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dameronspector · 2 months ago

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Philophobia (Part 7)

Pairings: Joaquin Torres x Stark!Reader, Sam Wilson x Platonic!Reader, Bucky Barnes x Platonic!Reader

Chapter Summary: You, Sam, Bucky and Zemo make your way to Madripoor to meet up with Zemo’s contact. Joaquin asks you a question and you doubt yourself. Madripoor is shady and you meet someone who was MIA for years.

Warnings: Cursing, Angst, Slight Fluff, Revisiting Past, Mentions of Depression and Phobias, Isolation, Loneliness, Guns/Bullets, Alcohol, Smoking, Steve Rogers Hate- click off if you’re not interested in that, Bucky is forced to act brainwashed (that scene from ep03), that’s all i think!

AN: sorry, no joaquin in this but there’s some crumbs! This chapter is mostly about Sam, Bucky and Reader!

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Zemo's butler wheel in a tray filled with drinks and food and noticed him say something to the butler. Sam and Bucky mostly kept quiet, Sam being the one to ask questions here and there but you could see Bucky’s face set in an irritated expression and it almost made you laugh at how he looked like a pissed off cat.

You had chosen to zone out for the most of it, keeping your headphones on and daydreaming because you were still reeling from the departure from Joaquin, when you suddenly noticed a quick movement and saw that Bucky had his hand wrapped around Zemo’s throat, his face showing fury. You immediately straightened up and threw your headphones aside to make your way towards them.

“Whoa, hey. What’s wrong?”, you asked Bucky in alarm and wrapped a hand around his bicep, pulling him away from Zemo. Bucky spared an annoyed glance towards Zemo, his jaw clenched tightly.

“I’m sorry. I understand that list of names. People you’ve wronged as the Winter Soldier”, Zemo replied calmly.

You furrowed your eyebrows and looked between them, “What?”

Bucky looked uncomfortable with the attention so he just shook his head and gently shrugged your hand off before walking back to his seat.

You looked at Sam and he just shrugged helplessly. Letting out an exhausted sigh, you chose to sit on the arm of Bucky's seat, to act as a barrier between him and Zemo.

“Don’t push it.”

“I’ve seen that book. It was Steve’s when he came out of the ice. I told him about Trouble Man. He wrote it in that book. Did you hear it? What’d you think?”, Sam asked Bucky with curiosity.

“I like ’40s music, so…”

“You didn’t like it?”, Sam asked in an incredulous tone.

“I liked it”, Bucky replied nonchalantly. You chuckled under your breath. They were back to fighting like a married couple.

“It is a masterpiece, James. Complete. Comprehensive. It captures the African-American experience”, Zemo confessed and you and Sam turned to look at him in the same weirded out manner.

Sam grimaced but admitted, “He’s out of line, but he’s right. It’s great. Everybody loves Marvin Gaye.”

“I like Marvin Gaye”, once again Bucky replied in a 'couldn’t care less' manner.

“Steve adored Marvin Gaye”, Sam exclaimed, irritated with Bucky’s indifference.

“You must have really looked up to Steve. But I realized something when I met him. The danger with people like him, America’s Super Soldiers, is that we put them on pedestals”, Zemo conceded in his breathy voice and you froze.

Actually shocked at his confession and shocked at the fact that you and him shared something in common: a dislike and critique for Steve. Although his dislike was in a more lethal way, you found it funny nonetheless.

“Watch your step, Zemo”, Sam warned.

You let out a loud scoff and all three of them turned to look at you. Checking your nails in an unbothered manner, you quipped, “I can’t believe we have something in common, Zemo.”

The entire cabin was quiet at that. Sam and Bucky stared at you in disbelief and Zemo looked at you with a smirk. You sensed the tension and coughed to clear it, "Carry on."

Zemo threw one last look at you before continuing, “They become symbols. Icons. And then we start to forget about their flaws. From there, cities fly, innocent people die. Movements are formed, wars are fought. You remember that, right? As a young soldier sent to Germany to stop a mad icon. Do we want to live in a world full of people like the Red Skull? That is why we’re going to Madripoor.”

Bucky pursed his lips while Sam made a face, "What's up with Madripoor? You talk about it like it's Skull Island."

You opened your mouth to explain before Bucky beat you to it, "It's an island nation in the Indonesian archipelago. It was a pirate sanctuary back in the 1800s."

"It's kept its lawless ways. But we cannot exactly walk in as ourselves. James, you will have to become someone you claim is gone. And (Name)-"

"-is not going anywhere", Sam conceded firmly. You snapped your head towards him.

"What's that supposed to mean", you asked him in a warning tone.

"That means that you're not goin' anywhere. You’ll stay and wait til' we come back", he replied in a tone laced with finality.

You rolled your eyes, "Dude, you cannot be serious. You want me to be alone in a shady place like that?"

"Listen-"

"Sam", Bucky interjected, "They obviously know more about this place than you. Plus, they can fight. We could really use someone for backup, especially with this...clown with us", Bucky reasoned, calling Zemo as the clown and admitting that he did not trust him either. That made you relax and you threw an appreciative look towards Bucky.

Zemo ignored Bucky's jab and nodded his head, "Yes, the little Stark has experience, knowledge and stealth. They can keep an eye on us while being undercover, in case, something goes wrong. They’ll act as my assistant. We will talk in Russian, only”, Zemo instructed and you reluctantly nodded your head.

Sam let out a dejected sigh and looked at you in disappointment before speaking up, "But if you do anything s-" "-stupid you will bench me immediately. Yeah, I know", you finished for him and he glared at you half heartedly.

You just shrugged and addressed Zemo, your tone clipped and stern, "If you try to do anything crazy while we’re there...", he just raised his hands in a surrender motion.

