#Tony doesn't need Team Cap

[kittyhazelnut]

fic talk in the tags don't mind me

[missvelvetsstuff]

The Situation Room

Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: After a mission almost gone wrong, Tony brings back Bucky's former assistant, who is also Bucky's ex. Can they work together without hurting each other? Will the whole truth about their break up finally come out?

Avengers AU where Thanos never happened.

Chapter 1

Warnings: swearing, angst

After a rough nites sleep, Y/N woke at 6am and took a shower before heading to the kitchen for coffee and breakfast. There was a team meeting at 8am and she knew she needed caffeine to get through it.

She was sitting at the table with her coffee and a bagel when Steve and Sam came in followed by Bucky. She greeted them with a quiet good morning which had Sam pulling her out of her seat for a hug, winking at Bucky who rolled his eyes. Sam's friendship with Y/N had always irritated him and he just knew Sam was going to do everything he could to exacerbate the tension.

"Radar! How you been, baby girl? I'm surprised to see you back here, tired of Madripoor?" Sam laughed as he squeezed her.

Y/N shrugged "Are we really sticking with this Radar thing? I mean I love MASH but just because you're so predictable, Sammy, doesn't mean I'm psychic." She teased "There's too much going in Madripoor to get bored, I'm just doing an old friend a favor but don't plan to be here too long."

"Thank God for small favors." Bucky spat

She felt her stomach drop at his tone but just smirked at Bucky "Just keep your shit together so I can train you a new assistant and get the fuck outta here."

Sam laughed "I have missed you!"

Steve was more reserved, worried about how Bucky was going to deal with this new dynamic "Nice to see you again, Y/N" he gave her a small smile and nod.

Radar grinned "Same to you, Rogers."

Wanda and Nat wandered in chatting with Bruce trailing behind them. Nat stopped dead and put her arm out to stop Wanda "Is that who I think it is? Y/N? You're back?" She tried to temper the excitement over seeing her friend here in the compound after 2 years while picking up on the anger radiating from Bucky. She went to hug her friend "I didn't think I'd ever see you here again. Not that I minded our girl time in Madripoor."

Radar smiled, hugging her and Wanda at the same time "It's good to see you ladies. It's been 6 months since our last get together we'll have to tear up Manhattan when we can schedule it."

She smiled at Bruce and he hugged her "Glad you're back Radar, we've missed you."

A voice came from the hall "I hope you aren't planning a girls nite without me. I missed the last trip." Maria Hill walked into the kitchen and went to give Radar a hug.

Steve and Bucky were staring at the women, slack jawed until Steve spoke up "So you girls have been getting together regularly? How is this the first I'm hearing of this?"

Radar chuckled "Well geez Cap, it's girl time and you aren't invited so why would anyone tell you? Besides there's all kinds of drinking and swearing and general mischief making. Really not your type of party."

Bucky scoffed, glaring at Radar "So Nat, you and Wanda have been getting together with her, even after she- after what she did?" he shook his head "some friends you are." and stomped down the hall.

Radar shook her head and whispered under her breath "Yeah, what I did to him. Pffft."

Nat rubbed her back "You going to be ok working with him again?"

Radar smiled sadly "Yeah, as soon as I get his shit in order, I'll work to find and train my replacement. Then it's back to exciting Madripoor and the Power Brokers trail."

Nat hummed as she considered whether she should say what she was thinking and decided to push ahead "You could try to talk to him, tell him the truth about what happened."

Radar chuckled humorlessly "Right, he's obviously totally open to talking to me, thats why he says something nasty every time we're in the same room. He's no more interested in my side of the story than he was the day it happened. Sorry, Nat, sometimes you can't go home."

Steve poured himself a cup of coffee, wondering what they were talking about before switching to captain mode. "Meeting starts in 30, make sure you're all there on time."

Radar smiled "Don't worry Cap, we're on our way."

The ladies chatted for a few more minutes before heading to the conference room. They all sat together with Radar between Nat and Wanda while Bruce sat next to Nat and Vision walked in with Tony then sat next to Wanda.

Clint was behind them and smiled when he saw her "Radar! Welcome home." He patted her on the shoulder.

Radar looked at her friends on either side of her and smiled sadly at their happiness. She was thrilled they both found good partners but seeing them like that made her so lonely. She'd had no romantic interest since she left the compound. It felt like that part of her heart was broken beyond repair. There had been a couple of flings, a girl has needs, but nothing more than one night.

She had truly believed that Bucky was it and after everything still loved him, even if they couldn't be together.

Sam, Wanda and Nat had kept her up on the team gossip and while learning of Bucky's many women felt like a shot to the chest, she knew that was him acting out and would still do whatever she could to help him. He had worked so hard to make up for what Hydra made him do and his reputation had been trending upward but this last mission and the incident with the photographer made the public and the team's benefactors question him being there.

Radar took a deep breath to calm her mind, reminding herself that she would get him back on the right track, then go back to the wilds of Madripoor and probably never see him again. The thought of that hurt but she shook it off, that's how it had to be.

She jumped when she heard her name.

"Radar! I can't believe it's really you, never thought you'd come back." Nick Fury shouted with a grin on his face.

She smiled "Good to see you too, Nick. Enjoy me while you can because I'm just here to clean up a mess and train the next guy."

Nick chuckled "We'll just have to see if we can find a way to make you move back home permanently."

Radar smile at him sadly, why did everyone but him have to bring up keeping her here. "I don't think that's a good idea but I'm flattered you want me around."

Bucky and Steve walked into the room and Bucky scoffed "If she stays I'm fucking leaving. I'd rather give up my pardon and live the rest of my life on the Raft than anywhere near her."

Radar sighed "Yes Barnes, we get it. You hate me and wish I were dead. If you insist on reminding me every time we're in the same room together, I'll be convinced that you're still obsessed with me." she winked at him.

Bucky was sure steam must be coming out of his ears, she had a lot of nerve fucking with him like that "If you-"

Fury interrupted "Flirt on your own time, Barnes. This isn't speed dating, we have business to take care of."

Bucky sputtered and went to say something but Tony spoke up and interrupted him, not that he had any coherent thoughts to voice so he sat back, glaring at Y/N.

"Now that we're all here. The first order of business is notifying all of you that Radar has returned to help Barnes get organized and train her replacement. Once that's done, we need some excuse to convince her to stay."

Bucky groaned "please, god, no."

Radar shook her head "Don't get yourself in a tizzy Barnes. I told you, that's not happening." She looked at Tony "I told you that I'm leaving once I've trained a competent replacement. I can't stay here permanently and you know that. You all need to let that go cuz it's not happening."

Bucky sighed, relieved that she wasn't planning to stay. He didn't know if he could deal with seeing her all the time so he promised himself he would do everything in his power to speed things along. But somewhere, deep in his subconscious he dreaded the thought of her leaving again. And maybe never seeing her again. He still loved her desperately, the countless women he had gone through in the last 2 years gave him no peace, none of them felt or smelled or sounded like her and he was terrified that he would give in and beg her to take him back if she stayed too long. He was also terrified that he wouldn't and she would get away from him, again.

Bucky badly wanted to touch her, kiss and hold her, make love to her for hours like he used to. He could smell her vanilla body spray, the citrus shampoo & conditioner and the musk that was distinctly her. He could feel his body responding to being in close quarters with her again and was grateful for the table to hide his, ahem reactions.

Thankfully, Nick Fury spoke up "On to business. There's a facility in Belarus that was believed to be abandoned but is showing signs of activity. I need 2 people for recon. Any volunteers?"

Bucky raised his hand "I'm in if I can get out of here while....." he trailed off.

Radar kept her face emotionless. She was starting to think this was a mistake. As if the glares and cold demeanor weren't enough he had to make a crack every chance he had.

Just being near him was torture. She felt an empty ache in her chest and her eyes filled with tears but she refused to let them fall. She swallowed a sob down and whispered in a sing song voice "Obseeesed"

Bucky growled and she felt her panties dampen. His nostrils flared and he sat back in his seat, a death grip on the arms, before he took her on the conference table in front of the whole team.

Sam volunteered to go with him and Bucky groaned, he was almost as difficult to be around as Y/N.

Fury nodded and handed packets to both men "There we go, that wasn't so difficult. Since Sam's assistant isn't here, Radar will prep everything you need and be in the quinjet and in your ears when you go in. I suggest the three of you get some sleep, wheels up at 9 tonight"

Bucky shook his head "What do you mean she'll be in the jet? Starks tech is good enough that she can do it from here. Goddammit I want to be wherever she isn't so send someone else."

Fury glared at him "For a man who's over 100 years old you are acting like a fucking child, Barnes. Grow the fuck up and act like the professional you are supposed to be."

Nick's face turned up into a devious grin "You do realize that if you don't go, she doesn't either right? She's your assistant, your angel. If you had hired assistants without prioritizing their fuckability, you wouldn't be here. It's already decided. Go hit your rack while you can."

Sam chuckled as he left the room "You just can't win Terminator. Maybe the universe wants you crazy kids together."

Bucky sighed, no point in complaining any more. A mission with the two people he would least like to be around. Hopefully the intel was right and it would be a quick in and out. He went to his room to stretch out, knowing that sleep was unlikely.

Steve caught up with him in the hall "I'm just giving you some information and what you do with it is up to you." He lowered his voice "I heard Nat trying to convince Y/N to talk to you, she said something about telling you the truth about what happened that day. Maybe you should hear her out, listen to her side."

Bucky shook his head "What side? There's no side that makes what she did ok so there's not much point. I just want to get through this so she goes on her way."

Steve shook his head "Fine punk, it's your life."

Radar went to the armory to put Sam and Bucky's gear and weapons together and loaded up the quinjet before heading to her room for a couple of hours of sleep, if she could manage that much. She prayed to whatever gods were out there that this mission would be easy and fast.

Chapter 2

[scoonsalicious]

Unwanted, Chapter 1: Unarmed, Pt. 1

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Avenger!Fem!Reader

Summary: (For this part only) Following the events of CA:CW, Tony Stark has offered Steve Rogers an olive branch of sorts to bring The Avengers back together. You, CTO of Stark Industries and head of Innovation & Technology for the Avengers' Initiative, have your doubts, as you're not quite ready to forgive Captain America for ripping your family apart just yet. Steve had one condition, however, when agreeing to return to the team, one that's going to turn your life upside down and inside out: If he's coming back to join The Avengers, he's bringing his best friend, Bucky Barnes, with him.

Warnings: (For this part only) Language (obviously), minor mention of alcohol, I'm obviously on Team Tony during the CW; don't come for me, awful jokes, minor use of (Y/N). As always, if I missed any, please let me know.

Word Count: 3.2k

A/N: Here's a little preview of Unwanted. In it's current form, it's standing at about 50k words, with about 25k still in editing, and I'm maybe about half done with writing the entire thing? I'm not going to lie, it starts out cute and fluffy, but it's gonna get real angsty and painful. Dear Reader has unresolved emotional trauma and Bucky doesn't understand the importance of boundaries in 21st century relationships. This piece has been my baby for several months now; I really hope ya'll enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Banner By: The absolutely amazing @mrsbuckybarnes1917

Taglist: (Please let me know if you'd like to be added!) @blackhawkfanatic

"You're sure you're cool with this, Boss?" you asked Tony Stark, for what was probably the ten thousandth time in the last hour. The two of you were sitting by yourselves off in a corner of the common area of the Avengers Tower while the rest of your team congregated around the bar, eagerly anticipating the official return of Captain America to the Avengers. That, by itself, would be enough to warrant a gathering of Earth's mightiest heroes, but what had everyone in attendance talking was the fact that Steve Rogers wouldn't be returning alone.

Your billionaire employer sighed and swirled his glass of Laphroaig, the amber liquid sloshing along the sides of the tumbler. "I don't love it, Pocket, but it was Cap's only condition for coming back into the fold, and since Barton, Wilson, and Maximoff all went off the reservation with him, it seemed a small price to pay to get everyone back under one roof." He took a swig of his whiskey and smacked his lips.

