#verse ☆ survivor steve

[berylcluster]

@evilstalks said: Ever since their last interaction, The Boogeyman has not been able to stop thinking of Steve Harrington. Their fun time together ended a bit too quickly— not that Steve dying stopped Michael from… finishing, but it certainly left him craving more. So when he sees Steve go down into the basement midway through the trial, he follows behind. For a man of his massive size, it’s shocking how quiet he can be as he steps up behind Steve, waiting for him to finish fighting the lock on the chest.

➫ STEVE was not sneaky; in his list of skills he could put down strength, charisma, excellent bait for the killers, but his skills at sneaking by or hiding? Minimal. He couldn't even say he was good at repairing the generators, those damn things had a mind of their own when Steve Harrington started working on them. The team leader decided to forgo the mess ups, let those who could handle the gens do their work and he could run around the killer. He hadn't seen the killer yet, afraid it might still be lurking around, so he ducks into the house with the basement. While it wasn't the sneakiest or smartest thing to do, he wanted whatever was in the chest and no one ever accused him of being smart.

Steve is yanking on the lock, giving it a good hard shake and attempting to pick the lock when he hears breathing behind him, a chill running down his spine. His first instinct is to run, instead he looks behind him, face to face with a bloody blue jumpsuit and HIS crotch. Hazel eyes follow up to the familiar white mask, and there's a hot buzzing that lights him up from the base of his belly to his cheeks. "Hey, big guy." There's almost a coo in his voice, as if he's HAPPY to see the killer. The sweater clad brunette is rising to his feet, not even meeting eye to eye Michael was so tall, but he couldn't stop his hand from grazing the arm holding his knife as he rose. "Miss me?"

[pcrfectstorms]

[ @tthehair gets random love from jade! ]

three years. three goddamn years since she'd lost him, and she still looks for him in everyone she meets, finds pieces of him in the music she writes, the books she reads, he's still the first person she wants to tell anything good too, and in those split second moments when she forgets and goes to call him it hits her all over again. he's gone. missing. lost. because she refuses to believe he's dead even if that makes her crazy. and she must be crazy because she swear he's stood right in front of her now.

"steve?" her stomach drops, eyes fill, she blinks hard. once. twice. expects him to disappear or for her to wake up, but she doesn't. "steve..." voice cracks with emotion, she can't stop the tears the spill as she framing his face with her hands, she needs to feel him, to know he's real. "its you, fuck its really you."

[steddieas-shegoes]

The first time Dustin tried to get Steve and Eddie to meet, Eddie refused.

“You expect me to be nice to Steve Harrington? The King of Hawkins High?”

“I told you, that’s old news,” Dustin rolled his eyes.

“Last year isn’t exactly old news, Henderson.”

So Dustin let it be.

— — — — —

The second time they didn’t have a choice.

Eddie was wanted for murders he didn’t commit, and Steve was well-versed in the ways of the Upside Down.

When Eddie almost died, it was Steve who was able to carry him through the gate.

When Eddie was in the hospital for three weeks, it was Steve who sat by his side every night so he wouldn’t be alone with his nightmares.

When Eddie got out, it was Steve who brought him to his appointments and helped him get settled in the new government-provided house for him and Wayne.

When Eddie thought about it, Steve was probably the nicest guy he’d ever met.

— — — — — — — —

But Steve ended up having to go back to work when things got fixed up.

His parents left him the house, but otherwise cut him off.

Groceries and gas don’t pay for themselves.

So he saw him for an hour here or a few minutes there, always checking in when he dropped Dustin and Mike off for D&D.

Eddie started to wonder if Steve only hung out with him because he had like, survivors guilt or something. He had been so kind and caring, but clearly the clock ran out on that.

But to Dustin, it was just a reset.

Steve hadn’t changed, just his available time.

And it was time to do something about it.

— — — — — — —

They say the third time’s the charm, but in this case, it wasn’t.

In fact, Dustin almost gave up when this result ended in Eddie telling Steve to go fuck himself.

He didn’t know what happened, and he never found out, but Steve looked hurt, and Eddie shut himself in his room for three days.

— — — — — — —

Dustin was sick.

The flu was running rampant through the streets and school halls of Hawkins, leaving no person left untouched by the worst nausea and body aches known to humankind.

Also, Eddie’s dramatics may have been rubbing off on him. Just a little.

So he couldn’t go to Hellfire, and without him, they couldn’t finish the campaign.

But in his drug-addled mind, he thought of a resolution. Potentially. But bribery would have to be involved.

So he called Steve.

“Steve.” He turned up the pitifully low rasp of his voice to make it seem like he was dying. “I need you to cover me at Hellfire.”

“Why? So Eddie can tell me to go fuck myself again? No thanks.”

“Dude. Please. I’m too sick. Everyone’s been wanting to finish this campaign for a month.”

“Can’t they reschedule when you’re better.”

Well, yeah, probably. Eddie had been way more open to rescheduling since everything happened.

That would ruin his plan, though.

“C’mon, Steve! I’ll owe you!” He coughed to add to the drama of it all.

“Fine! Fine.” Steve sighed. “I hope you know you’re gonna lose.”

“Nah, it’s a team effort. Everyone will help you.”

“Sure.” Then, because Steve was Steve: “Need anything, Henderson?”

Dustin almost felt bad about what he was making Steve do. Almost.

“No, mom’s making me a broth soup to try to sip on.”

“Okay, call tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.”

If Dustin wasn’t as sick as he was, he probably would have tried to stay awake to call tonight.

But he fell asleep within minutes.

— — — — — — — —

“I’m sorry, you’re what?”

Steve rolled his eyes and placed his hands on his hips. “Filling in for Dustin. He’s sick.”

“You can’t do that.”

“He said I could.”

“He doesn’t run Hellfire, does he?”

“Shouldn’t he? Since you graduated?”

Eddie glared.

“If you two are done bickering like old ladies fighting over the same man in the nursing home, we have a campaign to finish,” Erica said from her seat, looking at her nails instead of at them.

“You heard Lady Applejack,” Eddie gestures towards the table.

Steve sat in the largest chair at the end and leaned back.

Everyone was staring at him.

“You’re not that dense. You can’t be.”

Steve looked up at Eddie with a smirk.

“Is there a problem?”

“That’s the DM seat. I’m the DM. Therefore, my seat.”

“It’s big enough to share. I like the view from here.”

“You can see all my notes from here!”

“Exactly.”

Eddie’s face was so red, it was a wonder he hadn’t exploded yet.

But he didn’t continue arguing. To Steve’s delight, and Dustin’s if he were there to see it, Eddie sat down on the edge of the chair. Steve scooted over a little, but they were pushing each other and being immature and stupid.

They both fell on their asses and Lucas finally spoke up.

“Can we just reschedule? This isn’t gonna work.”

“No. We’re so close. Dustin wouldn’t have sent Steve if he wanted us to reschedule.”

Eddie looked at Steve, searching his face for something. Whatever it was, he must’ve found it.

“Alright. Steve’s in my lap. Let’s go.”

He clapped and pulled himself back into the chair, patting his thigh and smiling at Steve.

“The whole game?”

“It’s this or Dustin’s spot over there.”

Steve wasn’t having that. He deserved this spot.

He stood up and sat down in Eddie’s lap, ignoring the way his stomach fluttered at being close enough to smell the shampoo Eddie used. Eddie’s hands settled on his hips to hold him in place while he leaned around to check his notes.

“Let’s begin!”

Luckily, Steve didn’t have to do much. The rest of the group kind of played for him, knowing he was just a warm body at the table.

And he was certainly warm.

Eddie’s hands had been finding new places to touch on his sides or legs or back or stomach all night. It was distracting. It was annoying. It was intoxicating and addicting and Steve never wanted to leave.

He was completely zoned out, barely registering he was supposed to be an active participant in this fucking game when he felt a light smack on his thigh.

He let out a whine.

And then reality came crashing in.

Everyone was staring at him with raised eyebrows. Eddie was completely still under him. He was mortified.

But he still didn’t want to get up.

He kind of just wanted to turn around and bury his face in Eddie’s neck.

As soon as he has the thought, his body is making it happen. ‘Your wish is my command,’ it’s saying in excitement.

Within seconds, his body is turned facing a shell-shocked Eddie, legs using the space between Eddie’s back and the back of the chair to wrap around his waist, and his face burying itself into his neck. He let out a much quieter whine, and felt his whole body relax.

A hand was on the back of his head, keeping him in place, and he sighed.

He could feel vibrations, like Eddie was speaking, but his head was cloudy and he couldn’t quite figure out what it was he was saying.

It didn’t really matter anyways. He was cozy and safe and relaxed for maybe the first time ever. Unless Eddie physically removed him from his spot, he wasn’t moving.

Time passed, but Steve couldn’t take a guess at how much.

“Stevie? You awake?”

“Mhm.”

“You wanna get comfy?”

“Am.”

He felt Eddie laugh more than he heard it, but he just snuggled further into Eddie’s neck, bunching his shirt in his hands.

“Okay, I’m just gonna pick you up and go to the bedroom. It’ll be better to sleep.”

Sleep? Was it that late? Where was everyone else?

“Shhh. It’s okay. Just squeeze your legs around my waist and hold on.”

Steve followed his instructions to the letter and he could’ve sworn he heard Eddie whisper “good boy” into his ear, but that could’ve been wishful thinking.

The next thing he knew, Eddie was sitting on the edge of his own bed with Steve in the same position on his lap.

“Wanna get in comfy clothes?”

Steve shook his head.

He was so tired.

“When’s the last time you slept?”

“Dunno. Week?”

“A week?! Steve…”

“Shhh. Sleepy.”

“No shit. You haven’t slept in a week.” Eddie sighed and then somehow managed to get them both settled in bed, Steve’s body almost entirely on top of Eddie’s. “Get some rest, sweetheart.”

“Mkay.”

Eddie kissed the top of his head, but he was already almost completely asleep.

— — — — — — —

“So he just…cuddled him? Right there at the table?”

Dustin couldn’t believe his plan worked and he wasn’t even there.

“It was awful,” Erica spit out.

“It was weird,” Lucas added.

“It was disgusting,” Mike said, pointing a glare at Dustin. “I wish I had the flu so I could’ve missed it.”

“And has anyone checked in on them since?”

Two days had passed and Dustin was finally able to keep solid foods down and his fever broke more than 12 hours before. His mom was even going to let him call Suzy later.

“Uh. Should we?”

“Lucas! Dude! They may have turned on each other.”

“Yeah, more like turned each other on,” Erica mumbled.

They all stared at each other, disgusted at the thought of their friend and babysitter being close.

“Gross.”

But Dustin smiled anyway. His plan finally worked.

[ihni]

I wanna dance with somebody

For @harringrovesummerbingo, square B2, free space (I chose "dancing"). Rating: G, 1,8K.

Summary: Steve wants to dance with somebody. (Just a sweet and trouble-free moment at a bonfire at the end of summer.)

