#i love civil war bucky with my whole heart

[vividxpages]

"you, forever."

pairing: Bucky Barnes x fem!reader

words: 2.6k

summary: Bucky thinks if he gives this whole congressman thing some more months, he’ll might be okay with this new kind of lifestyle. Everything for the mission, right? But he just can’t bring himself to accept the fact that he keeps missing out on the evenings with you.

a/n: I just love this man so damn much, the hyperfixation that started with watching my first ever Marvel movie (Civil War - I had no idea wtf was going on except for that this Bucky guy is super hot) is back in full force. Let me know what you think! ♡ and thank you for reading. ao3 version.

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On a Thursday night, Bucky spontaneously decided home was wherever your fluffy pink carpet slippers greeted him.

Just behind the doorstep they sat, perfectly chaotic and not where they belonged on the shoe rack right next to them, just as you liked it. He smiled down at the sight, careful not to trip over your bag on the floor as he closed the door behind himself and locked it for the night.

He had been up since six in the morning, attended seven meetings – felt useless in five of them – and ran on nothing but caffeine and pure stubbornness to get Val’s ass in the meantime. In the afternoon, he had not managed to get out of some talks and now it was dark outside and the day was close to being over.

Given his history, he had seen worse days.

Far worse.

But yet, the ache in his chest was close to being unbearable. 

He soundlessly kicked off his shoes, willing his shoulders to relax as he listened to the quietness of the apartment. Bucky longed for the one precious thing in his life he held onto after days like this one.

You.

He shuffled out of his jacket, too, abandoning it together with his leather bag and quietly made his way into the spacious kitchen. Evidence of your love for him waited just in sight on the counter and Bucky’s heart both clenched in pain and fluttered in adoration for you.

By the sink, he spotted a wine glass, the rim shiny and rosy from your lip gloss. Your empty plate stood in the sink, forgotten and doomed to be a task for another day. But right in front of him was the other half of dinner, meant for him and still waiting, a bowl full to the brim with a delicious greasy pasta and a red sticky note right next to it.

Eat up! :) I love you xx

The cherry on top was a glazed sugar cinnamon roll from the bakery you both loved so much.

Fuck, his heart was so fucking full of love for you, why did he still screw up like this? 

He had missed dinner. Bucky let out a sigh, exhausted and regretting yet another evening he had not been able to spend with you and impulsively grabbed the cinnamon roll, the sweetness exploding on his tongue. A picture of you flashed through his mind, sticking out your tongue at him when he had laughed about the sugar crumbs coating your nose. He would’ve loved to share this sweet treat with you, earlier and in the coziness of his and your home, together.

The frustration simmering just underneath his skin flared up and if it hadn’t been midnight and you probably weren’t in bed already, Bucky would’ve groaned.

When he had signed up for this, although his true reasons were slightly different from the official statement he gave to the press, he thought: normality – after so many years, he had finally reached it. (Sam had joked at some point that he needed a white picket fence now. Bucky had told him to fuck off.)

With a job like this, although he was still in kid’s shoes, he could be able to live an average life for a while. And a life with lots of time for the girl he loved.

Now, a few months later, he wasn’t so sure about it anymore.

He put down the cinnamon roll and decided to take a shower first before he’d heat up the pasta and finally crawl into bed to you. If he’d wake you now, he would not be able to forgive himself. Bucky’s thumb brushed over your handwriting once more before he slid into the dimly lit living room.

His heart, usually steeled when he went out of the door in the mornings, softened instantly at the sight presented to him.

You were curled up underneath a soft, knitted blanket, your chest rising and falling peacefully. You were still facing the hallway and Bucky couldn’t linger too long at the thought that you might’ve sat there and waited for hours for him to come home to you after your lonely dinner.

He first recognized one of his hoodies on you and your beautifully heated cheeks. Your naked legs were hidden beneath the comfy blanket, but he spotted your favorite pair of fuzzy socks on you and how you slept on his side of the couch, where the pillows smelled like him.

The TV was not running  - you were a books and boardgames kind of girl and over time had built an impressive collection Bucky oh so gladly sacrificed shelf space for. (Although today, no game box on the bookshelf was out of place. You didn’t own any games that could be played alone.)

For tonight, you had grabbed one of your books Bucky had gotten you on a bookshop date recently. Bucky had once glimpsed into it when you couldn’t stop squealing about it. It was filthy as fuck. He had been shocked that something with such a whimsical cover could be so dirty on the inside… But that author’s idea with the ties, the blindfold and the ice had been pretty fucking great.

Bucky stood very still, his eyes lovingly flickering over your calm features. Your rosy lips were slightly parted and a loose strand of hair had escaped and threatened to fall into your mouth. One of your hands was holding on to the collar of his sweater as if you had tried to fall asleep with his scent close to your senses.

There you were – his girl, his world, his everything.

He took a shuddering breath, snapping himself out of his brooding and silently stepping closer until he could bend down and carefully snake his arms around you. You let out a small sound in your sleep, not stirring unlike something else a little further down.

A protesting mrrrow! came from underneath the blanket and suddenly, a tiny white lightning shot out from the coziness and looked at him with outrage sparkling in her eyes.

The corner of Bucky’s mouth lifted.

At least Alpine was there for you… “Good girl.” He whispered to her and with it, the cat proudly snuggled up in his armchair and the girl in his arms sighed happily in her sleep.

God, he had missed you.

Somehow, although it was contradicting and should probably be mentioned to his therapist, this would be easier for him if you were furious with him. For missing dinner, for sometimes slipping only into bed late at night, for brooding over breakfast when his brain repeated a stupid thing he had said in front of cameras again and again and again.

But the thing was this. His girl was the gentlest person he knew. And never once had you been angry with him since he took up this job. Angry at stupid reporters? For sure. Angry at Valentina for being a lying cunt? (Your words, not his.) Definitely.

And even now, after another evening spent alone, your beautiful face was free from any frown. Bucky freed your legs from the blanket and effortlessly lifted you into his arms before he started to carry you towards your shared bedroom.

“Bucky?” You murmured sleepily just as he stepped over the threshold with you, his heart wanting to melt at your small voice thick with sleep.

“Shh, it’s just me, doll.” He replied quietly and pressed a light kiss to your temple. “Just got home. I’m putting you to bed, so you can be comfy, okay? Go back to sleep, it’s alright.”

You let out an unashamed yawn against his neck, the warm breath tickling his skin as your hand held on to the front of his shirt. Today at a short lunch, he had managed to spill sauce over it, but you didn’t seem to care much.

He reached the bed with you, holding you to his chest while he quickly drew back the covers with his other arm so he could gently place you down. He watched as your body melted into the bedding, the way you snuggled right into it similar to how Alpine looked when she cuddled with him. For the first time today, a real smile tugged at his lips.

“Did you eat?” You asked quietly, your cheek resting on his pillow as you rubbed your eyes.

His heart stung yet again. “I will, in a minute. Thank you for leaving me some. It looks amazing, I’m just going to change and-“

You let out a protesting whine when he tried to step back towards the attached bathroom, your hand quick to shoot out and grab his wrist. Bucky then saw something in your eyes you didn’t show often. Pleading.

“I’ll be right with you, I promise.” He said, lifting your hand to his lips to kiss every single knuckle of yours. Four silent promises. I’ll be better, I’ll be better, I’ll be… “I’ll keep the door open so you can see me, okay?”

That, you could tolerate.

Within the next few minutes, he somehow managed to slip into some new boxers and a sleep shirt while also eating your homemade pasta bowl, his clumsy multi-tasking all happening under your watchful eye. He smiled at you from time to time, his own exhaustion tugging at him and luring him into bed with you.

“It was delicious. You’re the best cook in the world, doll.” Bucky said and the bruising feeling in his heart intensified over how much he wished he would’ve been home earlier and able to say it over the dinner table to you. Maybe you would’ve slow-danced in the kitchen together after he’d done the dishes. Now, he’d never find out…

You beamed sleepily at his compliment, a satisfied smile on your face as you shifted and made space for him underneath the covers.

Something in him that always ran and never stopped came to a temporary halt as he found his place next to you. The sheets and your warmth were familiar to him as a quick grab to his gun holster, although altogether violently different.

You sighed happily as he put his arm around you and drew you to his chest, your body fitting perfectly against his side. He knew the hills and valleys of your body in and out, was a master at knowing what the smallest reaction from you meant and right now, everything about you was at ease. Finally.

Bucky silently kept track of your breath, noticing how it became more even as the time passed between you. He had tucked you in against him and your head rested on his chest, one warm hand splayed out on his stomach.

Mine, you seemed to say.

Yours, Bucky thought.

“I’m sorry for missing dinner.” He spoke regretfully into the dark space of the bedroom. You weren’t asleep yet, he could tell. He knew exactly how you breathed, how it hitched when you were thinking about something and how you sounded when he was kissing you, making love to you…and now, you were bedded on his chest, listening.

You moved, turning in his arms and needing the embrace to be closer. Rubbing your cheek against the soft fabric of his sleeping shirt, you murmured: “’s okay.”

“It’s not. You cooked.”

“I can cook again tomorrow.” It was between a statement and a question. Would he be here tomorrow?

“I would love that.” He whispered softly, his hand going in smooth and slow circles over your back. “But it’s not the point. I haven’t been a good boyfriend lately…”

You frowned at him. “Don’t say that.”

“It’s true though.”

“No.”

“Doll-“

“It’s not true.”

“You deserve better-“

“Bucky.” The sudden sternness in your voice shut him up and your hand came to rest on his nape, drawing him down so his eyes could lock with yours. “No. You’re here now and that’s all that matters to me. You’re not less just because we’re not spending all twenty-four hours of the day together, although that literally sounds like heaven to me, okay? What you’re doing is important and I would never hold it against you.”

“You’re the most important to me.” He argued without force, sounding sad even to his own ears.

Something in you seemed to melt and you shuffled up so you could hold his cheek and kiss his forehead, then his lips, light as a butterfly. He chased your taste, a unique mix of your lip mask and the sweet treat of earlier, but you weren’t done yet.

“And you’re the most important one to me.” You replied gently, your smile so blinding with love for him, he almost would’ve looked away if he wasn’t so dependent on it, your happiness. “I’m not angry with you. So you shouldn’t be angry with yourself either. And as long as you come home to me at the end of the day, I’m the happiest you could make me, okay? It’s you, forever, Bucky.”

“Fuck, I love you so much.” He croaked, his strong arms wrapping themselves around your middle again to draw you impossibly close. You hummed in agreement, smiling against his neck as he buried his face in yours, breathing in the scent of your lingering perfume and body lotion. Your legs naturally tangled together with his and above the blankets it might’ve looked like you were melting together with him.

“I love you.” You whispered, like it was a cherished secret. “We’re okay. We’re always going to be okay together, yeah?”

“Yeah…” What good had he ever done to deserve the angel laying in his arms? “Okay, doll. Okay.”

You relaxed again, throwing one leg over his side and clinging to him like a lifeline. Behind your back, an oversized round plushie that usually took that job when he had to be out for the evening lay abandoned, or Alpine, who he could always rely on.

But god, was he happy that he was the one who got to hold you tonight.

Bucky listened to the sound of you slowly drifting towards a well-deserved sleep again, his thumb drawing smooth little circles into your shoulder, fingers occasionally slipping into your hair or softly scratching your scalp the way you liked it. He watched the shadows your lashes drew onto your cheeks, counted your freckles and the rise and fall of your chest until his eyes drooped for the first time.

“I don’t know if this job is for me…” He mumbled underneath his breath, tired and talking more to himself than you.

The blanket you shared rustled one more time as you lifted your chin and gently kissed his tense jaw, making it unclench. Your eyes were still closed when you said: “Then we’ll figure it out together, Buck.”

He let out a deep breath, the last bit of tension leaving his body at your simple affirmation and finally settling in for sleep with you.

Tomorrow, he’d cancel the meeting first thing. And he’d make a good and long breakfast for you with all the things you enjoyed. Maybe he’d take you to the quiet little park you both loved so much, hidden behind some old townhouses in Brooklyn. He’d go to the bookshops with you and carry your bags and in the evening, he’d make love to you for hours until your hearts beat in sync just like now.

Bucky knew you didn’t need him to, but he was going to make up for the time you’d been without him.

Your breath evened out and your hand in his became blissfully limp, protected and without a worry in the world with him close by. He kissed your temple one more time before he allowed his own eyes to close.

Bucky wasn’t sure about a lot of things in his life, but he was sure about you in it.

And he knew, however this life would look for him in the future, you would always be by his side, unflinching and fearless.

The love of his life and his forever.

⋆⭒˚｡⋆☾

[emsromanoff]

Right where you left me | N.R.

Summary: Months after Natasha disappeared after the civil war and left you behind to go undercover, you finally found her, in fragile hope of rebuilding what was lost.

