#merman bucky barnes

[late-to-the-party-81]

Merman, maybe?

AN: Screeching in, to get this written and posted before the Stucky Bingo deadline, and somehow managing to get it to fit two bingos plus the extra challenge in one of them. A big thank you to @buckyismyconstant for the quick beta on this fic.

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Summary: Steve hadn’t been sure what memories he’d get out of a year backpacking around Europe post-graduation, but meeting an honest-to-god mermaid - merman - merperson - whatever! - hadn’t been one of them.

Relationship: Back-packer Artist Steve Rogers x Merman James

Word Count: 1.7k

CW: Modern AU, Mermaid AU, Non powered Steve Rogers, Merman Bucky Barnes, Meet-cute, Language barrier, Cultural barrier, Artist Steve Rogers, Curious Bucky Barnes, Fluff, Mild angst, mildly flustered Steve.

Bingos and Challenges:

@stuckybingo B2 -Sokovia and the May Challenge- Mermay 

@steverogersbingo E1 - Mermaid 

Steve hadn’t been sure what memories he’d get out of a year backpacking around Europe post-graduation, but meeting an honest-to-god mermaid - merman - merperson - whatever! - hadn’t been one of them.

It had started off simply enough. Having crossed from Western Europe (northern Italy) to the Eastern part (Slovenia), he’d wended his way through Hungary, into southern Slovakia and made it into Sokovia just at the start of May. Like other places he’d seen in his journeys, the country was one of dichotomy - modern, bustling cities and then small rural villages that felt like something out of a fairy tale. It was while he was staying in one of these small villages that the strangest thing happened. 

He’d gotten into the habit of travelling to a scenic spot during the day to try and capture the beauty of the landscapes before returning to the village and sketching the people he saw as he ate at one of the eateries.

On this particular morning, having had a hearty if basic breakfast at his lodgings, he’d set out on foot towards a large lake just outside the village. It was nestled at the base of the Carpathians, which rose out of the ground as if to challenge the sky, and was surrounded by swathes of wildflowers. He knew he had to capture it as best he could - his friends back in New York would never believe that such a place was real.

Steve set up his travel easel on a large rock, and placing in his ear buds, he started to make his preliminary sketches, making sure the proportions were right. It must have only been fifteen minutes later that he had the feeling he was being watched. With a frown he lifted his head and looked around, but there was no one to be seen, and nothing other than a few wild sheep and the movement of the lake water as fish made their way around.

Putting it down to his active imagination, he returned to his pencils, but the feeling didn’t go away. However, everytime he looked up, all was the same - a few sheep and circular ripples caused by the fish. Although, he thought, there must be some big fish in there to cause ripples that size. Maybe, if he set up his phone just right, he might be able to catch one of them on film if it came to the surface again? He propped it up on the edge of the easel, with the camera lens pointing at the lake, and he pressed record.

The next time he felt he was being observed, instead of lifting his head, he just flicked his eyes towards his camera… and jumped back, tripping over his feet. Looking up at the lake all he saw was a large, red tail making its way back under the water. Picking up his phone he stopped the recording and then rewound it.

A head, distinctly human looking, appeared from the water with long dark brown - possibly black hair - laying in wet tangles on its pale shoulders. It looked like a man, with ice blue eyes, sharp cheekbones and plump lips, but there was something uncanny about him. He could tell the moment he fell back, because not only was the sound of his shout audible on the recording, an expression akin to panic crossed the merman’s face and he dove back under the water, flicking up that tail that Steve had then seen. If he hadn’t had it recorded, he’d have thought he was dreaming. He walked carefully up to the edge of the water and stared down into it, yet saw nothing but the bubbles of small fish.

Trying to make sense of it all, he decided to break for lunch. Sitting down on a rock at the water’s edge, Steve pulled out a sandwich of local sliced ham and cheese and some fresh strawberries, and began to eat. He tried to keep half an eye on the water, but every time he thought he saw the water swirling as though something big was coming to the surface, the movement of his head seemed to scare the creature - man? - away again.

Having satisfied his immediate hunger, Steve got up to return to his easel. Before he did though, he left the last part of his sandwich and a few strawberries on the rock he’d used as a seat. This time when he started drawing, he decided not to put his ear buds back in, but turned his phone speaker up, so that he could still hear the music and hum along. He was notified of the merman’s return by the sound of a wet splat as a half eaten strawberry impacted against the back of his sketchbook.

Peering around his easel towards where he’d left the offering of food, Steve saw that the sandwich had been partially eaten and then deconstructed and discarded apart from the ham and all of the strawberries, except the one that had become a missile, left untouched. 

He chuckled to himself. “Not a fan of cheese or fruit I see. Not totally surprising. I doubt there’s much of that in the bottom of the lake, or the sea, or wherever you’re from.” It was hard to concentrate on his drawing after that, despite his best efforts.

The hours passed and he tried not to look up every time he felt himself being observed, difficult as it was. However, it did seem as though his audience was getting more used to his presence, because when Steve did redirect his gaze at one point, he was happy to see that the top of the merman’s head was still poking out of the lake, his eyes and hair visible, at least for a moment before it ducked back under the blue waters.

Finishing off the drawing he’d been doing, Steve decided to reposition himself. He went back to the rock on the edge of the lake and sat down with his sketch pad in hand. His hands flew over the paper as he worked from memory, trying to recall the features he’d seen. He felt the presence close to him, but kept his gaze on his paper until he’d finished. Then, slowly, he turned and gasped as he saw that the merman had pulled himself up onto the shore, looking over Steve’s shoulder at the sketch of himself. 

His tail glistened in the afternoon sun and water ran off his pale, muscular body in fat rivulets. There was an obvious wave to his hair, wet as it was, and when the merman tossed his head to the side, Steve could see the gills on the side of his neck. Speckles of water flicked onto Steve’s sketchbook and the merman reached out with one finger to touch one of the wet spots, obviously intrigued by the difference between wet and dry. Steve let out a soft chuckle and the creature reared back slightly, looking at him with wide eyes.

Steve allowed himself to smile, not a difficult feat, hoping that the merman would accept the gesture as one of friendship. What he wasn’t expecting was for the merman to grin back, displaying a mouth full of sharp teeth. Perfect for ripping through fish, he thought.

He raised his hand to his chest. “I’m Steve,” he said. The merman blinked at him. He’s unlikely to speak English, you idiot. He tried again, halting Sokovian. “Moje meno je Štefan.” If the merman spoke any human language it was likely to be one from this region of the world. The merman ran his tongue over his pointed teeth. “Jakov,” he replied. “Moje meno je Jakov.”

“Jakov,” Steve repeated, translating in his head. “Jakov a Štefan. James and Steve.” He pointed between them.

“James,” the merman parroted and then pulled himself closer to Steve again with his muscular looking arms. He peered at the pencil in Steve’s hand and Steve held it out to him. James plucked it from his fingers and brought it close to his face, studying the combination of wood and graphite with his icy eyes. Steve retrieved another pencil from his bag and lightly pulled the tip of it over the paper, leaving a trail of graphite in its wake. James poked his tongue between his lips and tried to copy, his clumsy attempt producing a thick, dark line. The merman seemed happy with himself though, as he grinned broadly, turning to look at Steve with sparkling eyes. 

Over the next hour or so, as the sun began its descent towards the horizon, Steve tried to satisfy the curiosity of his new friend. James had plucked at Steve’s clothes with his fingers, leading to Steve shedding first his jacket and then his t-shirt. He tried not to think too hard about how he felt when those cool fingers trailed over his body, tracing the swirls and lines of his tattoos. Eventually though, it started to get cold and Steve’s stomach started to rumble. “I have to go. Už musím odísť.” 

James cocked his head and Steve let out a huff, trying to work out how to explain himself. In the end, he mimed sleeping and James seemed to get it. He packed all of his stuff away, under the merman’s watchful eye and then rubbed at the back of his head, not quite sure how to say goodbye. “Zbohom…” His farewell was cut off when James surged up on his tail and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Then, before Steve could even process it, the merman dove back into the lake, circular ripples the only thing to show he’d even been there.  “Zbohom, Jakov,” Steve finished with a whisper. 

He walked slowly back to his lodgings, finding himself turning and looking back more than once on the journey. As he ate his dinner that evening, instead of sketching the passers-by he found himself returning to his sketch of James: the wet spots, although dried, having left smudges which just seemed to add to the portrait. And when he went to bed that night, it was to dream of an underwater world, sharp teeth and a red tail winding through his legs.

Tag list: @km-ffluv, @wheezy-stucky, @kmc1989, @kombatfather1796, @christywrites, @alexakeyloveloki, @doasyoudesireandlive, @galactusdevourerofworlds, @crayongirl-linz, @mightstill, @nicoline1998enilocin, @starrkermarvel, @ronearoundblindly

[notgradea]

Bad hair day

[thatmexisaurusrex]

A Meeting in the Bayou

Hey, people! This is for the @sambuckyhalloweenbingo for the prompt "Transformation". Enjoy! 🥰

A Meeting in the Bayou

| Pairing: SamBucky | Rated: T | WC: 1.7K |

Summary: Sam Wilson gets dared by his friends to hang out in the woods for ten minutes. There, he meets a mysterious young man.

