#howard stark

[areallivegirl7]

the bisexual energy that Howard Stark gives off is so potent my gaydar gives me a hell of a headache

[nicolebarnes]

i’m officially dead :)

[youronebraincell]

Do you get deja vu…

[5ummit]

You have the target in range. Shoot.

[kayotical]

«The Rook's Aftermath»

Part Two: The Rook's Secret

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Summary:

Isla Stane, the New Avengers' personal publicist, has spent her life trying to get as far away from her father's tainted legacy as possible. Bucky Barnes, unbeknownst to either of them, is an unfortunate casualty of Obadiah Stane's chemtrail of evil. What happens when the truth of Obadiah's past and it's connection to Bucky Barnes' past comes to light? Will Isla maintain her position with The New Avengers, or will she let the skeleton's from her father's closet corrupt everything she's worked for?

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This work is inspired by What If...? Season 3, Episode 3, the plot line from Captain America: Civil War, and the ending point of The New Avengers in Thunderbolts*.

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Pairing: James "Bucky" Barnes/OFC

Warning/Tags: Recommended 18+ / Mostly Angst and Fluff with Mild Violence, Language, and Intimacy

Word Count: 3.1k

Part One can be read HERE

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Isla walked down the busy street in New York City during the early morning rush hour. She had woken before her alarm, having slept restlessly. Her mind was still going a mile a minute after her encounter with Bucky the day previous. 

His whole demeanor, how he spoke to her, his stormy and guarded expression. It all made her uneasy, and the longer it took FRIDAY to scour the databases she requested, the more the pit of anxiety in her stomach grew. 

The crisp autumn air whipped past her face as she crossed the street and pushed the door open to her favorite local coffee shop just a few blocks from the New Avengers tower. The door swung shut slowly behind her, the wind on the street holding the door open a few seconds longer than usual. Taking a few steps towards the counter, Isla fixed her wind-swept hair over her shoulders and shrugged off her bag and coat. 

The cafe smelt of freshly pressed coffee and steamed milk, a scent that had become so familiar to Isla, the security it brought her actually helped ease her anxiety. Placing her coat and bag over the seat of her usual table, she approached the counter to place her order. 

“The lovely Isla!” The barista greeted her. “You’re here early, hun. You sleeping okay?” He asked. 

“Not last night, no. Though, seeing you has definitely brightened my morning, ‘Miah.” She offered a faint smile. 

Jeremiah scoffed lightly and threw his hand dramatically over his heart. It elicited a small chuckle from Isla, easing the anxiety in her even more. 

“You’re too good to me, baby girl. Is it gonna be your usual, or are you finally gonna shake things up for a change?” He teased her, ringing up her usual order knowing damn well she wasn’t going to stray from the chosen path. 

“Oh, God no. You know me. If I get something different, with my luck, the fucking sky will fall!” They were both laughing now from the dramatized notion. 

“You’re insane. I love it.” He praised.  

He turned away from the register to begin making her usual coffee: a medium hot lavender vanilla latte with oat milk and an extra shot of espresso. ‘Miah started brewing the roast and steaming the oat milk before turning back to the counter to checkout Isla. 

“I’d tell you how much the coffee was but at this rate you could be doing this instead of me.” He jokes as Isla tapped her card against the scanner. 

“You’re not wrong, babes. But you look so much better in an apron than I do.” Isla quipped back, this time eliciting a chuckle from ‘Miah. 

“Damn right, girl.” He affirmed before turning back to assemble the now brewed and steamed components. He quickly put her coffee order together and returned to the counter, slipping a hot sleeve over the cup before handing it to Isla. 

“Enjoy, love.” He said. 

“I always do, ‘Miah.” She threw him a wink before returning to her usual seat with a smirk on her face. 

Yes, her morning was already much, much better than it had started. Sitting bolt upright in bed at 4AM doused in sweat and near hyperventilating is not the best way to start any morning off. Isla raised the coffee to her lips and took a small sip of the hot liquid. The feeling of warmth traveled down through her body, reaching her fingers and toes. She closed her eyes and released a sigh, exhaling the remainder of her pent of anxiety from her body. 

That was until… 

“Boss, those files you requested are ready. I’ve sent them to your tablet.” FRIDAY’s muffled voice sounded from Isla’s watch under her shirt sleeve. 

‘So much for a better morning.’ Isla thought as she reached into her bag and pulled out her tablet. 

She propped it up on the table, making sure to angle it away from the view of others around her before she started delving into the files FRIDAY spent the past 12 hours scrounging together. She closed her eyes and willed herself to take several deep breaths, doing everything possible to remain calm before viewing the files. She didn’t know what she was about to uncover, but she knew whatever it was, it was more than likely going to sour her morning with no chance at redemption. 

She opened her eyes, abandoning her attempt at reaching zen, and began to peruse the files, starting with the Stark files. She sifted through the ones she knew about: her father’s betrayal of Tony, placing him in the hands of the Ten Rings and having them hold him for ransom for months, the retrieval and upgrading of Iron Monger, the attempted murder of Tony and the destruction at Stark Industries, all of the black market dealings her father had a hand in. The name “The Rook” appeared multiple times throughout the reports, but nothing new or out of the ordinary presented itself to her. 

