#he lets ai di do his own thing and just spends time connecting the dots during the moments ai di comes back of his OWN VOLITION

[casualavocados]

#he doesn't want to fight with you ai di, he wants to Kiss🙄💘🥺

Nat Chen as CHEN YI KISEKI: DEAR TO ME (2023)

[shadedrose01]

Monster

Relationships: Harley Keener & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Harley Keener/Peter Parker

Tags: Time Travel, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Canon Character Death Discussed, Canonical Character Death, Its not shown tho, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Harley Keener Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Acting as Harley Keener's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure

Prompts: “2029, that’s not a real year” / time travel / future au

Notes: HAPPY PARKNER WEEK 2020 EVERYBODY!! Im so excited for this, and I hope you guys are too! We're starting off with a fic that's more irondad with Harley than parkner, oops 😅 BUT most of the rest of the week is allll parkner. Either way, I hope you all enjoy!! 💞💞

Read on ao3 here!

~~

The tools he was subconsciously fidgeting with fall to the floor with a few loud bangs, and theres a quick thought of "oh shit, Jax" before its gone and the overwhelming reality of his situation smacks him in the face and floods his mind. This, this can't be real, he reasons, his eyes wide and his jaw dropped, his vision blurry from sudden tears as he stares at the hologram in front of his own two eyes. Blinks, ignoring the tracks that run down his cheeks, rubs his eyes hard, checks again. Because it can't be true, but the hologram still says "successful", still shows the 99.73% chance of working, still gleams in a bright green glow and illumates the entire room.

He releases a shuttering breath, takes a wobbly step back on legs that feel like they'll give out at any second, grasps on tightly to the table beside him to hold him upright as his gaze is still locked into the image still in front of him, still existent, still real even though it couldn't be, it was too good to be true, but it was.

He places his free hand hand over his mouth, his lips pulling at his cheeks as his smiles so unbelievably wide, tears slipping into his mouth unbeknownst to him because- he did it. He really did it.

Harley had found a way to recreate time travel. He had his chance.

Eleven years ago, Harley had disappeared into ashes and dust, had died along with half of the entire planet, the entire universe. Six years ago, he had returned, lost and confused, only to find his house in shambles, his mother dead and that Tony Stark- the man that had saved his life once upon a time- had done it again, along with everyone else by snapping the infinity stones and bringing everyone back, losing his own life in the process. A few days after that, he was called by Pepper Potts herself- or, Pepper Stark now, he later discovers- to tell him the news, and personally invite him to his funeral. A few weeks, and he was on a plane, then in a car, then surrounded by people, heroes in which he didn't know, seemingly the only non-powered kid there, outside of Tony Stark's daughter.

Six years ago, Harley Keener met one Peter Parker, and everything fell into place. Everything that was once dark, cloudy, uncertain after a whole five years of being gone, was now bright, sunny, and hopeful. They were at a funeral, sure, but Harley just knew that they were meant to be. They just clicked, and as the days, weeks, months, and years went on, they had grown together. First through their grief, then their confusion, their bitterness, fustration and anger at a world that had moved on without them, then through their connection, their love. They had talked through messages and even hand written letters when they were 16, 17, they had went to university together when they were 18, 19, moved in together when they were 20, 21, and adopted their Jackson, or Jax as they called him, when they were 22, 23. They were soulmates since the moment they met, had found each other when they needed each other most, and Harley had always said, always known that it was Tony who had put them together, who had put them in the same place and gifted them with the other, and Harley couldn't have been more thankful.

And yet... Harley couldn't get this stupid idea out of his head. He had gotten it the first year after, when he had drank away his sorrows and clambered to the lab, throwing things out of the closet, Tony's closet in a fit of passion, of agony and loss, until he had stumbled upon two glass tubes full of a vibrant red liquid and had frozen solid, like a deer in the headlights, an idea, a plan forming in his head. He had scribbled down everything he could think of, he drew what he remembered of the way the time portal had looked, had rambled to Peter about once he had come home from his patrol- his coping mechanism of the time- trying to think of ways to recreate the very time machine Tony had recreated to go back to retrieve the stones, only instead of getting stones, they'd be saving him, saving Tonys life and it would be great.

