#set just before Bucky goes to see Sam’s family in Louisiana

[sweetbuckybarnes]

Who is This? - Back to Brooklyn

Summary: Bucky and Y/N Barnes go back to Brooklyn.

Main | Bucky Masterlist | Series

Authors note: was thinking of changing the series title to Babydoll? Any thoughts?

It was Y/N's last shift at the bar in Madripoor, as the owners surprised them with the sudden closure of the bar at the end of the working week.

Bucky and Sam (who was somewhat reluctant to come along) walked into the bar ten minutes before closing. They saw Y/N dancing behind the bar with the blonde curly-haired woman and a redhead woman, as they sang along with the title track from Lady Marmalade - it was one Sam had forced Bucky to watch.

"Voulez-vous coucher avec mou, ce soir? Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?" The three women sang as Bucky and Sam made their way to the bartop.

"You do know what that means, don't you, babydoll?" Bucky asks, looking at his wife with a smirk.

She looks over at him with a matching smirk. "I'm surprised you know what it means, considering you were always skipping French class for that girl Dotty."

The smirk on Bucky's face slipped like a mask. "You knew about that?" His face pales considerably.

"Oh, please, James. I didn't know until you confirmed it," she tells him, leaning over and pressing a kiss to his nose. She had very nearly played him when Bucky reached his hands up to cup her face and plant a kiss on her lips.

When he pulled away, he looked her dead in the eyes. "I swear to you, babydoll, nothing happened with Dotty. Nothing happened with any of them. I know I had a bit of a reputation-"

Y/N snorted. "A bit? I'm pretty sure there was writing on the girls' bathroom at the diner. For a good time, find James Barnes. You were a total ladies' man."

"There was only one lady I wanted, and I married her."

"She better not find you here with me then. I think she might get very jealous."

Bucky chuckled to himself as the group behind the bar completed their shift for the final time. Y/N was counting the money in the till as Yasmine stood beside her with a calculator counting card receipts, whilst Mark went to properly lock the door (unlike last time when Bucky was able to get in).

Y/N finished counting the money and then looked at their manager (who had made a surprise visit, most likely to make sure they all got paid).

Their manager started counting out the money for their wages, as Y/N walked over to where Bucky and Sam were standing, waiting for her. "How are you, babydoll?" Bucky asks her, wrapping his metal arm around her waist and running his fingers through her hair - they had learnt what happens when Bucky's metal hand gets entangled with her hair. Safe to say, that was a somewhat embarrassing situation...

"I'm OK," she says half-heartedly. "I'm just going to have to find somewhere new to work," she tells him, as her manager hands her a small stack of $50s and $20s.

"Why don't you come back to Brooklyn with me?" He offers, slipping her purse from her shoulder, before handing over her wallet from said purse.

Y/N considers this. "Why not? It would be a nice change from this place."

Bucky tightly wrapped his arms around his wife. "You coming home with me, babydoll?"

"Did you honestly expect anything else?"

Bucky unlocked the door to his apartment, holding Y/N's suitcase in one hand with his backpack thrown over his shoulder.

"Welcome home, babydoll," he tells her, watching as his wife walks into the apartment. He sets down her suitcase and his bag as she takes a look around the room.

"James?"

"Yeah, babydoll?"

"What's that?"

'That' she was referring to just so happened to be the pile of sheets and lone pillowcase on the floor.

How the hell does he explain this to his wife...?

"Erm... that's where I sleep."

"Where's your bed?"

"In the bedroom," he says, looking away from her to their belongings.

He didn't see Y/N pursed her lips and mull over his words. For all he knew, they were going to be sleeping in separate places until he could finally deem himself worthy of sleeping in the same bed as his wife.

"James? Where did you go, my love?" She asks, which is when Bucky notices she is toe-to-toe with him, cradling his face with her hands. "You completely missed what I was saying."

"I'm sorry, babydoll."

She giggled and pressed a kiss to his nose before looking at him in his eyes. "We're going to take this at your speed, I don't mind sleeping on the floor, I just want to make sure you know you can talk to me and tell me when you're ready to sleep on the sofa and then possibly in our bed."

Bucky is silent as he takes her words in. What did he do to deserve her? He couldn't even form words to tell her just how much he loves her. So, he wrapped her up in the tightest hug known, hoping it was enough for her to understand the depth of his feelings.

[high-functioning-lokipath]

OK, so Bucky meets a nice young lady, old for her age, in NY or Louisiana while he's visiting Sam. You'll have to decide which locale you like better. It might be fun to include Sam, like he could give Bucky crazy dating advice just to bug him. Date goes well, even though Bucky is very awkward and nervous, which she finds adorable. They end up seeing each other more and she spoils him w home made dinners and thoughtful presents, which he happily reciprocates.

You met him in New York. At the time you were working at the 50's style diner around the corner from your apartment. You were an old soul and this restaurant was the perfect place for you. Apparently, your mystery man was an old soul too. He became a regular there. His name was James, but he preferred Bucky.

After some time, you got to know him and his routine. You knew exactly what he ordered when he came in, and even what music he'd buy on the jukebox. You knew him so well that you were able to have everything set up for him before he even walked in the door. You never really spoke, unfortunately, so whatever attraction you had to him was left to remain afar.

Suddenly one day, he disappeared. Never came in again. You'd never found out where he lived but you knew he was close by. According to one of your neighbors who knew a guy who knew Bucky, he'd moved out.

You went on with life, finally moving out of the New York area and down to Louisiana with some family of yours. The news was appalling. The government decided they could just up and replace Steve Rogers with some random blonde-haired, blue-eyed dope? You knew from the moment you saw him that John Walker wasn't the right choice. You could tell something was off about him.

Months went by and your suspicions proved true. You were extremely relieved when you saw Sam Wilson take the title. He was a good man, personally had known Steve, and he deserved it.

You were at your Grandma's house, borrowing some old vinyl from her when she saw the news about the real new Captain America. "Oh! Oh! Honey! That's Darlene's boy! Get me my phone!"

"Who's son?" You ask her, handing her the old landline she still used.

"You know! Sarah's little brother! You all used to play together when you were babies!"

"Maybe that's why I can't remember, Gramma," You chuckle. As you leave, you hear her talking with Sarah Wilson on the phone, planning some big party or whatever.

You chuckled to yourself as you walked to your house around the corner. Before this moment, you would never have guessed you'd know the great Sam Wilson.

"Oh dear! I'm so sorry! I didn't-"

"It's okay," You say, regaining your bearings. You'd not been paying attention to where you walked and accidentally ran into someone, dropping your bag with the records.

"Are you okay?" The man asks. You nod and start gathering the vinyl back together. "You still listen to this stuff?"

"Yes, I do!" You immediately defended "It's quality music. No one sings like they did anymore. Besides, vinyl sounds the best."

"I completely agree!" He exclaims, surprising you. You look up at him and very nearly drop your bag again.

"It's you!" You exclaim. "You used to live in New York didn't you?"

"Um, yes, but how-"

"The diner! I worked at the diner," You smile.

"Oh! Yes! I'm so sorry, doll," He replies, blushing brightly. "I didn't recognize you in clothes." You raise an eyebrow and he pales immediately, eyes widening. "Regular clothes! I mean regular clothes! Not your uniform!" He raises his left hand to his forehead and groans. "I'm so so sorry," He mumbles.

"It's fine, Bucky," You smile. Noticing his hand, you gasp. "Oh my gosh! You're-I hadn't-Oh my gosh!" You exclaim.

"Oh, um, yeah," He says. "I'm, well, I was the Winter Soldier." He starts to turn and leave but you grab his arm and pull him back.

"It's fine!" You assure him. "I'm not scared. If anything, I'm really excited," You admit. "I, um, I've always wanted to meet you." Bucky smiles awkwardly and nods.

"Okay," He says slowly. Bucky's about to say something else when his phone rings. He apologizes and takes the call, motioning for you to give him a moment. "Could you possibly wait one minute?" He pauses and rolls his eyes at whoever is on the other end. "Sam, I'm-" He says. "I'm busy right now." He looks back at you and smiles tightly, obviously frustrated. You giggle lightly.

"He's so cute!" You tell yourself.

"Don't make me call Sarah! No! We are not setting up a-Sam! I am trying to talk to someone right now!"

Sarah? Sam? You gasped when you realized who he was talking to. Of course, he would know Captain America. Both of them in fact!

“Yes, Sam, I’m talking to a-” He stopped, glancing back at you and chuckling nervously. “Yeah, Sam,” He said quieter. You hear what you could only describe as an excited whoop from Sam. Bucky hung up the phone before Sam could say anything more. “Sorry about that,” He says, shoving his hands in his pockets and shuffling awkwardly.

“Hey, if you need to go-” You start, not wanting to make him feel worse.

“No! I mean, um, would you like to do on a date with me?” He blurts out. You stare at him for a moment, completely shocked. He takes that as a rejection and starts to apologize.

“Yes!” You exclaim. “Yes, I’ll go out with you!” You interrupt. Bucky stops and smiles, letting out a sigh of relief.

“Okay, how about tonight? Around 7?” You agree and swap numbers with him so you can send him your address. “Okay,” He says again. “I’ll see you tonight!” He hurries off, almost skipping away. You giggle quietly and head back home with your records.

Later that day, you have the records playing while you dig through your closet for what to wear. Suddenly your phone dings with a text.

I’m not so sure about this. Are you sure this is the best thing to wear for a date nowadays?

Well, depending on where we’re going, I could wear this dress and match you?

Y/N! I’m so sorry! Sam was texting me and I must have accidentally clicked on you.

No worries, Bucky ☺️ If I may say so, you do look cute

Ah, thanks I guess. Sorry again.

You continue trying to decide, but find yourself at a loss with not knowing where the date is planned for. You text Bucky real quick, asking him where he’s planning on going so you can prepare appropriately. A few minutes later your phone dings again.

I feel a lot better in this, Sam. Will this be okay for the restaurant?

Ah-ha! A restaurant! Now I at least have some context! And you look quite handsome. 😏

I texted you again didn’t I, Y/N?

A few hours later, Bucky shows up at your door, holding out a bouquet of flowers for you. “Oh thank you, Bucky! I’ve never gotten flowers before,” You admit.

“I’m glad you like them,” He smiles as you go to the kitchen to put them in water. At that moment, Bucky has a chance to really look at you. “Wow,” He says under his breath. “Y/N, you look lovely,” He tells you. You spin back around to face him, skirt flaring.

“Thank you, James,” You reply. You'd picked out the dress especially for him. The old soul you were, most of your clothes had a vintage, retro aspect to them and this dress was perfect for the occasion.

The two of you head out to the restaurant, talking and laughing the whole way. Bucky was sort of awkward, you noticed, obviously nervous about dating again after so long. Dinner went well, only a couple of people recognized Bucky. When he dropped you off, he kept fidgeting.

"Well, um, I hope you had a good time," He says.

"I had a wonderful time, Bucky," You smile. He smiles back and nods.

"Me too," He says. "So, um, I guess I-"

"Do you want to have dinner again tomorrow?" You ask. He looks up at you embarrassedly.

"Yes," He admits. "But I'm supposed to be the one who asks."

"Well, I may be an old soul like you," You smile. "But I think a little change is okay sometimes." He smiles and takes your hands, kissing the back of them. "How about tomorrow night, at 5? You come over to my place for dinner and we just-"

"Oh," He says, backing away quickly.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, Sam said if a girl invites you over to her house-"

"James Buchanan Barnes," You interrupt, putting your hands on your waist and cocking a hip. "I promise, I will never, ever, ever, trap you into something like that," You state firmly. Looking away, a bit embarrassed yourself now, you add, "I just wanted to make you a home-cooked meal and listen to some records."

"Oh!" He says again, happier this time. "Well, in that case, I accept," He says, taking your hands once more. You smile at each other for a moment before he leans down and kisses you quickly. "I'll see you tomorrow!" He calls out, hurrying back to Sam's to tell him everything.

"Bye, Bucky!" You yell down the street.

The next day, Bucky shows up promptly at 5 pm. He even helps you make dinner. Or at least tries to. "Good thing my hand is metal," He mumbles.

"What's that?" You ask turning around.

"Nothing!" He says, hiding the knife he was chopping with behind him. You stare at each other seriously for a second and then both burst out laughing.

"You are hopeless in the kitchen," You tease.

"That may be true," He laughs.

After dinner, the two of you cuddle on the sofa listening to old records. "Oh! I have something for you!" You say, jumping up and running to the closet to grab something. "Here," you say, handing him a small box. "I thought you'd like it." Bucky excitedly opens the package, completely freezing when he sees its contents. "It's a Bucky Bear," you explain when he doesn't say anything. "If you don't like it, it's fine," you quickly excuse, going to reach for the box.

"No!" He nearly yells, pulling away from you and holding it tightly against his chest. You hold back a laugh and smile at him. "I like it," He says.

"Well good," You reply, hugging him. "I don't really know you well enough to get you something more personal, so, I was hoping you'd like it."

"You sure that's a good idea, doll?" You raise an eyebrow at him in confusion. "Getting to know me more," He explains.

"Bucky," You smile, touching his arm. "You've been here at my house for hours, I just gave you a gift, and you're still wondering if I like you?" He nods sheepishly. "Darling, if I had wanted you gone I would have told you long ago. Now give me some more cuddles, you're soft," You say. He chuckles and pulls you into his arms with the Bucky Bear. Bucky sighs softly, contentedly, relieved to have finally found his home in this modern world.

"Would it be too soon to say I love you?" He asks quietly.

"No, I don't think so," You reply. "Because I love you too."

"Even with my arm?"

"Especially with your arm!" Bucky blushes brightly and you laugh. "Now shut up and kiss me."

"Yes, ma'am," He grins, leaning down to capture your lips against his. "Oh, and one more thing."

"Yes?"

"What's your ring size?"

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[mxndoscyarika]

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice (Sam Wilson x fem!Reader) | Chapter 1: Snickerdoodles

Summary: Being best friends with Sarah Wilson was simultaneously the easiest and hardest thing you’ve ever experienced. You felt at home with the Wilsons, and helped raise Sarah’s children after her divorce and the Snap. But harboring feelings for her brother, Sam, and not being able to do anything about it hurt more than it should. When he comes back home between leads on Karli Morgenthau, with Bucky in tow, you can’t help but feel a spark of hope.

