#they finally got together at the end of TFATWS

[captainsamwilsonbarnes]

New URL!

buckywilsonbarnes > captainsamwilsonbarnes

❤️🤍💙

In honor of the new Captain America movie, I think it’s finally time I use my shiny new name!! 😍

[bucky-barnes-diaries]

Day 11 — Cozy Night

Pairing || TFATWS!Bucky x Female!Reader

Word Count || Around 600

Contents & Warnings || Fluff — no warnings.

Disclaimer || English is not my first language so I apologise for any mistakes or misunderstandings!

Advent Calendar 2023

You and Bucky had spent the week in a magical cabin nestled within a winter wonderland forest. The getaway was a relaxation for you both, offering a sanctuary from the busyness of everyday life. Your days were spent visiting the charming town, exploring cute vintage shops, and savoring cocoa at the cozy cafe.

Your evenings unfolded in the warm embrace of the cabin, where you and Bucky cuddled by the crackling fireplace with an assortment of books. Wrapped in a thick blanket, you shared beautiful moments, taking turns reading passages and stealing soft kisses between lines.

On the last day, plans of departure were interrupted by an unforeseen snowstorm, the roads dangerous. Stranded for a few more days, you and Bucky embraced the unexpected twist of fate, turning it into another cozy night with each other.

The storm-induced power outage left the cabin in darkness, with only the flicker of flames in the fireplace and the gentle glow of the candles illuminating the space.

Nestled on a plush sofa, your legs covered by a thick blanket, you and Bucky snuggled together. The warmth from the fire and each other kept the chill away.

You were at the end of your book, and Bucky took charge of reading the final chapters. His voice was a soothing melody, a comforting cocoon enveloping you both. He kept the story flowing, his voice becoming a rhythmic lullaby that was almost hypnotic. Tracing the plates of his vibranium palm, your fingertips danced along to his storytelling.

At the conclusion of the book, Bucky’s soft voice lingered in the air, leaving a warm, happy feeling behind. Closing the book, he kisses your temple, and you hummed in contentment.

“Hmm, that was a wonderful story, babe. Your storytelling skills are on point. I could listen to your soothing voice forever.”

“Well, I’ve had a few centuries of practice,” he mumbled, brushing his lips against your skin.

Cuddling closer, limbs entwined, you let the warm flames and the echo of the tale envelop you both.

“What should we do now?” you pondered, breaking the comfortable silence.

“You’re not tired?”

You shook your head. “Are you?”

“Not the slightest. How about we do a puzzle?” Bucky suggested, eyeing the 500-piece set on the coffee table. The box was adorned with a snowy, picturesque landscape with a cabin, much like the one you found yourselves in.

“Let’s do it.”

Seated comfortably on the sofa, still close, you unpacked the contents of the puzzle box onto the coffee table, sorting through the countless tiny pieces.

You began with the edges, searching for the border pieces that would lay the foundation for your masterpiece. Your conversation flowed between debates over puzzle piece placement and sweet nothings whispered to each other. Occasionally, Bucky would kiss your cheek or nuzzle against your skin.

As the puzzle took shape, you became immersed in the details of the image coming to life. The crackling logs and the wind’s howl serve as background music, along with the satisfying click of connecting the pieces together.

When the final pieces fell into place, a sense of accomplishment washed over you both. The once chaotic pile of puzzle pieces had transformed into a breathtaking panorama.

“We did it. It’s beautiful, Bucky,” you hummed, resting your head on his shoulder, nuzzling into the soft material of his sweater.

“Yeah, it’s beautiful,” he agreed, voice low and soothing as he draped an arm over you, pulling you closer. “Almost as beautiful as this moment with you.”

Meeting his gaze, filled with adoration, you felt a rush of affection. “I’m so glad we got stranded here for a few more days.”

“Me too, doll,” he whispered, leaning in to press a tender kiss to your lips. “It turned our simple getaway into a magical adventure.”

Feedback through a comment is highly appreciated! Or let me know through an anonymous ask if that feels more comfortable. As well as a reblog to share my work with other people!

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[notafunkiller]

I know many Bucky fans are mad, but I never expected him to have a lot of screen time in Thunderbolts* to begin with. Especially with such a huge team (and they need to be*come* likeable and relatable to the audience).

Thunderbolts* is NOT a solo movie, it's a team movie (Suicide Squad style).

He should've gotten a Winter Soldier film ages ago (getting some of memories back in Romania so we see many flashbacks), but in Thunderbolts*, he doesn't need to have 2h of screen time to be a key character.

And this is what I care about the most... Quality > quantity

In his MCU journey, we always found him in different stages (and this is what made it fun and exciting for Sebastian too) & I love the fact we get to put two and two together and try to understand hints rather than straight up being told everything about his life.

He is one of the most interesting characters & he carried the Cap triology (and Marvel knows it). He got less than 15 minutes of screen time & 13 lines in CATWS (a movie with his name in the title) & still stole the show... he always steals the show, he's "the underdog".

He's super popular & so is Sebastian. They don't bother to use him more because they know people (come to the cinema to) watch anything if he is in it.

They saw that with "Dumb Money".

So they might even give us Bucky in small doses intentionally.

Sebastian got more projects left, which = a safe paycheck he can use for other projects.

(This is why I disagree when people say he should leave Marvel as if:

1. He doesn't have a strict contract with more projects left & he wouldn't need to pay;

2. He doesn't need the money - to pay his employees, to produce & play in other films)

3. He doesn't find it comforting to play Bucky every 3 years...

He loves Bucky (and he is similar to Bucky) & he always gets to explore different sides of the character when he returns, which is amazing for an actor.

Also, Kevin said Bucky is the de facto leader, after all. And that doesn't mean his role isn't important (CATWS & CACW are good examples), quite the opposite.

(I think he might have a subplot & save the team at the end)

We all got ??? when we thought he's in the team because he is already pardoned. He proved he is "stable" in TFATWS.

It makes sense to me if he has his own thing.

The fact the team has to "earn the trust" aka go into a suicide mission bc they are seen as disposable is sick.

(Bucky is seen like this, too)

There is no good or bad side & Bucky sees right through this. He always did.

I'm glad Yelena is finally a lead, though & I wonder how she'll use the opportunity to take revenge on Valentina.

Also, I think she'll lose her dad (sacrifice maybe), and that will be an amazing scene.

I really hope Bucky & Yelena have at least one scene (maybe he is sent to lead them in the middle of the film or he just shows up to save the team at the end). They are similar, yet different, so a great, great duo.

Florence and Sebastian are 🙌🏻 (incredible actors... they portray the characters with so much passion. They know them so well) and I can sense a lottt of chemistry.

My point is: things always change, you never know with MCU & so let's wait and hope it's a good film⚡️

[heterosexualomegaverse]

Personal top favorite fics on ao3 of all time

- living's just a waste of death by author tothendoftheline

Best Political Animals fanfic out there. I consider it the canon ending. I think all my longest comments ever I posted on ao3 were on this fic. It's a mostly canon compliant detailed exploration of what TJ's life would actually be like. How his (childhood) trauma effected him. His time as a white house kid, his sexuality, his addictions. It starts pre-canon and goes on long after canon has ended. TJ starts working on himself, his relationships with his family change, he gets new friends (kinda). Idk if I'm selling it well but I love it so much.

- Known Associates by author Thingswithwings

Fic that made me ship Steve and Rhodey lol. Though Steve calls him Jim. Was rereading it yesterday and damn its so good. an (I think) realistic depiction of queer life in the 1930's and 1940's then the movie plot happens and Steve is in 2012 and now has to figure out what/ who he is in this century. Also got a plot about kinda being experimented on and turned into super soldiers.

- The Barnes Files by author PaintedDoe

Bucky Barnes' therapy sessions in transcript format. (can you tell I love character studies)

- Flawed Perfection by author Squiggles13

Also part of a series but I haven't read the other parts yet. This one also mostly starts as Bucky going to therapy but then the tfatws plot happens but changed to be way better.

- Teach Me by author stucktogether

Steve/Bucky college au. Steve things he's straight but can't seem to keep his eyes off of Bucky. It's isn't until they've fooled around a half dozen times or so that he things he may just be bisexual. This Bucky's also got some deep lore.

- Treading water by author sparkagrace

SteveBucky olympic swimmers au where they were childhood friends that got separated at 12 but reunited at the olympics, except Bucky's presence brings back a lot of feelings that Steve can't deal with. This one gets real angsty. It has a sequel that is even more angsty.

- (A series) 'Til the End of the Line by author ohstars

SteveBucky with marvel canon except what if they were gay. Until endgame where shit is changed a lot cuz you know the time-travel staying in the past obviously doesn't happen. It does go on after that. They finally come out to the team (cuz they were closeted to whole time with Sam being the only one who knows) They have kids together, get married and then there is some time travel shenanigans and a lot of stuff until they both die of old age.

- The Island Man by author Amber_Skye

What if Steve Rogers was never found in the ice and got rescued by shield, but instead got out himself, but still only in 2012? And no one believes he is actually Steve Rogers Captain America? He ends up homeless doubting his own mind. Maybe he really isn't Steve Rogers? Maybe he really is crazy

anyway idk why I wrote this. I just wanted to list some of my faves. didn't really put a lot of thought into this, it's late and I'm tired.

[captainpikeachu]

every time i rewatch TFATWS, this always gets me

John's biggest fear/insecurity was that he would fail everyone

he wanted to do his best, give it his all, yet from day one it was just anger and hostility thrown at him no matter what, no matter how much he tried to help and be open about cooperation and teamwork

and all he got for that was a string of insults at himself and Lemar culminating finally in Bucky mocking him about the huge pressure that's on his shoulders

you can see the hurt on John's face, the moment that Bucky crossed a line that even Sam recognized and stepped in to de-escalate - (folks in this fandom talk a lot about empathy and how people shouldn't put up with others who treat them like shit but then has no empathy for John and acts like he's the villain for not putting up with their faves who treat him like shit)

it's always ironic that Bucky and Sam will talk about needing all hands on deck to work together later, yet repeatedly rebuffed John when the he presented that idea, and it's even more ironic when Sam gives a whole speech at the end about how "we can't expect people to step up if we don't meet them half way" while never even trying to meet John half way

the protagonist centered morality mindset was strong in TFATWS, and it's sad that even to this day, this fandom refuses to recognize how unnecessarily cruel their fave heroes were to John from the beginning when he literally didn't do anything to them - John didn't ask to be Cap, he was a soldier given an assignment and tried to do his best and before he even really had a chance, we got our heroes verbally smacking John in the face, not because he did anything wrong, but simply because he wasn't Steve - an even more ironic thing when Sam at the end basically was like it doesn't matter what Steve thinks

I don't think I can ever get over how bullying Bucky and Sam were in the beginning, or how much the narrative justified that or how much the fandom supported it

in treating John like an enemy, they destroyed any chance of trust, and ended up creating a self fulfilling prophecy, is it any wonder then when they finally needed to get through to John and get him to trust them, it was too little too late - after all, Sam worded it perfectly didn't he? You can't expect someone to step up for you if you won't even meet them half way :)

[writingmyheartsout]

Church - a meet-cute with Bucky Barnes

While you all are waiting for Nobody's Soldier chapter 2, I thought about giving you the other story I'm working on.

It's mostly a meet-cute/bookshop au, so not much of a warning with this (well, maybe until the end) narrated between the present and the past. Set post-tfatws.

Title is a song from Chase Atlantic. Chapter name is a song from Lifehouse.

Thanks to @kandis-mom for the help with this one. This fic is only on Wattpad and soon on Ao3

CW : Bucky post mission and acting domestic, mention of bruises, reader is afab, reader is short, first meeting, fluff, wholesome, lots of love and embarrassment, reader doesn't know who he really is.

________________

Ch. 1 - You and Me

It was getting pretty late, but despite that you were unable to make it to the bed, wondering if your boyfriend was alright or when he would actually come back home. That same afternoon he had texted you just to tell you that, after being gone for almost two weeks.

So you ended up sitting on the new leather sofa you got a month ago, curled up under a light blanket and with the tv on but not really watching it.

Then, the sound of a key turning distracted you from your thoughts as you perked up and watched Bucky come through the front door. He entered with an armload of takeout bags and a tired expression on his face.

"Thought you'd be asleep by now, dollface." he said as soon as he saw you, the sight of you bringing a smile to his face.

At that, the slight frown that was on your face before eased as you smiled back.

"I couldn't, knowing you were coming back. Wanted to wait for you" you said softly, watching him move over the couch after placing the bags on the table and taking off his jacket. Your gaze followed every movement as he settled down next to you and noticed how his body relaxed immediately.

"You alright?" you asked then, a hint of worry in your voice.

He placed an arm around your shoulders and tugged you into his side as he sat down, pressing a kiss to your cheek while holding you close. He felt relieved to finally be home, to finally see you and he couldn't help the warmth that started spreading in his chest.

"Better, now that you're in my arms," he murmured, gazing at you with those clear blue eyes like you were the most precious thing in the world.

"But It's late. You have work in the morning. You didn't have to wait for me." he only answered, his other hand coming to cradle your cheek.

You smiled as soon as he pulled you close, his soft eyes, now tired and half-opened looked down at you with such love. You felt your cheeks flush a little under his gaze.

"Shush, I may have taken two days off after you told me you were back, so don't worry" you only replied, slowly leaning to place a soft kiss on his lips.

"But you better go wash off, you smell really bad, baby.."

Bucky chuckled as you scolded him, pressing another kiss to your lips and then leaning down to steal a quick kiss against your neck as well, just for good measure.

He couldn't help but love all the little moments he was able to get with you. They were simple, sweet, and most importantly, felt very domestic. After all, you two had moved in together just two months ago and being able to come home to someone after even the roughest mission, sometimes covered in bruises and scrapes, was such a blessing in his mind.

"Oh, do I? You still kiss me though," he murmured and smiled against your skin

"That's because I missed you that much, you idiot.." you said playfully, teasing him back.

"But seriously, I can't check on you if you don't.." you added softly, closing your eyes for a moment longer as you enjoyed how his lips felt against your skin and his warmth.

Even when he was away for longer times sometimes, there were moments like this one that convinced you further that this was what you wanted and he was just the right man for you.

Bucky smiled when you bit back at him, moving his hand up from your cheek to run his fingers through your hair while moving back to look at you. He loved it when you were like this. It made him feel grounded, and very much less tired.

"Mm, you could check on me in the shower. Make it a little less lonely." He suggested in a slightly taunting tone, trying to coax you off to the bathroom with him.

You smiled at his obvious hint, one of your hands moving to cup his cheek as your gaze was fixed on him.

"You really missed me..that much?.." you then replied as you placed yet another kiss on his lips.

The way he was with you, the way he only let himself be vulnerable since the beginning, how different he was, made your heart grow and beat faster than you could possibly handle. And even if the decision to move in together came way too quickly than you expected, it ended up being probably the best decision you ever made in your life.

"Every minute of every day." He replied simply, a look of sincerity in his eyes. He meant what he said, he knew that you could tell as he leaned into your touch more, loving the warm and comforting nature of it.

Then he closed the small distance between you both and kissed you again, letting his lips linger against yours for a few beats. His arms slid down and tightened around your waist.

"Come with me? I could really use the backup." He murmured, his metal hand moving down further to grip your rear slightly, just to add a more playful note to his words.

"Well, if you asking it like that.." you murmured against his soft lips. You gasped when he squeezed at your ass to prove a point, feigning annoyance at the gesture but then added.

"Maybe I can even help you out..." a small smirk now pulling at your lips..." if you're good enough"

And the way he leaned into your touch, as he always did, hugged you or touched you anytime he could, was honestly still intoxicating even after such a long time together.

Bucky smiled at that, leaning down to kiss your cheek before he was off the couch, pulling you up with him and then to the bathroom. Once there he slowly started to undress, letting you help him as he tried to suppress the wince of pain everytime the fabric brushed against his fresh bruises.

Only then, discarding his dirty clothes anywhere, he switched the shower on, briefly feeling the warm water spray over his back as he turned to face you again. He tugged teasingly at the bottom of your shirt before pulling it off you completely and letting his hands run over your skin.

"I missed you. I missed all of this.." he murmured against your lips as he leaned closer.

"I don't think I tell you that enough.."

His touch so gentle and yet so hot against your skin as you let him undress you, sent a faint shiver down your spine. The next moment he pulled you closer, making you follow him under the warm water as you relished in his touch and sweet words while both your hands rested on his chest.

"Don't worry about that now, baby.." you started softly, one hand slowly slid up to his cheek.

"You coming back home every time, is enough for me"

Bucky let the water spray over both of you as his hold on you tightened slightly, loving the feeling of his skin against yours. His hands traced along your spine as he pressed you up against the wall of the large shower to kiss you again.

He had loved you from the first minute he saw you and he knew that he loved you with every single fiber of his being. Moments like this, they proved everything. He loved you, you loved him, and that's all that mattered.

"I love you," he breathed, voice low, before placing another fleeting kiss on your lips.

"I love you too.." you whispered back, looking at him softly as both your arms went around his neck.

Moments like this, where he was so gentle yet desperate reminded you why you loved him so much.

But those weren't the only things.

Actually, the first thing that made you fall for him was his eyes. It was the first night he walked into the bookstore you worked in.

Those same eyes that widened in honest surprise when you helped him with a book he couldn't find.

_______________________

It was almost closing time that night. It was cold outside as it always was around this time of the year and the only thing you wanted was to go home when you heard someone coming in.

Bucky had come into the bookstore on a whim, thinking that he could pick up a good book to distract himself for a bit.

He wasn't looking for anything specific, even if he had plenty of suggestions others had given him. He was simply browsing and getting distracted when he spotted you as you smiled at him.

You seemed kind enough, at least to him as he awkwardly approached you when he couldn't find the one book he sort of knew. He had been staring at your smile more than he intended to, completely missing the little table filled with books until he accidentally bumped into it.

"Jesus.." Bucky cursed when he knocked into the table in his distraction, glancing over to see that he had knocked over some books in the process.

At that, he crouched down to start picking them up but you were there much quicker than him, crouching down beside him as he immediately met your gaze. His own eyes widening a little at how pretty you actually looked upclose before he uttered an almost too quiet "I'm sorry.."

At his apology, another smile pulled at your lips as your eyes met his and you almost forgot how to breathe at the sight of his eyes.

Those were the most beautiful eyes you ever saw in your life you thought, trying to pull yourself together enough to be professional.

"Oh no it's fine.." you said then, looking down to pick up more books as you felt your cheeks warming up slightly.

"Really.." you added, ignoring the strange flutter in your stomach.." ..happens all the time"

Bucky's frown lessened somewhat when you spoke, your voice gentle and kind as he found himself unable to stop staring at you. He was still holding a random book loosely in his hands as he got distracted by how pretty you were in his eyes.

He glanced over your face the moment you looked down, taking in your features, the warm smile, your slightly flushed cheeks and your soft side profile. Yes, you were definitely the most beautiful person he had seen so far.

"Y-yeah.." He stammered out, immediately cursing himself for sounding like a nervous wreck already.

He glanced away from you and back down at the books, trying to gather himself for a moment, but the sight of your hands reaching in to help him pick up the books wasn't any better.

He took in a breath and tried to focus on the task instead of how pretty you were. It was tough to do so, so he just cleared his throat slightly and asked "..do you work here?"

"A-actually yes.." you replied then, picking up the last book and putting it on the small table as you stood up.

You didn't know why you even stammered your words out, you were actually really good with words, with the work you had and all. But those eyes, the way they were watching you were so different and you strangely found yourself liking it.

