#zemo cosplay

[arnieroth]

i forgot i used to post cosplay here so here’s some zemo

[tinaxpow]

"One ticket for Barbie, please"

📸 https://instagram.com/foto.fossi

[houstoncosplay]

The streets were waiting for us We are all a thousand times more beautiful Only for us, this city is on fire Zemo: knights_of_ren_cosplay (instagram) Bucky: Me

[loki-quinn]

18+ Multifandom Roleplay Sever!

Easier way to find DM roleplay buddies!

Link

[itsrainingfeathers]

Is my Marvel phase coming back

[xammad]

Барон Земо и его трудный характер 😈

[maple-the-awesome]

We'll Meet Again...I Know When || Chapter 35

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x GN Reader

Words: 5,280

Overview: Given your old-fashioned personality and obsession with all things 1940s to 1980s, it’s no wonder that most people refer to you as an ‘old soul’ who would’ve rather lived back then than in the modern era. Little do they know, you already did, but with your previous life as Hollie Stark cut short, you’ve been left with some…unfinished business, to say the least. Top of your list? Finally getting to marry your thought-to-be-lost fiancé.

Series Masterlist 🤎 Marvel Masterlist 🤎 Fandom Masterlist

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: BOILING POINT

The room's relatively quiet, which has pretty much been the case ever since your latest fiasco of a mission. It isn't exactly a 'peaceful' silence, but you're willing to take what you can get while dealing with this annoying throbbing throughout your entire body and the stinging pain that’s focused around your center.

"At least I can cross breaking a rib off the bucket list."

"Not a fun feeling, huh?"

"God no," You groan, leaning back only to instantly regret doing so as shown through a sharp flinch. Sam's smile shows a mix of sympathy and amusement before he passes you a couple of pain pills as well as a glass of water. You're quick to set down your ice pack in exchange for these items, gratefully swallowing the pills in hopes that they’ll offer some relief…Unfortunately, there's no immediate effect.

You’re left with no other choice than to miserably do your best getting comfy against the stiff pillows of Zemo’s incredibly uncomfortable couch, your only other option for a distraction being to simply let your thoughts roam to topics unrelated to your searing injuries. There’s lots to review regarding the last hour anyway.

Talking to Karli was a total bust thanks to Captain Cosplay who couldn’t even help prevent her escape afterwards. By now, she’s undoubtedly gone to regroup with her terrorist buddies, bringing along even more reason for them to hate Avengers and even less reason to spare any of you an ear again.

To top off such a failure of a mission, while that section of your plans was going to shit, Zemo apparently took it upon himself to destroy the super soldier serum Karli had been carrying on her person. You suppose that might as well be a good thing considering no more stray vials means no more unwarranted superhumans running amok, however it doesn't quite sit right with you knowing how easily your rent-a-felon had slipped away from watch. He could've made a run for it, and or caused greater harm to the mission as a whole by taking matters further into his own hands which wouldn't have been too out of character given his track record with super soldiers so far.

That's precisely why you told Bucky to keep an eye on him! You were already going after John, and someone needed to stay with Zemo, so it should’ve been him. If he had just listened, you guys would've been able to maintain control of at least that variable - one less idiot to check over your shoulder for. Instead, he insisted on following you then concerned himself with your wellbeing, worried for your sake as if you're a glass doll who took a tumble off a shelf.

…Granted, in the eyes of a superhuman, that’s probably a fitting comparison for what actually happened. Karli succeeded in really knocking the air from your lungs (and most of the sense right out of your head). By the time you finally came to again, the world was spinning in muddled colors orchestrated by constant ringing in your ears, yet you were still somehow aware enough to recall Bucky scooping you up into his arms.

Between those long blinks where your eyes struggled to remain open, you could see the stunned fear woven into his expression. It’s not quite like anything you’ve seen on him before - similar, but not exactly a match even to his troubled stare during the war or his distressed cries in Romania.

You wish you could say he’s relaxed since reaching the safehouse, however his head continues to hang low. Muscles tense and breath jagged, he stands at the bar counter with a glass of vodka in hand - an empty one, since he had just chugged his third round as if a mere shot of pure H2O…He’s still having a hard time snapping out of whatever trance your injury inflicted upon him, failing to steady his nerves no matter how much alcohol he tries to drown himself in; you aren’t the only one to notice.

“Why not try some peppermint tea? It’s an excellent choice for calming anxi -”

“- Fuck off…” Bucky growls in swift response to Zemo’s suggestion, his metal grip constricting against the glass resulting in a sharp ‘squeak’. Any tighter and it’ll shatter into starry shards.

“It’s only a couple of broken ribs and some bruising. Nothing that won’t heal -” That’s the third time Sam has said this. Once when he first assessed you, a second as you finally became coherent again…although both evaluations were less for your sake and more for Bucky’s.

Your little injury seems to have really bothered him, that much is obvious. Strange, for someone who sure hasn’t wanted to address your existence lately - who has taken almost every possible chance to push you away and make you feel unwanted - but hey, maybe it should be taken as a good sign since it must mean he still cares about you to at least some extent.

So - the question remains - why keep playing these stupid games then? What motivation could Bucky possibly have? Is he trying to be angry with you? Have you upset him to the point that he’d rather force himself to hate you than forgive you? …Hopefully that isn’t the case.

‘This whole situation is a mess…’ You think, sighing as you throw your arm over your eyes to block out the light and echo out the hostile energy practically flooding this room.

Something about Steve’s shield; an ongoing source of tension between all involved, yet you have no interest in picking sides right now. Instead, you’d much rather try sleeping, the exhaustion of today weighing heavy on your bones (not to mention your patience wearing extremely thin). You might’ve actually been able to drift off, too, if not for the loud ‘SLAM’ that startles nearly all of you.

The heavy doors are thrown open, leaving way for your least favorite cosplayer to march into the room while on a clear mission to make matters even worse than he already has, "Alright, let's go! I'm ordering you to hand him over!”

