#tony stark guilt complex

[magnoliasandarson]

earning it

The lab was barely alive. There was no loud music, no sparks flying, and the bots had returned to their respective rooms for the night. Tony fucking despised the silence.

But he couldn't find it in himself to move from the floor.

A handmade cardstock birthday card was half crumpled in his grip. Twenty little messy names were signed below a well wish and an (objectively shitty) drawing of Iron Man. They were all children from a field trip to the MET he had saved a few months back when some disgruntled lunatic decided he was going to build a death ray.

"You're our hero!" in glittery red gel pen.

It made him physically nauseous.

He hadn't saved them. Half had received severe burns, and the other half were so severely traumatized that they would spend the next several years in therapy, at minimum. He had reached out to the parents, the hospitals, and several children's psychiatry clinics. The Maria Stark Foundation would foot the bill for any costs incurred. Tony Stark- ever tossing money at Iron Man's mistakes.

He wasn't a hero. If he had been better, if he had been faster, he could've gotten those kids out without a scratch. He could've better contained the explosions. He could've stopped whatever-the-fuck his name was before there were any explosions.

Happy Birthday!

Another year alive. What did he have to show for it? New aches, new nightmares, new guilt... His skin crawled with the desire to do something anything. He chanced a glance over at the liquor cabinet, eyes catching the empty bottles he'd poured down the drain months ago...

No. He was alive, he was a genius, he was an inventor, he was Tony Goddamn Stark, and he could would make things better. He could deserve the stupid card. His fist uncurled around the crayon drawing of Iron Man, smoothing the crumpled paper gently.

All at once, he pushed himself to his feet, staggering to one of the drafting tables, "Battle stations kids," he clapped his hands, grinning when JARVIS raised the house lights and DUM-E and U rolled back out, "it's time SI got into the skin graft game."

[nevergraciee]

yall r gonna be gutted when i find the motivation to turn my sad ideas into sad fanfiction

[whereareallthegoodnames]

Parker Guilt Complex

The MCU's Spider-Man has an insane guilt complex. "When you can do the things that I can, but you don't, and then the bad things happen, they happen because of you" is the one of the most morbid ways of saying "with great power comes great responsibility"

In Homecoming, Peter had demonstrated that he would take on more than he can even after asking for help. Tony didn't have the best level of communication with Peter.

In Infinity War, Peter sees the aliens and immediately climbs out the bus window. He manages to get himself onto the space ship and readies himself to fight against Thanos.

In Far From Home, Tony's death removes Peter's safety net. Tony, who was ready to take the blame for Spider-Man's mistakes, had died. Peter wants to be the child he is. He wants to be able to grieve the loss of his mentor. Then Nick Fury steps in and makes Peter take a more active role leading to Beck tricking Peter. By the end of the movie, Peter blames himself for putting his friends in the line of fire.

In No Way Home, Peter definitively blames himself for his friends being denied entrance to MIT. Peter takes on the task of saving the villains from other universes. Peter initially blames Goblin for May's death. By the end, Peter blames himself. He sees his friends hurt after the battle at the Statue of Liberty. He decides that they are safer without him in their lives.

[hurtspideyparker]

Tony doesn't tell the Avengers about Peter's secret identity, but Peter starts coming over constantly and chilling around the tower, helping Tony in his workshop or eating dinner with everyone.

Since Tony is weirdly secretive about who the kid is, and the fact that Spider-Man is still a small unknown (presumably adult) hero who isn't on any Avengers radars, they all collectively come to the conclusion that he's Tony's illegitimate child.

Bruce: They do have the same eyes...

Steve: This is an inappropriate conversation to have. If Tony doesn't want to tell us then we shouldn't pry

Natasha: Tony doesn't even like kids. There's no way he would tolerate one if it wasn't because of his guilt complex. I'm surprised there isn't more little Starks running around considering his previous lifestyle

Clint: *cough* drunk slut *cough*. Oh excuse my throat, I meant to say he was a drunk slut

Natasha: Steve they're the exact same. Talk too much, too fast, genius brains that go right over our heads, stubborn, like to cope with humor, same body language. They'll have the same smile lines when Peter grows into them. The only difference is that Peter was raised with manners

Steve: I'm not saying I don't agree, I'm saying it's none of our business. Anyone with basic observational skills can tell they're desperate to fill father and son roles in each others' lives, but Tony's really weird about it, so we should let him keep it private

Clint: We probably make him nervous

Bruce: Because he thinks he's a bad dad?

Natasha: I think he's kinda good at it. Which is extremely unnerving

Steve: Honestly out of all of us I had bets on Bruce having a secret wife and kids hidden somewhere. Tony stepping up to be a father was lower on my list than Nat

Natasha: You have a list?

Bruce: You think I pull?

Steve: That's irrelevant. I think it's nice that they're so close already, but we don't need to press. It might mess up a good thing

Clint: Wait can we go back to this list business. Are these like pragmatic, military leader lists, or are these for pleasure? What other kinds of lists do you have? What about which one of us is most likely to turn on you. Or what you'd turn for. Oh! What about a list of all our weak points based on accessibility and intensity, with contingency plans in case of defection or aliens or brainwashing or alien brainwashing causing defection

Steve:

Natasha:

Bruce:

Steve: This is why Tony won't share his personal life with us.

They last another week before Clint, Natasha, and Bruce team up to steal a strand of Peter's hair and test it for paternity. Steve knows something is up, and follows Clint to Bruce's lab.

Steve: What are you doing...

Natasha: Admit it, you know exactly what we're doing and you want to see the results

Steve: I... well if you already have them there's no point keeping it from me

Clint: Tony Stark is not the daddy!

Tony: Which of my exes have you been talking to?

Clint: AH oh hey Tony didn't see you there

Steve: I'm not apart of this

Tony: Is this about Peter? He told me something plucked his head when he was walking down here. Which of you murder twins was hiding in the rafters

Natasha: Y'know he's not your kid, whoever told you he was lied to you and I hope you get your child support back

Tony: My kid? He's my intern. What funky kool-aid have you all been drinking, that boy is sorting my tool drawer right now. He has slightly better dexterity than Dum-E, it's been quite helpful

Bruce: You have really poor professional boundaries if he's just an intern

Tony: Okay fine. He's actually Spider-Man. I didn't wanna tell anyone cause the Accords were still fishy, but everything should be good now. Anyways, he really wants to train with you guys so you'd have to know eventually

Clint: Who the hell is Spider-Man?

Steve: That guy in Queens who helps bring in peoples' groceries?

Tony: Well, yeah—listen, he's like 14 and he just got his powers. I'm not exactly sending him to fight armed terrorists yet. He'll grow into it, but trust me, there's potential. I'm kind of like his mentor

Steve: You really don't need to do that

Bruce: Yeah we'll all help out from now on

Natasha: Don't take too much responsibility for the boy

Clint: Oh god what have you been teaching him?

Tony: Thanks for the vote of confidence guys. Whatever, now that you all know he'll be hounding you all day for advice anyways. Good luck with that. Friday tell Pete to come down here, the Avengers are gonna train with him

Tony leaves them all, snickering to himself as loud footsteps come crashing down the hallway. If they didn't know any better they'd say several elephants were tripping down the stairs. Then, the doors burst open, Peter's mouth already running a mile-a-minute.

Peter: Really, you guys know, you guys will teach me? Can I use the shield, Ms. Romanoff can you show me how to kick, show me with Mr. Barton, or, or Mr. Rogers. I can take down someone bigger than me, I'm actually really strong. Wanna see? Why are we in Bruce's lab, is that my first lesson! Can I touch this? What are you making here, how long has this been distilling, what about my webs, have you ever seen my webs? I did them myself, but I bet we could make them even better, watch out it's really sticky—

Steve ends up with webs all over his face, several of Bruce's beakers broken from the white spray, one reacting poorly with it and exploding all over Clint and Natasha. Bruce immediately shoves them into the decontamination shower, leaving them as two drenched rats wearing skin-tight combat gear. Natasha is already fuming at the thought of trying to peel it off.

Peter: I'm really sorry, I didn't know it was on ricochet... the splitter webs were just 'cause I panicked

Steve: This is why I told you all to leave it be.

"Noted," they all say in unison.

[sunarryn]

DP X Marvel #32

It all began when Dr. Jasmine Fenton—Jazz, to the brave and traumatized—walked into the Avengers Compound in five-inch block heels, a blood-red blazer, and a clipboard with everyone’s most damning psychological profiles printed in 12-point Times New Roman. She had been hired because, quote, “the last six therapists either quit, cried, or developed their own hero complexes.” SHIELD had gone through the best and brightest the world had to offer. They even tried a Wakandan empathy AI once. It cried. The AI cried.

So when Jazz Fenton walked in, armed with a dual PhD in clinical psychology and trauma therapy, the last thing they expected was that she’d personally know what hero trauma looked like. But she did. Her baby brother was a half-ghost interdimensional guardian who once got hit by a nuke and walked it off. Her parents were mad scientists who tried to dissect him. And her godfather was an immortal corporate vampire with a crown kink and a habit of kidnapping. She had seen things. She understood. And more importantly, she didn’t care. She wasn’t here to coddle them.