But, then he remembers how Peter had shut it down then and there, how upset the other man had gotten, thinking Harley was insane, telling him of all the things that could go wrong, of how it could change the entire outcome of the universe, and then, once he recognized how drunk Harley truly was, had dragged him to bed and given him an ultimatum in the morning, had told him to forget the idea in the morning, or else they were over. And Harley had forgotten about it for a while, had put it into the back of his mind and tried to focus on the here and the now, tried to focus on their relationship, on Peter, on his kid, on their lives... but he just couldn't get it out of his mind. Not completely. It was like an itch he couldn't scratch, that just grew more and more itchy the longer he ignored it. When he had proposed to Peter underneath the stars, at a candlelight dinner, and they had called all of their family afterwards, he had felt a pang in his heart. When he had gotten married to the man of his dreams in the forest, surrounded by their family and friends, he had ached, knowing Tony would've been in the front seat, probably crying like a baby, even though he'd never admit it. When they had adopted little Jax, and gotten to hold their baby for the first time, Harley had yearned, aching for the father figure in his life to help give him advice, to help tell him what to do, to be there at all. Even though Tony and Harley hasn't been close before everything, he had always wanted Tony to be there for these steps of his life, and he knew, knew that Tony had wanted it too. He wanted to rant to him about his crush, wanted to ask for his hand, wanted him to walk him down the aisle, wanted him to teach him how to be a dad, wanted to tell him all about Jax and his quirks, his first steps, "He's babbling now, Tony, it's the cutest sound you'll ever hear!" and he just...

He hears footsteps walking down the hall, and Harley's breath hicks. His gaze shifts to the two smaller tubes on full display on his desk, just beside the reactor for Iron Lad suit that he had upgraded for this exact situation, just in case this moment ever happened. He hears Peter call his name, sounding a little worried, and his gut drops, his heart beating like stallion galloping in an open field. He doesn't think as he grabs the reactor, sticking it to his chest and pressing it, feeling the nanites fall into place over his skin as he also grabs the tubes, putting one into the canister and the other into a holding area, for his way back, before racing to the platform and hovering his finger over the button, the system already set to bring him back to April 15th, 2023.

He knew Peter would be upset, and might hate him, might leave him for this but... he had a chance, and he just couldn't let it go. He squeezes his eyes shut, feels more liquid slip down his cheeks, silently begs for forgiveness before pushing the button just as his helmet falls in front of his face, Peter's face, full of unbridled fear being the last thing he sees, a scream of his name being the last thing he hears before he shrinks, collapsing again and again as he weaves through tunnels of nothing, of time, he assumes, his eyes narrowing and his teeth clenching as his body is bashed around by the wind and speed of his decent, until suddenly he's on the ground again, on all fours, his hands and feet grabbing onto dirt and surrounded by dust particles floating in the air. Harley gasps, panting out fast breathes as he sits up, and turns to look behind him, his mask retracting instinctively as he sees the ruins of the Avengers Compound, and loses his breath again.

He's here, holy shit, he's here, he's doing this, oh my god Peter was going to kill him.

His head whips around as he hears a loud yell, multiple yells, and then screaming, sounds of weapons clashing and fists thumping, people fighting, and it brings him right back into his reality, his helmet returning over his face as he creeps forward, around the rock (or scrap of compound, Harley couldn't tell) that he was hiding behind to see the battle firsthand, the allies matched by the enemies one for one. From here, Harley can see Black Panther, T'Challa swiping at an aliens ankles before jumping on top of him and slitting his throat, while his sister Shuri is beside him, shooting lasers the smaller ones rushing beside them. A wizard is using a magic rope against another alien creature, holding it down while a... goose? Duck? Burns its face with a cigar. Harley doesn't know why he's surprised at that, he's seen weirder in his years, but he shakes it off quickly, whispering for his AI, TON-EE, to track and find her namesake.

He can't be seen, he knows that much. Iron Lad didn't exist at this time, Harley wasn't apart of the battle, and now, as he watches it take place all around him, smells the sharp bitterness in their air, breathes in particles and coughs out soot, he's sort of thankful that he wasn't, a complete contrast to the nights, the years spend wishing that he was. 

TON-EE beeps at him, and then a map comes up, of one large red dot surrounded by what looks like a million tiny white ones, all allies and enemies, and when it zooms out, Harley can see its right in the middle, right where all of the action is. Of course Tony could be there, in the hardest place possible for him to get to. He's gotta make things harder for him, even after death. Or, before death? Whatever, it doesn't matter. Or, it won't, if Harley gets his way.

