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dyinglikenarcissus · 2 years ago

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Day 4

Let’s Get Married

Sigma!Bucky Barnes x omega!black female reader

Warning: 18+ only!!! Contains: fluff, a/b/o content but it’s tame

Part of the Foxy Universe

Please don’t copy or repost my work, thanks! Plagiarism is rude

Comments, likes, and reblogs are always appreciated ☺️

3k words

Master List

“Bucky! Baby, have you seen my-“

“Phone?” Bucky asks and points at the comforter where your phone was partially hidden in its folds.

“Thank you,” you sigh to your mate while he holds your toddler.

“Can I help you with something?” He asks bouncing your son in his arms. He already got him dressed and ready to go as well as himself all the while you struggled with your pregnant belly to get yourself together.

You didn’t have much in the way of maternity clothes. You didn’t go out much during your first pregnancy. Your outfits consisted of leggings and Bucky’s shirts and they were really just to go to doctor’s appointments, birthing classes, and the grocery store. There was never anything to dress up for.

Bucky preferred you to be naked at home anyway.

But this was your best friend’s wedding.

You were headed straight to the rehearsal dinner once you get to the city and the ceremony was the next day. So you had to wear something nice. And restrictive.

“No…no. I think I’m ready,” you trail while glancing around the bedroom.

“Charger?” Bucky asks and you gasp and rush to the bed side table to wrap up the white cord. “I’m gonna take this to the car,” he chuckles grabbing your suitcase while you stuff the cord in purse.

“Okay. I’ll lock up,” you assure him but you still take one more lap around the house to make sure you have everything.

This was the first trip you’ve taken since having your son. It was his first time in a hotel. You’re pretty sure you overpacked but you didn’t want to be without anything with a child that was relying solely on you and your mate.

“Okay. I think I’m good,” you sigh and step out the door only for Bucky to shout out of the truck window.

“Got your toothbrush?”

You groan rush back into the house.

“Relax, fox. If you forgot anything, we’ll just get it there. I don’t think they closed all the Targets since we moved.” Bucky jokes massaging the back of your neck while he drives.

“I know. I know,” you sigh. “I’m just so nervous. He’s never slept away from home before.”

“You worry too much,” he smiles.

“I know. One of us has to,” you laugh and press a kiss to his palm. “It’ll be nice to get out of the house for a few days.”

Bucky sighs softly. “I need to get you two out of the house more.”

“It’s not your fault. I think we’ve just been so caught up in the baby that we just haven’t bothered doing anything.”

Bucky just hums and grips your thigh. “Have you,” he starts before taking a deep breath. “Have you thought about school?”

You groan softly. “I honestly don’t care either way, but I’m scared I’ll be so caught up with this one to focus on schoolwork for Stevie. And…”

“And you don’t want him to end up a sigma?”

“No,” you quickly deny. “No, Bucky. His designation is already there. Home schooling him or putting him in public school won’t change anything.”

“But it might help,” Bucky insists.

“You were in public school. You grew up surrounded by alphas. It won’t change anything.” Bucky just sighs again and glances in the rear view mirror at his sleeping child.

“What if he’s a gamma or something?”

“Now you’re just making things up,” you laugh.

“It could happen,” you mate smiles. “We could be destined to be a family of weirdos.”

“Maybe you are. I’m still an omega,” you say proudly.

“Your sigma comes out more and more every day. ‘I don’t want to go to the movies, I want to stay home, let’s have the groceries delivered, I’m only making my appointments on Zoom, I want to redo my mate’s house and just send him to the hardware store so I don’t have to go’.”

“I don’t sound like that,” you giggle at Bucky’s terrible interpretation of you.

“Sigma behavior,” he grins before his face falls once more. “I just don’t want him to have to deal with the shit I did.”

“If he is a sigma, he’ll have you to look up to. He can build his own cabin right next to yours.” Bucky just smirks at your words. He’s so precious. “I love you. Never gonna stop. Sigma and all.”

He takes your hand and kisses your palm.

Later that evening, you’re at rented restaurant with your college friends in a yellow cocktail dress with your mate and son. You give Bucky and encouraging smile as he practically hides behind your child. He’s doing so good for his first social gathering in years.

“You okay?” You ask softly, rubbing Stevie’s soft curls while he walks a toy dinosaur up Bucky’s shoulder.

“I’ll survive,” he sighs. You press a kiss to his lips.

“Thank you for coming.”

“Can’t go too long without my fox.” You smile at his words before your shoulders are gripped by a familiar touch.

“Oh my gosh! You’re huge!” The blond cries before you can fully turn around and hug her.

“Carol!” You cry pulling her as close as your belly will allow.

“God! I missed you,” she sighs into your shoulder. “I can’t believe it’s been five years!” She squeezes you a little tighter. “And this must be Stevie?” She asks seeing your son. He instantly attempts to shy away into your mate’s embrace.

“This is your auntie Carol. You hear her on the phone all the time. Can you say ‘hi’?” The boy hides his face and you can’t help but feel for him. He’s never really met anyone besides doctors and old people at the grocery store. Sam was the only one outside of your little family that he had a chance to open up to. “I have heard so much about you,” Carol continues. “And how much you’re into dinosaurs!” The boy glances up at her words but still clings to his dad. “So I got you something.”

“Oh my gosh, you didn’t have to,” you laugh. She sent him toys all the time but Carol is so busy with work, she’s never had the chance to actually meet him.

“I did! I’m just so happy to see him face to face! This is for you, baby man.” She holds up an enormous robot dinosaur that she somehow managed to hide.

“Oh, Stevie! This is so cool! Thank you, Carol.”

“Anything for my baby man.” Stevie touches the plastic and attempts to remove it from it’s cardboard prison.

“We’ll open it when we get back to the hotel,” Bucky mutters into his son’s ear before pressing a kiss to his head.

“And the man who managed to keep my bestie from me,” Carol smiles at your mate. You notice he cringes away from the alpha woman slightly. He and Carol have met a handful of times but he never got to know her enough to think of her as anything other than a random alpha vying for his mate’s attention. “How’s it going, Bucky?”

“Fine,” Bucky smiles. “Congratulations, by the way.”

“Thank you. You taking care of my girl?”

“Always,” he presses a kiss to your temple, staking his claim on you. You certainly didn’t miss this. Living alone for so long almost made you forget about the posturing that happens in everyday life.

“Maria!” Carol calls to her fiancée when she notices her making her rounds.

“Hey!” She greets and gives you a big hug. “Is this Stevie? Hello, little man,” she grins at your toddler. “And you must be the husband? I’m Maria! Nice to finally meet you.”

“Mate actually,” Bucky corrects taking her hand. You can tell he’s much more relaxed around Maria’s beta personality.

“Wait, you two aren’t married?” She asks you leaving to laugh and shake your head.

“I thought they were married all this time,” Maria tells her soon to be wife.

“I never told you that,” Carol laughs.

“Well, they’re about to have two kids. You’re practically married as it is,” Maria insists. “How far along are you?”

“I’ve honestly never thought about it.” But the way you said it made Bucky think you had thought about it extensively. Did you want to get married? Why hadn’t you told him? “I’m seven months,” you sigh, resting your hand on your stomach. “I’m so ready to meet her.”

“Guess what?” Carol says excitedly gripping your hands. “We haven’t told anyone yet and you have to keep it a secret but we’re expecting, too!”

“I’m pregnant!” Maria whispers excitedly.

“Oh my gosh! Congratulations! Oh! Our babies will be the same age! We can have play dates!” You grin.

“I got inseminated last month and it took but we want to keep it on the low until we’re further along.”

“I completely understand,” you smile glancing up at your mate. “You know I’m here if you need anything. We’ve been through it all with pregnancies so just ask.”

“I’ll definitely be calling you,” Maria assures you.

You smooth your bridesmaid dress over your stomach in front of the mirror one last time before letting out a sigh. “I feel huge.”

“You’re beautiful,” Bucky assures you and presses a kiss to your cheek. He wraps his hands under your belly to pull you back against him. “Do you want to get married?”

You almost pull away at the abruptness of his question. “What brought this up?”

“Last night, you said you never thought about getting married but you were lying. Your scent was off.”

“I, um,” you hesitate knowing you can’t lie to him.

But you don’t want him to feel bad either.

“I’ve thought about it, of course. Who doesn’t dream about their wedding day? But I know you. I never want you to be uncomfortable just because of a childhood fantasy.”

Bucky hums softly at your words before releasing you.

“I’ll do whatever I need to to make you happy. Don’t hide things from me to spare my feelings.”

“I-I’m not?” Were you? Maybe you were. Being cooped up for so long sort of made you forget the thrill of gathering with your friends. But the two of you are different. You didn’t need a ring or a ceremony to prove that you loved your mate.

But it might be nice.

“I’m gonna finish getting Stevie dressed. You look gorgeous,” Bucky assures you and brushes a curl from your neck before placing a kiss right above his mark on you.

The ceremony was beautiful.

Carol and Maria looked gorgeous. And Stevie did so good. He never cried once and quickly began to warm up to the many strangers. It helped that your friend Wanda had twin boys his age. They kept themselves busy.

That night after you got Stevie bathed and in bed and you took off your makeup and settled in hot shower with your mate, he held you in his strong arms and you whispered, “Maybe I do want to get married.”

“Whatever you want, fox.”

“But not a big wedding,” you insist, turning in his grip. “Something small with just our closest friends.”

“Are you sure? A cute little omega like you probably wants an enormous wedding with everyone you’ve ever met.”

You giggle at his words and rest your head on his wet chest. “No. Maybe when I was younger. But now, I just want the people that have stuck with me.”

“And where do you want this tiny wedding?”

“Disneyland!” You grin up at him. He just groans making you laugh. “You wanted to hear my wedding plans. I’m telling you,” you insist.

“Alright, alright. Go ahead,” he laughs and tickles you up your sides.

“Stop,” you mumble wiggling from his grasp. “Okay, so, there’s this rose garden at Disneyland and it’s the only place Cinderella’s carriage goes outside of the park-“

“There’s a carriage, too?”

“Yes!” You say as if it’s obvious. “And I want a huge, custom dress that’s, like, Victorian and goth but still white.”

“But you obviously aren't a virgin,” your mate interrupts again.

“Do you want to hear or not?” Bucky holds up his hands in surrender and lets you continue. “And it’ll be Pirates of the Caribbean themed because that’s one of my favorite rides. And the reception will be at the restaurant in the Pirates ride.”

“There’s a restaurant in a ride? What kind of ride is this?”

“Baby, you just have to go to Disneyland to know,” you insist. “And then at the end of the night, we’ll all watch Fantasmic together. And then we’ll go back to our suite at the Grand Californian and watch World of Color from our room.”

“You’re planning for a lot of watching and not a lot of fucking,” Bucky sighs pulling you back against his chest.

“I was a kid when I planned this.” He just laughs. “I didn’t think I’d be mated and have two kids before I got married but here we are.”

“Do you regret it?” Bucky asks seriously, rubbing your slick arms.

“No, never. I wouldn’t change my life for anything,” you reply resolutely. “You’re the best thing to happen to me.”

He turns off the water and pulls a fluffy white towel around your shoulders.

“I want to give that to you,” Bucky sighs. “I want all of that for you. But what have you planned since he came along?” your mate asks and nods toward your son curled on the middle of the bed surrounded by pillows.

You glance between your boys for a moment before answering. “I still want my Disney wedding.”

“We’ll get this one out of you and start looking for a dress maker,” Bucky grins making you smile.

A month later, you forgot all about your shower conversation as you sat on the floor playing with Stevie’s robotic dinosaur. You listen intently as he tells you all about what the dinosaur’s mom made him for breakfast.

“He didn’t have fruit and oatmeal like you?” You question at the dino mom’s idea of a well balanced breakfast.

“No! He had squished grapes and lemons and hot chocolate!”

“That sounds horrible,” you giggle at your son’s imagination.

“No, momma. It’s good. He likes it.”

“As long as he likes it,” you shrug.

“Can I have a hot chocolate?”

“It’s too hot for hot chocolate. How about chocolate milk? I’ll even put marshmallows in it.”

“Yay! Thank you, momma.” He scrambles off the floor and races to the kitchen while you struggle to roll to your feet around your belly.

Then a set of hands easily lifts you from the floor.

“Thank you, baby,” you sigh to your mate. He just hums in response.

“When you’re done with that chocolate milk, come meet me outside.”

“Build something new?”

“Sort of,” he smirks and presses a kiss to your lips.

You follow your son to the kitchen to take care of his drink order and take him outside to meet your mate.

Bucky’s waiting for the two of you in the gazebo, resting comfortably against the railing. His lips twitch when the two of you step out of the house.

He has the most beautiful little family.

“Hey, foxy. Stevie,” he easily squats down to the boy’s level, “you remember that secret daddy told you about?”

“Ummm…yeah! I’ll go get it!” He starts to run to the house before remembering the sippy cup in his hands and passes it off to you before turning back towards the house.

“He has got so much energy. What’s this secret?” You ask your mate as your son runs off.

Bucky just chuckles. “They’ll keep us young. And what’s the point of a secret if I tell you.” He bops your nose before kissing it.

“He doesn’t need help, does he?” You ask when the boy doesn’t immediately return.

“He’s fine,” Bucky assures you. “Sit.” He leads you to the little bench in the gazebo where you can’t wait to have tea parties and play dress up.

Your son soon returns carefully holding his dinosaur backpack he insists on bringing everywhere. It’s his most prized possession and if Bucky was going to hide anything from you, it’d be there. After he pulled a frog out of it earlier this year, you decided you’d never reach into it again.

“Here, daddy,” he passes your mate the bag and quickly returns to you for his drink.

“My love,” you sigh holding Stevie to your chest and watch as Bucky easily finds what he’s looking for in the bag. You can’t tell what it is as he envelopes it in his giant hand.

“Foxy, you know you’re the best thing to ever happen to me, right?” You nod. He tells you that all the time until it became ingrained in you. You have it scribed on a necklace he gave you soon after you mated. “I can’t imagine my life without you. Ever since you walked into that cafe and I caught your scent, I knew I’d never find anyone else like you. And the fact that you readily accepted my designation, treated me like your alpha, I knew I couldn’t let you go.” He falls to a knee in front of you and you clutch your son a little tighter. This isn’t happening. This was really happening? Tears start to sting your eyes while you stare into those clear blue ones.

“Don’t cry, momma,” Stevie wishes patting your cheek.

“Don’t worry, buddy. They’re happy tears,” Bucky smiles and reveals a tiny ring box with a gorgeous diamond ring nestled inside. “Foxy, I’m already so proud to call you my mate. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Bucky,” you whisper.

“I’m right here, fox. Never going anywhere.”

You can’t help but laugh as a few more tears escape your control.

“Yes?” You nod, unable to create a coherent thought.

“You asking me or telling me, foxy?”

“Yes! I’ll marry you!” You grin. He pulls you and Stevie into his arms, plastering kisses all over both of you.

“The best thing to ever happen to me,” he swears. He says that but you’re sure he’s the best thing to happen you. You wouldn’t trade him or your little family for the world.

Master List

#sigma!bucky barnes #sigma!bucky barnes x black!female reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x black!female!reader #bucky barnes x black female reader #nar’s400followerbirthdaycelebration

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earlgreydream · 4 years ago

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haunted.

| bucky x reader | fluff |

Bucky is new to town and feeling lonely when the townies are unfriendly. Until you show up at his door. soft, sweet bucky fluff to make you feel good! 🥺 🥰

cw: vague mentions of murder. because there’s a haunted house. but it’s not scary!

a/n: I love “we have always lived in the castle” and this is loosely inspired by that film

Bucky felt like everyone stared at him. He didn’t anticipate moving to the small town and being the object of attention for it. He definitely didn’t expect some people to be overtly rude to him, or stare at him like he was a creature when he walked by.

He could’ve sworn he heard the word “haunted” whispered by a group of people when he was buying paint at the small hardware store in town. Bucky turned to stare back, but they quickly hurried away under his confused silver gaze.

His opportunities to make friends seemed grim, and he found himself spending most of his time renovating the old fixer-upper he bought. He was beginning to wonder if moving here, away from his home was a good decision. It was lonely, and he felt like he’d made a mistake.

About a week after he moved in, the weather was particularly nice, and he decided to start tackling the garden while the weather permitted. He was working outside when he saw you.

“Hello!” You called, walking up to the gate of the fence he was painting.

“Hi,” Bucky grinned, setting down his paintbrush and greeting you.

“I’m Y/N. I live next door, I’m sorry I haven’t been over to introduce myself yet.”

“I’m James Buchanan Barnes, but everyone just calls me Bucky. You’re actually the first person to properly speak to me. People in town... don’t seem fond of my arrival.” He struggled with the right way to phrase it, but you just smiled, shaking your head.

“It’s because of the house.” You explained.

“The house?” Bucky turned to the beautiful old victorian house he had moved into.

“Yeah. People in town are convinced it’s haunted. There was a murder here, a decade or so ago. The murderer is in jail now, and the house is completely fine, and safe. But the old people here are paranoid and superstitious. I’m sorry they’ve been unfriendly. They all claim it’s haunted,” you frowned, feeling sympathetic toward your new neighbor.

He was sweet and friendly, and also incredibly handsome. You had come over to invite him for dinner, but had gotten distracted by his confusion about the unwelcoming town. Then, you found yourself staring at him. He wore a bright yellow shirt, standing out against the lush green of the garden.

“It’s alright. I suppose I’ll have to prove I’m not a ghost,” he laughed.

“I believe you. You are too kind to be a ghost. I came over actually to invite you for dinner. I thought you might be lonely.”

His bright smile made warmth spread in your chest, and butterflies flutter in your tummy.

“I’d love to, Y/N.”

He watched you blush, giggling with excitement. You rattled off a time before running off, the breeze ruffling your hair and skirt as you crossed the yard back to your house. You waved at him and he smiled, waving back.