Pairing: Natasha romanoff x reader

Content warning: post break up, hurt, comfort, second chances, fluff (and a good ending because it would be too painful for me otherwise)

a.n. : had this song playing in my mind the whole time I wrote this.

It had been four months since the Sokovian Accords tore the Avengers apart. Four months since the world split in two, and so did your heart. The ones who stood by Steve were now fugitives, scattered and hunted like ghosts. Among them was Natasha.

After helping Cap and Bucky escape, Natasha turned her back on Tony’s side and vanished. Just like that—no goodbyes, no promises. She left everything behind, including you.

You had stood for the Accords. You believed in accountability, in protecting civilians better than the Avengers ever had before. It created a quiet tension between you and Natasha, but love had always been stronger until it wasn’t.

You’d been together for over a year. She was your anchor, your constant, the one person who saw every part of you and never flinched. You were each other’s shelter in the chaos. There were hard days, sure, but never once did you think she’d leave without a word.

And yet, she did.

She disappeared into the shadows, leaving you behind with nothing but silence and a thousand unanswered questions. No day went by without thinking about her. Natasha haunted your thoughts like a ghost. The not knowing was the worst part. Where is she? Is she okay? You tried to move on. Really, you did. But how do you move on from losing the Woman you loved? And your team? They were your home, your family and your purpose. And now you are trying to survive alone.

You wanted to find Natasha, needing closure. Or was it closure? Maybe you wanted to hear her voice or see her face again. Finding her wasn’t easy. Tracking down the most skilled spy in the world never would be. But you had your own talents, and eventually—after weeks of careful digging, quiet inquiries, and late-night intel—you found something. A whisper of a lead that brought you to a trailer tucked away in the remote stillness of Norway. It’s late evening and you are standing in front of it, pondering if you should do the next step or just return and pretend you were never there. You take a deep breath, the cold winter air hitting your lungs and before thinking twice you knock on the door.

Natashas senses sharpen as a soft knock on the door interrupts her while she is sitting at her laptop and watching a movie. She grabs her nearby gun and moves quietly towards her door.

“Nat, Its me.”

You speak through the door after getting no answer. A pause - then you heard a soft click and the door creaked open, just enough to see her face, partially obscured by the shadow inside. Her red hair falls messily over her shoulders. Your heart aches even more standing right in front of her.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

she said, her voice soft but laced with conflict—like she’d rehearsed saying that and still didn’t believe it.

You replied in a shaky voice:

“I know… but I had to see you. I couldn’t just pretend like you just disappeared.”

Her fingers tightened around the doorframe and her jaw clenched.

“Come in. You are freezing.”

She stepped back, and you entered her trailer with a slight hesitation. The warmth inside felt unfamiliar. You crossed your arms, unsure of what to say, while she leaned against the kitchen table. A heavy silence settled between you, until she finally spoke in a voice barely above a whisper:

“I didn’t want to leave you like that.”

But you did,” you said, the hurt breaking through your voice before you could stop it. “You walked away without a word. You left me without an explanation.”

“I know,” she breathed, eyes closing briefly as if the weight of your pain added to the burden she already carried. “I thought I was doing the right thing—staying off the grid, cutting all ties. I thought I was protecting you.”

You laughed under your breath, bitter and broken. “From what? The world? Or from yourself?”

She looked at you then, really looked—guilt swimming in her eyes, but something else too. Something softer.

“I don’t know anymore,” she admitted. “I just… I was scared. Not of the law, not of running. I was scared of what it meant to stay. To ask you to choose between what you believed in and me.”

Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, and you look away. “I would’ve chosen you. Every time. If you had asked me to run away with you, I would’ve done it.”

Natasha breath hitched, her grip loosening on the edge of the table, like she was finally releasing some of the weight. She took a small step closer to you. She wanted to reach out, her fingers twitching to touch you. but she held the urge back.

“I never stopped thinking about you. Every single day. I thought about calling you, coming back… but I kept lying here, wondering if you hated me. And if you were okay without me.”

You stepped closer as well, and you can’t stop the tears streaming down your face.

“I don’t hate you for leaving me. But I wasn’t okay. I felt…abandoned.“

It made Natashas heart ache and she wanted to punch herself for leaving you with so much pain. The silence that followed felt heavier than before. Natasha reached out, and cupped your face gently with her hand. Her touch was warm and gentle, despite the cold expression she usually wore. Your eyes lock with each other.

“I didn’t want to hurt you. I never wanted to. I know I cant make it up, but I am so sorry.” She whispered.

And then, just like a muscle memory you moved closer and felt her pulling you into a hug. your arms wrapped around her shoulder tightly, scared she would disappear anytime again. But she was right here in front of you. Tears roll down your cheek, and she just held you, like all those times before when you needed comfort. She murmured softly in your ear:

“Don’t go, okay? We will figure this out together. If you want that.”

You nod your head, knowing you didn’t want to be apart of her again, but the uncertainty and fear of the future lingered in your mind. You wiped a tear away and looked in her eyes again.

“I want that more than anything. But…If I stay, promise you won’t leave me?”

Natasha answered without hesitation and the look in her eyes, full of truth and regret gave you some reassurance.

“I promise, I will stay. I won’t to the same mistake ever again.”

So you stayed. In that quiet little trailer somewhere in Norway. Both of you had things to figure out and the road ahead would be hard. Living on the run, hiding from the world. But you have Natasha back, and thats what mattered.

Later that evening, after hours of conversations about the past few months, you lay beside Natasha in her bed. The previous tension that once hung so heavy between you two had eased. Her arm was draped around your shoulder and you rested your head on her chest, listening to her steady heartbeat. You looked up and just stared at her, memorizing every feature of her. The way her lashes brushed her cheek, her bright green eyes in the dimmed light. She noticed your gaze.

“What?” She asked with a slight chuckle.

You shrugged and pointed out casually:

“Your hair is longer. And wavier. I like it though.”

“Yeah? You like that messy and natural look?”

The corner of Nat’s lips curled into a small teasing smile.

You huff out a quiet chuckle.

“Yeah. It’s giving the whole ‘spy on the run look.’”

She chuckled, a small blush appearing on her cheeks. There was a comfortable silence between you two, the kind that only came when you truly felt at home with someone. Natasha whispered softly:

“I missed you, really. I am glad you came to find me.”

“I missed you too.”

You murmur, a hint of vulnerability flickering in your eyes. You think about your old life, before everything went wrong. The avengers, the compound.

“I miss them.” You add.

Natasha let out a shaky exhale, her hand playing absentmindedly with your hair.

“Me too. All of it. all of them.”

“You think we can go back someday and fix everything?”

She sighed, her voice tinged with longing and hope. “I don’t know. A lot has happened, a lot has changed. Things may never be the same before.”

“But we will try? Right?”

Natasha nodded, and her gaze softened as she looks at you. She cupped your face in her hands, her touch tender and reassuring.

“Of course we will. Whatever it takes, we will try to fix it and go home.” Her voice filled with determination and affection.

You nodded your head, and you felt a bit of the hopelessness that built up the last few months loosening. “Okay.”

She brushed a hair strand behind your ear and reassured: “we will figure it out.” Before closing the gap to connect your lips in a tender kiss. You felt your heart skip. The familiar feeling of her touch ignited a spark of affection within you. You returned the kiss, and the tenderness in your touch spoke volumes, expressing the longing you felt in those few months of being apart. You broke the kiss and murmured softly:

“I love you, Nat.”

“I love you too, darling.”

[luna-rainbow]

That scene is horrible... they had him half naked in a room full of dressed men, men who, we can surely say, we're his abusers. It doesn't even have to be something s*xual, they were his abusers. It's horrible. My heart will forever ache for the 70 years he lived like that 💔

Thanks for the ask! Since I got a similar comment about the Civil War scene, I thought I’d just tag on my thoughts about both.

I feel like it’s already been mentioned by others, but the scene construction of the two scenes are so different. They put Bucky in a very different light, quite literally, for the audience.

I put the original clips here because many of our lovely talented GIF makers do a bit of colour correction and I just wanted to show how different the colour palette is in the originals.

The CATWS is bathed in a warm olive glow, a little bit sickly but starkly human. The CACW is a cold, icy blue that casts his skin with a ghastly paleness.

The CATWS scene also starts very differently. The camera hovers over Bucky’s face, giving him a humanness that we haven’t been allowed to see at all before. Most of that scene are closeups that really let you see Sebastian’s excellent acting as Bucky cycles through bewilderment, fear, defensiveness, doubt, and determination. The camera only draws back when Bucky is pushed back onto the chair, then it does that famous glide up over his torso, ending on his contorted face.

The purpose of that scene is to highlight Bucky’s vulnerability, through a combination of the horrifying flashbacks, the warm lighting that really brings out his human flesh, the shaky cam that mirrors his uncertain mental state, the camera angle that brings us very intimate with Bucky while also in the wider angles show how isolated and trapped he is by the people around him, the whole scene composition with the men looking down on him while he’s exposed and confused, not to mention the fantastic acting from Sebastian and also Redford in bringing out how quietly terrifying Pierce is.

The CACW intro is very different. We get a lot of distant shots of Bucky being variously obscured — by the mask and gas in the cryo chamber, by the shadows as he’s carried away, and simply by the distance as he undergoes the procedure. The composition of the scene (where he’s electrocuted) is distant and clinical, and the camera slowly approaches as the code words are read and we get the final close up when he accepts his mission. The harsh blue light makes him seem crazed and terrifying, rather than human and vulnerable. The costuming too — he’s clothed in this one in some quasi-futuresque nylon vest, again calling to mind robotics and artificiality. Then we get the yellow vintage glow right after the cut when we go to the Starks assassination scene, just to highlight the contrast.

The two intentions are incredibly different. CATWS is the breaking of a human. CACW is the waking of a monster.

The CATWS scene is a hard watch because of how vulnerable Bucky is, but CACW scene is fucking depressing because of how hard they try to make us forget his humanity.

[fandomnerd9602]

First Meetings

Petra Parker x Stark!Reader

Set during Captain America: Civil War

For @omniman65 and @supercorpdanbeau

Being the son of Tony Stark has perks and it’s disadvantages. On one hand, you have the coolest avenger for your father and unending resources to be able to create your own iron suits. On the other hand, you have the fact that everybody wants to get close to you just they could be with your dad

So besides your best friend and future college roommate, Harley Keener, it could be very lonely being the son of Tony Stark, the invincible Iron Man.

It all started during the Sokovia Accords incident. You naturally chose your father’s side, not all willingly but you understood where he was coming from. You thought you’d be able to revise it from the inside. Maybe create a special council for it.

But that was less on your mind as Dad had you track down Steve and Bucky to an airport in Germany. You had Natasha, Vision, and a new guy in a panther suit in a hanger on the outskirts of Schkeuditz, Germany.

Your dad walked in a little more serious than usual as he approaches you. “Junior,” he states, “please show Ms. Parker here around”

He gestured to a young woman, close to your age. Brunette hair, hazelnut eyes and the cutest smile with dimples that you had ever seen. If you weren’t dating Wanda, you would’ve asked her out right then and there.

She turned to you and smiled, "H-Hi there I'm Petra. Petra Parker."

"Hey" you gave her hand a quick shake, "I'm (Y/N). (Y/N) Stark. Codename - the..."

"Iron Knight!" She giddily interrupts you, "sorry I'm just such a fan of yours. I'm Spider-Girl."

"Always nice to meet a fan" you try to go back to your task of fixing your armor. She looks over your shoulder, "anything you need Spidey?"

"I was just thinking you should add titanium couplers to your routers, should allow for faster cooldown and energy retention"

You put down your tools in amazement, you put on your Edith glasses, "Edith run Ms. Parker's hypothesis for me"

A female, robotic voice answered, "Ms. Parker's titanium couplers would in theory do exactly as she stated."

You turn to Petra in amazement, "a gal after my own heart."

"I just love fixing things. You learn a lot when you make your own equipment." She says with a blush. Petra pulls out a makeshift suit with cumbersome looking web shooters

"Gotta be difficult on the wrists" you remark

"Kind of is," she tries to hide her embarrassment. You inspect one of the web shooters.

"Give me a couple hours" you state with a smirk

"Huh?"

"We can't have you going into battle wearing a set of PJs, Parker" you smile at her, "besides I owe you for the whole coupler idea"

"I think you and I are gonna get along just fine" you smiles.

And you did. You got Petra her new suit and web shooters. Dad transitioned you to being a liaison for an idea he dubbed the Young Avengers initiative, this meant that you and Petra would be spending a lot of time together in New York as ground level heroes after class.

Class. Yeah Tony didn't tell you that it also meant you would no longer be home schooled by Pepper or Edith and would instead by transferred to Midtown High. You were in shock. Pepper was happy you'd be socializing with people your age. Meanwhile, Happy was just glad that Petra would be calling you rather than him.

[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

»»———————————▷ ⨳ ◁———————————««

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?” 

»»———————————▷ ⨳ ◁———————————««

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

[r4inyclouds]

You can take Steve Rogers out of the fight, but you can't take the fight out of Steve Rogers.

