#fleurdelouvemonth

[fleurdelouvemonth]

4th Annual Fleur de Louve Month 🦾🛥👩🏿‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻

Welcome back for another month-long celebration of Sarah Wilson and Bucky Barnes! 

This year we're still providing the well-preferred format of providing prompts to choose from. But, we're shaking it up a bit by putting it in a bingo form!

We understand that everyone has their own schedules and life be lifing. Whenever you finish your masterpiece, the requirements are the same: tag us @fleurdelouvemonth and @fleurdelouve so it can be posted and shared on the blogs!

Remember that this is for fun and to put more SarahBucky/Fleur De Louve content out into the world. There's no "wrong" way to create or submit. Any AU, any verse; it's all up to you!

Just please try to have any submissions posted by November 30th. December 14th at the latest.

Due to the results of a poll, the extended end date will be December 31st!! ❄️☃️🎄🎁🕎🍪❤️🖤💚

Please reach out to this blog or the main blog @fleurdelouve with any questions. We're so excited to see what this fandom comes up with this year!!

Pick and choose some bingo squares and have fun!! 🥳

🦃🥧🍁🍠🦌❄️🍂⛄️🌬🍎🧣🎁

Find the AO3 here to add your works to the collection, or submit to the collection “FleurdeLouve_SarahBucky_Month_2024”

✨️: Not everything HAS to be fanfiction. Be as creative as you want! Here are a few ideas: fan art, manips, comics, 3D rendering, moodboards, aesthetics, snapshots of Sims you make as the characters, the options are endless!

BELOW THE CUT IS A BLANK BINGO CARD FOR YOU TO CROSS OUT, IF YOU WANT IT

[tllgrrl]

Checking In… by @tllgrrl aka Nefertiri Jones

Relationship: Bucky Barnes/Sarah Wilson | Rated: SFW | -500 Words

Characters: Bucky Barnes-Winter Soldier/White Wolf . Alexi Shostakovich-Red Guardian . Yelena Belova-Black Widow . John Walker-US Agent . Ava Starr-Ghost . Sara Wilson (mentioned)

* * * * * * * * *. *

“Hey, Sarah. Yeah…I’m okay. Nah, I’m fine. I—what? No, you’re fine. Fine as…never mind. Don’t get me started. I’m not exactly alone right now.“

Alexi tilts forward and whispers, “Yasha has a girlfriend!?”

Yelena raises an eyebrow, tilts in, “He and Captain America’s sister Sarah Wilson are Doing It.”

“What?” Walker all but yells. “Really?! Sam’s sister? Wow! Say, did you know my wife is—“

“Yes,” the others say simultaneously, in various tones of utter exasperation. “We all know.”

“Hey!” Bucky throws daggers at them with his eyes. “Pipe down.” He wishes he could throw actual daggers. He has more than enough knives on his person for each one of them, but he maintains a cool demeanor on the phone.

“So,” he continues, lowering his voice and turning his back for more privacy, “about Christmas. I…I might be kinda late getting back. No. Just some idiots I gotta take care of here. I’ll call you later tonight if I can. Hug the boys for me, okay? Ndiyakuthanda.”

“Aww!” Ava practically squeaks. “I don’t speak Xhosa, but I know what that means.”

“I’ve seen pictures of Sarah Wilson,” Alexi smiles and nods approvingly. “Good choice, Yasha. Beautiful woman. Nice frame. Almost as nice as your mother’s, Yelena. A good, sturdy woman, your mother. Ahhhh, the way she fills out her blue jeans is—“

Yelena’s chin drops to her chest. “Oh my god, Dad! Stop!!” If her hands had been untied, she would have buried her face in them…after using them to choke him out.

“What!?! Am I wrong?”

“Hey, Bucky,” Walker says brightly, “We do have something in common. We both have—“

“No.” He pockets his phone and feels the hilt of the knife in his shoulder holster.

“Okay, pal,” Walker grins. “I mean, we—“

“We’re not the same,” Bucky growls and stalks away. “If Val doesn’t call back soon, I swear ta God…”

* * * * *

@fleurdelouvemonth 2024: SarahBucky Bingo - “Free Space”.

The photo is from Entertainment Weekly’s preview of THUNDERBOLTS* and shows Alexi, Yelena, Walker and Ava tied up, and Bucky is on his cellphone while watching them.

Thank you @khululekile for inspiring me to finish this little drabble as we laughed about Walker trying to bond with Bucky over their wives, and Bucky wanting no part of that conversation, especially with the likes of him.

* * * * * * * * * *

Fleurdelouve Month 2024 | SarahBucky Bingo

[btwxsixesandsevens]

I have a theory that the reason Bucky was just lukewarm to Marvin Gaye's music is that he first listened to it while checking off items from Steve's notebook of things to learn about in the 21st century, almost like a homework assignment. It wasn't until he heard Sarah humming along with background music while she worked on the boat and in the house that he truly thought of modern music as something to be enjoyed for its own sake. Now he loves gospel, and adores Tina Turner along with the Queen of Soul. He remains unimpressed by Marvin Gaye, much to Sam's annoyance and Sarah's amusement.