While you were getting ready to put on the very expensive and very chic all black suit and trench coat given to you by Zemo, your phone's buzzing distracted you from the task at hand. You opened it to see that you had received some texts from Joaquin. Involuntary butterflies fluttered in your stomach and you bit your lip to stop the smile from spreading across your face.

You opened the messages and saw that he had sent three in a row:

Flyboy: hi Flyboy: hope u landed safely Flyboy: how are u

You let out a soft giggle before replying

You: hey flyboy You: will land in a few You: i am okay. did you reach back to the base safely?

Flyboy: yep. already back at work. 😵‍💫 Flyboy: missing you tho

That second text almost made you drop the phone but you noticed that he had attached a picture of pancakes. Your cheeks warmed up and palms felt sweaty as your thumbs hovered above the keyboard, debating on what to reply. You shook your head a little and decided to reply casually, choosing to ignore that 'missing you' (for now).

You: woww. eating pancakes without me? traitor 😧

You didn't have to wait for too long for his reply, which made you think he was siting with his hands glued to his phone and you let out a chuckle at that.

Flyboy: u wound me 😔 come back safely and then we will have our favorite pancakes, promise Flyboy: it's a date

You gasped. Did he just straight up ask you on a date? Your gasp must have been loud enough for Bucky's super soldier hearing to pick up because you heard his voice call out, "Kid, You okay?"

"Uh-I-", you stammered and held a hand to your forehead, "Yeah! Yeah, I'm good. Just- just stubbed my toe!"

You heard him say 'Okay' faintly and went back to staring at your darkened screen. Were you ready for this? Or did he mean it in a friendly way? Friends do go on dates, right?

Flyboy: or not...its okay! forget i said anything

Your phone lit up with his text and you swallowed thickly before your shaky hands opened his chat.

He was a sweet and lovely guy but you weren't sure why he wanted to hang out with you. You couldn't be in denial about your feelings for him any longer. It felt immature to keep acting like this was your first time ever experiencing something like this. After everything you have been through in the last 6 years, you sort of allowed yourself to wallow in your sorrows and become a recluse. You reveled in the pain and loneliness you felt, like a sick masochist, because your depressed brain thought that you deserved it. Simple as that. That is what made you push everyone away--that is what made you push Peter away.

Well, that and the weird five year age gap between the two of you now. But Joaquin was here, and he was trying so hard. You didn't want to hurt him like you did with Peter, even though you already have a few times since you met him.

The logical and phobic part of your brain was sending you warning signals to not text him back, to run away, to isolate. But the hereditary, impulsive Stark-gene in you was screaming at you to say yes.

And you did exactly what the Stark gene asked you to.

You: okay, done 👍

You shut your eyes tightly after sending the text and your phone buzzed right away. He had sent a gif.

Flyboy:

And you let out a cackle. You loved how he could switch from serious to funny easily. You reacted to it with a laughing emoji and shut your phone to prepare yourself for whatever Madripoor has in store for you, deciding to ignore how light and warm you felt after talking to Joaquin, for now.

The four of you finally got off at a private airport and made your way to the car waiting for you.

Sam let out a sigh, “We have to fix this. I’m the only one who looks like a pimp”, he complained, lifting the hem of his jacket. You let out a chuckle and he glared at you.

Meanwhile, Bucky was way too quiet next to you, his hands and jaw clenched tightly, eyes focusing in front of him. You looked at him in sympathy, knowing that he was feeling uncomfortable with the fact that he’d have to slip into his ‘brainwashed version.’

“Only an American would assume a fashion-forward Black man looks like a pimp. You look exactly like the man you’re supposed to be playing. The sophisticated, charming African rake named Conrad Mack, aka the Smiling Tiger”, Zemo explained while showing a picture of Conrad Mack.

Your eyebrows raised high on your forehead, “Whoa. Sam, you sure you don’t have an estranged twin?”

Sam whistled lowly, “He even has a bad nickname. Hell, he does look like me, though.”

“You smell this?”, Zemo asked.

“Yeah, what is that? Acid?”, Sam asked and you wrinkled your nose.

“Madripoor. No matter what happens, we have to stay in character. Our lives depend on it. There’s no margin for error. High Town’s that way. Not a bad place if you wanna visit, but Low Town’s the other way”, Zemo instructs and you just nod your head—hating that you have to follow his lead but understanding that this was his world so you had to listen to his words.

“Let me guess. We don’t have any friends in High Town”, Sam conceded and the four of you finally reached the car.

You were sat in between Sam and Bucky and Bucky was still quiet—quieter than usual, his whole body tensed.

Nudging him with your arm, “You good?”, you asked him in a low whisper.

Bucky’s ocean blue eyes looked at you, thinly veiled fear shimmering in the low light. He let out a hum and tried to give you a smile. You pursed your lips and squeezed his arm in reassurance, “We’ll cover you, you know that, right?”

Bucky smirked and nodded, finding it endearing that someone half his size was volunteering to protect him.

Madripoor definitely lived up to its reputation. Filthy streets, flashy lights, loud music, people loitering around in fancy/club clothes and the constant feeling of being spied on—all of this summed up the place pretty well. Every corner of the street looked suspicious, like someone will jump out of the shadows to hold you at gun point.

You were almost sure nobody would recognize you because you haven't appeared in public for over a year and because you were also older now. But you did not want to take any chances, so you were using one of those invisible-shapeshifting masks that Natasha introduced you to, and shifted it into a random person's face.

After weaving through crowds and being gawked at like you were an exhibit, the four of you finally reached the club that you were supposed to meet this contact in.

“Here we are”, Zemo announced and ushered the three of you in.

