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kandisheek · 24 days

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FIC REC WEEK 14 – AUTHOR WEEK

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: RayShippouUchiha

There are many amazing things about RayShippouUchiha's writing, but what always stands out to me is the way they write people being enamored with Tony. I have a soft spot for female Tony, and Ray writes some of the best fem!Tony fics I've found in this fandom. Some of their fics read like straight up poetry, and they're a master of both the angsty and the fluffy. I have a lot of their fics lined up to rec them in other weeks, so if you don't see your favorites in this list, don't worry, they're probably coming up at some other point this year.

Here's some of their work that I think you should check out:

Fearful Symmetry

Pairing: Bucky/Tony Rating: T Words: 5,684 Tags: Shapeshifters, Kidnapping, Team as Family

Summary: He’s obviously in the warehouse district near the docks, probably in one of the abandoned packing plants or something of the like. Honestly at this point this kidnapping couldn’t get more cliché if it actively tried. “Service sucks and the wait staff stole my clothes,” Tony whispers, unable to help himself as he slinks down the hall, “Zero stars, would not come again.”

Reasons why I love it: BAMF Tony getting himself out of tough scrapes will never not be an instant win for me. Couple that with a worried-sick team and pining Bucky who just wants to keep Tony safe, and there's a perfect recipe for Kandi-bait. Also, there's shifters, so, you know, what's not to love? Especially when Tony's true nature is revealed - it fits him so well, and I really love the mental images I got from that scene. I love this fic, and I bet you will too!

Grip. Chamber. Sights.

Pairing: Bucky/fem!Tony Rating: T Words: 14,824 Tags: Longing, Awkward Flirting, Recovery

Summary: He thinks maybe he should be unsettled by the impact she’s had on him. Thinks maybe it should chafe. That maybe it should remind him of HYDRA and having his choices, his will, ripped away from him. It doesn’t. She doesn’t. It, she, the memory of her, feels like choice.

Reasons why I love it: God, Bucky's devotion to Toni in this one is so pure and right. Their first meeting is perfect, and I love how Toni is the one to get Bucky to really reflect on his life and the choices he has. Plus, Bucky's attempts at flirting are both hilarious and adorable. This fic is amazing, and I highly encourage you to read it!

The Beat We Drum

Pairing: Bucky/Tony Rating: T Words: 1,510 Tags: Honeymoon, Trans Tony, Comfort No Hurt

Summary: Tony isn’t sure what he wouldn’t be willing to suffer to have this, to have this sun-drenched morning where he feels safe and whole. To have years stretching out in front of him with the possibility of so many more of these mornings yet to come.

Reasons why I love it: Newlywed Winteriron is just - gah, I love it so much. They're both snarky assholes, and they fit together like the imperfect puzzle pieces that they are. I really love the banter in this one, and the promise of future sexytime is really hot. I hope you give this one a shot, because it's fantastic!

Monday In A Cafe (All You Did Was Look My Way)

Pairing: Bucky/Tony Rating: T Words: 6,301 Tags: Meet-cute, Coffee Shop, Love at First Sight

Summary: Then Gorgeous, as Bucky abruptly names him in his head, slides a bit further down the counter and reaches for his wallet. He pulls out what Bucky’s pretty sure is a crisp hundred and stuffs it into the tip jar Clint decorated to look like a bulls-eye. And then he turns and looks directly at Bucky. Staring into big doe eyes from across the way Bucky resists the urge to bring his hand up to grip at his chest. Because that split second is all it takes. One look and Bucky is officially gone.

Reasons why I love it: They're such idiots in love, I live! Bucky is so cute when he fawns over Tony like a lovesick fool, and the exasperation of everyone around him just makes it even funnier. And the identity porn is hilarious, oblivious Bucky is my favorite. This fic is like a cup of hot chocolate with extra marshmallow fluff, so go ahead and enjoy it!

The Straight Path (Until The End Of My Days)

Pairing: Steve/Tony, Steve/Bucky/Tony Rating: T Words: 5,389 Tags: Fix-it, Angst with a Happy Ending, Murder

Summary: “Buck,” Steve whispers then, voice low like a secret, “I don’t … I don’t think I want to live in a world without him. I don’t think I can.” “Ah hell Stevie,” Bucky laughs, soft and fond and just a bit sad. “I always knew that.”

Reasons why I love it: This is such a beautiful fix-it. Ray does a fantastic job of presenting the original timeline in a way that feels viscerally awful, enough so to make Steve want a do-over. And the things he does - even though they're super dark, holy fuck - actually make sense for his character. I love this fic so much, and I really hope you decide to read it for yourself, because it's amazing!

#marvel #stony #stuckony #winteriron #ficrec #fanfic rec #fic rec #a year in fanfic recs #author week

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pandagirl45 · 1 year

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Steve: *stares at the twilight people* why are they all... not spooky

Bucky: Sex appeal, which I call bullshit, obviously, vampires are hotter when they are a little gross looking

Steve: *squints* Bucky you wanna tell me something?

Bucky: I said what I said

[Cuts to Tony trying and failing to hide his vampire teeth]

Tony: *yawns sleepily dress his sloppiest over hearing Bucky talking about vampires with Steve*...well then

#tony stark #bucky barnes #winteriron #this can be stony too #Or even all three #These idiots #Tony as vampire that is a slob #Blood stained shirt and uncut nails #one of his fangs are broken and he is definitely due for a week shower #His monster form is just pale and blue dull eyes

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just-fandomthings · 1 year

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I said 52k words yesterday for of monsters and men. I was either very off, or I wrote some 7000 words in two days ✌🏻

#of monsters and men #winteriron #my fanfic #now that this work has become the project forefront in my mind #expect an update on my writing at least once a week #im really really proud of this one #i want to finish this story before i publish it

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riotwritesthings · 5 months

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Crushing Comfort

WinterIron, T, 500 - Avengers Academy, fluff, a touch of insecure!Bucky

Tony needs some comfort, he just forgot one minor detail

you may notice, this is not the AvAc!Tony thing I've been talking about on the ol' tumblr. That's still happening. But I can never resist making a cute tumblr post about my boys, so here's this also.

Bucky looks up when the elevator dings, a smile already growing on his face. Tony’s expression is dark as he steps out though, squeezing his way between the doors before they’re fully open and then making a beeline straight for his bedroom.

After a second of indecision, Bucky pushes himself to his feet and follows him. He finds Tony collapsed face down on his massive bed, and Bucky considers him for a moment.

A couple of weeks ago, Bucky would have assumed Tony forgot that they were supposed to get dinner, and he’d silently slink out of the tower feeling insecure and crestfallen.

By now though, he’s pretty damn sure that Tony is just being dramatic.

