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literaryavenger · 3 months

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Happy Birthday

Summary: It's your birthday and the only person who doesn't seem to be excited about it is you.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: Mentions of death. Angst. Fluff. Language probably. My poor attempts at being funny.

Word Count: 2.5K

A/N: This story was completely self-indulgent, but I hope someone out there likes it!

Masterlist

You’ve always been very reluctant to celebrate your birthday.

You haven’t had a birthday party since you were 12. The following year your mom died a couple of days before and neither you nor your family were in the mood to celebrate anything.

It wasn’t by any means unexpected, she had been sick for a few years, but it still hit you hard.

You were the youngest and were far too young when she first got sick to really understand everything going on.

You were 8 and all you really remember is watching your mom get more and more sick until eventually there was nothing more the doctors could do.

Her death hit you hard and you closed yourself off, never talking about it or even crying after the day of her funeral. To this day you’ve still never cried, in front of others or even by yourself.

You started exercising to channel all your energy, refusing to do anything more like the therapy your family suggested.

When you were 15 you discovered SHIELD and decided you wanted to help others, so you signed up for the SHIELD Academy, working your hardest and pushing yourself to your very limit.

You ended up being not only the youngest cadet ever, but the youngest to actually graduate and then the youngest recruit at SHIELD at only 16 years old.

Natasha was very impressed when she heard about you and took a liking to you, convincing Fury to make you part of her team during her missions and teaching you everything she knows.

That’s how you ended up in the Avengers Initiative, not that you felt you didn’t deserve it since you know how hard you worked and everything you gave up to work towards this achievement.

The team themselves were initially skeptical since you were barely 18 during the battle of New York, but they were quickly proven wrong when they saw how well you handled yourself against the Chitauri.

You were devastated when SHIELD fell, but carried on as an Avenger, battling Ultron and then moving to the Compound with the team.

You met the actual Bucky for the first time when you were 22, during the whole Civil War thing with Baron Zemo. Like Natasha, you were on Tony’s team, fighting mostly Pietro, but the conflict eventually ended.

It took Tony some time to get over the whole “Bucky killing his parents while brainwashed” thing, but, as he likes to say, he can’t call himself a genius without admitting that Bucky didn’t have much of a choice.

Thanks to Tony’s help Shuri was able to find a solution to Bucky’s brainwashing faster than she would’ve alone, meaning Bucky didn’t have to go back into cryo and was pretty quickly cleared to join the team, about a year after the airport battle in Leipzig.

You were warmly accepted by everybody and, the more the team grew the more you felt at home with these people.

And now you wish you could burn down the whole compound because, somehow, Tony convinced you to have a birthday party for the first time in 13 years because, in his words, 'you only turn 25 once'.

Good news is you managed to make him limit the guest list to the team and other people close to you like Maria Hill and Fury. Bad news is you’re still gonna be the center of attention, which you hate.

You couldn’t stop Tony from making everyone dress up for the party, and you couldn’t stop the team from getting you gifts even though you insisted all you wanted was everyone together and to have fun with them since for the longest time nobody ever even knew when your birthday was.

What you didn’t realize was that the only person more worried than you about your gifts was Bucky.

Since he joined the team the two of you have gotten close, starting with his first training with the team where he very loudly told Steve about his disbelief that someone as young and small as you could actually be an asset to the team.

You quickly put him in his place by taking him down after less than two minutes of sparring, taking full advantage of his underestimating you because he “didn’t want to hurt a pretty little thing like you.”

Admittedly he was impressed and wasn’t shy about letting you know that, while the rest of the team snickered at his initial shock when you pinned him down.

You became friends after that, not as close as you’d like but friends nonetheless.

If you were honest with yourself you’ve been harboring a little crush on the supersoldier, but he’s never shown any interest so you resigned yourself to just being his friend.

Something that you did come to treasure, though, is your and Bucky’s late night talks.

It started with you walking in on him in the kitchen on a late night where you couldn’t sleep, nothing new to you, but the two of you barely talked other than acknowledging each other.

You took a bottle of water and left.

A couple of days later you ran into him again and you stood there in silence while you made yourself a cup of tea and then left for your room.

A few days later again he was just sitting there and said nothing as you made your tea, except this time you put a cup in front of him and silently took a seat next to him at the counter.

Two nights later when you arrived at the kitchen he was already there with a cup of tea in front of him and one in front of the seat next to him.

You didn’t want to assume it was for you, but you took a chance when you noticed it was the cup you always used, a blue mug with Stitch on it that says “Let’s get weird”. Your favorite in fact.

You hesitantly sat down next to him and, without you having to ask or without even looking at you, he told you that the nights you stay up late because you can’t sleep you tend to be more quiet during the team dinners and while you hang out afterwards.

You didn’t say anything in return and just sat there, trying not to overthink how much he seemed to watch you.

But the more nights you spent like that, the more you two talked and you gathered quickly that Bucky is a very observant person, nothing more.

You loved the time you spent together after dark where you’d talk about everything and anything, but come morning it was almost as if it never happened, which you came to accept.

It weirdly made the nights you spent talking even more special, which was almost every night.

But back to the present, you’re currently getting ready with Natasha and Wanda, who know much more than you about hair and makeup and are always happy to help you out with getting ready for Stark parties.

You put on the black cocktail dress with rhinestones all over the corset and a slit down the left side, then the three of you make your way to the party room and you take a deep breath before entering.

Everyone is already there, all dressed up in fancy clothes as they all shout “Happy Birthday”.

You laugh and say hi to everybody while they all take turns hugging you, there’s not too many people but everyone important to you is there.

Even Laura and Clint’s kids are there, which you consider a second family at this point, since Laura always did treat you like a daughter.

You hate to admit that it's a nice party.

Knowing you, everyone makes an effort to not put you too much at the center of attention and you just go around talking to your friends like every other party.

Eventually time comes for the cake and, the moment you kind of dreaded, opening the gifts.

Since it's the first birthday you allowed the team to celebrate everyone decided to go all in for your gifts, which you picked up on from the very first gift you open.

