#SingleParent!Steve

[gloomysoup]

STEPDADS?! Yes pls

alriiiiiggghhhtttt stepdads is here :D

Steve was grateful for an easy shift. He was already tired. He really didn’t want a grueling shift on top of that. His morning had been… rough. The morning sickness and nausea had hit hard the last few days, and Steve was not a fan. He felt gross and itchy in his own skin. He hoped that wasn't going to be a common feeling during the pregnancy, but he certainly wasn't counting on it going his way. Not that he knew much of anything. Truthfully, he was completely clueless. He never thought he would need to know these things; at least not this early in his life. He was barely eighteen. He had just graduated high school that last summer. He wouldn't even be nineteen until the spring. None of this was part of his plan. Not that he had one of those either. He had always figured someday, but he hadn't known that someday would come so soon. He was way out of his depth. He was too young to be a parent, let alone a single parent, but here he was. Still, he wasn't giving this up. He couldn't even imagine giving any of this up.

[cas-backwards-tie]

Happy To Volunteer

Steve Rogers x Reader (Single Parent AU)

Summary: As the class field trip approaches, you hope more parents will volunteer to chaperone. Thankfully, your hope is fulfilled when Steve Rogers signs up on the permission slip.

Prompt: Single Parent AU

Words: 2,086

Warnings: None.

Beta: @plaidstiel-wormstache  , who I want to thank for being so patient and helpful! She really took her time and honestly looked at every small detail. Thank you! 💖💖💖

Author’s Note: This is for @wxntersoldiers 3k writing challenge! I hope that you guys like it as this is actually my first time writing something for Steve.

Handing out the permission slips to your students, you watch their faces light up at the prospect of their upcoming field trip. “Don’t forget to get a signature from your parents by Thursday.” Reminding the students, you know they all want to go on the field trip this coming Friday. A smile quickly makes its way across your face as you help your students pack up for the day.  

“Does this mean we’ll get to see the tigers, Ms. Y/L/N?” Millie Rogers, a short girl with a mop of blonde hair and wide blue eyes, tugs on your skirt gently with a hopeful look on her adorable face.

You smile down at her sweet face, “Get your Mommy to sign this paper and it's a definite yes.” Knowing the trip will be hard to pull off without chaperones, you hope parents will read through the permission slips and volunteer. The PTA has a few members available, but a few more parents would be helpful. Watching Millie’s face fall, your brows furrow as you place a hand on her shoulder. “What’s wrong?” Kneeling to her height, you listen intently.

“Mommy can’t sign it. I live with Daddy now.” Her words tumble out with disappointment instilled in each syllable. A huff of laughter escapes your nose. Looking at Millie with a happy smile, you encourage her.

“Your Daddy can sign it, Millie, you can still go if he does.”  You rub her shoulder for a second before standing again. “See you on Monday, kids!” Waving to the ones already leaving, you watch as the smile returns to Millie’s face, excited again. She mimics the roar of a Lion, fingers curling like claws as she attempts to scare a boy nearby her. This field trip will be fun, you think to yourself.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Walking into school on Monday, excitement bubbles in your heart as you get to see your students again. The weekend was rather quiet as the only thing you did was grade spelling tests. Before stopping at your classroom, you run by the office to make sure things are ready for your class’s field trip on Friday. Soon enough, you arrive at your classroom, prepping activities for the day.

After going over the day’s plans with the children, you leave them to color quietly for half an hour. The classroom filled with the sound of small hands rummaging through bins filled with the kids’ individual supplies. You waited patiently for everyone to be seated and asked them to get their permission slips out. Walking past each table, you collect the signed slips. The classroom fills with the sound of scribbling crayons against paper as you settle at your desk, scanning and sifting through all the forms, making sure they are signed; along with counting the boxes to see if any parents had volunteered to be chaperones.

Quietly sighing to yourself, you notice a handful of parents have volunteered to be chaperones. Grateful, there are now enough chaperones for the field trip. Looking at the top of one of the pages, you see Millie’s name scrawled in her handwriting. Smiling to yourself, your gaze drifts to her Father’s note:

Mrs. Y/L/N,

         The zoo sounds like a fun field trip! Hope you have room for one more? If so, please add me to the list, I’d be happy to help chaperone. Will lunch be provided for the chaperones?

                   Thanks,

                            -Steve Rogers (Millie's Dad)

Writing yourself a reminder on one of the sticky notes on your desk, you need to double-check on the lunches; adding on account of the new chaperones before you leave for the day. Hopeful that this field trip will go swimmingly, you look up at your quiet class, dutifully coloring in the sheets you’d given.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Soon enough Friday rolls around. It’s the perfect day for the zoo; sun shining brightly in the morning sky, clouds slowly float across the sky. Filing everyone off the bus, you ask the students to circle up in front of the zoo’s entrance.

“Okay class, we remember the rules, right?” With a joyful ‘yes’ from the majority, you split the kids into groups of five, calling them off by name, before assigning a parent. Four groups in total. Sending each chaperone off with their group, there is only one parent left behind.

Wearing jeans, a white t-shirt, and navy windbreaker, his dirty blond hair short and tidy. You stare for a few seconds too long, you can't deny he’s quite handsome. The other parents are married or older, and you know from Millie's ramblings and creative work that he is recently divorced. It’s refreshing to see a new face for a change, a single one, at that. You decide to stick with Mr. Rogers considering he’s the only new chaperone.

“Looks like you’re stuck with me,” you attempt to joke, offering your hand. He takes it, shaking it lightly with a firm yet gentle grip. His gaze meets yours and you notice he has the softest blue eyes. The color reminds you of Robin eggs.

“Steve,” he speaks confidently with a nod of his head.

“Y/F/N. We'll join groups since it’s your first time chaperoning.” You said, before telling him the rules for the kids while you rounded them up and heading into the zoo. “Where should we start?” You ask the group in front of you. The chirping of ideas is loud and insistent, but you want to know what Steve thinks.

“I think we should start on this side so we can walk back this way,” Steve opens the map for you, illustrating his ideas. Nodding your head in agreement, your group’s path is set in motion as you shepherd the kids towards the right. Walking along the east side of the zoo, you’ll loop around to visit the west side briefly before making a circle back at the entrance.

Heading towards the lions and tigers, the first animals on the walk, you listen to the exclamations and murmurs of the kids while admiring the zoo’s layout. Your gaze occasionally drifts to Steve, making you shake your head once you realize you’re staring.

Approaching the viewing area of the ‘Big Cat Enclosure’, you gather the children in front of the floor-to-ceiling observation window, prompting them to point out the cats they can find. You lean against the railing while the children search for the African animals. Steve stands next to you, watching the group for a moment before speaking.“What’s your favorite animal?”

Shaking your head with a light chuckle, you respond, “I’d have to say, Bumblebee,” you silently hope he doesn’t judge your choice.

“That’s interesting. You know it’s an insect though, right?” A blush quickly sweeps across your cheeks at his comment. Smart and handsome, who knew? You think, watching the Lions roam about a good several feet below everyone, the kids squealing in excitement. You hush them, reminding them to use their quiet voices.

“I suppose technically, they are. What’s your favorite animal? What’re you most excited to see?” Awaiting Steve’s answer, he is interrupted right as he opens his mouth to speak.

“Daddy! Look!” Millie tugs on the edge of his jacket, practically jumping for joy as she pointed out the nearby Tigers. He sent a glance your way, you smile in response to be polite. It was cute, the way they interacted with one another; he didn’t undermine her excitement or try to get her to keep it held within. Crouching down to his daughter’s height, he points out two Tigers in the shallow pool playing with one another.

“Elephants have always amazed me,” Steve admits, catching your attention and bringing your focus back to him. He smiles your way and you know he wasn’t trying to ignore you.

Moving onto the Reptile House, the group continuously ‘ooh’ed and ‘aah’ed at every reptile, some of the girls grossed out. You found joy in asking your students to try and find the tiny tree frogs within their enclosure, camouflaged among the leaves. Arriving upon the insect area, you try to avert your gaze from the spiders, disliking them. Instead, focusing on the ladybugs and praying mantis’. “Maybe they’ll have a beehive here,” Steve suggested in a playful tone as he stood next to you, tilting his head while searching for the stick bug within the window in front of him. Smiling, you think he’s cute. “Ah! There he is.” Steve pointed out the stick bug to you, hand resting on your shoulder as he brought you closer to peer into the window. It’s fascinating, the slow, steady movements of the bug.

Nearing the exit of the Reptile House, you inform the group that it’s nearing lunch time. “We should pick a spot,” you suggested to Steve while holding the door open for exiting students. Receiving a nod in response, you pull the map out of your pocket. “Nearby the elephants is a picnic area, it says.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” Steve responds happily. Following after the last student out of the Reptile House, you gather your group before announcing where you’re headed next. Trekking back to the bus, you quickly have everyone grab their lunches out of your group’s bin. The quick walk to the picnic area was joyous as the children chattered about their favorite animals and which was ‘cooler’ or would win in a fight. Sitting near the garden bed, you smile at the panda mosaic tiled into the entrance. Sitting your lunch on the table, you’re pleasantly surprised to see Steve sitting across from you. “Is this seat taken?” He was obviously joking, you knew.

Laughing, you shake your head, inviting him to sit. “I’m afraid not. Looks like this is the grown-ups table,” you return his silly attitude before pulling your sandwich out, lying it on top of the brown paper bag. Chips, an apple, and milk are what’s in store. Opening the chip bag, you begin to quietly chomp on them while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the zoo.

“I brought you something!” Millie’s voice brings you back to the present as she hands her father a juice box. “Your favorite,” she spoke cheerily. The interaction made you smile, getting a glimpse of their world. Unwrapping the plastic surrounding your sandwich, you dig in.

The day passes much more quickly than you would’ve liked. Shepherding the kids onto the bus, you thank the other parents as they board. Stepping onto the bus last, you overhear the few people in front of you. “Can I sit with you?” It’s Millie’s hopeful voice.

A chuckle rings out, making your heart flutter knowing who it came from. “Mills, you should sit with your friends! You’re not gonna see them for the whole weekend.” Steve’s encouragement made you smile at the way he speaks with his daughter. Watching Millie swiftly agree and walk further back on the bus where her friends were indeed waiting, you look for a seat. Feeling someone’s hand catch your forearm, your brows furrow until you turn to see Steve with a wide grin on his face. “I saved you a seat,” he offered slyly.

“Oh, thank you.” Surprise laces your reply; a small smile makes its way onto your lips, blush coating your cheeks. Sitting beside him, you run your hands along your pants, smoothing them. “It was nice to have you as a chaperone,” you attempt small talk.

“Thanks for having me,” Steve chuckles as his face turns from the window to face you. His smiles seems to brighten his eyes. “I had a great time. Plus, a free lunch!” His face scrunches up for a moment, “well, really there is no such thing as a ‘free lunch’, but that’s beside the point,” he rambles. Noticing you still have his attention, Steve speaks up again. “Would you be open for getting coffee sometime? Or tea, if that’s your thing.”

Your heart flutters at his question. You can’t help but grin widely, nodding your head at his statement. “Yes, I’d love that,” you respond coyly. You weren’t expecting your day to go this way, and yet, you couldn’t help but feel like it was meant to be.

[whatcouldgowrong-ohthat]

Between the Ink and Papers Ch. 4

Summary: Steve and Peggy have been divorced for a year and Sarah is still starting to find her groove in it. However, it becomes a lot easier when she and Typhanie realize it might be time for her dad to start dating again.

Pairings: tattooartist!dad!Steve x Reader, Typhanie x Sarah, Peggy x Logan, Bucky x Natasha

Word Count: 1806 words

Warnings: cussing? that’s about it!

Between the Ink and Papers Masterlist - Masterlist to Other Works

Previous Chapter

--

A simple creak and the door opened, casting a dim light from the hall. Their home was simple, tucked away above the shop. Steve slept on a pullout couch so that Sarah could have her own room. At her request, there were plants everywhere. A way to remind him that this was their home. Not just his.

Not that he minded one bit.

Steve quietly closed the door behind him. A small smile tugged at his lips when he saw her backpack on the cluttered counter and the mail on the floor. Poor kid had probably been so tired that she hadn’t even noticed. He scooped the letters up, tucking them back into place before grabbing her backpack. His eyes shifted briefly to the microwave, the blinking red 1:00 a.m. far too obnoxious.

He was definitely getting too old for these late nights.

Scratching the back of his head, he silently made his way to the back, cringing only when a floorboard squeaked underneath him. He paused. Surely that didn’t wake her. Steve gently opened the door.

Inside, sprawled out on her bed and half hanging off, was his daughter. That crazy teenager. She was half hanging off, her pillow already on the floor. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought that she’d gotten in a fight with the bed and that the thing won.

He gently tucked the backpack next to her dresser and crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe. What a dork. It made him think back to that awkward woman that he tattooed earlier.

The gun was between his fingers, poised and ready to go. Brow arched and lips quirked, he found himself absolutely confused. “Uh…” He shrugged. “Okay?” Steve raised the gun, waving it around. “Can I get started now?”

Y/N’s head tilted, curiosity getting the better of her. “Really? You don’t care?”

Steve snorted as she extended her arm. The familiar buzz filled the air as he got to work on the piece. “Should I? She seems to be doing better, so safe to say you’re doing your job. I’m just doing mine.”

She hadn’t said anything else after that. Apparently the buzzing had been enough for them. Not that he minded. He actually preferred when his customers weren’t the chatty kind.

Shaking his head, Steve pulled the door shut and blinked away his own sleep. He hated how tired he was. It seemed his time with Sarah passed by too quickly for him to actually enjoy it and being exhausted never helped. Still…he collapsed on the couch, too tired to unfold the bed lying underneath. Just a few minutes…

Just a few and he’d get back up.

--

The smell of bacon and coffee woke him up. He jolted, blood rushing and pounding in his head as his boot scraped against the floor. Blinking, he ran a hand through his messy hair before pressing his palms to his eyes.

“Hey, old man.” The squeak against the floorboard made him look up, relieved to find she was holding a mug filled with black coffee. “I don’t want to deal with you being a grouch. Drink up.”

He groaned, taking the mug before she returned to their breakfast. “Is that how you’re supposed to talk to your dad?” Downing half the mug’s contents in one gulp, Steve immediately felt better. He rose to his feet, knowing his shirt was probably a mess and realizing he still had his boots on.

Definitely – he was definitely getting too old for the shop.

“How long’ve you been up,” he asked, noticing that she was almost done with his breakfast. “You could’ve kicked me or something.”

“Why?” She pushed the plate onto the bar, grabbing a fork and knife as he took a bite of bacon. “You work hard.” Sarah grabbed her poptarts, taking a bite as Steve froze mid-bite, shoulders slumped. “What?”

He snatched the pastry out of her hand, trading it for a piece of toast that was on his plate. “Do you think just ‘cause you’re here, you can get away with that?”

She smiled a little too innocently. “It’s just a poptart.”

“Yeah, and all the other crap you eat.”

“Hey!”

Streve smirked, gesturing to the food between them. “Eat up. We need to get you to school -- ” He glanced at his watch. “Fuck!” Looking up, he frowned when he saw that innocent look on his kid’s face.

She knew. Of course she did.

“Get your backpack. Now.” Shoving food in his mouth, he ignored the slight stomping that could only come from a teenager. “Hurry!” He snatched up a shirt, smelling it. For now, it would have to do. Changing, he shouted, “Sarah, come on!”

“I’m here.”

He spun around, tugging the shirt down. Ruffling her hair, he pushed her towards the door. “Stop huffing. You should’ve said something.”

“Maybe I just wanted to spend a day with my old man.”

Steve sighed, closing the door behind him. As much as he would love to spend the day with Sarah, he couldn’t. Not right now. “Later. We can go play pool or something. Sound good?”

Sarah hesitated, biting her lip. She knew she still needed to talk to her dad about everything she and Miss Y/L/N had gone over. And yet…the idea of just spending some fun time with him sounded too good to be true.

Yeah, talking could wait.

--

The bell’s shrill scream, though familiar, still managed to make Y/N jump out of her skin. She sighed softly, taking a much needed sip of her coffee. It was wonderful, warming her insides. Flipping open her planner, she grimaced when she saw who she had a meeting with.

How had she forgotten that was today of all days?

“Um…Miss Y/L/N?”

She looked up, massaging her temple only to stop when she realized who was standing in her doorway. “Hey.” Y/N stood, trying to hide her surprise. “Typhanie, right?”

She nodded, lip caught between her teeth and fingers fidgeting with the obnoxious hall pass in her hands. “I just – I wanted to ask you about something.”

Y/N smiled, gesturing to the chair. “Of course. Have a seat.”

Typhanie did, tucking a leg underneath as she looked around. “I’ve never actually been in here before. It’s…” She noticed the positive signs, the wall decorations, and all the bright colors. “Peppy.”

Chuckling, Y/N said, “I’ll tell my friends that’s how you described their decorating skills. So, what’s up?”

“I know you normally do like,” Typhanie sighed. “I don’t know, counseling sort of stuff? But I was wondering if you could also help with the whole future type thing. Y’know, with…” She bit her lip, doubts starting to creep in the back of her head. Why was she even here? This was a waste of time and –

“Hey.” Y/N watched Typhanie blink. Those negative thoughts were burying her, scaring her. “You mean colleges, right? The ‘after highschool’ path?”