”You okay, sugar?“ Bucky asks, a smile barely tugging at his lips as he tries to shove down the vicious little voice in the back of his head whispering that Tony doesn’t want him here.

”My day has been bad,“ Tony says heavily, rolling over onto his back with a truly impressive flailing of limbs. Once he’s sprawled out and staring at the ceiling, he sighs loudly again before holding both of his arms up in the air and announcing, ”I require snuggles.“

”I’m on it,“ Bucky says with a soft huff of laughter, warmth swelling so huge in his chest that it’s almost hard to breathe around. Take that, mean little voice in his head, Tony very much does want him here.

He crosses the room in a couple of steps and climbs up onto his knees on the huge bed, carefully positioning himself. Then he collapses down on top of Tony, knocking all the air out of the smaller boy in an audible rush of air.

”Oof,“ Tony groans, his hands landing on Bucky’s sides and patting frantically, ”holy shit, how did I forget how heavy you are?“

“What are you trying to say?” Bucky asks, lifting himself just enough to pout down at Tony.

“I’m saying that you are a solid brick house of a man, and you are crushing me.“

”This is what you wanted,“ Bucky reminds him with a grin, collapsing down on top of him again.

”Not like this, I wanted comfort,” Tony wheezes dramatically, “I want to live.”

”Shh, I’m comforting you,“ Bucky says, tucking his chin on top of Tony’s head and covering him entirely.

”You’re crushing me,“ Tony gasps out, even though Bucky is making sure he’s still holding himself up a little, that he can still feel the full swell of Tony’s chest beneath him.

”Is it comforting?“ Bucky asks, fighting down a laugh.

”No,“ Tony says, but he’s laughing too and tugging at Bucky’s jacket playfully now.

Bucky hums thoughtfully, and then lowers himself down onto Tony a tiny bit more as he says, ”Well, give it a minute.“

Tony laughs harder, his face tucked into the hollow of Bucky’s throat and his arms winding around Bucky’s waist, pulling him closer.

After another second Bucky rolls onto his side, taking Tony with him and smiling doplily when Tony instantly snuggles in closer against his chest. “Wanna tell me about your day?” he asks, running his fingers through Tony’s hair.

“Not yet,” Tony replies, and then lets out a contented sigh, “I just need a bit more comfort first.”

“You got it sugar,” Bucky says, and then rolls on top of him again while Tony laughs.

#winteriron #starkbucks #AvAc!Winteriron #bucky/tony #no i will never let Avengers Academy go thanks for asking

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nicoline1998enilocin · 1 month

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Hungry eyes

PAIRING | Husband!Bucky Barnes x Husband!Tony Stark

WORD COUNT | 1.1K

SUMMARY | Growing up, neither Bucky nor Tony ever thought they would get married, but it was an absolute no-brainer when they found love in each other. Now that they're on their honeymoon together, they cannot stop touching and loving each other, wanting to be close to one another for as long as possible.

RATING | Explicit (E)

WARNINGS/TAGS | Age gap, established relationship, honeymoon, use of nicknames (Sugar)

SMUT | Porn without plot, top!Bucky Barnes, bottom!Tony Stark, Bucky has no refractory period, shower sex, daddy kink, dirty talk, praise kink, hair pulling, spanking, use of a butt plug, unprotected anal sex (wrap it before you tap it!), implied oral (M receiving), multiple orgasms

A/N | This is my first attempt at writing for WinterIron, so I would love to hear your feedback. From here on out, I will also accept requests for these two, so please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any! This story has been proofread, but any and all mistakes are still my own. 💙

Banners: Yours truly | Divider: @firefly-graphics | GIF: Source

Main Masterlist | WinterIron Masterlist

Tony looks back on the day he married his now-husband, Bucky, with fond memories as he steps into the shower in their second house in Italy, where they stay for the next three weeks. He slept in while Bucky decided to go for a run, but he couldn't seem to fall asleep again. Instead, he decided to go shower in the hopes of his husband joining him - he didn't work a plug into himself for nothing.

As the warm water cascades down his cream-colored skin, Tony turns to pick out some music. However, before he gets the chance, his large, dark-haired husband crowds in on him in the shower cabin with a smirk and an appreciative look. Sweaty from his run, he needs Tony all the same.

"Hmm, you're a sight for sore eyes like this, Sugar," Bucky groans as he pulls Tony against his chest, his lips placing soft kisses on the skin where his shoulder morphs into his neck. Tony's head lolls to the side, giving Bucky the space he wants.

"How was your run?" Tony asks in a breathy voice as Bucky's vibranium hand wanders over his husband's side and up to his chest, where he finds the very sensitive nipples he can't get enough of and his flesh hand is buried in the curls on Tony's head. The gasp Tony lets out when Bucky pinches Tony's nipple with his fingers goes straight to his cock, making it twitch in excitement.

"Are you sure you want to talk about my run right now?" Bucky asks in his deep, rumbling voice, but Tony shakes his head to the best of his ability.

"N-no, I w-want you, Daddy," Tony croaks out, and Bucky smiles. Bucky has barely touched him, yet he's already a goner for him. Tony's cock is hard as a rock when Bucky wraps his vibranium hand around it, and Tony lets out a content sound as he slowly works it up and down his shaft, Bucky rutting his own against Tony's ass.

"You like that, huh? You like it when Daddy plays with your delicious, sensitive cock?" Bucky asks, but Tony is too far gone to provide him with a proper answer to his question. Between the warmth of the shower and the feeling of his husband wrapped around his cock, he is fully content right now.

"Yeah? And do you want Daddy to play with this deliciously tight ass of yours too?" Bucky asks, allowing Tony to push his ass back against him in response. Bucky lets his flesh hand glide down from Tony's hair down his back and between his cheeks while his metal one is still working Tony up and down slowly. Not enough to have him cum yet, but more than enough to have him near the edge.

"What's this? You really want to get fucked by Daddy, don't you? Such a desperate little slut for me, working yourself open without me knowing," Bucky tuts and a deep red shade covers Tony's cheeks and neck. Seeing his husband like this has Bucky almost on his knees for him because he goes crazy for the blush spreading across Tony’s beautiful, creamy skin.

With skilled fingers, Bucky slowly works out the plug from Tony's ass, taking his time not to hurt him. Tony seemed to have used plenty of lube, so it slides out without too much resistance, making Tony gasp when the gold metal plug slides out. The loss of the metal plug leaves him clenching around nothing, but his rim doesn't close - instead, it stays open precisely the way Bucky likes it.

"Hmm, you're doing so good for me, Sugar; now be a good boy and lean forward, so Daddy can fuck your ass like it's meant to be fucked," Bucky says through gritted teeth. Bucky grabs his cock with his flesh hand before pumping it up and down a couple of times, the vibranium one gripping Tony's hip to ensure he stays still.