"Do you need help?"

Bucky followed your every move as he rose to his full height alongside you and once on his feet again, it became apparent he was a few inches taller than you. His clear eyes looked down and studied your face again, shifting from foot to foot as his hands clutched at the book to keep himself from reaching out in some way. The way you looked was doing things to him that he had never experienced before.

"I'm not sure, I'm looking for a novel, I think. Do...do you think you could help me?" he answered, trying to remember the actual name of the book Sam told him the other day.

"Well, I.. " you started as you took in his height, trying not to stare too much at him..."Yeah, I can-I can try actually" you added smiling, turning and avoiding his gaze altogether as you walked back to the counter.

That was your job after all. But those eyes, so bright and pure, they kept messing with your head, confusing you and leaving you almost speechless.

"What were...you looking for, exactly?"

Bucky tried to keep his gaze on your face as you spoke, but he kept getting drawn to the slope of your neck and the curve of your shoulder when you weren't looking.

He cleared his throat again and fidgeted with the cover of the book he still had in his hands, almost too nervous for his own good.

What was happening to him? Where had you been his whole life, and why was he feeling this way?

"Um... I think it was called The Picture of Dorian Grey?" he answered, taking a deep breath and looking away just for a second. Then he followed suit behind you, still unsure if he had the name right.

You lightly chuckled at his honest mistake, typing away at the computer to find where the book was. You completely missed how his gaze wandered from your face to your neck as you busied yourself.

"Actually.." you said then, meeting his eyes for a moment then back at the screen in front of you.

"It's called the portrait of Dorian Gray, probably that's probably why you couldn't find it"

Bucky silently berated himself, watching your fingers moving fast on the keyboard as you typed away on the computer, then up again at your face.

He wasn't typically one to get so embarrassed and clumsy, but there was something about you that just threw him off but in the best way possible.

"Ah, yeah, that's probably why.." He admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head as he came to stand closer to you.

You couldn't help the little smile at his last sentence, finding it cute how almost shy he sounded.

"I've seen worse..." you replied to him, your tone light and sincere as you looked up at him once again..."It's not the end of the world"

"I will help you get the book, alright?" you added with a polite smile, quickly making your way over to where the book was without waiting for an answer.

It was late and you still had lots of other things left to do but this person, this stranger was a nice change to your boring routine tonight.

Bucky couldn't help a small smile at your little reassurance. The soft sound of your voice was soothing to him in a way that he couldn't explain.

"Thanks.." he said quietly, meaning it as he followed along while you made your way deeper into the bookshop.

It was strange, but he felt like he was drawn to you, like he didn't want to leave. He was just as happy to spend the whole night helping you close down the store, just to get to talk to you a little more.

"I feel like I should be thanking you twice now.." he joked lightly then when you both stopped near a rather tall bookshelf.

"Thanking me twice?.." you curiously asked, as your attention was still fixed on finding the book in question.

"Why's that? I'm just doing my job..." you added, only to squeal when you finally found it.

"Ah ah ...there you are.." as you stretched higher to pick it up, obviously struggling due to you being on the shorter side.

"Why there isn't a ladder around when you need one.." you then grumbled quietly under your breath.

Bucky chuckled at your small squeal and then again at your complaint. You were too small for this, and it was absolutely adorable.

"Well, you've helped me twice," he answered, watching you struggle for a moment longer before stepping in.

"Here, let me," he said as he reached up and easily tugged the book from its spot on the top shelf and then handed it over.

"Don't want you to hurt yourself, doll." He teased with a light smile.

"Thanks... I.." you said or tried to when he helped you, handing the book over to you as soon as he got it.

But then his last sentence made words die in your throat as you found yourself speechless.

Doll? What? Was that an old-fashioned compliment perhaps? You thought as a slight frown crossed your face for a second.

But the way he said that, so naturally and gently, it seemed the most fascinating word you ever heard.

"I-I mean... thank you.." you tried, clearing your throat while your cheeks grew warmer.

Bucky smiled as he passed you the book, enjoying the faint colouring of your cheeks as you spoke, wondering if he was making you just as flustered and awkward as he was.

He honestly was just teasing with the nickname, but the way you reacted to it had him silently promising to call you that again as soon as he could.

"No, thank you.." he replied, taking half a step closer as he took in your flushed face. "..for saving me from my idiocy again."

"Ah, you're no idiot, really.." you started, giving him a small smile even if you felt your face literally going on fire.

"You're probably the nicest customer I had so far, today.." you added, as a soft chuckle escaped you.

And the most beautiful, you thought.

Then you couldn't help but notice how he moved closer and for whatever reason you didn't mind, finding yourself unwilling to move from where you were.

But when you were about to say more, the phone rang, breaking whatever tension was building there as you quickly walked over to the counter to answer.

He chuckled at that, not entirely convinced that he wasn't an idiot.

"Nice for someone who knocked over a whole stack of books.." he teased lightly, a smirk on his face as he followed you to the register when the phone started ringing.

Then he leaned with his arms against the counter, tilting his head to the side a bit as he watched you and then the phone.

"Guess you need to answer that..?" he lightly teased, finding himself unable to stop.

"I'm afraid I am.." you said quietly as you gave him another smile, still not being able to divert your attention from him.

Why can't you stop smiling at him? you thought, not really understanding what was going on in your mind as you cursed yourself.

And even when you picked up the receiver it was like you couldn't tear your gaze away.

Until the other person on the other side spoke. Fuck, why was this so awkward?

"Yeah, yeah everything's alright Miss Redmond.." you said then, answering to the person on the other end as you finally turned away from him for a moment.

"Yeah...I'm about to close..yes.." you answered, fumbling with random things on the desk in front of you as you tried to focus on the conversation.

"..no, it wasn't so bad honestly.." you stated with a light chuckle to then muttering a quiet oh

"No...no it's not a problem, I'll open tomorrow morning... Yeah bye..bye, goodnight.."

Then you sighed, turning back at him.

Bucky watched you the whole time. When you picked up the phone or how you replied to whatever they were asking you while you fiddled with whatever you could find in front of you. It was endearing in a way.

Still, he had a feeling about what the person on the other side was saying, and judging by your expressions, it was something you were not looking forward to.

Once you were done, he immediately knew he was right.

"You don't look too happy about it.. " he spoke then, frowning slightly and watching you as you sighed, taking in the clear annoyance and frustration on your face.

"Your boss, I'm guessing?" He asked lightly, his eyes never leaving you.

"Yeah..." you scoffed visibly annoyed, placing the book still in your hands on the counter as your gaze went, out of habit, on the screen at the side of you.

"She's not bad, she's just extremely demanding.." you started, looking at him again with a small smile, trying to act as if nothing happened.

"And I'm far too nice to say no to her, do you want that one too, by the way?" you added, only to gesture at the other book he was casually holding.

Bucky shrugged his shoulders at the description you gave him, not at all surprised to hear that your boss was so demanding. He also figured that you probably were far too polite for your own good.

"Sorry to hear that, that's unfortunate, but very typical," he said genuinely.

Then he chuckled at your last words, looking down at the other book still in his hands. God, he felt so hopeless.

"Is it obvious I'm that of a big of a reader?" he joked before nodding, "But sure, I'll get this one too and I... I'll also take any recommendations you might have" he tried, setting the book down on the counter and then looked at you again, a hint of a small smirk on his face.

You were somehow glad for his comment, for his understanding while checking out both books and adding a small third one, like you always did with every purchase.

"Not a bad thing, as I see it at least.." you said then, closing the bag nicely.

"But as for recommendations, I could always have you signed up for the membership card" you added half joking but still doing your job as your gaze went from him to the screen as you started closing all the tabs.

"Is that your pitch to get me to buy more books?" he teased, as the membership card offer made him genuinely chuckle.

"Do I get a discount or something?" he then genuinely asked, his eyes on you still as he occasionally focused on how your fingers moved around so quickly.

"Well.." you started, playfully retorting at his joke, or trying to, with a slight pitch in your voice.."..what did you think I'm doing here? That's kind of my job"

And the way his gaze never faltered, taking note of your every move, even if he thought you didn't notice combined with the light teasing made your heart flutter a little more.

Why did he keep looking at you that way? Why was he so damn nice? you asked yourself.

"But yeah, sort of..and new recommendations every month.." you added as you couldn't help how your eyes went to meet his for just a second.

"What can I say? You're very, very good at it, I have to admit.." he admitted softly. He could see how you were struggling to keep eye contact, and he had to wonder if he was the cause of it, once again.

The thought alone made him feel confused and happy somehow, considering he was still very much flustered beyond comprehension even if he was trying not to show it, much.

"But free books? I'm definitely interested then.." he teased again, now leaning against the counter a bit more to get closer to you.

"Alright...alright .." you chuckled at his tease, diverting your eyes from him and looking down, while you took one of the cards you had available.

"It's nothing fancy, we're a small bookshop after all" you stated a little bit more nervously than you intended to.

" But I guess I'd need your full name, are you still ok with that?" you then added, asking it out of courtesy and making sure he wasn't uncomfortable with that.

The sound of your voice was so pleasant to him that he almost missed what you were asking him as he watched you get the card you needed. Deep down he knew that agreeing in getting a membership was just another excuse for him to stay here longer.

"That's alright, I think small bookstores are much more quaint.." he confessed, somehow completely forgetting what he had to say and only remembering it when you looked up at him with a confused look.

"Yeah, yeah... it's fine. It's James Buchanan Barnes" he answered quickly, feeling like a complete fool and berating himself silently.

"It's.." you started, looking up again at him for a moment with a questioning look.

"You do have a middle name, is that a middle name?.." you asked, tilting your head to the side. At the same time, you couldn't help to think that the name sounded...familiar..in a way but you quickly dismissed the feeling.

"It's so rare these days.." you added, looking down again to write down a few last things more, to then give him said card.

Bucky chuckled at your surprise, nodding his head once to then answer your question.

"Yeah, Buchanan. Let's just say I'm a man of many names" he joked lightly. He didn't feel like giving too much away yet, but surely he was taken aback when you didn't say more about it.

Didn't you know who he really was? Well, that was a first he thought.

"Still, I think I like James better..." you said almost without thinking, not noticing how Bucky's cheeks tinged lightly pink or how his smile got somewhat wider.

Then he paused, that feeling of his whole world being rocked coming over again as you said his first name. For some reason, hearing that from you, made him feel weirdly happy.

After that moment you kept talking a bit more, well he mostly, noticing how a little tension had started to build up between the two of you. He even offered to walk you home after closing but you politely denied it, as you still felt a bit confused about what had happened.

But the morning after, when you showed up early to open, he came around again, just enough to bring you a cup of coffee. That single gesture left a smile on your face that lasted the whole time, lifting your mood and making the day go by faster.

Were you falling for him already?

________________

So hopefully i did it right. It's not the first story I write with this method and I really wanted to tell their story. Story is multichapter, with everytime telling a bit of the story, so more is coming soon.

[epicstuckyficrecs]

Weekly Recap | November 14th- December 31st 2022.

Happy New Year everyone!

One thing I did not have on my bingo card for 2022 was loosing interest in Stucky in favour of a four month old Stranger Things ship of all things, but alas, here we are ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I still love Stucky and I will always ship it, but unfortunately my brain has latched on to this shiny new ship and it just sparks more joy at the moment. So I guess what I'm saying is... I don't know how frequently I will be updating this blog in the future, if at all. I'm not deleting anything, the ask box will remain open, and I'll still be around! But I'm afraid this is the end of the Weekly Recaps as you've known them for the last... three to four years. I hope you've enjoyed them!

Complete

Work Husbands by darter_blue/ @darter-blue (Modern AU, Office Romance, Christmas | 4K | General): 5 times the office calls Bucky and Steve work husbands and one time they forget the 'work'

The stars look very different today by Bittersweet_in_Boston (Post-TFATWS, Endgame Fix-It | 3K | Explicit): “So what’s the mission?” he asks Fury once his belly is full. “Do I get a briefing or what?” “Patience,” Fury says, maddeningly calm. His utility suit is, of course, black, and Bucky has a brief, hysterical thought of him wearing a giant leather duster over it. “You’ll be briefed when we get there.” “Where is there? And why me?” Bucky doesn’t know why he’s being obstreperous, except that he’s flying through space at thousands of miles an hour with a dead man who won’t tell him anything. “Someone’s been asking for you,” says Fury, answering only his second question. And again Bucky thinks of Steve.

Bucky Barnes and the Christmas Spirit by this_wayward_life/ @wayward-lives (Modern AU, Christmas | 3K | Teen): Bucky's never celebrated Christmas. Steve sets out to change that.

sugar, spice and everything nice by buckyismybicycle/ @buckyismybicycle (Modern AU, Christmas | 3K | General): A couple of confused baristas, two cat adoptions and a cuddle pile later, Bucky has a perfect Christmas.

Dashing Through the Snow by HaniTrash/ @hanitrash (University AU, A/B/O | 7K | Explicit): Steve hates Bucky. Bucky hates him, too, so that’s fine. But when they’re forced to work together and co-teach a class, that anger begins to fade as they slowly learn more about each other. A work trip gone wrong, though, forces them to become much closer than either one ever expected…

Jingle Bell Rock by mxaether, Oh_i_swear/ @oh-i-swear-writes (Modern AU, Office Romance, Christmas | 19K | Explicit): Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes both work for Stark Industries and are lucky enough to have been invited on the company Christmas retreat. Unfortunately, neither of their partners can make it. Thanks to a mess up with the room booking it seems they're going to be spending a whole lot more time together than either had planned or wanted, but they seem pretty determined to 'lighten' things up, somehow...

WIP

💙 hey now, you’re an all star (get your game on, go play) by buckyismybicycle/ @buckyismybicycle (NHL Hockey AU | 18/? | 55K | Explicit): Boston Bruins trade notorious party animal/human disaster Bucky Barnes to the Dallas Stars, and captain Steve Rogers is not impressed when Fury puts him on babysitting duties. But, as he gets to know Bucky - really gets to know Bucky - he wonders if maybe the media has got it all wrong - very, very wrong.

All the Ways to Say I Love You That Don’t Work by buckybarnesdeservestobehappy (hutchabelle)/ @buckybarnesdeservestobehappy (Post-WS | 7/10 | 15K | Explicit): Finally free from the grips of Hydra, Bucky Barnes needs all the help he can get to acclimate to life in the twenty-first century. Steve’s always at Bucky’s side, providing support, explaining things, and throwing a reassuring arm around his shoulders, which gives Bucky all kinds of warm feelings. The other Avengers notice their closeness, as well. When Bucky overhears a discussion about whether or not Steve and he are dating, he isn’t bothered. He likes being with Steve, and he likes being treated respectfully. Determined to let Steve know how much Bucky cares about him, he uses his research on modern dating to woo his best friend. As he ratchets up his campaign to catch Steve’s attention, sparks fly. Or maybe those sparks were there all along.

[themculibrary]

Idiots in Love Masterlist

About Damn Time (ao3) - Neda5555 yelena/kate E, 7k

Summary: Kate has a very raunchy one night stand after completing a recon mission in Paris.

And the World's Alright With Me (ao3) - Abraxas sarah/bucky M, 26k

Summary: ‘You wanna be fighting Thanos every week? I mean, I’m sure we can get you a time-machine and you can go fight Thanos every week.’

‘Hardly,’ Bucky says, ignoring the spiky sarcasm in Sam’s tone. ‘But, c’mon: two weeks ago we had that jackass on the stilts. Stilts, Samuel.’

He huffs out a breath of laughter. ‘Yeah… What was his name again?’

Bucky’s feet stutter slightly and he blinks at Sam. ‘Stilt-Man.’

‘Oh, yeah, right.’

‘Not like he was hard to take down, I don’t know why they even called us in.’

‘Yeah, I remember.’

‘All we had to do was string a rope across the road and he did, quite literally, go down.’

‘I know, Buck, I was there!’ Sam shoots him an exasperated side-eye and sees the faint curl of Bucky’s lips because, right, it’s the patented Sam-baiting grousing.

‘And now this guy? And what’s with the stupid costume?’

It was supposed to be a day off. But there's a supervillain in Delacroix, the press have descended and Sarah's wearing her short shorts. There's no way this ends well, right?

Right?!

Broken Hearted (ao3) - MoreThanAFeeling (Daretodream66) steve/bucky G, 6k

Summary: Steve and Bucky were together before. Bucky believes that he's finally going home to Steve, but misunderstandings happen.

Can't Stop the Feeling (ao3) - MoreThanAFeeling (Daretodream66) steve/bucky, pepper/tony E, 31k

Summary: Sniper James Barnes is taken by Hydra and tortured into a version of the Winter Soldier, then he's experimented on and changed. Steve and the Avengers find him and bring him home to the Compound. He only trusts Steve at first and a relationship builds from there.

Come Home (ao3) - Devilbearingtrouble loki/mobius T, 1k

Summary: Farmers markets, bad coffee, and gods with their hands in the dirt. - ooey-gooey-lovey domestic fluff; you've been warned.

devil's in the details (but you got a friend in me) (ao3) - lovecamedown sam/bucky T, 12k

Summary: TFATWS Sambucky falling in love. That's it that's the fic

/

“You have me as your lockscreen?” Bucky asks. “Do you even know what that means? You sound like you don’t know.”

Hits Different (ao3) - e_afterlife wanda/natasha E, 69k

Summary: Natasha loved having Yelena and the Avengers together, with her. She could get used to eating every night with Wanda on one side and her sister on the other. Her two families, together, finally. But she wished her sister had come under different circumstances, not because she needed her help. Oh, they'd destroyed most of the red room, but they still had to get rid of the roots, and Yelena had come across the most persistent of them all. And maybe Natasha will have to accept help from the other Avengers in progress, and maybe her relationship with Wanda will evolve during all this.

Basically a fic of Natasha’s journey to put an end to the red room once and for all, and accept other people's love (well, especially Wanda's).

This is a slow burn that takes place after the events of 'Civil War' and 'Black Widow' but they're still one big happy family together after that... So it's an AU, I guess.

in the veil of night (ao3) - minhyongi loki/tony T, 8k

Summary: “You would have me use my magic on you to aid with your sleep?” Loki asked, disbelief and curiosity of equal measure glinting in his eyes. And something else that was telling Tony that this was probably not a good idea. Then again, he had barely managed three hours of sleep over the past two days and fuck, he was simply desperate.

“Yeah, that’s kind of what I was hoping for,” Tony answered truthfully.

Or: Tony can't sleep and Loki is the only one who can help him. What could possibly go wrong?

my plus one has a plus four (ao3) - starksnack steve/tony T, 7k

Summary: five first date attempts + one first date

Right Where He Ought to Be (ao3) - allthecleverusernamesaretaken matt/karen M, 5k

Summary: A postscript to S3E11. If Matt had gone to Karen after Fisk was arrested.

Send in the Clowns (ao3) - Daretodream66 steve/bucky M, 25k

Summary: Steve wakes up in the 21st Century and everything is still wrong. He finds friends in the strangest places and finds out that he doesn't have to hide who he is. There's marriage, mating, babies and Bucky loves him through all of that.

Simple Man (ao3) - Daretodream66 steve/bucky T, 13k

Summary: Fury does the unthinkable and Steve runs. Hiking in Northern California Steve finds what he's always been searching for. Yeah, it's Bucky.

And Alpine is in this one, but not what you think.