(Also on AO3)

~~~

It was a warm night, for the middle of August. A moment at the end of summer; when nights start to darken enough that the sky will seem littered with stars, at least this far from the town’s artificial lights.

They were a mixed bunch of older teens and young adults who’d gotten together this evening – people who only months ago would never have been seen hanging out together. But living through supernatural events changes a person, and the bonds forged when fighting monsters together are strong. They were all survivors, and as such, they were out here now. Tonight was a celebration of making it through, as well as an acknowledgement that another eventful summer was ending. Soon, it would be back to normal. Business as usual.

They’d lit a bonfire on the gravelly shore of the quarry, which crackled merrily and sent sparks up to briefly join the starry sky. The fire lit up the beach and cast long shadows on the surroundings that might have seemed eerie to some, but despite what they had all been through, none of them worried on this night. Because the monster was dead, the portal was closed, and the shadows from the fire were just the absence of light. It was over, at least for the moment, and that was well worth celebrating.

Someone had brought a battery-operated boom-box and was playing a mixtape with a wide variety of songs. Metallica’s For Whom the Bell Tolls gave way to a-ha’s Take On Me, which was followed by Starship’s We Built This City. There seemed to be something for everyone, only proven by the way Steve Harrington’s face lit up with glee when the opening notes of Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance with Somebody started playing.

“Billy,” he said imploringly, eyes huge and sparkling, seeking out the blond where he was sitting between Robin and Argyle, with his boots digging into the stones at his feet.

“No,” Billy immediately said, shaking his head as Steve walked up to him. When Steve reached out a hand, he leaned back to avoid it. “Steve, no.”

“But baby,” Steve crooned and joined Whitney as she started singing the chorus, “I wanna dance with somebody,” Billy buried his face in his hands as the other people around the fire snickered, “I wanna feel the heat with somebody,” Steve made a little twirl and held out his hand again, pouting when Billy slapped it away, “Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody,” and grabbing Billy’s wrist, he leaned close as if Billy’s hand was a microphone as he finished off with, “With somebody who loves me!”

“I hate you,” Billy grumbled, his face red with embarrassment, which only caused more laughter around the fire. Steve stepped away to the beat of the music and turned to Robin, pulling her to her feet when she – with a pointed look in Billy’s direction – accepted the outstretched hand. She didn’t dance as much as provide support when the second verse started.

“I’ve been in love and lost my senses,” Steve said, pointing to Billy, whose ears were burning, “Spinning through the town.” He spun Robin around, laughing as she stumbled awkwardly. “Sooner or later, the fever ends, and I wind up feeling down.” He pouted again, and Robin assumed a faux-pitying face and patted him on the head, more than up for playing along with his antics.

“I need a man who’ll take the chance,” he continued, looking Billy in the eye and holding out his hand again in clear invitation, “On a love that burns hot enough to last.”

“So when the night falls!” a new voice cut in, and Eddie sprang up from the log where he’d been sitting curled up next to Chrissy and grabbed theatrically at his chest, “My lonely heart calls!” Everyone laughed when he took hold of Steve’s hand and assumed a dramatic pose as the chorus started up again.

“Oh, I wanna dance with somebody,” Steve sang, eyes glittering with mirth as Eddie flailed around him. “I wanna feel the heat with somebody.” More laughter as Eddie started lewdly humping Steve’s leg at the ‘heat’ part while sticking his tongue out in Billy’s direction. Billy’s whole face was red now. “Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody,” Steve continued with a shrug of his shoulders, “With somebody who loves me.” At that, Eddie pressed a big sloppy kiss to Steve’s forehead, drawing even more laughter from their friends, and then turned to Billy with raised eyebrows, like ‘yeah I did, what are you gonna do about it?’

No one was surprised when Billy stood up suddenly. He’d never been able to resist a challenge.

“Oh, I wanna dance with somebody,” Whitney continued from the tinny speakers as Billy stopped in front of the two dancing boys, raising his eyebrows right back at Eddie, who grinned but offered Billy his spot in front of Steve. “I wanna feel the heat,” Billy jumped in surprise and everyone laughed again when Eddie slapped his butt while walking past him to get back to his spot by Chrissy. “Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody,” Billy, face still red, hesitantly took Steve’s hands and pulled them apart in an awkward first move. Steve took pity on him and took a step back, drawing Billy along and pulling him in close enough to press a kiss on his nose. “With somebody who loves me.”

Billy’s face couldn’t get any redder, but he raised his chin in determination as the song continued, and held up Steve’s hand and twirled him around, before he started dancing around where Steve was standing. His moves were less smooth than Steve’s or Eddie’s, as he was obviously not used to dancing, but that didn’t stop him from giving it his best. Ignoring the cat-calls from around the fire, he jerked his hips in time with the music and clapped his hands above his head, fighting against a smile when Steve whistled appreciatively, “Oh yeah baby! Shake that thing!”

On the other side of the fire, Eddie had pulled Chrissy to her feet, and they too were dancing. The rest of them stayed sitting, but Heather had sidled up next to Robin and they were shaking their shoulders in time with the music, arms touching. Nancy was leaning her head on Jonathan’s shoulder as he raised his camera surreptitiously, trying to get the perfect photo of the dancing couples. Noticing this, Billy glared at him even as he twirled Steve around again, but Jonathan just grinned and took the shot. And Billy mustn’t have minded after all, because he just turned his attention back to Steve and continued dancing.

“Don’tcha wanna dance with me baby,” Whitney sang, and Steve belted out the words right along with her. “Don’tcha wanna dance with me boy?”

“I really don’t,” Billy answered, smiling now. “But I’ll do it for you.”

“Don’tcha wanna dance, say you wanna dance, don’tcha wanna dance,” Steve and Whitney continued, shaking his head so his hair almost slapped Billy in the face.

Billy laughed and backed up, but smoothly turned it into a dance move instead, pulling Steve against him, back to chest. Wrapping his arms around him in what was more embracing than dancing, he leaned in close and sang along to the song, low enough that Steve was the only one who heard, “With somebody who loves you.” He pressed a light kiss to Steve’s ear and then, just as the song ended, twirled them both around and dipped Steve low with one hand out. Steve shrieked in delight and twisted in Billy’s grip, hanging on to his shoulders for dear life. But he couldn’t help the laughter bubbling out of him as Billy’s eyes glittered in the light of the fire and effortlessly held him up in a grandiose finish.

They held their pose as the last note rang out in the night air, and then, to the sound of their friends’ cheering and applause, they stood back up and accepted the praise. Billy, taking a leaf out of Eddie’s book of good manners, bowed and kissed Steve’s hand, and Steve snorted out a laugh and pulled his boyfriend in for a proper kiss instead, which elicited both coos and groans from around them.

“Come on guys,” someone said, “get a room!”

Billy gave them the finger without looking, and then pulled back from Steve only to lean in again and press another kiss to his lips demonstratively with a loud smack. “If you didn’t want a show, you shouldn’t have bullied me into dancing.”

“We didn’t bully you,” came Eddie’s insistence from where he was moving along to the next song with Chrissy. “We just … gently encouraged you.”

“By putting your hands all over my boyfriend,” Billy growled, but with an amused spark in his eye.

“Well can you blame me?” Eddie said even as he swayed Chrissy to and fro, holding her smaller frame close. “Look at him! When a handsome man like that asks you to dance, you don’t say no, Billy! Or someone else might take the chance instead.”

Billy stuck out his tongue at Eddie like they were toddlers at the playground, which led to more laughter. Steve laughed too, but threw an arm around Billy’s shoulders and scolded his friends, “Stop teasing him. I’ll never get him to dance again, at this rate!”

“If it means we don’t have to watch whatever travesty those moves were, I’m fine with it,” Eddie said, but quieted down as Chrissy grabbed his face between her hands and told him to behave. He beamed at her, obviously smitten, and promised to play nice.

As everyone started settling back down around the fire, Billy leaned in and whispered in Steve’s ear, “I wouldn’t say never, pretty boy.”

“Yeah?”

“I mean. In the right circumstances, I could be persuaded.”

Turning his head so that he was facing Billy, Steve raised his eyebrows and asked through a smile, “Out of curiosity, what would those circumstances be?”

Billy bit his lip. “Well first of all, no audience next time.”

“Is this your way of offering me a private dance?”

“Mmm. What if it is?”

“You know we can hear you, right?” Robin interrupted, motioning to herself and Heather who were sitting on the log only a couple of feet away. “We’re literally right here. And you’re not subtle.”

“Or quiet,” Heather added, and leaned forward, making herself comfortable with her elbows on her knees and chin resting in her hands. “But please, continue. It was just getting good.”

“Good?”

“Good as in X-rated.”

“You wish,” Billy quipped.

“I wouldn’t mind,” she said angelically.

They continued their banter to the backdrop of laughter and music, as the bonfire kept on sending its sparks towards the star-littered sky over the quarry. And none of them had any worries, because it was a night of celebration, and they’d all made it through.

[steviebbboi]

Red (Chapter 03)

Pairings: Steve Rogers x Original Female Character (OFC)

Summary:

Eleana Harlow (Ellie) is an Enhanced Individual turned Avenger. She's also Steve's everything. She just doesn't really know it yet.

Warnings: non-canon, slight canon divergence, sorta established relationship, OFC has powers and is POWERful, enhanced!reader, protectiveSteve!, softDom!Steve, steve and OFC are intimate, angst, eventual smut, friend(ish) to lovers, mentions of mental health issues and PTSD, mentions of dissociative episodes, mentions of violence/death but its not too explicit. (* indicates chapters containing smut)

Would love some feedback, and any reblogs and comments are appreciated! MINORS DNI - DO NOT read unless you're 18+ thank you!

DISCLAIMER NOTE:

I don't give permission for anyone to post this work on any other platform. This only exists on Ao3 AND now Tumblr (5/29/24), so pls don't copy/paste. Also, I don't own any of the Marvel universe (I wish). All of my works are also unbeta'd so please be kind, and apologies for any edit mishaps.

Chapter 03. She Needed Him

Six months ago…

“Phoenix, we need you over here!” Natasha rasped into her ear piece. There was a fire in one of the office buildings due to a bomb explosion. Tasked with evacuating any survivors, Ellie dove straight to the scene. 

“On my way, Romanoff.” Ellie affirmed. A suicide bomber that was hired by Hydra decided to interfere with their mission by literally setting off a bomb in an area further away from where the real action was. Where Steve was fighting Brock Rumlow, Sam and Wanda dealing with his bandits were going after biochemical warfare. Tony flying towards what seemed to be Hydra’s new base location. The team being split into three completely different sections, Ellie and Natasha had to do what they could on this side. 

Finally reaching the outskirts of the burning building, Ellie was breathing heavily while she saw Natasha coughing and looking rough for wear – but was still holding up a severely injured civilian. “Nat, stay back. I got this.” 

Natasha let out a muffled ‘copy’ while Ellie held out her hands with every intention of putting out these fires. She focused all of her energy on absorbing the fire’s vitality and the raging flames started slowly dissipating into steam, gradually evaporating in the air. Smoke still could be smelt heavily although the fires were no longer a pressing issue. 