Excerpt:

“Dare, huh?” asked Misty as she looked around for inspiration, taking a sip of her solo cup, “What about… the woods?” “The woods?” asked Sam, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah! The woods,” said Colleen, pointing her solo cup to the woods, “Ten minutes in the bayou, Sam.” “Sounds like the start of a horror film,” said Nat, shaking her head, “You can’t ask him to just walk into the woods.” “Hey. No. Dare is a dare. It’s not like I don’t know the woods next to my own house. It’s not even dark yet,” said Sam. There wasn’t really a fence between Sam’s backyard and the woods that backed up to his home. He spent most of his childhood exploring those woods with his siblings. He would be okay at the edge of the woods for ten minutes in broad daylight. “Better save me some of those cupcakes for when I return,” said Sam as he began walking to the tree line. “Will do!” yelled Misty as Sam made it into the woods.

READ THE REST ON AO3!

[buckets-and-trees]

Hehe. 💙

*evocative sigh*

Oh, mer!Bucky!

You know I've been completely taken with him for two weeks now...

But this gif makes me think of the other potential mer!Bucky personas that were swimming around in my head...

One was very much of the animated princess mermaid sort, singing wistfully chance to be where you are, his flowing long locks dramatically billowing around him as he would have thought it so unfair that his royal father just doesn't understand that you love this human and pouts amongst his thingamabobs (he's got twenty).

But who cares?

No big deal...

There was one more...

There was a merBucky who lurked at a semi-secluded cove with a waterfall on a tourist island in the Caribbean. The island really IS the pinnacle of tourist island, so there are ships constantly passing through with loads of humans, but this cove is far off the beaten path - it's one of those places people find out about from the locals, so there are visitors often enough, but it's sporadic throughout the day and never crowded. This merBucky watches for the solo travelers. Many of the parties who make the hike through the beachy jungle rest for a few minutes, they may swim, they may not. But just reaching the cove isn't enough for these lone wanderers, they're always determined to dive in and have their swim.

(dark thoughts for those who continue to read)

They strip down to their swim clothes, their underwear, some to their skin, and merBucky is always determined to extract the pleasure he wants from them. He plays with his human toys first, swimming just beneath them where they can't see, brushing their legs with his tail as he swims past, then coming closer, brushing their thighs with his fins, and finally with his fingers, and then he makes his undeniable presence known. He loves the sounds they make, the thrill of the fear he evokes in them that sometimes gives way to wanton desire and sometimes escalates to horror. He likes their tears. He likes their gasps. He likes the women and the men. The thrumming of their pulse beneath their tender skin always fascinates him. Sometimes they bruise or bleed, and that fascinates him, too. And their bodies are so warm...

Sometimes he lets them go. Sometimes he gets too carried away, forgets that the humans are more fragile than he is or that they need air in their lungs.

But for those who don't make it out alive, no one ever comes looking for solo tourists who go off on adventures on their own and never come back from this place. For those that do, some are foolish enough to come back, and the others are smart enough to keep their mouths shut, knowing no one would ever believe their tales.

[babhorsegeorge-morgan]

My last minute Mermay submission— Siren Bucky!!

[ghost-wolf34]

my first attempt at drawing Bucky Barnes, the man I love as a merman.

[late-to-the-party-81]

I have no words for how stunning this is! None!

Falcon and the winter mermaid are celebrating Mermay!

Full on my Patreon

[maichan808]

Here's my contribution to the @marvelartparty Fin Up book - a Marvel merfolk pin-up zine. It's 38 full-color pages featuring 25 gorgeous works by 21 different artists.

GET YOUR COPY HERE. Proceeds to The Ocean Cleanup.

Featured Artists: Namor (@xpi-x-elx), Rocket (sweatypeaches), Thor (@disturbedbutgorgeous), Steve (@artgroves), Natasha (@amberdreams1960), Hulk (@amadness2method), Drax (pocketcosmic), Nebula (@call-me-kayyyyy), M'Baku (@keire-ke)

GET YOUR COPY HERE. Proceeds to The Ocean Cleanup.

[agentkikirogers]

Pin by Asirenspins

[galaxywolfdogassemble]

🧜

[late-to-the-party-81]

Hooray for mer-May!

Happy Mermay everyone!

As you voted - 1st mermay 2023 art - Steve braid Bucky’s hair

[warriorofthought]

Triton

Summary: You meet a Triton, who will be your first friend after a long time, can he help you to live a better life?

Word count: 4936

Warnings: slightly injury and Violence applications

Bucky x Reader

You were always quite curious, and the curiosity to know if the beings of the sea, called mermaids, existed. It was present in your mind. That was why you usually spent it on the beach, watching the horizon, waiting to see if something would happen. 

The sun was almost setting, and you agreed that nothing was going to happen. But you were taken by surprise to see a Newt swimming near the shore, it was quite beautiful. That Triton looked at you curiously, but seemed harmless.

As the sun set, you decided to stand up and approach the Triton, it seemed very friendly and without intentions to attack you. The Triton approached you, with its tail waving, curious to meet you 

"Hello" you smile softly and carefully.

"Hello..."  The Triton said, with a shy but sweet voice.  "Sorry for having approached you, but you seemed a bit lonely." 

You chuckle softly " yeah, i try to avoid the others"

 "Why do you try to avoid others?"  The Triton looked at you with its big eyes, curious about your answer.

"uhh, how should I say that? The others don't like me that much because I'm probably too nice. I try to get out of their way because they are sometimes mean to me " you explain.  

 "Mmm.. I see.. And these people that are mean to you are humans?"  The Triton looked at you concernedly, it seemed to worry you a little.

" yeah, of course"

 The Triton thought for a moment.   "I think I know why they react like that. I mean i know why they react so by me." 

"why" 

"Many humans may think we are evil creatures, it is not our fault. Some people have made them believe that we are enemies." 

"But I'm sure you don't think that, right?" 

"No, you seem nice "

 "Thanks..."  the Triton said,  "The name is Bucky, what's your name?" 

"y/n   "

 "It is a pleasure y/n. I hope you don't mind that I came here, I just wanted to say hello." 

"No problem" 

 "I'm just surprised that a human wants to talk to me, not many humans know that we exist. And many less want to talk to us." 

"oh, that sounds sad"

 "Yes... but I hope one day it will change."   "Maybe with humans like you"   he smiles. 

"Thank you, bucky" you smile shyly.

Then you can both hear someone calling for you. Concerned, your head snaps in that direction and you see Ben running in your direction. Your eyes widen in panic and you turn back to Bucky. 

"Please, hide, he will hurt you if he sees you. Please, please hide. Come on."

Then Ben yells your name again and you can hear that he is pretty angry. Then you see how Bucky hides and follows your request.

Bucky hid quickly not knowing what else to do to avoid being seen by Ben. The poor Triton just wanted to make friends and get to know the humans better. He waited curiously to see what was going to happen next. 

Ben comes to a stop in front of you.

"Damn it, how many times do I have to tell you to stay away from that? And you took care of, luk's injury, DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO NOT REPRESENT ANYONE HERE. " 

You flinch, then he grabs your arm and pushes you away from the water. 

"He was in pain, I just made sure it was relieved" you stammer.

Angry that you contradicted him. He violently grabs your chin.

"You are too soft, I have forbidden you and you will obey me" he shakes you by the shoulders.

"Stop helping others, do you hear me?" asks Ben angrily.

"Yes" you whisper

"I asked you if you UNDERSTANDED me" with each of his words his hands squeeze tighter.

"I understand, Ben" 

The Triton was surprised to see how violent Ben was being with you, it hurt his heart to see how unfairly a human was treating his new nice friend. While hidden, he could see how Ben was aggressively yelling at you, squeezing your arms and chin. 

 "How could a human be so mean to another?"  Bucky thought to himself. 

Satisfied with your answer and your anxious eyes. Ben brutally pushes you away from him onto the floor, then looks down at you from above.

"Don't do that again, y/n!"

You nod, then Ben disappears from the beach and you are alone again. 

Bucky felt sad and annoyed by the way Ben had treated you, and how unjust Ben had been to you. He looked around to make sure the coast was quiet before coming out of his hiding place to be with you.  

You see the Triton slowly approaching you, you could hear his footsteps through the dry sand of the beach. The Triton felt bad for not being there to help you when Ben was yelling at you. 

You don't look up as Bucky approach you

Bucky felt his heart fill with sadness, seeing you upset and looking down. The Triton kneeled down so he could look you in the eye, and gently brushed a piece of your hair from your face and placed it behind your ear.

"Hello, y/n" he steps closer to you.

"Are you okay?"

"yeah" you swallow quickly and try to hide your trembling hands 

Bucky could notice how shaky your hands and your voice were. He see how the humans eyes were filling with tears.

 "I know you're not okay. But don't be afraid of me, I'm not your abuser."   the Triton tries to calm y/n . His voice was full of kindness. 

"I'm sorry, that you have seen that" 

Bucky looked at you with a soft smile.  "You don't need to apologize to me, you are not at fault." 

The Triton was getting closer to you in order to give you a warm hug, the gesture was meant to make you feel better 

Bucky seemed delighted by the effect he had on the human girl. The Triton wrapped his arms and tail around you, trying to make you feel protected. 

"What was your name? y/n, right?"   the Triton asked you softly 

"yes, I'm y/n " you nod

"How old are you, y/n?" 