Bucky looked forward to spending time with you later. The sound of your laugh and the sweetness of your smile echoed in his mind as he continued with the fence.

He cleaned up as the sun started to set, and he gathered daisies from the garden, wanting to make a good impression on you, and thank you for your hospitality.

Bucky knocked on your door, and you swung it open with a smile. The scent of coffee and the food you were cooking filled his sense.

“I brought these for you!” Bucky held up the flowers. You bit your lip with a blush, taking them from his hands.

“Thank you, come in.”

You stepped aside, letting him into your bright kitchen, putting the flowers into a jar on the table.

“Have a seat. Can I get you some coffee or tea while I finish?”

“Coffee, please. I can help you,” Bucky offered, and you shook your head.

“I’ve got it. I’m almost done,” you said as you poured him a cup of coffee.

“What brings you here, Bucky?”

“I was just looking to get out of New York City, to something more quiet. I wanted to renovate a house, too. This seemed perfect.”

“I’m glad. It’ll be good to see the house alive again. You’re not so bad either,” you teased lightly, making him grin.

You set down dishes of food before taking a seat beside him, chattering long into the evening. You learned that he was from Brooklyn, and that he loved New York style pizza. He was also fond of classic novels and big band music, and loved the color yellow.

You took coffee to your back porch swing, sitting with him and gently rocking in the dusk, continuing your conversation until the stars were glittering in the sky.

The doorbells chimed in the shop you worked at. You stepped out from the back, smiling at Bucky.

“Hi!” You grinned, happy to see him.

“Y/N. I didn’t know you worked here.”

“What can I get for you?”

“Knobs for a dresser. There was one in the house, I’m refurbishing it.”

“Certainly. What color have you painted it?”

“Just white, I didn’t know what else to do. It needs something.”

“If... If you wanted, I could give it some detailing. I paint.” You offered shyly.

“I’d love that.”

“They’re on the house.” You smiled, handing him the knobs he asked for.

You were kneeling in the sunroom of Bucky’s home. A record was softly spinning in the corner, and a gentle breeze blew through the open windows. Bucky brought a cup of tea to you, setting it down beside you.

“Thanks,” you smiled, reaching up and gently squeezing his hand before going back to painting delicate flowers on the dresser. He hummed along to the old song scratching on the record, and you smiled as he sipped on his tea, taking a break from painting the walls of the sunroom a pale sage green.

Your hand stilled as you watched him. You stared at Bucky, he was too perfect for you not to.

Despite the rumors of the house being haunted, and a curse placed over those who resided there, you found yourself at peace with Bucky in his home. It was bright and inviting, just like him.

Every hour spent with him had you falling more hopelessly in love with him.

You kept Bucky awake at night. He would stare up at the ceiling, thoughts of you filling his mind and his heart. You were so tender and warm, your presence alone was a comfort to him. You made him laugh, and you made joy flood his life.

Bucky was catastrophically in love with you.

“I’ve brought you a book. It’s my favorite, and I didn’t see it in your library,” you said, walking into his home that you’d been spending weeks helping him paint and redecorate.

He walked around the corner of the hall, taking the well-loved copy from your hand. A soft smile crossed his face when he saw your little notes in the margins of passages you loved.

He wrapped his arms around your waist, and yours found their way around his neck. You breathed him in, feeling safe and warm in his hug. You were sad when the long hug finally broke, Bucky looking up at the clock on the wall.

“Can you stay for tea?” Bucky asked, fiddling with the hem of his yellow shirt you loved.

“Of course.”

The two of you curled up on the porch swing with your tea, enjoying the warm weather.

“I was thinking about planting pumpkins in the garden for autumn.”

“You should. I have a pumpkin soup recipe, I can teach you,” you suggested, and he smiled softly.

“I’d love that.”

You leaned your head against his shoulder, settling as his arm wrapped around your body. You watched the housecat run across the grass before hopping on the porch below you. His hand gently rubbed small circles where it rested on your leg, and the two of you rocked gently.

Music played faintly from inside as always. Bucky always had a record spinning or a playlist drifting out through hidden speakers. You found the habit endearing, like most little things about him.

He had what seemed to be hundreds of tea bags, always having tea and offering it to you. You noticed that teas you mentioned you enjoyed started showing up in his collection for you when you were over. Books were stacked on nearly every surface, and filled shelves throughout the house.

You giggled, getting some flour on Bucky’s nose while the two of you were baking cookies in his kitchen. You gasped and squealed when he knocked flour all over your shirt, covering you in the white powder.

“Bucky!” You giggled at the mess.

“It wasn’t me, it was the ghost,” he teased with an adorable grin. You shook your head at him and he got one of his clean t-shirts for you to change into, tossing your ruined one in with his laundry.

The fabric of his was soft and smelled like him. You hugged it to your body, smiling as your heart raced. You went back downstairs to finish baking, Bucky promising you he was going to behave.

“Taste this, tell me if it’s good,” he laughed, holding out a spoon of the melted chocolate to you. You opened your mouth so he could feed it to you, and chocolate smeared over your lips as he pulled the spoon out.

You nodded in delight, and an amused smile crossed his face.

“You’ve got a little on your face, doll,” he laughed and you blushed.

Your breath caught as he leaned forward and kissed you, tasting the chocolate on your lips. You smiled into the kiss, wrapping your arms around his neck, your heart bursting.

“Was that the ghost too?” you giggled shyly.

“No, that was all me,” Bucky promised before kissing you again.

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writingtoforgetreality · 4 years ago

Text

Power Broker - TFATWS Rewrite Chapter Three (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

[Marvel-Masterlist], [TFATWS Rewrite-Masterlist]

Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

Summary: Zemo & you had a history. That did not stop you from following him. Much to your dismay. Madripoor. That was where you were headed. You would see what awaited you there.

Words: 11,979

Warnings: language, violence, injury, blood, angst, sarcasm, humor, sass, Zemo being himself (help, I love him), cute & protective Bucky, fluff, spoilers for TFATWS, (Y/E/C) = your eye color

If you like my work & wanna support me: a coffee would be highly appreciated ❤

Berlin. You would so regret the decision to really do this. It was no secret that you did not agree with Bucky’s plan. At all. The three of you followed a guard down a white hallway. The atmosphere here was everything but comfortable.

“He’s just through that corridor.” his thick, German accent came through. He left the three of you alone.

“Alright, I’m gonna go in alone.” Bucky started. Your eyes widened at that.

“Why?” thank you, Sam. An explanation was needed here.

“’Cause you’re an Avenger. You know how he feels about that.” you silently observed the conversation between the two men in front of you. If it got out of hand, you would intervene.

“It’s not like you two were known for frocklin’ in the sun together.” if it were not for the situation to be this serious you would have actually laughed at that. Not the right timing.

“He was obsessed with HYDRA. We have a history together. Trust me. I got it.” the moment Bucky wanted to walk away, you spoke up.

“Uh, I hate to interrupt…” you stopped briefly when two pairs of eyes stared at you. “But you’re not the only person to have a history with him, you know that, right?” your eyebrows raised in question. The super soldier simply rolled his eyes at you. He knew what you were trying to do.

“You don’t like him.” Bucky reasoned.

“And you do?” you shot back, arms crossing over your chest. He sighed out & put his hands on his hips. “That’s what I thought. Let me come with you.” slow & steady words left you.

“I won’t let you, (Y/N). That’s something I have to do alone.” your mouth opened to argue with him. Something he stopped right away. “And you can’t change my mind.”

“Sam.” you eyed the man next to you, waiting for him to reveal his opinion. He simply shrugged & motioned for Bucky to go ahead. Great. Back facing them, you took deep breaths to calm yourself down. Sometimes, you were so done with both of them.

“Why did you let him go in alone, Sam?” you started the conversation when Bucky was out of view.

“Because it was his idea in the first place.” he gestured.

“Sure & it was such an incredible idea that we didn’t even have to overthink it.” rolling your eyes, Sam kept staring at you in confusion.

“Wait…You said you had a history with Zemo.” Sam pieced everything together. At least he thought he did.

“So?”

“You didn’t like…fondue, did you?” Sam was careful while asking this question.

“Oh my God, could you not?” throwing your arms up, you covered your face with your hands. “No, we did not, Sam.”

“What kinda history do you two have then?” you could not even blame him for being curious. If you were in his position, you would ask the exact same question.

“It’s not important. Just…don’t bring it up again, okay? Please.” your (Y/E/C) eyes locked with his. The sincerity was shown through them. Whatever happened, Sam did not want to mess with you. After all, it looked like it really bothered you.

“What are you talking about you wanna break Zemo outta jail? Where the hell are we, Buck? Have you lost your mind?” the three of you were walking inside a barely lit room & Sam did not take the news of Bucky wanting Zemo’s help all too well. Was it the right time to tell him “I told you so.”? Whatever, you decided to keep it to yourself.

“We have no leads, no moves, nothing.” Bucky pointed out. Yeah, because you had not had enough time for research.

“Yeah, what we have is one of the most dangerous men of the world behind bars.” Sam clapped back.

“If you think Zemo is one of the most dangerous men then I’m really sorry for you, Wilson. Clearly you’ve never really met him.” your flashlight was not helping you to find your way through this room a lot.

“It depends, (Y/N)…” Bucky mumbled. “But we also have eight super soldiers on the loose.”

“Zemo is gonna mess with our minds. Especially yours. No offense. And (Y/N)? After our little talk, I don’t know what to think anymore.” Wilson looked into your eyes, as much as it was possible in the dark.

“Didn’t I tell you to not bring it up?” you growled out quietly.

“What are you talking about?” Bucky turned around to face you two. A shrug was enough to brush him off for now. Though, you expected more questions to follow soon. Finally, light illuminated the room & you could abandon your flashlights. “Super soldiers go against everything he believes in. He is crazy, but he still has a code.”

“Bold of you to assume that this man believes in anything, Buck.” looking around, it seemed like you were in some sort of a garage? You were not entirely sure.

“What (Y/N) said. I’ve been on the wrong side of that code, guys, & so have you.” Sam tried to talk some sense into Bucky but it was useless. “He blew up the U.N., he killed King T’Chaka & framed you for it, Bucky. Did you forget that? You think the Wakandans forgot about it?” he had a point. “It’s a rhetorical question. They didn’t. I know why this matters to you, but, come on, it’s pushing you off the deep end.”

“Sam, we don’t know how they’re gettin’ the serum. We don’t even know how many of them there are.”

“Because we haven’t had enough time to research.” you chimed in. “We just need some more time.”

“More time won’t change anything.” Bucky raised his voice slightly. Not enough for you to flinch back, though. “Look, let me just walk you through a hypothetical. Can I walk you through a hypothetical?”

“This doesn’t sound good.” you said at the same time as Sam spoke up.

“What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything.” Bucky stated. Raising your eyebrows, you saw right through him.

“That’s his “I did something.” stare, Sam.” you leaned closer to him to whisper in his ear. Your voice got a little louder again. “So Bucky, tell us what you didn’t do, will ya?”

“The weakest point in any system isn’t the software, the hardware, it’s the meatware. The human element. Now, in this lockup, it’s nine to one, prisoners to guards. And if two prisoners start fighting, then the protocol says four guards have to respond.”

“So why would two prisoners randomly start fighting at that moment?” Sam asked another good question.

“If I’m being honest, I don’t think I even wanna know.” you shook your head & put your face into one of your hands.

“Who knows? There could be many reasons…” Bucky’s look left you with an uneasy feeling.

“Bucky.” you let out a warning growl. Whatever would follow, it would be everything but good.

“But the point is, these things escalate. Lockdown procedures would have to be initiated, & with all those bodies flying around left & right, wouldn’t be hard to slip down a hallway or two. And if the fire alarm got tripped while the prisoners were being separated…someone could use the chaos to their advantage.” Bucky finished.

“Um, I don’t know about you, but the fact that you could describe all of it so detailed without even having to stop for a second to think about your next words is truly scary.” your eyes rolled because deep down, you knew that this was not just hypothetical.

“I have to agree with (Y/N). This is unnatural. Are you…And where are we, man?” at least Sam was on your side this time. A door opening in the distance caught your attention. A threat? But before you could start your flames, a familiar face showed up. Oh no.

“Woah.” Sam breathed out, immediately going into fight mode.

“No, listen.” but Sam did not listen. You, on the other hand, tried to stay hidden behind the two men.

“What are you doin’ here?” really, Sam? Bucky literally told you like a minute ago. Sam went to attack but he was held back.

“I didn’t tell ‘cause I knew you guys wouldn’t let this happen.” damn right he was. You would have done everything to stop it.

“What did you do?” Sam’s voice got a few octaves higher.

“We need him, Sam.” scoffing quietly at that, you eyed the situation carefully. It was not part of your plan to meet him again. Not ever, for that matter.

“You’re going back to prison!” Sam was really heated right now, you could tell.

“If I may…” there was his voice. The one you had not heard in so long.

“NO!” Sam & Bucky yelled in union.

“Apologies.” you were pretty sure that they did not hear it. Slowly, you made your way out of your hiding spot. Zemo saw a dark figure approaching, silhouette way too familiar. His eyes widened at your sight. Nobody told him that you were here as well.

“(Y/N)?” his voice, barely above a whisper, broke the two arguing men out of their discussion.

“Zemo.” you nodded at him, feet dragging you closer to Bucky where you felt safe.

“Long time no see.” he stood his ground, sensing that you were uncomfortable. Because, unfortunately, he knew you better than you would have liked to admit.

“Not long enough.” you countered & he scoffed at you. “Hey Bucky?” he turned to you, that threatening smile on your face. The one everyone you were close to feared. “What the actual fuck?”

“(Y/N).” Bucky sighed in frustration. “Let me explain.”

“Sure thing, go ahead…”

“When Steve refused to sign the Sokovia Accords, you backed him. You broke the law & you stuck your neck out for me.” the super soldier made sure that his words reached the both of you.

“And I would do it again. As would Sam.” you answered without a second thought. Yet, his next words caught you off guard.

“I’m asking you to do it again.” Bucky’s voice got lower, signaling that he was serious about this.

“I didn’t mean it so figuratively, dude.” you desperately breathed out.

“I really think I’m invaluable…” but you gave Zemo no chance to finish whatever thought his sick brain had formed.

“Shut the fuck up.” you snarled through gritted teeth. His arms raised in defense.

“Okay.” Sam stated after a few seconds of silence.

“Okay? What do you mean “Okay.”?” you expected a lot of things but you definitely did not expect Sam to be okay with this. “It’s bad enough I have to work with you two children. But him? Don’t do this to me, guys.” you whined like you were a little child yourself. Sam rolled his eyes at your behavior.

“How kind of you, (Y/N).” Zemo sarcastically added.

“If we do this, you don’t make a move without our permission.” Wilson looked at him with that stare of his that usually made you shut up in an instant.

“Sam? You do know who you’re talking to, right?” one of your eyebrows raised.

“Yes, I do.”

“Good, just wanted to check.” your tight lipped smile did not need another comment.

“Okay, Zemo, where do we start?”

“(Y/N)?” Can we talk for a second?” Bucky dragged you away before you could give him a proper response. When he was sure that neither Sam nor Zemo could hear you anymore, he continued. “What’s going on?”

“Funny enough, I wanted to ask you the exact same question.” your sarcasm was more than obvious right now.

“You & Zemo?” his face was incredibly close to yours but not in a good way. No, he was mad at you even though you should be the one being mad at him.

“I didn’t help him break out, don’t you dare blame me now.” you shoved him back, not with much force, just enough so he stepped back.

“What kinda history do you have?” his voice was a little softer now, though you did not know why.

“There’s a reason I haven’t told you about any of this, Buck.” sighing exaggeratedly. “We have a history. So what? I don’t like him, okay? I don’t. Why do you care anyway?”

“So there was nothing between you two?”

“What the hell? No, of course not. Sam asking that? Okay, I get it. But you? Do you really think so little of me? Bucky, since when don’t you trust me?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you. Just, you’ve only mentioned him to me a few times.”

“And I have damn good reasons why.” one of your hands made its way to Bucky’s shoulder in order to catch his attention. When his eyes met yours, you continued. “You have your demons to fight & I have mine. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be alright.” you wanted to turn around & head back to the others but his metal hand grabbed your wrist to stop you.

“You can talk to me, (Y/N). Whatever it is, I’m here for you, too.” a warm smile was enough for him to let you go. Motioning for Bucky to follow you, he trailed behind to go back to Sam & Zemo. Hopefully they had not killed each other yet.

“So our first move is grand theft auto?” Sam questioned when the four of you made your way into a big hall filled with cars. So many cars. Why the hell were there so many cars?

“These are mine. Collected by family over the generations.” Zemo explained. Sure thing. Sometimes you forgot that he was a Baron. “I spent years hunting people HYDRA recruited to recreate the serum. Right, (Y/N)?” he sent you a wink which made you roll your eyes. He pushed your buttons & he damn well knew it. Your heartrate picked up its pace, past memories were flooding your brain. The sudden headache made you stop in your tracks. Bucky turned around when he did not see you walking next to him anymore. He approached you, squeezed your shoulders & tried to get you to look up. It took a few moments but when your head snapped up, a small smile was plastered on your face. A tired one. Bucky could tell as well. Nodding briefly, you began walking again. This time, Bucky stayed close.

“Because once it’s out there, someone can create an army of people…” Zemo rummaged through one of his many cars, searching for God knew what. “…like the Avengers.”

“Remind me to kick your ass if you keep making these pauses for dramatical effect.” Sam & Bucky scoffed at your little threat.

“Almost feels like the good old days, doesn’t it?” he made his way over to you. Instinctively, you scooted closer to Bucky’s side. Getting the message, he wrapped one of his arms around your middle. “I ended the Winter Soldier program once before. I have no intention to leave my work unfinished. Not like I left yours, (Y/N).” he teased. Your jaw clenched & you tried your hardest to keep your comments to yourself.