“Dr. Fenton,” Steve Rogers greeted politely that first morning.

“Please, call me Jazz,” she said with a smile that made even Natasha lower her coffee. “Or Doctor Fenton if you’re about to lie to me.”

Tony Stark made the mistake of raising an eyebrow. “Oh? What are you gonna do, psychoanalyze me into submission?”

She flipped to his file. “‘Severe abandonment issues, destructive self-worth tendencies, martyr complex buried under layers of narcissistic deflection, sleeps three hours a night, probably cries in the shower—’”

“I don’t cry in the shower!”

“That is because you don’t shower, Mr. Stark.”

That shut him up.

From that day onward, fear fell over the Avengers Compound like a thick, fragrant fog of anxiety. Jazz was everywhere. One moment she was on the roof with Clint discussing his grief over Budapest, the next she was in the lab with Bruce making him cry, and the moment after that she had Loki in handcuffs—not because he was arrested, but because he asked for them.

“I just think maybe I’m too attached to the idea of being hated,” Loki muttered, slouched on the therapy couch.

“You are,” Jazz replied, checking her notes. “You’re addicted to conflict because you’ve built your identity on being an outsider. Every time you’re offered genuine affection, you self-sabotage. You’re not a villain, you’re just a lonely youngest child.”

“I—” Loki blinked. “That is horrifically accurate. And incredibly offensive.”

“Cry harder, Sparklehorn.”

Thor, meanwhile, loved her. Adored her. Followed her around like an emotional support golden retriever with lightning powers. He kept trying to give her things—golden goblets, fur cloaks, an entire goat—until one day she casually picked up Mjolnir while fixing a crooked painting and everyone screamed.

“How the fuck—” Sam Wilson shouted.

“Why can she do that?” Peter Parker asked from the ceiling.

“Therapists shouldn’t be worthy!” Tony wailed. “It’s not natural!”

Jazz shrugged and handed the hammer back to Thor. “I was forged in the fires of Midwestern neglect and ghost radiation. You think Odin can break me? Try surviving your brother getting publicly disemboweled by a government robot while your parents take notes.”

She had no chill. None. She was the only person who called Wanda out on her grief projection, made Bucky talk about his repressed ballet skills, and forced Steve to draw a family tree so she could scream “YOUR ENTIRE FRIEND GROUP IS CODEPENDENT.”

“Group therapy!” she declared one Tuesday.

“No,” said literally everyone.

“Too bad. Show up or I will personally guilt you in front of the media using your own trauma receipts.”

And they did. They came. They came because they were afraid.

Tony sat with arms crossed. “This is stupid.”

“Tell that to your inner child.”

“I don’t have one.”

“Exactly.”

Clint sighed. “This is worse than Budapest.”

“Everything is worse than Budapest,” Natasha replied.

Wanda blinked slowly. “I think I just astrally projected my own anxiety. It’s hovering above me like a raincloud.”

Jazz didn’t even blink. “Let it hover. Let it watch you cry. Maybe it’ll finally grow up.”

Civil War? Canceled.

No one dared fight each other under Jazz’s watch. When tensions began rising between Tony and Steve over the Sokovia Accords, she locked them in a soundproof room with juice boxes and didn’t let them out until they hugged it out like the emotionally repressed golden retrievers they were.

“I will tranquilize you both,” she warned through the door. “I have the darts and the upper body strength. Don’t tempt me.”

They made up within the hour.

At one point, Nick Fury tried to get involved. He barged into one of Jazz’s sessions like he still ran SHIELD.

“What the hell kind of therapy involves throwing knives at a target while crying?” he demanded.

Jazz, unfazed, handed him a stress knife. “Want to try?”

He did. And then immediately rebooked weekly appointments.

By week four, the compound was transformed. Hulk was journaling. Peter was actually doing his homework. Wanda was learning healthy coping mechanisms that didn’t involve mind-controlling entire suburbs. Clint and Natasha were having pillow talks about emotional vulnerability. Even Loki was crocheting.

“Do you know what I’ve done?” he whispered as he stitched a duck.

“I’ve read your file,” Jazz said. “And your Tumblr tag. You’re not special.”

“I am special—”

“You’re traumatized, sweetie.”

Meanwhile, Tony—still deeply suspicious—began following her around trying to find proof she was a Hydra sleeper agent. What he found instead was her absolutely unhinged family.

“You’re related to who?” he asked over coffee one morning.

Jazz sighed. “My little brother is Danny Phantom, ghost-powered superhero and part-time physics major. My godfather is Vlad Masters, ex-billionaire and full-time supervillain with a complex. My parents are Jack and Maddie Fenton.”

Tony blinked. “The guys who duct-taped a rocket to a lawnmower and called it science?”

“The very same.”

“No wonder you’re like this.”

Jazz nodded. “Exactly. I was forged in chaos and trauma. Now I’m here to fix you.”

“I don’t want to be fixed.”

“Too bad. I’ve already started rebuilding your psyche.”

“What does that mean—”

“Check your inner monologue. Notice how it’s stopped calling you a worthless meat puppet?”

Tony screamed.

Even Doctor Strange, who allegedly had the answers to the universe, found himself in a corner drinking tea and rethinking the way he suppressed his emotions with sarcasm and facial hair.

“You’re not mystical, Stephen,” Jazz told him. “You’re just emotionally constipated.”

“I literally astral project.”

“Cool. Now try emotional projection. Maybe apologize to Wong.”

“…Wong is asleep.”

“Wake him up.”

By month two, even the press noticed. The Avengers were glowing. Smiling. Making eye contact during press conferences instead of brooding like middle school theater kids.

“What changed?” a reporter asked.

Tony grabbed the mic. “Her name is Jazz Fenton and she scares the hell out of us.”

Steve nodded solemnly. “She made me cry six times in one session. I told her about my dad.”

“She made me draw my feelings,” Clint added.

“I finally cried about Pietro,” Wanda whispered. “In public. It felt amazing. I think I vomited emotions.”

“Dr. Fenton helped me write a song about my grief,” Thor said proudly. “It’s a power ballad. With goats.”

And then came the incident.

The one time the Avengers tried to disobey her. Sam and Bucky had been arguing again. Loudly. And somewhere in the chaos, someone dared say, “It’s not like Jazz can stop us.”

Wrong.

So, so wrong.

Jazz calmly walked into the sparring room, confiscated Bucky’s knife mid-twirl, took Sam’s wings with one hand, and sat both men down with the force of divine intervention.

“You two,” she said in a voice that made the walls tremble, “are not enemies. You are trauma-bonded enemies-to-friends-to-exes-to-besties. You are a trope. You are a fanfiction tag. You are not about to regress into kindergarten slap fights because one of you forgot the others’ favorite breakfast order.”

“…He forgot my birthday,” Sam muttered.

“Because he has memory trauma! You have it too! You both need to go on a spa day and cry it out in a hot tub like normal people.”

And they did.

They actually did.

The day Jazz left for a conference—just one day—the entire compound fell into shambles. Loki started monologuing again, Peter accidentally built a sentient AI who wrote poetry about death, Wanda started glowing red again, and Tony tried to weaponize emotional damage via sarcastic limericks.

The moment she came back, they all lined up like chastised children.

“What did I say about emotionally projecting without supervision?” she asked.

“Don’t do it,” they chorused.

“And?”

Peter sniffled. “We missed you.”

“Damn right you did.”

Jazz smiled, terrifying and fond, and flipped her clipboard. “Now. Who wants to talk about their mother?”

And the Avengers, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, sat down.

Because nothing—not Chitauri, not Ultron, not even Thanos—was scarier than the therapist who could lift Mjolnir and your deepest childhood wound in the same breath.

Dr. Jasmine Fenton was the real hero. And everyone knew it.

[rei-ismyname]

Magneto arrives to save Iron Man

He's back and he's even hotter!

I LOVE his shit eating grin, rippling cape and muscles, and most of all his cunty posture. 'Hello Stark, check out these thighs.' It's true that his wife (Emma Frost, it's a sham thing but Tony catches feelings) sent Mags to rescue his dumb ass as he makes a huge mess in the Australian Outback, but this is a newly resurrected, kinder Magneto. I suspect he'd have done it anyway. For drama, if nothing else.

Tony only knew that one singular mutant was coming to bail him out. He didn't expect his 'nemesis' (citation needed) mainly because Tony was there when Magneto died on Arakko during Judgement Day. He's surprised, but not unhappy about it. Maybe. See, Mr Stark just had his shit kicked in, and he had hallucinations of the Master of Magnetism while knocked out.

