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mischiefmanaged71 · 4 years ago

Text

Bad Romance - Joaquin Torres X Reader

Song: Bad Romance - (961) lady gaga - bad romance ( s l o w e d ) - YouTube

Summary: The reader is an enhanced individual with the ability to replicate other people’s abilities. A member of the Avengers, she has been working alongside Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes to investigate the Flag Smashers but the man calling himself the next Captain America poses an obstacle when he takes interest in her abilities.

Author’s Note: Hello! So this is my first time posting a fic I've written. I’ve been writing since 2018 but never had the courage to post anything so I hope you all enjoy my story. Torres has only been in ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ for like five minutes but I’m in love with him. There obviously isn’t enough fiction out there about him so I took it upon myself to write one. This is an idea I came up with in my head, aside from the plot of the show. Listen to the song for added effect. I’ve inserted timings as well :)

Pairing: Joaquin Torres X Fem!Reader

Warnings: TFATWS SPOILERS, Canon-level Violence, blood, romance

Word count: 2.5K

Darkness is all you’ve known these past hours.

It’s been almost twenty-four hours since you’ve last had contact with anyone. Sam would usually check in with you about now, but that didn’t seem a likely possibility.

Your right eye is almost swollen shut and you’re pretty confident that you have a few broken ribs from how difficult breathing is. The sound of metal creaking echoes in the empty room as you rattle your restraints.

You’ve been quite literally chained to the wall.

They weren’t taking any precautions.

Especially after witnessing the dozen agents you could take down all by yourself.

Leaning against the wall, you try to reach some semblance of comfort, laying some of your weight against the hard-rock. Your neck burns from the collar they attached when you caught you off-guard.

It was during a recon mission, you were chasing a lead about the Flag Smashers’ next meet up when they showed. Half a dozen armed men in tactical gear.

They snagged a collar on you, disabling your powers.

You didn’t anticipate this.

All you heard was a piercing noise and then you blacked out.

You couldn’t access your powers as soon as that light buzzed. Trying to summon fire warranted a little electric shock to your system. Little, meaning severe enough to take down an elephant.

Yeah, so getting out of here would be tricky.

Isn’t it always?

Five guards have remained in the room for the past two days, monitoring, watching.

For what?

You have only the slightest idea why.

The double doors which have remained close for the past two days creak open. The blue uniform is familiar to you but the face donning the outfit is not. He’s an imposter wearing a costume, a mock of the real thing. John Walker, along with his so-called ‘American squadron’, had grabbed you as a statement. Sam and Bucky certainly weren’t going to stay out of it because someone told them to. You all followed a code, to protect those who couldn’t fight for themselves.

“Hello, Y/N, it's been a while since we met last...I’m sorry for the way you were handled on the way here but it was the only way I could get to talk to you.”, he said, looking at the bruises beginning to form.

He talked nonchalantly as if this were a normal conversation. Your wrists were raw from pulling away from the cuffs, clothes covered in dirt and dried blood. He strode up to you, pulling his helmet off and placing it carefully on a metal crate.

“Now, I know Bucky and Sam had a lot to say about me, but you, you were always silent. I thought we had an understanding.”

‘An understanding?’

You refuse to look at him.

“You talk big words for someone who couldn’t begin to understand the legacy of that uniform.”

“I earned this! I put in the work. All they want is someone to look up to. To show them that justice still exists.”, he paces in front of you.

“Justice. Is it?”, your eyes narrow.

He pauses in thought, seething with internalised spite. Pacing the floor, he turns his back to you.

“Have you had time to think about my question?”

You remain silent, glaring at his mockery of Steve’s uniform.

“No? Okay. That’s fine,”, he whispered.

Walker signalled for a guard to open the doors once more and two more men entered, dragging someone along. You squint your eyes to identify the person as they dump them in front of you.

“No”, you whispered desperately, your breath caught in your throat.

You spot Joaquin’s dark hair and tan complexion, more so, the blood staining his clothes. The men dragged Joaquin next to Walker, letting him slump to the floor. From what you could see, he had been beaten pretty badly, the bruises already beginning to form on his face. His hands are cuffed behind him and he’s unable to hold his own weight.

Panic fills Torres as he notices the chains securing you to the wall. The last he heard over the coms was a struggle. He and Sam had been surveilling to get anything they could on your kidnappers.

You could only hear the rapid beating of your heart in your throat as blood rushed to your face. Your breathing quickens as you don’t quite know what will happen next.

John broke the silence,

“I’m going to ask you again.”

“Then, I'm going to count from three.”, he said, pulling a silencer out from his waistband and cocking it at Joaquin who rested on his knees.

“What are you?”

You stare at him incredulously, unresponsive.

You look down at Joaquin as he gazes up at you, helpless to move with guns trained on you. He’s telling you to stop, to lie, to do anything but give yourself up.

“What answer do you want?”, you asked, using all your strength to lift your head up.

“You want me to say I’m a freak? A mutant? An experiment? What good does that do you? Everyone knows it.”, you huff, sharpening your glare.

He stares down at Joaquin and kicks his foot out against the ground, clicking his tongue. Walker threw his foot into Joaquin’s back, pushing him into the floor.

“Not that.”

You watch as he points the gun harder.

“Tell me. What. You. Are.”, he grits out.

You clench your jaw hard, shutting your eyes tightly. A burning sensation fights in your chest, spreading to your arms. You suck in a breath desperately, a whimper tearing from your throat as your head drops.

The click of the safety echoes loudly.

(1:26s of the song)

Your eyes shoot open, blazing red and as the chains snap free from the wall. The metal clangs loudly against the floor, triggering the five weapons now pointed at your chest. A surge of fire ignites as you swipe your leg, knocking the agents back. The two standing closest raise their guns as you tilt your head and launch a blast of fire from your hand. The next agent replaces him, firing his gun consecutively, but you strut towards him, swiping them away with blasts omitting from your hands. You send a roundhouse kick with a wall of fire, propelling him through the exit. The remaining three encircle you with their weapons, clicking the safety off.

Your hands burn, glowing red with the heightening energy,

“Okay, you got me.”

You raise your hands in surrender as one of them steps towards. Faltering a step, you inhale deeply as he grabs your arm. Once he sets a hand on you, you exhale, breathing out a stream of fire. You twirl in a circle, the fire pushing them back and blocking their sight of you as they flinch from the heat. Dropping to the floor, you strike the cement and crack the surface. The building’s structure shakes as a cloud of energy dissipates from the contact, incapacitating the last of the soldiers.

Walker fixes his gun on Joaquin but you focus your glare on him. You wait as he stares at you, knowing he has the advantage.

"I'd stop right now, if I were you."

You silently stare at him with blazing fire burning in your orbs. The clicking of the safety reverberates in your mind as all movement stops. The muzzle of the gun is inches away from Joaquin's head.

“Alright, you’ve had your show now.”

You've got mere seconds to make a decision here.

He remains still, as Joaquin’s eyes meet yours and you nod your head slightly.

It’ll be okay because you’d never let anything happen to each other.

"Walker, you've made your point. Look, it's me you really want, not Torres.", You snipped, grabbing his attention.

Joaquin’s heart raced faster,

What were you doing?

You could see the gears turning in Walker’s head, his eyebrows perk up.

"C'mon, this whole thing was to get to me, right? To weaponize me. It's my power. So take it. Just let him go."

Walker pauses in thought,

"I don't think I will."

You knew that'd be his answer but he was too busy looking at you to notice anything else. Joaquin threw his leg out, kicking Walker’s shin to knock him off his centre.

Moving quickly, you roundhouse, knocking the gun from his hand and driving your foot into his knee. He lets out a pained yell, ducking your elbow jab and rolling behind you. You roll forwards, swooping your flames across the floor to knock Walker on his back. He rolls to the side, standing again to flick open a compact switch from his pocket. He struggles for a moment as you strut over, but he presses the button down with conviction.

You falter in your steps as a loud piercing sound breaches your cranium and hearing. It’s overwhelming, threatening to shatter your skull. A whimper falls from your mouth as both hands grasp your head. You can faintly hear Joaquin yelling your name from behind. The pain is unbearable. Joaquin bangs the cuffs on a metal crate behind him, forcing them to break.