Six (thousand) Kisses (ao3) - Ducking_Mad wanda/natasha G, 902

Summary: A catalog of ScarletWidow kisses

Something just like this (ao3) - lexi531 yelena/kate E, 12k

Summary: After the events of Christmas, Kate is feeling lost and alone.

And then Yelena comes crashing back into her life. Bringing chaos and hopefully happiness.

spark me up, i'm a firework (i'll burst into light) (ao3) - coffeeinallcaps sam/bucky E, 6k

Summary: "You know how the super-soldier serum makes everything, well, super? I guess you could say that's what happened to my sex drive."

"Okay," Sam says, processing. "So you..."

"I get really turned on," Bucky says. "As in, really turned on. I don't lose control or whatever, it's not like that, but I get really desperate for it. I start begging for it. I don't even know what I'm saying half the time, I just want it so bad."

"Okay," Sam repeats slowly, nodding in a way that he hopes conveys "Go on, I'm listening respectfully," rather than "This conversation is giving me a raging hard-on."

The Box (ao3) - KatrioneSpecterRossi bucky/tony E, 10k

Summary: “...so you see I couldn't digitize it yet because of the--”

“--yeah, yeah, corporate espionage, file servers, arithmancy, encryption, terametaflops….I get it. You said it was on a green sheet of paper?”

"I said it was on a blue sheet of paper. Did you try the box?”

“The box under the desk? No, lemme take a loo--”

“NO! Not in that box!”

“Tony, what is all this…” Bucky’s line of thought trailed off as he fingered through a rather large box that was stuffed full of old Captain America comics. No, not Captain America comics. It took him all of two seconds to notice that these were all comics (and action figures, and….oh god, why did they even make these?) that exclusively featured one James Buchanan Barnes.

“Tony, why do you have all this….Tony?”

It was then that he realized the connection had gone dead. Eight unanswered phone calls later, he realized that something very, very bad may have just happened.

You Remember? (ao3) - WaitASecondWhat steve/bucky, pepper/tony T, 9k

Summary: Steve's journey of getting Bucky back and Bucky trying to remember his life before Hydra.

Kind of a Civil War rewrite because I hate it when they fight.

You're My World (ao3) - whiskeyandsparks sam/bucky E, 6k

Summary: “I… oh, I get it now.” Sam tilted his head, perceptive as ever, goddammit. “All this flirting with my sister, that was just to get my attention, wasn’t it? I know it was. Say it.”

“That wasn’t—” Bucky croaked, but Sam wasn’t having it.

He huffed a low laugh, and bulldozed right through Bucky’s feeble pretense. “You like it when I pin you against the wall? Take away all that power you have, that strength that your arm gives you? Make you feel small, maybe?”

[soliloquent-stark]

they keep hurting bucky. they made him grow his hair as if cutting it meant nothing, as if hair doesn't hold memories. they're making him act like ws again. supposedly he's healing, he's reclaiming it — except he did that in tfatws. let him rest. let him fight, even, but not as a 'bad guy', not doing someone else's dirty work, not being an asset again. what about white wolf? what about i didn't have a choice? what about sam? what about SAM? sam and his family and his boat. will they even show his family in his movie? will we see anything about sam's life? because they're making his only captain america movie, finally happening after six years of having been given the shield, into a red hulk movie. and they're already hurting isaiah instead of letting him rest like he so deeply deserves. why are they trying so hard to disprove they progress from the show? what about isaiah telling bucky you don't get to choose who you are? he was shown differently. now both of them are fighting someone's dirty fight again? what's next, gonna show us he was right that a black man can't be captain america? all the things sam did to prove himself, only to bring fucking ross into the picture again and have him comply? the guy steve, tony, rhodey — everyone, by the end — were ignoring and dismissing because outside his position of power, nobody gives a shit about what he's saying? the guy that fumbled the accords so bad but still became president? i guess i'll give them points for realism there. i understand going with the storyline from the comics, but it almost feels like they're using him, and using the actor, to promote the film and once again overshadow sam. overshadow his identity, his competence, his independence. the guy put him in prison... and now you make him work for him, you make him stand there and get told he's not steve rogers, and he just has to take it. for fuck's sake marvel let sam and bucky have stories that focus on them, that show their humanity and their struggles, that focus on their newfound friendship. instead, they're separated and we might not even get a mention of each other, when know they're more than capable of making three captain america movies that intertwine cap's struggles with his need to save bucky. now that bucky doesn't need saving, he can't be in the movies? bucky's always been haunting the narrative. and unlike steve, sam actually got a whole show with him and arguably more sceentime together. how are we now throwing away a whole tv show? and if they're purposely separating them because they both deserve their own projects (true), why are none of their movies really about either of them? i know they basically did it with wanda in mom, and with many characters in endgame, because they focused on the story they wanted to tell and not on respecting or continuing the story told in those characters' individual movies, to the point they were completely comfortable with breaking continuity, but with how frail the mcu has been and the scrutiny they're under, you'd think they'd treat some of their oldest and most cherished characters with a bit more love and respect. but nope. (i wanna be proven wrong. mcu prove me wrong, and i will apologise for doubting you. the bar is on the fucking floor though)

[the-martyrfication-of-the-matron]

Okay so my general mru timetravel saga phase thing. + how I’m doing the YA.

Since I think focusing on timetravel instead of the multiverse would have been a better next saga since timetravel was set up formerly.

Also, champions and Runaways will likely feature but I need to defamiliarise myself with the comics to feel more comfortable deciding on HOW. But I’ll get to it, just not in this post.

(Ramble below the cut)

First Phase:

I would make the first phase AFTER endgame extremely chill. More grounded, focus on a smaller group of heroes and the affects of the snap. TFATWS would be my preferred first project but obviously could change when I go to write it. Maybe seven projects in all? Keep it small. Six main solo projects, an avengers team up. I want to make it clear that things aren’t running as smoothly as they could be post-Thanos, there’s a lot of tension, the team isn’t quite… teaming.

Steve shows up as cameos in TFATWS and the avengers teamup, but not to take away from the focus of Sam being the new Cap. He’s more of an… advisor. He has experience, but that’s all he’s got to offer. He’s done with the fight. I don’t think he should’ve died in endgame personally bc I think people need a main avengers to continue showing up to really keep their investment until another character proves worthy enough for focus.

Eli is the first Young Avenger to be included, which would make a whole ‘oooo Young avengers maybe??’ But he’s played off like a cameo that’s there because Isaiah is there, no need to rush into the YA.

Kamala is also showing up. Ms Marvel wouldn’t be a MAIN solo project and would be kind of hinted to be disconnected until Carol shows up in the last episode.

There will also probably be a Hawkeye series but I don’t want any of the YA to be heroes before the YA. So Kate will likely cameo but I don’t want her to be a Hawkeye yet. That’s YA stuff. It can wait.

Second Phase:

A little more funky now. The Marvels is a good guide to take for the balance of funky and grounded. Sure it’s in space but it’s a pretty typical movie, nothing too big. Of course, the marvels = Teddy introduction. I’ve not watched the movie yet (literally on the way there now) so I can’t promise how I’ll introduce him, but it’ll probably be a small ‘cameo type’ thing.

The phase starts on a lighter note but slowly degrades, the avengers are slipping apart. It ends on a Loki s1.

Introduction of Kid Loki also. And I’ll probably do Sylvie differently. But with the demolition of the sacred timeline, there comes chaos in the storyline.

Introduction of the champions might occur here, whilst things are still light and dandy. Depends on what I can swing.

Third Phase:

House of M. Wandavision, obviously, introduces the Twins. They’ll probably remain toddlers though, to keep them little and cute, plus terrible twos + superpowers would make it obvious she’s crazy when she CHOSE that. They’re the two YA introduced this phase, no America until the multiverse unfortunately.

The avengers are slowly falling apart even further, Loki s2, and then, bosh, kangs. Not THE Kang, though. Other kangs. Fighting aaa. Some avengers probably die, Scott definitely does. They win and have to fight THE Kang, don’t win, Kang escapes.

Idk how to explain my idea for that film considering I haven’t properly planned it. But, basic idea is that he WILL come back.

Phase four:

No avengers. They fell apart, like they did for infinity war. If things like this keep happening, there’s no point anymore. Womp womp everything sucks. Some people, like Sam, are trying to keep everyone together but it’s so… hard. They wonder if they’re really just making things worse. They probably are.

Yeah there are solo projects. But it’s mostly pretty dismal. They’re trying to prepare to fight kang but they know they’ll lose. In the final solo project, there’s an end credit scene. Someone in a suit appears in dark streets and picks up a loose newspaper. ‘The avengers disbanded’. In a robotic-ish voice: oh no.

And then, final avengers movie of the saga. Except… it opens up to kids being assholes and oh wait this is just an adaptation of the first Young Avengers comic with some more emphasis on the avengers. Why have a huge crossover movie when teenagers can stab people? This isn’t to say there won’t be any closure for other storylines, I just don’t think every storyline needs to end in an AVENGERS storyline. The big crossover movie will probably be phase 3’s big Kang gang up movie, with everyone fighting their own time travelling war lord. But Kang’s death belongs to Nate. So that’s how it’ll be. Other superhero team ups will probably happen. But the big bad will be slain by those who now carry the avengers torch. It’s to me the only way to actually get people interested in the Young Avengers.

Some post saga notes:

There are some things that will be included. Like fantastic four and Xmen. It’s just a little difficult to try and explain how they fit it without going into masses of detail.

The next saga will likely be multiverse based. The Young Avengers are pretty well prepped for that kind of storyline. I’ll likely reallocate TLAT to this saga. Multiverse works better for god-based movies than time travel. It’ll probably include Children’s Crusade and YA vol2 for some of the avengers movies.

[elwenyere]

Thank you so much for this wonderful ask, @frostbitebakery​ (and sorry for somehow losing the original message)!!! It was a treat to get to reflect on this. I love most of my children mostly equally most of the time, but I tried to pick five fics (one each from five ships) that have a special place in my heart.

Citation Needed (MCU, Stony), co-written with @festiveferret​

Professor AU where Tony is a history prof trying to track down an obscure reference to “Project Rebirth” while also avoiding the irritating new hire in Fine Arts, Dr. Grant. I can honestly say this is the most fun I’ve had writing a fic: collaborating with Ferret was a delight and a dream, the worldbuilding was a really exciting puzzle to put together, and I got to write some punishingly niche jokes that I will admit still make me laugh.

Longing (MCU, Sambucky)

In which Sam gets pulled into a memory machine and Bucky goes after him. This fic was such a stretch for me in so many ways: technically, characterologically, emotionally. One of my goals was to explore some of the moments (canon and extra-canon) that make Sam into the character we see in TFATWS. It was the first time I really felt like I'd gotten possessed by a story, and it's still stuck very deep in my feels. There's a sequence in chapter three, starting with the moment in the desert, that felt like an absolute sprint of joy to write.

Recollection (The Clone Wars, Codywan)

Or, Purge Trooper Cody and the Eternal Sunshine of the Reconditioned Mind. Speaking of stories that stretched my abilities, I had laughably little idea how complicated this fic was going to be to orchestrate when I conceived of the idea. It was a juicy challenge for my brain and also a tough challenge for my heart, because I fell into a new level of love for Cody at the same time that I was putting him through the wringer. One of the best parts of the experience was how many moments surprised me - like the final line of dialogue in the bunk sequence in chapter three, which I did not have in mind at all when I started writing the scene but ended up being one of my all-time favorite lines.

Aller-Retour (Andor, Melshian)

a.k.a. 5 times Melshi and Cassian helped each other return from a mission + 1 time they helped someone else get started. The cliff scene in episode 1.11 of Andor took me out at the knees, and this fic gave me a chance to explore what it might look like for Melshi and Cassian to keep holding each other up during their years in the Rebellion. The scenes of caretaking not only fulfilled my personal, insatiable need for hurt/comfort but also gave me a space to process something I've been working through in all of my Melshian fics: what it looks like to love someone in the face of losing them. 

When the Time Comes (Top Gun, Hangster and Bradley & Mav)

a.k.a. 5 times someone held Bradley + 1 time he held someone else. This is the most personal fic I’ve ever written, and I honestly did not expect that to happen with Top Gun, but grief is a strange beast, and I truly loved writing this.

---

Thank you again, for the ask, Frost!!! This was really fun to put together. <3<3<3

[polizwrites]

WIP Update - 23 Nov 2022

Had a slow-ish writing week  - I touched 3 fics (2 WIPs & 1 new works) for a total of 1788 words. On Ao3, I posted  the next chapter of my Stony Western AU, and  a pre-war Stucky domestic geting together ficlet;  the Stucky Bingo Round Robin from the November party was posted as well. On Tumblr I posted a  Bruce & Thor post-Ragnarok ficlet.  

Am at 11 active WIPs  (with a couple of maybe TBCs)  with my current   deadlines being   Comfortember and  Avengers Bingo, with  Man with a Plan, Starkbucks and Hero Hardships coming in close behind!  

See below cut for the WIPs  (arranged more or less by bingos/challenges/etc) I am working on  -   feel free to send me prompts or plot bunnies as well as asks regarding any of these projects   (or any other WIPs I’ve got out there) – they really help feed the Muse and keep me motivated!

Comfortember  [Runs thru 30 Nov]

Taking on the @comfortember writing challenge - I assembled a tracking doc and am aiming to complete one fill a week, preferably crossing over with a bingo fill.   I’ve posted fills for  Day 3: Warm Food and Day 16: Shelter  - hope to get a couple more banged out  by the end of the month.

Avengers Bingo [AvB] (Runs thru 24 Dec )

Twelve fills posted (10 to Ao3)  and 0 WIPs - I decided to further challenge myself on this 16-square card by pairing up each square with a unique combo of 2 original MCU Avengers, with the final square being PolyVengers. With the help of the STB Enthusiasts Discord folks - I’ve got all 16 squares  planned out, at least in terms of who to write about, and half of them have some sort of idea or crossover square to go along with them. Feel free to toss other plot  bunnies my way…  

* B3 - Road Trip  -  Wrote up and posted  Sailing Toward a New Horizon  to Tumblr.  It’s a Thor & Bruce post-Ragnarok ficlet  that also filled last week’s  @flashfictionfridayofficial prompt [#FFF177 Expand Through Horizons]  It will get added to Ao3 before the end of the bingo.

* B4 - Age Gap   - Thor/Tony - possible crossover with TSB One Night Stand  (obvious title: Thunderstruck)

* C1 - Opposites Attract - Clint/Thor  - there was a fun Tumblr  headcanon going around about a Bumbling Foreigner whose ignorance of  local customs  results in him flirting with/proposing to the prince -  this seems like a perfect matchup!  

* D1 - Friends w/ Benefits  - Clint/Steve - crossover with MWAPB Hawkeye/Clint Barton and possibly SRB - Never Have I Ever

* D2 - Romeo & Juliet AU  -  basic idea:  Steve (jock) & Tony  (geek) trying out for title roles in R&J - despite their respective  FWB groups thinking it’s a terrible idea.  Title:  Two Polycules, Alike in Dignity

* D3 - Bed Sharing  -  posted Finding Refuge here to Tumblr last week -  it’s a  Natasha/Bruce fic that is Age of Ultron based (divergent) and also fills today’s  Comfortember Day 16 prompt: Shelter.  It will get added to Ao3 before the end of the bingo.

Man With a Plan (Steve Rogers) Bingo [MWAPB] (Runs thru 31 Dec)

Fourteen fills, 1 WIPs and several Vague Ideas/potential cross fills with other bingos.  Prompts cheerfully accepted!  

* B3 - Farmer’s Market  -  crossover with TSB Doing Groceries. Moodboard + ficlet?

* B5 - “I don’t really want to wake up yet” - filled this a bit ago with Promises to Keep  posted here on Tumblr; it’s an established Stony ficlet with bonus Rhodey appearance that also filled a FFF   No Rest for the Wicked prompt and three October writing challenge prompts.  It came in at 453 words and will get posted to Ao3 sometime before the end of the year.  

* I1 - Steve is here for TFAtWS  - this might go well with my BBB  “Oh, hell no"  square - Steve trolling  Bucky & Sam by sending the old man in with his shield?  (moodboard & ficlet?)  

* N1 - School AU/Teacher AU  - if I decide to continue on with Technicalities   - I could fill this square  :: ponders::

* N3 - Online shopping - this might be fun as a crossover with BBB Thighs:  Sam buys a revealing swimsuit for Bucky as a gag that gets Steve in a tizzy.

* N4 - Soulmates -  got inspired by a dream to start a Stucky fantasy AU (magician!Steve/ensorcelled!Bucky) that @bill-longbow  is collaborating on with me.  This will also fill my Stucky Bingo AU: Supernatural square.  We’re currently sitting at 1640 words  (984-ish of which are mine). Current Last Line:  "My men will accompany you back to Brookline in the morning.”

* N5 - Checkers  - posted Chapter 2 of  Come Down From Your Fences  (And Open the Gate)  It came in  962 words - see if you can spot the (slightly altered) movie quote!  

* G4 - Canon Divergence post CA:TWS - possible  crossover with BBB  Kill List – Bucky wreaking havoc on Hydra bases and  Steve & Sam catch up with him

* G5 - Friends to Lovers -  might use this for Chapter 3 of Mutual Pinning

*  O2 - Sex Pollen  -  Teenage Groot pollen =  aphrodisiac  hi-jinks. Quill & Gamora  warn the  couple (stucky)/throuple (Stuckony)  ahead of time, so no  dub-con.

* O3 - Hawkeye/Clint Barton  -  see AvB - Friends w/ Benefits  above.

StarkBucks Bingo - Round 3  (SBB_R3) - Ends 31 Dec

Eleven fills (eight posted to Ao3), 2 WIPs and several Vague Ideas - soliciting plot bunnies or other kick-starters.

* B1 - “I wouldn’t mind wasting my time on you.“  - Possible crossover with  BBB - KINK: Seduction Mission?  

* I2 - Mistaken Identity - crossover with TSB K5 - Protectiveness -  “The Mechanic, The Soldier & The Artist” - mob/assassin AU with a Mr. & Mrs. Smith twist?  

* I4 - Canon: Avengers Academy  - will probably do Stuffed Marvels sketches of Tony and Winter, as I know very little about the game/canon.  

* I5 - Matchmaker Bots - possible crossover with TSB Occupational Hazard

* N2 - Blanket - the first draft of  Chapter 2 of  Borrowing Trouble (see O3 below) is done; it’s a crossover with my BBB Funeral  and TSB WinterIron  squares and is currently coming in at 1187 words.  Chapter 1 is scheduled to post on Friday, with Chapter 2 following probably on 12/2.

* N5 - “Wanna make a bet?”  Used this in combination with the Day 18  Fictober (“I don’t think this is your problem.”)  and Flufftober  (Soulmate AU) prompts for  Marked-Up Soulmarks  - a soulmate AU where Tony discovers he and Steve have something (and someone) in common. I may expand on this before posting it to Ao3 and/or claiming it as an official fill. Currently coming in at 418 words.

* O1 - Royalty - crossover with TSB - IronWidow  &  BBB   AU: Arranged Marriage -  pick Lady Natasha’s Consort and Lord Steve’s Companion  back up?

* O3 - “Shh… I’m sleeping.”   Posted Borrowing Trouble to Tumblr  on  11/4 - it crosses over with my TSB AU: College square as well as #FFF175 Gloomy Daze.  It came in at 875 words and is scheduled to be posted Friday, with a second/final chapter on its way the following week. 

