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#karli morgenthau x reader
graktung · 1 year
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the gay panic erin kellyman gives me is unreal
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pixievi · 11 months
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Okay so if I were to post anything for Karli, would anyone be interested 👀
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Also this one clip of her drives me insane
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val-made-a-mistake · 24 days
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more karli, because i can:
By the time night had fallen and the moon had risen high in the sky, you and Karli were already back in the hut. Neither of you were pretending to sleep on the raggedy floor with your bodies pressed together under the sleeping bag: the warmth from Karli’s cheek was bleeding on your palm as you brushed a vivid red coil away from her beautiful brown eyes with your thumb. She hadn’t blinked in almost a minute. You couldn’t look away.
You were dumbstruck as you stared back, lost for words. The both of you were exhausted and hungry and aching, but there was a mutual understanding that this had to happen now.
“One world,” you mumbled, your eyes roaming across her face. Brown eyes, pink lips, freckles all over. All beautiful. Even with the gash John Walker had given her above her right eyebrow, she was still beautiful.
“One people,” she whispered back, right before she leaned in and closed the distance between your lips.
Her mouth was warm, comforting. It always was.
As your lips met, it was as if the weight of the world melted away, leaving only the warmth of Karli's embrace.
Time seemed to melt away as you savoured the intimacy of the moment. The kiss was a silent promise.
When you finally pulled away, the air between you crackled with unspoken emotions, the intensity of your connection lingering in the small confines of the hut. Karli's gaze bore into yours, her eyes reflecting a myriad of emotions: gratitude, longing, exhaustion, a tiny bit of apprehension.
For a moment, neither of you spoke, the weight of the unspoken hanging heavy in the air. But then, Karli broke the silence with a soft sigh, her fingers tracing patterns on the fabric of the sleeping bag.
"We should get some rest," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
You nodded, still unable to tear your gaze away from her.
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luckypupsmama · 11 months
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Why aren’t there more karli morgenthau x reader fics on here?
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fict1onallyobsessed · 2 years
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You Promised
Kᴀʀʟɪ Mᴏʀɢᴇɴᴛʜᴀᴜ x Rᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ
Sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ - she promised she wouldn’t get hurt…
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Ever since you heard about Karli's plan you tried to talk her out of it, knowing it would end up in a bit more than a few casualties. You understood her intentions but you thought she was fighting it the wrong way. You blatantly refused to help her with her plan, which resulted in many arguments.
"Why not?" She crossed her arms leaning her weight onto one of her hips.
“Karli you bombed a Global Repatriation Council facility with people still in it! How do you want them to listen when your killing their men and I'm sure as hell they won't listen to you're in jail." Your voice rose, now unable to keep calm.
“It's the only language these people speak," She shrugged, voice monotone but shaky as if she was about to cry. "Walker killed Nico-"
"Karli," You sighed, placing your head in your hands and rubbing your eyes from their exhaustion.
“How do I know they won't kill you?" You gave up with shouting and relaxed your voice as you dropped your hands to the side. Your chest felt heavy, carrying all the worry and stress for the past week. You couldn't bare losing Karli, after all, she took you in as her own when your mother died. She took care of you, made you feel loved again.
Her eyes now brimmed with tears, throat tight as she tried to supress sobs. Her head dropped to look at the ground, no longer able to look you straight in the eyes.
“Look at me," You demanded in a soft tone. "I can't sit around and pretend I'm not worried that you've potentially been shot or stabbed, bleeding to death somewhere where nobody will find you,"
A tear ran down your cheek despite you hardest effort to contain them.
“Don't let me lose another person I love 'cause I won't be able to handle it," She stared at you for a bit, taking in every bit of your body as tears of her own flooded her cheeks. She walked closer to you quickly, enveloping her hands around your neck and sniffling quietly into your shoulder. You wrapped your arms around her waist, pulling her closer to you as your chin trembled.
She pulled away eventually, looking deep into her eyes.
“I promise I won't die," She whispered. You felt her breath on your face as she leaned in, gently connecting your lips with hers. The kiss was short but full of passion. A kiss that begged for forgiveness.
“Swear?" You breathed. Your arms were still around her waist and her hands caressed your cheeks, wiping tears that had previously fallen. Cold air hit your skin sending shivers down your spine as the two of you stood embraced in an abandoned building. She nodded her head, sending a small but sincere smile as she continuously rubbed her thumbs onto your face. You sighed and nodded, momentarily looking down then back up at your girlfriend's sad expression.
“I can't join you, you know?," You whispered tears threatening to fall again.
“I know," She sniffled but smiled nonetheless. "At least I'll know you'll be safe."
You reached up to interlock one of your hands with hers and pulling her out of the crumbling building.
“Why'd you have to be so stubborn?" You chuckled as the two of you walked through the alleyways towards the shelter.
“You love me really," She squeezed your hand playfully making you smile wide at her.
“You know I do,"
***
“Kar please don't," Streams of tears travelled out of your eyes as you saw Karli pointing her gun at Sam. He stood defenceless before her and you stood too far to do anything, only thing you could do is plead for her not to shoot. Just as she was about to, another round of shots was fired but not from Karli's gun. You snapped your head to where the three shots sounded.
Sharon.
You looked back at where Karli stood 2 seconds prior but she was laying on the floor, gasping for air and clutching onto her stomach.
"NO!" You screamed, lunging towards your girlfriend on the floor. "Hey hey hey," You sniffled gently, cradling her head in your lap.
"Baby stay with me," Her body was shivering from pain, trying her best to look up at you through her eyelashes.
"I'm sorry (Y/N)," She wheezed.
“It's okay. Stay with me please." You whispered attempting to smile.
“You promised me you wouldn't die, remember?" You caressed her cheek with she did previously at the abandoned building. Replaying and cherishing small memories that you once experienced with Karli.
“I love y- you so much,"
“No Kar don't you dare, please." Sobs involuntarily escaping your mouth and Sam was suddenly by your side.
“Please Karli," You begged stroking her skin gently. You could physically see the life draining out of her, her face losing it's colour as blood escaped her system through the three bullet holes in her stomach.
Both of you knew she wouldn't make it even if Sam attempted to get help. You held your girlfriends body as close as you could to your own, protecting her last moments alive with your entire being, whispering sweet nothings into her ears gently to make sure she felt safe.
“I love you so much," You cried, putting your nose into her hair sniffing in her scent in for the last time.
THE END
Taglist: @emily0013 \\ @xxromanoffxx \\ @emilyprentisslittlewhore \\ @d14n4ol \\ @marvel2024
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swan-of-sunrise · 11 months
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The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Part IV)
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Summary: (Y/N)'s retirement from superhero life proves to be short-lived when Sam calls in for backup as the Flag Smashers disrupt a critical meeting of the Global Repatriation Council in Manhattan.
Pairing: Steve Rogers X Fem!Reader
Word Count: 8k
Warnings/Disclaimers: Disclaimer for a frank discussion of racism/bigotry
A/N: And now, to the chapter we’ve all been waiting for! Thank you for reading, I hope you all enjoy!
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Part IV) May 2024 New York City, New York (Previous Chapter)
“You know, your car’s a little…cramped.”
Instead of getting annoyed, (Y/N) chuckled at Bucky’s observation as she parked the yellow Volkswagen Bug in the first available spot she could find and stepped out onto the bustling Manhattan street. “And you and Sam are more alike than either of you would ever dare admit; that man’s had it out for my poor, innocent car since the day we first met and I just know that a part of him was happy to see it under a pile of rubble after the Battle of Earth.”
“He did seem pretty annoyed when Rocket and Nebula refurbished it for you,” Bucky relented, placing a hand on the small of her back and guiding her down the street while she was preoccupied with adjusting her Widow Bite bracelets. “That Torres kid better be right about the Flag Smashers crashing the GRC’s vote, ‘cause I really didn’t wanna spend my evening in Lower Manhattan.”
(Y/N) hummed in agreement but remained silent, trying not to think too hard about the gala she was currently missing to act as Sam’s back-up. Earlier that evening and just over a week after their departure from Delacroix, she and Bucky were contacted by Sam and informed that there was a high probability that Karli Morgenthau and the Flag Smashers were planning an attack at the Global Repatriation Council’s vote on the controversial Patch Act; the act would force upwards of twenty million refugees back home to their countries of origin, putting further strain on the resettlement camps and on international politics as a whole and ensuring that thousands of the refugees would die over the course of the move. Bucky was spending a quiet night at home in his Brooklyn apartment but (Y/N), who’d driven down from Maine that morning to attend the first annual Romanoff Foundation’s fundraising gala, was at her old house in Brooklyn and in the middle of getting ready when Sam called to ask for her help. She agreed but as she went to retrieve the black tactical uniform and weapons she’d hidden away before moving to Maine, a sudden surge of guilt saw her FaceTiming Steve to tell him about the current situation in Lower Manhattan.
“It sounds like Sam could really use the back-up,” Steve remarked and when (Y/N) wordlessly nodded, his azure eyes filled with understanding. “(Y/N), is this fight something you believe in?”
She sighed and nodded again. “Yes. Yes, it really is, Steve.”
“Then you should suit up and get going before the party starts without you.” He smiled at the surprise written across her face. “You never stopped me from joining a fight that I believed in, and I’m sure as hell not gonna stop you from doing the same. Cari and I will be safe here at home watching the action on WHiH, and Sam will be safer with you fighting by his side.”
“Have I ever told you how utterly sexy you are when you use that reasonable tone?”
Steve chuckled. “No, but I look forward to hearing more about it in the future. Go get ‘em, sunshine, and come home safe.”
With a smile of her own, (Y/N) winked and gave him a small teasing salute. “Yes, sir.”
In a handful of minutes, (Y/N) and Bucky were approaching the towering GRC New York Headquarters, the both of them taking note of the numerous NYPD vehicles flashing their blue and red lights and the dozens of armed military personnel barring various news crews from accessing the building’s main plaza. She noticed several reporters talking amongst themselves and pointing their cameras at them as they walked past, but she kept her focus on the situation at hand; she knew that the Flag Smashers wore masks with red hand-prints stamped onto them, but she also knew that the members were practically unidentifiable without them.
“I’m almost there.”
Bucky held a hand up to his comm link. “What’s the plan?”
“Karli’s gotta be close,” Sam replied over the sound of the wind as he flew faster. “Keep your eyes open.”
“Sergeant Barnes,” One of the soldiers nodded and stepped aside to let them pass through their barricade. “Ms. (Y/L/N).”
(Y/N) squared her shoulders and continued scanning their surroundings as she walked beside Bucky. “I take it that Karli won’t be scared off by all these cops and soldiers barricading the building, will she?”
“No, but that doesn’t mean she’s not too far gone to be peacefully stopped. Speaking of cops and soldiers, I called in some back-up.”
“Excuse me. Are you two supposed to be here?” (Y/N) and Bucky both turned around to face the man who’d called out to them but as they watched, he pressed down on the hidden device panel near his temple and pulled off the nano mask and grey beanie to reveal the recognizable face of Sharon Carter. “It’s me.”
(Y/N)’s eyes widened in surprise. “Sharon, what the hell are you doing here? Sam and Bucky told me that you’re still wanted by the government-”
“Relax, no one’s looking for me here.” Sharon led them over to a nearby planter box and gave (Y/N) a humorless smile. “Honestly, I’m surprised that you even care; all those years spent petitioning the government to revoke the Accords, and yet not a single word about pardoning the woman who sacrificed everything for her boy-toy and his two lackeys.”
A sudden surge of guilt forced (Y/N) to cross her arms over her chest and look away in discomfort; in the year following the signing of the Sokovia Accords, she’d lobbied senators and representatives to try and revoke them so that her fugitive boyfriend and friends could return home, but when she learned that she was pregnant, she was forced to put her lobbying on hold. And in the turbulent years since, she was ashamed to admit that she’d forgotten about Sharon and the sacrifice she’d made to aid Steve and their friends in their time of need. But as she looked into the other woman’s hardened gaze, a small part of her felt as though she was looking at a darker, more ruthless version of the agent who’d once offered her a cup of hot chocolate and a shoulder to cry on.
“Do I hear Sharon?”
“Unfortunately,” Bucky grumbled, glaring daggers at the former agent and inching closer to (Y/N)’s side.
Sharon was unfazed by the super-soldier’s defensiveness as she adjusted the comm link in her ear. “Hey, Sam. I thought I’d get the band back together.”
“Thank you. You’re risking a lot coming here.”
“I hear pardons aren’t all they’re cracked up to be anyway.”
Bucky shrugged. “Depends on the therapist.”
“They’re gonna move on the building soon. Be ready.”
A shadowy figure flew through the sky above and quickly disappeared from view, making (Y/N) smile to herself before looking back down at Bucky and Sharon. “C’mon, we should move in and away from the barricades.”
Bucky nodded and started forward while Sharon slowly fell into step with her. “I, um…I’m sorry for your loss.” The former agent gestured towards the red hourglass-shaped buckle fastened to the belt of her uniform. “Romanoff didn’t deserve what happened to her and as much as I hate to say it, neither did Rogers.”
(Y/N), not wanting to give away that Steve was alive and well in Maine and most likely rocking his daughter to sleep at that very moment, kept her expression neutral as she silently nodded once to acknowledge her condolences. “Guys, what’s going on on your end?”
“Nothing, all quiet,” Bucky replied while he continued scanning their surrounding for any sign of Karli or the Flag Smashers.
Sharon’s hand twitched towards the gun holstered at her waist. “No one’s moving toward the building.”
“Karli’s not coming in. She’s trying to force everybody out.”
Realization dawned on (Y/N) as she watched the officers and soldiers scrambling to clear the building’s exits. “Oh, shit. They staged a threat to capture all the GRC’s members during their evacuation without drawing suspicion.”
“You guys are gonna have to do something,” Sam called out through the comms, slightly out of breath as the recognizable sound of fighting continued in the background; (Y/N) and Sharon followed Bucky into the lobby of the building as her best friend ordered, “Don’t let ‘em out of the building!”
Ignoring the blinking red security lights and the frantic people rushing to exit the building, Bucky marched through the security checkpoint’s metal detector while (Y/N) slipped around it, the both of them whirling around when the device blared as Sharon stepped through. “Oops.”
“Here’s one of them.” Bucky pointed across the lobby at a muscular man dressed in a security guard’s uniform. “(Y/N) and I will get the evac.”
Sharon followed the lone Flag Smasher while (Y/N) and Bucky hurried through the building’s lobby in search of the evacuating GRC members; (Y/N) was more on-edge than the super-soldier walking beside her, distrustful of anyone who passed them by and wary of whatever Karli was planning. Her instincts took over when a woman addressed them both as they turned down another hallway and offered him a cell phone, flicking her wrists to activate her Widow Bites and keeping a suspicious eye on the woman while Bucky took the phone and switched on the speaker function.
“Karli?”
“Aren’t you tired of fighting for the wrong side, Mr. Barnes?”
Bucky scoffed and shot (Y/N) a look as they made their way down the nearest flight of stairs. “I’ve done this before, kid. I know how it ends.”
“And what about you, Ms. (Y/L/N)? This fight that you insist on fighting has done nothing but destroy any chance you had at a normal life. Are you willing to give it all up for the people who are destroying the world you’ve sacrificed so much to try and save?”
“Karli, I know that you and I don’t know one another but believe me, you and I want the same thing. The Patch Act is dangerous and far from the only option for the refugees,” (Y/N) replied while Bucky kept an eye out for the evacuating GRC members and Flag Smashers. “But these methods of yours…they’re wrong and you know it. The people you’re going up against won’t hesitate to stamp out you and your entire movement and when they do, everything you’ve fought for will die with you.”
She could hear the young woman suck in an agitated breath. “It doesn’t matter if I don’t survive this. I’m fighting for something bigger than myself. With all the bodies you’ve collected, Mr. Barnes, have you been able to say the same?”
The super-soldier’s jaw clenched at that. “You don’t think I ever fought for something bigger than myself? That’s all I ever tried to do, and I failed twice. You think your cause justifies all this death, but in the end, the nightmares won’t go away. You’re gonna remember all the ones you killed…trust me.”
“Please don’t do this, Karli. Don’t go down this path,” (Y/N) implored with an almost desperate edge in her voice; she wasn’t sure if it was because of the way Sam had described the misguided young woman to her or how childlike she sounded as she unabashedly spoke of her impending demise, but she couldn’t deny the maternal panic she felt for Karli and the inevitable consequences she’d face for her actions.
“If that’s how you feel, you both should sit this one out.”
“Well, you know we ain’t gonna do that.”
Karli let out a humorless chuckle. “Well, thank you. I’m glad you took my call. You’ve been a big help.”
Realization dawned on (Y/N) and she looked over at Bucky in dread. “The evac. She’s already taking them hostage.”
“Dammit!” Bucky shoved the cell phone into his pocket and they both sprinted down the nearest stairwell that led directly into the underground parking lot; it was practically deserted and dimly lit by emergency lights, but there was just enough light to see two motorcycles parked nearby. (Y/N) hurried over to them and while she quickly slipped a black helmet on, Bucky located both bikes’ keys. “You know how to ride one of these?”
“Yep,” (Y/N) replied with a small grin, popping the ‘p’ at the end of the word as she swung her leg over the motorcycle and straddled it. “Steve taught me a while back. I thought he was teaching me because it was a useful skill to have, but it turns out that your best friend’s got quite the thing for women on motorcycles.”
The super-soldier wrinkled his nose in distaste. “Yeah, that’s something I could’ve gone the rest of my life not knowin’ about that punk…”
“Seriously, guys, you had one job!” Sharon’s outraged voice suddenly came through their comm links.
“You worry about your guy!”
After exchanging a look, they fired up their engines and with a squeal of rubber on the concrete floor, they rode out of the underground parking garage. They came out onto an alleyway in the middle of being blocked off by soldiers, but they raced between the barriers and sped down the street after the hijacked evacuation trucks. The deafening roar of the engine and the feeling of the wind on (Y/N)’s face reminded her of a simpler time, when her super-soldier boyfriend spent his free days teaching her how to ride a motorcycle on the lonely road near their favorite picnic spot by the Avengers Facility, and the happy memories gave her something to focus on as they chased down the armored trucks in imminent danger of being hijacked by the Flag Smashers. There’s no way in hell Steve could’ve predicted I’d be using that experience for something like this, she thought as they took a sharp turn and narrowly avoided another poorly-constructed blockade.
“Well, that’s one down.”
“How’d you manage that?” Sam asked, winded but still amazed by Sharon’s progress.
“Mercury vapor, amongst other things. You better speed things up, Sam; the chopper’s about to take off.”
“Bucky!”
(Y/N) and Bucky skidded to a stop at an intersection and watched the armored trucks carrying the evacuated GRC members rumble down the road ahead. “I don’t fly, man, that’s your thing!”
“Ditto, Birdbrain.” (Y/N)’s fingers tightened around the throttle as she revved the engine and assessed their options. “I’m thinking that I’ll trail the trucks while you circle around and cut them off before the Flag Smashers can hijack them. What do you think?”
“I think we’re lucky we’ve got a bad-ass historical-fiction novelist on our side,” Bucky replied, flashing her a brief grin before peeling away and racing down the street to their right.
You’re a bad-ass, (Y/N) silently recited as she released the clutch and accelerated down the street after the armored trucks, a bad-ass who got her handful of motorcycle skills from her horny super-soldier boyfriend almost nine years ago, but a bad-ass all the same. Nothing appeared amiss with the trucks driving ahead of her until they reached an intersection that bordered a sunken construction site; they came to a sudden stop as several Flag Smashers dragged cement barriers into the street and (Y/N) swore under her breath when they wrenched the officers out of the driver’s seats, leaning over the handlebars and accelerating as they started climbing into the trucks.
The roar of another engine filled the air as up ahead, Bucky’s motorcycle skidded onto the street and raced towards the cement barriers; with a quick prayer to whichever deity in the universe covered dangerous motorcycle maneuvers, (Y/N) pressed down on the rear brake lever while turning the handlebars at a ninety-degree angle, slamming the back of the motorcycle into the nearest Flag Smasher and knocking them to the ground just as Bucky launched himself over the cement barriers and tackled a Flag Smasher. While the two super-soldiers fought, (Y/N) fired a Widow Bite at the Flag Smasher she’d slammed into and hurried over to help the dazed and injured officers to their feet. A fiery explosion illuminated the street and its intensity nearly knocked her to her feet, but the chorus of terrified screams helped to keep her focus; one of the armored trucks had caught fire and a metallic contraption trapped the frightened members of the GRC inside with no escape from the intense blaze.
(Y/N) ran to the doors and tried to wrench the back doors open as the hostages banged on the bulletproof glass, but they wouldn’t budge. “Bucky!”
The super-soldier rushed over and took over pulling on the doors’ handles. “Hold on!” He gritted his teeth and the doors groaned under the strain of his super-strength.
“Let’s go, get moving!”
Seeing the Flag Smashers hurrying towards the second armored truck, (Y/N) started forward to keep them from taking the GRC members hostage but came to a sudden halt when a familiar voice called out, “Morgenthau!”
She looked down the street to see John Walker, dressed in his government-issued Captain America uniform and carrying a poorly-constructed replica of the vibranium shield, striding towards the group of Flag Smashers with an enraged expression on his partially-covered face. “Oh, son of a bitch…” (Y/N) sighed and brought a hand up to her comm link. “Sam, your buddy Walker is here and I don’t think he’s looking for a peaceful resolution.”
“Dammit. Whatever you do, (Y/N), don’t try to engage him; there’s no telling what he might do. I’m a little busy with the air evac, but I’ll be there ASAP!”
(Y/N) bit her lip in nervous anticipation as the unstable super-soldier stopped and fixed Karli with a deadly stare. “Let’s finish this.”
“I didn’t mean to kill your friend,” The teenager tried to reason with Walker. “I don’t wanna hurt people that don’t matter.”
Walker scoffed. “You don’t think Lemar’s life mattered?”
“Not to my fight. I just want the people on that truck.”
With a strangled yell, Walker threw his shield at Karli, who simply kicked it away in midair and slipped her Flag Smasher mask on before joining her companions in their attack against the former Captain America. (Y/N) looked over at Bucky, who was using his vibranium arm to slowly but surely break the device locking the truck’s doors, and she saw that the second truck was virtually defenseless, as the group of Flag Smashers were distracted by John Walker’s unexpected appearance. Just as she started jogging towards the second truck, a pained grunt stopped her dead in her tracks and she glanced over her shoulder to see four masked Flag Smashers kicking and stomping on Walker, who’s only form of defense was his flimsy replica of the shield he’d once carried. Indecision kept her rooted where she stood, torn between helping the captive GRC members escape the armored truck and saving Walker, a traumatized soldier who made some terrible mistakes while suffering under the effects of the super-soldier serum but who also nearly killed Sam and Bucky in cold blood.
“Screw it,” (Y/N) mumbled to herself before turning and sprinting towards the group. She took the nearest Flag Smasher by surprise by slamming her knee into his torso and utilizing his hunched stance to spring-board off his thigh and swing her legs up around his neck; flexing her wrists, she fired Widow Bites from both bracelets directly against his neck and as his unconscious body toppled back, she somersaulted off of him and rolled to her feet just in time to dodge the clenched fist flying towards her face. She aimed a kick at her new attacker’s sternum but she was quicker, grabbing her ankle and flinging her across the street, where she slammed into the chain-link fence blocking off the sunken construction site and landed harshly on the ground; with a groan of pain, she clambered to her feet and fired a Widow Bite at the Flag Smasher who’d thrown her, taking advantage of the woman’s distraction to sweep her legs out from underneath her with one of her own and kneed her masked face as she toppled over onto the street.
Blowing a wayward strand of hair out of her eyes, (Y/N) turned to see Bucky body-slam a Flag Smasher attempting to slam a parking meter down onto Walker and when he jumped to his feet, Bucky punched him with his vibranium arm and sent him flying backwards into the chain-link fence. While the two super-soldiers exchanged blows, a masked Karli kicked the parking meter up into her grasp and swung it at Bucky’s exposed back. “Bucky, look out!” He quickly ducked the blow and blocked a second with his vibranium arm before reaching for a loose section of steel chain draped over a cement barrier and striking Karli across the face with it, but the first Flag Smasher kicked him hard in the chest and sent him toppling over the edge of the sunken construction site. “Bucky!” The Flag Smasher grabbed a section of girder and jumped down after him, and (Y/N) breathed a sigh of relief when she made out the faint sounds of their scuffle. Seeing Walker and Karli engaged in a vicious fight and the second armored truck left defenseless, she hurried over and attempted to pry the lock off the doors, but it refused to budge.
“Hold on!” She yelled to the panicked GRC members inside and frantically scanned her surroundings for a tool or device that could help her break the lock; spotting a metal crowbar lying on the sidewalk near a mailbox, she started towards it but an arm suddenly wrapped around her waist and prevented her from moving. She elbowed her attacker in the face with all her strength and reached back to grab him around his neck, throwing her weight forward and using the momentum to flip him over her shoulder. As he lay sprawled on the ground, she grabbed the crowbar and struck him across the head, stepping over his unconscious form and making her way back to the truck.