I heavily recommend putting ya glasses on for this ride of a rant. A... practically an essay on how Steve was out of character in Endgame:

Look, I still wholeheartedly believe that Sam deserves the title of Captain America, but even before that Steve dropped that shield, that title in the Civil War movie, for Bucky, in respect for Tony. Captain America wasn't even his label for years after that. Surprising how many didn't realise Steve in the endgame movie was Nomad, not Captain America.

But, he still fought, didn't he?

So people who say "Steve will always be THE Captain America!!" can go cry about it for all I care. Sam is the hero that he deserves to be. Yet, I suppose we're all entitled to our own opinions.

I don't even think the producers at the time even read the comics they were basing their large franchise on. That Steve in Infinity War wasn't Steve.

He was born a stubborn fighter, he was meant to end as that stubborn fighter we knew from 'The First Avenger'. It's in his nature how he was meant to be articulated as a person. It's in the comics, that hell- I haven't even exactly read most nor possess many of them! It's a joke, a jest; it's funny but not funny 'haha hilarious', but funny, odd, peculiar and perplexing. But from what I've seen from the fans on this side of the debate who have read the comics thoroughly, they all explicitly state that Steve would never do this or abandon anyone. I could, respectively, not care that the MCU was never, and never will be, canon to the comics, but they couldn't even keep one thing, an aspect that's similar or alike in any particular way to the comics, and that's the whole nature and personality of one of their most main focused characters, diverging from the whole point, centre, heart of Steve.

Steve never needed a label that told him he was a hero even when he was some twink before the serum, his whole arch, his whole goal was to become someone who helped, it wasn't from the start to settle down with a woman he was at a high school situation ship with, maybe, just maybe it could've worked if they attempted to even build and develop their relationship for it to make that little sense. Steven Grant Rogers admitted to being that stubborn little thing, and in a sense, he was like that, someone who determined to not be a coward and went against his non-spoken word.

And no, this has nothing to do with the fact I'm a HUGE Stucky shipper, I exclusively tried to avoid talking about Bucky in this half of the rant for a reason. I love Peggy, she's in my top 5, and I love domestic Steggy. It's just it was never right for Steve.

Steve will never, ever be able to run away from what he is. He is THE fight, with or without a useless hero label.

Now since I'm a bucky glazer, and he's my favourite character (I'm putting him in a jar once I get my first-ever Funko pop) I will go on to talk about Steve and Bucky, now, I'd understand if someone would not want to read this part because I'm 'just a wild Stucky shipper!' Who's own priority is trying to keep the ship afloat (I'm also occasionally a Sam x Steve x Bucky shipper but that's besides the point) But in this segment, I will be talking about them in an otherwise platonic sense; it doesn't even need to be romantic for me to say this. And, honestly, if the character of Bucky never existed in this universe, I would've still had this rant on my Tumblr about why Steve leaving is just... odd.

Okay, Steve spent THREE, THREE, I REPEAT THREE, HIS WHOLE DAMN TRILOGY, having at least one huge plot point just purely based on Bucky in each of his movies.

1. He went against whole military orders to get Bucky back, had a whole depression episode thinking he was dead, and then had another depression episode when he died, and then kind of just offed himself after that (Now, am I saying he offed himself for no reason for other than his friend?... yeah, so, there's a deleted scene where Rhodey asks Steve about how he practically died, and why he didn't just jump out into the water before he crashed, I'm tellin' you if you search it up it's there, now, people suspected that the reason it's a deleted scene is that it, well, opens a plot hole, and it just kind of seems like... he killed himself because bucky's dead? Like, ya know, there's no other reason to why he did this. But I might just be reaching there) God. So that point just says a lot about how the producers didn't even think for one second about him going back in time.

2. Nearly got killed by him, but when he figured out it was Bucky he went a berserk kind of insanity and risked his life as he put his trust in a man who was about to knock the shit out of him. Then, like- went for months on end to get Bucky back just because he left him on the side of the beach to not let him drown. Yeah, okay, sir. Also, does everyone just... Like, all silently agree not to talk about how they casually just drop platonic wedding vows to each other in every movie? Like, what do you exactly mean by "I'm with you 'till the end of the line", every time I hear that quote I go "WRITE THIS DOWN, WRITE THIS DOWN!" (not like I'll be getting married though)

3. How am I meant to summarise this with detail without just saying the few words in my mind that would just tell you the whole plot? [Squints eyes, checks notes]... Guess I gotta. 'Bro split Avenger for bro, Avenger no longer, Captain America? No longer for bro, bro picks bro up, bro says wedding vow, bro sad Wakanda.'

Then, now, I apologise sincerely for using this analogy, but he kinda, just, ya know, abruptly left to get the milk. He dropped everything once he got the chance to go back and left poor Bucky wide-eyed like some traumatised puppy with attachment issues they newly developed after shown that much devotion and affection from an owner who'd treat them right, and then was suddenly dropped into a random field of an environment, unfamiliar, they don't recognise it, as they then watch the rustic car they were once rescued from becoming a blur, speeding off into a distance he couldn't possibly ever trace back to. What in the holy fuck was that waste of three movies then.

(DEEP FUCKING BREATHS, RAIN, HOLY SHIT DEEP FUCKING BREATHS)

I hope people can't tell I'm a fanfic writer; this is the shittiest thing I've ever written, I swear my fanfics are more descriptive and crap, but I'm foaming from the mouth right now; I think I permanently disrupted my breathing pattern, well done me.

Sigh, okay, well.

[restinslices]

I found your twilight post with the Lin Kuei brothers amusing and relatable 🤣

Can you do headcannons on watching marvel movies with the reader? Captain America is my favorite character in the movies lol

The MCU is huge so lmk if there was something specific you wanted to know about

Bi-Han

I don’t see any of them watching a lot of movies so you definitely introduced it to him 

He takes the longest time to finish the movies because it’s not on the top of his list when it comes to concerns 

He’s one of those overly critical watchers so he’s annoying as fuck to watch movies with 

I can see him liking Ultron

Why? I think he’d like the concept of Ultron and understand why he’s thinking the way he is 

The type to agree with Thanos until someone points out he could’ve just doubled the resources 

His favorite Phase is Phase 3 purely because Hela is his favorite character in the entire MCU 

He’s legit upset she was killed off 

I’d say which show is his favorite but I only watched Wandavision and TFATWS so moving on-

I don’t know if I see him reading the comics. Maybe if he’s curious enough 

The Avengers and The Guardians of The Galaxy are pinned against each other a lot, but what does he think?

I think it changes a lot. Depends on his mood

One thing’s for sure; he prefers the OG Avengers 

Not one of those Marvel fans that remembers everything and he doesn’t really stay up to date

Hasn’t even watched any of the shows yet 

Please bring Hela back and stop pissing him off. She ain’t do nothing wrong 

Quick afterthought 

He’s Team Cap

He don’t even wanna listen to Liu Kang. Why the fuck would he agree with the government controlling The Avengers?

Kuai Liang

NOT one of the overly critical watchers so thank fuck 

If he spots something that’s off, he’ll call it out but that’s as bad as it gets 

He likes a mix of villains and heroes

If the villains got a point, then they got a point. That’s just how it is.

He likes villains that can become better people. The pure evils ones he’s like “yeah you suck” but villains that are actually victims or who have done certain things but try to become better, he likes 

Because of that I’d say his favorite villain is The Winter Soldier 

He’s done terrible things but Kuai Liang feels pity for him and enjoys his story 

I think either Avengers or Civil War is his favorite movie 

He prefers the og era of the MCU and I think the Avengers as a whole reminds him of his family (petty as fuck towards each other but there’s ultimately love there) and Civil War was a banger

A situation where there’s technically not a right side is a topic I can see him liking 

With that being said, he is both Team Cap and Team Ironman 

Since he follows Liu Kang I can see him being like “sometimes teams need to be reined in and need someone to follow”

But in the same breath this is the same government that is corrupt and has proven themselves as not trustworthy 

And people could always die before the heroes are able to help

Then there’s Bucky and he once again understands why Steve wouldn’t tell but he also understands Tony’s anger 

He stays somewhat up to date when it comes to the new movies and shows 

He knows when they come out but he doesn’t see them right away 

Tomas

I can see him staying up to date and seeing the movies whenever he could 

Has possibly read some comics too?

Prefers Heroes 

Do I wanna say his favorite character is Spider-Man because the PS5 Spider-Man voices Tomas?

Yes

So that’s what imma do

Does he have a favorite Spider-Man?

I’m not sure. I can see him seeing the positives and negatives of all the Spidermen 

Team Cap for the accords 

Team Ironman for the Bucky situation 

His parents were killed so are we surprised? No

The type to see the positives of Phase 4 instead of just saying it’s shit 

Is it the best? No. But it’s not all ass. Damn.

He prefers the Guardians so when Gamora was killed, his heart was in SHAMBLES 

“Maybe Gamora and Peter can fall in love again”

I have bad news 

Favorite Phase is always changing. Each Phase has bangers and non bangers so it changes day to day 

I know I said he loved all the Spidermen but his favorite movie is probably a Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movie 

Do not tell him the Avengers are more like coworkers than family. Do not fuck up his day 

He likes found family movies so he enjoys the movies that focus on the groups 

[queenpiranhadon]

A/N: You all voted on this poll, so I shall deliver. ;) Here's my masterlist!

Warning(s): Angst, unrequited love (kinda), amnesia, past (?) relationship, lovers to strangers to lovers, depictions of murder and bombing (nothing really happens though), mentions of depression

Pairing(s): Bucky Barnes x GN!Reader

•────•°•❀•°•──── ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛ ᴀɴɢᴇʟ ────•°•☁︎•°•────•

"Hey."

It was dark. Too dark for your comfort, but you still found solace out in the inky blackness that shrouded you, finding some twisted reassurance in the way all you could see was your own two hands in front of you, the faulty light that illuminated the looming Avengers complex in the distance, and the railing you rested your forearms on. 

And now, you saw the glint of metal in your periphery- no, not metal, vibranium.  

“Hi.” is all you whisper back, refusing to make eye contact with the man beside you.  

Your heart throbs, a dull ache compared to the raging thoughts in your head, the reason you came out in the dead of night in the first place. Bucky Barnes, your first love, and perhaps your last. You vowed you’d never see him again, yet here he was.

"Why are you avoiding me?" he grunts, giving up on trying to make eye contact with you and opts for leaning on the railing next to you.  

Bucky had been away on a mission, before he was the Winter Soldier, before he was the White Wolf, back when he was just Bucky. And that Bucky had been your friend. After he had left Hydra, he met you, on the street, making your way to a family-owned cafe, picking up coffee for both you and your boss, and a donut for yourself. At the time, you were a senior in college, working an internship under Tony Stark. You were special- special enough to stay after Stark debuted as Iron Man to the world, working under him – researching biotech and adding updates to his suit when the situation required them.  

Bucky had been there, in an alleyway, looking broken as he stared at the wall across from him. And you, the sweet angel you were, abandoned your coffee and asked him if he had a place to stay. 

It wasn’t like you to pick up every homeless man you saw on the streets, your small apartment would be ransacked if you had- but something was different about Bucky. Something special. So you took him in, making sure he ate, bathed, and had a place to sleep. 

And after a few months, Bucky became more than a friend. You had grown on him, cracking through his walls, and providing the warmth he needed for his cold heart. But the effort it took you to get there was painstakingly slow, the man had refused to eat your food until you threatened you wouldn’t either until he had done so. It was toxic, sure, using guilt to get him to do what you needed, but it had worked. And you two had been happy.  

You never told anyone about your new boyfriend, the man living in your house- knowing that judgement you would face had someone known that you started dating a random man you found off the street. But you loved him, with your whole heart, and nothing could change that.  

And then one day, he disappeared. You looked everywhere for him, showing up to the police with his picture, sobbing, wondering if he could be dead- or worse. 

And then you saw him, six months later, not in person, but on TV. For killing man by the name of T’Chaka, and for bombing a building. 

You weren’t the same after that, an empty shell filled with lies and denial, telling yourself that your Bucky wouldn’t do that. The same rough hands you loved so much, the ones that caressed your skin as you went to bed every night, enveloped in each other’s warmth, couldn’t be the same hands splattered with blood, the ones that held the lives of so many people. 

Tony had graciously let you off work, noticing the state you were in, but decided not to press as the cause of your misery.

And then a civil war broke out through the Avengers, and Tony needed your help. So you obliged, creating tech that would assist him in the fights he had coming. But you weren’t prepared for what was to come after all that. 

You had encountered Bucky at a party, alive and well, one hosted at Tony’s home. And you approached him.  

“Bucky! Oh my god, I’m so happy you’re safe.” you had said, wrapping your arms around him, trying to feel the warmth you used to, yet it wasn’t the same. You sobbed, spilling your worries out onto him, asking him why he didn’t talk to you, why he didn’t come back. 