“Can you just cut to the chase?” Bucky spoke up with his deep voice. Zemo looked at you guys & explained further.

“To do this, we’ll have to scale a ladder of lowlifes.”

“We’ll join the party. We’ve already started.” Sam joined the conversation.

“First stop is a woman named Selby. Mid-level fence I still have a line on. From there, we climb.” Zemo walked away, ignoring you entirely. Glancing between Sam & Bucky, you noticed that they were on board with whatever Zemo had planned.

“Oh. Okay. Great.” mumbling out, you followed Zemo & left the others alone. You hated everything about this.

Zemo led you to an airport. Sort of. His private jet. Yes, apparently his Baron title meant a big deal. As an Avenger, you did not even have things similar to what he had. Not that you were complaining. It sure as hell fed his ego, though. Especially with this coat of his that made him look like he really was important.

“So all this time you’ve been rich?” Sam gestured with his arms. Gesturing to the huge ass plane right in front of you.

“I’m a Baron, Sam.” because he could not see you, you mimicked his words in a teasing manner. Bucky noticed & tried to hide his laugh with a cough. Without luck. Zemo did not seem to mind. “My family was royalty until your friends destroyed my country.”

“Aw, bummer.” you joked which earned you a death glare from him. Zemo greeted the man waiting for you in Russian. Some words you understood. You grew up with HYDRA, after all.

“Please.” Zemo motioned for you all to follow him inside the plane. Truthfully, you had a bad feeling about this. Somehow, the blind trust Sam & Bucky placed in him left you angry. They knew what he was capable of.

“By the way, I think it’s not fair that I have to sit opposite of him.” your finger pointed to Zemo but your words were directed at Sam & Bucky. The Baron chuckled at you.

“Apologies if that’s a little warm, the fridge is out.” was it his butler? He was now. “But I will see if there is some good food in the galley.” these really were first world problems. Not. Zemo answered something in Sokovian. Something that even made you laugh.

“Wait…What did he say?” Bucky asked you with wide eyes.

“He just confessed that he would like to have your hair, Buck.” Zemo did not correct you but simply chuckled at your words.

“You don’t know what it’s like to be locked in a cell. Oh. That’s right. You do. (Y/N)?” he eyed you, looking at you expectantly.

“What is it my dear Baron?” you rolled your eyes when you answered him.

“Oh, I get all giddy when you call me that…You know, we need to talk.”

“Oh, do we now?” tilting your head, you hoped he would not keep talking. You knew how this would end.

“Maybe not in their company.” he shrugged his shoulders.

“Maybe not at all.” you snapped back with venom in your voice. If he did not stop talking then you would make him shut up. Luckily, Sam came to your aid.

“Why don’t you tell us about where we’re going?” took him long enough to ask that. Hell, you were already on your way.

“I’m sorry. I was just fascinated by this.” Zemo opened a book, focusing on whatever words he was reading. “I don’t know what to call it, but this part seems to be important. Who is Nakajima?” immediately, you jumped up & ripped the small book out of his hands. Handing it to Bucky, you silently checked if he was alright. A small nod confirmed that he was. For now. Your face got closer to Zemo’s.

“You do something like that again & I’ll castrate you with my bare hands. Flames included.” his eyes got a little wider in fear. He had respect but he did not want to show it. “Got it?” he nodded frantically & you shoved him back into his chair, sitting down yourself.

“I’m sorry.” well, at least he was apologizing. Whether he meant it or not did not matter. “I understand that list of names. People you’ve wronged as the Winter Soldier.”

“Don’t push it.” Bucky warned him.

“I’ve seen that book.” Sam joined the conversation. “It was Steve’s when he came out of the ice. I told him about Trouble Man. He wrote it in that book. Did you hear it? What’d you think?” risking a glance at Bucky, he looked outside of the window. Seemingly done with everything right now. Similar emotions were rushing through you.

“I like ‘40s music, so…”

“Oh, stop it, Buck. I’ve seen you throwing it down to Beyoncé.” you teased. Sam & Zemo laughed while Bucky only scoffed.

“I don’t mind Beyoncé.” he defended himself.

“You didn’t like Trouble Man?” Sam acted as if the world was ending. Again.

“I liked it.” he countered.

“It is a masterpiece, James. Complete. Comprehensive.” because apparently, Zemo thought everyone cared about his opinion. “It captures the African-American experience.”

“He’s out of line, but he’s right.” Sam had to admit. “It’s great. Everybody loves Marvin Gaye.”

“True.” you added quietly.

“I like Marvin Gaye.” Bucky confessed.

“But?” you asked.

“No but.” the super soldier breathed out.

“Steve adored Marvin Gaye.” Sam was right. The thought brought back a lot of memories.

“You must have really looked up to Steve.” Zemo really was one to push buttons.

“Zemo. Shut it.” your warning growl was deep.

“You’re very protective over James, (Y/N).” he noted.

“So what? You jealous?” you asked, your tone teasing. He simply shook his head & let the topic die. Bucky eyed you carefully when you talked to Zemo. It was true, you were protective whenever it came to him. But that was your personality, right? That was what he told himself. Zemo directed the conversation to Steve again.

“I realized something when I met him. The danger with people like him, America’s super soldiers, is that we put them on pedestals.”

“Watch your step, Zemo.” Sam’s warning would not change anything. After all, you had tried before.

“They become symbols. Icons.” Zemo did not stop. “And then we start to forget about their flaws. From there, cities fly, innocent people die. Movements are formed, wars are fought. You remember that, right?” his words were directed at Bucky. Your hand was held out for him to grab. While he eyed it, he did not take it. So you retreated it again. Probably too many people here to watch, you figured. “As a young soldier sent to Germany to stop a mad icon. Do we want to live in a world full of people like the Red Skull? That is why we’re going to Madripoor.” huh, Madripoor. You had never heard of that before. Was it stupid to follow Zemo there? Most definitely.

“What’s up with Madripoor? You guys talk about it like it’s Skull Island.” sometimes you really appreciated Sam for keeping the cool during such situations. You let your emotions drive your actions most of the time. Something you needed to improve, you knew that.

“It’s an island nation in the Indonesian archipelago.” looked like Bucky knew about this place. “It was a pirate sanctuary back in the 1800s.”

“It’s kept its lawless ways.” your head turned to stare at Zemo again. Lawless? Great. “But we cannot exactly walk in as ourselves. James, you will have to become someone you claim is gone.” glancing between him & Bucky, you scoffed in hopes that this was a big joke.

“No. No, no, no. Bucky, you won’t go with that, right?” but he only shot you a sympathetic smile. Sam only shrugged. Well, apparently all the guys were against you.

“(Y/N). I expect you will not be happy about the role you have to play.” Zemo’s eyes bore into yours. They held something that left you uneasy. “You will have to become my partner in order to not blow up our cover.” please, let him be joking. The seriousness showed you that he was not. Bucky beat you to speaking up.

“Not gonna happen. Don’t even think about it.”

“Funny how (Y/N) doesn’t want you to play the Winter Soldier & you don’t want her to be my pretend-wife.”

“Guess what, Zemo? I don’t wanna be your pretend-wife.”

“I guess you don’t have much choice.” Zemo stated with a certainty. He was right. You hated it but he was right. A look at Sam & Bucky was enough. It was set. Zemo’s plan was about to happen.

Madripoor was colorful. If it were not for the fact that they lived without any laws here, you would have enjoyed it. Sam changed into a red suit, pretending to be someone called Smiling Tiger. Bucky pretended to be the Winter Soldier. Zemo’s clothes were the same. You wore a beautiful gown that matched Zemo’s colors. It hugged your every curve perfectly. The moment the super soldier first saw you in it took his breath away. You were drop dead gorgeous. Every day, actually. But in this dress? Damn, he was at a loss of words. The four of you walked the streets just like that. In this country, nobody cared. Nobody noticed.

“We have to do something about this. I’m the only one who looks like a pimp.” Sam complained about his outfit.

“I don’t know, I think people will dig that.” you nudged him with your elbow. This earned you a light groan & a laugh.

“Only an American would assume a fashion-forward Black man looks like a pimp.” sometimes, you thought Zemo tried everything to sound intellectual. Tried was the word. “You look exactly like the man you’re supposed to be playing. The sophisticated, charming African rake named Conrad Mack, aka the Smiling Tiger.”

“Sophisticated & charming.” you chuckled. “Not words I’d use to describe you, Wilson.” Sam rolled his eyes at you.

“Smiling Tiger. He even has a bad nickname.” Sam complained. But when he looked at the picture Zemo had shown him, he realized why he had to play pretend to be that guy. “Hell, he does look like me, though.”

“Show me.” Sam held the picture in front of your face. “Damn, you sure that’s not you? Secret identity, maybe?” you wiggled your brows & earned a playful slap from Sam.

“(Y/N), you cannot act like this here.” Zemo held your wrist to make you stop in your tracks. “You are supposed to be the Baron’s dame. Let your guard down & this mission will be for nothing.” usually, you did not care about other people’s opinions. Therefore, Zemo’s words did not affect you at all. Bucky pulled you away from him & shot him a stern stare.

“Stop. Threatening. Her.” Bucky growled. “She’s not new to this job. She knows the way.” Zemo’s hands raised & he took a step back, signaling that he would not do this again.

“You smell this?” Zemo spoke up all of a sudden.

“Yeah, what is that? Acid?” Sam asked curiously.

“Madripoor.” wow, what a great answer. Now you knew so much more. You had a lot of sarcastic comebacks but you decided to keep your comments to yourself. “No matter what happens, we have to stay in character. (Y/N).” Zemo held his hand out for you to take. Rolling your eyes, you grabbed it. His body pulled closer to yours & you wished it would be Bucky who held you close. It would make everything a lot easier. Plastering on a big, fake smile, you tried your hardest to be what he wanted you to be. His dame. You would kill him later, for sure. A car approached you & the four of you got in. Zemo, pretending to be the gentleman, opened the door for you & helped you in. His hands holding your hip in place. He was so dead. After this mission, you would so kill him. His smirk showed you that he knew exactly what he was doing.

Nope. You did not like this town. At all. Loud music. Drugs everywhere. Scary people wherever you looked. And to top everything off, you had to pretend to be utterly in love with Zemo. Now that you were thinking about it, you would have preferred talking to him instead of this whole undercover thing. The four of you found yourselves in the Princess Bar. The name itself would have been repulsive enough for you. But it was all for the job. All to get the job done. Zemo started speaking in Russian. You understood most of it. Someone close to you whispered something about the Winter Soldier being here. They knew him. Of course. People like them did know him. You made your way over to the bar. Your body being uncomfortably close to Zemo’s. Bucky had a role to play but you knew him better than that. Something behind his eyes told you that he hated this as much as you did. Not just him pretending to be the killer he had once been but also you having to play the Baroness.

“Hello gentlemen, m’lady. Wasn’t expecting you, Smiling Tiger.” the bartender greeted you.

“His plans changed. We have business to do with Selby.” Zemo explained.

“The usual?” obviously, the question referred to your drinks of choice. Unsure how to answer, you let the guys do the talking. In the corner of your eyes, you noticed Sam nodding. Bucky kept his composure. Your eyes widened when the bartender grabbed a very much alive & moving snake from a jar, put it down on the counter & went straight to cutting it open. It took everything in you to not gag but you had to act like none of this faced you.

“Ah.” you assumed Zemo wanted to ease the tension. “Smiling Tiger, your favorite.” oh no, poor Sam. You averted your gaze from the scene in front of you. Instead, your eyes bore into the side profile of the man hugging you close.

“I love these.” Sam commented, referring to the drink in his hand. If all of this was over, you would tease the shit out of him. Now was not the right timing, though.

“Cheers, Conrad.” Zemo clinked his glass with Wilson, then moved on to you. Honestly, you had no idea what kind of liquid your glass held. You knew better than to ask questions. Fingers crossed Sam could down his drink without making it look suspicious. Someone tapped your shoulder. An action which made you turn around. Zemo turned around as well, squeezing your hips as he did so. He was walking on very thin ice. Yet, your smile not even once faltered.

“I got word from up high.” the man talking to you was scary. It would not have bothered you as much if you knew you could use your powers. “You ain’t welcome here.”

“I have no business with the Power Broker, but if he insists, he can either come & talk to me…” he then gestured to Bucky who stood close by, jaw clenched. It had to be hard for him. After all, he wanted to erase the Winter Soldier from his mind. He was the main cause of his nightmares. Zemo would regret his decision to play pretend once you could let your guard down. “Or bring Selby for a chat.” that seemed to do the job. The man left you guys alone again.

“A power broker? Really?” Bucky questioned.

“Every kingdom needs its king.” you had to keep your comment about him killing King T’Chaka to yourself. “Let’s just pray we stay under his radar.”

“Do you know him?” Sam chimed in.

“Only by reputation. In Madripoor he is judge, jury, & executioner.” suddenly, Zemo began talking in Russian, clearly addressing Bucky. All you could make out was that he was supposed to attack. No. No, no, no. But it was too late. Bucky went straight into action. Fighting his way through the bar. People surrounding you screamed. Some of them put their phones out & you would have loved to just burn the place down. If these videos ever make it to the States? Only the Gods knew what it would do to Bucky. It kind of scared you that the super soldier could pretend so easily. Though, you knew that deep down, he hated every single second of it. With his entire heart. No matter what, you had to talk to him about this later.

“I will kill you for this.” you whispered into Zemo’s ear. A gentle smile on your face when you pulled away again. A smirk was the only response you got.

“Didn’t take much for him to fall back into form.” he winked at you. Your jaw clenching was the only way to show how incredibly angry you were. Guns around you started clicking & you turned around only to be met with tons of people circling you. Zemo pulled you closer once again. His next words were directed at you & Sam.

“Stay in character or the whole bar turns on us.” what a reassuring thing. Zemo praised Bucky in Russian.

“Selby will see you now.” the bartender gave you an approving nod.

“Thank you.” the Baron said. Bucky let go of the person he had held down only a second ago.

“Are you okay?” you could not help but ask, of course only in a whisper. Bucky would not meet your eyes & just let out a deep breath. Maybe he would give you a proper answer later on.

“You should know, Baron.” the woman who you assumed to be Selby spoke up. “People don’t just come into my bar & make demands.”

“Not a demand. An offer.” he made it obvious to grab your hand & intertwine his fingers with yours. You offered the best heart eyes you could muster.

“A lot has changed since you were here last. Who’s that lovely lady by your side?” she eyed you up & down.

“My Baroness.” Zemo kept it simple, thank the Gods. At least one move you were alright with. Your warm smile made her smile in return.

“By the way, I thought you were rotting away in a German prison. How did you escape?” excellent question. You knew someone who could recall the story very detailed. Zemo sat on a chair & pulled you on his lap. Your jaw clenched but you would not let your smile fall. You did notice Bucky staring at you closely. Shooting him a quick glance, you hoped it was enough to let him know that you were fine but that you were not liking it one bit.

“People like us always find a way, don’t we? Darling?” he squeezed your hip, motioning for you to answer as well. The nickname he gave you? Oh, he would so get punched later.

“Most definitely, my Baron.” a soft kiss was planted on your cheek & you saw red. By the way Bucky’s fist clenched, it was obvious that he was slowly losing his temper.

“I’m sure you’ve already figured out what I’m here for.” his eyes directed to Selby.

“You’re taller than I’d heard, Smiling Tiger.” she did not even look at Sam, yet her words were meant to reach him. “What’s the offer?”

“Tell us what you know about the super-soldier serum.” Zemo did not waste any more time. He gently moved you off of him & got up, walking over to where Bucky stood. “And I give you him, along with the code words to control him, of course. He will do anything you want.” one of his hands brushed along Bucky’s chin & if it were not for the part you were playing, you would have punched him in his face. Flames added & all.

“Now that’s the Zemo I remember.” Selby seemed totally on board with that deal. “I’m glad I decided not to kill you immediately.” damn, she wanted to kill him back in the days? Why the hell did she not? “Yeah, you were right to come to me. Arrogant, but right.” again, Zemo sat back down, pulling you close to his body. And you could do nothing but obey. “The super-soldier serum is here in Madripoor. Dr. Wilfred Nagel is the man you wanna thank. Or…condemn, depending on what side of this you’re on. The Power Broker had him working on the serum, but…things didn’t go as planned.”

“Is Nagel still in Madripoor?” Zemo wanted to know.

“Oh. The bread crumbs you can have for free, but the bakery is gonna cost you, Baron.” great, so that was not going the way you thought it would. “And before you get all cute, don’t think you can find Nagel without me.”

A cell phone vibrating caught everyone’s attention. Looking over to Sam, you realized that it was his. Shit. Whoever was calling him did not know about this little undercover mission. Selby demanded him to answer it & Sam had no choice but to. On speaker, of course. It was Sarah. Wilson’s sister. No matter how hard Sam tried, in the end, it blew your cover. Selby got shot the second she ordered to kill you all. Confusion washed over you, Zemo pushed you behind him. Bucky was right there & covered your body with his, making sure nobody had a clear sight on you. Though you had him protecting you, something hard hit the back of your head & you were soon embraced in darkness.

“So what the hell happened to her?” you could make out a female voice. It sounded familiar but you could not quite tell who it belonged to. Your eyelids were too heavy & it was a struggle to open them. Yet, you kept trying. After all, you still were not sure if your were safe or not. Last time you checked, you were in danger with people pointing their guns at you. How you got here? Somewhere inside on a couch? No clue. Groaning slightly, you found it hard to move. Finally opening your eyes, you were met with a certain super soldier smiling down at you. Wait a second. Were you laying in Bucky’s lap? Thank the Gods your head was killing you still or you would have been embarrassed to be in this position.

“Good morning, doll. You okay?” when the others noticed Bucky talking to you, they moved over to where you were. When you struggled sitting up, the super soldier went to help you. One of his arms stayed around your body. Looking around the room, you saw Sam, Zemo & Sharon staring at you. Sharon? What?

