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mrsbuckybarnes1917 · 7 months ago

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4: UNDERCOVER MISSION

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The tension between you and Bucky builds during an undercover mission.

Word count: 4.2k

Warning: ongoing miscommunications, some dirty talk, Bucky Barnes being am awkward dumbass

The mission was simple, but you didn’t want to be the one taking part. It was an undercover op where you had to integrate yourself into a community of people who were high-ranking members of a terrorist organization. It was a challenge for the other Avengers to mask their infamy. So you and Bucky were the natural choice since Bucky was now unrecognizable from his appearance as the Winter Soldier. Also, times had progressed, and S.H.I.E.L.D. technology allowed him to disguise his vibranium arm with a hologram. The first time he had put it on, a look of sadness had crossed his handsome features. He had hidden it well from the scientists and engineers, but you could see it in his eyes, the hollow haunted glaze that made you long to throw your arms around his neck and hold him until he would smile and the small crinkles around his eyes would lengthen as this steel-blue orbs sparkled. But this wasn’t your place anymore.

"Jamie! Look how amazing you look!" Priya exclaimed.

You rolled your eyes and scowled. Who had allowed her to attend the fitting in the first place? Glancing around, you couldn’t see anyone else who seemed to object to Priya’s presence. In fact, some of the men and women seemed to be more focussed on her appearance than they were interested in the success of Bucky’s holographic arm technology.

"Yeah, it’s gotten better." Bucky flexed his bicep and opened and closed his fist, marveling at how realistic the skin looked. "Thanks," he nodded at the project lead.

"How does it feel, Jamie?"

Bucky shrugged. "Can't feel anything."

"It looks so realistic! Will you wear it all the time?"

You were lost in tracing the contours of Bucky’s muscular back and shoulders when Priya’s words brought you back to reality. “He doesn't need to wear it all the time,” you snapped.

“No, of course not,” Priya replied calmly, as though you were one of her small patients throwing a temper tantrum. “But sometimes James doesn't like the attention his arm draws. It makes him uncomfortable. So it would be good to have an option for him to avoid people staring.”

She was right, it would be good for Bucky to be able to wear t-shirts without being stared at, or feeling ashamed or self conscious. You despised that Bucky had to hide who he was. He was a veteran and shouldn’t have to feel the need to hide the sacrifices he had made for his country. But his past as the Winter Soldier was well known, making him a target for drawing scrutiny. You gritted your teeth, trying to formulate a counter-argument but failing. It was excruciating watching Bucky put a loving arm around her, pulling her into his side. He used to do that to you, just never so publicly.

“Thanks, Doll. It’s good to have someone looking out for me.”

The urge to punch Bucky in the face was something you did your best to push away. “Yeah, you don’t really need me here.” You slipped off the table you were perched on and turned to walk away.

"Don’t you and Bucky have to pretend to be a couple?" Priya called after you. "For this mission?"

Her questions made you stop in your tracks. Had Bucky really shared the sensitive information regarding your mission with his girlfriend?

"Yeah?" you answered, cautiously.

“Shouldn’t you hang around and see how Bucky is in a relationship then?”

“Thanks Priya, but I don’t need instructions on how to act in a relationship.” Your tone was laced with the spite you felt.

"Cricket!" Bucky looked at you, angrily.

You hated it. It hurt that he felt these emotions towards you. But you were desperate not to lose his friendship. In a way, you hated yourself for not having the courage to tell Bucky how you felt. And you knew that if you wanted to keep your friendship with him, you would be the one who needed to stay civil. It was harder that you’d originally thought. You were a good agent, you excelled at undercover work, but when it came to Bucky, you felt like you’d lost your mind. Your emotions were a rollercoaster ride and you often felt like you couldn’t hold back your screams any longer.

“I’m sorry, I-I-”

“It’s alright, Jamie.” Priya put a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, that probably sounded really patronizing. I just want James… both of you to be safe.”

You nodded, a heat rising up your neck and reddening your cheeks. She knew. The pitying look on her face told you that she knew how you felt about Bucky. It was humiliating. This would have been the perfect time for the ground to open up and swallow you. But alas, of all the times you’d been surprised by the loss of integrity beneath your feet, this was the one time where the floor remained as sturdy as ever.

“Don’t worry, Cricket and I have been partners for a long time. We’ve got this. I’m sure she’ll take good care of me.” He turned to you and smiled softly. “She always does.”

You didn’t quite know how to interpret Bucky’s use of partners, he had always called you his friend. What had changed now? You returned his smile sadly. “I'll do my best.”

Bucky took the hologram off his arm and handed it back to its creator. “I'll come by tomorrow for this. Come on, Priya,” he put a hand on her back. “I'll take you home, I need to get an early night, we leave pretty early tomorrow.”

Priya smiled at him, “Sounds great, I can say goodbye properly there.”

With a heavy heart, you watched them leave before following at a distance where you wouldn’t have to hear their chatter. Bucky had never looked so animated before and jealousy burned inside you. So you decided to head back to your quarters where you could treat yourself to a comforting dinner and fall asleep to escape the pain and anxiety of what was to come.

Your alarm went off at 4.30am and you groaned, rolling out of bed. There was no time to lounge around, there was a mission to complete and you always set your alarm for the last minute. A quick bracing shower woke you sufficiently enough for you to dress in a light, comfortable travel outfit and grab some coffee in the kitchen at the end of your corridor. You finished making a coffee for yourself and were pouring the leftovers into a travel mug when a slightly disheveled Bucky made an appearance.

"Thanks," he grunted, taking the mug you offered him.

"I thought you were getting an early night?" you smirked at him.

"Always a ray of sunshine, aren’t you?" he replied, sarcastically.

"What happened? Goodbye took longer than expected?"

It was Bucky’s turn to smirk. "Actually, we ended up having to say it several times."

His words made your face fall and your eyes twitch dangerously. It was time to retreat from this conversation. "We should get going."

Bucky nodded, falling instep beside you silently. He had noticed the change in your tone.

"Cricket?"

"Is everything okay between us?"

"Yeah! Why do you ask?" Your face remained impassive, but your soul was screaming with fear.

"Things have changed so much. I guess… I was just checking."

"You don’t think we can do this?" you asked, trying to deflect from the real issue at hand. But your question held more depth than you cared to admit.

"It just feels like we’re not as … in sync as we used to be."

"And why do you think that is, Bucky?"

Bucky stopped walking. "Ever since I introduced you to Priya, you’ve built this wall between us. I don’t understand what your problem is, Cricket. She’s been nothing but nice to you."

You took a deep breath, knowing you needed to choose your words very carefully or the truth would come spilling out and the embarrassment would be unbearable. "I don’t have a problem with Priya."

"Then what is it? What is your problem?"

You tried to think of an answer, but the only words that your brain screamed at you were "I LOVE YOU!"

"I don’t know," you whimpered. You bit down on your lower lip to stop it trembling, but nothing could stop the tears building up in your eyes. You dropped your head to hide your face but not soon enough for Bucky to catch sight of the water fall from your eyes.

Bucky wrapped his arm around you, sweeping you into a much needed hug. He smelled like home. You missed his warmth, the closeness you’d had. Bucky’s sturdiness made you want to melt into him, to break down, to confess your feelings to him. But the vibration of your phone brought you back to your sad lonely reality.

"Hello?" you answered the device.

Bucky wiped a stray tear from your face with his thumb as he listened to Steve’s voice asking where you were.

"We’re coming, Steve." Bucky raised his voice so Steve would be able to hear him through the phone in your hand, before reaching over and hanging up the phone. "You gonna be okay?"

You nodded, sadly.

"I'm worried about you, you know that, right?"

"I'll be fine, Bucky. I won't fuck this up."

"Not the mission. Fuck the mission. I'm worried about you."

"I'll be fine, Buck. But thank you… for caring."

The two of you reached the hangar bay where Steve was waiting impatiently with your mission packs. He handed them to you wordlessly, analyzing your faces for signs of concern. You avoided eye contact with him, hoping he wouldn't notice your slightly reddened eyes.

"This one's important. We all need this to work."

"We got this, Cap!" You saluted him with a grin plastered across your face.

Steve rolled his eyes at you and even Bucky couldn't help but smile as you led the way to the quinjet. Bucky was going to fly the two of you to a southern Italian resort where the conference was taking place. The conference was a cover for major arms dealers and Bucky would be posing as a representative to a S.H.I.E.L.D. fabricated 'bad guy’ named Zandor.

Bucky’s cover was James Road, Zandor’s right hand man and you were playing Sabrina Road, James's wife. You had been told to expect a high end affair at a deluxe resort where the various representatives would schmooze with each other, gathering intelligence and allies. You weren't worried about your safety, not with Bucky at your side, but you didn't want your cover blown or to fail to get what you needed.

Bucky had once told you that he had never felt like a ‘James’, Bucky was the only name he had really known. It always made you wonder why he never asked Priya to call him ‘Bucky’. You wondered how he would react to you calling him James for the next few days.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Bucky interrupted your musings.

"Hmm?" You turned to face him, hoping he wouldn’t ask too many intrusive questions. For some reason, tears seemed too close to the surface for your liking these days.

Bucky set the quinjet’s controls to autopilot and swiveled his chair to face you. "Steve gave me something before we left. One of them is for you."

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small velvet box. Inside it were a beautiful pair of matching wedding rings, made of a shiny rose gold. Bucky slipped one onto his finger and held his hand out, palm facing up. But the other ring wasn’t what he was offering. He was holding out his hand for you to take, so he could place the ring on your finger. What you wouldn’t give for that moment to be real!

"Here, hand it over." You snatched the ring unceremoniously out of the velvet box, your heart pounding. The metal was cool against your skin, and you marveled at the delicate craftsmanship. The rose gold glimmered in the soft light of the quinjet’s cabin, casting a warm glow.

Bucky’s eyes bore into yours, intense and searching. His fingers brushed against yours as he took the ring back from you. His touch was electric, sending shivers down your spine. For a moment, the world outside the quinjet ceased to exist. It was just the two of you, suspended in this charged atmosphere.

He held your hand gently, turning it so your palm faced down. The ring slid onto your finger smoothly, a perfect fit. He wanted nothing more than to hold on to you forever, lost in the comfort of your touch and your eyes. You couldn’t tear your gaze away from him. His cerulean eyes held a mixture of vulnerability and determination. It was as if he was silently saying, this is real, even if it’s just for this mission.

"James," you whispered, testing out the name. It felt strange on your tongue, yet oddly right. He didn’t flinch or correct you. Instead, he leaned in closer, his breath warm against your skin.

"Sabrina," he murmured, his lips brushing your knuckles. The intimacy of the moment stole your breath away. You wondered if he could hear your heart racing.

The quinjet hummed around you, cocooning you both in its metal embrace. Outside, the world continued to spin, but here, in this stolen instant, time stood still. You wanted to believe that this wasn’t just part of the mission—that maybe, just maybe, there was something more between you and Bucky.

But reality crashed back in. The mission, the danger, the arms dealers—they all loomed ahead. You couldn’t afford distractions. Not now.

"Thank you," you said softly, meeting his gaze. "For this."

Bucky’s smile was bittersweet. "We’ll get through this, Cricket. Just like we always do."

And with that promise hanging in the air, you both returned to your roles—the undercover couple, James and Sabrina Road. But as the quinjet soared toward Italy, you couldn’t shake the feeling that this mission held more than just secrets and lies. Perhaps, hidden beneath it all, there was a chance for something real.

The rings on your fingers seemed to whisper their own silent vows, binding you together in this dangerous dance. And for now, that was enough.

Bucky landed the quinjet in a small isolated airspace that had been predetermined to be safe by S.H.I.E.L.D.. Nat had scouted the area a few days previously and ensured an SUV was waiting for you. Both of you changed into casual holiday clothing.

Bucky’s transformation was nothing short of remarkable. The once stoic and battle-worn soldier now stood before you, bathed in sunlight, a vision of rugged charm. His light blue shirt clung to his broad chest, the top buttons undone, revealing a tantalizing hint of skin and chest hair. Beige slacks hung low on his hips, tailored to perfection. The aviators perched on his nose lent an air of mystery, shielding eyes that had seen too much. He was beautiful.

And then there was you. In a pink floral print summer dress, you were a burst of color against the backdrop of wilderness. The fabric swirled around your legs as you turned, catching the sunlight like a thousand petals. Bucky’s jaw dropped, mirroring your own reaction. His gaze traced the delicate curve of your collarbone, the soft slope of your shoulders. The air crackled with unspoken tension of the last few weeks.

The change in location seemed to have freed you from the burden of your emotions. There was a thrill of anticipation that bubbled inside you. Was it excitement or anxiety? You never could be certain, but you felt it at the start of every mission. It was you and Bucky against the world and there was no one else you'd trust more with your life. Steve and Nat had brainstormed a few ideas for James and Sabrina’s relationship but they left the details down to the two of you. They had decided that the couple you were playing would be newly weds, as Nat always said, people were uncomfortable with public displays of affection. They had even gone as far as securing the honeymoon suite for your stay.

As the bellhop ushered you and Bucky into the honeymoon suite, the room unfolded before your eyes, a symphony of silk, candlelight, and rose petals. The air hung heavy with anticipation, like a secret whispered in the dark. The bed, a grand centerpiece, stretched out like an invitation, an intimate promise.

Yet, despite the plush surroundings and the illusion of newlywed bliss, unease settled in your chest. You stole a glance at Bucky, his features were etched in sunlight and his eyes, usually steely and guarded, now held a vulnerability you hadn’t seen in a long time. Perhaps it was the flickering glints of light between the net curtains or the soft strains of music playing in the background, but this charade felt more real than you’d anticipated.

The bed loomed large, its expanse inviting yet treacherous. It was a stage, and you were the actors, playing roles scripted by someone else. You remembered the nights when Bucky’s warmth had chased away your nightmares, the way his fingers traced constellations on your skin. But this bed wasn’t meant for whispered confessions or stolen kisses, it was but a prop, a cruel reminder of what you couldn’t have.

You glanced at Bucky again, wondering if he felt the same dissonance. His jaw was clenched, and his gaze lingered on the bed. Did he remember the nights in safe houses, huddled together for warmth? Or was this just another mission, another mask to wear?

"I guess this is a bit of a waste, huh?" Bucky commented, dismissing the tension.

You forced a laugh. "Let's get this over with."

Bucky followed you out of the suite, his awareness heightened by the people milling around. As you were about to mention their presence to him, his arm slid around your shoulder. You smiled up at him, perhaps the bond between you hadn’t completely faded. In the lobby, a lounge area beckoned, its bar opening onto a sunlit terrace and pool.

"What do you think, James? Too early for a drink?" you asked.

"It’s always happy hour somewhere, baby," Bucky replied with a charming smirk.

He ordered drinks for both of you, and you settled near Nadal, your target, who was downing mimosas as if his life depended on them. He was an older Latino man who was not only handsome, but impeccably groomed. He was dressed in casual clothing, but his attire radiated power nevertheless. Bucky placed your drink in front of you, sitting close, his arm around your waist.

"Time to put on a show?" Bucky inquired.

You smirked, sliding onto his lap. "Jameeeeeeees," you whined loudly. "I thought we were on holiday. Is this why you didn’t want to take me to Hawaii? You’re always working. What about me? I have needs too, you know!"

It worked—Nadal’s attention was now squarely on you.

Bucky chuckled, locking eyes with the target. "Women!"

"Can’t live with ‘em," Nadal drawled.

"Can't fuck anything else."

You stiffened with surprise with Bucky's language. You noticed he was more reserved about using foul language, you had always chalked it up to being Steve’s influence. Now that Bucky had Nadal’s attention, they chatted amicably and you took the opportunity to make the most of your surroundings; identifying security cameras, bodyguards and escape routes. You hadn’t noticed how much you had been squirming around on Bucky’s lap, because his grip on your thighs suddenly became very tight, holding you still.

His action didn’t go unnoticed by Nadal. "Save the action for the bedroom, kids!"

Bucky slapped your ass, salaciously and you gasped. You hadn’t expected it, neither had you expected the rush of desire between your legs. "James," you whined. It was clear that your role on this mission was mostly to cast suspicion away from your partner, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t play your part well. "You promised me you wouldn’t do that in public. You know what it does to me," you pouted.

"Better not let the little lady down, Road." Nadal winked, rising from his seat. "What room are you two in?"

"Managed to bag the honeymoon suite, for this one."

"Ahh, so it’s you I lost out to?" he chuckled. "Well my husband and I will be next door. Try and keep it down, your wife seems like a screamer." With that Nadal left you and Bucky alone in the bar feeling uncomfortable in more ways than one.

"Guess we’ll have to give them a show tonight," you grumbled, dropping out of Bucky’s lap.

"Yeah," Bucky replied, but from the way he was gazing off into the distance, you weren’t totally sure he was listening.