Pietro got you a first edition of “The Picture Of Dorian Gray” which is your all time favorite book, Wanda and Maria got you a leather jacket and an amazing pair of boots that you knew were expensive because you were all out shopping together when you came across them.

Steve got you a gold heart-shaped locker with a picture of the team inside it, Natasha got you a charm bracelet with a little charm to represent everyone on the team, and Sam got you a cute necklace with your birth stone on it.

When you open Fury’s gift you start laughing since it's a gun, a SIG SAUER P226 to be precise, which is very Fury.

“It was my first gun when I joined SHIELD.” He says with a smile and you smile back, knowing how much thought he put into this gift.

You open Clint’s gift next, a bow and arrow that he already taught you how to use, and Laura got you a pair of diamond earrings.

Your heart melts when you open Lila, Cooper and Nathaniel’s gifts, respectively a friendship bracelet, an Avengers action figure of yourself and a Stitch plushie.

The three of them hug you tightly as you say thank you and now you only have two gifts left, Tony’s and Bucky’s, and they’re both little boxes.

You open Tony’s next, thinking it’s some fancy necklace or earring but you frown when you see a car key.

“Is this the key to your car?” you ask Tony, knowing full well you’re holding the key to an Audi R8 Spyder, the car Tony’s let you borrow so many times you’re now wondering if he’s gifting you his spare set of keys.

“No.” He says casually “It’s the key to your car.”

You’re even more confused and simply stare at him with your mouth gaped, not really processing the information.

“Y-you… You got me a car?!” You almost yell out of shock and everyone else starts laughing at your antics when you start basically jumping up and down and hugging Tony, squealing like a little girl.

“Well, come on, let’s go see it!” Tony says enthusiastically after you’ve calmed down, and you get up, just as enthusiastic, but are stopped by Steve’s voice.

“Wait, wait. You have one gift left.” He says, picking up the small box and giving it to you. “It’s from Bucky.”

You were so pumped up by the car, you almost forgot about it and completely miss the mischievous look Steve gives Bucky and the murderous glare Bucky gives back.

You also miss Bucky starting to protest before you open his gift, but he instantly shuts up when he sees your face falling the second you open it.

It’s a small necklace with a blue rose in it, it really looks like something you’d give a little girl more than a 25 year old woman.

You look at it for a minute, running your finger on it before you raise your head and look at Bucky.

The whole room goes silent as they all watch you worriedly, everyone noticing immediately that tears are streaming down your face.

Nobody understands what’s happening and nobody knows how to react or what to do, it’s like they’re all frozen by the sight of you being vulnerable for the first time ever.

Meanwhile Bucky’s heart is beating so loud he’s sure everyone around him can hear it, and he feels himself starting to panic at the thought of having ruined your birthday with that stupid gift.

Everybody else got you expensive gifts and all he did was get you a small, cheap necklace that reminded him of a story you briefly talked about once on one of your late night talks about a necklace you had as a kid.

He saw it at the mall while looking for a gift for you, remembering the sweet smile you had on your face when you mentioned it and the fleeting sad look he thought he saw when you told him you lost it when you were 12.

He was really proud of himself for that gift, but the more he saw the other gifts you got the more he regretted his choice, especially after Tony gave you a fucking car.

And now you were crying, not saying anything while just looking at him.

He doesn’t know what to expect from you at the moment, nobody does, he thinks you might yell, throw his gift back at him, tell him how much you hate it and him.

But you surprise everyone by throwing your arms around Bucky’s neck, hugging him tightly while crying into his shoulder.

You honestly forgot telling Bucky about that story and certainly didn’t expect him to remember it, especially since you always got the feeling that he didn’t care about your talks as much as you.

You just assumed that come morning he deleted everything you told him to make room for more important things, and you didn’t blame him.

But he didn’t.

What you didn’t tell him about the necklace is that your mom gave it to you because blue roses were her favorite, you had that necklace since you were born but you somehow lost it the day of her funeral.

That day you lost the two most important things in your life and cried yourself to sleep, and that was the last time you allowed yourself to be weak and cry.

Until today.

Bucky hesitantly wraps his arms around you, rubbing your back hoping to get you to calm down. He looks around at the rest of the team, panicking a little and not knowing what to do.

Everyone else is as clueless as he is, never having seen you in such a state before.

Bucky starts apologizing, his heart breaking at the sight of you crying, and he feels horrible that it’s because of him.

You shake your head quickly and pull away a little to look at him, wanting to reassure him you’re not sad or angry but incredibly happy, but words refuse to come. You take a deep breath to calm yourself and finally manage to speak.

“Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.” It’s quiet, but it’s something, and it’s enough to make Bucky let out a breath of relief at knowing you don’t hate him or his gift.

He brings you back in for another tight hug, almost forgetting about everyone else in the room as you hug him back without hesitation.

You’re honestly not even embarrassed at crying, all you care about at the moment is Bucky, his arms around you while he lets you bury your face in his neck, like you’ve been wanting to do for years now.

“Happy birthday, doll.” He whispers in your ear and, for the first time in 13 years, you really feel like it is.

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sycamorelibrary754 · 5 months

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Merry Christmas

Summary: It’s the most wonderful time of the year. You and Natasha are off to the annual Stark Christmas Party. Little does the team know that a special surprise awaits them.

Genre: Fluff

Pairings: Natasha x reader, Avengers x reader (platonic).

Word Count: 2.7k

Warnings: None

A/N: This is part 2 to Happy Thanksgiving! I recommend reading it first, but it can be read as a stand-alone story as well. I hope you enjoy!

“Be down in a minute, malyshka!” Natasha called from your bedroom.

You were standing in the kitchen eating peanut butter out of the jar topped with chocolate sauce. A “homemade Reese’s” you dubbed it. Your first pregnancy craving that had Nat popping down to the corner grocery store at 2 am for the dynamic duo of ingredients.

“No worries, love!” Already dressed for Tony’s annual Christmas party at the compound. Clad in a green Sequin-Lace Halter Twist-Neck Jumpsuit, your baby bump beginning to show.

The click of Natasha’s high heels signaled her arrival a few moments later in a sleek long-sleeved red scoop-back midi dress that hugged her in all the right places.

