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garbinge · 1 year

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Festival

(40s) Bucky Barnes x OFC Adelaide Redi (40s) Steve Rogers & Platonic OFC Adelaide Redi

Day 07 from these April Prompts: Festival

Word Count: 2.1k words

Summary: Adelaide enjoys her last night with her boyfriend before he deploys. In the aftermath of him leaving, Ade gets an offer from a new Steve Rogers that might be able to get her to see Bucky again.

A/N: Okay so this is something from a HUGE fic I have partially written from a couple years ago, I never got around to posting or finishing it so I figured I might as well get some of it out there! Idk if I’ll ever post the rest but just know my girl Ade has a LIFE, let me tell yaaaa. Anyways enjoy this super loose interpretation of ‘festival’ lol.

Warnings: Light Angst

Marvel Taglist: @drabbles-mc @justreblogginfics

Adelaide Redi stood in the run down Brooklyn pub behind the bar cleaning the glassware. Her glance went up to the analog clock that ticked away almost mocking her with how slow time was passing. She could only hope that the way time was passing now, was how it would slow later but she knew that wouldn’t be the case.

It was their last night together.

They were meeting at the Stark Expo Festival but she had 10 minutes left in her shift before she could leave. The sort of friend she was practically guilt tripped into inviting had probably already arrived at the Queens location for the festival and the thought of not being there yet was weighing heavy on Adelaide’s shoulders.

The clock hit 10 and Adelaide was on the move, practically running through the street to enter the subway station. Adelaide jumped on the A train and promptly put her earplugs in as the ride almost 99% of the time would give her headaches if she didn’t.

After a 15 minute ride on the express she jumped off and made her way through the large crowds that were there for the expo. She managed to make it over to the spot the group agreed on meeting at and that’s where her (sort-of) friend Lorraine stood. As Adelaide lightly jogged towards Lorraine, the woman’s body shifted in the opposite direction and her hand raised in a wave. Her gaze moved to see where Lorraine was looking and that’s when she saw him.

Bucky Barnes stood about 50 feet away, tall and absolutely stunning in his sergeant uniform. His smile was infectious as he walked over to the women with his friend in tow. Adelaide matched his smile with one of her own and he laughed as he pulled the orange plugs out of her ears.

“I didn’t think my presence was that annoying to you.” He laughed, tucking the ear plugs in his pocket.

“I took the subway here, didn’t want to ruin the night with a headache.” Adelaide adjusted his tie as she got a good look at him.

“Don’t know how many times I gotta tell you Ade, you should go to a doctor and get that checked out. Ain’t normal that a Brooklynite like yourself can’t take a 10 minute subway ride without getti-“

Adelaide cut him off with a passionate kiss. Bucky had no arguments as his hands wrapped around the woman he had fallen in love with years ago squeezing her close to his body.

There was a groan in the background and Adelaide pulled away to see the culprit. Steve innocently waved at the two with Lorraine to his left. The two couldn’t have been any further apart, clearly the sparks weren’t flying between them but Adelaide wasn’t shocked. Steve never paid attention to the friends Bucky would always ask Ade to bring for their best friend.

“Hi Steve.” She smiled and the group began walking.

“Hi Ade.” Steve greeted her. “No need for introductions, while you were searching for Earth’s greatest treasure in Buck’s mouth Lorraine and I met.” He smiled knowing the comment would earn him some bark back.

“You know any other night I’d retort back but considering it’s our last night all together I’ll let you have it.” She smiled and locked arms with Bucky.

The group of friends laughed, ate, and joked around. Lorraine had decided to leave early once she realized she was more of a fourth wheel than on a double date. Besides that, the night went on without a hitch, that was until Steve noticed the enlistment tent.

“You’re gonna do this again?” Bucky said, catching up with Steve. The two went back and forth before they inevitably said bye to each other. Steve offered up a wave to Adelaide which made her call out to him.

“You better still come by the bar every Tuesday!!” She grinned as he turned around.

“Wouldn’t miss it, Ade!” He smiled and was soon gone in the tent.

The night came to an end pretty quickly much to Ade’s dismay. She stayed at Bucky’s apartment that night and bid him a farewell in the morning. Her heart broke. He was the only family she really had, him and Steve.

Adelaide had jumped from home to home, being placed by the foster system since her biological parents put her up for adoption. Each family she was placed with never truly loving her or caring for her so she’d end up back on the streets.

Life on the run was Adelaide’s life. She ended up in Astoria when she was 16, which is where she met Steve in a corner store accompanied by Bucky. In the midst of her stealing food, Steve had noticed the girl and offered to buy her what she had stuffed in her pockets. She was hesitant until Bucky not only took the stuff from her hands but grabbed a few more things and split the cost with Steve and well, the rest was history.

Nearly 9 years had passed since that day and the 3 of them were inseparable. Adelaide had worked in the restaurant business as a server until she reached 18 and moved to bartending since the money was better. Steve and Bucky would regularly frequent the establishment simply because it gave them time to spend all together as well as a free meal or two.

Bucky and Ade had figured out their feelings for eachother around the time he was 21 and she had just reached 20. Steve had known all along. The connection between the two was palpable to everyone but them until the night it finally was. But that was a story for another time.

As the weeks passed since Bucky left, Adelaide kept to her routine of work and home and occasionally stopping by Bucky’s place to check on things, on the off chance she would run into her only other friend but she never did until the one Tuesday night that he walked into the bar.

“I’ll have whatever you’re having,” Steve said with a grin as he entered the bar.

Adelaide spit her drink out as she looked at him. He was taller, buffer, older, and just way more put together.

“Steven Rogers?” She questioned making sure she wasn’t just seeing things.

“In the super soldier flesh” he laughed.

“Jesus, what the hell happened to you?” She threw the rag she had over her shoulder on the bar and walked over to him. “Ron, I’m taking my 30!” She yelled as she escaped from behind the bar.

“Long story.” Steve grinned, engulfing her into a hug.

“Well I got 30 minutes, come on.” She shook her head and led him out of the bar and they started to walk down the street.

_____________

“You don’t read the papers?” Steve looked at her after he explained everything. “I mean I don’t blame you, it's all over exaggerated. I just want to serve.” He shook his head.

“In their defense, you are kind of over exaggerated, Steve.” They reached the end of the block.

“You might be the only person who isn’t completely freaking out over this.” He looked over at her with a chuckle.

“I’ve known you for how long now?” She smiled up at him now, something she’d have to get used to. “You’re practically a brother to me, I know you just as well as Buck does, maybe even more because I pay attention to more.” She laughed as they strolled back to the pub.

“You’re still the same Steve. I can tell.” She said looking forward and then came to a stop to glance at him “So what is there to freak out about?” She shrugged, keeping his eyesight for a moment before she continued walking.

“The whole science experiment ability that the world can do this type of thing doesn’t freak you out?” He questioned catching up.

“There have been stranger things to happen, you just might not know it yet.” She smiled back at him as she reached the door of the pub and re-entered the building.

They changed topics quickly as he sat at the bar and ordered a drink.

“Bourbon?” She asked, holding up the bottle as he nodded.

“You hear from him? Letters or anything?” He asked her knowing it was probably a touchy subject.

“One letter.” She said walking away to other customers at the bar. She clearly didn’t want to discuss it. Steve knew that she had no family, no real friends. She had acquaintances from work but other than that she was alone. Bucky and him were the only close friends she had.

“Lady! I need you to refill the soaps in the bathrooms before you leave tonight!” Ron, the bar owner, called out. Her eyes rolled, as she walked backed over to Steve’s side of the bar.

“It’s weird hearing people call you that.” He smiled at the use of what the bar owner called her, Lady. Everyone in her life called her Lady, a nickname common from her full name. The only people who had called her Ade were Steve and Bucky. Buck had been the one to shorten her name and Adelaide never stopped him. It just felt right coming from both of them.

“You got special privileges, Captain.” She smiled and refilled his drink with water.

“So you do read the papers!” He laughed realizing she called him by his own new nickname and she pointed to one of the patrons at the tables who had a newspaper wide open with the headline of Captain America on display.

Steve hung out for the rest of the night and finally decided he’d ask the girl what he came here for in the first place. “Ade, I got a question for you.” Steve said as the woman wiped down the bar and started to lock up the registers.

“Go for it, Rogers.” A smile filled her face and she grabbed her coat off the rack and locked the front door of the pub and brought the metal gates down. “You can ask me as you walk me home.”

The two of them exited the pub. “I’m going on this kind of tour, I guess you could say, ‘Captain America meets America and beyond’ type of thing. We’re going to like 30 different cities and then we’re gonna head over to Germany. Wanted to know if you’d come with.” He asked as the two of them walked on the nearly empty New York streets.

Steve knew Adelaide was alone, with Bucky gone he was honestly worried for the girl and he figured why not invite her along.

“And what am I supposed to do? I don’t exactly have many skills, Rogers.”

“Come on, Ade.” He bargained with her. “First of all, don’t sell yourself short.” He scoffed at the girl's lack of confidence. She was exceptionally smart along with having a wild intuition. Between her street smarts and the things she picked up in school, Adelaide was smarter than Steve and Bucky combined and the both of them never let her forget it.

“You can help backstage, I’m sure once we’re in Germany for a couple months there’ll be a bar you can end up running on your own. It’s traveling! No roots, just seeing the world!” Steve tried to persuade her.

“I got that here. I don’t need to uproot myself.” Her eyes rolled as she picked up her pace.

“Ade, you’re all alone. I’m leaving in two days. Buck doesn’t get back for another year and if he decides to reenlist then you’re looking at more time. Just come, who knows maybe we’ll even run into the guy.” He offered up a smile.

“Why are you doing this, Steve?” She asked as they made their way to the subway station and Adelaide took her earplugs out of her bag.

“Because like you said, you’re like my sister. I hate seeing you alone, I know we’re the only family you really have and I just could use the company too.” He began to walk her down the stairs.

Adelaide contemplated the offer. Truthfully, she knew Steve was right, she wasn’t the best at getting close with people. With the only two people she confided in, gone, it would be tough for her.

“Don’t send a car when it’s time to go, I want you to pick me up and you better tell everyone my name is Lady.” She pointed at him and turned around putting her earplugs in her ears and disappeared onto the platform leaving Steve there with a smile on his face.

#Bucky Barnes #40s Bucky Barnes #40s Bucky #Bucky #Marvel Fanfic #MCU Fanfic #Bucky Barnes Fanfic #Steve Rogers #Steve Rogers x OC #Bucky Barnes x OC #Steve Rogers Fanfic #my writing #garbinge

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jessybarnes · 2 years

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Unexpected Savior

Pairings: The Winter Soldier x OFC Cadence Michaelson (platonic), Bucky Barnes x OFC Cadence Michaelson (platonic), Bucky Barnes x OFC Jane Michaelson (implied)

Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner/Hulk, Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes, The Winter Soldier, OFC Jane Michaelson, and OFC Cadence Michaelson

Rating: Mature

Tags: Angst, fluff, Bucky's trigger words, Hydra, weapons, use of a syringe/needle, mentions of killing, anxiety, fear, crying, explicit language, and I think that's it.

Word Count: 2,992

Betas: T. Thompson and A. DiLorenza

Title Card: Yours Truly

A/N: This fic is based on my daughter. She is absolutely obsessed with Bucky and if he were real and this happened to her in real life, she would 100% defend him. I am not fluent in Russian, nor do I trust Google translate to get the words right. I'm sorry if the trigger words aren't spelled correctly. If anyone is Russian or knows the language, please feel free to correct me! I will change it in the fic if need be.

Bucky knew going on this mission was a bad idea. It wasn't a difficult one, but he just had this feeling. A gut instinct told him that he should stay back at the Avenger's Tower. The team needed him though, so despite his bad feeling, he got on the Quinjet with them anyway.

Their objective was simple. Fury needed some Hydra intel about a supposed secret base location. All they had to do was search an old warehouse that had been previously abandoned and see if they'd left behind any clue of where it could be.

Once they arrived the team thought it best to split up so they could cover more ground. Steve and Bucky had gone east, Clint and Natasha chose the north side, Sam and Tony took the larger west side. That left Thor and Bruce with the south end.

Things were fine at first, searching filing cabinets, desks, and boxes while communicating through their comms system. A few minutes later, however, Bucky started to feel uneasy. Almost like he was being watched. He shook it off and told Steve he was going to check the rooms at the end of one of the hallways.

The first two didn't have anything useful, but the third one had a safe. Bucky had set his rifle down on a nearby desk and began pulling at the handle with his metal arm. Everything happened so fast. The door slammed shut, a needle in his neck, and muffled voices was all he remembered before everything went black.

That brings him to where he is now. He's tied to a chair, his metal arm is stuck between two pieces of heavy machinery, and Rumlow sits in front of him with the book. The fucking book ruined his goddamn life.

"Hello, James. It's good to see you again."

Bucky glares at him menacingly, "fuck you, Rumlow."

"Well, that's not very nice. I'm here to do you a favor after all."

Bucky scoffs and continues to try and break free of his bonds. "I'd rather you go to hell!"

Rumlow smirks and leans in close to his face. "You first."

He opens the book and stands up, staring straight at Bucky as he speaks.

Zhelaniye

Bucky grits his teeth and pulls harder on the ropes.

Rjaviy

"No!" He closes his eyes and wills himself not to listen.

Semnadtsať

It wasn't working. Bucky can feel himself slipping away.

Rassvet

"Aghhhh! Stop!"

Pech'

His mind starts to fog over, the evil inside him beginning to rise and take hold again.

Devyať

All he can do is scream. He knows it won't work. He's past the point of no return now.

Dobroserdechnyy

Bucky hangs his head, his chest heaving as the monster gains the upper hand inside him.

Vozvrashcheniye na rodinu

He's fading, like he's in a nightmare where he can see what's going on, but can't control anything.

Odin

The last sliver of himself slowly dissipates, the vile desire to kill flooding through his body.

Tovarnyy vagon

He's gone. Bucky Barnes is pushed to the side as pure evil, the Winter Soldier, takes complete control of his body.

Rumlow walks to stand in front of the soldier, crouching down so he can see the emotionless blue eyes of his weapon. He unties him and raises the metal machinery.

"Soldat?"

Bucky doesn't move, he doesn't even blink, but he answers the Hydra affiliate nonetheless. "Ya gotov otvechet"

His response is deep, very monotone, and he stands staring straight ahead as he waits for his mission instructions.

"Do you see this man?" Rumlow holds up a file with a man's picture on it and Bucky immediately responds. "Da."

"This man has stolen vital information from Hydra, and he needs to be eliminated within the next twelve hours."