And after everything, all he had said was "I'm sorry, who are you?"

He had forgot. 

Your heart had split into a million pieces then, the fragile glue you had used to try to keep your sanity together shattering as you whispered a feeble “never mind” before retracting away from him and slipping into the crowd. 

You avoided him for weeks after that, shooting down any attempt of communication between you, your heart clenching painfully whenever you glimpsed him.  

And now it was just the two of you, outside, on a railing.  

“Because it hurts” is all you say, in response to his question, deciding to focus on the present, not the past. 

He frowned slightly, a crease forming through his eyebrows, your fingers twitching to smooth it, as you always had. But you didn’t. He said nothing though, waiting for you to continue.  

“You really don’t remember, huh?” you whisper softly, a small huff exiting your lips, a hollow sound. 

He shakes his head again, swallowing thickly. “Most of my memories have been coming back- except for this one.” 

A choked sob leaves your mouth, playing off as a laugh as you feel the tears building in your throat. 

“I never meant anything to you, did I?” the words leave your mouth without much thought, before you shake your head smiling sadly.  

“It doesn’t matter any ways, I know it’s not your fault.” you say, turning away from him, walking back to the Avengers complex. “Be happy Buck – that's all I need from you.”  

Bucky stares at your retreating form, silent, wanting to reach out for you, reach out for the memories of you, but they were still so far away, out of reach.  

If only you knew how much he wanted to see his sweet angel again. 

[wisdomseulogy]

Stony/Stucky headcanons:

Alpha Tony Stark X Alpha Steve Rodgers

The love was quick with a lot of passion and agression

Tony always hated how he wasn’t an omega and wanted to have a kid with Steve so he figured it out and had Peter. (Alternative timeline here where somehow Peter ends up with a different family and Tony thinks he lost of the baby and he reunites with Peter when Peter is a teen)

There is always a lot of tension in the Stark-Rodgers household (two alphas are bound to butt heads most of the time), but everything comes to a head when Bucky comes back.

Steve instantly recognizes Bucky as the omega that he knew growing up and tries to help Bucky instead of fighting him.

Tony hates this because it brings up his own insecurities about not being an omega (what he believes Steve deserves/desires)

Tony is instantly on the Bucky hate train saying that he cant be saved and he can’t be helped and that they need to take him down

Steve and Tony get into a huge fight and Tony tries to stop Steve from going up against SHIELD

Steve goes up against SHIELD/HYDRA and eventually fights Bucky.

Bucky is adamant that he doesn’t know Steve, but on the inside Bucky recognizes that Steve smells…familiar

Bucky saves Steve from drowning in the river.

Captain America Civil War:

Tensions have been as high as ever with Steve and Tony, but they are trying to at least put up the facade of a loving family for their son Peter.

But when Tony learns about the woman’s son dying and the Sokovia Accords, he can’t help but think about his son Peter and want no more children to die because of their actions.

Steve doesn’t agree with the Sokovia Accords.

And then, Bucky is suspected of having blown up the UN and killing the king of Wakanda.

Steve and eventually Sam are quick to defend Bucky.

Steve says he knows Bucky, he knows him. He knows Bucky would never do that.

In a room filled with the other Avengers, Tony turns to Steve and says, I thought I knew you. I thought you would agree with me on the Sokovia Accords, I thought you would give up on that assassin omega you used to know. I thought you would take my side instead of humiliating me in front of our pack.

Then Tony drops the bombshell that he wants a divorce and that he wants sole custody of Peter.

Steve is taken aback. Sure Peter has always been closer with Tony and Steve is often gone on missions. But aren’t children usually closer with their mothers?

Steve has to choose between his family or Bucky.

Steve chooses Bucky and leaves with Sam to Romania.

Tony is heart broken. Natasha tries to console him but he refuses to let the pack see him cry. Not like this. And then Peter…how was he going to tell Peter?

Bucky gets taken back and was supposed to be interrogated by a psychiatrist but it ended up being Zemo. Bucky goes on a rampage and it takes both Sam and Steve to hold Bucky down and take him to a secure location.

Meanwhile Tony is coming to terms with the fact that his husband chose an ex-situationship over him and his son. Peter can tell something is wrong, but no one is saying anything.

Eventually Tony tells Peter what happened and Peter decides to side with Tony. Tony begins to build team Iron Man to go up against his soon-to-be ex husband Steve.

There is the whole fight between team Captain America and team Iron Man on the tarmac.

Steve is upset with Tony for ‘pinning their son against him’ and for not trying to understand his side of the story.

Peter meets Bucky for the first time, the omega that his father broke the family over.

Huge fight breaks out and Natasha ends up betraying Tony and helps Steve, Sam, and Bucky get away.

But a crack has formed that cannot be sealed. Even though Tony learns that Bucky was set up, he still continues with the divorce filing.

Endgame:

(Sam and Bucky end up having a thing and eloping after sharing a heat together)

Steve decides to abandon his pack and his son for Peggy Carter for no apparent reason other than lust and greed.

Peter is devastated that his father left him to stay in the past. But Peter tries to hold it together.

Then Tony ends up sacrificing himself in order to save everyone and Peter is left with no parents and a half sibling and step-mom.

Sam and Bucky try to help Peter and raise him at least until he is able to move out on his own. (Of course later everyone ends up forgetting about Peter too.)

I have been obsessed with this for a while.

[kandisheek]

FIC REC WEEK 45 – FAKE RELATIONSHIP

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: 27dragons

27dragons writes some of my favorite Winteriron dynamics, period. Both Bucky's and Tony's voices are perfect, and they're such dorks in love that it makes my heart melt every time. Since I especially love their fake relationship fics, I decided to rec them here, but honestly, you should just check out their entire AO3 catalogue, everything on there is fantastic.

Here's some of their work that I think you should check out:

Freedom in These Bonds

Pairing: Bucky/Tony Rating: E Words: 18,314 Tags: A/B/O, Arranged Marriage, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting

Summary: Tony’s been accepted to M.I.T., which only admits a small percentage of omegas each year. He can’t wait to get there, to stretch his intellect and broaden his horizons. There’s only one small wrinkle: omega students have to be married.

Reasons why I love it: Aaaah, this one is so good! Bucky is such a green flag all around, and I was constantly awwwing throughout the whole bonding ceremony and everything that comes after. Plus, the smut is hot as hell. This fic is amazing, and you should definitely read it!

Brideprice

Pairing: Bucky/Tony Rating: E Words: 31,974 Tags: Post-Apocalyptic, Arranged Marriage, Canon-typical Violence

Summary: An event known only as the Sundering destroyed civilization as it had been known. Now, several hundred years later, humans have banded together in tribes that war over resources and scramble for ways to deal with the occasionally-deadly mutations that the Sundering left in its wake. The Avengers thought they would be the next victims of the Hydra tribe’s steady expansion and subjugation, but instead, Hydra approached them with an offer of alliance, including a bride for Tony, the Avengers’ second-in-command, to symbolize the union of the two tribes. But neither Tony’s bride nor the alliance turn out to be what the Avengers were hoping for.

Reasons why I love it: Aside from the fake marriage – which is superb in and of itself – I really love the worldbuilding in this one. All of the lore surrounding the Sundering is super intriguing, and the way that 27dragons plays with Marvel canon here is so much fun. It's really well-paced, and the characterizations are on point. I love this one, and I really hope you check it out for yourself!

Don't Be a Disaster (Be Mine)

Pairing: Bucky/Tony Rating: T Words: 5,318 Tags: No Powers AU, Coming Out, Getting Together

Summary: Unexpectedly, Tony is alone for the holidays. He hates being alone, but surely his genius brain will come up with something. Bucky can deal with the stress of having lost his arm, or the stress of remaining in the closet with his family, but not both. And only one of those things is in his control. But coming out to them when he doesn't even have a boyfriend is nervewracking, to say the least. A chance meeting on the subway may solve both of their problems... and give them both a gift they weren't even looking for.

Reasons why I love it: Christmas with the Barnes' sounds so cozy! I love Tony's characterization here, Bucky absolutely stood no chance against his charms. And the way they meet is hilarious, I enjoyed every second of it. This fic is wonderful, and you should definitely read it!

Can't Talk (Like Real Adults)

Pairing: Bucky/Tony Rating: E Words: 30,264 Tags: Marriage Pact, No Powers AU, Idiots in Love

Summary: Bucky and Steve made a pact when they were young, that if they were both still single when they were thirty, they’d marry each other. Bucky could think of a lot of worse things than being married to his best friend. They already live together, the tax benefits would be pretty awesome, and he could stop worrying about growing old alone. That is, until he met Tony Stark. Yes, that Tony Stark. Rich, gorgeous, smart, fun, great in bed, and... actually interested in Bucky? Tony didn’t really do dating. It was too depressing to waste his time with borderline stalkers, fortune hunters, people just crossing off their bucket lists, and worse. He’d pretty much resigned himself to a lifetime of one-night stands. And then he met Bucky. Hot, nerdy, relaxed, and utterly nonchalant about the whole “Tony Stark” package in an extremely appealing way. There was just one problem: Bucky was engaged to someone else.

Reasons why I love it: Oh my god, this fic gave me everything I could ever want in a fic. They're both such fucking dumbasses – Bucky more so than Tony, but still – and I love every second of the drama. Also, the intimate scenes are just incredible, 27dragons and tisfan write these two idiots so well. Definitely check this one out, I bet you'll love it just as much as I do!

If Only in My Dreams

Pairing: Bucky/Tony Rating: E Words: 16,954 Tags: A/B/O, Mutual Pining, Christmas

Summary: Despite presenting late, Tony's father never had any doubt that Tony would follow in his footsteps and be an Alpha. So it is with more than mild dismay that Tony finally presents shortly before exams... as an Omega. Now he's got to go home for the holidays to fend off his parents' outdated notions, including his father's attempts to arrange a Bond for him. Bucky's had a crush on Tony since they first met, more than a year ago, but he keeps finding excuses not to express his interest. When Tony admits that he's looking for an Alpha to bring home to pretend to be courting him, Bucky volunteers before he can really think about what he's doing. But it's only for a few days. Everything will be fine.

Reasons why I love it: Oh man, I really feel Bucky in this one. If I saw anyone living in the kind of family dynamic Tony is living here, I'd want to take them far away too. Thank god for Ana and Jarvis! I love how Tony's relationship with Howard especially is explored here, and Bucky's reaction to everything is fantastic. Plus, the Winteriron Christmas fluff is so sweet, it makes up for all of the family angst. I love this one, and I bet you will too, so I hope you give it a shot!

[beefromanoff]

Going Under Ch. 35

summary: too much to summarize. just read. read and be happy :)

characters: Bucky Barnes x OC

soundtrack: beyond - Leon Bridges

warnings: fluff, pop star fantasy x love story, set in an AU where the Avengers reunite after Civil War, pre-infinity war, slight angst, hurt/comfort, lonely reader/OC.

author’s note: the long awaited final chapter for this lovely story. as my first fanfic and something I've been writing for over a year, it will always hold a special place in my heart. thank you to everyone who has read and loved it along with me. I hope you love the ending and get all the warm fuzzies.

special thank you to @charmedbysarge and @wasalreadyhere for the love and reviews and making me feel special. ily ily ily. you are the reason I love writing this so much.

let me know what you think and please please please feel free to check out my two other stories! masterlist <3

XO, ENJOY

“Okay, we’re at cruising altitude. Friday, engage autopilot.” Nat let go of the controls and leaned back in her seat. 

“Roger that, Agent Romanoff.” 

“So,” She kicked her feet up on an empty seat beside Steve. “Barnes gets a happy ending after all.” 

“I guess so.” Steve grinned, folding his arms. 

“If he doesn’t self-destruct again.” 

“I think it’s different this time…I mean, with Gianna it’s always been different. But this go ‘round…he knows it.” 

Nat cocked her head. “Different with Gianna how? Because he’s actually showing human emotions for once?”

Chuckling, Steve rubbed the back of his neck. “That too. I just mean when he had relationships, before…it wasn’t like this. He was actually quite the ladies’ man, you know.” 

“So I’ve heard. I still don’t know if you’re just trying to pull one over on me.” She smirked. 

“It’s true, I witnessed it.” He held his hands up innocently. “He was charming and handsome and he knew it. It was almost a game for him.” 

“So he had a little Stark in him?”

“No, not like that. It was a game, but it wasn’t malicious. He was respectful, he genuinely just loved women. I swore he said he was in love with a different girl every week. He would meet them, decide they were the most magnificent girl he’d ever met, and make it his personal mission to make them fall in love with him. Then when they inevitably did, and they always did…he’d end up enamored with another girl.” Steve laughed, remembering. “But the bastard was so charming that no one ever got mad at him. They’d just keep pining after him, hoping he’d come back. I swear he had two dozen women seeing him off when he left for the war.” 

“Damn, ladies’ man indeed.” Nat whistled. 