Typhanie nodded, earning a smile. “It’s just me and my dad. We don’t exactly have a lot money wise and I just…I want to be prepared. Get the scholarships, do what I need, and…I…” She laughed, the sound coming across more as a nervous breath than anything else. “I really want to go to college, but I want to make sure it’s the right path.”

“What do you want to study?”

“Music,” she admitted with a determined nod. “And I know not everyone goes to school for it, so I just want to figure out where I’m going.”

Y/N nodded, scribbling down some notes. “I love how you’re approaching this, Typhanie. It’s mature and level-headed. Give me today to put some information together, okay? You can stop by tomorrow and we can go over it. How does that sound?”

She breathed, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. “That sounds amazing. Thank you!”

“No problem. But…” She pointed to the hallpass. “You might want to go back to class before your teacher realizes it wasn’t the bathroom that you wandered off to.”

Typhanie grinned, jumping up. “Right! Yeah, of course! Um…thanks again.” She hurried out of the room, earning a far too amused laugh from Y/N.

Shaking her head, Y/N went back to the notes she’d taken. Scribbled: Typhanie Wilson. Music. College?? Needs to know her options.

She knew how overwhelming the future was. Especially at that age. At least Typhanie was seeking help. It was better than what she’d done at her age.

Knock knock

Y/N looked up. Peggy and Logan. Checking her phone, sure enough. It was time for their meeting. “Hey! Right on time.”

Peggy smiled. Weak, nervous. Like most mothers she met with. “Thank you for keeping these meetings, Miss Y/L/N.”

“It really means a lot to us,” Logan admitted. That shyness of being a new, eager stepdad was still there. Even after a year. He wanted to be good to Sarah and Y/N respected that.

“I know. Just repeating for everyone’s sake, but I cannot tell you anything Sarah has confided to me during our sessions. I’m just guiding you towards what could help your family transition best.”

“We know.” There was a hint of defeat in Peggy’s voice, a silent plea for her to bend the rules.

But Y/N wouldn’t. She cared about her students too much.

“Alright, have a seat then.”

Standing up, Y/N moved to the door. She started to close the door, pausing when she saw a familiar face.

And he saw her.

Steve raised a brow. “Uh…Y/N, right?”

She smirked. “Here, it’s Miss Y/L/N.”

He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. “Fair enough.” However, his eyes had wandered, catching sight of who was inside her office. “Uh…” Steve grimaced.

Peggy caught his eye, blushing. “Steve.”

“Peggy.” He glanced past her, nodding. “Logan.”

“Hey.”

Y/N looked from mother to father and back again. She had been sure that when she started these meetings with Peggy, she had been promised that Steve was informed. He had the option to join and chose not to.

Now, it was clear that hadn’t been the case.

Peggy gave her a look, another silent plea for her to keep quiet. To not say anything and simply continue their meeting.

Y/N shook her head. Oh…hell on. She looked back at Steve, leaning against the doorframe. “We’re about to have a meeting to discuss how Sarah’s been handling the past year. Do you want to join?”

Surprise. Concern. An eagerness that only came from a loving parent. Those were the emotions etching Steve’s features. Practically shining in those pretty blue eyes of his. Relieved, he admitted, “I would love that.”

Y/N nodded, opening the door wider. “Come on in.”

He crossed the threshold and she closed the door. Lingering only for a moment, she turned to the three parents. Here goes nothing. “Coffee, anyone?”

--

A/N: Thank you for all the support with this fic!! I really appreciate it!!

Tag List:

@fullofmultitudesfullofshit​

@abundanceofcarolines​

@patzammit​

@peaches-roses-sins​

@thisartemisnevermisses​

@works-of-fanfiction​

@coldmuffinbanditshoe​

@supernaturallover2002​

@kaleahmikaelson​

All Work:

@rinthehufflepuff​

@the-captain-bambooty

@kakakatey​

@butcherofblackwater​

[sassycassie-s-writing]

The Princess and the Twins

By: SassyShoulderAngel319

Fandom/Character(s): Avengers - Steve Rogers/Captain America

Rating: PG

Original Idea: Single Parent!AU, y’all!

Notes: (Masterlist)(About Me) This is the second LOOOOONG one in a row. (That I wrote not posted.) Wow. It just kinda ran away from me. @steverogersnotebook This is the one I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to finish! (That title sounds like a band name.)

^^^^^

I sat on the bench at the station, waiting for my train. With headphones in and a sad song playing, I stared at the ground. It was my weekly existential crisis of oh-boy-what-am-I-doing-with-my-life time so I was completely lost in my own little world.

Until a little blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl boosted herself up onto the bench right next to me. She was probably four.

I paused my music and pulled my headphones out, shoving them into my bag.

“Hello,” I greeted, slightly awkwardly, as I looked around for her parents or guardians or whatever—some adults who she was with.

With any luck this kid had been taught Stranger Danger and wouldn’t say much to me, but would let me help her find her grownups while sitting on the same bench. She wasn’t crying so I assumed she hadn’t gotten lost, per se. She probably ran off, distracted by a butterfly in her mind, since the station was indoors.

“Are you a princess?” she asked me.

I looked down at her, confused but also amused, and finally got a good look at her. She was wearing an American flag shirt, frilly denim skirt with cotton shorts underneath, and Velcro kids’ Converse. There was some glittery face paint of a star on her cheek farthest away from me and she had sparkly red nail polish on her tiny fingernails.

Raising my eyebrows, I smiled at her. “Am I a princess?” I repeated back at her cheerfully. “Why do you think I’m a princess?”

“Because princesses are always the prettiest ladies! And princesses wear pretty dresses!”

I tucked the skirt of my dress slightly under my leg and put my hand on my chest. “Aw! You’re so cute. And I’ll tell you a secret.” I bent forward a little in a non-threatening way. “I am a princess!” I stage-whispered near her ear. My whole grownup life I’d done my best to encourage imagination in the children around me—my neighbors’ kids and grandkids, my nieces and nephews, my young cousins—because I felt like imagination was a resource that some people were losing but other people never ran out of.

The little girl gasped. “You are?!” she stage-whispered back in awe.

“Yes I am. But you can’t tell anyone, okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“RED!” a frantic voice shouted.

The girl and I looked up, following the sound.

A handsome, six-foot-two, muscular-as-heck man pushed his way through the small crowd at the station towards us, carrying another little girl in one arm. He had the same blond hair and blue eyes as the girl sitting next to me.

When he broke through the line of people separating us from him, the girl next to me hopped down from the bench. “Dad!” she squealed excitedly, running over to him.

“Red, honey, you can’t go wandering off like that! You scared me!” the man admonished gently, picking her up in his other arm. The second little girl was probably the same age as the first, but looked frail and younger. She had brown hair and brown eyes. Her eyes were sharp even if her legs and arms were thin for being around four.

“But, but, Dad! I found a princess!” Red told the man. He looked past her small face at me. I gave an awkward single wave, just tilting my wrist down and setting my hand back on my leg. The man approached me.

“I am so sorry if she was bothering you. She’s a bit of a handful. They both are.”

I shrugged. “It’s no problem. She was no bother. I have a lot of experience with kids.”

“See, Dad?” Red pressed, trying for quiet and utterly failing. Kids were so cute. “She’s in a pretty dress, she’s pretty, and she told me she was a princess!”

“I see that, sweetheart,” the man acknowledged. He turned back to me. “I’m Steve, by the way.” He paused for a moment. “Uh… I’d shake your hand, but… my hands are full.” He looked at his hands as he spoke, each cradling one of his daughters.

I laughed and stood up, slinging my bag securely onto my shoulder. “It’s fine. A slight breach of etiquette for a good reason is no breach of etiquette at all to me,” I dismissed.

Red didn’t like being ignored, apparently, and Steve wasn’t picking up on what she was trying to say. “Dad!” she complained. “You’re a king! So you have to marry a princess to have a queen!” Her tone was full of a “duh!” tone.

Steve blushed. “Sorry,” he muttered to me. “Ever since their mom died, Red here has been determined to find me a new ‘queen.’”

I chuckled. “No problem. She’s cute.”

“Dad!” Red protested. “She’s the first princess we’ve met! Aren’t you going to at least try to make her your queen?”

“Red, sweetheart, how about I give her my phone number, and she gives me hers, and then I can let her see if she would like to meet me again?”

“Okay!” Red replied brightly.

Steve sighed and gave me a small grin as I pulled out my phone. “I’ll forgive you if you just tell me your number instead of typing it into my phone yourself,” I commented casually, creating a new contact and writing Steve into the first-name section with an American Flag emoji next to it, taking a context clue for me later from Red’s outfit.

He recited his phone number as I plugged it in, and then showed him to make sure I got it right.

“That’s it,” he informed me.

I sent him a text with my name. “And now you have mine.”

“Daddy?” the other little girl asked. “Why didn’t Auntie Nat come with us?”

“Because she wanted to stay with her other nieces and nephews for another couple days. But I wish she’d come with us because then I’d have someone else to watch you two crazy kids,” Steve replied.

“Well, what train are you on?” I wondered.

“The eleven-twenty back to New York.”

“Hey so am I. If you want, I can sit by you and keep an eye on these two. I promise I’m not a kidnapper or anything.”

He shook his head. “I couldn’t ask you to—”

“Nonsense. If I spend the ride alone I’ll just listen to music and fall into the void of What-am-I-doing-with-my-life. I’d be happy to help.”

“Well… if you really wouldn’t mind…” Steve began.

“She wouldn’t!” Red put in enthusiastically.

Her frail little sister rolled her eyes.

“Red, leave that up to the princess,” Steve chastised gently. Red pouted.

“Well she’s right. I wouldn’t mind.”

“Well, then, princess, if you’d care to join us, I’d love to escort you to the train.”

I chuckled and readjusted my bag strap on my shoulder. “I’d consider it an honor, Your Majesty,” I remarked, taking his awkwardly-offered elbow. We strolled through the station towards the train we’d be getting on. I noticed that Steve had two little backpacks slung over his shoulders that I hadn’t seen before.

“So, this is Red,” I began, nodding at the blonde little girl. “But I don’t think you told me your name, sweetpea.” I looked at the brunette entreatingly.

Wide-eyed, she looked to her dad. He smiled and nodded. “You can tell her, honey,” he murmured.

“Peggy,” the little girl told me.

Steve grinned. “Their real names are Sarah and Margaret,” he explained. “Sarah was my mother’s name. But this little one’s favorite color is red so her uncle started calling her Red and it stuck.” He gave Red a pointed glance so I knew which twin he was talking about.

I nodded understandingly. “I see. I like Red. It’s a fun nickname.”

We reached the train. Steve jumped over the gap between the platform and the interior with ease, set Red down, and offered me his hand. I took it and let him help me hop the gap myself before he scooped his obviously-more-adventurous daughter back up. “Let’s go find some seats,” he told his girls. Peggy gave a tiny little nod and Red smiled widely with a more enthusiastic nod. I followed them down the aisle of the train until Steve found an open booth with a little table and four seats. “Here alright?” he asked me.

“Of course,” I answered.

“Mind if Red sits by you next to the window so she doesn’t run off?”

I laughed and held my hands out for the blonde twin. “Not at all.” She leaned towards me. I took her in my arms and set her down on the seat next to the window before taking the aisle seat for myself. Peggy sat across from her sister and Steve sat across from me. Red blabbered about “Uncle Bucky” and “Uncle Sam”—the latter of which made me furrow my eyebrows and think of those I Want YOU posters that turned into memes—for a while and Peggy doodled on a little notebook covered in scribbles.

“Princess?” Red asked after a couple minutes, poking me in the leg.

“Yes, sweetpea?”

“What’s it like running a kingdom?”

“It’s a lot of hard work—and I’m still learning how to do it—but it makes me a good leader and a thoughtful person. I have to carefully consider my actions and make the best decisions I can with what I have to work with. It’s not an easy job, but it is a good job.”

Red watched with rapt attention—even Peggy looked up from her notebook. Steve was grinning between me and his daughter.

I felt my phone buzz in my purse.

You certainly have a way with kids. It was from Steve.

I smiled across the table at him and shrugged. “I have a lot of kids in my family that I interact with,” I explained.

“Would you mind, I don’t know, maybe joining me for dinner some night so I can thank you for being so good to these two today—assuming I can find a babysitter?”

Peggy perked up. “Auntie Nat?” she asked.

“Or Uncle Tony!” Red put in excitedly.

“Not Uncle Tony,” Steve told his blonde daughter. “Last time I let him tend you two he let you play with tools and Peggy almost took her eye out.” Red drooped a little but agreed that wasn’t a good thing.

“I’d love to go to dinner with you whenever you can find a babysitter. I’m free most nights anyway,” I told Steve quietly. He smiled.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Red started to stare out the window and Peggy went back to drawing. They were cute kids—and they had a very handsome dad. I was trying not to notice, but come on, how could one not notice? He was tall, blond, and chiseled.

Steve and I talked quietly during the ride, swaying with the movement of the train. I didn’t want the ride to end. It was just… nice. Pleasant. I hadn’t had such a good conversation with someone I’d just met in a long time. He was just easy to talk to. He had a good personality and when he listened to me talk I felt like he was really listening.

But all good things had to end. Eventually, with screeching brakes that made all four of us cringe, the train ground to a halt in the Big Apple. We were home.

After Steve and I got the girls off the train, he shook my hand. “I look forward to taking you out to dinner.”

“I look forward to joining you,” I replied.

Red looked up at me. “It was nice to meet you, princess,” she offered.

I smiled. “It was lovely to meet you as well.”

Peggy just gave me a timid wave from her dad’s arm. I waved back.

Steve took Red’s hand and the three of them went off in the opposite direction to me.

I smiled as I headed home. I liked Steve and his daughters. I couldn’t guarantee our date would go anywhere, but I kinda hoped it would. Poor guy. Single dad raising two daughters all on his own—and at such a young age too!—couldn’t have been easy.

Yeah. If the date went somewhere, maybe one day I could be the queen to his king, as Red suggested.

[wintersoldierwhore]

wips

these are the things i’m working on currently, so it should give you a reference as to how quick your requests should be out:

bucky — smut

peter parker— fluff, smut — (HE WILL BE AGED UP, FEAR NOT)

tom holland — fluff, angst, comfort, goofy

diego hargreeves — fluff, smut, goofy

bucky — smut

tom holland — fluff, angst, comfort

peter parker — angst

tom holland — goofy

ceo!bucky social media au — series

singleparent!reader x steve — series

positions — series for bucky

if you have any requests, fill out this form.

[vibing-and-writing]

masterpost ;3

hi!!! here’s a masterpost so my fics are easier to find and some other important stuff too ;3

genshin impact writing challenge!!!

rules and fandoms for requests

tag directory!!!

main | reading | about me | ao3

updated newest to oldest for each character

❤ - more than 100 likes 

✨ - personal favorites

~ MARVEL ~

Bucky Barnes

❤✨ ‘a grove of tress’ - witch!reader x bucky

❤  ‘spoiled days’ - singleparent!reader x bucky | pt.2 | (discontinued)

❤  ‘i need a hero’ - clumsy!reader x bucky

‘parties: fun for no one’ - the reader is sad at a party and bucky comes to save her.

‘a promise on scarred lips’ - scarred!reader x Bucky

Natasha Romanova

✨ ‘lessons learned’ - teacher!reader x principal!natasha (wlw)

Sam Wilson

‘parecen viernes’ - latin-american!reader x sam 

Steve Rogers

✨ ‘suavemente’ - latin!reader x steve | when tony schedules a team-building activity at a dance studio, steve doesn’t know what expect. shenanigans ensue.

Platonic Fics 

‘a bit of motivation’ - reader w/ bucky, natasha, & sam | staying motivated during a pandemic can be difficult, but earth’s mightiest heroes may be able to help.

~~ MHA ~~

Aizawa Shouta

❤  ‘knots’ - aizawa looks back at all the times you’ve been there for him.

-> Genshin Impact <-

Diluc Ragnvindr

❤ ‘legends never die’ - after finding out Diluc is one of the Harbingers, you’re filled with rage and heartbreak. not all is as it seems...

❤✨ ‘kidnapping scenarios’ - Diluc finds out the Traveller has been kidnapped, and he’s not happy about it.

Kaeya Alberich

❤ ‘kidnapping scenarios’ - Kaeya finds out the Traveller has been kidnapped, and he’s very upset about it.

Jean Gunnhildr

✨ ‘dandelions & beginnings’ - Jean meets an adventurer at a ball, but that’s just the beginning. | distance | 

/\ Mystic Messenger /\

Zen (Hyun Ryu)

‘vocal rest scenarios’ - MC is on vocal rest, and Zen understands the struggle.

Jumin Han

‘vocal rest scenarios’ - MC is on vocal rest, and Jumin is trying his best.

[metalbvcky]

Ever since I came up with a bakery!au idea, I’ve been struggling with finding a plot for my kidfic. But it just hit me:  

BakeryOwner!Bucky + SingleParent(widowed)!Steve (also pastry chef) = Kidfic Bakery AU!!!  