“I’ll be watching your six”, you murmured lowly. Sam and Bucky looked at you in concern but you flashed them a reassuring look and disappeared into the crowd to blend in.

Standing exactly opposite to the three of them but hidden in plain sight, your laser sharp eyes scoured the entire room, brushing a hand against the gun holstered to your thigh to reassure yourself.

You were nervous, you wouldn’t lie. It's been 6 months since you last went on field and even though Rhodey made sure you stayed in shape and trained, the fear and anticipation of being in a real threat was not lost on you. Every hair on your body was raised in alarm because its felt like the entire room was watching your every move.

The smell of alcohol and smoke was distracting, the room suffocating you--not only from the scent, but also from the crowd and atmosphere. You pushed through it to keep a subtle eye on Sam, Bucky and Zemo and eventually made your way over to the bar counter, requesting for a vodka mojito to blend in and keep your hands busy.

As your eyes moved across the room, you noticed a man approach the three men and you sat up straight in alarm. The hands around the glass tensed, your teeth biting the inside of your cheek in focus. And then suddenly, Bucky lunged.

Your eyes widened and you moved before Zemo made eye contact with you from across the counter and subtly shook his head--telling you to stay put. So you clenched the glass tightly in your hands—the cold perspiration of it making your palms wet and slippery—and helplessly watched Zemo use Bucky as a shield and make him do the dirty work, your chest clenching in worry for him.

Sam had a similar disturbed look on his face. Everyone's phones were on Bucky, filming the Winter Soldier do what he does best. It was too much, too traumatising and Bucky's paralysed face said it all. It's like he had shut down.

Thankfully, it got over and the three of them were being escorted out of the room before they suddenly stopped. Zemo whispered something in the guard's ear and he made his way over to you.

You stiffened, your breath hitching and body locking up.

"Your boss is asking for you."

You blinked rapidly before catching Sam's gestures to 'come here' and pursed your lips, offering the man a curt nod. You silently followed him over to where the three of them were standing before Zemo spoke up, "Я сказал тебе следовать за мной" (i told you to follow me), his eyes asking you to follow along.

"Извините, босс" (Sorry, Boss), and lowered your eyes in fake shame.

Zemo nodded and told the guard to show the way. He guided you to a shady looking nook (honestly, this whole place was fucked), the music and commotions getting muffled and the fluorescent lights making your eyes hurt.

The four of you finally arrived into a room where a platinum blonde-haired woman was sitting on a sofa. There was some kind of music playing and there were guards protecting the woman, guns in hand, you took notice. Alarm bells were going off in your head—this was going to get real messy if Zemo fucked it up. The crowd in the club combined with the guards and security littered across the place, were going to make the escape a pain in the ass.

You, Sam and Bucky were still trying to digest all of this in so the three of you simply stood there numbly—you stood next to Zemo's right, Sam on his left and Bucky stood attentively, like a soldier on duty, between you and the woman. You felt disgusted that he had to do all this.

"You should know, Baron. People don't just come into my bar and make demand", that woman spoke up, her gaudy makeup and tacky fashion sense making her stand out, yet fit in, in this bizarre place.

"Not a demand. An offer", Zemo suggested.

The woman gave him a sarcastic smile, "A lot has changed since you were last here. By the way, I thought you were rotting away in a German prison. How did you escape?", she raised an eyebrow.

You clenched your jaw and kept your gaze away from her, keeping a vigilant eye on the guards in case they tried anything.

"People like us always find a way, don't we? I'm sure you've already figured out what I'm here for."

The woman threw Zemo a look before turning her attention to Sam. You furrowed your brows and kept your gaze on him, his face displaying how tensed he was.

"You're taller than I'd heard, Smiling Tiger", she flashed him a disgustingly sweet smile before addressing Zemo again, "What's the offer", she purred. You grimaced and exchanged a look with Sam.

“Tell us what you know about the super-soldier serum. And I give you him, along with the code words to control him, of course. He will do anything you want”, Zemo announced and made his way over to Bucky, caressing his dimpled chin like he was his master.

It made you sick, it took everything in you to not lunge at him so you clenched your fists tightly and focused on Bucky instead.

The woman smiled like a maniac, “Now that’s the Zemo I remember. I’m glad I decided not to kill you immediately. Yeah, you were right to come to me. Arrogant, but right. The super-soldier serum is here in Madripoor. Dr. Wilfred Nagel is the man you wanna thank. Or… condemn, depending on what side of this you’re on. The Power Broker had him working on the serum, but… things didn’t go as planned.”

You furrowed your brows. Power Broker?

“Nagel still in Madripoor?”

“Oh. The bread crumbs you can have for free, but the bakery is gonna cost you, Baron. And before you get all cute, don’t think you can find Nagel without me”, the woman conceded and leaned back on the sofa.

Suddenly, the vibration of a cell phone echoed in the room and you all froze. It was Sam’s. You felt your stomach drop.

“Answer it. On speaker”, the woman demanded.

Sam swallowed thickly before looking around the room and hesitated before picking up the call.

“Hello?”

“Hey, um, we need to talk about this situation. It’s been drivin’ me nuts”, a woman’s voice said on the phone.

“What situation exactly are you talkin’ about?”, Sam asked.

“Are you high? You know what situation, it’s the only situation me and you have.”

“What situation, Sarah? Say it”, Sam asked hotly and that’s when it clicked to you. It was his sister, Sarah. You felt like someone had poured cold water on you, praying that she wouldn’t blow his cover or reveal any personal information about herself.

“The damn boat. And watch your tone. Okay? I let you slide at the bank”, Sarah hit back at him.