Before (Y/N) reached the locked doors, something solid connected with the side of her face and the force of the blow knocked her to the ground. Rolling herself over onto her side, (Y/N) hissed in pain as her fingers gently prodded the skin around her right eye and when she pulled her hand back, she could see the fresh blood on her fingertips. She blinked hard to clear her blurred vision and watched Karli shove the cement barrier out of the way of the truck and climb into the driver’s seat; the teenager drove the truck straight towards the sunken construction site and at the last moment, she leapt from the moving vehicle. The armored truck crashed through the chain-link fence and landed on top of the steel framework, its front half hanging precariously over the five-story-deep pit.
(Y/N)’s heart leapt into her throat and after scooping up her crowbar, she ran as fast as she could after the hijacked truck, skidding to a stop at the edge of the pit and looking out at the vehicle as it inched further over the girder; her eyes flicked down and she swallowed hard when she realized just how high up they were, her old fear of heights momentarily flaring up at the daunting sight. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Walker limp out onto the street and look between the precariously-balanced truck and Karli, a conflicted and almost lost expression etched across his pale face as he considered what to do. “Walker! Walker, they need your help!” The former captain squeezed his eyes shut and gave his head a hard shake, but it was clear that he was freezing up under the mounting pressure of the situation. The terrified screams of the GRC members still trapped inside the armored truck with no escape was enough to shake her out of her own trance and with a steadying breath, she lowered herself down onto the crisscrossing girders and cautiously walked atop the narrow beam.
“(Y/N), what the hell are you doing?!”
Ignoring Bucky’s panicked shout from down below, (Y/N) reached the truck and wedged the crowbar’s beveled end between the locking device and the truck’s metal doors; she planted her feet as she pulled down on the crowbar, but the truck lurched forward again and caused her to nearly lose her footing. Before she could try again, a blur of red, white and blue fell past her into the pit and Walker appeared beside her; he used his super-strength to begin pulling the armored truck backwards across the girders and while he did, she continued to try and pry the locking device off the doors. The lock was finally beginning to give way when the Flag Smashers descended on them; Walker managed to bat one of them away, but Karli and another of her companions latched onto him and all three fell down into the pit below, but not before their flailing limbs knocked an unsuspecting (Y/N) down with them.
(Y/N)’s instincts took over and she was able to grab onto another girder about halfway down, gritting her teeth and ignoring the straining muscles in both arms as she dangled several stories above the construction site and worked to scoot herself out of the way of the teetering truck; the deafening groan of bending metal above caused her to look up and see the vehicle beginning to pitch forward, and the terrified screams of the trapped GRC members were joined by the panicked shouts of the bystanders watching from the street and Bucky standing far below. Just as (Y/N)’s eyes squeezed closed and she began loosening her grip on the girder, the screams and shouts were suddenly silenced and everything was still.
Opening her eyes, (Y/N) blinked in surprise and grinned at the sight of Sam single-handedly holding onto the hood of the truck; his Wakandan-made specialized winged jetpack, upon which the familiar vibranium shield was sheathed, illuminated as its thrusters ignited and two drones broke off to attach themselves onto the truck’s hood. With the assistance of his jetpack and drones, Sam pushed the armored truck back up onto the steel framework and used Redwing’s laser to slice through the locking device while the crowds gathered around the street cheered.
“How’s it hangin’, Booksmart?” Sam jokingly asked after swooping down to where (Y/N) was dangling and wrapping an arm around her waist, his trademark grin and new red-tinted goggles unable to hide the worried gleam in his brown eyes as he took in her various bumps and scrapes.
(Y/N) wrapped her arms around her best friend’s neck and pressed a chaste kiss onto his cheek. “Much better now that you’re here, Cap.”
Grinning widely at that, Sam flew them both down to the construction site to where Bucky and Walker stood watching them; a metal pipe was suddenly launched towards both men but Bucky was quicker, catching it in midair and tossing it aside as he stared determinedly across the site at where Karli and her companions stood. They started forward towards both super-soldiers and in an instant, Sam used his free hand to unsheathe the shield and bounce it harshly off of the chests of three separate Flag Smashers as they landed on the ground beside Bucky.
Karli scoffed in disbelief as she took in Sam’s new Captain America uniform. “You of all people bought into that bullshit?”
“I’m trying something different. Maybe you should do the same.”
Before the teenager could reply, gunfire erupted and while Sam quickly brought his shield up to protect (Y/N), the air began filling with an unnaturally thick smoke and the panicking bystanders above began to flee the scene. (Y/N)’s vision was obscured by the impenetrable smoke surrounding them but when she made out the tell-tale sound of footsteps running further away, she swore under her breath. “They’re getting away, aren’t they?”
“Not for long.” Sam brought his free hand up to the edge of his goggles and seemingly began to track the Flag Smashers’ heat signatures through the dense fog. “This way.”
(Y/N), Bucky and Walker followed Sam through a doorway at the opposite end of the construction site and through a winding network of tunnels that traveled beneath the city streets. While the four of them jogged down what appeared to be a maintenance hallway, (Y/N) stepped on an errant piece of construction sheeting and would’ve tumbled to the ground if not for Walker’s hand suddenly shooting out and latching around her bicep; she gave the super-soldier a small smile of thanks and swiftly shifted her gaze onto Sam’s back ahead of her, still a touch wary of John Walker and his ever-shifting mood. On her other side, Bucky raised a hand to his comm link and quietly addressed their absent companion. “Hey, Sharon. We’re underground; we entered the tunnel on William, heading south.”
They came upon a tunnel that branched off from their hallway and Sam activated his goggles as he looked between both paths. “Looks like they split up. Here.”
Before Sam could finish, Walker ran off down the branching tunnel and Bucky gave Sam a reassuring nod. “I got it.”
“You should go with ‘em, (Y/N),” Sam nudged her arm and nodded towards the doorway the two men disappeared through. “Keep Walker from doing anything too reckless; I’ll be okay.”
Although unsure about splitting up, she did as her best friend suggested and followed Bucky and Walker down the branching tunnel, doing her best to ignore the ominous feeling beginning to form in the pit of her stomach as she jogged after the super-soldiers and away from Sam. She finally caught up to them in a darkened boiler room, placatingly raising her hands when they both whirled around to face her and frowning when she glanced around the vacant room. “They’re fast, I’ll give ‘em that…”
Walker’s hands briefly clenched into fists before relaxing at his sides and huffing out an annoyed grunt. “They could be halfway across Manhattan and we wouldn’t even know.”
“No, Karli and her followers would wanna stick around to finish their mission.” Bucky’s brow was furrowed as he noted the former captain’s barely-restrained reaction and he moved to stand closer to (Y/N). “They can’t go after the GRC members anymore, so now they’re scrambling to figure out an alternate way of preventing a vote.”
Recalling how Bucky tucked the cell phone that Karli had called him on into his pocket and what Sam told her about the Flag Smasher’s unique style of communication, (Y/N) felt herself begin to smile. “Well, if we can’t find them, why don’t we make them find us?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The plan they’d come up with in the boiler room was comically simple and as the three of them led the tactical team to the mouth of the alleyway they’d lured the unsuspecting Flag Smashers to on their app, (Y/N) was reminded of the time she and Natasha tricked a Hydra agent into Steve and Sam’s custody using only a red laser-pointer. She would’ve appreciated the simplicity of this plan, (Y/N) thought to herself with a melancholy smile, her fingers grazing the red hourglass-shaped buckle as she turned the corner of the alleyway alongside Bucky and Walker and came to a stop when they came face-to-face with three unmasked Flag Smashers; they skidded to a stop, their determined expressions instantly replaced with looks of shock when they realized that they were being surrounded by officers and armed soldiers.
“‘Mercy bears richer fruit than strict justice,’” Walker recited with a triumphant grin.
Bucky held up the cell phone and gave it a little shake for emphasis. “It’s a great app.” The tactical team moved in and began detaining the Flag Smashers as the alleyway was illuminated by the flashing red and blue lights of several police cruisers, and Bucky gave the trio a small smile. “Thank you.”
The three of them turned and began walking back to the makeshift command center stationed out front of the GRC New York Headquarters, and (Y/N) arched her brow as she glanced over at Walker beside her. “Lincoln, really?”
“Great man. Great quote.”
Bucky wrinkled his nose and scowled at the super-soldier. “Not when you say it.” (Y/N)’s chuckle soon turned into a groan of pain when the side of her head suddenly throbbed and she felt as though she was about to throw up; concern filled Bucky’s blue eyes and just as he reached out to hold her shoulder, she was overcome with dizziness and he was forced to catch her when her knees gave out. “Shit, I think you might have a concussion. Take a deep breath for me, okay? That should help with the nausea.”
“I’ll go on ahead and let a medic know she needs to be looked at,” Walker remarked before jogging off in the direction of the command center.
(Y/N) breathed in through her nose and out of her mouth, blinking hard to clear her swimming vision and giving Bucky a weak smile. “You know, it’s been exactly ten years since my last concussion? I go up against androids and aliens – two of the Big Three – over the course of ten years, and a goddamn super-soldier manages to be the one to give me my second-ever concussion.”
Bucky rolled his eyes as the corner of his lip curved into a reluctant grin. “I should’ve known that Sam picked that nonsense about the Big Three up from you. So, you’ve never gone toe-to-toe with Gandalf, huh?”
“Does almost puking on Doctor Strange count?”
“No, because he’s a sorcerer, not a wizard.”
“A sorcerer is just a wizard without a hat.”
With a chuckle, Bucky wrapped his vibranium arm around her waist and helped her walk down the street to the command center; he guided her to one of the handful of ambulances and after helping her sit down, he allowed her to squeeze his hand as a paramedic cleaned and patched up the laceration near her eye. The paramedic confirmed that she did indeed have a concussion, as well as an orbital fracture and two pulled biceps, and Bucky did his best to keep her distracted from her treatment by praising her fighting techniques. Walker, looking awkward as he stood by the opposite side of the ambulance but courteously remaining to partially block her from the clicking cameras of gathering journalists and reporters. He’s not such a bad guy, (Y/N) thought as she subtly glanced over at the super-soldier, misguided and egotistical, for sure, but not bad. Unfortunately, she knew that the government nor the Army would ever address how John Walker’s untreated trauma from his years of service led to the regrettable actions he’d taken in Latvia, just as they’d never told the world what they did to Isaiah Bradley and the hundreds of other Black soldiers they’d illegally tested on…but not for long, if (Y/N) and Sam had anything to say about it.
(Y/N) was pulled out of her thoughts by the ringing of her cell phone and when she reached into her pocket for it, she saw that it was Steve. “Bucky, could you give me a second? I’ve got to answer this.” She showed him the name flashing on the screen and briefly glanced over at Walker; he immediately took the hint, patting her knee and asking Walker to accompany him while he checked out the perimeter of the command center for any sign of Sam or Karli. Once she was sure that Walker was out of range, she answered the call and brought the phone up to her ear. “Hi, sweetheart.”
“Are you okay, sunshine? What happened to your eye?”
(Y/N) arched a brow. “How’d you know that I injured my eye?”
“Because Cari and I are watching you on T.V. as we speak; WHiH camera’s at your ten o’clock.” When (Y/N) glanced over at the journalist in the middle of his report and his cameraman’s broadcasting camera, she could make out Steve’s faint chuckle and Carina’s happy coo. “Hi, baby. Are you all right?”
“I’ve got a mild concussion, an orbital fracture and two pulled biceps, but we stopped the Flag Smashers from taking any of the GRC members hostage and that’s what matters. I’ll be home with you and Cari by this time tomorrow, only with a few extra bumps and bruises.” Steve hummed in response but didn’t say anything, and she spared the far-off broadcasting camera another glance. “Everything okay, Steve?”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s just…I’m not used to being the one waiting for an injured Avenger to come home to me, that’s all. But if it means you’ll be able to help people in need like you’ve always wanted to do, then I’ll gladly do my best to get used to it.”
Feeling her face begin to warm at her husband’s sweet words, (Y/N) opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by the sound of Sam’s thrusters descending into the command center. She watched as her best friend flew down from the night sky and landed gracefully in the middle of the street, a mixture of emotions swirling around within her: relief that Sam was unhurt, and sadness that the night’s events resulted in the death of Karli Morgenthau. Sam was carrying the teenager’s lifeless body in his arms and as he carefully placed her on a waiting stretcher, she could see the gunshot wound on her stomach; she was just a child, she thought as her eyes welled up with tears, a child who was fighting for the millions of people that suffered during and after the Snap when the leaders of the world failed to do so themselves. The increased supremacy of her ideals and the gradually radical methods she employed was wrong, yes, but her message was one that every person on Earth should strive to achieve: that by treating everyone fairly and supporting those in need, the world could band together and unite as one.
“What happened to the Flag Smashers? When did the government make you Captain America?”
“Is it still Falcon?”
“Or is it Captain Falcon?”
“Is Ms. (Y/L/N)’s presence here indicative of the Avengers’ support of your new title?”
Instead of answering any of the questions being shouted his way, Sam walked up to three GRC members, which included Senator Smith, the man who convinced Sam to give up the shield only to hand it over to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed John Walker. “Sam, thank you so much, from all of us.”
“Sincerely,” Senator Smith added with a tone-deaf smile. “You did your part in dealing with those terrorists, now we’ll do ours.”
Sam’s jaw clenched in an effort to remain calm, and (Y/N) fought the urge to stand and hurry to his side. “Are you still going forward with resettling the borders?”
The third member nodded. “Our peacekeeping troops will begin relocating people soon. The terrorists only set us back a bit.”
“You have to stop calling them terrorists.”
Senator Smith scoffed at Sam’s statement. “What else would we call them?”
“Your peacekeeping troops carrying weapons are forcing millions of people into settlements around the world, right? What do you think those people are gonna call you?” Sam demanded and as all the broadcasting cameras surrounding the command center turned to film their conversation, Bucky stepped around the edge of the ambulance and leaned against the door beside (Y/N). “These labels – ‘terrorists,’ ‘refugee,’ ‘thug,’ – they’re often used to get around the question, why?”
Looking decidedly less pleased than before, the third GRC member crossed her arms and looked incredulously up at Sam. “Those settlements that happened five years ago, do you think it is fair for governments to have to support them?”
“Yes.”
“And the people who reappeared only to find someone else living in their family home, they just end up homeless?” Senator Smith gave Sam a patronizing head-shake and on the other end of the line, Steve muttered a few choice curse words. “Look, I get it. But you have no idea how complicated this situation is.”
The members started to turn and walk away, but Sam’s calm but commanding tone halted them in their tracks. “You know what? You’re right. And that’s a good thing. We finally have a common struggle now. Think about that: for once, all the people who’ve been begging, and I mean, literally begging for you to feel how hard any given day is…now you know. How did it feel to be helpless? Now, if you could remember what it was like to be helpless and face a force so powerful it could erase half the planet, you would know that you’re about to have the exact same impact. This isn’t about easy decisions, Senator.”
“You just don’t understand-”
“I’m a Black man carrying the stars and stripes. What don’t I understand?” Sam huffed out a humorless laugh and (Y/N)’s free hand clenched into a tight fist at the annoyed expression on the senator’s face. “Every time I pick this thing up, I know there are millions of people out there who are gonna hate me for it. Even now, here. I feel it…” He looked around at the crowd that had amassed as he’d spoken. “The stares, the judgement. And there’s nothin’ I can do to change it…yet, I’m still here. No super serum, no blonde hair or blue eyes. The only power I have it that I believe we can do better.” A smile slowly spread across (Y/N)’s face and as she watched her best friend with unabashed pride, she felt Bucky’s vibranium hand rest on her shoulder and he gave it a gentle squeeze. “We can’t demand that people step up if we don’t meet them halfway. Look, you control the banks. Shit, you can move borders! You can knock down a forest with an email, you can feed a million people with a phone call. But the question is, who’s in the room with you when you’re making those decisions? Hmm? Is it the people you’re gonna impact? Or is it just more people like you?” The third GRC member bowed her head while the first nodded and Senator Smith awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, but Sam’s gaze never wavered. “I mean, this girl died trying to stop you, and no one has stopped for one second to ask why. You’ve gotta do better, Senator, you’ve gotta step up. Because if you don’t, the next Karli will, and you don’t wanna see 2.0. People believed in her cause so much that they helped her defy the strongest governments in the world. Why do you think that is? Look, you people have just as much power as an insane god or a misguided teenager. The question you have to ask yourself is, ‘How are you going to use it?’”
Giving the three stunned GRC members one final look, Sam turned and walked towards the ambulances; he gave Walker a nod as he passed and the former Captain America returned the gesture with the ghost of a smile on his face, looking more relaxed than (Y/N) had ever seen him before.
“Sam’s the Captain America that this country deserves,” Steve softly remarked, his voice thick with emotion as he continued. “I only hope that people will watch that speech and realize it for themselves.”
“They will.” (Y/N) smiled with pride and watched the gathered journalists and reporters continue their live coverage of the speech they’d witnessed. “Seeing is believing, after all, and we all watched as Sam Wilson became Captain America.”
Bucky helped (Y/N), who was still on the phone with her husband, stand and when Sam walked up to them, he shrugged in faux-boredom and let out a dramatic sigh. “Sorry, I was, uh, I was texting and so, all I heard was, um, ‘a Black guy in stars and stripes.’” All three of them laughed and over the phone, Steve chuckled at the super-soldier’s joke. “Nice job, Cap.”
“Thanks.” Sam smiled at Bucky before turning to (Y/N). “You on the phone makin’ plans with your editor to write my biography already, Booksmart? I always knew you were a smart businesswoman but that was fast even for you!”
(Y/N) shook her head and smiled up at her best friend. “Nope, just talking to my husband about the historic moment we were lucky enough to see with our own eyes.”
His eyes widened a little behind his red-tinted goggles. “Steve saw all that?”
“Baby, could you hand the phone over to Sam for a moment? There’s something I need to tell him.”
(Y/N) did as he asked and Sam listened to whatever Steve was saying; it was a brief message but judging by the tears she saw him blinking away and how softly he murmured his thanks, her husband’s message seemed to have an effect on her best friend. Before she could inquire about what Steve had said, Bucky nudged Sam’s shoulder and gestured towards one of the parked cars just past the ambulance, where a familiar figure was leaning heavily against the driver’s side door. “Sharon.”
“I’ll be there in a sec,” (Y/N) reassured them and as both men made their way over to an injured Sharon, she brought the phone back up to her ear. “You’re not gonna tell me what you just told him, are you?”
“Come home in one piece and I just might,” Steve countered with a smile evident in his voice. “Good work out there, sunshine. We’ll see you soon, all right?”
They exchanged farewells and after tucking her phone back into her pocket, (Y/N) joined the trio standing beside the abandoned car. Sharon was indeed injured, holding a bundle of bloody gauze against the oozing gunshot wound on her abdomen and gritting her teeth to stop herself from crying out in pain; despite the agony she was no doubt experiencing, Sharon took one look at (Y/N) and snorted. “You look like shit, (Y/L/N).”
“Says the woman who’s currently bleeding out from an open wound,” She countered and the former CIA agent breathed out a quiet laugh. “Sharon, I’m sorry for how things unfolded after the Accords and the Snap. I know that that probably doesn’t mean much to you now, but I really am sorry and if I could go back and fix it, I would.”
Sharon studied her face for a moment and nodded as she let out a relenting sigh. “You’re right, it doesn’t mean much…but thanks for saying it.” While something in the woman’s hardened gaze kept (Y/N) from fully trusting her, she was glad that she was able to apologize for her inaction all those years ago.
“Uh, Cap?”
The four of them glanced over at the agent who called out to them and (Y/N) beamed at Sam. “I think he’s talking to you.” When Sam returned her smile with one of his own, she carefully wrapped her arms around his waist in a brief hug. “Go get ‘em, Captain America.”
“Will-do, Booksmart.” He pressed his lips to her forehead in a chaste kiss and turned to make his way over to the waiting agent.
“Look, I’m sorry for how things ended down there.” Sharon’s apology was followed by an appreciative nod. “For what it’s worth, suit looks good on you.”
Sam chuckled. “Thanks.”
With a scowl on his face, Bucky cast a furtive glance at their surroundings before addressing the former agent. “All right, look, can we get out of here, please?”
Sharon relented and allowed the super-soldier to escort her away from the command center filled with dozens of agents and officers who would arrest her for treason in the blink of an eye; while they walked, Sam called out after them, “I didn’t forget my promise.”
While Bucky and Sharon argued over which hospital to visit and whether or not they should take (Y/N)’s Volkswagen or an Uber, (Y/N) looked up at the night sky and watched Sam flying overhead towards the Hudson River, a satisfied smile on her face that finally, the shield and the mantle belonged to the right person for the job. Sam Wilson was Captain America, and the world was all the better for it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! I’ve created a Spotify playlist inspired by this series, and I’ll be updating it every time I upload a new chapter. Enjoy!
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ziGMhEsAw833GQ9eV44nR?si=6dfead09c76848d5
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Part V)
Stumblin’ In Book VII: “Superhero Snapshots” Masterlist
Stumblin’ In Book I: “The Winter Soldier” Masterlist
Tagging:  @mrs-obrien​​​​ @lahoete​​​​ @awkward117 @cminr @natdrunk​​​ @momc95​​​​ @savedbystyle​​​​ @miraculouscloud @awkwardnesshabitat​​​​ @marinettepotterandplagg​​​​ @mangosandmimosas @supersouthy @benakenalove​​​​ @brooke0297​​​​ @hufflepeople​​​​ @becausewelie​​​​ @outoftheregular​​​​​ @junipermurdock​​​​ @ladydmalfoy @mads-weasley​​​​ @username23345 @crist1216​​​​ @capswife​​​​ @lilmschild​​​​ @avngrsinitiative @crowleysqueenofhell​​​​ @y-napotat​​​ @mary1raven​​​​ @groovy-lady​​​​ @ljej95​​​​ @innersublimefury​​​ @prettysbliss​​​​​  
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eddiemuonson · 3 months
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good partner
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Summary: You get a call from Sam asking to help him and Bucky find the Super Soldiers, and get Zemo out of prison. You're still not done with your mission, but the former Winter Soldier doesn't like the idea of you around. This is mostly based on episode 4 of the show, "The Whole World is Watching". I wanted to write something light but you can request a smut.
Warning: Angst, mentions of The Winter Soldier, fluff | Word count: 4k
Pairing: Bucky x f!reader
A loud thud echoed through the loft as Zemo hit his back against the hard floor. You stomped your foot on his chest and heard him grunt against gritted teeth.
"I'm in this case as well. You're just a rat who got lucky from getting out of a cell" You spat out. Both Sam and Bucky trying hard not to snort.
The baron still kept his gaze at you, holding your foot so tight you almost stumbled. He got up on his foot and wrapped a hand around your bicep.
"Leaving you to turn on me once we get to Karli. Hmm. I prefer to keep my leverage. I can't trust you" He locked his eyes on yours and squeezed his fingers on your skin.
You let out a dry scoff. They should've let him die in that prison. Behind your back, Sam was about to step in. Zemo had shifted his demeanor to a cold look. "You let them do it. Stay out of it".
"And who are you to say shit about what I should or should not do?" Raising your voice, he didn't flinch.
The man pointed a finger at you as a warning, still holding his damn tea cup. Only a slight second later, Bucky shattered the glass against the wall and pulled him by his collar.
"You wanna see what someone can do with leverage?" The soldier asked him. He tightened his metal wrist and you could see his shoulder grow wide.
Sam stood next to him, resting a hand on his forearm. "Take it easy. Don’t engage him. He’s just gonna extort you and do that stupid head tilt thing".
Bucky still had him in his grip. Zemo didn't hold any expression, otherwise. It was infuriating. "You want some cherry blossom tea?"
You watched as the taller man twisted his collar. "You fucking touch her again, I'll break your neck". He shoved the baron backward and left the living room.
You were surprised, to say the least. Bucky was annoyed you were on this mission with them. He thought you were actually missing a few points and messing with their plan.
But much to his dismay, Sam agreed to have you on board and didn't complain about your work. Said his partner was just being grumpy.
The former Winter Soldier was leaning against the countertop, his hands gripping tightly against the edge. You offered a glass of water, which he denied.
The Falcon was somewhere else making a call, which left you alone with an irritated soldier and a trash bag of an ex-prisoner.
"Don't let him get through your head" You whispered, standing close to Bucky. He didn't look back at you. "It's what he likes to do. Ever since the last time you engaged".
He gulped harshly, it was back when he was being accused of planning a bombing in Vienna. And then, when he was held hostage in Germany, where Zemo broke him and brought Winter Soldier back.
"I don't like him either. But it's easier if we just ignore" You tried to humor him, but he still wasn't in the mood for interaction.
"Would that work if I ignored you as well?" Bucky lifted his eyes to meet yours. He had a stupid faux grin on his face.
As soon as he didn't get a response, he walked past you and made his way back to follow Sam, leaving you alone with Zemo.
~~
You're all gathered around as The Falcon goes through the plan again. Refusing to tag along with Zemo, you had to agree and make Bucky company.
They tracked Karli Morgenthau to a memorial service. But John Walker and his partner figured out the exact same plan. All you wanted to do was get all the serum back.
That is, if you didn't run into the shittiest Captain America while you and Bucky walked up the alley. You could literally hear him tightening his fists, his metal arm already functioning.
"Ah! How’d you find us now?" The soldier carried an unamused tone in his voice. You watched as John and his partner got closer to you both.
"You think two Avengers can walk around Latvia without drawing attention?" He wasn't wrong, but you knew Bucky was past that now.
The Captain motioned his head towards you, measuring you from head to toe. "New Avenger?"
You snorted out loud and cracked a laugh. Your stomach was starting to cramp and the soldier next to you watched as John held a confused look.