“Sharon?” your eyes widened, she simply shot you a warm smile.

“Nice to see you again, (Y/N).” she nodded at you.

“Um, what-where…how…okay. What the fuck?” Sam & Bucky chuckled at your confused state.

“I saved your asses. Well, not entirely. Bucky saved your ass & then I found you guys & then I saved your asses.” Sharon explained.

“Some asshole punched his gun against your head. Buck picked you up & we ran outta there. Now we’re here.” Sam joined in. Nodding in understanding, you thanked Sharon first, then looked over at Bucky & smiled brightly. That was enough for him to know that you were thankful.

“And Zemo’s still alive?” you teased, raising your eyebrows.

“For now.” Sharon mumbled & you broke out in laughter.

“No, wait. I told him I’d kill him. Please let me do it.” you eyed the Baron who simply sat there in silence, observing the conversation from afar.

“What’s going on, Sharon? You don’t ever wanna come back home?” Sam asked while picking out an outfit to wear.

“We miss you.” you simply stated.

“They’ll lock me up if I step foot back in the States.” well, she had a point but that did not have to happen. “Madripoor doesn’t allow extradition.”

“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t call, but after the Blip & the chaos, I just…” Sharon interrupted his rambling.

“Look, you know the whole hero thing is a joke, right? I mean, the way you gave up that shield, deep down, you must know it’s all hypocrisy.”

“He knows. And not so deep down.” for the first time since you woke up, Zemo spoke up. Nobody had asked him but you did not want to tell him that. All you did was sending him a death stare.

“Sharon. I did call. You never picked up.” you looked over from the couch to where she & Sam stood.

“I know you called.”

“Oh, okay. Great.” you mumbled, head hanging low.

“It wasn’t exactly easy, (Y/N). If there was a chance, I would’ve called back. You know that, right?” her eyes met yours & behind them, you saw the sincerity. A short nod was enough to drop the conversation for now. “By the way, how is the new Cap?”

“Oh my…please don’t ever mention that asshole again.” groaning, you put your head into your hands.

“Don’t get me started.” Bucky added. Sharon scoffed at your responses.

“Please. You buy into all that stars & stripes bullshit.” she walked over to her couch where Bucky & you were still sitting close to each other. “Before you were his pet psychopath, you were Mr. America! Cap’s best friend.”

“Wow. She’s kind of awful now.” Bucky leaned closer to your ear & whispered to you. Chuckling quietly, you clapped back a little.

“Not cool, Sharon. I’m being serious.” she rolled her eyes at you. A smirk formed on your face. You knew she was joking, but still.

“Karli Morgenthau & at least seven others have taken the serum.” Sam fixed the shirt he just put on.

“You guys really should steer clear of all of this for your own safety.” Sharon shook her head.

“We know it’s a risk, but we won’t leave until we find the one who cracked the code.”

“We got a name. Wilfred Nagel.” the super soldier followed.

“Nagel works for the Power Broker.” Sharon got up & walked across the room.

“We need your help, Sharon.” Sam admitted. “I can get your name cleared.”

“You haggling with my life?” she poured herself a drink. A drink would do you some good, too. But because of the headache you were still experiencing, you decided to not ask for one.

“Not like that.” Sam’s eyes softened.

“I don’t buy that. You pretending like you can clear my name. (Y/N)’s name got cleared because of what now? Oh, right. Because nobody knows she used to work for HYDRA. Because nobody has read her file. Imagine if things were different. What would her situation be like, huh?”

“Thanks for dragging me into this convo, Sharon.” a tight lipped smile was sent her way. Bucky placed his hand on your shoulder & squeezed a little.

“I wasn’t all that involved in clearing (Y/N)’s name. She did most of it herself.” Sam made sure to add & you showed your gratitude by a small but present smile. “Okay, maybe it is hypocrisy. Maybe you’re right. What happened to you. But I’m willing to try if you are. They cleared the bionic staring machine, & he killed almost everybody he’s met.”

“Damn, Wilson. You’re getting better with nicknames. If you keep going like that, I will have to start a small book & write them all down.” you joked. Even Bucky chuckled. Not much but still.

“I don’t trust charity.” Sharon ignored your little banter.

“Alright, a deal then.” Sam really cared about her otherwise he would have stopped trying to convince Sharon by now. “You help us out, & I get your name cleared.” it took her a few moments but eventually, she shook hands with Wilson. So you had her on your side. Almost like the good old times.

“Well, I sell to some pretty connected people.” right, because apparently, you were unconscious when Sharon showed the guys around her art exhibition? That was what you made out. Though you had no idea what exactly they were talking about. “Lay low. Blend in. Enjoy the party. Try to stay outta trouble. I’ll see what I can find.”

“(Y/N)?” Zemo asked when Sharon exited the room. Bucky visibly tensed beside you. Clearly, he wanted to keep him as far away from you as possible. Especially after what happened at Selby’s. Bucky blamed Zemo for you getting hurt. Because if the super soldier was close to you, you would not have to deal with a pretty bad headache right now.

“What, Zemo?” you snarled.

“I asked you earlier today. Can we talk?”

“No.” Bucky answered so quickly, you barely had time to register the question.

“I believe the lady can speak for herself.” Zemo stood up, holding his hand out for you to take. Shooting Bucky a quick glance, your eyes told him that you would be fine.

“The lady can. You got five minutes.” ignoring his hand, you got up yourself, stopping briefly to get used to the feeling of standing. Your head was pulsing. Bucky went to steady you by holding onto your waist. When the dark spots blurring your vision disappeared, you assured Bucky that you were okay. His titled head showed his uncertainty. Nevertheless, he let you go.

Zemo & you were outside on a balcony. The chill air of Madripoor around you. Propping your arms on the railing, you waited for him to speak up. It was him who wanted to talk to you.

“I am sorry.” his voice was quiet but loud enough for you to snap your head into his direction. Zemo. Apologizing? Maybe you were dreaming. “For not being cautious enough back there. And for what happened all those years ago.” you scoffed, averting your gaze again.

“Thanks for your apology.” your words were filled with sarcasm.

“I do mean it, (Y/N).” you could feel his eyes staring at you.

“Zemo.” you sighed. “What happened at Selby’s wasn’t your fault. It could’ve happened to all of us. And what you did back then…well, I think your apology comes a little too late. It’s in here, you know?” your finger pointed to your head, signaling that you meant it was a memory.

“What I did was wrong.”

“Took you a long time to figure that one out. It doesn’t matter anyway. You trapped me. Failed to extract my blood correctly to get to my special serum. And not in a way that was pleasant might I add.”

“And for that I truly am sorry.” his body turned towards yours. By now, you were looking straight into his eyes.

“I don’t hate you if that’s what you’re worried about. It’s not like I can change what happened. Will I ever stop disliking you? Highly unlikely. But I’m too tired to feel hatred. I’m too tired for revenge. I’m not the person I used to be. The girl who worked for HYDRA? She would’ve killed you without a second thought. Me? I’m far past killing when it’s not necessary. I know what it does to a person. So, thanks for apologizing, Zemo. Let’s just keep this simple, alright? We’re working together. That’s it. I don’t have to like you to do that & I don’t need your pity. Because this problem....” you gestured between the two of you. “Is in the past. And I’d highly appreciate it if you didn’t mention it to the others. Understood?” Zemo’s nod was your sign to head back inside, leaving him on the balcony alone. It was good to talk about it. Now you just hoped that Zemo would keep his mouth shut. After this mission, you would go your separate ways again. Nothing more, nothing less.

“You sure you’re okay?” Bucky walked over to you, making sure that you two were alone.

“I’m fine, Buck.” you breathed out. “Headache is almost gone. Give me another hour & I’ll be good to go.”

“I’m not talking about your head.” he sat down next to you, his arms on his knees.

“Why, thanks for your concern.” you chuckled sarcastically.

“No, I mean…Of course I care about your well-being but I know you well enough that a little hit on your head won’t kill you. Though I gotta admit that you scared me a bit back there.”

“Is that so?” your eyebrows raised, your head turning to your side.

“What I’m trying to say is…Zemo didn’t do anything, did he?” his eyes showed concern.

“He just wanted to apologize for what happened back at Selby’s.” it was not a lie. Not the entire truth either but enough for now.

“When you’re ready to tell me everything, you know where to find me. I won’t pressure you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with. Come here.” he opened his arms & you gladly accepted his offer. So he saw through you. As he usually did. Maybe you would tell him what Zemo did all those years ago. Maybe when you were not as busy as right now. It was Bucky. He would never judge you. The exact opposite, actually. You were sure that he would help you through it. Because sharing your burdens made the weight lighter. In the future. That was what you told yourself. After everything decided to calm down a little more.

Again. Loud music. And it did not really help your head at all. Your headache had pretty much disappeared but the bass made it harder to keep it that way. Everyone around you was dancing, drinking alcohol & doing drugs. No, this was not your world. Zemo actually seemed to fit in quite well. You stood on the side, right next to Bucky. Mainly because he did not leave you out of his sight. Not after what Zemo pulled earlier.

“(Y/N), look.” Sam nudged you with his elbow. “Your husband has some moves. Damn.” he pointed over to the Baron who was throwing it down on the dancefloor.

“Could you please not call him my husband? It was hard enough not to kick him in the balls when he was all like “Oh, look at my Baroness.”. I still can’t believe I agreed on playing his pretend-wife.” you shook your head at the memory that was still so freshly present in your mind.

“I found it hilarious.” Sam admitted.

“Yeah? You know what I found hilarious?” Wilson motioned for you to continue. “When that bartender cut open the snake to put God knows what into your favorite drink.” Bucky & you laughed when Sam gagged at the drink he had to down.

“How was it like?” Bucky asked all of a sudden.

“How was what like?” your eyebrows furrowed.

“Pretending to be his wife.” there was something behind his eyes. Something you would describe as rage or maybe even…jealousy? Was he jealous? Deep down you hoped so.

“Like the worst nightmare ever.” that seemed to ease the tension a little, fortunately.

“Hey, guys. I found him.” Sharon joined you again.

“Here we go.” Sam eyed you & the four of you followed her.

It looked like you were at a harbor. Many containers. Whoever this guy was, he sure as hell did a great job with hiding here.

“Madripoor could give New York a run for its money.” Sam noted & you nodded at him.

“They know how to party.” Zemo added.

“With that bounty on your head, the longer you’re in Madripoor, the less likely you’re ever leaving.” Sharon kept looking at her phone for directions. Another thing you had found out was that after Selby was killed, there had been put a huge bounty on your head.

“What a comforting thing to say, Sharon.” you remarked with a hint of sarcasm & desperation.

“Welcome to Madripoor, (Y/N).” she met your eyes briefly, then added. “Alright. He’s in there. Container four-two-six-one” she gestured to a container that looked exactly like every other one around here. “I’ll keep an eye while you guys talk to Nagel. But hurry. We’re on burrowed time.” she handed each of you a little piece to put into your ear. That way, you were all connected together.

“Wait, wait, wait. Isn’t it better if I stayed with Sharon? I mean, It’s better to have two people out here, right?” you questioned.

“Not gonna happen.” Bucky grabbed your wrist to pull you closer to him. “You’re staying with me.”

“Your overprotective boyfriend’s right, (Y/N). I can handle myself just fine, trust me. You go talk to Nagel.” you rolled your eyes at her for calling Bucky your boyfriend.

“Aw, overprotective boyfriend. That’s cute.” Wilson joined the teasing. Of course he did.

“I hate you all so much.” you went ahead & approached the container, leaving the others behind. Bucky only clenched his jaw & shot Sam a look. One that made him snort. Then, he trailed behind you, making sure you were not too far away from where he was. So what? Maybe he was protective. It was not a bad thing. Besides, he saw what happened when he did not pay attention. No way in hell would he let you get into such a dangerous situation again. He actually told you to stay behind. After all, you were still hurt. Kind of. But you reassured him that you were fine. And they needed you.

Sam opened the heavy door, revealing a dark container.

“Hey, Sharon. You sure this is the right one?” Wilson asked. “It’s completely empty.”

“This looks like a trap, guys.” you noted.

“It has to be the right one. No trap.” Sharon told you over the coms. So you all entered. Staying behind a bit, you made sure to check the door. Just in case. If someone was about to trap you in, you would notice soon enough to stop it. Zemo turned on a flashlight, bringing a tiny bit of light inside the dark room. Was it a room? Container. Whatever, it did not exactly matter. Sam & Zemo checked out its entirety. Bucky & you still at the door. You heard something & saw the Baron pushing against the back of the container. A secret door. You should have guessed that. You pulled out your gun & followed them. Sam was first, then Zemo, then you & last but not least Bucky. That way, he could keep you in his sight. Music could be heard once you walked up the stairs. Yes, this looked like a lab. Gun at ready, you made sure it was clear. Bucky signaled you to stay behind him & you obeyed. If your were honest, you did not really feel safe without him around. So staying close to him was your preferred choice anyway. At the end of the room, a man was totally in his element, failing to notice your presence. Sam & Bucky nodded at each other, having another silent conversation. Then, they approached the man. You went ahead & stopped his music. That gained his attention. He turned around & faced you.

“Dr. Nagel?” Sam was the first to speak.

“Who are you? What do you want?” if this was the guy you were looking for then con-fucking-grats. He looked like he was insane.

“We know you created the super-soldier serum.”

“Get out of my lab.” he ordered but you stood your place. It took more for you to leave than such a little threat. Hell, it was not even a threat.

“I’m afraid we can’t do that, Doc.” your gun was still raised, not yet knowing the possible danger you were in. He went to walk away but stopped dead in his tracks when his eyes fell on Bucky.

“You know who he is, right?” Sam grabbed his arm to hold him in place. “This is Baron Zemo. And this…” he turned him so he had to look at you. “This is (Y/N). I know you’ve heard of her too, right?” as a form of greeting, you moved your fingers where blue sparks started forming. His eyes widened when he noticed. A smirk was making its way onto your face. Good thing if he was scared of you. “You seem like a pretty smart guy. So you better become conversational real quick.”

“How about a counter proposal?” that made your eyebrows raise. He was outmanned & he had the audacity to suggest that? Okay, strong move. “Make me a better offer & I’ll talk.” Sharon let you know that you had company. Maybe you should have stayed with her. Bucky noticed you wanting to move but his arm wrapped around your middle, holding you in place.

“No.” he whispered sternly & you rolled your eyes in annoyance. When you saw the look that he gave you, your gaze went down. No arguing with him, it seemed. Bucky then let you go & pushed Nagel onto a chair, gun pointing at his head. When he still did not start talking, Bucky gave a warning shot, right beside his head.

“Okay. Okay.” the doctor gave in. “I was brought into HYDRA’s Winter Soldier program to pick up their work after the five failed test subjects in Siberia. When HYDRA fell, I was recruited by the CIA. They had blood samples from an American test subject with semi-stable traces of serum in his system.” he was talking about Isaiah. “After much labor, I was able to isolate the necessary compounds in his blood.”

“Zemo? Maybe you should let him teach you how to successfully do that.” you mumbled, leaning a tiny bit closer to the Baron.

“Shut up.” he spat out, though there was something playful in his tone. Sam & Bucky looked at you confused but you simply brushed them off by a wave of your hand.

“I was a God.” he finished.

“Not really a Thor-like kinda guy but whatever helps you sleep at night.” you could not help but comment. The doctor then looked at you, clearly not pleased by what you said.

“I did what no other scientist since Erskine was able to do. But mine was going to be different. No clunky machines or jacked up bodies. Mine was going to be subtle, optimized, perfect.”

“How have we never heard about this?” excellent question, Sam. You had no clue.

“Because…Before I was able to complete my work, I turned to dust.”

“How unfortunate.” you rolled your eyes. Bucky silently told you to keep your comments to yourself. He only did that because he was concerned about you & did not want to risk anything. Nagel ignored you anyway.

“Then when I returned, it was five years later, the program had been abandoned, so I came here. The Power Broker was more than happy to fund the recreation of my work.”

“How many vials did you make?” Wilson kept asking the really important questions here.

“Twenty.” oh, awesome. “Karli Morgenthau stole those, so…I can only imagine what the Power Broker has planned for that poor girl.”

“Where’s Karli now?” you all silently agreed on letting Sam do the talking.

“I don’t know where she is.” oh, even more awesome. “But a couple of days ago, she called & asked if I could help someone named Donya Madani. Poor woman has tuberculosis. Typical of overpopulation in displacement camps like that.”

“Well, what happened to her?”

“Not my pig. Not my farm.”

“Is there any serum in this lab?” finally, Bucky asked a question. The gun pointed at the doctor’s head again when he did not answer right away.

“No.”

“And we’re just supposed to believe you?” you crossed your arms over your chest.

“If you believe me or not is none of my business.”

“Now what?” Bucky directed his words at you three. Shrugging your shoulders, you waited for the others to come up with a plan.

“Guys, we’re seriously outta time here.” you were surprised to see Sharon running in. Bruises were adorning her face. Whatever had happened out there, it was not pretty. The next thing you heard was a gunshot & when you looked over, you saw Zemo pointing a gun at a now dead Nagel. How the hell did he even get a gun?

“No!” Sam screamed. It was too late. Zemo was pushed against a wall by Wilson.

“What did you do?” Sharon breathed out, out of breath from her previous fights you assumed she had. The room around you exploded & you tried your best to shield your head with your arms. Bucky’s reflexes were faster than yours & he wrapped his arms around your form, his entire body keeping as much of the explosion from you as possible.

“You okay?” you did not hear his words but you read the question off of his lips. The ringing in your ears was almost too much. The headache that had faded, now being back worse than before. The lab would soon experience another explosion & the super soldier wasted no time in helping you get up. When your legs almost gave out, he picked you up bridal style & rushed out of the container with you in his arms. Your body was still weakened. But you had no time to think about the pain. There were people here who wanted you dead & you had to fight them. Whether you liked it or not.