Thank you, Nonny, for this comment. You sparked something undeniable. I agree with your theory, 100%.

***

Bucky tried, really tried. Following directions was a habit he couldn’t shake. So when Sam told him to listen to Marvin Gaye’s “Trouble Man” album, he’d done so with all the diligence of a straight-A student. He didn’t get it. He even tried to watch the movie it was a soundtrack for — he just had Vision pull it up, or down load it, or whatever…Good lord, he could watch a 50-year-old movie on demand! — but it didn’t help. That took him down an Internet rabbit hole (another modern miracle slash nuisance) of watching Blaxploitation flicks while he sat around Avengers Tower. He came back to Louisiana feeling absolutely enlightened. One day Sarah, in the course of conversation, said: “Shut your mouth!” he automatically responded, “I’m just talkin’ bout Shaft.” There had been a lot of explaining to do after that. But still, didn’t get it.

Saturdays were for cleaning around the Wilson house. And it came with music. Bucky knew what he was in for when Sarah tied her hair up high and turned the radio up loud. It was usually songs from the 70s and 80s, lots of “funk” with a sprinkling of R&B and Gospel. To keep him on his toes, he figured. It made the housekeeping fun, reminded him of being in the service, when the band on base would play over the loudspeaker. He’d once been caught dancing with a mop handle while scrubbing the mess hall. That was a long time ago. This was now though. He was out back dumping out the trash, when he heard Sarah say: “Oh, that’s my JAM!” Then her fumbling to get to the speaker to start the song over and turn it up. He didn’t think much of it. It started out reasonable enough: “Now we’re gonna take the beginning of this song, and do it easy. But then we’re gonna do the finish, rough. That’s the way we do, Proud Mary.” It had a nice, almost sweet, beat to it. A little groove. They were on a river, the Mississippi he presumed, and singing and happy, and yeah, fine. He came in the door to see her slowly mopping the floor with broad sweeps: “Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis, popped a lot of tang down in New Orleans.” “Popped a lot of tang?” he’d have to look that one up. Seventies slang was really hard to track. He kept working, straightening up the mudroom. Then, as the kids say, the beat dropped. The horns came in. Sarah started singing. “Big wheel keep on turnin’, Proud Mary keep on burnin’!” The background singers stepped in and it felt like an actual presence in the room, like a whole damn band had shown up. Sarah didn’t see him. Or didn’t care. Because she was dancing, eyes closed, feet moving frantically, singing into the end of the mop handle as she dragged in across the floor: “Rolling on the river! Doot doot doot doot! Da doot doot doot doot!” The mop was both dance partner and microphone stand. The table was the audience. The kitchen counter, the band. She commanded it all, her feet double pumping as she danced, her arms spread wide. It was joyous and loud and silly and perfect. Then she came to the end, one hand over head, with the other she dropped the mop with a clatter and said, proudly to no one: “Mike drop!” Then she bowed. So Bucky clapped. Of course he did. Sarah startled back to the present and saw him standing in the door way, grin wide. “Bucky B Barnes if you don’t get back to work!” she snapped, embarrassed and entertained simultaneously, snatching the mop back up into her hands. “Sorry Kitten, had to…quite the performance.” “If you tell anyone…” “Don’t have to. Everyone in town heard you.” That’s how Bucky met Tina Turner. The second love of his life.

***

Just in time for the end of SarahBucky month.

[fleurdelouve]

Since we had about 83% people vote that they wanted another annual event, and about 16% people said they did not, this question of the week goes out to those who DO want to have and participate in an annual event:

For 2023 what would you like this year's event to be focused on?

2021 was prompt-focused on mostly seasonal and holiday-based prompts

2022 was a gift exchange (which didn't go well, unfortunately)

Another prompt based event, or not? Do you want to do something new, such as a bingo? Also, share the topics you would like to work with! 💛

[endlesstwanted]

The Candy Hunt

My entry for @fleurdelouvemonth day 1 — Halloween candy & @comfortember day 19 — Loved Ones.

Fandom: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV)

Rating: General Audiences

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Sarah Wilson

Tags: Candy, Family Fluff, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Domestic Fluff

Summary: Sarah and Bucky come back from a Halloween party in Delacroix to find AJ and Cass still awake from trick-or-treating with friends.

Wordcount: 1,3k

Also created for: @buckybarnesbingo — Nose kiss / @hurtcomfort-bingo — Doing Small Things for the Other / @lyricalescape — “20 candles, blow ’em out and open your eyes.” / @buckybarnesevents’ Build-a-Bucky-Bingo — Happily Ever After

Excerpt:

Sarah and Bucky were laughing when they parked in the garden, remembering one of the games they had played in the Halloween party and how badly it had gotten for Sam at some point.

It’s her who, before entering the house, noticed a flashlight moving in the kids’ bedroom. “They’re still up,” Sarah pointed out.