The hardest part of Ellie’s powers were that as she took away the fire externally, she was also inviting it in internally. She brought it back into herself. Her forearms shined a bright blazing orange all the way up to her shoulders, as she breathed slowly through the heat. Her veins glowing something bright. Concentrating on enmeshing the fire back into her always required more effort when she took it away. The fire had to go somewhere and she could take it. That’s what her powers were meant to do. 

Shuddering at the pressure and weight of the flames, she felt the familiar sensation of an intense heat sinking into her skin. Ellie couldn’t help but let out a pained grunt. Feeling her body envelop fire was always the most painful part. But she was well-versed at handling it. 

Still processing and embracing the current heat flowing in her body, she faintly heard Steve’s aggressive questioning, “What did you just say?!” She frowned and looked towards his direction where she could faintly see his outline and his grip on Rumlow tight, pulling him close. 

“Your precious Bucky asked for you. Before they put his head back in the blender.” Rumlow revealed with a distorted grin on his face. 

Ellie was just coming back into herself when she felt her heart drop. She quickly gave a glance to Natasha who glanced back. She was still directing civilians to a safer area across the way but even the Russian spy was pausing slightly and moving slower at hearing the revelation. 

“Where is he?” Steve demanded threateningly. Rumlow merely let out a gruffled laugh and tore open his vest to further reveal grenades strapped to his chest. “Well, I guess you’ll never find out.” He pulled a pin. 

“STEVE!” Ellie bellowed. Horror filled her entire being. It was like time just slowed down, and suddenly she found herself running. Not away from the explosion. But towards it…towards Steve. 

A distance away, Steve reacted too late and was about to suffer the consequences until Rumlow was enveloped with a red glow. Steve sharply glanced over at Wanda to see her attempting to control the explosion with a grimace on her face.

“Wanda, push him up and away from us!” Ellie suddenly shouted into the ear piece and was halfway to reaching them. Wanda listened to her command and tried to wait for her to reach them but she couldn’t hold onto the power of the Rumlow’s explosion any longer. Wanda struggled and suddenly thrusted her hands upwards with a shout, catapulting Rumlow 50 feet into the air. 

Ellie’s eyes widened in panic as she knew that she wouldn’t make it in time. Stopping in place, she thrust out her own hands in Rumlow’s direction to consume the flames. Absorbing fire into her body was a practiced skill, but that still didn’t make it easy. Ellie acted on pure instinct in trying to call back the flames that were aggressively waiting to be released from Rumlow’s burned body. However, trying to absorb instantaneous flames that were in the air that came from this far of a distance was not something that she has ever done before. Ellie had also never attempted to enmesh flames for a long amount of time. Any attempt in the past has landed her either in a severe, dissociative state, or had caused her to pass out. 

At that moment though, Ellie didn’t think about what would happen to her. Loud grunts were all she could let out as she grit her teeth against the massive pressure overriding her body. Ellie’s arms were straining as she invited the flames inside. The explosive fire caught down to her shoulders and chest. She could feel her yearning for the fire to flow through her. Desperate to move the element away from Steve. Almost like trying to seduce it into a new container. 

Her eyes widened as the fire looked never-ending. The flames were complying but not fast enough. Ellie’s aptitude suddenly shifted in her pain, her eyes squinting determinedly. “Whatever it takes.” she thought. A transformative force swept through her entire body and suddenly, something else was driving her call now. It was evident that it didn't care for Ellie’s life. It was unafraid, callous, fierce, and alive.

Steve’s eyes widened in fear as he saw Ellie fall hard onto her knees, half of her body was now on fire. 

“RED, LET IT GO!” Steve shouted into his com-piece. Ellie either didn’t listen to or hear the Captain’s command as her arms shook violently. Her once hazel eyes now glowed a wild and rageful orange. Red flames were erupting all over her body. She couldn’t hold it in anymore, and let out a blood curling, pained scream. Her back bowed, her arms now outstretched away from her body, the rush of the explosion now completely enveloping her body. Flames poured out of her body simultaneously, almost flaying like wings. Her stature resembled her namesake, the Phoenix.

“Move your ass, Cap! She’s going to go into a hyper-pressurized supernova if she doesn’t let it go!” Tony warned. During Ellie’s power testing, they found that her powers allowed her to withstand intense heat. As hot as the power of the Sun…but while she can manipulate the fire, holding onto it and retaining it was something that could still kill others around her, and even herself in the process. Especially if she took on too much at one time. 

Steve’s feet moved before Tony could even finish his urgent warning. Speeding towards Ellie, still begging her to let it go in their comms, Steve also shouted at Wanda to contain her. “Wanda, can you stop her?” 

Wanda’s bright glow can be seen wrapping around Ellie’s “body.” At this point, her entire body was just a harsh emblem of fire. Her face was barely palpable. 

Struggling to contain her teammate’s power, Wanda responded through gritted teeth, “She’s starting to absorb flames from other parts of the city. I don’t think she even realizes that she’s doing it! I’m trying to reach her - she’s too strong!” Ellie was hard to see amidst the blaze, but they could all see that her body was still working on embracing the inferno of flames. Her “face” turned towards the sky and her back arched with flames entering her body without permission. 

Steve felt the ache in his legs as he pushed harder. “Cap! You need to frost her. NOW!” Tony yelled through the coms. Steve panted and slowed down his pace. He realized that even if he could reach her in time, he would be useless in stopping her. Her powers were now in control, the flames now glowing into something ethereal. The fire emoted passion and seemed threateningly lively.

His eyes sunk and filled with despair as he placed one hand to his ear and lowly said, “Wanda, slow down the fire intake as best as you can.” The StarkWatch’s interface on his cuff now glowing blue, Steve made a motion to extend the watch over his own hand. The device now resembled Iron Man’s notorious repulsor gauntlet.

Wanda’s eyes cut to him in a panic as she desperately pulled at Ellie’s prone body, doing her best to either slow down or extract the flames. “It’s no use…her powers are killing her.” she thought. Wanda knew that this was inevitable. Ellie was dying, and they had to try to save her.

An emergency‘frost’ was a last minute resort should Ellie ever be found in a compromising position where her powers were uncontrollable. The repulsors would emit nano-tech driven particles that attached to her biometric signature to shut down Ellie’s entire body, even ‘pausing’ her life functions for a period of time. 

When they all heard about the device for the first time, Steve was the first to react. “What do you mean, ‘pause’?” Steve interrupted Tony’s nonchalant explanation. Silence grew as Tony glanced at Steve with reluctance in his eyes. Steve slowly glowered in fury, no longer needing the explanation. He knew what it meant and he wanted to destroy the device at that very moment. Usually Tony was able to respond with a humored quip, or tailspin it to be not such a big deal. 

But even he couldn’t mask the fact that ‘pause’ really meant ‘to end’. 

With her body shut down, her powers would therefore become inactive. But that also translated into her being lifeless and at that moment, dead . Being vehemently met with angry protests, Tony quickly explained that the very device that could end her life also had the potential to bring her back. The nanobots would still be active in her system from the repulsor charge and would give enough time for them to activate her life functions once more and bring her back. Even after the team found out about the power of this device, they were revolted by the real, dreadful possibility of being the person to end their friend’s life. To also be the one responsible to try to bring her back.

While her friends agreed to only use it in true emergencies only, Ellie emphatically encouraged her team to use the contraption should the Phoenix ever take control. Steve stared darkly and intensely at Ellie. A wild look in his eyes ignited further once he heard her encouraging words. 

She understood that she may lose her life, but to her that didn’t matter as much, because she knew that using it would also save theirs. Steve stormed out of the room at that point. It took a while for him to even acknowledge, much more agree, to use the device in the field. Because even though Ellie felt differently about her life, Steve knew what it was like to have the power of sacrifice. He knew the regret that was left behind once a decision was made. 

To Steve, he didn’t care if the world burned. Her life was, and is, always the priority. 

But now as he outstretched his trembling arm, Steve unsteadily felt the gravity of this decision once more as he turned the repulsor in Ellie’s direction. His world slowed down and he tuned out everything else. He could barely hear Wanda and Sam’s panic, Tony shouting to activate the gauntlet, nor could he hear Nat’s calm voice reassuring him of his choice. 

All he could think of at that moment was Ellie’s smiling face, her laugh. Her stubbornness. Her endearing warmth and compassionate nature. Her soft skin grazing the back of his hand, the flushed red in her cheeks. Secret and unspoken gazes that they would share in moments where they were able to be authentic and together. Their bond. 

Steve’s eyes suddenly squinted in determination. She wasn’t going to die. He won’t let her. She’s always the priority. His arm steadied, and he fired.

“Guys, I already told you that I’m fine. You can stop hovering.” Ellie suppressed a shudder that ran through her body. She glanced up and gave her team a reassuring smile as if her body wasn’t completely on fire. Minus the pun. 

It’s been about 24 hours since they had to bring Ellie back from the brink of death. Dr. Cho and her team were at the ready and had her placed into the healing cradle straight from the quinjet. She woke up with a sharp gasp only 7 hours ago. Hearing only quiet exclamations from Wanda that she was alright and that they were now back on base. 

The cradle was able to repair any injuries that she sustained from the fight, and from the use of her powers. For the first time since she had discovered her powers, Ellie had a burn sustained on both of her shoulder blades. Dr. Cho was in noticeable disbelief when she told her that the cradle did what it could to help the burns- but what it left behind is something that the cradle couldn’t fix. 

Looking at the bathroom mirror, Ellie turned around and saw two outlines of wings on the back of her shoulders and going along the length of her spine. The marks weren’t very noticeable, but the faint lines of the wings did glisten with a red-rainbow aurora every time and again. When the subtle shine lifted around the edges of her right wing, she gasped. 

“They’re beautiful…” she wondered out loud as she lightly traced the outlines of the markings. Ellie couldn’t really comprehend nor could she wrap her mind around the fact that she had quite literally died in the past 24 hours, came back to life, found literal glowing tattoos branded onto her body, and most importantly… that Steve hadn’t once come by to check on her since they put her into the cradle. 

When she woke up from her “slumber of death” (Tony was already cracking jokes that the rest of the team were not laughing at, but she knew it was his way of caring and coping), Wanda was already sitting next to her, reassuring her, and letting her know that she and everyone else is safe. When she left to go get the others, it was Tony, Bruce and Natasha coming by to check in. Bruce naturally went into doctor mode to check on her stabilizing vitals and asked her how she was feeling. Meanwhile, Tony clapped her on the shoulder awkwardly while giving a short smile. Natasha welcomed her back and gave her forearm an affectionate squeeze with her signature smirk on her face. 

But no Steve. 