He carefully feeds his cock into Tony's ass, making sure not to go too fast as he does so. With slow, shallow movements, he works it further and further in until his hips meet his husband's. A loud groan escapes Bucky's chest as he looks at the way they fit together perfectly, taking his sweet time to pull out before slamming his cock into his husband in one stroke.

The sound coming from Tony's lips is downright pornographic as his husband hits his prostate in that very same thrust, his fists clenching where they're leaning against the wall. While Bucky clenches his teeth at the feeling of the tight heat enveloping his cock, he can't stop himself from grunting too, his orgasm nearing quickly.

"God, such an easy slut for me, letting me use this hole whenever I want," Bucky tells Tony with a smirk, and the sound of skin slapping against wet skin intensifies with every thrust. Tony's jaw is slack as the moans tumbling from his lips become uncontrollable, his knees starting to buckle as the pleasure intensifies.

"B-Bucky-" Tony pleads, letting him know he's close. With a loud smack on his ass, Bucky corrects him - Tony knows better than that about what to call his husband right now.

"What did you just call me?" Bucky says sharply as he pulls Tony close, grabbing his throat so they're standing chest-to-back. Bucky's pace doesn't even falter for a second, and he looks over Tony's shoulder to see his husband's cock bobbing up and down, neglected and flushed red, as he's desperately close to the edge.

"M sorry, Daddy," Tony finally manages to say, earning him a 'good boy' in response. Tony goes wild for Bucky's praise, so he always uses it sparingly, wanting to keep it special for the other man.

"Cum with me, Sugar, fuck 'm close!" Bucky pants out as he speeds up even more as his orgasm is rapidly approaching, and he snakes an arm around Tony's waist to grab hold of Tony's cock, jerking it at the same speed as his thrusts.

"Daddy, please," Tony whines, and with a few more sloppy thrusts, Bucky can feel him clenching around his cock, milking him for all he's worth, as his cum shoots against the wall, followed by an uncontrollable moan. Not long after, Bucky cums, too, as his cum shoots deep into his husband, groaning as he does.

"That's it, Sugar, you're doin' so well for Daddy," Bucky praises him as he rides out both their orgasms. When he's done, he pulls out carefully, scooping out the cum that threatens to leak out and fucking it back into Tony with a loud squelch. Bucky hums appreciatively as he looks at his rim, which doesn't want to close, instead fluttering weakly.

"How about you put that beautiful mouth to some good use now, Sugar?" Bucky says with a wicked smile, and Tony immediately nods before sinking to his knees, ready to do as his husband asks. He wants to be his good boy, after all.

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jacksdabbles · 8 months

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I am in LOVE with your WinterIron art, thank you for giving us wonderful things to look at <3

firstly thank you anon as late as this was i was meaning to answer with a lil something to all you that have just honestly been huge motivators

I appreciate each and every one of you supporting me all the way ❤️❤️

i was actually thinking of building a little winteriron comic maybe next week if anyone wants to put some input ie however ya guys want the little comic strip to go

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otpcutie · 10 months

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The Upside (2.8k)

Summary (Winteriron, E): Tony and Bucky give each other permission to get off while body swapped.

Contains: body swap AU, found family, transguy Tony, flirting, teasing, mutual pining, boys in love, fluff, jerking off, smut (more on AO3)

A/N: This idea won in my recent poll so as promised, here it is!

@buckybarnesevents Hot Bucky Summer, Week 5: fireworks & electricity / @lgbtqbingo fill: accidental boner / @anyfandomfluffbingo fill: fingering / @anyfandomaubingo fill: body swap / @allcapsbingo fill: Captain America Steve Rogers / @bingowinteriron fill: trans character / @buckybarnesbingo fill: body swap/body sharing / @tonystarkbingo fill: handle with care

Preview below:

“And then—” Steve paused, no longer able to focus with the way Bucky was squirming around in his seat.

He was so used to Tony, the little gremlin, being the disruptive one in meetings that it had taken a second for Steve’s brain to register that it was Bucky this time. Despite it not actually being his face he was looking at.

It was all very strange, the result of an experiment gone awry.

At least they knew the effects would only last a week but that didn’t explain why Bucky couldn’t seem to keep still that afternoon, or why he hadn’t been participating.

Steve huffed, at his wits end with his family of misfits, “What is wrong with you?”

♥︎ Continue on AO3 ♥︎ My Masterlist ♥︎

#winteriron #bucky x tony #winteriron fic #winteriron moodboard #otpcutie #otpcutie fics #otpcutie moodboards #ficlets #hotbuckysummer2023

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winterironevents · 1 year

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You must be 18+ to participate.

We are gauging interest for a WinterIron Mini Reverse Bang!

You could use a WinterIron Bingo square for this event, but you don't have to be signed up for the Bingo to sign up for the Bang!

Artist sign ups would go from June 15th to July 1st. Writer sign ups would last from July 1st to July 25th. Claims would be July 26th & 27th. You would get your assignment on July 29th, and it would be posted the week of November 1st-8th. A more detailed schedule can be found on the interest form.

Art accepted includes hand-drawn or digital art, graphic design, manips, fanvids, and crafts.

The fic minimum would be 3k words.

For more information and to fill out our anonymous 5 question interest form, click here. Please reblog to spread the word!

@thebigbangblogproject @marvel-events-central @trackmarvel

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polizwrites · 4 months

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PoliZ’s Seasonal Self-Recs - Holiday/Christmas/New Year’s Eve Edition

With Christmas Eve a week away, here’s some seasonally appropriate fics I’ve written/participated in - arranged by pairing. A/N: I’m somewhat surprised I haven’t written any Stony Christmas fluff - guess I ought to fix that…

WinterIron Bingo Round Robin - December 2023 (Bucky/Tony, General, 2055 words) Tony and Bucky decorate the tree during their first Christmas together – will Morgan approve? And what else does Bucky have planned?

Letters To Santa (Bucky/Tony, General, 754 words) When Morgan insists that her daddy write a letter to Santa, Tony asks for a Christmas miracle - to somehow run into that handsome kind-hearted man from the coffee shop again. (Sequel to An Act of Kindness)

Silver And Gold (and Hot Rod Red) (Bucky/Tony, General, 360 words) Bucky and Tony share holiday memories as they decorate their tree; Tony provides the finishing touch. (bonus fanart!)

Itching to Celebrate (Bucky/Tony, General, 100 words) Bucky surprises his boyfriend Tony with a fully-decorated Christmas tree in their living room. The surprise doesn't go quite as planned.