"What is it?"

"The competition."

"Great," you mumbled. "Guess we gotta get access to the intel before they do."

"What do you think our chances are if we play it by the book?"

"Slim, they look like they mean business. And they probably have the funds to challenge our bid."

"Should we go back to the room? Nadal is probably expecting some… noise." Bucky looked uncomfortable as he spoke.

"And we’ll be better equipped to know if they leave their room."

It didn’t take long for the two of you to saunter back to the suite, Bucky’s hands were all over you and you couldn’t help but wish that it was voluntary rather than duty. You kept up a shrill giggle to make people around you look away. Once in the room, neither of you seemed to know how to proceed. Bucky had never been forthcoming with his feelings at the best of times, often switching them off when it came to work.

"So, umm… so what now?" you asked.

"He’s probably in there right now." Bucky put his ear to the wall as you waited silently for his assessment. "Someone's moving around, don't hear any talking."

"Set up a camera so we know when they leave?" You pulled a small device out of your bag, tossing it to Bucky. "There was a plant on the table outside."

Bucky didn't need to be told twice, he was out the door and back in under 30 seconds.

"Wait!" You whispered urgently. "Slam it shut."

Bucky complied with your request, with a confused frown. His eyes went from narrowed to goggle-like as you moaned loudly.

"Ohhhh James!"

Bucky gave you a horrified look before mouthing at you across the room. "What’re you doing?"

"James, I want you!" You delivered your line with as much lust as you could muster. Smirking at him, you dropped your voice. "Giving them the show they're after."

"Oh God, you make me so wet. I love when you push me up against the wall."

You motioned wildly at Bucky, who rolled his eyes and threw himself against the wall of the neighboring room for effect.

"I've been waiting for this all day. I want you so bad. Here, feel!"

Bucky closed his eyes, a deep flush darkening his face as you looked at him expectantly.

"God, you're so wet, baby." Bucky's voice was husky. And for a moment you wondered how he sounded in bed.

Focus! You told yourself.

"Only for you, baby. I can't get enough of you touching me. I want your fingers inside me." You continued, pressing your face against the wall. "I can't wait until I get to rip these pants off of you."

"What do you want me to do to you?" Bucky eventually found words to contribute, having turned away from you.

You loudly moaned a few more times for effect. "Come on Mr Road, my badass arms dealer husband, you can do better than that!" you goaded him in a whisper.

"Are you serious?" he muttered.

"Tell me how much you want me," you cried.

Bucky thought for a moment, before choking out. "I want you so much, baby. I want to feel myself inside you and I want to fuck you so hard. Now get on the bed." Not once as he spoke did he make direct eye contact with you.

Was it wrong that his words had your cunt clenching uncontrollably? You fanned your face before you noticed Bucky pointing at the bed. Oh right! You flung yourself on the luxurious mattress, making sure that it rocked against the wall. "Please James, I want you inside me." Your voice was suddenly breathless.

Bucky sat down on the other side of the bed, tugging at the crotch in his pants. They seemed to be tighter than they were before. He used his legs to rock the bed.

"Fuck me, James, fuck me harder." You crawled up to the headboard rattling it enthusiastically. "Whatever you do, don't stop."

Bucky moaned. It was a good thing he was facing away from you, he thought as he pressed his palm over his growing erection.

"That feels so good, B-James. Oh my god, I'm gonna come." You squeezed your legs together, trying to control the throbbing between your legs. Bucky’s name had almost slipped past your lips, and you hoped he hadn't noticed.

"I'm going to make you come so hard."

"JAMES! OH YES!" you screamed.

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highonmarvel · 11 months ago

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hi hope ur doing well. i was thinking, could u do a buckyxreader where hes paralyzed and like needs a caretaker. through some means reader ends up as the caretaker and all is well. but actually bucky was just pretending and hes not realy paralysed and he just pretended to get closer to reader and reader start expresing the idea that she might have to leave for whatever reason and buck does not like that so like he kidnaps her or something. I rlly luv ur work this is the first request iv sent

this is so good, i’m upset i didn’t think of it first. i’m so sorry for taking so long to get back to you, i really hope you enjoy, and thank you so, so much for the love. okay, here it is:

Himalayan Salt

Bucky Barnes: You’re assigned to a notoriously grumpy war vet, but he’s different with you.

content warnings here!

You nod as your supervisor goes over your final notes: James Barnes, World War II veteran, quadriplegic.

You follow her from the overcast weather into a beautiful but modest home in a fairly quiet suburb to meet the man sitting in a wheelchair in the centre of the room.

“Good morning, Mr Barnes,” your supervisor calls, tucking her clipboard under her arm as she waits for him to turn around. When he does, you’re surprised. You hadn’t seen a photo of him beforehand as this had been a pretty impromptu assignment, but you’re sure you were told he was born in 1917, yet he sits looking like he’s in forties, and aging well, at that.

“Hi, Mr Barnes!” you smile warmly at him, and he returns a friendly smile, introducing himself as Bucky and insisting you call him that.

“I just need you to fill out the last of the forms quickly,” your supervisor mutters, waving goodbye to Bucky as she leads you back out to her car.

You’re leaning against the boot of her oldish, red car, pen scratching against paper when she says, “He really likes you.”

“Hm?” you offer, raising your eyebrows but keeping your eyes focused on the form.

She leans her back against the trunk and shifts down a bit, speaking to you but looking over at your handwriting, “He’s known to be grumpy. You see the left arm? I don’t think he likes being dependent, I’ve had to swap out a lot of people.”

“And you didn’t tell me this before I took the job?” you frown, still finishing off the document, “Didn’t think I could handle it?”

“I know you’re capable, but I thought you wouldn’t want it. But listen, the organisation needs this, I don’t know if there’s anyone else we can find for him.”

You complete your signature with a satisfied smile, handing back the clipboard, “Don’t worry, I can do this.”

She nods then gets in her car and drives away, leaving you in the driveway. You stretch your arms then make your way back inside. When you enter the living room, there’s a draft you swear wasn’t here a few minutes ago. Bucky hasn’t moved, but you notice an open window. You furrow your brows as you look down at him, “Can I close that? It’s a bit chilly in here.”

“Go ahead,” he nods, and you walk over, pulling the handle it, and ignoring the recent-looking fingerprint marks on the glass.

***

A few hours into your first day, you’re a little taken aback by how friendly he is; even despite your boss’ warning, you’ve never had a patient so willing to co-operate, especially not veterans — they tend to be angry they need help, or have episodes due to PTSD, but Bucky seems perfectly in his right mind and understanding of both his and your position.

“Did they tell you I was a pain in ass?” Bucky asks before opening his mouth for a spoonful of food.

You laugh as you pull the spoon back, scooping up more of the rice and curry you made to lift to his lips, “Kind of,” you admit, “Said you were grumpy, is that true?”

He smiles, “I tend to be,” he confesses, “But I can’t keep that brooding persona up around you,” he takes a spoonful.

“So that’s what it is?” you raise an eyebrow as you pile the last of the meal onto the utensil, “A persona?”

He swallows the last of it and shakes his head with a grin, “No, but I can’t not be amused around you.”

***

You have no idea why your supervisor said he was difficult, your next few weeks with Bucky are light and fun, and you feel you’re even developing a friendship. You don’t see to him at night, and he has minimal needs during the day — some days it just feels like you’re there to keep him company.

You’re doing so well, in fact, that your supervisor wants to transfer you to a veteran from Vietnam who’s apparently even worse than Bucky (by other people’s stories — to you, if he’s anything like Bucky, he’ll be nice to see), convinced you have some magic touch.

As much as you’re developing affection for Bucky, you have to put work first, and you’re compelled to leave him for the other man who clearly needs you more. Bucky seems to be doing well, you’re sure you can’t be that special, and you’re sure someone else could take care of him just as well, if not better.

“Hi, Buck,” you greet with a smile as you close the door behind you. You hear his motorised wheelchair come rolling down the corridor to greet you.

“Hi, why could you only come in at ten today?”

You usually come in at seven on weekdays and eight on weekends.

“Sorry, I had a meeting,” you sigh, setting your tote bag down as Bucky switches his chair to manual.

“A meeting?” he asks as you take hold of the handles and push him to the other side of the kitchen island.

“Mhm,” you nod as you open the fridge, rummaging around for something to make, “There’s this other guy my boss wants me to help,” you call with your head still in the cold, “A Vietnam vet, no one else in the org will take him.”

You emerge with some eggs and milk, shutting the door with your foot before placing the contents on the island, “Did you eat? I assume Carol made breakfast but I can make more.”

“Are you going to take it?” he inquires, ignoring your question, “The job.”

“I mean, maybe,” you answer, placing your hands on the counter and tilting your head as you think, “I’m not sure yet.”

“But what about me?”

“The other guy needs full-time care, I’d have to spend virtually all my days there, but if I leave, Carol can take over for me, she can go from night to day, she’s amazing, and she doesn’t complain about you, at least not as much,” you wink, but he doesn’t crack a smile.

“Bucky, I didn’t mean to upset you—”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s just that—”

“It’s your job, I get it,” he replies, and you can see the stoicism build up.

“Nothing’s final, yet,” you say as you walk over, “And you’re doing great either way,” you give him a kiss on the forehead, “We don’t have to talk about that, let’s just eat, I’m starving.”

He nods and attempts to smile, but you can tell it doesn’t reach his eyes.

You try to make conversation as you make yourself an omelette, but you can tell he’s not in it, giving short answers and not reacting to your jokes. When you reach to grab the salt, he stops you.

“Not that one,” he says, “Use the pink salt, Himalayan, I swear it makes everything tastes better.”

You grind some onto your food and sit across from him on the island. Digging your fork into it, you see something flash across Bucky’s eyes. Your first thought is hunger, but he’d just eaten and swore he wasn’t hungry. You ignore it as you bring the fork to your mouth, savouring the taste, though it’s not necessarily a chef’s rendition.

It tastes fine, but there’s something off. At first, you think it must be the salt, but it’s not the taste that’s off; usually when you eat, you feel that warmth in your throat and then your stomach, but now, it’s like it went to your head. You press a hand to your forehead, feeling like you’re burning up. Trying to stand, you immediately sway, only not falling by gripping the counter so harshly and hastily you bend a nail. You try to look to Bucky to tell him you’re not feeling well, but he’s out of focus. In fact, he’s not there. Just as you collapse and close your eyes, you feel a tall shadow over you, but you don’t have time to figure out where it’s coming from before you fall unconscious.

***

You groggily wipe at your eyes when you finally stir before turning over to reach for your phone, at first thinking you had had a dream, but your phone’s not there, and the nightstand isn’t yours. You shoot up in panic and look down at your sheets: Bucky’s sheets. Okay, maybe Bucky rang Carol and she came and set you in bed. Your head still hurts, and everything’s a little hazy.

When the door opens, you expect to see Carol, but it’s Bucky.

“Bucky!” you gasp as you throw the sheets off of you.

He gives a lopsided grin, and for the first time you notice how tall he actually is, because he’s standing.

“Christmas miracle?” he offers.

He walks over to you and sets a glass of water on the bedside table.

“That Himalayan salt is really exotic, isn’t it?”

You don’t even have time to process exactly what he means by that, he’s still standing over you, using his arms and legs just fine, in fact, like he’s been doing it every single day forever. You should have suspected something was up; how could a paralysed man stay in such good shape? The thought briefly crossed your mind once when you ran your fingers over his muscled arm, but you brushed it off.

“Bucky! You- you—”

“Are perfectly fine, I am, and you will be too, soon, those drugs just need to wear off. I know you’re having trouble understanding, just drink some water and sleep it off a little longer.”

He leans down to give you a kiss on the forehead, but you dodge him, nearly falling off the bed in the process.

“Woah, there,” he chuckles as he catches you with ease, his reflexes so sharp it’s nearly unnatural, “Now I’m taking care of you.”

You’re not sure if you can’t speak because of the drugs or if it’s because you’re in shock. He gently sets you back down and your head falls against the pillow as you struggle to keep your eyes open, spots of black blocking little bits of your vision.

“I’ve been needing someone, I’ve gone through a few, but you, honey, you’re special, and I knew it from the moment I saw you. You can’t leave me, I still need you.”

✪

[taglist; @cjand10]

#dark bucky barnes #dark bucky barnes x reader #dark bucky x reader #dark bucky barnes x y/n #dark bucky barnes x you #dark bucky x you #dark bucky #soft dark bucky #dark!bucky barnes #dark!bucky barnes x reader #dark!bucky x reader #dark!bucky barnes x y/n #dark!bucky x y/n #dark!bucky x you #dark!bucky barnes x you #soft!dark!bucky #yandere bucky barnes #request

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talesofadragon · 11 months ago

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𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐬

Synopsis: Receiving wind that Hydra has successfully managed to awaken another wave of winter soldiers, Captain America appoints his two best avengers, Bucky Barnes and Y/N Y/L/N, for the job. But aside from Bucky’s trepidation at reliving his worst memories, there’s something else rooting him in his place–the fear of inflicting harm on the woman he loves the most. Between her encouraging words and his violent past, what will happen when Y/N is forced to encounter her boyfriend’s alter ego?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Enhanced!Reader

Warnings: Angst | Fluff

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐬 Masterlist | 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏

𝐁𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐄. Ironically, considering his service as a soldier during World War II in the 107th Infantry Regiment. One might assume his story followed the typical trajectory of a veteran—a man who had served and preserved, giving his all until he had nothing left to lose nor gain.

Bucky faced wars in waves, losing his sense of direction as he battled the currents. Maybe the placidity he yearned for was because of the instabilities and perplexities he'd witnessed, though the peace he needed went far beyond that. From the moment he was reborn into this world, all he ever wanted was to find solace within the hurricane that had upended his life.

Bucky sought peace, yes. Peace within the chaos of his fractured realities.

The sky lit up, a white veil enveloping the night's somber hues. Its brilliance lingered for a fleeting moment before the darkness regained its dominion. Sometimes, Bucky wondered if the storms were a remedy or a curse. When the sky, such as tonight, wailed and bled, and when the clouds tore themselves up to bits and pieces, was the chaos some twisted form of peace? Or was it his fractured mind pitifully attempting to shroud the truths with another veiled deception?

Rain dropped down in fervor, droplets finding themselves on Bucky’s skin. A part of him told him to move away and give the sky some space to grieve. Another rebutted that he should stay to remind the heavens that they’re not alone.

He raised his head, feeling the water droplets on his face, allowing them to delicately trace his features. The storm was ravenous, tumultuous, mutinous—everything a winter turbulence should be, everything the winter soldier in him was.

And yet, the damned poets he’d read about weren’t too far off in their exuberant analogies, comparing a winter storm to a peaceful spring. As polarizing as it was, there was a certain peace to its violence—a peace that Bucky could experience extrospectively but never conversely.

“James,” he heard behind him. This voice, perhaps, was the nearest semblance of personal tranquility he could reach. It permeated his skin, nestled in every nucleus, exuding an air of calmness and hope. He cherished it when she called him by his name. It was her personal term of endearment. To the world, he was several things: Sergeant Barnes, Bucky, and The Winter Soldier. But to Y/N, his precious Y/N, he was James. And he loved her even more for the simple yet profound reminder.

“I’m scared,” he admitted in a shy whisper, playing with his fingers. Truths came easy with her, despite how he grappled with them in his solitary battles. “Going there… going there will trigger a lot of bad memories. It might even trigger him, too.”

Y/N stepped closer, placing her palm on his left arm. His metal arm. She didn’t miss the way Bucky shut his eyes, which is why her thumb traced invisible shapes on the prosthetic. “You don’t have to go there, baby. You don’t have to do anything if your heart’s not in it.”

“But you’ll be there. I can’t…. I won’t for the life of me let you wander around in that monstrous prison world without me. Especially with all those people there.” Bucky’s lower lip trembled as he spoke. His blue eyes harbored a thousand emotions. Peace, fortitude, courage… they all fought waves of anguish and despair. But love, concern, and fear all remained afloat.

“James,” Y/N whispered delicately, framing his cheeks with her gentle hands. Bucky nuzzled in her open palms, his lips brushing against her skin. His eyes captured her in an everlasting glance, filled with so much devotion. “I don’t want you to relive your worst nightmare because of me. Yes, you are our primary knowledge hub when it comes to Hydra, but you’re also a part of our family. We would never want to harm you. I would never want to harm you or cause you despair.”

“You could never,” Bucky answered, his hands falling from the railing and finding their place on her hips. He suddenly became aware that she was wearing no more than his Henley and a pair of pajama bottoms in the middle of this storm. So, he pulled her closer and buried her face in his chest.

“I can go with Steve, maybe even Nat. You don’t have to do this. You–”

“It’s not the memories I fear most, angel.”