Ao3

Like my writing? Here’s my masterlist.

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice masterlist

Author’s note: It’s been a very long time since I’ve written anything for Marvel, so I hope this is ok! I tried to keep the story canon-compliant, so you can think of this as sort of an elaboration on Sam and Bucky’s time in Louisiana. Enjoy, and let me know if you would like to be added or removed from my taglist!

Warnings: food, mutual pining, jealousy, tfatws spoilers

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“Careful, AJ, the tray’s hot,” you warned as AJ and his brother burst through the doors of the house. They still had their backpacks on, the zippers and keychains jingling as they ran up to you with all the energy two young boys could hold. “What’s going on?”

“I think a better question is: what are you doing in my house?”

Your eyes widened. You recognized that voice. When you looked up, you were greeted with Sam standing at the entrance of the kitchen, his own bag slung over his shoulder.

“Uncle Sam is home!” the boys cheered, running back to Sam and smothering him with hugs. They easily reached past his waist by now; they couldn’t stay little forever.

He looked as great as you remembered, his kind smile and sparkling eyes making you feel butterflies in your stomach even after all these years. No amount of high school sleepovers with Sarah, weekend dinners, or summer drives could’ve changed that. The fact that his shirt fit him perfectly definitely didn’t help, either.

“Welcome home, Sam,” you greeted, unable to keep a smile off your face. Fidgeting with your hands, you explained, “I’m doing some baking to test recipes and also make dessert for Sarah’s box lunches. If I knew you were coming home, I’d have gone to pick you up.”

The last couple times he’d visited, you were busy at work. And as much as you wanted to stop by, you knew Sarah missed her brother. It would’ve been selfish for you to show up during their short reunion.

What you didn’t know was that Sam went through his visit waiting for your car to pull up on the driveway, or park by the dock. Sarah had called him a lovesick puppy.

“Don’t ‘Welcome home, Sam’ me, come here.” He waved you over, lifting his arm so you could slip into his embrace.

Laughing softly, you hugged him tightly around the waist and rested your head against his shoulder. You tried not to think too hard about how you fit perfectly against him, the warmth and strength of him like the missing piece of the puzzle that was your life. “We missed you a lot.”

“I missed you, too,” Sam replied softly, his arm tightening around you just a little. The soft rumble of his voice made your heart flutter. “I really need to come back more often. Next thing I know, the boys will be as tall as me and you’ll be married to the luckiest bastard in the world.”

“Not that lucky,” you reasoned, pulling him along to the tray of cookies. “I’ve been doing lots of recipe testing, and my apartment is already full of cookies and cakes. It would drive anyone crazy. I don’t think even the biggest dessert person would be able to stand it.”

His eyes lit up at the sight of the cookies. “I didn’t know you knew how to make snickerdoodles. Can I have one?”

“Go for it,” you said, touching the edge of the tray to make sure it wasn’t hot anymore. “You can be my taste tester. The ones in stores are always too sweet, so I figured I would make my own.”

“I’ve been telling you: your baking skills are unmatched,” he said. A moan left his lips as he bit into the cinnamon-sugar cookie, causing your face to heat up. “Between your baking and Sarah’s cooking, I’m surprised neither of you have opened a bakery or restaurant. The line would go down the street.”

“Well, I wasn’t exactly in the best position to open a bakery these past few years,” you noted, leaning against the counter next to him. Your day job wasn’t fulfilling, but it was what you needed to stay afloat. Baking, on the other hand...it was a dream. If you could spend your days baking instead of sitting in an office, you would. But you dreamed of a lot of things. You didn’t quite realize how close you were until you looked up and found yourself face to face with him. His gentle smile and soft eyes made you look away quickly, not wanting him to think you were staring. Although you totally were. “Anyways, what brings you back here?”

The door opened again, and in walked Sarah and Bucky Barnes, the two chatting away with bright smiles on their faces. You hadn’t seen Sarah quite that energetic in a long time; being a single mom and keeping the family business afloat definitely wasn’t easy. Even with your help in taking care of the boys after the Snap, you knew Sarah had a lot to shoulder.

“Who’s this, Sam? Your new partner?” you asked, walking up to introduce yourself. Meanwhile, Sarah busied herself with getting AJ and Cass to calm down and start on their homework.

“More like coworkers,” Bucky said, shaking your hand. “We figured that since there’s not much going on right now, we might as well lay low. This is a very nice house, by the way.”

Smiling, you replied, “It is. Well, this is Sarah’s house, so I guess you should be telling her that. I’m just helping out however I can.”

“I know, she told me about you on the way here,” he said, his voice soft like velvet. “All good things, I promise. Though it didn’t take me long to realize how great you are.”

Well, that caught you off guard. You couldn’t help but smile shyly and wave him off. “Oh. That’s very nice of you-”

“Hey Buck, why don’t you get settled in? We’ve still got some work to do on the boat.” Sam interjected, coming up behind you. Resting his hands on your arms protectively, he continued, “You can set your bag down in the living room, and we can figure something out for the night.”

---

A couple days later, everyone was sitting around the dinner table, chatting over plates of peach cobbler. The chunks of golden fruit glistened with sugar and cinnamon, half-buried in buttery crumble and melting vanilla ice cream. You’d made it after work, driving from your apartment to make it with the Wilsons and Bucky. Sure, you could’ve made it at home and brought it over, but there was something special about a freshly-baked cobbler that was still bubbling from the oven.

“-And then Sam came over and took over peeling and cutting the peaches,” you began. “So-”

“And so, everyone made it through the prep with all their fingers intact,” Sam finished, laughing at your pout. Mimicking the way you held the paring knife, he explained, “The way she was holding the knife was terrifying! My blood pressure shot up just by watching her.”

He’d gently pried the knife out of your hands, insisting that he knew what he was doing. You’d rolled your eyes but obliged so you could focus on making the crumble. No matter how long you knew each other or how many times you proved yourself, he always had to butt in. It must’ve been an older brother thing, much to your dismay. As great of a brother you knew he was, you didn’t want to be his little sister. You wanted something more than that.

“Oh no, you sit back down,” Sam started, making you pause your cleanup. He went around and stacked up the empty plates, shaking his head fondly. You tried not to look too lovestruck as his arm brushed against yours, the touch gentle and warm. “Bucky and I will take care of the dishes. You girls just relax, ok?”

You watched them go, your gaze lingering on Sam’s broad shoulders. That was one thing that made you fall in love with him; whenever he was around, you felt safe and cared for. His hugs were a luxury, and his kindness a rarity in today’s society. Maybe he thought you would get married, but you wondered why he hadn’t found the one. He’d looked so handsome at Sarah’s wedding, you could just picture him standing at the altar someday.

“I saw that look.”

You blinked. “Look? What look?”

Sarah smirked and rested her head on her hand. “You can’t fool me. I saw you making those googly eyes at my brother.” When you sank into your seat in embarrassment, she laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m not mad. Actually...I’m excited to see where this goes.”

“Nothing’s going anywhere,” you said, rolling your eyes. It didn’t matter that you had feelings for Sam. After all, you were his sister’s best friend. If anything were to happen between the two of you, it could affect their relationship. You couldn’t do that to them, not after everything they’d been through.

It was hard enough to see him knowing that you were such a big part of Sarah’s life. Telling him would put that all at risk. What would Sarah tell the kids if you couldn’t ever come back?

“There’s always a chance,” she reasoned, keeping her voice low to make sure no one else could hear. “Besides, something tells me he wouldn’t say no. And I’m sure the kids would love to have you be their official aunt.”

You smiled, trying not to give into the glimmer of hope. “I guess we’ll just have to see what happens, then.”

Meanwhile, Sam and Bucky were huddled around the sink and covered in droplets of soapy water.

“You are an actual child,” Sam chuckled, flinching as Bucky flicked some suds at him.

“Not as childish as you for not telling her that you’re in love with her,” Bucky jabbed, rinsing a plate under the water before handing it to Sam for drying. “How long have you been at it, birdy?”

Sam sighed and shook his head amusedly. “You really want to go there?”

“I’m just saying, it’s kind of hypocritical that you can flirt with your sister’s best friend but I can’t flirt with Sarah,” Bucky said, giving him a knowing look.

“You do realize flirting with your coworker’s sister is worse, right?” Sam rebutted, putting the dried dishes away. “If you hurt her-”

“You’re changing the subject, Sam,” Bucky interrupted, letting the water rinse away the soap residue before shutting it off. Crossing his arms, he said, “You haven’t answered the question.”

Unable to look him in the eyes, Sam sighed and said quietly, “18 years.”

Bucky’s brows shot up. A mischievous grin appeared on his face, “Almost two decades. You’ve got it bad, huh?”

Bracing his arms on the counter, Sam smiled to himself. “We met shortly after I joined the military. We only got to know each other a little before I had to go again, but...she was something more to come home to, you know?”

“Wow, you talk like she’s your wife,” he teased, recalling the way Sam had held you. “Do you plan on ever telling her?”

“And risk making things awkward for my sister if she doesn’t feel the same way?” Sam shook his head. “I can’t do that.”

“Well, how do you know she doesn’t like you back? She looks at you a lot, always gets that cute little smile whenever you talk-”

“Wait, cute?”

Bucky held his hands up. “I’m just making an observation.” He smirked. “One that seems to get you a little jealous, am I right?”

“No-”

“You’re lying, I can tell by your body language” he cut off, smiling softly. Gesturing towards where you and Sarah were sitting, he said, “Let me just say this: if you don’t ever tell her, one day you’re going to feel much more jealous when you’re sitting in the audience of her wedding.”

---

“Hey Sam?”

The man jogged down the stairs. “You called?” He reeled back as you turned around with a forkful of funfetti cake, narrowly missing his face. “What’s this?”

You looked startled at how close he was, still holding the fork up. “Oh, I was just wondering if you’d taste this and tell me if it’s sweet enough.”

He chuckled softly and leaned in. “Of course, honey.”

Warmth spread through your body at the pet name. His lips closed around the fork just as Sarah walked in, drawing your attention away from the man in front of you.

At first, you were confused as to why she was grinning like a cheshire cat, but then you realized something: you were feeding Sam.

Your bodies were nearly pressed against each other, your free hand resting on his bicep as you fed him the cake. You became keenly aware of how close your faces were, and how at some point he’d rested his hands on your waist. Part of you wanted to savor this moment because it wasn’t likely to happen again. Another part of you wanted to run away and hide for doing something so ridiculous.

Sam turned his head and froze. Heat rushed up his face as his sister shot him a knowing look.

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[vidavalor]

Bucky flirting with Sam as part of the changing times theme in Ep 5...

This is on the long side. Contains brief mention of the show basically canonizing Bucky as a sexual assault survivor. It’s meta on Bucky and Sam’s identity themes and how the show is shifting into a theme of changing times with the latest episodes-- mostly about how Bucky’s journey is paralleling Sam’s, even while being a different kind of journey.

One of the more interesting subtle themes of Ep 5 is that while we have had a lot of emphasis in the earlier episodes on how much horror still exists in America-- and a very right, necessary emphasis-- as the show begins to pivot towards the part of Sam’s journey that involves him deciding to become Captain America, they are pivoting a bit to illustrate that as much as many things have, unfortunately, not changed the way they should have over time, a lot really has. (Also, the Sam-as-Captain-America thing isn’t meant to be a spoiler as I don’t really totally know if that’s the ending, it just seems um... really the only place this story is going...) They have been using Isaiah to illustrate this point for Sam quite a bit in Ep 5, especially. The core conflict comes from Isaiah believing that a self-respecting Black man wouldn’t want to fight for America after the horrors that have been done to Black people in its history, which is not something that Sam ultimately feels is true. He definitely feels the pain of Black history in America but he still believes *in* America and views it as his country and is accepting that everyone in it really has a role to play in making it live up to the ideals it espouses but has still yet to achieve. In deciding to appreciate Isaiah choosing to open up to him and share his story but respectfully disagree with him on what to do next-- and to have his ability to make this choice reinforced by Sarah supporting him by saying she knows he will choose to fight in the fights he believes in and she has his back-- Sam is choosing to become a symbol of something, even if he’s just a man, and he’s affirming to himself that it is okay for him to believe in this thing he believes in. It’s okay for him to believe in America and love America and what it stands for, even in all its extremely imperfect glory, because he can be the change he wants to see in the world. He knows there are many people who will support him in that and that it only happens if we make it happen and that America, in all its imperfection, has made a lot of positive change happen throughout its short history. 

You know who else is enjoying similar truths in the same episode? Bucky. 

Bucky arrives in Delacroix all “Hello, 21st Century! I’ve always wanted to flirt with a man in public! I will be over here, lifting heavy stuff and getting in the personal space of your next Captain America, Good People of Delacroix, Louisiana!” What’s so endearing about this is not even just that this is clearly the first time that Bucky has felt like he has some control over his own mind, after proving he can manage The Winter Soldier in him a bit in the last few episodes, but that he’s working towards this kind of peace in a time where he really no longer has to hide any part of himself. Long before The Winter Soldier, Bucky was so the guy with a girl on each arm and a guy in the dark of the back alley. He has never, in his entire century-plus of living, been able to really be who he is without fear. It’s not as if there is not any fear left for LGBTQIA people in the world because, sadly, of course there is but loving Sam would have gotten Bucky arrested twice over in the 1940s. Interracial marriage was illegal until the Loving Act of 1967-- and that was still just for heterosexual couples. Obviously, same-sex marriage wasn’t legalized in the U.S. until 2015. If Bucky had been caught with a man in his youth, let alone a Black man, they both would have been arrested. Even if they were let go (and Bucky would have been more likely to suffer less, on account of being white), their reputations and ability to work and serve in the military could have been impacted. 