“Alright! Wait for my signal!” Bucky yelled over the noises around you. Your hands were covered in blue flames, ready to attack. Ready to use your powers if needed. Fun fact: nobody waited for Bucky’s signal. Sam went off, shooting.

“Damn it. (Y/N), stay behind!” you were too focused to talk so you simply nodded. Hiding behind one of the containers. Still, you shot your gun. By now, you had realized that your powers were not really useful. Not in this moment. Your gun had to do. Your ears had not stopped ringing. The gunshots blazing around you did not help much after that explosion.

“Are you like living here?” Sam screamed, directing it at Sharon.

“It’s not terrible.” she answered in a haze.

“Oh, it’s lovely.” your usual sarcasm was back. You were running short on ammo & if you did not wrap this up quickly, you would actually have to use your powers.

“I thought we were going left?” the super soldier said through gritted teeth.

“You went the wrong way!” Sam shot back.

“I was clearing the way!”

“I came out first. You had to follow me.”

“And where are we now?”

“Guys, now’s not the time!” you ended their bickering right away. Tried to.

“This is a barricade.”

“It’s in every action movie!”

“If you don’t shut up right now…I swear I will pull a fucking Tom Cruise on you!” your voice was now at the same volume as theirs. That seemed to do the job. Children. You were working with freaking children. It was not even funny anymore. A third explosion caught you off guard. Again, Bucky shielded you from the force of it. How the hell did that happen anyway? And where the fuck was Zemo? Wait. Did he just blow up your surroundings? You would not be surprised if that was the case. It was him. You watched how he handled your opponents all by himself. Well, he could only do such a thing because you had caused them a good amount of damage already. Bucky motioned for you all to go & you did not think twice about it. The sooner you were away from this scene, the better. The gunshots were still going strong & when the super soldier noticed that you were not keeping up with their pace due to the pain you were still experiencing, he grabbed your wrist & dragged you along. Your legs did not want to move anymore. But you knew you could not stop now. Stopping would have you dead for sure.

“Buck!” Sam yelled over his shoulder. A door was opened & Bucky pretty much shoved you inside. Then, he grabbed a pipe & handled your attackers.

“Let’s go!” Wilson pulled him inside & closed the door right behind him. At least you had a second to breathe now. The super soldier grabbed your shoulder, eyebrows raising slightly, silently asking you if your were alright. A thumbs up from you answered it. He knew you were trying to play it cool but he decided against commenting on it. That could be done later.

Exiting the container again, a car came to a halt right in front of you. No way. Zemo. That motherfucker.

“Supercharged.” he smirked at your dumfounded expressions.

“I know I said I don’t hate you but the strong dislike is slowly starting to increase to an almost hate level.” you let him know.

“I can live with that.” Zemo’s winning smile did not falter.

“You’re going back to jail.” Sam was angry, his voice gave him away.

“Do you want to find Karli or not?” what kind of stupid question was that? Of course you wanted to find her.

“He’s right. We need him.” never in your wildest dreams had you ever expected Bucky to rely on Zemo. Yet, here you were. “And there’s three of us & at least twenty of them, come on.” Bucky opened the door for you to get in first. After you got seated, he entered himself.

“Fine. But if you try that shit again…” Sam’s finger pointed in a threatening way.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Well, that was one hell of a reunion.” Sharon closed the door behind Wilson.

“Wait. You’re not coming with us? Sharon, come on.” you almost pleaded.

“I told you I can’t. Just get me that pardon you promised me.” now, she was talking to Sam.

“You take care, okay?” your concerning eyes met hers.

“I will. You too. But it looks like you have someone who looks after you anyway.” she winked at you before moving away. Of course she was referring to Bucky. Sharon was good at reading people.

“You’re not gonna move your seat up, are you?” Sam sighed & you giggled at the déjà vu moment.

“No.” Bucky replied simply.

“Zemo? Can you move your seat up?” you teased, not expecting anything to come out of it.

“Of course. My apologies for taking up too much space.” & he really went ahead & moved his seat up. Putting your face in your hands, you heard Sam & Bucky snicker. Zemo seemed oblivious to everything. Hell, you just wanted to sleep for the next few days. It was exhausting to be around those guys all the time. Luck had not really been on your side in Madripoor.

You were back on Zemo’s private jet. Bucky sitting opposite of you, cleaning his metal hand. You had an ice pack that you held to the back of your head. Sam had a phone call with Torres, giving him the information you had found out. And the Baron? Well, you did not really care what he did.

“You okay, Sam?” your voice was soft.

“Yeah.” your eyebrows furrowed at that. “Just thinking about all the shit Sharon had to go through.” so did you, actually. If you were not as lucky, you would have ended up like her. Most definitely. “And Nagel referring to the American test subject like Isaiah wasn’t even a real person. Just makes me wonder how many people have to get steamrolled to make way for this hunk of metal.” you gulped at that.

“Well, it depends on who you ask.” Bucky joined your conversation. “That hunk of metal saved a lot of lives. “

“I have to agree with Buck on this one…” your eyes trailed to your lap.

“Yeah, I get that. Alright. Maybe I made a mistake.”

“You did. A huge mistake.” your head snapped up again, eyes slightly glossy by just thinking about it. You would not let the tears fall, though. Not here. Not in front of them.

“Yeah.” sounded like he realized that he was in the wrong. “Maybe I shouldn’t have put it in a museum. Maybe I should have destroyed it.”

“Look, that shield represents a lotta things to a lotta people, including me.” Bucky’s words were low. He chose them carefully, you could tell. “The world is upside down, & we need a new Cap, & it ain’t gonna be Walker.”

“I’ll make fucking sure of that.” you chuckled shortly.

“So will I.” the super soldier nodded at you. His gaze fell to Sam a second after. “So before you go & destroy it, I’ll take it from him myself.”

“This isn’t what Steve wanted.” it was almost inaudible, yet, two pairs of eyes stared at you. “I’m sorry to break it to you, but Steve made that decision. He thought this through. He didn’t want you to give up the shield, Sam. And he didn’t want you to take on that role, Buck.” again, Sam’s phone rang & he picked up. Zemo came over & brought each of you a plate with food. Thanking him silently, you waited for Wilson to finish. The Baron sat down, glancing between you all.

“They found Madani...” Sam started. Finally, good news. “Dead.” shit, bad news. “She died in Riga, a city near the Baltic Sea.”

“I have a place we can go.” Zemo told you.

“Is there a place on this Earth that isn’t part of your property?” rolling your eyes, you laid back in your chair.

“Believe it or not, there is, (Y/N).” he started again. “I, for one, am looking forward to coming face to face with Karli. Oeznik, we’re changing the course.” he ordered.

Riga, Latvia. If you were honest, you were surprised that you still followed Zemo. After all, he was kind of a criminal. But so were you. Kind of.

“I heard what became of Sokovia.” the Baron started a conversation as you walked down one of the many streets. “Cannibalized by its neighbors before the land was given cleared of rubble, erased from the map. I don’t suppose any of you bothered visiting the memorial?”

“I did.” your confession made him stop in his tracks. An approving nod was all you received. Neither Sam nor Bucky knew about this. You did not find it worth mentioning.

“We are here.” Zemo stated.

“I’m gonna go on a walk.” Bucky spoke up all of a sudden. Turning around, you saw something behind his eyes. He noticed something. You were not sure what it was but you would find out.

“You good?” because obviously, Zemo cared so much for you all.

“I’ll come with you.” walking over to him, you eyed him carefully.

“I’m gonna go on a walk alone.” he emphasized the last word but you were having none of it.

“Last time I checked, you barely let me out of your sight. I’m coming with you. End of discussion.” your eyes bore into his. You were serious & it was clear as day that you would not let him out of your sight now. Bucky threw his head back in frustration & sighed out.

“Okay, come on.” one of his hands found yours & he dragged you with him. Leaving a very confused Sam & an even more confused Zemo behind.

Bucky went to pick up a small beeping ball. Your question got ignored. He told you if you really wanted to join his walk then he would let you know sooner or later. The two of you followed behind what seemed like a trail of those little objects. Unknowingly, your fingers were still intertwined with Bucky’s. Neither of you seemed to mind. Being smarter now, you just let him do whatever he wanted or needed to do. Answers would follow soon. After all, that was what he promised you. Bucky came to a halt in a backstreet. Holding up one of the balls, he started talking.

“You dropped something.” who the hell was he talking to? Turning around, you were shocked when a woman was standing in front of you. Tugging one of Bucky’s sleeves, he looked into the same direction as you.

“I was wondering when you were gonna show up.” did that mean that Bucky was expecting her? She seemed somewhat familiar but you did not remember where you had seen her before. Realization hit you when she started speaking in a language you definitely recognized. It was Wakandan. You even understood what she said.

“I’m here for Zemo.” whatever that meant, it could not be good.

~to be continued~

Next Chapter

Published (04/16/2021) by Cathy

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solohux · 5 years ago

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@anonymous submitted: That one time Ben Solo and Poe Dameron decided to go on vacation together and how it all went terribly wrong (Feat. Hux!)

Way back when, 13 year old Ben Solo was terribly stressed. While his Uncle was away on a cool Force-artifact finding mission (Ben was rather put out that he didn’t get to go), he was stuck babysitting a dozen of his fellow Padawans. This was intended to give Ben a taste of responsibility and be a confidence booster…. But mostly ended up being a nightmare for him. Looking after a dozen children would be a tall order for any young teenager to handle, let alone a dozen Force Sensitive children…. Some of whom weren’t much younger than Ben himself and thus weren’t inclined to listen to him anyway.

Ben was breaking down into a bout of frustrated tears and starting to pull his hair out when his next door neighbor and best friend Poe Dameron showed up! The sixteen year old may not have been Force Sensitive, but he was a natural with children (As the eldest child of the Yavin IV rebel colony, he’d had a lot of practice looking after his younger cohorts!) and the other Padawans both adored and respected him. He was older and thus considered “cooler” than Ben and even Ben himself secretly agreed with that assumption. Needless to say, Ben --sort-of-didn’t-but-really-did-- begged for him to stay and help him out.

Poe was happy to stay! He genuinely loved children and definitely loved Ben (Not that he would admit that!).... But after a week of Force related antics, even he was getting a little worn thin. So he did what most teenagers who grew up in a space-faring society would do, decided that he and Ben needed a vacation off-planet! Granted, they can’t go on a “real” vacation, but an overnight camping trip to one of Yavin’s other inhabitable moons should be do-able. Master Luke was due back tomorrow afternoon anyway, so surely the kids would be okay for just one night, right?

Ben was initially worried that his Uncle would be “disappointed” with him if he came back to find the Padawans abandoned and his nephew off camping with his “friend” *CoughBoyfriendCough* on some other moon, but Poe managed to convince him of the merits of the plan. So Ben put the eldest child in charge (Which that 12 and a half year old didn’t appreciate) and set off to the Dameron family farm with Poe. After puzzling over which ship they should use to blast off in, Poe decided that his late mother’s A-Wing would suffice. It might be a tight fit for two, but they aren’t planning to go far anyway.

(Ben: But won’t your father notice if that ship is missing? Poe: Nah, it’s usually parked in the old barn and Papa almost never goes in there. Besides, it’s technically my ship now anyway. Mama said that I could have it right before she… you know.)

And so, the two young teens prepped the old ship for flight, squeezed inside the cockpit and lifted off of Yavin IV.

They ran into trouble virtually as soon as they were clear of the moon’s atmosphere.

The old A-Wing may have served Shara Bey well during the war, but her son… may have been a bit neglectful in keeping the old warbird in good repair after her untimely death. Not that Poe didn’t love the old ship! But like any teenager, he had a lot going on in his daily life and he was always eager to try incorporating the latest and greatest tech into the aging spacecraft, rather than checking to see if the original hardware was still totally functional. In any case, it was the engine that was the problem.

Apparently leaving the atmosphere was just too much for the old clunker to handle, because it coughed out one final breath and then seized up, leaving the boys effectively stranged. Poe did his best to keep calm, while Ben got nervous. But after much switch-flipping, wire-fiddling and even crawling under the seat to see if he (Poe that is, Ben may have been younger, but he was already taller than his friend and thus could not fit!) could reach the engine compartment, the boys realized that their was little to nothing that they could do to get the engine to restart.

So Poe resolved to use the computer to contact the Yavin IV authorities and ask for help. It was going to be horribly embarrassing to have his mother’s old comrades give him a tow back down to the surface --Not to mention, his father was certainly going to hear about it-- but he felt that their was no other choice. So he apologized to Ben about the vacation being cancelled, but reassured him that help would soon be on the way. Only opps, when Poe tried to use the computer, it didn’t work! It turned out that new upgrade he installed onto it last month wasn’t entirely compatible with the original operating system. So calling for help was not an option now.

Poe was now rather distressed himself, it wasn’t likely that he and Ben were in any real danger --The Yavin IV rebel colony received visits from all sorts of people and most any ship could give them a tow-- but it could be hours before anyone happened upon them! Maybe even a whole day! That meant not only no vacation, but a disappointed Master for Ben and an unamused father for him! Ben just grew sullen, it seemed that whenever he tried to do anything ever so slightly off the path set out for him, something bad happened.

But then!

A ship came out of hyperspeed nearly on top of them! After the initial “Oh Stars! That ship nearly crashed into us! We could of died!” reaction, the boys realized that they might be saved after all. The ship was small and unmarked, neither Poe nor Ben had seen anything quite like it. But they weren’t thinking about how odd that was, they were desperately trying to wave the ship down with flapping arms and hand signals.

They succeeded. The ship floated over towards them, coupled it’s airlock with theirs and the pilot called for them to come onboard. The boys looked at each other and beamed, maybe their vacation was saved after all!

Only that wasn’t the case, not at all.

Poe and Ben’s “savior” had no intention of helping them fix their ship or give them a tow home. 18 year old Armitage Hux, Cadet of The First Order was on the cusp of graduating from The Academy. He had come to Yavin IV to spy on the rebel colony and then report back to his father, Commandant Brendol Hux. All cadets of The First Order had to undertake a high-risk solo mission in order to prove themselves worthy of being sworn in as officers of The First Order. It was their equivalent of a final exam, the culmination of all that they had learned and worked for over many years of schooling.

And Armitage Hux had been the top of all of his classes and thus had no intention of failing.

Truthfully, Hux was prepared to shoot the A-Wings occupants dead if they proved not to be useful. He wasn’t pleased about nearly crashing into their ship (He was not about to die right before he graduated!), not to mention, their witnessing him entering the system in the first place put his mission in jeopardy.

So he made sure his blaster had a fresh charge in it and stepped out of the cockpit and into the ship’s foyer to meet his odd visitors.

He was not expecting two teenagers, the pair younger than him even! Ben and Poe were rather surprised to see the redheaded pilot didn’t have many years on them either.

Hux snapped at the pair to explain and identify themselves.

Poe immediately set about apologizing for the trouble, introduced himself and Ben and tried to charm the young man. Ben was rather smitten with Hux’s good looks too, but he barely even needed the Force to sense something concerning about the ginger’s demeanor.

Hux did his best to appear unimpressed, but once he heard the words “Ben Solo, apprentice to Jedi Master Luke Skywalker” he could barely contain his excitement. What luck! He had the child of Senator Leia Organa and the scoundrel Han Solo on his ship! This “Poe Dameron, son of Kes Dameron and Shara Bey” might perhaps be of use as well. He no longer needed to go down to Yavin IV and spy on the rebel colony, these two boys no doubt had all the intel he needed. Maybe they could even be of further use to The First Order after being rung dry off all that they knew!

So Hux changed plans. He would not shoot Ben and Poe dead, he would take them prisoner and whisk them away to the Unknown Regions. They would never see their friends or families ever again.

Hux pocketed the blaster and informed the pair that he would be happy enough to help them with their engine troubles, he even thought that he had the tools needed to make that a reality, but they were in back compartment of the ship and could they please help him get them. Poe eagerly agreed, Ben hung back uncertain. When he quietly brought up his concerns to Poe once Hux started leading the way to the other end of the ship, his friend protested.

Hux may be a surly stranger with a strange ship, but he had offered to help them and he was likely their only chance to save their vacation and get back down to Yavin IV before anyone was none the wiser. Despite his concerns, Ben conceded to Poe’s thoughts of their situation. But he told Poe that if Hux tried anything suspicious, he would have to Jedi Mind Trick him into letting them leave. Poe agreed that was a solid back up plan.

But this point Hux had the door at the back of the ship open and dryly asked them if they were done discussing whatever it was they were talking about, because he had places to be and he could only take so much time out of his busy schedule to help them. If they wanted to dally around, then they could do so in their own ship. Poe quickly assured the redhead that it was nothing, that they had somewhere to be too, grabbed Ben’s hand and marched them through the door.

The room contained no tools, but it did contain an inactive energy shield. It was designed as a transport cell, almost every ship made by The First Order had one. And when Poe and Ben stepped over the threshold, Hux activated the energy shield via a subtly hidden button. The boys were now trapped!

Needless to say:- Hux smirked, Poe gaped at him in horror and Ben scowled at Poe for not really listening to him in the first place. Poe demanded to know what the hell did Hux think he was trying to do, and like any good villain Hux immediately launched into a monologue about his plans for them. He actually couldn’t contain himself entirely this time, because he gleefully rubbed his hands, but he did refrain from launching into an evil laugh.

Afterwards, Poe yelled at him that he was insane and did he really think that he would get away with kidnapping him and Ben? Especially Ben! The son of the much loved Princess of Alderann and the smuggler with a million different contacts and connections? The nephew of the legendary Luke Skywalker, who could probably find him with a mere thought? Plus his Papa would no doubt launch a rescue effort of his own and then Hux would really be in for a world of hurt if that happened!