You chuckle softly "I'm 22 and you?"

Bucky felt surprised, he thought you were much younger based on how Ben acted toward you.   "Well, you are not as young as I thought."  

The Triton looked you head to toe, thinking if he could ask you a personal question. Eventually, he decided he would take the risk.   "Don't you have a boyfriend, y/n ?" 

"No, i don't have a boyfriend "

 "Really? I am quite surprised by your answer." 

 "If I may ask you, why don't you have one?"   "You seem like a kind person and I'm sure many suitors are interested in dating you." 

"Ben, he wouldn't like that" you say nervously. 

"Ben is the man who yelled at you just a while ago, right?" 

The Triton could see that just thinking about him made you tense. And the fact that Ben did not want you to have a boyfriend made it even worse. 

"Does he have a girlfriend?" 

"I don't know, why?"

Bucky looked a little surprised, but his curiosity took over, so he decided to ask y/n   something directly. 

 "Who is Ben to you, y/n  ?" 

"He is a friend of my parents."

 "I assume he is older than you, right?"   "Why is he controlling your life?"  

 "And why does he yell at you?" 

Bucky's tone was changing, the questions became more serious.   "Why does he treat you like a little child?"

"Ben is older than me and my parents told him to take care of me. They would not believe me if I told them that he was hurting me."

"That is a very sad situation y/n , I can't quite understand why your parents wouldn't trust you and let an adult control your life. "   

"Are you afraid of what Ben could do if you disobey him?" 

The Triton was beginning to get angry towards Ben. 

"Sometimes, he is very angry and dangerous." You shrug your shoulders.

Bucky was beginning to feel worried, he couldn't understand how a person could be so violent and aggressive towards a person as kind as y/n  .   "And why do your parents trust him?" 

 "What do you mean that sometimes Ben is dangerous?   "Does he physically hurt you, y/n?" 

"My parents like him very much."

The Triton felt bad that y/n 's parents were so blind to Ben's actions.   "Do you have any friends that could protect you, y/n?"   "Have you ever told someone apart from me about how Ben treats you?" 

"I don't have friends."

Sadly, the Triton nodded his head as he tried to understand how y/n   didn't have a single friend beside Ben. Was it because Ben didn't allow her to make friends?   "Do you have any siblings, y/n?" 

"No"

 "Are your parents around often?"   "Or most times Ben is in charge of taking care of you?" 

"My parents are rarely at home."

 "So most of the time, Ben is alone with you at home?"   "Does he treat you the same way when your parents are not around?"   "Or worse?"   Bucky looked worried. 

"its dark, i should go home, it was nice to meet you, you are so lovely" you try to avoid to answer the questions.

Bucky noticed how uncomfortable you were talking about it, he didn't want to push you further and make you even more upset.   "Yes, you should go home, but I wish we could have talked more, it was a pleasure to meet you too." 

The Triton looked at you for a minute, as if he wanted to say something more. Eventually, he decided not to say anything else, he felt his heart breaking for you, but he didn't know how else to help you.   "Bye, y/n ." 

"Wait, we can meet again tomorrow around noon. As friends, if you want to be my friend. "

You nod happily " I would love to be your friend."

"And my house is up there" you point to a place.

"You can see it from here if I've arrived home safely, then I turn on the light."

The Triton seemed so happy, he could barely contain his joy.   "Yes, I would like that, y/n, we can meet again tomorrow as friends." 

Bucky nodded his head as he looked at the place you pointed at.  "Okay, we'll meet again here tomorrow then."   "I'll be sure to see if the light is on, so I'll know you're fine." 

You giggle and wave a good bye. Then you go home.

Bucky waved back.   "Bye, y/n."   Then the Triton watched as you walked away towards your home, disappearing out of his sight. He felt happy to have met you and to have met a new friend in such strange circumstances. 

Once y/n  was gone, the Triton decided to go back to the beach. He felt his heart aching for the human girl and worried about what Ben could do to her. 

Timeskip 

The next day, the Triton once again finds himself standing at the same place as the day before. He looks around nervously, waiting for the human. 

 "I hope everything is fine with y/n."   "I hope Ben hasn't punished her."   "But I trust that she will come again."   "I must have patience!" 

y/n   comes closer and smiles at him. When Bucky looks closer he can see that she has a split lip and a few bruises. 

The Triton looked at y/n and immediately noticed her split lip and bruises.   "I hope they aren't from Ben...."  He thought. 

The Triton approached y/n, noticing how fragile she looked.   "Good morning, y/n."   "Am I late?"   He asked her with a sweet voice, hoping he would cheer her up somehow. 

"No, you are on time." You giggle 

 Bucky was relieved, seeing how he could lift her spirits in such a tense moment.   "Did you have a nice night?"   "Did Ben bother you by any chance?" 

The Triton looked at y/n again and this time he thought it was necessary to ask her again.   "y/n? Did Ben hit you again?" 

"Night was good" you say.

"Ben, he wouldn't do that" you stutter.

Bucky felt very suspicious of y/n 's words, as they didn't seem quite right to him.   "Are you sure Ben didn't hit you, y/n ?" 

The Triton had a serious look on his face, it seems he was determined to find out the truth.   "I have to know if you're okay y/n, please be honest with me, did Ben treat you badly?"   He asked firmly. 

You look away from him 

The Triton took notice that y/n   was avoiding an answer, he felt more suspicious of Ben after seeing this reaction.   "Don't worry y/n , you can trust me, tell me what happened." 

"Did Ben hurt you, y/n "  The Triton asked one more time with concern in his eyes. 

"He has seen you" you whisper small.

The Triton looked at you confused at first, not sure if he had understood correctly.   "Are you saying that Ben saw me? That is why you're afraid to speak?"   "Did he threaten you, y/n?" 

Bucky looked so concerned, he was desperately begging you to answer the question, trying to get out information about this situation. 

"You are my first friend in a long time and Ben saw us talking yesterday when he left." You utter nervously.

"He does not like that I talk with others or help them" you say softly.

 "Does Ben get jealous when you speak to other people? Are your parents aware of this?" 

"If this is the case, y/n, I must ask you, is it possible that I talk with your parents and let them know that I'm your new friend?"     Bucky asked trying to hide how worried he was. You didn't deserve to be controlled by such a toxic person. There was something off with Ben. 

"You're not a human, i think they wouldn't like that " you say sadly 

 "How do you know I'm not human, y/n ?"   The Triton laughed gently.   "You see, my skin may not look like yours, but I am indeed a human just like you, when i change." 

Bucky felt happy to be able to lift the humans spirits up by sharing part of his identity.   "So, am I allowed to talk with your parents?"  He asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"No, don't do that!" You shake your head 

 "Very well, I will not talk with your parents, but I want to help you, y/n ."     He emphasized the last word.   "I don't think it is okay how Ben treats you, you deserve a better life, but you must take it with your own hands."   "For the first time you must go against Ben's orders." 

Bucky put his hand on y/n 's shoulder and let it there, trying to inspire her to resist Ben's controlling behavior.   "Can you do that for me?"   "Please?" 

"I don't think that's a good idea" you whisper and your hands began to tremble. 

Bucky was becoming more worried about the situation. Maybe y/n wasn't ready to break free from Ben's control yet.  He had to think on how he could help her without making her situation even more complex. 

 "Okay, I won't force you, y/n."   "But, can you do something for me at least?" 

He took one finger and lifted y/n 's chin so she would be facing him.   "I need to see your eyes right now, look at me, y/n."   He said with a firm voice. 

You look at him and as your eyes meet Your heart warms up

 "y/n, listen to me."   "I don't want you to keep suffering by Ben's abusive and obsessive ways."   "So far the only thing I know is that Ben doesn't want people near you."   "What else does Ben do to you y/n ?"   "Can you please tell me more things about him?"

Bucky was still holding you by your chin, not wanting to let you go.   "Look at me, y/n." 

"Your eyes are beautiful " you admire. 

Bucky blushed as he noticed how y/n was staring at him with such innocent eyes.   "Thank you, y/n."   Then the Triton returned the same look towards the blue eyes of the human. 

The human and siren were still locked into eye contact, and suddenly the sound of Ben approaching them made both of them turn their heads. 

Ben noticed right away that y/n was speaking to someone, he took two steps towards you and grabbed you by the arm.   "y/n."   "What are you doing with this creature?!" 

"nothing" you wince.

Ben seemed angry right away as he looked at the Triton.   "A Triton? Seriously y/n ? What's wrong with you?"  Bucky could tell that Ben wasn't happy about the situation.   "I thought we were the only ones allowed here." 

"Please, don't do anything to her, she is not at fault" the Triton says nervously.

Ben didn't seem to pay attention to what the Triton said, he kept his eyes locked on you. His grip on your arm was firm.   "I told you not to speak to anybody without me, don't you listen?!" 

"I can talk to whomever I want," you say stubbornly.

Ben looks at you in shock.

 "You what...? You want to talk with whoever you want, is that it?!"   "Is this how you thank me for everything I've done for you?!"   Ben shouted at you, his grip on your arm became tighter. 

On the other side, the Triton was getting worried about the way Ben was treating you. He wanted to jump into the conflict and get you out of there. But he also knew not to mess with Ben. He was afraid he would make everything worse. 