* O6 - AU: Biker  - Grease 2  fusion  anyone?  😁  I watched the movie a couple of weeks ago and took notes -  It’s not gonna be a faithful adaptation, but hopefully fun - had another mini-brainstorm on this  & hope to get it started sometime this/next week.  Would love to collab with someone who has an AU:  High School, Identity Porn and/or Mutual Pining square on their TSB, BBB or SBB cards!

Hero Hardships Bingo  [HHB]  (Runs thru 31 Dec)

One fill so far  with a few Vague Ideas …  need to see what might play well with belated Whumptober prompts!

* I3 - Unimaginable Grief  – I‘m thinking an post-Endgame Rhodey POV would work nicely here…

* O3 - Dating a civilian -  this would fit perfectly with another chapter of Takin’ What They’re Givin’ (‘Cause I’m Workin’ for a Livin’) , for which I currently have a basic plot point or two rolling around in my head.

Bucky Barnes Bingo - Round 4 [BBB_R4] (Runs thru 7 Jan 2023)

Twelve fills,  four WIPs  & ideas for everything except one square  - Working on a Column B bingo to start.

* B2 - Funeral - see SBB N2 - Blanket  above

* B3 - Sam Wilson|Falcon - this would be a good candidate for a continuation of After One Or Two False Starts

* U2 - AU: Roommate  - Still wanting to use the Meet Ugly prompt: 02. I bought a house three months ago but I’m finally moving in and discover you’ve been squatting because you’re homeless    – probably WinterHawk with  recovering!Bucky being the squatter in Clint’s apartment building.  

* U4 - AU: Arranged Marriage - will probably pick Lady Natasha’s Consort and Lord Steve’s Companion  back up for this one.  

* U5 - Kill List -  see MWAP  - G4 - Canon Divergence.  Post CA:TWS above

* C2 - “Oh, hell no” - possible crossover with MWAP I1 - Steve is here for TFaWS

* C4 - KINK: Aftercare -  possibly MWAP Sex Pollen or  TSB KINK: Concubine

*C5 - “This might as well happen” -  Used this for the Sept BBB Round Robin  (crackfic - Emperor’s New Groove inspired)  wrote 276 words toward it  - not sure if/when it will post,  but will add a link when it does.   😁

* K3 - KINK: Edging  - crossing over with TSB KINK: Orgasm Denial/Edging & I finally got a start on the WinterIron PWP for this (Bucky POV with toy play and Tony as a power bottom)  Hanging by a Moment is sitting at 96 words at the moment.

* Y2 - Never the fall that kills you -  this might be the title for a reverse hanahaki WinterIron prompt from @lacrimula-falsa ….  

* Y4 - KINK: Seduction Mission - crossover with SBB - B1 - “I wouldn’t mind wasting my time on you.”  

* ADOPTED1 - Peggy Carter -  Finished Reaching an Understanding  - a one shot with Bucky & Peggy talking the morning after the CA:TFA bar scene. It’s coming in at 658 words and will post to Ao3 next week. 

Steve Rogers Bingo - Round 2  (SRB_R2) - Ends 31 Jan

Fourteen fills posted  & 0 WIPs at the moment   – happily accepting plot bunnies here as well.  

* A1 - Never Have I Ever -  see AvB  Friends with Benefits

* A4 - Touch Attention/Denial  - I have an idea for this that will also fill (heh) my Stucky Bingo  KINK - Double Penetration square.

* B2 - Mile High Club -  this seems made for Stony sexy shenanigans…

* E2 - Comics Nomad Steve  - SWC sketch of Nomad!Steve

Tony Stark Bingo - Round 6  (TSB_R6)  [Ends 28 Feb]

Thirteen fills and two WIPs at the moment -    with  Vague Ideas for almost every other square.  

* T1 - One Night Stand - see AvB - B4 - Age Gap

* T2 - Doing Groceries - see MWAP B3 - Farmer’s Market

* T3 - Pepper Potts/Rescue -  some sort of remix of/inspired by sabrecmc’s  Indecent Proposal  from Pepper’s POV.  At this point, I think I need to re-read the fic & take notes …  

* T4 - KINK: Concubine - possible crossover with   BBB C4 - KINK: Aftercare?

* T5 - WinterIron - see  SBB Blanket

* A4 - AU: College - see SBB “Shh… I’m sleeping.”

*A5 - Scott Lang  - @27dragons shared an interesting plot bunny during the Sept TSB Discord party that I may end up using; that or a follow up to A Piece of the Action

* R1 - Tony’s Poor Life Choices - @somesortofitalianroast had the excellent idea to turn this on its head - now that he’s with [partner of your choice] - he’s making fewer poor life choices?

* R2 - IronWidow -  next chapter of Lady Natasha’s Consort and Lord Steve’s Companion ?

* R4 - Occupational Hazard - see SBB I5 - Matchmaker Bots

* K2 - Secret Admirer -  carried this over from last round so I could try my hand a remix of Seeds of Love  (WinterIron hanahaki fic by the super-talented @hddnone).  Potential title:  Wraps Around My Heart, Refusing to Unwind

* K3 - KINK: Orgasm Denial/Edging -  see BBB KINK: Edging  

* K5 - Protectiveness -  see SBB Mistaken Identity

* ADOPTED2 - AU: Western  - see MWAP Checkers

Stucky Bingo Round Four [SB_R4] (Ends 31 May 2023

Seven fills and three WIPs with a couple of other vague ideas.

* B4 - Artist/Muse - posted  A Work of Heart to Tumblr  on 10/29.  It came in at  at 650 words and filled Day 29 of   Fictober (”You love this, don’t you?”) , Flufftober (Leaves) and Whumptober (”Better me than you.”)  Coming to Ao3 before the end of the year.

* B5 - KINK: Double Penetration - see SRB   Touch Attention/Denial  above.

* I1 -  1930′s - I posted  Casting Bread Upon the Waters   to Ao3 this morning. It’s a pre-war platonic Stucky ficlet  as a crossover with Comfortember Day 3: Warm Food, as well as this month’s bingo challenge - Cooking/Baking and came in at 456 words.

* O4 - AU: Supernatural - see MWAPB Soulmates  above.

* O5 - Innocence - used this for my addition (346 words) to the Stucky Bingo November 2022 Round Robin that was posted 11/18 -  It’s a super-cute accidental kidfic fic with bonus fanart.

I also adopted the Writing Format: Remix one of your fics  square  – am thinking of taking one of my Stony or WinterIron  No Powers fics and adapting it to a Stucky pairing – if you have any requests - hit me up!  

WinterIron - No Powers AU  –  Stony No Powers AU

————

On other creative fronts:  I have a Nadja (from What We Do in the Shadows) Stuffed With Character figure in progress. Am also finalizing the seven (!!!)  figures to create for my three Marvel Trumps Hate  auction winners – thanks so much for your generous support!!  Finally, I am prepping for a superhero con in March - so am pretty well booked up through at least the end of the year.

That said, if you’re looking for one of a kind gifts for birthdays or other celebrations, check  out Stuffed With Character   over on Facebook for a full list of my designs (now over 80!).   They’re  mostly Marvel and monsters, but I have some Star Wars, Star Trek, DC   and Disney figures as well. Plus I love to take custom design  requests  for any fandom!

[buckets-and-trees]

BELLA! THIS COMMENT WAS ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE GIFTS! You and a few other dear friends have ... well truly gone above and beyond to give some immense amounts of love (unprompted) to this chapter, and I can't even tell you fully how much it means to me. This story I know is not for everyone because it's dark and angsty and hard, but it's been one of the most beautifully challenging things for me to write, and easily is one of the narratives I've become most proud of. And this chapter in particular I spent a lot of time on wanting to write it in a way that felt true to the characters and this plot journey I've been putting them through. So just THANK YOU for this.

You pulled out so many of the lines or moments that were really important to me while writing! That first line you identified about the White Wolf in particular was something I actually wrote in my notes for this at the end of last summer. I knew it would always be in there, and it was the tone I wanted to set for him - that he's grown infinitely more than who he was as Hydra's Winter Soldier, but that it's a side of himself that he hasn't maybe embraced because he'd rather not be any of that, he would rather leave the assassin, tactician, and hunter behind. But the other important thing I wanted this line to lay the groundwork for was the side of him that could deal with a Captain Hydra, because CH did lay a trap that Bucky and his omega willingly walked into, and so he needed to put his game face on in a way he never had before.

Techie Bucky - I felt that it really would be in line with a 1940s Bucky who went to the Stark Expo the night before he shipped off to WWII to have totally taken advantage of getting immersed in technology in Wakanda. Yes, we see him tending goats, but there are plenty of hours in a day and plenty of days in a week - he can do both. AND yeah he has like a flip phone in TFATWS, but I feel like that's more because he might think why do more with a phone than talk and basic text + not want a device he doesn't trust able to track his every move, because we also see him engineer a tablet in TFATWS to take control of that senator's car AND comment on what a good app the flag smashers have in the final episode. He's tech fluent.

The moment when Bucky has the idea to tamper with the camera footage was something I wasn't planning until I got to that exact point in the narrative, and then I was like... duh, Bucky CAN do this, and he WOULD do this to give him an advantage over anyone who will go back and try and figure out what happened to the pair of them, and it's an unconscious first moment that Bucky is investing in backing Steve in any way again, even if he doesn't see it for that at the time.

And sorry not sorry for making you cry during Bucky and Omega's reunion but it was one of the most important scenes to me, and I needed it to just be this collision of their longing and hurt over the separation AND her being upset that he had pulled back part of their alpha-omega bond connection but both of them talking about it and that it was kind of a damned-if-you-do/damned-if-you-don't situation, but that it has hard for both of them. And then I wanted them to be so immersed in reconnecting on every level physically and emotionally, and so I wanted to show it was about the intimacy that included to but also exceeded the smut - sharing feelings, sharing proximity, sharing secrets, sharing information openly, asking tough questions and holding space for each other... I wanted it to fully bring them back together, no questions of fissures between them. If I made you cry reading it, I think I might have done what I hoped I could do for Bucky and Omega. 🥹

AND THE STEVE PART REUNION

Bucky and his reunion with Omega Reader were so important, but the conversation with Steve and Bucky was the most important element in this entire plot up to this point. There were moments that were vital for the evolution and potential recovery of the relationship for Steve and Omega during Steve's chapter, but this was make or break for the alphas. There were a lot of points that I knew I could have just kind of gone ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ because plot, so just go with it, but I didn't want to cheat even a moment of that. Bucky saying their bond was in his bones felt so accurate, and yet with that being the case, he needed to know whether or not he could maintain any semblance of that, or if he would have to painfully abandon or re-evaluate it all.

Now that they're at this point, there are still important revelations and connections that need to happen, but they're not all in complete emotional peril anymore. Still questions, still pieces that need to be mended, but even if it's not a happy ending, we're not headed to a devastating heartbreak for any of them any more. At least probably not. But... who knows? Maybe Captain Hydra is playing Bucky and the Omega on a chess level while they're still playing checkers? NO. No. I could not do that because I do not want an ending of ultimate betrayal.

Bella, again, this is such an immense gift. I'm clearly not speechless over it, but absolutely moved. You are a wonderful friend, and I know it takes time and effort to comment like this, and that means the world to me.

Warm Shadows - Carving Through the Dark (3/4)

Fandom: MCU Collection: Warm Shadows [ part one | part two ] Title: Carving Through the Dark Characters/Pairings: established Alpha!Bucky x f!Omega!Reader, Alpha!Steve x f!Omega!Reader Word Count: 14.4k

Summary: Worse than a nightmare because it's real, Bucky has to track down his kidnapped omega and the man - the super soldier - who had been his closest friend turned into the dark, rival alpha, Captain Hydra.

Content Warnings: DARK, a/b/o dynamics, angst, explicit smut, vaginal intercourse, consensual forced orgasm

Logistical Notes: Shhh - yes this was the final story update I had planned for the Dark Forest Fest and it's the first week of January! But. Well. The word count. But we're here now, okay? Title taken from Hozier's Who We Are.

Additional Notes: Okay, I know that I did a poll asking last month if folks wanted the final chapter split into two parts or just one long chapter and - er - I kind of did both. I did not split this chapter, but a couple of days ago I realized we needed a fourth and final part. Lastly, @biteofcherry has been an absolute lifeline during the composition of this chapter - thank you for putting up with my conjectures and letting me piece together some of the elements. And even a little thank you to @rookthorne for cheering and bullying me over how long this got.

↠ Masterlist | Aspen's Ask Box | Field Guide to the Forest

“I can’t help you,” Shuri states, though there’s the flicker of it almost being one final question of it in her eyes.

“No,” Bucky confirms. “No more than you already have.”

He knows she says it as one last opportunity for him to change his mind, but also in acknowledgment that he must do this on his own. They clasp hands and then he turns to walk up the ramp of the aircraft.

“James,” she says when he’s nearly gone. He turns back to look at his friend, one who has seen him at the best and worst of times. “Whoever he is now, he knows Bucky, he knows the Winter Soldier, he will have learned everything about the Soldat from their archives, so you must truly be the White Wolf. She knows the wolf, but he does not.”

He nods and then walks further into the aircraft, leaving Shuri behind.

After you’d been violated and taken from him, Bucky had lain in anguish until just before dawn, raging over the loss of his world and everything he’d worked for, built, found, cherished. He would find you again – when he’d sworn, “There’s no corner of this earth you can go where I won’t find you,” it had been a promise to you as much as a warning to the monster – but none of you three were the same after that night.

To be the White Wolf…

It will take all the tactics he learned in the army, that he was forced to acquire as Hydra’s finest assassin, and since he escaped and then truly reclaimed his freedom. As angry as he is, as desolate as he feels, he holds the emotions at arms’ length, he needs to be at the eye of the hurricane so he can maneuver the way he needs to.

Bucky hasn’t been able to feel you. His desperate hope is that it’s because you’re sedated and unconscious and not … not anything else.

In Wakanda he and Shuri hadn’t been able to find even a sliver of a trace of the jet that had come and gone for Steve to enact his plan. It was a statement that whoever he was now, Captain Hydra was utilizing every ounce of knowledge Steve had and blending it with whatever Hydra hat put in him.

Bucky won’t leave a trail either.

It will take Steve time to figure out how Bucky left Wakanda – on foot, ground transport, or air transport – if he can figure it out. But Bucky was the untraceable ghost over fifty years of missions for Hydra, and he didn’t have the motivation he does now.

Bucky devised that going on the already-scheduled aircraft to the Wakandan Outreach Center in Oakland gave him the best options. He assumes Steve would have managed to get into the networks used by the Avengers and SWORD, and since he flew an aircraft in and out of Wakanda undetected and Bucky won’t be able to use Wakandan technology to best him either, so landing in Oakland also puts him in proximity to the hardware, software, and network resources he would need to build his own tech. During his convalescence in Wakanda before the Infinity War, it had been days of goats and technology research and development in the most advanced science facility in the world. He is not the expert that Shuri is, but he knows enough. His aversion to much of “modern” technology has always been due to how primitive it was compared to anything from Wakanda.

It takes weeks, but Bucky acquires the hardware he needs, modifies software, creates the network and protocols he needs to start Hydra hunting, and puts it all to work. He knows what to look for – the patterns, the seemingly innocuous inconsistencies – and he knows it because he was running data point for the team of analysts dedicated to Hydra hunting before this. He had taken more responsibility at the base of operations and fewer and fewer field assignments to be home and build his life with you.

Bucky doesn’t hesitate in ignoring any ethical limits whatsoever for his surveillance protocols. When he was working within the system, they had established some lines they weren’t willing to cross.

With seven billion humans in existence and him alone looking for two, lines to cross no longer exist.

He knows he will never get his life back, but he will not let anything prevent him from getting you back.

He puts every piece into play immediately as he builds, sleeps only the bare minimum. Truthfully he had only indulged in more than the minimal sleep a super soldier needed these past years because it was time spent blissfully with you.  Without a reason to rest, he didn’t have any problem cutting back to short sleep allotments to keep him operating at peak condition.

In putting his own tap into the Avengers’ database, he studies the work that had gone on while he was gone for his annual retreat away with you. He discovers that Steve and Sam followed leads in Europe.

“Damn you idiots,” he murmurs.

The reports show his two friends go dark after losing comms nearly a month ago. A team went in after them and their debrief says they found only their communication devices. ‘Search ongoing…’

That was a month ago.

He knows the status of Steve.

Sam could be a live asset in play, an asset still being trained and molded by Hydra, their prisoner for torture, or he could have been eliminated already.

It takes him sixteen days from the beginning of his build to finish – he’d been collecting intelligence, but once everything is in play and he continues to hone in on incoming results, things progress systematically, satisfyingly, in a foreign familiarity that evokes memories of this time hunting as the Winter Soldier.

Two more days and he’s got enough evidence in the intelligence to confirm you’re somewhere in Europe. Within two hours Bucky recalibrates calculations based the new findings, conducts new searches, gets confirmation of a face on a traffic camera in Gdańsk that looks like Steve, and when he’s able to piece a clear trail that follows him through the city and then to an aircraft that he’s further able to track until it disappears over northern Italy. He knows this for what it is – a trail tempting him closer to the trap. A challenge, an invitation, but only if he can put together more pieces to find you. How many times did he set beautifully complex traps for some of his prize targets when he was the Winter Soldier? Breadcrumbs to entice, to drive his opponent to work harder, to put their prowess to work, to make them feel confident so he could trick, trap, and kill them in the end.

This monster of a man tricked him in Wakanda. It will be the only time. Expert and intricate traps of this sort are something his opponent has been playing with for a few weeks. Bucky has more practice and expertise, infinitely more motivation, and no distractions.

He travels under cover of transports between Wakandan outreach centers from Oakland to Washington DC, and then from Washington to Bilbao. When he touches down in Bilbao, his information relay device has a new lead based off a visual of Steve in a bookshop in Turin twice in the previous week.

He takes the train to Turin. Within twelve hours he finds the location of the Hydra facility, and Bucky makes enough noise to reveal to Hydra that he’s in the city and trigger the personnel to raise the facility to its red alert security status. He plants a false trail indicating that he’s given up and gone further north, all the while watching every aspect of the base, making plans to infiltrate, and ensuring sure none of the vehicles or teams moving in and out look like they’re transporting you somewhere else. They drop to an orange threat level, and then yellow – standard caution and operating procedures.

Bucky would have been floored that they believed he’d missed them in Turin and moved on to search somewhere else, but it spoke to one of the weaknesses of Hydra’s organization: the arrogance. Instead, Bucky hacks into their base network as well as their external communications channels.

This observation, research, recon, and analysis Bucky does not rush. Everything he cares about is at stake. If he’s going to be successful in getting you back there can be no room for error as he’ll be up against Hydra and the only other super soldier on the planet who could potentially match or outmatch him.

And as the weeks wear on, the other thing he cannot deny, that he’d known from the beginning of this nightmare even if he’d wanted to try to ignore it, it that he isn't in this to rescue only you.

When all is said and done, the reality is he has to get Steve back, too.

Bucky knows the longer it takes, the more dangerously close he gets to your next heat. He knows an omega being in a distressed environment will affect the heat cycle. It could bring it on early, or potentially also push you to the extremes of a dry heat depending on the conditions they are keeping you in, and how you’re feeling. Once he determines he knows enough to start putting together a plan of extraction, he also determines it’s too close to when your heat might hit, and he can’t risk trying to extract you if you’re in heat – it becomes an element he can’t predict and ensure that his plan will still be successful.