The show toys with this with Bucky’s interest in exploring it, even through the haze of a lot of severe trauma, back in Episode 1. While he’s mainly eating at the sushi bar because he’s befriended Yori on account of his amends project, he is living in a very modern existence by regularly conversing with these two. Consider that the show chose to make both of them Japanese, basically to illustrate that Bucky, in a sense, was always progressive for his time period. Bucky *could* have been the kind of WW2 soldier who forever saw people of the countries the Allies fought against as an enemy-- your grandfathers and great-grandfathers who never stopped hating the Japanese. But he’s not. He actually comes off as someone whose inability to fit the mode of the heterosexual white American guy in his own time period lent him a lot of empathy towards others and I might be wrong about this because I can’t quite recall at the moment but wasn’t he drafted, as opposed to enlisted? It’s doubtful he even really wanted to fight, although he’s always up for a fight against a bully and clearly hated the Nazis (but wanting to fight fascism makes you far from intolerant.) My point is that Bucky, back in Ep 1, is already experimenting with how living in the 21st century could be a positive thing for him in a life he might want to make for himself, if he can get through his trauma enough to do so.

He eats lunch on the regular with a man who is, in all likelihood, descended somewhere from at least one person who fought on the enemy side to Bucky in WW2. He regularly chats with Leah, who is completely unlike anyone he would have been able to talk to in the 1940s and seems almost designed to be *exactly* that intentionally-- she is a woman with a job that wasn’t like a nurse or a teacher or Peggy Carter lol. She tends bar, a job that was virtually exclusively male in the ‘40s. She has open visible tattoos and is probably putting herself through college-- something that women were just being able to attend, usually in female-only settings. She makes her own money and lives as a single woman, likely without the express intention on getting married and having a family relatively soon. (There’s nothing wrong with any of that. It’s more just that it would have been the exception, rather than the norm, in Bucky’s youth.) Atop that, she is Asian and works in a Japanese restaurant-- the ultimate business that would have suffered during the ‘40s as America didn’t exactly do right by its Japanese-Americans during the war and if Bucky, a white soldier, had been seen with a Japanese girl, it would have been bad for him but worse for her. 

So the reason why Yori has noticed that Bucky always looks at Leah when they eat lunch is probably less about the attraction Yori assumed Bucky had for her and more that Leah is this personal fascination for Bucky-- a human being who is basically the total embodiment of everything that has changed in the world since Bucky was last freely a part of it. Yori assumes Bucky wants a date but Bucky really wants what he ultimately got out of it, which is more just to talk to her a bit. 

They also play Battleship, which is kind of darkly funny. The game originated after WW1 and used to be played on paper. It soared into popularity in the 1930s and has never stopped being popular ever since-- so, in essence, the game they play is the one part of this that, like Bucky, has been in existence the whole time. It has taken on different forms, though. It became a plastic board game in the ‘60s and has been modernized a few times but it’s still here. (It’s also funny that Bucky is kind of losing the game with her, symbolizing that he’s not entirely figured out this whole modern world yet, even if he’s very interested by it.)

But the big thing is that Bucky is beginning to edge away from just observing this new world and trying to decide how he wants to participate in it. He’s basically decided that he might like to and while his heart is completely with Sam, he’s also afraid of himself and his ability to potentially destroy that one really strong wish he has to be with him, so he’s pushing him away by not answering his texts. He’s likely also, atop insecurity in himself, literally terrified at the idea of hurting Sam not just physically-- through some nightmare or some untapped Winter Soldier potential or failing to protect him-- but through the fact that he’s a guy from the 1940s who has literally never openly dated a man, had Black friends during the war but that was decades ago and is not really sure how to do this. 

Forced into a date with Leah, he experiments with the modern world in a way because he’s here because sure, he likes her and all but he was more just interested in her world than her personally and he just didn’t want to disappoint either her or Yori, so he showed up. She seems fairly trustworthy (and he trusts no one but Sam and Yori, so that’s a start) but what he wants really is to say aloud to someone for the first time that he likes men. To see how that goes in this modern era. (Depending on how you take Bucky and Steve, he could have put this into words to Steve at one point, likely way back when, but it’s also possible that they both just knew and didn’t talk about it. Either way, you didn’t go around telling people you didn’t trust in the ‘40s and it’s doubtful that he’s ever just said it to anyone and for sure not on a regular basis.) 

He even knows that this wouldn’t be a deal breaker for a woman, necessarily, in the modern era, which is probably blowing his mind a bit because you would have been hard-pressed to find a woman who would admit to someone she didn’t implicitly trust that back in the ‘40s and it wouldn’t have been so open and accepted. What he really wants in Leah is a new friend and she seems to sense that-- she likes this weird guy with the circulation problem that is nice enough to lunch with the old man at her restaurant, he seems okay enough, if broody and sad, so why not talk to him for a bit? She totally thinks he’s just a closet case (she’s not wrong lol) and won’t really be crushed by him rushing out of the date beyond like “too bad, he was pretty hot” but for Bucky, this is the likely the first time he’s ever casually chatted with another human being about his attempt at finding a guy he likes. 

It’s actually really sweet in that he’s still sort of coding it a bit, if not that much. He’s still a bit nervous about this so he’s saying tiger pictures to reference men so he can say it without saying it. Leah gets it and just kind of rolls with it and probably has zero idea how big a deal it was for the century-old guy sitting at the bar. 

He might have been intentionally dramatic a bit about how it was all “a lot” but he was also telling her the truth-- he did a little exploring online. Found some men. It looked like a lot of work to stroke all these egos. Bucky’s for the modern world but he’s kind of into more old-fashioned guys. He’s got a warm-hearted soldier kink. Family man kind of guys with generous spirits. He’s considering online stuff because he’s also a guy who has been through an absurd amount of trauma-- some of which the show will just come out and say involves sexual assault, off that Selby scene-- and he’s probably considering trying to get beyond some of it by just having sex with somebody. It’s not at all an uncommon response for people who have been raped to try to get beyond it by just having sex again and you know this is yet another level of anxiety for him when it comes to the idea of having another chance at life. He’s nervous around himself at this point and doesn’t fully trust himself, so he’s not sure how he can trust other people and the one guy he *does* trust and *does* want? Bucky has that whole ‘don’t want to burden him with my own issues’ thing happening. (That’s not a bad thing when it’s a situation of expecting your partner to be your therapist, which shouldn’t happen but Bucky would and should have expectations that someone he’d have as a romantic partner can be someone he can trust to care about him and be sensitive to how his past plays into his present needs, in and out of bed.) He’d trust Sam with this but he also wants to be like... he basically feels like he met the potential love of his life while trying to kill him and just got his mind back and the timing is all wrong. It’s a lot of ‘too broken for Sam’ self-narrative. 

Whether or not Bucky actually went beyond scrolling and being astounded at the unattractive insecurity of tiger pictures or whether he hooked up a time or two, it’s clear he didn’t get what he needed out of it and he gave up on it, admitting to himself that he’s really basically a tired old romantic who wants love and trust and the whole dance of things and that kind of intimacy more than the back alley casualness of online dating. This is about as far as Bucky has gotten while trying to deal with his trauma while having a truly terrible therapist: he likes sushi now and would like to have his life’s first real chance at an open, mutual, loving, romantic relationship. He just didn’t know how to get himself there. 

John Walker and the shield issues actually, ironically, gave him scenarios where he could, through actions that suited him better than those his therapist had assigned. He needed to learn not to not hurt anyone but how to manage it when he did. He needed to learn how to be a soldier that protects people again, not the Winter Soldier, and that he can control that part of himself. He needed the opportunity to show Sam that he really does care, he’s just a grieving mess of a man working through being so out of time and secretly scared that he might like this time better, might have a chance at being who he is for the first time, and he doesn’t know quite what to do with that. He lets Sam in enough that they can show one another that they understand each other’s traumas. He tosses himself out of a plane for Sam in the first episode to prove he’ll follow him anywhere, that he’s strong and will survive and come back, knowing about Riley not being alive when he hit that ground. Sam responds by seeing Bucky essentially frozen in a PTSD moment of the train car on the side of that truck and grabs him out of danger. They snark and bicker but the actions speak louder than the words-- there’s caring there and want and a sense that they’re a bit gone on the other. 

Sam’s trust in Bucky-- even as Bucky is still learning how to trust himself with himself-- gives Bucky a confidence boost that he was missing when he pulled away from Sam out of fear of hurting him. The whole White Panther/White Wolf scene? Sam expected Bucky to grumble or blush, he was for sure flirting with him but didn’t expect quite that amount of flirt back. Without realizing it, he had hit on the exact part of Bucky’s identity that was giving him the biggest boost, that he understood the best at that time-- the White Wolf. The White Wolf is the freed Winter Soldier, a peaceful tender of goats, a wounded warrior beloved by a community who rescued him. He represents Bucky’s recent past into his present-- being able to work for the chance to shake loose the Winter Soldier and evolve into a different version of himself. He wanted to impress Sam with that-- he saw Sam’s flirting and parried back, which he didn’t always do, because he knew it would be impressive that the Wakandans had given him a (pretty sexy actually) nickname. He’s boosted by Sam still flirting, Sam still caring, still seeing something in him he’s working on seeing himself. He has some hope, even as they fight, because his attempts at getting closer to Sam are not being rejected wholesale and Sam keeps reaching out to him, often literally. After Madripoor and after Bucky going after and finding Zemo, he feels more ready. He’s more in control of himself. He thinks he has a path to getting beyond the worst of this stuff and he might not have worked out all the details yet or figured out what it looks like but he finally feels ready to try and since Sam hasn’t rejected him, he’s going to take Yori’s advice, just with the right person and stop waiting around, stop just looking and make a move. 

In a way, Sam is introduced to 1940s Bucky for the first time in Delacroix-- this is the guy he saw glimpses of but was pretty deeply buried. He’s not reverted back to the Bucky of old as how could he, after all he’s been through? But this is the flirt, the natural charmer and he’s been set free for real for the first time, without worry or fear that he can’t live a life he wants and be the person he truly is without fear of rejection of who he loves, his family and the community at large. He likes this place that is the exact opposite of everything he’s suffered-- it’s so warm, he’ll never feel frozen again, physically or emotionally. The people here don’t care about his arm or who he loves, Sam’s family has Sam’s big, warm heart and Sam? Well, Bucky’s enjoying making him a little flustered. You like that stealthy White Wolf, Sam? Well, he’s got his eyes on you. ;)

Maybe the best part of this being the parallel to Sam’s decisions about how he wants to identify when it comes to him deciding to take up the shield is that it relates to a sense of freedom that is at the core of both of Sam and Bucky’s stories and is the whole point of Captain America and how it is supposed to symbolize a fight against fascism. Bucky has been told twice in the series that he’s “free” and each were, in a sense, a bit true. Ayo tells him this when he’s free from mind control and that is a major move forward for him-- life-altering-- but he’s not free from the trauma of it. Dr. Raynor tells Bucky that he’s free now and can build whatever life he wants but we see on Bucky’s face how those statements for him, in those early episodes in New York, really are conflicting ones-- he is free from mind control but still imprisoned in his trauma and that is what is keeping him from making the life he wants. Over the course of TFATWS, alongside Sam’s journey to decide how he wants to feel about America as a Black man and what he feels he owes to the country and the country owes to him, is the story of Bucky having to build his own identity as well. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is ultimately what these guys were-- the identities they still have at the beginning of the show. They’re going to end it Sam and Bucky, Captain America and the White Wolf. Bucky’s real sense of freedom only came when he realized he could trust himself to decide how he wanted to live, when he proved that to himself and took control over it. He’s still not completely fine-- no one really is, ever-- but he has a path now. Sam and Bucky have different identity conflicts but ultimately, at the core, their struggles with them and with what their country has asked of them and with how they want to live and what they want for themselves, is very similar and the core of a lot of why they understand one another well. 

It wouldn’t surprise me if we find out that Bucky stopped answering Sam’s texts when Sam suggested he come to Delacroix. Bucky knew about the boat when he got there, the same way that Sam knew about Bucky’s nightmares, so these two were talking a lot, they were friends on a verge of more but both knowing they each had too many struggles to overcome first and I think that Sam had to have been trying to reach out and accidentally went too far. It’s kind of like in the therapy session-- most of the time, Sam is amazing at dealing with people who have been through trauma but he sometimes falls off his game with Bucky. The whole “this is what you wanted, right?” in the therapy session is frustration, it’s pushing a little too hard, it’s snarking over feeling like Bucky rejected him romantically, even if Sam understands why and probably wasn’t convinced they were ready for it anyway. It’s possible that Sam thought inviting Bucky home with him would be good for him-- and the sun and the Wilsons would have been-- but, at the time, it just made Bucky panic, which is then also why Sam just rolls over the fact that Bucky hadn’t been returning his texts when they see one another again. Sam kept reaching out to check on him but accepted the non-response because he felt like he might have kind of pushed Bucky too fast. They both know they both have feelings for one another but are scared by how much the other has to get through to get to that point and feel ill-equipped to really help one another, often blunder in their attempts to (and other times, get it just right.) 

So, yeah. There’s still no shortage of conflicts to be dealt with but alongside Sam finding his path to living his truth in this modern world has been Bucky’s arc from daring to whisper about tiger photos to showing up to show off his prowess with heavy stuff and tools to win over his boyfriend in front of his family and hometown. It’s not subtext. It’s literally Bucky’s identity-themed character arc, existing in parallel to Sam’s. Just because they aren’t giving it a ton of labels does not mean that it isn’t the intent of the story. 

[potrix-the-queerschlaeger]

kickstart my heart

The sequel to boys boys boys that has been requested. You were right, peeps, we definitely needed some Sam/Bucky fluff. So, here you go.

This can also be found over on AO3.

*

1

Sam’s so absorbed in his text conversation with Sharon—there’s always some crazy shit going down in Madripoor—that it takes him a while to notice that Bucky hasn’t returned with their refills yet.

The coffee shop isn’t busy, so he quickly spots Bucky by the register, and has to snort when he realises what’s going on. Bucky’s got a hip propped against the counter, casual and loose, and is smiling sweetly at the barista, dimples out in full force. Sam’s too far away to hear what’s being said, but the barista’s cheeks are flushed, and as Sam watches, his hand slowly, carefully moves closer to Bucky’s until their pinkies just barely touch.

It still catches Sam by surprise, sometimes, to see Bucky like this, confident and at peace with himself. Laughing freely at whatever the barista is saying, eyes crinkled at the corners, and smile flirty when he answers back with something that has the barista duck his head, giggling shyly.