Your vision blurs as you clumsily move towards Walker. Once you’re close enough to him, you throw an uncoordinated right hook but he catches it and returns with a kick to your chest, knocking you to the floor. The pain continues, eliciting a moan from you as it grows worse with each second. Joaquin watches as you scream in agony, sprinting towards Walker and tackling him to the floor. Walker loses the switch from his hand, punching Joaquin in the jaw to get him off. Joaquin hisses as his head hits the floor, but he’s quickly grappling for the switch before Walker can get his hands on it. Scanning the floor, he sights it inches away from where you’re curled up in a ball. He’s crawling over to make it but a grip on his shoulder halts him, flipping him over and punching him repeatedly.

Over the intense clanging, you see black dots form in your sight as you want to pass out. You hear grunts nearby and the sound of a fist making contact with skin. You flicker your eyes upward to see Walker’s figure looming over someone.

‘Joaquin...where’s Joaquin?’

You close your eyes and force yourself up, struggling to gain your bearings. Upon opening your eyes, you notice something within your reach. Crawling forward, your fingers barely touch it. You try again and again before you feel the metal beneath your fingertips. Finally, you have it in your hands and crush it. The metal crunches and the ringing ceases. A sigh of relief leaves your mouth as you push yourself off the floor.

More coherent now, you angrily send a blast of energy to knock Walker off of Joaquin. Scrambling off the floor, he brings his fists in front of him, but you've already there, standing in front of him.

"I’m going to count from three.”, you said.

Striking a wave in his direction, you blast fire into his chest, your eyes imbuing fluttering embers.

‘Three’

You continue your onslaught, attacking him with multiple blows of rage.

Your figure looms over Walker, blocking Joaquin from his sight.

‘Two’

Your hands emit a fiery glow as you project flames, igniting a huge blast which sends Walker crashing through the window and down below.

‘One’

Gazing down the terrace, you saw Walker’s unconscious body laying on the crushed roof of a car. The authorities would show up eventually.

Looking back inside, you finally start to feel the adrenaline rush declining. You move away from the window to find Torres leaning against a crate. Joaquin's face is bruised and cut-up as he holds his side with a grimace.

"Joaquin, are you okay?!",

You rush over to hold his other arm, scanning him for serious injuries.

He stops your moving hands to grip them,

"(Y/N), I'm okay, I'm okay. It's you I'm worried about. You almost died. How did you do that?", Joaquin asked, concern lingering in his eyes at the magnitude of your powers.

"I-I don't know. I guess my powers have always been linked to my emotions and then you were in danger. It was kind of instinctive, you know?"

"I could never let anything happen to you. Never.", She whispered silently, not noticing if he had caught it.

Joaquin moved to grasp her chin in his hand, pulling her head up so he could look into her eyes.

"You saved me."

You glanced over his face and the clear pain he was hiding from his injuries.

"You have no idea how glad I am that you're okay. I-I was afraid...It shouldn't have been you.", You said to Joaquin, tears glinting in your sight.

"I'm not going anywhere. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.", he said, moving closer as your eyes meet his deep and endearing gaze.

"We should call Sam.", You suggested.

"I'll call him later."

Yours eyes met as he leaned his forehead on yours. You inhaled deeply as he gripped your hands tightly as if you would fall out of his grasp. Joaquin's arms encircle your waist and pull you in his embrace. Your arms rest around his neck, nestling your head against his shoulder.

You hold each other tightly in a moment of calm, seeking comfort from that person. The one person you would always seek out.

You pull away, but his arms remain around your waist.

"You're so beautiful.", He whispers.

Your breathing shudders for a second before you decide to go for it,

"I-I love you, Joaquin."

You gauge his reaction as his eyes widen slightly. He leans in and guides his lips to yours. He kissed you slowly and passionately, his hands still gripping your waist. You sigh and stand on your tip-toes, tugging the hairs on the back of Joaquin's neck to bring him closer. You both pause, gasping for air for a moment. Kisses linger in between breaths as you both wind down from the intense 24 hours you've had, emotionally and physically.

"For the record, I love you too.", He grins, laughing at your eye roll.

"I didn't quite catch that, why don't you show me again?", You winked, biting your lip as his arms swooped around you again and tugged you closer.

Barely brushing your lips, he looks between your eyes and then your lips.

"I think we can arrange that."

Your breath catches as your lips brush his. You smiled, closing your eyes, as does Joaquin. You swayed in his arms as his lips encased yours once more.

Suddenly, red and blue flashing lights breach your vision from below. Sirens surrounded you both. You separated, glancing outside the broken window.

Police cars surrounded the building. Reinforcements had arrived. His hand still grips yours and you motion to help him take some of his weight, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"We should get of here.", You pushed open the door to exit down a flight of stairs.

"Yeah.", Joaquin replied, grinning down at you as you walked out together.

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tfatwsiguess · 3 years ago

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New World Order

Nine years later...

"Ladies and gentleman, your new Captain America!"

A YouTube video played from the phone in the little blonde girl's hands as you watched a group of kids gather around her on her cot. You didn't even have to see the screen to know what was going on.

There were fireworks, and flashing lights, and screaming fans all for the newly announced "hero of America". Ever since the celebration was live-streamed last night, all social media could talk about was the appointment of a new Captain America.

"Good morning, America!" A proud, deep voice greeted while the marching band's music died down.

You found yourself pondering the irony of an HBCU's black marching band agreeing to perform for the new Captain America, knowing yourself that Steve gave it to Sam and they practically took it from him. But you knew that was exactly why they would've agreed to do it in the first place. It was a live national event. Performing for someone like the new appointed Cap would mean a lot of good publicity for an HBCU. But even then, recruiting them to support their new symbolic American hero after Sam wished to retire it instead of taking on the mantle was beyond tone deaf.

You shook your head. That wasn't what you were actually mad about anyway. Really, you were annoyed at how blatant they were about asking the perfectly capable Sam Wilson to give it up to the Smithsonian, just so they could turn around and hand it off to a mere look alike of Steve who probably couldn't do the job half as well. Not even because he wasn't a super soldier, but because someone truly and equally good, strong, smart, and brave all at once was hard to find these days.

Even though you never knew Steve Rogers, you knew that much. Before, they made Captain America because there was a war. Now it just felt like an image pursuit. And unlike when they decided on Steve in the 40's, the government wasn't looking in the right place now. They just looked in the easiest.

You continued packing what few things you had into a bag, straightening up your bed from the off-the-radar facility you helped out at during the last few weeks. AKA, your latest project to keep you busy while giving you a place to sleep at night. But you had grown accustomed to this place, and found yourself returning to it every few months to see how you could be of service. It was a secret underground center helping displaced people with nowhere else to go both during and after The Blip. The people running it always welcomed you back cheerfully and made sure you knew how much of a difference your services made to them and the people there. They had no idea the hole they were filling on your behalf.

You spent a lot of time helping here during The Blip as well, between other displacement centers you volunteered at and missions you would go on. This shelter was still getting back on its feet with the number of refugees that reappeared right in the middle of their already full camp. During The Blip they helped locate struggling families and transport them here, off the government's radar ever since they announced a mandate declaring all unofficial blip help centers to be illegal, and that all displaced people's were to only "attend" centers that the government set up in order to keep census of everyone. Only, there weren't enough centers to go around once half the population blipped back, and even then, they always picked and chose how generous they wanted to be with each shelter.

So you helped in any way you could. You got around night to night, month to month. There was never an issue for you home-wise in The Blip, but too many were left with no resources, and your past was to acquainted with helplessness not to help wherever you could. But you had also just gone off the grid five years prior to the chaos, after the accident with Uncle Nick. You were alone, and found yourself with plenty of free time between missions. So you set into your rhythm of free lance work of private missions which also provided a way to make sure your time was always filled. You would help with getting food, water, blankets, extra women's sanitary products. Helping protect civilians as they moved them into hiding, wrangle the little kids, or help a bit at the little temp school they created for them. Of course, you had to be the one to get into places other people couldn’t at times to reach these resources…

More of the kids and teenagers of the underground gathered round to watch New Cap's interview. "What's with the marching band?" One commented, prompted by their upscale rendition of the graduation march. A whole sports stadium was filled on behalf of this stranger, and was maybe a little too enthusiastic about getting to know him.