"...Fantastic..." You can't help rolling your eyes. There goes your chance at recovering in peace and quiet. What has it been? An hour since you've gotten back here? Probably less. Your medicine was just beginning to kick in, too! Now, you’re forced to bear through the numb ache of both your broken rib and incoming headache as you lazily watch Sam stand to 'greet' John Walker's presence.

"Hey slow your roll. Let's be clear: shield or no shield, the only thing you're running around here is your mouth," Clearly losing his own patience with the current situation, Sam packs some bite to his words, not caring if they don't sit right with John who fails to suppress a scowl, "I had Karli - She was willing to listen until you overstepped. As for Zemo, he's actually proven himself useful today and we're going to need all hands on deck for what's coming next -"

"- How do you want the rest of this conversation to go, Sam? Huh?" John wears a cocky smirk, apparently mistaking Sam's silence as being stunned astonishment, not dumbstruck bemusement, "Should I put down the shield? Make it fair?"

He's doing his best to appear big and strong behind his threat, but he's the only one to take it seriously. Even Sam - who's usually the better of your group when it comes to maintaining peace by deescalating high tensions - scoffs at John's ridiculous assessment of himself being a 'challenge' for anyone.

Oh, what you'd give for Steve to be here so that he could show this guy how a real captain throws a punch, even if just to put the truth into perspective. If only John would realize how different he is from the real thing. Steve knew he didn't have to prove himself to anyone, he simply had to stand up for what's right. Even before he was a super soldier, that kid from Brooklyn knew the real meaning behind the shield, something you doubt John will ever understand, at least not at this rate, which is exactly why he shouldn't be carrying it.

Honestly, you had no real intentions of getting involved in this either. You weren't even going to roll yourself off the couch. You would've been perfectly content watching Sam kick Fraud's ass while casually draped across it like a professional cat, but almost the second that shield gets set down, a spear is wedged into the pillar mere inches away from John's face, causing all eyes to dart over to the dora milaje warrior standing at the other end of the room where she had previously gone unnoticed.

Before anyone can address her properly, two more dora milaje warriors march into the room from the hall. They speak in Wakandian, the content of their conversation being unknown to you, however you can assume it's nothing pleasant based on their stoney expressions and fierce tones, both fixated on Zemo and Bucky who appear less than thrilled. If anything, they look scared.

"Release him to us now," confirms the obvious regarding what this is all about.

"Hi,John Walker, Captain America,” Blind to the atmosphere around him, John all too casually approaches the women who meet his introduction with some pretty bombastic side eyes in return, “Tell you what, let’s go ahead and put down the pointy sticks and talk this through, huh? We're kinda in the middle of -"

"- John," Sam interjects, at first with an amused smile, except it’s quick to turn serious, probably after he realizes where this crossroad is likely to head, “Listen, you might want to fight Bucky before you test your luck with the dora milaje.”

John simply turns his back on Sam’s advice, giving a smug sneer towards the women in question, “The dora milaje don’t have jurisdiction here -”

“- The dora milaje have jurisdiction wherever the dora milaje find. themselves. to be…” One warrior bites back almost instantly, drawing out those last few words with venomous intent, although her expression hardly changes as she skillfully keeps her cool better than any of you would if John ever dared to step so close.

For a moment there - however short - it seems that a threat has actually put him in check for once, forcing him to shut his mouth as he appears to do some sort of double-take. A quick, almost embarrassed glance back at the rest of you, followed by an equally awkward laugh, divides that temporary silence with John’s next response which he pairs with an outstretched hand that lands on the dora milaje’s shoulder, “...Look, I think we got off on the wrong -”

Showing much less patience towards John’s audacity than the rest of you, the women attack in an instant, knocking him off his feet face first onto the floor. The three dora milaje then surrounded him and Lemar, the latter of whom’s only mistake was taking a step towards the fight which sealed his fate of being choked back with a spear.

“We should do something,” You hear Sam say, forever the kind and considerate spirit. That’s much more than you can say about yourself. Rather than stand up to at least mock concern over the situation happening mere feet in front of you, you simply rest your head lazily against the back of the couch while watching everything unfold with no more interest shown than you would towards a lackluster movie.

“They’ll figure it out…” You decide stubbornly, nonchalantly shifting your legs to avoid any contact with Lemar when he’s thrown into the seat just adjacent to you.

“Looking strong, John!” Even Bucky seems to indirectly agree with you that this situation isn’t yours to fix up, that is initially, at least, until Sam gives you both looks of disapproval.

While it’s nothing that fazes yourself - after all Sam must realize you’d be little help in a battle of physical strength - it’s apparently enough to convince Bucky to join the chaos, too, probably less so to ‘help’ the other boys and more so to prevent this show from turning into an actual blood bath.

Unfortunately for them, they don’t fare much better than the other gentleman involved. If anything, they merely split the dora milaje’s wrath, each taking a half for themselves in the form of swung spears and stinging blows which makes you all the more sure of your decision to sit this one out.

Could you have simply sat here watching things unfold with an imaginary bag of popcorn? Of course, but a grumbled roll of your eyes just happened to land your attention on the opposite side of the room and, more importantly, on Zemo. For a moment, you were so entertained by watching John Walker be slammed against a table that you nearly forgot about your other nuisance. Such a shame.

Zemo takes full advantage of the unplanned distraction tearing apart his fancy parlor, slipping past the fight through the shadows with an unbothered stride that gains no urgency even when you show your notice of him:

“HEY!” Sitting up all too quickly, you wince at the sharp pain that stabs throughout your body, yet do your best to power through it while rushing to your feet and chasing Zemo’s direction.

Eitherhe doesn’t hear you or doesn’t care enough to give you any concern - you’re willing to bet it’s the latter as he steps into the bathroom and pulls the twins doors shut behind himself, far nicer than when you toss them back open again.

Empty. The bathroom is empty by the time you step fully inside, furiously looking around for the escapee who vanished like some kind of annoying magician. There’s no way he got so lucky as to find his golden ticket and cash it that quickly. That bastard was planning his getaway for god knows how long. All he needed was a moment like this when his guards were distracted.