Where the Love Light Gleams (Bucky/Tony, General, 1352 words) Tony's minor mishap caused by flying back to the Tower through a blizzard results in an unexpected (but very welcome) Christmas gift. (Featuring matchmaking by JARVIS and the 'bots.)

I’ll Wait Up For You, Dear (Bucky/Steve, Mature, 385 words) After a business meeting the day before Christmas, James gets a flirty video call from his sugar baby, Steve.

Stucky Bingo December 2022 Round Robin (Bucky/Steve, General, 2178 words) It's December. The weather is cold. Time to reminisce with hot chocolate and dancing.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Bucky/Steve, Teen, 1100 words) Bucky leaves a New Year’s party and runs into a stranger with a problem; he goes out on a limb to offer some help.

Muddling Through (Steve & Bucky, General, 1266 words) "Those aren’t the right words... to that song.” He didn’t know how he knew it, but it was true. He didn’t know how he knew a lot of things. Memories came back at random, so he was keeping a notebook, trying to piece things together.

I Make Toys (But I Have Aspirations) (Steve & Tony, General, 346 words) It wasn’t that Tony didn’t like working for Santa. It’s just that he wondered sometimes if maybe he was meant for more. One day, his friend Steve asks for his help, and Tony finds his true purpose.

Better Be Good for Goodness’ Sake (Bucky/Sam, Teen, 358 words) Bucky over-reacts to a Christmas morning conundrum; Sam is not surprised, but mildly amused.

Things Are Looking Up (Bucky/Sam, General, 551 words) Bucky’s reaction to a Wilson family tradition gets Sam to check in with his teammate and friend; crystalizing their connection.

In Case I Stand One Little Chance (Bucky/Steve/Tony, General, 485 words - ficlet + moodboard) Steve and Bucky 'help' Tony pick out gifts for each other; Tony misunderstands their reasoning.

#writing stuff #mcu/marvel #seasonal #self recs #Shameless Self Promo #winteriron #stucky #SamBucky

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reforgedzine · 1 year

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One week left until preorders close! After that, we can’t guarantee you’ll get a zine. There will likely be a leftover sale after we send it all out, but it might not cover all items and will only offer a small amount. Two of the stretch goals have already been hit, that means you additionally get a Behind-the-Scenes PDF in any pack, and a print of the cover in the merch packs. Look at all the Bucky/Tony goodness! You can check out the contributors on our homepage and see snippets on social media. We have over 45 artists and writers who created over 160 pages of beautiful words, pictures and comics! All profits go to Doctors Without Borders. Preorder your winteriron fanzine now at https://www.reforgedzine.com/shop/ Preorders close after March 11.

#winteriron #buckytony #tonybucky #fanzine #marvel #zine #bucky x tony #tony x bucky #charity fanzine #trackmarvel #reforgedzine

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kandisheek · 4 months

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A YEAR IN FANFIC RECS

Hello, hello, hello! This year I'm dipping my toes into something I've never done before - recommending fanfiction. And since I can't do things by halves, I'm going to post recs every single day for this entire year. I'll have a theme for each week, which I'll add to this masterpost as I go along. This is the schedule I'll be following:

MONDAYS: 1 long fic (50k+)

TUESDAYS: 3 mid length fics (15-50k)

WEDNESDAYS: 1 series (with at least 3 fics)

THURSDAYS: 1 long fic (50k+)

FRIDAYS: 5 short fics (0-15k)

SATURDAYS: 1 author spotlight

SUNDAYS: 5 more fics I love

I can't wait to get started on this adventure, and I hope I can show you guys some fics you might not have read before :) Always remember to leave comments and kudos and let's gooo!

See all masterposts below:

Week 1: STONY FAVORITES

Week 2: WINTERIRON FAVORITES

Week 3: STUCKY FAVORITES

Week 4: STUCKONY FAVORITES

Week 5: FLUFF

Week 6: SMUT

Week 7: ANGST

Week 8: OT6

Week 9: AUs

Week 10: FOUND FAMILY

Week 11: A/B/O

Week 12: OTHER MARVEL SHIPS

Week 13: MISSION FIC

Week 14: AUTHOR WEEK

Week 15: ART

Week 16: DARK FIC

#fanfic recs #fanfiction recommendations #marvel #kandi recs #fanfic #a year in fanfic recs #fic recs #ficrec

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satashiiwrites · 9 months

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Snippet sunday

Tagged by @monsterrae1 for a seven snippet sunday. Thanks for the tag Rae! I’m pretty sure @outtoshatter also tagged me for a wip whenever earlier this week when I was mostly focusing on surviving the work week (so thanks Gia!).

Low pressure tagging @outtoshatter (you never said no tag backs!) @tkwritesdumbassassins @alyxmastershipper @westernlarch @missanniewhimsy @whimsyswastry @rosieposiepuddingnpie @quietborderline and whoever else wants to play along

From my rough trade project that I’m yeeting tonight.

Title: Scintillation (excerpt from chapter 3)

Fandom: MCU

Pairings: Winteriron, Erik Killmonger/T’Challa, one sided Stucky. Tony Stark & Ho Yinsen.

Tags/warnings: panic attack this chapter. Erik is a warning in and of himself. Deals with canon events with canon level violence + added sex (not this snippet).

Through the bond, Tony can feel that James is… happy.

He doesn’t know what to do with this feeling and it’s very distracting.

“How am I not boring you?” He doesn’t mean for it to sound defensive but it does.

James is amused instead of offended. “You’re passionate about figuring things out and it animates you. Why would I not like something that you find interesting?”

Tony is perplexed. “Most people don’t?”

“I am not most people. I’m your sentinel.”

If he’s telling the truth, Tony’s often been told to get to the point. He’d been coached on how to make business presentations and had maybe self-medicated with alcohol for years. Extremis had put a final kibosh on what little drinking he’d done after the whole palladium-poisoning pity party had blown up in his face.

What was the point of drinking if you couldn’t get drunk unless you actively were trying to poison yourself? He’d noticed that James didn’t mind a beer or two but otherwise didn’t really touch the stuff.

“You don’t drink do you?” Tony asks, already onto the next topic.

“It doesn’t really do much for me and… well….”

“Well what?”

James’ eyes go unfocused, like he’s seeing straight through Tony. “We used to party when we were on leave—didn’t get too many of them. One time me and the Howlies were in London and Steve was spending time with his dame, Peggy, and Howard was with us too… it was a bad bombing that night. I haven’t… I didn’t like those memories and I associate it with being drunk.”

“When exactly did you become a supe?”

“A supe?” James arches an eyebrow playfully and Tony can feel the teasing tug on their bond.

“A super soldier. Like Steve.”

James frowns, thinking which feels like an itch at the back of Tony’s brain now that he’s focusing on how the sentinel feels through their bond. “I… things weren’t normal after he rescued me.”