"Where are they? His college?"

"High school, I'm pretty sure. It's in Georgia."

Moving closer from your now made bed, you caught a glimpse of the phone screen. It was all very Tony Stark-esque. Flashy and loud in order to make sure no one can deny how big of a deal this is.

“Ya know if Steve Rogers were still here he’d be getting us out of places like this instead of throwing himself a parade.”

“Maybe that’s what this new guy wants to do.”

“Are you kidding? No way he’s doing anything like that, he works with the GRC. You know they’d bust this place in a heartbeat if they knew about it.”

You sighed, thinking back to Sam again. You had only met in person once, four months ago on a mission you were assigned to help him on. It was only a few months after he blipped back yet he would constantly make you laugh. He was laid back, incredibly skilled. Also very kind, never underestimating you because of your age. Although it didn't stop all the jokes about you being the youngest agent he's ever worked with. While you hadn't seen him since then, you still had an established friendship to go back to, which was good since he asked you along on this next mission. Four months later, even with all this new cap mess, you were certain he'd make a great partner.

But maybe there was something you were missing. After all, you only heard about this whole situation through the grapevine, wanting to stay in the loop about certain things as much as you could without exposing yourself. Only your secret world of super humans and undercover agents knew of Steve Rogers' parting wish to Sam, and Sam's following wish to retire the shield to the Smithsonian's Captain America exhibit. But unless there was more to the story than that, they took full advantage of the situation.

Your phone buzzed, and you checked another text from an unsaved number for your assignment notification. You found yourself smiling slightly. It'll be nice to see Sam. You looked forward to seeing how he was getting along six months after coming back to life. Although, you realized as you looked again to the interview playing on the phone, that he might not be in as high spirits now as he was before...

"Even though I never met him, he feels like a brother."

"Two minutes as a celebrity and he's already fake," one guy joked.

"Well he can be my captain any day."

"Leanne, he's like twice your age!" Another girl laughed with a grimace. At this point, this was as close they got to any form of normal teenage girl talk anymore.

You sighed as you grabbed your bag, knowing how fortunate you were to have other places you could go besides here, unlike all the others here. “You guys gonna keep this dump in one piece while I’m gone?”

“It’s not like you could tell the difference either way.” A teenage boy nearly ten years younger than you laughed. A couple more kids smiled and said goodbye as you passed along on the way out. You smiled at the three leaders waiting for you at the exit to say their own goodbyes once again.

"Be careful out there, alright?"

"Thanks for everything you've done. Again."

"You sure you don't need anything else before you go?"

"I'm sure. You guys already stuffed me with breakfast, I can handle myself from here." You chuckled. "I should get there early, see who else could use help."

"You're a saint," the third one complimented, shaking his head and giving you a brief hug.

"Take this for the road. It's only a fraction of the gratitude we owe you, but it'll get you through a night or two."

"Oh, no." You shake your head emphatically as she held out a band of cash. "That's sweet of you guys, but it's okay."

She kept her hand extended in offering of the money, figuring you would refuse it. "Then think of it as a thank you, for always checking up on things here."

"No, seriously. I really won't need it. Use it to finally get a decent paint job around here. Or, ya know, maybe start with the mold." You chuckled.

"Fine, fine. Top of our priority list." She jibed, reluctantly tucking the wad of green back into her pocket. “Look, if you ever need help or... somewhere to stay the night and miss your lumpy cot, you know where to find us."

"Of course." A sentimental smile crossed your lips. "You guys be careful, okay?"

"Take care. And don't forget about us while you're sipping wine in a skyscraper on your next mission!"

You laugh and wave a last goodbye on your way out. If only your assignments could be that nice every once in a while.

✪

"Sammyyyy!" You hooted walking into the hangar, deepening your voice with a grin as you walked into the hangar and were greeted by the former Air Force vet with a welcoming smile.

"Alex! Look how you've grown!" He gawked at you dramatically, giving you a squeeze. “It’s crazy how you kids never stop growing.”

"Aw. And you look like you haven’t aged a day in the third of a year since I last saw you."

“Well you know this black don’t crack. My exfoliation routine makes me look five years younger, ya know.” He chortled and let go, clapping a hand on your shoulder. "It's great to see you."

"You, too. You know I was pumped when I saw you wanted to team up again."

"Yeah well I’m a nostalgic guy and I got a soft spot for people who make my life and job easier." His hands stayed around your arms as he chuckled and looked you in the eyes. "You doin’ okay? Taking care of yourself?"

"I'm good." You grinned, almost laughing. Sam was almost twenty years older than you with no children, but had impeccable paternal instincts. Another quality you remember now that was paired with his ‘spy kid’ jokes on your behalf. "Just tryna adult as an anxious, barely functioning 27-year-old in this shit economy."

"Hey I know whatchu mean. Imma go gear up. Joaquin Torres is loading up on the plane over there, we leave in five. Why don’t you take a look at our gear? I engineered a little sumn sumn for you to try out."

"Got it." You nod, and he pats your shoulder again before walking off. You can’t help watching him. His greeting was all smiles, and it seemed genuine, so maybe he wasn't as distraught over this as you were worried he'd be. He turned down the position of the Captain America. Maybe he didn’t care what they did with the shield after all…

"Thanks, Torres." You smile as the young intel officer takes the backpack you were loading onto the plane.

"Hey, no problem. Call me Jay."

"Jay," you revise with a nod, and go to grab more stuff to put on the carrier.

"So this'll be your second mission with Sam, huh?"

"Yeah. It wasn’t too ago since the last one."

"Right, he told me. It must've been cool, meeting an Avenger."

You smiled in amusement, recognizing a bit of fanboying in his eyes. "Honestly I think I was still processing that he was back from pure dust… But yeah, it wasn’t any easier processing being chosen for a mission with The Falcon.”

He chuckles a bit and nods. "He's a cool guy."

"He is." You agree, and glance back towards him, getting things together over in the hangar. "I know you've been working with him over the past few days. Does he seem... okay? Between the announcement last night and... all these giant posters everywhere."

"He's avoided talking about it. But he gets this look on his face every time he sees one." Torres shakes his head as he grabs another box. "It's been messing with him all morning. "

You nodded, lips tugging downwards at the revelation that this New Cap business does bother him, because he was either trying to hide it, or doing what he could not to think about it. The blatant disrespect and disappointment from the GRC he's having to go through with all of this was reason enough to be bitter. And it was clear enough to you and Torres that the overkill with all the "Cap is back!" posters where he’s working didn’t help with ever corner he turns. In true insensitive Global Repatriation Council style.

Torres sets his box down, and his eyes widen when he looks past you, eyebrows furrowing. "Whoa, is that Sergeant Barnes?"

"You shouldn't have given up the shield, Sam!"

"What?" You blink, taken off guard by the question. You look over your shoulder and find Sam talking to someone. The guy's back was towards you, but as Sam walked past him with an annoyed look on his face, he followed, showing his profile to you.

You steeled in surprise, watching the guy walk after your partner in his simple leather jacket, t-shirt, and pants; all black. It was him. The man you spent so many years researching and studying in the interest of survival.

You were just realizing you had never seen him in person. On TV screens or news reports sure, but now his face wasn't cloaked, or concealed behind dark brown locks, or safely behind the glass of a TV screen.

For months and months after the incident, you wondered if you would ever see him again. If he would find your uncle, and then find you to finish his mission. The day never came. Uncle Nick only vaguely told you about his own involvement in a very obscure secret agency, then completely turned his focus on getting you off the grid without further elaboration. Then he disappeared from it himself. You have no idea what all transpired after that. But during that time, during those two shorn years, you still had to question if one day, the assassin would have to complete his failed assignment. And you had no doubt he could.

After a long while, you officially assumed his Hydra masters either thought you dead or deemed you unimportant to their time. You always kept your guard up of course. It was too dangerous to assume you were safe without certainty. Nick made it very clear, that he was too dangerous. But between hearing word of The Winter Soldier being framed in Vienna after two years of you being in hiding, him being amongst The Vanished two years after that, then his mind being freed by the Wakandan scientists sometime before that, you found it in yourself to relax a bit. Especially since you allowed yourself to restart combat training once your time in seclusion came to a wary end.