[roxy1968]

Always having been a dancer and pretty fit , from having a C Section and getting that mummy tummy and then hernia op , I felt deflated until I tried these products my belly fat just wouldn’t shift .. How many feel that way .. Until I met Steve Mitchell who I knew and trusted from a previous life .. He said two capsules in am ,then a lifestyle mix and then a dft patch .. so thought I’d try .. and voila . No sugar cravings , cut right back on coffee , don’t have those binge cravings plus sleeping so much better .. As you can see the changes have made such a difference to my life , I’m acting , dancing , modelling at 51 and helping others to not only lose weight , have better nutrition , more energy and better sleep .. plus run a business in their spare time .. All I can say is You gotta try these products Drop me a YEAH below 👇#lifestyle#weightlossjourney #mum#mummy#singleparent#residualincome #health#nutrition#energy#csection #csectionrecovery #nevergiveup#dancer#actress#model#50plusandfabulous #getfit#personaltrainer #thriver#freedom #helpothers #helpotherssucceed https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs3w99MlPTu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=13u76srxa9pcg

[lets-try-to-be-normal-otakus]

Eddie finding out that SingleParent!Steve is actually single

i was just going thru some notes i have for brainstorming purposes and came across something i forgot ab

picture it w me, if you will:

no upside down modern au, alpha!eddie/omega!steve (bc apparently that's where my brain always goes)

steve is drunk at a party and either billy or tommy (also drunk) takes advantage of him. he ends up pregnant, kicked out, b/t wants nothing to do w any of it. steve's mom (bc we appreciate one good parent in this house) sends him money every month in exchange for pictures and updates of child w/o his dad's knowledge.

eddie meet him at some kind of organization event for underprivileged kids that he volunteers at bc he was that kid and knows how important they are. at first, he thinks steve is another volunteer & is absolutely enamored by him. but once he sees steve's kid run up to him, he decides to back off bc he assumes this means steve is in a relationship. he keeps seeing steve around and silently pines the whole time bc he's accepted that he'll never have him.

until eddie is at the library, hosting d&d. the party joins a few campaigns, and he gets to know them a little. he likes them, they're good kids (teenagers, technically). one day steve brings his toddler to the library bc they like to look thru the picture books on steve's days off. he also knows that the party goes to d&d that day and wants to say hi. when he leaves, eddie asks the party if they know him, and they explain that steve used to babysit them and drove them around a lot when they were in middle school. he uses this as an in w steve, resolved to just talk to him once and maybe be his friend.

he asks ab the kid's other parent simply for small talk purposes, wondering what they're like and why eddie's never seen them around. steve explains that he's a single parent; the kid's father was an asshole that didn't want to face the consequences of his actions.

cue eddie desperately doing everything possible to impress this child so he can prove to steve just how serious he is ab being w them. i like the think of it in the same vein as your moms new boyfriend trying to make you like him, even tho you already do and there's no need for him to try That Hard. but much more ridiculous and dramatic in true eddie munson fashion.

[buckyownsmylife]

What do you call me, sweetheart?” I hadn’t heard that question in so long, it elicited shivers down my spine, my mouth falling open in a quiet gasp as he took my face in between his hands again. “Daddy,” I was quick to answer, knowing Steve was not a patient manl. After all the time we spent apart, I could only imagine how little control he would have now that he was so close to fucking me again. Steve nodded, tongue running over his lower lip before he leaned over me to kiss me once more. This time, he slipped his tongue inside of my mouth, taking control of our movements sensuously as I melted in his arms.

Mine, a ex!sugardaddy!ceo!singleparent!Steve Rogers x reader smut fic that’s currently available on my Patreon and will be coming to Tumblr soon!

[whatcouldgowrong-ohthat]

Us and Andie Ch. 1

Summary: Bucky works as an Avenger because it’s what’s right. He feels he has sins he’ll never be able to make up for, but he’ll spend the rest of his life trying. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he comes across Andie, the daughter of recently divorced Y/N. The life he had once “maintained” in hopes of surviving changes as his heart warms for a tough-as-nails nurse and her wonderful daughter.

Pairing: Bucky x singleparent!Reader

Word Count: 3167 words (oops??)

Warnings: Um…none?? This is looking to be more of a slow burn fic, but I mean, those are the best, right?

This IS in response to @buckyssoul’s writing challenge! But the dialogue hasn’t been used yet. XD

Masterlist

The constant rumble of the subway running its course was oddly comforting to Bucky Barnes. There was once a time in his life where he loathed it. It simply drove him crazy dealing with the people. He could never shake the tension and fear that came with the crowds. And more often than not, he caught them staring, recognizing him. Did they think he’d just randomly turn into the Winter Soldier and start killing people?

But at this time of night it was different.

Sure, there were people, but they ignored everything around them. They were more concerned with getting to their graveyard shift or maybe sleeping a few minutes between jobs. What their stories were, he didn’t care. So here he was, nearing midnight, and finally heading back to Brooklyn.

The subway screeched to a halt as something incomprehensible came over the speakers. He didn’t bother paying attention. He knew his route. He still had two more stops. However, it didn’t stop him from noticing who was getting off and on. Particularly – one stood out to him. Someone new. Their hoodie was pulled up, hiding most of their face and over that was a cargo jacket. Both looked too big.

It’s not your problem.

He leaned back, listening to the person’s footsteps walk closer to his side of the car. Other than the man sleeping a couple seats away, this half was empty. Whoever it was, they were avoiding people. At least that was what he thought until they sat down. Their scrawny legs were tucked into their chest, too-long jeans revealing worn sneakers underneath. His steely gaze shifted to the face still trying to hide itself. It was a kid. Judging by their size and the clothes, no more than eleven. Probably a girl.

What was a kid doing on a subway alone?

It’s not your problem.

That reminder echoed in his head once again. He crossed his arms and looked away. Avenger or not, that little voice in the back of his head was right. It wasn’t his problem to handle right now. Surely the kid had a parent. Or guardian. Or someone.

And yet, he knew she was alone.

Another stop came by. People came off. No one came on. The girl was still there.

He leaned forward, his heart twisting as he wondered how alone this child was. Bucky shifted his arms, propping them on his knees. The movement caught her attention. She looked up. And Bucky’s heart broke. Tears stained her cheeks and her nose was clearly red. She wiped it on her sleeve, eyes never leaving his. Her knees were pulled tight against her chest as she wrapped her arms around them.

No more than eleven, he was certain. But in that moment, she looked so much younger.

“You okay?” His voice was low, barely above a whisper.

She nodded.

“You’re lying.” He winced at how his voice probably sounded to her. That wasn’t what he had intended.

Her eyes grew and he sighed, running his gloved hand over his jaw. Glancing around the rest of the car, he was relieved that no one else was paying attention to her. She didn’t need that right now. Especially not now. Looking back at her, he asked, “Didn’t your parents ever teach you not to lie?”

She nodded again. At least this time he knew she was telling the truth.

Silence fell between them as they watched one another, practically sizing each other up. Bucky knew it wasn’t his place to do anything. In all actuality, he should find a police officer. Or maybe call Steve. Steve was better at this sort of thing than he was.

Instead of doing just that, he asked, “Where are your parents?”

She tensed.

He cringed. Maybe could have worded that less creepily. “Kid, it’s late. I just want to make sure you get home safe.” Still, she said nothing. “Please, let me help?” The more he talked, the less gruff he sounded. The more human he sounded. Her shoulders were starting to relax and immediately he wondered if anyone had thought to teach this kid about “stranger danger”.

She looked down again, resting her chin on her knees. One step forward, two steps back.

“Kid.”

“Stop calling me that.”

“Well, at least you’re talking now.” He watched her, unable to hide a smile. She was slowly trusting him. “So…where are your parents?”

“Dad’s with his family. Mom’s at work.”

He frowned. Divorce was still something he wasn’t all that familiar with. The Avengers weren’t exactly dating or married except for Clint. Tony’s off and on again relationship with Pepper was the most interaction he had with a “healthy” relationship. And some days he wasn’t sure that it qualified as one. “Which parent are you trying to get to?”

She sniffled and he noticed more tears threatening to fall. “Mom…”

“Does she know?”

“I – I left…I left my phone with them.” Tears slipped down her cheeks and Bucky decided it was time to join her side. It was quick. Shifting from one side of the car to the other, he took a seat next to her. She relaxed more. Now that Bucky was between her and the rest of the car, she clearly felt safer.

“So she doesn’t.”

She shook her head and he reached up, tugging her hoodie back. Brown hair was pulled into a ponytail, messy and knotted. She looked up at him, strands falling in her face.

“What’s your name?”

“Andie.”

It was either a fake name, which he would be impressed by, or a nickname, he was sure. But then again, he went by a nickname himself, so who was he to judge?

“You’re Bucky.”

He raised an eyebrow, surprised that she would recognize him, but relieved that she at least wasn’t opening up to a complete stranger. She knew he was “safe” and yet she was so young. How could she possibly –

“I’m a mutant. My mom…” She sniffled again, slowly but surely calming down. “My mom wanted to make sure I knew about good role models.”

Good role models? Was her mother an idiot? To think that he could be considered a good role model for a kid? With everything that he had done? No wonder the kid was such a mess. He turned away from her, staring at his interwoven hands. Glove and skin. Always glove and skin.

“Your mom? Is she – “

Andie shook her head. “No. She’s human.”

The subway came to a stop again. It was his. He was supposed to go. Looking from the door to her again, he rang his hands. Nerves. He hated them. Normally everything made him calm, but right now he couldn’t stop the nerves that ate at his gut. “Let me get you to her. Deal?”

She looked surprised but said nothing. Only nodding. There was trust in her eyes. She believed in him and believed that he would look out for her. And that warmed his heart. “She works at the hospital on Kings Highway.”

He knew that area. It wasn’t exactly in the safest part of Brooklyn and was definitely a poorer community. Knowing that both worried and impressed him regarding this kid. She was fearless. It reminded him of a blonde idiot always picking fights, never backing down. Maybe she was a bit stupid too, but she’d grow out of that.

“She’s a nurse?”

“Yeah.”

Silence fell again. It seemed neither of them were sure what they could say. Andie wanted to ask about his arm. Bucky wanted to ask why she ran. She mentioned her father having a family. Was that why? Still, he couldn’t bring himself to ask. He felt like it wasn’t his place. So he leaned back and glanced at the stops coming up. They had four more before she would have gotten off. Four stops on a creepy train just to get to her mother.

Must be a hell of a woman to raise a kid so strong.

His head rest against the window and he tensed when he felt something rest on him. He looked down. Andie’s head was propped on his metal arm and she was almost immediately asleep. She hadn’t flinched or anything. Instead, the kid found comfort in something that was supposed to be a weapon. Taking a slow breath, he forced himself to relax. She cuddled into his arm and he could tell she was absolutely exhausted. Of course, she was. No kid her age should be out this late.

Another forty minutes passed before they reached her stop. He nudged her awake and she stifled a yawn. “Come on, Andie, get up.”

Another yawn slipped out of her as she blinked slowly, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. “I fell asleep?”

“Mhm.” He picked her up, carrying her off the subway as she properly woke up. When he felt she could walk without running into anything, he set her down again. He took off his baseball cap, placing it on her head and earning a sleepy grin from her. He didn’t understand what it was about that smile that made him feel all warm and fuzzy, but in that moment…Bucky just wanted to protect her from everything.

“Alright, Andie, lead the way.”

Andie was good about sticking close to his side and honestly, it was a relief. The last thing he needed or wanted to worry about was losing the kid on accident. Somehow this wasn’t supposed to be his problem and yet, here he was.

Steve would say he was asking for it.

His arm flexed when he felt her take his hand. That stupid gloved hand. How could she not be afraid? She knew who he was.

“Why?”

Andie looked up at him before glancing at her much smaller hand holding onto his. “Maybe she won’t ground me if I’m clearly being safe and out this late with an Avenger.”

Bucky laughed. As much as he hated to admit it, it sounded like solid reasoning from a kid.  He looked ahead. The hospital was just across the street. She tugged him in that direction, not having to worry about cars this late at night. What a strange little thing she was.

The bright fluorescents of the hospital were a stark contrast to the night sky and dim streetlights. It made him squint.

“Andie?”

“Hey, Nurse Jones!”

Bucky looked up, eyes finally adjusting and fixating on the woman that had spoken. Nurse Jones – so not her mother. She watched him, the dark circles under her eyes only making her grey eyes more prominent. She was young. He would have guessed she got out of nursing school recently. Her blonde hair was pulled into a messy ponytail. Closing the file in her hand, she walked up to them, her eyes never straying from Bucky. It was interesting – a relief that she wasn’t ogling him, but in fact concerned for Andie’s wellbeing.

“Uh…Andie,” she started, crouching in front of her. “What are you doing here? And this late?”

“I…Well…”

“It’s my fault.”

Nurse Jones and Andie looked up simultaneously. Clearly neither had expected him to say that. In truth, neither had he. “Yours? You’re not Andie’s babysitter.”

Babysitter? Wasn’t she supposed to be with her dad? “No, but – “

“But he’s an Avenger.” Andie grinned when Nurse Jones’s cheeks turned pink. She recognized him then. “So I’m safe.”

She sighed, rubbing the bridge between her brows. Bucky didn’t bother to hide his smirk. It was obvious that this wasn’t the first time Andie had found a loophole in a conversation. So, Nurse Jones stood up and looked at Bucky. Before she had a chance to say anything or take Andie to her mother, there was a call from the desk. She immediately turned and went to answer the phone, reaching over rather awkwardly. “Okay, I’ll be there in a couple minutes,” she told whoever was on the other line. Hanging up, she looked back at Bucky. She glanced from him to Andie and back again, at a complete loss. “Do you mind going with her?”

He shifted from one foot to the other, brow furrowing. He thought he was just dropping the kid off and problem solved. The idea of traveling further into the hospital made him tense. Bucky didn’t like hospitals. He sure as hell didn’t trust doctors. Not after Zola. Not after…after everything. But clearly this woman looked stressed. She didn’t seem to be the type to ask for a favor from a stranger. Especially not if she could help it.

“Going with her where?”

–

Labor and Delivery.

That was where.

Surrounded by rooms filled with pregnant, hormonal women. Rooms filled with families having happy lives. Lives he couldn’t have.

You should’ve kept your mouth shut on that damn subway.

“Okay, Andie, where’s your – “

“Lauren Andromeda Y/L/N!”

“Uh oh.”

“Mom…” Bucky finished, looking up as a whirlwind of light blue scrubs came up to them. A woman swept her up, pulling Andie’s hand out of Bucky’s. She squeezed her tight and it was then that Bucky put the pieces together.

This must be her mom.

Wait, Lauren Andromeda?

Bucky raised an eyebrow as Andie peeked at him over her shoulder. She was grinning and the sight brought back that weird feeling from earlier. He looked away, clenching his jaw as he tried to stuff it aside. Instead of lingering on it, he watched out of his peripheral as she was carried to the desk the rest of the nurses were at. While they were staring at him, Andie’s mom seemed completely focused on whether her daughter was okay or not.

“Ciara called me and told me you were on your way up. What were you doing – I thought May would’ve put you to bed hours ago.” She noticed the sheepish look in her daughter’s eyes and braced her hands on either side of her, tapping her foot. “You snuck out. You went to see him.”

“I’m sorry, Mom, I just…I wanted to…”

Andie trailed off and immediately what was once aggravation and worry slipped into nothing more than a mother’s concern. She sighed as she gathered her into her arms, squeezing her tight. “I know, baby girl, I know.”

One of the nurses at their station cleared her throat, forcing her to look up. She raised an eyebrow, mouthing ‘what’ to her coworker. An impish grin appeared on her face as she pointed to just behind. “I think you owe someone a thank you.”

Looking back, a dark red blush appeared on cheeks and ears as Andie’s mother finally released her. “I – I know you.”

Bucky dipped his head, shoving his hands in his pockets. He wasn’t sure what to say.

“He’s Bucky, Mom.”

“I know that,” she hissed, looking back at Andie. She eyed the baseball cap on her head – the one clearly too big for her. She turned back to Bucky. “You brought her here?”

Bucky was still silent, not entirely sure what to say. While he was used to at least saying a couple sentences, he found himself at a complete loss. This was extremely new to him. And this woman was a whirlwind. She was chaotic at best. Unlike Natasha who carried herself with the utmost care and Wanda who was confident, but calm – she was something else. Her hair was pulled up and out of her face. There was no sign of makeup anywhere except mascara that he guessed was a couple days old. The dark circles under her eyes were similar to Nurse Jones’s and there was no sign of jewelry anywhere on her except for a single necklace around her neck.

A locket.

She was simple and yet so bright, so chaotic. He wondered if it was because of her daughter’s safety or if that was just her.

“Say something.”

Bucky shot a pointed look at Andie, making a note in the back of his mind to ask about her name at some point in the future. Instead of saying something, he simply nodded.

“Thank you.” She looked so honest and real. It was unfamiliar to him. “Being an Avenger must be exhausting. Taking the time to do that for my daughter…it means a lot.”

“I just – “ He cleared his throat, his flesh hand rubbing the back of his neck. “I just wanted to make sure she was safe.”

She smiled before looking at Andie. “I’ll call May and get your coloring books. Find a chair.” Pulling Andie off the counter, she set her down and glanced at the coworker that had teased her earlier. “Cover for me?”

“You know it, girl.”

Laughing, she pulled her phone off the charger and walked away. Bucky’s eyes watched, unable to tear themselves away. He didn’t want to. He wanted to make sure not only Andie was okay, but that her mother was. Taking a couple steps back, he shook his head. Maybe that was just the Avenger part of him talking.

“Hey.”

Bucky looked down, raising an eyebrow when he saw it was Andie less than a foot away from him. She was quick on her feet. He’d give her that. Curling a finger in a come-hither motion, she was unable to stop smiling when Bucky crouched in front of her.