“Damn it!” You curse aloud, wanting to use much more vulgar words, however they’re caught upon your tongue when you turn just in time to see one of the dora milaje warriors approaching.

Flinching, you’ll admit you half expect to experience her anger for yourself. One glance behind her leads way to your defeated comrades - Sam against the floor and couch rubbing his face while Bucky stands dumbfounded with his metal arm dropped from its socket - yet the Wakandan only passes you by calmly, peering into the bathroom to see the bad news for herself.

“He’s gone,” Although she refrains from losing her tongue, the venom in her tone shows she’s about as impressed as you are with Zemo’s absences. Marching past with no regard to you nor the way you back away, she casually leaves the room as if she and her friends hadn’t just kicked the sense out of almost everyone inside, her only word of departure being directed towards one of her fellow warriors who holds John’s shield in triumph, “Leave it.”

The other woman looks disappointed, but voices no argument as they leave together.

As soon as they're gone, you make your way over to the result of their fury, your first stop being to help Sam up off the floor which he gives a quick ‘thanks’ for, however your attention is hardly on him. Instead, your eyes remain concerned with Bucky across the way.

“What happened?” You ask, not dismissing the way his hand trembles slightly while reaching to pick up his metal arm from the ground. How it became detached so cleanly in battle…Well, it must’ve taken some skill. You’ve only ever seen him remove it once or twice for cleaning, something he struggled with both times. Then again, you suppose it would make sense for the Wakandans to know the work-arounds of their own creation.

Clearly, there’s a storm of thoughts brewing in Bucky’s mind, that much being certain based on his distant stare as he reconnects his arm back into its socket. Nevertheless, he fails to answer your question, leaving that task to Sam who apparently misses the implied context.

“We got our asses handed to us, that’s what,” He grumbles bitterly, still sourly rubbing the mark upon his cheek. It probably stings and is likely to bruise.

“Well, I hate to be the bearer of further bad news, but Zemo got away.”

He scoffs, “I heard. Of course he did…”

“‘Can’t imagine he’ll get far with the dora milaje on his tail. Either way, I doubt we’ll be seeing him again anytime soon - not that I’ll lose sleep over that tonight…Are you both okay at least? In a ‘recoverable’ sense, that is?” Once again, your eyes give away who you’re truly worried about and, once again, you receive no answer from who you wish to hear it from most.

“I think you should probably ask that to John,” Sam sighs. Initially, you aren’t too sure if he’s joking or serious. Going off his words, it’s a joke. Expression? He might really mean it. …And John’s expression?

The defeated soldier looks to be in a similar boat to Bucky in terms of internal dilemma. Even as Lemar offers a hand, John continues to kneel against the ground in dazed silence only interrupted by a quashed mumble, “They weren’t even super soldiers…”

He stalls for a moment before finally snapping out of it enough to take Lemar’s hand, lifting himself off the ground then swiftly masking his shock with a glare aimed towards the rest of you. No more words are said on his end - nothing verbal, that is. His eyes say everything they need to, expressing all that they need to about his embarrassment and anger…Maybe that battle wasn’t the reality check you thought he needed after all. Maybe just the opposite…

Running a hand through your hair, you glance around the room in total loss. Wakanda’s pissed. Zemo’s gone. John’s unstable. And to think your day couldn’t have gotten any worse…If you were on your own, this would be about the point where you’d be screaming into a pillow to release all your pent up anger, but now isn’t the time to lose your cool. You have to keep it together.

Sam mentions something else about the Zemo part of this situation, yet you fail to hear out his thought process. Your focus is solely stuck to Bucky who doesn’t stick around himself, having turned his back almost as soon as he could probably sense you were about to address him again.

Dragging a hand over his face, he marches off to destination you originally assumed would be the bathroom Zemo disappeared in, perhaps to begin tracing the baron’s path to recapture him - which might’ve been what Sam was trying to suggest you all do next - however Bucky walks directly past the bathroom and down the hall instead.

Carelessly smacking open the guest room door, he wanders inside where his limited belongings await mostly untouched upon the bed, never unpacked from his duffle bag. Taking a deep, labored breath, he tries to cease any thoughts about today as a whole, desperately pushing them back behind the dam that’s barely holding his sanity together…but the pressure is building.

First he let you get injured and now Ayo hates him? Is he just destined to keep hurting everyone around him, no matter what he does to avoid it? Even without the Winter Soldier to haunt his mind, his life is still cursed with conflict and danger. HYDRA, Thanos, the Flag Smashers…Will it never stop? Will he ever be able to rest without worry or blame?

“- James…?” The door was already practically open, yet you still peek out from around it, ever so gently pushing it outwards as you step into the room with a frown upon your face, "...What about you? Are you okay?"

"...Fine..."

Despite that being his answer, you still hesitate there in the doorway. You can’t just walk away - doing so wouldn’t feel right. Sure, he’s been an asshole lately and you’d have every right to disregard him, but…Well, today’s been rough for everyone, especially him. You’ve already seen how your injury bothered him on a level he refuses to admit, then for the dora milaje to show up - more importantly, for Ayo, someone he admires and considers himself to be in great debt to…

“It’s only natural for Wakanda to be upset with what we’re doing here. Zemo killed their King, after all,” You speak up against the silence, trying to sound neutral as if you’re simply stating a fact and not trying to offer any comfort, “Of course they’re not going to like that we’re working with him for any reason, much less that we broke him out of prison to do so, but it’s not like you -”

“- What part of ‘fine’ don’t you get?”

You’re left gaping at his snapped tone, frozen for a split second or two after he turns over his shoulder to glare at you…Then your own anger starts to swell faster than you can bite it back, “Maybe the part where you still look pissy as all hell. Seriously, what’s your problem? I’m only trying to make sure you’re okay. You -”

- You take a deep breath, even closing your eyes for a second to gather your thoughts. This isn’t the time to lose patience. You must keep it together. Distance - If you have any hope in your relationship getting better, you need to give him distance, and you will, but you also can’t just turn a blind eye to him while he’s struggling. Dancing around the issue isn’t helping anyone at this rate. You want to talk things out first - You need to address the problem then go from there, wherever it may lead.