T-Bag is feeling guilty about the whole Stark Sentinel situation (as he should. Not the first time Stark Sentinels have been made for genocide.) That guilt manifests with the face of Magneto, here to judge him. In a petulant reply to this most recent charge, Stark brings up some old shit ( X-Men #1 from 1963) but Mags has a zinger for him. Considering Stark's subconscious is doing all the talking, some part of him thinks he's just as bad as Silver Age Magneto. It's not a competition, but I think he's worse. Mr Military Industrial Complex Billionaire over here can fuck right off.

'The world doesn't need arms merchants' is both true and relevant. Tony has changed, he's been redeemed! Yet engines of death bearing his name are stalking the planet yet again and plan to purge it, having already carried out mutant genocide. Tony will never see any legal or social consequences for this, but perhaps he believes he deserves this judgement. I don't really care about Tony Stark, to be honest. I'm here for Magneto, and this is the war in Tony's subconscious when Max Eisenhardt arrives.

Mags isn't here to point fingers - he's here to save an ally. Red Elon Musk Feilong has a grudge over Arakko, and his fucking face when Mags doesn't know who he is delights me. I don't think Mags is being truthful - he SHOULD know who this ORCHIS clown is, but they've never met. He's been through a lot lately. Besides, they've got bigger fish to fry. Feilong has realised that the AI leopards are eating his face too, so they're on the same side for now and are stuck in a giant Iron Man suit without power.

Luckily, 'I am power.' Mags revitalises the monstrosity and rides to war with two billionaires. After he fucks up a ton of sentinels (a continuity error but whatever,) Nimrod sends one of his bodies (Madrox should sue) to stop them.

Mags is much more effective than the his last Nimrod fight, though he doesn't remember it. Nimrod is weak to Mysterium somehow so he makes the very problematic move of gassing Mags with Terrigen. WTF did he get that from? It's good to know Tony could have easily prevented IvX at any time. I'm sympathetic to everyone who had to deal with the rushed production schedule Fall of X received, but this is Looney Tunes shit.

Nimrod, you chump. You set yourself up for the 'awful lot of metal around here' Magneto classic. Speaking of metal, Mysterium just keeps getting better. SWORD did steal it from the Phoenix's clothes line, so whatever, it can do new stuff if it wants. It's alive, it loves Magneto, it hates Nimrod, and could take or leave Tony Stark. That's relatable. ORRRR, Jean is in the White Hot Room right now, after Moira stabbed her with a blightswill knife. She could be affecting the metal to get this Nimrod jerkoff. Sounds kinda silly - moving on.

Looney Tunes or not, I'm a sucker for Magneto hovering and saying dramatic shit. Preferably hurling vehicles around, but magic metal and a dickhead robot is close enough. Let it be known that Mags is the Mysterium Whisperer. Pretty obvious when you think about it, though his relationship with the miracle metal wasn't explored deeply.

Yes! Haha. Get Magneto'd, idiot! This Nimrod body is dead, as is the Mysterium and Tony's giant robot. Damn, they would have been useful. Anyway, bye losers! Mags has more fascist robots to kill in his wonderful cape. Thanks for fucking everything up only to help at the last minute. Enjoy the Outback (they don't, and Tony leaves a huge mess.)

[spideyson-stuff]

I don't know since when I have this dialog in my notes

And I also don't know if I've posted it here yet, so here's a little bit of how I wanted Peter's guilt complex to be handled:

Stark turned to Peter in exasperation, at that moment he simply said fuck it for this whole "comfort but not explicitly" thing

"Ok fuck this, fuck ALL THIS

Peter, hear me loud and clear

STOP. BLAMING. YOURSELF!"

Peter, still with a tearful expression, starts trying to say something, but is interrupted by Tony placing his hands on his shoulders and looking him in the eyes with a serious expression

"Stop blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong on the people in your life or the lives of the people around you

Things HAPPEN, you are not responsible for all of them, you'r Spider-Man? ok, DAMN IT, you're also a 15 year old boy who can make mistakes, you always do everything for others and still blame yourself for everything even though you didn't do anything wrong!?

'Someone bullies you?

You feel bad about yelling at the person when you reach your limit'

'Someone blame you for something you didn't do?

You feel guilty for standing up for yourself and making the other person get what they deserve'

'Someone yell at you for something they don't have the right to yell at?

You feel bad for throwing in their face how wrong they are'

You blame yourself for doing what ANYONE WOULD DO, or worse, you blame yourself for something you didn't do wrong and that anyone would do so much worse, STOP IT!

Curse, scream , hit, point, throw in people's faces, be honest, you NEED IT, you DESERVE IT, STOP BLAMING YOURSELF FOR BEING RIGHT!"

Peter has a puzzled look on his face, Tony for a moment wonders if he got the message or not, then Peter collapses on his chest and starts sobbing.

He won't take back what he said, he knows he's right, fuck all this shit about walking on eggshells and not swearing, people need to learn that censorship is not protection, but aggression

[sortagaysortahigh]

Through Time 2016. | James 'Bucky' Barnes

Series Masterlist. (this is part 3)

A/N: OH MY GOD!!!!! ok guys im ngl, this was one of my favorite parts of this fic thus far. I hope you like it </3. Once again, everyone say thank you to @anxietyandtacos and @love-chx for dealing with me and reading/rereading my drafts <3 Follows canon events, but is not fully canon compliant.

Summary: Seeing Bucky as The Winter Soldier was heartbreaking, but you knew he was still there, and you'd agreed to go on a search for him with Steve. Although, finding him ushered in a whole new world of problems.

Warnings: 2nd person POV, Use of Y/N (not often but IM SORRY OK), angsty, spelling and grammar errors, cursing, Racial themes/Mentions of racism, hydra trauma for my shaylas </3, straight up violence, no smut sorry guys i couldnt be that depraved here </3

Word Count: 4.8k

Bucky Barnes x WOC!Reader (Reader has vague descriptions, but it is noted that she is a woman of color!!!! Which is an important plot point!)

Once again, the things I have to say are far from appropriate!

2016 Europe

Following the events of Ultron’s uprising and the aftermath of Sokovia, you had learned several things. The first is that highly intelligent artificial intelligence is not something to take lightly, especially when it shows signs of self-awareness, a hatred for its maker, and a God complex. 

The second was that you were actually now considered to be something similar to a super soldier. Tony Stark had run several tests on you, and he was able to pull the records of your experiments, followed by the original serum, and when he gave you access to his lab, you were able to cross compare your DNA strands with Steve’s and pull the molecular differences pertaining to the serum injections.

But there was something else, it wasn’t exactly gamma radiation, but it was some form of radiation that had been condensed and reworked, as if the particles themselves were from another planet or universe—turns out they were. While Hydra was working to find the Tesseract, they’d come very close with several different particles and traces from it.

They’d used those for the serum flooding your body. Hence the whole ‘being bulletproof’. 

You were stronger and faster than ever before, except you hadn’t grown in size like Steve, no the changes were much more subtle. It even held influence in how your mind moved, how you processed information, and somehow Hydra had managed to rewire bits and pieces of your brain.

It was clear they were in the beginning stages of making you into a weapon similar to Bucky. But they hadn’t gotten the chance to finish. 

The third thing you learned was that mutants and magic existed, which sure you had your suspicions based on mythology, but meeting Wanda Maximoff and her now deceased brother Pietro only emphasized that. Plus Bruce Banner—who’d go from being a normal man to a giant green Hulk. 

You’d also met more than one God, which wasn’t all that shocking, Thor Odinson was a sweetheart, which might’ve been what made the introduction a bit more manageable.

The final thing you’d learned throughout the entire process was that you did not want to be a hero. You wanted to be a Doctor and a scientist, which you were—but they’d ushered you into their world and somehow you fit right in. 

The most current issue revolved around the Sokovia Accords, there was a constant fight internally with the Avengers over the accords. In your personal opinion, the Accords were a terrible idea, the government was never known for truly caring about anyone’s well being, a team of people who were meant to help the general public signing off on something like this—it was catastrophic.

Tony Stark was obnoxious, you much preferred Howard. Tony’s biggest issues were his need to be right all the time and his ability to be guilt tripped over the mistakes from his past, hence his entire obsession with signing the Accords.

In wars and battles there were casualties, you knew that better than anyone else.

You never had any vocal opinions, Stark had tried to give you shit countless times over your siding with Steve. Out of everyone in the group, Steve was still the most ethical and moral, although he did have his qualms and his problems.

One of those problems was never being able to get over Peggy Carter. 

You loved Peggy like a sister, but you knew she wanted Steve to live his life, not dwell on the past. He never could though, not while she was still alive. Her funeral was depressing and sad in a large cathedral in London with a choir that she would’ve poked fun at decades ago. 

At the funeral, you sat directly beside Sam who sat next to Steve. You cried, admittedly. She was your friend, she’d given you opportunities that weren’t imaginable in the forties, and seeing her photo framed surrounded by flowers and an empty casket hurt.

But you knew Peggy wanted you to live in the moment. She’d told you that when Steve had finally taken you to see her. The first thing you did was tell her how elderly she’d gotten, the both of you sharing a very familiar laugh. She’d told you to keep looking for James, told you that you still had time, and that there was still a happy ending somewhere for you.