He's just gotta get there now. He can hear the battle raging on in the background as he whispers to TON-EE, and starts to fly, feeling the armor shift as it turns and flips, the retroreflective panels going into place and turning him mostly invisible to the naked eye. Normally he wouldn't fly when in this mode, his replusors and their glow would give him away, but he's hoping the battle will be enough of a distraction to where nobody will notice. Or, if they do, they'll ignore it for the time being, and assume he's just another ally. He makes sure he's high above the battle, making sure to keep an eye on the flyers around him- Falcon is dropping grenades and bombs further into enemy territory, and Ant-Man, while huge, couldn't move very fast, so he should be fine- as he zooms into the warzone, moving quickly and efficiently, watching as the red dot gets bigger, closer.

He feels something out of the corner of his eye, in his blind spot, and he jerks backwards at the last second, just as a giant white Pegasus flies past him, a woman on its back and a higher pitched scream of "woAH-" flying past afterwards, hanging from- from a web, Harley freezes, realizes, watching Spider-Man, watching Peter cling to the web as he gets thrown around haphazardly, hanging off of the horse, clutching onto what he knows is the infinity gauntlet, remembers from when Peter told him so all those years ago, a few months after all of this. Told him that he had it, that he should've held onto it when Carol asked for it, should've gotten the stones and used it himself, should've saved everyone himself, he mightve survived it after all but Harley had only felt fear, knowing that he wouldn't have. He shakes the memory away, and follows the swirving horse, the clinging spider, knowing it'll lead him straight to where he needs to be.

The thing was, Harley had forgotten why Peter had fallen to the ground, why Carol had gotten the chance to ask him for the gauntlet, only remembering when he hears a scream of "Look out!" Before all hell breaks loose, canons shooting down from the sky and exploding to the ground, shaking the earth beneath him.

"Shit!" He tries to fly out of the trajectory, tries to get out of the battlefield while still staying close, but his leg gets nipped by the beam, he gets thrown off balance, and then he's falling, and crashes to the ground with a loud bang that's sounds quiet compared to the booms of the canons, of the tremors of the earth he can now feel beneath his fingertips, his entire body shuttering with the ground. He groans, his body searing with pain, before his mind reboots and the panic sets in. He checks the storage area, sighing with relief when the vial is still in tact, before checking his system to see whats broken, what's working, whats still up. His back replusor is down, so his flight system is gone, but outside of that, it seems everything is still working, and he breathes out a sigh of relief. Its okay, he can still do this, he'll just- have to find his way on land, he'll just have to be more careful.

He glances around, the earth still exploding around him, hearing wails of pain from people he can't even see, dust scattering in the air and blood seeping into the dirt, his stomach churning at the sight and his ears ringing as he tries to focus, stepping forward to run into the field, to find his way to Tony just as the tracker system reappears in his field of vision, just as he sees the red dot basically overtaking the screen, just as he's grabbed and is suddenly in flight, weaving through the air in somebody's arms.

Before Harley can even struggle, he's being dropped, the two suits landing back down at the same time, and Harley turns, his eyes widening as he sees the signature red and gold, scruffed and marked and dirty from the fight, the bright blue glow of the arc reactor, and the two eye slits that disappear as his visor retracts and suddenly Harley is stumbling because oh my god, he did this, this is it, this is- he is-

"Kid?? Is that you?" Tony asks, voice full of wonder and awe, full of bewilderment and concern, his iries a little darker, softer than he remembered, his hair and beard full of gray hairs and his face full of wrinkles from smiling, laughing, crying, and he's so real, this is real, that Harley can't help the sob that bubbles out of his chest, that slips past his lips. He can hear Tony still talking to him, saying something about Harley's suit, but he doesn't even hear it, can't hear it as he stumbles forward and pulls the man into a tight hug, his body lurching forward in another silence cry, tears flowing down his pushed up cheeks harder when he feels the warmth beneath his fingertips, the smooth metal and the feeling of skin and stubble against his cheek and he's here, he's okay, he's alive. "Harley?" The man murmurs quieter, sounded so confused but also not questioning, seemingly not caring as he pulls the younger man closer, running a hand down his back and pressing a kiss to the side of his head. "Bud?"

"I'm sorry," He blurts out, and he doesn't even know why he says it, but he needs him to know, needs him to. "I'm sorry. I just-" He rubs at his eye with a free hand, burrowing his face into Tony's neck, feeling the rapid bump of a heartbeat beneath his skin and sobbing again. "I missed you so much." Its a whisper, under his breath, one he doesn't mean for Tony to hear, but its clear he does, the man stiffening up for a few seconds before untensing with a shaky breath, tugging Harley even closer.