“Then what is it?” Y/N asked, raising her head to meet his eyes without stepping out of his embrace. “Is it those soldiers they have created?”

Bucky stared at the falling rain, realizing that the two of them had drifted away from the sliding door’s overhang, which shielded Y/N. He tried to step back, but she must’ve falsely interpreted it as his attempt at fleeing because she tightened her hold on him.

He brushed a strand of her damp hair behind her ear, his thumbs tracing her pink cheek. “What if he comes back?”

“Say his name aloud,” Y/N encouraged. “It’s okay, baby.”

He gulped, closing his eyes for a moment. “The Winter Soldier.” Heaven knew he didn’t want to, and maybe that’s why this whole storm had assaulted New York this evening.

Y/N, on the other hand, didn’t seem to think the same. Calmly, she lifted herself on her toes to kiss his beard, nestling her head in the junction between his neck and shoulder. “The Winter Soldier is what you make him out to be.”

“He’s a murderer,” Bucky spat, his hold on Y/N tightening as if the simple mention of the Soldat would breathe him back to life.

Y/N shook her head. “He’s you.”

“He’s not me, Y/N!” Bucky pried himself away, giving her an indignant look. “He’s a homicidal menace that will not hesitate to rip you apart without a second thought!”

Y/N tried to step closer, but Bucky flinched. He involuntarily retreated back, his cerulean eyes rimmed with despair and hurt. Y/N shook her head, locking her eyes with his. “The Winter Soldier is James Buchanan Barnes. A man that has never stopped fighting, not even for a second. He may be bruised, erratic, and damaged. But he’s not a monster. Not in my story.”

“Y/N,” Bucky all but growled, keeping as much distance between himself and the girl. “You have no idea how twisted these words sound. You won’t even have a chance to take them back or change your mind when he all but attacks you and rips your heart out of your chest like some goddamn fucking prize without even taking his eyes off yours!”

“My heart is his for the taking.” Bucky’s mind spiraled out of control. “As much as it is yours. He and you are one. What I feel for you, I feel for him.”

“Don’t, Y/N.”

Ignoring his comment, Y/N took his hands in hers before he had the chance to run away. “If you cannot see your true worth through your own eyes, James, then see it through my own. Every part of you is worthy. You and The Winter Soldier are heroes in your unique ways, each fighting different battles to find a missing piece of yourself. So, if you’re so afraid that being there will trigger the worst parts of you, then I will whisper to you both all the truth you need to hear until you find your way back to me. Back home.”

“You’re my home,” Bucky whispered, caressing her cheek. He dipped his head, his nose caressing Y/N’s. A second passed, and he allowed himself to bask in her warmth, losing himself in the ardency of her love. His lips delicately traced her berry-flavored ones, claiming them against his own. “I love you,” he almost cried, fearing he might lose her. His mouth wrapped around her lower lip, sucking it fervently and inhaling in all the devotion he held toward his girl. “You're my sanctuary, my peace. And I don’t want my own violent dispositions to threaten the home that I’ve built with you.”

“James,” Y/N mumbled breathlessly, tears on the edge of her lashes. She pressed one more fervent kiss against his lips, resting her hand on his heart to remind him once more that he could feel. That he was human. “I love you in all your nuances and dispositions. No matter who you are or who you think you ought to be, you'll always be my home."

Bucky smiled endearingly, taking Y/N’s hand in his. He kissed her knuckles, one by one, before planting his lips on her wrist. With a final glance at her eyes, Bucky led her inside their shared bedroom, relishing in the feeling of her between his arms.

He closed his eyes with the images of her in his mind, forgetting all about Hydra and The Winter Soldier. It was tomorrow’s nightmare, but Y/N was tonight’s dream, and that’s all that mattered.

BUCKY IS BACK!!

I have so many ideas for this man, and we're starting with this short little series. If you're a fan of hurt/comfort and The Winter Soldier coming out to play, welcome to this maze of truths!!

All-Works Taglist: @xxrougefangxx

Bucky Barnes Taglist: @ye0nvibezzn

: ̗̀➛ Read Chapter 2 - CHAOS - here!!

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes #bucky x y/n #bucky x female reader #bucky x you #bucky fanfic #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes imagine #winter soldier #winter soldier x reader #winter soldier x you #marvel fanfiction #avengers fanfiction #winter soldier!bucky #winter soldier relapse #winter soldier x y/n #bucky barnes fanfiction

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iceandironbars · 6 months ago

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WinterBones Snippets #1

Sad WinterBones for sad trasheads, short lil ficlets diving deep into the can of worms that is Bucky Barnes' brain ✨

Some days he misses the Commander so much, death is calling his name, whispering it in his head like relief, crawling out of the darkest parts of his brain.

People call him all types of things. War hero. Sergeant. An honorable veteran. A staring machine. A friend even. None of those things feel like him.

The brain that is left, the one that might've taken too many shocks, too much electricity, too much brainwashing and all that is left is the ruins, the forgotten and decayed city that is left of what was once James Barnes.

He rejects it violently and neither Sam, nor his therapist or the wakandans ever even caught a glimpse. Because how could they? They all assume that's what he wants to be, even if right now he does not see himself as any of it.

What they don't know, what haunts him every night, is the Commander' touch on his clammy neck, his rough voice in his ear, sharp tang of blood and sweat and sex, his own screams and moans echoing in his skull and a deep emptiness aching inside of him.

The dreams never stop.

The longing never stops.

Longing.

Ironic isn't it, he thinks with a bitter smile.

He would give anything to be able to be his Commander's Soldier again. To go back to the ease and the clarity and the pain. The painful lust that turns into floating bliss and soft whispers, his reward for being good.

He will never get a reward again. He will never be able to please anyone again, because no one uses him anymore, like he was meant to. His purpose is gone. And so is the man that gave it to him.

The dread and panic spills out of him violently when he heaves over the toilet in the middle of the night.

The Commander is dead. He will not come back for him. He will never be able to be himself again.

It's a life sentence. A sentence he is not sure he can endure, not knowing how long it will be, because he is not human, not anymore. He is what they made him and he is out of time, out of place, out of control.

He fears it will take forever.

And his nights feel endless as he sits with the painful longing, cold sweat on his body, as the ghost of his Commander's voice joins his scrambled thoughts.

Memories.

He sobs.

He doesn't stop until the sun comes up.

★ Tag list ★

If you wanna be added to the tag list for future writings, leave a comment 🖤

@winternightsstar

@sukaibg

#bucky barnes #winter soldier #brock rumlow #winterbones #hydra trash party #hydra #crossbones #mcu

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marvelstoriesepic · 1 month ago

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Flufftober (day 12+13)

Pairing: best friend!Bucky x Reader

Prompt: “This is spooky.” - “Really?” + Attic

Word Count: 1.8k

Warnings: mentions of death

Flufftober Masterlist

Dust has been clinging to your nose and throat ever since you set foot on that rickety attic ladder, like a dry irritation that causes you to cough every few breaths.

You swipe a hand across the tops of several old, brown leather suitcases and the impact stirs up tiny particles. They swirl in circles through the air, caught in the glow of the single bare bulb dangling from the rafters. Its dim, yellow light barely cuts through the heavy gloom, leaving corners in shadows and only partly displaying the chaotic sprawl of old relics surrounding you.

Bucky is crouched just a few feet away, focused on a box crammed with his grandfather’s clothes.

The old man had passed just over two weeks ago, leaving Bucky’s grandmother with the dismaying task of sorting through her late husband’s belongings. She couldn’t face it. Losing your husband and having to go through his possessions after his passing surely has to be as daunting as one could imagine. Her knees probably wouldn’t even let her make it up that attic ladder again.

So, Bucky had offered to handle it.

He told you he hadn’t been close to his grandpa. He never even mentioned the man to you before, only a day after his passing. The only things you knew about James Barnes - “Yes, I'm named after him. Call me James, doll, and I'll walk outta here!” - is that he was a World War II veteran, a former officer in the 107th Infantry Regiment. He lost his left arm in battle, though the details of that story are now buried with him.

He had always been a man of few words, so Bucky told you, especially when it came to the war. He never seemed eager to talk about the past, or anything else, really. He was a crabby old man. But you saw the understanding in the way Bucky talked about him, the quiet respect for the restrained silence the man had lived in.

Bucky also admired the way his grandpa had been so passionate about his wife. You saw it in the way your best friend's eyes lit up as he recited how the old man may not have been warm and welcoming to him and his sister and easy to get along with, but he had loved Bucky’s grandmother deeply, treating her like she deserved.

You like to think back to that smile on his face as he said that part.

So, since Bucky took the death of his grandfather on lighter shoulders he insisted he'd be fine going through the stuff the man left behind. And since this could take some time, he asked you to come along yesterday. Of course, you said yes.

Out of the corner of your eye, you catch Bucky pulling an old camouflaged soldier’s uniform from the box he’s been rummaging through. The worn fabric lifts in his hands, the hat already lying on the wooden floor beside him.

“Hey, you think this would suit me?”

He throws you a half-grin, holding the uniform up just enough for you to get a look.

You glance over, letting your eyes sweep over the fabric for a moment, before smirking at him. “You wish it would,” you hum, light tone filled with teasing.

Bucky snorts and folds the uniform back with careful hands while shaking his head at you.

Your attention settles back onto those old suitcases you’d been dusting off. The latch of the first one gives with a faint click and you open the lid slowly. The stale, musty scent that greets you drifts to the background of your focus, eyes fixed on what’s inside. Photographs. A sea of black-and-white images, scattered and layered, with a few yellow edges, so many faces frozen in time.

Your gaze lands on a photo, in particular, one that pulls you in drastically, eyes frozen on it. Your mouth falls open, and your hand moves forward almost on its own. You lift the old photo gingerly between your fingers, bringing it closer for a better look.

You blink a few times, almost in a daze, almost expecting the image to change, as though your mind might be playing tricks on you.

“This is spooky.”

You’re not even sure who you’re addressing - Bucky, yourself, the empty air, or maybe the ghost of his grandfather lurking somewhere in the shadows. But your eyes remain glued to the photo.

“Really?” Bucky’s amused voice drifts up from half behind you, and you hear the smirk in his tone. “If this is scary for you, you’d be doomed in a horror movie.”

You sigh in mock frustration, finally able to tear your gaze away from the almost haunting image. Turning to him, you lift a finger at him, half-scolding. “Alright, first of all, don’t you dare say that. I’d make way smarter decisions,” you shoot back, ignoring his infuriating smirk spreading wider. “And second, that’s not even what I meant, you jerk. Look at this.”

Sliding over to him a little, you hold the photograph out for him to see.

Bucky barely glances at it before raising an eyebrow at you, expression confused and casual. “Yeah, so? That’s my grandpa.”

You nearly sputter, your features twisting with disbelief, voice rising in exasperation. “So? Bucky, that’s basically you! He looks so much like you, it’s creepy.”

Bucky glances back at the photo, then at you with skeptical eyes as if he can’t quite see it. But you can. A shiver crawls up your spine. The man in the photograph is practically a mirror image of Bucky, right down to the sharp jawline and the brown fluff of hair. The uniform he’s wearing is the same one, Bucky had just held up moments ago. But it does look crisper, newer in the photo, carrying the sheen of wartime life before it was buried under years of dust and disuse.

The statue of this man, that is Bucky but also not, is so strikingly familiar, with long limbs and lean muscles. But it’s the face that gets to you. The contours of his nose, the angle of his chin, and, more than anything, the gaze. It’s that same piercing look Bucky sometimes gives you, the one that feels like it’s peeling back the layers of whatever conversation you’re having, seeing past your words, seeing past the barrier you had put up to shield your long boiling feelings.

Only here, in the photo, Bucky’s grandfather is giving that exact same look to a person behind the camera, eyes soft and laced with those kinds of emotions you never dared to put words behind when you caught them in Bucky’s eyes. But now it’s easy. It’s so clearly love that illuminates his grandfather’s features here, adoration, which makes it easy for you to guess that who he’s staring at must be his wife. Bucky’s grandmother.

Bucky hums in response, still looking at the photo with mild interest. “Well, he was my grandpa. I guess it makes sense we’d look alike,” he says with a shrug, seeming rather unbothered.

You shake your head with a huff. “Still spooky,” you mumble and Bucky lets out a soft laugh.

He’s about to turn back to the box of clothing when you utter something you clearly should have thought through.

“He was handsome, though.”

Your gaze is still fixed on the image, but you feel an infinitesimal shift in the air. You don’t even need to look at Bucky to know what’s coming next. Imagining the way his eyebrows raise high up his forehead and the slow, smug smirk stretching his cheeks as the meaning of those words sinks in; you begin to feel heat spread across your neck, reaching your ears.

His eyes are boring into you, you feel them prickling your skin.

“Oh? Handsome, huh?” He draws the words out with exaggerated slowness, playful teasing dripping from his tone.

You sigh, meeting his gaze and rolling your eyes for good measure, though you can feel your heart quicken and the edges of the photograph slightly crinkle in your grip as you fidget with it in your lap.

Bucky is full-on smirking, eyes gleaming in that same way again, so full of emotion, practically lighting up the whole attic, making the dusty old bulb above feel utterly irrelevant.

“Don’t you flatter yourself now, Barnes,” you mockingly chastise, the playful annoyance a show to mask the unsteady rise and fall of your breath. The tug of a smile breaks free.

“Nah, doll, I gotta,” he protests, still beaming, still so full of light. “You said we look so much alike it’s creepy, right?” He leans forward, eyes burning into you, practically setting your skin aflame, making it sizzle under his heat. “So if you think he was handsome… maybe you’ve got something you wanna tell me?”

You snort, trying again to play it cool, but your heart is pounding, hands threatening to grow slick around the paper in your grasp.

Another deep, dramatic sigh is released from your body. “You don’t need me to tell you you look good,”you mutter, making it sound as casual as it would come out, and turning back to the suitcase full of photos. “I’m pretty sure you’re aware of that.”

You busy yourself with the pictures, keeping your shoulder turned in Bucky’s direction. But you still feel him. The air has thickened between you two moments before already but it increases within seconds, an unspoken tension threading through the attic space.

It takes him a moment to respond, and when he does, his voice is so soft and gentle, serene, but also so full of a weight you haven’t been able to prepare for.

“Still feels nice hearing it coming from you.”

Your movements come to a halt at those simple, sincere words. A small, almost shy laugh is all you get out. You’ve never been shy around Bucky, always comfortable with him, bantering back and forth with a lightness that normally only eased you.

But there also never was that kind of palpable tension in the air between you. So electric. So charged. So unrestricted. As if the walls to your feelings have crumbled, rocks tumbling into tiny pieces, stone dust shedding from its fragments that now fabricate the air, shaping it to this intimate fervor that makes it hard to breathe.

“Well, fine,” you finally manage to say, trying for a teasing laugh that comes out perhaps a little breathless. “You’re pretty handsome, Buck.”

You don’t turn to face him, eyes and hands on the photographs in the case before you - fixed, but not focused. The people in the pictures are blurred.

In the quiet that follows, you hear the sharp intake of a breath from behind you.

🍁 October Writing Challenges Masterlist 🍁

#flufftober2024 #day 12 #day 13 #marvel mcu #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x reader fluff #bucky barnes fluff #marvel bucky barnes #bucky x you #bucky x female reader

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nicoline1998enilocin · 5 months ago

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The Night We Met

PAIRING || Police Officer!Tony Stark x Florist!Bucky Barnes

WORDCOUNT || 9.5K

SUMMARY || Bucky never expected that a 3 AM phone call would change everything for him. When he found out about a break-in at his flower shop, he also found love amidst the chaos.

RATING || Explicit (E)

TAGS || Canon divergence. Everyone lives AU. Florist AU. Police Officer AU. Veteran!Bucky Barnes. Florist!Bucky Barnes. Police Officer!Tony Stark. Strangers to friends to lovers.

WARNINGS || Tony is described as being tattooed. Angst. Break-in/robbery. Talk about a past traumatic event during war. Mentioned loss of limbs.

SMUT || Bottom!Bucky Barnes. Top!Tony Stark. D/S undertones. Soft Dom!Tony Stark. Sub!Bucky Barnes. Bondage: Vibranium handcuffs. Uniform kink. Dirty talk. Praise. Begging. Edging. Orgasm delay. Subspace. Oral (M receiving). Deepthroating. Implied rimming. Protected anal sex. Aftercare.