“Yes?”

She took the borrowed hat off, placing it on his head. Leaning forward, Andie told him, “Her name’s Y/N.”

Bucky couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the little matchmaker in front of him. That was probably normal for a kid from divorced parents, right? Taking the hat back off his head, he adjusted the strap on the back. He turned it around and placed it back on her head, making sure it fit. Instead of commenting on the little Cupid Game Andie was so obviously playing, he said, “Keep it. Looks better on you.”

Andie tilted her head up, revealing wide, cheery eyes that weren’t shining quite so bright the first time they had met. It seemed she was much better now. She didn’t need him anymore. “Thanks, Mr. Barnes.”

“Call me Bucky.”

She giggled and nodded, the hat slipping ever so slightly. “Bye, Bucky.”

He stood up. “Bye, Andie.”

Turning on his heel, he left the Labor and Delivery department. He knew damn well if anyone from his team found out about this, he’d be teased relentlessly. So, he made sure he would keep it to himself. No one needed to find out about Andie. Or Y/N.

Bucky paused when he thought about her. Y/N. “Y/N Y/L/N.” It sounded…almost familiar.

But that didn’t matter anymore. The night was over and if he had any chance of not being a total ass at the compound tomorrow, he needed to get at least a couple hours of sleep.

So that was the new goal.

Brooklyn. Then work. Then repeat.

No Andie. No Y/N.

Back to the routine of late, lonesome subway rides.

[whatcouldgowrong-ohthat]

Us and Andie Ch. 3

Summary: Bucky works as an Avenger because it’s what’s right. He feels he has sins he’ll never be able to make up for, but he’ll spend the rest of his life trying. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he comes across Andie, the daughter of recently divorced Y/N. The life he had once “maintained” in hopes of surviving changes as his heart warms for a tough-as-nails nurse and her wonderful daughter.

Pairing: Bucky x singleparent!Reader

Word Count: 5130 (Guys, this just keeps getting higher and higher, wtf)

Warnings: Nothing. Guys, this is fluff. I mean, there will be angst in later chapters, but not yet. I’ll warn ya when we get there.

Masterlist

Silence had a way of filling a room and making it feel heavy. For the Avengers, a team that was constantly outspoken and filled with energy, that silence was deafening and suffocating. The only person who ever seemed to find true peace with it was Bucky. But now, everyone was silent for a different reason.

They were watching Andie.

The girl had so easily snuck out from under the nose of five heroes and managed to evade a team of them for hours. It took a Hulk with a craving to find her again.

And that alone was enough to impress Tony. He was highly amused by the girl and found her brutal honesty as refreshing as being around Happy or Rhodey. He hadn’t realized it was a quality he respected so much until he was fine with a kid behaving in such a manner. But he knew Andie wasn’t supposed to be here and after an update from F.R.I.D.A.Y., he realized how out of hand everything had gotten. So now, he watched as Bruce and Andie kept up their game, listening to Peter and Sam explain the last several hours of their day.

He shrugged, turning back to them. “Well, I called her mom and she’s on her way.” 

“You know her mom?” Steve raised an eyebrow and Tony laughed.

“Uh…F.R.I.D.A.Y.” Tony pointed up to the ceiling and Steve knew in that moment that he should have already assumed. F.R.I.D.A.Y. was extremely good at getting information.

“So she’s heading this way?” Steve glanced back at Andie, arms crossed and brow furrowed. Tony knew that look all too well.

“Is there something wrong with that, Cap?”

“No…I…” He trailed off and Tony snorted, shaking his head and going back to his work.

“Keep your secrets, Old man. But make sure Manchurian Candidate over there doesn’t explode. I really don’t want to have to clean this place up.”

Steve chuckled. The more forgiving Tony was as time passed, the more he teased Bucky. And it showed a much needed progress for his two friends. He wanted his team to be a family. To be able to work together and rely on one another. That being said, he turned his attention back to his oldest friend.

Bucky was sitting on a stool, leg bouncing restlessly but eyes never wavering. He was absolutely fixated on Andie. It seemed the concern he had was clear to everyone in the room except for him. But no one dared comment on it. Instead, he let himself smile as Andie turned over an empty bag that was once filled with what was hers and Bruce’s favorite candy. He rose to his feet, finally earning the kid’s attention. “Come on, Andie. Can throw that away and wait for your mom in the living room.”

She nodded and hopped off, taking his hand in hers before following him out of the room. When the doors finally closed, there was nothing but silence. Everyone had watched how easily she had listened to him. How easily she had touched him. And there was no fear from her. No tension from him.

“She’s got him wrapped around her finger, doesn’t she?” Sam asked, already knowing the answer.

Rather than answer Sam’s question, Tony asked, “Why do you think I called her mom?”

Steve immediately looked at him.

Still, Tony didn’t look up. The only sign of ‘guilt’ on his face was the smirk that was cast in a glow emanating from the iron-suit.

-.-

Bucky sat in one of the awkward, too-stiff chairs near the foyer. It seemed Tony knew the Avengers should expect guests and had this area set up for just that. Right now, he had Andie situated on the couch with a pair of Falcon’s goggles in her hands. She had tried to put them on to the best of her abilities, jumping around as if she was about to take flight. Unlike most kids he had crossed paths with these days, she was heavily relying on her imagination. He wandered if it was a choice or because her family didn’t have the means for her to have access to technology.

“Kid, take a seat. Your mom’s going to be here soon.”

She had been hanging over the back of the couch, but at the title ‘kid’, she looked back at him. “I thought you weren’t going to call me that anymore.”

“I thought your name was ‘Andie’.”

She frowned, taking off the goggles and tossing them on the table between them. “It is.”

“No. According to your mom, your name is ‘Lauren’.”

Her shoulders tensed at that name. He couldn’t help but be curious as to how often she actually heard it. Why did she hate it so much? “You don’t get to call me that.”

“I don’t?”

“You’re not my parent.”

Bucky leaned back in his chair, rubbing his jaw and the back of his neck. He noticed the way she stared at the table between them. It seemed the goofy kid everyone found utterly adorable was no where in sight. He’d overstepped. Tapping his foot, he found himself watching the way she picked at her nails. They were short and he realized she probably chewed them. A nervous habit. “I don’t go by my first name either.”

“I know.” Her voice was soft as she tucked a leg into her chest. She changed her mind as she started playing with her laces. “You go by a nickname from your middle name. Same as me.”

“More like what you’re doing is the same as me. I am older.”

She giggled at that and the small smile was enough to ease at least some more minor worries.

“Was it your dad that named you?”

She nodded against her knee, the action stiff and awkward, but enough of an answer for him.

“And Andromeda?”

Andie looked at him, finally meeting his gaze as she gave him one of his favorite smiles. “Look it up.” Bucky chuckled, crossing his arms and slouching more in his seat. She tilted her head, cheek resting on her bony leg. “Mom says bad posture screws up your back.”

“Oh, is that right?” He raised an eyebrow. “And what does she say about putting your shoes on the couch, huh?”

“She says don’t.”

Both immediately turned their attention to the front doors of the foyer. Y/N was standing there in scrubs and a hoodie, exhaustion even more prominent than the night he had seen her. Was it because she had gotten off a shift? Or was she always so tired?

“What the hell is she doing here?” Y/N crossed the foyer, gaze settled intently on Bucky as he rose to his feet. “I had Peter taking care of her and – “

“And the kid has an internship here. He’s friends with the Avengers.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, not entirely sure why she was angry. Sure, she hadn’t known where Andie was, but she was safe. There was no where else she could have been that would have made her more so. “Steve and Sam saw them at the park and – “

“I don’t care. That’s my kid. And Peter knows better. Just because you’re a bunch of heroes doesn’t mean – “

“Mom…”

“Not right now, Andie,” Y/N murmured, shoulders slumping. The only reason she was even remotely functional right now was because of her anger. It was keeping her awake. And she still had a long drive to get them back to Brooklyn and return her coworker’s vehicle. And she still had work tomorrow night. Crossing her arms, she looked back at Bucky and said, “She could have been with every single superhero you know. I don’t care. The fact that I didn’t know where my child was, that’s what matters. I didn’t know that she was safe. For all I knew, her fucking father – “

“Mom, I’m okay.”

“Andie.” Y/N exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. It was then that Bucky saw the tears in her eyes. He watched as Andie reached across the back of the couch and grabbed her hand, squeezing gently. “It took a call from Tony Stark for me to find out where my kid was. Do you have any idea how terrifying that is for someone like me?”

Someone like her?

Oh. A single parent. A single mother.

“No. I don’t know. And I’m sorry.”

Y/N watched him, studying his features and it seemed she believed him because she simply nodded. This reaction to his presence was so different from their last interaction that he wasn’t sure what to think. He would’ve thought she’d be happy that Andie was with good guys, but it seemed she didn’t care. She really did just want to know for herself that her kid was safe. He thought back to the community they lived in. The hospital she worked at. It wasn’t even one of the better hospitals that could provide good pay. It made him wonder – what had happened to their family?

“You must be Y/N Y/L/N.”

The trio looked back towards the inner workings of the building. There, as if waiting to make a grand entrance, was the rest of the team. Normally they would expect someone to freak out, get excited and ask for autographs, maybe a photo. But not Y/N. No, her gaze fell on Tony, recognizing his voice from their earlier phone call and the numerous times she had heard him on the news.

He walked forward, immediately shaking her hand. Bucky watched the exchange, completely puzzled. There was nothing about this situation that required the whole team and yet even Wanda and Vision were lingering in the background, waiting to get to know these two people.

“Please, don’t introduce yourselves. I’m pretty sure anyone with common sense knows who you are,” Y/N said, smiling at Tony before looking to everyone else.

“Those are our codenames though,” Sam reminded.

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Alright.”

Andie grinned as if something really cool was about to happen. She looked at Sam, as if her expression alone told him: You are so wrong.

Pointing one by one, Y/N said, “Sam Wilson. Steve Rogers. Natasha Romanoff. Clint Barton. Bruce Banner. Vision. Wanda Maximoff. Tony Stark.” Her gaze settled on Bucky. “James Buchanan Barnes.”

“Just – “

“Bucky.” The nickname slipped out of hers and Bucky’s mouths together and Steve was barely able to hide his smile.

Andie added, “She knows.”

Y/N chuckled down at her girl, pulling her into a little side hug as she told the team, “You aren’t nearly as anonymous as you would like to believe. Anyone with a computer can find out your actual names and anyone who witnessed Sekovia or the Accords would certainly be reminded.”

“You’re not one of the people who hates us, are you,” Sam asked, earning a shove from Steve. “Look, it is a legitimate question. Especially in our line of work.”

Y/N laughed. It was beautiful and simple and the sound made Bucky smile. He ducked his head, hiding behind loose strands of hair so as to hide any flush that could have appeared. No one seemed to notice. Except for Steve. “I don’t hate any of you. I think all of you mean well and, except for Vision and Thor, you’re human. Humans make mistakes. Humans try their best. With your talents, you’re trying to do some good in the world, right?” She didn’t need an answer. “So it’s not even that I don’t hate you. I can’t.”

Tony smiled at that, looking back at Steve. The two seemed to have their own little conversation, silent to everyone but themselves.

“And on that note,” she said, squeezing Andie before releasing her. “We got to get on the road.”

Tony whipped his head around as Bucky looked up. But both reacted for entirely different reasons. It seemed Andie’s initial joke of playing matchmaker now had two important players: Tony and Steve.

And they were determined to see if maybe there was potential for something.

Nothing wrong with that, right?

“Since we scared you and you have that long drive ahead of you anyway, why don’t you stay for dinner,” Tony offered. The confused look from Bucky didn’t go unnoticed, but it was certainly ignored. “Consider it a peace offering?”

“Please, Mom?”

Y/N offered a weak smile, shaking her head. “I wish we could, but I work tomorrow night and Andie has school.”

“We can take her,” Steve offered, shrugging.

“And there’s plenty of rooms here. You could stay the night. Get some actual sleep instead of worrying about all that traffic,” Natasha added.

Andie’s eyes seemed to light up like a kid at Christmas. “Oh, please! Please, can we, Mom?” She swung off Y/N’s arm, seemingly trying to exhaust her into a yes.

“I – Look, as kind as that is, it really isn’t necessary.”

Peter smiled, knowing exactly where this was coming from. Y/N didn’t like charity. Though May hadn’t told him everything that had happened in Y/N’s divorce, he knew it was messy. He knew she had to pick up a lot of pieces and right now she was just looking out for Andie. She had a lot of pride despite everything. Still…it was okay to accept a nice gesture. It wasn’t pity. It was help. “I was going to stay for dinner. If you want, I can stay the night too and take Andie to school tomorrow.”

The idea of Andie going with someone she was more familiar with made Y/N feel at ease. It was ridiculous. They were superheroes. She should feel perfectly fine with her daughter in their hands, but she didn’t know them. And that made a difference. At least now it did. Turning her gaze back to Andie, she noticed that pleading look in her eyes. Andie was pretty good at reading rooms and not asking for things. She was good at knowing when it wasn’t time to push.

So this must really be something she wanted.

“…Okay.”

-.-

The kitchen was chaotic to say the least. Since the Avengers normally ate out or ordered in, it was odd seeing them try to be so…domestic. It turned out that none of them really knew how to cook. Except for Sam and Wanda.

So now they were trying to put together something that could qualify as a meal for Y/N and Andie.

Y/N watched them from the couch as her daughter tried to settle on a movie. At first, they tried to offer her some of Natasha’s clothes to change into, but she had merely laughed at the idea. She knew she could never fit in Natasha’s clothes and didn’t need that twinge of self-loathing. So instead, Steve leant her a hoodie and sweats. They were baggy on her, but she looked cozy.

Cute, Bucky thought as he sat on the opposite end of the couch.

“Do they need help in there?” Y/N pointed to the kitchen, looking at Bucky and then Steve who had taken up the whole loveseat.

Bucky glanced back to see Clint trying to steal a taste of whatever meat Sam was cooking. When he was swatted away with a spatula, he knew they’d all be fine. “Don’t worry about it. They can handle a meal in the kitchen.” He looked back at Y/N. She was doing her best to be in the corner of the couch, trying to take up as little space as possible as Andie made herself comfortable, using her mother’s stomach as a pillow.

“Buck, you should braid Andie’s hair. It’d probably get her to focus on finding a movie.” Steve was mostly teasing, but it seemed his friend was determined to keep as much space between himself and the family as he could. What was he so afraid of?

Bucky glared at Steve as Andie looked from the captain to him. “Could you?”

“Uh…”

“Andie,” Y/N murmured, tugging at a strand of her hair. “These guys are already doing a lot for us. Don’t – “

“I don’t mind.”

Y/N looked up, her y/e/c eyes meeting his bright blue ones. It really was strange hearing him talk so much, but she was starting to get used to it. She was starting to like it. There was something about his voice that was calming. And here he was, playing to the whims of her little girl. “Are you sure?”

Before he had a chance to answer, Andie was already scrambling out of her mother’s lap and settling in his. He chuckled, dropping his legs from the coffee table in front of him and settling them on the floor. She took off the hat, such a small thing that she hadn’t parted with in three days, and held it out for her mom.

“Guard it with your life,” Andie said, eyes wide and silent promise already being made as Y/N chuckled and took the hat.

Bucky glanced at Y/N, silently asking if it was genuinely okay for him to do this. She simply shrugged. Who was she to deny such a simple and sweet request? Bucky turned back to Andie, gently combing his fingers through her hair. There were only a few tangles and if they hurt, she gave no inkling that that was the case.

Satisfied that her hair would behave for him, Bucky’s nimble fingers started working on her hair. It reminded him of Rebecca. When she was a little girl, she’d always ask Bucky to do her hair and he had gotten rather good at it. It seemed the muscle memory never quite left him.

Meanwhile, Steve looked at Y/N, curious how she was feeling about all of this. Everything about her looked tired and drained, but he was almost certain that she was far from relaxed. He had experience with someone being a single parent and knew that worry was always high on their list. His mom raised him as a single mother, but it was because she was a widow. She had loved her husband with everything. Seeing someone put such stress on themselves willingly made him want to ask why.

“So,” he spoke up. Clearing his throat, he was relieved when Y/N looked his way and seemed calm. “If you don’t mind my asking, how long has it been just you two?”

Bucky jerked his head, glaring at Steve. “She doesn’t have to answer that.” Whether he wanted to know the answer or not, she didn’t owe them an answer. She owed no one an explanation.

Y/N laughed softly at Bucky’s clear irritation towards the comment. “It’s fine. Honestly. Being a single mom, you get those questions every day,” she told Bucky. Looking back at Steve, she answered his question with, Eight years.”

Steve raised an eyebrow as Bucky looked her way. Eight years? Andie had a whole family for such a small period of time. “I – Wow.”

“Anything else you want to know?”

Yes. Why? How often does Andie see her father? Who decided to get the divorce? Was it mutual? Are you on good terms? What is Andie’s father like?

The questions went on and on and on, listing themselves in Bucky’s head. But he didn’t bother asking. It wasn’t his place.

“You like being single?”

Y/N hesitated when she was asked that, looking back to the kitchen. Clint was the one who asked. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and came to the chaise, plopping down on it as he looked at Y/N. Leave it to him to ask such a weird question. But she thought about it for a moment and shrugged. “Does your team?”