"You have done NOTHING for me" you say.

 "WHAT!? Did you just talk back to me?   "Do you know who you're talking to, huh? You ungrateful brat!!"   Ben shouted at you, his eyes filled with anger, his grip became painful on your arm.   "How dare you say something like that! How can you be so disrespectful towards me!?" 

"I'm not disrespectful, you deserve it"  you say firmly.

Before you know it Ben reaches out with his hand and slaps you in the face. 

Bucky was completely startled after he saw the impact of the slap, it happened so fast, he didn't expect Ben to escalate things this much. 

The slap sounded so loud that it made the nearby wildlife fly away in fear, the birds stopped singing.   "What have you done?!"  Bucky shouted at Ben. His eyes filled with rage, he wanted the human in a safe place. 

He could see how terrified y/n was after the slap, the look on their face was heartbreaking. 

You can feel blood dripping down your mouth.

Ben grabbed you tight by the arm and pushed you to walk towards your home, but you decided to stop and look back at the Triton, who just stared at you, unable to move. 

You waved quickly at Bucky and as you turned around to follow Ben, the Triton waved at you, with tears rolling down his cheeks, the image of your blood dribbling down your face was still in his mind.   "y/n, I'm so sorry for this."   He whispered to himself. 

Time passed and eventually you and Ben made it back to your home. The sun was starting to set. 

 "You're late! Where have you been all day?"   Ben shouted at you as soon as you both crossed the door.   "Did you have fun speaking with the mermaid?"   "The sirens, these sea beasts, they are not your friends!"   "He was probably trying to mess with your head."   "Don't trust that Triton, I'm sure he will only use you in the end."   "He only wants you for himself." 

"He is my friend and he is nicer than you" 

 "I don't want you speaking with that Triton or any other being without me, do you understand?! "  Ben shouted at you again.   "I saw the way he looked at you, he was clearly interested in you!"   "And you fell right into his trap, thinking he was your friend."   "Did he touch you in any way?"   "You're only mine, y/n."   "No one else apart from me is allowed to touch you." 

"I don't like you touching me" you utter.

" I'm not yours " you say firmly .

 "What did you say, y/n?"   "I should punish you for speaking to me that way!"   "Or maybe I shouldn't allow you to leave this house again!" 

Ben was surprised by your words, he had a look of shock on his face, and his grip on you tightened even more.   "Are you insane... you can't talk to me this way, why did I even let you go outside?"   "From now on, you're not going to go anywhere, you're going to stay home alone and don't speak with anyone ever again!" 

"No you can't do that"

 "Watch me, y/n!"   "I'll do what I want, even if I have to drag you around the house!"   "Don't ever tell me what I can or not do again!"   "From now on you belong to me, completely!" "You're mine, do you hear me!?"   "I'll teach you what happens when you disobey me!"   "You're just a stupid brat, you can't talk to me this way!"   "Do you understand me?!" 

"No I don't understand, i have done nothing wrong" you say and push him away from you. Then you run upstairs to your room. Your breath comes out raged and you almost stumble over your feets.

Ben couldn't believe what was happening, he felt utterly betrayed by the one person he cared the most. 

You ran to your room, the only place where you felt safe. The only place you could call yours, away from the control of Ben. 

Suddenly you could hear his loud footsteps coming towards your room.   "Come out here, right now y/n!"   Ben demanded furiously.   "I want to speak with you right now."   "It's time to learn a lesson." 

"No, i won't come out" you stutter 

 "I'll drag you out by your hair if I have to!"   "Do not defy me again!" 

Ben continued trying to threaten you and demand that you come out of your room, but you kept insisting that you weren't leaving.   "Do you understand?" "Ben was getting more and more furious as he kept yelling at you to come out, his grip on the door handle was so strong that he had to use all his strength to keep himself from entering the room by force. 

You shake your head and tears run down your face and a little sob is to be heard.

"Are you crying, y/n?! How dare you cry!"   "I'll make you regret the day you met the Triton, he's nothing but a lying monster that only wanted your body, that's what he was after."   "Do you understand me, stupid brat?!" 

"I thought you loved me, but you were only deceiving me, I should never have allowed you to leave this house again."   "Maybe I should punish you so you don't dare to speak like this again."   "You deserve it, y/n, for betraying me!" "Why won't you come out?" 

"Scared"

"Are you afraid of me, y/n? Is that why you're hiding from me?"   "Don't worry, nothing bad will happen to you."   "And if you think the Triton can protect you, well he can't."   "You will stay in this room until I say you can come out."   "I won't allow you to disobey me again, you heard me y/n?" 

"I'm going downstairs, think about what you've done while I'm not around."   "And don't speak about the Triton again, or else... I'll have to punish you again." 

You humm as an answer and take deep breaths.

After a while you calm down. 

You lean against the door, your breaths coming in shallow gasps. 

Ben’s footsteps echo through the house as he stomps downstairs, his threats still ringing in your ears. The silence that follows is tense, filled with the weight of what just happened. You know you can’t stay here any longer. You have to get out before things get worse.

Determined, you wipe away your tears and scan the room for anything you might need. You grab your coat from the back of a chair and slip into your shoes as quietly as possible. Your eyes fall on the small backpack by your bed, where you’ve stashed a few essentials for a moment like this. Slinging it over your shoulder, you move towards the window, careful to avoid making any noise.

You cautiously open the window and peer outside. 

The night is dark, but the moon casts a silver light over the garden, illuminating the path to the beach beyond. You take a deep breath, steeling yourself for what you’re about to do. You have no choice but to run.

With a final glance at the door, you climb out of the window, wincing as your feet hit the cold ground. You pause, listening for any sign that Ben might have heard, but the house remains silent. You start moving, your steps light and swift as you make your way through the garden.

Every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs underfoot makes your heart leap into your throat, but you push forward, driven by a mix of fear and determination. You navigate the familiar path through the garden, your eyes darting around for any sign of movement. 

Each step brings you closer to the edge of the property, closer to freedom.

Finally, you reach the low fence that separates the garden from the open fields leading to the beach. You scramble over it, landing on the other side with a soft thud. You pause to catch your breath, then break into a run, the cold night air stinging your cheeks as you push forward.

The beach is within sight now, the vast expanse of sand glowing under the moonlight. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore is a soothing balm to your frayed nerves, and you feel a surge of hope as you draw closer. The Triton had promised to be there if you ever needed him. You just have to reach the water.

You stumble onto the sand, your feet sinking slightly with each step. You glance over your shoulder, half-expecting to see Ben chasing after you, but the path behind you is empty. You keep moving, driven by a desperate need to reach the safety of the sea.

As you reach the water’s edge, you hesitate for just a moment, the cold waves lapping at your feet. You look out over the dark expanse of the ocean, searching for any sign of the Triton. Then, a soft glow catches your eye, a faint, bluish light beneath the surface, moving steadily towards you.

The Triton emerges from the water, his form illuminated by the moonlight. He moves towards you with swift, fluid grace, his eyes filled with concern. “Y/n,” he says softly, “you made it.”

You collapse to your knees, exhausted and overwhelmed. “I had to get away,” you whisper, tears streaming down your face. “I couldn’t stay there anymore.”

He kneels beside you, his hand gently brushing away your tears. “You’re safe now,” he says, his voice a soothing lull. “But we need to leave before he realizes you’re gone.”

You nod, struggling to find the strength to stand. The Triton helps you to your feet, his touch warm and reassuring. “Come with me,” he says. “I’ll take you to my world. He can’t reach you there.”

You look into his eyes, seeing the promise of safety and a new beginning. “Okay,” you whisper, your voice trembling but resolute. “Take me with you.”

The Triton leads you into the water, his arm wrapped protectively around you. The waves rise around you, cool and calming, as you wade deeper into the sea. You take a deep breath, trusting him completely as the water closes over your head.

To your surprise, you can still breathe, the ocean wrapping around you like a comforting embrace. The Triton guides you through the depths, his glowing form lighting the way. You follow him, feeling a sense of awe and wonder as the underwater world unfolds before you.

Finally, you emerge into a vast, hidden lagoon, its waters calm and shimmering with an ethereal light. The Triton brings you to the surface, and you gasp for air, the salty breeze filling your lungs. You look around, taking in the beauty and tranquility of this secret haven.

“Welcome to my world,” the Triton says softly, his eyes warm with reassurance. “You’re safe here, y/n. No one can harm you.”

You nod, tears of relief mixing with the saltwater on your cheeks. “Thank you,” you whisper, your voice filled with gratitude and hope. “I don’t know what’s next, but I’m ready to start over.”

The Triton smiles, taking your hand. “You don’t have to face it alone,” he says gently. “We’ll figure it out together.”

As you look out over the serene waters, the fear and turmoil of the past begin to fade, replaced by a growing sense of possibility. With the Triton by your side, you feel ready to embrace whatever the future holds.

[thatmexisaurusrex]

Reaching Out For You

This fic is for @funsized-loser for the @sunflower-auction. I hope you enjoy this mermaid/pirate SamBucky AU fic! 🥰

Reaching Out For You

| Pairing: SamBucky | Rating: T | WC: 6.3K |

Summary: Sam Wilson might have saved a few mermen when he was young. He thought it might have been a daydream. That is, until he meets one of those mermen years later.