Bucky’s always been gorgeous, Sam will freely admit that to anyone but the man in question, but Bucky content and happy is something else entirely.

“Do not ruin this place for us,” Sam warns, just loud enough that he knows Bucky’s enhanced hearing will pick it up, “they have the best carrot cake in the city, man.”

Bucky never looks away from the barista, but he does flip Sam off behind his back, so he definitely caught it.

(Watch out for the break!)

Chuckling to himself, Sam picks his phone up again. Sarah’s sent a series of adorable pictures of Cass and AJ, and Sam is gushing over them like the loving uncle he is when a steaming cup is set down by his elbow. He looks up as Bucky drops into the chair across the table, eyes immediately zeroing in on the plate in his hand.

“Special delivery,” Bucky teases with a quiet laugh, and pushes the giant piece of carrot cake towards Sam. “You’re welcome.”

Sam’s heart flutters traitorously.

2

“I am a trained medical professional, Sergeant Barnes, I can assure you that I know what I’m doing.”

Bucky doesn’t stop glowering at the doctor, looming over her back as she finishes up with the stitches on Sam’s forehead. Sam hisses when she ties off the last one, and Bucky breathes out something that sounds suspiciously like a growl.

The doctor doesn’t seem fazed. Sam shoots her an apologetic smile anyway.

His wrist is badly sprained, she tells him while she puts it in a brace, and he’s bruised pretty much all over, but there are no more serious injuries to worry about. As soon as he’s cleared to leave, Bucky’s right there with an arm around his waist, snatching the bottle of painkillers the doctor holds out with a glare.

Sam can see the doctor trying very hard not to roll her eyes.

He nods off on the drive home, head on Bucky’s shoulder, and barely wakes up enough to stagger up to his apartment with Bucky’s guiding hands on his shoulders. He’s deposited on his bed, dozing lightly until Bucky returns a few minutes later with a glass of water, and helps him sit up enough to swallow one of the painkillers.

The last thing he hears before he falls asleep again is Bucky tugging and cursing at the laces of his boots.

It’s dark out when Sam wakes up again, tangled in sweat-soaked sheets, and panting wildly. His hand is trembling when he rubs it over his wet eyes, and he has to clench his teeth against the sob he can feel bubbling up his throat.

He startles when his bedroom door creaks open, and watches in sleepy confusion as Bucky makes his way across the room towards the bed. Bucky is warm and solid when he reaches out for Sam, hands gentle as he pulls Sam close, and Sam is too exhausted to question anything, just lets himself be tucked against Bucky’s side, head on his chest.

Bucky tugs the sheets up and over them without a word.

Sam breathes out shakily, fingers curling into Bucky’s shirt, and closes his eyes again.

3

Joaquín’s face as he walks out of the plane is very telling.

“So, the good news is,” he starts, grease-streaked hands on his hips, “I can fix the engine. Well. I think I can. Probably.”

Sam and Bucky exchange a sceptical look.

“Rude,” Joaquín sniffs.

Sam quirks a brow at him. “I’m assuming there’s some bad news, too?”

“There’s always bad news,” Bucky mutters, which is, more often than not, true.

He shrugs off his combat jacket, and Sam gets momentarily distracted by the way his damp undershirt clings to his abs. Joaquín clears his throat, mouth pursed in amusement when Sam turns back to him.

Sam narrows his eyes at him. Joaquín just grins back.

“Well?” Bucky demands.

“Oh, yeah. Uh, so,” Joaquín grimaces, “I don’t actually have the parts I need—”

Sam and Bucky groan in unison.

“—but! But I managed to get through to HQ, and they’ll airdrop everything I need.” He pauses, looking shifty, before he adds, much quieter, “In about eight hours.”

“What the fuck,” Bucky hisses, at the same time as Sam yells, “Eight hours?”

Joaquín spreads his arms wide, gesturing around them. “Well, I mean. We are in the middle of the jungle, you know?”

Which, unfortunately, is also true.

With not much else to do but wait, they decide to set out and explore the area around the crash site. The plane is stocked with emergency rations that will last them for a while, but they’re low on water, and in this heat, that could become a problem pretty soon.

The universe, mercifully, decides to give them a break, and they find a small lake after only about half an hour of searching. Sam whistles appreciatively, and Joaquín actually pumps his fist, whooping, “Nice!”

Bucky doesn’t say anything, but immediately starts kicking off his boots.

“Uh,” Joaquín says, unsure, peering into the seemingly calm lake. “Do you think that’s a good idea? We don’t know what lives in there.”

Bucky only snorts at that. “I think I can handle an alligator,” he declares, pulls off his shirt, and, with a wink in Sam’s direction, dives headfirst into the water.

“So.” Joaquín eyes Sam with a mischievous little smirk on his face. “What’s going on here? Anything you wanna tell me?”

“That you’re way too nosy,” Sam shoots back, but has to smile when Joaquín just laughs, and nudges their shoulders together.

“You seem happier, though, lately,” Joaquín goes on. “Both of you. So, you know. Good for you, yeah?”

Bucky choses that moment to resurface, wet chest glistening in the sun. Sam can’t help but stare, just for a moment, as Bucky stretches his arms over his head with a happy little sigh.

Next to him, Joaquín starts cackling.

Sam decides to push him in the lake.

He’s pretty sure Bucky will save him if there really are any alligators.

+1

Sam is picking up cups and paper plates around the yard as the party winds down, absently humming along to the music that’s still playing softly from inside the house. The sun has set a while ago, but it’s summer and still pleasantly warm outside, and the faint glow from the porch lights is just enough to see where he’s going.

It’s quiet and peaceful, and Sam smiles to himself as he ties off the trash bag.

Last year, on the 4th of July, he’d stood in front of hundreds of people, talking about Steve’s biggest achievements and sacrifices as if his loss hadn’t still been fresh for him, too. As if he hadn’t been grieving for a friend, instead of an international icon and hero.

This year is different, though. Today has been good. Very good.

Sam had, politely but firmly, denied to speak at any memorial services or ceremonies, had announced that he would be incommunicado for the week, and had packed up his shit to spend the holiday with his family in Louisiana.

His wings are stowed away, his phone is off, and he won’t have to talk to anyone from work for at least another few days.

Well. Almost no one.

Bucky’s just vanishing around the corner upstairs when Sam steps into the house, Cass in one arm and AJ in the other. They’re definitely getting too big to be carried around like this, something Sam’s back reminds him of whenever he does it these days, but something about seeing Bucky do it has Sam feel warm all over.

He can hear one of the boys murmur sleepily, and then Bucky say something that has both of them giggling tiredly.

Sam breathes out shakily.

It’s no wonder Sarah’s been making fun of him ever since he arrived with his unannounced guest in tow.

“Hey.”

When Sam glances up, Bucky’s standing on the stairs, only a few steps up, watching him with his head tilted curiously. “The boys want you to go say goodnight to them.”

Sam nods, absently licking his bottom lip. Bucky’s eyes track the movement.

“Buck,” Sam whispers, and when he holds out a hand, Bucky takes it without hesitation, letting himself be pulled close. “Can I—”

Bucky’s, “Yeah,” is pressed against Sam’s mouth, his lips soft and warm. Sam kisses back for a moment, before resting their foreheads together with a shuddering sigh.

“Wait up for me?”

Bucky nods, pecking him on the cheek. “Okay.”

He squeezes Sam’s hand, lingering, then lets go to join everyone else in the living room. He says something, too low for Sam to make out, but it makes Sarah laugh, loud and excited, and Bucky chuckle deeply in response.

Just a regular, normal holiday weekend with his family, Sam thinks as he moves up the stairs, absently touching his cheek.

All of his family.

[keanureevesisbae]

eunoia - prologue

Summary: Sam is trying to adjust to a life post-Steve Rogers.

Sam Wilson x Quinn (Asian ofc)

Warnings: Some spoilers for Civil War, Inifinity War, Endgame and TFATWS

Wordcount: 2.2k

A/N: Did I just abandon my other wips to work on this one? Maybe. This story follows around 50% of TFATWS storyline, but it’s not identical. I honestly don’t know whether or not people are gonna like it, but if you do, please let me know 🥺Our boy Sam deserves all the fics 🥰

Masterlist // eunoia masterlist // 

Not a day goes by that Sam doesn’t think about Quinn. It was at the Joint Terrorist Centre’s headquarters in Berlin when he first saw her on security camera’s. While Bucky was being interviewed, a different set of cameras showed another interrogation room. It was nearly identical to Bucky’s room, though the difference was that there a woman was strapped in a similar containment cell. They had found her earlier that day and according to some intel she was part of another Hydra program, though there was not much known about her yet.

With the reactivated Winter Soldier Program, Sam tried to capture Zemo, before the fugitive disappeared into the crowd. Together with Steve, they took Bucky into an abandoned building. While Bucky slowly regained consciousness and both Steve and Sam being distracted, no one noticed someone sneaking up behind them.

In a twinkling of an eye, both Steve and Sam were tied up with one rope, despite the two of them being on opposite sides of the room. With a certain focus, the petite woman marched up to Bucky, ready to do whatever was her task. As her fingers wrapped around his neck, tips digging in his neck, Bucky seemed to recognize her. A soft ‘hey’ from the Winter Soldier was enough to snap her out of it.

The rope stopped cutting into Sam’s skin, as the woman looked around her. She dropped the rope and she ran her hands through her long black locks. There was something about her that intrigued him. Her eyes darted from one side to the other, before they landed on him.

Sam didn’t know her that long, but he could see that there were a lot of undisclosed feelings. She was confused, maybe even a bit scared.

She introduced herself as Quinn, though adding the fact that she had no idea what her  real name was and Quinn seemed fitting.

Just like Bucky, Quinn was also a target of Zero’s spree. She remembers Zemo breaking her out of the secret and deserted Hydra facility back in Munich, where she was put into cryogenic stasis. Zemo released her into the world, only for her to be caught within a few hours. She had no idea if that was Zemo’s intention, her getting caught that soon.

‘Just a few hours ago,’ Quinn explained, ‘there was this guy with black hair, questionable facial hair, who told me to catch a guy. It was a picture of you.’ She gestured towards Bucky, who tilted his head as his gaze softened.

‘You remember me?’ Bucky asked her.

She shrugs. ‘I don’t know,’ she whimpers. ‘I didn’t when he showed me the picture, but… There is something I sort of remember of you. You walked into the room, dressed in all black, looking visibly exhausted. You were in this other cell and looked at me and told me that it was all gonna be okay.’ Quinn let out a soft—yet meaningless—chuckle. ‘That’s not quite working out.’

Without any more painful questions, Steve suggested she came along and Sam and her actually fought alongside the rest on the airport, making sure Bucky and Steve were on that flight and just like the rest who stayed behind, they were imprisoned in the Raft.

Sam watched her, day in, day out. She was yet again strapped inside a containment cell within her cell, another counter measurement to make sure she was unable to escape. Sam saw how she kicked an entire van to the side on the airport, without breaking a sweat. It made him question whether or not she was just cooperating or if the restraints were really working.

Her petite frame was perfect for her to blend in the crowd, in contrast to Bucky, however strength wise, they were around the same level.

Speed wise, it was Quinn who had the upper hand there.

She simply sat in the cell, staring ahead of her. Sam wondered what happened inside her head, but when they made eye contact, all he could see was sadness and hopelessness.

At night, when the lights were dim and everyone was asleep, he told her that it was all gonna be okay.

‘How do you know?’

‘I just do,’ he said.

For the first time, she smiled at him. ‘And I just have to trust you on that one?’

‘It’s the wisest thing to do. Besides, what have you got to lose?’

After Steve freed them from the Raft, he did not know what to expect from her. Deep down, Sam kinda hoped she would join him. On the airport, it was obvious how well they worked together, but just like Clint, Scott and Wanda, she decided to live her own life.

And just like that, she disappeared.

Sam never thought he’d see her again, but when they all met in the New Avengers Facility, when they learned about Thanos’ plan to capture all the Infinity Stones, she walked in as if she never left. She stayed close to either him or Steve, not once speaking up about what she did in the meantime and Sam never felt like he could ask.

When they landed in Wakanda, Quinn took him aside and asked: ‘You got my back?’

He smiled at her, realizing that his efforts in gaining her trust back at the Raft and the Facility had helped. ‘Always,’ he promised.

But he didn’t keep his promise. He didn’t have her back like he promised.

Quinn was the last person Sam saw, before he disintegrated into ashes, together with half of the world population. Her hand on his cheek, as her eyes darted from side to side, slightly confused of what was happening, but also realizing that he couldn’t have her back anymore.

While Sam was aware that she was right there on the battlefield after they were all brought back, the first time he saw her was on Tony’s funeral. After Steve told him, Banner, Bucky and Quinn he was going to return the Infinity Stones and Mjølnir—looking back on it—it was obvious she knew what Steve decided to do. Sam can still hear the words that left her lips then: ‘Are you sure you want that to be your future?’

Sam did not know what it meant then, but he sure does now. After he received the shield minutes later of a much older Steve, Quinn did what she always does: disappear.

He never knew where she went, what she was doing and while he respects her decision, he still thinks about her. Every single day. His hope of seeing her again, hasn’t faded away and sometimes it frustrates him. He barely knew her, why is he so hung up on her then?

Sam lets out a sigh, as he drives his truck over the roads to his destination. It has been a rough couple of weeks. He is working closely together with the United States Air Force and after a few missions, he made his decision whether or not to give up the shield.

Without Steve, the shield is nothing.

He desperately needs a break from all of this and there is no place like Delacroix Louisiana to wind down from the hectic of an after Blip world. He had been there two times, but both times ended abruptly as the Air Force needed him.

Now, he has the time. All the time in the world to relax and forget about an Avenger like life.

Sam parks his car on the dock and his nephews AJ and Cass are the first to notice him. ‘Uncle Sam, uncle Sam,’ they exclaim.

‘Ah, there you two are,’ he says, hugging the two boys tightly.

‘How long are you gonna stay this time?’ Cass asks.

‘Awhile,’ is the answer he is giving his nephews, but that is mostly because he wants to keep them in suspense a little.

AJ scoffs. ‘That’s not an answer.’