A/N || This one-shot is written as part of the WinterIron Bang - hosted by @winterironevents - and is based around the amazing artwork of @scottxlogan! I want to thank @vikwrites for taking the time to beta this story, as you have helped me bring this to a whole new level! 🤍

EVENTS @anyfandomaubingo || Police Officer!Tony Stark @buckybarnesbingo #B011 || Wearing each other's clothes @buckybarnesevents HBS Week 2 || "What should I call you?" @fandom-free-bingo Frosty || Moral support @fandom-free-bingo Pride || Pronoun badges @fandom-free-bingo Pride || "What if someone sees?" + Friends to Lovers

@fandom-free-bingo Wild || Flower Shop AU @kinky-things-happen || Subspace @lgbtqbingo || Height difference @sebastianstanbingo || Uniform Kink @winterironevents WIB #R2022 || Alpine

GIF: Source || All other graphics are made by @nicoline1998enilocin

Main Masterlist || Bucky Barnes || Tony Stark || WinterIron

When Bucky went to bed mere hours ago, he was blissfully unaware his life would be turned upside down completely, and it would all be thanks to one single phone call at 3 AM. His cat, Alpine, was cuddled onto the pillow next to him, her snowy fur brushing against his face when he was rudely awakened from his slumber by his phone going off at the ungodly hour.

While she's still purring in her sleep, Bucky quickly stirs upright and grabs his phone, groaning as he sees an unknown number calling him. A surge of panic goes through him as he considers all the possibilities that could come from this phone call, uncertainty creeping throughout his figure.

Did something happen to my parents or Rebecca? Did Steve lock himself out of his apartment again after being on the rooftop for too long? It all passes through his thoughts as his finger hovers over the alarming 'pick-up' button.

"Bucky," is all he says in a deep, rumbling voice as he picks up, thinking about strangling whoever it is on the other side of the phone line. He's never been a good sleeper, but it has only worsened since he returned from war. Some nights, he jolts awake, the sounds of gunfire still ringing throughout his head, so he cherishes every minute of sleep he can afford.

"Hi, I'm looking for James Barnes. Is this him?" the man on the other side of the line questions, and Bucky can physically feel himself relax as he hears his voice, making him feel like a weight is being lifted off his shoulder. It's a deep, soothing baritone that renders him just a little calmer, even with the vague question he got asked.

"Yes. Is everything okay? I can only assume something's going on, seeing that you're calling me at—" Bucky glances at his alarm clock before finishing his sentence, "3:15 AM." Alpine wakes up because she hears Bucky's voice. She rubs her soft head against his free hand, and her silken fur brushes against his calloused palm, making Bucky smile a little.

"This is Lieutenant Tony Stark from the NYPD, and I'm sorry to inform you that your flower shop was broken into less than 30 minutes ago. I'm currently at the scene, but it would be helpful for you to come over and assess the damage that has been done," Tony calmly explains. His words hit Bucky like a freight train, causing his eyes to snap shut in horror at the realization of what had happened.

His flower shop—the pride and joy that he has dedicated the past decade of his life to, had been broken into and completely torn to shreds without any semblance of remorse from the bastards who did it.

"I—I… I'll be there in 10," Bucky sighs before saying his goodbye and quickly getting up so he can call his best friend, Steve, to inform him about what happened and to ask him to take care of Alpine, as he didn't know how long he would be gone for.

"Buck-" "I don't have time to explain! I have to go to the shop, and you need to take care of Alp for me, okay? I'll explain later," Bucky quickly says as he puts on an old Henley, a pair of sweatpants, and his running shoes before putting his hair into a messy bun on top of his head, slipping on a jacket, and running out the door. He at least still has the right mind to grab his wallet and keys before leaving and jumping onto his bike on his way to the store.

When he arrives, however, his heart sinks into his stomach as he looks at the damage they have done. Bucky quickly parks his bike before sprinting over, tears brimming on his waterline, threatening to spill over as he takes in every inch of his ruined storefront. Multiple windows are smashed in; the remaining glass shards are shattered and littered on the sidewalk. As he walks in the empty door frame, the entire interior of the flower shop is overhauled, many stems and blooms are trampled, their petals downcast, drooping, intricately designed bouquets scattered across the floor, and the door to his office is broken into. Amidst all this, a large police team is investigating.

With a heavy feeling in his stomach, tears began flowing freely down his cheeks as he looked around, observing the desecrated state of his beloved shop. Before he can go too far, he's stopped by a man in a police uniform, but despite his large stature, Bucky is still a good few inches taller than the man, which is noticeable as Bucky looks down to meet his gaze.

"You must be James. I'm Lieutenant Stark. We spoke on the phone not too long ago," Tony explains as he flashes his police ID, which Bucky responds to with a dejected nod because he is at a loss for words right now.

"W–Why?" is all Bucky can get out as he throws his arms up in defeat, unsure of what to do. His feet sweep away a few flowers that have been trampled; their delicate petals breaking off even with a gentle push. He can't stop the tears from falling, all the work he had put into this place has been ruined, and he still couldn’t bring himself to believe it, even though he's in the middle of it all.

"We're not sure why, but what we can say for sure is that your shop has been broken into. Obviously. The door to the office has been practically busted, and the safe is clinging onto its last hinges after they took every last thing in there." Tony tells Bucky, whose fists are clenching by his sides, as he attempts to subdue his anger. The news hits him like a physical blow as Tony's words hang in the air.

They chose his flower shop out of all the places they could rob. Who even breaks into those? They could have gone for the electronics store across the street, but no. They chose to bank on the fact that Bucky was an idiot who doesn't clear out the cash register overnight. Either that, or they were hoping the poppies would get them high.

Tony’s voice was soft as he spoke. "Could we maybe check the camera footage of what happened?" Bucky’s eyes widened as he cursed himself internally for completely forgetting that he had security cameras installed in this store in the first place.

"Y-Yeah, sure," Bucky stammered before leading the way to his torn-up office, where the laptop houses the camera footage and all the other administration. Tony motioned for him to go ahead first. Buckyhesitantly steps foot into his office, which he takes in with a deep breath before leading Tony inside. The damage there isn't as bad, it was mainly the safe that suffered the most harm, but it still pains him to see.

Once Bucky's seated in the chair, he retrieves his laptop, which was safely hidden away in a locked drawer in his desk. As he pulls up the security footage, he can't help but wonder why they didn't bother to look in there, but at the same time he's also relieved that they didn't. While Tony carefully reviews the footage, Bucky leans back into his seat in defeat. Feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him, as a sniffle escapes, too.

Tony's hand landed gently on Bucky's shoulder, his voice laced with concern as he asked, "Is everything alright, James?" But despite the comforting touch, Bucky couldn't shake his head from side to side in response. His thoughts were clouded and his emotions tangled, making it hard for him to even form a coherent answer.

"I-I'm sorry, it's stupid," Bucky’s voice trembles, almost inaudible as he looks at the screen through blurry eyes, watching his flower shop being ravaged and ruined. His fists are balled in his lap as a wave of complete helplessness washes over him. A sudden sob now rips its way through his chest, the hand on his shoulder the only thing that's keeping him grounded.

"It's not stupid." Bucky’s breathe hitches as Tony crouches down next to him, concern etched on his face before Bucky wipes the tears away frantically, a rare show of vulnerability for a man who hasn't shed a tear in years, and here he is, bawling his eyes out in front of an entire team of cops.

"Your store has just been broken into, and that brings a lot of emotions along. It's not stupid to feel the things you're feeling right now," Tony reassures Bucky with a soothing smile, and he is suddenly all too aware of how Tony's hand is now placed on his knee. Somehow, between the chaos and his blend of emotions, he's also feeling something he hasn't felt in years, too, like a flicker of a small fire inside him reigniting after years of dormancy, stemming from nothing but a simple touch.

"How about this? Can you give me your number when we're done so I can keep you updated about the investigation into your store?" Tony then asks, and Bucky nods as the tears begin to subdue, a faint smile forming on his lips as he does.

"Sounds good," Bucky says softly. True to his word, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a scrap of paper, scribbling down his number and handing it to Tony. In return, Tony fumbles for his own phone and hastily enters Bucky's digits. While all the other people are done with the investigation and have packed up to leave, Tony can't bring himself to go just yet, so instead, he decides to lend a hand to Bucky with the clean-up and boarding up the empty window frames until Bucky can get them replaced by proper glass.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Stark, for everything." Bucky’s voice swelled with gratitude as he gestures with his arms to the now cleaned-up store. But a sinking feeling gnaws at his stomach. The last time he saw his store this barren was when he had first bought it a little over a decade ago, and now he can't help but feel apprehensive about starting all over again.

"Please, forgo the formalites, just call me Tony, and it was an honor to help you, James. Unfortunately, I must return to the precinct to do all the necessary paperwork, but I will keep you updated on the investigation. Good luck with the renovation of the shop,"

"Thank you, and I’ll call you Tony if you call me Bucky," Bucky says with a mischievous glint in his eyes, the corners of his mouth curling up into a playful smirk, which leavesTony blushing and makes him look endearing in the larger man's eyes.

“Good night, Bucky,” Tony says, reluctantly tearing himself away from their banter and leaving both Bucky and the shop behind on his way to do the dreaded paperwork. Meanwhile, Bucky is still standing where the police officer left him, with a large smile etched on his lips as he watches him walk to his vehicle. For the first time in years, Bucky is starting to feel something akin to butterflies in his stomach, and he can only hope Tony feels the same.

It’s been a month since the robbery of Bucky’s flower shop, and today it is time for the grand re-opening. During the entire time he was closed, he has decided to give the entire store a brand new look with the help of his best friend, Steve, as well as other people who have graciously offered their help after finding out what happened. Now, he’s busy in the shop, scurrying to get the last bouquets finished before the official opening in a few hours.

“What do you think of this?” Steve asks Bucky as he just finished setting up the table with an array of colorful pronoun badges that have been created by Bucky’s best friend in preparation to use during the re-opening. As Bucky approaches to stand next to Steve, his eyes glide over the pronouns ‘she/her’, ‘he/him’, ‘they/them’, ‘any pronouns’ and ‘ask me for my pronouns’.

“It's perfect!” A wordless exchange of grins passes between Bucky and Steve as he gives Steve a friendly pat on the back, and Steve responds with an accepting smile.

“Is there anything else I can do before I go home and change?” Steve asks as he peers over at Bucky, who just shakes his head, grateful for Steve's willingness to always lend a hand, before sending him off. As soon as the last bouquet is finished and placed in its vase, Bucky’s phone chimes with a notification, piquing his interest right away.

As soon as he sees who’s on the other end of the line, a large smile lights up on Bucky’s face, together with a faint pink hue painted on his cheeks. It’s from Tony, and he’s eager to read what he has to say. Over the course of the investigation, they’ve been talking more and more often, both about the robbery as well as other topics, which has only served to deepen Bucky’s infatuation for the other man exponentially.

Tony 👮>> Good luck with the grand re-opening tonight, I hope it goes well! I wish I could be there for you, but rest assured: I will be swinging by soon to buy some of the most beautiful flowers Brooklyn has to offer 😉

As Bucky lets the words on his screen sink in, he can’t help but smile like a mad man as his smile seems to grow to an almost unnatural size. The butterflies in his stomach are also going wild, and he can’t wait to see Tony again - but he will have to wait just a few more days in order to do so. He could almost hear his friend's deep voice and see the twinkle in his eye as he sent his well-wishes for the grand re-opening.

Bucky 💐>> Thank you. I wish you could be here tonight, too, but I’ll settle for you buying a bouquet or two once you finally have a day off 🥺

As he typed out his response, Bucky couldn't contain the joy bubbling up inside him—the thought of seeing Tony again after so long made his heart skip a beat. After one last look throughout the store, Bucky lets out a sigh of relief before heading home to prepare for the grand reopening. He takes a quick shower there before changing into a black and yellow outfit.

As he assesses his outfit in the mirror, his eyes glide over his Vibranium arm, and the black and gold of his fake limb are a beautiful complement to his outfit. A few years ago, he wouldn't have dared to walk around without a glove and long sleeves to cover it up. Through extensive therapy, he has learned that it's okay to have the prosthetic arm, and it's just as much a part of him as his flesh limbs.

Before he goes out the door, he brushes through his long locks, ultimately leaving them hanging loose instead of wearing them in his usual tied-back style. As he's walking out of the bathroom, Alpine is lying comfortably on her pillow on Bucky's bed, her soft fur practically glowing as the rays of the evening sun shine down on her.

"I'm leaving, Alp. Will you protect the house when I'm gone?" Bucky asks his cat lovingly as he scratches her behind the ears. She responds by pushing her head against his hand, soft purrs filling the room as she stretches. Bucky can't help but smile at the feline lying comfortably on her pillow as he pulls away, ready to reopen his store.

It's a beautiful summer evening, so Bucky rides his bike there today. This is a perfect way for him to let go of all the nerves that currently swirl through his body. As he drives through the streets of Brooklyn, his mind calms down immensely, and before he knows it, he's at his store, ready for the festivities later.

Bucky barely gets off his bike when the caterer - one of his best friends and the best cook he has ever met - Natasha Romanoff arrives with her team. A smile immediately adorns Bucky's face when he sees the fiery-haired woman clad in nothing but her signature black clothes, making her way over to him as an even larger smile graces her features.

"How're you feeling about tonight?" Natasha asks after enveloping her friend in a hug, now having to crane her neck to make eye contact with him.

Bucky rubs his neck with his large hand as he smiles nervously. "I'm excited but nervous at the same time. For the past ten years, I've been perfecting my store and everything that goes along with that, and it feels like starting all over again - which it is, in a sense. There's still the voice in the back of my head saying it won't be good enough, and people won't come back after seeing how it is now," he admits with a hint of defeat.

Natasha reaches for his hands, clasping them in hers as she squeezes reassuringly. "There's not a single thing you have to worry about, Bucky. Your store has been a neighborhood staple for years; people love visiting you! I know how terrifying it can be to start over, but you will be fine, I know it," she tells him, and Bucky nods.

"You're right, Nat. I needed that a lot," he says before letting his hands fall to his sides again when she lets go. After their conversation, Bucky feels about ten pounds lighter. While Natasha and her team are setting everything up, Bucky suddenly hears a knock on the front door, and he turns around to see his best friend, Steve, and his cat, Alpine. He quickly runs to the door to let them in, and Alpine immediately jumps over to Bucky to get some love from him.

"I can't believe you brought her over! Thank you for this amazing surprise, Steve," Bucky says, smiling at his best friend as he scratches the white feline behind her soft ears.

"Hey, there's no one more important in your life than Alp, so I figured I would bring her along. And you mentioned wanting her to come to the store more often, so she should be here on opening night, don't you think?" Steve says to Bucky as they walk to the table with pronoun badges.

Bucky hadn't noticed until now that Alpine was wearing a small badge with the pronouns "she/her" on it for tonight, and he couldn't help but laugh at the sight of it.

"Thank you, Steve, for everything. Thanks for the help over the past month in making the badges and, of course, for bringing Alpine tonight. Having her here tonight is an absolute must," Bucky responds with a giant smile before getting a cat bed ready, which he didn't think he would need for a little while. She will get a prominent place in the store tonight, as he places the bed on the counter next to the cash register to get all the attention she desires from tonight's guests.

Once everything is set up and ready to go, Bucky also grabs a pronoun badge before clipping it to his shirt and heading for the front door. He looks back to Steve for one more reassuring look, and then he officially turns the key to let all his friends, family, and acquaintances who have RSVP'd.

He's receiving many handshakes, hugs, and congratulations on the flower shop's reopening, and he takes it all in stride even though his heart rate is slowly rising with every person walking through the door. His eyes are looking for Steve, but he's too deep in conversation with some attendees to notice Bucky, so he takes a deep breath to steady himself and get through the remaining line of people.

Eventually, everyone's there, and it's time for Bucky to go and give the speech he prepared; a glass of champagne is ready in his hand, and the entire room is focused on him as he's about to start. But just before he can, the little bell above the door jingles, notifying everyone of one last guest this evening.

Tony Stark.

It's like Bucky's brain completely short circuits for a brief moment as he watches the other man grab a flute of champagne from one of the servers and find a place to listen to Bucky's speech. A small smile graces his face as he looks at Bucky, who can't help but smile as his brain finally catches up with what's happening.

"First off, thank you all for coming tonight to the grand reopening of Bucky's Flower Emporium! The last decade has been an amazing journey, and it all got turned upside down when the store was broken into, but I have taken this chance to create an entirely new experience for everyone," Bucky starts as he gestures into the store.

"After many discussions and considerations, we have created a safe place where people of any skill set can learn how to make their bouquets. There will be workshops for groups of up to 10 people, led by my friend and wonderful florist, Sam Wilson, or myself," he says, and Sam dutifully raises his glass in acknowledgment.

"There will also be opportunities to come by for some coffee, tea, and pastries provided by Thor Odinson, who makes the best pastries in New York! With that, you will be able to buy the amazing artwork on display behind me, made by my best friend, Steve Rogers, who has also designed all the pronoun badges you're wearing."

"And last but not least, Miss Alpine over here will also be in the store more often, so please don't hesitate to come in and give her some love as well - she loves being spoiled with attention!" Bucky jokes, and Alpine meows in response, only emphasizing his point as everyone laughs.