Sam scoffed, his face struggling to keep up the facade and you swallowed, “The bank. Yeah. Laundered so much…” he chuckled in exaggeration, “Yeah, they’ll come around.”

You then noticed the woman’s face. She was slowly getting suspicious, her eyes on alert.

“If that was the case, then why’d they dog you out, Big Time?”

“Yeah, you damn right I’m Big Time. You’ll see when I have that banker killed”, Sam replied condescendingly. You almost face palmed yourself, Sam couldn’t even lie to be an asshole. It just wasn’t in his blood.

“Cass! What’d I tell you about the Cheerios? I don’t have time for this! Sam, I’m sorry. I’ll call you back.”

It felt like time had stopped. All of you froze in your places and stared at Sam, who was trying his best not to show that he was scared.

“Sam?! Who’s Sam? Kill them!”, that woman screeched and her guards lunged at the four of you.

And all hell broke loose. The guards started shooting, two of them making their way to you and you quickly unholstered your gun to fire at their kneecaps before Sam and Bucky punched the others and disarmed them. Zemo took out his gun and shot the woman in the stomach before the four of you cleared the room. You stared at him in shock before Sam grabbed your arm and gently pushed you out of the room.

It wasn’t difficult to take down the woman and the guards, but it was going to be a pain in the ass to save yourselves from this city itself.

As soon as the four of you stepped out of the bar, you heard several phone chimes go off, the screens flashing some message on it.

“What the hell is going on?”, you muttered as gunshots went off in your direction. “Fuck!”, you ducked and ran.

“Shit, Shit!”, Sam yelled, “I can’t run in these heels!”, Sam shouted and grimaced as his feet hurt.

You looked back and fired a shot, but you were too distracted to notice that all of a sudden, there was an additional gunshot fired from the opposite direction, causing another shooter to die.

You all slowed down to a stop and stared at the body in disbelief, Sam and Bucky looking around to see who did this.

“You seem to have a guardian angel”, Zemo announced, his gun still raised.

You furrowed your brows and looked at him in confusion, trying to figure out which ally was living in Madripoor of all places?

Then, a figure appeared—Gun pointed at you four, face covered with a big hood, the darkened alley making it seem like they appeared out of thin air.

“Well this is too perfect. Drop it, Zemo.”

And the figure stepped into light. You gasped and Sam and Bucky stared at her with wide eyes.

“Sharon?”, Bucky finally asked.

You didn’t even know if she was alive, to be honest. After the whole accords fiasco, she was wanted and had left the States, but the fact that she could be laying low in Madripoor wasn’t something that you could’ve ever imagined. After all, the Carters were nothing if obedient to the government.

“You cost me everything.”

“Sharon, wait. Someone recreated the super-soldier serum and Zemo had a lead.”

“That explains why you guys are here. And Selby’s dead.”

You paused. So the woman’s name was Selby.

Sharon then turned her attention to you, her face twisted in confusion. “Who’s this?”

Then you remembered that you were still wearing the mask and brought your hand up to your face, removing the veil and shaking your head to get rid of the flyaways.

“Oh. The (Name) Stark with Bucky Barnes? That’s something I’d pay to watch”, Sharon quipped and you shrugged casually.

“So what are you doing here?”, Sam asked.

Sharon looked away from you and addressed him, her gun still pointed at you four, “I stole Steve’s shield, remember? I also took the wings for your ass, so that you could save his ass from his ass,” she pointed at Bucky and Zemo as she went on, “I didn’t have the Avengers to back me up. So I’m off the grid in Madripoor”, she finished and glared at Sam.

Wow, she’s mean now, you thought.

Sam clenched his jaw, “Don’t blow smoke. I was on the run, too.”

“Was. Is. Big difference. I don’t speak to my family anymore. I can’t. My own father doesn’t know where I am.”

Hearing that made you feel sorry for her. Your belief, that the whole thing with the Accords was stupid and useless if the people who fought for and against it were still suffering, stood still.

“Listen… Sharon, we need your help”, Bucky pleaded and Sharon chuckled, “Please”, he added for good measure.

She took in your messy and helpless selves and sighed, lowering her gun finally.

“This isn’t over. I have a place in High Town. You’ll be safe there for a while”, she conceded and guided you all away from the filthy streets.

“You okay?”, you stretched your arms and your concerned murmur reached Bucky. He turned to look at you hesitantly, falling into step with you.

“Yeah…yeah. I’m alright. Don’t worry”, he tried to give you a smile but it ended up looking pained, the low lighting making his eye wrinkles stand out. You scoffed, almost sure that he doesn’t realise how expressive his face is.

“You know, for a trained assassin, you’re the worst liar, and actor, I’ve ever met.”

That got him to break and he chuckled before shaking his head.

“Really though, are you okay? I saw your face back there. Do I need to hurt Zemo?”, you quirked an eyebrow and Bucky scoffed.

“Thanks for the offer, terminator. I’ll definitely take you up on that”, he smirked and you groaned nudging his shoulder with yours. The five of you joined Sharon in her car, making your way to her place.

It was going to be a long and messy night.

Part 8

AN: sorry there’s no joaquin in this but i habe structure the story to give the reader their own moment to shine and bond with sambucky. Plus i needed to see them in action too, lol. Hopefully y’all liked this! Will have more action scenes in the next chapter as I’m still trying to figure out how to bring it all together, please excuse me!!

Also it’s a date finally😁😋 and we are unravelling Reader’s past slowly *rubs hands*

taglist: @og-baby-ob14 @littlemsramirez @thejadevvitch @giona45-5

sorry if I didn’t/forgot to tag anyone, reply if you wanna be added to the taglist!