‘Okay, okay, gotta give you that,’ he chuckles. ‘How about: at least two weeks?’

The two boys high five each other. His sister Sarah loudly places a crate on the ground. ‘Finally,’ she says, ‘took you long enough.’

‘Nice to see you too,’ he retorts with a smile, before giving her a hug. ‘Missed you.’

‘Of course you did,’ she says. ‘We missed you too, just like almost everyone here. Almost got me thinking that you’re the favorite Wilson sibling.’

‘That’s because I am.’ He carries the crate to where Sarah wants it and he smiles when his eyes land on the family boat. ‘She sure is a beauty.’

‘A broken beauty,’ Sarah says, ‘that is costing me a fortune.’ She places her hands on her hips as she says: ‘With both the house and the boat needing some fixing up, every penny I got to spare is going to the house.’

‘Is this about you wanting to sell it again?’

‘Yes, since I’m not willing to sell a working organ on the black market in order to afford its repairs.’

‘I told you I would fix it,’ Sam says.

Sarah rolls her eyes. ‘Yeah, you told me that months ago, but the boat still isn’t working. You know the situation, Sam, the thing’s gotta go.’

‘Sarah, you’re kidding. We grew up on this thing.’

She scoffs. ‘Yeah, I know, I was there. It’s just that I cannot afford it anymore.’

Sam sure loves his sister, but there are moments where he—just like back in the days—he’d want to put her behind the wallpaper, making her shut up. It’s always this doom thinking. Everything or nothing at all, there is no in between. ‘You know I can help with this.’

‘Yeah, big help you’ve been.’

Sam clenches his jaw. ‘Well, I’m sorry I was taken away by the blip.’

‘It’s not about you being gone for the blip,’ Sarah says. ‘It’s about the fact that there is too much for me to do here. I need to keep the house, so it’s either keeping the boat or the business and since the business is my income, it’s only logical that the boat has got to go.’

Great, he has been back for a few minutes and he is already having this conversation with his sister. ‘I’ve got this, Sarah, I promise.’

She doesn’t believe him, he can see it in her eyes, but decides to drop the matter. Maybe she realizes too that this is no conversation for them to have after he got back for only a few minutes.

The two of them step back on the dock, where his nephews are stretching out their necks, almost like they are searching for something. ‘Whatcha looking at?’ Sam asks. ‘See a pretty lady?’

‘Is that,’ Cass starts, only for AJ to exclaim: ‘Auntie Quinn!’

The two boys drop their stuff and rush over the dock to the woman Sam never thought he’d see again, let alone right here. Quinn holds out her arms and despite the boys being nearly the same height as her, she still manages to catch them both as they jump in her arms. They must’ve known about her enhanced strength, Sam thinks to himself, otherwise they wouldn’t have jumped right in her arms.

But that raises another question: how could they’ve known?

‘Auntie Quinn?’ he asks Sarah.

Sarah nods. ‘Auntie Quinn,’ she confirms.

She’s gonna leave it at that? ‘Care to explain?’

‘I think it was two weeks after you were blipped away. It was chaos here, like literal chaos. People were missing, I hadn’t heard anything from you. She walked up the dock and offered her help. I thought for at least a month she was an angel send from the heavens. She told me she saw you right before you were blipped away and that she went to your place back in DC. She found out about us and decided to see how it all went down here. Thankfully she did, because I desperately needed her help. She assisted with the business, helped raising the boys.’

To say he is confused, would be an understatement. ‘She stayed here?’ he asks. ‘During the entire blip?’

‘Oh yeah,’ Sarah says, holding up her hand to Quinn. ‘I think all in all, she stayed here for four years. Sometimes she went away for a few weeks, but she always returned. Near the end, she called me and told me that Steve needed her. It’s actually the first time I’ve seen her in a while.’

Sam can’t stop looking at the big smiles and chuckles being exchanged between AJ, Cass and Quinn. She hugs his nephews tightly and even from a distance he can tell she is scolding them for growing taller.

‘I think that without her,’ Sarah continues, ‘I barely would’ve made it. She was slightly clueless though. Had issues with the simplest tasks, like cooking and day to day stuff, but she’s a fast learner.’

It shouldn’t warm his heart like it does, but Sam can’t help but smile as he realizes that Quinn went on the look out to care for his family.

‘She told me she had no memories of growing up. Poor thing,’ Sarah says, shaking her head as she as well looks at the trio. ‘She tried so hard to remember, but in all those years she spend here, no luck. I wonder if she does now.’

She doesn’t. Sam doesn’t need to ask her, because he simply knows.

Quinn still doesn’t remember her past.

[enkelimagnus]

Delacroix

Bucky Barnes Gen, 2565 words, rated T

Jewish Bucky Barnes, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Episode 5 Truth

Bucky spends a few days in Delacroix with Sam and his family. On one evening, as they both have a beer before dinner, watching the sun set, they have a conversation about life, about therapy, about work.

TW: US healthcare system and the military industrial complex, mental health

Read on AO3

Part 33 of Making a Home - the Jewish Bucky series

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

Sam’s family house is more of a home than anything Bucky’s lived in since he was deployed.

It’s warm and luminous, with big windows and light paint on the wood and the walls. There’s a poarch where they all end up sitting at the end of the day, when the sun sets over the bayou. The walls outside are blue and the roof is red. There are crayon drawings stuck with magnets to the fridge and mismatched furniture and containers. It’s been lived in, loved in.

A few days after his surprise arrival, Bucky stops feeling like a blood stain on the tapestry of life of the Wilson home.

Sarah’s nice and warm. He immediately takes a liking to her, and her to him, and he can see how much that infuriates Sam. What can he say? She’s a gorgeous woman, funny and bright and caring and her smile is honestly the kind that probably stopped a few hearts in her lifetime. Yes, she’s his sister, but he still has eyes, and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t at least show appreciation. Besides, she seems to enjoy it. He’d stop the second he’d sense uncomfort.

He hasn't gotten to flirt and be comfortable with flirting in a really long time. It seems to be the same for her. What if they’re just… enjoying the flirtation? And enjoying infuriating Sam? Bucky considers it his duty as Sam’s friend.

Delacroix is unlike anywhere he’s ever been. It’s half an island and half a town. It’s relaxing. And the food… Bucky doesn’t think he’s eaten as much seafood in his life as he had in the past week.

It’s a slow end of day in Louisiana when Bucky and Sam find themselves sitting on the plastic chairs out back, with beers, watching the surface of the water. There’s music playing in the house, the kids are doing their homework.

It’s simple. Bucky breathes in and out, unobstructed.

He hears Sam’s intake of breath and knows a hard conversation is coming from that alone. No, that’s a lie. Sam’s shifted, ten seconds ago. He’s looked between his beer and the water four times in the past minute.

“We haven’t had time to talk about Madripoor,” Sam starts and Bucky immediately tenses.

He’d almost forgotten he’d told Sam they’d talk about that later. Because still, he’s not ready to talk about it. He’s not ready to talk about that part of his past. It’s still an infected wound in him. It’s still hurting. He can’t do it. He’s about to say that when Sam holds up his hand.

“We don’t have to talk about it,” he says, surprisingly. “I don’t need to know shit if you’re not ready to tell.”

Bucky goes back to breathing. It’s a reprieve. Even if one day, Sam might expect him to be ready… it’s extra time. He’s so thankful for it.

“I’ll tell you though,” Sam keeps going. “You need a new therapist. Because if I know one thing, after everything, and what I saw in that precinct? it’s that Raynor’s not working for you. You need better. You deserve better.”

Bucky looks up at him then. Sam is looking at the water, but there is that look on his face. The look of determination, of drive, the look that Bucky knows… there’s no use in trying to go against what he is saying now.

No one has ever told him he deserved better.

He’s told himself that a few times, in the few moments where the clouds parted and he didn’t feel like the worst person in the world.

But he doesn’t think anyone has ever told him that. Even Steve. There was a couple ‘you deserved better’, but they were all in the past tense, all regarding Hydra, not Bucky’s current situation. Because his current situation is good. It’s great, compared to the past seventy years. Maybe even compared to what was there before. Because he doesn’t break his back in the factory during the day and in the docks at night anymore.

He’s so silent and shocked Sam just keeps going.

“And don’t give me bullshit about not needing help or whatever. I know your generation didn’t do therapy but that ain’t gonna fly with me. You deserve a therapist suited to your needs, and I know that’s gonna be hard to find, with your trunkload of decades of trauma, but we’ll find them.”

He says it with such determination, like it’s his new personal mission. He has much better to do than try to help Bucky more than he already has, and yet… Sam looks at him finally, for a long moment.

“Raynor’s not a bad doctor,” he says. “She’s just not the right fit. And that’s not uncommon. We just need to find you someone that’s better. And someone that’s not me. Because I can’t be your friend and your therapist, man. And out of the two, I’d much rather be your friend.”

Bucky’s still staring. He doesn’t know how to handle this. Nowhere in his databank of social interactions is there something that prepares him for this. He’s had long talks with people before, hell, even with fucking Zemo, but this is entirely different and he has no idea how to handle it.

“I’m sure you’re a great therapist,” Bucky says quietly after a moment, before he takes a big swig of a beer.

Sam chuckles, shaking his head. “You do realize I ain’t a therapist right? I’m a counselor.”

“You’ll have to give me the difference on that because we were still using alienist the last time I heard about psychoanalysis,” Bucky points out.

“There isn’t much of one. I guess I’m more about… finding practical solutions for people to deal with their trauma than really knowing the root cause of it. Probably because, since I worked with the VA, I knew what the root was.”

Bucky hums, nodding. That makes sense to him. More than the ‘how does that make you feel’s. “Either way, I’m still sure you’re a great counselor.”

“It ain’t difficult, with your experience,” Sam shrugs, watching him. “You don’t know better, old man.”

Bucky snorts at that, watching the water again. Sometimes, his eyes catch motion, but he’s never sure if it’s wildlife under the surface or just a trick of the light.

AJ and Cass seem to be debating with their mother whether they can finish their homework later, after dinner. Bucky barely knows them, but he already knows it won’t actually get done if they follow their plan. Kids are kids. Bucky’s sisters could never finish their homework after the radio show either. Too distracted, too tired.

He turns his attention back on Sam after a moment.

“Walker is in a bad shape,” Bucky says quietly. “Now, and before Hoskins died too. The second we saw him in Germany, I felt it. That guy didn’t get help.”

Sam sighs heavily. “Yeah. Not enough of them do, when they come back. You wouldn’t, if you weren’t forced to.”

Bucky can’t deny it. “Yeah, but I’m 107.”

If Sam noticed the year added to his age, he doesn’t mention it. At least for now.

“Some of it hasn’t changed that much,” Sam explains. “The army… You know that culture of toughness, right? Gotta be strong, gotta be a man. Can’t cry, can’t show you’re struggling. I’m sure they had that shit too, in your day, probably even worse.”

He’s not wrong. There were a lot of issues in his day but that was part of things. Emotional outbursts that weren’t from anger were frowned upon. Once they got to the war, it was even worse at first, until it started really getting hard. And then there were two options. Either you fucking cry with your buddies, or you end badly. Bucky had Steve, and the Howlies.

“Men like Walker… Because they’re these tough white guys, they’re encouraged to be like that. Aggressive, emotionally-closed off, fight-hungry. They’re the ones that shove you and call you a pussy for not laughing at their frankly horrible offensive jokes. It’s like they think the trauma we all face just won’t touch them. Or that they can’t show anyone it touched them. So they keep it all in. And the only way they get to be… emotional is in combat.”

Bucky nods quietly. They’re worse off than he thought.

It wasn’t good in his day either, but it just feels worse now. It churned and churned and got bigger with every spin, and now it’s all a giant fucked up stick of trauma cotton candy, all twisted in itself and sticking to itself.

“When I work for the SRT… Sometimes I see these kids,” Bucky mumbles. “They’re what? 22? And I ask them why they’re here, you know, try to pass time. And they tell me they enlisted for college. Or healthcare. And it’s…” He closes his eyes. “It’s been eighty fucking years…”

He takes a swig of the beer again, shaking his head. “When the crash hit, in the 30s, things were bad. No one could afford shit, there was polio, there was syphilis… It was really bad. And they made plans. They tried to get healthcare on the way, and they half succeeded. And more than like… two thirds of the population was for it too. And we had basically none of the resources we have now.”

He looks up at Sam for a moment. “It hurts to see… that it’s still… We’re still here. At least on that issue. On other stuff… Rights and all, that’s getting better.” He finishes. “But healthcare… and college…” He shakes his head. “It’s criminal. That’s what it is. It feels criminal.”

Sam bumps his shoulder with his fist, chuckling. “Don’t say shit like that next to journalists, they’ll say the Soviets put communism in your brain along with the murdering.”

Bucky chuckles at that. “Nah. That was all America. Living in it. Dying for it.”

Behind them, AJ and Cass have lost their battle of wits with their mother.

“You happy with what you’re doing?” Sam asks after a moment.

Bucky takes a deep breath. The answer is easy. “No,” he mutters. “But I don’t have a say in the matter. Until they decide I’ve done enough to undo the damage I perpetrated as the Soldier… I’m gonna be clearing Hydra safehouses. And after the shit I pulled with Zemo, I’m gonna be at it for a while longer, I think. But… I was expecting that.”

He can feel Sam’s eyes on him. “You knew what would happen.”

“Yep. On all accounts. With the Dora Milaje, with you, with Walker, with the U.S. government, and the GRC, and everything… Still did it.”

Sam huffs loudly. “Stubborn ass.” He shakes his head. He’s smiling, beautifully, brightly.

Bucky smiles at that. “You know it. Wouldn’t be alive without it.”

The sun is starting to set over the bayou. Every evening, Bucky finds himself thinking he’s never seen anything quite like it before.

“Whatever happens,” Sam points out after a moment, looking down at his empty beer bottle. “You got a couch here. Somewhere to crash. Somewhere to rest. I don’t know what your situation is, up north.”

Bucky sighs a little. “I got a house,” he answers, looking back at him. “A townhouse, in Brooklyn.”

Sam’s eyebrows rise up to meet the descending sun. “Well excuse us, mister.” He teases.