“Hell nah,” Sam called from the kitchen. Laughter came from everyone and Bucky couldn’t stop himself from sighing in relief. Leave it to these guys to ask something that was none of their business. “But maybe we should invite Scott over. Try to get you two…What was the word you used to always call it, Steve?”

Steve shifted, cheeks flushing red. “I don’t remember.”

“Fonduing,” Tony answered, earning a burst of giggles from Andie.

“Are you done yet,” she whispered to Bucky. He chuckled, tugging off the hair tie that was located on his wrist. He secured the braid and dropped it against her back. She grinned and touched it, trying to figure out which braid he had done for her.

“Now pick a movie, Rugrat,” he whispered in her ear. “Before the whole team decides to find a date for your mom.”

Andie wrinkled her nose at the very idea, shaking her head. “She’s not supposed to date anybody.” Looking at her mom, she added, “Not yet at least.”

Yet? What the hell was that supposed to mean?

He chuckled and shook his head as he leaned back. Bucky had every reason to believe that she would move back to her mom, but instead, she did just the opposite. Squeezing between him and the end of the couch, she had practically forced him to wrap an arm around her. Again, Bucky looked to Y/N, not sure that this was okay. But instead of anger or worry, she smiled. It seemed she was anything but bothered by the sight.

“Oh, this one!”

The team looked to the screen to see that Andie had picked out a Disney movie. “Treasure Planet.”

“But first,” Wanda called. Several plates glowed red and hovered in the air. Each was filled with food and ready to be snatched. “Let’s eat.”

Andie immediately bolted, jumping over the arm of the couch as most everyone made their way in the same direction. Bucky glanced at the spot she had wedged herself into, suddenly feeling cold. But when he noticed the way Steve watched him, that knowing smile, he shrugged off any curiosities he had. Andie was just a good kid. That’s all it was.

But then she came back with two plates of food. She held one out to him and immediately dropped back in the spot she’d been occupying. He stared, absolutely dumbfounded as he took the plate and settled it on his spare leg. She was completely oblivious, meeting his gaze and explaining, “Dinner and a show.”

Bucky laughed. Wholeheartedly. A sound Steve hadn’t heard since the 40’s and no one else had ever heard. They all paused for the briefest of moments, trying their best not to simply stare at the pair as Andie pressed play.

Sam glanced at Y/N, passing her a plate. She watched Bucky and Andie with a look on her face that he couldn’t quite read. “You know, if it’s easier on you, we could watch over her.” Y/N faced him. “There’s always someone at the compound and…I mean, we really like having her here.”

Y/N chuckled at that, shaking her head. “You’ve had her for a day.”

“Half of one,” Sam corrected, still not caring. He could make his argument. “When she’s not visiting her dad and you’re working, have her come here. You can save money on babysitting that way, right?”

She hesitated at that. It was true. Though Peter and May didn’t ask for much when it came to babysitting, the number of times she had to ask them meant that particular bill was adding up. And with Andie’s dad not paying child support…she needed all the money she could get. “I get to know who is going to be here, right?”

Sam smiled and nodded, wrapping an arm around her and giving her a small hug. “Of course. I’m sure Tony can work something out. Get you access to the compound. Half a day or not, your kid has quite a way with people. Particularly heroes.”

Y/N looked at Bucky and Andie. They were settled on the couch in such a way, it reminded her of a long time ago. Ten years. When she was still a baby and her marriage was still attempting to function. She looked like a little girl with her dad, watching a little boy on screen freak out over a space-story. It was Andie’s favorite movie. And she knew exactly why.

Blinking away tears before they had a chance to fall, she nodded. “Okay. I think – Yeah, I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”

-.-

“Bucky…Bucky, wake up.”

He jolted awake. The metal arm flexed, gears churning as he remembered where he was. He’d fallen asleep? For how long? Running a hand over his face and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he looked around and saw Andie was sitting on his lap. She’d been poking his face, but now she just watched him. The credits from whatever movie were rolling on the screen and he shifted.

What time was it?

“It’s way past my bedtime,” she told him. Holding a finger to her lips, she pointed to her sleeping mom. “I need to go to bed.”

Bucky watched her, barely hiding his amusement. “Alright.” Groaning as he rose to his feet, he kept her in his grasp. She didn’t seem to mind, instead wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his chest. It was such a simple act and yet it felt unbelievably natural. “Let’s find you a bed.”

She nodded as he carried her down the hall and he was almost positive that she was asleep. But he couldn’t exactly judge. He was tired too. Finding one of the spare rooms, he opened the door and looked around. It was bland and empty. Not nearly the type of room any kid should have, but it was just for the night. “Come on, Andie, wake up,” he whispered in her ear.

“Mmm,” she whined into his chest. His heart warmed, beating faster, but he didn’t dare think too hard about it. Instead, he set her on the bed and took her shoes off.

“Come on, Andie, wake up long enough to get under the covers.”

Andie blinked slowly, yawning. How had she fallen asleep so quickly before? He didn’t try to think too hard about it. Instead, he pulled the covers and sheets free as she shimmied out of her jeans. He barely got a chance to get the pillows ready before she dived underneath. Her arms wrapped around one of the overly fluffy pillows, burying her face in it and smiling. “Thank you, Bucky.”

“No problem, Rugrat.” He stood up, watching her for the smallest moment. She looked so frail and innocent…He still couldn’t wrap his head around it. So instead of overthinking, of dwelling, he slipped out.

Closing the door behind him, he wandered back into the common area to find the credits to the last movie still playing. Really the only one he had found himself paying attention to was the first. There were parallels in the movie that he was sure Andie related to. It made sense. Kids identified with characters for multiple reasons, but mostly it provided a validity to who they were. To their trauma.

Turning off the tv, he immediately heard movement on the couch. He glanced down at Y/N as she rolled over, still fast asleep. At some point during the second movie, she had fallen asleep. No one had the heart to wake her, instead wrapping her up in a blanket and just letting her sleep.

A part of him wanted to let her.

But he knew she would be painfully uncomfortable if she stayed there all night. He knelt beside her, brushing her hair back. She looked so peaceful, calm and at ease. He wondered if it was as rare for her to feel like this as it was for him.

God, you’re being creepy.

He dropped his hand and shifted slightly. Instead of playing with her hair, he started shaking her shoulder. “Y/N. Y/N, wake up,” he murmured. “You need a bed.”

She murmured something incoherent, curling into herself more. God, if he wasn’t so worried about her back, he’d leave her like this. She looked so adorable. He didn’t want to be the one to kill that.

“Come on, Doll.” Bucky slipped his hand underneath her, freezing for a moment when he felt her moving again. “Wake up or don’t, but please, don’t pick a time where I look like a creep,” he whispered, lifting her into his arms. His metal arm slipped under her legs as her head rest on his shoulder. She was easy to carry, especially with the serum, but he wanted to be careful all the same. “Let’s find you a bed, hm?”

He carried her down the same hall, hoping the room across from Andie would be open. He knew Y/N would feel better being closer to her kid. Shifting her in his arms, he opened the door and silently swung it open. Repositioning her, he froze as one of her hands wound them in his shirt, her face nuzzling his neck.

If his heart hadn’t been racing before, it sure as hell was now. He exhaled slowly, trying to ignore how hot his face felt, trying to ignore the faint feel of her heartbeat against his chest. Taking quick strides to the bed, he carefully laid her down. Her fist still clenched tightly around his shirt and he worked to free himself from her tight grip. She was strong for such a frail human. It was impressive. Dropping her hand, he slipped her shoes off and set them at the foot of the bed. There was no way in hell he was going to undress her. Nope. Not happening. But he shifted her underneath the blankets. She had to be dead tired. It was the only way someone could stay asleep during all of this.

Finally pulling the blankets to her chin, he smiled and lightly traced her hairline and brow. Her face relaxed and she rolled onto her side, cuddling into one of the pillows.

So that was where Andie got that from.

Bucky rose to his feet and left, silently closing the door behind him. Slumping against the door, he stared at the ceiling and exhaled slowly. That was too intimate. Too real. But he liked it. He liked the idea of taking care of someone.

“They tucked in for the night?”

He looked to the end of the hall, the faint smile on his lips dropping so fast when he saw Sam. That smug smile was in place, a back in hand from when he and Natasha had gone to the store to get Andie some clothes. Turning on his heel, he quickly put more space between him and his friend. He didn’t need Sam’s comments. He really didn’t.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Sam asked, waving at his retreating form.

“Goodnight, Sam!”

“Night, Bucky.”

Sam laughed, unable to stop as he heard Bucky’s door slam at the end of the hall. Shrugging, he hung the clothes on the outside of Andie’s door. “Definitely will be taking that as a yes.”

-.-.-.-.-.-

Tag List:

@mr-robot-x

@lets–be-honest​

@buckyssoul​

If you want to be tagged, just let me know!!!

[spinsterlocity]

This is the cutest thing!

Happy To Volunteer

Steve Rogers x Reader (Single Parent AU)

Summary: As the class field trip approaches, you hope more parents will volunteer to chaperone. Thankfully, your hope is fulfilled when Steve Rogers signs up on the permission slip.

Prompt: Single Parent AU

Words: 2,086

Warnings: None.

Beta: @plaidstiel-wormstache , who I want to thank for being so patient and helpful! She really took her time and honestly looked at every small detail. Thank you! 💖💖💖

Author’s Note: This is for @wxntersoldiers 3k writing challenge! I hope that you guys like it as this is actually my first time writing something for Steve.

Handing out the permission slips to your students, you watch their faces light up at the prospect of their upcoming field trip. “Don’t forget to get a signature from your parents by Thursday.” Reminding the students, you know they all want to go on the field trip this coming Friday. A smile quickly makes its way across your face as you help your students pack up for the day.  

“Does this mean we’ll get to see the tigers, Ms. Y/L/N?” Millie Rogers, a short girl with a mop of blonde hair and wide blue eyes, tugs on your skirt gently with a hopeful look on her adorable face.

Keep reading

[whatcouldgowrong-ohthat]

Us and Andie Ch. 9

Summary: Bucky works as an Avenger because it’s what’s right. He feels he has sins he’ll never be able to make up for, but he’ll spend the rest of his life trying. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he comes across Andie, the daughter of recently divorced Y/N. The life he had once “maintained” in hopes of surviving changes as his heart warms for a tough-as-nails nurse and her wonderful daughter.

Pairing: Bucky x Singleparent!Reader

Word Count: 3790 words

Series Masterlist - Masterlist

“Tony!”

Tony turned around, raising an eyebrow when he heard Steve shout his name. Until he saw Steve and Sam trying to catch up to a fuming Bucky. “Whoa, Manchurian Candidate,” Tony said, stumbling through holograms. “Calm down.” But Bucky would do no such thing. His left hand wrapped around Tony’s throat, lifting him in the air until Tony’s back met a wall. He squirmed, wriggling around as his hands wrapped around Bucky’s wrist. He knew he wasn’t in any genuine danger. If Bucky wanted to, he would have killed him then and there. 

No, Tony was just very thoroughly stuck.

“Bucky, put him down.”

“Not until he explains why he thinks Ethan and Zemo are connected,” Bucky growled.

Tony pointed to the hand around his throat. “Hard to – “ He wheezed. “Talk when you’re…do-doing the whole choking thing, big guy.”

Bucky dropped him, earning a sigh of relief from everyone in the room. However, it wasn’t going to be that simple. Bucky stayed close, invading Tony’s space and waiting for answers. The two stared one another down as if a silent conversation was passing between the two of them.

“Should one of us say something,” Sam asked Steve.

“Not necessary.” Tony peeked around Bucky, realizing in this particular moment that he was much smaller than Bucky. Glancing at Bucky, he asked, “And are you still doing those crazy work outs?”

“Not the time, Tony.”

Tony looked at Steve with that same: “Duh, but I almost choked to death so give me a second” look. “F.R.I.D.A.Y.”

Yes, Sir.

Immediately the holograms Tony had pulled up moments before, reappeared around them. They were various things – photos of Ethan out and about, at mutant hate rallies, his resume. It was anything and everything Tony could have found on Ethan.

Bucky frowned, remembering when he had come to talk to Tony about Andie’s bedroom. “I recognize some of these photos.”

“Yeah, when Andie and Y/N started spending more time with us, I wanted to start taking a deeper look.”

“Tony,” Steve sighed. “That invaded her privacy.”

“For good reason,” Bruce pointed out, now standing in the doorway. “He was an extremely active member of Friends of Humanity.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“A mutant hate organization,” Clint spoke up. “Imagine being such a vital member only to have a kid with that same gene.”

Bucky clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth as he stared at those images. He never should have left. Hell, did Andie even know he still cared? Or did she think he dropped her as easily as Ethan had?

Steve noticed the wild look in his eyes, the fear and rage that threatened to surface. “Okay, so he’s an asshole.” Steve nodded, looking back at the images. “So why do you think he and Zemo are connected?”

“Because,” the images changed. Bucky took a step closer, the blue hue of the images lighting his face. Andie was smiling, playing with Ethan and his sons. It was several days worth of photos. In some of them, he saw Y/N in the background somewhere. She looked so… He looked at the floor for the briefest moment as the images changed again. “Ethan has been spending an awful lot of time with Andie while you guys have been away.”

Natasha frowned, pointing at the images as if they made no sense. “I thought Y/N was in charge of visitation.”

“She is. But imagine the betrayal Andie would feel if she thought her mom was keeping her from having a relationship with her dad.”

“Come on, Andie’s smarter than that,” Sam argued.

Bucky shook his head. “She’s still a kid. And she’s finally seeing something that looks like love from the guy that’s supposed to be her father. Smart or not, emotions are going to affect choices.”

The images changed again. Some of Ethan, Zemo, and another guy that none of them recognized. “I only found these photos earlier today. I’m guessing it’s when Zemo wanted me to find them.” He pointed to the third person. “That is Quentin Beck. My former employee.”

“Only you would manage to piss off an employee enough to get him to work with a terrorist,” Sam muttered.

“Sam.”

“Anyway,” Tony said, sending an appreciative look at Bucky. “I wasn’t looking into any of this to an extreme degree until they stopped coming around. That was about a week after you two left.” He walked over to his desk, picking up a file and tossing it on the table in the center of the room. Photos slid out of it, stopped by Steve’s hand. “And then earlier today, these photos were found in Andie’s room.”

“I thought it wasn’t possible to sneak into the compound.”

“It’s not supposed to be. I’ve been adjusting things, fixing it, ever since these showed up.”

Steve frowned as he turned the photos, taking a better look at them. His shoulders slumped as he picked one up and handed it to Bucky. “He’s been here this whole time.”

Bucky scowled, taking the photo. It was grainy and peeking through the windows of Y/N’s god-awful apartment. They were laughing and eating, watching some movie. It was such a personal, private moment where Y/N’s guard was completely down.

And it had been violated.

Turning the photo over, he saw the back was dated three days after he left for the mission. Written in sharpie were the words: Always forgetting to protect what’s most important.

“He sent us on some wild fucking goose chase so he could watch them?” He looked at Tony and Steve, hoping for some sort of explanation. But none of them had one. “Learn their patterns?”

Tony sighed, nodding ever so slightly. “Zemo holds grudges like nobody else.”

“When he couldn’t tear us apart using Bucky, it just came down to revenge,” Natasha spoke up, putting the pieces of the puzzle together faster than anybody else.

“So you think Ethan and Zemo are working together to…what, kill Andie and Y/N?”

Tony pressed his lips into a thin line, looking at the holograms. He glanced at Bruce, hoping the other scientist had a way to explain this. Bruce looked at the others in the room, knowing Tony needed his help. “There’s no way for us to know what their plans are for us, Andie, or Y/N. But the first and foremost thing we need to do is get Andie and Y/N and bring them here.”

Bucky didn’t need to be told twice. He was already out the door and on his way to Y/N’s apartment.

-.-.-.-.-

“You in your pj’s?” Peter called from the living room, already setting up Treasure Planet for Andie to fall asleep to. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but Andie hadn’t been herself all night. He guessed it was because she wasn’t used to Y/N going on a date, but by the time he had shown up, Y/N was already gone.

Andie came shuffling out, dressed in some thin cotton pants covered in rainbows and a too-big, black t-shirt that looked like it had been stolen from Bucky’s closet.

“Hey, ready for the movie?” Andie grabbed a water from the fridge before she joined him on the couch. Peter watched her for a moment and pressed play, frowning as he asked, “What is it, Rugrat?”

“Please, don’t call me that,” she mumbled, cuddling the pillow.

“Why not?” He tugged on her arm, pulling her over and having her rest against his side. She stayed silent as he lightly traced her arm. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right, Andie?”

She nodded, eyes fixated on the screen. “I just…Bucky used to call me ‘Rugrat’.”

Peter smiled, remembering the first time that had happened. He and Sam were watching the Rugrats movie with Andie and Bucky had been watching from the doorway. Peter would never say it out loud, but he had seen the look on Bucky’s face. The guy he thought was so cool looked like a proud parent as he watched Andie. Ever since – Bucky called her that silly nickname.

“Do you miss him?”

“I guess…”

Silence fell for a bit. Peter started tickling her, trying to get a smile and laughter out of her. It had been too long since he’d seen someone other than Ethan or Y/N get that smile out of her. She burst into a fit of giggles, trying to push away his hands as her giggles turned into raging laughter. “Stop! Stop it!”