Letting go of your breath, you don’t mask your concern this time, “...You’re clearly not okay, James. These last few months have been a shit-show, I get that. Thanos, losing Steve, this whole mess with the Flag Smashers…Me…”

He flinches and swiftly looks away.

“It’s been too much. I’m starting to realize that. We’re all stressed and angry and - …Listen, James. I - …I was wrong to keep secrets from you, especially one as big as me being Hollie. I’ll admit that, but you have to try to understand where I was coming from. I didn’t want to overwhelm you. I knew it was going to be a lot and hard to believe so I wanted to wait for a good time…It’s not like it’s exactly easy telling people I used to be someone else a half-century ago…”

You run a hand through your hair with a heavy sigh, “I realize I put it off for far too long, and I really can’t say sorry enough for that, but as wrong as it was for me to keep the truth from you, I still don’t understand why such a secret would warrant you treating me like this. We…We used to be so close. We were close, and then you cut me out just likethat…Why?”

Bucky clenches his fist, forcing himself not to so much as glance back at you. He’d be in trouble if he did that. It’s much easy to keep his back turned while willing himself to remain calm despite the bite that presents itself in his words, “I don’t want to talk about it right n -”

“- No!” You quite literally put your foot down, narrowing your eyes at him, “We need to talk about it now. You can’t keep shutting down on me, Bucky. We’ve been avoiding this conversation for too long already. I thought everything would sort itself out if I gave you some time to think, but clearly that’s only making matters worse for both of us. I…I need to know. I need you to know.

“Bucky, I have loved you ever since I could remember who I used to be. Every second we’ve spent together - Everything I’ve done and said - It was never an act, it’s always been me. I need you to understand that. I feel no different for you now than I did when I was named Hollie. I’ve only ever wanted to see you be happy and doing well - that’s my ultimate goal. While I’d like you to be that way with me - while I’d like to be happy together, if you don’t -...If you don’t see me as her then…”

You look down, uncomfortably fiddling with your hands as you fight to keep your voice steady. Still, you can’t ignore the sting of tears in your eyes, “...It’s fine, it’s whatever. We don’t have to be anything special - Hell, we don’t even have to maintain contact ever again if that’s what you truly want, but at the very least, can’t you still treat me like an actual human being whenever the world forces us to interact? Can’t we be civil? I mean, you’ve been nicer to Zemo than you have been to me lately. It’s like you hate me all of the sudden…Is that it?”

“No -” For once, an answer is delivered without any initial hesitation. It must have been impulsive - a powerful reaction caused by hearing that slight peak to your voice. It causes Bucky to finally spin around and face you, yet that single word is quickly followed by regret once he shies away with a heavy sigh, “...No, I don’t hate you…”

“Then why? Please just tell me so that I can fix things.”

This conversation is dragging on for a dangerous length of time. Even with how little he’s engaged, there’s a voice inside Bucky’s head warning him that it’s been too much. The further this extends, the faster his heart races and the heavier his thoughts weigh…The damage your words do against his shield are deadly, yet he stubbornly refuses to give in. He already made his decision long ago. He can’t become weak against it now.

“There’s nothing to fix -” Attempting to put an end to this discussion, he tries to distract himself with his belongings. It’s a hopeless game of pretend as he shifts through his bag with no real motivation beyond acting busy - an act that doesn’t fool you.

“- Clearly there is,” You huff, taking a step further, arms now crossed, “You wouldn’t be acting like this if everything was just fine and dandy.”

“Just -!” He catches himself, suffocating his growing frustration through a quick inhale, “…Drop it, alright? I already said I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You never want to talk about it!” You accuse, a hand now falling to your hip, “Why are you acting like my presence is suddenly killing you?”

Slamming his hands against his bag, he spins towards you with a flare temper of his own…So much for keeping it managed, “Why? Because I never asked you to come here! I never wanted you to get involved!”

“In what?”

Shaking his head, he blatantly ignores you aside from a scoff. Tugging at his hair, he finds himself cursing your stubbornness. As bad as it had made him feel, at least you stormed off in Madripoor by this point. You gave up before he had to risk saying anything too close to the truth, however you’re more determined than ever to push for it now. Why can’t you just see that he’s trying to do what’s best for you here?

Instead of even considering something as silly as that, you use your built up anger as fuel for pursuing an answer. No longer are you willing to accept silence or gruff remarks. No longer do you care if you can see Bucky getting visibly distraught with every poke and prod. You deserve an answer this time.

“Involved in WHAT, James!? With this mission? Because believe it or not, I’m not here for you. I’m here because I consider myself responsible for the super soldier serum -”

“- IN EVERYTHING! I NEVER ASKED YOU TO BE INVOLVED IN ANYTHING!” Bucky suddenly shouts over you, his voice cracking in a way neither of you have heard before. Even through the tears, he swears all he can see when looking at your stunned silence is a reflection of Hollie frowning back at him. You don’t even look alike anymore, yet there’s something about your expression - maybe the bitten frown or heartbroken shine of your eyes - that makes you look so much like her. Too much like her…

Why did you have to come back, dammit it?! Hasn’t he been tortured with his past enough? Why be tempted with you now? You didn’t have to come find him the way you did. You could have gone on with your new life, enjoying all the wonders it has to offer for someone so bright and gifted - all the wonders he stole away from you in the past. Now he’s constantly keeping track of the seconds until he dooms you again - until the nightmare becomes another reality once you’re no longer lucky enough to push yourself back up with only a few broken ribs. He’s already killed Holiday Stark. How long until he gets (Y/n) (L/n) killed, too?

Tearfully, you shake your head. You wish you could do more than that. You want to be angrier or at the very least unfazed so that you can at least pretend none of this bothers you the way it does, but you don't have the spirit; it's been successfully crushed under the weight of Bucky's words and your own heartache.