You couldn't help but smile at his use of your nickname. Thor had inadvertently given it to you when you first met the God of Thunder years ago, remarking for everyone to hear that you were so small and tiny, he could tuck you into his pocket and abscond away with you to Asgard. Somehow, it stuck. You'd hated it at first; it had felt dismissive and condescending, which of course meant that it soon became the only thing the members of your team called you, but the more they used in their daily lives, the more you actually came to love it. It was a brand new, unique identity that came to embody the person you’d become, and the past you’d worked so hard to put behind you. You were more likely to answer to 'Pocket,' now, than you were your legal name, and you were grateful for it.

"Besides," Tony continued with a shrug, "if letting the Barnes thing go means we get the band back together, I'm willing to be the bigger person about it."

You stared at him, impressed. "Well look at you. When did you get so emotionally evolved?"

"Since Pepper told me I needed to start seeing a therapist or she’d leave me once and for all," he admitted to you with a cheeky wink; you both knew that, though Tony drove his partner, Pepper Potts, absolutely insane sometimes, she loved him far too much to ever walk away from him for good. That didn’t stop the threats, though. Lord knows he tried her patience. In your opinion, the woman was a saint.

Your eyes widened at the revelation and you let out a low whistle of appreciation. "You're going to therapy? Wow. Tony, That's amazing. I'm proud of you."

"Oh please," Tony scoffed, "I have much more important things to do than sit on a couch and spill my feelings. Besides, my secrets are too valuable to divulge to an actual human being. I just trained FRIDAY on therapeutic conversational datasets so she can handle all that psychological mumbo jumbo and then I paired that with BARF's augmented reality-- it's seriously the platinum standard in mental healthcare. No awkward silences or judgmental stares, just pure efficiency. You should try it; it’d do you wonders. And the best part? No copays."

You chuckled as you took a sip of your pineapple and Malibu. "Yeah, okay. That completely tracks for you," you told him with a smile. "So, what did Dr. FRIDAY tell you that got you to change your mind about the Barnes situation?"

Furrows appeared between Tony's eyebrows as he took another sip of whiskey to buy time for collecting his thoughts. There was still so much pain in him where Bucky Barnes was concerned. You'd worked for him in some capacity for nearly fifteen years and you'd never seen him as defeated as he'd been when he got off that Quinjet from Siberia. He'd been bloodied, battered and utterly broken, body and soul. Seeing him like that had shattered you, and you never wanted to live through something like that again.

Tony ran you through his experience with his therapeutic innovation, and you had to admit, it was impressive. The system had helped him realize that Bucky Barnes wasn't responsible for the heinous crimes Hydra had brainwashed him into completing, and so his anger over the death of his parents, while justified, had been misdirected.

"Once I processed that, it was a quick jump to realizing we can't be the best version of the Avengers if we only have half the team at home, and it's innocent people who would pay the price for it. So, when I reached out to Cap and he agreed to come back if I agreed to let him bring Barnes with him, well..." Tony trailed off, gesturing vaguely with his hand toward the where the rest of the team was waiting.

"So, you and Rogers are just, what? Good then? All water under the bridge?" you asked him, mild irritation clouding your voice.

"Oh, absolutely not." Tony took another sip of whiskey. "I can work with him again, and I'm glad to, but we're not going to be braiding each other's hair anytime soon."

"Good," you said, raising your glass in a mock toast to Tony. "I'm not quite ready to forgive him on your behalf just yet." Tony had essentially saved your life when you first met him, and he’d continued to support and guide your career to heights you could have never imagined. You'd started as a systems analyst and mechanical engineer at Stark Industries fresh out of college, and under Tony’s mentorship, it wasn’t long before you found yourself rising to the position of the company’s Chief Technical Officer, second in command only to Pepper, now that Tony had passed on the reins to her. All this happened long before he'd ever brought you in to work with him on the Avengers Initiative, and now you spent the majority of your time heading up their Technology and Innovation Department, as well.

Any kind of healthy respect you might have had for your boss had died out a long, long time ago, because Tony Stark  was Tony Stark, but now he was just Tony-- more like an annoying older brother you loved dearly,  whose name just happened to be on your paychecks. You owed him everything and that had earned him your unwavering loyalty. You'd follow him to hell and back again if he asked it of you, though he knew he’d never have to; you’d be paving the path there right alongside him.

The sound of laughter made its way across to you from the other side of the room and you felt warmth at the sound-- everyone, together again and happy. Just a few short months ago, you never would have been able to imagine the scene before you, not after the fight in Berlin and its brutal aftermath. You had thought for sure that this little family you'd found yourself in the middle of had been destroyed beyond repair.

So, you might have had your own reasons to be pissed at Steve Rogers.

"What's Barnes like?" you asked Tony. Having only ever glimpsed him from a distance, or from behind a computer monitor, you'd utilized all the resources at your disposal to dig up as much information on the Winter Soldier as possible, but even your skills hadn't been able to get you what simply didn't exist. "You know I don't like unknown quantities."

Tony seemed to think for a moment. "You mean, aside from being a brainwashed, murderous assassin?"

"Tony," you chastised. You knew that Barnes had spent a good deal of time in Wakanda before coming home to New York, working on having the words that triggered his homicidal alter-ego neutralized. Rogers may not always acted rationally when it came to making decisions about his oldest friend, but you were sure he wouldn’t be bringing Barnes back to the Tower if he posed a serious danger to the rest of you. Right?

"Fine," Tony said, with a typical exaggerated sigh. "Aside from being a former brainwashed, murderous assassin; better?" You rolled your eyes but nodded. "Don't really know, didn't care enough to ask. I'll be happy as long as he doesn't start murdering us all in our sleep. Cap vouches for him, so that counts for something. Maybe not as much as it did once upon a time, but something. But T’Challa seems to think he’s harmless enough now, so that’s good enough for me."

You nodded, taking another sip of your pineapple and Malibu, then leaned back, pensive. "Oh, God," you said after a moment of thought, sitting up in alarm. "You don't think it’s going to be like having an entire extra Rogers around, do you? All '40s morality and emotional repression? Because I am so over having him police my language." It wasn't that you had anything against Captain America as an Avenger, but there was only so much of the Boy Scout act you could take before you started getting nauseous. And okay, fine, you weren't too proud to admit it-- there was a not-so-small part of you that still hadn't forgiven him for what you saw as his blatant betrayal of Tony when he refused to sign the Accords. You'd promised to play nice, though, for the sake of your family, but your personal relationship with The Star-Spangled Man had taken heavy damage since Berlin.

Tony chuckled. "As if you'd ever let Cap's presence keep you from a good profanity. I should put out a swear jar. We could fund that crisis algorithm project of yours off your mouth alone."

"Fuck you, Tony," you uttered with a chuckle, fully aware that he had your number. You never met a four-letter word you didn’t fall immediately in love with.

"And look at that," Tony said with a smirk, "I just made another dollar. Hey FRIDAY, open up a new savings account and deposit a dollar into every time Pocket has a potty mouth."

"On it, Boss," the AI replied cheerfully.

You swore at Tony a few more times for good measure. "I fully intend to financially bleed you dry now, asshole."

"Oh no, I'm shaking in my custom Tom Ford's," Tony mockingly bemoaned, putting his feet, enclosed in the aforementioned ridiculously expensive loafers, up on the coffee table.

Raised voices from the other side of the room caught your attention. You stood up and craned your neck, trying to see what had caused the commotion. "I think they're here, Boss," you said.

"Alright," Tony said, standing up and putting an arm around your shoulder, "big smiles, kiddo. Remember, we're supposed to be happy about this." You suppressed a chuckle as you watched Rogers present Bucky Barnes to the rest of the team. Everyone was welcoming; you wouldn’t have expected any less, but as you watched their body language, the only word that came to mind was guarded. And you completely understood; The Winter Soldier’s reputation had preceded him, after all. There were hugs for Rogers, of course, but no one made any attempt to reach out to his friend.

Despite your overall annoyance with Rogers, you couldn't help but feel some degree of happiness for the giant oaf. When you'd been assigned on a mission with him (which happened fairly frequently, as he was so pathetically abysmal with anything having to do with technology) and ended up having to hole up in a safehouse for an extra couple of days while waiting for extraction, he'd started opening up to you about James Buchanan Barnes, and the reminiscing had made him so happy, you encouraged Steve to tell you everything about this Bucky. After that, the trouble was getting Rogers to stop telling his Bucky stories. If he wasn't sharing tales about growing up with his best friend during the Great Depression and all the absolute mischief they got into, he was sharing war stories of their time together with the Howling Commandos. He'd even shared his grief with you– how painful it had been to watch Barnes fall from that train and the guilt he carried for not being able to save him. He’d confessed to you once that, when he went into the ice, fully prepared to die, there was a part of him that was relieved to be reunited with Barnes in the next life, and waking up some 70 years later to a world where he was still alive but Bucky was still gone had broken his heart all over again. And yet, here they were– together in the next life, after all. If you were a different kind of person, you’d say it was a goddamn miracle. 

Because of the way Rogers described his best friend in those old stories, you were expecting Bucky Barnes to come swaggering along next to him, with a cocksure tilt to his head and a panty-dropping smirk playing along his lips, but the man who accompanied Steve was the furthest thing from that.

He shuffled behind Rogers slowly, looking at the floor and avoiding making eye contact with anyone else from the team. His hair hung long and limp, curtaining off his face as though it were a protective barrier. Though, if it was keeping him away from everyone else, or everyone else away from him, you couldn't be sure. He was much thinner than you'd anticipated, especially for a super soldier– though still extremely muscular, giving you the impression that it had been a long time since he'd let himself indulge in anything more than the bare minimum amount of calories he needed for survival. Tilting your head, you tried to steal a glance at his infamous metal arm, the thing of legends that had turned him from a run-of-the-mill assassin into the stuff of waking nightmares.

But the sleeve of his jacket hung limp, only empty space where the appendage should have been.

Curious. He'd come to Tony Stark's home unarmed. Your hand flew to your mouth to try and stop the uncontrollable snicker that broke loose at your own stupid joke. Tony elbowed you gently in the ribs to shut you up, and you hoped you were too far away and the others too distracted by Steve's introductions to notice you, but that thought flew right out the window when Bucky Barnes' head snapped up at the sound, his eyes locking onto yours from across the room.

"Holy shit," you breathed, knowing another dollar would go into Tony's digital swear jar, but damn if the man didn't have the most striking blue eyes you had ever seen. There were dark circles under them, and he looked incredibly tired, yeah, but they were beautiful. You didn't mean to stare, but you found you couldn't look away, either, and so the two of you were locked into some sort of impromptu staring contest. The longer you looked at him, the more you could sense an overwhelming sadness coming from him, as well as a level of wariness at being in a room full of strangers. It was almost overwhelming.

But then, just as suddenly as it began, the spell was broken. Blinking once, Bucky looked away and you felt the tension vanish from between you.

"What was that about?" Tony asked you in a low singsong voice.

"I have no idea," you answered, honestly. There had been so much pain and loneliness in his eyes. You'd seen eyes like that before, when you were younger and looked at your own reflection in the mirror following a scalding shower with your skin scrubbed raw and bloody. You suppressed a shiver.

Finally, Steve managed to disengage himself and Bucky from the other Avengers and began making his way toward you and Tony. Up close, you were struck by how tall Bucky was. He had to be at least a foot taller than you, if not more. And God, he was handsome. Granted, in a kind of heroin-chic sort of way, but still. A couple of good nights' sleep, a few good meals, some light personal grooming, and... well, there was a very good chance you were going to be in trouble once he got his shit together, that was for sure.

"And Buck," Steve was saying, drawing you out of your ogling, "This is our resident computer genius, Pocket (Y/L/N). You ever need help with anything technology-related, she's your girl."