Isla moved onto SHIELD’s files. 

Far fewer files than Stark Industries’ database, but the few SHIELD did have involved more or less the same information. More detailed descriptions on the Iron Monger, along with the fatalities of SHIELD agents at Stark Industries the night the fight between her father and Tony broke out. A detailed account by Agent Phillip Coulson of the planned cleanup, cover story, and “eye witness accounts” before Tony blew it all to hell with 3 simple words. But no other mention of the Rook within SHIELD’s databases. And thanks to Natasha Romanoff, it’s safe to say FRIDAY didn’t miss anything when scouring their now leaked databases. 

Now for HYDRA’s files. 

“No way…” Isla trailed off as she began to sort through the array of files before her, many of them encrypted. 

But from the looks of it, many of them were receipts of illegally purchased weapons from Stark Industries. Just completely double-dealing-under-the-table purchases, all authorized by “The Rook,” Obadiah. Isla pressed further, just more receipts, more weapons, even a fuck-ton of paralysis devices that were left on the cutting room floor of the weapons engineering division, packed up and shipped out to HYDRA bases around the world. She even found reports of sold intelligence to HYDRA by her father. Hints at weapons deals to terrorist groups, possibly so HYDRA could go in under the guise of SHIELD and “confiscate” the weapons, but really just to redistribute them to their cause. The further she pushed, the worse the reports got. Her father even gave away top Stark weapon engineers that were picked up by HYDRA and brainwashed to give up important technology insight. From the looks of the reports, they were brainwashed in similar fashion to how Bucky had been during his imprisonment with HYDRA. 

“Jesus fucking Christ, dad…” she pinched the bridge of her nose, “you were a fucking monster.” 

Then she found the file she knew would ruin her entire day. Dare say her whole fucking year. 

“The Rook” Intel on Mission W.S.: 

December 16th, 1991 - Extraction: NO WITNESSES

“Mission W.S.?” She whispered to herself. “No…that couldn’t mean…” But the words died on her tongue. 

The remainder of the report was fully redacted, with a full encryption. All she had to go off of was the mission name, its connection to her father, and the date. It was so fucking familiar, it was right there in the tip of her tongue, but just far out of reach that her mind drew up blank each time she tried to remember it’s significance. 

“FRIDAY?” She brought her wrist to her mouth, speaking into the watch. 

“Yeah, boss?” She answered immediately. 

“I need you to run a full decryption on this file. And get it unredacted, I know how much you love doing those.” 

“Oh, you know me so well.” FRIDAY monotoned back, clearly less than thrilled with the task. “This one’s going to take me a while, I’ll let you know once it’s decrypted and legible.” FRIDAY alerted Isla before getting to work on decrypting the file before her. 

“Right, yeah. Okay.” Isla rubbed her hand down her face, pinching her chin slightly as she took a deep breath. She dropped her hand from her face and took a bigger sip of her coffee, which was significantly colder than she cared for. The time she spent sifting through files and reports on her father ended up being over an hour, and when she checked the time finally, she sprang up from her seat. 

“Shit!” She whisper-yelled to herself, grabbing her tablet and stuffing it back in her bag. “Leave it to me to wake up hours earlier and still be fucking late.” She criticized herself. 

She tugged her coat on and threw her bag around her. She downed the remainder of her coffee in one go before waving to Jeremiah who offered her a smile and a wink. She made a rushed dash out the door, greeted yet again by the crisp, autumn cold. Lengthening her strides, she began to fast-walk towards the New Avengers’ tower with her hands shoved into her pockets. The wind hadn’t let up since earlier, the cool autumn air kissing her now rose cheeks and nose with each gust. 

‘At least at home there’s foliage to look at.’ She thought bitterly to herself as she trudged further down the block, the tower now in her view. 

Her mind drifted back to the HYDRA report header. 

‘W.S. That’s obvious enough. Clearly it was a mission for the Winter Soldier.’ Isla rationalized in her mind. ‘Extraction- easy, asset attaining mission. No witnesses…’ She grimaced, ‘people were most likely killed.’ 

Isla stepped through the revolving front door to the tower, pulling her keycard from her coat pocket and scanning it at the security desk. 

“Good morning, Ms. Stane.” The elderly doorman greeted her. 

“Good morning, Stan. Hope your day is off to a good start.” She said, her smile not quite meeting her eyes as she spoke. 

“Very slow, dear. Very slow.” He emphasized, chuckling at his own humor. 

“Better slow than busy in my opinion.” She anecdoted. 

“Too right!” He said as he buzzed her into the elevator foyer. 

She gave him one last grin before walking into the foyer and taking a turn towards the main elevators to where the Avengers’ HQ was stationed. However, when she made it to the elevator, she was met face-to-face with Mel. Her face harbored a mildly annoyed, very much anxious expression as she shifted back and forth on her feet. 

“You’re 7 minutes late.” She stated, glancing at her watch. 