The Winter Soldier stalks out of the small room and takes a high-powered gun from one of the guards. His stealthy nature allows him to sneak out of the back without being detected by the Avengers, and within minutes he's on his way back to New York.

Steve is furious. He's pacing back and forth in the common room of the tower chastising himself for allowing this to happen again. Bucky is his best friend. He's been through so much torture, so much pain, and he couldn't even protect him on an easy mission.

"Goddammit!" He slams his fist into the wall, punching right through it, and making everyone else in the room jump.

Natasha stands and walks across the room. "We're gonna get him back, Steve."

He snaps his gaze to hers, "how, Natasha? We don't know where they took him. Hell, he could be in Siberia and we wouldn't know."

Stark cuts in before she can respond. "Actually, you're wrong."

All eyes move to Tony, but he isn't focused on them. Instead, he's typing something into one of his many tech devices.

Clint raises an eyebrow, "care to elaborate?"

A couple of seconds later, he projects a map for all of them to see. "This," he points to a little moving dot, "is Barnes' current location."

"After our last big mission, I took the liberty of putting tracking devices in everyone's gear. I would have tracked him earlier, but I didn't think we'd need the main tracker module for such a small mission. I was wrong. The good news is, it looks like he's right here in Manhattan."

Steve moves to stand in front of the map, watching the tiny, red dot. The moment it stops, he notes the location and grabs his shield.

Bruce steps in front of him holding out a hand. "Whoa, don't you think we should talk about this, Steve? We can't just go into this blind."

"I agree with Banner," Thor adds. "I've definitely learned my lesson from charging into a battle without a plan."

The Captain turns around, giving his team a stern look. "Bucky is my best friend. I was the only one he remotely recognized back when we had the conflict with the Accords. If anyone is going to bring him back, it's me."

Jane pulls her red Chevy Malibu into the gas station parking lot. She and her nine-year-old daughter, Cadence, have been driving for nearly twelve hours now, and they're hungry. Their hotel isn't too far away, but she wants to stock up on snacks for the room since the amenities they provide cost an arm and a leg.

She brought her daughter here for her birthday since it's been the only thing she's asked for over the past eight months. Cadence is a bit more unique than the rest of the kids in her grade. They were all playing outside or watching their favorite cartoons while having sleepovers with their friends.

Not her baby though. No, she spends almost all her time watching the news just to catch a glimpse of her favorite team of superheroes. Almost everything in her room revolves around the Avengers, specifically Captain America and Bucky Barnes. Cadence would often tell Jane that she wants a best friend like Bucky and Steve are to each other.

Jane isn't sure if their tower allows visitors, but they plan to try tomorrow morning. Her baby will be ten in just under eleven hours, and it would make her entire life if she could have a chance to meet her idols.

The gas station is quiet. Other than the cashier, they're the only ones there. Jane walks down one of the back aisles and begins to grab bags of chips. She turns to her daughter and smiles.

"Hey baby, do you wanna go pick out some candy for the room? Pick whatever you want, okay?"

Cadence nods, "Okay, Mommy!"

Even though the candy aisle is on the opposite end of the store, she doesn't think anything of it. It's not that big, and she can still see her while she stocks up on drinks. As she is reaching for a two liter of Coke, all hell breaks loose.

Jane whips around at the sound of the door being ripped off its hinges. She watches in horror as her daughter's idol walks in with an assault rifle. Cadence stands no more than five feet away staring wide-eyed at the super soldier. Jane knows he isn't Bucky, but her baby doesn't. She didn't have the heart to tell her about all the torture James had to go through when he was captured by Hydra.

Now her daughter is mere feet away from the assassin, and she's too scared to even blink for fear of him turning around and shooting her little girl.

Just when Bucky raises the gun at the startled cashier, the rest of the Avengers come barreling through the wall, courtesy of the Hulk, to try and stop him from adding another kill to his list.

"Bucky! Stop!"

Steve shouts at his friend causing him to turn around and narrow his eyes. He doesn't speak, but his intent to kill is evident.

Everyone is armed and ready to strike if James so much as twitches. Jane looks at her daughter and tries to get her attention as quietly as she can, but it's no use. Her baby is laser-focused on the situation, her eyes wide with fear and wonder.

The moment Iron Man raises his hand to fire a beam at James, Jane's worst fear becomes a reality. Everything happens in slow motion as Cadence drops the bag of Skittles she's holding and runs straight into the line of fire.

"No! No, don't hurt him, Iron Man! Don't hurt my Bucky!"

She stops in front of the Winter Soldier and wraps her tiny hands around his waist, burying her face in the front piece of his tactical gear. Everyone stops. It's so quiet that you can hear a pin drop.

Steve, Tony, Sam, Thor, Natasha, Clint, and even the Hulk stand completely still with horrified looks on their faces. Never in the history of their careers has a civilian intervened on any of their missions. Especially not a child. Now they're standing there, trying to come up with a strategy on how to save this tiny little girl from one of the world's most deadly assassins.

Steve is the closest to her. She's probably no more than forty-five pounds and maybe three and a half feet tall. He could probably grab her before she got too injured. He isn't sure that's the right way to go about this though. He gauges Bucky's reaction to try and figure out the best solution.

The Winter Soldier looks down at her, confusion written all over his face. He isn't trained in any interactions other than the ones where he kills. He's mostly confused about what she said. My Bucky. There's that name again, the one that the Steve guy called him on the bridge a few years ago.

"I'm not Bucky."

She looks up into his menacing eyes and hugs him a bit tighter.

"You look like my Bucky. And you talk like him. Did you lose your memory? The tall blonde over there," she points to Steve, "he's your best friend! I think you guys have been friends for like a hundred years or something. My Mommy told me once, but I forgot the story."

Tony speaks up to try and coax her away from the danger she's in. "Hey, sweetheart…Bucky isn't feeling good right now and he needs our help. Can you go hang out with my friend Natasha over there so we can help him?"

Cadence turns around, her arms are spread out and her back presses up against Bucky's legs.

"No! I won't let you hurt him! If you're gonna make him better, then why would you shoot him? That's not how you play with your friends. You don't hurt them. My mommy says friends are supposed to give each other hugs when they're upset. Right, Mommy?"

Everyone, including Bucky, turns their gaze to Jane. She's moved a bit closer now, still too scared to make any sudden movements.

"T-That's right honey," she whispers. "Can you do what Iron Man said and go stand with Black Widow? Please, baby?"

Jane's voice is shaky and she's got tears in her eyes. Bucky picks up on it all. His confusion increases and he's starting to feel different.

His flesh hand is still on the trigger of the rifle, but it's pointed at the floor now. Cadence moves to stand at Bucky's side, and everyone watches in amazement and fear as she grabs his metal hand in hers, holding it tightly.

"I can't, Mommy! Iron Man will hurt him." She starts to cry, thick tears sliding down her tiny cheeks onto her shirt. "I love him, Mommy. I love Bucky and I won't let anyone hurt him because he's a good person. He's just having a bad day, and we all have those."

Bucky squeezes his eyes shut, his head beginning to throb. His breathing pattern changes and then suddenly, he feels the anger leave his body. He looks down at the tiny blonde holding his bionic hand and pries it from her grasp. The movement makes Steve step forward, ready to pull her away from him in an instant. Instead, he and everyone else stare in awe as Bucky gently rubs the back of her head.

All their eyes widen in shock. Sam is the first to move. He folds his wings into his pack and slowly steps forward.

"Buck? Hey, man you good?"

James looks up and drops the gun. He feels lightheaded and quickly falls to his knees. Cadence is now level with his face and she smiles warmly at him.

"It's okay, Bucky. Sometimes superheroes need protecting too."

She snakes her arms around his neck and rests her tiny cheek on his shoulder.

James has never been shown this much compassion by anyone other than Steve. He looks up at Jane, his eyes shining with tears, and gingerly runs his metal hand down Cadence's back.

"Th-Thank you…" His body starts to shake a little as he cries from both the kindness and the relief of knowing he didn't hurt anybody.

Cadence pulls back to look at him and reaches out to wipe his tears with the sleeve of her shirt. "Oh, please don't cry, Bucky. You're too pretty to cry...well, at least that's what my Mommy says."

Jane goes beet red and buries her face in her hands. Bucky glances at her briefly before looking back into her daughter's big, brown eyes.

"What's your name?"

"My name is Cadence Elizabeth Michaelson and my Mommy's name is Jane Marie Michaelson."

James smiles and cradles her cheek with his flesh hand, "I owe you my life, Cadence. If it weren't for you, I don't know if my friends would have been able to bring me back."

Tony crouches down and removes his helmet. "You're a very brave little girl, Cadence. I could use someone like you on the team. When you're older, of course. I'm sure your Mom wouldn't like it if I recruited you now." He winks.

Steve walks over to Jane and looks her over to make sure she's okay.

"Hi, ma'am. I'm sure you know me, but I'm Captain Steve Rogers. I know this might sound a little strange, but do you think you and your daughter would be willing to come back to the tower with us? I'd like to discuss a few things with you if that's alright?"

She nods, "Yes, that's okay. It's actually why we came here anyway. Cadence's birthday is tomorrow and all she's ever wanted since she was two years old was to meet you guys. Especially Bucky. She has always been drawn to him from the start."

Back at the compound, they all gather in the common room. Nat, Bruce, Sam, Thor, and Clint are eating snacks and watching TV, Steve, Tony, and Jane are chatting in the kitchen, and Bucky is sitting on the floor with Cadence. She's on his lap and reading him her favorite book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

"Ms. Michaelson I-"

She interrupts Steve briefly, "please call me Jane."

He smiles, "Jane, I don't think you understand how extraordinary that was. This isn't the first time Bucky has been brainwashed by Hydra, and the last two times we were in a situation like that, things didn't end well. The only way we were able to bring him out of the Winter Soldier mindset was to restrain him and wait it out."

Tony nods, "he's right, ya know. Barnes doesn't trust anyone really. Well, except for red, white, and blue here and maybe Natasha, but he's still not to that point with everyone else."

Steve puts a big hand on Jane's shoulder. "In all the years I've known Buck, he's never let himself be that vulnerable with anyone other than myself. I don't know what it is about your little girl, but she calms his anxiety. I can see it, and that's why I'm asking you if you'd consider staying here for a while? You'd have your own rooms, own bathroom, all new furniture, and whatever else you need."

Jane's eyes go wide, "y-you...you want us to stay here in the tower… with you?"

He nods, "if you're willing to. I don't think Bucky's really ready to let his new best friend go yet. I know it's selfish of me to ask such a thing of you, but I think it would really help him if she's around."

She looks over at her daughter and watches as she and James laugh at something in the story she's reading him. He really does look relaxed, and despite his strength and metal arm, he's being so careful with her. Jane moves her eyes back to look at the two men in front of her. Her decision comes easy, and she doesn't hesitate in giving them a bright smile.

"Alright, we'll stay."

Does anyone want a Part Two? :)

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wonderlandmind4 · 6 years

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Delicate Stages of Life: One

Break Me Down

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x OFC. Platonic Steve Rogers x OFC

Summary: Looking into the life of Bucky and Ana. Life in Wakanda is filled with love, laughs, some tears, all emotions, lazy days, goats, hot springs, a soul connection, and something dark that looms over Bucky’s and Ana’s domestic bliss…

Ana attempts to go through the motions without Bucky.

Warnings: Language. Mentions of alcohol use. Mild mention of prescription drug use. Some angst.

Words: 5.2k

A/N: I’m posting drabbles for Delicate Stages here! They will be in order, so there isn't any skipping randomly about (except this first part) This first part is in Steve's perspective because that's how the narrative fits. This will be the only part that jumps from the present, to flashbacks. (Do not read unless you've read Delicate Stages first)

***THERE IS NOTHING BETWEEN STEVE AND ANA. IT IS A STRICTLY PLATONIC RELATIONSHIP***

**Present Day**

“You’re shaking the entire jet, Rios.” Steve informs her, glancing over his shoulder in amusement.

“Sorry…but not really.” Ana shrugs, smiling so wide her eyes are nearly shut. “I’m just-“ she forces out a breath, “I’m so excited. Fuck, I’m so happy! Not that I won’t miss you and everyone else, I just-“

“I know.” He interrupts her gently. “You both deserve this, to be happy and be with each other.”

“Thank you for understanding that, Steve.” Her voice softens in gratitude. “And thank you for being there for me. I don’t know how I would’ve gotten through all these months without you pulling me out of a near depression.”

“You’re family, Ana. We’re there for each other no matter what.”

She nods. It’s quiet for a moment before her smile comes back. “Bet you’re excited too though. You haven’t seen Bucky for almost as long as me.”

“Yeah.” Steve chuckles, quickly focusing his eye back on the sky. He swallows the lie bitterly. It’s not the first time in ten months. In fact, Steve has seen Bucky for the first time seven months ago. Then one month ago. “Yeah.”

**Seven months ago**

“What happened?” Steve demands, trying to keep his voice calm and patient. He’s panicking internally, though he would never let T’Challa, Shuri or their team of scientists see that.

“There’s no need to worry, Captain.” T’Challa informs him calmly, his hands behind his back in a relaxed manor. “Our country had a minor incident for a few days. It was taken care of, however, there was some damage to the lab, which caused a momentary loss of power.”

Shuri clicks her tongue. “Brother makes it sound worse than it was. Everything is fine. The technology I have been using for Sergeant Barnes malfunctioned briefly. We woke him up to fix it without accidently shocking his brain.”

“So, he’s alright then?” Steve asks, crossing his arms and trying not to laugh as the King of Wakanda side-eyes his sister.

“Yes, yes! He’s fine. He is sitting in there looking like a lost puppy.” Shuri chuckles, then steps closer and her humor drops. “I think he thought we fixed him, that Ana was here to surprise him.”

Right, he expected that might be the case. He also braces himself, because Bucky asked Steve to take care of Ana, and he’s going to have to give him the rundown of the past three months. Bucky will ask, because he has constantly thought of her from the moment he met her. He is not going to like what Steve is going to tell him.

“Do you mind giving us some time alone?” Steve requests the royal siblings.

They both nod, and that’s all the permission he needs to enter the lab. Bucky is sitting on the same table he had been when they first arrived in Wakanda. There’s an IV stand next to him, but his right arm is free of any needles or cuffs. The medical team must’ve already taken his vitals for the day, just a precaution for being brought out of ice again. Bucky is swinging his legs back and forth, and his expression is neutral, if a little weary.

“You sure this ice tube can’t do anything about your looks?” Steve quips once the door is shut.

Bucky glances up at his voice, his eyes rolling upward. “Says you, you little punk. You were frozen for longer.”