“Let me go talk to them while you get comfortable.” Bucky pulled her to a side hug, placing a kiss on her head before getting inside.

AJ and Cass had gone trick-or-treating with some friends from school, a couple kids their age whose parents had driven them to the house while the couple enjoyed some quality time together in a costume party in town.

Sarah and them had gotten to the agreement that once they arrived home, they should put on their pyjamas and avoid screen time, so they could relax and prepare for bedtime. Of course, she didn’t expect them to be sleeping already, but having the bedroom lights off and using just a flashlight revealed some shenanigans were being done.

Continue reading on Ao3!

[buckybarnesevents]

Hi, could I give a shout out to a Bucky Barnes month long event that I'm a part of isn't getting much attention? It's a small fandom involving an interracial ship from TFATWS and I thought to reach out to you hoping some people who aren't racist will see it and join. The blog is Fleurdelouvemonth. They accept late submissions and the prompts are a good variety. The mods there are chill which is a plus.

Absolutely! That's a lovely concept.

For anyone who hasn't heard, please check out their Tumblr, here.

Check out the November post here!! We will queue the post for reblogging, also.

[fleurdelouvemonth]

And thus, we bring to an official close the fourth Fleur De Louve Month, event 2024! 🦾🛥👩🏿‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻Thank you so much to all the authors and artists who took part in or read or reblogged all the amazing art that was created!

But wait! I hear you ask: what do we do with all the love we have left behind?

Fear not! Any additional works or recs related to this month can still be submitted and we will be happy to reblog it and update the list to include them.

The admins thoroughly enjoyed interacting with everyone and appreciate you all for helping this ship grow! Please stay tuned for what comes next and, always, keep creating for the good ship Fleur De Louve!

You can find the full AO3 collection here!

🦃🥧🍁🍠🦌❄️🍂☃️🎄🎁🕎🍪🌬🍎🧣🎁

1. Checking in… by NefertiriJones 

(Tumblr fic link with artwork @tllgrrl)

Bingo boxes: Free space

Chapters 1/1 - Rated: T

It’s almost Christmas, Bucky Barnes is in the field, and has to make a quick phone call home. Unfortunately, he has a…captive audience.

Other characters: Alexi Shostakov-Red Guardian, Yelena Belova-Black Widow, John Walker-US Agent, Ava Starr-Ghost

Additional Tags: Ficlet, Wordcount: 100-500

2. It’s All Greek To Me by NefertiriJones

(Tumblr fic link with artwork @tllgrrl)

Bingo boxes: Dusk/Free space

Chapters 1/1 - Rated: T

Just another one of the many languages running around in Bucky Barnes’ brain. A language Sarah had a passing...encounter…with.

Other characters: N/A

Additional Tags: Fluff, Romance, no jealousy here, Kissing, Light Petting, PolyglottalShenanigans, Wordcount: 100-500

3. Seasonings by NefertiriJones

(Tumblr fic link @tllgrrl)

Bingo boxes: Seasoning/Dusk/Free space

Chapters 1/1 - Rated: G

Bucky calls in a last minute favor, gets a package from Home, and a phone-call from a Princess.

Other characters: Shuri

Additional Tags: Bucky Living His Best Life

4. The Vampire on Prytania Street by Sarifinasnightmare

(Tumblr fic link @sarifinasnightmare)

Bingo boxes: Fairytale/ “Never Scare Me Like That Again”/Farmer’s Market/Masquerade Ball/“Darling, you’re already in my veins”

Vampire AU - Chapters 10/10 - Rated: M

The large manor on Prytania Street had belong to the Barnes for as long as the neighbors could remember. Besides the gardening men, no one had seen anyone around it, until one day the widow Darlene Wilson climbed up the steps to reunite with an old friend. The vampire AU I swore I'd never write. Oh well.

Other characters: Sarah Wilson's Husband, Sam Wilson, Darlene Wilson, Cass Wilson, AJ Wilson, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov, Wanda Maximoff, Peggy Carter, Original Female Character(s) of Color, Original Male Character(s) of Color

Additional Tags: Drama & Romance, Family Drama, Attempt at Humor, Human/Vampire Relationship, Breaking vampire stereotypes, Idiots in Love Sort Of, Post-Divorce, Hurt/Comfort, Shameless Smut, Bisexual Bucky Barnes, Angst and Fluff and Smut

Thank you again for all of the amazing content you created to make this event possible! You're the one who keeps this ship alive and kicking! We wouldn't be here without you!

Feel free to bookmark this post and come back to enjoy Fleur De Louve art again and again!

Don't forget to send your thanks to the authors and share the art!

(Divider credits go to @firefly-graphics)

(Banner by @ idontgettechnology)

[tllgrrl]

It’s All Greek To Me by @tllgrrl aka nefertiri jones

Relationships: Bucky Barnes / Sarah Wilson | Rated: SFW | 500 words

* * * * * * * * * *

Sarah was standing on the deck of the Paul and Darlene looking out over the water, the sun just about set.