Excerpt:

There he was. On the ocean. On the tide. Gazing up at Sam on that moonlit night. Sam would say it was a mirage, if not for the fact that he could feel the intensity of those eyes glinting in the moonlight. Sam hadn’t thought much about it. It had been years since that one morning happened. Sam wasn’t even sure if that morning was real. Not that he had told anyone what happened that morning. What was he supposed to tell Sarah and Gideon? Tell anyone on his family’s ship? That he had met mermaids? But there Bucky was. Swimming up to Sam from the distant sea.

READ THE REST ON AO3!

[buckets-and-trees]

Thank you for reading and sharing!

Out of These Waters

Fandom: MCU Characters/Pairings: Mer!Bucky x Princess!Reader Word Count: 7.6k

Summary: Fathoms below the surface, the tales of merfolk aren't mere tales, but a reality - a society sworn to secrecy, protecting themselves from the dangers of humans. But one of them with a yearning for what's out there keeps being drawn further and further into the places he should not go. A gender-bent adaptation of The Little Mermaid to be told in two parts.

Content/Concept Warnings: liberties taken with Hans Christian Andersen and Disney source materials, pining, magic

Additional Notes: Written for the @buckybarnesevents Connect4 Alternate June-iverse to fulfill my C3 "Gender Bend" square, looping in a number of dialogue prompts for Navy and Roo's May Challenge over at @the-slumberparty (designated in bold), my second square of @buckybarnesbingo B2 "Hidden," and MERMAY (shush, I know it's coming in at the absolute last seconds before the whistle blows). Thank you @navybrat817 and @rookthorne for letting me shout at you and go on at length riddling out this plot! A/N 2: This is part one of what needed to be split into two halves of a thorough adaptation/retelling. I had NO INTENTION of doing anything mermay. But a few weeks ago mermay art started surfacing on my dash... and I was enamored. And then some of Mindy Lee's art was shared in this post, and I thought... but what if Bucky were a merman with ridiculously long, dark, flowy hair like that... And then there was this merBucky art by @haflacky, and @navybrat817 sent me this one, and, and, and... and I realized the square I had been most perplexed about how I would find something to inspire a muse for could work if I made Bucky the protagonist of The Little Mermaid. So if you've noticed that I leaned heavy into the reblogging of mermay art, NOW YOU KNOW WHY.

 “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Steve shook his head. “I can’t keep saying the same thing again and again, Buck.”

“Then don’t.”

“You know you’re supposed to guard from below, not above. The whole point of our guarding is to maintain secrecy, ensure humans never get too close.”

“Is it not better to know exactly what’s going on than to wait and react?”

Steve’s tail lashed quickly forward and back again, a further show of the frustration already written on his face. “But we both know that’s not why you sit at the surface.”

“There’s a wide balcony built into the side of the cliff the castle rests upon that’s only just above where high tide hits with a stairway that leads straight into the waters,” the words rushed quickly out of Bucky’s mouth. “It’s old. Why would they have direct access into the sea at the royal palace if not to interact with us?”

“How do you – no, I don’t want to know how you know that.” Steve planted his hands on his hips, just above where his dark blue scales spread down below his abdomen. “If I don’t know, I don’t have to lie for you. Your shoulders are darker than they should be, and your face is too sun-kissed.”

With that, he turned and began to swim away. Bucky looked at the tiny octopus resting on his left shoulder, tentacles wrapped around his bicep and stretching over his chest and back. He stroked the top of one of the tentacles and the beast slipped one of its arms underneath its body and slid out the three small trinkets Bucky had hidden there. “If humans are so bad, why do they make and collect such interesting trinkets?”

Instead of following straight after Steve, Bucky headed further west instead of south to the kingdom, and it wasn’t long before he reached a cave near the reef on the edge of the kingdom he’d discovered long ago during his patrols of the outer regions. It was in an undisturbed area on the outskirts of the underwater kingdom of Asgard, a place of complete solitude for Bucky. He shared the existence of this place with no one, using it as an escape, then a retreat, and now a regular spot to not only be away from duty and his ties to others, but also a place to keep his growing collection of human artifacts.

A cautious visit to the surface to observe humans as a point of reference was part of ritual tradition for all Asgardian merfolk as they reached the age of adulthood. Many used it for what it was – the point of reference for the life they were not a part of, knowledge of the dangers of the surface world, and were happy to have it over and done with.

Not Bucky.

He wasn’t the only one who the visit struck a chord with. Many of the merfolk found a call to join the royal guard after their visits – some out of fear to keep the sea safe, some out of a reverent respect for what lay beyond the safe border of the underwater. Others were struck by their habits – so similar to the merfolk, and yet different – and became collectors of the oddities that sometimes found their way into the sea either by shipwreck or simply being tossed overboard.

Bucky had yearned for his visit to the surface for years before it was his time, spurred on by a fascination that had sprouted from hearing about humans and the surface from his father who had served in the royal guard for many years before Bucky was old enough to join. His visit split the curiosity from a small crack to a chasm of questions and desires. He wanted to know so much more about the people he saw, how they lived, and yearned to even experience it himself.

Joining the guard and taking regular rotations of duty for protection monitoring allowed him the opportunity to breach the surface and observe as long as he was careful, and he was. As Steve had rightly surmised, today had been another of those days. He kept to every other part of the code and did not speak or interact with the humans on any level, the directive put into place by Bor Burison early in his reign, maintained throughout the entirety of Odin’s reign, and continued by his son Thor, their current king.

But it wasn’t the only reason he had joined the royal guard. Bucky was an explorer by nature, so he also took satisfaction in the standard undersea outskirt patrols, mapping and surveying different parts of the kingdom, and – most importantly – felt a deep sense of duty to the kingdom and serving the king, whom he felt a great amount of loyalty and friendship toward after growing up on the same training grounds together and fighting alongside on a few occasions.

So Bucky’s cave was more than just a place to keep the trinkets and artifacts he found during his excursions, it was a place where he could be himself, think, rest, or just be without any distraction. The alcoves held his treasures, which included some maps of his own creation on the sheaves of seaweed, and some things made for him or given to him by his younger sisters.

This place was some three or four leagues from the coast, and Bucky often saw the shadows of boats sailing above it. It was growing dark, so tonight he wouldn’t lay and look up at the passing shades. It was only his intention to stow away his new findings – a silver ring with jade stones and another instrument, either a tool or an ornament, with a thin silver shaft a little longer than the palm of his hand holding a row of teeth with more jade embedded into the smooth back of the shaft. As he studied it, running his fingers over the smooth back and the bumps of the dull teeth, wondering what purpose it could serve or if it was purely decorative, it began to collect hues of muted but colorful light. He smiled and looked up through the hole of the roof of his cave.

“The booming fire lights,” he murmured to his shoulder octopus, placing the object on a shelf, and shooting quickly up and out of his cave for the surface. Within just a few moments he was near the surface, and so he slowed abruptly, knowing it was always safest to emerge slowly into the air rather than burst forth from below, even if he did benefit from the darkness of the night sky. With the booming fire lights flying above, Bucky knew there was an even smaller chance for any humans to notice him, but his adherence over the years to very basic strategies made his venturing beyond the established boundaries sustainable.

The wind danced across his face as he emerged from the water, cool and swift, but not unpleasant. Wind was such an anomaly to him, he wouldn’t have thought it unpleasant anyway. He watched the colorful lights dancing against the intensely dark sky, seemingly darker than others he’d seen before, but his attention was drawn by something else as well. Not far off from where he was treading at the surface a large sailing ship was gliding along with loads of music and laughter spilling over the sides. Ships in this area making their way to and from the docks of the surface kingdom were frequent, but not usually at the leisurely pace and with such clearly joyful revelry. His heart swelled just a little, and he couldn’t deny the pull toward the celebration. He slunk back down just below the surface, low enough he knew the rapid movements of his tailfins wouldn’t emerge or even disturb the water and swam toward the vessel.

Bucky had seen the ship on approach earlier during his surface patrol. It’s one that usually sat in the harbor, had been gone for a few weeks, and only returning now.

A few moments after he resurfaced, just at the base where the ship met the water, the booming fire lights in the sky ceased, and a shortly thereafter the music died down. The ship was not far off from land, so Bucky assumed the crew had stopped to celebrate with the fire lights and was now starting to make final preparations to conclude their voyage, but his curiosity was not disappointed in venturing closer. Two humans were at the side of the boat conversing directly above him, one leaning a little over the railing, looking out over the waters, and their voices rang out clearly for his ears.

“The people will be proud,” a male voice said.

“I hope so,” your voice drifted down to him.

“They will,” your companion insisted. “Your first royal tour, and you were able to make tremendous diplomatic overtures in many of the kingdoms we visited. In particular, the resurgence of a more active alliance with Wakanda and opening a trade route with them – we hoped for the former, but no one expected the latter. Wakanda hasn’t traded with other countries for generations!”

“With Shuri as the new queen, she was ready to make new inroads, I just happened to be the first delegation they received.”

“I’m sure that was by design.”

“Do you think they’re using us?”

“No, your majesty, as I told you before we set out, I think they were receptive to our diplomatic overtures because as a new queen, she saw you on equal footing as a princess who will soon inherit this kingdom.”