They don't say anything else for a while, Tony clearly thinking, putting together pieces of a situation he shouldn't even know, that Harley never should have told him, but he can't care, doesn't care right now as he feels Tony move, feels his chest rise and fall with each breath, feels the heat beneath his skin, feels his jaw moving and his cheek shifting as he blinks, and breaths, and lives. Harley could stay here forever, and be happy, but he knows he can't, knows that isn't how this day should, or can, go.

"What year are you from?" The older man questions, finally breaking the silence between them as he seemingly put the puzzle together, and Harley releases a shaky exhale, shutting his eyes, longing to block out the world and live in this moment forever.

"2029," He answers anyways, honestly, and suddenly Tony snorts, Harley furrowing his eyebrows at the seemingly random sound until-

"2029? Come on, that's not a real year."

Harley bursts into chuckles, unexpectedly, and from the grin it places on Tony's face, that was the purpose of the tease. "I mean it, old man. 2029."

Tony lets out a noise similar to a squawk at the old man comment, and lightly smacks the back of his head as Harley snickers, feeling so light and warm, he missed this, he missed this feeling so much, and seemingly sensing the sadness lingering under Harleys skin, the mood darkens again, their voices quieting again as Tony whispers, "2029, wow."

"Yeah," Harley whispers back, feeling the heaviness in the air on his back, his shoulders, his lungs, almost suffocating him with its thickness.

"So you're... 24?"

"23." He corrects, as Tony finally steps back and Harleys fingers twitch to pull him back in, as Tony's hand grabs his chin lightly, a thumb rubbing his cheek in a soothing, paternal gesture, his eyes softening even more, growing shiny in the faint gray light.

"All grown up."

Harley hums in affirmation, ignoring the way the back of his eyes start burning again, his heart swelling. "I have a kid, a son." Now that he has the chance, everything just seems to be spilling out of him without filter.

Tony's eyes widen and his face glows with a pride that makes Harley's shoulders shutter again, even as his smile widens far enough to break his face. "A son, huh?"

"Yeah, me and- me and Peter adopted him a few months ago, his name is Jackson Anthony, and- and he's perfect, Tony, he's perfect, he's so small, and sweet, and he barely cries, he's like a dream." And that he's started, he can't seem to stop, spilling quickly about Jax, and about Peter, the wedding, their life and how wonderful it is, how much he loves them, but before he knows it, he's biting his tongue and freezing into place, words on the tip of his tongue that he dare not let out, he can't, his chest feeling heavy and aching as he thinks, 'God I wish you could've been there'.

Tony just smiles, tight and sad, like he knows what he's thinking, like he knows what happens, and brushes another tear off his cheek as he asks, soft and low, "Harley, why are you here? Why did you come back?" And Harley just stares at him, begging and pleading him to understand without him having to say it, and when the mans face shutters, his eyes darkening and his smile tilting into a light frown, he knows that he does. "Kid-"

"I couldn't-" He shakes his head, clenching and unclenching his hands rapidly. "I had a chance, Tony, and I had to, I have to-"

"You can't, bub." Tony murmurs, and Harley just shakes his head again, harder, firmer.

"I have to."

"You can't." He restates, holding onto Harley's arms tightly and forcing him to make eye contact, to look him in the eyes even if Harley wants to look anywhere else, wants to think of any other way, any other option than this. "This is my destiny, kid."

"It doesn't have to be, there has to be another way," Harley pleads, "Captain Marvel could survive the snap, I did the calculations, if I just get the glove to her-"

Tony just shakes his head too, looking eerily serious, sullen. "It could change too much, it could change everything, Harley-"

"So? You'd survive-"

"You have a husband, and a kid-"

"So did you!" Harley spits back, shaking off Tony's hold and glaring at him, even as he shakes, and swallows around a lump in his throat. "You had Pepper, and Morgan, and- and Peter, and me and you just- you still want to just-"

All of the fight rushes out of him, and his shoulders slump, his head held low and salt pooling at his chin, dripping to the floor. Tony takes a step forward, and carefully places a hand onto Harleys shoulder, stating calmly, accepting, "I made my choice, kid. And I don't regret it." When Harley peers up at it, face scrunched up in agony, Tony continues, soft and sad. "How can I, when I get to see this? When I know you and Peter are so happy, when I-" He swallows. "When I hope Pepper has moved on, and Morgan has got the chance to grow up with his two older brothers." He squeezes Harley's face, and gives him a smile made only for him, full of honest, open love. "How can I regret any of it, when I know all of my family is together again?"