The statement caused Isla to stop dead in her tracks. 

‘Be so fucking for real right now.’

“And who died and made you the fucking time police, Mel?” She asked harshly, putting her hand on her hip as it jutted out in her stance. “7 minutes? That’s what we’re going to criticize? I could see if it was an hour, HELL, even 20 minutes! But 7 fucking minutes? Give me a fucking break.” Isla’s words bit at Mel, causing her to shrink into herself. 

Isla pushed past Mel and hit the button on the elevator pad, muttering hushed insults at the incredulity of being called out for being 7 minutes late. 

The elevator doors opened and Isla stepped in with Mel scurrying into the furthest corner from her. Isla pressed the button to the HQ floor and together they rode the elevator in complete silence. She could see Mel shifting back and forth on her feet in her peripheral vision, but chose not to comment on it. Probably losing it on Mel when, in reality, she was more than likely lashing out about the encrypted report and what it would uncover was seemingly unfair. But also, 7 minutes? Seriously? 

‘People die everyday in unjust wars, and I’m going to get slammed for being 7 minutes late? Yeah, no.’

“Do you want to talk about it?” Mel asked quietly from the corner.

‘Maybe she can read minds.’ She thought to herself.

Isla turned slowly on her heel and faced Mel with a neutral look on her face. 

“No.” Was all she said before turning back to face the doors as they opened with a soft ding.

They exited the elevator together, Mel heading towards the living area. Isla made her way to the closet area to hand her coat and bag, making sure to grab her tablet before she closed the door to the closet behind her. 

“7 minutes late and yet…” Isla gestured to the room around them, “no one’s here yet.” The comment made Mel shrink even more. 

“Alright, I get it. No more time policing. Can we drop it now?” Mel pleaded in defeat. 

Isla quirked her eyebrow up, “Deal.” She watched as Mel let out a visible sigh of relief. 

“They’ll be here soon, they are currently two floors below us right now. Training, from the looks of it.” Mel narrowed her eyes at her own tablet as she surveyed the surveillance footage. 

“Alright then, I’m gonna go find a place to work on my layouts then.” Isla said, leaving Mel to her own devices. 

Isla walked further into the HQ floor, eventually coming across a small counter space with seating that overlooked the NYC skyline. 

‘That works.’ She thought to herself as she strides towards the seats. 

“Boss, the file is ready.” 

Again, she stopped dead in her tracks, feet from where she was going to sit. She felt all the blood drain from her face, her mouth immediately beginning to water as her stomach knotted up with intense anxiety. 

“Thanks, FRIDAY.” She could barely speak above a whisper, the shake in her voice extremely noticeable. 

“Be careful with this one, boss. I don’t think you’re going to like what you’re about to read.” FRIDAY warned her. 

“I know. But I have to, FRIDAY. He knows something about my father. Something tells me it’s this.” Isla said as she opened the file. 

She really wished she hadn’t. 

Her eyes furiously read the report in front of her, tears falling down her face as she did. But she didn’t even notice, she didn’t even care. Because the worst day of her life, a hell she thought she had long outlived, long gotten over, was flooding right back into life. The memories fresh in her mind, as if the horrible day had just unfolded before her. 

The tragic deaths of Howard and Maria Stark. Once thought to have been just a tragic car accident, was, in reality, a hit carried out by HYDRA. And her father, The Rook, sold the intel to HYDRA with a guarantee of the executions of Howard and Maria. All for 5 replicated super soldier serums. Serums that would later be wasted in a cold, abandoned laboratory in Siberia after the events in Germany between Tony and Steve. 

Isla read further into the report, and stilled at one particular part: “Winter Soldier placed in de-cryo and re-programming. Mission guidelines given on December 15th, 1991. Mission completed December 16th, 1991, assets in possession. No Complications.”

“FRIDAY? Is this authenticated?” She asked, her voice shaking violently now. 

“Yes. I analyzed it myself. This is very real. And…” FRIDAY broke off. 

“Spit it out, FRIDAY.” Her anxiety was churning her stomach even more now. 

“There’s surveillance footage…from the night of the incident.” FRIDAY said hesitantly. 

“Show me.” Isla demanded. This time FRIDAY didn’t try to stop her. 

The video began playing on the screen. It was grainy, but the car was unmistakable. She had ridden in the back seat of Howard’s prized possession countless times. It felt like it was just last week she was singing along to whatever album Howard found himself obsessed with, watching Maria look at him in pure adoration as he sung off key.

She watched as that same vehicle crashed violently into a telephone pole, followed by a motorcycle that turned back around to the crash. The man, the Winter Soldier, dismounted the bike, opening the trunk. He appeared to be opening a case, her only guess being the super soldier serum. He moved onto the driver side, finding Howard on his hands and knees, pleading for someone to help his wife. The Winter Soldier’s metal arm and trademark red star glinted in the glare of the security camera as he yanked Howard from the ground by his hair. 

“Sergeant Barnes?” 