#joaquin torres x stark!reader #joaquin torres x you #joaquin torres #danny ramirez #joaquin torres x reader #joaquin torres fluff #sam wilson x platonic!reader #bucky barnes x platonic!reader #marvel #angst #marvel cinematic universe #the falcon and the winter soldier #helmut zemo #sharon carter #sam wilson #fluff #bucky barnes

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happypopcornprincess · 6 months ago

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Under the Same Sky

Pairings - Joaquin Torres X fem!Reader (TFATWS AU)

Premise - You have your heart guarded for the longest time. But when you encounter a stranger on the same mission, will you be able to do the same?

Word Count - 4.5K

Warnings: Some strong language, references to Pop Culture, allusions to SMUT

a/n - I wrote this while I was falling in love with someone. This one is for everyone who ever fell in love, hope you guys have a happy ending that you truly deserve <3

Click here for Part 2

“I swear to God Barnes, if this is some kind of dipshit prank you are playing on me, I’ll give your number to that sweet server lady from Yori’s Japanese place and record your introverted ass trying to strike a conversation.” You grumbled into your phone as you locked your door and walked down the stairs of yours (and Buck’s) apartment building.

After making you spill your morning coffee over the couch while telling you about him evading the country, breaking Helmunt Zemo out from prison, going to Madripor and Karli threatening Sam’s family, he had the goddamn audacity to ask for your help with the entire situation.

You were, of course, rushing to Louisiana for Sarah and the kids, because afterwards you get to murder him in cold blood.

“If this wasn’t for Sam’s family in danger, I would not have asked for you. And by the way, I am not an introvert. That’s you. Now hurry up, my guy’s waiting.” his annoyingly calm voice spoke through the phone.

“Is your guy about to be a wrinkly old pervert trying to get high by speed walking?” you almost screamed, reaching the ground floor and pulling open the back door towards the alleyway. The chill air makes you shiver a bit, and you find yourself colliding with a person, “oof” you hear a muffled sound coming from him.

“I’m so sorry- I-“ you began to explain yourself, but the other person spoke up first, “y/n?”

Your hand hovered over the concealed weapon on your waist, “uh, yeah?” you murmur, taking a step back in caution wondering how he knew your name.

“Yeah, I found her.” He speaks into his cell and cuts the call.

Dressed in casual clothes, he held a duffle bag in one hand, his eyebrows raised as he was looking at you. He smiled, waved at you, and Bucky spoke into your ear, “found my guy?”

“This is your guy?” you said pointing at him.

Bucky only laughed, “meet us in Louisiana. Take care y/n.” he cuts the call. Bucky’s guy was not a wrinkly old pervert, but this insanely good-looking man with great posture and a warm smile.

And to your horror, he was hot.

His warm, sun-kissed complexion hinted at his Mexican heritage. His hair added an air of rugged charm and you swore you never saw anyone with eyes so dark brown that drew you in instantly.

“You are…” you extend your hand after shoving your phone in the pocket of your overcoat.

“Lt. Torres.” He grimaced, embarrassed, “Joaquin. Joaquin Torres.” He extends his hand.

You shake his hand and oh god why are his hands so warm!

“Marines?” you ask, trying not to think about his hands.

“Air Force, ma’am.” He says, stepping back for you to get out of the doorway.

“Please, just call me y/n.”

You fumbled with your bag as he raised his eyebrows, “let me take that for you.” He offered.

“Oh no, no it's fine.” You laughed out, and he raised his arms in defeat.

He was walking to the end of the alley beside you, cold air escaping his lips.

Pink, soft, how would they feel on your lips and…

You concentrate on walking, trying not to look at him where his neck met his shoulders and goddammit what is wrong with you y/n can you stop daydreaming about this guy?

What you missed while giving yourself a pep talk… was the smirk on Joaquin’s face.

---

The initial car ride was a bit silent, awkward conversation hanging in the air. But then, like magic, the tension dissolved. You stumbled upon a shared love for Power Rangers and the cartoons of our youth. Suddenly, you were deep in conversation, reminiscing about your childhoods, carefree and filled with the magic of childhood. Turns out he isn’t much older than you, just a two year difference.

His laughter was infectious. The way his eyes crinkled at the corners, his teeth flashing in a wide grin – it was a sound that felt warm and comforting, somehow. You found yourself leaning towards him, captivated by the way his lips curved into a smile, the way the light caught the gold flecks in his eyes. The familiar road seemed to stretch on forever.

Finally when we pulled onto the familiar, deserted road leading to Sam's house, two small figures came into view, standing near the porch.

“Auntie!” Cass and AJ sprinted to you as soon as you stepped out of the car.

“Heyyyy!” you laugh and fall back as they hug you with full force, “ugh, I missed you guys so much.”

“We missed you too!” AJ grinned as he refused to let go of you.

“Who's this?” Cass asked you, pointing towards Joaquin.

Among the excitement of meeting them, you almost forgot the poor guy. Joaquin stood next to the car awkwardly looking at you. You smile and introduce him, “guys this is my friend, Joaquin.”

“Hey.” He waved at Cass and AJ.

Cass looks at him with all seriousness, “Do you play Fortnight?”

Joaquin fumbled, “Yeah. A bit.”

“Cool.” They both replied in unison.

“Okay now let auntie breathe for a minute.” Sarah spoke as she walked towards you wearing an apron, clearly cooking for dinner.

You hugged her tight, meeting the family after so long, “Hey Sarah.”

You look towards Joaquin, how he was laughing with the kids. And then you look at Sarah, your soul sister, and how Bucky had asked you to break the news to her delicately, “Sarah, we need to talk.”

---

Sam and Sarah were your go to destination every summer.

You saw Cass and AJ grow up after the blip, and stayed with them when they needed help. You might not have the same blood, but they were your family.