But seeing him here, now so suddenly– you didn't even know what to do. The entire fiasco was a whole nine years ago but it’s still a single point in your life that pre-determined every move you’d make from then till now. Although an assassin tried to kill your uncle with an entire team of gunmen when you were seventeen, and you as a witness, it made surprisingly little difference to see the original of the alter ego in the flesh now. Not in the fear sense like you thought it would for so long if you ever came to see him again. It's not like he was here for you, or to hurt anyone– despite how intense his and Sam’s conversation was looking.

Besides, the entire demeanor of this man standing in the same room as you didn't tell you that you had reason to be wary at all. He seemed to practically be a completely different person, with the way his facial features scrunched in frustration and his antsy hands shoved themselves into his jacket pockets.

You turned away from the scene, shaking your head and reminding yourself to conceal your reaction. You were in the clear now but no one had ever known that you had a run in with him, and there wasn't really reason to change that just because he’s shown up here.

You just hadn't been expecting it, and now you wanted to leave the irrelevant past in the past. You just hoped if he caught a glimpse of you that he wouldn't recognize you from a two minute encounter so long ago. That might be a little awkward...

"This isn't right."

"Oh my gosh, so what do you want me to do? Call up America and tell them I changed my mind?"

His haircut looked good on him. With the civilian clothes, gloves and jacket, you didn't even recognize him as the infamous Winter Soldier. Much like the search engine you used, your mind jumped years back to a biographical article of James Buchanan Barnes’ story. You knew him as The Winter Soldier first– scratch that. You knew him as the mysterious hitman in the middle of the road that nearly completed what the first team couldn’t. But with plenty of free time and desire for survival, you dove into whatever you could find, which led you to very recent publications of the emergence of a new threat entitled The Winter Soldier. You spent days following whatever the news outlets could update on the chaos in DC.

And of course, the dumping of all the SHIELD/Hydra files to the public. Which told you more than what you needed to know about just who The Winter Soldier was. And your uncle.

And with that, your sources led you to information on the history of the identification persona behind the mask. That James ‘Bucky’ Barnes originally fought on behalf of the country, and supposedly died in a mission in the 40’s. That he was Captain America’s former best friend and brother, then was apparently forced to be Hydra's assassin after being saved by their likes. You wouldn’t call it entertainment, but the deep research made for a riveting distraction in the time you were tucked away from this shadow figure. And above anything else, after all the time you spent taking control over your life again after news of the Civil War broke out, the biggest takeaway that mattered to you was that it wasn't his choice. The Winter Soldier as a worldwide threat has been neutralized, and it was clear any grievance from you towards him would be tragically misguided. Especially now that you’d survived and knew what line of work you wanted to pursue.

You had survived worse than him.

And later on, you couldn't imagine the guilt and personal hell he went through when he first overcame the brainwashing. But he seemed... okay right now. Though he didn't seem to get along all too well with Sam. It was weird to see the way this normal looking guy talked about The Hobbit with Sam as you watched over your shoulder.

"You think it didn't break my heart to see them march him out there and call him the new Captain America? I have more important things to worry about."

"What could be more important than this?"

You continued to load with Jay, maintaining your cool and 100% eavesdropping on their conversation.

Sam was showing him a picture on his phone, presumably the same one you saw in the private files of the masked thief in Switzerland. "This guy. He's strong. Too strong. Torres found him stealing money from a bank in Switzerland last week. He's part of some online group called The Flag Smashers. Redwing traced him to a building outside of Munich, so that's where I'm going." Without waiting for a response, Sam walks off towards the plane.

"Then I'm coming with you–“

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

Sam stops in the middle of the floor, turning on him. "I already have a partner for this mission."

"Who?"

You slipped a gadget onto your wrist as you kept listening. Sam nodded to you gearing up with Torres, both of you still acting like you couldn't hear everything they were saying.

"The kid? Who is that?"

Jay grinned at you as he casually walked by to the cockpit. "Do they think everyone can't hear them right now?"

A small smile graced your lips, but you were distracted by the discussion suddenly shifting to you.

"That's Alex. She rolled up on the scene around seven years ago. I went on a mission with her before The Blip. She's young, but it's like she's been in this her whole life. She's reliable."

"I'm reliable."

"Yeah, whatever you say." Sam laughed in Bucky's face. "But she's actually been here for the last five years, which is an advantage neither of us have."

"Great. You're still gonna need my help."

"No. I don't." Sam emphasized and turned his back to the superhuman once again.

You grabbed a comm unit and secured it in your ear before hearing him march onto the plane. That chipper expression was long gone. When Bucky joined the three of you aboard, he barely spared a glance towards you or Joaquin as he got on.

Okay then, guess he's coming...

✰ ✰ ✰

There was plenty daylight left once you finally arrived in Munich. Luckily, Bucky didn't seem to recognize you at all on the plane ride. He hadn’t exactly laid direct eyes on you since he got on the plane, and you were coincidentally up in the front with Joaquin, so at least for now it seemed you wouldn't be having to deal with all that. You sat in the co-pilot's seat, testing out the wrist gadget Sam had made the whole time since he and his buddy still seemed to be having a moment in the back.

"What are they doing now?" Joaquin whispered, and you peeked around the side of your chair.

"Just, staring at each other..."

You observed the heated contest in confusion. They weren't each other's favorite person sure, but you still didn't completely understand the sheer amount of intensity between them by just sitting there and looking at each other.

Jay engaged the autopilot before jumping up. "One minute till drop off!" He announced and walked over to unlatch the side door. Sam finally jumped up, causing Bucky to make his first move and get on his feet, too.

"So what's our plan?" He followed Sam in grabbing the other communication units.

"Y'all hear somethin?" Sam yelled to you and Jay.

"Great, so no plan." Sam grabbed the parachute from the hook just as Bucky reached for it. "What are you doing?"

"There's just one parachute, and it's for someone who was actually invited onto this mission." With that, he threw it to you, and you give him a lost look as you caught it against your chest.

"What? Nobody said anything about jumping!"

He secured his comm into his ear, not looking at Bucky as he addressed him. "Enjoy your ride, Buck."

"No, you can't call me that."

"Why not? That's what Steve called you."

"Steve knew me longer, and Steve always had a plan."

"Fifteen seconds to drop!" Jay yelled over the wind. It was starting to seem like the two of you younglings weren't even in the room.

"I have a plan." Sam countered, and turned to the doorway without elaborating any further.

"This is kinda fast..." you commented as you watched the trees whipping by.

Bucky looked to you. "Did he tell you the plan?"

"Apparently not all of it," you answered with your accusing gaze on Sam.

"Let's go." He pulled his goggles on, more than ready to jump out of this plane to escape the tagalong.

You looked to Torres, and he just offered you a grin. "If you think about it too much, you'll never do it." With a sigh, you sucked it up and put on the chute.

"You won't need one anyway, right?" Sam challenged, now looking at the super soldier.

"Of course I don't need it," he fired back haughtily, and proceeded to rip off the left sleeve to a perfectly good jacket.

His prosthetic arm was revealed, and you immediately recognized it was a new one. The sun reflected so intensely on the old silver one there was no missing the difference between that one and the Wakandan dark grey plates with the lack of a giant red star on the shoulder. Another visual that separated him from his alter ego.

"Great. Can't wait to see that." Sam was grinning now, then turned back to you. "Pull the cord when you get past the tree line, I'll be right behind you."

"Ya know this doesn't qualify as a real lesson, right? A heads up would've been nice." You turned to Jay, too. "From either of you."

"Huh? What?" He shouted. "I– I can't hear anything I gotta pilot this plane," he pointed behind him and backed up, suddenly more concerned about checking on the autopilot functions than watching this interaction. You rolled your eyes and returned your frustrated expression to Wilson.

"You got this." He handed you protective goggles.

"Don't worry, he hasn't filled any of us in on anything important apparently." Bucky continued to glare daggers as if it were his most natural expression.

Sam lowered his goggles over his eyes. "We'll see you on the ground."

With a deep breath, you braced yourself, and timed your jump with Sam's, hoping that literally throwing yourself into it without thought might help the process.