“Wow, Nat. You look beautiful. Red is most definitely your color.”

“So you prefer it over the black,” she smirked as she put on her earrings.

“I didn’t say that now, did I,” with a wink.

“The baby enjoying its homemade Reese’s?” grabbing her clutch.

“Very much! I was thinking,” Putting away the chocolate and peanut butter. “Tomorrow we could make fudge!”

“Ah, because the baby has such a sweet tooth?”

“Yes,” you giggled.

“Well, whatever the baby wants, I suppose,” wrapping her arms around you in a loving embrace before leaning down and kissing your stomach.

“You ready to drop the baby bombshell tonight?” Patting the top of Nat’s head.

“Yes, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous,” sighing as she stood up. These are the same people who freaked out when they found out Clint had a family. How are they going to handle this?”

“Like the amazing aunts and uncles they were meant to be,” grabbing Natasha’s hand. “Plus, I think announcing it with the Christmas crackers is a cute idea.”

“I hope so,” placing a soft kiss against your lips.

“Frankly, I’m more surprised Yelena hasn’t blabbed yet.”

“Oh, that’s because I warned her if she told anyone I would make her run with me every morning at 5 am until the baby is born.”

“Well played,” high-fiving your wife.

“Thank you,” she smiled. “Now come on, let’s go get our holiday cheer on.”

*^~^*

The drive to the compound was even more beautiful during the holidays. A light snow fell as you passed house after house dressed in beautiful Christmas lights. Natasha placed her right hand on the center console. You softly intertwined your fingers with hers and placed a soft kiss to the back of her hand.

You are greeted by a rush of warm air upon entering the compound lobby. Natasha shook the delicate snowflakes out of your hair and off your coat. You both step onto the elevator and are welcomed by the soothing voice of FRIDAY.

“Merry Christmas, ladies. Welcome to the annual Stark Christmas party.”

“Merry Christmas, FRIDAY. How’s the party so far?” You asked as the hum the elevator carried you up to living quarters.

“The party is in full swing. Mr. Stark is currently treating guests to a medley of Christmas carols.

“Of course he is,” you giggled.

“You know, he only plays that baby grand piano when he gets a bit tipsy,” Nat said. “When we got home from our month-long undercover mission in Romania, he celebrated on the jet and then made us all listen to his rendition of Dancing Queen.”

“Aww, and I missed it!” Feigning disappointment.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened to joyous noise and laughter. An abundance of greens, reds, gold, and silver flashing here and there, adding opulence and brightness. Classic poinsettias tied in tradition, and shiny bows and foiled paper glistened under the 12-foot tall Noble Fir Christmas tree, inviting their recipients to sneak one open before the actual day.

“Hey, the Romanoff’s are finally here!” Clint exclaimed as his kids rushed over to both of you.

Nate jumped into your wife’s arms as you hugged Lila and Cooper. It seemed like every time you saw the Barton kids they had grown a bit more. It was thanks to Banner and Cho that you were carrying a child that would be half yours and half Natasha’s. Looking at Clint and Laura’s kids and how they resembled their parents, you couldn’t wait to see what features your little plum would inherit from each of you.

“How’s my little namesake?” Kissing Nathaniel’s cheek. Have you been practicing the punch and kick combinations I taught you?”

“Practicing the what?” Laura asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh, nothing,” Natasha smirked as Nate giggled.

“You two look great, I love the green and red thing you’ve got going on,” Clint said.

“Thank you. Lovely Christmas sweater by the way. I especially love Rudolph’s glowing nose.” you pointed.

“Hey, the Barton’s are the cream of the crop when it comes to ugly Christmas sweaters.”

“Clearly,” Nat teased.

“I’ll take your coats,” Cooper offered.

“Why, thank you. What a gentleman,” you winked at Laura as you handed him yours and Natasha’s pea coats.

You scanned the room and noticed Wanda putting the finishing touches on trays of Christmas cookies. You put a hand on Nat’s shoulder and motioned toward the kitchen. She gave you a quick nod as you meandered over to the counter.

“Wanda, Wanda, Wanda… what do we have here?”

“Y/N! It’s so good to see you,” wrapping you in one of her signature hugs that you loved so much. “This is my parents’ Christmas cookie recipe,” she proudly declared. “I convinced Tony and Pepper to let me handle the desserts this year. So, we’ve got cookies, the Viennese torte is in the fridge and the pumpkin pie is cooling.”

“Wow, you have been busy,” you smiled. “Anything I can do to help?”

“Yes, you can take a cookie and go mingle. I’ll be done in a few minutes,” handing you a charming little cookie decorated like Santa. You took a bite and couldn’t believe it. It was the best cookie you had ever tasted.

“Mhmm, Wanda! This is amazing.”

“That is why I will always vouch for homemade over store bought goodies. Now seriously, go mingle,” shooing you away.

You turned back around to see your wife sitting by the fireplace talking to Steve, champagne in hand. As you started to across the room you were intercepted by a festively-dressed Kate and Lucky.

“Y/N! Hey, oh my gosh, I haven’t seen you in so long! How are you?”

“I’m good! I see you and Lucky are enjoying the party,” petting the Golden Retriever.

“Absolutely, say hello to Santa Paws and Mrs. Claus!” Kate exclaimed. Unfortunately, we’ve lost Yelena. She’s our elf,” glancing around the room.

“Wait, Yelena’s dressed as an elf?” Eyes wide. “Oh, that’s fantastic.”

“Yeah, if you see her will you send her our way? We’re supposed to be taking the photo for our holiday card tonight.”

“Nothing would make me happier,” you smirked with a hand on Kate’s shoulder.

You bid the young archer and pooch farewell and rejoined your wife.

“Hey, deka,” Wrapping her arm around your waste.

“Y/N, I was just telling your wife that she needs to find her holiday spirit and come Christmas caroling with us next week,” Steve said.

“Natasha singing? I’m not sure that would be good for community morale,” you joked

“Says the woman who performs one woman tributes to Harry Styles in the shower?” Nat giggled.

“Hey, my rendition of Sign of the Times is highly praised, I’ll have you know.”