“But with Gianna…I don’t know. It’s like she’s the first person to be in on it with him. With all the girls back then, it’s like they were someone or something he wanted. With Gianna, it just seems like she’s past his walls, inside him somehow.”

“Gross.” 

“Nat,” Steve rolled his eyes. 

“Sorry. I’m being serious. I promise.” 

“I mean it, it just feels different. I mean, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her today, but that’s not what I’m talking about. When he looked at her, it’s like they were having a whole conversation right in front of us. It’s the first time I’ve felt like I’m on the outside looking in when it comes to Bucky, and you know what?” He looked up at Natasha. “It’s about damn time.”

_____________

The set was abuzz with activity, crew members hustling to and fro, adjusting lights and setting up cameras. The backdrop was a meticulously recreated Hydra base, dark and menacing. It felt almost surreal to Bucky, standing there and reliving some of his darkest memories.

Except this time, he was in control. 

Sebastian Stan stood beside his stunt double, both of them listening intently as Bucky explained the intricacies of the upcoming scene. His voice was steady, authoritative, as he described the tactical maneuvers and the emotional turmoil that should be conveyed.

"You have to remember," Bucky was saying, "this isn't just about the physical fight. It's about the mental battle. Hydra isn't just an enemy; it's a nightmare that's hard to shake off. Every move you make, every punch you throw, it’s like fighting your own demons. You’re not just trying to punch your way out of this base, you’re trying to punch your way out of your own mind, too."

Sebastian nodded, absorbing every word. "Got it. It’s more than just a fight scene. It’s personal."

Out of the corner of his eye, Bucky saw a familiar flash of blonde hair step onto the set. Gianna’s eyes immediately found Bucky, and she couldn't help but smile. He looked so composed, so in control. Yet, a part of her couldn't help but worry about the emotional toll this might be taking on him. It was jarring, even for her, seeing this dark hellhole recreated.

Bucky's face lit up when he saw her. "Gianna!" he called out, waving her over.

She made her way through the maze of equipment, her presence like a ray of sunshine cutting through the dark set. As she reached him, she handed him a cup of coffee from the two in her hands. "Thought you could use a pick-me-up."

Bucky took the cup gratefully, his fingers brushing hers. "You read my mind."

Gianna glanced around the set, her eyes lingering on the menacing chair and restraints in the center. She leaned in, lowering her voice. "Are you okay? I mean, really okay?"

Bucky looked into her eyes, his expression softening. "I am. It’s different now. I’m telling my story on my terms. I’m out, I’m safe, we’ve been working through this in therapy. This doesn’t have power over me anymore."

She nodded, though the concern in her eyes remained. "I just worry. Seeing all this... it just makes me worry for you. I don’t want it to bring back bad things."

Bucky smiled, a genuine, reassuring smile. "I know. But trust me, this is good. It’s like it’s own kind of therapy, in some kind of fucked up way. And besides, I get to see the look on their faces when they get it right."

Gianna laughed softly. "Alright, as long as you're sure."

Bucky squeezed her hand. "I’m sure. And having you here helps. A lot."

Sebastian, who had been respectfully silent as he stood a few feet away, finally spoke up. "He’s pretty good at this consulting thing. Might have a place in Hollywood if saving the world ever gets old.”

“That’s a thought that hadn’t crossed my mind,” Gianna laughed, going over to hug him. “You look…terrifying.” 

“You don’t like the hair?” He joked, turning so she could see the full attire. He was clad in all black tactical gear, black and blue bruises painted on his face. Even the metal arm was uncanny. It was slightly unnerving. 

“I like the hair.” She rolled her eyes.

The director called for a break, allowing Bucky and Gianna a moment of peace. They found a quiet corner on the set, sitting down on a couple of crates.

"How’s your day been?" Bucky asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Busy," Gianna replied. "But good. I’m headed to the studio after this, I’ll be out late so don’t rush home. I can grab food on my way back, if you want.” She sipped her coffee, looking around thoughtfully. “You’re really doing it, Buck. You’re facing your past head-on."

Bucky nodded. "Yeah. And it feels... liberating. For so long, I let my past define me. I spent so much time afraid of people finding out about my past. Now, I’m taking control of my story and how it’s told. It feels…good."

Gianna smiled, her heart swelling with pride. "I’m so proud of you."

Bucky leaned in, kissing her softly. "Thank you. For everything."

___________

The studio was a hive of creative energy. Soundboards, guitars, and sheet music were scattered around, creating an organized chaos that only artists could appreciate. Gianna sat at the grand piano, her fingers dancing lazily over the keys as she hummed a new melody. Even several hours in, she looked content and radiant.

Her producer, Jack, was sitting in the control room, going through her latest recordings. He shook his head with a mix of admiration and exasperation. "Gianna, I’ve got to hand it to you, these songs are incredible."

Gianna grinned, looking up from the piano. "Thanks, Jack. I’ve been feeling really inspired lately."

Jack chuckled, walking into the recording area with a stack of lyric sheets in hand. "I can tell. But we’ve got a bit of a problem here."

"What’s that?" she asked, though her smile never faltered.

Jack spread out the lyric sheets on the piano. "You’ve written enough love songs to fill the next three years of your career. We’re going to have a hell of a time picking the track list for the album."

Gianna laughed sheepishly. "I guess I got carried away."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Carried away? Gianna, you’ve written over thirty songs, and they’re all about the same guy."

"What can I say? He’s my muse." She grinned, toying with the piano again.

Jack sighed, though he couldn’t hide his smile. "Clearly. But we need to be realistic here. We can’t release all of these songs. There’s a limit to these things."

Gianna pretended to think hard, tapping her chin. "Well, I suppose there’s only one solution then."

Jack gave her a wary look. "And what might that be?"

She leaned back, a mischievous glint in her eye. "We’ll just have to do a double album."

Jack groaned, though he was clearly amused. "A double album, huh? You do realize the logistics of that, right? Double the recording time, double the production work, double the promotion?"

Gianna shrugged, still smiling. "Forget the promotion. If it’s good music, and it is, people will listen. Besides, who doesn’t love a good love song?"

Jack shook his head, laughing. "You’re impossible, you know that?"

"That’s why you love me," she teased.

"True," Jack admitted. "But seriously, Gianna, these songs are something special. It’s clear they come from a place of deep emotion. You’ve really poured your heart into this."

Gianna’s expression softened. "I have. I don’t think I could stop writing if I tried. It’s like these love songs are just oozing out of me."

“Okay, that’s a gross visual.” Jack shook his head, his tone more serious. "Well, if we’re going to do this, we’re going to make this album something truly special. It’s your best work yet."

Gianna beamed. “You really think so?” 

“Don’t let it go to your head.” He patted her shoulder. "Let’s get back to work. We’ve got a lot to do if we’re going to make this double album happen."

_____________

Bucky and Gianna were sprawled out on the floor of her luxurious penthouse, surrounded by half-empty takeout boxes. The soft glow of the setting sun filtered through the massive windows, casting a warm, golden light over them. They were relaxed, content, and completely at ease in each other's company. The past two months of their rekindled romance had felt all too natural, both of them slipping into their new routine like it was second nature.

Bucky picked up a spring roll, taking a bite as he leaned back against the couch. "You know, I think I could get used to this."

Gianna laughed, her eyes sparkling. "What, Chinese food and sunsets?"

"That, and spending my evenings with you," he replied, giving her a warm smile.

“You say that every night.” She rolled her eyes, elbowing him in the side.

“I’ll stop saying it when it stops being true.” Blue eyes locked on hers.

She blushed slightly, looking down at her food. "Well, I’m glad you’re here. It’s nice to have someone to share this with. Thai food and the evening." She winked.

Bucky nodded, his gaze turning towards the window. "Speaking of sharing, have you noticed anything different about Steve and Nat lately?"

Gianna raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile creeping across her face. "You mean besides the fact that they’re clearly still pretending they’re not madly in love with each other?"

Bucky chuckled. "Exactly. Do you think they’ll ever stop pretending?"

Gianna shrugged, taking a sip of her drink. "Who knows? They’re both pretty stubborn. They could probably keep this going for decades."

Bucky nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you’re probably right. To be honest, though, I only care about one relationship at this particular moment." He tilted Gianna’s chin up, kissing her softly, slowly. 

“Suddenly, so do I.” Gianna breathed, lips still inches from his.

"Sorry, you were about to tell me something. Don’t let me distract you." he said, giving her a playful wink.

“We can talk about it later,” She leaned in, eyes focused on his mouth. 

“No, no,” Bucky stroked her hair behind her ear. “I want to hear it. We have plenty of time to…not talk later.” 

Gianna grinned. "True. Okay, well you know recording has been going well. Like, incredibly well.” 

Bucky raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn’t expect anything else where you’re involved."

Gianna set her takeout box aside, sitting up a bit straighter. "Well,  you know, the customary thing to happen after an album release is…a tour."

"A tour, huh?” His eyes crinkled in the corners with his smile. “Suddenly I’m having deja vu.” 

"I was wondering... would you be interested in taking another security contract?" She bit her lip, eyes bright. 

Bucky pretended to think about it. “What’s the pay like?” 

“Bucky Barnes!” Gianna smacked him in the arm. 

A slow smile spread across Bucky’s face. "Are you asking me to be your bodyguard again?"

Gianna grinned, her heart racing. "Something like that. What do you say?"

Bucky leaned in, cupping her face in his hands. "I say yes. Hell yes. Fuck yes. A thousand times yes."

She laughed, a sound filled with pure joy. "Really? You don’t mind to go back on the road? I mean, it’ll be fun, but it’s also a lot of work. Well, you remember…it’ll be a long time away from home and–"

He nodded, cutting her off. "Gianna. I’m not away from home when I’m with you. Wherever you go, I’ll be right there with you."

Gianna threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, Bucky. You have no idea how much this means to me."

He held her close, his heart swelling with happiness. "I think I do. And I can’t wait to see the world with you."

They sat for a moment, embracing each other in the midst of scattered takeout boxes and golden sun spilling in through the window. 

“One more thing,” Bucky leaned back, looking at her. “I think we need to stay in the same room.” His eyes flicked to her lips and back up. “You know, with the heightened security risk…” 

“Is that your professional opinion?” She tilted her head, angling her lips closer to his. 

“It is my very professional opinion.” 

“Then I guess we’ll have to share a room.”

Gianna fell into a fit of giggles as Bucky pulled her onto his lap, tangling his hand in her hair as he kissed her. 

___________

Eight Months Later

The red carpet was buzzing with excitement as fans and reporters gathered for the premiere of the Winter Soldier movie. The entire team had turned out to support him, creating quite the stir among the attendees and press alike. Bright lights and camera flashes created a dazzling, albeit somewhat overwhelming, atmosphere as the stars made their way down the carpet, stopping for interviews along the way. Some members of the team, a la Natasha and Tony, looked right at home. They smiled and posed for the cameras, soaking up every second of their walk down the carpet. Others, like Wanda and Steve, did their part but didn’t linger. 

Gianna was radiant, her eyes sparkling with excitement and pride as she stood next to Bucky. She wore a stunning floor length silver gown, dripping in crystals, her smile infectious as she spoke to a reporter.

"Gianna! You’re back in New York for the premiere. How does it feel to be here supporting Sergeant Barnes tonight?" the reporter asked.

"Oh, it's incredible! We've been away on tour for a few months now, and it's been amazing, but being back in New York for this special occasion is just... wow. I'm so proud of Bucky. This movie is such a big deal, and getting to be here to support him means absolutely everything to me," Gianna gushed, her voice filled with genuine pride.

"Your tour has been a huge success, to say the least. How have you managed to balance everything with the tour and now coming back for the premiere?" the reporter inquired.

Gianna laughed. "It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, to be honest. But having Bucky with me on tour has made it so much easier. He's my rock. And now, getting to switch roles and be here for him, it feels really special. Plus, it’s a nice break from the road, even if it’s just for a week. We knew in advance when the premiere would fall and scheduled the tour dates around it."

"You mentioned switching roles. How does it feel to be the one supporting him for a change?" the reporter asked, leaning in with interest.

"It feels amazing. Bucky has always been there for me, whether it was at my concerts or during tough times. So being able to stand by his side and cheer him on for something he's worked so hard on is really fulfilling. He’s been through so much, and seeing him share his story with the world is just... I'm getting emotional thinking about it," Gianna admitted, her eyes glistening.

"His story is definitely one that needed to be told. How do you feel about the portrayal of his life and journey in the movie?" the reporter continued.

"I think it’s powerful. The film does a great job of showing his strength, his resilience, and the incredible person he is. I won’t lie, it was difficult to watch in the advanced screenings. This film doesn’t pull any punches, which is something that was very important to Bucky. He didn’t want to tell a watered down version of the story, although it was tempting both for viewers and himself. But it’s not just about the battles he's fought, but the person he's become. I think the world is going to see the Bucky we all know and love, and that’s really special," Gianna replied warmly, gesturing to the team members scattered through the crowd.