“You mean the first time?” Tony doesn’t think that James means Steve’s most recent rescue attempt.

“Yeah. I mean, I could get drunk but it took a lot. Was told I was being a right unfunny bastard by Dum Dum because I was hogging the liquor and he wanted me to share.”

“So you were showing signs of the serum?”

James shakes his head minutely, rubbing his hands through his hair and tugging on it to show the question was difficult for him to answer. “I… I think I was starting to come online as a sentinel.”

Tony considers this information which is new. There’d been many failures over the years to reproduce the super soldier serum that had made Steve. Hell, Extremis’ fix had used his dad’s VitaRays as a starting point to solve the energy overload problems. Tony knew the VitaRays weren’t the part that had worked to make Steve into Captain America, despite some other research to the contrary that SHIELD may or may not have funded.

“Was Steve online before the serum?”

James’ attention refocuses on Tony. “Yeah. I’m pretty sure he came online when his mom died. She was just like him and both of them wouldn’t stand for any sort of thing they thought was wrong. I spent a lot of time rescuing Steve after he picked a back alley fight with someone twice his size and three times as mean.”

“I’ve seen pictures of what he looked like before the serum. It really transformed him.”

“I didn’t recognize him at first when he showed up in Austria. He… it wasn’t just how he looked. He smelled different.”

“Well he’d been running around dodging bullets and bombs so it makes sense that he’d smell like a war.”

“I’m not talking that. I’m talking… everyone smells slightly different. It’s… it’s your smell,” James tries to explain, wrinkling his nose and rubbing it. “Steve smelled different after he became a super soldier.”

“Huh. What do I smell like?”

James’ smile takes on a hungry edge. “Darling…”

“What do I smell like to a sentinel?”

Instead of answering, James rolls them so that Tony is beneath him. Closing his eyes, the sentinel breathes in deeply through his nose twice before he lowers himself to settle his weight between Tony’s legs and press his nose to the angle of Tony’s jaw. It’s not sexual, the bond hums with intense focus and Tony doesn’t feel trapped so he lightly rests his hands on James’ back.

“Babe?”

James’ inhale in noisy because he does it with his face pressed against Tony’s, eyes fluttering open as he stares right into Tony’s eyes. “You smell like home. Like you’re mine,”

The tenderness of his sentinel’s affection laps at the bond like waves breaking on a distant shore.

Tony’s never been someone somebody permanently wants. He’s a one-night stand kind of guy because he gets too attached and then relationships implode—for example Pepper. With Pepper he’s been able to keep their friendship but it’s not the same as it was. He can tell sometimes that he tries her patience more than he used to, that he scares her when he does what he has to as Iron Man.

He’s scared to take that final step with James. To let him in all the way. Nobody has liked what they’ve seen when they really look at Tony. They like the shiny baubles and the money. The things he can do for them or give them.

Everyone tires of him eventually.

“Darling—I don’t know what you’re thinking about right now but stop it,” James growls and it pulls Tony out of the maelstrom of pity and self-hatred he’d been sinking into.

James’ hold is now claustrophobic and Tony pushes at him. “Can you please…?”

The sentinel rolls away as if burned and sits up next to Tony. “Tony?”

“Sorry. I know it’s too much,” Tony has climbed out of bed and is standing awkwardly next to it. James and Elsa—who he’d forgotten—are both watching him with matching expressions of concern. It’d be funny if Tony wasn’t holding on by his fingernails to stop the panic attack threatening to overwhelm him from taking over.

Before he can completely shatter, T’Challa’s shields cover his, filling in the widening cracks. He hears a snarl of a big cat and Erik’s concerned “Tones?” before he passes out, overwhelmed.

#snippet sunday #wip whenever #winteriron #tony stark #james buchanan bucky barnes #not cap friendly #Erik Killmonger/t’Challa #erik killmonger #t’challa #Mcu #mcu fic #rough trade july 2023 #25k or bust #scintillation

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winterironmonth · 1 year

Text

INTRODUCING WINTERIRON MONTH 2023

We apologize for being late for those of you who like to have time to plan what you are going to write in advance for events like this, time got away from us both last month but here are the prompts to show our two favorite iron dummies some love!

EVENT INFO:

WinterIron Month is a month long event with the intent to create new works but also recommend works created by others! There are two (2) weeks in which prompts are given. There is one (1) SFW prompt week, while there is one (1) NSFW prompt week. During these two prompt weeks, there are three (3) prompts given each day—you can choose which one(s) to do—and you are more than welcome to combine all three prompts for a day.

All types of creations are accepted whether it be writing, artwork, moodboards, fanvids, playlists, crafts, or anything else! The type of work you want to create is yours to chose from.

The other two weeks are rec weeks, one (1) week for SFW recs and one (1) week for NSFW recs. During these two weeks, there are a general (or at least we tried to make most of them broad/general) category in which you will recommend another creator’s work that falls under that category!

You can participate as much as you would like, there is no minimum amount or maximum! We just want people to have fun.

WHEN POSTING YOUR WORK ON YOUR BLOG:

At the TOP of your work, please state which WEEK, DAY and TYPE of prompt (e.g., ‘SFW Sunday: Word’ or ‘NSFW Wednesday: Dialogue/Sentence’. Please don’t do this: ‘SFW Thursday: Birthday’) you’ve done, to make it easier for us mods, to tag accordingly when we reblog!

To help us see/find your work easier, tag us @winterironmonth in your post.

WHEN POSTING YOUR WORK TO AO3:

Add your work to our collection, and also state which WEEK, DAY, and TYPE of prompt you’ve done in the SUMMARY section (e.g., ‘SFW Sunday: Word’ or ‘NSFW Wednesday: Dialogue/Sentence’. Please don’t do this: ‘SFW Thursday: Birthday).

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

If you still have more questions, check out our FAQ or check out our faq tag.

PROMPT LIST/SCHEDULE:

SFW Week One (March 1st-March 7th):

Wednesday (March 1st):

TROPE/AU: Second Chances

WORD: Dancing

DIALOGUE: “The first time you smiled it felt like the universe aligned.”

Thursday (March 2nd):

TROPE/AU: Secret Kisses

WORD: Curses

DIALOGUE: "You need to know that I have grown to care for you. Deeply."

Friday (March 3rd):

TROPE/AU: Bodysharing

WORD: Medicine

DIALOGUE: "Let's not BeReal, let's BeEngaged... That was corny, huh?"

Saturday (March 4th):

TROPE/AU: Breakfast in Bed

WORD: Stars

DIALOGUE: "I don't know if I can't bring myself to speak it."

Sunday (March 5th):

TROPE/AU: Small Town Dynamics

WORD: Masks

DIALOGUE: “You know where to find me.”