The Winter Soldier hesitated for only a second before he caved in Howard’s face with his metal fist. She watched as the Winter Soldier dragged Howard back to the driver’s seat, placing his head gently against the steering wheel. 

She clenched her eyes shut as she remembered her father speaking to some of their colleagues at Howard and Maria’s funeral. 

“Defective airbag. He didn’t even stand a chance. He was dead on impact.”

She forced herself to keep watching the video, watching the Winter Soldier choke the life out of Maria, staring emotionless into the void of night. He slammed the car door shut and made his way back to the trunk, retrieving the case of serums. Her eyes followed his movements as he confronted the security camera, upholstered his firearm, and shot out the camera. Isla flinched aggressively, gasping at the sudden darkness that overtook the video footage. 

“FRIDAY?” Isla’s voice cracked.

“Yes, boss?” She sounded pained. 

“Why is this the first time I’m seeing this? Romanoff leaked all of HYDRA and SHIELD’s digital files after the fall of the Triskelion. How come no one’s brought this up until now?” Isla asked FRIDAY frantically. 

“She did. This wasn’t included in the original leak. Baron Helmut Zemo uploaded it into the HYDRA array after he lured Tony Stark, James Barnes, and Steve Rogers to the HYDRA base in Siberia, shortly before he was taken into custody by the Wakandans. As far as I can tell, we are the first people to get our hands on this data.” FRIDAY explained. 

“Can we scrub it?” Isla asked. She really didn’t want the possibility of the world getting their hands on this footage. 

“I’ll see what I can do.” FRIDAY responded. 

It took everything within Isla to maintain her composure, but her stomach refused to settle. Her anxiety getting the best of her, it took only a lurch in Isla’s stomach to launch bile up her throat. She took off towards the nearest trash barrel, tossing her tablet on the nearby countertop. Gripping the sides of the trash so tightly, she empty her stomach contents into the trash, violent heaves scorching her throat with each pass. It was minutes later until the violent attack against her stomach ceased. 

She released her grip from the trash barrel and spit the remainder of the bile coating her mouth out before wiping the back of her hand across her mouth. 

“...Are you okay?” 

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All other works of mine are available on my AO3! Thank you for reading!

[chaxan08]

*some point during the WW2*

Howard: So, people are really enjoying the mistletoe we put up, huh?

Peggy: Yeah, especially Rogers and Barnes.

Bucky and Steve: *full-on snogging under the mistletoe*

Howard: Do you reckon they'll stop any time soon?

Peggy: Nope.

[goldrshr]

" hydra's not gonna come at you with a pocket knife. " - howard stark, 1943

[shkretart]

Some sketches and stucky

[jarvispoptart]

Steve, angry because Tony created another mess: ANTHONY EDWARD STARK

Tony, dropping his tools: oh no, Howard’s ghost found me.

[miss-carter]

What If… Agatha Went to Hollywood?

BONUS:

[bulkyphrase]

Why do you think Howard Struck decided to get married? How could he ever love someone, since all this time he was running from one woman to another. Was Maria so special that she could attract him? Was he faithful to her?did he have a type in women?

Oh, interesting question!

I do like to think that he and Maria loved each other. At the very least, they seemed to get along in the few scenes where we see them together, and Tony says they "always made it work."

But.

I can't help but think that there was more to it than that. Howard cared a great deal about being socially and financially successful and playing the role he was supposed to be playing. At a certain point he must have seen a need to move from a "millionaire playboy" persona to a "respectable captain of industry" persona, and having a wife would have been a key component of that.

He needed someone to host parties, to entertain guests, to organize charity events, to make him look more stable and normal. I hope that he also loved Maria, but I think he might have married someone even if he didn't.

As far as a type, I think he didn't care much beyond "attractive and willing" in the Agent Carter era. For a wife I think he would have wanted someone pretty, practical, and ambitious in the same way he was. Someone who would be a partner in being "The Starks." I tend to think that Maria was warmer to Tony than Howard was, but still a fairly distant and distracted parent.

Thanks so much for the ask!

[marvelwitchergilmore]

Meant To Be (2)

Summary: Bucky Barnes x fe!Reader -> The day you disappeared from the world.

Disclaimer: This is part two/prequel to Meant To Be. Angst, Fluff, Bucky and Reader having feelings for each other, platonic!Howard Stark, mentions of death, swearing, mourning. Not Proof Read.

You pounded your fist on the front door only to be greeted by Mr Jarvis. 

“Ms Y/l/n.”

“Sorry, Mr Jarvis. I didn’t think you’d be awake yet. Is he here?”

“Still in bed, Ms.”

Jarvis just opened the door wider for you to step inside. “I was just about to take him his morning breakfast.”

“I’m afraid it will have to be on the go this morning, Mr Jarvis.”

“Yes, Ms.”

As you had done for as long as you could remember since meeting Howard Stark, you headed towards his bedroom in order to pull him from his bed. 

“Alright, Stark. Get up.”

Howard just groaned from under the covers. It sounded like he said “Five more minutes,”. 

“Nope. Not this morning. The Colonel has been on my ass all week about you and I’ll be damned,” you pulled the heavy covers from his body. “If I let my ass get reprimanded because of your ass. So, get up.”