"It sounds like you're his biggest fan," the reporter noted with a smile.

"Oh, I definitely am. He’s my hero, in every sense of the word," Gianna said, eyes flicking to Bucky giving an interview a few feet away. Their eyes met, and he instantly let his shoulders down, tension evaporating knowing she was so close.

The reporter wrapped up the interview, thanking her for her time before moving on to the next celebrity on the red carpet. Steve Rogers, looking as composed as ever in his crisp navy suit, was next in line for an interview. The correspondent approached him with enthusiasm.

"Captain Rogers! It's a pleasure to see you here tonight. This is a big night for Sergeant Barnes and everyone involved in the film. How are you feeling about it all?" the reporter asked.

Steve smiled warmly. "I’m incredibly proud of Bucky. He’s been through so much and has come out stronger on the other side. This film is a testament to his resilience and strength, and I think the world is finally going to see the hero he truly is."

"How has it been seeing Bucky’s journey portrayed on the big screen?" the reporter inquired.

"It’s been a mix of emotions, to be honest. Seeing some of the toughest parts of his past was hard, but it was also inspiring to see how far he’s come. The film does a great job of showing the darkest moments of his life and still ending on a hopeful note. I'm excited for people to see that," Steve explained, his voice filled with pride.

"You’ve always been a close friend and supporter of Bucky. What do you hope audiences take away from this film?" the reporter asked.

"I hope they see that no matter what you go through, you can find your way back. It's a story of hope, resilience, and redemption. Bucky is a true hero, and I think this film will show people that anyone can overcome their past and find peace," Steve said, his smile meeting his eyes.

"Thank you, Steve. It's clear how much you care about Bucky," the reporter said with a smile.

"Always," Steve replied, his gaze drifting to where Bucky and Gianna stood, surrounded by well-wishers.

Next up was Sebastian Stan, the actor who had the daunting task of portraying Bucky in the film. He looked confident and practiced as he stepped up for his interview.

"Sebastian! This is such a big night for you. How did you prepare for such a serious and intense role?" the reporter asked.

Sebastian took a deep breath before answering. "It was definitely a challenge, but one I was honored to take on. I spent a lot of time talking to Bucky and understanding his experiences. He was very generous with his time and guidance, we spent a lot of time on set and even more time talking over whiskey. Gianna was also a huge help. She shared so much insight into who he is now and how he's healed. It was important to me to get it right, not just for Bucky, but for everyone who’s gone through something traumatic in their life and had to overcome it."

"That sounds like quite the journey. What was the most challenging part of playing Bucky?" the reporter continued.

"I think the hardest part was portraying the depth of his trauma while also showing his strength and resilience. Bucky's been through so much, but he’s come out the other side stronger. It was important to show that balance – the pain and the healing. And having Bucky and Gianna's guidance really helped make that possible," Sebastian explained, his voice sincere.

"How do you feel about the film's reception so far?"

"I’m thrilled. The response has been amazing, and I’m just grateful that people are connecting with Bucky's story. It’s an important one, and I hope it resonates with everyone who sees it.”

"Thank you, Sebastian. It’s clear you put a lot of heart into this role," the reporter nodded in gratitude.

"Thank you. It’s been an honor to bring Bucky’s story to life," Sebastian replied with a smile.

A few moments later, Bucky was pulled aside for his own interview. He stood tall and composed, fighting the urge to bolt for the nearest exit in the midst of this crowd.

"Sergeant Barnes! This is such a big night for you. How are you feeling?" A petite brunette reporter asked.

"Honestly, it's a mix of excitement and nerves. It's surreal to see this story up on the big screen, but I'm really proud of how it turned out. I never thought it would be something I was comfortable with sharing, especially on this scale, but I think the right team handled it and I couldn’t be more honored. And having Gianna and all my friends here makes it even more special," Bucky said, his smile genuine.

"Speaking of Gianna, she had nothing but praise for you. How has it been having her support throughout this process?" 

"It's been incredible. She's my biggest supporter, and having her by my side means…everything to me. This is her world, and I don’t think I could navigate it without her. She's been my rock through everything, and now getting to share this moment with her is just... I can't put it into words," Bucky replied, glancing at Gianna with a tender look.

"The movie delves into some pretty intense parts of your life. How did you feel revisiting those memories during the making of the film?" the reporter asked with careful tact. 

"It was tough at times, but it was also therapeutic in a way. It was a chance to face those demons and show that they don’t define me. The film is about more than just the bad things that happened to me and to so many others; it's about overcoming and finding peace. And I think that's an important message," Bucky explained, his voice steady as he recited the words he and Gianna had practiced numerous times in hotel rooms and on the tour bus.

"You’ve come a long way, Bucky. What do you hope people take away from this film?" the reporter asked, clearly moved by his words.

"I hope they see that no matter what you go through, you can come out the other side stronger. It's about resilience, about finding your way back to yourself. And I hope it inspires people to keep fighting, no matter what," Bucky said, his words filled with conviction.

"That’s a powerful message. Thank you for sharing your story with the world, Bucky," the reporter said, concluding the interview.

"Thank you for having me. I hope everyone enjoys the film," Bucky replied with a warm smile.

With that, Bucky rejoined Gianna, slipping his arm around her waist as they made their way into the theater. The support and love between them were palpable, and it was clear that no matter what challenges they faced, they would always stand by each other’s side.

___________

"Global Pop Sensation Gianna Cruz Shocks the World by Taking the Stage in Amsterdam with a Diamond on Her Left Hand"

Entertainment Tonight

Gianna Cruz, the global pop sensation, left fans in awe last night during her electrifying performance in Amsterdam. As she took the stage for the encore, a dazzling diamond ring on her left hand caught the light, sparking a frenzy of speculation and excitement among her adoring fans.

The Amsterdam show marked the seventh month of Gianna's highly successful world tour, which has seen sold-out venues across the globe. However, it’s not just her music making headlines – it’s her love life too. Just two months ago, Gianna and her long-time boyfriend, James "Bucky" Barnes, made their first official public appearance as a couple at the star-studded premiere of his biographical movie. Their notoriously low-key relationship has since captured the hearts of fans and media alike since they were first spotted together on Gianna’s previous tour.

Since rumors of their relationship sparked nearly two years ago, Gianna and Bucky have been frequently spotted enjoying simple, everyday moments together. Whether it’s grabbing coffee in casual attire or exploring new cities on tour, the couple's love story has become the epitome of modern celebrity romance. Interestingly, this isn’t the first time they've been photographed in such a manner. Nearly two years ago, during Gianna’s last tour, the couple was first spotted together in a similar coffee shop setting, igniting the initial buzz about their budding relationship.

Despite the public's curiosity, Gianna has yet to make any official statements about her engagement. However, Pepper Potts, a representative for both Gianna’s record label and the Avengers, confirmed the happy news with a succinct but heartfelt statement: "They are both very happy."

Fans of Gianna Cruz and Bucky Barnes couldn’t be more thrilled to see their favorite couple take this next step in their journey together. As Gianna’s tour continues to wow audiences worldwide, it seems love is also in the air, making this tour one for the history books.

_________

One Year Following the Engagement

Gianna sat in the dressing room of the charming, sunlit chapel, her heart fluttering with anticipation. She wore a delicate silk robe, her hair pinned up in preparation for the intricate style it would soon take. Her longtime makeup artist and friend, Kate, carefully applied Gianna's makeup, her hands steady and precise as ever.

Kate paused for a moment, dipping a brush into a soft pink blush. "Can I tell you a secret?" she asked, her voice gentle and warm.

Gianna glanced at her reflection in the mirror, meeting Kate's eyes. "Of course," she said with a curious smile.

Kate leaned in slightly, as if sharing a cherished memory. "I knew this day would come from the second Bucky joined the tour," she confessed. 

Gianna's smile widened, a blush of her own coloring her cheeks. "Really?"

Kate nodded, her hands continuing their work. "Absolutely. There was something about the way he looked at you, the way you both just... fit. It was like watching two pieces of a puzzle come together."

Gianna felt a rush of emotions, her eyes misting up. "You were right," she said softly. "He's... everything."

Kate smiled, her expression tender. "You deserve every bit of happiness, Gianna. Today is just the beginning."

As Kate finished the final touches, Gianna felt a profound sense of gratitude and love. She reached out and squeezed Kate's hand. "Thank you, Kate. For everything."

Kate squeezed back, her eyes shining. "It's my honor, Gianna. Now, let's set you again, make sure you don’t cry off all this makeup."

Gianna laughed softly, closing her eyes as Kate sprayed her face. The day had finally arrived, and she was ready to walk down the aisle to the man who had captured her heart from the very beginning. They’d chosen a small destination wedding, following the private nature of their relationship. Since neither of them had relationships with their surviving family members, it just made sense. Their closest friends had flown out to Italy the week before for several nights of relaxation, reminiscing, and catching up. Gianna’s tour had concluded the month prior, and since then, she and Bucky had been hunkered down in New York, recovering from the chaos of the past year. 

Now, with Natasha and Wanda off on a mission to mix a batch of “strong but safe” mimosas, Steve and Sam somewhere in a different wing of the villa with Bucky, and the rest of their friends turned family enjoying a day in the small nearby town until the festivities; she couldn’t imagine her heart feeling any more full. 

“Here you go, G.” Natasha slid back into the room, holding a crystal flute out to Gianna. 

“To Ms. Gianna Cruz, for the very last time.” Wanda smiled, holding her own glass up. 

“To Ms. Gianna Cruz.” 

_________

The reception was set in the lush garden of the Italian villa, with twinkling fairy lights strung overhead, casting a warm glow over the long banquet table where guests were gathered. The air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers and delicious Italian cuisine, and the soft murmur of laughter and conversation created a cozy, intimate atmosphere.

At the head of the table, Gianna and Bucky sat side by side, their hands intertwined, beaming at their friends–their family–who had come to celebrate their special day. The evening was perfect, and as the sun began to set, casting a golden hue over the villa, Steve stood up, tapping his glass to get everyone's attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Steve began,  "if I could have your attention for a moment, I'd like to say a few words."

The table quieted, turning their attention to Steve, who smiled at the couple before him. "I've had the privilege of knowing Bucky for most of my life. We've been through a lot together—more than most people could ever imagine. And through all those years, I've seen him at his best and his worst."

Steve paused, his eyes glancing around the table, taking in the faces of their closest friends. "There were times when I wasn't sure we'd ever get Bucky back. So much was taken from him, from all of us, and there were moments when it seemed like the man I knew was lost forever. Even when we finally, finally got him back…I didn’t think he’d ever be whole again."

He turned to Gianna, his expression softening. "But then you came along, Gianna. You brought a light and warmth into his life that none of us ever thought we'd see again. You showed him that it was okay to live, to love, and to be happy."

A few guests dabbed at their eyes, even Sam, though he’d deny it if anyone brought it up. "I remember the first time I saw the two of you together," Steve continued, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "There was something different about Bucky. He was... lighter. He laughed more, smiled more. He was becoming himself again, and it was all because of you, Gianna."

Steve chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I still can't believe Bucky, the guy who didn’t know what Spotify was until last year, fell for a pop star. But then again, who wouldn't? You're so talented, Gianna, but more than that… you’re kind, genuine, and you have this amazing ability to make everyone around you feel special. You brought out the best in Bucky, and for that, I'll always be grateful. As for you, Buck, don’t do anything stupid to mess this up. Again.” A chorus of laughter sounded around the table as Bucky grinned, hanging his head in mock shame.

He raised his glass, looking at Bucky and Gianna with a mixture of pride and affection. "To Bucky and Gianna. May your life together be filled with as much love and happiness as you've brought to each other. And may you continue to bring out the best in one another, every single day."

The guests raised their glasses, echoing Steve's toast. "To Bucky and Gianna!"

As Steve sat down, Bucky stood, squeezing Gianna’s hand. "Thank you, Steve," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "And thank you, everyone, for being here to celebrate with us.” He raised his glass again. “To family."

The guests cheered, and the reception continued with laughter, way too much pasta, and the clinking of glasses as toast after toast was made. Gianna and Bucky were surrounded by love, and as they looked around at their small crowd, they knew this was just the beginning.

They dined, drank, and danced. After several hours, the table had been abandoned with suit jackets thrown over the back of seats and heels forgotten beneath chairs. The music and laughter floated off the patio and into the twinkling night sky.

As the reception continued, the energy in the garden reached a peak. The music slowed to a gentle tune, signaling the traditional bouquet and garter toss. Gianna stood at one end of the garden, bouquet in hand, while Bucky, grinning from ear to ear, stood at the other, holding the garter. Bucky’s tie was loose, his top few buttons undone and sleeves rolled up. Gianna’s bare feet sat on the cobblestones.

"Alright, ladies!" Gianna called out, turning her back to the small crowd of female guests, Natasha, Kate, Wanda, Madison, and Pepper. "Let's see who’s next!"