"She's just a partner" He shrugged. "Sam asked for her help".
"Yeah, but not just a partner. So you better not step foot on our plans" Bucky knows how much of a menace you are.
He can't disagree with the fact that you can actually start a fight with the wrong people and not fear them.
John snorted and you narrowed your eyes at him. "Yeah, right. You wanna meet Karli, there will be civilians there. There's a high risk of casualties".
"No one's asking for your opinion, Cap. Sam is gonna talk to her and reason her" You tried to face him, but his demeanor didn't go down on you.
"She blew up a fucking building with people in it. If he's in there alone with a Super Soldier, he's getting himself killed".
Bucky rolled his eyes. "He's dealt with worse".
You were waiting inside the building while Sam tried to convince Karli. John couldn't stop pacing back and forth, even Zemo seemed annoyed already.
He started complaining about how dangerous it was, but the soldier next to you made sure it hadn't even been ten minutes yet.
Already done with his bullshit, you shifted on your foot. Bucky looked at you from the corner of his eyes. You weren't supposed to be there in the first place. He knows you're highly qualified and if shit went down you'd protect yourself.
And even though he's still pissed you're there, he can't wrap his head around the fact that this could be really dangerous for you.
John almost towered over Bucky, he was deadpanning at the Captain. "This is all really easy for you, isn’t it? All that serum runnin’ through your veins".
"Barnes, your partner needs backup in there. Do you really want his blood on your hands?" He tried getting into his head, but the man next to you did nothing but chuckle.
"You really don't know Sam, do you?" You chimed in and watched as John narrowed his eyes at you. "You come in here parading this new shield which, by the way, doesn't fucking belong to you and you want to dictate shit?"
By this point, he really wishes he could hit a woman. Bucky notices how John moves his body and tries to face you, but he doesn't let him.
"You better keep your distance" He warned the Captain, who took a few steps back and raised his hands in surrender.
John didn't wait five more minutes and decided to intervene in their conversation. Karli was fast enough and knocked them down before running away. You couldn't find her in the maze, but Zemo made sure to destroy the serums she had. Or he thought so.
~~
Back in the loft, the German man was lying on the couch with a soft fabric covering his eyes. He was talking about how Super Soldiers weren't allowed to exist.
In gets Bucky as he sighs before taking his jacket off. You couldn't take your eyes off his firm body, his strong arms, and perfectly shaped abs.
You were sitting opposite to him as he was on his back, just staring at his entire body. He poured a glass of whiskey before speaking up about his suspicions about John.
"Well, I know a crazy when I see one. Because I am crazy" He says as he rests his lips on the rim of the glass.
"Good thing you recognize that" You let out a laugh, and he snaps his eyes at you.
Bucky rolls his eyes and speaks through the glass. "You should have a look in the mirror".
You're taken aback by his response and open your mouth, ready for retaliation, but he speaks up again. "Shouldn't have given him the shield".
Sam stood next to him and pointed a finger, but you defended him. "He didn't give it".
You're sitting on the couch with your arms crossed against your chest. The former Winter Soldier walks toward you before crouching in front of you.
"Steve definitely didn't. And you're past the point of giving an opinion here. I said this mission wasn't for you".
He was too annoyed today, that's for sure. But that didn't give him the right to be a brat with you all the time. And you should ignore him, but the bickering gets him all the time.
You lift your torso and fill the gap between your faces. His brows are furrowed. "You don't get to say what I should or should not do".
The staring lingers for a while until the new captain barges into the loft asking for you all to turn Zemo over.
"Shield or no shield, the only thing you’re runnin’ in here is your mouth. Now, I had Karli and you overstepped. He’s actually proven himself useful today" Sam walks over to him.
John tries to tease your friend before the Wakandans enter the loft. They peacefully ask to turn Zemo as well, but a fight bursts in the room.
You run towards the corner of the room behind a pillar, while the wakandan knocks the captain and his friend down. The other three men are standing there, watching him get beat up with amused looks on their faces.
"Looking strong, John" Bucky teases and you snort loudly. He snaps his head your way and grins.
The soldier tries reasoning with Ayo, but she pulls herself away from him and continues to fight against John and his partner. Both him and Sam are too busy to notice that Zemo is trying to get away.
You run after him and hold the door knobs before he can lock himself. "Where the hell you think you're going?"
"Let go, or I'll shoot you" He warns, but you paid no mind. Only then, he gripped his gun quickly before shoving you backward, locking himself.
You looked over your shoulders and watched as Bucky was kneeling on the floor, grabbing his metal arm.
"Shit" You mutter and rush to him. "Everything okay?"
He carried a different look for a slight second, almost vulnerable. He reattached his arm back. Bucky looked at you and nodded. You grabbed his limb and carefully inspected it.
"Did you know they could do that?" He was still glancing down at you. His blue eyes were soft and light. He shook his head and clanked his arm.
Later on, Zemo was still nowhere near to be found, while Sam and Bucky were pissed they missed him.
"How could you not hold him back?" Your friend was messaging a few people he knew might know about him.
"I tried. He pointed a fucking gun to my head" You snapped.
The other man sat next to you on the stool by the countertop. He let out a sharp inhale. "Was it even loaded? He could've just tricked you".
"How the fuck would I know?" Your face was millimeters away from his once again. Your breath was fanning his face and you watched as he tightened his jaw.
"Know why I hate this fucking plan? Because you had one job today and you couldn't even do it" You closed your fists and clicked your jaw at his words.
"As much as I know Sam would bow down to you and say you're a great partner. I beg to differ" He got from his seat and walked with his heavy boots against the floor toward the couch.
Your voice cut through the air with bitterness and you immediately regretted it. "Sometimes you're no different from the Winter Soldier".
He stopped his tracks and spun around. Quickly, Bucky captured your face with his metal hand and squeezed your cheeks, making you pout.
"What the fuck did you just say?" His forehead was brushing yours and you could see rage in his eyes.
"Let go of her. She's just disappointed" Sam gave you a cold look before handling his partner. He grabbed Bucky by the shoulder before the man shoved your face.
You were sitting alone in the loft during the night, trying to book a flight home. Obviously, your plan to help with the mission became a disaster, nonetheless, from the beginning you knew Bucky didn't agree on this.
He thought you couldn't keep up with the plan and he was right. You were making things worse at this point. You wanted to help them, you tracked the Super Soldiers and you helped with Zemo, but that was just it.
Now you're debating whether you should just go without warning or not. Sam is going to be pissed at the end of it. He knows you're better than that, and after what you told Bucky there's no way you can face him again.
Your friend watched you from the corner of the hallway. He knows you're hurting from what happened, you wouldn't snap like that if his partner didn't push you. Sam talked to him, but he was too angry to actually forgive you.
He didn't blame him either.
"Hey, you going to sleep or what?" Sam asked as soon as he dropped his weight on the couch next to you. He peeked through your screen and saw it. "Woah, you're not leaving right? This isn't over. I still need you. We need to find Zemo".
"You can do that without me. You did it before. Besides, he's out there because of me. And Bucky is tired of my face".
He closed your laptop, and you glanced at him. "I can do it, but I don't want to. S'why I reached out to you. And we're gonna find him, he needs us too".
"And Bucky... I think it's just his sexual frustration talking" He laughed as you gasped at his words.
"Sam, what the fuck?"
"Dude doesn't even go on dates, he's probably nervous having a woman around. He's always been grumpy, I think it's in his nature. He'll come around at some point" He grinned at you.
"That's not my problem. He keeps pushing me, I'll fight back" You didn't need to look at him to see he was definitely enjoying the playfulness.
"You guys should just have sex. This is so annoying" Sam grabbed his phone as you choked on your own spit.
"For the love of God, drop this conversation before I snap at you too".
He handed the phone to you, saying Karli was threatening his sister and his nephews. She wants to find him, alone.
He has other plans, of course. But you can't even think about accepting the idea before Bucky gets to talk.
"He doesn't need to know. I'll go with him, you meet us there".
~~
You watched as he and Bucky fought the Super Soldiers along with John and his partner. They were beating each other up relentlessly.
One of them pulled a pocket knife and tried stabbing Bucky and you gasped. He shielded himself, dropping the object close to their face.
He had a snapped cut on his nose, and his jaw was split up. His knuckles were bloody red. Sam was in better shape than his friend, though.
You were shocked when you saw John's partner sitting unconscious on the floor. The captain rushed to him, too desperate to make any sense.
You pulled Bucky and Sam away and ran out of the building. "We gotta get the hell out of here now. He's gonna kill the kid" Your hands were shaking, and you almost tripped on your foot.
"Hey, woah. What are you doing here?" Bucky stopped in his tracks, looking back.
"Let's argue later, dipshit" Sam shouted at the soldier as you kept running.
In the loft, you asked Bucky to sit on the stool as you worked on his injuries. Starting on his nose, he hissed at the contact with the wet cloth.
"Keep steady, crybaby" You whispered and he looked up at you.
You cleaned the dried blood from his face and managed to apply some saline solution. The entire time, he kept his gaze on you. He noticed how focused you were on his injuries and how gently you managed it.
He held his hands up as you cleaned up his knuckles. They were red from all the punching, and it surprised you how he was still human besides the serum.
You squeeze his hands lightly, too embarrassed to look back at him before apologizing. "I'm really sorry about yesterday. It was a really shitty thing to say, and you don't deserve it. I was an asshole".
Bucky trailed his eyes to scan your face. He had a peaceful look. "I shouldn't have pushed you either. I was just annoyed Sam brought someone up to this mess".
"I accepted it. There's no right or wrong, I wanted to help". You were both still brushing your fingertips against each other.
"You're not bad after all" He mused and you chuckled. "I just- I don't think I can keep losing people".
You saw his raw personality right in front of you. That man who kept his serious and defensive demeanor was showing his true self. It was hard to miss it.
Your hand grasped his jawline, carefully rubbing his skin. He almost faltered. "That won't happen. I got two Avengers to protect me".
He snorted, showing his teeth when he laughed. "Should've seen that coming".
"And more than anyone else, you deserve that happiness. You just need to stop lying about your nightmares".
"How do you-" He was about to ask and you tilt your head.
"Sam and I talk. I know it's hard to erase the past. But you're James again, you're you" Your other hand is still holding him tightly.
Bucky refuses to look at you for a moment. And when he does, his eyes are glassy. "It means I remember. It means a part of me is still there. Which means a part of the Winter Soldier’s still in me".
You smack your lips. "You need to stop thinking you're making amends. You need to give them closure, be of service for them. Stop thinking like you still owe them just an apology".
He drops his head and bites his lip. You hold his chin up and force him to look at you. "You're not that guy anymore".
You were about to get closer for the hundredth time. Maybe close the gap between you and pull him in for a kiss. Not because you feel bad for him, for his past. But because you feel warmth when you're close to him.
You feel like he could hold the world above your head and fight for you.
That was when his phone started ringing. John killed that kid out of revenge.
~~
You finally meet Sam's sister, Sarah, after he invites you and Bucky home to help him fix his boat. A lot of their neighbors are also helping. There's a gathering with food and drinks by the lake, and every kid is excited to see the soldier. They're all lining up to hang up on his metal arm.
You're watching in the distance as he and Sarah chat about something, while two kids hang themselves on his limb. He seems lighter, happy even.
He has a different look on his face. Especially after Sam finally decided to become who he was supposed to be.
Bucky walks toward you holding two cans of beer in his hand. "You want one?"
He holds one out for you, and you accept it.
"The kids love you, you know?" You speak after sipping on your drink.
"What can I say? I'm pretty charming" He leans against the wall next to you, watching as the sun sets. There's a hue of orange in the sky.
"They only like you because of your arm. Don't get too cocky" You shove him by the arm playfully and he holds your hand for leverage.
Bucky pulls you closer to his body, his chest is heaving against yours. He's taller, so he has to look down at you.
"So you don't think I'm charming?" His words are too soft, but his grip on your waist is almost tight.
"I didn't say that" You smirk and he uses his other hand to rub the pad of his thumb on your lower lip.
The moment you felt his skin against yours, it felt like everything slowed down. Even though he was desperate to finally give you the kiss he'd been wishing for, it was obvious he was too nervous.
Sam's words lingered in your head. He was definitely in need of dates and he refused to accept it. Whatever changed his mind made you realize he had a soft spot for you.
That's what made you take the first step. You finally closed the distance and crashed your lips against his. It tasted like beer. The tiniest movement of your tongue had him groaning in the back of his throat and it almost made you smile.
He slid his tongue against yours and tilted his head for better access. He wished he wasn't holding a beer right now because all he wanted to do was cradle your face and pull you in for a deeper kiss.
Your arms wrapped around his neck and Bucky faltered as you grasped his lip between your teeth. Both tongues were fighting for dominance and you shivered.
The fresh taste of beer in your mouth made his heart flutter inside his chest. His heart was racing and pounding against his ribcage and he felt like the air got knocked out of his lungs.
You both had to pull out for air, his hand not leaving your body for a second. Resting your forehead against his, you watched as he kept his eyes closed.
"I'm glad you're happier now. I can see it right through you"
"Someone gave me a nudge. And Sam is a great friend, much to my disappointment" He joked, giving your lips a chaste peck.
"He said some pretty nasty things about you the other day" You laughed as he displayed a surprised look on his face.
"Oh, he's a dead man".
"Hmm, he might be right" You sipped on your beer, watching as Bucky placed a hand on his hip.
"What was it about?" The soldier mirrored you with his beer.
Getting closer to his face, you spoke against his lips. Voice low and teasing "You'll have to find out".
You gasped as he pulled you harder against his body and kissed you again. This time, it had a different impact, he was rough and needy.
A growth beneath you brushed against your body, and you chuckled between the kiss. Bucky had to pull away from you. He lowered his head and shook it.
"I might know what he meant" He barely had time to laugh as you pulled him in for another kiss.
You didn't even have time to tell Sam goodbye. Next thing you know, you were both in his hotel room, filling the air with a lot of passion and moaning.
You woke up the next day with a weight on you. His metal arm was spread above your body.
Jesus, they needed to get blackout curtains in the bedrooms. You slightly opened one of your eyes and peeked through your lashes as you saw Bucky peacefully sleeping close to you.
A smile escaped from your lips at the thought of the previous night.
Happiness crossed your mind when you cradled his face and traced his jawline. He was definitely happy. And hopefully, soon, the nightmares would go away.
418 notes · View notes
quigonswife8 · 1 year
Text
Unexpected visitor: Namor x fem reader
While staying at Zemo's place with Sam and Bucky temporarily, an unexpected person shows up after years.
@namorslit I hope you like this!! I'm sorry it took longer than it should have to get out, but I still do hope you like this. Thank you again for request :)
I checked this over but if there are still mistakes and stuff and I messed up somewhere with the Yucatec Maya, just let me know. Also it's been a while since I've seen The falcon and the winter soldier, and this episode, so it may be a bit different.
-----
When Bucky had broken Zemo out of prison, you had helped.
After moving to New York you had become friends with Bucky pretty quickly. He knows almost everything about you...except for the part about Namor. When Bucky had asked for your help, you had agreed pretty quickly. He trusts you a lot, and you didn't want to let him down.
"Turkish delight?"
Zemo stands in the kitchen, standing in front of the jug. Mixtures of different tea sit in a container near the jug, and you would be lying if you said you didn't want to test out all the different teas.
It's only you, Sam, and Helmut, in the apartment at the moment. Buck is running an errand. Baron looks at Sam, but he shakes his head, so he looks at you. A smile creeps onto your lips, and as you raise your right hand, you reply with:
"I'd love one." He grins at you, before tossing you the chocolate.
"Thank you."
He nods, before turning in the other direction to finishing making yours and his tea, as Sam didn't want one. 'You're missing out' you had joked. Unwrapping the chocolate you toss the wrapper into a nearby bin, popping the treat into your mouth, and leaning back to get more comfortable in the chair.
It may not have been the best option to break Baron out, but he knows a lot about the super soldier serum, and that's your best bet to tracking the remaining vials down. While tracking down the flag smasher's too and more specifically, Karli Morgenthau.
To be honest you don't mind working with Zemo. Despite what other people think, you don't think he's a bad person. Has he made decisions that go against the law? Yes. He was in prison for those reasons. Did he do it for a valid reason? You believe so.
You see where he was coming from, why he did what he did, as you would have done the same for K'uk'ulkan. You would have moved mountains for him if you had the ability to. That's why you are able to work with him, even though a lot of people can't or don't want to.
"Is it good?"
Helmut is approaching holding your tea in his right hand, and his in his left. Swallowing the piece of chocolate, you give him a thumbs up,
"Here."
"Thank you."
You take the cherry blossom tea, while Zemo takes a seat in front of you and gets comfortable. He nods again, and replies with "you're welcome" before taking a sip of his tea.
-A few hours later-
"And then I-"
The sound of knocking stops you mid-sentence. Confused you look at the other's, but they seem to have no clue who this could be. It's not Ayo, and it can't possibly be the flag-smashers, plus Walker has no clue where you are. No one comes to mind, which worries you.
"...I can..."
"I'll get it." reaching for your gun you tuck it away, and as you stand, you look from each of them "...just stay here."
Keeping a hand on your gun you approach the door. Slowly. Whoever is out there may be a threat. The knocking continues, until you get to the door, pressing a hand to it, and taking a deep breath.
"...who's there?"
...silence. Gripping your gun tight you remain there, not daring to open the door until you get something in response. Anything.
"Hello?"
It feels like forever when they finally reply. Though, finally, as in a few seconds later. Their voice is slightly muffled but you still can make it out...you can make him out.
"(y/n)..." and you feel like something hits you in the chest, and you suddenly can't breathe.
It can't be him. No, you had parted ways with him years ago. You had cried over him, had mourned the relationship you had. He may have been the one to end the relationship, but you still feel the blame as to why he had ended it.
Now he stands there. Why is he there though? Shouldn't he be ruling his kingdom? Looking after his people?
"Please open up."
How did he find me?
Sighing you tuck away your gun knowing that you have no use for it. Though you don't open the door, not for a minute. You need a minute to ready yourself to see him again.
Does he look different? He's over 500 years old and ages slowly, he probably looks the same. Is he even there for you, though? He could be there to see the other's which is unlikely but, hey, anything is possible.
Okay
You finally open the door: sliding your hand down to grab the doorhandle, you compose yourself for a few more seconds.
Taking a deep breath, and then opening the door, your eyes fall on him. On your love, and he looks exactly how you remember him: from his soft brown eyes, to his ears that point to the sky, to the way he holds himself.
Three years have passed and he still looks how you remember him. Unable to stop the feeling you still harbor from him slowly come to the surface, you look away from him.
"K'uk'ulkan? What...what are you doing here..?"
"I need you to come with me."
So it was you he wanted to see, and obviously it's important enough to warrant him leaving his kingdom to come all this way. Looking at him again.
"Kin wa'alik ti' teech ba'ax ku yúuchul ts'o'okole', ba'ale' súutuka' k'a'abéet a taal wéetel (I will tell you what's happening after, but right now I need you to come with me)."
You sigh softly.
"Namor..." dragging a hand over your face, you lean a hand on the door.
"I..."
"Is everything alright?"
Bucky
Looking away from him for a moment, you look at Bucky. He looks protective- and if looks could kill. Though you seem to notice how Namor seems to stiffen- how he notices that Bucky is a little too close than he likes. Jealousy, that's it. He has no reason to be jealous, you are no longer together, but that doesn't mean the feelings have disappeared.
"Buck..." you bring a hand to rest one of his arms. "...everything is fine. This is my...this is an old friend." it shouldn't hurt as much as it does when Namor hears you call him just an old friend, but it does.
"What's your friends name?" now he's looking at you again. You sigh softly, forcing a smile to fall on your lips.
"...Namor. His name is Namor." turning back to look at him.
"Namor, this is Bucky. Bucky, Namor."
Neither men are trusting of eachother and you understand that: K'uk'ulkan is the love of your love. Despite everything he's still the love of your life, the person you care for most, and the person you think about most often. Bucky? Bucky is one of your closest friends, and you consider him to be like a brother.
"Okay..." you continue, taking your hand away, and stepping forward a little.
"Now that the introductions are out of the way. Let's just talk first."
"(y/n)." he steps forward, which warrants Bucky to step closer. You look at him, however, letting him know with your eyes that Namor isn't a threat. He never could be.
"I am sorry, ba'ale' le ba'ala' jach páaybe'en (but this is important)." putting emphasis on the 'important'. That may be, but what you are doing, with the whole super soldier thing and tracking down the flag smashers, is important too.
"yéetel le ba'ax táan in meentik xan jach páaybe'en (and what I am doing is important too)." a pause. A soft sigh, and you continue.
"So please let's just talk first. That's all I'll ask of you...please."
-
3 years ago
"Please don't do this.."
You are near tears, on the verge of breaking down hearing his words.
"I'm sorry in yakunaj (my love), but I have to."
Have to? No. More like he wants to. He wants to end the relationship, because he believes you deserve to be with someone better. Someone human, like you. You deserve to grow old with that person, not with someone who's can live as long as he can. No you deserve to be able to live out the rest of your days with someone better.
"I'm sorry but it is better this way-"
"That's a lie." anger seething through your words, but the sadness breaks through more, and you quickly wipe away the tears.
"...just...please. Please think this over."
He has. He's thought this over many times. You deserve better, and he can't give you that better. As heartbreaking as that is, it's true.
"I have..."
Namor doesn't cry. Even though he wants to. He needs to remain strong, he has to make this quick or he'll change his mind. As he turns back to look at you, you can see in his eyes that he's made his mind up. It hurts like hell, and you cover your mouth to stop the sobs.
Taking a step back, you shake your head.
"No."
He steps forward, but you shake your head again, making him to stop.
"If..." you begin, looking at him again. "...if you think this is best, then I'll just go."
Praying that he'll say 'no' .you get your answer when he looks away. Heart breaking you fall into a step past him, brushing your shoulder against his, and walking to the door. You need to wrap your head around everything and the best place to do it is your home that you rarely live, up on the surface.
You try and find the words to say but end up falling short. Instead you just open the door and leave.
-
"Okay..."
Namor speaks before thinking. You're right, though. You deserve to hear what he has to say. Especially after...
"Can we talk in private?"
You nod, "we can talk somewhere. I know a place." though, before you leave, you turn back to Bucky. He looks...different. He doesn't look as defensive as before, or protective, but he has a look of something in his eyes that you can't quite place. He looks at Namor, then back to you, and it's now that you realise.
"I'll be inside (n/n)."
He places a hand on your shoulder, a hint of a smile on his lips, and then he leaves you and Namor to be alone again. Clearing your throat you walk down the stairs, soon falling into a step,
"This way." and he follows after you.
----
It's silent when you get to where you had been meaning to take him.
A small hut by the sea that you had stumbled across not that long ago. K'uk'ulkan sits in front of you, while you listen to what he has to say. It's nice, you have to admit. To be able to see him after all these years. To be able to listen to him, reminds you of the past.
He comes to a stop, wanting to hear what you have to say. The distant sound of waves crashing brings you back to reality, and as you look up from your hands, you finally decide to say something.
"So what you're saying is. If I don't return to Talokan with you to be your queen, they will...kill me?"
It makes no sense. Why would they need to kill you? They, as in enimes of K'uk'u'lkan. They had demanded he bring you to Talokan or they would go to the surface world and kill you themselves. Is this some sort of sick game?
"Je'el (yes)."
well, great.
"I did not want to come here and put this burden on your shoulders, but I needed to come here and tell you as soon as possible" so that's why he couldn't say it in front of Bucky, or in front of you, or other people may have heard.
"Well what...what do I..."
You want to help Bucky and the other's with the serum and searching for the flagsmashers, but if your life is on the line, staying isn't the best choice. Not that you're not panicking because you are, you are just doing a good job at hiding it.
"I am sorry. Ma'atech ka'ach dejado ba'ax le ba'ala' sucediera, ba'ale' táan a le máako'ob peligrosas yéetel in woojel ba'ax ma' táan u tuus (I would never have let this happen, but these are dangerous people and I know they are not lying)."
Sucking in a sharp breath, you fight back the tears. So I just leave, then? leave the life you have made for yourself. Leave your friends, leave Bucky? It's hard to process and even harder to think about what your goodbye's are going to be like.
"There are no other options?"
With a head shake, you get your answer.
"...okay..."
The only word you can properly get out at the moment without breaking down. Namor stands up, offering you a hand, to which you find yourself taking.
"I am sorry in ya..." he catches himself before he can call you that term of endearment he used to call you, and instead calls you by your actual name "(y/n)."
"I know..." you blink away the tears. "...but thank you."
-
You stare blankly at the building in front of you. You have said your goodbyes, though now you can't help but just stare forward. Everything is still processing in your mind, but you haven't broken down and that's a start.
You are about to leave to start your new life in Talokan as the queen of the person you broke up with years ago. It's hard but you need to go because you really do not want to die.
"Are you ready...?"
He is understanding, of course. You look at him, noticing a small smile on his lips: the memories of seeing that smile flash in your mind, but you soon focus back on what you have been.
"Not really..."
You stand there for another minute, then you turn to look at him.
"..but I have to go..." with one last look at the building, you look back at him. "...so let's go."
The two of you soon leaving to go to Talokan.
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imaginesandsmut · 8 months
Text
Meddle About
Pairing: Karli Morgenthau x fem reader
Summary: After staying with the Wilson’s, Karli begins to fall for y/n, the wilson’s family friend.