Howard groaned again. 

“Mr Jarvis!” You called out behind you. “You wouldn’t happen to have an ice cold pitcher of water by any chance.”

“Why, yes. In fact, I’m just readying Mr Stark one now.”

That got Howard up out of bed. He practically sprang to the other side. “No. You’re not doing that again.”

“Get up when I tell you and I’ll never do it again.”

“I’m up. Are you happy now, sweet cheeks?”

You deadpanned him before throwing the clean washcloth that lay on his bedside table. Howard was known for washing his face first thing before he got out of bed. According to him, it kept him looking “young and attractive,”. 

“Get cleaned up. I’ll be outside.”

Giving Howard a ride into work, you were both greeted with almost all the SSR members hustling around the place. 

“Is something going on today that I’m not aware of?”

“It’s testing day,” Howard told you as he lay his briefcase over the chair in front of him. 

Meanwhile, you were hanging your coat up on the coat rack, taking the space in around you as Howard walked away. But you couldn’t stand comprehending the super soldier in the corner, blushing as Peggy accidentally touched his hand, or the boys everyone knew had lied on their enlistment form but still allowed it anyway, or the ego-centric scientist washing a hand over one of the girl’s asses, for too long. 

Within minutes of you entering the building, Bucky had found you. 

“How long do you think it’ll take today?”

You jumped a little, holding onto your coat on the rack a little tighter. “Jesus- Do you always have to sneak up on me?”

“It’s not my fault you don’t hear me.”

“That’s because you walk as if you’ve got a secret to hide.” Letting go of your coat, you picked your files up from the main desk, Bucky hot on your heels. 

“Not true. Well, maybe a little. But you still haven’t answered my question.”

“Well, looking at it now…” You and Bucky paused side by side. 

You found that, often when standing together, there was barely an inch of room between you and Bucky. Which, although you were managing to handle, was doing no good for the crush you realised you had slowly developed over the last couple of months. 

He’d just sat there across the desk, looking tired and all kinds of handsome. You’d seen him sitting like that a hundred times or more, but for some reason that night was when your stomach decided to erupt with butterflies. 

But, you were handling it. 

You thought you already had it handled until three days ago when Peggy cornered you in the ladies bathroom. Josie, one of the secretaries, had sauntered her way over looking all perfect and pretty. She’d touched his arm, leaning in close to him. He’s smiled at her and, despite seeing him smile at plenty of girls like that, even recently. For the first time, you’d been jealous. 

It was an ugly emotion and you didn’t like yourself very much for feeling it. Bucky- James. He was your friend. One of your best friends. Someone you could talk to about anything. There wasn’t a single part of you willing to risk that. 

“I’d say we’re a few months away from something actually happening.”

Bucky scoffed. “He’ll ask her out. He just needs a little coaching, that's all.”

“Coaching?” You laughed. “From who? You?”

Bucky seemed a little offended. “I’ve had plenty of successful dates.”

You tried to not let that sting as much as it did. 

“He just needs some confidence.”

You chuckled. “Okay, Romeo. But I know I’m right. And here.”

You pushed a file into his chest. 

“What’s this?” 

You tried to ignore the feeling that erupted inside of you when his hand brushed yours. 

“Your paperwork. I saw you sneak it into my pile last night.”

You continued on walking, Bucky walking a little further behind you.

“You know, if I knew the army contained this much paperwork, I would have had second thoughts.”

You just threw a smile over your shoulder to him, watching as he sat at his desk. 

Steve’s desk was joined onto his, meanwhile, directly diagonal to Bucky was your desk. In front of you was Peggy’s desk. So, although Peggy and Steve would have to turn a little to look at each other, you and Bucky had a direct eyeline to one another. 

Something else that didn’t help the crush you were harbouring on him. 

There was just something…handsome about the way he looked when he was concentrating. In his own little world, flipping and writing between pages. And for a moment, you’d wonder if that is what it would have been like if you’d gone to school together. 

You’d been with him to plenty of museums and tech conventions. You’d seen the true side of Bucky. One that was rarely seen. His nerdy wonder and enjoyment. 

It was barely two hours before Bucky stood and walked over to your desk. He had tried thirty minutes ago but the Colonel had walked by his desk, stopping in front of him since he’d caught him staring at you across the room. 

The Colonel had just hummed, however, before muttering something to himself. 

“Just as bad as the others.”

Bucky had wondered what the Colonel meant, until he followed his next eyeline over to the map desk where Steve was standing with Peggy. 

Then he moved on. 

Bucky knocked on your desk twice to get your attention. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“I was wondering if you’d want to come with me on Saturday.”

“Aren’t we working on Saturday?”

Bucky shook his head. “No. We’re both off. There’s a new exhibit being put on at the museum and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me.”

Bucky had attended plenty of museum and tech conventions alone. But his favourite ones were the ones where you’d attend with him. He got to be closer to you. He’d hear you talk about whatever thing you’d been waiting to talk to him about. He got to hear your laugh and by the end of the night, he got to hold your hand. 