Monday (March 6th):

TROPE/AU: Natural Disaster

WORD: Helmet

DIALOGUE: "You can't divorce me just because you lost in the game. It doesn't work like that!"

Tuesday (March 7th):

Trope/AU: Roommate AU

WORD: Banana

DIALOGUE: "One of us is clearly smarter than the other."

SFW Recs Week Two (March 8th-14th):

Wednesday (March 8th): Your Favorite Slow Burn Fic

Thursday (March 9th): Most Underappreciated Fic You've Read

Friday (March 10th): A Fic You Had To Mentally Recover From

Saturday (March 11th): Your Favorite AU Fic

Sunday (March 12th): The Funniest Fic You Read Recently

Monday (March 13th): Your Favorite Canon Fic

Tuesday (March 14th): A Fic That Inspired You To Write

NSFW Week Three (March 15th-21st):

Wednesday (March 15th):

TROPE/KINK: Gunplay

WORD: Whip

DIALOGUE: “I swear it was an accident.”

Thursday (March 16th):

TROPE/KINK: Blindfold

WORD: Massage

DIALOGUE: "What's that saying? Save a cowboy, ride a horse?? Or was it save a horse, ride a cowboy? Yeah, I dunno. I just know I want to fuck you."

Friday (March 17th):

TROPE/KINK: Cum Play

WORD: Brothel

DIALOGUE: "Are you really that oblivious?"

Saturday (March 18th):

TROPE/KINK: Muscle Kink

WORD: Licking

DIALOGUE: "There is no such thing as a nice murderer."

Sunday (March 19th):

TROPE/KINK: Body Worship

WORD: Seduction

DIALOGUE: “Let me see those eyes.”

Monday (March 20th):

TROPE/KINK: Sensation Play

WORD: Defiance

DIALOGUE: “Don’t hold back.”

Tuesday (March 21st):

TROPE/KINK: Oral Fixation

WORD: Meddling

DIALOGUE: "Ruin me."

NSFW Recs Week Four (March 22nd-28th):

Wednesday (March 22nd): The Last NSFW Fic You Read

Thursday (March 23rd): A Fic You Started For The NSFW But Stayed For The Plot

Friday (March 24th): A NSFW Fic You Will Always Go Back To Re-read

Saturday (March 25th): A Fic With Your Favorite NSFW Trope

Sunday (March 26th): A NSFW Fic That Made You Cry

Monday (March 27th): A NSFW Fic That's Sweet Like Candy

Tuesday (March 28th): Your Favorite NSFW AU Fic

Free Choice Week Five (March 29th-March 31st):

There are no set prompts or recs this week. You have three (3) days of free choice! You are welcome to use any prompts you haven’t used from above, or you can rec other works that didn’t fall under our categories!

#winteriron #bucky barnes #tony stark #marvel events #marvel event #bucky barnes/tony stark

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riotwritesthings · 3 months

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Unrequited Dreams

WinterIron, M, 3.5k - Soulmate AU, Angst, hopeful ending

I can finally share my piece from the Reforged WinterIron Zine! I'm so excited, I'd had the idea for this fic for years and it was delightful to finally bring it to life. And now I get to share!