It had been a long, busy day.

The crew cleaned up hours ago, going home, leaving everything ready for the next day’s work.

It was quiet save for the night sounds of the Delta and the docks.

Bucky walked up behind her, but not so quietly because before she felt his arms around her waist, and his chest against her back, she heard:

”Sarah…”

The same way he said it the first day they met, right here on the dock, when he’d introduced himself, she replied “I’m Sarah”, and he repeated her name like he was actually saying:

It’s always been you. Always.

He nuzzles her neck and she hums her appreciation, then he takes one of her hands, spins her around to face him, she puts her arms over his shoulders, he pulls her closer, and he lightly kisses her mouth.

His hands gently caress her, roam up and down her back, gently press her into him, and he deepens the kiss.

He hears her softly moan from the back of her throat, feels her body relax as she shifts her weight and her back ever so slightly arches.

He feels her heartbeat.

She feels his heartbeat as his hands make a trail down her back, stop at the small of her back, and his left hand slides onto her ass.

He softly moans from the back of his throat, gently but firmly pressing her hips against his.

His hands revel at the feel of flesh and muscle under denim.

She feels the warm fingers of his right hand slide under the waistband of her jeans.

She feels his chest as he deeply inhales.

His fingers run over her smooth skin, and the fabric of lacy panties.

He sighs, and semi-consciously he murmurs into her ear, “Écheis ómorfous gloutoús…”, and he goes in for another kiss.

“Mmmmm…wait. James…did you just…was that Greek? You just said something about my ass…in Greek?” Sarah said, giggling.

Still lost in the kiss, Bucky murmured, “Just one of the languages running around in my brain. Languages somehow never got completely wiped—“

He pulls his head back, chuckles, and with a big smile, he asks her:

“Xereis na milas ellinika? You…do you speak Greek??”

“No! But you said something about “gloutoús”, and I’ve heard that word before.

Remind me some day to tell you about that time we were chartered by a group of tourist from Greece.”

“I will. Come’ere, you…”

And with that, he recaptures her mouth and they once again become lost in breathlessly exploring the taste and feel of each others’ kisses.

They come up for air, hold each other, foreheads touching, and just before he suggests they turn in for the night, below decks, to the waiting makeshift bed…

“Sarah?”

“James?”

“Tell me about that time there was a group of tourists from Greece...”

* * * * * * * * * *

4th Annual @fleurdelouvemonth 2024 - SarahBucky Bingo

Row 1, Square 2 - “Dusk”. The story is from 2022, but I decided to revisit the story and do a moodboard for the event.

[fleurdelouve]

Did you delete your other blog 😭

Nope! It's still there @fleurdelouvemonth

[fleurdelouvemonth]

Positively gleeful!! Had me laughing all the way through from the first line to the last. 😁 And you can definitely tell who's talking without being told. Applause 👏

The Whoopsie

Rating: For Everyone

Pairing: Sarah/Bucky

Summary: Bucky is recovering from a whoopsie. The Wilsons behave accordingly.

Prompt: Found Family

Author's Note: It's a day late, but I hope that's okay. 😁

_________________---

“Sam, what did I tell you??”

“Sarah, this wasn’t my fault!”

“Like hell this isn’t your fault! You’re the one who took him from our family dinner table to investigate that factory just because your Falcon senses were tingling!”

“Falcon senses?” *snort* “Ow, that actually hurt.”

“Don’t move too much James. My poor guy.”

“James?? When did he become James??”

“Uh…recently?”

“Recently??”

“Yes, recently! You might as well know; Sam. James and I are official.”

“Aha! I knew you moving down and having dinner at the house wasn’t just you being protective! What did I tell you about dating my sister??”

“I-”

“I am grown, Sam! He is also grown! If we want to date each other then there’s nothing you can do to stop us!”

“I got a Vibranium shield and a Wakandan suit that has allowed me to do a shitload of things and that could include cutting a geriatric super soldier into tiny pieces when he least expects it!”

“I’m kind of already hurting soo…..”

“Samuel Thomas Wilson don’t you dare raise my man’s blood pressure! I want him alive!”

“Listen Sarah Eunice Wilson, he was my friend first, so I get to decide whether he lives long enough to be dating my little sister!!”

“Are you guys fighting over me?”

“Shut up, man, don’t make it weird.”

“I’m not some Southern belle that needs to be protected from gentleman callers! I am a woman and I have needs!”

“Gah! I don’t want to know about that!”

“Then stay out my business and let me take care of my man! And stop hauling him out on your crazy adventures. That’s what Joaquin is for!”

“Joaquin is still green, and I know Bucky could handle himself. It’s not my fault he caught the grenade and threw it too late.”

“Baby, a grenade?? Are you trying to break my heart?”

“No, babe, I swear I tried to move fast…”

“James if anything had happened-”

“Shhh, it won’t. I’ll be good, I’ll be so good for you.”

“….”

“…”

“Are you two really going to make me sit here and watch you kiss each other??”