You smiled. “You need me to run the ladies off again?”

Bucky chuckled. “Maybe. Just so long as you stay.”

You looked up at him. This man. 

“Okay.”

Bucky smiled. “Pick you up at four?”

You nodded. “Okay.”

That was when a small alarm sounded and Bucky responded to it. 

“I better go,” he said before running off. But then he came back. “Make sure Peggy doesn’t touch my desk.”

You nodded. “I promise.”

Bucky smiled. “See you soon, doll.”

You smiled, watching him jog down the hall and towards the control room. Meanwhile, Howard appeared around the corner. 

“Y/n?”

You knew that look on his face. He needed your help.

“What have you done?”

Standing up, you left your things at your desk and followed him through the building and towards the basement. 

“I haven’t done anything. Well, not yet.”

You sighed. “Show me.”

Entering the room, it was just yourself, Howard and two of his researchers. “The chemical equation is wrong.”

“Don’t you know how to fix it?”

“It doesn’t need to be fixed.”

You looked at him as you examined his machinery. “I understand you’re incredibly smart, Howard. But you’re not making any sense.”

Howard sighed. “The last time I used it, it worked. My math is never wrong.”

“Then change it.”

“I can’t. Any higher and it won’t just melt the machinery, it’ll melt human skin.”

You grimaced at the thought. “You know, if you boys let women do more of the talking, there is a higher chance that war wouldn’t be taking place.”

“Well, right now there’s a war going on in here. Can you…can you help?”

You took a look at his blackboard. 

“It’s not your math.”

“I know that.”

You shrugged. “Have you tested a model of this size before?”

“That’s what today is for.”

“Uh, Mr Stark?” One of the researchers popped their heads up. “I think I might have found our problem.”

You watched as Howard walked over towards the control panel that had been recently forced open. 

“Well- what is that? Oh, jesus. Is that a bolt? What’s it doing-”

As Howard pulled it out, everyone heard a big clunk!

“Is the building still standing?” You asked after a few minutes of silence. 

Howard looked around at the walls and along the floor. Nothing had cracked the concrete. As far as he was aware; the building was still standing. 

“Yep. Must be one of the inner mechanisms. Hand me that crowbar?”

You spun around until you saw the workstation and picked up the rusting metal crowbar. 

“Military issue. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but she gets the job done.” Howard explained as he began to yank one of the side panels off. 

“We figure, if we can make this thing industrial size, we’ll be able to fit it on top of a tank. That way, if it fits on one, it can melt one.” Howard continued to talk as he lay on the floor and practically got inside of the machine itself. 

You crouched down on the floor, peering inside. There had to be at least thirty main electrical wires, feeding some kind of blue and green substance into tubes. 

“You become more peculiar the longer I know you, Howard.”

From his space on the floor, he looked at you and smiled. “Thanks. Pass me that thing, will you, toots?”

Rolling your eyes, you moved behind you and reached for the socket wrench that had been laying on the floor. You handed it to him before standing up and looking around the rest of the machine. 

“Do I even wanna know when you came up with this idea?”

“Uhh.”

Howard was stalling. Usually when he stalled it was because he had been in another tryst with a woman who was most definitely off limits. 

“Alright,” you chuckled. 

Howard sighed. “You know what, you’re always on at me about my…friends.”

“That’s what you’re calling them now? Not production assistants?”

“What about you and Bucky, huh? I see the way you two look at each other. You’re really gonna tell me nothing is going on there.”

“We’re just friends, Howard.”

“Friends, my ass.” Howard lifted himself from the ground to peek out of his hiding place to look at you. You were standing with one heel across the other, a hand on your hip, staring down at him like you were his mother scolding him for doing something wrong in school…again. 

“You and I are friends. No matter how many times I try to make it something else.” He muttered that last part to himself but you heard it anyway and chuckled. 

Howard was a flirt. A shameless flirt. It just so happened that, before Peggy, you were one of the first to let the flirting comments fall. 

Howard disappeared back under the machine for a moment. 

“You and Bucky, however, are not.”

“Howard-”

“What are you doing this weekend?”

“Going to a museum.”

“With?” Howard pressed. 

“Bucky.” 

Finally, Howard stood from the ground and looked at you across the console desk. 

“It’s not what you think.”

Howard just smiled. “You and Barnes are going on, yet another, date. You like him. I know, because every time you look at him, you get the same goofy look in your eyes that Mr Jarvis does when he looks at his wife.”

You tried to hide your embarrassment, but it only seemed to come out as annoyance against Howard. 

“I do not.”

“Yes, you do. And, I also know,” Howard was moving around the console towards you. “That Bucky has deep feelings for you.” 

Howard was standing in front of you. He didn’t have to raise his voice anymore. 

“He likes you, Y/n. And we’re at war. I don’t like thinking like that, but there’s no escaping the truth. We’re at war and a lot more people are gonna be losing their loved ones. Maybe it’s about time you took a chance with yours.”

You just stared at Howard. He had a point. 

“He’d be lucky to have you.”