"...Then I won't be…" You know your whispered voice cracks all the same, and you know your hand is trembling when you reach for its opposite, struggling more than it probably should to wiggle the silver ring off your finger which you then let fall to the floor as if it would've been too hot to hold. From there, you barely even wait to hear the 'clink' that it makes against the tile, already having your back turned as you practically throw the door open without any regard to how it slams against the adjacent dresser.

In a blind hurry, you brush past Sam who looks like a stunned deer caught on a highway. You echo out his fumbled attempts at calming you down because if you could give him words right now, you’d tell him that you're far past the point of 'calming down'. You're officially on autopilot mode as you hastily gather your belongings from your own room.

Tossing everything into your bag and swinging it over your shoulder, you retrace half of your last steps, this time finding both Sam and Bucky together in the hall. One looks annoyed like a parent who just wanted a nice night out, the other guilty like a kicked dog; both wary as you pass on by. Any other day, it might've fed your ego to see their fear. If you had some heart left, you'd aim a joke towards it, but not today.

"Wait - Where are you going?" Sam calls, and you think it overshadows Bucky's weak attempt at calling your name.

"Home. I'm done with this shit!”

Sam's attention is immediately whipped to Bucky with a hiss, “What did you do?!”

The question has little to no effect, not because it doesn’t matter, but because it’s already being considered, stirring the sour emotions bubbling in Bucky’s mind. The guilt was always expected, however its exact force was miscalculated. This is what he wanted, isn't it? He wanted to push you away - to keep you as far from him as possible where you’ll be safest…and yet he doesn’t feel accomplished in the slightest.

Glancing back through the open door of his room, Bucky’s eyes become watery once they land on the abandoned wedding ring that sinfully glows in the light of the window.

…He’s really done it now…

NEXT CHAPTER {coming soon}

<- PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Taglist:

@arunabrak

@lovemesomevesey

[liminal-zone]

Hey 👋

Favourite falcon and winter soldier scenes??

It would be too easy to post The Sacred Texts here but this scene is so important to me. Bucky cosplaying as the Winter Soldier to Zemo's protection and delight? I'll never be over it.

[twistedtummies2]

Your TW OCs are going to the latest Avengers movie! Who do each of them cosplay as?

Well, because these bois all attend Night Raven College, I think it's fair that - if they're going to a Marvel Movie Event - they're going to cosplay as Marvel Villains. ;) I'm going to stick with villains who have appeared in the MCU, specifically, for various reasons. They can appear in the movies or in the TV shows, but they have to be from that universe. Nakoda = Kilgrave, a.k.a. The Purple Man. Because hypnotic abilities, plus it means putting Nako in a snazzy suit, PLUS I can make all the Doctor Who jokes I want. Mua ha ha. Billy = Doc Ock. Don't ask me how he manages the tentacles. Honestly, given his hefty gut, Billy would probably look even more like the Doc Ock from the comics than Alfred Molina does...mind you, he'd be EXCEPTIONALLY taller, but that's another story. XD Elias = Mysterio. Even if his origins are a bit different from the comics version (where the character is a former wannabe actor, among other things revolving around showbiz), I can't think of a better Marvel rogue that's appeared in the MCU for my over-the-top theatre pup to play. Reno = Yellowjacket. I would say Scorpion from Spider-Man, but a.) got a LOT of Spidey rogues here already, and b.) Gargan in the MCU has yet to premiere as the ACTUAL Scorpion. I wanted to stick with MCU characters. So I went with the next best bug. :P James = Loki. Because both are melodramatic hams, and the idea of James being forced through the "Puny God" scene is hilarious to me. In an evil way. >:) Smitty = Thanos. Because a friend suggested seeing a teeny-tiny, pudgy little Thanos next to James as Loki would be hysterical, on SO many levels, and I entirely and completely agree. XD Maelstrom = The Kingpin. Not sure if he shaves his head, wears a bald cap, or just decides to keep the hair and say "screw it," but seems appropriate for the big beefy guy. Theodore = The Green Goblin. Seems fitting for a character who flies around, has a maniacal laugh and sharp-faced features, and throws fiery spheres (be it fireballs or pumpkin bombs) at people. :P Grit = Baron Zemo. Specifically as he appears in "Falcon and the Winter Soldier," in full costume. Mask, trenchcoat, etc. I WAS going to go with Red Skull, because he's one of the greats in comics...but I don't like the thought of my rock boi being dressed as a Nazi. So, I felt Zemo was the next best choice. (I actually considered giving one of them to Elias, too, but then I remembered Mysterio. LOL )

[night-gay]

Into the Anthill pt 4 - New Challenges

The Masters Of Evil made their first appearance here in the pages of Avengers, but Hank had his own fair share of foes returning to take out Giant-Man. Egghead, Porcupine, Black Knight, The Hulk; there were a lot of people desperate to get their hands on him, but no one was more ready to take a bite out of Hank than Janet.

🐜🐜🐜

Tales to Astonish vol 1 #52-56

Hank fought the Black Knight, Porcupine joined the Giant-Man fanclub’s rogues gallery cosplay event, and our dynamic duo took a romantic trip to Latin America to destabilize a newly-elected communist leader (he stole the election, but they didn’t know that for sure until after the fight).

Hank actually tried to propose to Janet here too. Unfortunately, since she was so tired of waiting for him to make a move, she lied about having another date to make him jealous and he got cold feet.

Fantastic Four vol 1 #25-26

The Hulk returned for revenge against the Avengers and Rick Jones (who both replaced him with Cap). The Avengers and Fantastic Four had a brief tussle to decide which team deserved the chance to fight Hulk before he ran away again.

Avengers vol 1 #5-6

When the Lava Men returned to get revenge on Thor Hank tricked The Hulk (who was nearby) into saving the day (by punching some rocks). Then The Masters Of Evil united to challenge the Avengers because Zemo read about Captain America’s return in a newspaper. Zemo hired Black Knight, Melter, and Radioactive Man to help him, but luckily the Avengers had an ace up their sleeve: Paste-Pot-Pete (yes really).