"A bit of an over-simplified version, Rogers," you said, sticking your hand out to shake Bucky’s, "but yeah, that about covers it."

Bucky looked at you, then down at your hand, making no move to take it.

"What the hell kind of name is Pocket?" he asked, voice rough as though he hadn’t been using it a lot. Pulling your hand back, you shot him an annoyed glare.

"I don't know," you oozed back sarcastically. "What the hell kind of name is Bucky?"

"It's his nickname, Pocket," Steve supplied helpfully, though not without a trace of confusion. You gave him an annoyed, pointed look.

"No shit, Rogers." You turned back to Bucky and spoke slowly, as if to a child. "So, what do you think Pocket is, then?"

"Oh," said Bucky, catching on. The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. "Gotcha; m'sorry about that. My manners are rusty from a severe lack of use."

You didn't mean it, but your mouth curved up into a hint of a smile, too. And then, almost as if you couldn't stop yourself from doing it, you found yourself saying "I see you've arrived unarmed."

There was a long, heavy beat of silence as Steve and Tony stared at you, mouths slightly agape, and you wondered if you'd made a critical error. You were just about to punch yourself in the face and claim you had a concussion and therefore couldn't be held responsible for what you said when Bucky burst into laughter.

It was the most beautiful sound you'd ever heard, and it was contagious. Through your own laughter, you risked a glance up at Steve. He was looking back and forth between you and Bucky, an indiscernible look in his eyes, and you couldn't help but wonder how long it had been since he'd heard his best friend laugh. Hell, you wondered how long it had been since Bucky Barnes had laughed at all.

"Pocket," Tony groaned, palming his face, "that was truly terrible, even for you."

"I'm sorry," you said, trying to catch your breath through your burst of giggles. "It just slipped out-- I couldn’t help it. You know once these things come into my head, they just bounce around in there until they fall out. I didn't mean it."

Steve smiled at you. "So that's what you were snickering at," he said, amused. Damn that enhanced super soldier hearing. Rogers didn't need to be so nosy with it.

You shrugged. "What can I say? Bad jokes are my superpower. Don't be jealous that all you got was super strength and a six pack, Rogers."

Bucky laughed again, then nudged Steve playfully with his elbow. "I like this one, Stevie," he said. "She's funny."

You weren't sure why, exactly, but something in Bucky's words turned your insides into a warm puddle of goo.

Oh, you were going to be in trouble, indeed.

Next Part ->

[ishipallthings]

Cap Iron Man Rec Week 2024 (Wed)

Early in Canon Wednesday - July 24th for @cap-ironman Rec Week

Fics set early in canon as the boys are getting to know each other :D

Remember to show some love for your hard-working creators!

To Be With You (Is Easy) by Carsonian @carsonian (MCU)

Tony doesn't know what prompted him to visit the recently defrosted Captain America, and he certainly hadn't given much thought to the little confessionals he's given the comatose Capsicle. But when Steve Rogers wakes up and seeks him out, he finds there's an attraction between them that can't be denied.

No Return, No Return by Carsonian @carsonian (MCU)

In many ways, Tony Stark has spent his whole life waiting to meet something real enough to test himself against. He hadn't planned on it being Steve Rogers.

Wish You Were Here by One and Five Nines (MCU)

Steve starts sending Tony postcards.

tear these old walls down by susiecarter @susiecarter (MCU)

Steve didn't like Tony Stark. Stark probably didn't like Steve, either. They'd gotten off on the wrong foot, and that was putting it mildly. And having to pretend to be a civilian Stark was dating, as cover for trying to save Stark's life while Iron Man was busy with a SHIELD mission, obviously wasn't going to help.

when you're gone by talktothesky @thatbuddie (MCU)

Steve's had to get used to many things in the 21st century but falling in love with Tony Stark might be the weirdest one yet. Especially because the man's dead.

not a lot, just forever by Thahire @thahiree (MCU)

A few months after the Battle of New York, Tony invites Steve over to see the apartment he has built for him. Steve, of course, is totally normal about this and not panicking at all.

Handheld by talesofsuspense (MCU)

When Steve starts stopping for lunch at Shawarma Palace he isn't expecting Tony to show up and to keep showing up. And he definitely isn't expecting a guide to the 21st century.

posing up a storm by picturecat @snoozingcat (MCU, alt 2012)

“I have an idea. Can we just pretend the day ended with that really badass Superfriends pose we did?”

Machines and Marvels by rainbowninja167 (MCU, alt 2012)

Or: In an alternate timeline where the Avengers never formed, Steve and Tony need a crash course in team bonding. Stephen Strange just had to take that literally.

choke on me by imperialstark @persephonesfill (MCU, WIP)

After fending off an alien invasion, Tony Stark has one more obstacle to face; Steve Rogers. Steve believes that they have a connection which Tony is trying hard to ignore. After a moment of passion aboard the helicarrier, Tony can't seem to stay away from Steve as their lives grow ever more intertwined.

and two self-recs!

I'll Be (Good To You) by ishipallthings (MCU, soulmate AU)

Steve Rogers wakes up seventy years out of time to a new world and a soulmate. It’s an adjustment. What he doesn’t expect is Tony Stark, a brilliant futurist who is equal parts fascinating and frustrating, and has just as many demons as Steve. He also doesn’t expect to find a family with a ragtag team of superheroes, or to fall in love. Luckily, Steve is nothing if not adaptable.

An Armored Heart by ishipallthings (AA)

In which Red Skull goes after Steve Rogers, and Tony realizes just how much he has to lose.

Hope you guys enjoy the recs, and stay tuned! Please mind the tags before reading. Check out my tag for previous years’ rec lists :)

[somber-sapphic]

Uuhh can I request a Natasha x Sick!Reader. R is sorta new to the Avengers and doesn't really talk to anyone but Nat, R gets sick on a mission and no one seems to notice except Nat. R tries to take care of themselves back at the compound but can't so Natasha steps in? You can make it romantic or platonic I'm cool with either. Thanks in advance! And if you already have a fic like this my b just ignore 😅

Sickness and Secrets

〖Notes: Hey, sorry this was so late! Also I might accidentally be reusing pictures but its like 2am so I'll care about that later. I hope you enjoy it!〗

〖Summary: Being the newest member of the Avengers you really have no place to take a sick day.〗

〖Word Count: 1.4k〗

〖Pairing: Natasha x Sick Reader

☾Masterlists☽

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

You coughed quietly into your shoulder and cleared your throat, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed. They were all focused on Cap who was yelling about how poorly everyone had done in that last mission. He was particularly focused on “communication” which was definitely pointed at you although he was too polite to say it. Tony wasn’t. Eventually, he’d strengthen the link to you, and you’d be chewed out in front of everyone.

Said mission had been in Russia during the winter and you had not done very well. You’d then try your best to remedy your mistake, which of course made everything worse. You knew that you were sick before the team left, but being so new you couldn’t just say that you wouldn’t be able to go. None of the Avengers would skip a mission for a stupid little cold.

Then that stupid little cold had turned into something bigger. The fever had started the first night in that cold drafty cabin and had spiked by early that morning. Natasha, who you were sharing that tiny room with, had checked on you once when she’d heard your teeth clattering from the shivering. She had tried to order you to tell her, but you had been far too out of it for her words to have mattered.

You couldn’t entirely remember the conversation, but you were like 80% sure that she’d offered you a place in her bed if you couldn’t get warm. That had been a weird offer, but you were tempted to take her up on it. From what you remembered she had kissed your forehead but that was very likely a dream. No way she had actually done that, she barely knew you.

Regardless of your fever, the mission continued. And with it, you gained a chesty cough, aching limbs, and a seemingly permanently runny nose. You had done the best you could, but it admittedly wasn’t very good. You’d forgotten to say anything when you were attacking and apparently had your comms off the whole time so even when people were speaking to you your answers weren’t going through.

You did not do well and now Tony was very much making sure that you knew it. His words were a low buzz in your ears, and it was really all that you could do to keep your eyes trained on him as he paced around yelling at you.

Now everyone was looking between the two of you, a few smirks coming from Clint and Thor who were both amused by your proverbial ass-whooping. Natasha and Cap seemed annoyed while the others were just not listening, too tired to care. It had been a long week and you had screwed it up. All you did was mess up.

Hot tears welled up in your eyes and you stared down at your shoes, sniffling quietly as you tried to keep yourself under control. This wasn’t professional and you needed to keep yourself professional. It would’ve been easier if he wasn’t yelling, but he was, and you were losing control.

“Hey, we get it. Y/n fucked up. She’ll do better next time, let it go.” Natasha snapped, pulling you out of your stupor. You glanced over at her and found her leaning forward defensively with one hand drifting over to your side of the table.

Completely overwhelmed now you shoved the chair back from the table and stumbled out of the conference room, mumbling slurred apologies as you practically ran from the room. You’d made it about halfway to the elevator when your legs gave out and you slammed into the wall, bashing your cheek against the hardwood. It hurt, but not as much as the rest of you.

You let out what was probably the most pathetic sound you’d ever made as you slid down the wall, the stupid tears beginning to fall from your eyes. You were miserable, you wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and maybe die a little bit. That sounded okay, as long as you didn’t have to feel anything.

You weren’t sure how long you were laying there before you heard muffled footsteps, but you simply didn’t have the energy to look up. It didn’t really matter anyway; you could feel yourself slipping into unconsciousness. It would only be a few more seconds before you faded away completely.

“Let’s get you off the floor Y/n.” Natasha whispered, taking your hands in hers. You tried to listen, you tried to let her pull you to your feet, but you were too weak. You felt her arms slip around you and your feet left the floor, leaving you hanging in the air with only her to support you.

“Try to stay awake, okay?” Her voice was fading fast and as you’d guessed, you were out less than two seconds after she’d hoisted you into her arms. At least you didn’t have to be alone.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

“I’m here, I’m here. It’s okay beautiful, I’m here.” Natasha soothed, pushing your hair back away from your forehead, her eyes full of concern. Her hands, which were typically consumed by acts of violence, were so gentle, her movements so slow and caring. She traced your cheekbone with a thumb, studying your face with a furrowed brow.

“m’sorry, m’so sorry. Go, please go, ‘m fine.” You insisted, shoving her off of you in a blind attempt to scramble away from her. You found yourself pressed up into a corner between your bed and the wall, utterly confused as to how the hell you had gotten into your bedroom or why Natasha was there, but you didn’t like it.

You didn’t want to see her so weak it was humiliating, and you were new. She would tell, she would get you booted from the Avengers. You needed this job, you needed to be here, you’d worked so hard and couldn’t go back to your apartment. Literally, you had been evicted. You had nowhere else to go.

Your panicky breaths quickly turned to a fit of aggressive coughs, you sounded like you’d smoke a pack a day for twenty years. This did nothing to help your anxiety as one of Natasha’s warm hands fell on your back and she took yours with the other, running her thumb across your knuckles.

“Y/n, hey, you’ve gotta breathe. Try for me, okay? Big slow breath.” She encouraged, her voice calm even while you were actively freaking out. You let out a loud sob and tried to pull away, subconsciously still holding tightly to her hand.

With her quiet encouragement, you managed to calm yourself down, turning back into the shivering, feverish husk of a person that you’d become. Your nose was running onto your sleeve, but you were too exhausted to do anything about it, eventually, you’d fall asleep again and it would all go away.

“Come here,” she said softly, lifting one arm as she gestured for you to hug her. You whimpered, lower lip quivering as your body threatened to start crying again.

“It’s okay honey, you don’t need to be alone. When I’m as sick as you are I sometimes make Clint come read to me.” You smiled a little at the thought of that as you inched toward the woman, the idea of Natasha wanting a story read to her sort of amusing. You hadn’t known the woman very long, but it was long enough to know that she wasn’t that type of person.

With very slow, cautious movements you inched into the redhead’s arms, leaning stiffly against her as she pulled you into a loose embrace.