Warnings: smut smut smut and more smut. there is a strap and slight mention of possessiveness
Writers note: I am upset that there is like no Karli smut out in the world, my fave lesbian terrorist deserves more attention <3
Also message me if y’all want me to write anything specific.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Well, come and get it now, come and get it now. Baby, show me what you doing, come and turn around. 'Cause it's not just a figure of speech, you got me down on my knees, it's getting harder to breathe out” - Meddle About by Chase Atlantic
Some nights you believe you were made parties; made to be the centre of attention, the mirrorball in the middle of the dancefloor.
The Wilson family were hosting another potluck gathering, their house was filled to the brim with food, music and people, all in which spilt out from their front door and onto the docks. Houses upon houses had partaken in the festivities and the whole neighbourhood were singing songs well past curfew.
You, ever the social butterfly, found yourself in the centre of the party. You were dancing with Sam on the makeshift dance floor on the docks, singing loudly to whatever song someone had put in the playlist que.
“Do you want a drink?” You yelled over the music, still moving your body in rhythm with the song. The air was hot and thick around you, the short summer dress that revealed almost every inch of skin your had did little to cool you down.
“Get the good gin from my cooler in my room.” Sam yelled back, wildly fistbumping the air to the song.
You looked around, the bodies in the crowd blocking your view of the house and caging you in. You started pushing your way through, apologising and smiling sweetly at anyone in your way. The big doe eyes made anyone that looked at you melt instantly, falling over themselves to let you through.
Sam’s house came into your sights, the lights on and more people laughing and spilling from its doors. You moved your feet up the porch steps and through the front door, beelining for the stairs and making your way up towards Sam’s room.
You had found yourself in the quiet hallway, the music from downstairs vibrating the floor beneath her. You weren’t drunk and the tipsiness had long passed, but the buzz from being with friends and being breathless from dancing filled you with a warm fuzzy feeling of love.
Sam’s bedroom door was in front of you, beckoning you forward to the promised cold drinks that will surely cool her down.
But the room at the end of the hallway was making you feel weak and nervous.
Karli Morgenthau has been staying at the Wilson’s house for the past few months, after spending the past year or so in government rehabilitation. The redhead suffered major injuries after being shot by Sharon, gunshot wounds to her stomach and ribs. It was all in luck and the super soldier serum that she managed to survive and get back to health only a few months later.
Sam had to fight hard for Karli to be released from The Raft, a maximum security prison for all super-powered criminals. The only way he pulled strings to shorten her sentence was because S.H.I.E.L.D owed Sam many favours. Instead of putting her out on the streets to fend for herself, Sam took Karli in and has been trying to acclimate her to everyday life.
Karli, once an angry and feverish for revenge 19-year-old, was now a hollow and tired 21-year-old. She kept to herself, hidden in her room and away from everybody all day and night.
“Can you try and get her to open up?” Sam asks quietly one morning, a few days after Karli arrives at the house, before you had even seen her.
“You want me to be her friend?”
“I want you to show her that she’s not alone.”
You knew about Karli Morgenthau, knew what she did and who she was. You couldn't hate the red head for what she did in her past, knowing that she did it for the right reasons, just a terrible execution. So over the past few weeks, you have been trying to put yourself out there and invite Karli to join your little activities; shopping, reading, walking on the dock and helping you study.
Karli had fought at first, sending scowls and snide remarks towards you whenever you offered to show Karli around town or do anything together. But slowly, over time, you had chipped away at Karli’s frozen exterior and gotten her to open up slowly, even earning a smile or two. But just as quickly as it comes, it goes and Karli goes back to ignoring you.
Now, hot and buzzed from the party, all you wanted was to spend time with Karli. To hear her talk, watch her hands move over her book pages, watch her fluffy curls bounce everytime she moves her head.
You just wanted to be around Karli, even if Karli didn’t partially seem to care about you that much.
You walked towards Karli’s bedroom door, knocking on it hesitantly and waiting for any sign of life behind the door. You waited, and waited, and nothing. You huffed before opening the door, knowing that there is no where else Karli would be and she was ignoring the knocking on purpose.
“Hey.” Your voice was soft as you opened the door, very weary that you were definitely intruding in a space that you’re not allowed in.
Karli was sitting at her desk, lounging back in her chair so effortlessly. She was wearing her flannel pants low on her hips, her v-line in full view to the room. Karli’s sports bra equally leaves little to hide.
She looks up from her book, confused as to why anyone would be in her room, ready to send a snide remark but bites her tongue when she realises it was you.
“Hi.”
“You enjoying the party?” You joke, closing the door behind you and walking further into the room. You look around, taking in the sights of the band posters on her walls and books that littered the room.
Karli does speak, only grunting in response as her eyes remain on the page. It was probably a russian classic, or some sort of manifesto, another boring book to swallow her alive and keep her from the real world.
You stayed planted in the centre of the room, afraid to get closer to her but too embarrassed to leave. You watched Karli, trying to dissect her brain and figure out who the person in front of you was.
“Was there something else you wanted?” Karli was bored, almost annoyed that you were there.
Karli hated being here, in her room and in this house. She has grown a lot since her time with the Flagsmashers, understood where she went wrong and how much harm she did. But being coddled, being treated like a wounded stray dog that everyone needs to walk on eggshells around, it annoyed her to no end and made her irritable.
Except for you; out of everyone in the whole town, you were the only one that treated Karli like another person, treated her like a friend.
You were soft spoken and kind, always willing to help and lend a listening ear to anyone who may need it. Karli hated how easily she wanted to fall into you, how readily she was to become your friend and be around you.
Be in your world.
Be in your presence.
Be in you.
Karli wasn’t a virgin, she had fucked a girl here and there before her Flagsmasher days and a lot during. Many girls threw themselves at the redhead, wanting to be the one that could heal the broken parts within her. She never really felt anything for girls, pushing them into her bed and pleasuring them in every way possible. It was all so hot, heavy, and nonserious. She never wanted them to be anything more, never could have them be anything more.
But when you stood in front of her, flushed and sweaty from dancing, it made Karli want to push her over the nearest counter and fuck you sensless.
“I wanted to check in on you,” You played with the hem of her dress, “it’s not too bad out there, with everyone.”
“I’m good.” Karli lifted her hips up from the chair to readjust her pants, the movement caused you to almost choke on your spit. “You can shut the door on your way out.”
This has been the most to your interactions for the past month or so and it was making you irritated. You have tried for so long to open her up and get Karli to enjoy something in life, but all she could do was hide in her room and make you feel like an idiot. A new determination overcome you, forcing you to stay in the room and not be chased out by someone who has nothing going on in their life.
“What band is that?” You pushed yourself to walk towards the desk that remained pushed against the wall, underneath the band posters and random tickets sticky taped to the wall.
“Kyoto Kyoto.” Karli watched your body move closer to her, stopping right in front of her body but looking up at her wall. “Band from London.”
“Cool,” You nod your head like you knew them, “do you like their songs?”
“I wouldn’t have them on my wall if i didn’t?”
“Oh yeah, sorry.” You just stared up at the wall, suddenly feeling chilly in the deathly quiet room.
Karli was lounging on her chair, manspreading with her pants low on her hips and elbows on the armrests. The book lay forgotten in her arms and she looked at you next to her chair, standing up on your tippy toes to get a glance at the writing on some of the other posters. Karli couldn’t help herself, it was just a slight head tilt to the side, a slow dip of her head and she was looking up your dress. The girl next to her was oblivious to Karli’s prying eyes, taking in your butt.
Your underwear, white and lacy, did little to hide any skin of your ass.
Karli couldn’t stop herself, she was like a man starved after being away at war. She hadn’t touched anyone in almost 2 years, let alone felt the smooth skin of a woman - and you were just so pretty.
It was like her hand was moving on its own volition, a possessed limb that was determined to satisfy the need that festered within her chest.
Karli’s right hand reached out to her side and touched the back of your knee, startling you slightly and causing your body to pause - like a deer in headlights. Karli’s breath was heavy, her eyes lidded as her fingers dragged their way from the back of your knee to your inner thigh. She circled her fingers over your soft skin, dragging up higher and higher.
“What are you doing?” Your breath was ragged and heavy, voice barely above a whisper. You leaned forward and placed your hands on the table, holding yourself up as you waited for what Karli was going to do.
“Nothing.” It was an incoherent mumble, almost as if she was doing something as boring as reading her book.
Karli’s fingers were rough, covered in scars and calluses that slightly scratched you as they circled your skin. Getting higher and higher, slowly and surely. You knew that it was probably the worst idea in the world, but you parted your legs to allow for Karli to do whatever she was going to do.
It was like Karli just needed to touch her, just once, and you were a useless doll for whatever the redhead wanted. You knew that you both shouldn’t be doing anything like this with each other, and that Sam will have a fit if he found out, but your mind was nothing but a hum of chants; ‘please, please touch me. Please do something.”
Karli watched the nervous quiver of your legs and had to refrain from laughing. It has been so long since she has touched another woman, she was desperate to put her fingers to work, but you were the one acting like a needy virgin.
Sam would kill Karli if he saw what she was doing now, and who she was doing it to. He would have a conniption saying that you did not deserve to get involved with someone so obviously broken and in need of shackles. He would potentially kick Karli out for possibly corrupting such a pure and sweet soul.
Karli wanted to ruin you.
Karli dragged her fingers up your thigh until she reached your panties, hesitantly touching the damp fabric in case you decided to pull back. All you could do was muffle a small moan from the sensation, earning a chuckle from Karli as she dragged her fingers over the wet lace.
“Have you ever been touched?” It was derogatory in tone, but Karli was genuine in wanting to know the answer. Her fingers were moving slower than a snail, applying pressure slightly when she felt your clit through the fabric, circling it slowly then quickly pulling away.
A groan clawed its way out of your throat at the sensation and the question, Karli’s mean voice giving you mixed feelings about your situation right now.
“No.” It was embarrassing but it was the honest answer. You had kissed a few people, had a grope here and there from a teenage boy, but nothing further.
Karli was a little surprised and expected a slightly different answer; she's seen how many times guys stick to you, how many desperate attempts at your attention are presented to you. Though, Karli couldn’t complain, she could be the one to make you scream and beg for more, not those losers you were probably out dancing with only a few moments ago.
“How has someone so pretty not been touched yet?" Karli whispered into the air, and your full attention was focused on her low and hoarse voice. "Let me fix it, please.”
You felt Karli’s fingers run over your wet panties again, applying more pressure and practically fingering you through the fabric. Your legs buckled in pleasure, your head hung low as the only thing keeping you standing were your shaking arms on the table. Your eyes turned to your side, looking at Karli who was still lounging in her desk chair. The sight of Karli so effortlessly confident, so sure of herself and her skills, it made you quiver in anticipation and nod your head.
“C’mere then.”
You looked to your side and saw Karli had straightened herself up in her chair, her lap inviting you to straddle it. Karli’s hand had also left you, leaving a yearning to be touched again and a new desperation to be closer to the redhead.
You turned around and stood before Karli, putting your hands on the girl’s shoulders so you had support before moving to straddle her. The feeling of your already needy clit in contact with Karli’s crotch made you groan, throwing your head back slightly and closing your eyes.
Karli thought you were a dream, someone so sweet and angelic was moaning at her touch. A sense of urgency came over her, the need to have you say her name over and over so the whole house knew, so that no one could ever think about taking you from Karli.
The Flagsmasher gripped your hips and began moving you, dragging your pussy over her crotch. Your moan filled the air, if it weren’t for the party downstairs you would have been embarrassed, but being on Karli’s lap, you couldn’t think of anything else but the overwhelming pleasure coursing through your body.
“You're so needy, huh?" Karli’s smile only widened at your loud whine, your hips moving faster over Karli’s crotch.
To shut her up, Karli gripped your hair and smashed your lips together, kissing you hard and letting you know that she needed you. She tugged on your hair, earning another moan which gave Karli an opportunity to force her tongue into your mouth, swallowing your groans of pleasure.
“Fuck, I wanted to do that long time ago.” She mumbled against your lips, looking with lust at your body before moving her lips down to kissing your jaw and neck, sucking and biting any piece of skin she could access.
“Please,” your moan of pleasure was much louder than before, “please touch me.”
“Quiet baby, you don't want us to get caught, huh? What would Sam think?" Karli whispered into your neck, chuckling at your annoyed whine. Even though Karli wanted to hear your beautiful sounds, she couldn't wait for another time when the house was empty. Karli had watched you from afar, keeping her distance for your sake and for Sam, for far too long. She can’t let you go now that she’s got a chance.
Karli pulled her head away from your neck and lifted your dress, admiring the lacy fabric that hid what she wanted to see. She used to dream about how the flimsy fabric would cling to your body, but now seeing it in person filled her with cockiness. She could do a lot now that you were here, in her room, on her lap. So many daydreams and fantasies Karli wanted to put into play.
“Stop staring and do something.” Your irritated tone was loud and clear, driving your message home as you gripped onto Karli’s curls and pressed your lips together, a messy and frenzied display of need.
“Yes ma'am” Karli joked and she dipped her hand into your underwear, using her thumb to rub your clit in circles. Her finger pushed into you not long after, earning needy pants as you tried to chase the feeling by grinding yourself on Karli’s hand.
“You look so hot riding my fingers on top of me" Karli sighed, running her other hand through your hair. Karli watches the girl with a smirk, choking on your moans and whines as she keeps her rhythm without a pause. Karli is aware that she can feel you clenching around her digits, indicating that her release is near. Karli pressed her lips back to your neck, leaving love bites in hopes to leave a mark.
“I’m gonna-” it was strained and nervous, as if you was unsure whether you could even speak at this moment.
“I’ve got you.”
It was all Karli needed to say, her own pleasure at watching you had made her fuzzy in the head too, just content in watching you ride her fingers and moan aloud into the empty room. A cord snapped in you and the tension that was rising within you had reached its climax, causing you to grip Karli’s shoulders and shudder, moaning into her curly red hair in hopes to drown the sound out. Karli’s fingers kept moving, pumping you through her orgasm.
There were a few moments of silent bliss, just you shuddering in Karli’s arms as you came, drenching Karli’s lap. But the supersoldier decided that it wasn't enough, that she needed to hear you scream. She wanted the whole party to hear it, to understand that you was hers to keep, hers to pleasure.
Before you could even process your orgasm, Karli had stood up from her desk chair and brought your blissed out body with her, keeping your legs around her waist so you wouldn’t fall. You would normally be surprised at this show of strength, but Karli was a supersoldier after all.
Still you gasped as Karli walked you both over to her bed, dumping you down onto the soft mattress. The sheets were nothing extraordinary, just blue and grey ones you would get for a teenage boy, but the look Karli was giving you as she stood in between your thighs, it made you gasp.
Karli couldn’t say anything, too numb in euphoria, and she hadn't even been touched.
“I need to fuck you.” Karli was rubbing your legs, pushing your dress up in the process. “Please let me.”
You could only nod, wanting so desperately for it to happen that all words seem to fail you. Karli smiled at the gesture and began taking your clothes off, pulling your dress over your head and unclasping your bra. She dragged down your underwear slower, wanting to see your wetness coated all over your legs and lace panties.
Karli only took off her pyjama pants, leaving her in men’s boxers and her sports bra; still, she looked hot.
Karli left you alone on the bed in favour of finding something hidden in a draw, rustling around until she found what she was looking for. You couldn’t lift her head up to see what was happening, too blissed out but horny for more. It wasn’t until you felt a hardness tap her thigh.
“What?” You sat up and saw Karli with a strap on, crawling onto the bed and ontop of you. Karli’s figure above you caused you to involuntarily buck your hips, even if the strap made you nervous.
“I’m gonna make you feel good, yeah?” Karli’s head was buried in your shoulder, moving her hips to tease the silicone head at your entrance.
“I don’t think I can take it.”
“You can.”
“What about you?” You were rambling, you hated yourself for it but the thick tension in the room was making you nervous. You wanted to badly for Karli to just fuck you, but Karli wanted to hear you speak.
“It’s double sided, baby.” Karli chuckled, kissing your lips tenderly. “I will feel everything.”
You looked down, noticing that the other end of the strap went through the front opening of the boxes and into Karli, a sight that made you choke on her own spit. Before you could even comment, Karli pushed into you.
It was slow, but the sheer length of the strap made you grip onto Karli’s back, pulling you closer so that your chests were pressed together. Karli groaned into your neck, trying to silence herself from being too loud by biting her own lip. The sensation felt painful at first, needing Karli to just stay still for a moment as you adjusted.
Karli slowly began to pump in and out of you, gauging for reactions on your face and kissing your cheek everytime you winced. Soon the pain turned to pleasure and you were whimpering and moaning for more, clawing at Karli’s back in an effort for your bodies to be closer.
“Does that feel good?" You can only groan and nod in response, Karli own sounds of pleasure filled her ears, spurring you both on to fuck each other. As Karli’s thrusting became more feverish, desperation overtook all of her senses. Karli began biting your shoulder, groping your boobs and tugging on your nipples. Her hands were all over your body, nothing was left untouched by Karli.
The redhead’s desperate touches turned into desperate ramblings, groaning into your ear and onto your lips.
"Fuck you feel so good, baby. I’ve wanted to do this since I saw you, so pretty in your short skirt. Do you know how long I've wanted to touch you, stayed awake just thinking of you moaning my name?” Karli’s thrusting grew harsher and faster, her ramblings muffled by kissing your lips. “Do you ever touch yourself at night thinking about me? Thinking about how good I’d be to you?”
“Karli!” You could only gasp in response as Karli’s free hand dipped between you both and began circling your clit again, quickening and slowing down in speed to leave you struggling. “Karli please.”
You could barely even focus on what Karli was saying as your climax built up steadily.
"Had to stay away from you even though you were so sweet and good to me; such a good girl.” Karli was still mumbling almost incoherent words into your ear, her voice breaking as she got closer to her climax. "I can’t let you go now, you feel too good to lose. Tell me you’re mine, tell me that you’re mine to have.”
"Fuck, I’m yours." You whine, nails digging into Karli’s sides as your core tightens around the strap.
It was all Karli needed to speed up her fingers on your clit and thrust you harder into your climax, equally bringing her to her own climax. You both came together, moaning into each other's mouths, then trying to silence it by sloppily kissing each other. Karli thrusted her hips a few more times to milk hers and your pleasure, both of you trembling at the overstimulation.
You kissed Karli properly now that your brain could focus on something other than Karli’s hips, hands, mouth, voice. You kissed each other for a bit more as you came down from the highs, both equally groaning as Karli pulled away and took the strap out of both of you.
You grabbed onto the nearest shirt you could find and pulled it over your head before tucking yourself into Karli’s sheets, the cologne and detergent smell that was so inherently Karli filled your senses and lulled you to sleep.
Karli put her strap away and walked back to the bed, climbing in herself and pulling you into her chest, kissing the top of your forehead.
“I’m serious, you know?” Her voice was low, it had you clenching your thighs together.
“About what?” Your voice was equally hoarse and quiet, now keenly aware of the people still in the house and possibly even right outside the bedroom door.
“I’m not letting you go, you’re mine.” Karli sounded possessive and demanding, a switch to the needy and sweet person that was just on top of you a mere minute or so ago. If you had known any better, it would have scared you. But in Karli’s arms, so content and blissed out, you felt safe. Like a blind mouse in a lion’s mouth.
“I’m yours.”
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sarahsmi13s · 10 months
Text
Lieutenant Rogers - pt 7
Shield of Injustice
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pairings: romantic!neil ‘omaha’ vikander x rogers!reader, platonic!dagger squad x rogers!reader, plantonic!sam wilson x rogers!reader, platonic!bucky barnes x rogers!reader
characters: sam wilson, bucky barnes, john walker, lemar hoskins, helmut zemo, joaquin torres, karli morgenthau, the flag smashers, the dora milaje, sarah wilson (mentioned), y/n rogers, neil vikander
word count: ~6.9k 
series warnings: language, blood, fighting, sexual inuendoes, john walker, cannon dangers, cannon deaths, suggestive themes, the flag smashers, super soldiers, angst, if i miss any please let me know
chapter warnings: language, blood, fighting, death, murder, john walker in general, suggestive oma-star content, threats of harm or violence to loved ones, poorly written fight sequences (i’m so sorry), if i missed any lmk
a/n: if you couldn’t already tell, i’m OBSESSED with crossovers. reader is the daughter of steve rogers, and has the super soldier serum as well
also this part is basically episode 4 of tfatws, so we get mentions of star and a little cameo in the middle
sources: Top Gun: Maverick (2022) , The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
series summary: 13 pilots were called back to Top Gun in 2023. at the same time, Lieutenant Rogers learns that her father’s shield was passed down to John Walker.
chapter summary: while star and her friends fly the mission of a lifetime, sam and bucky are on a mission to find karli before john does. but they all get way more than the barganed for...
‘lieutenant rogers’ universe
pt 1  pt 2  pt 3  pt 4  pt 5  pt 6  pt 8
*****************
It’s been about two weeks since Bucky and Sam really talked to you except for when John showed up unannounced at Top Gun.
A lot’s happened with them.
They broke Zemo out of jail, but Bucky will tell you Zemo escaped all on his own. They went to Madipor and almost died. They also saw Sharon Carter. Zemo killed some scientist that had recreated the serum and then they almost died again.
And now they were looking for Karli in Latvia.
****
Zemo just told them that Donya Madani’s funeral would be that afternoon, and it’s highly likely that Karli would be there.
Bucky may have lost his temper a little bit, thrown a teacup maybe. But could you blame him? Not only was he trying to stop a radicalized supremacist Super Soldier and get his best friend's shield back, he was worried about you.
He understood that you had limited contact while on a carrier but he would have liked a text or phone call, something to let him know you were okay.
Sam came back from the call he had to make to Sharon.
“Hey Sam?” Bucky got his attention. “What Bucky?” “Have you heard from Y/N yet? You know anything about the mission she was sent on?” Sam shook his head, “No, I haven’t heard from her. But I know the mission is dangerous and that she said she’d get in touch with us as soon as she was on shore.”
Bucky nodded, “I know it’s just been awhile and she said the mission would only take a day.” “Bucky, she’s on a carrier in the middle of the ocean, it’s gonna take more than a few days,” Sam reasoned.
“She’d want us to focus on our mission, not worry about her. Not that I’m not worrying, but she knows distractions can be fatal.” Bucky just pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded.
*****
When time came to go to the memorial, Bucky, Zemo, and Sam left the safe house.
“Karli Morgenthau is too dangerous for you guys to be pulling this shit.”
Great, John’s here.
Bucky threw his arms to the side as Lemar and John jogged down the steps, “Ah, how’d you find us now?”
“Come on, man. You think two Avengers can walk around Latvia without drawing attention?” Lemar retorted as they went down another flight of stairs.
“No more keeping us in the dark,” John started, as they reached the bottom. “You can start by telling us why you broke him out of prison.” He pointed at Zemo.
Bucky tilted his head a little as they met John and Lemar at the stairs. “He did that himself, technically.”
“What would Lieutenant Rogers think-” Bucky pointed at him, “You leave her out of this. She’s got nothing to do with this. She doesn’t even know we’re here.”
“Well, this,” John gestured to Zemo again, “better have an unbelievable explana-” John got closer and Sam stepped between him and Zemo. “Hey, take it easy before it gets weird.”
Zemo rolled his eyes and stepped through, “I know where Karli is.” Him and Bucky started walking around John.
John’s hand on Zemo’s chest made him stop. “Well, where?” John asked impatiently, looking at Sam. “All we know it, it’s a memorial,” Sam answered. Zemo looked over John’s shoulder and walked around him.
“That means civilians. High risk of casualties,” Lemar said, turning to follow the Baron. “Alright, good, we’ll move in fast. Take her by surprise,” John strategized.
Sam looked at John, “No, I wanna talk to her alone.” John looked over, shaking his head, “I’m not losing her again.”
Sam wasn’t about to let John near Karli, “Look, the person closest to her died, she’s vulnerable. If there’s any time to reason with her it’s now.”
But, John wasn’t having it. He ran up in front of them all, “What? No. Wait, no! No! Stop. Hold on. Stop, okay?” He looks at Sam in the back, “I think we’re way past reasoning with her, unless you forgot that she blew up a building with people still in it.”
Lemar agreed, “Look, Sam, you walk in there cold, she could kill you.”
“If I go in hot and the op goes wrong, more people will die,” Sam argued back.
John looked at Bucky, “You’re gonna let him do this? Are you gonna let your partner walk into a room with a Super Soldier alone?”
“He’s dealt with worse. And he’s not my partner,” Bucky sassed.
Sam tried to reason with John as he walked around Bucky, “I used to counsel soldiers dealing with trauma, okay? This is right in my wheelhouse.” He stood in front of John now.
“Yeah, I know. And I know those soldiers, which is why I know this is a bad idea.” John really just wanted to get this over with and complete his first big mission, and gain your respect.
Lemar shook his head, “Wait… If he can talk her down, it might be worth a try.”
John scoffed, but finally complied. He pointed to Zemo, “We’ll deal with you later.”
“I’m sure it will all come to an agreeable conclusion. My associate is just up ahead.”
They turned and saw a little girl. Zemo led the way.
He spoke to her quietly before she gestured for them to follow her.
“What the hell?” John asked, frustrated that Zemo could gain allies so quickly.
****
The girl led them to a GCR building and pointed in the direction of the memorial.