You took a breath before turning away. “I thought we were down here to start testing, not discuss my…that.”

Howard smiled. “You know I’m right,” he practically sang as he walked away, wielding his wrench like a conductor. 

Ten minutes later, everything was seemingly ready. 

As one of the other researchers left to go and get the Colonel, Howard started the controls up so everything would be ready by the time people arrived. 

Only, as Howard started flicking buttons, you stood up. 

“Howard.”

Something was beginning to shake in the room. 

“Is it meant to be doing that?”

“No…”

Howard moved around the panels to take a look at the dials. Everything seemed normal. 

Then it started to shake even more. 

It was almost like your washing machine had been set onto a fast spin, but this time you were inside of the rattling machine. 

“Howard!”

“I’m on it.”

“What can I do?”

Howard didn’t answer you, but it didn’t matter. Because within seconds, the arm of the machine started going haywire and as Howard yelled at everyone to get down, you felt the wind get knocked out of you. 

As Howard finally shut down the machine from the inside, tearing at one of the wires, the building stopped shaking and the Colonel, along with Peggy, ran inside. 

“Stark! What the hell is going on?!” The Colonel yelled. 

“I wish I could tell you.” Howard stood, his legs still shaking from the movement in the floor. “Something must have come loose.”

“What the hell is that?” 

Peggy pointed and everyone looked at what it was. A smattering of blue dust and what could only be described as a bullet exit wound, cracking into the concrete wall. 

More people joined, running inside asking questions but fell silent when they saw the damage. 

Cracks along the walls, machinery and different liquids on the floor, and a large crack in place of where you had been standing. 

“Y/n? Where’s Y/n?”

“Stark! Where is my Agent?!”

“I…I don’t…” Howard was in shock. 

Peggy sprang into action. Maybe you hadn’t been hit. Maybe you’d taken cover or not been in the room at all. People started following her orders to find you. 

“Stark, where is my agent?” The Colonel asked as he approached him. “Now, she better not be dead or else I’ll have your neck for this.”

Howard shook his head. “You need a body to be dead.”

They both knew that to be true, but considering the fight they were having with Red Skull and a Super Soldier, it was quite plausible to have a death without a body. 

Meanwhile, down one of the hallways, Peggy ran into both Bucky and Steve. 

“Hey, what the hell was that shaking-”

“Have you seen Y/n?”

“I thought she was with Howard.”

Peggy shook her head. “Something went wrong.”

“What went wrong?”

“We, uh, we don’t know yet. But I just…”

As Steve took Peggy by the shoulder, Bucky made a run for it down to Howard’s lab. He saw the Colonel sat with Howard, but his commander quickly stood up and walked over to him. 

“Barnes-”

“Where is she? What happened to her?”

“We’re still trying to figure that one out.”

In the days that followed, Bucky didn’t know his head from his feet. He’d just spoken to you that morning. You were meant to be meeting him for dinner that evening. He was meant to be taking you out that Saturday. 

Nobody could bring themselves to clear away your desk. It was just how you’d left it. Open files, half finished paperwork, scrap pieces of paper with ideas and things written down. 

But when the Colonel got word someone was coming in to replace you, he went to one person. 

“Son?”

It was after hours and Bucky was yet to leave his desk. Mostly, his eyes had been focused on your desk, where you should have been sitting, scolding him for staying too late because it meant you had to stay late. Then he’d tell you, you didn’t have to stay, to which you tell him you wouldn’t let him work alone. 

Bucky looked up and saw the empty box in his arms. 

“Someone needs to clean out her desk and I think it should be you. They’ve got a replacement coming tomorrow.”

Bucky swallowed down his fear; accepting you were gone for good. And he took the box. 

“I’m so sorry for your loss, son.” The Colonel held his shoulder as he stood up. “I know she meant a lot to you. You meant a lot to her, too.”

The Colonel had seen the red, tearful eyes of Bucky for the last few days. The dejected look each time he looked up and found your desk empty, the bow of his head as he’d hide his face every time someone said your name. 

It had taken both the Colonel and Steve to pull him from Howard’s throat. 

And now he was left to clear out your desk. 

And for a while, he managed to keep his emotions in check. Sweeping away your files, adding them to his pile to finish for you. Clipping all your notes together, cleaning away the ink stains of your fingerprints by the edge of your desk. 

Then taking the pictures from your desk, seeing your smiling face, placing them inside the box. 

Then he found a key. 

Bucky had pulled out your chair and sat down before opening up the locked drawer of your desk. That’s when all control over his emotions left him. 

Inside, along with some more of your personal belongings, was a notepad. Each date had been crossed off, as had the things listed under it. Except for the one that you had started at the beginning of the week. 

It was all the things you wanted to talk to him about; at dinner, walking home, and on Saturday. You made a list so you wouldn’t forget or accidently leave anything out. 

And for a second, he smiled. 

Then he cried. 

You’d never get to talk to him about these things. He’d never hear your voice again. He’d never see you smile or roll your eyes or scoff or hear you yell at him. He’d never hear you laugh again.