You didn’t respond immediately, and Bucky heard you heave a heavy sigh before speaking again. “Less than a year.”

“You will be ready. You are ready. Shuri initiated the trade negotiations only after she had judged your character, your intelligence, and your tenacity – characteristics noticed by her brother T’Challa, as well.”

“Are you my Prime Minister or my match maker?” you chided.

Your companion laughed, and replied, “As your Prime Minister I do know that the people would certainly rejoice at the prospect of a royal wedding, but I don’t think there will need to be any interference on my part, Princess.”

“The people would certainly rejoice?”

“They would, and of course a happy people makes doing my job easier, but I would also rejoice. I would not have you face the prospect of the crown alone, your highness.”

“I don’t need a husband to rule.”

“No, I know that – only a moment ago I just affirmed how strong your diplomatic skills are. I only say that because I believe you deserve to have a partner to share it with – the weight of the burdens as well as joy in the successes. I’ve always been grateful for my companion in those ways, and your kingdom has benefited from their wisdom as well, for they set me straight when I need to see something differently and everyone else will tell me what I want to hear and not what I need to hear.”

You didn’t respond immediately. Bucky imagined you may have been sharing a look of some sort with your Prime Minister. “T’Challa was someone who gained my respect very quickly and,” you hesitated for a moment, “he was also perhaps someone I began to grow fond of.”

Something burned in the back of Bucky’s throat. He didn’t like hearing you speak of this Wakandan prince. He didn’t like it because your voice was not that of a stranger to him. He had heard you – only a few times but heard you all the same – when he had ventured near the palace on the cliffside, discovering that sunken balcony with steps right into the sea, and other places along that part of the shore. He assumed you were part of the royal household, but this was the first conversation he’d heard indicating you were the crown princess and due to take the throne. He wanted to know more about everything on land, but he was particularly intrigued by what he was learning about you.  

“I left with many indications that the Wakandans were interested in reciprocating a royal diplomatic visit presently, and that although Queen Shuri would be unable to leave in the near future, this was a priority moving forward to put stock in the alliance, and there is no one the Queen trusts more than her brother for matters of importance.”

“How conveniently fortuitous for your romantic hopes,” you responded, bracketing it with a soft, warm laugh.  

The wind suddenly picked up, there was a deep rumble in the air, and then the sky began to release water down on them. A storm. Bucky had encountered a storm at the surface before, but never with such a heavy pelting of water. The folk on the boat began shouting, and he could hear a bit of their hustling about above the sounds of the storm, but only just. His ears began to buzz, and there was a sharp metallic taste hitting his tongue. Bucky put his hand on the side of the ship to steady himself, starting to feel a little dizzy. The next second there was a blinding light that engulfed everything, with a sharp crack, and an even larger almost deafening crash at the end of it, and then a roaring sound unlike anything Bucky had ever heard before, followed by screaming and shouts from the ship’s crew. Bucky’s heart beat erratically for a few moments, and though the brilliant white light had disappeared, there was now a red and orange glow radiating from the front of the ship.

The splintering of wood, more shouts, and then a boom as the mast of the ship tumbled over, and then fell over the side, and into the water, Bucky just swimming out of the way in time. The whipping of the wind increased even more, bringing big waves that began to beat against the side of the ship, causing it to rock and creak.

Bucky retreated below the surface, and looked up seeing other things beginning to fall into the water, boxes, row boats, a body swathed with swirling skirts. Bucky’s body was full of adrenaline already from that wicked flash of destructive light, body feeling out of sorts, but he was horrifically transfixed on that body, waiting for the limbs to react, to move, but they didn’t.

Someone from the ship’s crew would see, they would leap in after to retrieve the displaced human.

Any second.

But what continued to appear at the surface, after another flash of light, were more object, planks of wood, and the body remained motionless, continuing to sink.

He couldn’t leave the human helpless.

Surging upwards, Bucky snaked his arm around the torso of the human, tucking it against his side, and then rushed to the surface. He looked around, scoping out the situation, but found nothing but more chaos. The human crew on the deck of the ship were distracted entirely in what was happening immediately around them, no one seeming to look over the side at all in search of a missing body because now the small boats were being cast into the water and all the crew were calling out, “Abandon ship!”

Bucly looked down at the head that had lolled back to rest on his shoulder and his heart stuttered because though it was dark and stormy and he’d never been anywhere near this close, he was certain it was you, the crown princess in his arms. Bucky groaned in distress. He was already in a compromising position, he couldn’t leave you here with little assurance that you would be rescued – certainly not without him helping you in your unconscious state – and each passing second mounted his concern over if you were even still alive. He brought a trembling hand to the side of your neck to see if he could feel a heartbeat. Do humans have heartbeats? he wondered, but assumed they must since merfolk like himself did, and humans and merfolk seemed to share near identical bodies from the waist up. Detecting a heartbeat seemed futile at this moment, tossing about in the sea, with his own hand unsteady.

Without another thought, he tightened his hold beneath your arms, swirled to face land, and franticly beat his fins to take you away from the wreckage, realizing there was nothing left to do but swim you to the shore himself.

Bucky knew the shore too well for a merman, far better than he knew ever to admit to anyone in Asgard, but his extensive familiarity meant in this instant he had no question of where he needed to go, and time was precious. Grateful for the hightide of nighttime, Bucky had to make very little effort to get the two of you up onto the balcony that lay at the bottom of the cliffs just below the palace – the very one he had spoken to Steve about only an hour before. Bucky gently shifted you onto your back on the smooth granite, cradling your head in one of his large hands. His other hand furiously brushed his long hair out of his face, then came up to your neck, seeking signs of your heartbeat again. It was faint, but he could feel it consistently pulsing under his fingertips.

Tension he didn’t realize he’d been carrying released in his chest.

You were still alive.

He’d felt dizzy with that streak of violent light, so perhaps you had been affected as well and may have also hit something in the water when you fell off the ship. He brushed his thumb softly over your cheek. “Come on, Princess, you need to wake up.”

Still unresponsive, he rubbed your cheek a little more firmly, then moved his hand down to squeeze your shoulder. He continued murmuring softly, trying to coax you back to consciousness. After a few more minutes, he finally felt you beginning to come around, noting the moment when instead of your head lying dormant in his hand, your muscles started to move and adjust. “That’s it, Princess,” he cooed.

You groaned and pressed your cheek into Bucky’s palm. His heart ached and raced, realizing the reality of his situation.

He hesitated for a split second, loathe to leave you, but he carefully eased your head onto the ground, removed his hands from you, and slipped away and back into the sea before you could see him.

As he swam as fast as he could, his heartbeat roaring in his ears, and he did not stop until he was home, only slowing to a speed that would not draw attention when he neared the outskirts of the underwater kingdom, knowing he could never even hint at his involvement in saving the life of a human. His mind raced with the enormity of what he’d done, and the only reason he slept at all that night was due to the exhaustion from maintaining such a high-speed swim over the long distance to return home.

His body was refreshed in the morning, but his mind was not. Bucky knew he had a day ahead of him filled with his duties as a royal guard, but every fiber of his being yearned to rise to the surface and seek you out – only to ensure you were safely recovering from the shipwreck ordeal.

“You’re not tricking anyone always taking the assignments to investigate new shipwrecks, patrol the outskirts, and monitor security near the surface,” Sam said as they left the command post for the guard in the golden palace of Asgard after the morning briefing and assignments.

Bucky shot him a sidelong glance. “What did Steve say to you.”

“Steve didn’t say anything to me,” Sam chuckled. “I know you, and this is becoming more frequent.”

“If someone has to take care of these responsibilities anyway, why not me?” Bucky tried to keep his tone casual, adding a shrug.

Sam didn’t respond. Bucky looked over at him.

Sam put up his hands nonchalantly. “If you say so.”

Bucky stopped and turned to face him. “Say what you feel so compelled to say.”

“I don’t think Thor will be as angry as Odin would have been about your human obsession, but he won’t be happy about it. The laws are there for a reason. You know that.”

Bucky shook his head in irritation. “I’m not in any danger.”

“I’m not scolding you, Buck, but Odin would have had your fins nailed to the floor.”

The little octopus on Bucky’s shoulder squirmed. Bucky stroked it soothingly. “Thor’s not Odin, but no one is going to tell Thor anything because there’s nothing to tell.”

“Just be careful.”

“You also volunteered to mapping part of the uncharted reef with me today,” Bucky reminded him.

“Someone’s gotta make sure you don’t get lost or lose track of time,” he said with a grin.

Bucky laughed. “Come on then, morning light is best for scoping out the reef.”

The day was spent adding to the empty edges of the map of the reef. Thor had commissioned further exploration and completion of the maps of their land and the surrounding seas, placing great importance on better knowing the kingdom and her neighbors. Scratching the new lines and shadings into the sheaves of seaweed brought its own sense of satisfaction, and it did fill his mind for the day and distract him for the most part. He returned to Asgard with Sam at the end of the day, no detours. He ate with other members of the guard before returning home. He slept, but then he woke before dawn, leaving in the darkness, and began swimming to the shore. Would you be at the seaside balcony at the crack of dawn? He didn’t expect so, but he would scope it out all the same, and he was sure if he did not see you he could safely sneak to the port docks and hear news of you – now that he knew you were the crown princess, any word regarding the return of a royal after a shipwreck and her wellbeing would be the gossip of the morning.