When Ellie muttered his name quietly, the team went eerily silent. A glance between Nat and Tony, and a wavering, guilty sigh from Wanda, Nat took the lead. With her classic nonchalant tone, she replied, “He’s debriefing with Sam to Fury and the council. Some things happened while you were out that have to be parsed through.” 

Now back in bed, Ellie blinked sleepily. Her eyes felt so tired. “What things?” 

The rest of the room’s occupants were still quiet. Ellie felt awake once more at the team’s silence. Her brain was slower than usual, but it didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to deduce what must have happened. 

“...I died, didn’t I?” Ellie warily asked. 

Wanda and Tony were quiet but fidgety, looking down at the floor with angst. Bruce was pretending to look at her chart but his eyes perked up every now and then. Natasha’s expression was unwavering and she moved to squeeze her shoulder. “You were gone for longer than we would have appreciated. But, we brought you back with Stark’s nanotech.”

Ellie merely blinked once, “How long?” 

Natasha’s expression did change this time, only slightly, coming from her place of nonchalance to forming a mild frown. “You were clinically considered dead for 7 minutes. By the time that we got back to base, you were down for another 5 until we got you into the cradle. Once you were in, you were already starting to stabilize.” 

Ellie couldn’t hold back her panic. “11 minutes?!” her thoughts went wild. It wasn’t even completely because of the fact that she had died and needed to be resuscitated. Her thoughts went wild because she knew that during those 11 minutes, Steve thought that she was dead. 

Steve, strong, charismatic, and powerful Steve, had thought that he had lost her forever for those 11 minutes. For 11 minutes, she didn’t have the opportunity to tell him that she was going to be okay. Or tell him that even if she did die, he would be okay. She cared about him…she loved him. Faintly, she could hear an increased ‘beeping’ noise but thought nothing of it. She could only think about seeing Steve. And yet, she came back, and he wasn’t there. 

Ellie felt another hand on her shoulder, “Sestra, you need to calm down. Relax.” Wanda gave her an affectionate rub while pouring calm into her thoughts. At Wanda’s words, she took a deep breath and exhaled. The beeping that she heard was slowing steadily. She couldn’t see it but Bruce was on standby with a sedative just in case. If her heart rate increased, her core temperature would heighten and they couldn’t risk her body being placed into that position again so soon. 

Ellie took another breath and on her exhale said, “Does he know that I’m back?” 

It was Tony who responded this time, “FRIDAY just let him know two minutes ago, Dante.” 

Before she could ask another question, Natasha interrupted her, “We’ll let you know when he gets here, okay? Until then, you need to rest, ptichka.” She gestured to Bruce and all of a sudden, Ellie felt a small prick on her arm. She frowned and let out an exhausted sigh. Everything floated back to black.

With Ellie now out for the count, Wanda looked back at her two mentors with a contemplative look. “Should we have told her that it was him that activated the repulsor?” 

“No,” Natasha said resolutely. Her voice carried into a soft whisper, “We all saw him on the jet. Let them talk it through when he gets here.” 

“I’ll have FRIDAY redirect Cap to the lab. I’m sure they’ll need all the space that they can get.” Tony mentioned out loud. “Us too, when you think about it.” Tony’s quip had the two women direct annoyed glances over his way. 

“I think what you meant to say, Stark, was that you’ll need space away from Rogers.” Natasha repurposed with a smirk on her face. Bruce, who was still looking at Ellie’s charts, let out a small chuckle, “It was that bad, huh?”

Tony rolled his eyes at that, “Yeah, well, I can’t fault him too much for it, can I? I, technically, was the one who told him to use it on his dear little ‘Red.’ But look at her now, all spry, a little pale, but alive!” He sprung out his arms in accomplishment. 

Natasha ignored his comments and replied to Bruce, “Let’s just say that Stark was lucky that he was in the suit.” One last glance over at Ellie’s resting form, she turned to walk back to the conference room that she was in with Steve and Sam. Hearing from afar, Tony was still ranting about how he saved Ellie’s life, and Wanda’s admonishment for the creation of the device – Natasha went onto the elevator. When the doors closed, she allowed her mask to fall and her eyes to close in her own exhaustion. 

They also didn’t manage to tell Ellie that Steve already knew that she was awake by the time that they got to the lab. They didn’t tell her that Steve merely glanced down with his jaw clenched. A dreaded look in his eyes. Recognizing the look of inner turmoil when she saw it, Nat offered to go check in on her in place of him. 

Exiting the elevator, she could see that their debrief was wrapping up. She entered the glass room and sneaked a glance at Steve. Sam looked at her curiously as she entered while Steve visibly froze and slowly turned his head to acknowledge her presence. One look into his eyes confirmed a sense of worry and desperation. Although his stiff body looked ready to run out of the room, Natasha knew that his brooding moment was over since she had left. If he had to run, he would run to her.

Fury’s holographic figure was seen in front of them, the world security council directly behind him. Their expressions tense, Fury directed his question at Natasha, “Status report on Harlow?” 

Natasha’s face didn’t expose any vulnerabilities. “Agent Harlow is now stable but sedated. She was notified of the mission debrief during her moment of consciousness, and had expressed that she would report in to debrief personally as soon as she was able.”

Fury knew that more had happened than she was letting on. Of course he does, he’s Fury. But everyone in that room understood that the World Security Council didn’t need to know anything other than the fact that she’s alive. Last thing that they need is to send Ellie to the Raft and claim her to be government property. For them to use as they please.

Steve wasn’t quelled by her response. He initially chose to debrief for the team because he just couldn’t see Ellie, look at her still and quiet body any longer. His eyes briefly closed as he reflected on what he witnessed in the jet. Ellie was just lying there. Her face devoid of any emotion, any expressiveness of her being alive. No pain, nothing. The nanotech was meant to instantly revive her once they called back the ‘frost’ command, but after what felt like hours (which was more like a long two minutes), she still wouldn’t wake up.

On his knees, all he could do was stare at her limp hand that dangled across the table while the others frantically started to do what they could to revive her. He briefly recalled Stark talking to FRIDAY about the repulsors’ status of the nanotech now existing in her lifeless body, and could see Sam hurriedly administering CPR. Wanda silently cried and held her other hand with a red glow, trying to reach into some level of her consciousness. Natasha had one hand on his shoulder that he could barely feel, asking him if he was okay. 

Steve was silent, growing more and more despondent. All he thought was, “Was he okay? He just killed Ellie, his Red. His best friend. The person that he swore to protect. A person that he loved and didn’t get the chance to tell her before she died. She wasn’t waking up. No. he was not okay.”

At that point, he did remember something feral overcoming his shock as he noticed Tony struggling with his holographic interface. All he could think of was that Stark and his stupid gadgets had just jeopardized everything that he held dear to him. He wasn't able to stop himself from throwing Tony to the side of the quinjet. He could still barely feel Natasha's and Wanda's hands trying to get him off of Stark's metal frame.

“The Phoenix was a trial period for the Avengers Initiative. Our concern still stands. What if another incident like this happens again?” A voice filled with suspicion and fear filled the space, suddenly snapping Steve out of his disturbing reverie. 

“Agent Harlow is an experienced, classified SHIELD agent and has demonstrated her place with the Avengers. She has helped save the world and the seats that you are currently sitting on. Are you going to keep insisting that she is still apart of a “trial period”, Councilwoman?” Fury directed back to the council member. 

“Her efforts in preserving the world are not going unnoticed, Director. Nor is it under-appreciated. It doesn’t change the fact that The Phoenix is an enhanced individual that is still progressing in power as we know it. As we have evidently seen today, she is dangerous. Her powers grow, and your team has yet to uncover the maximum potential that she holds. Much more, a level of containment. How can we have faith in your capabilities to determine the world’s safety upon a high-risked enhanced?” Another councilman shot back.

From behind Fury, a scoff can be heard by Sam. “This is ridiculous. That ‘enhanced’ had saved our lives. Without her, we would all be fried meat by now with a lot more casualties reported in Lagos.” Sam expressed his anger unashamedly.

The same councilman huffed in response, “That may be so, Mr. Wilson. It again doesn’t change the fact that she may better serve the people under more… structured systems. Systems in place that will enable a safer environment for the AI team to move freely. Without hazardous material on board.”

Steve could feel his ire raging hearing the council member’s words. How dehumanizing they are in treating Ellie’s life as dispensable.

“Perhaps we need to re-evaluate the AI team in accordance with the Accords once more. If the UN finds that the Phoenix was non compliant with the agreements, we will need to revisit this conversation.” Underneath these thin words was the threat of dividing the team. Laced with the exposure of the Phoenix being arrested and determined government property in a floating base in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The image of Ellie disposed away, away from the team, and from him broke him.

“That’s enough.” The room went quiet under the command from the otherwise silent Captain America. 

Steve glared at the holographic forms with a rage that even the council members could palpably see. “The Avengers Initiative is still upholding the agreements with the Accords. Under any investigation, you would be violating the safeguards set in place to protect our team. As you know, we are still free agents and are in our rights to protect the wellbeing of any and all members of the initiative. If there were any suspicions of our effectiveness, you can bring them to Director Fury or to me with the appropriate ethical standings within your limitations. Not during a debriefing meeting in which we recap how a member of our team has saved a significant amount of lives. We don’t trade lives, Councilman. You’ll do well to remember your own place in your own sector.” 

“Is that a threat, Captain?” A council member prompted. 

“Yes, it is.” Steve immediately answered with an unapologetic tilt to his head. Nothing more could be spoken after the captain’s blunt honesty. The council members shifted angrily, the other Avengers in the room failed to hide their growing smirks. Even Fury couldn’t hold his slight smile.

“We appreciate your cooperation, Council. At this time, we will proceed with all debriefing processes and have them evaluated through AI.” With a wave, Fury dismissed the council members and the holograms disappeared.

Fury turned towards the three Avengers silently. Steve still held his belt resolutely, holding absolutely no regrets. The power in his stance was unwavering. Fury merely smirked, “Well said, Captain.”

Steve allowed a small smirk to form on his face and gave a dismissive nod, “Director.”

Fury nodded back and glanced at them. “Romanoff, I expect a full internal report.” Natasha echoed Steve’s sentiment, and the man’s image disappeared. 

Sam turned to Steve with a full grin, “Captain America saves the girl. Saves the day.” Steve allowed a full grin too at that, and Sam clapped him on the shoulder before leaving the room. He knew that this didn’t change the fact that the said ‘saved girl’ was downstairs recovering from a harrowing day. He understood that Steve still needed time to prepare himself for that visit. 

At Sam’s departure, Steve’s face fell into a grim expression once more. “How is she, really, Nat?”

Natasha sighed and granted a small smile, “She’s okay. She was tired. Confused. But she understood what had happened during the mission.”

Steve let out a small sigh, “What else does she remember?”