As you descended from the plane you heard a faint, casual yell from Bucky to Sam. "You're a horrible mentor!"

Luckily the plane was low, so while Sam's wings delivered him to the ground, you pulled the cord. But your timing must have been a little too late, because you had a bit of a harsh landing. Or because in all your time in this business you’ve never had to jump out of a plane before.

Your feet hit the ground and you tucked and rolled, but the wind kept pulling and dragging your chute, so you had to quickly fiddle with the latch to release yourself before you got dragged off. Sam landed behind you, smiling as you caught your breath and tried to regain balance. "See? That wasn't that bad."

"You are a horrible mentor," you panted, pulling the goggles off.

"Hey, you know you don't need me to teach you," he chuckled good-naturedly. You made a face at his attempt to butter you up, but couldn't help smiling a little. The rush was a welcome thrill. The kind you used to get back on the first of your missions. Without all of the attached fear of punishment in the case of failure.

Still, it was refreshing that Sam didn't take things too seriously all the time. Even if it was something as heart attack inducing as jumping out of a moving plane with no warning time. "Wanna see something funny?" You brushed yourself off and smoothed your hair back as Sam held up his arm cam next to you to watch Redwing's feed. A video played of some sky view, but as you looked closer you could see it was live footage of Bucky jumping from the aircraft and falling through the trees.

His weight and momentum worked against him, so he didn't slow down, only stopped by the hard ground below him. Dude must be mad serious about coming along on this mission… You never would’ve thought you’d get to see the former international assassin yelling at the top of his lungs as he plummeted through yards of unforgiving forest. “Ooh..." you grimaced on his behalf, whereas Sam was openly cackling.

He pressed a button on his gear. "I got all that on camera, you know that right?"

You gave him a playfully chastising look, thinking he was just saying that to mess with him; but then you looked back to the screen to see he was, in fact, recording.

"Get it out of my face before I break it." Bucky mumbled, making no move to get up from his dramatic position, looking and sounding like he was dead inside.

"Alright, come on." Sam didn't stop grinning at the miserable man laying on the ground. "Head north, the facility's not far from here."

With a tired shake of your head you start to walk away. Sam laughed to himself again before looking at you. "What?"

"This is gonna be a real cake walk with you guys, huh?"

Instead of a response, Sam only grinned and saved the video to his files.

Inside an abandoned building, Bucky caught up to Sam as he tapped along his wrist tech. The hundred-plus year old man raked his eyes over the dilapidated structure as he joined his counterpart.

"You're doing the staring thing again."

Bucky sent an unamused expression in his direction, which Sam missed, what with his head in the surveillance screen that was showing the subjects hauling crates over in the next room. "Where's Alex?"

"Getting a closer look. She's testing a new gadget out."

Buck spared a glance at the screen. "And where's the guy?"

"I don't know, but I think they may be smuggling weapons."

"Well I think you may be right," Buck agreed with a sardonic smolder.

"Huh." Sam grunted, faking any interest in his approval.

"But there's only one way to find out. I see a clear path, I say we take it."

Samuel grabbed the war criminal’s arm before he could expose them. "We're not assassins."

Barnes' jaw clenched, and he ungraciously pulled his arm out of his offender's hand. "I'll see you inside. Or not."

You were crouching behind a beat up shelf and peek around it to watch a single pair of people easily lifting crates that looked around a hundred pounds with no sweat. From the looks of the two, they couldn't have been much younger than you. But there was no telling what the cargo was.

"Look at you, all stealthy."

Your head turned and eyebrows raised at Sam's whisper suddenly feeding into your ear.

"A little time in Wakanda and you come out White Panther."

"Actually it's White Wolf."

"... What?"

You couldn't help grinning at Sam’s shock easily heard through comms. Quietly, you shifted the cartridge in the launcher around your wrist to feed a tracker into the barrel. You were about to test drive Sam’s contraption on one of the boxes when suddenly you were aware of a presence coming from your right, and looked up to see Bucky magically shown up right by you.

"Hi." He grunted, his intense stare on the group as he spoke to you.

"Hey," you respond lightly, then return to tap the small screen of the device matching Redwing’s design.

"Alright, Sam, we're inside: therefore way ahead of you. It's not great, but doable–"

"Hey." Bucky stopped short when Sam walked up next to him behind the tall shelf they hid behind. He must have not expected him of all people sneak up on him, by the way he glanced the down hall you all l l came down. Sam looked from the moving duo back to Bucky. "What?"

"Hello. How are you?" Buck greeted sarcastically at his decision to finally catch up.

"Great. What did I miss? Oh. Nothin." Sam retorted, not missing a beat.

"Let's go."

"Wait–"

"I have an vibranium arm, I can take them."

"And I got wings. Who gives a shit? I wanna see where they're going."

You glance back at the couple of people still loading boxes onto trucks to make sure the three of you hadn't been heard between all the chatter. Bucky kept himself from running out for a moment longer, and you secure the tiny tracker into the launcher.

"What is that?" Bucky questioned from above you.

"To track them."

"I made a little buddy for Redwing." Sam’s grin stretched pridefully. Almost as if he knew the answer would irritate Barnes.

You attempt to restrain your growing smile at his amusement and Bucky’s expense. "If they’re gonna keep running all over Europe we’ll need more than a drone to keep tabs on them.”

"You know it hurts his feelings when you call him a drone.”

"At least a permanent tracker’s actually more useful than your pet bird.”

"Pipe down, RoboCop–"

"Whatever you say, Big Bird."

"Huh, and he wonders why I didn't want him on this mission."

Their banter was becoming more or less background static in your ears as you readied the tracker to shoot. This entire turn of events was more entertaining than you thought it’d be, but you still didn’t want to lose your chance to tag these guys before they take off again.

"This is ridiculous, there's two people."

"Only two? Is that it? You only see two?"

"Yep. That's what I saw."

"Let's see what Redwing sees."

When you look back up, you pause as more people start appearing outside of the trucks.

"How many ya see now? There's three. Fouuur," he dragged out as the drone's heat signatures revealed more and more people behind the walls. "Five. Oop, there it goes again, six–"

A frown tugged at your lips as it easily became seven people. Over twice the number your intel reported of the criminals reported at the bank robbery. Others began carrying the giant crates stacked on top of each other as well, like it was nothing.

"Damn." You utter.

"Okay. I get it."

They were grabbing the last of the crates left, so you aimed your launcher at a small case that one girl was holding as she stood still to speak with another of the unidentified subjects.

"So they're strong. Whatever. Let's go." Bucky griped and moved to close in again.

"No, wait!" Sam whisper-yelled and quickly pulled him back, making the shelf rattle and echo throughout the room. "Shit–"

Bucky quickly pulled you down behind your cover just as you shot the tracker, both of them sitting low to the ground with you now. For a few short seconds, all shifting silenced and none of you moved, backs against the unreliable wood. Bucky had a firm arm around your back with you tucked into his side to fit all of you behind the case. His hand easily encased your arm, not squeezing but not leaving either as he remained deadly still. None of you made a move as you waited to hear if they saw anything.

Finally, someone yells for the mystery group to move out, and the three of you relax. His arm slips from around your back, and you look at the screen on your wrist. "Great. Now we can track that wall."

You could hear the trucks starting as Sam pulled up Redwing's feed again, scanning for further heat signatures. "There's an eighth person... Looks like it could be a hostage."

With that, Bucky gives the two of you the briefest look, and that was all he needed to what before taking off at an almost inhumane speed toward the semi trucks driving off. Following his lead, Falcon takes flight and you jump up and run after the eager soldier, catching up when he slows down a little bit once next to the semi's.

"I got the first truck, you got the second?"

You nod at the plan, and he proceeds to run even faster, jumping onto the back of the lead truck and getting himself in. He wasn’t here to play.

You knew the driver of yours must've seen him, which meant you wouldn’t have much time until retaliation. And your truck was picking up speed.

Okay, sure. I can do that, too… I’m enough of a badass…

Hurriedly, you mustered your strength and enough speed to propel yourself jump onto the edge of the back, and start to climb steadily to the top. A few seconds later you heard him announce it was crates of medicine and vaccines inside.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, Sam." He responded in unrestrained annoyance while you made your way up the moving vehicle. “Hi!” A moment later he seemed to be talking to someone on the inside. His voice was softened so much in comparison to how he’s been talking, you didn’t think it was even a physical option for him. “You okay?”