You wanted to believe her, you truly did.

But what was left to believe. Not when you’d been on this wild goose hunt with Steve for two years, only finding the ghosts of your past instead. 

That was until Vienna, until Sharon Carter had given everyone the news that he was real—that Barnes was still alive chasing the ghosts of his own past. However, several government agencies had orders to shoot on sight. It was a saddening fact, and it made your heart hurt.

The last time you’d seen Bucky was in 1945, the real Bucky. 

Then two years ago you’d seen remnants of that man, and now, now you were in Bucharest of all places. Steve had found where he’d been staying, you didn’t want to go with him. 

But Steve Rogers had a way with words, he’d managed to convince you to go to the rundown apartment space. Now you stood in the middle of it all, each and every window was covered in newspapers, scattered folders around, dishes here and there, a few open bags of food, and it smelled like burnt cigarettes.

He didn’t have a real bed—just a pile of blankets and a pillow on the floor. 

You leaned your forehead against the wall, the torn wallpaper making your skin itch a bit. Then you sniffled, jaw clenched as you shut your eyes, fighting the tears that were always on the verge of spilling. 

This was a mission, you were in your usual all black tactical suit, thigh holsters with knives and pistols while a modified assault rifle with a sniper scope was slung lazily over your back. The boots on your feet suddenly felt too small, the suit too restricting, as if you couldn’t breathe.

Then you heard the footsteps, and you reacted faster than anticipated, pistol now in your hand as you faced him—Bucky.

Your hands shook. Steve immediately turned, and as he spoke to Bucky you now realized he wasn’t the Winter Soldier, it was some form of him—some form of the man you loved. He didn’t remember everything, but he knew you and Steve, you could see it in his eyes.

Then again, you’d seen it in his eyes when he tried to kill you.

“Doc—Doc!” you blinked a few times, now registering Steve’s voice, glancing over at him, then lowering your gun, sliding it back into its holster with a nod. 

“Sorry—shit. I can’t do this—” then your comms went off, Sam notifying you of how close the German special forces unit was. Then Sam was announcing the breach, a smoke grenade came through the window and Steve covered it with the shield.

You were told specifically not to shoot, so you had to fight your way out of this one. 

Bucky and Steve were on the move, and you immediately realized this decision would impact your future for a long time.

Before you fully registered it, you were ducking and dodging hits left and right, disarming soldiers without a care in the world, smacking the butt of their shotguns against their faces—knocking them out. A few managed to land a couple of hits to you—it pissed you off.

You weren’t fully conscious of where Steve and Bucky were, not when you had five men trying to cage you in, you quietly mumbled ‘thank you Peggy and Nat’, before throwing yourself into a spin, leg out as you kicked two of them over. You managed to wrap your legs around one of their bodies, using him as a human shield before kicking off—shoving him into the other men like a human bowling ball.

Then there was the stairwell, you were mumbling a series of broken curse words while moving from guard to guard, punching and kicking your way out of things. Eventually when you were over it, you grasped onto one of them and jumped down the middle, using his body to help brace your fall.

“I’m so tired of this shit!” you shouted at Steve who was chasing after Bucky.

After another fifteen minutes of fighting and running—without shooting—you were arrested by the German police. Then, you find out there’s a guy in a cat costume that just happened to be the current Prince of Wakanda. It made sense that he was there considering the United Nations meeting where the Wakandan King—his father—was killed in a bombing less than a week ago, and the media had already pinned it on Barnes.

Rhodey shook his armored head at you and Sam, both of you being arrested as well. Except Sam had just been arrested—you were being pinned to the ground.

“Is this a joke? Seriously—get the hell off of me!” your voice was loud as you spoke, pushing yourself off of the ground, the arresting officer falling back into the crowd. Your jaw was clenched as you sat on your knees, approximately forty guns pointed directly at you. “Oh boo hoo, just shoot me then!”

Steve sighed, shaking his head. 

“Stand down Doctor!” you blinked a few times before squinting at Rhodey, scoffing while letting them cuff you. 

You found it unfair that Sam and Bucky got to ride with the Wakandan prince, meanwhile you were in a separate armored vehicle, still in handcuffs. They’d arrived first, Agent Ross already waiting with Sharon Carter.

Meanwhile you were still in cuffs, being pulled out of the truck by two officers.

“Get the hell off of me” you spoke in German, shrugging them away from you before pulling your wrists apart, ripping the cuffs off, ignoring their gasps and protests as you rubbed your sore skin. Everyone stared at you as you approached the group, your jaw clenched and patience running thin.

“Y’know, you were much sweeter in the 40s.” You nodded at Steve.

“I was also normal in the 40s, and in the middle of a war effort. Oh and I was in love! How cute huh? With him—” you motioned towards the large high-security transport box they’d locked Bucky in. One singular manicured finger in his direction while you stared straight at Steve, gaze shifting to Sam, then to T’Challa and Agent Ross.

“Now if I’m being marked as an enemy of the state, I’d like to know about it Agent Ross.” 

After about two hours of being lectured by Tony Stark and Agent Ross, you’d come to the conclusion that you were now technically on house arrest, all of your gear had been suspended as it was technically U.S. property. 

You sat in the briefing room, eyes on the screens, watching as Bucky was questioned. Held in place like a caged animal. The man across from him stated Bucky’s full name, he clenched his jaw before taking a deep breath.

“My name’s Bucky—” he paused, looking directly at the camera “—and I want to talk to Doc.” 

Your eyes widened, everyone turned to look at you, then everything went dark. Power flickering on and off for a few seconds, only a few red emergency lights in the room now. 

Somewhere in the commotion you’d been knocked down, and as you scrambled to get back up, everyone was already out of the room. So you followed suit, or rather you ran the opposite way that everyone else was headed. Eventually you’d stumbled upon a sinking helicopter. Steve holding Bucky’s unconscious body up in the water.

The abandoned workshop close to the water would do. You managed to track down Sam, sending him your exact coordinates while Steve trapped Bucky in place by pinning his arm down. 

Bucky woke up less than an hour later, finally regaining consciousness as the four of you were hiding out.

You leaned against the large garage door frame, arms crossed in front of your chest as Sam let Steve know that Bucky was awake. He was quiet as he sat there—looking directly at you. You didn’t know which Bucky this was, and your heart couldn’t handle asking. Not now at least.

“Which Bucky are we talking to?” Steve hesitated as he asked, brows knit together as he waited for a response.

“Your mom’s name was Sarah—you used to wear newspapers in your shoes.” he laughed as he spoke, shaking his head a bit. Then he looked directly at you again “Doc, I missed you—thought I’d never see you again. Guess we made it to the other side after all?” 

You took a few steps back, brows knit together, eyes wide, the sincerity in his voice had hit you right in the heart. You stumbled into Sam, who steadied you by the shoulders. You nodded at him, a silent thank you.

“Can’t read that in a museum.” Steve’s voice went in one ear and out of the other, you couldn’t focus properly, not when you’d finally found Bucky—he actually remembered. 

“You still wear the locket I got you Doc?”

Your hand instinctively went to your neck, two fingers slipping below the collar of your shirt feeling the chain beneath them.

You felt the familiar sting of tears as he spoke, your eyes trailing his figure as he hunched over slightly, looking at you with a split lip and those icy blue eyes that you’d fallen in love with so many years ago. The eyes that you’d mourned, the eyes that you’d grieved. 

“Shut the hell up.” Your voice was shaky, eyes directly on his. 

Steve could practically sense your hesitation, but he knew there was nothing he could say to you that would convince you that this was Bucky—Your Bucky. Not after the whirlwind that had been the past two years, combined with the year following the end of the war.

“Your favorite color’s yellow and you’re afraid of clowns.” He spoke so softly, as if it was just you and him in the room.

“Stop it!” you shouted at him, now storming off, sniffling, wiping your tears away as you shook your head. This wasn’t happening, you’d waited for this moment, and now that it was here—you didn’t want it anymore. Or maybe you just weren’t ready to see him again, or for him to see you. 

This new version of you—who you became.

The three of them watched you walk off, Sam sighing, hands in his pockets as he shook his head. Bucky looked down at the ground, jaw clenched before looking back up at Steve. Meanwhile Steve looked torn between talking to Buck or chasing after you.

“Don’t you dare follow me Rogers!” your voice was loud, practically echoing off the empty walls of the abandoned auto shop. 

You needed a few minutes to sit and breathe, you knew more about the Winter Soldier program than both Steve and Sam, not because you had more access to current information, but because you’d stumbled upon the plans for it before Hydra had captured you. 

As you slid down the wall, you were lost in your own thoughts. You knew about their long term goals, about the way Hydra planned to make an army of killers to change history.

Clearly they’d succeeded enough.

Wait—they’d succeeded. So why would someone go out of their way to look for just Bucky. Your eyes widened, getting off of the ground where you’d been sitting, walking back over to them. 

The three men had been in the middle of a conversation, you completely interrupted them without a single care.