Natasha crossed her arms and ducked down to capture his conflicted gaze. “She doesn’t seem to recall specifics about the mission, as far as we know. She doesn’t know that it was you.”

At his exhale, Natasha knew that this was the answer that Steve needed to hear. Ellie didn’t know that it was Steve who pulled out the device. That it was him who ended her life. 

“Are you going to tell her?” she asked. Steve looked to the floor, “I don’t know. I’m not sure if it's best that she does know.”

Natasha let out a disbelieving scoff, “Steve, El asked for you when she woke up.” Steve looked up quickly with a yearning glance. His eyes softened at the image of Ellie asking for him, and the confusion of why he wasn’t there. 

“You underestimate her too often. Harlow knows the risks. We all do. I think it's about time that you respect her enough to do the same.” Natasha laid out. Steve looked to the side at that. He would never be comfortable with this option, ever. 

She continued, “The Council wasn’t wrong about her powers growing. The Phoenix is expanding in strength, and it isn’t going unnoticed by the team.” 

Steve interrupted, “So you think that she deserves to be pathologized? Clinically exposed to scientists drunk on power and greed of taking away her will to choose? To exist in the Raft?” His eyes now hardened, expecting to hear an affirmative response.

“What? No– ” Natasha visibly frowned and shook her head. She felt offended by the accusation. “Steve, I’m just…reading the terrain. We know how much you care about Ellie. We care about Ellie. That’s why we keep one hand on the steering wheel, and the other working to earn their trust back. You’re not the only one who wants to protect her. Each other.”

Steve heard her but still shook his head. “What I do know is that I’m not going to let anything else happen to her. We keep her close. While Stark and Banner reconfigure another way to help Red manage her powers, we do whatever it takes to protect her. Their eyes were always on her, and you know that. Now, agendas are shifting.” 

Natasha could only nod in agreement, “We’ll protect her, Steve. You’re not alone.” She did her best to convey the sincerity behind her words, and Steve heard it. An exhausted sigh was released as Natasha squeezed his arm affectionately.

Steve turned to leave, determined now to see Ellie. Before he could go, Natasha called out to him once more. “What about Barnes, Steve?” 

He stiffened at the door and stopped in place. After some silence, he turned to her and replied, “I don’t know. Rumlow could have been lying. Last time that I saw Bucky, he was pulling me out of the river. Sam’s leads are all cold.”

Natasha looked down and suggested, “At this point, we can assume to not know anything, that’s for sure. I can look into Sam’s leads again and see if there are any merits worth pursuing.”

Steve frowned, “I thought you didn’t want to pull on that thread.”

She smirked back at him and said, “You focus on our ptichka. She needs you right now more than us.” 

Steve smirked in response too and nodded a quiet thanks. Exiting the room, Steve put all thoughts of Bucky, the panic of hearing his name in that moment, and his own morbid feelings about the repulsors to the side. 

Red needed him.

*sestra= sister in the Russian language (I couldn’t find any sense of Sokovian language. I know it’s fictional but but if anyone knows how to find that fictional language lore, feel free to lmk)!

*ptichka= little bird in the Russian language

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[louisferrignojr]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers! Spread the self-love ❤️

sorry for taking forever to reply to this, i haven't been in a fanfic-mood for a few days but today im trying to get back on that horse so to speak. thanks for the ask <3

ok the first three are stevebucky (MCU) because i've been writing them for a decade. i've managed to write some good things during that time.

1. afraid nothing can save me (but the sound of your voice) - a steve rogers character study fic where he is going to therapy and unrepressing shit and dealing with his survivor's guilt and ptsd and latent homosexual feelings for his best friend (who's also been in love with him the entire goddamn time and then they kiss about it). utterly self indulgent. it's very dear to me.

2. i would not ask you, neither would you - another stevebucky fic, an AU with an actual plot (im bad at this usually). which i kinda put together with ideas from burn notice and an episode of white collar. journalist steve x retired spy bucky team up to take down some bad guys. plus i finally managed to write a slow burn that's actually slow! and my longest fic at 48k words.

3. no matter how they toss the dice - one of my best ideas i've ever had (perfect for stevebucky). there's vignettes of steve and bucky in various decades because they accidentally go through a portal, but they're also in a different parallel universe during each snippet, so it's like a bunch of mini AUs within canon verse. it's all loki's fault, but he was just trying to do his 'messing around with the humans' thing. it was SO fun to write and googling random things during the process.

4. and some part of me came alive (the first time that you called me baby) - my first bucktommy fic!!!!!!!! it will always have a special place in my heart for this reason. i dont think it's like, profound or anything, i just wrote a little bit of the continuation of their relationship post 7x06 because i was down so bad. ridiculous. i love them so much<3

5. write our names in the wet concrete - bucktommy AU. childhood friends in which tommy was buck's first boy crush and buck was tommy's best friend and then their path split and they reunite in the future and go on their first date. honestly it's just cute and fluffy. gives me the warm fuzzy feelings.

[ladykailitha]

In the Midnight Hour Part 3

And here we come to the REAL reason I started this AU.

Part 1 Part 2

*

Steve picked Robin up to take her to school. And she was chattering away like she always did.

“Like it’s hilarious,” Robbin was saying. “Andy and Chase, not having the energy to do anything. They’ve apparently been benched twice because they can barely stand let alone dribble a ball.”

Steve hummed. “Anyone else on the team that’s been lethargic?”

Robin thought for a moment. “Not on the basketball team. There were a couple other jocks that had that long and drawn out look, but they’re better off, I guess. Able to function and shit, but like pale.”

Steve raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like a vampire or some such shit.”

“Ewww,” she crowed. “Are there vampires in DnD? Could this be an Upside Down thing?”

Steve chewed on his lips. “I don’t know, Robs. I’m not well versed in this shit. I’d the hitter not the planner.”

“I’ll talk to the dweebs at lunch,” Robin sighed. “See what their thoughts are on this.”

Steve nodded.

“What are you doing today?” she asked as he pulled up the school.

“I have the day off so I thought I’d visit Wayne again,” Steve murmured.

Robin’s shoulders sagged. “You don’t have to keep doing this. He’s a grown man, he can take care of himself.”

Steve chewed on his lip. “It helps...me.”

Her eyes softened. “I’m sorry. I know it’s hard for you to lose anyone, even if you didn’t get a chance to know him.”

Steve just nodded.

She patted his shoulder and then left for school.

He drove straight to the Motel 6 and pulled into the parking lot. Thanks to Eddie being a part of the “team” or party or whatever the government had deigned to give Wayne Munson the ‘pay off’ or whatever to keep his mouth shut about the Upside Down.

So he was living in a motel until he could get a bank to look at him to buy a house.

Steve walked up to room six and knocked.

Wayne opened the door. “Back again, Harrington?”

Steve smiled. “Maybe I just like your company.”

Wayne scoffed. “No one likes my company these days. Well except you and that Henderson kid.”

“Dustin’s been by?” Steve asked, looking down at his feet.

“He still not talking to you?” Wayne asked softly.

Steve shook his head. “Thinks it should have been me instead of Eddie. I thought I share.”

“Survivors’ guilt is a hell of thing,” Wayne agreed.

“You were in the Vietnam war, right?” Steve asked, sitting down on the one chair in the room.

“The government always were sick sons of bitches,” Wayne said gruffly.

Steve scoffed. “Tell me about it.”

Wayne frowned. “And what would you know about that?”

Steve looked around. “You think this room is bugged?”

Wayne’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t pegged Steve for a conspiracy nut, but then this wasn’t the normal teenage boy, either.

“No,” he replied. “I sweep for bugs every time I come back.”

It was Steve’s turn to look surprised. “Now, why would you do that, sir?”

“Why don’t you tell me what you know,” Wayne said, sitting on the bed and facing him, “and I’ll tell you what I know.”

So Steve did. He told him everything. From the beginning with Will all the way to the end with Eddie’s death and the return of Vecna.

“Shit,” Wayne said. “Had I known it was Henry Creel, I would grabbed my shot gun and helped hunt down the bastard.”

“You knew Henry Creel, sir?”

“I’m only a year older than that sick son of a bitch,” Wayne said. “I have my accent because I kept it. I want to remind every single one of those bastards that I am not here by choice.”

Steve frowned. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“I was the wrong kind of powered,” Wayne said. “Can’t do much with an empath.”

“What’s an empath?”

“An empath is someone who can feel other people’s emotions. I can immediately tell what mood someone is in no matter how good they are at masking it,” Wayne explained. “Can’t weaponize feeling things. They tried to get me use it feel out foreign heads of state. Are they nervous, happy, angry? The problem was that they could be mad about their toast being burnt that morning and not angry at being at the meeting. So I was dumped in a town that hated people who were different.”

“What was your number?” Steve asked.

Wayne shook his head. “Different project. I had a name, not a number. I was the precursor to whatever shit they got Henry involved in. And your friend, too.”

“What about your parents, your brother?” Steve asked. “Didn’t your family care what happened to you?”

Wayne shrugged. “My parents were happy to take the money the government gave them to keep their mouths shut and my brother was their golden child. I grew up in the care system here and got a job right out high school.”

Steve winced. “Is that why you offered to take Eddie, because you didn’t want him in the system?”

Wayne smiled. “I don’t know why your friends think you’re the dumb one, you seem pretty quick to me.”

“When it comes to people, sure,” Steve said with a small smile. “Not when it comes to everything else.”

Wayne smiled back. “I think you and I are the same, thinking with our hearts and not our heads.”

Steve straightened up and grinned. “I don’t have powers, though.”

Wayne just shook his head. “You’re here about Eddie, aren’t you?”

“I know Dustin told you he died,” Steve said.

“But he’s not dead,” Wayne said. “I can still feel him.”

Steve’s jaw dropped. “Come again?”

“I’m real close to Eddie,” Wayne explained. “I can feel his emotions better than anyone. When Dustin came and said he died. He wasn’t wrong. Not then.”

Steve closed his eyes and lower lip shook. “I think Vecna‒Henry brought him back as a vampire or something similar.”

Wayne nodded. “He’s not quite right, my Eddie. When he was brought back I mean, not before.”

“He’s been visiting me,” Steve admitted shyly.

“How long?”

“A few weeks,” Steve said softly. “I was having nightmares and hallucinations before this and thought he was one of them.

Wayne nodded. “What made you decide he might be the real deal?”

Steve threw his head back and groaned. “This is so embarrassing.”

“I’m waiting,” Wayne said playfully.

“His hair.”

“You want to run that past me one more time?” Wayne asked.

“I’ve been able to ‘touch’ my hallucinations before,” he said put air quotes around touch. “But this was different. I’d never touched his hair prior to his death so I should have no frame of reference for what it should feel like.”

Wayne nodded. “Ah. I gotcha. You expected it to feel a certain way and when you touched it, it didn’t feel that way.”

“Exactly!” Steve said, snapping his fingers. “And that’s why I’m here. You needed to be the first to know that Eddie was back. And that there might be a chance to bring him home.”

Wayne nodded, tears filling up his eyes. “You’re a good man, Steve Harrington.”

Steve shook his head. “I’m really not. But if it was the other way round, I’d be pissed if no one told me there was a chance to save him.”

Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11  Part 12  Part 13

Tag List: @thequeenrainacorn @savory-babby @chaoticlovingdreamer @grtwdsmwhr @renaissan-vvitch @panicatthediaz @swimmingbirdrunningrock

[m4sonn]

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚ ☁️The Gang’s Favorite music Artists.

The gang’s favorite music artists and songs! :3

(Thanks to my friend @peachyponyboyy whom I collaborate with for this posts and posts like this)

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Pony Boy

>Blake Sheldon, he secretly likes country but won't admit it. 

>Post Malone. He loves Sunflower, got him into the spiderverse.

>Taylor Swift, his favorite song from her is “ME!” and “You Belong With Me”

>Unironically listens to Panic! At the Disco.

 >Live Laugh Laufey, Favorite song is “Letter to my 13 year old self” 

> Mitski enjoyer, knows every mitski song. His fav mitski song is a pearl.

> Listens to one Lil Uzivert song and it’s “The end”

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Sodapop

>Schoolboy Q. I Don’t need to explain further. “Collard Greens” on BLAST.

>He has a wide variety of music, on spotify his liked playlist has around 7,300 songs added.

> Enjoys himself some Laufey after Ponyboy introduced her to him. His favorite song from Laufey is “Valentine” or “I Wish You Love”

>Kendrick Lamar, he recites “tryna strike up a chord, it's probably A Minooooooooor”

>He is all the way on kendricks side of the diss, He started screaming like a girl when he heard “Meet the Grahams”

>Metro Boomin, he loves the spider verse album he had made. 

> listens to one mitski song and it’s washing machine heart (found it off of TikTok, has been listening to that song since 2020 when it went TikTok famous)

> he went to a mitski concert once with pony and Johnny and only knew washing machine heart. looked at pony like he was crazy when he started scream singing to all of the songs

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Darry

>Honestly, he listens to whatever is on Top 100 Hits or R&B stations.

>Definitely a country music person.

>probably listens to the “did your boots stop working” song and says he relates to it (???)

>His favorite artist is Hozier, favorite song is “Take Me To Church” absolutely.

>Like I said, No Doubt is one of his favorites. He cries everytime he hears “Don’t Speak” (DON'T SPEEAAAK, I KNOW JUST WHAT YOU’RE SAAAYIN, SO PLEASE STOP EXPLAININ.. DON'T TELL ME CUUZ IT HUUUUURTS)

>Destiny’s child listener, fav song is survivor (he relates on a personal level)

>Dolly parton, “A SINGLE MOM WHO WORKS TWO JOBS WHO LOVES HER KIDS AND NEVER STOPS” (also relates on a personal level)

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Dally

> He listens to fucking Playboi Carti

>He probably listens to random ass trap music with the dude just sayin “Yeah, oh- yuh, poppin pills” and shi

>In secret he listens to The neighborhood and Arctic Monkeys, “Daddy Issues” and “Arabella” are his JAM.

> I feel like he listens to Peso Pluma, he tries singing along to “Ella Baila Sola” but struggles with spanish.

> He’s also an enjoyer of 6arelyhuman, kreyshawn, ke$ha, and ICP, change my mind.

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Johnny

>He is SUCH conan gray fan, it's not even funny.

>Mitski’s “Nobody” on BLAST.

>Him and Dally share a cig over “Daddy Issues” by The Neighborhood. They just sit in silence.

>Bro’s playlist consists of The Cranberries, The Smiths, The Strokes, The All American Rejects, and The Offspring, Literally any 80’s through 2010’s Indie or Grunge Artist/Band he loves.

> “Let The Light In” is a song he shares with Ponyboy, they’ll sit in the park sharing earbuds, watching the sunset while reading Gone With the Wind.

>One of his favorite songs is “Je te laisserai des mots”. He enjoys Euro music.

> listens to System of a Down

> secretly likes the living tombstone, tally hall, babymetal, wheezer, and lemon demon but refuses to admit it.

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Two-Bit

>Lets be so fr he only listens to Disney Hits.

>If it's not that he listens to whatever Darry listens to.

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Steve

>Listens to stupid shit like Ice Spice or smt, Nicki minaj on blast tho ❗❗❗

>listens to whatever Sodapop listens to.

>Also has the Lion King Soundtrack on repeat.

> enjoys lil uzivert, but only the songs before he came out as nonbinary, not because he’s homophobic but because he just thinks they’re better

[reddie-ao3feed]

Sick BoyStenbrough

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/WYZpyA6 by Firestarter2003 Stan just wanted to spend his weekend studying to become an accountant but here he was at a college Masquerade party that his friend Eddie forced him to attend. When he arrives he spots the most gorgeous girl ever who was wearing a gown, makeup and heels but once he gets a closer look he notices that it wasn’t a girl at all but in fact a boy. A gorgeous boy in Stan’s eyes. Stan didn’t get the boys name before the boy ran off. Bill spent his entire life living in a hospital never seeing the outside world until his caregiver Nancy dresses him up for a college party that high schoolers aren’t even allowed to attend but Nancy made it happen not to mention that Nancy is the only one who knows that Bill likes wearing girl clothes and makeup but Nancy gave Bill a curfew as to not get in trouble. Once at the party a tall college boy starts flirting with him until Bill leaves the party early not giving the cute college boy his name. Words: 1530, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Series: Part 2 of Stenbrough, Part 2 of Stenbrough ABO Verse Fandoms: IT (Movies - Muschietti), Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Bill Denbrough, Stanley Uris, Beverly Marsh, Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Eleven | Jane Hopper, Ben Hanscom, Mike Hanlon, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, Robin Buckley, Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Nancy Wheeler, Holly Wheeler, Kay McCall (IT), Carole Danner Relationships: Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Beverly Marsh/Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Lucas Sinclair/Original Female Character(s), Dustin Henderson/Kay McCall (IT), Carole Danner/Mike Hanlon, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Ben Hanscom, Robin Buckley/Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler Additional Tags: Stenbrough, stenbrough - relationship - Freeform, Cancer Survivor Bill Denbrough, Gay Bill Denbrough, Bisexual Stanley Uris, Sick Bill Denbrough, Hospitalization, Mute Bill Denbrough, Crossdressing Bill Denbrough, Protective Losers Club (IT), Protective The Party (Stranger Things), Short Bill Denbrough, Alpha Stanley Uris, Omega Bill Denbrough, Depressed Bill Denbrough, Hurt Bill Denbrough, Suicidal Bill Denbrough, Anorexic Bill Denbrough, Stanley Uris Has OCD, Bill Denbrough Has Nightmares, Bad Parents Sharon Denbrough & Zack Denbrough, Bill Denbrough Has Panic Attacks, Bill Denbrough Has Anxiety, Bill Denbrough Has Brittle Bone Disease, Haphephobia, Philophobia, Fragile Bill Denbrough, Makup-Wearing Bill Denbrough, Body Dysphoria, Orphan Bill Denbrough, Half-Siblings Stanley Uris & Kay McCall (IT) & Beverly Marsh, Past Child Abuse, Past Sexual Assault, Older Man/Younger Man, Alternate Universe - College/University, Modern Era, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Smoking, Underage Smoking, Drinking, Underage Drinking read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/WYZpyA6

[berylcluster]

The Boogeyman is rather frustrated Steve has been ignoring him this trial, far too busy being around the red-headed girl. So the moment the two of them get split up by the other killer in the trial, Michael takes the opportunity to corner Steve off in a dark little corner at the far edge of the realm they’re in, shielded by shrubs and trees. He tilts his head down in confusion in Steve, wondering why he’s being ignored.

➫ STEVE hasn’t been ignoring him PER SAY. It’s more like, staying away for his own health. Because the moment he sees the other, all his resolve and energy to avoiding Michael will go out the window. It’s not like he hates him or anything, in fact quite the opposite these days, Steve is finding it harder and harder not to look forward to seeing that mask every time he wakes up in a trial. But with the additions of Max as his friend and becoming like a little sister to him, he thinks very strongly that he should spare her of the intimate details of exactly HOW he gets The Shape to heel. This sudden change has obviously irked the killer and Steve knows it’s only a matter of time before he finds him alone, Max being far too smart to stick by the resident killer bait.

He’s trying to hide, thinking he was being stealthy until two strong arms trap him in the corner and he’s thinking to himself how stupid he has to be to try to avoid a seasoned and competent stalker. Oh well. Steve knows he can’t resist that head tilt, the way he knows what the mask is saying without hearing it, though he definitely misses that heavy breathing hanging over him. He hates himself for that a little. “Hey bud… buddy.” A tense chuckle escaped him, while he tries to think of his explanation. He won’t lie, he thinks Michael is a bit too smart for him to lie, and he doesn’t deserve it, frankly. Regardless of who they are, they’re in a sexual dynamic and that requires some trust. On both sides.

“Okay, you can be mad at me, I deserve that. But I have a good reason for leaving you alone this time.” A swallow, Steve fiddles with the hem of his sweater a bit. “I can’t risk us being caught..? There’s someone here I need to keep safe, she’s.. a sister I never had so. You understand, don’t you?”

[tthehair]

he burps. seems to be the only thing he wanted to say. now he’s back to reading, without glasses. what a little rebel.

[hellfireheroes]

The muses below are available for interactions upon request 24/7!

Some are more active than others but all are available. Verses depend on plotting but each season is available for interactions if you have a specific idea in mind!

Thanks so much! ✨🌈

Stranger things muses:

Eddie Munson

💀 Verses: Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, Season 4.

Kas The Betrayer - Kas Eddie / Post Season 4.

Survived and Alive - Post Season 4 and Alive.

Dead by Daylight - Survivor. (Upon request, Killer)

Rockstar - Corroded Coffin.

One of Us, One of us!! - Crazy Fun Park au with @gareththegreat

Steve Harrington

☀️ Verses: Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, Season 4.

Dead by Daylight - Survivor.

The Wolf - Werewolf/Supernatural.

Mr Harrington - Teacher.

Dustin Henderson

Wayne Munson

Gareth Emerson

TBA

Jeff Daniels

TBA

Grant ‘Freak’ Goodman

TBA

Non Stranger things muses

Kurt Kunkle (Spree)

Baron Lamram (Marmalade)

TBA

Walter “Keys” McKey (Free Guy)

TBA

Arthur Havisham (Dickensian)

TBA

Eric Flowers (A Quiet Place: Day One)

TBA

John Bender (The Breakfast Club)

Chester Dante (Crazy Fun Park)

TBA

Nimrod (Crazy Fun Park)

TBA

Zed (Crazy Fun Park)

TBA

Issac Starfield (OC - Crazy Fun Park)

TBA

Vance Hopper (The Black Phone)

TBA

Finney Blake (The Black Phone)

TBA

Robin Arellano (The Black Phone)

TBA

Truman Burbank (The Truman Show)

[mojowitchcraft]

Fave WIP Round-Up [Ongoing Series]

Continuing my obnoxious love bombing with some recs for ongoing series as well! Find the rest of my WIP Recs here

Uneducated Guesses Verse by @eddywoww Rated E | Works: 9 | Words: 103k

"Steve." He pointed at the name tag on his chest. Eddie hadn't even noticed, too distracted by that face. "What's your usual scene, Eddie?"

The Rush of Thunder (That Brings You Under) by @callmejude Rated E | Works: 5 | Words: 125k

While Steve and Dustin are searching for survivors, they're surprised to find Eddie alive, hiding out in Rick's cabin. Steve takes up the task of caring for him while staying in his trailer.

The Jock and the Freak by chesiredog Rated E | Works: 4 | Words: 23k

“You had these in your pocket for Anna?” he asked, wagging the tube of lube and strip of silver packets at Steve. “Three? Ambitious, aren’t we?” “Three’s my record,” Steve panted. Eddie halted halfway through stashing the items in his pocket. “Seriously?” With a sex-drunk smirk, Steve asked, “You can’t bounce back after?” “No, not for a few hours because I’m not goddamn Superman. Should I see if I can get you to four?” Steve’s mouth sealed shut, and he swallowed audibly. OR After a drug deal goes sour, Eddie finds himself rescued by the least expected knight in shining armor.

Left Hanging on the Ghost of His Words by @bonitabreezy Rated T | Works: 6 | Words: 28k [Now Complete]