“I can’t give you any more medicine for a few hours, so for now let’s just try to sleep. Does that sound okay?” The highly skilled assassin murmured, pressing a very soft kiss to your damp forehead. You knew that it had to be gross, you were very sweaty, but she didn’t seem to mind. Not out loud at least.

“P-please don’t tell.” You pleaded, that same exhaustion looming again. It was unlikely that you would be able to stay awake for much longer, but you had to make sure that she wouldn’t tell anyone how weak you were. Natasha chuckled quietly and rubbed your upper arm in a comforting way.

“It’s okay dorogaya, your secret’s safe with me.”  Maybe if you were feeling better, you would’ve made her promise a second or third time, but for now, that would do. You barely knew her, but you already trusted Natasha Romanoff with your life.

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[stuckysimp]

I'm like 8 years too late, but oh well - I've had this Captain America Civil War rant stuck in my head for a while and I need to get it out after re-watching it. (This is gonna be long af, but bear with me).

I feel like a lot of people missed the actual point and plot of the movie (and the marketing definitely didn't help). The whole "team cap vs team iron man" stuff becomes irrelevant after like the first 20 minutes of the movie. But of course, it's still quite a big part of the movie and I'd like to take a moment to explore what I think, the different character motivations are around why they signed or didn't (or would / wouldn't).

The only reason Tony "I successfully privatised world peace" Stark signed the accords in the first place anyway is because of his massive survivors guilt complex which we see triggered by the woman who approaches him at the end of his speech to the MIT students. Like this man does not give a single shit about the government, and much like Steve Rogers, he just wants to keep people safe. Unlike Steve, however, he doesn't trust himself to do so and thinks of himself needing the be kept in check, for someone else to take the blame (though he'd probably internalise it anyway, let's be real).

Rhodey has always kind of been more on the side of the government, even if that meant going against Tony - think Iron Patriot - so it makes sense that he'd want to sign. He understands that a group as powerful and dangerous as the Avengers needs to be kept in check, but what he doesn't understand are the risks around that. In a perfect world, it would be fine, but unfortunately government systems are stupid and corrupt.

Peter was only really in the fight in the first place because he was a child blindly following this big celebrity guy he idolised. He didn't know enough about the situation to properly analyse it, just being fed and believing whatever Tony told him (and he had no reason to go against him, so why would he? This was his shot, he's been chosen by THE Tony Stark to help). "Mr Stark said you'd say that" "he said you're wrong, you think you're right, that makes you dangerous." I 100% believe that if Peter had read the accords, that he would have been on Steve's side anyway.

Vision is an embodiment of 'good' and 'peace' - essentially everything that Ultron was supposed to be, but wasn't. He has no reason to be against the accords if it will keep people safe and he makes the point during their conversation of "our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict ... breeds catastrophe. Oversight ... oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand." It's also very much the beginning kind of puppy love between him and Wanda in this movie, meaning that he will want to protect her. No matter what. Even if it means "locking her in her room."

Nat was seriously one of the only people in this movie with a brain cell lol. I firmly believe that if the accords had been properly put in place, she would have followed them until she no longer thought the government's instructions were 'right' and would have gone against them anyway. Her main goal in this movie was trying to keep the Avengers, her family, together and ultimately do the 'right' thing.

T'challa didn't give one shit about the accords lmao, he's damn king. No, he was only there in the first place to take revenge on his father's death (which at the point of the airport fight scene he still thought it was Bucky's fault. He later discovers, after following Steve and Bucky to Siberia, that it's Zemo's, and locks him up).

Steve's concerns with the accords are valid, and honestly I wouldn't have signed them either. To be told "sign, retire, or get locked up" isn't really a big winner for me lol. And the thing is, Steve's done this. He fought in WW2, he got paraded around like some big hero while men died, and he did nothing. It wasn't until he went against orders, that he actually did something helpful (saved the captured 107th division in Azzano). So, no, he's not going to be side-lined when people out there need help. That's just not who he is.

Bucky had no part in the accords, and as soon as he got introduced into the movie, that plot point became irrelevant. He was framed by Zemo, and then used to rip the avengers apart. The accords was just another log to add to the fire at that point. He followed Steve because "till the end of the line" and all that. He literally, heartbreakingly, says "I don't know if I'm worth all this," but he follows anyway.

Scott, much like Peter, is kinda just happy to be there. He's following CAPTAIN FREAKING AMERICA into battle without hesitation. But like, let's be honest, given his whole movie and character, I very much doubt Scott would be on Tony's side if he had read the accords.

Clint got dragged out of freaking retirement for this shit, and he didn't actually get involved until after Team Cap already knew about Zemo. That's why he's there. Not because of the accords, but to help Steve get to the Quinjet to get to Siberia and stop Zemo before he can go through with his assumed plan to wake up the five super soldiers who'd been stashed there. (Of course, this isn't actually Zemo's plan, but we'll get back to that later).

Wanda is going through some serious self loathing during this movie, and the incident in Lagos doesn't help. Like at all. Ma girl just wants to live her life and be left alone at this point and she's getting all of these horrible things thrown into her face by Secretary Ross. She doesn't want to be controlled, she doesn't want to be a weapon, she wants to be free. "You locked me in my room." - Girl already probably hates Tony Stark due to her family being killed by one of his bombs and Ultron, so she's mad anyway.

Sam is on Steve's side from the start. With the accords, to fight Zemo, all of it. During the 'discussion' between him and Rhodey, he says "So let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?" He doesn't trust Secretary Ross, and is clearly hesitant to add his signature to the accords. (not that I blame him).

The main actual villain and 'plot' of the movie after the first part with the accords, was the whole thing with Zemo wanting to tear the Avengers apart to get revenge for his family dying in Sokovia. He takes advantage of the accords, and of Bucky / The Winter Soldier to do this but it's not really discussed which annoys me. It's a MAJOR part of the film, yet all I ever really see being discussed are the accords affecting the decisions of characters throughout the film with no consideration of the wider picture.

From when the UN meeting is blown up, the Avengers are being manipulated by Zemo working in the background throughout the film. He frames Bucky for murder, and Steve - who has been looking for Bucky for the past 2 years - goes after him like ‘tf man’. Bucky gets taken in and Zemo uses the opportunity to activate the Winter Soldier programming, learn about Hydra’s super soldier program, and of course - “Mission report. December 16, 1991.”

This leads to Bucky’s escape and attack, Steve and co going on the run, and eventually the airport fight. The meaning of this scene gets lost, I feel, when people relate it back to the accords because it’s not about that anymore. Not really, not for anyone. Especially not for Steve, or even for Tony.

Tony at this point, most definitely feels like his world is being torn apart. He’s losing control, he’s spiralling, and Steve just isn’t listening. He’s blinded by his anger to the bigger picture and he just wants to get a handle on the situation to deal with it further.

Steve’s forgotten all about the accords, his priority is keeping Bucky safe and stopping Zemo. He tries to tell Tony, tries to talk to him, but Tony isn’t listening either. I mean their whole interaction just before the fight shows this:

(the dialogue below has been condensed to show the key lines - basically I got rid of other characters talking irrelevantly)

-

Steve Rogers: Hear me out, Tony. That doctor, the psychiatrist, he's behind all of this.

Tony Stark: Anyway, Ross gave me 36 hours to bring you in. That was 24 hours ago. Can you help a brother out?

Steve Rogers: You're after the wrong guy.

Tony Stark: Your judgment is askew. Your old war buddy killed innocent people yesterday.

Steve Rogers: And there are five more super soldiers just like him. I can't let the doctor find them first, Tony. I can't.

- later -

Tony Stark: And you've been a complete idiot. Dragging in Clint. 'Rescuing' Wanda from a place she doesn't even want to leave, a safe place. I'm trying to keep . . . I'm trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart.

Steve Rogers: You did that when you signed.

Tony Stark: Alright, We're done. You're gonna turn Barnes over, you're gonna come with us. NOW! Because it's us! Or a squad of J-SOC guys . . . with no compunction about being impolite. [Steve looks aside.] Come on.

-

Not to mention that Tony, after learning that Zemo impersonated and killed the actual doctor dude that was supposed to see Bucky whilst he was in confinement, he DISOBEYED the accords and Secretary Ross to go and help Steve stop what they thought at the time was the reactivation of the five super soldiers who'd been left in cryo freeze.

He follows Steve and Bucky to Siberia to help them, not to fight them. That only changes because of Zemo showing the footage of Bucky, WHILE UNDER BASICALLY MIND CONTROL, killing Tony’s parents.

In this scene, Tony 100% has every right to be angry. Unfortunately, he’s the kind of person who cannot see past his anger. He gets in his head, he spirals, and he tries to kill Bucky based on blind rage. (IT WASN’T BUCKY’S FAULT DAMMIT).

And yes, Steve was 100% in the wrong for not telling Tony. This whole scene could have been very easily avoided if Steve had just pulled Tony aside and had the difficult conversation about his parents death. Tony deserved to know, and Steve was only sparing himself pain by doing it. Dick move Steve, 0/10.

The fight between the three allows Zemo, having successfully completed his plan of eliminating the super soldiers and tearing the avengers apart, to slip away. With his work done, he tries to end his own life, but T’challa stops him and arrests him instead.

Steve and Tony’s fight was unnecessary, dramatic, and heart-breaking, and I’m very glad they managed to make up later, but ye. I think, at the end of the day, they’re all just dramatic idiots with communication issues lol.

-

Thank you for reading my long ass essay lmao, apparently I have a lot of feelings about this movie 😂

[tonyspank]

TRUTH HURTS 2

Summary: Kingpin has escaped The Raft and it’s up to you to bring him back.

A/N: AHHH.. i don’t like this part 2. and everyone that sent requests i will be working on them today! Warnings: Idek, fighting i guess

"Oh! What a time to be alive," You sing in the middle of your kitchen, dancing around as you prepare breakfast. "Living in the future blinging on my hotline!" Dancing while food being present has become a routine. You look out the window and see your neighbor Ms. Brown, who you know is an early riser, peeking through her curtains, shaking her head in disapproval. You give her a cheeky wave and smile as you continue to dance.

Once she walks away you shoot a web at your curtain, shutting it. You turn the music down and stop dancing. You let out a laugh, "That could've went worse." You pull out your phone, dial Jenna, and FaceTime her. It rings a few times before showing unavailable on your screen.

That's weird. Jenna normally answers your calls in the morning. Since you're always busy doing Spidey patrol in the morning, it's normally her who calls and you don't answer.

You shrug and decide to call her later. You turn the music completely off, no longer in a dancing mood. You start to worry, hoping she is okay. You grab your phone and dial Jenna's number, but she still doesn't answer. You start to worry even more, imagining the worst. You decide to call her one more time, this time leaving a message.

Your anxiety eases once she replies seconds later, "Busy." You shrug it off continuing to cook your eggs and bacon, the smell filling your entire apartment. Once it's cooked you plate your food, brining it to your kitchen table. Having just picked up a piece of bacon, your phone begins ringing seconds after you start eating it.

"You've gotta be kidding me," You mutter, your mouth full of food. You reach out for your phone, still chewing, and answer the call. "Hey, kid!" You shut your eyes at the voice. The voice on the other end of the line continued, oblivious to your annoyance.

You sighed and shoved more food into your mouth. "What do you want?" you ask, but your words are muffled by the large amount of eggs in your mouth.

"What? Speak up!" the voice demanded. You took a deep breath, swallowing the food, and replying in a clearer voice. "What do you want?!" Tony chuckles, finding the situation hilarious. "I need your help." He says, still laughing and out of breath? You grumble in response, but you know you can't deny him. "With what--" You cut yourself off, "Why do you keep grunting in my ear!" "Sorry, sorry," Tony replied. "I'm kind of grunt in the middle of something."

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Immediately your mind thinks the worse, Tony grunts again. "Ew, kid. Don't think like that." He laughs again, and you can't help but smile. Before he could speak again you ask him, "Are you in the middle of a battle?"