Thank you to all the mods over at @reforgedzine for making this happen!

~~~

The night before his thirteenth birthday Bucky is so excited he can barely fall asleep, because he’s going to have his first dream about his soulmate.

The anticipation has been building for weeks, for years; his family has taken to fondly rolling their eyes because Bucky can't talk about anything else. He can’t wait to find out something, anything about his soulmate, about how they'll meet for the first time. He can't wait to start trying to make sense of the hazy details the dream will leave him with.

In the morning, Bucky wakes up sobbing, because now he knows that his soulmate is gorgeous and graceful. That knowledge is crystal clear even if few other details are.

And now, Bucky knows that he's going to put a gun in his soulmate's face and pull the trigger.

Thirteen year old Tony wakes up feeling cold and hollow except for a sharp ache settling deep in his chest.

Apparently, it was stupid to be excited, just like Howard always said. Because now he knows that their first meeting involves his soulmate pushing him away.

Literally.

Tony knows that dreams are funny things. He read all about soulmate dreams and how easy it is to misinterpret them, how they tend to exaggerate, back when he was dumb enough to look forward to them. But he would swear that the shove felt hard enough to knock the air from his lungs, felt strong enough to throw him clear across the room.

The ache in his chest lingers the entire day, and every morning that he wakes up from the same dream, the pain is agonizingly fresh, digging a little deeper.

So Tony grows up and learns how to push people away first. He tells himself that when he meets his soulmate, he’ll be ready.

Bucky never tells anyone about the dream, even when his parents give him concerned looks. Eventually people stop asking.

Every time he has the dream, Bucky remembers a little more. His soulmate is dressed in mostly black, moving gracefully and carelessly through a room in chaos. His soulmate has gorgeous eyes and a wicked, beautiful smirk.

Every time, Bucky shoots his soulmate in the face and wakes up nauseous.

At least when he joins the army, no one else talks about their dreams either. Most nights, Bucky is too exhausted to dream at all, and it’s almost a relief when nightmares start to overtake the few times that he does.

Most nights, Tony drinks until he falls into a short, restless sleep, just to avoid the one dream he doesn't want to have.

He doesn’t want to see his soulmate’s cold, emotionless eyes. He doesn’t want the all-too-brief feeling of his soulmate's hand beneath his own before he's shoved away.

When Tony does dream, it’s of clenched fists, feeling frustrated, helpless. Feeling like his entire life is falling apart around him, and it’s all so stupid.

So he refuses to figure out any other details because he’s already going to have to live through it at some point. He doesn't want to know if that fleeting contact of hand against hand is a first meeting, doesn’t bother trying to remember anything about the large, bright room the dream takes place in or the people around them. He doesn’t care if it's a charity gala or something else. None of it matters.

Tony wakes up and drinks more.

He builds and smiles for the press. He does his best to not lose the few people he has, and tells himself that he won’t care when his soulmate doesn’t want him.

Sometimes he even believes it.

The Winter Soldier doesn’t dream at all.

Not during the short, fitful sleep he gets on missions. Certainly not while he’s frozen.

He forgets.

When the moment finally happens in real life, they don’t recognize it.

Bucky isn't in his right mind. He’s barely clinging to awareness past the hold of the conditioning in a room in chaos. He doesn't recognize the graceful motions of the gorgeous man who jumps into the fight, or the moment he points his gun in the man's face.

The bullet doesn't connect, and when Tony doesn't die, the Winter Soldier rips his hand away from Tony’s, shoves him across the room and knocks the air out of his lungs.

Tony isn’t thinking about the brief contact of his hand on Barnes’ over the barrel of a gun, of Barnes’ hand splayed across his chest. He’s thinking about the fact that his life is falling apart, and that he needs to stop a rampaging Winter Soldier. He doesn’t have time to think about the splinter itching at the back of his mind.

They don’t even notice when they stop having the dreams, after that moment.

Tony is alone in his workshop, in the too-empty compound, when it hits him that he doesn’t even remember the last time he dreamt of his soulmate.

It’s not just because he barely sleeps, not just because when he does dream it’s of his friends falling from the sky, of cities and worlds crashing to the ground. He’s spent so much time trying to ignore the dream, apparently he’s even been ignoring the fact that it’s gone.

It’s a stupid thing to be upset about.

Tony has always known how they would feel about him, known they wouldn’t want anything to do with him, but he still has to sit on the cold tile floor as his legs give out. He blinks back tears, wondering how far he must have fallen, if he doesn’t even deserve a soulmate who pushes him away anymore, doesn’t deserve anyone.

He wonders if his soulmate dreams about someone else now.

Bucky is in Wakanda, trying to find peace, when a doctor asks about the dream.

For a second Bucky doesn’t remember. And then he does. And he can’t breathe.

He doesn’t dream much anymore. When he does, it’s always nightmares. He hasn’t dreamt of his soulmate since before the war.

Before the Soldier.

And Bucky realizes he’s probably already killed his soulmate, and doesn’t even remember it. Everything goes fuzzy.

No one asks about the dreams again. Bucky has so many regrets to move past, he just shoves this one down with all the others. His soulmate is probably long gone. There’s no need to think about it.

So, he tries not to.

Having everyone back at the compound is exactly as awkward-as-hell as Tony thought it would be. It only makes him feel a little better that he’s clearly not the only one feeling it.

The reasoning is sound, the threat is coming, but that doesn’t mean Tony has to be happy about it.

But he smiles, shakes hands when he has to, and reminds himself this is for the best. He can bury his hurt feelings for the good of the world. He can be an adult, pretend everything is fine. He shows everyone to the residential wing, despite most of them already knowing their way around, and doesn’t meet anyone’s eyes as he says to make themselves at home.

Slowly, they start putting the team back together. There’s lots of talks about trust and honesty that feel hollow and stilted, but Tony supposes it’s progress.

They still work well together in the field, but that was never the Avengers’ problem.

Around the compound, though, the split remains obvious. Everyone seems torn between walking on eggshells and the urge to act like nothing’s changed even though it has, Tony among them.

The different sides of the war still give each other wide berths in the hallways, and Steve still stands protectively between Tony and his shadow of a best friend when they happen to run into each other in the gym.

Tony spins on his heel with a lazy wave, doesn’t even care if he’s too obvious. For just a moment, Tony’s gaze meets Barnes’ as he turns.

For just that moment, Tony finds himself caught in that deep blue stare before the doors slide closed behind him.

Bucky spends a lot of time wandering the compound.

He’s aware everyone thinks it’s a paranoid-perimeter-check thing, which it partially is. But it's also just him enjoying the novelty that he can spend his time wandering aimlessly. He can go where he wants when he wants, never has to sleep unless he chooses to.

He’s still getting used to it; remembering how to enjoy the freedom.

Which is how he runs into Stark in the kitchen at three AM, when he’s trying to outrun his nightmares. Tony is apparently making pancakes.

Bucky freezes in the doorway as they stare at each other. Just when he’s preparing to back away, Stark’s lips curl into a tiny smile. Stark tips his head towards the rest of the kitchen, obviously inviting him to stay instead. Bucky grabs an apple and sits at his usual spot at the far end of the table, trying to look comfortable, and it’s somehow easier than he’s expecting.

It’s only a couple minutes before Stark finishes making and neatly stacking his pancakes on a plate. Then he dumps everything in the dishwasher and shoots Bucky only the briefest look before leaving with his plate of food.

Bucky tells himself to avoid the kitchen around that time. He should give Stark some space, because he’s so clearly uncomfortable with everyone being back.

But two sleepless nights later, Bucky’s feet carry him on a familiar path without thought.

Stark is making waffles this time. He barely even looks up as Bucky takes up the same space at the table. Stark glances at him again as he’s preparing to leave, at the power bar Bucky’s been picking at, then transfers one waffle to a smaller plate. He sets the small plate on the table, just within Bucky’s reach. Then to Bucky’s surprise, Stark sits at the counter instead of leaving.

Bucky pulls the plate closer, and they eat in total silence. They’re not even facing each other and Bucky is actually a little relieved. He doesn’t know what to say to anyone these days, much less Stark.

It’s the first time they’ve done more than pass in the hallways, but it’s not as uncomfortable as it should be. When Tony stands to leave with a wave and a small, warm smile, Bucky finds himself disappointed.

As the weeks go by, Tony notices Barnes getting more comfortable around the compound, sometimes with Steve but most often alone.