Bucky shakes his head. “It’s not like that,” he starts. Sam looks even less like he takes him seriously. “It’s a former Hydra safehouse,” he adds, and now his friend’s eyes get a little sadder, a little darker. “The army got tired of me taking space in their housing, so the second we raided a place within proper commute distance, they handed it over to me.”

Said like that, it sounds even worse than it actually was.

“It wasn’t like.. Full of Nazi or Hydra shit, or anything. It was just a house. They got rid of the bodies.”

The emotional journey on Sam’s face as he talks is worth a good dozen of sunrises.

“And you live there?” Sam asks. He’s struggling not to let his bewilderment and horror show, but he’s failing.

It makes sense. It sounds like an absolutely terrible situation to be in. It is an absolutely terrible situation to be in. As much as owning a townhouse in Brooklyn can be terrible.

It’s been about four months now since he signed those papers and moved his bag of things into that pretty house with the marks in the doorways and the basement he still hasn’t stepped foot in. And now that he’s been away long enough…

He guesses he kinda misses it.

He doesn’t miss the house in itself, much. He does miss… everything else though. Charlie, Miriam, the neighbor whose name he still doesn’t know, the familiar commute, the Chinese place he gets a lot of very late night food at, the proximity to his childhood streets, the way life feels there. He misses his night jogs in the relative quiet. He misses the weather, and the oven he baked kugel in for the first time.

Brooklyn has become familiar again, in all of its differences with his memories.

And he didn’t even realize it was happening.

“You should come, one of these days,” Bucky shrugs. “I have a couple guest bedrooms.”

Sam punches him lightly in the shoulder. “Fancy ass ‘couple of guest bedrooms’.” He teases and Bucky smiles. “So I’m guessing I should try and find some good therapists for you in New York then,” he adds.

Bucky shrugs lightly. “I feel like… I have some stuff tethering me there.”

Sam’s expression shifts for an instant. “Like the SRT?”

Bucky shakes his head. “Nah. Like my childhood congregation, that somehow still exists, and has a shul not too far from where I live.” He points out.

“Shul?” Sam asks.

Bucky smiles lightly when he looks up at him. A few days ago, Sam spoke of his teetee and Bucky probably made the same face Sam’s making now.

“Synagogue,” Bucky explains. “Jewish temples. Shul’s yiddish.”

Sam makes a small ‘ah’ sound and nods. For a moment, they’re silent again. The noises of the world around them aren’t threatening to overwhelm them though, they’re… comforting. A warm tapestry in the background.  

“You’re Jewish, I take it?”

“No, I’m Mormon,” Bucky replies with the straightest face he can muster before chuckling.

Sam punches him again, a little harder this time. “Come on, dude.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m Jewish.”

That’s the first time he says that out loud in… He’s never said it like that ever. This is the first time in his life that he says it that way. The first time he’s not afraid of the outcome of such an admission.

It’s a heady, wonderful feeling. He never thought he’d ever be comfortable enough to do that. Somehow, he might have Zemo to thank for that. Zemo and his fucking questioning. Not that he’s going to be asking much more questions from the Raft.

He’s Jewish. That’s a truth that doesn’t deserve to be hidden right now. Not when he can carry it. Not when he is strong enough to bear it proudly. He feels like his heart is going to burst with something he cannot name.

“Did Steve know?”

Bucky bursts out laughing.

[leylinefiction]

No More Yesterdays: Chapter 15

Three months later

New Orleans, Louisiana

Hazel leans on the wrought iron railing on the balcony of the hotel room and stares down at the busy street below. It’s late summer in New Orleans and the humidity hangs thick in the air but the temperature is starting to cool with the sun finally setting. Tourists are still wandering the darkening streets as the gas lamps start to light. It’s a new city for both her and Zemo and she is thankful they had spent a few days on their own exploring the town before their meeting with Sam, Bucky, and Jo.

She smells his cologne before his hands ghost across her bare shoulders, slide down her arms, and rest on top of her own on the railing. The last few months had been filled with tinkering and fine tuning her own suit. It is less Ironman and more flexible armor, more light-weight and easier to travel. And, of course, had lots of bells and whistles when it came to weapons. Zemo had been compiling all the information he had on HYDRA and had Friday scanning any and all frequencies for communication that could alert them to this new reawakening. The information they are gathering is disconcerting to say the least.

“Schatz?” He presses a kiss to her temple.

“Hm?”

“What are you thinking about?”

She looks at their entwined hands. Their left hands, to be exact, and she moves her fingers so her ring touches his. She can feel him smile against her neck. “You think we should tell them tonight?”

“If I’ve been reading correctly between the lines of your communications with Josephine, they may have an announcement of their own.”

Hazel has to agree with his analysis. Given their last phone call, Hazel would be shocked if Jo and Bucky didn’t make an engagement or marriage announcement considering they had bought a house together about 30 minutes out of New Orleans that was also not that far from Sam’s family home.

“Well,” she takes his right hand and places it on her stomach, “we can’t wait that long or they’re going to figure it out on their own.”

“Let’s do that,” he starts pressing kisses along the side of her neck. “I bet it’ll take them eight months to notice.”

Hazel turns around so they’re facing each other. “I bet the kid will be going into kindergarten before they realize we’re even married.”

Zemo’s hands start to wander over her sides, back, and come to rest on her hips. “Maybe they’ll realize it by the second child.”

Hazel’s eyes widen and her lust-fuzzed mind snaps back to clarity.

Good luck with the middle child.

“Schatz? What’s wrong?”

She feels like laughing and crying at the same time. “Um, just remembering something that, uh, someone told me.”

He relaxes visibly and tucks a stray curl behind her ear. “Tony?”

She had told Zemo of her conversation with Tony during the medically induced coma and surprisingly enough, Zemo didn’t think it was a dream or foolishness. Sometimes she forgets that he has his own set of ghosts that visit from time to time. “My God, what if he was right?”

“About?”

“This,” Hazel motions between them. “What if he really did see our actual future and not some off-shoot possibility?”

“Then I would say that we shouldn’t waste this time, just in case it is just a possibility.” He gives her sly smile and tugs her back into the hotel room.

Time, their forever enemy. She knows the Dora are keeping very close tabs on him and if anything goes sideways, she would lose him within 24 hours. There is no time to waste and she intends to enjoy every second she has before it runs out. “I’m going to have to get redressed, aren’t I?”

Zemo closes the french doors to the outside with one hand and pulls her against him with the other. “I’m afraid so, Schatz.”

She slips her hands under his robe, running her palms over the solid planes of his chest. “You do know I’m already knocked up?”

“I love how eloquent you Americans are about such matters.” He pulls the zipper down on the back of her dress and tugs on it until it drops to the hotel floor.

She pushes the robe off his shoulders and kisses him chastely on the lips. “Like German is an eloquent language.”

“Fine,” he kisses her deeply, with force and heat. “Je t’aime. Tes yeux, j’en rêve jour et nuit.”

Hazel draws back slightly. “You speak French?!”

He raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Oui.”

Finally, something they have in common. “Je veux être avec toi pour toujours.”

The surprise on his face is priceless, just as the realization of what she had declared. She has come to know firsthand that in his culture, declarations of love and devotion are not spoken lightly. They are just as sacred as marriage vows. “You keep speaking like that to me, Schatz, we may never make it to dinner.”

“Helm, fais-moi l’amour.”

“Oui m’dame.”

She starts to lay down on the cool cotton sheets on the bed, pulling him down on top of her but stops. “You’re going to mess up my hair too, aren’t you?”

“Oh, yes, most definitely.”

*Je t’aime. Tes yeux, j’en rêve jour et nuit. - I love you. I dream about your eyes day and night.

*Je veux être avec toi pour toujours. - I want to be with you forever.

*fais-moi l’amour - Make love to me

*Oui m’dame - Yes, ma’am

***

Sam sees Bucky and Jo enter the restaurant and by the time the hostess brings them out to the patio, he pointedly looks at his watch.

Jo leans over and hugs him. “I know, we’re late. I’m sorry.”

Bucky squeezes his shoulder. “I’m not.”

Sam fights a smile and rolls his eyes. “Sharon texted me. Said she got delayed, following a lead in Australia. She’ll be state side by the end of the week.”

“What kind of lead?” Jo asks to Sam’s surprise.

“No, no, no,” Bucky shakes his head. “You are not going-”

“James, shut up.”

“Yeah, James.” Sam grins. “One month and she has you this whipped.”

Bucky motions to the waitress. “Forget the beer I ordered, just bring me an entire bottle of Titos.”

“The rest of the,” Sam pauses because he can’t quite believe he’s about to say this, “team should be here shortly.”

Jo perks up. “Hazel’s coming?”

“Zemo’s coming?” Bucky shouts over his shoulder, “Better make it two bottles of Titos.”

“Hazel says he’s been on his best behavior,” Jo says. “She said he’s been nothing but helpful and they’ve got quite a few leads on HYDRA and what’s left of the Flag Smashers.”

Sam motions to Jo. “This is why I want her on the team, Buck. It’s helpful having an information broker with some solid investigation skills.”

“She sits on the sidelines and does research, that’s fine-”

“Excuse me,” Jo turns to him, “she is more than capable of speaking for herself. Check your 1940’s self please.”

Sam hides a laugh behind his hand. “Wow.”

“Fine,” Bucky leans over to Jo, “you learn how to handle a gun, knives, and some basic self-defense so I’m not worrying over you protecting yourself in the middle of a fight, you can be a full-fledged member of the team.”

“Done!” Jo nods with finality.

Sam watches the exchange between them, catching the little smiles and intimate eye contact that is peppered in with the sarcasm and jibes, and he can’t be happier for the both of them. The fact that they chose to move from New York City, a place that had been home to each of them, to Louisiana to be closer to him and his family humbled him to no end. Jo and Sarah had become fast friends and AJ and Cass adored “Uncle Buck.”

“Apologies for our tardiness,” Zemo greets as he and Hazel step onto the patio and take their seats at the table.  “Women and their hair.”

Hazel shoots him a warning look and Sam would rather not decipher the meaning behind that. He is relieved to see Hazel looking strong and healthy, no longer dark rings under her eyes or a paleness to her skin. With her coloring back to normal and animated due to her recovery, he can now see a stronger resemblance to Tony in her facial structure. Jo and Hazel already have their heads together, talking in half sentences.

“I’m part of the team now too,” Jo says proudly.

Bucky clears his throat. “After some training, yes.”

“I can help with that,” Zemo offers.

“No,” Bucky glares at him, “no you can’t.”

“Are you sure about this?” a new voice asks.

Sam turns around to see Joaquin Torres standing by the gate that separates the restaurant patio from the sidewalk. He gets up and opens the gate to let Torres join them. “Good to see you, man.”

Torres claps him on the shoulder. “You too. I have the wings done, by the way, so you just say the word-”

“And you’ll suit up?”

Torres’ face goes slack with shock. “Wait, I was fixing them…”

“For you.”

“Wow, that’s...what a honor.”

Sam squeezes his shoulder. “Couldn’t think of anyone better for the job. Especially since the cyborg doesn’t like heights.”

“I heard that,” Bucky retorts, but ends up nodding at Torres. “Welcome to the team.”

Sam and Torres go to sit down at the table when Jo emits an excited yell and most of the table jumps to their feet. But Jo is all smiles and tears when she hugs Hazel.

“The hell just happened?” Bucky asks.

“Apparently I lost a bet,” Zemo quips.

Jo grabs Hazel’s left hand and holds it up, showing off the gold band. “Hazel and Zemo got married!”

Hazel turns Jo’s hand to show the diamond ring off. “And Jo and Bucky got engaged!”  

Everyone breathes a sigh of relief and takes their seats. Sam looks at Hazel and Zemo. “Congratulations. Any other big news to share before Jo figures it out and scares us all again?”

They shake their heads no but when the waitress comes over to take drink orders, Jo gives Hazel a side eye when she orders a water. When it comes to Jo’s turn to order, she gets a Chesire-cat grin on her face.

“Well, in light of such big news,” she starts, “I think some champagne might be a good idea.”

Hazel fiddles with her napkin and when she waves the glass of champagne away, Jo starts grinning again.

“Yeah, sure,” Jo says sipping from her glass. “No more big news indeed.”

Hazel laughs and covers her face. “Is she always this observant?”

“Yes,” Bucky answers without hesitation.

Sam grins. “And you wanted to know why I wanted Jo on the team.”

Sam looks around the table and can’t believe the mix of people in front of him. Joaquin Torres, lieutenant in the Air Force and intelligence officer; Helmut Zemo, a man who lost everything, gained it back, and is still focused on eradicating HYDRA and their ideals; Hazel Mallory, born into the Stark family and brilliant with mechanics technology, and a good heart; Jo Delacroix, investigative journalist, world traveller, and intel specialist; and Bucky Barnes, super soldier, ex-HYDRA assassin, and loyal friend. He sees Bucky raise a shot glass in a toast.

“To Captain America.”

Sam raises his glass with everyone and blinks back tears. “To the Captain's team.”

[the-daily-multi-fandom-post]

The first tri-brid

The avengers- the vampire diaries crossover. 

Steve Rogers X reader 

Summary: Y/n Mikealson, the oldest girl sibling of the Mikealsons. Y/n is a vampire, a witch and a werewolf. Y/n has a twin Klaus Mikealson, who was older than her by one minute exactly. As they got older and the centuries rolled through, Y/n found herself in new York in 2012 when a man tried to take over. As time goes by y/n Steve have to go down to New Oreans, Louisiana. But why?

“You do know that bag will cost money right?” Y/n asked as she walked into the gym. Steve was going at yet another punching bag. The 7th one in the past hour. 

“Yeah, well Stark has the money.” Steve said as he looked at her for a second then moved to the bag once again, letting his pent up anger out on it.

 “What's got your knickers in a twist, cap?” Y/n asked as she walked over to Steve. Steve chuckled as the bag flew off the metal chains. 

“Everything, I’m just kind of stressed out.” Steve replies Watching as Y/n pick a new bag up and carried it over to him. 

“I will never get use to that.” Steve chuckled watching her hang the bag on the chains. Y/n smiled as she carefully placed the bag on the metal hook in the ceiling.