They have stayed away from all the mayhem, until now.

You three sat down on the kitchen table and told her everything that you knew about the situation.

“Dear lord.” Sarah sighed as she held your hand, “You think these people… they will come here?

“There is a possibility, but Sarah, I swear I won’t let anything happen, okay?” You squeeze her hand, “We’re here for you and the kids.”

Joaquin spoke up, “We have made arrangements just in case things go south, I’d suggest you to be ready to move anytime.”

“Okay.” looking at the kids playing in the living room, AJ laughing as Cass plays on the console, “I can’t let them be hurt again Y/N, they’ve been through so much.”

“I know.” You look at Joaquin, he gives you a smile and nods, a silent acknowledgement of the promise you were making to Sarah.

You will keep them safe, and Joaquin will be there for you.

---

Starry night sky, the cool lakeside breeze, and the slanted roof of the Wilson residence.

You took a deep breath as you closed your eyes.

If this was six years ago, from the same spot you could hear Steve and Sam coming up with ideas to locate Bucky, Natasha and Clint in the backyard fighting over something stupid, Sarah and her late husband on the porch setting up the grill, and Wanda making things fly that made Baby AJ giggle.

You opened your eyes, but found only darkness ahead of you. That sliver of hope you had of watching your found family under one roof again was alive for five years… until the minute you saw Natasha didn’t return with Clint, Wanda not even looking in your direction at Tony’s funeral, and Steve going back in time without saying goodbye.

Your throat choked up trying not to cry as you recalled Natasha saving you from the hell called Red Room. She bought you up, taught you everything you know, she was the reason you were alive in the first place. Natasha was your sister in every sense, and she was taken away by fate.

Silently crying, you whisper a prayer off into the night.

“Is this seat taken?” you wiped off your eyes as you heard Joaquin.

He was standing on the attic window, two beers in hand. You shrug as he takes a seat next to you, handing you a beer.

“How did you find me?” you ask him.

“I didn’t actually,” he answers, “I just wanted a place to think for a while.” You notice the tension in his shoulders, he was trying too hard to act cool while something was clearly bothering him.

“Spit it out.” you nudge his shoulder with yours.

His deep brown eyes look at you as you take a sip, and he confesses, “I got a call before I came here. My Abuela.” He takes a deep breath, “She’s cooking up a feast for the local homeless shelter, and I know, I know she’s not well because her voice is raspy and she’s breathing too hard and I begged her to sit this one out, but she’s one stubborn woman, won’t even listen to her only grandson.”

You shock him with a laugh, looking at the dew on your bottle, “Sounds like someone I used to know.”

“Your ex?” he nudges your shoulder playfully.

You laugh, “My sister actually,” recalling flashes of red hair chasing you around the Avengers compound, “yeah, she was a force to be reckoned with.”

“She passed away a year ago.” You admit it out loud, it felt weird to talk about her in the past tense.

You feel his body go rigid beside you, “I’m sorry, I thought…”

“It’s alright.” You look at him, and smile involuntarily, “Natasha was more of a mother to me than a sister, and I can’t believe I’m saying it out loud but… I miss her.”

He acknowledges you silently. But after some time, you hear it in his voice; the moment it hits him, “Natasha… as in… Natasha Romanoff?”

It made you laugh; his jaw wide open in shock, eyes wide. He looked like his eyes would come out of his head. “I don’t go by Y/N Romanoff, for people to react like that.” You point at him and he closes his mouth.

“How… I didn’t know… but you two-”

“- look different?” you bring your knees closer, wrapping your arms around them, “I was adopted.”

“ohhhh.” He drew out the exclamation, taking his sweet time not knowing what else to say.

“She saved me from the Red Room. Took me under the wing, sent me to High School… God knows how that went.” You laughed recalling the absolute menace you were during your teens. “If there was mischief in school, my name was somehow related. And Nat was always there to get me out of it. Except for that one time I blew up the toilets to rebel against the dress code… said I deserved getting suspended.” The fight you had afterwards… Steve and Tony had to interfere or else you both would have torn each other’s heads off.

“My mom once got a call from the local ER when I was twelve.” He spoke up, looking at the stars and a smile spreading on his face, “I drove my bike off of the road and straight into the canal, and hit my head pretty hard. She was mad as hell and Abuela won’t stop fussing about me. I was grounded for the entire semester, but every night we three would sit in the living room to watch whatever was on Cartoon Network.”

There was sadness laced in every word of his, “That was the last summer I had with her. She passed away a few months later.”

You could not say anything.

You knew exactly how he was feeling right this moment, that empty feeling inside your chest left behind after somebody’s gone. You silently hold his hand, acknowledging the hurt he must be going through.

“I must be the last person you want to hear this from, but, know that the hurt you’re feeling right now, y/n,” he gently grasps your hand, “it’s just all the love you have for the person you lost. I don’t want to say it gets easier, but you get better at letting it out over time.”

“Thank you, Joaquin.”

He smiles, taking a sip from his bottle glancing at you. Dark brown pupils looking right into yours.

Damn he’s pretty.

Your heart dropped a beat, a funny feeling in your chest unblurring the next second.

The first thing Natasha and Clint taught you was how to read people. You could tell what was going on in someone’s head just by looking at their subconscious cues. A voice in your head pointing out everything you need to know about them.

It was quite silly to be honest, that voice inside your head that had been quiet for a while now, was screaming at you for not looking at what was right in front of you…

You liked him.

---

“I was not expecting that.” You speak into Sam’s empty room, standing on the doorway with Joaquin.

Cass and AJ had separate rooms, Sarah had hers, and the only empty one was Sam's, which you were to share with Joaquin.