Tony chuckles. "No, well-- Yes? Kind of, me and the team are in Hawaii! We're playing volleyball - Cap! That's cheating!" Tony grins, and you laugh as you hear Steve say something in the background.

"Sounds like fun. Who's winning?" You ask. "Well, me of course." Tony's laughter infects you and you can't help but smile. Steve says something else in the background and you can't help, but ask "What did he say?" Tony laughs and replies "Oh, nothing. He's just trying to one up me."

"Anyways! I was calling because since we're kind of busy, I need you to do something very important for me." His laughter is gone, he's serious now and his voice is stern. "Kingpin escaped The Raft."

Your heart sinks at his words, you take a deep breath. You know what this means. You have to take him down. Kingpin was dangerous and unpredictable. And he also wasn't your biggest fan due to the fact you were the one who got him sent to The Raft in the first place.

Now that he's out you know he'll do whatever it takes to get his revenge. You don't know what it will take, but you know you will do whatever it takes. You'll find Kingpin and bring him to justice.

"I need you to find him and bring him back. It's a matter of urgency. I won't be able to do it myself, so I'm counting on you." As you grip your phone harder, you feel a sense of dread rise within you.

You know this is a crucial task, and you don't want to let him or your city down. Calming your nerves, you reply with a determined confidence, "You can count on me. I won't let you down." Tony says his goodbyes, wishing you luck. Your breakfast is soon forgotten as you rush to your bedroom, putting on your Spidey-Suit.

You take off, swinging through the city, eager to put an end to Kingpin once and for all. You know it won't be easy, but you are confident in your abilities, ready to take on any challenge that comes your way.

"Karen call Yuri." Yuri answered, speaking in her usual professional tone. "You're late." Rolling your eyes, you sigh. "I know. I've just been told. You could've at least called me." Yuri didn't reply, but her silence spoke volumes. You knew she was disappointed in you, but you also knew she understood.

"Do you know where he's at?" You ask, hopeful. Yuri sighed. "Unfortunately, no. But, I have some addresses to his hideouts." You're taken aback. "Multiple? As in more than one?!" Yuri confirms. "It's been a week, he's been quite the busy guy. I'll text you the locations." With that, the call ended.

You hang up with a heavy heart. You know you should be grateful for Yuri's help, but you can't help but feel guilty that you hadn't been able any information yourself. After you told Jenna that you were Spider-Man/Woman, she's been worried sick. She'd been demanding you to rest, but now you knew that you wouldn't be able to until you'd defeated Kingpin.

You mentally prepare yourself for the fight ahead. It was going to be a difficult one, especially with no leads. It was like going into a dark room with no source of light. You had no idea what could be lurking around each corner, so you had to be careful. You had to take things one step at a time and hope for the best.

You continue swinging through the large city of New York, almost arriving at one of Yuri's locations. Right before you shoot out another web you feel volts of electricity course through your body.

You realize it's an EMP and it shuts down your suit. You crash to the ground, powerless. You try to power it back on, but nothing happens. Looking around you try and find the source of the EMP.

You spot a figure on the roof of the building, a dark figure with a small device in their hands. hey jump off the building easily, heading towards you as you get back on your feet, holding up your fists.

The figure steps closer to you, and you brace yourself for a fight. Suddenly, the figure appears in sight as the sun shines behind them. You recognize her immediately, "Felicia?" She smirks, "It's been a long time, hasn't it...Spider?" She steps closer and you drop your fists.

The Black Cat was back as well. Whenever she was back, it was for trouble. You take a deep breath and try to figure out why she's here. "Who are you robbing now, Felicia?" She grinned, showing her sharp teeth.

"I'm not here to rob anyone. I'm here for you, my old friend." She stepped closer and you could feel the tension in the air. "I need your help." You hesitated, considering the risks involved with helping her. Finally, you nodded and said, "What do you need me to do?"

She steps closer, running a sharp nail down your mask. She smiles and says, "Look at you. So ready to help me." Your eyes roll under your mask. The tension between you two was palpable, like a wire stretched tight between two posts, ready to snap at any moment.

You take a deep breath and exhale slowly. You can feel her eyes on you, waiting for your response. "What do you need?" Her hand moves to your bicep, squeezing gently. Her face is close to yours as she says, "I need you to help me take down Kingpin."

You're confused. It is extremely unlikely that she would request such a thing, or even give up the opportunity of having no attention paid to her at all by you or the police. With Kingpin on loose, she could commit the biggest robbery ever and get away with it. You look into her eyes and see the determination and desperation. "Why? What's in it for you?"

She lets go of you, backing up completely. "If I don't take him down, he'll kill someone very important to me." She lifts her chin, a steely glint in her eyes. "I have to do this. I'm going to take him down - by any means necessary." She takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders. She nods at you, silently conveying her dedication. "Who?"

Her serious face is gone, and she walks back up to you, bringing a finger to your lips. "Shh," she says. "Don't worry. You don't have to get jealous. You'll always have a special place in my heart, Spider."

She winks, and gives you a gentle pat on the shoulder before turning and walking away. You stand still, watching her go, your thoughts a swirl of confusion and surprise.

But now was not the time to get distracted by her childish antics. Unless she was serious about having someone to protect from Kingpin. Who could it be? The cat didn't have any family, so who could be so important to make her come out of hiding? You shake the thoughts from your head, heading toward the nearest hideout Yuri sent you.

You had to focus on the task at hand, the rest could wait. You had to find Kingpin and take him out before he could cause any trouble. "Yuri, I'm here." You say, sitting on top of a light post near the hideout. Scanning the horizon, you look for any sign of movement. "Good, update me once you're inside." She says on the line. You nod, "Got it," hanging up the phone, and jumping down from the light post, stealthy making your way inside the hideout.

Webbing yourself to the ceiling of the building, you crawl around scoping the entire place out. There were no signs of Kingpin, only his goons. You call Yuri back informing her of the situation. Even though Kingpin wasn't here, this hideout was great evidence and a nice place to start to look for him.

Yuri thanked you for the update and told you to keep looking around for any clues that could lead to Kingpin's whereabouts. You continued to search the hideout, hoping to find something that could help the search.

At the back of the hideout you find documents and a yellow envelope. You opened the envelope and inside you found a bunch of photos... of you and Jenna. You were confused and shocked. You quickly put the photos back in the envelope and tucked it away in your pocket. You had to find out what was going on.

How did Kingpin get ahold of these photos? It looked like they were taken from blocks away, the view coming from your living room window. You left the hideout in a hurry, and a million of questions rushed throughout your head.

Did he know your identity? Was Jenna in danger? You had to find the answers. You had to find Kingpin. But first you needed to know if Jenna was safe, "Karen call Jenna!"

You held your breath as the phone rang. Finally, Jenna answered. "Jenna, it's me, are you okay?" You asked. She hesitated for a moment, then finally answered, "Yeah, I'm good. What's wrong?" You exhaled, relieved. You couldn't tell her about the photos you found. It'll worry her and make her paranoid.

You decided to keep the photos a secret for now. You told Jenna you'll come and visit her soon and hung up. You knew you had to find Kingpin ASAP, but at least Jenna was safe for now. Fuck. You need to call Felicia for this.

You dialed Felicia's number and she answered on the fourth ring. "Felicia! I need your help." Felicia paused for a moment before responding. "Now who's begging? You sound so good when you beg." She teases and you feel yourself getting more frustrated by the second. "Now is not the time for games!" Felicia's laughter filled the line. "But I love to play!"

Ignoring her you continue, "I need you to help me find Kingpin. I promise I'll make it worth your while," you added. "Okay," Felicia said. "I like the sound of that."

You heard a shift in Felicia's voice, and you knew you had her attention. "What do you need me to do?" she asked. You quickly filled her in on the details of your plan, and Felicia agreed to help.

You felt a sense of relief, knowing that with Felicia on your side, you had a better chance of finding Kingpin. You thanked her and agreed to meet soon. She hung up the phone and you took a deep breath. With Felicia's help, you were one step closer to achieving your goal. Now all you had to do was execute the plan.

You shot a web and made your way to the meeting spot, feeling determined and excited. When you arrived, Felicia was already there, ready to help. You relaxed, knowing that together you would have a fighting chance to find Kingpin and bring him to justice.

Felicia turns around as you drop onto the roof, the sky now darker than it was earlier. "What do you have on Kingpin?" You ask, not wasting anytime. Jenna's safety along with New York's was sitting on your shoulders. Felicia is silent for a moment before she replies. "I have some intel, but it's not much." She says. "We'll have to move quickly if we're going to take him down."

"He called me not too long ago, demanding that I help him take you down." You take a second to take this in before replying. "What was the plan?" you ask. "You would go search all his hideouts. It would all give you clues. Then it would finally lead you back to his old Fisk building. Once you found him, you'd have to face him in a fight."

"I don't exactly know how he's planning on defeating you, my task was just to give him a heads up." She finishes, eyeing you.

You nod, understanding the plan. You take a deep breath and steel yourself for what's to come. You know there's no other way - it's time to face him. "We have to be one step ahead of him if we're meant to take him out." You say, determined. You both move to the edge of the roof, "We're already one step ahead. He's not expecting you to know that you're expecting him."

You turn to her. Seeing her differently now, she truly changed. She's no longer the selfish person she once was. She's ready to take him down and protect those she cares about. "Whoever you're protecting has really softened you, Felicia." She replied, "You have no idea." Her eyes sparkled with determination, and her voice was strong and confident. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt what's mine."

"Wait," You said as Felicia was getting ready to depart. You press the Spider logo in the middle of your suit. It flies out hovering in front of you before landing in your palm. Clicking a button you pull out a tiny earpiece. You quickly place the earpiece in Felicia's ear. "You'll be able to hear me now, no matter how far you go," you explain. "We'll stay in touch."

"Remember... quiet as a cat - ," she smiles, "- sneaky as a spider."

Taking a deep breath, you both jump off the roof towards your destiny. Felicia was going to enter the building first, telling Fisk about how she saw Spider-Man/Woman in the last hideout. Fisk would then prepare for battle, and prepare to kill you. You watch from another building as Felicia enters the building. Felicia then disappears into the building and you wait,  watching with bated breath as the fate of this mission hangs in the balance.

"How's it looking Felicia?" You ask, your voice coming through in her earpiece. She responds, "I'm in. I'll be there in a few minutes." You relax a bit, knowing you've done all you can. You wait and hope for the best.

After what seems like an eternity, Felicia finally speaks again. "Come to the back, there's a vent in a supply closet for you to enter from. Watch out for the guards." Quickly, you zip off of the building, making your way towards the back. You notice a guard near you.

Being quiet as a cat you manage to sneak behind him undetected. Playfully you tap his shoulder on the opposite side you're standing. Startled, the guard turns, but doesn't see anyone. He then turns the other way and you bring a finger to your lips. He looks around, confused, and obviously scared, but he makes the rash decision of raising his gun.

You web his mouth shut and web the gun to his body. "I said shh!" You whisper yell as you wrap a web around his body and he drops to the ground. You take the gun and start running, his screams muffled in the night air. You disappear into the shadows, leaving the guard behind. Once you locate the vent and carefully maneuver yourself inside.

You crawl through the ventilation system until you reach the supply closet. You drop down from the vent, a certain cat waiting patiently for you."Took you long enough," Felicia says, rising from the wall. "Well, I'm here now," you reply. "Where's Kingpin's office?" Felicia points to the door. You nod and take a deep breath.

You open the door and step into the hallway. The hallway is surprisingly empty, too empty. And it's too quiet. You start to feel a chill down your spine as you sense something is not right.

Turning around to face Felicia, but she's not there. Your Spidey sense goes off, but it's too late and you feel volts going through your body for a second time today. You collapse to the ground, feeling a sense of disorientation and confusion. It was another EMP.

You turn your head and see Felicia. Her face pale and a slight smirk on her lips. She had set off the EMP. She then began tying you up, making sure you couldn't move. Felicia had outsmarted you and was now in control of the situation.