"Talk to us, Bucky. What's going on in there?"

"I've located the hostage."

You had to pause for a moment once almost at the top to peek around the side in order to check any activity through the side mirrors. Sure enough, two of your three unsubs in the front seats were crawling out of the windows and onto the top, their attention clearly on Bucky up ahead. "We don't have much time. These guys are squarin’ up back here." You mutter while their backs unknowingly stay to you.

Grabbing onto the rung tighter, you conjure a dagger into your hand and stab it into the roof of the eight-wheeler to help you climb onto the top without falling off. By the time you were grounded, you saw a girl kicking Bucky out of the semi and into the windshield of the back truck.

"Shit!" Glass cracked under Bucky's weight at the same time he grabbed onto a hold in time.

You stared at the incredibly petite redhead in bewilderment. Even without the moving vehicles she would have to be incredibly strong to send a super soldier�� or even just a man with Bucky's build, flying back like that. Now you know what Torres and Wilson meant by too strong.

You saw the two guys that climbed onto the top yank Bucky up by his arms, while you got your footing and crept forward as best you could. The truck lurched to pull up alongside the first one now. The girl fastened a black mask with what you could make out as a bloody red handprint on it over her face. Fearlessly, effortlessly, she jumped onto the truck; way too easily throwing her small form through the air.

She's a freaking super soldier, you realized from her brimming confidence.

One masked guy that grasped onto Bucky tried to hold him still, while the other got a punch in on him. But your focus shifted when the redhead landed, and she went straight for you. You dodged her ferocious punches suddenly slicing at you through the air, heavily favoring defense for now. She moved fast, just not fast enough to land a hit on you with your occasional countering of a kick to her ribs or elbow to her stomach. All ultimately useless since her endurance absorbed your attacks, and her blows you blocked with your arms and body were still hard enough to push you farther and farther back.

A harsher time from years and years ago came to your mind, but it was perfectly useful in this situation. You remember that when you’re up against an opponent of massive strength, you have to fight smart.

The girl finally lands a good enough blow to your chest that sends you sliding back. You had to stop yourself, crouching low to regain balance aboard the moving vehicle.

"Y'all need help already?" Sam's voice yelled from above.

The both of you looked up as his silhouette flew overhead, Redwing firing shots around you and towards your opponent. She simply jumps up over you and grabs the mechanical attacker, shattering the military drone over her knee when she lands behind you.

"I've always wanted to do that!” Barnes smarted, and grabbed the naive fellow attempting to keep him still to finally take care of him.

Now that Sam had joined the party and distracted your target, you turned and ran at the girl from behind to slide down behind her, clamping your legs around her ankles and twisting just as Sam flies down to kick her chest and knocks her onto her back.

"Good of you to join the fight, Sam!" Bucky yells, moving onto the last guy gripping onto him and kicking his leg fork underneath him before right hooking his jaw. He was mad again.

"I got this." Sam said to you, eyes on the freckled teenager getting back to her feet.

“Have fun.”

Not wasting another second, he sent his foot flying towards her face, but she ducked and blocked the punch following in suit. You went for the guy Bucky just took to the floor who was recovering. Going offensive this time, you run at him while he's getting back on his feet and yank his head down with both hands, kneeing him in the face to see how he handles it.

The leader threw Sam to the other truck where two more soldiers had suddenly appeared to gang up on him.

Despite your knee cap having gone straight in between his eyes, your opponent was still standing. He sent a roundhouse your way, easily avoided. You jumped up and spun around, kicking the long dark-haired figure twice in a matter of a second, then turned to punch him. But he was even stronger than he appeared in the video. Those kicks to his chest would've knocked anyone else down, but he hardly budged.

He caught your fist and kneed your side before flipping over you, to pull and throw you over him, several feet back. You would've fallen off and hit the road if you hadn't summoned a dagger to stab into the roof and slow yourself to a stop. Then you took a moment, realizing your soon to be very bruised ribs.

Okay... so they were all super soldiers, you conclude by the surprising amount of pain in your bones.

You caught a glimpse of Sam on the semi to your left. "You sure you got it, Sam?" You yelled, watching him trying to fly upwards with three of the soldiers pulling him down by his wings and legs.

"You're not doing too hot yourself over there!"

That wasn't totally unfair. Bucky was the only one fairing against the thieves in those ridiculous masks, but even he had to put up a fight to try and take them down. As soon as he got the chance, he jumped onto the next truck to grab one of the Flag Smashers pulling at Sam. With a yank from him, and a swift kick to the jaw from Sam to another one of them, they let go and everyone fell to the roof floor.

One last girl took the opportunity to attack while Sam was down, and lifted a malicious fist to land on the unsuspecting Wilson. But just then, a red, white and blue object came hurtling towards her, and knocked her right on her ass before bouncing right back into the sky. The three of you looked up to see where the defense came from, and found a helicopter flying overhead.

A red, blond and blue clad figure lowered closer to the truck and jumped down onto the car top while the redhead next to him was taken off guard, using the starred and striped shield to knock her down as well.

A second trooper appeared in the doorway as the chopper came back around. He swung down by a tether, managing to use his weight to kick a short-haired boy off the truck and send him hanging off of the edge. Sam quickly got to his feet, watching the unexpected backup sling the easily recognizable shield to another of your enemies behind Bucky, and then to your guy; knocking them both down one by one like mere bowling pins, and returning immediately to his grip.

Still hanging from the harness, the second guy hanging from the copter swung back around to land right next to him. With wide-toothed grins, they bump their forearms together in solidarity.

"Sam! John Walker; Captain America!" The blond introduced with a casual salute as his dark-skinned partner looked over and offered his hand to you. You awkwardly take the stranger's offer to help you up, and notice his eyes shift to the white glowing dagger that dematerializes from your hand as you stand. They follow to the trail of damage it left to the paneling.

"Lemar Hoskins!" He yelled to the three of you.

"Looks like you could use some help!"

Sam didn't look happy. Neither did the curly haired redhead. She jumped back up, more than ready to fight, so when she ran at the star-spangled man, John took her on with further help from the shield.

Now that the numbers were more even at six against four, you thought it best to switch strategies. You got the gist of it now. It was time to flip the script. You jump right over onto Sam's truck, onto the back of one of the two soldiers now attempting to pin him down. You yank him back, using the force of your body to make him let go while everyone else was getting pulled into battle once again as well. When your leg hooks up around his shoulder and your arm clamps around the front of his neck, he grasps at you to pull you off of him. The space between the trucks suddenly grows right behind both of you, so you twist in that direction which brings him down to the floor beneath you. In the same swift motion, you roll over once with just enough room to release your chokehold and throw him over the side, right onto the passing road.

Bucky took the liberty of jumping into the air and punching down the other Flag Smasher next to Sam as he landed. But he recovered quickly, kicking Bucky in the chest which made him counter with a harsh fist to his face.

Sam held his own against the dark skinned girl wrestling him, but as they danced around each other his wings hit both Buck and the masked kid, causing them to fall in between the racing vehicles. Bucky was able to catch onto the bottom of the opposite truck, scraping in a sizable hole down the side of the car with his metal arm in the process. But the younger super soldier used his position over him to slide down the side and try to kick him to the ground.

Between avoiding becoming roadkill, hanging on to the underside edge at such an awkward angle and his head being just a little to close to the tires rotating at fifty miles per hour, Barnes was struggling.

You pull at the retractable nylon wire lined around your waist and throw its magnetic gripper onto the edge of the opposite roof, then swing down in between and use your full body momentum to successfully kick the Flag Smasher away from Bucky with a grunt. But the thief had caught onto the side mirrors after you pushed him back, and was still holding on, barely. You braced your right hand and knee against the cold side of the white truck, the nylon and grip keeping you safely suspended as another dagger appeared in your left hand. Eyes on target, you threw the knife at the bar of the mirror where his hand gripped, making him nearly let go to avoid your blades, and readjust so as not to splatter himself on the pavement either. So you adjusted your aim and swiftly threw another one, it slicing clean through the connecting rail of the mirror and making him slip from the semi, getting left behind on the street.