Tales to Astonish vol 1 #57

Egghead returned, Jan got a gun, and Hank fought Spider-Man due to a misunderstanding.

Journey into Mystery vol 1 #105

Cameo in an issue where Thor fights The Cobra and Mr. Hyde.

Tales to Astonish vol 1 #58

Hank developed a way to change his size and Jan’s mentally just using his suit rather than the growth capsules. Jan designed her first new uniform and Cap assumed that Christian Dior must have designed it because it was so glamorous. Hank & Jan then traveled to Africa to fight a 30 foot tall man from outer space. Hank grew to 30 feet to fight back, but apparently anything above 12 feet left him feeling weak.

Tales of Suspense vol 1 #56

Cameo in an issue where Iron Man fights The Unicorn.

Avengers vol 1 #7

The Masters of Evil returned with Enchantress and Executioner among their ranks. They enchanted Thor to have him fight the Avengers while Cap pursued his vendetta against Zemo for killing Bucky.

[gyrovagus-bibliophile]

YOOOOO I LOVE THIS TYPE OF STUFF ^^

1. MCU!Helmut Zemo, Arnie Roth, Ava Starr, all of my OCs, etc...

2. Lighter. Feels safer, since i'm scared of fire

3. Hell no, what if the hatman finds me?

4. Prob most of them (i wanted to be a cryptozoologist a few years ago

5. Green with touches of brown ^^

6. Idk, i'm abit of a dumbass ngl

7. Hair-ties (my mum's the one who wears scrunchies)

8. 1 (half-empty)

9. I dont really like coffee, but cold coffee makes it easier to drink in my opinion

10. My therapist told me i have to stop being so violent and anger-driven. So nope. Bad for my mental health 👍

11. Maybe swimming? (It's the only one i remember doing)

12. Autism tea club day

13. A few hours ago, i think? (It was chocolate ice cream)

14. Hell yeah

15. Nope (atleast i dont think so).

16. I wish xD

17. None ^^

18. Idk, water and cheap shampoo?

19. If you let me, sure! ^^

20. Soda

21. My favorite stuffed animal cat in the whole world (i've had him since i was a 3yo)

22. a bad one (i'm trying my best to be better tho, i'm getting help from my therapist -v-")

23. I love it! It's great af! 💖

24. I would be eating a sandwich, watching the view, pretending i'm a superhero, sleeping.

25. Perfume ig?

26. Me living in a cottage away from society, with a grave for my ex-best friend's cat (it was a promise)

27. Around 8-9

28. It's getting abit cold lately, so yep

29. Warm when i feel like i deserve it

30. Oh shit, yeah (i'm cleaning them rn -v-""")

31. Classical music (Tchaikovsky's my favorite 💖)

32. Yes. It's black and grey with dots

33. I dont remember.. i would like to be in one soon tho

34. The Vatican rag - Tom Lehrer

35. GMT -3

36. Not once

37. My good friend Elizabeth

38. Popeye soap smells nice

39. Only sometimes (if i do so all the time, i just end up taking a bite out of it)

40. Yep. A huge plate full of potato chips

41. More milk than coffee, stevia and vainilla

42. AO3, Facebook, Youtube, Gacha Life 2, etc..

43. Love them. But i have to be on quite an specific mood to truly enjoy them

44. Violent thoughts, cant have that -v-"

45. I wore a victorian outfit while my friend was cosplayed Karl Jacobs

46. I like Mickey's christmas carol (even if i dont celebrate christmas -v-")

47. To my dad. It was a video of a cat saying Sandwich wrong

48. Never

49. I wish i could! I wanna learn -v-"

50. Of course! I love you! ^^

here’s weirder asks

who is/are your comfort character(s)?

lighter or matches?

do you leave the window open at night?

which cryptyd being do you believe in?

what color are your eyes?

why did you do that?

hair-ties or scrunchies?

how many water bottles are in your room right now?

which do you prefer, hot coffee or cold coffee?

would you slaughter the rich?

favorite extracurricular activity?

what kind of day is it?

when was the last time you ate?

do you love the smell of earth after it rains?

are you a parent? (all answers qualify)

can you drive?

are you farsighted or nearsighted?

what hair products do you use?

imagine we’re at a sleepover, would you paint my nails?

do you say soda or pop?

something you’ve kept since childhood?

what type of person are you?

how do you feel about chilly weather?

if we were together on a rooftop, what would we be doing?

perfume/body spray or lotion?

a scenario that you’ve replayed multiple times?

about how many hours of sleep did you get?

do you wear a mask?

how do you like your shower water?

is there dishes in your room?

what type of music keeps you grounded?

do you have a favorite towel?

the last adventure you’ve been on?

is there a song you know every word to by heart?

what’s your timezone?

how many times have you changed your url?

someone in your life, other than a relative, you’ve known for 10+ years?

a soap bar that smells good?

do you use lip balm?

did you have any snacks today?

how do you take your coffee?

an app you frequently use besides this godforsaken site?

what’s your take on spicy foods?

you get a free pass to kill anyone, who is it?

can you remember what happened yesterday?

favorite holiday film?

what was the last message you sent?

when did you first try an alcohol beverage?

can you skip rocks?

can i tag you in random stuff?

[taiblogcomics]

The Sequel No One Asked For!

Hey there, fourth-dimensional thinking. So we finally finished Avengers Arena! That's good! But there was a sequel. That's bad! However, it was only ten issues! That's good! It's so bad that it was cancelled at only 10 instead of a full 12, and teetered on cancellation as early as issue 6. That's bad. It's not about child murder anymore! That's good! It is instead about the question of whether any of the survivors will instead slip into villainy over the incident. That's bad. But there will be catharsis for the previous series. That's good! But it'll still take all ten issues to get there. That's bad. ...Can we just get to the review now?

Here's the cover:

The covers will at least be a bit better than Arena's. They're actually relevant to the issue instead of being unnecessary movie homages. And, like, these covers are pretty cool. Very moody and lit dramatically. It's a pretty good cover that'll certainly draw the eye. Plus you put an actually notable villain like Baron Zemo front-and-center, that automatically pulls in a lot of points for the story's potential. Can it live up to this cover? Well, I guess we'll find out...