"Without you." Harley chokes out, and Tony's smile stays, shrugs once.

"If thats the price to pay, I'll pay it. I told myself I'd do anything, anything to get you and Peter back. I knew it was worth it, worth anything, and now, this," He rubs Harleys cheek as he crumbles with another agonizing sob, "Now I know for sure. It was worth it. It was all worth it."

Harley falls into his arms again, wailing loudly into his chest, and Tony just soothes him, shushes him quietly and holds him close. "I miss you so much,"

"I know," He murmurs faintly.

"I love you so much." He sobs, and Tony just presses a harder kiss to his head, and holds it there for a few seconds, liquid dripping onto his head.

"I love you too, polpetta. More than you'll ever know."

"I don't know if I can- can lose you again."

Tony doesn't answer this time, and Harley cries harder, his entire body tremoring just like the ground did, knowing, knowing he has to back, knowing he cant change Tony's mind, but aching, his heart shattering and crumbling into pieces of dust similar to the compound surrounding them, and it takes a few more minutes, a few more moments of a hug so tight it makes his muscles whine, his bone creak, before Tony tells him quietly, melancholy.  "You gotta to back, Harls."

He squeezes the man again, nodding, knowing he's right, knowing his husband his back there in the garage waiting for him, knowing his son is in his cradle, fast asleep, knowing his life is waiting for him back home. He savors the last few seconds of holding his father, his dad in his arms, before he steps back. Tony gives him a grin, one last, big toothy smile, a complete contrast to the shine in his eyes, on his cheeks, and Harley smiles back, saying one last "I love you," and hearing it echoed in return.

"I love you too. Both of you, all of you."

He takes the vial out of the storage slot, putting into place, and glances up one last time, searing all of Tony's features into his mind, into memory, his words echoing in his head as he presses the button, whispers a goodbye, and shrinks.

The return back is much faster, Harley only getting a blink before he's back in his garage, the room a mess similar to how he left it, and the first thing he sees is Peter, his husband, the love of his life still stood in the very same place, in the doorway of the garage, his baby browns wide and teary, looking so fearful, so scared, yet so thankful that Harley returned.

"Harley?!?" He gasps, and Harley barely gives his suit time to retract before he's rushing forward and crashing into Peter, Peter already into soothing mode and whispering faint reassures, to himself or to harley he doesn't know, Harley crumbling again in his arms and sputtering out, over and over and over, "He loves you, he loves us, loves us so much." Like its the last chance he'd ever get to say it again.

Peter just holds him close, similar to the way his dad did only moments before, and Harley sinks into the warmth, vowing to live in the here and the now from now on. To live in the moment, and be there for his husband and his son, knowing that Tony was watching over them, with that same proud smile and little glint in his eyes.

[teachingoutsidethebinary]

I Missed You

Prompt request: could you do a bucky x family!reader where she's his grandniece and shows up to the tower wanting to meet him after hearing so much from her grandmother (his sister) and so she gets two bus tickets and takes her grandma to stark towers since they found out bucky was back there and stable and it's just a fluffy tear filled family reunion?? and steve is there and gets really emotional too?? thanks so much!!

Characters: Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers, Rebecca Barnes, Reader

Warnings: none

Word count: 2880

A/N: Thank you so much for the request! Feel free to send me more, and as always, thanks for reading!

You flipped through the channels on the TV as your great-grandmother fixed you up some lunch. Even at 94 years old, she was as spry and active as a teenager. She still insisted on making you her favorite cucumber sandwiches because you “were getting too skinny”.

“Nana, are you sure you don’t need any help?” you called over your shoulder.

“Of course, doll!” she replied from the kitchen. “Find us something fun to watch. Oooh! See if that one show is on. I want to see if Theresa finds out who the father is.”

You chuckled and turned back to the TV, trying to remember which soap had “Theresa” in it. You were pretty sure you could just pick one to watch, and Nana would just be happy to be watching it with you.

Your life was busy, but you always made sure to spend time with Nana every week. She was fiery, and her stories about her childhood always had you in stitches. Plus, after her husband passed away, you didn’t like the idea of her spending so much time alone. Between watching her soap operas, going shopping, and cooking, you both kept yourselves quite entertained during your visits.

Your finger paused on the remote as an image of a man filled your TV screen. Your jaw dropped as you read the headline at the bottom of the screen.