Steve laughs then hugs his best friend once he reaches the table. Bucky returns the embrace with his arm, then shoves Steve to the side.

“Missed you, jerk.” He says, purposely knocking into Bucky as he hops on the table. “Doing okay?”

“As well as I can right now. How’ve you been?”

“Alright. There’s the issue of the Accords being brought up again, makes for fun dinner talk.”

“I bet.” Bucky chuckles lightly. “How’s everyone else?”

“Good, good. Barton fell asleep on a mission recently, it was that boring.”

“I envy his ability to just fall asleep anywhere.”

“Must be nice.”

“And how’s…Ezra?”

“Ezra is good, He’s a cat, so, he has it made.”

The silence that falls between them is heavy. Steve waits patiently for Bucky to ask what he really wants to know.

“Does she hate me?” Bucky’s voice comes out small.

“Ana could never hate you, Buck.”

His jaw clenches briefly as he nods. “She’s healed? Her knee?”

“All healed. She’s a little more limited this time around though, since she refused Stark’s bionic rods. Doesn’t stop her from boxing though.”

Bucky huffs a laugh under his breath. “I wouldn’t expect her to.” He pauses, then his eyes meet Steve’s. “How is she- uh- otherwise?”

This is what he has been waiting for. “The truth?”

“Yes.”

“Not good, Bucky.” Steve tells him sadly. “She’s had a really hard time with it. Ana misses you. A lot.”

He ends up telling Bucky what he keeps walking in on.

Three weeks gone:

It’s only been a few weeks since Bucky had left, and Ana has been scarce more often than not for those days. Steve needs to check on her, since he hasn’t seen Ana for hours and she skipped dinner. Again. At this point, Steve doesn’t even bother going to the gym or her room. Instead, he goes to Bucky’s. He gently opens the door, and right where he expected her to be, Ana is curled up in the middle of the bed. She’s clutching one of the many journals left behind for her.

Bucky’s scent still lingers in every fiber of the room. He knows this is why Ana comes here. It’s not to be sad, it’s just a form of comfort to her. To remember his smell, to feel his bed, to read his words, to fall asleep peacefully with his presence wrapping around her like a phantom hug.

Steve gave up trying to move Ana to her own room the third time he found her like this. Instead, he carefully maneuvers the comforter around, bringing it up to cover her body. Then, he gently moves one of Bucky’s pillows under Ana’s head, and slowly sits next to her on the bed. This is a lot harder than he ever thought they would both take Bucky’s absence.

When sunlight streams into the room, Steve winces, opening his eyes. He’s met with Ana staring up at him with wide, brown eyes that are a little bloodshot. He blinks and adjust his neck, pushing himself to sit up straighter.

“Why do you stay with me in here?” Ana questions right off the bat, voice thick like she had been crying again. “This is hard for you too.”

“Misery loves company. Isn’t that what they say?” He responds gruffly.

“That’s really sad when you think about it.”

Steve nods, remaining silent.

“He asked you to take care of me, didn’t he?” She whispers, clutching the notebook in her hand tighter.

“Yes.”

“Thank you.” Ana says gently.

Then she pushes herself up and leans over. She places a gentle kiss on his cheek, just quick and friendly gesture. Abruptly, she smacks the journal against his forehead as she pulls back.

“Now get your lazy old ass up. I’m hungry and you’re taking me to Luna for coffee and cheese danishes.”

“Am I now?”

“Yes.” Ana shakes the journal in her hand as she stands from the bed. “Bucky specifically said that if you don’t make me happy, that when he wakes up he’s going to kick your punk ass. Danishes makes me happy. Now let’s go, Cap!”

“Well,” Bucky prompts. “Did you get her a danish?”

“I bought her a whole box.” Steve rolls his eyes, shoving his friend. “I hate you for that, by the way. She demands danishes every Saturday now.”

“She works you with those big eyes as she flutters her lashes, doesn’t she?”

“How did you ever resist her for anything?”

“I didn’t.” Bucky chuckles before it fades away. The mood suddenly turns sad. “Except for this.”

“Ana knows it’s for the best, Buck.” Steve reminds him.

“I know. She’s amazing. I love her. It’s why I’m doing this.” Bucky sounds like he’s still trying to convince himself. “I’m doing this so that when I do go back to her, she’ll be safe.”

“She wasn’t doing a good job at keeping herself safe.” Steve mutters.

A dangerous gleam flashes in Bucky’s blue eyes. “Meaning?”

Steve sighs.

One month gone:

“One…two bottles of wine…and ten mini bottles of vodka. She doesn’t even like vodka!” Tony snaps, throwing the empty bottle against the wall.

Thankfully it’s plastic. Steve understands Tony’s frustration and worry to an extent. He remembers when Bucky fell from the train all those decades ago that he tried drowning himself in alcohol. If it weren’t for the serum burning the affects away, he would have. Steve had a war to fight then, he had other people to save, he had the world to save and he had to remain focused. He had Peggy to help him through it, to remind him that Bucky wouldn’t want him to drown his heartbreak away. Steve needs to channel those same words now.

“Pepper doesn’t find out about this, Rogers. Not yet.” Tony tells him, holding up a threatening finger. “Goddamnit! She isn’t supposed to be like me!”

With that, he spins on his heels and rushes towards Ana’s room. Steve’s heard of Tony’s past days where he would drink until he blacked out, spiraled into a near self-destructing shell of a person. He knows the anger is resonating from fear of watching Ana do that to herself. Wincing at what might happen when Tony finds her, Steve follows behind quickly.

Tony hesitates by her door, fiddling with the lock before he disables it and enters her room. She isn’t there, but it doesn’t stop him. Steve follows as Tony doesn’t hesitate to exit out her open window. Both men make it up to the roof in record time.

Ana is laying on the lounge chair, holding up one of Stark’s most expensive bottles of vodka, almost like she was expecting for Tony to march over and snatch it away. Which he does. Steve can tell by how tense his shoulders are and the set of his jaw just how utterly furious he is. Until they both see her expression, and the anger melts away from Tony’s body.

He hands the off bottle to Steve, gesturing for him to just toss it. He does so without any regrets, chucking it over the side of the roof. Then he sees Tony sit next to Ana, gently grabs her arm to pull her up and holds her tightly against his chest. He hugs hers, keeping his hand on the back of her head as her face presses into his shirt.

Steve realizes her body is trembling, her hand is clutching Tony’s back. He hears the muffled sniffles and he wants to move forward, wants to join in to comfort her. But as he continues to watch them, Tony’s arms tightening around her, he thinks better of it.

“I don’t know how to handle this.”

Steve hears Ana’s shaky, slurred words, and he’s thrown back to that first night after Steve came back from bringing Bucky to Wakanda. He found her sobbing on Bucky’s bed, repeating those same words. He just held her like Tony is holding her now.

“You’re going to be okay, Ana. I got you. I got you.” Tony soothes softly.

Steve knows the situation is under control, that if anyone can comfort a drunk and upset Ana, it’s Tony. Making his decision, Steve quietly leaves the roof, giving them privacy. This is what her family is for. This is what she has Pepper for, what she has Tony for. Sure, the rest of them have become an extension of her family, and Steve knows Ana will fight for that no matter what, but this time. This is just between her and Tony.

When he reaches her room, Steve quickly and thoroughly checks any hidden compartments for more bottles. He finds only two; whiskey and wine, still full. What flutters to the ground after he checked her pillow cases, pauses his search. He picks it up to replace it, but the words written on the paper makes his curiosity get the best of him.

It’s a letter Bucky left behind for her, just like he did with his journals. Except, this one seems more personal, more intimate, reads like a poem, and Steve hurriedly puts it back. He knows she’s read it, since the letter had weathered fold lines and smudges that looked like tears on the paper.

He leaves her room, rounds up Nat and Wanda, and together they get to work on cleaning out the place of alcohol. Just for a little while.

“Did you read it?”

“Just the first sentence before I realized how private it was. The words just popped out, sorry Buck.”

Bucky waves off his apology. “How long did the drinking last?” He questions, his voice small and full of remorse.

“Two weeks.” He answers honestly. “Pepper took her away for a week to Paris, and when she came back, she seemed much better.”

“Paris.” Then suddenly Bucky releases a loud laugh. “One of the first things she ever said to me in French,” He drops his face into his hand for a moment, laughing more. “She asked me if I wanted to sleep with her.”

“What?” Steve laughs in shock.

“Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir. Apparently, my expression made her laugh so hard she nearly fell off the treadmill. She kept saying it to, just to make me blush.”

“You were so head over heels for her within a week, Bucky.”

“I really was. I still am. I always will be.”

Steve smiles at the clear love Bucky has for Ana. Then he winces because he just remembered that one time she tried making that last martini a week after she came back from France. He tells Bucky this much.

“This doesn’t sound good.” Bucky sighs heavily.

It wasn’t.

Two months gone:

They’re all looking at her, and Steve knows by the irritated twitching in her jaw that she can feel it. He wants to offer his help, but he remains silent, knowing his head will be bitten off if he even opens his mouth. Sam seems to be the bravest soul out of all of them; even Banner is nervously fidgeting in the corner.

Steve doesn’t even know where she got hold of more vodka, but at least this was her first drink in months.

“Ana, let me help you with that.” Sam offers kindly.

They should have expected the loud smack of the jar against the counter, but the noise still makes them all flinch. When Ana lifts her eyes to Sam, there’s a rage of fire in them, something Steve has never truly seen from her before.

“It’s fine.” She grits through her teeth, voice clenched. She turns the jar of olives upside down. “I just need to do that trick with the-“ she bangs it on the counter – “tapping of the-“ She hits it again, “lid.” She flips it back over and tries twisting the top off again.

It doesn’t budge. It’s strange, watching her struggling with something as simple as opening a jar, however, deep down, Steve knows that isn’t the issue. The issue is Ana’s lack of sleep for the past three weeks. The issue is Ana’s crazy work ethic lately, where usually working everyday and being focus would be a good thing at times. With her, it’s not. Especially when Steve catches her popping Adderall pills just so she could focus on new mental health research and that machine Telly had told her about months ago.

When he caught her the third time, Steve snatched the bottle away and made her tell him what was going on. All she told him was that she had to help find a way to make Bucky’s triggers go away, because she failed him over and over and she can’t fail him again. Steve’s heart broke at her words and he ended up silently sitting at her desk in the Lab until she passed out on her key board.

“No!” Ana snaps, pulling Steve from his thoughts. Sam apparently tried offering again. “I can do this okay, Sam. I just want olives, like I just want my vodka martini like really dry- open you damn piece of fucking shit- really dry and really dirty. Like a really dirty martini with at least three olives and-“

She stops talking, grimacing as she twists the top again. Finally, it pops off and a bit of juice and a few olives fall onto the counter. She slams the jar down, grabs the rolling olives and plops them in her martini, followed by pouring a little of the juice into it as well. She hastily grabs a paper towel off the roll and cleans up the juice on the counter, throwing the wet paper towel in the sink.

“See. Easy.” She states dryly, picking up her glass. “Now. If you’ll all excuse me, I have a dirty date tonight.” She lifts her drink as proof, then leaves the kitchen.

Ana has no idea Steve has been watching her break down for the past ten minutes. He wanted to intervene, wanted to stop her from using her energy, but something stopped him. Maybe the tears in her eyes, or how she was giving her all into the punching bag. She had already knocked down one, when Steve entered the gym, and now she’s wailing on the second one.

Her chest is heaving, sweat dripping down her body. The lights keep flickering as if there’s a bad storm raging outside rather than the form of a person. The chains holding up the bags rattle, and the treadmills actually beep and turn on once in a while.

A sob ripping through the charged air makes Steve finally enter the gym. Ana is throwing punch after punch, fast and hard and she’s crying. She’s crying, and sobbing and before Steve can reach her, she punches the bag clean off the chain with a jet of golden yellow light. It flies across the room and slams into the opposite wall, further than the first one did.

She turns as she accidently knocks her gloves into her head when she tried to grab her hair. She releases a frustrated growl, tearing off the velcro gloves and throwing them to the side. She’s panting, her body shaking along with the lights on the ceiling. Ana hastily wipes her eyes and she finally notices Steve standing in front of her.

Her chin quivers for a moment, then she steels her emotions so fast, it’s scary. So, Steve says nothing, and walks past her. He knows. He understands this. The lack of sleep, the dreams, the pent up energy, the unadulterated anger and frustration. Ana may not have been frozen for 70 years only to wake up to a different world, where everyone she knew was gone and had been thrown right into more wars.

That may not have happened to her, but Ana’s own world shattered around her and she had to watch the love of her life almost die trying to protect her. She almost died trying to protect him, only to lose him in a different way and watch him go with the ever-looming threat of darkness hanging over them.

He knows Ana didn’t fall under ice for 70 years, that they don’t have in common. Losing Bucky. That is something Steve understands exceptionally well.

Steve picks up the closest punching bag, dragging it over and re-hooking it. He repeats the same process with the other bag, then he goes to the little bucket of bottled water to grab one. He offers it to Ana, but she just turns, fetches her gloves to put them on, and starts punching again. He sighs, dropping the bottle in favor of watching her. Just making sure she doesn’t actually hurt herself.

After another two rounds of knocking the bags off and Steve going to fetch them, Ana actually screams. She screams in what sounds like aggravation and stops punching. She rips the gloves off again, lifting the right one and chucking it at the wall. She repeats the motion with the left, then starts hitting the bag again. Only she isn’t punching it. She’s literally just smacking her palms against the bag, releasing little grunts and growls.

“This. Is. So. Fucking. Stupid!!” She yells with each hit.

“Ana.” Steve finally speaks up. He has to, otherwise she’ll brake her hands.

“No! No, Steve! This is stupid! It’s fucking stupid! He’s so fucking stupid!”

He grabs her by her arms and spins her around. Her momentum follows, and she accidently punches him in the gut. Steve huffs out a breathless grunt because he wasn’t expecting that, and also because Ana is much stronger than she lets on. She doesn’t look sorry. She just grabs his shirt, scrunching the material in her fists, trying to shake him back and forth.

“He’s your stupid friend, Steve! He’s stupid and you’re stupid for not stopping him and I’m stupid for letting him leave! Fuck him and fuck you and fuck me all over the fucking city because I fucking failed him!”

Steve wraps his arms around her, squeezing her tight to his body, holding her steady. He keeps his grip strong, so Ana can’t free herself, and she finally breaks down against him. She sobs into his chest, her body shaking and the lights pop, throwing the gym into darkness.

Ana lost Bucky. It’s the same, but different. It’s so different for her because Ana is in love with Bucky, and he’s still well and alive, but he’s in a place where she can’t reach him. Ana and Bucky have a different level of connection and that is all due to their energies being intertwined in more ways than one. The intimacy level of their relationship is unparallel to anyone else’s. It’s like they can almost feel each other. So, this, this has to be devastating to her.