I will, however, take a moment and say that everyone's costume redesigns suck here, though. Like, I'm sure it's amazing and life-changing for Hazmat that she doesn't need to be confined to a suit anymore, but it was also a pretty striking and iconic look. And sorry, Cullen, but even if yours glows, you will never be as an iconic skull-wearing asshole as the Punisher. Even I can admit that. Anachronism's just spent all night on a Braveheart cosplay. And I've heard some costume changes within the story are even worse~

So we open with a news report to catch you up on the events of the previous series. In short, X-Men Z-lister Arcade was tired of being a joke, so he instead kidnaps 16 teenage heroes and does a Hunger Games. After thirty days on Child Murder Island and several child murders, the kids get rescued, the incident comes to light, and Arcade gets away with everything. Worse, according to this news report, he's a "household name", and the incident has over 2.5 billion views, which is bullshit. First of all, no way are that many people interested in what is essentially a Survivor snuff film. Secondly, that's gotta be breaking some TOS, c'mon.

So this whole news report is playing over what appears to be a public food court. As we cut away from it, a couple teens watching express disgust that the TV is interviewing Chase Stein yet again. One of the teens loves him, the other thinks he's the worst. They join a third friend, who instead has a third opinion: It's actually Hazmat who's the worst. As he rattles off his Top Ten Reasons Why Hazmat Sucks, it turns out--uh oh!--the actual Hazmat has been sitting two tables away, listening to this whole thing. And to express her annoyance, she nukes their table and storms away. Might've frightened them, but I think it's the restaurant who's going to be more annoyed by that...

And hey, speaking of Chase, remember when I said there were even worse design changes inside the story? Yeah, Chase's terrible mohawk, studs in both ears, and mirrored shades look awful. Like, Chase has always been more like... if he didn't make it as a surfer or rock star and went out for football instead, but kept the long hair. You feel me? Like straddling the line between "rock" and "jock". Now he's fallen off that line and landed squarely in "douchey biker stereotype". The leather jacket doesn't help, but it is at least the least awful part of his look~

Anyways, Chase is on a talk show, playing up how he's the most vocal of the kids to talk about the incident. And while his look is awful, his personality is at least fairly accurate. Chase does seem like the one who'd milk his chance at 15 minutes of fame. He even admits it on the air. Which is when a sudden power surge pops the lights and overloads the camera. It's Nico Minoru, and she's come to collect her pal. She's pissed that Chase broke the promise they made not to tell, but as he retorts, Arcade posted it all online and took credit. So what's even the point of keeping the secret anymore?

And while the pair of them finish up their argument and teleport away, we cut over to a SHIELD lab that's running diagnostics on Deathlocket. One is very clinical and excuses herself to run some tests. But being treated cold and technical is what Locket is used to. What she's not used to is the other guy, who starts gushing how she was his "favourite character" on the show. But it wasn't a show, it was her life. And she's the hero, right? She killed the bad guy. But she didn't do that, she just shot her best friend. And so she decides to leave. She's the one with the big cannon after all, who’s gonna stop her?

So we cut over to Anchorage, Alaska, the only time this has ever happened in fiction. It's a meeting in a town hall, and from the tone, it's clearly an Alcoholics Anonymous type meeting. Up on stage is Cammi's mother, and she's talking about how she stayed sober lately. And what it boils down to is that while other people would try to drown their worries, she could see Cammi out surviving on Child Murder Island. And seeing what a survivor her daughter is gave her the strength to do the same. Cammi, who is attending as emotional support, blushes and slinks lower in her chair.

As the meeting lets out, Cammi lets her mom know that she has somewhere to be that night. And no, she means somewhere else, shedding her parka to reveal an updated spacesuit underneath. It's not too bad. Her old one was like a big orange NASA-approved astronaut suit. This one's more of a form-fitting space-ranger type deal, with glowy accents and a belt with an insignia and everything. Her mom, in tears suddenly, says Cammi has to let that stuff go and live her life. Cammi replies that she's working on it, jetting off with her rocket boots.

So now we cut over to Cullen Bloodstone--or more specifically, a video by him. Of course, Cullen is a vertical video dingus. So his whole video is him with a huge plasma cannon and Arcade's address. And he blows up the house! But he doesn't find Arcade's charred remains in the wreckage, so he gets pissed and kicks the camera over. Ah yes, a very legal video, I'm sure. Though I guess if Arcade's whole 30-day Child Murder Island series didn't get flagged, I don't think there's any limits in the Marvel universe's Youtube.

Cammi lands at Bloodstone Manor, and Anachronism greets her at the door. The rest of the group teleports in with Nico, and that's our cast. Just the seven of 'em. Darkhawk, Reptil, and X-23 won't be returning for the sequel. They're the real heroes here. Anyway, Cullen isn't actually here, despite this being his house. But we've seen him out doxxing Arcade and putting it on video. He's fine. In fact, that's why they're here: Anachronism called them because Cullen dropped out of school, and when he went looking at home for him, he found... Well...

He opens the door to (presumably) Cullen's bedroom, and it's exactly what you'd expect from a stable individual who shoots videos in portrait mode. The place is covered in newspaper articles and other printouts, some of Arcade, others of his known associates. Worse, if that's not crazy enough, there's just big letters of "KILL ARCADE" written overtop in spraypaint. Even a little doll dressed up like Arcade, hanging from a little noose. Well, at least he's creative. Anachronism's take is that Cullen's lost it a bit, and I can't say I disagree~

If all this isn't compelling enough evidence, Anachronism shows them another video--and this one's actually shot in landscape mode, so maybe Cullen's not as far-gone as they think! But the gist of it is that he's in the nation of Bagalia, known hangout of Baron Zemo and the Masters of Evil. Since they've palled around with Arcade from time-to-time, Cullen figures this is the only place left that they can be. So he takes off his ring and goes full monster, preparing to wreck up the place until they cough up Arcade (or at least his hidey-hole).