“Where’s the rest of the Winter Soldiers?” 

Bucky looked up at you, biting his bottom lip for a second before nodding “Siberia—where they held me.” 

“God damnit, can’t life get easier in the twenty-first century. Let’s go boys, Steve—help him up. Sam, call the blonde, we need our shit back. Barnes—the next time you shoot at me I’m taking you down.” 

It wasn’t a threat, it was a promise. 

He nodded his head, the same lopsided smile that you’d missed so much was now on his face. 

It’d taken you twenty minutes to steal a car, the vehicle of choice wasn’t the best—but it was the most low profile. A small royal blue Volkswagen bug. You hot wired it, using a few of those ‘life skills’ that Clint had taught you last year. 

The sight of three bulky men in the small car was enough to make you laugh, opting to slide into the back row beside Bucky, your knees touching as Steve got into the front. The drive was relatively silent, your gaze held on the outside world passing by, while Bucky’s was stuck on you.

He leaned into your space slightly, voice low as he whispered “I never stopped thinking about you, y’know.” 

You shushed him, jaw clenched as you refused to meet his stare.

“You could at least acknowledge me, Sweetheart.” 

You now turned to face him, he was much closer than you’d expected but that didn’t stop you. “Hush, We have bigger issues to address right now than me and you. Now please, be quiet Barnes.” 

Sam stifled a laugh “damn, that was cold—even for you Doc.” 

When Steve finally parked you were quick to look forward, ignoring Sam and Bucky’s bickering while you watched Steve’s interaction with Sharon Carter.

“Y’know, I think it’s a little weird that she’s Peggy’s niece, but I guess Steve just has a type. It’d be worse if it was like, her granddaughter or something.” you spoke absentmindedly as you watched the interaction, leaning into Bucky’s space while trying to get a better view.

“Barnes, have you always been this huge? Wait—nevermind you have.”

Sam's brows shot up as he looked back at you “So that’s how you two used to get down?”

You shushed him, pointing forward, watching as Sharon pulled Steve in for a kiss. 

The three of you gave him encouraging smiles. 

Then it was go time, you had all of your things, and now you were meeting with Clint Barton, Wanda Maximoff, and Scott Lang in the airport parking garage. While Scott was introduced to everyone you focused on sifting through your gear, humming a tune before pulling off your sweatshirt.

Bucky’s brows raised as he watched you. You clearly hadn’t had a care in the world, then again, you’d always had a carefree nature to you, but when it counted, you were always there and attentive. He liked your new look, your hair was longer, and it was braided into two thick braids, a few hairs framing your face.

He noticed the necklace immediately, the locket resting along the swell of your chest. It made him smile—it’d been a while since he was genuinely smiling.

You were quick to pull on the black vest, rolling your shoulders back before fastening it and loading each pocket with your weapons of choice. Then you paused, glancing over at Steve. “Are we shooting today? Or not shooting?”

Clint laughed at you, smiling while nodding his head “still on the shooting or no shooting routine Doc?”

You shrugged, shooting him a quick wink. “It’s easier than asking if things are supposed to be lethal or nonlethal—besides, nonlethal could still mean shooting. I like to be more general about the simple things.”

Steve sighed, looking around the group. “Well, if we have to, we’re shooting.” 

You nodded, grabbing your pistols, slotting them into their holsters. Then you grabbed your closing your left eye, looking directly through the modified scope before nodding and sliding it over your shoulder. 

“If I go to prison after this, just know, I’m gonna be pissed, guys. Once again—I survived World War 2 as a regular person. Y’know sometimes I miss Howard, he was a lot more likable than Tony.”

Bucky’s brows knit together while he watched you, shaking his head slightly at your added commentary. Then you grabbed a few ammunition canisters, emptying one into the trunk directly, brows knit at the sight of the bullets. You picked one up, squinting before scoffing.

“Seriously? Stark messed with my bullets?” 

Sam shrugged, “well, to be fair, you shoot like Clint, I’d say bullets hurt worse than arrows.” 

Scott blinked a few times “wait—she’s not kidding guys? You survived a World War? You’re like twenty six aren’t you?! Wait—are you actually a Doctor? I thought they just called you Doc because you’re really smart and precise?”

You nodded your head at him “I got my doctorate in osteopathic medicine from Tuskegee University in 1940 at twenty-one. What can I say, I’ve always been an overachiever. Graduated from school early, skipped a few grades here and there—although I can say the education system then was a lot more simplified than it is now outside of the higher education graduate aspect.”

Scott was shocked but you’d just gone back to humming and arming yourself. 

The mission was supposed to be easy, you’d take a few rogue helicopters and fly to Siberia from Germany. The choppers were already waiting for you all, however, so was Tony Stark.

That led to a major battle sequence that you weren’t the biggest fan of. But you did enjoy being perched up high, taking shots. The hardest person to hit was T’Challa, his vibranium suit impenetrable—but the easiest person to hit was the spider-boy. 

You made sure not to shoot him with anything harmful. He was a kid after all. You’d switched for tranquilizing darts, hitting him with three which had him collapsing in seconds. Granted, based on his athletic ability and the information you’d seen on ‘Spider-man’ in Queens, you knew it was a temporary solution. 

Rhodey shot a missile in your direction. That pissed you off.

You’d rolled onto the airport hangar, a bit out of breath at the impact. Then you were up, grasping your rifle, watching Rhodey in the sky for a few seconds before taking your hit, the bullet hitting the back of his knee-the suit cracking slightly. The motion was distracting enough to have him down and out of the way.

You noticed Sam and Bucky on the ground then, both webbed up—the sight made you laugh.

“Seriously? A kid took you both down?” you laughed while cutting them loose. “Now please, go make yourselves useful.”

They both got up, but as you went to leave, Bucky grasped your forearm. You blinked a few times as he gently pulled you towards him.

“Now's not a good time for this Barnes.” he shushed you this time, the motion making you scoff. Then he was kissing you, lips against yours, one hand caressing your jaw before he pulled back.

“Had to do that one more time—if things don’t end well.” 

You were flustered, eyes wide as you stared, blinking a few times trying to snap yourself out of the lovestruck daze. Then you slapped his chest, shoving him back slightly. “Now is not the time Bucky!” With that, you were off, practically sprinting in the direction of the large broken window, then you jumped, landing on a broken car, pistols in hand, shooting directly at Tony—distracting him for a brief moment.

Sam looked over at Bucky, raising a single brow “what, you’re into grand romantic gestures?” 

Bucky rolled his eyes “Only for her.”

Everything passed by in a blur, you were doing your best to keep up, watching as Scott grew incredibly large, buildings were falling, people were crashing, and suddenly, you were being tackled to the ground by vision, your eyes wide as you struggled to catch your breath. He glanced back at you before flying off, leaving you down on the ground. 

Wanda helped you up, then she was clearing a path for Steve and Bucky, you easily followed suit, sliding between them and below the crashing buildings. 

Nat looked at you three, then she was shooting an electrified bullet between you and Bucky, hitting T’Challa directly.

You paused, looking at her, and she gave you a knowing nod.

Steve and Bucky both turned back as they approached the jet. You shook your head at them both. 

“I’m not going—besides who's gonna clean up this mess with Nat?” 

They both nodded at you. However, you were quick to run up to Bucky, grasping him by his vest before smashing your lips against his. The kiss was fast, but meaningful. Then you were shoving him away again. “You better not die, Bucky. I’m gonna be pissed.”

He smiled at you, giving you another quick peck, “See you on the other side Doc.” Then he was getting in the jet with Steve. 

“See you there, Sergeant.” Then you glanced at Steve, raising a brow “Don’t forget to break us out Cap.”

-

Everyone that had fought on Steve Roger’s side had been arrested and sent to the Raft. One of the most highly secured prison facilities in the northern hemisphere. There was no breaking out unless someone managed to break in first.

Steve had done the honors of breaking everyone out two months into the sentence. 

Of course you spent most of that time talking his ear off about him taking too long.

What you hadn’t expected was for Steve to bring you to Wakanda with him while everyone else waited in a safe house off grid. He’d tried using the excuse that King T’Challa wanted to meet you, as if you hadn’t already met in combat several times. But you had to admit, the city was beautiful—the technological advancements were amazing, and it was all so unreal.

Then you’d made it to one of their larger laboratory facilities, eyes scanning the room until they’d landed on Bucky, who sat slightly slouched over with his lopsided smile at the sight of you. He was in a thin white shirt, an IV line in his right arm while his metal arm was no longer there, just the shoulder implant.

His hair was a bit longer, beard still scruffy, but he looked calmer. 

“He’s going back under.” Steve motioned to the Cryo-freeze pod, you nodded your head at him.

“Temporarily?” Steve nodded before clearing his throat. “I’ll give you two a minute.”

Then you approached Bucky. His eyes hadn’t left your figure as the doctor excused himself.

“Heard you’re a jailbird now?” 