Tony and Pepper join your little huddle with Morgan in tow.

“Romanoffs! You have to try this Hot Buttered Rum,” Tony remarked.

“Oh, I love Hot Buttered Rum, but I think I’ll stick with sparkling cider tonight,” you said “Nat would probably love some though, right, love?”

“Sure,” grabbing the glass from Tony’s hand as Steve looked back at you curiously.

You peered down at Morgan who was sitting on the ottoman next to the fireplace. Ever since you found out you were pregnant you were drawn to children like never before.

“Hi, sweetheart! You look so pretty tonight,” kneeling down to the little girl’s level.

“Thank you, Aunt Y/N,” she grinned.

“Are you excited for Christmas? You are clearly at the top of Santa’s nice list this year.”

“Really?!” Morgan squealed.

“Oh, absolutely, I have a feeling the man in red is going to be very good to you this year,” you winked.

“Did you hear that Daddy? Aunt Y/N said that I’m on the top of the nice list!”

“I sure did, squirt. I didn’t realize Aunt Y/N was so tight with St. Nick,” eyeing you coyly.

“Oh yeah, we’re on a first name basis. I’m surprised you’re not?” Smirking at the billionaire. You loved Tony like a brother, but you enjoyed giving him crap.

“Trust me, Mrs. Romanoff, I’m much closer to Santa than you are.”

“Really, do you have a direct line to the North Pole?”

“Are you having milk and cookies flown in from Holland? Because you know those are his favorite,” raising an eyebrow at you.

“Ooookay, that’s enough,” your wife placing hands on your shoulders from behind. “You both know Santa. You both have giant egos. Merry Christmas,” Nat mocked. Come on Tony, let’s go grab some hors d'oeuvrs for our better halves. I’ll be right back, detka,” leading the billionaire toward the kitchen.

You couldn’t help but admire Natasha as she walked away. Looking back over her shoulder, she smiled at you with all the love in the world. You just about melted right there in front of the fireplace. Snapping out of your love daze, you noticed Pepper grinning at you.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. I just can’t help but notice how glowing you look tonight,” as Morgan pulled her away towards Clint’s kids and Steve strolled away to join Bucky in conversation with Rhodes.

“Pssst… Pssst!”

You turned around just as a styrofoam snowball was about to hit you in face. You caught it in one swift motion.

“Nice catch,” a Russian voice said.

“Yelena, where are you?” Glancing around not seeing your sister-in-law.

“Over here,” poking her head out from the behind the seven-foot snowman next to the pool table.

“Oh, now don’t you look adorable as an elf,” you giggled.

“If you weren’t pregnant with my niece or nephew you would be hanging upside down from the rafters right now.”

“You know Kate and Lucky are looking for you, right?”

“Why do you think I’m hiding behind the giant snowman? Kate Bishop forced me to dress in this saccharin American Christmas costume and now she wants photographic evidence of it.”

“Because she loves you, silly,” your arms crossed over your chest.

“Detka, it’s time for dinner. Let’s go—“Natasha stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of her sister. “Oh my God,” she burst into laughter.

“Tred carefully, sestra,” Yelena threatened.

“No, I love it. I think this qualifies as new mission suit attire,” poking the bell dangling from her elf hat. “Maybe you can get Stark to upgrade this outfit with Widow Bites.”

“Do you have a death wish?” Yelena sneered.

“Come on you adorable elf, it’s time for dinner,” placing an arm around your best friend’s shoulder.

*^~^*

You took your seat next to your wife at the Astoria Grand Giovani dining table. Natasha quietly squeezed your hand. You looked over with a shy smile and a festive blush on your cheeks.

Pepper stood up from her seat next to Tony at the head of the table. “Before we enjoy this lovely holiday feast, I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how grateful we are that you’re all here,” grasping Tony’s hand. “Everyone in this room knows how precious life is and we don’t take a moment of it for granted. We love you and Merry Christmas.”

“Here, here!” Thor declared a couple seats down from you as glasses clinked around the table.

A traditional Christmas dinner soon filled your plate. Roasted turkey with all the trimmings. Home baked bread, mashed potatoes and garden veggies gently roasted, drizzled in balsamic vinegar. The group drank, were merry, and told the most terrible of jokes.

Pregnancy mood swings were becoming commonplace and as the dinner wore on, you suddenly found yourself overwhelmed with emotion at the sight of your extended family enjoying the holiday season together.

“Y/N, are you okay?” Carol looked at you with concern in her eyes from across the table.

“Oh, yeah” dabbing at the corner of your eyes with your napkin. “I’m fine.”

“The holidays always make her a bit emotional,” Natasha offered laying her head comfortingly on your shoulder.

After dinner you helped Wanda serve the desserts. The Christmas cookies took their place in the center of the table, flanked by the Viennese torte and the pumpkin pie. Coffee and dessert wine circulated around the table.

The group of full bellies and ever so slightly sleepy eyes then made their way to the living room to relax. Christmas music softly enveloped the room as the kids were discussing what they hoped Santa was going to bring them this year.

“Okay, Kate Bishop. Let’s get this picture over with. I want to put on my pajamas,” Yelena announced as she stood from the sofa.

“Yay!! Okay, don’t move. Lucky! Here boy,” calling the dog who promptly romped over. “Vision, can you take the picture?”

“Of course Ms. Bishop.” Taking the Canon EOS R-50 from the archer.

“It is customary to say cheese before a picture, but since it is Christmas time perhaps you should say mistletoe?”

“Just take the picture,” Yelena deadpanned

“Mistletoe!” Kate yelled.

“We’re going to get one of these cards right?” Looking at your wife.

“I had Kate put us down for two,” she smirked.

*^~^*

As night fell, you rested your weary head on Nat’s lap as she ran her fingers through your hair.

Natasha looked at her watch. “You ready to drop the baby bomb?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be. I’ll get the Christmas crackers,” rising from the sofa.

“Umm, everyone. Y/N and I have a special gift for you all,” your wife announced nervously as you passed out the gold and silver novelties to the team.