“There’s the door. No one’s stopping you.”

“I ain’t leaving my partner while he’s recovering. I stayed for Steve, and I’ll stay for Bucky.”

“Thanks, man.”

“You’re welcome. I’m still kicking your ass though.”

“No, you’re not. Once James is allowed to leave, he’s coming home where I’m going to make sure he gets all the TLC he needs.”

“Aw babe, you don’t have to.”

“Hush and be spoiled, James.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Hey, how come I never got any TLC when I get hurt?”

“When was the last time you got hurt?”

“Uh…”

“Exactly!”

“I got some cuts and bruises here!”

“Nothing some painkillers and Merthiolate can’t fix.”

“Nope! Get that shit away from my cuts!”

“Chicken.”

“Like to see you handle it!”

“Look at these hands. Does it look like I can’t handle a nick or two?”

“Yeah, yeah. Not like I don’t have my own. You gave me a few when we were kids.”

“That’s what you get for picking on me.”

*snort* “Ow…you need to stop making me laugh.”

“You hungry, baby?”

“I don’t think I can handle anything heavy right now.”

“Sam go ask if they have any soup.”

“Fine, you want anything?”

“No, just want my man home.”

“Home with you sounds good right now.”

“Ya’ll behave. I’ll be right back.”

“He’s protective of you.”

“He’s protective of you too.”

“We’re both soldiers. We don’t leave our own behind.”

“It’s more than that, James. You’re important to us Wilsons and we protect our kin.”

“I’m family?”

“Damn right.”

“I like that. I like that a whole lot.”

“Good, now rest and let that super soldier shit do its thing so we can get you home faster.”

“You got it….Eunice.”

“Boy don’t start with me.”

*snort* “Ow, your middle name is Eunice.”

“I didn’t ask to be named after a great aunt. Now shut up before I get on your name Buchanan.”

The End

[pxresoxl]

For @fleurdelouve and @fleurdelouvemonth

SarahBuckyMonth2021 - MoodBoard

PROMPT : High School/College AU

Library Meet-Ups/Borrowed Sweater

(I haven’t made moodboards in quite sometime, so this one didn’t turn out to be all great 😅 sticking to just aesthetics seemed a bit tough for me)

(I also hope it’s fine to post today, considering it’s the 3rd day’s prompt, I couldn’t post it then)

[Edit : These pictures do not belong to me]

[endlesstwanted]

Picking Love

My entry for @fleurdelouvemonth day 22 prompt — Apple picking, inspired by this Stony drabble 🍎🥧

Fandom: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV), Captain America (Movies)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Sarah Wilson, minor Steve/Tony

Tags: Modern: No Powers, Meet-Cute, Apples, Flirting

Summary: Tony takes Bucky to the farmers’ market as an excuse to meet with his new fling, but Bucky makes the best out of it with the idea to bake something for his sister’s birthday.

Wordcount: 2k

Also created for: @buckybarnesevents’ Build-a-Bucky-Bingo — Farmer’s market / @slumberpartybingo — Would you rather ... Cook dinner OR eat out / @multifandom-flash’s taboo bingo — Please Put Some Clothes On / @tonystarkbingo — Asking For Trouble / @buckybarnesbingo — Terrible choices / @lyricalescape — “Light the signal fire, proceed without hesitation.”

Excerpt:

“Okay, I gotta say I was definitely not expecting that,” the woman said.

“Why is that?” Bucky frowned, but he side-smiled too. “Is it my long hair or my cool tattoos, the one telling you I’ve never baked a thing in my life?” he joked.

“None of those, actually.” She laughed, and Bucky’s chest filled up with joy in knowing it was because of him. “Only said that because I rarely see people baking anything with fruit lately. Apple pies specially, they’re often bought from bakeries. I’m surprised, but in a good way.”

Continue reading on Ao3!

[fleurdelouvemonth]

And thus, we bring to an official close the third Fleur De Louve Month 2023! Thank you so much to all the authors and artists and creators who took part in or read or reblogged all the amazing content that was created! This list will represent our final master list.

But wait! I hear you ask: what do we do with all the love we have left behind?

Fear not! Any additional works or recs related to this month can still be submitted and we will be happy to reblog it and update the master list to include them.

The admins thoroughly enjoyed interacting with everyone and appreciate you all for helping this ship grow! Please stay tuned for what comes next and, always, keep creating for the good ship Fleur De Louve!

𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑲 𝑶𝑵𝑬: 𝑭𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒔

Week One Masterlist

𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑲 𝑻𝑾𝑶: 𝑫𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒔

Week Two Masterlist

𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑲 𝑻𝑯𝑹𝑬𝑬: 𝑨𝑼 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒔

Week Three Masterlist

𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑲 𝑭𝑶𝑼𝑹: 𝑺𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒔

Week Four Masterlist

𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑲 𝑭𝑰𝑽𝑬: 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒔

Week Five Masterlist

Thank you again for all of the amazing content you created to make this event possible! 