You laughed at his joke, shook your head, and smiled as you hugged him. He wrapped his right arm around your waist as yours wrapped around his shoulders. Your head rested on the metal of his shoulder briefly. “Something like that, gotta keep my resume updated y’know? Times changing and all that.” 

You were now standing between his parted legs while he nodded at you, hand still resting on your waist. 

“Peace is a good look on you Sergeant.” you traced a single finger along his bearded jawline before brushing a strand of hair out of his face. 

“Well Doc, let’s hope my time here makes that peace permanent.” His eyes searched yours for approval. Bucky missed you so much, it was hard, having you back and being able to fully remember you while knowing that he couldn’t have you back permanently. Not yet at least, not when he couldn’t control his own mind.

“You want me to wait for you?” you raised a brow.

Bucky laughed, nodding his head, then he glanced down at the same locket. “I think you’ve already been waiting, mind waiting a little longer?” 

You shook your head “I don’t mind at all. Besides, you still owe me a date in Brooklyn.” You leaned closer to him, resting your forehead against his. “Bucky, promise me you’ll be okay?” 

He kissed you softly. 

You didn’t hesitate to kiss him back. You kissed him like it was the last time you’d ever see him—because honestly, deep down that’s how it felt. There was still a sense of dread when it came to losing Bucky, yet somehow, in this exact moment, he managed to reassure you that things would be alright.

“Dream about me when you’re in there Sergeant.”

He laughed “Doc, you should know that there’s not much dreaming that happens in there—but if by any chance at all I do dream, I hope it’s about you.”

You squeezed his right hand, before stepping back, motioning for Steve to walk over.

As they spoke, you nodded, glancing around the facilities—this was the kind of place that you wanted to be. Everything was so different, so new, there was so much opportunity here.

Then Bucky was standing, he squeezed your hand one last time before gently letting go, a doctor escorting him into the chamber. He shot you a quick wink and a smile as he got in. “I love you, Doc.” 

You nodded at thim, trying to fight your tears from falling. “I love you too, Buck.” 

Then his eyes were fluttering shut as the pod fully sealed, and the glass quickly frosted over.

-

Thanks for reading my lovers and honey bunches <3

Series Masterlist

[reveryfics]

Hii again !

There is characters i knew for years that when i'll truly discover them (in movies or series) i'll be obsessed. Loki is part of this, but Bucky too ! And i recently watch the Captain America movies (I'm a Marvel fan since my childhood but i hate Steve, so i just watch for Bucky 🥸). And now, I'm wondering how Bucky would react to the first time seeing a ftm person. Right after he remembers a bit of his past life

Thanks for reading me ;) i hope you're feeling well 🎀

The Understanding

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x FtM reader

Summary: Bucky could never wrap his head around how different everything was especially when it came to you.

A/n: Ahh I love the idea of him getting used to everything after what happened with Hyrda, plus the opportunity to do something cute with this idea! Incredibly validating to only watch for Bucky. Also thank you for the concern, I am doing better <3

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

The city lights blurred into a kaleidoscope of colors through the panoramic windows of Avengers Tower. Bucky, perched on a windowsill, ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, the strands clinging to his damp forehead. The night sky, usually a source of solace, offered no comfort tonight. It was a mirror reflecting the turmoil within him. Months had passed since the incident, yet the weight of his past and the confusion of the present pressed down on him like an inescapable gravity.

Sleep had become a fleeting visitor, replaced by a relentless cycle of intrusive thoughts. Images from his past – the war, the HYDRA experiments, the agonizing memories of loss – would flicker through his mind, followed by the unsettling questions of the present. Who was he now? How was he supposed to navigate this complex world when his own understanding of himself felt so fragile?

Then there was him. The young man who worked alongside Bruce, a whirlwind of vibrant energy and quiet confidence. Bucky would catch glimpses of him in the lab, his movements fluid and graceful, a stark contrast to the stiff, almost robotic movements that had become ingrained in him during his time with HYDRA. He'd overheard a conversation between Bruce and the young man, a conversation laced with vulnerability and a quiet desperation. Bruce, his voice laced with concern, was urging him to be cautious, to prioritize his safety while wearing a binder. He mentioned "trans tape," a term that was completely foreign to Bucky.

Growing up in a world where conformity was enforced with an iron fist, where anything outside the rigid norms of masculinity was met with scorn and violence, Bucky had learned to suppress his curiosity. He had built walls around himself, walls reinforced by fear and a deeply ingrained sense of what was "right." His initial encounters with the young man had been marked by awkward silences and unintentional microaggressions, fueled by his own ignorance and the lingering shadows of his past.

The guilt gnawed at him now, a constant, aching reminder of his own shortcomings. He had hurt someone he barely knew, simply because he lacked the understanding, the empathy, to see beyond his own limited worldview. He imagined the young man, his spirit dimmed by the weight of prejudice, forced to navigate a world that constantly questioned his identity.

A faint glow from the living room pulled him from his reverie. Tony, no doubt, burning the midnight oil. But as Bucky approached, he saw not Tony, but the young man, curled up on the couch, a melancholic movie playing on the screen. He was staring intently at the screen, a desolate expression etched on his face.

"Hey," Bucky called out, his voice hesitant. "Seat taken?"

The young man looked up, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, followed by a weary smile. "No, all yours, big guy."

An awkward silence followed, punctuated only by the sounds of the movie. Bucky shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to bridge the chasm between them. Finally, the young man spoke, his voice barely a whisper. "You could at least ask if you don't understand."

Bucky's breath hitched. "I-"

The young man turned to him, his cheeks flushed. "I understand that this..." he gestured vaguely around them, "isn't what you grew up with, Bucky. But you could at least try to understand, or... or ask if you don't." His voice cracked, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

Bucky was paralyzed by indecision. Did he retreat, allow his fear and prejudice to dictate his actions? Or did he finally acknowledge the stirring within him, the burgeoning desire to understand, to connect?

"Explain it to me," he finally managed, his voice rough with emotion.

The young man seemed genuinely surprised. He had expected the usual dismissive comments, the same tired platitudes that had echoed through his life. "It's not like I chose to be this way," he began, his voice trembling. "I wouldn't choose to make my life a living hell, to be called slurs, to be abandoned by the people I love, just because I want to be happy." He paused, his gaze dropping to the floor. "Everything has an explanation, but people don't want to listen when one is provided."

Bucky leaned forward, his eyes locked with the young man's. "I'm listening."

And so, the young man began to speak, his voice gaining strength with each passing word. He spoke of the agonizing dissonance between his internal identity and the expectations placed upon him by society. He spoke of the shame, the self-doubt, the constant battle to reconcile his true self with the world's narrow definition of what it meant to be a man. He spoke of the relief of finally finding acceptance, the joy of being seen and loved for who he truly was.

Bucky listened intently, the weight of the young man's words washing over him. He began to understand, not just intellectually, but on an emotional level. He understood the pain of being forced to conform, the suffocating weight of societal expectations, the profound loneliness of living a life that felt fundamentally inauthentic.

"I'm so sorry," Bucky whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I didn't know."

The young man looked at him, his eyes searching. "I didn't expect you to," he admitted, his voice softening. "It just... it hurt, hearing someone I... I thought I could trust say those things."

Bucky reached out, his hand hovering over the young man's shoulder. "I wish I knew sooner."

The young man turned to him, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and hope. Bucky gently placed his hand on the young man's shoulder, offering a silent apology, a silent promise to do better. And as he sat there, enveloped in the quiet comfort of shared vulnerability, Bucky realized that this was just the beginning. The beginning of understanding, of healing, of a connection, maybe even something more that transcended the superficial and delved into the depths of their shared humanity.

[luciaintheskyainthi]

Happy new years! Even if it's still 2024 for me <3

If for some reason Tony could meet the batfamily and Jason, how would their reunion turn out? (Besides all the trauma)

I really wanted to see how this would unfold.

Like Tony (*technically* peter's overprotective father figure) and Jason (the older boyfriend, associated with crime and literally everything Tony would disapprove of) trying to have a peaceful dinner for the sake of the person they love.

Happy new years to you too! This is a great question, getting me to think about father figures!

Perhaps a controversial opinion, but I actually think MCU Peter would have been closer to Happy than to Tony Stark!

Peter definitely idolises Tony Stark, but it's very much hero worship, and I don't think they really got the chance to become close in the same way he would have had the opportunity to have with Happy, who took both May and Peter in after the fallout of Quentin Beck, even after May broke up with him. That's goated behaviour (a little part of my millennial soul died saying that lol).

Sure, there's evidence of Tony and Peter interacting, and arguably Tony's entire reason for risking everything after the Snap was a desire to bring Peter back, but it could be argued that this came down to guilt and five years of rose-tinted glasses over the times they did spend together. Peter's presence in Tony's life is also what probably made Tony open up to the idea of having a child of his own, so yeah, if he did come back, there's a chance Tony would want to take a more active and fatherly role in Peter's life.