WINTER SOLDIER JAMES BUCHANAN BARNES: REDEEMED AT LAST

You gasped and let the remote fall to the floor. You had heard stories about your Nana’s famous war-hero brother, but everyone thought Bucky had died on the train in the 40s. You had always sat on the carpet looking up at her with wide eyes as she regaled you with stories of her adventures with Bucky.

There was not a single doubt in your mind that the James Buchanan Barnes on the TV screen was the same Bucky you heard stories about. The brown hair, piercing blue eyes, sharp nose, and chiseled jaw all mirrored pictures of your great-grandmother when she was younger. It was like looking back through time.

“Oh my god,” you whispered, leaning down slowly to pick up the remote. You turned the volume down and walked closer to the TV. You had no idea what was going on, but you didn’t want Nana to hear anything that might upset her.

The Winter Soldier was infamous in his own right. You and your co-workers had spent many water breaks talking about his nefarious acts, especially after the bombing in Vienna. You had no idea how he and your great-uncle were connected, but you were determined to find out.

“We can now confirm that James Buchanan Barnes, formerly known as the Winter Soldier, has been assisting the Avengers on various missions to help take down the last of the HYDRA cells, ” the reporter announced. “According to Captain Steve Rogers, Barnes has been a critical asset and has helped take down over two dozen hidden bases in the last six months alone.”

The screen cut to an old picture of Steve and Bucky outside at their base camp during World War II. Your gaze flicked up to the exact same image sitting on Nana’s mantle. You had asked her before why she had never gotten in touch with Steve after she found out he was still alive.

“He’s been through so much,” she had said. “I don’t want to make an already confusing world more complicated for him.” That was your great-grandmother in a nutshell: self-sacrificing and kinder than anyone you’d ever met.

“Bucky’s past is his past,” you heard Steve Rogers say. You looked back down and realized the newscast had cut to an interview with Captain America himself. “He is fully healed from the effects of the years of HYDRA torture and brainwashing thanks to the assistance of King T’Challa from Wakanda. He looks forward to working with the new Avengers initiative in the future months.”

“Holy…” you breathed. So Uncle Bucky and the Winter Soldier were the same person? And he was tortured at some point? But he’s better now? And apparently a super hero? The list of questions kept rolling through your mind as you tried to comprehend what was happening.

“Y/N, did you find something for us to watch?” Nana asked. You quickly shut off the TV as she walked into the living room.

“Um, not, uh, quite,” you stuttered.

You cleared your throat as you tried to figure out how to break the news that her dead brother was actually in fact alive and a former assassin for HYDRA. Geez, any one of those facts would be difficult enough to deal with. A light bulb idea struck you as Nana set the food down on the coffee table.

“Hey, Nana, how do you feel about a trip to New York City?”

Bucky grunted as he swung at the punching bag hanging in front of him. He already had sweat pouring down his neck and back after his sparring session with Steve. This was just a cool down, really. His metal arm never fatigued, but he slowed down and eventually stopped when his flesh arm began to feel heavier and heavier.

Bucky loved workouts because they gave him an hour or two to let out all of his frustrations. And boy, did Bucky Barnes have a lot of frustrations. He could handle the torture and the brainwashing, but the one thing that really irked him was the memory loss. He just wanted to remember his past. Sure, he’d been getting some glimpses and flashbacks, but he could never tell what was real and what he was making up in his head.

He paused and leaned his forehead against the punching bag, allowing his heart rate and breathing to slow down.

“One hell of a workout, huh?” a voice behind him asked. Bucky pushed off the bag and turned to find Steve standing there holding out a bottle of water. He took the bottle and relished the feeling of the cool condensation on his burning hands. Bucky nodded before unscrewing the cap and talking a huge gulp.

“Felt good,” Bucky replied once he was done. “It’s nice just letting it all out.”

Steve nodded sympathetically, but before he could respond any further, he was interrupted.

“Captain Rogers, Sergeant Barnes,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. announced, “you have a visitor.”

“Who is it?” Steve asked.

“She said her name is Y/N L/N, and she claims to be Sergeant Barnes’ niece,” the AI replied.

“My what?!” Bucky exclaimed. He still had family? He looked at Steve and back up at the ceiling before bolting out of the gym. He practically sprinted up to the common room where a you were waiting patiently, clutching two papers in you hand. You turned around and smiled shyly when you saw Bucky.