Bucky kept a tight hold from underneath the rig, but now he was staring up at you in awestruck confusion. "Whoa."

Atop the opposite roof of you, Hoskins tried to wrestle out of a super strength chokehold. "John, where ya at, man?!" He coughed.

John used the shield to cover him while the scrappy redhead aimed blow after blow to his head, and he shot the boy with his arms around his partner's neck. The blast sent the super soldier back, but the freckled girl fighting Walker responded by kicking him over the back edge, almost taking him out of the fight. And down below you Bucky was still hanging underneath the rig, sparks flying as his left arm dragged against the street.

More nylon strings feeds out as you lower yourself some feet and reach down toward your super soldier. “Grab on!”

Sam maneuvers around the same young short-haired girl, who simply takes to running straight at him and pushing him off the truck with the sheer strength in her body. His wings eject again and take him through the air without harm. He heads straight for you and Bucky, just as Bucky begins to pull himself up towards you. But the Flag Smasher in front of the wheel sees it coming and veers over to cut off Sam’s point of entry, subsequently jarring the two of you on the side of the truck when the space quickly diminishes and nearly collides with you in between them.

“Seriously?!” You scramble after losing your footing, Barnes grabbing the underside again after Sam rerouted himself all the same without room to get to you guys, flying between honking cars to appear beside the underneath of the semi-trailers where Bucky could see him grinning.

“That lil girl kicked your ass.”

Bucky just lets out a frustrated yell in his direction.

“Don’t mind us, just trying not to be flattened here!” You shout over the wind with a rather casual shake of your head.

"Fine, I got the metal man. We gotta go!" Sam shouted before engaging his wings to take him underneath the cars. With calculated precision and speed, he flew over and practically tackled Bucky from under the wheels, sending them out of harm's way and rolling into a grass field.

Once he was taken care of, you engaged the retraction function in your belt and slid back up the the top and rolled yourself over the side safely. You did the same with the grip from the side of the truck so it released and retracted back into the front of your waistband. You jumped up without time to think about it this time, and hurtled yourself across the last roof. You jumped off and headed straight for a grass clearing while the semis sped off with the new Captain America's team still aboard.

You attempted another tuck and roll, but at that point, body a little banged up, adjusting from a speeding truck, and your head still in the heat of the fight, you had no choice but to suffer another ungraceful landing.

After a moment or two, you force yourself to pull yourself up. You had to look around the clearing before dragging yourself all the way over to the others as the pain in your ribcage grew. You finally neared them as you walked farther into the field, Sam shoving Bucky off of him into the grass. The two were just laying there now.

"... Are you guys okay?" You called as a hand slipped over your aching side.

Bucky had a pensive glint in his eyes as he looked into the sky. "Those were all super soldiers..."

"I know." Snapped Sam.

"Gathered that," you groaned, leaning over to rub at the tender spot.

Sam huffed, and forced himself upright to glower at the unwanted comrade. "You're welcome by the way."

#bucky barnes #bucky gifs #tfatws edit #tfatws #tfatws spoilers #bucky barnes scenario #poc reader #soft bucky #bucky x reader #fatws bucky #sam wilson #captain america #marvel #marvel fic #joaquintorres #baby falcon #black falcon #new world order #cloak and dagger

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geekverse08 · 3 years ago

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BTS of Danny Ramirez as Joaquín Torres in Falcon and The Winter Soldier!!💙

#FalconAndTheWinterSoldier #DisneyPlus #MarvelStudios #MarvelComics #Marvel #JoaquinTorres #DannyRamirez #Falcon #WinterSoldier #AnthonyMackie #SebastianStan #BTS

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fangirl0917 · 4 months ago

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Danny at SDCC!

#dannyramirez #joaquintorres #anthonymackie #samwilson #anthony mackie #harrison ford #sdcc2024 #captain america brave new world

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njdirtygardener · 8 years ago

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#SamWilsonCaptainAmerica 's supporting cast minus Rage. #Falcon #JoaquinTorres #DMan #MistyKnight

#mistyknight #falcon #dman #samwilsoncaptainamerica #joaquintorres

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joaquintorres · 4 years ago

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angelinasjolie ➸ joaquintorres

hi besties new url, same content

#stasia.txt #joaquin torres

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mischiefmanaged71 · 4 years ago

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Turning Tables (3/8) - Joaquin Torres x Reader

Summary: Y/N and Joaquin work together to track down the Flag Smashers, but yet again, she is the middle woman between Bucky and Sam as they butt heads.

Author’s Note: Continuation of the story into Episode Two of TFATWS. Love the banter between Sam and Bucky, especially when Walker turns up and they team up to direct all of their anger at him. Joaquin is my man, my soft boi. I need more of him in the next two episodes, otherwise, I’m going to be a wreck for a while. Let me know in the comments if you’d like to be tagged! There will definitely be two more parts…who knows, maybe I’ll add more or individual one-shots!

Warnings: anxiety, the smallest drop of fluff

Pairing: Joaquin Torres x fem! Reader

You leaned back in your chair, feet crossed in front as Joaquin read through documents at his desk. Following up on leads was the top priority right now with the rise in communications of the revolutionaries’ known as the Flag Smashers.

Word Count: 2.4K

Joaquin stood by his word and incorporated Sam and Y/N in the investigation. They had been at the Airbase for a total of 3 hours and 49 minutes, reading through documents and following up leads using the database resources.

You rest your hands on your stomach as you shut your eyes for a moment. The bags under your eyes had become more noticeable in the past couple days, what with sleepless nights and long hours. All of which led you to grow closer to the coffee machine in your small apartment.

The nightmares had grown worse in the past week, haunting more than the occasional dream. Sometimes it was just the darkness that irked you, which you’d usually resolve with a bit of light. More recently, they formed into horrific events where you couldn’t save Sam or Bucky. The worst instance was last night’s terror.

This time, Joaquin showed up instead.

Instead of the usual guilt that strung you up, an aching sorrow and horror overwhelmed you as you lost control.

The fire was everywhere.

It burned until nothing was left.

Until the last edge of life was gone.

Even as you grasped for the tip of control to stop it, the flames extended further and further.

You couldn’t stop them,

And that terrified you.

It had its grip on your throat, ever-so-slowly compressing your windpipe as you clawed for the surface.

“Y/N?”

You inhaled sharply, opening your eyes to Joaquin’s concerned gaze as he leaned across the desk.

“You alright? You dozed off there.”

You nodded your head, slacking your jaw to recognise your feet touching the ground, the cabinets along the walls and lastly, the man sitting behind the desk.

His concerned gaze is glued to your widened eyes which scan the room, almost as if you weren’t completely aware.

“Yeah...I haven’t been getting much sleep is all.”

Joaquin nodded, returning to the words on the document,

“I’ve noticed. You’ve been a bit jittery the past couple days.”

“And...that’ll be the caffeine.”, you trailed, as you stood and stretched your limbs out.

“Don’t say what I think you’re going to say.”

Joaquin glanced up from the desk, shaking his head as a smirk grew on his face. The bruise under his left eye had slowly been healing from the past mission, along with a large cut along his forehead.

“I wasn’t gonna say anything.”

“Oh really? Then what’s the face for?”

“What face?”, he laughed and stared at you incredulously.

You leaned your hands against the back of the chair as pointed at him,

“That face that says I’m judging you.”

“This is not a judgemental face. This is the face of someone who is concerned about you.”

You’re quiet, allowing Joaquin to continue as you grip the back of the chair. Averting your eyes to the floor, your stomach plummets. Thumps palpate in your chest as your blood seems to pump harder.

“Are you okay?”, he asked.

You gulped down your anxiety, making eye contact with Joaquin so as to convince him and yourself as you spoke.

“...Yeah. I’m fine.”, you nodded your head and smile with the lack of enthusiasm that brings his attention to it. Joaquin cocks his head to the side, trying to see deeper into your mind.

“Y/N-”

The door bursts open as another uniformed soldier leans in the doorway.

“Lieutenant, I’ve got an update waiting for you, Sir.”

Joaquin stood from his seat, nodding his head at the officer.

“Alright, thanks, you can hand it over.”