The women gathered behind her, laughing and jostling playfully, while the men formed a similar group behind Bucky, ready for the garter toss.

"On three!" Gianna shouted, her voice full of anticipation. "One... Two... Three!"

She tossed the bouquet high into the air, its arc lit beautifully by the string lights overhead. At the same time, Bucky launched the garter with a perfect aim. Both items flew through the air, and just as they began their descent, something strange happened.

As if choreographed, the crowd of guests simultaneously stepped back, leaving only Steve and Nat standing alone in the center. Steve's eyes widened in surprise, and Nat's expression shifted from curiosity to amusement.

"What the—?" Steve started, glancing around at the now grinning guests.

Nat flipped a playful finger in the direction of Gianna and Bucky, who were laughing hysterically. Before either Steve or Nat could react further, the bouquet landed squarely in Nat's hands, and the garter fell into Steve's outstretched hand.

The garden erupted in cheers and applause. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" the crowd chanted, clapping and whistling.

Steve's face turned a deep shade of crimson, and he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. Nat, on the other hand, couldn't help but smirk at the orchestrated setup. She rolled her eyes playfully, holding the bouquet up as if it were a trophy.

Bucky, catching the eye of his old friend, gave Steve a conspiratorial wink. "About time, don't you think?"

Nat laughed, shaking her head, and then turned to Steve. "Well, Captain, looks like the universe is trying to tell us something."

Steve chuckled, his embarrassment giving way to a warm smile. "I guess so."

The crowd's cheering grew louder, urging them on. Nat handed the bouquet to Wanda and then grabbed Steve by the collar, pulling him in for a dramatic kiss. The guests roared with approval, clapping and hooting as the couple shared a passionate moment.

Gianna and Bucky beamed, grinning so hard their cheeks hurt. "Best idea ever," Gianna whispered to Bucky.

"Absolutely," he agreed, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Here’s to more happy endings."

As Steve and Nat finally broke their kiss, they turned to their friends, blushing but smiling. The night continued with even more celebration, the love and joy in the air palpable as the wedding festivities carried on, cementing memories that would last a lifetime.

_________

First Look at Intimate Italian Wedding Between Gianna Cruz and Bucky Barnes

People Magazine

Photos of the picturesque wedding in Tuscany have emerged, showcasing the happy couple surrounded by star-studded group of close friends.

Gianna Cruz-Barnes' World Tour Smashes Grossing Records

Billboard

Gianna Cruz-Barnes’ world tour has shattered grossing records in every city, proving her global appeal as a pop sensation.

‘The Winter Soldier’ James ‘Bucky’ Barnes Biopic Sweeps the Oscars

Variety

"The Winter Soldier," the biopic chronicling the life of Bucky Barnes, wins big at the Oscars with accolades for Best Picture, Best Leading Actor, and Best Screenplay, among others.

Surprise Again! Gianna Cruz Announces Birth of Their First Child

Entertainment Tonight

Gianna Cruz-Barnes and husband Bucky Barnes welcome their first child, just shy of their first wedding anniversary. Fans await news of the baby's name after Gianna shares an adorable snapshot.

Rare Public Appearance of the Cruz-Barnes Trio

New York Times

Gianna and Bucky Barnes, along with their daughter, attend the Stark Foundation ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside Captain Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff.

Baby Watch? Cruz-Barnes Clan Spotted in Brooklyn

TMZ

Gianna Cruz sports an adorable baby bump while Bucky Barnes holds their nearly three-year-old daughter, Ava, during a casual outing in Brooklyn.

Gianna Cruz Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary of Her Iconic Album

Rolling Stone

Gianna Cruz reflects on the impact of her record-breaking album, "Blooming" as fans celebrate its five-year anniversary with a special re-release. The extended edition of the album will feature acoustic versions of fan favorite songs, as well as a few never before heard tracks that follow the titling theme of springtime coming after a long winter. 

Gianna Cruz Launches Philanthropic Initiative with the Stark Foundation

Forbes

Gianna Cruz partners with the Stark Foundation to launch a philanthropic initiative aimed at supporting orphans, children in foster care, and underprivileged communities worldwide.

Gianna Cruz and Bucky Barnes Celebrate Their Tenth Anniversary

People Magazine

Gianna Cruz and Bucky Barnes mark a decade of love and partnership by returning to Tuscany for a private celebration surrounded by friends and family.

___________

July 4th

The Compound was alive with the spirited buzz of laughter and playful chatter. It looked like a scene out of a wholesome, all-American movie. The aroma of barbecue wafted through the air, mingling with the joyful squeals of children running around the lawn near the dock. Tables adorned with red, white, and blue decorations were set with an array of way too many food dishes, while a large banner proclaimed, "Happy Birthday, Cap!" in bold letters.

Under the shade of a sprawling oak tree, a group of adults gathered around a grill, flipping burgers and hot dogs. Tony, with his arm draped affectionately around Pepper, was engrossed in a lively discussion with Sam and his girlfriend. Nearby, Wanda and Peter playfully chased after a giggling group of children, their faces lit up with delight.

At the heart of the celebration, Gianna and Bucky watched over their two children, Ava Kate and James Grant. Ava was the spitting image of her mother with her blond curly hair and green eyes, but sported her father’s mischievous grin. She was engaged in a game of tag with Tony and Pepper's daughter, Morgan. James had his father's piercing blue eyes and dark hair, but Gianna’s contagious smile. He toddled around with a toy version of the famous Captain America’s shield, occasionally throwing curious glances at the older children.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting a warm glow over the gathering, Steve and Bucky found a quiet moment together at the end of the dock. They watched fondly as Ava and Morgan giggled together with three other girls, their laughter still the most beautiful sound either man had ever heard.

Steve turned to Bucky, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Can you believe this, Buck?" he murmured, his eyes scanning the scene before them.

Bucky followed his gaze, his expression tender. "Never in a million years," he replied quietly. "I never thought we'd have all this."

“Even before the war, I never thought you’d settle down.” he teased, nudging Bucky playfully with his elbow.

“Yeah, well, you never were a good betting man.” Bucky grinned, sipping his beer. 

“That is true.” Steve chuckled softly. "That’s one bet I’m glad I would have lost. We are painfully outnumbered by girls, though." 

Bucky chuckled, shaking his head. "You got that right. But I hear Nat's still pushing for more," he added, his voice filled with affection as he glanced over at Natasha, who was engrossed in conversation with Gianna.

Steve's gaze softened as he watched Natasha, his lifelong friend and now wife, watching their adopted daughters. "Can't say no to her," he replied with a fond smile.

Bucky nodded knowingly. "Wouldn't want to," he admitted, his eyes returning to Gianna.

The two friends stood in companionable silence for a moment, soaking in the scene of their friends and children playing out before them.

"Hey, dads!" Gianna called out, waving them over with a warm smile. "Come join us for cake!"

Steve and Bucky exchanged a knowing glance before heading over to join their wives and friends. As they approached the group, the crowd of children was shushed to a controlled level. Natasha and Gianna stood side by side, their voices blending in harmony as they led the group in singing "Happy Birthday" to Steve.

Amidst the laughter and cheers that followed, Steve caught Bucky's eye once more, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. They had found their place in the world, surrounded by family and friends who loved them unconditionally. And as Steve blew out the candles on his cake, he made a silent wish, knowing that his heart was already full.

“Uncle Steve, will you tell us another story about my dad?” Ava’s small voice accompanied a tug on his shirt. Steve raised an eyebrow at her. 

“You want to hear another story?” 

“Yes!” She beamed, her teeth still stained blue from the cake. 

“Alright, alright.” He pretended to sigh, pulling her onto his lap. “Which one do you want to hear?” 

“Tell the one about the fair when Uncle Bucky threw up!” Steve’s oldest daughter chimed in, her russian accent thick but fading with her time in America. A chorus of cheers sounded from the kids around the table, eagerly plopping to sit on the dock at his feet. 

“Fine.” Steve grinned, winking at Bucky. “That’s my favorite one anyways.” 

[nourrris]

I hate, and love Steve Rogers.

there is no character who's given me as many conflicted feelings as he does, i can't tell if i absolutely hate his guts or adore him helplessly, one side is coming from the fact i love tony stark, and steve rogers is an absolute cunt for the way he's treated him at times (which some instances are understandable, but i still hold civil war against him) and then theres the version of him that i hold so close to my heart, excluding his confident demeanor and severe savior (guilt?) complex, he is still the man who couldnt help himself and risk his life for everybody else, the man who was pushed into a situation so life changing, experiencing the quite literal horrors of the world and humanity, both pre and post serum, he lived a rough life, especially with the timeline he lived in originally, and then the entire ordeal with bucky, the horrifying realization what's happened to one of the closest people in his life, what he's become, and the fact he's alive. (not that he ever got the chance to mourn anyways)

and thats not to talk about how his life was ultimately changed completely within such a small time frame for him, prior the modern years, living through a whole different world, about to sacrifice his life to mankind, then he wakes up 70 years later, the love of his life has aged in a way he didn't get the chance too, the world has became something completely separate to the timeline he lived in, he has to learn new social customs, new ways to adapt to how society exists, how is he meant to grieve or mourn through any of this at all? he had absolutely no time, he was consistently put into the highest of stress situations.

i hate how civil war went down, he gave away his life he had began building, of course there were multiple different ways to act and he definitely did not choose the right one, but i'll give the smallest inch of credit and say i'm not sure how i'd act either if i found my best friend (who was supposedly dead, now a deadly assassin) was back in the limelight for the worst reason possible, one that was causing the entire world to hate him, but not only that - his identity of actually still being alive is now public for the entire world to see, even if the man they saw hadn't actually been him.

i can't say i would have taken his side as confidently so brashly, almost killing a person you could almost consider a close friend in defense when they just found your supposedly dead (now assassin) bestfriend is at fault for who killed his parents, tony acting irrationally was rather reasonable, i'd understand bucky defending himself, steve through? i'd say its different, maybe?

he's also rather arrogant in same situations, especially in 'the avengers' when he says 'Big man in a suit of armor, take that away and what are you?' as if tony wasn't the genius behind making every little detail in the suit, constructing it all single handedly, and the prototype that had been created in a very spontaneous manner which still worked miraculously better than any person managed to create in a much larger time frame, and a much less stressful situation.

i cant pretend and believe that steve must know this information of course, they seemed like they had been roughly introduced to eachother, but also to make such a claim against somebody like him who's father was also an insanely credible genius, he should have given him at least some benefit of the doubt, or actually attempted to learn more about him before going straight for eachothers throats like a bunch of kids.

another part of that quote that irked me was the sacrifice one, i frankly do not understand that part, the entire idea of iron-man is one big ol' self sacrifice, there is no safe (or really sane) way to make a machine like that and go into conflict way too big for one person to overtake, he's almost died multiple times for the sake of helping society, the idea of getting his information right isn't even the biggest issue, its that i just genuinely dont understand why he keeps spouting out things with absolutely no context? he says he see's the videos, but its a little hypocritical steve rogers of all people is letting other people define who tony stark is when he lived his entire life being defined what society deems of him just by a single glance, unless of course he just saw one random iron-man video of the stark expo performance with the girls. (which god, i cringed at myself.. why tony, why)

still to act as confident as he did, i would have assumed he attempted to well.. learn more about the guy. i genuinely think this part itself is a poor writing issue though, it felt weirdly out of character, but i can understand it from a certain viewpoint i guess.

once more, another point i wanted to make this time was somewhat against tony's actual response to what steve said, of course in a way hes completely correct where "everything about him came out of a bottle", in a physical sense, but steves over eager need to help was always very evident, his courage in place since the dawn of the world. although, he realistically would likely have never been able to become the man he is without the serum, so well technically theres not much to fight back there, but the serum could have distinctively (and quite literally has) gone to the wrong hands, i'm not sure if i should be applauding him for having morals, but at last, its difficult to say how anybody would react to such a life altering experience, and not really even getting the chance to understand whats happening, or how it works.

i've likely gotten off track, but point is i think he's a very flawed character, but at the same time still one of the kindest people with a heart made out of gold, albeit a bit of a blockhead at times, he truly tries, and he was frankly put in a very unfair position, no matter what he signed up for, there was no world it could have possibly entailed what he's gone through so far, even if he doesn't regret it, or would do it a hundred times more.

anyways, i hate him and love him all the same, and still very strongly hate his ending in endgame (as a total writing issue, i cannot possibly blame the character).

thank you for reading this ramble, so sorry if this upset you, or if i actually got any of the lore wrong, do correct me if i have!

[cloudbellsv3]

I think I understand your frustration. Although I was always a Tony fan more than Steve, I love him all the same and his story captivates me. Some time ago, I realized some Stevetony shippers hated Steve when CW came out. Worst part being that, with all the bashing, I was beginning to hate him too. I realized this and decided to stop interacting w the ship for a few years because I wasn't happy with that bashing. Luckily, I came back to find many talented stony shippers/artist who love both Steve and Tony (both their flaws included!). I enjoy CW angst, but I feel sometimes it really makes people bash either Tony or Steve and it pisses me off.