“Well how about we spar. I’ll give you a real challenge.” Y/n smiled as she raised her eyebrows with a smile on her face. Her (Y/E/C) eyes shining as she looked at him. 

“I could hurt yo- never mind. Sure.” He corrected himself knowing if he said he might hurt her, she would teach him. (Lesson learned). “Good.” Y/n smiled as she moved over to the sparing mats. 

“What's going on here?” Bucky asked as he walked into the gym.

Y/n had wrapped her knuckles (Even though she didn't have to). Entering the mats where Steve was fixing his wraps on his knuckles.

 “About to spar, you can watch if you want. Your friend here is going to get his ass kicked by a thousand year old woman.” Tony said as he entered the gym with a bag of popcorn in his hands. 

“My money is on Y/n.” Natasha said as she to entered the gym. “You are placing bets on us?” Steve asked as he looked at his friends has they started piling into the room. “Yes, I still have a bet that I waiting to win with Pietro.” Tony said as he looked at the young Russian walk into the room with his own bag of popcorn. “-and what bet is that?” Y/n asked as she leaned against the wall, looking at the two people who were placing bets. “To see when you and capsicle are going to become a couple, yet neither of you have yet to do that.” tony said looking at Y/n.

Y/n could have swore she saw Steve blush but didn't say anything. “I don't think, cap has his eyes set on me.” Y/n mumbled as she sat up off the wall grabbing her water bottle. Steve looked at Y/n then to the avengers in the room.

“Alright, lets start.” Y/n said as she sat her Black water bottle back down. Steve nodded as he walked towards her. 

The two circled each other on the blue mats. Steve would throw a punch, but she would easily block it.

When it came to sparing they had a few rules for Y/n. Y/n was not allowed to use her vampirism, her werewolf reflects/ strength , or her witchy powers. That was for Y/n because she was a thousand some odd year vampire, who could snap Steve like a twig. 

“Are you trying?” Y/n asked as she dodged yet another punch from Steve. Steve huffed as he punched her square in her face making her head slightly turn. 

“Ooh, you pissed her off now, Cap.” Natasha said as she noticed Y/ns veins start forming under her eyes. Her usually (Y/E/C) Was now a golden color with  amber highlights. Y/n threw a punch at him, he barely dodged it. She kicked him in his side making him groan in pain as he held his side.

 “Y/n.” tony warned quietly. “Its fine.” Steve said as he kicked her legs from under her making her trip up some giving him the opportunity to try to compose himself. “I’m perfectly fine.” Y/n smiled as she went to  kick Steve again but he luckily blocked it.

 “You missed, princess.” Sam said as he watched Y/n and Steve spar. Y/n turned around, putting her hands on her hips and looked at the man. “No I was aiming for air.” Y/n said right before she vamp sped around to where Steve was trying to sneak up on her. 

“Rule One: never try to sneak up behind a thousand year old Vampire. The reason..” Y/n started as she pinned Steve to the ground. She brought her mouth right next to his ear to whisper.

 “I can feel you behind me, when you are trying to be sneaky. I would always use more than one distraction when doing that.” Y/n whispered so the others wouldn't hear her. Steve nodded as he listened. 

“Good.” She said as she placed a soft kiss on his cheek, making him (Once again) blush.

 “Damn it.” Sam said as he handed Bucky a twenty. “You bet against me, Buck?” Steve asked as watched Sam hand Bucky the twenty dollar bill. “Yup, dude she is a hybrid, of Corse I am. Not that I don't believe in you, ‘cause that's not the case.” Bucky said as he put the money into his pocket of his gray sweat pants. “If it helps, I betted on you Steve.” Pietro said with a smirk. “Yeah, but not for the spar, you betted Y/n and I would become a couple.” Steve said looking at the boy. 

“Y/n your phones ringing.” Bucky said as he head the ringer of her phone going off in her bag. Y/n reached into her Black gym bag and answered her phone.

 “Klaus, what mess do I have to fix now?” Y/n answered holding the phone to her ear, right before she took a sip of her water. “How do you manage to get in so much trouble, I just got them to stop being pissed at you.” Y/n said as she sighed rubbing her temples. “Yeah, I’ll be there in the morning.” Y/n sighed ending the call, tossing the phone into her bag. 

“What's wrong now, princess?” Pietro asked as he popped up in front of her. “Brother, he made a vampire mad, and we cant kill the man, since my sister is in love with him.” Y/n said looking at Pietro. 

“You’ve killed people before?” Tony asked a little weirded out. “Yes, I’m not proud, but it was to protect people. Not for pleasure.” Y/n said looking at Tony. “To protect who?” Steve asked as he un-wrapped his hands. “Myself and family.  Details are for another day.” Y/n said as she looked at the blue eyes soldier. 

“You do know you can trust me, right?” Steve asked as he put his hand on Y/ns cheek holding eye contact with her. Y/n nodded with a smile on her pink full lips. “Yes, I know I can trust you.” Y/n said as she glanced at his lips for just a second then back to him. “If you want I can come with you, I haven't been to New Orleans before.” Steve said with a smile. 

“Oh can I come?” Sam asked with a smile as he looked at the two. Steve turned his head giving Sam a bitch face. “Oh I forgot.. I-I have a thing, yeah a thing.” Sam stuttered making Y/n and Steve chuckle. “We leave in 30 minutes, we are taking my car.” y/n said as she vamp sped out of the room.

 “Gonna get some?” Natasha asked making the Super solider blush. He shook his head as he threw his bag over his shoulder. “I'm not answering that.” Steve said as he started out of the Gym. “They are so in love with each other.” Wanda said as she watched Steve go out of the room. everyone in the room smiled at the thought of their friends being a couple. 

“Do you think they know?” Steve asked as he met Y/n in her room. “No, all they know is that we have unspoken feelings.” Y/n said as she finished putting clothes in her Black duffel bag. 

“I know we said we didn't want to tell anyone, but why?” Steve asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’m a thousand year old vampire, that the media doesn't even know about. Also I have enemies that would kill you to hurt me. I can’t let anyone find out.” Y/n said as she turned in her boyfriend of a year arms. “I love you.” Steve proclaimed as he looked into her (Y/E/C). Y/n smiled as she leaned into Steves’ lips. “I love you more.” Y/n promised as she left her lips hover over his. “Impossible.” Steve mumbled as he deepened the kiss. She slipped her tongue into his mouth as she tried to fight for dominance. “I- kiss- love you with- kiss every fiber- kiss- of my being.” Steve said between kisses. “Well, I’ve lived the longest. I know that I have never had a man like you. You are the first man I actually love. I have seen men in my life, but they aren't you. They have no comparison to you, I love you, so much Steve.” Y/n said as she stared into his blue eyes.

Right before they were going to kiss again Y/n heard foot steps coming towards the her door. So she pulled away from Steve and started back to her packing.

 “Y/n, I was wondering if when you go to New Orleans- oh Steve.” Natasha said as she looked at the soldier. It made since why Y/n pulled away now. “What are you doing in here?” Nat asked looking at Steve than Y/n. Y/n zipped up her bag and sat down on her bed. 

“He was asking me how much to pack, since he didn't know how long we would be gone.” Y/n easily lied, good thing she was a vampire. “Oh, well as I was saying I was wondering if you could bring me back something from new Orleans, since I have never been.” Nat asked as she looked at Y/n and Steve. “Yeah I will, I promise.” Y/n said as she stood up. 

“I’m gonna get a shower, get out of these sweaty gym clothes. then we will leave.” Y/n said looking at Steve then to Nat. “Okay, well have a good time. And be safe.” She said giving a wink to Steve making him blush. “Get out so I can get a shower.” Y/n said as she pushed them both out of her room, playfully.

 “You guys really just need to be a couple.” Natasha said as she looked at Steve. Steve blushed once again and shook his head. “We are just friends.” Steve said with a frown. “The way you look at each other make you look like you guys want to jump each others bones.” Nat said looking at Steve. Steve blushed and rolled his eyes as he left his friend standing in the hallway. “You know I’m right.” Nat said loud enough for him to hear. He waved her off as he walked into his room. He started packing his clothes then got a shower. 

“When did you get this?” Steve asked as he looked at the black 1969 dodge charger sitting in the parking garage. “1969, brand new.” Y/n smiled putting her bag and Steves bag in the trunk of the car. “Wow!” Steve exclaimed as he looked at the car. “Alright lets go, before my brother gets himself killed.” Y/n said as she unlocked the car. Steve nodded as he got into the passenger side of the car.

 “Did you race?” Steve asked as they made their way out of the parking garage. Y/n smiled as she sped up and drifted the car as turned. She kept doing it until they were out of the parking garage. “Does that answer your question?” Y/n asked with a smile. He nodded with a smile as she looked at him. 

“Did you win a lot?” He asked earning a smirk from Y/n. “The good part about living for a long time is exploring a lot of things. This (Racing) was one of them. I would go out to any drag race, bet money then race. I would win some than lose some, but I would mostly win.” Y/n said looking at the road ahead of her. Steve nodded as he looked at the road ahead of them.

 “Did you like racing?” He asked looking at Y/n. “Yeah, loved it actually.” Y/n smiled glancing at him for a second. “I would go all over the place just to race, but when my brother was having some supernatural trouble years ago, I stopped. I had to help him.” Y/n said as she turned then looked at Steve. Steve nodded with a sorry smile.

 “Maybe while we are gone I’ll take you to a race.” Y/n said with a smile looking at Steve. Steve looked at her with a smile and nodded. “I’d like that.” he said as he placed his hand on her thigh (Not moving it, just laying there) As she switched gears going faster down the interstate. 

hours later:

“Are we there?” Steve asked as they turned onto a graveled road. “Almost.” Y/n smiled as she continued to drive down the drive way. a few seconds later they pulled in front of the massive mansion. “Woah.” Steve said as he looked out of the window at the mansion. 

“Alright, So my siblings are in there, and there are a few things you might want to know.” Y/n started looking at Steve, allowing the car to run so her siblings wouldn't be able to hear her. Steve nodded as he listened.

 “They are going to test you, see what your like. My sister Rebekah she is going to Flirt with you, like a lot. She loves me very much and would never try to hurt me, but I haven't told anyone about you.” Y/n smiled making Steve chuckle.

 “Just be yourself, and make sure to use your manners, my oldest brother would be very pleased if you did. Umm that's all I can think of right now.” Y/n said as she tried to think. “oh yea-” Steve cut her off with a kiss. A long passionate kiss.

 “Its okay.” Steve said as he moved her (Y/H/C) hair out of her face. “I’m not scared of them -even though I should be. But as long as you are by my side, I have nothing to worry about.” Steve said making her smile. “How did I end up with an amazing guy like you?” Y/n asked looking at Steve with a smile. “You were you.” Steve said with a smile as he gave her another kiss. Right before Y/n was going to pull away a knock on her window made her jump. 

“Hello sister.” Klaus smirked looking at his twin, who seemed to be embarrassed, by being caught in a heated kiss. “Nik.” Y/n said as she turned around looking at her twin. She turned back to Steve and nodded. They both got out and moved over to Klaus.

 “Its been a while, sister.” Klaus said as he pulled his sister into a much needed hug. “Indeed it has brother.” Y/n smiled as she hugged her twin. 

“Well, look what the cat drug in.” Hayley teased as she looked at Y/n with a smile. (Hayley and Y/n are friends, kind of like sisters to one another) “I think you mean look at the queen who just walked in.” Marcel said with a smile. (Marcel well he was another story. He seen her as a mother figure since she practically raised him. She raised him better than Klaus. -but we wont tell him that. ;) ) 

“Long time no see Marcelous.” Y/n smiled as she looked at the full grown man. “Too long.” he said as he vamp sped over to her, squeezing her into a tight hug. Steve stood there awkwardly shifting on his feet. 

“Hayley, Marcel, Nik. This is Steve rogers.” Y/n said introducing her friends and brother to Steve. “Nice to meet you all.” Steve said politely giving a small smile. 

“Finally she brings home a boy.” Rebekah teases as she shows up. “Bex.” Y/n smiled looking at her baby sister. “I missed you.” Rebekah said with a smile as she hugged her older sister. “I missed you too.” Y/n said with a smile as she hugged her sister. 

“So your Steve?” Kol asked as he walked towards Steve. Steve was standing next to Y/n in the living room, Kol, Elijah, Hayley, Klaus, Rebekah and Marcel were standing in front of Y/n waiting for her to tell them about Steve. 

“Yes, Steve Rogers.” Steve smiled looking at Kol -who was giving them judgey eyes to Steve. “Are you and my sister a couple?” Kol asked looking at Steve. Steves heart sped up making Y/n inwardly groan. They were going to have to tell them now, great. “Yes we are.” Steve said with a smile looking at Y/n then to the family. 

“Wow, I wasn't inspecting that.” Rebekah said with a smile as she looked at her sister. “You did good, he’s cute.” Rebekah said making Steve blush. 

“Well it’s very lovely being back home, but we need to settle this vampire problem.” Y/n said looking at her siblings. Klaus nodded as he looked at his sister. Kol chuckled shaking his head with a laugh. 

“What's so funny?” Y/n asked her little brother. “There isn't any vengeful vampires, it was the only way we could get you here.” Kol said with a smile. “Really?” Y/n groaned looking at her siblings. “Sorry. ” Hayley said with a smile. 

“Sure, I’m going to show Steve to his room. I’ll be back. Follow me Steve.” Y/ns said with a smile as she picked up her bag. Steve nodded following shortly behind her. 

“So what are we going to do? Stay here?” Steve asked as he looked at Y/n. “Well they (The avengers)  weren't  inspecting us to go back soon so we are fine to be here for a while.” Y/n said looking at Steve with a shrug. Y/n was unpacking her stuff as she felt Steve walk over to her wrapping his arms around her. 

“We can stay here as long as you want, I like your family they are nice. Plus I gives us some alone time.” Steve said with a smile as he kissed her neck. “Tempting.” Y/n said with a smile as she moved her head over allowing him to keep kissing her, until a knock at the door stopped them.

 “Yeah?” Y/n asked as she watched the door open. “Aunt Y/n?” Hope asked as she walked into the bedroom. “Hope!” Y/n said with a smile as Hope ran over to Y/n. “I missed you so much, aunty.” Hope said with a smile as she hugged Y/n tightly. 