Peter did, letting her catch her breath as she settled back into her side. “Talk to me, Andie. I thought you were happy. But every time it’s just us, you look so sad.”

Andie glanced up at him before cuddling into her pillow. “I used to sneak out all the time just…just to see them. To see the whole not-broken family thing. But…” She bit her cheek, scared of her own feelings. “Would I be a bad person if I didn’t like my dad? If I liked my brothers, but…not him?”

Peter looked down at her, eyebrows practically buried in his hairline. He was so surprised. “Not at all. Why?”

Andie shifted, watching the screen as Jim listened to his mom talk to Dr. Delbert. She thought back to earlier, when she watched her mom getting ready. Before Y/N had even noticed she was there.

Andie noticed the fingerprints on Y/N’s arm. She was applying makeup to them, hiding the dark purple color that made Andie sick to her stomach. Her mind flipped to the park – when she and Ciara had come back from getting hot cocoa. Her dad’s grip was there. That had to be what those bruises were from. The guilt that settled in her stomach made her feel sick. Why did she agree to Mom going on a double date?

“Mom?”

Andie shrugged, biting her lip. “I thought we were spending so much time with Bucky and the other Avengers and I just…I thought they were becoming our family. I thought Bucky was…” Her voice trailed off.

“I know.” He hugged her, squeezing her tight. “But being a superhero…it’s a big responsibility.”

“You’re Spiderman and you still take care of me.”

Peter’s whole body tensed as his gaze fixated on her. She said it as if it were nothing! Like she was talking about the weather! “How did you – “

“Your Spidersuit was sticking out of your backpack. Made more sense than you getting it dry-cleaned it for your ‘internship’.” She looked up at him, grinning from ear to ear. It seemed the subject of Bucky and “family” was now forgotten.

So, he looked back to the tv and lightly traced her arm, trying to calm her down enough to fall asleep. Then he could tuck her in and wait till Y/N got home. He wanted to talk to her about the Avengers and Bucky. He wanted to talk to her about what Andie had said.

However, those plans were cut short by a knock at the door. Andie and him both glanced that way before Peter rose to his feet. He looked back at Andie, neither of them expecting company. He wondered if maybe it was Bucky? But wouldn’t he have called? “Hi, can I help you,” he asked through the door. He peeked through the peephole, not recognizing the man on the other side.

“Hello, I’m here to visit an old friend. Y/N Y/L/N?”

Peter frowned, ready to open the door and tell him that Y/N wasn’t there. But when he grabbed the doorknob, that stupid “spider-tingle” went off in the back of his head. He kept the door closed, silently bolting it as he said, “It’s pretty late, man. How about you come by tomorrow?” Peter glanced at Andie, jerking his head for her to go hide in one of the other rooms.

Andie nodded, grabbing his backpack and silently taking off to her mom’s bedroom. Y/N had raised her to go over there because it was the one room that had access to the fire escape.

“I’m afraid I’ll be leaving in the morning,” the stranger’s voice said. “And I was really hoping to catch up.”

Peter silently moved across the room, watching the person jiggle the doorknob before taking off to Y/N’s room. When he got there, he heard the front door kick open. Immediately, Peter scooped Andie up in his arms and carried her onto the fire escape. “Start climbing, Andie,” he told her, closing the window. He grabbed his web-shooter, slipping it on and webbing up the window. “Only one?” He tried finding the other before realizing it had been left behind – now far away and in Queens. Groaning, he covered the last of the window and caught sight of the man walking in.

Their eyes met and immediately that spider-tingle started going haywire.

“Time to go.” Peter slipped his backpack on, grabbing his mask and pulling it over his head. He quickly picked Andie up and carried her up to the roof. “F.R.I.D.A.Y! I need you to call Mr. Stark!”

Calling Tony…

Peter crouched in front of Andie. He saw the tears in her eyes, the fear she had now that she realized what had just happened. “Okay, Andie, you’re a mutant, right?” Andie nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks as he brushed her hair back. “Hey, hey, hey, don’t cry. It’s okay. I just need to know what you can do. If it can protect you. Everything’s going to be okay.”

She pulled out of his grip, sniffling and stumbling back. Her heart was pounding in her chest. “What’s going on, Peter?”

“I don’t know. But we’re going to figure it out, okay?”

“But what if this is because of what I said about my dad?”

“No, it isn’t,” Peter assured her, shaking his head. “This has nothing to do with him. Nothing at all. But Andie, I need – “

“Hey, kid. What’s up?”

“Mr. Stark!” Peter jumped, pressing a hand against his chest. “Look, there’s some creepy guy here at Y/N’s apartment. I’m with Andie, but I have no idea what’s going on and – “

“Okay, Peter, slow down.” Peter looked back towards the fire escape, taking her to the opposite side of the roof. “Is it Andie’s dad? Ethan?”

“No. It’s someone else.” Peter looked down at Andie. In any other situation, this would be easy. Web up the guy, maybe accidentally destroy the apartment…but this was different. He had to keep Andie safe and he didn’t want to risk scarring her more than she already was. “I don’t know if he’s a big threat or not.”

“Okay, focus on getting Andie safe. I’m going to send your coordinates to Bucky. He’s already on his way. Where’s Y/N? Is she with you?”

“What? No.” Peter looked down at Andie. He saw the slight sparkle in her cheeks, the rainbow effect that came with her powers. “Y/N’s not here.”

“Then where the hell is she?”

“I’m not sure,” Peter stuttered before he saw Andie running back the way they had come. He ran after her, grabbing her arm. “Where are you going?”

“I have to get Bucky’s hat! I left it behind!” She tugged at her arm, twisting out of his grip and earning a hiss from Peter. “Please!”

“Ouch! Hey, wait! Where’d you learn that move?”

Andie glared at him, moving to take off again before Peter picked her up.

“Peter? Kid? Is everything okay?”

“Um – Well, you see…” Peter tried to find the right words, stumbling back. He tripped, landing on his ass as Andie collided into his chest. His wrist slammed into the room and he heard the familiar crack that sounded like it came from his web-shooter. He coughed, moving his hand to his ribcage. The wind was knocked out of him. “Andie, we can get you another hat. I gotta keep you safe.”

Andie ignored him, but Peter’s grip was stronger. Sparing a glance at his web-shooter, he silently cursed. There was no way he could use it now. He sat up, jumping when he saw the man that had broken into Andie’s house. He stepped over the edge of the roof, walking closer to the pair. “Um…Mr. Stark? How long do you think until Bucky gets here?”

“We’re on our way, kid. Just stay put.”

“I don’t know that that’s an option anymore.

“I don’t really appreciate all of this extra drama,” the stranger told Peter. He glanced at Andie, noticing the way more of her skin was shimmering and glowing. When Ethan told him that Andie was a mutant, he believed him. But seeing it in person, he was curious what her abilities were. Were they useful?

Peter’s gaze shifted to the gun in the guy’s hand. “Fair. I mean, who likes drama? I certainly don’t.”

“Now is not the time to play dorky neighborhood Spider-man, Peter! Get to safety! Now!”

He hurried to his feet, moving Andie behind him and ignoring Tony in his ear. All Peter could think about was having to buy time for Bucky to get there. “But I think it’d definitely cut out some of that drama if you told me who you are.”

“Zemo.” He held up the gun, aiming for Peter’s head. “Helmut Zemo.”

-.-.-.-.-

Scott breathed a sigh of relief when they finally hit intermission. This was definitely not his cup of tea. He had no idea how Hank and Janet could stand these things. Rising to his feet, he put on a brave smile for Hope. She smiled at him sympathetically, knowing he was struggling. “I appreciate the effort,” she teased, placing a small kiss on his shoulder.

“Seriously, am I the only person who has no idea what she is saying,” he whispered in her ear, a slight panic to his voice as they exited the theatre.

Hope laughed, shaking her head. “No, you are not alone. But aren’t you enjoying this? At least a little?”

“I – Oh, look! Y/N!” Scott grinned when he saw her familiar face through the crowd. During the time she and Andie had spent at the compound, he had gotten a chance to trade ‘single parent’ stories with her. He had missed having someone around that related to that, but he figured she’d been busy between work and Andie. A place like this didn’t really seem her style. And judging by the uncomfortable smile on her face, he was right. Who was that guy she was with?

Scott pulled Hope along, wanting to get a chance to say hi to Y/N, ask how she and Andie were doing. “Should I be jealous that you’re trying this hard to talk to her,” Hope teased.

“No, we just have that whole ‘single parent’ friendship is all,” Scott assured her just as Y/N turned upon hearing his voice.

“Scott!” That uncomfortable smile of hers finally looked real, natural. “Hey, how are you?” The two hugged and Hope noticed how her shoulders relaxed. Who was Y/N with that would make her so tense?

“I’m good. I didn’t think operas were your thing though.”

Y/N laughed ever so slightly. “It…isn’t. Really.”

“So what?” Scott glanced at Hope before looking at Y/N. “It’s Bucky’s?”

Y//N flushed, turning pink from her roots to her collarbone. “Uh…Bucky and I were never…a thing. You know that, right?”

Scott’s eyes grew and he stuttered around a reply, immediately regretting that he had managed to put his foot in his mouth. He needed a better filter. “I’m sorry – I just thought that it was one of those things that was sort of destined to happen.”

Y/N’s uncomfortable laugh and smile were back as she hugged herself, shrugging. “Guess not. I haven’t heard from him in a month and I…” She sighed, fingers twisting around her locket. “I have a life to live.”

Hope glanced down at her arm, noticing something that Scott didn’t. However, before she had a chance to speak up, they were joined by the rest of Y/N’s group.

“Y/N?” She flinched ever so slightly, closing her eyes for the briefest moment. “Who are your friends?”

Y/N smiled easily, looking from Scott and Hope to this stranger. She was at a loss for words and Scott was more than aware of that. He held out a hand. “I’m Scott. This is my girlfriend, Hope.”

“Quentin Beck. And this is Ethan and his wife, Lori.”

Scott recognized Ethan’s and Lori’s names from conversations with Y/N, but kept a straight face, refusing to react. He wouldn’t put Y/N on the spot. But immediately, a red flag was raised. He looked at Y/N, offering her a reassuring smile before starting to say, “So is this – “

The lights flashed above them, followed by the signal that intermission was almost over. Scott watched Y/N carefully as Quentin whispered something in her ear, taking her hand and tucking it in the crook of his elbow. “We should probably go find our seats. It was nice meeting you,” Quentin said, charming smile back in place. He and Ethan led Y/N and Lori back inside and Scott watched every step. When Y/N looked back at him, he recognized that look in her eyes.

“You need to call your friends,” Hope whispered. “Her arm is covered in bruises.”

Scott looked down at Hope, kissing the top of her head. He whispered into her hair, “I was thinking the exact same thing.” He pulled out his phone as Hope told her parents to go find their seats. He turned away, listening to the phone dial. “Come on, pick up. Pick up, pick up.”

“Scott? Can I help you?”

“Cap!” Scott took a shaky breath, trying to calm his nerves.

“Yeah. You called me.”

Scott winced. He might have been fan-boying a bit too hard. “Look, I’m here at the Met and I ran into Y/N. She’s with her ex husband and some creepy-charming dude. Like I don’t quite know how to explain him, but he is eerily charming in that sleezy sort of way.”

“Hey, Scott. Slow down. We’re actually trying to get ahold of Y/N right now. I need you to keep an eye on her and if you can, get her away from those guys. Alright? You said you’re at the Met?”

“Yeah. We just finished intermission.” Scott looked back at where he had seen Y/N. “She already went back inside.”

“Well, Sam doesn’t call you Tic Tac for nothing, right?” Scott grinned from ear to ear, already ready to grab the suit tucked away in his pocket. He looked at Hope who was already back at his side, listening in on the conversation. “Sam and I are on our way. Think you can handle this?”

Nodding to her, he told Steve, “We’re on it, Cap.”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

@buckyssoul

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[whatcouldgowrong-ohthat]

Us and Andie Ch. 2

Summary: Bucky works as an Avenger because it’s what’s right. He feels he has sins he’ll never be able to make up for, but he’ll spend the rest of his life trying. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he comes across Andie, the daughter of recently divorced Y/N. The life he had once “maintained” in hopes of surviving changes as his heart warms for a tough-as-nails nurse and her wonderful daughter.

Pairing: Bucky x singleparent!Reader

Word Count: 3333 words <<< that has to be lucky!!

Warnings: Nothing. This is a chaotic chapter where Avengers meet Andie and Bucky is just plain worried. 

Next chapter has Bucky and Reader interacting! It seems someone has to tell Y/N what her kid has been up to all day.

This IS in response to @buckyssoul’s writing challenge! But the dialogue hasn’t been used yet. XD

Three days.

Three days avoiding the subway…staying at the compound…and not even setting foot in Brooklyn. So much for returning to routine.

If anyone in the compound noticed, they didn’t say anything. However, he could tell Sam and Steve were dying to every time he stepped into the same room. But he didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want to talk about Andie or her mother. He wanted to forget they existed. And the lengths he would go to consisted of several hours in the gym, blaring music when he was alone, trying to watch movies as a distraction. Nothing worked. So desperate times called for desperate measures.

“You never want to go running.”

Bucky finished pulling his hoodie over his head, his fingers deftly working to pull his hair out of his face. He glanced back at the door, not sure what he should say to Sam. “Your point?”

“That is my point. You never want to go running. Any time you’re working out – it’s cooped up in that gym.”

“Don’t want me hoggin’ Steve?”

Sam laughed, watching but not commenting as Bucky pulled on his glove. “Hey, I’m still going. There’s no stopping that. I wanted to make sure you’re alright, man. You’ve been around a lot lately.”

He hesitated before quickly shrugging it off. He didn’t want to talk about it. “I just…” Bucky gnawed at his lip, struggling to find the right words. “I need the distraction.”

Sam nodded. It seemed enough was said in so few words. “Well then, let’s go. Steve sent me to grab your ass.” He smirked, crossing his arms. Any chance to tease him, it seemed he would willingly take.

Bucky rolled his eyes, shoving Sam out of the way and closing the door behind him.

“What, no hat?”

He bit the inside of his cheek – the flashing image of a toothy-grinned Andie staring up at him now front and center in his mind. “Not today.”

Here was his problem. Today should have been a good day. In all reality, it was beautiful outside. There were no clouds. It was actually starting to get warm with signs of spring everywhere. And yet, Bucky found himself struggling. He kept thinking back to that little girl.

“Her name’s Y/N.”

He wondered what Y/N had hidden in her locket.

“Bucky, you listening?”

He blinked, looking back at Steve and Sam. They had just finished their seventh mile. But not at the compound. No, Steve had decided that Bucky needed to get out. So here they were. In Central Park. He glanced down at the coffee in his hand. That’s what they were doing now. Breakfast.

Made sense. Nice day meant they should stay out longer, right?

And it was. It was a nice day. It was meant to be a good day. So why did he feel like something was missing?

“I didn’t know Peter had a sister.”

Bucky frowned at Steve’s comment. He turned in the direction he and Sam were looking and noticed that Peter was hanging out with a couple kids closer to his age. But then there was someone else. Someone a little younger, a little scrawnier.

With that damn hat on her head.

Clenching his jaw, he shoved aside that hopeful feeling in his chest. Why did that damn kid keep getting that reaction?

She looked better than when he saw her a couple days ago. And it was a relief. He would never admit it out loud, but he’d been worried about Andie. She’d been such a mess on the subway…

She already has a shitty role model for a dad. You really think you’d be any better?

The truth was, he didn’t know if her dad was horrible. Hell, all he knew was that he didn’t do something she wanted, so she ran to her mom.

It’s not your problem.

“I’m goin’ back to the compound,” he told them. Turning on his heel, he walked away before even giving a chance for Sam and Steve to ask him why.

The two shared a look. Something was off with Bucky, but the idea of asking and getting a real answer was near impossible. Sam asked, “You want to talk to him?”

“Not right now. He needs space. Bucky…” Steve sighed. “Bucky always talks to me when he’s ready.”

“Seventy years later and you’re still so sure?”

“Kind of have to be.”

“Captain! Sam!”

The two looked up simultaneously, their faces something similar to two kids caught scheming to get cookies. Why? They hadn’t done anything wrong.

But they hadn’t exactly expected Peter to be waving them over.

“Hey, Peter.” Steve chuckled as Peter threw the ball again. The kid he was with ran backwards, jumping up and catching it.

“Who’s your friend, Web-head?”

Peter’s ears turned a bright pink at the nickname. He didn’t mind keeping his identity a secret. In fact, the teenager preferred it that way. But it still didn’t stop Sam from giving him ridiculously obvious nicknames to his alter ego. He quickly turned his head, catching the ball moments before it could collide with and break his nose. “That’s Andie.”

“Your sister?”

Peter glanced at Steve and shook his head, throwing the ball again. “No, I’m an only kid.”

“So what, superhero gig ain’t paying enough?”

He laughed at that, stumbling over the words to explain why he was hanging out with a kid so much younger than him. “Aunt May and I take care of her when her mom is working.”

“What’s her mom do?”

“She’s a nurse over in Brooklyn. Today was supposed to be a day off for her, but she had to pick up an extra shift.”

Brooklyn? The two soldiers seemed to gain more curiosity over that. Was Andie the reason Bucky had taken off or was it an insane coincidence?

“She a good kid?”

“Oh, definitely. You two don’t mind meeting her?” When they shrugged, Peter called out, “Andie, get over here! I got some guys over here that want to meet you!”