“I’ll sleep on the couch.” He says unprompted.

“No, no, Joaquin, we traveled for the entire day. We’re both tired. We can share the bed.” He was too tall to fit on the couch anyways.

He picked his bags and settled in, “You sure?”

“Yeah. It’s fine. No worries.”

Worries, y/n, you’re not doing this out of goodwill. I mean… His arms? Just imagine how they would look wrapped around your-

You let out an internal scream and started unpacking your luggage before you did something scandalous, freshened up in the washroom and returned to the room to see him lying on one side of the bed, his back to you, wearing only sweatpants and a white vest. Your eyes were drawn straight to his biceps, they looked like they belonged to some sculpture in the dim lamplight.

Someone works out.

You immediately slapped a hand on your mouth realizing you said that out loud. Frozen with embarrassment, you waited to see if he heard that.

When you were certain he didn’t, you took your place on the other side, and were immediately knocked out by the exhaustion.

---

Next Day

You woke up to the smell of pancakes and the shouts of AJ and Cass from the backyard. You stretched out, thinking of any tasks you had to do today. You'd helped Sarah pack a go-bag yesterday and set up the alarms around the house. The only task left was to have a look at the Attic. The clutter filled there could be the best hiding spot for anyone.

After sniffing the smell of fresh pancakes for the second time, you couldn't resist any longer. You swung your legs over the side of the bed and padded downstairs.

Sarah and Joaquin were laughing in the kitchen, the sound warm and inviting. He was wearing an Air Force t-shirt over his sweatpants, his hair still damp from his shower, and a lazy smile playing on his lips. Of course he's a morning person, you thought, a pang of envy hitting you.

"Good morning sleepyhead," Sarah called out, her eyes twinkling.

Joaquin looked up, his smile widening as he saw you. You realized, with a jolt, that you were still in your Naruto pajamas, your hair a complete mess. Panic surged through you, but when you saw him smiling at you, his eyes crinkling at the corners, you relaxed slightly.

"Morning," you mumbled, taking a seat at the table.

"Joaquin made these," Sarah announced proudly, placing a plate of golden brown pancakes in front of you. "They're incredible."

"They are," you agreed, already taking a bite. "God bless you, Sarah, these are heavenly."

"Oh, that's all Joaquin," Sarah said, pouring you a tall glass of something. "I just made the milkshakes."

"Milkshakes!" you exclaimed, your eyes widening.

"Chocolate and caramel," she said, placing the glass in front of you. "With extra cream."

"Thank you!" You high-fived her, then turned to Joaquin. "And thank you, for the pancakes."

"Anytime," he said, taking a bite of his own pancake. He met your gaze, a slow, appreciative smile gracing his lips. You swore you saw a glint of something in his eyes – amusement? Admiration? Something more? You blinked, suddenly unsure of yourself.

Is my head playing tricks with me? you wondered, your heart pounding a little faster than it should be.

---

“Can I ask you something?”

“Hmm…”

“Uhh… What's the whole deal with John Walker?” Joaquin asked while fixing a sensor on the attic window.

All afternoon you had been setting up sensors anywhere there was a blind spot. You don’t want to scare Sarah, but your gut would not be satisfied until the house was a fortress.

“It’s the government’s doing to be honest. I have a feeling it’s gonna implode royally and they’ll be doing anything to cover it up.” You looked up from your tablet, “including taking down Walker.”

“Damn.” He stopped, climbing down the window still, “you speak like you’ve witnessed this before.”

You let out a dry laugh, connecting the sensor to your tablet, “I saw the Avengers being torn apart from the inside.”

“Wait,” he tilts his head, his hair bouncing while doing so, “you were with the Avengers during the Sokovia Accords?”

“Yep.” You sit along the wall under the open window, with the sunlight pooled into the attic and cool air rushing in, and pat the space next to you, “I was eight maybe, when Natasha and Clint saved me from being an assassin for The Red Room.” You took a deep breath, “Grew up with them, I stayed mostly on the sidelines until the Civil War. Then it was three years of being blacklisted by the government and whatnot.” he takes a seat right next to you, your shoulders touching.

“Enough about me,” you look at him, “What about you? Where are you from?”

“Born in Mexico, raised in Arizona.” He looks at you, his eyes in the sunlight shining bright.

Can eyes sparkle? I’ve never seen someone’s eyes sparkle before.

“Damn. Grand Canyons, huh.” you smile as you imagined him in hiking gear.

“Yeah, I’ve been there many times and believe me… it takes my breath away every single time.”

You huff out, “I always wanted to hike on that trail, never got the chance.”

“Maybe you can come with me after all this is over.” He says coyly, nudging your shoulder, “I can show you around, we can go visit other places, Horseshoe Bend, Havasu Falls…”

Y/n… just say it. He can’t be more obvious than this.

You smirk, “Joaquin Torres,” he looks at you, his cheeks turning red, “are you asking me out on a date?”

“Maybe… if you want to.” He looks at the ceiling, and to your amusement, you realize he was blushing, “And I promise I won’t scam you for money…” you laugh out loud, “I’m always up for hiking the trail, you know, because I work out.”

You groan in between laughing, “you heard that!”

“Yeah, I heard you checking me out…”

“…I wasn’t checking you out!” you fall back on the wall, “You have nice arms. That’s all.” You try not to smirk, but you see him do so from the corner of your eye.

“That’s all? What about my sensor uploading skills?” he wavered his eyebrows.

“10 by 10. You remain undefeated.”

Silence falls over as you keep stealing glances at each other. It’s only broken when he says, “You’re really pretty by the way.”

You laugh, and nudge his shoulder, “just pretty?”