Hux just raised an eyebrow and asked him if he was quite done. At which point Ben called upon his connection to the Force and said in his most persuasive voice, “You’re going to disable the energy shield, allow us to walk off this ship and then lock yourself in this room”. It was a good effort for someone so young, Master had even praised Ben some time beforehand that he seemed to have a natural affinity for persuasive techniques.

But it didn’t work on Hux, because the boy who had endured a lifetime of abuse from his father, scorn from his instructors and jeers from his peers was anything but weak-minded.

Hux sneered at the two of them and went to close the door. Poe launched into another panicked triade about how “He’d be really sorry if he didn’t let them go!”, while Ben desperately tried the mind trick again. Nope, Hux still wasn’t intimated nor was he influenced.

Realizing that perhaps they were in-fact about to be kidnapped, Ben and Poe looked at each other and changed tactics. Poe started pleading and claiming that Hux “Didn’t really want to do this, he didn’t have to be evil, the New Republic could help him”, while Ben gave Hux his best set of puppy dog eyes, reached out towards Hux and said “Please”.

Shockingly, these methods actually had some sway over the ginger. Perhaps his cruel youth hadn’t completely stamped out Hux’s heart after all.

But he averted his eyes, shook his head and closed the door to the cell anyway.

He could still hear Poe and Ben’s protests and cries all the way inside the cockpit. As he reached for the ship’s computer to chart a course home and tell his father the good news, he was suddenly struck with indecision. Should he really do this? He’d spent all of his life amongst people who hated him, but now he had the opportunity to escape the whole lot of them. And these sad, pleading eyes stared back at him every time he blinked….

But he would finally make his father proud! And gain the respect and admiration from his teachers and classmates…. Right?

Would he? What should he do?

#submission #kylux #benpoe #daekpilot #AHHHHHHH!!!!!#i love this so much!!!!!#hux having conflict and maybe going to give into ben’s plea?#and the ben and poe bonding at the beginning!!!!#so lovely! i love this thank you so much for sharing this!!!!!

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elsanna-shenanigans · 5 years ago

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December Contest Submission #6: Wherever You Are

Warnings: angst followed by maximum fluff

This town was never big enough for her.

Anna knew.

In a place like Arendelle, where everyone greeted each other on a first name basis…where the most exciting news in town was about the seasonal farmer’s crop turnout, and where tradition meant everything while variation meant nothing. Anna knew that her girlfriend wanted more.

There was a time when Anna didn’t know about Elsa’s ambitions. There was a period in their relationship when Anna believed the two would make a cozy little home for themselves in the town they grew up in.

After two years of the most beautiful relationship Anna had ever experienced, only then did she notice Elsa’s hidden dream.

It wasn’t hard to piece together…

Anna noticed the distant look in Elsa’s eyes every time they were together. Like Elsa was searching for something in the distance that wasn’t in view. They would converse, and joke and laugh but almost always Elsa would mention somewhere far away…a distant radiant city.

“The view from the Eiffel Tower must be magical.” Elsa would sigh happily while the two watched the sunset from the attic of Anna’s family barn.

Anna would always feel her throat tighten and her eyes ache at Elsa’s rambling. She always mentioned places far away…too far away for Anna to follow and the emotion placed behind Elsa’s words felt like a dagger pressing into her chest inch by inch.

Anna often found herself simply nodding in agreement, her voice too weak to speak and her thoughts too disheartened to be happy. Last week it was Rome, and the week before that, New York. It seemed that Elsa constantly dreamed of places much grander than Arendelle.

It wasn’t long after that Anna started to realize Elsa was spending less time with her. She was always working during the day, evening, and night in the little hardware store down the street. Sometimes Anna would visit, wishing to see Elsa for only a few moments, but Elsa was always the type to focus entirely on her work. If she noticed Anna she’d simply give a smile and nod before resuming her work. Anna often wanted more.

On the best of days Anna felt lonely. On the worst of days she felt ignored.

But, their love wasn’t fragile. Anna loved Elsa with all her heart and Anna was sure Elsa felt the same. As Anna’s eyes fell upon the shining platinum blonde locks, smooth marble skin, and sparkling cerulean eyes she couldn’t help but feel that Elsa made up her entire world. And that world was drifting farther and farther away.

Deep silent cracks wormed their way into Anna’s life and soon she was all but certain that Elsa would leave Arendelle…any day now.

But Anna was strong. She silenced these thoughts and feelings as best she could. Each day with Elsa was a gift to be cherished. She would never hold her girlfriend back from her dream, that wasn’t true love. She’d support Elsa in whatever she chooses and simply enjoy the moments they shared.

But Anna knew something was wrong the moment Elsa asked to spend the night with her on a day she normally worked. Elsa never changed her schedule and there was a sharp chill to the air that could only mean a great storm was heading for Arendelle, but Anna pushed her worries aside and happily accepted the invitation.

Later that evening a knock at her door caused Anna to stop pacing around in her kitchen and she made her way to the front entrance. As she opened the door a blast of beauty blinded the redhead as Elsa stood, her hands tucked behind her, a small smile on her lips and the gentle loving gaze that swirled in cerulean eyes caused Anna’s knees to buckle.

“Hey.” Elsa spoke. The greeting was smooth, silky, and contained a touch of huskiness that captivated Anna immediately.

“Hey yourself.” Anna smiled cheekily as she leaned against the door frame, her arms crossing over her chest nonchalantly.

The two stared at each other, bathing in each other’s presence for a few moments before Elsa broke their blissful silence.

“Walk with me?”

“Sure. Let me get my jacket.” Anna responded, the slightest pinch of anxiety pushing into her stomach while concerns of her future with Elsa swirling around her traitorous mind.

‘It’s just a walk with Elsa.’ Anna mentally reminded herself. ‘Nothing to be afraid of.’

The two found themselves walking along a gravel path, to their right was an old wooden fence, chipped and aged through the decades and to their left was a sprawling forest, its many pine trees layered and thriving through the winter season.

Anna glanced down between herself and Elsa, smiling at the tight, firm hold of Elsa’s hand in her own. Some things never change, and Anna considered their joined hands an everlasting haven. Anna’s eyes shifted upward, taking in Elsa’s visage, noting the way her teeth gnawed against those smooth, entrancing lips. Anna frowned. She never liked seeing Elsa nervous.

“Is everything okay?” Anna asked, her hand giving a loving squeeze to Elsa’s.

Elsa turned, a slight wrinkle to her brow in confusion. Anna sighed.

“You’re biting your lips. You always do that when you’re nervous.”

“It’s nothing.” Elsa smiled, yet Anna could practically feel the waves of tension flowing outward from her girlfriend.

Anna wanted to say more but found herself unable. She thought they had gotten over hiding secrets from each other long ago. Perhaps their relationship really was headed for a cliff and Anna couldn’t really understand why.

Anna shook herself out of her depressing thoughts when she felt Elsa’s body press against her side, the blonde’s head tilting to rest over her own smaller height. The feeling of Elsa leaning upon her brought Anna out of her fog, reminding her to enjoy the moment.

They continued walking, glued to each other’s side and it was Elsa who broke the silence.

“I missed you this week.” Elsa whispered. “You never stopped by Oaken’s.”

“I didn’t want to bother you at work.”

“You know I don’t mind.” Elsa replied softly.

Anna clenched her jaw. This wasn’t the conversation she was expecting from Elsa, but it wasn’t the one she wanted to have either.

“You could always work less. You make more than enough. Then I could see you more often.”

“I can’t.” Elsa responded, biting the bottom of her lip once more. She paused before repeating, “I can’t.”

Anna stopped, causing the blonde to stumble forward a few steps.

“Why not?” Anna growled.

Elsa’s eyes widened in surprise before shifting away from her angered girlfriend.

“Anna…I” Elsa started but found her voice slipping. “I just can’t stop working. Not yet.”

“I thought we didn’t keep secrets from each other?”

“We don’t!” Elsa swiftly replied.

“Then why the hell won’t you tell me what’s going on?”

Elsa folded her arms across her chest, her shoulders hunching over and her eyes darting back and forth nervously aimed at the ground.

“Anna you have to trust me.”

Anna stood still, her chest suddenly heaving as she roughly breathed air into her lungs. Her face felt hot with anger and her fists clenched themselves at her side. How much longer would she wait for the moment Elsa left her for something greater? How much longer could she stand to see her girlfriend slipping away while they pretended everything was the same?

“I’m going home. I’m tired.” Anna snapped before spinning her body around and marching back along the trail. She couldn’t stand the secrets, the lies. Yet despite her anger, Anna wanted nothing more than for Elsa to grab her from behind. She wanted her girlfriend to swing her arms around her and squeeze so tightly that it’d be difficult to breathe. She wanted Elsa to care.

But as the distance between them got further and further away, Anna felt her heart caving in on itself, never hearing Elsa come chasing after.

Elsa simply stood on the trail, letting Anna walk away.

Whenever Anna felt empty or broken there was always one place she’d go. A place that’s very presence made her feel something other than anguish. Her parent’s old barn, littered with mud, dirt, rusty tools and a mixture of sawdust and memories coating the air.

Hours after their walk, Anna found herself leaning against the old wooden frame in the attic of her barn. A lot of wonderful things happened in this barn. When she was a child, she remembered the greatest games of hide and seek happened within these very walls. When she was a bit older, Anna remembered the time when her father had almost caught Elsa and herself kissing next to the pile of tools that lay discarded in the corner.

This was her safest space. Yet the ache she felt in her heart could not be mended so easily by fond memories. Anna’s breath grew shaky as she leaned her head against the wall behind her. Tears worked their way into her eyes, not yet falling across freckled cheeks as she fought against them and her throat, bobbed up and down as an aching whine tried to squeeze its way past her sealed lips.

A gentle knock against wood caused Anna to quickly adjust herself upright, a mere sniffle escaping from her as she moved.

“Anna.” The voice was distinctly Elsa’s. Anna could never mistake her beautiful voice for another.

“Anna. I’m sorry.”

The redhead frustratingly rubbed at her eyes, trying to relieve the itch behind them. She didn’t want Elsa to see her this way. She didn’t want Elsa to know about the emptiness that was threatening to consume her.

‘It’s all your fault Elsa.’ Anna thought in a moment of anger and honesty, but she couldn’t say such words. She wouldn’t. Not to the one whom she gave her heart to.

The sounds of creaking wood made its way into Anna’s ears as she heard Elsa climb the ladder up to the attic. Anna looked away as blonde hair began to peak up from the floor space, followed by concerned cerulean eyes.

“Anna…” Elsa breathed, unsure what to say to the girl curled up in the corner.

“You’ll wear out my name if you keep saying it so often.” Anna mumble lowly, but Elsa heard it and her lips curled upward at Anna’s subtle joke.

Elsa pushed herself off the ladder, crawling over the dusty wooden panels to her girlfriend. She paused, noting the redness around Anna’s nose and eyes, and her trembling lip. Elsa reached out her arms.

“Come here baby.”

Anna’s eyes glanced over at Elsa for a moment.

“I’m not sure I want to.”

Elsa frowned.

“Please?”

“…”

Elsa sighed, and swept her hand over her blonde locks, smoothing them over.

“I’m sorry I made you upset.” Elsa started. “I don’t know what it looks like to you, but-.”

“You want to know what it looks like?!” Anna spun angrily, causing Elsa to flinch backwards.

“It looks like you’re avoiding me!” Anna shouted, her emotions rumbling through her. “It looks like you’d rather work like a dog than spend time with me!”

“That’s not-.” Elsa started, only to be interrupted.

“You’re always so secretive and even when you do spend time with me your mind is always somewhere else! It’s like you don’t even care about me.”

“I love you Anna.” Elsa tried.

“I love you too but that’s why this hurts so much!” Anna cried, tears now streaming down her cheeks with reckless abandon. “Why can’t you just tell me that Arendelle isn’t enough? Why can’t you just tell me that I’m not enough.”

“Anna…what?” Elsa gasped, genuine shock paralyzing her entire body.

Anna released a humorless laugh that chilled Elsa to the bone.

“You can’t hide it.” Anna chuckled emptily. “Every time you mention some stupid city or some faraway place I see it in your eyes! I see the way you wish you could be there and- and not here in this dump of a town with me!”

There was an abrupt silence between them. The only sound being the occasional sniffle from Anna as she glared across the attic at Elsa. Anna could feel the heat from her anger and sadness radiating off of herself, filling the room with a choking pressure that had Elsa strangled in its grasp.

“You really think that?” Elsa whispered, her own wide eyes, lining with tears as she felt Anna’s emotions absorb into herself. “That I…” She couldn’t finish that sentence. She couldn’t repeat Anna’s words.

“That’s what it looks like.” Anna repeated, her voice cracking from shouting and crying.

“Anna!” Elsa gasped, rushing towards the redhead, her tears falling from her face into the dusty attic air.

Anna flinched, feeling Elsa’s arms seize her in a hold so tight she struggled to breathe. Within moments, Elsa surrounded her completely, and Anna could feel Elsa’s heart pumping wildly as her bosom pressed deeply against her own. Anna lip began trembling once more, as she felt Elsa’s body shake uncontrollably while the blonde sobbed into her.

“I didn’t know An-Anna! I-I swear I didn’t!” Elsa cried.

Anna couldn’t stop her body’s automatic response to take Elsa into her arms. She couldn’t stop herself from pressing her lips into the crook of Elsa’s slender neck and inhaling her scent. Anna closed her eyes focusing on the feeling of Elsa and the words escaping from her sobbing lips as her own tears continued to fall.

“I would never- I would never- I would never-.” Elsa repeated over and over. Anna lost count of how many times the words left Elsa’s mouth, but each sentence felt like the anvil pressing over her heart was being lifted.

Elsa struggled to calm herself down until focusing on Anna’s embrace and slowly but surely she felt her breath settle and her desperate grip on Anna loosen. They lay together, pressed against the harsh wooden bark of the barn wall, while they’re emotions simmered.

“I would never leave you Anna.” Elsa whispered, pressing a gentle, loving kiss on Anna’s freckled cheek. “Never.”

“But…” Anna sat up slowly, confusion marring her brow. “but why do you work so much? What are you hiding Elsa? I don’t understand.”

Elsa separated from Anna just enough to take the redhead’s beautiful face into view. She closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts, and taking a shaky breath. After a few moments Elsa opened her eyes, a newfound resolve burning in her pupils.

“I wanted to surprise you…I was saving up for a trip.”

“For us?” Anna asked meekly.

Elsa nodded her head “For us.” She smiled before continuing, “Every time I mentioned Paris, or Rome, or wherever, I was watching your reaction.”

Anna’s eyes widened at Elsa’s confession.

Elsa chuckled, placing her hand over her brow. “Nowhere ever seemed good enough…I guess I know why…I’m sorry.”

Anna placed her hand over Elsa’s cheek, rubbing the few pale freckles that hid themselves amongst her smooth skin.

“Why didn’t you just ask me where I wanted to go? I’d love a vacation.”

Elsa leaned into Anna’s touch, placing her hand over Anna’s own.

“Well the trip wasn’t exactly supposed to be a vacation…” Elsa whispered, closing her eyes while using her hand to dig into her back pocket. She pulled a small box from behind her and held it out for Anna to see. Elsa opened her eyes and stared at Anna with all the love she could give while clicking the box open with her fingers. “…It’s supposed to be a honeymoon.”

Anna gasped as her cobalt eyes laid themselves upon a diamond ring, glittering beautifully in the palm of Elsa’s hand. A kaleidoscope of perfect crystal captivated Anna until newfound tears of happiness blurred her vision.

“Y-you’re…you want to-.” Anna choked. “With me?”

“Anna…My Anna. Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” Anna cried, slamming herself into Elsa, knocking them over onto the floor. Anna’s lips swiftly found Elsa’s own, capturing her in a passionate embrace.

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!” Anna cheered, separating from her kiss each time, only to dive back down to capture the blonde’s lips in a mixture of absolute love and lust.

Elsa smiled into Anna’s kisses, returning each one with equal with passion. She happily laid down on the dirty, dusty barn floor as Anna continued to assault her with kisses. Nearly half an hour later the two slowed, feeling the exhaustion from their emotions falter their movements.

“I don’t know where we’re gonna go yet…and I’ll need more time to save up.” Elsa whispered against Anna’s lips.

Anna separated from Elsa, hovering over her form using her arms to support her weight. Anna smiled.

“I’ll help you save up. After all, I’m your wife now. We share everything.” Anna grinned cheekily.

“My wife…” Elsa murmured, testing the words on her tongue and finding them deliciously pleasant.

“Anna.” Elsa spoke, catching the redhead’s attention. “I want you to know that I’ll never leave your side. My home…it’s wherever you are.”

Anna’s lips parted slightly, and she found herself stunned into silence. Her heart swelled with love and she felt the action send beautiful tingles throughout her body. She leaned down once more, capturing Elsa’s lips in a slow, deliberate kiss.

Anna smiled against Elsa loving the feeling of Elsa’s own grin matching hers.

“Save it for the wedding vows.”

#elsanna #december 2019 contest #prompt: small town #submission

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wordywarriorwrites · 5 years ago

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Chapter 2: Nothing Personal

Masterlist: The Boss of Brooklyn A03 Link Author: @wordywarriorwrites Summary: When it comes to being The Boss, James Buchanan “JB” Barnes rules with an iron fist. For him, there’s no room for sentiment, and certainly no time for distraction, even if it is in the form of an old flame. Steve Rogers had bowed out of the life a long time ago, but a twist of fate brings him right back into the fold, and face-to-face with a man he once loved. When a game of cat and mouse turns into a matter of life and death, both will be forced to decide whether they’ll be loyal to the business, or faithful to each other. A/N: Bucky Barnes Mob Boss AU. Stucky. For: Star’s Multi-Fandom Follower Celebration & Sherry’s Fall Into You Challenge. Warnings: Language, violence, drug use, alcohol, smoking, explicit sexual content, illegal activities.