His own senses are strained with the tenor of your unease in a way that’s different from before. It’s driving his alpha side mad, and he wants to storm the facility and reclaim you, and that’s one more element contributing to the volatility of the situation. He knows he can’t gamble on so many unpredictable elements.

He must wait.

But when he sees Captain Hydra leave in his jet right when Bucky is certain you are close to your heat, Bucky is stunned.

It might be too damn close to your heat, but clearly you’re not in heat yet or the other alpha would not leave you. This was not his plan, but it is a prime opportunity he can’t ignore – not if he can get to you alone and save you from a heat away from him. His heart can’t deny this unexpected opportunity.

After Bucky had hacked into the Hydra base’s network, he’d discovered that the small jet Captain Hydra had exclusive use of had been excluded from all navigational tracking and that the man only communicated by radio with one individual whenever he left. He’d further discovered that Captain Hydra was a weapon still cloaked from most of Hydra, with nothing about him other than his existence as a new asset available on the network. Even his former identity was not yet disclosed or recorded anywhere digitally.

This means Bucky has no idea where the man is going or when he will be back, but he hears Captain Hydra and his liaison discuss and confirm his time of arrival and his estimated time of return. Bucky must work quickly, but there is a window.

As he had not anticipated infiltrating so soon, he still has to finish putting things together for the actual extraction – like transportation, supplies, and thoroughly planning out three escape routes and destinations – and while he works quickly, he does not rush those final preparations, and so that takes him a significant amount of the window of time he knows he has.

But he only needs long enough to get you out.

He will have that.

He ambushes the delivery truck bringing in the week’s food shipment with no trouble and drives it right into the base as he has all the proper credentials on his person and its still pre-dawn hours, so lack of light works in his favor to get through the first gate.

But of course when he doesn’t follow delivery procedures once he rolls up to the shipping and receiving dock, that’s when his limited time really begins. The first decision he must make is whether or not to take out a man of average height but portly build that approaches the truck – one of the cooks, Bucky has studied the personnel files for everyone registered on this base – and Bucky evaluates as he steps out of the truck. He could kill him, but this man should probably be spared. Bucky doesn’t want unnecessary blood on his hands. So with lightning fast moves and a choke hold, the man goes down. But next are two security personnel, and them Bucky shoots point blank, taking each of them out with single shots. He leans down to lift the comms off one of them, putting the piece in his ear so he can hear everything as it unfolds across the base.

He yanks open the first door and moves down the hallway. And then there’s a frantic message over the comms, “Code Red! Winter Soldier, loading docks, two personnel down, in pursuit!”

Bucky growls and turns back down the hallway and swears when he sees the man putting comms in his ear and squaring up a gun he’d clearly lifted off one of the security guards was the cook he thought he’d put out cold. Apparently the man had more in him than Bucky had accounted for, and so now Bucky takes aim and shoots him once he’s close enough to secure the kill shot, only having to dodge two close but errant bullets himself as the cook had tried to run him down.

Lethal force for everyone it is, he thinks.

He’s irritated he wasted extra time on this man trying to keep down the body count.

He does not make that mistake again, killing everyone who comes across his path. The silver lining working in his favor is that this base in Turin is a science facility, not a military facility, so he has fewer muscle personnel to deal with than other places you could have been kept, and he can hear over the main comms that scientists and researchers are being given orders to shelter in place while there are instructions given over the security comms in Bucky’s ear that prime-level scientists are to be evacuated. It’s the directive he expected, which benefits him as the security personnel are split between pursuing him and evacuating those individuals deemed indispensable.

But dealing with those who are in pursuit of him is simple. When he’s out of ammunition, he makes quick work dealing what should be lethal wounds with his knives. Every man or woman down is one less he will need to contend with while trying to safely get you out, and while he’s reasonably sure he’s dealing death to everyone, there are a few he thinks may survive.

He has studied every aspect of this facility while making his preparations, and he sends a message to Captain Hydra that he was prepared by shooting glances cleanly into every camera he knows he passes.

There’s a flash of fear that ripples through him – it comes from the bond he’s tried to keep dormant between you since you were taken, but this is too powerful, and it’s a barb he can’t ignore. It flares and then dies out, which could be either a good thing or a bad thing. He squares his shoulders and moves more quickly.

As Bucky reaches the quadrant they’ve been keeping you a few moments later, the words, “The Omega is secured, sedated, and ascending to the roof with team Foxtrot, thirty seconds until air evac.”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

He knows he can’t make it in time, but Bucky still races down the hall to the stairwell, launching through the door and then hurtling up the stairs, taking them three and four at a time. His super speed isn’t enough to scale four flights of industrial facility stairs, and he bursts out on the roof to see the coaxial helicopter already twenty meters up in the air and navigating away to the north.

He wants to shout until his lungs bleed because he was so close, but he knows he can’t afford to indulge in emotions that strong in this moment. Instead, he takes huge gulps of the fresh air, pulls the door from its hinges, and hurls it across the roof before going back down the stairs.

He does not engage with anyone but comes across few through his retreat. Instead, his focus now is decimating what he can of the facility without wasting time or going out of his way as he escapes the base, rigging explosives quickly in key areas on his way out.

While he left destruction in his wake, and he leaves alone, he was precise in how much damage he dealt. He left the area of main logistical operations intact because he didn’t want to destroy their network and communications, eliminating his ties to tracking their next moves.

Bucky immerses himself in tracking and monitoring everything the second he’s back in his hideout with his tech. He sees the Captain return. He watches the final evacuations. They send him to Geneva, and Bucky is ready to follow, knowing exactly where the Swiss facility is located since he’s fully infiltrated the Hydra network of information. He can’t travel as quickly since he doesn’t have access to any Hydra aviation, but he makes it there by sundown.

He wouldn’t risk trying to disrupt your heat now, not with everyone moved and on high alert, it would be dangerous for you. Instead, he works on setting up his new undercover observation point in Switzerland. He fine tunes his information tap into the Hydra system. As he works, he notices the rise of an anxious feeling pulling at his hind brain. He’s felt the press of you trying to reach across the bond while you’ve been apart, but this is different – there’s a frantic, wild tug, and while it’s insistent, it’s more erratic, like the flickering of a flame, as if you aren’t even concentrating on the connection to him.

He knows so much of you that he knows you have to be on the brink of your heat but that you must desperately be trying to fight it. The discomfort he can sense continues to ebb and flow. It morphs. It becomes tinged with more discomfort. Then there’s a lick of desire that is almost imperceptible. That’s followed rather quickly be a flare of adrenaline – or is it fear? Another shift a few minutes later, and tone of this is pure arousal, the feeling he’s shared so much of with you, and the thought that you…

He grits his teeth, shuts his eyes, and abruptly stills every muscle in his body. You are his omega. Another alpha bonded you. Your heat is undeniable. His brain knows that – it’s one of the things he’s been focusing on, acknowledging the various scenarios that could play out for this heat, he just did not want this, nor was he prepared for what it might feel like. And so, with forced, measured breaths, he does everything he can to concentrate on shutting down the connection, to put his alpha side to sleep, because he can not bear this. He has suppressed so much of everything since losing you, only holding onto the faintest tether, but he cannot endure this – not and keep his rationality and do what he needs to do now, which is to formulate the next steps, the things he needs to figure out and watch for now that this cruel game has changed. Emotion will distract him, but there’s also the flow that could go the other way and throw you off, and he swore to keep you safe.

Diving into the network databases of this new Hydra facility, Bucky notices something he noticed in Turin: there are no records that contain any of your names on file – not you, not Steve, not Sam. He thought it was strange before, but he had a theory it could have been the nature of secrecy around all the projects at the research facility in Turin – there were very few data files on the science being explored on that base. But in transferring the Turin personnel out, with a contingent of them going to Geneva, he pours over all the documentation and the only he finds is the transfer of a high-level asset referred to only as Waffe SR4718. He easily knows the German word for weapon, and without missing a beat Bucky knows the letters and numbers are supposed to seem random but clearly refer to Steve Rogers whose birthdate is the fourth day of the seventh month in the eighteenth year of the previous century. It’s innocuous to anyone coming across it, but abundantly clear that it’s specific for those who were supposed to know.

With all Bucky knows of his own time with Hydra, how there were always layers within layers, secrets buried, hidden, withheld, he’s certain the acquisition of Steve and metamorphosis into Captain Hydra is as dark and as quiet as his own existence as the Winter Soldier.

There are quarters assigned to Waffe SR4718, and Bucky tags it track all status alerts – comings and goings, services, requests. He also puts the cameras for that hallway up on a constant feed monitoring protocol with the AI he’s adapted to bring up the imagery if there’s any movement in or out of the door.

Knowing you’re in heat, Bucky concentrates on new extraction tactics and mapping out escape options from this new facility.

But at three in the morning during the second night in Geneva – the second night of your heat – the door movement alert goes off, and Bucky immediately turns his attention to watch as Steve slowly emerges.

Why would he have any reason to leave you during your heat? He knows he could order food, clothing, bedding, medical personnel if absolutely necessary…

A quick check of the log shows that there have been no such requests.

And then he sees the unthinkable.

You’re right there behind him, following as he starts to make his way down the hall, dressed in darker clothing as he is. He has a small tactical pack slung across his back.

“What the hell are you doing?”

The question is only uttered out of frustration and disbelief because he could immediately decipher what is happening.

As precarious as it is to interfere with your heat, the two of you are clearly on the move.

The other alpha has no intention of staying at this base.

But why?

His mind begins deciphering even as he’s pulling up security cameras as the pair of you move through the facility, tracking your movements and actions.

The calculated risk is to get out when you’re supposed to be in heat. Bucky did see that status reported on the log – omega in heat. The protocols were to leave alpha and omega Hydra personnel undisturbed unless a priority one situation developed – typically reserved for life or death and rarely anything less urgent or pressing. It meant no one would think to check after the asset immediately. Even if an alpha skipped regular ordering for a meal or two to the living quarters, that wouldn’t be taken as out of the ordinary, merely unnecessary or forgotten due to being otherwise occupied, or deciding to make do with the food already with them.

The movement logically progresses toward the transportation hangar under the building – intending to employ ground transport.

On the way, the two of you duck into a room and close the door. Bucky accesses the schematics to discover it’s a data analytics workspace – cooperative computer sharing area. There weren’t any goons to hide from, so Bucky works quickly, trying to pull up the specific workstations in there. He sees the log in for a science officer. The user accesses the personnel transfer files for everyone from the Turin base submitted due to the evacuation. Four names are brought up on the roster and their locations are changed from Turin to the other the other bases anyone from Turin was reassigned to – a pair of them to Odessa, the other pair to Trondheim.

Subterfuge. He’s displacing security agents – or at least their location statuses.

Bucky frowns.

The rest of your course takes you directly to the vehicle hangar. Moving in the dead of night has capitalized on as few people as possible moving around the base for you to encounter, and it paid off. The other alpha selects a smaller SUV, loads some readily available weapons and supplies from the nearby vicinity into the back and then – faster than lightning – he withdraws something from a pocket near his chest, presses it over your mouth, and Bucky can see you seize up and then slump into his arms. He tucks you in amongst the supplies before throwing a canvas over everything and closing the hatchback.

Clearly you had been cooperating with this escape, so why was it necessary to knock you out?

Then he leaves the vehicle, leaves the hangar, goes back up two floors to the security personnel floor, and knocks on one of the doors.

Bucky accesses the database to see who’s assigned to that room as he watches this man converse briefly with whoever answers the door.

The two names assigned to the room match the two names reassigned to the Trondheim base on the evacuation transfer records.

“What larger game are you playing, Captain Hydra?” Bucky murmurs.

Because it’s back down to the hangar and the SUV with you stashed in the back, but then he waits.

And within five minutes, two men in full tactical gear get in the vehicle as well, and only then does he start up the car and leave. There’s a tracking device on this vehicle, so Bucky starts to pack up his tech, and pulls up the tracking on his smartphone.

He’s about to shut and pack away his laptop when he thinks of doing one more thing. It will take time, and this is why he knows Captain Hydra didn’t do it, but it will be worth it. But after his time in Wakandan labs and building up his own robust systems, within twenty-five minutes, Bucky has gone through the security camera system and successfully removed all footage of you and the captain moving throughout the base, rewriting it with the empty hallways from just before and after, effectively erasing the evidence of your escape. This will buy more time. No one may have thought to look for any movement in and out of Waffe SR4718’s quarters, but now they won’t find it when they ultimately go back and try, extending Bucky’s time to tail you without Hydra in the mix. They will assume the alpha and omega are still in heat seclusion now without any reason to doubt it.

Bucky leaves his temporary Geneva hideout with the essentials he arrived with. He chose this location because it was two streets down from one of the larger private car services in Switzerland. Bucky knows he can pass as a mechanic with his clothing, and the service staff works overnight to keep up maintenance for the large fleet of vehicles that provide VIP transportation, airport pick up and drop off, limousine transfers, corporate chauffeur services, ski transfers, and event chauffeuring. Acquiring a non-descript vehicle is as easy as he hoped, and it’s more than simple to de-activate this car’s GPS tracking system.

Within half an hour, he’s comfortably in pursuit. The vehicle he’s tracking has maintained its course and is an hour out of the city now, but an hour ahead is reasonable.

When the Hydra vehicle is three hours outside of Geneva, it makes its first stop. Bucky presses a button on his phone to pin the location. The stop is for less than five minutes, and then it continues, but Bucky will stop there as well to assess the purpose and glean any information he can.

Bucky is an assertive driver, making up speed, but not at a point to draw attention. When he reaches the pin he’d set on the route for the stop your vehicle had made, it’s on a bridge.

There’s only one reason Bucky can think of to stop on a bridge.

A reason that could make Bucky’s heart stop with devastation, but he must continue to operate under the assumption it wasn’t your body dumped into the river. Anything else wouldn’t make sense.

Unless the other alpha has become completely unhinged and all of this is an elaborate game to drive Bucky beyond all limitations of his own reason.

Within the next two hours, he sees you pass the border into Germany, and then another stop is registered on the GPS tracking near the city of Albstadt. Bucky has made up a significant amount of the head start the other alpha had had. When he arrives in Albstadt, he finds the SUV. It is most likely that this vehicle had been abandoned for another, but Bucky has to stop at this point and tap into security feeds for the city to see whether you’re here or not. He picks a spot that advertises wifi with their sandwiches, refueling his body while setting up his tech in a spot most won’t question him to hunker down for some serious work on a laptop. He gets into the city’s street cameras, sees Steve steal another vehicle, pulls the license plate, and then he programs his algorithm to watch for the number to track the route now. He won’t be able to smoothly follow the route of a GPS-tracked vehicle anymore, but Bucky knew this would grow more difficult. As long as his goal was to draw out the Soldat, Captain Hydra will still leave a trail of breadcrumbs, but it will be scant if he’s trying to evade Hydra.

While Bucky has questions of intent, he has no question that it’s what the Captain is doing now.

Bucky is able to pick up the trail with license plate tracking and route mapping into Stuttgart. All the way to the train station. But this is where the other alpha shows incredible skills for blending in. It’s a busy station. Bucky will have to run thorough security camera assessments of the Stuttgart station, figure out when – or if – they got on a train, and then continue tracking from there. If the alpha and omega got on a train, Bucky can at least narrow his search to that route and its stops for that schedule, but Bucky used train stations to cover his tracks as well, and sometimes that involved never boarding the train but leading anyone tracking him to believe that he had.

With that much information, he writes new coding into his overall system, sends it back to the larger machine he left in Oakland to do the heavy computing so it can start the work he’ll need to fine tune once he can settle in a more permanent stopover, pays for his meal, and then drives to Stuttgart. The hacking into facial recognition has been so enhanced beyond boundaries though – especially because he can tailor it to look for only two faces he knows as well as his own – that he sees the two of your board a train headed west, targets the route, sets up the watch parameters for the schedule, and catches you getting off in Paris.

Another smart move blending into the vibrancy of a large city, but Bucky is sure it’s not the final destination either. But Steve knew enough French to blend into the country, as well.

It takes Bucky and his systems six more days, but he confirms three separate facial recognitions for the other alpha in a town outside of Bordeaux small enough to be off the beaten path but big enough to blend in and go unnoticed by its people.

Bucky travels there as quietly as possible. He does not want to tip his hand. He’s too close now to have you slip through his hands again.

After two more days and with the assistance of satellite imaging, he has found the small house in a forested area outside of the town.

Bucky grips the edge of the small desk he’s been working at, grounding himself. Adrenaline had immediately surged through his veins, but he must keep everything contained. He has practiced so much control and restraint that if his heart betrays him now, he’ll carve it out himself and leave it behind. He cannot compromise this delicate situation.

He drives out to the area and leaves his vehicle well-hidden a kilometer out from the house and approaches on foot, circling at a large perimeter and slowly moving further in, cautiously, taking in everything. He doesn’t want to trip anything the other alpha may have set up to alert him to intruders.

What he discovers is minimal, and all old tactical elements – things they’d done as

Cap and the Howling Commandos back in the old war.

Effectively things that would have worked on anyone from this day and age but that only Bucky would know to look for.

He doesn’t trust it.

This is another trap.

But he has to walk into it and fare as best he can.

That’s what Captain Hydra had said was his plan from the beginning – draw out the Soldat.

The White Wolf would enter the trap but would need to control it and come out on the other side with his omega. 

He can’t even think those words without his pulse racing now, and he digs his vibranium fingers into the trunk of the tree under his hand, splintering the wood while he closes his eyes and stamps down everything that wants him to sprint to the house he can see, break down the door, and launch himself into your arms.

He timed his approach when he’d seen the other alpha leave – likely for more food and supplies – but he knew the time alone would be limited.

Bucky takes measured but determined steps to the green wooden front door of what’s essentially a little cottage.

Straining his ears and focusing on his enhanced hearing, he doesn’t pick up anything beyond ambient noises – and your soft, slow breathing.

He takes a deep breath, slowly twists the doorknob, and opens the door.

There you are, curled up in a cozy armchair, dozing, hand pressed up against the spine of a book that has fallen to your chest after you clearly fell asleep reading, and this.

This simple scene nearly knocks him to his knees.

The way you’re there, feet away from him, it’s the most beautiful sight of his entire life.

But still, he is quiet, cautious.

His entire chest aches for you.

He shuts the door softly behind him, then crosses the small living room and kneels next to you. He eases the book out of your hands and puts it on the small side table. He’s done this before so many times. You make a slight hum through your sleep.

Brushing his fingers over your cheek is almost enough to make the nightmare of the last six weeks vanish as if it really had only been a nightmare.

He almost doesn’t dare to breathe.

But the warmth of his hand against your skin evidently reaches in to stir something in your subconscious, because you shift slightly, sigh, and tilt your head into his touch and murmur, “Bucky…”

The stutter of his chest is both painful and euphoric at once, and everything wells up in his chest, everything he’s been holding back.

He drops his hand from your cheek to your shoulder, gently trying to nudge you awake.

Coming back into consciousness, you take in a deep breath before blinking your eyes open. Your gaze drifts to him, and then your body seizes up one moment, and the next you’re scrambling up and away from him, whipping over the back of the armchair you’d been curled up in.

“Bucky?” your voice comes out in a wounded whimper of a tone that pierces him, confounds him.

“Yes, it’s me,” he answers, brow furrowing. He hadn’t allowed himself to think over what this moment was going to be like – he knew the fixation would have been too painful to hope over – but it was not supposed to be this, with you looking at him with caution, with hesitancy, with your guard up.

“Omega?” he questions tentatively, rising from where he’d been crouched on the floor.

You don’t move your position, but you draw yourself up to your full height as well.