Bucky stomach dropped, and it was as if the wind was knocked out of him. He was looking at the mirror image of his sister, one he hadn’t seen in more than seventy years. He kept his gaze firmly locked with yours as he tentatively walked closer. With every step, memories flooded back to him. His sister’s laugh, her smile, her tendency to get into mischief, everything. By the time he stood face-to-face with the you, he could barely breathe.

“Becca?” he whispered softly.

“Not quite,” you replied, shaking your head. Now that he was closer, he could see some subtle differences between you and his sister. Your hair wasn’t as wavy as hers used to be, and your eyes were brown instead of blue. But the resemblance was still spectacular.

“Who are you?” Steve asked, breaking the silence.

“My name is Y/N,” you said, gaining some confidence. “But you might know my great-grandmother a bit better. Her name is Rebecca Barnes.” You handed the your birth certificate and Nana’s to Bucky, who took them with shaking hands.

“How...she...my sister...what?” Bucky stuttered.

Steve walked over and looked at the certificates with Bucky. “Anyone can fake birth certificates,” he said to you. “How do we know you’re telling the truth?”

“Steve!” Bucky chided, finally finding his voice again. “Look at her, she’s the spitting image of Becca.”

“No I get it,” you replied. “Um, she told me stories about you from when you were younger.” Your expression brightened as you recalled one of your favorite stories. “Like how her room used to be near the fire escape and you would sneak out to meet some girl. Kat? Nat? Um, hang on.” You scrunched your nose, trying to remember the girl’s name.

“Dot,” Bucky said suddenly.

“Yeah that’s it!” you exclaimed. “Dot! And you had to buy her candy for a week to keep her from telling your mom.”

Bucky nodded as another memory found its way back into his mind.

“What’re you doin?” Becca mumbled sleepily from her bed. Bucky cursed under his breath as he backed away from the window and knelt down in front of her mattress.

“I’ve gotta go out for a bit,” he replied, brushing her hair back. “Keep quiet, okay?”

“You’re seeing that girl again, aren’t ya?” she said, sitting up with a grin on her face.

“None of your business.”

“I’m tellin’ Ma,” Becca threatened.

“Aww, c’mon, Becca! Don’t be like that!” Bucky begged.

Becca drummed her fingers against her blanket as she considered her options. Her innocent expression turned devious as she decided to make a deal.

“Fine, but you’ve gotta buy me candy,” she bargained.

“No problem,” Bucky replied immediately.

“For a week,” she added mischievously.

“A week?!” Bucky mentally counted how much this was going to cost him. “No way!”

“Well then, I guess you better explain to Ma why you’re sneakin’ out then,” she replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Ugh, fine!” Bucky groaned. “Candy for a week! We done?” Becca nodded gleefully as Bucky went back over to the window and lifted it up. He paused and tucked Becca back in bed.

“Love you Bucky,” Becca yawned, crawling back under her covers. Bucky smiled and kissed the top of her head.

“Love you too.”

“I remember,” Bucky said suddenly. “I remember all of it.” He looked back at you. “So you’re my niece?”

“Great-niece, technically,” you replied. “Rebecca is my mom’s grandmother.”

“Wait, ‘is’?” Steve asked. “She’s still alive?”

You nodded. “Yeah, and she remembers you too, by the way. Except she always talked about how tiny you were. And sick. And weak.”

Bucky chuckled as Steve’s cheeks tinged pink. “Shut, it,” he said, pushing Bucky’s shoulder.

“Can I see her?” Bucked asked. “I mean, do you think she, uh, wants to see me?”

“I didn’t spend over an hour on a bus with my Nana just so I could lay this bombshell on you and then go home,” you retorted. “Duh, of course she’d want to see you! It’s a surprise for her though. She doesn’t actually know I’m here. I may have dropped her off at the Rockettes show and told her I needed to take care of a business deal.” You blushed and rubbed the back of your neck guiltily. 

Bucky nodded and admired your plan. It was clear his penchant for scheming had been passed down to the Barnes offspring.

“Let’s go,” he replied without hesitation.

Bucky bounced anxiously on the tips of his toes as he waited near the car with Steve. His eyes continuously  flickered over each door, searching for any sign of you or his sister. You had gone inside Radio City Music Hall to pick up Nana and lead her to Bucky. If he had to wait any longer, he was fairly certain he would explode.

“There she is,” Steve said, pointing ahead.

Bucky quickly turned his gaze to the left, and for the second time that day, he was catching his breath. His heart thumped wildly in his chest, and his feet were stuck to the ground as you and Nana walked closer and closer.