Merfolk and humans were no different in that way, Bucky thought with a smirk.

The sun was only just sending its rays over the edge of the horizon when he reached the shore. You were not at the seaside balcony of the palace, and he only lingered for a few minutes, eyes fixed on the spot where he’d held your face in his hands.

Two mornings after the shipwreck, the docks at the port were still busier than Bucky normally saw them. He had to stay further below and only came up to the surface twice, but that was all he needed to hear that the people’s princess was recovering without anything more than a nasty bump to the head and exhaustion.

He swam past and surfaced near the balcony again before heading back for another day of Asgardian life and duties. You weren’t there, of course.

But that night, you were.

He watched you watch the stars until you retired for the night.

Three mornings later Bucky was off for the day, so he ventured back to the shoreline mid-morning, hoping he would catch you at some point during the day. He had encountered you there a few times after all.

And you did not disappoint.

You sat on the top step that led from the balcony down into the water, pulled up your skirts, and began loosening the laces of your shoes. Soon you had them off along with whatever fabric was covering your feet beneath the shoes – he wondered what those were called. They looked delicate. Then you scooted down to sit a few steps lower, letting your feet dangle in the sea. Bucky dipped far below the surface and swam closer to the wall of the cliff. When he came up again, he slipped up onto an outcropping of rocks out of your view, leaning his bare back against the cliff face. He was only meters away from where you were still sitting. He could hear you idly raising and lowering your feet out of the waters as it was a very calm day for the tide.

After a long while, he heard you sigh. “Everyone thinks I’m crazy, but I know I didn’t make it up. You aren’t a miracle or a myth, you’re proof the merfolk aren’t extinct and that they’re not dangerous.”

Bucky’s heart leapt into his throat. He thought he’d been silent or quiet enough with the other sounds of the sea.

“You’re out there somewhere. I’ll find you.”

He did not move until he heard you leave, then he slipped into the deep blue, a rushing in his ears, heart pounding, resolved to keep his distance.

Only that resolve didn’t last long. He was drawn to you as much as he was to everything above water, and within a week he was back, but he came at the end of the day. You weren’t there, but he hoisted himself back up on the same outcropping of rock at the base of the cliff near but still out of view of the steps. The view of the sunset was stunning, steeped with deep reds and oranges, and sitting there taking in the sight you might have been able to see was enough.

And better.

This was safe.

Then he heard the faint sound of voices far off, steadily growing, then footsteps descending on the stairs. Two sets of footsteps, and then finally he could make out the voices, recognizing both – yours and that of your Prime Minister.

“Everything is ready to receive the royal envoy. Prince T’Challa sent this letter ahead for you.”

“Oh.”

Bucky registered a hint of something in your voice even in just that simple sound alone that pricked at him.

“Oh,” your tone was even warmer.

“A good letter?”

“That is not really your business, Prime Minister,” you laughed, and he chuckled.

“A royal alliance in absolutely my business,” he said, though the Prime Minister’s tone was clearly in jest, ultimately content in deferring to your rank and privacy.

“I will say it is certainly a letter anyone could be fond of,” you offered in a gentle voice.

That consumed Bucky immediately. He didn’t want this prince to lay claim to your heart and draw this kind of affection from you. He wanted that chance. His tail twitched with his impatience, splashing up some water. Bucky instantly stilled, pressing back against the cliff face.

But neither of you seemed not to notice.

The conversation turned to more business about the visit, and Bucky continued to listen, wanting to hear your voice, but none of the words registered in his head.

After a while, Bucky realized the voices had stopped, but he had no idea when that had happened. The sun had disappeared completely, the celestial bodies of the night sky had come out and were shining brightly against the darkness. The position of the moon indicated it must be near midnight. Bucky groaned, his shoulders and back a little stiff after sitting so long in one attitude against the rocks. You must have gone away and to sleep ages ago, and he ought to follow suit. He pushed up and off the perch, making a small dive into the sea to return home.

What he did not know was that you had stayed long after dismissing the Prime Minister, watching the sky until the very last rays of the sunset, but as you were about to retire had heard the twitching of fins against the water close at hand and out of curiosity climbed down the steps to the water’s edge to investigate. You had seen only the end of a set of large, shimmering black and gold fins and the lower part of a black-scaled tail. Your breath had stopped, and you’d had to stifle your sound of shock. You hadn’t dared to get to the bottom of the steps and look around the edge, certain that if it was one of the merfolk you’d heard the myths of your whole life that they would retreat immediately if they knew you’d seen them, but you had moved as far to the other end of the balcony as you could to see more of that glorious tail – but still not revealing much more to your view – and waited.

And all your patience had been rewarded when you saw the arms, head, shoulders, and torso of a man dive into the water, magnificent black and gold tail with intricate and powerful fins following him in all his glory.

Now you knew they still existed.

No, Bucky knew none of that.

Bucky’s mind is singularly fixed on all the things he can’t have – things he’s wondered about since hearing about the human surface world as a merchild, things he saw during his observatory rite of passage visit when he turned sixteen, things he’s seen over the years since then through his own exploration above and below the surface, and the everything just out of his reach now with you. He goes first to his grotto, and here the number of things he’s collected from the human world far surpass the number of things he knows about you, but he can’t deny the draw he feels. His chest aches, and yet he’s forbidden from doing anything – if there even were anything he could do.

Being among the relics of the human world only serves to agitate him more, and so he leaves and makes his way to his home cavern in the city of Asgard. Sleep is impossible. He swims short, agitated lengths back and forth within his humble dwelling.

He has a few relics here, too, but these are things passed down from his parents, including his grandfather’s combat spear. The royal armory holds weapons and all manner of protective outfitting for his majesty’s armies, but long past are the days when the kingdom issued gear to every soldier and officer. Many under the early days of Odin’s reign were issued personal pieces as a standard, but that ebbed away as the need and dangers faded or were conquered. The height of need had been in the early days of Bor Burison’s reign – Bor who had enacted the stringent regulations against fraternizing with the humans or spending any significant amount of time at the surface.

Bucky had naturally collected many pieces of the history of their people in relation to the humans, but he had never visited the royal archives. He’d always made at least a modicum of effort to keep his interest in everything looking exactly like that – an interest and not an obsession – and a visit to the archives to read and study the records of their interactions with the humans would not be seen as an idle interest.

Now he didn’t care. He needed to know everything; perception be damned.

He swam off some of his anxious energy making laps around the borders of the city surrounding the palace until dawn when the elders would open the archives. It was a collection that spanned art, statues, treasures, and artifacts, in addition to the records of the merfolk of Asgard. Some of their history had been created in murals along the walls of this hall, but there were also panes of etched glass and titanium for important long-term records, as well as various scrolls and sheaves of tough seaweed for maps and other documents. One of the elders pointed him to the area most applicable to their past dealings with the humans, and he started from the most recent records and started to make his way back through Asgard’s history. Bucky collection of events even more complex than he’d known began to coalesce as he combed through the accounts of things that played out over a few years, ending in a bloody battle between Buri – Thor’s great-grandfather – and the human king and his navy with many lives lost on both sides, including Buri, leading to Bor’s untimely ascension to the crown at an age earlier than anyone expected, and Bor instituting all the laws, principles, and practices to eliminate any contact with the surface world, deeming too much had been lost and that humans had become too dangerous to continue any dealings whatsoever if they wanted to keep the people of Asgard safe.

But Buri’s had inherited peaceful ties – positive ties even – with the folk on land, ties that had been forged by his father and grandfather before him. To say this was intriguing to Bucky would be an understatement. These ties were entwined with the selkies of Jotunheim.

Odin had beat back the selkies from their waters.

All except one.

Bucky knew of a selkie still in existence.

Exiled, but Bucky was fairly sure he knew where he could find the long-forgotten adopted brother of Thor, rumored now to be the warlock of the seven seas.

Bucky was questing for information, for answers, but tales of the things the former prince who had embraced his magic had done since leaving the gleaming halls of Asgard were whispered, and Bucky began to wonder if perhaps he could get more than he set out for by paying him a visit.

He need not have worried about finding him. As one of the pre-eminent cartographers on the royal guard, Bucky knew where to begin his search, but once he got to that point on the fringes, there seemed to be a myriad of elements to point him straight to Loki’s dark cavern.

There must have been enchantments to alert the sea warlock of his approach because Loki was waiting for him at the entrance to his lair. Bucky took in the sight of him as he drew near. Odin had invoked powers to conceal Loki’s true nature as a selkie and disguised him as a merman when he brought the infant into the royal family, and though Loki’s rebellion came during the early years of Bucky’s service in the king’s guard, Bucky had never seen him in his true form.

He was not that different from what Bucky had known him as before. The marked difference was that instead of scales and fins, his lower half was covered in the pelt of a seal, still beautiful and shiny in its own way, but with flippers instead of fins, and it was a skin that he could shed – for legs above ground. That and his flesh skin seemed sallow, but his eyes were still sharp.

“James, after all this time, and now you come to visit me,” he crooned. “You must be truly desperate to come to me for help.”

Bucky furrowed his brow, not anticipating this direct nature, and he was wary of what it meant.