Feel free to bookmark this post and come back to enjoy Fleur De Louve month again and again in the new year.

(Divider credits go to @firefly-graphics)

[fleurdelouvemonth]

This is so good already!! 😭 Excited to see more!!

Really invested to see where you take Sarah and merman!Bucky 👏

fic snippet: as foam upon the sea

meant for @fleurdelouvemonth but regrettably i don’t expect that the full fic will be done within the next two days and i’m already over a week behind the mermaid au prompt day this was supposed to be for (although elements of it apply to the days this week heyo), so i’m posting a piece from the middle of it to show that i participated. i haven’t written for either of these characters before so i really hope this isn’t trash, and if you notice logistical or geographical tomfoolery no you don’t

So abruptly she nearly knocks her head into his, Barnes stops. He searches the horizon — for what, she doesn’t know — his eyes narrowing beneath a growing frown. She treads water beside him, attempting to sense what he apparently does, but all she sees is what she doesn’t see. Just gently rippling blackness meeting an equally black sky broken up only by the pinpricks of starlight and the crescent moon high above.

“What is it?” she whispers.

He had said his arm could sense electro-whatever; maybe that’s happening now, maybe there’s a shark headed their way or something. Though, she doesn’t think Barnes would be quite so on edge if it were as mundane a thing as a shark. And that’s assuming a shark would even bother with them when it could have a much easier time finding different prey.

“I don’t know,” he murmurs. With a quiet shink, he withdraws a knife and hands it to her, then reaches for the boltgun strapped across his back.

She has about a dozen questions, but the tension and alertness rolling off him in waves keeps her from voicing any of them. She nervously adjusts and readjusts her grip on the knife, thoroughly unused to wielding such a utensil for any purpose besides cutting nets, cooking, or opening boxes.

Out of nowhere, Barnes snaps his head towards a specific point, no longer having a vague sense of danger. He shoves her roughly behind him, but not soon enough, and Sarah cries out as she feels a searing pain in her side. There’s still nothing above water that she can see; the shot had come from somewhere beneath. She feels another projectile whiz by, but it ricochets off Barnes’s metal arm before it can reach her. Which is where her perception of anything beneath her stops, for Barnes ducks beneath the water. There is nowhere nearby to retreat to, not even a piece of driftwood to use as a meager defense. All Sarah can do is float where she is, not draw further attention to herself, and try not to think about how much she’s bleeding from whatever laceration had been made.

She can’t tell whether it’s a minute or an hour that passes without a single indication of Barnes returning, which brings an entirely new fear to mind: whether he will return, and what it would mean for her if he doesn’t. If he’s been shot, if he’s been killed, if he’s been captured, at best she’ll be stranded in the middle of the ocean with an inventory of a single knife. Worse, HYDRA — and it must be them, of that she has no doubt — will kill her, too.

“You’re gonna be fine,” she tells herself, as if saying it aloud will make it true. “Everything is gonna be fine. This is just your typical aquatic assassination attempt, no problem.”

While it doesn’t lessen her pessimism much, it does at least help keep her focused on something other than sheer fear. She knows all too well how paralyzing fear can be, and that is the last thing she needs right now.

Shutting her eyes, she starts to hum a lullaby Titi used to sing. She can’t remember the words anymore, but she remembers the tune.

She gets a few verses in when she jerks back with a shriek, brandishing her knife at the movement she feels by her feet.

“Watch it!” hisses the movement, whose voice she identifies as Barnes. Wisely, he plucks the knife from her hand and returns it to its sheath.

“What happened?” she asks, hit with a waterfall of relief. She wishes she could see more than vague silhouettes. “That was HYDRA?”

“Yeah,” Barnes says, “They must’ve used some kind of heat signature tracking. Or maybe they caught sight of me back at the beach and dispatched divers to the area they thought I’d go. I don’t think they know exactly where, or they’d have sent more than a few guys armed with spearguns.”

That had to have been what she was grazed with, then, a speargun arrow. She can’t say she’s ever had that before, though she knows it happens back home every now and then, usually to stupid kids not paying attention to what they’re doing.

Of course, she’s fairly certain none of those stupid kids were shot by HYDRA spearguns. She gets the dubious honor of being the first.

“So what now? Are there going to be more where they came from? Do they have beacons or something they could’ve activated?”

“Likely,” Barnes says. He refastens her rope to himself. “We have to go. Once HYDRA notices their divers aren’t moving from this spot, they’ll come. With reinforcements.”

Great.

“So how are we supposed to get out of here?”

“I’ll have to dive.”

“Not all of us can hold their breath for as long as you can. How do you expect me to —”

“I don’t have time to explain.”

“Explain what?”

Barnes answers by cupping her face in his hands and kissing her full on the mouth. Before she can ask him what the hell he thinks he’s doing or push him off her, she feels an odd, though not unpleasant, tingling in her lips. A warm burn slides its way into her lungs, as though she’s taken a swig from high-shelf whiskey.