Andie paused and, in that moment, both men noticed the hat on her head. It looked an awful lot like a certain soldier’s. There was no way there were that many coincidences. Right?

“Hi.”

They jumped, looking down at her. How did a kid manage to sneak up on two Avengers?

Steve took in her hat. It was frayed around the edges, the color faded – he would bet money it belonged to his best friend.

But Sam was looking at her shirt, brow raised. That was not a girl’s shirt. It was a t-shirt of all the Avengers, clearly meant for boys, but she didn’t seem to care. And neither did he. What had his attention was the various sharpie décor that covered each Avenger’s face. In multiple colors, he might add. “Looks like someone got a little creative with their clothes, Cap,” Sam teased, earning a wrinkled nose and laugh from the girl.

Tony’s Iron-man suit had a curly moustache on it.

Thor had a pink bow in his hair.

Clint was given a rainbow mane and what he guessed was a…unicorn horn?

Spiderman had rainbow doodles all over his uniform.

Hulk had a Devil tail and horns to contrast with added Angel wings and halo.

The only ones untouched? Natasha. Steve. Sam. And Bucky.

No wonder Peter wanted them to meet her.

“Avenger fan, huh?” Steve crouched in front of her as she tilted her cap up.

Loose strands fell from her braid as she offered a shrug. “I like Bucky. He’s cool.”

“I resent that statement,” Sam said, crossing his arms.

Andie giggled. “I know. But that’s okay – Nurse Jones thinks you’re cute.”

“Oh, does she now?” Sam knelt to her side, grinning like the cat that ate the canary. He was always willing to hear about a Falcon fan.

Peter smiled at the sight. Knowing how much this would mean to Y/N, he pulled out his phone and snapped a couple photos. None of them noticed, but if they did, they didn’t acknowledge it.

“Yeah. I think Bucky scared her when they met.”

“Wait, Bucky met your friend?” Steve raised an eyebrow, doing everything he could to keep himself from smiling. It seemed all of their curiosities were being confirmed just by this girl’s bluntness.

“I want to keep her,” Sam whispered to Steve, earning a swat on the arm.

What he hadn’t expected was for the hit to come from Andie.

She raised an eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips. “Do I look like a pet to you?”

Sam felt his heart was ready to burst. Oh, this kid was priceless. Looking at Steve, he asked, “Please, can we at least take her back to the compound to meet the others?”

Her eyes lit up at that. “Can I meet Black Widow?”

“Oh, I can guarantee she’s going to want to meet you,” Sam assured her. He looked over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow at Peter. “What do you think, Pete? Want to show our new friend where your internship’s at?”

Peter couldn’t hide his smile even if he wanted to. “Absolutely.”

--

It had only been a handful of hours since Bucky had left Steve and Sam at Central Park and God, he just wanted this day to end already. The longer he went without crossing paths with a certain dorky kid, the better off he’d be. But no. With all the people living in New York City, it was obvious that he would run into one eleven-year-old not once, but twice in less than a week. Because it was obvious. It was logical.

Because God hated him. That was why.

Pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes, he struggled to let the music blaring in his earbuds to simply distract him. That was all he needed. A good old-fashioned distraction.

He missed the days when he could get drunk. He really did.

Shuffling and thundering feet outside the door were felt more so than heard as Bucky stared at the ceiling. Maybe if he stared hard enough it would cave in? No, he wasn’t that lucky. Then it came again. Heavy footsteps whose vibrations he couldn’t ignore even if he wanted to. What the hell?

Bucky sat up, glancing at the door and seeing several shadows cross quickly underneath. What was going on?

A banging on the door made him jump. Steve’s voice shouting for him was enough to drag him out of bed. He yanked open the door, running a hand through his hair. Why did Steve look so guilty?

“What’d you do?”

“Uh…” He smiled, trying to look innocent, but failing miserably. This guy was going to send him to an early grave. “We need your help.”

Or was it a late grave at this point? He was a hundred.

“We?” Brow furrowing, Bucky asked, “What did you do?”

“You remember Peter and his friend at the park?”

Andie. Bucky’s shoulders tensed. Recognition flashed in his eyes and Steve knew he was going to get an earful later. But that could wait. Through gritted teeth, he asked, “What about her?”

“She needed to go to the bathroom and – “

“She?”

“Andie.”

“You brought her here,” Bucky asked, voice thundering in the corridor.

“Yes! But that’s not the issue right now.” Steve huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose before finally looking at Bucky. “We can’t find her.”

“You brought her here and lost her?”

“Sam wanted to introduce her to the rest of the team. I didn’t see it being a problem and you gave her your hat – “

“I was helping her home. That’s all that was.” Bucky slammed his door shut behind him. Running down the hall, he knew Steve was on his heels.

They stepped into the kitchen as Bucky wondered how the hell this could have happened. “You brought a kid to the Avengers Compound. There are weapons here! And people with PTSD. She could get hurt! Not to mention Tony’s lab that has God-knows-what in it.”

Steve watched Bucky, amusement flitting across his eyes. He was used to his friend being calm, cool, collected. He’d never seen Bucky so vocal. So worried and, dare he say, protective. Not since the 40’s at least.

“We’ll find her, Buck.”

“Before or after she pisses off the Hulk?”

Steve froze at that thought. He hadn’t even thought about Bruce. Surely a kid wouldn’t scare him, right?

But then again…Andie was extremely quiet and sneaky.

“I have Nat searching the training room. Clint’s covering the bedrooms. Sam and Peter are checking the grounds.”

“What about Bruce?”

“He’s meditating. Maybe it’d be best to leave him out of this one?”

Bucky nodded. If he was meditating, he was on the roof in his own little sanctuary. Surely Andie wouldn’t find her way up there. “Tony?”

“He’s locked up in his lab. We shouldn’t have to worry about her getting there.”

“Let’s keep him out of this. I really don’t want a lecture from the great Tony Stark,” Bucky muttered.

“It’s not exactly your fault. He wouldn’t blame you.”

“Tony blames me every chance he gets.”

Steve frowned, knowing it was true. Tony, though willing to let Bucky join the Avengers, still hadn’t forgiven him for his parents. It would take time and Steve was sure it would happen eventually, but Tony was extremely talented at holding a grudge. Clasping a hand on Bucky’s shoulder, he squeezed gently. “Wanda and Vision are out on a date and Thor’s off doing whatever he does. Just leaves us. We can check the garage and weapons facility.”

Bucky nodded. “Let’s go.” He couldn’t shake that worried feeling settling in his gut. He’d barely spent any time with this kid. By the sounds of it, the rest of the team had gotten to know her for a lot longer. So why was he so damn concerned?

As the two stepped out of the room, the glass doors to the kitchen shut with a ‘hiss’. Without even thinking about it, they hung a left, quickly forgetting about the room they had just been in.

It was quiet.

And completely empty.

Or so they had thought.

Andie came wandering in from where the kitchen’s tv and couch were set up. The place had too many rooms, but it seemed she had just been on the couch, sleeping. The only thing that had made the room oblivious to her was the back of the couch.

With every step she took, her body shimmered, turning invisible and revealing what was visible through her. She grabbed one of the barstools, dragging it to the kitchen counter as she let out a loud yawn. Her stomach rumbled as she climbed up, searching the cabinets for something to eat.

It took two cabinets to find something she deemed ‘good’. Turning around, she sat on the edge of the counter and popped open the large bag of peanut butter M&Ms. Shoving a handful in her mouth, she took in the fact that the room was completely empty.

Tilting her head, she called out, “Hello?”

Shrugging, she closed the cabinets and grabbed the barstool before putting it back where she found it. Her mom did teach her how to clean up after herself after all. Especially as a guest. Tucking the M&Ms under her arm, she wandered out the same door Bucky and Steve had gone.

Except she went right.

Another ‘hiss’ from the closing doors and a shuffling of feet were followed. Bruce entered from the other side of the room, wearing baggy sweatpants and a loose shirt. He looked like he had rolled out of bed. He took in the kitchen, the room he was used to seeing everybody in, and scratched the back of his head. “Where is everybody?”

---

The sun was setting outside, making Bucky even more nervous. How pissed would Y/N be if they lost her child? Probably a lot. Bucky ran a hand through his hair as he stepped into the foyer. Steve was right behind him and they both saw Peter and Sam heading their way. Peter ran ahead, panic clear in his features. Poor kid was probably as worried as Bucky was. And it was clear, they hadn’t found her.

“Any word from Nat or Clint,” Sam asked, jogging up to them.

“No sign of her.”

“How can one kid outsmart a whole team of Avengers?” Sam was clearly impressed, but that tone in his voice earned a glare from Bucky. He wasn’t impressed. Far from it. He was ready to shake some damn sense into that girl. The worry he had for Y/N’s concern was getting closer to frustration. Who raises a kid who just runs off and hides? He wanted to talk to her mother about raising the kid with some common sense. Good, decent common sense like not hiding from a team of Avengers.

“She has to be here somewhere. The grounds are massive, but she’s a kid. It’s not like she can drive.”

“Please, don’t put that image in my head, Steve.”

“Look, Ms. Y/L/N keeps calling and texting. I can only let it go to voicemail so many times, guys,” Peter said, voice cracking. He genuinely enjoyed looking after Andie when he wasn’t going to school or “Avengering”. She was a good kid. Normally at least. “We really need to find her. Please.”

“What do you think we’ve been trying to do,” Bucky huffed.

Peter took a step back, not wanting to piss off Bucky. Sam patted him on the back. Even if Peter irritated him from time to time, it wasn’t the kid’s fault. “Don’t be hard on him, Barnes. I take responsibility for this.”

“We all do,” Steve added.

Um…gentlemen?

F.R.I.D.A.Y.

Everyone was silent.

“Why didn’t we ask F.R.I.D.A.Y.?”

Mr. Stark says it’s because you’re idiots. However, he does ask that you come join him in the lab.

They all shared a look. Did…Did Tony find Andie?

It didn’t take long for them to cross the compound. It seemed everyone was rather efficient when they weren’t panicking. Even Natasha and Clint had joined them, wanting to make sure that Andie was found and safely taken home. But Bucky was the one leading the way. He had to make sure that Andie was alright. He didn’t understand it, but he had to. He just…he had to.

Stepping into the lab, he looked everywhere. Several desks and works-in-progress littered tables and the floor. Some were even hung up. It made it impossible to see everything or even find Tony. He really had upgraded since moving from Stark Tower and Bucky hadn’t exactly made it his mission to come to this part of the compound.

“Over here, guys,” Tony called.

Everyone spun around. There, working on his newest suit, was Tony. He spun in his chair, waving a wrench as a sign of ‘hello’ before pointing to the nearby desk.

There, with chocolate covering her mouth, was Andie. She was throwing M&Ms into the air, catching them in her mouth before throwing them to –

Bruce.

He cheered when he caught one, high-fiving Andie before he saw that the rest of the gang had joined them. “Hey, guys! Look who I found.”

Andie glanced over her shoulder, her eyes lighting up when she spotted Bucky. His shoulders visibly relaxed when he saw that smile of hers. “Hi, Bucky!” She quickly turned back around, throwing another M&M in the air. Bruce caught it, falling out of his chair with a loud ‘thud’.

“That’s 15 to 14 now,” Bruce told her, pointing a finger as he fixed the chair.

“So…” Peter, Steve, and Sam all looked in Tony’s direction, but Bucky couldn’t tear his eyes off Andie. Relief was clear in his now relaxed features, but he might be a little worried she would pull another disappearing act. But that wasn’t what was important to Tony. Not right now at least. No, he was more curious about one thing in particular. “Mind telling me whose idea this was?”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

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[whatcouldgowrong-ohthat]

Us and Andie. Ch. 8

Summary: Bucky works as an Avenger because it’s what’s right. He feels he has sins he’ll never be able to make up for, but he’ll spend the rest of his life trying. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he comes across Andie, the daughter of recently divorced Y/N. The life he had once “maintained” in hopes of surviving changes as his heart warms for a tough-as-nails nurse and her wonderful daughter.

Pairing: Bucky x singleparent!Reader

Word Count: 4529 words

Series Masterlist - Masterlist

Steve couldn’t have been more wrong on his timeline. The mission, something they thought would only be a couple days, was now going on a week. A week of hunting down an evasive Zemo. It seemed every time they thought they were ahead; he revealed the reality of always being four steps behind.

And it was pissing Bucky off to no end. 

“Cool it, Tinhead. I can hear you grinding your teeth.”

Sam’s voice over the comm made Bucky adjust his grip on his gun. He wasn’t just angry anymore. He was furious and bitter. “Shut it, Sam,” he growled out. The hall creaked underneath the weight of his and Steve’s footsteps. He didn’t apologize when Steve gave him a look, simply gesturing for him to walk ahead.

This was the fifth location they had come across. After the third, Bucky was starting to wonder how much of this was a goose chase and if there was actually any potential in finding their target. The two looked down the grimy hall. Lights were busted, mold practically painting the walls, and the other three rooms they checked on this floor were empty. This was the last one. Still, Bucky felt they were at a dead end. This wasn’t the type of place that seemed to be Zemo’s style. He liked comfort.

Bucky and Steve shared a look as Bucky raised his gun, ready to fire at whoever or whatever was on the other side of the door. Steve took a slow breath, calming his nerves before putting all his strength in kicking the door in.

It gave way, splintering and shattering inside the room. Steve, shield in hand, and Bucky ran inside – more than ready to catch Zemo.

But there was nothing. Just an empty room and open window.

Bucky dropped the gun, squeezing his eyes shut. He knew what the next steps were. Search the room, find Zemo’s next clue, keep going. But he didn’t want to. As much as he knew he had a lifetime’s worth of sins to make up for, he couldn’t bring himself to want to keep going. Not anymore. Not with how much had changed.

“Buck?”

Bucky opened his eyes. Now wasn’t the time to mope. He crossed the room, taking note of the quaint furniture and lack of food…It almost looked like no one had been here. However, when he saw what Steve had found, he cursed. A map was hung on the wall with X’s marking every city they had already searched. Zemo was turning it into a game, taunting them, reminding them that he was brilliant. He didn’t have to be found unless he wanted to be.

And already the next city was circled.

“Great. We’r failing so spectacularly that Zemo thinks we need hints,” Bucky spat.

“Where’s the next location, boys?”

Steve glanced at Bucky, knowing his friend wanted to go back to New York. They hadn’t had any contact with the Avengers which meant they also had no contact with Y/N and Andie. But they couldn’t call it quits yet. Not with this guy on the loose. If it was anyone else, Steve would send Bucky home. But Zemo had a soft spot for targeting the Winter Soldier last time. He needed his friend’s knowledge. As much as they both hated it, Bucky was a necessity this time.

“We’re going to figure this out.”

Bucky scoffed, certainly not believing him at this point. Instead, he pressed on the comm, eyes fixated on the map. “Set a course for Rovaniemi, Nat.”

“Finland? What the fuck is he doing there?”

Bucky and Steve shared a look, unable to give her an answer. Truthfully, neither of them had any idea.

Once again, they were left four steps behind.

-.-.-.-.-

Y/N found herself checking her phone again. Still nothing. Bucky had said he’d be gone a couple days and she knew she had no right to be worried. Bucky was just a friend. He was an Avenger. This lifestyle was normal for him. But to not hear anything? Not even Tony knew where they were, but she tried assuring her that this was okay. It was normal.

But it wasn’t. Three weeks with no contact? That wasn’t normal.

Taking a slow breath, she tried to ignore that worried feeling gnawing at her gut. She couldn’t mother an Avenger. She sure as hell didn’t have the strength for that job.

“You look thoughtful.”

Y/N blinked, pulled out of her thoughts when she saw there was a to-go mug in front of her. She looked up at Ciara and smiled, taking the warm beverage. Her best friend took a seat on the table next to her, neither of them in the mood to sit in a chair like normal people. She sipped the warmth, humming when she realized Ciara had surprised her with hot cocoa. “Thanks for this, I needed it.”

“I could tell.” Ciara was never one to push Y/N, understanding that she always needed time to process things. And it wasn’t every day that someone like them dealt with such high levels of stress in and outside of the workplace. “Where’s Andie?”

Y/N nodded and Ciara followed her gaze. There, Andie was playing with two boys. They couldn’t be older than Andie. She was sure one might even be around Andie’s age. “Who are they?”

Y/N didn’t answer, her bitter smile enough of an explanation.

“Are they…”

“Yup.”

Ciara took a drink from her own mug, mumbling a small, “Fuck.”

Y/N laughed. “You got that right.”

“And Bucky hasn’t…?”

Y/N shook her head. “Honestly? I think the only reason Ethan’s made any effort with Andie is because he doesn’t like Bucky being so involved in our lives. As long as he thinks he’s priority, he makes an effort.”

Ciara scoffed. “Sounds like him. Possessive and a dick like always.”

“You met him once,” Y/N reminded her, laughing.

“And I regret it. You know, I will never get those thirty seconds back.”

Y/N chuckled, pressing her palms against her mug in search of warmth. “This is the fifth time she’s seen them since the Aquarium.”

“I didn’t think Ethan wanted her to have a relationship with any of them.”

“He doesn’t.” Y/N sighed softly. “He keeps it short. No longer than two hours. Always some outdoor activity. Leaves little room for talking. I’m honestly not even sure they realize she’s their sister.”

“And you just let him do this?”