“Christmas crackers? I have to be honest, I was hoping for something a bit more extravagant… Oww!” Tony whined, as Pepper pinching him on the arm.

You smiled with nervous anticipation as you reached for Natasha. The snap of the festive crackers echoed across the room. Clint was the first to reach inside and remove the tiny gift. A small round ceramic white ornament tied to a red ribbon appeared in his hand. Lila, Cooper, and Nate huddled around their dad to get a glimpse as Clint read the inscription.

“Uncle Clint?” Looking up at Natasha in shock.

“No way!” Sam shouted.

Wanda, Carol, and Kate all screamed at the sight of their own ornaments. Their names adorned with the title of Aunt.

“This is joyous news!” Thor crowed.

Pepper got up immediately and embraced you in a warm hug as Laura did the same with Natasha.

“How far along are you?” Wanda asked.

“Almost three months,” Yelena cut in.

“You knew?! Why didn’t you tell me?” Kate shouted; slapping her girlfriend on the arm.

“Because I want to sleep in!”

“I’m so happy for you, Nat,” Steve kissing her on the cheek.

Bucky wrapped his arms around you with a soft kiss to the top of your head.

“You ready to be Uncle Bucky?” Your eyes meeting his gaze.

“Oh God,” his face like a deer in the headlights.

“You’ll be great, Buck,” you giggled.

Bruce and Helen embraced Natasha in a tandem hug.

“I’m so relieved everyone knows,” Helen said turning to you. “Now we can openly discuss your pregnancy. Have you been continuing with your prenatal vitamins?”

And remember, you have an appointment on Friday,” Bruce interjected.

“Yes and yes,” you said as Natasha placed a soft kiss to your cheek and then another to your belly.

Tony walked up to you with that signature smirk on his face. You mentally prepared yourself for a signature Stark one-liner or some stupid joke. Instead, he took you by surprise when he wrapped you in a warm embrace.

“Congratulations, Romanoff. Looks like you do know Santa best.”

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wwprice1 · 9 months

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David Nakayama shoots and scores with this amazing Jim Lee homage! So amazing! 😍😍

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odetokeons · 1 year

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i love the tough, grumpy, intimidating, big guy and the small, but incredibly powerful and badass kid they reluctantly adopted cinematic universe

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arlana-likes-to-write · 1 year

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A Love Lost

Chasing Shadows AU

Summary: From a young age you could see the ghost of those died and you’ve used your gift to help those around you. But when you and the Avengers bring back those who were Blipped, you wished you didn’t have your gift as Natasha didn’t return from Vomir.

Warning: major character deaths, grief, angst, small mention of kidnapping in the beginning.

Word Count: 3.1K

“She’s here,” Clint said, sitting down next to you. “Isn’t she?” You haven’t spoken since Thanos was killed and the ashes of the compound settled. You gave the archer a small nod. She was here, standing in the corner, wearing the tactical suit she wore the last time you saw her. “Has she said anything?” You shrugged. That was new when you saw the ghost of the dead you could hear, and speak to them but Natasha was silent. Her mouth moved but her words weren’t reaching you. Clint sighed. “What do you need?” You looked over his shoulder to the woman you loved.

“For her to leave,” you said. But she didn’t. She stayed.

When you were younger, your parents and those around you called them your imaginary friends. ‘It was a phase’ or ‘she’ll grow out of it’, they said. But you didn’t. You continued to see ghosts. Some crossed over without bothering you. Others hounded you to give their loved ones a final message. You’ve interacted with nice, angry, vengeful spirits and you’ve tried to help them all move on. But the biggest thing was you didn’t want the world to know what you could do. You had people sign NDAs to keep you, your parents, and your close friends safe. That all changed when the spirit of a young boy came to you and told you where he and a few other kids were being held. The news was all over the story and the next day Nick Fury was at your door offering you a place at SHIELD. You took it, not seeing another way around it.

But joining SHIELD was the best thing for you. You helped them solve cold cases, joined the Avengers, and met and fell in love with Natasha Romanoff. It wasn’t easy. The Black Widow was super hesitant around you because of your gift. She feared all the spirits attached to her. But you kept the spirits away. That was 13 years ago and now as you stood next to Clint and his family while the other Avengers paid respect to those who didn’t survive Thanos. It was too much. You saw Tony kneeling next to Morgan. Vision was resting his hand on Wanda and Natasha stood next to you. Laura took your hand in hers. You didn’t realize you were shaking. Once the funeral was over, you let go of Laura’s hand and walked over to Morgan. She was sitting by the water’s edge and Pepper was hovering close by. “Hi, sweetheart,” you said, sitting down next to her. You smiled at Tony. Morgan gave you a wave. This was the hardest part for you, especially with kids. “You know your daddy loved you so much.” It was such a clique line.

‘Love you 3000,’ Tony whispered.

“He loved you 3000, right?” The young girl’s head snapped to look at you.

“How did you know that?” She asked.

“Because your dad and I were very close,” Pepper walked over to you, sitting on the other side of her daughter.

‘Tell her,’ Tony sighed, rubbing his hand through his hair. ‘Tell her she was the greatest thing I’ve made. She is the best thing with the Stark name on it besides Pepper of course.’ He added. You chuckled and told the girl what her father said. Pepper whipped away a tear that fell.

“Sweetheart, I think Peter could use a Morgan hug,” the girl jumped up and ran over to him. Tony watched his daughter run off. “He’s here, right?” She asked you. You nodded as she looked back to the water. “I told him to rest, that we would be okay but I’m terrified.” She admitted. Tony smiled.

‘She’s the smartest woman in the world, she's going to be just fine,” he said.

“Tony said you’ll be just fine,” you picked up a rock and twirled it in your hand. “But him saying that doesn’t erase the anxiety, the fear but you aren’t alone in this. You have a whole village to help you,” you looked over your shoulder and saw Morgan playing with Peter and Shuri. Pepper nodded.

‘Look after them for me, whisper.’ Tony said to you.

“I will.” Tony walked over to Pepper and kissed her head. You saw her body shake. He looked at the light. You saw him smile.

‘I see my parents,” he whispered and joined them.