“Karli’s in there,” Zemo further explained. Sam nodded and walked through, “Alright.”
Zemo goes to follow but John harshly grabs him and shoves him against the wall. Zemo groans a little bit as John speaks to Sam, “Hey. You got 10 minutes.” He cuffs Zemo. “Really?” Zemo rolls his eyes as the cuff locks around his wrist.
“Then we're doing things my way,” John was still talking to Sam as he locked the other around a bar.
“Aggressive,” Zemo mumbles. John looks back at him. “But I get it.”
****
John paced as he waited for Sam.
“You’re gonna pace a hole in the floor, Walker,” Bucky said, arms crossed.
He looked at Bucky, “I’ve been meaning to ask, what would Lieutenant Rogers think about all this? Breaking him out of prison, letting Wilson go in there alone.”
“You seem to care an awful lot about what the pilot thinks,” Zemo observed. John’s jaw clenched. Zemo’s mouth formed an ‘o’, “Oh, you want the lieutenant's approval. That’s what it is.”
Bucky scoffed, “You think bringing Karli in is gonna earn her respect?” John stayed silent. “Well, you better hope Karli’s alive when you do.”
John sat down for a minute or two before beginning to pace again.
“Uh-uh. No, no, no. This is a bad idea,” John said. Whether he genuinely felt uneasy and worried for Sam’s safety, or he just didn’t want Karli to get away and ruin his chance at his first big mission was unclear. However, with his attitude thus far, it was safe to assume the latter.
“It hasn't been 10 minutes,  John. Just sit tight,” Bucky said from his spot in the doorway.
“Don’t do that. Don’t patronize me,” John spat going down to look at the clock.
Bucky shrugged and watched him, “He knows what he’s doing.”
John stares at the clock before Bucky watches his demeanor change and he walks towards him.
When he gets to him, Bucky stops him, giving him a look and a head tilt that said, ‘Don’t even try.’
John stepped back, looking at the ground with a clenched jaw. He looked up at Bucky, attempting to be intimidating and not frustrated. “This is all really easy for you, isn’t it?”
He was talking about the serum in Bucky’s veins, in your veins, but not in his own.
“All that serum runnin’ through your veins. Barnes, your partner needs backup in there…” Bucky just stared as John looked past him. “Do you really want his blood on your hands?”
****
Well…
That went… horrible.
John managed to push past Bucky and into the room, just as Sam was getting somewhere.
His intrusion not only made Karli run, but it also destroyed any rapport Sam had created with her.
But don’t worry, Zemo managed to get free and find her.
He got multiple shots off, hitting her in the abdomen with one of them. But when she knocked the table over, she knocked her vials of serum onto the floor.
Zemo smashed them under his boot, destroying any potential Karli had at expanding her army.
And while he was doing that, Karli managed to escape and John caught up with him, knocking him unconscious with the shield.
****
Back at the safe house, Sam is emailing Sharon while Zemo rested with a cold compact on his face.
“Were you ever offered it?” Zemo asked Sam.
“What?”
“The serum.”
“No.”
“If you had been, hypothetically, that is, would you have taken it?”
That caught Sam’s attention.
“No.”
“No hesitation… that’s impressive.”
Zemo grunted a little as he took the compact off his face. “Sam, you can’t hold out hope for Karli. No matter what you saw in her, she’s gone. And we cannot allow that she and her acolytes become yet another faction of gods amongst real people. Super Soldiers cannot be allowed to exist.”
Sam shook his head and turned toward Zemo, “Isn’t that how gods talk?”
That made Zemo think, leaving him to sit there silently.
“And if that’s how you feel, what about Bucky, or Y/N?”
That didn’t draw a response from Zemo.
“Blood isn’t always the solution.”
The door opened and closed as Bucky walked in, shucking the leather jacket off.
“Somethings off about Walker…”
Sam chuckled, “You don’t say.”
Bucky laid his jacket on the bar and went over to a cabinet. “I know a crazy when I see one.” He pulls out a glass to pour himself a drink, “That’s because I am crazy…”
Sam chuckled, “I believe it.”
Bucky uncorked the bottle and poured his drink, “You and Y/N shouldn’t have given him the shield…”
“We didn’t give him the shield.”
“Well Steve definitely didn’t,” Bucky sassed, bringing the glass to his lips.
Before Sam could retort, the door was kicked open.
“Alright. That’s it. Let’s go. I’m now ordering you to turn him over,” John demanded as he stormed in, Lemar trailing behind him.
Sam stepped up to him, “Hey slow your roll. Now let’s be clear; shield or no shield, the only thing you’re runnin’ in here is your mouth.” John squinted his eyes a little but didn’t say anything. So Sam continued. “Now, I had Karli and you overstepped.”
He pointed with his thumb towards Zemo, “He’s actually proven himself useful today. And we’re gonna need all hands on deck for whatever’s comin’ next.”
“How do you want the rest of the conversation to go, Sam, huh?” Sam just looked at John, making the latter chuckle softly. “Yeah…” John gestured with the shield, “Should I put down the shield? Make it fair?”
Sam scoffed at John’s poor attempt at being intimidating. John put the shield down, preparing himself for a fight.
But before either man could make a move, a vibranium spear was thrown right between them.
Everyone looked in the direction it came from, seeing a Dora Milaje make herself known. Then two more soldiers came through the opened doors.
Ayo spoke in Wakandan to Bucky, “Even if he is a means to your end… Time’s up.” Then she switched to English, “Release him to us, now.”
John turned and held out a hand, “Hi, John Walker, Captain America.” When he got no response he looked around awkwardly. He was losing control of the situation and he didn’t like that.
“Well, uh, let’s put down the pointy sticks and we can talk this through, huh?”
Sam chuckled a little, “Hey, John, take it easy.” John turned to Sam with a look on face, making Sam grin a little bit. “You might want to fight Bucky or Y/N before you tangle with the Dora Milaje.”
John smirked and turned back to Ayo, “The Dora Milaje don’t have jurisdiction here.” She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head, “The Dora Milaje have jurisdiction wherever the Dora Milaje find themselves to be.”
John nodded, “Okay…” He chuckled, “Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot.”
John then proceeded to make the mistake of placing his hand on Ayo’s shoulder…
She used her spear to knock his arm away before hitting him in the knee, then the face. While he was disoriented, she kicked him in the chest and into the spear that was still lodged into the column.
Then just absolute chaos ensued.
The Dora Milaje used their speed and agility to fight both John and Lemar. They’re trained warriors and the way they fight is unique, the two American soldiers were very under prepared.
Sam, Bucky, and Zemo just watched, the latter two finding it pretty amusing.
But Sam walked over to Bucky, “We should do something…” Bucky nodded a little and crossed his arms, “Looking strong John!”
Ayo wasn’t letting up and it made Sam a little antsy. And by the time she got John on the ground, he was sure she would put her spear through his chest.
“Bucky…”
The addressed looked at him and sighed, “Alright, fine.”
Bucky walked over and grabbed the spear, “Ayo…” She pulled the spear back, making Bucky grunt in surprise. “Ayo, let’s talk about this,” he managed to say as he fought her.
In the living room, Sam had to assist Lemar. He took the hits and dodged what he could as the other trapped John to the table by threading her spear through the straps of the shield.
Back with Bucky, Ayo managed to get the upper hand and disarm him… no literally, the Wakandas had embedded a code into the arm in the event the Winter Soldier ever made an appearance again.
While Bucky was stunned Ayo checked the bathroom where she saw Zemo sneak off to, but he had escaped through the grate in the middle of the floor.
John managed to free his arm just before the soldier that threw it took her spear back, letting the shield fall to the floor.
And he didn’t dare move to grab it, so the Dora warrior did.
But Ayo was on a mission.
“He is gone,” she said, referring to the Baron. Then she nodded to the shield. “Leave it,” she ordered.
The warrior nodded and gave the shield back to John, who still sat on the floor trying to catch his breath.
In the kitchen area, Bucky knelt down and picked his arm back up and just looked at it.
“Did you know they could do that?” Sam asked as he got off the floor and walked over to him.
Bucky didn’t answer as he put his arm back on, groaning a little as the plates got back into place. He flexed his fingers, “No.” The mechanisms whirled and clanked a bit before he rotated his arm around and set everything back into place.
Lemar gets up and walks over to John, who is just staring at the floor.
“You alright man?”
“They weren’t even Super Soldiers…” John mumbled out.
His ego was severely damaged. He felt like he was taking a step forward only to get pushed ten steps back. John had lost control and then got his ass handed to him on a vibranium platter.
John was frustrated, he was failing his mission. He’s not ready, and it’s painfully obvious to him now. This role is harder than he thought, Steve’s shoes are too big to fill on his own.
“Come on,” Lemar said as he helped him up.
Sam walked by and only gave John a disgruntled look. A look that clearly told John he fucked up.
*****
John and Lemar stood at a table in the mall, talking about the mission.
“Look man, the serum and its source are gone,” Lemar started. “I know it didn’t work out the way you wanted it to, but it ain’t all bad.” John nodded and gave him a small, tight lipped smile.
Before John could respond, a girl came up to him and asked for an autograph, which he gave her.
He thanked them and wished them a good day before turning back to his friend, rubbing his face in exhaustion.
“How long until that gets annoying?” Lemar teased. John chuckled, “You’re just mad she didn’t ask for yours…” “Oh, it’s her loss,” Lemar threw back. “Even got a little Battlestar logo to go with it.”
John exhales amusedly through his nose.
He tapped the table, “If you had the chance to take the serum, would you do it?” Lemar nodded, “Hells, yeah.”
“You wouldn’t be worried about how it might… how it might change you?”
Lemar thought about it before sighing, “I mean… Power just makes a person more of themselves, right?” He shrugged, “Karli Morgenthau. Steve and Y/N Rogers.”
John nodded a little before looking at him, “And me?”
Lemar faced his friend completely, “You already have three Medals of Honor. You consistently make the right decisions in the heat of battle.”
John rubbed his brow, “Yep…” He kept his eyes on the table, “Three badges of excellence to make sure I never forget the worst day of my life…”
He looked up at Lemar, “We both know that the things we had to do in Afghanistan to be awarded those medals felt a long way from being right… Being Cap is the first time I’ve had the chance to do something that actually feels right.”
“But God! Imagine how many lives we could have saved that day if we had that serum,” Lemar said. John nodded, “I know… I know.”
*******
You laid on the couch, your fingers gently running through Omaha’s dark hair as he rested his head on your stomach.
The setting sun casted a beautiful orange glow over the room as the movie played on TV. You could feel the vibration of Neil’s chest against your thighs as he snored.
The squad had just gotten back to North Island earlier that afternoon and after the debriefing all you and Omaha wanted to do was cuddle and be with each other. So that’s what you did.
You knew you should probably call Sam and Bucky, but you had been on a cramped carrier all week and you just wanted to spend some time with your boyfriend. You also weren’t sure where they were or if they were busy, so you’d just let them call your first or check in with them after you’ve had time to decompress.
Which is why you were finally letting your eyes slip closed as you relaxed.
And then your phone rang.
Groaning, you reached for your phone. You picked it up and answered it, not bothering to check the caller ID.
“Hello?”
“Hello, is this Y/N?”
The voice on the other end was unfamiliar, and it put you on alert. It was foreign, sounded European but pinpointing exactly where wasn’t really your concern.
You carefully sat up, hoping you wouldn’t wake Omaha, “It is. Who are you?”
“My name is Karli Morgenthau.”
You froze for a second. You recognized that name.
Sam and Bucky tried to keep you in the dark, but you had connections. Someone on the very inside that was keeping you updated as best he could. And the name ‘Karli Morgenthau’ came up a lot recently.
You gently get up as you speak, “I know the name… You’re the leader of the Flag Smashers, right? The group against the GRC?”
Making sure Neil is still asleep, you step out onto the back porch.
“I am, and you’re Steve Rogers daughter…”
“I am… Why are you calling me Karli?”
She sighs, “I need you to stay out of my way. I know how close you are with Sam and Bucky…”
“Are you threatening me, Karli?”
“All I’m asking is that you make sure Bucky stays out of my way. I want to speak with Sam, alone. If Bucky comes with him, I can’t promise he’ll make it out alive…”
You cross your arms and lean against the railing, “Bucky can hold his own, he is a trained assassin after all.”
Karli’s quiet for a moment before speaking again. “You know that we’ve reached people all across the world right? Have pulled hundreds of people to the cause, some in San Diego?”
You knew what she was doing but you weren’t going to take any chances.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Just stay out of it. Don’t try and warn them, I’ll know. I can track your calls and text,” she says with authority.
You can see why she has a following, and you understand her cause… but her methods don’t sit right with you.
“And if I don’t?”
“If you want your friends, your boyfriend, to stay safe… you’ll do as I ask…”
You can hear the smirk in her voice, the baseless arrogance thinking that she had intimidated you. You knew there was a big chance that she was lying, that she was just using the people you held close and loved as leverage. She was a bully, and the Rogers don’t like bullies.
But were you really going to risk the safety of your family? No, you weren’t.
“Okay, I won’t intervene…”
“Good.”
She hung up and you let out a breath.
“Everything okay?”
You looked up and saw Neil in the doorway. You smiled at him, “Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine. I just needed to take a phone call… I didn’t want to wake you.” He nodded and came over to you. 
“Was it Sam or Bucky?” You shook your head, “No, it was my contact. He was updating me, said they were doing just fine and were getting close to stopping this group.”
He smiled, “Okay that’s good.” He wrapped his arms around you, “Do you want to go out for dinner or just eat here?” You put your arms around his neck and tilt your head, “I’d rather eat here, if that’s okay?” 
Omaha nods, “Of course that’s okay. I do need to go get some stuff-” “I can go get it. I don’t mind.” 
He squeezed your hips, “Are you sure?” You nodded and pressed your lips to his.
He hummed against your lips and pulled you close. You arched into him and got on your toes. Neil gripped your hips and picked you up to sit you on the railing.
You giggled and sat your phone down as he began to kiss your neck.
A moan fell from your lips and your hand slipped under his shirt. His hands moved up your sides; one in the middle of your back to keep you firmly against him and the other buried itself under your messy bun to pull your lips to his in a deep kiss.
Your free hand pulled him closer by his waistband as he licked your bottom lip. 
He slipped his tongue into your mouth, battling for dominance with yours.
You’re moaning and whimpering against each other’s mouths before he has to pull away for air.
“Fuck, Star-light…” You chuckled at the breathlessness in his voice as you took a few deep breaths. “After dinner Oma, I promise.” 
Neil nodded as he swallowed, “I’ll hold you to that.” You laughed again as you both sat there in each other’s arms. 
Your phone going off vibrated the railing you were perched on and shattered the moment.
You checked it, just to see that it was a text from Fanboy about a new show you had talked about watching together. 
You looked back up at your boyfriend, “I should probably head to the store.” He nods, “Let me make a list. What sounds good?” You think about it for a minute, trying to find out what’s making your mouth water. “Ooooh, chicken and steak quesadillas? With homemade tortilla chips?” 
“Do we have tortillas?” You nod, a grin spreading across your face. He mirrors it, “Then that’s perfect. I’ll make the chips while you go to the store.” 
Giddy, you peck his lips, “Okay, make a list while I fix my hair and make myself look presentable.” He grinned and kissed you back, “Yes, ma’am.” 
You shove him away with a giggle and you both go inside.
You go into your room and fix your hair before throwing on one of Neil’s hoodies. As you do that, your phone dings with another text, this time it’s from Sarah Wilson. 
“I need you to call me. Karli just made contact with me…”
You huffed and dug through one of the drawers in your closet.
“C’mon…” You sighed once you found it. “There you are.” You pulled out the old burner phone Nick had given you and slid it into your pocket.
After that you slipped on your shoes, got the list and another kiss from Neil and you’re out the door.
******
Sam and Bucky were walking around Latvia looking for Zemo when Sam’s phone rang.
“Who is it?” Bucky asked, not looking at the caller ID. “It’s my sister,” Sam mumbled, concern in his tone as he answered. “Hey, what’s up?”
Bucky couldn’t hear what Sarah was saying but by the way Sam responded, he could tell it wasn’t good.
“Listen, pack an overnight bag and take the boys.”
Bucky turns his head, “What happened?”
Sam pulled his phone away from his ear, “Karli called Sarah. She threatened my nephews.” He brought his phone back to his ear.
“Okay. Go somewhere safe. Only pay cash. Alright? Let me know when you get there.”
Bucky’s phone vibrates in his pocket.
“I know. Look, I love you. I’ll never let anything happen to you and the boys.” Bucky pulls his phone out to check the notification.
“Okay, bye.”
Sam hangs up as Bucky slows to stop to read the text from an unknown number. Bucky’s brow furrowed and he frowned at his phone.
Sam arched an eyebrow, “Everything okay?” Bucky shook his head, “I’m not sure.” Sam peaked over at Bucky’s phone screen, reading the text on the screen.
“Karli wants to meet Sam somewhere alone. Don’t let him go alone, but don’t get caught either. Watch your 6, Buck - ⭐”
“That has to be Y/N…” Bucky said, a sense of dread filling his chest that Karli knew your number. “It’s signed with a star… thingy.”
“An emoji?”
“Whatever it is, that can’t be a coincidence.”
Sam nodded as he sighed, “She used an Avengers burner phone… we can’t track it because she most likely took the battery out. But that means no one else can track that text back to her either.”
Bucky nods and deletes the text and the number from his phone, just as a secondary precaution.
“But she’s right… Karli wants to meet me somewhere. She left a contact number with Sarah,” Sam confirmed just before his phone sounded with a text notification.
He looked at it and it was a location and time. The rooftop about North Plaza, and now. She wasn’t going to let him sit and develop a plan.
“She said to come alone… Like Y/N said…” Sam told Bucky, nerves and fear filling him as he looked at the sniper.
Even had you not warned Bucky, he wasn’t about to let Sam face Karli alone.
“I’m coming with you.”
****
After changing into their gear, they went to the plaza.
“Karli!” Sam shouted as soon as he entered the room.
The Super Soldier leaned over the railing to make herself known and the two men made their way up the stairs.
“You called my sister? That’s how we’re gonna play this?” Sam questioned the moment he topped the steps.
“Sam, I would never hurt her,” Karli said gently as she leaned on the banister. “I just wanted to understand you better.”
She pushed off the half wall, “I see you, uh–” She pointed to Bucky, “–didn’t come alone.”
“You have to end this, now,” Sam said, natural, but gentle, authority in his voice.
Karli shook her head, “I don’t wanna hurt you. You’re just a tool in the regimes I’m looking to destroy.” She glances at Bucky who walks a little closer to cover Sam’s back, “You’re not hiding behind a shield.”
“If I were to kill you, it would be meaningless,” she said bluntly.
In all fairness, Sam and Bucky weren’t representing symbols like John was. They weren’t members of the government or the GRC. Their deaths would do nothing for Karli’s cause.
Sam glanced over his shoulder to Bucky, assessing his body language and overall demeanor before turning back to Karli.
“I was gonna ask you to join me… or do the world a favor and let me go.”
Before Sam could say or do anything, Sharon spoke into his comms.
“Hey, Sam, new Cap is moving, looks like he’s found them, or maybe they found him.”
Sam’s eyes widened and he looked at Bucky, “It’s Walker.”
Bucky quickly made the move to jump down, but Karli had other plans. She jumped and slammed into Bucky, causing him to slam into the column.
While Bucky pushed off the ground with a groan, Sam fought Karli. He placed a kick to her chest, throwing her off balance.
He looked at Bucky, “I’ll send you the location, go.” Buck nodded and ran through the door while Sam deployed his wings and took off before Karli could get up.
****
When Sam landed at the location, having cannonballed through the skylight onto the stairs, a Flag Smasher was kicked through the door about two flights above him and straight into the wall.
Sam looked up the flight of stairs and saw John walking down them with a look of determination on his face, sheathing the shield on his back as he got closer.
Sam could only watch as the Flag Smasher tried to hit John with a pipe, only for John to catch it and wrestle with him for a moment… before he easily bent the pipe. The steel pipe.
“Oh shit…”
John threw the soldier into a pillar, who hit it harshly but managed to get up and run.
Sam watched John descend the steps and walk past him, “What did you do?” John bypassed the question, “They’ve got Lemar.”
****
Bucky entered the building from the bottom floor, skipping steps as he ran up the stairs.
As he ran up a flight, he’s ambushed on his left side and slammed into the wall.
The soldier grabbed him from behind and tried to put him in a chokehold. But Bucky leveraged himself against the wall and launched them into a pillar.
He managed to free himself from the guy's hold. Bucky parried one of the punches thrown at him before kicking him down the stairs.
Bucky hurdled the railing and stalked toward the Flag Smasher as he tried to get up.
Before he could stand up, Bucky planted his boot into the guy’s chest and sent him through the brick wall.
Bucky checked to make sure the soldier was unconscious before leaving.
“Stay there.”
****
Sam and John made it to a big open, seemingly empty, room.
Then two soldiers jumped down behind them from the landing.
John reflexively threw the shield, hitting them both. Sam closed-lined one with his wing, while the other pulled a knife on John.
“What’s with all the knives?”
Within a few minutes of them fighting, Bucky made his appearance as well as two more Flag Smashers.
The one with the knife tried to stab John, but he countered it with the shield and sent the blade flying towards Bucky. Luckily he caught it.
But a soldier approached him from behind with a knife of their own.
Bucky readied himself and the soldier charged, kick flipping before attempting to attack. But the attempted slashes were parried and countered with a few punches and a knee to the ribs. Then Bucky gets leverage and is able to flip them onto their back.
He flips the knife in his hand and throws it into the floor next to the soldier’s head.
Another soldier grabbed Sam from behind. He quickly elbowed them and turned on his thrusters, using the heat to disorient them before kicking them over the table.
John hit one in the face with the shield before throwing another on the ground.
The one thrown charged at a preoccupied Sam, but Bucky intercepted them and punched them out.
“You’re welcome.”
As John fought, he was grabbed from behind by a maskless Flag Smasher.
John struggled to get free and the soldier locked his arms, exposing his chest.
Karli charged in, hurdling a table and running to John, knife at the ready.
But Lemar came in just in time and tackled Karli.
They both got up off the ground, ready to fight. But Karli was faster.
One well placed, powerful punch to Lemar’s chest sent him into a concrete column. Killing him instantly.
****
It was like the world was put into slow motion.
The fighting stopped as Lemar slumped on the floor.
John broke free of the hold on him and went straight to Lemar.
He knelt next to him, “Hey. Hey. Hey.” John patted his chest and shook his shoulder. He held Lemar’s face, “Lemar. Lemar.”
John kept repeating Lemar’s name, but it was no use. Lemar was dead.
The rage that filled John was visible. Everyone in the room felt it.
Bucky and Sam were stunned, catching their breath as they watched John.
But the Flag Smashers took their chance and ran.
Karli took a different exit than the others, and Bucky and Sam followed her.
John took the quickest exit, jumping out the window. He immediately clocked the soldier that held him back.
He chased him into the town square. Using the shield to block what concrete object was thrown at him.
“Where is she?!”
John ran, throwing the shield at the soldier’s back before running up to him and hitting him in the chest, knocking him back into the memorial.
He tried to get up but John knocked him down with the shield. He tried again but John pinned him under his boot.
“It wasn’t me!” He shouted, begging for his life.
John said nothing as he raised the shield.
“It wasn’t me!”
The soldier’s final plea fell on deaf ears as the edge of the shield was brought down on his chest.
****
The crowd that had gathered gasped as John brought the shield down three more times, shouting in rage.
Once the man fell limp under John, he stood and took deep breaths.
Bucky and Sam ran through the crowd, but they were too late. Far too late.
John strapped the bloodied shield to his arm. Brandishing the tainted symbol to the recording phones.
Blood was rushing in John’s ears, dampening the sounds of the world around him. But his eyes worked just fine.
The sight of a crowd, multiple cameras, Sam and Bucky, and a dead body greeted John as he looked around.
Then the sprinkling rain hit his skin and the weight of his actions barreled into him… and he ran.
******
Bucky and Sam chased after John, finding him in an abandoned train station.
They find him kneeling, grieving the loss of his best friend. They don’t intervene, they know he needs it.
It’s not until John stands and walks in their direction that they make their move.
“Walker…” Sam said cautiously.
John looked at them, but didn't stop walking, “You guys should see a medic, you don't look so good.”
“Stop, Walker.”
John turns around, “What?” He started gesturing with his hands, “You saw what happened. You know what I had to do. I killed him because I had to! He killed Lemar!”
Bucky shook his head, “He didn’t kill Lemar, John.”
Walker just rolled his eyes and sighed.
“Don’t go down that road,” Bucky advised. “Believe me, it doesn’t end well.”
“I’m not like you.”
Sam stepped up, trying to reason with John and calm him down.
“Listen, it was the heat of the battle. Okay? If you explain what happened, they may consider your record. We don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”
Bucky couldn’t stop looking at the blood on the shield as Sam stayed calm.
“John… You gotta give me the shield, man.”
Walker looked up at the two, “Oh…” He smirked a little, appearing as if he just figured a riddle. “So that’s what this is…” He looked at Sam, “You almost got me.”
Sam shook his head and shrugged, “You made a mistake.”
John looked between them, “You don’t wanna do this.”
Bucky clenched his jaw and looked up at Walker, tearing his eyes away from the now tainted memory of his best friend.