"What are you doing Felicia?" You grunt out. Felicia steps closer and kneels down to meet your gaze. Her voice is calm and cold as she speaks, "I'm doing what I have to do. You don't understand, but soon you will." She stands up ripping the earpiece from her ear as she walks away, leaving you alone and confused.

You watch as she disappears into the shadows and your confusion turns to anger. You want to follow her and demand an explanation, you know that something's not right, and you can't help but feel like you're in the middle of something much bigger than yourself.

You sit there for a few moments, pondering what Felicia meant and what she's doing. After a few moments your suit is back on, and you rip yourself through the wires. With a heavy sigh, you stand up and follow Felicia's direction, determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. You know she's hiding something and you're determined to find out what it is.

You can tell that Felicia is holding something back, but she's not saying anything. You follow her through the winding hallways of the building, your heart pounding as you keep an eye out for any sign of danger. As you reach the end of the corridor, you know that the truth is just around the corner.

There he is - Wilson Fisk. The Kingpin, the man who had caused so much misery and destruction. He stood there, silent and imposing, his face a mask of indifference. Your mind raced with questions and fears, but you knew that the answers would soon be revealed.

You web yourself to the corner of the room, watching Felicia, Fisk, and a few of his guards present as they interact. "I have the Spider," Felicia says.

"Where are they?" Fisk stares at her, his eyes full of rage. He takes a step towards her as she speaks, "I just want to experiment on your little Spider, Jenna. Is that too much to ask for?" Felicia stares back, her face emotionless. Your heart drops at the mention of your girlfriend's name.

She steps back, not wanting to risk Fisk getting too close. "The deal was you get to run your tests, and right after that Y/N and I walk free." Fisk scoffs. "You think you can just walk away? I think you forgot who I am." He takes another step forward, now looming over her.

You couldn't believe it. Your girlfriend was The Black Cat. This entire time, you were in the dark. You felt betrayed and angry. It was like the rug being pulled out from underneath you. One moment, you were standing on solid ground, and the next you were left feeling blindsided and confused. You weren't sure how to process it all. You started to wonder if you really knew her at all.

She was the same person who spent countless nights robbing anyone she could get her hands out, the same person that was ready to turn you into Kingpin so he could run tests on you. She was the same person who had no remorse for her actions, the same person who thought she was above the law. She was a menace to society and had to be stopped.

"And I think you forgot who I am." She said these words with a smirk on her face. She scratches Fisk's face quickly dropping a smoke bomb, Fisk's men are too late raising their weapons. She had already disappeared. Fisk's face was red with anger, his men still standing in shock. He had been humiliated in front of them and he knew it.

"Go find her and that Spider! NOW!" His men scattered and he was left alone to ponder his next move. He was determined to find her and make her pay for what she had done. He vowed to get his revenge no matter the cost.

"I seen you watching me." You recognize the voice on your left, Jenna— Felicia. You didn't know what to call her anymore, was now in the same corner as you, standing on a beam. She had an expression of amusement and a glint in her eye. Everything was different now. You had been lying to each other for months. "You lied to me."

Her smirk disappeared. "You lied to me too," she said. "For a good reason!" You defend yourself, trying your best to stay quiet and not alert Fisk or his men as they search for the two of you. She shook her head. "I've changed, Y/N. Why do you think you haven't seen The Black Cat in a while? I went clean for you!" You were speechless, but you knew she was telling the truth. You looked into her eyes and saw that she had made a real change.

She glanced around. "We need to take him down," she said, her voice low. "Lead the way," You nodded and walked ahead of her. You could feel her following close behind, a strong presence of commitment. You knew that together, you could take down Fisk.

"You deal with his goons, I got Fisk." You instruct. She nods in agreement, before you two slit in different directions she jumps on your back. "You know I love it when you're in charge," She smiles as she wraps her arms around your neck, a hand dragging her way down your suit. "Focus, Jenna." She laughs and hops off your back, and the two of you set off in different directions.

You make your way to Fisk's office, while Jenna takes care of Fisk's henchmen. She manages to overpower them with her lightning-fast combat skills. You reach the office and confront Fisk, he was typing on his computer.

"Awe! Are you writing a fanfiction about us?" Fisk stopped typing and looked at you with an emotionless expression. He presses a singular key on his keyboard, "Get the chopper ready. I won't be long."

"I waited years to fight you, Y/N." You stand up and prepare to fight. Fisk smirks as he slowly rises from his seat. You can feel the tension in the air as you both prepare for battle. "You're making it sound like I'm about to pop your fight cherry or something."

The man grunts in response, "I'm not here to play games." He takes a step forward and cracks his knuckles. "You ignorant fool." He picks up his desk, throwing it at you. You jump out of the way and the desk slams against the wall. The man looks at you with contempt and snarls, "Get out of my sight!" He lunges towards you, fists clenched.

You manage to dodge his attack and shoot mulitple webs around him, trapping him in a cocoon. You then leap foward, punching him in the face and anywhere else you can land before he rips out of your web.

The man throws an arm your way, knocking you onto your back. You quickly jump back up and launch yourself at him and spin around, kicking him in the chest and then aiming a web at his face. The web sticks to his face before he roughly rips it off, angrier than before.

"I WILL DESTORY YOU!" He charges at you, but you dodge him and spin around and launch another web at him, this time wrapping him up in the web completely. You walk closer to him, a smile under your mask. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

He glares at you, his eyes filled with hatred. You turn around and begin dancing, "Uh huh! Uh huh! UH-"Suddenly you're being tackled, you fall to the ground. You look up to see him, eyes still full of rage, but he's free from the web. He grins, "I said I'll destroy you!" He wraps his hands around your neck, picking you up with ease.

"Maybe I got a little cocky," You rasp out. He throws you into a wall and you break throw it completely.

Tumbling onto the ground, you scramble to your feet and ready yourself for a fight. He charges at you and you dodge, kicking his back. He stumbles and turns around, ready to retaliate. But he doesn't get the chance – an series of volts shoot through his body.

He collapses to the ground, twitching and convulsing. You turn around seeing Jenna make her way towards you, the same device from earlier lying in her hand. She looks you in the eyes and speaks, "Web him up, Spider." She turns and walks away, leaving you alone with the incapacitated man.

You take out a roll of webbing from your pocket and begin to wrap him up, tightly binding his body. You pick him up and walk away, the man still unconscious in your arms. You dangle the man at the entrance of the building, fleeing before the cops notice you. The cops arrive and take the man away.

You disappear into the night, feeling a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. You had done the right thing.

You web yourself to a building nearby, watching Kingpin get locked up for a second time. You had done your part to keep the city safe. You were sure Kingpin wouldn't be a menace to the city for a while. You smiled to yourself and felt relieved. "Y/N," Jenna says, you turn around.

"Are we okay?" She repeats those same words you said to her the night you revealed your identity. You take a deep breath and smile at Jenna, "We're okay." You wrap your arms around her and pull her in close. You feel something shift in your arms, pulling away it was just Jenna. No longer in her uniform, "YOU CAN MORPH?!"

Jenna smiles back, her eyes twinkling with a newfound joy and freedom. She nods her head and looks up at you, "Yes, I can morph." You take off your mask and give her a gentle kiss on the forehead, "I'm sorry." She apologizes as she starts to cry. You hug her tightly, reassuring her that it's all going to be okay. You give her a warm smile and tell her that you will always be there for her.

"Jenna, it's okay. I believe that you've changed." Jenna looks up at you with a grateful expression. She smiles and leans into your embrace, taking a deep breath. You both stay there for a moment, and then Jenna pulls away, her eyes shining with hope. "I love you."

You smile and nod. "I love you too," you reply. You hold her hands in yours, and you both stand there, savoring the moment.You stare into each other's eyes, and in that moment, you both know that things will be okay. Jenna squeezes your hands, and you both turn to face the future, with hope and love in your hearts.

You put your mask back on. "So, is this going to become a regular thing? The Spider and The Cat?"

She playfully rolls her eyes, laughing. "Of course not. Kingpin just needed to understand. You mess with the cat, you get the claws." She smirks, her eyes glowing in the night. "But don't worry, I'll always have your back." She turns and starts walking away. You follow her and she morphs back into The Black Cat.

"Let's go home." Just as she's about to make the jump, you stop her. "Wait! I'm gonna send you my swinging playlist," She scoffs, laughing. "No thanks babe, I'll see you when you get home."  As she leaps across the building, she lands safely on the other side. You watch her leave, shaking your head in disbelief. She turns to wave one last time before disappearing into the night.

[ad1thi]

stevetony recs you won't see on other rec lists

I've (surprisingly) been reading a lot of stevetony lately, and have come across a couple of gems that i feel are vastly under-appreciated, and wanted to show them some love. Obviously, the title is a misnomer because maybe you have seen these on other rec lists, but it's clickbait okay !! Don't forget to leave kudos and comments, if you like what you've read !!

No Trait As Much As This : @kandisheek-art

Tony gets hit with truth serum. It's a terrible time for everyone.

the year you were mine : @areiton

The night that changes his life forever, Steve is on a date with another man. Or: Steve is a pricy escort and Tony buys him for a year. Neither of them are doing this for love.

Meant : @ardett

What Steve meant when he asked out Tony was very different than what Tony meant when he said yes.

One Last Second Chance : @/Muccamukk

Tony Stark, second newest engineer at Rhodes Labs International, is just trying to rebuild from the ruins of his failed company, vanished fortune, and struggles with alcoholism. His goals include keeping his head down, avoiding stress and convincing Dr. Rhodes to let him build a really cool robot, so why does the universe keep throwing Avengers in his path?

Not just a river in Egypt (Tony is most certainly not in denial) : @lilgideon

"You are most definitely not in love with me, Cap, what you are experiencing is called cabin pressure," Tony explains, because he has a rational train of thought and he's met enough shrinks to have figured out their tactics by now. "And possibly, you know, sexual frustration, because it doesn't matter at all that you're, like, America's national icon, Fury still won't let you out. I know that, I see that, I acknowledge your pain, I feel with you, Cap, believe me, I do. And I get it, because I am a very good-looking fellow and we spend a lot of time together, stuck in this tower, and it's easy to--" "I am," Steve cuts off, equal parts amused and frustrated and concerned. "In love. With you. Tony, I'm in love with you."

then sirens, then bells (the broadcast remix) : @isozyme

“I tire of this,” Amora says, and with a casual gesture the entire team is pinned in place, frozen in mid-air. Steve has the unsettling, half-familiar feeling of someone rifling through his head like it’s a card catalogue. A mind-reader as well as a witch, then. A female voice whispers into his mind’s ear. It’s very tragic in here, dearheart, but I think your armored friend is, somehow, more psychically toxic than even you. What’s wrong with Tony? Steve thinks, but the presence is gone, leaving his memories of war stirred up like flying insects rising off a lake in at dawn.

The Enchantress opens Tony's mind to anyone and everyone near him. Steve knows he should let Tony keep his secrets, but he's not noble enough to stay away

The Twice-Told Tale : @arysteia

For someone he'd hero-worshipped for so long, Steve Rogers in the flesh is a pretty big disappointment. For one thing, he keeps looking at Tony as though he reminds him of someone else, and even if he never says anything, Tony's pretty sure it's his father. A lifetime of not measuring up to Howard's expectations is more than enough, thank you very much, and he's certainly not going to make an effort to live up to any of Steve's. Steve's pretty clearly failed to live up to his expectations, in any case, and that's not hypocritical at all.

i'm going too far (just to have you near) : @/zaynerpaner

“Rhodey, why did you leave me here?” Tony demands. The voice on the other line doesn't sound exactly like Rhodey’s – in fact, it sounds like he’d woken somebody up, which couldn’t be right since Rhodey had been here with him earlier. “Who is this?” the voice speaks again, and – it’s too deep. Rhodey’s voice isn’t that deep. “Rhodey? It’s Tony, m’phone’s dead and I need you to pick me up,” he tries again, frowning as he leans against the bar. “Uh, I think you have the wrong number.” OR the one where Tony drunk calls the wrong number looking for a ride home from the bar, and Steve comes to pick him up.