Not that Tony lets himself wonder why he cares, why he scrolls through security feeds of the hallways like he needs to check on Barnes. It’s just morale has been slowly improving, and that’s the last bridge Tony has to mend. Or, the last bridge to build from scratch over a giant chasm, in this case.

He’s coming back late from a charity event, a little tipsy with plans to head to the lab, but gets sidetracked when he passes through the living room and realizes Barnes is on the couch watching Star Trek. Tony pauses for a second, filled with nostalgia, but he tells himself to leave Barnes to his marathon in peace.

To his surprise, Barnes looks at him with a tiny smile, unsure but devoid of suspicion or impatience. Tony sinks into an armchair, asking himself why. They proceed to watch four and a half episodes in silence.

Tony wakes up to Steve and Sam clomping through after their morning run, slumped down in the chair with a blanket carefully draped over him.

It becomes a habit, and Barnes becomes Bucky, even if they haven’t actually spoken yet.

So maybe Tony has FRIDAY alert him when Bucky is queuing up the next episode so he can head to the living room. After the first time, though, Bucky waits for him to arrive before hitting play and greets him with a smile that gets brighter every time.

Tony doesn’t let himself wonder about the why’s. Like why he spends so much time simply existing in the same room as Bucky, why that doesn’t feel awkward at all. Or why it seems to be the only thing that helps Tony ignore the empty pit in his chest.

One night, Tony realizes he hasn’t seen Bucky in a while. There’s been no marathon nights despite being due to start Next Generation. He tells himself it’s not creepy to flip through security feeds., He’s just curious how Bucky is spending his sleepless nights now.

Tony’s heart leaps into his throat when he finally locates Bucky on the roof of the hanger, standing on the ledge. He’s breathless by the time he makes it to the hangar, heart racing and legs shaking from the sprint. He doesn’t even know what he thinks is happening, except…

Bucky looks at him with wide, exhausted eyes when Tony bursts through the door, and he could swear Bucky’s shoulders drop in relief. Tony doesn’t have time to think. He just starts talking, because Bucky looks so haunted, and Tony knows a thing or two about distractions.

They’re still on the roof when the sun comes up., And Bucky has to stop pointing out all the constellations he can remember while Tony fills him in on the new star science he’s missed.

After the roof, something shifts.

Bucky can’t put his finger on exactly what it is, or even when it happens. But that one stilted conversation about the stars becomes less stilted conversations about whatever’s on TV becomes friendly debates about the merits of different toppings as they make pizza at midnight.

Before Bucky knows it, he feels like he’s home.

He finds a groove with his new life and starts branching out, starts connecting with the rest of the team. He’d almost forgotten what it felt like to be a person. To actually interact when he passes people in the hallway and eat with a group.

To be more than a ghost, to be part of something good.

Always though, he gravitates back to Tony. Because Tony actually makes him laugh and it fills a void in his chest Bucky has long gotten used to. Because Tony is always trying to do better and god Bucky wants to learn how.

Because when Tony’s been on an inventing binge, Bucky can trick him into taking a nap by putting on home improvement shows, and it makes Bucky feel like he’s doing something right. The team smirks when they walk in on Tony drooling on his shoulder, but it’s not like that.

He recognizes the look Steve and Natasha start to give him, smug and knowing. And fine, maybe Tony would have been exactly his type, before. But it’s not like that.

Because Bucky is the man who killed his soulmate. He doesn’t let himself think about that kind of thing.

When Bucky decides that he wants to officially join the Avengers, Tony leaps at the chance to make him new gear.

He does the same for the entire team, after all, making sure everyone’s safe. It doesn’t make Bucky special. No matter what the wide grins from Rhodey try to imply.

Tony just loves a challenge, loves the excuse to build something new. So maybe he gets more input from Bucky than anyone else, offers to help Bucky test all the gear on top of team training, but it’s not an excuse to spend more time together. He just sees what Bucky is trying to do, and he’s all too familiar with that struggle.

Despite the knowing looks from everyone, it doesn’t mean anything that he lets Bucky into the lab to see the prototypes, even if it is Tony’s only place of solitude in the compound. Even if eventually Bucky just hangs out there with him for hours.

Tony keeps telling himself it means nothing.

Watching Bucky try to teach DUM-E checkers is the final straw, though. Warmth fills Tony’s chest so fast and hard that he can’t breathe around it. And he finally admits that maybe it all means something.

But Tony is the man who doesn’t deserve a soulmate, who never even got to meet them. Who’s not sure he’d want to meet them anymore, as guilty as it makes him feel.

Maybe he can’t lie to himself anymore. Maybe he’s completely in love, but Tony knows better than to say anything.

Days spent in the lab with Tony run together in the best possible way. It’s a blur of playing with the bots, watching Tony create the future, and trying to convince him maybe the new reboots of Star Trek do have something to offer.

Bucky knows what a privilege it is to be here, to see Tony at his most relaxed and occasionally unhinged. He tries not to let it go to his head, give him ideas, even though every day he falls more in love. He’s even getting used to the pangs of guilt over the soulmate he should miss.

Until one day they’re watching a movie on the lumpy couch in Tony’s lab. When it’s revealed that Tony called the plot twist from the very beginning, he smirks at Bucky at just the right angle.

Bucky’s heart drops into the floor.

He knows that smirk. He’s seen it a thousand times in a thousand dreams, even if he hasn’t had it in years, he remembers.

And of course it’s Tony, who’s smart and gorgeous, graceful and just the right amount of wicked. Who Bucky already loves so much he can’t breathe sometimes.

Tony, who he still can’t possibly deserve.

So Bucky says nothing, as happy as he thinks he’ll ever be. Tony is here, alive. Bucky’s soulmate is too smart and too tough to die. Bucky gets to watch the way he laughs when their friends do something stupid, to watch Tony’s back in fights while they both try to do better.

He’ll never get to taste the edges of Tony’s smile, but he shoves that aside. Tony is alive. That’s more than enough.

Tony’s first thought when he wakes half-buried under rubble is that he’s officially over alien invasions. The second is that the power of the suit fading in and out, causing the concerned shouting over the comms to cut in and out, is really not helping with his throbbing head.

The aliens swarm into what’s left of the nightclub, stealing his attention before Tony can work up the breath to answer, and all the suit’s questionable power has to go to blasting the ones that get too close. The oversized bug-like soldiers just keep coming, and Tony starts to wonder if he’d be better off ditching the deadweight of the armor.

But he’s not sure he can make a run for it. His head is spinning and he’s dimly aware of blood filling the suit, and the aliens are still coming—

There’s a roar of approaching gunfire and then Bucky is bursting into the destroyed building, wielding a large knife and the only gun Tony has built in years.

And the thing is…Tony knows those movements.

He knows that brutal fighting style, the blank rage in those blue eyes. He recognizes the wrath of the Winter Soldier. He’d been dreaming of it most of his life.

Tony can’t believe he never put it together before, because of course it’s Bucky. Resilient and brave and so kind, Bucky who still deserves so much better than Tony. Of course.

Maybe it’s just easier to recognize him with unconsciousness trying to drag Tony under. Maybe Tony’s already dreaming.

He must be, because suddenly Bucky is leaning over him. His eyes are warm, and scared. Tony doesn’t know this part of the dream, doesn’t know what happens next.

Everything is going black. Tony struggles to find his words, to plead. To beg not to be shoved away again.

Bucky sits unmoving beside Tony’s hospital bed for three days, even though all he wants to do is run.

He saw the recognition in Tony’s eyes, he knows that Tony knows. He wants to leave before Tony asks him to, because what else could Tony want from a soulmate like him?

But that’s not what Tony had said. Tony asked him to stay while sounding so scared, so resigned. Like he knew Bucky wouldn’t and it was already breaking his heart.

So, Bucky stays.

He’s staring at his fists, trying to stop himself from wondering, when the heart monitor starts beeping triple time, giving away that Tony is awake. Bucky jerks his gaze up to meet Tony’s big brown eyes, watches the flashes of fear and hope that go through them.

Bucky knows he must look terrible, hasn’t slept or shaved in days. He’s barely eaten, and he can feel the lines of worry set into his face. But Tony’s still looking at him with something like awe, just because he’s here.

When Tony smiles nervously the wave of hope that crashes over Bucky nearly overwhelms him, could crush him beneath it.

Bucky smiles back.

#my fic #winteriron #starkbucks #bucky/tony #bringing angst to the soulmate party #IM SO EXCITE TO SHAREEEEE

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