Bucky maneuvers around the furniture, wanting to remove the barrier between you, but he changes his position slowly, allowing you time to retreat if you feel compelled to. You hold your ground but do keep yourself squared off facing him as he moves. He does what he hasn’t done since this ordeal began and definitively opens up the gateway of the bond between you, tentatively reaching out, trying to read you.

Your mood is hard, and it doesn’t fluctuate. There’s a steady mix of fear, doubt, and what he thinks is exasperation there.

No, it’s more than that.

“You’re angry with me?”

“I’m more than angry with you!” you hurl the words at him and cross your arms over your chest. “I’m livid.”

“I came to you as fast as I could!” He steps closer, and now you step back. He moves closer again, but with a smaller step.

“It’s not that, I know you worked as hard as you could–“

“Then what else could you possibly be upset about, Omega?” His tone is desperate, earnestly seeking the answer, but also tinged with a warning he can’t help from bleeding into the question.

“I couldn’t feel you.” The anger gives way to let the anguish of your words bleed through, and they sweep over both of you. “You cut yourself off from me. I was desolate and scared and alone, and you withdrew any hint of our connection.”

He steps forward once more, finally close enough to reach for you, and as he continues to close the distance, you unfold one of your arms and backhand slap him. “I needed you!”

Bucky staggers a step back from the raw force you hurled at him, but it only takes him the space of a breath for him to recover enough, and he surges forward and pulls you into his arms, uttering your name the way one pleads in a fraught prayer. You try and push against his chest and squirm out of his arms, but he only secures you more firmly, holding you dearly and desperately to him.

“I needed you,” you sob out. Instead of continuing to try to struggle away from him, to hold your hurt at bay, he feels you stop fighting and the turn as you let everything out. He holds you, soothing you, but not trying to quell any of this yet. He knows everything you’re feeling is warranted, can feel now that you held back as much as he did while you were apart. Endured as much hurt as he did – more in many ways. He won’t tell you to settle down, because the hurt needs to be acknowledged and not minimized.

Once your chest is no longer wracked with sobs, when your crying has abated from steady streams of tears to the small sniffling, he gently wipes the tears from your cheeks. Then Bucky decisively nuzzles his face down into the crook of your neck. Slowly, tentatively, he presses his lips to the place he claimed and bonded you as his omega, his mate. You whimper, but your hands clutch at his shirt, and the immediate flood of relief, of love, of devotion, washes over you both. He can feel it, he knows you feel it.

His large hands are planted firmly on your back, one at the curve of your spine, and one between your shoulder blades, pressing you as close together as he possibly can. He plants a longer, more concentrated kiss to the mark, and your right hand slides up to thread your fingers into his hair and press him closer.

The more he kisses into your neck, the more whole he feels. He had ignored the hollow, empty feeling in his chest, had truly rejected all feeling, as cold and empty as he’d operated while being the Winter Soldier. He’s feeling human again. Himself again – or at least it’s all coming back to him now.

He doesn’t even realize when your body has fully melted into him, too caught up in the mending of the connection, but then you’re urging his face up away from your neck, but only so you can press your forehead to his, and you say, “I need you, Bucky.”

He nods, and then you kiss him. In a movement familiar to you both, his hand moves down, curving over your ass and to the back of your thigh, and he picks you up. Your legs wrap around him as you deepen the kiss, nipping at his lips. He carries you across the big open space to where there’s a bed in the far corner.

He sets you down gently on your feet, and his hands are already reaching for the hem of your shirt, and you readily lift your arms so he can pull it cleanly off your body. You’re reaching for his belt, and he’s pulling his own shirt over his head. Your lips eagerly seek each other as much as they can. You push his dark jeans down, and he huffs and sits down at the foot of the bed so he can hastily unlace and yank his boots off, so he can shuck his pants off all the way. When he raises his head, you stand before him in nothing but your simple underwear, one hand pressed against your torso, biting your lip.

You’re so damn beautiful to him, his heart aches again at the sight of you nearly naked before him again after so long torn apart.

He reaches for you, and though you don’t hesitate to take his hand, as he tugs you into his lap, your thighs straddling either side of his hips, he doesn’t miss the slight tremble of your body, and it kills him but there’s a deep part of him that resonates, recognizes the feeling. The separation had been hell on an alpha and omega level, and this is still too much, overwhelming, and altogether not nearly enough to soothe the deep loneliness he had pushed beneath the surface. His arms wrap around you again. While your left arm wraps around his neck, your right hand roams over his bare skin – shoulder, arms, chest, neck, face – questing to rememorize him.

He wants to be inside you, but having your chest pressed into to his chest, it’s like your heartbeats are syncing back together, and he almost needs this more. The side of your face rests against his, and the way he can hear you breathe in and out right next to his ear, can feel the warmth of every exhale, it’s yet another inimitable balm he didn’t know he longed for.

He murmurs your name softly against your shoulder.

“Mmm?”

He knows you can tell he’s working out something to say. Every season you two had been together had been time you had worked to only continually knit your souls more tightly to each other, not only to love each other more, but to understand each other, to work together, to support and lean into each other as true partners.

It had made the separation all the more painful.

He squeezes you more tightly for a moment, then inhales to speak. “I need to tell you why I put up the walls I did.”

He feels you tense slightly in his arms – of course he does, there’s no way for him to miss it any more than there was any chance for you to try and hide it when this intimately entwined. He bestows a soft, light kiss to your bonding mark, and you whimper, but turn your head to brush your lips over his cheek, and then both of you draw back just enough to look at each other.

“I’ll never know if it was the right or wrong thing to do to you, but it felt like the only way I could hope to survive navigating back to you. Immediately I knew I couldn’t allow the anguish of pain and anger I was feeling to flood to you when I knew you were living your own nightmare. When I held that back, the way Hydra had conditioned me to repress all feelings when I was their fist resurfaced, and I knew shelving the emotions would leave me to focus and be more effective in everything I was doing to track you and find you.”

“Bucky,” you start, but he shakes his head slightly, his eyes pleading for you to let him continue. You give a little huff. “Okay.”

The corner of his mouth lifts, and he pecks your lips before going on. “When I was closing in on where they were keeping you, I didn’t want to alert you and have you have to worry about how to hide that.”

“That’s a fair strategic tactic,” you grudgingly admit.

He grins at your tone, but it abates quickly. “I also…”

He pauses for half a beat and takes a breath to steel his resolve because you deserve his raw honesty as it’s still a concern in play.

“Also what?”

“I didn’t know how much of our bond he would feel. I didn’t want to tip him off, but I – I didn’t want to feel what might go the other way and bleed from him through you either.”

“Oh, Buck,” you bury your head into the crook of his neck now, nuzzling against the bonding mark you’d given him. “Our bond is ours, not his.”

“It’s not?”

“No, no,” you press quick successive kisses against your bonding mark on the juncture of his neck and shoulder. “You might feel the wake of what I feel from his bond to me, but the ties to each of you are very distinct within me. I’m especially sure of it now that ours isn’t dormant anymore.”

He holds you close while he sorts through this revelation from you. “I didn’t know – and I was worried if I felt him it would either devastate or enrage me and either way make me overrule logic and slip up, do something rash.”

“Now I understand,” you speak right into his ear. “Concentrate though, what do you feel right now?”

He breathes in. Breathes out. Another breath in. Out.

“Only you,” he says, no question.

Your lips drift back down his neck, and you press an insistent kiss to your claim on him this time, then you open your lips and suck over the spot.

Bucky shivers and groans, and you wince and laugh when his arms flex around you so tightly it actually hurts. Because he reacts so strongly, it doesn’t shock him in the slightest that you’re spurred on to seek more, but now he’s ready, so when you’ve satisfied with your initial torment and he feels you slot your teeth over the mark, he bares his neck, ready when you bite down to renew your claim on him, and he shouts – euphoric, flooded and overwhelmed with the way everything opens in such a raw way when a bonding mark is refreshed.

It drives you to rock your hips against him. You’re both still in those last pieces of underwear, but the friction of your cunt against his cock is glorious, and he can’t help the satisfied rumble in his chest in answer to the simple action.

His hand clamps on your plump, round ass, and he pushes you hard against him and holds you there – he doesn’t want the rocking, for a moment he just wants the intense pressure, the reality that you’re here with him.

You crash your lips to his desperately. He slants his head and works his tongue along the seam of your mouth, which willingly parts for him, an open moan passing between you both, your tongue inviting him into your mouth, stroking against his. Both of you fiercely hold onto each other, keeping that close chest to chest contact while you kiss more than you breathe. When you ultimately have to break off from each other to get air back in your lungs, the heaving expansion of your ribcages against each other is such a simple but intense intimacy, breaths mingling – another moment that adds to the replenishment for how much his soul had been depleted without you.

“Need you inside me,” you plead.

He nods while turning and tossing you onto the bed.

As he climbs up to join you, you quip, “No more clothes, Alpha.”

“Bossy Omega,” he chuckles, but complies in pushing his boxer briefs down and tossing them away.

You quirk your lips. “Give me what I need, and I won’t need to be so demanding.”

He growls, but it’s teasing, the feeling in his heart is a light one, a feeling he feels echoed in you, lines of it running through the overwhelming need.

Bucky moves up the bed, hooks his fingers beneath the band of your underwear, and you lift your hips so he can remove them immediately. He leans down and presses a broad flat lick of his tongue over your hip bone, causing you to squirm – desire and a sensitive spot of skin he discovered on your years ago. “I know what you need, Omega.”

“Yes, Alpha,” you nod eagerly, and he flips you over onto your stomach

He hears your breath hitch. He knows you love roughness and to be handled as often as you love softness, but the latter isn’t what you need right now. He crawls up over you and plants his left arm up by your shoulder while he slots himself between your legs. Your left hand finds his, twining your fingers together while he lines up his cock with your slick entrance, and the sigh of ecstasy that escapes you as he pushes his length in sings in his ears. The feeling of your warm channel gripping him is better than he remembered – or at least it feels that way – and he tries to push in as slowly as he can to savor coming home to where he belongs inside you, but it’s not nearly as slow as he wants it to be.

Once he’s fully sheathed in you, he kisses your shoulder, then nips along until he’s at the juncture of your neck, and you keen and bare your neck to him. He licks over his bonding mark, then bites down, reclaiming you, and you cry out, body thrumming beneath him. He starts to move behind you, pulling his hips back before thrusting back in. Your right leg hitches back to tangle up and over his, urging him on. He grips your hip, and then he fucks you. It’s the most primal it’s ever felt with you, the force of it rocking the bed to knock against the wall, and he almost worries about whether or not it’s too much, but you rock back against him, meeting his thrusts as much as you can in your prone position, eagerly taking all of him.

“That’s it, darling, take my hard cock inside you,” he urges you both on.

You sob out a breathless, “Yes,” that makes his chest rumble in satisfaction.

He can feel your cunt fluttering around him, can feel you on the edge of ecstasy, but it also feels like you’re refusing to fall over the edge.

“Come on, darling, let go.”

“No.”

That shocks him but doesn’t slow him down.

He maintains his pace and slips his hand down between you and the mattress, cupping your pussy and finding your clit. “Yes.” He starts to rub quick, concentrated circles over your tight bundle of nerves.

You shake your head desperately. “No, I don’t want it to end,” the words tumble out, and he hears the sound of you crying again.

“Omega, I will give you more. I’ll give you as much as you need, but I need you to give in to this, surrender and fall over the edge with me again.”

“Bucky!” you cry out as you’re unreservedly flung over the edge. Your cunt clamping down on him was the last of what he needed to reach his own climax, and so his shout echoes your own, and he exerts those final thrusts to pump his seed deep within you.

He stays sheathed within you but rolls both of you to your sides, brackets his arm around your waist, and keeps you close, nuzzling into your neck. You sink back against him, resting your arm over his and threading your fingers together.

“That was…”

He nudges your chin for you to turn your head back so he can kiss away the tears that escaped during the emotions that came through there at that end.

“Intense?”

“Yes.”

“We both needed it, Omega. I need you as much as you need me. Do not doubt it.” You shiver in his arms, and he swears, “I’ll make sure you never question it again.”

“Never let me go.”

“Never again.”

You shift and turn over to face him. He’s just as content to wrap you in his arms this way. You tangle your legs with his as you have so many times before. This is so familiar.

You brush your fingers over his face, retracing the lines and angles that define him, and he watches your face as your eyes drink in his features.

“I’m yours, Omega,” he says in a quiet, low tone.

A soft smile lifts the curve of your mouth. Your hand cradles his jaw and beckons him in to kiss you, and he is happy to acquiesce. The kisses he shares with you now are slow, solemn promises of lips and tongues, heated but not demanding.

When you eventually come up for air, you tuck yourself more closely into his chest, humming with contentment. He’s half hard again, and the frantic last moments of the sex he shared with you flashes back to the forefront of his mind. “I promised to give you more. What do you need from me? Tell me how I can please you, how I can love you.”

You reach up and press your fingers delicately against his bonding mark. “Just this. Hold me. I only need to be with you.”

He can feel how true it is as your fingers stroke lightly over the place where you claimed him all those years ago, reclaimed him here in this bed, flooding him with more peace. His brushes his lips over your forehead. “Whatever you want, sweetheart.”

There’s a little chirp that bubbles up out of you when he calls you sweetheart again, and it makes him just as happy as it does you. He slowly caresses your back, hand moving up and down, up and down, in a soothing motion, soothing himself as much as you.

There is still so much ahead for you both, but this – your connection to each other – he can feel that again so strongly. He never doubted it, but after being deprived, the return of how powerful it is engulfs him. This will anchor him through what’s coming.

“Buck?” you murmur against his neck.

“Mmm?”

“I can tell your brain is beginning to work away from here.”

He sighs. “Can you blame me?”

“No, but talk to me, take me with you if you’re going to think.”

“There’s so much to think through.”

“Start with one thing.”

You’ve done this with him before – late nights, afternoons, mornings, on a drive, on a walk, sharing a meal – you could always feel when he started to get tied up in his brain with his thoughts, and you’d listen, ask questions, sift through with him. He was perfectly capable of sorting through things on his own, but sharing with you made it altogether different. It was one of the best parts of having you as his mate.

“Why…?” He frowns and trails off. “No, nevermind.”

“No, Buck. I worked hard to soothe and relax my alpha. I want this gift of respite with you, however brief it is, and whatever string you don’t want to tug on first clearly is one that’s important.”

He nips your shoulder. “My gutsy omega.”

“Alpha,” you press, also literally pressing a finger insistently against his chest.

“Alright…” His tone turns serious. “Why didn’t you try to escape – especially here where he leaves you alone sometimes?” From the way he’d found you, it was clear this wasn’t an anomaly.

You cluck your tongue impatiently and roll your eyes. “First, how was I reasonably supposed to outrun him, hide from him, and try to find you? I don’t have any of the tactical skills or training you two do.”

“Fair enough. And second?” The first point is obvious now that he’s asked it and heard you answer, but he wants to hear the rest of what you have to say.

“Second,” you continue, your tone altering to something more somber, “he took me to lure you to him, so the most logical thing was to stay and wait for you.”

“Ah,” Bucky nods, the smallest of smiles taking over his mouth. “My smart omega.”

“And third,” you continue, though your words tone is cautious now, and you drop your eyes to his chest.

“Yes?” he urges you to finish the thought.

“He’s my alpha, too.”

This isn’t news – he’s known it from the second he witnessed that bite to claim you, he thought of it frequently while he was hunting for you both, he knew it would be the new reality, you’d even discussed the two bonds together in this bed – and yet having to think about it yet again in this light is still straining on him.

Clearly you feel his unrest, because your hands come up to cup his face and basically attempt to soothe him with gentle but insistent strokes along his jaw. “Bucky, I’m always going to be yours.”

He sighs and angles his head down to touch his forehead to yours. “I know.”

And it’s not jealousy that drives his unrest – it’s the not knowing what this means, not right now and not for the future. He’s started thinking about possibilities, but he’s limited until he can confront the other alpha. So, he decides to concentrate on what it has meant so far.

He makes sure his tone is soft but serious when he asks, “Did he hurt you?”

You’re quiet for a beat, then say, “I don’t know how to answer that.”

Bucky starts to sit up, but you pull him back down to the mattress, trying earnestly to soothe him. “What he did hurt us both, and it was meant to hurt. It was absolutely calculated. But they broke him, Bucky. They tortured him and tried to make him comply for weeks. They were experimenting on Sam, trying to pull the science they could from old records on you and what they could pull from analyzing Steve’s blood, but they weren’t having success, and so they enacted their last use for Sam – and they killed him in front of Steve. It destroyed him.”

Bucky’s own chest aches as he listens, throbbing painfully at this reveal, and his vibranium hand fists the sheet.

“And when he was at his most devastated and spent emotionally, what I have been able to piece together is that that’s when he couldn’t stand to feel anymore, shut off his emotions – or his humanity more like, and it’s his humanity that made him Steve. That’s when they were able to take over and mold him into the fist they wanted in Captain Hydra.”

Hurt, anger, the horror of his own past life as the Winter Soldier, it’s surging through his veins, but you continue.

“So that night in Wakanda? That was Captain Hydra at his height of cruelty. I haven’t seen that iteration of him since that night. It’s been slow, but he’s different now. He’s not our Steve, but he’s not Captain Hydra.”

It’s a few moments before he registers that you’re done – at least with that piece of sharing.

He cups your jaw and looks into your eyes. “Do you trust him?”

He sees you clearly put thought into your words before answering, worrying your bottom lip. “The heat he and I shared was intense in every way. It changed things fundamentally between us, but since the heat our connection has still been very tenuous. We’ve both been very guarded with each other. I know he’ll keep me safe, but I’m still wary of him.”

He nods.

“Where is he right now?”

A wry laugh tumbles out of your chest. “I don’t even know where we are right now, Bucky. I know we got off a train in Bordeaux, but then he moved us here while I was in one of my heavy end of heat sleeps. From the food, books, and supplies he’s brought for us, I know we’re in France, but that’s it. There’s not a lick of technology kept in here while I’m alone. We don’t even a radio.”

Bucky grunts at this news. He doesn’t like this, but other than being kept here cut off from the rest of the world and having claimed you and separated you in the first place, it seems you’ve been appropriately cared for.

“Wait, no radio?” He growls. Bucky had looked away to consider the new information, but his eyes snap to you again. “Have you had any music?”

“No,” you groan, and he can feel the pained irritation.

“That won’t do.” 

He quickly rolls off the bed to a small whine of protest from you, but it was so rare that he’d ever been in a space with you and there hadn’t been music playing – loud for you to sing, or low in the background keeping you company – and this is something he can fix easily.

He fishes the small communications device he had put together out of the pocket of his discarded pants, then comes back to sit on the foot of the bed and begins typing away. You’re quick to crawl up behind him, and you wrap your arms around his chest and settle your chin on his shoulder while he works. You don’t see the smile that breaks across his face as he feels your excited impatience radiate off you, having figured out what he’s doing. It’s so palpable he wouldn’t have needed your emotional bond as alpha and omega to sense it.

Once he’s modified his device to play music, it doesn’t take him much longer to hack into your music account. He pulls up the list of your most-played songs, picks one that he thinks will be perfect for this moment, and hits play.

You croon with joy and then fall back on the bed, arms spread out in pure rapture. He beams and then crawls up next to you, handing you the device. You hold it close to your chest with one hand and pull him in for a kiss with the other.