But the way things actually turned out? It's Happy all the way. However, similar to Tony, I don't think Peter was ready to see Happy in that way until after the events of NWH. A throwback to Uncle Ben. Hero-worshipping Tony Stark was safe: he was practically a new god and therefore untouchable. No chance of the Parker curse getting him... But Happy? He was just 'some guy'. And looking at 'some guy' with father-tinted glasses was far more dangerous to Peter Parker.

To get to the meat of your question though! Be it Happy or Tony, they would definitely be disapproving lol. Tony more than Happy, I imagine. But it's not as if Tony's got clean hands, pre or post-Iron Man.

In regards to Happy, consider: having worked with Tony for many years, Happy enabled Tony's wild behaviour before he eventually settled down as Iron Man. How many women many years younger than Tony would he have allowed to pass through those doors? And he was his driver/body guard/head of security, so it's not as if he's averse to killing either.

With all that in mind, here's how I'd imagine things would go down with Tony:

Tony: I don't approve of you (Jason) because you're a criminal and a murderer and also too old (and therefore I'm going to be an ass and not call you by your name).

Jason: Oh, cool, the former warlord who profited off the blood of thousands doesn't approve of me. Hey, did you know that there's no ethical way to be a billionaire? Where'd all those billions come from? Oh, that's right! All those weapons you equipped the military-industrial complex with! Viva la imperialism!

Tony: ... (Has no good rebuttal for this)... Your father is literally a billionaire.

Jason: estranged, but yep. And I steal from him all the time. But please, tell me more, weapons manufacturer, about how you're so much better than me.

Peter: this was a mistake

Jason: and speaking of too old, why don't you tell us about all your sexual conquests huh? You're telling me all the men and women you've slept with have always been your age? There's only five years between Pete and I, you saying that's the biggest gap you've had?

Peter: please make it stop.

At some point, it devolves into a brawl that Peter has to break up and he tears into both of them. It's a long time before they're allowed to spend time together again, and NEVER unsupervised.

If it was Happy, Jason would probably be a lot more respectful. They'd both give each other shit, it would probably also devolve into a fistfight at some point (Happy is such a posturer), but there'd be a hell of a lot less vitriol from Jason towards him. It'd be defensive anger, not the contempt he'd have for someone like Tony Stark acting like he's better than Jason.

I can see a reluctant truce develop between the Happy and Jason, with the odd snipe, but otherwise relatively peaceful. And heaven help anyone who hurt Peter if the two of them were involved.

Does any of this mean I don't love Iron Dad fics? Hell no! Chasing the Iron Dad trope is what led me to the Spider-Man in Gotham fandom in the first place (I was looking at the 'homeless Peter Parker' tag and came across Dark Matter and fell down the rabbit hole like the rest of you)! But in the world of ECM, I don't think Iron Dad is how things actually went down.

Hope that doesn't disappoint! LBR though it probably does lol

[alien--cookie]

I'm like 8 years too late, but oh well - I've had this Captain America Civil War rant stuck in my head for a while and I need to get it out after re-watching it. (This is gonna be long af, but bear with me).

I feel like a lot of people missed the actual point and plot of the movie (and the marketing definitely didn't help). The whole "team cap vs team iron man" stuff becomes irrelevant after like the first 20 minutes of the movie. But of course, it's still quite a big part of the movie and I'd like to take a moment to explore what I think, the different character motivations are around why they signed or didn't (or would / wouldn't).

The only reason Tony "I successfully privatised world peace" Stark signed the accords in the first place anyway is because of his massive survivors guilt complex which we see triggered by the woman who approaches him at the end of his speech to the MIT students. Like this man does not give a single shit about the government, and much like Steve Rogers, he just wants to keep people safe. Unlike Steve, however, he doesn't trust himself to do so and thinks of himself needing the be kept in check, for someone else to take the blame (though he'd probably internalise it anyway, let's be real).

Rhodey has always kind of been more on the side of the government, even if that meant going against Tony - think Iron Patriot - so it makes sense that he'd want to sign. He understands that a group as powerful and dangerous as the Avengers needs to be kept in check, but what he doesn't understand are the risks around that. In a perfect world, it would be fine, but unfortunately government systems are stupid and corrupt.

Peter was only really in the fight in the first place because he was a child blindly following this big celebrity guy he idolised. He didn't know enough about the situation to properly analyse it, just being fed and believing whatever Tony told him (and he had no reason to go against him, so why would he? This was his shot, he's been chosen by THE Tony Stark to help). "Mr Stark said you'd say that" "he said you're wrong, you think you're right, that makes you dangerous." I 100% believe that if Peter had read the accords, that he would have been on Steve's side anyway.

Vision is an embodiment of 'good' and 'peace' - essentially everything that Ultron was supposed to be, but wasn't. He has no reason to be against the accords if it will keep people safe and he makes the point during their conversation of "our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict ... breeds catastrophe. Oversight ... oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand." It's also very much the beginning kind of puppy love between him and Wanda in this movie, meaning that he will want to protect her. No matter what. Even if it means "locking her in her room."

Nat was seriously one of the only people in this movie with a brain cell lol. I firmly believe that if the accords had been properly put in place, she would have followed them until she no longer thought the government's instructions were 'right' and would have gone against them anyway. Her main goal in this movie was trying to keep the Avengers, her family, together and ultimately do the 'right' thing.

T'challa didn't give one shit about the accords lmao, he's damn king. No, he was only there in the first place to take revenge on his father's death (which at the point of the airport fight scene he still thought it was Bucky's fault. He later discovers, after following Steve and Bucky to Siberia, that it's Zemo's, and locks him up).

Steve's concerns with the accords are valid, and honestly I wouldn't have signed them either. To be told "sign, retire, or get locked up" isn't really a big winner for me lol. And the thing is, Steve's done this. He fought in WW2, he got paraded around like some big hero while men died, and he did nothing. It wasn't until he went against orders, that he actually did something helpful (saved the captured 107th division in Azzano). So, no, he's not going to be side-lined when people out there need help. That's just not who he is.

Bucky had no part in the accords, and as soon as he got introduced into the movie, that plot point became irrelevant. He was framed by Zemo, and then used to rip the avengers apart. The accords was just another log to add to the fire at that point. He followed Steve because "till the end of the line" and all that. He literally, heartbreakingly, says "I don't know if I'm worth all this," but he follows anyway.

Scott, much like Peter, is kinda just happy to be there. He's following CAPTAIN FREAKING AMERICA into battle without hesitation. But like, let's be honest, given his whole movie and character, I very much doubt Scott would be on Tony's side if he had read the accords.

Clint got dragged out of freaking retirement for this shit, and he didn't actually get involved until after Team Cap already knew about Zemo. That's why he's there. Not because of the accords, but to help Steve get to the Quinjet to get to Siberia and stop Zemo before he can go through with his assumed plan to wake up the five super soldiers who'd been stashed there. (Of course, this isn't actually Zemo's plan, but we'll get back to that later).

Wanda is going through some serious self loathing during this movie, and the incident in Lagos doesn't help. Like at all. Ma girl just wants to live her life and be left alone at this point and she's getting all of these horrible things thrown into her face by Secretary Ross. She doesn't want to be controlled, she doesn't want to be a weapon, she wants to be free. "You locked me in my room." - Girl already probably hates Tony Stark due to her family being killed by one of his bombs and Ultron, so she's mad anyway.

Sam is on Steve's side from the start. With the accords, to fight Zemo, all of it. During the 'discussion' between him and Rhodey, he says "So let's say we agree to this thing. How long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?" He doesn't trust Secretary Ross, and is clearly hesitant to add his signature to the accords. (not that I blame him).

The main actual villain and 'plot' of the movie after the first part with the accords, was the whole thing with Zemo wanting to tear the Avengers apart to get revenge for his family dying in Sokovia. He takes advantage of the accords, and of Bucky / The Winter Soldier to do this but it's not really discussed which annoys me. It's a MAJOR part of the film, yet all I ever really see being discussed are the accords affecting the decisions of characters throughout the film with no consideration of the wider picture.

From when the UN meeting is blown up, the Avengers are being manipulated by Zemo working in the background throughout the film. He frames Bucky for murder, and Steve - who has been looking for Bucky for the past 2 years - goes after him like ‘tf man’. Bucky gets taken in and Zemo uses the opportunity to activate the Winter Soldier programming, learn about Hydra’s super soldier program, and of course - “Mission report. December 16, 1991.”

This leads to Bucky’s escape and attack, Steve and co going on the run, and eventually the airport fight. The meaning of this scene gets lost, I feel, when people relate it back to the accords because it’s not about that anymore. Not really, not for anyone. Especially not for Steve, or even for Tony.

Tony at this point, most definitely feels like his world is being torn apart. He’s losing control, he’s spiralling, and Steve just isn’t listening. He’s blinded by his anger to the bigger picture and he just wants to get a handle on the situation to deal with it further.