"Once more, thank you all for coming, and don't forget that all the bouquets you see here tonight are half off, so please don't hesitate to bring some home with you!" Bucky finishes his speech with a giant smile, his glass raised in the air before everyone disperses into conversations and looks at the bouquets Bucky has prepared for tonight.

The moment the speech is over, Bucky immediately makes his way over to Tony, who's dressed in a relatively simple outfit—but it's a significant difference from the uniform Bucky is used to seeing him wear. The shirt is open just enough to show off his broad, tattooed chest, and it's hugging him perfectly, just like his pants. The way the fabric spans over his thick thighs has Bucky nearly drooling, and the sight of it is ingrained in his memory forever.

In turn, Tony lets his eyes wander over Bucky's outfit, too, the Vibranium arm not going unnoticed. As he lets his gaze roam freely, he suddenly realizes that Bucky is dressed like one of the flowers in his shop - a sunflower, to be exact - and a small smile appears on his lips as he looks into his piercing blue eyes with his own deep, chocolate brown ones.

"I thought you didn't have time to come over tonight!" Bucky says before spreading his arms for a hug, which Tony happily accepts. Bucky takes a moment to take in his scent, which is musky with a hint of spice, only making the butterflies in his stomach go wilder.

"Well, I figured I'd come over and give you some moral support. It's an important night for you, and I couldn't resist seeing what you've done to the place after the investigation closed a few days ago," he says, and Bucky's practically beaming at his words.

"I'm glad you showed up tonight, Tony. It really means a lot," Bucky says before taking him to meet his friends as well as Alpine. The rest of the night goes by quicker than Bucky could have thought, and Alpine loved every attention she got tonight. He also sold out of most of his bouquets, leaving him more than satisfied.

Once everything is cleaned up and Bucky closes the front door behind him, he's relieved that everything has gone well tonight, but Tony's showing up has been the best surprise of the evening.

Since the reopening of Bucky's Flower Emporium, it has been busier than before the faithful night that flipped Bucky's life on its axis. Where he was already doing great before, he's now doing better than he could have ever dreamt. From Sam being there almost daily to host gardening workshops to hiring another worker to keep up with the constant stream of people, Bucky adores every second of it. But what he loves most is Tony coming over when he has the time, and this time, Bucky's been pacing around with something important on his mind.

This morning, Tony texted Bucky to let him know he'd come over today, and ever since then, Bucky's been staring a hole through the front door, his heart pounding with anticipation, impatient to see his crush finally walking through the door. The minutes seemed to drag on forever as he fidgeted behind the counter of the flower shop, unable to focus on anything else but the thought of seeing Tony again, but just as Bucky rings up a customer who has picked out a beautiful bouquet of sunflowers, the little bell chimed merrily, and lays his eyes on Tony, who is walking through the door with a charming smile on his face. Bucky couldn't help but beam back as their eyes met.

Bucky breathed a sigh of relief as the customer’s transaction came to a close, and they cheerily walked out the door, allowing Bucky to welcome Tony and help him pick out a bouquet to bring to the precinct.

"Good morning, Sunflower," Tony says lovingly as he hugs Bucky, which the taller man reciprocates with a warm feeling in his chest, reveling in the feeling of their bodies pressed together. During the reopening, Tony noticed that Bucky had worn shades of marigold, moss, and maroon, mimicking the hues of a sunflower, which became his nickname. Each time Tony playfully refers to him, Bucky can feel his nerves flutter like a caged bird, and the smile on Tony's face reassures him that he's feeling the same thing.

"Good morning, Lieutenant," Bucky replies with a sly wink after pulling away from his embrace, and a bashful flush colored Tony’s cheeks, which he attempts to conceal by inconspicuously turning around and peeking at some of the bouquets that Bucky has meticulously arranged. During all this, Sam shoots occasional glances at them from the corner of his eye with a proud smile as he guides his small group to cut off the stems of the flowers they had chosen.

The next twenty minutes were spent looking at flowers. At the same time, Bucky eagerly talks about their meanings—how dandelions represented reliance, how tulips bloom love—and how he created the intricate yet beautiful-looking arrangements. Tony’s gaze roams over the petals that flaunt their various hues and tones, until he picks out a large bouquet of vivid sunflowers to add a little colour the front desk in the precinct later. While Bucky packs it up for Tony, his nerves start to set in. The clock is ticking, and with each passing second, the window of opportunity to share what's been incessantly plaguing his mind is getting smaller.

Bucky's inner voice urges him on, relentless and insistent. 'Come on, it's now or never,' it seems to say, a constant nagging in his mind. His heart pounds in his chest as he debates whether to take the leap or stay put. The weight of the decision hangs heavy on his shoulders.

Just before he hands Tony the finished bouquet, he blurts out his thoughts, "I-I want to go on a date…with you!" The exclamation swiftly leaves his lips like a hushed whisper, spoken with hesitation.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Bucky couldn't help but feel embarrassed at how he had formulated them. Tony can't help but stand there with raised brows at the boldness that has suddenly come over his friend. A deep red blush appeared on Bucky’s cheeks as his gaze became downcast in embarrassment squeezed his eyes shut, wishing that he could rewind time to take it all back. This wasn't how I planned it to go, oh god, I screwed it up. —he didn't even ask if Tony wanted to go on a date with him, but much to his astonishment and relief, Tony agreed.

"I would love to go on a date with you, Sunflower,’ Tony says with a reassuring smile, “But I'll have to text you about the details later. Unfortunately, I have to leave now, but I'm looking forward to it," Bucky nods as the flush on his cheeks slowly subsides. As Tony walks out the door, Sam can't help but snicker, earning himself a glare from Bucky before he retires to his office to work on some administrative tasks he's been pushing off so he wouldn't miss Tony coming into the store.

True to his word, Tony texts Bucky that same evening with some plans, which he happily agrees to. During the upcoming Saturday, Bucky plans on teaching Tony how to craft a simple bouquet before they head out to dinner and a bar afterward to finish the evening on a high note. Bucky has never said yes to something so quickly, and the anticipation builds as now all he can do is wait until it's finally Saturday, which seems to be an eternity away on the quiet Thursday night he's now enjoying, with Alpine curled up in his lap.

The past few days dragged on way too slowly for Bucky's liking, but it's finally Saturday morning, and Bucky's alarm goes off, notifying him it's time to get up and get ready for his date. He spent the better part of an hour in front of the mirror trying to get his ruffled hair to comply and contemplating his outfit, ultimately deciding on ripped jeans and a striped shirt.

However, before he takes a shower and gets dressed, he takes a moment to cuddle with Alpine as part of their usual morning routine. As he strokes her silvery fur, he shares the details of his day to her, and she's taking in all the affection before usually falling asleep in his arms again. "Are you excited about Steve coming over today, hm? Daddy won't be here to care for you tonight, so he'll be here with you later to cuddle and feed you," he says as he nuzzles into her soft fur, relishing in the slightly ticklish sensation against the skin of his face.

"Daddy's going on a date with Tony. Can you believe it? Because I surely can't either," Bucky continues as she purrs in his arms, his fingers scratching behind her ears, causing them to perk up. He tells her a bit more about everything he has planned, and eventually, she climbs out of his arms to lie on her pillow, allowing Bucky to get ready for said date.

After a quick shower, he slips into the clothes he laid out before fixing his hair, once again opting to leave his hair loose for a change but making sure to bring a hair tie along just in case, as it'll come in handy during the first part of their date: keeping unruly strands out his vision while making a flower arrangement. The rest of the morning seems to pass in a blur of anticipation and excitement, and just after lunch, it's almost time to go when he hears the familiar click of the front door lock turning.

"I'm here, Buck!" Steve yells, his voice echoing throughout his house, and Bucky pokes his head around the corner to greet his best friend while brushing his teeth, not wanting to risk a potential disaster by having bad breath. While Steve makes himself some lunch in Bucky's kitchen, Bucky finishes getting ready.

"Thank you again for taking care of Alp today; it means a lot," Bucky says as he walks into the kitchen. Steve smiles up at his best friend.

"No need to thank me, Buck. You know I will take care of her anytime," Steve reassures him, and he nods, knowing he's correct. There's nothing either wouldn't do for the other, even when they get a call at 3:15AM in the morning. After one last check in the mirror and finicking with his hair, Bucky grabs his keys and wallet before heading out the door and on his way to his date.

As soon as the Uber he ordered arrives, he can feel his nerves running wild. With every passing second, he's getting closer to going on a date with Tony he's been looking forward to for days. They have been texting one another whenever possible for the past few days. Last night, they FaceTimed for about an hour and couldn't stop announcing their excitement for their date.

Much to his surprise, Tony was already waiting in front of Bucky's Flower Emporium. This time—clad in a light outfit that complemented his skin beautifully. His usually messy curls are now styled neatly into a perfect quiff, and his facial hair is trimmed to accentuate his jawline, making him look even more handsome than he already is.

"Hey, Sunflower," Tony whispers as Bucky pulls him into a tight embrace, their bodies fitting together perfectly. Bucky takes in Tony's scent as he nuzzles his face into his shoulder, not wanting to let go. Tony smells of bergamot with a hint of citrus, and Bucky takes a mental note of the scent. Eventually, he has to detach from the embrace, and he quickly retrieves his keys from his pocket so they can head inside.

"The store looks so... different when there's no one inside," Tony remarks, and Bucky nods in response. Suddenly, Bucky's unsure what to say when they're inside, feeling a surge of uncertainty as he can’t help but fidget and wring his fingers nervously as he looks away, suddenly feeling very out of place in the once-familiar environment.

"Hey, it's okay to be nervous; I am too," Tony’s voice was gentle, reassuring. His hand rests on Bucky’s bicep in a comforting gesture, and Bucky can feel the warmth of his touch seeping through his shirt and onto his skin. His gaze meets Tony’s, taking in the lighter specks in his otherwise dark, chocolate-brown eyes.

Bucky shifts nervously, his eyes darting back and forth as he speaks. "You're right, I-I'm sorry. It's just that I haven't been on a proper date in years," Bucky admits, his voice tinged with shyness, and Tony smiles at his answer before nodding.

"That makes two of us. I don't even remember the last time I've been on a date, to be honest, but something about you has changed my mind. I feel so comfortable around you, and I can truly be myself, which I always look for in someone," Tony reaches out to Bucky's hand, and much to his surprise, it's his Vibranium one he's reaching for. Though he doesn't physically feel Tony's touch, he can still feel a soft sensation of pressure while looking at their intertwined hands.

"Thank you for allowing me to be myself, Sunflower. We may not be perfect, but I think that as long as we have one another, we're pretty damn lucky in this world," Tony tells Bucky before squeezing his hand reassuringly and then making their way to the workshop area.

"So, onto flower arrangements..." Tony says with a playful twinkle in his eye as he gestures to the workbench, where an array of colorful petals and green stems lay waiting. Bucky can't help but giggle at the other man's words, a broad smile gracing his features as a hearty laugh escapes his chest. And just like that, they spend the next few hours making flower arrangements together, working side by side, carefully selecting each bloom and arranging them into beautiful bouquets and centerpieces.

With skilled hands, Bucky carefully selected a variety of vibrant, multicolored flowers, and made a beautiful multicolor bouquet that perfectly reflected the sunny weather outside. Meanwhile,Tony opted for a simpler arrangement with dandelion yellow and crisp white blooms. Bucky took the time to explain each step and guide Tony where necessary. They shared jokes and laughter, making the process all the more enjoyable. The fragrant scent of fresh flowers filled the room, adding to the cheerful atmosphere.

Now, they’re standing back as they’re admiring each other’s handiwork, their bodies so close that they’re practically touching. When Bucky’s eye suddenly catches sight of a perfect white rose, lying astray on the bench, he plucks it up before removing most of the stem and turning to Tony, who watches his every move with rapt attention.

With a soft smile, Bucky leans in to gently tuck the flower behind Tony’s ear, the cold metal of his finger tracing a strand of his brunette hair. As he does, Tony lets his eyes slip shut while reveling in the sensation of Bucky’s fingers gliding across his skin. He’s considerably closer to Bucky when he opens them, and both heart rates rapidly pick up as they take in the closeness.

“May I kiss you?” Bucky asks softly.

“What if someone sees?” Tony asks, slightly apprehensively.

“Then they can enjoy a nice view of us kissing, if you ask me,” Bucky responds mischievously, and with those words, Bucky closes the gap between them. Their lips and tongues move together in a passionate dance, and their hands roam freely, tracing along each other’s bodies simultaneously. They take their time exploring one another, but eventually, the need for air becomes greater than the need for each other, and Bucky is the first one to pull away.

“Wow,” he whispers in awe, his gaze fixed on Tony's face as a large smile tugs at the corners of his flushed lips, and Tony nods in agreement with his bottom lip pulled between his teeth. Both their faces are flushed as they take a step back, though they don’t want to be too far away from one another. With quick efficiency, the clean-up is done, and when Bucky turns to Tony to tell him something, he’s surprised by the other man’s lips on his again, which he graciously accepts.

Once they finally manage to pry themselves away from the other person, their hearts racing as they head out to dinner. The evening rushes by in a blur of easy conversation and shared laughter, their hands constantly brushing against each other as if drawn together by an invisible force. The conversations flow naturally between them, and they haven't had this much fun in a long time as they stroll their way to a nearby bar.

The dimly lit bar was bustling with people, their chatter blending together in a dull hum. Tony and Bucky stood side by side at the sleek bar counter, surrounded by shelves of glistening alcohol bottles. The bartender waited patiently for their order, a faint smile on his weathered face.

"What's your drink of choice, Sunflower?" Tony asks as he's standing beside Bucky at the bar, looking up at him while Bucky thinks about what he wants. He settles for a whiskey while Tony goes for an extra dry dirty Martini with extra olives, which makes Bucky chuckle.

"I didn't know you had such an elaborate drink order, Lieutenant," Bucky's playful tone caused a faint blush to rise on Tony's cheeks. He stammers out something about the drink being his favorite, hoping to hide his embarrassment. After a little more teasing banter, both their drinks are ready, and Bucky and Tony find a small empty spot at the bar and settle onto the stools with a sense of relief.

"May I ask what happened to your arm?" Tony asks when they're both settled into their seats, and Bucky briefly hesitates, feeling a familiar knot form in his stomach. He has been expecting this conversation for a while now, knowing it was bound to happen, but he's always a little apprehensive to talk about it, not wanting to shy away from the truth and risk pushing Tony away with his past.

"Uh- y-yeah, of course" Bucky finally managed to say. He shifted his stance, facing Tony fully and trying to relax his tense shoulders.

"Before I became a florist, I had been serving in the military for a little over 15 years as a trauma surgeon. One unfortunate day, our peaceful camp was rocked by a sudden explosion, a bomb was detonated next to our tent, and the shrapnel blew up pretty much all of our tent and the people inside along with it. I was on the far end of the tent when it happened, I wasn't spared from the devastation; shards of sharp shrapnel sliced through my arm, causing such severe damage that it had to be amputated at the shoulder," Bucky somberly recounts to Tony, who listens with rapt attention and empathy for his friend's harrowing experience.

"About a year before I opened the shop, I got the chance to participate in a program that helps veterans who lost their limbs in the line of duty, and I have been lucky enough to have gotten a completely new arm. It's made of Vibranium, and even though I can't physically feel anything with it, it has ultimately pushed me to follow my dream: to use my arm as an outlet to create something beautiful, so I could learn to see the beauty of my arm, too. It’s taught me to see the beauty in my own unique circumstances and embrace them wholeheartedly."

"Over the years, I have learned to work and create along with it. Instead of fighting it, I’ve embraced it and now I'm not ashamed to show it off anymore. It used to be a big part of my insecurity and low self-esteem, but nowadays, it's just as much a part of me as my other limbs, but the biggest difference is that this one's a different material," Bucky says with a small smile, and Tony nods.

"I'm so glad you've learned to love yourself and the arm because you deserve to be loved. By others, sure, but most of all, you deserve to be loved by yourself," Tony says tenderly as he cradles the metal hand between his own, tracing soothing circles over the cold surface of the metal. Without saying another word, Bucky leans in to capture Tony's lips with his own again as he pours every single emotion he's feeling into it. Tony's breath hitches at the sensation of Bucky's lips on his own once again, but that quickly dissipates as he surrenders to the kiss, savoring every precious moment of it.

"Thank you for saying that, Tony," Bucky whispers as he pulls back, his breath warm against the other man's ear as he whispers his gratitude, looking into the other man's deep, dark brown eyes with an appreciative and adoring look before grabbing his drink and taking a sip, feeling the pleasurable way the liquid burns as it goes down. Tony finishes all of his Martini in one go before he gets up and leans in to whisper something in Bucky's ear that piques his interest.