Steve watched with narrowed eyes as the woman behind the counter tongued a lollipop and denied knowing her boss’s whereabouts. He didn’t have time for bullshit, nor was he in the mood to be polite, and when she slurped and lied again, he snapped.

“Go back there and tell him Steve Rogers is here,” he ordered. “Do it, right fucking now, or I will make your death look like an unfortunate choking accident.”

The woman must’ve sensed it wasn’t an idle threat because she immediately dropped the candy into the trash and ran for the office door. Her rapid knocking resulted in her being told to “fuck off,” but the moment she stuttered his name, she was instructed to flip the sign, lock the front door, and get lost.

“Well, well, well,” Sam greeted. “Has the prodigal son finally returned?”

Steve unzipped his jacket, retrieved an envelope from the inner-pocket, and tossed it onto the counter. When Sam broke the seal, a lot of green was revealed, and he motioned for Steve to follow him.

As soon as the hidden panel in the back room slid open, a dark, twisted zing of excitement shot up his spine. This life and the behavior it evoked – it should’ve bothered him, but it didn’t. Like no time had passed at all, Sam followed him around the room, duffel bag at the ready, and packed up his selections. When asked what all the hardware was for, Steve said personal protection, and shoved another envelope of money into Sam’s hand.

“Steve, man, come on…”

“Take it. Call it an apology bonus.”

Sam handed over the bag and pocketed the cash, “He’s in charge now. You know that, right?”

Steve grunted in acknowledgement, but didn’t comment. He’d been in town less than a week and had already heard all about what the man had been up to over the last five years. When Steve had known him, he’d been Bucky, but now, he went by JB, and his former best friend was at the tippy-top of the proverbial food chain.

There were six Families – Barton, Maximoff, Odinson, Stark, Rogers, and Barnes – and all their ancestors had taken a turn at the helm at one time or another. He and Bucky had been raised from birth to own and run the city, but they hadn’t just grown up and come up together – they’d gone through everything together. Puberty; initiation; coming out of the closet; bad breakups; first jobs; high school; college.

They’d even buried their first dead body together.

After graduation, Steve had a position lined up at a lucrative art gallery ripe for money laundering and weapons trafficking. Bucky threw himself in with the politicians and socialites, which provided ample opportunity for extortion and bribery. For nearly a decade, it had been simple, and it had made sense. They’d excelled; honed their skills; brought in more than enough money to appease. It hadn’t been perfect and they’d fucked up a few times, but no matter what, they’d always had each other’s backs.

Then, one night, Bucky got hurt during what was supposed to have been a routine job, and for Steve, it had changed everything…

He’d met Derek at a gallery opening.

They’d hit it off instantly; exchanged numbers; texted for over a week before finally going on a date. Derek was smart, flirtatious, down-to-earth, and so damn good looking. After their second date, Steve agreed to a nightcap, and followed Derek back to his place. The invitation had been a ploy they’d both been in on and they’d barely made it past the threshold.

“I want you,” he panted as he reached for Steve’s belt.

Steve groaned into Derek’s mouth, “You know I have a minimum three-date rule.”

“Which you know I find archaically sexy.”

“I really should go.”

“I really don’t want you to.”

Self-restraint was all well and good, but after such a long dry spell, it was difficult to stick to principle. It also didn’t help that Derek’s hands had found their way beneath his shirt and his mouth had latched onto a particular spot on Steve’s neck that really drove him crazy. He’d been seconds away from asking where the bedroom was when his cellphone rang, and the sound of Bucky’s ringtone brought him up short.

He knew Steve was on a date, but if Bucky was calling, it was important, and that meant he needed to answer. He apologized to Derek and retrieved his phone from his pocket.

“My best friend – he’s just checking in on me,” Steve explained.

“I completely understand and will make myself scarce,” he replied. “Just be sure to tell him how hot you think I am and that I’m not a serial killer, alright?”

Steve just smirked, and as soon as Derek was out of sight and earshot, he accepted the call. He’d been poised to tell Bucky his timing, per usual, was terrible, but the strained voice that rattled out his name killed both his arousal and his humor. Something had gone wrong and he didn’t hesitate – didn’t even tell Derek he was leaving – he just ran out the door, and got into his car. Bucky only managed to give him a street name before he started wheezing.

“I’m on my way,” Steve told him. “Just hang on. I’m comin’ for you, Buck.”

He couldn’t quite recall where exactly where he’d found Bucky, but he distinctly remembered the blood, and how it had looked as it trickled down his chin and spread all over the pavement. His pale face and cold hands; the absolute terror Steve had felt when he couldn’t get his best friend to wake up; the rage, horror, and regret; the frantic drive to the hospital; the nerve-wracking wait.

The Families made a show of support, but their concern for Bucky’s actual well-being had been feigned at best. Bucky had become a popular man, was well-liked in the territories he ran, and was one of the biggest earners they had. If they lost him, business would suffer, and that’s all they cared about.

While they were preoccupied with appearances, retaliation, and continued cash flow, Steve was losing his mind, because the only man he’d ever loved was hanging on by a thread. When they weighed Bucky’s chances of survival against the consequences of retribution, he knew they had to get out.

Bucky lived and recovered; in fact, he’d bounced back faster and better than anyone expected him to, and the fact that he carried on like a good, little soldier had pissed Steve off. The awkward conversation they had about it turned into a heated argument, and it wasn’t until they’d exchanged blows and Bucky had put Steve in a chokehold that he broke.

He admitted how scared he’d been; that he was furious with the Families; he couldn’t stand the thought of him being hurt again; he’d been in love with him since they were kids; couldn’t imagine life without him. Like a sinner who confessed to a priest, the multitude of iniquities spilled and spilled, but he knew there’d be no absolution – not in this lifetime, at least.

Steve hadn’t just blurred the boundaries of their friendship; he’d completely crossed the line. It could’ve been his admission, Bucky’s brush with death, or the fact they were just two, fucked up men with a lot of baggage – whatever it was, it shifted things between them. Bucky hadn’t commented on anything Steve had told him, but he’d definitely reacted. Instead of being restrained with malice, Steve found himself trapped by passion, and no words had been needed for that.

It had meant something to Steve, but for Bucky, it had been nothing more than a pity fuck…

“You know you can’t hide from him.”

He tore himself away from the bitter musings and looked at Sam, “Who says I’m hiding?”

“He’ll go right for your throat.”

“Careful, Sam, or I’ll start to think you actually care what happens to me.”

“You know I always liked you best.”

Steve rolled his eyes and shouldered the bag, “And on that note.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sam muttered as they exited the back room.

He took a different route back to the car, but with each step, the sensation of being followed intensified. When he reached the vehicle, he put the bag in the front passenger seat, shut the door, and slowly turned around. A few moments later, Natasha stepped into the alley, and her appearance meant there would be no meeting in Prospect Park.

“Rogers,” she greeted quietly.

“Romanoff,” he replied back.

Natasha took another step forward, “This isn’t personal.”

Steve nodded once, “I know.”

When presented with a difficult decision, the Families either discussed it, ignored it, or threw money at it. They hadn’t invited him for a sit-down, let alone attempted to bribe him, and he knew they wouldn’t have taken him down in public, which meant it wasn’t a fully planned, sanctioned hit.

Bucky would’ve backed down or at the very least done it himself.

JB had pulled rank and sent someone else to do his dirty work.

“Just make it quick,” he told her.

She placed a hand on his shoulder, “I will.”

Steve showed her his empty hands and it lulled her into a false sense of security. She reached for her weapon and he allowed her to. Then, without reluctance or mercy, used her own tactics against her.

An abrupt intake of breath; a sudden cough; a low groan of pain.

The retractable wrist blade had slipped right between her ribs and punctured a lung.

Steve withdrew the knife and watched as Natasha slowly fell to her knees on the dirty, wet pavement. He found her phone in her pocket, thought about using it to call her an ambulance, but reconsidered. Instead, he demanded she unlock it, and after she did, he brought up good ol’ JB’s number.

“Is it done?” he asked by way of greeting.

“No,” Steve answered coldly. “But if you hurry, she might live.”

Chapter 3: Sleight

Everything: @jennmurawski13 @nerdy-bookworm-1998

Steve Rogers: @patzammit @hearttoearth The Boss of Brooklyn: @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan @jamesbarnesappreciationsociety @captain-rogers-beard @lilliannaansalla

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archatlas · 6 years ago

Note

Hey Archy, happy new year first and foremost! Im kinda in a tight spot, could you please tell me where I could find facade details of something that looks like the tinbeerwah house by the teeland architects. I need it for a school project and besides some immovable brise soleils i cant seem to find something that actually moves. Would be of great help if you could help me where to look. Thanks a lot in advance! Much love!

I couldn’t find any details of the house per se, but the description provided by the architects gives you a general idea: The house is designed as an operable glass pavilion that is wrapped in sliding hardwood screens…

I would search manufacturers of sliding wood screens for their installation details and attach that on the exterior of a glass box.

Below is a VERY simplified diagram of what I understand the wall section could be.

jj-lj said:

My guess would be it’s probably a concealed “barn door “ hardware that’s galvanized steel and extremely durable. Trick is to devise a “hidden” derail.

#Dear ARCHy #Architecture

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dawnjeman · 6 years ago

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Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Painted Brick Exterior

Hi, everyone! How are you today? I had such a wonderful weekend. I baked with my husband and even attempted to make some cheese… but don’t ask about that! LOL. Anyway, I am super happy and excited because the weather is finally changing and the sun is shinning. I am also so very happy because I adore Callie of ceshome6 and her style so much that this is the second time I have her on my “Beautiful Homes of Instagram” series. The first time, I shared her formal home (you can see it here) and it became one of my most-pinned posts! Today, I am proud to be sharing Callie’s new home and I am sure you will enjoy seeing and knowing all details as much as I did!

“My husband and I were originally from a small town in North Texas near Oklahoma. We have known each other since kindergarten but didn’t start dating until our junior year of high school. After graduation we moved to the Dallas area for college and have stayed close ever since. We will have been married for 15 years this July and have 4 beautiful children; a 17 year old daughter, a 14 year old daughter, a 9 year old son, and a 5 year old daughter. I feel very blessed to be able to stay at home with them and take care of our family and home.

We had planned to build a home again but during our search I found this spec home and the moment I walked in I loved it. It was my style with the color selections and it was the perfect size for our family. Another bonus was that it was already complete and ready to move in. We went for it and two months later we moved into our new home.

My favorite part of the home is the long open kitchen, dining and living space in one and we spend the most time gathered in this area as a family. I’ve always loved to decorate my homes to really feel cozy and welcoming. I don’t have one specific design style but like to incorporate in different pieces I like. My home is a mix of modern, rustic, farmhouse and french country. I also try to be minimal in my decor because with having 4 kids I don’t want to have to worry so much about moving things all the time or things getting broken.”

I hope you enjoy our house tour!

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Painted Brick Exterior

What first caught my eye about this home was definitely the white exterior. There’s something about a white home! I was sold before I even walked in. The 2 porches in the front were also a huge selling point because we love to sit outside and watch the kids play. We have a huge open space in the front of our home that’s almost the size of a football field and perfect for football, baseball or soccer.

The exterior brick paint color is PPG Atrium White and shutters are PPG Black Forest.

Front Porch

We love that this home has 3 outdoor spaces including a front porch, a patio balcony and a side patio.

Sunshine

A pair of outdoor chairs make this front porch feel even more inviting.

Beautiful Patio Sets: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Brick

The front porch also features brick flooring in a beautiful pattern.

Adirondack Rocking Chairs: here – similar.

Home-Sweet-Home

Callie’s home feel happy and welcoming from all angles!

“Home-Sweet-Home” Doormat: Target.

Kitchen

I absolutely love Callie’s kitchen. It’s open and spacious without feeling overwhelming.

White Kitchen with Character

The kitchen backsplash tile is Emser Tile 4×10 Metro Honed with an accent over the stove in Emser 12×12 Metro Mosaic.

Counterstools: Target – no longer available – similar here – Others: here, here, here & here.

Magnolia Wreath: here – similar.

Countertop

The kitchen countertops are Granite in Lennon.

Beautiful 3 Tiered Wooden Trays: here & here.

Kitchen Cabinet

The best part of the kitchen is the long buffet countertop that’s perfect for entertaining because we like to host parties. This counter space runs almost 15 feet long so it holds all the food you could eat.

Cabinet Paint Color

The cabinet paint color is PPG Gypsum in semi-gloss.

Appliances: GE.

Dining Room

This entire space is perfect for entertaining.

Linen Chairs: RH – similar here & here.

Dining Room Furniture

Kitchen Table: Restoration Hardware – Other Beautiful Dining Tables: here, here, here & here.

X-back Dining Chairs: RH – similar here (huge sale!).

Vases: here – similar.

Fruit Spray Olive Branches: here.

Table Runner: here & here – similar.

Great Room

The floors in the main living areas are Red Oak hardwoods scraped lightly with the grain and stained ebony.

Beautiful Hardwood Flooring: here, here & here.

Splash of Color

I keep with a pretty neutral theme throughout the year and add in pops of color depending on the season using florals, pillows or artwork. For spring this year I’ve added in light pink, yellow, and teal.

A Little Friend

This is Jinger – pronounced Ginger… we had to change it to a “J” so she would have the same as the other kids!! I got her own couch for her to go in the living room because she’s been scratching up our leather couch with her nails and she loves it!! Target has the cutest doggie beds! I loved this buffalo plaid one and it goes so well with all my other decor!

Metal Cabinet: Universal Furniture Bannister Display Cabinet – similar here & here.

Chairs: Ashley HomeStore.

Side table: Target – similar here.

Furniture Layout

What an inspiring furniture layout! The large leather sectional is perfect for the entire family to relax and watch something at the end of the day.

Credenza: Bassett Furniture Emporium 92″ in Compass Northern Grey – Others: here, here, here & here.

Rug: here (9×12)- Other Beautiful Rugs: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Wall & Trim Paint Color

The walls and ceilings throughout the home are painted PPG Whiskers in flat. The trim throughout is PPG Gypsum in semi-gloss.

Home Ideas

This home is a little unique because when you first walk in the front door you walk right into the living room, dining room and then the kitchen area. It’s one long space.

The leather sectional is Bassett Furniture Ellery L-shaped sectional in Stone – similar here, here, here & here.

Side table is from At Home – similar here.

Beautiful Coffee Tables: here, here, here, here & here.

Furniture & Decor

I like to shop for larger furniture pieces at Bassett Furniture, Nebraska Furniture Mart or Restoration Hardware. I’ve found that they all have great quality furniture. Most all of my small furniture and decor pieces come from Hobby Lobby, Kirkland’s, Homegoods or Target.

Decor: Console table – RH – similar here.

Throw: Target – Others: here & here.

Floral Pillow: here & here– similar

Blush Pink Pillow: here – similar.

Wood Scrabble Letter Tiles

My gallery wall is still one of my favorite things in the house!! The way this house is built this wall is hidden unless you go up the stairs! Sometimes I’ll go up there just to look at it!

The wood Scrabble letter tiles feature our names and birth dates.

Wood Scrabble Letters: here – similar.

Master Bedroom

The master bedroom is located in the back of the house.

Magnolia Inspiration

I decided I wanted a black a white theme when I saw a photo from Magnolia Home that had beautiful black wood arched frames behind the nightstands. I like to save money when possible so I found my own version from Kirkland’s (similar here) and spray painted them black to get the same look for over half the cost.

Bed & Bedding

The bed set is from the Magnolia Home line at Nebraska Furniture Mart. The bedding and lamps are from Target.

Decor

There’s a small corner in the room that was bare so I found this cute macrame wall hanging (similar here) and an olive plant at Homegoods. It’s very simple but I love it.

Faux Olive Plant: here.

Study

The study is in the front of the home off to the side when you come in the front door. I recently completed a makeover in my study by adding Weaber Lumber white washed wall boards from Home Depot to a focal wall and I love how the transformation turned out. It makes the room so bright and open. I also added greenery with these hanging macrame plant hangers from amazon. I decided to save some money by painting a few terra cotta pots from Hobby Lobby to match my decor and filled them with IKEA plants.

To really make the room pop I changed out the lighting to a beautiful wood bead chandelier from World Market. I found this desk at Restoration Hardware a few years ago and both the chair and rug are from Nebraska Furniture Mart.

Similar Desk: here – Others: here, here, here & here.

Similar Desk Chair: here.

John 10:10

Metal Sign: Vintage Metal Co.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my home!

Many thanks to Callie for sharing all of the details above.

Make sure to follow Callie on Instagram to see more of her beautiful home!

Best Sales of the Month:

Thank you for shopping through Home Bunch. I would be happy to assist you if you have any questions or are looking for something in particular. Feel free to contact me and always make sure to check dimensions before ordering. Happy shopping!

Serena & Lily: New Spring Arrivals! Gorgeous Pillows, Bedding & Rugs!

Wayfair: Up to 75% OFF – Huge Sales on Decor, Furniture, Rugs & Outdoor Furniture!!!

Joss & Main: Up to 65% Off on Outdoor Furniture & Decor!

Pottery Barn: 20% Off Furniture, 25% Off Everything Else + Free Shipping. Use Code: LUCKY

One Kings Lane: High Quality Design Decor for Less – Limited time only: 20% Off Furniture with Code OKLFURNISH

West Elm: 20% Off your entire Purchase + Free Shipping: Use Code: EARNEDIT

Anthropologie: Take an extra 40% off all sale items! See Joanna Gaines Exclusive line here!

Urban Outfitters: Hip & Affordable Home Decor.

Horchow: The Big Sale: 25% Off Furniture & 30% Off Sitewide!

Nordstrom: Up to 40% OFF – Free Shipping!

Arhaus: Save up to 30% plus Buy More Save More!

Posts of the Week:

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Fixer Upper.

Home Bunch’s Top 5: Kitchen Design Ideas.

Before & After Bathroom Renovation.

2019 New Year Home Tour.

Full-scale Home Remodel Inspiration.

