the local coffee shop. They weren’t much to her and she didn’t have the space to house them anymore.

Bucky’s face went bright red and he scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. He’d completely forgotten that he had it in plain sight.

“I’m sorry.” Bucky quickly said. “I’ve made you uncomfortable. And I shouldn’t have said all those things at the gala. It wasn’t fair to you.”

“I just need to know…” Y/N’s voice shook slightly. “Why didn’t you just say something? Or-or do something? Anything.”

Bucky watched her for a moment, like he was deciding whether he should even talk. “I’m a broken man, Y/N. I can’t give much to anyone. I’ve learned how to find my happiness in this time. But there’s still so much I can’t ever get back. No one should have to deal with everything that comes with me.”

“What? And you think I’m perfect?”

“Yes.” Bucky answered too quickly. His eyes stared at the floor.

It actually made Y/N laugh. “I’m a mess, just like everyone else! Nobody’s perfect, Bucky.  I don’t think anyone’s had to fight like you’ve had to…but that doesn’t mean you’re too much for me to handle.”

The room went silent.

“I’ll never be me again.” Bucky finally whispered. “I’m never going to be the person you deserve.”

Y/N narrowed her gaze. “So, what? You think you have too much baggage?”

“You know it’s not more than that, Y/N.” He scolded.

She ignored him. “You like me.”

Bucky’s jaw clenched…because he knew it was more than like. There was no way he could declare it as love. He’d never been in love before. Sure he was smitten and infatuated with the beautiful dames of the 40s. But he had never loved them.

With Y/N, he looked at her and he knew that one day he would.

He was so beyond liking her.

“And I like you.” Y/N added confidently.

His eyes widened in shock.

“Why do you think I tried so hard to figure you out?” She whispered. “Because the things I did figure out already had me hooked. After the gala, I realized I knew you more than I thought. Just listening to Steve talk about you was enough for me. And I don’t mean the version of you from back in the day. I mean the man you are now, Bucky.”

Y/N took in a deep breath. “You don’t think you’re ready. I get it. That’s why you stayed so far away from me. But I hope one day you love yourself to let someone else love you too. And I’ll wait as long as you need me to, so I can be that someone.”

Bucky’s eyes were filled with tears as he listened to Y/N. He wiped them away roughly as he watched her leave his bedroom.

----

4 MONTHS LATER

It was raining so hard outside that Y/N couldn’t even find the motivation to leave her tiny cottage and drive to the compound to work in her studio.

So she decided to take a night off from painting and ordered takeout.

When her doorbell rang, she all but sprinted for the door from how starving she was.

Her face dropped when the person on the other side of her front door wasn’t the delivery guy.

“Bucky? What are you doing here?”

After their confrontation, Bucky kept his distance from Y/N. But in a different way than before. Now that he knew the feelings were mutual, he didn’t think it was fair to push her limits. Bucky knew Y/N was right: he had to learn to love himself. He didn’t think he could ever grow to be a good enough person to let someone else in. But if Y/N didn’t make him want to try, no one would. So he went to the VA with Sam and Steve, tried every therapist Pepper threw at him, and learned to build a foundation for this new life of his.

Bucky was drenched head to toe. It seemed like he had run from the compound to Y/N’s house. But the car behind him proved that theory wrong.

“Your painting…” He started talking over the rain. “Steve had been talking about you non-stop, telling me how great you were and how close of friends you two had become. Then I started hearing your name from everyone else. I had yet to even see you, but all of them had already fallen in love with you. Then one night I had a nightmare and was on my way to the gym. I saw the light on in your studio. You hadn’t spoke a word to me yet. But as soon as I saw you, I understood. Your hair was pulled back in that messy bun and there was paint covering both your arms. I thought you were beautiful.”

Bucky shook his head and smiled. “I knew you were too good for me. But the more I was around you, the more I wanted to talk to you. One day, Steve took me to a coffee shop in town…just to try and get my ass out of the compound. Some of your paintings were still there. I just figured, if I couldn’t have you…at least I could have just a part.”

Y/N didn’t let him continue. Instead, she grabbed him by his sopping wet jacket and pulled his lips to hers. Her own clothes became damp as their chests pressed together. She didn’t seem to care. Bucky responded, kissing her back just as hard.

“Ugh…should I come back?” A voice said behind Bucky.

They reluctantly pulled apart and both turned around to see a delivery boy staring awkwardly at them.

Y/N grabbed the bag of food, laughing hysterically as she saw the realization hit his face when he recognized Bucky.

As soon as the boy drove away, a somberness returned.

Y/N was basically standing in the rain with Bucky now.

He gripped her chin lightly and stared into her eyes. “Thank you…for waiting.”

It appeared that he was trying to leave, his body beginning to turn away.

“Where do you think you’re going, mister?” Y/N smiled. Bucky looked hesitant. “This Chinese food isn’t going to eat itself.”

She swore his smile beamed through the rain as he walked back to her.

Wow, did this one-shot take on a life of its own lol I love, love, love feedback. It makes me so so happy.