“I failed him. I failed him.” She keeps repeating between her cries.

“Ana, listen to me.” Steve says vehemently. He doesn’t think softness will get through to her right now. He puts conviction in his next words. “You did not fail him. You hear me? You did not fail him.”

“I miss him so much.”

“I know, I know, honey. It’s okay. You’re going to be okay, I promise. I promise you’ll see him again.”

He believes the words himself when he says it to her. Steve knows where Bucky is, and he knows the Wakadan team his friend has behind him are trying to work this out. Ana falls silent after that, her sobs slowly coming to an end. Steve doesn’t know how long he stands there for, trying to hold his best friend’s girl together.

Finally, she stops crying all together and when she pushes herself back, Steve lets her. Ana wipes her eyes, now puffy and red, then wipes under her nose. Steve leaves her for a moment to grab a box of tissues by the towels, handing it to her when he returns. She gives him a watery smile, then chuckles humorlessly.

“I snotted all over your shirt.” She says wetly, dabbing at her nose. “I’m so sorry, Steve. I didn’t mean for all of this to happen. I’m sorry I hit you.”

“Don’t apologize for any of that.” He tells her, reaching out to grab her elbow. “I just need you to get some rest, alright? No work, no drinks, no gym. Just sleep. Can you do that for me?”

Ana nods. “Yeah, yeah. I think you’re right. I need to sleep.”

“C’mon. I’ll walk you back.”

Bucky sighs heavily. “Fuck. Of course, she would do that.” He says sadly, fiddling with a thread on his pants.

“I shouldn’t keep telling you these things, Buck.” Steve frowns. “They just upset you.”

“I need to know how she is.”

“Why don’t you just come back?” Steve pleads. “We can figure something out. I’m sure Shuri-“

“It isn’t safe, Steve.” Bucky interrupts him bitterly. “If there’s even the slightest chance of being triggered again.” He shakes his head. “She can’t keep fighting me off with her energy alchemy. It could kill her. I could-“

He swallows thickly but doesn’t continue.

“Bucky, she needs-“

“Don’t. Do not finish that sentence.”

“Why? Because you know I’m right and you know it’s the truth and if you hear it you’ll come back.”

Bucky looks to be in physical pain, close to tears. “I can’t.” He whispers. “I want to, fuck, I want to go back to her so bad, you have no fucking idea but I. I can’t. Fuck!”

Bucky shoves his hand through his hair roughly, gripping the roots. Steve backs off, because it isn’t just hard for Ana. He knocks Bucky’s hand out of his hair, then squeezes his right shoulder in comfort.

“I’m sorry for pushing.” Steve apologizes quietly. “I know it’s rough on you too.”

“I dream about her all the fucking time. She’s constantly in my head and when you woke me up I thought she would be here. I thought I was fixed and cured and I’d hold Ana in my arms again.”

Steve didn’t really think about that fact. He was called to Wakanda because that incident caused damage to the lab and Shuri had to prematurely wake Bucky up as she fixed it, and T’Challa called Steve asking if he wanted to see his friend during this time. He neglected to tell Ana about it. He didn’t think informing her, just to see Bucky for a few minutes and have to say goodbye all over again, was a good idea. Not when she was finally starting to sleep normally, eat properly, and slowly gather herself together.

“I’m sorry.” He tells his friend again. He can’t take seeing this amount of sadness and heartbreak on their faces anymore.

“Don’t be, it isn’t your fault.” Bucky sighs wearily. “I just miss her.”

They fall silent for a while after that. There’s a heaviness between them, the same one that Steve feels when Ana is in the room with him. He still finds it fascinating how connected both their energies are. His eyes flit across the room, landing on Shuri as she intently focuses on the computer.

“Has Shuri mentioned how close they are to erasing the triggers?” Steve inquires.

“She said they’re really close, just one more thing to figure out.” He shrugs, following Steve’s line of sight. “If anyone can do it, I think she can. Besides Ana. Tell her that for me, will you? I don’t think she believed me when I said she didn’t fail.”

Steve turns to look at him.

“Steve. She could never fail me. Ever.” Bucky states with a fierce passion in his tone.

“Deep down, I think she knows that. I hope she does.”

“Sergeant Barnes,” They’re interrupted by Shuri’s voice coming from behind them. “It’s ready.”

Bucky’s eyes fall shut, inhaling deeply. Steve doesn’t miss the stray tear that falls down his cheek. It’s his choice, but going back under isn’t easy. He claps Bucky on his shoulder, squeezing to offer him comfort. Bucky nods, and when he opens his eyes, there is a sadness to them.

“How is Ana now?” Bucky asks timidly, slowly slipping off the table. “Is she okay? Getting enough sleep?”

“Yeah, Bucky. She’s alright, she’s better.” Steve answers, walking him over to the glass chamber. “She’s strong. She’ll be okay.”

Bucky steps into the chamber, settling against the cushioned pads. A member of the of the medical team carefully straps him in, then checks his vitals.

“This will work.” Bucky states firmly. “It will work, and I’ll be fixed. I’m coming back to her.”

“I know, pal.”

“Thank you, Steve, for helping her.”

“Of course, Bucky. She’s family.”

Bucky smiles at that. Then his eyes shift, and he nods to the man, who presses a button. Slowly the glass cover comes down and Bucky closes his eyes, looking peaceful externally. Steve hopes his honesty and stories of Ana don’t give him bad dreams or makes him feel utter guilt and regret. The hissing noise and puff of white fog within the chamber signals that Bucky is now frozen once again.

**Present Day**

The second the door of the jet opens, Ana is running out, dashing through the hanger and weaving in and out of people. Steve just laughs and follows behind her, assuming they’ll get her things later. When Steve arrives just two minutes after her, he sees Ana already in Bucky’s arms.

Steve’s heart swells at the sight. Not only because his best friend and the girl who has become extremely important to him lately are together, but because Bucky looks healthy. He looks well rested, peaceful and clearly Shuri made him a new arm that Ana can’t seem to stop touching. Actually, neither of them can’t seem to stop touching each other for long.

“You look a lot older than when I saw you seven months ago.” Steve jokes, playfully shoving Bucky’s shoulder.

“First it was ugly and now it’s old. Why do I keep you around again?” Bucky quips, rubbing his knuckles atop Steve’s head.

“Wait, what?”

Him and Bucky stare wide eyed at each other. Slowly, they both look at Ana at the same time. She’s figured it out, he can see it in her eyes, and her jaw shifts as she crosses her arms.

“Are you telling me you saw Bucky seven months ago without telling me?” Ana states calmly. It’s scary.

“Last month too.” Shuri informs, unhelpful as she passes by the three of them.

Ana’s eyes widen and she steps away from Bucky. “What the fuck!”

Steve winces, yet Bucky is trying to contain his laughter. Sure, he finds it funny because Ana didn’t come back to the tower to pack then hit him over the head with his shield. Twice. She also launched various fruits at him as she saw fit, then filled his punching bag with flour so it exploded into a flurry of white clouds all over him and the gym.

“I was told it wasn’t a good idea!” Steve says, stepping behind a table for protection.

“By who!?” She demands.

Steve looks flatly at Bucky. Bucky flips him off.

Ana holds up a threatening finger, but when Bucky gently grazes his fingertips along her hip, her anger fades. Instead, her eyes shift back to the man standing next to her, then back to Steve. She drops her finger and smiles.

“You know what? It doesn’t matter.” She tells Steve. To Bucky, she says, “I should be angry because I would have loved to seen you, no matter what you vindicated your reasons for. But it doesn’t matter because you’re here now and I’m with you and-“

Ana grabs Bucky by his face, pulling him in for a loving kiss. Steve should look away, but the happiness of both their faces as they wrap their arms around each other, is enough to make the past year worth it all.

*********************************************************************

Drabbles: Two

Tags: @justreadingfics @nerdyandproud9 @buffy-morgendorffer-01 @kat-lives @towrite-or-nottowrite

#delicate stages #delicate stages drabbles #bucky barnes x ofc #bucky barnes x original female character #platonic steve rogers x ofc

48 notes · View notes

likeahorribledream · 3 years

Text

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝚃𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝙶𝙾𝚃 𝙰𝚆𝙰𝚈

ᴍᴀɪɴ ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ

Steve Rogers was not the type to walk away from a fight. He took every hit, got knocked down more times than he cared to count but he always got back up. What he lacked in height (or muscles) he made up in heart and guts. Another day, another alley and to no one’s surprise; another fight. This time, Steve really chose the wrong opponent and got hurt, badly. As fate would have it, there was a small clinic only a few streets down. That’s where he met Charlie Mathews, an absolute Brooklyn sweetheart that lived a very uneventful life.That was all before she met Steve. Before she met him. Bucky and Charlie have a short lived friendship before the inevitable happens and he gets drafted to go fight for his country. He knew it was bound to happen, he knew that going to war would be one of the hardest things he would have to do but having to leave his best girl behind left him heartbroken. Oblivious to the future that was waiting for him, Bucky made promises to her he won’t live long enough to keep.

Fate brought them together once and will do it again, but the universe doesn’t give out happy endings so easily.

STATUTS: Stopped for lack of interest. This is my first ever story even written.

GENRE: Fluff & angst.

WARNINGS: All warnings are identified on every chapter.

» CHAPTER ONE: I CAN DO THIS ALL DAY 4.2k

Charlie Mathews meets Steve Rogers and his best friend, Bucky Barnes. She forms a special bond with both of them in very different ways.

» CHAPTER TWO: JAMES BUCHANAN BARNES 3.6k

Bucky and Charlie spend some time alone, getting to know each other. All goes well until Bucky gets some news that he hoped never to get.

» CHAPTER THREE: ONE TRUE LOVE 5.7k

Bucky and Charlie bond over their mutual love for litterature, opening a little bit more of themselves to the other.

» CHAPTER FOUR: MEET THE PARENTS 3.5k

Bucky meets Charlie’s parents and it’s not what he was hoping for.

» CHAPTER FIVE: CONDITIONAL LOVE 3.1k

Parents are supposed to love and protect you no matter what, Charlie’s didn’t get that memo.

» CHAPTER SIX: IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO END THIS WAY 3.6k

Things go from bad to worse between Charlie and Bucky and words are said that can never be taken back.

» CHAPTER SEVEN: NUMBER ONE 4.2k

Charlie tries to settle into her new routine, without Bucky. As she’s finally getting back on track, she has to go on her first date with Potential Future Husband Number One.

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xxgoblin-dumplingxx · 5 years

Text

Starfall (2)

The Avengers are standing, sitting, and leaning all around her room. She’s sitting up sipping water and picking at the food on the tray in front of her.

Not eating more than a bite of anything before politely but firmly pushing it all away. She doesn’t seem scared. Or surprised. Or remotely uncomfortable... Well. Slightly uncomfortable. The IV and some of the other wires are hindering her movements and she looks irritated by it.

She looks at each of them, smiling slightly. There is peace in this room. There is a sense of serenity. Like watching the snow fall early on a winter morning while you’re inside and toasty warm. Steve inches fractionally closer cautiously. She ispowerful but as of yet, they do not know how powerful. Or dangerous. “Ma’am is there anything at all you could tell us. Do you have any family we could return you to?”

“Rogers, does she speak English?” Tony asked with a snort. Thor shrugged, “I could try several languages. Allspeak covers many. Though I do not know what manner of being she is.”

“I speak many languages... Though this English is not the English that was spoken when I fell asleep.” She says calmly. Her voice rasps from lack of use and she sips more water clearing her troat. “When was that?” Bruce asked, moving closer. He had an insane desire to put his head on her lap and let her stroke his hair. When her face turns towards him and he sees her bright, impossibly colored eyes, like a galaxy all their own, he swallows hard. “Some time after Padraig came to Ireland but before Granuille sailed,” she says, forehead furrowing as she nodded. It’s the nearest thing she can properly remember.

“What are you?” Natasha asked softly.

She turns and smiles a little, “I was human once,” she says quietly. “I was meant to be a sacrifice but... The Gods had other plans. The Morrighan had other plans.” The Avengers still and look at her. Much like Children settling in to a story. For weeks they’ve dreamed of her. They’ve felt her presence in their tower even from outside it.

She smiles like a mother about to indulge her children and sighs, “Long ago. Before there are even records to record it, I was born. It was fall or very close to it. My mother and father were hunters like their mothers and fathers before them. We roved over the land and settled houses were unheard of. Sometimes we traveled by boat.” She looks far away and sighs, remembering those very early days, “But, when the people discovered how to plant crops, we settled. In what is now Ireland... I couldn’t tell you where we had come from before. In some ways, settling was a harder life than travelling. There was always the chance that crops would fail. And the itch to see what was on the other side of the next field.” She smiles a little, “It didn’t take long for us to be in dire straights... The land was difficult to tame and we had never tried it before. Warring with invaders and failing crops put us all in danger of death. The Priest and Priestess, the Chief... they were desperate. So desperate that they turned to blood to try and appease the forces we did not yet have a name for. And so she came. The Morrighan.” She shivers slightly, “I know only that she did not accept me as a sacrifice. She called down the stars and gave me a new name... The first of many names. She called me Nimune and set me to protecting her people.”

Nimune rubbed her eyes, feeling tired. She could still smell the stench of death and battle that the Morrighan had exuded and feel her clammy calloused hands, “I fought long. Long after everyone I loved as a child was dead... Long after my children had died. But the coming of Christianity was a tide I could not fight back... Like the Arthur of the new Legends, when I was wounded and they feared me dead, the people interred me where they thought I would not be disturbed. They burried me as if I were a queen. To wait. Until they had need of me again. Until their new gods failed them.”

She looks down at her hands. The weight of her own failure pressing against her. She dares not let herself hope that her people may yet live and live as they were intended to. She knew some things. Things she had dreamed. Or gleaned from passing ravens and trees. The things she knew frightened her.

Natasha chanced to take her hand and squeeze gently, “Do you know why you are awake? After all this time?”

She looked up slowly and smiled a little, “I was called,” she said, “Somewhere, someone learned to call me... Though not... not firmly enough to rouse me at once and bring me there.”

““The Lake!” Tony blurted suddenly slapping a hand over his mouth.

Your head snaps his direction and you smile, waiting.

“You didn’t happen to just lay around in lakes and huck swords at people, did you?” he asked uncertainly.

“Maybe once or twice,” you admit, smirking.