You break off the kiss so you can sing along to the chorus, and he laughs. He knows exactly the last time he felt this happy: the last day by the river with you in Wakanda. When the chorus is over, you actually kick your feet in delight, grinning at him. You kiss his nose, scoot your body as close to him as possible, then settle back into the mattress and pull his arm to rest over your stomach.

The two of you talk, sing, and continue to hold each other for a while. A string of two or three softer songs play, and you and up drifting into sleep, late afternoon sun pouring over both of you, its warmth too much for you to ignore after the physically and emotionally exhausting afternoon. He watches the rise and fall of your chest, his hand over your heart, no thought for time. He doesn’t want to move, doesn’t want to take his eyes off you. How did he survive without you for all those weeks?

A flare of light across the room pulls his focus though. It’s a repetitive flashing coming through the window to the wall.

Morse code. His blissful mood evaporates.

C-O-M-E  O-U-T-S-I-D-E

The other alpha is out there, summoning him.

He identifies which window the light is being directed into, then pads over, and releases the drape to cover the window, pulls it back, covers it again, and then secures it back in its open state. The other alpha will know he’s received the message.

Bucky has referred to him as the other alpha for so long now, but he’s ultimately about to discover who this man is. You say he’s no longer The Captain Hydra that he was, but not yet his Steve either.

He doesn’t hurry getting dressed. The other alpha isn’t going anywhere. He’s waited this long. He can continue to wait.

Bucky takes a long look at you from across the room before he leaves.

He’s relatively sure he will come back to you. There’s only one outcome that will keep him away, and now that he knows the potential danger, he won’t let this man ambush him ever again.

Bucky stalks as carefully to the tree line where the signal had come from as he had when he’d first approached the little house. He can smell the other alpha on the breeze that rustles through the trees. He tracks him in a kilometer or so – not in the direction Bucky had left his vehicle, but that works fine for him because if he needs to cut and run, he’ll be able to get to you in the house and then continue on to get to the getaway without having to double back and without the other alpha being able to cut off the route.

Bucky will think through every possible scenario as each moment of this unfolds.

His brain got him here.

His brain can get him out.

He will keep you safe.

The scent he’s known nearly his whole life grows stronger, and when he reaches a small pocket of the forest devoid of trees – not quite large enough to be called a clearing – instead of slipping silently out of the shadows, the other alpha steps out unabashedly to meet him.

“What took you so long, Buck?” he has the gall to ask, his voice barely covering notes of anger.

Bucky roars and hurls himself at the man standing before him, taking him to the ground easily, and they scramble against each other. They’re so closely matched in skill, prowess, and power, and the energy they’re both exuding is raw, primal, and angry. Bucky is incredulous that the other man is angry with him.

His own rage lands him a punch. He takes a blow to the ribs, and the other alpha gets a hand on the collar of his shirt, resulting in a tear, but it allows Bucky to grab his wrist, twist him around harshly, and pin the arm behind his back as he decisively thumps him into the ground, pinning him there.

The man beneath him only makes two attempts to struggle and shift out from under his hold, but then he sighs and sags into the tall grass they’ve been tussling in.

Is he feinting?

Bucky honestly doesn’t know.

“Who am I talking to?” he asks – the same line of inquiry Steve used on him in an abandoned warehouse outside of Berlin.

He knows it, letting out a guffaw beneath him. “I’m not him anymore.”

“Not who?”

“I’m no longer their Captain Hydra,” he pauses before adding, “but I’m not the kid from Brooklyn either.”

Bucky knows they’re not going to stay like this forever, and he needs to see this man’s face and look into his eyes if he’s going to be able to sort out any of this, so as swiftly as he can, he releases the alpha, pushes himself up, and takes a wary stance a few meters away.

Steve remains on the ground, but rolls over and sits up, planting his feet on the ground, and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. It’s almost a casual.

Bucky will have the advantage of already being up on his feet if the man before him tries anything.

Bucky needs to know how to read whoever this is, so he decides to go with a different line of questioning – things that are more cut and dry.

“When you left the base in Geneva, there were two Hydra security with you. You stopped over a bridge two hours into your journey, and they weren’t with you when you switched vehicles in Albstadt. Who were they, and why the elaborate ruse only to drop them in a river so quickly?”

Rather than being surprised, it seemed he was satisfied that Bucky knew this much about what had played out. “Alright, we can start there. Leaving under the initial guise of a mission on security footage was supposed to be helpful when they started looking for me.”

“And why move the records of their transfer files to other facilities with two others?”

“I’m glad you picked up on that, too. Buying more time for some missing personnel before it was suspect and they figured out they really didn’t know where they were.”

“And why them?”

“Arbitrary.”

“Bullshit. You’ve gone on solo missions as Captain Hydra and you didn’t buy enough extra time by leaving with a two-man team to make it worth the set up only to drop them in the river without a reason.”

Steve’s brows knit together, and he chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment before answering. “One was arbitrary. He just happened to be the roommate of my target. The one I was after? He was part of the extraction team who took our omega out of Turin. Specifically, he’s the one who handled her so roughly she had bruises from his casual brute strength. I watched the footage to figure out who hurt her.”

Bucky cocked his head and studied the man before him.

“I had only been an alpha to her for a month and I was willing to kill someone who harmed her. What are you going to do to me, Buck?”

Bucky turned and paced way, running his hands through his hair. He didn’t want to show this much unrest in front of the other alpha, but he was thinking and feeling so much, trying to read and decipher too many pieces.

He lets out a long exhale and just speaks the truth. He can’t try and take any other angle. “I haven’t decided yet.”

Before all of this, if there had ever been a situation in which Bucky would have needed to trust someone else to keep you safe, Steve would have been his immediate answer.

Steve waits silently.

There are so many questions he wants answers to, and so he starts asking them. The answers don’t shock him, and he can see that even when Steve doesn’t tell him the full truth, it’s a cautious guarding of information, but he detects no lies in any of it. That Steve has some guards up also seems tenuous, possibly temporary, like if he can only ask the right question, the tide will turn.

But it couldn’t be that simple with Steve, could it?

And when did he start to think of him as Steve again?

Bucky deals out one of the questions he’s had the longest, since the very beginning of this. “What you said that night in Wakanda – you did all of this to draw me out. Why?”

Steve lets it hang in the air for a moment, but Bucky can see this is a crux for this conversation with him, too.

“I can’t explain everything that went into that plan – I don’t know if the machine of Captain Hydra was fully in control or if part of the old me was trying to grasp at you as a lifeline, but as the weeks wore on, the strategist in me knew he needed either the Soldat to join him or his best friend to save him.”

Those words sink into Bucky, and he can understand that explanation as no one else in this world can.

“What took you so long?” Steve asks again, but this time it’s tinged only with angst, not anger.

The accusation in it unsettles Bucky.

He’s still not sure how to address the question, but he starts with, “The Soldat is gone. The Winter Soldier? Not who I needed to be to get here either.”

Steve pushes up from the ground but maintains the distance Bucky put between them. “Who are you now then?”

Bucky narrows his eyes. “Depends on who’s standing in front of me.”

Steve looks off into the trees for a moment – in the direction of the cottage.

Bucky’s instincts have failed him less than a handful of times.

They’re telling him now that’s where to start, even though he’s not sure exactly where it will end. “I’ve seen a lot of versions of you – my childhood best friend, the punk who couldn’t stay out of trouble, the stars and stripes symbol, Captain America, the target who wouldn’t let me assassinate him and then refused to finish me off in the hellicarrier, the Cap who went against the Accords, Nomad in exile – but always Steve. You’ll never be who you were before – I never was. Doesn’t mean you’re irredeemable.”

Steve scoffs. “It’s not that easy.”

Bucky gives a wry laugh and shakes his head. “I more than know that. But you’re shades of all those men right now in front of me. She sees it, too.”

“God, she…” Steve shakes his head, puts one hand on his hip, and scrubs over his face with the other.

“If you can be you, if you can be Steve, she will have you.” He’s not sure where the words came from, but he himself believes them as he says them.

“I don’t know if I can be.”

“Do you want to be?”

Steve doesn’t answer immediately. Bucky can see him sincerely work over the question in his mind. It’s a simple inquiry, but one that will define everything, and Bucky knows he will be completely behind whatever answer he gives because that is the core of who this man is and always has been – fully committed to his convictions.

When Steve says, “Yes,” Bucky can hear the heaviness in his voice. Bucky nods.

“What about you?” Steve asks.

Bucky shifts his weight from one foot to the other as he digs back into himself and where his head, his heart, and his gut now sit with all of this. But the answer is clear enough. “Till the end of the line,” he answers.

“Even after I–“

“Stop,” Bucky cuts him off. “I’ve had little more to think about over the last six weeks than us – all of us. And it felt like my heart started beating again when I found her, but you… Before this I never fully understood why you fought so hard to get through to me when I was trying to kill you in DC all those years ago, why you searched for me for years, why you were a goddamn pain in the ass who wouldn’t abandon me in Berlin and believed in me without question, but now I get it. We are in each other’s bones.”

He doesn’t move, but Bucky sees the look change in Steve’s eyes, and he can practically feel the air alter between them. They’ve always had an acute awareness of each other, and Bucky can feel the tentative return of it, like déjà vu even though he’s still figuring out who this Steve is or who he will be.

“When did you start giving Captain America speeches?” Steve finally asks.

Bucky shrugs. “One of us had to do it.”

“What now then?”

Bucky has sketched out many scenarios for how things play out from here, but every stage of this, every new revelation shifts the direction they’re heading. Even in the last two minutes things have significantly shifted again.

Bucky licks his lips and stares at Steve for another beat before he decides to head down a path he hopes is the right one. “You’re always a man with a plan, so you tell me. Tell me where this started, when it changed, where you think it ends. I figured out a lot, I have theories, and I still have questions.”

“We went to Italy to investigate a lead that came up on our radar. We thought it was an innocuous enough whisper about a couple of Hydra scientists. And don’t,“ Steve pauses to pointedly look at him because Bucky was already opening his mouth to argue. “I already know you’re going to say we should have involved you, I thought of it every day they were holding us captive. I thought it the second I heard their boots. It was a week after you left for Wakanda, and Sam–“

He pauses again, and his shoulders fall just a fraction.

“Sam and I weren’t gonna bother you.”

“She told me about Sam,” Bucky says.

Steve closes his eyes for a moment, pressing his lips together. “I told her enough about what happened, but I didn’t tell her everything.” He opens his eyes and meets Bucky’s again. His face is truly haunted, and Bucky nods, his own chest tight. He knows more than enough about that. He had still had to face the demons of his past, but when he was ready, and he had fought to find his way to do that. Steve would find a way, but it would take time, and not likely be the same journey.

“After they killed Sam, they got a raw version of me, shut down, and they went to work conditioning me, shaping me into Captain Hydra. I was too lost to fight anything. I couldn’t save him. I failed us. I didn’t want to be me. It was easy too easy for them to get the version of me they wanted when I was like that.”

There’s a full shift in how Steve lays everything out – and as he shares, Bucky knows it’s still not everything, but he can feel that it’s everything Steve can bear to tell him.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

Steve tilts his head and looks off into the forest. “It was and it wasn’t. It will always haunt me.”

“It will, but less and less.”

Bucky walks to the edge of the small clearing and sits on a fallen log. Steve follows him.

“When I was trying to find you after DC and taking down S.H.I.E.L.D. I read everything they had on record about you, how they conditioned you. They used some but not all the same methods on me.”

“I couldn’t find anything on you, and I found more than enough other hidden monstrosities in their networks these past weeks.”

“I think they got smarter after we were hunting them after exposing them – they couldn’t keep everything off the databases, but they have projects now that they keep paper-only, small teams. There was the team that captured us, but after they put us in a holding cell, we were transferred. From that point through the torture, the breaking point, and the conditioning I only saw four faces – three scientists and one officer who became my liaison. When they sent or let me out into the field, I never went with a team of more than four of their men, always the same four. Two of them I ended at that bridge.”

Bucky nods.

Already his mind is calculating – this means they could potentially contain and eliminate all of the people who knew any specifics about Captain Hydra.

“One of the scientists was killed when you stormed the facility in Turin.”

Bucky raises his brows. Even better.

Steve goes on to tell him about how he was sent on a few missions to test his loyalty before he was given the task to bring back the Soldat.

“I didn’t have a chair, and they were very adamant that my point person was my liaison and not a handler, they gave me a fair amount of autonomy. They didn’t want me to drag you in. They wanted you to join me. I think they felt like an asset who had to be controlled could break free as they saw with you the first time around, and this time they wanted operatives who weren’t giving controlled compliance, but allegiance instead.”

Bucky grunted. “A tether rather than a leash.”

“Yeah.”

“But you knew who I was tethered to.”

Steve’s head drops. “Yeah.”

“And you knew I’d be the most vulnerable and off my guard in Wakanda.”

“I did.”

Bucky lets him sit with that discomfort.

Bucky has replayed that night in his mind so many times.

“But your plan changed that night. I didn’t register it in the moment, but everything about you changed the moment you bit into her neck to claim her.”

Steve doesn’t deny it.

“Before you sunk your teeth into her, you were taunting me, dangling her like something to be smashed and discarded, you didn’t even know if it would work, and I think part of you thought it might even kill her.”

Bucky sees Steve’s jaw tick.

“You were in no way prepared for how a bond would change you fundamentally as an alpha.”

“Obviously it didn’t flip a switch immediately, but yes, it altered what I intended to do,” Steve admits.

He goes on to explain some of the things that happened in Turin – missions he went on, how things had developed with you, the clothes, and the books.

“The books were for her?” Bucky breathes. “I saw security footage of you in the bookshop.”

“I wasn’t worried about exposing myself because you were already taking longer than I wanted you to take, but when you didn’t access any of the Avenger networks, bases, or safehouses, I expected you were underground and untraceably hunting for us.”

“What else did you expect?”

“I wanted you to get foolish in your desperation and tip your hand.”

“Not with her on the line.”

“No.” Steve narrows his eyes. “You never left Turin once you showed up on our radar, did you?”

Bucky scoffs. “Course I didn’t.”

Steve nods. “A ploy to see all the defenses of the base.”

“But you left dangerously close to her heat,” Bucky shoots, the disapproving accusation blatant in his tone.

“And that’s when you made your unsuccessful move to get her back. If you’d killed everyone you’d encountered from the beginning, you probably would have made it to her in time.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“No, I know you do.” Steve sighs. “You know, back in 1945, I thought you were dead when you fell off that train.”

Bucky doesn’t interrupt. He knew Steve knew he knew this. They’d touched on it before. But clearly there was more and a reason for Steve to bring it up again now.

“The thing is, when they found you, I know Zola did what he did to you because of me, your tie to me. When they took me and Sam, they tortured him and killed him because of me, again. You were both people I cared about, and you were hurt for it. I was not going to let it happen to her. The sense of responsibility I felt for her had already been growing and evolving, but when I felt that surge of adrenaline and fear through the bond when you attacked the base and they moved her? It had been a slow melting of ice, what was developing there, but that shattered the ice. When I found out they had moved her, I kept my personal weakness guarded, and I knew I would do everything I could to get her out of their web and keep her safe.”

At this admission, Bucky is quiet. So is Steve. Bucky knows Steve is letting him think. There’s so much to consider there – the guilt Steve has still carried for him for years, the fresh hell of Sam, and the fervent determination to keep you from being another victim by association.

He could think over this for much longer, but there are more pieces he still needs context for, so next Bucky asks, “Why did you leave the Geneva facility during her heat?”

“Best cover for time – alphas are given room to take care of their needs during rut or care for omegas if they’re bonded during their omega’s heat.”

It verifies what Bucky had theorized himself.

“But it’s been eight days since you came here.”

“Yeah,” Steve nods.

“And you’ve just…been here.”

“Yeah.”

This is the piece Bucky has been suspicious of now.

“Explain.”

“When I took her to Turin, yes, it was a trap to lure you. When I brought her here, it was to wait for you to find us. I couldn’t find you when you went underground before, and I couldn’t find you this time, and if I tried too hard, I didn’t want to risk Hydra finding us, but I knew if we stayd in one place and I focused on keeping us hidden from Hydra, you could find us.”

Bucky furrows his brow, frowning.

“Simple as that?”

“Simple as that,” Steve confirms.

Bucky studies him for another quiet few seconds, then says, “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

“So, what now?”

“Her,” Bucky replies simply. “We’ve still got a lot of shit to figure out, but we’ve got to do it with her.”

↠ Masterlist | Aspen's Ask Box | Field Guide to the Forest

Still with me? This was a lot. I hope I've answered some of your questions, and there are some more that have been brought up, but... we're here. We're this far.

This is the single longest story/chapter I've ever published. You can see where I've left off, and there's clearly more story, but Bucky reuniting with his omega and with Steve were the primary objectives, and both of those elements I didn't want to cheat or shorten as they began to unfold. I hope they've truly done justice to these characters and relationships, and we'll see how they can possibly move forward together in the conclusion. These three still have big things ahead.

read more from the Dark Forest Fest

[demonsandmischief]

Something Special

Marvel - Bucky Barnes Imagine

Bucky Barnes x Female Reader,

Soulmate AU

1.6k Words

You can meet your soulmate in your dreams but you can't speak to them and you lose most memory when you wake up, but for some reason your soul mate has never met you there. You're certain they don't exist, until one day.

A/N: I imagine this taking place during TFATWS :).

----

"What do you mean you've never met your soulmate in your dreams?" Sam Wilson asked his friend Bucky.

"I have nightmares, Sam. That is no place for them to be," Buck argued, taking a rag to wipe the blood off of his vibranium arm.

"But they probably think you're dead."

"It's just better off that way," the stoic man finished, his steely eyes meeting Sam's.

"I don't think you're willing to admit that you are scared to try," Sam said, his voice dropping to a softer tone as he leaned forward.

Bucky sighed. "Of course I'm scared. I am not what anybody wants for a lifelong partner," he whispered, dragging his flesh hand down his face.

"Bucky, that's not your choice to make." He stood up, walking away to let him think it over.

Bucky had heard stories of how people meet their soulmate in dreamland. It was a common occurance, but when he had first tried during World War II, he never got a response. There was no way he could even have one now. He was 106 years old after all.

Yet, when he went to bed that night, he decided to push his thoughts aside and focus on calling for you.

You had been waiting for your soulmate to meet you, but it had been years and never once did you hear anything back. You just figured you didn't have one.

Until that night as you were drifting to sleep, it was like a tingling sensation that drew you in. Your eyes were closed, yet it was like following a rope deeper into the darkness of your head.

At the end, was a man. He was tall and stern, and even though you were dreaming, you could feel his presence.

His facial expression remained masked when he saw you, but even you could see his dark eyes widen slightly. You couldn't believe it, after all this time. You searched his body for any distinguishable features, but only found a blurring image. It was going too fast and you were already waking up.

Bucky couldn't believe he saw you on his first try. Plus, seeing you meant no nightmares. Instead, he had a new longing to look for you, and when he woke the following morning he scrambled to write something down before he lost it.

"Shit," he groaned miserably, only managing to write down brown eyes. Most of the population has brown eyes.

"Someone's in a mood," Sam grinned when he caught sight of Bucky's deep frown, deeper than usual that is. He took another bite of toast. "We've got to move on this next lead. Be ready in five."

"Seriously, what's up with you?" Sam asked genuinely when they both were on the plane ready for their next destination.

"I took your advice-"

"Wait, wait. You took my advice?" Sam smiled widely.

"Yeah I took your advice," Bucky said sharply. "And I saw my soulmate, but I can't remember anything about her."