You ignored Natasha standing with the Barton's as you walked over to Wanda sitting on a bench. ‘Hello,’ Vision said. You smiled at the android and sat down next to her. This wasn’t the first time you sat with her to help grieve over the death of a loved one. After the Battle of Sokovia, you and Vision stayed with her. “We have to stop meeting like this,” Wanda joked. You and Vision chuckled. “Where is he?”

“On your right,” you whispered. She nodded, folding her hands.

“I thought I’d see him, Pietro, too, when Thanos snapped,” you thought you would see them but those who were snapped disappeared. It almost made it worse. The world was too quiet.

‘I don’t want to see her for a very long time,’ he said.

“He doesn't want to see you just yet. He wants you to live.” Wanda laughed, bitterly.

“That’s so easy for him to say,” she looked at you. Tears were falling down her face. “I killed the man I love and it meant nothing. Why does this keep happening to me?” You didn’t have a good enough answer to explain all the pain Wanda has endured. “That’s an unfair question.” She whipped away her tears. “Can I ask a favor for you?”

“Of course,” she let out a shaky breath.

“Can you show me where his stone is?” Vision knelt in front of her. You grabbed her hand and hovered her fingers where the mind stone was. Her fingers glowed red and you watched her magic dance around the stone. Vision closed his eyes and a smile on his lips. “I can’t feel him,” she whispered.

‘All I feel is her,’ he said. ‘Tell her that grief is just loved preserving.’

When Wanda’s cries trend into quiet hiccups you told her that you were for her and that she wasn’t alone. You walked back to the cabin. ‘Miss L/n,’ you turned around to face him as he rushed over to you. ‘Do I have to go into the light?’ He asked.

“Vis, you don’t belong here anymore,” you told him. “The light is going to be better for you,” he looked at Wanda. “If you stay you may see her fall in love or get married or have kids.” Vision's smile grew.

‘Don’t you think she deserves all those things? I would be honored to see it.’

Clint walked over to you as you leaned against the car with a beer. You were going to spend a few days with them until you figured out what was next for you. Laura was with Pepper helping her clean up while the three Barton kids were playing with Morgan. Natasha was watching them, a small smile on her face. “Have you tried to get her to cross over?” He asked. You took a sip of the beer.

“I still can’t hear her,” you told him. He hummed, nodding his head.

“Do you know why?” You shrugged. You had a few theories. It was a date night and you and Natasha were drinking wine. You told her that you didn’t want loved ones to come to see you because if there were still things that needed to be said then why did death have to be the reason it would come out? So when your mother died she didn’t stay long. She smiled and joined your grandparents. Or maybe you couldn’t hear her because you desperately didn’t want her to be gone. You were sent with Tony, Steve, Bruce, and Scott back to New York in 2012. When you returned your girlfriend's spot was empty.

“Hey, are you guys ready?” Laura asked with Wanda next to her.

“Yeah, let’s go home.” Clint smiled.

Home. It was what Clint called the farm and at one point it was. You found the beautiful house with dark green shutters a place to call home. When SHIELD was calm and the Avengers didn’t have any missions, you and Natasha would make a trip up here. But now it felt like a ghost town. The Barton's and Wanda were asleep and you sat on the front steps, wearing one of Natasha’s old SHIELD sweatshirt and a bottle of vodka flipping through old photos of you and her. She sat down next to you. “I’d offer you a drink but that would be pointless,” you took a sip from the bottle and enjoyed the way it burned down your throat. “I don’t know why you're still here. I’ll make sure Yelena is okay. I’ll visit Melina and Alexei, I’ll tell Clint it wasn’t his fault, and the kids will know you loved them.” You took another ship. “Our relationship was the best thing that happened to me. I love you. Goodbye.” You went to take another sip but Natasha tried to stop you. Her hand ghosted through the bottle. You stared at her and even though you couldn’t hear her, her green eyes spoke so much. They were sad and that angered you. “What do you want from me?” You asked. “I’m holding onto you by pictures and the smell of your clothes,” you threw the pictures at her. ‘Tony crossed her, everyone else did, so why won’t you leave me alone?” You yelled, throwing the bottle. It shattered as soon as it hit the grass. You stood up, walking down the few steps until your bare feet hit the grass. She followed you.

“I knew falling in love with this stupid power was a fucking mistake,” you spun around to face her. “Because now you're gone and I’m here. I’m homesick for somewhere that doesn't exist, for someone I have to learn to miss. So please go away,” she didn’t. “Leave me the fuck alone.” You yelled. A sob left your lips as you fell to your knees but you didn’t hit the ground instead arms caught you.

“Sh, I got you,” Clint said, rubbing your back. You balled your fist in his shirt as you cried on his shoulder. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “I got you. I know, let it all out.” Through your blurry vision, you saw Wanda and Laura on the porch and Natasha was nowhere to be found.

“Did you ever want something like this?” Wanda asked. You were pulling weeds from Laura’s garden while Wanda was reading a book. Two months have passed since half of the world’s population returned and you still found yourself at the Barton's. But it was an eventful 2 months, you visited Melina, Alexei, and Yelena to tell them of Natasha’s passing. Yelena took it the hardest. The blonde stormed out and only responded to your text messages every so often so you knew she was alive. And Natasha was still around. You would see her standing in the corner watching with a fond smile on her face. Still, you couldn’t hear her.

You sat back on your heels, whipping the sweat from your forehead. Wanda was looking at you over her book. “Like what?” You asked. She gestured to Barton's house. You sighed, crossing your legs and taking your garden gloves off. “Natasha and I thought about building our own house on their property,” you told her. “But I figured she would want to build on the Avengers property to be close to the team.” Wanda smiled, walked over to you, and sat down, fixing the sun dress she was wearing. “What about you and Vision?” She sighed, crossing her legs.

“I wanted a house in a nice neighborhood maybe on a cul-de-sac,” she smiled but she didn’t seem happy as she rested her hands on her lap. “A big backyard with a bigger kitchen,” she added. You smiled.

“You could still have that,” you saw Vision standing near a tree. He didn’t make himself visible all the time but figured he was there. Wanda’s smile faltered. “Don’t close yourself off to it.”