The burn lingers as Barnes drags her beneath the surface of the water. Only then does he pull away, leaving her to panic at the sensation of having no air left in her lungs. That is, until she realizes that she doesn’t need to breathe. As Barnes swims away, the rope connecting them keeping her at pace, Sarah does her best to get her bearings.

Regrettably, for all that she seems to have temporarily acquired Barnes’s breathing ability, that hasn’t affected her eyesight or cognitive processing — she can make out some shapes, but for the most part everything they pass is a complete blur.

Once she gets over the novelty of the breathing part, the unnerving part of being along for the ride settles in. She hadn’t thought much about mermaid locomotion, but if she had, she doesn’t think she’d have banked on them being able to swim this fast. Not that she has a speedometer, but she’s sat seatbelt-less in the bed of a truck barreling down the freeway plenty of times, and this feels much the same. Only more wet. Needless to say, she grips the harness like her life depends on it — which, really, it does.

She also wishes that that kiss — or whatever it was — from Barnes helped with temperature as well, for while it doesn’t seem like they’re going deeper anymore, she’s fucking cold. Solely the fear of being tracked by an evil organization keeps her from tapping Barnes on the shoulder and asking if they could possibly swim a few dozen meters higher.

She puts up with it, knowing the alternative is tempting lethal fate. After a while, she nearly manages to fall asleep, such is her adrenaline crash and the steady fluidity of Barnes’s movements. She’s groggy when finally they stop, some sort of partially enclosed outcrop whose features she can just make out in the burgeoning sunrise. Barnes sets her on the rock and triple-checks both the entrance and surroundings.

Unfortunately, she discovers, the end feels much like the beginning, complete with the sensation of having no air even though now there is plenty of it. Is it possible to suffocate when there’s air to be had? Did Barnes merely delay her death sentence?

Apparently hearing her distress, he approaches with mild concern in his expression amongst the usual cagey neutrality, but his voice is calm as he instructs, “Force it. The air, you have to force it.”

The thought feels impossible. “I — can’t —”

“You can.” He places his hands lightly on her shoulders. “Breathe, Sarah.”

It’s the first time he’s said her name, she realizes, which all by itself is nearly enough to startle her out of her predicament. The touching takes care of the rest; up until now, their only contact has been of necessity, not comfort or even friendliness.

It’s a shaky breath that she draws into her lungs but a breath nonetheless, and once she’s done it, she gulps down as much as she possibly can. The pain in her chest slowly dissipates.

“Are you okay?” Barnes asks.

“Yeah I — I think so. Did you know it was that awful to come out of it?”

“No. I’ve never been around for that part.”

Now that she no longer is suffocating and they’re out of imminent danger, she wonders about the mechanics of the whole thing. “How’d you do it?”

“Something to do with the regenerative properties of the serum, it slows hypoxia. That’s what I was told, anyway.”

“Then why did it feel like I couldn’t breathe?”

“Because,” he says, “if you hold it too long, your body wants to keep the air it has left. It doesn’t realize it doesn’t have to until you force it.”

“That was too long?” she asks. “How long did we swim?”

“Bit over two hours, I think.”

“Two —”

He’d told her he could dive for an hour and a half, two hours maybe. And while with his enhanced strength she must not weigh much, she still weighs something. She takes stock of him, seeing only now that he looks exhausted, his own breath coming in heavier than normal. Never mind the exertion from fighting the combatants and what looks like a nasty gash over his eye dripping blood down the side of his face. He doesn’t appear bothered by it, but she’s been around him enough by this point to know he’s not the kind of person to admit to injury. Who knows what else he might’ve sustained?

Ultimately, she supposes the specifics of it all don’t matter and, frankly, she doesn’t have the patience for any more of a science lesson at the moment. Barnes himself may not even know the full scope. Really, she should celebrate the fact that he’s spoken more to her in the last two minutes than he has the last few days combined.

“So, how’d you figure it out, this breath-sharing thing?” she asks instead. “Got a history of saving damsels in distress, do you?”

She’d meant it as a joke, but a shadow passes over Barnes’s face. “No.”

“Then how —”

“Let me see where you were hit,” he interrupts. “You’re bleeding pretty badly.”

She looks down to see a wide bloom of red is indeed staining her shirt. The pain has become more of a throbbing nuisance than the acute sharpness it was before, though she’s not sure whether that’s a good or bad thing.

Sarah lifts up the hem of her shirt, and immediately wishes she hadn’t. It looks much worse than she thought it would. It still counts as a graze, she’d say, in the grand scheme of things, but an inch further and she’d have a hole straight through her abdomen.

“Seawater is healing,” she says with feeble confidence. It is, but she’s fairly certain this is too big of a wound for that to apply to.

“Stay here,” Barnes directs. “I’ll be back soon.”

He’s gone before she can ask where he’s going, disappearing under the water as quietly as always. She lets out a sigh. One of these days she’s going to make him give her an explanation before darting off.