“Yeah we do.”
****
The fight that ensued was quick, but it was ugly.
John wasn’t giving up that shield easily, but Sam and Bucky weren’t letting him leave with it.
Faces were bloodied, rib cages were bruised and broken.
Sam and Bucky’s intentions were just to incapacitate John and take the shield.
Walker was trying to kill them.
He was aiming for the chest, the throat, the face, the head. Anywhere that could be lethal, that’s where John was aiming.
John thought he deserved that shield. After everything he went through to be chosen. After what he endured that got him a spot on the list.
He wasn’t going to let them simply take it. They would have to kill him.
But they didn’t.
Sam and Bucky had every opportunity to kill John. Just like that, John is dead and the shield is theirs.
Except, it wasn’t that simple to them… Well maybe to Bucky it was but he had to think about more than just what he wants.
They fought and fought. Their backs met the concrete more than they would care to admit.
John ripped Sam’s wings from his pack, nearly decapitated him with the shield before Bucky intervened.
After Bucky took hits to the ribs and face, Sam managed to get ahold of the shield. Both of them work together to take the shield from where it was strapped to John’s arm.
Bucky had John pinned to a broken down forklift and Sam had to use his thrusters to get the shield to finally come off… snapping John’s arm in the process.
But Walker wasn’t letting them just walk away.
He stood from the ground, chest heaving as he walked towards them. “It’s mine.”
Sam stared him down. “It’s over, John.”
“It’s mine!”
He throws a punch at Bucky, only for it to be countered. While disoriented from the punch, John tries to run at Bucky, only for the assassin to lower his shoulder and pick him up by the legs.
Sam took the shield and ran, the shield meeting John’s back as Bucky slung the man and knocking them all to the ground.
Bucky is the first to stand, picking up the shield and dropping it by Sam’s head before walking out.
*****
The next day, Sam and Bucky met with Torres at the same building Mama Donya’s memorial was in.
Bucky left shortly after Joaquin arrived, leaving Sam alone with him.
“What’s our next steps, Torres?” Sam asks, propping himself on the table.
“Captain America killing a foreign national in public, it’s kinda like a big deal… Like-like international incident big. Folks, uh, higher up on the payroll are all over it now. So, unfortunately…”
“They’re taking jurisdiction,” Sam finished.
Torres nodded, “Yeah.”
He looked down and noticed Sam’s equipment bag on the ground, broken wings inside.
“What happened to these?” He walked over and picked the bag up with a grunt, sitting it on the table.
“So, is there anything we can do?” Sam asked Torres as he looked through the bag.
Joaquin shook his head a little, “Not really.” He continued to look at the damaged wings, “As you can see, they’ve cordoned off the whole camp, and Karli’s a ghost. After what went down, she’s laying extra low. Like under-underground.”
“And that’s why it makes sense for us to get involved. The longer we let her regroup, the harder it’s going to be to find her,” Sam told him.
“She’s got people helping her from all over the world, on all platforms. She’s… really good at this thing.”
Sam nodded his agreement, “Yeah.”
Torres ran his hand over the wings, “How’d these break?” But his question is only answered with a sigh.
So he moved on.
“Anyway, all we can do now is sit tight and just chill. Sometimes, there’s nothing to do until there’s something to do.”
Sam stood and smirked a little, “That’s bizarrely wise.”
Torres chuckled, “Well, I’m a bizarrely wise man, Sam.” “Yeah, alright.”
Sam’s phone rang in his pocket and he sighed. He picked up the shield and turned to leave.
“That Star?” Joaquin asked, standing straighter. Sam reached for his phone, “I hope so… Thanks Torres.” He nodded, “For sure.”  
Sam pulled his phone out and walked toward the exit.
“Wait, yo, you forgot the wings,” Torres called out. Sam looked over his shoulder, “Keep ‘em.”
****
Sam answered your call once he got outside.
“I know-”
“What. The. Fuck did he do?”
Sam sucked in a breath.
This was bad.
********************
well....
that was... something
john walker has defiled and tainted the shield’s legacy... everything steve rogers stood for covered in the blood of someone. sam and bucky had their go, now it’s star’s turn
i’m sorry it took so long to get this part up, but it’s here know! and we’re getting more into the events of TFATWS. the next few parts will follow the events of the last two episodes. but it won’t stop there.
let me know if you want to be added to my top gun taglist or the lieutentant rogers taglist by rebloging the masterlist linked at the top, commenting, or sending me an ask!
lt. rogers tags <33: @milesdickpic @roosterscockpit @luckyladycreator2 @hotch-meeeeeuppppp @malindacath @twsssmlmaa @cassiemitchell @startrekfangirl2233 @mayhemmanaged @nikkipea​  @that-one-random-writer​ 
thank you guys for being here <33 *mwah*
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mrsmaxwelllord · 2 years
Text
VIPEROUS – true self
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Pairing: Dark!Zemo X F!Reader
Sumarry: You arrive home only to find out that you've gotten pregnant by the worst man you can think of.
Words: 1,5K
Warnings: zemo is not so sweet in this one. unplanned pregnancy. loneliness. daydreaming. self-doubt. fear. drink-spiking.
A/N: First of all, i know that unplanned pregnancy isn't everybody favorite plot and I'M SORRY.
But you didn't thought I'd name a fic "viperous" and not write zemo at his fcking worst, did you?
previous chapter
.
You had discovered it pretty early on.
 After parting ways with the boys, you were feeling furious. You didn’t bother saying your goodbyes or listening to theirs, you simply held your bags and walked away from Zemo’s private jet; no turning back, no fake smile. Although, you could pull your pissed expression only for a few minutes, as soon as you turned a corner tears blurred your vision.
 Nonetheless, you went your way. In less than 24 hours you got to your home country and ten hours later you arrived in the dense rainforest you called home. It took you a few days to settle in again, to forget — or better, to ignore — the fateful events and get back to your routine.
 You stayed recluse at your house for a bit more than a month, before you had to come down to the nearest village; your supplies had their days counted and you could no longer postpone a visit to the hospital, the wound in your ribs had healed but the area was still too sore.
 You were expecting a broken rib or two, but the blood test they ran came out with a different outcome. One that you had no idea how to deal with.
 A pregnancy. You were about six weeks pregnant. It was very hard to understand the simple sentence coming out of your Doctor's mouth, it seemed impossible even; but you haven't used any protection the last time you were intimate with someone.
 It was obvious to you who the father was and it terrified you. Zemo was miles away running away from James and Sam after having managed to kill Karli Morgenthau and half the members of the Flag-Smasher. He didn’t know your whereabouts or condition, yet even the idea of him finding out was enough to make you shiver. His actions in the past decade made it clear that he loved his son, yet, you didn’t know how he’d react this time around with a woman he didn’t know nor loved – all while hiding from her own friends.
 You weren't sure if you wanted to keep it, but something was clear in that moment: he could never know, no one could.
 So after getting the exam result and making sure your ribs were okay, you scheduled a prenatal appointment with a discreet Doctor in a distant city and went your way home.
.
 You had a lot to think about. Parenting a child was hard enough with the help of others, but completely alone… Yet, you realised quite fast you wanted to keep it. 
 You also realised that you didn’t know shit about babies. You spend the first trimester of your pregnancy researching and studying everything you could, buying everything the internet said you’d need and having horrible nightmares almost every week.
 Because you were worrying about everything at once, three month went by fast.
 The lovely lady who owned the grocery store you go to regularly became your acquaintance and gave you very good tips. Your most dear tea recipe — the one that could treat the worst of nauseas or anxiety — was given from her and even some sleeping position for when your belly gets too big. You were visiting her more and more, especially because your nightmare was making you kinda paranoid.
 There were two that seemed to never let you in peace. The first one involved the Avengers taking the baby away and was very simple, it was always James or Sam and you were left alone, crying. The second, though, was more stange; you had the baby in your hands, feeding him, and there was always a figure looking at you. Later, you followed their cry to a cradle, but it was empty and you knew exactly who took it.
 Most nights you wake up in a cold sweat. And you end up always thinking of Zemo. You tried your best to let it go, to forget about him but you were feeling really guilty and scared.
 In Madripoor, when you were in his arms, every concern you had seemed to go away and you longed for that feeling on a daily basis. You knew you couldn't have that. You didn't know where the hell he was, or wanted to be with a man who killed a child without any guilt. You agreed with Sam about Karli and really thought a solution could have been made if Zemo hadn't shot her – as you later found out.
 Sure, you wanted to feel the comfort of someone's warmth against you. You wanted to not have to think about the possible outcome of failing as a Mother. You wished you weren't feeling so alone.
 You wanted to have everything Helmut offered you in whispers back in that dirty town.
 However, you knew he could never leave the Raft if he ever gets caught and telling him of the child growing inside you would kill him because he couldn't be present. No matter how much you wished. So you resumed the little life you built for yourself.
 Sunbathing in the morning with a book in hand, eating healthy foods you were learning how to cook and visiting the small village down the hill once a week so you didn't feel so lonely.
 On the bad days, you liked to daydream about being someone's housewife; taking care of the chores got a lot easier when you were waiting for your husband to come back from work. Yet not even your silly little dreams could save you from the solitude late at night, when there was only your pillow with a cologne similar to his to hold on to.
.
 It was raining again — a thunderstorm this time. Lately it has been raining a lot, more than you had been accustomed to; not that you disliked it, you adored watching the lightning and thunder. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows you could see the sky clearly, the trees surrounding your house danced and howled as the thunder approached. 
 It was late in the night and you were terribly tired, but you simply could not let a thunderstorm go unwatched. In your childhood, you were terrified of them, you always ran to hide under your blankets with your teddy bear, but, somewhere in your teen years you became bewitched by the loud noise and the flashing lights.
 You were thinking of Helmut again, but, this time, something felt odd. It was almost like you could feel him thinking of you as well. A silly thought really, that you were connected somehow. You took a deep breath and rested in the chair.
 The idea of having a soulmate pleased you but the rational part of you knew you just wanted someone who you could trust fully and completely. A national terrorist couldn’t be that person. Especially not a dead one.
 Less than a week ago the news of him startled you, he had… died. They didn't specify exactly what happened in the little newspaper article except that the Winter Soldier had found Zemo after his attack on Captain America – well, John Walker – and that ended with his death. What was obviously a lie, James wouldn’t kill him. Would he? You were too afraid of looking deep into it. Perhaps… No. It hurted you to think about it.
 You reached out to grab your mug on the coffee table, but that felt like too much effort. In fact, everything felt overwhelming; you could not get up when you heard the front door keys moving, or when the sound around the house got close. Something was wrong with you, the tea made you way too sleepy. You tried to get up.
 When you turned around leaning on the armchair, your eyes got caught like a deer’s by the fleshlight on a road.
 There, standing at the door, the most frightful ghost of all. The soaking wet Baron stared right into your soul before smiling softly.
 “Liébling, what are you doing awake at this hour? Don’t you know it is bad for the baby?”
 You gasped and reached out for something on the coffee table, but ended up dropping the mug on the ground. The shattering startled you even more, in an attempt to get away you stepped into a piece of broken glass and fell down.
 The ghost of Helmut Zemo tried to approach, but upon seeing you hurt yourself further gave up.
 Now the palm of your hands were bleeding as well and you were hiding half of your body, still transfixed. The need to protect your womb was there, urging you to cover your belly with your hands or tighten the cardigan around you, but you resisted it.
 “I promised you I have no intention of hurting you. Ever” he whispered, taking a hesitant step.
 You couldn’t bring yourself to answer the ghost, shaking your head and raising your bloody hands to your face.
 “Liébling. Let me help you.”
 The sleepiness was now worse than before, you could feel yourself slipping away. Then you realise.
 “Helmut, what did you put in my drink?” He took the final steps to you and held you tight. The blood stained his shirt, but he didn’t seem to mind a bit, bringing your hand to his lips to kiss it chastely.
 “Don’t worry now. I’ll take care of you” he kissed your temple and your cheeks. Before falling unconscious, you remember thinking he still smelled the same.
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graktung · 11 months
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Pt2 - dancing round an empty room - karli morgenthau
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It was a few days before the two of you were alone again, having to share tents with more people the last few nights, and being gracefully interrupted that other night by wyatt needing help with something yet again. but the moment you did get her alone, it took everything in you not to press your lips to hers, feeling the two of you needed to talk about where things were going before kissing again, because if you didn’t, you feared the addiction of her lips would become too much.
you were in a new country now, far far away from the church you last met in, but you revelled in the fact that you were still gazing at the same stars you always had. karli had pulled you into a small room- more like a closet- in the place you were staying; a couple were in favour of the movement and offered their house to support the flag smashers for a night or two, and you took full advantage of that.
“hi”
“hi”
there was a silence between you after those two words were exchanged, a silence more awkward than before, supposing all the possibilities that could be explored now the barrier is broken caused some tension between you two. you had not much seen this side of Karli, her usual self being confident- and hot- and calm…this was the opposite: her breath was heavy and shaky, her eyes darting between features on your face and anything else in the room, her mind too busy to focus on one thing, before you bring your hands to her face, cupping her checks and forcing her to look at you.
“hey” you start, knowing that the pair of you came in here to talk, and someone had to start or you’d be there for hours (not that you’d mind)
“breath, yeah?” you chuckled, and she let out a huff along with you, not realising she had stopped taking in air.
Once she had collected her breath she gestured for the two of you to sit, or try to, with the space given. There were unspoken words between the two, both knowing you needed to talk but neither wanting to start. ironic really; we were the only people each other could truly rely on to talk to, yet here we were, neither saying a word.
“Look i’m sorry about the other day i just got ahead of myself and- You know what, no. i’m not sorry” she finally started, “i have wanted to kiss you again ever since that night, and honestly, it’s taking a lot for me to not kiss you right now- that’s not the point, the point is, I really like you, and judging by the other night i think you like me too” that made you chuckle, “but i don’t want this to be some kind of fling or friends with benefits situation. If you don’t want a relationship, i respect that, and i want us to still be friends, because the only thing worse than you not being mine, is you not being in my life entirely-“
“would you shut up and ask me out already?” you were impatient to say the least
“okay okay i’m getting there…eh whatever, will you please please be my girlfriend? and if the answer is yes can i please kiss you again?” the fact that she had to ask astounded you, because in your mind you had always been hers, and always will be.
“yes and yes. pleasure doing business with you-“
“oh shut up” and with that she dragged you closer than humanly superhumanly possible, and pressed smiling lips to yours, etching to get out of this closet [cough] as soon as possible and brag to everyone that you were finally hers.
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pixievi · 10 months
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begging for some character thoughts/hc's that I can expand upon in a lil post 🥺👉🏻👈🏻 they can be nsfw and/sfw!!
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there-goes-thefighter · 11 months
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No Good At Goodbyes - (s.l.) (part 5)
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This is my fic. Please do not repost this (reblogs are good). Do not copy my writing. Do not steal my writing. All rights are reserved for my writing and my original character(s).
MCU Masterlist
Series Masterlist
(warnings: swearing, fighting, bombing, John Walker)
(pairing: Scott Lang x f!reader)
(gif credit: @/wadey-wilson)
(word count: 1.2k)
(a/n: scenes and lines from TFATWS have been altered so as not to plagiarize)
She’d followed Zemo since he grabbed her from the safe house. She followed him, not really knowing where else to go. Without her knowing, Scott was in his suit, hiding in her coat pocket. He had been since John burst into the safe house. Scott had used the fight as an advantage as well. 
“Where are we?”
“Sokovia.” 
Zemo had taken (y/n) with him to Sokovia. 
“Why did you take me here?” she asked, following his lead. 
“To see it,” Zemo simply replied as he gestured to the ten-foot-tall memorial for Sokovia. 
— 
No one was able to find Karli. Sam informed Bucky that GRC officials had only been able to find her followers. Bucky said nothing in response before leaving. He ignored Torres’ pleasantries and disappeared. 
— 
(y/n) stood next to Zemo, quietly paying her respects. 
“He’s here,” she whispered to him as Bucky walked up. 
Bucky and Zemo briefly conversed, then the safety was clicked off Bucky’s gun. He raised it to point at Zemo, then dropped all the bullets from his opposite hand after dry firing. The Dora Milaje suddenly appeared, surrounding Zemo. 
They were about to take him away, but (y/n) stopped them. 
“Zemo, wait.” 
He turned to face her, prompting her to speak, “Thank you.” 
Zemo nodded before starting to walk away again. 
“One more thing,” she said before walking to him and hugging him. Surprised, he paused before hugging her back. 
Then he was taken away. 
— 
“How are we gonna get this off the truck?”
The pallet was lifted, revealing Bucky and Scott. Bucky set a large briefcase down before telling Sam he called in a favor from Wakanda. 
“Where’s (y/n)?” Sam asked. 
“She’s around here somewhere,” Scott answered as he looked around. 
Hours later, progress was made on repairing the boat. Bucky mentioned leaving, but Sam invited him to stay. (y/n) and Scott, too. 
(y/n) and Scott took the spare bedroom while Bucky took the couch. Bucky woke up to Sarah’s boys playing with the Captain America shield while (y/n) and Scott were woken up by the sunlight. Everyone got back to work on the boat shortly after having a cup of coffee. 
While Sam and Bucky tossed the shield around, (y/n) and Scott stayed on the dock. 
“Finally, a little bit of rest after all the madness,” Scott said, taking a sip from his water bottle. 
“I’m sorry about all the stuff with Zemo. He kind of grew on me.” 
“It’s okay, babe. Emotions run high in the heat of the moment. I’m proud of you for standing your ground, though.” 
“Thank you.” 
Scott wrapped his arm around (y/n)’s shoulders. His hand rubbed her arm as she leaned into him. 
“Let’s go help Sam and Sarah finish that boat.” 
— 
“We gotta go to New York.” 
Sam’s words had him, (y/n), and Scott getting on a plane as fast as they could. They would meet Bucky there. 
The GRC vote was corrupted by the Flag Smashers. The group had increased in size. Bucky walked through the crowd, (y/n) and Scott following him. Sharon stopped them after revealing herself from her disguise. It was quiet on their end, but Sam was dealing with the enemy. 
The small group split up, (y/n) and Scott going a separate way from Bucky and Sharon. Bucky ended up on the phone with Karli, then took off on a stolen motorcycle. While Sam took care of the helicopters, (y/n) and Scott fought some of the Flag Smashers on the ground. 
Then, John Walker made his entrance. 
“MORGENTHAU!” 
“Shit.” 
While Bucky and Scott fought Karli, (y/n) fought John. John fought hard, but (y/n) was stronger. She gained control when John was distracted by Karli escaping. Bucky and Scott ran after her, and so did John. The group met up eventually and watched on as Sam lifted the hummer back to a safe spot. 
Smoke filled the area. Karli and the others made their escape. Sam led the way to find the group, seeing them through his lenses. While (y/n) and Scott checked one path, John and Bucky checked the other. 
Gunshots rang off, causing Sam to run towards it. Bucky and John trapped the Flag Smashers, causing them to get arrested. (y/n) and Scott helped Sam fight Karli. Karli drew her gun. Gunshots rang off again, but Karli hadn’t shot. Sharon did. Karli died in Sam’s arms. He carried her to the street, letting an ambulance take her. Scott and (y/n) met up with Bucky and John, who stood by another ambulance. 
Sam’s powerful, heartfelt speech had Scott and (y/n) in awe. Bucky complimented Sam as they walked away to where Sharon was. Scott and (y/n) began walking away from the scene as well but were stopped in their tracks by a news report playing on a TV in a restaurant. 
“Four Flag Smashers were killed in a car bombing before they were set to be transported to a high-security prison. There are no suspects.”
“Somewhere in the Raft, Zemo’s smiling.” 
And he was. Zemo was happy with his result. 
— 
(y/n) and Scott were invited to the Wilson neighborhood cookout. They celebrated and laughed with everyone. (y/n) pulled Bucky aside, wanting to finally talk to him one-on-one. 
“How have you been?”
“I’m good. Trying to take it easy right now.” 
“Bucky, it’s okay. Scott and I are set to retire when we get home.” 
“Where’s home?”
“Right now? The cabin we’re staying in. But we just put in a bid on a house. It’s in upstate New York, about a half hour from the compound.” 
“That’s great, I’m happy for you guys.” 
“You haven’t even heard the best part about it.”
“What?” Bucky was a little confused. 
“There’s an in-law apartment. It’s yours if you want it.” 
Bucky was shocked. His current living space was minimal, and he was grateful to have a home. 
“I’ll take you up on that offer. But I don’t want to hear you guys doing…you know.” 
(y/n) laughed, “You won’t. But the same goes for you, Barnes.” 
“Haha, very funny.”
— 
After (y/n) and Scott got back to their cabin in New York, Scott made his way to the bedroom to take a nap. Meanwhile, (y/n) wrote Zemo a letter with the pen he’d slipped her before he left with the Dora Milaje. 
Zemo stopped after he helped (y/n) climb down the ladder. They were underground beneath the safe house. 
“Finish it, will you?”
“What’s it going to take?”
“You need to stop Walker. Not Sam. Not Bucky. Not Scott. You,” he ordered, poking her in the chest due to the close quarters. 
“How is that going to work? He’ll overpower me.” 
“I’ll send you everything. Don’t open it until you’re alone.” 
When they reached the Sokovia memorial, Zemo slipped a pen into her hand. 
“Write with this. Undetectable.”
“I’ll write when we get home.” 
The box that Zemo sent sat on the couch beside her. It held further instructions, which she attempted to work around in the letter. (y/n) read over her letter to Zemo before sealing it in an envelope. 
Zemo,
I wanted to write to you to let you know that everything with Karli is done. I’m sure you heard that your plan worked. There are still a few issues, though. John Walker is out there somewhere, probably getting involved with HYDRA. I know that’s your thing, but let’s face it - he’s still a super soldier and he needs to be stopped. 
I’ll finish that mission for you, however, we should leave Bucky out of this. I’ll tell him after everything is said and done. 
(y/n)
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frostironfudge · 2 years
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Tenebrous - Loki (AU) - Chapter Eighteen
Pairings: Vampire! Professor Loki x Fem!Reader
Characters: Loki, Thor, Fem OC, Reader, Bucky Barnes, Stephen Strange, Baron Zemo, Other OCs
Warnings: gore, angst, witch-vampire fighting, coven dynamics, blood drinking, betrayals, emotional manipulation, mind manipulation, graphic canon level violence, blood drinking, torture, drugs, drug use, MINORS DNI.
Word Count: 7.8k || Dividers: @firefly-graphics​
Chapter Seventeen || Chapter Nineteen
Main Masterlist || Fic Masterlist || My AO3
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Chapter Eighteen - I See No End In Sight
In the clearing Alexander’s army of vampires take their battle formation, murmurs breaking out at the sight of Thor. 
Stephen looks at their team of four compared to the vampires. He lets his thoughts wander to Emery. Recalling their laughter, their brilliance, their drive.
The butterfly’s soft wings quiver as Emery acknowledges Stephen’s thoughts, trying to send him strength from them-self. 
Wong exhales in relief as Nia passes by them standing at the front. Stephen opens his eyes, heart not allowing relief at the sight of Nia taking charge. He needed to be sure.
“Alexander Pierce, is dead.” Nia announces, immediately there is an uproar. 
Zemo raises his stake, Luna has a weave in place as a border.
Nia raises her hand, silence takes over.
“He had bequeathed his rule unto Loki, who has rejected the throne. Thor, my mate had the responsibility thereafter. However as you can see he lost his life to battle. I ask this once, does anyone cast doubt over my interim rule?” She questions, allowing time for them to answer.
The coven remains silent.
“Very well, return to the castle, Luna and Zemo shall be in-charge till I arrive to make further announcements.” Nia announces and they all nod.
“I thought you didn’t trust us.” Zemo comments.
“I don’t but I know you are after a lot more than revenge, Helmut. Also Luna will keep you in check. If you keep them in check, I believe I will pass the mantle onto you.” Nia smiles as the auburn haired vampire chuckles.
“You would make a fine leader.” Wong comments as he watches the army retreat, the only concept of Alexander’s teaching that came in handy was that they follow orders without thought. Luna and Zemo follow the army, to make sure they all return back to the castle.
“I know, but I don’t want to be the one to change his legacy besides, he has more enemies than friends.” Nia shrugs.
“Correct. You’ve had enough of betrayals I suppose.” Wong observes, gaze softened with empathy.
“Hey, where did you guys put John?” Maya’s voice is as though cold water.
Stephen turns to the tree where Wong and he had placed John with stakes, one of the stakes were missing as was the vampire.
“Guys… where is he?” Nia looks around, frantic.
“Hold the army!” She screams.
Zemo and Luna turn, 
“Is everyone accounted for?” Nia questions and their brows furrow.
“Karli is missing.” One vampire says from the army.
“Now, who the fuck is Karli?” Nia pinches the bridge of her nose, this entire entourage is testing her patience.
“We need to get to Y/N.” Wong urges, “Karli’s ability is stealth, she can sneak up and attack easily.” 
“Luna!” Wong calls out and she nods closing her eyes to connect with the Celestials for a locating spell.
——<>——
“Fucking, again?” Sierra groans, as the three of them stand once again.
“Miles I want a vacation after this.” Clark demands.
“I’ll see which cruises are available.” Miles murmurs humouring them.
“One more time coven, we’re looking for a dangerous vampire.” Luna’s voice echoes and Sierra resists the urge to roll her eyes.
“All of them are.” She mutters.