“And what about you?” She asked. “Are you closing yourself off?” You shrugged.

“I don’t know, Wands. I don’t know.”

Once again she found you sitting outside the Barton home this time without a bottle of vodka but with the same pictures and wearing another one of her shirts. Unfortunately, they are starting to lose her scent. You sat underneath a tree with a blanket over your lap as she sat next to you. “I’m sorry,” you said and you almost laughed at the shocked expression on her face. “I know this isn’t easy for anyone and I took my anger out on you. That was unfair. I just-” You looked down at the picture in your hand. It was of you and Natasha, her in Iowa spending Christmas with the Bartons. “I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. I feel you slipping through my fingers and I know I’ll never reach out. Now there’s nothing but shadows left,” you looked at her. “Why haven’t you crossed over?” You asked. She shrugged. “Can you see the light?” She shook your head. You frowned at that. You learned that for some spirits who couldn’t see the light, something was holding them back whether it be unfinished business, worried about loved ones, or guilt.

“Is it Yelena?” She shrugged. “Have you seen her?” She nodded. There was a deep sadness in her green eyes. You made a mental note to invite her to the farm. “Clint?” Again she shrugged. “Wanda?” Another shrug of her shoulders. You sighed. “Is it me?” She didn’t shrug but she looked down at your hands. “Nat, I’m okay. You don’t have to stay here because of me.” She lifted her hand. Her eyebrows meant together and you knew she was biting the inside of her cheek, she only did that when she was concentrating. To your surprise, when she touched your cheek her hand didn’t faze through you like normal. No. You felt her hand on your skin. You gasped at the coldness of her skin.

“So you can touch me but I can’t hear you. How is that fair?” She smirked. “I miss the sound of your voice,” she nodded, taking your hand in yours. “I’ll figure this out,” you told her. She squeezed your hand. “Okay, okay,” you smiled. “We’ll figure it out.”

“You need to take a break,” Wanda said, entering your room with two mugs in her hands. She handed you one as she sat down next to you. You’ve locked yourself in your room, hunched over your computer trying to find answers. But the internet was giving you very few answers. Wanda watched a tennis ball bounce against the wall. “I’m guessing she’s right here,” she gestured to the wall. You nodded. Natasha had been practicing solidifying her current state so she could interact with the world around her. She was building up endurance for it. “Well tell her to cut it out I’m trying to have a conversation here,” she caught the ball and stuck her tongue out at Wanda. You giggled.

“You're a child,” you said to the Black Widow. She shrugged her shoulders and opted for throwing the ball in the air. “I can’t figure out what’s going on. This has never happened to me before.”

“And you still can’t hear her,” you nodded. “She doesn't know what’s keeping her in this world.”

“If she does know she isn’t telling me. She’s stubborn like that,” that small comment caused the Black Widow to throw the tennis ball at you. “Fuck you,” you said, rubbing the spot where the ball hit. She flipped you off. Wanda giggled at the interaction. It was the first time since defeating Thanos you heard her laugh. You missed the sound. “I just don’t know what to do.”

“The first thing is to take a break,” she closed your laptop. “I bet a certain Black Widow would agree with me.” Natasha nodded. “I will also help you.”

“Really?” You questioned, looking at her. “Why?” She blew on her tea and took a sip.

“Because you and Natasha are my friends,” she said. “You’ve helped so many people with your powers, maybe it’s your turn for someone to help you.” You felt your phone vibrate in your pocket. You took it out and it was Tyler Howard, the acting director of SWORD. You didn’t like the man after he fought so hard against you and Natasha to get Vision’s body.

“Director Howard,” you answered. You put your finger to your lips to tell Wanda to be quiet. Natasha moved closer to you, kneeling beside you. “What can I do for you?”

“Is Wanda Maximoff with you?” He asked.

“Wanda,” you put your phone on speaker. “That depends. What do you want with her?” The man sighed. You watched Vision faze through the wall.

“You need to bring her to me or there will be -”

“No,” you cut him off. “You don’t get to threaten my friend after everything she’s been through to validate your ego,” Natasha placed her hand on your thigh to help you calm down. “So let’s start this conversation again.” You heard shuffling on the other side of the line.

“Hello, this is Agent James Woo alongside Darcy Lewis,” you recognized Jimmy’s name back in your SHIELD days and Darcy wired alongside Jane Foster. “We need your assistance in Westview, New Jersey,” you didn’t recognize the city but you saw Wanda flinch slightly and Vision tried to comfort her in some way.

“I’m going, to be honest, Agent Woo, I’m a little confused, what is going on in Westview that is involving Wanda?” Jimmy sighed.

“Is Miss. Maximoff with you right now?” Natasha and Wanda nodded their heads at the same time.

“Yes,” you answered honestly. “She’s been with me since the battle at the Avenger’s compound and I have multiple witnesses to back this up.” You knew the government feared Wanda and you would be damned if they locked her up again. This time it was Wanda who placed a gentle hand on your arm. Jimmy was silent on the other end. The silence was deafening and it filled you with anxiety. “Jimmy, what’s going on?”

“I need you and Wanda to get to Westview as soon as possible,” he said. “People’s lives are at stake.”

Part 2 (coming soon)

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gunsandspaceships · 2 months

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“Get out of my kitchen”

RDJ on Jimmy Kimmel Show (January 2024) mentioned that he has a chef who cooks for him and his family and I thought... unlike Robert or Batman with his Alfred, Tony had no chef… and since cooking was one of the few things he wasn't good at, and Pepper wasn’t in charge of it until Endgame… what the heck has he been eating all these years?

And I mean ALL the years since, let’s say the death of Edwin Jarvis, which we don’t know when happened.

I doubt Pepper cooked for him before they got married (coffee is not food). There’s no mention of it, and she had enough other responsibilities.

So looks like he ate fast food most of the time? At best, he ate in restaurants (including his jet), ordered takeout, or ate something that didn't require cooking. Like waffles, berries, fruits, or smoothies.

So basically, until he and Pepper started living together and Pepper had enough free time (after Thanos' snap) to cook, he didn't have homemade food. For decades.