#Avengers MCU #OFC!x (platonic for now) avengers #tony stark #bruce banner #Steve Rogers #natasha romanoff

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supernatural508 · 6 years

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Tailgating

Pairing: Steve x Platonic!OFC

Word count: 536

A/N: This is for @captain-rogers-beard Mimi’s Fall Into Marvel Challenge, my prompt was Tailgating. This is kinda related to a series i might be writing so if you like Allie, let me know.

When Steve came into the kitchen Allie was pulling a French apple pie out of the oven. He immediately knew this meant that she wanted something, but he also fell for the trap every time. He loved apple pie.

“What do you want Allie?” Steve asked and she let out a nervous giggle.

“Well… it’s kind of a big one.” She said, not able to look Steve in the eye.

“Come on Allie, it can’t be that bad.” Steve was sure she was making it seem worse than it was, she did it all the time.

“Well, Thor was supposed to come home with me for the Vikings-Packers game this weekend and go tailgating with me. Now he can’t go because he’s needed in Asgard.” Steve knew how excited she was for this game. When Tony offered the tickets she squealed.

“Let my guess, you want me to come in his place?” She nodded. “Of course I’ll go with you.”

When Steve agreed to fly to Minnesota with Allie for a football game, he certainly wasn’t expecting this. Allie never got all that into the football game when the team watched them at the tower. Little did he know it was because they weren’t doing it like she did back home. Tailgating. Yea he probably should have asked Sam about that one. Apparently for Minnesotans tailgating means having a big party in the stadium parking lot where everyone drinks more than they should, and Allie Liefson was no exception.

“SKOL! SKOL! SKOL! SKOL!” When Steve heard this his attention was drawn to a big pickup truck not too far away, surrounded by people. When he got over to the crowd he saw Allie and some guy sitting on the sides of the truck bed drinking beer from the bottom of a can. Allie finishes her beer and jumps over the side of the truck landing on her feet next to it.

“TIME TO CRUSH THOSE CHEESEHEADS” Allie yells and everyone takes a shot, starts cheering and follows her towards the stadium. When she reaches Steve she smiles at him and starts dragging him into the stadium.

It was a long game and he’d never seen Allie scream that much, he’d hate to see her if the Packers were winning. As they were walking out of the stadium Steve dared to ask “What now Al?”

“Now the real party begins.” She says with the biggest grin.

“Where are we going?” Steve asked, a little worried what she meant by that.

“Wherever they won’t cut us off.” She laughed as she pulled him down the street.

Monday afternoon Steve carried Allie into Avengers Tower, only to immediately be greeted by Thor.

“How was the tailgating Captain?” Thor said with a deep chuckle.

“Did you know I would be chasing her through the Twins Cities trying to keep her from killing herself?” Steve had a feeling that she had deliberately been vague on what tailgating was with him, yet had told Thor all about it.

“Only if her Vikings won, there was a chance you would avoid it.” Thor took Allie from Steve’s arms and walked away.

Yeah, Steve definitely should have left the kitchen as soon as he saw that pie.

@tilltheendwilliwrite @that-sokovian-bastard @sensualyodeling @hmc31400 @sassmastercas @mischiefnevermanaged94 @ghostssss @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked

#mimi’s fall into marvel challenge #steve rogers #OFC #steve fanfiction #steve x ofc #platonic #steve rogers fanfiction #steve rogers x oc #tailgating

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wiypt-writes · 3 years

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Stark Spangled Universe Masterlist

Stark Spangled Man

Multi Chapter Story- Prequel to Stark Spangled Banner

Katie Stark first encountered SHIELD in 2010 after her bother’s capture in Afghanistan. Taking up Fury’s offer of a job, she is soon catapulted into a world of Spies, Gods and a certain blue-eyed Super Soldier that has returned after seventy years under ice…

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Katie Stark (Platonic…at this point!)

Warnings: Bad language, violence and angsty moments- Each chapter tagged appropriately so please read warnings and consume at your own risk.

Status: Complete

*********************

Stark Spangled Banner

Multi Chapter Story- Sequel to Stark Spangled Man Katie Stark and Steve Rogers are best friends, but what happens when that line between friendship and lovers gets crossed? Follow their story through the MCU and all the ups and downs along the way, as their forever unfolds.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Katie Stark

Warnings: Bad language, SMUT (NSFW, 18+) violence and angsty moments- Each chapter tagged appropriately so please read warnings and consume at your own risk.

Status: Complete

*********************

Stark Spangled Forever

A collection of interlinked Stark Spangled Forever One Shots and ‘What The Stark Spangled F**k’ drabbles, which continue the Rogers family story beyond Stark Spangled Banner

🚨 CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS FOR STARK SPANGLED BANNER. I recommend that you read that series first! Raising a family is filled with ups and downs, in fact it’s Katie and Steve’s biggest mission yet filled with chaos, drama and a whole heap of love.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Katie Stark

Warnings: Bad language, SMUT (NSFW, 18+) violence and angsty moments- Each chapter tagged appropriately so please read warnings and consume at your own risk.

Status: Ongoing

*********************

Stark Spangled Destiny

Mini-Series: Part of the Stark Spangled Forever sequence Following the traumatic birth of her youngest, Katie has been struggling to cope, keeping her feelings hidden from Steve, until one day she snaps. Upset and ashamed, she decides to rake a drive to clear her head and finds herself at a very familiar place talking to two very familiar people- her best friend and her brother. Who better than to help her through her jumbled feelings? Only one problem: They’ve both been dead for seven years. And Katie doesn’t believe in ghosts…

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Katie Stark

Warnings: Bad language, SMUT, violence and angsty moments- Each chapter tagged appropriately so please read warnings and consume at your own risk.

Status: Complete

*********************

Stark Spangled Rebirth

Mini-Series. Steve’s time spent in the 40s seems like a lifetime ago. And, whilst he wouldn’t change a single thing about his life, he has often been curious about how his story would have unfolded had he met Katie back then instead of seventy years later.

So, let’s find out! Follow their path through the CA-TFA storyline as they battle to take down HYDRA

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Katie Stark

Warnings: Bad language, SMUT (NSFW, 18+) violence and angsty moments- Each chapter tagged appropriately so please read warnings and consume at your own risk.

Status: Ongoing

******************

Stark Spangled Social Media

A collection of SM posts from the SS universe.

****************

CSI: Rogers and Barnes- The Serious Cereal Serial Killer

Co-Written with @icanfeelastormbrewing

Multi Episode Story- CSI AU: Using OFC and plenty of references from the Stark Spangled Universe.

Captain Steve Rogers and Sergeant James ‘Bucky’ Barnes are hot on the tail of Brooklyn’s latest criminal- The Serious Cereal Serial Killer. Captain Rogers assembles the best officers from the Brooklyn 101 Murder Unit. This specialist team, nicknamed The Avengers, are working in the dark as the killer leaves behind no clues, other than their choice of murder weapon- whichever beige cereal he/she chooses.

The team are in a race against time as the bodies begin to mount. Can they catch the perp before it’s too late?

Pairing- Steve Rogers X OFC Katie Stark (will they, won’t they, did they?)

Warnings- Dark Comedy. (CSI + Brooklyn 99 = CSI Steeb!) Mature themes, no under 18s. Specific warnings for each chapter.

Status- Complete

#stark spangled man #stark spangled banner #stark spangled forever #stark spangled destiny #what the stark spangled fuck #stark spangled social media #stark spangled rebirth

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nekoannie-chan · 1 year

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Week 12 Reblog Masterlist

Welcome to Week 12 2023 or Week 168, as always, fics would be listed in the order I read them.

I hope you enjoy it!

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

♥ You can check my reading guidelines here.

♥ You can check my masterlist here.

♥ You can check my main reblog masterlist 2023 here.

♥ You can check my March reblog masterlist 2023 here.

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

𝙺𝚎𝚢𝚜: 💛 ᵒʳᶤᵍᶤᶰᵃˡ ˢᵗᵒʳʸ

💜 ʰᵒʳʳᵒʳ

🖤 ᵈᵃʳᵏ

❤️ ˢᵐᵘᵗ

💚 ᶠˡᵘᶠᶠ

💙 ᵃᶰᵍˢᵗ

🧡 ᶜᵒᵐᵉᵈʸ

«──��─── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

This is the list of the fics I read and recommend in Week 12 2023:

Taste (Mob Boss! Sam Wilson x Rumlow! Reader; Bucky Barnes x Reader (platonic); Steve Rogers x Reader (platonic); Brock Rumlow x Reader (platonic)) by @ramp-it-up ❤️

The making of a murderer (Brock Rumlow X Reader) by @beccaanne814 💙

Sides (The divine pairing) by @margoshansons 💚

You’re mine and I ‘ll do whatever I want with you (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @imyourbratzdoll ❤️

Danger (Reader, Brock Rumlow, Bucky Barnes, Clint Barton) by @bolontiku 🧡

Movie marathon (The divine pairing) by @margoshansons 💚

Only you (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @flordeamatista 💚

The Phoenix (Wanda Maximoff X Reader, Jean Grey X Reader) by @messedupfan 💚💙

Long enough (Brock Rumlow X Reader) by @bolontiku 💚

Passageway (Runaways) by @ta3hann1e 💚

My heart is still yours (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @justagirlinafandomworld💚

Halloween one shot (The divine pairing) by @cloakanddaggerfanfic 💚

Steve and Muse (Steve Rogers X OFC) by @imaginedreamwrite💚

The visit (Wanda Maximoff X Reader, Jean Grey X Reader) by @messedupfan 💚💙

Steve drabble (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @novanitee💚

Weak (Thunderblink) by @rebeccavis💚

Rule n1: no favourite allowed (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @bubblessunshinehoney💚

The Multiverse (Wanda Maximoff X Reader, Jean Grey X Reader) by @messedupfan💚💙

Thunderblink fic (Thunderblink) by @rebeccavis💚

Soulmark (The divine pairing) by @margoshansons 💚

Broken promises (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @cockslutpadalecki❤️

Trust (Jentorra X Reader) by @soulgazingwithbucky 💚

Jealous (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @bolontiku💚

The divine pairing fic (The divine pairing) by @cloakanddaggerfanfic 💚

Fabled memories (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @shadeysprings 🖤

Some (Eddie Brock X Reader) by @moonlit-imagines 💚

Don’t (Brock Rumlow X Reader) by @skellyagogo 💚💙

Right where you belong (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @witchywithwhiskey💚

I promise (Steve Rogers X Reader) by @saiyanprincessswanie💚 💙

#Annie recommends #Annie's 1K Kitties Writing Challenge

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midnightswithdearkatytspb · 4 years

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VelvetCardiganBucky’s Recommendations 2021: Week 9 | February 21st –February 27th

Welcome to week 9 of my recommendations, if you would like to be featured on a future list, I follow the hashtag #VelvetCardiganBucky, message me, tag me in your future works, or reblog this post and link to your story, one-shot, Masterlist, writing challenge, etc.

Be aware some if not most stories and writers on this list are meant to be consumed by an audience of those 18+. My blog is also an 18+ blog.

✨Page breaks are made @firefly-graphics✨

«Last Week

Week 10»

My Masterlist

My Fic Rec List of Mafia/Mob Bucky/Sebastian & Steve/Chris/Andy

Stuff I Posted This Week:

Run To You Moodboard » I made a moodboard for my friend's ongoing Mob!Bucky Barnes x Reader story Run To You

Can I Have This Dance? » Steve Rogers x Reader — 4 times the reader asked Steve to dance with her, and one time Steve her.

Mr. FBI Agent Jimmy Woo Playlist » All he ever wanted was to belong, and now he does, alongside Monica Rambeau and Dr. Darcy Lewis. Karaoke is now 10x’s better.

You’ve Been Everything » Steve Rogers x OFC!Orchid Black — They haven’t shared a bed in months; the snap has changed them both. There is no one to blame.

Sam Wilson

One-Shots:

Great Day To Build A Treehouse by @bestofbucky » Sam Wilson x Reader — Sam Wilson sets off to build your guys sons a treehouse while determined to make you lose your guys bet who can go the longest without sex. Will he win or will you? After all, who can deny a shirtless Sam? | This was adorable yet sexy all at once and I want more please. There just isn’t enough Sam content on here. Thanks lovely for feeding my Sam side, along with some really good smut!

Skinny Jeans, Action Figures, and Baby Shark by @callmeluna » Sam Wilson x Reader ft. Alpine — You, Sam, and boredom are a dangerous combination. No Avenger is safe. | If you need a laugh, you have to read this, because I couldn't stop laughing while reading.

Stucky

One-Shots:

*Proud Popsicle by @firefly-in-darkness » Dad!Stucky x Daughter!Reader (platonic) — Y/N visits her Dads after her holiday with her partner. | This was honestly so adorable and Daisy, you made me tear up. I sort of wish it had never ended and I had more to read.

Serves You Right to Suffer by @mypoisonedvine » dark!Bucky Barnes & dark!Steve Rogers x Reader — a little fresh air never hurt anyone, right? | The smut in this is so good while remaining a really good dark plot to it. I got shivers quite a few times while reading this and I can’t help but wonder just where is reader and the boys now...

Bankrupt by @mypoisonedvine » dark!40’s!Stucky x Reader — Your husband’s gambling addiction quickly got him in hot water with the mob, and you by extension. When some debt collectors come by to settle what is owed, you realize that you have a lot more to worry about than money problems. | My third time reading this and it probably won’t be my last. The smut in this is just so intense and well written. Also it’s Mob!Stucky.

(Mini)Series:

Terrigenisis by @tuiccim » Steve Rogers x Bucky Barnes x Inhuman!Reader — After undergoing terrigenisis unwillingly your life is turned upside down when you are deemed too dangerous to return to life as a civilian. You are put with the Avengers team to train and rebuild. As you hone your powers and skills, you must also decide if you can find home and love again. Or is your curse to be a lonely wanderer forever? | This story has everything in it, animals, angst, fluff and smut. So it’s like the perfect story all wrapped up with a neat little bow.

Steve Rogers

One-Shots:

Points of Authority by @river-soul » Dark!Steve Rogers x Reader — After failing the required self-defense class Captain Rogers offers to give you one on one lessons. His methods are not what you expect and an impromptu session reveals his true intentions. [Violence, dubcon, bullying and fat shaming, 18+] | I felt personally attacked. 😉 As a plus-size girl all I could think was come at me sir, but at the same time I was like I just wanted to stay in bed and the reader was getting my vibes. So good!

(Mini)Series:

Just Say It And I’m Yours by @whisperlullaby » Steve Rogers x Reader — Steve is considering retiring from being Captain America. He feels like he lost himself through all the fighting and wants to get back to his roots. In comes Y/N who seems to be everything he needs in his life. They are fierce and dynamic but what happens when they get caught up in trying to be what everyone else want them to be? | This story is so good and unique. Becca you deserve all the gold stars for this seriously. I look forward to reading more.