"Do you want to go back to my place or yours?" he asks, his voice low and inviting, and after a short moment of contemplation, Bucky tells him that it's better to go to Tony's place. After all, Steve is currently at Bucky's apartment to take care of Alpine. Not even ten minutes later, they're in an Uber snuggled together in the backseat, impatiently waiting until they arrive at Tony's apartment, exchanging playful touches and glances while their fingers intertwine.

As soon as the front door clicks shut, Tony’s hands are on Bucky, pressing him back against the sturdy wall before his lips are on Bucky's again. Tony's tongue pushes into Bucky's mouth immediately while Tony's hands open every last button on Bucky's striped shirt. Once the fabric is loose, Tony's hands move up and into Bucky's hair, which he softly tugs before pulling away, allowing himself to take in the look on the larger man's face.

"Let's move this to the bedroom, Sunflower," Tony whispers in a breathy voice as he grabs Bucky's hand and pulls him towards the large bedroom. As he does, Bucky takes in as much of the apartment as possible, but it doesn't last long, as he's quickly pushed onto the bed.

"I think it's about time we get you out of these clothes, don't you think?" Tony asks rhetorically, and before Bucky can even catch up with what's happening, he's stripped almost entirely bare. The only thing that's left is his underwear, which shows the fact that he's getting painfully hard at everything that's happening.

"Fuck," Tony groans as he takes in the sight of the man in front of him. The way his cream-colored skin is such a stark difference against his black and gold arm doesn't go unnoticed by Tony, and he leans over to press a few soft kisses on the scarring surrounding the fake limb.

"So beautiful," Tony whispers as he trails a line of kisses from the shoulder down his body, Tony's hands slowly inching their way up Bucky's thighs to where he needs Tony most of all. Tony maps out Bucky's entire body with his hands and lips, committing every inch of it to memory.

"What should I call you?" Bucky suddenly asks, and for a short moment, Tony's caught off-guard by the question. He didn't give it any thought beforehand, and his mind is coming up completely blank, too.

"What do you think you should call me?" Tony then answers, and Bucky takes a moment to take in his words, letting the words sink in as he's starting to sink into a floaty headspace.

"Officer." A short and simple answer, but one that goes straight to Tony's rapidly hardening cock as it throbs inside his pants. Tony lets out a deep groan at the name, and he practically rips Bucky's underwear off his body, unable to wait any longer to have a taste of him.

"Are you okay with this, Sunflower? Because if you're not, we can stop. We can stop whenever you want, okay?" Tony asks before moving any further, his gaze locked on the man beneath him, and Bucky nods slowly. He hasn't been with anyone in literal years, but his submissive side always bubbles up with minimal effort as he becomes nice and pliant for Tony.

"Good boy," Tony praises Bucky as he grabs the larger man's cock, his hand barely able to wrap around the girth. He works him over slowly as he keeps looking and listening to Bucky to find exactly what he likes. Bucky is like an open book at this point, as moans and groans constantly tumble from his lips.

The moment Tony takes his tip into his mouth, Bucky's hips instantly buck up into Tony's mouth, the pleasure almost being too much for Bucky to be able to handle. As Tony takes more and more of him into his mouth, Bucky can't help but moan louder until it's bordering on pornographic.

"F-fuck, Officer-" Bucky pleads, and Tony pulls off with a loud pop while his hand keeps going. "'M close," Bucky mutters, but he doesn't get his way yet.

"Not yet, Sunflower. I know you're close, but you need to hold out for a little longer, as I haven't done a thorough investigation of your body yet," Tony says seductively, and it hits exactly the way he had hoped. He had a suspicion Bucky had both a kink for Tony's profession and a uniform kink, and his suspicions had been confirmed.

Without warning, he immediately takes Bucky into his mouth again, this time until his nose is touching his pelvis, and he's practically gagging around the larger man's cock. He sounds filthy, but both of them are loving every second of it as Bucky's fists are holding the sheets tightly in order not to cum yet, while his hips buck up, driving his cock even deeper into Tony's throat.

"C-Close!" Bucky exclaims as Tony lets Bucky's balls roll in his hand, squeezing softly before tugging on them. He swallows Bucky down again, this time more easily than before.

"Off—O-Officer," Bucky says with a strained voice as his eyes are locked onto the smaller men between his legs. The sight is one he will never forget. "P-Please, let me c-cum!"

Instead of answering, Tony works Bucky's cock with his hands and mouth until the other man cums with trembling legs and loud, drawn-out moans. It's one of the most intense orgasms Bucky has ever felt, and his brain has gone completely blank at this point, now deep into subspace.

"Good boy, you did so well for me, you follow your Officer's orders so well," Tony praises him as he lets the other man retain his breath, but only briefly. Tony quickly climbs off the bed to strip himself of every last bit of clothing he's wearing, and he reaches over to his nightstand to get a few items: a bottle of lube, a condom, and the Vibranium handcuffs he bought in preparation for exactly this moment.

Once Bucky has come down from his high, Tony climbs over his large body to capture Bucky's lips in a soft kiss, to which Bucky responds instantly as his hands are on Tony within seconds. They take their time exploring each other's mouths, and Bucky moans at the taste of himself on Tony's tongue.

"I need you to sit on your hands and knees for me, Sunflower; been dreaming of what it's like to fuck you completely senseless, so that's exactly what I'll be doing now," he whispers in Bucky's ear, who smiles before moving to sit on his hands and knees. Once Bucky is in position, Tony catches him off-guard by pulling his hands behind his back, which causes his face to be pushed into the sheets, which quickly grow wet from the drool escaping Bucky's slack mouth.

"You're under arrest for being a bad boy," Tony says as he cuffs both of Bucky's hands behind his back, ensuring there's no way he can get out of them without help. Once satisfied, Tony sits back to admire his work with a smile. Seeing Bucky on his knees with his hands behind his back and his face practically pressed into the sheets gives Tony a huge rush of endorphins.

Now, Tony takes his time to work Bucky open with his fingers and mouth, paired with countless moans and whines as he does. Once Bucky is adequately prepped for Tony's huge cock, Tony rips open the condom before rolling it on and covering it with even more lube, ensuring it'll be nice and slick as he fucks Bucky into oblivion in a moment.

"Ready, my beautiful Sunflower?" Tony asks in a loving voice, and Bucky mumbles a soft yes as Tony lines up, eager to work himself into Bucky's willing ass. He takes hold of Bucky's hips as he pushes in, and he's met with the slightest bit of resistance as he does, but Bucky's body accepts him not long after.

"That's it, Sunflower, fuck- you take your Officer's cock so well," Tony groans through gritted teeth, as he's trying his hardest not to cum before he's even thrust into Bucky's welcoming body. The heat of Bucky around his cock is nearly driving him insane as he's holding onto every last bit of his sanity.

"God, you feel so good. You're going to let your Officer fuck some sense into you, huh? Gonna let your Officer fuck you so hard you have no other choice than to be his good boy?" Tony taunts Bucky, and Bucky can't do anything but moan incoherently, much to Tony's pleasure. He's exactly where Tony wants him - blissed out and fucked thoroughly.

With a groan, Tony bottoms out, and one of Tony's hands lets go of Bucky's hip in favor of grabbing the handcuffs, which he pulls on with every thrust, effectively pulling the large man back onto his cock with every deep thrust. It's been a while since Tony has felt this type of pleasure, and he can't get enough of it as he speeds up his thrusts.

"Fucking fuck! You feel so fucking good on my cock, Sunflower, should've fucked you much sooner," Tony says as his orgasm is rapidly approaching. Without warning, Bucky lets out a long, dragged-out moan as he cums again, his seed spurting all over the sheets without even being completely hard yet. It's precisely what pushes Tony over the edge, too.

"Fuck yes, take your Officer's cum! Gonna fill you up until you're leaking with my cum, and then I'm going to fuck it all back in again to make sure you will keep it all in this perfect, tight ass of yours," Tony pants, and he lands a loud smack on Bucky's as he fucks Bucky through their orgasms. When the sensitivity becomes too much, he pulls about before collapsing next to Bucky, who's now facing him after lying down on his side, too.

"You did so well for me, Sunflower. You've been such a good boy for me," Tony whispers as he tucks some loose hair behind Bucky's ear and leans in to place a peck on his nose and lips. Bucky smiles into the soft touches as his eyes slip shut, and he lets Tony take care of him, trusting him to do exactly what needs to be done to prevent a subdrop.

"I'm going to get a washcloth to clean you up and some chocolate and fruits for you to nibble on, okay? I'll be close by the entire time," Tony tells Bucky. Bucky whines softly at the thought of being left alone, but he eventually accepts it. Tony then takes his time to remove the handcuffs, massaging his Bucky's flesh wrist from the strain before grabbing the washcloth, food, and two bottles of water.

"Here I am, Sunflower. I'm right here with you, and I'm not leaving again, I promise," Tony whispers as Bucky clings to him once he's all cleaned up. Tony's seated with his back against the large headboard, and Bucky's seated sideways in his lap as he feeds Bucky the chocolate and fruit and takes bites for himself.

"How're you feeling?" Tony asks after Bucky finishes the last of his water bottle and chocolate, and he's visibly tired.

"Good. Sleepy," he says with droopy eyelids, which makes Tony chuckle. They get comfortable under the comforter, and Bucky immediately pulls Tony against his chest before falling asleep. That night, they have some of the best sleep they've had in a long time, as they're now lying in the arms of someone they have massive feelings for.

The next morning, Tony gets up before Bucky to prepare breakfast, and just when he's about done, Bucky walks into the kitchen wearing the sweatpants and hoodie Tony laid out for him to wear. His hair is messy, and he still looks sleepy, but Tony still thinks he looks beautiful.

"Mornin', Sunflower," Tony says as he watches Bucky sit on one of the stools at the kitchen island. He finishes preparing the food before walking over to the other man, giving Bucky a peck on his lips, and putting a plate with toast, eggs, and bacon in front of him together with a large, steaming cup of black coffee.

"Morning," Bucky says sleepily, and a smile lights up his features as he kisses Tony back. Then, he dives into his food, and Tony takes his place next to him at the kitchen island before eating his breakfast, too.

"So… This is maybe an odd question, but… what are we, exactly?" Bucky asks when they're both finished with breakfast and enjoying some light conversation over a fresh cup of coffee. There's uncertainty laced in Bucky's voice as he brings up the topic on his mind since they went to Tony's apartment last night.

"What do you want us to be?" Tony asks, even though he knows what he wants them to be. However, he doesn't want to push him away, so he's willing to take it at whatever pace Bucky's comfortable with. Bucky smiles at the question before answering - the one Tony secretly hoped for.

"Boyfriends," he answers honestly, and Tony nods in agreement as a large smile adorns his features.

"I want that too, Sunflower; there's nothing that would make me happier than to be your boyfriend," Tony whispers before leaning in and capturing Bucky's lips in a soft, loving kiss that has his heart racing.

Boyfriends. It's a term both of them happily get used to, and they're secretly happy that those idiots broke into Bucky's flower shop because, without them, they wouldn't have found their happily ever after in one another.

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sapphirerogers · 8 months ago

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Thought I had after reading a bunch of headcanons from @16woodsequ

I think the greatest tragedy of Steve Rogers' life is not the pain he suffered as a child, or the abuse from his father, or the grief of losing people or the tiredness of always having to fight.

The greatest tragedy of Steve Rogers' life is everyone around him knowing him, but simultaneously also ignoring him. Yes, Captain America is famous, he's admired/hated (depends on where you're standing). He's talked about often, asked for advice and leadership, he gets privileges too.

But no one really knows him. No one knows just how hurt he is. How *lonely* he is. How distrustful he is. How anxious and scared he is. No one bothers to find out either.

There's a reason he wanted someone with shared life experiences. Nat may try to get to know him, sympathise with him. Sam - bless his soul - tries his best but even as a veteran himself, he can't really understand everything about Steve Rogers, because a) he hasn't witnessed Steve's entire life, and b) Steve is extremely reserved, both by nature and out of trust issues.

As for everyone else, his teammates aren't nearly close enough to him, and everyone else simply doesn't care.

Everyone knows Captain America but not a single soul knows, or cares about Steven Grant Rogers.

Except...

Except for maybe that one boy who stuck with him and fought off the bullies and patched him up later. The boy who grew up with him and watched him grow up while tackling everything life was throwing. The boy who later on became the man who followed him into the jaws of death (quite literally). The boy who, as far as Steve knew, was now at the bottom of an abyss in the Alps. The boy who he had nothing left of, except dog tags and his own faded pencil sketches.

The boy whose name was James Buchanan Barnes.

#steve rogers #bucky barnes #stucky #its painful being in the Steve Rogers fandom #because the entire time youre just screaming #for people to *see* him #to really understand him #and not write him off as an arrogant/stupid/stuck-up handsome one dimensional bore #youre begging for people to research him #and have at least the smallest amount of empathy #im gonna sob #my precious baby

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magnificent-nerd · 2 years ago

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The Expendable Disabled Heroes of Marvel’s Infinity War

BY JOHN WISWELL

(UNCANNY MAGAZINE | 2018)

"It’s the middle of the big Wakanda fight scene. Thor and Captain America banter about haircuts, M’Baku and Okoye crack skulls, and for a moment, Rocket Raccoon meets James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes. The audience is ready to laugh the second the raccoon eyes up the veteran. They know what’s coming.

"Rocket compliments Bucky’s prosthetic arm, asks to buy it, and the audience tenses up.

"Bucky says it’s not for sale and returns to battle.

"Rocket mutters that he’ll steal that arm.

"And the audience laughs. I don’t."

Begging y'all to read this article.

#Bucky's arm #rocket raccoon #ableism #ableist #mcu critical #mcu criticism #movie review #john wiswell #avengers infinity war #mcu #disabled characters #marvel critical #marvel criticism #bucky barnes #gotg

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bulkyphrase · 1 year ago

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Stucky for Steve Stans

I feel like I don't rec enough Stucky, so please have this list of some of my favorite Steve-forward Stucky fics!

Not a Perfect Soldier by TooManyBattles (Skarabrae_stone) (@captaintoomanybattles) (Mature | Graphic Depictions Of Violence | 93,354 words)

Summary: In a world where HYDRA was wiped out in the '40s, Steve is found by the Army rather than SHIELD. General Thaddeus Ross wants a perfectly obedient super-soldier at his command, and to that end, he sets out to break Steve to his will. As Steve struggles to come to terms with all he has lost, his life in captivity is only made bearable by the presence of another prisoner-- another super-soldier known only as "Soldat". Then the Avengers strike a deal with Ross to "borrow" him for missions, and Steve is faced with a team who dislikes him, an organization he doesn't trust, and the question of what he's willing to do to escape Ross's clutches.

Lessons in Normality by relenafanel (@relenafanel) (Explicit | No Archive Warnings Apply | 38,002 words)

Summary: Things Steve knows about his boyfriend Bucky: How he looks with his face relaxed in sleep. That he can perfectly flip pancakes. The way he’s open about things Steve is still adapting to, like therapy and depression and sex toys and being a millennial. The way he laughs with his mouth wide open and his eyes squinted, and the cheerful way he cheats at cards and loses at laser tag. The way he seduces Steve with a knowing glint in his eye. The way Steve responds to it, stronger each time, taken by his beauty and competence and snark and compassion (or the compassionate way he boots Steve in the ass when he needs a push). Things Steve doesn’t know about his boyfriend Bucky: That he’s an undercover operative gathering intel on Hydra, SHIELD, and which Steve is affiliated with. Otherwise known as The Honey Pot AU

I Remembered You Were Mine by hobbitdragon (Explicit | Rape/Non-Con | 4,455 words)

Summary: Steve awakes in a strange place with a familiar face standing over him. He has no idea where he is or how he got there, but at least Bucky is with him. Also available as a podfic read by Tipsy_Kitty (@tipsyxkitty)

More below the cut!

Demon Seed by SucculentHyena (@succulent-hyena) (Mature | Graphic Depictions Of Violence | 92,478 words)

Summary: [Transcript 00:11:48] MS: You were with him the most throughout the course of events, both before and after. Your account could shed light on something we may have missed. JB: What difference will that make? MS: It could make all the difference. Captain Rogers’ case is unprecedented, he’s the most intact victim we’ve ever recovered- JB: [laughing] You call that intact? -Excerpt of Interview with Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes regarding the Incident.

How Can You Go On With Such Conviction? by Jaune_Chat (@jaune-chat) (Explicit | No Archive Warnings Apply | 23,085 words)

Summary: Steve Rogers is a professional alpha with an unfortunately famous name. A veteran who specializes in people with top-secret clearance, he’s been having some particularly interesting clients lately. This brings him to the attention of SHIELD, who think an alpha like him could be just the person to help a very ill Asset they have. But Steve has more up his sleeve than just one set of skills when it comes to helping the people he cares for.