“Karli Morgenthau is out for their blood.” Luna informs and the three begin a locating spell.
“I can see blurs of green, forest—, no wait, that is near Loki’s house.” Sierra murmurs.
“Why is Karli there?” Clark wonders, they could get there within time.
“I see John too.” Miles informs.
Luna breaks away from their connection. The three coven members gaze at each other.
“Are we going to do it?” Sierra rests her hands on her hips, staring at Clark and Miles.
The couple gazes at each other.
Sierra grabs her bag and the car keys, “We are aren’t we? Why do I even bother asking sometimes?” She mutters as they move towards the garage.
——<>——
“They saw Karli and John near Loki’s home.” Luna breathes as she returns to the clearing from her mind link.
Nia’s jaw sets, “Stephen, Wong you are coming with me. Zemo, Luna take the best hunters from the coven and the runners. Maya pick your team.” 
“Yours.” they stand near her small trio.
“We need to comb through the forest first where we were.” Nia looks towards Maya as they nod.
“Zemo, Luna your team goes directly to the house, I need eyes and ears there. Everyone get your phones out.” Nia grabs her device the screen cracked from the amount of tumbles taken during battle.
She quickly adds everyone including the Celestials to a group chat, typing the update and roles and responsibilities of each member.
“This is very thorough.” Stephen commends.
“I didn’t get into Law by being disorganised Doctor Strange.” She chuckles.
“Alright anything seen unseen report it on the group chat everyone share your locations, Maya you’re with me and Wong you be with Stephen. I want two guards for emery as well.” Nia orders and two vampires step forward from the coven.
Nia gazes at Stephen, who nods.
“If a hair on their head is harmed, I will not hesitate to end your lives.” He glowers, eyes turning red rimmed.
“Alright everyone, move.” Nia commands and they fan out, Luna and Zemo are followed by the chosen coven vampires, Maya, Nia, Stephen and Wong with the two volunteers comb through the forest.
They pause briefly where Alexander and Malekith lay with a stake buried into their chest each. No sign of Loki or James Barnes nor Y/N. Dread pools in her stomach.
“Carry on, Stephen place them at Emery’s then circle back at mine.” Nia suggests and the doctor nods.
“Be careful.” Wong advises and Nia nods in affirmation.
“You too.” He looks at Maya who gives him a brief smile.
As their group divides, Maya falls into step with Nia.
“So just to update you, John and Karli are probably mates but John does not trust her ideologies.” They explain as they breeze through the terrains.
“What do you mean?” She questions, John mentioned he was still alone, was he planning to reject Karli?
“She believes that humans should be drained dry, not kept around as warm blood bags.” The add.
“And we known John loves a chaser with his drugs.” Nia scowls.
“Precisely.” They comment. 
Soon enough they reach the neighbourhood which seems eerily quiet and not even the chirp of birds exists.
Nia retrieves her phone once more.
the eradicate bad vampires squad group chat
Nia: eerie vibes in the neighbourhood. any update?
Clark: they are in one of the houses, eta 10 mins, sierra is driving like a maniac so maybe 7 mins
Zemo: we’ve secured a perimeter, compulsion used on door to door on the humans to remain inside and disallow entry, however the home opposite to yours had no answer.
Nia: that means it is where they are hiding where the fuck are loki and james?
Miles: locating spells take a little while, there is something scrambling it.
Stephen: guard 1 and 2 have warned against Karli, she has an ability to render any being into unconsciousness for thirty minutes. Celestials can guard minds but limited number of minds.
Stephen: it is more like a deep sleep rather than unconsciousness, Wong says. we will be there in five minutes. 
Nia: hope emery is alright, will keep that in mind
Stephen: they are 
Nia: there is something wrong with the house. 
Stephen: what?
Sierra turns the car with a screech onto their lane. They stumble out. Just as Miles tries to cross onto the grass of the house he’s sent back stumbling. 
“Did anyone not do that before I did?” He demands, Clark running over to help him. 
Nia places her leg onto the grass and she’s sent flying backwards. “Is it a fucking weave?”
Maya also touches it and is sent flailing away to the opposite end. 
“More like a blockage.” Clark muses, he places his hand but it is pushed back as though being shoved away. 
“It is lighter on humans.” He deems. 
“Glad we could be the lab rats.” Nia scrunches her face is disdain. 
“Yep.” Maya agrees. 
“Why can’t we hear anything?” They ask. 
“The blockage prevents all things both in and out. They can’t hear us from here and we can’t hear them.” Sierra explains, understanding the spell. 
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Fifty-five Minutes Ago.
Carefully Loki pulls away from Y/N just enough to check on her. Exhaustion was creeping up her spine and reflected in her eyes as they ached for slumber. 
He gazes at Bucky when she yet again moves to bury her head into his chest. 
“We need to go home.” Bucky advises, Y/N only shakes her head. 
“Poetess.” Bucky tries to reason but for the past few minutes she did not want to move, the two had taken turns to hold her, keep her close. Facing away from Malekith and Alexander’s lifeless forms. 
“Witchling, we need to go. Is there a reason you want to be here?” Loki murmurs softly. 
“They’ll follow, it, it isn't over.” She mutters, Bucky feels his heart clench at her words.  
“They won’t, it’s been done, we fought and we won.” Bucky assures her, stroking her hair. 
Y/N lifts her head from her vampire mate’s chest, looking into Bucky’s azure eyes. 
“We can rest then?” She wonders, the weariness in her bones pulling down at her. 
“We can, as long as we want to.” Loki promises. 
Bucky sighs slightly relived as Y/N raises her head further, grabbing onto both of their hands. 
“I think I should carry you.” Loki suggests. 
“I’m okay, just a little—,”
“Little flower. Leaving without giving me a taste?” Johns voice has her freeze in place. 
“John.” Bucky says in warning, hand raised with the soft blue lines taking over as he choses the spell. He steps in front of Y/N. 
“I do not have time for your childish whims.” Bucky warns him and John only smiles. 
“Oh I know, that is why I will up the ante, Y/N, why don’t you come here?” John requests and a thrum reverbs around her. 
Y/N tries fighting off the pull her muscles ache to comply towards. 
“Fighting the compliance?” John chuckles, “Karli please provide motivation.” 
Loki drops Y/N’s hand as he turns in time as he blocks the stake an inch away from his chest. 
Bucky pulls Y/N closer, “Keep fighting it.” He murmurs. 
Karli smiles up at Loki as he manoeuvres their hands to gain the upper hand to hold the stake. 
Bucky conjures a weave for Karli just as she vanishes from before their eyes. 
“Loki?” Bucky questions, eyes trying to track all around. 
“Stealth is her ability, I can’t track her mind either. Get her out.” Loki groans as he falls forward, Karli appearing behind him and landing a kick to his back.
“Oh no you don’t.” John blocks Bucky and Y/N. 
“Give me the girl, Barnes.” The vampire warns. 
Bucky glares at John.
“Sure.” He says making John widen his eyes then scream in pain as he feels every nerve on fire. 
“Bucky.” Y/N says softly, “How did, how did you hide?” Wincing as she tries to escape the mental pull, a stark reminder of what went on in Bucky’s mind. 
“Find a safe place.” Bucky says as he pulls her to move with him while keeping his eyes on John to keep the spell going. 
Along his peripheral he can see Loki and Karli struggling as Loki begins to use his ability to get inside her mind. Karli ceases struggling, eyes unfocused as Loki smiles, gaining the upper hand.
“It should be a place you remember clearly no things left out, as inanimate the better, draw protection charms, sigils, cloaking spells.” Bucky looks at her momentarily as they begin to run. 
John falls forward panting, glaring as Bucky and Y/N gain more distance from him. 
“Okay.” She says, trying to keep up. 
“Come on a little further then we get back to Loki’s house for the car okay? He’s the closest.” Bucky request and she nods. 
“Make sure you know your way to return.” Bucky adds.
He surrounds them with a weave. Y/N’s muscles ache and lungs burn as they keep running, her mind a flurry of places she remembers, almost all of them were tainted. 
When they slow to a jog her mind brings forth Loki’s office, she closes her eyes and allows Bucky to lead her, hand held tightly in his. 
She places the sigils and protective charms, demarcating the trail with the shimmering snowflake as Bucky had.
The warlock breathes in relief as he spots the clearing for the house.They make their way through the back door, keeping their pace light and quick. 
“Car keys are in the kitchen.” Y/N says moving away to find them. 
Bucky keeps watch, with as much as focus, he can muster. 
She moves through the kitchen, trying to locate the bowl in which they kept the keys for the cars. 
Bucky begins to draw hexes, setting charms in place upon the house, making sure Loki was the only one who could see past his cloaking spell. 
He had time to hone the skill of hiding within his own mind. Worried she would not be able to come back he begins to form a sigil for the very purpose. 
He grabs the post it notepad and pen from the fridge. Y/N returns with the keys in hand, brows furrowed when she sees Bucky go through various pieces of the yellow paper. 
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“What is it?“ she questions. 
“Don’t look at it right now.” Bucky warns turning away, he hisses when the sigil does not work as his magick wants it to, the tenth paper he draws the sigil it glows akin to his markings. 
He shoves the paper in Y/N’s hand and grabs the keys. 
“Bucky—,”
“Memorise that symbol. Every part of it. Make sure its in the place in your mind.” He instructs. 
They get to the garage unlocking the car Bucky watches as Y/N settles into the passenger side. He takes a moment to breathe. 
Limbs and muscles burning from exertion. He reaches for the handle before being pulled away, Bucky conjures up burning orbs.
“Hey, hey!” Loki shifts away from the burning embers. 
“Can you announce that it’s you.” Bucky rolls his eyes and the two look to Y/N inside the car staring up at them tiredly. 
“Oh no we can rest.” She mocks, in Loki’s accent. 
“We will rest after I kill the fucker.” Bucky promises. 
“I’ll drive.” Loki offers and Bucky shudders. 
“Vampire reflexes driving is warranted.” Loki smiles. 
“Where did you leave Karli?” Bucky questions when he gets into the backseat, Y/N looks back at him offering, reaching out her hand. Bucky grasps it. 
“Keep memorising that sigil.” He tells her and she huffs. 
“I know it.” 
Bucky gives her a look which makes her gaze back at the paper as Loki shifts gears to move out of the garage. 
“John came back to get me away from Karli, they are mates apparently but they have not yet accepted. They disagree on one crucial thing.” Loki gazes at Bucky in the rearview mirror. 
“What?” The warlock questions, adding protective enchantments upon the car. 
“Karli believes in draining people dry, John as we know…” Loki winces at the thought. 
“Likes a warm drugged up human’s blood. Aka me.” Y/N adds nonchalantly. 
The two stay silent, Y/N looks at both of them. 
“What? It’s trauma processing humour.” She shrugs, “I mean Loki did say I’m decadent.” A laugh blubbers from her chest. 
Bucky looks at Loki in disbelief. Loki only grows worried under his gaze. 
“Geez, tough crowd.” She murmurs. 
“Okay so what is the plan?” Bucky questions and Loki draws a breath.
“We hide out at home, no one can enter unless Y/N says so, and it gives us an advantage.” 
“You haven’t thought further have you?” Bucky realises with scepticism. 
“No, but end goal? Kill them.” The vampire shrugs. 
“More death, gotta note this down for the therapist, Doctor Strange is going to take me off of the entire career path.” Y/N chuckles again rendering the two silent. 
When they reach the house, Loki swiftly moves Bucky and Y/N inside, as he is about to step in John grabs Loki by his shoulder then pinning him to the ground. 
Karli holds a stake to his back, piercing his skin.
Loki hisses at the pain, trying not to twist in John’s hold. 
“Loki!” Bucky and Y/N yell, panic flooding through the two bonds. 
“Come with me little flower, and he will live.” John grins menacingly. 
“Let him go first.” Y/N requests stepping out from behind Bucky. 
“Y/N.” He says in warning. 
“Don’t.” Loki struggles to add as Karli pushes the stake in further. 
Dread fills Bucky’s chest, the snowflakes creating a storm at the panic. 
“Ask the warlock to put a weave around your mate.” John trades, Y/N gazes at Bucky, “I,” he hesitates, Loki would never want her life risked for his own safety. Even if it meant heartache. 
“Please.” Is all she says in request. 
“You know I can’t.” Bucky reasons. 
“He wo-won’t—fuck.” Loki says, wincing, the tip of the stake leaving scars over his flesh.  
Y/N closes her eyes, the weave begins to take shape around Loki, Karli withdraws the stake by half a centimetre. 
“Come closer, little flower.” John coaxes sickly sweet it makes acid churn in her stomach. 
Y/N takes a step forward. 
Bucky’s fingers twitch in the slightest, the stake hidden under the side-table near the door pierces through Karli’s chest.
She stumbles backward, Loki uses his speed to crawl into the house. 
Y/N trudges onward to the door. 
Bucky gets the stake out from Loki’s back, when he raises his hand to throw the stake at John; he realises a crucial mistake.
Karli didn’t get hit in the heart, she manages to throw the stake from her chest onto Bucky, he deflects it but it slices onto the skin of his left arm. He tries not to make a sound at the searing pain that takes over, forcing staccato breaths to keep himself calm
Loki pushes himself off of the ground, he pushes Y/N to the end of the house. She begins mindlessly walking towards the door again. 
“James.” Loki says in warning and Bucky has the side table move forward and block Y/N’s path. Loki moves again to grab her, holding her protesting self back.
Bucky commands the stakes to levitate towards Karli again, to his surprise Karli catches all the stakes one by one, throwing them back at Y/N and Loki. 
Bucky leaps forward, casting a shield over them, moving his right arm the stakes turn and fly back indenting into Karli and onto her heart as her last groan comes to an end.
Bucky pants turning his gaze to John who stares at Karli.
“I wanted you to watch little flower die and live with it. Now i’m going to make sure you die before her, so you don’t know how it ends, or does it even end.” John’s eyes turn red.
Loki grabs Bucky by the waist as he holds onto Y/N pulling them into the kitchen. The vampire stumbles still wounded.
The fall against the cabinet, Bucky to the right and Y/N half on Loki’s lap as she still attempts to pry herself away.
Bucky pants as he rests his head against Loki’s shoulder. 
“Is she okay?” He questions, still catching his breath. 
Loki cradles her head, turning it towards him, his jaw tightens—her eyes are blank. 
“Its taken full effect.” He informs solemnly. Bucky squeezes his eyes shut disdain colouring his features. 
“We can’t kill him until he withdraws it or I get rid of it.” The warlock moves his hands to her forehead. 
“You’ve been through too much already.” Loki grabs his hand midway to stop him. 
“And you haven’t?” Bucky counters with a pointed stare. 
“Y/N?” Loki tries stroking her cheek, opening up the bond. 
The emptiness gnaws at him. 
“Y/N?” Bucky tries as well, to no avail. 
“Y/N, why don’t you come to me, you know I can make you very happy.” John’s voice booms through the house. 
She begins to struggle in their arms. 
“Oh is your mate and his little soldier trying to save you? Do you want them to rest? They need it don’t they?” John enquires. 
“Yes.” Y/N answers softly, pushing at Bucky’s chest to let her free. 
“You should let me inside. I can help.” John says.
“Mate silence—,” Loki is cut off midway.
“Come in, John.” Her voice repeats his request.
John smiles stepping over the threshold with ease. 
“Now, revoke the permission you gave to your mate.” He orders, Bucky moves to cover her lips but the words already are past. 
Loki feels the force pushing against every fibre, pushing him to stand, his grip upon his mates loosens.
“James—,” Loki wheezes as the pressure increases, his shoes slide over the floor as he’s being pulled out of the house.
Bucky casts a shield to prevent Loki from moving from the house but the old magick pushes through shattering the sheild, even the weave fails.
Y/N stands moving away, Loki watches as he falls forward hand outstretched,
“James, invite—,” He looks at James as it clicks in the warlock’s head.
John grins at him, “Got your girl, Loki. Oh and look,” He turns to face her again, “Open wide, little flower.”
Y/N complies, John places two pills gingerly onto her tongue. 
“Loki, come inside!” Bucky recounts as Loki drops onto the floor. 
“Made him co-owner of the house.” John chuckles, cupping Y/N’s jaw, “Always trying to one up me little flower.” He squeezes and she whimpers. 
Loki stands, hand on his hidden stake. He looks at James, allowing him to lead.
“Mate spit it out.” Loki snarls, leaping to grab her away, he pushes two fingers into her mouth but the pills have already melted halfway. He scoops out the melted remains, dragging her towards the kitchen to have her rinse her mouth. 
“You shouldn’t have done that John.” Bucky warns, forming a fist with his hand and John falls to his knees.
“You’re going to kill me Barnes?” John laughs, then screams at the pain of every cell in his body is on fire.
“No, I’m going to make you beg for your death.” Bucky’s voice is cold, hollow, John’s limbs give a sickening crack as he withers on the floor.
Without moving his eyes from John, “You need to enter her mind, her safe space, remind her of the sigil I made. The second you return, he dies.” Bucky informs and Loki nods.
Y/N’s eyes are glazed over. He had seen her this way and he hated that he was the reason for it. 
She had been right, in thinking he would leave after this ordeal, how could he stay? How could he allow himself to find have his happiness? 
Loki contemplates his words said to Bucky, her words said to Bucky.
Was punishing themselves the answer?
All him leaving did was cause immense damage and pain.
John’s fifth scream draws Loki back his attention, he lays Y/N gently onto the couch, kneeling at the edge he grasps her hand. 
The compliance didn’t allow him to guide her to rise her mouth. 
He would not require physical contact but it grounded him. She grounded him. 
“That all you got, Barnes? A few show tricks?” John speaks through gritted teeth.
“Oh did you want more? Did I tell you I learned how to take over minds as well?” Bucky smirks, everything around them dissolves into John’s childhood home.
“The fuck—,” John’s voice is cut off as he moves into the memory as himself. 
He’s walking into the part, spotting the girl he likes, gestures with his head as she catches his eye to go upstairs.
“You did unspeakable things, didn’t you?” Bucky stands in front of John blocking his way to the room. 
“But daddy’s money got you off. The poor girl cried and cried. Never got her justice.” He glares at John, the memory of the two nights John spent in jail brought forward.
“You didn’t even let your cellmate live peacefully, a little bribe here and there and you wanted him beat up by guards for fun.” Bucky tsks, gripping John’s hair and pulling his head back.
“You know what John, let us see how you take a beating, let us throw you into the pit. Let us see how you survive. Let us see how you beg for mercy.” Bucky chuckles darkly, allowing the altered illusions to take over, Loki’s blood thrumming allowing him to tap into his magick deeper, refine it.
Bucky watches as John begins to beg early on, pleading so soon.
“You really take the fun out of things, now, hmm, how about multiple vampires preying upon you?” Bucky taps his chin as if in thought.
“N-no-,” John resists but is too late, he’s being held down by himself and the coven preys upon him as he preyed upon Y/N.
John screams, wails and pleads. Bucky pulls himself out of the mind, allowing his spell to keep everything on a loop right from John being beaten up in jail.
Using his time he casts an impenetrable spell onto the house, hexing anyone who touches it, masking the magick. Using the surplus from the moon to cover his signature. The celestials knew how to break spells if they knew the witch or warlock casting the said spell. He couldn’t afford distractions or delays.
Loki huffs, locating her hidden room was difficult, there was so much, so much he was sifting through. So much Y/N never uttered out loud, so much she held in even when he was right by her side. Even when he did ask her to share everything.
He spots a familiar memory, the one of Bucky leaving, then the one of him leaving. Something tugs on his arm, it is a younger version of Y/N, pre teen, her eyes hold the same gleam of magic which he had seen before. 
“Are you looking for me?” She questions, Loki nods.
“Do you know where we are?” He crouches down to be at level with her.
She shakes her head, “I was left alone by dad, never found anyone.” 
“I’m so sorry that happened. I’m here for you, to take you home to Bucky and I.” He wipes her tear.
“Bucky?” She repeats.
Loki nods, “He is a very special person for the two of us. Can I tell you what happens when you grow up?” 
Younger Y/N nods.
“You grow up into being the most wonderful soul, immensely kind and generous and oh so resilient. You grow up into being a physiotherapist they are specialised people who help sick people become better. You also write stories and poems, so beautiful.” Loki wipes more of her tears. 
“Are you there in my future?” She questions sniffling, “Or did you leave too?”
“I am there, I, I did leave once and it hurt you a lot, I’m sorry I did that. I came back to mend things, I won’t leave you again.” He promises.
“Were you angry at me? Dad left cause he was angry at me. Everyone leaves me.” She sighs sadly, Loki’s heart twists. 
“I wasn’t angry at you, I was angry at myself. I should not have done that, I really am sorry.” He says, she nods considering his words. 
“You’re here to find big me right?” She questions and he nods. 
“If I take you there will you promise not to leave me and her?” She peers into his green eyes. 
“I promise, not going to let you go again, witchling.” He smiles when younger Y/N giggles at the nickname. 
She grabs his hand and signals for him to be quiet, she leads him through several more memories that he knew and didn’t know. They stand in an empty room and just as Loki is about to question the lights turn on and its the infinity light mirror room. 
At the centre is a thin outline he looks down at the child holding his hand. 
“She’s in there, please take care of her, Loki. Tell, tell Bucky too.” He bends down again, opening his arms wide to hug her, she does and presses a kiss to his cheek. Then giggles running off. 
Loki takes in a deep breath, moving to the door, it opens easily and Y/N lays on the corner chair in his office, curled up with the last book he was reading to her before he left. 
“Y/N.” He breathes, she gazes up at him. 
“Loki? I didn’t, I didn’t picture—,” Her words are cut off with his lips upon hers. 
Hand cupping her face tenderly, his other hand around her waist drawing her close. 
Y/N finds warmth bloom in her chest, beginning to let go of everything that she carries, sinking into Loki. Her soft sigh against his lips, drowning in the kiss. 
Loki pulls away, “There is so much you haven’t told me.” He brushes her cheek, “I haven’t been the best mate I could be to you have I?” 
Y/N closes her eyes, “I don’t have an answer for you.” 
“I will take care of you.” Loki admits. 
“I attempted to sneak in here about a month after you left.” She moves away from him; a gnawing emptiness eats at his chest.
“Everything was the way it was, right down to the book on the stand. However, you. You were gone, Loki.” 
Loki grasps her shoulders, looking to the eyes he fell in love with. 
“I’m going to mend the pieces. I’m going to stay, because I have a chance at forever with you. I’m not giving it up. I was stupid to have done so before.” He presses his lips to her forehead. 
“Bucky asked me to tell you about the sigil. Trust me once again. I won’t break it.” He promises. 
Y/N closes her eyes, Loki watches as lines are formed on the floor, on the walls, on the ceiling they begin to chip away her defences. 
“Where is the compulsion demon?” Loki murmurs. 
“I never found it… I hid once fighting became too much… When he ordered you to be un-invited.”
Just as the walls break he spots the dark murky creature. Looming over them. 
“Get him here.” Bucky’s voice cuts through, Loki and Y/N stare at him. Worried for his well-being.
“We don’t have much time.” Bucky warns, Y/N turns to the creature, reaching outward. It would attempt to latch onto her. 
Loki grabs onto either mate’s hands. 
As the creature lunges for them, Bucky nods at Loki. 
The vampire moves Y/N out of the way, pulling Bucky to the front, his outstretched hand that harbours the stake pierces through the chest of the creature. It howls in pain. 
The sigils light up again, 
“Go!” Bucky yells towards them, Y/N gazes at Bucky as Loki pulls her to follow the way out using the sigils. 
“I’ll be there.” Bucky promises. 
Y/N awakens, sitting up on the couch. Loki’s hand intertwined with hers. They turn to gaze at Bucky, his hand is fisted against John’s chest. 
The warlock breathes harshly, pulling his hand back. 
John tilts backward, the stake falls from Bucky’s hand to the ground in synchrony with the vampire’s body. 
He turns towards his soulmates, “Now it is over.” 
Loki and Y/N move, the three meet mid way, arms around each other. 
“Not clean again.” She murmurs, after they pull away, the two feel her disappointment. Her vision blurred and the onset of the high.
“We’ll get back on track, it is okay.” Bucky cups her cheek. 
“Every step of the way.” Loki assures, cupping her other cheek. 
“What if I can’t do it?” She questions, worried.
“We’ll keep trying till you can.” Bucky assures and Loki nods.
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Present. 
Nia sits atop the hood of the car, staring at the house. 
“Do you have an ability to burn down enchantments with your eyes?” Stephen chuckles dryly. 
“If only.” Nia rolls her eyes. 
It had been thirty minutes since the house had turned into a impenetrable fortress the celestials couldn’t recognise the magick and Luna deemed the essence unfamiliar to Bucky’s coven either. 
Wong studied the issue at hand; when he came up short, Nia was disappointed.  
They stay rooted in place, waiting, without sound without any way to know.
“Nia.” Maya points at the porch. 
“Karli’s body?” Zemo moves closer, stepping foot onto the grass. 
Everyone waits for him to be sent flying backwards but he doesn’t move from his place. 
Slowly all of them approach the porch, Loki opens the door. 
“What the fuck? Loki!” Nia yells and he takes a step back as she enters. 
“Where is my best friend and where the fuck is John?” She glides into her human house.
The uninvited vampires stay outside, watching.
“Wait, we’re human.” Miles shakes his head and crosses the threshold followed by Clark and Sierra.