So that was three weeks ago. Understandably, Anachronism is a bit worried since he hasn't heard from him since. And as a cutaway shows us, he has a good reason to be. Baron Zemo and his cohorts (Hellstrom, Constrictor, and Madame Masque) have taken control of Monster!Cullen and are wrecking up some SHIELD base somewhere with his power. So even if they don't quite know what they're saving him from yet, the issue ends with our remaining six heroes resolving to go get their pal and bring him home. And that, at least, I can root for~

Well, I’ll certainly admit, this is at least a much more interesting set-up than the previous series. It doesn’t start with a smug douchebag killing off a popular teen character, so it’s a strong improvement. And hey, as dumb as revenge is, it is at least also a relatable motive as well. So I can hardly hold that against Cullen, even if he’s gone a little cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. Given the worst sin of this issue is Chase’s ungodly awful redesign, it’s easily better than any issue in Avengers Arena. Dunno if it can keep that momentum going, but I live in hope~

[houstoncosplay]

About the loss of dissecting the eyebrow I smoke and tear the seams And I'm dying for love. And I'm dying of love

Zemo: knights_of_ren_cosplay (instagram) Bucky: Me

[tinaxpow]

Bucky and Zee cosplay pics PART 1 - PART 2 - PART 3

photographer: https://instagram.com/coastercrew_olaf/ 

Bucky: https://instagram.com/celicosplay/

[comicgeekscomicgeek]

I realize Villains With Standards (TM) are kind of one of my things, but I’m still always surprised by the number of villains willing to just flat out work for a Nazi, no matter what kind of criminal they otherwise are.

Like, I get working for Zemo. He’s a fascist, but he’s one convincingly cosplaying as a super villain most of the time. I even get working for Hydra before people found out Strucker was running it, or working for one of its many splinter cells.

But even if you don’t believe the Skull is the original, you’re still entirely too comfortable taking the money of a guy who is absolutely going to find some reason to kill you the second you stop being useful and either is or has appropriated the image of a guy who’s probably gonna start death camps the second he has the chance.

Daniel...somehow I don't think "Now I'm going to be king murderer of crime mountain and the right hand man of this genocidal fascist" is the kind of reassurance your sister was hoping for. Captain America 408

[dragon-kazansky]

A whole year later

Turns out I fell for this dude a year ago. Those of you who found me at the time will know I went on to write a lot for this man. So, a year on, here we are again. Enjoy!

♡♡♡

You open the windows and let the fresh air in. The sun flooding into the room as soon as you open the curtains, and opening the windows seemed like a good idea. You smile as you listen to the hustle of the town just outside.

Leaning against the window, you close your eyes and just listen.

This has been your life for a whole year now. Waking up to this, to him. Breakfast shared together, a stroll into town, trips around the country, occasionally out of the country, lavish dinners, dancing, late night walks, passionate nights at home.

This may not have been a life you ever saw for yourself, however, you wouldn't exchange it for the world.

Helmut Zemo saved you when you needed him most, and from there you have been attached at the hip. He came to you anytime you needed him. You saved him when it counted most. You would be lost without the other.

So focused on the peace you were experiencing, you didn't hear your husband enter the room. He closes the door quietly behind him and smiles at the sight of you by the window. His footsteps are silent as he crosses the room over to where you stand.

Arms circle around you. A gasp leaves your lips as your eyes snap open. Lips trail along your neck in soft kisses, his nose nudging along the skin ever so slightly. You relax and melt into his embrace.

"You startled me."

His breath brushes past your jaw as he laughs quietly.

"I apologise, my love. You looked so serene. I didn't really want to disturb you, but I couldn't resist."

You smile and turn to face him. His arms remained settled around you, even pulling you into his chest a bit as you look at him. Your lips brush with his as you smile.

"Is breakfast ready?" You ask, keeping your voice low. You liked the atmosphere created here, and didn't want to ruin it.

"I thought, perhaps, we make it together today?"

You grin at him.

"I like the sound of that."

With your hand in his, you head toward to the kitchen, leaving the open window. The walk down to the kitchen is slow, neither of you in any rush to get there. Often, you would both soak in the company of the other, just letting the minutes pass by. This was one of those moments.

Upon entering the kitchen, you let go of his hand and follow his lead. Helmut pushes his sleeves up to his elbows and grabs ingredients. You turn the radio on and let it play quietly in the background. You both get started on breakfast.

Not a word is spoken between you. Smiles, glances, the odd bubble of laughter. No words are needed when you can understand each other so perfectly.

Breakfast is made and served. You sit down together. You eat. You chat. You hold hands.

Before Zemo, life was nothing like this.

After breakfast you both clean up and head upstairs to change into some comfortable clothes. Helmut wants to take you out into town. You agree.

You walk hand in hand through town. He points things out to you, you have a look I'm shop windows, he gets you some lunch out on the street, you sit together and admire passing people. It's beautiful. It's perfect.

By mid-afternoon you have a few shopping bags, you've walked along the beach, you've had a little coffee date.

By evening, Helmut has you dress up to the nines. He takes your hand and leads you out of town. On a hill, overlooking the town you call home these days, there is a small table set up with a candle lit.

Helmut pulls out a chair for you. You sit down. He takes the chair opposite you and smiles.

"Do you realise we have been married a year today?" He asks.

You stare at him.

"Has it been a year already? I hadn't realised."

He chuckles. The sound is warm and inviting. It makes you smile at him. His eyes shine with love and joy as he gazes at you.

"It had. Do not fret for not realising. Our time together has been wonderful and so full of fond times. Time has passed us by quietly and quickly. I look forward to many more years together, just like this one."

You smile at him. His words have your heart melting in your chest. You reach over and take his hand in yours.

"I love you."

He smiles back just as fondly, squeezing your hand in his.

"I love you."

His butler brings you food he had prepared for the occasion. You both tuck in.

You can't believe it's been a year already. You gaze up at the man you love sitting across from you. You smile.

This is just the beginning of many more years to come.