The soldier nods his head, leaving the folder on the desk before shutting the door. You huff out a sigh at the tension and silence filling the office. Joaquin gathered up the remaining papers on the desk into neat piles, tidying the space.

“Look, it’s nothing I can’t handle. I’m electing not to sleep and I’m getting more work done.”

“You can’t live like this, Y/N, you’re gonna run yourself into the ground.”

“Yeah well right now, I’d rather not face those fears. Got bigger fish to fry right now.”, you purse your lips and nodded towards the folder.

You exit the office, wandering the first level of the base offices. Your arms press against the railing as you drop your head and listen to the bustling of people and machinery echo across the base. Slumped over the railing, you concentrate on counting your breaths as you hear Joaquin’s feet stomp closer to you.

Joaquin leans next to you on the border as you refuse to move, knowing that your façade of calm will chip as soon as you look at him.

“Y/N, if somethings bothering you, you should tell me. I know you feel that keeping it to yourself is better than admitting it but trust me, it’s a lot worse.”, he leaned down to meet your gaze as a stoic blank expression overcame you.

Your throat tightens and clench your jaw to suppress the sob building in your chest.

You’ve always been alone with your thoughts, threatening to crack under the constant pressure behind your skull. The Avengers had been an unconventional setting but you created close relationships with a few of them. Some you lost along the way because of uncontrollable things but you wonder.

You wonder if maybe something was wrong with you.

If it was your fault why they always left.

Why no one stuck around for long.

Tears glimmer, threatening to fall but you exhale a long breath out, turning to him. You twiddle your fingers, jaw clenched as you choke out the words in a whisper.

“...okay.”

Joaquin’s posture straightened as you stepped away from the railing and nodded your head in agreement.

“I’ll try. For you, Flyboy.”

He hummed and a small smile grew on his face at the nickname.

“That’s all I ask.”

Looking over his shoulder, you recognise a familiar face.

“Hey, Wilson.” you called over Joaquin’s shoulder, causing Sam’s eyes to flicker between the two of you.

“Hey, Y/L/N. I see you guys are spending extra time together…”, Sam implied with a smirk.

Y/N rolled her eyes at Sam’s implications, nudging his arm.

“It’s about time he kept me in the loop.”

He recognises the dark circles under your eyes and how tired you look but elects to ignore it.

“You alright?”, Sam asks.

You look up at Joaquin as his lips twitch upwards in a small encouraging smile. His hand slides across the railing, hovering next to yours as you reply.

“I’m right where I need to be.”

You trail off as you notice Sam’s stiff posture and tension as he glides his hands into his pockets.

“How are you?”

After the huge declaration of America’s new ‘Captain America’, you were infuriated with the SHAM. Walker had done nothing to deserve that shield.

It was Sam that Steve chose.

It was Sam that deserved the shield.

You can only imagine how upset he is feeling.

Sam almost shrugs, tilting his head as he doesn’t know how to express all of his feelings about the situation.

You all glance towards a screen as a poster of John Walker holding up Steve’s shield is shown.

“Seems like a good guy. You met him?”, Joaquin asks.

“No.”, Sam replied.

“Thanks for doing this on such short notice.”

“Yeah. No sweat. I’m just finishing up the checklist. You’ll be all good to go once you land in Munich.”

“I’ll be in the air with Joaquin so you can keep us updated…”

You trail off because your attention phases to Bucky Barnes’ entrance. With the fury in his step, you can practically visualise the daggers Bucky is sending towards Sam as you descend the stairs.

“Shouldn’t have given up the shield.”

“Good to see you too, Buck.”

“This is wrong.”, Bucky interjects.

Bucky follows Sam, cutting him off to interrogate.

“Hey, hey, look, I’m working, all right? So all this outrage is gonna have to wait.”

Bucky narrows his eyes,

“You didn’t know that was gonna happen?”

Sam is aghast, “No, of course I didn’t know that was gonna happen. You think it didn’t break my heart to see them march him out there and call him the new Captain America?”

“Steve didn’t want this.”

“Oh, my God. What do you want me to do? Call America and tell ’em I changed my mind? Huh?”

Joaquin rests a hand on your shoulder, bringing your attention back to him,

“I’m gonna go ahead and set up before we leave.”

You nod, acknowledging him, gripping his hand,

“I’ll be right there.”, sending him a reassuring smile.

You watch as Sam and Bucky tussle in an argument over the shield and then the mission.

You find yourself striding up to them as Sam stomps off alone towards the plane.

“Hey stranger.”

Bucky turns around and his eyes light up in recognition. He flicks over your tired eyes and sombre expression.

“Sam didn’t know this would happen.”

“Well, he shouldn’t have given it up in the first place. It doesn’t belong there.”

“Bucky… I know how much that shield means to you... But you have to understand that Sam did what he thought was the right thing. We have to accept that. It’s what Steve wanted.”

“This is not what Steve would have wanted, Y/N.”

Bucky is fuming at the thought of the man parading as Captain America.

“I know, I know, Bucky. But we gotta work together to solve this one.”

“Just like always.”

He hummed, looking at the plane.

“Fine, but it doesn’t change the fact I’m mad at him.”

You sigh but agree because you know your boys are stubborn.

*****

You sit up on a crate as the plane flies below the drop-off zone for Sam and Bucky. You were sitting this one out to surveil with Joaquin from above.

“One minute to drop off, Sam.”

You watch Joaquin as he assesses the distance below and the time on his watch. The cuts and scrapes on his face have mostly healed but the blue and purple bruising under his eye remains.

“So what’s our plan?”, Bucky asks Sam who ignores him as he positions his com in his ear.

“Great. So no plan.”

Bucky shakes his head in annoyance, sitting back down in his seat.

“Thirty seconds!”, Joaquin yells, looking out into the open air.

“I’m reconsidering sending those two out there alone.”

You glance anxiously between Sam and Bucky as the tension in the plane stirs.

“But they’re not alone, because they’re going together.”, Joaquin points out.

“That’s the part I’m worried about.”

You smile unconvincingly at Joaquin as you listen to the men bicker.

“Enjoy your ride, Buck.”

Bucky rejects Sam’s use of the nickname,

“No, you can’t call me that.”

“Why not? That’s what Steve called you.”

You roll your eyes at the childish banter between the two. You were considering the amount of logic and coordination between the two of them but then again, you were too tired to get on board for this mission.

“Steve knew me longer, and Steve had a plan.”

“Why couldn’t Steve be here?”, you whisper sarcastically.

“Fifteen seconds to drop.”

“I have a plan.”, Sam defends.

“Really? What is it?”

Sam ignores Bucky, jumping from the plane. Joaquin peeks his head out in amusement as Sam ignites his suit and flies off. He still wears that look of amaze on his face since the first time he saw the suit.

“Great. Where’s the chute?”, Bucky asked, looking around.

“We’re at 200 feet. It’s too low for a chute.”

“I don’t need it anyway.”

Joaquin perked an eyebrow, glancing at Bucky from the side,

“You sure about that?”

“No! I know that look Bucky and I swear-”

“Yeah.”, Bucky sighs, yelling as he drops from the plane.

You and Joaquin both stare out into the open air as Bucky plummets into a tree, slowing his descent.

“What. An. Idiot.”, you exclaim from beside Joaquin.

“That looks like it hurts too.”

Pulling your sleeves down, you shiver and pull back from the open door to return to your seat.

“He’ll be fine. I think.”

Joaquin slides the door shut as its seals with a hiss.

You retract back into yourself as your thoughts return in the quiet.

Luckily, Joaquin is there to push them back.

“Hey, join me upstairs? I’ve gotta track activities for Sam from up here.”, he waits for your answer.

“Sure.”

He steps aside to let you walk up the steps first, sliding behind you as you reach the second floor. His hand ghosts over you back, guiding you across to the computers.

You flirt around the screens, leaning your hands against the metal frame. Joaquin’s hand roams around different radars and dials as he reads them. You watch from your spot as he concentrates, although, his eyes float up to check on you, every so often. You’ll pretend not to notice the suppressed smirk that threatens to rise on his face at your stare.

You push that brewing anxiety aside but not without strain. Not without a little help from that pure and inviting calm that Joaquin brings.

***

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