In the Summer of 1985, Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley are captured by Russian soldiers under Starcourt mall. Only one of them comes out alive.

cybersex by @toburnup Rated E | Works: 3 | Words: 7k [Now Complete]

With a self-satisfied groan, he rolls over and taps her icon to send her the video. Steve presses send and closes his eyes, feels each muscle relax. A minute or two later, his phone chimes and he opens one eye to read the text. But - it’s not Emma. It’s Eddie who texted him and he frowns, swipes it open. Eddie: lol Steve sits up and fear sparks in his stomach. His hands are shaking as he scrolls up and - Yep, sent the video to Eddie. (Steve sends an… intimate video to the wrong number)

boots & budweiser’s miraculous misadventures by helix_stomper Rated E | Works: 3 | Words: 100k

Steve and Eddie meet at a gloryhole Pre-S4. It goes pretty much exactly how you’d expect.

out on the ice by @hexiewrites Rated E | Works: 2 | Words: 60k

Eddie Munson just wanted to play hockey. That's almost all he's ever wanted, since he was old enough to realize it was an option for him. And now he's at the top of his game, one of the best players in the NHL. Everything would have been perfect... if it wasn't for the small matter of the thing he's got going with his long time rival, goalie Steve Harrington.

And I'll be self-indulgent and add my series to the list:

Night Drives by @mojowitchcraft Rated E | Works: 9 | Words: 78k

Night Drives is an ongoing series, starting with Part 1: "No One Rides for Free" where Eddie Munson stumbles across Steven Harrington crying next to a bush at Tina's party and makes it his mission to cheer him up. Continuing on as their relationship develops over the course of fall/winter 1984 and beyond.

Edited May 7 to note completed series Edited Aug 3 to update

[sweater-daddiesdumbdork]

Hi Amber! How are you doing??

I wana tell you that I love love love The Pack series. I'm in love with Alpha Steve and his little one❤❤

I want to ask what looks appearance wise you have in mind?? I always imagined him with Ari hairstyle and Nick Vaugn beard. Would you share his looks through their journey.

Also this new reader, I loved her for her. Would you want to share that Steve is seeing her again after a while.

What did he notice about her first thing?? Her new haircut? Her new shade of highlights in her hair?

Hey Babes, I am doing good. Waiting for some of this snow and ice to start melting away and come back to springtime in my part of the world. I'm ready for going outside again. What about you? How are you doing? Thank you for loving The Pack, Alpha Steve and Little One are a special, wild verse for me.

I kept them vague so you guys could imagine what you wanted. But I do love that look for Steve.

When I picture him he started out kinda like the Andy hair and beard with lighter features to it. Broken-in jeans would have been his main look with steel-toe boots for working in the woods around heavy logging equipment. When he wore a shirt, tee, and flannel were the comfiest and most convenient. He often had a pair of heavy-duty leather work gloves hanging from his back pocket and a workmans belt to carry various tools necessary for repairing vehicles or woodworking. His bare hands would have been rough, covered in scars and callous's from work. He always had a resting concerned face, but when he smiled and laughed, he would look boyish almost. His Alpha Wolf was a large heavy wolf with thick fur. Little One and he often preened and groomed each other, giving it a well-kept appearance.

After Steve chose to walk away from Little One, his hair grew longer, swept back from his face from frequently running his hand through his hair. It grew lighter the longer it grew, and his beard lost the trimmed look he maintained. Now that he is living on the go while hunting, he doesn't have time for that. Deeper lines crease his face as he goes back to being a Howling Commando instead of just a pack Alpha. His gear is now a flexible kevlar suit with lighter boots made for travel and combat, and his belt would be now for carrying various weapons and an emergency first aid kit. Permanent leather gloves protect his palms but his fingertips are uncovered for when he needs to do finer work. Across his shoulders is a leather holster, made for carrying supplies they might need in the field. His features were often grim, his mindset focused on one thing, hunting down those who put the Pack in danger and made the collars. His Alpha Wolf grew lean and shaggier being on the move away from the comforts the Pack and Little One provided.

Since I haven't gotten further in the story, we will have to come back to appearances afterward. But towards the end of One The Hunt, I am very much picturing a more Ari appearance.

Little One is a little harder because I purposely kept her to no real descriptions as far as physical appearance. So this is just my view on her, and I want everyone to continue picturing her just how they want to.

When Steve sees her again after so long apart, he would certainly notice she looks stronger. He always knew Little One basically recovering from Pierce, so always on the smaller, leaner side. Almost dainty when they first met, trying to make herself small and unnoticeable. Before Attack of the Winter Wolf she put on some strength from endurance training and self-defense with Natasha and Steve as well as learning vehicle maintenance with Sam and Sara. But now in One The Hunt she moves like a weapon herself, her time in Wakanda built strength in her body. She's curved with a healthy amount of muscle for her size, and she's also taken to moving confidently, a survivor who took back her own power. The Little Wolf has always been on the smaller side as far as wolves go, built for speed and long travel. Now she is more adapted to the heat, so very lean without the thick coat, she is very agile and perfected the panthers methods of stalking prey. The Little Wolf can strike fast but she doesn't have as much strength or power as her mate did.

Steve has always admired his mate for her strength and will to survive, now he will see her become the true predator she has always meant to be- a wolf that is in control of herself without a need for an Alpha protector.

As far as her actual appearance- hair, eyes, size, etc- I would love to hear what you picture her and her Little Wolf as well as Steve and the Alpha as. Thank you so much for this ask, I really do love talking about these two and the journey they have been on already.

[shieldslingera]

FALLOUT

Tony Stark went missing and it was Steve's turn to go find him. Traveling around America in his search for his friend, he found himself fighting an off-shoot sect of hydra, where his enemies captured and froze him once more. They chose to display him as a prize in one of their secret Vaults, where Steve lay for hundreds of years. Discovered by two wanderers, Steve was thawed--but was still bent on finding his friend. One trek to New York and back--with Tony in tow--Steve settled into the Commonwealth, taking over as the General in the Minute Men and beginning the rebuilding effort in true Avengers' fashion. 

STATS & GENERAL

in general, stats like ENDURANCE, STRENGTH, and AGILITY are his highest, with CHARISMA and PERCEPTION being his next highest.

fallout characters would be familiar with captain america, not just as a wwii figure, but a figure also just before pre-war and nuclear fallout. he was also most likely used as a propaganda figure upon going missing.

verse is built with @homestations' zetta and riley as dual sole survivors ocs and @overclocks' tony stark. general interactions will take place after steve has been thawed and retrieved tony from new york.

FACTIONS & WORK

MINUTEMEN - steve’s main faction. his goals align quite well with them, and he finds a kindred spirit in preston garvey. they both work hard to rebuild the minutemen, preston with his knowledge of the commonwealth and steve with his ability to inspire and rally. he, reluctantly, takes on the role of general, working on getting the minutemen up into a fighting force in the commonwealth. he seeks to use the minutemen to allow settlers to settle in more places, effectively rebuilding farms and homes and gaining some semblance of normalcy.

RAILROAD - steve is not subtle enough for any sort of railroad work. as much as he believes in their goal--which he does, incredibly so, ai’s have always been people to him, so why not synths--nothing about a man wearing a red white and blue flag says ‘i’m ready for spy work.’ beyond that, after working with shield, working with another bunch of sneaky secret-y types who won’t tell him the whole truth about a situation sets him on edge.

BROTHERHOOD OF STEEL - no.

THE INSTITUTE - honestly, he’s worked with a lot of nerds and big brains in his day, and he knows that a whole group of them clustered underground is just a big feedback loop that created this whole mess. in his mind, they’re not bad or evil, just misguided and disconnected from what’s truly going on and the average commonwealth experience.

RESIDENCE

THE CASTLE is the main place of residence--steve once more continues the tradition of living where he works. however, the castle has undergone renovations in order to support larger numbers living there. under the planning of steve, preston, and ronnie (and the engineering genius of tony stark) the castle’s walls are rebuilt, power restored, canons installed alongside running water, and a farm is created. perhaps the biggest, most important undertaking is ensuring that the radio tower is up and running, allowing the castle to send broadcasts all around the commonwealth, announcing their return.

GOALS

create a wide and easily accessible communication network - primarily operating over radio, steve’s goal is to set up waystations around the commonwealth that tap into a specific frequency used just for minutemen emergency calls. it allows for more connection directly with the people who need their help the most, and can allow for groups to be deployed to the right location “at a minute’s notice.” also if tony says it’s the hotline 2.0, then so be it.

secure trade routes & expand safe zones - for no fee, the minutemen will guard caravans and traders from settlement to settlement upon request. they’ll protect general routes from wild animals, other factions, and create small waystations for shelter during bad storms. in order for more people to settle in larger numbers without having to live behind walls, there needs to be an effort of expanding safe areas to live. only after the feral ghouls and other factions have been cleared out can people reclaim buildings and begin rebuilding and expanding their living areas.

build homes - there’s a lot to rebuild, but the most important thing to steve is making sure everyone has a home. not just four walls and a ceiling over their head, but a place to safely raise a family, to feel safe in, to thrive and not just survive. he wants to make living easier, and that’ll happen by getting running water and electricity for everyone.

reinvest in nature and wildlife - not only humans suffered when the bombs dropped--the flora and fauna were affected too. by encouraging the greenery to make a comeback, more wildlife will follow suit. the main goal is to give parts of the city back over to nature by making parks and natural green space, not just more farmland.

HISTORY

tony stark goes missing. with protests rising about increasing military violence and the superhuman community thrown into upheaval, steve sets out on a mission to find him. instead he is frozen in ice by an off-shoot hydra sect. hydra, in their arrogance, arrange for a frozen steve to be brought to vault 109, where he will serve as decor while hydra prepares their own secret vault for long term research, development, and defense--though the front is fashioned to look like a department store. unfortunately for hydra, the bombs went off before they could fully outfit the operation, leaving the vault mostly empty with its frozen prisoner.

it’s by accident that steve is thawed--found by two wanderers in the glowing sea seeking shelter for the night. they help him adjust to life in the wasteland. steve, of course, can’t be deterred; he had one solid lead before his accident, and he won’t be put off for long in finding tony--if there even is a tony left to be found. he spends only a month with zetta and riley before hiring the former gunner maccready to assist him in his travel to new york, seeking out the stark building’s basement. and lo and behold, he does find tony stark, in a statis tube of his own making, still intact and able to be brought back to consciousness. once tony is awake and stable enough to travel, the three make their way back to the commonwealth, to do what avengers do best--assemble.