Bucky Barnes

One-Shots:

Answer Me by @fuel-joy » Dark!Bucky Barnes x Reader — You get a scary phone call. You ‘re forced to play a game to win your freedom. Can you beat the game or will he win in the end. | Read the notes before reading, this is a little darker than I usually read, but I still really enjoyed this. I’m just glad I didn’t read this before bed. 😂

*To Love And Be Loved By Me @sunflowerxbarnes » Eros! Bucky x Psyche! Reader — The story of Eros and Psyche was quite literally the stuff of legends. When he lost her to the perils of mortality, Eros too lost himself. He wandered the world, lost and alone until fate gave them another chance. Will things be different this time around? Can Eros find a way to save his love before it’s too late? | This will make you cry tears of sadness and tears of joy. I fell so madly in love with this and I knew it needed to be shared with you all. Keep tissues close by.

Partition by @angrythingstarlight » Mob!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Bucky comforts you after a bad day, and your boss learns why no one messes with his girl. | If there is someone I get excited about seeing post mob!bucky content it’s @angrythingstarlight and this one-shot was so good and the smut was hot! We are blessed with a part 2.

*Let Me Show You by @angrythingstarlight » Mob!Bucky Barnes x Reader — You wanted to know what your mobster boyfriend did, lucky for you he’s more into show then tell. | Hi, yeah I needed to seriously cool down after reading this one. The smut is just really hot and I just don’t think I’ll ever be over this.

Drabbles:

*My Little Girl by @buckysnumberonegirl » Bucky Barnes x Mom!Reader — Bucky is the best man he could ever be not just for the woman he loves but for the little girl who captured her heart, and she has a big question to ask him. | This is just so fluffy and by the end I may or may not have shed a couple tears. Hormones y’all!

Say the word and it’s yours by @angrythingstarlight » Mafia!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Your mobster boyfriend rescues you from a long, boring day at work. Bucky alway said, “ask and its yours” | This was so adorable and loving, I would highly recommend it. Fluffy!MafiaBoss!Bucky Barnes FTW 🙌🏻

(Mini) Series:

Run To You 🪙 Ch. 7 by @bestofbucky » Mob!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Mob boss Bucky Barnes hires you to be his bodyguard. | This keeps getting better and better, chapter 7, hit me in the feel whole the smut was just *chefs kiss* perfect.

Warm, Beating, and Frantic 🌸 Ch. 5 by @river-soul » Bucky Barnes x Reader — On vacation in Europe you’re kidnapped by a stranger who thinks only he can protect you from an unseen enemy known as Hydra. After months on the run, you finally escape. Years later you’re just starting to get your life back together when you accept a job at Stark Tower. The last thing you expect to see is your kidnapper, a part of the Avengers and going by the name Bucky Barnes. [PTSD and stalking] | You can’t help but feel so proud for the reader for going back to work and Bucky for going to therapy. Sam, he is just the best in this, so level headed. We could all use a Sam in our life. Please go read this!

Watch Out For The Quiet Ones Pt. 3 by @eurynome827 » Sub!CollegeJock!Bucky Barnes x Reader — Things have been going good with Bucky and you, so why put a label on it? Also been Bucky has been so good for you that you decide to reward him for his good behavior | I know not the best summery ever done by me but I love this series Eury had blessed us with. (it has a masterlist!)

Synonyms For Hate by @rebeccccccaaa » Bucky Barnes x Reader — A true enemies to lovers ;) | I don’t think you can find a better enemies to lovers stories than this one. It’s got both you angst and just a little bit of fluff. (I can’t make a link so here’s the big click through!)

Lee Bodecker

One-Shots:

Watching You by @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog » Lee Bodecker x Reader — Fresh to town opening your own café across from the police town, you peak the interst of Sheriff Lee Bodecker, who knows you are just hiding something, he will find out just what it is. | I loved this, especially the readers' take no shit attitude.

Chris Beck

One-Shots:

Dorothea by @tinymalscoffee » Chris Beck x Reader — In which Y/N reassured Chris he can always come back home to her. | You can never get enough of Chris Beck or Taylor Swift, so when you put them together, you get this beautiful masterpiece. I can’t help but hope we might see them again for another song, if not their story ended just perfectly.

*Constellations All Around by @hannahshattuck » Chris Beck x Gender Neutral Reader — The freckles on your back make constellations that always guide Chris home to you. | The smut and the plot in this were just too good not to share.

Chris Evans

Drabbles:

The Word by @hangonimwriting » Chris Evans x Mom!Reader — Married for now for six months your daughter calls Chris, Dad for the first time, how does he take it, and how does he take the big surprise you have for him? | This was short and sweet. Just what I needed after a very long day.

Ransom Drysdale

(Mini)Series:

Murder, He Wrote by @what-is-your-backupplan-today and @/southerngracela » Dark!Ransom Drysdale x Reader — You’re sent by your asshole boss to do a review of a Celebrity Host Haunted Mansion, hosted by none-other than the arrogant, wild-eye browed actor Lucas Lee, but you’re worried you’ve missed the boat…that is, until at the last minute, an email arrives to say they can let you in on the last admission that night, which just happens to be Halloween… | I’ve had this on my need to read list for a while, I did read it and I just want more. The smut in this is good, you feel bad for Ransom, while still containing that dark fic feel throughout the fic so far.

Andy Barber

One-Shots:

To Build a Home by @river-soul » Dark!Andy Barber x Reader | Dreaming of becoming a mother through adoption, you finally concede defeat after a long two years. Devastated and alone, you let your guard down once your lawyer drops by to console you. [Stealthing, breeding, alcohol use and explicit sex, 18+] | If you are looking for something that will give you chills and has really good smut, this is the one for you. I sort of hope we get a follow up.

This Is A Shout To My...

Firefly’s Movie Challenge by @firefly-in-darkness — Due Date is August 31st, using characters from Marvel, Supernatural, The Witcher, Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, and Henry Cavill, prompts a are a list of movies and rules are in the link with the list.

Kinky Charlie Writing Challenge! Hosted by @hotdamnhunnam — Due Date is April 1st, using a multitude of Charlie Hunnam characters and different types of kinks in the list provided. Check out the link for all the details! Congrats hun on the 1K! You deserve it all! 💗

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stardustmorozov · 2 years

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MARVEL/MCU Masterlist

Key:

💞 Fluff

😭 Angst

🥺 Hurt/Comfort

🔥 Smut

🔖A/B/O

X: Romantic Pairing

&: Platonic Pairing

Bucky Barnes:

Pop Your Bubblegum Heart (Bucky x F!Reader)

Sometimes Living Is A Risk You Gotta Take (Bucky x F!Reader) 😭

Checkmate (Bucky x F!Reader)

Lazy And Cuddles (Stucky (Steve x Bucky)) 💞

Sam Wilson:

Solace (Sam x GN!Reader)

Steve Rogers:

Distraction (Steve x F!AFAB!Reader) 🔥

Lazy And Cuddles (Stucky (Steve x Bucky)) 💞

A Work's Escape (Steve x F!AFAB!Reader) 🔥

Merry Christmas (Steve x F!Reader) 💞

Wanda Maximoff:

Peace (Wanda x F!Reader) 💞

Loki:

Magic, Mischief (Loki & F!Reader) 💞

A Little Talk (Loki &F!Reader) 💞

Into The Wild (Loki x F!Reader)

Tony Stark:

Iron Walls Strange Magic (Ironstrange (Tony x Stephen))

Stephen Strange:

Iron Walls Strange Magic (Ironstrange (Tony x Stephen))

Billy Russo:

Cause & Effect (Billy Russo x Willow Collins (OFC) x Dinah Madani)

Moodboard Chapter 1

Flower Drabble (Billy x GN!Reader)

Sparring Drabble (Billy x GN!Reader)

On Borrowed Time (Billy x Ignis Redwood (OFC)) Moodboard 1 Moodboard 2

Drunk On Rose Water (Cult Leader!Billy x AFAB!Reader) 🔥 AO3 Link Here

A soft bathing session 💞

Dinah Madani:

Cause & Effect (Billy Russo x Willow Collins (OFC) x Dinah Madani)

Moodboard Chapter 1

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skyfallslayer · 3 years

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Maybe I Will (Not) See You Tomorrow

(Part 1 of The Captain, The Soldier, The In Between Series)

SERIES MASTERLIST

Main Masterlist

Summary: An old forgotten photograph leads to some bittersweet memories for Steve and Bucky.

(Post Endgame; Pre FFH and TV Shows, except everyone is alive in this AU)

Rating: Teen and Up

Pairings: Bucky x Rogers!OFC; Platonic Steve x Rogers!OFC; Hints of Steggy & Romanogers

Warning: Angst; Mentions/References to death; Mentions/References to sex; Period Typical Sexism implied; Alcohol; Scenes that could be seen as slight depression.

This also features Soft!Bucky, and he may seem (And Steve too) ooc. Just a heads up.

Author's Note: Let me know if I missed anything. This can also be read as Y/N if you like. I do NOT own anything Marvel related, nor the gifs that are in this picture. Just the story plot and my OC. Enjoy!

The cool spring air wisped through the Captain’s hair as he took in the last bit of the sunset from his room’s balcony. The sky was a beautiful orange and gold, and it reflected off the lake the HQ was right up against. It calms his nerves when times get tough, and it even would sometimes get him a spark of creativity for drawing. But that wasn’t the case for tonight. Tonight was just him wanting to take a deep breath and enjoy the peace.

He was so deep into a trance that he almost missed the sound of someone coming into his room.

Almost.

“I thought you would be out there in the lounge with everyone?” Bucky said, coming in with a six pack.

“Nah, not in the mood to watch a movie tonight.” Steve replies, glancing backwards as his friend stood in the balcony door frame. “How about you? What’s your excuse?”

“Same as yours.” He hands his friend a new beer bottle, seeing that the one Steve grabbed earlier was already empty. “Plus, Clint wants to watch Hunger Games again.”

Steve smirks and takes it. “It’s probably because of the bow and arrow.”

“See! That’s what I keep saying, and everyone looks like I’m crazy.”

He chuckles, holding up his drink. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.”

They clink their bottles together and take a sip, the beer was only good enough for the taste since neither of them could get drunk (which was a con in their eyes sometimes). The two of them stayed quiet as the sun was finally disappearing over the horizon, and the cool breeze turned colder, and the outside light on the wall turned on brightly, shining on their semi-exhausted faces.

It’s been a long couple months since the reverse snap, and with the base finally rebuilt the team took this time to reconnect and get well deserved rest when they had the chance. Whether it was sleeping in, watching a movie, or relaxing by the lake, they all made sure not to go into overdrive until the next mission.

The breeze blew again, stronger than the last time, making Bucky reach up and brush his newly cut bangs away from his face. He finally made the game changing decision by cutting his hair, similar to his style in the 40s, something he’s secretly proud of doing. Yet another breeze causes his attention to go elsewhere, diverting it to his surroundings.

Soon, his navy eyes catch something on his exploring, then gestures it with his drink. “What’s that?” He asked, pointing to a large box he saw through the transparent sliding door.

Steve followed his gaze, deflating a little. “Oh, that? A government official dropped it off yesterday, saying it was in storage from my time in the war.”

“Really?” He says surprised, while getting a nod. “Then how come you’re getting it now? The last time I checked you didn’t come out of the ice yesterday.”

“Well… I mean when I did come out of the ice they weren’t sure if they could trust me yet. Then there was the whole thing with SHIELD and HYDRA, then there was Ultron and the Sokovian accords, and the-”

“Okay, okay. I think I get it.”

“So… yeah. I haven’t opened it yet.”

“I can see that.” Bucky continues, before getting an idea. “Oooh. What if your old stage uniform is in there?”

Steve gives him a look. “Bucky-”

“Come on, we have nothing else to do. I’m curious.” He raises an eyebrow. “Aren’t you?”

The blond pursed his lips, before giving into the mischievous glint of his best friend. “Alright. You win.”

Bucky kept his expression as he set his bottle down and walked inside, all while Steve waited patiently on the outside couch. Soon the box was placed on the table, the lid coming off in a flash. The smirk on the brunette’s face grew a bit more as he snorted at his finding.

“Oh, god. No…” Steve said, wanting to crawl under a rock forever.

“Oh, yes.” Bucky said, pulling out the infamous first suit of America’s hero, the one with the flashy tri-colors. He examines it closely, remembering just like it was on the flyers that hung around town. “Damn, Rogers. I can’t believe you wore this.”

“Neither can I.” He said, before digging inside himself, letting the domino effect happen.

It was definitely a trip down memory lane to say the least. There were metals and awards that he had won over the years for his service. Old newspapers from the day he tested out his newfound abilities, the one in black and white, and he was holding onto a detached car door. The flag he snagged from the top of the pole. Some maps he drew on for war plans and so much more.

There were also photos tucked inside too.

Lots of photos. Which was honestly the most bittersweet part of the journey. The items dug deep and struck all the different cords hidden away. Something that both of them haven’t experienced in a long time.

“We really outlived these people.” Bucky said, after looking over the Howling Commandos photograph. It was one just after Steve had banded them together. All dressed neatly in their uniforms before they headed back out into the field.

Dum Dum. Jim. James. Gabe. Jacques. Happy Sam. Pinky. Junior.

All good men. Now they have fallen either in the war or with age. It was something that saddened both of them very much. Outliving a friend while they still look physically in their late 20s, early 30s hit deeply.

“Well, we are a hundred years old, Buck.” Steve said, sarcasm strong, but there is still a hint of amusement.

“105 and six to be exact. And looking damn good, too.” Bucky says, smiling as he shuffles to the next one. A familiar woman with lips the color of cherries. “Ah, it's the Great-Aunt of the Niece you kissed under the bridge.”

Steve bit his tongue, shaking his head. “You really love torturing me today, huh, Barnes?”

Bucky hums, tilting his head at Peggy next to his friend. A bit of sorrow washed over at him as he glanced away. “I’ll say this again, I’m surprised you didn’t go back to her.”

Steve stares off too, feeling the same way but for a different reason. “I did. For a dance I owed her.” He sighs quietly. “I realize it would be weird if I just stayed knowing what would happen in history, and not being able to do anything about it. Plus-” He looks at the other soldier, lips curling up a little. “I’ve made too many friends to just leave them all behind.”

The brunette returns the expression, pleased that he’s finally got a clear answer after so long. “Til’ the end of the line, right?”

“Til’ the end of the line.” Cap repeats, grabbing his drink again for a sip.

Bucky hums again, the mischievous look returning for a split second. “At least you have that red head you can look forward to.”