She clenched her jaw, body trembling. Whether it was from the cold or her anger, she wasn’t sure anymore. “I have to give her something, Ciara. If I don’t, she’ll think I’m keeping her from them.” She exhaled sharply and if Ciara didn’t know better, she would have mistaken it for a laugh. “He played that conversation so well. It was like we were married all over again. There was nothing I could say or do before he was saying he wanted to get to know her.”

“Well…” Ciara looked at her. “Has he?”

Y/N shrugged. “This is the most they do. Throw a ball around or go to the park. Something where there’s distance. People.”

Ciara looked back at the three kids, noticing Ethan a little ways off. He wasn’t watching his sons or Andie. No, he was watching Y/N, hands in his pockets and jaw set. He looked almost like a predator stalking his prey. “What about her being a mutant?”

“Hasn’t come up.”

“That’s bullshit. It’s part of who she is. How can he just – “

“Andie is smart, Ciara,” Y/N reminded her, finally looking at her. “And the only time she can’t control her powers is when she’s nervous or scared.” Gesturing around them, she asked, “How can she be scared in this environment? It’s always out in the open. I’m always here.”

“He just acts like it doesn’t exist?”

“Simple enough, isn’t it? He still acts like we weren’t even his first family,” she spat, her voice venomous. Y/N looked back at Andie, tucking the mug into her chest. “So imagine how easy it is to act like she’s human when her mutation never makes an appearance.”

Ciara watched her carefully, shifting in her seat and drumming against her drink. “You know you have a say in all of this, right? You could tell him to go to hell.”

“And then tear away Andie’s hope of having a relationship with her half-brothers?” Y/N shook her head. “No, I’m not doing that to her. Besides…” The words felt heavy, tasted wrong on her tongue as she told Ciara, “A girl needs her father.”

“A father figure would be liked, sure, but it isn’t a necessity. Besides – Bucky was looking pretty cozy with you two.”

“Three weeks ago, remember? He was in our lives for a month and now he’s been back out of it for almost as long.” Her thumbs stroked the slight ridge and bump of the mug’s words. She was trying to ground herself in some sort of way. “Andie needs someone dependable.”

“And you think that’s Ethan?”

“No, but,” Y/N sighed. She wanted to crawl in a hole and die. “Ethan hasn’t backed out on any of the visits we’ve set up. He hasn’t rescheduled, nothing.”

“Don’t you think that’ll change though? You just said the only reason he’s even been making any effort is because of tall, dark, and handsome.”

“I said ‘think’. I’m not sure about anything when it comes to Ethan.” She focused her gaze on Ethan, biting her lip. “Not anymore.”

Ciara studied Y/N in that moment. She noticed that her friend had been working more shifts and the darker circles under her eyes seemed even more prominent. She looked like she’d been dragged through the dirt. Emotionally speaking at least. And putting her trust in Ethan to do right by Andie? Ciara knew it wasn’t doing her friend any good. Both of them were going to get hurt and nobody was going to be able to pick up the pieces. “Has…Has Andie been spending any time with the Avengers?”

“Uh…no, actually. Bruce has offered to come get her. So has Tony, but…” Y/N gnawed at her lip, stopping when she tasted blood on her tongue. Oops. “She’s just not interested.”

“Because of Ethan?”

Y/N didn’t answer. She really didn’t feel like there was a point to it. Instead, she took another sip of cocoa, relishing in the feel of her insides warming up. Sadly, it vanished just as quickly when she saw Ethan heading her way with Andie. The boys, like always, were still playing. And judging by the smile on her brilliant daughter’s face – Andie was still oblivious. Y/N hated it.

“You wanting to go home?” Y/N asked Andie, raising a brow.

Andie giggled and Y/N’s heart splintered. Smudged dirt on her cheeks and sparkling eyes, Andie hadn’t looked this happy in a long time. “Not at all,” she told her, catching her breath as she adjusted the cap on her head. That cap was the only thing that made Y/N hopeful that Ethan hadn’t taken over in Andie’s heart.

“Unfortunately, I got to get the boys home. Their mom’s finishing up dinner.”

“I’ll bet she is,” Y/N agreed, too-perfect smile in place.

Ciara choked on her drink, coughing as Andie started pounding on her back. She knew that smile of Y/N’s all too well. It was her you-can-go-fuck-yourself-up-the-ass smile. A personal favorite of both women.

“Can I actually talk to you for a second, Y/N?”

Her brow quirked as her eyes studied him. Ethan never went out of his way to ask Y/N to talk. They didn’t need to. Everything was through text and she preferred it that way. It gave her the space she absolutely needed to survive this. Sighing softly, she glanced at Ciara. “Get her some hot chocolate?”

Ciara glanced back at the nearby vendor and nodded. “We’ll be back in a bit,” she promised Y/N. Turning to Andie, she slipped on that beaming smile of hers. The one that made Andie giddy. “Let’s sugar you up, girl! I want to feed that sweet tooth of yours.”

Andie giggled, racing ahead of her as Ciara pushed herself off the table. Looking at Ethan, she promised, “We’ll be right back.” And then they were off. Out of hearing range, but within sight.

But Y/N never tore her gaze away from Ethan. She couldn’t. “What do you want?”

Ethan chuckled and raised his hands. “I come in peace.”

“I’m pretty sure Hitler said something similar,” Y/N told him, smile still in place. “So what is it?”

Ethan sighed softly, glancing over at Andie and Ciara before taking the seat next to Y/N. Her shoulders tensed, but other than that, she made no show that she was uncomfortable. She refused to let him get the upper hand. No, this wasn’t the same situation. She was stronger now. She’d grown. And Ethan saw that. “I wanted to thank you for letting me spend time with my daughter.”

Y/N snorted. “Letting you? Ethan, you never showed interest in her until the Aquarium.”

“That’s…” Ethan sighed, nodding ever so slightly. “You’re right.”

“Of course, I’m right!” Y/N turned to face him. Her eyes were filled with a fire he never would have seen in the time they were married. “It only took you eight fucking years to decide to play dad for her. Tell me, do your boys know who she is?”

Ethan grimaced, looking down at his clenched hands. “No. Not yet. But I want them to.”

Y/N scoffed. “Bullshit.”

“I just wanted to ask you first.”

She hesitated, fingers digging into the plastic she clung to. “Ask me what?”

“I – We’ve seen her a few times these past few weeks. And I have to ask – are you sure she’s a mutant? I haven’t seen any sign of any powers or anything, but I need to know.”

Y/N simply stared at him, unable to piece together why the fuck that had to matter. “Yes, five times in three weeks and suddenly you’re an expert on who your daughter is. That is such a realistic expectation for you to have.” Venom laced her voice, lashing at him and slicing through his façade as if it were nothing more than a thin blanket with which he hid behind. She rose to her feet, determined to walk away. She didn’t need this. They did not need this.

Ethan grit his teeth as he rose to his feet, catching her forearm. As far as the rest of the park was concerned, he was a boyfriend or husband trying to make amends with the woman he loved. At least – that was how it looked.

But appearances can be a funny thing.

Y/N stared straight ahead, eyes on Ciara and Andie. She refused to show that his grip hurt, already knowing there would be fingerprints in the morning. “You should really win an Oscar for these performances of yours,” she hissed, finally looking back at him.

He chuckled at that, leaning into her ear. Y/N was barely able to avoid flinching, doing everything in her power to keep her strength. She needed her strength. “Keep in mind, your daughter has become quite a fan of me, Y/N. So let’s just keep up appearances, hm?”

Y/N looked away from him, everything in her wanting to throw up in that moment. She felt dizzy. Panicky. “What do you want, Ethan?”

“Well first, I’d like for you to answer my question.”

“Yes. She’s a mutant. And she’s your kid. Congratulations.” Something similar to a growl slipped past his lips and she smirked, meeting his gaze. “Let me guess. Still an active member of the Friends of Humanity?”

Ethan’s grip never wavered, instead twisting her skin sharply and earning a sharp gasp. He was satisfied with just that, the smallest reaction. “Actually no. I’ve made new friends. Better ones, I think.”

“Of course, you have,” Y/N sneered. “You never change. You’re still the same arrogant, manipulative prick.”

“And you’re still the same frail, naïve, little girl.”

Ethan released her, knowing the jacket she wore would hide any sign of the strength he used. The anger in his eyes vanished quickly as the smile appeared. Y/N whipped around, the faintest hint of relief fluttering in her chest when Ciara and Andie returned. “Mom! Aunt Ciara bought me the biggest cup of hot cocoa!” Andie took a long sip, making the ridiculous noise and smiling to reveal her cocoa-stache. She looked from her to Ethan and back again, smile tilting to a frown. “What were you two talking about?”

“That’s what I’d like to know,” Ciara muttered.

“Actually,” Ethan told Andie, ignoring Ciara. “I was inviting your mom on a double date.”

Andie’s brow furrowed as Y/N felt her heart squeeze. Nope. No, she was not okay with whatever this what. Whatever Ethan was planning, she wanted no part in it. “A double date?”

“But only if it’s okay with you, Sweetheart,” Ethan said, earning a smile from Andie as Y/N’s stomach churned. “I would be going with my wife and I would be setting your mom up with someone I know. A really close friend of mine.”

Y/N shoved her trembling hands in her pockets as she looked to Ciara, silently pleading for help that she knew her friend couldn’t give her. So she was left with Andie. A child that hadn’t been thinking clearly for several days.

Andie really thought about it for a moment. She was thinking about how long her mom had been alone. How hard she was constantly working. Her mom never took a break or a night to herself. She was always sacrificing for Andie. If there was a chance for her to do something for herself…Andie wanted her to take it. Looking at Ethan, she shrugged. “Okay. Just don’t keep her out too late.”

Y/N felt a chill run down her spine, only one thought on her mind. Where the hell is Bucky?

-.-.-.-.-

Four more days passed. Finland was a failure. Then they went to Romania. Another miss. Then and then and then – every fucking time they had missed him. And every time it looked like they had been so close. The guilt and anger – they were eating Bucky alive. He slouched in his seat, straggles of his long hair falling in his face. He wanted to go home. That was all he wanted.

“Want to talk?”

He didn’t look up, eyes merely glancing at Steve’s boots. “Not really.”

“I’m sorry it’s taken so long.”

Bucky leaned forward, pressing the balls of his hands into his temples. He didn’t want apologies. He didn’t care about apologies. He just wanted to go home. But what was home at this point? His apartment in Brooklyn? The compound? Neither mattered to him as much as the broken family he had stumbled upon.

And they hadn’t heard from him in almost a month. Bucky knew Y/N. He knew she was guarded and careful because he was the same. Their reasons were different, but their actions? They were the same. And it was already hard enough for her to trust them this past month. Letting him in to the extent that she had? All that progress had been undone while he was gone. And it hurt that he was completely aware yet unable to do anything about it.

“I feel like I’m out of control. Like I was with Hydra.”

Steve frowned. Bucky’s voice had barely been above the smallest mumble. If he hadn’t been standing so close, if he didn’t have the serum coursing through his veins, he was sure he wouldn’t have heard him. “Why do you say that,” he asked, taking a seat next to Bucky.

The brunette sighed, shaking his head. He didn’t want to talk.

“I can’t help if you don’t let me in, Buck.”

Bucky looked over his shoulder and it was then Steve saw it. The tears shining in those endless blue eyes of his best friend. Fuck. This was hitting him hard. “You know, I didn’t even take her on a date. Not a proper one at least,” he muttered, hanging his head. “I told her I cared about her. That I wanted to catch her when she falls. I wanted to be there and protect her and Andie from that dick she calls an ex.” He ran his metal hand through his hair. “But she called it.”

“Called it?”

He swallowed thickly, refusing to cry in front of his teammates. “She said our lifestyles are different. And she’s right. I’m an Avenger now. Being that means I can’t be anything more than a friend. A babysitter.”

“Clint has kids. He’s a father.”

Bucky looked at his friend. Steve had never seen him look so pitiful before. “And how much time does he actually spend with them, Steve? Besides, it’s different. His wife – She went in knowing what Clint does. She signed up for it. Y/N? She has so much on her plate already. She needed consistency. She needed something steady.”

Steve looked between them, finally understanding. Bucky and Y/N had clung to each other subconsciously – relying on one another for that one little thing the other so desperately craved. Bucky needed something good. Something that wasn’t a fight. Y/N needed something consistent. Something safe.

They needed each other.

“I needed normal, Steve And the one piece I had…the one good thing I had…” He sighed, tilting his head back and staring at the ceiling. “I don’t think I have it anymore. I can’t – No, I won’t ask Y/N to be okay with this lifestyle. I won’t ask her to let me in and trust me to be that missing piece they need. Not with this.”

“Then quit being an Avenger.”

Bucky scoffed, closing his eyes.

“I’m serious, Buck. You are holding yourself accountable for a lifetime of crimes that weren’t your fault.”

“I still did them.”

“And you still deserve something good.”

Bucky looked at him, nothing but an ache in his eyes.

“You deserve to live a life where you are happy. You deserve that. And you deserve to have a family.”

“That’s just it, Steve,” Bucky murmured, shaking his head. “I don’t want any family. I wanted to be a part of that family.”

“It’s not too late.”

Bucky shook his head, already tuning Steve out and fixating on the ceiling of the quinjet once again. “Yes, it is,” he murmured.

Steve watched his best friend for a few moments. He could never fully understand the thoughts racing through Bucky’s head. He could never imagine the guilt that wrapped itself around Bucky’s heart, squeezing and suffocating it. All he could do was try to help. Rising to his feet, he walked to the pilot’s seat and leaned over, catching Natasha’s and Sam’s attention.

Sam raised an eyebrow, asking Steve, “There something we can do for you, Cap?”

“Chart a course home. The sooner we get back, the better.”

Natasha and Sam glanced past Steve, their gazes landing on Bucky at almost the same time. They shared a look before turning back to the controls. Sam shrugged. “You got it.”

-.-.-.-.-

“Mom?”

Y/N turned to the door as she finished slipping one of her heels on. Andie was watching curiously. Her baggy jeans and that Winter Soldier shirt were a sharp contrast to the black dress Y/N was currently wearing. “What is it, baby girl?”

Andie took in her outfit, smiling softly. There was a time she would have hoped she would wear that dress for a date with Bucky. But that was just a kid’s dream. And seeing her dad more gave her hope that maybe Ethan would be willing to let them all be one big family. She hoped at least… Smiling at her mom, she whistled. “You look really pretty.”

Y/N smiled and rose to her feet. “Remind me to thank Ciara for lending me the dress.” She took a shaky breath, murmuring more to herself, “I – I’m really nervous.”

“Do you not want to go?”

Andie’s brow furrowed as her concern was mistaken for fear. Y/N smiled and ruffled her hair. “I do, but everyone gets nervous for a date. Don’t you know that?”

Andie giggled and followed Y/N into the living room. Her mom hadn’t looked this pretty in a long time. It was a simple black dress with a halter top and open back, reaching the floor and hiding red heels. To Andie, she looked classy. Like one of those old movie stars in Steve’s and Bucky’s favorite movies. “What time do you think you’ll be home?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve never been to an opera before,” she told Andie, putting her phone and some cash in her small purse. Just in case.

“It sounds boring.”

Y/N laughed and kissed the top of Andie’s head. “You’re probably right. Anyway, Peter should be here in fifteen minutes. So, anything I’m missing?” She did a small spin for her daughter, waiting for the final verdict. But instead of judgement, Andie hugged her.

“Just that,” Andie mumbled, looking up at her.

Y/N smiled and brushed her hair back. “No matter what happens tonight, you know you always got me, right?”

Andie nodded. When a knock came from the door, Y/N took a shaky breath. She was not ready for tonight, but she could do this. She would do it for Andie. And then she would never go on a date ever again. Well…probably not at least. Untangling herself from Andie, she turned to the door and opened it. There, standing just outside, were Ethan, his wife, and –

“Y/N, allow me to introduce you to your date this evening. This is Quentin Beck.”

He stepped forward, taking her hand and placing a chaste kiss to the back of it. “It is a pleasure, Ms. Y/L/N. Ethan has told me a lot about you.”

Y/N glanced from Ethan back to Quentin. Her nerves hadn’t settled. If anything, the unease in her gut was ever more prominent. She didn’t have a good feeling about any of this. But…she would play the part of supportive mom. The smallest smile curved her lips as she said, “Good things I hope.”

Quentin smiled. “Only good things, I promise.”

-.-.-.-.-

“What are we doing back at the compound?” Bucky’s gruff voice earned a chuckle from Sam.

He looked over his shoulder, asking Bucky, “Can’t you just be grateful? Like ever?”

“Not to you.”

Natasha chuckled. “Easy, you two. We figured it might be time to ask F.R.I.D.A.Y. for a little help.”

“Meanwhile, Bucky can reach out to our favorite family,” Steve offered, earning a glare from Bucky.

“Steve, you didn’t – “

Bucky’s argument was cut short by Clint running out of the compound, greeting them with a rather…panicked sort of appearance. “Guys, we gotta – It’s important. I – Oh, I need to work out more,” he said, huffing and catching his breath. “This place is way too big.”

“Slow down, Birdbrain,” Sam teased. “What’s going on?”

Clint straightened, eyes shifting from each of them. He lingered on Bucky for the smallest moment before turning to Steve. “Tony has reason to believe that…Y/N’s ex-husband is connected to Zemo.”

-.-.-.-.-.-

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