It was hours before he left your desk and went home, keeping your box of things under his bed in case you came back. Howard was adamant that you would. The blast wasn’t strong enough to kill, but it was strong enough to melt. But, he hadn’t made it to melt human skin. 

So you shouldn’t have died. 

You couldn’t be dead. 

You had to be alive…somehow. 

And that was the thought, for as much as he wanted to kill Howard, Bucky kept with him. 

That you were still out there, somewhere, and that you’d come home. 

But the longer time went on, the harder that idea was to accept. 

People started to mourn in their own ways. Mr Jarvis and his wife set out your favourite flowers on their dinner table on your birthday. The same flowers Howard started growing in his garden a week after you had disappeared. The Colonel had sent Peggy to make sure the gravestone issued for you was just right. Nothing too fancy; after all, there was still hope you’d come back. Steve, along with the other Howling Commandos, raised a toast in your honour. 

But when the day came that Bucky fell from the train…

Only one thing made him smile. And that was that he’d get to see you again. 

[userpeggycarter]

STEGGY WEEK 2024 @steggyfanevents

day four — outsider that really wants to be an insider

[id in alt]

[gunsandspaceships]

Proof that the Agent Carter show is incompatible with the Agent Carter one-shot and the movies

1. The show isn't part of the official Infinity Saga lineup, or even the expanded MCU Complete Timeline on Disney+. But the one-shot is.

2. The show with all its events is missing from the Official Timeline book. The one-shot is present.

3. The timelines are incompatible. In the MCU (one-shot), S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded in March 1946, which also matches the PEGASUS dossier in Captain Marvel. Peggy left SSR to run the new agency that same month at the end of the one-shot. This is clearly stated in the Timeline book (p.39):

The show opens with Peggy still working for SSR in April 1946:

In July 1947, she's still there (and no one even mentions S.H.I.E.L.D.).

P.S. Not sure why Big Brains from Fandom Wiki ignore their Bible when it comes to shows. Apparently they just love cherries.

4. The adventures from the show were never mentioned in the films, which is quite strange.

5. The SSR HQ in New York looks different in these two pieces of media.

6. Peggy is the only agent of this office who is the same in both the one-shot and the show. The other agents and their boss are completely different (ex: Agent Flynn vs Chief Dooley).

7. The one-shot ends with Peggy leaving the SSR to become the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. The way it looks would make her return to the SSR (as seen by some people who claim the projects are in the same universe) really awkward and humiliating. Not to mention it wouldn't make any sense.

8. In the one-shot, Peggy has already proven herself to be a capable (and even superior) agent than all the male agents. The show starts with the same starting position, with Chief Dooley saying the exact same words that her boss from the one-shot already said to her. The show essentially ignores everything from the one-shot and starts over.

9. The only connection to the one-shot in the show is a scene from the Zodiac mission, briefly shown at the beginning of the first episode. This could be considered a mistake, or simply explained by saying that the mission happened in this universe as well, but the outcomes were not the same: no one knew she was there, and Howard was not yet ready to found S.H.I.E.L.D.

10. Anton Vanko's presence in the show is incompatible with IM2. In Agent Carter, he is already working for SI in 1946. In IM2, he defected to the US in 1963. In the 1950s, he was still a young scientist working in the USSR.

11. In the show, by April 1946, a photo of Steve before the serum is in the SSR archives. The same photo that Peggy has in her possession in the one-shot. And let me remind you that "she took it later" is not the case, since the show is already taking place LATER in 1946.

12. In the show, Howard is clearly no longer affiliated with the SSR (or the government in general). In the one-shot, he holds a high position in the organization, and Peggy's boss has to take his orders very seriously.

13. In the films, Howard is from Richford, New York, not the Lower East Side of Manhattan as he tells us in the show.

14. In the films, Peggy is well aware of the following fact:

Because she was there, gosh.

15. Let me tell you, Peggy and Howard served in the same organization for many years, went on missions together and of course spent a lot of time at SSR headquarters in London and other places. OF COURSE SHE KNEW JARVIS before the events of the show.

16. Season 1, Episode 5 is just an absolute embarrassment. Let's forget it forever and never associate with canon.

17. Ok, I'll just mention one thing FYI:

No, they are not. At least not in the movies. These people (with one exception, Dugan) were not among the Commandos in CATFA and CATWS. We never saw them there, they were never mentioned. These guys are impostors local substitutes for Jim Morita, James Montgomery Falsworth, Gabe Jones, and Jacques Dernier.

Thought we wouldn't notice. But we did.

18. According to CATWS, Arnim Zola was recruited by the United States in August 1945. According to the show, he was still in prison in May 1946.

In conclusion: this show can theoretically be from the same universe as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but it's definitely not from the same universe as the movies and the one-shot of the same name.

[movienerd22]

Steve: so Tony.. where’s the flying cars huh

Tony: what ? what flying cars, that’s not a thing

Steve: mhm sureee I bet your just keeping them for yourself

Tony: what are you even talking about.. flying cars did you hit your head coming out of the ice

Bucky: *walking in* Howard promised the world flying cars