Kitchen Renovation with Before & After Pictures.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: How to Build your own Home.

Connecticut Beach House.

Interior Design Ideas: Colorful Interiors.

New England Home.

Interior Design Ideas: Home Renovation.Classic Colonial Home Design. Family-friendly Home Design.

New Year, New Beautiful Homes of Instagram. Georgian-Style Manor with Traditional Interiors.

Transitional Home Design.

Grey Kitchen Paint Colors.

Follow me on Instagram: @HomeBunch

You can follow my pins here: Pinterest/HomeBunch

See more Inspiring Interior Design Ideas in my Archives.

“Dear God,

If I am wrong, right me. If I am lost, guide me. If I start to give-up, keep me going.

Lead me in Light and Love”.

Have a wonderful day, my friends and we’ll talk again tomorrow.”

with Love,

Luciane from HomeBunch.com

Come Follow me on

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invisibleanonymousmonsters · 7 years ago

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Howlin’ For You (1/?)

Description: When Y/N gets an unreal deal on her first home, she wonders why her neighbor scared away all the other buyers. Despite being cautious, she doesn’t fully understand what gave Bucky Barnes such a bad name.

Pairing: AU - Biker!Bucky x Fem/Reader

Word Count: 3,553

I’m obsessed with Biker!Bucky. This is my first attempt at an AU. So I’m pretty excited.

The realtor watched Y/N carefully, trying to gage every facial expression and hum she made.

But on the inside, Y/N had fallen head over heels with the house. It was cozy and cute. There hadn’t been any other home that had as much natural lighting. The last owner had completely updated the whole place, but kept the vintage charm and character. It was sitting on a huge plot of land. But most importantly, it had a front porch that Y/N had always dreamed of owning.

“Okay. What’s the catch?” Y/N finally broke her silence.

The realtor seemed to be waiting for this moment, but still attempted to look confused.

Y/N narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “This place has been completely redone, yet kept with its original charm. There is more land than I know what to do with. It’s basically my dream home. So why is the asking price so low?”

The realtor apparently knew she couldn’t get anything past Y/N. So she took in a deep breath. “I’ve had a lot of trouble selling this house. The owner had to lower the asking price after years of failing to sell.” She took in a deep breath and then walked to a window at the front of the home. She gestured toward the only house within a mile or two. It sat right across the street. “It’s the neighbors.”

Y/N observed the house as if she was trying to figure out the problem on her own.

“What’s the deal? Drug dealer? Whore house? Meth lab?” That was all she could think of that would deter someone from living in this perfect home.

“I forget that you’re new to this town. Mr. Barnes keeps interesting company. Most of the town is terrified of him and his gang.”

“What’s wrong with his friends?” Y/N shrugged.

“Not friends. Gang. I meant that word literally. Rumor has it he’s the head of the biker gang. People call them the Howling Commandos.”

Y/N couldn’t help but laugh. “Biker gang!? Like Marlon Brando in ‘The Wild One’ biker gang?!” This couldn’t be real.

“Laugh all you want, sweetheart. But that biker gang is the reason I can’t sell this damn house.”

The realtor’s stressed demeanor and slight annoyance finally made Y/N take her seriously.

“So what? There’s been shootings or stabbings in the area?”

“Oh god no!” The realtor gasped.

“Okay… so noise complaints?”

“You’ll hear their motorcycles coming and going every once in awhile. But the last owner of this house never called the cops on them once. In fact, she said that Mr. Barnes was nothing but polite and nice to her in all the years she lived here.”

Y/N squinted. “Then I don’t get what the big deal is…?”

“It’s a small and conservative town, Ms. Y/L/N. People hear rumors and project their judgement on anyone that doesn’t fit into their silly mold.”

Y/N nodded slowly and continued to stare at the house. “I’ll take it.”

“What?” The realtor’s jaw dropped.

“I said I’ll take it.” Y/N repeated. She knew this house was a steal. But more importantly, she knew how ignorant people could be towards someone that was even slightly different. It even felt a little too familiar to the reasoning for move in the first place.

She made her offer and signed all the necessary paperwork and a few days later the realtor was practically dancing as she handed the keys over to Y/N.

A couple weeks later, Y/N had moved all her stuff in and immediately started nesting. Cleaning and decorating were completely underrated activities. No matter how long or hard it took to finish the tasks, one could always see how much progress they’d made.

Y/N was cleaning the front porch when she stared at her front door. The brown door was nice, but it didn’t feel like her. She used to always say she hated the suburban trend of having no colors in their homes. Everything was beige in every single house from her childhood. She’d made a vow that she’d use as many bright colors as she wanted when she finally got to buy her own home.

Y/N looked at the door and a color just popped into her head. With a smile, Y/N practically skipped to her car to go to the hardware store.

It was when she was in paint covered overalls, on her hands and knees, sandpapering the door when she got her first glimpse of her neighbor.

As soon as she heard the roar of a motor, her head snapped up.

However, he zoomed into the driveway and straight to his detached garage at the back of his property so quickly that she didn’t catch his face. But she couldn’t miss his broad shoulders. Even though he was wearing a hefty leather jacket, she assumed it was sitting on top of a muscular body. She also noted his shaggy hair was that pulled into a small bun on his neck.

Y/N then glanced down at her outfit and was somewhat relieved he hadn’t seemed to notice her either. She was wearing baggy overalls and just a bralette underneath. Her sister called them her construction overalls with a tone of disapproval. Y/N just ignored her.

Y/N took one last glance at her neighbor’s house in hopes of catching a glimpse of him. But he was either hiding in his garage or slipped in a back door of his house. She shrugged and continued painting her front door. When she was finally done, she took a step back and stared at it with pride.

The brown door was now a hot pink.

“Becky what the hell is the matter with you?” Y/N yelled into her cellphone.

“Come on, Y/N. Don’t be so ridiculous. It’s just a date.” Her sister responded on the phone.

“Yes, a date that I didn’t say yes to! I don’t know this guy…” Y/N groaned.

“Well that’s kind of the whole point of a blind date. Mom and I think he’s perfect for you.”

“Oh that’s just great. Now you and mom are plotting my life together. That’s just fucking perfect, Becky.” Y/N pinched the bridge of her nose, desperately trying to think of a way to get out of this. “Listen, I still have so much unpacking to do and decorating. I don’t have time to go on a date. Nor do I want to.”

“It’s too late for that. I gave him your number and new address. He’s going to pick you up tonight at 7 o’clock.”

“What! Becky! You can’t just give my address to strangers. Are you insane?!” Y/N shrieked. “Give me his number. I’m calling to cancel.”

“Nope. Not happening.” Becky was unfazed by Y/N’s reaction. “And he’s not a stranger. He’s the son of a woman in mom’s book club.”

“I literally hate you so much right now. I want you to know that.” Y/N’s voice turned into a hiss. She didn’t bother waiting for a response before hanging up on her sister.

Lucky for her, she’d already unpacked the throw pillows for the couch. Immediately she threw her phone to the other side of the couch and picked up a pillow to scream into. After she let out most of her anger, she looked at the clock. It was already 5, which meant that she had two hours to get ready for this date.

It had only been a month since Y/N had moved further away from her family. Yet it didn’t deter them from trying to control her life. The day she got her first home, she felt a sense of relief… like she hadn’t taken a breath in years. But that freedom was clearly already being attacked.

Y/N begrudgingly showered, picked out an outfit, and groomed herself. The sick feeling in her gut got worse and worse as it came closer to 7. She had to stop herself from audibly groaning when the doorbell rang.

Y/N opened the door to find a tall and handsome man waiting for her. He seemed somewhat relieved and maybe even a little impressed when he finally saw the woman he’d agreed to go on a date with.

“You must be Will.” Y/N immediately put on her charm. Even if she didn’t want to go on this date, she could at least make it interesting. Flirting was a game to her. One that she was almost too good at. It ended up confusing a lot of men and having them mistake her outgoingness for attraction and interest.

They immediately started with the awkward introductions and shared a laugh about their mothers being too aggressively involved in their dating lives. When Y/N walked out, she noticed the man’s fancy sports car. In fact, the effort not to roll her eyes at it stopped her from realizing that her neighbor was walking to his mailbox at the edge of his driveway.

A few hours later, Y/N was being dropped off back home. She couldn’t lie, Will was sweet and a gentleman. But he came with a life that Y/N was trying to get away from. She felt bad already knowing that there wasn’t going to be a second date. She felt even worse when it seemed that Will was under the impression that there definitely would be.

She’d given him a hug goodnight and thanked him for paying for dinner, even though she genuinely offered to pay her half a dozen times.

As soon as she heard his car disappear, Y/N let out a sigh of relief. She ripped off the dress. Even though she thought it was cute, it felt so restrictive. Taking it off gave her a weird sense of freedom.

Y/N looked around at her house. She’d done a lot of work, but there was still so much more to be done. She needed to get out of the house, grab some air…air that wasn’t intruded by a strange man her family set up.

Since Y/N had her fair share of wine on the date, she decided going for a walk was the only responsible option. She changed into cutoff shorts and ratty t-shirt before grabbing a small purse and locking the door behind her.

She hadn’t been able to explore the area yet. That’s why she was pleasantly surprised to find a grungy bar hidden in the trees a mile or so up from her house. It looked divey and a little rough around the edges. But it seemed so refreshing compared to the stiff and boring date she’d just been forced to go on.

“Fuck it.” Y/N muttered to herself before she walked to the entrance.

There were a dozen muscle cars and a bunch of motorcycles parked outside. Y/N couldn’t help but admire them before pulling the door open.

Y/N looked around and immediately knew she was going to stick out… even with the shorts and band t-shirt she was wearing. She just looked too clean and innocent. There was more ink than skin in the place. It practically smelled of leather and whiskey. The music was nothing that would ever be played on the radio. But Y/N loved it.

By some luck, there was a single stool open at the corner of the long bar. She made her way there and ordered a whiskey on the rocks.

“You’re new.” The female bartender said with a smile that completely contrasted the aesthetic of the bar she worked in.

Y/N laughed lightly. “Yeah, I just moved here actually.”

“How about that. I’m Wanda.”

Her friendliness brought a smile to her face. “I’m Y/N.”

“Nice to meet you. What can I get you?”

“Can I just get a whiskey on the rocks?”

Wanda nodded and winked, moving to the other side of the bar to make the drink.

Y/N was able to enjoy a drink alone for about a half hour. Wanda would come over whenever she was free and asked her a question or two. She seemed to like having a girl to talk to. All the other women at the bar seemed to be with a group or with their significant others.

However, Y/N’s peace was ruined when a guy moved to her side. He acted like he needed to order a drink, but he was unnecessarily close to her.

Y/N wasn’t stupid; she knew this move all too well.

“How ya doing?” He looked down at her after he placed his order.

“Fine.” She responded without looking at him or sounding the least bit interested.

He didn’t pick up on it. “Can I buy you a drink?”

Y/N finished her drink dramatically for effect. “Nope. I’m good.”

“Come on. You look like you could use some company.” Then he caressed her waist and slid down to her ass.

Y/N slapped his hand away and shot up from her bar stool. It flew of its legs and made a loud bang when it hit the floor.

“Don’t fucking touch me.” Y/N hissed as she finally looked at her harasser. He had dark eyes that made her feel empty. He also looked way to old to be hitting on her. But there was a danger about him that made her suddenly concerned for her safety.

“Rumlow! Back off!” Wanda came rushing over.

“Is there a problem here?” Someone asked from behind Y/N. The voice was deep and grainy, filled with masculinity.

She turned slightly without completely turning her back on the guy who was apparently called Rumlow. She saw a tall man with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes that were currently glaring at Rumlow. On either side of him were two other men that were just as broad and intimidating. One had light blonde hair and eyes that could compete with the other one. The third man had dark skin and a face that said he had a gentleness he was constantly trying to hide.

The whole bar had gone silent, watching the scene unfold. This was not the attention Y/N wanted or needed right now.

“I was just trying to buy the lady a drink.” Rumlow shrugged.

“Really? Because it looked like you were groping her.” Wanda snapped from behind the bar.

Rumlow scoffed. “Oh, give me a break.”

Y/N was in fight or flight mode now. So she grabbed her wallet from her purse, grabbed $20 and slammed it on the bar. She gave Wanda a thankful and apologetic look. Without looking at the group of men that had interrupted, she hurriedly brushed past them. Y/N prayed no one would follow her, especially Rumlow.

She quickened her pace when she heard the door open again and heavy footsteps trailing behind her.

“You okay?” They asked with a surprising gentleness. It wasn’t patronizing, but sincere.

“I’m fine.” She answered without stopping.

“Need a ride?” They asked again.

“No. I’m walking.” She retorted and then swore internally when she realized the vulnerable information she just shared.

“It’s over two miles to your house.” They pointed out.

That made Y/N stop in terror. She turned around to find it was the same guy with the blue eyes. “How the fuck do you know where I live?” Her hand was already reaching into her purse, trying to find her phone so she could call 911.

The man smirked at her attitude. “I’m your neighbor.”

For some reason, that made Y/N relax. She still had never got a good look at him during the month she’d been living here. It would explain why she hadn’t recognized him. But looking at the man now, she noted that his hair was in that low bun again.

“I’m Bucky.” He stepped forward slowly, like he didn’t want to scare her, and offered his hand to her

She looked at his hand for too long. “Ugh. Hi. Sorry. I’m Y/N.”

His grip was strong and confident.

“How did you know I was your neighbor?” She asked softly.

“I’ve seen you doing work around the house.” He shrugged casually. “I like the pink door, by the way.” He smirked as her eyes widened from the compliment.

She looked down at her feet and laughed. “Yeah. It’s a little weird. But I’ve always dreamed of having a pink door on a house.” Then she realized she really didn’t want to be in this conversation. She didn’t even know why she just told him that personal detail about herself. “It was nice to finally meet you, Bucky. But it’s been kind of a long night. I’m gonna head out.” Her excuse was casual, like she hadn’t almost started a brawl in a bar from a dude’s inappropriate behavior.

“Let me give you a ride.” Bucky took a step forward.

“I’m seriously fine. I can take care of myself.”

“Look, this area can get a little rough sometimes. Especially this late at night. If you don’t want to get on a motorcycle, that’s fine. I’ll walk you home. Or at least let me call your boyfriend.” He held up his hands in surrender, like he was scared any sudden movement would spook her.

Y/N couldn’t help but laugh darkly. “Yeah good luck calling a boyfriend.”

Bucky’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Do you want me to ask Wanda to drive you home?”

“No.” Y/N said quickly. She had already caused enough problems and didn’t want to be an inconvenience. Wanda needed to make money off tips and good service. She wasn’t about to get in the way of that.

Before Bucky could say anything else, the bar door burst open. One of Bucky’s friends was throwing a beat up Rumlow to the ground. His lip was split and his nose was bleeding.

“Learn some damn manners, Brock. Next time you harass a pretty girl, I’ll let Bucky handle you. I took it easy on you.” The man scolded Rumlow.

“Yeah, yeah. Go fuck yourself, Wilson.” Rumlow spit blood on the dirt in front of him.

Y/N looked horrified and realized this place was much more dangerous that her naive mind realized. Using the distraction to her advantage, she quickly walked away and hurried into the shadows.

The road didn’t have any streetlights, which only added to Y/N’s tension. She almost broke out into a run when she heard the sound of a motorcycle approaching behind her.

Bucky skidded his bike to a halt as soon as he was parallel to her. “Get on.”

“Christ. You’re really not going to let me walk home alone, are you?” Y/N groaned.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re stubborn?” He shot back.

“Just about everyone I’ve ever known.” She couldn’t help but smile mischievously. But she’d given up on fighting him. If he really planned on killing her, at least she’d go out with a bang. Plus, it wouldn’t take the police long to figure out what happened to her. Girl moves in across the street from the leader of a biker gang… pretty straightforward.

Bucky smiled at his small success. He was about to tell her how to get on, but Y/N was already swinging her leg over the back of his bike like a natural.

“Hold on.” He instructed.

She gripped his shoulders, instead of his waist.

As soon as Bucky was speeding down the tree covered road, Y/N was glad she’d taken him up on his offer. She was so lost in thought on her walk earlier that she completely underestimated the time it would’ve taken her to get back home.

But before she knew it, Bucky was pulling into her driveway. He turned off the bike and helped her off.

“Thank you. For the ride…and…and for stepping in back at the bar.” Y/N looked at the ground.

To her surprise, Bucky chuckled. “Looked like you had it handled.”

She slowly nodded. “Right. Well… goodnight, Bucky.”

“Hey Y/N?” Bucky called as she reached the stairs to her porch.

She turned around.

“Don’t be a stranger. Let me know if you ever need anything. Okay?” His voice was firm and genuine.

Y/N just nodded, but knew she would never take him up on the offer.

When she was in the safety of her house and saw Bucky ride away, assumingely back to the bar, Y/N took in a deep breath. Her first interaction with her neighbor left her utterly confused. Clearly he ran with a rough crowd, she thought as the vision of Rumlow beaten and bloodied repeated in her head.

But Bucky also seemed genuinely cornered about her safety. The chivalrous intentions contradicted with the biker gang aesthetic. He had to be a criminal of some sort, right? No one was in a gang without breaking laws at some point.

Y/N didn’t trust him. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t deeply intrigued by him.

She went to bed and couldn’t stop thinking about how much she enjoyed being close to his warm body as they sped through the darkness.

Part Two

So let me know if ya’ll are interested int this continuing. To be honest, been discouraged recently with the last of response on the past few one-shots/drabbles. There’s really no point in fanfic if it feels like no one is reading or enjoying all the time and effort I put in.

#bucky au #bucky alternate universe #bucky barnes au #biker!bucky #biker bucky #biker!bucky x reader #biker!bucky x you #bucky reader insert #marvel au #marvel biker gang au #marvel reader insert #marvel fic #bucky fic #bucky barnes fic

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