"You know that's just part of the gimmick. You'll figure out a way, Buck," he said sincerely, standing up.

Bucky couldn't be sure. If he dragged this out for too long, there was a possibility that you would find out who he was and never want to meet him. He wouldn't blame you for that.

---

You felt like you were floating in clouds the whole day. For your entire life, you had seen people meet their person, and as you got older, you realized that the chances of you not having that were becoming greater than actually meeting them.

You didn't know what had changed, but you spent the entire day trying to come up with a plan to finally meet the handsome man you saw in your dreams.

You couldn't remember much. You tried to write or sketch him when you woke up, but all you got was blue eyes.

You wondered if you appeared to him in the same clothes you slept in, and if so, maybe you could fold a note in your pocket. You weren't sure you would even be able to remember it was there. Either way, it was worth a try.

The following night you were so excited you were certain you weren't going to be able to sleep, but you managed, and sure enough there was your broody man.

He gave a wave. His lips twitched up slightly, brightening all of his sharp features.

You reached into the pocket of your sweatshirt. You didn't know why, but you had the longing to do so, and you pulled out a small sheet of paper.

You stepped closer to the man, and placed the paper in his palm.

Y/N, Y/L/N, Your Address

Bucky didn't know how he managed to remember all of that once he woke up. He stared down at the scribbled piece of paper in wonder. Could it really be?

You were probably better off without him. He had not been a good man for most of his life, and you deserved more than him.

That's how Sam found him, sitting on the floor lost in thought, the paper scrunched in his fist.

Bucky relaxed his hand so his friend could see the writing. Sam blew out air, and sat down in front of him.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked as gently as possible.

"She deserves so much better than me."

"You can't decide that for her, Buck. You've kept her waiting long enough." Sam stood up, but spoke once more. "I'll get the plane ready if you change your mind. I think we both deserve a detour."

----

You were on pins and needles the whole day. You truly wondered if your man got the message or not. You could just vaguely remember holding his hand, which means you must have given the paper, but you couldn't be sure. You were just willing someone to knock on your door.

Yet, as the day passed you grew less and less confident. If he remembered the note, surely he would have tracked you down by now. Unless he didn't actually want to track you down. Your thoughts were a swirling mess.

You didn't have any dreams that night. You woke up in cold sweat, a sinking feeling forming in your stomach. You felt nauseous. Was it you who ruined everything? Maybe he knew who you were already and decided to pass.

You weren't sure you had the energy to get up and go to work, but you forced yourself to start moving. Your thoughts were only going to get worse.

----

The two men were quite far from the states and Bucky couldn't stop thinking as they made the long trek. For once, these thoughts were not dark flashbacks, they were a bit hopeful. What if she accepted him?

He felt bad that he couldn't sleep. He desperately wanted to see the girl of his dreams, but it just wasn't going to happen. Even Sam kept unusually quiet.

When they finally landed, it was evening, and the pair parted ways. Bucky would finish the journey alone and he was a nervous wreck, even though all of his emotions remained masked.

When he arrived at the address, he took a deep breath and knocked on the door... except there was no answer. He considered his options. He could have messed up the address, or maybe you gave him a fake one. What was he supposed to do now?

He was so lost in thought, he didn't even notice you pulling in.

Your heart fluttered in your chest as you saw the handsome man standing on your doorstep. All of the dreams you had forgotten came rushing forward.

"Hi," you greeted timidly. He was huge up close, definitely taller than you. He wore mostly black, leather gloves on his hands. His features were sharp and familiar from the dream.

He flashed a nervous smile that only lasted a second before his face went blank once more, "I was worried I had the wrong place."

"Yeah, sorry, I was at work," you said, shuffling a bit as the silence consumed you. You had dreamt of this moment, literally, yet you didn't know what to say.

"I'm Bucky," he said, his tone much softer as he looked at you, soaking you in.

"It's great to finally meet you. I'm Y/N, but you know that," you blushed. "Do you want to come in? I can make dinner or we can order something?"

"Okay," he nodded, following you inside. You realized he was very stern and very observant. Combined with your quiet and shy personality, you were quite a match.

"Do you want something to drink?" you asked from the kitchen, pulling ingredients to throw something together for you both to eat.

"No, but thanks." Bucky sat on the stool by the island unsure of what to say or do, but he enjoyed watching you. There was something very positive about you and your home. It felt good.

"Can I ask about the gloves?" you ask curiously, throwing some chicken in a hot pan.

It seemed like you didn't know who he was. He slowly pulled off his gloves, revealing his metal hand.

"Woah, cool," you said, moving closer. "Can I touch it?"

Bucky furrowed his brows, "I guess."

You couldn't help yourself. It was so smooth and shiny, and you giggled happily.

"I guess you can't feel it," you said, reaching for his flesh hand and tracing just like you were on the metal.

He couldn't have been happier to have the stupid arm at that moment. He loved hearing your laugh, and feeling your fingertips gave him goosebumps. His shadowed mind seemed almost calm in your presence, and he knew just from being around for a short time that you were going to be his addiction.

You dropped his hand, meeting his beautiful blue eyes. Your lips quirked automatically, and you were relieved to know the tension was finally broken.

----

A/N: aw yay I love this. Here's part 2 :))

[fckwritersblock]

Greatest Good

Sam Wilson x Black Reader

Description: all you wanted was one day night, but as usual, avenging seems to get in the way. Sam tries to make it up to you before he goes.

Takes place in tfatws. Canon but not lol

Warning: SMUT. Slight breeding kink

not edited or beta’d. If you know what a piece of this was inspired by, drop a comment and let me know 😂

You had been practically begging for a date night. Between all the adulting you two have been doing, there hadn’t been much room left for Romance, let alone a date. So, you two picked a date. And tonight was the night. You checked into your hotel room just a few hours ago, neither one of you have been happier. Doing an extremely amount of grinning and giggling and sharing kisses as you prepare to get ready for your evening together. The two of you felt like love struck teenagers all over again.

You were currently in the shower, Sam had previously taken one and was getting ready himself.

The television was just supposed to be background noise as the two of you got ready for your evening together. Sam couldn’t help but smile to himself as he began buttoning up his shirt, fantasizing about how good you’d look look in the dress he saw hanging in the closet and how he couldn’t wait to peel it off of your beautiful brown skin later.

However fate had something different in mind as he did a double take towards the TV and saw nothing but chaos. He quickly grabbed a remote turning it up so he could hear exactly what was being reported.

He had heard of them before, they were actually on their radar as a potential threat, and this was apparently them confirming that they were. The flag smashers. A group of individuals who are not happy about the way things have been since everyone returned from the blip. Sam sighed becoming annoyed. He was thinking about the many different battles he was getting ready to have the face. The first one being with you. Without a word to you, you were happily singing in the shower, he slipped out your hotel room quietly and went downstairs to the car. He popped the trunk looking for his duffel bag that had his falcon suit only to find it missing. With a frown he headed right back upstairs wondering if he brought it inside by mistake. Soon as he made it back to the room he searched but found nothing. He looked at the TV once more with a new headline, there was a third explosion,.

What the hell? He thought it only been downstairs for five minutes.

“Honey?!” He called to you through the bathroom door.

“ What?”

“Where’s my supersuit!?”

“What!? You were having trouble hearing him through the running shower water.

“WHERE! IS! MY! SUPER! SUIT??!!!???” He yelled making sure you heard him.

“Whyyyyyyy do you need to know?!”

“I NEED IT!!!”

“Uh-uh! Don’t you think about running off doing no derrin’-do! We’ve been planning this dinner for two months!”

“The public is in danger!!”

“My evening’s in danger!!” You countered exasperately.

“YOU TELL ME WHERE MY SUIT IS, WOMAN!! WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GREATER GOOD!!!!”

You came out the bathroom, soak and wet with a towel wrapped around you pulling the shower cap off your head before pointing at Sam with a glare.

“Greater good?! I am your wife! I’m the greatest good you are ever gonna get!!”

As soon as the words left your lips the news anchor began to report yet another explosion caused by the Flag Smashers.

“Baby,” Sam gave you a pleading look. You stared at him long and hard not saying a word. Finally-

“Your stupid suit is on the boat.” You spoke bitterly. “One, night Sam. I just wanted one night.”

“Y/n.” He sighed.

“Just go Sam.” He could hear the crack in your voice and you brushed past him.

He watched you quickly walked to back into the suite bathroom and slammed the door, the ringing of his iPhone followed suit. He sighed before placing the device to his ear.

“How long?”

“We debrief in 6 hours,” Torres informed him on the other end.

“10-4,” he replied before hanging up.

Running his hand down his face he slid his phone across the table.

The two of you really had been planning the dinner for two months. You booked a room, while he made reservations at Maggiano’s. A 5 star Italian restaurant you had been dying to go to. And Sam wanted this. He wanted so much to just spend some quality time with you. No interruptions from work, neighbors, the boys who absolutely adored you, or anyone else for that. Just the two of you.

But what was he to do?

These Flag smashers had been out for blood, determined to prove a point. What point? They weren’t sure. Not to mention, he had given up Caps shield and now, seeing as it had fallen into the wrong hands, he needed to get it back. He walked to the suites bathroom door and knocked.

“Y/n,”

“Fuck off, Samuel.”

“C’mon, baby, open up.” He pleaded softly on the other side.

“Go away.” He heard you sniff.

“I can’t, shit, you know I can’t leave like this.”

You swung open the door pushing past him.

“Bae-“ hr followed behind you like a puppy.

“Talk to me, honey-“ you whipped around clutching the towel with one hand, throwing up the other in exasperation.

“Well what do you want me to say? That I want you to go out and save the world?! Because I’m not going to lie to you.”

“Y/n-“

“5 years Sam.” Your voice cracked. “5 fucking years.”

“Baby…” he moved in on you, the guilt, though misplaced began to seep in.

“You have no idea, Sam. You couldn’t possibly know how it feels,” you hiccuped trying to steady your voice. “to watch the person you’re in love with walk out that door and wonder if there gonna come back.”

You were Sam’s person. The one he left behind when the blip happened. A day that, would no doubt haunt you forever.

You remembered somehow knowing the exact moment he left this earth. How hallow you felt inside. Every atom in your body seemingly knowing something was missing. You remember Steve returning without the man you’ve loved since you were 16. You remembered feeling as if you had nothing to live for anymore. Feeling defeated. Feeling cold.

Thankfully, your sister in law allowed you to move into Sam’s old room. It was a blessing in disguise really. Something you both needed but didn’t know you needed. Being able to be with family, witnessing AJ and Cass grow up. It was good for you. But nothing could fill the hole in your heart that was missing because he was. Nothing could fill that void. But he was back. And now that you had him back, The thought of you ever being apart like that again killed you. That feeling was one Sam could never understand.

You weren’t trying to make him feel guilty for something he had no control over.

“It’s just that every time you walk out of the door I’m terrified.” Your lip trembled and finally your resolve broke. You covered your mouth and tried to silence your cries. Sam pulled you into his arms immediately.

“Shhh, hey, no, hey, come here.” He held the back of your head as it rested on his shoulder.

You gripped his dress shirt tightly, holding onto him, reminding yourself that he was with you.

“What did I tell you about that crying huh..”

If there was one thing in the world Sam hated it, it was being the one to make you cry. Him being protective of someone else hurting you was one thing, but you being hurt in any kind of capacity because of him? He couldn’t take it.

“I’m sorry pretty girl. I’m so fucking sorry.” He mumbled.

Gently he moved his hands down to your thighs, picking you up sights and placing you on the arm of the couch. Your legs partly slightly and he moved in between them. He kissed your shoulder having moved l his hands back around rubbing you back. Physically touch was apart of your love language and you loved the feeling of Sam’s big hands on you. The way he touched you always made you feel loved. Wanted. Intentional.

When he stopped you pulled back and frowned. Gently taking you chin in his hand, he kissed your pouty lips softy.

“I’ll always come back you sweetheart. Because this, having you in my arms like this.”

Kiss.

“Feeling your lips against mine.”

Kiss.

“It’s one of the many things I live for you understand.” He caressed you cheek with his thumb, your tear stained face being held one more. Even in your state, Sam still thought you were the most beautiful woman in the world.

“Don’t I come back to you?” He asked leveling his eyes with you.

“Sam,” you tried to resist.

“Don’t I?”

“Yes but, Ah, shit Sam.”

You hadn’t even noticed the way his hand slipped between your legs. He smirked to himself, you dripping slick already covering his fingertips as he pushed two digits into you.

“This. Seeing you coming undone before me. This view is absolutely unmatched.”

He peppered kisses on the side of your neck. Nipping and sucking as he played with your pussy. Feeling your walls contract around his finger.

“Getting to love you the way that I do. It’s a privilege love. You’re my soulmate. My other half. My purpose.You feel me?”

“Mmhmm.” You nodded peering at him through hooded lust filled eyes.

“Nah you don’t.” He pulled his finger from you only to quickly replace it with his dick before you could protest.”I said. Do you feel me?.”

“Yes!” You almost came right there.

HIs pulsating member filled you up to the hilt , both exhaling satisfied by the simple action. Sam thrust into you were so painstakingly slow your toes curled everytime he pulled out only to push back into you with ease.

“Feeling you wrapped around me like this is one of my favorite feeling in world, baby.”

“Sam,” you mewled wanting more of him. Needing him closer.

Holding onto his shoulders you begin rolling your Hips meeting his thrust, bringing the both of you closer to the state of euphoria they were so desperately trying to reach.

“My name coming of that pretty little mouth of yours. Shits never sounded so fucking good.”

“Sam, please.” The coils in your lower stomach only wound tighter, your body begging for a release.

“Tell me what you need baby.”

“Faster.”

Smirking he loved the seriousness in her face be for obliging picking up the pace. He watched her eyes roll back him straining to keep his own from doing the same.

"Oh my gawd," you could feel your walls tightening around him as he gave you what you wanted.

“Oh fuck. Right there?!" Sam groaned in your ear, your arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders.

"Yes!" You panted fervently.

Sam slowed down shushing you.

"Shhh, you gotta be quiet baby," He spoke in your ear.

He was sure most people knew who he was and what floor he was on. Some probably knew the room. Hell he was an Avenger after all. Not to mention the one who was supposed to be Captain America. And the last thing he wanted was for there to be reports on the noise complaints of him fucking his wife into oblivion. However, soon as his pace picked up again, so did the love of your moans. His stroke never stopped even as he covered your mouth with his left hand trying his best to suppress the sound of you moaning.

"Fuck it," he groaned into your neck.

As he drilled into mercilessly, all you could do was hold your mouth open while your body released one of the biggest orgasm you had to date. Shaking you bit into his shoulder trying to stop the waves from hitting. It was too much and he fucked you all the way through it.

"You good?" Sam asked after a moment, he movement stopped but still buried deep inside you. You nodded calming down a bit.

“But you didn’t finish-“ he cut you off as you continued to shiver, coming down from that wave of euphoria.

“I will, when I come back. And when I come back,” he looked down, marveling at your pretty pussy, still filled with his cock. Sam ran his finger rubbing you clit soothingly, eliciting a moan from your lips. “I’m gonna put a baby in you. I’m gonna fill you up sweetheart and I’m not gonna stop til that pussy is overflowing with my seed.”

He watched as you eyes pooled with lust, your legs wrapping around him locking him in place.

“Or,” you drawled out, leaning up to capture his lips with yours. You let your tongue lick his top lip before capturing the bottom between you teeth. It drove Sam crazy when you’d nibble on his lip.

“Fuck,” he groaned as you rolled your hips into him.

“We can practice for when you get back now” you moaned. “You have 10 minutes to spare right?”

“Yeah,” he pushed into this time meeting the following of your hips.

“I love you,”

“And I love you too, daddy.”

[graciegoeskrazy]

Irreplaceable

Pairing(s): Bucky Barnes x Teen!Daughter!Reader

Word count: 726

Warnings: dead mom, bad grammar

A/N: Idk how a feel about the ending so don't be surprised if I edit the whole entire thing. Also, did you know TFATWS takes place only 7 MONTHS AFTER ENDGAME?!?! that cant be right. anyways, I saw The Adam Project awhile ago so this is inspired by the scene where Adam’s mother is about to go on a date only after a year since his dad died. I hope you enjoy! PLEASE DO NOT REPOST!

Divider: @firefly-graphics​

Your dad didn’t notice you walking into the kitchen. “Good morning.” You said, finally grabbing his attention. “Hey sweetie. How’d you sleep?”

“Fine, I guess. When did you get back?”

“Uh, not until 11-ish. What do you want for Breakfast?”

“Uh, cereal?”

“Coming right up.”

“Thanks.”

You could tell he was acting differently. He was nervous, but tried to play it cool, but it just made him seem more nervous. He tried not to admit it, but he went on a date last night. It doesn’t seem like it should be a big deal, but it was his first time since your mother had died. It had barely been a year and a half since she passed and your dad was already on his way to find someone new.

“Don’t answer the door, call me if you need anything, no…housepartys or anything.” Your dad said while walking around the apartment locking everything up to make sure you were safe. “I’ll try not to.” You said. Your dad looked at you and smiled at your joke while pulling you into one last hug. “Where are you going anyway?” You asked. “Izzy.” Your dad said continuing to pace around, making sure everything was safe for you. “With Yori? What's he doing up at 9:00 at night?”

“No, with uh….the girl from the bar?”

Oh shit. “You’re going on a date?!” He quickly turned around to object. “No. No. No. Not a date just as friends, y/n.” You raised your eyebrow and he realized what was happening. “Oh shit, I'm going on a date.” You scoffed and went to turn on the TV to begin your quiet night of having the place to yourself. “Doll, I'm so sorry. Let's talk about this.”

“Dad, it’s fine. It's not a big deal. Go have fun.”

“It is a big deal.”

“It's one date dad.”

He looked at you, took a breath, and smiled. “Gosh you're so wonderful.” He laid a kiss to your head and started to head out. “This conversation isn't over. I love you.

“Love you more.”

He smiled and shut the door.

Truth be told, It made you really sad. You knew that you both needed to move on sooner or later, but your mom and dad were the definition of perfect. They met when they were 2 and spent a literal century together. (Even though a good amount of that century was spent in ice.) They were inseparable, and fell in love and had you. It wasn't the most appropriate of circumstances being that there was HYDRA and all, but they both loved you so much. Your mother died unexpectedly during a mission. You and your father both missed her so much.

He handed you the bowl of cereal. “So…uh. What did you do last night?” He said. You just wanted to rip the bandage off. “Just ask me, Dad.” you said dropping the spoon. “I'd rather we’d just talk without making it awkward.” He sighed and put his chin on his hands over the counter. “How do you feel about it?” You shrugged and got back to picking at your food. “I don’t know. It makes me kinda sad I guess. But it was one date I don't really mind.” He took a pause before speaking. “Y/N, if they make you uncomfortable, I won't date them.” Here we go.

“But it's not about the person. I’ve barely met her dad.” You didn’t want to have this conversation, but it was important. You wanted to make it as light as possible. A fight with your father is not what you needed today. “Look at me.” He grabbed your hand. “I don’t want you to think that whoever I might be with one day, will be your mother. No one will ever replace her Y/N.” You took your hand away and looked back down. “But you’re replacing her.” He walked over to you and pulled you into a hug which you gladly accepted. “She’s Irreplaceable. Other people can only make us feel better, but no one can fill her spot. She was something special. The most special person in the world. And you,” He pulled away and wiped your face. “You are exactly like her. And no one can replace you either.” You smiled, “I love you.” You said. “I love you most.”