“I missed you too kiddo.” Y/n said with a smile, kissing the top of her head holding her. “Hope this is my boyfriend Steve Rogers. Steve this is Hope, My niece, klaus and Hayleys daughter.” Y/n said as she held Hope on her hip. “He is Captain America.” Hope said with a smile. Steve nodded with a chuckle. 

“Its nice to meet you hope.” Steve said looking at her with a smile. “So are you gonna be my Uncle?” Hope asked with a smile as she looked at Steve and y/n. “Maybe one day, I have to propose to her  first.” Steve said giving Hope a smile. 

“Well you should marry her, I want a cousin.” hope pouted. “Did your mom and Aunt bekah  make you say this?” Y/n asked Hope. “Yup, I got twenty bucks.” Hope said with a smile. Y/n and Steve smiled at Hope. “Oh also, they wanted me to tell you that supper will be ready in a few minutes.” Hope said as she hopped out of Y/ns arms. “Okay thank you.” Y/n said with a smile. “Your welcome, and Aunty.” Hope said drawing Y/ns full attention. 

“Yes little wolf?” Y/n asked squatting down to her height. “Can you help me with my magic later. aunt Freya doesn't like to teach me a lot of Spells.” Hope said with a pout. “I might, you should ask your parents first then I'll teach you a few of my favorites.” Y/n said with a smile. Hope nodded then ran out of the room with a smile plastered on her face. 

- 

Steve smiled as he pulled y/n back into his strong arms. “That could be us one day.” Steve said as he watched Hope interact with her Mother. “What?” Y/n asked as she watched Hope do the Flowering growing spell Y/n had taught her moments before.

 “Be married, Have kids, have a big family.” Steve listed with a smile on his face. “Are you suggesting something, Mr. Rogers?” Y/n asked as she turned to look at him. “Maybe?” He said with a smile. “Why don't we take a walk?” Steve asked with a smile, as he offered his arm. She smiled gladly taking his arm. 

They walked out onto the balcony, that over looked New Orleans. “ its beautiful, isn't it?” Y/n asked staring out to the city. “Not as beautiful as you.” Steve said as he looked at Y/n. Y/n smiled as she looked down at her feet trying to hold back the blush that was creeping up on her face. 

“Y/n Y/m/n Mikealson. I know we haven't been together very long, but I cant picture my life without you. I know we have been through so much already and I know we have a lot more in front of us. I know I love you with all my heart, and with every fiber of my being. Will you Y/n Y/m/n Mikealson do me the honors and marry me?” he asked on one knee holding open a old looking engagement ring. Y/n nodded as tears filled her eyes. 

“Yes!” She said with a smile, Laughing as he slipped the Silver ring on her left ring finger. “I love you so so much.” Y/n mumbled into his neck as she hugged him. “Yay!!” Hope said with a smile. “Now I got another uncle.” Hope smiled as she jumped into Steves arms. “You're the reason we came down here.” Y/n said looking at Steve with a smile. “Had to get permission before marring the girl of my dreams.” He said as he held hope looking at hope with a smile. making her nod towards Y/n. 

(_The _ End_) 

[shield-agent78]

Linguistics: Chapter 11~A Storm Is Coming

Parring: Bucky X OC

Warnings: Some language

On the bayou you can always tell when a storm is coming. Dark clouds, wind, rain, and some say when the fish don't bite are all warning signs. Apparently snow moving into upstate New York,  should take that as a warning sign that the shit is about to hit the fan. At least that’s what my friend, Remey, used to say.  Anyway, maybe I should have known, however my hopeless romantic brain was to groggy on the the events from last night, and therefore I wasn’t thinking clearly. All I knew was F.R.I.D.A.Y calling Bucky’s name and his clocked arm was wrapped around my waist in a protective manner. “Bucky, I’m sorry but he is insisting that you join them immediately in the situation room. He also has asked you to bring Agent Jones with you.”

“Fine. Tell him we’ll be there in 15 minutes,” Bucky retorted his voice gravelly from sleep. I felt a kiss on top of my head, as I snuggled closer to him.

“Doll. Come on we have to get up. Situation room. Apparently it is urgent because if it’s not I’m going to hurt that punk since it runs our plan on spending most of the morning in bed.” I turned over to be greeted with shining blue eyes and a dirty smirk.

“Yes Sergeant,” I giggled and placed a kiss next to his lips receiving a flirty growl in response. I got up and threw on a pair of fleece black leggins and my gray task force shirt. I quickly clipped my hair into a messing bun. He had pulled on his maroon Henley and a pair of black jeans. We left from his room and made my way down the hallway to the situation room. His hand resting on the small of my back.  

(Bucky POV)

"One day off was all I was asking for Steve." I groaned as I slumped into on the the chairs at the conference table. Ema sat beside down beside me tapping her fingers on the table nervously.  

"Sorry man but we just got this information at it directly involves you and all of us."

“So glad you two could join us,” Sam snorted under his breath earring a glare from me. Ema just rolled her eyes at him. “What were you two doing screwing around?”

Clint let out a snort and mumbled, “shit” under his breath. Natasha and Ema gave Sam and death glare.

I gave him a go to hell look as I clenched my fist under the table. Ema placed her hand on my leg trying to calm me. "Actually bird brain that’s what we were planning to do today. Got a problem with it?" I retorted.

“That's enough,” Steve snapped sitting down at the table giving us both a look of disapproval. “Now if you two don’t mind we’ll get started.” The holographic screens came to life several dark figures came onto the screen outside of a rustic looking bar. They held up another guy by the throat before dropping him to the ground. I felt Ema stiffen beside me. She leaned forward looking at the screen intensing. She pressed her lips together hard sudding the footage. Natalia gave Ema a concern look.

“Where is that at?” I asked.

“New Orleans. Behind the Hurricane.” Ema stated still looking at the screen. “I just can’t tell who it is. The footage is too grainy. Can you enhance it F.R.I.D.A.Y?” The footage zoomed in to reveal a medium built man with brown hair. He shook his head no as his lifeless body was dropped to the the floor.

“Do you know him Ema?” Clint asked giving her a concern look.

“Ya think his name was Tray. He was a bouncer.  I worked there pouring drinks behind the bar while I was in grad school. Who are those guys anyway and why would anyone want to kill a bouncer?”

“I think I know. From what the information we have it’s want to be H.Y.D.R.A. agents who would like nothing else to get their hands onto Zola. At least his formula. It's surfaced again close to Vienna but the trail went cold. Now it’s back again in New Orleans." I stiffened with his words. Ema looked up and turned to me with a concern look on her face and grabbed my hand.

"I thought you guys took care of that a couple years ago." Natasha spoke up. It sent me an icy chill down my spine. That battle was not one I would soon forget especially since Tony and I were just now on moderate speaking terms when he decided to come around.

"So, Zola's formula is back in play and we have to stop it before any more people are comprised." Ema said. Steve gave her a nod. “Why do I get the idea there is more to this?”

“Because there is,” Clint stated looking between Steve and me. “Well it’s like this Em, your friend Remey is being leaned on as well by these guys as well, he was the one that contacted us.”

“Fine. Put me in the game coach I’m ready,” she stated looking at Steve.

“Should be an interesting first mission for you,” he retorted. I knew she was ready but still I just wanted her safe.  She stood up walking to the screen looking at it intensely.

“Louisiana, tell us more about him?” Sam asked.

“Ya like Who is He?” I snorted under my breath.

“Remey, he also goes by Gambit. He has ugh how do you say it enhanced powers, so if they are putting the squeeze on him and he contacted us it must be important.” I looked down and took a deep breath. Why did this guy have me jealous?    

"Exactly why I want you to help plan this mission out. You know the area better than any of us" I head Steve say. I gave a little disapproving huff. "The dame knows the place Buck and would be perfect for the sting."

"Sounds like a great set up. I'm in and can’t wait." Ema said placing her hands on her hips with a smile.

"Like hell you are taking led on this." I snapped in my authoritative tone.

"Don't worry you're coming too,” she snapped back.

"So now your alpha lead?" My voice now full of sarcasm. Two could play this game.

"No I'm just the one with a killer plan."

"What's that?"

(Ema POV)

"I'll just work a night shift or two, drop a bug, poor some drinks and flirt some soldiers," I said slyly looking at Buck as his jaw tensed, “and then you two can do the rest.

"You can cover me, headshot, and you can be in the club, Cap, for muscle." Clint let out a small laugh.

"Clint, and Sam can help cover Nat and I as we work the bar area.

"Sure thing,” Sam and Clint stated in agreement. Steve gave Buck a slight smirk and I saw Buck tense again.

"Thank you. Now since that's settled I'll make some phone calls and see about a uniform for there as well as...."

"Uniform? What uniform? I don't want you showing off too much." Jealousy dripped from his voice.  

"Don't worry you've seen it all already," I said dryly.

"They haven't Doll." That task force I'm in authority tone again.

"Loosen up Buck,” Natasha snapped. “We will help her, besides she has a personal stake in his so chill out.”

“Fine, great.” His blue eyes filled with a mix between anger and concern as he stood up facing me. I gave him a cold glare. What was his problem?

As the meeting broke I sat down across the table and glared at Bucky. “Why would you try to take the lead from me? This is my first mission. Dammit Buck!” He glared at me.

"Cause I want you protected. Don't you get it! You have a target on you back because of me. Come on Em hell  that's why I don't want everyone in the world to know we're not together so I can protect you."

"Oh so that's why you want to marry me? To protect me? Come on Barnes get real." I was fuming. "You want me to hide us being together?!" I stood up facing the chair he sat.

"That's not it! I want you protected!"

"Stop protecting me would ya! You're not goin to keep me from my family nor the friends I have left back home!" Buck stood up to face me. He clinched his left fist beside him as the nanotech flickered off.

"That's not what am sayin'. Why would I keep you from your family? I'm not him Em!!" He yelled as I flinched. "Damit what shit did he put you through?" I stood frozen in my spot. I had only seen this side once and I hated it. Bucky's looked at me knowing at once what he did. "Baby I'm ugh..." I backed away from him until a felt my back hit the wall. Tears began to fall down my cheeks. "Em please. I didn't mean ta scare ya."  He wiped my cheek with his hand as I flinched. "Em did Chris ever hit you?" I looked at him blankly and just walked around him to the door towards my office.

"Where you goin?" I heard him call out behind me.

"To my office. And away from you right now I hate when you act all Winter."

"Winter?" He asked. I could tell he was a little taken back with my remark.  

"Yep winter James Bucky Barnes. I'll be in my office. Besides don't you have a training to do?" No response.

(4:00 PM-Ema's Office)

By now my anger had subsided and I now was now concentrating on my phone calls. Bucky had stopped by and apologized for acting like an ass. I had sent them off with a smile and told him to go teach a new cadets class that I was scheduled to do today. Payback. Now I was walking around my office listening to my cousin rave about James and blast me for not coming to call her lately.

"Your James is so sweet and kind. I can't believe you. You haven't even called me in the last month. And you missy need to listen to him. He wants you safe. Why not keep everyone in the dark some. I mean who you got to tell anyway here. I'm 62 years old and I'm not tellin a sole. Hey Ema dating an Avenger can you imagine all the people tracing then through my yard stepping on my azalea bushes?"

"Yes Madan"

"Don't you Yes Madan me. You called Gambit yet?"

"No Madan he's next on the list."

"Good. I got to go. My cornbread is burning. Love ya bye."

I chuckle radiated my office. "Are you quite happy now?"

"Very. I like Kaye." He said leaning against my door frame.

"The feeling is mutual." I said tossing my phone on my desk. "I think I feel off my pedestal with her." I giggled.

"You know I got away with the ladies. So who's Gambit?"

"Well ugh...kind of like your Dot."

"So an ex?" Bucky smirked as he pushed himself off my door frame and saltered toward me. Yep definitely a way with the ladies.

"Tell him that would ya. He would like that." I said batting my eyes.

"Oh really." He walked closer to me as I stepped back until I felt my desk hit the back of my legs my hands grip a hold to it for dear life as I bit my lip. "My question is what is he to you?" His cologne and smirk was intoxicating and I knew he was reading my body language perfectly.

"A friend. He ugh managed the bar forever. A Cajun boy who always was there for me."

"So a friend." I nodded yes as he stepped closer to me placing his hands beside mine. "So what type of friend?" I decided to let him squirm for a little while longer. I gave him a grin.

"A good one."

"Oh so one like pizza and ballgame or like me and Dot were?"

"Well how were you and Dot? You never really told me soldier."

"Hum I think you know."

"Know what James. I'm perfectly innocent about that part of your past." I said batting my eyes at him.

"Then let me ask you some questions." He leaned in and placed a kiss on my neck. "Did he ever take you out?"

"Y-yes"

"Humm." His breath hot on my neck. "Did he kiss you?" Bucky places a kiss behind my ear driving me crazy.

"He tried but it was like what I would imagine kissing my brother would be like." He smirked in my neck.

"So that leads me to my last question." I closed my eyes as a small moan escaped my lips as his fingers grazed softly down my arm.

"Why haven't you told me about him before?" I couldn't even speak as he softly nipped at my ear.

"Em? I asked you a question."

"I ugh for-forgot."

"You forgot?" He teased me as he stared into my eyes.

"Yep. Guess just like how you forget to tell me all the details about you and Dot." I said looking at him. "Anyone else you need to tell me about soldier?"

"I think you have all the answers your going to get today about my past Agent Jones."

"Bucky. Come on man we got training." I head Steve call from my doorway.

Bucky's eyes never left mine. "Ok. Coming Steve. See you Doll." He lent down and gave me a kiss. His lips soft on mine before turning and walking out of my door. God I love man.

I was finishing up my phone call with Gambit as Bucky came to collect me around 6pm. Gambit had me giggle about all the numbers I received working behind the bar. "Yes Gambie I'll see ya soon. Yep just send me the outfit. I'll see ya then. Bye."

"So just good friends right?" His jaw tight fist clenched beside him.

"Yes Winter." I said flatly. "Just like I told ya good friends. Now if you will excuse me I want to go back to my place along. I think I have a headache." He shot me a cool glance as I walked out of the door beside him.

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