Ring the Bell Backward by Dira Sudis (dsudis) (@dsudis) (Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 13,234 words)

Summary: "I know how it is," Wanda said. "Being half of something. I would go anywhere if I knew he was there waiting for me." Also available as a podfic read by sallysparrow017

only living boy in new york by beardsley (Mature | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings | 2,683 words)

Summary: Steve wakes up in a VA hospital in Manhattan, and nothing is the same.

darling heart, i loved you from the start (but that's no excuse for the state i'm in) by voxofthevoid (@voxofthevoid) (Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 19,727 words)

Summary: “I thought you’d make a terrible Nazi but turns out you’d make a terrifying one instead.” The year is 2012. Loki has vanished with the Tesseract, and Manhattan is a blazing wreck. A very tired Steve Rogers goes home and meets another very tired Steve Rogers. Or, the one where Steve saves the mind stone for last and decides to fuck the timeline beyond all recognition, which regrettably involves crawling delicately up Hydra's asshole and less regrettably involves showering a very confused Bucky Barnes with affection.

On a Pale Horse by leveragehunters (Monkeygreen) (@leveragehunters) (Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 25,765 words)

Summary: Fast and fierce, the Horse Guard protect the Kingdom and its people, and they welcome anyone into their ranks-noble, commoner, or peasant-so long as they can ride a horse like they were born to it. Guard Barnes—Bucky—has come to the Kingdom's largest horse fair to find a new horse. He's supposed to choose from one of the approved horses; instead he finds himself buying a tall, skinny, angry stallion with the ridiculous name of Steve. Bucky can't leave him behind, but he's nothing like what Bucky's looking for and everything Bucky doesn't want. But Bucky's more right than even he knows because Steve's not a horse at all. He's a man under a curse, victim of a powerful sorcerer's temper and magic, and he's bound to never, by action or deed, reveal what he truly is. It's gonna be one hell of a ride. Also available as a podfic read by Tipsy_Kitty (@tipsyxkitty)

Steve Rogers Is (Not) A Good Influence by attackofthezee (noxlunate) (@attackofthezee) (Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 4,181 words)

Summary: Steve’s left staring at the kid- Peter, his brain helpfully reminds him. The kid is staring back. “So, you’re, like, Captain America, huh?” Peter asks, and he looks a little starstruck but less so than he did when he’d stared at Tony Stark’s jet taking off. “Uh, yeah.” Steve says, staring hard at a spot just past the kid’s shoulder as he shoves his hands as deep as they can go into the pockets of his jeans. “Call me Steve.” “Cool.” Parker breathes, and Steve tries not to think about just how badly this is going to go. Aka Steve Rogers' American Tour Of Waiting For His Brainwashed Boyfriend To Come Back And Blowing Up Hydra is interrupted when Tony Stark dumps Peter Parker into his lap.

cascades. by orange_crushed (Mature | Graphic Depictions Of Violence | 152,138 words)

Summary: “Holy shit,” Howard says, crackling through the speakers. “You alive in there?” Lying is a sin, of course, but Steve’s not sure what else he can do. He’s already lied to the government and Bucky and God Almighty; and himself, himself most of all. He ought to tell the truth. That he’s not quite what they hoped for. That perhaps they should put him back into the ocean. “Probably,” he says, instead, listening to Howard’s tinny laughter; and waits for the blast doors to unlock. Also available as a podfic read by quietnight (@quietnighty)

Into That Good Night by Nonymos (Explicit | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence | 73,540 words)

Summary: Steve Rogers has lived for entirely too long—long enough to see the world's end. The heroes are gone, and the Earth is pushing what's left of mankind towards the exit. But when a makeshift team rises from the ashes, when a mysterious presence all but drags Steve there, he begins to think there may be hope yet. As they shoot for the stars one last time, Steve will get proof yet again that the future is nothing if not an echo of the past.

How to Woo the Winter Soldier by writeonclara (@writeonclara) (General Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 21,570 words)

Summary: “I think I’m ready to date again,” Steve said. “What,” Natasha said. “What?” Clint said, lowering his binoculars. He blinked at the dumbstruck look on the Captain’s face, then followed his gaze to where he was staring dopily at—at the Winter fucking Soldier. “Steve, no,” Clint groaned. Or: Steve courts the Winter Soldier. Also available as a podfic read by Akaihyou (@akaihyou)

Bait and Switch by galwednesday (@galwednesday) (Teen And Up Audiences | No Archive Warnings Apply | 2,650 words)

Summary: "Post-action tacos?” Tony suggested. “I’m thinking that place by Fordham. BattleBot, you in?” “Can’t,” the Soldier said, typing something into his phone. “I have a date.” Tony stopped talking for an entire three seconds. “You. Have a date.” The Soldier looked up and blinked, clearly nonplussed to find Sam and Tony both staring at him. “Yes.” “With who?” “My boyfriend.” “You have a boyfriend. You have a boyfriend?” Tony looked like he’d just walked into a lamppost, and then the lamppost had handed him a birthday present. Also available as a podfic read by Nendian

#stucky #steve rogers #bucky barnes #marvel fic rec #whether or not a story is steve-centric is based purely on vibes so ymmv #please imagine me going through my bookmarks one by one konmari-style and trying to see if they sparked steve feels #also my city used to have a 'biscuit-forward' restaurant and i miss it so much #but it added '[thing]-forward' to my vocabulary and i'm not even sure that's a common and understood construction?

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irelandking · 1 year ago

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avenger bucky x regular reader fic recs

bucky barnes x reader

❤️ = fluff 😔 = angst 🔥 = smut

one shots:

hold my girl - @pellucid-constellations

Bucky comes home from a mission and needs time to hold his girl. ❤️

test drive - @cherrypickertheory

Bucky has a breeding kink. 🔥

disney princesses and dog tags - @buckyalpine

single reader mom reader starts dating Bucky doesn't tell him off the bat about kid and he starts getting a little antsy ❤️🔥

princess cut - @viollettes

Bucky sustains an injury because of a punk-ass kid, and you swoop in to do something about it. ❤️

every night - @ijustreallylovezebras

Bucky sneaks out of the compound every night, the team want to know why ❤️

counting - @pellucid-constellations

Time heals all wounds. Bucky’d been holding onto that proverb ever since blip. But time had never been particularly kind to him, so he opted to keep track of the sweet girl’s in his apartment building instead, the one that made him banana bread and took him to diners at two in the morning. Sometimes, you didn’t keep the same schedule. That made Bucky panic. ❤️😔

flowers in the compound - @pellucid-constellations

That girl from the flower shop seems to be taking up a lot of Bucky’s time. ❤️

name - @ijustreallylovezebras

The reader works in the local Starbucks and Bucky comes in almost every day but always orders with a different name ❤️

the safest place in new york - @wkemeup

A stranger comes to your rescue when you find yourself held at knifepoint, alone in an alleyway, by a man demanding your money ❤️

the sound of music - @delicatelyherdreams

Bucky never heard music the way everyone said he should. He never got a song stuck in his head. He never had a soulmate. Until he did. (Soulmate AU) ❤️

perfect for me - @prettyyoungtragedy

When your friends set you up on a blind date, you have no idea what you’re walking into. Is it a total fail or true love? ❤️

story time - @delicatelyherdreams

Bucky is coerced into joining a local library’s story time for veterans. He’s not sure what to expect. ❤️

something tells me - @ugh-supersoldiers

Soulmates are supposed to be a beautiful gift, created so that no one every goes through life without love. Born with an invisible matching marking, a tattoo to signify their bond, that only reveals itself after the two souls touch for the first time. After escaping Hydra, Bucky hopes more than anything that his soulmate died a long time ago, but little does he know you’re right around the corner. ❤️😔

in the name of love - @moonbeambucky

Bucky meets a nurse he thinks is playing hard to get and he’s more than willing to throw himself in the game.❤️😔

sing me to sleep - @invisibleanonymousmonsters

Bucky meets a lovely stranger on a commercial flight.❤️

rose - @softlyspector

In a world where soulmates share each other’s scars, oddly enough it’s a tattoo that brings Bucky and the reader together. Soulmate AU ❤️

love in four acts - @buckybarnesowl

You’re a nurse living in Brooklyn. You’ve got a crush on your next door neighbour who doesn’t seem to know you exist. One day his cat finds its way into your apartment, forcing you both to finally meet. That’s when you learn that he’s James Buchanan Barnes, ex-Winter Soldier. Well, there goes your chances. Or maybe getting close to a superhero isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds ❤️😔

three times - @softlyspector

Some people say things differently. Bucky learns how to say I love you. Y/N learns how to hear him say it ❤️

who's she? - @itsapeterthing

when sam gets injured during a mission and isn’t able to go to a hospital, bucky brings him and natasha to his own home to get cared for by his girlfriend, y/n, who he’s been keeping a secret. ❤️

a little old fashioned - @gogolucky13

Bucky is a bit subtle in telling you he likes you ❤️

serious questions - @espinosaurusrexex

Bucky agrees to go on a date to make his colleagues shut up. Now, he just feels sorry for the poor woman that has to spend an entire evening with him. He really tries to make it work, though, because he actually enjoys her company. ❤️

a little longer - @buckyalpine

you're bucky's neighbor and he brings you to a cookout with sam as his fake girlfriend ❤️

search history - @bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky

you look at each other's search histories ❤️

new year's day - @bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky

you and bucky kiss at midnight on new years eve ❤️

history's mysteries - @bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky

you listen to a podcast that covers the winter soldier and ask bucky about his past ❤️

good old fashioned lover boy - @bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky

you introduce bucky to things he's missed ❤️

earthly possessions - @bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky

bucky moves into readers place and has very few possessions ❤️

dress code - @bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky

you have an ex that used to slut shame you for your outfits, but bucky loves them ❤️

chain round my neck - @bucky-bucky-bucky-bucky

bucky gives you a special necklace ❤️

life before you - @world-of-aus

The reader has some form of abandonment issues (she doesn't want to be clingy) and thinks Bucky will leave her or something and he comforts her and there is a kinda fluffy-ness.  Or the reader always says thank you and sorry for everything even things that aren’t her fault and it’s because she had a rough past or dodgy ex or cause she thinks she’s a burden X Basically I crave fluff X Thanks in advance x Lots of love Xxxxx XXX X ❤️

gentle - @softlyspector

Bucky and the reader are sharing an intimate moment when he accidentally reveals something to her. Or, Bucky Barnes wants a normal life. ❤️🔥

two pages - @softlyspector

Bucky laughs and curls a finger under her chin, tilting her head up and back. “Lemme take care of you,” he says, blue eyes clear and sparkling, like salt on the sea. 🔥

hint dropped - @rocketrhap3000

while looking at rings online, you accidentally click a “send a hint” feature addressed to Bucky’s email, despite never having that conversation with him and not even knowing whether or not that’s something he wants, but his reaction surprises you :) ❤️

valentine - @softlyspector

You’re Bucky’s neighbor, Bucky is your secret admirer. Valentine’s day and a potential date forces him to act ❤️

teddy bear - @softlyspector

soulmate!au in which when one soulmate loses something, their other half finds it. When Bucky begins finding things that don’t belong to him, he realizes he has a soulmate in the modern world after all. Even though they should be perfectly matched, he struggles to find a reason why he should meet her, and be a part of her life, convincing himself she’s better off without him. ❤️😔

secret relationship and bucky - @invisibleanonymousmonsters

bucky is always disappearing from the compound and everyone figures that it’s bucky being bucky.. but he’s visiting his civilian girlfriend and knows that she’ll be in danger the moment they go public so he doesn’t even tell the team about her.. and their circumstances of meeting could be in the aftermath of some Avengers thing? ❤️😔

nutella - @teamatsumu

Late at night, you turn on the kitchen light to find a stranger bleeding on your floor and eating your Nutella. ❤️

possession - @teamatsumu

On your 25th birthday, for twenty four hours, you are allowed to possess your soulmate; a process called The Possession. As you look at the world from their eyes, you find out everything you can about your soulmate so you can locate them when The Possession is over. But you have a slight problem: you wake up in a cryo freezer. ❤️😔

sounds of heaven - @moonbeambucky

Tired of another night without sleep, Bucky finds an unlikely source for help ❤️

baby - @ugh-supersoldiers

After you spend the night at Bucky’s for the first time, you drop a nickname that turns the ex Winter Soldier into a blushing and stuttering mess. ❤️

saturdays - @sunmoonandeddie

bucky barnes has a new routine ❤️😔

bookmark - @buckyalpine

reader is a romance writer and the other avengers discover her books ❤️🔥

pucker up, buttercup - @witchywithwhiskey

it's been a long day of working at your lemonade stall during the town's busy summer festival and making the day worse is all the unwanted attention and come-ons you've gotten from customers. by the time bucky barnes tries his own tired pickup line, you've had enough—but then he goes and spills a fresh pitcher of lemonade and offers to make a new one. you're reluctant to admit bucky might not be like all those other guys. in fact, he might be someone you could see yourself spending the rest of your life with. sunshine!bucky barnes x grumpy!fem!reader ❤️

gentle - @invisibleanonymousmonsters

Y/N has never seen Bucky be anything but gentle and loving. It’s hard for her to believe her boyfriend was ever the world’s deadliest and most lethal assassin. ❤️😔

bad day - @invisibleanonymousmonsters

Y/N has an absolute shit day at work and Bucky tries to make his girl feel better. ❤️

#bucky barnes fanfic #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes smut #bucky barnes fluff

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avengersfantasies · 1 year ago

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Series Summary: When you were little, your life was changed forever. Your parents were brutally murdered before you, and the doctors said it was a miracle that you survived. Now, almost 22 years later, you come across the man who took everything from you.

Chapter Summary: After waking up in your bed to a note and doing some research, you decide not to run from your parents' killer anymore.

taglist: @felicitylemon @lostinth3echo

You awoke in your bed without remembering how or when you returned to your apartment. Was last night even real? You couldn’t help but wonder if the nightmares had returned in full force or if what happened with the man actually happened. You sat up, feeling the effects of too much drinking taking over your body all at once. You had stopped getting hangovers in the sense of headaches and nausea; instead, they consisted of just feeling sluggish and tired all day. Reaching to grab your phone, you found a handwritten note underneath it. Curious, you read it.

I needed to make sure you got home safe. I wasn’t able to protect you before, but I’ll be damned if I cause you to get harmed again. - James Buchanan Barnes

You gasped at the note, realizing that the murderer of your parents had figured out where you lived, brought you into your apartment, and put you into your bed. Why had he signed it with his full name? Your mind raced with anxious thoughts as you slummed around your apartment that morning, making multiple cups of coffee and eating some freshly made French toast. Unable to fight off the curiosity anymore, you grabbed your laptop and opened up Google.

James Buchanan Barnes, you typed in the search bar, and within seconds, all the pictures and news articles about The Winter Soldier, Hydra, and Sergeant James “Bucky” Barnes from World War II popped up on your screen. You had heard of The Winter Soldier, but you never in a million years imagined that he was the one who took your parents from you. Tears filled your eyes as you read through the accounts of what happened to the veteran. You read about all the things he had gone through, the control he was under, and the only way you could see him was as a monster. He was the monster that had haunted your dreams for over twenty years, the one you would run from and never be able to escape, the monster that stabbed you nearly to death and broke your fragile bones in your small leg. But, at the same time, it wasn’t him.

Your discovery had you reeling for the entirety of the day and into the evening. A million thoughts raced through your head, and you needed a way to stop them. So, you did what you had become used to - go to your local dive bar for some much-needed drinks. You walked in and sat in a booth that was hidden away in the corner of the bar, giving you access to see everything and everyone coming in, coming out, and moving about the place. By the time you were on your fourth drink, the door chimed, and you looked up to see who else but the man you had run from the night before. This time, however, you didn’t move. You subtly watched him walk over to the bar and order a beer. You weren’t going to initiate contact, but you weren’t going to run from him this time if he tried to talk to you. Returning to minding your business, sipping your drink, and scrolling on your phone, you looked up when you heard the familiar voice call out to you.

It was him.

“Um…would it be okay to sit with you?” the Sergeant asked softly, his voice filled with hesitation.

You shrugged, never looking up at him, keeping your attention on your phone instead. “I guess,” you said apathetically. After all, could you really show him hatred after learning what you had earlier? Sure, you weren’t thrilled to see the man, but you came to realize that you couldn’t necessarily hate him…Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes wasn’t the one who actually caused the pain in your life.

It was just his face that haunted your nightmares.

A few awkward moments passed before the Sergeant finally spoke.

“I’m…,” he closed his eyes and exhaled, “glad you got home safe.”

Still looking at your phone, and with the same apathetic tone, you replied, “That’s not a very good conversation starter, considering you’re the one who took me there.”