[tllgrrl]

SEASONINGS by @tllgrrl aka Nefirtiri Jones

Bucky Barnes & Princess Shuri | Rated: SFW

* * * * * * * * * *

Summary: Bucky calls in a last minute favor, gets a package from Home, and a phone-call from a Princess.

* * * * * * * * * *

”What was that spicy chicken you brought home last time you and Sam stopped off at Wakanda for your arm?” Sarah asked. “That chicken was somethin’ else.”

”Yeah! It was really good!” Cass agreed, carefully pulling a log out of the Jenga tower.

”Your chicken is really good too, Mama,” AJ offered. “But you said it. That spicy chicken was something else!”

That’s all Bucky needed to hear. That was a new mission, and he gladly accepted it.

But there was one key ingredient missing from his Spices and Seasonings Stash in Sarah’s pantry. He didn’t want to use substitute ingredients, so he called in a favor.

A few days later…

He parked his bike in its usual spot by the garage, and he could see the package on the porch as he approached the back door.

The box had the usual shipping labels on it, but there were familiar red stamps on the bottom corner.

One, the insignia of the Royal House. The other stamp, a circle with 3 crossed spears inside it, meant that someone had personally made sure the package arrived safely.

His kimoyo vibrated, then his phone rang, and before he could speak, a bright voice greeted him.

[”Hello!!”]

“Hey, Shuri. The package is here. Thank you.”

[“No problem. The extra items you requested from the Spice Market is in there. Ahmed and Mairah send their greetings and mentioned something about including a lagniappe for you and Sarah.

I would have brought the box myself so I could enjoy the meal you have planned, but something came up and I had to meet with M’Baku and the Council.”]

”The boys would have gotten a kick out of seeing you again.”

[“How are my play cousins?”]

“AJs Mathletes team won regionals, thanks in part to your coaching. They’re going to the State championships. Cass is on the school’s yearbook committee. He’s the first Sophomore ever picked to help edit.”

[“That’s wonderful! And how is my usisi?”]

“Sarah’s great. She’s amazing. I keep trying to get her to hire a few more people so she can take a break, but she really enjoys her work. The business has turned a corner and she’s thriving. I help whenever I can.

I know sometimes I can be what she calls extra—“

[“Don’t I know it!”]

He could almost hear the exaggerated eye roll.

[“So true!!”]

He recognized the other familiar voice. It made him smile, and brought a little bit of homesickness.

“Zat Ayo? Tell her I said Hi, and that Sarah hasn’t thrown me to the gators. Yet.”

[”If that happens, when Sam retrieves the arm he knows where to bring it!”]

“Really? Is that what we’re doin’?”

[“Yes, it is.”]

“Anyway, Sarah asked me to tell you thanks for the gift. We both—”

[“You had better not be using up her hair products, White Wolf.”]

“No, no! I don’t use it alone. We use it together when we..uh…never mind.”

[“I can hear you blushing over the phone!”] she laughs.

”Come on! Give an old man a break, will ya?” he pleads, gladly accepting the gentle ribbing.

[”Oh, but what fun would that be?!”] she replied. [“I remember that you like the shampoo and conditioner from the Golden City Barbershop.

I’m told that when my Father was a young man, he used to put a tiny bit of their hair oil in his beard. Mother said she loved the way it looked and smelled, and that his majestic beard was what first caught her eye! Don’t worry. In the next package, I’ll send enough of our hair products for your whole family.”]

“I appreciate it, Shuri. I really do.”

[“But Sarah’s is for her.”]

He sometimes massages the hair oil onto Sarah’s scalp, and she puts a few drops in her palms, rubs them together and runs her hands through his hair and beard. It’s soothing, and one of his favourite fragrances, reminding him of the calm he felt in Wakanda, before the peace he finally found in Delacroix, Louisiana.

“Message received,” he said, and Shuri could hear the smile that came from deep inside his heart. She was glad to hear it. “Even when things are a little rough, they’re pretty damn good. I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

[“You deserve some happiness, Bucky. You deserve to have some life, like your friend Steve got. And as for good and rough times, there’s that saying about variety being the spice of life. I think you have it there.

May Bast continue to smile on you and your family.”]

“Thanks again. Bast keep you safe, your highness.”

[“Hey! What did I say about all that your highness stuff!”]

“Ndizakubona, Shuri.

[“See you soon!”]

He pocketed his phone, picked up the box and headed inside, to get started on the peri-peri chicken he was now going to be able to make for dinner, now that he had all the proper seasonings.

*****

@fleurdelouvemonth 2024 SarahBucky Bingo — Row 3, Square 2: Seasonings

(A moodboard will follow, but I wanted to get this in before midnight tonight. )

[justsomeoneunordinary]

Autumn in New York

Week Five of the SarahBucky Month @fleurdelouvemonth/@fleurdelouve

Day One: Canon-compliant: Autumn in New York

(W1,D1 / W1,D2 / W2,D1 / W2,D3 / W2,D4 / W2,D5 / W3,D2 / W3,D4 / W4,D3 / W4,D5 / W5,D2 / W5,D4)