“…and a Geek, you looked great in those Naruto pajamas…”

You hide your face in your hands but he continues, “Where did you get them? Costco?”

“I went on tour to Japan, so…” you look into those chocolaty brown eyes again, his face in the sunlight makes his features stand out, your attention going to his lips.

“Maybe you could take me with you next time.” He says, holding your hand, caressing the back as he looks at your lips.

“Only if you want to.” You whisper, leaning in, praying you weren’t reading this wrong.

Joaquin took hold of your neck, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through you. He pulled you closer, your lips meeting in the middle with a soft, exploratory touch. His lips were soft, as you'd imagined, and his hands cradled your face, his thumbs gently stroking your cheekbones. Your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, desperate for more. His tongue darted out, tasting you, a low groan rumbling in his chest that sent shivers down your spine. You wanted him to do more, go further, and you pulled back slightly, your eyes searching his.

Before Joaquin could protest, you straddled him, pushing him back against the wall. His eyes widened in surprise, a predatory glint entering them. You crashed your mouth on his, this time with a fierce urgency. The soft exploration of your first kiss quickly escalated into a desperate demand, your bodies pressed together, a primal need igniting within you.

"Fuck... y/n," he groaned, his hands gripping your hips, his fingers digging into your skin. He pulled back slightly, his lips leaving a trail of hot kisses down your neck, his breath fanning against your skin. He found the sweet spot on your pulse, sucking on it with a possessive intensity that made you arch against him. You gasped, clutching at his shirt, your nails digging into the fabric.

He leaned back, his eyes closed, a blissful moan escaping his lips. "God, you taste incredible," he whispered, his voice rough with desire. He kissed you again, this time a slow, deliberate exploration, his tongue tracing the inside of your mouth, mapping every curve.

Every inch of your body seemed to ignite by his touch, time melting away. There was only him, his hands roaming over your body, his lips devouring yours, and the intoxicating feeling of desire that consumed you both.

High Pitched and Grating, a sensor alarm rang through the attic.

You retreat in shock, like two deer caught in headlights, and Joaquin grabs the tablet and sees where this was happening.

Blood drained from his face as you witnessed at least four flag smashers moving towards the Wilson residence, guns armed, maybe a mile away.

He gets up, “East side?” grabbing the tablet and locking the windows.

“I’ll get Sarah.” You reply, already on your feet rushing downstairs.

---

"Halt," Lucas whispered, his voice a low growl in the pre-dawn darkness. The team crouched low, their figures mere shadows against the backdrop of the dense forest. Sam Wilson's house loomed ahead, a beacon of normalcy in the encroaching gloom.

"I see only two people inside," Matt reported, his voice a whisper cutting through the silence. "No kids." He checked the thermal scanners, the infrared images flickering on his visor.

Artie, his face pale in the moonlight, grabbed Lucas's shoulder. "Karli didn't say anything about kids."

"She told us to bring them alive," Lucas reminded him, his eyes fixed on the house. "And they need to be unharmed for negotiation."

Nadia shifted uncomfortably, her hand tightening around the grip of her revolver. "I don't like this," she muttered, her voice laced with unease. "I didn't agree to harm any kids."

Lucas turned to her, his gaze sharp. "Nadia!" he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. "We're doing this. One way or the other. Stop whining and get to work."

He took a deep breath, the metallic scent intensifying. "One World..." he began, his voice echoing in the stillness.

"One people," his team responded in unison, their voices a low, guttural chant.

With a silent, coordinated movement, they emerged from the shadows, their figures gliding towards the Wilson residence, the air thick with anticipation and a chilling sense of foreboding.

---

"Go, go, go!" you barked, adrenaline surging through you. You snatched Sarah's bag, your fingers brushing against the cool metal of the handgun inside. You grabbed AJ's hand, his small fingers clutching yours tightly, and ushered them towards the waiting car.

Cass and Sarah were already running, their figures mere shadows against the encroaching twilight. You threw the bags in the backseat, your movements a blur, then helped Cass and AJ climb in.

Sarah slid behind the wheel, her face pale. "Y/n, what are you doing?!" she gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"I have to stay here," you said, your voice firm. "Make sure they don't follow you." You shoved your Glock into Sarah's hand.

A roar from inside the house cut through the tension. "Y/n! They're here!" Joaquin's voice, amplified by the sudden silence, echoed through the air.

"Sarah, I promise I'll be fine," you said, your gaze locked with Cass's in the rearview mirror. Tears were streaming down her face, but she nodded, her small frame trembling. "You have to go." You shoved your tablet into her hands, a desperate plea in your eyes. "Remember what I told you earlier. You'll be safe here."

"Sarah, go!" you screamed, your voice hoarse.

You watched as the car lurched forward, disappearing down the dirt road that snaked towards the water. A beep on your watch confirmed her location, a fleeting sense of relief washing over you.

Phase One. Over.

Phase Two. Let's go.

You sprinted through the back door, the house suddenly feeling eerily silent. Joaquin was already there, a grim set to his jaw. He was clad in his SHIELD armor, the sleek black material gleaming in the dim light. Guns and your emergency bag lay scattered across the kitchen table, a grim testament to the impending battle. You stole a glance at the tablet, its screen flickering with life as it ran facial recognition on the figures outside.

"Ready?" you asked, your voice a low growl, as you slipped on the bulletproof vest and began loading the magazines.

"Yeah," Joaquin replied, his eyes scanning the room, assessing the situation.

You looked out the window, the setting sun casting long, eerie shadows across the yard. "Let's hope Sam doesn't sue us for destroying his house," you muttered.

To be continued...

Part 2

A/N - Thank you everyone for sticking with me till the end of this fic! if you liked it please let me know through the asks and the comments. Love y'all, Take Care!

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