Living In The Future : @/Closer

Eighteen-year-old Tony Stark is the boy genius who woke Captain America, and now he's stuck with him. That's not a bad thing, but between Steve's wide-eyed wonder at the new world and Tony's little fanboy crush, the awkwardness just keeps happening.

if we ever meet again : @/anonymous

"It’s been two months," Steve says, voice low. "Rhodey- Colonel. It’s been two months.”

[idk-bruh-20]

Tony, the futurist

Buckle in folks, I've had some thoughts and I'm about to make it ✨everyone's✨ problem.

Been thinking about Tony Stark, the futurist who saw the end of the world.

Tony, who in IM1 escapes kidnapping and torture and says, "I shouldn't be alive. Unless if was for a reason."

who, in The Avengers, has this exchange with Bruce Banner:

Tony: You know, I've got a cluster of shrapnel, trying every second to crawl its way into my heart. This stops it. This little circle of light. It's part of me now, not just armor. It's a… terrible privilege. Bruce: But you can control it. Tony: Because I learned how. Bruce: It's different. Tony: Hey, I've read all about your accident. That much gamma exposure should've killed you. Bruce: So you're saying that the Hulk… the other guy… saved my life? That's nice. It's a nice sentiment. Saved it for what? Tony: I guess we'll find out. Bruce: You might not like that. Tony: You just might.

Right after this, Cap tells Tony, "You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

And then Tony flies a nuke into a wormhole, tries to call his girlfriend because he thinks these are his last moments, did not go in there expecting to survive.

Although he survives, he witnesses an alien army so terrifying, so unbeatable, it gives him crippling PTSD nightmares and panic attacks, knowing they are not prepared to defend the earth.

I'm thinking about Tony who, in AOU, gets manipulated by Wanda into witnessing his worst nightmare.

Which, by the way, involves losing all of his newfound friends.

Later, he has this exchange with Nick Fury:

Tony: And I'm the man who killed the Avengers. I saw it. I didn't tell the team, how could I? I saw them all dead, Nick. I felt it. The whole world, too. It's because of me. I wasn't ready. I didn't do all I could. Fury: The Maximoff girl, she's working you, Stark. Playing on your fear. Tony: I wasn't tricked, I was shown. It wasn't a nightmare, it was my legacy. The end of the path I started us on. Fury: You've come up with some pretty impressive inventions, Tony. War isn't one of them. Tony: I watched my friends die. You'd think that'd be as bad as it gets, right? Nope. Wasn't the worst part. Fury: The worst part is that you didn't.

Tony's worst fear is to survive in a world he's failed to save. He has to "do all [he] could" or else the future he's terrified of will happen and it will be his fault.

(Not to put too fine a point on it, but there's a reason why Tony and Peter are so compatible as mentor and mentee.)

Tony's seen what's coming, and he's willing to do whatever it takes.

Here's the thing, though:

Tony doesn't actually want to die.

In AOU, when they're arguing about why he created Ultron, Tony says this to Cap:

"Isn't that the mission? Isn't that the 'why we fight'? So we get to go home?"

He tells Bruce that the reason they should create Ultron is to have "peace in our time."

He tells Pepper that his constant tinkering, his inability to ever, ever rest is because he needs to keep her safe from the oncoming threat.

Tony has a life he wants to protect, people he wants to keep safe. And, unlike the other Avengers, he knows exactly how impossible this will be to achieve.

Tony is the only Avenger who understands how severely outmatched they are. Maybe Thor understands the threat, but he has no ability to imagine losing.

Tony tries to get them to understand:

Tony: Recall that? A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space. We're standing three hundred feet below it. We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the live long day, but, that up there? That's… that's the end game. How were you guys planning on beating that? Steve: Together. Tony: We'll lose. Steve: Then we'll do that together, too.

Well, they do lose. And they don't do it together.

And it turns out Tony was right about everything.

He was right that he would survive to face his world that he'd failed to save.

He was right that the Avengers would not be enough.

He was right that Bruce's powers would be worthwhile someday.

And, apparently,

some people think he was right that he was only alive for this reason.

Because, obviously, the only "reason" for someone like Tony Stark to be alive is to eventually sacrifice himself, right?

A character so traumatized can only find peace in death.

Right?

No.

Stop that.

Tony Stark may have been willing to risk his life for his family, but that doesn't mean he wanted that to be his end.

Remember when this happened?

Bruce: Saved it for what? Tony: I guess we'll find out. Bruce: You might not like that. Tony: You just might.

Bruce gets to live long enough to like his ending.

Remember when this happened?

All Tony ever wanted to do was make the world a better place.

And, what about this?

You're telling me that Yinsen didn't value family above all else?

That he thought Tony should die and leave them behind?

No.

Tony Stark is a futurist.

He is the Cassandra of the MCU. He warns the others constantly of the oncoming threat that only he, apparently, can see. (Even Thanos calls him "cursed with knowledge.")

No one believes him. Alone, he tries to prepare for the threat that he has witnessed. He sits with his nightmares and tries to find a way around them, constantly.

He builds a life worth living, finds people worth protecting, just like Yinsen told him to.

To protect the future, he does all he possibly can.

Tony deserved to be part of the future too.

[whatonearthisgoingon]

Okay, so someone has probably already made this point, but I want to take a look at the two teams in CA:CW.

First we have Team Cap, the group against the Accords. According to the Accords, those deemed too powerful can be arrested without a trial. Steve (+1), Bucky (+1), and Wanda (+1) are three people who can not change what they are. Their abilities are apart of them. Two of them are super soldiers, and Wanda's powers are due to experiments done on her. They can't just turn off or take off their powers. Ontop of this, the government is actively against Bucky, with a shoot to kill order for him. Without the Accords going on, there would still be issues between Steve, Bucky, and the government; the Accords were just the push over the edge. Going back to being dangerous under the Accords' standards, the government could even push Clint (+0.5) into this superhuman category due to his numerous skills, such as his enhanced eyesight, and incredible skills with archery. It would be really difficult to prove, but the government could do it, especially if they just need to say: "Hey, you're too strong: no trial, in jail." That leaves Sam (+0) and Scott (+0), who can both take off their powers simply by removing the suit, becoming essentially normal dudes. Scott is familiar with what it's like to be a criminal, leading him to side with Steve. Sam is one of Steve's best friends at this point, so he would clearly pick his side no matter what. Group danger from the Accords total: 3.5 points.

Now I want to look at Team Ironman.

T'challa (+0), Tony (+0), and Rhodey (+0) can all get rid of their "powers" by taking off the suit and calling it a day. On top of that, T'challa is a king of a nation. I'm not even sure if he can be affected by the Accords, due to some international/royal immunity or whatever; he's essentially just here to get revenge on Bucky. Peter (+1), is a child, doing what his role model told him to do. I dont think he even has full knowledge of the details of the Accords. He's actually one of the only people on this team that can be seriously hurt by the Accords, further proving his ignorance. "'Look kid. There's a lot going on here that you don't understand.' 'Mr. Stark said you'd say that.' 'Stark tell you anything else?' 'That you're wrong. You think you're right. That makes you dangerous.'" (Convo between Peter and Steve). His information is coming from Stark and Stark alone. Stark wants the Accords, because he thinks the Avengers need to be in check. He has issues with anxiety and depression, plus has a different mentality than Steve. Tony, after a battle, first looks and sees all the people the Avengers didn't save, or accidently hurt, in the fight. Meanwhile Steve first sees all the people they did save by fighting. Tony wants the team to be put in check, because of his mentality. Steve is worried that with the Accords, he will be sent to fight battles that don't need to be fought, instigating and creating chaos rather eliminating it (with the Accords, the government controls where the team goes and where the team doesn't go). However, Tony is one of the ones, who just takes off the suit, and he's safe from the Accords. This makes the accords even more appealing to him, "We can be in check like we need to be!" He's not paying attention to the in jail with no trial part because he can't be arrested for being "too dangerous" by simply existing. Even if he was in danger of the Accords for being "too powerful," the government is greedy. There is a chance that Stark could buy himself out of jail from the Accords. Do I think he would? No. Do I think he can? Yes. That leaves Natasha (+0.5) and Vision (+0.5). Natasha is all fighting skill, not superhuman abilities, a similar scenario to Clint. She's safe if the government doesn't push too hard on her, which, due to the side she took, most likely wouldn't happen. Vision is complicated; he's not human, he's a robot with feelings due to the Stone. Would the government arrest him, I don't know, but I think Vision would respect he is dangerous and simply sit in a cell and deal with it. If he was bored or didn't agree with the sentencing, I think he'd simply phase through the wall like he did at the beginning of CW and simply leave and fly away. Group danger from the Accords total: 2

In the end, Team Cap (3.5 danger points) is much more effected by the Accords than Team Ironman (2 danger points) is. While the Accords effect everyone in terms of where they can and can not fight, at least Team Ironman is in much less danger of being arrested for existing. I think that these things should all be looked at when we do the whole, Team Cap vs. Team Ironman, who is right.

[spooky-lil-spider-enjoyer]

My take on Team Cap/Team Iron man and Civil war in general.

Bear with me, its almost one am. Tony is in the right for being upset. His actions caught up with him finally after meeting a heart broken mother and he didn't know how to cope with losses, this was seen in the first Avengers as well when Colson died. Stark says something along the lines of "We need to be put in place." when the accords are brought into consideration. He sees how he fucks up and how someone *cough* thinks he can make it better. I'm honestly not shocked he agreed to the accords so quickly, he was in a vulnerable state at the moment.

His mom also fucking like, died?? And he now knows the person who killed her?? Ofc he wants to avenge her, it's in the name.

Now, let's talk about Miss America. Steve is a soldier through and through. My guy knows how to cope with loss, he's done it again and again. He sees others' death differently than Stark does. Rogers can cope. Stark can't do that very well. Steve lost everything, let's be honest. He lost his life when he went into that ice. Not his ability to live. He lost everything alive around him. His friends, Peggy, hell even just the way the forties were in general. All of it was gone. He lost what he knew as his life.

So when some semblance of that comes back? I'm not surprised when he grabs it by the throat. Both of my guys are in the right. Tony is right for wanting closure to their actions, for following orders for once after seeing what happened when he doesn't. Steve is right for wanting Bucky back safe and sound, for actually saying human rights and calling bull on the accords cause they are bullshit.

They are both dumbasses who can't communicate for shit though. 

[themarysuep]

I just don't understand why fans say Kamala and Peter Parker are the same character in the MCU 😭. Outside of them having completely different backgrounds and support systems that shape them...did we forget about Captain America: Civil War??

Peter was team Iron Man. The entirety of Ms Marvel season 1 basically highlighted Kamala being team Cap. She would never allow anyone with powers to be controlled in any way by the government. Even if it meant she had to break 100000 laws. It took Peter years to understand what Kamala understood from day 1.

Even when she was with military/ cop types like Carol and Monica in The Marvels, she wasn't willing to listen to them. She became angry at Carol during their first combat situation.

And comparing Tony and Peter to Carol and Kamala isn't even that accurate. There's tons of similar relationships in the MCU. Carol and Kamala are different. They even remind me more of Nat and Yelena than Tony and Peter. Yelena loving Nat as a child but not truly knowing the adult version of her, just like Kamala thinking she knew Carol but realizing she doesn't. Yet both duos were willing to forgive each other for any shortcomings, and still forge a sisterhood (and include other women). Carol is not a billionaire sponsoring Kamala.

Tony and Peter don't need to be the template for every relationship. Women and POC's are getting way more development now and the prevailing opinion is.....oh they remind us of those two white men.

Kamala is not even a STEM kid like Peter in the MCU. Her grades were shit even before the powers. She's a talented artist and more concerned with her very big family.