That comment made Steve choke on his drink, beer dripping off his chin and bottle as he started coughing. Bucky continues with his look, as the blond man gives his chests a few pats until he’s simmered down the fit.

“Buck, what the hell?” Steve manages to croak, as he wipes his jaw clean with the back of his hand.

He holds his hands up in defense. “Hey, I only speak the truth, pal. I’ve seen the way you look at her.” Bucky replies, earning a glare.

“We’re just friends.”

He rolls his eyes. “Friends? Yeah, right. Friends my ass, Steve.”

Steve waves him off. “Okay, whatever you say, man. Can we just move onto the next picture?”

“Sure, sure. Will do.” The soldier flips to the next one, and this time was a picture of Captain America next to Howard Stark, looking like they were planning something together. “Huh... Another love interest.”

“Alright, Bucky.” Steve says, smacking him with the couch throw pillow, making him burst into a fit of laughter.

“Hang on, Stevie. Let's see the next one.”

“I swear, if it’s another person…”

And it was.

Except this one made them both become like a deer in a headlight.

Their surroundings grew mute, minus the tiny sounds of the crickets below, and the sound of the television down the hall.

It was a bit eerie.

A bit uncomfortable.

This was a person that hasn’t crossed their minds in a while.

Three figures cased in black and white, dressed in uniforms that weren’t quite military, but it was their own style.

Two blonds and a brunette.

One navy colored eyes that could be compared to an ocean view.

A set of eyes like the sky, and even had a dash of everforest green.

And orbs that were a mixture of cocoa and chestnut with a swirl of honey.

Standing in what appeared to be a mechanic’s garage, the person in the middle wore his stars and stripes proudly; On his right with a five o’clock shadow, and button up in blue and with a cocky grin; On his left was a woman in a jumper, copying the Captain’s smile as she leaned against an oversized mechanical leg.

Anyone could see the pure joy radiating off the picture, which is why it made these two friend’s hurt so much inside. Because they certainly weren’t feeling that way right now.

They stayed hushed for a long time, trying to stay strong for one another. But even these super soldiers needed a chance to break down to a certain low level.

“I haven’t thought about her in a while.” Bucky said, just above a whisper. His voice is soft and -tries to be- comforting to ease away the trembling before it even starts.

“Yeah… me neither.” Steve says, slowly holding onto the picture as well, taking her in. There was a spark of happiness in his features. A spark, but it was there. “I remember when this was taken. It was right after we started going after all the HYDRA bases. I think Howard took this one.”

“I think you’re right. See-” He points to a corner of the photo. “He always had at least one figure in front of the lens.”

Steve chuckles dryly. “I remember that now.” He tilts his head, studying it some more. “I think this was in the base’s garage, right?”

“Yep. Stark helped build that giant robot for her.” Bucky points to the metal leg in the picture. “What was it called again? The HYDRA Stomper?”

Steve pinches his eyebrows together. “I thought it was Crusher?”

“No, it was Stomper.”

“I don’t think so.”

Now it was Bucky’s turn to pinch his brows. “What are you talking about? She flew around and stepped on anything that was the enemy. Where are you getting Crusher from?”

“Because, you can-” He makes a smushing motion with his hands. “Crush things with your feet too.”

“Oh my god…” The brunette shakes her head. “You don’t even know your own sister’s name.”

Steve’s grip on the photo immediately tightened, and his eyes fell over with a shadow. This whole conversation just did a 360.

Bucky’s whole face falls. Guilt hitting him like a truck. Regretting the words as soon as they came out of his mouth. His body starts to slack, as he immediately wraps an arm around his friend’s body, pulling him close. He hears the blond man taking a shaky breath, letting the world grow silent again.

The picture finds itself resting on their thighs, like it was too hot to touch and would burn away their flesh if they held onto it for any longer.

Or maybe the memory was just too painful to hold onto?

“Sorry, man.” Bucky finally said, gently, afraid of stepping over a line again. He feels the man leaning into the touch, starving for some warmth. Hungry for some love and solace.

This kind of reminded him of the time after Sarah died. The neediness he needed without saying a single word. A look was all it took for Bucky to be there for him.

He felt Steve shake his head, dismissing his apology that he didn’t owe.

“It’s okay. It’s just-” Steve begins, sighing. “I promised her I would come back.” He felt his friend’s arm give him a pleasant squeeze, telling him it’s all right. “On the race to the plane, she got hurt and hitched a ride with Peggy and Colonel Philps. I remember we took each other's hands, and she asked me to be careful.”

He chuckles quietly, and continues. “I told her I’d come back, and left. If she wasn’t injured, I think she would have gone with me. Probably freeze together. But nothing hurt worse when she came on the radio in those last few moments.”

Bucky’s eyes fall onto the woman again, heart hurting all over again. “Did she cry?” He asked, mouth feeling dry.

Steve’s frowns deepen, his eyes also falling back onto the picture. “Of course she did. You know how she is.”

Blue eyes casted a glance, worriedness building up immensely. “Would you have been okay if she came with you?”

“Maybe…” He fiddles with his hands. “I don’t know.” Cap meets his stare, confliction and confusion on his face. “Is that a horrible thing to say?”

“Steve, she’s your sister. Your twin. It’s okay to have conflicting thoughts. Especially the life with both lived, it’s bound to happen.” Bucky’s face softened a little, but the sadness was still there as he picked the delicate item back up, making a point. “And there’s pros and cons either way. If she stayed back there, and if she came with you-”

He shrugs and continues. “Who knows. She could have been just living her life in the modern day, or become an Avenger with her face plastered around the world. Nobody knows what could have happened.”

Steve lets that sink in, a bit of weight was lifted from his shoulders, only to be weighed down seconds later by underground anger. “Do you think she would’ve been recognized if she had come with me?”

Puzzled by his words, Bucky shifted in his spot to look at the blond better. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He shifts too, back resting against the arm rest as his friend sets the photo down again. Bucky listens carefully, picking up the glimpse of bitterness he saw in Steve’s posture.

The blond weighs on how he was going to phrase this, thinking slowly before creeping up on an idea. "Before I found out you were still alive, I went to the Smithsonian, curious about what people had thought of me. It took me about… a few hours to see everything, and… I just remember being so angry at the end."

The hurting tone had returned, and Steve tried to swallow it before speaking, "It was like… she didn't exist. My sister… just gone. Not even her name was mentioned once. I even looked to see if maybe they had put up her fake last name, 'Kingsman', but there was nothing. It was like they didn't want anybody to know that the giant robot was driven by a woman."

Now Bucky understood what he meant. Now he understood the anger his best friend had, which just added to a long list of why Steve Rogers was skeptical at everything government related. It reminded him that they were trying to erase an important part of Captain America’s life. No wonder he always declined trips to the museum when it was suggested by their teammates.

His eyes fall far away again, his mind wandering off too as he starts to regain some hidden emotions buried deep inside.

“You know, I always hated that exhibit too." Bucky begins, getting Steve's attention. "After I pulled you out of the water, I went there trying to remember everything. Even before I got my memories back, I always hated it for some reason, and it took me a long time to know why." He exhales, recalling something else. "It's on display, but do you remember when that film crew took a video of us laughing?"

Steve nods slowly, a tiny smile ghosting his lips. "Of course. You made some corny joke about sleeping on the ground again. You had us all dying from it."

Bucky copies his expression with a small chuckle. "Yeah, that day." Then it falls flat again. "When I was in Romania it just hit me when I was roaming around. I realized… they edited her out." A knife to the heart for the both of them. "I think… that was the first time I cried since our fight on the helicarrier."

Steve hums at his tale, taking in each and every word he spoke. "That war really fucked everything up for us, hasn't it?"

"Sure fucking did."

Silence overtook again, a very long one this time as they zoned out to be trapped in their own minds. But as the alarm clock inside glowed a late hour, and the crickets seemed to start to grow quieter, Bucky couldn't have missed the whisper of laughter and smile from his friend.

Cocking his head, amuse by the sight change, he asked, "What? Did you remember something happy?"

Still smiling, he nods for the millionth time tonight. "I did." Steve begins, meeting his eyes once more. "We were on a tour for the musical, and I remember about the third time I put the stupid costume on, she said 'You should've stayed home, Stevie. This get-up is probably not what you imagine you'd be wearing for war'."

This made Bucky burst out laughing at Steve's poor attempt at sounding like a girl.

"R-Really?" Bucky said, trying to calm himself. "J-Just like that? And in that voice?"

"Of course! How else is it supposed to sound like?"

"Uh… not like you're strangling a cat? Geez…" He scratches his stubble, before snapping his fingers at a memory. "Oh! You remember in the fifth grade, and that punk Tommy Scotts tugged on her pigtails, and before you could confront him she turned around and gave him a shift kick between the legs?"

Steve snorted, that image was still fresh in his mind. "I remember. She was worshipped like a God for the rest of the school year. Kids were bending over backwards for her."

"Oh, yeah. Some were willing to do her homework if it meant she kept Scotts away."

Bucky reaches for his half drunk beer, with a dorky look on his face. It kind of reminded Steve of a love struck puppy. It was a look he hasn’t seen since the army.

"Can I ask you something that's been on my mind for a long time?" Steve asked, watching him shake his head 'yes' as he brought the bottle to his lips. Like the troll the blond could be sometimes, he says, "Did you sleep with her?"

Karma was definitely a bitch, and this time Bucky was the one choking on amber liquid, the contents making a waterfall to the deck's flooring.

It took the man a second for it to fully register again, and finally, with a look of betrayal, he replies with, "You ass. You waited until I took a sip."

The Captain shrugs. "Maybe."

Bucky sighs. "Steve, why would you-"

"Buck, I don't care if you did, I just wanted to hear it from you. Was it a one time thing?"

His face got hot, and his ears started to burn which made his words slur next. "Well… n-no. It was… I mean w-we did it more th-than once… I mean…” He shakes his head, debating on if he should just jump off the balcony and make a run for it. “W-Why are you asking?"

“Because you loved her.” Steve gave him the most obvious look ever after he tried to deny it. "Bucky, I saw how you looked at her. That was not a look a friend gives another."

Bucky purses his lips, trying to hide his red face (He’ll just keep lying to himself and say it’s the alcohol). “You’re just twisting my words from earlier…”

“Maybe…”

He raises an eyebrow, noticing the look. “Wait… did you know?” Bucky gets a nod as confirmation. “Since when?”

“I started to really notice around highschool.” Steve said, nonchalantly.

“And you never said anything?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “It wasn’t my place.”

Bucky’s tensed shoulders fall, a bit worried though. What if he disapproves? “Steve-”

“She told me everything after you fell from the train.” Steve begins, and makes sure he’s listening before continuing on. “She cried for you and it wasn’t like the time a friend of hers died in highschool from pneumonia, it was different.”

Steve could still picture it till this day, and it both hurts yet brings a bit of joy to it all (in a non-morbid way of course). He finishes it with, “She said she loved you, but I already knew that.”

Bucky went quiet, both hands clasped around the bottle as he weighed in his thoughts. They never actually got the chance to say it to one another, especially during their time in the army, so hearing what she actually said indirectly strikes a lot of different places.

He shifts in his seat, deciding to reveal a bit of a secret.

“I was going to marry her, Steve.” He replies, the knot in his stomach loosening and tightening. He felt his friend’s eyes on him again, gentle like last time. “I had a ring picked out, it was.... Small and gold with a… a butterfly. When I scrunched up enough cash, I bought it. Left it with my older sister at home until the time was right. Originally it was going to be the night I’d left, but I couldn’t do it. Too scared of making an empty promise. Too scared to… ‘widow’ her before we even got married. It’s stupid… isn’t it?”

“No. Not even close, Buck.” Steve said, patting him on the back. His hand lingered on his shoulder afterwards for comfort. “I think it was smart to think about the situation beforehand. You did good on that part.” He smiles. “And she would have loved that ring. You even remembered she likes butterflies like a good ‘husband’ you could’ve been.”

Bucky shakes his head. “Nah. Anybody close to her could remember that.”

“That’s the thing, Bucky. She had a lot of friends, and besides me, you were the only one that remembers the small details. That’s why I consider you my best friend, and I think she would too. Trust me on that.”

He hums, finally glancing back over. “Would’ve you given me your blessing?”

Steve looks a bit taken back, but he shouldn’t be surprised how considerate he was being. “Of course. You’d be the one person I know that’ll take good care of her.” He grins, patting him on the back again. “Plus, having my best friend as my brother-in-law would be pretty great.”

That got Bucky to copy the grin. “Yeah, that would be.” He said, shifting the bottle into one hand, raising it slightly. “To a sister.”

Bittersweetness came back, but the Captain still reached over to pick up his drink again, doing the same. “To a lover.”

“To Jayden Rogers.”

They clinked their bottles for a second time tonight, the beer tasting a little flat but they didn't mind as they took in the warm and cold atmosphere. Time went by smoothly, silently, but that was alright with them.

The gentle breeze brushed against the photos, and Bucky’s attention went back to the garage one, recalling another distant memory that makes him want to relive it all over again.

“Hey.” He says, getting Steve to look over, a smile plastered onto his face. “Do you remember when we first met?”

(Part 2 )

Taglist: @fangirllife98 @ginger-swag-rapunzel

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likeahorribledream · 3 years

Text

The One That Got Away

Chapter 6: It Wasn't Supposed To End This Way

Summary: Things go from bad to worse between Charlie and Bucky and words are said that can never be taken back.

Word count: 3.6k

Warnings: Angst

‘’Bucky. My name is Bucky.’’

Bucky taking back Charlie’s permission to use his first name meant that he had just put an end to their friendship. They both knew it, Steve knew it too. Charlie was frozen into place, unable to move. Steve got up from the couch and walked towards his best friend.

‘’Come on, Buck. Don’t be like that.’’

Bucky never looked at him. He was staring right into Charlie’s eyes, neither one of them could look away. As soon as he had said it, he regretted correcting her for using his name but what he did next was even worse, things he would never be able take back, leaving him only with regrets.

Charlie couldn’t stand to see the anger in Bucky’s eyes, it was too much for her and so she was the first to look away. Her eyes met Steve’s and she saw sadness in his. Her heart hurt in her chest, it felt like someone had taken it into their hand and had an iron grip on it, not letting it go and only squeezing it more with every moment that passed.

Bucky decided to leave, he couldn’t handle seeing her this way. Especially when he had been the cause. He turned his back on his friends and opened the door, stepping outside. Watching him leave finally gave Charlie the ability to move again, she followed right behind him like he had done earlier when she had been the one trying to run away from him. It felt like it had been hours ago when barely 30 minutes had passed since.