Here are the only times we see him eating home-cooked food before Endgame:

Yinsen cooked for both of them in the cave, but the taste and nutritional qualities of this brew are questionable.

In AoU Laura Barton cooked for the whole team, but that was once.

Aunt May treats him to her walnut and date loaf.

All happened after he was captured and became Iron Man. Why didn't he have a chef to cook for him? It’s not like he had no money to hire one.

He was really bad at being a billionaire, wasn't he?

#tony stark #iron man #mcu #marvel #the avengers #avengers endgame #pepper potts #captain america civil war #avengers age of ultron #iron man 2 #food #aunt may #ho yinsen #laura barton

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bigbadbruin343 · 9 months

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Wolverine #37 and X-Men #26 connecting covers by David Nakayama.

#X-Men #Iron Man #Jean Grey #Scott Summers #Rouge #Gambit #Emma Frost #Tony Stark #Wolverine #Storm #Laura Kinney #Ice Man #David Nakayama #art #comics #Marvel Comics #Marvel

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thatseventiesbitch · 6 months

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That '70s Show (1998)

Rare cast photos

#That 70s Show #That '70s Show #T70S #Cast #Rare Cast Pics #Rare Cast Photo #Topher Grace #Laura Prepon #Wilmer Valderrama #Mila Kunis #Ashton Kutcher #Danny Masterson #Kurtwood Smith #Debra Jo Rupp #Don Stark #Tanya Roberts

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togrowoldinv · 1 year

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Thanksgiving

Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Natasha brings you home for Thanksgiving

Note: Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I’m thankful for y’all! This features a lot of Avengers peeps. Based on this request. I hope you enjoy it!

Natasha Romanoff Masterlist 1, Natasha Romanoff Masterlist 2, Main Masterlist

“We’re here!” Natasha says as she opens the front door of the Barton’s farmhouse. You notice how the door was unlocked and waiting for her to open it.

“Auntie Nat!” all three of Clint’s kids come running to her at the same time and she hugs each of them, telling them how she missed them. They soak up her affection like sponges.

“Welcome back, Nat!” Laura appears from the kitchen and hugs her. “And you must be y/n.” She hugs you as well and you feel your heart warm.

“Nice to meet you,” you say back. Nat wraps an arm around your waist.

“Come on in and make yourself at home,” Laura says as she gestures to the living room. You look around and see a lot of the Avengers are here too.

Wanda sits on the couch talking to Sam, Steve and Bucky sit by the fireplace, and Tony along with Pepper and Morgan are bundled up in the recliner. Peter Parker is playing video games with Cooper and the newest Avengers Kate and Kamala.

Natasha moves you both towards the living room to greet everyone.

“Come sit by me!” Wanda says, her arms reaching out for you. Besides Natasha, Wanda is your absolute favorite person in the world.

“Go on, detka. I’m going to go see if I can help Laura in the kitchen,” Nat says. She drops a quick kiss to your cheek.

You sit by Wanda on the couch, and she hugs you. It’s easy to fall into conversation with the rest of the group. When you look around, you admire how much the team feels like a family. And that feeling intensifies as Natasha comes back into the room and announces that the food is ready.

Everyone piles into the dining room, that Clint never got around to remodeling, and settles in for the meal. You sit next to Nat, and she keeps her right hand on your leg while you begin to eat.

“Alright, let’s all go around the table and say what we’re thankful for,” Laura suggests.

“I’ll go first,” Tony volunteers. “I’m thankful for my genius brain.” He laughs and Pepper shoots him a look of endearment and annoyance. “But really, I’m thankful for Pepper and Morgan, my two favorite people. And the spider kid, too.”

Each person around the tables says what they’re thankful for. It’s a myriad of thanks for family, friends, life, and safety. When it comes to your turn, you feel shy but Nat squeezes your thigh to ease some of your worry.

“I’m thankful for Natasha,” you start. Everyone awes. “And I’m really thankful for all of you who feel like my family. Thank you for having us all here, Clint and Laura. This is like everything I’ve always wanted Thanksgiving to be.” You notice a few people tearing up and the importance of this moment isn’t lost on you.

“How am I going to follow that?” Natasha jokes as she kisses your cheek briefly. She effectively lightens the mood. “I’m thankful for y/n. You made me feel alive again and continue to make me the happiest woman in the world every day.” You start crying from happiness and Nat smiles at you sweetly. “And I’m also thankful for everyone here.”

“To friends that have become family,” Laura holds up her glass for a toast.

“To friends that have become family!” everyone says as they clink their glasses together.

The rest of the day is filled with food, conversations about the other holidays coming up, and relaxing together.

Natasha holds you on the couch and you snuggle into her. You get a quiet moment and brush your nose against her neck to get her attention.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” you say.

“Of course, baby. Thank you for coming with me,” Nat replies. She kisses your forehead.

With all the thanks going around, you are most thankful that the woman holding you feels like home. And home is where the heart is.

Tag List: @gracebutnotgraceful @i-wished-for-you-too @wandasbb @be-missed @likefirenrain @hehehehannahthings @mythosphere-x @readings-stuff @xxxtwilightaxelxxx @madamevirgo @milfloverslut @mrswidowjohansson @alotofpockets @wandassitcom @ggrangerdanger @marvelwomen-simp @maia-lightwoood @xxromanoffxx @peanutbutterprincess @karmasgxrl @picnicmic @wandaslittlewhore @exhaustedfangirl @when-wolves-howl @natashalovers @marie45019 @inluvwithfictionalwomen @sammi1642 @jujuu23 @the-night-owl-blr @strangegardentaco @avatarsnips @romanoffswoman @natashasilverfox @imthenatynat @sayah13 @harleysincairo @rach2602 @cordyandbilliehavemyheart @lovelyy-moonlight @huitzilinthebudgie3 @juicyy444 @natblackwidow2 @youralphawolf72 @btay3115 @red1culous @lenam07 @randomwriter1021

#natasha romanoff x reader #soft natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff fluff #natasha romanoff comfort #natasha romanoff #laura barton #clint barton #tony stark #peter parker #wanda maximoff

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