“Right,” he confirmed. “You uh…passed out in the street outside here,” he began to explain. “I wanted to make sure you got home safe, so I, well, I found your wallet and got your address off your license.”

You nodded in response. “Why?” you asked. “Why did you even care, Sergeant Barnes?”

“So, you did find the note,” he concluded almost to himself before turning his attention back towards you. “I…look, I couldn’t protect back then–”

“But I’ll be damned if I cause you to get harmed again,” you repeated back the words from his note. “Yeah, I know.”

He took a sip of his drink and looked down at where he held the cold beverage in his hands. “What happened…I –”

“It wasn’t your fault,” you interrupted his explanation, causing him to snap his head back up to look at you, and finally, you looked up at him with tired and expressionless eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, Sergeant.” He couldn’t find the words to respond. “I did the research,” you told him. “I know about HYDRA, The Winter Soldier…all of it.”

He only nodded in response. “Smart girl,” he smiled slightly.

“I figured that was why you left me your full name,” you said flatly, ordering another drink.

“It was,” he confirmed. Taking your silence as a cue, he continued to speak. “It’s Bucky, by the way,” he told her. “You don’t have to call me Sergeant.”

“It’s what I’m used to doing,” you shrugged. He raised an eyebrow at your words.

You told him your name, unsure if he knew it all those years back, making sure to include your rank of Sergeant.

“Sergeant?” he questioned. “Which branch?”

You chuckled at the irony of the situation. “Army.”

“So, you’re in the Army?” he questioned.

“Was,” you clarified, “I got discharged a few weeks ago.”

Bucky nodded, knowing better than to pry into a discharged veteran’s past. “Well, welcome home, Soldier.”

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x you #james bucky barnes #james bucky buchanan barnes #the winter soldier #bucky x reader #the winter soldier fanfiction #sergeant james barnes #sergeant james buchanan barnes #james barnes #james buchanan barnes #bucky barnes angst #bucky barnes fanfic

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ao3feed-sambucky · 4 months ago

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Shared Space

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/n8kO7qU by OriginalCeenote Somehow, despite how roomy the condo was, they kept managing to get in each other’s way. Words: 5211, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV), Captain America - All Media Types Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Sam Wilson (Marvel) Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson Additional Tags: they were roommates, Fluff, Mild Angst, Nightmares, slight PTSD, veteran bucky barnes, veteran sam wilson, Widower Sam Wilson, wounded bucky, Intimacy prompt, I expanded a microfic and this is what happened, I didn't say it was GOOD, sambucky - Freeform, Oral, Anal, Implied Slow Burn even though this is a oneshot, Childhood Friends, Amputee Bucky Barnes read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/n8kO7qU

#Bucky #Captain America #Winter Soldier #Sam Wilson #James Barnes #Falcon #SamBucky #BuckySam #IFTTT #ao3feed

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ljones41 · 6 months ago

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"THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER" (2022) Commentary

"THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER" (2022) COMMENTARY

During the height of my high regard for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), among the movies of which I had been a major fan were the Captain America releases. At least two of them. The third film in this mini franchise - 2016's "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR" proved to be a major disappointment for me. However, when I heard that Disney and Marvel Films had plans to air a miniseries about the characters Sam Wilson aka the Falcon and James "Bucky" Barnes aka the Winter Soldier, I must admit that I felt a renewed interest in the franchise again.

When I said a renewal of the MCU franchise, I meant it. Aside from a few movies like "ANT-MAN", "BLACK PANTHER", "CAPTAIN MARVEL" and "ETERNALS"; the MCU had become a major disappointment for me ever since the release of 2015's "THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON". One might ask . . . what about the MCU television productions that aired on the Disney Plus streaming channel? Aside from one production that I somewhat liked and one that I loved, most of them have been disappointing to me. Unfortunately, I have to include this follow-up to the Captain America movies, "THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER".

Set six months after 2019's "THE AVENGERS: ENDGAME", "THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER" followed former war veteran/Avenger Sam Wilson, who has resumed working the for the U.S. government, while using his role as the Falcon. When the government recruits Sam to track down and deal with a group of enhanced anarchists known as "the Flag Smashers", former World War II veteran/HYDRA tool/Avenger James "Bucky" Buchannan aka the Winter Soldier decides to join Sam in his mission, due to his lingering guilt as a former HYDRA assassin and their shared experiences as Steve Rogers' close friends and battling Thanos and his army.

Since "THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER" had aired on the DisneyPlus channel in six episodes, I had seriously considered ranking the episodes. But like Season three of the Marvel Netflix series, "DAREDEVIL", the more I watched "THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLIDER", the more it disappointed me. Aside from complaints about its pacing, the limited series had received a great deal of praise from critics and fans alike. Because of this, I believe it was one of the most overrated productions in the MCU history. People had seemed so focused on little moments and scenes that very few had noticed how the series' narrative seemed to be all over the map. For example:

Sam Wilson This limited series is supposed to be a follow up to the events of "ENDGAME" in which Sam had received the Captain America shield from an aging Steve Rogers, a sign for him to take up the latter's costumed role. Was this an attempt by Marvel Films/Disney to make Sam a more relevant character? If so, why? Why did a MCU character have to replace Steve as the new Captain America to be more relevant? Why not allow Sam to continue as the Falcon, only push his role to the forefront as one of the franchise's new leading characters? Some might accuse me of not wanting a black man as Captain America, a topic that was brought up in the series. Frankly, I never wanted another character - regardless of race, gender or ethnicity - to become the new Captain America. That includes Bucky Barnes. Allow Steve Rogers to fade into the background and let Sam (as the Falcon) shine as one of the franchise's new leads. However, the die has been cast. One can only sit back and see if moviegoers are willing to accept Sam as the new Captain America.

Perhaps the MCU had to make Sam the new Captain America in order to make him more relevant. Why would I say that? The showrunner for "THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER", Malcolm Spellman, came dangerously close to shoving Sam into the role of the second lead or worst, a role he has been since his debut in 2014's "CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER" - a supporting character. During the series' first three or four episodes, someone other than Sam (either Bucky Barnes or Helmut Zemo - two white men) made decisions that allowed the plot to move forward, not Sam. He was simply regulated to being an observer or reactor. The series even managed to undermine Sam's decision not to support the Sokovia Accords in "CIVIL WAR". In thee 2016, Sam became the first Avenger to speak out against the Accords and declare his intentions not to sign it. Yet, according to Bucky in this series, Sam had merely followed Steve's example in rejecting the Accords. And Spellman did nothing to allow Sam to correct this misconception.

James "Bucky" Barnes One of the few aspects of "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR" I found enjoyable proved to be the interactions between Sam Wilson and Bucky Buchannan. Despite their lingering jealousy and competition over the role as "Steve Rogers' best friend", the pair's interactions proved to be very entertaining, thanks to the screen chemistry between Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan. Unfortunately, Mackie and Stan could not save "CIVIL WAR" for me. Nor could they save "THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER", due to its problematic writing. A good deal of that writing surrounded Bucky's character. I have so many questions about his role in this series. For example:

*Why would any official of the Joint Counter Terrorist Center allow Bucky to visit and question Helmut Zemo, the man responsible for the U.N. conference bombing in Vienna, in "CIVIL WAR"? That made very little sense to me. Surely the JCTC authorities remembered how Zemo managed to brainwash Bucky into making his own prison break in "CIVIL WAR"? Also, Bucky was on parole for his activities as a brainwashed HYDRA assassin. Yet, the JCTC had allowed him to visit Zemo? Surely, the showrunner could have allowed Sam, who was serving the U.S. government again, to be the one to visit and question Zemo?

*How on earth did Bucky managed to evade being arrested and charged for helping Zemo escape from the JCTC? The U.S. and other governments should have been suspicious of Bucky after learning about his visit to Zemo.

*Bucky came off as an arrogant school jock, who thought he was entitled to get his way - especially in his interactions with Sam. I found it hilarious that many fans had criticized John Walker aka Captain America aka U.S. Agent for such toxic behavior. Yet, they had turned a blind eye to Bucky's own behavior. And so did the series - up until the last two episodes. Why did the showrunner allow Bucky to get away with this behavior toward Sam for so long without any complaints from the latter?

*I did not care how Bucky had bullied his way into Sam's mission without the latter's consent. What I found even more annoying was the U.S. government's decision to allow Bucky to join Sam's mission after that ludicrous "therapy session" they were forced to attend together.

Racism A good number of MCU fans had complained about the inclusion of racism in "THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER". I had no problems with this direction, considering the story was about Sam, an African-American man, becoming the new Captain America. However, I had a good deal of problems with how the production explored the topic of racism.

The story of Isaiah Bradley, Marvel's second Captain America, had originated in the comics. In the MCU, he was a Korea War veteran whom the United States Army used as one of several unwilling African-American test subjects for their version of the Super Soldier serum. I realize that both Marvel Comics and the MCU had attempted to use Bradley's experience as a metaphor for the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. The problem is that I cannot see the U.S. government and the Army - both racist organizations in the early 1950s - be willing to risk the possibility of creating a non-white super soldier. Despite the recent desegregation of the Armed Forces in the late 1940s. And both the government and the Army had been more than willing to use white soldiers in other experiments.

After saving a group of black American super soldiers from a prison camp, Bradly was imprisoned by the U.S. government for thirty years. I saw nothing wrong with this twist in the character's narrative, until I remembered two things - Bradley had been able to free his fellow soldiers without anyone's help; and nearly sixty years later, Steve Rogers managed to break into the Raft and free those Avengers who had refused to sign the Sokovia Accord. Why was Bradley unable to free himself from prison? This is the man who had defeated the Winter Soldier by breaking the latter's metal arm. And he was not powerful enough to make a prison break, let alone evade capture?

I had assumed Sam's difficulty in becoming the new Captain America would stem from the government's reluctance to recruit a black man for the position. That would explain their decision to recruit the blond-haired John Walker instead. But the series never really made it clear whether political racism had played a role in Walker's recruitment. The series also had James "Rhodey" Rhodes had paid Sam a visit, emphasizing the importance of the new Captain America being black. As it turned out, Sam's own insecurities about becoming Captain America had more to do with him not initially assuming the role. There was also that interesting scene outside Bradley's Baltimore home where the police arrested Sam during verbal argument with Bucky. Although the cops backed away when they recognized Sam as an Avenger, they ended up arresting the parolee Bucky for missing his required therapy appointment. This scene was supposed to be a case of racial profiling. But . . . we might as well be honest. In the real world, the police would not have backed down from hassling Sam. What I found more disturbing was the production's handling of Bucky's arrest. Once the police discovers that Sam was an Avenger; they turned to arrest Bucky for failing to show up for his missing his therapy session. Not only did the police arrest Bucky with a more gentle behavior, they did so, accompanied by Henry Jackman's mournful score, something that did not accompany the moment of Sam being arrested. Were the audiences expected to notice the hypocrisy and racism in the police's handling of the two men? Expected to feel sympathy for Bucky? Or both?

The last episode featured a scene of two black kids playing with toy Captain America shields. Someone had commented that the shields (especially in the hands of non-white children) represented hope to the future of race relations in the United States. Why? How? This country had a biracial president for EIGHT YEARS. Yet, U.S. racial policies have remained problematic even to this day. I can say the same for other countries. The so-called symbolism of this scene only reminded me of how human beings put so much faith in imagery and symbolism. And this strikes me as a FALSE FAITH. Why was taking up the mantle of a costumed hero that had been previously occupied by a white man, the only way for Sam Wilson to become relevant within the MCU franchise? What was wrong with him being "the Falcon"? Sam becoming the next Captain America was not going to save the U.S. in regard to race relations - not in real life and not in the fictional world of the MCU. Looking back on the series, the series' only scenario that seemed to expose racism in a realistic manner, proved to be Sam's failure to acquire a bank loan for his family's fishing boat in Louisiana.

Sharon Carter I am certain many MCU fans are aware of this. One of Marvel Comics' most iconic couples happened to be Steve Rogers aka Captain America and Sharon Carter aka Agent 13. She also happened to be the great-niece of Peggy Carter, Steve's love interest during World War II. Portrayed by Emily VanCamp, Sharon was first introduced as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in "CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER" as a potential love interest for Steve. Despite Sharon's appearance in the following Captain America movie, "CIVIL WAR", their romance never really developed. Many blamed the lack of chemistry between VanCamp and Chris Evans. I never had a problem with their screen chemistry. I had a problem with the lack of relationship development between Sharon and Steve. And I blame Kevin Feige's decision to transform the third Captain America film into a third (and badly written) pseudo Avengers movie. The change in the film's narrative, along with Sharon's failure to appear in "THE AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR" and "ENDGAME", left no opportunity for Sharon and Steve to become the romantic pair they had been in the comics. Instead, Sharon became a fugitive from the U.S. government after helping Steve and Sam hunt down Bucky, moved to Madripoor, a city-state with no U.S. extradition and became an embittered criminal known as "the Power Broker".

After "CIVIL WAR", nearly five years had passed before Sharon appeared in another MCU production - namely this series. And what happened? The franchise, with Spellman, ended up completely destroying her character by transforming her into the villain known as Power Broker, the criminal leader of an Indonesian city-state called Madripoor. After helping Steve and Sam acquire their suits and equipment in order to go after Bucky in "CIVIL WAR", Sharon lost her job with the C.I.A. and became a fugitive. She eventually moved to Madripoor, a city-state with no U.S. extradition, to evade capture, survived Thanos' Snap and became an embittered criminal nicknamed "the Power Broker" in order to survive the new world.

What really pissed me off about Sharon's arc between "CIVIL WAR" and "THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER" is that her development into a major villain all happened OFF SCREEN. Off screen. Apparently, screenwriters for "INFINITY WAR" had written a draft that included Sharon in the movie. But according to Christopher Markus, he and Stephen McFeeley could not imagine scenes featuring Steve and Sharon trying to make it work in an apartment, because the 2018 movie did not have time to focus on their personal life. Why did Marvel simply fail to allow Sharon to be part of Steve's vigilante team - like Sam and Natasha Romanoff? I mean . . . good fucking grief! And why did Malcolm Spellman believe the only way Sharon could be interesting was to become a villain in "THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER"? This was his idea of improving Sharon's character?

Helmut Zemo aka Baron Zemo Why did Malcolm Spellman, Kevin Feige and the MCU thought it necessary to bring back Helmut Zemo, the Sokovian-born villain from "CIVIL WAR"? What role did he play in "THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER"? I realize that Bucky, of all people, visited the incarcerated Zemo to acquire information on who had created the super-soldier serum that empowered the Flag Smashers. But why did he believe Zemo could provide the answer? Because he thought HYDRA was involved? Bucky or Sam could have searched for information from sources other than Zemo, who had been incarcerated for . . . what? Eight years? Eight years. Zemo managed to become something of a crowd-pleaser, thanks to Daniel Brühl's performance. Otherwise, I found his presence in this series unnecessary.

The Big Bad Why on earth did it take this series so long to finally reveal the main villain's identity? At first, the series hinted the Flag Smashers, led by Karli Morgenthau. However, the series tossed other potential candidates for the Big Bad before viewers - John Walker, Helmut Zemo and yes, Sharon Carter. But in the end, Morgenthau and her group proved to be the main villains.

The Flag Smashers were a group of empowered people who believed the world was a better place between Thanos' Snap and the Blip (resurrection of those who had died during the Snap), when Humans around the world managed to unite and form a borderless society, one in which people helped others without any thought to nationalism and bias. Thanks to the Avengers, the world resumed its conflicts between nationalities and other groups. In other words, the borders returned.

Frankly, I have nothing against this ideal. Only Ms. Morgenthau and her followers resorted to violence and terrorism to achieve their goals. Does this sound familiar? It should. The Flag Smashers proved to be another example of characters with a progressive goal, resorting to extremism and becoming villains. This seemed to be a growing trend within the franchise, which I believe began with Erik "Killmonger" Stevens aka Prince N'Jadaka in 2018's "BLACK PANTHER". Since then, the MCU has not looked back at its growing roster of progressive villains. Perhaps I should not have been surprised. The franchise's ambiguous portrayal of an unconstitutional document like the Sokovia Accords, should have been the wake-up call. It seemed as if Kevin Feige, Marvel Films and Disney Studios had finally exposed themselves for the faux progressives they pretend to be. Frankly, this form of villainy has become tiresome to me.

After writing this article, I had considered ranking the six episodes featured in "THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER" anyway. But I decided against it. My dislike of the series made it impossible for me to even bother. Being a fan of the first two Captain America movies, I had truly hoped this series would redeem the franchise. Unfortunately, it proved to be just as disappointing as "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR". Pity. Perhaps the fourth film, "CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD" will do the trick. I hope so.

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