Her hair was gray, she was much taller, and she definitely had a lot more wrinkles than the last time he saw her, but Bucky knew this woman was his sister the second he saw her. She was chatting with you about the show, eagerly showing you the program and waving her arms around to emphasize one of the dance moves she had seen. Bucky remembered that same energy and enthusiasm from when he was a kid. A few tears rolled down his cheeks as you both got closer and closer.

“Nana, this is the second part of my surprise,” you said, pointing at Bucky.

Nana finally looked up and locked eyes with her long-lost brother. Her mouth gaped open and she looked between you and Bucky. Then, she rubbed her eyes and shook her head, just to make sure she was actually seeing who was in front of her.

“Oh dear heavens,” she whispered, tentatively stepping closer. “Oh dear heavens…” She gently cupped Bucky’s cheeks, feeling his rough stubble under her fingertips. She turned his head to the right, then left, before running a small strand of his hair through her shaking fingers. Bucky’s hands found their way around hers, and he gripped them tightly.

“Are you real?” she whispered.

“Uh huh,” Bucky managed to choke out. “It’s...it’s me.”

Nana considered Bucky’s words for a moment, and then something completely unexpected.

She punched him in the shoulder.

“Nana!” you exclaimed in shock.

“You were supposed to come back!” she scolded, ignoring you completely. “I missed you!” Her tough tone softened as tears began to gather in her eyes. She rubbed the spot where she had punched him, and looked up at him again. “I missed you,” she repeated.

“I missed you too,” Bucky sobbed, unable to contain his emotions anymore. Nana wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and pulled him in for a hug. God, she even smelled the same after all these years. They stood wrapped in each other’s embrace for a long time, silently catching up on everything they’d missed over the years.

You and Steve stood next to each other, both overcome with emotions as well. Steve remembered every detail of his childhood, and Becca had been a huge part of it. He couldn’t believe she was still alive.

“What happened to you?” she asked as she finally pulled away. “We all thought you were dead. And you,” she said, pointing to Steve. “You were quite a bit smaller the last time you stayed on our sofa.” Her accusation had no malice to it though, and she pulled Steve in for a hug of his own.

“It’s a long story,” Bucky chuckled as he wiped his cheeks. “For both of us.”

“Well, I’m not leaving until I hear some of it,” Nana announced.

“But Nana,” you reasoned, “we have to catch the bus back home to D.C. soon. I can book us another trip next weekend.”

“Oh you mean this bus?” Nana asked, pulling the tickets out of her purse. She confidently ripped the tickets in half, much to your dismay.

“Nana!” you shouted. “You can’t just-”

“Oh, doll, I believe I just did.”

“But that had my ticket too!” you groaned. “I’ve gotta work on Monday!”

“You work too much anyway, and I’ve been saying that for years. Take a vacation,” she replied.

“Now what makes you so sure we want you to stay?” Steve teased.

Nana glared at Steve before bopping him on the head with her purse. “Steven Grant Rogers, didn’t your mother teach you how to treat your elders? And stop laughing James Buchanan Barnes, or I’ll tell my great-granddaughter stories about you that will make you blush more than the devil in the middle of July.”

All three of you stood in rapt attention and nodded. There was no arguing with Rebecca Barnes once she got her mind made up. She smirked and linked her arm through Bucky’s. He smiled down at his little sister, and he helped her in the car.

“I’ll buy you a new bus ticket,” Bucky promised after shutting the door.

“It’s okay,” you sighed. “I shoulda known she would pull this. She’s pretty feisty once she gets an idea in her head.”

“Geez, I wonder who that sounds like,” Steve laughed.

“Watch it, punk,” Bucky threatened. Steve held up his hands as he walked back around to the driver’s side and got back in the car.

“Uncle Bucky?” you asked shyly.

Bucky’s heart soared at the name you had given him. He always imagined being a father, but an uncle was just as good.

“Yeah, Y/N?”

“Um, I just wanted to say that I grew up hearing your stories. And uh, you’re just as cool as Nana...I mean your sister described you. So, ah, it’s really nice to meet you. Officially, anyway.” You held out your hand to Bucky, who ignored it and went straight for a hug.

There were no words to adequately describe how Bucky Barnes felt at that moment. Holding you and his sister in his arms meant more than any successful mission, or any accolades from the government. Because his sister’s existence, your existence meant one incredibly important thing.

He had a family again.

TAGS: @buckyappreciationsociety @iamwarrenspeace @fuckkoffcourtney