In Bucky’s half-second of hesitation to answer, Loki’s face took on a dark grin and he continued his overture. “For that’s why you are here, is it not? No social calls on your part since I left the palace – not that we were particularly close. I didn’t expect overtures of our continued acquaintance since leaving Asgard, but seeing you swim into my waters at any point was certainly not something I ever predicted would happen.”

Bucky hovered near, but not within reach of the warlock. “It’s true I come to you with particular needs, but I harbor no bad blood for the past.”

Loki nodded, then turned and swam inside, calling, “Come in,” over his shoulder.

Bucky followed.

The circumstances surrounding the final confrontation that took place between Thor, Odin, and Loki during the latter’s rebellion were not public knowledge, and though Odin died that same day, Loki’s departure from the kingdom was a self-exile, and Thor and the then Queen Frigga maintained that Odin did not die at Loki’s hand and forbade anyone pursue the fallen prince. Thor had assumed the throne, Loki had wandered in mystery, as yet not returning to his once-home, and had settled now in this place.

They swam through a tunnel toward a faint glow ahead. Something continually reached out, whisping across Bucky’s skin as they passed, and he was unsure if it was plant or creature, but he had the distinct impression these were sentient and intentional touches. Bucky was forced to endure at the pace at which Loki progressed ahead of him.

They emerged into a massive cavern aglow with filtered light streaming in through gaps in the ceiling and glowing plants that cropped up in patches along the walls. One of the cavern’s faces was riddled with nooks and alcoves that were packed with bottles, pots, artifacts, tools, supplies – it was all an eerie collection Bucky imagined had been clearly amassed with meticulous obsession, knowing the habits of being a collector himself. Each spot his eyes darted to held both familiar and unfamiliar items.

Loki stopped, floating near the middle of the lair, and Bucky followed suit. The selkie swirled languidly around to look at him, and though his posture appeared relaxed, Bucky could see the true scrutiny in his eyes.

He kept the silence, eagerly sowing the anticipation, before he spoke again. “Know that I entertain you only for the sake of my own curiosity.”

Ah, he understood, at least I know the approach. He opened his mouth, ready to unfold his explanation, but Loki abruptly raised his hand, and Bucky thought it was only to stop him, but then something entwined both of his arms out of nowhere, gripping him and drawing him nearly chest to chest with the warlock.

“No, no. this will be more satisfying for me than your words,” Loki said, then put his nimble fingers to Bucky’s temples, and closed his eyes.

Bucky winced as almost immediately he wasn’t in physical pain, but he swore he could practically feel Loki sifting through his head, extracting what he wanted from the memories that flashed rapidly across his mind – Steve, maps, the records, conversations with his father, pieces of his artefact collection, his trips to the surface, the shipwreck, and you. So many thoughts of you. Bucky tried not to move, not wanting to show any weakness.

“Mmm, I see,” he said, finally releasing him both from his own touch and from the grip of the enchanted seaweed.

Bucky was only too glad that Loki retreated. It was only a meter, but any inch of distance was relished after feeling so exposed. There was no taking back the flashes, but at least most of the concentration had been on the human things, a few moments of you, but not every memory he had of you.

He let the quiet permeate the space between them again. Then he turned around, a smile on his face, and it was nothing but unsettling, too relaxed for Bucky’s liking.

He knew he was being toyed with, but he had to play whatever game Loki was setting up.

Finally, he spoke again. “Clearly the way to get what you want is to become a human yourself.”

“And you can do that?”

“I fortunately knew a little magic, and my talent and knowledge have only grown in my exile, so I could, but what in the vast ocean is in this for me?”

“The challenge,” Bucky responded, employing a slight incline of his chin – a tactic he had used with others to inspire or sway them over the years.

“Oh, but I want more than that, and so do you, you want this with everything in your soul.”

Bucky could feel how much Loki was enjoying this. Loki literally had the power, but that put him in a position that Bucky still knew he could use in this game.

“Here’s my offer: you’ll get your legs, you’ll be able to breathe on land – so not under the sea – and by the time the sun sets on the third day, if you haven’t procured true love’s kiss –“

“True love’s kiss?” Bucky interjected.

“But, of course! That’s what you want anyway, is it not?”

The smirk on his face riled Bucky even more, but he was determined to appear as unaffected as he could, even though he knew they both knew Bucky was keyed up to great heights.

“Yes, you are intrigued by the life on land, but you’re here because you want the heart of that princess.” Loki pauses and tilts his head, demanding the admission.

Bucky nodded.

That kindled a spark of something more in Loki’s eye.

“You said I have until sunset on the third day. What happens if I don’t succeed by then?”

Loki shrugged. “You turn back into a merman and you serve me for thirteen years.”

Bucky blinked before responding. He thought he would say for life, but only thirteen years?

Loki chuckled. “I know exactly what you’re thinking, but I may not want you longer than that. Now, if you succeed, you remain a human and live a human life up there with your beloved princess for the rest of your days,” he concludes, almost bored by the end.

“No interference from you in the future?”

Loki waved his hand as he replies, “No interference from me. But,” and his tone switched, fully engaged again, “we haven’t discussed the matter of payment.”

“You can have any of my gold or treasures.”

“I have enough of my own. I want something more unique. I’m not asking for much, just a token really, a trifle.

He paused.

“What I want from you is your voice.”

“My voice?” Bucky’s mind worked quickly, trying to work out what he was missing if he agred to give up his voice. Aside from the logistical inconvenience and disadvantage it would present on his part, he can’t imagine what Loki would gain by having it – it seemed to be an eccentric choice.

“Your voice.”

Why ask for that? Bucky’s eyes narrowed a fraction. Clearly it was something to further taunt Bucky and entertain Loki.

Then Loki unexpectedly seemed to soften, relaxing his posture. “I understand perhaps more than you anticipated. I empathize with your unrest, the way you yearn to know a part of you that’s been denied.”

They didn’t have the same circumstances, but Bucky sees where they could draw parallels with each other.

“What you’re asking would enormously alter your destiny. Your voice is almost nothing if what you truly want is to become human and live out your days with that princess your soul longs for.”

Those words were spoken without flair. Bucky only needed to agree to get what he wanted – he couldn’t have crafted a better scenario considering what any of the alternatives could have been. It was a bizarre barter – his voice for a chance at life out of these waters – but it did seem to fit the weight of what he was being offered.

“Now, do you agree to the terms?”

“I agree.”

Loki’s wide smile reappeared, and he turned away to fetch and summon different items from his wall of endless supplies, and soon there was a round glass jar between them, just larger than the size of a head with a small spout meant for pouring things in and out. Vials, jars, and some loose elements hovered near Loki’s shoulders, and he waved his hand twice in a circular motion beneath the glass jar. The water there continued to stir, and Bucky could feel the warmth it generated. Loki began to add ingredients into the spout, and they swirled in the orb. Loki murmured a few short incantations, and there were cracks and rumblings from the concoction.

“Put your palms against the glass and hum until you can’t hum anymore,” Loki instructed.

It was yet another peculiarity, but Bucky didn’t question. He placed both hands as indicated and started to hum. He could feel the heat immediately, and as he continued to hum, he could sense the exchange as his voice was drawn continuously from the depths of his chest and magic slithered through his veins. Once he felt it seep into every inch of him, the energy surged suddenly. His throat seized, there was a searing pain through his lower half, and he wanted to withdraw his hands to clutch at his neck, to kick away, but whatever magic was brewing prevented him from pulling back at all. His chest tightened painfully. There was a flash of light that rivaled the violent flash in the sky that struck the ship the night of the shipwreck, the searing pain burst in his tail, and then all at once he was released.

The discombobulation was overwhelming. His powerful tail and fins were gone, and he realized how unsuited for this setting he was, the new limbs altogether inadequate, and his lungs were desperate for air. He kicked and surged upward, but he’d even lost the slight webbing between his fingers that had helped him glide more quickly through the water.

Loki’s laughter followed him as he made his escape from the depths of the sea.

The octopus companion that had peculiarly clung to his shoulder on one chance expedition and rarely let go unfurled itself and diligently aided Bucky in swimming to reach the surface where he burst into the air, gulping in lungful’s of air. It was crisp and immediately quenched all of the dread and desperation that had filled his being.

Then the next breaths soothed and then invigorated him. He laughed with relief.

Only there was no sound.

For he had no voice.

to be continued...

A/N 3: SHUT UP, YOU GET A THIRD AND FINAL NOTE FROM ME TO YOU! This - clearly - is part one of two. I dove DEEP into this (shush, puns) and to tell the story I know I will feel satisfied with in the end, I got to this point and joked that maybe I should just stop here - who needs to resolve any plots, he got his legs, right? - but then the joke became the option I genuinely liked because I was getting overwhelmed by how this story had grown. And so, dear readers, keep a weather eye on the horizon for merBucky to reappear with the tide.

[navybrat817]

I’ve followed you for awhile and obviously your blog is amazing af your my go to for my Bucky fic fix. Lol

But I have a question since your theme is like ocean and marina type stuff… would you ever write like a mer!bucky fic???

I'm glad you keep coming back for my nonsense, nonnie! 💙

I actually have a WIP for merman!Bucky called Blood in the Water. Just need to find the time to finish it since it's only 700 words right now. 😭 But it'll get finished when the time is right and hope you lovelies enjoy once it's ready. 🥰

Love and thanks! 💙