[sunnysideprincess]

There's nothing sweet about how Steve loves Tony.

He loves him viciously. Like a serpent loving a sweet lie. Like a bolt of lightning loving a lone standing tree. His love for Tony never simmers, only burns until Tony is left gasping and whimpering, raw and aching for more.

Steve loves Tony. It is easy to see. Enough that even their enemies take notice.

It worries the team. It worries Natasha when she sees Steve behead Ivan Vanko with the shield.

"That's a bit much," she notes when Captain America kicks Hammer's lose and limp body, wrinkling his nose in disgust when the man groans in pain.

Steve looks at her. And it's here she remembers him as the man who woke up like a beast. Roaring and snarling at everyone. Seeing enemies all around him until the numbness of grief settled in his veins. His eyes show the rage of a man who's lost one life, and is now on the verge of losing another.

"I thought you were with Potts."

The memory of a soft, subtle rose makes her smile.

"She's fine." Natasha made sure of it. "I'm here about Fury."

"Your boss, you mean."

"My boss," she agrees, checking for any stray henchman. "He's got something that could slow down Tony's... Condition."

"What's the hold up then," Steve doesn't ask. He just squares his shoulder, already catching in on her implications. It's part of the reason she's chosen to work with him for so long. They don't need to speak to know each other's motives.

In this instance, Steve already knows what she does. Fury won't help Tony. Not unless Tony Stark builds Shield something useful. Or becomes Shield's issued collar around Cap's neck.

"Tell me everything."

Years later, Clint would ask her what made her turn her back on Shield, on Phil. She would be looking at Pepper when she speaks. But her answer would be Steve Rogers and his untamed, unchecked wanting for a dying man.

[therese-lokidottir]

I've seen some of your posts about Captain America Civil War, and I wanted to ask if you had any opinions why people side with Tony Stark despite the fact that the government was infiltrated by Hydra and the World Security Council planned to nuke New York in Avengers

Honestly, I don't think most people are for the accords. I think they are just for Tony, and they try to find reason to support him. Because what the accords are and how they would affect the heroes are unclear, and as I've said so many times before the main conflict isn't even about the accords.

I've seen team Iron Man take not only what Steve is saying in the film out of context but also what other versions of Captain America have said and what they meant. Captain America doesn't want to do whatever wants, he doesn't want to use excessive force or be the one who makes the judgment calls. He just does not trust the government to have the people best interest or not to have their own agendas. No one I've seen has counter that point or tried to make a point of why it's worth.

As I've also made a point what Cap' is doing in the movie has nothing to do with the accords and would not affect them passing. I also feel like if wasn't for Tony being the one tasked to stop them at the airport most Tony stans wouldn't be against even if he's breaking the law. Because Steve is trying to clear his friends name, and the viewers know Bucky is innocent. If this was just Ross's crusade no one would judging Steve or the others for helping him.

Sad thing is writing wise, Tony in the movie is way better than the original comic of Civil War. His motivation for talking the accords side makes sense because his actions caused enough consequence it makes sense, he feels the accords are needed in contrast to the comic where he was yelled at for an event that had nothing to do with him. But also, Tony seems like he's making his drama everyone else's problem. Nat, Clint and Steve were working for the government under oversight and Tony was the one touching and messing glowing rocks he shouldn't have and that's what caused the problem.

Well, as long as Tony doesn't build anymore Iron Man suits or advanced AI without the UN's knowledge and permission at least it means he stood by what he said, right?

[kandisheek]

Cap-Ironman Rec Week 2024

Cap-IM Sunday: July 28th

Prompt: Rec all your favorite works created for one of the Cap-IronMan challenges!

Finishing this week with a bang, here are some of my favorite fics that came about due to the tireless work that the mods over at Cap-IM do for us every year. Please take the time to browse their collections as well, because the talent in this fandom is out of this world:

-- Never Too Late for Love by Sineala

Steve has always believed that a soulbond is a blessing -- a rare and beautiful miracle, joining the thoughts and feelings of two people forever, from the first time they touch. Steve knows he's not going to be one of the lucky ones. He knows Gail isn't his soulmate. But he loves her, even if they're not soulmates, and he's going to do right by her. After the war's over, he's going to marry her, and they're going to settle down. They'll buy a house. They'll have children. He'll see his family again. Maybe Bucky will live next door. It's going to be a good life. He doesn't need a soulbond. He'll be fine without one. Then Steve wakes up sixty years in the future to find that his wonderful life has moved on without him. His family is long dead. His fiancée married his best friend. And the only purpose he has left is leading the Ultimates, a misbegotten team of superheroes with flaws too numerous to count. Steve hates everything about the future -- but most of all he detests Tony, flashy and flirtatious, who embodies everything Steve hates about a world he never wanted to live in. And, oh, yeah, Steve has a soulmate after all: Tony fucking Stark.

-- The Heart of the Temple by CSHfic, VSfic

After an expedition to find an ancient relic goes awry, Tony finds himself magically bound to a Roman soldier who has spent the last two thousand years guarding the temple, and who is now bound to protect him from harm. Stranger things have certainly happened, but Tony is having a hard time coming up with them now.

-- Therapeutic Guidelines by kellifer_fic

"Are you suggesting I get a bunch of bunk beds in here and squeeze us all into one room?" Tony scoffs and the woman just looks at him. "No, wait-"

MORE RECS BELOW THE CUT:

-- A Long, Lonely Time by asktheravens

Steve returned from the war injured in body and mind- and able to see the dead. At loose ends and desperate to get out of New York City, he accepts a fellowship through the Stark Foundation and retreats to a quiet lake house on the grounds of the Stark Mansion. He's supposed to be there to paint, but he quickly realizes that the house is more than he bargained for. Anthony Stark died here a decade ago, but was it an accident? A suicide? Or a murder? Obadiah Stane still lives in the main house just up the hill, and the past casts a long shadow. When Tony's ghost begins appearing to him, Steve becomes more entwined in the dangerous mystery surrounding his death. Even worse, he finds himself falling for a man who died a decade ago... Features lots of ghosts, murder, secrets, and supernatural revenge. Also Thor and Rhodey.

-- Personal Use by dirigibleplumbing

“It’s for. Personal use,” Steve says. Tony deserves a fucking medal for not commenting on that. Fuck, how is he supposed to get anything done after this? Or ever, for that matter. Every time he suits up he’ll know—he’ll know—that Steve Rogers fucks himself with a toy made out of Tony’s armor.

-- On Camera by FestiveFerret

Steve's heart skipped a beat. It was beyond ridiculous to get attached to one of his regular clients but somehow, over the last six months, he had. StarkNakedGenius wasn't logged on for every show, far from it, but he was on for a lot of them, and whenever he was, he tipped like mad.

-- Weighing of the Heart by scifigrl47

Steve Rogers hasn't really had a particularly easy life. He's struggled along, he's proud of himself, he's self-sufficient and capable and he works damn hard. He has friends and a purpose and he's only a few semesters from graduating college. He's managed, but his life has been far from easy. That's mostly because of a slight filing error. The last thing that Steve needed was someone to watch over him. The only thing that his Guardian Angel needs is a second chance to make a first impression.

-- Can't start a fire without a spark by gottalovev

The Avengers might be reunited, but they are holding together with a Band-Aid and a severe case of Tony pretending nothing happened. The superficial truce is shattered the day Steve takes control of Tony's suit and forces him to go to medical in a tense situation. When Tony is ordered to take a vacation, Steve volunteers to go with him.

And two of my own fics:

-- Gift of Consequence

Steve remembers the old wives' tale of the dragon in the mountain, sleeping on a pile of gold. He has never paid it any mind, but when his mother gets sick and time and money is of the essence... he might reconsider believing in fairytales.

-- We Are Briefly Gorgeous

Tony finds himself in a gay bar right after signing his divorce papers, drowning his sorrows. Turns out the handsome stranger that chats him up is just the distraction he needs.

[mr-t-stark]

~ 𝓉𝑜𝓃𝓎 & 𝒶𝓋𝒶 ~

"You know I only agreed to this because I am friends with Natasha," Ava says as the elevator door closes infront of her and Nick Fury. Ava didn´t like new people, so she did need someone she knew if she was going to join. He looks at Ava with an annoyed expression, Ava smiling sweetly back at him, because he didn´t know about her anxiety issues. "I don't care if you're the president. I'm not changing just because I'm going to be saving people," She points out making Fury roll his eyes and look straight ahead. Ava liked being all sassy and flirty and tough around people. Then she could break down alone in peace. "Just try to be nice? I know Natasha puts up with your shit, but not everyone will," He says, making Ava nod slowly. Truly? Fury intimidated her, however probably most people did. But Ava was intimidated by most when she didn´t know them, that why she used her sass and brattiness and flirting to get ahead without issues. And the fact that she had ADHD probably didn´t help with the fact that she just simply didn´t like doing things wrong. So if she got the impression she wasn´t liked or something like that, she pulled away instantly.

"I can't wait for you to meet her. She's the life of the party," Natasha says and sips her water, pacing a bit as she waited for her friend to arrive, but then she did and Natasha smiled and walked over. "Ava! I´m so glad you finally agreed to join! I can´t stand all the testosterone," she spoke making Ava snort. "Yeah, I can see that," she spoke before going around the room greeting everyone, however when she came to Tony she smirks and looked at him. "Anthony Stark. The playboy himself," she spoke and hummed. "You´re more handsome than I thought you would be," she spoke honestly and held her hand out for him to shake. "I´m Ava."

When Natasha had told the team about Fury recruiting a new member that happened to be a friend of hers, Tony had at first been skeptical. It's taken some time for him to get to know the team, build their dynamic, all that shit. And though he'd never admit it, he's becoming quite fond of them. They're growing on him. Sure, some people can act like dicks at times, but, well, he is one, too. Sometimes. Perhaps most of the time, if you asked Pepper. Arguably all of the time, if you asked his exes.

So the thought of a new member joining was... How does he put this? Unexpected, one could say. A new member entailed a lot of things.

But since Fury's decision was solid, he knew he had no say in it. Doesn't mean he didn't try to complain, though. Futilely.

Ava Thompson was her name, Natasha had told him. She didn't say anything else. Their history, how they met, who she actually is; only a brief description of her abilities, a 'you'll see', and a wink.

So, as any person would do, he looked into her records, her history, everything he could find with JARVIS' assistance. People call it 'a breach of privacy', he calls it 'using his abilities to ease his trust issues against new people'. Not the same thing.

She seemed pretty ordinary. Natasha said something about her being in some sort of magic cult or whatever. What was it? Karma touch? Something that sounded funny. He finds no trace of that.

But if anything, he finds nothing else that seemed suspicious. No ties with bad parties, no crime records, nothing to hint she may be some Nazi undercover or something.

So though he may be a little wary of whoever she may be, the information he's got of her so far does ease some of his nerves. Natasha seemed to have a positive impression of her, anyway.

When the day comes for them to meet this Ava Thompson, Tony is, and hopefully not visibly, a little uneasy. They're at the team's meeting room--aka The Doomed Room Of Inevitable Boredom, if Cap's endless rants about fire safety and stop, drop, and rolls is anything to go by--Tony sat where he usually is, fiddling idly with a pen.

He watches Natasha pace back and forth, muttering one thing or another. It's only a moment before he sees Fury, and a certain someone trailing at his side, enter through the door.

Natasha greets her, and she introduces herself to the team. Tony stays a bit behind, observing. His research seems to be accurate, visually. She looks like how he had expected her to look.

When she approaches him, however...

"The one and only," he replies with a boyish grin when she immediately recognises her. When she then starts to flirt, Tony sees it as a challenge. She accepts her hand with a firm shake. He lowers his voice and lays that Stark charm thick, taking a moment to look her up and down. "Honey, I'm more than what you see from those cameras."

He lets go of her hand, shoving his own in his pockets, and says, "Welcome to the team. Have you gotten a tour of this place?"

He's always one for some fun.