“Hi Nia.” Bucky and Y/N greet while John’s body is levitating. 
“Wha—,” Nia’s jaw drops.  
“Oh yeah John’s dead, so is Karli.” Bucky explains. 
“We were just getting rid of the bodies…” Loki comes to stand beside them. 
“What was the magick covering the house?” Clark questions. 
“Well that was my doing.” Bucky admits.
“It did not seem like your coven signature?” Luna adds. 
Sierra observes them with narrowed eyes. 
“I honed my skills separately as well, I do prefer studying so the magick outside was my own.” He shrugs, then raises a brow at Sierra. 
“You three…” She tilts her head, able to observe the weakly interconnected bond lines. 
Bucky gives her a nod, smiling. 
“I adore it.” Nia cheers as a ripple of understanding occurs amongst everyone. A three person bond.
Stephen catches Loki’s eye from outside, giving his friend a smile and nod. Loki gives him a half smile, a wordless conversation between them. 
Upon inviting Stephen, Wong, Luna, Zemo and Maya inside the humans undergo first aid from the doctor. The kitchen turning into an impromptu ER. 
When Y/N sits on the counter, Stephen sighs as his ability advises him on the mental health damage done as well.
“Will I be benched again?” She wonders, Bucky and Loki stand at the entrance of the kitchen, listening closely attempting not to make it obvious. 
It was blatantly obvious but Stephen choses to not say anything. 
“We can talk about that later.” Stephen gives her a smile of comfort but she shakes her head. 
“Your grades have taken a dive, clinical work is good. Attendance on the lower side.”
“Am I going to go into year two? I don’t even know which set of parents will be disappointed.” She laughs then bites her lip, tears pool in her waterline. 
“Witchling.” “Poetess.” Both of them gaze at her with concern. 
She shakes her head, looking back at Stephen. 
“Let me speak to the academic director. If there is a way for you to redeem I’ll let you know, if not we’ll have to just see how your finals score next month, does that sound alright? You can work to do better in the second year.” Stephen patches up the wounds which were definitely non existent before but now she could feel every ache and pain. 
“Okay.” Her voice is quiet and Stephen knows how she is feeling, he’d seen her passion and drive. 
“Look, Y/N, you should rest up. Loki email me from her student account needing a few days break, I’ll have a doctor’s certificate arranged.” Stephen stands, before he can offer a helping hand to Y/N her mates are holding out a hand each for her to grasp. 
Through the bleakness of her academic career on the line she smiles, heart warming at their gesture. Grasping both of their hands she gets off the counter. 
Loki looks towards Stephen, “Thank you.” 
“All in a day’s work.” He waves them off. 
Nia stands on the porch ordering a few vampires around for getting rid of the bodies, for Thor she turns to Loki as he enters the living room with Y/N and Bucky by his side.
“Loki, could I speak to you?” She looks between the three.
He nods, parting from his mates.
“Can we go and get Midnight in the mean time?” Y/N requests, Bucky turns to Stephen who lights up at the prospect of seeing Emery again.
“That seems wise.” Loki smiles at them.
Loki and Nia walk back into the kitchen,  
“Is this about Thor?” He questions.
“Yeah… I just, I wish I had known sooner or said something…” Nia fiddles with the rings on her fingers.
“None of us knew his plot… I thought he was working for all of our interests.” Loki offers her an apologetic smile.
“Also, he um, we had this morbid discussion while he pretended to be human, about where we want to be buried or like last rites…”
“He wants to be buried in our old village?” Loki offers and Nia nods.
“I’ll have that arranged, you’re too kind despite his behaviour, I wish he would have not gotten blinded for power.” He shakes his head.
“He was turning into another Alexander.” She comments.
“Faria… Y/N’s actual mother, she attempted to kill Alexander before because of him being power hungry. All she wanted was a family.” He traces the wooden panelling of the floor with his gaze.
“He killed her didn’t he?” She huffs a dark laugh, “Stupid men.” Venom glazes over her eyes.
“Nia…” Loki steps forward, she was akin to his own little sister. Nia nods, allowing him to give her a hug.
“You’re much stronger and I know you will comment that this is a bullshit thing to say to someone who is feeling weak, however, you need to be reminded of your strength.” He says and she nods. 
“Thank you.” She mumbles, her arms around him tighten, “I forgive you for what you put her through. I know I said I wouldn’t, I know I said some horrible things.”
“Nia, its—,” Loki begins and she pulls away.
“No, I just, don’t make me regret forgiving you okay? One misstep and you won’t be alive to be away from her or James because I will personally stake you.” She warns and Loki nods. 
“I did deserve all that you said to me, thank you for your forgiveness I won’t let you down.” He assures. 
They watch as the vampires take away John and Karli’s bodies, Loki raises a brow when there is an entire cleaning crew who is using their speed to get all the wrecked things in order. 
“Yeah, apparently Alexander had a newly attached clean crew incase things got out of hand.” Nia comments upon his observations. 
“Well he did leave quite the mess.” Loki shakes his head, “Are you taking the throne?” 
This time Nia shakes her head, “I might give it away to Luna. After everything I think she should have it. I’d give it to Wong but he gave me a warning look and I do not want to invoke his anger. Stephen well is in love with medicine.” 
“He may just love Emery more.” Loki chuckles think about his friend, “And I agree about Wong.” 
“Do you want it?” Nia gazes up at him, he contemplates the offer. 
“No, I prefer my life without his trace or shadow. Even if it is the throne.” Loki admits, running his thumbs across his palms. 
His past deeds resurface, the two bonds reach out towards him in comfort. 
He sighs at ease, letting the thoughts go. 
“What is like having two mates?” Nia questions.  
“Well for starters I haven’t really given them justice. I’m just glad they trust me enough to stay.” He bites the inside of his cheek. 
“Will you complete the bond?” Nia has this smirk on her face the same smirk she had awarded Y/N when she walked into the kitchen when Loki spent the night. 
“Get your mind out of the gutter.” He gives her a grimace. 
“Oh come on, threesomes, hot mates.” Nia teases. 
“I will tell Wong you’re giving him the throne if you do not shut up.” He warns walking towards the garden where Wong stood. 
“No!” Nia yells, Loki takes off with his speed laughing much to her displeasure. 
——<>——
“You know I’m annoyed at you.” Emery declares. Y/N winces as she takes a seat, the soreness and pain would only become more apparent as the drugs and adrenaline faded. 
“I’m sorry, it wasn’t my place to tell.” She informs them. 
“You let me talk about my crush and you knew he could hear!” They huff, crossing their arms across their chest. 
“Also you were dealing with vampires all this time? Young lady.” They give her their best glare and Y/N only wants to laugh because Emery is absolutely adorable when angry. 
“Don’t you dare say, I’m adorable.” They warn her with their index finger raised. 
“But— okay, alright I’ll admit, but it was fun watching Doctor Strange smile to himself at your confession. Also butterflies? How cute is that?” Y/N gushes and Emery blushes. 
Currently Stephen was giving a small house tour to Bucky who was holding a sleeping midnight to his chest. The little fur-ball immediately took to liking him. The best way to show her approval? Sleeping in his arms. 
“I have it on video.” Y/N chuckles, retrieving her phone. 
“Have what on video?” Stephen questions as he enters with Bucky following behind. 
“Well this video of Emery and you speaking but after they walk away you have this love sick look—,”
“No.” Stephen glares, Emery tilts their head to the side. 
“Fine.” He grumbles. 
The three humans aw at Stephen’s loving gaze trailing after Emery and it disappears the minute another student steps in his line of vision. 
Emery grasps at his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze that had butterflies burst across the bond for him. 
Y/N smiles up at Bucky from where he sits on the handle of the sofa. Midnight curls onto her bed. 
Bucky grins down at her. 
Slowly he leans in, Y/N holds her breath. Bucky’s lips brush against her temple. 
Emery looks between the two then at Stephen. He nods answering their question. 
“Now you haven’t told me this either.” They sigh. “Am I even your friend?” Another dramatic sigh. 
“She would have but she was told all about it today.” Bucky defends. 
“Oh damn, how are you processing it all?” Their demeanour shifts to concern and she shrugs. 
“I honestly, today has just been so much of information. I’m, I’m taking a few days off.” Y/N sighs. 
“Want me to bring you the home work after three four days?” They offer, grasping her hand to offer comfort. 
“Yeah, I think, I think so.” Y/N chews upon her bottom lip. 
“Then head home, you should be able to rest now.” Emery advices, she nods. 
Emery stays back, Stephen promises a quick return. The ride back is silent, Bucky chooses to sit next to Y/N in the backseat. 
Midnight is curled between them, Y/N stares out the window, it was close to noon, the entire previous night gone in battles of varying degrees.
Stephen parks in the driveway of her home, she stares at the door handle for a few moments. Bucky catches Stephen’s gaze in the rearview mirror. 
“We can stay out here if you want…” Bucky offers, she shakes her head. 
She opens the door, holding Midnight carefully so she doesn’t run off.
Loki waits at the threshold of the house, wordless conversation with Stephen taking place. 
As they enter, the house seems untouched. Midnight jumps from Y/N’s arms and pads up the stairs to her room. Loki takes the litter box and bowls, utilising his speed to place them for the fur ball. She meows at him and Loki gives her chin rubs. 
Y/N knows a conversation awaits, regarding how they would traverse this new bond. Bucky had missed out on months with both of them. Loki had missed out on more with Bucky than herself. 
“Hey.” Bucky draws her attention as she stands still on the first step. 
She looks at him. 
“Rest. We can always talk about everything later. Honestly my brain will turn to mush if I have to take on one more heavy thing.” He gives her a playful smile but the tired edges around his features show the truth. 
“He’s right.” Loki adds from the top of the stairs, “Rest, you both require it, conversations can take place later.” 
Y/N looks between the two of them, chin wobbling as tears spring to her eyes, everything crashes upon her. Loki grasps her into his arms, her head buried into his chest as she holds onto his shirt. 
Sobs shaking her body. 
“I’ve got you, witchling.” He murmurs, running his hand over her head.
“Lets get her to bed.” Bucky whispers, Loki uses his speed once again, she lays still curled up against him, sobs diminishing in intensity. 
Bucky gazes around the room, he moves his palm in a swooping motion igniting the lavender and vanilla scented candles. 
Loki and Bucky gaze at each other then upon Y/N, the shaking of her body gone only sniffles here and there. 
The warlock takes a seat at the foot of the bed. Hesitantly raising his eyes to the empty space beside Loki. 
“The day was hard upon you too.” Y/N murmurs. 
Bucky shifts his eyes to her, his lips part to form an excuse to not intrude upon their time more than what he has already.
“You missed out longer, Bucky, please. Stop punishing yourself.” She insists, he walks to Loki’s side and the vampire opens his arms to allow Bucky to move closer.
The thrumming in their bond grew, snowflakes dancing across their chests, as Bucky rests his head against Loki’s shoulder. 
Something about finally being intimate, finally allowing himself all that he denied.
Bucky begins to let his tears fall freely as well, Y/N reaches out to intertwine their hands. Loki presses a kiss to his forehead and Bucky shifts hiding his face in the crook of his mate’s neck.
“There is much to grieve, today. The loss immeasurable, carried since months, I’ve got you, I’ve got you both, I’m not letting go.” Loki speaks, his words offering comfort, offering hope.
The tears and sobs settle, he counts their breathing till it evens out. His mates fall asleep as the exhaustion pulls them into slumber. 
Loki closes his eyes, morphing their dreams to show a future he could picture. 
A happy future. 
-x-x-x-x-
AN: hi everyone! sorry this took so long, i actually had it written just needed to finish the very last bit!
taglist open! just comment below to be added!
tagging: @camerons-specialinterest @stevesmewmew @pandaxnienke
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swan-of-sunrise · 10 months
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The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Part V)
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Summary: Bucky, (Y/N) and the entire Rogers-(Y/L/N) family meets Isaiah and Elijah Bradley when Sam brings them to visit the exhibit that they personally arranged to finally tell Isaiah's story.
Pairing: Steve Rogers X Reader
Word Count: 2.5k
Warnings/Disclaimers: None
A/N: This was an emotional chapter to write, but it’s one that I’m also very proud of! Thank you for reading, I hope you all enjoy!
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Part V) June 2024 Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington D.C. (Previous Chapter)
The month after they successfully thwarted the Flag Smasher’s plans and Sam publicly took up the mantle of Captain America had been filled with several highs and lows. The Global Repatriation Council unanimously decided not to vote on the controversial Patch Act and began working on getting humanitarian aid to the refugees residing in resettlement camps, and they had already voted on providing financial support for those displaced after the events of the Snap; Karli Morgenthau died before she could see her aspirations finally realized, but Sam’s historic speech criticizing the members of the GRC ensured that her sacrifice wouldn’t be forgotten. The four Flag Smashers that had been arrested and taken into custody died in a mysterious car explosion and while both Sam and Bucky suspected Zemo of having a hand in their deaths, he was locked away in the Raft and their deaths were officially ruled an accident by the authorities.
Two days after the incident at the GRC’s New York Headquarters, Bucky came to stay with the Rogers-(Y/L/N) family at their home in Rockport, Maine. The super-soldier had apparently taken Sam’s advice on how to move on from his time as the Winter Soldier to heart, visiting his friend Yori and telling him that he was responsible for his son’s mysterious death; he gave the old man closure and as challenging as it was, he admitted through his tears that he knew he’d done the right thing. In Rockport, Bucky was as relaxed as he’d been in Delacroix and much to (Y/N)’s delight, he and Steve were able to reconnect and take the time to finally re-built their decades-long friendship away from any wars or conflicts. Bucky was beginning to heal and now that he was allowing himself to lean on others for support, he wouldn’t be alone on his journey to self-forgiveness.
While she recuperated from the handful of minor injuries she’d sustained in the fight against the Flag Smashers, (Y/N) worked tirelessly with her connections at the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum, the editors at the New York Times and Colonel Rhodes to create an exhibit chronicling the lives and sacrifices of Isaiah Bradley and the hundreds of Black soldiers who were illegally experimented on by the U.S. Army. It took several lengthy Zoom meetings, heated conference calls and a handful of visits to the Smithsonian to oversee the construction progress, but the exhibit was completed almost exactly one month after Sam Wilson made history by becoming the first Black Captain America. It was decided by (Y/N) and Sam that although the exhibit was finished, it wouldn’t open to the public until Isaiah himself had an opportunity to see what they’d built in his and his fellow servicemen’s honor.
“You’re gonna wear a hole straight through the floor if you keep pacin’ like that, doll. Just relax, maybe take a deep breath or two.”
(Y/N) shot an easy-going Bucky a withering look and continued pacing the new exhibit’s floor, the clicking of her high heels echoing through the near-empty space as she anxiously smoothed out the nonexistent wrinkles of her pencil skirt. “I’m currently filled with enough nervous energy to power an entire arc reactor, and I’m supposed to just relax and take a deep breath?”
The super-soldier let out a dramatic sigh and hitched Carina higher up on his hip. “Your ma gets a little crabby when she’s stressed out, doesn’t she, sugar?” The infant giggled when his vibranium fingers tickled the skin beneath her chin and he chuckled. From the moment he arrived at their home in Maine, Bucky and Carina had become nearly inseparable; he was good with children, having helped his parents care for each of his three younger siblings, and Carina absolutely adored having her Uncle Bucky around more.
“You should see her the night before a book release.” Steve adjusted the bill of his beaten-up Brooklyn Dodgers baseball cap, flashing her a mischievous smile while continuing. “Last time, she tossed and turned so much that she ended up accidentally rolling out of bed.” (Y/N) spared both men a displeased glare but allowed Steve to cross the small room and gently cup her cheek as his other hand rested on the curve of her waist; the reassuring gleam in her husband’s azure eyes helped to begin settling her frayed nerves and she felt her shoulders relax as he softly spoke to her. “I don’t know how Isaiah’s gonna react to all of this, but I promise that everything’s gonna be okay, sunshine.”
(Y/N) released a shaky breath and nodded, taking a moment to glance around the exhibit that so many people had tirelessly worked on so that Isaiah and his fellow servicemen’s history would never be forgotten. Projectors flashed black-and-white photographs of Isaiah’s platoon during their training and years of service during the Korean War and situated before a wall-sized image of America’s first Black super-soldiers standing at attention were two distinct items: a bronze statue of Isaiah Bradley, and a plaque dedicated to telling the truth of his life and what the Army had tried to keep buried for seventy years.
Isaiah Bradley
Isaiah Bradley is an American Hero whose name went unknown for too long.
Isaiah was one of a dozen African-American soldiers who were recruited against their will and without their consent for participation in human testing in pursuit of the super-soldier serum. Most did not survive. The few who lived through testing were sent on secret missions during the Korean War. During the conflict, against all odds, Isaiah Bradley rescued his fellow soldiers and 28 other POWS from behind enemy lines.
However, fearful of the ramifications of a Black super-soldier, some individuals within the government tried to erase Isaiah’s story from history. His family was issued a falsified death certificate and for decades, the truth of his unflinching bravery was buried.
The third and final paragraph etched onto the plaque detailed the thirty years of false imprisonment, experiments and downright torture Isaiah was subjected to by the Army and Hydra, and (Y/N) found herself looking away before the words she’d helped to pen could make her tear up; while dozens of people had been involved in the creation of the exhibit, only she and Sam knew that Isaiah was still alive and living in Baltimore. They wanted to protect his desire to live out the rest of his life in anonymity, which was why they arranged for Isaiah and his grandson Elijah to visit the exhibit before its scheduled unveiling. But for the past several weeks, (Y/N) was weighed down by fears that the elderly man wouldn’t approve of the exhibit or would be offended by its very existence, so she spent many sleepless nights ensuring that the story of Isaiah Bradley and his fellow servicemen would be told with all the respect and gravitas that it deserved.
“Guys, Sam just texted that they’re about to walk in.”
Bucky’s heads-up brought (Y/N) back to reality and caused a fresh spike of anxiety within her, but she masked her nervousness with a smile as Steve led her over to where Bucky stood off to the side. Seeing that Carina was beginning to fall asleep in the super-soldier’s arms, (Y/N) leaned down and pressed a soft kiss onto her daughter’s forehead and when she straightened up, she and Bucky shared an understanding look while Steve’s hand gave hers a brief but reassuring squeeze. All three of them stood at the back of the new exhibit and watched as Sam led the Bradley’s inside, and (Y/N) got her first look at the reclusive super-soldier.
Isaiah Bradley was the epitome of a super-soldier, with a muscular build carefully disguised by a windbreaker and jeans and the striking looks of a man decades younger; there was grief etched into every line and wrinkle and a fiery bitterness in his dark brown eyes, but the hardened emotions seemingly faded away the moment he got his first look at the exhibit. Isaiah’s jaw slackened and his gaze was transfixed on the statue bearing his likeness as he rested a shaking hand on his grandson’s shoulder; he spared Sam a brief look as Eli led him towards the plaque and when Sam gave him a nod, his hand slipped down to briefly grip Eli’s as he struggled to remain composed. The Bradley’s studied the statue in awe and when Eli moved to read the plaque chronicling his grandfather’s life, Isaiah stood behind him and held onto his shoulders, and (Y/N) bit her lip as they read the words she’d helped to pen.
Isaiah soon turned and slowly walked over to where Sam stood, his eyes beginning to water as his lower lip trembled. “Now, they’ll never forget what you did for this country.” Sam shook Isaiah’s outstretched hand and gave him another firm nod. “Never.” The older man finally gave in to the overwhelming onslaught of emotions, pulling Sam into a tight hug and shaking with barely-suppressed emotion. (Y/N) accepted the tissue that Bucky offered her and dabbed at her tear-filled eyes as Steve wrapped a comforting arm around her waist and pressed a chaste kiss onto her cheek, both men sniffling and covertly blinking away their own tears. After a long moment, both men separated and Sam waved (Y/N) over. “Isaiah, I’d like you to meet (Y/N) (Y/L/N). I know my best friend like the back of my hand and since she’s gonna start gettin’ all modest in a sec, I’ll tell you now that she’s the one who made this possible.”
“It was very much a group effort, and one that couldn’t have happened without Sam,” (Y/N) countered, playfully bumping her best friend’s arm with her shoulder and extended her hand out towards Isaiah. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Bradley.”
Isaiah shook her hand and gave her an appraising look. “I saw you on the television tryin’ to save those GRC members. You’re an Avenger, aren’t you?”
“Part-time; I’m a historical-fiction novelist whenever I’m not helping save the world or keeping Sam here out of trouble.” The older man huffed out an amused chuckle and (Y/N) took it as a sign to continue. “Mr. Bradley, Sam and I worked with the Smithsonian to create this exhibit in order to educate the world about a part of history that our government’s tried to hide for decades, and I collaborated with the editors of the New York Times to write an article about you and your fellow servicemen that will hold the government accountable for their actions. However, we’ve made it so that the exhibit and the article will not go ahead without your say-so.”
Isaiah seemed a little taken aback by her words and possibly even touched, but he was quick to mask the sentiment behind an indifferent shrug. “Seems like they’re copin’ with a Black Captain America who’s quick to call ‘em out on national television, so why avoid a little more overdue accountability? But it’s like I already told Sam, Ms. (Y/L/N), Isaiah Bradley is dead and I’d prefer him to be left dead. After those thirty years locked away, I’m not willin’ to put a target on mine or my grandson’s back just ‘cause a Black man’s carryin’ that shield now.”
“I understand. According to the government – and in a week’s time, the rest of the world – Isaiah Bradley died in the 1980’s after thirty years of false imprisonment; Sam and I made it so that no one will ever find out that that nurse falsified your records and helped you escape.” The uncertain frown on Isaiah’s face slowly but surely vanished and (Y/N) felt her own smile return as she continued. “The only people who know that you’re still alive are all in this room: Sam, Bucky, myself and my husband.”
The older man followed (Y/N)’s gaze to where Bucky and Steve quietly stood, arching a brow at the sight of the infamous Winter Soldier rocking an infant to sleep in his arms but returning the super-soldier’s nod with one of his own. His eyes flicked over to the shorter of the two men and after a moment, both brows rose in surprise as a look of recognition crossed his weathered features. “Is that…?”
Sam tucked his hands into his pockets and answered Isaiah’s unspoken question with a nod as Steve slowly approached them. “You see, you’re not the first super-soldier we’ve worked to keep out of the public eye.”
Both (Y/N) and Sam stepped back to give Steve and Isaiah some privacy and as she wrapped an arm around her best friend’s elbow, (Y/N) watched their interaction with a soft smile on her face; there was a certain hesitancy about the way the two men walked up to each other, with deliberately slow steps and a studied gleam in their eyes, and despite the obvious differences in their appearances, it was clear that both men were kindred spirits. When Sam told her about his and Bucky’s mission to track down the Flag Smashers in Latvia, he mentioned how Zemo admitted that Steve was an exception to his personal beliefs about the corruptibility of super-soldiers because ‘there has never been another Steve Rogers’; but looking on as Isaiah shook Steve’s hand and listened to everything he had to say, (Y/N) couldn’t disagree with the Sokovian terrorist more. Isaiah is just as good a man as Steve, she thought as she and Sam exchanged a knowing look, only he was never given the same opportunity to show the world who he was.
“That’s one skinny guy.”
Sam shot Eli a reprimanding glare. “Yeah, you really need to learn some manners.”
“Hey, man, I’m just makin’ an observation,” Eli chuckled as he raised his hands in defense. “All those crazy theories online, and not one of ‘em even comes close to the truth. He really gave up bein’ Cap and went back to who he used to be, huh?”
(Y/N) smiled at the teenager’s curiosity peeking out from beneath the adolescent air of nonchalance. “That’s not exactly how he sees it. To him, he just decided to be Steve Rogers on a full-time basis and pass the shield onto the best person for the job.”
“The best and most annoying person,” Bucky added, joining their trio with a teasing grin on his face and carefully passing a fast-asleep Carina over to (Y/N) before lightly bumping Sam’s arm with his elbow. “But hey, I can personally attest that that’s practically a requirement for bein’ the Star-Spangled-Man-With-A-Plan.”
The four of them stood and quietly watched Steve and Isaiah talk to one another, and while (Y/N) rocked her sleeping daughter in her arms, she indulged in her inner amateur historian and took a moment to appreciate the history that only a small handful of people would ever have the opportunity to know of. The thought of that history being passed down through Eli, Aj, Cass and Carina put a smile on (Y/N)’s face, and she rested her head against her best friend’s shoulder as the lyrics of a familiar uplifting song came to mind:
I’m gonna keep rolling on, no matter what the world may do, ‘cause with a love like this, there’s nothing left to do. So, let me tell ya…Doesn’t matter what you say, I’m still, I’m still gonna float away for real. In a minute, ya’ll, I’ll be gone, right or wrong, I’ma just keep rolling on and on and on and on…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: And there we have it! I had an absolute blast getting into this series and in the future, I’ll definitely continue my re-tellings of various Phase 4/5 projects but for the next one-shot, I’ll be focusing on Steve and (Y/N)’s first date after the Battle of Sokovia! Thank you all so much for reading and commenting, and I hope that you enjoyed it!
If you haven’t checked it out already, I’ve created a Spotify playlist inspired by this series and it’s linked below. Enjoy!
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ziGMhEsAw833GQ9eV44nR?si=6dfead09c76848d5
Stumblin’ In Book VII: “Superhero Snapshots” Masterlist
Stumblin’ In Book I: “The Winter Soldier” Masterlist
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