‘’Jam- ’’ She cut herself off. ‘’Bucky.’’ She quickly corrected herself, the sour aftertaste of the last time he had told her to call him Bucky still lingering in her mouth. ‘’Talk to me, we need to talk about this. Please.’’

She was ashamed of how whiny she sounded. She was almost begging him and if she hadn’t been so sad she would have been embarrassed beyond words.

He was glad he had his back to her because hearing her calling him Bucky hurt more than he had expected and he flinched, like he had just gotten hit. In a way, he did. Right in the heart. Waiting a few seconds to make sure he had gained his composure back, he turned around to looked at her and tried to have has little emotion showing on his face as possible.

‘’Talk about what? There’s nothing to talk about.’’

‘’I know my father has hurt you, twice now and believe me I feel incredibly guilty. I wish I could take it all back for him but I can’t. You’re one of my best friends and...’’ She stopped talking when she heard Bucky scoff at her last words.

‘’I’m your best friend?’’ He laughed dryly. ‘’We barely know each other.’’ He quirked an eyebrow, he almost looked amused. Almost.

‘’Don’t say that. We are friends. We care about each other.’’

Bucky flat out started to laugh, and it made chills run down her spine. His laugh wasn’t one of amusement. He was laughing, at her. His laugh felt like it was filled with venom.

‘’Talk for yourself. I never said I cared about you.’’ It was lie. A lie that left a sour taste in his mouth, he felt sick to his stomach but never let it showed on his face.

She was speechless. Stunned. She always thought she was pretty good at reading people, sometimes she would be wrong but could had she fooled herself into thinking he was her friend? Had she read so much into everything that she was completely wrong about the situation? No. She refused to believe it. He ate lunch with her almost every day, he hugged her all the time and when he had came over to her house he had read to her. No. She wasn’t wrong. They were friends and, although he never said it, she felt like he cared about her. As certain as she was, she was starting to feel less and less confident about it all.

‘’Listen doll, it was fun and all but there’s way too much drama.’’ He shook his head from side to side, sighing.‘’It’s not worth it. Your ‘’friendship’’ isn’t worth it.’’

Listening to him all Charlie could hear was: You’renot worth it. He didn’t say it, but he didn’t need to.

He actually madequotation marks with his fingerswhen he said friendship, as if it had been one-sided the whole time and she had just imagined it. Like their friendship had never existed, like it didn’t mean anything. Shedidn’t mean anything.

She remembered the first time he had called her doll when they first met, it had made her blush and she had trouble hiding the grin that had taken over her face but now, the nickname felt like a slap in the face. He had said it in such a condescending tone, she felt humiliated.

‘’I’m sorry.’’ She whispered, tilting her head down to hide her face.

She wasn’t going to let him see her cry. Not again. The moment she stopped looking at him, Bucky bit the inside of his cheeks so hard it drew blood, a small attempt at trying not to cry with her. He hated himself. He hated himself for being so disgustingly mean to her, for being the reason she was crying again tonight, for making her feel like she wasn’t good enough. Every bone in his body told him to go hug her, his heart was screaming at him to apologize and tell her how much she actually means to him but his head told him that he was doing the right thing by pushing her away. She had been working so hard for her future, he couldn’t be the reason it was all taken away from her. She deserved to be happy and to have everything she wanted but now he couldn’t be a part of it so he had to let her go.

He cleared his throat to keep his voice from breaking when he spoke to her for what was meant to be the last time.

‘’Don’t call me.’’

And with that, he was gone.

Once he got home he went straight to his room, not talking to anyone or acknowledging anyone he might have seen on his way there. He shut the door behind him and finally let himself cry. He felt disgusted with himself. He kept seeing Charlie’s face in his mind from when he hadtold her to not call him James anymore and when he had said he didn’t care about her.

Hewas the reason she was sad, hewasthe cause of her pain. Ironically, at the beginning of the night he had been readyto fight whoever it waswho had made her cry.

After Bucky had left, Charlie went back inside. She apologized a dozen times to Steve for ruining his night and showing up unannounced. He tried to tell her she had nothing to apologize for but she wouldn’t hear any of it. Her mind was too far gone, deep in self-hate. He told her to go home and get some rest after he hugged her and kissed her cheek. He walked with her to his front door and opened it for her.

‘’Try to get some sleep. I’ll call you in the morning.’’ He hugged her one last time before letting her go. Normally he would have walked her home, made sure she was safe but he didn’t want to set off her parents on him.

Charlie didn’t remember the last time she felt this exhausted. Both physically and emotionally. She was sitting onher bed and wondered how it had been possible for everything to go so wrong, so fast. The more she replayed the event of the last few hours in her mind, the more her mood shifted. Sadnessturned into something more.She was angry, infuriated even. She got up from her bed and started pacing in her room. She kept thinking about what had been said, what had been done to her.

She paced angrily around her room. Her face was red and hot from the adrenaline. She needed to let out some of her emotions, she felt like she was about to burst,and without a second thought, she grabbed her locket and ripped it off from her neck in one swift movement. Holding it in the palm of her hand, she looked at it. The same morning, seeingit around her neck hadmade her smile. It always brought a smile to her lipsbut that, too, had been taken away from her. Now when she looked at it, it reminded her of everything she could have had, everything she had been foolish enough to believe was a possibility. She closed her fist around it and threw it, hard, against the wall. It fell somewhere but she couldn’t see where, getting lost behind one of the shelves.It was the first timeshe had taken it off since her grandmother had given it to her. Charlie felt guilt trying to creep up inside her but she was quick to shove that feeling back down, letting anger consume her.She didn’t want to see the locketor wear it ever again.

Instead of calling, Steve felt like the situation called for some face-to-face time and showed up at her door instead. He had made them sandwiches and planned on going to the park with her to eat lunch. He knocked gently on her door, smiling with the hopes that his friend was feeling better after getting a good night sleep but when the door opened , Steve’s smile quickly disappeared. She looked... Broken.

Her eyes were still red and puffy from all the crying and she had black circles under them from the lack of sleep. She had been so sure that sleep would come easy to her because of how exhausted she was but her mind hadn’t gotten the memo; her thoughts kept racing and she hadn’t been able to sleep. She spent the entire night tossing and turning in her bed, restless.

‘’That bad, huh?’’ She scoffed.

Not even bothering to tell her parents she was leaving, she closed the door behind her and started walking with Steve. They walked in silence. She was too exhausted to talk and Steve had so much to say, so much so that he didn’t know where to start. After a while they reached the park and sat at the same table they always did. Steve got the sandwiches out of his bag, keeping one for himself and handing the other one to his friend. Charlie barely touched her lunch, she took a few bites to make Steve happy but her sandwich looked untouched, the bites so small they were barely noticeable.

‘’Look, about what happened last night I-’’

Charlie closed her eyes, flinching at the mention of last night. Her jaw clenched and when she reopened her eyes, Steve saw something in them he had never seen on her.

‘’I don’t want to talk about it.’’

‘’Char...’’

‘’I’m serious Steve. Talking about it won’t change what happened, so let’s not.’’

She crossed her arms over her chest, bringing his attention to her neck. Her skin was bare, the necklace was gone. He raised a hand to his own neck and then pointed to hers.

‘’Where’s your necklace?’’

She shrugged and looked down at the table.

‘’I don’t know.’’

Steve’s eyebrows raised in surprise.

‘’What do you mean you don’t know? You never take it off. Did the clasp break? I can help you look for it.’’ He started getting up and one of her hands flew up, grabbing the wrist closest to her. She shook her head no, and gently pulled on his wrist making him sit back down.

‘’I took it off. It’s fine. I don’t need it anymore, it lost its purpose. It’s just a piece of junk now.’’

It was not fine, not fine at all. Charlie seemed so different, almost like a completely different person. She hadn’t smiled, not even once, since he had knocked on her door, she didn’t hug him or kiss his cheek like she usually did. There was no joy, no happiness, no... hope. The optimism that always made her eyes shine was gone. Realization dawned on him, that’s what he had seen in her eyes earlier, hopelessness. She had lost a war she didn’t even know she was fighting and there was nothing she could do about it. She didn’t know who to trust anymore, her parents had hurt her in the worst possible way, she thought she had made a friend, someone that would stick around no matter what but, as it turns out, he never even liked her. She had gotten duped so easily, it was clear that she couldn’t even trust her own mind.

Steve felt powerless, he wanted to help her so badly but he couldn’t think of a single thing he could do to make things better. He had thought about offering her to move in with him but he knew that would only fix part of the problem. Charlie didn’t care about the money or the big house, she cared about her family. Even if they had hurt her, she couldn’t walk away from them and her dad had been clear that she would lose them with everything else. He wished he could make her understand that she would be better off without them but she needed to come to that conclusion herself, him pressuring her into walking away would only push her further into their arms and away from him. He could feel that she kept a distance between the two of them. He was the last thing her parents hadn’t taken away from her and that meant she still had something to lose, something that could be taken from her at any moment.

Putting everything back in his bag, Steve got up and offered Charlie his hand.

‘’Let’s get you home, you need some rest.’’

She took his hand and raised from her seat, letting go as soon as she was stable on her feet. She didn’t know who was watching and the last thing she needed was her parents’ friends telling them they saw her hand-in-hand with a man they hadn’t approved of, a man that wasn’t on the list. He wasn’t wrong, she definitely needed to get some rest. She felt so tired, like she could sleep for days and it still wouldn’t be enough.

Once again, they walked in silence. Steve gently bumped into her once in a while, letting her know he was still there. That small gesture soothed her and she slowly felt herself relax. They were almost to her house when she stopped walking, Steve stopping right after.

‘’I’ll be ok to walk the rest of the way. Thank you for lunch. I’m sorry I wasn’t really good company.’’

Before he could say anything or try to walk her the rest of the way, she turned around and left. He stayed where he was, looking at her as she disappeared behind her front door. It took everything in him to not walk up to their house and tell her father and mother how they didn’t deserve a daughter like Charlie, how disgusting they were being, how they should be ashamed.

Instead, he decided to go let out his anger on his other best friend.

Steve found himself at the Barnes’ doorstep, knocking a lot louder and quicker than he usually does. Noticing the urgency in his rhythm, it wasn’t long before Mrs. Barnes swung the door open, surprised to see the small blonde on the other side. He wasn’t who she was expecting. She’d known Steve since he was a child and he had always been so discreet and gentle, it was unlike him to knock this loudly.

‘’Steve, are you ok?’’ Surprise could clearly be heard in her voice.

‘’Hi Mrs. Barnes. Is Bucky here?’’ He avoided answering her question.

‘’He is, but we haven’t seen him since last night. He came back from hanging out with you, ran up the stairs and he hasn’t come out since. Not even to eat. I don’t know what happened last night but it must be big if I couldn’t get him to come downstairs and eat his breakfast.’’ She chuckled softly, trying to hide the worry from her tone. He was an adult after all.

‘’Do you mind if I try talking to him?’’

She simply nodded and stepped aside to let him in. Steve thanked her and walked up the stairs and stopped in front of his best friend’s door. He knocked and waited but the door stayed shut. He knocked again, determined to give him a piece of his mind.

‘’Buck, it’s me. Open the door.’’ His tone was a lot less friendly than he intended it to be but he’d apologize for that later.

He waited a few more seconds and just as he was about to try turning the doorknob, the door opened on Bucky.

Steve’s eyes opened wide in shock. Bucky looked like a mess. His hair was up in the air and going in every direction as if someone had ran their hands in his hair over and over again, which is what Bucky spent most of his night doing. His eyes were a bright pink, his bottom lip slightly swollen like he had bitten into it over and over again. All signs that he had been crying.

Seeing him in this state made Steve soften. Bucky walked back to his bed, letting his bedroom door open so that Steve could follow him. He sat on the edge of his bed, bracing himself for the lecture he was about to get from his best friend.

Steve followed Bucky inside, silently closing the door behind him and walking over to Bucky’s desk to sit on the chair next to it. Steve looked at him for a good minute, looking over at his features and seeing how exhausted he looked. Just like Charlie, it didn’t seem like he had gotten much sleep.

‘’Why?’’ Steve asked.

Bucky sighed and ran his hands through his hair yet again, messing it up even more.

‘’I-’’ He stopped, trying to find the right words. He shook his head and chewed on his bottom lip, a nervous habit he had picked up from being around Charlie so much.

‘’She was going to lose everything because of me. Just because she is my friend.’’ A sad laugh escaped his lips. ‘’Was my friend.’’ He corrected himself.

‘’Did you really have to hurt her so much? She’s a wreck, Buck. What you said...’’

Bucky felt his heart tighten in his chest.

‘’You saw her?’’

Steve nodded. ‘’We ate lunch together an hour ago. Well, I had lunch. She barely touched her food.’’

His elbows resting on his knees Bucky let his head fall to his hands, hiding his face into them. The guilt was making him nauseous. They both stayed silent for a few minutes.

When Bucky’s head snapped up, it almost made Steve jump from the sudden movement. His expression had changed, he didn’t look sad anymore. He looked... Angry.

‘’I did what I had to do, ok?’’ He got up from his bed and started pacing. ‘’Her dad didn’t want her to be anywhere near me and we both know how stubborn she is and she would have still tried to see me. I couldn’t risk her losing everything. Not because of me. I had to push her away, ok? I had to.’’

Although the explanation was directed to Steve, it seemed like Bucky was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to just defend his actions.

‘’I had to.’’ This time, it came out almost as a whisper. He looked directly into Steve’s eyes. ‘’Right?’’ He asked, the confidence from a few moments ago completely gone. Looking for validation that he hadn’t done a terrible mistake.

‘’Yes.’’ Was all Steve said, he knew that if he tried to say anything more his friend wouldn’t listen to him.

‘’I’m leaving in a few weeks, I’ll be fighting the war and she’ll have plenty of time to forget all about me and by the time I get back everything will have gone back to normal.’’

He just needed to stay as far away from her as possible and ignore the voice in his head that was screaming at him to call her and apologize for everything he had said, to say he hadn’t mean it and that of course he cared about her and of course she was his friend but he couldn’t. He, too, had to let her go. He couldn’t be selfish.

Steve spent the rest of the afternoon with Bucky in his room, trying to lighten up the mood and trying to make him feel better. He had came over with every intention to yell at Bucky but his friend had already been punishing himself enough as it is. Punishing himself with the guilt that was eating at him and by staying away from the girl he loved. Because even if Bucky hadn’t realized it yet, he was completely in love with Charlie and that had became clear for Steve the moment he saw the lengths Bucky was willing to go through to make sure Charlie had the future she wanted, the one she deserved, even if it meant that he wouldn’t get to be a part of it.

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