Steve’s forgotten all about the accords, his priority is keeping Bucky safe and stopping Zemo. He tries to tell Tony, tries to talk to him, but Tony isn’t listening either. I mean their whole interaction just before the fight shows this:

(the dialogue below has been condensed to show the key lines - basically I got rid of other characters talking irrelevantly)

-

Steve Rogers: Hear me out, Tony. That doctor, the psychiatrist, he's behind all of this.

Tony Stark: Anyway, Ross gave me 36 hours to bring you in. That was 24 hours ago. Can you help a brother out?

Steve Rogers: You're after the wrong guy.

Tony Stark: Your judgment is askew. Your old war buddy killed innocent people yesterday.

Steve Rogers: And there are five more super soldiers just like him. I can't let the doctor find them first, Tony. I can't.

- later -

Tony Stark: And you've been a complete idiot. Dragging in Clint. 'Rescuing' Wanda from a place she doesn't even want to leave, a safe place. I'm trying to keep . . . I'm trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart.

Steve Rogers: You did that when you signed.

Tony Stark: Alright, We're done. You're gonna turn Barnes over, you're gonna come with us. NOW! Because it's us! Or a squad of J-SOC guys . . . with no compunction about being impolite. [Steve looks aside.] Come on.

-

Not to mention that Tony, after learning that Zemo impersonated and killed the actual doctor dude that was supposed to see Bucky whilst he was in confinement, he DISOBEYED the accords and Secretary Ross to go and help Steve stop what they thought at the time was the reactivation of the five super soldiers who'd been left in cryo freeze.

He follows Steve and Bucky to Siberia to help them, not to fight them. That only changes because of Zemo showing the footage of Bucky, WHILE UNDER BASICALLY MIND CONTROL, killing Tony’s parents.

In this scene, Tony 100% has every right to be angry. Unfortunately, he’s the kind of person who cannot see past his anger. He gets in his head, he spirals, and he tries to kill Bucky based on blind rage. (IT WASN’T BUCKY’S FAULT DAMMIT).

And yes, Steve was 100% in the wrong for not telling Tony. This whole scene could have been very easily avoided if Steve had just pulled Tony aside and had the difficult conversation about his parents death. Tony deserved to know, and Steve was only sparing himself pain by doing it. Dick move Steve, 0/10.

The fight between the three allows Zemo, having successfully completed his plan of eliminating the super soldiers and tearing the avengers apart, to slip away. With his work done, he tries to end his own life, but T’challa stops him and arrests him instead.

Steve and Tony’s fight was unnecessary, dramatic, and heart-breaking, and I’m very glad they managed to make up later, but ye. I think, at the end of the day, they’re all just dramatic idiots with communication issues lol.

-

Thank you for reading my long ass essay lmao, apparently I have a lot of feelings about this movie 😂

[youngbugandtonystank]

Tony Stark is by no means perfect, in fact he’s one of those characters that over the years I’ve only grown to have more mixed feelings about because of what writers have done to him or his relationships with other characters. (Aka, not comic accurate, ruining relationships for no reason before they had the chance to even really start, the wasted potential,)

But he’s not a villain. He’s not the worst person to ever exist. He’s frankly an amazing character and with layers upon layers to who he is. People need someone to blame, it can’t be Bruce, his personality changed ever movie and he was barley around, it can’t Clint for similar reasons, Thor because most didn’t watch his standalone films and see a pretty big man, Steve because he was supposed to be the afce of the mcu, of the avengers, and he’s also a pretty big man, Natasha because she’s one of the few female hero’s, one of the first to be on the big screen, and all of them are the og’s, it’s so much easier to put the blame on an og. So who is it? Tony of course.

It’s stupid, and a disgrace to one of the last few well written characters in the mcu. But this generation seems to have lost all ability to think critically, to even try to understand something without direct being told by the characters themselves and even then sometimes they still can’t understand it

Tony is a deeply layered character full of flaws and growth and thats exactly what bothers so many people. They want the full of flaws character for development but when they get it, they do what they always do best, being professional complainers, HUGE surprise here... they don't actually like the flaws part. This tendency to villainize him is a result of needing a scapegoat rather than an actual analysis of his actions

You're absolutely right that the MCUs writing choices sometimes sabotaged relationships and wasted potential but Tony being the 'easiest' to blame is a mix of his BIG presence in the franchise and the way people tend to latch onto simplified narratives rather than actually watching the movies and understanding the characters as they are. Instead of acknowledging the nuances of his character (his guilt, his desire to protect, his mistakes and his growth) some weirdos just reduce him to a convenient antagonist in other characters stories. Funny how that works huh they hate him but they won't stop talking about him lol

The issue isnt just about Tony tho, its about a general lack of critical thinking in how people consume the mcu today. People now rely on surface level interpretations or whats trending (hate trains manly) rather than engaging with the deeper themes and motivations behind characters. Tony like all well written characters isnt meant to be perfect, hes meant to be complex and thats what makes him compelling

[hurtspideyparker]

Peter Parker's Guilt Complex

Uncle Ben died because he didn't step up. If he isn't using his powers for good, then he's using them for bad. There is no neutrality for him, no stepping away from Spider-Man. We see this shown in Captain America Civil War:

"when you can do the things that I can, but you don't, and then the bad things happen? they happen because of you"

Peter takes responsibility for the city of New York's safety all in his own back. Tony Stark validates him as a hero by having him fight alongside and against the Avengers, which fuels his belief that he's able to take on more than petty crime (when Tony doesn't provide anything more high-stakes, he takes his own risks. if bigger, badder things are out there and he isn't there to stop them? his fault.)

He can't step away, even for his own safety (his fault his fault his fault)

When he nearly dies in that collapsed building in homecoming it becomes glaringly obvious that there are no other heroes coming to save him. Even Peter Parker needs Spider-Man to save him; this only hammers in the idea that he can never rest as a hero, because then who else will save the city?

Peter drops his extracurriculars, stops hanging out with his friends. He becomes consumed with his hero identity (no breaks no time what if they need me what if there's danger what if I was having fun or doing homework while someone was dying?).

Then Peter becomes an Avenger, fights in a war, and loses people. Loses Tony. He's 16 and he just saved the world - so he takes a break. Goes to Europe with his class. Aunt May snuck the Spider-Man suit in his bag; the red and blue follow him like a ghost and he's haunted by expectations to save the world, to be the next Stark.

And Fury is there to remind him once again what a failure he is (step up, fight, no breaks. my fault my fault my fault). And for the first time in his career he considers that maybe the world is better without Spider-Man. Maybe he just makes things worse.

Beck is better. Beck will fix things. Peter chooses to be just a little selfish for once and hands over the Stark legacy to someone more qualified so he can go kiss a pretty girl.

It backfires; Peter's guilt nearly swallows him whole. Not only did he shit on everything great Tony thought he was, but now he's handed a super weapon to the latest villain hell bent on killing him and his friends (the people around me get hurt the people I care about the people that I put in danger my fault my fault my fault).

When his identity is revealed maybe a small part of him thinks he deserves this. The public may have the details wrong but in the end they're right, he's a fraud and a danger. He hurts the people he loves, lets them down and puts them in harm's way.

Ned and MJ can't get into MIT because of him, he tries to fix it. He messes up the spell, he tries to fix it. May dies and he can't fix it (my fault my fault my fault).

He lets them go. Blinded by his guilt he can no longer see the light and love he brought into people's lives, only the darkness he's stained them with. He cuts the strings and along with it goes some of the guilt that weighs him down, but where the guilt resided is now a gaping hole of loneliness, his chest as hollow as the apartment he now lives in.

On nights where he misses Ned's laughter, and MJ's witty comments, May's hugs, and working in Tony's lab, he still hears the voice in his head reminding him my fault my fault my fault. Though instead of guilt it only brings melancholy and resignation. This decision has to be the right one because the only person it's hurting is himself.

Peter Parker was a guilty man. So he gave up everything he had until there was nothing left to be guilty for.

Peter Parker is a selfless man.

[queenpiranhadon]

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

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

Pairing(s): Bucky Barnes x GN!Reader

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

"Hey."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He had forgot. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[bensolosbluesaber]

"Tony Stark didn't really kill Wanda's parents, Obadiah did. Tony was never the villain."

Guys, I fear we are losing our ability to understand complex situations. Yes, this is correct, and that's why Obi is the villain. I don't think we can place 100% blame on Tony for Wanda's parents, but he's not perfectly innocent either. Iron Man 1 shows us that ignorance is dangerous, especially when the ignorant have a lot of power.

Tony doesn't realize what his weapons are actually doing, and Obi is a manipulator, this is true... but Tony should have known. And that is what he realizes in the cave. His ignorance doesn't absolve him of guilt. That's what makes him a hero, right, seeing what is wrong and fixing it, even if the thing that's wrong is with himself.

[c-m-li]

What I thought I'd get for Captain America 3: Steve and Bucky revenge tour against remnants of Hydra and Bucky healing and reclaiming himself.

What I ended up getting for Captain America 3: Tony Stark's guilt complex having international consequences for millions who weren't at fault, and Bucky being re-victimized.