[yllowpages]

TIMELINE OF EVENTS : BUCKY BARNES .

a comprehensive and semi-complete timeline for my mixed media/headcanon-based portrayal of bucky. i have taken mcu events, comic storylines, and my own personal headcanons to create a blend that does not fully coincide with either the film adaptations or the comics.

this post is your guide to my canon for bucky and i recommend reading it prior to or during plotting — or i can totally give you a rundown of divergences from canon and important headcanon-based pieces of my portrayal.

DISCLAIMER : events may shift from verse to verse or possibly not happen altogether, based on the nature of plotting.

THIS POST IS SUBJECT TO BEING UPDATED.

1917

March 10 — James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes is born in Shelbyville, Indiana to George and Winifred Barnes.

1920 - 1929

1920 — Rebecca Barnes is born. 1924 — The Barneses move from Shelbyville to Brooklyn, New York. 1925 — Violet Barnes is born. 1926 — Bucky meets Steve Rogers. 1929 — Theodore “Teddy” Barnes is born.

1930 - 1939

1936 — Sarah Rogers passes away. 1937 - 1938 — Bucky attends art classes with Steve. (Bucky is not good at art.)

1940 - 1949

December 7, 1941 — The Attack on Pearl Harbor ; the United States enters the Second World War. December 1941 - January 1942 —  Bucky is drafted into the Second World War ; Bucky trains Steve at Goldie’s Boxing Gym before Bucky goes to an enlistment office with Steve ; Steve is rejected. January 1942 - April 1943 — Bucky trains at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin (with periodical leaves back to New York) with the rest of the 107th Infantry, where he meets and befriends both Gabe Jones and "Dum Dum" Dugan ; Bucky is promoted to the rank of sergeant. June 14, 1943 — Flag Day ; Bucky’s last night before his shipment out to England. August 1943 — the “Captain America” comics debut to the public, to great success! September 1943 — The Battle of Azzano ; survivors of the 107th Infantry are captured by Hydra and taken to a weapons facility in the Austrian Alps. October 1943 — Bucky meets James Montgomery Falsworth and Jacques Dernier, both fellow POWs ; Bucky becomes ill and is beaten by Hydra Colonel Lohmer for his inability to perform manual labor ; the future Howling Commandos band together to orchestrate an accident that kills Lohmer ; Bucky, ill and weak, is taken to Arnim Zola to be used for experimentation. November 1943 — Bucky and the other POWs held by Hydra are rescued by Steve, now Captain America. November 1943 — The Howling Commandos are formed : Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, Gabriel “Gabe” Jones, Timothy Aloysius Cadwallader “Dum Dum” Dugan, James Montgomery “Monty” Falsworth, James “Jim” Morita , Jacques “Frenchie” Dernier. 1944 — the Howling Commandos travel across the European theater, performing raids on Hydra bases, weakening their forces. January 1944 — a new character is introduced in the thrilling “Captain America” comic series: his right-hand and sidekick, Bucky Barnes, a boy wonder! ; overseas, Bucky endures weeks of mockery after being turned into a kid sidekick in these comic books. February 2, 1945 — during a mission on a train in the Swiss Alps, Bucky unfortunately falls from the train into the Danube river and is presumed dead ; Zola’s experimenting on Bucky over a year earlier is the reason for his survival ; Soviet soldiers find Bucky still alive, taking him as a P.O.W. February 5, 1945 — the Barnes family is informed that Bucky has been declared missing in action as no body was recovered, but it is the opinion of many involved that Bucky was rather killed in action ; the Barneses spend the next few years holding out hope he isn't dead. 1945 - 1949 — upon medical examination of Bucky, the Soviets observe his enhanced physiology while blood tests confirm traces of a type of super-soldier serum, though difficult to synthesize more of ; the Winter Soldier Program (then unnamed) is subsequently born with Bucky as the only current subject ; with state of the art technology (and cybernetic schematics recovered by a Soviet spy) he is given his first bionic prosthetic as the next steps of the program are planned ; they begin the process of testing human cryostasis and brainwashing and assign the most skilled Soviet fighters to adequately train and condition the subject ; stolen technology from the supposedly-fallen HYDRA is used to construct an early version of the Memory Suppressing Machine, a device that utilizes electroconvulsive therapy to inflict damage to the brain with an emphasis on the limbic system ; Bucky's memories begin to fade. December 10, 1949 — nearly five years after Bucky's death or disappearance, George and Winifred Barnes decide to finally hold a funeral for their son ; an empty coffin is buried and the headstone lists his date of death as February 2, 1945.

1950 - 1959

1950 - 1954 — as his conditioning is continued, Bucky is periodically sent into the field with handlers in order to ensure his efficacy ; he is proving useful and is in the first steps to infamy ; cryostasis has proven successful in the last decade, therefore Bucky has barely aged within this time. 1951 — The Winter Soldier is sent to Goyang, South Korea to aid Soviet forces, where he encounters Isaiah Bradley, a Black American super-soldier who was privately experimented in a successor to Project Rebirth ; unable to kill Bradley, this altercation costs Bucky this early version of his bionic prosthetic and he is removed from the field. 1954 — after the KGB is formed, the organization formally joins the Winter Soldier Project and introduces conditioning methods, primarily accelerating physical combat training ; the use of trigger words are employed for efficiency in Bucky's brainwashing, which prove to work well with improvements made to the Memory Suppressing Machine. September 19, 1954 — George Barnes passes away at the age of 68 ; he's survived by his wife and three children. 1955 - 1959 — Bucky is continued to be trained, indoctrinated, and tortured while the results are tested with field missions ; the title of “The Winter Soldier” is officially given to him by the KGB (the program being retroactively named as such as well) ; he is now considered “the perfect soldier” and is officially an assassin for Soviet use ; his very existence would come to be doubted by even the highest of government agents.

1960 - 1989

years unknown — the Soviets take The Winter Soldier out of cryostasis suspended animation in order to use him to aid in training girls of the Red Room Academy ; The Winter Soldier meets and trains with Natalia Romanova, later known as Natasha Romanova ; they work together on many missions for the Soviet Union during The Cold War.*

*NOTE :  Due to my use of MCU inspiration, including Bucky's brainwashing, any romantic or sexual relationship between Bucky and Natasha is not my default canon, despite my inclusion of comic story, but it can be acknowledged with extensive plotting. The nature of Bucky's brainwashing generally implies a lack of autonomy, therefore prior plotting will be required before any plots involving Bucky and Natasha's relationship with each other from the comics.

April 21, 1967 — Winifred Barnes passes away at the age of 77 ; she is survived by her three children. 1986 — a Soviet scientist removes Bucky from cryostasis without authorization ; the scientist tells Bucky he is going to help him get home to America ; confused, fearful, and conflicted from his mental conditioning, Bucky kills the scientist ; he is found with the man’s body and is immediately put back into cryostasis.

1990 - 1999

December 16, 1991 — The Winter Soldier is sent to assassinate Howard and Maria Stark in order to obtain Howard Stark’s super soldier serum ; he is successful. December 1991 — in a last-ditch attempt to preserve The Winter Soldier Program in the last days of the Soviet Union, this serum is used on five former-KGB operatives in an attempt to turn them into super soldiers not unlike Bucky ; this is known internally as Zephyr ; the operatives are defective however and kept in cryostasis, indefinitely ; Bucky remains the only successful subject of The Winter Soldier Program ; with the Soviet Union dissolved, The Winter Soldier Program is abandoned and Bucky is left in a Soviet base in cryostasis, forgotten. 1994 — former member of the KGB Aleksander Lukin, who inherited The Winter Soldier Program from Vasily Karpov before the fall of the Soviet Union, reactivates The Winter Soldier for personal use as he begins to build his business, The Kronas Corporation. 

2000 - 2009

spanning the decade — Bucky is used by Lukin in order to kill political and corporate officials, intimidate various people, and overall aid in the growth of The Kronas Corporation, which has been steadily growing within the United States and across the world, working under the table.

2010 - ?

2012 — The Winter Soldier is sent to Sokovia by Lukin to assassinate a high-ranking political official ; he successfully does so with a timed detonation – there are many casualties ; EKO Scorpion, of the Sokovian Armed Forces, being posted at the site for security of sorts, is sent to either apprehend or kill The Winter Soldier before he escapes ; Colonel Helmut Zemo is among the agents sent ; The Winter Soldier kills most of EKO Scorpion, save for Zemo and one other member. 2014 — The Winter Soldier resurfaces and sent to assassinate Steve Rogers, as Lukin and his allies see him as a threat ; Bucky is unsuccessful when Steve instead recognizes him, this recognition tampering with the programming put in Bucky’s mind decades before ; unbeknownst to anyone else, Helmut Zemo learns of The Winter Soldier’s return and independently discovers the identity of The Winter Soldier, a truth he shares with the public ; exposed, a wanted criminal, and his mind broken, Bucky fails a second time to assassinate Steve due to inaction ; at the last second, Bucky saves Steve's life from drowning ; he begins a life on the run. 2014 - 2016 — Bucky, now free from Lukin, successfully leaves the United States and makes his way to Europe where he travels around, running from anyone who might be following him ; he never stays in one place more than a month. 2016 — in yet another act of revenge, Helmut Zemo bombs a U.N. meeting, killing the King T'Chaka of Wakanda in the process ; Zemo frames Bucky for the bombing in order to flush him out of hiding ; he is found in Bucharest, Romania, where he is apprehended and taken to Berlin by SHIELD, after also having been pursued by Prince T'Challa of Wakanda ; Zemo, posing as a psychiatrist, triggers The Winter Soldier conditioning, leading him to kill multiple SHIELD agents in escaping ; he is saved by Steve and Sam Wilson and they all soon go on the run ; they are lured to an abandoned Soviet base in Siberia by Zemo ; Bucky and Steve go to Siberia ; Zemo has the intent to activate The Winter Soldier yet again and force Bucky to kill Steve ; Zemo is apprehended by Bucky and Steve and handed over to SHIELD. 2016 - 2018 — Steve, familiar with Prince T’Challa of Wakanda, asks if Bucky, his name now cleared of King T'Chaka's death, can have sanctuary in Wakanda, as he knows Bucky will be safe and hidden there ; there, Bucky is put into suspended animation while Shuri, princess of Wakanda, devises a way to remove the Soviets’ programming ; through a complicated process, this is done and Bucky is truly on a path of healing and recovery from the years of torture from the Soviets ; Bucky receives a new prosthetic, vibranium arm, designed by Princess Shuri. 2018 - ? — Bucky chooses to leave Wakanda and return to the United States ; upon returning, seeing that he is still a wanted criminal and terrorist, Bucky turns himself in ; in turning himself in, Bucky is not arrested nor incarcerated at this time, but is willing to undergo heavy monitoring to prove he is not and will not be a threat to public safety or the country’s security ; Bucky is put on trial for his crimes as The Winter Soldier (the trial is not televised, a limited number of people are allowed in the gallery, and Bucky is advised not to do interviews before, during, or directly after trial proceedings) ; during the trial, the terms of a pardon were negotiated and, when no official verdict in the trial is reached, Bucky is granted a (conditional) federal pardon ; as a condition of his pardon, he is required to attend mandated therapy to assess his psychological state and to ensure he will not be a public threat in the future ; he is no longer considered an enemy of the state or terrorist and lives as a civilian.***

*** this is my main verse and the time in which MOST threads will be set.