LONG POST

One, thank you anon for the message! Two, I’m actually super curious which post of mine prompted this message lol. I have quite a few both on this account and my main. Third, you actually sent this at a time where I’m pretty passionate about this, so allow me to be a little loose and lengthy with my words for a bit.

CACW was absolute Hell for the stevetony fandom, especially for Steve stans, but in a way, I’m kind of happy I can see just who doesn’t actually like Steve and only liked him on a condition of him being around to be Tony’s buffer. You can see it in the way people write/talk about Steve. They want a blank, playdough character that coddles Tony.

I actually like CACW as a movie. I think the more I analyze how the characters behave and why they do what they do, I like it even more. I’ve said this a few times, but Steve became my favorite after watching this movie. I liked him a whole lot before, but the way he conducted himself in Civil War stole my heart straight from my chest. So when I came online to see that everyone apparently thought he was worse than Satan himself…It was the whiplash of a lifetime. It didn’t make sense to me. It doesn’t make sense to me. Even me, fully being on Steve’s side, didn't hate Tony for what I consider to be slights against Steve in that movie. So where was this visceral hatred for Steve coming from? I just concluded that people already lowkey didn’t like him. Never ask a Stony shipper their opinion on Avengers 1 lol.

I love talking about CW. I have quite a few posts on my stance about it and honestly, I wished more people asked me about CW so I could talk about it, but the reality is that they don’t need to because I already talk about it all the time lol! Everything they want to know is probably somewhere on my page or somewhere on Discord. I think CW has such a huge potential to produce some really good discourse and storylines within the fandom, but people were so blinded by…whatever they were blinded by to see that. I swear, some of the things I see, I’d bet my arm that a lot of people either didn’t watch CACW or watched it once, consumed a bunch of headcanon about it, and then proceeded to talk about it like they personally studied the film and all its nuances. 

Now, in the stony fandom, it’s clear that Tony is the fan favorite. Overall, actually. And I don’t mind that for two reasons: I’m used to liking characters that are somewhat controversial (for the wrong reasons), and I adore Tony. I actually love that man in ways words can’t express. The English language hasn’t evolved with enough intricacies that would allow me to tell you how much I am enamored with him. So seeing that other people love him too? Instant joy. BUT, this runs into the problem when Steve is paired with him because well, we see it.

My irritation comes from people either outright ignoring, mischaracterizing or not understanding Steve in CW. So many huge misconceptions were being spread around like wildfire to the point where some people think that Steve not reading the Accords is canon. They think that it’s canon that Steve only opposes the Accords for Bucky. They think that Steve was being unreasonable or  purposely uncommunicative or outright egotistical in CACW for refusing to sign the Accords. They think that Steve is against all oversight and wants to be a loose cannon. They think Steve is being immature and wants to avoid accountability for anything. They think that Steve was trying to lie to Tony when he first answered that he didn’t know about his parents, instead of it being deeper than that.

Y’know, so many of these same people accuse Steve of being boring and flat, without realizing that they are the ones stripping the nuances and complexities of his characters away from him and then turning around and whining about how one dimensional Steve is. It pisses me off, truly. It especially pisses me off in the stony fandom cause I expected better. If people still actively ship them, you’d think that they would make the effort to understand Steve instead of screeching loudly about how he’s evil AND being wrong about the reasons why he’s evil. 

And the thing is, Steve’s motivations aren’t even confusing. They just aren’t. I've had Steve fans tell me it's confusing so I should ease up, but it isn't and I won't. Do I sound like a bitch here? Perhaps, but I don't care rn. Maybe they’re more subtle, especially considering that CW took the time to spell out all of Tony’s pain and past and guilt and internal conflict to the audience while Steve’s mindset was more so hinted at in his own movie. But let me rant about that later. Steve is the only one shown on screen to be reading the Accords, and then he elaborates a bit on why he’s against them. Despite this, the audience seems to take literally everyone else's word on Steve as law (Rhodey saying Steve’s mindset is a sign of arrogance and fandom parroting about how arrogant Steve is for example) instead of just…paying attention to what Steve says and what Steve does. He actually almost signs before Tony tells Steve about Wanda. And this scene is very important to me. Because Steve was about to decide to just trust Tony, and go all in with him until Tony just told him that his objections to the Accords were already being enacted. So yeah, he reacts the way he did. It’s a shock how close he was to signing away to a document he KNOWS is evil because he read it—

Let me stop before this turns into a CW meta. But, in short, I just hate the bashing of Steve. He of all characters doesn't deserve it. The way people bend backwards to twist his every action into some malicious intention. I’m surprised people haven’t pulled muscles by the way they reach to demonize him. In his own goddamn ship. And y’know what, it’s not even just the Steve mischaracterization that causes this. So many Tony fans willingly mischaracterize Tony just to demonize Steve. But that’s a convo for a different post.

This post was gonna be much, much longer. I had a shit ton I suddenly wanted to speak on, but I decided to stop here lol. I was getting off topic when all you did was express sympathy. Thank you again!

[jinxquickfoot]

20 Questions for Writers

I was tagged by @16woodsequ. Thank you!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

82!! And that's counting the one-shot collections as 1 fic.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

1,572,787

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Still in Marvel, although I've had a few ideas around Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss that I probably would written if my MCU WIP list wasn't so impossibly long.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

The One Where Peter is Bucky's Weakness

Let's Whump the Spider-Kid and Friends!

The One Where Peter is Tony's Weakness

You're Always Spider-Man

The One Where Clint is Tony's Weakness

You guys really like it when I kidnap Peter Parker.

5. Do you respond to comments?

Of course!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

The Worst Thing, it's the only ending I wouldn't call 'happy'. I labelled it 'bittersweet' instead, which I think is fitting. Actually Dollhouse also is a strong contender.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Let's Whump the Spider-Kid and Friends! teeters on the edge of soppy. Everyone is alive post-Endgame, Peter gets a prom with all the Avengers and his high school friends, and the Spider-Kid in question gets a whole month of rest.

In hindsight, I wrote that fic during pretty extreme burnout (that I am now thankfully over), and I can see my need for rest and care just bleeding through Peter in those final chapters. I'm so grateful we both got what we needed.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not for a long time, since the debates over Civil War have... if not settled, maybe don't hold as much interest as they used to.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Not yet, but I think I might be brave and include some Winterhawk smut in the Heart of Stone series.

10. Do you write crossovers?

Nope.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of. I've come across one or two with eerily similar premises and wondered, but I've never followed up. Tropes are tropes for a reason.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not a translation but Hair is Everything has a podfic!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Many! And tried to many at the same time which was a mistake, but I'm so glad I've gotten to work with so many incredible authors:

The One Where Clint is Steve's Weakness with @16woodsequ

The One Where T'Challa is Shuri's Weakness with @fluencca

The One Where Bruce is Thor's Weakness with @onwardmeteors

The One Where Peter is Peter's Weakness with @spagbol99

The One Where Bucky is Steve's Weakness with @usaonetwothree

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

Winterhawk aka Clint/Bucky has my heart forever and ever, but I have a soft spot for Clint/Matt and Wanda/Vision as well. Outside of Marvel, I love reading for Stede/Ed, Husk/Angel, Caleb/Essek and Buck/Eddie.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you will?

If I've posted it, I'll finish it (I swear, I know I haven't touched the Whumptoberverse in three years). I do have an outline for something called the Amendment trilogy which I thought had some promise, but I've done so many Civil War Fix-Its now I doubt it has anything original to say these days.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I don't think my plot twists are too shabby, and I like to think that I find new things to say about well-worn characters and tropes. I'm also pretty damn good at structure, but that's because I studied and practised the hell out of it. Oh and occasionally I like to think I'm funny, especially when writing for Tony.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Sometimes I focus too much on getting a fic done than letting it breathe. I've been told several times the ending to The One Where Peter is Bucky's Weakness is disappointing, and I agree. I was ready to get out of there so I Game of Throned it instead of spending a good 5-10 chapters wrapping that fic up properly.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

Short bits are fine if you pop the translation in the end notes. If not, I like to just say something like, "He switched to Russian [continues dialogue in English]."

19. First fandom you wrote for?

MCU and we're still going, baby.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

AH okay I want to include all those I co-wrote but that feels like cheating, because what I like about those fics is often what other people brought to them.

I used to say Budapest and that's still a strong contender. But I actually love The One Where Clint is Sam's Weakness, specifically the final chapter. The idea of mistakes and regrets and choices not making you who you are is a very personal thing for me. Clint saying "You’re my hero, Kate." might be my favorite line I've ever written in a fic. Sometimes the simplest ones are the best.

Low pressure tag: @fluencca @usaonetwothree @queenofalotofdifferentworlds @spagbol99 @teeelsie-posts

[l0calalien-blog]

Stucky

I have to write this somewhere because i rewatched first avenger with my girlfriend last night and i had a thought (one of many) about steve and bucky!

first, i want to say that they are in love with each other. soulmates. i love them. they are my boys. my boyfriends. my everything.

HOWEVER, I believe that bucky is more in love with steve than steve is bucky. hear me out on this one.

1920s-30s ~ back then it was obviously illegal to be gay and would have been seen as something of the 'devils work' and we know that steve is religous as he makes comments on it in the avengers film, this would also make sense for the times. so i believe that steve was probably ignoring his feelings for bucky or telling himself that his feelings were platonic. i think steve also probably didnt believe that he was good enough for anyone, let alone bucky, which could be a reasoning for his blatent uninterest in women bucky tries to set him up with. while i think bucky also had the same feelings when it came to the religous parts of homobophia back then, i believe he had more confidence and felt safe with steve to tell him his feelings were more than platonic. i think bucky told him his feelings and steve softly rejected him saying that "it was wrong but he too loved him".

1940s ~ we learn in shehulk that steve did, infact, loose his virginity to a 'girl' in the early 40s, but steve also says in the first avenger that he never really had time for girls and had never really spoke to one before peggy. this could, could, indicate that bukcy and steve did have a secret relastionship and steve just told everyone that it was a girl??? i think at the point where steves post serium and has now been shown that peggy is clearly into him his whole heart belongs to her (as it would me too). i believe steve is too deep in love with peggy to even notice that bucky (still) has feelings for him, which we can see that bucky is from the way he looks at steve and peggy in first avenger after they return back to camp and also later in the bar. i think bucky the retaliates in fake stright with trying to flirt with peggy, being petty that shes getting all of steves attention.

2010s ~ at this point steves mourned buckys loss and has had time to get through the pain, but he would have also seen that the progression with gay rights had come along way since the 1940s and that it was a lot more acceptable. so when he sees bucky again in winter solidier his whole world shifts- his best friend is alive, peggys out the question, buckys evil, buckys beautiful (all things he must have been thinking at the time...)- after bucky and steve fight in winter solider and bucky saves steve shows steve that their love is still there even if its buried. then by civil war steves had time to process his feelings and realise hes in love with bucky and has been all along that he goes AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT and HIS CLOSE FRIENDS because they dont like his boyfriend. nearly beating tony to death because he tried to hurt bucky. even though now steve has had time to think about his feelings bucky is now heavily traumatised and needs time to process the past 70 years, he woudlnt have much time to think about his feelings for steve. while hes in wakanda and hes healed from hydras brainwashing he can MAYBE start thinking about steve but then the next time they see each other they are going into another war, in which bucky then dies leaving steve alone with the guilt of not being able to save everyone and love of his life.

2020s ~ once they get everyone back and steve and bucky are together again they are thrown into ANOTHER war so they still dont have time to talk. then they probably only get a few days or just hours to talk before steve goes back in time for peggy- because even after all of that steves had YEARS, i mean YEARS, without bucky and never really knowing how he feels about him steve probably healed (as much as he could) so his heart stayed focused on peggy because he always knew how she felt about him and him her. it was safe. comforting. and steves been through so much he just wanted something normal so thats why he went back for peggy, leaving bucky in the modern world alone. bucky clearly knew what steve was going to do with the stones from the small nod and smile he gave him, it seemed more like a goodbye than sams did, showing that bucky was letting steve go, giving him his concent to go.

----------------------------------------------------------

so what im saying is. marvel fucked my favourite gays over and they deserved more time together.

[questinwitchface]

Oh my goodness I am watching captain America civil war again and I have literally just realized that Bucky’s wife in the pirate fic was named Dot for a reason I thought you completely made her up and I was missing some part of canon,,,,, anyway much love <3

Yeah, Dot comes from that movie! I don't blame you for not realizing that earlier - I did kind of create a whole character based on a blink and you miss it conversation between Steve and Bucky, but like, yeah! So cool that you were watching and it clicked like that, like it's so so cool to know my fics stick with people outside just the time they spend reading. Thank you so much for this ask, it really warms my heart, and much love to you as well <3

Oh, and here's the link to The Pirate Fic if anyone's curious :)